Home

nature's embers embellish the forest with golden sparks in the light of the sun the leaves sing with the shifting hues as the earth prepares for the silent white may the blessings of the times fill our being until new life begins anew at the dawning of spring

She ran like the devils of hell were chasing her. Her tennis shoes slapped the wet pavement, breath rasped. Angela kept her head up, eyes searching for anything open this time of night. Any place she could duck into with lights and people. Behind her, the street looked empty. Just another rainy night in the bay. Dead leaves clogged the gutters, their colors dull in the dim light. At the next intersection, the girl skidded to a stop. To the left, she saw the glow of neon lights and heard faint music. Angela didn't need to think about it. She turned and ran for the club. The sign out front spelled the name Torchies in bright red. Various beer signs hung in the window below it. But the most important sign was the one that read 'Open.' Angela grabbed the door and jerked it open, stumbling face first into the broad chest of a bouncer. His leather vest was covered in zippers and studs, which left their mark as her body collided with his. "Back up, girlie," the bouncer growled. "No