Stories

In the crucible of the Pacific War, two Marines, Tony from Brooklyn and Josh from Nebraska, find a fragile salvation in each other. Amid fire and rain, their bond deepens from comradeship to something neither dares name. A portrait of love, loyalty, and survival when the world demands silence from the heart’s loudest truths. They return home carrying more than scars. From the jungles of the Pacific to the fog of San Francisco, they navigate a fragile peace, searching for a place that will let them exist as they are, between the silences of survival and the noise of a world moving on without them.

Sixteen years ago, their friend disappeared from the amusement park - no one knows where to. Since then, the remaining friends return every year on this day. Until he suddenly stands in front of them...

Every cedar holds a spirit. Every spirit longs for home.

When a young Japanese cedar sapling is transported to a Canadian zoo for a new “Trees of the World” exhibit, no one realizes it carries with it a kodama—an ancient tree spirit torn from its home. As the cedar begins to wither, strange phenomena ripple through the zoo, and a girl named Maureen O’Neil decides to find out why. With her mother's support, Maureen challenges the botanist who brought the tree overseas. A violent storm reveals the truth so, together, child, mother, and scientist undertake a journey to restore nature's balance.

2025 Halloween Horror short story:

Jonah, an eighteen-year-old freshman, is invited to attend a fancy Halloween formal party at an old fraternity house by Griffin, a flirty upperclassman.

On Halloween night, Mason leads his friend up the old firewatch tower above Wilbur Falls — just to get away from the noise, the beer, and the same faces down by the creek. But something about the night feels different. The wind smells of smoke, the dark hums with electricity, and the space between them glows with something neither can name. High above their small town, mystery and longing blur together, and what begins as a quiet escape becomes a moment that will haunt them long after the night is gone.

A haunting Halloween tale about connection, silence, and the spark between two boys learning what it means to be seen.

Every town has a history. Every town has stories that have been handed down through the ages . . stories that tell of people or events that may, or may not, be real. Thompsonville is no different. In fact, this town probably has more than most. Here’s just one of them!

This story is a stand alone saga but also a "sidequel" to "The Making of a Slave.” It explores Andrew's relationship with Connor, Patrick's younger brother (first appears in Chapter 9 of The Making of a Slave).

We first met Nate and Danny in The Seventeenth Summer. Best friends forever, but then Danny fell in love a year ago, and left Nate behind.

Nate couldn't blame him; after all, who wouldn't want to escape Thompsonville, but that didn't change his feelings. One year on, it's Nate's turn to escape, but first he needs to see Danny, perhaps for the last time. Can he finally tell his best friends how he really feels? Or is it time to finally spread his own wings and experience life for himself? Or perhaps, life has other things in store for him? The only way to find out, will be to find out what happens in Kandanga Falls.

The following is a coming-of-age narrative set in the summer of 1968, as we follow JT during July and August as he becomes aware of the larger world around him and his burgeoning sexuality.

A humorous discussion between Poochie and Dane. A pair of dogs. I decided to marry a prompt, #622, first line, with the Anthology topic, Creature Feature.