Stories

Ex-Military recluse Hank runs his isolated farm with measured violence and tactical clarity. When Jesse, a 22-year-old, stumbles into Hank’s world, the "math" of the farm changes forever. Jesse is more than a stray; and his dark past is about to catch up with him.

Hank doesn't offer pity; he offers an absolute, grounding ownership. But while trying to protect the boy, he realizes he can’t hold the line alone and calls in favors.

The debt is about to be paid in lead and spent fury.

Half-elf ex-cop Flynn O'Briain is losing a war on a cellular level. His human DNA and Elven heritage are tearing each other apart.

When a murdered PI leaves Flynn a blueprint for a corporate energy project that uses magical beings as batteries, he and Poitr are pulled into a conspiracy that reaches from the streets of LA to the highest levels of power. The clock is ticking. Flynn's body is failing. And the only cure is in the hands of the woman they're trying to stop.

When the body of Lukas von Keller, a third-year student at Veridien, a prestigious all-boys academy, is found at the bottom of a ravine on March 10th, 1986, life at the quiet elite institution is shaken to the core.

After months of investigation, authorities are ready to rule the death a suicide. Detective Whitlock, however, is not. A chance to solve the case, now a personal nightmare, presents itself when Marius Vassier, a local private eye known for his sharp instincts and impeccable fashion, approaches him with a plan.

An unorthodox plan.

(Full summary inside)

When Vickie Morrison's body is found in the river behind Grey Harbor High, all eyes turn to Caleb Holloway—the quiet, medicated boy who can't remember what happened that night. As the town closes ranks and whispers turn to accusations, Caleb discovers the pills his mother forces down his throat aren't just controlling his emotions—they're erasing his memories. Desperate to prove his innocence, he must unravel a web of blackmail, buried secrets, and a truth someone is willing to kill to protect. But the deeper he digs, the more he realizes: in Grey Harbor, everyone is hiding something.

Jacob continues his journey to form new bonds with his brothers while struggling to find his place after awakening to a brand new world. Will newfound friendships be broken? Will his first real love be lost? Those are the heart-wrenching questions Jacob must face with the ever-present fear of losing himself to light and shadow.

The ambition of courtier Gesi Ajai threatens the Empire of Lyra. Skilled general Raithion Maenaer meets Azula, a blacksmith, but their connection is cut short. Years later, Basileus Dio has thwarted Gesi's ambition, but Gesi now plans to take the throne by any means. Raithion and Azula must bring Gesi down and navigate treacherous court politics. Will they succeed?

This one comes from Prompt #71.

Write a short story featuring only one character. No secondary characters at all. You might drop them in the woods and see how they fare, or come up with your own idea, but only one character is allowed.

Fraser Vogel knew it was dangerous to parachute in high winds. He wasn’t left with too many options in his Cessna 182 Skylane when its yoke seized and the engine failed.

Jump or crash? Pretty easy choice.

Special Inspector Kellen McAdams could do with a break, but duty is calling him to Barlow Bay, where mummified corpses of illegal immigrants are causing some headaches. With a battlemage scared of himself and a bubbly druid as supports, this should hopefully be an easy one…

Even on good days Damien is a neurotic bundle of nerves. He might be a freelancer for the Barlow Bay Police Department, but getting called in makes for a decidedly bad day. And a frustrated SI and an overly sexy druid are not exactly helping…

Robert, a contract assassin, is asked to kill Senator Elias Hutchinson but refuses, wanting to leave his violent life behind. When another killer is hired for the job, Robert turns against his former employers, battling rival assassins, Chinese hitmen, a persistent Homeland Security agent, and a mysterious newcomer. As the threat from the organization’s leader, Mehment, grows, Robert races to identify and stop his replacement before it’s too late.

Prompt #265

Write a story that begins with a phone call at three in the morning.

Trevor insisted the house phone be on his side of the bed. There was one problem with that; Trevor was nearly impossible to wake up. One night, the phone rings at three AM. Julius has a hard time waking Trevor, but finally succeeds. Trevor finally answers the phone on the ninth ring. The phone call starts something they never could have expected.