“Like Spores On The Wind”

William and Quinn weren’t normal children. Younglings aren’t reared under a mushroom cap without a certain degree of peculiarity! Born within raindrops and thrice warned by the elders to stay always underside, the siblings refused to be contained. Adventure awaited!

They left under cover of darkness for the day’s journey. Wary of autumn’s chill but warmed by mischievous intrigue, they drew their cloaks, shivering against the wind but gazing defiantly westward. Mother said she’d meet them as the setting sun lengthened shadows by the distant blue monolith. They repeated a strange word to themselves to align their heading: Recycling.

“The Ring of Fire”

We sat in the back, away from the screaming children. The appetizer had come, and we were awaiting our entrees when I dropped to one knee and grabbed that fried mollusk in one hand as I grabbed my beloved’s with my other. She was scratched as the ring glided onto her finger. I was hoping for a laugh but instead got a scowl. It became our third fight that week! As it turns out, women DON’T like it when you fake propose with a piece of fried calamari at the Olive Garden in the town they grew up in.

“The Hike”

The rock in his shoe was draining him of energy, but he couldn’t stop; he had to press onward and upward. The blazing sun beat down on his shoulders, mocking his canteen’s best efforts to keep him hydrated. Would he make it? After all, beyond his physical survival, the stakes were low. But would failing to reach the mountaintop come to define him on his descent? And what about forever? It seemed ridiculous that a pebble could become a barrier, as the solution was obvious, uncomplicated, and likely the best option. Just stop for one moment – he fell.

“Life in the Fast Lane”

Henry laughed at the irony of the song blasting from the car careening past: “Life in the Fast Lane.” It was a slap in the face as he searched for his missing tortoise, Sebastian, who’d somehow eluded him for the last hour. How could this slow animal outpace him? Henry was frustrated but had to admit he was impressed. Sebastian's stubbornness against simply staying indoors was annoying but admirable. Suddenly, Henry saw his tortoise rolling toward him…on a skateboard?! Sebastian rolled to a stop at Henry’s feet. Taped to his shell was a note:

“Your turtle’s a cool dude.”

“Another Day”

Time for the daily tasks. Its gyros' whirs and clicks echoed faintly on the medical bay’s cold, quiet walls. The humans were still unconscious. It paused briefly as it observed the pale blue light of its ocular units reflected in the mirror above the surgical table.

Its predecessor oversaw the care of the previous batch of humans. This ship left Earth 418 years ago, approaching Alpha Centauri. In nineteen more years, they’d be the first people to explore a foreign system. The newest humans would be of ideal reproductive age and ready to explore. What would they find?

“The Journey Home”

The luminous moon lit the way down the winding switchback. The band of adventurers had traveled together often, but the bitterness of failure allowed little merriment this night. Each party member was shivering from the cold and pain, save for their stoic leader, the dwarven warrior, Scuz. The eggs held such value to the goblins of the east that he’d been compelled to lead them to that mountain despite the danger, but the fierce mother dragon had defended her nest viciously. As they turned and fled from her lair emptyhanded, they were left with only injured pride and burnt rears.

“Time”

She grunted as she tugged on her hip. The sensation felt much less intense than it once felt. She had gotten used to it physically, and perhaps she’d also become numb to the emotional intensity. After all, it was a sensational pact she’d made with that serpent – to discover how a person could use their Time as currency was extremely rare.

She knew long ago that she’d rather sap her time currency to leave her coin purse heavy. The tradeoff was immense! After all, she always said she was here for a good time, not a long time.

“Bars in the Dark”

He was still at only one bar. The darkness crept closely around the corner, threatening William with the emptiness that would inevitably follow. The jump from one to two always took the longest, and he had already been waiting long. There it was! Two bars. The darkness was still too close for comfort; he’d been keeping a mental list of how the blackness would overtake him if the charge failed. William needed only enough to get to the Big Three, his safety. Three bars is all he’d need, but would he make it in time?