Chapter one: The Long Haul From the diary of James Down: Friday, January 20th. Sometimes I think I'll survive the long haul. The odds are against it (they're long odds), but sometimes I think I'll make the journey. Then I look around--and I don't have to look far, or for very long; the evidence is all around, in body bags--and I realise that nobody reall...
The roommate is up before I am, watching morning television, a cigarette hanging from his chapped pink lips as he loads the dishwasher. We're not supposed to smoke in the apartment but he does anyway. I join him on enough occasions that I'm guilty of breaking the rule instead of bending it. Almost a year now he's been this slouched, hairy, somnolent, depre...
*** AMELIA *** My interest in Casey Messimer went from professionally appropriate to potentially career breaking in a matter of just a few days. The appropriate part of my interest started about four months ago when he walked into my classroom. Tall, lean, dark and quiet, Casey was one of those kids who seemed to have everything sorted out. He dressed cle...
You will no doubt notice that certain words are intentionally left in lower case. It's for the same reason that Hannibal Lecter ate his victims; to show my contempt for them.* * Oh, religion. What a tangled web if there ever was one. I was born in the heart of the old South, where hellfire and brimstone preachers were as common as 57 T-birds and Sunday chi...
I got to the party late. I had known it was fancy dress but as usual, I hadn't bothered, instead spending longer than I should have in the pub. The door opened as I got to the end of the drive, a skeleton and a sleeping beauty emerge, allowing me to slip in behind them. A few people stand in the corridor, two men in suits share an animated conversation whils...
Naganti Kanan paced his chambers as he waited for the Cha'Dech to return to him. Large strides of heavy legs moved at a rabbit's pace as he rubbed his face and flicked his braids behind his shoulder. She should have returned by now. As the thought went through his mind, the main door to the chamber opened and she stepped inside. "Took you long enough." He sc...
Raj was out and about again, finding solace in his alone time. The graveyard he prowled was eerie and quiet. There was even a little night mist wafting over the green close-cut grass. This place crawled with creatures of the dark when the moon came out. It always had. There was rumor that there was a Slayer around. One who went out looking for trouble to squ...
For my editor, R - you've bled so much red ink over this story it's just as much yours as mine. Thank you for making me look good. J. * "Where are we going?" I asked Matt as he tugged me out of my office chair. "It's Sunday—that means dinner at Rhiannon and Joe's." I couldn't hide my shock. "I can't intrude on your family like that." While they were v...
****I want to thank every one for the feedback and sorry that this has taken so long in coming. Real life seems not to like to wait for us writers *LOL* I hope like the others you all enjoy this next chapter in the saga. Thank you all once again.**** Scottish Were Wolf and the Italian Lady They finally landed in Scotland and meeting them at the Airport...
We didn’t get together the day before Thanksgiving. In fact, I didn’t call him until Saturday. He picked up the phone and said in a brisk tone, “McCracken. Go.” “And how is my naughty little bear?” I murmured into the receiver, and heard his breath hitch. “Ah! Uh… Could you give me an hour and a half to get rid of my houseguests?” he asked me in a...