BEFORE..... “Why won't they stop moving?” I ask, chewing my lower lip, gazing at the bodies moving past me in fast motion. I hug myself as a woman brushes past me, my skin pebbling with goosebumps. Tim

This place. It looks strange, I think. Or perhaps I'm the stranger. I've never been here before. And everyone is staring. It feels like the middle of somewhere. People are coming and going, passing me

The crunch of the gravel beneath Amara's boots was too loud in the stillness surrounding Jermaine estate. The estate loomed ahead as she stomped toward the front door. The silence was unnatural but it

Was it possible to shout quietly? Nnadim pressed himself against the hallway wall as if he could melt into the concrete and brick, if he tried hard enough. At the same time, in slow motion, he watched

Some days start well and some don't. Today feels like both. I sigh, and glance up from my computer just as Amelia struts in like she’s on a runway. Oh no. I should change my cup of tea to a cup of strong

Emilia did not move. She willed herself to stay calm, her breaths quick and shallow. The fog moved, curling low around her ankles as the boat drew close. Nature quietly watched, the woods silent and the

Find me, Emilia. Before I cross over. Emilia St. Clair inhaled deeply, then gulped. The familiar scent of death burned her nostrils, her mother's last words echoing on repeat in her head. Tears welled

Silly girl. Who does she think she is anyway? Scarlett muttered to herself in the locker room, clapping her hands together and dusting chalk from her palms and forearms. Her jumps were clean and her landings

BEFORE..... Detective Jeffery remembered his academy days, how he skipped running classes for other training exercises. At six-foot-four with heavy bones, sprinting had always felt like punishment. As

He stood with his arms akimbo, staring at the torn tires. His only means of getting home. It was old, passed down from Papi, his grandfather, to his father and now, him. “Magic, Hakeem,” his Papi had rasped,

BEFORE..... With every stride, the forest seemed to thicken. The trees and branches stretched taller, leaves clawing inward, blotting out the night sky as Jeffrey ran blindly through it. His lungs were

BEFORE....... Hours earlier.... “Sarge, all's quiet with the deputy. We're, uh, clocking out for the evening, sir.” Detective Jeffery glanced at his wristwatch before grunting into the phone. The young

A brisk walk through the dark alley led me to an abandoned building tucked beside a meat packing factory. I stopped and stared at the flashing neon sign - Manufacturer Of Lies. “You have got to be kidding

The emergency unit of the county hospital was crowded when Amy May rushed in, chest heaving. It was barely afternoon. How was the hospital this crowded? She wondered, walking towards the reception desk.

BEFORE..... “Monsieur, your dinner is ready.” Cédric, the French cook, announced quietly from the doorway of the private study. Cole Edgewood turned slowly from the window he had been gazing out of. His

BEFORE.... The phone rang just once. Wolfe Hartmann shot upright on the couch where he had been lounging and answered it. He knew, without checking the screen, who was calling. “About time, Cole,” he said,

Mrs Maberry clutched her coat tighter, pressed the door bell and waited. Faint murmurs of TV filtered through the door. That meant Jonathan was home from work. She held her smile and waited. A minute passed

“Alice, leave that corner and make friends. What's the matter with you tonight?” My mother, Lady Valenti, whispers in exasperation while smiling at passing guests at the masquerade ball of the season.

BEFORE..... Wolfe Hartmann wished Victoria Edgewood did not panic that night. He shrugged and drank from the scotch bottle, quietly pacing his living room. The tiny light blinking on the RF monitor strapped

This morning is colder than usual. Cloudy and dull. I rub my gloved hands together and slip them into my coat pockets, staring at the horizon where the sun is just beginning to peek through. Her car is