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 Patrick got downstairs just in time to see his mother placing several pot holders onto her lap then wheeling over to the oven to pull out the lasagna.  He thought to head her off and take it out himself, but Mike beat him to it, extending a gentle hand until she offered him the mitts and then taking the dish out and placing it on a pad at the center of the table.  He smiled and gave a nod when he saw Patrick coming down the stairs.  Fawn rolled her eyes as Patrick pulled out a chair and sat down. “What have you been doing all day?  Sitting at your desk reading instead of helping mom do the laundry like she asked?” &

 It looked the same.  That was the first thing that struck James as he trod past the small battered sign reading Riddleton pop. 231.  Sue's Bed and Breakfast was still the first thing on the right, still clean red brick and vine covered gates that had ignited his imagination when he'd been a child.  To the left, a row of small houses, mostly white with black shingles, like they'd all been built at the same time by the same people.  The softball field would be a little further in and past the Constable's office on the corner of main street, would be the Riddleton Pub.  Or at least, he supposed it would be. James lifted his face to t

The War Begins It was a quiet night in the guardhouse upon the Western sky docks of Tir'Pobell.  Sergeant Edom Kirchoff sat at his desk with Guardsman Ellis Hendricks, trying to watch the darkness outside the window and play a game of cards at the same time.  Ellis was winning, which was normal.  He hummed a simple tune, sipping a weak cup of coffee while Edom continued to stare out the window, noticing their third man, who was leaning out against the railing. “Have you spoken with Captain O'Leary tonight, Ellis?” he asked. Ellis looked up, “We've both been here all this time.  We spoke with him when he came i