Little Rachel "Rae" Evans was a happy little girl. Her mother would say that when she laughed, she could make an entire room of people break out in smiles. All that changed when she was four and the laughter stopped. From then on, she withdrew into herself and hid from the world, convinced that no one, not even God, could ever truly love, or even understand her.

Eric Dunning was only twelve and in the last six months had watched his mother Erica waste away with cancer, eight years after the death of his father Jack in the early months of fighting in Afghanistan. Torn away from everything he has ever known, a happy southern California life with his mother and his best friend April, he is sent to the complete opposite side of the country to live with an aunt and cousin he has never met. Enduring one trauma after another, circumstances alter the way he sees life, God, and himself in ways he could never have imagined.

Set against the backdrop of rural northern New Hampshire in the 2010s, Lost Faith combines elements of coming-of-age, transformation, self-discovery, and romance, interwoven with a potential answer to the question, "Why does a loving God allow good people to suffer?" It is written as a companion story to the novel, Every Day is Your Last.

CHAPTER 1
“Got your phone?”

“Yeah, of course!”

“Why’s it still sitting here plugged into the charger then?”

“Cachu! Ta!”

“And it’s raining!”

“Course it is! That’s why I’ve got my cagtrousers on”

I had worked from home all day in case I’d have to go to my children’s school urgently so when the school bus stopped on the street I could see my son running to our house, sweep up the door and dash up the stairs with his modest skirt flapping and tears ruining his makeup. Then I heard his bedroom door bang shut.

I turned to my daughter who had traversed the distance to the house in a more leisurely pace.

”The experiment was not a success?”
”You could say that.”

Shade looks at Hatter as they drove towards Washington D.C. He could tell she wasn’t happy about leaving Bree behind or leaving her.

“Are we doing the right thing about adopting Bree?” Aylin looks at Mark as he sat behind the steering wheel.

“Yes, and you knew from the beginning that there will be times we will have to leave her. Look at Dakota and Terry. They sometimes have to leave the twins when Anika has a mission for them.”

Signals
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

Introductory Note:

Over on Fictionmania I post very short pieces which are simply jottings inspired by images that I view from time to time. For me they are little exercises - mind flexing moves to keep my story writing fresh and to try to find new perspectives on what are often just tired tropes. But sometimes the idea needs to be fleshed into a full idea and that is what I usually post over here on Big Closet Top Shelf.

Then Helen explained that Christopher was coming back from the hospital and really they needed to talk as a family over what had happened. This triggered Tracy to feel uncomfortable again. Ginny's mother decided that it was time to be going and reminded Ginny not to gossip about what she had said or heard today........

A different Angel 8,

Charlie gets organised in anticipation of the pursuit he knows is coming.

Trans Wiki Bio: Pearl Grey
A Short Alternative Biography
By Maryanne Peters

Pearl Zane Grey (January 31, 1872 – October 23, 1939) was an American author and adventurer best known for her popular adventure novels and stories written for young women. Her novel “American Frontier – Women of the Purple Sage” is her best-selling book.

In addition to the commercial success of her printed works, her books have had second lives and continuing influence when adapted as films and television productions.

Early life

For 35yrs the border between the Human Empire and Gorgonzola Empire as remained mostly peaceful. The citizens for the Human Empire of this border region are loyal to the last man, woman, and child to the Empire. It was on one of these worlds that gave birth to a legend. The world of Apollo 6 is one of the harshest worlds within the Empire. One so harsh that only it could claim to be the birth world of James J. Owens, the most feared of Death Dealers. A world that is even now poised to give birth to a new legendary warrior. One who shall be baptized in the blood of the Empire’s enemies. Robert Wolff youngest great grandchild of James Owens’ sister Cecilia Owens.

Chloe eventually helps Charlie to work out a possible solution to his conundrum of making his science available without weaponising it.

Chapter 4

Ward of the State
(pilot episode)
Copyright 2021 by Heather Rose Brown

In a near-future world not too different from our own, homelessness has become a hot topic. Citizens are demanding *something* has to be done about it. This is the start of a story about what happens when drastic plans created by poorly informed but enthusiastic committees are put into action.

=-=-=

Ever since Bianca inherited the mantle of the White Lady, she has learned many valuable lessons and faced numerous challenges. Now, she has to hope that she's learned enough to conquer the challenges to come.

http://whateleyacademy.net/index.php

“Say cheese!” The photographer says as the nine of us all pull wide, happy grins- and no one's grin is wider or happier than the bride's. I smile as the tall, handsome groom approaches... and kisses the woman stood six feet to my left.

“Magister!” A woman's voice peeled out and a vision of perfection was stood in the doorway, “You had better bring that child in and sit her down instead of dragging her hither and yon” That woman could only be Circe and Richard wondered what the hades was happening and why was he now a little girl from his dreams.......

Reaffirmation 5