I left Earth in 2437, and it has been a long time, but I have no idea how long. Tens of thousands of the days here, but I don’t know how long the days are. However long ago that was, I arrived as a blob of slime.

Two lonely high school students walk parallel paths.  One, impoverished and losing hope, yearns desperately to become their authentic self. The other, wealthy and the victim of unfathomable manipulation, resists changing to something they never wanted to be. Can these two, meeting amidst the clatter and chatter of the school cafeteria, find connection? Can they embrace their fractured selves and each other and then become whole? Or will a duplicitous villainess, in the guise of a loving mother, destroy their fragile hope and leave them living a miserable, incomplete existence?

Shadowsblade a Whateley Tale: Written by Shadowsblade

Created for war and forged in pain, dealing with demons within and without.

“I’m not saying you don’t have good family members. Shit, you’re in it, so of course it does. But as a family, it’s fucked up. Know what I’m saying? It’s like, they don’t know the meaning of the word. What family’s supposed to be all about.”

CHAPTER 81
We landed in the afternoon, just after a rain squall had blown through; the place was a lot wetter than WA, that was clear. Maz had the window, and as we descended towards Changi, she was almost dancing in her seat, pointing out places that I couldn’t actually see, as Ish was already leaning over her for his view. I would just have to see it all from ground level.

“This was the military airfield originally, Mike. Alan’s Dad used to go to the beach here. There was a place called the South China Sea Club, but it was just palm thatched huts, a bar, a juke box and a local man cooking chips in a wok over a gas ring. On the floor. Such changes!”

Security Training Center Number 2:
Jake and Jessica look at the young fifteen-year-old teenage girl standing before them. She was wearing the black skintight outfit they had given her to wear. The suit had sensors built into it to monitor her vitals.

“Alright, Brandi. First, you’re going to stretch, so we can get a baseline on what your body is doing.” Jessica was standing near the monitors and already getting basic readings from the suit.

Chapter 25: Mother's Training

Chapter 24: Fallout

The fallout from the lawsuits and the court’s decisions rippled through the town like a thunderclap, leaving residents in a state of disbelief. Initially, the community seemed paralyzed by the overwhelming revelations, the weight of the truth rendering them unable to process the gravity of what had transpired. As time passed, however, emotions began to stir, and the townspeople found themselves divided, their reactions as diverse as the patchwork of lives they led.

Author's note: I am posting these today because I will be busy for the next two weeks. There will be no posts during that time.

Chapter 22: Media Backlash

Besides being long in the past compared to the time onthe Earth I came from, there was a major difference, and it had to do with restrooms. I was 4 when my parents first spoke with me directly about it.

“Kevin, you’re going to go off to school pretty soon, and you’re going to have a choice.”

“What’s the choice?” I asked, not yet connecting this with what I’d heard about restrooms and thinking I was going to get to choose between different schools.

“Annnnnnnnd that’s £500, please,” Lil says with a smug grin, which widens as I sigh and hand her the pretend pink banknote. “Much obliged, Miss Williams!”

“Do NOT stuff that one down your bra, as I’m going to take it from you very soon!” Lydia teases, before rolling the dice and continuing our game of ‘Angels Monopoly.’

Today is day nine of our ‘incarceration’ in the Lincolnshire mansion, and the restlessness is already starting to kick in — hence why many of us have already resorted to Monopoly.

Chapter 15: Fresh Targets

The parents of a troublesome teenage son finally had enough and sends him for special training. He gets more than she bargains for.

The New One
A Vignette
By Maryanne Peters

I had come home from the party early. Walt had been talking to some of his business buddies and I was bored.

“That’s okay, sweetie,” he said. “You go home and slip into something nice and I will be along shortly.”

This is an AI-generated story and is a continuation of “Test Drive”.
I have kept edits to a minimum, making changes only when the AI would repeat phrases a bit too much.
(Only the Test Drive series will be written with AI assistance)