I rouse Emily to our guests, as she finishes off our fifteenth snowman by setting the head atop its torso. She stands limp at my direction, pointing out the coming shadows and I cannot help but hear a muffled sigh as she decapitates her latest creation with a single push of her hand.

— Nathan Reese Maher

I steal one glance over my shoulder as soon as we are far from the foreboding luminance of the neon glow, and it is there that my stomach leaps into my throat. Squatting just shy of the light and partially concealed by the shade of an alley is a sinister silhouette beneath a crimson cowl, beaming a demonic smile which spans from cheek to swollen cheek.

— Nathan Reese Maher

It’s no big deal. It’s kind of like a tattoo. Furthermore, it won’t hurt, not too much, just a few stitches and it’ll be all over. Furthermore, it’s fascinating how it’s done. You won’t believe where your soul hides. Go on, take a guess. Where do you think it is?

— Nathan Reese Maher

Jasper!” Casey shouts, startling the young woman. “My cargo is talking to me!

— Nathan Reese Maher

Jasper set an intercepting course towards that Babylonian Star Duster. Maybe we can catch them on their blind side.”“Doesn’t this ship have a cloak?” Jay asks.“Miss Synergy, I don’t know what they teach now a’days at the Academy, but ships do not wear clothes.

— Nathan Reese Maher

Lydia displays her right hand and instantly bathed the room with a blinding light. It lasted only a moment before it drew back into her palm. “I can fix you if you’re ever broken.

— Nathan Reese Maher

Patches don’t look it, but when attached to your soul they can get pretty heavy. They go over the holes in your soul, like when you patch a sock. When you have a hole in your soul, it’s because you’re hurting from something. I don’t know if you noticed, but that girl had a lot of holes.

— Nathan Reese Maher

She could spin it between her legs, skip with it, twirl it around her neck and transfer it from one arm to the other. Shelly hooped because she enjoyed it; it calmed her whenever she would have an argument or a bad day at school, and it also allowed her to think. Today, she needed to hoop more than ever.

— Nathan Reese Maher

She leaves my side and heads deeper into the apartment singing, “—if the spirit tries to hide, its temple far away… copper for those they ask, a diamond for those who stay.

— Nathan Reese Maher

Shelly shook her head and made sure she had plenty of space so that she wouldn’t hit anything. As many times before, she kept the hoop close to her waist and then twirled it with small, tight bursts of speed. As the hoop gathered in momentum it started to give off a hum that soon took on a light blue illumination far brighter than the streetlamps. It was so bright, that it lit up the entire backyard.

— Nathan Reese Maher