You ever see a kid playing dress-up, Jackson? It’s adorable, really. A little boy standing in his daddy’s clothes — sleeves dragging on the floor, collar hanging off his shoulders, trying so hard to look like a man. You can … Read More
The Dirty Brush
Jasper Redgrave likes to call himself an artist. He walks into a room, knife in hand, smile across his face, and he talks about creation. He talks about masterpieces. He talks about painting his canvas in crimson, about shaping something … Read More
“The Cycle of Abuse”
Abuse. It’s a word I’ve known since I was a boy. Back then, it wasn’t in the ring, it wasn’t in Arcadia—it was in my own home. My father’s fists, my father’s belt, my father’s voice that broke me down … Read More
Man’s Best Friend
You ever hear the saying, “Man’s best friend”? That’s what I thought I was. To you. A companion. A partner. A brother. I followed you through every fire, Doom. Never questioned. Never barked when I was told to stay quiet. … Read More
Say Your Prayers
When I was a boy, I used to pray. Not for toys. Not for riches. Not for miracles. Just… for peace. I used to get on my knees beside a bed too small for my bruised back, fold my hands, … Read More
“Better Out Than In”
Once upon a time, I had a problem. Gas. Not the kind you pump into a generator. Not the kind that powers Arcadia’s systems. No, I mean the kind that bloats you up, that stretches your belly until you feel … Read More
A Dog Never Forgets
When I was a kid, we had a dog. My father didn’t want it. Said we couldn’t afford another mouth to feed. Said it would stink up the house, scratch up the floor, and bark too loud. But my mother—God … Read More
VHS: Moral Of The Story I
—[Tape whirs. Static fuzzes. A fuzzy image appears. A voice begins to speak.] Once upon a time, a scorpion approached a frog at the edge of a river. He needed to cross, and the frog had what he didn’t—a way … Read More