Start with a knife, a tree, a candle, a corpse. Start with a dead bird and its dead feathers spread out about it, mites crawling across it.

Start with the spark of a match being struck; the brown honeycomb scraping, smudging phosphorous and chlorate toge…

Are you happy? You look happy. I'm glad.

I mean, it hurts a little deep inside because it used to be me that made you happy but still, I'm glad.

You deserve to be happy. You're wonderful.

I remember that I was happy during our short time together but…

Annette whirled on Mike. "Get out of my shop!" she yelled.

Mike took a step back, raising his hands. "Woah, woah! I'm here to apologize."

"Apologize?" She almost laughed. "Apologize for which time, exactly?

"Well..." he started.

"For sleeping with my …

Captain Iremond paced the length of the bridge. He knew it wasn’t good for the crew’s morale but he couldn’t stop himself. Today he was in charge for the first time. He’d be a fool if he wasn’t nervous. Even if everything went to plan, men were going to d…