CHAPTER 58
I don’t know whether what Marlene and I had called my ‘girl magnetism’ was wearing off, but Heidi and Nita seemed to have come to a temporary half in supplying new residents. We are, after all, such a tiny proportion of the population that I must have been sheltering a major part of the available ‘supply’, and there was also the parallel fact that not all parents are bastards.

Casey looks at her wives “are sure about this, Charlotte?”

“Yes, I’m sure about us leaving and being the third wife in our polygamy marriage.” Charlotte didn’t mind being the third wife.

“Okay, when the tide comes in, we are going to leave.” Casey needs to inform their Captain they were leaving.

“Okay. I do want to call my aunt and inform her.” Charlotte figures Cheshire needed to know she was heading towards England.

“Okay.” Casey turns and heads out of their bedroom to speak with the Captain.

A retelling, with permission and differences, of C.D. Rudd's classic webcomic SailorSun.org.

Billy Jones, a film student and extra, deals with having been exposed —if that's the word— to some sort of special effect.

Nelson’s Raceway, New York:
Terry drives the rollback that was carrying Wraith’s prototype on it through the gates of the raceway. He heads down to the pit area he normally uses when he comes up to either race or test any of his vehicles. He felt at home at the raceway. It helped him overcome what had been done to him.

Christmas came and went in a flash. The county workers did a sterling job in keeping the main roads clear of the snow that started falling on Christmas Eve and didn’t give up until the 27th.
The snowploughs had kept the interstate just about passable but thankfully most folk who had to travel had taken heed of the weather warnings and had completed their journeys well before the storm hit us.

CHAPTER 56
Cathy and Nell had left us with one mumbled apology, and that was for their failure to pack up and head home immediately after their term had finished. Nell in particular had done her unsuccessful best to hide a sly smile.

“Leo’s never been to Scotland, so, well… lot’s of places to explore”

Cathy had burst out laughing at that remark, leaving Nell blushing even more fiercely than she had done at that infamous New Year’s Eve party. She started to stammer something else, and I shut her up with a hug and a finger to her lips.

CHAPTER 55
In the end, it was Charlie who made the bridge that brought Tiff to us. The latest girl had done her best, holding her hand out to Gemma, but it was Charlie she clicked with. I suspected it was mostly to do with their shared experience of the man that the latter, with an increasing prickliness, started calling ‘That wonky-eyed cunt’.

Whatever the reason, they seemed to work well together, and the only time that I really saw the damage that had been done was in the simple fact that neither of them would ever leave the House. Not for any form of schooling, not to go shopping, not for a night out at the Smugglers. Just not, ever.

Well! I thought.

If it's centaurs, let's go for it!

Roberta Rescued
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

I will admit it, Robert Kradel Junior was a prick, back when he had a prick. But he did not deserve what he got.

Jose Berganza had reason to dislike his boss, but what he did was way beyond that. It became clear to me that there was real hatred on display. Venal, vicious hatred to warrant this level of degradation.

Yippee-ki-yay! αλογάκι!

Chapter Twelve

Morning Glory

Troublesome
A short Story
By Maryanne Peters

You may know the story. If you are reading this, you may have heard it more than once. I was a troublesome son. My mother took drastic action to curb my bad behavior. I resisted. I struck out and I hurt her. It was not what I wanted to do. I was out of control. I see that now. But she was desperate. That is why she called in her friend; to put an end to my bad behavior.



Book 13: In A Spin     "In A Spin" Part 3

My Stepsister
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

I have to say that when my Dad married Dawn, I was a bit unsure. I could see why he did. She is a good-looking woman, and I mean a really good-looking woman. The problem was that her son Mark looked just like her – a younger version that is.