belonging - Stories

A blind boy hailed as a saint. A sorcerer-prince branded a monster. Bound by magic, divided by war, and caught in the crushing grip of the First Crusade.

As thirty thousand starving crusaders batter the walls of Antioch, Wylan—a stable boy turned reluctant holy icon—discovers his soul is tethered to Ishan, the Seljuk prince sworn to destroy his army. Together, they share visions, stolen warmth, and a truth that could burn them both.

The city bleeds. The earth shakes. And when the sky turns red, their swapped bodies become the least of their sins.

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.

One week after their first encounter Leo meets up with the two brothers Sam and Kenny to escape to the lake in Hadley Woods. Leaving behind suburbia, and in a quiet secluded spot, they pass the day together sunbathing. The shared intimacy and shared secrets solidify what has become a "secret society of three."

Kismet is a transgressive coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of a stifling North London summer. It explores the fragile boundary between childhood innocence and the electric, often terrifying, awakening of adolescent desire.

They say that those who don't remember the past are condemned to repeat it. With that in mind, what would lead Martin Niemoller to write a version for today?