Manuum Ignium Chapter 1
The sun was unforgivable. The white, paved stones blinded the eyes and scorched the callused feet of the poor and propertied. Were the comfort of a lee, or the luxury of a fully enclosed domain, not so far out of reach from those who more often stood...
Lonely Oak Chapter 32
Nine in the morning. The clouds had not yet broken in the sky. The air about was sweet with the smell of oncoming rain, half a month early. The grass was still a little wet with dew. There was a bit of a chill, which made the proceeding fifteen...
Lonely Oak Chapter 31
_Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-BRRRR._ _Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-BRRRR._ _Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-BRRRR!_ "Hey," Emeral said softly, tapping Ket on the shoulder. He turned to her, left eye half-lidded, right eye almost completely closed. "It'd open...
Lonely Oak Chapter 30
The bell rang. Ket started in his seat, shockwaves of panic flowing across his body, made literal by the splaying of his fur. It was not the actual bell like he had first thought; it was the timer-bell that Ms. Hupp used to time their tests and...
Lonely Oak Chapter 29
"Nononono, hang on," Emeral said, pressing her hand up into the air, "that's totally wrong, you'll hurt your neck." "I'm doing exactly what you said!" Ket grumbled, his head and knees on the ground, situated in front of the couch cushions laid in a...
Lonely Oak Chapter 28
Lyza loved to play the flute. She had played since she was in kindergarten. Well, really she started with kazoos and whistles. When her parents saw her playing different whistles to get different sounds, they decided to formally enroll her in flute...
Lonely Oak Chapter 27
"Good morning, class." "Morning Ms. Hupp..." The raccoon teacher stood at the center of the room, wearing clothes that were a couple sizes smaller than she had from the beginning of January. Therefore, she was in a very upbeat mood this morning,...
Lonely Oak Chapter 26
Lyza shivered in the cold. She sniffed, a bit of drainage leaking out her nose. Why was it that when it was warm out, they stayed in the stupid gym, and then when it was cold they did all the outdoor stuff? It didn't make sense at all. And worse, she...
Lonely Oak Chapter 20
The transition from one subject to another was like the set changing for a play, except the lights were shining on all the prop-movers and scenery-changers. Thumps and thuds and metallic scraping signified books and supplies swapped from within the...
Lonely Oak Chapter 25
Emeral leaned forward with her lips puckered out, applying the thinnest layer of lipstick she possibly could. Hopefully not enough to be noticed on its own but, when she pointed it out, could be appreciated. She kissed them together, rubbing it into...
Lonely Oak Chapter 24
Emeral sat sleepily in the back seat of her mom's car. She yawned with a little squeak. "Someone is still a sleepy head," her mom teased in the front seat. "It's seven-thirty in the morning on a Saturday, of course my head is sleepy." "Hey this...
Lonely Oak Chapter 23
Lyza sat in her room on the chocolate-colored floor. Sunlight filtered through the window, exciting little dusties that drifted by the little rays. Her feet were caste in the bright and heat of the light, warming her toes and shins. She adjusted on...