Havok Publishing

Blue

Ice Fishing in Lake Athabasca

The trees around the lake huddled together, the biting cold eclipsing any warmth from the sunlight glinting off the frozen surface. Through the window of the lodge, there was complete stillness. I often watched inquisitive squirrels and grunting moose from my chair, but they were conspicuous in their absence. Even the gently rippled ice

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Royal Blues

“What will you wear to Flower Fest, Trudy?”
Amelia, my best friend and fairy godmother, flew into the room so fast I sidestepped to keep her from crashing into me. She did that a lot. I had colorful bruises to prove it.
“What will I wear? Clothes. A dress since we still haven’t

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Of Love and Robots

Kylie had never seen so much bot blood.
There were drops of it, splashes and pools of it, all leading farther into the house like Gretel’s breadcrumbs. Toting her medical bag high, she watched where she placed her boots. There was nothing like getting cobalt blood on leather. It was the consistency of

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Memories from the Past

This town is weird. Everywhere I go feels… familiar. The coffee house on Alexander Street. The library on Main. Even the dingy auto shop on the outskirts of town seems like I’ve lived here my whole life.
Only, that isn’t possible. Is it?
You see, I’m not sure where I came from.

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Edge of a Knife

She will not listen to you. The sea witch’s warning rings in my mind as I ride a wave up to the ship floating like an empty snail shell. They’ve dropped anchor, and the royal vessel crests wave after gentle wave. Ornate sconces cast a warm, cheery glow across the bright blue streamers

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The Gaze of the Ocean

The balmy April evening was fast becoming a frosty spring night. The full moon lay hidden behind a wintry haze. Amelia rubbed her arms vigorously as she hugged herself.
He strode through the mist, with a tip of his hat and gleaming cobalt eyes. The gentleman cut a dashing figure in his classic blue-grey

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The Blue Zinger

“Ohmigod, there’s a tarantula in your grapes!” My chair legs screeched back from the table, and I dropped the grape I had just plucked from the fruit bowl.
“That’s just Ernie. Don’t worry; he won’t bite.” Granny glanced over from her spot at the stove where she’d been churning a bubbling concoction for

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Predict a Card, Any Card

Trouble started with Miss Herbert’s sixth card.
I do ESP screening, so I’m used to trouble. Psychics are among the few making a decent living in the Depression, which is why people get plenty sore when I tell them they’ve flunked the test. Curses, threats. I’ve dodged punches. Guess I can’t blame them much

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Tritanopia

Derek sprints out the door with a handful of cash. Sweat beads trickle down his forehead. Black glasses fog above the facemask that hugs his chin and shields his mouth. The mask slips down his nose, dangling just over his lips as he hustles to his rusty pickup truck. Police sirens wail in

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The Ocean’s Wrath

The siren swam upward, gaze fixed on the ship hull ploughing through the ocean surface. No sunlight pierced the waves. No fish followed the stern. All had escaped the storm. All save the ship.
Alessia smiled as she imagined the frantic sailors struggling to fight nature’s fury. Struggling and failing. “Drag them down.

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Sea Claim

Galia stared down at the cold waves tickling her bare toes and clutched Odessi’s hand. They stood alone on the beach, waiting. Finally, after fifteen years, the Change approached—they would trade their human legs and lives for tails and near-immortality.
Lightning crackled through the dark-blue sky. The fine hairs on Galia’s arms rose.

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