I screamed. I screamed out eighteen months of weariness from endless touring. I screamed out the anguish and grief of losses that ate at my soul day after day. For sixteen long seconds, I screamed as if my life depended on it. Maybe it did. Then it ended. My lungs were out of air; the song ended. I stopped screaming. My bandmates stopped playing. The SoulScars 2023 tour was over. For a second, maybe even just a millisecon...

A black cat lay on the porch of 13 Bigelow Street. She yawned and stretched, then looked at the men milling about in the street. Some were armed with bats, chains, and tire irons. All were clearly spoiling for a fight. After another yawn, the cat got up and wandered into the house. She found Grace Bigelow in her sewing room and mewed at her. “Trouble brewing, eh,” Grace said, smiling at the cat, “Guess I should have a loo...

Wandering through meadows in brightest sunlight, Wading through flowers with colours so bright, While butterflies flutter with shimmering wings. This beauty around me is but a skin, Over reality lying within, That eyes cannot see, but are beautiful too. The way that atoms arrange to allow, Light to give colours to what we see now, And life to the beings that dance all around. The blue of the sky above me does hide, Wonder...

I came out of my bedroom to find my housemate Charlotte gazing at herself in a full-length mirror. She looked quite pretty dressed up in a long blue dress for her sister Sara’s wedding. Her brown hair was trimmed and styled better than I had ever seen it before. A little silver pendant holding a ruby hung from a chain around her neck. Charlotte had even put on makeup beyond just lipstick, a rarity for her. “What do you th...

The huge man strode down the main road of Varan. His dark eyes glared as he looked around, watching for defenders. Battle Lord Jadek Prynn was taller than any of the other warriors fighting in the street. His heavyset body was a mass of muscles, scars, and tattoos. He held Blood Thief, his fabled long sword, ready in his hand. A line of Varanian spear men formed ahead of the Battle Lord, points lowered in his direction. P...

The road disappeared behind me as I drove up the narrow, rugged gravel driveway to my family’s ancestral home. As I rounded a treacherous bend, the old house came into view. I was glad that I had thought to rent a 4x4 pickup for the trip. Years of abandonment and neglect had led to that bend being partially washed out. That washout was the first thing that I would have to fix if I decided to renovate and repair the old ho...

“Eddie’s dead,” said the female voice on the other end of the line. My caller did not identify herself, but I recognized Emma Lawrence’s voice. She was engaged to my old friend Eddie Blake. “What happened, Emma?” I asked, dreading the answer. “He went paddling on the lake, Alan,” she said quietly. That alone was enough to make my face turn pale, but I let Emma go on. “I told him not to. I refused to go myself. But he stil...

Lorn Elera stared up at Tan Maldrin. The ancient palace loomed above the priestess of the Denith Lorn, crowning the hill on the West side of the ruined town where she stood. A shadowy figure stood atop the central keep, silhouetted against the light of the setting sun. A low howl reached Elera’s ears. It slowly rose to a wail. The sound filled her heart with darkness. It was not terrifying, but depressing; a noise filled...

Snow danced and swirled, driven across the lake by brisk winds. Jenn looked out her cabin’s window and sighed. She put more wood on the fire. The cabin was small enough that a wood stove was sufficient for heat. Sitting at a table by the window, Jenn leafed through her sketchbook. It was filled with drawings of snowflakes. Jenn had not yet figured out what she was trying to capture in these drawings. She just kept observi...

I walk alone by crystal stream, Beneath a canopy of green, In hopes that I can find a place, To gaze up at the sky and dream. Can my heart find solace there Within the realm of Nature fair, Where Peace is found in such sweet space, So far from any human care. For in my heart a shadow lies, And in my soul, my true self cries. For without Love, all hope is lost, And our sad soul within us dies. Can even Nature bring back Li...

The Princess’ Grief Princess Artanna of Tan Kolar watched her mother sink to the ground and lie still. Litanus, the acolyte of her father who had done the deed, released the garotte from around the woman’s neck. He knelt and confirmed that she was dead. The Night Lord, Artanna’s father, began the rites to ensnare her mother’s spirit to empower his new pact. Realizing that the lich who held her was gone and the mental haze...

“Almost there, Anta” Tana called out, “Just keep pushing. I see the head.” The healer was kneeling before the young woman’s spread legs, watching carefully as the baby’s head started to emerge. Anta’s mother knelt by the girl’s head, holding her hand and offering encouragement. “Here he comes, Anta,” Tana said, “Keep pushing.” Tana moved in to help guide the baby the rest of the way out. The healer thought this was a boy...

Will Mitchell leaned against the lockers and stared at Neil Parker. The older boy lay on the floor, his head surrounded by blood. Was Neil dead? Or just unconscious? Will dropped the baseball bat he had used to attack the bully. It hit the floor with a loud thud. Mr. Krauss, a math teacher, came out of his classroom. Within seconds, he was shrieking for help. Miss Allan, a gym teacher, joined him. She taught first aid so...

Eldon Woods was dark and quiet as I walked the path from Riordan Crescent to the park. I rarely entered those woods after dark. There were reports of coyotes and, more likely, the risk of human predators. But on this night, I took my daily walk after sunset. The day had been busy and I needed fresh air and natural surroundings. I was about fifty meters in when something moved to my right. It was large and white, slipping...

Prologue - The Fall Artanna stood quietly on a hill and watched the great tower of Tan Kolar fall. Around the collapsing structure, smoke and flames rose from the Night Lord’s palace. A battle raged outside the high walls of black stone as the tattered remnants of the Army of Night fought the forces of the Great Alliance. She knew that the Night Lord’s army, a horde of corpses and suits of empty armour animated by dark sp...