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Gamma Leaves Home (Part II) Gamma woke up to Elora poking him in the side. “We’re here!” she smiled at him in the dark. Before him sat several tents and huts made of tarpaulin or canvas, a few camper trailers or RVs surrounding the makeshift camp. Several trucks and jeeps were resting quietly, a few people watching them from the cabs. The three of them jumped out of N’athir’s truck, Gamma staring all around him at the various fires that w

Gamma breathed deeply, blue-metal eyes closed as the breeze played in his silver-flecked hair. His skin, already dark, was tanned from working the gardens of the Malmoken, hours of sunlight echoed by his skin’s melanin. Steel blue eyes opened to gaze at the pond one last time. Just yesterday he had stood on the banks and cast lines with his tribe-brother, Joe. They had discussed Gamma’s Exodus, his leaving that was scheduled for his sixteenth year. He had planned to leave after

An early piece detailing Gamma's departure from the Tribe of the Malmoken.

Gamma Recovers His Staff By Trenton Pennington An old, dusty-blue pickup truck travelled down the road while the sun set in the West. In the driver’s seat a woman with long black hair watched the potholes, turning the wheel whenever a large hole threatened to eat the truck. Sitting beside her was a man with shaggy brown hair, his metal-flecked blue eyes gazing through the world around him. “We can make another staff, Gamma,” the woman broke the silence, her

In facing our shadows we find whence comes our strength. In accepting our past we can accept our present.

Cutting It Out “You’re not going to like it.” Engedi’s green eyes looked to the blonde-sand eyes of Gamma, calm, steady. He had decided to have the RFID tag removed from behind his ear to be sure the Municipality couldn’t track him, and the Outlaw Gamma was the only person he knew who could cut it out. The two of them were sitting in Gamma’s truck on a moon-lit dune a few miles outside of the City. Engedi had tracked him down earlier

In leaving a sick system we must seek freedom. Freedom, to be gained, must have a sacrifice. You must cut it from the world and run off into the night with it.

Coliseum Sechariah looked to the brand that scarred his upper arm, the seal of the House of Crombie a fierce reminder of who owned him. Running his hand over the thick, tough lines, he thought about the combat he was forced to do, the fighting he had fought for years now in the Coliseum. Taken as a slave during a raid on his tribe when he was still a boy, Sechariah had come to be trained in the martial arts so that he might duel for his master’s h

The Coliseum, a place where the bloodlust of the masses is sated by the death of those whose fates are decided by others. What happens when freedom and slavery clash? Who walks away?

Lol of course you would! We Librans agree just so we don't make a scene! Haha I'd say this was superficial, but spot on. An interesting diversion. If you want to know more, you should check out www.cafeastrology.com . They have a free natal chart program that goes really in depth about your astrological profile. Definitely a great way to waste time lol

Hey there, fellow gamers! I just recently started playing FF6 and am at the point where Terra turns into some weird thing and flies off after speaking to an Esper. I'm really enjoying the storyline so far, and being able to return to 2D graphics is an interesting distraction from writing. So, to all the gamers out there who have played Final Fantasy VI, what is your opinion about the game, and is it one that you would recommend?

It seems that some parents want video games to perform the same role for which they employ television shows: to baby sit their kids rather than actually human-ing and being a parent. I am glad that EA is essentially telling parents to eff off. It's time that people put asshats in their place. Besides... You don't have a problem with the thought of contaminating young minds with images of guns, blood, and death fights, but the moment that two dudes establish any emotional connection with each other it's the end of the world? Small wonder little timmy ends up being a douchebag who beats women and prowls craigslist for DL hookups... Just saying.

I always understood "magic" along the lines of subconscious projections and associations, etc. Were you being ironic/sardonic in your post?

I want to move out of the USA, but I have no idea where to go. It seems like everyplace has pros and cons, and I haven't really stopped to seriously consider the details (I should probably do that...). I have considered the UK, Spain, and Australia, but it's difficult to really decide. The whole pros/cons thing again, and I honestly don't know what I would want in a new country. Reading everyone's comments makes me realize... I should think this through more thoroughly lol

This question makes me think of the idea of "attachment to illusions" in some Eastern philosophies. Basically, when you set an expectation, the mind becomes "attached" to that idea and wants reality to conform to the idea. Sadly (in my case at least), reality rarely is what I want it to be. Thankfully, it's often much better than I could have imagined. Because of this, I think that having ANY expectation is a bad thing, regardless of how high or low it is. However... It is human to have ideals and expectations. It is the path of wisdom that allows us the opportunities to accept the world for what it is and let go of our expectations. Once we make peace with reality, moving through it becomes much easier.

Do I believe in love? First, define love. Is it the desire to f**k? No. That is lust (which can be fun). Is love the thing that makes us feel all fluttery inside? No... That's infatuation (also part of the fun). What is love? A bunch of chemical reactions in the body? Well... biologically, yes, but... Ultimately, we all define love for ourselves. In that vein, I see true love as a sort of "this is my best friend/life companion" thing. Yes, there is passion. Yes, there are butterflies in the tummy, but those are secondary to the sense of "he/she is my best friend. I can be completely open and vulnerable and know that we want each other to be happy, healthy, and whole. We have each others' backs". Now that I've defined it for myself, do I believe that my definition exists in the real world? ... I don't know. I feel and have felt things that make me think that I've been close to "love", but I have yet to cross into that realm where dreams become real. I'm still slumbering on that front while the rest of me (we are a small committee, after all) focuses on things like writing, cartooning, working, studying. Ultimately, these things are real and they are a part of me. They make up part of my path, and hopefully that path will lead me to my best friend/life companion. No, I have no guarantee that it will pass like that. There is no god, no deity looking out for me, just myself and those who care about me. Maybe at the end of the day that's all we have, the connections we forge with each other. I can only be at peace with the tides of life and watch what the waves and currents carry to the shore. PD, I hope that you, too, find peace and contentment in your life. I've been in that place before, and still sometimes visit. It hurts, stings, and bites, but in the end... It can make us stronger, better people. Good luck.

That's actually not odd at all, considering that the human brain has neurons that branch and connect in all sorts of different ways. I find that trance techno music helps me "get in the zone" as it were and hammer out several pages at a time of story. Were I not so lazy, I would do some research to pull up, studies on creativity and what-not. Sadly, I'm lazy, so just take it from me that what psychologists and biologists are learning is some pretty amazing things. A practical book, in the mean time, is "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron. Somehow, she is able to make the creative process meaningful by giving artists techniques for self-discovery, challenge, and perspective. A good read if you're feeling a bit low in your craft or hobby.

Lol I went through the same issue. Took me over an hour of browsing through FAQs and forums to find how to do it, but then I figured it out and felt a tad bit... special... Lol. Good luck with your writing, and I look forward to reading your work!

Hmmm... It's nice to see something that renews one's faith. I'm from Mississippi, and I'm not sure how most people would react in that situation, but to see such a state as Texas have that kind of reaction is nice. However... (please don't hate me for pointing this out), I can't help but notice how many people DIDN'T say or do anything. Yes, it's nice that people are standing up for what is right (no one should be publicly humiliated like that), and I look forward to the day when the MAJORITY stands up for what is right. Until then... Here's to those brave souls that stand up for goodness, fairness, and justice. *raises wine glass*

"You'll teach me how to love you and everything will be okay" Awesome line. This story definitely picks up momentum as it goes along.

Wow... I'm really digging how you are playing with perspective here. This is really great! Keep up the good writing!

@Jian_Sierra and @MarkSen: I've been finding that my brain works in similar ways to what the two of you are describing. When I get in my writing zone it's like I'm watching the story and just writing what I see in my imagination. Pretty neat, really. Now to just decide which story to write next...

Wow, it seems like everyone has a unique way to approach writing. I guess that's to be expected with an artform though, eh?

It isn't just in film and television. There are a lot of places in literature that I have yet to see properly filled with lgbt characters, especially strong characters. I'm going to check out your series though. Looking forward to seeing what you have put together.

James, dear... Tomorrow is Saturday, the 21st of May, 2011. I do hope you are paying attention to the day and not the number in your agenda.