"The children in my old village didn't see the value of reading, they all just wanted to play at being Samurai. I kinda figured it would be the same here." Keshintai continued, "Hey, I know you. We have class together. How come you don't play with the oth…

Tamori Heru paced frantically. He hadn't slept in 36 hours. He wasn't aware of any birth taking this long in recent memory. His wife, Leneya, has been in labour for the past 27 hours, and Heru was starting to worry.

The door creaked ajar and the nursewif…

Eraeon turned to Tenever as Gulmar launched into another epic tale. Though his face was ever blank and featureless, the wizard noted what might almost be concern in the elf's demeanour.

"Before, when you took control of the orcish teleport. There was a w…

The initial exchange of fire lasted a hair more than seventeen seconds. At the ten second mark, I authorised my remaining two units to initiate fire. Extended firefights tended to become undesirably disordered.

The heat haze effect generated by my defens…

Our subconscious mind can be the most formidable foe. Facing fright, we fumble for fortification, rattle our rapiers and clamber for cover. Is this shadowy voice in charge, or just one more cog in our cognition?

The negative pronouncements careen against …

In complete silence they walked ahead to a watertight door a short distance ahead, of the type commonly seen on ships. It was worn, textured, maintained - solid graspable reality in stark contrast to the otherness that surrounded them.

Silvertown twisted…

It was enough. Beckton knew what to do and how to get there - or rather, he had a feeling that he would know when it mattered. For now, he needed a door that matched a certain set of parameters.

There was a delicate clink, from somewhere close by, as if …

You tell me to shine,

but as soon as I do-

all I hear is whine, whine, whine..

Tell me once and for all,

what you want me to do,

This request is small.

My hearts on the line,

and my mind is a racin',

Could you give me a sign?

Calm me,

like you used to …

" Never from my lips would come a word of criticism about this site, but I have a few ideas that might be of use. This is not what I expected to happen when I came to write my first prompt response, but since ... well, let me just make my suggestions.

"…

"No one loves a clank at midnight."

The message was scrawled all over the room. The walls, the floor, the ceiling. In the center of the room was a clank, for all appearances in perfect working order, and yet it seemed unable to move.

Closer to the door,…

And one day, I will find the way,

The strength to tell my spouse,

And hope to Heaven I won't lose

My love, my kids, my house,

My inner peace; that I'll retain

My home, and if I may,

I'll ask for their consent to love

In my own natural way.

So yes, this …

And please, my Lord, I beg Thee, heal

The pain in one and all,

Which I in my confusion caused.

Please hear this sinner's call.

I did not mean to harm a soul,

But to my endless rue,

So much frustration, anger, hurt

I managed, still, to do

O I was wrong s…

We walk around in the blazing heat and I head towards the old hospital downtown that my dad may have or may not have helped at. I imagine there are at least some people there, since the number of casualties and fatalities hasn't slowed down.

When we get …

She turns to me, "What's your name?"

"Bel," I answer as the girl eyes me.

"Well, Bel. Where did you learn to bandage wounds like this?" I shift my weight around, feigning discomfort.

"My father was a doctor." I say to her, a half-truth. I can practical…

I've never wished to act on those cruel notions

That cross my mind at times, but I've felt anger,

'Cos I've been hurt and suffered vile emotions.

At these times, wrong decisions lead to danger.

-

I have responsibilities. I can't ignore them,

Unless some n…

I feel a change is coming in my story;

My heart's blown cold, then hot, from north to west

If I am brave and honest, maybe--glory

Will manifest itself. I'll do my best,

-

Retaining bound'ries while regaining sympathy,

For my antagonist's grave burdens' w…

I shall not end my life and hurt you worse,

Despite the ideation in my mind--

How cruel an act! If reason I can find,

I'll fix it in my head, beguile the curse.

.

No healing comes from lying in a hearse,

I know. There is no need, so don't remind;

If we ca…

The flow of energy was too much - for her and for me. It overwhelmed both our systems, the absence of her heart chakra causing a torrential disregulation of energy. The block that had been there had been torn away the moment I nudged it into place. It w…

I checked the hurt on my tongue. It was hard not to respond in kind, a struggle to not spit red-hot knives aiming for the open wound on her heart.

No.

I wouldn't do that. She's hurting enough already. Even through the internet I could feel it bleeding o…

Our words are fragile incomplete things. Stuttering, their half-shapes try to convey ideas. They fall short, as short as the silhouette of a chair falls short of being the chair itself. Even if that shadow is crisp hard edges from perfect lighting it can …

When the cliffs came into sight, I found that I wasn't ready to see them. Their vast dominance of the sky, those dizzying heights, even from this far away, toyed with my body's perception of which way was up. The sensation that I was about to fall sideway…

He is already there when she arrives, waiting for her on the other side of the glass, holding a red, early summer rose. She watches as he mouths Hello.

"Hi," she says.

He holds the rose out toward her, touching it to the glass. She reaches for the ros…

My dad has aged a lot in the past few years. It was probably as gradual as the rest of us but I'm noticing it more now. His walk has become more of a shuffle but he's strong enough or perhaps willful enough that he doesn't want any help. That's fine. It w…

“Why are you here.”

Wasn't it obvious? There were lines around the block to sign up for the E.D.C. and had been ever since the attack that melted southern California. “To fight aliens, same as you.” I tried to keep the irritation out of my voice but knew…

Max stood at the edge of the curtained window and stared out into the dark of the garden, searching for any sign of the creature. His eyes darted here and there looking for more substantial motion than the shivering of hedges, or the swirling interplay of…