The long white ribbon draped simply over a simple decorative hanger, that was hanging on the wall directly across from the door. Two hanzi characters were vertically embroidered with black silk onto the ribbon. The top character was oriented normally. The bottom character was upside down.

When I heard the sharp intake of breath, I knew she had seen it. From the way she was constantly comparing American culture with her native Chinese culture, I knew she understood the importance of the upside down hanzi. I braced for impact.

2,021 words

The police chief listened to his deputy continue to describe the scene. He had received the call an hour ago. Another ten children and two adults dead or dying. He didn’t tell the deputy he had snuck a sip of his own ‘patience’ on pulling up to the scene. It wasn’t just that the victims were suddenly dead. It was how they died.

They were turned to sand.

2,543 words

“Excuse me, Ma’am?”

I looked up at a freckled face, framed by barely constrained red hair. I smiled disarmingly. It only made her more nervous. I nodded, subtly. The gesture caught her by surprise. She knew, that I knew, what she was about to ask. And she knew, that I had just given her explicit permission to continue.

“Are you a witch?”

3,990 words

They wore blue beaded capelets that did not completely cover their breasts. Two of them wore only strings of blue beads at their waist. The third had a blue cloth wrapped around her, but it was too short, too thin, and still left half of her buttocks exposed. They laughed at my continual staring, but took no offense to me. They were covered in mostly blue tattoos from head to toe, and some of them referred to legends I knew. So after I stammered my apologies for staring, they waved me over to their booth where they were eating lunch.

2,543 words

What are “Tumbled Dreams”? These are the posts I made to my tumblr during the week because I felt they did not warrant a separate post on this blog. However, these “interstitials” often explain some of the backstory to the larger dream posts. For those readers that only read Three Different Ways, they may help explain some of the characters and sudden changes in plot and direction.

5,678 words.

What are “Tumbled Dreams”? These are the posts I made to my tumblr during the week because I felt they did not warrant a separate post on this blog. However, these “interstitials” often explain some of the backstory to the larger dream posts. For those readers that only read Three Different Ways, they may help explain some of the characters and sudden changes in plot and direction.

3,478 words

We continue chatting about the different districts in the City, and where she should explore first being a brand spanking new Citizen. As we walk inside the bistro, I notice a couple sitting at one of the outside tables. Both nursing a black coffee, the teens were more interested in the Citizen’s car than each other. When I first saw them, they were dressed in nondescript jeans, shirts, and hoodies. Appearing very much the background, very easy to overlook.

2,127 words.

What are “Tumbled Dreams”? These are the posts I made to my tumblr during the week because I felt they did not warrant a separate post on this blog. However, these “interstitials” often explain some of the backstory to the larger dream posts. For those readers that only read Three Different Ways, they may help explain some of the characters and sudden changes in plot and direction.

6,661 words.

Allons pulled from the bag an elaborate cape and several brightly wrapped blades. Wrapping the cape around his neck and arm, he hefted the blades and walked towards the emerging bear, laughing. “You shall see, dear Lady Athena! You have the queen’s seat! And I, your humble torero, shall show you there is nothing to fear!” He placed one blade in his right hand and pointed it at the bear. “And then I shall show you there is nothing.”

2,706 words.

What does a lost explorer in a rainforest, an early morning at a diner, a shady general contractor, a wheelchair-bound teacher, and a sensory-challenged man have in common?

Where Keri receives “An Education” in 3,083 words. And fails to understand the lesson.

Continue reading →