"A Phoenix By Any Other Name" is up!

[abracanabra]

My short fantasy science fiction story, "A Phoenix By Any Other Name," is now up at Short-Story.me! and you can go there to read it for free. This is an older story of mine that I revamped and sent out, and I'm quite pleased it's found a home.

Excerpt:

"I need a creature that none have seen, and it should be wild and impressive to the eye. It must be perfect. I am hosting a party, and I intend it to be an occasion that people will speak of for months. It occurred to me that a live, exotic creature would add a touch of novelty." Lupant looked down his nose at his surroundings, as if doubting such a thing could be found here.

"Certainly, sir," Bruant said. "Let me show you our stock." He gestured to the store window, where two rigid gray lizards balanced upright on the tips of their tails, their eyes closed, their forelegs crossed over their chests. "These tomb-lizards are from the planet Cassial. They are known as tomb-lizards because of the resemblance between their dormant state and gravestones: the gray color, the posture--"

"Do they do anything interesting?"

Bruant blinked. "Every half-hour, they revive, change to their normal color, and run around frantically for about ten minutes."
"In other words, no."

Read more.