Ollie's gaze sweeps over his domain. The carpet is freshly stained with his scent, the couch cushions scratched, the blankets piled in one big mound. An intruder approaches, but Ollie scares him off. All he leaves behind is a few sheets of paper with unintelligible markings on them. He'll have to chew that up later. … Continue reading Territory
Category: A Song in a Storm
Aftermath
After thirteen minutes, the ash began to settle. The warship raised its proverbial anchor and fired up its warp drive. Gravity waves pummeled the city's charred remains. With one final kick, the hulking cruiser tore through atmosphere and vanished. Goran clutched his blaster in aching fingers. He was nearly buried under debris. Half-melted rock was … Continue reading Aftermath
Quest
The tavern was loud. Not so loud as a fete or revel, but enough that one needed to shout to be heard. The week's work was done, the local workmen needed a drink, and some traveling musicians had taken up residence on the ale-soaked stage. A group of adventurers kicked in the doors and roared … Continue reading Quest
Runes
Runestones spilled onto the concrete. Some within the chalk circle, more without. The seer smiled a half-toothed grin. "You flee a great evil, no?" His breath tasted of sour meat and Gatorade. "Something like that." I tried to see which runes had tipped him off, but they just looked like rocks to me. "You shall … Continue reading Runes
Veteran
Blasterfire shrieked in the distance. Corporal Higgs lowered his scope, scratched his palm, spat into the dirt. Nothing to see but mountain. Reports indicated the barrage had been ongoing for five days. Five days, the opposition hammered at the mountain stronghold. Five days of that damned noise. "Report, Corporal." A gruff voice from behind. Sergeant … Continue reading Veteran
Ghost
When I was a kid I had an imaginary friend. Her name was Chrysanthemum, but I always called her Chrys. She had long hair the color of piano keys and wore a dress that smelled like home. We met on the playground. I noticed that she would run and play with the other kids, but … Continue reading Ghost
Oblivion
The world was desolation. Vast grey dunes rolled beyond the horizon. Great spires thrust upward from the ashen wastes. The sky was the colour of an old bruise. My feet were scraped raw. My throat groaned with every breath. My tears ran black and ruddy. I did not remember where I came from, only that … Continue reading Oblivion
Stranger
A pillar of smoke broke the horizon to the West. Beneath it, so far as I knew, was nothing but rock. All the terraforming stations were clustered together, and mine was the farthest in this direction. It was most likely a gas deposit, ignited by the meteor shower the night before. I radio'd into central, … Continue reading Stranger
Raindrop
The last drop falls fat and slow,To soak into chiseled cracksAnd nourish the moldBeneath artificial rock. It drips from a thin wisp,Sucking poison from the sky,Dragging ash in its wake To bleed into salted dirt. An errant tongue might pluckThe drip from its course,To muddy a small boy's stomachWith a taste of rotten clouds. The … Continue reading Raindrop
Mimic
An old woman wanders in from the rain. She shakes herself in the entrance and takes a long look around the room. What she finds is simple: a few tables, a worn bar, and a few quiet regulars. She doen't look at us, and doesn't notice us looking at her. She sits at the bar. … Continue reading Mimic
Corey Laisure 