I woke up to the sound of the television. I poked my head out still in my nightgown and seeing Jessica realised everyone must have already left for church. I decided to shower now considering the house was mostly empty. I either shower now or I would have to wait until my afternoon change so I didn’t waste a diaper.

Arriving home Emily quickly announced that we would be getting pizza for dinner as it was already well after six. Had we really spent that much time just shopping? As we brought everything in bags were piled everywhere in the living room.

I grabbed a bag ready to begin the dreaded task of taking off all these tags and putting things away. Not long after I picked up the first bag though the twins attacked the pile and in a single trip everything was on my bed.

A couple days went by and things started to feel familiar. We would wake up and have breakfast. I was on toast and passing out plates. Honestly I was starting to like it. It let me pretend I belonged. Everything was mostly fine although it was still too early to actually think this was going to work. Jessica would come back after the adults went to work and do school study stuff most of the day. Once she even let Faith braid her hair as Grace braided Cindy’s. They couldn't do their own yet but they could do other's reasonably well.

“Her name is Jessica.” Emily said as she cooked eggs for breakfast. “She goes to the local college and looks after you kids while we are at work. She takes a light class load in the summer but on thursdays we are testing Faith and Grace who insist are old enough to not need a sitter.”

Hot Commodity

A Kingdom Ship Story
By Iolanthe Portmanteaux

“If the Grays have really left, that means you'll be the only woman on this planet for a good long time. You're going to be one hot commodity. So stay hidden. I will come back for you. Do not let yourself be seen. Do not let yourself be heard. Do not answer any call. I will come back for you.”

Stuck in a Rut.
By Rosalie Redd

Casey Church is a normal 13 year old girl, full of hopes and dreams and fears and anxieties. But in a world where there hasn’t been a girl born in over a century, what is normal?

Chapter 24.

Luna sat on top of her sleeping bag, looking at each of us. “I’m so happy! I’ve never had an actual sleep over before. What do people do at these things?”, she queried.

Stuck in a Rut.
By Rosalie Redd

Casey Church is a normal 13 year old girl, full of hopes and dreams and fears and anxieties. But in a world where there hasn’t been a girl born in over a century, what is normal?

Chapter 23.

Stuck in a Rut.
By Rosalie Redd

Casey Church is a normal 13 year old girl, full of hopes and dreams and fears and anxieties. But in a world where there hasn’t been a girl born in over a century, what is normal?

Chapter 22.

Stuck in a Rut.
By Rosalie Redd

Casey Church is a normal 13 year old girl, full of hopes and dreams and fears and anxieties. But in a world where there hasn’t been a girl born in over a century, what is normal?

Chapter 20.

Karl and the others were so engrossed in formulating their plans on how to get Karen's programming they never noticed the mounting excitement in the air around them.

The hole punched through space with a mighty boom. Large rings undulated around the corridor with mysterious, alien function. They opened into a great rock cavern supported by pylons. It lead to a polished floor adorned with trophies of battles past. These were the first steps into a secret home of superheroes, tucked away under Mount Justice.

Sunday morning Kelly was a couple levels above normal perky. Honestly I don't know how she does it all the time. I was getting use to it though. Seeing her happy all the time did make me feel a little better. There are many ways to wake up in the mornings and a chipper all too happy Kelly calling me honey, sweetie or the dreaded sweetheart was far from the worst.

I haven’t been in a shelter for a really long time. I think I was five back then. I forgot how crowded they were. People everywhere. Last time I had to stay in the nursery with the really young kids and toddlers. Probably the only place where I was one of the biggest. This time they gave me a small room. There was a small window on the top of the ceiling which was on the ground outside as we were in the basement. It had a bar in front of said window on the back wall to hang clothes on even though I couldn’t reach it. A small garbage can, a dresser and a bed.

Join Avery and follow along as the hard life starts to show a silver lining. Things may not be great at first but there is still hope. Dangerous hope. To have hope and lose it may perhaps be one of the worst things of all. Walls of protection firmly in place around Avery’s heart and despite the past hardships and a lot of personal issues. Avery finds people who care and finally starts to feel good about the future. Tainted future. Past experience and unplanned secrets threaten to unravel. Will hope shine or will dispare wall Avery away from the world for ever?

*** Prologue ***

Summer with Em – Chapter 17

By Julie D Cole

CHAPTER X

The prosecuting attorney told Karen he didn't believe they would get a conviction against the three men who allegedly raped her. It was her word against three men who had an alibi collaborated by the bartender. He told her to forget about it and let it drop. She should consider herself fortunate to be alive.

Stuck in a Rut.
By Rosalie Redd

Casey Church is a normal 13 year old girl, full of hopes and dreams and fears and anxieties. But in a world where there hasn’t been a girl born in over a century, what is normal?

Chapter 17.

Stuck in a Rut.
By Rosalie Redd

Casey Church is a normal 13 year old girl, full of hopes and dreams and fears and anxieties. But in a world where there hasn’t been a girl born in over a century, what is normal?

Chapter 16.

Stuck in a Rut.
By Rosalie Redd

Casey Church is a normal 13 year old girl, full of hopes and dreams and fears and anxieties. But in a world where there hasn’t been a girl born in over a century, what is normal?

Chapter 15.

Stuck in a Rut.
By Rosalie Redd

Casey Church is a normal 13 year old girl, full of hopes and dreams and fears and anxieties. But in a world where there hasn’t been a girl born in over a century, what is normal?

Chapter 14.

I'm fairly confident that many of you have heard about me lately, especially after that "expose'

Before I get into that you should know a bit about my background.

I was raised in a fairly normal urban neighbourhood. Was enrolled into self defence classes and achieved a black belt purple strip by age seventeen in a martial art that has been lumped in under the general guise of Mixed Martial Arts now so the belt means almost nothing.

Mike watched in amusement as Karl pulled the gun out thinking he was using it only to scare Karen. Then the shots rang out. "CHRIST, KARL. You didn't have to kill her. She couldn't hurt us."

"Listen stupid. If she pointed her finger at us, those goons Comm Tech has working as her bodyguards would as soon kill us as talk to us. This way nobody knows besides us. She sure ain't going to be doing any singing..., Now."