A Grumpy Old Man’s Tale 67 All Changes but Stays the Same

“Pease, Sir Mister, have you any food you would spare? We haven’t had anything to eat for eight days and are hungry. We should be grateful and remember you in our thoughts tonight before we fell asleep if you would help us.” Arathane truly believed he had seen the worst that outsiders were prepared to subject their children to, yet as he turned to face the voice the sight of the three barefoot little girls dressed in little more than rags took him aback to a place he hadn’t ever in his darkest moments believed could exist. None of the emaciated girls, barely more than toddlers, looked older than three.

Demands My Soul

A Transgender Heroine's Journey & Romance Novel

From THE ONE Universe

Chapter 31: Reflective Transition

By Ariel Montine Strickland

What will transpire when enough time passes after Serina and Delores use the momentum together from their honeymoon
to hit their stride and fulfill the mission of the Morrison Family Center for LGBTQ+ Youth?

Copyright 2025 by Ariel Montine Strickland.
All Rights Reserved.

Chapter 9

The band got towards the end of a song, and I stood, taking a sip of my wine. Dad looked at me with question in his eyes, which was answered when the tune finished, and Tiger went to the microphone.

The air in the Blackpool Tower Ballroom thrummed, a living entity composed of anticipation, nerves, and the faint, sweet scent of hairspray. Backstage, it felt like the inside of a finely tuned clock, every mechanism poised for the precise moment of release. My heart hammered, a frantic metronome against my ribs. Mum, a whirlwind of calm efficiency, zipped the last fastener of my Samba dress. The vibrant orange and fuchsia fabric, studded with sparkling sequins, settled around me. It felt lighter than I anticipated, almost weightless, ready to fly.

Chapter 5

Drew Fairchild stepped out of his Tesla model 3 and pulled out a mint condition Zuca Roller Derby bag emblazoned with flames. He sat it on the gravel parking lot and examined his surroundings.

The expansive gravel parking lot of Swanky’s Fun Center was mostly empty; a handful of cars were parked near the front door. He studied the once colorful, but now dull paint chipping off the metal walls and took a deep breath. “This place is so real,” he said and checked the time on his Apple watch.

The motorway hummed beneath us, a rhythmic thrum against the tyres. Fields blurred into green streaks, then towns, then more fields. Melanie, propped in the passenger seat, her brace a stark white against her dark jeans, pointed out landmarks with a fervour usually reserved for ancient ruins.

“That’s where we stopped for ice cream, remember? Last time we came.” She twisted in her seat, her eyes bright with memories of happy times.

Mum, focused on the road, a slight smile playing on her lips.

Ethan Martin and his mother live a simple life in a small Southern town... with a twist: She makes dresses to pay the bills and he helps out as best he can.
 

“Emily” goes on a date with the scariest guy in town. How will it end?
 

Cover art by Erin Halfelven
©2026 SammyC

The bruised sky had bled into a deep, inky black, but the sliver of light Melanie had offered me still glowed, a warm ember in the cavern of my chest. Nationals. My heart thrummed a new rhythm against my ribs, a chaotic samba of fear and exhilaration.

Morning brought with it a crisp chill, but the air in my room felt charged, electric. I peeled off the nightgown, a strange reluctance clinging to my fingers. For a moment, I stood before the mirror, just Michael, pale and unremarkable. Then, a new impulse took hold.

Chapter 6

I must have been exhausted from the day, as I slept well until I woke needing a pee. It took me a while to get out of bed, as the nightie had become twisted around my legs, but I managed to get into the bathroom without exploding. I sat on the seat in an automatic movement, even though I wasn’t wearing the special pants. Margaret came in from the other door as I was finishing.

I sat on my bed, knees drawn to my chest, the now familiar feeling of the silky nightgown a strange comfort. It was one of Melanie’s. A soft, pale blue, trimmed with delicate lace. I’d worn it to bed, and just hadn’t taken it off. In fact, I hadn't worn any of my usual 'male' clothes to bed for a number of days, possibly a week. The thought of pulling on my own clothes felt like a betrayal.

The morning of the Yorkshire Regional Dance Championships dawned grey and drizzly, mirroring the churning in my stomach. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, the familiar comfort of my duvet doing little to soothe the frantic flutter in my chest.

Ethan Martin and his mother live a simple life in a small Southern town... with a twist: She makes dresses to pay the bills and he helps out as best he can.
 

Ethan is put in the spotlight, and his whole world turns upside down.
 

Chapter 4

Sophie Brooks pushed her cart up to the line and checked her watch. She was in her shapeless kitchen uniform and still had her ID lanyard around her neck. There were a couple people in line in front of her. The red head in the punk jacket directly in front of her turned, made eye contact and smiled.

Oh God, I know her. Sophie smiled, nodded and quickly looked down.

Oh my God, that’s Rose.

Chapter 5

We watched as they backed out and then went inside, sitting in the lounge with the dogs now allowed in. We finished our wine and went into the kitchen, where we wiped up. When everything was tidy, Margaret gave me a sisterly hug.

Today was the day. Today, Michael became Melanie, not just for a moment, but for hours, in front of Marco, in front of a mirror, learning to dance as someone else.

Melanie, already dressed in leggings and a loose top, perched on the bathroom counter, her ankle still elevated on a stack of fluffy towels. Mum, a vision in her usual practical jeans and an oversized jumper, rummaged through her makeup bag, a determined glint in her eye.

Ethan Martin and his mother live a simple life in a small Southern town... with a twist: She makes dresses to pay the bills and he helps out as best he can.
 

Auntie Vivian takes Ethan out of his comfort zone.
 

The antiseptic tang of the living room haunted the air, a faint ghost of the hospital ward. Melanie, propped on the sofa, a patchwork quilt draped over her plaster-encased leg, flipped through a magazine. Her ankle throbbed, a dull ache that resonated with the silence hanging between her and Mum.

I lingered in the doorway, the scent of burnt toast from my failed breakfast attempt clinging to my jumper. They hadn't noticed me yet. Their voices, hushed and conspiratorial, floated from the other side of the room.