Contents

This is the end. Two years, nine issues, full circle. Since we started this little venture, things have fallen apart and things have fallen together. The world went insane. Our very personal lives have withered and grown and mutated into dreams we would scarce have believed, let alone predicted, all those minutes ago, two years gone. And yet we are happy. And yet we prosper. And yet will always admire the phrase well-crafted, the tale told with guts and imagination. Thanks to all who contributed, thanks to all who allowed us to share their work with the world, and thanks especially to those who love us and keep us sane.

~The Editors

Ever since we first encountered his astonishing "Triptych" (see Issue 2:006), Claude Lalumière has been one of our favorite authors. His stuff is everything FI has ever aspired to. Weird, elegant, nasty, innovative, brilliant, seductive, and did we mention weird? I think if Unca Harlan was still cranking out the old Dangerous Visions we'd've had to fight him for the rights to "The Wizard of North America." Not to say, of course, that Unca Harlan wouldn't've kicked our scrawny asses all over the genre.... Anyway, you can read this wonderful, nasty, weird story here. Do it now.

Ah, gray. The color of nothing, the color of everything. The color of sky in the full slosh of Oregon winter, the color of dreer, the color of age. But there's more: Greg Jenkins explores the nature of gray from a perspective of comfort, and of connection, and all with an incredible sense of place. We enjoyed this little excursion to the Twilight Zone immensely, and trust you will also.

Okay, okay. One last piece of crap from the weird fuck behind this whole insane mess. Don't blame us; he used force.