short-story
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The Captain’s Blade
The hammer strike is steel on steel, the fire roars in need. The bellows pump, the furnace glows, and furnace blacksmith feeds. “A blade I crave,” the Captain said, “to strike the mortal blow.”But Smith cried “OUT!” and shook his… Continue reading
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Witch Hunt
“Can you tell me where you were on the morning of the thirteenth?” Annabelle tapped her fingers absently on the old wooden table and stared at the corner of the room. She had yet to look me in the eye.… Continue reading
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Keeping Watch
Tick…toc…tick…toc…tick…toc…tick… The other things in the house might sleep, but the clock had a job to do: keep watch. It did so, day in, day out, and—most importantly—all through the night. It never stopped its vigilance, holding the beat steadily… Continue reading
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Dance Party
It was midnight on the third day. Many of the people had begun with full hearts and happy eyes and kept those attributes long into the night. One by one, however, they had dropped out, laughing and waving their hands,… Continue reading
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Mermaid Love
For a long time, she had lived in the reefs by the humans. She watched as they sailed out from their docks and into the deeper oceans, casting their nets and singing their songs, hauling in load after load of… Continue reading
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Solid Motivations
“I am not ungrateful,” the pale man said, “but life has been difficult.” I stole a glance at the others, but no one spoke. The pale man squirmed slightly in his seat. “The tunnels are dark and cold. Not only… Continue reading
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No Way Out
The black moss is soft under my hands, leaving no imprint after I remove them. I know this even without seeing it; I can’t see anything down here in the dark. There are sometimes sputtering torches at the junctions that… Continue reading
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The Mouth of the King
“I woke in the late fall. It was lonely at first, down in the dark of the undercroft, but slowly I came to realize that that’s where I was. It was peaceful; a good time for reflection upon all I… Continue reading
Liar's Retreat 