It’s not easy for a single mother to raise a son but I think that Sam and I have done OK for the last ten years. Of course a job with a good salary helped. Sam and I have grown quite close so it came as complete surprise when I came home to find Sam at my vanity, wearing only a set of sexy lingerie, including garter belt and stockings, crying over the complete mess of an unskilled attempt to apply make-up.

I hadn’t really associated Sam with anything feminine. Never a trace of make-up, no skirts, no dresses. Talking about dresses; the apparently brand new dress, still with the tag on it, hanging next to the dresser was completely inappropriate for a first date. The stress was definitely on the L in LBD. Way too skimpy!

The Kitsune wakes from her slumber, having recovered from her bout with the Maou of the eastern territories. She had grabbed hold of his weakness and after days of trading blows, cut clean his horns dispelling his magical force. Though the fight was close and exhausting, the rewards made it worthwhile. All of his territory along with her own set of majestic horns, signifying the crowning of a new Maou.

Her powers recovered and amplified by her new found status, the Maou sets off in search of a place to settle down to ponder her future options.

Why is a red headed witch chasing an old man in a bath robe through the mall? Will the ninja commander finally get to read Make Out Paradise Seven? Who will own the Quickening, Duncan's Donuts and Coffee or The Clan MacCloud Healthy Living Emporium? Will that sexy jutsu EVER wear off? And what does all this have to do with an intergalactic invasion or the Men in Beige?

Disclaimer: Any characters that appear to be like other characters are not really and no one they may accidentally appear like is owned by me. This story was just thrown together by me for the September contest without any real intention of anything serious. Please just enjoy (or not) the silliness.

Friday Night – For One Time Only?
By Julie D Cole

For a while things were looking up; I was on my way to college, had the love of a great guy, and thanks to the help of my folks had GRS scheduled for Spring of the following year.

Then the end of the world happened.

Nobody knows how it started. Some say it’s a curse, others say it’s a virus that came from terrorists, or bad dog food, or something. Nobody knows, and nobody cares. All that matters is that a bunch of corpses jumped out of the ground and started biting people.

Circle of life, or death, or undeath, whatever.

While this story is a sequel to “The Addict” it can be read separately (though I strongly recommend reading “The Addict” first).

Declaration: No puns were harmed in writing this story. Actually this story is no phun at all, sorry should have been has no puns at all. There is a risk that some people might consider it fun though I think there is more of a story than usual.

Eerie Saloon Character List
by Ellie Dauber and Christopher Leeson

Summer heat baked the ground into a cracked, desiccated mass, a thin crust over a briny substrate that helped to give this place its name. She had been to and through some strange and beautiful places but this one in particular spoke to her soul… to the part of her that felt so keenly the loss of everything she had once held dear. Years flew past in her mind’s eye as she waited for the sun to dip below the mountains, composed herself for what she must do.

A mother and son must go into hiding from her husband's killers. The government has a way to throw the killers off the scent. Will it work?

The Trials of the Quill Boys and School Board

A mother and son must go into hiding from her husband's killers. The government has a way to throw the killers off the scent. Will it work?

When the bullet hits the bone

Author’s note: This one was inspired by the old song “Twilight Zone” By Golden Earring.

You can find a version of the song here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP05iSzpz94

Harry Quinn paced back and forth anxiously across the tiny hotel room.

“It's two A.M., and he’s late. He’s never late.”

It was a lovely end-of-summer day. The Friday of the first week of my second year in High School. I was waiting for the school bus. The sun shone, the birds were singing, no classes in the afternoon due to try-out for the school teams. Then I turned around.

Sigh! I had implored him, begged him to be sensible but there I could see him coming dressed in a shortish denim skirt.

This was another request that is rough and does not have a happy ending.

Vengeance
By Ellie Dauber (c) 2007

Author's note. The idea for this short came from a news story of an armed gunman at NASA (04/20/07). When I heard the news that the gunman and the male hostage were dead, but that the female survived, I thought... well, read the story, and you'll see what I thought. Then you might write a review and say what you thought.

A very short story that was floating around in my head about how Djinn's will twist even the most sensible of wishes. Especially if they're boring.

Teaser: An old wooden bridge provided a short-cut for generations of schoolchildren walking to school. But now, the bridge is so rickety and rotten that children are warned in no uncertain terms to avoid that bridge.

The link for this tale is in purple at the top of the posting. Will Jess get her itch scratched? Will Andi help with the honors? Will Russ ever be forgiven? Will Russ's reeducation help? For the answer to these and any other questions, click on the purple link at the top of the posting below the word 'attachment'. :)

A day out with Sammy

“Did you buy it?” Samantha asked me. Her face beamed with curiosity. “Yes, I did” I replied proudly.
“Can I see?” she asked me. “Sure.” I answered. I felt a little hesitant. Samantha was my best friend and I shared everything with her. However, this was a big purchase for me and I also felt a little embarrassed.