December 2025

The three children who had rapidly grown into adults stared dumbfounded at Daria’s manhandling of Vise, their assumed leader. Vise was bigger, but Daria was clearly overpowering him, to the point where he was trying to tear at her skin with his fingernails in order to get her to release his face. Daria only tightened […]

“Ahhh…” My brain registered the bearded man too late. His voice was already leaking out, growing louder. He raised his hand to point at us and his flannel shirt flapped open to show his hairy belly. He hadn’t buttoned it up correctly. “Ahh-” “Sylas.” A single word, said warningly. It was enough to silence the

Once more I found myself in the back of one of H.E.S.P.’s armored vehicles, but this time it was alongside Nell, Neve, Daria, and Mac. The roar of the engine was loud enough to make any private conversation nearly impossible and we were constantly having to brace as the truck shuddered on the dirt roads

The H.E.S.P. base was buzzing with activity. Soldiers moved efficiently in platoons, jogging in sync. Lone staff members found openings to dart past these groups, heads down, minds set to whatever task they were fulfilling. I hadn’t realized just how many people were present at the base as it had been relatively quiet before. I’d