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Year's Best Body Horror 2017 | C. P. Dunphey (ed) | [
"horror",
"body horror",
"short stories"
] | [] | Chapter 7 | Something was definitely happening. It had been a week since the old woman had grabbed him and his penis had grown to four inches. Dylan laughed as he looked at the yellow tape measure. Had it been wishful thinking? Was he somehow measuring it wrong? Or had the old witch used some kind of magic to make it a normal size... |
Year's Best Body Horror 2017 | C. P. Dunphey (ed) | [
"horror",
"body horror",
"short stories"
] | [] | Chapter 8 | The same night, Dylan lay naked on his bed, browsing the internet. He wanted to test his new-found confidence. Browsing the search engines, he came across listings for local escorts in the London area. He found a white woman. She was of large proportions and over fifty years old. She charged £40 per night for her "serv... |
Year's Best Body Horror 2017 | C. P. Dunphey (ed) | [
"horror",
"body horror",
"short stories"
] | [] | Chapter 9 | The grin remained on his face when he woke. But that wasn't all. He looked down the bedsheets at his naked groin. His morning erection stared back at him. To Dylan it looked huge. He jumped out of his bed and went to the bathroom, grabbing the tape measure out of the cabinet drawer. When he measured his now flaccid pen... |
Year's Best Body Horror 2017 | C. P. Dunphey (ed) | [
"horror",
"body horror",
"short stories"
] | [] | Chapter 10 | Dylan's penis continued to grow. Six inches became eight, eight became twelve and on the morning of 21 November, around three weeks after his encounter with the witch, it measured eighteen inches long.
People at work had begun to notice the long bulge in his trousers. Dylan saw women giggle and wink as he walked past ... |
Year's Best Body Horror 2017 | C. P. Dunphey (ed) | [
"horror",
"body horror",
"short stories"
] | [] | Chapter 11 | Dylan showered and dressed, spraying aftershave. His penis, now over twenty inches long, needed tucking into his jeans. He had been forced to buy baggier jeans to accommodate it. The growth had begun to worry him. What if Debbie wanted to have sex? He thought to himself. Will my cock keep growing? When will it stop? Hi... |
Year's Best Body Horror 2017 | C. P. Dunphey (ed) | [
"horror",
"body horror",
"short stories"
] | [] | Chapter 12 | Dylan put Debbie's body in a large holdall that usually held his Christmas Tree and dragged it to the woods. At two in the morning, it was unlikely that anyone would see him, but he had a cover story sorted all the same. He was carrying an old Christmas tree ready to make way for a new one. He worked nightshift and onl... |
Year's Best Body Horror 2017 | C. P. Dunphey (ed) | [
"horror",
"body horror",
"short stories"
] | [] | Chapter 13 | The following morning, Dylan was awakened by a knock at the door. It was the police.
"I'm Detective Inspector Dewsbury. I'd like to ask you a few questions about Debbie Field. A colleague of yours. I understand you went for a drink with her last night?"
"Yes," Dylan replied.
"Unfortunately, Miss Field's body was fou... |
Year's Best Body Horror 2017 | C. P. Dunphey (ed) | [
"horror",
"body horror",
"short stories"
] | [] | Chapter 14 | "Another one this morning," said Greg as he walked along the prison halls, talking to his colleague John. He swung his jailer keys around his fingers rhythmically. "Never get used to the suicides."
"Yep. Goes with the territory I suppose," John replied.
They stopped opposite Dylan's cell. His pale, lifeless body hung... |
(Yokai 1) The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons | Matthew Meyer | [
"Japanese mythology",
"pedia"
] | [] | Introduction - What Are Yōkai? | Put simply, yōkai are supernatural creatures of Japanese folklore. The word in Japanese is a combination of yō, meaning "bewitching," and kai, meaning "strange." Yōkai encompasses more than just monsters and demons. It also includes certain kinds of gods (kami), ghosts (bakemono) ], magical animals, transformed humans,... |
(Yokai 2) The Hour of Meeting Evil Spirits | Matthew Meyer | [
"Japanese mythology",
"pedia"
] | [] | What Are Evil Spirits? | In Japan, it is said that there are 8 million kami . These spirits encompass every kind of supernatural creature; from malign to monstrous, demonic to divine, and everything in between. Most of them seem strange and scary—even evil—from a human perspective. They are known by myriad names: bakemono, chimimōryō, mamono, ... |
(Yokai 3) The Book of the Hakutaku, A Bestiary of Japanese Monsters | Matthew Meyer | [
"Japanese mythology",
"pedia"
] | [] | Collecting Yōkai | Yōkai have been collected and categorized for thousands of years. An ancient legend tells of an encyclopedia called The Book of the Hakutaku, which was given to the emperor by a magical beast. This book contained information about all the spirits, gods, and demons in the universe.
It was lost long ago, but parts of it... |
(Yokai 3) The Book of the Hakutaku, A Bestiary of Japanese Monsters | Matthew Meyer | [
"Japanese mythology",
"pedia"
] | [] | Origins in Foreign Folklore | Yōkai are often understood as Japanese monsters. However, not all yōkai are necessarily Japanese.
The word can refer to mysterious spirits and phenomena from anywhere in the world. Foreign monsters like Dracula and Frankenstein's creature are often included under the yōkai umbrella.
Many yōkai which are traditionally... |
(Yokai 3) The Book of the Hakutaku, A Bestiary of Japanese Monsters | Matthew Meyer | [
"Japanese mythology",
"pedia"
] | [] | Chapter 3 | Bits and pieces of foreign cultures have gradually trickled into Japan and been absorbed into Japanese culture. This has been happening for thousands of years, through both direct and indirect exchange. Trade and diplomatic missions to China exposed Japan to the gods, traditions, and superstitions of the Asian continen... |
(Yokai 3) The Book of the Hakutaku, A Bestiary of Japanese Monsters | Matthew Meyer | [
"Japanese mythology",
"pedia"
] | [] | Chapter 4 | Hakutaku (白澤)
Translation: white marsh; based on the Chinese name for the same creature
Alternate names: kutabe
Habitat: remote, holy mountains
Diet: unknown; likely herbivorous
Appearance: Hakutaku are wise chimerical beasts that resemble white oxen. They have nine eyes—three on their head, and three on each of t... |
(Young Wizards 9) A Wizard of Mars | Diane Duane | [
"fantasy",
"young adult"
] | [] | Chapter 1 | Truth is always late, always last to arrive, limping along with Time. (The Art of Worldly Wisdom, Baltasar Gracián, §146)
[Terra Cognita}
<The problem,> Kit thought, scowling at the paper, <isn't the basic shape, so much. It's what to do with the legs...>
He briefly glanced up from the pencil sketch he'd been doing ... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Chapter 1 | Whereby I introduce myself to people who have no idea who the hell I am, but have found themselves in possession of this book. Welcome, stranger!
I recently experienced the perfect summary of my career at a Build-A-Bear store inside a suburban mall in Lancaster, California.
Okay, sure, a single adult woman in her thi... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Chapter 2 | Why I'm Weird
A brief survey of an eccentric, homeschooled childhood.
For the record, I was homeschooled for hippie reasons, not God reasons. And it wasn't even full hippie. There was no "communal family in an ashram" sort of thing, which is SO disappointing. I've always wanted a glamorous messed-up childhood like th... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Jesus Loved Me! | For second grade, I transferred to a conservative Lutheran elementary school. We weren't religious, but Mom had gone to public school as a child, and the only stories she told us about her education were about kids not wearing shoes to class and the time where she had to shave her head because of lice. Oh, and somethin... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Chapter 4 | What Avatar Should I Be?
Forming my identity with video game morality tests. And how that led to my first kiss with a Dragon in a Walmart parking lot.
Knowing yourself is life's eternal homework. ( Another coffee mug slogan!) We have to dig and experiment and figure out who the hell we are from birth to death, which ... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Chapter 5 | Jail Bait
The deprived college years: Surprisingly, people didn't invite the sixteen-year-old violin prodigy to keggers.
My mother got me into playing the violin at age two and a half because she was watching a morning talk show and saw a bunch of small children playing the instrument together in a perfectly straight... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Chapter 6 | Hollywood: Not a Meritocracy?
My adorably naïve history as an actor and why, in my mind, I was destined to "make it" in Hollywood based on several community theatre chorus girl parts.
For some reason I always knew I wanted to be an actor. I think it was because I read too many fantasy novels as a kid. There was alway... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Chapter 7 | Quirky Addiction = Still an Addiction
How my obsessive personality steered me into a twelve-hour-a-day gaming addiction and an alt-life as a level 60 warlock named Codex.
Anal retentiveness is one of my most attractive genetic traits. (I also hit the genome lottery for "The ability to pack a suitcase efficiently.") A... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Chapter 8 | The Guild: A Ruthless Beginning
Whereupon I mentally abuse myself into creating something due to depression, peer pressure, and hypochondria. And it turns out way less crappy than you'd think!
The Guild is a comedy web series I created in 2006 about a group of online gamers and how they interact online and offline. (... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | HARPER JESSAMYN | I can't help being good at the flute, but it's a trap. What do I do, who do I become? Cut off my fingers and cast me in the ocean! Maybe it's better if I feed the earth with my flesh. At least I'll be contributing to the world somehow! There would at least be some kind of...
(BEAT)
...MEANING!
Harper runs away from ... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Chapter 10 | Web Series: A DIY Journey
I guess we can borrow some cameras, stand in front of them, and say the words typed in the script. Is that how this "filmmaking thing" works?
"Walk me through this slowly. People can talk to each other while they play video games?"
"Yeah. You just install separate voice chat software while ... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | BACKSTORY SIDE TRIP | YouTube was created in 2005, the year I forced myself to write The Guild. Yes, it's weird to think that before that year, there was no YouTube. It feels like it should have ALWAYS existed, allowing us to share Taylor Swift covers with as much ease as breathing. There was Heaven, then there was Earth, then there was You... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | B) Under 30 | C) Female
But when you allow just ANYONE to submit themselves, which we did, we got some, shall we say, "out of the box" head shots. Like a fifty-year-old Hawaiian man standing butt naked on a surfboard. Or a "current" head shot for a woman clearly taken back in the 1970s, accompanied by halter dress and Vaseline filt... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Chapter 13 | WE MADE SOMETHING! #lookit
The fine art of grassroots "getting all up in people's faces" with The Guild. Tweetin' and pioneerin' and awards! Oh my!
When I was in music school in college, everyone had to perform a senior recital in order to complete their degree. But it was a serious pain to get anyone to ATTEND the e... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Chapter 14 | Felicia
Unquote.
Unironic.
And as my marketing coup d'état, the day we released the first episode of The Guild I sat in my computer chair for eighteen hours using all the accounts I'd created to bother people all across the internet. In the most inefficient way possible.
I wrote messages to hundreds of bloggers at ... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Chapter 15 | Convention Fevah
I have a cabinet filled with dolls of myself in my office. But I didn't MAKE any of them, so that makes it less creepy, right?
In the summer of 2008, I walked onstage with the cast and creators of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, a musical web series released on the internet just weeks before, and was... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Chapter 16 | The Deletion of Myself
That time I had a nervous breakdown and dreamt nightly of slashing my face with a straight razor while screaming, "DO YOU BELIEVE I NEED A BREAK NOW, GUYS?!"
I was born anxious. My mom must have watched a horror movie marathon while I was in utero or something, because I freak out at loud sound... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | FLOYD | When I first started doing this, there were no stakes, no pressure. I did it because I loved escaping and creating things. Then we got successful and people loved us. But now... it seems like they're tired of what I do. And I can't think up anything different enough for them to like me anymore. Total failure-ville.
(D... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Chapter 18 | #GamerGate and Meeeeee!
That one time when having a vagina and a love of video games was not such a great combo.
I have a folder labeled "Hate Folder" that sits in the middle of my desktop. It's where I save screenshots of the worst things people have said to me online. ("Fifty Shades of Felicia!") For some reason, i... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Chapter 19 | It's Been Real
Let's wrap this up with some peppy "Go, internet!" thoughts!
In January of 2014, an executive from YouTube took me and my business partner to lunch to inform us that the company wouldn't be investing in Geek & Sundry or any of the other original content channels anymore. The two-year funding experiment... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Chapter 20 | A few years ago I took a trip to George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch. (One of the employees was a big Guild and Dr. Horrible fan, so we got a private tour. I take advantage of stuff like that, because, uh, why not?) We toured a huge warehouse filled with props and wardrobe pieces from Star Wars and Indiana Jones. I hover-to... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | OXXO | Felicia
Thanks, Guys!
To my brother, Ryon, who made me laugh while writing when I'd IM him with questions and have conversations like this one:
Felicia Day
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!
Felicia Day
Hey do you remember when we were driving to Florida and Grandma pulled a Taser on Mom and then Mom threatened to leave her on... |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Tuesday, January 7, 2014 8:57 PM | Ryon Day
yeah I remember that one!
ha ha it is to laff
that was the trip the dog died on and we weren't there! |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Wednesday, January 8, 2014 9:23 AM | Felicia Day
Oh I didn't remember the dog died during that trip! Thanks, good detail! |
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) | Felicia Day | [
"comedy"
] | [
"biography",
"gaming",
"humor",
"video games",
"Almost"
] | Wednesday, January 8, 2014 9:24 AM | That story didn't make it in the book, but reliving our childhoods made us laugh together. For his help in delving into our past dysfunctions, I give the biggest thanks to him.
To my aunt Kate, who taught me the joy of pretend.
To my dad, because he's always made me feel like a success, no matter what I've done. And ... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 1 | Federal Agent Lisa Breyer rolled over on the bed in her hotel suite outside Everglades City and thumped a fist on the mattress. If I can't get rid of these nightmares soon, I'm gonna have serious issues. It's been two weeks already.
She glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand and groaned. No one should have to ... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 2 | "There's more than one use for everything." Johnny hauled the stiff, wobbling folds of thick chicken wire across the dry grass of his back yard.
Luther yelped and skittered away from the clattering pile of metal mesh. "Hey! Watch where you're throwing things, Johnny. Come on."
The dwarf pointed at his smaller black-a... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 3 | The next morning, Johnny stood at his stove with a pair of tongs in his hand. Half a pound of thick-cut bacon hissed and sizzled on the back burner in the massive frying pan, and the eggs he'd cracked onto the other pan in the front had almost heated enough to start scrambling.
"Johnny." Luther's tail beat urgently ag... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 4 | "Okay, Johnny." Phil stood off to the side as the crew rolled cameras and zeroed in on the bounty hunter's scowl. "We'll simply ask a few questions about the case and going to Baltimore. Don't give us too many specifics. Parts of this will get to the east coast before you do."
The man sniggered and Johnny rolled his e... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 5 | Phil wanted to put one of his team in the car with Johnny on their way to Miami International but of course, the bounty hunter refused. "There ain't enough room in the truck anyhow."
"Well, what about that Jeep?"
He glanced at Sheila parked in her usual place at the edge of the large gravel lot in front of his house ... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 6 | Almost forty minutes later, another security guard emerged from the building and approached Johnny, Lisa, the hounds, and the entire film crew, who were either seated or standing against the wall of the airport building to get out of the sun. A hunched old man with a long gray ponytail tied loosely behind his head step... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 7 | Johnny and Lisa's rooms had been booked across the hall from each other, although with such late notice on Howie joining them right before the flight, the ex-director's room was on the third floor with the film crew instead of the fourth with his friend. "Don't you worry about me, Johnny. Something tells me I'll know e... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 8 | They ordered room service for dinner with two extra pork chops for the hounds—as rare as the restaurant would make them—and went over the Senator Hugh case while they ate. Lisa poured herself another glass of the wine Johnny had grudgingly ordered at her request and leaned against the high-backed chair at the two-perso... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 9 | The next morning, Johnny and Lisa agreed to order room service separately to avoid a run-in with Phil and the film crew at the start of their day.
The last thing I need is to have my damn breakfast plastered all over the Internet with who knows what that idiot tries to pull outta anything I say. If I can't start the d... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 10 | Yarren Brork worked at Canton Exports & Supplies in the Canton Industrial Area, which meant Johnny's appearance on the site—cameras or no—had a higher chance of making folks a little uneasy. He parked the truck at the far end of the lot and only waited for Lisa to join him before he stalked through the rows of other pa... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 11 | Senator Richard Hugh lived in Guilford, and after the case file's description of Yarren Brork's multiple visits to the senator's home in the last few weeks, that seemed like the next best place to look.
Johnny killed the truck's engine in front of Hugh's large, Victorian-style house and nodded. "If the Kilomea ain't i... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 12 | "Whoa, Johnny." Rex sniffed the leg of the solid oak dining chair and sniggered. "When you said sit tight, you meant literally."
The dwarf grunted as he finished tying the thick knot of rope behind the chair, which groaned at the sharp tug. The unidentified Kilomea seated in it grimaced and stretched his hands where t... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 13 | After Lisa got all the information she needed from the magicals Johnny had deemed perfectly innocent, she joined him on the sidewalk beside their rental car. Yarren, Percy, and Evan hurried down the street toward their vehicle and glanced over their shoulders. The half-wizard raised a hesitant hand in thanks and farewe... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 14 | They took a brief trip to see Oriole Park at Camden Yards, then paid a visit to the Maryland Science Center and the Gallery at Harborplace. Wherever Johnny Walker showed his face, the fans came out of the woodwork.
"I can't believe it. He's back!"
"I told you he wasn't dead, Maggie. He only wanted to get out of the s... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 15 | Their server brought out the oysters and Johnny's second drink, which drew the hounds from the back lawn to sniff around the table.
"Johnny, you got oysters?" Rex licked a small drop of lemon juice on the patio. "Get any extra for some hounds?"
"No way, bro." Luther backed away from the table and sat, staring at the ... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 16 | They reached Johnny's huge hotel suite without being badgered by the film crew again. He slumped in the high-backed armchair built for a giant and stared at the area rug beneath the coffee table.
Lisa looked at him from her place on the couch and raised an eyebrow. "Will you be pissed off about one filmed dinner all n... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 17 | Johnny managed to bypass the film-crew plague the next morning when he ordered room service for breakfast and stretched out in the huge suite with a perfectly black cup of coffee. Rex had gone through the entire extra order of bacon brought up for him, and the larger hound now stared at the second plate in front of his... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 18 | Johnny spent the rest of the day holed up in his hotel suite and refused to step out again for anything. Rex lay curled in front of the armchair, and Luther sat at his master's feet, staring at the dwarf. "Johnny. Johnny. Hey, Johnny."
"Boy, what do you want?"
"Only to tell you I feel so much better. And that I hope ... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 19 | When 10:00 pm rolled around, Lisa and Johnny were fully ready to stop flipping through available cable channels on the hotel TV. She glanced at her watch and nodded. "It'll be time for me to head out soon. The Johnny Haters Anonymous meeting is in an hour."
"Great. I'm comin' with you."
"Johnny—"
"I know. You're gon... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 20 | After Johnny disappeared around the corner of the building with a promise to stay out of sight and not cause any trouble, Lisa glanced at the marquee over the front door. A staffing agency's main office isn't too bad. At least they're not holding this Johnny-hater meeting in the basement of a church or something.
She ... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 21 | Johnny tapped the earpiece that synced with his spy bug and scowled at the plain brick wall as he listened in on the private meeting inside the staffing agency office. I oughtta head right in and wring that fucker's neck, whoever he is. Make him rat out the Red Boar right here and now.
He took a deep breath and presse... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 22 | Todd recovered from his second dose of knock-out juice a block away from the hotel. He groaned and shifted and his eyes fluttered open. "Hey, what the fuck—"
His elbow flailed and collided with the back of the dwarf's head.
"Shit. Stop."
"Let me go. What the hell?" The man wriggled so much, Johnny finally lowered hi... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 23 | The next morning, Johnny woke up at 6:15 am with more energy than he could remember at that hour. He hopped out of bed and jumped into the shower, whistling the whole time. When he'd toweled off and pulled on another pair of black Levi's and a button-down shirt, he combed his hair, winked at himself in the mirror, and ... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 24 | With a coffee caddy in one hand and a massive bag of assorted pastries tucked under the other arm, Johnny stepped out of the elevators on the fourth floor and grinned. It only took half an hour. She's probably only now startin' to roll over and wake up with no idea this dwarf brought a damn feast.
His whistle echoed a... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 25 | "FBI! Hands in the air, asshole!" Lisa stormed down the hall with her firearm raised in both hands. She glanced briefly at Johnny as he scooted backward across the floor and propped himself up against the exterior wall of the kitchen.
"He's…in there—"
The Red Boar fired again and the bullet crashed into the back wall... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 26 | Lisa called Agent Nelson three different times in the next fifteen minutes, but the man didn't answer. "What is he doing?"
"What's goin' on, darlin'?" Johnny turned his head toward her but kept his gaze firmly fixed on the unconscious Red Boar.
"Tommy won't answer his phone. I have no idea why. He knows we're out her... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 27 | Johnny's tranquilizer darts were starting to wear off by the time Lisa unlocked the bedroom door and stepped into the living area. The Red Boar grunted and tried to push himself up. He took a few groggy seconds to try to determine why he couldn't move his arms from where they'd been bound tightly against his heaving si... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 28 | As soon as they were on the highway headed toward DC, Lisa picked up speed more than she would have for any other normal drive across state lines. She glanced from Johnny breathing shallowly beside her and the rearview mirror through which she could see a white truck that had been following them since she'd first paid ... |
Zero Dwarfs Given | Martha Carr | [
"urban fantasy"
] | [
"Dwarf Bounty Hunter"
] | Chapter 29 | One week later…
Johnny burst through the front doors of FBI Headquarters in DC and grimaced at the dull ache in his belly every time he made even a sharp move. The hounds trotted along at his sides, sniffing at the floors and occasionally looking up at a passing agent or federal employee staring at them.
"Can I help ... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 1 | To subjugate another is to subjugate yourself.
- Elbert Hubbard, The American Bible
"Tut, tut, child!" said the Duchess. "Every thing's got a moral, if only you can find it."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
It is never too late until it is late. |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | The incident at the lab | [ Day 1—9:45 am ]
I woke up late on the day they found out Raphael was missing.
I didn't mean to. It's just that I had so much going on in my mind the evening before that I forgot to set the alarm. I didn't get much rest either; sleep kept coming and going in stages, and I think it was past four when I nodded off for... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 3 | "Andy! I've been trying to reach you since forever!" Kathy said, again in that hushed manner.
"What's the matter?"
"So you don't know yet," she declared.
"The fire in the lab? Brendon told me. Why are you whispering?"
"I'm not supposed to be talking to you. Just listen, okay? It's about Raphael."
"Raphael? Good go... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 4 | I wandered aimlessly around the house, pushing on the wheels with a restless energy.
When I had first laid eyes on the house in a Sotheby's VR tour, it seemed like it had been custom made for me. A granite-fronted, modernistic piece designed by the very much in-demand Garo Simonyan, it was set in thirty acres of priva... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 5 | "Dr. Ahuja, it's Valery. How are you? I'm afraid I have some bad news," her familiar monotone voice droned at me.
"I know."
"Oh… okay. Who told you?"
Right. "Doesn't matter who told me. The question is why you didn't."
"My apologies. We all got caught up in the events. I couldn't find the time to call you."
"You h... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 6 | The conference room receded into a corner while a black-and-white image popped out to fill the screen. I recognized it immediately: it was an overhead view of one of Raphael's rooms. Correction. It was a recording, not an image. Numbers on the top right corner ticked away the date and time. The time was 7:02 in the eve... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Exhibit G | [ Submitted by Petitioner, The Organization for Advancement of Rights and Personhood, to the State Supreme Court of New York, on the day of xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ]
[ Excerpt from lab transcript (certain sections blanked out). Transcript sourced from Mirall Technologies, 27 Woodbine Av., Albany, NY, 12205 ]
Mirall Techno... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 8 | The next clip was from a camera in Wing A. The camera was mounted at one end of the large area. It showed an aisle flanked by workspaces on the left and a series of common areas—kitchen, breakroom, open discussion spaces—on the right. At the far end of the view was a line of glass-walled cabins and conference rooms whi... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 9 | We sat in silence for a few seconds, the image of Raphael holding up the can frozen on the screen.
"Still having trouble believing, Andy?" Troy quipped.
"I told you, I'm going to hold off theorizing until I've seen everything. Where's the recording of the actual robbery?"
Martinez replied, "We don't have it."
"What... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 10 | Time to shine.
"How long have we had Raphael?" I asked.
"I'm sorry?" Martinez said, annoyed that I had interrupted her rhythm.
"Two and a half years," I said. "In two and a half years, we haven't had a single incident. No escape attempts, no signs of discontent, no hints of wanting to be somewhere else. Raphael has ... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 11 | On the way back home, Jane brought up something I had been avoiding for some time.
"Dad asked me to get you to take a look at those new proposals he is considering."
IncuStar Capital was invested mainly in nanotech consumer goods firms, with a few biotech startups thrown in. After its success with Mirall, they had st... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 12 | I accompanied them out of the study. Max was standing near the kitchen, in standby mode. Russo, who was walking by my side, said—"This is the bot in the videos?"
I stopped. "Yup."
"Mind if I take a closer look?"
"Sure."
"I take it that—" He stumbled forward, his cry of surprise accompanied by a sharp tearing sound.... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 13 | Later in the evening, Kathy Schulz called. She wanted to know how the investigation was going and what the board had decided to do. I gathered she wasn't too happy about being made to stay at home.
"Andy, before I go, I need to tell you something. I… I hope you're right that it wasn't Raphael on Sunday night. But if i... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 14 | I rang Jane later that evening. I apologized for my behavior during the drive back home and offered to go over the papers if she was free tomorrow. She told me she would come by in the morning.
It was past eleven at night. I was in bed, ready to fall asleep. The phone beeped.
A text, on the messaging app I used. "Hel... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 15 | "Now we have to call the cops. Where's his card, Andy? It's not in the living room."
"Maybe he gave it to me while we were in the study. Check in the desk drawers."
She went back to the study. "Got it," she shouted after a few seconds of searching. She returned wearing a frown on her face. She stood in the center of ... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 16 | Jane sprang from her seat. "How does he know I'm here?"
"Jane, is he telling the truth?" There was an edge to my voice that said I was not in the mood for evasion.
She didn't answer. "Jane, did the board meet without me?" I asked again.
"Andy, I was just trying to protect you," she finally said.
"What does that eve... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 17 | "Still no signal," Jane said, checking her phone. "And the internet's down again. Maybe I should just go and—"
Beep. "Hello Andy."
Jane looked at me with a quizzical expression. "If the internet's not working, how are you able to receive his messages?"
"I don't know."
I said into the phone, "Raphael, you have to be... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 18 | We waited in silence. Ten, and then twenty minutes passed. Raphael broke the silence—"I regret to inform you that we are experiencing technical difficulties. Please bear with us while we resolve the issue."
"Can't you at least tell us what you want?" Jane pleaded.
"Keys."
"Huh? What keys?"
"Keys that can unlock my ... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 19 | Thirty seconds to go.
I nodded to Jane.
She leaned into the door and called out, "Raphael?"
No answer. Louder —"Raphael!"
Nothing.
2:50 on my watch.
"Go," I said. She opened the door.
She let out a surprised yelp as soon as she did that. The robot was standing a few meters beyond the door, still clutching the kn... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 20 | "Are you okay?" I asked Jane. She was standing, holding on to the island for support. She glared at Max with an expression of bewilderment and fear.
"Jane, are you alright?"
"Yes…" she said. She took a couple of tentative steps forward, her eyes never leaving Max.
"It's alright," I reassured her. "Raphael's gone. It... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 21 | "Hurry!" she said, beckoning me to the base of the stairs.
"Hazel, send Max over please," I said.
"Send Max. I am sorry. Can't do that. Voice authentication has been disabled."
"Max, come here!" I shouted. I didn't have to—he was standing at the entrance to the kitchen, studying the overturned stools with the attent... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 22 | We had agreed on four minutes. I now sat at the T-junction, keeping track.
When the time was up, I moved into the corridor leading to the front landing. The master bedroom door was as we had left it. I wheeled myself onto the landing, only to see that the hall below was empty. Where is he? From where I was, I couldn't... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 23 | I was in the living room, on my wheelchair, near the front door. The laptop lay at my feet. Jane was plugging in the power drill she'd gotten from the garage.
"Did you check if the router is connected?" I asked.
She nodded. "The burglar had plugged it back on."
I looked up at the camera mounted on the wall. "Raphael... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 24 | Raphael jerked his head toward the broken hardware on the carpet. "Not quite how you envisioned it," he said.
"The last of the incriminating evidence is gone. Which is what matters." We looked at each other. "Thanks for the hint you gave just before you ran away," I added. "Where have you parked your car?"
"In the wo... |
Zeroglyph | Vance Pravat | [
"scifi",
"AIs",
"thriller"
] | [] | Chapter 25 | It's time to come clear. It is I who took the core from the lab, albeit I took it a full week before the "robbery". I took it on Friday night, my last day at work before the accident.
I stayed back late until I was the only one left in the lab. Raphael had already been shut down, so all I had to do was remove his ches... |
Zero Sum Game | Stefani Deoul | [
"mystery"
] | [
"LGBT",
"young adult",
"Sid Rubin"
] | Chapter 1 | "Each friend represents a world in us,
a world possibly not born until they arrive,
and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."
—Anais Nin
"I know something you don't know."
I freeze mid-sentence, stare across the table at Imani, and deliberately avoid looking up at the encroaching singsong taunt-... |
Zero Sum Game | Stefani Deoul | [
"mystery"
] | [
"LGBT",
"young adult",
"Sid Rubin"
] | Chapter 2 | Rust?
Yes, rust. As in, impaired by neglect. Not to be confused with the video game version. Although, come to think of it, since that Rust has only one aim, to survive at all costs, it might also fit our bill, which in fairness might seem a bit melodramatic, but we are teenagers, we're entitled.
And confinement will... |
Zero Sum Game | Stefani Deoul | [
"mystery"
] | [
"LGBT",
"young adult",
"Sid Rubin"
] | Chapter 3 | But if Vikram is a rat caught in a maze, his twitching whiskers lead me to believe he has just found his cheese. I'm hoping, at the very least, we rate a good triple-crème brie.
Hey, it's important to me. I am French. Well, half French. But my palate is defiantly French when it comes to cheese.
And with one last twit... |
Zero Sum Game | Stefani Deoul | [
"mystery"
] | [
"LGBT",
"young adult",
"Sid Rubin"
] | Chapter 4 | I don't know, I still feel very Hunger Games nominated.
But who knows, maybe I am being overly pessimistic, even perhaps ...wrong. I know, shocking. However, let us not forget, I was recently diagnosed as suffering from a severe case of the PAPEs.
And, you know, maybe robotics actually won't be so bad. Vikram cut a d... |
Zero Sum Game | Stefani Deoul | [
"mystery"
] | [
"LGBT",
"young adult",
"Sid Rubin"
] | Chapter 5 | Down the steps to the subway, we are off to Jackson Heights, which is no mere hop, skip, and jump. But miraculously we manage to grab an express, which gets us there in decent time, race back up the steps, and unexpectedly run right into Ari pacing up and down, obviously agitated and nervous, waiting for us.
"I can't ... |
Zero Sum Game | Stefani Deoul | [
"mystery"
] | [
"LGBT",
"young adult",
"Sid Rubin"
] | Chapter 6 | Which we do accomplish. Well, more or less. Although I think we can acknowledge Jimmy does the accomplishing more or less. He's really good with that whole "come from behind" huddle-speak. And truthfully, even with that, it's still more less than more. But we do get Vik's streaming invective-tude shut down long enough ... |
Zero Sum Game | Stefani Deoul | [
"mystery"
] | [
"LGBT",
"young adult",
"Sid Rubin"
] | Chapter 7 | If I thought I needed proof from whatever powers that be that gamer-girl is my new destiny, this might just be it. But let me not get ahead of myself.
Because first, lights are dimmed, and from a few rows behind me, a raucous stomp cheer starts up and seats are now rocking. Stomp clap, stomp stomp clap, stomp stomp cl... |
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