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.
***
Jan 16, 2025
New Family
The sound came from under the front porch and Jasper whined to himself as he eyed the filthy gap in the wooden mesh… stuff. But he couldn’t leave a cat to die under his porch.
After a moment to tie his hair up, he wiggled through the hole. The cry came again and he crawled toward it, trying not to touch the ground. It wasn’t working.
Then something wriggled and he caught a flash of orange hair.
“Got you,” he muttered and reached out. Three little kittens, eyes fastened shut, lay soft and scared in his hands.
“You’re safe now.”
***
Jan 17, 2025
Starting Over
She set down her pen and sighed. That was easier than I expected.
“It has been a pleasure working with you,” the incoming CEO said “I look forward to what you do next. I’m certain it will be as groundbreaking as what you are entrusting to me. To us.” He gestured around at the gaggle of eager looking old men behind him.
She dragged out a smile from somewhere. “I am sure you will do amazing things.”
Outside, she held off her collapse until she was at her favorite hole-in-the-wall café.
Time to start over. Again. By herself, this time.
***
Jan 18, 2025
Hate It
I hate running. I know everyone says it’s healthy and I’ll get used to it and everything, but I hate it. My knees hurt. My back hurts. At least I found a good enough bra to keep… things contained.
Seriously, the clothing my team-mates wanted me to wear was ridiculous. A loose shirt and comfortable leggings are enough. I don’t need to wear a bikini to go jogging.
I’ve been out on this trail five times this week. At some point, I’ll get eaten by a bobcat.
But.
It lets me get close to the mark, and that’s what counts.
***
Jan 19, 2025
Going Home
Packing always made him sad. It didn’t matter if he was packing to go on vacation or come home from it. Packing meant he was leaving a place. All his life, he’d left places, or been left, or – worst option – been left in places and had to find his way back to… somewhere that would take him.
He grabbed the last stack of shirts and tucked them into the box and taped it closed. Jorge had already labeled it: Matt’s Clothes, Bedroom. Matt smiled a little and ran his fingers over the green sharpie.
This time, he was going home.
***
Jan 20, 2025
Love
Jorge watched Matt ungently shove his things into boxes and sighed to himself. He knew why the man he loved was convinced no one loved him back, and he was ready to spend the rest of his life showing Matt how wrong he was.
But it still ached. Matt couldn’t even show kindness to his stupid shirts.
Then Matt touched Jorge’s bad handwriting on the side of the box and his lips curled up into the soft smile he loved so much…
Maybe this would work. Maybe one day soon Matt would understand how much his new family loved him.
***
Jan 21, 2025
Baking
He poked the pale mass in the bowl. It was supposed to be bread.
Well. Pre-bread. Dough. Whatever. The recipe had said to leave it in a bowl, covered, in a warm place and it would rise. Swell. Something.
It had been four hours and it was still the same size and shape. Solid and whitish. Gross.
This was why he always did his cooking by summoning a demon. Sure, it cost him a tiny bit of his soul each time, but at least he didn’t spend four hours waiting for nothing to happen.
Time to draw another blood circle.
***
Jan 22, 2025
Frontier
The train ride was nearly two days, then the horrible carriage ride after that another full day. By the time Owen staggered down the rickety stairs onto the street, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to stand straight for a week.
Before him, the hotel windows glowed with light, but his eyes strayed to the distant mountains, dark against the late sunset. He’d expected them to be taller, somehow.
Dinner was barely worth the name, breakfast even worse, but he’d packed his rucksack with better options.
Owen was going to see the other side of the mountains or die trying.
***
Jan 23, 2025
The Wrong One
“I didn’t tell you to bring me just anyone,” Luc said, struggling to keep fury from his voice. He quirked a finger at his Lieutenant. “Tie him up,” he ordered, ignoring the way the mid-level mook screamed objections. Then he sighed and turned to the poor innocent kid who’d been caught up in this.
“Okay, so, we can’t let you go, I’m sorry.” He gestured for someone to cut the kid free. “But I’m sure we can find something for you to do.”
At his feet, the kid sat rubbing her wrists. “If you’ve got pizza,” she said, “I’m in.”
***
Jan 24, 2025
Escape
He staggers off the train into the dark night. The streets are cold and empty, but if he can just keep going, he’ll make it to a safe place.
No one accosts him as he stumbles into narrower and darker alleys. Somehow he’s lucky, for once in his cursed life, and he gets to where he’s going.
It’s a dingy half underground restaurant and he practically falls down the stairs into the little courtyard.
Inside, the air is warm and redolent of ginger and garlic, and the lights are warm and sunny.
And a little voice calls, “Papa! You’re here!”
***
Jan 25, 2025
Party
The ticket was supposed to come three days ago. I contacted Dan, Loia’s fixer, but he said there was nothing he could do.
Which left me in a real bind, because it wasn’t like I wanted to attend this stupid event for myself. I was required to, by both my nominal boss (why he thought I was wasting time on his filing, I’d never understand) and by my real boss, Loia, who knew exactly why I was doing grunt work for the CEO of a major tech firm.
I supposed I’d just have to crash. Wouldn’t be my first time.
***
Jan 26, 2025
Catnapped
The sun is hot on my back, and I roll over to bake my stomach a bit. There’s a rustling sound outside, so I curl back upright and peer out the window – yes! There are two birds, the small gray ones, hopping through the branches of the tree.
I feel the sounds climbing my throat and work to control them. If I scare the food off, I might not eat—no. No, I’d forgotten. No need.
I am inside now. Food – good soft food – is everywhere. I don’t know why the tall monster kidnapped me, but life inside is good.
***
Jan 27, 2025
Night Time
I’ve heard all the jibes. ‘You’re secretly a vampire (I’m not, but the guy you’ve been flirting with all night is).’ ‘You’re a werewolf (they don’t exist, but other shapeshifters do).’ ‘You’re just goth.’
Well. That one’s true enough.
But really, I just like night time. Things feel softer, when the shadows take over. Secrets are less painful. Kindness is closer. Sure, it can be dangerous, but sunlight doesn’t kill cruelty. It doesn’t even expose it. At least moonlight is gentle, smoothing out the harsh edges, giving places to hide.
There’s more to being nocturnal than just preferring the dark.
***
Jan 28, 2025
Paying Attention
He slammed the mallet down on the workbench and swore, bending over to press his face into his hands. Fuck. This was the third time he’d had to repair the water purifier this month, and he didn’t think he could do it. He needed parts – at least a filter, but probably more.
The half-shrieked groan coming through the window was a harsh reminder of why he couldn’t go get anything.
Then, silence swept through the constantly circling zombies and he shuddered.
Outside, a zombie held a bag and a large carton.
Acme Water Filter was printed on the box’s side.
***
Jan 29, 2025
Sneaky
Oliver slid through the dark corridors, trying to avoid the creaky bits of floor. He’d been doing this for decades, he didn’t know why it was still hard to remember where the floor sagged.
He slipped carefully into the room, letting his night vision guide him to the bed. The body in the bed snuffled and rolled over, dragging the blankets with it. Oliver repressed a smile. This man was not cute. He was the enemy, and Oliver was here to see what he’d brought with him.
If Oliver spent a minute tucking him in, no one needed to know.
***
Jan 30, 2025
Help
Look, I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I’ve smudged the whole house, using sage and rosemary. I’ve cleaned everything, top to bottom (even the really gross bit behind the furnace).
I leave out milk and cake, I sweep out the door, not into the trash, I make sure to greet the whole house every time I come back inside.
But still, the cold spots and angry shadows glaring at me persist. At this point, I think I’m going to have to call in real help.
If anyone can deal with a haunted house, it’s my sister, the zombie witch.
***
Jan 31, 2025
Planning
She sat down, pulled her planner close and sighed. This was the worst part of every month.
“Okay,” she muttered. “What do I have to finish this month, and how much time do I actually have to do it in?”
It took some jiggling, but she managed to match up her available time with most of the important tasks, but then she was stuck with the rest of her life. What could she move to get an hour for art – or cycling outdoors – every week?
It didn’t seem like so much time, but still. Somehow, she could never find it.
***