Many runners might tell this tale: after the outnumbered Greeks beat the Persians at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE, Pheidippides sped from the battlefield to Athens with news of the victory. He died from exhaustion after running over 40 km just to shout "Nike! Nike! Nenikikamen!" That's modern mythology for you, a parcel of truth wound in slim threads of fact -- but it validates commemorating this event with long-distance races and pricey shoes. A few ancient historians might share a different story: some other guy *maybe* did the Marathon run. In the days before the battle's conclusion, when Greek defeat seemed certain, Pheidippides actually ran almost 12 times that distance in only 4 days. He ran 245 km from Athens to Sparta in under 2 days (think 3 modern marathons a day); asked the Spartans for help in the battle; and took a nap. After 150 more miles, a chat with Pan, and a couple more days he arrived back in Athens with news that the Spartans would regrettably be delayed (per their laws) until the full moon. That information guided the Greek strategy and enabled the victory - which some argue steered the course of human events ever after.... Remarkably, he did not die from the effort. I don't know why that seems important to me now, but it does. And I don't know what exactly it has to do with this project except this: the writer/editor Jon Winokur tweeted recently, "You can't control your legacy; it is determined by who survives. All you can control is the work. Make the best thing you know how. The world will do with it what it will." Make the best thing you know how. And in the end we'll say along with some anonymous, long-dead and long-forgotten Greek messenger, "Victory! Victory! Rejoice, we conquer!" The following are my entries for the Short Story Contests @WattpadShortStory for Sep -Dec 2019, aka The Reading List Marathon. They likely have nothing to do with Greek mythology, but you never know. cover art: Panathenaic amphora, 480-460 BCE

Soap is supposed to be harmless, but when a pet ferret dies after eating some, a group of friends has doubts. When the ferret suddenly comes back from the dead and attacks them, they have an entirely new set of problems on their hands. *** People always figured the apocalypse would come someday, but no one imagined it'd begin with a tainted batch of soap and a ferret. Not only do Jayson and Taylor have to fight off the suddenly-rabid animal, but things go from bad to worse when two of their friends find themselves trapped at work, staring down a gauntlet of ravenous "Soapies" looking for their next living meal. Staying in the city isn't an option, and they know they have to regroup in order to escape to safety. The trip seems impossible with thousands of mindless Soapies in the way, so they have to find allies and outrun enemies while looking out for each other in this apocalyptic tale of friendship and survival. Book One in the Zombie Soap Series 🌟WATTYS 2020 WINNER🌟 "Polished, intriguing, this captivating zombie story really lets you connect with the characters, and the storytelling is quite engaging - we enjoyed this a lot!" -The Wattys- -Cover by Azanthiel- ©2019 **NOT recommended for readers under 17** Content warning: This story contains mature sexual content and violence, including themes of racism and past sexual assault.

Like all living things, this book is a WIP. As of today though, it's only the developing genesis of the initial onset of the very beginning of the start of a WIP. I'm working on a much more beguiling, intriguing, and utterly irresistible blurb that will completely convince you how much you want to read these stories, hint deliciously at what they are ultimately about (when I understand that more myself), and clearly explicate the title (when I figure out how to cover that topic briefly). For now, you get a purple intro to match the purple cover. If you happen to be here reading anyway - even without the fantastically succinct and enticing blurb - thank you. I know your time is valuable. I strive to be worth your while. This book is my very first publication on Wattpad (or anywhere else for that matter), so... Yay me? Don't let that deter you - Criticism is my favorite breakfast cereal and Feedback my go-to energy snack. Though inspired by countless events, conversations, readings and meetings, the ideas, words and graphics herein (unless otherwise noted) fell out of my head, through my fingers and into the ethersphere. They belong to me - as much as such things can belong to anyone. Please do not steal them (though I'd confess to being immensely flattered if I thought you wanted to). Most importantly, if you didn't catch it on the cover, the stories here are FLASH FICTION - which you know means SHORT. REALLY SHORT. SHORTER THAN SHORT. You can read one in 5 minutes or less. But a lot can happen in five minutes.