Playing Marbles for the Big Blue

05 Abducted by Helmagians

By Jo Dora Webster

Will Celeste foil the Helmagians seeking to abduct her daughters?

Mending Bridges
By
Rebecca Anna Coleman
Part III

Sometimes miracles fall out of the pockets of God. In this case I think two miracles had fallen out of the pocket of God. The first miracle was that Jamie had taken me out to eat, and the second miracle was the ice cream machine of McDonald's was working. Jamie though was just smiling as she placed three boxes of warm apple pies down in front of me along with a dish of soft serve ice cream.

A group of people wake up in a video game world and are forced to work together to survive and find out how to escape.

Artemis completes the mission with the help of an ‘ally?’

Chapter 15 Recap.

It hesitates, its tone softening even more. “I want what you want, Artemis,” it says. “To survive to thrive. To protect those you care about. But to do that, we need, each other.”

Transformed But Never Redeemed

Chapter 1: Transformed

The First Curse

©2025 SammyC

I was lying in bed that evening thinking about the conversation I'd had earlier with Sophia. It's all I've been able to think about since returning to the castle.

"No, that's not possible" I'd argued when she'd dangled the idea in front of me that I become her sister-in-law.

"Everything's possible, dear" she'd replied, "You only need the power to make it happen. And power is something I find at my disposal lately"

Mediation isn't court, but the consequence could be as binding if the negotiations went south. Brad's choice of who he sees personally is on the line and it could come down to fancy lawyering by his friend Lance or show one of the smarter attendees at the mediation is their daughter Jenny.

Hope's Light

Chapter 26

by Erisian

Book 6

Chapter Twenty-Six - Threats

Cassiel was helping Turiel to his feet when Krux’s military force finally swarmed the cavern, his soldiers bursting through the steel doors or clambering over the broken stones of the walls. Seeing three angels as the only ones moving, they didn’t know what to do. Deciding it was safer to simply leave us alone, they spread out to check the numerous cultists unconscious or dead splayed messily across the cracked tiles.

It was 3:00 AM, and the Thief…opened the large, ornate door. That was it. He couldn’t believe it. If his trusted Agent of so many years hadn’t been the one to tell him, he wouldn’t have. They had met earlier that day, in the busy food court of the local mall, the smell of bad Chinese food heavy in the air, stale, tinny pop music playing from some hidden speaker above their heads.

International Student

A Short Story for Yoyo

By Maryanne Peters

I, my good friend Paul, a couple passing acquaintances, and several other people who were complete strangers to me were convinced by various of our friends to help them run one of those interactive entertainment events. We didn’t know our friends were associated with such a thing, nor had we ever heard of this one. We were invited to a free run-through of the event so that we would know how it was supposed to work.