David’s heart beat at a constant 144 bpm as he leapt over a set of stairs, his hands acting as the fulcrum as he swung his legs up to the next landing. The movement flowed continuously, like water moving upstream. His feet landed firmly and his body seemed to roll through the move as he rotated his body around and looked up to find the railing of the stairway one floor above him.
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The fog was heavy in the woods this morning as Vixelyn, or Vix as her friends called her, walked slowly through the forest. The trees around her were leafless and eerie under the faint light that filtered through the fog. A slight snow was falling around her, but Vix was bundled in her favorite coat, it’s shiny exterior leaving the snowflakes to slide off again on their journey to the forest floor.

Vix came out here to clear her head, when the house got too noisy for her to even hear her own thoughts. It was the cold that drew her out; the chill that brought her body alive when a brisk breeze kissed her soft cheeks. She pulled her long hair over her shoulder and along the collar of the coat, insulating her pale skin. It wasn’t worry that brought her out here this morning, but simply for some alone time.

Her life in the city for the last few years had always been a rush, and a snow storm was always an inconvenience in that world. Out here though, snow was a wonder, a memory of a childhood spent laying on freshly fallen snow and tossing it in the air, only to see it fall down on top of her again.
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“It’s not a pig, it’s a boar,” Tuthic explained as the color began rising up his face. “You best keep your hands away from his snout or you’ll be 2 less fingers and likely a bloody mess before you can scream.” A devilish smile fell upon his face as he pulled the leash taught to reinforce the suggestion.

The other kids backed away slowly, pulling their pigs along with them. His older brother always told him that it was better to be feared than it was to be liked, at least in the world of competitive hog racing. Tuthic had fought with the committee that runs the annual fair since the first spring flowers, getting their approval for him to enter his boar into the contest. There was a lot of debate about whether it was fair to have another bread in the race, but after so many visits, letters, and general nagging, the committee had relinquished their position just to get some peace and quiet again. That is how Tuthic came to compete for the first time this year.
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It started small: a piece of candy from the open bin in the grocery store, a pen from the teacher’s desk, or a dirty magazine from his father’s secret stash. As he got older, the items that Daniel would steal increased in value and his schemes were more brazen. He enjoyed the challenge of thievery and considered it more of an art form rather than petty theft. Spending his teen years in a low-income neighborhood gave him ample opportunity to practice his craft.

Now, for his 21st birthday, Daniel had decided to get himself something much more valuable. He had spent the last few days riding his bike through the neighborhood at various times, always passing by the house at 584 Sycamore Way. He knew that every day, between 4:30pm and 5:15pm, the house was completely empty of humans thanks to afternoon Taekwon-Do classes which pulled Mom and the kids away for a while before Dad got home from the office.
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The world was a large place, and he should know, spending the last few days covering every inch of it. He had been forced to swim through underwater caverns, cross barren deserts, and even stumble his way through dark castles. And for what purpose? Love. Stupid, stupid love. His clothes were so tattered he had to scrounge together new outfits every day, usually something that would help him fit in with the locals. To that end, he usually found it best not to ask how they made it, but to just put it on and continue on his way.
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Teddy paced slowly back-and-forth above the pillow, his wooden sword gripped firmly in his right paw. The child was sleeping soundly, tucked in under the blankets with care. Teddy listened intently for sounds in the room, for the monster had promised he would return to claim the dreams of the child. Teddy wasn’t going to let anything happen to his best friend; not tonight, and not any night.

The floorboards creaked, immediately drawing Teddy’s attention. He pulled his shield close to him and jumped up on top of the pillow as the monster slowly approached the bed.

The monster’s body was massive, with his hands alone larger than the child. His elongated mouth was filled with large teeth, sharp and threatening, as his body moved over the top of the bed. His voice was deep and it sounded like rocks rumbling down a mountain as he spoke, “Leave this place. The child is mine.”
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“Whee,” exclaimed Tony as he landed with a loud splash, tucking into a tight ball before slamming into the water. The waves rippled in all directions, splashing the shore with a spray of cloudy water. All of the kids standing on the small island were laughing and screaming; all except Devon, quietly standing ten feet behind his friends.

Tony popped his head above the water, a giant grin stretched across the width of his face. He charged through the water toward the shore, deftly pulling himself over the exposed tree roots and onto the wet dirt. He stood up quickly, with his board shorts draining onto the ground below. “That was awesome! Who’s next?”
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