In eighteen seventy-six a group of leading Yazoo County businessmen and planters came together to talk about the recovery of Yazoo County. The war between the states had ended with the southern armies being defeated in the field and the south ravaged and burned by Union forces. Yazoo County was a shell of its former self. The varies plantations sat in ruins, weeds grew where cotton once thrived. The levees, that held back the floodwaters had been broken by attaching union forces.

Christine watched as Nora, Ginger, Melody, and Kelly boarded the Lear Jet. She was going to miss them as she watches them lift off into the air. She wishes she was going with them, but Kelly and Nora were going to be busy to spend time with her while she was recovering.

Tizzy, her husband Ikaika, Krisha and Cheshire watch as her private Lear liftoff. Cheshire was proud how Nora’s life has turned out. She knew at one time because the nature of the assignments Nora was sent on had taken a toll on Nora.

“So, who’s hungry?” Tizzy was feeling hungry.

The Headmaster peered at me for a good long minute before leaning back in his chair. He shifted his eyes around the room and finally brought them back to me. A ghost of a smile formed upon the bowl of his lips as he folded his hands on the desk and leaned int.

I blinked and blinked again, had Lily really just called my name out? Taking a deep breath I peered toward Ben, smiled and leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. I then started to walk toward the stage. Where Lily stood, I was halfway there when I felt somebody reach over and pull me to the side. As I turned around to see who had graphed me and I was greeted with Linda peering at me.

As asked, I filled out the form and returned it early the next morning. The whole day passed in me taking notes, talking with a friend and catching up with the newest drama. You know your average school day. Around mid-afternoon, a student who belonged to the 4H club returned saying the Benton PTA Board had approved my request and informed me to wear a nice dress, but not too nice. Again the rumor mill started to turn, this time the rumor centered on the going ones at the old Lomond Farm.

Anthony becomes overconfident in his impersonations and tries to kindle a romance between his friend and Claire. However things become a little more complicated when he gains attention himself from a young woman and Angela's real mother sees her dead daughter.

Anthony is forced to confront the consequences of his revenge and he finds that perhaps he has made a massive mistake. Only one thing can correct that mistake ... an Angel of Mercy!

Once Joan and I finished our little talk, I kind of started to look for Ben. Once more I had to wade through the crowds of people, somewhere dancing and others where chatting, boys flirted with girls and girls flirted with boys. All in all, it was your average dance. Finally a few minutes of searching, I found Ben by the refreshment table. He offered me a small smile as he passed me the paper cup.

“Have a nice talk with Joan?” He asked as he raised his paper cup to his lips and closing his eyes he took a small sip of the punch.

Morningstar,

I was guided into the bathroom of the gym and scrubbed clean. I had every inch of me scrubbed and scrubbed, I had my hair washed and rewashed. It took around two good, hot showers to clean every trace of slop from my hair, skin and personal area. The warm water felt so good too. My whole world became a vision of colors, as the smells from the shampoo, body wash and lotions filled the air. Once I was “Clean” I was ordered to dry off with a warm towel. Once I was dry, they ordered me to lotion up, something about making my skin shimmer. It was all very confusing.

The minute I stepped inside the tank, was the minute I heard a metallic click. I was now enclosed in this thing, trapped. Taking a deep breath I looked up and noticed a few drops of green slime starting to seep down from above me. Katie, the head cheerleader from Manchester Academy was grinning ear to ear as she walked over to the left side of the tank. Wrapping her fingers around the chain she peered at me and in a menacing tone of voice whisper to me.

The bleachers on both sides of the field where filled to the brim with people. The whole school had turned out, with dozens of people waving small flags that had the school’s mascot on them. The cheerleaders where busy whipping the crowds into a frizzy. And thereby the side, My eyes firmly fixed upon the strawberry blonde girl being lead to our side of the field by three Manchester cheerleaders. Lily, Joan, and Mindy were there. The three talked with the other three and finally, Joan escorted the girl from Manchester over to a waiting table where our homecoming court sat.

With daddies money in hand. Mom, Lily and I headed to Johannes Malt Shop, Benton favorite and only mom and pop burger joint. Once we walked through the door, the smell of beef patties being grilled on a open flame hit us like a ton of bricks. Once we were inside, mom guided Lily and I toward a table. Once we were seated a women around Lily age appeared. She had honey blonde hair and deep blue eyes. She smiled toward each of us and placed a small paper menu down upon the table.

I wanted a hug from my mom, but I’d settle for one from Lauren, and I knew I wasn’t going to get that, either.

Dad and Kiara weren’t back yet, and as usual, Mom worried. But when they still weren’t back after two more hours, I got worried, too.

It was the week before homecoming. All of Benton Academy was in full swing, the school was bustling with activity. It seemed every club, no matter there social ranking was doing something to contribute to the festive air filling the hallways. The football players were kings of the school, having just handed St. Katherine’s Episcopal Academy a crushing defeat. If the football players were the kings of the school, then the cheerleader’s where princess. If the cheerleader were princesses that made my sister chief-princess because she was the captain of the varsity cheerleaders.

---------------This is an almost true story, in that the names have been changed and a few of the locations. Other than that, this is basically what happened.-----------

This is an attempt at writing a first person story. I'm not to sure of the results, but I tend to be hyper critical of my own work.

My name is Alex Winters. And this is my story. It's how I began to work for the absolutely strangest temp service in the world. I should have known something was up with them, but everybody does things over the 'net or phones now. And I needed the money. I didn't want to be a burden on my parents. Besides, temp jobs wouldn't be that strange. I sure got my eyes opened on my first job.

The nave of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church was half full I’ll say with around sixty people sitting spread out in the wooden pews. Small puffs of gray smoke hung above our heads and the air was scented with the smell of burning charcoal and incense pellets. The flicking orange and yellow light of the twelve burning candles divided into two groups of six. Six to the left and six to the right of the high altar.

It was already a hour into my shift. When I was informed by Lily that somebody else wanted a go. A friend of hers, a girl by the name of Robin. That being said my shift had been cut from three hours down to just two. Which in all honesty was fine with me. It was pushing ten and the smell of fresh fried chicken from the deli across the street was making me hungry.

“Just one more hour girl.” Lilly called out to me. “Then you can go and enjoy the rest of the day.” She said taking a deep breath. “Man, you can smell that chicken frying. And it's really making my mouth water too.”

The young adult’s section of Albert Sidney Johnston Memorial Library was my personal retreat from the outside word. Here among the old paperback novels and cheap pup fiction from the late eighties to the early nineties I felt safe for a time. Also for practical reasons, the library offered a place to cool down and relax on those long, hot summer days that Mississippi is known for.