When I was little I was afraid of the dark. My grandfather tried to reassure me that the dark isn’t real. It’s just the absence of light.

“Everything is still there, tokki. When the light returns you will see. Do not be afraid.”

I try to tell myself that silence works the same way. It’s just the absence of noise. It can’t do any real harm.

But the longer I wait for a response from ground contr...

“You’re late.”

I’m perfectly on time, but Slight says this everytime we meet, “You’ll get over it.”

Slight eyes my hands, and I give him the flask I’ve snuck out of the mess hall.

He takes a grateful swig before lifting an eyebrow at me. He’s waiting for news.

“Tellers has the clap.”

Slight laughs. “I told him not to go to the docks. Nothing but disease.”

I smile, “He cried so loud while t...

Abby coughed as the stinging scent of bug spray pierced her nose. The bitter taste lingered on her tongue and she spit for good measure.

“Ack! I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.”

Cate smiled, “Come on, it’s not that bad. Nature can be healing and you’ve been so down since Mike—“

“Don’t even bring him up!”

The only thing more annoying than the mosquitos whining in her ears was the t...

Jake Patterson was 10 years old when he disappeared walking home from school in 1996. I’ve followed this case for years. The backpack found empty and torn apart on the side of the path. His math book and notebooks ripped to shreds, pages blowing in the breeze. One blue and white Adias mid-cut basketball shoe, size 5, found caked in mud. One set of footprints, suggesting he was running, then sudden...

Some call me The Guardian Angel. _Gargoyle_ may be more appropriate. I watch them navigate the city from high above. Flitting about from here to there, with their important jobs meeting important people.

Up here the aroma of honeymeade and spices drift on the breeze from the night market. The sounds of music and laughter floating up and around me. They enjoy their leisure hours in safety and goo...