Aztec Books by Austin Briggs
Lady Gossamyr shows up on silky wings, commanding a battalion of Fay.
Caliph Abdul al-Bashir brings potions and books, along with his Assassins’ Guild.
Ragnar alights from his war chariot with a blazing flail in hand.
Finally, I, Sir Ian, Lion of Albion, draw my trusty sword.
And thus kicks off our Artistic Anachronism Club!
“Want to play Cowboys and Indians?”
“Sure, Cowboy.”
“What’s this?!”
“An arrow in your chest.What’s it look lik—?”
“I was only kidding!”
“Funny, I wasn’t.”
“No shit?!” A man foams blood and falls to the ground.
“Sorry darlin’, I thought you’s a star Cowboy. Shouldn’t harass a lady without paying for it.”
“You Sassy?”
“That’s my nam—”
“How much?”
“How much you want it for?”
“How’s this?!” A man pulls out a gun and points it at a woman.
“Aww, sugah. Ya know ya shouldn’t.”
“Climb in!”
“Okay.” A shot rings out and a pool of blood swirls on asphalt. “I told ya sugah, ya shouldn’t.”
Lying in ditch with his battalion boys Vivan thought of Ann with whom long courtship would soon turn into nupitial bond. His duty in Drass was about to finish. Army was his first crush. With no warning angry land shook noisily, disturbing his thoughts.
A dusty shroud sunk Captain and his battalion in dark catacomb.
Geeta SainiAuthor: 0 Comments and 0 Reactions
This ziggurat, so full of wrath! Doctor Harris and Ahmad stood atop it, mindful of all souls lost within.
“Look, habibi… Carvings!”
“At last, our goal!”
An inscription dating back to King Ur-Nammu’s dynasty, warning of…
THUD!
A poison from old Babylon did its slow, malignant work.
Paolo Jose CruzAuthor: 0 Comments and 0 Reactions
Snuck aboard a convoy into Schloss Wolfsblut.
Crossing south wall now. Guards on patrol. Mostly standard troops – quick to disarm.
Hmmm… Just past that main corridor, a platoon sporting uniforms with Ultima insignia. Baron Schwartz’ sanctum, possibly?
A-ha! My actual mission starts: shut Nazi portal to Ultima–
Aaaargh! Brought low by magick most foul!
Paolo Jose CruzAuthor: 0 Comments and 0 Reactions
Amy sits waiting. Watching. Tim’s clock ticks. What’s taking Tim so long?
“Four.” Amy says
“Hours?” Tim says.
“Days.”
“Not!”
“I can’t clock jump.”
“I know.”
“You forgot.” Amy scolds.
“Sorry.” Tim clicks his jump button.
“2100.”
“Why?”
“I want to go to 2100. I want to jump forward. I’m sick of watching your clock.”
Jacob LockwoodAuthor: 1 Comment and 0 Reaction
A box thumps down on a chair, narrowly missing a woman. “Ow!”
Harry grins. “Look.”
Sarah pulls all four flaps, looks in, laughs and sits back as a hot air balloon, with ‘Happy Birthday’ on its front, lifts.
Harry holds a gun in his hand, and shoots.
Morgen BaileyAuthor: 2 Comments and 0 Reaction
Crazy Old Man Wilson shook his fist at us.”May Sixth! Moon is rising…Wind is coming. It’s known as Ground…it grows and it will go up, shaking and rumbling! It is coming…Luc’s Book says so..and all will know. World is changing. Go, all of you…this is your warning.”
Lanie WishAuthor: 3 Comments and 0 Reaction
“This is so hard,” Sam thought, biting on a thumbnail that just would not succumb. Many months of anguish and nothing. This book was not going to plan.
Sam ran it through again: Mayans, drought, fighting, Conquistadors, witchcraft and pyroromancy. What could possibly go wrong with that mix? Now, how to put words down…
Mark BrownAuthor: 4 Comments and 0 Reaction
“How is it, so far?”
“Good.”
“I don’t trust you.”
“You shouldn’t, as I’m paying you.”
“That’s a bad way of putting it.”
“What other way should I put it in?”
“…how’s this?”
“–Hurts… foot’s in my ribs.”
“–Sorry I was trying to position my butt away from your hands.”
Eugene ChunAuthor: 6 Comments and 0 Reaction
With Mandy and Lisa having playground fun; mum spots Lindy arriving.
“Hi. Not brought Mandy along today?”
Mandy!!!
‘Still no sightings, it’s a common snatch nowadays,’ mum is told.
Months on mum’s agony is haunting. ‘Why?-How?-If Only!’
Lisa asks, ‘Is Mandy coming back today?’
“Our small dog was family, I thank God it wasn’t Lisa.”
Roy StationAuthor: 0 Comments and 0 Reactions
Oh my Montana, it is cold and snowy. Do I stay or do I go? What path shall I follow to know? My sons and I must go forward. Will I want to turn around and go back? Montana, you cry out. I will turn back. Wait, for I am coming soon. Montana.
Janice N. RichardsAuthor: 0 Comments and 0 Reactions
What’s that sound?! Staccato? Vibrato?
Alan’s hands shook and it split his night. A thrum, thrum, thrumming. A drum, drum, drumming…
Stirring him from warmth and comfort, it calls to him. “Pick up your sticks! Pick up your sticks! ” it crys.
“I can’t!”‘ Alan shouts, ” I can’t! My hands, my hands won’t work!” All fading…
Kerry HallAuthor: 0 Comments and 0 Reactions
You grasp my hand and grin. You don’t know what’s going on. That’s good. At King’s Cross Station, I buy two for Adult and Child. I’m afraid for us both, but Daddy won’t find us. Daddy will not hurt us.
Brittany RobinsonAuthor: 3 Comments and 0 Reaction
Doctors at Shady Sanctuary told Patty to think about happy thoughts. Six months of swallowing pills, picturing joyful things, and chanting mantras did no good. Patty stood rigid, staring at stacks of wood and glass.
Crying and shaking uncontrollably, Patty was living through that horrific day again. Including a trip back to Shady Sanctuary.
Denise StanleyAuthor: 1 Comment and 0 Reaction
“Run,” shouts Olivia, “and don’t look back.”
“Why?”
“If you don’t hurry, you’ll find out.”
Two blocks away Olivia and Logan duck into a doorway and vanish.
A tall, dark shadow slips past.
“What was that all about?” rasps Logan, struggling for air.
“Don’t ask,” warns Olivia. “It’s for your own good.”
“But—“
“Don’t.”
O.D. TreborAuthor: 1 Comment and 0 Reaction
“Say you’ll do it… you know you want to.” Jarrod grins.
“No, Jarrod. No way.” Mary picks up a book and puts it away.
Instantly, Jarrod is brushing his silky lips against Mary’s soft skin, pulling away long brown hair and softly blowing hot air.
“Hmmm… okay,” Mary sighs, “but I won’t do it again.”
Rebecca BarrayAuthor: 4 Comments and 0 Reaction
SLAP! “STAY CONSCIOUS!”
“Oh no, it hurts!”
“STAND UP!”
“It burns!”
“CLIMB UP and DON’T LOOK DOWN!”
Sobbing: “ No…I cant… it’s so far.”
“Hold my hand.”
Crying: ”I won’t do this!”
“Maria, do you know god?”
A shroud of motion took hold.
Our thoughts, still.
Our hands rigid and grasping.
Falling.
“I do.”
Ross CoppageAuthor: 0 Comments and 0 Reactions
Kay would drift down. Aqua floods swirl and surround a body lost, a crush of spirit falling. Cold and dark warping and blurring vision.
Kay’s numb limbs claw toward sky but to no avail. A fantastic flash of colors dart by as schools of fish swim by oblivious to thrashing panic and burning of lungs.
Liss ThomasAuthor: 2 Comments and 0 Reaction
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