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A Less Than Mer-ry Situation     I near the Southeast vicinity of Earth, quickly descending as I continue to phase toward my destination. I can already hear the commotion from miles away. A chorus of angry bickering and yelling echoes loudly across the dark water and into the equally dark night, and I can feel all the sound waves quickly oscillating through the misty, salty air. The sun has long set on this side of the planet, and a blanket of blue-black sky encompasses everyone and everything. It’s the… 阅读更多

As Is Definition As Is: (Idiom) (i) In the state that something is in at the present time. (ii) In the existing circumstances, without covenants or warranties.         Yes, that’s right. Xenfromine. That’s what it was called. It was the only thing that worked whenever I had those…those…episodes. I haven’t had one in a long time, and I thank my stars constantly that those horrible days are long gone, but if I don’t do something about my resurging anxiety and restlessness right now, I have a horrible… 阅读更多

Xenfromine       I keep my eyes on the back of the pharmacist’s head, focusing on his salt-and-pepper hair to avoid looking at his white lab coat as much as possible. I need to do everything I can to keep any and all unpleasant memories at bay while I’m in here. He disappears into one of the aisles momentarily and I continue to try to stay calm as I look around warily, finding myself surrounded by several shelves of medicine and drugs and all sorts of medical devices, therapeutic… 阅读更多

L. T. THOMAS.       Forty-Five Minutes Later…   I find myself standing right outside a small local pharmacy as another minute rolls by. I’ve been out here for half an hour now, but it feels like forever. And I’m still shaking. Badly. Really badly. The grotesque image of that merman getting crushed by a speeding truck like a bug just keeps replaying itself in my head; the sounds and smells and colors of his death still fresh and vivid in my mind, as if I’m reliving the disturbing… 阅读更多

Pressing Issues       I sigh deeply, feeling weak and defeated. Like a brutal kick to the face, I realize that I’d been the last person—the very last, apparently—to find out about my ex’s marriage, and it obviously isn’t mere happenstance. Talk about hauling a huge bag of salt onto a dozen gunshot wounds. It clearly goes without saying, but I ask anyway. “I take it you know about her impending marriage?” “I do,” Bestu admits, his words crushing me further. “Her mother was the one who broke the… 阅读更多

Motion-to-Act     I stare at Bestu incredulously, the confidence I felt just seconds ago quickly slipping away as I regard his expression. He’s serious. “What do you mean, you can’t?” I retort, frowning. “Of course, you can! You’re the Primus! You have the authority to shut this crock of bullshit down without even batting an eye!” “Normally, I would,” he says, clasping his hands together. “And believe me, I wouldn’t hesitate in doing so. But Elder Rabab has considerable backing on the issue. This isn’t something I can just… 阅读更多

The Primus     Bestu stands in front of a wide, gold-rimmed mirror with his back to me, its impressive height clearly customized for his own grand stature, staring at his reflection in silence. “Your majesty,” I say, bowing in acknowledgment even though I know he heard me come in. I’m positive he even heard my conversation with his sister. I stand there for a few more seconds before he turns to face me. “Matthiel,” he begins, the natural depth of his voice booming throughout the wide room. “I’ve been… 阅读更多

Arayah     I’m back at the Alchemoni; at the very heart of the sanctuary, pacing back and forth like a mad man, walking up and down the lounging area of the Primus’ quarters relentlessly, creating an invisible pathway in the gold-embellished floors. Honestly, I want to collapse on the spot, just let go and fall right here and now, but I can’t stop moving. I can’t bring myself to stay still, to quit being so restless even though my legs feel twenty times their weight and each of my… 阅读更多

…is a Merman’s Worst Nightmare     I turn to leave, having had more than enough of the disturbing broadcast. But as soon as I do, I accidentally bump into a bystander. From the corner of my eye, I briefly register that it’s a man. Before I can even get the chance to apologize or even get a good look at him, he comes closer, practically pushing his body against mine. I’m taken aback, and I get completely creeped out when he boldly moves to sniff a trail from my… 阅读更多

A Man’s Best Medicine…     Walking is man’s best medicine, as the saying goes. At least…it is according to Johnnie Walker. I hope it’s true. Lord knows I can certainly use all the medicine in the world right now, because I’m obviously losing my mind. I always walk when I need to clear my head, meditate, do some self-reflection, or just de-stress all together. So, after leaving Garrett and Terry’s, my first impulse was to walk. Although, I’m really starting to think a bottle of whiskey would have been… 阅读更多