The crusted top layer of snow crunched beneath Leigh’s boots as she stomped along. The sight of her breath in the air, the sting on her cheeks and the straps of her pack cutting into her shoulders through her heavy coat all served as gentle reminders that her friends—normal people—were still tucked into their warm […]
The buzzing sounds of the coffee shop filled Shaw’s ears. It was busy and crowds were good. Crowds meant avoiding a scene. The nervous twisting in his stomach told him it might not be enough. The stakes were too high. This was his last chance. “You sure you wouldn’t rather do this at the house?” […]
Mitchell was running late, again. It was one of the hardest lessons he’d had to learn about fatherhood. Time was no longer his own. He lived on Sara-time and was just going to have to deal with it. Carrie hadn’t learned that lesson yet. She still got pissed every time he was late to the […]
“It was a nice funeral,” Mom said. She leaned against my bedroom door and stuck her foot in the frame. “Do you think Lorena would’ve enjoyed it? She seemed like the type who would like her own funeral.” “I don’t know, Mom. I’ll ask her the next time I see her.” I pushed against the […]
The chair groaned beneath Gregory Padillia’s massive girth, an echoing frustration of the downtrodden staff. He could feel them frowning in defeat as he raised taco number 93 to his gaping jaw and bit down. The flavor of the spicy meat, tangy cheese, and crunchy shell changed with each bite, each step closer to victory. […]
Clouds parted and split in the black sky, allowing a small sliver of silver light to pierce the temple shadows. It slid seamlessly through the great stone pillars. One small beam of Belagal’s blessing crossing through the unending night to land directly at Velik’s feet. The old caretaker smiled and stepped into it, letting it […]
The faint glow of a few dozen electric screens and the mix of chirping 8-bit music crashed over Neal, filling him with enough childhood memories to almost let him ignore the smell of burned popcorn and body odor. The arcade’s owners went all out for authenticity. It wasn’t the refurbished classic machines like Golden Axe […]
Something you should know about explosions is that they are much, much louder than you would expect. When an explosion happens in a movie, it’s a loud, bass rumble that vibrates the theater. When an explosion happens on your train, it’s a cacophony of noise so potent that it replaces your hearing with a high […]
Business As Usual at Olicratic Galactic Convention Chase MacTavish reporting, 3rd Krams, Risork I don’t want to be here, but I don’t have any choice. Two hundred years ago, a bunch of drugged up apes living on a mud ball fired a missile into the cosmos and accidentally encountered talking slugs. They spent two decades […]
