Jamie stepped out of the taxi onto the gravel driveway. Pebbles popped under the soles of his polished shoes, unfit for countryside like this. He grabbed his suitcase and handed the driver a hundred-dollar bill for the extended trip. The driver gave him a curt nod before turning the car around and driving back down…

“And the winner for Best Actress in a Drama goes to…Marnie,” the seasoned actress whispers, choking on the name. She turns to the back of the stage, where the giant screen flickers on. A young woman appears, seemingly on stage, though her physical body is not. She holds the award in both hands, clutching tightly.…

I should have known when we left the town that safety was far behind us. Our trike blazed along the narrow asphalt over the estuary, while the world around us lay uncharacteristically still. The setting sun reflected in the ocean unbroken, not a breeze to ripple the water. With every kilometer, life thinned — not…

They cut Julie early, so she punched the clock and left Cookie Ranch behind, left the whole food court behind. She hadn’t brought a change of clothes, but there was still time to make it downstairs and hit up Alley Brats, maybe steal a cool shirt so she wouldn’t be forced to hang around the…