Cassandra By Persephone A family spiralling out of control. A child forced to grow up too fast. Is there any room left for a young girl to find herself? Book Three ‘Womanhood’ Teaser for Chapter 20 – The Project

Author's Note: She’s baaaack! After a three year intermission during which time I managed to squeeze in a brief teaching career explaining the joys of the ‘Fetch, Decode, Execute’ cycle, or the mysteries of non-collusive oligopolies to bored teenagers, I have now finally decided it’s time to take writing seriously and finally bring Cassandra’s odyssey to a suitable conclusion. I have mapped out the remaining story arcs and completed the first of the four remaining chapters. Here’s a small teaser to reintroduce our heroine.

Cassie took a moment to carefully ease her shoulders before nodding her head; her braid bouncing on her shoulder. It had been nearly two years since she had been on a range, but now, under Michael’s guidance, it was all coming back to her.
“Okay, this is a rapid fire practice. On the command ‘Go’ pick up your pistol, chamber a round, then empty the magazine into the target in front of you as quickly as you can. Ready?”
She scowled at the sinister masked figure on the paper target and recalled the moment that Stanford Hardcastle had stormed into her room back in block 22. Her eyes narrowed. “Ready.”
Michael took a pace back from her side. “Go.”

Ten minutes later Cassie and Michael were back in the main gun store attached to the indoor range, clutching a handful of poster sized sheets and her pistol case, only to be met by the cheerful owner and a few of his regulars; all eager to share their experience with the pretty young girl who had rented a firing lane. “So, how did the little lady do?” He nodded to the folded targets in Cassie’s hands.
Michael just shrugged. “Not too bad. Just shaking out a few cobwebs.”
“Well, let’s see how you got on Missy” the owner all but demanded.

Cassie gave a tight smirk and let the top half of the target unfold. The image of a balaclava wearing gunman was marred by three small holes; one in the arm and two in the chest. Around her the shooting store regulars just nodded, pretty much what they had expected from a girl. Then Cassie allowed the rest of the target to unfold as she watched her audience. As one, every man present winced as they took in the shredded remains of the target’s crotch.

“I’ve got it down to a six inch group at ten yards. What do you think?” She asked innocently.

Outside in the parking lot Michael grinned as they loaded everything into Cassie’s SUV. “You really know how to make a first impression li’l sis. That was as funny as the first time you did it back in Oregon.”
Cassie shrugged. “Psychological warfare. If I come back here on my own, I won’t be pestered by a bunch of horn dogs. You taught me that Michael.”

“Yeah, good point. But now we need to get you home and see if Aunt Megan has calmed down and is ready to forgive me for getting you a pistol.”

Cassie shuddered. “Just remember, you only fitted the gun safe last week. If she finds out it has been there since she moved in I’ll be grounded until I’m thirty.”

The argument had been simmering ever since Cassie had revealed that she was now the proud owner of a firearm a month after her birthday party.

As a nurse Aunt Megan had seen far too many horrific injuries caused by guns to be comfortable with one even nearby under lock and key.
“Those things are dangerous!” She had stormed at her niece.
“So are the five criminals we put in jail.” Cassie retorted. “All of who are now out and at least one of them knows exactly where we live.”
“But we already have cameras, locks, those mace thingies and Hoover. Why do you need a gun?”
“Because if they come after Kath, you or me again, you can bet they won’t be carrying just a junior baseball bat.”
Cassie let out a long sigh. “Aunt Megan, you saw the look of naked hatred Brian shot at Kath and I as we left the court last year. Do you really think he’s going to stop?”
“But you have that private investigator keeping an eye on him. We’ll know if he is planning something.”
“He knows about the investigator now, so he’ll be careful. Anyway, both Kath and I were secretly watching out for Charlie from inside that man’s home, and they were still able to put him in hospital.” Cassie reached forward and took Aunt Megan’s bird like hands in hers. “I know what an awful thing a gun is. But I also know I made a promise to Mom to keep Kath safe; and that promise now includes you. I will however, also make you a further promise. The pistol will stay locked up apart from properly supervised training and will truly be our last resort.”

Aunt Megan took a long look into her niece’s eyes and realised that no matter what she said, that was as good as she was going to get. Cassandra really was her mother’s daughter.