An Anthology of Magic All Around Us
Magic lies around every corner; if only we are brave enough to see it. It’s in the stories we tell each other and the faces of neighbors and strangers alike.
This collection of tales asks, “If met with magic, what would you do?”
In a city (very much inspired by Portland and its surrounding boroughs) we find a young lady riding alone on public transit. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she catches a glimpse of the strangest sight. An ogre! An actual ogre wearing a tattered overcoat, a flat cap, and reading a newspaper! What follows is a growing friendship between the girl and the world-weary magical creature. Their interactions will help reveal a world of wonders that exists parallel to our own, but invisible to most. The stories in this anthology, crafted by a diverse group of authors and visionaries, will unfold in this setting - each one a unique take on the idea of “magic all around us.” The stories will feature magic, mystery, chills, thrills, and true connection, all with a focus on imagination, resilience, and embracing the unknown.
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Keep Portland Quirky (Excerpt)
By Niyyah Ruscher-Haqq
It’s only been seven more days, but weird changes are happening at Edgewood.
The library doors have locked themselves and refuse to open.
The teachers complain about the never-ending coffee pot burning their daily brew.
Even Isaac had to come up for air once when he was swimming.
Rumors echo through the halls.
It’s all because of the swifts.
No! It’s climate change.
No, we’re vitamin D deficient!
The teachers change their lessons to keep birds on our brains. Professor Ahndine has us perform avian formations in her Global Grooves class. We dance with fan veils, floating and waving the teal and gray silk like wings to emulate flight. Professor Frances has us bind books with feathers stitched on the spine. No one can match her speed, but it’s a waste of time to race a teacher with eight arms. Professor Jess is teaching swift-themed pottery, but Lamya’s there already, and I need a break from her.
I swoop down the hall and into the school kitchen. Yana is wiping down one of the steel tables on the le side of the kitchen, wearing a shirt with a cat in a spacesuit next to a sparkly blue planet. It read “purr-cury.” I check the right side of the room. Nick is juggling steel pots like they’re tennis balls, his cronies cheering him on. I pick Yana. She nods her head at me. My shoulders relax. At least she’s not ignoring me, like practically everyone else is now.
Chef Kyikyi walks in wearing a big white hat with an orchid blossom pinned on the side. “Thank you for cooking with me today. To honor and invite our swift friends, we’re making Himalayan Momo, deliciously spiced dumplings shaped like little nests.”
I follow her lead, barely listening, I grab ginger root and cut thin strips–something a swift might use for a nest. The swifts, the swifts, the swifts. Nanu called them so effortlessly, it shouldn’t be this hard. It’s like there’s a buzz that I can almost touch.
Almost.
I fold my momo, imagining swift babies leaving their nests and flocking in a giant cloud of tiny birds shaped like cigars with wings. After the dumplings are made, Chef Kyikyi smiles, and asks who needs their momo frozen. Of course, everyone wants them frozen, because then we can see her Quirk in action. Everyone lines up behind
their trays.
Chef Kyikyi closes her eyes. “I think of the peaks of the Himalaya. I feel cold air. I see white. I look for it here, the peaks of Mount Hood and in a surprise storm in February. I call the snow.”
Snowflakes flutter over the bags. The cool air rushes against our skin as she goes down the line, freezing each bag. We cheer with each icy burst. But her smile drops when she gets to my tray.
Her forehead crumples up in confusion, and she breathes in again.
My tray stays at room temperature.
Chef Kyikyi tries again.
Nothing.
Her mouth opens.
No one makes a sound.
Chef Kyikyi wrinkles her brow and lis her hands. “I call the snow.”
She says it louder this time, but no snow comes.
The only thing that emerges is a tear falling from Chef Kyikyi’s eye.
“It’s happening,” Yana says.
I drop my head. I don’t want to see their stares. It’s happening now. And it’s all my fault. I feel heat in my cheeks, and my eyes sting. Panic rises in my chest. I can’t cry in front of everyone. “May I be excused?”
“I’ll walk you to the office.” Chef Kyikyi smooths down her coat as we exit. I don’t want to walk with her, to see her upset. To see what I’m causing. To make matters worse, we’ve barely stepped outside before I hear Nick’s voice.
“They let him in without proving himself, now the Quirks are disappearing.”
Chef Kyikyi gently grabs my arm and hustles towards the nurses oce. Tears trickle down her cheek.
Whoa.
A Professor crying in front of you is not covered in the student manual.
Her voice cracks a little when she speaks. “When I came to Portland, your
grandmother helped me a lot, she helped all of us. She knew how important it was to be welcoming to guests that come to our space. You’re a helper, too. I know everything will
work out fine.”
She’s trying to help, to cheer me up, but my brain had Nick’s voice on repeat.
Chef Kyikyi lost her Quirk, and the rest would be next. I can’t stay with her anymore.
“I’m really sorry about your Quirk,” I say.
I run to the bathroom before the tears fall.
To Be Continued...
By Niyyah Ruscher-Haqq
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