Infinity Wanderers 9

By Grey Wolf

Infinity Wanderers issue 9 is the Spring 2024 edition and includes the regular columns as well as new stories, poetry, and other submissions.
The lead story is The Coven by Mia Carrico and our author interview is with Ethan Baker, with a competition to win a copy of his new book, 'Department M'.
The travel feature is a look at a holiday in France in August 1987, whilst poetry comes from Ali Ashhar, Pawel Markiewicz, and Holly Day.
Part 3 of the serialised story Fair-Weather Friend by Mark Harbinger completes that story, whilst we have a preview of the start of The Wounded Eagle by Grey Wolf, book 3 of The Shifting Sands trilogy. Other stories are Senya by Reut Barak, Daydreams Are Forever by Brian G. Davies, American Dream by Matthew Spence, Wolf by Yuan Changming, and The Mouths of Children by Matias F. Travieso-Diaz. Flash fiction comes from Benjamin Macnair, and Brandon Korth contributes two short stories: Laguna, and The Turboball Tryouts.
The magazine reviews three books across the alternate history and science fiction genres. And regular contributor L. G. Parker provides Wars You've Probably Never Heard Of, and Almost History.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Selornia
• Release date: Mar 14, 2024
• ISBN: 9798223169628

Grey Wolf

Grey Wolf began writing as a teenager, and has remained consistent ever since in the genres he writes in - Alternate History, Science Fiction, and Fantasy. A poet since his later teens, he now has several published collections and his work has appeared in a number of magazines.  Living now in the South Wales valleys, Grey Wolf is a keen photographer and makes use of the wonderful scenery and explosion of nature that is the Welsh countryside. 

Book preview

INFINITY WANDERERS

#9

EDITED BY GREY WOLF

Infinity Wanderers issue 9

Edited by Grey Wolf

Cover Art by Davyd Meyrick Griffiths

Fiction, Poetry and Artwork: Copyright remains with original authors

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author or from the publisher (as applicable).

ISBN 9798884238725

INFINITY WANDERERS

ISSUE 9

CONTENTS

The Coven - - - - - - - - - - Mia Carrico

Author Interview - - - - - - - - - - Ethan Baker

Senya - - - - - - - - - - Reut Barak

The Knight’s Legend - - - - - - - - - - Ali Ashhar

Wars You’ve Probably Never Heard Of - - - - - - - - - - L. G. Parker

Dazzling Pyramid - - - - - - - - - - Pawel Markiewicz

Fair-Weather Friend – Part 3 - - - - - - - - - - Mark Harbinger

Flash Fiction - - - - - - - - - - Benjamin Macnair

France 1987 – Travel Diary - - - - - - - - - - Jon N. Davies

The Mouths of Children - - - - - - - - - - Matias F. Travieso-Diaz

Two Short Stories - - - - - - - - - - Brandon Korth

Poetry - - - - - - - - - - Holly Day

The Wolf! The Wolf! - - - - - - - - - - Yuan Changming

American Dreams - - - - - - - - - - Matthew Spence

Daydreams Are Forever - - - - - - - - - - Brian G. Davies

Book Review - - - - - - - - - - The Serpents of Eden

Book Review - - - - - - - - - - Defending The Colonies

Book Review - - - - - - - - - - Dr Who: Salvation

The Wounded Eagle - - - - - - - - - - Grey Wolf

Almost History - - - - - - - - - - L. G. Parker

DEDICATED

TO THE MEMORY

OF

HERBIE BRENNAN

A TRUE GENTLEMAN

James Herbert Brennan (5 July 1940 – 1 January 2024)

The Coven

Mia Carrico

The leaves were falling and life in the small town of Sprucevale was turning from green to orange. The sky was dark and filled with storm clouds, the only light that came through was dim. The row of trees lining the road had turned to colors of honey and crimson and the leaves fell steadily to the ground as the wind blew through the streets.

Main road was for the most part quiet. It was a Saturday afternoon and the people of Sprucevale had either already gotten groceries for the week or were planning to do so tomorrow. The row of shops and boutiques were lit by street lamps that filled the area with a glow that brightened the dark and rainy day.

Selene and Vera were walking down Main road headed to get coffee before going to Ant Marie's house to study. Morgan and Lucia were planning on meeting up with them at Marie's house but had decided to stop by the local hippie store for materials first.

Selene was wearing a navy blue knee length dress splattered with little gold specks and a jean jacket filled with comfy fur to warm her. She had her brown, curly hair pulled back into a high ponytail with pieces falling out around her face and her eyes were outlined in a black smudged eyeliner.

Vera on the other hand was wearing a brown flowy skirt with a white cropped top and a green knitted cardigan. Her hair was black, wavy and cascading down her shoulders. Her chest was adorned with many necklaces filled with charms and trinkets that matched her earrings barely visible through her hair.

Vera and Selene had been friends due to being neighbors since they were kids. Their families had grown to be close friends over the years too. The two girls had met Lucia and Morgan in freshman year of highschool. Lucia had come in from a neighboring middle school and Morgan had recently moved there from out of state. The girls were now in their senior year.

Although they might seem like a nice group of normal teenage girls, it was really quite the opposite. Lucia, Selene,Vera and Morgan were actually witches. Their magical powers had been passed down, generation through generation on their mothers’ side.

Ant Marie was Selene’s great aunt and acted as a sort of teacher of all things old and magical for them. They used her house as a safe haven to study and practice their rituals on weekends and often after school too.

Finally, the girls got to the corner of Main and 5th where cafe Black Cat waited. The inside was illuminated by fairy lights that were strung up in the windows. The girls were greeted by the jingle of a bell as they opened the door.

The interior of the coffee shop was filled with posters and paintings hung up on brick walls. They walked to the counter and gave their orders to the kind lady working the register. Selene got a latte with oat milk and Vera got a regular cappuccino with cinnamon.

Selene wandered over to one of the couches in the corner of the room, Vera followed.

I'm so excited for the sleepover tonight, Vera said, energetically as she set down her bag. We should totally do a moon ritual, I heard it's going to be a full moon! She talked in a high-pitched, fast and excited tone.

Sure, I brought my moonstones for us to share, Selene smiled shyly. Her voice was almost a whisper, sweet, melodic, but just loud enough to hear.

After several minutes of waiting and conversing about the plans for that night, Selene and Vera got their drinks and headed out on their way to Ant Marie’s.

The walk was beautiful, the air cool and crisp, smelling of apple cider and rain. The fallen leaves crunched beneath their feet and stuck to the bottom of their boots. They sipped on their coffees and were just about finished by the time they reached Ant Marie's house.

Ant Marie lived in an old Victorian cottage at the edge of town. She had a garden filled with veggies and fruit trees that curled around from the right side of her house, and filled her backyard. Her backyard bordered on the edge of the forest and sometimes, you could hear the howl of wolves at night.

Vera and Selene walked up the brown, stony walkway and onto the porch, ringing the doorbell only once before letting themselves into the foyer. They took off their shoes and walked into the kitchen. There, Lucia and Morgan were waiting, sitting at the oak table to the right of the kitchen counter.

Lucia was wearing a long, layered, lacey, black dress that swished and flowed as she got up from the table. She had long black hair that draped over the edges of her face and black eyeshadow covering her eyelids to match the black lipstick on her lips.

Morgan, on the other hand, was wearing sea-green baggy pants and a white, cropped blouse. Her brown coily hair was put up in a messy bun on the top of her head and she had put on several waist beads that sunk across her hips.

Smiles flooded the room as Selene and Vera walked in. Morgan and Lucia got up and ran to hug their friends.

I’m so excited!! Morgan exclaimed. She spoke in a deep, comforting voice, powerful but soft and charming too.

Selene walked over to the bag of materials they had gotten at the shop to inspect them on the kitchen counter. She pulled out a bag of incense, put it up to her nose and inhaled the sweet smell of Cedar. She pulled out the rest of the items, Rose Quartz, Amethyst, a pendulum made of smoky quartz, and an evil eye pendant.

By the way, where's Ant Marie? Vera asked. No one had acknowledged her absence until then. Vera recalled how she usually was waiting for them in the kitchen with a tray of snacks or pastries.

We’re not sure, Lucia responded, but she did leave this note. Her voice was like that of a ghost, but fiery and bold. She picked up a post-it from the counter and handed it to Vera. It read:

My dear girls, I plan on being out of town on a trip to see my sister, Marjorie, for a day or two. Keep up with your school work and of course, your practice too. Feel free to stay at my house till I am back.

P.S I left cookies in the freezer.

Vera looked up from the note, the girls all looked at each other, she smiled. Morgan walked over to the microwave and opened the door. She took out a plate of cookies.

We took them out as soon as we read the note. They’re pumpkin, Morgan said as she set them down on the table. The girls all sat down and reached for the plate, grabbing cookies to eat.

So what's on the agenda? Lucia asked.

I was thinking we could do a moon ritual! Vera said, practically squirming with excitement. It's a full moon so whatever we do will be enhanced, she added.

The girls looked at each other around the table, Selene continued to munch on her cookie, eyes wandering to the dark, rainy sky outside the window. The girls talked and debated what to get for dinner, pizza was the top contestant. Suddenly, Lucia stood to use the bathroom.

You guys can decide without me. I'll be back in a minute. She walked up the stairs and through the dimly lit hallway and admired the rusted frames of old paintings and pictures adorning the red walls.

As she made her way back to the kitchen, she looked up at the cobweb-coated ceiling. Above her, a door made itself clear in the light. How had she never noticed this before? She raced back to the kitchen.

You'll never guess what I found! She blurted, delighted with her discovery. The girls stood and followed her up the steps to where she had found the attic door. Selene pulled it down using the string attached to the wooden frame. The girls ascended into the dusty, dark space and Morgan turned on her flashlight while they looked around.

Selene found a typewriter, it was old and rusted. The keys moved on their own and when she focused she found they were typing The Vines into the air, as there was no paper to type on. Lucia found a spellbook, only slightly smaller than the attic door. She blew the dust off of the book and it clouded the air making her cough. The book was titled: The Secret of the Setting Sun. Vera found a sword, she unsheathed it and it was dripping with blood, the silver juxtaposed the crimson blood and bronze crested hilt. They