What happened next? Well before Clay and I could go on our date, I needed to change out of my bathing suit. I mean I could have wrapped a towel around my waist, slipped on a pair of flip-flops and called it all good and ready to go. But that looks only suitable for the beach and not a end of the summer carnival. And going home and getting changed was kind of out of the question. Heck mom and dad had already headed off to find a secluded place of their own. I honestly think mom and dad were trying to rekindle the love of their marriage or something.

Link: Lost Faith Title Page and Description

--

Erica awoke slowly, stretching her body and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Next to her, Faith lay sleeping. The room had an odd quality to it as she unwrapped herself from Faith's warm clinginess. Sitting up, she dropped her feet into the slippers that Faith had given her the night before. Crossing the floor toward the window in her borrowed nightgown, she'd finally noticed that the howling wind had subsided leaving an eerie silence to sit over the house. She'd become so accustomed to the howl of the storm, its absence left a void in the perceptions of her surroundings. Peaking out the window, Erica saw something she'd never seen before. Awestruck, she stood in wonderment at the beauty of the sight before her.

Safe
Copyright 2021 by Heather Rose Brown

While I managed to keep myself relatively safe most of the time when I was growing up, there were only a few places and times when I felt completely safe. Below is a tiny vignette about one of them.

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Link: Lost Faith Title Page and Description

CAUTION - emotional pain/open emotional wounds

--

Rinsing off the body wash as he remembered the happy exchange that now nearly brought him to tears, Eric's heart ached to see his best friend even though he knew he likely never would again. Draining the tub, he pulled in one of Faith's towels and dried. Stepping out, he pulled the towel around him tightly to ward off the bitter cold seeping in from the outside.

Link: Lost Faith Title Page and Description

CAUTION - emotional pain/open emotional wounds

--

Awaking slowly in a dark room, his mind was groggy and dull. The satin pillow and distinctive sweet smell that screamed 'girl' told him he wasn't in his room at the Stone's house. That room still stank of teenage boy from its occupant before he'd taken it. Unable to remember where he was, he had a vague notion of going to sleep in someone else's bed and there being a storm. He reasoned that he must have sneaked into April's bedroom last night like he'd done a few times after his mother's hospitalization when he'd been especially scared. April would soothe away his fears and he would sleep on her floor, returning to his own room in the early morning. That's when he remembered he was in a bed and noticed he wasn't sleeping alone.

Link: Lost Faith Title Page and Description

CAUTION - emotional pain/open emotional wounds

--

The three exited out into the hallway after Heather turned down the lights in Faith's bed and bath, showing Eric how to do it with a long stick made for that purpose for people not tall enough to reach them.

Link: Lost Faith Title Page and Description

CAUTION - emotional pain/open emotional wounds

--

Gasping as the room was plunged into darkness, a crack of thunder rolling over the house several seconds later, Eric thought he heard someone squeal in fear. After it passed, he found himself wrapped in his aunt Heather's arms and he could finally hear the sobs of fright escaping his own lips.

he first one to step up to the line was a teenage boy around my age, and man was he gorgeous, he was tall, and God had blessed him with a head full of long, silky smooth jet black hair that reached down to the collar of his shirt. He was also tanned and one could see nothing but lean muscles. Just looking at him made me shiver. I soon found myself starting to blush. And much to my embarrassment their was no way I could hide my blush.

Link: The Wisher's Paradox Title Page and Description

CAUTION - Referenced Sexual Abuse of Minors

---

Climbing out of the car, Lyle knew he was on shaky ground. Officially, as an FBI agent, he had no reason or jurisdiction to be at the inspection of the home Ruth's parents had rented in order to take custody of Christina. Still, he hadn't been able to shake the feeling in his gut that if he didn't look into it, something terrible might happen. After twenty years of first being a cop and then an FBI agent, he'd learned to trust that instinct as it'd saved his life countless times. His hunch had paid off when he'd looked into Nancy's file.

When the film finished, she asked me if I was going to audition for the play and I pointed out I don’t really look like a T Bird. She looked at me and said, “No, I was thinking a Pink Lady.” She hit pause and said, “That one.”

I looked at her and was a bit confused and just said, “Huh?”

Link: The Wisher's Paradox Title Page and Description

CAUTION - Highly Emotional Content (have tissues handy)

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Waiting for word from her parents, Christina sat with Kathy in her room at the Grants'. When Linda suggested she write the letter, she insisted that she not lie, even insisting on taping the Q-tip she swabbed inside her cheek to the paper herself. Leaving to return to the Grant home, she and Kathy spent the time watching videos online. Hearing the phone ring though, she jumped up and practically ran out into the living room.

Link: The Wisher's Paradox Title Page and Description

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"Wait a minute." David interjected with a puzzled look. "You propose we have this girl's DNA tested to see if she's our daughter to prove that she's actually Walt turned into a girl by an angel?"

Link: The Wisher's Paradox Title Page and Description

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An hour later, Christina emerged from the bathroom clean, in new clothes that used to be Kathy's, and with her hair dry and styled nicely. Making her way over to the dining room table, she saw no one there.

I was 7 years old and bored. My brother wouldn't play with me and I had no friends. I was a very shy child and didn't mix well with other boys. I found them noisy and rough.

I asked my mum if I could play outside and got the normal reply.

"Yes ok, but stay in the street, don't go around the corner."

This was 1969 we never seemed to worry about children going missing. It never happened much or it wasn't reported on.

My first summer as Lauren was about to come to a close. School was only a few days away. It was really hard to believe that for three solid months I'd lived each day as a girl. And now it seems I'll be going to school as a girl. Mom had already registered me for classes and my class schedule had already been handed to me. So that was that, I had also been informed that I could attend school as Lauren and use the staff bathroom to both handle my personal business and change for P.E. And nobody would be any wiser.

The Bottle at the Back of the Fridge
Copyright 2021 by Heather Rose Brown

This is a short vignette about a parent who's coping with changes in family relationships while transitioning, and struggling to not give into easing the pain of loss in an unhealthy way. While there's a bit of sadness in this story, there's also hope as well. I hope you enjoy it.

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Link: The Wisher's Paradox Title Page and Description

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Pacing her exam room like a caged animal, Christina had a fist balled up and ready to strike out again at the next person to touch her, even as her other hand held up the loose-fitting pajama bottoms and boxer shorts. Her breath came in rapid intakes through her nostrils and out her mouth.

Like most small, rural, townships in the mostly agricultural heavy south. The heart and soul of Benton was its Main Street. Here one could find just about anything one needed. And on this Monday morning both sides of the street were crammed full of parked cars and the sidewalks seemed almost bursting at the seams with people as they rushed from one shop to the other. Each little shop and boutique seemed to be filled with people. With the crowds spilling out onto the concrete sidewalks.

I.

I used to live in Seattle.
I want to say it was a great town.
Fine, it was okay.
Would you believe we tolerated each other?

I stood there like an idiot as they all walked over to the car.

I always wanted to be Wonder Woman.
Was never a fan of Supergirl…or Marvel comics…a lot of plunging necklines but not a lot of character development which really sucks, but, hey, to each their own.
Magic lasso that tells the truth?
Yes, please.
The ability to fly?
I’ll take the invisible jet or the power to skip around the clouds. I’m not picky like that.

Chapter three

"Clayyyy come out please" Abby was pleading from the other side of my bedroom door.