“They say…that the men come in the middle of the night, and that they are huge, powerful, violent. They grab girls with their rough hands and carry one off under each arm.” Ikthea’s eyes were wide, the light of the campfire reflecting in them as she spoke. She continued. “Then they put them on their horses. Big, strong, hefty but swift beasts, bred for battle. One girl is tied to each side of the saddle so that the men ca...

The hum of the city outside was the only sound in Eddie's cramped apartment, the usual buzz of life muffled by the thick, insulated walls. He sat in the corner, his eyes fixed on the data pad in his hands, scrolling through the escape plan for what felt like the hundredth time. Everything had been carefully laid out—every step, every risk accounted for—but a cold knot twisted in his gut. Tonight was the night. Eddie could...

Chapter 6 - The PowerThe bell rang after what felt like an eternity, and George breathed a sigh of relief. "Alright, let's get out of here. My brain can't take any more tangents." "Master, what was all that? I didn't understand any of it." "I hear ya. My theory is that they just make this shit up to mess with me," said George sarcastically. "Though I'll admit it, calculus is easier to pay attention to when you're not in p...

I Logan was streaming “Girls Riot 4” on his 85-inch screen. As the movie started, a naked girl glided up to the camera, stuck her hand through the screen, smiled, looked straight at Logan, motioned with her finger, and said, “C’mon in, lonesome stranger.” She did not have to say it twice. Logan climbed through the screen. He emerged on the front lawn of a large house, surrounded by a brick and mortar wall. In the doorway...

The rain tapped gently against the stained glass of Lyla’s window, neon reflections bleeding into the room like a watercolor painting left out in a storm. Eddie sat across from her, his bag of tools discarded by the door. He hadn’t touched them once. These late-night visits weren’t about repairs anymore—not entirely. Lyla sat perched on the edge of her chaise, her knees tucked under her. She had swapped the flowing gown f...

Year 2200. Elysia Novarum awoke to the gentle hum of the alarm integrated into her brain—a common modification in Aetheria to adapt to the planet's extended light cycles. She got out of bed and walked towards the window, opening it to the outside world. The landscape that unfolded before her eyes was surreal and vibrant. Aetheria's sky had a deeper shade of blue, almost purple. The vegetation, adapted to the different lig...

Continued from Part 1... He ran through the halls until he found a bathroom on the other side of the school, shut the door, and leaned his weight against it. The Genie’s sparkling pink cloud floated around him before gently coalescing into her human form. Her bubbly demeanor was gone, replaced with a soft, remorseful expression. “I’m sorry for displeasing you, Master,” she said with a formality George found disturbing. Ge...

Stafford Regional was abuzz with the usual morning activity. Teachers and students parked in their respective parking lots, while the rest were dropped off by the fleet of buses arriving from every corner of the region. Since it was a sunny day, many students were still loitering outside, soaking up the rays or sneaking a drag off their vapes. There were the typical cliques one might expect: the jocks, the nerds, the dram...

“Please help us,” Alice called the dark haired girl grew closer, still muttering about losing something as well as cursing munchkins, whatever those were. “Yes, please help,” the scarecrow said, joining in and drawing her attention to the field and to the pole that Alice was hanging naked from. “What in tarnation? Well, I’ll be,” The girl exclaimed, catching sight of Alice for the first time, her attention previously devo...