This anthology brings together twenty-six stories from authors, Nathaniel Farcas, Lauren Lang, Caroline Shannon Davenport, Jon Fain, Elizabeth S. Devecchi, Eric D. Lehman, Brittany Bell, Ken Goldman, Vincent Czyz, Dalton Mire, Gary Zenker, Mykyta Ryzhykh, Kim Ransley, Mark Williams, Beck Erixson, Ibtisam Shahbaz, Jennifer Cinguina, Joseph A. Schiller, John Tavares, Jerry Purdon, and Justin Lowe. These curated stories center around the human experience, fact or fiction they delve into the experience of being human; cruel twists of fate, secrets held, the measure of risks taken, the assessment of faith, confronting one's demons, and the impact of relationships in various forms.  The Story by Nathaniel Farcas A young man comes home, but home is not what he thought it was . . . and I guess it is a supernatural tale. A Royal Pain in the Ear by Lauren Lang Royal earaches are no laughing matter for a court jester. Uprooted by Jon Fain A Hollywood location manager goes to a place he thought he'd never see again―his hometown―to deal with unpleasant memories and the complex needs of his estranged family.  Open House by Elizabeth S. Devecchi A young realtor is assigned her first open house, a step toward independence and escape from an abusive husband. The mysterious inhabitants of the little fixer-upper have different plans for her. The Kipling Lamp by Eric D. Lehman A young man buys a magical lamp that belonged to Rudyard Kipling in order to become a famous writer, but it does not go as smoothly as he hopes. Copper  by Brittany Bell A lonely girl befriends her elderly neighbor one summer after her parents cut ties with her best friends family for undisclosed reasons. All For You, Sara Sue by Ken Goldman Meet Darcy and Elliot, a childless couple who desperately want a baby of their own but find they are unable to conceive. Together they discover a most unusual way to make that birth happen―and Sara Sue is born! But at what cost..? Basement Bob by Brittany Bell An eleven-year-old girl undergoes a formative experience while trying to impress an older boy by spying on the town's enigmatic recluse, akin to Boo Radley.  The Weeping Scimitar  by Vincent Czyz  "The Weeping Scimitar," set in the hinterlands of an unnamed Eastern European country in the 19th century, is the tale of a judgment, a blood debt, and a small band of brigands bent on escaping a gulag.  The Geisha in the Attic  by Dalton Mire  A "Southern Belle" is exiled by missionaries to a House of Geisha in 1860s Japan, and her letters inspire a woman in the 21st Century.  Statute of Limitations  by Gary Zenker  The long arm of the law has an even longer reach than one might guess.  People on the Roads and in the Gardens  by Mykyta Ryzhykh  A story about war, people, roads, cities.  The Fisherman  by Kim Ransley  What if the sea is your only friend?  Ricochet  by Mark Williams  Teenage banjo prodigy, Harlan Dillbeck, goes to Bardstown, Kentucky, where, after giving up his dreams of banjo stardom, he becomes a master bourbon taster. Years later, with help from his former banjo-playing nemesis, Sam Boone, Harlan hopes to rescue his son from a nine-fingered hitman, Duke Earl.  The Memory Bench  by Beck Erixson  Craving a memory's soul makes hot chocolate bittersweet.   Begin Again  by Ibtisam Shahbaz  This story captures the tale of two lovers as melodies echoing in different corners of the world, whose soundwaves have collided at last.  Respite  by Jennifer Cinguina  The Audition  by Brittany Bell  A talented musician confronts guilt over his younger sister's death while auditioning for Julliard.  Never Enough  by Caroline Shannon Davenport  Abundant Accumulations and Acquirements. A game? A need?  Schmeared Reputation  by Gary Zenker  Life dishes out a serving of the darker side of people, with a side of irony.  The Results  by Joseph A. Schiller  Our future no longer holds any secrets from us. We may wish it did.  As My Father Was Dying  by Caroline Shannon Davenport  Being pulled away but painfully, slowly, slowly, being pulled toward…  Last Kiss  by Gary Zenker  If you know the secret being hidden, is it still a secret?  Art Project  by John Tavares  Monster  by Jerry Purdon  A man is disappointed in his quest to assert his authority and make others disappointed. As his plans unravel, with his main target's death, he sets his sights on someone else to torment.  Portobello  by Justin Lowe  Back in 1989 Sydney, Michael's journalist fiancee arrived home to announce she was being transferred to their London desk, effective immediately. Michael wasn't even consulted but promised to join her as soon as he could. Three days before he was due to fly out, his fiancee rang to announce she was married. This is a tale, not so much of one woman's perfidy, as of the kindness of strangers in a cold forbidding city as Europeans changes all around them.  Nathaniel Farcas  was a 19-year-old award-winning short story author and had been writing poetry since the age of six.