A damp cold evening had rolled in, the familiar cold rain has started to fall gently, but it always gets worse, Mila prowling on the roof trying to find a shield from the rain. While looking for a suitable place, hidden from guards, who have beaten her before for theft, sees an open window and a strong smell of fresh steaming stew was irresistible. Mila, ears flattened against the downpour, slid down the moss-slicked tile...

Tracy awakened to the slivers of the morning light peeking through the shutters of the pool house's floor-to-ceiling windows. Tracy yawned, and she checked the clock on her phone, reading 10:30 am. Tracy slipped out from under her bed, stood her attire, just an old oversized shirt, no bra or panties on either, completely naked underneath. She brushed her dark black hair away from her face as she climbed out of bed. Tracy...

Mia looked at the clock. It was inching closer and closer to the end of the final period for a Friday afternoon. She sat there, her pen lightly tapping her advanced trigonometry textbook. Mr. Harper was talking in the background while Mia’s best friend, Halley, regaled her about the romantic picnic her boyfriend, Luke, took her on. Halley’s voice was low, but animated. “He brought chocolate-covered strawberries, Mia. And...