James Pyles's Blog, page 193

Melvin’s Basement

It had been two years since their divorce was final and Melvin finally had his basement set up. It was the toy room he dreamed of as a child. Space, the final frontier, and all of the aircraft, rocket ships, and space stations he thought would be reality in 2017. “I was promised my moon […]

Seeing Red

He heard her coming, knew she was a “she” by her scent. He was confused. It was night. Humans didn’t visit the forest at night, especially during the full moon. He avoided humans or tried to. In spite of his reputation, all he wanted to do was hunt prey, tonight it had been a large and […]

The Defector

“Remember, stay in the compartment under the truck’s bed until you’re past the last checkpoint and Franciszek gives you the signal. If the truck is stopped, do not make a sound or the soldiers will shoot you both.” Dominik Zheutlin was peering up at the member of the Fighting Solidarity movement. Normally, they didn’t take […]

Nereid

Now in this island of Atlantis, there was a great and wonderful empire which had rule over the whole island and several others, and over parts of the continent, and furthermore, the men of Atlantis had subjected the parts of Libya within the columns of Heracles as far as Egypt, and of Europe as far […]

Ashurbanipal’s Library

Aiyana Kaleya Zheutlin had been reading strange languages for the past three weeks, ever since returning to the present and the arctic base of Operation or rather Project Retrograde and discovering how much of the present they’d changed. Something Kelgarries and the fastidious and annoying Dr. Antoine Barnes had mentioned in their briefing when the […]

Cowboys and Sorcerers, Part Two

The 22nd Story in the Adventures of the Ambrosial Dragon: A Children’s Fantasy Series Clayton, Yao Jin, Landon, Mitchell, and Illanipi were trapped in a narrow canyon which was blocked at both ends by black clad gunmen, all firing their six-shooters at our heroes. Landon’s lantern amulet was shining a bright white light under his […]

The Shower Scene

The old motel wasn’t what Norman imagined. He thought an old Victorian in the California countryside converted to an inn would be charming and tasteful. But his room reminded him of “old woman bedroom.” Oh well, at least there was plenty of hot water for a shower. Cheap shower curtain but that part didn’t matter. […]

Reggie

“What the hell is it, Neil?” “I don’t know, Doctor. It was in my coffee cup when I opened the lab this morning.” Louise Manners wrinkled her nose. “I told you never leave your dishes in the lab over the weekend. We work with biological…” “Doctor, how could left over coffee turn into…into that?” “We’d […]

Sherlock and the Doctor

“This is ridiculous, Watson. I deal in facts, not fiction.” The two men had just stepped onto Baker street after exiting their flat and made, what to one of them, was a startling discovery. “But I tell you, Sherlock, this Police Box wasn’t here when we went to bed last night. How could it have […]

The Virgin Wept

The Virgin wept to see the destruction of the monastery. First lightning and now the earthquake turned it to ruins. Thank God the chapel escaped harm so the monks and pilgrims still can come and pray. “But what will happen to my poor monks now?” “Please, you must return to your grave, sister. You are […]