Dear Reader,

Our “Rotten” theme was an ode to the end of Winter. The mid-year slump that always hits while the Colorado Springs snow turns to slush and we trudge through long nights and icy mornings towards the far-away promise of Spring.

In this issue, we pay homage to the things that have gotten old, gone stale, been pushed past their breaking point, been lost to the ever pressing passage of time.

To be honest, we weren’t quite sure what we would get in “Rotten.” We wondered if it would be a particularly bleak issue, full of stories about expiration dates and ultimatums. Instead, we got a moving articulation of the complicated processes of change. Writers celebrated decay, in its ugliest and most striking forms.

In the Rotten Issue, you’ll find yourself absorbed by ruminations on the slow, transformative process of fermentation. Small, quiet moments will leave you with a bittersweet taste on your tongue: a taste of spoiled jam, fresh peaches, and slices of orange. You’ll ache for deteriorating relationships but celebrate the new buds that rise from the rot, and you’ll wince at the grotesque image of blight festering inside a living body.

As you read, we encourage you to think about what rotting means to you. Pause for the next time you throw away the mushy pears in your fridge, or recoil from a patch of mold, or wince at the sight of roadkill. Notice the way decay creeps into the peripherals of your life.

When do you first realize something is deteriorating? When does it reach the point of no return? And can it be beautiful, in its own way?

We hope you enjoy some truly rotten writing!

Best,

The Cipher Staff