Shifted Views

By AP Morison

Shifted Views is a collection of Shifter Themed poems and short stories.

Some are dark, some are light-hearted.

A bit of Romance, and some Horror.

A good book for lunchtimes, waiting for the bus

or curled in front of the fire, just because.

 

Enjoy!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Morison Creative, LLC
• Release date: Dec 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201013851

AP Morison

Born and raised in Virginia, just outside of Washington, DC, now in Baker County, Oregon, by way of a four-year detour in Florida. She has had two poems published in a vanity press anthology in 2000. Her work also included, with permission from Anne McCaffrey, a hard copy fan magazine based on her Dragonriders of Pern series in the mid-1990s. In the magazine she wrote, co-wrote content, did layout, illustrations, edited and assisted the senior editor. The publication was called Dragon Tales. National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo 50K words in 30 days) Challenge Winner 2006, 2007, 2020. Science Fiction and Fantasy are the focus of her writing has been since early writing assignments in school. The combination of the two as crossovers has developed over time and is now her main genre or subgenre, as some would call it. Favorite Quote: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Arthur C. Clarke

Book preview

Disclaimers

Trigger Warnings: This work contains references to adult consensual sexual encounters and self-pleasure. There are two scenes of attempted non-consensual coercion to sex. If this type of content is disturbing to you, please do not read this work or any others by this author, for your own wellbeing.

This is a work of fiction. Any similarities in names or situations are matters of coincidence or an active reader imagination. Some place names and locations can be found on maps, there ends the association with this work.

Dedication

To the creative minds that pulled Shifter Stories

into the mainstream of modern fiction

Copyright

Disclaimers

Dedication

Deadly Dreams

Hive Mind

Dragon Stone

Dragon Blood

Where Have You Been?

You Are, We Are

Very Funny

Lend A Shifty Hand

Somebody’s Watching Me

Rewrites Can Be Killers

White Petals and Bleeding Hearts

Jealous Much

But Will You Still Love Me

Can’t Trust Anyone

Maker’s Mark

Don’t Sing That Song

Author Afterword

Page |  

Deadly Dreams

by chance, on a sunny morning,

a young child saw a most amazing thing

the thing seemed to be alive, it had wings

but it also had four legs

when the child tried to approach the thing

it flew away, making no sound, leaving no track

every day, rain or shine, snow, or wind

the child returned trying to see the thing again

years came and went, time doesn’t wait, doesn’t care

the child grew up, then grew old, but came every day

there was no learning, no relationships, no job

one day, sitting in that same spot, the old one died

the tale was retold, of the child who grew old

seeking after a daydream by doing nothing

Hive Mind

The problem with being someone with a good imagination is that you can believe nearly anything if it sounds like a good story. So, when someone tells you that they are ‘not quite human’ you tend to roll with the theme because, okay, roll play, cosplay, let’s go. Being faced with someone who isn’t role playing and isn’t a delusional psychotic is rare. Disturbing but rare. 

Michael is that rare exception. We met by chance on a flight to Portland, Oregon. We started talking, something clicked so we went to dinner after we landed. Nice. He went to his hotel, I went home. All good to my way of thinking. No pressure, pleasant evening, pleasant parting, numbers and all that done without fuss. General consensus to meet up again in the next day or two based on work and such. He was to be hanging around for a couple weeks.

Now, here is where most people would talk about all the weird ass dreams, they had or the craving to ‘be with’ but I’m not going to bother. Just take it as read that this happened. The details didn’t matter. Suffice it to say I was not at my best at work the next morning. Travel tired and mostly sleep deprived, the usual.

When Michael called about a late lunch, early dinner I told a co-worker I was taking my major headache home and scampered. Nice kind of job if you can get it, right? So, anyway, I took off and ended up in the restaurant at Michael’s hotel. Nice place. Upscale hotel. Same for the restaurant.

❖   

Michael looked good, all shiny. I likely looked like I was drug backward through barbed wire after the lousy start to the day. Got the stink eye from the hostess, got sympathy from Michael. He offered to cut things short if I needed to go and rest, all that considerate stuff. He’d make sure I got home safe, etc. 

I, of course, waved all that aside because of the weird ass dreams. Wanted to sit and talk. He was all happy because the interview he was here for went well, he got the job and would be moving to the area. Exciting for everyone right? Woooo hoooooo. We ate then he arranged for the dessert to be delivered to his suite and we retired to the quiet and privacy.

We talked about his moving, His new job with many figures left of the decimal for his compensation. We even kissed a few times. Finally, exhausted, I was helped to bed in the second bedroom of the suite. It never occurred to me to ask about that. 

The next morning there was a note along with a pile of boxes on one side of the bed. Toiletries, makeup, fresh clothing, wow. Somehow this only pleased me. There was never a question about when or how or why. Not even a simple What The Fuck?

There are times now that when I can think about it, I wonder how this got by me. I mean, I’m not actually an airhead. All of this should have had me doing research, asking questions, poking and prying. I still shake my head when I think about it. Or I would do, if I could.

Be that as it may, this went on for about a week. My staying with him and him tending to all my needs. Yes, even the physical ones that I had dreamed of. I was not disappointed and spent many wonderful hours over our time together.

My roommates got concerned over my continued absence. My employer and co-workers started looking for me, or so I’m told. The cops were called, my cell phone traced. That may finally have been how they found me. Not that I’m complaining about being found. But I am not thrilled with the end results.

This is the part where I explain the final twist. You could, maybe, think I was lying. I mean really, such a bizarre idea, but you can see for yourself that what I’m saying is correct. Unless you don’t believe your own senses. That could be the case I suppose.

You see, Michael was supposed to take me with him to safety so that there would be nothing like this situation. Unfortunately, car accidents can happen to anyone and while his kind is long lived, they are not impervious to damage. Being decapitated by a semi-truck does tend to crimp the survival potential.

So now I’m in this facility, my body partly ‘changed’ to his sifter form. Our offspring are born looking human because that part of me remains un-shifted. The rest of me is locked in this harness structure. I’m fed through tubes. The babies are helped to birth by personnel that I never see and then taken away. I don’t even see the children. I’ve lost track of the number long ago. 

Of course, I tried to keep count, but it would be like asking a Queen ant or bee how many eggs she laid over the same kind of time period. Don’t ask me how it all works. Michael was to explain all that while we waited for our transport to a safe house with the hive. I don’t know how or why but I feel like the hive has tracked me down recently. So, I may be telling the military adjutant here goodbye, I hope.

I very much doubt those infants already taken will be rescued. I doubt they are still viable. I can hope this rescue will happen before this brood is complete. It would be such a waste to not have Michael’s contribution to the hive, at least in some part.

Oh, yes, you may want to ask your last questions. If you are still here when the hive arrives, I cannot guarantee your safety. You could end up being part of the breeding program one way or another. I mean, we always will need food. Hurry along now, I can hear the wing beats of the hive.

Dragon Stone

Green Jasper with Red Inclusions

Some called it Blood Stone

Others Dragon