Chapter 10

We drove to a hotel near the airport and Gem arranged a room. Since she had not pre-booked we ended up in a room with a double bed to share. I didn't mind that, and considering my recent state of mind, it was probably a good thing. Gem apologised though and explained that she normally plans way in advance, but this time she had literally driven to the airport with a few clothes and worked it out from there. I asked if I could call Jen on the hotel phone and she agreed.

One important thing to be aware of about nuns. When they say they're going to give you a total makeover, they aren't kidding. I figure it's the backed up pressure of not really being able to experiment themselves that means when they do get a chance it's Nuns Go Wild!

The twenty men kept a close watch on the forest as the others gathered their thirteen dead and dying. Staying together while hugging the tree line with four man shield walls protecting the front and rear
of their column. Two men carried each of the fallen as the remaining twenty one men formed an armed line beside those carrying the casualties.

The men on the beach maneuvered their shield wall to meet the warriors cautiously advancing toward them along the beach. After merging the group moved to place their dead beside the first dead. They were about to begin moving to gather the scattered dead sprawled about the encampment when they heard the approaching noise of the men returning down the canyon. In a few minutes those men emerged from the trees carrying their casualties.

I was named Aethelthryth Rachelle Rider. I was told Aethelthryth meant noble, strength, all knowing and understanding. Rachelle meant loyal, caring, prefers to fight her own battles but will always aid others in need. So I stuck with Audrey when anyone asked me my name. I knew my parents loved me and meant well but they really were kinda weird at times. When I was born it had to be a blue moon or the dark of the moon or something for them to drop that moniker on me.

Chapter 8

Chapter 7

I woke up groggily, staring around me trying to work out where I was. I could feel my arms and body strapped down. The roof above me was clearly a car and there was something over my nose and mouth. A strange man leaned over me looking me in the eyes. I felt a surge of fear and my heart started beating faster. The fact that I was trapped was not helping me to calm down. He was speaking to me but I couldn't understand him. I was edging towards panic with my breath coming in quicker.

Chapter 6

Author warning. There is some violence in this chapter.

Getting back to the ski resort was a bit of a let down. I had an underlying stress about dealing with Richard and I think Amy did too. We didn't see him until the evening meal. He hardly spoke a word to any of us and glared at me whenever he wasn't eating. When he finished he just got up and left. I wasn't wearing anything too feminine, but it clearly wasn't Richards clothing and I'm sure I saw him staring at my hands with my recently painted nails, at one point.

Chapter 5

Jen and I only really had one full day left and, although it was fun, there was an element of sadness there too. We had been practically glued together for years, so a forced separation, even for only a week felt troubling. At least she would be able to explain everything to my parents, not a conversation that I was looking forward to. It's not that I expected them to be unaccepting or anything. It just feels awkward to turn up looking like a complete stranger and give them the love and hugs that I would want to.

Did you know that the belief of mortals dictates the rules of reality?
Earon, a newly born trickster god, thought he did.
But even gods make mistakes.

A Second Chance

By Dawn Natelle

Another really long chapter. There are only five more chapters in this book, and then Part 3 will start, with only random days in Rachael’s life appearing sporadically: Dawn

WEDNESDAY, June 22, 2016

A novella ...

Sometimes, when things go so badly wrong, they can end up going so wonderfully right!

Copyright © 2018 by AuP reviner

Once the murderers of Sandy Thompson had been dealt with by the courts I had no excuse not to find my brother Walt’s replacement. I had to admit to my team that I had been putting it off but they all appreciated the extra money that they were getting in overtime. However, we all knew that we could not carry on ‘one man down’ indefinitely.

To kick the recruitment, process off, I used some of the money that we’d saved in salary since I’d fired Walt to pay for a specialist recruitment agency in Denver to find us some suitable candidates.

Chapter 3

The next morning we arranged to meet Richard and family that evening to try and work out our future. I stressed a bit about my relationship with Jen and whether choosing to stay female would make us sisters rather than a couple. It did make me briefly reconsider, but my internal voice was clear. The future, as always, was a mystery. At least now I was looking forward to it as a great adventure rather than dreading what was to come.

Chapter 2

My memory of that night was pretty disjointed. I know Jen ordered room service and vaguely remember picking at some food, but for the life of me, I couldn't tell you what it was. I woke up with a full bladder in one of Jen's PJ's. Evidence suggested that I must of taken my clothes off and put on Jen's. My recollection about that was sadly lacking.

A Second Chance

By Dawn Natelle

Shootout at the Oak Street Corral

TUESDAY, June 21, 2016

Chapter 1

I blinked, trying to get my mind to focus. I blinked again trying to get some information to clear up my confusion. In front of me was a coach seat, so I was obviously sitting on a bus. The fog in my mind cleared a bit. The last thing I remembered was travelling with Jen to a French ski resort. I think I had fallen asleep and had a nightmare. I remember dreaming that the bus hit something in the road and drove off the cliff. Weird.

Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification across the northern frontier of the province of Britannia. Begun in 122 during the reign of Emperor Hadrian, it was the northern limit of the Roman Empire. Immediately to the north were the lands of the Britons and Picts, the Caledonians. Hadrian's Wall built over six years, extending west from the River Tyne to the Solway Firth. Although the seventy three mile long wall did not mark the end of the line of defensive structures. A system of milecastles continued along the west coast. There were milecastles with two turrets in between. There was a fort about every five miles. The milecastles were staffed with static garrisons whereas the forts had fighting garrisons of infantry and cavalry. In addition to the wall's defensive military role, its gates served as customs posts.

Once at Hadrian's Wall, Severus initiated a massive rebuilding project which finally remade the whole wall into stone. This led to later Romans calling Hadrian's Wall the Severan Wall. After starting the renovation/rebuilding project Severus marched north.

A Second Chance

By Dawn Natelle

Only a short chapter, but it sets things up for Shootout at the Oak Street Corral in the next posting: Dawn

MONDAY, June 20, 2016