Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, we’re reaching into the Cetera Magazine archive for “Rain Check” by Emily Brown, originally published May 21, 2026. Jon Negroni reads aloud the story of Marge, a woman ninety-two days sober whose carefully planned backpacking trip changes when her sponsor cancels at the last minute. Rather than stay home, Marge takes her permit, shoulders her pack, and heads into the wilderness alone, with a storm already moving toward the trail.

You can find the written version of this story right here.

About the Author

Emily Brown is a writer and poet based in Toronto. When she is not writing, she can usually be found walking by the lake, buying books she has no shelf space for, or making coffee she forgets to drink.
Tip the author to support them and say thanks
Explore our full archive of stories and poetry.
Submit your own story to be featured on Cetera.

About Cetera Magazine

We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons.

Credits
Author: Emily Brown
Narrator: Jon Negroni
Editor: Natalia Emmons
Artwork: Jon Negroni
Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Share This Episode
If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

Welcome back to Worlds Without Warning. This week, we&rsquo;re reaching into the Cetera Magazine archive for &ldquo;Rain Check&rdquo; by Emily Brown, originally published May 21, 2026. Jon Negroni reads aloud the story of Marge, a woman ninety-two days sober whose carefully planned backpacking trip changes when her sponsor cancels at the last minute. Rather than stay home, Marge takes her permit, shoulders her pack, and heads into the wilderness alone, with a storm already moving toward the trail.
You can find the written version of this story&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ceteramagazine.com/rain-check/">right here</a>.
About the Author
Emily Brown is a writer and poet based in Toronto. When she is not writing, she can usually be found walking by the lake, buying books she has no shelf space for, or making coffee she forgets to drink.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.ceteramagazine.com/rain-check/#/portal/support">Tip the author</a> to support them and say thanks</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ceteramagazine.com">Explore our full archive</a> of stories and poetry.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ceteramagazine.com/submit-to-cetera/">Submit your own story</a> to be featured on Cetera.</li>
</ul>
About Cetera Magazine
We publish original short fiction every Thursday. Our stories span literary fiction, speculative tales, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and weird fiction. All written without AI assistance and curated by editor Natalia Emmons.
Credits
<ul>
<li>Author: Emily Brown</li>
<li>Narrator: Jon Negroni</li>
<li>Editor: Natalia Emmons</li>
<li>Artwork: Jon Negroni</li>
<li>Music: "Magic Escape Room" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0&nbsp;<a href="Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</a></li>
</ul>
Share This Episode If you enjoyed this story, please share it with fellow story lovers. Your enthusiasm helps these stories reach new readers. Thank you!

In a world that's always on fire, Thank God For Movies. Formerly known as Cinemaholics, join film critics Jon Negroni and Will Ashton as they discuss the latest films coming to theaters or streaming online.

In a world that's always on fire, Thank God For Movies. Formerly known as Cinemaholics, join film critics Jon Negroni and Will Ashton as they discuss the latest films coming to theaters or streaming online.