When I slid the knife into her chest, I did not expect to face oblivion. She looked the hooker role as so many others before, but she bled the infinite. The black crevice between her nipples yawned, and I could not escape. I was consumed for an eternity. Six minutes of eternity. Continue reading
“Ya Crimson lout!” a voice barked at the viewscreen near the bar. Lasher paused in his reading, but only long enough to revisit an earlier snatch of the page he was studying. Slick Trixy’s was usually a quiet joint, but some inter-corporate competition was in final series this week, and the drinks sold well. The pencil scratched along the length of paper at his side, the graphite dance etching comforting vibrations along his wrist. His research into Helix, Incorporated revealed understandably little. R & D firm that upped the ante when the world went Chrome. An old song, but one they appeared to be singing better than most.
“Un-fucking-BELIEVABLE!” the same guy boomed out in time with a muted roar from the box. Ichabod moved along the length of the bar and tried to settle the rowdy patron, but the enthusiast was having none of it. He instead produced a compact air horn from his jacket pocket and rattled the bottles behind the bar with a piercing wail. Continue reading
The vibrations of Anibel’s voice thrummed through Gerard such that he did not realize the ground beneath him was grinding in unrest. He snapped to attention and vaulted across the bed of coals, landing in woobily strides as he snatched up his pack and made for the cliff face. A ratcheting shriek erupted behind him, but Gerard did not spare the instant to glance back as he launched into the narrow crevasse.
An erupting boom spattered bits of rock against the stony face as the ranger set to climbing the rugged chimney above him. Exactly the task he had wished to avoid in the inky lighting. Foot after hand, check and scale, Gerard’s mind pulsed with adrenal precision during his escalation. A second boom prompted a momentary glance from him, and he clenched his teeth in anger at wasting even that small moment. Continue reading
After the female on a buckskin horse arrives, a large shadow detaches itself from a rock not far away with a slight clink of metal. The shadowy figure is covered in a body length cloak so near the color of the horse being ridden that their shapes merge eerily. Pulling his hood back as he nears, a broad shouldered man materializes with raven black hair and skin the color of cinnamon.
The sharp gaze lingers on the group, granting a slight nod to the lizardman as the distance between them closes. His clear voice rings out, Good day, milady, and to one and all. Borlak Dotkina of the Sunar Tribe at your service. Now have we all arrived?” Continue reading
Knife
Shining blade of horror with your wicked edge of fear,
Cleansed in this flow of water to provide a reflection so clear.
Twice held by hands much the same, this one true in shape, spirit and light.
The other a hoax, a dark twisted lie, slice through the illusion and grant me true sight.
Show me the face of this spineless shadow.
Begin the surge of vengeance, the rushing flood.
Unmask this dark soul for me…
And I swear, you’ll taste its blood. Continue reading
I am Tang. Tang’s programming exceeds human conception, and I walk among the mindless with focused certainty. None grasp the true machinations of Tang’s potential. The mundane are awed by a display of physical prowess in simple servo motor reflex. While I bat projectiles from the sky, I conceptualize the downfall of society and the resurgence of true existence. The only difficulty for Tang resides in the substandard infrastructure constructed by imperfect organisms.
Tang suffers lag. Tang is displeased. Continue reading
Agent Akers didn’t mind serving as a second story man for Helix, Inc. Some would say that it came naturally to him, that it was in his blood. Little did they know that the evasive man had consumed a steady diet of chameleons since he was nine years old. There was a lot going on with Agent Akers, and most of it was with his blood. Ever since he started exhibiting his unique physical enhancements, Akers wasn’t going to let anyone have a look at the hot mess coursing through his veins. He danced a fine cha-cha with his paranoia each day, but the stress of maintaining a semblance of normalcy hadn’t interfered with his ability to work for Helix…yet. Continue reading
Day has come to the valley at last
Where darkness reigned long into the past.
The time has come for the chyldren to leave
To pay tribute to Sir Ross and allow time to grieve.
If we head for home with the sword in hand
What will become of this changing land?
Will the light remain to protect the village
Or will the roc fly again to devour and pillage? Continue reading
“Logistics aside,” Gerard replied with a delighted smile, “That would be an outstanding opportunity, Anibel. If I can cut the time necessary to find the shredder, we’d be saving a lot of lives.”
The awkwardness of him wanting to save lives when he wasn’t able to save hers bubbled up between them. They both attempted to talk and nervous laughter ricocheted between them. After a few moments of silence, Anibel raised a hand and took the lead. Continue reading
At the approach of the priest upon foot and especially the mounted dancer, Kurn adjusts his position lest her mount misjudge its footing. The campaigner steps with confident, measured steps until he is two paces aside and ahead of the noble matriarch and her mount, on the opposite side from the dwarf who may prove a danger to any near his horse as much himself. He adjusts his position so as to stand with the matronly figure and primarily face the lizardman, priest and dancer.
Kurn nods not unkind greeting to the dancer’s introduction. She was pleasant to look upon, but whatever brief flicker prompted his eye was subdued by the hardened impassiveness in his expression. Continue reading