Chapter 2 That’s right. Giggles. Confused and slightly agitated, you pull the phone away from your ear and stare at it, dumbfounded. Were you hearing things right? Was Amanda giggling? Why in the world would she be laughing at a time like this? "Am-amanda?" you stutter, unsure of yourself. "Yeah, Taylor," she says, her voice light and untroubled. The amusement in her voice only deepens your confusion. "You always were the...

"Tyler!" Your father's voice is gritty, like sandpaper against wood. Standing in the doorway of your room, Rick glares at you, his hands smeared with black engine grease. "What the hell is this?" He holds up the translucent bottle of X-Change pills. Your heart drops. "Dad, I can explain—" "Explain?" He barks a rough laugh. "That should be interesting. You're spending money on more of this shit when we can barely make ends...

It's a Friday evening in Summer City, the sun setting into a candy-colored splendor that shimmers off the polished hood of the classic '84 Firebird parked in your driveway. You're leaning against the car's shiny exterior, basking in what should have been the beginning of a laid-back, stress-free weekend. But as the universe would have it, your plans for idle relaxation are about to be capsized by the human hurricane other...

PAK! I opened my eyes to a sharp cracking sound. I wasn’t sure if I had dreamed it and was trying to remember what I had been dreaming when [PAK!] I heard something hit the window again. I carefully peeked out, making sure not to move the curtain. With no lights on, my brother, on the lawn below, couldn’t see me looking down. “Charlie, wake up! Charlie, you douche,” he hissed. “Wake up!” I thought about going back to bed....

Part 1: The Enigmatic Invitation In the charming town of Veridian, where cobblestone streets meandered through historic homes and antique shops, Samantha and Jessica, lived parallel lives veiled with mystery and unspoken tales. One gloomy autumn evening, two handsomely dark envelopes found their way to the ladies, inscribed with their names in an elegant, silver script. As they each opened the seal, a peculiar fragrance o...

It was a Sunday morning, and the running club was out near the woods again. Charmaine looked as hot as ever and it was almost shocking no one else saw that. Perhaps she had put a spell on me. Or on the others, I realized. With her being the Fairy Queen, anything was possible. After the leader of the group had announced the route of the day, Charmaine said she and I would take a different trail. She blamed being tired, and...

The next day, with the crew well rested and cruising, Nancy received a priority message. Everyone was curious what that was about, but they didn't have to wait long. "Girls, there's a sighting of a Thegonii ship," Nancy said. Jolene's jaw dropped. Thegonii were a reptilian aliens with sharp teeth and claws. They were aggressive and territorial, and known for their hatred of humans. The one thing they liked was water, and...

Charmaine's caller ID appeared on my phone. "Hi," I said. "Hey, Dave. I hope I'm not calling at an inappropriate time," she apologized in advance. "Not at all." I was already curious what this call was about. "I'm so glad to hear that. Something's going wrong again in Fairy Land. Would you have time?" "I do. Where do I meet you?" She said she was coming over to pick me up because the entry was a bit complicated this time,...