129 Results in the "Burned Cover" category
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Story
Burned Cover
Erika Walker has a problem. Her mother isn’t who she says she is. An urban-fantasy set in supernatural Chicago. -
Chapter
10 – The Invitation
“It is a trap.” “Of course it is a trap. How could it not be a trap?” “Nobody just invites all their enemies to one place for a chat. I guarantee the food is poisoned, the spikes in the pitfalls are sharpened, and the ceiling will collapse to turn all of us into Hunter sandwiches.” Erika glanced over, frowning at Rick before shaking her head and looking over the rest of the group gathered in Varn’s. All The Hunters were on deck today, including the more ancillary members—The Fixer,…-
446.7 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
09 – i – The Strategist
“The Prescient’s abilities continue to perplex, and the nature of The Director’s genius remains shrouded in mystery.” The Strategist leaned back in his seat, ruminating on the report he had received. While it was true that The Stalker was not particularly adept at the art of writing reports—the entire thing was written as if it were a middle school book essay—her lack of practice had forced The Strategist to develop his own skills in reading between the lines. It took some effort to filter…-
446.7 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
08 – Precaution Upon Precaution
The Castle’s lounge looked every part the comfortable venue for a posh party in the late nineteen twenties. Dark wood panels climbed the walls, polished to a sheen in the flickering incandescent light. Large portraits filled empty space, their occupants staring down with grave expressions. A phonograph on a table set to low volume put a layer of swing under the heavy tension in the air. “I am so sorry.” Anna—the real Anna—folded her arms across her chest. She leaned back on a short sofa,…-
446.7 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
07 – Interview with a Mimic
Erika stepped into the clone’s interrogation room, accompanied by The Maid. Her eyes trailed over the fake Anna, searching for any hint of deception, of any sign of a beguiling nature hidden under those familiar features. It was the first time she had seen this Anna without the mirrored glass in the way. Not a single twitch on Anna’s annoyed face looked out of place. “Finally. I need to get back to my mother,” Anna said, pressing her hands to the table as she stood. Arcing her back, bringing…-
446.7 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
06 – Seeing Double
In a game of spot the difference, Erika figured the best solution involved blurring her eyes—going cross-eyed like she was looking at a Magic Eye illusion—at which point the differences would jump out. In a picture of a room, the potted plant overlaid on top of a stack of books became obvious when they were laid on top of each other. Not that she was an expert. Erika doubted she had done a spot the difference puzzle since elementary school. Now, eyes flicking back and forth between two cells…-
446.7 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
05 – Fortress of Doors
Erika stalked down the halls of the asylum, accompanied by The Butler, The Maid, and one of The Mind’s creepy monster things. “Ahead, next left hall, immediate left door,” the monster spoke, words dripping from its maw. “You should find yourself in the atrium.” Should, he said. The hostile architecture of the asylum fought against its owners and was only kept stable by The Mind, from what Erika had heard—but she still would have preferred a little more confidence. “What about…-
446.7 K • Ongoing
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If asked to explain her thoughts, Erika wasn’t sure she would be able to say anything. This was the first look she had gotten of the ghost. Every other instance where she appeared, she vanished the moment Erika actually managed to focus on her. The pale woman sat, hunched, with her hands in her lap. Her hair hung in long strands all around her shoulders, dangling over her chest, but Erika was more focused on her eyes. Erika could only see them while standing at an angle, peering down between the…
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446.7 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
03 – A Meeting of the Minds
The asylum hadn’t changed since Erika last visited. A liminal space of branching hallways and corridors stretched off in every direction. Old hardwood floors warped in a way that gave the ground texture, with occasional hard bumps that made Daniel stumble. The occasional incandescent bulbs dangling from a lone cable were the only sources of light, making the shadows loom large in every corner. Stopping at one intersection, Erika looked down the darkened hallway and tried to count the bulbs. She got to…-
446.7 K • Ongoing
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