Welcome to this week’s installment of many micro stories, ranging in length from 100 words to 500 words.
With each story we hope to deliver a little whimsy into the lives of our readers.
TAROT ESOTERICA: THE BLACK LAGOON
One of the least-known cards of the Tarot Esoterica, the Black Lagoon represents an emotional morass with no clear way out. Nicknamed the “longest depressive episode” card by some practitioners, its interpretation can be a delicate balancing act, as it indicates the querent is experiencing difficulties, but the engulfing miasma of the Black Lagoon offers no easy escape.
When reversed, the Black Lagoon continues to represent the same swampland, though the writhing vines and kudzu that stretch upward may be even more constrictive than the sucking quagmire.
Skilled practitioners often gloss over this card, hoping the querent will do similarly.
Dawn Vogel has written for children, teens, and adults, spanning genres, places, and time periods. More than 100 of her stories and poems have been published by small and large presses. Her specialties include young protagonists, siblings who bicker but love each other in the end, and things in the water that want you dead. She is a member of SFWA and Codex Writers. She lives in Seattle with her awesome husband (and fellow author), Jeremy Zimmerman, and their cats. Visit her at historythatneverwas.com, on BlueSky @historyneverwas, and on Instagram @scarywhitegirl12.
If you enjoyed this story you can find it and more in the Hawthorn & Ash 2023 anthology.
Iron Faerie Publishing 