"Aah..." I moan, hissing with pain as sensation returns to my body- the primary sensation being pain. Pain in my mouth, under my arm, my head, my stomach... But the worst pain is in my groin.
"Stuart?" A familiar female voice calls. "Stuart? Can you hear me?"
Their wagon rolled on, the land had begun to level out during the past few days. Tall pines crowded the trail; Hannah was smiling more as the snowy landscape was turning green with vegetation that had yet been touched by winter’s icy grasp. Within her heart was an anticipation that seemed to grow with each rotation of their wheels. Gideon and the children too weren’t immune to the excitement of the trail’s end. Theirs was a journey that had taken months, but like those who arrived before them, much would need to be done!
Charlie’s small, delicate hand slowly touched the soft, smooth skin of her cheek; letting it brush aside a dark lock of hair that had fallen into her view. Her wide, almond eyes stared back at her in a bewildered expression, barely feeling the cool draft that tickled across the her sensitive nipples. Each one stood one end, fully erect and sending small spikes of pleasure through her.
From a great distance away, it had been lost in the clouds. The closer the wagons neared, it loomed over the treetops and could be seen for miles and miles around. "Mount Hood," Gideon whispered in awe.
"That's a huge hill, Pa!" Cade chirped as he looked on between his parents, "Are we going to have to cross it?"
"Oh dear, I hope not," Hanna sighed fearfully.
"No son, we will skirt the south end of it and move on from there." He glanced at the both of them, "Next big stop will be the Willamette Valley!"
"Hannah..." Gideon called out softly. He was standing at the end of a wagon with Charles behind him. She looked up from her project of wiping mud from Emma's hands and face with a wet cloth, and then handed the cloth to Rachel to finish.
She stood and looked toward her husband who was standing still. "Are you coming in for breakfast?" she asked, moving toward him. "Em found out that mud was pretty fun to squish in her hands and..." she had a puzzled look on her face as he had remained slightly hidden behind the wagon.
Sometimes miracles can come from the humblest of places, especially when a selfless wish is made for another, on the first, pure snow, or when someone upstairs is watching...
Charlie Roberts has tried to be a good friend to his long time buddy Joe, but after a horrible break-up, his friend seems to have lost the will to live for himself. Wanting to help his friend out at any cost, he makes a promise with his friend's infirm mother. It’s from this point on that Charlie starts to live two different lives. One as the caring, supportive friend and the other as the loving girlfriend. But how long can he keep these two lives separate? How long can keep the truth from his friend? Which one will he ultimately choose?
Charlie Roberts has tried to be a good friend to his long time buddy Joe, but after a horrible break-up, his friend seems to have lost the will to live for himself. Wanting to help his friend out at any cost, he makes a promise with his friend's infirm mother. It’s from this point on that Charlie starts to live two different lives. One as the caring, supportive friend and the other as the loving girlfriend. But how long can he keep these two lives separate? How long can keep the truth from his friend? Which one will he ultimately choose?
Hannah had prepared breakfast for them all; while the children were eating, Gideon was seeing to their animals. “Once you are finished, put your dishes in our bucket and I’ll wash them.” She called out, “I’ll take care of them as soon as I’m done with Em.”
Cade quickly dropped his empty tin into the bucket and went off in search of his father. Watching from the back of the wagon where she was changing Emma, she saw Rachel kneel next to the bucket and begin to wash off the tins. Hannah smiled inwardly, as without being asked, the young girl took it upon herself to assist her.
I gently lower myself into one of the sofas in Charlotte’s vast ‘main room’, taking the weight off my aching feet before slipping off my stiletto heels and massaging the soles of my feet.
“Don’t let Hannah ever catch you doing that,” Viks giggles as she sits down next to me. “Unless you plan on going on Strictly yourself next year…”
“If they’ll have me,” I say, making Viks giggle.
“Why are you over here, anyway, and not with Sarah?” Viks asks. “Still falling out over what you were talking about yesterday?”
Back to comedy.
I dedicate this story to Licorice who inspired it
It was Monday morning the second week of Fall term. We had almost finished changing for gym when a naked boy stumbled into the girls’ changing room. Well, actually he was pushed into it. In his hand he had a pink leotard and a towel. He immediately tried to exit but someone outside made sure he couldn’t open the door. Failing to open the door the poor naked boy turned around and gave us a frightened look.
Ever closer to their crossing point at the Snake River the small wagon train came. Meanwhile, Rachel was becoming better at reacting with those around her; it was evident that she was slowly mending her broken heart.
Hannah wanted Rachel to keep her family's Bible, because it was about the only link that she still had with the family she had tragically lost. Often she would sit alone and slowly look at the pages, tracing her tiny fingers along the words her mother had written.
An aging overweight man who plays too much online gaming receives a gift from Freya, the
goddess of love, lust, beauty, sorcery, fertility, gold, war and death.
Pulling off his boots, he set them aside and then removed his pants so he was only clad in his drawers and long shirt. Hannah had removed her dress and sat in the chemise running a brush through her long hair. Gideon stretched out and watched her profile, illuminated by the soft glow from their campfire. She returned his gaze and smiled, feeling great thankfulness for his love.
He rose himself up on an elbow, enjoying the view she offered. There was a slight shadow that her form cast against her chemise; it allowed him a glimpse of her breasts as they swayed with the motion of the brush. He could already feel the telltale swelling produced from viewing such loveliness which had captivated him.
A young woman is singled out of superherodom, but is having none of it. A group of teenagers disturb a malicious spirit. A radical plan to improve the American political process. Hit play on the last TG Mixed Tape for 2015 for all these stories and more, featuring contributions from Efindumb, Ellie Dauber, Desert Willow, Misaania, Jenny North, Callie Messenger, Person42, Hikaro, Shauna, Trismegistus Shandy, kandijayne, Desert Willow and Anon Allsop
In deep slumber, Hannah lay near Gideon, soaking his warmth as the air had cooled overnight. Her dreams that night were enveloped in warm sunshine as she walked across a sea of beautiful blue flowers, with her long red hair drifting in a gentle breeze.
She stood upon a small knoll overlooking the wagon train. Her feet were comfortably bare. Below she could see Gideon and Cade hitching their mules for the day's ride. She didn’t know where Emma was, but assumed she was safely tucked away inside the wagon.
Like an ancient goddess of Greek lore, she stood like a sentinel on that knoll. As still as a statue, the long yellow skirt drifting in the breeze, her fiery tendrils seemed to have a life all their own. The stark white bodice she wore seemed to carve out the sky, its bow with the long ribbons floating just off her shoulder. Next to her beauty, the landscape around her appeared barren and desolate.
I watched the graphic depiction of our flight path on the screen. The plane crept slowly toward the northeast. I assumed the pilot knew the way, but it looked like we were headed for New York. We had been in the air less than a couple of hours, but it seemed longer. The total trip was almost 20 hours. The hormones I was taking provided some extra padding and made prolonged sitting less uncomfortable. I wished I could sleep, but I was never one who could fall asleep just anywhere. I certainly couldn’t sleep in a pressurized cabin miles in the air with dozens of strangers.
Hannah and Cade watched Gideon and Charles stand off to the side and discuss the fee for the wagons to ride across the Green; from the looks on their faces they were not happy. She removed her bonnet and held it in her hand, quickly looking back toward a sleeping Em. "Papa doesn't look too happy, does he?" Cade whispered.
"No honey, he does not." She sighed, as the man continued to gesture toward their wagon. Gideon shook his head and waved him off, then turned and stormed back toward the wagon, Charles and the man exchanged words before he too headed back.
Gideon's expression was of a man who didn't like what he had heard. He climbed up into the wagon and sat staring at the man, his jaws flexing in anger. "Well?" Hannah, asked, breaking the sullen silence.
I smirk as I rush into the generously-sized dance studio that has been Krystie's second home for almost two years. Between the ages of 4 and 10, I would find myself in such a place twice a week, with my legs clad in the same pink tights and my body covered by the same style of leotard as the fifteen women currently dancing in the studio. Back then, I would have paid anything to never have to set foot in one of these places again, but today, someone else's needs come before my own.
"Oh, hi Stu!" Krystie teases. "Sorry, but today's class is GIRLS ONLY!"
For three straight weeks the wagon train pushed on, battling their way through the great Continental Divide, always heading toward the Willamette Valley. The terrain was very rocky, forcing them to set up block and tackle to haul the wagons over particularly steep inclines, and then down the deep ravines.
Often they would take their teams down separately and the men would work the ropes and slowly guide each of the wagons down alone. It was safer this way, but often mishaps could and did happen.
Instead of waking up in our small flat next to the university campus I wake up in my old boy’s room as it looked when I was 16. I check my alarm clock. The date is the day after my 16th birthday. Something else feels wrong too. Instead of my usual buzz-cut my hair goes down to my shoulders. Looking down on my chest I see two mounds through the neckline of my PJs. Two smallish but pert breasts, exactly the kind I like; on girls! Panicking my hands go down to my crotch. IT isn’t there any longer! Just an extra slit!
Crawling out from under the wagon, Hannah struggled to rise up; looking about in the early light of morning, she could not see any sign of Gideon. She was feeling out of sorts, as she made her way to the fire to replenish the wood to begin cooking their breakfast.
Arden climbed down from her wagon and came to assist Hannah. “You look a mess this morning, did you have trouble sleeping?”
Bru: So you are afraid that your son may be transgendered? So what, your child will still be the same person, only happier if you accept and support her.
Friend: Are you sure?
Bru: Sure, nearly 20 years ago some other friends of mine had twins. Fraternal twins, a girl and a boy. According to gender stereotyping the boy should be a great athlete like the father and the other artistic, sensitive and dance ballet and so on like their mother. Well, it sort of turned out that way.
A light misting rain began to fall as the afternoon closed; it was more of a nuisance rain than anything. On Gideon's urging, Hannah retreated inside as both children were awake and had been for hours. Cade was now sitting up on the seat next to his father.
As what seemed to Hannah as her 'usual' position, she calmly sat in the bottom of the wagon quietly nursing Em. The ever continuing rocking of this wagon was something that she desperately wanted to avoid experiencing again. She stretched out, to relieve the cramping of her legs and uncovered something fascinating.
As the wagon train was beginning to come to life in the early morning hours, Hannah was cooking fish that Gideon and Cade caught while the sun was still below the horizon. As she was crouching over the skillet; she noticed that her dress was smoking at the bottom.
In frustration she smacked at the scorched hem, "If I don't set myself on fire wearing these dresses, I'm going to kill myself over sexual frustration." She groused under her breath. Hearing a noise back of her, she turned to see Arden standing slightly behind their wagon. She smiled sheepishly, "Sorry... just about set one of my best dresses on fire."
Here are the last two episodes of "Difference".
I've also included the earlier episodes so this posting can be read as a standalone. Faithful readers can go directly to chapter 4 about halfway down.
A fairly steady breeze was blowing as the sun steadily sank in the sky. The wagon train stopped for the evening in a little glade near the Platte River that they had been following for the past several days. For the most part they had settled in a circle, the traditional routine for both safety and protection.
Charlotte and Anna board the ship that is taking her brother to Portugal. Anna catches the eye of a young midshipman and romance blossoms at the same time Charlotte starts to teach Anna her letters and numbers as to be a Ladies Companion Anna needs some education.
Eric was at church the next day, but didn't try to talk to me until after the service. He told my uncle he'd drive me home and then he led me into a corner of the library.
This story has been on Storysite for many years, and quite a few readers said it was their favorite story. With Storysite no longer accessible, I am posting it here. I hope the readers here enyoy it, too.
In the story a man slowly adopts feminine clothes and appearance to help the business he and his wife have.
Suzi Page
In the pre-dawn light, the train was slowly coming to life. Families had eaten and were now hitching their mules, horses and oxen to them. Hannah was holding Em and standing beside Gideon, while Cade sat on the back of the near mule watching.
“What do we do with the little cart?” she asked, capturing a loose lock of hair and tucking it behind her ear.
“I’d love to take it with us, but we’re going in some real rough country soon and I’m afraid it will just drag us down.” He looked past Hannah to the cart where it sat off the side of the trail.
Hannah sighed, then turned to also look at the cart. “We can leave it; perhaps someone else could use it for repairs or may have use for it in some way.”
Gideon had been watching her, remembering to what she had done only last night, his mind dwelling on what his heart wanted him to do to, and for her. But alas, it wasn’t to be… for as soon as she could, she would be gone. He couldn’t help studying the curve of her form, mesmerized in the beauty she possessed. Her wavy red locks drifting in the morning air, she was so much like ‘his’ Hannah…and yet, nothing like her.
Things were going okay with Eric. Eric kept his side of the truce -- he didn't try to get near me, or talk to me, or even talk about me. I tried to act like I was ignoring him, but I kept catching myself trying to see what he was doing or hear what he was saying.
This is the year that Charlotte departs England for a short while with her brother who is working for the government she is to all intents a young lady of quality. They are accompanied my Charlottes Ladies maid Anna and bound for Portugal.
Charlotte decides that Anna is more suited to be a companion rather than a ladies maid but before this could happen poor Anna undergoes a fate worse than death.
“Mmm,” I moan as the image of Sarah in her wedding dress fades and my brain starts swimming back to reality. I blink my eyes twice, turning my sore head to shield my sensitive eyes from the bright light streaming through the window.
“Morning, beautiful,” Sarah says, giving me a quick kiss on my forehead.
My life was getting really complicated. What with school, romancing Doris, and trying to do something for Ursula, not to mention finding ways for Teresa and Jeff to have time together, and seeing our friends, well, it's like I had to have an appointment book to keep track of what was when.
“As this is the final day of the school year,” Mrs. Hall announces, “you have a choice of whatever sport you want to do for the next hour- athletics, netball, tennis or gymnastics.” I grin as I glance sideway at Nicole, Suriya and Harriet- they’ve clearly had the same idea as me.
“Two years down, three to go,” Nicole giggles as she, Suriya and I pull on our stretchy purple leotards, whilst Harriet changes into her shorts & t-shirt.
How am I going to do this? Chris wondered as he glanced around the party full of thirteen- and fourteen-year-olds. A dozen tables stood along one side of an enormous, brick driveway and balloons hung from the stately, brick Edwardian house on one side. The remainder of the driveway served as a dance floor. His eyes roamed amongst the girls, admiring their clothes as much or more than anything else.
Checks can be made out & sent to:
Joyce Melton
1001 Third St.
Space 80
Calimesa, CA 92320
USA
Note: $6000 is the operating, maintenance and upgrade budget. Amounts received in excess of the $6000 will be applied to long term debt accrued over the last 19 years.
A Love So Bold
