Alternate endings to the Scheherazade/Arabian Nights story. All vignettes, 3-20 lines.

Chapter 2

She laughed and went back to her desk. Tomorrow, she hoped, a few more answers would be forthcoming. This one had the feel of her last big case, in her mind, this could be just the tip of the iceberg.

The next day, the three detectives went north to see the doctor and the bank manager. The first would see them, in his clinic, at ten, the other, at the bank after eleven. Sally had spoken to her friend, and they had agreed to meet on his lunch break, at a café in Burton.

13 and 14
Moving On and Highland Games

Time is marching on. Spring has slipped away and summer is fully come. Time to get ready for the 4th of July. Since Alex and Carrie hosted the Memorial Day barbeque Mike and Lisa are hosting for the Fourth. It makes sense since their backyard overlooks a great fireworks display at Oaks Park. Alex wears a new pair of Crocs sporting blue camo motif that kind of pushes his outfit toward the feminine side of butch. With careful thought, that is used to soften Lisa’s attitude hopefully to, in some way, make it easier to accept that Carrie really is OK with all that will be revealed at a later date.

Carrie reminds them that last year they had planned to attend the Highland Game with the two guys expressing their Scottish ancestry by wearing kilts. To no one’s surprise, Lisa flatly states that Mike won’t be wearing a kilt.

Alex and Carrie hold fast to the commitment made the year before and assemble suitable Scots themed outfits for the two of them. To spite Lisa’s ongoing hardline handling of Mike’s indiscretion the Games are attended and the day goes well. Alex notices that Lisa can appreciate the kilt wearing physique of the competitors in the caber toss.

Orphan Petal

June 2023 - Part 3

Shirley now is at an orphanage where Aunty works. He now will start a new journey. What path will he take?

This is a spin-off to the story "The Teenage Years of Alexander Horten"

Chapter 29

The lunch was very nice. Discussion was launched on whether we would be able to do solo violin concerts in future seasons, and a question was put to me about a piano concert some time. We told them to get in touch with Allan as he could work out likely dates but that we may be busy with the “For those who Served” shows next year and were unlikely to be touring as we were this summer.

The Ambassador's Wife - update.
By
Angharad.

The ongoing trials and tribulations of Ronin Kassius as he assumes the identity of Isabel val Sanreal and returns to Ar Telica City. Having survived the encounter with the Gun Queen of Ar Telica, Ronin returns to Ar Telica and begins his/her new dual life as Isabel val Sanreal, illegitimate daughter of the uber rich Sanreal Family, and as the Gun Princess, Mirai, an artificially created entity with preternatural abilities.

In a nutshell, the song is about all the crazy, misguided things
a man might do if he fell for a woman: things like:
get a job, rent a decent apartment, bathe more frequently...

CHAPTER 16
I left it a fortnight before I next rode across to Bethesda, on the simple basis that not only would things be a little hectic there, but that the two of them---no, three of them now---might want or need some privacy. Family time.

I went over eventually, of course, with a present of a plush stuffed narwhal in deference to an old sequence of jokes in the climbing club back in That Place.

We stepped out of class together, just chatting about how life was at Liberty High School and with Katie commenting on how friendly everyone was so far and how there was this nice guy who was telling some interesting comedy.
“Ah, you’ve met Matt.”
“Is he a friend of yours?”
“Yes,” I decided to forget to mention that he wanted to get into her pants.
“If he keeps practicing, he could be on stage one day.”
“Yeah.”

Pronouns

This is a snippet out of GOM 46 that I am currently working on, but I thought it may be of interest as a short short stand alone. I’m still working on it in GOM 46 so it may end up slightly different and probably much longer. These are the words of a fictional character in a tale that is pure fantasy, so whilst comments are always welcome it is pointless to have a go at me.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Day 153? - the next day

“What the hell is this?”

Jacqueline had vigorously scrubbed the toilet bowl to the point where her arm and wrist were blazing. But in spite of all her efforts, there was something that was simply refusing to come off.

Jacqueline groaned, setting the toilet brush aside and getting down to eye the foreign substance for what could have been the millionth time.

It was a tricky thing to catch, simply glancing at the bowl would not reveal it. Jacqueline herself hadn’t noticed it until she began cleaning. And soon it became impossible for her not to notice it.

A wife dresses her husband up in drag to win a fancy dress competition but at the party they fall out and the husband dressed as 'Bonnie' decides to walk home. She makes a wrong turn into a deserted park where she is confronted by two men whose intentions are not honorable.

I just wanted to touch on this and see if anyone else has had a similar experience.

When I was in the 2 or 3 grade I was walking down the classroom isle towards the front of the class probably heading to my desk when a boy said to me you walk like a girl, that was the first time I heard someone saying that to me, well it stuck in my head even to this very day and a funny thing it really didn’t bother me or upset me it just made me aware that yes I’m walking like a girl, that was the first time I was kinda outed in public lol.

Chapter 9

Andy took the card out of his wallet and rang ‘Off the Bone’. When he put his phone away, he laughed.

“Jim told me that if I can get the team in, he’ll set up the function room, on Saturday evening, just for us. He is still happy with us, and the place is, or so he said, going gangbusters. The room is big enough for your team and their partners if they want to come. I’m sure that Jim will have enough food for us all. Here’s the address, it’s smart casual, and we’ll meet you at seven. Now I’ve got to round up the others.”

A Grumpy Old Man’s Tale 45 Teachers and Tofu

“However, we’d been talking for no more than ten minutes when I realised I was in way over my head. I’d already made my mind up about her.

She is our kind of folk, and desperate to be seen as such, so I rang for Adalheidis to take over. A part time chiropodist I could manage, but one who intends to spend the rest of her working time as a ladies’ manicurist and was trying desperately hard to convince me she can do the job, just forget it. My secondary sex characteristics just don’t meet the requirements necessary to understand the differences between acrylic and gel nails. Adalheidis spent the next two days giggling and laughing at me.

Won’t they all see what I see, when I look in the mirror?

How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!
By
Rebecca Coleman

Note to readers: The “How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!” is an ongoing in-universe serial that appears each Saturday Evening in the “Benton Evening Post” the story focuses on the ongoing struggle of Emil “Emily” Hannah Anderson as she strives to adapt to her new life in a small southern town that straddles the hills and the delta. The story chronicles her life as she tries to figure out what direction she wants to take.

-3-
Brass Tacks and Summer Bucket List