Pandora's Ink Digital Magazine

Written by Christine Wang from California, USA “The day clothes should make you look like a family on vacation. A pack of waterproof overalls is to be worn under  them. Keep your passport with you. Find the cab with the passenger side door’s window a quarter of the way rolled down, or look for the ashtray on the dashboard. Once someone finds the first car, the rest of you will pile in about fifteen minutes. Leave the hotel one by one once it’s dark. The cab drivers know where

Written by Albert Wang from Washington, USA The alarm rings again. Lights flicker on. The station comes to life. Another shining star in a sea of night. The man crawls out of the hard, circular cubicles they use for rest and gets to work.  Hundreds of them, shoved in a station far from any natural soil, throw themselves out of the relative safety of the station and into the cold, unforgiving void of space. With saws and lasers and bolt cutters, the engineers toil away, cuttin

Written by Vanessa Cheung from Hong Kong, China 190 BCE  Luyue, the Dew Month - Tenth Month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar  “Have you heard about that poor, poor darling?”  “Oh yes. Her father– that horribly zealous man, Chunyu Yi, the doctor who aspired all the way to devastation.” “His failure to save the life of a noblewoman led to his incarceration. What shall it be? Mutilation? Execution?”  “I wouldn’t linger on that. His daughter, though, the darling– Tinying. She makes

Written by Dolores Di from Texas, USA A bright light illuminated the boy's face.   “What is your name?” A soft female voice inquired.   “My name is Phoenix.”   “Is that your actual name?”   “My actual name is Tom, but I prefer Phoenix.”   In a poorly lit interrogation room, a young man, whose innocence had not yet faded away with the binding of his hands by handcuffs, calmly asked the police for a cigarette. He took the cigarette and lighter from the police and skilfully lit

Written by Alvin Su from Louisiana, USA The train rumbled under us, the clanking sounds of the wheels against the tracks making a steady cadence. I was sitting next to Dad, staring out the window at the blur of trees and fields. We were on our way to Grandma’s house—she’d been talking about baking me cookies and teaching me how to knit like she always had done when we visited. The thought of her soft hands and the smell of cinnamon rolls made me smile. But then my head starte

Written by Miranda Le from California, USA I. A Guide to Crafting Your Own World (For Intermediate Creators) Dear Intermediate Creators,  As you embark on your world-making journey, this guide will lead you through the most essential steps. Every supernatural being must learn to weave their own dimension, but only the most skilled will create one that endures. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that you read this pamphlet with care.  I take pride in being among the most su

Written by from Liu Yiduo   In 4040 AD, the Gengchen year of the Chinese lunar calendar, the Flying Dragon soared in the heavens. Silicon-based alien warships tore through the atmosphere, unleashing biochemical capsules carrying corrosive agents—all intercepted by the "Dongfeng" Type 1 nanometer nuclear bombs. Yet acid rain continued to gnaw at our world. Once-crystal-blue oceans churned with murky foam; lush forests withered into charred wastelands. The blue planet that once

Written by Justin Tai from Texas, USA In 2070, five billionaires joined to create a corporation called Horizon. Their aim? To create and monopolize cutting-edge technology through whatever means necessary. Each of them held the title of Overseer, giving them absolute power within the hierarchy of the firm. Three years after its creation, Horizon would fund an experiment to create a new, stronger version of humans to support the efforts of war globally. Their work, kept top se

Written by Justin Tai from Texas, USA It was a nice, warm day on the Indebted College Campus. The sun shone, birds sang, and debts rose. Billy stood at his locker when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to find his friend’s face beaming behind him.  “Tomorrow is the day when we leave college and finally get what we’ve been preparing for: a lifetime  of debt.” Frank smiled proudly. Billy stood up just a little taller. “We got really lucky getting into Indebted. Th

Written by Andrew Duval from California, USA The midnight sea sparkled in the moonlight. Along the beach, turbulent waves crashed against boulders dotting the shoreline. The stars of the milky way, free from the chains of city lights, shone defiantly, splattering the night sky with speckles of gold and blue. I gazed at the brightest star from the mound of sand that my head rested on, marvelling at its beauty. The star grew larger and larger until it exploded into the beam of

Written by Amy Hou from Massachusetts, USA In that moment, he became the tank man. A single unarmed man, standing against the relentless machinery of oppression. Around him, the cacophony of voices rose, crowded with students shouting and blaming, while he stood alone, frozen in the center, his heart trembling. He watched the metal tank crawling inches closer, his mind a mix of fear and determination. He had never been one for politics, but today he felt different, important,