A Love of Books

My world came crashing down on the Friday evening I showed my parents the real me. They had called me Benjamin, but I thought of myself as Bonita. It had started innocently enough. I was sitting on the sofa, watching TV, when Dad remarked that the girl in the show looked like a tramp.

“Dad, that’s the look they all have these days. It’s called clubwear.”

“What on earth do you know about girls’ clothing, Ben?”

“Actually, Dad, quite a bit.”

Mum stopped her knitting and laughed.

Dot the Magician - A Dream

I'm posting this as a story rather than a blog, cause I think its worthy. You guys will have to decide what you think

Authors Note: Get buckled in for a big chapter, and just a word of caution, this chapter deals with personal injury. Also if you're interested in reading more of my writing you can check out this essay I just posted on my substack. Thanks again for reading along and I adore the feedback!

Chapter 19 October 20th 2026

Outside the window the light is flat and grey, the kind of March morning that hasn't decided what it wants to do yet. I kick the sheets off. The air in the bedroom is cool but my thighs feel damp, sticky almost, the boxers bunching up between my legs like they're caught on something. I press my palms into the mattress and push myself up, legs swinging over the edge - except my balance is wrong. Not dizzy. Just off, like my center of gravity shifted an inch or two south while I was sleeping.

We found there is an organized group spreading a link to a forum on Reddit called dollcrisis. They are using that as a central place for activities people are working together on. And it’s mainly about these facilities, because the other stuff like rescuing all our people and making alphabet pads for people who can’t speak, people mostly figured out already.

Michael is desperate to escape, desperate enough to intentionally infect himself with a virus that will change his body in drastic and unpredictable ways.

This story takes place in my Burke's Virus universe. It’s been a long time since I wrote the last story in this universe, and this story idea has been waiting since then for its turn.

Chapter 11 — “Avalanche Hearts.”

Chapter 8

I resisted giving too much away when asked what I’d been up to. I just said that I’d gone with Randall to a job interview. Christine wanted to know if he was leaving the police and I told that he wasn’t, just going to another area, but that we would still be able to be together. I think that she was starting to realise that change was in the air.

CHAPTER 4
Lil sat in silence for a few seconds, staring at the mug of tea Alwen had just delivered. When she did speak, it was far more hesitant than I was used to hearing from her.

“What if… This is all sponging, stuff, yeah? If…”

She stopped once again, clearly seeking the right words before trying once again.

“If this is meant to be the start of proper things, proper COUPLE things, aye? How can I start on the basis of her paying for everything? And what if it doesn’t work out? How do I pay you all back?”

He looked a little uncertain, so I found a Dad-smile.

“Not only will it be a family do, but I suspect most of this lot will be looking to come along. Besides, Jimmy would just ask questions. Anyway, you saying you don’t want to come?”