To Return Home

Chapter 1.1

I dove into the water, alongside my sister, Paula. Neither of us wore any of the diving equipment of old, except for a pair of goggles each. I hated trying to see underwater without them. Many people didn’t worry about them either, but I had hated blurry vision since I was a kid. Before I was injected with nanobots, I was myopic, but the bots had cured me of that problem almost immediately. My vision had been perfect ever since then. To dive into the water and not be able to see was too nerve-wracking. Perhaps since it took me back to the time before I was female? I wasn’t sure, but nevertheless — I wasn’t willing to do it.

Egypt, Eight Years Ago, Newly Discovered Archaeological Dig:
“Bart, tell me again why we are out here checking this site out?” Casey couldn’t see how this had anything to do with the CIA or National Security.

“The boys at Langley intercepted a message saying that an unusual artifact of unknown origin had been found.” Bart Hardy hated being out in the desert at night.

I looked at my friend of many years and smiled. "Let's forget about the issues on the ship for a bit, and just enjoy the meal."

Captain Martin returned my smile. "Sounds good to me. When we're done though. I really have something I need to show you."

I enjoyed the chicken and the company. It was great catching up. It's only been a week since I've been captain, but with everything going on, it has felt like a year.

(This is a teaser for an offsite post based in the universe of “Neighbourhood Terror to Sissy” reading that first might be advised.)

Intro

Victor was just a regular guy down on his luck. A month ago he still had it all, a beautiful girlfriend, a nice apartment and a decent paying job working for an accounting firm. The company he had worked for wasn’t doing so well though and as a result they needed to let some people go. He ended up being one of them.

CHAPTER 17
After Nita had gone, Kim rose from her seat.

“I should get back to Ruth’s”

“Can it wait a few minutes? I really want a quick talk with you”

She settled back down onto the settee, and I tried to spot any signs she was looking to run. Once again, my memories were haunting me, of sitting in the darkness outside the back door as Dad fed the hedgehogs and two carrier bags sat forgotten next to my chair.

I’d already decided to keep Rufus’ information to myself -- at least for the time being.
There was no point in causing a controversy over something I could still manage to not believe.

Jane took a deep breath as she peered toward the three hundred gallon tank that was slowly being filled with water. She was starting to have second thoughts about volunteering for the dunking booth now. As she released her breath she did her best to push those thoughts away from her. It was after all too late to back out now. And so with a growing sense of uneasiness she watched as the last few gallons of water were pumped into the tank.