(A take on the dance of thieves book)

It was the third night that the Ballengers were helping to build the new settlement. They had only planned to be there for one day. It seemed Jase had taken a real passion for this new town they were creating.

The Ballengers and Vendans and the three Rhatan were sitting around the great oak again, just like they has the previous two nights. But this time eve...

I’m sitting under a great weeping willow

Watching the clouds pass in the sky

The grass underneath me is like a pillow

And all I dream of is flying high

I feel myself drifting

Like the fluffy white clouds

Then I start lifting

The world below me is nothing but a shroud

Suddenly I am up with the clouds

I see a dog starting to chase -

The huge white round of clouds

And then I am awoken by a dog lick...

The sun is bright and happy.

But so is she.

So she must be the sun.

At least that’s what I told myself when I started falling for her.

I knew that things wouldn’t end well.

And I was right.

The sun tricked me, and so did she....

Every Saturday evening of every summer I can remember up until the summer of 2019, Grandma and I would take a drive to the beach and spend a couple hours on the shore and boardwalk after my long day of work at the local tourist place, Captain Ray’s Souvenir Shop. We would start by setting up our towels and umbrellas on the sand and listen to the lull of the sea. We would watch the sunset painted c...

“So, here we are”.

“Yep. Here we are”, I repeat.

‘Do you know why I have brought you here?”, Astra says.

“To the imaginary blank sheet of paper in my mind? No, I do not in fact know why”.

“Really? You can’t think of a single problem I’d want to discuss with you?”

“Nope”, I say.

“How about my replacement?!”, Astra spits.

I chuckle and shake my head. “What about her?”

“Oh, come on. You dump ...

Annie’s hands were practically frozen to the paddle that quickly cut through the cold icy water. Her fingers were blue and purple. She could barely breathe and was constantly whipping her head around, making sure she wasn’t being followed by her masters.

It had been 11 months since she had been brought to that god forsaken manor. Many of the other slaves did not live past their first few months...

Angie sat on the side of the peer, dangling her feet in the water, teasing the fish that would occasionally bite at the ends of her sandals. She watched the sunset thinking of everything, and nothing.

Her breathing slowed as her mind transported her away from the moment. She thought about her trip in the fall. How different things would be. How much she would miss her hometown that was Key West,...

I was soaking in the beauty of the last sunset I would see in Amsterdam while resting my arms on the rusted rail of the balcony with Esmerelda by my side. I could feel her eyes on me and she knew it. I gave a soft smile to tease her and she pushed my arm while having a laughing fit. Picking her up by the waist I threw her onto the velvet couch on the balcony. Shoving her legs to the side we both s...

I have almost no personality to my parents

If I sat still and silently obeyed, I would get anything I wanted

Father had an important position in the army and would do anything to protect not losing it

Even if that means losing connections to his family

I'm not an only child, I do have a baby sister who sucks up all the attention wherever we go, seemly leaving none for me

My parents only had room ...