Me, My Brother, and the Last Night of Summer
Copyright 2024 by Heather Rose Brown

This is a short story about a preteen nonbinary kid trying to deal with gender issues, and what happens when a sibling with similar but different issues reaches out to them.

Chapter 1

"Hey, Gorgon, did you twist last night?" Called the familiar and unwanted voice of Tommy Radner. "Look, somehow you got uglier." Suddenly a hideously mangled image of my face appeared floating in front of me where everyone in the hallway could see it.

"Tom, I think you may have improved his looks." John Lee joked. Tommy and John were both on the football team and could do no wrong according the school administration. No wrong apparently included accosting innocent students such as myself.

Masks XXVIII: Old School

by

Rodford Edmiston

Part One

Vic's new helmet was slightly bulkier than the previous one, but it was also actually lighter. Drake had called Vic to his office for the presentation. While her boss read aloud the note which came in the box, Vic examined her new headgear.

"Ugh," she said, peering it from various angles. "Looks like something a Star Wars Stormtrooper would wear."

In spite of this opinion she put it on. At least it fit well.

Part Two

Less than five minutes later, Chris found himself alone in the bathroom with the gift box.

He had tried several more times to argue that this was absurd, but all of his words fell on deaf ears. Aunt Mary was using him as a scapegoat to make her daughter feel better, Chloe was jumping at the chance to embarrass her younger brother, and Amy clearly arranged this whole thing to begin with. It was three to one, and all of them supported each other with ‘logic’ about why Chris should do it.

Mantra and Gabriel have come to a version of Los Angeles that exists in parallel time, but this is the worst version of the city that Mantra has ever visited. As bad as it is, something important that is about to happen, and before it does, Mantra has to get her ducks in a row. That is not going to be easy with danger on every side, and with people who used to be her friends acting like enemies.

Anne Marie has bullied Cameron for a long time. Suddenly she finds something about him she likes.

Chapter 33

Chugiak, Alaska

2:00 AM

It had been an eventful day for the Johnsons. That morning, or yesterday morning to be precise, they had no thought of a new child in their care. Now, in the guest room, a thirteen-year-old girl was in bed and would be for quite a while to come.

The ongoing saga of Oak Island ended and Bob stood up and stretched. It was a repeated episode from the tenth season, and he once again wondered if Mage, Chet, Marcia, and Darryl could solve the mysteries if they were to tackle it.

Diva in Disguise Chapter 13

Time Jump Being Mom in the Past

My head had barely touched the pillow when my phone rang. First time in almost a year… Massimo? Is there some problem with my registration?! That is, Lexie’s?

“Yes?”

“… Sorry, I might have mistaken the number. I seek Damiano Rossi.”

Shit!

Macy stood hovering over her clothes-covered bed presiding over organised chaos like a monarch over her unruly subjects, she was putting forth as much consideration as she could to her potential outfit choices. It was the day after the BBQ and she was considering a blue glittery top her mother had bought her a couple of weeks ago. Even then she had been unable to figure out what it went with now looking at it again she was still at a complete loss. Sighing she set it down on the bed again and pulled out yet more skirts and pants in a vein hope it might work with one of them.

The call ended with Roberta still shocked by the news that Antoine de Scuderi was out of jail and given the evidence, he was now in the UK and even worse, on the hunt for her. The single fingerprint was a clear sign that he was coming for her.

My Father’s Debts
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

Gambling is an awful addiction, just as bad as heroin. It takes over the mind and you steal from your work, from your family, from anybody to provide money to feed your habit.

My father was an addict and he would play anything. Poker, blackjack, roulette, even slots or the simple draw of a card, roll of a dice, or toss of a coin. It was like wait for the ball to drop or the card to turn was a rush. I have seen it - the wide eyes and the moist brow.

The Girl with the Red Beard