"How do you know if you like someone?"

The question hung in the seven-hundred mile space between us. Even though it was almost three in the morning, I turned the question over and over in my mind. The first couple of answers were almost trite in their …

One of these crazy old nights, before the sun comes up. The wicked wind whispers and moans.

A boy with fiery eyes is waiting for an angel in white.

He found out a long time ago what a woman can do to your soul, but this voice keeps whispering: "She was j…

Another night, another peaceful dinner with gently clinking silverware and soft voices discussing the days events.

"How about you, Aria?"

"Ah, you know, usual boring school."

"Same old?"

"You know it." Oh no. "I'll be back!" Aria took off up the stairs.…

If you ever feel empty,

Tell me, please.

I have bountiful love

I’m hoping to help you

Fill the gap and help you feel whole.

And because I have this love,

I have another offer for you:

If it’s not me you need,

I’ll willingly help you to find

The things you…

"You can't!"

I lost touch of the page, stumbled as though from a great fall. The assorted people in the room stared at me as though I appeared out of thin air. Picking myself up, I met their eyes, pleading, "You can't go by any name you've had through you…

Reaching the line of fire in the hallway, you prepare to toss the water onto the flames. As you do, you smell the odor of gasoline, which you had failed to notice before, probably because you were too frightened.

You fling the contents of the bucket on t…

Tory was staring up at the slanted mirror hooked to the ceiling; Pips's gaze was fixed on the shattered remains of his mocha flagon, in twenty-three pieces on the floor. As the CD unit restarted with "You're my Everything," their eyes started in towards e…

Story is marked as mature

I remember that night vividly.

Do you?

I remember what you wore: a black t-shirt with a short denim skirt and a matching denim jacket that was covered with buttons of all your favorite bands. All ska and punk.

I remember how you smelled. It was exactly…

"You can do it." My brother's voice carried more necessity than encouragement. He rescued his daughter from a toppling stack of boxes. She screamed despite being uninjured.

"What was that?" my sister in law called from upstairs in alarm.

"Nothing to worry…

It had only been a few months since the invasion. Aliens had killed a lot of humans, others were just missing.

Presumably dead.

Or, with any luck, if such a word was appropriate, they were still alive, but being used for research. No one dared try to imag…

All signs pointed to a rather violent end. The lights were off, the windows smashed. Curiously, the internet had been disconnected. Why would someone disconnect the the computers if they were going to blackout the house? I suspected that the intruder was …

What did weevils do, Curly? I hear you inquire.

Do they truly, maliciously fight fire with fire?

Can I trust an exterminatress with such dire

And harmful suggestions to be on the level?

.

Well I tell you, my girly, that what I maintain

Is true to the …

Etril cowered in fear. This was it. She'd known it was coming, but hoped it wouldn't be this soon.

...

No gunshot came.

"Forget it," the alien said.

Etril looked up, hesitantly. "...What?"

"Forget it, I'm not going to shoot you. It's not even worth it." S…

There! in the glist'ning starlit sepulchre,

Floating along by the gaping aperture--

There was Verandah, my love of yesteryear

As if alive, but she's gone. Then she drew near

Gently caressing my neck like a whiff of mist

She made me wonder, was I a som…

"After what?"

"After I kill you."

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

Silvertown ripped the empty magazine out of the Thompson, let it fall and retrieved a spare from the garter on her right leg to make the weapon ready again.

Newkirk rolled to his feet with surprising nimbleness and the two spellcasters exchanged fire on…

Newkirk frowned as another sliver of the future was revealed to him. At this point divination was merely granting him glimpses into weaknesses he was already aware of, he was gravely tempted to give up. There was, however, still a possibility of useful in…

The orc rangers looked at each other. Sadie could understand that - she could hardly believe what she'd just seen either.

Gulmar broke the silence, grunting in approval.

"Fire and greensmoke! That," he grinned, "was a sight to behold. She is worth holdi…

After digging all day yesterday and into this morning, I found it, 76 feet down.

The sudden daylight and air seemed to revive the being; the mental ringing increased shrilly.

He reluctantly tapped at the keyboard with his fingers. They had taught him in school how to type properly, but he wasn't sure if he was executing it the way his teachers in 6th grade had intended. It did, however, get the job done.

He didn't want to del…

Things like "i-mutations" and "syntax" rushed through Brad's head as he stared at the etchings of the most ancient examples of Kalovay.

He took a deep breath and tried a new approach. Only a few words were known to the world to be true translations from …

The Waityu hunter gathered his primitive gear and headed out, searching for bugs.

Bugs might not seem like big game, but the Waityu are small, mouse-like creatures that walk on two feet and the bugs in the area can get to be as large as they are.

He spr…

Having failed my dears, I sent myself to the corner as punishment. I've been there more than a year.

Maybe they're now safer from me, but I'm not safe from them, and they're still not pleased.

But I was thinking. I've been saving my energy all this time. …