iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Kori Klinzing

@nvulnerabletide.bsky.social

1.3K followers 908 following 1.8K posts

(She/They/Fae) Bi/Demi, Polyam. Fat Nonbinary Femme. Future Librarian. Writer. Editor. Game Designer. Comics & SF&F Nerd. Tiefling Main.

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Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/29: Well I don't know what this is. Maybe the opening of a short story?

White text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil off to thr right. The blue pencil is pointed downwards, as if to write.

The text reads:

"The well was old. The stones were the same gray limestone as the pebbles on the ground and the hill rising in the distance. My mind started to catalogue it all as a side-thought: probably quarried nearby, back when the quarry near town was still in use. Master stonework. The well looked weathered but not crumbling. There was no little roof to shelter the well from the rain, though there were bolts in the side where one may have been, and the bucket hanging over the well was coated in a fine patina of rust."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Show me a picture on your phone that has your energy but isn't a selfie. This cat is me.

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/28: Prime This is from a short story I've been noodling on. Same world as my novel, just a more adult and less technicolor section of it.

White text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil to the right. The pencil is pointed down, as if to write.

The text reads:

"The picture next to the grave was of Void Knight in his prime. A chevron-shaped mask cut across his face, shrouding his eyes, down to the bridge of his nose. His broad shoulders were thrown back, showing off the Void Knight insignia on his chest: the silver shield on black, with the jacked representation of a black-hole in an oil-slick patina.

There was a proud tilt to his chin, a firm smile on his thin lips. This was an icon of justice. This was a man who would stand between the harrows of the universe and civilization, who would protect those who could not protect themselves.

It made Marissa’s stomach churn to see it."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/27: Delay

White text on an ombre blue background. There is a blue pencil to the right, with the pencil pointed downward as if to write.

The text reads:

"'If we delay, any element of surprise, any advantage we may have gained will be lost.” She looked between us, her eyes starting to glow to match the fierceness of her gaze. “We have to act now, and act fast.'

'Aye aye, captain,' Dom said, her voice just touched with irony.

Quinn nodded, face serious. 'What’s the plan?'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/26: Observe

White text on an ombre blue background. A blue pencil lurks to the right, pointed downwards as if to write.

The text reads:

"I did my best to hang back and observe, arms crossed over my chest, confident expression in place. Like I belonged here. Like me being in this kind of bar was normal.

I did not belong here.

I didn’t realize how out of my depth I would be. I’d been in bars before. Sometimes the concerts I snuck out to, or that Em and V had taken me to had people drinking. Dad took me to a bar once after a recital and let me have a sip of his drink.

But this was a such a dive."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/25: Nation More vibes than exactness.

White text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil to the right. The blue pencil is pointed down as if to write.

The text reads:

"I looked after where Elias had vanished to, then back to her. 'My name is Melanie. What’s your name?'

'I’m Meridian. Everyone here calls me Mary. Are you from Earth?'

'Yeah, I was born here.'

She nodded thoughtfully. 'Everyone born on Earth gets to leave whenever they want. I’m from Zan. It’s very, very far away, but that’s why I’m not allowed to leave without permission.” She frowned slightly. “Elias is from Gallea, and he gets permission almost every day now. They said he needs to be integrated? I wonder if they’ll integrate me and the others soon.'

I looked up around the room. There were other kids—other aliens—just like her."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/24: Meddle

White text on an ombre blue background. There's a dark blue pencil pointed downward as if to write.

The text reads:

"There was no satisfying moment of conclusion. No drawing room reveal. No unmasking with the villain wrapped up in their own trap. No “I would have gotten away with it if it weren’t for you meddling kids.”

Just an endless sadness in her eyes as we ripped her domino mask away, and the aching gulf of empathy and misunderstanding. Emotional connection accompanied by logical disagreement."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/23: Tumble (not tumblr)

White text on an ombre blue background. To the right, there is a blue pencil pointed downward as if to write.

The text reads:

"We tumbled through the air together, ass over teakettle, boots over barrettes. The air was a physical force, buffeting and slamming into us.

Celeste was already glowing, and Elias had himself under control, of course, but the rest of us? We were fucked.

Quinn threw their hand out, trying to call the earth to them. It might come, it might be coming, but from a quick glimpse at how fucking high up we were, it wasn’t going to be any kind of help. We’d still hit it way too fast and way too hard. And they couldn’t control gravity, at least as far as I knew."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/22: Meltdown Not the word, more of a feeling

White text on an ombre blue background. To the right is a pencil, pointed downwards as if to write.

The text reads:

"If she had access to makeup like this and she’d been holding out on me?

I wanted to laugh. I could barely feel my emotions right now. They were a maelstrom swirling inside of me, and I, at the eye, couldn’t feel them. At the epicenter of the nuclear explosion, I was wiped away before I could feel any pain.

Betrayal came at the point of a glittery eyeliner stick."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/21: Stream

White text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil towards the right. The pencil is pointed downward as if to write.

The text reads:

"I could feel her. I was immersed in her. It was less like a bridge between us and more like I was suddenly drowning in her, in the steady stream of her consciousness. Endlessly deep and constantly moving. I was surrounded by every flittering thought flashing through her head. It was just like being submerged, watching the flickering of silver fish swim through sunlit waters. I just had to find the right fish, or current.

The metaphor was starting to stretch, but here I was, feeling it viscerally.

I breathed through the drowning feeling, and sent out a vine of power. No, a wire. A fishing wire with a question as the bobbin. A question that I knew she couldn’t resist answering."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/20: Signal

White text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil to the right in the background. The pencil is pointed downward as if to write.

The text:

"As we slipped through the darkness, something in the sky caught my eye. Higher than a skyscraper, lower than a weather balloon or an airplane coming to land. Projected on the cloud cover wreathing the city. A signal.

I squinted. 'Is that a hawk or an X, you think?'

Quinn slowed their pace and craned their neck to look at the light projected into the sky. 'Xenith has superhearing, right? He wouldn’t need a signal. It’s gotta be for the Flock.' They sighed. 'Imagine being so important, you get your own call signal.'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/19: tube

White text on an ombre blue background. To the right is a blue pencil, pointed downward as if to write.

The text reads:

"Elias walked out of the room without looking back, leaving me alone with Michael. Whose leg was already jiggling so fast it was gonna break mach two any second now. I placed my head in my hands and tried not to groan. Interrogation was better than this.

And if I tried to punch him, he’d just zoom out of the way.

'What do you think that tube’s for?' Michael asked. His gaze was pointed up at the ceiling, where they hadn’t bothered to put tiles in, I guess. All the electrical work and ventilation was exposed to the air.

'I don’t know. Air circulation, probably? I’m not an engineer.'

'It’s probably not reinforced enough for us to crawl through without breaking, huh.'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/18: Payment

White text on an ombre blue background; to the right, a blue pencil pointed downward as if to write.

The text reads:

"'Look, kid, I like you, I really do. And your mom has helped me out of a few scrapes here and there, but if word got out around that I was digging into places I didn’t belong for free, some peon might think they can take advantage. I didn’t get where I am by doing favors for nothing. So, I’m gonna need payment.'"

'I have money—'

Crystal held up a hand. 'I got plenty of money. No, you’re gonna do me a favor, which I will then return.'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/17

White text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil to the right. The blue pencil is pointed downward as if to write.

The text reads:

"'Come on kid, I need you to get it together. One more time.'

My entire body was screaming. There was a throbbing building up behind my right eye, and I was starting to feel nauseated. 'That sounds like effort,' I muttered.

There was an exasperated sigh from somewhere above me. 'Yes, girl, it will be. Now pull yourself together. Your enemies won’t be as generous as I will. You need to learn how to cast even when you’re a little tired.'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/16: Call

White text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil pointed downwards as if to write.

The text reads:

"'Wait, you want me to what?"

'Call your Madame Lake. Tell her to meet us.'

My Madame Lake? 'Call. Like on the phone?'

She cast me a scathing glance. I felt a grim amusement, instead of quailing under it. How far we’ve come. 'You know that’s what those devices were created for, don’t you? The texting came way later.'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/15: Exterior

White text on an ombre blue background, with a dark blue pencil on the right side, pointed downward as if to write.

The text reads:

"'Downtown, exterior, night,'" Michael muttered under his breath. Unfortunately, not softly enough for me to not hear him. 'Our heroes crouch in the darkness before their target: the sinister spire of the Onyx Industries looms above them. Will they manage to, ow!'

I looked over my shoulder to shush him, only to see him rubbing his ribs and glaring at Dom, who was glaring back.

"'This is serious, kid. We get caught, and we’re fucked. They’re not going to give us the benefit of the doubt. It’s not going to be volunteer work, or juvie. It’s real prison we’re facing. Onyx doesn’t play nice.'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/14: Month

White text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil to the right of the screen. The pencil is pointed downward as if to write.

The text reads:

'"Jeez, new girl, you know Halloween isn’t until the end of the month right?'

It took like three seconds for the words to sink in—a second for me to realize I was the one being talked at, a second for me to understand the words being said, and a third for me to decide what I was going to do about it.

I decided against being the bigger person and continuing down the hallway."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/13: Distract

White text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil to the right. The pencil is pointed downward as if to write.

The text reads:

"As if to prove the truth of my words, another blast went off, this one closer than the last. The shriek of laser fire peppered the air above our heads. If they hit the chunk of concrete we were hiding behind, it’d explode on us, and while Quinn’s powers might protect them, I might just get crushed to death by falling debris.

'We have to create a distraction.' They looked at me askance. 'Do you think you can conjure something? An illusion, some light? Something that’ll give us enough time to book it?'

I glared at them. 'I can’t conjure shit right now,' I muttered. I hawked up another bit of spit—which felt like the last of my moisture. 'I can barely get enough air to breathe.'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/12: Wedge

White text on an ombre blue background with a blue pencil off to the side. The pencil is pointed down as if to write.

The text reads:

"I blinked at it. Someone had put just a hunk of lettuce on my plate and poured toppings and dressing on it and called it a salad. 'What is this?'

'It’s a wedge salad,' Fe said with a smile. 'With croutons and pepitas and bacon and hearts of palm and blue dressing, and there’s some Parmesan if you want to add it. They’re surprisingly filling, believe it or not. The steak will be out in a second.'

Quinn was poking at it with the offered knife a little dubiously, but then followed Celeste’s lead in cutting it into chunk sized pieces. Dom was shoving in the chunks that came away as she speared at it with a fork, and sending croutons and pepitas everywhere."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/11: Exhaust

White text on an ombre blue background, with a pencil to the right. The pencil is blue and is pointed downward as if to write.

The text reads:

"Dom peeled away from the house, her motorcycle exhaust kicking into the air as she roared into the street. I coughed, and glared at the glare of her lights as she vanished into the night. Her bike was at least as silent as a motorbike could be, so it wouldn’t wake the neighbors.

I just had to hope that it didn’t wake my dad.

I slipped inside the brownstone, my keys held fast in my hands so they wouldn’t make any noise. The first floor was dark. I kicked off my boots, righting them when they fell over, and hung up my jacket. On stocking feet, I crept up the stairs."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/10: Teeth

White text on an ombre blue bbackground. To the right is a blue pencil, pointed down as if to write.

The text reads:

"Seriously? Seriously? A fucking shark tank? The only way this could have been more cliché is if they had lasers attached to them somehow. Or if they’d been genetically mixed with tigers so they were actual “tiger sharks.”

I looked nervously at one of the giant gray creatures behind the glass. It was mottled and scarred, and as it swam past us, I swear it flashed its teeth at me in a monstrous grin.

Shattered stars, if these things were intelligent, we might not have to fall into the aquarium to get fucking fangoriously devoured."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/9: Rig

White text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil to the right. The pencil is pointed downwards as if to write.

The text reads:

"As if to punctuate it, Elias slid back out, with the biggest smile I’d ever seen on his face. He was actually showing teeth. 'I’ve got it.'

Celeste stood. 'Got what?'

'I think I’ve jury-rigged it enough that it’ll fly. I don’t think it’ll break orbit yet—the heat shielding seems pretty shot—but it’s gonna fly.'

I bit my tongue so I wouldn’t mention that both of them could fly. The rest of us couldn’t. Like, theoretically, I could, but I hadn’t figured it out yet. How was flying harder than teleportation?"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/8: Mental

White text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil to the right. The pencil is pointed downward as if to write.

The text reads:

"Quinn flushed, and I realized I’d said that last part out loud. 'I needed to make sure you were alive before I took a shower,' they grumbled.

I sat up and the room started to spin. I was—still?— exhausted, physically and mentally. My brain and muscles had been removed and replaced with wet sand. I brought one heavy hand to rub the dust from my eyes. 'What happened?'

'You threw something at the gangsters. Like a light or something? I don’t know, I don’t know what you can do.'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/7: Elevator

White text on an ombre blue background, to the right is a blue pencil pointed downwards as if to write.

The text reads:

"The elevator stopped, it’s doors opening to a floor of darkness. Without a hint of hesitation, Dom stepped into it. I winced, wishing I were better at conjuring light, and followed them onto the floor.

She seemed to know exactly where she was going, even with the lights off. While I grabbed my phone and turned on the flashlight so as not to trip over my own feet. She turned down a hallway, past a plant that needed to be watered, and unlocked a door that needed coaxing to open.

'Sit down. I’m only going to be a minute.'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/6: Sigh

White text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil to the right. The pencil is pointed downward as if to write.

The text reads:

"'You okay?'

I looked up, taking my head out of my hands to look at them. 'Yeah, sure, fine.'

Quinn’s eyebrow rose, skeptical. 'That was a pretty big sigh for someone who’s fine.'

'What I’m not allowed to sigh now? I’m a teenager. We run on sighs. We’re sigh factories.'

Quinn sat down next to me, resting their elbows on their knees. And they waited.

I sighed again. Ugh. Talking about the things that bother you. 'Fine. Dad is making me go to one-on-one sessions with the Doc.'

Quinn’s head cocked to the side, considering me. 'Isn’t that normal? I have one on one sessions with her too.'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Q9: Favorite Book Cover I have thought long and hard about this, and I think it's The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow. (which was also a contender for favorite stand alone book).

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/5: Panel

White text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil pointed downwards as if to write.

The text reads:

"The panel popped open, revealing all kinds of wires and machinery and chips. I had no idea what any of it did. I could plug in and turn on my computer and that was about it. A computer this big and old? I’d be lucky if I could manage that.

I glanced down then back at Dom. 'What exactly did you want me to do in here?'

'Cut the power to the--' and then she said some technical term I didn’t get.

I blinked. 'Say that again?'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/4: Collapse

White text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil to the right. The pencil is pointed downward, as if to write.

The text reads:

"All the air seemed to leave me at once. Spots danced at the edges of my vision, and then everything titled, the world falling on its side. I blinked, fighting the muzziness and realized I’d collapsed.

I tried to summon enough energy to right myself, but only my fingers twitched in the mulch and the dirt. I had nothing left.

There were sounds buzzing around me, but they were so far away. Intelligible. The harder I tried to focus on them, the more they evaded me."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/3: Effective (which became affect)

White text on an ombre blue background. To the right is a blue pencil, pointed downwards as if to write.

The text reads:

"I felt the heat as the fire caught. Gasoline lit up, inch by inch, blazing towards a barrel. A leaking barrel.

Well, shit.

I threw my hand up, trying to summon air, move the ground, anything to snuff it out before it could explode. Nothing I did seemed to affect it. The flame continued to snake through the dust, and head towards what would soon be a fucking bomb.

'Everyone down!' I shouted."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

#WhimsicalWriters, 9/3: As it happens, I do have a description of a tree in my book.

White text on a mauve background. Behind the text are the shadows of trees in various shades of puce and purple.

The text reads:

"The tree seemed to be thousands of feet tall, thick branches of stained-glass leaves blocking out the sky and warping the stationary sun into a scorching kaleidoscope. The branches themselves were opaquer—glass frosted yellow and purple and blue— then bleeding out into a semi-transparent, iridescent trunk that must have been four city blocks across. At least.

And it wasn’t the only one, just the one that we appeared to be underneath. The glass forest stretched as far as the eye could see, spending colored shadows skipping along the slender blades of grass. Which were somehow normal sized. You’d think everything would grow along the same scale, but no. The brittle grass under our feet, transparent and shining, was the same as grass back home."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/2: Button

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The text reads:

"'There aren’t keys,' Riley explained patiently. 'There’s just a control fob, that the Captain has. The buttons on it controls which doors are open. Even the guards can’t get in without her permission.'

Well, shit.

I’d gotten out because of a fluke, somehow. Because they thought my powers wouldn’t work if I didn’t have my dagger? I didn’t know. I just had to take advantage of this oversight. And try not to get my ass caught in the meantime."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 9/2: Garden

White text on an ombre blue background. To the right, behind the words, is a blue pencil pointed downward as if to write.

The text reads:

"'Come on, we’re all out here.'

Delphine lead me through the beautifully put together house, past the halls with the family photos—Delphine’s two moms and what looked like a younger brother, all of them with wide smiles in various places around the world—outside through a pair of windowed doors.

It would be less apt to call it a backyard or a garden, and more accurate to call it a tamed jungle. There were plants everywhere. Trees lined the wide yard, marking the boundary line, and in between them was a riot of ferns and bushes and flowers and stuff. A small stone path lead through some ferns to what looked like a green house. Before us, flagstones opened into a patio, where a few wicker sofas were positioned facing each other. Quinn and Dom and Celeste and Elias had all found their way here before me, seated and sipping from small cups of tea."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

#WIPSnips, 8/31: Chip

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The text reads:

'Well, maybe if you didn’t have such a huge goddamn chip on your shoulder, you’d have an easier time with this!'

I stared. 'Me? I have a chip on my shoulder?'

Celeste waved an imperious hand at me. As if my clothing choice cemented it. 'You’ve had an attitude ever since you dragged yourself into group. You’re not taking the process seriously. You’re not even trying!'

'I am trying!'

She scoffed. 'You haven’t shared a single real thing with us.'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

#WIPSnips, 8/30: Soup

White text on an ombre blue background. To the right on the page is a blue pencil, pointed downward as if to write.

The text reads:

"Finally, they presented me with a bowl. I was expecting ice cream. That would have been perfect right then, to be honest, I was salivating just thinking of a hot fudge sundae… but it was soup. White and creamy looking, with what looked like sweet potato floating in it.

Quinn smiled. 'It’s called taro sago. Try it.'

I poked at it with a spoon. 'It’s not spicy is it.' I swear the mapo tofu was still lingering in my mouth, waiting to rear its ugly, vicious head again.

They laughed. 'No, no. Not at all.'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

#WIPSnips, 8/29: Adept

White text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil to the right. The pencil is pointed down as if to write.

The text reads:

"'Well done, Miss Doyle,' Madame Lake drawled. 'You now have proven you have the skills and common sense of a first-year adept.'

Why did I feel like I was being insulted. '…that’s a good thing isn’t it?'

'A first year adept is usually between seven and thirteen years of age,' she said. 'Depending on when they first show the blush of their power.'

'Well, I just showed mine like three weeks ago,' I snapped. 'And kids that age don’t also have to deal with high school, so I think I’m doing pretty okay.'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

#WIPSnIps, 8/28: Snuggle

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The text reads:

"Consciousness came back to me in phases. I felt hot and uncomfortable, my neck in a weird position. But the time I wrestled myself to full awareness, I found out why. I propped myself up on my elbows and found I was surrounded.

Quinn had somehow closed the distance between us during the night and was snuggled up on my right, curled up next to me, one leg thrown over my legs. I flushed even hotter and gently pushed them off of me. Just to get a little breathing room, and definitely not because I was freaking out."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

#WIPSnips, 8/27: Moth

White text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil to the right. The pencil is pointed down as if to write.

The text reads:

"Soft moth wings fluttered against my face, soft as eyelashes. They left dust behind, thick on my cheekbones and lips, and the scent of old paper filled my lungs.

A soft hand cupped my cheek, velvet rubbing the dust away. 'You can rest now, little mage,' Silkmoth murmured to me. Her voice seemed to rub against my brain the same way her fingertips brushed against my cheekbones. 'Nothing will harm you here.'

It was so hard to keep my eyes open. All the adrenaline that had been keeping me on my feet had drained out of me. I had nothing but fumes left. I let my eyes close."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

#WIPSnips, 8/26: Symbol

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

#WIPSnips, 8/25: Panic

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The text reads:

"With a flick of her wrist, there was a gun in her hand.

My heart leapt into my throat, panic immediately flooding my brain. I couldn’t look away from it. Matte and gray-black, it seemed to absorb the light from around it, and her well-manicured hands held it like she’d practiced this. The little smirk on her face as I went white told me she enjoyed it.

I put my hands up, belatedly. Spread my fingers so she could see I didn’t have any tricks up my belled sleeves."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

#WIPSnips, 8/24: Medal

White text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil to the right. The pencil is pointed down as if to write.

The text reads:

"They shook the box at me. It was cardboard, and it rattled as they moved it. I grabbed for it, but they snatched it back. Fucker had a good six inches on me, and they used it to their full advantage. They looked at me expectantly and let the box come within my arm’s reach.

'What do you want a medal?' I snarked, snatching it from her hands.

'Only if it’s worth something,' they teased. 'But otherwise, I’ll take a little appreciation.'

I glowered. 'Yeah, thanks.'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

#WIPSnips, 8/23: Album In which Elias and Mel bond over music, and I practice coming up with song titles.

WWhite text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil to the right, pointed downward as if to write.

The text reads:

"My gaze slid to the side. God, he was going to tear me apart for speaking to him, wasn’t he. I swallowed the fear down. 'Not really. I just thought I heard Nightingale’s Lament. They’re like my favorite band.'

His entire face lit up as I said that. I’d never seen him smile before. He always seemed like he was in places because he had to be. He didn’t interact with people outside of group, though I guess I saw him with Celeste once or twice at school and they seemed… cordial. When he wasn’t turning around and walking away from her.

'They’re one of my favorites too,' he admitted. 'Have you heard their latest album?'

'Tempest Sky?' Excitement sparked. 'I don’t like it as much as their last one, but holy hell, Echoes of a Ghost City? Gave me chills.'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Spotify Knows my Hunter is chasing her Cursed and monsterous family member. This is far too appropriate. 😅

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

#WIPSnips, 8/22: Fresh

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The text reads:

"The air was fresh and cool against my face, all the more welcome after that hot and stuffy excuse for a lair.

I was exhausted, though, and I did not want to move ever again. I slumped to the ground, my ass hitting the sand with a thud, and let my limbs kind of fall where they wanted to. 'Go ahead without me,' I said. 'I’m not moving. Not ever again.'

Quinn laughed and sat down way more gently. With a small pulse of power I felt the sand firm up beneath me. Not enough to make it hard or uncomfortable, but enough that the sand stopped trying to get into my panties.

'I think we did good back there.'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

#WIPSnip, 8/21: Wine

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The text reads:

"I sniffed at the wine in my glass. It smelled… like wine? Kind of harsh, maybe a little fruity. Not like grape juice at all. I took a sip and winced. I didn’t know good wine, though Mom had let me have sips of hers sometimes, like Dad had let me try his whiskey, but this was not it. It was like a slightly fruity vinegar, and I did not want to drink anymore.

I set the glass back on the table and folded my hands in front of me.

Dom noticed, of course. Dom seemed to notice everything.

They’d drained their entire glass, leaving only a slight red residue behind on the cloudy glasses. 'Not to your liking, Princess?'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

#WIPSnips, 8/20: Footprint

White text on an ombre blue background, with a blue pencil to the right. The pencil is pointed down as if to write.

The text reads:

"I followed the footprints in the dirt, deeper into the woods. I wasn’t much of an outdoor kid. That’s probably obvious, but it bears repeating. I’d never been camping. The closest I’d ever gotten was a ski trip at St. Sebastian’s, when we’d spent several hours outside learning how to snowshoe. I’d been thrilled with the way my body moved, less so with the cold stinging my cheeks to a bright red. I’d never gone again.

Even when I’d asked about camping when I was a kid—it was something other kids bragged about, and so I had to do it too—Mom’s lip had curled at the mere mention of going into nature.

'Why sleep on the ground, when we have perfectly good beds at home.'

All this to say, I got batshit lost really quickly."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

#WIPSnips, 8/19: Anymore

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The text reads:

“'You know we don’t do that anymore,' the woman said. She cocked a hip and ran her tongue over her teeth in a way I thought was supposed to be suggestive, but I couldn’t figure out what in the hell it was supposed to suggest. 'We’re a legitimate business now.'

'Oh, is that right?' Dom leaned over the counter, the same kind of grin on her face.

Irritation nipped at me. I scowled."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

#WIPSnip, 8/18: Press

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The text reads:

"She pressed her hand to my lower back, ushering me through the crowd. I bristled a little at the contact, but I let her guide me through the throng. It was like 4pm on a Thursday, and for the life of me I couldn’t figure out why the lobby of the courthouse was so crowded. Some of them didn’t even look like lawyers—they were in street clothes, or business casual rather than a suit.

And then I heard the whispering. We passed a small group of people craning their heads around the room, and I caught just the quickest 'do you think Esotera will show up?'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

#WIPSnips, 8/17: Dark

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The text reads:

"The room was dark as I entered. The air conditioner hummed along, but I could just barely hear the padding of my feet on the carpeted floor.

I’d only gotten a few steps in before I could feel the cooled air raise goose pimples across my exposed skin—of which there was a lot. The belled fishnet sleeves and stockings didn’t do anything to protect from the chill.

I bit my bottom lip as I trudged through the dark. The floor to ceiling windows overlooking the city would make this tricky. Anyone in the neighboring buildings would see me if I turned on a light, or summoned it to my hand, but finding the thing I was looking for was going to be impossible without it."

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

#WIPSnips, 8/16:

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The text reads:

"'What have you got in your basket, little red?' Dom asked, putting on a smirk that I supposed could be called wolfish.

I looked down at myself. Head to toe in black as usual, though my hair was overdue for a dye. 'Do I look like I’m wearing a riding hood?'

'Nah, but you do look like a snack.' They winked and I hated the way my face went hot.

I did the whole 'they do that with everyone, they flirt like they breathe' spiel in my head again until I felt like I wasn’t going to scream or punch them in the face. 'To answer your question,' I said, 'the real snacks are in here. We can’t have a team meeting without snacks.'"

Kori Klinzing @nvulnerabletide.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

#WIPSnips, 8/15: Spicy

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“'It’s hot,' they warned me. 'Both in temperature and spice level.'

I held the innocent little tofu block between my chopsticks. It was dripping red sauce, sure, but it couldn’t be that bad right? I’d been successfully housing burritos with hot sauce for like, a year. I could handle things that would have both my parents reaching for the milk. I’d had dinner at Em’s house, I’ve had their aloo gobi without reaching for the naan too often. I could handle this.

I had to handle this. I couldn’t embarrass myself in front of them."