The weather was cold. Even with the sun, the air had a bite to it. Which was fine with Jay. He had his Carhartt on. He could sit in the tree stand all day watching his breath waft into the air in little clouds. And that was exactly what he…

It was a rainy day, the day that I met her. I remember the raindrops making their way down the shop windows as I walked along the sidewalk. I clutched my collar, holding it close to keep the precipitation out, and to keep the last vestiges of warmth inside my…

A battle for the North Pole — Old Nick was sitting at his desk looking over a section of the list his secretary had handed him. The rumor was he checked it twice. In reality he checked it far more often, and he had the final call. The price of being the boss. He sat there examining…

Everything is for sale — It was getting dark as we walked outside. “Do you still need the new specs?” Ryan asked. “Yeah I’m going to start on the filter apparatus tomorrow.” “Sure thing,” he said and tapped a couple buttons on his arm. Immediately his helmet lit up with the display and a few…

Predator and prey — I was following the beast for hours. It was a magnificent creature. Far larger than any I’d seen before, with rich gray fur with flecks of black and brown, and the fiercest golden eyes in the woods. It was a wily opponent as well. It moved slyly among the trees…

A life well lived — The line moved slowly. We were herded like cattle in one long, single file line. The decor was surprisingly nice for a place like this. Soft lighting ran through the whole building. There were even real plants scattered throughout the building. I was amazed by the irony; fresh, healthy, living…

More than a hobby — “I don’t get why we’re out here.” “To look for hag stones.” Somehow I was conned into going to the beach, and now I was letting the cold Lake Huron water soak my shoes while bent over looking for rocks. “What are they again?” “They’re ones with holes in them…

Maybe he won’t see you — The woods were a funny place. It’s like the forest knew intrinsically that a hunter was in the area. The sense of danger was palpable and worked its way into the fabric of the glens and meadows around him. John moved among the trees. He had a bow and arrow…

Make it count — The hospital was quiet at night. Except for the few beeps here and there, the man was left mostly with his thoughts. At one time, he’d have begged for this. But now each night seemed longer and longer. Sleep came less often. It was mostly just pain and loneliness. His…