April 2018
Midnight Writers
Table of Contents
Cover: “Steampunk City,” an illustration by the Masked Page 11: Lady
“Who’s the Villain Now,” a story by The Masked Lady “Mini Stella,” an illustration by Stella
This Page: “Heavenly,” an illustration by Andromeda Page 12: Page 3: “Who’s the Villain Now,” continued Ask Aphro & Dite •
A soon-to-be-married man asks about his fear of cats
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A person who is addicted to cupcakes seeks help
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The Masked Lady tells a funny dog story
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Incandescence reviews the book The Five People you Met in
Unmasked Lady
Incandescence Literary Investigation Heaven
Page 4:
“Twice Upon a Then,” a story by Blue Serendipity “The Forested Path,” a photograph by Eos
Page 5:
“Melody of Orange,” a poem by Stella “Spring Feeling,” a poem by Seastar “Beachy Daze,” a photograph by Celia Bowen
Page 6:
“Strawberries and Cigarettes,” a story by Incandescence “The Flowery Path,” a photograph by Tom Nguyen
Page 7:
“The Red Balloon,” a poem by Eos “Gravity,” a poem by Cheryl Zhang “Rocky Crains,” a photograph by Celia Bowen “Hope,” a haiku by HMscorpio
Page 8:
“I Remember,” a poem by Andromeda “Blue Paradise,” a photograph by The Calico Cat “Spotlight,” a manga by Aya Hatashima
Page 9:
“Light in the Dark,” a photograph by Eos “Banned from Heaven,” a rant by Lucifer
Page 10:
“Blurred Lines,” a poem by Andromeda “Eternal,” a poem by Eos “Closer than Foe, Further than Friend,” a poem by Seastar “Cornered,” a photograph by Eos
“Wicked,” a poem by Eos “Fear,”a haiku by Hmscorpio “Blossoms,” a photograph by Tom Nguyen
Page 13:
“Memory,” a story by Stella “Darkness,” a haiku by HMscorpio
Page 14:
“Night Lights,” a photograph by The Calico Cat “Identity,” a story by Eos “Not Another Fairytale!” a story by The Masked Lady
Page 15:
“Santa, not Satan Part 7,” a story by Incandescence
Page 16:
“Santa, not Satan Part 7,” continued “Satan’s Seventh Gift,” an illustration by the Masked Lady
Thanks to all you detectives we’ve discovered who stole the Vorpal Sword! Turns out it was the Mad Hatter all along! Guess his business was not doing so hot so he tried selling the sword to make ends meet.
Ask Aphro & Dite
Dear Aphro, I have a fear of cats. I know it sounds crazy, but their pointed ears and sharp looking teeth creep me out. I am soon getting married and my fiance loves cats. How do I get the guts to tell her that I have a fear of them? I am afraid she will call off the engagement if I tell her the truth. What should I do? Yours, Fear of Cats Dear Fear of Cats, Cats aren’t always the nicest creatures and I am actually allergic to them. But telling your fiance that you have a fear... It’s just too late. I am just going to have to be blunt, but you made a big mistake. My suggestion is to tell her the truth right now. Hopefully, your fiance will love you so much that she will send her cats to the shelter. I hope this helps. With love, Aphro Dear Dite, I really love cupcakes. But I have an addiction to them. I am getting really fat because of the cupcakes. My doctors says I better stop now or I’m going to die soon. I don’t want to die. What should I do? Yours, Quit Cupcakes Dear Quit Cupcakes, I know sweets taste very good, but you should listen to your doctor. Too many cupcakes makes you fat. I am not a doctor, but I would suggest to never buy cupcakes ever again and never eat them when someone serves them to you. You can overcome this. I believe in you. You will feel a lot better after banning cupcakes from your diet and you’ll be healthier, too. I believe in you. I hope this helps. With love, Dite
Unmasked Lady
. Hello, Midnight Writers! I haven’t really told any funny stories in a long time so I figured, what’s better than another dog story? One day, I was walking home from school. As I was approaching my house I noticed a dachshund mixed dog sniffing around the parking lot. Soon enough, we made eye contact and the dog wandered over to be petted. I started walking away. But for some strange reason, the dog started following. I tried shooing it away by telling it to go back home. Luckily, the dog got distracted by something and went off, so problem solved. I had made it to my front door and was about to open it when I felt this presence near my feet. When I looked down, there was that exact same dog from before standing right next to me, ready to enter my house! So basically, there was now this dog with an unknown owner and no collar standing next to me. My first plan was to go inside to get my dog’s collar and leash and walk the dog around until I found its owner. And it would have worked, if not for the fact that this dog was very eager to enter my home, which I’m pretty sure my own dog would not have appreciated. My second plan was to carry her, but she seemed kind of scared. So I sat with this random dog, hoping that her owner would come. After a couple of minutes, I heard a lady scream, “Macy! Where are you?!” So, the dog, Macy, was reunited with her owner. But that was not the last I would see of Macy. One year later, my dad and I were in the car. As he began to back into the parking spot, my dad said, “Do you see that dog over there?” And guess who that dog was? That’s right! It was Macy, walking along the sidewalk, once again without her owner. The first thing that came to mind was we had to catch that dog! So my dad and I got of the car as Macy began walking towards us. As soon as she saw us, she began walking faster. She headed straight towards my dad, and jumped through his door into the driver’s seat. Before we could grab her, Macy had shoved herself under the glove compartment and refused to budge. But soon after, the owner came running and screaming “Macy!” My dad, who had correctly assumed that we had Macy, called out to her. She was grateful that we had her dog, but confused when she found out that we did not possess a dog in our arms. My dad and I looked over at the car. The lady asked, “Did my dog go in your car? Oh my god! Macy! Get out of the car.” Macy was soon yanked out of the car by her owner. Therefore, happy endings for all, except for Macy who probably got in trouble for this.
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Incandescence’s Literary Investigations Hello and welcome to my seventh book
review! Today I’m going to be discussing another novel by Mitch Albom. Titled The Five People You Meet in Heaven, this is one of my favorite books. This book details the death of one Eddie Shore, an elderly man who passes in an amusement park accident. From there, you guessed it, he meets five people while in heaven. These five people are mentors for those who have just passed and provide Eddie with the wisdom they’ve learned during their first steps. In between the people, the author deftly interweaves snippets of Eddie’s past birthdays and major life events that happened that had an impact on Eddie. The first person he meets is known as the Blue Man, whom Eddie had unknowingly affected as a child. From him, he learns that everyone is connected. The second is his army captain, from when he was fighting in Vietnam. From him, he learns the importance of sacrifice. I don’t want to spoil too much of the story, so I’ll stop there. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to pretty much everyone. It’s not very long, and the vernacular used is simple, so most people will be able to understand the book well. Despite all that, the pure emotion that comes from the rich world that Albom creates is beautiful and vivid. And with each person we meet in the story, you’re compelled to evaluate what and who is important to you. These life lessons, should you choose to listen, show that a small action or thought can bring about big effects, and that nothing is random. And with that, I leave you for this month. Read on!
Special thanks to Sra. Steele, The Masked Lady, Incadencence, HMscorpio, Eos, Andromeda, and Celia Bowen. 3
Twice Upon A Then By Blue Serendipity
4
Long golden locks of hair slowly fluttered down to the cool bathroom tiles. The sound of the scissors, snipping made Rapunzel cringe. Rose didn’t quite understand what was going on but she knew that something bad had happened. “There, I’m done,” said Ella, taking a step backwards and admiring her handiwork, “C’est beau! Beautiful!” Rapunzel stood up and looked in the mirror. The lightness was strange and she could feel the cool air around her neck. Her long golden hair had turned a dark brown and was now cut short with the tips of her hair curling under her chin. All around her, long locks of hair piled around her feet. “I will miss your hair,” sighed Alieus as they cleaned the mess up, “I don’t quite know why you must cut it off.” “My mother and my father’s hair color was brown. I can not just go up to my people claiming that I was the Princess when I don’t look like them,” said Rapunzel logically, with a frown. “It will never grow anymore however.” “Do you have to go back? You can stay with Ella and I,” said Alieus wistfully. There were only two flasks, which meant that only two of them could return home. He had no intention of going back and neither did Ella. Rose had a family, however, so she needed to return as soon as possible. “I have my duty as Princess and soon-to-be Queen,” said Rapunzel shaking her head. It was strange to not see her long blonde hair fly around wildly when she shook her head. Rose looked at Rapunzel’s new hair in awe. “Am I going home?” Rose asked curiously. She missed her mother, father, and her grandmother. After all, she was only a kid, far too young to be living without them. Alieus ruffled the girl’s hair and nodded. “You are. I’m going to miss you, Rose,” sighed Alieus hugging her. “Are you going home too?” Rose asked trying to understand the situation. “No, me and Ella are going to stay here.” Rapunzel placed all her things into a bag and Ella helped Rose pack up her things. Alieus walked into the kitchen where his phone had been sitting in uncooked rice. Taking it out, he opened the camera. “What are you doing?” Rapunzel asked walking over. Alieus gave her a sad smile and held the phone up. He adjusted it so then the both of them fit in the frame. “Are you taking a photograph? Rose and Ella should be in it too.” Once the two other girls walked into the kitchen, they all got in position for the picture. Alieus frowned as it didn’t seem to work. He was tapping the little white circle but the picture just didn’t appear. “I did this before, but it’s not working now,” said Alieus confused. Rose tried to look over but instead accidentally knocked the phone into the sink. They all gasped and Alieus quickly retrieved it. “My phone!” “Oops,” squeaked Rose guiltily. Rapunzel laughed and held out the box of uncooked rice. Alieus placed it back inside and sighed in disappointment. Rapunzel took her phone off the counter and held it up. “Let’s use mine instead, shall we?” Rapunzel asked before tak-
ing a photo. It worked this time and she gave the phone to Ella. “You should have this now. I won’t be able to use it back in my kingdom so you should have it.” “Will we meet again?” Ella asked hugging her. “I don’t think so. I really appreciated the time spent with the three of you,” said Rapunzel pulling them all into a hug. They then all walked over to the mirror in the bathroom. Rose was first and she drank the potion. “It tastes like licorice,” said Rose delighted. Rapunzel scrunched up her nose and made a face. “I hate licorice,” she mumbled, “Alright, try and put your hand through.” Rose lifted her hand and they all watched as her hand magically went through the mirror as if she was putting her arm through water. Slowly, she took a step inside the mirror and kept moving until it was just her head they could see. “I’m going to miss you all. And I’m really sorry about the phone, Alieus,” apologized Rose before disappearing behind the mirror. Ella had glossy eyes as she watched the girl she had befriended go. “I really will miss you two,” said Rapunzel wrapping her arms around Ella and then Alieus. He could’ve sworn she lingered for a few minutes before letting go. Uncorking the flask, she drank the potion and grimaced. “It really does taste like licorice.” “Bye Rapunzel,” said Ella and Alieus with a wave. Rapunzel smiled at the both of them before walking through the mirror. There was a moment of silence as an unsettling empty feeling washed over the remaining two. Alieus walked forwards and placed a hand on the mirror, feeling it’s smoothness and solidness. All that remained of Rose and Rapunzel was the small flicker of hope that one day they might return.
“The Forested Path,” Photograph by Eos
Melody of Orange By Stella Orange is a color I never really liked Maybe pastel would have been fine Or a calming blue Or pleasant pink But never that bright saturated stain Orange is a color you really like It was the color of the shirt you wore When I first met you It colors your favorite food And fills you with a sunny warmness
Spring Feeling By Seastar
Spring is the time when the trees Turn a pretty pale pink And sprout cherry blossoms The sky becomes a calming blue The grass turns ten shades greener The world seems a little bit happier The frost of winter fades away And the sun shines down on us Hot chocolate is replaced by fresh fruit Like watermelon and oranges
Like when you play the piano I like seeing you smiling happily
School ending is just around the corner As the days become longer
Your sparkling laughter is colorful “Maybe I can play for you sometime”
Summer calls from far away Looking to come back again
I wonder how you music would sound A melody of radiance and fulfillment
Followed by autumn, Then a cold, long winter
Or maybe a simple song That we would share Just like the orange in your hand
“Beachy Daze,” Photograph by Celia Bowen
But right now, All that I can feel Is that good spring feeling.
5
Strawberries and Cigarettes By Incandescence
6
Azura was in love with the idea of love. She was a complete and utter hopeless romantic. This had stemmed from that day that Azura had visited what had been her grandmother’s house as a young child and gone exploring around the manor. This house had been passed down from generation to generation, and was several times over Azura’s age. It resided on the planet Tau Ceti, in the Mice Galaxy. Azura was fascinated; the house was a remnant of what houses had once been; it had an electrically powered gate, a fountain, and even a garden that was planted in the planet’s red soil, not in a HortiBox™! How quaint! And to think that some people had actually lived this way only a little over 100 StarDates ago! While her parents were busy with documents that had something to do with transferring property, Azura had wandered off, all the way to the top, where she found a ladder stretching upwards into darkness. Ever the curious girl, she had scampered up to the highest turret. There, she found a plastic box and other antiquated objects. Pushing a random button on a black box, she was startled when it extended a small part of itself outward. Next, she turned to the plastic box. Brushing off the dust, she opened it and found bright covers with Humans on them. Most seemed to have a woman and a man on them, and all clearly liked each other. She opened the one title Titanic. Inside was a round object, that was coincidentally the size of the panel in the black box. She inserted the disc into the DVD player. As soon as the box spluttered an image on the opposing wall, she was hooked. Despite her parents’ objections that she was wasting her time with those “outdated timewasters,” Azura held those DVDs dear to her heart. They were her most prized possessions, and by the time she had turned 19, she had watched each one more times than she could count. She couldn’t wait to find her perfect partner, her soulmate one day. She daydreamed endlessly about meeting the Jack to her Rose, the Romeo to her Juliet. Azura was sure her soulmate was out
there, and she had to go find him. But her parents had never allowed her to travel outside the Mice Galaxy, which is why when her parents announced that they were all going to Canes Venatici of the Sunflower Galaxy, she was surprised. It only took the starship three days to get to Canes Venatici. As soon as they entered the atmosphere, she ran to the nearest window and kept her face pressed to the glass, eager to catch a glimpse of this new world. The starship landed on top of a tall black building, giving Azura a great view of the sprawling city below. Just underneath them was a buzzing city with too many buildings to count. Numerous billboards blinked neon lights, advertising everything from the new electrodes that could control lucid dreaming and memory to health things, like the artificial skin that could be programmed. Best of all, there were tons and tons of people, from all over space. Azura hoped that she could find her partner here. But her dreams were dashed when her mother explained why they were really there; Azura was to meet her future fiancé - the son of the Emeryx family - and make it official. Understandably, Azura was stunned, and vehemently against it. She was supposed to bump into her soulmate someday and get married for love, not for money or practicality! Notwithstanding, her parents refused to budge, saying that the Emeryxs were a kind and rich family that would take good care of Azura. Which is why, once they had reached the hotel and gotten into bed, Azura made the decision to run away. After making sure that her parents were sound asleep, Azura stuffed her things into her metal bag and, taking inspiration from the countless movies that she had so admired, strung together several sheets and cords that she had scavenged from around the hotel, and was planning to use it as a sort of rope in her descent. Sure, it was a bit dramatic, but, if she was going to escape to find her true love, she was going to go all out. Besides, their room wasn’t far from the ground, and her parents had the room that was right beside the door. Azura had just started on her journey downwards when she spotted someone else doing the exact same thing she was several rooms over. This person had started before her, and reached the bottom before she did. Once Azura reached the ground, she could see her better.
The woman’s name was Zaira, and she was the same age as Azura. She had scaled the hotel walls because she was tired of her family always bickering and was going to explore the city on her own. Azura was instantly smitten. Not only was Zaira stunning, she was cultured and very funny. They clicked instantly. That night, Azura had her first kiss. Azura’s strawberry lip balm mixed with Zaira’s smokey taste, creating an intoxicating blend. For the next two months, the duo plunged into a whirlwind tour of Canes Venatici and its neighbouring planets. They attended the local Vortex Hurling matches, munched on engine-cooked strix toast, and journeyed to the Iirq Tips. With each passing day, Azura could feel herself falling further and further in love. Zaira, who was very open with her affections, proclaimed her own, similar feelings. They were married in a 24/7 amusement park by a Dolly Parton impersonator. Azura only returned to Canes Venatici when her parents contacted her and told her that they would call off the engagement if she came back. Upon seeing Zaira, her parents’ eyes widened. Zaira was the cousin of the man she was once arranged to marry. It looked like Azura had (kinda) married into Emeryx family after all.
“The Flowery Path,” Photograph by Tom Nguyen
Gravity
By Cheryl Zhang I’ve spent so long underwater That I’ve forgotten how to swim So long without speaking That I don’t remember the sound of my own voice I’ve spent so long crying That I can’t remember the feeling of my cheeks being dry I’ve fallen into a dark place Out of which I can’t climb I’m scared to climb For fear of falling But I’m clawing my way out Paving my own path And at last, at the end of the tunnel I see a glimmer of light
The Red Balloon By Eos As a little girl Standing on the verge of looming adolescence Every Saturday My mother and I would purchase a red balloon From the kind woman next to the Giant supermarket, My hand gripping the balloon string So that it would never fly away. Today Standing on the verge of adulthood, Every Saturday I read textbooks, words on pages that never take flight. The balloon stand has been abandoned By the kind woman who now lies in the corner of my mind As a figment of childhood memory, nothing more. The red balloons are kept in a box on my dresser As hollow shells that contain hidden depths, Masked by years of growing up. The least I can do Is continue to hold on to the hand of the little girl in my mind So that she never flies away.
Forever Yours By Andromeda Dear Angel, I’m sending you a dove To visit you in heaven above I send my wishes and my love There’s so many words left unsaid So many books left unread These things hang over my head
Hope
By HMscorpio The hope is realer. It makes you feel good inside. Always be hopeful.
Sometimes I justify the pain I cause And gloss over my callous flaws That tear apart with angry claws Time changes in an instant If I’d known, I wouldn’t have kept my distance I would have stayed persistent
“Rocky Cairns,” Photograph by Celia Bowen
But even after all the tears I cried Your memory will always be my guide Your love always by my side So although you are missed beyond measure Our life’s joys and pains and pleasures These gifts you left I will surely treasure Sincerely, Forever Yours 7
I Remember By Andromeda
I remember The grinding of machinery And groaning metal clocks Whirring, humming, ticking in the scenery I remember Swinging, bobbing, handheld lights The candles dancing on the wicker Carried on long dark nights I remember The puffing factory chimneys Exhaling hot grey smoke On windy days dispersing quickly I remember The rigid blades of grass Standing brown and taut Underneath the oak trees bough of red brass I remember Their persuasive oaths “We’ll remake the world!” “Paradise free from change, from growth!” I remember The last green flowers Blooming in a lonely field Petals crushed beneath our metal towers I remember What it was like before the change Before we sacrificed mother nature So our world could be rearranged Do you?
8 Paradise,” Photograph by the Calico Cat “Blue
“Spotlight,” Manga by Aya Hatashima(Read from right to left)
Banned from Heaven By Lucifer
Angels banned me from heaven this week.
Yeah, so, how’s your life? Oh, wait, sorry. You want me to start over? Like the very, very beginning? Ok, but before I begin this I need you to know that I am mentally sane (when I’m not at school) and you need to probably strap yourselves into a seat and if you get motion sickness be sure to bring a barf bag. This ride is long and angry. Flashback to last Friday when I was on a college visit with my friend and then to Sunday night when I was “studying” for my Anatomy test when I decided at 11 p.m. that I was gonna give up and go to bed. I realized what a terrible mistake that was. I got up Monday morning thinking “Wow, is there any chance the school just happened to collapse overnight?” My dreams were once again crushed as I walked into the school just a minute before the final bell rang. I just need to inform you that I was prepared to take about three assessments that Monday. But, do you know what happened??? My teachers decided to surprise me with MORE assessments. Like, I’m saying straight-up pop-quizzes (that are illegal but apparently that rule doesn’t apply to this teacher). I’m going to yell right now so prepare your earplugs. I took a total of SIX. DIFFERENT. ASSESSMENTS. ONE OF THEM
WAS AN IN-CLASS ESSAY. Do you know how many classes I take? Seven. The only class I didn’t have an assessment in was BAND. So… I was unprepared for three out of six assessments?? That’s one half which is equal to 50% which is probably also equal to the grade I got on every single assessment that day. Let me tell you about that in-class essay though. Usually, in-class essays are okay, because the questions teachers give are pretty standard, and at this point I’ve written too many of them. I’m just surprised my hand hasn’t fallen off. But AP Lit is different when you have Mr. Kim. If you don’t know Kim, I’m not about to tell you, so ask your friend (if you don’t have one… sorry). It’s not as if I hate Kim. Actually, it’s the opposite. I really like his class and he’s crazy, which makes the class a lot more interesting but… why is he such an intense test giver?? I have Lit the second half of the day, and by the time I got to class on Monday, I had already taken five assessments and was just ready to listen to his lecture. I sat down and the girl next to me says “Are you ready?” Um, no. What am I supposed to be ready for? A duel to the death? A party? A race? That’s one of the most stressful questions in the world. I thought I was going to faint when she told me there was an in-class essay. So, naturally, I get up and tell Kim that I wasn’t there on Friday when he decided to tell the class the prompt ahead of time and he announces to the class, “Even if you weren’t here Friday, you can still do it. It’s just on the first paragraph.” I sit down again and when I got the prompt I nearly cried. This was not an essay you could write in just 45 minutes. Plus, I didn’t even finish reading the short story the prompt was on. I really just skimmed the rest of the story and just started writing complete crap. I thought I was having a heart attack. I had no idea what I was writing and I only found out later that other people wrote the essay over the weekend and just turned what they wrote in. I’m pretty sure they did really well but halfway through my “essay,” (I don’t even think I can call it that) I put my pencil down and folded my hands in my lap and just looked straight ahead at nothing. That’s when the trumpets starting playing. I looked up and saw angels with their flowing blonde hair, white dresses, and tiny transparent wings holding those harp-like instruments. Those were the fluffiest clouds I’ve ever seen and I thought I was going to go more blind than I already am from the intense light that I assume came from God. Then the angels turned to me and smiled like the nice neighborhood aunt and they pointed at me and shouted, “SHAME!” They sounded almost as judgy as asian moms. Then this regal renaissance gate shut in my face and my first thought was “Yeah, I get it. Makes sense.” But then I looked down and there was Lucifer himself with his arms outstretched towards me and said, “Welcome, my child. This is where all the failures live and guess what? You fit right in!” This time I thought, “Cool, I’ll see you soon.” Then I picked up my pencil and finished the rest of my terrible essay. I know for a fact Mr. Kim gets every single one of these magazines but let’s hope he doesn’t actually read this. If you’re reading this, hi, love your haircut and please don’t find me. I’m serious, don’t do it.
“Light in the Dark,”Photograph by Eos
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Blurred Lines By Andromeda
We like to paint things in black and white Evil villains and chivalrous knights Wicked witches and delicate damsels Deep dark towers and lily-white castles But there is no divide No parting tide The devil is a fallen angel Good and evil are a web you can’t untangle The world is littered with pious criminals and lying priests Things ours teacher can’t teach and our preachers can’t preach We don’t line our pews with saints and martyrs Our members are miscreants and sinners we harbor Evil is easy, dying, losing, cheating It’s our bias that keeps us from seeing Good people do bad things But true evil is when lies are what we are believing
“Cornered,”Photograph by Eos
Eternal By Eos
When I was little I wished to live forever and ever and ever. Why, I’m not quite sure. Perhaps the idea of immortality Was a thought that rooted itself in my mind And took flight. But now, After years of growing up, That idea has stagnated, Slowly crashing to the ground. In today’s world of plastic surgery, Steroids, enhancemnts, Pills, needles, brittel exercises, All designed to make us live longer (Or at least appear to look that way) Immortality now seems like a far-off dream Chased by those Who wish to be eternal Even if that eternal longevity Is a lie disguised as Immortality. 10
Closer Than Foe, Further Than Friend By Seastar
How did we become like this? Push and pull, back and forth. When we first met you told me we would be friends forever. Remember? In kindergarten as we sat on the swings together Now we sit in class and avoid looking at each other entirely. Everytime I think about the friendship we had, Memories we shared, My stomach fills with butterflies That swirl into my head. Why can’t we be that way again? When we entered high school, did we turn into different people? I’ll never know for sure what our friendship could have been like I’ll never know what it could have turned into Or ever been like in the near future. Now all I know Is your cold stares. Closer than foe, Further than friend.
Who’s the Villain Now? By The Masked Lady
“What would you do if you were given immense power?” I was asked this the day my life changed. Like in any old, cliche tale, I was a simple traveler wandering the Trojan Desert when, in my exhaustion, I tripped over a foreign object half buried in the burning sand. To my astonishment, I found none other than the infamous staff itself. The glimmering stone set at the tip enticed anyone who stumbled upon it to become a thief. Like the immense fool I am, I grabbed the staff. As my fingertips came into contact with the staff, a gruff announcer-like voice echoed inside my head. “Greetings, I once belonged to the great sorcerer Mehar and am now at your service,” the voice boomed. “After many years, my old friend, Mehar, lost his battle to old age. For years I have been surfing these sand dunes, waiting for the moment you, young traveler, had found me.” I don’t even remember what I was thinking back then. Was I scared, excited, confused? All that remains in my memory is the inexplicable pain. My skin felt as if it was melting off, smoke and fire wouldn’t stop filling my lungs as I gasped for air, and my brain pulsed as the fire overcame my body. It was as if I was drowning in lava. But once the pain was over, I knew I had changed as an immense power now filled my body. “Whoever is able to hold this staff is inherits the powers of the wizards who have wielded it before. Now, young man, what will you do with this power?” All I ever wanted to do was to be the hero. I had always dreamt of being cheered on by grateful citizens, smiting monsters, and saving damsels in distress. Perhaps that was why I greedly accepted the staff so quickly. After the incident, I ventured to every town across Lenarol taking requests. No matter who asked or the request, I eagerly accepted. Soon word of The Wandering Mage spread. Not the heroic name I was expecting, but it had a nice ring to it. Soon enough,
everyone knew my name, and no matter where I went I was showered with praise, gratitude, and affection. But, like any tragic story, nothing stays the same. I met her that one fateful day. She was another traveler like myself who wandered through the world looking for adventure. Her firecracker eyes lit up when I approached her. “Hello, my name is Claire.” She said with a smile. Before I could respond, the voice echoed through my brain. “Be wary. She will become your greatest enemy.” The staff warned. I didn’t understand his words back then. At first glance, the girl that stood in front of me looked like any ordinary girl. Taken aback by the staff’s warning, I simply ignored the girl. But she trailed behind me, persistently chattering happily. I gathered from her gibberish she was actually a lost mage who was trying to find the next town. I quickly shooed her in the right direction and hurried away in panic. If the staff was correct, then this Claire would be the enemy of my tale. I quickly brushed the thought out of my mind and continued my wandering journey. But it wasn’t fated to be last time we would meet. I saw.
I groaned in agony. Out of all the people, why her? But the story must go on, so Claire and her little team joined me through Hell’s Tower. After smiting monsters left and right with ease, I could only laugh at the idea of Claire and her pathetic team being able to defeat the great sorcerer. After a series of grueling battles, we reached the final floor of the castle. I became increasingly impatient with Claire’s constant pestering and just wanted to finish this quest as quickly as possible. I hurried through the door, too proud to heed Claire’s warnings. As I entered, the lights dimmed and a musty fog crept across the floor. I squinted my eyes to look through the fog and layed my eyes upon the great throne of the sorcerer, glistening in its greatness. No matter how alluring a throne was, it needed someone just as great to occupy it, but this one stood empty. This was the final floor, yet where was the sorcerer? “Maybe he’s taking a sick day?” Claire piped up as she quickly scurried by my side along with her team members. I glanced down at the staff in my hands.
Soon enough, her name became the new talk of the town. The young mage formed a clan of mages that helped people in need. At first I didn’t care about the gossip, but soon enough her name became like a tick that never went away. How could some measly girl replace the one and only Wandering Mage? I have been helping people longer then this newbie, so why was everybody so interested in her? And like any story, there has to be a main villain. An evil sorcerer sought revenge against the king for banishing him to the pits of hell and continuously threatened Lenarol. The people’s pleas for help reached me, and I accepted their request. Undoubtedly, I was the only one able to save them. I spent harrowing weeks traveling through the lands to finally reach the evil sorcerer’s land. Once I reached the palace gates, none other than Claire, with her team, stood eagerly waiting to enter the tower. She turned and flashed me her thousand watt smile. “Why, hello, Wandering Mage! Here to defeat the evil sorcerer? Mind if we join you?” She laughed as 11 “Mini Stella,” Illustration by Stella
I had only just noticed its silence throughout the entirety of the quest, but I didn’t have time to ponder for long as the fog surrounding us grew thicker. I knew I wasn’t the only one who felt the stifling dark presence that just arrived. “So, you are the great mage everyone’s been talking about,” a horrendous voice chuckled lazily. The settling smoke revealed an old man sprawled across the throne. He had one leg swung over the arm of the throne, a face that was so putrid it made Hephaestus look like a model, and cobweb like hair that was receded so far it was basically just a row of hair strands growing in a horizontal line. “I have waited decades for the person with the ability to wield my staff to arrive.” The corpse eyes peered eagerly at my staff in greed. Drool practically dripped down his lips. “Now, I am no longer chained to this putid body. I hope you don’t mind sharing, Wandering Mage.” Before I could react, the rotting bodytumbled to the foot of the throne as the heinous ghost that occupied to body launched towards me while laughing maniacally. “Look out!” Claire screamed as she pushed me off the ghosts path. In an instant, the ghost smashed in Claire’s body and she crumpled to the floor motionless. “Claire!” Her teammates cried in agony as they swarmed around her. I didn’t know what to do. Everything began to blur together. The staff’s original owner was alive all this time? But what did he want to do with me? Have I been used all this time? I felt my brain scream in pain as I frustratedly strangled the staff. “This was not what I was expecting,” Claire croaked. Her body quickly sprung up, knocking her teammates down. “Oh, well, I guess this body will do for now. But I’m going to need my staff back, you vapid boy. And when I’m done with you I’ll use your body as I please.” Claire laughed maniacally. “She will be your greatest enemy.” The staff’s words echoed through my head again. Is this what the staff was warning me about? But why would it tell me this? 12
“You have to defeat her, Wandering Mage,” the staff echoed. “Why should I trust you? You led me here only to be this freak’s new puppet!” I screamed. “I had no choice but to lie. I’m truly sorry I lied, but if I had told you the truth would you have accepted me? I have been sent around the world to find a new young body that can handle immense power more times than I can count. But I’m tired of being used by the evil sorcerer. Don’t forget, young traveler, I chose you. I made you. Defeat him. Now!” The staff’s demanded as his voice rose in volume with each sentence. “I don’t trust you, but I’ll gladly defeat this annoyance,” I smirked with newfound confidence. “You think you can defeat me?” Claire shrieked. “Well, you made the mistake of taking a weakling’s body. Because I’m going to crush you into a pulp!” I laughed. “No, wait! Claire could still be in there!” One of her teammates cried. Ignoring their words, I swiftly raised my staff and began to focus. “El canouss banuta!” I screamed. Lighting burst down from the skies, crashing through the castle ceiling with ease. Before the sorcerer could react, the lighting struck him into a crisp. The once all mighty sorcerer was now nothing but a pile of ash. I stood there gleefully, proud at my victory, but my joy vanished as Claire’s teammates cried out in sorrow. “You monster! You didn’t even try to save her!” they cried. Why were they crying, I literally just saved their lives and this whole country?! “Oh, shut up! She was nothing but a road block!” I mocked. They didn’t seem to understand, because I felt a prick against my back. I turned around to see one of the teammates from before trying to stab me with his sword. “Curse you! You act like this almighty hero, but look at yourself! You are nothing but a selfish villain!” He cried. I stared dumbfounded at them as they continued crying. I looked at the staff who sat in my hand silently until I heard a silent whisper in the back of my head.
Wicked By Eos
Their eyes follow me With a mixture of fear And understanding Because who wouldn’t After my unmistakable sins. I never wanted to be wicked in this way But maybe I truly am.
Fear
By HMscorpio It is a feeling. It is threatening and dark. I am so afraid.
“Who’s the villain now?”
“Blossoms,” Photograph by Tom Nguyen
Memory By Stella
In a parallel future, memories are bought and traded like money and goods. “Our great leaders rid the world of technology after the Third World War in 2085. Of course, medical advances and other robots still exist for our benefit, but much of the technology of the 21st century has been destroyed. Although we have...” I tuned the monotone voice of my teacher out. Everyone already knew the history of what happened. The economic crash of 2057, the discovery of memory exchange in 2083, and finally, World War III in 2085. Being alive in 2114 didn’t make a difference. I stared at the glassy blue walls that surrounded the classroom, and before I knew it, class was already over. The other students around me packed their bags and laughed with friends as they ran out the door. I was alone again today. I sighed, and left the room. Ding! “Lucas! I’m waiting for you by the entrance again!” I smiled, and ran for the door. A black haired girl with shining amber eyes was waiting for me, a phone in her hand. Smartphones and video game consoles were among the only entertainment devices we were still allowed to have. My girlfriend tackled me with a hug. “Lucas!” I laughed and hugged her back. Jenny was my only source of sanity. “Today was so boring! Instead of the usual urban sketching and charcoal figures, we had to only use one color to draw the same thing over and over again!” She puffed out her cheeks in annoyance and I reached over to poke them. I laughed. “Sounds like you’re having fun over at the
School of Art. My usual teacher was out, so the lecture was just a repeat of history.” “Heh, Memory Exchange Studies sure sounds fun,” Jenny teased playfully. “You don’t even know,” I replied. On the way home, we passed by the huge industrial factory. Again, a man was outside shouting about the freedom of memories. Jenny held onto me tighter, as we hurried past the factory and into the train station. The stiff, mechanical voice once again washed over the air. “Departing to Seoul Metropolis with eight additional stops in two minutes.” Jenny and I quickly boarded the train and waited for departure. Per tradition, we fell asleep on each other as the train made it’s thirty eight mile journey back to the city. “Last stop, Seoul Metropolis. Last stop.” The monotone voice woke us up and we quickly scrambled out of the train car. As we made our way to the central district, I couldn’t help but notice people panicking like it was the start of World War IV. I glanced and Jenny and saw the same worried expression I wore on my face. Cars were swerving out of control, buses stopped, pedestrians screaming and running. “Watch out!” I yelled, as an off course car grazed Jenny’s path. I grabbed a nearby pedestrian. “What’s going on?” The man looked at me with fear in his eyes, hands trembling and body shaking. “A-Air raid...” he whispered. Then, he turned and bolted. My eyes narrowed. “I thought we had an agreement with Germany!” I felt a tug on my sleeve. “No, Lucas. Look,” Jenny pointed at the gas powered screen that was suspended by chains. “We were allied with Amer-
ica. However, this attack means a declaration of war. The bombing of Seoul Metropolis was only limited to the East-Central district. However...” I tuned the rest out. Grandfather and Caleb were at home. They were still at the apartment in East-Central. I looked at Jenny. She knew it too. I grabbed her hand and ran. We made it to East-Central within minutes. “Grandfather! Caleb!” The apartment. It was gone. Rubble and flames were the only thing that remained. Sirens went off everywhere in my head. “...Lucas? Jenny?” A quiet voice behind me asked. My head spun around so fast, I thought I would break my neck. There, standing in the sunlight of the destruction was my little brother, Caleb. Jenny ran up to him, hugging him tightly in her arms. “Caleb, are you hurt? Are you okay?” His shirt was torn, and there was smoke on his face. His eyes were full of fear and his body shook with every movement. He fell into Jenny’s embrace, dry tears on his cheeks. An officer appeared behind Caleb. “Are you this boy’s family?” I stepped up. “I’m his brother,” I said. The officer nodded. “Where is our grandfather?” The officer shook his head. “He didn’t make it. Somehow, Caleb here was the only survivor.” Impossible. Not a single survivor except my ten year old brother? How?
The officer looked at Caleb, something unreadable in his eyes. “Do you want to remove it?” “What?” I questioned. “Do you want to erase the trauma? Young Caleb watched his grandfather and everyone he knew fall in front of him. The way he is now, you can’t tell what will happen.” My eyes darkened. “Erase? What do you want with Caleb?” The officer put his hands up in the air. “I want him to live normally. A child this young cant handle this kind of trauma so early on.” “What are you proposing?” I asked. “Have you heard of the Memory Trials?” “I major in Memory Exchange.” “You can change Caleb’s life if you take him to the Trials. They can take away the memory of this incident and replace it with your grandfather’s simple passing.” “What’s the catch?” The office smiled. “Ah. I knew you’d ask that.” His face turned serious. “To enter a Trial, you must bet something of equal price.” I looked over at Jenny, who was tightly holding Caleb. “I’ll do it,” I resolved. The officer looked me straight in the eyes. “Are you sure?” “Yes.” “Lucas, are you willing to bet Jennifer’s memories of you for Caleb?”
Darkness
By HMscorpio It feels so scary. I want out of the darkness. A pitch and black night. 13
Identity By Eos
My favorite drink on the Starbucks menu is the pumpkin spice latte. On the weekends, you can find me trying out hand sanitizer in the back corner of Bed Bath & Beyond. I have two pairs of Uggs. I am on the Poms team, commonly confused with cheerleading. Yoga pants make up a good 60% of my wardrobe. I did cry during The Notebook and consider it to be a work of cinematic greatness. I read all of the Twilight books in middle school. Edward Cullen was my favorite character. Followed by Jacob. Hannah Montana was my role model growing up. When I was in second grade, I saw High School Musical Live. My favorite character was Troy. Followed by Sharpay. At one point in time, I had memorized the entire playlist. I have been frequently described as “overly-peppy.” The Container Store is my happy place. I never wanted to be the basic Potomac girl. They are the girls who have stuck to trends with an impressive vigor, never once looking uncool, or worst of all, “nerdy.” The girls who have blended together in an unchanging sea of Uggs, frappuccinos, and potent hand sanitizer to form an army of girl-next-door monotony. Somewhere in this army I reluctantly stand. People are always surprised to hear I play video games, or enjoy watching Game of Thrones. “But you’re from Potomac,” they say, foreheads wrinkled in confusion, “You’re supposed to like Starbucks.” Most importantly, when people see me through the lens of Potomac girl, see me in that unchanging sea, it blinds them from seeing the struggles I have been through that pull me further and further away from the shore. January 10, 2017. My 19 year old brother is hospitalized for a near-fatal fever temperature. After almost dying three times in the ICU and being put on a ventilator, it is revealed that he has Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a rare disease that attacks the nerves, rendering the patient completely paralyzed. In the months that followed, my brother was on intense rehabilitation in a hospital near his college to regain movement and speech. Both my parents had left to take care of him for 14
those months, leaving me and my ten year old sister in Potomac. When we visited him for the first time, he was in so much physical and mental pain that it broke me on the inside. At the time, I didn’t tell anyone what was happening. As much as I wanted to, I feared no one would understand what I was going through. In a sea full of people, I felt alone and afraid. Everyone’s lives seemed so perfect; how could they ever know? My brother scoffed at me when I told him this months after he had mostly recovered. “Just because you think people’s lives are perfect doesn’t mean they are - How could you ever know?” And he was right. All this time I had been putting myself and others in a box. How could I have known that everyone’s lives around me were perfect? For all I knew, they could have been going through just as much as me. I looked around me and realized the sea of Potomac girls was really just a mass of different people all leading different lives. So, yes, I drink Starbucks, I’m on Poms, I own an unnecessary amount of different scented hand-sanitizers. But I love video games, anime, and a good portion of the past few months of my life would make for a very dramatic television show. So put me in that Potomac girl box if you would like. But realize that the label barely defines me or my experiences. I left that shore a long time ago.
Not Another Fairytale!
By The Masked Lady Once upon a time, there was a kingdom that kept the balance between Heaven and Hell and a king that ruled with an iron fist. His heart only warmed at the sight of his twin daughters who looked so alike... yet were so different. The eldest twin was loved by the kingdom but the youngest was often forgotten. Desperate for attention, the youngest sought out the grimmest way to liquidate her father to become Queen. Out of sisterly love, the eldest decapitates her father’s head and offers it to her sister as celebratory gift for becoming Queen. However, the King left a will appointing the eldest twin Queen. The youngest twin was outraged and unable to understand the late King’s choice. The youngest twin, out of spite, sparked a war between Heaven and Hell. If the kingdom couldn’t be hers, she wouldn’t let anyone else have it either. The balance broke and everything descended into complete chaos. When the dust settled, all was left was a broken kingdom, a missing sister, and a crying Queen.
“Night Lights,” Photograph by The Calico Cat
Santa, Not Satan Part 7 By Incandescence
Patches’s first impression of Wonderland was green. They had run right into the middle of a forest that had towering trees that stretched into the sky covering almost all of the darkening sky. They ran past shrubs, mossy stones, a trickling spring. After thirty-something minutes of hardcore running, Steve, who was leading the way, stopped. He looked backwards. “I think we’ve lost the guards. We should rest a bit and decide what to do from here.” Panting, Patches flung himself down upon the grassy ground. “Oh, thank Satan. Man, I’m out of shape. I should start hitting the gym more often.” Steve, who had sat down next to Patches, perked up. “Hey, man, that’s what I’ve been telling you for decades. We should be gym buddies and create fun workouts for each other! Hey, I’ll spot you, too!” Patches began reconsidering his careless words. “We should focus on our mission here and now: getting Princess Serafina back. We can decide about that other boring stuff later.” Beside the two demons was Ulhua, who was still standing. Almost getting detained by Wonderland security didn’t seem to faze her, and neither did that long run. In fact, she didn’t seem affected by physical exercise at all. “By my calculations, we have traveled approximately 19.4 Corsairs in a northwest direction from our starting point.” Steve chuckled. “I’ll take
your word for it, Ulhua.” Patches finally hauled himself up into a sitting position. “Okay then, let’s find Serafina. Should I just use my powers to scan around the place?” Steve shook his head. “Powers from other Realms don’t work in Wonderland. We’ll just have to find her the old fashioned way.” As they looked around, they began noticing things. While it had at first glance looked like an ordinary forest that Humans had in their realms, it couldn’t be further from the truth. The forest buzzed with life. The trees waved their branches and the grass swayed, all in different directions and even when there was no wind. In the stream swam tiny glinting creatures that none of them had ever seen before. Steve turned his head to his right to find a miniature purple and pink racoon that had two more legs than the ones he had seen in the Human Realm scurry up a stalk and into glowing blue flower. The flower’s petals snapped shut as soon as the racoon entered it. “Hey, guys? Probably best to not touch anything unless we absolutely have to. We don’t know what these things are and what they can do,” Steve advised. Ulhua and Patches nodded their heads in agreement. Patches sighed. “So, what’s the plan? If I were a young girl who happens to be the Princess of Hell that had just run away from home, where would I go in Wonderland?” Steve responded. “Well, we were told that Serafina’s aunt lives in this place. So she’d probably be with her. We just need to find out where her aunt lives.” Then sighing, and combing his fingers through his hair in frustration, Steve spoke again. “There’s just one small
problem. We don’t know who her aunt is.” Patches let his head fall into his hands. “Gah, how are we supposed to find one girl without knowing anything? We’ll be here forever!” “Serafina is the descendant of two very powerful beings. Therefore, it would be reasonable to assume that Serafina’s aunt, who is the sibling of one of her parents, would also be powerful,” Ulhua said. Steve snapped his fingers. “That’s it! We’ve narrowed down the field to pretty much just two people: Mirana, the White Queen, and Iracebeth, the Red Queen. Currently, the White Queen is in charge, after she and Alice defeated the Red Queen.” “The Red Queen is the more evil one, right? That’s got to be Serafina’s aunt; after all, Serafina is the daughter of Satan, Patches speculated. Steve stood up and brushed off his pants. “All right, we’ve got a plan! Let’s go find the Red Queen.” Since none of them had any idea where they were going, they chose a random direction and started off. As they walked, the forest began changing. The colorful and friendly forest seemed to have be replaced with a more menacing one. The trees were taller, preventing all but a modicum of light through to illuminate their path. Giant mushrooms dotted their path, and unwelcoming thorns began springing up. Everything stood still. Patches suppressed a shiver. Even the Underworld was less creepy. He was just about to open his mouth to suggest that they get the Hell out of there when the forest suddenly ended. They were gazing out at an expansive field; in the middle was a light with moving
figures. They were too far to make out who they were. Ulhua didn’t break stride. “We can inquire for directions.” Patches, who had stopped in his tracks, called out. “Wait! Maybe it’s not the best idea to do this; they could be bandits and thugs! Or worse, angels!” Steve and Ulhua ignored him. Patches shut his mouth and and hurried after them. As they got closer, they could see that a grey rabbit, a mouse, and a man were sitting at a large round table that was jam packed with plates, cups, and food. Judging by the formal sartorial choices of the occupants, which consisted of a suit vests, bow ties, and one outrageous hat, they were having a party. A tea party, to be exact. In the middle of the night. Upon seeing them, the man broke into an unsettling grin. “Come, come, sit down! You’re late for tea!” Ulhua sat down. Steve and Patches exchanged glances and did the same. The man spoke again, looking directly at Ulhua. “Well, well. You’re not from around here, are you?” Oh no. They couldn’t let anyone else know that Ulhua wasn’t supposed to enter Wonderland, or they would tell the guards where they were and they’d get kicked out! Patches interjected hastily. “Haha, yup. None of us are from this Realm.” Technically, he wasn’t telling any lies. Steve leaned forward. “Speaking of those not of this Realm, have you seen a young girl come through here Continued on Next Page
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the past couple days?” The rabbit snorted. “You mean that girl with that way hideous sparkly silver dress?” The mouse piped up. “Oh yes, that girl. She seemed rather scary, to be honest. She gave off this aura of unsettling power.” Steve sat back in his seat. Over the top dresses? Unstable mood swings and power? Yup, that sounded like Serafina. “Yes, that girl. You see, we need to find her. We think she might be with her aunt. Did she say where she was going?” The man cocked his head to the side. That crazy smile came out again. He clapped his hands. “You guys must be looking for Princess Serafina!” “Affirmative. How did you deduce that?” Ulhua inquired. The man clasped his hands on the table and leaned forwards. “Well, she asked us to point her in the direction of the White Castle. The White Queen must be her aunt.” “Um, are you sure she asked for the White Castle? She didn’t ask where the Red Queen had been exiled to?” Patches asked, utterly befuddled. How could the Princess of Hell be related to the White Queen? “The White Queen is related to her on her mother’s side. The White Queen and Satan have...differing opinions. That’s why she hates him so much that she doesn’t allow him in this Realm at all.” “Understood. At which angle is the Castle at from this location?” Ulhua said. The man got out of his chair and staggered around in a circle. Then, flinging out an arm, he announced, “Thataway!” Then, lowering his arm and returning to the table to pour himself more tea, he shrugged. “Well, I think.” 16
Steve, Patches, and Ulhua set off once again. Soon enough, they had reached the White Castle. Although the entrance was guarded with more soldiers with chess piece heads, it was easy enough to break in through the back. Ulhua led the way, her superior strength and mental speed making her the best candidate to know when and and where to hide to avoid any passing Wonderlanders. They had almost made it to the Queen’s rooms when bishop guard spotted Ulhua. Before he could say or do anything, however, Ulhua sprang upon him and bit him. Her venom turned him in a solid gold bishop. They dragged him behind a curtain to hide him. Then, they entered. Sure enough, Serafina was there, along with the White Queen and a blonde girl. The Queen and the blonde seemed ready to take action, but before any spells could be spoken or any swords drawn, Steve diffused the situation by explaining why they were there.
Serafina sighed. “I guess I shouldn’t have just vanished, but I was hoping that if my dad couldn’t find me, he’d go ask my mom, and they’d starting talking again.” The blonde girl spoke, putting her hand on Serafina’s arm. “I don’t think it worked. This plan wasn’t that good anyways. You should go back and just talk to your dad. Communication is key.” The Queen smiled. “I agree with Alice. Not that I don’t love having you here, but disappearing on your dad isn’t the right thing to do.” “He doesn’t listen to me! He’s so frustrating, and he’s always busy! I can’t stand it!” burst out Serafina. “Tell him that,” Alice encouraged. “He’s your dad; he really cares about you.” Serafina didn’t answer. “Tell you what: you go back and talk to your dad. I’ll put a special portal in your room so you can come visit me and Alice whenever you want. And as much as I dislike your father,
I am willing to speak to him if he doesn’t listen to you,” the White Queen negotiated. Serafina hugged her aunt and her new friend Alice. After exchanging email addresses and saying her last goodbyes, Serafina turned to our trio. “I’m ready to go back.” One day later, Steve and Patches had received promotions from Satan for successfully bringing his daughter back. As Patches passed the throne room on his way out, he saw Serafina and Satan in deep conversation. Smiling, he transported to the starship station for his flight to Oecury. Ulhua was waiting for him. She extended a hand to him. “Everything okay?” she asked. Beaming, he took it. “Never better.”
To Be Concluded...
“Satan’s Seventh Gift,” Illustration by the Masked Lady