There was no help for it...

Another Country -5-
Erin Halfelven

I came at our house the back way through the alley, but Mom was there, chopping at some weeds with a long-handled hoe. The back gate made of pigwire stood wide open. At least I didn’t have to get off my bike to open it.

“Bobby,” she said as I rolled past her. “Grab the garden rake and help me here.”

The next weekend I was back there, and there were a bunch more new garments to sort out, and we did those first. Mom, Grandma, and I were doing it again, though we reversed the sequence so I was measuring Grandma. And it was just like before, we got a variety of different ages, sizes, and looks. A few more women than men. The weird thing was I was finding I enjoyed the times I was a woman more than when I was a man.

By Iona Laing

Chapter Fifteen - The dream becomes a reality!

(Jessie.)

“Ok Julia, please scoot off for a minute sweetheart, I need to take this call, I won’t be more than a few minutes!”

“Hi Karen, just a moment please!”

I just needed to get out of earshot of Julia.

Chapter 3

The band went back to the Watford shed for a week, putting together a show that should last about three hours. They needed to introduce themselves to the world, as well as promoting the school that nurtured most of them. They went through some of their own back catalogue, picking out a couple of songs that Zara had sung with the G’s, a few of Willow’s with Summer Rose, a few of the Rock’s old numbers, as well as a few that were still being played from the final boxed set.

Chapter 2: Lucy Sep 8th

Lucy crouched beside the recliner and unlatched the valve on Anothony’s catheter bag. The plastic hissed softly as the urine emptied into the pitcher she kept for this. She checked the line, wiped the spout, and tugged at the edge of his disposable brief, clean, thank God. No mess today.

CHAPTER 2
He was teasing, of course, or at least I hoped so. To my surprise, Alwen bit back, albeit gently.

“Dai, if I am going to be walking barefoot on sand, I want it to be warm”

“Ah, after thirty seconds in that water, you won’t notice”

By Iona Laing

Chapter Thirteen – Family Conference.

(Jennifer.)

It was a quiet journey home from the hospital, I don’t think either of us could get past the similarity between Julia and a young Jessie.

Jeff kissed me after locking up and quietly went up to bed, but I couldn’t settle so I sat in the kitchen nursing a cup of tea while I got my thoughts into some sort of order.

For two thousand years, demons and humans waged war against each other. Twenty-five years ago, that all changed. Now two demon princesses must navigate a world that's been forever altered - and yet they'll soon find that far too much of it remains the same.

This is the story of Mikaela, and Charlotte, twin princesses (born to the protagonists of Demon Queened), forced to become adventurers as a rite of passage. In theory, it'll be easy! They're literally demi-gods after all. It's not like anything can hurt them... but will it really be so simple for two pampered princesses to live the life of adventurers?

From prejudiced humans to old demonic grudges, hidden villages, romance and potential heartbreak, the girls will soon find that there's a lot more to life than they realized.

This is a sequel to Demon Queened, but I'll do my best to make sure you don't need to read the original to make sense of it. I still recommend the original - it was a good series, in my opinion! - but reading it shouldn't be a necessity.

By Iona Laing

Chapter Eleven – Feelings, Plans and Decisions.

(Jennifer.)

‘That’s the front door, and one, no two sets of footsteps, that’s good, both my girls home safe and sound.’

“Come on girls, I’ve got you some homemade lasagne just coming out of the oven!”

Chapter 2

The new band may have been conceived, but it’s parents didn’t know that yet. They had been having fun, playing as well as seasoned performers could, but, at that time, fun was all it was. At the end, though, they stood on the stage as their friends applauded them and started hugging.

When evil rises from the weak minds of the world.
Look into your heart and let your love unfurl.
Take up the mantle, take up the fight
Champion against the wrong, battle to defend what is right.
Summon the love, for all the world to see
The HIGH SCHOOL SENTAI, Cherry Jubilee!

Dinner was a bit…awkward.

Chapter 1

Clark opened his eyes, and felt waves of pain through his head. He groaned and rolled over and felt a wave of nausea wash over him. Then he was hit with the realization that he couldn’t remember where he was or how he got there. He tried to take stock of his situation. Small insects crawled up his arms and legs, he was surrounded by small green plants and overhead a canopy of light green leaves, beyond that a blue sky, sun, but which sun? "Oh dear!" A voice, warm and inviting, cut through his haze.