Many were the nights I was lulled to sleep by the sounds of crashing waves and air whipping over the pearly sands beyond my bedroom window. Many, also, were the days that, unlike my elder sister, I refused to join my father on his daily fishing trips; even for all the tranquility it offered …

This is the first story in my book Despite the Rubicon: Stories of Solace in Sorrow.

There was a girl I used to know, years ago. I only formally met her in junior high, but I first noticed her in elementary school. Our classes had assigned seating back then. I could never figure out what kind of …

Waves thundered against the rocky outcrops at the foot of the cape, spraying seafoam and splintered boards up the side of the cliff. Far above, Kaito looked down in helpless despair at the remains of the decimated sailing ships as the lighthouse’s beacon spun meaninglessly behind him. The salty air …