The cross shaped church was packed as it was every year for the Christmas Eve Family Service. The altar, pulpit, and lectern filled the top arm. The gaily and brightly decorated fifteen foot tall Christmas Tree had temporarily replaced the Baptismal Font on the right arm of the sanctuary. A three foot high nativity sat atop the closed lid of the grand piano in the left arm of the sanctuary. White lights twinkled in the green garland wrapping the railing separating the congregation from the choir and organ in the area between the arms of the cross. The main congregational seating was in twin rows of twenty pews each sitting 12 people. A flickering single candle sat atop each seven foot tall candelabra which were clamped to the inner and outer sides of every other pew.

The pastor was in the middle of his sermon pausing for a dramatic moment of silence when the door from the right vestibule opened with a squee from a worn hinge. A bedraggled emaciated figure staggered in looking around the sanctuary blinking with amazement in the dazzling light. Alerted by the noisy hinge everyone turned to see who entered. In that moment the sermon was kaput.

“Ex...excuse me,” the small person asked in a small quavering voice. “I... I’m looking for Harry and Livie Clark...”

Nearly everyone turned to look at Harry and Livie. The couple were a mainstay of the congregation. They were the somebody’s of the church... as in ‘Why doesn’t somebody do this?’ or ‘Why doesn’t somebody take care of that?’ The couple stood and looked at the scrawny child.

“We’re Harry and Livie,” Harry stated. “Who’s asking?”

A Whateley Academy Adventure

The Riddle of Sappho

by EE Nalley & ElrodW

Canto VI

Come to me once more, and abate my torment;
Take the bitter care from my mind, and give me
All I long for; Lady, in all my battles
Fight as my comrade.

Hymn to Aphrodite, Sappho

Wednesday, May 9^th, 2007 - Evening
Tunnels, Whateley Academy

An aging overweight man who plays too much online gaming receives a gift from Freya, the
goddess of love, lust, beauty, sorcery, fertility, gold, war and death.

Freya's Gift

Chapter 25: Meeting the Challengers

Wednesday 26 August 2015

This is your usual disclaimer. It's fiction people! It was inspired by a number of popular shows and movies, but I do believe that my take on them is all mine. That also mean that despite Cathy's best efforts all the mistake are mine. Please enjoy and take it in the spirit that it is meant. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all and the rest of that Jazz!

© 2015 D.L.

The rain water slowly dripped down from the rafter onto the black bin liner covering the child curled up underneath. The thin plastic sheet proviing a waterproof shield, keeping the occupant of the abanonded barn dry. Macie was tucked as tight into the corner as she could manage.

It would have been drier against the other wall, where the roof wasn't leaking as much. However, that would have positioned the youngster in the direct path of the cold night wind coming in through the exposed hole in the wall where a access door would have once been hung. It had been a challenge to climb up eight feet into the opening. However, the wall was not vertical. The wall tapered towards the top. The soft cement holding the cobble and flint together was not enough to resist the subsidence that exagerated the lean. The rough surface providing just enough protrusions for climbing.

My phone was ringing. From the caller ID I could see that it was my dear Mother. It was just after seven in the morning on Christmas Eve and the last thing I wanted to do at that particular moment was speak to her. I was doing very well in my life without her trying to set me up with every available and not so available women she could find in her extensive social circles. There was a reason that I’d always fobbed them off and she’d find out why soon enough.