New Year's Eve

By Melanie E.

Originally posted to the BCTS Patreon on December 31st, 2022

One too Many
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

Even with the curtains drawn in a vain attempt to help me cope, it seemed that the room was in direct sunlight, or that I was in a Nazi interrogation room facing a searchlight I kept my eyes open as only slits, or was it the one ton block sitting on my head that was keeping them mainly closed?

I opened the year with an end-of-the world story, and this continues the subject of earth-shattering occurrences . Like the previous story, this one was started early last year, and had to wait until the end of the year, when my muse came back from where-ever it had disappeared to.
Marianne.

Part 1

“Say cheese!” Those two words summed up a lot of my young days. My father, Allan, was an avid photographer, while my mother, Wanda, had been a model. They told me that when they met, it was a marriage made in heaven.

Sam looks up at the pink tinted machinery hovering from an extendable arm two foot above his face. He could clearly see the permanent makeup tattoo brushes and eyelash extensions poised to descend and change him forever probably into a girl with light makeup, long lashes, and rouge lips. He was semi relieved that he could not see the tell-tale injectors to plump his lips as well, but he supposed they could be there.

Kassidy leans back in the worn passenger seat inside the van. She looks over toward Jerry as he drives the van. She glances toward the back of the van and notices the rest of their band drunk or stoned out of their minds.

“Tonight was a total mess, Jerry.” Kassidy couldn’t believe how terrible the group sounded.

“I know, and I wish I had an explanation for what happened, but I don’t.” Jerry was pissed that the band did so badly tonight.

Happy New Year!
Or should I say, Happy New Congress. I see the news and wonder at the avarice of some people who are supposed to be responsible adults. If the Rabid Right get what they are demanding, the following story might be even truer than my old brain had considered.
Happy Days!
Marianne

29 and Beyond!

There's a party tonight, and Jamie wants to jump right in and get one of his 'girl nights' out of the way. But not if his friend Annie has anything to say about it.

A Different Pair of Queens
By Sabrina G. Langton

***

Author's Note: Just a couple of words I came up with while being really nosy at a bar. Sometimes I listen to other conversations instead of being involved with the conversations that I am involved with, ha. I do have a little background about that bar too, that I will put up here inside The Big Closet soon, thanks. I hope YOU like it.

He's a Witch!
Chapter 1
Copyright 2023 by Heather Rose Brown

For a long while, I've had a universe brewing in my head, where a few rare boys develop slightly differently than others. Along with those differences in development come unique abilities. The following is a short vignette, showing a glimpse into the life of one of those boys in this universe. I'm really not sure what would happen next, but I had so much fun writing this, I thought I'd share it. Just think of this as a little New Years gift. Enjoy!

Jamie's case of mistaken identity as a girl is getting too out of hand. He wants to let his friends in on the secret, but will that make things even worse?

It started in the fifth grade.

Mischief Night Magic
Sequel to
Cemetery Shenanigans
Part Six: A Serious Conversation

Have you ever asked yourself the following question? What causes a place to become haunted? Or to become infested with demons? That is the million dollar question that is often debated among theologians and paranormal scholars alike. I'm not here to answer that question. I'm here to tell you a story of a building that is haunted. Haunted by the lost soul of a wayward teenage girl who tragically took her own life in a fit of religious fever and my personal encounter with her. But first a brief history lesson.

Mischief Night Magic
Sequel to 
Cemetery Shenanigans
Part Five: Costume Shopping 

It was around twilight when we left the parking lot of Dollar General. As we drove through the narrow streets of Benton, toward our next stop. Gwendoline seemed a little lost for words. She seemed lost in thought, she kept looking over me, and every time she would look at me she would smile. I returned the smile with one of my own. 

Mischief Night Magic
Sequel to
Cemetery Shenanigans
Part Four: Basic Supplies

There is a long held belief among those who live in Yazoo County that the name of the Yazoo, the name given to the river that flows through it, and who's yearly overflow made it prime cotton growing ground comes from the old Choctaw word that means “River of Death”. I guess that is fitting enough because all the ghost stories and legends I've shared with you center on Yazoo County. This next story was told to me by a good friend of mine. Her name is Lana Edwards. She is one of the few remaining Edward's that call Benton home.

Fathers
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

I found a canoe. I had taken a job for a few days cleaning out an old shed behind a house on the shore bought by somebody in the city. The realtor said that I could stay in the basement under the house for a few days and earn some cash for emptying the contents of the shed into a dumpster, sweeping the floors and wiping the place down.

An unexpected situation arises and turns into so much more.

A Lady and a Gentleman
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

He had watched her all night. He had danced with another lady, but his eyes had been on her, or rather her ears and her throat. He did not need to get in close to see that they were real diamonds. He knew that the quality of the settings was enough. You do not apply that much workmanship to protect stones of no value. He could see it from the clips behind the ears, and the clasp of the necklace below the nape of her neck exposed by the upswept hairdo. Quality work means quality stones.

I've told you a fair number of legends that center around Benton Academy, I've also told you one or two that center around Benton High School. The School I attend. The story I'm going to tell you now, is a ghost story that is well known to the cadets of Benton High School's Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps or JROTC for short. That is commonly pronounced “JAY-rotsee” for those who were wondering.

Mischief Night Magic
Sequel to
Cemetery Shenanigans
Part One: Heather Delilah Soenksen

My mother is the night nurse at King's Daughters Hospital, my father is a foreman at Benton Brickwork. Because of their shifting schedules it's rare for the two of them to be at home at the same time. My father was already at work when I left home to keep my appointment with the strange woman. My mom had just gotten off, and had already showered and was fast asleep when I left.

Hi, Sofia here. Mary gave me permission to tell her story so here it is, picking up from when I asked her a question, but here’s a refresher of where we were when she told it to me.

I got a cab round to Mary’s so I could change back and sort out everything the male me needed for work next week. There were a couple of questions I needed to ask her so once the change had started I said, “Mary, there’s a couple of things you said and I wanted to ask you about it.” She told me I could ask her anything so I began….

A conversation with a Phantom

The mall closes its doors at nine o' clock on the dot each night. On week nights I'm in bed by then, but on Friday and Saturday nights I'm still roaming the corridors. This was one such night, it was seven at night, the sun had set and a full moon could be seen against the backdrop of a dark, cloudless night sky. The mall was as quiet as the grave and a strange stillness was starting to settle over the building.