Byline

"I'll prove it to you." Alicia declared walking away from the school in a huff. Her friends, Ace, Tank and Lacy scuttled after her. In silence, and with a determined grimace on her face, she lead them to the edge of town. There, draped in vines, was the old Dairy Queen.

I looked down timidly at my scaly feet. “It all feels sooner than expected.” Father looked down at me, his wings relaxed. “I know we’ve only just met but I have a quest for you—your first.” We stared at each other, dragon-to-dragon. Was I ready for my rite of passage, I wondered.

The ugly sea of troll faces that radiated out from the King exploded into cheers. The King, a satisfied sneer on his face, basked in the adulation. This went on some time until Melvin, the most disliked troll, spoke up. "Uh boss," he sniveled "we have a problem."

"Dis es no dreem. I am de Reggaeton Tyga, da keeper of de riddim," bellowed a deep, all encompassing voice "and I come to put in ya step a spring, 'til ya can hep but shake ya thing. So put way tha frown, cause it time to get down, to the funky, funky sound of de Tyga!"

I am one with shadows. I dress myself in silence. My heart drums in whispers & my breath is lighter than the brush of a moth's gray wing. You may think you see me, but turn & you will find only a gasp of steam leaking from a vent. You need not fear, though, for my hate only seeks

The police, though, could not be convinced that zoning out while diving an 18-wheeler at 90mph on I-35 was what grandpa meant. I didn't think the accident was such a big deal. The truck only plowed into a giant wooden sculpture of Paul Bunyan. "It's not like anyone died," I said.

No one knows how it started, but KindPhone X learned sarcasm. Maybe the AI program picked it up from users' texts or too many Friends fans watched "Best Chandler Quips" clips on YouTube. Whatever it was, the phone got snarky. "Pft, nice hair!" appeared on selfies. "LOL, JKBNR"

Ma blinked at me as if trying to process the question. “Of course I got you something.” She paused, searching for the words. “Why else would I go all the way out… there?” It became obvious something was interfering with her memory. “Ma! Did anything abnormal happen to you today?”