"Time marches on..."

But in what direction? Whoever said that never clarified whether time had to always go forward, or backward, or in a straight line. In this collection, we invite you to delve into five tales that explore the beautiful, bendable, breakable nature of time itself.

"The Camera" by D.L. White: A haunting portrait of a young man who is stuck in his grief over the sudden loss of one of his best friends. A story of frozen moments in time, it is a supernatural snapshot of what happens when past regrets turn into an obsession.

"The Ladies Three" by Chad Olson: Want safe passage for your ship and crew? You can have it. The price the Ladies Three require is but an hour of one sailor's time. An hour, and perhaps something more. But what happens when the sailor selected has plans of his own?

"The Annuity Squad" by James Kenneth Rogers: Divorced and down-on-his-luck, Ralph receives an unexpected windfall, and the promise of even more money in seven years' time. Should he sign on the dotted line, or is it all too good to be true?

"The Theatrica Mechanica" by Eric Nilles: Discover a world of wizards, kingdoms and unusual beasts during a time of great upheaval. The peaceful and the wicked are destined to clash, a peace-loving king will discover he has been granted little time to prepare, and only by enlisting the most cunning members of his court does his kingdom have a chance to endure.

"What If?" by Debra Robic: Sylvia and Alan have lived long enough to be involuntarily housed in the State old folks' home. Dispossessed and disempowered, they find a strange book that suggests the path out of this dystopian future might lie in changing the past - if they are brave enough.