How many times must you die before you realize what you are living for? ********************************************************* Ezlyn Graves has lost her mind. Literally! The inability to remember a single event after a drunken night leaves her mystified. To make matters worse, a cryptic text message revealing that she is an agent, presents a life she never knew existed. Apparently, Ezlyn is a Guardian of the Death Guard, summoned by Death to locate the stolen scythe before the necrological order of demise is disrupted. But Ezzie didn't expect to be teamed up with devious miscreants thirsty for blood and seeking vengeance. In fact, she isn't at all prepared to learn that some of Death's own personal guards have gone missing, especially at a time when she has no recollection of the life she is living or what she is capable of. Mystery/Thriller Prompt 54: You get a mysterious message on your phone stating, Agent 23, you have been activated. You guess it's a bad time to have amnesia.

When an attempted vigilante infiltration operation goes sideways, Jaime Collyn starts to question the government they've been serving their whole life. ( ((o)) ) Jaime Collyn is everything their government needs them to be-ruthless, cunning, calculated, and merciless. One of the most highly esteemed operatives in the world, they've been trained since birth to be a weapon. Jaime is ecstatic when they're authorized to go after the elusive Ivory Spiers. But once the mission begins and they meet Ivory, they find themself starting to doubt their loyalties. As Jaime grows closer to Ivory, they slowly begin to realize just what she's fighting for. When the political tension starts to rise and old loyalties are tested, Jaime isn't quite sure if they'll be able to pick the right side when the time comes. All they can do is hope. ONC Prompt #6 Cover by @outlandish-

Ever since the Salem Witch Trials, the existence of witches has been public knowledge. They have been feared, persecuted, needed and revered, but never liked or trusted. For more than three hundred years, there has been an uneasy peace between witches and humans-a peace balanced on the edge of a knife. The witches protect the human world from the dangers that lurk beyond the Veil, and the humans leave the witches alone-mostly. In the sanctuary of the Haven and the Salem Safe Zone, witches are protected, even as the world beyond grows more dangerous. In Salem, their children are educated and their armies train, always ready, for a day is coming when humans and witches will once again be enemies. And now a new threat is rising beyond the Veil.' *Note: this is my story for the 2021 Open Novella Contest.

(ONC 2021 Shortlisted) Lenny Legend works for the Intergalactic Government's Anti-Vigilante Agency. He's the best in the business, but he may have bitten off more than he could chew when he gets mixed up with the notorious and certifiably insane Captain Marmalade and his crew of misfits. *** ONC 2021: Prompt #6 "Your job is to track down vigilantes and infiltrate their groups, with the aim of gathering information and turning them into the authorities. You're successful at your job, until one day, a group of vigilantes changes everything."

"Everything has a specific timing. This is yours to face the truth." Vasudha is finally back home after ten long years of studying in Mumbai. Only if she knew about the headless shadow who's been waiting for her to return. It has been watching her from afar, bidding it's time. With no one but her aunt believing her, she is in for an adventure of a lifetime. But what if she isn't ready for the truth?

Online and offline. What's the big difference? Well, between living online and offline, Sky would better off be living online. He didn't need to worry about people knowing who he was, nor did he have have to stress about how other people looked at him. There was nothing wrong with being more open and daring online. Little did he know that being friendly online would bring about unwanted trouble offline.

Milena is the heir of the throne of Bronne, and as her 18th birthday approaches she must find a match to get married to. Her mother, the Queen regent, announces a masquerade to make her daughter choose someone. She isn't happy with this since she doesn't want to get married that soon, but when she dances with a strange suitor... maybe she unintentionally makes a decision... A decision that perhaps means something dangerous. What does that hold for her and who really is the boy she has chosen to marry? Cover: Made by me. Main photo of cottonbro in Pexels.

What should have been a simple task for a trio of ghost hunters quickly becomes something for which the term 'Worst Case Scenario' is the mother of all understatements.