How limiting are one's routines in life? Often times upon closer examination they clue you into the fact you've been missing out on the world around you. Slow down and smell the coffee with Brad as he discovers he needs to make some changes to his typical routines and possibly exit the other side happier - if he can hold onto his desires and not cave to societies constraints.

Authors note: Hope is to drop a weekly chapter, with the goal being six to eight in total. Thank you for considering the read.

Hope's Light

Chapter 14

by Erisian

Book 6

Chapter Fourteen - Balance

The crimson trail illuminated by the bracers held steady and straight, but the realm of hot barren desert curved away as we flew higher through a sky of perpetual sunset. There the path twisted to snap at right angles to the realm’s reality, and once more we found ourselves fading through clouds into somewhere else.

Kitchen Area:
Shelly and Clair were busy making pumpkin muffins and banana nut muffins for the buffet line. They had already made over forty muffins and were glad they were selling like hotcakes. Shelly looks at the Clair standing next to her.

“You're really good at cooking, Clair. Do you have formal training as a cook?” Shelly was curious because it was like Clair knew how to do everything without a lot of explanation. It took her several tries under Pamela’s tutelage to learn the proper way to read a measuring cup and such.

I accepted magic to fight evil and it turned me into a girl, but I don’t think I really mind?

Jennifer Shannon

Chapter 9

Everyone was just staring at me, seeming unsure of what to say. Then Daniel crouched down and grabbed my shoulder. I felt a strange heat rise in me, but I had other things to worry about right now.

“Please don’t panic, but… yes, you do,” he said.

I tensed up, and I only didn’t get up and run because he was holding me firmly.

“Oh my god! He didn’t realize?” asked Lanelle.

A few weeks ago, I was sent a card in the mail, requesting me to come to a restaurant called Silff Top Closet Mawr. It was somewhat off the beaten track, but my GPS was able to find it. The interior had a plain tone to it with soft reds and purples. The floor was made of tiles with stones in the middle laid out in circles to the bar and the main dining area.
“Please let the hostess know you are a member of the party at table 42.”

Hope's Light

Chapter 13

by Erisian

Book 6

Chapter Thirteen - Traces

“Alright dude, how’s this supposed to work?”

Nick and I were standing on the tower’s rooftop. A wide variety of antennas, all made of clumped bundles of wire or actual dishes pointed at distant targets, surrounded us. The power and signal cables, hardened against the ridiculous heat from the uncomfortably close burning sky, coiled about like massive snakes having a grand ol’ party.

A party we’d intruded upon, though we had done our best not to trip over anyone.

Chalon Road, Los Angeles, California:
Fey wakes the next morning at the mansion Nike brought her, Sammy, and Dave to. The woman Nike introduced her to was beautiful-looking. She had shoulder-length blonde hair, olive skin, and blue eyes. The woman managed to return her skin and hair to their natural color.

In late May, Dido and John Proudfoot were having one of their regular reviews of their quest to bring Thomas Fox to justice.

I accepted magic to fight evil and it turned me into a girl, but I don’t think I really mind?

Jennifer Shannon

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 60
The tent Maz had bought was, to be honest, rubbish. It was light enough for me to backpack, but if it had encountered a bit of wind, or rain, we’d have ended up sleeping under the camp shelter. What it did have as an advantage was simple: the inner tent was largely netting. Leaving the fly sheet off meant a view of the sky.

Hope's Light

Chapter 12

by Erisian

Book 6

Chapter Twelve - Ideals

Sucking air into lungs finding themselves able to expand fully, Nick again pushed a hand against the rack of green produce to stay upright.

“Gimme…gimme a minute.”

“Sure.”

Emotions, fresh and bleeding, spilled one after another across the lines of his face. Not just the tautness of anger and pain - but also the deepest troughs of despair, haunted by what he’d just touched.

Hope's Light

Chapter 11

by Erisian

Book 6

Chapter Eleven - Stand

I spent a few more minutes, there in the now-empty hall. Tsáyidiel remained quiet, allowing me space to think. While the idea of returning to give Krux the grief he so greatly deserved appealed, the entire quest to find the Apostle no longer felt as urgent.

Oh, I still wanted to know if this demon had information that could lead to my other friends, and also wanted to find out just exactly who he was to be saying things in my name. But from what Cassius had just told me, other priorities had become much more important.

And thus decision became action.

I accepted magic to fight evil and it turned me into a girl, but I don’t think I really mind?

Jennifer Shannon

Chapter 6

Emily Berrigan is a 23 year old transwoman who hasn't seen her twin in six years. Why? Because her parents threw her out when she told them who she really was. Now, her older sister Stephanie is getting married and wants Emily there - as a bridesmaid. Will sparks fly?

Stephanie is married. Will everyone live happily after? I know it’s been a while since I posted. Don’t you hate when real life gets in the way?
——

The wedding was winding down and Emily, Stef, Jordan and Liam stood waiting. “I dunno,” Jordan said to Liam, “they said come here, so I came.”

Rose wakes up the next morning feeling tired. Last night she had gathered some evidence that she needs to show Sasha and hopefully, she’ll be able to read the faded writing on the pieces of wood she bagged and brought back with her. However, right now she needs to open her garage and take care of business.

Is Late Better than Never?
by Lily Rasputin

Chapter Four

“Honestly, Madeline. Could you possibly think about someone other than yourself for once?

The woman at the end of the connection, the one listed in the phone’s contacts as “Mother”, possessed an annoyingly superior tone of voice which made me instantly sympathetic for the former Maddie’s having to have dealt with it for her entire life.

A sympathy, I supposed, that I should now feel for myself.