Everyone was really great yesterday. I went to the bathroom and washed my face so I didn't look like I was crying my head off. By the time I came out everyone had already eaten and the movie of the night had just started. They all said how nice I looked and then Emily let me eat on the couch with a tray and plenty of napkins so I didn't miss more of the movie. At least when I promised to be really careful, which I did. I didn't want to make a mess on their nice furniture at all, or my pretty new clothes.

I haven't been to a lot of malls but this one seemed big. Because it was friday there were a lot of people here too. For a bit I was almost looking forward to this even in the dress. The twins kept talking about how fun it was going to be. This was their world. Some of their excitement was rubbing off on me maybe. No less than two nurses said how cute I looked at the doctors. It was a different cute though, the cute of a little girl looking like her mommy made her all pretty.

Stepping out of his room he felt alive sort of, like reborn. What ever happened now he was just going to do what he liked. He finally didn't care what other people thought. Before he just pretended he didn't care, he knew that now. Now it was real, he was really free to just be “self” whatever prefix the world wanted to add to it was fine.

Mostly I just stared out the window as we drove to the new house. Kelly sat in back next to me which seemed to annoy John who was our driver again. He had to take out one of the car seats, likely had to put it back in later too. If I had my way he would have taken both of them out but I was use to them by this point.

After school the next day, I went home and went to my room. Since my homework was done, I got on the internet and looked around for something interesting. I wasted time until my mom came to my room and rapped lightly on the door, then opened it a little. “Tracy, please come to the dining room. Your dad and I need to talk to you about something.”

“What did I …?”

“You’re not in trouble. Just come … let’s talk.”

The same accident that caused the loss of his leg at age six also stimulated the latent genetics that ran in his family to trigger a mutation. Although becoming one of the ‘exo-humans’ the government monitored would prove to be the least of his worries once he stumbled upon his family’s secret.

We went into the school and found a place under a stairway with no one around. I opened my shirt and showed Lisa my nipples,
“Wow! Tracy, you’re taking hormones….?”

I quickly pulled my shirt back down. “No, I’m not taking anything! My nipples just started getting bigger! I thought they would stop growing, but they didn’t!”

“This is great….”

“Yeah, if I was a girl! I’ve been careful in the locker room, but if someone sees these, I’m done!”

“Come on,” mum insists as she arranges me and my sisters against the outside wall. “Can’t not get a photo of this, my four beautiful girls!” I smile as I hold hands with Bryony, who holds Cassie’s hand, who eagerly grips onto Dorothy’s hand. Today is a big day for all of us- the first day of school after a long summer holiday, and it’s a big day for me in particular, as it’ll be my last ever ‘first day of school’.

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.

I knew it was going to be bad. They never call us into the living room this late. It’s their television time together they call it. This time the television was off though. Definitely something bad, and were part of it. I don't think we did anything. Were we too loud? I was just reading I don't know how that was bad…

“I’m sorry kids.” Mr. Lopez said. “There's really no easy way to say this. I haven't been working for a few weeks now. I was hoping I could find something. It’s just not happening as soon as we wanted.”

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?

The Last Race

Nearly the entire crew had gathered in the crew lounge to hear who would be the lucky one, the last Starter for the very last Race.

As chance would have it, the task fell to Horatio Smalls, who was known by the crew for his love of obscure trivia about the Race, so there was little grumbling but much congratulations.

Once he had graciously accepted his crewmates’ salutes, he bustled to the Starter’s booth to begin the last preparations for the Race.

	Weeping Willow Part 8 Back Comes Bill by **Sigh** Copyright© 2019 plaintivesigh All Rights Reserved.

“Bernard, I’m barely holding it together,” she quavered. “I … I need to get calmed down. I need something to take the edge off. I … I need … oh god ..”

“A couple of Lortabs would really help,” Willow whispered.

	Weeping Willow Part 6 Valley of Fear by **Sigh** Copyright© 2019 plaintivesigh All Rights Reserved.

“This will kill any love they had for me … I’ll have to go back to being angry Bill! All the good things in my life – I’m going to lose them all! I’m so scared!”

		Weeping Willow Part 1 War of the Wills by **Sigh** Copyright© 2019 plaintivesigh All Rights Reserved.

15-year-old Bill is unable. Unable to obey, unable to live in peace with others, and ... unable to cry.

The real question we are asking here is: How gender non-conforming to you have to be to be transgender?

The same accident that caused the loss of his leg at age six also stimulated the latent genetics that ran in his family to trigger a mutation. Although becoming one of the ‘exo-humans’ the government monitored would prove to be the least of his worries once he stumbled upon his family’s secret.

My Happy Ending
“My Happy Ending”. By Avril Lavigne

Perfectly Reasonable

I was just about to turn in when when I heard a knock on my bedroom door.

I slipped on my robe, and opened it to see my brother Arthur standing there in just a towel.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I demanded.

“I need your help, Gwen” he said.

Yes, I’m Guinevere, or just Gwen. Our parents thought that would be cute.

A Short, light Interlude