In the Current (199 Words)
“Keep your eyes open,” said Dr. Fitz. “You’ll see it.”
Grace Emry had been staring at the surf for almost an hour. The tide was rising and some of the waves were a good twenty-feet high, but there was nothing unexpected. She had no idea why Dr. Fitz’s research team had asked her to be there.
“Dr. Fitz, I really don’t—”
The words died in her mouth. She saw it at last.
Time Stopper (164 Words)
She made it. She reached the top of the stairs with seconds to spare. But when she reached the tower, it was empty.
Anna ran back to the stairs and looked out the window. The Time Stopper was coming.
“Anna?”
Egg Thief (253 Words)
“You had one job,” said the fairy. “One job! Watch the nest. And did you do it?”
The three trolls squinted at each other. They had watched the nest—sometimes. But they could see how from the fairy’s point-of-view, that perspective could be somewhat skewed.
Unexpected Flight (168 Words)
Mayor Grady absolutely denied he had ever wanted to be on a cross-country flight in a hot air balloon. He was only at the balloon’s unveiling to support the community. The two engineers also denied any intention of actually wanting to fly the balloon anywhere. They were only there to support their company.
So when the balloon somehow managed to pull free and ascended patiently some five hundred feet above solid ground, no one was more surprised than its three passengers.
Worth It (225 Words)
It was a beautiful sight. Daria leaned over the boat edge, letting her hand trail in the water. The current pulled past her arm, troubling the reflection of fireflies and starlight. The moon shone clear, and the silver glow lit the world like another kind of day, bright and enlivening.
“Do you think it’s worth it?” she asked.
Ruad was barely awake, resting in the boat. At her question, his eyes half-opened.
“What do you mean?”
The House that Wouldn’t Let Go (193 Words)
They sincerely tried to escape the house. But when the wheel popped clean off of Grandpa’s carefully maintained car—a car that had outlived countless relatives and was taken care of with all the tenderness of a baby—they knew they weren’t going anywhere.
“Dad’s going to kill me,” said Mr. Hanes gloomily, examining the dislocated wheel.
Mrs. Hanes, in the driver’s seat, offered no comment. Their two kids, Amy and Mike, looked at each other uneasily.
Wood Watchers (99 Words)
Sometimes you are bathing in the forest. At other times, I am not at all certain that the forest is not bathing itself in you.
“Don’t look,” I said to Jack. “Keep playing. I think it likes you.”
