Erica manages to stand her ground in the witness box and opens a window into the dark underworld of paedophile prostitution.

Sorry about the double up. It's been one of those days!

Uplifting Thirteen

Shelly looked through more of the diary while we were waiting for DCI Jones. She had a very thoughtful look on her face by the time he came in. He was a really well-built and fit guy and she told us that he was the chief of the CID at the station as she introduced us.

He asked what was going on and she gave him the diary, open at the marked page, and asked him to take a read.

I could see his eyes widen as he read.

Family Counselling
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

Scene 1 The Consulting Rooms of Dr. M T Shieff

“I am sympathetic to your position, but I also have ethical considerations.” As he spoke Doctor Martin Shieff was thinking about a solution that could accommodate this young man. He liked him. His daily fodder was the anxious and the depressed but here he faced somebody who seemed to be in control, albeit directing his considerable intellect towards antisocial behavior.

Erica finally takes to the witness Stand

Constant in All Other Things 2, Chapter Four
by
Fakeminsk ([email protected])

“Friendship is constant in all other things
Save in the office and affairs of love:
Therefore all hearts in love use their own tongues;
Let every eye negotiate for itself
And trust no agent.”
Much Ado About Nothing

“Do you remember your first real kiss? No, not that timid peck of the cheek but the first real one that lasted and lasted and lasted what seemed ages?

Yes, that one. You know the one that left both of you breathless?”

I stopped typing and smiled at what I’d just written. Then I looked out of the window and the person that I’d shared that real first kiss was there right before my eyes. Ok, she was on her knees planting some Begonias and whatnot but there she was. I felt so lucky to have her in my life after all these years.

Part 3 I’m a Believer

During that autumn and into winter I worked in the garden on the good days and at being Georgina on wet ones. She had planned to spend Christmas with her boyfriend so had talked me into playing her at the house for two weeks.

She took a photo of herself on her phone, followed by one of me, and sent them off to someone she had contacted.

Two days later the answer was positive so she made arrangements. In the middle of November I found myself in a small private clinic having a little cosmetic surgery on my facial features.

Living Next Door to Alex - Chapter 8
By Julie D Cole

This chapter submitted after the competition closing date but the story continues as requested.

I didn’t have chance to move before Rachel pushed past Gemma and I.

‘No way it’s me first not some opportunist looking to cash in. He never mentioned anything about a girlfriend to me.’

Ben and I enjoyed the rest of the meal in silence, it was the good kind of silence. Oh the Pecan cobbler was simply amazing, totally off my diet but so worth it. Once we finished eating, Ben paid the check and he was escorted back to his car. It was around ten o' clock at night, and nearing my curfew. Not that Lily would have minded if I stayed out at all hours of the night. She is kind of cool like that, and with mom and dad away and Lily manning the fort I'm sure I could have managed to stay out a little past ten.

Chapters 7-9 of 9

Uplifting Twelve

I quietly spoke to my make-up artist, “There’s two girls here as our PA’s,. they’re experienced models, signed on with our agency, and you’ve worked with them before, I think.” and gave her a wink.

She left me and went out to see Mario, coming back to return the wink before saying “I’m going to love working with you, honey. Those other girls have been a right pain in the butt for weeks.”

When we left the cubicles to go on set we both looked like a million dollars.