Series
Heartbeat on Wheels
To read Part 1, click the link below: "Your mom didn't wait for you, Hamza." "She left us all!" Hamza's phone tumbled from his hands, and his senses deceived him. The bustling roars of the city became silent to him, and he couldn't hear the sound of his heartbeat, either.
By Maryam Batool2 years ago in Fiction
Frat Attack The Funeral. Content Warning.
The clear blue skies were a gift from Sanina. The sky alone was enough to make anyone look up while the Eulogy was narrated by the open grave site with crying, wailing and remorseful sounds. But the sky was an intermediary release of the pain we all felt. For some I would say it was heaven's gate welcoming Sarinas carefree soul to God’s Kingdom. The most graceful site I ever noticed was the Bald Eagle soaring above gracefully. This for me at least was God’s way of saying to me, that Sarina will be avenged. The Eulogy was coming to an end and then dad cut in after all was completed saying “ There will be a gathering held at Romas Banquet Hall and that all are welcome to attend. Food, drink and memories are all available. Please honor our daughter and come for a social gathering. Dad was direct but very welcoming with the invitation. Prior to dad’s announcement, roses were handed out and all immediate family laid a rose on Sarinas Casket. The remaining family and friends were able to place rose petals on Sarinas casket and say a prayer. [ ] The entire funeral and ceremony was hard for everyone, more so, mom. Mom was shaking and crying the entire time, but dad and Bigs sandwiched her with their big brooding arms and squeezed her in a consoling way. Yet it also was a hug of upcoming retribution. At least that’s what I was thinking, but, strictly in an emotional moment as opposed to violence that her attackers would experience. I drifted off again up to the skies above, analyzing the Eagle as it circled on flight. I envisioned a tiny mouse in the field below him, with no foresight into the hell that was coming to him. With that weird random moment of thought, I noticed my imagination was In full flight mode. I had a premonition of violence from a frat member in a crested sweater. It seemed like hours but I knew it was only a few fleeting seconds and I came back to the moment of sorrow around me. The funeral was dispersing quickly, and Uncle Bigs put his behemoth hand on my neck and brought me in for a long tight hug, whispering in my ear, one down, four to go, I love you nephew, never ever, forget that. He pulled away, wiping his eyes with a white hankie and clearing his throat. I felt something, fear, and not sadness. I was not shedding tears, or swallowing hard or babbling. I was stuck on Uncle Bigs words” one down, four to go”. As we broke away from the grave site, and ambled slowly towards the family car, I glanced over to the left from the entrance of the cemetery road, and became paralyzed with overwhelming horror. The Eagle from above, had taken aim at its Prey and was in a feeding frenzy. The Prey was actually a big tabby cat and there was absolutely no life at all left for the tabby. The blood, fur and I’m assuming intestines were spread out over a small area just off the road. Suddenly out of nowhere the cemetery crew came out with a big sheet and closed off the view of the passing funeral attendees as they walked by. Now, hear me when I say horrific, because this scene is something that horror movies are made of. The cemetery crew brought out a white sheet and they did a good job of closing off the view, but every time the Eagle ripped into the carcass blood was cast off onto the sheet leaving so many bloody spots and stains it was ridiculous. I mean horrifically insane with the gruesome sheet covered in blood spatter. I did manage to shake this off, but Uncle Bigs was pissed, as he was cursing and muttering about respect for his and the grieving family. Rightly so I muttered to myself all the while wondering about those words he told me earlier. “One down, four to go”. This phrase did actually linger the rest of the day for me and even at the Banquet Hall it replayed in my head. After the first shot of Mezcal I started to relax and feel a bit more connected with the social aspect of a grieving family. Hugs were plenty along with some tears but mostly cordial and heartfelt conversations. A few family members did bring up the white sheet the cemetery crew was holding up. That was dismissed quickly. A few prayers were said in select social circles here at the Banquet but everything was leveling off due to the food and liquor. That’s when I overheard a conversation with my dad on the phone and Bigs with him too. They approached me and asked me to ensure everyone gets home okay. I questioned this and was only told an urgent business matter needed attention. I reflected on the Eagle in the sky and then the tabby that never had a chance. I then drifted again about that Frat sweater and the repercussions to ensue.
By Vinn Black2 years ago in Fiction
The Dark Order 1.6: The Silent Treatment
Begin at Chapter 1.1 Click here to jump back to Chapter 1.5 In the Western Realm, there's a Northwestern seafaring town called Lizna, that delivers the best turtle lobster bisque, has the best view of the ocean, the best beaches, and just for tonight, has the best tavern in Valon nestled waterside.
By Donnie Barlow2 years ago in Fiction
Selections from the Grand Bazaar
Wealth was prolific in Vargos, even amidst the dizzying levels of poverty that existed beside it. There was the wealth of the corporations and those who served them. There was the wealth of those who carved out a niche in the black market. There was even the wealth of those who simply got lucky, escaping poverty through sheer dumb luck and minor chance.
By R.R. Stephenson2 years ago in Fiction
Guardians and Angels | Chapter One (Part 4)
Sunlight has a way of making everything from the night before feel like a dream. I wish it had been… but it was a regular night in America for us. When I woke up he was looking down at me, the biggest smile on his face, the gold highlights of his hair sparkling in the morning rays, laughing for some reason, his smirk sharply carved upon his cheeks.
By Christopher Dubbs2 years ago in Fiction
Selections from the Grand Bazaar
“Hey! Get below deck and make sure that crate is sealed and ready for delivery. I’m not getting aethered by the Reds because you couldn’t handle your duties. Let’s go!” Captain Mwangi spat. He was tense this morning, and more so than usual for a drop-off with the Reds, even though half of his trips to Vargos involved delivering cargo to them.
By R.R. Stephenson2 years ago in Fiction
Lilith's Blessing 12
12. Days later, Constantine and Iulia ate fresh fruit, kinds they only saw in picture books. The contrast between the treatment of prisoners baffled the couple. Zuveans threw people into cells with only a bucket and hardtack bread. The Kushites fed them three times a day. The room had a bath and shower, fully stocked. Iulia took a bath the first night. He’d never seen her so relaxed.
By Travis J. H. 2 years ago in Fiction
Guardians and Angels | Chapter One (Part 3)
He heard the rumble of his father’s truck approaching before the vibrations reached my ears. He tensed tight, muscles contracting into coiled cables. Flesh turned from tan to armor under my fingertips. I felt him change like the temperature. For a second a part of me thought he was getting ready to hit me, a quick strike and a sting descending in nanoseconds was what flashed across my mind. Everyone knows that flicker, the knowing just before the pain…
By Christopher Dubbs2 years ago in Fiction
The Dark Order 1.4: I've Been Having Dreams Lately...
Begin with Chapter 1.1 Click here to jump back to Chapter 1.3 It had been a few nights since Maggie could get a glimpse of sleep. The body aches are constant and numbing; she's lethargic, but she's been way too paranoid to rest ever since that day. Since then, she's struggled from one town to the next, one city to another, and it's all the same.
By Donnie Barlow2 years ago in Fiction
Wires of the Past
Rojas ran her fingers over the cold metal of the engine’s core. The hum of The Last Starship vibrated through her bones, the sound a reminder of both the ship’s resilience and its impending decay. Each circuit she fixed, each panel she patched, was another step in a race against time—a race to find hope in the broken technology that was supposed to save them all.
By Alexander Terrell2 years ago in Fiction
