Jan 1, 2025
Difficulties
“I don’t understand why you haven’t just told him.” Monte shifted to peer down onto the alley. The assholes were late.
Corthag glowered at the tablet screen showing the tracker the pixie Penny held. “There is nothing to tell.”
Monte stared at him over her shoulder. “You’ve got to be kidding. If you were any more obvious, you’d be wearing a neon sign.”
Corthag pressed his eyes closed. “He is the third son of His Supreme Excellence, Lai Kurii.”
Unseen behind them, a dark shape lifted its head. If that’s all, Thalebor thought, then I will make my interest known.
***
Jan 2, 2025
Return
William stood staring in the baking aisle. Surely that wasn’t Rafael. He was—he was dead, wasn’t he? He’d disappeared a decade ago, leaving William—leaving everyone angry and confused.
But the voice was exactly the same, warm and open, discussing whether to get chocolate or butterscotch chips with a small child. They decided on both – typical – and spun around to continue shopping.
Rafael’s face did something complicated that William couldn’t follow, then he came forward, radiating concern.
“Gil? Are you—okay?”
William’s hand reacted without his control, snapping forward to clench around Rafael’s bicep.
“You are not leaving again.”
***
Jan 3, 2025
Trapped
I struggle to keep my face still. Crying in front of this group will make everything worse.
“Sure, I can do that for you.” I reach out and press my fingers into the divots on Jem’s wristpiece, waiting until the lights finish flaring. “There. That’ll get you into the back rooms for the next hour.”
Jem, Paony, and Hoxal bare their teeth at me, all false cheer, and charge down the corridor.
Behind me, the new girl slinks out of the door I knew she’d been hiding behind. “Why’d you give in?”
“Because they won’t be able to get out.”
***
Jan 4, 2025
Observation
Zenna hated the low, flickering lights when the lab was empty and relaxed as they flared to life for her. After checking the logs, she settled in to observe the subject. It had been hiding the week she was away; apparently it had thrown lunch at Monday’s biologist.
The dim tank lighting caught on the multicolored scales of the subject’s long tail, making it look like scattered jewels. Movement flashed in the corner of the tank, then the subject’s sleek body pressed against the glass.
When Zenna had chosen marine biology, she never expected to get to study a mermaid.
***
Jan 5, 2025
Pairing Up
She rushed through her morning tasks, only slowing when it was time to do her hair. That was important; the Mohalt used hair styles to display many things.
It took longer than she wanted, but finally, she could tell that she’d gotten it right. The Mohalt were polite about Outsiders, but it was still best not to be deliberately rude.
She hurried into the classroom and sank down next to the tall man she’d met the first day. Maybe now that her hair was right, he’d talk to her.
His eyes caught on the bead meaning ‘un-paired’ and widened. Score!
***
Jan 6, 2025
Honey Pot
I hit send and my comment popped up immediately on the screen.
There. That should set the hook. I watched, jaw tight, for a moment, then minimized the window.
The remaining set-up tasks took the couple of expected hours, and I re-checked the post, hoping the mark had responded.
He had. Excellent. Even better, he was more enthusiastic than I’d expected. Now, all I needed to do was meet him and bring him in.
In the mirror, I practiced my smile and eyelash flutter one last time.
No one was allowed to hurt my twin and get away with it.
***
Jan 7, 2025
Invaders
Marto tapped the controls, encouraging his hopper to slip into the gap between the large rock the others were mining and its companion, spinning the hopper until it was perfectly shielded. He just needed to sit out two more shift changes and then he’d be free to finish the job.
He hated jobs like this. He hated the reminder of where he’d come from, the way that piloting the hopper came naturally, the way part of him relished the stale air.
But he was the only one who could do this, and without him, they’d never win against the humans.
***
Jan 8, 2025
Lost
He struggled up the ramp, forcing his legs to keep going.
“Almost there,” he muttered. He could see the light of the access hatch pouring around the corner, warmly welcoming. It flickered with shadows, but those were his old shipmates, he was sure.
Not sure enough to make him willing to charge past the edge, so he paused, idly massaging his hip, and listened to the whispers the wind brought him.
Unfamiliar voices, foreign accents curling around familiar words, the acrid scent of burnt hair. He pulled back, breath tight. This place wasn’t safe any more.
Heart falling, he fled.
***
Jan 9, 2025
Stranger
She smirked, shifting to show off her chest. I wasn’t distracted; I had my own breasts, hers weren’t special. I did wonder what she was hiding, so I extended my senses, checking the local feeds and seeing if any of the nearby cameras had anything to show.
Something flashed in my peripheral vision and I threw up a hand, hoping the local magfield was still operational. Lucky for me it was, because I turned to see a cobalt-plated mini-blade floating half a foot from my back.
“Nice try,” I drawled. “Wanna tell me why you’d try to kill a stranger?”
***
Jan 10, 2025
Afternoon
He sprawled under the spreading limbs of the old magnolia tree, watching clouds and branches make pictures against the blue sky. Next to him, Obat poked their small fire, turning the fish they’d caught over the flames. The burbling of the river they’d found filled the air, blending nicely with the birdsong.
“Hey,” he said, stretching his legs out to shove Obat with his toes. “This world’s pretty good. We should stay for a while.”
Obat nodded, hands flashing quickly with a question.
“Oh, we’ll keep trying the transporter. Eventually we’ll catch up with your brother. And then kill him.”
***
Jan 11, 2025
Jealousy
The classroom door opened, spilling noise and people into the corridor.
“He shouldn’t have interrupted lecture.” Sherman glowered back into the room.
“Look, Sherman, everyone knows you just have the hots for the professor.”
Sherman sneered. “He’s the best geologist in the country!”
“True.” Anna rolled her eyes. “But also, he turned you down the last eight times you asked him for coffee.”
Sherman’s face looked like he’d stepped in something disgusting.
“At least I’m not a delinquent!”
Anna caught a glimpse of the teacher, smiling down at his TA, whose face was beet red.
“No, you’re just a jerk.”
***
Jan 12, 2025
People Watching
I like to sit in cafés and people watch. I’ve been doing this for a long time and it’s fascinating to see how things change. Coffee itself is different; I remember when everything was done by hand, and now, here we are with piped in hot water in five different temperatures, so everyone’s tea can be made perfectly.
I don’t go far, not anymore. There’s no point, really. The changes have been dramatic everywhere and I don’t really fit in. Plus, there’s always new drama to watch here.
Being a ghost turns out to be more fun that I expected.
***
Jan 13, 2025
Loss
Exhaustion filled her. Everything she looked at was just… exhausting. Who put those signs up in front of the pond, hiding half of it and distorting the rest? Why were there screaming advertisements everywhere, all noise, signifying nothing?
She dragged her sluggish limbs down the street (past the long-gone noodle shop), around the corner (farewell to the florist), and along the short alley (no more funky antiques), until she made it to the grungy staircase.
Up to her tiny bedsit, the ancient porcelain tea set and jade combs practically glowing in their own light.
Anyone who wanted immortality was wrong.
***
Jan 14, 2025
Hope
Gavin stared at the baby, who stared back. She wasn’t a baby, not really, she was a toddler, but. Baby. God, if he could get Richard to go along with this, she could be his… no, their baby.
Rose. At least Talia hadn’t given her a shitty name, to go with her shitty mothering.
She reached out for him and he reached back.
“Gavin?” his mom asked, turning to see why Rose was leaning away from her.
“Can I… can I have her?”
“Of course, dear.”
Rose settled onto his hip and he knew he’d do anything to keep her.
***
Jan 15, 2025
Returned Gaze
He hunkered down in the cabin, pleased to have found a place with solid walls and roof, and also a good clear defensible area. It took nearly a month to pack in all the supplies he’d need for the winter, but just before the snows came, he was satisfied.
The zombies showed up after the third snowfall. He watched them circle the fence, drifting and groaning. After a while, the sound became part of the background noise and he almost forgot about them.
It was the silence that drew his attention. He looked outside.
One zombie looked back at him.
***