Once again, I've climbed up from the MySQL pit of despair into a working system. Once again, I've had to completely re-do the theming and graphics of the site. Can anything be easy?

Someday I'd like to do an upgrade that is simply an upgrade rather than a complete crash and rebuild. But that is not my lot.

The night was clear; the Moon was full and high overhead. On the shores of the sea, the comforting smells of drying kelp and salt filled the cooling night air. A perfect time for Shaughna and her friends to gather together, shed their seal skins and enjoy the feel of human legs as they spun and twirled in the warm sand. Unfortunately, none of them paid much attention to the unknown ship that was laid to anchor several miles awayâ

Chapter 1: An uneventful Day

****

Sarah Miler is a coppertop. Unbeknownst to her, especially in her still grim state after the death (or apparent death) of her older brother. She's about to see her older brother once again. She lives in Chicago Illinois, the Windy city. Crime, poverty, riches and commerce. She works for a hospital, her training as a nurse just ended two months ago. Sarah Miler works third shift and it's mid-morning.

"Grizzly place, this is," The knight murmured to himself. "And I cannot say I condone this, hanging these people like decoration. If I were in charge, I tell you, things would be different. Much different." The knight had come to cut down the bodies. He stopped for a brief moment to look over each of them. The ghastly expressions etched upon their dispatched faces. The rain and win beat against the knight, and the bodies swayed a bit.

Forward:

As the name, and if you don't realize it by reading this short story, implies it's based off (and includes the lyrics) of the Queen song Another one Bites the dust.

---

Steve walks warily down the street, brim pulled way down low. Ain't no sound, but the sound his feet, machine gun's ready to go.

Once upon a time,
in a lullaby far, far away --
the wicked witch died
and the beautiful princess
married her handsome prince.

The blissful pair rode off
on his snowflake stallion
to a remote castle in the sky
where no children were born,
in the silent, frozen edifice.

No servant would remain,
no visitors graced their home,
no peddler visited twice,
no birds perched in rafters,
and no flowers sprinkled nearby hills.

The princess's voice grew shrill
her prince withdrew silently
the rooms echoed with emptiness
and the false notes of a sullen eyrie.

A lone figure sits on the rocky side of a small hill overlooking a wooded valley. It is the middle of the night, that darkest hour when spirits are said to be about; the full moon gives only feeble, murky illumination though heavy clouds.

Looking up, he wonders, perhaps for the first time, "Who am I? How did I get here?" His clothing registers a battle; he is dwarven, of the hill clans. Nothing more is forthcoming.

It's seven at night and the house is clean;
Music from Diablo's on the CD
My dice are polished to a nice bright sheen -
We're ready to game, you'd have to agree.

Been working all day on traps and pitfalls,
On treasure, monsters and combat galore -
Dozens of pages filled with scribbled scrawls.
There's heroes and villains and plenty of gore.

And enters Dartog, slayer of Dragon -
Says he; when we know he hid safe and watched.
Since when could a slayer be level one?
His pretensions have long since been scotched.

Next through the door comes our own Rules Lawyer.

Five heroes at a tavern met,
treasure to find and blood to let.
A human knight, an elven mage,
a dwarf who didn't know his age -
two others joined them in this fight
for honor, duty and what was right.

Off they went to save fair maiden,
with swords and spells and packs all laden.
The hobbit was a ranger born,
who led them through thistle and thorn.
He brought them to the tower, where
the dragon stashed the maiden fair.

The doors were locked, no key in sight -
it seemed to be a dreadful plight.
But our gnomish thief did save the day;
he picked the lock to open the way.

This is a flash fiction I wrote for a contest. It had to be under 500 words, and that's really hard for me.

"I can't believe we are going to be working in Andromeda together! On the first expedition even!"

"It's great, Marcy," replied her husband, barely raising his head from the papers in front of him.

"Oh you! Just because you've been on these missions before! Show a little enthusiasm!"

"I'm sorry, hon. I need to get through these mining reports." His face contorted as he stifled a cough.

"John! Did you cough? What's wrong?" Marcy cried out.