Josh Ryan was not normal. He talked different, walked different, laughed different... and everyone knew it. He had two very close friends who always wanted to help him; in fact, throughout his young life, he always had people around who wanted to help him... usually to fend off his parents who seemed like they would do anything for him. Their desire to help however, often made his own life take a back seat to their ideas of why he was so different and who he should become as a result... "for his own good." Determined to raise Josh 'their way' and according to their own ideas of who he is, it would take extreme circumstances and more pain than Josh ever thought a person could endure for anyone to even begin to see the damage his parents were doing to his childhood, his future, and in the end, his very life... all "with the best of intentions."

Jack Dunning was just a poor kid from Pittsburgh, no better or worse than any other. When he met Richard, it seemed to be a one-sided friendship; Jack needing Richard much more than the other way around. As the years passed however, it became clear to them both just how important their friendship was, eventually culminating in both learning the hardest lesson in life; that every day is a gift and you should treat each one as though it were your last.

Finally Getting Home
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

Part 1: The Platform

Andrea and Dani returned to their room.

“What are we going to do Andrea?”

“Don’t call me that, you dick”

“You heard what she said, we have to act like girls or we get punished. She could even be listening to us now. ”

What they suspected was true, matron was making sure they feared being overheard, and fear of punishment was being well and truly implanted.

“You’re alright, Dani sounds like a boys name!”

A Father’s Debts
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

(And another of those stories extended from the short attached as a pdf.)

Do not think for a minute that my father traded me to meet his debts. Some may put it that way. Some may paint him as one of those gambling addicts would sell a family member to pay for his problem. But people cannot be bought and sold. I had to agree.

UQ - (United Queendom) agents arrive in Australia in their first steps to recover what they consider to be their property.

Chapter 4

Wednesday morning both his brother and father ignored him so he and his mother made the running until they both left the house. At school the three boys walked in with a new purpose again. The classes went as expected and at the lunch break Timothy got to where the seating was and saw Geoff sitting alone again and looking very sad.

"She can look at herself in a mirror for hours. Can't you, Samantha?"

Then Helen explained that Christopher was coming back from the hospital and really they needed to talk as a family over what had happened. This triggered Tracy to feel uncomfortable again. Ginny's mother decided that it was time to be going and reminded Ginny not to gossip about what she had said or heard today........

A different Angel 8,

Charlie gets organised in anticipation of the pursuit he knows is coming.

Trans Wiki Bio: Pearl Grey
A Short Alternative Biography
By Maryanne Peters

Pearl Zane Grey (January 31, 1872 – October 23, 1939) was an American author and adventurer best known for her popular adventure novels and stories written for young women. Her novel “American Frontier – Women of the Purple Sage” is her best-selling book.

In addition to the commercial success of her printed works, her books have had second lives and continuing influence when adapted as films and television productions.

Early life