Lyra woke with a start to her blaring alarm clock and frantically silenced it. She held statue still for a moment, straining to hear even the faintest of noises from her little brother’s room or that of her parents. The alarm clock silently ticked another minute by, the glowing numbers reading 4:01, and Lyra let out a soft sigh of relief.
Excitement bubbled in the eight-year-old girl as she carefully slid out of bed and tiptoed across her room. Carefully, quietly, Lyra opened the door and

The seals are broken and a dim sun hangs in the sky, eclipsed as though strangled by a great and terrible hand. The four ride forth upon the dying world. Come and see.
—
“Hey, honey, I’m home early,” John called out as he stepped through the front door and quickly locked it behind him. “The office closed after the earthquake. The world’s going crazy out… there…” His words died on his lips as he turned. Pictures from the walls lay smashed on

“Can we play hide and seek?” Brianna asked sweetly.
“Sure, honey, we can play hide and seek. I think I should be the one seeking though. I don’t think I would be able to hide very well with your baby brother.” Marian said with a chuckle, patting her swollen pregnant belly.
“Okay! I’ll go hide. No peeking!” The eight-year-old girl said excitedly, her eyes already looking around the furniture in the living room for a hiding place.
Marian smiled as sh

“Next!”
Anthony unthinkingly stepped aside, motioning the next girl in line forward. The girl gave a squeal of delight as she ran to the fat man at the end of the red carpet and jumped into his lap. Anthony stepped back into place, blocking the eager young boy who was next in line. He cast an apathetic gaze over the winding line of children, fidgeting with nervous energy about meeting Santa, then around to their parents who were milling about behind the garland-entwined metal fence t

Nicole yawned as she shuffled down the hall towards the kitchen in her robe. Six in the morning was too early for her but she wanted to make sure Craig had a good Father’s Day and that meant a nice, home-cooked breakfast. To her surprise, the kitchen lights were already on and their three-year-old daughter was sitting at the dining table. The girl gave a despondent huff and shoved away a pile of papers covered in crayon scribbles.
“What’s wrong, Sophie?” Nicole asked as s

Nicole yawned as she shuffled down the hall towards the kitchen in her robe. Six in the morning was too early for her but she wanted to make sure Craig had a good Father’s Day and that meant a nice, home-cooked breakfast. To her surprise, the kitchen lights were already on, and their three-year-old daughter was sitting at the dining table. The girl gave a despondent huff and shoved away a pile of papers covered in crayon scribbles.
“What’s wrong, Sophie?” Nicole asked as

“Guys, stop! This isn’t funny!”
“Sorry, Erika, but Nelli’s orders,” Alexis giggled as she helped her fellow cheerleaders drag their half-naked squad mate kicking and screaming from the locker room. Thankfully, the gym was empty at this time of day, all the regular students having gone home and all the athletes busy with their after-school practice, but that didn’t stop Erika’s cheeks from burning with embarrassment. Anyone roaming the halls after s