Socially awkward Darren decides to be bold and go out for the first time all summer.

Yet the world refuses to give him a break.

The log in the stove had begun to burn. It lit up the room through the tempered, frosted glass enough to show him Tracy walking towards him. She had a blanket in one hand and Mr. Cuddles in the other. Her hair was flattened on one side and sticking up on the other. She had on a thicker nightgown and flannel pajamas. He smiled at her as she stopped at the couch. The image reminded him of how Troy looked when he had been younger, before their Dad insisted that boys didn't need teddy bears after a certain age. She looked like a small child, security blanket in one hand, bear in the other. “Can we join you?” She whispered.

A big thanks to Djkauf for the editing again.

More of Tracy at Christmas time.

Note: The rating has gone up because of Tracy recalling events at Brooke's place

In the evening, Steve was sitting in bed and I brought him soup and sandwiches and we talked about the movie we’d watched and how much he’d enjoyed it, too. I kissed him on the forehead again and went down to the restaurant. One of our reservations hadn’t shown up but two walk-in couples were a bonus and I watched over my sad little empire and wondered how I was going to keep it all together.

The Beneficiary, by Karin Bishop

Selected entries from the Journal of Donna Everton

Part 4

CHAPTER 23
The train rattled and shook its way down the Arun Valley, Arundel castle looming to the right, and I started looking for the Hawker Hunter jet fighter still on its plinth at what had been Ford airfield. It was almost a milk train, stopping at nearly every station on the line, passing three castles, two cathedrals and any number of harbours.

After getting my nephew back to his room and into bed, I brushed his hair back from his face and for some reason said, ‘Good night, Stef; I love you’ and kissed his forehead and I actually meant it and then he knocked me out by saying, ‘I love you too, Andonna’–the name he’d used for me when he was little! I almost couldn’t see my way back to my bedroom for the tears!

The Beneficiary, by Karin Bishop

Selected entries from the Journal of Donna Everton

Part 3

Daughter to Demons

by Jeffrey M. Mahr and Levanah

We have made thee neither of heaven nor of earth, neither mortal nor immortal, so that with freedom of choice and with honor, as through the maker and molder of thyself, thou mayest fashion thyself in whatever shape thou shalt prefer. Thou shalt have the power to degenerate into the lower forms of life, which are brutish. Thou shalt have the power, out of thy soul’s judgment, to be reborn into the highest forms, which are divine.

— Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, Oration on the Dignity of Man (1486)

 

And so Adam, in that his speech to Eve
uttered his faith in the promise made to her
of her seed, so in that respect Adam himself
came in under her covenant.
— Thomas Goodwin

It looked like the ‘girl meds’ were kicking in. I could see the gentle swell of a breast when he was sleeping. It could be the healing process, or the enforced indoor time, but his skin is marvelously smooth and clear–where it’s not scarred and healing, of course.
But the big change has been Steven’s demeanor. He hasn’t snapped or been surly for days and days. It was like the best day that he had, and the next one and the next one are just like the best day. He’s not high or giddy; he’s just not a jerk–and believe me; that’s a big difference!

The Beneficiary, by Karin Bishop

Selected entries from the Journal of Donna Everton

Part 2

CHAPTER 22
I was on my own that evening, waiting for the phone to ring, but there was nothing. No Larinda, no checking up, and certainly no second thoughts. I logged onto the internet, and before I could stop myself the latest offers from Dorothy Perkins were on the screen.

Shaboom

by shalimar

As the Evil Witch, shalimar turns Giggles into his daughter. She then turns him into mom, and the fun begins. Based on Hyperboard messages around March 2001, and on a suggestion by Sigh.
New roles for the SRU Wizard and Bikini Beach's Anya.

Copyright 2001, revised 2011.

Dainéal’s Dream

Bi-se i mo shuil
(Be my light)

I reached through the doorway and took the tray of food from Mrs. Doyle, who stood uncertainly for a moment. Then my aunt leaned forward and the two women hugged; Mrs. Doyle started to cry a little and it seemed like my aunt was comforting her. Then I realized my aunt was sobbing silently; I could tell by her shoulders. I put the food down and got things ready, set the table, and so on, thinking again about the power of women to help each other.

The Cabin - Part 12 — Conclusion

Chapter 32: Going Home

A beginning again.
It's like all stories, you see new horizons as they develop.
Also short again. Have too much to do suddenly.
Which is weird :)

On and Over (1st draft preview)
by Cleo Kraft

PROLOG

Small soft hands opened the door and a cute little blonde girl's head peeked in the room. She bit her lower lip as she looked around for any sign of people around. Her breathing was hurried and panting a bit as she had just ran from the park all the way up Forest Avenue to Dr. Jenning's place.

“What about you, Sue, don’t you feel like crud when it’s your period?” Dorothy asked.

Fortunately, she whooped with laughter. And so we passed the subject of my periods, and I didn’t really have to lie. We got down to the serious business of choosing clothes.

The Cabin - Part 11

Chapter 29: At The Movies

Jem-4

Chapter 4

Dad’s got this I’m not totally awake yet thing going on and well…well he’s certainly awake now. In fact he freezes and it staring and then he looks me up and down and I’m starting to get scared and nervous. “Dad?.........Daddy?”

He blinks and extends his hand and I offer mine and he shakes it like I’m a young lady.
“You’d better come inside…”

“Jem.”

“Jem? Like in Jem and The Holograms?”

“How’d you?”

“Come on in and we’ll talk Jem it’ll be safer that way.”

“Yeah the police aren’t here yet.”

Elvis Shops at K-Mart!

Dan'l Broome did not get much done the day he found Vicki Starr sleeping in the pallet yard next to his shop. First there was getting acquainted and picking out splinters. Then there was finding something for her to wear. Then there was dealing with the fact that she wouldn't tell him where she lived.

"I don't remember," she said, her violet eyes large and innocent. "I don't know how I got here either or what happened to my clothes." She smiled up at him. "Must have been some party, huh?"