Follow along with our hero as he tells the story of a guy (himself) who was brought along for the ride in his girlfriend's mad quest for perfection in costuming in preparation for the masquerade at an anime convention called Otakon. There is humor, a tiny bit of romance, and an experience he will never forget! It's set slightly in the future, and is told as a series of blog entries.

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Chapter Three

A month has passed since Jessica Johnston completed training and she is out patrolling on her own route. The old man is pleased with her performance and that reflects back on me in really good ways. I am almost to my five-year mark as an officer for Finesse City Security and I am up for my annual performance review. Anything good will definitely earn me another pip and change in rank from lieutenant to sergeant.

The show must go on

Tanner and I make our way around the floor and he does manage to snap some pics here and there before we return to Ellen’s booth where we take a few more shots using the equipment so the strobes light up the area which hopefully attract even more attention. When the number of people has increased a bit I go in and change back to my own clothing then we leave to find Irina and go to lunch.

Hero?

by Wren Phoenix

Brian Sullivan was ready for Christmas. He had been lobbying Mom for a new, ten speed bike to replace his old 20-inch kids’ bike. Heck, he was almost 9 already! It was time to get a lightweight, the kind his friends had!

--Part 20, Helpless

Pansy finds that a poor weak peasant girl is in danger from predatory men, who see her as their helpless prey. (Warning--Contains a rape scene!

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March 6

There were worse things that could happen to you on Christmas Eve than to be sitting locked in a tiny closet. And when the sicko who had abducted him got back from his trip to the liquor store little Mikey Ellsworth was going to find out what those things were. Alone in the dark he prayed that he might be rescued somehow, calling out to God, to Jesus, his guardian angel, to anyone out there who might hear and help him. Knowing that only a miracle could save him now...
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TRIGGER WARNING: ALTHOUGH THIS NIGHTMARE TALE EVENTUALLY PROVES TO HAVE A POINT TO IT BEYOND SOME DUBIOUS NOTION OF ENTERTAINMENT, AND ALTHOUGH PHYSICAL RAPE IS NEVER PORTRAYED IN ANY DETAIL; THE LONG SEQUENCE IN WHICH MIKEY/MICHELLE IS LURED INTO A PERVERT’S CAR AND IS ABDUCTED, THREATENED, MOCKED AND TERRORIZED MIGHT HIT TOO CLOSE TO HOME FOR SOME READERS. IF YOU'RE CONCERNED OVER HOW YOU'D REACT TO READING ABOUT SUCH THINGS IT'S PROBABLY BEST TO SKIP THIS ONE.

Synopsis: He thought it was simply a case of helping a friend out of difficulty over Christmas, at the same time solving his own problem with a faulty central heating boiler. OK, when Bob was told what he had to do, he was both terrified and exhilarated by the prospect, but no one could have forecast how it was going to turn out.