* = Flashback.

It was dark. My mind fogy with the constant rocking of whatever vessel I was within. I tried to feel around and move my body to learn about my space. I tried my arms first. I pulled and twitched, hardly feeling my own movements.

'Have they drugged me,' I thought to myself.

In a panic, I twist and move my whole body. I could hardly feel anything though, I knew I was moving. 'Shit...

“Ms. Banta. I am here to ask you about father’s murder.”

“Murder?” I ask.

“Yes. The department believes that your father was murdered.”

I stare at her.

Mom isn’t looking at me.

“Why do you think that?”

~6 YEARS AGO~

“Why do you think that?” Dad would ask when I was about 11 years old.

“Well, if you take away the bear then you only have the elephant!” I said expecting him to agree.

“But you st...

“Bright boy that’s what my teachers always called me. When I graduated high school Principal Miller made a point of shaking my parents’ hands. Miller said I was a bright boy and really going places. I’ve always been a go getter, a visionary.

“At Mountain State when my frat brothers were doing keggers and chasing skanks, I launched a carpet cleaning business my sophomore year. I was never young. ...

The high school reunion is today. God I’ve been dreading it. I’m only going because one of my old friends will be there. And then I’m out. Alright time to leave.

Well I’m here. At my old high school. And I’m already dreading it. I just want to leave. But I do want to talk to Tom.

I walk in and I see Tom right away, without looking at anyone else who’s here I walk up to him. He was married but th...

Staring at these pictures on the wall

The ones where time stood in place

Where we were happy. But that was a long time ago

The memories we had were so vivid it was my escape when I worried about you being so far away,I loved when we were together

But you shattered things I didn’t realize how blind I was you used to say you love me and that was the biggest lie next to I’ll be back

I had to ...

What I remember

Is time in September

When you lived

And gived

With your entire self

Not considering wealth

But what it was worth

For us on this Earth

But now you live apart

No more restarts

With your plans

And your forgiving fans

But no longer for us

Love is a must...

(Set during the ballroom scene in More Than Blood. This perspective occurs right before Spade’s first POV which hasn’t been released yet.)

———

Queen Nerva observed the gala with such pride and warmth. All her children were doing a splendid effort in socializing like they were taught.

“We did well,” King Redfal surprised his wife who was so focused on her children, she had not noticed another pre...

My stomach won’t stop rumbling and gurgling. I haven’t been this hungry in a long time, maybe never. Laying on this bench in the middle of the night looking up at the stars has me wondering how I got here. How did I get here, in this place, this hungry, lost and alone? All I wanted was to help others and I only had good intentions, right? At least I thought I did. Jenny only wanted me to help her ...

She was over it.

All of it.

Thorn popped the cork and generously poured the strawberry champaign into the nearest wine glass.

She runs a shaky hand through her hair, downing half the glass as she blankly stares at a picture of Her.

She'd tore off every thumbtack and string of red yarn on her cork board prior to taping Her face to it.

Her sister.

The reason he was gone now.

She'd looked for days...

In the big city alley, where shadows wander,

I'm walking alone, remembering a darker day.

Thinking back, like old pictures in my mind,

A story unfolds, a past of a different kind.

In a room filled with smoke, secrets were revealed,

A deal was made, and danger newfound.

Whispers in the darkness, promises untold,

A journey to crime, a tale to be unfolded in plain sight.

Down the alley, footsteps I...