Stepping out of the Pathfinder was a mind-blowing experience. There were thousands of people walking around with tents dotting the entire beach. It reminded me of those old music festivals that held before the world went to shit.

One of the Voyagers had landed dangerously close to us but I could see four other Voyagers at various locations in the distance just peeking above the forest.

Essie didn’t linger long on the wedding photos, just long enough to tell me a funny story about how her great-uncle had forgotten his best man speech and after stammering for a few moments, had instead — I don’t know what. I wasn’t listening at that point. I was staring at the older man posed with the groom in one of the pictures. He was a good few years younger and less wrinkled, but he was unmistakably the creepy old man from my dreams.

Occulta puella

To those who helped I give my blessing.
To the rest, may you one day receive what you deserve,
On my deathbed, alone as always,

Occulta puella. [Hidden Girl]

Silver Bell Wish 2
by Peregrine

Copyright © 2023 Peregrine
All rights reserved.
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

For the first time since moving in with Jack, Eddie woke to the sound of an alarm. Having always been a creature of habit he’d usually have Jack’s suit laid out for the day, showered, and dressed himself. He’d be starting breakfast in the kitchen, but that morning his head was pounding. Veronica was right. He did in fact like the wine better than beer, but he didn’t like the dry mouth, the sick feeling, and everything else that went with it the next day.

John insisted on telling Will and the rest of the crew which abruptly halted any plans I'd had of going out the next day.

"Could this have anything to do with her abilities?" Robert asked as we discussed the situation the next morning in the medbay.

"It's the most likely culprit." John agreed "Either way, I want to get it removed quickly before it spreads to more problematic sections of the brain".

Chapter 2

Next morning, Sally met with the paramedics when they arrived for work.

“Thanks for seeing me, gentlemen. Can you tell me about the time you attended Fred Williams?”

“It was a pretty normal visit. The guy had died, the attending nurse had called it in when she found him. He was on the floor, on his front. He had vomited and is bladder had emptied.”

“Vomited? That wasn’t in the official report. Was it where he was found, or was it in other places in his home?”

We departed from the station and set a course to the contested zone. After the night of drinking, everyone was tired. I offered to stand watch on the bridge. Gabe invited himself to join me on the bridge. It would make the watch easier on me with someone to talk to.

I showed him to the bridge while the rest of the crew settled in their quarters. I sat in the captain's chair and took command of Shadow Stalker. Gabe grilled me, "How did some greenhorns get roped into running a spec ops mission?"

This one started as an idea for a longer story, but the team was so good they solved the case before it went too far. It wrapped up just in time for Christmas.
Marianne

Chapter 1

The month long winter break flew by. Mom spent most of the break trying to make up for lost mother-daughter time with me. Faith ran interference a few times to get me out of it but I really didn’t mind spending more time with Mom. Dad was not quite distant. We still played chess in the evening every now and then. He loved playing against me. And I could still beat him occasionally.

Marc visited a couple weekends and got along great with my parents. He could not sleep over though.