In a nation plunged into the abyss of chaos and darkness, where the boundaries between the tangible and the otherworldly had evaporated, the President's authoritarian grip tightened, and his loyal advisors were bound to him in a sinister alliance, driven by anger, fear, and desperation.

A group of friends streams their gaming on Wednesday nights. But not all the action is on the dining room table.

As soon as I woke up I knew that this would be another scorching hot June day. It also meant that the boys’ decision to stage a skirt-protest against the dress code not allowing shorts would be implemented that day. I smiled. I had the most dashing skirt I was planning to wear. I decided to really girly up. Instead of having my long blonde hair in a low ponytail I decided to let it flow down to my shoulders over my ears. I picked my favourite white blouse and some thin tights. The tights somewhat negated the purpose of the protest but I couldn’t resist.

CHAPTER FOUR

Day 53 continued

Ash and Drew had heard my calls as I’d run through the house and they’d followed me through the garden and across the field, calling back, but without reply. They’d seen what had happened, found me where I’d fallen and somehow managed to get me back to the house.

I’m a trainee witch from a rural town where even the slightest deviance is frowned upon. There, witches are expected to follow a strict way of acting, and even being. And it is expected that a witch is to act as basically a medicinal servant for the village. She is to gather weeds and prepare potions to help deal with stomach aches and other ailments. Witches are to never wed. to never fall in love. To never have sex.

It’s patriarchal bullshit! Moreover, as I’m transgender, I don’t fit into their narrow view of what makes a witch! You have to be born female, and born to a wealthy non-witch family. I’m poor, and haven’t had the, quote, appropriate education. Only upper class villagers get an education in my hometown. Poor folk are expected to do hard labor such as farm work or hunting.

For that reason, I’ve decided to leave my hometown and travel to the capital city, where everything is better! The people are nicer, and nobody cares if you’re trans or poor or whatever! I arrive on foot after a month of travel. Most people fly on their brooms, but I’m not experienced enough for that. I can barely fly. Others take the train, but I’m too poor for that. The travel is rough, and I have to forage and hunt for food as I’m simply incapable of brining one month worth of food along with me. But, with blistered feet, I finally arrive at the capital!

“What's wrong with Petra?” Ella asked, as her group arrived back at the beach house.

Chapter 5

Monday morning brought them back to earth. The had breakfast, tidied up and both left the house. They kissed, and then Maria went west, towards the Aston station, while Andy went towards Coventry and the Police College. When he arrived, he walked to the swimming pool, a place he remembered with happiness.

When he walked into the pool area, he saw the dive leader, now known to be DCI Alex Anderson, who was checking over a wetsuit.

CHAPTER 14
I managed to steady the bike enough to get it onto its sidestand, pain ripping into my chest as I did so. Something felt broken there, and I found my vision greying out as I struggled to get off. There was a lorry stopped just to my left, another pulled slightly away to my right, angled into traffic. I found myself falling, another agonising stab from my chest as I sat down hard on the tarmac. I really didn’t want to look behind me, but it had to be done. I had to know.

Diva Dismayed: Chapter 15 – Not a date
Despairingly I looked along the closet rail and couldn’t find anything which was new or newish and which hit the spot. I’d just resigned myself to defeat when finally a skirt caught my eye. It was straight and in a bright floral brocade and one I hadn’t worn before. The label told me that Mom must have found it in a sale. I stepped into it, pulled it up around my middle and fastened the zipper. I stood before the glass critically but thankfully it looked just right.