Drabble Post #2

He didn’t show up.

Asha looked at her watch for the hundredth time, then glanced out the window beside her. It was dark and a steady rain was falling against the diner. Old-fashioned romance music played quietly in the background, mixing with the faint clink of dishes and silverware coming from the kitchen.

Two cold drinks sat on the table in front of Asha, and the condensation on the glasses had created puddles beneath them. Asha tucked her head against her arm, trying to hide the tears welling up in her eyes.

It wasn’t the first time this had happened, but it was no less painful. Asha had been hoping against hope that this time would be different, that she could somehow keep this new guy around. But they never stayed. What was it about her, she wondered, that turned them away? There was something wrong with her—there had to be!—but she couldn’t figure it out. She was sure her date would have called her if something terrible had happened to prevent him from coming. But that was never the case.

Movement caught the corner of Asha’s eye and she looked out the window beside her. A person had just been standing there, and now he was headed toward the diner entrance. Asha watched him, blinking back her tears. Was it her date? Should she stay and tell him how disappointed she was in him, or leave quickly and never plan to see him again? Before she could decide, the person entered the diner, catching Asha’s gaze right away.

But it wasn’t him. This young man was a complete stranger. And he was deliberately striding right toward her table. Asha pressed back against the leather cushion of her seat, too shocked to get up and move away. Her brain screamed, Stranger danger! Stranger danger!

The stranger slid into the seat across from Asha. He whipped out a cell phone from his jacket pocket and showed her the screen. Wide-eyed, Asha tried to focus on the words typed on the phone.

Act normal and pretend I’m your date.

In her distress, Asha had to read it three times over before pulling back in fear. The young man stared at her, his eyebrows raised in expectation.

Asha sat perfectly still for a second. Then she jumped up from her seat and bolted out of the diner.

The cold rain poured down on her, soaking her instantly as she ran into the night. She fumbled with the car keys clipped to the belt loop of her jeans, and searched the empty parking lot for her car. Behind her, the diner door opened and closed, and the sound of wet footfalls made her look back over her shoulder in panic. The stranger was following her.

“Asha, wait!” he called.

Asha almost yelled as she hurried over to her car, hands trembling as she unlocked it. How did he know her name?! This was just some sick prank someone was playing on her, she was sure. She yanked the car door open and climbed inside. But the stranger grabbed the car door just as she tried to pull it shut.

“Get away from me!” Asha shouted, near to tears in her terror.

“Listen!” the stranger shouted, holding tight to the door as Asha fought to close it. “You have to understand. You’re being watched. If you go home, you'll be trapped there.”

Asha let go of the door, took her phone from her pocket and began to call the police. But just as she started to dial the number, the stranger grabbed the phone from her hand and threw it across the parking lot.

That’s when Asha started screaming. Her parents had warned her: if she ever found herself being held up by a stranger, she should make as much noise as possible, and get attention from someone who could help.

But the stranger smacked a strong hand over her mouth and stopped her halfway through her first scream.

“Proverbs three, verse five,” he said calmly.

Asha was surprised into silence. ‘Proverbs three, verse five’ was the secret phrase her parents had taught her. If the phrase was ever used by a stranger, it meant that her parents were involved, and they wanted her to trust that she wasn’t being threatened by said stranger.

The stranger slowly took his hand off Asha’s mouth, and she didn’t try to scream again.

“Who are you, and what is going on?” she asked, voice shaking.

“I’m Ben, and I think you should let me drive.”

“What?” Asha blurted.

Voices and footsteps echoed across the parking lot, and bright flashlights were aimed at Asha’s car.

Without a word, Ben reached inside the car, lifted Asha over the car’s center console, and roughly pushed her into the passenger seat. Asha had a moment to debate escaping from the car, but changed her mind when she saw the group of men rushing at them.

Ben climbed inside and slammed his door closed.

“I’m going to need the keys,” he said, holding his hand out to Asha. When she hesitated, he grabbed the keys from her hand, jammed the key into the hole, and started the car. He put the stick shift in drive and, with a screeching of tires, sped out of the parking lot.

Asha held tight to the handle above her car door, too scared to scream. She looked in her rearview mirror and caught sight of another car leaving the diner parking lot and following them. She swallowed and turned her eyes to face the road ahead.

“Where are you taking me,” she asked flatly.

Ben gave her a quick glance, and seemed to notice for the first time how scared she looked.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I can’t tell you. But your parents will try to meet us there.”

Asha didn’t look at him. She longed for her cell phone to call her parents and ask for the truth. Was this stranger being honest? Or was he really a kidnapper?

“What did you mean when you said I’m being watched?” she asked quietly. She watched the road signs zip by, trying to ignore the fact that they were driving at ninety miles per hour on the highway. There were no other cars ahead of them, but Asha kept glancing at the single car following them. It was having no trouble keeping up.

“Your parents will explain everything,” Ben answered, and that was all he said.

“If I’m still alive to ask them,” Asha mumbled.

The Map - Part I

There was a loud thump on the outside of the library door, as if someone had run into it, expecting it to be unlocked.

Darin lifted his head only briefly, and then went back to searching the books.

The doorknob jiggled a bit at first, then more frantically.

“Hey!” a girl’s muffled voice shouted. “Who’s in there?”

Shaking his head, Darin lifted another thick geography book off the shelf and continued looking. It was about time someone in the house had noticed the closed library, he thought.

The girl began to pound on the door. “Open up!” she commanded.

“I’ll just be a minute!” Darin called. Smirking, he added, “You people should really think twice before you install a lock on a library door. I mean, it’s not like anyone’s going to sneak inside and…oh, wait.”

“I’m sending for the authorities!”

Darin rolled his eyes. “Oh, don’t worry, they’re already on their way.” He smacked another book closed. Where was that map the old man had told him about? He was sure it was in one of the Arthikan geography books, and this was the only place he could think of to find it.

It was getting late. Darin glanced out the big glass window facing the property’s back garden. The moon had already risen, and the stars were bright against the night sky. He sighed, ignoring the constant shouting from the girl outside the door. If what the old man had said was true, and he didn’t find that map…he didn’t like to think of what might happen.

There was an especially loud bang against the door, and it caused a few books to tumble off the shelves built around the library door. The girl uttered a curse on the other side. But Darin hardly noticed. His attention had turned to the fallen books. He hurried over to them, hoping against hope that God had used the disturbance to lead him to the correct book. But no, these were just cookbooks. Darin stood and looked at the empty spaces where they belonged, and he did a double-take. There was a metal door built into the back of the bookshelf, previously hidden behind the cookbooks. A keypad was attached to the metal door, but Darin didn’t even try to guess the code. Of course the map was locked away! How could he have been so stupid?

A sound came to Darin’s ears and his stomach turned over. A horse whinnied in the distance. The guards had found him.

Darin’s hands shook as he put the cookbooks back in front of the metal door, making sure it was well-hidden. He hadn’t expected the guards to find him so quickly, and there was no chance he was going to allow them to find the map’s hiding place—even if they didn’t know the code!

The sound of the riders came closer.

“Excuse me, miss,” Darin said, calmly walking up to the door. “Think you could step away and allow me to leave quietly?”

“You’re insane!” the girl screamed, causing Darin to step back in shock. “You stay in there until the authorities arrive! I’ve got a gold candlestick and I will use it!”

Darin almost laughed. Now the girl wanted him to stay inside?

“Then I’ll have no choice but to use my dagger,” he said in a low voice, hoping to scare her. He unlocked the door, grabbed the handle, and expected to push it open easily, but it was shoved closed again with surprising force.

“I said stay in there!” the girl yelped. She sounded frightened, but also brave enough to defend herself.

Hoof beats thundered against the ground, paired with distant shouting. Darin glanced worriedly over his shoulder at the big glass window. Thankfully, the road was not visible from the back side of the house, but Darin imagined the guards would soon be surrounding the entire property in search of him. He kept a firm hold on the door handle with one hand, and reached down to pull his dagger out of his boot. Leaning close to the door, he said, “Listen, I’d love to stay and fool around, but I’m on an important mission.” He was about to use real force and push open the door, but stopped.

Someone was pounding on the front of the house.

“Help!” the girl yelled. “I’m being robbed!”

Darin didn’t wait another moment. He spun around on his heel to face the glass window, and remembered the old man’s words: When plan A doesn’t work, there’s always plan B. With the ancient voice clear in his head, Darin charged at the window, throwing his arms up to shield his face, and crashed through the glass. He knew he’d have to come back another time, once he learned the code to open the metal door. That is, if he didn’t get himself captured before then. If that map fell into the wrong hands, it could mean the downfall of Arthika--Darin's homeland. . .

Where Feet May Fail - Part One

The sea was calm, a sparkling blue beneath the golden sun. All was right as Peaceful took a breath and stepped out upon the narrow bridge set before her.

Beside her, many others began to walk onto a greater bridge, one that looked like the most solid structure in the world. It stretched out as far as the narrow one under Peaceful's feet - beyond the distance that human eyes can see.

Peaceful looked over her shoulder. Her family - mother, father, and siblings - were coming toward her, smiling as they stepped onto the narrow bridge around her. Together, they began to walk along the wooden planks.

As Peaceful's feet took her farther out onto the sea, the sun's light began to fade. A roll of thunder rumbled across the sky, and she came to a faltering stop. She called out to her family, but when she looked, they were gone.

A gale of wind whipped Peaceful's hair around her face, and the water rose up around the bridge. When

the girl squinted to the left, she could see the bigger bridge in the distance. The sun shone on the travelers over there, but a raging storm was coming upon Peaceful's narrow bridge. She felt the ocean waves roiling around her, rippling onto the wood and making the planks slippery. Peaceful had not moved her feet since the sun had disappeared. She looked back the way she had come, feeling a sudden urge to run back to the shore and get on the bigger bridge.

But Peaceful knew that decision would be wrong, and wondered why she would ever do such a thing. This was the way she had chosen, and she had trusted it to take her across the ocean. Even now, she realized that the bridge did not creak or sway. It was only her own fears that caused her to stop.

She faced forwards and took a step.

Immediately, a wave rose and curled over the bridge, right at Peaceful's feet. She gasped and recoiled as the water splashed on her. Taking a few more steps forward, she continued on.

A thick cloud of fog rolled in with the wind, making it hard to see. Lightning flashed in the fog, revealing frightening images of sharks and other deadly sea creatures. Peaceful yelped and stopped again.

I can't see! she cried in fear. I'm alone out here. She looked across to the other bridge once more and saw all the people walking in the warm sunlight. The bridge looked so strong. They had each other. And they had light.

But the darkness will come, a voice spoke, echoing around the girl. And they will not escape. They all chose the wide bridge. But I chose you. Have you forgotten Me so soon?

A ray of sunshine pierced through the raging storm, falling on Peaceful's head. Then the voice took form, and Peaceful saw someone like a Son of Man, standing in the ray of light. The storm calmed just for a moment, and He smiled on her.

"I'm sorry," Peaceful whispered. She had lost faith in the One who had called her onto His bridge. "But I'm afraid," she said. "I need You, Lord...please save me."

I already have, He told her. Now come, follow Me.

A wave of the ocean surged into Peaceful's face. She coughed and nearly stumbled into the water. When she looked up, the light was gone, and the storm kept up. Gusts of wind, loud cracks of thunder, and riptides all filled Peaceful's ears. Lightning blinded her, and the fog surrounded her like a net. The shapes of the creatures of the deep flashed around her, overwhelming her.

Peaceful slapped her hands over her eyes and fell to her knees on the bridge.

Then, a hand grasped her right arm and pulled her to her feet. Peaceful looked up and saw a light moving ahead of her, starting to disappear into the fog. Though the storm roared around her, Peaceful started to run, chasing the light. She kept her eyes on it, never letting it out of her sight.

Suddenly, she burst out of the storm and into a beautiful day. She slowed from her racing and gazed around at the gently rolling waves. The water was blue and clear enough to look beneath. Peaceful smiled and let her eyes wander into the water beside her. It was shallow here, and the sandy ocean floor was so close, she could almost touch it! Treasures waited just inches away - jewels and gold coins, glistening in the sun.

Couldn't hurt to take a quick swim, Peaceful thought. She placed her feet into the saltwater and slid off the bridge.

Christmas Spirit

Hello! I hope everyone's having a lovely December, and excited for Christmas!

In honor of my Lord Jesus' birthday on earth, I'm sharing that Christmas short story I mentioned before :) I made cover art of the main character of the story, but it's not quite finished yet. Follow this link to read: Christmas Spirit

Have a wonderful weekend!

Update on 'Kingdom Bonders'

It is coming. Soon. Very soon.

I'm just having someone in my family read it first and find anything that might be wrong.

It's very good to have a different set of eyes to read and see things that I missed.

So excited to finally get it up on Amazon Kindle!

In the meantime, I updated the cover art :D

My awesome brother taught me how to make the font glow ^_^

Important Message About My Short Story

As of now, my short story is called

'Kingdom Bonders'.

Please forgive me for the confusion with the title.

So, just to clarify, when I upload it to Kindle Direct Publish, it will be called, "Kingdom Bonders".

ALSO.

I amended the story somewhat drastically. Don't worry, to those of you who have already read (most of) it - the characters are still the same and the plot has not changed. I just gave the story more depth and was helped by my gracious Jesus Christ to show my faith through the story, because I realized just how empty it was without my Best Friend in it, helping my main character (and me) to achieve the goals.

There you have it! I changed the title, and amended the story.

Thank you!

Character Post - Jasp

Name: Jasp

Gender: Male

Age: 18

Physical Traits: Jasp has short and straight almost-black hair, normal skin tone, dark eyes, and is a bit taller than average height. His shirt, leather jacket, pants, and leather boots are all dark colored.

Background: Not much is known about Jasp's past. He claims not to have parents anymore, and that he has been on his own for as long as he can remember.

Skills/Gifts: Unknown, but he exceeds at averting questions about himself, working against people, and annoying them.

Fears: Unknown

Positive Ideals: Jasp is calm in nearly every situation and is generally happy.

Negative Ideals: Jasp seems to be very unhelpful in everything he does.

Belated Birthday Blog

Anna's face says it all.

I just realized... Nooo! I forgot to celebrate my penpal's birthday on my blog!

*ahem*





My Penpal from the Land of Merry,

I hope you had a wonderful birthday and ate too much cake.

From,
Me

...

...

...

...

...

I'm kidding! Of course there's more!

First:

I booked you a flight to Neverland! I know it's a day late, but Peter was a little held up by a very selfish fairy who I think we can both name. But he'll be there tonight! Say 'hello' to the mermaids for me...just keep your distance. I've heard they like to drown anyone who rivals their beauty.

(you've probably seen this one :P)

Second:

.-~*~-.  <----- Here's a short story for you!

Third:

Okay, I've seriously been sitting for twenty minutes, staring at the screen, and trying to think of something to put here.

.........*hands you a seahorse*

Happy Birthday!

The Way Home

My current blog background is temporary for the month of November. I'm so excited to change it to a wintry/Frozen background when December comes along - and it's literally right around the corner!

For your enjoyment, a short story!

Hazel was lost again. Despite her father's warnings, she had wandered from the path once more. She had been so sure that she could shorten the long path home by cutting through the trees. It had seemed so direct...

"Oh father," she whispered shakily. "What have I done?" Her fear made her want to cry. The autumn woods were darkening quickly and every little rustle in the leaves made Hazel's skin prickle.

A branch snapped overhead and Hazel gasped. She ran for the nearest tree and cowered behind its wide trunk. She pulled her knees up to her chin and began to sob.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she whispered over and over. "...so sorry..."

A gentle touch on her shoulder brought Hazel out of her tears. She looked up, wide-eyed, and blinked.

Someone like a man knelt beside her. Clothed in rainbows and glowing with golden light, he smiled kindly down at her.

"Follow me," he said. He took Hazel's hand and pulled her to her feet. Then the man disappeared and in his place were little flames of golden light, floating in the air all around Hazel. She reached out and touched one hesitantly. The flame flared at her touch and Hazel jumped back, surprised. Then she smiled and touched another. And suddenly, the little flames grew into people - young men and young woman who appeared to be her age. They were dressed in white and glowed, though not as brilliantly as the man had. Hazel gasped and stared at them in wonder.

A young woman stepped forward and took Hazel's hand. The others began to walk ahead and the young woman led Hazel behind them.

They had only taken a few steps before Hazel recognized where they were. The path was just ahead!

"I know my way from here," she told the young people when they had all stepped onto the path. She turned toward them and smiled through tears. "Thank you," she said.

One by one, the young people extinguished as if they were candles and a giant breath had blown them out. The young woman was last to leave. She smiled at Hazel.

"Trust your father," she said. "He knows what's best for you. Though the path may seem long, it is the only Way home."

Hazel looked away from the young woman's gaze, feeling deeply ashamed for disobeying.

The young woman touched Hazel's arm and said, "Your father has forgiven you. Now go in peace." Then she disappeared like the others, but Hazel was not left in darkness. For when she looked up, the silver moon was full and shining down on her, lighting her way home.

Wings 3

A pair of enormous bat-like wings snapped open from Drake's shoulder blades. The older boy smiled at the surprise in Sage's eyes. Valerie even took a step behind her friend.

"Convinced?" Drake asked.

Sage seemed to take a moment to find his voice. "...how?"

"Now that," Drake said with a smirk. "Is none of your business."

"Sage," Valerie said, her voice barely above a whisper. "They look just like..." She didn't have to finish; Sage was already nodding. They both had the same realization: Valerie's twin sister, Cora, had had the same set of wings. She used to live in that cabin with Valerie. And about four years ago, the ten-year-old girl had disappeared. The sight of Drake's bat wings sent an unnerving chill up Valerie's spine. Sage had obviously known Drake for a long time, but he had seemed completely shocked by the older boy's wings. The unanswered question that frightened Valerie was how did Drake get those wings? Also the knowledge that Drake and Sage hadn't seen each other in three years and Cora had disappeared a little less that four years ago...it was all too coincidental.

"Leave," Sage said in a hoarse voice.

Drake cocked his head and squinted his eyes. "What?"

Sage cleared his throat. "I want you to leave."

Drake laughed once. "I'm sorry. I can't do that. You're just going to have to trust me."

"Trust you!?" Sage looked close to lunging for Drake, but Valerie placed a calming hand on his arm. Sage seemed to cool down a bit and the two friends wondered what to do next.

Beyond the cabin windows, the first glimmer of pink light lined the ocean horizon, and already the exotic birds were beginning to sing.

Valerie decided that she should say something before the boys started pummeling each other. Drake looked calm enough, but Sage...

"Look," Valerie started. "It's been a very long night and I, for one, am tired." Sage looked at his friend strangely, but Valerie just shrugged. "There's an abandoned cabin on the other side of the island you can use," she continued, gesturing to Drake. She nudged Sage, hoping he would take the hint.

"I'll point it out," Sage mumbled. He shoved past Drake to the front door and they left, but not before Drake cast a final glance back at Valerie. His eyes held a glint of something...familiarity? Valerie stared back with what she hoped was ice in her eyes. She shuddered when he shut the door behind him. She didn't like him and certainly didn't trust him. But what choice did they have? Drake wouldn't leave. And if they tried chasing him off the island, he'd just come back...and he might not be alone next time.

Valerie hoped Sage would be all right while he was alone with Drake. She wanted to talk to her friend as soon as possible.

He has a lot of explaining to do, Valerie thought as she went to collapse on her bed. She almost laughed when she saw the open window in her bedroom. It seemed liked days ago that she and Sage had tried ambushing the stranger. The smile faded from her face as she thought of how Drake had been watching them the whole time. How embarrassing. And disturbing. How long had he been here?

As a last thought, Valerie ran to the front door and barred it. She also closed the window in her bedroom and made sure it was locked as well.

Then she fell face flat on her bed, feeling as though she could sleep all day...

Or have nightmares about what Drake might have to do with Cora's disappearance. Now Valerie understood why Drake had looked at her in that faintly familiar way.

Wings 2

Sage grabbed Valerie's arm and yanked her down into the tall grass. Valerie let out a gasp at his abruptness and fell awkwardly beside her friend. She was about to yell at him, and then noticed the alarm in his coppery eyes. She tapped him on the shoulder and mouthed, What is it?

Sage answered with a shake of his head, signalling he wasn't sure, but to be quiet anyway. Valerie followed his intent gaze above the grass. He was staring at Valerie's cabin. She figured there was no way they hadn't been spotted by whatever or whoever Sage had seen. So why hide?

Valerie nudged her friend and tried gesturing that they should crawl around the edge of the grassy slope to the back of the cabin and just climb in through a window. That way, they could take the stranger by surprise. Sage just stared at her blankly. Valerie rolled her eyes and began crawling as low to the ground as she could, motioning for her friend to follow.

The grass rustled painfully loud as the two dragged themselves toward the rear cabin windows. Sage wondered at how they hadn't been caught yet. Or maybe the stranger was just planning to trap them inside the cabin. Once below the windows, Valerie slid one open, wincing as it squeaked from little use. She placed one foot in Sage's cupped his hands and he helped hoist her up inside. Beneath her cape, the tip of Valerie's wing caught on the window frame and she tumbled through the opening, landing on the floor with an earth-quaking thump.

Sage, much more carefully, climbed inside. Okay, he thought, someone must have heard that.

Valerie got to her feet, mouthing, Sorry, a half a dozen times. The two teens stood listening for ten heartbeats. No one came. No one kicked down the bedroom door, no guns went off, no one yelled Freeze! Nothing.

Valerie exhaled sharply and turned to Sage. "Are you sure you actually saw someone?"

Sage nodded, but seemed unsure. "I'm so positive I did," he whispered, angry at himself.

Valerie groaned loudly and walked toward the door of her bedroom. She swung it open. And lost her grip. The door banged against the inside wall and Valerie stood frozen in place.

Sage strode up beside her. "Val, what..?" But he froze, too.

In the shadows beside the front door was a tall person clad in a cloak, leaning against the wall. The person's face was half concealed behind a hood, but the teens could somehow feel the eyes were staring at them. The three of them stayed like that for what seemed like hours, not one saying a word.

Then, the stranger let out a low chuckle. "You should have seen yourselves," he said. His voice was low and had a slight English accent. "Looking like two camels trying to hide, but forgetting they have humps on their backs."

Valerie stiffened at the stranger's strong emphasis on the word humps. Sage, noticing his friend's discomfort, gently pushed past her to stand in front protectively of her. He crossed his arms and tried to appear foreboding.

"Who are you and what do you want?" he demanded of the tall stranger.

The person laughed again. "No need to be so tense," he said. His hand went up and pushed back the hood from his face.

Sage recognized the blond hair, dark eyes, and sharp nose immediately. His eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing here," he asked flatly.

"Not welcome, am I?" The strange shook his head in mock sadness. "And I thought after three years..."

Suddenly, Valerie spoke up. "You two know each other?"

"We do," the stranger answered at the same time Sage said, "We did." They glared at each other.

The stranger broke his stare and looked past Sage. "I'm called Drake," he said. Valerie thought he must be a year or two older than Sage - maybe seventeen or eighteen - but the low, accented voice kept throwing her off.

"And who are you?" Drake asked her.

Valerie almost answered, but Sage cut in. "That's none of your business," he told Drake fiercely.

"Who's to say that?" Drake asked.

"Me," Sage said in a solid tone.

"Um...hello, I'm still in existence," Valerie said, stepping out from behind Sage. "What's the deal between you two? You obviously hate each other."

Sage rolled his eyes. That was Valerie - always speaking her mind. Here he had tried to act all brave, and maybe cool, in front of her, but she didn't even care.

"Yes, we've had our...differences," Drake said.

"Differences?" Sage retorted. "Is that what you call them?"

Drake went on, ignoring him. "Three years ago, something caused him to turn on me. I'm still not altogether sure what I've done to make him quite so angry."

Sage wasn't angry. He was seething. Valerie saw his wings quiver beneath the cape, and he squeezed his hands into fists. Valerie never seen her friend so mad in her life. But there was something else that didn't make any sense. Valerie had known Sage since she was too young to remember. She had been his only friend. So where did this Drake person come from?

"Who else knows we're here?" Sage asked through clenched teeth.

Drake half-smiled. "Just me."

"Oh, right," Sage replied sarcastically. "You just booked a flight to a place that doesn't exist. Oh no, wait...did you figure out a way to walk across the ocean?"

Drake raised an eyebrow and said, "You want proof that I've come alone?" Still wearing that smug half-smile, he stepped a few feet forward and untied the cloak at his throat, dropping it at his booted feet.

Sage sucked in a breath and Valerie stared.

Wings

Valerie placed her hands on her hips and let out a thoughtful sigh.
Sage, bored and slumped against a tree, looked up at his friend with new interest.
"What?" he asked slowly, knowing the scheming in Valerie's eyes.
"Nothin'," she said, shrugging.
Sage raised an eyebrow.
Valerie pretended not to notice him, glancing out across the darkening skies, blowing up her cheeks, popping them, and repeating.
After a few minutes, Sage made a frustrated gesture. "Okay, out with it," he told her.
"I wanna go flying!" Valerie burst. Sage made a frantic quieting motion at her.
"Ssh!" he hissed.
"Please?" Valerie said. She lowered her voice to a whisper and said, "You know you want to."
"Val, no," he said.
Valerie spread her hands wide. "Why? Sage, we've been sitting around doing nothing. I'm sick of it!"
"We're gonna get caught, Val," Sage told his friend seriously.
"Ooh, I'm scared!"
Sage tried to frown, but couldn't hold back the grin forming. Valerie laughed and grabbed his hand, hoisting him up off the ground with surprising strength.
"Wait, wait," Sage said. "Let's wait until after sunset."
Valerie rolled her eyes, but knew it was a good idea.

~

An hour later, Valerie was practically bursting with impatience by the time it was finally pitch black outside. She grabbed the cape from the back of her bedroom door and fumbled to secure the clasp at her neck. At last, she bolted to the front door of her two-room cabin and slipped outside.
The moon shone pearly-white on the waves of Arb Sea. Valerie met Sage in the forest between their cabins. Without a word, they began padding silently from shadow to shadow, making their way down the grassy slope to the shore. There, steps led up to an old wood dock that spread out over the waters. Before Sage could stop her, Valerie was racing across the creaky planks. She whipped off the bulky cape she wore, revealing a pair of neatly folded wings. Sage watched as his friend did not slow, but sped up at the end of the dock, leaping into the warm night air. Her white and gray speckled wings spread out and she soared up out of view.
Sage groaned inwardly. He took a quick glance around to make sure no one was watching and took off after Valerie. He ran lightly down the dock, pealing off his own cape as he went. A pair of sleek brown wings snapped open and carried him above the rolling waves of the sea.

~

Sage found Valerie sitting on the edge of a large rock jutting out of the ocean. He tried to hide the fact that he was panting like a dog as he landed beside her.

"I see you finally decided to join me," Valerie said without looking at him.

Sage scoffed. "You need to work on being a little more -I don't know -subtle?"

Valerie stuck out her tongue, then said quietly, "I can't help it. I feel like an eagle trapped in a cage that's too small."

Sage knew he couldn't argue with that. He felt the same way, but if he didn't constantly push precautions, they would have been discovered ages ago.

The moon had already reach its high point in the sky and was beginning its descent on the glassy horizon. Sage noticed how the moonlight reflected off Valerie's wings and dark hair in a beautiful, yet mysterious way.

Valerie caught Sage's gaze out of the corner of her eye and saw him quickly glance away.

Sage cleared his throat awkwardly and said, "We should probably get back."

But Valerie didn't seem to be listening. "Wouldn't it be amazing to fly across the entire ocean, or see the Aurora Borealis from the sky? I wonder if our wings are waterproof. It'd be so neat to use them as...fins, or something. I don't know."

Sage smiled. "We should try it sometime," he suggested.

Valerie stared at him, her mouth open. "You're joking."

"Come on," Sage said, ignoring her. "I'll race you back." He launched off the rock and, for once, Valerie had to hurry to follow.

Little did the two teens know that someone hid in the shadows back at Valerie's cabin, awaiting the friends' return.....

Storm At Sea

I rose up just above the water's rough surface to watch as the ships' captains fought desperately to navigate through the storm. I knew their target point - ships often passed through these waters - but I was afraid the storm had caused them to sail quite drastically off course.

I submerged and flicked my tail to swim a bit closer. If only I had warned the sailors ahead of time. I saw that storm coming from miles away. But if I had revealed myself, the men would have died all the sooner - my father would have seen to that. So I continued to follow them at a helpless distance, keeping my flaring gills beneath the water.

Suddenly, a giant wave grew up, surging toward the ship closest to me. I cried out, not in my own terror, but in fear for the people aboard that ship. There was nothing that saddened me more than to see humans drown in my ocean. I didn't want to watch. But my eyes were glued on the scene unfolding before me. I could hear the men's yells just before the wave hit. The ship tipped violently, bending unbelievably close to the ocean surface. Barrels and other strange items dumped out of the ship, but to my great relief, no humans were among them.

Then I heard a scream, like that of a seagull's cry. I whipped my head toward the sound and squinted. A small dark shape bobbed in the water about a hundred feet away from the closest ship. Someone shouted a name above the wind.

Oh, no, my heart sobbed.

Not one of my Merkin had ever attempted to rescue a human before. I was going to be the very first. Without another thought, I dove under the dark water and raced toward the human.
As I neared the human, I realized it was a young girl, no older than my little sister. The girl flailed her arms, gurgling and spewing saltwater from her mouth. Then with a gasping cough, she dropped beneath the surface. I shot beneath her and pulled her back up. For a moment, my thoughts were so muddled, I had no idea what to do or where to go with this unconscious human girl beneath my arm.

I shook my head clear and remembered an island I knew was close by.
The going was not easy - trying to keep the girl's head above the water and at the same time trying to keep my gills unexposed to the air - but I got her there safely. I laid her on the sandy beach, well away from the water and went to hide behind a sharp rock jutting out from the water.

Dawn lit the horizon behind me, claiming victory over the storm at sea.

The girl stirred, awoke and seemed to look around. She stared towards my rock and I ducked lower, eyes hovering just over the water.

I knew the girl would be safe on the island. If her human family loved her as much as I believed, they would find her. And maybe receive a little unknown help along the way.....

I smiled to myself, sank into my ocean, and drifted out into the deep.

Heights

My heart pounded and my legs threatened to give way beneath me. I forced my feet to step closer to the edge. Maybe if I looked a second time, it wouldn't seem so bad.

Nope...I was wrong.

The great skyscraper stood two-hundred stories in the air. Up this high, the noise of the city below was muted by the wind howling in my ears.

Attached to the building I stood upon was a thick, rope cable, stretching across a thirty feet of thin air to the neighboring building - the next step to reaching the final destination.

I've done this all my life, I told myself. Why. Am. I. So. Scared!

My body felt as if it were tipping forward and I could feel myself falling.

Casper grabbed my shoulder from behind and pulled me away from the height. I stumbled backward, bumping into his chest.

"I can't do it," I whispered.

"It's okay," Casper said gently. I met his eyes with my wide ones and he nodded. I knew he meant it, but I couldn't bring myself to believe him. Of course it wasn't okay. How could it be?

I shook my head. "No. It's not. If we don't do this, all of....everything will have been for nothing."

Casper shrugged as if it were a minor issue. "We'll go back into hiding."

My friend never ceased to surprise me with his unworried nature and the way he was calm in every situation - even when his life was being threatened!

"I'm such a failure. A wimp," I said, raising my voice. "I've ruined it all. Joden was right."

"Don't do that to yourself, Rae," Casper said firmly. "You are not a failure. You are perfect for this mission. I couldn't have found a more smart, fitting partner."

I stared at him, holding his honest gaze for longer than I had ever before. Casper never lied. Sure, he liked to tease and joke, but when he was serious, he never played around. With those few words, I felt the dying embers in my heart give burst to a new flame.

You can do this, Rae.

Did Casper say that? I wasn't sure. Sometimes, my thoughts were so loud, I believed I had spoken them.

Strength exploded within me. I turned back to the cable and did not sway. Keeping my eyes looking straight ahead, I placed my right magnetic boot onto the metal rope. My knees trembled as I stepped up with my left foot. The magnetic boot tread stuck faithfully. Arms spread out like wings, I imagined I was flying.

Eyes on the prize, eyes on the prize, I repeated over and over in my mind. Birds aren't afraid of heights.

I could feel Casper's presence on the rope behind me, but the cable was taut and did not bend beneath our weight.

In the short amount of time I was able to hold my breath, the other building's roof met my feet. I fell to my knees and collapsed on my back.

Casper was laughing, but I didn't care. I smiled and giggled in hysteric relief. Reaching out, Casper took my hand and pulled me to my feet.

"Think you can do that about five more times?" he asked, still smiling.

"Ha, funny!" I said, giving him a shove. But his smile dropped.

"You're kidding, right?" I tried again, waiting for his burst of laughter after which he'd assure me it was just a joke.

Instead, he winced.

Midnight Glide

Blue moonlight spilled in through the windows, lighting my way as I padded softly across the wood floor of the cottage. I held my skates by the laces, wincing each time they bumped together.
At the front door, I slipped my feet into my boots and lifted up on the door latch. A gust of wind blew inside, causing me to open the door much faster than I intended.

Creeeeeaak...

Eyes wide, I froze. When neither of my stepparents stirred in their room, I exhaled. I stepped out into the bitter cold night and latched the door closed behind me.

The moon glowed silver on the peaks of Hoarfrost Pass far to the north. The air was thin and clear, just about freezing my throat and lungs when I breathed. But I didn't care. In fact, I had not a care in the world at that moment.

I was free tonight.

I half-stumbled, half-slid down the slope to the edge of Running River. The ice was smooth and untouched, spreading all the way to Brick Bridge, beneath its arches and beyond. I smiled sadly, wishing I could follow the river to its end and escape my imprisoned life.

Swallowing my troubles, I sat in the powdery snow by the river's edge, threw off my boots, and began to lace on my skates.

Movement caught my eye and I looked up. Far out on the ice coasted the silhouette of a person. My heart jolted.

He came back for me.

I finished tying my skates and pushed off onto the ice.

Across the river, the silhouette turned to me, skating backward. I glided out in a half circle far to his side and he went the opposite way, connecting a circle.

We continued to skate, fly, skim, closer and closer. And without a word, we reached out and touched hands.

Our skates took us racing past the last of the cottages, beneath the bridge, through the mountain pass. We are still on our journey, always drifting further and further down the river's path. And now I know that he came to take me away from my nightmares and hopeless dreams, and into the beginning of a new life.

Rooftop

A heavy silence weighed upon them as they sat there. Sierra stared up at the stars, trying to avoid looking toward the king's palace. It loomed in the distance, its cluster of towers resembling jagged teeth.

She sighed. "Do you think the prince will like me?" The feeling of Dustin's eyes rested on her, but she held her gaze on the dark skies. She knew the outcome of the few weeks was as painful to her friend as it was to her, if not more.

Sierra waited, but Dustin didn't answer. What had she expected him to say? Tears pricked her eyes as she realized she had just ruined their last time alone.

Why did everything have to be so difficult? Why did she have to fall in love with Dustin Alder, her only friend? At that moment, she thought things would have been far less painful if she had never met him at all.

"Don't leave."

Sierra's heart skipped. "What?" She glanced sideways at him.

He turned and met her eyes with his dark ones. "If you hide, and don't show up at the palace, who will know?"

Sierra couldn't believe her ears. Was Dustin really saying this to her? Or was she having another imaginary conversation?

But Dustin continued, and this time she was sure it was really him speaking.
"There are over twenty other girls competing for the prince; no one will even notice if you're not there. You can take my horse and ride away - tonight. Go to Albrook and find my sister."

"But...but the king will know. He chose me specifically!"

Dustin ignored her and kept planning.
"I'll come find you in two weeks. By then, the prince will have already chosen his bride. And you'll be eighteen, right?"

I'll be eighteen, Sierra thought. Why did he say that? He couldn't mean... "Dustin," she said, taking a breath. "Why are you saying all this? It's too dangerous. If the king finds out, he'll punish whoever helped me - or worse. You can't risk your life like that!"

"Yes, I can."

"But why?"

He was silent for a moment, as if gathering his courage.

"Because I love you, Sierra Auburn."

The Clouds Poured Out Their Wet Burden

What began as a gentle sprinkle soon flooded my mind with possibilities. I let my bare feet take me up the twist of cold iron stairs to the top of my lighthouse. There, I stepped out onto the terrace and curled my fingers around the railing.

I leaned out over the edge of the world and gazed across the dark sea. The wild winds met my skin and I breathed in the salt-licked air. Chill bumps raised on my arms and legs, but I was not cold. It was the anticipation of the storm I knew was nearing my life. I was on the brink of what would change me forever.

I was ready.

A great gust howled against the stone walls of the lighthouse and the door banged closed behind me. My hair swept around my face and I closed my eyes. My hands left the railing as the metal melted away. I opened my eyes just before my feet felt nothingness beneath them.

I leapt clear.

And soared out over the open waters.

Ann Pimberly

Ann Pimberly quickened her pace down the quiet forest path, imagining someone or something was chasing her. Her laced boots crunched on the dry leaves and rusty-orange pine needles covering the forest floor. She glanced back over her shoulder as if expecting to see her pursuer, but knowing inside that no one was there.

It was a sort of game she liked to playact. It was rather a silly thing to do, especially at her age, and she would have been deeply embarrassed if anyone knew what she was doing. Even at fourteen, she was a naive girl with a very imaginative thought world. But she was innocent enough. All she ever yearned for was an adventure of her own, however short or harmless it turned out to be. It didn't matter what kind.

She stopped to rest against a tall and wide pine. Glancing to the side, she saw the shadowy, endless path, winding and curving far down into the darkest part of the wood. Back the other way, she knew her home lay over a stone wall in a large clearing. Sighing, she wished she didn't have to return. Chores and studying waited for her back there, and piles of other things to do.

A branch creaked above her head, but the girl didn't jump or even flinch. Gazing up, she hoped to spot an owl, or a hawk. But there was nothing; the pine was empty.

Another noise came from behind the tree she leaned on. This time, Ann did startle. She froze, a little wide-eyed. She waited, tense and ready to leap away from danger. If it was a bear, she knew it most likely wouldn't harm her if she didn't make any sudden movements or challenging actions. Ann carried only a small hunting knife, sheathed on the belt around the waist of her ankle-length dress. She reached for it reflexively, fingers curling around its tiny hilt.

Silence followed. And then, out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a figure stepped out from behind the wide trunk. Ann shoved away from the tree and tightened her hold on the knife.

The figure was a young girl like herself, perhaps a year or two older, and she made hardly a breath of noise as she moved. The girl had a beautifully carved recurve bow in one hand and a sharp-tipped arrow held at the ready in her other hand.

As she came fully into view, the girl slowly lowered her weapon. She wore boy's clothes - a waist-length tunic and a pair of boots over her leggings. Under the dark cowl of the cloak she wore, Ann saw suspicious coppery eyes and long wavy hair of the same color.

"You dare to travel alone in the wood?" the girl asked of her.

Ann swallowed. "This is my property," she said. "My cottage is just up the path." All the while, she kept her wary eyes on the girl's weapon. What was this stranger doing here? Ann knew of no other people living nearby.

The girl followed Ann's gesturing hand and frowned slightly.

"I know these woods far better than most," she said. "I can assure you that there is no cottage up that way."