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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN

@crowkeys.bsky.social

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Seeking the wonderful and the bizarre, the beautiful and the dark. Home to all things dark and lovely. [email protected] EIC: @keychild.bsky.social (she/her) https://linktr.ee/crowcrosskeys

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 5d

We seek solitude in places of nature: under ancient trees, inside windblown caves that were once made of sand, and beside still, silent lakes. There, we share stories. Like this one. Read it with us.

"Ophelia by the Fisherman's Shack" by Scout Wallace

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/04/o...

A muted greyscale banner for short story, Ophelia by the Fisherman's Shack by Scout Wallace published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a cropped photograph of a woman laying in a body of water topped with cut flowers.

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 1d

The link is waiting. Click it.

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/08/t...

An excerpt from poem, (the skin of) October by Robin Steve published on crowcrosskeys.com, presented on a muted greyscale banner featuring a row of skeletal trees against a setting sun. The excerpt reads:
on their way towards winter
the trees stand naked
their softness by now forgotten

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 1d

October is, predictably, one of our favourite months. Here at the tower, we watch the trees change from our windows. We read poetry as the leaves fall. Read it with us?

"(the skin of) October" by Robin Steve

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/08/t...

A muted greyscale banner for poem, (the skin of) October by Robin Steve published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a row of skeletal trees against a setting sun.

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 5d

The link welcomes you home whenever you seek stories. What are you waiting for? Click it. (Especially if you want to know the end of that last sentence. Was it a mistake in our graphic making or for engagement? You decide... 😅)

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/04/o...

An excerpt from short story, Ophelia by the Fisherman's Shack by Scout Wallace published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a cropped photograph of a woman laying in a body of water topped with cut flowers. The excerpt reads: he shoreline welcomes Ophelia home whenever she seeks solitude. She’s gotten good at sneaking away; she’s had plenty of practice. She’s learned how to go unnoticed through back doors and over fences, just like she’s learned to hide her wild eyes beneath fluttering lids and her skinned knees under flowing skirts. A softly-spoken excuse or a little white lie creates an hour or two of absolute freedom, and with that, Ophelia darts down to the rocky bay.

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 5d

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 8d

The link starts talking to you as soon as you see it. You should click it.

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/01/d...

An excerpt from flash fiction, Don't Feed the Sink by Hollie Dee published on crowcrosskeys.com, presented on a muted greyscale banner featuring a photo of a sink with houseplants situated in front of a bright window. The excerpt reads: The kitchen sink starts talking to Ellie on the morning of her ninth birthday. She’s rinsing her plate when a wet whisper makes her freeze, soap suds racing down her arms. Grandad clears his throat when he sees Ellie hovering by the taps.

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 8d

There are many hungry things in the tower. We don't recommend feeding them, even if they tell you what they're hungry for. Today's flash is also a hungry thing.

"Don't Feed the Sink" by Hollie Dee

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/01/d...

A muted greyscale banner for flash fiction, Don't Feed the Sink by Hollie Dee published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a photo of a sink with houseplants situated in front of a bright window.

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 12d

The link does not shift. All the better for you to click it.

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/09/27/t...

An excerpt from "commute" by Devony Hof, a poem published on crowcrosskeys.com, presented on a muted greyscale banner featuring an abstract image of blurred lights evoking the impression of a passing train. The excerpt reads:
The view outside shifts from brick
to snow-covered graveyards to
volcanoes bubbling with soap
and tunnels winking with crystal.

10D: The state of having no permanent residence.

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 12d

Things happen in threes. Good, bad, everything in between. Today's three is solidly in the good category. Join us as we read three very good poems by Devony Hof.

"Inkpot"
"gretel"
"commute"

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/09/27/t...

A muted greyscale banner for a trio of poems by Devony Hof, "Inkpot", "gretel" and "commute" published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring an abstract image of blurred lights evoking the impression of a passing train.

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 15d

You're around to notice the link. It's only polite to click it.

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/09/24/t...

An excerpt from short story, The Broken Home by Colleen Tyler published on crowcrosskeys.com, presented on a muted greyscale banner featuring a Victorian house surrounded by trees. The excerpt reads: On the edge of a dying town, at the end of a dead-end street, next to a crooked, unkempt cemetery full of dead, forgotten souls, stood a house. It had once been a freshly painted blue-and-white Victorian, filled with pride and promise and possibility. But that, of course, was years ago. Ghostly wisps of what it once was occasionally curled up from the cold, crumbling chimney, or slyly slipped from the corner of a jagged window. Not very often, mind you. And it’s not as if there was anyone around to notice.

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 15d

A building is in the eye of the beholder. When you look upon the tower, you might see ruins. Others might see spires or treehouses. Today's story, concerns another building, come and see...

"The Broken Home" by Colleen Tyler

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/09/24/t...

A muted greyscale banner for short story, The Broken Home by Colleen Tyler published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a Victorian house surrounded by trees.

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Reposted by Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN

Brianne Battye @briannebattye.bsky.social · 16d

Sharing a poem on Equinox.

While "golden" doesn't explicitly say it's autumn, I imagined it as such. Memory returning at the turn of seasons, as summer fades.

You can read my frog prince inspired poem at @crowkeys.bsky.social

crowcrosskeys.com/2023/08/23/g...

golden—Brianne Battye

this is the ball that fell into the pond a vanishing glimmer, dulled now leaves etched along the tarnished equator Continue reading…

crowcrosskeys.com

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 19d

The link is a steadfast thing. When you're ready, it will be waiting.

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/09/20/a...

An excerpt from flash fiction, AFTER-WORDS by Donna Shanley reprinted on crowcrosskeys.com, presented on a muted greyscale banner featuring an open book resting in a shaft of light. The excerpt reads: “A story is a flighty thing,” he’d say, “see how an open book looks like a soaring bird.”

The first sign that he was turning into one was the question mark at the corner of his mouth. Then the flashes of spidery black light above his head, as thoughts scribbled themselves into being.

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 19d

Our favourite words are the ones we've never met before. There's nothing quite like meeting a new word. However, we will never tire of familiar words in the form of stories. Like today's flash...

"AFTER-WORDS" by Donna Shanley

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/09/20/a...

A muted greyscale banner for flash fiction, AFTER-WORDS by Donna Shanley reprinted on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring an open book resting in a shaft of light.

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 22d

You tap at the link.

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/09/17/t...

An excerpt from poem, The City Asks for More by Sam Aureli published on crowcrosskeys.com, presented on a muted greyscale banner featuring a row of buildings shot from below, each with metal fire escapes, against a pale sky. The excerpt reads:
A pigeon pecks at a cigarette butt,
its beak stained with ash and haste.
The wind drags a plastic bag across the street,
a ghost late for an appointment.

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 22d

We've never been much for the city. We prefer our land wild, giving. We understand, much like today's poem, how much a city can take...

"The City Asks for More" by @samaureli.bsky.social

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/09/17/t...

A muted greyscale banner for poem, The City Asks for More by Sam Aureli published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a row of buildings shot from below, each with metal fire escapes, against a pale sky.

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 26d

This story is good. How good? Click the link and find out.

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/09/13/b...

An excerpt from short story, Boy & Girl Are Dead by Bryana Lorenzo published on crowcrosskeys.com, presented on a muted greyscale banner featuring a coffin and foliage against a panelled wall, with window light streaming in from the right. The excerpt reads: Boy and Girl are dead.

How dead?

Dead as a bare pine tree in early January. Dead as roadkill rotting in the Arizona sun. Dead as the rusted heap of scrap metal their gray Toyota Corolla became after it careened off the cliff.

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 26d

We are very good at identifying dead things here at the tower. Sometimes, though, the dead things disagree with our assessment. It cannot be helped. On the nature of being a dead thing...

"Boy & Girl Are Dead" by Bryana Lorenzo

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/09/13/b...

A muted greyscale banner for short story, Boy & Girl Are Dead by Bryana Lorenzo published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a coffin and foliage against a panelled wall, with window light streaming in from the right.

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Reposted by Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN

Neil Willcox, Son of a Beekeeper @neilwillcox.bsky.social · 29d

2. The Mirror Of Winter by Sarah McPherson in @crowkeys.bsky.social a story of cold in the heart. crowcrosskeys.com/2025/04/26/t...

The Mirror of Winter—Sarah McPherson

They say that when the mirror of winter shatters it rains bright, sharp splinters down upon the world, which lodge in the eyes and hearts of people everywhere. I knew there was a splinter in my hea…

crowcrosskeys.com

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 29d

The link stays stock-still. It knows you want to click it.

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/09/10/b...

An excerpt from flash fiction, Belly by Colleen Addison published on crowcrosskeys.com, presented on a muted greyscale banner featuring dark butterflies overlaid on an abstract background. The excerpt reads: The cocoons jostle together as onstage she inhales the stale theatre air, tries not to blink at the too-bright stage lights. She’s known for a while the event is coming; she noted weeks ago when the caterpillars started their spinning. But she trained so long: how could she utter a no?

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · 29d

There is a nervous energy here in the tower. Like something wondrous might happen at any moment. While we sit in anticipation, why not read today's flash with us? It too is filled with wonder.

"Belly" by Colleen Addison

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/09/10/b...

A muted greyscale banner for flash fiction, Belly by Colleen Addison published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring dark butterflies overlaid on an abstract background.

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · Sep 6

You don't need to explain. You will go on clicking the link.

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/09/06/s...

An excerpt from poem, Shrine of Looking Back by SK Grout published on crowcrosskeys.com, presented on a muted greyscale banner featuring three frangipani flowers floating on a rippled body of water. The excerpt reads:
Let me explain, briefly, that I will go on worshipping,
lime the old gods gentle, tail their strikes with stars.
Before the body is ash, I will remove the bones
and wash with cream, then adorn with frangipanis.

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · Sep 6

There is a god living somewhere in the tower. They crept in while we weren't looking and are insisting on worship. We're not yet convinced. We are, however, convinced by today's poem:

"Shrine of Looking Back" by SK Grout

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/09/06/s...

A muted greyscale banner for poem, Shrine of Looking Back by SK Grout published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring three frangipani flowers floating on a rippled body of water.

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · Sep 3

Frontlit by your screen, you see the link. You click it.

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/09/03/f...

An excerpt from short story, Fabled Promises by Emily Weiskopf-Ball published on crowcrosskeys.com, presented on a muted greyscale banner featuring a hand cracking an egg in a shallow depth of field so the egg and its contents are in focus. The excerpt reads: Backlit by the glow of the swinging heat lamps, Becca stands rooted in the middle of the chicken coop like a pagan priestess. Her voice, just barely audible over the murmuring, muttering hens, rises and falls as she moves a big, brown egg up and down her belly like a sorceress conjuring a spell. It’s the same egg she’s been carrying around all week.

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · Sep 3

We're divining the future by dropping things from the tower and watching how they spin. It's not very effective. For a more effective manner of divination, today's short story...

"Fabled Promises" by Emily Weiskopf-Ball

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/09/03/f...

A muted greyscale banner for short story, Fabled Promises by Emily Weiskopf-Ball published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a hand cracking an egg in a shallow depth of field so the egg and its contents are in focus.

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Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS OPEN @crowkeys.bsky.social · Aug 30

Only the link matters. Click it.

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/08/30/m...

An excerpt from flash fiction, Minotaur by Myfanwy Williams published on crowcrosskeys.com, presented on a muted greyscale banner featuring a mechanical minotaur against a pale background. The excerpt reads: Only movement matters, he says. See him, striding somewhere between Broadway and George, beyond the university tower block, beyond Spice Alley with the New Year’s lanterns, red eyes all year round. See him. Pupils constricted to pinpricks, squatting on his haunches, wearing that Minotaur mask.

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