JoshuaCole374

Chapter 54: Facing Facts

“That’s not fair, Lena,” I said.

“Lots of things aren’t.” But she stopped mid-stalk and sort of sagged on the sidewalk.

“I did a shit job keeping my promise.” I caught h...

Chapter 53: Troubled Waters

The Iron between Lena and I flowed and dripped and twisted and curved until, after a moment, it came to rest as a sphere of shimmering metal.

“So cool,” Lena murmured.

I smirked. �...

Chapter 52: Waterworks

The basketball hit the grass with a dull whump, far short of the tree I was aiming for.

Lena said, “Nice shot?”

Normally, I would have expected her to have meant it sarcastically, b...

Chapter 51: Albie Watching

Lena and I sat on comfortable metal chairs, picking at ham and chicken sandwiches that we could, technically, afford.

Erin had suggested we meet at the Lil Coffea Shop on Downing, a couple bl...

Chapter 50: Ripples

NugsFan15: I can’t be certain yet, but from the number of reports we’re seeing, I suspect the percentage of players dropped each day is based on the initial backer totals, not ...

Chapter 49: Costs

If the impossible objects on Sycamore meant anything, none of the three of us figured out what. We took our pictures and mourned our inability to get to the house’s fake second floor. I grabbed t...

Chapter 48: A Little Knowledge

I watched Erin’s hands, because I trusted them more than her face or voice, but she didn’t give anything away.

Maybe I was wrong. Believe it or not, it happens. Erin’s reaction might ha...

Chapter 47: Video Review

My words hung in the air.

You couldn’t get in a Third Eye fight in the middle of a commercial district. I mean, you could, but you’d look like a lunatic. If you got too into it, you might...

Chapter 46: Signs and Posts

I didn’t shout when I saw the Discord message; kinda rude to distract a driver. But I wanted to.

I went to nudge Lena’s arm. When I saw her grinning at her phone, I knew she’d seen the ...

Chapter 45: Check Out

Donica headed off to whatever part-time job took up her hours between disapproving of us; something to do with Erin’s dad, apparently. She left us with a shake of her head and eye-laser glares at...

Chapter 44: Visiting Hours

All four of us stared at Erin, even the woman who’d brought her. Her chauffeur? Only for the day, she’d said.

Can you blame us? There was something so incongruous about this gawky college...

Chapter 43: Delirium

I’ve always hated hospitals.

Maybe it was because I’d never gotten sick enough to need one long term, so my clearest impression of them came from visiting grandparents in the weeks and mo...

Chapter 42: Making A Splash

The roar of water built and built. I fumbled with my phone, trying to mute it, but in the darkness I couldn’t find the button. The concrete shook around us. How was it so loud?

Three phone ...

Chapter 41: Sewer Level

“If I didn’t see it every time we walked past here,” I said, “I’d think this bank was a Third Eye thing.”

It looked like a white nautilus shell tipped on its side, entirely out of...

Chapter 40: We Need To Go Deeper

I don’t know about you, but I loved Inception when it came out. Brain teaser story, stylish direction, great cast.

But after a decade it had boiled down to just this meme for me. One to thr...

Chapter 39: Altered Reality

Trees, as far as the satellite camera’s eye could see.

If you tried to return an amulet here, first of all, Canada Post wouldn’t deliver it, and second, if they did it would be littering....

Chapter 38: Wizardry

I pointed to the device connected to Lena’s phone. With all the weird equipment strewn across it, our kitchen counter looked like something out of a heist movie. “What’s the app doing while t...

Chapter 37: Security Check

Miguel popped his trunk. He reached in and handed me an object. “Help me with this, yeah?”

I turned the thing over. It looked a little like a router or an old radio. “What is it?”

Chapter 36: Rideshare

With yet another worry added to the pile, I itched to catch the next bus back to the apartment.

Instead, the three of us caught a whiff from the garage, exchanged glances, and piled back in f...

Chapter 35: Games We Play

I thrust my hand forward. Air and Water curled together and rippled before me, moving, changing – cutting. It didn’t matter how big the monster was, how tough its hide. An attack like that was ...

Chapter 34: Run It Back

Lena leaned forward. “You back in the land of the living?”

I think I laughed and I think it sounded a little hysterical, because she scrunched her face up in response. “Never felt bette...

Chapter 33: Your Strongest Potion

Albie held up a Potion.

I didn’t know that was what it was, but I knew that’s what it was. You know?

Third Eye’s cash shop really was a blessing. Until it opened, anyway, and dest...

Chapter 32: A Completely Different Level

I know what you’re thinking: “He’s beginning to believe.”

No?

I know it’s before our time, people, but this isn’t exactly an obscure reference. Lena definitely would’ve th...

Chapter 31: Child’s Play

At first, I didn’t understand what Albie had said. I mean, I got it, the words fit together, but they made no sense in the context of this little girl.

Slowly, I raised my phone and looked ...

Chapter 30: Walk In The Park

In fact, Lena pulled her punch so early, no amount of shaky-cam could have hidden it from a disgusted stunt coordinator.

I still flinched away.

You know. For the sake of the video.

Chapter 29: Demonstration

“As you wish.” I bowed to Lena, my arms out to my sides. I swept my free hand around and almost into a fist, keeping the Wood “selected” by Third Eye.

I wanted this to create a little...

Chapter 28: Public Service Announcement

“Heya, Third Eye community! It’s ya girl, Ashbird, and today me and my lovely assistant are gonna give you a demonstration of the Reactions window.” Lena struck a pose with a victory or peace...

Chapter 27: Part of the Solution

I rolled my chair back and flexed my fingers.

Did I deserve that line from DeepingShadows? Probably.

It didn’t promise a very fun conversation, though.

Maybe if I hadn’t been ...

Chapter 26: Administrative Issues

I looked up at Lena. Her eyes were tight at the corners, her lips were pursed, and she clenched her phone in a death grip. I knew exactly how she felt.

She tilted her phone toward me. She smi...

Chapter 25: A Care In The World

I opened the apartment door. I’d gone into such a deep sulk I almost forgot to pick a very specific tone in which to call out, “I’m home.”

“Welcome home.” Lena grinned as we compl...