All was quiet in the house. The Sun had risen well over an hour earlier. The hum of London grew as the city started a new day.

There were two occupants of the house. For one of them this was a day to celebrate. For the other, the prospect of walkies, rabbits to chase and food was normal.

In a bedroom at the front of the three-storey terraced house, Vivienne Carter was wide awake. Today was her sixtieth birthday, plus it was the first day of what she’d been calling her ‘afterlife’. She’d just retired from her job as very senior official at the HMRC in the ‘Collections Department’. The previous day which had been a rather sad occasion. Vivienne, could have carried on working for at least six more years until she qualified for a state pension but she’d had enough of work, commuting and putting up with the incompetence of other people for far too long so she'd decided several months before to call it a day when she turned sixty years of age.

Author's note: For those that did not see my blog entry, I'll summarize. I've recently battled with suicidal depression, and needed to focus on the real world instead of escaping into fantasy. I'm doing a lot better now and plan to continue writing. Although I can't promise any regularity, I am hoping that I can put out at least two chapters a month. Please don't hate me if I don't live up to that though. Enough rambling and making everyone reading this feel bad and onto the story.

Summer with Em - Chapter 48

By Julie D Cole

 

Part 15 of 29

Thursday, August 15, 2013
Had another session with Audrey today. No tears and heavy stuff this time, but more "What do I do from here?" Somehow when I talk to Audrey I have to get things straight in my mind so I can tell her about them. She knows the right question to ask when I run dry and she's helping me.

Sarah and Lee live a life of quiet desperation until Sarah decides to take over. Her first step is demanding that Lee buy her a lipstick.

Larry was online for a while before Andy and spent that time hanging out and chatting with others. Viktor appeared and the two of them gathered some other people to participate in challenging quests. When Andy finally logged on, everyone was biting at the bit to get going.

As he entered the house Tuesday afternoon, there was a large package inside the front door. His mother called out, “Andy, a package arrived for you. Come in the kitchen and tell me why you are getting large packages I had nothing to do with ordering.”

From the archives of the Albany Estate, this letter was discovered in a copy of Dicken's Little Dorrit. The authenticity of the letter is not disputed. All artwork provided by the Tate Gallery, London, England; from the collection of the artist, Marie ter Hune, 1826 to 1897

 

Part 14 of 29

Saturday, August 10, 2013
The three weeks are up! Well, close enough. This morning I took my starter earrings out of my ears (that turned out to need a pair of pliers, the things seemed to be welded together) and wore a new pair. I had gotten a special pair for the occasion, with a rainbow of small stones dangling from fine silver chains. Outrageous Earrings, Mary Ann calls them. I suppose they are, but I really like them. It's fantastic to feel the little jewels on my neck and I just love seeing them in the mirror. On me!

Part Twelve

"Local police are saying that the word on the street is that whoever financed the theft of the swords is having a meltdown, because they didn't get them."

"Are you telling me," said Vic, slowly, after her boss delivered this bit of news at the next Monday morning briefing, "that the people who stole the swords are keeping them instead of turning them over to their client? If so, are they trying to get more money? Maybe from the original client or someone else?"

Positively Patsy Part 11

Talk about coincidence! That will be something to speak to Ruby about. When I hung up I said “Joanne, how about we go and visit the nursing home then go and see Peter about getting a car?” We freshened up and took the sports car to the nursing home.

Camping
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

I am not sure how I came to find out about Suzy. I remember that Sam and I were talking about transgenders or something, and he just said: “I am one of those”.

Just like that. I had no idea. He was my best pal. We did everything together. It was “The Jack and Sam Show”. We had a circle, but we were our own team within the other team.

Carla’s and Angela’s townhouse, New York:
Angela smiles as she watches Carla hangs from the ceiling. The ponytail hung down between Carla’s legs and the fishing weights she attached to Carla’s nipples were stretching Carla’s breasts. The ball gag in Carla’s mouth was secured behind her head.

“You shouldn’t have agreed to let me do to you, anything I wanted sweetie.” Angela places a kiss on the side of Carla’s cheek.