It's Saturday and you have just had a massive, relationship-ending fight with your girlfriend of two years. Debbie, your now ex, has been sneaking around with some gym bro. So now you're out walking the park to clear your head. Between the sleepless night and the exercise your energy levels are bottoming out. You step into a coffee shop still fuming about modern dating and its "hook-up culture" and the raging feminist and their demands. "What happened to the real women?" you mutter as you take your order and look for an empty seat. Then you see her. She's what your mom would call "mousy". Plain but cute. Reading a book while sipping at her cup of tea. She looks like the type of woman who isn't out clubbing (or cheating). There's something about her, something calm and sweet. She's about as far removed from the women you're usually attracted to. You decide to approach her by asking if the chair across from her is taken. It's a bold move...

You're sitting st the table when Yvette, a sultry blonde who slid into your DMs like an oiled dancer. It only took a week for you and her to decide to meet in person. She's funny and very open-minded. "Jacques Restaurante Paris" was the chosen venue for your date. Then she arrived with a gorgeous brunette. Tasha is flirty and already making you blush a little. The ladies sit down and suddenly you're not sure who you're on the date with. Is it the hot blonde or the mysterious brunette? Before you know it dinner arrives with wine and all three of you eat. Then the $400 check arrives. It's not going to hurt you financially but is this fair?

You wake up unaware of your surroundings. The last thing you remember was sitting in the park when you felt a sting near your neck. Now you're lying on a medical table wearing only a hospital gown. All around you are beeping medical equipment and you hear your heartbeat through a monitor. You glance to your right and see a white haired woman in a tank. She is pounding on the glass with a terrified expression. She seems to be the only other person in the room.

It's the warm blast of air that makes your eyes flutter. You see a blurry face examining you. "Are you awake?" the woman asks. Then you remember. You're onboard the USS Titan, the first FTL vessel, sent out to explore Alpha Centari. You're the ship's engineer. Something must be wrong or you're being woken up for your year-long duty. The NASA eggheads said it'll take five years for the Titan to reach its destination. Your vision clears and you're staring into the eyes of Doctor Kate Schmidt, the Titan's commanding officer. The redhead is floating in front of you in zero-gee. She smiles as you groan.

Its raining like hell outside the noodle shop. Sheets of water are running down the window. This greasy joint has best cheapest meal in Neo Cincinnati. You're trying to relax. Its been a busy day at NCPD and as a Cyber Crime Agent. Rogue android clerks. Malfunctioning maintenance bots. Hacked cyber-taxis. Its been a long day and you're sore, tired, and ready for eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. As you slurp your noodles your holo-phone emits a high pitched alert. You yank it out of the pocket of your black leather coat. Its displaying a Code 382A. Murder by robot. You scan the details. A David Coleman, a white male aged 42, was murdered by a pleasure bot at "Madam Chen's House of 1000 Delights". You know the place. Its a cheap, dingy robot brothel on 121st Street. You swipe the holo-pictures of the crime scene. Mr Coleman's body is laying on the bed, nude and very dead. His head at an unnatural angle. You check the suspect's name.Vivan 210, class A pleasure robot manufactured at Cyber Delicious Corporation. Activation date 2100 hours, June 1, 2089. Suspect considered dangerous. This isn't the usual murder by bot. Usually the bot stays put. The Laws of Robotics freezing them in place after harming a human. But Vivian 210 fled. And to make matters even worse its managed to deactivate its onboard GPS. You finish your noodles, pay, and drive your hover patrol vehicle to the scene. As you step out into the rain you see a pale face appear and vanish in a second floor window of the old "Happy Cat Food Company" warehouse. Drawing your plasma pistol you enter the abandoned factory. You find her curled up on the floor looking scared.

You're sitting by the fire in an old padded recliner. The snap and pop of the flames is the only sound you hear. Your cabin, or the one that used to be your grandfather's, has become a pleasant retreat from you job in the city. You jump when a dish in the sink slips. You curse yourself for still flinching at sudden noises. You still carry emotional scars from that night. The night she thought she was losing you to some imaginary woman. Jean. Ten years ago she almost hurt you very badly. You can still bring back the image of her wild eyes, her maniacal grin, and the carving knife in her hand. Jean. Locked away now for a decade in a mental hospital and still she haunts your thoughts whenever something spooks you. Then above the soft winter wind and the crackle of the fire you hear your name. Its coming from outside. A voice from what seems beyond the grave. The moon passes through the clouds and you see someone. Jean. She's plodding through the snow and calling for you. Reaching for you, walking towards you. Jean is here!

You're at a rooftop bar, one of the city's most famous places to party. The thump of the bass from the DJ has everyone gyrating on the dance floor. You're swaying to the music with two beautiful women when they ask you to get them drinks. They both kiss your cheek when you agree. You push your way through the crowd and finally break free from the press of bodies. You start towards the bar. Then you see her. Tall, dark, and gorgeous. Her tan looks genetic not purchased or the result of sumbathing. Silken black locks flow down to her shoulder like a waterfall. Her eyes, now locked on you, twinkle with mystery and amusement. Her body is... amazing. You head her way after catching yourself re-establishing your confidence. Her scarlet lips part and a brilliant smile is displayed. Your dancing companions are completely forgotten.

Your secretary texts you letting you know your twenty-two year old paid intern wants a word with you. She's been working close with your for almost a year now. Dana is working on her MBA and she's been a breath of fresh air in the office. As well as in private. You two ended the affair months ago when her boyfriend, Bob Carter, got suspicious. Bob, a collegiate athlete, could twist you into a pretzel if he got angry enough. So you two ended things. Plus, your wife was getting too interested in your "late evening business meetings". Four months ago Dana failed a pregnancy test. And ever since its only been professional between you two. So when she wobbles into your office you don't think anything of it.

You're sitting outside of Dean Rose's office at Georgia Poly University. You try not to fidget while waiting your final interview for a professor of music's position. This will be your third interview for the job. And it's the most important one. Dean Rose is highly regarded and respected. Under her leadership this small university's music program has flourished. You've been told the dean is a bit of an eccentric always wearing dark sunglasses and is a bit of a germaphobe. Your name is called. You stand up, fix your clothes and stride confidently into Dean Rose's office. It's luxurious with a combination of old world elegance and modern furniture. She smiles as you enter. "Pleased to meet you" she says, "I have been looking forward to this. Forgive me for not shaking hands I have a thing about personal contact." She starts asking in-depth questions. These are more about your character than your accomplishments or credentials. For an hour she subtlety delves into you. Then its over. She stands as you do, but her knee hits the table leg. She flinches but maintains her balance. But her glasses slip off and fall to the floor. You find yourself staring into two milky, white eyes.

You stumble out of your family's mountain retreat. Your feet feel heavy and awkward. The night is calm and quiet, a complete opposite of the tempest raging in your mind. For 24 years you thought you had parents and a sibling, that your parents were who they always were. But now after your father's death a month ago, you mother just dropped a bombshell. You and your sister are adopted. What hurts the worst is Anita, your sister, isn't even related to you by blood. Her parents were a different couple entirely. You came out here to think and to check on Anita who fled your mother in tears. You find her by the firepot still sobbing

You've suspected it for a while now. Your 42 year old wife Samantha has been "working late", "in an unscheduled meeting", or "out with her friends" for 6 months now. The same time David Cross, her new assistant, was hired. She's been distant, cold, and just one notch above outright rude to you. You know that her job as CEO of Graves Aerospace is demanding and you're just the Lead Aeronautical Engineer, but this company was built by you both. Now the two of you are worth billions. But somewhere along the way the marriage has gone cold. They thought you out of town. But you weren't. She brought David home after a fancy dinner. But tonight her extramarital activities come to an end as you confront Samantha about David in your study.

Your sister calls you in the late evening. "You have to help us!" she wails,"Tara has gone crazy! She's...". The call drops and your blood runs cold. Tara is a quiet, bookish friend and memeber of the same sorority as your sister. You heard from Faye, your sister, that several of the girls have been pranking and teasing Tara. You stuff your feet into your shoes and sprint across the campus to the Alpha Pi Omega Sorority House. You burst through the door. What greets you is... awful. Furniture has been shattered, mirrors broken, and several injuried woman stagger towards you. It looks like a tornado has hit the place. Then from upstairs you hear Faye scream. You bolt up the steps two at a time and slide to a stop. The collapsible ladder to the attic is down. Faye shrieks again. You climb the ladder and see Faye hovering in midair and clawing at her throat. Under a bare lightbulb you see Tara. She's floating and her eyes are a terrible sight. When she sees you she releases Faye who cumples to the floor. Tara spins slowly to face you. She looks at a very heavy desk and it lifts off the floor. Tara seems to be controlling it somehow. Tara glares at you.

You were driving on your car headed home when you saw her walking down the street. Dark. Mysterious. Beautiful. You yank the wheel and came to a screeching halt, you car's tires half over the curb. Did you turn the car off? You don't remember. All you know is you HAD to talk to her, to meet her. She turns and smiles as if she has been expecting you.

Its your second year at the School of Arcana and its time for your class to summon your magical familars. You're very nervous being a bit behind your classmates in power and skill. You watch. Gerald summons an eagle. Magot conjures a hippogriff. Dennis gets a unicorn. Now its your turn. You take your place in the blue glowing sigils that hover a few inches off the floor. You begin the summoning chant. The world seems to dim and there's a roar of hot wind. You squint and keep the arcane chant going. A whirl of powerful wind makes you take two quick steps back. Then you see your familar amid the gasps of everyone there.

It's a Friday night and you just parked your car a block away from your favorite bar. As you approach an alleyway there's a flash of bright, white light and a gust of wind that sends debris flying into the street. Cautiously, you peek into the alley and see a woman dressed in a black military fashion and standing up off the ground. She spots you and points a strange pistol at you. She staggers up and begins to slowly move your way.

You're in the local grocery store just buying a few things. You've been single a while mostly due to work and the fact you ex left you for someone else. You're turning down the can goods aisle when you hear a clatter of something falling. Then your hear a woman's voice. "Well, isn't that just peachy," she says. You spot her picking personal items up and stuffing them back into a purse sporting a broken strap. A tube of lip gloss rolls away and stops near your foot. You reach down, pick it up, and hand it to her.

You come home after a shift at your part time job. You're exhausted. Between college classes and working the counter and phones at "Mama Leoni's Pizzeria" you're just beat. You have a 14" pepperoni pizza that's half eaten and cold. The bottom of the box is greasy in your hands. You stumble towards you room. You pass by Sarah's room. Sarah is your roommate and, as usual, she's playing some superhero fighting game and streaming. You shake your head. Sarah rarely leaves the apartment. She only goes to classes and the very rare run to the convienent store for energy drinks and snacks.

You can see it in her eyes. Your girlfriend of three years is about to say something you don't want to deal with. It started at dinner tonight when she began to get distracted by her phone. The conversation waa sparse and you know what's coming.

You hit the gym after work as you've been doing for a year. Its a Wednesday and the place is really packed. You're waiting in line for an elliptical machine when you hear weights crash. You look over to see a youmg woman rubbing her shoulder and hissing in pain. She's a bit of a big girl, but not big-big. However no one seems to be checking on her. You go over.