This story is a sequel to a story I wrote several years ago, "To the Mana Born." Readers are invited to revisit the earlier story (already here at Big Closet) to find out about what's gone on before.

“Damien, it is nice to see you again. I had hoped that it would be under better circumstances.”

“Thank you, Mrs Thompson.”

“Paula, please.”

Authors Note: I think you'll get it from the prose, but this story begins on Sunday morning around 10:30AM. Then immediately goes back to fill in events from the previous week. I really enjoyed writing this.

Chapter 6 “The Crash”
Ashton

Ashton looked out the passenger window of Marie’s 80s Volvo wagon because she couldn’t look at Marie.

“I’m sorry, Ashton, I’m not trying to push you into anything, it’s not like that. I just want you to see that you’re not alone,” Marie said.

The Au Pair
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

To succeed in anything, you need to be prepared to be ruthless. If you want something, you need to take it without thought for the desires or feelings of others. Think about the consequences perhaps, but what other people expect of you should never come into the equation. It is better to be thought of as brutal than to spend your life worried about the opinion of others. It has always worked for me, although I suppose it led to me being alone. Brutes have few friends.

Chapter 5

We went out for shopping, moving around between the three cities and never using the same supermarket more than once every three months. We had our weekends off and went out on our own. We listened, we filtered, and we built up a knowledge of the gangs, both criminal and right-wing. Whenever we had a new name, we added it to the filter list, so enlarging the database.

This was just a thought I came up with as I was pondering multiple dimensions and what gender might be like in them. What would happen if transgenderism were caused by bleed-through from another dimension? Impossible to prove, but what if?

My earliest memory wasn't of my parents.

It wasn't my first birthday.

It wasn't learning to walk.

It was looking into the bathroom mirror when I was barely four years old and wondering why the little boy staring back at me looked... wrong.

Not ugly.

Not broken.

Just...

Wrong.

The Dead Pixel Society

© 2026 Zoe Taylor

“Trouser role,” Kris said without missing a beat.

It all started one day when I was complaining about work again,
my wife Sara said if I was unhappy at work then I should stay at home
as the housewife and she would go to work. I said it sounded a good
idea. Sara said she would start to look for a decent job, when she had
found one then I should give my notice. About a month later Sara had
found a job and she would start in a months time, so she said I should
give my weeks notice.

As the door opened, a bell bracketed to the wall rang. “Welcome to the Magic Shoppe,” the tall, thin man behind the counter announced. “What can I do for you today?”

The man in his mid-thirties approached the counter. He mostly ignored the maid sweeping near the front of the shop. “I hope you can help. I need to be a woman.”

“Interesting. How long have you wanted to be a woman?”

“I haven’t.”

“I knew this would be interesting.”

“I’m in love.”

CHAPTER 55
"Where, then?”

“We’ve got ten days at the Gold Coast, all inclusive”

Erwin mock-frowned.

“Told him I did better food, and could get him a deal at King River caravan park, but would he listen? Kids of today, got no gratitude”

The lad just grinned.

“Still got to fly to Perth for the connection, though. Be about the same flight time altogether as going to Bali, just don’t need a passport. Direct flight from Perth to the Gold Coast, though”

Mark Lansing never wanted to stand out. He was perfectly happy disappearing into a football huddle with the rest of the team until one play made him the talk of the town. Thrust into a spotlight he never wanted, every choice can reshape his future, and every decision could transform him in ways he never believed possible. Mark’s destiny will be determined on the field … assuming he can figure out how to dress the part.