What does a flower blooming on Saturn say about our future?
Written by students in 826LA’s Write On! After School program in the spring of 2024, Signs of Exit contains imaginative stories of brave new worlds authored by the next generation. Within, you will be taken on journeys from the local park to a volleyball universe, from an unassuming farm to an underwater school, from the back alleys of suburbia to an abandoned hotel.
You will discover worlds in conflict, but also ones full of beauty, healing, and growth. There are worlds with dragons and one with interdimensional jewel thieves. In some worlds, our very existence is threatened by monsters, aliens, or snakes. But in others, beautiful ecologies bloom from the tenderness and care of one person. These are worlds in which familial bonds, powerful friendships, and even romanances are forged under the most unexpected circumstances.
By their very nature, these stories require a radical shift in perspective, a break from the status quo. Whether it is a portal or shrink ray, a magical painting or a fast food meal, the true means of transportation to these worlds are the authors’ brave imaginings of something new.
