Split Victory

© 2026 Zoe Taylor

“I think I’m going to throw up,” Morgan said just above a whisper, her voice cracking as she leapt to her feet and sprinted for the door.

Torn from his own world and stuffed into the body of a villainess, facing the end of a doomed route he himself wrote, "Amelia" must navigate a world she really should know - too bad she was never great at worldbuilding.

Stuck in a world she (maybe) created, Amelia quickly finds that reality has filled in the details she failed to describe. The characters who were so flat when she wrote them now have nuance, and motives. The kingdom she wrote into existence is experiencing internal strife she never even thought about. And let's not even get into the complexities of the magic system, or the demon that forced her into this situation to begin with...

Oh, and then there's the fact that she's about to be arrested and executed... but surely she can come up with a way to write herself out of that, right?

...Right?

I go to the hospice on Thursday morning without calling ahead. The ward is quiet at that hour — a different nurse at the desk, the corridor smelling of the clean that hospice corridors smell of.

Mom's door is ajar. I knock and go in.

Torn from his own world and stuffed into the body of a villainess, facing the end of a doomed route he himself wrote, "Amelia" must navigate a world she really should know - too bad she was never great at worldbuilding.

Stuck in a world she (maybe) created, Amelia quickly finds that reality has filled in the details she failed to describe. The characters who were so flat when she wrote them now have nuance, and motives. The kingdom she wrote into existence is experiencing internal strife she never even thought about. And let's not even get into the complexities of the magic system, or the demon that forced her into this situation to begin with...

Oh, and then there's the fact that she's about to be arrested and executed... but surely she can come up with a way to write herself out of that, right?

...Right?

Chapter 3 – The ex-agent

Chapter 8

It was nice to be outside and together again after the weekend. The pizza place was clean and smelt good, but the prices on the menu made my eyes water.

“I’ve never paid thirty pounds for a pizza before, or fifteen for a glass of wine!”

“This is Knightsbridge, love, with the most expensive shopping area in England across the road. We can afford this now, so order what you want and to hell with the cost.”

“I think I’ll like the salmon one, that’s a bit different to what we get in Braintree.”

Chapter Five — The Truth

"—so I really would just find somewhere to sit down for a minute," Cecily was saying, kind and oblivious, and Gwen made herself smile at her, made herself say something — thank you, I'm fine, you're very sweet — while every nerve in her body strained across the room toward Samuel and the change she could not stop.

"Excuse me," she managed. "I have to—" and she didn't finish, she just went, leaving Cecily blinking after her, because there was no version of the next sixty seconds she could survive standing still.

Chapter 2 – … and two steps back

Now that my cover had been blown, I desperately needed to disappear. My very life was under threat and any faith I’d had in the authorities’ ability to hide me had fallen to absolute zero. There was only one thing to do. I would have to take my survival into my own hands. Adopting a completely new identity was required, and the only way I could think to try which had any chance of succeeding was to create a female persona for myself, no matter how unwelcome that might be. Inwardly I was groaning “Not again!”

Authors Note: First chapters are hard, I often can't determine if I like a book enough to continue it until I'm a quarter of the way through. The first chapter of Yesterday, Today, wasn't exactly a hit, based on some of the feedback I received. Which I really appreciate by the way. Right now everything I'm writing comes from slightly exaggerated and dramatized memories from my real life. I know some of you didn't like the gratuitous cursing. My best friend in high school couldn't speak around us without prefacing every phrase with a fuck'n.

I awoke early and went into my morning routine preparing for my jog. By the time I had returned Sam was already up and having breakfast. After stretching a bit I came in and joined him. Looking at the clock he said we would have to leave in a couple of hours if I was to make my appointment in the basin LA basin area due to traffic. I agreed and went to cleanse and prepare myself for the day.

I awoke from a troubling dream coming from my encounter with the woman in the bathroom the other night. The dream dealt with being chased by woman yelling you are not a woman at me.

As I started my morning preparation, I felt depressed and anxious in that today I was to go out on my own and work as a woman. From somewhere deep inside of me a feeling of despair came over me, and I could feel tears forming and drip down my cheeks. It was a feeling of being overwhelmed in my efforts to present a full feminine persona.

Having taking leave of Sam I moved to my room and began my night preparations. After removing my jewelry and outer clothes I took a moment to gaze at my feminine form in the mirror prior to going through what would be a nightly routine.

The Ranch

A novel by Erin G

Chapter 1 - Prelude

The Dead Pixel Society

© 2026 Zoe Taylor

She wasn’t a project, and she wasn’t a train wreck. She just was. She leapt up and rushed out of the room, not wanting her sobs to carry all the way across the theater, especially when she heard the thud of the heavy Chemistry book slam shut below. Did Heather hear already? She ran back, turning off the CD player, and then disappeared into the shadows of the utility corridor, trying not to breathe as she listened.

There was a knock at my door and I heard Sam asl Barb are you awake? I moved off the bed and grabbing a robe from the closet I cracked the door and saw Sam standing there. He said that he was sorry to wake me but wanted to know if I would like to go out for dinner.

Looking at my watch I saw it was a bit past five and I replied sure but it would take me a bit to get freshened up. He said no problem and to take my time, it was still early and there were no appointments to keep. I smiled and said thanks and closed the door.

I proposed a date a couple of months from then and he said that would be good timing and suggested moving the date back by a week. I agreed since this timing would also allow me to get my preparations in order. I then made plans to prepare myself, a bit of weight loss, full body waxing and some purchases.

I had a free afternoon coming up that had the house free and gave me time to get changed and hold a private conversation. Once I set the date it seemed that I was a bit more focused and relaxed. The afternoon of the call though I did start to get butterflies in my stomach but I managed to focus on my makeup and presentation.

I am not sure what he expected when he came on, but I was sitting there on the screen and introduced myself as Barbara the sister of his friend. Sam’s first comments took me a bit by surprise and made me blush when he stated “boy you are hot’.

The boutique on Merchant Street is narrow and well-lit, the kind of place that knows what it's doing without announcing it. I hold the door for Emily. We go in.

A woman looks up from behind the counter - fifties, unhurried, the competence of someone who has been doing this for a long time. Name tag says Maria. She looks at me the way Carol at Target looked at me - the brief professional read, taking in the situation, filing it.

"Mike?" she says.

"Yeah," I say.

"Come on back."

---

Chapter Six
Old World, New Home

"Best thing," he said, "is if that Guy-guy just disappears."

Not This Guy -4-
by Suzan Donamas

Chapter 7

For a while, as I snuggled in my old bed, I thought of the absurdity of going out on a double date with my mother. That was followed by the other absurdity of me giving her one of my skirts. I had a little chuckle as I went to sleep, in my own bed and in my family home.

A little bit of background before I begin divulging the profoundly sensitive experience that occurred when a longtime family friend discovered my cross dressing. I will refer to the family friend as Sam who was an elderly widower (since passed) whom our family has known for 20 years. Our family lived in the same area as Sam but moved out of state about 6 years ago. We still have remained close though, and I have stayed with him over the past few years since, I still have business connections in the area.