Blasted AUTEC Range! D.. submarines! They're right. All we are is pond scum targets. Oh well no St. Croix visit AGAIN. Wait, we're setting sea and anchor detail? Cool! Even if we are end of pier, I'll get to see that crescent shaped beach finally. Better get below and take the watch. CSOW here I come.Our Captain had some pull so we got to have two Laser sailboats as part of our welfare and recreation deal. Not bad for a D...

Hate was such an unusual thing. Hate could be applied to so many things: enemies, animals, emotions, random people, freedoms, abilities, on and on unto infinity. But for Alex, hate was the emotion he felt whenever an entire place seemed against him. Navigating the maze of buildings proved far more difficult than necessary. Despite meeting only a few people and creatures along the way, just exiting the street that held him...

It had taken some time for Alex to assess his situation after Arakne disappeared. Of the multitude of supplies he had started out with, only his bag, a few changes of clothes and an empty water sack remained. Even the gold he'd hidden within a pocket on the inside of his shirt was gone. That damn witch, he cursed silently. It was going to be a long walk, especially without knowing where in the forest he was. Alex sighed a...

She couldn't understand it. None of it made any sense to her. No one should have been able to find her, least of all an idiotic weakling like him. She could have sworn she had covered all her steps better after escaping that prison. Even worse, she couldn't understand why they even wanted her back. She was perfectly fine and more than capable of taking care of herself. The worst part though was him. It was bad enough they...

"Uggh, why do I have to find her? Why couldn't she have just stayed in the room like all the other patients?" Alex grumbled as he trudged through the dense underbrush. He nearly fell when his foot brushed an exposed root but caught himself mid-fall. He couldn't understand why he was the one sent to look for a girl who had nearly killed him. After all, if she was strong enough to attack him, wasn't she strong enough to tak...

Her name was Revenance Widow, but to her friends, she was known as Vena. She was only sixteen years old but already known as a highly skilled treasure hunter amongst amateur adventurers. She had recently lost her partner, a boy whose name no one knew. She had been found lying on the ground screaming and unresponsive to anyone attempting to wake her. It wasn't until she was moved to a separate room that she finally calmed...

"If you could have one thing, what would it be?" "Hmm?" he asked. "If I could have one thing? Well, that's an easy one. But before I tell you, what about you? What would you want?" "What!?" his partner gasped. "No, no, no, no, no, no. I asked you first. You tell me and then I'll tell you." "I can't, otherwise you might be swayed by my answer," he laughed. "No I wouldn't," his partner proudly spoke. "For nothing can change...

'twixt the moorland villages of Clapptrap and Skandal, there runs a lovely stretch of the Twaddle. The lively river flows through the limestone gorge at Poppycock Cut, and once past Yakking Mouth it discharges its clear waters in spectacular fashion at Fayrelady Falls. Tis a sight for sore eyes to behold such wild, foaming torrents - I courted my dear wife there and it's a good spot for trout.I usually commence fishing at...

Dad was a very special person to me. Here are a couple of special stories about Dad that tell you about our relationship. The first story is one set in the deep snows of a spring blizzard. We had about 4 foot of snow on the level with more in drifts. After the snow had stopped, Dad and Granddad turned to caring for the livestock. The cattle were fine as they were in along the meadows and in reach of hay. However, the wint...

Melis did her best to hold back her tears as she ran. As much as she tried, she couldn't fight the image of Rahmi, lying on his back with a broken neck and choking on his own blood. She was caught between the guilt of abandoning him and the weight of the mission he had given her. She was running fast but in her opinion not fast enough. The guilt hovered over every inch of her skin like a heavy rash. She had just left the...

It’s said that parents often try too hard to push their children into achieving their own dreams. Despite not being a conventional parent at the time, I was no exception. Melis may have been half my age, but she showed twice the potential I did at her age.When I was her age (12), I was interviewed by five wield masters, each interview ending in polite rejection. With Melis it was different. As soon as the high council ass...

CHAPTER 1 "The Start of a Long Journey""Get off him! Get off him now Sean!" I can hardly hear her. The muffled sound barely finds its way to my conscious mind. I feel a good sensation as I squeeze harder. As I squeezed his neck even more, I find myself feeling sorry for him, and I let go. I get in his face clenching my teeth quietly telling him, "say that again!" I speak louder, "Say it!" Carl leaning against the wall sli...

This is the first chapter of a book I am writing for my grandson. Let me know what you think. Prelude June 16, 1611 was a dark and rainy day in the tiny Irish village of Cluain Tiobrad. Its lush green pastures made its Gaelic name of “Well of the Meadows” appropriately given. On most days with less rain it was often a pleasant resting place for travelers between Monaghan and Castleblayney, in County Antrim, heading on the...

Celebrations!We guys were up pretty early on this very important day. After getting washed and dressed, we fairly raced to the eating hall only to find that the girls had beat us there. There they were, calmly eating as they grinned at us. Kori waved at me to hurry up and sit down. Everyone started talking at once about how our day was going to go. Soon our speculations were quickly put to rest. Both Andros and Duris came...

The low hum of twenty cement trucks permeated the construction site. Six trucks lined the edges of the pour site, while ten more idled in a long line around the perimeter ready to replace the others as soon as they had completed the evacuation of their mixers. Once the pour started, it would continue without interruption for twenty hours. Laying the foundations of a skyscraper is a very precise and methodical process. Any...