Some of my favorite astrologers are writers of flash. Compressed, urgent, imagistic, with a strong voice. When I initially envisioned The Margins Flash Fiction series, I considered publishing the stories on the new and full moons, as a way to recognize the ways that the movement of the celestial bodies in the sky impact those of us whose bodies are on this planet. While we opted to go for an every other Friday publication schedule, the idea of celestial bodies never left us.

In the spirit of that original idea, and how my own fascination and interest in astrology and storytelling deepened after taking Alice Sparkly Kat’s workshop “Writing with Archetypes: Astrology & Storytelling,” we present these Flash Fiction horoscopes to celebrate the inaugural twelve pieces. 

These horoscopes are presented in the spirit of fun, delight, and wonder. We hope you enjoy them all. 

—Swati Khurana
Flash Fiction Editor, The Margins

Aries

Let us pretend there is a warm fire here. You sit there with your cup. Warm it there in your hands.  

Read more of “How to Make Victory Tea” by Supriya Lopez Pillai

Taurus

They used artillery shells as flowerpots. Celery had flourished in the damp passages. The bombardments had dispersed nitrogen, a fertilizer, across no man’s land.

Read more of “What Things” by Mai Nardone

Gemini

Or was she a warm pebble unable to record a voice note? Perhaps she was an acre of dancing seagrass or a jellyfish floating in the surf.

Read more of “The Woman Who Was Everything” by Seema Yasmin

Cancer

A toast to health, we always said, as we joined in the cheers that erupted on our street every evening at seven.

Read more of “Monsters” by  Sadia Quraeshi Shepard

Leo

At first, I was like the model demonstrating the use of the objects; see, you put the teacup on the saucer like so, you hold a grain of rice between two sticks like this.

Read more of “Objects” by Kyle Lucia Wu

Virgo

In a Williams Sonoma-approved apartment, Carol is allowed one sunflower, one real happiness she can put in her own jar.

Read more of “Summer” by Chen Chen

Libra

When you bite into the apple, you can suck the juice, which is sweet and tart, like the most flirtatious and audacious candy.

Read more of “Granny Smith” by Swati Khurana 

Scorpio

“Throw it into the ocean and her too,” said all my husband’s little wives.

Read more of “Still Life with Conch Shell” by Jasmine Sawers

Sagittarius

So she drifts her way outside, letting the wind carry her there. She’s sort of flying, sort of not. She glides along the water and soon she’s not alone.

Read more of “Tomorrow” by By Anna Vangala Jones

Capricorn

When her daughters left for school, she talked aloud to the empty house. Hello, doorknob. Hello, toilet. She was drawn to what little security their family possessed.

Read more of “Hello, doorknob” by Jen Lue

Aquarius

Sanyi’s mother betrothed her to his ghost. For the wedding, a white cock was used as the human groom, and when I first heard this, I assumed it was because cocks were the closest species to men.

Read more of “Ghost Bride” by K-Ming Chang

Pisces

When I see a hungry man I feed him, the voice continues. When I see desperation, I don’t turn away.

Read more of “Self Portrait with Feeling Heart” by Meng Jin

Find our complete Flash Fiction series here.