My short story from the September 2023 issue of Birdy Magazine, inspired by art by Moon_Patrol . It has generous helpings of Power Rangers and ’80s fantasy, while the twist – a inappropriate suggestion from one of the male characters – sends up a notorious scene from Stephen King’s It.
“In shadows deep and light’s embrace,” sang Cassandra.
“We forge a bond, a sacred space,” sang Tom.
“With every heart and spirit true,” sang Phil.
“Our magic makes the world — fuck me!” spat Lys, ducking as a collie-sized spider leapt at her face. Tom took a quick step and smashed the arachnid with his baseball bat.
“Should we retreat?” Phil suggested. “Considering there are about a hundred more of these little buggers, and, you know, that.” He pointed at the eighty-foot tall monstrosity down in the valley, the other-dimensional spider titan Urglash, from whose belly the smaller spiders were dropping like a wave of paratroopers. Fortunately Urglash was too occupied with spitting acid at the U.S. Army’s tanks and helicopters to pay attention to four puny humans. On the other hand, her spiderlings alone seemed more than capable of turning them into human juice boxes.
THE FELL AND THE FAE 