Once More Unto the Breach
Teo holds up one open hand toward the swarm, expecting some reaction. He is somehow not surprised when a line of bees zip up around him and a dozen at once settle on his sweaty palm, walking around, apparently tasting …
TinaLynn
Almost Eye to Eye
Teo is chopping firewood. Well, at least that’s what’s telling himself. The heat and humidity are building up to a thunderstorm, but it’s not really registering. He had impatiently stripped off his sweaty tee and flung it into a pile …
Talking’s Easier in the Dark
Someone lit a bonfire when it started to get dark, and the sounds of a guitar playing a Cajun waltz drift through the light fog drifting off the bayou. The fireflies are out, and kids chase them with jars. There’s …
A Tale of a Tail
Dance and Grace disappear under the water, leaving Teo behind on the shore. They’re headed upstream, of course, but does the road follow the banks of the bayou? He spins in a tight circle, looking for anything, a motorbike, a …
Brotherly Love
“I’ve studied the damaged memory phenomenon. The sarcobox causes some damage, of course, but I’m assuming that your memory was worked on, as well. They almost never let anyone come through transit without messing with their brains.” Teo knows he …
Feeding Frenzy
“Come in, Grace,” Dance calls cheerfully when she knocks on the door to the Trio’s houseboat. “We are in the kitchen.” It must be strange to live with a naga. No secrets.
She carries the basket of fresh eggs …
The Errand
Keisha cursed under her breath as the steering wheel fought her grip. An entire day of rain followed by an entire day of sunshine had turned Rainette Road into something treacherous, baked ruts like the swell of a riptide. It …
Look Who the Cat Dragged In
The huge discount store is doing a brisk business, even for a weekday. The overcast sky has a weird greenish tint — not the dangerous color that presages a bad storm, just a thick humidity that tints everything a strange …
The Long and Winding Road
Teo is a long way from Detroit, but that’s fine. Detroit hadn’t been home, either, just a place he’d been for a while. He stares out the window of the truck cab, into the wilderness, so different from the urban …
The Popsicle Maker
Packaging crinkles as Hal turns the popsicle mold over in his hands, eyes narrowed. “Did you know,” he says, “that water-based lube freezes?”
Drin and Dance look at each other, thoughtful. Emma brays laughter, sees Grace’s horrified face, and almost …