The Necessity of Winter

by Armond
 

Peace Assessor Epsilon Tau stood with his back against a big rock, trembling. He needed to calm down. Taking a slow deep breath, he asked for the blessing of the Atom Heart Mother and reached out with his senses, connecting. He could feel the solidness of the house-size boulder behind him. The shape of it where it extended below the ground. The soil around it, a tumult of microscopic life and death and new birth .......... Beneath that he could feel the planet's brittle crust---mere kilometers thick---and then the horribly liquid mantle and core beneath...

This exercise would have quickly soothed his soul back at home, but here it just made him aware of how horribly alien this planet was. Green trees. A yellow sun in a blue sky…

The afternoon meeting sees the introduction of printing with moveable type - in two different ways. Merizel struggles to keep up with the unusual girl the Queen introduced her to. Later, some news of a distant event is received and Garia finally learns some local geography.

Somewhere Else Entirely

by Penny Lane

20 - Of Type and Typing

Synopsis: For the last two months, Sarah has been in hiding but the time has come to fight back. The lines have been drawn and a plan has been set in motion.

CHAPTER 82
Sarah was a seriously good dancer,

A note to our readers at the end of the chapter, please bear with us!

 
Melanie Ezell’s Ultimate Writer's Challenge: week # 27. “Who I Am.”
 
(I know this one is a bit early. But its done, so here it is.

The Camp Of The Willows
by Barbara Lynn Terry

"Get up, dear." Mom had said in a very sing song voice. I am going on thirteen, so why is she talking to me, like she would my sister. I opened my eyes, and swung my feet out from under the blankets.

"Morning, mom."

"Your bubble bath is ready, dear, and I want you to use the body powder on the sink when you are finished. I will lay out your clothes."

CHAPTER 81
She stood there, framed by the two and clinging to Polly’s hand, flinching every so often as a couple came near. I brought the tune to an end as quickly as I could without it seeming rushed, and then had a quick word with Steph, who understood immediately. A quick decision: