The sky in Newton St streaked purple with full, gelatinous clouds -- jelly donuts set to burst at any second.

Palm trees rolled, like silk, across restless winds, and the scent of almonds folded its way through notes of dust and salt.

These days, if you look at the sky too long, your ears begin to ring.

The world starts to feel too heavy, pressing weights against your temples, and stirrin...

24 HRS BEFORE

NEW PLAYER DETECTED.

~MISSION ACQUIRED: METEOR~

Milton had heard that there's like...over thirty-something verbs that all mean "to kill" in Latin.

There's actually four he remembers in particular: 

Neco. Caedo. Interficio.

Vivamus, moriendum est!

He knows you've probably never heard that last phrase before, but since you're wondering, it mean...

To my beloved wife and children:

As patriarch to the esteemed Labash Enterprises, a dynasty that I've spent the better half of my 89 years building, your presence is requested for a special family meeting.

As you all know, I've been preparing you since childhood for my untimely though inevitable passing -- the day when one of you will be forced to fill my custom Oxford shoes.

 ...

On one side

the world is Right

And the other

All is Left

There's a Portal in my body

Shines from one world

To the next

Say you raise a glass

Right-handed

The other crowd

They have it flipped

On the right

Your smile's lovely

On the left

It starts to tilt

On the right your shoulders shrug

And

On the left they're far too wide

On the right, you seem to wink

The left?

There's something in y...

I am 

The “Look”

A noun 

or verb

And sometimes

Then

A “See”

They say 

that I’m

An “Everyone”

But never

Just

A “Me”

I am 

A “Gaze”

A “View”

A “You”

But when am I

An “I”?

Well…

Not an “Eye”

I’m “Hand”

I’m “Thigh”

But,

None of those

are mine…

I am the

“Look”

Both noun

And

Verb

I am the 

“Inbetween”

A shame

To live

As "Everyone"

And

Never

Once

Be

Seen

...

"If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

...

Governess Pemola, the Witch belonging to El Rosa Peak, had grown to hate humans almost as much as the trees did.

She hated humans' snide manner of speech, the arrogant drawls of men making claim to her forests.

She hated their violent steps, crashing through plots of mud, uprooting ecosystems if only f...

It's often said that language is the embodiment of experience. In Japanese, Komorebi describes the action of sunlight peeking through the trees. The Urdu word Goya depicts the moment fantasy becomes reality and Kilig, in Tagalog, manifests the feeling of butterflies in your stomach.

Write a poem or story inspired by a made-up word with an incredibly interesting meaning.

...

"Congratulations, Class 62-00..."

Amidst the boom of his voice, Professor Găunn's oversized white coat swept across the floor like a pocket rag.

"On your first official assignment."

Selah joined her colleagues in a round of cacophonous applause.

Today she and her classmates would be transitioning from Brighteners into Catchers, the ultimate promotion for a first-year.

While a Brightener, ...

Once.

Twice.

I blinked back against the warm sunlight spilling from my bedroom window. Then, in a lazy lawn, stretched stiffly against the bubblegum headboard.

"You're finally awake..." A low voice mused.

I snapped forward instantly, stunned into a strangled scream. When the comforter glided to the floor with a cartoonish plop, my satin pink pajamas were left on full display.

At the f...

"Still waiting on someone, sir?" The rosy-cheeked waitress wondered.

Her brown eyes darted wearily to the empty booth across from me, concern curling each eyebrow.

"Yes, thank you. He should be here any second now."

I brought the steaming mug of English Breakfast to my lips, sipping slowly before giving her a tight-lipped smile.

Bitter.

Much more bitter than usual.

"Actually, dear...d...