Like an Open Coffin

“This time I met an interesting lady, she was like a grown adult or something I think. She was really nice, and she really seemed to get along with the little girl. Almost in a big sister kind of way. She tried her best to help her learn girly stuff too. Though what made me the happiest was that we were finally a squad, Raftilia told us that we were ready. I can't wait for our first mission as a team!”

Carefully I put one foot in front of the other as I made my way from my room, down the stairs, the moment I touched down on the landing was the moment I felt my breath being taken away. The living room was crowded with people. The overflow even reached into the kitchen and down the hallway. The massive crowd then shouted, they shouted all together. And their voices seemed to become one.

I took a deep breath as I peered into the full length mirror, the reflection in the mirror showed a young woman with golden blonde hair and the prettiest blue eyes I'd ever seen. That young woman was dressed in a pretty pink gown that seemed tailored to fit every curve of her body. She had a modest chest and a very curvy figure. The kind of body that reminded me of a teenage model. Her hair had been straightened a few hours before and now had a pretty pink bow on top. As I released my breath, it really dawned on me. I was that woman who's reflection I was peering at in the mirror.

Like many small towns in the southern United States, Benton's principal commercial district was Main Street. Here along this bricked paved section of street, one would find the backbone and lifeblood of the community, its numerous small businesses all locally owned and operated. Some were well over one hundred years old. Two famous examples were Potter's Mercantile, a general store that had been owned by generations of Potters, the family I came from. And Brewer's Hardware Both had been founded the same time as Hannah's Landing, that was before Hannah's Landing had grown into Benton. 

-9-
So This Is A Dungeon?

Hello again my imaginary audience, when you last left me I was walking to the Peppercorn Mountains because I'd heard stories about a king's ransom of gold and jewels. Right now I'm somewhere under those mountains. About a day's passed since I've last encountered you guys, I'd finally reached the Peppercorn Mountains after four or five hours of hard marching. I then took a rest and somehow I managed to find this cave.

-5-
Tale of the Drunken Knight

Ben and I enjoyed the rest of the meal in silence, it was the good kind of silence. Oh the Pecan cobbler was simply amazing, totally off my diet but so worth it. Once we finished eating, Ben paid the check and he was escorted back to his car. It was around ten o' clock at night, and nearing my curfew. Not that Lily would have minded if I stayed out at all hours of the night. She is kind of cool like that, and with mom and dad away and Lily manning the fort I'm sure I could have managed to stay out a little past ten.

Coleman's Steakhouse was a small little restaurant that was located at the far end of Main Street. Beside it one would find Benton Laundromat and across from it one would find Benton Auto Glass Works. Many people in town considered it a hidden treasure, unlike the newest steakhouse in town, The Cow Pen Jr. Located out on the highway this one was located in the heart of Benton. Many in town considered The Cow Pen Jr. a place for tourists to go too.

St. Valentine's Day is supposed to be one of the most romantic holidays in the year. Its a day set aside to celebrate love in all its forms. It's also one of the most depressing days of the year. Before I became Jamie, St. Valentine's Day was just another day. Another day in the three hundred sixty five days that make up a year. But when I became Jamie, the day took on a whole new meaning for me.

La Petite Mardi Gras: Part Two
The Crowning of Lily and Jamie Potter

-1-

As I walked across the crowded ballroom, I noticed how polished the wooden floor looked. I could tell somebody had poured out a mint to have the floor waxed and polished. I mean you could comb your hair in the reflection. All eyes turned toward me as I strolled across the floor toward the refreshment table. The Benton orchestra had paused in their playing for a moment. I collected my thoughts as my eyes fell on Ben who was drumming his fingers on a crystal cup of punch.

The movie was amazing, the animation amazing, the story touching. In short 'From Up on Poppy Hill' made me nostalgic for a time I've never experienced. It was tinged with sadness, heartache, and the pains of growing up. A window into a world in transition. And like Mr. Hayao Miyazaki's movies it was sure to become a classic as the years rolled on by. Lily even found herself getting swept up in the story line, and that's pretty amazing since she has never been the biggest anime fan.

I took a deep breath as I peered out of the window of the car and onto the passing landscape. The hills were covered in snow and the glass was starting to fog from my hot breath. Autumn had come and gone and my older sister Lily some twenty months late had decided to finally take me out to the movies. I'd been in something of a melancholy mood all week. Sulking some would say, pouting others would say. Brooding was another word for it I guess.

What happened next? Well before Clay and I could go on our date, I needed to change out of my bathing suit. I mean I could have wrapped a towel around my waist, slipped on a pair of flip-flops and called it all good and ready to go. But that looks only suitable for the beach and not a end of the summer carnival. And going home and getting changed was kind of out of the question. Heck mom and dad had already headed off to find a secluded place of their own. I honestly think mom and dad were trying to rekindle the love of their marriage or something.

he first one to step up to the line was a teenage boy around my age, and man was he gorgeous, he was tall, and God had blessed him with a head full of long, silky smooth jet black hair that reached down to the collar of his shirt. He was also tanned and one could see nothing but lean muscles. Just looking at him made me shiver. I soon found myself starting to blush. And much to my embarrassment their was no way I could hide my blush.

My first summer as Lauren was about to come to a close. School was only a few days away. It was really hard to believe that for three solid months I'd lived each day as a girl. And now it seems I'll be going to school as a girl. Mom had already registered me for classes and my class schedule had already been handed to me. So that was that, I had also been informed that I could attend school as Lauren and use the staff bathroom to both handle my personal business and change for P.E. And nobody would be any wiser.

aturday morning dark, cloudy, damp, and windy with a gray overcast  sky. My Radio/Alarm clock started to buzz at six, without thinking I hit the snooze button. Six minutes later it was buzzing again. My eyes shot open and for a brief moment I thought about reaching over, snatching the alarm clock from my night stand and tossing it halfway across the room. That thought vanished a few seconds later, the alarm clock had cost me ten dollars. Repairing the window, if I tossed it through the window would cost the better part of sixty dollars. Two weeks' allowance gone down the drain. For what?

There's something special about sharing a meal, I think it creates memories, strengths the  bonds and such. So mom and I sat there, enjoying our pizza. I could feel the ice starting to melt away. Mom had ordered a jumbo slice of cheese pizza. I had ordered a jumbo slice of pepperoni pizza. One thing I loved about Sbarro's pizza was it was the style, it was New York Style, meaning the slices were huge, like massive and thin enough for you to fold them in half like a sandwich. A gooey, greasy, cheesy, pepperoni sandwich, a tiny bite of heaven.

Once I left the library I wanted to go straight home. But like I said before I was craving a milkshake. So I placed the borrowed books into the wire basket of my bike and mounted it and then I started to ride. There was one thing I'd admired about Benton was the historic architecture of the town. The main street of the town was paved in interconnecting cobblestone and running down the center of the street was the trolley line. Now I've ridden the trolley once or twice, but the trolley was not free.

When you live in a town as small as Benton, your choices of entertainment are very limited, the more popular choices include the skating rink, the local movie theater, or if you were sixteen or older you could attend a popular teenage dance club that had just opened last spring in the countryside called “The Mill”. Most of those only opened once the sun had set. And most of those catered to the popular kids, or kids who had could get a ride or owned their own set of wheels.

So I was thirty minutes into my one hour shift of the kissing booth. And so far I had handed out no kisses. I thought the whole thing was a bust like the rest of the fair. I mean, when you think about it, it was nothing more than a thrown together event. Thirty minutes in and the cake-walk had run out of cake, the bobbing for apple's thing had run out of apples. And only the food booths seemed to be thriving, I guess when you consider the quality of the cafeteria food. Okay let me tell you about the cafeteria food, most of the time it was decent.

What happened when Linda left me? I don't know. I remember taking a deep breath and closing my eyes. I knew I was alone and I was facing a hostile crowd. The minutes turned to hours and slowly I started to sweat. The girl's running the thing had no remorse or empathy. I was treated like a number. One by one the girls in charge dressed us down, most boys shrugged it off. Most of them had been drafted into wearing a frilly gown and three inch heels. And once they completed their walk across the stage, many left.

The minute I uttered the word “Halloween” a sudden hush fell. Now, besides having a love for ghost stories, and gathering out in the woods to roast hot dogs, and make s'mores that decadent summer time treat that a heavenly blend of crunchy and sweet and gooey. Yes, beside having a love for ghost stories and good camp food, we've also had our fair share of real life paranormal encounters. I for example have been visited by the ghost of my late mother. Jamie is supposed to have been hunted by a demon, and Daisy's supposed to have the gift to see spirits.

when you live in a small town, you have to be creative when it comes to having fun. I was never really into football, but I do attend all the home football games at my high school. I really don't watch the game, I wander around the bleachers and around the grounds visiting with friends and chatting with people who might be from out of town. If there are no home games, then nine out of ten times I'll pester my sister or Heather to drive me out to the skating rink located just off Highway 16 three miles from town.