My Cardboard Balcony

The Girl Who Sank An Island by Belinda Roddie The girl who sank an island had a skill that no other magician could admit he had the capacity to reveal, so she submerged the city, bit by bit, whether out of boredom, or spite, or greed. She would not tell, despite the constant threats, questions, or accusations. Crowds would plead for explanation. Others would take bets on whether she'd divulge the truth. But she, gifted mage that she was, would never spill the reason behind her rough sorcery that plunged a place as vibrant and as filled with life as Atlantis into the deep, and those who asked too much were put to sleep.

The two struggle to get the chain off the gate, and as it swings open, an unprecedented burst of cold air as thick as ice sweeps over them, nearly freezing the snot in their noses. Chuck sneezes loudly, grabbing his torch and waving it in front of his face. Tricia stands back, wide-eyed, staring at the scene. "Chuck?" "Yeh." "I don't think someone's lived on this property for a very, very long time."