It was mid November and Mum was in the Mental ward of the local hospital suffering from severe depression, she had been expecting and a couple of weeks before the birth had miscarried. She had been over the moon until then as she had been due to have a daughter, a big change for her after having three sons.

A snow globe, of sorts, of an insulated world where dreams can come true over several holidays.

Academic, by Karin Bishop

Part 3

Chapter 7: Revelations

A snow globe, of sorts, of an insulated world where dreams can come true over several holidays.

Academic, by Karin Bishop

Part 2

Chapter 4: Turning Twelve

A snow globe, of sorts, of an insulated world where dreams can come true over several holidays.

Academic, by Karin Bishop

Part 1

Prologue

I was tired. I hadn't slept well last night. The other boys and girls were all excited to be shopping in the city at the department store. We were on a school outing and this was the afternoon treat before we were supposed to board the school bus back to the home.

I was in a home, I do not know if I had parents. All I ever remember was the home. There was girls and boys about my age of 11 in the home. It made sleeping sometime really hard. I had gotten more than my fair share of tricks played on me over the years.

Instead of returning home the next day as planned the little party were taken out of the city by Brian and after a longish drive down country lanes arrived at a large country estate, this was Brian`s ancestral home and he wanted them to see and know about their family history although he himself wasn`t exactly proud that his father had been a big arms dealer.

People have often told me that I need to think before I act, but who had time to think? What on earth was I supposed to think of? What idea could I possibly have had, if I'd stopped for a moment? Someone was getting hurt! Badly hurt! And no one was there to see, but me.

Thanks to Djkauf for the editing

We join in on the day Tracy has her meeting with the Principal. A look in at Sage, Brooke and Rachel too.

In the dead of night a lone wolf runs seemingly non stop through a forest lit only by the moonlight. Such occurances are not unusual. What is unusual is that the wolf has a rolled up parchment in its mouth.

A few steps out of the door Peter fell in step next to him. “Come on.” Peter commanded and put a hand on Troy's shoulder to guide him to the office. The bigger kid had been thinking about the pictures and what to do all through his past few lessons and he could only come up with one course of action. He knew it would be a fight to get Troy to go, but he was sure it was the right thing to do.

“He's right, Troy. If Mr. Harper knows, then he should know about the picture.” Mary Beth stated in a whisper.

Big thanks to Djkauf for the editing

We pick up where we left off, Tracy in class, after the pictures have been left.

She's been my inner girl, my confidante, my conscience, my Muse. Danielle first came to me when I was a boy, in a dream…

The next day found James and Annabel at school as usual, they were told not to mention the impending move to anyone, it wasn`t as if they had any friends that they could tell anyway.

James was back at the hospital the next day, it had been decided that they should try leg braces to make him more mobile, the company hired for the task of making the braces had been interviewed by both Dr Graves and Dr Wells. due to the fact that he still had to wear light bandaging the leg braces would have to be of a special design.

They had two weeks to get prepared for the visit to Buckingham Palace and the meeting with the Queen, James was still being tested at regular intervals and at the moment everything seemed to fine. Elizabeth had notified the school that James would not be attending school for three days of the week in question this would give them one day either side of the visit for travelling.

"Catch this one," Mallory said, spinning the tape rapidly ahead.

"No," Susan insisted. "I don't want to hear any—"

Mallory interrupted. "Hold on there. These aren't just any old, ordinary, run-of-the-mill farts," she explained in a low, confidential tone. "You won't find these farts on the street. These are special."

Susan scoffed. "And what makes them so special?" she asked scornfully.

The following day the meeting re-convened except this time there was only Rodger, John Stewart and Dr Wells present,

Healing Both Mind and Body

by Torrey Grover

Our heroine tells a story of violent abuse, recovery, and reconciliation, and finally looks forward to her future. This story combines real events, ideas, and people (names altered) with imagination to create a work of transgender fiction. If the abuse seems unrealistic to you, google 'John Daniel Kingston' plus beating, and read the newspaper accounts.

The Dead Kid Returns

Part 2: The New Kid

The new kid came into the class, and almost nobody noticed. When the new kid had first shown up, there had been the usual introductions, but almost immediately after, the new kid seemed to fade into the background, forgotten.

Except one girl, who watched the new kid move, and wondered.

Her name was Bethany Ann Cooper, and she was regarded as a bit odd, because she once said that she remembered a time when a dead kid had come to the school, and even claimed to have given this dead kid a kiss.