ZamaShort #13 ‘Fly, Flightless’ by Chisom Umeh

Cover Image ZamaShort #13 ‘Fly, Flightless’ by Chisom Umeh.A detailed, symmetrical image with a strong geometric and African designs. At the center is a large black diamond shape filled with a subtle, mottled texture. Inside it, bold uppercase text in bright red reads:“FLY,FLIGHTLESS CHISOM UMEH” The letters are thick and distressed and striking against the dark background. Surrounding the black diamond is a layered frame made of intricate geometric patterns. The frame forms a larger diamond shape and is composed of repeating triangles, zigzags, and small carved-like details in gold and brown tones, in a textured, embossed appearance. Beyond this frame, the outer background is divided into four triangular sections radiating from the center. Each section has its own color theme—blue (top left), reddish-brown (top right), purple (bottom left), and green (bottom right). Within each colored section are ornate, symmetrical patterns featuring starbursts, diamonds, and symbolic shapes, all outlined in gold, resembling traditional textile or carved motifs. At the top point of the central diamond frame is a small golden triangle containing a letter “Z” decorated with a patterned fill. At the bottom point is another small triangular panel with a purple symbol resembling a short ladder or stacked bars. In the outer corners, small simple symbols appear—minimal, icon-like shapes that echo the geometric theme.

ZamaShort #13 ‘Fly, Flightless’ by Chisom Umeh

On the run, alone, being hunted by a malevolent dark force, Nneka lives with a terrible secret that has irreversibly destroyed her life. It all started so innocently with Zoba, a girl unlike any she had met before. Zoba, whom she grew to love. Zoba, who taught her the most beautiful experience in all her fifteen years, how to fly.

 

Chisom Umeh is a Nigerian fiction writer and poet. When he's not watching movies or writing about fantastical things, he's tweeting about movies and fantastical things at izom_chisom. His short stories have been featured in Omenana, Apex, Clarkesworld, Year’s Best African Speculative Fiction 2023, African Ghosts anthology, Isele, Mythaxis, Scifi Shorts, and elsewhere. His short story, ‘Ancestor’s Gift’ won the 2024 Tractor Beam short story contest. He was a finalist for the Seattle Worldcon Short Story Contest and is winner of the 2025 Nommo Awards for Best African Speculative Fiction Short Story for ‘From Across Time’.

 

Release 1st May 2026.

 

Available Here:

 

Add to your Goodreads/StoryGraph to read list.

 

Direct from ZamaShort at our shop in our Bundles or by Subscription: https://www.zamashort.com/p/shop.html

 

And Pre-Orders here: 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0GX2XPYC5

(Also Amazon UK, DE, FR, ES, IT, NL, JP, BR, CA, MX, AU, IN)

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/fly-flightless/id6762618582

Libby: https://share.libbyapp.com/title/13107200

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ebook/fly-flightless

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fly-flightless-chisom-umeh/1149939148

Google Play Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=_07SEQAAQBAJ

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/2014841

Fable: https://fable.co/book/x-9789189984103

Thalia: https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artikeldetails/A1079386029

Vivlio: https://shop.vivlio.com/product/9789189984103_9789189984103_10020/fly-flightless

 

The ZamaShort imprint series is solely focused on the amazing powerhouse that is the short story. We give each short story its own publication so that it may be read and enjoyed fully as a stand-alone publication. As per the StoryTime Publishing mandate initialised in 2007, ZamaShort continues to champion and add to the ever-growing canon of African literature excellence and diversity.

 

ZamaShort © Copyright 2024 - 2026 Ivor W. Hartmann