Paper Folding Is Magic: How to Fold a Paper Frog #origami #urbanfantasy

In my story “Folds in Life and Death” featured in Parallels: Felix Was Here, the main character crafts paper frogs. Today I’m going to tell you how to fold your own jumping paper frogs—minus the magical words. Paperists can’t let their secrets out, after all. *winks*

What you’ll need: one rectangular piece of paper.

Step 1: Fold the rectangular piece of paper, lengthwise, in half (picture 1.1). Open it again (picture 1.2).

Step 2: Take the top left corner and fold it to the other edge of the paper, like so (picture 2.1). Open the paper and fold the top right corner to the other side of the paper (picture 2.2). Open the paper again (picture 2.3).

Step 3: Flip the sheet over and fold horizontally where the diagonal lines make an X (picture 3.1). Open the paper and flip it back over (picture 3.2).

Step 4: Hold the sides of the horizontal line and move them inward. Then, grab the top of the paper and press it down and flatten to make a triangle (picture 4).

Step 5: Fold the upper part of the sides of the triangle up to the point (picture 5.1 and picture 5.2). This will create a diamond like shape of the top part.

Step 6: Fold each lower side in half vertically toward the center (picture 6.1 and picture 6.2).

Step 7: Fold the bottom part up until it hits the center of the diamond (picture 7).

Step 8: Using the same part you folded, fold it down in half horizontally (picture 8).

Step 9: Turn your frog over (picture 9).

Now you have a frog that can hop, with your assistance by pressing down on its lower back. Gently now! You don’t want him to flip over..

An excerpt from “Folds in Life and Death”: The strident alarm blared from the television. Allyson Moore jerked and dropped the paper frog. The creature rested on its side, its legs not yet folded nor did it boast the inscription that would bring it to life. Several other frogs hopped around her desk and the room.

A picture of the White House filled the twenty-three inch screen. Her heart thumped. What had happened now? The image shifted and grew smaller to reveal a blonde news anchor. Her smudged mascara and red-rimmed eyes betrayed the calm way she shuffled her papers and focused upon the camera.

She cleared her throat. “We’ve received news that an armed drone bombed the White House. Let’s go to John Kelly for more information.”

Allyson’s hand fluttered at her neck. The White House? Her brother… His family… She couldn’t lose anyone else.

“Thank you, Sarah.” John Kelly stood not far from the White House. A gust of wind blew his suit jacket against his lean frame. Behind him, dark smoke trailed from the destruction. Other TV crews crowded along a police barrier. “As you can see, smoke billows from the remains of the West Wing. Paperists search for souls. According to sources, a drone slipped under the radar and plummeted toward the White House. The explosion occurred after one o’clock. We await word on whether or not President Moore and his family survived. Until further notice, the FAA has grounded all aircraft except official military ones.”

Allyson jumped to her feet and headed to the foyer to grab her coat, keys, and purse. As a Paperist, she could help locate souls. As the President’s sister, she needed to be in Washington, DC.

Enter the realm of parallel universes! 

What if the government tried to create the perfect utopia? Could a society linked to a supercomputer survive on its own? Do our reflections control secret lives on the other side of the mirror? Can one moment split a person’s world forever? 

Exploring the fantastic, ten authors offer incredible visions and captivating tales of diverse reality. Featuring the talents of L. G. Keltner, Crystal Collier, Hart Johnson, Cherie Reich, Sandra Cox, Yolanda Renee, Melanie Schulz, Sylvia Ney, Michael Abayomi, and Tamara Narayan. 

Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these ten tales will expand your imagination and twist the tropes of science fiction. Step through the portal and enter another dimension!

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