“The City of Blind Delight”  by Catherynne M. Valente takes us on a fantastic train ride, a rumbling yet smooth journey with but a single destination -- to  experience the City of Blind Delight.  At this place, a crossroad of realities, 
one can find oneself or lose oneself.  Herein you will be stretched in a realm 
of imagery of contrasts, and how you will flow with what these words paint, well, you will just have to take the ride.  But whether this place becomes a delight or darkness to you, the journey is worth the read.  
Recommended story.

“Old Foss is the Name of His Cat” by David Sandner tells a story of a man 
and his cat, a story of protection -- or is it possessiveness? against that which calls from the sea.  In here is a story of an unusual companionship that will have you once again wondering about the feline agenda.

“All the Little Gods We Are” by John Grant is a story of self, of completeness and realization of what might have been had that been different. 

“The Dew Drop Coffee Lounge” by Cat Rambo Seeking wisdom?  Wanting truth?  No need to climb Mount Everest to consult with the guru, just have a bit of coffee at the Dew Drop Coffee Lounge!  Just remember what they say about truth...

“Bell, Book, and Candle” by Leah Bobet paints a fine picture of the personification of ritual, and how as time in human form creates human dissatisfaction with role.  In here, you will see how ages-old exorcism prop handles living and growth, and the desire to have purpose.  And how the ancient haunting memory of another existence eases in…

“The Tarrying Messenger” by Michael J. DeLuca tells us of Molly, a young woman seeking self and purpose and finding it in a place that no one should be taken.  Judgement is not ours -- and yet…

“The Occultation” by Laird Barron shows us why booze is the devil's best friend, or rather, what happens when the worm gets even.

“There is a Monster under Helen’s Bed” by Ekaterina Sedia, or is there?  This is a sad little story of a damaged child, and of the places where she has to take herself to cope.  
Recommended.

“Palisade” by Cat Sparks. This would be the first story I've read to this point that I would class as Science Fiction.  It tells us about a child adapting to a strange environment, and of how the harshness of an alien world and a unsettling home life influences her, forcing her to grow up before her time.

“The Woman” by Tanith Lee is a rather melancholy tale.  In it we are given a take on the woman placed on a pedestal and the loneliness that can come from it.  However, the difference here is that this woman is The Woman, and is the last woman in the world.  She is the penultimate goal of all men, and even in a world where she is all important, she doesn't even have the option of the company of another woman.  In addition to thought provoking, this is also a mood-stirrer.

“A Mask of Flesh” by Marie Brennan opens the window into ancient Central America, taking us on a trip to witness an Aztec ritual seeking to call rain.  However, the ritual is merely a shadow over the real story, a story of vengeance and getting back at an instrument of genocide. 

“Seven Scenes from Harrai’s Sacred Mountain” by Jennifer Crow gives us journal-ish snapshots of a person's life, illustrating the characters' belief in an unusual tie to a mountain while coping with life's changes. 

“Oblivion: A Journey” by Vandana Singh takes us on a journey all right, one of revenge, of scores to be settled and of the sadness that time can bring.  In here we are taken to a reality where the machine lives as part flesh and part mechanism, and yet not a cyborg, but a life in its own, moved with urges and thought.  
It is an interesting world to see -- recommended story.

“Choosers of the Slain” by John C. Wright tells of a love not to be and a future not to be had.  This short tale of time travel and decisions is written in a way that may make one think stylized dialog; however, it serves to set the mood and achieves that result, at least with this reader.

“Akhila, Divided” by C.S. MacCath Can a living bomb have a soul?  You be the judge.  
Highly recommended.

“The Moon-Keeper’s Friend” by Joanna Galbraith took me to places that left me confused.  Is this a modern fable?  Are these people herein simple or innocent?  This one is a bit short, and I think that a bit more paint to the world building canvas could have benefited it.

“The Tailor of Time” by Deborah Biancotti does an excellent job showing us what can happen when one loses track of time…

“Root and Vein” by Erin Hoffman tells of seeking love and hearts given.  When a dryad near despairs a to finally find a suitable one to give her final heart to, can the wisdom learned be passed to the result of the union?  Find out in this mystical sweet tale!