Welcome to issue five of Inner Worlds. I’m delighted to present these twelve stories, spanning science fiction, fantasy, and horror.

Some themes have emerged through the selection, as they often do, and forests and shorelines are well represented here. There are stories of transformation, and freedom, and tentatively hopeful new beginnings. But these stories also bear witness to pain, fear, grief, and shame.

I’m proud that this issue, like our previous issues, features stories by both new and experienced authors, and a range of styles from “transparent prose” to more experimental and literary styles, as well as fresh and sometimes startling imagery.

Our cover art this time is the superbly titled Waiting For a Single Taco at 8pm on a Tuesday by Anka Yanovna, which draws out the surrealism of a mundane moment in vibrant colour.

I hope you enjoy reading these stories as much as I have. Thank you for your support, which makes Inner Worlds possible.

Sarah Jackson, December 2024

ISSN 2977-8131

Table of contents

Cover artwork

Our cover for this issue is Waiting For a Single Taco at 8pm on a Tuesday by Anka Yanovna.

Intergalactic Mistress of Mystery and irredeemable lover of cats, Anka Yanovna is a multidisciplinary artist working primarily with acrylics to paint strange and otherworldly characters. Each piece serves as a window into the myriad of dimensions that intersect Earth’s reality.

Anka was born in St. Petersburg, Russia and spent her formative years living and working in New York City before establishing her current practice in a crashed starship hidden in the Maine woods.

Portfolio: https://agblend13.com/✦ Instagram @artbasealpha ✦ Tumblr @agblend13