Picking Up Katie

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…much?” Angie asked her reflection in the rearview.  

She wiped the black mascara smudges from her cheeks, then grabbed a hair-tie and smoothed her tangled locks into a ponytail. She opened her car door, stroking her oversized shirt. Crumbs rained onto the concrete.  

At the daycare entrance, she tapped the code to enter, but the door remained locked. She tapped it again. Nothing. 

The girl at the desk walked to the door and opened it. 

“Thanks.” Angie stepped into the lobby. “You guys change your code?” 

The girl shrugged. “I’m new. It’s 2231.” 

“They must’ve changed it.” Angie leaned against…


By L.L. Asher

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Inka's Curse Part 19: The Shipwreck

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…I wasn't so great, the sword wouldn't be protecting me. It doesn’t matter if I believe in myself or not. I know by heart that I don’t have much of a choice on this.

If the queen earnestly wanted me dead, wouldn’t I be dead? She knows that at least this sword can do it. 

“I can join you, you know. We can survive together.”

“I don’t know. You’ve done enough for me already. You don’t have to join me. In these challenging times, being in a group gets you killed.”

“Maybe sometimes, but it also offers you a possible…


By Cristina Collazo

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Pleasant Chaos

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One-year old Penny and her friends chaotically entertain.

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…was always something going on at the Reinholt’s home. The activities seemed to surround one-year old Penny. Two new residents had arrived as birthday guests thanks to daddy. A tan-colored Yorky named, Coffee Con Lache, or just “Coffee,” continually sought Penny’s attention. A darker colored fur-ball kitten with yellow eyes was named Tea Con Lémon (“Tea”. The kitten) spent most of the day hiding from a pesky Penny.

The three youngsters made it a practice to empty the toy basket and tease each other with a favorite toy. Coffee had claimed a…

By Robert L. Scarry

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Inka's Curse Part 18: Request 2

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…queen smiles. I’m unsure if that’s a good sign. The queen bore scars on her neck. When we met, I was able to see they were lettering.

She nodded and said, “Yes, of course. I can help her too.”

“Alright what do I have to do?”

She told me that a dragon was the source of there being more creatures in our land and how he was a threat to us all. He was responsible for what happened to Oakheart. He put a spell on those people who had attempted an attack on Wellspring.

They also attacked the ship where…


By Cristina Collazo

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Postcard

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…Harris shuffled methodically through boxes and unorganized piles of her parents history in New Orleans, as well as their separate lives before their marriage. Her father, Henry’s life in Chicago, as a boy, and then San Francisco. And her mother, Marjorie’s in India, Japan and Europe.

Her mother’s letters to old college friends, as well as childhood playmates, were amazingly devoid of any real substance. Her journals, from her teenage years through college were the exact opposite. They were incredibly detailed.

Olivia could almost picture the sleek old halls of the boarding schools in Austria, Switzerland and England. She could…

By Abigail Moore

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Inka's Curse Part 17: Request

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…Ellen replied, “Send her in.” She looked up to observe me enter. I wondered what she thought of me. Most people regard me as a helpless weakling. Now was most likely now different as I struggled not to show my cowardice. The queen bore scars on her neck. I was able to see they were lettering. 

I don’t know what she expects, but I’ve been looking forward to this meeting. 

I should just be straightforward with her. “I’m sorry my queen. I know that it looks bad for me, but it was an accident. I didn’t know these things belonged…


By Cristina Collazo

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The Day You Died

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…glanced up from her laptop.

“Sorry to bother you,” The man next to her said. “Do you mind—” He rubbed a thick hand over his face. “I have to ask.”

Emma raised an eyebrow. “What’s up?”

“Folks, this is your captain.”

Emma gazed up at the cabin speaker.

“We’re beginning our final descent and will be arriving in fifteen minutes.”

“Can I ask your name?”

She looked back at the man. “Um…” She cleared her throat. “Emma.”

He shook his head. “You look exactly like someone I dated.”

“Weird. Did—”

“Allison. She had the same…” He gestured to Emma, his…

By L.L. Asher

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Not As She Dreamed

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Planning a honeymoon and life threw a curveball.

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…and Mrs. William Batts were finally taking their long delayed honeymoon trip. They were recipients of a Caribbean cruise as prize for opening a combined checking and savings account with Patriot’s National Bank.

Lisa planned on completing the novel she was writing...actually “thinking about” for two years. Bill just wanted to put his feet up, drink beer, and smoke his cigar. They joked it was time to consummate their marriage now that their four children were grown and not likely to interrupt.

The laptop and notebooks were stowed in the computer…

By Robert L. Scarry

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Inka's Curse Part 16: Queen Ellen

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…promised me that when we were secure she’d instruct me how to sword fight.

We have been at it for a while, and I was excited to finally learn how to use this thing.

Rachel won most of the sparring matches between them, but I am getting much better than I was. Our swords clacked against each other as sweat dripped from my forehead. Even though I’m slender while Rachel is more muscularly built I think we both were more than a good match for each other. We don’t speak to each other as we…

By Cristina Collazo

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Space

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A story about the last human A.I. battle cruiser Indomitable, referred to as 'Dom' by his crew.

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…battle mode Dom."

"Aye, aye, Captain.", I say and his eyes close at the last.

In the delirium of my battle screens I watched crimson rain of micro beams fall and cyan streaks of plasma cut through the air.

The flash of freshly burnt copper vaporized and accelerated to speeds of light hangs in a haze over my view.

I find myself unable to act for a micro second, caught in hideous beauty of war within a vacuum.

To believe I and…

By RayFed

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