Christ, one minute I’m walking behind Akmal and the next I’m lying on the ground, stunned, covered in dust and blood. His blood. I never understood why there wasn’t a …
Breathing Machine: a memoir stopped here (Carol Major)
In December 1999 the earth spun toward a great shadow marking the end of a millennium and those who relied on mechanical timekeeping began to stack tinned goods into cupboards, …
The Black War Thesis (David Thomas Henry Wright)
‘This is clearly an important subject, but – and I don’t mean to be rude – why does your particular project matter?’ asked Professor McCombe, the Associate Dean of the …
Like Light (Jayne Marshall)
(Edited by Laura McPhee-Browne) My head is full of metaphors for him. His proximity pulls down hard on my stomach, the solid ground spins beneath me, a face travels slowly …
From the Corner of My Eye (Jillian Butler)
If singles’ bars are hell, then lesbian bars are the deepest fucking circle. I was a newbie, a baby Dyke, fresh meat and everyone in the place knew it. In …
The Dunes (Kate Murdoch)
A single egg separated to form them. Yet Tamasine and Orla had rarely been apart. Once her twin met the boy, Orla spent more time alone. He was heavyset with …
Don’t Talk About the ‘Dont Walk’ Sign (Alexandra O’Sullivan)
Imagine you live in a world where female is the default gender. Where women own 95% of big business, media companies, and government positions. You study herstory at school, written …
Paper Riddles (Lindsey Danis)
(Edited by Callie Doyle-Scott) Freshman year of high school, someone hands me a note and a piece of candy. I eat the candy but puzzle over the note. Really it’s …
THE HEART OF AUSTRALIAN DARKNESS: An Interview with Mark Brandi
Verity La is all about new and exciting voices in Australian literature, so allow us to introduce you to Mark Brandi. Mark has been published, broadcast and shortlisted in journals …
The Ship (Nathan Curnow)
The radio says there’s an overnight storm arriving at 1am, so he sets the alarm clock on the floor of his room, beside his mattress in the bare apartment. After …