Gran’s Tale
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

Well, if you want to talk about gangs, and that kind of life, you might be surprised to know that both your grandfather and I, were involved in gangs when we were younger.

I will tell you the story if you like, but do not interrupt me. I should tell you first that the story contains sex, violence and bad language, but nothing much more than what is on TV these days. I am sure that your parents will forgive me.

Antonette's Story A novel by Bronwen Welsh Copyright 2020

Chapter 10   A wedding

Scout looks out at the fishing vessals she was assigned to watched. The fishing company that hired her had her working on the weekends starting on Friday working from 3pm to 11 pm. And then coming back at eight the next morning and working until four in the afternoon. On Sunday and Monday morning working from midnight till eight in the morning and the same on Monday morning as well.

Sikh
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

Sheba recognized Anjit immediately and pulled him inside.

“Quickly,” she said. “Into the storeroom. You need to stay out of sight.”

“They are searching the houses,” Anjit said, the fear dripping from his voice. “They are looking for blood. Nothing I say can stop them. They are crazed. They have killed my parents. Just because they think they look like terrorists.”

Raven caresses Clair's arm that was draped over her. They were finally home and the trail of Dr. Heath and his associates was finally over for them. According to what she was told, the jury had returned a quick verdict of guilty on twelve different charges that had been brought against all those involved.

About Face
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

Tom Younger and I were sexual adventurers together, but he was always better than me.

It didn’t take Phoebe long to make her way from her former Chambers to Red Lion Square in Holborn, for her next meeting. This was with her old tutor from University who was according to the email confirming the meeting, right in the middle of giving a lecture on ‘Torts’ to first year law students at the University of Westminster.

Phoebe waited in a Café close by the facility and remembered how she felt as a new student being away from home for the first time in her life and smack bang in the middle of London as well. It had been rather overwhelming for her at first but thanks to the help of the person she was meeting, she stuck at it.

“Watch you doing up there, Amy?” Steve looks up at Amy way up at the top of her mainmast in a bosun's chair.

Amy looks down towards Steve as he stood near her sailboat. She had just finished installing a new light bulb and a radio antenna on her mainmast.

“Replacing a light bulb and installing a new radio antenna.” Amy was glad she got started early on the repairs.

“You’re a better person then I am.” Steve had a fear of heights.

“I love my boat.” Amy starts lowering herself back down to the deck.

Sprung
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

“It’s time”, he said.

I had only just laid down on the sliding bed that was to pass me into the MRI machine. Minutes before the two prison guards with me had been told that no weapons or anything metallic was allowed in the room while the MRI was operating. The Hispanic one had handed his belt and weapon to the other and gone inside with me, his charge. He now lay unconscious on the floor nearby. The man standing over me spoke again:

“This is it. You’re sprung. Come with me and keep it quiet.”

Indian Red
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

“So, there is family history?” he said. He was playing with my pubic hair.

“Pay attention,” I scolded him. “I will read you some of the early passages from the journal.” I had the copy with me, beside the bed. The original had become too fragile with age. “Now, remember, this was the Battle of Adobe Walls in November 1864, when my grandmother was only 18, and serving in the New Mexico Volunteer Cavalry, which was really just cowboys and gunslingers under army command.”

Virtuality
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

“I call her Pandora,” said Felix. “Get used to her. This is why I need you. This kind of interaction has to be a two-person thing.”

Jake was used to virtual reality. It was his thing after all. But here he was in their apartment. The only thing different was that he was in another body. When he held his hand up he could see that it was not his hand at all, it was a slender feminine hand, with manicured nails.

CHAPTER 42
Another morning, and another monster hangover. I spent a long while drinking tea and eating simple buttered toast to tray and settle my stomach, and then, after a long round of hugs that seemed to include the entire club, I was off down to the station on the pillion of one of the prospects, who had served his club the hard way the night before by staying sober. I tried to wind him up about that, perhaps seeking to lift my miserable mood by lowering someone else’s, but he just grinned.

“Given what I stand to gain as a full patch, I can bear a few sacrifices. Always another night, isn’t it? Always a party to come”

“This is going to be Sashtun’s first-ever movie, kids. It needs to be something special. Not whatever new movie you’re burning to see. Everyone, what’s the best movie you’ve ever seen?”

Mermaid
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

They had almost reached the radio buoy when Nate called out that there was something in the water, off the starboard bow, maybe 200 metres distant. Skipper Greg Hanson was behind his own exacting schedule and was disinclined to investigate, until Nate called out: “I think it’s a body.”

Hunter’s Supply Warehouse:
Carla had managed to locate another Hunter supply depot. She goes about gathering items to resupply her depot. While she is gathering her supplies and placing special design explosives to destroy everything. She hears a familiar voice coming from the darkness.

“Hello, Carla. It’s good to see you again.” Robert Caron steps out of the shadows towards Carla.

Carla turns around when she hears Robert’s voice. A smile appears on her face behind her helmet.

Lucky girl
There's more than one way to be lucky. Maybe, there's more than one way to be a girl?

The Caution is for a slightly oblique reference to self harm. For American readers a Stanley knife is what you might call a 'box cutter'.

Sayen wakes up the next morning before her alarm clock goes off, which for her is a miracle in itself. She gets out of bed and begins to get dress. Sayen hears her mother getting up and moving around in her bedroom. She looks over toward her big sister’s bed and notice that she didn’t come home last night. Sayen quickly gets dress and heads into the kitchen to make morning breakfast for everyone.