Short Story

Allanon clued everyone in on what they’d seen and heard from other druids and witches in the area as soon as they arrived. “The hunters arrived this morning. They have brought with them ten trackers and are now searching for you and Tegan. As far as we can tell, they are in an uproar over Beorn going missing too. So far, they do not know he has jumped from their side. The dark ones are going on the assumption that we have done something to him.” He pushed his thick, blond hair back. “We are hoping they keep thinking it. If they know you are helping us, I believe all bets are off for the humans as well.”

I press my face against the icy cold window. I watch one by one the snowflakes fall in the moonlight. I can tell it’s Christmas time even though nobody here says anything about it. It’s as if the ward tries to drag us away from any traditions a normal person would do. I think about the Christmases I spent with my kids.

“Twenty-one! The Chief’s vote makes it twenty-one! And by God if that ain’t a majority I’ll eat my hat!” “Yippee,” Cheswick yells. The other Acutes are coming across toward me. “The meeting was closed,” she says. Her smile is still there, but the back of her neck as she walks out of the day room and into the Nurses’ Station, is red and swelling like she’ll blow apart any second.

I was in the house looking at the sheriff suits that Deanna gave Rick and I and Rick walked in through the door and I said "I don't know if this is some kind of play, handing authority to strangers.The authority to break up fistfights.If it was just that, she should have given one of these to Daryl."Rick said "I don't know if it's for us or for them. Or maybe Deanna's trying to get rid of us and them.You put these jackets on me and you, have the people see it.If that's the play, that'd be smart. And she seems smart.Smart for then or smart for now?" This is now.- Rick was cut off by the sound of some bushes rustling and said "Come out! Now!" Aaron stepped out and asked You can tell the difference between walkers and humans by sound?Can you

Alex stood in her room, her own personal prison, looking out the floor length windows that overlooked the glittering city of Dallas. Afternoon sunlight streamed into the room, turning her auburn hair gold and casting long shadows across the room.

Waking came soon after sleeping had befallen Phil. He sat bolt upright, finding himself in a bed he knew not to be his own. He had no clue where he was. His hands fumbled about for his glasses, hopeless without them. Amongst the blur, he could pinpoint some familiarities but there was nothing concrete. He noticed a few of his knickknacks scattered about the room. The rest of the room, however, was a mystery.

"This is the last step to your initiation. You must jump from this tower" said the tall slender man wearing a grey trench coat similar to those in the Matrix.

Black, all he could see, among the ever encroaching darkness of night. Numb, all he could feel as scenes of death unfolded around him. “Go through first!” He shouted to his men, as they scrambled blindly toward cover. The screams of his men mingled with the sounds of the firefight created a cacophony that seemed like it would never end. The second wave of gunfire would soon ensue, leaching the land of life in one foul swoop. Despite this, he felt calm, knowing it would all end soon, and he would finally be taken to gates of heaven and accepted into god's loving embrace. He understood that he was young, but the war had seemingly aged him decades. No one would truly understand him, and he didn’t want them to understand, for that would mean

It was 6:00 p.m. and I had been studying for a few hours to prepare for a test the next day in accounting, and it was time for a break. After walking around idly, getting a drink, and clearing my mind, I headed for the stairs. My study area was in the basement where it was private and quiet. However, my wife distracted me and I lost my balance as I turned; my foot slipped off the top step. Time felt as though it had instantly slowed, and I was airborne. Instinctively, my right arm went up to protect my head and face as I fell backward, and my other arm reached out to stop the rapid descent; but, there was nothing but air to hold.

Ambassador Pryce strode purposefully across the open walkways which meandered between each building of the Capital. His destination was the Senate Chamber, where the Senate met with ambassadors like him, petitioning them on matters of interstellar policy and law. The structure’s dome rose in majestic solitude above any nearby buildings and monuments. The tranquil beauty of the vast parkland ecosystem surrounding Pryce did little to calm his nerves, various scenarios of how the next few sensitive hours could play out repeating in his mind.

They announced it in every corner of the globe, even in our small city in Nebraska, the war was over! I remember our friend and next door neighbor running over to tell us the good news. My mama and I were so excited that we could hardly stand it. Our neighbor stayed late into the night, “ Do you think that he will come home?” my mother whispered. Of course she was referring to my papa. He left to fight in the war almost a year ago. We were having a hard time trying to make do. My mama got a job in the factory, said we should be grateful for it, but I found that it almost made life harder for us. She would come in late, and I would have to have supper on the table and finish all of the chores and things because she would be just way too

Class settled, and under threat of execution should trouble flare up again, Robert had left and returned to Alice. She had recovered her composure and was pacing the room with a slightly troubled expression hanging over her features.

“Gate 4A is boarding! Next flight boarding is Gate 4A!” the cheery pre-recorded voice announced over the airport’s loudspeakers.

“What don’t you understand by that?” I responded. “I told you, my Ayah always did.”

If that doesn't happen... Let's hope it's the start of good things between you and my son-in-law. - What do you have for me? - Not much.