Metaphorosis magazine - beautifully written science fiction and fantasy

Oliver the tortoise is on the loose, and the animals of Rainriver Zoological Gardens are all feeling the repercussions of his escape. The zoo is overrun with eager visitors trying to capture the next amazing animal video, and their careless obsession drives the animal inmates to more extreme behavior, to take risks, to lie, and to dream dark, hungry dreams of something they can only vaguely envision: freedom.
Narrated by host Matt Gomez. Published in Metaphorosis on 31 March 2023. Find the original at magazine.metaphorosis.com.

An eleven-year-old must battle the mysterious presence lurking in his grandparents backyard, while coming to terms with the trauma in his family’s past.
Narrated by the author. Published in Metaphorosis on 24 March 2023. Find the original at magazine.metaphorosis.com.

River has spent most of her life in a small suburban town, playing guitar and geeking out with friends… who have no idea she was born thousands of lightyears away. Her only memory of her home planet is of a terrorist attack that killed thousands of her people. Earth is all she has ever known, and as far as she is concerned, she’s just another ordinary teenager. But yesterday, her father informed her they were moving back home.
Narrated by host Matt Gomez. Published in Metaphorosis on 17 March 2023. Find the original at magazine.metaphorosis.com.

His little sister Brigid was special, and not just because of her amazing power to create solid objects out of nothing. As a big brother, he was determined to protect her, and protect her secret, with his life.
Narrated by host Matt Gomez. Published in Metaphorosis on 10 March 2023. Find the original at magazine.metaphorosis.com.

What if you woke up one morning entirely alone in the world? Your apartment is quiet, your roommates aren’t slamming the door, there’s no traffic on the street, no dogs barking, and the only sound is hissing insects.
Narrated by the author. Published in Metaphorosis on 03 March 2023. Find the original at magazine.metaphorosis.com.

When Oliver the tortoise escapes from his enclosure, the animals at Rainriver Zoological Gardens will never be the same. An accidental video of Oliver goes viral, the zoo is overrun with visitors, and every animal living inside it is faced with new challenges, increased stress, and opportunities to triumph or fail in ways they've never imagined possible.
Narrated by host Matt Gomez. Published in Metaphorosis on 24 February 2023. Find the original at magazine.metaphorosis.com.

Beside the River Styx, souls who cannot pay the toll must wait out their days. There, the ferryman contends with an irrepressible human who refuses to submit to tradition.
Narrated by host Matt Gomez. Published in Metaphorosis on 17 February 2023. Find the original at magazine.metaphorosis.com.

When the law changes overnight, a cryostasis technician finds himself legally liable for a man-made disaster - the impending destruction of hundreds of thousands of embryos.
Narrated by host Matt Gomez. Published in Metaphorosis on 10 February 2023. Find the original at magazine.metaphorosis.com.

Lorraine doesn't have much going her way. She still lives in her deceased mother's old condo, and even her sisters look down on her because of her bad eye and inarticulate speech. Now, the one thing she's got—a job at her beloved JCPenney store—is in jeopardy as the chain announces bankruptcy. But Lorraine makes a discovery during the final clearance sale could change her fortunes.
Narrated by host Matt Gomez. Published in Metaphorosis on 03 February 2023. Find the original at magazine.metaphorosis.com.

The animals in the Rainriver Zoological Gardens survive to the best of their abilities, captive and plagued by their individual neurosis. But when the tortoise, Oliver, escapes from his enclosure, it sets in motion a series of events which will affect the life of every animal in the zoo, which will change Rainriver, its animals, and their keepers, forever.
Narrated by host Matt Gomez. Published in Metaphorosis on 27 January 2023. Find the original at magazine.metaphorosis.com.