Dela felt Alexander fall to his knees in the real world. She couldn't blame him, sobs wracked her imaginary body, they shouldn't be here, they couldn't be here.

In the car ride over, Max asked, "So when are you moving in?"

I turned to look at him. "Moving in? Just like that? You want me to move in?"

Rae blocks an attack from the creature that the Sorcerer Null summoned to attack her. She blocks the claw attack with her magically enchanted swords as she defends against the creature. She twirls her sword in her right hand and slices the creature across his chest. Lightning flashes overhead as her sword bites into the thick rubbery skin of the creature.

“Didn’t like that, did you?” Rae swings her other sword towards the creature and chops his arm off.

Louis struggled with being out of Hospital. Hospital had order and purpose which was his life or rather had been his life. He’d compartmentalised his work and social life for years and the order in the Hospital had been perfect for him. Once discharged, it took him a while but he managed to impose some sort of routine with his host Dawn. Dawn was by nature an impulsive person and as such, the antithesis of Louis.

**

South Mountain, Phoenix
Monday, October 31st
Early Afternoon

Chapter 5

Back home I got my bag out of her car, gave her an air-kiss, and walked to my house. It was a lovely evening and I was feeling great. I let myself in and was greeted by my mother and Suzette who wanted to know how my weekend had gone.

I told them that I had been careful but had fun and that the concert was great. I didn’t think they needed to know any details. Back in my room I separated out the items for the laundry and put away the ones I had not used.

It was around 4:30 in the afternoon. Ryan sat down with his mom in the stands; his dad was on his way. Jeff could never miss his son’s football game. Beside them were Oliver and Nancy’s parents, the Collins. Since Oliver’s parents died, his Uncle Erwin, Nancy’s dad, had adopted him. He was taking good care of him and always ensured Oliver felt at home.

Nancy’s mom was also happy to have Oliver, as he was a good and sweet boy, and she loved him. Nancy always wanted a little sibling, a brother or a sister. That didn’t matter. Her parent’s financial situation didn’t allow them to have another child until a year ago when they moved into the neighborhood. Her dad got a job as a manager for a new branch in his corporation after his previous boss recommended him for the job.

Carla’s Place, 0500 hrs:
Carla didn’t know why she didn’t think of this sooner. She takes a sip from her second cup of coffee. While she was asleep an idea popped into her head. Her subconscious wouldn’t allow her to sleep, so she got up and sent a text message to the one person who she should have used from the beginning.

She then sent a text message to Ripper as well. She was waiting to hear from the first person she should have called in right away. As for her friend Rita, she was still in critical condition.

I think unless something happens soon to change his life significantly, something that gives him a place in life, a rôle, a purpose and some light at the end of the tunnel he’ll end up committing suicide before long. Such a mind set is dangerous in people who have kids they care about because their minds become so disturbed they often take the kids with them rather than risk them ending up in even worse circumstances. Keep that to yourself. None else who can’t reason it out for himself needs to know. His lack of self confidence and the fear he’ll lose the children is crippling him to the point of being barely able to function. Christ his whole life has been one unending pile of shite, whatever happens has got to be an improvement. A decent single bloke with no life experience worth a damn and even less self confidence who has clearly been reviled and abused all his life by women as well as men was given the custody of his sister and brother in law’s three orphaned kids because his parents are too old and his sisters already have a family and cant afford to take the kids in, and with no bloody support at all he was expected to cope playing mother and father both to the kids. He’s doing his damnedest, but what the f*** were the powers that be thinking of?”

The Courtship of Cerridwen Circe Whitethorn
Chapter 9: Mother's Advice

I don't think there is anything more precious to a daughter than spending time with her mother. Since becoming Cerridwen my mom has made a point to spend more time with me, guiding me if you will down the fable path of womanhood. At first I tried to hide the fact that I was seeing a boy from my mom. But people talk in this small town and my mother has an ear for gossip. Plus, she was a hairdresser by trade, and people love to gossip while getting their haircut, colored, styled, and washed.

The Late Unpleasantness

Six / Shark Tank

A Story from THE ONE

Ariel Montine Strickland

How will the Danielle survive in the Shark Tank for practicing her religion?