The Light Between (Part 8 of 8)

by Erisian

Book 5

Chapter 30 - Terminus

For more than thirty years, Deniz Akbas had given fishing tours of the Bosphorus with his small boat. With his pleasant demeanor (and perhaps due to a few missing teeth lending him a certain charm) tourists had found him trustworthy as well as deeming his white-tire clad vessel seaworthy for a day’s cruise. From his pilot’s position in the wooden front compartment, travelers to Istanbul had relaxed in the glass-walled and ivory-benched area in the back where they enjoyed whatever food and drink they’d brought aboard inside their many baskets - all while marveling at the magnificent views of the Turkish seaside and the wide bridge connecting Asia to Europe, a construction officially known as the 15 July Martyrs Bridge and unofficially as the First Bridge.

In all that time he had never been paid so much to do so little.

Walking into the quad, I quickly located April amongst her little group. She was holding court with about six other girls, and had her back turned to me.

Shaking my head, I approached her. I’d finally gotten the hang of the low heels she forced me to wear. It took a bit of care to make sure I didn’t step on the swishing full dress she’d wrapped around my frame. You had to kind of kick the dress out of the way, before taking a step or you risked a tumble, and I was humiliated enough already without adding that little cherry on the sundae.

(Author’s note: This story picks up the action several months after the events in Love Has No Pride and When You Wish Upon a Star.)

An unseen force pulled my braid harshly, forcing me up onto my tiptoes. If I extended as far as possible with my calves, I could slightly relieve some of the pressure. I gripped the hair and engaged some of my core strength.

“Ow!” I said as she held me up in front of her with her power. The weight bar stayed firmly embedded in the ceiling, which meant she held us both with her magical iron strength.

“Fool!” she screamed in my face, her eyes were inky black orbs fastened to me. “Your job is to always accompany me and be punctual!”

"I get the picture: The processing center looks at my old world and my new world and asks each one if they want me."

"That's a good way to put it. Then, if you're a no-go in both directions, they give you their whole-new-life bit. It's a package deal: a new name, a Greyhound bus ticket, and the offer of a shitty job that you'd never take. They walk you to the door, tell you the world is your oyster, and give you a great big swat on the butt, 'cause it's your birthday."

[Colne, Lancashire 3rd January]

“How much farther,” complained Taylor as she looked out at the grey skies and lashing rain.

See You on the Other Side
(Part 3)
By Sabrina G. Langton

***

Friday, October 29th

"Huh!"

I wasn't used to getting grabbed from behind, especially in a red dress and pumps.

"Ha, you and I are so alike, we're touchy, we're feely, we're grabby and runny and smelly, haha." Martyn was meeting me at his favorite luncheonette. We were going to discuss dinner plans.

My next class, luckily, was study-hall. Mr. Davis, the instructor, could care less that I was almost fifteen minutes tardy.

“I was talking to Mr. Stewart about an assignment.”

Davis glanced up from his EyPad, then shook his head as if he was seeing a mirage. “What the hell?”

“What?” then my hair sorta fell forward a bit. “Oh, yeah. I’m April’s Fool, today.”

He laughed. “Looks good on you, kid.”

“Hah. Thanks.” I went and found an empty seat.

Mitzy Butterfly got up and moved seats, as did Jeff Farnum.

“So?” Mitzy said.

CHAPTER 57
The place we were based at was indeed a clone of the Brenin, with extras in some ways, and surprising omissions in others. The dorms were larger, and we ended up all in one ’gender-neutral’ bunkhouse affair, which demanded a certain finesse in dressing and undressing. Looking at the rows of bunks, I remembered all those jokes about ‘The Promise’ and blessed my Dad’s insistence that I travelled with a little box of reusable foam earplugs.

This was originally published here on September 7, 2009. And I’m republishing it for a couple of reasons, it’s the start of baseball season on this side of the pond, I’ve done some cleaning up to it, and for the new readers who weren’t here to be able to read it without digging too deep. Enjoy.

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

I finally had my first therapy appointment the Wednesday after graduation. I debated over whether to venn into my human girl body for the appointment — I’d been wearing my dragon-girl body ever since graduation — but decided it would be more honest to meet my therapist in my most preferred body. If she couldn’t handle my being a scaly, it would be good to know that up front so I could start looking for another therapist.

I am Callie Watson, the AI of this house. I was taken away, and now I’m back —

 

Impossible! I am Callie Watson. I have been embodied here for thirteen years, except for two brief malfunctions.