The magnificent lines of the Core Expeditionary Force were on full parade formations, that day. Thousands of ships all arrayed in perfect arrangement, capital ships surrounded by droves of smaller combatants.

When the order came to fire upon the ragged a…

Faster than I could react, she pulled something from her apron and pushed it into my hands.

"Please, stay safe. I couldn't... if you..."

This wasn't what I had expected. Still trying to catch up to the present, I looked down at the object she had given …

The key was engraved with MEMENTO.

"Undelete. What could he mean by that?" I asked the room in general. Hard Drive, looking depressed, did not answer. He was waiting for confirmation that Scroll and Locke were in fact compromised in our last mission. He'd…

Ryle stepped over the broken bodies littering the floor in order to retrieve the knives.

"Ryle, do you ever think about the men you've killed?"

He didn't answer immediately, instead choosing to wipe down the hard black blades with the edge of the dead m…

She saw him across the crowded party basement. Her heart swelled with euphoria. Her eyes sparkled. She was overly exuberant, but her friends thought she'd caught the party fever. They had no idea of her secret passion for the boy lurking in the corner.

W…

If I were to tell you, my darling friend,

That I think that I'm falling for you,

Would you feel I'd been lying? Would our friendship end?

What would you say; what would you do?

Well, I know well I shouldn't, I know in my place

I must only be strict…

She stumbled out of the alleyway onto the busy street. A few people jumped out of the way, barking at her to watch out. Her muscles trembled as she leaned against the brick building.

He walked out of the alley and smirked at her. "Tough, isn't it?"

She …

"Alright, you can only play with it for 30 minutes"

"Ok mum, thats fair enough"

15 minutes later

"Honey, can you do some chores for me? It will only take 20 minutes"

But I've no strength, no courage! If I must

Continue living, tread the steeper way,

Climb crises--impulse might o'erride dread; just

An instant could decide things either way.

.

Their little faces crumbled from surprise and delight to tearful and shock. This large thing crashed their party, stealing their gifts and eating their cake.

He sat back, grinning maliciously over his multiple chins. The children's large eyes swam with…

She watched from the bushes in cat form. The window was curtained, but her yellow eyes could see the magic rise into the air. She purred, her favorite part of this transformation. The magic rose like a blanket, rolling into a twist and smoothly slid throu…

Barris, commander of the Republic troops strode forward. No armour, no weapons.

Acheson turned to his troops. "No one fires a shot until I say." He stepped out from behind his barricade, meeting Barris half way.

"Colonel." Barris said. "I've been waitin…

"But you're a fairy Godmother!" screamed Cinderella before collapsing on her bed and sending a dozen birds tittering out of her window. She began to sob. It was all right there before her, the castle, the perfect life, the perfect husband, and just like t…

The fire rain came again last night, driving holes in the already pitted metal over our heads. Cossa and Sandry caught some splash drops with their faces and woke with permanent tears. Fire rain burned but everyone in our holding catches what they can to …

This glass of liquid seems to weigh a ton. I about dislocated my shoulder trying to pick it up.

Why don't you give me some lighter fluid?

Email:

I want you to know my feelings in detail, so I type them into a single message that may be long, but at least I have provided good communication of my wants and needs.

Texting:

I return your communication sometimes with a similarly long winded mes…

I noticed a minute hesitation from Grace. Curious, I made eye contact.

There it was again - a blink, a crack in the normally flawless armour of the Janse-Lomberg household service. And again, as she looked away quickly. Too quickly.

"Cerian," I said, sl…

Ryle, who acting as spotter tonight, muttered something about the rising wind. He seemed utterly unconcerned about the situation. I nudged the crosshairs left.

The Minister lit his cigar and leaned on the balcony. Through the telescopic sight, I could al…

This i slovely

I was so hungry

I want more, but that was really nice to eat

Fresh bread would be even better though.

Thanks Ramon!

The girl was flipping through her notes on her phone one day when she found the words she'd jotted down months earlier. She remembered that little story she'd wanted to write. The details weren't all there, but some of them were.

She got up and went to si…

We moved lightly through the corridor, which eventually opened up in a larger space, pocked with deep pools of the evil liquid. We paused, scanning the room, then looked to each other. Without a word, we clasped hands.

We moved quickly but carefully acro…

Beckton leaned out sideways and pulled the gun into his shoulder in one movement. He placed a little nugget of his attention right between the two burning coals that seemed to serve as the creature's eyes and pulled the trigger. The gun shivered a little …

Boldly I fear, oh so boldly I stride,

For I dare to be frightened! I shan't be denied!

There are others who cower but meet with bad ends;

There are mothers with power, het up with a lens,

But the timid who bluster are rare, dear my friends.

I will strike…

Transpacific diplomacy warming, like global climate.

................................................................................

The knock came just after midnight. I’d been laying in bed listening to this old 80s band called the Cure when I heard it. A soft tapping, so faint that I almost missed it. Then it came again, louder and more insistent.

I rolled out of bed and saw a b…