Abbi the Labrador loves her people-but she loves her bunny friend Zac even more. So when he pleads with her to let him out of his cage one night, she does.Even though it's the wrong thing to do. Even though the consequences will be worse than she ever imagined. A tragic short tale about the true meaning of friendship-and guilt.1300 words.Welcome to Inklets, a series of short (and sometimes short-short) stories ranging from sci-fi to fantasy to lingering...

Tired, war-weary and worn, he longs for peace-and home. But the smell of blood reaches him as he travels: a giant, half-dead dragon-and a gang of bandits guarding it. He swore to never kill again. But once again, he faces a choice. Because today, someone must die. A wistful story about promises and peace, and the precarious nature of both. Swords & Dragons Fantasy / 1100 words

Soulbonds mean a slow, lingering death for those who carry them-and Guiro's soulbond is nearly at an end. But if he dies near other people, the soulbond will jump to them. And so, at the end of a long, cobbled alleyway, Guiro lingers over his very last approach to the door of the place he used to call home. Just for a few more minutes, he needs to pretend he belongs. A touching story about the power of found families, and why real love means never...

The small town of Renph: a cosy, happy little place-at least until recently. Now, violence explodes in the streets, rumours whisper in the dark, and people hang in the square. And no one knows why. No one-except Tikva. But what can a seven-year-old do against a tidal wave of hatred? Or against the strange flame-haired woman who rode into town on her jet-black horse?A richly imagined tale that demonstrates the power of love-no matter what the age....

On her way home from her day job in the middle of a heatwave, all Linny wants from life right now? A cold shower. Then the head of her dive team pages: a salvage job out on the reef. Even better than a shower - if Linny gets there in time. She'd better. Because today, a centuries-old mystery awakens on the reef. Everything Linny knows? About to come crumbling down... A haunting tale for everyone who ever longed for something more beyond the ordinary...

Nuns, possibly magical-Mary never could get the story from her mother straight-raised her mother. They provided her food, and care, and love-and left her with a legacy.Because when Mary reached maturity, it came with a surprise: plant magic.But Mary must figure out the secret left by her mother- A kiss? How can a kiss be a secret? Which kiss? With whom? And when?-if she ever hopes to use her powers for good.For everyone who longs for magic and a happy...

The strange visitor arrives in the nick of time, just as Natalie contemplates giving in to the feelers of darkness that surround her.She can stay strong long enough to entertain a guest. But after that? Who knows.A hopeful tale for everyone beset by the Black Dog. CONTENT NOTIFICATION: References to suicidal thoughts, depression.

Parent-teacher interviews: a teacher's worse nightmare. Especially with a parent like Alison Young. Can this teacher find a way to solve this problem without getting everyone off side? A slipstream sci-fi story that reminds us all that we control our own fate.

Ambrose sits alone in utter darkness, in a house nobody wanted, on a rug nobody loved, about to reach the pinnacle of all his dreams and hopes and plans. What a pity it requires his death first.Let's just hope the prize makes the price worthwhile. A wistful, melancholic reminder of the importance of love. 3100 words / dark fantasy

Wrestling with insomnia leaves Harry desperate enough to do the unthinkable: summon a demon for assistance. Naturally he gets more than he bargained for in this two-for-one deal that leaves him fighting for an unexpected ally's life. Of course, unexpected allies sometimes bring unexpected gifts, as well… A quirky urban fantasy tale about making friends in surprising places, for readers who appreciate moral shades of grey.