The Zephyrnaut Flies Above Sunless Depths

Miscast

“Not a grand start to our journey,” the barbarian said.

The librarian-sorceress swam holding on to the desk. “At least this carrel floats!”

“Your teleport was way off the mark.” “I blame your vigorous hands, my willing flesh, and a cramped, hushed library!”

Tonight the Zephyrnaut Comes

…houses dragged off foundations or dropped from height above 30’. 1920 census tallied 257 inhabitants. None found. No bodies.

Evidence of activity on hill overlooking village. Following message found scrawled in bonfire ash:

“Tonight the Zephyrnaut comes.”

In Sunless Depths

The submarine hovers in sunless depths. Its lights touch gloom. Unknown benthos.

A glinting pair of eyes.

Another pair. Then a multitude. Then a boom as something hits the hull.

They’d come seeking knowledge.

They’d found Y’ha-nthlei.

They’d found, Doom.

Should’ve Been

“I can’t believe you wrote this story,” she says. “They’re clearly us in 9th grade, but we never dated!”

He gulps. “In writing, I constellate my memories. Not truth, but maybe how things should’ve been…”

“Were we so shy?”

“Yes.”

“Maybe, we shouldn’t be now.”

Chamberlain’s Warning

“M’lord, I fear how your peacekeepers inure themselves to violence.”

The king regarded his well-armed constables in rank and file. “They must hone themselves to be mallets of justice, Chamberlain.”

“When you make yourself a hammer, m’lord, all else becomes a nail.”