First Lines
The tree’s question started with a clear plastic bottle. One of those liter containers of “mountain spring water” people buy from a gas station cooler for $1.99.
The brown-haired girl poured two bottles of Aquafina into the hole she’d dug at the base of its trunk.
“But, Molly, Poppa Chris isn’t leaving. He’s not like—” the boy said, hesitating nearby.
“The water’s for the faeries,” Molly cut in. “Just like Poppa Chris, sometimes they need help keeping their promises…”
The Anthology
A progeny of monsters waits in the forest… A faerie offering heals an ancient pain—A knife in a dark carnival tent opens a new one. Names give power to curses and curses make monsters of us all. A man in love with a valley is tempted by fire. GAIA: SHADOW AND BREATH VOL. 2 is a collection of fantasy, dark fantasy, and magical realism inspired by Mother Earth. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Nature Conservancy.