“We remind them that road trips and human exploration lead back, without adding ‘if all goes well.’ Ride an explosion, walk on another rocky surface, collect some samples, more vials, return with the samples on top of another explosion. We can be there to cheer them on.”

7th Place: “Elemental Flash” Contest
The Molotov Cocktail
13 September 2021
The Molotov Cocktail
“Elemental Flash” Issue
20 September 2021
Fleeing natural disasters, a couple travels across the continent to watch the launch of the first crewed mission to Mars.
The Molotov Cocktail is an online zine based in Portland, Oregon that publishes “volatile flash fiction.” I love the mix of literary, genre, pulp, surrealist, experimental stories they publish every month. In 2017, I started submitting stories to some of their quarterly flash contests. In 2020, a couple of my stories were “close-but-no-cigar” shortlisted.
And now? My flash fiction story “Goodbye to Rock” placed 7th in the “Elemental Flash” contest! The issue was published online today and our stories will be published in a print anthology in the future! I’m grateful to be included; these flash contest issues are always a highlight.
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