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    116 Results in the "Burned Cover" category


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      06 – Recovery and Righteous Indignation

      06 – Recovery and Righteous Indignation Cover
      by Tower Curator Varn’s felt different without anybody around. Erika spent all of a Tuesday morning tidying up around the old arcade, cleaning a few of the neglected cabinets, organizing the stock of tokens that would replace quarters, and setting out the prizes. The boarded-up windows had been replaced with proper glass, though they were shuttered at the moment; between the light coming in through the windows and the new lights throughout the arcade, more dust than ever was visible on nearly every surface. The King…
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      06 – Haunted

      06 – Haunted Cover
      by Tower Curator Erika strolled into Varn’s Friday evening, glancing behind her every few steps for any sign of pursuers. Her eyes found every reflective surface, every glimmer of movement, and every flutter of white cloth. She slipped past the sparse crowd and, with nothing more than a wave to Daniel as he manned the arcade’s prize counter, barged into the back room. Glassware rattled on the table as she clapped her hands to its surface. Sofia, present for once, jolted back in surprise. Rick and Anna turned away from…
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      06 – Breaking Bonds of Words and Promises

      06 – Breaking Bonds of Words and Promises Cover
      by Tower Curator Erika did not panic. “The Analyst and I appreciate The Eclipse’s cooperation with this matter.” She wasn’t sure if she could panic. There was a moment, right when she heard the word stop, that she felt that spike of adrenaline. But it was gone now. “Of course. The Emperor was most invested in this project. She will be pleased to hear it turned out well.” The Hanged Man and the worn-out accountant were talking. Erika couldn’t turn her head, but neither had moved out of her view. At…
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      06 – A Proper Investigation

      06 – A Proper Investigation Cover
      by Tower Curator “So, I call you on a Friday, and you can just come right out and hang?” Daniel shifted in the passenger seat of the old pickup, looking uncomfortable. “Sorry,” Erika said, not taking her eyes off the road. “Didn’t mean to imply that you had nothing better to do. But… did you not have anything better to do?” “My… family likes to go out on Friday nights,” he said, still looking distinctly uncomfortable. It was probably the worn seats—though the passenger seat wasn’t half as…
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      05 – Pedway

      05 – Pedway Cover
      by Tower Curator “Subways are creepy enough,” Sofia said, peering into a darkened tunnel. “Underground walkways that lead on forever… gives me the shivers.” “Don’t forget the monsters,” Erika chirped, swinging her flashlight back and forth. She had been in the Chicago Pedway one time, walking the short route from the Red Line to the Macy’s State Street. It had been clean, brightly lit, wide enough to accommodate a dozen people side-by-side, and moderately empty. Not a lot of people used the…
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      05 – i – The Eclipse and The Puppet

      05 – i – The Eclipse and The Puppet Cover
      by Tower Curator He adjusted his necktie as he stood in the elevator, watching the floor indicator slowly increase. Even though the building was only ten floors, the aged elevator took its sweet time. He occupied the time by picking off small bits of lint or dust from his suit—most were probably imaginary specks, but a clean suit made for a clean mind. A single chime accompanied his arrival to the final floor. Picking up the long black case at his feet, he stepped out into the old Gilmore Building’s…
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      05 – i – Daniel King

      05 – i – Daniel King Cover
      by Tower Curator “I don’t think we’re getting anywhere on this one,” Daniel said, snapping a book on ancient death cults closed. It joined the stack of dead-end books, leaving him with only one last book to skim through. But he knew that if he didn’t find something relevant, their search would go nowhere, and he hated feeling helpless. Bethany, leaning back on the rear two legs of her chair, absently balanced herself as she scrolled down her phone. “Maybe you should figure out what you’re looking…
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      05 – Family Matters

      05 – Family Matters Cover
      by Tower Curator “Adjustment!” Erika said, surprised with herself at being happy to see the spider-woman. Maybe it was that The Adjustment had come down to Varn’s on her own. If The Eclipse was pissed off about the whole maggot thing or the bird thing or The Puppet thing, they probably would have shown up in force, rather than just sending their usual liaison. That meant good things for The Hunters. “Agent,” The Adjustment grumbled, pushing right past Erika into Varn’s back office. She dragged out a chair…
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      04 – Got a Live One Here

      04 – Got a Live One Here Cover
      by Tower Curator “Just got the word over the police scanner ten minutes ago,” Rick said as Erika hurried into the back of his van. “They haven’t even deemed it a ‘gas leak’ yet, publicly.” Erika let out a small sigh as she buckled herself into the seat. Being around other people certainly felt better after that little scare in the park. She was a bit surprised at how many people she was around, however. Leslie wasn’t here, but Anna sat in the passenger seat, and Sofia was next to Erika on the rear…
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      04 – Ghosts, Demons, and Changelings

      04 – Ghosts, Demons, and Changelings Cover
      by Tower Curator Erika Walker stared at the Red Hot Chili Peppers poster hanging from her ceiling. She noted the four strips of masking tape at each corner were peeling away from the ceiling, losing their adhesiveness at a glacial yet noticeable rate, reminding her that she needed to replace it soon. Otherwise, she would end up with the poster falling on her while she was sleeping. Or, it would if she ever managed to get some sleep. In the last five days, since becoming aware of her mother, Erika found it difficult…
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