“Huh. Hannah is certainly looking hot tonight,” I mentioned to Mike.

He looked where I was looking, at the girl in the mermaid costume talking to Darryl Marsh, and scoffed. “That’s not Hannah.”

This is just a little vignette I worked up as a starter, if your will, for my mini contest. Hope everyone enjoys!

On a Ring and a Prayer
By Ellie Dauber

Cathy Reinhart looked up from the letter. "Johnny! Johnny, you get out here at once."

When he didn't come out of his room, she went in after him. He was sprawled out on the bed reading some magazine. She didn't have to look past the naked woman on the cover to know what kind of magazine. He still wasn't paying attention, but between the pictures in that magazine and the earphones, she wasn't certain if he even knew she was there.

We flew first class from San Antonio to Hobby Airport where my mom picked us up for the half-hour trip home. We took Amie to home and helped her get her bags in. As we left Amie’s house, my mom said, “Jamie, I have a surprise for you.”

“Mom, there is nothing I need … really.”

“It’s not actually something for you. I will tell you this much … I’ve been dating someone.”

“Really? Cool! What’s he like? What does he do? Does he …”

“Slow down! You’ll meet this person when we get home.”

“So what’s he like?”

“Well … totally different from your dad.”

Chapter 8

Saturday night arrived. Kylie was in her bedroom putting on the finishing touches to her make-up. She smoothed out her light blue skirt and navy top. She dressed casual but nice as she wanted to make a good first impression on her first date as a girl. She was nervous about it and prayed that Kevin would not be a jerk like Kyle used to be.

She heard the doorbell and heard her father say, “So you are going to take the bitch out?” Kylie cringed; how could a father call his own daughter a bitch?

On the first day of the new semester, we awakened to a cold, rainy morning. The combination of rain and temperatures below 40 degrees brought hope for snow to those of us from the southern part of Texas. Houston gets a small amount of snow about every 10 years, and I remembered a snowfall when I was much younger. San Antonio, however, was even farther south than Houston.

The Black Cab

The lift doors opened and two tall slim ladies emerged into the Hotel Lobby. They caught the sight of themselves in the mirror and they smiled at each other. Then as if they owned the place, they walked directly into the bar that adjoined the Michelin 3* restaurant that the hotel boasted. The Maître D asked,

“Are you dining with us tonight ladies?”

“Yes, yes we are,” said one of them.

This is not fiction. This is dark and depressing. This is one of the three darkest times in my life and for some reason I felt compelled to share.

Chapter 7

Kylie walked into the school, suddenly aware of all the guys staring at her new body. “I am glad I wore a longer skirt. Is this how it felt to girls when I was staring at them?”

I was sitting at my desk going through some paperwork when the door to the office opened and in walked a man in a Police Inspectors uniform.

“Sergeant Dobbs, I understand that you know the Gibbs family?”

“Yes Sir. I guess you don’t know that Nick is, sorry was my adopted brother. He changed his name back to his original one when he met his birth parents a few years ago.”

The officer sat down with a sigh.

“I’m going to need you to go and break the bad news to Mrs Gibbs. It will be better coming from you.”

The story of a kid who just wants to be cool. Arguably the main character doesn't change at all, just people's perceptions of him.

THE MIXED TAPE MYTHOS STORIES

In the Australian outback a solitary traveller stops at a strange roadside store and leaves with a mysterious cassette. A homeless busker tells of the night that they became a conduit for a wild and otherworldly force. A young writer meets a man with no shadow. We will encounter her again, a student at an academy for witches and warlocks. The results of a pitched and secret battle in a secluded valley shapes humankind’s destiny amongst the stars. The wondrous and terrifying magic of the Mixed Tapes links disparate tales of sex, superheroes, fantastical kingdoms, and human and inhuman monsters. If you have ever wondered what the little indulgences that frame my anthologies add up to, here they are, all in one place, for your reading pleasure.

Concludes with an announcement regarding the first Mixed Tape of 2016

Kelly is a month into her freshmen year of high school. He and his friends, Alexis and Sarah, have just finished the first round of tests of the semester and they decide to relax on a Saturday evening. Alexis invites them over for a game of Truth or Dare, along with their new friend Megan, who Kelly wants to ask out. However, Alexis also invites over the two guys that she and Sarah have been dating. Those two guys reject Truth or Dare and insist, instead, that everyone must accept one dare. What will Kelly have to do? Will he ask Megan out? Will she accept? Most importantly, will Kelly survive the night?

Mums Encouragement Chapter 19

After mum hung up I thought I would have a quick lie on my bed to collect my thoughts as I believed I had plenty of time before I would have to call Aunt Julia and ask for her help.

How I don't know but as soon as my head hit the pillow I drifted off into a deep sleep and only woke up to the sound of the front door bell and someone banging on the front door.

It was dark outside and as I awoke I initially thought it was the middle of the night and was worried at who could be knocking on our door at that time.

Amie went to sleep quickly. I could hear her breathing. Her lungs pulled air into her lungs and utilized the oxygen to feed all the parts of her beautiful mind and body. The bible says that God made man “a little lower than the angels”. In Amie’s case, it wasn’t much lower. Such a combination of beauty, brains and talent were rare.

[2001] Aged 10

Our new Neighbours moved in two days before Christmas. Mother, Father and a 10 year old girl named Jocasta. I thought that was a cool name because she is a superhero from ‘The Avengers’.

Her family were invited round to our place on Christmas Day because the Gas people hadn’t connected up their oven in time. Our families became firm friends from that day onward.

Sorry for not posting after a long time. So here are the next two chapters, Hope you enjoy!
To read the previous chapter Click Here
Chapter 3
Jenny woke up this time having the same dream again of Marge and him. He took a pic and

stuck it in its place. Today was the day he was waiting for! He went down prepared his

breakfast and had it quickly to enjoy the day. He went up to Marge's bathroom and took a

This is a story for the new year.
[The first time]

The first time I saw Naomi was a couple of weeks before Christmas. It was late afternoon and I was standing in for our receptionist Mary Blanchard who was having a wisdom tooth removed.

The whole place was a hive of activity getting orders shipped before the posting deadline.

She walked into reception wearing a grey and black herringbone three quarter length coat, black leggings and a pair of black L.K. Bennett ankle boots. Her long brown hair cascaded over her shoulders. Her makeup was flawless. Her eyes glistened in the chrismas tree lights.

This chapter was contributed by Licorice, with very few changes, as we had neglected to show how Linda was dealt with as a result of her notoriety in being associated with the HLS mission.

I think that it is a good chapter - Monica Rose.

 
 
*Part 1*

 
 
“What do you mean you can’t get anyone out for three days?”
“Its Christmas and the weekend, what can I say,” Bill sighed.
“Grrr, so we’re stuck here in back of beyond until Saturday?”
“I’ve already spoken with the hotel, they’re alright you staying but their chef has already left for the holidays so you’ll need to sort out feeding everyone.”

The cross shaped church was packed as it was every year for the Christmas Eve Family Service. The altar, pulpit, and lectern filled the top arm. The gaily and brightly decorated fifteen foot tall Christmas Tree had temporarily replaced the Baptismal Font on the right arm of the sanctuary. A three foot high nativity sat atop the closed lid of the grand piano in the left arm of the sanctuary. White lights twinkled in the green garland wrapping the railing separating the congregation from the choir and organ in the area between the arms of the cross. The main congregational seating was in twin rows of twenty pews each sitting 12 people. A flickering single candle sat atop each seven foot tall candelabra which were clamped to the inner and outer sides of every other pew.

The pastor was in the middle of his sermon pausing for a dramatic moment of silence when the door from the right vestibule opened with a squee from a worn hinge. A bedraggled emaciated figure staggered in looking around the sanctuary blinking with amazement in the dazzling light. Alerted by the noisy hinge everyone turned to see who entered. In that moment the sermon was kaput.

“Ex...excuse me,” the small person asked in a small quavering voice. “I... I’m looking for Harry and Livie Clark...”

Nearly everyone turned to look at Harry and Livie. The couple were a mainstay of the congregation. They were the somebody’s of the church... as in ‘Why doesn’t somebody do this?’ or ‘Why doesn’t somebody take care of that?’ The couple stood and looked at the scrawny child.

“We’re Harry and Livie,” Harry stated. “Who’s asking?”

© 2015 D.L.

The rain water slowly dripped down from the rafter onto the black bin liner covering the child curled up underneath. The thin plastic sheet proviing a waterproof shield, keeping the occupant of the abanonded barn dry. Macie was tucked as tight into the corner as she could manage.

It would have been drier against the other wall, where the roof wasn't leaking as much. However, that would have positioned the youngster in the direct path of the cold night wind coming in through the exposed hole in the wall where a access door would have once been hung. It had been a challenge to climb up eight feet into the opening. However, the wall was not vertical. The wall tapered towards the top. The soft cement holding the cobble and flint together was not enough to resist the subsidence that exagerated the lean. The rough surface providing just enough protrusions for climbing.