Siobhan was one of the few left who celebrated the Winter Solstice. Her grandmother and mother had made old bones and passed on to the Goddess but she was still alive. being a vibrant 25 years on this earth. Siobhan intended to pay homage to the Goddess. so the coming Estre or Spring as the villagers called it, would be blessed with a bountiful harvest and so too the woodlands and marshlands. Winter Solstice was the short...

The elevator doors closed on the last of the party-goers, and my shoulders slumped. “Are you okay, Mr. Williams?” I forced a smile and turned to look at my executive assistant – who was, of course, the last one to leave. “I’m fine, Justine, just tired. You have to admit, it’s been a busy time. I’ll look forward to getting some rest.” But I couldn’t quite meet her eyes, then covered it by laughing. “And now, it’s time for...

Henry was trotting along in the twilight looking for food. It was always twilight in the Arctic in Winter – except when it was completely dark. But since Henry was a trickster, he was looking for both food and fun. He loved laughing – especially at other people's expense. Suddenly he stopped, completely still, because he knew that movement could make the ptarmigan up ahead notice him. Henry’s fur was completely white in t...

He gets word of a demonic creature in a nearby town. The people have tried to take it down as it ravages homes and stores. The stories tell that its screech can shatter windows, its talons crush bone and rip through wood, and the gust from its massive wings can knock down grown men, and send women and children tumbling to the ground. Skin black as coal, and eyes a menacing yellow glow. A call to arms has been made, his co...

It was strange really, how it began. So totally unexpected. Hmm... let me explain from the beginning. It was a normal day. My role as the village blacksmith kept me firmly in the background. I had been doing this kind of work all my life. When I was young, I started as a simple villager, running errands, selling fruit and vegetables, just blending in really. But it was the Smithy that really attracted me, so I learned how...

In a shadowy alcove in a darkened and dimly lit pub, a humanoid figure sits at a small table and holds his wineglass by the stem. He tips the empty glass first one way and then the other as he contemplates the small flickering light which rests in the center of the table. This light, as with all the others in the pub is not a candle and he has never understood what it is, nor has he inquired as to its nature. It simply ex...

Bear woke up later than usual and stretched along the rag rug. He rolled on his back and looked up at the ceiling, the beams crisscrossing along the open space between the floor and roof logs. He lay there, luxuriating in the feeling. After a while, he wondered why he wasn't hearing Girl, so rolled over and got to his feet. Padding into her room, he started to give her some smart-ass greeting but stopped once he was throu...

Bear was awoken from a sound sleep by a human torpedo as Girl thumped into his side, quivering. At first, he was puzzled, but then, when he heard the crash of thunder overhead, realized that she must have been frightened by the noise. He stroked her head. "It's okay, Girl. It's only thunder." That didn't seem to help, and every fresh flash of light and crash of thunder seemed to produce an electric shock in her body, caus...

It was mid-morning, and Bear was seated on the porch, watching the mountains grow – or not grow, as the case might be. Girl was seated in her rocking chair, reading, her knees up under her chin. After a while, she put her book down and said, “Bear?” Bear’s head swiveled towards her, and said, “Frog?” She shook her head and said, “What? I’m not a frog, I’m a girl!” Bear chuckled, “I know. I just wanted to see if you were a...

It was early morning, and Bear was resisting the need to get up, luxuriating in that hazy land between sleeping and waking. Then he heard feet on the floor, moving fast. He lifted his head just as the front door banged open. He lumbered up, walked curiously towards the open door, and peered out, still slightly enmeshed in sleep. And saw Girl, wearing only her nightgown, running barefoot off into the meadow. He furrowed hi...

Bear and Girl were out walking in the forest one afternoon. The sky was blue, there were white puffy clouds, and it was beautiful. They were chatting about everything, and nothing, and laughing about it. Suddenly, a wolverine walked out from behind a bush, stopped, and growled at them. Bear shoved Girl behind him, and said, “Steady, friend. No one is here to hurt you.” The wolverine barred its teeth and started walking to...

Ædith walked slowly, her heart was beating powerfully as the adrenalin flowed through her veins. This was the moment she had dreamed of as she stared straight ahead through the thin mesh of her veil. She looked neither right nor left, ignoring the admiring glances of the gentlefolk who were lining the path leading to the Cathedral. Ahead, standing before the closed oak doors, the priest stood silent, his hands clasped bef...

A brutally honest reflection forecasts my nearing end, but at four years and a hundred, I can't complain. My head is bald and mottled; my beard rivals the snow; wrinkled folds for eyelids obstruct my vision. All memories have long since abandoned my decaying mind, yet thoughts of it (for I never knew its name) still linger. Curious as to how one thing can take root in one’s mind, mushrooming until it consumes all other th...

Chapter 1 Hrothgar, the wise and venerable king of the Danes, had passed away, and his son, Halga, had taken up the mantle of leadership. Halga was a just and fair ruler, but he lacked the strength and courage of his father. The people of the land were content, but they knew that they could never truly feel safe without a great hero like Beowulf to protect them. One day, a messenger arrived at Halga's court with news of a...

Chapter 1 Once upon a time, in a quaint little village nestled at the foot of a majestic mountain, there lived a man named Benjamin. Benjamin was not like the other villagers; he possessed a unique ability that set him apart. You see, Benjamin could only walk backwards. From the moment he took his first steps as a child, Benjamin realized that he couldn't move forward like everyone else. His legs would refuse to cooperate...