Flash Fiction Online December 2017

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The flash fiction stories in this month's magazine are about persistence, hope, and ultimately, love—even when it hurts. From the mainstream romance of a ballet dancer and a soldier to the beautifully written point of view of a young Rwandan girl, these short stories encapsulate the essence of human resilience. And don't worry. We haven't forgotten about our science fiction and fantasy readers. There's a time travel story with the hopeful resilience of youth and a darker, more contemplative look at the other side of love - grief.
But no matter which story you gravitate too, each of this month's flash offerings is a testament to survival in the face of adversity.
Returning to Flash Fiction Online, Charity Tahmaseb brings us "Steadfast," a beautiful yet modern retelling of Hans Christian Anderson's "The Steadfast Tin Soldier."
Jennifer Haupt's "The Girl Waits" is an encapsulated moment in one girl's life. Yet it has an enormous dynamism not often found in such small, quiet stories, and that's the underlying tension of hope.
John Wiswell returns to Flash Fiction Online, and no, it's not April . Read "The First Stop Is Always the Last." Grief, self-doubt, and hope play out in second chances, all set on a city bus.
And finally, to round out the issue is Stewart C Baker's "Excerpt from the Diagnostic and Necromantic Manual, 5th edition Regarding the Departed" .
To sum up this issue, I'll leave you with an excerpt from Stewart's story.
" must be willing to accept that pain is universal, and that beauty can, like a sudden surge of snow, be deadly."
An editorial from Publisher, Anna Yeatts.
Illustrated by Dario Bijelac.
Enjoy!