BendtedWreath

After the younger teens had settled into their bunks, exhausted, Altair and Cane stepped outside into the cool night air. Altair paced the dirt path in front of the cabin, his mind racing with ways he could better protect them. Cane leaned against the cabin wall, watching him. “You did well in there,” he said quietly. Altair stopped pacing, his shoulders rigid. “Did I?” His voice came out rough, scraped raw by the night’s events. “I almost kicked them out, Cane. I was ready to. If you

Cane's always been the voice of reason when it comes to anyone being crapped on. Doesn't matter their orientation, appearance, or species? I'm wondering about that, too. Yes on the outsourcing. Glad you've enjoyed it so far.

We're almost the same age! I turn 38 on March 2!

Altair never once stopped caring about them, he just felt betrayed, and that made him salty at the moment. Cane just put two and two together faster than Altair and, instead of betrayal, went into protective mode instead. "These guys are different and are the ones in danger" is what his mind jumped to. Not sure if "lighthearted" exists in Altair's DNA. But Cane will hopefully help him not get any more premature grey hairs, maybe?

Thanks on behalf of us both.

The folowwing day, the campers drifted from activity to activity, their laughter echoing through the pines. Altair, Cane, Raven, and Lee even set up a basketball game that catered to the different age groups. By sunset, everyone seemed exhausted, but the familiar, restless energy of the younger teens simmered beneath the surface. Once again, night fell far too quickly, and, before Altair realized it, trouble was brewing. Demon, Erik, Angel, and Win snuck out again during the campfire—t

Same goes for me! I didn't know you and @Cia also had a soft spot for turtles. It's a good thing orcas don't typically eat sea turtles.

Welcome to the forum!

At least we know for sure that it's not "Bran." Thanks on behalf of the both of us!

@Cia, thanks again for the feature. I still don't feel I've recovered from the holidays myself. 🤣

@chris191070, I always forget asparagus exists. I enjoy asparagus occasionally, too. Thank you. Thanks, Cane.

That we'll have to ask @Cane23. I also apologize to you personally for chapter five. Now, let me go and hide.

I can safely say their other halves are what keep them from lighting on fire under the sun. The rest, we'll have to either find out or ask @chris191070.

Lunch zoomed past with a clattering of trays, charred tater tots, and Altair’s ever-present whistle, always nearby. Wooden picnic tables, battered by decades of wear and tear, creaked beneath rowdy campers. Demon and Angel, already scheming, glanced at one another before nudging Erik and Win into an impromptu post-lunch tour. They told one another stories about haunted rivers and secret make-out spots as they walked past weathered trail markers and boulders, with Angel steering them wide a

From what I've seen, I've always felt the Anthology themes are meant to be vague enough so that any and all feel included and invited to write something for the theme, but just specific enough to foster a focus to differentiate this year's entries from the prior theme. I know that a lot of thought and effort went into these themes, and the site staff have done their best year after year to listen and provide what writers ask for. For example, there was only the one theme last year, and there were writers that disliked the the theme and chose not to participate due to either taking the theme a little too literally or lacking interest in trying. There were some incredible entries that stretched the theme out to their unbelievably creative advantage (I am still reeling to this day) without it being "traditionally" the theme... you know who you are... and those entries still worked rather well with the rest of the collection. But due to last year's disagreements, we have two options to chose from this year. Anyone who claims that the staff doesn't keep trying to improve on events every time is not seeing what I've been seeing. As for me, I enjoy the challenge of creating something that could work for the anthology theme because I know that no two minds think exactly alike and I get to see what interpretation of the theme everyone else decided to go for.

We'll see soon.

Neither, he was inspired by a combination of people I once knew. The only difference is that those chosen as examples never matured, and I'd like to think Altair does.

Yet another pair of lively characters that are sure to put a smile on your face if you're not outright laughing like I did.

“Unless that’s the point. Was your intention to poison me?” - LMAO! The cookie crumbled reluctantly, releasing a puff of chalky dust. Just what the hell was in the batter along with the dried chokeberries? Cement? - 😂 He forced down a swallow that looked painful, his throat working against the chalky texture. - 🤣 “But the taste isn’t all that horrible,” he said, even as he wiped the corner of his mouth as if trying to clear the residue. - That sounds like a boldfaced lie. “All-purpose flour,” I repeated as I typed it into the labeler, the mechanical clicking satisfying under my fingers. “Not cement.” - I'm done. Not another day of me laughing my head off at work and colleagues staring at me. 😂

Pairing Altair with @Cane23 was Chris's idea. Same with the new pairings. I apologize in advance for everything. 😂 Raven himself couldn't get Altair to lighten up, but maybe someone else can?

Altair Bran already wanted to chuck the stack of clipboards in his hands into the lake of the Mystic Camp Grounds. Adjusting his crisp new staff shirt, he clutched the whistle hanging from a cord around his neck and ran his free hand through his blond hair as he surveyed the bustling arrival of campers. Their coach had volunteered half the basketball team to serve as youth coaches, and Altair had only gone along for one reason: college applications. His grades and athletic achievements were

Four supernatural campers force Altair Bran to confront his own walls, especially the ones keeping out his fellow coach Cane, the one person who's tried to reach him for years. Their secrets push Altair to choose between fear and acceptance. A summer coaching gig for college applications transforms into a journey that will challenge everything Altair believes about monsters, family, and love.

Both are excellent prompts leading with a surge of intrigue.

There's succulent red pepper rib eye, succulent marinated steaks... the amount of menus I've read with the word 'succulent' tossed in there...

@Boy Mercury X as far as dumb screennames go, mine was an ingloriously rushed, half-scrambled version of my real name typed while losing a drinking game in my late teens. If you think it's not that bad, try to find the "Benedict" in it. Edit: So yours isn’t bad at all. Others can at least read it clearly.