“Not there. Here,” Sandra chided. I wondered why it mattered but acquiesced to her demands, upending the bucket and scooping up more wet sand before planting it down on her desired location. “More! Water.” She was busy being the architect, carefully sculpting the walls of her desired construct the way children do: haphazardly with a shovel. […]
Rescued writings of Master Evemer, the Fourth Generation Master Y144, Master Evemer, of the Glacies Familia I write this in the dusk of a lifetime of fighting the demons: humans cannot continue the war like this. I can no longer lie to my reflection no matter how well I lie to the families of the […]
“May Ignis light your path,” a young Rao prayed, imitating the village boys he had met in the afternoon. Clink. Rao looked up at his mother, noting that the house guards also had their eyes stray towards her. She rarely set down her bowl in an audible manner. She wiped at the corners of her […]
He was 10 years old that fateful day, but even children know when they were being humiliated. The scene was forever fixated in his memories, as easily dredged from his mind as one would recall an earlier meal. His parents’ faces were slightly averted and not looking at him even as the stalwart family guards […]
You found me when I was smaller. Curious. Blind to the world, but ready to hear your voice and lick your hand. I was your only companion as I grew up. You were my only person. I was there for you as you were there for me. Remember when you wouldn’t let me eat the […]
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. “Hi. Thanks for calling …” I ended the call, frustrated, pacing about my room. On my wall hung a quote: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” Well then. Glancing at my phone, I dialed again, placing the phone near […]
“Bend,” spoke the interrogator, “or break?” The fettered man stared back blankly. “Break it is, then?” the interrogator continued, “Wonderful. I was hoping you’d make this interesting, rather than easy.” With a nod to the accompanying grunts, the interrogator walked down the hall, followed by the grunts dragged the captive with them. […]
“He threatened me, Nicole!” “He did what any customer does – say he’ll talk to your superior. That’s normal, Michelle.” They were at a jazz bar together attempting to talk over the music. Michelle had texted her sister Nicole immediately after Adam had left to express her anger at his callous demeanor. When […]
It seemed eerie to Michelle as she watched Mr. Engel sit at the table poring over the digital catalog of parts, for just a few hours ago she had watched Mr. Torreines sit at the very same table looking over a different catalog. The difference was that while Mr. Torreines had been choosing the customization […]
Monadic Storytelling 