Short Story

Marcus had a bemused look on his face that melted into one of pure incredulity. First she refused to come down, and then , she wandered off without leave? As a naval commander and ship's master, the penalty for any slave who left the person of any officer without leave was to be lashed to the deck for a half day and get 10 strokes of the Cat. And yet, this brazen cocotte with the copper tresses felt free to so disrespect her own Master in his own household?

“Well Stone, you sonofabitch, you did it,” O'Malley gushed. Stone looked distant in gaze as the loud words of praise fell upon his vacant ears. “Stone...Stone, where's your head at? You should be doing cartwheels right now. Five years of your hard work completed and that scum will be behind bars waiting to be a southern fried convict.”

“No,” I scream, “get off me.” Tears obscure my vision, but soon release, streaking down my face. My body thrashes as I attempt to liberate myself from his grasp.

it is life, Mama!” Mama: “Oh—so now its life. Money is life. Once upon a

“Lelia Elizabeth, stop arguing and listen.” Marion placed her hands on her daughter’s shoulder. “I said, yes. Yes, you may take the bus with Sam over to Ellingwood to see him off.”

I still remember the calmness with which she looked at me when I entered her room. A stranger had attacked her in her apartment building, and the gruesome details of the incident produced the image of an utterly devastated victim. But her composure stood proud and tall and defied my expectations. Astounded, I asked her what she wanted to do. Without reluctance, she said no to pressing charges, and defended her attacker. With a firm and unrelenting voice, she said that she did not want to ruin the kid’s life and that people made mistakes. To hide my surprise I said that although the nurses had

and saw her mom and sister, in their own bikinis. Smiling, she placed a handful of sun screen on her legs and rubbed it in, she continued up to her chest, neck, and face. Offering her sister, the bottle. Taking off her bikini top, she laid face forward, so her sister could place some lotion on her back, and places where she could not reach.

“Don’t be afraid they said. Don’t be afraid,” Annabelle Alfonzo reflected to herself. Annabelle had concealed herself behind an oak that was as big as a skyscraper. The wind whistled around her on this breezy October afternoon. Suddenly, cold, generous tears slide down her plump rosy cheeks. Now, her immense blue eyes were red and puffy from sobbing so much. She felt as if she was just one tiny pebble on a beach full of sand. Yet, she knew that there was nothing she could do to overpower Ella Kingston, her bully. Then, over in the distance, standing by the large brick school stood Ella Kingston. She studied her energetic peers like a hawk. Ella looked like no normal third grader. She was a usual short, slim blonde haired girl. But her face was the thing that made you afraid; that made you turn the other way when she came by. Her head was a rather odd shape. It started off round and full, but as you went lower and lower toward the end of her face, her chin came out into a point as sharp as the end of a

I managed to groan. It might not have been loud enough to be heard by anyone else, but loud enough that I registered I had finally awoken. The pain has been increasing and I can feel my health diminishing. I can tell that I am running out of time. With that thought in mind, I decide that I need to make sure I have put my trust in the right people. “Ladies!” I called in a very subdued manner. I counted on my ladies in waiting to tend to my every need. When they had all approached, I proceeded to make them aware of the situation. “Ladies, you know of my aches and my irritability because of such. I only request that until my final moments have passed, you will remember I am still your Queen and obey me as such.” I watched as they all looked

She hated this idea. She was so going to kill those two once this job was through. She slunk closer towards the small supply house near the back of the center. The darkness of the night was hiding them from sight. Houndoom, and ninetails were at her side as fletchinder fluttered above them. Fixing the mask , she made sure the voice changer was on. She also made sure the smoke filter was over her nose and mouth. Double checking that her fire resistant gear was covering all her bare skin and she was ready to go.

The air in my room was tense and oddly thin, but that was to be the expectant atmosphere, given that Paledon was sitting on my bed, while I was staring out at my window and watching the light rainfall. What an occurrence, eh? Every time I came to this place it seemed to always be raining, a complement to my mood. Rain was my friend, my accomplice to make me feel the true gloom of life.

Murmuring the words, I immediately look from place to place at the scene before me, entirely awe struck! Feeling as though one has stepped into a fairy tale brought to life, and that sky, the most beautiful clear sky ever seen by human eyes. I lift my hand to move some hair from my face only to stop dead in my tracks. Attempting to jump around like a little schoolchild before realizing the controls are a little bit different from the real word. Only had I taken notice to this revelation five seconds before would I not have fallen on my butt. Shuddering in "pain,” I find myself becoming more excited than before once seeing my legs sprawled on the ground.

Laughter of young men floated through the air like chimes on a breezy day as they sparred amongst each other near the barracks of Highgarden. As young Lords of the Reach, they all had dreams of finding glory for themselves as knights. Yet only one of them had been anointed, the future Lord of Highgarden, Mace Tyrell, whom many believed his Lord father had bought the title rather than earned it by his own merit. Having just turned seven-and-ten not three moons prior, one could see glimpses of the man Mace would become. Tall with broad shoulders, his scalp was covered with thick, curly brown tendrils of sweaty hair that dangled loosely over his brow covering hazel eyes as his bulky body heaved for breath from the exertion. His strong jaw is

None of them had given the slightest indication that they were the traitors, but if not one of them, then who? His musing interrupted when he looked up to see Sara standing by the door and speaking menacingly, “Did I not make my wishes clear? I asked for everyone to leave and that included you.”

Today was a busy day, all I could hear was the hurried footsteps of Sector T’s coordinators. It is the third batch today, and I already feel sick. Two weeks ago, I could hold on for five batches before I let like crying. .