'Ragnar was thinking about ravens. He had heard they were very wise and could be trained. There were ravens close by them; sometimes they fluttered overhead like pieces of ash from the volcano. They had voices made out of coal.'

 Otto, a twelve year old boy living in the Bavarian village of Frieberg in 1926, makes a new friend with whom he shares a common interest in entomology - this relationship leads to a revelation that has implications for his past as well as his future.

A new short story from Maria McCarthy.

The dust took months to settle. Every time I polished the furniture, it was covered again within a couple of hours, like salt sprinkled on an icy path...

From 'Too Asian, Not Asian Enough' - A frightened traveller wanders the twilit streets of Jerusalem hoping to fulfil the dying wish of his mother.

'Whatever the consequences, he has a job to do. Hopefully he can get up that early without waking Elaina.'

The Hub proudly previews "The Upgrade" by Tanya Datta, featured on MIR8.

The Hub proudly previews "Margaret Thatcher's Tits" by Daniel Bourke, featured on MIR8.

The Hub proudly previews "Some Time After" by Charlotte Beeston, featured on MIR8.