Hazel's fingers danced across holographic interfaces, cycling through various local online channels. Her search pattern was methodical, filtering through social media, local news feeds, and obscure internet forums. The displays - what she would have once called cyberpunk back when such technology seemed extraordinary, but now were simply her standard work environment - shifted with each query, breaking apart and reassembling data streams in complex geometric patterns.

©2025 SammyC

Chapter 10

On Sunday morning, the Rose family were at the church as the bells started their peal. Today, because it wasn’t a special occasion, the Reverend Russell was wearing a grey suit and his clerical collar. He welcomed them when they arrived.

“Good morning, good people. A little bird told me that my organist was tickling the ivories in a den of iniquity last night. One of my wardens rang me from the club to let me hear some of the festivities. It sounded like a good time. Are you ready for today, Willow?”

The Banberries

A musical journey

by SUZIE DALKIN

Sam Simpson was a bit of a nonentity. Nowhere near top of the class or the bottom. Not the life and soul of the party – not that he ever got invited. Not a sportsman and not tall, short, fat or ginger, he was just inconspicuous, and terribly shy. And, while his classmates at his all-boys school were growing up and out, he seemed to be lagging behind. Inconspicuously.

"You look fabulous," Teresa said, parting Taylor's hair down the middle and combing it down the sides. Teresa must have seen skeptical disbelief in Taylor's face, because she continued, "Absolutely. Hold still just a moment, while I touch up your eye-liner. There. You'll be the darling of the Ball."

A group of people wake up in video game world and are forced to work together to survive and find out how to escape.

Trapped in a trap within a trap.

Dawn and Diana Move to Denver – Part 1

By Kathi Jo Daniels

Background:
This is the third episode of the saga, "Dan Becomes Dawn." In the first episode, Dan visits former neighbors in Denver, introducing them to Dawn, a cross-dresser. The next afternoon, Dawn met and bonded with Diana. In the second episode, "Dawn Visits Kansas," Dawn spends two weeks in Kansas. Diana asks Dawn to be a part of her life in the future.

Chapter One: Moving
Monday, October 11, 2004

Heart Won and Lost
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

I was born in 1922 on a farm in Kansas. I wish I could tell stories of the time when our farm was green, productive and profitable but those were just things I heard. The first big drought came in 1930, and after that the dust storms destroyed all that we had. The end finally came in April 1935, on the day they called “Black Sunday” when the dark dust from the west blocked out the sun.

As soon as I saw Bill walk towards school in a dress I knew that I had been handed a golden opportunity. No, I had no interest in Bill himself but his actions opened up so many possibilities.

This story arose from a dream, it has no ending

The sound of shattering glass echoed through the alley, freezing the boy in his tracks. His heart hammered against his ribs as he pressed himself against the cold brick wall, barely daring to breathe. He shouldn’t have followed the man in the black coat. He should have stayed home, right where his mother had told him to. But curiosity had always been his weakness. And now, he’d seen something he couldn’t unsee.

There was a scream from one of the girls as two doors slammed shut and the car roared to life. Hank reversed out of the garage at full speed that I thought the car would jump the curb and drive into the park. The car lurched forward and then drove up Driftwood Ave to one of three exits out of the neighborhood.

CHAPTER 74
There was nothing either of us could do for him, of course, being so far away, apart from simply doing our best to be there, wherever and whatever ‘there’ might be, if he needed us. Maz, as ever, spent so much of her energy worrying about others that she had let herself fade, just a bit, and I was slowly beginning to realise what a gamble she had taken in almost literally throwing herself at me.

After flubbing a powerful incantation, meant to give newly coronated Demon Queens the wisdom of their ancestors, Devilla Satanne awakens to memories of her past life as Jacob Divington, a human from Earth. Having gained a new perspective on life, she quickly comes to a rather horrifying conclusion: she's been a complete and utter brat! No wonder everyone hates her!

And then there's the fact that she's apparently been reincarnated as the villainess of Tower Conquest, a lesbian porn game with a surprisingly intricate plot. One in which the Heroine conquers Dimona Tower, turning Devilla's people against her in the process. In victory, the Heroine brings about a glorious age of peace between demons and humans for the first time in millennia. ...Which actually sounds pretty good for her people, come to think of it. Devilla knows her terrible behavior is beyond forgiveness, but maybe she can still make up for her past mistakes? She just needs to make sure the events of the game unfold correctly. Though there is one little detail she'd like to change - the part where Devilla herself is killed or enslaved!

The series cover was commissioned from https://twitter.com/HaizeUqei

I was in trouble big time. A first year college student that got arrested when trying to break in to a girlfriend’s house over the holidays. I was promptly bailed out, but my parents who lived in Las Vegas were flying in for the arraignment.

I spoke to Mom over the phone offering no reason for my arrest after repeated attempts for her to understand what in the hell was I thinking. Since I was not forthcoming with any information she hung up on me, although I did find out she had an attorney post my bail.