Two days after he painted the matching nails, Anna went out with some friends, so he had the house to himself for the day. He read for a while, watched tv, and played games, but he didn’t quite feel right. He didn’t want to paint his nails, they were still perfect, but something felt off. As he walked by his sister’s room on the way to the kitchen to make lunch, he stopped. The door was closed, and even though he knew it was fine to go in, he felt like something would happen if he did.

Once I was signed in, mom bent down and gave me a kiss on my cheeks, and then she departed. Leaving me along. The air was filled with nervous chatter. Being true to my nature, I slowly backed myself into the nearest corner I could find and cast my eyes toward the gathering crowds. Now, I understand that popular media has painted the picture of events being something akin to mental fencing, with each person propping the others with catty remarks and teasing insults.

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Georgia looks at her nude body in the full-length mirror mounted on her sister’s bedroom door. She had done everything she could, to make her body look like her sisters. Her older sister didn’t know she took nude photos of her body, so she could get the right size prostheses. She even took her sister's driver's license, so she could use it to get into clubs and order drinks.

The Minehead ambassador was blunt. ‘Hand over our citizen’s sperm in perfect condition or the catalysts won’t be arriving at all.’

Alf said, “You know I don’t lend tools. When I was an apprentice there was a sign in the workshop that said, You can tell the mechanic who lends his tools by the number of new ones he has. I didn’t get it till someone explained the ones he lent didn’t get returned, so he had to buy new ones. There’s a new couple moved in over the way maybe twelve month or a bit more back, incomers from Manchester I think. She’s nice enough to talk to and pretty in a blousy, big girl sort of a way, but she’s a bit dim. I know, but if I think she’s dim then she really is, right? She’s maybe early twenties, got a couple of little girls not at school yet.

This story is a fan sequel to Erin Halfelven's "Valentines 'R' Blue," so I would suggest reading that story first.

CHAPTER 13 - The Prince looked down at the prisoner, Who's this dirty slut? Off with his nuts! Off with his nuts!

Ellen finally received an email from her husband’s sister, saying the weather had cooled at home. Ellen began her plan to cross the border. She notified the resort they were leaving and they that would be losing their gringa maid. Ellen was pleased when the hotel manager said he would be happy to give Heather a positive recommendation.

Early in July, men started dying from what we were telt was a virus and there was no cure or immunisation. Men died, boys died, baby boys died, even baby boys in the womb were still born. It was happening all over the country. Then we heard it was all over Europe too, and within a fortnight there wasn’t anywhere on the globe unaffected.

A short story I'd cooked up as a bonus piece for my next published book. Unfortunately it doesn't fit the theme of the book itself -- "Enamored," coming to a Smashwords near you in a few days! -- but I still wanted to share it, so here it is!

-==-

And Lo, the traveller came at last to the sky's edge. He put down his staff + poked his head thru the fabric of space, beholding the mighty clockwork of the cosmos, the great turning gears, the merry go round and the ferris wheel. He smelled the heavenly corndogs and heard the calliope music. And he said, "Hey wait for me you guys!"

Simon Harper came into the bar and his first order of business was to order a round of shots. The offer was good to anyone in the group who wanted to join the newcomer in a drink. He was just in a happy mood and wanted to spread the cheer by saying cheers with his companions for the night. Most of the gang quickly said yes to Simon’s gesture of comradery. Only Liv Perry quickly turn down the kind offer. The lady was also disappointed by her fiance, Joe Wyant, not joining her in restraining from the shot.

I never knew my father.

My mom said he was in the military for a long time, so our family got a steady check thanks to his years of service. I guess that's why she never worked, like the single moms of a lot of kids at school.

It's been two and a half years.

-----

They came from outer space!
They wanted our women!
Well, almost…

But Satan never rests, and he sent an imp to whisper temptation in our good Rabbi’s ear. Sitting all unfelt on his shoulder, the imp whispered, “You have the rest of the day to yourself, your golf gear is in the car, and no one who knows you will be on the golf course. And of course you pass it on your way home. You may as well play a round as be sitting at home doing nothing.”

“Impossible,” The Rabbi muttered, though he was tempted. “Today is Yom Kippur. Impossible!”

Concerning π which has long fascinated many.

Exploring around the barn, Myra discovers a cache of old letters which casts a new, and very disconcerting, light upon the old days when she was Myron and living with her parents. But just when she least wants to be distracted by visitors, a couple of Eerie residents arrive at her door.

Annia’s Story

Before the written word, people shared stores by way of oral tradition. Sometimes these were fairy tales, or morality plays, but sometimes actual history was shared by one person telling another, passing the story down through time until some bright person finally writes it down. Many of those stories have sadly been lost, so it’s not impossible something like the tale I’m about to share really happened.

You young ones want to hear about Annia do you?

I’ll tell you but you have to promise to pass it on.

Promise?

CHAPTER 10 - Deception; the practice of deliberately making someone believe things that aren’t true

Ellen touched up her makeup, explaining why it was important. George always thought that women used makeup to help them look pretty; he was now told it was all part of the seduction game.

"Now let’s get back in there the night is still young."

A broken man, George turned to the mirror to freshen his lipstick. He was in turmoil, so autopilot took over and he did the lipstick thing too.

I’m really scratching my head to remember the details on this one. It was another life, another time, and I was reminded of it by something someone said the other day. It’s not that I’d rather forget, it’s just the details have been blurred by the passage of time. Let’s start with now and then cast back.

I’m Victoria Garcia, and I’m sixty-seven, a grandmother many times over and still married to Jesus. I’m Scottish whilst Jesus as you may have guessed is Spanish. We adopted and reared six children because I’m trans. Though me being trans has only a small bearing on what I am going to tell you about. I transitioned and had SRS somewhere in my early thirties I think. I’m not going to look it up because this story happened when I was I think sixteen in 1969 long before then and it’s besides the point.

Floodlit

I honestly never planned to become famous.

But I should start at the beginning.

It started when I met Mac, which was short for Macerio Yadell Gica. Yeah, him. His family came to Canada from the Philippines a couple of generations back, and even then he was an amazing performer.

CHAPTER 9 - What aA Tangled Web We Weave, When First We Practice To Deceive

"Please Ellen, let’s not tease about that. There is no way I am interested in some guy."

"How do you know if you haven’t tried?"