Snippet 1

Jules walked up to the desk with a heavy heart.

"How can I help you?"

"Your cheery smile is a good start. I'm here to see Mrs. Maldonado."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Maldonado has just drifted off to sleep and we think it's better for her to rest. If you want to wait we can let you know when she wakes up."

"Thank you, I'll be in the waiting room."

Four years had passed.
He had seen the trees change from white to green to red to black and all over again four times. He couldn’t believe how long it had been since the day the Yīnyǐng had separated them all. He had seen the change of what parts of the world they had travelled together, thoroughly worried by it all. Things changed so drastically wherever they turned that he was sure he woke up in a different world every morning.

Aloysius, Cahir, and Iolo stood under the shade of the grape arbors in the garden, having not much more use. Boniface and Ignatius took the north side of the keep, and so far, the captain was just waiting for the mission to be over. He had something pressing left in Baric-Tref, one of those things that you couldn't take your eye off for very long. It was that important.
“The sun’s going to sleep,” yawned Cahir. “Captain? May we request retirement?”
Aloysius scoffed. “Never been on night duty, aye, Cahir?”
The boy indignantly shrugged. “Jist, tired, y’know.”

Mistake I

I am familiar with the

buzz the thrill the
hand gripping thigh
I will
regret this tomorrow

I let him with no
reaction I like the warmth

eyelids low

the bass in
his truck vibrates my
brain away the night is

alive I think
what time is it

Mistake II

I.
I just recall
the ringing in my ears and
my hands on
his chest and
the sway as I tried to
catch my balance blurry and
all I could see was his
mouth opening into a laugh
before

The leader of the Dusks knew it would be easy to cause havoc in the paradisal scene, and that finding the Al-Izz boy would take no effort. Ten thousand rubies for a job well done.
The Yīnyǐng did nothing else better than an attack.
“Toula,” the leader said, his voice a maelstrom. “Over here.”
The Yīnyǐng turned and approached and pulled back her hood. Toula’s wavy black hair tumbled down her back and she stood at attention before Tai. “Yes, Father?” she said.

There's no rest for the weary
No, no port in sight
This journey is so dreary
I travel alone
Now I'm treading on water
Can't do this for long
I have no lighthouse spotter
Down under I go

But in your arms is where I find my rest
Yeah, my cerebral port
I call on your heart to make mine steadfast
Oh, my cerebral port

a line i hoped he'd never write
a word i'd rather scratch
a turn the story didn't need
i thought so anyways.

my author wrote that stormy bit;
its darkness could be felt.
the rain sent shivers down my spine
and quiv'ring to my lips.

the tunnel dark was hard to grasp
why did it need to mar
the beauty of the written piece
that i had grown to love?

the final end, so sadly broken
but wrought by loving hands;
was mended perfect: tearful joy
finished it at last.

If there was one thing about living alone I detested, it was the silence.

It was deafening.

There were days that I would turn on the air conditioner, just to hear it run. I mean, to be honest, one needs air conditioning almost year-round in Texas. That’s if you can afford it.

Mom had been missing. Six days.

It wasn’t exactly unusual. She would sometimes be gone, days at a time. Generally, she would call or something, but I had learned not to expect it.

I guess she had friends she would go out with. She would take a few days off work, and she would never stay home. She’d be in Houston, or close to the border, or whatever.

I’d honestly rather stay out of it.

When I look at the sky, and see ten thousand stars
Cradled in Your loving hand,
I take a moment and ponder on the wonders
And the vastness of Your Land.
Your majesty and Your infinite Being
Of holiness and glory;
Your gentle eyes on me that are always seeing
My poor and finite story.
Poor and finite no more: for You have done a work;
You have made me immortal;
As Holy King You lift me gently when I shirk,
You've opened Heaven's portal.