I accidentally wrote this continuation of “It Started With an Opera,” through no fault of my own. Read that first, for context.

As a traveling bard, Narook had explored many lands and has seen countless wonderous things.
Little does he know that arriving at the Dragon's Hoard tavern would change all that.
While forced to settle down, his greatest journey is just about to begin.

“Yes!” I said, and babbled on before I could lose the momentary burst of confidence, “I’m interested in —”

Chapter 35

Despite my misgivings, my time spent at the photography studio that afternoon was enjoyable. In the two hours or so that I spent there before Mum and Aunt Heather returned, I got a really good insight into what goes into creating good photographs.

Diane asked that I assist her in the staging of the photos, especially when she was busy taking shots of Barney. I was nominated to distract him, so he looked in the direction of the lens, which was achieved by me holding up and squeaking a dog toy behind Diane’s shoulder.

Playing Marbles for the Big Blue

08 Alban Invasion, Almost

By Jo Dora Webster

How will Rasctan make a name for himself on Alban Kai?

A sexy music video helps a boy reveal his true feelings about breasts.

___________________

I was sitting in my room doing the last of my homework when Mother disturbed my concentration. I suspected she wanted me to spend the rest of the evening with her. I had been looking forward to finishing the romance novel that I had borrowed from the young adult section of the local library. Reluctantly I wandered out to the head of the stairs where I could understand what she was saying, and sure enough I was right.

Eighteen-year-old Nicholas Hammerstein is at the cusp of finishing high school in his hometown of Los Alamos, NM. He has a seemingly ideal life and is blessed with loving parents, a cute baby sister, and great friends. Nicholas is a gifted student and martial artist who has dreams of leaving for college at the end of his senior year. But, living in a world of Emergent humans, he will soon find his life turned upside down as his life and the fate of a kingdom hang in the balance. His future and theirs will be determined by how he navigates the drastic changes in his body and the magical and superpowered Mergent population he joins.

Forged in Battle
A Vignette
By Maryanne Peters

“Sometimes I can’t believe that I put up with this bullshit,” said Bo, feeling as mad as all hell. “So, you saved my life. But that does not mean that you take advantage. Even a lifesaver can be a stubborn dickhead sometimes, deserving of a good tongue lashing.” Bo’s tongue shot out.

I awoke to the smell of eggs and bacon, my dad's favorite way to start the day. I'd intended to stay up and wait for him to come home but I was too exhausted after the day I'd had.

I dreaded going downstairs to meet him. I didn't know how he'd react. We hadn't spent much time together since I came back home insisting I was now his daughter.

I knew I'd always been a bit of a disappointment. I never really enjoyed the same things he did. He'd tried to get me interested in football, he'd wanted to teach me how to properly handle and shoot a gun.

CHAPTER 53
I spent a long while taking all of that apart, for while I had no doubts at all, Elen’s revelations had rippled that millpond of certainty.

In some ways, I suppose, our time living as a couple had raised a few issues. For starters, we didn’t always agree, whether it be on meal plans or which film we might choose for an evening out. My dreams as a girl had been pretty conventional, where a person of unspecified gender would arrive, white horses, happily ever after, et cetera, that gender clarifying in my mind as I moved from fairy stories to puberty.

Chapter Four

On the Monday we worked together song writing. As we worked it became even more of a collaboration. We thought as one, me now being able to write the music score. We went back to the ones we had written already for guitar and piano and wrote out the scores for the rest of the band. I could hear the tunes in my mind, played by the five of us.

Negative emotions, I was trying to hide you all my life.
Pretending you don't exist which caused pain that could sting like a rusty, big knife.
Pain deep inside that I denied to let myself feel
What was the appeal? Which way did I feel?
Seeming happy on the outside that's what seemed important

But it was just an illusion, it was just for show
So people wouldn't know
How I really feel inside
But that is something I cannot hide
No matter how hard I tried
It hit me in the face
Where was the right place?