Books short fiction Five SFF Stories Set on Hills and Mountains Short stories filled with dramatic peaks and valleys… By Ratika Deshpande | Published on May 22, 2025 Photo by Etienne Bösiger [via Unsplash] Comment 0 Share New Share Photo by Etienne Bösiger [via Unsplash] Haunted by the wandering ghosts of betrayed lovers, filled with caves in which dragons guard their hoards, split by ravines through which silver rivers carry gold to the plains… hills and mountains possess a unique geography that entices the fantastic imagination at every bend and crevice. It was Ruskin Bond, that eternal devotee of the Himalayas which have been his home for most of his life, who made me see hills and mountains as I had never before. His writing made me long for a window of my own in Mussoorie or Darjeeling or any of the countless hill stations crowning the Himalayas, where I could place my characters or become a flaneur of the hills like Bond himself. But hills and mountains aren’t just useful settings for stories; they themselves are stories, characters with their own psyches, shaping those who reside on their slopes, sometimes without even having to speak or make their attention known. Consider the following… “Seasons of Glass and Iron” by Amal El–Mohtar Tabitha walks through forests and seasons, trying to wear out seven pairs of iron shoes, her pain driving her forward. Amira sits atop a glass hill, unmoving, while countless suitors try and fail to reach her. Neither woman expects the other when Tabitha makes her way to the top. But now that she’s here, Amira asks her to stay. And Tabitha does, for the glass hill seems to help wear out the shoes faster.  But sitting still and walking can make things awkward, so the two women converse to pass the time, trying to ask each other questions they’re not sure they can ask. Why does Tabitha need to wear down those painful shoes? Why is Amira sitting on the hill, unmoving and alone? And why do they each think they’re the one responsible for their suffering? “Magic Potion Behind-the-Mountains” by Jaymee Goh The magistrate’s military career takes an unwelcome turn when he’s posted to a border village in the mountains, away from the capital. However, he’s heard—and, during his journey there, seen—that the people from Behind-the-Mountains seem to have incredible strength. When he asks about this phenomenon, people keep mentioning the magic potions of Grandmother Seung. So after settling in, as is proper, he summons the druidess and asks her about the potion. When she tells him he must learn to make it himself, the magistrate agrees easily, for although this will leave him with less time to focus on his duties, the strength could prove useful in his career, be it here at the borderlands or back in the capital! But Grandmother Seung wants him to begin from the beginning—the magistrate will have to do the digging and learn to identify herbs and their uses, for starters. As the seasons change, the magistrate seems no closer to learning the recipe. But now it’s no longer just about the potion or the strength. There’s something about the mountain and the people living on it—and the magistrate doesn’t even know half of it yet. Will he ever learn the recipe, or will all this toil prove a waste of time? A lovely, gentle tale for cold nights, best served with hot soup, Goh’s story would make excellent material for a Studio Ghibli adaptation, visually and spiritually. “Iron Aria” by Merc Fenn Wolfmoor Kyru is connected to the mountain and to metals. Without touching either, he can sense their dreams and hear their thoughts; his skill with metallurgy is exceptional. Having so close a connection with a mountain suffering under a huge dam and the metal of soldiers’ armor means that these voices sometimes get overwhelming, but lately, their pain has been more overpowering than usual. The empire’s forces have come to take charge, with the added threat of undead bandits and the dam’s collapse. Kyru knows what needs to be done. But who will trust him? And can he do it all on his own? “A Return to the Fragrant Mountain” by Jonathan Louis Duckworth Moud had visited the Fragrant Mountain once. Now he’s going there again, with Kwey for luck—for she is a twin, and twins bring luck to travelers. Having accidentally killed her parents through the magical force of her voice when she was young, Kwey doesn’t speak anymore, using a small paper bird to communicate instead. Moud doesn’t mind; he takes her along on a journey that tests them both—until Moud betrays her and leaves alone with the horse-men who guard the entrance to the Fragrant Mountain, who will sacrifice her for her hair and blood, harvesting her magic. She had begun to trust Moud, but now she’s stuck and powerless. Her brother has stopped communicating with her, as well. Will she be able to escape the horse-men, or die on a mountain journey she’d never dreamed of undertaking?  “The Woman and the Mountain” by Sarah L. Edwards The woman has come to the mountain to which no human has come in ages. She is willing to offer the mountain a lifetime of service in return for a truth-making name for her unborn child. But the voice that speaks to her is not the mountain nor the spirit of the mountain. It declines the offer, thinking itself unwise and unworthy of the task. But the woman refuses to leave until her request is fulfilled. As it ponders the questions she asks of it, it grows fond of the woman and asks her to tell it of what people have been up to in the ages that have passed since they had last visited. Much has changed, but a lot of it matches the truths the mountain once knew. Now, it is compelled to ponder again what the names it gives can really mean, and whether it can fulfil the woman’s demand to her satisfaction.  A gentle, mournful, and optimistic story. [end-mark] The post Five SFF Stories Set on Hills and Mountains appeared first on Reactor.

House Republicans secured a provision in the “big, beautiful bill” prohibiting taxpayer funding for all gender transition procedures.The House Rules Committee’s Wednesday night markup strengthened a provision from the Energy and Commerce Committee preventing Medicaid, CHIP, and Affordable Care Act funding of gender transitions only for minors.The Rules committee markup struck “for minors” and “under 18” from the bill’s text.The provision originated from Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw’s, “Do No Harm In Medicaid Act.”The provision amends Section 1903(i) of the Social Security Act, halting federal payment for what the amendment calls medically unnecessary transition procedures.A Cygnal poll conducted in April 2025 found that 66% of Americans oppose taxpayer funding for gender transitions.A senior legislative official told The Daily Signal the original provision would save $1.4 billion, though the Congressional Budget Office scored the savings at half that.The House of Representatives passed the budget reconciliation bill by a 215-214 margin early Thursday morning.It will now go the Senate.Speaker Mike Johnson said after the vote that he has asked Senate Republicans “to modify this as little as possible, because it will make it easier for us to get it over the line ultimately and finished and get it to the president’s desk by July 4.” The post House Strengthens Budget Provision Blocking Medicaid Coverage for Sex Changes appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Surprise! House Passes 'Big Beautiful Bill' In Overnight Vote

It gives you a whole new respect for the bouquets at your next festive occasion.

Blood-red, big-eyed, and barely the size of a golf ball – the deep sea just got adorably creepy.

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel continued his attacks on Republicans and their spending bill, called the Big Beautiful Bill, on his Wednesday show. While Kimmel repeated many of the misleading talking points he issued on Tuesday, this time he added his amazement that Republicans also go to church. Apparently not knowing what “literally” means, Kimmel huffed, “This Big, Beautiful Bill literally takes from the poor and gives to the rich, brazenly. Republicans like the robin’ part, just not the hood. Trump, the Tariff of Nottingham—he probably doesn't know what's in this bill because if he did, he would know he's slashing cancer research even more than he already has, which is by 31 percent. The guy who puts McNibbles in his body and shellacs his own skin while he’s out playing 48 holes of golf every weekend is the last person who should be cutting cancer research.”     He further decried that, “It also will gut Medicaid, it will cut tax credits for climate-friendly energy sources, it jacks up taxes on universities, it eliminates taxes on gun silencers, it opens up public land for drilling, mining, logging, and makes deep cuts to SNAP and food stamps for hungry people. Then these people go to church on Sunday and say, ‘Amen,’ it’s really amazing.”  The truth is the bill saves most Americans from seeing an income tax hike while adding work requirements to various social programs. As for Kimmel’s point about cancer research, for the purposes of fairness, it should be added that the Department of Health and Human Services has responded to that report, which was put out by Senate Democrats, by saying it is “a politically motivated distortion” and what they are doing is simply “streamlining programs, eliminating redundancies, and—above all else—prioritizing gold standard science.” Here is a transcript for the May 21 show: ABC Jimmy Kimmel Live! 5/21/2025 11:36 PM ET JIMMY KIMMEL: This Big, Beautiful Bill literally takes from the poor and gives to the rich, brazenly. Republicans like the robin’ part, just not the hood. Trump, the Tariff of Nottingham—he probably doesn't know what's in this bill because if he did, he would know he's slashing cancer research even more than he already has, which is by 31 percent. The guy who puts McNibbles in his body and shellacts his own skin while he’s out playing 48 holes of golf every weekend is the last person who should be cutting cancer research. It also will gut Medicaid, it will cut tax credits for climate-friendly energy sources, it jacks up taxes on universities, it eliminates taxes on gun silencers, it opens up public land for drilling, mining, logging, and makes deep cuts to SNAP and food stamps for hungry people. Then these people go to church on Sunday and say, “Amen,” it’s really amazing.

Two Israeli embassy staffers were shot at close range as they left an event Wednesday evening at the Capital Jewish Museum building in Washington, D.C. The suspected gunman, a pro-Palestinian Marxist from Chicago, allegedly shouted, "Free, free Palestine!" after his capture. According to FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, FBI police officers assigned to the bureau's Washington Field Office immediately responded and rendered aid after the attack. Despite their efforts and the efforts of members of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, the victims both succumbed to their injuries. The Israeli Foreign Ministry deemed the shooting a "brutal terrorist attack" and identified the victims as Yaron Lischinsky, a research assistant in the embassy's political department, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, an aide who organized trips to Israel. "Israeli diplomats and representatives around the world stand on the frontlines of Israel’s diplomatic efforts — defending the country with their very lives," said the ministry. "We will not be deterred by terror. We will continue our mission across the globe, with unwavering commitment to represent Israel with pride." — (@) Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter said that the "couple that was gunned down tonight in the name of 'free Palestine' is a young couple about to be engaged. The young man purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem. They were a beautiful couple." Leiter noted further that Israelis and Americans are resilient peoples who, together, "will overcome moral depravity of people who think that they're going to achieve political gains through murder." 'We are witnessing the terrible price of anti-Semitism and wild incitement against the State of Israel.' The ambassador indicated that earlier in the evening, Attorney General Pam Bondi handed him a phone and on the other end was President Donald Trump, "who told me that his administration is going to do everything it could possibly do to fight and end anti-Semitism and the hatred that's being directed — the demonization and delegitimization of the State of Israel." Trump, among the many Western leaders and diplomats who expressed sympathy for the victims' families and solidarity with Israel, noted early Thursday morning, "These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA." "Condolences to the families of the victims," continued Trump. "So sad that such things as this can happen! God Bless You ALL!" RELATED: Exclusive: Immigration agency to scour social media to prevent foreign pro-terror anti-Semites from getting benefits Photo by Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Trump and Bondi for their "clear stance against anti-Semitism" and suggested that "we are witnessing the terrible price of anti-Semitism and wild incitement against the State of Israel." Washington Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith told reporters that prior to the shooting, the suspect was observed pacing back and forth outside the museum. After approaching four individuals, including Lischinsky and Milgrim, the suspect drew a handgun and opened fire. Smith indicated that after the shooting, the suspect entered the Capital Jewish Museum, where he was detained by event security. Once in custody, the suspect, Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, indicated where he left the weapon, "implied that he committed the offense," and shouted pro-Palestinian slogans, said Smith. 'We have nothing to do with this shooting.' FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino indicated early Thursday morning that the Washington Metropolitan Police Department was interviewing the suspect in conjunction with the bureau's Joint Terrorism Task Forces team. Bondi told reporters late Wednesday that the "defendant, if charged, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." The Jerusalem Post reported that Rodriguez is a graduate from the University of Illinois who donated to Joe Biden's 2020 campaign. RELATED: NYPD detains 80 'pro-Hamas thugs' accused of Columbia library takeover as Rubio targets visas Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images According to a now-deleted page on the website for the HistoryMakers, a research institution that documents and records black Americans' stories, Rodriguez served as an "Oral History Researcher," preparing "outlines and biographies of accomplished leaders in the African American community." Rodriguez, who apparently also has a history of anti-white commentary, has been involved with the pro-Palestinian group Party for Socialism and Liberation. The PSL acknowledged that Rodriguez "had a brief association" with one of its branches but claimed his involvement ended in 2017. "We have nothing to do with this shooting and do not support it," added the PSL. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser stated, "We will not tolerate acts of terrorism, and we are going to stand together as a community in the coming says and weeks that we will not tolerate the acts of terrorism that we will not tolerate anti-Semitism." According to the Anti-Defamation League's latest annual audit, there were 9,354 anti-Semitic incidents last year, representing a 5% increase over the previous year, a 344% increase over the past five years, and a 893% increase over the past 10 years. The ADL report, released last month, said that 57% of the incidents last year were related to Israel. The American advocacy group StopAntisemitism said in a statement to Blaze News, "The murder of two Israeli embassy staffers at an event honoring Jewish lives is the tragic result of 600 days of Jews being targeted on the streets, on campuses, and even with a Jewish governor’s home set ablaze. This is the end result of chaos fueled by calls for intifada and tolerated Jew-hatred. A win for the pro-Palestine movement that seeks to erase Jewish identity from the world." Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

CNN’s Jake Tapper is currently on a book tour following the release of his new bestseller that he co-authored with Axios’ Alex Thompson — “Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again.” The book centers on the narrative that Joe Biden’s mental and physical decline was downplayed and kept hidden by his inner circle and parts of the media when he was president. The glaring irony, of course, is that Tapper was a central part of the media cover-up. This so-called “exposé,” which reveals nothing we couldn’t already see with our own eyes, is a pathetic case of self-incrimination. “Jake Tapper more than any other so-called journalist knew Joe Biden, knew the people around Joe Biden, grew up near where Joe Biden was senator, was well familiar with him,” says Mark Levin. “For him to come out with a book now and act like this is a terrible cover-up ... like he's an observer when he was a participant, more than that, when he was a co-conspirator, is so outrageous and unethical,” he condemns. The mainstream media, Jake Tapper concluded, “undertook the greatest political cover-up and scandal in American history” when they pretended like Biden was sharp as a tack while the rest of us could see “how he was walking, how he was talking, his reactions, his staring into the sky.” But instead of doing their duty as journalists by finding and reporting the truth, “They fought us every step of the way,” says Levin. “If that debate had not occurred and made it impossible for the media to continue to cover up the fact that Joe Biden was unqualified to be president of the United States, he would have been their nominee. They would have taken it right to the very end.” But as soon as the “secret” was out, Tapper, seeing an opportunity to play the victim (and make a lot of money doing it), jumped on writing his fake exposé. “Jake Tapper dares to try and get you to buy his book when he was part of the problem, involved in the cover-up,” Levin fumes. He’s trying to “rewrite [his] history" and “save [his] profession.” These mainstream journalists are “not professionals. They're propagandists; they're demagogues for the left, for the Democrat Party, for the government bureaucracy, for the rogue judges,” he continues. Jake Tapper “is a complete fraud.” To hear more of Levin’s epic roast, watch the clip above. Want more from Mark Levin?To enjoy more of "the Great One" — Mark Levin as you've never seen him before — subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers said most people are encouraged not to care about men invading women's sports and are told to not do their own research on the subject.Rodgers made his comments on a recent episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience" while he and Rogan discussed the physical advantages men have over women in sports.'You're not seeing trans men dominating anything; it's because there's a biological difference.'After Rogan said hundreds of biological men have "pretended to be women" and subsequently dominated women's athletics due to possessing a "giant advantage," Rodgers flatly stated he believes the pro-transgender movement is explicitly against women."The trans woman movement is actually anti-woman," the four-time NFL MVP stated.Rogan, who now has about 20 million YouTube subscribers to his podcast, added that women should be "protected" in sports and should only have to compete against other biological women."It's not bigoted to say," the comedian explained.RELATED: Woke reporter uses final ESPN appearance to promote 'trans kids' playing sports: 'It's been about diversity and inclusion' Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets looks on before a game against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium, Jan. 5, 2025, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)Rodgers then pointed to the simple reason that transgender ideology has resulted in the destruction of women's athletics, not men's."You're not seeing trans men dominating anything; it's because there's a biological difference," he said.Mocking the absurdity of the whole debate, Rogan simply uttered, "XX and XY," referring to female and male chromosomes."Way too much common sense," Rodgers sarcastically replied.The Super Bowl winner explained that he did not have much respect for the transgender movement and used most activists' inability to define a woman as evidence of their folly: "The people who you're asking those questions, who are not able to answer whether or not there's a decided advantage, can't even define what a woman is."Rodgers added that the people in general are pushed "not to care" about the issue and are told, "Don't do your own research ... trust the experts."RELATED: 'A lot of people say it's not happening!' Blaze News investigates: A definitive list of men who have dominated women's sportsContent warning: Language Despite a lengthy history of speaking out against COVID vaccines, this seemingly was the first time Rodgers had publicly commented about men in women's sports."I'm glad he is finally speaking out, but let’s not pretend this is some bold or risky move in 2025," Kaitlynn Wheeler, former NCAA swimmer and women's activist, told Blaze News. "Women have been sounding the alarm on this issue for over three years, and we were called hateful, bigoted, transphobic, and silenced for it. I welcome more voices speaking the truth, but the latecomers shouldn’t expect an applause."During their conversation, Rogan also cited a United Nations study claiming that over 600 female athletes had lost medals to male competitors in female sports. Over 900 medals across different women's competitions had been lost to men, in total, the study said.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

If you love the idea of immersing yourself in an enormous screen while you play, then this Samsung gaming monitor deal is just what you need. The Samsung Odyssey G55C is now on sale for just $229.99 at Amazon, giving you a huge $45 saving on this 32-inch display with a 165Hz refresh rate. It’s fair to say that Samsung displays are often contenders when you're looking for the best gaming monitor for your setup, no matter your budget. This Samsung model proves that you don’t have to compromise too hard to get a decent spec, even on a tighter budget. Continue reading Grab this 32-inch 1440p Samsung gaming monitor for just $229.99, if you're quick MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Samsung Odyssey G9 G95SC review, Samsung 9100 Pro review, Samsung T9 Portable SSD review