Eli Kourtis’s piece “submechanophobia, or the feminine urge to be an airplane on the lakebed” guides us with a deft and powerful narrative voice to look, see consider as pieces of a wrecked plane and its passengers emerge from the water. Eli shares a bit about who they were ten years ago, where they are now, and their dreams for the future.

Brianna Johnson’s piece “A Day at the Beauty Supply” opens the door into a world of hair and allows us to wander the aisles, overhear conversations, and dip into consciousnesses, from a girl getting ready for prom to some of the hair itself, “hot pink and glossy with a hint of purple underneath.” As part of celebrating Split Lip’s 10th Anniversary, Brianna shares a memory from when she was ten.

Vicki Xu’s flash “Quail” gives us a bittersweet moment in a market in which a girl glimpsed seems to “speak home” to the main character, but upon a closer look transforms into just another stranger. As part of celebrating Split Lip’s 10th Anniversary, Vicki shares a memory from turning 10.