The room was bathed in pastel pink tones, with airy curtains letting in the afternoon light. The floor was covered in colorful wigs, sparkly shoes, brushes, and children's makeup. Sitting on the edge of the bed, eight-year-old Tomás held the straps of a lavender glittering dress in both hands, looking at himself with a mix of wonder and longing.

The Huntress
And the Hiker

A lost hiker on the verge of dehydration finds themselves in an otherworldly realm, and a predicament of mythical proportions in this modern day twist on a classical Greek tale.

Alco’s Self Storage:
“Man, I am so sore from moving all those heavy boxes and that piano.” Rustie looks at Ivy as he sweeps up the last of the trash in the second locker.

Rustie didn’t know that when someone bought a storage locker, they had to throw away all the trash in the locker as well. It was a good thing the storage unit manager had a wheel barrel they could use to haul all the trash to the dumpster.

Elizabeth’s Quarters:
Elizabeth wakes up and feels herself being held. She could feel something soft being pressed against her back. It took her mind a few seconds to realize who was in bed with her. Her mouth had a weird taste, a taste she had never tasted before.

She was wet between her legs and hoped she wasn’t going back to how she was when she came to the vineyard. She manages to turn around in the arms to face who is holding her. A smile forms on her face as she realizes it is Carol.

”It all started three weeks ago. Peter Kowalski complained about a D he had got on his Math test. I tried to explain to him that while he is smart and probably understands the material, he is sloppy and makes stupid mistakes. He retorted that he was a victim of gender discrimination. Of course I refuted that. The idea was preposterous. Then Mary, a bright but not very pretty girl backed me up, sort of. She claimed that I only favored girls with pretty legs in short skirts. I ignored such a wild unfounded accusation.

The Visund departs Faralan alongside the Hopvalk and the Ten-Legged Brakky on the long leg to Fanir. Unfortunately those of Pakmal are waiting and only the Brakky keeps them from causing problems. Then a second Pakmal galley appears ahead...

The Voyage of the Visund

A tale of Anmar by Penny Lane

99 - Faralan to Fanir

Orla inserted her scuffed bronze-colored key into the lock, turned it, and opened the door. With its peeling light blue paint, it fortunately did nothing to betray the apartment's relative opulence.
It hadn't been like this when her and her grandmother, Kahri, first moved in. No, at that time, the place had been the dictionary definition of what the locals might call a "shithole," a term as unfamiliar to them as it was second nature to their new neighbors.

The room erupted in audible gasps and loud murmurs following my mother's declaration.

I was stunned. How could I not be? My mother had just admitted to witchcraft.

Unlike my brother, I spent all my days with her. I was always with her except those times she left home to help bring babies into this world and care for ailing mothers. I was the one person that knew she wasn't guilty of such a thing.

Sam and Rick awkwardly got into the ride vehicle, a giant sturgeon with skin marred by peeling paint and bleach stains. The inside of it had been scooped out as if by some hungry giant, the organs and fat replaced by two benches dotted with droplets of water from previous loops.