Editor’s Note

Earlier this month, I woke to the news that my community lost a leader to suicide. She was a passionate advocate for justice and human dignity. I had the privilege of seeing her develop the confidence to step into public life and inspire others to work together to create the world we want to live in. I admired and celebrated her, but I didn’t know how much pain was hidden under the surface.

Things are terrible, terrifying even—and possibly getting worse—yet we persist. Truth, beauty, awe, possibility, and community still exist. History may mirror the past in complicated and dreadful ways. People may try to divide us, tell us we are not enough, cut us down, but there is also hope all around us. We can find it in everyday life. We can see it in rich and fertile soil, in the symmetry of a butterfly’s wings, in the small kindness of a stranger.

Those who work against the common good may confound, either by design or accident. Despite it all, we have ourselves and each other. Whether that shows up in a quiet drive or a collective protest, we can look up, we can reach out, we can share our stories and listen and love and lift one another up. In this issue, where darkness attempts to consume, our contributors shine light.

Grab a comfort drink and give yourself a moment of peace. Invite a friend and find solidarity. Dive below the surface together and, within the churning depths of this issue, find what fills your heart. Know that you are not alone.

Reach out when you need support. In the U.S. and Canada, dial 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Wishing you all hope, strength, and safety,

Table of Contents

Title	Genre	Writer
Blue Around the Gills	Flash CNF	Nikki Mae Howard
What You Practice For	Flash Fiction	Salena Casha
The Pattern	Fiction	Trae Stewart
What the Earth Asks After the Apology	Poetry	Khayelihle Benghu
An Untravelled World	Fiction	Arianna Adirim
All of This, Still	Poetry	Katelyn Sweeney
Crossword	Interactive	Vast Editors