I slide the bag across the table where the hooded figure across from me peers inside. The shadows cover his face, but I can hear the surprise in his voice. "Where the hell did you find this?!" "Does it matter?" "... yes" came the answer.

I pause. Since when did he care about where or how I procure my goods? There's a reason I work with him almost exclusively, and it isn't his charming personality...

I take a long drink of my coffee. It's awful. The break room always had the worst coffee, but it was all that was available. It doesn't help that I have to drink it black. The sugar packets always are the first to go, and no one ever replaces the long expired bottle of creamer in the fridge. You'd think with the high quality of work we do around here they could afford to get us a nice coffee maker...

I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. As I let it out, the cold night air causes it to form into a small fog cloud. In the soft glow of the moonlight I can clearly see the whole street. Including the old house at the end of the street: 502 Cherrywood Lane. It has been in a state of disrepair as long as I can remember. As long as anyone can remember. Many rumors have circulated about the...

Growing up in the city, I always felt bad for the trees. Forced to live and grow in tiny dirt plots carved out of the sidewalk for decoration. Even the ones in parks, that are given a bit more room to grow, still have to contend with the poisoned air and artificial environment. It wasn’t until I was invited on a hiking trip with some friends that I realized I could understand the trees. Turns out,...

As I sit on a cloud, waiting for the sun to make it to me so I can take over my shift, I find my mind wandering to how I got here. When the opportunity for promotion from a basic angel to a Sun Driver, I was ecstatic. Sun Drivers are one of the most respected positions amongst the angelic ranks. Getting to work directly under Helios is also a great honor, as he is by far the most respected deity o...

God... look at him. Just seeing him makes my blood boil. I try to not let it get to me. My friends just tell me to ignore him, to stop obsessing over him. How can I? His mere presence in a room demands attention. I know I'm not the only one. The way women throw themselves at him is more than enough evidence of that. What does he have that I don't? We share the same dark curly hair. The same blue e...

I do not remember much from before the man in the strange coat took the cover off my cage. Most of the time, I had been in darkness. I could hear people talking occasionally, but there was no good way to measure the passage of time. I had heard his voice plenty of times before, but seeing the man's face was a shock. Even having never seen a face before, his crooked yellow teeth and impossibly dark...

I silently make my way through the once familiar hallways of the castle. It is clear that no one has been here for a very long time; decades, possibly even centuries. Every corner is filled with thick cobwebs, and every surface is coated with a generous layer of dust. Even the security measures have eroded beyond the point of functionality. I probably don't need to move as cautiously or quietly, b...

As I stand behind the grand wooden doors, I nervously smooth down my white dress. My father stands at my side, a somehow more nervous that I am. I try to think of something to say to him, but before I decide what even I could say the music swells, signaling our entrance. The two attendants swing open the door and I grab my father’s arm, encouraging him to lead me down the aisle. I hear the murmers...

I wish I knew how to tie my shoelaces. I’m almost seven now. All the rest of the kids in my class know. They all make fun of me every time I have to ask the teacher for help. I’m not sure why my knots always turn out wrong. I always try to get the bunny ears around the tree, but they never want to stay there. Mother wouldn’t buy me Velcro shoes. They weren’t on sale. So I had to come up with my ow...