It was supposed to be a dull day for Robert.
Attending a convention for accountants always is.
But the surprise guest speaker turns out to be a fashion witch and she has other plans.
For Robert and other attendees that means being involved in a rather devious get-rich-quick scheme.
Hard days lay ahead of Robert. But it might turn out okay.
He just needs a hug or two.

Photoshoot
A Vignette
By Maryanne Peters

I was accompanying my girlfriend on a photoshoot. To be honest, as a guy I was pleased to tell my pals that I was dating a model, but the truth is that she was not getting much work. She mentioned that her father had a hand is teeing up the session to promote a line of clothing that was just her style, so I have to say I wondered if Daddy might have sweetened the deal a little, given that he has bundles of cash.

“Cerridwen Circe Whitethorn!” I heard my mothers voice echo down the hallway. It seemed she was on the very verge of flipping her lid. I groaned as I looked down and then looked down at the toilet. Pieces of half chewed up chicken, sausage from this morning and bits of egg and corn floated in a light brown broth. Drinking the potion had forced me to empty my stomach. 

Tulsa, Oklahoma
1992

John looked down at the sleeping woman, teeth clenched, his shoulders tight. He didn't say or do anything for a long time, just watched her sleep, longing to reach out and hold her, hating what he was about to do, struggling to hold it off for just a little longer.

He couldn't wait anymore, he had to do it now or he never would.

Cemetery Shenanigans
Part Four: Epilogue

I can't recall what happened next. But I remember following the woman's instructions to the letter. As soon as I reached the school I headed to the office and gave them the note the strange woman had given me. I had expected them to ask a few questions. Instead the office secretary nodded her head and made a copy and handed me the original. I then went to my first period class. That happened  to be Earth Science. 

Cameron could not wait to see Gerald again. Since Cameron had been away at college for almost a year, the two of them had not been able to see one another. But now that it was June and Cameron was home, he could go and see Gerald again.

Cameron reached Gerald's house, knocked on the front door, and was greeted almost at once by his old friend. "Hey Cameron!" Gerald said, giving him a fist bump.

"Wassup?" said Cameron.

"Come on in," said Gerald. "I've got some kettlecorn ready for us."

"What-you made kettlecorn?"

“I don’t like it here,” Calliope muttered. Sheena gave her a cursory glance and then continued her walk through the streets, brushing past several lanky looking men, all dressed in tattered coats and button-downs, their faces caked with dust and grime.

“On this street?” Sheena decided, for once, to indulge the girl’s nonsensical rantings and immediately felt a tinge of regret as she awaited what would probably follow as a barrage of complaints about their present situation.

“This…this place. I want to go home, these people are….”

The Lleial part of the camp was set apart from the rest and farthest from the keep. Unlike the other camp, which was a mix of tents, lean-tos and shacks, there were only leather tents here. Most of them were old, ragged and heavily patched, runes, symbols and pictures in faded paint gave a hint of what they had looked like in better times.