Story Time

Discussions on the Storm-Trashed Beach

After the storm, the beach looks terrible. I do notice the sky and the water both have a haunting beauty to them, clear and yet simultaneously abuzz with the recent winds, but the beach itself is covered with garbage. Literally. In the distance, on another beach, I can see some locals who didn’t evacuate starting the cleanup. As long as we aren’t too obvious, we should be fine for a few hours. “Looks clear enough to me,” I say to the others. Lyle shakes his head. “Some of us

J. Joseph

3 days ago8 min read

Searching for Answers about the Shooting

My mind is racing. How is the West Bay Cartel back? And why now. It doesn’t make sense. Something must have happened. I can hear on the other side of the Sergeant’s bed, her daughter asking the unimportant question that we both know we’re not going to be answering. “Who or what is a double-u bee cee?” asks Vic. I ignore the young woman, looking at the Sergeant. “We have anything more workable?” I ask a far more important question. She shakes her head. “Lex was with me when

J. Joseph

Feb 278 min read

A Secret-Filled Argument between Qasim Ahmad and Paris Williams

I can’t stand my friends sometimes. Paris is sitting across from me, staring me down as Magister Holt is wrapping up our Principles of Mystic Theory: Metamystic seminar. “For Tuesday, remember to read the next chapter, and there are four articles on the site to read this weekend. And next Thursday, the sources for your final are due, so for those of you that are behind.” He looks intently at a couple of the other apprentices around the circle, “You don’t have time to goof off

J. Joseph

Feb 208 min read

Hunting and Slaying the Okraten-Bears

Walking across the clay beach, Alessari ud Tise’el tries to avoid thinking about her companion’s concerns. Focus on the present, and she can concern herself with the ship-beast that might have expanded its hunting ground. As they cross the clay beach into the brush, Sari turns to Renalt. “So, which way was it to this dome?” Ren frowns, looks back towards the previous island as though trying to find the camouflaged watchtower, then forwards towards the brush-covered hills. “I

J. Joseph

Feb 138 min read

As the Storm Passes By

I figured that once the others got back, things might start to make more sense, but as the door opens and the elevator-shaft team starts to walk in, I can tell from the looks on their faces, whatever they found out is something we’ll have to spend a good while unpacking. Especially Seleste and the college kid, Alyson. But the confusion on their faces was different. Less out of uncertainty and more something deeper, a profound disconnect between whatever they saw and what they

J. Joseph

Feb 68 min read

A Discussion on an Unwanted Future

I walk slowly out of Sally’s general store as the sun reaches her zenith. My overpriced bottle of whiskey half empty and my every step a journey. Diabla has not returned from her wanderings yet, unfortunately. I pull out a whistle from my coat and blow, then lean on one of Sally’s porch roof’s pillars to wait for her to show up. Some locals wander by, giving me polite nods. As I see Diabla walking her way back up the road towards me, a man in a fancy suit and a woman in a far

J. Joseph

Jan 308 min read

Looking at a Puzzle with One Key Piece Missing

I make it back to my apartment before the work-shift ends. Everyone knows better than to bother me when that happens. It always means I’m on a toughie, or on a time crunch, or both. Today may well be both. Coming into the apartment, I shut the door behind me and almost immediately take off my pants as I find my augmented reality sunglasses. They are in the most sensible place they could be, the fitters of the lamp behind the TV. Before putting them on, I press the button to c

J. Joseph

Jan 238 min read

Ali Meeting with her First Year Advisees after Winter Break

Jase has already left for work and I’m dressed, dined, and ready for the day by the time Nat rolls herself out of bed. She can’t complain this time, I scheduled my meetings at a reasonable hour. Albeit the day prior to classes actually starting back up, but she was already planning on being on campus today. She has some last minute prep things to do, and a meeting about some theory nonsense with one of her advisees. As Nat makes her way to our living room, I offer up the rema

J. Joseph

Jan 168 min read

The Journey through the Woods and Waves

The walk back to the underground cavern which held the port is rather uneventful. In the back of the group, as they walk, Sister Hilan notices Renalt and Denlo starting to whisper. The monastic sister dismisses it though. After all, they did so frequently. It’s likely a discussion of how to do something less than legal, she guesses about one of the odd miscellanea that the Elfi’ika picked up in that watchtower. She trusts that, if the discussion were to turn to any topics of

J. Joseph

Jan 98 min read

Concerns About Control and Taking Charge

I wait for Kat behind the coats, and in moments, she joins me. “What is it, Jackson?” she asks, knowing exactly what it is. I shake my head at her attempt to deflect. “You know exactly what it is,” I reply, before adding for clarification, “The wince.” Immediately, Kat goes on the defensive. “It was barely a wince,” she insists, “And I’m pretty sure Mrs. Hernandez didn’t notice anything.” I nod. “You’re right, it wasn’t that big. And I also don’t think she noticed, though

J. Joseph

Jan 28 min read

Acquiring Suspect Records from the Archives

I walk over to the hallway by the room with the sergeant, and she gestures for Marty to come over. He nods, excuses himself for a moment, then heads over towards us waiting in the doorway. Unfortunately, this causes Keighlee to look up and notice me, and she glares in my direction in a way that I can tell means she has more she wants to say. But that’s a later problem. Marty gives me a nod saying flatly, “Stomach settled?” then without waiting for an answer, turned to the Ser

J. Joseph

Dec 26, 20258 min read

Therese's Winter Break Investigation

It’s nine at night back at my Villa. And at Maestro Leyten’s. Things are happening that I am almost certainly missing. I am not a fan of missing things. But, this is far more important. He won’t let anything slip unless he’s unsettled. That’s, in theory, a part of his training these last two years. The best way to unsettle him is to be in person. Unfortunately, he lives in a warded dorm, which means I do not get to bring anything with me. Backdooring a vacancy in the wards to

J. Joseph

Dec 19, 20258 min read

From the Archipelago's Watchtower

The walk through this forest was not Renalt’s favorite time. Not due to any discomfort of walking several miles through the dirt, but rather because nothing happened for quite some time, but they were also trying to be quiet to avoid any potential dangerous, unwanted attention. Which means he hadn’t been able to practice or write but also hadn’t been gathering any new material. But now, they come upon a tower, in a clearing. Ren looks to the treetops around him, but no one i

J. Joseph

Dec 12, 20258 min read

A Discussion of Their Nature in a Coatroom

Looking outside, in the distance, I can see the storm still rages. And yet, the area around the hotel, it seems calm. Rising up from the floor is Winsten, pulling along Kat. “So,” Kat says, “I guess that means Seleste was right?” I stare out. “I guess so,” I say quietly, “I’m not sure how to feel about that.” “I mean, it could help us figure things out,” Win begins. I shake my head, focusing back up. “Sorry,” I say, turning to face them. “Not that she’s right, but what she

J. Joseph

Dec 5, 20258 min read

Getting Assigned A Suspicious Kidnapping

The secure floor feels weird to me. All the cybercrime offices and that sort of people, the type that live in the digital world, never experiencing what the rest of us have to deal with on a daily basis. It’s a rare thing for us to have to come down here. Sergeant McMichaels can feel my discomfort, as she swiftly pushes us through the halls and into the chief’s office. The Chief keeps his office pristine and classic looking, despite the surrounding server rooms and cybersqua

J. Joseph

Nov 28, 20258 min read

What Lies Behind the Prickly Itch

I shouldn’t be here. Something is wrong. I can’t sleep. It’s three in the morning. There is this itch, just at the base of my neck, that won’t go away. Not in my apartment. Not on the campus. Always watching. Someone is always watching. Can’t sleep. I’ve tried talking to people. But my advisor doesn’t particularly like me, I don’t think. He sees me as irritating. As a bit dimwitted. Because I’m not an asshole about other people’s time. Speaking of, Heather also knows somethi

J. Joseph

Nov 21, 20258 min read

Arrival in the Littoral Caves of the Archipelago

Below the decks, Den enjoys his breakfast while lying back on his hammock. He learned growing up in the kinslums that one should always catch sleep whenever they can, especially just ahead of a big job. And whether their boss was willing to admit it or not, this would be a big job. The last cube was a personal house of some dead guy, and it had several dangerous threats. Assuming the sites that survived to modern day are at least of roughly the same power, the chances of this

J. Joseph

Nov 14, 20258 min read

The Storm's Arrival

Seleste is frantically scribbling on her new board as the sky outside is growing darker. Ever since the gun revelation, she’s been investigating our lives, trying to figure out what we might be doing. She’s focusing on the why, adding to her timeline a map of the elevator and a list of our names and known facts about each of us. She also seems to have more listed down than we’d told her, which is a bit concerning. My focus, however, is on the speed at which she’s writing the

J. Joseph

Nov 7, 20258 min read

The Overwhelming Itch: A Halloween Story

An itch. That’s how it always starts. An itch in the back of my neck. No, in the deep recesses of my mind, where no conscious thoughts can reach. And it’s subtle, most days. Quiet. Can barely tell that it’s started until the need to scratch it is overwhelming. Until there is nothing to do but tear through my own skin at the base of my skull to reach it. And once I’ve lost all semblance of control, once I’m tearing into the back of my neck like a madman, time stops. Freedom. H

J. Joseph

Oct 31, 20258 min read

Detectives Bonheur and Wilton Offer their Aid

I let Marty drag me across the station to the elevators, then to the Homicide division’s meeting room. I see a board, just a glimpse though as they hide it when they notice our approach. Because they know about my habits of poaching cases when I get bored. The head of this particular task force, a gentleman in his late forties who kind of hates me. Well, hate is the wrong word, but he certainly doesn’t enjoy my presence. “Marty,” Detective Stephen Stone says, “What brings Ma

J. Joseph

Oct 24, 20258 min read