Wishing for a mirror sounded rather girly...

 
Ultragreen
4- No One Would Know
by Erin Halfelven

Kimberly got up and walked up in front of the class, holding what seemed like an off-brand Barbie of some sort. The doll was about ten inches high, with red hair and a more realistic figure than a Barbie, but still clearly an adult, and dressed in a yellow sundress and strappy sandals.

Part 2 of 8 of Doorway to Amaru Meru. I decided to post every other day instead of every third day. This complete novel is part of the January Reader’s Retention Contest. Enjoy.

TW: Transphobia

Death is weird..

It certainly wasn’t what I expected.
A little over 2 months ago, I died in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. I’d convinced my friends that I wasn’t that drunk and that I'd be able to drive home no problem. I never made it.

I don’t know what I expected to happen after that but it certainly wasn’t waking up the very next morning.

That's seven years of bad luck, right?

Jack Winslow, for all intense and purposes, appeared to be a normal ten-year-old boy to all the adults who saw him outside his family. He didn’t mind playing sports, when the other boys let him. He even explored his neighborhood, the wooded areas around town, and even fished a bit, but mostly by himself. You see, it was the kids who saw Jack as something different, someone who while nice was a bit…off in some way. And because he seemed off they seldom went out of their way to do anything but say hi. But as they were about to find out, Jack Winslow was going to teach them lessons that would stick with them for the rest of their lives. Lessons only one kid could teach another kid, lessons which would apply to Jack himself.

I wanted a hug from my mom, but I’d settle for one from Lauren, and I knew I wasn’t going to get that, either.

Exploring the abandoned lab of a mad scientist, what could possibly go wrong?

Dad and Kiara weren’t back yet, and as usual, Mom worried. But when they still weren’t back after two more hours, I got worried, too.

Drinks

“Then she stabs his hand with a pen and says ‘Trade you, gun for pen!’” Autumn was explaining her costume. It was leather (well, vinyl) and purple and pink. She’d had Rachel’s help adapting it from a motorcycle jacket, a ski mask, and a one piece swimsuit. She was unhappy that she hadn’t got the boots done in time for Halloween, but was looking forward to finishing them over winter break. Or spring break. In time for Comic Con anyway.

Monad crept slowly across the overgrown, neglected gardens, staying out of sight of the cameras. "Are you sure somebody lives here?," Monad wondered aloud, "It looks kind of degraded." "I'm sure. It's registered to a Hailey Bonne, and she's definitely in the building now. Probably sleeping though," Demiurge replied through Monad's headset. Monad soon made it to the west wall of the mansion, and began sliding across, checking for unsecured windows.

Television is not real life...

Later that night, in a wealthy Grandvale suburb, a van slowly pulled in and parked across the street of a particular house. You wouldn't think much of the van walking by it, it looked like an average van for Teledreams Cable, but that was the point. Inside were three thieves of modest means, visiting each night to case the houses. They wore clothes that looked like Teledreams uniforms from a distance, including white polos and light blue slacks, and referred to each other with codenames, to prevent identifying themselves when law enforcement was listening.

Even when you KNOW what's going to happen, you can't look away...

The privileged son of a wealthy family is keen to learn why he’s never been permitted to visit the top floor of the east wing. Is there a shameful family secret? Some mad old woman kept imprisoned up there? Not exactly… but what he finds there will change his life forever.

"Henry, I got a new assignment for you," my boss told me, slamming a small stack of papers down on my desk, "You ever hear of the 'Godmother'?" I gave him a nod to confirm. "Great, that makes things easy," he said, already turning to leave, "See you tomorrow."

It’s the sway she walks.

Sometimes it's a look, the voice or the body that attracts. Me, I love an intelligent girl - especially if …. what do you think I mean.