An assassin's New Year's resolution to himself is to spend more time with his wife. He gets that wish, in a rather peculiar fashion.

No words were spoken for the rest of the trip. It was silent the whole way back, but this was a warm, comfortable silence, much unlike the tense, awkward one on those first few trips to the mall at the start of the summer. Nothing more needed to be said, a feeling both Sierra and Elise knew well.

Sierra gazed out her window, watching the sun begin to set in the horizon. She hadn't realized they’d been out for so long. It was getting all too easy to lose track of time these days.

The moment Becky Stirling heard the voices in the distance, there were two things she instantly knew. Firstly, that she recognized the voices, which may have seemed strange as she had never actually heard them before. Secondly, she realized she had to leave. Immediately.

Dot and Sam 13

“I’ve decided to avoid weddings for the next few years.”

“I would like to learn how to become a woman, please,” she said with an eager smile.

The Meeting Place

“Online somewhere was a meeting place known just as ‘The Meeting Place’. Someone who needed to know its web address would find it somehow, but you would not have found it on any search engine. “

“Was it part of the dark web?”

“No, it was just for a select few.”

“Why would someone look for such a place?”

“You would find it if you truly felt that you inhabited the body of the wrong gender.”

“Aren’t there lots of medical services that help people today who believe that?”

“Not like this place and not at that time.”

Freddie is sick of being seen as weak and feminine, so he has decided that beginning in the New Year, he will completely change himself and become a true man! But when he runs into a pretty, air headed girl, she ends up dragging him into working (crossdressed) at her maid cafe!

Quietly Me
A Vignette
By Maryanne Peters

I was born gay – slightly built, softly spoken, effeminate and cock-loving. It was just that I was excruciatingly shy – not a showoff like so many confident gay men. I am not one of those. It might have been easier if I was “Loud and Proud”.

I wear women’s clothes, not to express myself, but to disappear. An effeminate man stands out. A plain woman doesn’t. I just look after my skin and my hair – just to make it look not male. That is enough. Just to allow me not to be noticed.

There once was a man named Elysium who had a death wish some might say. He was always getting himself into dangerous situations, and only barely just getting away. His time was spent most days plotting a revenge fantasy for someone who had wronged him in his past. And he made plans to carry out his deed before New years of 2024. This would be his last chance. He lived in a dingy vague apartment in Oregon state, cold, and dark, brown, fuzzy feeling, and damp.

Toni’s left Steve as he continues to watch soccer, and now it’s onto getting her nails and eyebrows done with Jess and Sally. After that the plan is to meet the man from yesterday in Light Avenue. Tim, the man who stole a kiss—not that Toni was objecting—at least if he shows up.

There are important questions such as Why? Will he make Toni’s heart beat faster? Is he as handsome as she remembers? And, most importantly, does he have any friends for Sally? There are other important things like having fun, and a few drinks, and just catching up with friends, but Toni’s mostly in a whirlwind continuing her busy morning.

Part 1

My brother, Charles and I were born just twenty minutes apart. We were, so my mother was told, identical twins. So, it proved, as we grew. We were the same height, the same weight, looked the same, had the same likes and dislikes.

I was the kid who had one job on the team: kick the field goals. Through two seasons of football, I had a record of 12/1 and missed breaking the state record for longest field goal on the one I missed by inches. The one I missed, the kick had the leg; it just veered right. Neither the miss nor the loss that night came as a surprise to anyone.

My nickname of ‘Mr. Automatic’ died that night last year, which was bound to happen at some point, so it wasn’t heartbreaking or anything like that—yet.

Dot and Sam 9

Dorothy Philpot. Landlady of The Harbour Light pub
Sam Philpot. Drag-queen.
Billy Parkins Doorkeeper.
Jessica Merlot The town’ and county archaeologist.
Josephine MacDonald The town and county archivist.
Richard Drummond Town planning inspector
Robert Vincent. Junior planning inspector.
Georgina. (Georgie) Homeless Transgender girl.
Bobby Gay boy on the school bus.
Marty Girl on the school bus.
Jack. Marty’s twin brother (Keen runner).

High Resolution
A Short Story for the New Year’s Resolution Story Contest
By Maryanne Peters

CHAPTER 25
She looked to be a year or two older than me, but her smile was a genuine one, if a little uncertain. It was clearly a set-up, but I didn’t think it would be polite to make a fuss. Have our meeting, poke fun at the photos, and then make a quick exit. Doug was back with the drinks, passing me a pint and his children a coke each before returning for the other adult drinks. Once settled, he passed me a sheet of paper with the day’s ‘specials’ listed.

“Parmo’s something popular up Teesside way, as I said. Now, I’ve had a word with him behind the bar, and he said something about it not being exactly what he expected. Seems there’s a difference between the Aussie one and the one his cook’s banged our”

Lanterns on Lake Pontchartrain
An Acadiana Transgender Story

-7-
The Road to Baton Rouge