“I'll
give you a dollar for it.”
The
old man didn't react. He just stared out from under his bushy
eyebrows, wrinkling his nose with a sniff. Terra's dimpled cheeks
puffed in defiance. She leaned forward, putting her weight on the
table of video games the old man was hawking. Her breasts hung down
heavily, barely contained in the red “I Have No Files and I Must
Save” t-shirt that strained around their curves.
“Two
dollars,” Terra said.
“Price
is five dollars.”
“But
it's not ev

There
was an island hidden out at sea. Far from shore, it relied on its own
wealth for life. Two cities grew on the island, one at the north, the
other at the south, both as prosperous as the dense forest that
separated them. Fishing boats sailed out daily, trade wound its way
along the rocks above the beaches, hunters with their rifles and
knives returned with fresh food from the forest every evening.
Despite the isolation, the island and its people survived.
From
the high reaches of the forest