Hailey knocked on the store's door, “Anyone awake in there?” she teased. “7-11 is supposed to always be open you know.”

“Sorry, we don’t serve crabs,” Vanessa said from the other side of the locked door. Ella gave a small twitch of her arm, causing her gauntlet to spark. To her surprise, the crab spread one pincer and gave a little spark right back at her. Then started to wander back to the beach with its friend.

My dreams are always surreal, but very rarely involve sex of any kind. So, when the image that inspired this story cropped up for a few seconds one night, it stood out in later recollection. I decided that it just might be worth fleshing out... so to speak.

Could you trust anyone? The country was about to to be attacked by its mightiest foe, and betrayed by its allies. On a more personal scale I was about to experience the year of calamity. Business relations are your friends because they are in it for the money, so you are aware they might betray if they see that as judicious. But you expect more from more personal friends and family. The very nadir of experience is when even your body betrays you. The year was 1672.

Tommie's trials continue as things seem to go from bad to worse.

Against the odds, Ryan manages to land the part, but should he heed the warnings about being typecast? Could he end up middle aged and still working in children’s programming? Also, after his run in with Ashley, he comes to the realization that she was at least partly right, but only partly. With this new awareness, he decides to pursue Jessica. However, even while attempting to change his life, old temptations still exist.

The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane - Part 1
By Barbara Lynn Terry

(Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Any similarities between this story and any real persons, living or dead, places, or things, is purely coincidental.)

Chapter 1 - Buying a new home.