C: How’ya doing?

S: sighs shakes head, I hope she’s okay

C: Yeah. They walk in silence for a beat. That was scary.

S: Yeah, I don’t get it. She was fine this morning. 

C: nods, looks like going to ask something

S: What?

C: We’ve had a day, but do you think you’d be able to come out again tomorrow morning? 

S: Even after – 

C: I know I know

S: Do we really need more samples?

C: Yeah. Glances around, looks uncomfortable, I was thinkin’ take the whaler out, avoid mucking about with the t-boats. 

S: A bit surprised, looks over. Tomorrow?

C: Still looking a bit uncomfortable, Closer we sample to today’s the better.

S: sighs, Yeah, okay. Getting on the water would be good.

C: I know, I hope she’s okay too.

"I suppose you know a way out?" Kate asked to her surroundings. 

A black cat stirred on the floor of the cage, looking up and stretching, a claw snagging on the towel. 

"Least they gave you a towel to lay on. I just got this fine mesh." Kate said, waving her hands at the steel mesh surrounding them. "Let me tell you, this dress does not help with the mesh. Come to think of it, I've seen a prison like this before. I wasn't really supposed to, but I did back at work."

Silence passed as the cat looked on, paw now freed.  

"Work. They sent me here to get killed..." Kate said, beginning to pace their small prison, "I guess that isn't my work anymore. Well, I'm not dead, so that's a good thing. I don't want to work for whoever this is though. They're definitely not on my side. Why'd I get sent here to die? The fuck did I do?"

Kate stopped her walking, looking down at the cat. 

"Stop looking at me like that. I didn't do anything." Kate puts her hands on her hips, "Well, nothing that should merit having me killed."

"Meow." said the cat, before turning into a black haired naked woman. "Could I borrow your coat?" Lily asked. 

Kate took a few steps back, as far as their prison allowed, her feet falling into a natural defensive position, "Who are you?" 

"Lily."

"You're a shifter."

Looking down at herself, Lily quickly crossed her arms across her chest, "Ummm, yeah?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Same as you, I'd assume."

Goosebumps forming on Lily, they looked at each other. 

"Your jacket?"

"My what?"

"Jacket. It's cold."

Forward

A collection of simple, yet delicious, recipes that either are quick to finish, simple to do, or both. I believe this book will help anyone to see that delicious home cooking is within their grasp. If you are a student, family cook, or any person who feels they are without time for home cooking, yet wants to start making food for yourself, this is the book for you. 

I believe cooking is for everyone and anyone can do it, many simply don’t know where to start. There is no harm in that.  However, I also hope this cook is only a starting point in a lifetime of delicious food created at one's own hand for themselves and those they love. Flip through the pages! I am sure you’ll find something you think you’d like, then be surprised how simple it was for you made it. To many years of happy cooking ahead. 

Sophie

He awoke with a start, the vessel around him shuddering. This was nothing new; however this time it felt different. Having worked on ships, and this one, for many years he knew the normal feeling caused by a rudder or throttle change. This was different. Throwing his feet from his bed, pulling on the pair of pants waiting on the floor, and tying his boots he rapidly made his way to the cargo control room. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he couldn’t help but wish he inspected the radar depth gauges displaying the amount in the ten tanks on board. 

“To my horror the tanks had lost quite a bit of cargo. I knew my world would never be the same again. I feared for my life at that time. I wondered if I'd see my wife again.”

The events that would follow would stand as the largest oil spill in United States history for 21 years.