“We all have dreams, and these dreams keep us positive about the future because if we really want to achieve the dreams that we have and the hopes that we have, that means we have to get fighting for the future. So that’s one of my biggest motivations to keep fighting.”

—Vanessa Nakate

Issue 2021.57

Short stories

• ‘Wives at the End of the World’, Avra Margariti - art by Joyce Chng
• ‘The City, My Love’, Alexandra Seidel - art by Carmen Moran
• ‘A Subtle Fire Beneath the Skin’, Hayley Stone - art by Cécile Matthey
• ‘Autonomous Dispatch’, Anna Ziegelhof - art by Fluffgar
• ‘Faulty Genes’, Hannah Soyer - art by Eric Asaris

Poetry

• ‘The Flier and the Sheltered Maid’, Ana Gardner - art by Miguel Santos
• ‘Alien Armada’, Mary Soon Lee - art by Laura-Anca Adascalitei
• ‘In Dependence’, Oluwatomiwa Ajeigbe - art by Jason Baltazar
• ‘Apotheosis’, Nicole J. LeBoeuf - art by Toeken

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Coming to the fifth issue of TFF that we have published during this extended period of working from home and social distancing, it is good to be reminded of the importance of society and community for our survival.

The stories and poems in this issue are full of examples of companionship, friendship, love and solidarity; of settings where community, social organization and relationships count for more than genius or maverick protagonists. We have tales involving commitment to the preservation of heritage and collective memories, of deep connections with past and future generations—all elements that make up our social world, our community and survival. In her quote above, Ms Nakate gives us the same message: passionate care for the future gives us motivation and hope, but we have to fight as a community, as a culture, not as individual heroes.

Let us join hands therefore with our authors Alexandra, Ana, Anna, Avra, Hannah, Hayley, Mary, Nicole and Oluwatomiwa, and our artists, Carmen, Cécile, Eric, Fluffgar, Jason, Joyce, Laura-Anca, Miguel and Toeken and remember that great art is not the work of a loner, but of a culture. Come in, share what we have, enjoy, and tell us about your home.

See you next time!

Djibril al-Ayad, April 2021

Comment on the stories in this issue on the TFF Press blog.