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”

Chapter Seven: Kitsura-kai

The attention kept growing. I started to notice it not just at work, but everywhere I went.

CHAPTER 53
Dead right.

“I’ll see you in a few, then”

“Kul’s about to shoot off to look over that pub, with Chad”

“Tell him not to mention his, er, domestic situation, darling. I gather it is indeed an Ocker style place, all shorts, work boots and singlets. Think that place in the Crocodile Dundee film”

“A little bit of Perth that’s forever RFO?”

Authors Note: Ive spent four chapters trying to build a world and I know in that time I've lost many of you. I think the world is built now, the board is set. This is the best chapter so far.

Just to a quick synopsis: It's 1994, ASHTON is a 20 year old college student in a small town. His best friend, GARRETT is a geek who is interested in esoteric knowledge and magic. At a party they met MARIE, 24 and JESS, 20. MARIE was looking for people she might recruit to her circle.

Ish murmured something, and Susie asked him to speak up a little.

“Sorry. Just, well, lost my Mum for six years, but I got her back. Obviously… Would you mind, if you do get to speak to Gwen’s Nan, that I log in as well? And we’ve already spoken to her, so it gives them a known face”

Sandcastles, Boiled Shrimp, and Gentle Gulf Breezes
By
Rebecca Anna Coleman

-1-
The Open Highway
Somewhere Between New Orleans, Louisiana and Mobil, Alabama

A few weeks ago my life had flashed before my eyes. I'd been forced to cosplay as a Confederate Rifleman for a dumb Civil War reenactment by my tyrant father. In the course of the reenactment I'd developed a second degree sunburn, was bitten by a venomous snake, became dehydrated, and finally the cherry on the sundae was the fact that I had to spend three weeks in the hospital.

Chapter Two
The Awakening

I imagined that I could feel each thread passing over the sensitive flesh.

Another Country -19-
by Erin Halfelven

Chapter Six: Signal

Morning in Hinokuni didn't rush—it unfolded.

The next morning was a recovery day before two of us became wage slaves again, but the kids had a few more days of grace before they started their next round of indoctrination. Ish was happy to big-brother LC through the next day, and as Maz and I were travelling together, we arranged to collect them both from ‘our’ beach café, or rather meet them there and pay for unhealthy food. Just as I was finishing breakfast, Ish showed me his laptop.

“Clara sent me a mail last night Dad. Last night for us, I mean. It’s okay to read; nothing…”

“Personal, son?”

It was a really pleasant evening in the end, although I found myself looking rather too often at Trudi’s long sleeves, and doing my usual obsessive balance sheet game. For every Nazi bastard, every Suleiman, every fucking Nigel Forbes, I knew a Butt, a Woodruff, a swathe of Welsh coppers, and in the end, the Nazis and cousin fucking Suleiman were dead, and Forbes was banged away with other scum.

“Darling?”

“Sorry, love. Miles away. Just counting blessings. Gwen, what does your, um, Andy do?”

Chapter 7

Vanessa didn’t speak on the ride home. The low hum of the electric engine was the only sound, a quiet shield against the tension coiling in the car’s interior. She sat pressed against the leather seat, every muscle tight, refusing to meet her own eyes in the faint reflection on the darkened window.

That remark brought a proper laugh, but Nora managed to wind it back down.

“Ah, teenagers: who’d have ‘em, ey?”

Her face fell.

“Sorry, Maz. Didn’t think”

My lover simply smiled.

“Water and bridges, water and bridges. Got him back now, and not letting him go again. Anyway, got his sister to get through it in a few years”

“Swap notes then, love?”

It was another lovely morning, and I asked at the reception after our ‘camp breakfast’ about swimming sites more suitable for small children.

“Ah, mate, Bandy Creek’ll do you right. Let me show you on the map… Here. Then, if you head out to Twilight Beach, it’s sheltered. No nasty rips. There’s no shark reports at the moment, but if you want to be sure, we’ve got a new shark net out in front of the Pier Hotel. Good place to feed as well”

Chapter Six
Old World, New Home

Author's Note: It's done. 309 pages in print.

I wrote the book that I needed to read in 2017. When I finally faced the fact that I might be transgender, but couldn't let myself believe and used autogynephilia as an excuse to bury it.

I'm releasing the ebook on Jul 21st, but I wanted to offer everyone here a chance to read the EDITIED version for free. I went through the manuscript three times and fixed so many typos. I added about 10,000 words, new chapters, and an epilogue, I even learned that OK is spelled okay.

Chapter Five

Sam knew that telling his sister not to do anything was a surefire way to make her do exactly the opposite. He just went straight for the stairs, going for speed over silence when he realized someone would catch a glimpse of him no matter what thanks to how the only way to get to the floor above was to pass by the living room.

Sure enough, Sophie was determined to have as much fun as possible with his situation. “We’re back!” she exclaimed, “Who wants to see Samantha’s new outfit?”