Here is a list of all the authors flashing this week, along with a brief snippet from their latest free work. Click the link after the snippet to be taken to the complete story on the author’s home page.

The Sycamore Psychopomp – Part 1 by J. Ray Lamb

Aaryn looked out the sliding glass door of his house and surveyed the backyard. There was a dilapidated aluminum shed and a large home propane tank on the west side with the garage and sycamore tree taking up most of the east side.

A small pile of dirt was all that remained from digging the foundations of the garage and from putting the basement under the house.

All in all, it was a great backyard to raise kids in except for the neighbors to the west. Growing up, it was the “Doc Hamman” place…

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Adrift: Chapter 70 by J. Alan Veerkamp

Avoiding the authorities, dodging workhouse raids and shantyville sweeps, Arad had never seen the inside of a precinct cell. Occasionally, there were narrow escapes, but he’d somehow managed stay a free man. Others hadn’t been so fortunate. He used to worry about Sketch’s fate. Now all he could think about was Roku. A fine layer of dust coated the Nightingale’s jail from apparent disuse. Other than that, it was as well maintained as the rest of the ship.

It didn’t improve the experience.

A small viewing window was perched in the massive door, yet he’d given up seeing anything on the other side hours ago.

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In Pieces #83 (20.1) by Julie Lynn Hayes

The flight to St. Louis was uneventful. Cassie had managed to book them a non-stop flight, luckily. It seemed as though they had barely left New Orleans when they were already arriving at Lambert. Cassie picked them up in the parking garage for Terminal One, where arrivals were being diverted due to construction. Ryan spotted her car immediately as she pulled to the curb and jumped out, squealing excitedly at the sight of him. Rounding the front of the vehicle, she enveloped him in a warm hug, then turned to Ben and did the same.

“I’m so happy to meet you at last, Ben! I’ve heard so much about you from Ryan!”

Ben seemed much more relaxed, now that they were out of New Orleans.

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