Contributor: ToddGM

The truth was that Stella did miss her home from time to time. But what wasn't to miss? She had been born in northern Maine, and spent the first twelve years of her life there. The pine forests stretched almost as far as the eye could see, a few gentle mountain slopes, and the wide blue sky. They had moved right before her thirteenth birthday. Although she vowed to hate her new home, school, and the people in the neighborhood, she had eventually grown to like it.

She had her first job in this town, her first date, finished out high school, started college...life was good, but at times she still longed for the smell of pine wafting through her open window, the sight of a lone hawk soaring overhead, or a late night by the fire. Jared helped make up for some of those things.

She smiled as she looked up at him again.

So much like home...




- - -

Contributor: SpaceBrown

Kenna eyed the chip dubiously. It was burnt and chipped, pieced together from two different colors of circuit boards, and appeared to have been resoldered all over. All in all, it was a wreck.

“It looks like it was pieced together from three different chips.” Kenna sniffed distastefully. Graffyr smiled.

“Seven, actually. The original board was hardly recognizable. But, I'm sure it's a 77-GLK. Generation 4.”

“GLK...that sounds familiar...aren't those really high-profile chips? Government-use or something?” Kenna asked.

“Military, to be exact.” Graffyr clarified. “But you're right. Top-of-the-line, government-controlled, hack-proof, surge-proof circuit boards.”

“Then what was it doing in the trash?” Kenna questioned.

“My thoughts exactly!” Graffyr exclaimed. “But, this chip wasn't just thrown away. It had been broken, shredded, burnt, crushed, and magnetically wiped. I had to replace all the resistors, capacitors, transistors, and resolder everything! It took over five hours and all of my skill to repair it!” Graffyr cradled the chip in his hands. “But you don't get to restore a true masterpiece every solar cycle.”

“You mean, you retrieved the data on it?” Kenna asked incredulously.

“Well, I obviously didn't call you down here just to admire my work with a soldering iron.” Graffyr grinned. “Of course I got the information! It's not perfect, but it's enough. Whoever tossed this chip sure didn't want anyone to see the information on it.” He smiled. “But here's where it gets really weird. This chip came from the Eastern Mars Penitentiary.” Kenna's jaw dropped.

“Mars?” She breathed. “But nothing ever happens on Mars.”

“I wouldn't call this nothing, Kenna.” Graffyr said, suddenly serious. He plugged the ship into his black communicator. “This chip came from a prison automatic on Mars.” He hit a few keys and the grainy footage began to play.

Contributor: BinaryAgent

The elevator doors opened into a dimly lit space. Kenna stood in the doorway and watched as a large bulldozer plowed through a pile of garbage. As the huge machine rumbled towards a compaction unit, several smaller robots flew towards the moving vehicle. They hovered close to the garbage it was pushing, scouring the mix with small scanners. By the time the trash reached the compactor, all of the machinery and electronics had been salvaged. The refuse was pushed into the mouth of the compaction unit and, after a few seconds, a compact cube emerged. Kenna turned her attention away from the load-lifters as they carried off the cube to the containment unit. She spotted Graffyr at a makeshift workbench behind a mountain of salvaged parts taller than he was.

“Kenna!” He exclaimed as she rounded the pile of recovered garbage. “You're not going to believe this!”

“What? That you collected all this in one day? Or the fact that you built robots to help you sort through the trash?” Kenna asked sarcastically.

“Oh, you like those? Let me tell you about them.” Graffyr said, launching into his narrative.

“I was down here in the trash collection unit repairing one of the compactors; something had lodged in the machine's tracks. I had the wheels half taken-apart before I found it – a large crushed-up piece of scrap metal was wedged in the worm drive. I put down my drill, knowing it wouldn't be too hard. I looked it up and down, then latched onto it with three of my arms and braced myself against the compactor. As I yanked on the machine, the sound of twisting metal squeaked and the chunk budged a few inches. So, I readjusted my grip and pulled again. The scrap began to tear and with a loud crunch the mangled metal came loose from the gears. I walked over to a pile of trash and dropped it in. I was going to go reassemble the tracks but I watched as the metal roll and slide down the gentle slope of refuse, and noticed several pieces of pretty interesting garbage. Naturally, I leaped down into the loose trash and began scavenging.”

Kenna shot Graffyr a look. “Hey, it's in my nature.” He said shrugging and continued his story.

“Before long, all four of my arms were loaded with motors, circuit boards, capacitors, and scrap metal. I cleared away a spot on the floor and placed my finds in a neat pile at my feet. It was then that I turned around and surveyed the immense mountains of interplanetary waste that the Holgar collects daily. I knew I was going to need a lot of help. There's way too much junk to go through it all manually. So I built those little guys to scan for certain serial codes and chemical signatures in the parts. Impressive, huh?”

“It's garbage. Excuse me for being underwhelmed.” Kenna sighed.

“Well, I didn't expect you to care about salvage – but you may be interested in this.” Graffyr held up a small red and blue circuit board.

Contributor: SpaceBrown

Kenna glanced up and down the hallway. No one was around. Just because she wanted to talk to Graffyr didn't necessarily mean she wanted to be seen with him. She took a deep breath, knocked on the door to Graffyr's room, and waited. Nothing.

“Hello? Graff?” She called on the intercom by his door. “Graffyr, you in there?” She sighed and was about to leave when a small hologram of the four-armed engineer materialized.

“Message for Kenna Dalais.” It beeped. “Relay message?”

“Please.” Kenna responded. The small hologram flickered and Graffyr's message began to play.

“Hey Kenna! I found something really cool. Come down to the Holgar's collection unit when you can get away for a minute.” As the message ended, the hologram flickered again. “End of message. If you'd like to replay the message...” Kenna turned and headed for an elevator at the far end of the hall.

“If he shows me any of the garbage he's salvaged...” She muttered as the elevator doors slid closed.

Contributor: BrettB

Daelindra glanced at the trio of large ogres, then back at Ket. She was visibly frightened.

“Ket, those are ogres – big ogres.”

“With clubs!” Their sprite volunteered. Ket shook his head.

“Relax,” He began. “Why do you think I chose gryphons for the Polymorph? Don't forget Dae, you're not a wood elf practicing alchemy, and I'm no longer a halfling either. We're two fierce gryphons!” Ket flexed his talons. “I mean, look at these claws and beak, and I can fly! We're more than a match for a few dim-witted swamp ogres.” Daelindra still didn't look convinced. “Okay, look. We've got a sprite who can cast spells on our side, right?” The two gryphons turned to look at the small green fairy.


“Uh, well...I can do minor healings, make you fall slowly, cause a mild rash in most human and demihuman races, um...I can perform sendings, there's...” Ket cut her off.


“See? She can do sending spells. If we're in dire trouble, she can instantly call for help.” Ket backed out of the bushes they were in and spread his wings. “Last one to the swamp is an orc's mother!” He called as he took to the air.


“You're on!” Daelindra challenged as she took off behind him.


“Please be okay. Please be okay.” The sprite whispered as she crossed her fingers.

Contributor: ToddGM

“They're gaining on us!” Helia cried. The gargantuan black and purple dirigible was indeed gaining on their small glider. Lavera pulled a daring aileron roll into a cloud bank, then turned quickly to the left. She glanced behind at the old wizard, checking his various instruments.

“Professor!” Lavera shouted. The old man looked up.

“They saw right through it!” He exclaimed. “They're still coming straight at us!” Lavera ground her teeth, performed a tight flip, and entered a barrel roll. The tiny glider cut through the clouds and they exited on the bottom right side. Professor Fleischer shook his head. “They're a little disoriented, but their scanners will pick us up before long. We need to go faster!” Lavera bit her lip. She knew the wizard was right. She glanced at a bright red switch on the dash labeled “Turbo.” She had no idea if it would even work. She had thrown it in last second, cobbled together with a few odds and ends from various other mechanisms. It may provide the boost they needed to outrun the Namestnik and his men, or it may send them plummeting to a fiery aether-fueled death. No, as much as they needed to escape – she couldn't risk it. Not yet. Lavera was suddenly aware that the cabin had grown oddly quiet.

“What's going on?” Lavera asked, glancing at Helia. The professor offered an explanation.

“They've stopped. The Namestnik's airship has stopped completely.” Lavera could hardly believe what the old man was saying.

Stopped?

Contributor: SpaceBrown

“The front of the armored balloon's opening.” Helia said. “A large silvery spike is starting to come out...” Lavera kept flying away from the airship. She didn't know what that spike was for, but it couldn't be any good.

“Do you hear something?” Lavera asked.

“Sort of a low hum.” The professor said nodding. “Electrical...” Suddenly their hair began to stand on end. “Electrical...” The wizard continued. “Lavera, take evasive maneuvers!” Professor Fleischer suddenly exclaimed. “They're going to shoot lightning at us!”

“Lightning!?” Lavera and Helia exclaimed.

“The rod must be an electromagnetic superconductor!” The professor shouted over the growing hum. “They're ionizing the air around us, since we're the closest point of discharge, we'll get struck by the lightning!”

BZZZRACK! A thick bolt of blue-white lightning leapt from the silvery spear protruding from the Namestnik's black ship.

Contributor: BrettB

“See outside!” Kenna shouted gleefully.

“Initializing... Command: 'See outside.' Command Accepted. Initializing...” The cockpit vanished, to be replaced by the outside of the ship. Kenna spun the cockpit around, looking for a good target. She spotted a stack of steel drums. Kenna pushed a button on her controller. A green crosshair appeared over the stack of metal barrels. Green words began to blink below the crosshair. “Target locked on.” Kenna's finger began to tighten around the trigger. She was just about ready to shoot when she stopped. What was she doing? This was real -- not some simulation! If she had blasted those drums, she could have blown up the entire hanger!

“Terminate!” Kenna ordered.

“Initializing...Command: 'Terminate.' Invalid Command.”

“End the simulation!” Kenna shouted.

“Initializing...Command: 'End the simulation.' Invalid Command.”

"Power Down!"

“Initializing... Command: 'Power down.' Command Accepted. Initializing...” In an instant, everything went black. Kenna yanked off the helmet and dropped it on the floor by her chair. It was so real, and yet – she was so detached from reality. It would have been so easy to destroy the barrels when she thought they were only computer-generated targets. If the academy ever got a hold of technology like that, new recruits would have no qualms about annihilating entire fleets of enemy ships...they weren't actually looking at a ship blowing up – it was just an incredibly believable digital rendering.

Kenna climbed out of the seat, and worked her way back to the elevator. She was still in a daze as she walked back across the bridge. That was enough training for today. She needed to get back in touch with reality, and she hadn't met anyone more real and down-to-earth than Graffyr.

Contributor: ToddGM

Lavera spun the wheel with all her might to evade the crackling stream of blue lightning. Their tiny red glider spun to the left, but it wasn't enough. The electricity ripped a jagged scar through the aircraft. Lavera's eyes scanned her instruments. And made a quick glance over her shoulder. The rudder was hanging on by a few melted bolts, the wings were scorched, and aether was beginning to leak from the engine. Her face grew pale as she realized that there was absolutely nowhere to land, nowhere to hide from the Namestnik's giant dirigible. If they wanted to survive, she was going to have to outrun the giant airship. She threw the large red switch labeled, "Turbo." The small plane lurched forward, but more of the blue-green aether began to stream from the front end of the glider. Professor Fleischer called out another warning.

“They're firing another shot!” Lavera yanked on the wheel, and the aeroglider made a feeble turn.

“Just a few more seconds and we'll be out of range...” Lavera whispered to herself. Helia shrieked. Lavera glanced to the right of the cockpit to see a gargantuan shape in the sky next to them, bigger than anything she'd ever even imagined.

Contributor: Binary Agent

Contributor: BinaryAgent

Kenna stalked away from the bridge to a small elevator that would take her to the gunner's seat. She rode the elevator up to a small room. She got out and crawled up a ladder, through a round opening, and into a worn seat. She tried to get comfortable in the chair, and strapped herself in.

“Garbage!” She shouted, as she buckled the harness. “They want me to shoot big chunks of garbage into little chunks of garbage so they can collect it!” She was fuming. “I did not train for twelve years in the academy to shoot at garbage!”

She grabbed the controls, but when she looked forward, she realized that there wasn't a windshield. In fact, the entire gunner's seat was enclosed by thick metal walls. Kenna rotated the small cockpit around with the joystick in her left hand. She couldn't see a thing! She flicked switches that brought several displays to life around her, but not one of them showed her the outside of her enclosed station. She began looking around for some lever or button that would move the plating out of the way so that she could see – but there was nothing, nothing but a crash helmet with a black visor.

“How do they expect me to shoot anything if I can't see?” She grumbled to herself as he pulled on the helmet. “Now I can't even see the inside of the cockpit!” She tried to move the black visor, but it wouldn't budge. As she was about to yank off the useless headgear, a blinding green light flashed in front of her eyes. A green word blinked on the inside of the visor.

“Initializing...” After a few seconds there was a beep and the words changed. “Command: 'See the inside of the cockpit.' Command Accepted. Initializing...” There was another bright green flash. Kenna squeezed her eyes closed. When she opened them, she could see the cockpit in stunning detail. It took her a moment to remember she was still wearing the helmet. The world around her, she slowly realized, was all an intricately crafted 3-D facsimile. She cleared her throat.

“Examine the outside.” She commanded. A green word appeared in the empty air in front of her face.

“Initializing...Command: 'Examine the outside.' Invalid Command.” Kenna slumped down in the chair. This may be harder than she thought. She cleared her throat and tried again.

“Look outside.” She commanded. Again, the string of green text materialized in front of her face.

“Initializing...Command: 'Look outside.' Invalid Command.” Kenna growled.

“I just want to see the outside of the ship!” She exclaimed angrily.

“Initializing... Command: 'See the outside of the ship.' Command Accepted. Initializing...” And with a bright flash, the cockpit vanished, letting Kenna see her entire surroundings. She slowly rotated the cockpit, and the digital rendition of her surroundings responded accordingly.

“Whoa! This is awesome!” She exclaimed. She grasped the joystick by her right hand. Green words appeared in front of Kenna.

“Initializing Guns...”

“See the inside of the cockpit.” Kenna commanded. In a flash, the walls of her small room reappeared. She reached forward and tapped on one of the many keyboards. A schematic of the Holgar's guns came up on the screen. “Now this is what I've been waiting for!” Kenna crooned.

Contributor: ToddGM

Admiral McClain opened a door and stepped inside. Kenna followed. The lights clicked on and the door slid closed behind her. She was in a small room, barely large enough for both her and the admiral. All at once his cheery disposition vanished to be replaced by a startling seriousness.

“I want you to listen very carefully Dalais.” The admiral began. “I've received some very disturbing news – news that I'm not at liberty to divulge right now. I don't believe it of course, but it does need looking into. I'm going to Mars, to check things out on the surface. The Holgar is the closest ship to my position on Mars, so you're first responder. I'll be checking in with you every 24 hours. Stay alert, and stay on your radio.” The admiral paused. “And relax.” He said breaking into a wide smile again. “With any luck, I'll be back before the first 24 hours is up, and you can resume your tour with relative ease.” He pushed a button and the door opened. Kenna walked out, and the admiral followed her into the hallway. “Remember, this is completely between you and me. I don't want a word of this getting out.”

With that, he turned and continued walking down the hallway towards the bridge. Kenna stood still – dazed by the information she had just received. Disturbing news from Mars?

“But, nothing ever happens on Mars.” She muttered to herself as she followed the admiral to the bridge where the rest of the crew was assembled.

Contributor: BrettB

Kenna and Graffyr walked up to the door of the Holgar. Graffyr leaned down and completed an iris scan. The light next to the door turned green.

“Welcome aboard the Holgar: Head Engineer, Graffyr Gonyr. Please report to the bridge for debriefing.” A computerized voice announced. As he walked through the door he called back over his shoulder,

“I'll catch up with you later!” Kenna smiled and waved until the doors closed. The instant the doors met, her smile disappeared, only to be replaced by a disgusted frown.

“In your dreams, wormbreath.” She muttered, walking up to the scanner. Sure, Graffyr seemed nice enough, and he had given her some much-needed information about the Holgar -- but she couldn't be seen interacting with him. He was just an engineer, and worse than that -- he collected garbage! She was his superior, and sooner or later he'd realize it. The light next to the door blinked green and the same automated voice replied,

“Welcome aboard the Holgar: Petty Officer First Class and Ship Gunner, Kenna Dalais. Please report to the bridge for debriefing.” Kenna walked through the doors as they slid open and began walking down a narrow hallway towards the bridge. She heard the doors slide closed, and then open again almost immediately. The computerized voice announced,

“Welcome aboard the Holgar: Fleet Admiral, Malcolm McClain. Crew members present and accounted for. Proceed to the bridge to relay instructions.” Kenna twirled around on her heel. Admiral McClain was here?! On the Holgar? She saw a man dressed in a white and gold uniform enter through the open doors. She turned around and hurriedly walked up the hallway. She was almost certain she had evaded the admiral when she heard a booming voice.

“Dalais!” She stopped and turned. The admiral had caught up to her. She threw a salute and stood at attention. “Good to see you back on your feet, officer. I take it that you're feeling better?”

“Yes sir.” Kenna said. The admiral smiled.

“Good, good. Come with me, I was just about to debrief the rest of the crew – but I have some special instructions for you.” Kenna raised an eyebrow as she walked behind the admiral.

Special Instructions?

Contributor: Binary Agent

By the time Helia entered the room, Lavera had already donned some dark goggles and gloves. She was lying on her back, underneath a large metal mechanism.

“Could you be a dear and hand me that split-handled spreader?” She asked, motioning towards her tool bag. Helia dropped her suitcase and shouted,

“Lavera! You could have been killed!” Lavera stood up, removed her goggles, and dusted herself off.

“Oh, that.” She chuckled. “Those guys couldn't have hit the broad side of this ship!” Helia frowned and picked up the bright blue cloak Lavera had been wearing. There was a charred hole in the material, inches away from where Lavera's liver would have been. Lavera shrugged, “It didn't fit correctly anyway. I was going to have it tailored eventually – I just wouldn't have done it with a laser!” She smiled and pulled her goggles back over her eyes. “Now about that spreader.”

“Quit kidding around!” Helia exclaimed. “Who was chasing you? What did they want?”

“Pirates.” Lavera said. “One of them shouted that we wanted my head.” She cracked a smile. “I must say that I couldn't argue with him. If I was him, I'd trade faces with anyone.”

“Lavera...” Helia started, but she was cut off as a huge crewman entered the engine room.

Contributor: ToddGM

Stark shadows cut across the docks as slanted rays of sunlight slipped beneath the distant horizon. Helia squinted at the leather-bound timepiece Lavera had strapped to her wrist. The crew had almost finished loading all of the cargo, but there was still no sign of Lavera. The captain had stated that he hated to be up without an experienced Aether engineer, but he couldn't be kept waiting for more than five minutes after his cargo was loaded. If Lavera didn't make it, he'd have to find another engineer at the next stop. Helia climbed atop a crate filled with navigational instruments. She nervously glanced up and down the dock. There were only three crates left. A few moments passed – still no sign of Lavera.

Some burly crewmen came by to load the last crate Helia had mounted. One of them helped her down and as he lifted his end of the box he grunted,

“Sorry, Miss. You and your engineer would be a welcome addition, but your five minutes starts now.” Helia watched as the two crewmen trudged back to the ship with the crate. Helia bit her bottom lip. This would probably be her only chance of getting out and seeing the world, but she had secured her spot on the ship as an assistant engineer to Lavera. She couldn't board without her. She didn't know a thing about Aether, and she couldn't just leave Lavera behind after what she had done for her. But this was her only chance! Where was Lavera?

“Helia!” Lavera's voice echoed across the empty docks. Helia looked around for her. “Helia!” Lavera's voice sounded again. “Run for the ship Helia!” Helia glanced around the dock and spotted a small dark figure in the distance. Seconds later, she saw several other, larger figures pursuing the first – golden rays from the setting sun glinting off their blades. Helia had been around pirates and other lowlife scum for long enough to know that this couldn't be good. She took off towards the ship as fast as she could run with her small leather satchel of belongings. Helia slipped in as two crewmen were preparing to shut the doors. Helia pointed breathlessly at the figure sprinting towards them – a heavy tool bag in one hand and a saber in the other. However, the crewmen began closing the doors. Lavera was so close -- she could still make it! Some of the pursuers stopped and were drawing bulky pistols from their belts. Lavera slung her tool bag towards the closing doors. It landed inside, and slid across the floor to Helia. There was an electric crack and a flash of light as several of Lavera's assailants fired. She leapt and tucked herself into a ball, somersaulting through the air, and between the closing doors. She landed on the floor in a heap. She leaped up in a flash and helped the two crewmen throw the doors shut. The heavy doors slammed to and the ship lurched into the air. Helia and Lavera both toppled backwards over her tool bag as the ship thundered out of the docks.

“Well.” Lavera said as she stood up and sheathed her saber. “Looks like I was right on time, as usual.” She wiped sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and pulled her mug from the clip on her belt. Helia struggled to stand on the moving ship. She rubbed her backside where she had landed, and her stomach where Lavera had hit her as she fell. She grasped the wall with one hand, and picked up her small suitcase with the other. Lavera walked over and picked up her tool bag. “Come on, assistant! Let's check out this tub's engine!” Helia stared at Lavera in bewilderment as she took off down a corridor. Dazed, she stumbled down the hall after her.

Contributor: SpaceBrown

The mysterious form stood in Simon's room for a moment longer. Its gaze fixed on the street below the broken window. The seeker watched until Simon was completely out of sight. The doorknob to Simon's attic room rattled and turned. The door opened.


“Simon? What in the world are you up to?” Ben thundered. “Do you know what time it is? Enough with the shouting and throwing things!” Ben stopped as he noticed the broken window and the robed figure. “Who are you?” He asked meekly. The seeker held up his hand, palm facing outward. Ben started toward the seeker, but it abruptly closed its hand into a fist. Ben choked and grasped at his heart as he fell to the floor writhing. The seeker stood and watched for a moment before opening his fist. Ben took a loud gasp of air and lay still on the floor for a minute. The seeker made a gesture and Ben stood weakly. The mysterious figure pointed out the door and Ben immediately turned to face it. With a dismissive wave of the seeker's hand, Ben trotted out the door and back to his own room. The seeker glanced around the room one last time before retreating into the shadows in the room's far corner.


The next instant, the black-robed messenger was gone.

Contributor: BrettB

“I'm afraid you're gonna be beat tonight boys.” Old Mac drawled as he shuffled the deck of work playing cards. “No one's better at five card draw than me.” The four bandits at his table looked at each other and smiled.

“Shut yer yap and deal the cards.” The first said.

“Yeah, we came to gamble, not to sit around and listen to you.” The third snapped. Mac peered at the four outlaws and a half smile broke across his wrinkled face. Nothing made him feel as good as cheating the cheaters.

“Alright, alright.” Mac chuckled. He set the stack of cards in front of the bandit on his right. “Cut, please.” The first bandit took the cards, shuffled them, and placed them back in front of Mac. He quickly dealt out a hand to each of them. “First to play is left of the dealer.” The men sat looking at their cards – trying to read the other's faces.

After the first round of betting they drew to try and improve their hands. The bet was already up to five small gold nuggets. Then the second and final round of betting started. Things went smoothly until one of the bandits announced,

“I'll see yer bet and raise it ten nuggets.” Mac eyed him suspiciously. The bandit leaned back in his chair and showed off his rotten teeth in a wicked grin. The next bandit announced,

“I fold.”

“I fold” The third bandit conceded tossing his hand onto the table. It was Mac's turn. Suddenly, a single gunshot shattered the relative silence of the saloon. The bandit directly across the table from Mac gasped once, tried to choke out a word, and toppled over in his chair. His body and chair clattered on the hard, wooden flooring. The three remaining bandits looked at Mac who casually holstered his pistol. They all jumped from their chairs – but before they could do anything the swinging doors in front smashed open with a loud bang. All heads in the casino – including the bandits and Mac – turned to see who had barged into the place.

A tall, thin man stood in the doorway; his face as pale as a sheet. He was drenched in sweat, and panting. He did manage to get out one word.

“Gold!”

The bandits raced over and caught him before he hit the floor, and dragged him back to their table.

Contributor: SpaceBrown

I always enjoyed sunsets. They're just so beautiful. The bright golden sun slipping down over a distant horizon, turning the sky and clouds into a sea of molten pink, gold, yellow, and orange. With all of the pollution in the air, the sun appears to be a blood-red orb, and as it sets over the blackened horizon the dingy sky turns red as well. Stark red until it fades to black. I still enjoy sunsets, though. It's a race. Once the sky turns red I have approximately twenty minutes before the monsters come out.

Today has been rather uneventful as far as attacks go. Of course, I stuck to the hills all day – but that's just one more day of survival. I still have some tomatoes. I eat whenever I stop for the night.

I stumbled upon an old warehouse – ruins. That was tonight's resting place. As I entered I had my tire iron at ready. The monsters like to hide out in dark, abandoned buildings during the day. I don't know if they ever rest, but they do stick to the shadows.

Then I saw it. In the corner of the building, a form curled up in the corner. Ragged clothes, smeared with dirt and soot, hands over its head. It must have been waiting for sundown. I poised myself to strike.

Contributor: BinaryAgent

As I tromped across the weary wasteland I kept my eyes peeled for food. It's not like there's any fruit or wild animals for food – my only hope is to find some sort of canned provisions. I spotted a likely spot and started hunting around. There were ashes, a sure sign of a recent fire. There had also been a scuffle, they had obviously had a run-in with the monsters. But had they escaped? I continued analyzing the campsite. Blood. Dried puddles and smears of red blood on the yellow and gray grass. They were goners. Dead. That meant I was free to pillage any supplies that might be left over.

A backpack! I opened the green canvas bag. Jackpot! A dented can of sliced tomatoes and a stale piece of jerky. It was a good day. I immediately put the jerky – a precious source of protein – in my mouth and started to suck on it; letting the fluids in my mouth soften the rock-hard piece of meat.

Then I was off again. I was on the track of someone who may have needed help. I was determined that I would reach them before the monsters did.

I had to.

Contributor: J. Ogden

"Daddy, did God lie to you?"

"What's that?" A hurt look crawled across Harold's weathered face as he looked into the innocent eyes of his tiny, angelic daughter.

"God told you that if you came and built this town, everything would be okay, didn't he?" Tears welled up in her blue eyes.

"Sometimes it takes a little time for things to be okay, Jenna." Harold shifted onto his haunches, dropped beside her and took her soot-streaked face in his hands. "I built New Jerusalem because God told me to. He told me that the land here was good, that people would come and by the sweat of our brows we would build up a new holy city that no evil could corrupt or stand against." He hesitated for a moment. "But even Rome wasn't built in a day."

"So God didn't lie, daddy?"

Like a tired old soldier, Harold limped back to a tall stance that was as strong as his creaking bones could manage. His face hardened with resolve for a moment, fingers tightening against the stock of his rifle as he unslung it from his back. All around them, all around the rusty metal walls of the sprawling, broken camp he'd carved out of the wasteland that had once been a lush and beautiful world, the smoking, blasted ground stretched on, wastes of ash blowing in, blowing out, lingering against blackened rocks. Almost like a prayer, he whispered to himself.

"He didn't lie. I hope he didn't lie."