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April 9, 2007

4.9.07

April is the Cruelest Month, so let's write about cruelty.

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Dave: Fair April

"You? You? Are you joking?"  She stared at him, then broke into a pretty little laugh.  "Oh, my God, you're not!  You actually think I'm going to the Spring Thing with you?"

"But -- but you said --"

"You can't tell a joke?  How ironic you're playing the fool."

"I'm -- I'm trying to be --"

"'Out like a lamb,' isn't that what they say?  I'm looking for something who can be lion-like all -- month -- long." She smiled, a glint in her eye.  "I think May's the month I want to be with.  Just -- go home, March.  Go home and pop some bulbs."

Her laughter echoed after him, the same as every year.

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David: What Is The Most Effective Threat?

They called him, simply, “Bob.” He carried his reputation as the most merciless and efficient of interrogators as a king wore his crown or that one member of the President’s staff carried the briefcase full of nuclear launch codes.

Everyone knew that to be brought into a room with Bob was to face to closest thing to Hell any living person could experience. No one got out unchanged, and no one got out with their secrets intact.

Often, the threat of Bob was enough to make the most hardened enemies of the state spill both their bladders and their guts.

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Jeff R.: Reaching Bottom

She called me a drunk and a bum and a liar, and I took it. It isn't as if she were wrong.

Then she started to pound on me with her fists. After that came open hands, drawing blood as her nails clawed my cheeks. We've had this fight a thousand times, I know how it goes. Eventually she tires, collapses in my arms. One of us apologizes, and we 'make up' with violent, hate-filled rutting. Our only passion these past five years.

Not tonight, though. Pushed too far, I did the cruelest thing I could.

I mentioned our son.

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Ted: Justice and Survival

Silea repeated herself. Nidas just looked at her. So she held out her hand, holding up the Sky-man's mask. "It's true, Leonidas. They finally came. It's our time now. Herotodus' stories are coming true."

Nidas took the mask. "He gave this to you?"

"No," Silea said; her eyes dropping, shame in her stooped shoulders. "I took it after I killed an attacking snarl ."

"You stole, Penthesilea. You know our law. It isn't for us to steal. It is for us to help. You must be punished. You are off patrol duty. You must offer up your genes. Pick a husband."

Read more from Ted's .

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