Stories

Charlie, Kip, Rick, and Adrian are set to spend their first Christmas in their new home. But nothing before now has quite prepared them for living in a magical world full-time. They’re about to find out how different that can really be!

The guys are rolling along now with their business, Third Planet Inquiries, and it looks like their future is secure. Good ol’ planet earth has a lot of strange things going on that need to be investigated! And as Halloween approaches, Kippy is hoping something will come up to occupy their attention, something creepy or spooky, in keeping with that holiday. So, when Amy gets a strange phone call, things start to get interesting, and the guys are off on another adventure, just in time for Halloween!

Caleb attends an old-time revival, which leads to a religious experience of a different kind.

Boccaccio's Decameron, a story of renewal and recreation in defiance of a decimating pandemic, relates how ten self-isolated Italians pass the time regaling each other with tall tales during the Black Plague. While Covid19 wasn't nearly as decimating, the opportunity for such entertainment did exist. As a takeoff on that idea, this short story might well be a modern version of one of the tales, recounting events of earlier, less stressful times.

An athletic high-school senior and a studious freshman form an unusual friendship.

A third-grade valentine develops a life and meaning of its own as its recipient struggles through his teenage years.

Peter's adoption is nearing completion, and he and Benji are officially going to become real brothers, but not without a rough spot on the way.

A district wrestling camp opportunity arises, and although he is the youngest participant, Benji makes the most of it.

Benji takes action to protect his new brother.

Benji's best friend, Eric, hitchhikes to a local beach with uncommon attributes.