Stories

A Myth in Eight Parts

I wrote this many years ago as an experiment in building a cast of characters and finding ways to weave their stories together. I didn't realize until recently I only ever posted the first section on this site. It's been a treat to revisit this old tale with new eyes.

The Empire is torn into two, with brothers competing for the throne. War divides families and upends lives. The people suffer and plead to the Four Gods for deliverance -- but the Gods move in mysterious and unexpected and not always entirely pleasant ways.

Prompt Team member Aditus provided the ending to a story and challenged GA members to continue the story until the beginning. Let's just say that the membership delivered in a big way! Here is the collaboration created by GA members Thirdly, Valkyrie, Tim Hobson, Paladin, LJCC, E K Stokes, Bryson, and Aditus.

We meet Zelt and learn why he missed a train. Buckle up, because you're in for one heck of a ride!

"Pale Blue Dot" is a collection of six short stories that introduce the five main characters of "I," a long dystopian sci-fi novel featuring anthropomorphic characters. Before the main series begins, these spin-offs will establish the world and prequels will introduce the characters, leading up to the serialization.

As a wolf born of mixed blood, unaccepted by his pack, how does the gray wolf Richter come to understand his power, get discovered by the Council, and ultimately get involved in a conspiracy that concerns the fate of all life in the solar system?

Every story has a beginning...

Prompt 263: First line: "It's behind me, isn't it."

Centaurus 4 is the latest mission to Proxima Centauri b. Three attempts to reach the distant planet were unmanned. The main reason for that was that Proxima Centauri b (PC-b) is 4.22 light-years (1.3 parsecs) from Earth. Recent advancements in space travel have reduced the travel time to 153 days at ten times light speed. The story takes place roughly two hundred years in our future.

Centaurus 4 has a crew of 16. The first three members of the crew have recently exited the ship and started their survey of the immediate area. What they experience is shocking, to say the least.

From a less than happy childhood Alex Mason escaped to the army in search of something, but what? With a facility for languages, a ruthless disregard for himself and a definite disposition towards solitude, he was recruited into the Special Forces and subsequently MI6.

His life was, with very few exceptions, empty. Until he met Ben, but Ben was another fleeting encounter, even if the connection between them was instant. Alex had a mission and it was dangerous, duty called, with no time for sentiment.

John Renkin has recently retired, but his investment firm in The Land of Lincoln is the only thing he can look back on as a success. His painful life and brighter future are revealed in a series of shorts. Each will stand on its own, but the sum will eventually tell his story. Be sure to follow for periodic updates.

🍎 William-Decker Irving is a country boy from the South. He was happy, free, innocent, and the son & heir to his family’s successful Apple Orchard business. The country life is all he ever knew. That’s all he ever was. But, when he is forced to move, up North, into a busy suburban town & attend public school for the very first time, being a homeschooled boy with little to no social skills or knowledge of the modern world, he faces new experiences, challenges, & meets people that he will never forget for the rest of his life.

In His Image is a short, introspective story about Ronald, a young man in his mid-20s, struggling with his faith, identity, and feelings for a male co-worker, Chris. Raised in a conservative religious family, Ronald faces confusion and shame as he grapples with his desires and beliefs. As his friendship with Chris deepens, he experiences a pivotal moment of emotional and physical intimacy, marking the start of his self-acceptance. The story ends with Ronald’s breakthrough, leaving the outcome open-ended for readers to imagine.

Michael Evans destroyed lives. He shattered trust and never once owned up to his wrongs. Instead, he chose to run, believing that escaping was the solution. But the past doesn’t stay buried, no matter how far you run—it always finds a way to resurface, and when it does, it’s far more unforgiving. This is a continuation of the story, Straightening Affairs from Michael Evans point-of-view.