My name is Tom. I am a 16 year old boy. I am the smallest in my class, with long brown hair, and very thin. Some think I am a girl when they see me from behind.

Today I was sitting in class when I felt a pain in my chest. I asked the math teacher: “Miss Jones, can I go to the bathroom?” She said yes.

I ran to the bathroom but it wasn't easy because of the pain. Once inside I entered a booth, sat on the toilet and took off my t-shirt. When I looked down at my chest I saw my nipples were hard and the skin around them was swollen.

Emily's Strange Life Chapter 10

Having my sister here brought back a lot of memories. Even though she is a year younger than I am she caught up with me in height and for a little bit she was taller until we both stopped at five two. Many people mistook us for twins as we acted alike and drove our parents nuts like most kids. Even with short hair and boy's clothes people thought I was a girl more than half the time. Even worse when she would wear my clothes as well. It somewhat stopped as my voice deepened, but there was always someone who would point it out, or be shocked speechless when I spoke.

Emily's Strange Life Chapter 9

There is no reason why I should be cooking dinner for my landlady, but somehow it seems to have turned out that way. I blame the sexist manufacturers of meat sauce jars. Mrs Pilsudski couldn't get the jar she'd bought to go with her evening meal open and neither could I, so now it sits there mocking our female weak wristedness while I glower at it and make a casserole from scratch.

A Different Key

Walking home, taking the time to shout out something meaningless to a friend on the other side of the road, couldn’t stop the melody flying around in my head. The idea just sounded so good in my brain, sometimes with different variations, that I just “had” to work on it at home in dad’s studio after dinner. Mom’s hello followed by her telling me that her and dad were going out later on and wouldn’t be back till probably 2.30am or later, just made me more excited than ever.

I remember that Zoe Haeckelthrope, who had a minor in sociology and clearly thought my feminist consciousness needed raising, used to tell me that the Male Gaze objectifies women. If that's true then after a month of working here I ought to be a statue.

"You could just have a taste?” I suggested.

 

Fantastic Mars
9. Warriors of Mars

by Erin Halfelven

“These are the shitheads who already killed us once, ain’t they?”

 

Fantastic Mars
8. Tongues of Mars

by Erin Halfelven

A short story...

A hero may make many sacrifices. Some even make the ultimate sacrifice for someone who loves them back with their whole heart.

Copyright © 2018 by AuP reviner

I glared at him when he called me "our little princess."

 
Bian -26-
Hero of the Zero
 
by Erin Halfelven

Why did it have to be lizards?

 

Fantastic Mars
7. Lizards of Mars

by Erin Halfelven

I held the egg in my hand and wondered where I should put it for safe keeping?

 

Fantastic Mars
6. Dreams of Mars

by Erin Halfelven

Black Box

I got up Wednesday morning and checked my closet. There were dresses hanging inside and a box with my boots, so that hadn’t been a dream. I fingered the fabric for a second. Considered slipping it on and looking at myself in the mirror.

But today was a tech day, so it was time for jeans, steel toes, and my best underwear.

My best underwear wasn’t very good. Well everything else I promised myself has fallen apart. Am I allowed to buy lingere, or do I have to be over 18?

Boots

It was called Aldo, only I think it was called ALDO. Hard to be sure, didn’t see it in lowercase anywhere else. I wondered all the company memos looked like the boss was screaming the name of the company.

I was pretty sure an offer of twelve dollars wasn't a compliment...
 

Fantastic Mars
by Erin Halfelven
 

 
-2- Bandits of Mars

Thrift Shop

I met with the Crew in front of the Auditorium doors after school. It was Tuesday, and I had a shopping trip to go on.

The day before we had finished painting the platforms. Tomorrow we were moving on to set fabrication. Today we were leaving the boys behind, because I needed more clothes.

Moment of truth. I'm in the hospital's cybercafe. It's three am so I have the place to myself and I'm about to do what I've been putting off since Michael told me the secret, or at least, what he claimed was the secret. I google 'Marcus Julius Naso', the name Michael told me was mine. .

Then I look at my search results and shudder. I attempted to usurp the throne of the Roman Empire before being assassinated in 407 AD? Oh, wait, that's the wrong Marcus Julius Naso!

“Greg? You’re… you're…” I stuttered.

Greg laughed, which then turned into a coughing fit. “I’m alive, you fucking bitch,” he said once he recovered.

“That wasn’t my fault!” I screamed at him. In responsible, he snapped his fingers and Cara punched Lacey in the face, knocking her over. Lacey couldn’t hold back her tears and started sobbing, but was so dizzy that she couldn’t seem to get back up on her knees. What was causing Lacey to be sick like this? Was it the rock? And why did Cara punch Lacey? I thought I was the target, not her.

My head was bowed against the chilly wind as I made my way down the busy sidewalk. Above me, buildings loomed like giant grey dominoes, their blank windows reflecting the gloomy winter sky. I maneuvered through the crowd surging alongside me. It was four o’clock on a Friday, and everyone was eager to make it back home and slough off their coats, hats, gloves and scarves. I, however, was not headed home. My destination lay a little further ahead, on the corner of the block. I approached with haste, drawing my scarf more tightly around my face as tiny flecks of snow began to fall.

Nothing up my sleeve...

Bian
(Bee-Onn)

Book 2 - The Reluctant Princess

by Erin Halfelven