Gameface: Part 3
_ **Part 3** _ We broke. Everything that needed to be said, had been. Fifteen of us went our own ways, jogging into our starting positions. The five waiting in reserve joined Coach and Tomas on the bench, Damian included. Our referee for the day, a...
Gameface: Part 2
_ **Part 2** _ Sunday morning. Gameday. Biting cold, with blue skies. The heavy rain we'd had since Thursday had finally moved on, but not without leaving a calling card by way of drenched, muddy parkland. Even the gravel paths were more slick than...
Blessing Day: Part 5 (Final)
_ **Part 5** _ _(Marek)_ We spent a couple more hours with my parents in the living room, sharing stories and checking out old photos that had of me saved on their phones. Poring over picture after picture of my teenage self from fifteen years ago...
Blessing Day: Part 4
_ **Part 4** _ _(Marek)_ We left our game of Regicide half finished, and while it hadn't whipped up the positive, lively atmosphere that I'd hoped for, the six of us had at least enjoyed what had come so far. At least, nobody had got bored enough to...
Blessing Day: Part 3
_ **Part 3** _ _(Sam)_ The living room sounded awkward enough from out in the kitchen. Not much sound to be heard. Even less chatter. But it took actually being there to fully get how cold the atmosphere had gotten. Only the TV saved us all from...
Blessing Day: Part 2
_ **Part 2** _ _(Sam)_ "Thanks a lot," I called up to our taxi driver, prepping to descend the exit ramp. "Hey, no problem." The rabbit peered over his seat at me. "Don't forget ya bag." "Oh!" Back I rushed, grabbing my backpack from beside my seat...
Theatre of War
Theatre of War "Move, move!" People rushed past me, running for their lives. "Keep going!" Screams of terror cut the air. "Don't stop!" A clap of thunder overtook us all. The asphalt rumbled. The screaming got louder. I fought hard to stay...
Shallow Goals
_ **Shallow Goals** _ "Got you, Cloud!" I almost choked on a mouthful of chlorinated water, yelling out so fast after climbing back to the surface. "You're it!" "No way!" my brother cried above all the splashing and yapping in the pool around us....
Foundations: Part 6 (AaO Side Story)
_ **Part 6** _ _(Alen)_ What remained of Saturday came and went at a staggering pace. That afternoon, I joined Jonas and his family on their trip to Kastenic, a larger town just along the coast. The pool that Mirko had suggested to us back in...
Subtlety
_ **Subtlety** _ "Right." I burst into the front room. "I'm just gonna go ahead and do this." My housemates gawked at me from our couch. "Do what?" asked Dylan, the lanky stoat in the seat closest. "Watch." "Dude," groaned the mouse beside him,...
Small-scale Surgery
_ **Small-scale Surgery** _ '_Stopping off at the store later. What would you like for dinner?'_ My husband's text half-distracted me from the patient file I'd almost finished up with. I'd not long since scoffed down some lunch, but that didn't stop...
Hangover
_ **Hangover** _ "Hey," called Dan, arriving back at our table with a beer in one hand and a metal tray balanced on the other. "Which of you got the rum and lemon?" I waved up at him. Easier than trying to shout above the noise of the dusky bar...