AuthorRobin Egberts

Chapter 1 — A fly

C

He rushed after her, through the plant-filled living room and into the kitchen. Danielle’s entire house was like an oasis, plants included. Any space that wasn’t filled with furniture was covered in plants. Long vines with round bright green leaves hung down from the top kitchen cupboards. The counter was filled with herbs and flowers in all kinds of colours.

Ana’s Nightmares

A
Ink drawing of a plush pig

Pig was Ana’s escape from her dreams. Flimsy and deflated, the stuffing compacted by years of squishes and hugs, pig was always there for her when she woke from those terrible nightmares. Where her dreams were filled with dread, flashes of pain, dizzying movements, pig was pure comfort. Always the same, reliable, in her control.

Slugs

S
Ink drawing of two slugs

I am posting here in regards to the wounds that have been appearing on my arms when I sleep.

They’re not from bedbugs, I know that much for certain. The wounds are too big, and too odd. It doesn’t look like your usual insect bite. Instead it’s like something has scraped away a tiny patch of skin, layer by layer, until they drew blood.

Dan’s Spider

D
Ink Drawing of a Spider

Dan had no idea what would make anyone, let alone his colleague, proclaim their love for spiders of all things, but he never claimed to understand Summer. He closed his laptop and joined his colleague to go to the cafeteria. They sat down on opposite sides of the same table. “You love-” those two words shouldn’t be next to each other, “-spiders?”

“You don’t have to believe me,” she said petulantly.

Dan rummaged in his bag in search for his food. “Well good,” he said. He plopped his lunch box on the table. “Because I don’t.”

“Why not?”

That question didn’t deserve an answer. There was nothing lovable about spiders. Nothing. And he knew for a fact Summer was scared of them. He gave her a look.

Summer’s Spider

S
Ink drawing of a cellar spider

“I love them, really.”

Dan closed his laptop and stood up, joining Summer on the way to the cafeteria. They sat down on opposite sides of their usual table. “You love spiders,” he said, still with his stupid eyebrow raised.

“You don’t have to believe me.”

“Well good,” he said while digging into his bag for his lunch. “Because I don’t.”

Summer frowned. “Why not?”

Dan just gave her a look.

“Fine,” she said. She slumped in her chair exaggeratively. “Fuck, I’m so scared of them.”

Land’s Intelligence

L

Years ago, Emelia's friend told her he'd found something amazing by the river. Two days later his corpse was found floating downstream. The river has been off-limits to her since then, but now that she's an adult, her parents can't prevent her from exploring the place that's been haunting her for years.

Welwick’s Oracle

W
Ink drawing of a crystal ball

"Welcome to Welwick's Oracle... the ONLY show where the voice of the spirits is channelled directly... to YOU."
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Summer has just moved into her grandfather's old farmhouse. Join her one lazy morning in front of the TV when she comes across a fortune teller and decides to stick around to watch.
She suspected nonsense and ridiculous predictions, what she got was... something else.

The Cloud Dwellers

T

While Grace and Emma meet each other in their dreams, someone else pays much closer attention to the clouds drifting high above.
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'In the clouds, I see people. I see knights in armour, horses galloping and bucking, a battle. The swords clash against each other, but the sound doesn’t reach me. They’re too far above, but I can imagine.'

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