Forever Claire, Chapter 12

Mary Windham wanted to teach her daughter to be charitable. One day Claire would inherit Windham Manor and the fortune that went with it.

Cary continues to play with Alan's mind and body

A bit like a faery story, a bit like humour, and borrowing wantonly from pop culture.

“NO! I won’t do it! I WON”T!”

Some more Snippets

By Melanie E.

Another set of super short shorts.

I went to my drawer and pulled out the navy blue tights. I put them on and then put my school trousers back on top. At least that way I would know part of me was a girl, even if no one else knew. Yes, I know. I was asking for trouble. And I got it!

Somewhere in Heaven (probably downtown, where all the freeways come together in a great gleaming golden bow of an interchange...) is an office building the size of Mount Everest, in which angels with massive ledger books and quill pens keep the balance of our sins. When we do or think something bad it is noted in our account summary, and when we go to confession the priest gives us the bill for whatever we declare, and as we do penance our balance is brought back to zero. The Church is nothing if not well-organized.

I knew that the key to ever being able to behold this magnificent skyscraper or any of the other marvels, monuments, rides & attractions that Heaven has to offer was in making sure you didn’t die when you were in the red. But certain thoughts and deeds of mine seemed too strange & terrible to ever admit to, so I confessed to invented sins that I hoped would be bad enough to stand in for those shameful wanting-to-be-a-girl ones. It was a pretty nifty system I had worked out. Until that Sunday when I was twelve, when my whole clever scheme came crashing down around me!

I walked out of the bathroom of the hotel and didn’t see Mom or Sarah anywhere.

“OK, look kid, I don’t want your mom to be pissed off so I’ll make an exception especially if its only paper stuff. I’ll mark this as a “no sign” this time.”

“Thanks!”

Billy grabbed the package and went through the back gate. He opened the package in a hurry and pulled out the pills. It was almost surreal that he had them in his possession. He unzipped his backpack and hid them at the bottom.

It was about a week before my 13th birthday. Having come home from work unexpectedly, the Ogre---who was what passed for a masculine role model in my life---had decided to take one final stab at "making a man out of me" before writing me off forever as a hopeless little bitch...

"What the hell you cryin' for? You're a boy, nothing's gonna change that! What's that you're coverin' with your hand, huh? You think putting on a damn dress changes anything? Do you? Answer me, goddamn it!"

I stood there shivering, feeling horribly vulnerable. By now I didn't know what I was or what could change what. I was sobbing, trying to nod my head yes and shake it no at the same time.

"For God's sake Sam, that's enough! Let him get dressed."

"No, I want him to say it first! What are you?"

"I'm a boy," I blubbered.

"That's a start. Now put some damn trousers on and come with me."

In a drizzle of slushy snow I was marched across the yard to the shed, where I was forced to take part in a grotesque and humiliating ritual of destruction. This was the heart of darkness...

Easter is a time to parade your best to a new best friend.

Easter Best
(abridged, frm Easter Givings 2002)
by Deela Eon

You'll never know what cute truths you'll discover on April Fool's Day.