Debbie V

AI Art

I've heard a lot recently about the 'rise of AI'. I've heard a lot about how it might be harmful to creators in the long run. Well... as someone who can't draw for shit, it's actually kinda useful to me. A while ago I used a (very limited) program called Fuse to create images of my characters as a sort-of mental aide. The problem with these images is that it made all my characters look about as lifelike as background characters from Skyrim. So I investigated this 'AI art generator' people were talking about... And I am impressed with its output so far.

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Twins, part 13

“You okay?” Lucy asked her American friend, who paused to take several deep breaths before replying.

“Yeah,” Phoebe replied, momentarily lowering her mask to take a deep breath, but making sure to raise it back before exhaling. “I dunno if it’s the mask or not, but this is kinda harder than I remember!”

“Okay,” Kacey- the leader of the class- said as she observed the two students taking time getting their breath back. “I think that’s as good a time as any to take a break. Lucy, can I have a word please?”

Stephanie, part 28

“Tonight, I’m gonna have myself a real good time…” The sound of singing comes from our living room, waking me from my dreamless slumber. However, it’s not Freddie Mercury’s flawless vocals that have woken me up, but rather, those of my girlfriend. “I feel light…”

“And the world,” I join in, earning a giggle from Kayla. “Is turning inside out…”
“And floating around,” we sing in perfect harmony. “In ecstasy, so
Don’t stop me now…
Don’t stop me, ‘cause I’m having a good time, having a good time!”

Lisa, part 4

“Another one?” Sonia asks as my phone pings to inform me of a new message. “Really?”

“Nothing else for us to do,” I reply with a shrug. “Not while we’re in tier 4, anyway.”

Ian, part 24

“Unf,” I grunt as I’m woken from a dreamless slumber by my phone, though it isn’t my alarm that wakes me, but rather an incoming call. I try to smile as I click the ‘answer’ button- normally I'd be happy to see the identity of the caller on my phone's screen, but it's much too early- and much too cold- for that right now.

“Good morning, Ian!” Grandma says with a cheerful tone. “Or rather, happy birth-eve!”

“Thanks, grandma,” I say quietly as I prop myself up in bed and huddle my sheets around my shivering form. “Is everything okay in Cardiff?”

Lisa, part 3

“Have a good day!” Sonia calls after me as I leave our flat, on my way to start another day of school.

“Will do,” I reply, even though deep down, I'm almost certain that I won't.

It’s been a month since I started my new school, and while I'm sure I might give the impression of having settled into the school, on the inside, my head is still spinning from my new circumstances.

Twins, part 12

“Luke!” Paul shouted up the stairs. “Come on, get out of bed, it’s nearly 10 o’clock and we’ve a lot to do today!”

“Yeah, alright,” Luke grunted in reply as he threw back his bed sheets and pulled on his dressing gown, only pausing to look at himself in the mirror before leaving his bedroom.

Soixante-Trois Airlines: Sophie, part 16

“How are the sales today?” Hayley asked as she returned to her flat to find Sophie sat on the sofa, checking her laptop.

“Still good,” Sophie replied with a smile. “I mean, yes, they’re tapering off, but that’s to be expected after this length of time, so- yeah. Publishers are still VERY happy though.”

“I still can’t believe I know a famous author!” Hayley teased, giggling as her friend rolled her eyes and blushed.

Lisa, part 2

“Liam?” Sonia calls from the living room, making me groan as I wake up. “Come on, time to get up!”

“Yeah, I’m awake,” I reply, not even bothering to stifle my yawn.

Ian, part 23

“Good morning, everyone,” Allan- my university lecturer- says as I (and no doubt all of the other students on my course) get my notepad out. “I’ll let you all have a couple of minutes to get set up, then we’ll begin.”

“I’ll talk to you later,” I say, mirroring the sad smile of the long-haired girl on my phone screen.

“Yeah,” Leanne sighs sadly. “I should be getting to work too in the next couple of minutes. Well, not technically ‘getting to’, but you know what I mean, right?”

Stephanie, part 27

“Hi!” I say with an excited squeak as I open the door and am greeted by the grinning, dark-skinned face of my bandmate. “Virtual hugs and kisses!”

“Virtual hugs and kisses!” Adeola giggles as we both hold our hands up and wiggle our fingers at each other- our latest attempt at a covid-safe greeting. “Is Becca already here?”

“Not yet, I think she’s still getting used to there actually being traffic on the roads of London!” I chuckle, before grinning as Adeola’s fiancé enters our flat carrying an expensive-looking bottle of wine. “Hi Marco! Virtual hugs!”

Lisa, part 1

The thing I remember most is that I didn't cry. It's funny how the mind works like that. I don't remember the words my sisters said to me, or what they were wearing, or even if they were crying- all I remember is that I didn't cry.

And that I'd just been told the most devastating news a 13-year-old boy could hear: that his parents were both dead.

Twins, part 11

Luke grunted as his phone’s alarm woke him from a deep sleep. His mouth was dry and his head throbbed, but what concerned him most was that he didn't recognise his surroundings, particularly the feel of his bed- the mattress was much stiffer than his usual one, the pillow and the sheets thinner than what he was accustomed to. As his eyes started to focus, he was able to take in his surroundings.

Soixante-Trois Airlines: Sophie, part 15

“Okay, seriously,” Hayley groaned as she relaxed back onto the sofa. “Just pick one already, they all look great and they all look great on you as well.”

“I know,” Sophie sighed as she picked another dress from the pile in front of her and held it against her body. “I just want to make the perfect first impression, you know? This is my first ever book- well, not ‘tour’, thank you co-bloody-vid, but- you know? Especially considering what the topic of the book is as well.”

Laura, part 28

“Ugh,” I moan as my phone’s alarm wakes me from a mercifully dreamless slumber on yet another Monday morning. Of course, the fact that it’s the start of August means that all weekdays seem to blend into one, even Mondays- though over the last few months, that’s been truer than ever, regardless of the summer break.

Ian, part 22

“Nice day for it,” I muse as I enter the park where the rest of the cricket team is assembled.

“Yep,” Stuart concurs. “Pity there’s no ‘it’ for it to be a nice day for, heh.”

“Well- yep, can’t argue with THAT,” I sigh as I gaze around at the other guys, all of whom- myself included- are keeping a distance of at least two metres away from each other.

Twins, part 10

Lucy blinked her eyes twice as she slowly woke from her slumber. As she took in her surroundings, she was momentarily confused- she wasn’t in her dorm in Durham, but rather in her old bedroom in her parents’ house in Newcastle. Her disorientation vanished, however, when she glanced at her chair- and, more importantly, the short denim skirt and tight grey t-shirt she’d worn the previous day. Worn openly, in front of both of her parents, with neither of them commenting or even batting an eyelid.

Stephanie, part 26

I have a wide grin on my face as I gaze at the other three women, all of whom are dressed identically to me in sparkly blue mini-dresses and high-heeled shoes (or, in my case, boots). The crowd is screaming with excitement, loud enough to bring my whole body out in goosebumps as we step forward onto the stage and raise our microphones to our mouths… before my phone rings, bringing me crashing back to reality. With a sigh, I pause the DVD and grab my phone from the coffee table, taking several deep breaths and trying to clear my throat before answering.

Lockdown

Nikki let out a long sigh as she was woken by the sound outside her flat. She'd lived in or near the centre of London for her whole life, so she was used to the sound of pedestrians, of traffic, of businesses and of the countless other sounds generated by the nearly nine million residents of the vast city. What she was not used to, however, was the sound of silence.

It had been exactly one month to the day since the Prime Minister had addressed the nation, saying the words that Nikki and countless others had dreaded to hear.

Soixante-Trois Airlines: Sophie, part 14

“Okay,” Sophie sighed into her phone as she laid in bed. “Thanks for letting me know. Stay safe.”

“Will do,” the receptionist said as she ended the call, leaving Sophie to groan with frustration as she stared at the ceiling. It had been over two weeks since she’d last had a shift from the airline, and while she was certain she wasn’t being persecuted (unlike when her first book had been published), it came as little to comfort to her- much like the knowledge that while she wasn’t going anywhere, nobody else was either.

Twins, part 9

“I- I’m sorry, what?” Paul asked, confusion and anger seeping into his voice.

“I- I’m also transgender,” Lucy said firmly as her grip tightened on her brother’s hand. “For- that is, ever since- ever since we started university, I- I’ve been living as a girl. Going to classes, going to parties as- as a girl.”

“I- I- just… what?” Paul asked.

“Luke, what are you sa-“ Sarah asked, only for her child to interrupt her.

Twins, part 8

“So then,” Susie asked Luke and Lucy as they and their friends sat around their usual table in the Student Union bar. “Looking forward to Sunday?”

“Ooh, yes, I’d almost forgotten about that!” Priya giggles as the twins’ blushes deepened.

“…Maybe a bit,” Lucy mumbled.

“Maybe even less than that,” Luke sighed. “Tough to get excited about your birthday when you know your presents are gonna suck.”

“Sorry if we’re putting a dampener on YOUR birthday, Gav,” Lucy said to the young man who was exactly one day young than her and her brother.

Laura, part 27

“Ugh, this SUCKS,” Suri overdramatically moans as she types away at her computer. “If I have to fill out one more UCAS form I think my wrists are going to seize up!”

“Could be worse,” I muse. “Imagine having to handwrite all of this…”

“I’d rather not, thanks,” Suri snorts. “Still got half a textbook to read for the next exam. Who knew acting involved so much, well, homework?”

Ian, part 21

I sigh as the loud, impersonal buzzer wakes me from a dreamless sleep. After staring at the blank ceiling for a few moments, I sigh again before getting out of bed, pulling on my slippers and my dressing gown before padding down the corridor to the sterile white bathroom, relieving myself before heading toward the dining room for breakfast. This has been my routine for almost four weeks now, and every day I walk down these halls it reminds me or why I’m in this place- it reminds me of my failure.

Twins, part 7

“You two look exhausted,” Priya said as Luke and Lucy sat down at their usual table in the Student Union bar. “I don’t need to guess why, do I?” The Indian girl bit her lip as her two friends both shook their heads.

“Ugh,” Luke sighed, sharing a knowing glance with his sister. “Never mind ‘back from holiday’, I feel like I NEED a holiday.” Luke allowed himself a smile as his friends Gavin and Susie smiled sympathetically.

Ian, part 20

“Okay, just a few more,” the photographer says to me as I pose in my designer jeans and t-shirt. “That’s great Ian, look this way, try to stand a bit straighter so we can see the logo clearly.” I do as I’m told and hold a subtle smile on my face as the camera takes photos of me- or rather, the clothes I’m wearing. “Okay, I think that’s everything. Thanks Ian, I’ll you have the rest of your Saturday back!”

Soixante-Trois Airlines: Sophie, part 13

“Umf,” Sophie grunted as her eyes slowly opened and she found herself in an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar room. “He- hello?”

“Ah, bonjour!” The familiar voice of Sophie’s roommate replied with an excited squeak that made Sophie wince.

“Not so loud, please!” Sophie groaned as the throbbing in her head intensified. “What time is it, anyway?”

“Time for you to be getting out of bed,” Francine replied in an authoritative voice. “Today is a big day!”

Twins, part 6

“Good!” The tall young man said as Luke effortlessly lobbed the ball back to him. “One more, come on.”

“Sure,” Luke replied, stopping the ball dead with his feet before chipping it back into his training partner’s hands.

“You sure you’ve never played on a team before?” Luke’s training partner, a young man named Darren, asked in his thick Yorkshire accent as he and Luke followed the rest of the team off of the pitch.

Laura, part 26

“Okay,” I whisper to myself, before taking a deep breath and focusing on the words on the page in front of me. “Doctor, what should I do with this liver?”

“Well, fry it with some onions and some beans!” Comes the reply from George, one of my fellow students.

“…It’s a transplant liver, doctor, for humans,” I say in a deadpan voice, before grimacing. “Ah, shit, sorry, that should be ‘it’s a human liver for transplant’.”

Twins, part 5

“You know,” Luke said to his sister as they waited in line to have their photos taken, “I kinda expected my first day at uni to have a bit more fun and a less, you know, paperwork.”

“Or even a bit more learning,” Lucy laughed as she tried her hardest not to fidget.

Stephanie, part 24

“Hi you two!” Gary says, greeting me and Kayla with hugs as we enter his home and drop our travel cases in the hallway.

“Hi dad!” Kayla replies with a giggle, before we head through to the living room and flop down on the plush sofa.

“Hi you two!” Charlene- Kayla’s mother- says as she emerges from the kitchen with four warm (and very welcome) mugs of tea. “Did you have a good train ride from London?”

“Yeah, it was great, thanks!” Kayla replies. “Didn’t get mobbed by TOO many fans, hehe!”

Ian, part 19

“It’s weird how this has become just, like, normal again,” Lee says as we pull on our coats and head out of the flat, locking the door behind us as we go. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love university, but you know? I kinda, like, got used to it being summer, having all the time to myself… Am I making any sense?”

“Maybe a little,” I reply, smirking as my flat mate rolls his eyes. “But I kinda get what you mean, I think.” Even though my summer was a hell of a lot busier than yours…

Twins, part 4

Even though the twins didn’t see Susie again for the rest of the Christmas holidays, they remained on a high until their return to college at the start of January. Having a genuine friend, someone in whom they could confide opened up new possibilities for Luke and Lucy, possibilities that both were eager to explore, but with caution- caution that was validated when the twins went to their counsellor for their first meeting of 2018.

Twins, part 3

Luke and Lucy had their first meeting with their gender identity counsellor just over a month after confessing their feelings to each other, and just a few days before they started college. As they had done their whole lives, the twins attended the counselling session together, despite the counsellor's offer of separate appointments. During the session, Luke and Lucy told the counsellor everything they had told Dr Sutton, and at the end felt relieved to get their frustrations and stresses off their chest, and happy at the knowledge that their next meeting was only a few days away.

Soixante-Trois Airlines: Sophie, part 12

“She couldn’t have chosen a more convenient month for this?” Sophie sighed as she, Amy and Hayley tried to manoeuvre the cumbersome single bed into her bedroom. “I always thought that August was, like, the busiest month for foreign travel.”

“Oh, stop whining,” Amy chastised her flatmate. “You were the one who suggested this, remember?”

Twins, part 2

During the summer of 2013, before the twins' second year of secondary school, their parents had bought them each a new school uniform- and as before, Paul had bought Luke's uniform online, while Lucy had to endure a shopping trip with her mother and grandmother.

Twins, part 1

"Okay then," Luke said confidently as he looked up at his twin sister. "You ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Lucy replied. "We do this together, right?"

"Aye, always," Luke said, giving his sister a gentle pat on the back as the two of them walked toward the imposing main gate of Durham University...

----------

Mother and Daughter, part 18

“It’s okay to be a little nervous,” the nurse said as Janet fidgeted in her bed, trying to get comfortable. “The surgeons know what they’re doing, and they’ve done it countless times already. You’ll be back up on your feet before you know it.”

“Yeah, I know,” Janet said, taking several deep breaths to try to steady her nerves. “And God knows it’s not like I haven’t dreamed about this every day of my life since- heh, probably since before you were born!”

“Well, I was born in 1994, so maybe,” the nurse said, making Janet chuckle.

Ashley, part 19

“Me next! Me next!” Dorothy squeaks, bouncing up and down with excitement as I put the finishing touches to the pink lipstick I’ve applied to Cassie’s mouth.

“Okay, okay, calm down!” I giggle, before kneeling down next to the six-year-old girl and carefully applying the sweet-tasting cosmetic to her lips. “Now remember, this is a one-time treat, okay? And you have to wash it off before you go to bed.”

“Aww…” Dorothy pouts, making me giggle.

“And no kissing Eddy either!” I chastise. “You’re lucky that mum and dad agreed to this!”

Stephanie, part 23

“Getting a bit stuffy in there?” Jamie asks as I step out of the crowded party room and into the equally crowded area surrounding Charlotte’s swimming pool.

“Just a bit, yeah!” I reply, taking several deep breaths of fresh air to clear my head. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people here!”

“Well, it IS the night before AngelCon, hehe!” Jamie reminds me. “Though would I be right in guessing it’s one person in particular you’re looking for?” I giggle and blush as my friend looks at me expectantly.

“…Yeah,” I reply quietly.

Jacinta, part 21

“Umm, okay,” the young man says. “It is kinda late, though.”

“I know, but this won’t take long,” I say. “Are- is anyone else here, are we alone?”

“Umm, yeah,” comes the reply as I sit down and try to calm myself. “Do you want anything to drink?”

“Just- just water will be fine, thanks,” I reply. And I’ll try not to tip it all over myself to calm down, I think to myself.

“Okay,” my host says as he returns from the kitchen and hands me my drink. “So… What’s up?”

Laura, part 25

I take a deep breath as I stand on my mark at the end of the street, flanked by four other young women the same age as me. We’re all dressed more or less the same- either loose summer dresses or (in my case at least) a floaty tank top and a short denim skirt, along with strappy summer sandals and thick make-up. I know I look gorgeous and I know I look effortlessly, perfectly feminine, but I’m still nervous- after all, there’s a lot riding on today, and the tiniest flaw in my look could ruin everything.

Soixante-Trois Airlines: Sophie, part 11

“We’re not objects!” Sophie chanted, backed by dozens of her friends and colleagues. “We’re not objects!”

“You go, girls!” A passer-by, a young woman in her early twenties, said, giving the picket line a thumbs up as she walked past them and into the vast concourse of Heathrow airport. Nevertheless, Sophie still felt uneasy.

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