Spinal Tap
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

The device was a simple spinal implant. Something injected into the fluid of the spinal column, carrying the capacity to deliver tiny electrical impulses. These impulses were so small that the minute battery had sufficient capacity for one hundred single tiny surges. But directly in the spine those surges translated to bursts of incredible pain. Julie felt that one hundred such jolts would be all that was needed to adjust behavior. In the case of her own son Chris, she had used less than fifty.

Domination
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

The slap bought me back to consciousness with a stinging pain on my cheek.

“Wake up, Doctor Daly.”

My eyes had real trouble focusing as my surroundings seemed so unreal. In front of me was a attractive middle aged woman dressed in traditional dominatrix style, a sort of vinyl outfit with fishnet stockings and heels, her dark hair pulled back from her snarling face.

“What is this? What is going on? Who are you?” I gasped in disbelief.

Nancy shows her true nature

Los Angeles International Airport:
Emily covers up a yawn as she stood on the arrival side, looking for her boyfriend. He was supposed to pick her up at the airport. She had caught an early flight from Houston, Texas back to California.

She had finished a three-day show in Houston. Her equipment was already at the airport and the moving team her mentor Sasha uses was picking it up and taking it back to the warehouse. Just as she was about to call her boyfriend, she spots his car coming towards her. She watches as he pulls up in front of her.

Dinner time at the Hazel’s was unlike dinner time in my family. Sure, mom cooked once in a while, but she always got lazy and would slouch onto her bed for hours. Florence cooked for a bit until she went off to college. It was up to me; Florence taught me the basics, but sometimes I didn’t have the time to cook meals, or dad would scream about me cooking cuz it’s a ‘girls’ job’. Often leaving us to buy take-out. Looking at it now, I think my mother is more depressed than an enabler. This is odd because when Naples started showing mental illness signs, she readily took him to a therapist.

Shadowsblade a Whateley Tale: Written by Shadowsblade

Created for war and forged in pain, dealing with demons within and without.

I just finished talking to the junior and senior crew. I told the junior crew I'd give them full compensation for senior benefits for the day, even though the senior staff members were in position. I warned the senior staff that the next brawl would result in anyone involved losing their commission. That should hopefully set them straight, and keep them from doing anything foolish.

Tensions are still high, but the ship is under control and fully staffed again. And I'm off the clock. On alert, but officially off the clock.

Alejandra and Natalia begin to question the Empress and they begin to make plans for the future when Elsa goes too far

Alexandria, Va.
“You know, you boys aren’t very bright or very good at what you do.” Brandi looks at the six guys hanging upside down from the rafter.

She had stripped them naked after bringing them to a warehouse owned by her real estate company. These morons had been following Jack and Cheshire. Jack gave her a call and a quick trap had been set-up with the help of her crew.

Jack told her to interrogate them and find out who they are working for. She was permitted to use any technique she wanted to.

By Jennifer Reed
Vivian and the Princess schedules their transition and Valentina's plans proceed
Chapter 10

It was a perfectly fine day.
My espresso was perfection: overly sugared with whip cream along the top.
The coffee kept me level-headed—zen in a cup. Nirvana. A way to get my mind to not think about the forty-five minute drive it took to get to work from the suburbs. I had no issues getting from my apartment to the local Starbucks and then onto the “they call it an interstate highway, but it’s a parking lot”, just like Joni Mitchell said.

Explanations -- A Short Political Gargoyle
By Ellie Dauber © 2020

Yes, this is another politically biased story. I just couldn’t resist the notion.

The President slammed the report down on his desk. “Too damn many pages,” he muttered. “I’ve told them, and I’ve told them no more than two pages… and large type.”

Something is missing

A Short Story by Rosemary

July 2020

The young man was twenty-eight years old. He was nothing special, just your normal, average, everyday, young man. He worked at an ordinary job, stocking shelves, selling things, and occasionally running the till. It wasn't a huge box store, but a small, Mom and Pop hardware store, in the middle of a small town right out of Leave It To Beaver. The only thing missing on the streets was Jerry Mathers.

For the Love of Him