The Faithful, North African and Middle Eastern Islamic nations, are plotting to seize the oil resources of the Middle East. By controlling the earth's oil and its major trade routes, they plan to bring the world to its knees. Then, when the entire world is kneeling, the Faithful of Allah will read to them from the Koran, preaching the message of Islam, the True Faith. The Faithful will stop at nothing to achieve their goal. But how far will they go? And how many lives will it cost?

Masks Chapter 8

*Before…

“You’re welcome honey…You’re my niece I love you.”

I squeeze her really hard and she does back. One of those hugs that gets right there inside of you right where you usually don’t get hugged but need it the most in.

I head home and it does really suck going back to being Steven but this time…this time it’s different.

The real me that girl sealed away in that drum curled up in the dark.

She got hugged, told she was loved.

And inside my dark place that’s like me suddenly having someone give me this emergency candle and I have a little bit of light there in this dark place.

Candles can be amazing right?

*And Now…

Masks Chapter 7

*Before…

“Hey you have *Across the Universe*?”

“Uhm…I don’t but mom might?”

Mary Jane pulls me off the bed and drags me to her mom’s room and I’m in awe here too. This…it’s the bedroom of a single grown up adult female and it’s cool beyond words for me.

M.J. Finds the movie and we take it and we head back to her room and…

We run into Aunt Elsbeth in the hall way.

And me fully in girl mode.

Oh shit.

*And Now…

“Ground Control to Major Thom”
{With kudos to David Bowie}

“Major Thom to Earth Ground Control. Come in Please?”

The scantily clad leggy blonde smiled as she said the words.

The Faithful, North African and Middle Eastern Islamic nations, are plotting to seize the oil resources of the Middle East. By controlling the earth's oil and its major trade routes, they plan to bring the world to its knees. Then, when the entire world is kneeling, the Faithful of Allah will read to them from the Koran, preaching the message of Islam, the True Faith. The Faithful will stop at nothing to achieve their goal. But how far will they go? And how many lives will it cost?

Julina gets the feeling that events are carrying her away.

 
Julina of Blackstone
Her Chronicles

by Julia Phillips

009 - “Round, like a circle in a spiral,…”

“Think Like A woman “
By Julie D Cole

Covered Bridges-10.

I like Frank’s old Crown Vic, back when I was a kid we had a coupe of police officers are neighbors and all the cop cars were the big old Crown Victoria’s. It’s as clean inside as out and the there’s this smell of one of those coconut air fresheners lingering there.

He spends a good deal of time in his car too. I see a small double picture frame of Robyn and Frank and his late wife Mary on the dash. The one concession is a newish stereo in the car with the satellite radio in it.

We drive down to the canal and it’s absolutely pleasant. I love these big old cars they have this feeling when you ride in them like you’re just kind of floating and honestly they’re just nicer.

The pictures of me in the dress finally appeared. Even I wasn’t ready for what I saw. Mom and I both gasped as the first picture was seen. It was a shot from my waist to my head; I’m looking toward the sky and am slightly backlit, creating a halo around my head. It was the most beautiful picture I had ever seen and it would have been so with any other model. Mom’s eyes had filled with tears.

“Because you’re my best friend. I’ve known you forever and I’ve never thought of you as being a boy. Why do you think you’re my best girlfriend? Amanda, you are just being you now. It took something like discovering the game you played with your mom to make you realize you’re a girl. I know you have a reputation for being tough, but being a boy doesn’t make you that way. Standing up to bullies does and a girl can do that too, you just don’t realize it yet. When we’re together you couldn’t be more feminine if you tried. Being feminine isn’t the way you move or talk or any of the things girls do on the outside, it’s what’s here,” Cindy said, pointing at her heart.

Masks Chapter 3

Chapter 3

We went home and I actually spent a lot of the time that week helping out with things around the house.

Getting pumpkins and hay bales and all those electric lights for things and Dad does go all out for things like this and stuff.

And getting the boat garage cleaned up for my friends to come over and the kids that’ll be there because they’re friends of my folks or Aunt Els. They’ll want to have their adult fun and stuff and we get to have our stuff.

I’ll admit that I’m kind of a full on geek with some stuff too.

“As scary as it may sound, I think Amanda would kill to be with you, but Mark would rather play ball and get dirty with his friends.”