Tazoun

The sunlight roasted every object with its heat. His back was to the dead, flaky grass and his face was to the whimsical sky. The Siamese cat slept on the front steps to his house. He dozed, but occasionally his ears noticed crunching footsteps. He sat up and noticed a new face was walking in his direction -- her eyes full of curiosity and their gazes met. Not a single step did she falter. She plopped herself onto the warm sidewalk cement. "So I guess you live nearby?" The voice was soft and croaky.  Some of her charcoal-colored hair stood at a strange angle. "Yeah." He ran a hand through his sandpaper hair. A thick wall of silence wedged its

I always loved the smell of coffee beans. It was intoxicating and wonderful. I guess this strange fascination stemmed from my watching the coffee maker as a kid.  The rich aroma became a form of comfort for my childhood and teen years. I tended to find myself alone at home many times. School, on the other hand, was somewhat different. The schoolwork, fashion trends, and peer pressure had driven me to the borderline of death, but coffee beans allowed me to forget about my worries -- albeit temporary. There were times where not even my favorite smell proved to be salvation. So, a comfort alternative was eating.    I still relied on the scent of

“Only fools believe in wishes with no conditions.” The honeyed voice cooed, “I stay true to my word, though. You yearn for past’s warm embrace. The way it enveloped your hearts and sweet melodies and wonderful moments – why, it’s the reason we encountered each other.” “The past? It’s nothing more than lost grains flowing through a sieve,” Maria retorted. Out of the corner of her eye, the collage of vermillion and amber lit the sky. She had to go prepare dinner for herself again. “But it’s the same grains you want to hold in your hand for as long as possible. Look at that

As the gloomy clouds cried, the gale mocked its misery. And Maria hated both of them. She nocked another arrow and pulled her arm back.  The stag bounded into her vision range. It raised its head – eyes alert.  She allowed the arrow to fly. The projectile lodged itself into the animal’s thigh. In a flash, the stag dashed away. The colorful plume stuck out amongst the vegetation. The leaves and branches shook as another gust of wind howled. She jumped off the branch and landed comfortably on her feet. “Ye’ did good, Mari! Well, for a rookie anyway.” A burly man ambled toward her and placed a hand on her

The wooden floorboards squeaked under his leather boots. He worked on more alchemy studies and read through various recipes. Typically, his studying lasted through the night with no breaks. However, his promise to her made a quick change to that habit. The man sighed as he saw a door slightly opened. His head peeked through the crack and spied her sleeping figure on the bed. Her back lay against a sea of pillows, and an arm shielded her eyes. His breathing hitched at the sight. She slowly shifted her position so that her arms lay in front of her face. Before he backed away from the door, his eyes blinked a few times. It was time to return to

The young lady slammed the door open to the mansion. She placed her sheathed sword against the coat rack.  The scent of herbs permeated the hall. She inhaled the aroma and licked her lips. She frolicked to the dining area and found Miss was setting the table with dishes. “Welcome back! I heard you were promoted to join the Royal Guard?” the woman greeted as she smiled. “Miss, it’s a subunit of the Royal Guard. The ones who patrol the local forests…” Maria gave a sheepish smile. “We get to deal with local monsters and help out fellows who happen to be there.” Miss nodded as she strolled back into

The salty sea air filled her lungs as she scampered to the nearest palm tree.  She leaned against the thick trunk, clenching her left side. She had to hide somewhere safe for the wound to heal properly. The girl looked in the direction she was headed. If she entered a town, her presence would attract too much attention. Her muddy, brown hair was haggard, and she admitted to being lucky her dress still had all the lacing on it. The girl looked out at the ocean. There were some abandoned copper mines on the other side of the beach. That area would be the perfect place to stay for a week before moving on, wouldn’t it?                R