Stories tagged “conflict”
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a place like no other
Is this what a eunuch feels like? Having experienced regular marital conflict, been subject to insolence from children, and degradation from their mother, my response was to close the shutters. I chose to forget about attempting to impart an upbringing...
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Fulcrum
Blade stared at him. I looked on, my eyes darting from Joe to Blade, to Blade’s gang, and back again. Joe was gambling, I knew. At any moment, one of them might simply think, “fuck you”, make a stupid move, and sooner or later, people...
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Ball Turret Gunner
Alarm horns cut through REM like a tri-laser through a Kleg attack ship. I sleep in the ball so I don’t have to waste time running or strapping into the hot seat. “The ball” is my battle station – Ball Turret USRQ-21. Mine is th...
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Crossed Paths
I shift my weight to my right arm, rise to as much of a sitting position as I can, and look up through blood stained eyes. I can just barely see the figure of my assailant through a fine red haze. As he approaches me again, dragging some sort of bludge...
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Misinformed
My senses come back to me slowly. There is an odd weight in my left hand. Through the still red haze, I can see the cold metal bar in my grasp. There’s a large dent near the top of it, and a blood stain a few inches lower. There is a significant ...
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Civility, Dignity, Sterility
Civility, Dignity, Sterility Such pompous ideals, there to constrain Real-me who sees your pain so clearly A burden of woes across face and life The oil slick of travails and news I give Would that I could wrap you in a hug One embrace to say life can ...
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The Family Business
“I really don’t want to have this conversation, Dad,” I said. “I’ve already made up my mind. I want to study at University.” He looked at me with that mortified expression he wears every time the subject of my prefer...
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As I Say Yes
“Liv?” Melina asks. Her line of sight pivots from the table to rest on my breasts for an instant. Then they travel to the taught flesh covering my collar bone before finally rising to meet my own eyes. I sigh and turn away. I start thinking...
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Precariously Perched (first four lines are a warm up)
Excessively spacey Incessant Partially relevant Especially Racy elements Invades with chains Enslaves enclaves Of maidens Of brave men Of sons of masons Who sell Well welded mazes Whose daughter’s wash up their laces In soap and water Complacent ...
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A Vial Alternative
Giving Halstead a sidelong glance and cautionary nudge to stay put, I reached for a chair and settled across from Feyald. The felynx lord gave one last perusal of his papers with green slitted eyes before sighing and seating himself, black tail undulat...
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A Damn Thing
“Stop it!” she screamed as she chucked a paintbrush at his throat. “What! You know you’re a worthless bitch,” he retorted. “Shutup!” “No, you wanted that abortion and you know it!” She stopped midw...
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So Many Battles
Dust and sweat, god, all I know is dust and sweat. Upon the rise outside the arena the captain of the Asclepian Guard tugs at the cloth armor about him. Jealous eyes consider the frivolity of the arena, while his soul, a slave of duty, adjures his glan...
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The Bridge of Intulcar
The leaves crashed too loudly as he ran. Niccolas tried to minimize the noise by making unbalanced leaps and bounds, only to trip, waiting to hear the sounds of discovery over his own ragged breathing and pounding heart. Somewhere within the woods was ...