That evening Gunter, who had raced Raben, was in a surly mood. He didn’t like losing and certainly not to a scrawny boy. While Raben hadn’t taunted him several of his fellow hunter/warriors did. After several mugs of mead his manly pride demanded he prove Raben could never have taken out the slavers on his own.

“Boy, I’m going to prove you’re nothing but a wimp,” he growled as he stalked to the youth who was checking the wound of an injured girl off to one side of the village’s central fire.

Raben ignored him which pissed the big man off.

Reaching out Gunter grabbed the healer by an arm hauling him away from his patient. “I’m talking to you boy!”

The distraught teen vowed to Ianuaria to avenge his mother. In the twilight as he passed through the burned village he salvaged a bow, quiver and arrows. The village was built where the Grunbach joined the Tauber River. Whenever the Romans ventured past their fortresses they used the trails that followed the courses of the river and streams avoiding the steep forested hills as much as possible. They had come up the Tauber from the Main River. As darkness fell Raben silently set off to follow the trail left by the hated Romans as they returned to the fortified border. The plucky lad estimated it had taken the Romans eight hours to attack and sack the three villages and return to the first village. At most their camp would only be about eight miles downstream, a two hour trip at forced march for the prisoners. For the slaving raid to be conducted as it had meant the Romans had been on the move for at least twelve hours. They would post pickets as the majority collapsed in sleep in preparation for the arduous thirty two mile twelve hour trek to the Roman fort at Miltenberg.

This story denotes years using currently accepted date abbreviations of BCE [before current era] and CE [current era] rather than Christian centric BC [before Christ] and AD [Anno domini - ‘in the year of the Lord’]. The dates are the same in both dating methods.

The sound of the tent flap being opened drew everyone’s attention to the tent. A gasp escaped every mouth as Krista walked out. A serene smile filled her bludgeoned purple face as her eyes seemed to be gazing off into the sky. Her bloody tank top and shorts added further evidence to the horrific blow she’d taken. Drs. Olsen’s and Sykes’ mouths dropped as they witnessed the medical impossibility.

The Santana family moved into the large former garage converted to three bedroom two bath home on the lot with the house where Howard, Devin & Allen Gantner lived. There were now one hundred sixty seven members in The Clan Wells Point.

“Well, FATHER,” Jaz finally spoke firmly as she glared at her erstwhile father. “You have a lot of damn gall standing up here talking about getting married after what you’ve done to us!”

The hush that had fallen over the group became heavy with anxiety. Many feared the hostility in Jasmine’s words might be the start of the love and hope that made up the Clan Wells Point might shatter.

Then Sandi stepped to up to Buffy to ominously glare at her mother. “You betrayed me. You allowed my innocence to be stolen by an animal. Now you want us to approve of you marrying this man who betrayed his children?”

Sandi, Ivy holding George, Holly holding Benny Jr, and Jaz stood in a line glaring at their parent. Benny Jr and George were glaring too. They didn’t know why but they did know if their half sisters were upset they should also be upset.

Ben and Buffy wilted before the withering glare of their offspring. Both felt their hope slipping away. The clan members shrank in their seats as they felt the raw emotion the six kids were shooting at their parent.

After several painful minutes Jaz sighed heavily. “Well, FATHER, you’d better make sure we’re part of the wedding party!”

“Yes, MOTHER,” Sandi added looking at her birth mom. “We’d better be part of the wedding party!”

With that the six kids stepped forward to surround the nervous pair in a group hug. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and the applause once more began. The six had quite effectively told off their parent then forgave them symbolically forgiving them by wanting to be part of the wedding.

After school on January 15 Krista and Tony checked the CWP Facebook site. Krista did so to make sure Tony didn’t hype her heroics. She had nothing against posting the truth, but Tony, proud to be her boyfriend, had a tendency to boast about her exploits. Ever since she’d saved his mother and he from his hostile dad, he’d understood that she was naturally cool and calm in times of crisis and felt honored to be her boyfriend. By building her up he was unconsciously building himself up, a strange but honest braggadociosity. That day they found an almost pleading private message from a distraught parent.

Over the next few days the newest family of the Clan Wells Point melded into loving kindred. Since the women wanted to contribute to the CWP they thought of what they might do. They also took Becky to the CWP Daycare so she could get used to being around other children. Before the heart transplant she’d been too weak to mingle. Afterward she was too fragile due to her compromised immune system. Since recovering from her hospitalization thanks to the angelic intervention that seemed to be a thing of the past. Becky would join clan members Wanda Scott and Karen Harris in the pre kindergarten program at St. Michaels Elementary school which adjoined the middle/high school when school reopened in the new year.

On December 27 Wendy reached a decision. “Mom, can I ask a favor?”

“Of course, Wendy,” Helen smiled.

After a lot of discussion about what was at her grandparents’ home Jenny admitted it would be worth another trip north. On Veteran’s Day with his E350 pickup and seven feet by twenty feet trailer Robert with Krista as a passenger led Ed Nelson in his 2005 Expedition with Ruth, Jamie and Jenny inside to drive to Pennsylvania to go through Jenny’s grandparents’ property. Having learned from the last trip, they packed lunch and plenty of drinks. The nearly four hour trip was uneventful and they arrived at the homestead a bit after 10am.

On Tuesday October 28 Kylie was nearly bursting at the seams laughing as spun in a circle with giggling twins Sonny and Rayne clasped in her arms. Larry, Evelyn, Rachel and Tony exchanged perplexed frowns as they watched the bizarre behavior. When she noticed she was being watched she stopped spinning to smile at them.

“Callie’s going to be released,” Kylie squealed with delight as she bounced up and down on her toes. “The lawyer from Texas called! He determined Callie was so wracked with guilt by the murder she simply pled guilty to the chargers and that her public defender merely accept her guilty plea. No one even questioned if she knew her boyfriend intended to commit a crime. When he questioned the boyfriend he laughed declaring that Callie had no idea what he was doing and that no one had ever asked him that question. The lawyer presented the evidence to the Texas Attorney Generals office for review declaring his intention to pursue charges against the incompetent public defender, the overzealous prosecutor and the judge for gross misconduct for railroading an innocent victim. Once they reviewed the case and questioned everyone they fired the public defender and sanctioned the prosecutor and judge. Callie’s conviction has been overturned and all charges dismissed! They’re processing her release and will let us know when so we can make arrangements for her to fly home!”

Susan’s memorial service ended and a caravan proceeded to Wells Point where open sided tents had been set up and a catering staff was finishing the preparation for the meal. Those new to the area were impressed with the beauty of the area and the fantastic view of Broad Creek. Clan members freely intermingled with the guests answering any and all questions. The atmosphere of the gathering was far from austere. The pleasant environs banished any gloom. The noon buffet meal was well received and enjoyed. As some settled to enjoy the cooling breeze the children began to play tag while the teens and adults enjoyed badminton and volley ball. The games ended by 4:00pm. Krista led Kylie and Larry, carrying Sonny and Rayne, with Callie carrying Susan’s ashes into the Wells-O’Brien Cemetery. The six headed inside the enclosure while everyone else gathered about the stone walls. Bottles of soap bubbles were distributed to those along the walls. Standing atop a ladder, Tony recorded the ash spreading celebration.

Although Kylie and Larry had departed for their honeymoon the wedding reception continued until 10:00pm. Some of the guests came and went as they switched off seeing to the farm animals. Despite being so ill Susan Warren managed to sit through the remaining festivities. Seeing her grandchildren, twins Sonny and Rayne, being cuddled and loved by the adults, teens and children of the Clan Wells Point made her heart swell. She knew her decision to ask Larry and Kylie to adopt the pair was the best thing she could have done to insure the three week old infants had a loving family. The entire Clan agreed the twins were the best wedding present the dynamic couple could have received.

Silly Challenge for Silly September Story Contest
by Jennifer Sue

I may be crazy but I’m not stupid. That’s my mantra. Then add on that my birthday is April 1st... April Fool’s Day! I have an excuse for being wacked in the head! So what does all my weirdness have to do with the September Story contest? Well, my mind went willy nilly when I read it was to be a SILLY challenge for SILLY September. I think I covered all the main points, ninjas, pirates, spiders, sailing ships, sealing wax, cabbages, kings and even though zombies have no interest for me... but not to be denied I added them my way while twisting several of the others so keep your eyes sharp and your groans ready. I sincerely hope you enjoy the results:

Jimmy Warren trudged down the street with his hands forlornly thrust into his pockets. The eighth grader was lost in his muddled thoughts of only seven months more of middle school hell. Then there would be four years of high school hell. Maybe, if he survived, college would at least be tolerable. The chill week before Halloween wind whipped and swirled the brown dead leaves willi-nilli across the sidewalks and streets. As usual the backpack he carried was filled with books and weighed nearly half his scrawny seventy five pound weight. The added weight hunched his undersized four feet eight inch frame forward making it look like he was fighting hurricane force winds rather then normal fall zephers.

I fell in love with her the moment I saw her. She was just turning off Oak Street onto 2nd Street, clearly walking towards the high school for the first day of my senior year. I’d never seen her before... she had to be a new student. I wonder when she moved in and where. It had to be within three or four blocks! The wiggle of her innocent tush made her pleated skirt enticingly swirl about her knees which grabbed me between my legs as I followed a few feet behind her. The way her ponytail bounced and swung was equally enticing. What were the words of that old song? A smile filled my face as I recalled the tune.

Chantilly lace... and a pretty face... and a pony tail... a hangin' down
A wiggle in the walk and a giggle in the talk... makes the world go round
There ain't nothing in the world like a big eyed girl to make me act so funny make me spend my money
Make me feel real loose like a long necked goose... like a girl, oh baby, that's what I like!

Two days before New Years Eve, all over the earth, every commercial broadcast was suddenly and simultaneously interrupted. The avenging angel Petra appeared on every TV screen and radio speaking in the language of that station.

“I am Petra, the avenging angel,” Petra declared as she stared at those watching her after five seconds.

“I have been sent by God to put the fear of the Lord into evil doers. This message will repeat every four hours through 8pm Greenwich mean time New Years Eve. No power on earth can prevent my interruption of these broadcasts. I invite you to try to find how I’m simultaneously doing this on every commercial broadcast channel in the language normally used on that broadcast. You will fail.”

After another five second dramatic pause she continued. “I started my mission by confronting pedophiles. So far fifteen have been sent to Hell. When those abusers of childhood innocence attempt to act on their perversion, I will strike them down. The only way they can avoid going to hell is to confess their evilness and accept their earthly punishment. They must then confess their sin before God and beg HER forgiveness. Their eternal fate will depend upon God’s judgement of the sincerity of their repentance. Dealing with pedophiles was simply a warm up for my main task which is to eliminate terrorism.”

“God is furious that HER message of love and peace has been perverted into condoning and supporting hatred and terrorism,” Petra sneered after a ten second pause. “Those who practice or support terrorism will pay for their evil actions. Even worse is the fact there are pastors, imams, mullahs, ayatollahs and others in leadership within their individual faith intentionally misinterpreting the Bible or Koran, perverting the message of God’s love and peace. There will be no forgiveness from God for their betrayal. Because they have led innocent believers astray, they will suffer unspeakable horrors while in eternal damnation in Hell!”