The young adult’s section of Albert Sidney Johnston Memorial Library was my personal retreat from the outside word. Here among the old paperback novels and cheap pup fiction from the late eighties to the early nineties I felt safe for a time. Also for practical reasons, the library offered a place to cool down and relax on those long, hot summer days that Mississippi is known for.

The first few days, I kind of lost myself in just how much new and great-feeling everything was. Godmother showed me each of the different rooms of the Bonne house, and I asked her questions along the way. My new bedroom was luxurious, featuring a king size bed with an overhead satin draw-curtain, and comfortable sheets that felt like clouds against my new soft skin. “Remember, you only have to sleep if you wish to,” the Godmother reminded me, “And if you wish to use this room as a private space, simply ask and I will turn off my sensation here.” I giggled.

I was halfway through my hot chocolate when the door to the my room swung open. There in the doorway stood my older sister. Now, Kayla was a full fourteen years older than me. Growing up, I rarely saw much of her, save those rare visits around the holidays. So, around three times a year if I was luck, those three times of course being Easter, Thanksgiving and finally Christmas.

Hanging on the Telephone Line (with thanks to ELO and Jeff Lynn for the inspiration)

“Hello. How are you?
Have you been alright, through all those lonely lonely lonely lonely lonely nights
That's what I'd say. I'd tell you everything
If you'd pick up that telephone yeah yeah yeah”
I looked at the phone for the umpteenth time.

Why didn’t it ring?

What was wrong?

Has something happened to him?

The dry erase board in my room, told me the nurse for the morning shift was somebody named “Veronica”. It turns out that Veronica was a hand full of years older than me. A young nurse from school. She still had that freshly pinned shine about her. My eyes followed Veronica around the room as she checked on everything. She seemed a little ill at ease.

Amber pt 10

A Kymmie Verse story

So me and Greg are sitting in the living room with Karla, her nose in a book as always. We heard the door open. The only one that was out was Kelsey.

“ Kels is that you?” Greg asked.

“ Yeah, Dad.”

Kelsey walked into the living room with a friend. “ How many this week, Kar?” She asked Karla.

“ Seven and” She looked at the book in her hand, “3/4”

“ And it is only Wednesday”

“ Mom, Dad, This is my girlfriend Brooklynn. She's going to sleep over tonight.”

“ OK” both Greg and I said together.

Simmering to a conclusion

"Henry, I got a new assignment for you," my boss told me, slamming a small stack of papers down on my desk, "You ever hear of the 'Godmother'?" I gave him a nod to confirm. "Great, that makes things easy," he said, already turning to leave, "See you tomorrow."

Galen was sitting in his office, going over preparations to take Bug into custody. He felt like a wannabe inventor trying to become an actual inventor. It was one idea after another. He just couldn’t figure out a way militarily that would even work out successfully for them. It was getting to the point that he would be forced to enlist the help of military strategists and historians to aid in this endeavor. But Bug might simply be too powerful for Galen, the Agency, and the best the military had to offer.

A rolling boil...

CAUTION - This chapter contains flashback to a traumatic event. There is no graphic description of the event but it is referenced by a character's words while they are having a flashback and reliving it. This is the most traumatic section of this story, and as it is my first I might be being overly cautious in flagging it.

What’s the Matter With You: Part 1

By Camospam, editing by Wendy K

The third story in the ‘It Matters’ series following the adventures of Outlook, based within the Whateley Academy Universe.

December 19, 2007: Whateley Academy

Virgil Cooper cranked the steering wheel to bring his garbage truck off the main road and onto the gravel driveway leading up to Whateley Academy. The snow had delayed him since the roads were a mess, and he’d lost time helping push a stuck car out of the ditch.