The Inspiration: A story: It’s a tiny, dead-end space within the warren of the packed-to-the-rafters antique store. Steve proudly holds out a box, a faded-pink camera within. “A Polaroid!” Kristy sniffs, “And film?” Grinning, he produces a cartridge, loads it. The camera suddenly whirs to life, spits out a dozen pictures and dies. The first image startles Kristy, “That’s us when we first walked in!” “This one’s me, by the

The inspiration: A story: I was in a bad part of town, the room as gloomy as Max’s face. He hunkered over it, jewelers loupe glinting under the single light. I felt anxious but not unsafe. It would take one of Patton’s Army tanks to breech this hidey-hole. A tattoo of grey-green numbers was visible on Max’s inner arm. One of Life’s hard lessons. “Real?” “Oh yes. Beautiful stone, 2

The Inspiration: A story: They had run through the night, leaving the shrouded forest behind just as dawn pinked the sky. She slid from Shi-iro’s back. He pawed the ground, snorting, muscles twitching under his foamed-flecked hide. Her hand touched at where she had hidden the bottle in her sleeve. Still there, a last resort. The key, dangling from twine on her neck, between her breasts. In the grimness of

The inspiration: A story: “I will not panic.” She repeated the mantra, calming her racing heart, knowing her Key-yu would beat her senseless if he caught her in such a state. Without control she put herself, and others, in danger. It was difficult to in-gather herself when she could hear her pursuers. She briefly wondered if she had pushed too far this time. Then the calm rolled over her and

The inspiration: A story: In that pearl grey before true dawn she stays abed and remembers grandfather’s stories. He told of the city he grew up in, its soaring towers , moving sidewalks and flying cars. “Just think!” he’d whisper, “what the future holds for you! By the time you’re grown the science outpost on Mars may be a city you’ll live in!” Dawn breaks and she hears the call.

The inspiration: A story: “Your Highness, please!” She coolly assesses her lieutenant as he bows. “We must leave at once. The company of pursuers is ten and fifty, not more than 20 minutes behind .” It would be d’Invaincu’s men. Led by the bastard himself, if she was lucky. “I believe you‘re mistaken, Aleron. Five minutes, at most.” He freezes, hearing distant hoof beats through the lightly falling snow. Soft

The inspiration: A story: My hair is soaked with sweat, I can feel it roll down my back and between my breasts. I’m nearly naked but, shit, I lost all sense of modesty months ago. I hit The Wall about 30 minutes ago, my lungs heave, my thighs quiver with exhaustion and my focus has become so narrow … The finish is closer, I know it … Did I scream?

The Inspiration: A story: Moving swiftly through the streets, a grey mist swirls around her, her cloak a match of color, darksilver threaded to blind the leader’s watchers to her passage. She dips into her pouch, dropping another folded crane along her way. She knows they watch, raging anger at her actions of defiance, their fear at their failed attempts to stop her. Yet she doesn’t do this for the

The inspiration: A story: Tasting the reed, he adjusted his embouchure and started with a few plaintive notes. She appeared, quiet as a dissolving dandelion, her costume in stark contrast to the surroundings. “What were you thinking?” He played. “I need reactions. Blending in is not going to get results.” “And artificially producing them will result in valid data?” She engaged her adopted body to his music. “Everything is valid

A slightly different inspiration* A story: The toll of years — eyes now milky that had once darkly enchanted young men into gifting her with poetry and pearls. Flesh hung from arms that had comforted children and gripped her husband with passion. Sunset found her in the field and the tiny voices cried in exuberant greeting. Welcome! Sister! Happy Day! Their faerie songs sparkled the air, wings beating perfume across