December 31, 2025

New Year’s Eve Games

The fax machine sprang alive. She waited for it to finish and read the paper. “Good Evening, Ms. Li-Tybalt. My name is Victor Rolfe. I operate a business known as the ‘Order of the Dragon Theatre Troupe.’ You have been selected to participate in one of our most exciting games to be held tonight.”...She crumpled the paper and tossed it towards the shredder. The fax rang again. She just caught the words on the paper. “Ms. Tybalt, I have your son.”
March 6, 2025

The Dance of the Peacock, Part 2

The peacock was now an intermittent visitor to the garden at Sakoonat-e-Siddiqui, just as Sumaira’s cheerfulness had become more and more an occasional companion. She couldn’t help drawing a comparison between the bird seeking out her garden and her wellbeing seeking the outdoors.
February 27, 2025

The Dance of the Peacock, Part 1

Sumaira came out onto the veranda to the shrill scream of a peacock. The bird sat resplendent and angry in the garden looking at the house like a baneful beast. Sumaira was gripped in a flux of emotions as she caught her breath watching the iridescence of its plumage in the morning sun. She also felt a rush of anxiety raise the hairs on the back of her neck.
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