Blake Medical Recovery Center, Napa Valley, Northern California:
Cindy and Sara’s Office:
Dakota was sitting at a little table that Sara had bought for her to color and play on her tablet while she worked. Sara knew Dakota sometimes didn’t like being alone and felt better if she was nearby. She looked over towards Dakota and could tell she was happy.

Dido returned to John Proudfoot’s home after a week away. Right away, she noticed that he was frowning even more than usual.

“Last call everyone. You no have to go home, but you cannot stay!”

The bartender, Jakob Adamovich, bellowed. He was the sole worker, except for his wife and mother who worked in the back of house to deliver the best cheeseburger with a pretzel crust to ever grace the planet. I was able to try it once, three weeks prior when they had an extra one after someone mouthed off to the six-foot-three Jake who threw him out with absolutely no effort. Jake allowed me to sit at a table at the back of the bar so I could study as it was difficult to do homework by the dashboard light.

“Sometimes, when you’re surrounded by problems, all you can do is concentrate on the most immediate one, in this case, nausea. Lying in the trunk of a moving car, completely unable to move my arms and with precious little ability to move anything else, covered in something like a bag, all I could do was think of not being sick. Being sick into a gag could choke me. The journey seemed as long as the rest of my life to date, but just pure misery.

The Other Side of Me – Part 34
by Lily Rasputin

Before that moment, I considered myself a fairly articulate person for the most part. I mean, I knew I wasn’t going to ever be a debate champion, but my grasp on the English language as a whole was pretty good.

Staring into Samantha’s eyes, still tasting her flavored lip gloss transferred to my mouth from that incredibly passionate kiss, left me feeling like an idiot. The wheels were turning but there was zero traction.

“Who … what … out?”

Yep, complete failure in coherent communication.

I meandered through the aisles of one of our local shopping malls looking for inspiration for Christmas gifts a couple of weeks before the big day. But the hole in my heart from my wife’s passing two years earlier hadn’t yet mended and wasn’t going to be patched by buying towels for my daughter-in-law.

The sad expression on Linda’s face did not fit how she should feel. Right now she should feel special, like a princess. Nancy and her friends were Linda’s ladies-in-waiting in getting her ready for her big night. That scarlett princess straight sweep train tulle dresses with appliques lace sequined corset should have made her feel regal. The job Linda and her friends, Gemma and Christina, did on Linda’s hair and for her makeup should added to the sense of regality.

“Fire! Fire!” I yelled as I ran through the house. After getting my sister's unconscious body out of the house, and seeing that my parents were beyond hope, I grabbed my two most important belongings: my college paperwork, and Frosty's hat.

Lucas’s makeup skills are challenged, but something very unexpected happens when he puts those skills to work.

Max never truly believed that his dream of becoming a magical girl could become a reality - but he never even imagined that becoming the villainess of the magical girls was a possibility! 

***

Ever since the first Magical Girls appeared, to fight against the Violet Ooze threat, Max has dreamed of joining their ranks. Not that he’s particularly interested in the girl part - no way! - but the magical bit? The being a hero bit? That’s everything he’s ever wanted in life! So when a Magical Crystal offers him an out from the mundanity of college life, he agrees without a second thought! 

Unfortunately, the Magical Crystal gets attacked by Violet Ooze during the formation of their contract! Instead of a purehearted magical girl, ready to face the forces of evil, Max ends up as the Violet Queen - the new leader of those very same monsters!

Of course, the problems don’t end there! She's got magical girls aiming for her head, powers that are fueled by people lusting after her, and - worst of all - a ‘corrupted’ crystal that insists the true threat to the world is actually the (unwitting) magical girls themselves!

Cover by my lovely friend Lulla.

Dinner left Brad wondering if Sara was waving him off and her not being at the café the next morning makes things look bleak. Was it over before it ever got a chance to begin?

The Other Side of Me – Part 33
by Lily Rasputin

After my initial shock of finding myself unceremoniously falling on my butt during cheer practice, I realized that everyone, including Coach, was staring at me with bewilderment. Everybody that didn’t know I was currently leaping back and forth between universes; that is.

“Miller,” Coach said, giving me a look that was part annoyed, part concerned. “You okay?”