Graphic created by Patricia Marie Allen from photos on Pixabay.com

Thorn in the Flesh

By Rosemary

I entered the bar with great trepidation. I hadn’t had any problems in several years of being a woman, but I had just had some terrible news. No, I take that back. It wasn’t terrible at all. It was a relief. I had developed lymphatic cancer, and like every other case, it was ravaging my body.

I was reluctantly taking part in a meeting of eleven other ‘Roses’ while we were at the SWEET (South Western Exposition for the Embetterment of Transpeople) convention. I sat down and started taking in the other Roses there.

Most of them seemed to be much more comfortable in their role as women than I was. I had actually been quite comfortable for many years, but I had never been transgendered. I glanced down at my jeans and western shirt. They were women’s – they had to be. Men’s clothing would have been ridiculous on me.

Dan Murphy was larger than life. His presence filled up the room more than Brian Blessed’s booming voice. People were naturally drawn to him. Dan being the center of attention wherever he was at was just the natural outcome of Dan being there. Some people think it was his striking blue eyes, or his physical frame also being larger than life. The truth was that Dan was an extrovert who took great interest in others. The personal stake he put into who he met, made him a man of action. Dan not only would say the right thing to make people like him, but also do the right thing.

Chapter Four - Braidwood

Final chapter. Will Poppy be saved from a life of prostition and destitution or will Elliot save her. Perhaps they will save each other?

The Summer was dwindling like the sunset on the days leading to the Winter Solstice. Luke took solace about the finish of the endless summer in the fact the school year was another new start. He was going to school but not back to his old school. The impending feeling of winter was kept away by the promise of a new day and a new start. He would have friends looking forward to seeing him at school. More importantly, he would not have a group of kids looking forward to making him miserable. Starting high school was a new beginning, a springtime in Luke’s life.

Mom and Dad's plan was so crazy, it just might work. If Sam doesn't die of embarrassment....

6. My sister is so weird...



Book 12: Deja Flew     Epilogue



Book 12: Deja Flew     "Deja Flew" Part 10

One of the saddest stories on FictionMania is Janice's 'The Slut': "Three teenage girls exact revenge on the older brother of one of them, who is obnoxious to them, with dire results." Six minutes ago, I posted it here on BCTS as 'The Slut (By Janice)'. It's a short but powerful story, cutting 'close to the bone' of reality. Many of its reviewers demanded a sequel. 'Aftermath' is my unauthorized tribute to Janice's gut-wrenching realism. Please do not associate any shortcomings in my work with her thoughtful gem. Any overlaps in copyright I cede to her.

Kim doesn't like it when her parents go on vacation and leave her older brother Greg in charge. WARNING: contains allusions to rape.

Leanne's daughter needs surgery soonest. Alas, there's a problem.

Wife needs attendant care. Husband provides care.



Book 12: Deja Flew     "Deja Flew" Part 6



Book 12: Deja Flew     "Deja Flew" Part 5



Book 12: Deja Flew     "Deja Flew" Part 3

The accuracy of a forecast was only good if the right factors were taken into consideration. A good forecast could be wrong when an unlikely factor was not taken into account when making the prediction. This was how the reliable forecast of good time with many laughs was wrong for Renee and Matt’s visit to the Lincoln Way Bike Park. The reason for the change to miserable filled with regret was the sight of Lori walking towards them.

Part 10 of 11

Chapter 15
When we got home late, the other girls took one look at us and asked why we both looked like we'd gotten laid but hadn't been in the bedroom yet. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever get used to girls asking questions like that, I was brought up to think girls didn't do stuff like that.

Part 8 of 11

Chapter 12
If my first - and last - date on Saturday was exciting, Sunday at the zoo was something else. Scary, exciting, thrilling, all mixed up. I now knew that Vito was no longer wanted as a murderer, although they would probably want me to do time for burglary and general mopary and dopary. I could still use that as an excuse to stay in my disguise as Eliza.

Part 6 of 11

Chapter 9
The alarm goes off and Patty shags me outa bed again. I shouldn't complain, it's almost an hour later than I hadda get up for school. That makes me think. Looks like Vito ain't gonna graduate this year as he's hiding out from the cops. I bet the pigs have been swarmin' around the school hopin' I was stupid enough to come back.

I ain't that stupid.

Part 3 of 11

Chapter 5
The girls went off to their bedrooms and I was left on the couch. I tried to figure out just what I was goin' to do, that talk of body bags had me scared. It all sounded cool and great fun when Uncle Jimmy got me inta the heist, but someone gettin' killed was a shit show I wasn't ready for. I fell asleep before I could do much more thinkin'. It had been a long, strange day.
 

 

Part 1 of 11

Chapter 1
I blame it all on my Uncle Jimmy. It's his fault I ended up this way. It certainly wasn't my fault, I mean c'mon, I was just a kid, what did I know?

The past is the past was one of the worst platitudes ever uttered by a fool trying to sound like a sage. Even if this overused cliche was not worn out, the advice in it was useless. People would use this saying to try to push an issue under the rug. Not treating the past with respect was just ignoring your life to move on. In fact, following those so-called words of wisdom had a high probability of damaging someone. An insightful person would know the best way to follow the path of Confucius was to study the past if they wanted to divine the future.