Ander - Part 5: Subchapter 72
72 There was no pain, no cold, no sadness. There was only peace and the smell of something sweet, carried by a warm, summer breeze. James opened his eyes. The sky was blue, but not just any blue. It was the most beautiful shade of blue he had ever...
Ander - Part 5: Subchapter 71
71 Impossible. There was no way it could be true, and yet there was no mistaking that voice. It was the same one he had listened to his entire life, telling him to clean his room and feed the chickens and haul water from the well, the same voice that...
Ander - Part 5: Subchapter 6
6 He wasn't lying on the cold, hard ground anymore. No sharp stones or scratchy twigs digging into his back. This was soft and warm. He knew this feeling. It was the peace of sleep that always lingered for a few minutes just before you woke up...
Ander - Part 5: Subchapter 5
5 Ander always knew there was a special kind of magic in creating something. It didn't matter whether it was just a little drawing in the dirt or a massive undertaking like building a house. Making something real that wasn't real before, first...
Ander - Part 5: Subchapter 11
11 Ander held the knife in his hands and slowly ran the blade across his thumb. It was sharp. Very sharp. The perfect tool for the job. Only... he never thought the job would be so unpleasant. It's never happened to him before. It was supposed to be...
Ander - Part 5: Subchapter 14
14 The clouds were still building, but the wind was starting to die down and the shadowy branches of the oak were slowing to a gentle sway. They had made small talk in that tiny room for a while longer, not really saying anything until it was time to...
Ander - Part 6: Subchapter 55
55 Dorin left the knife where it was. Without a handle, he couldn't pull it out even if he wanted to. It was slick with blood and he didn't want to add to the sounds that were still going on down there, the sounds of the biters slowly closing shut on...
Ander - Part 6: Subchapter 50
50 The darkness crowded all around her. It wasn't just an absence of light anymore. It was a physical thing, with weight and substance, comprised of hundreds of bodies. They pushed her, jostled her, tried to force her back. "Get out of my way!" she...
Ander - Part 6: Subchapter 63
63 The snow was starting to come down hard, but at least the trees were doing a good job of keeping the wind at bay. Mateo was sitting on one of the many stumps left over from the construction of the wall, polishing Agatha for the hundredth time, when...
Ander - Part 6: Subchapter 53
53 Shekka had been caught in a paralytic trance this whole time, shocked by what her ears were telling her. She had heard the exchange between Banno and Wardo, had heard the wet rip of meat and the crunch of bone. She had listened as Wardo's words...
Ander - Part 6: Subchapter 51
51 The meat exploded into a chaotic frenzy of noise. Truth be told, Banno had almost forgotten they were there, but now they were screaming for blood. "The Foxes did this!?" "Unacceptable!" "It's just like Shekka-Kai said! It's a curse! A...
Ander - Part 6: Subchapter 62
62 Mother and Father had all their things packed up and ready to go in less than a minute, and now all four of them stood by the door, awkwardly wondering what to say, what to do, how to act. They were still waiting. Even as it was happening, they...