Bree and Mack Gibbs sat silently in the living room of their tiny cottage, located in the only village in town, and watched as the fireworks went off on the television screen. It was the first New Year’s celebration without their mother, and her presence was sorely missed.

‘It’s not the same, is it?’ Bree said aloud, though not to anyone in particular.

Mack sat straight-backed on the couch and...

Strong arms into which I was nestled when all was dark

Still cling to me dearly as sunlight pours through the window

The sound of birds chirping carries on the wind

And the sea breeze filters in, signalling a new day...

One kiss, all it takes

To bring me down to my knees,

My face smudging earth...

The horse killed the mayor

With the help of his lion friends

An infamous crime...

Little Pablo, furry and cute

His itty bitty paws wrapped around a boot

Has fallen headfirst into a puddle

Got quite a fright, and needs a good cuddle...

The love of cuddling,

Entwined with another soul

Is dear to my heart...

Mother says I shouldn’t trust anyone, except her, of course, because mothers never lie ro their children. Well, the voice of mother in my head, because my real mother has been dead for over fifteen years.

I think she’s talking about Father Morrissey. He’s been dead for a while now too, but his voice has never left my head.

It’s funny how when someone dies, they don’t really die. At least not f...

‘The humans are so weak.’

‘They hide from the very thing that would give them ultimate power.’

Xu and Yu crept through the silence of the suburban street, peering into windows and seeing nothing but sleeping humans.

They traced their skeletal grey talons against the glass, softly enough that the screech wouldn’t wake anyone.

‘Can you feel the power coursing through your veins, Yu?’

Xu lo...

The sound of gunshots are still ringing in my ear. I hold the hand of the little boy whose mother’s dead body lies in the sunken earth as we run deeper and deeper into the maze, nothing but moonlight to guide our way.

I don’t know what I’m doing. I feel like there’s no way out of this maze, and the only thing that’s waiting for us, whichever path we choose, is death from one gun or another.

We...

There’s fog all around me, smoky, wispy tendrils that form together to obscure my vision. I don’t know where I am, and the further I wade into the cloudy unknown, the less sure I am of whether I’m supposed to be here at all.

The last thing I remember was the steering wheel slipping from beneath my alcohol-lubricated hands and the blaring lights of another car. I must’ve crashed. But, that would ...