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Marit fell. The wind whipped her face, tearing a scream from her lungs. As the water rapidly neared, she braced herself for impact. She hit the water.And woke up.Her heart pounded in her chest as she gasped for air.It was a dream. It was a dream. It was a dream. It was a dream.She calmed her breathing, laying her head back on the cold stone floor of the cell.Under different circumstances, she might have hesitated to lay her head on the floor. It was covered in dirt and grime, and seemed as if it hadn’t been cleaned for a long while. Perhaps ...
The Monster walked the old road. For once, he had company other than the shadows in his head. A woman named Esther. A child named Mateo. He distanced himself from the child as much as he could. The Monster assumed the child was scared of him. And he had a right to be. The Monster was afraid of himself. The child spoke, “Where are we going?” The Monster knew. He didn’t answer. The question was addressed to Esther. The Monster watched as Esther looked down at him, “The Old Temple.” “Why?” “I have a question.” “What question?” “If the plants ca...
The streets of Laokeia bustled with activity even in the early hours of morning. The sun painted the clouds in the pinks and purples that so many merchants in the silk district claimed their fabrics emulated.The house was not small. Though hardly anything could be small when compared to the packed-together dwellings of central Laokeia. Then again, the house could barely be called large. One might say it was on the large end of medium. Unless, of course, one lived in the cramped center of the city.Birds sang in the trees near Polyxena’s windo...
Dear World,How must I define myself? Is there a label for me, short of my name and full identity? Not for my ethnicity. Apparently. In a world of absolutes, there is no room for the girl who’s ‘almost a quarter’ Tongan. There certainly isn’t in the tags for these short stories. If I chose to write a story about Otai, it would inevitably be lost in the sea of other tales. At this point, I’m okay with that. I don’t need to stand out.All I need, for the moment, is an outlet. A way to express myself. A way to put myself out there. A way to clear...
The child’s name was Mateo. He loved butterflies. Or, at least, that’s what he’d told Esther. She knew he’d never seen one. He was too young. Of course, she wasn’t about to tell him to change. Butterflies had been lovely, when they had been alive. They walked together down the old road, stepping in time to that song no one knew. Esther was aware of the dangers of the road. And yet, she was unaware of the danger she would soon face. Mateo didn’t talk much. He was quiet. Observant. Esther wasn’t sure whether he was like that before the man wi...
Not a single person knew the moment when the world died. Some said it died during the First War, along with The Fox. Others believed that it was when the bluebirds stopped singing. It has been argued that the world died when the rivers dried up. Esther believed none of this. To her, the world had died when the plants had stopped growing. When the soil no longer nurtured her seeds. When they had stopped sprouting those little green tendrils. She had been fourteen years old then. Now, ten years later, Esther journeyed down an old road, seeki...
Ammon cried. Hendrix could feel his grief. It mingled with his own. Ammon had lost his parents and his sister. Hendrix had lost some of his closest friends. There was only one thing to do. He inhaled, and began to tell a story. The story began with a poem. The First Story “The sun rises and the moon fades The soft dreams of the evening are replaced By the harsh realities which daylight reveals The calm drowsiness of night turns To the bustle of day And the stars find their hiding place Behind the clouds And beyond the sky We can only hope t...
Near the Border of Eritrea, Piammi 60 RB The Drunk Rabbit Inn and Mealhouse was about as old as the owner’s deceased grandfather. He had died as he’d lived, drunk out of his mind.As old as it was, the inn was well-kept. Kuntur had seen to that. He patched the roof when it leaked, oiled the hinges of the doors regularly, and had even managed the finances so well that he dragged his family up out of the debt that had been piling up for generations. All in all, he had things figured out. The only thing he hadn’t quite figured out was that his b...
Now, there’s not much I hate in this world. In fact, those closest to me may note my tendency to meet obstacles with, (dramatic sigh) “It’s a problem. I’m a problem. Life is a problem, and it sucks. But there’s also butterflies.” and continue on with life. In spite of the sucky nature of life, I do my best to find butterflies in every moment. This is not my point.There are very few things I hate, but I can think of at least one. Now, close your eyes and imagine, if you will, that it is late fall. In the morning, you awoke to snow. For about...
What do the desperate prayers of a heretic mean to the gods? Just Outside of Eritrea, Bilar 62 RB Oh great Ichel, preserve her. Ammon’s shirt clung to his back, wet with blood. Steady her heart. He walked slowly, legs unsteady. Mend her breath. Pol seemed lifeless in his arms. But she was breathing. She had to be. Blood covered her face. Blood covered her arms, and her neck. There was too much. But she was alive. She had to be.Protect her from Andra’s grasp. Ammon crossed the threshold of the Wallow. Taking care to find an almost dry spo...
Margaret: I hugged my arms as a chilly breeze blew through the air. The mornings were still cold, even though it was almost summer. I quickened my pace. The path to the boarding house was uneven and strewn with rocks. It was a miracle I didn’t roll an ankle. You’d think that with twenty three boys regularly using this path, someone might put some effort into caring for it. You’d be wrong. I rapped on the door. It swung open, revealing the face of a redheaded boy who couldn't have been much older than me. He smiled, “You’re here for that lit...
Dear Buttercup, I'm writing you from a ship that's just left the coast of Iraei. It's called the Eaglet. I don't have the money f I've found work in New Ookry, and although I'm not sure about and I'm hopeful. There’s a lot of good trade down there. There’s also a lot of thieves good company. It’s promising. I've only seen the sea once before. When I was seven, my dad took me. We spent a wole whole day on the beach, playing in the waves and chasing seagulls. That was before he died. He said we'd go. I haven’t been since. You’ve been to the ...
Hey. Look, you don’t want to read my story. I’m no hero. Can’t be sure I’ve ever done a lick of good in my life. I’m not even good with words. You won’t find any epic poetry here. But if you’re staying anyway, you might as well get cozy. All my life, I’ve been described as “angry”. I wasn’t smart like Athena, or hot like Apollo, or protective like Artemis, or helpful like Eileithyia. I was just “The Angry One.” Was I angry? Absolutely. Still am. Sometimes I wonder if I might not be such an angry guy. Sometimes I wonder...
- .... . / .-. .. - ..- .- .-.. My heart beat fast in my chest as I tried to steady the shaking of my hands. I wasn’t the first to do this. I wouldn’t be the last. Protect them. I stabbed the knife downward. Cracks split through the tiles of the floor, where it was buried hilt-deep in the Dustone. “I can’t.” My voice was barely a whisper. Tears threatened to fall down my face. My grandfather was right. I’m not strong enough. “What?” “I can’t do it!” I shouted now, the words torn from my throat. My tears finally fell. The dro...
Friday Night: Shortly After Round 2 “Dude, aren’t you white?” I stared into his blue eyes as I–very gently–shoved him against the lockers. He stared at me, confused, probably because a near stranger was holding him by the shoulders and had–once again, very gently–shoved him against the locker behind him. “I’m an eighth Canadian…” I tilted my head, “Native or…” I trailed off as he shook his head, “I meant I’m very white.” “You can’t be making racist jokes if you’re white. You shouldn’t be doing that anyway, but especially not if you’re white...
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