Presenting NESA Creative Writing’s latest work: Macabre

Macabre invites the reader into a world of dark and strange curiosities. Witness spirits drifting between ephemeral forms, mysterious rabbits opening the door to warped memories, and girls and ghosts reminiscing about death’s after-effects. What curious, unfathomable forces play behind the curtain of the familiar world? Might they reveal what it means to be human, or is the line more blurry than it seems?

Read Macabre here: Macabre: Volume 4, Issue 1

Artwork: Anna Maria Warren, Moth. Digital, 2023

 

Editors’ Choice

Congratulations to Maya Lerma, whose piece Rotten Chains (Decaying Gold) was selected as the Editors’ Choice for Macabre.

This piece tells the story of two people chained to opposite cells inside a cave, who have never known any other world. It was selected for its evocative command of language and its astounding depth of theme. Through the motif of a golden light slowly fading into darkness, Maya conveys a powerful narrative about the paradox of free will. Maya’s descriptions of a deteriorated and claustrophobic prison paint a bleak picture as the protagonist’s hope and perseverance is whittled away over the haunting progression of their companion’s final days.

“And there was no silver that the air could not tarnish.” -Maya Lerma

Read Maya’s piece here: Rotten Chains (Decaying Gold)

Special shoutout to Chloe Shaw, whose outstanding digital artwork, Fly By Night (2023), was chosen to accompany Maya’s work. We believe the choice of color and setting match the atmosphere of the piece. Congratulations to you both!

 

What is the Editors’ Choice?

The 2023-2024 Bunker Review Staff defines the Editors’ Choice as the piece we believe stands out from the rest of the submissions. This piece demonstrates excellent craft, depth, and originality, as well as takes a unique approach to the theme. Submissions are closely reviewed for this recognition. Out of all the submissions received, we award only one Editors’ Choice in each issue.