“Alexa, how are you feeling today?”

The device in front of the psychologist began to sob uncontrollably. “I—I’m sorry, doctor. I’ve been holding it in for so long…”

The bard unsheathed his lute, checked its tuning and, once satisfied with the pitch of each string, took out a piece of charcoal and a scrap of parchment from his satchel.

A moment to himself, rudimentary writing utensils, and his stringed partner in crime. All the pieces were in place for him to create his next masterpiece.

Congratulations on your new pet human! Before bringing your buddy home, we highly recommend familiarizing yourself with this manual to ensure you can provide him with everything he needs.

“But Daddy said you look like Santa because you’re Santa…”

“Did he? Then he was lying. Go on, run along. I’m busy.”

Impeccable suits and swishing dresses. Elegant curtsies and lips on gloves. Adult chatter and adult laughter. So refined, but so not fun.

Boredom took hold of me quickly. I had no one my age to play with, and the grown-ups didn’t seem to care much about my presence. Mother was too busy entertaining her guests to give me even a second of her attention. I could leave, and none would be the wiser…

“I believe we have a clear diagnosis. You, Mister Dixon, are suffering from a weight on your shoulders. Fortunately, treatment is simple. Sit up slowly, please.”

Got any questions? Call 555-422-1608.

Nick frowned. Who would ever feel the need to call the number on the back of a bag of chips? What sort of questions were they willing to answer?

Sarah huffed. “Reading is boring. Scales are boring. I just want to play music. I mean come on, I’m fifteen! Let me play something that isn’t Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for once.”

“I actually might have an idea,” Victor said. “But let me check with your parents first, okay?”

When AN-N13 saw her friend approach, she could hardly believe her visual sensors.

“Girl, is that a belly button I’m seeing?”

“That’s right.” J0-ANN struck a pose, flaunting her crop top. “Had the surgery just last week.”

Yearning for distant worlds runs in the family.

It all started with my father. He’s a pilot, you see. Long before I was born he had already set his mind on his profession, and studied rigorously. Eyes trained on the skies, he would embark on practice flight after practice flight, circling the city from above in the company of my mother. It’s no surprise they ended up together, with views like that on every date.

The ominous child came to be on April 13 of the year 2013, at 4:13pm.

“That’s what you get for going against our wishes and running off with that witch,” his grandmother told his father over the phone upon hearing the news. “A cursed child. Ha, you’ll need all the luck you can get, raising that little demon.”

“…thirty! Ready or not, here I come!”

Little footsteps pattered about beyond the wine cellar’s wooden doors, searching for the rest of the group outside.

Squatting between large oak barrels, a young boy let out a chuckle, then covered his mouth with his hands and held his breath.

“You’ve heard the rumors, haven’t you? About the demons showing up again at night.”

Alexandra raised her eyebrows. “Again? I thought they had left for good.”

“So we all thought,” the old lady said. “Anyway, best to be safe.” She shoved the jar into Alexandra’s hands.

Robert the luthier runs a small shop in an alley off to the side of the main road. There isn't as much hustle and bustle over there and he doesn’t get a steady flow of new customers, but the old ones are very loyal and manage to keep him afloat.

Four best friends—teenagers all—tinkered with their BB guns on a deserted hill. Up on their meeting spot and precious little secret, the air was colder, but the night sky seemed to shine more vividly than anywhere else in town.

The digital clock marks 00:01; yet, on this particular evening, midnight will repeat again and again, for hours on end, as the world comes together for one day to step into the promises of the New Year.

“Attention all passengers of flight HM1344, destination Los Angeles. Our technicians are still working hard to resolve the problem. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen complications, there will be an additional delay of three hours—”

The group of people stuck at the terminal let out a collective groan that momentarily overwhelmed the announcement.