In the morning, Nathan didn’t feel the least bit rested. He was struggling to keep his eyes open even in the shower. If he didn’t perk up soon, he was going to have a hard time staying awake through his morning classes.

Shampoo, conditioner… where’s…?

There was no body wash on the shelf in the shower.

I don’t use body wash, Nathan realized, groaning. It was going to be one of those days, wasn’t it? He grabbed a bar of soap and scrubbed himself down quickly.

A knock at the door, his mother, let him know that he was running out of time before the bus came. Nathan turned off the water and got out, grabbing a towel from the rack. He rubbed himself dry, but paused when he saw his stomach. It looked different… flatter? Sure, being Chinese, Nathan had always been smaller and thinner than other boys (much to their amusement and playful mockery), but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was… wrong about him.

As Tom walks from his last class of the day he contemplates what a terrible day it has been.

What had been worst?

The laughter and jeering when he arrived a bit late in the gym wearing his leotard? Yes, his leotard! To add insult to injury he’d had to buy it!

The story continues immediately after we left Tom and the Headmaster last time.

"There is emotional and minor physical abuse in this part. You've been warned."

Sam gave me a long, glittering yellow dress that flared out at the bottom to put on. “Where did you get this?” I asked, holding it up to my chest.

“Since I'm helping you I can get into your room. While you were unconscious I grabbed it. Your red skirt was burned so badly it was practically falling off,” he said.

The Tape is back! This time around StephAD has contributed two great stories, the first kicking off the collection with an exhilarating magical duel. Hikaro has submitted an intense apocalyptic tale and talks Brave New World and superheroes in the Mixed Tape Interview. Trismegistus Shandy and Jenny North offer intriguing glimpses into ordinary lives changed by super science and spirits. So what are you waiting for? Hit play on this fantastical new collection for thrills, spills, and maybe... even some feels.

Ruth went through her chemical engineering class, memorizing everything, but not really there. When the teacher, who was speaking from a far away place, gave her the projects she had to do, she took five minutes sorting out the ones that were most similar, dividing them into pairs, and setting four of them up, one on each corner of the desk. Ignoring the students around her, she worked on each of them, planning the time spent on each of them to within twenty seconds.

This story is being rewritten.
A new chapter will be published every 2 weeks starting on 19/07/2022.

When I finally reach this chapter again, I'll replace this message.

Three 12-year old boys sit in the Headmaster’s office. John, Harry and Tom have come to school dressed as girls as a prank. Not surprisingly their teacher sent them to the Headmaster.

I didn't know where I was going, I just knew I wanted to be far away from Eric whenever he decided to come after me.

I walk towards what passes for the infirmary, my arm is bleeding, it's almost severed and none of the little magicks I've picked up will heal it. My thin ebony blade, Crier of Souls, is in my hand despite my wounds. I never know when a fae I've embarrassed or a fellow slave will want to get it's little bit of revenge seeing me in a moment of weakness. I shake my head to get the blood red hair out of my eyes, the greasy, sweaty bangs have to go. Maybe after I get my arm fixed I'll make Sin give me a haircut.

One of the bands I liked -- Black Rose -- was going to play at the arena at the University in town, so Eric got hold of tickets for Saturday night.