Katherine McIntyre

“The night had darkened to the murky sort where the air hung like descending clouds and the overhead branches made the liquid darkness even more impenetrable.”

“If you’re supposed to work with someone, I’d recommend not getting all hot and bothered with them the night before. The word of the day was “tense.”

“Three things lit her match without fail—abusive assholes, idiots who didn’t use their turn signals, and unannounced shifters moving in on her territory.”

“They’d reached the point of no return, and she wanted to throw herself into the fire until the flames melted away the years of ice that claimed her.”

“Jev was certain the words “should’ve known better” would go somewhere on her tombstone, but at the moment her focus shifted to the dozens of angry pixies honed in on her.”

“He stroked her back and kept a fierce grip on her like she’d fade away into one of the thousands of ghosts in this cemetery.”

“Being inside this cottage, with dark wooden walls and hand-carved furniture like my own home, cast a darkened stain onto my heart.”

“The dreams that surfaced upon meeting up with him again winked out of existence, stars darkening for good.”

“Since her time in the necromancer’s clutches, she was still recovering lost memories from the quicksand of her mind. They’d drop like nuclear bombs, freezing her at the worst time as visuals which should’ve stayed forever buried bubbled to the surface.”

“Too late; my awkwardness had already made an unforgettable appearance, so, of course, I couldn’t be let off the hook.”

“Geoff’s arm emanated with a solid warmth I longed for after our days aboard S.S. British-Craphole.”

“Harsh, bitter laughs exploded from her like shrapnel, and she didn’t care who was cut in the process.”

“This one sank deep into her marrow and made her heart soar like the shuttles piercing the stratosphere.”

“Shards flew everywhere, slicing her hands, her forearm, and cascading to the floor like snow glistening on a winter morning.”

“She’d sworn she wouldn’t end up like her little brother, but loneliness didn’t arrive with flashing bulbs and a warning label. The descent was as simple and complex as a faked smile, white lies about being “okay,” and the nod and acceptance as her own peers didn’t delve deeper, shutting the coffin lid for her.”

“We deal with so many nightmares on a regular basis. When I’m watching a horror movie, there’s a pattern, a sense of control in them. I’m just an observer, not having to deal with any of the repercussions. It’s a nice dream to think monsters play by the rules, that they’ve got a pattern you can unlock and follow. Real life’s messy, and the chaos leaves you devastated in the wake.”

“Everyone’s searching for someone to end the pain of loneliness. Even the darkest of souls wants a shot at redemption.”

“Mom used to tell us stories of these bogeymen when we were kids, and Lizzy would crawl into my bed so she could fall asleep. Stories of the monsters who forced us underground, and when the force field faltered, would snatch us from our homes.”

“Because if I fell any deeper for the way his eyes crinkled with his smile or his habit of tapping on his nose to emphasize a point, my ship would be sunk.”

“The choice lay out for me. Stay on land or plunge into the icy depths of the sea. I always chose the sea.”