jmallow40

“The city’s safety will be assured with the opening of this new superprison.”, Mayor O’Toole said proudly into the microphone for his adoring audience. It was a special day in the once peaceful city of Beaudor, Ontario. The last few years had been rough for the city and its inhabitants. Crime had been running amok, and no matter how many times criminals wound up behind bars, they would always find a way to break free. “This new high-tech, state-of-the-art prison will keep even the strongest, wiliest, most intelligent criminals locked up for the entirety of their sentences.” He felt the need to emphasize that last part because of one particular madman, Dr. Lichtspender. The infamous machinist from Argentina had a seemingly endless supply of robots that would break through any security to get him out. With its titanium walls, electronic detectors, and EMP emitters, the prison had been specifically designed to keep him in. The towering white turrets on the exterior looked like marble

Trey leaned back in the King sized bed that he normally shared with his boyfriend Brent. He had mostly woken up but was still a little groggy from a hard week at work. While the idea of spending more time off his feet, as he did on his forklift, might not have been the most healthy, he was still sore from the constant overtime he was working. Six ten-hour days in a row for three weeks would be exhausting for anyone. Today, he was going to take it easy, resting, relaxing, and spending time with Brent, who he’d been with for two years. He thought back to the day that magical day, the last time that he would ever be skinny. Being plus-sized was a decision that he had made, but things had gotten out of hand. A wish from a fairy had allowed him to relive the fitness of his youth, and now he was working to get to a more comfortable size the old-fashioned way. He sat up in bed, leaning against the headboard as his lover emerged through the doorway holding a platter full of food. “Good morning

I love the smell of the ocean in the morning. The salty water gives off a refreshing aroma that can’t be matched. The sun won’t rise for about an hour, which means I have about that long to fish. The dock outside the castle is one of my favorite places to be in the summer. I hate getting hot, so this is the best time to be outside. Plus, there’s no one out here to scare the fish away. Despite the early hour, it’s already pretty warm outside, creating a nice fog off the gentle waves. I can still see a good way out, but it’s definitely misty. The water is high up on the dock’s support pillars, which means the high tide hasn’t receded yet. It shouldn’t be much longer. I passed a few of our servants on the way out. They’re used to seeing me go out in the morning. I’m the earliest riser in the royal family. Father never practices what he preached to us about “Early to bed, early to rise.” I’m the only one who actually does that. As a prince, I’m already wealthy, and I can’t say I’m much

The morning sun was just peaking over the west as Jin Liu sat on a stool near his stove. He added a little cinnamon to his congee to finish it but no sweeteners. With his more sedentary lifestyle he had had to get his diet back under control. Still, years of working in a restaurant and as a personal servant had taught him how to make food that tasted good while being healthy. He took his pot off of the fiery burner before grabbing his cane. While he didn’t strictly “need” it, the amount of effort it took to keep enough Qi in his knee was more than he could sustain, even when using an aid to walk. Going without it would tire him out very quickly. He began to pour the porridge out into bowls before hobbling over to their back door, seeing his brother, Jin So, sitting out by the river and meditating. He seemed to do it every chance he got before winter rolled in. Partly because he wouldn’t be able to do this in the coming months, but also because he was determined to finish his training

Jin Liu rushed around the dining room at the Round Dumpling to get people seated. It had been a few days since Li had left for the Flying Dragon Temple, and he was more energetic than ever. Liu felt that the sun was little brighter now that Li was back in his life. The necklace he was wearing always reminded him that they were committed to each other. The thought of seeing his love again gave him even more motivation to work hard. It took everything he had to not daydream as he passed the plates out to the customers. He was so excited for Li to return in a few days. They had talked about him leaving the Temple forever to stay in Paosho. Back in their childhoods they had each dreamed of becoming a Dragon someday, but that was never going to happen for Jin now. Li wasn’t sure how much longer it would take him, or even if he really wanted it at all. They could just spend the rest of their lives peacefully in this little town, working at the restaurant, building their home. It wouldn’t

Li Huang entered Paosho Village late in the afternoon, scratching at his unkempt facial hair. In the two years since Jin Liu had left the temple he had grown out his goatee, but it was starting to look like a full beard in the last few days. He hadn’t brought his shaving knife with him on the journey, an uncharacteristic oversight that he was starting to regret. His stomach grumbled. He had finished the last of the rations he had brought with him that morning, hoping to buy some in town. But as he entered the village it gradually became clear that that was unlikely. Paosho was famous for its hospitality. It was said that the people there were almost as welcoming to strangers as they were tight knit. If one of them liked you, most of them would. However, the dirty looks he was getting from the moment he came in sight were disheartening. Mothers were ushering their children inside and doors were closing everywhere he passed by. He could hear the faint whispers of people from behind their