17,500 < Novella < 40,000 words

To Alleviate Suffering

This has been a Hatbox story. It will be posted as a free story for a short time.

Jim and Heather had formed an eight-step pact during high school. They would attend Vanderbilt together and take those classes that would best prepare them for the MCAT. Once they had their undergraduate degrees they would get married, and apply for admission to Yale. After accepted, they would study to become surgeons, work diligently, and graduate with honors. They would then return to Nashville and work for the largest hospital in Tennessee (the highly regarded HealthWing.) Heather would become Director of Medicine, and Jim would become Chief Surgeon. All goes according to plan except for one small change. A few months into their years at Yale, Jim decided that a career as an RN would be a much better fit.

Years later, Heather uses her administrative position at HealthWing to make mandatory changes in the nurses’ dress code.

The Bank Heist - Part 10 of 11

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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.

The Bank Heist - Part 9 of 11

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Part 9 of 11

Chapter 14
It took us two days to read all the things I had been given. It looked like being a Court Reporter involved more that pushing buttons on a machine, you had to take stenography and legal vocabulary and quite a few other courses to qualify. For a seventeen year old high school dropout, it looked like a lot to do. I just had to tell myself I was a twenty-one year old A student - just like my transcript said.

The Bank Heist - Part 8 of 11

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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.

The Bank Heist - Part 7 of 11

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Part 7 of 11

Chapter 10
Patty was right. It took three more days for Mike the Cop to ask me for a date. It was the first time I talked to a cop and he was the one being nervous. Go figure! We got off the bus and Mike the Cop just happened to be walking by the bus stop when we arrived.

The Bank Heist - Part 6 of 11

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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.

The Bank Heist - Part 5 of 11

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Part 5 of 11

Chapter 8
It took three more days for the storm to stop and the plows to clear the streets so cars could move once more. Other than sleepin' with Patty, I had a hard time learnin' to be Liza. The girls were determined that I would be the kind of girl that no one would think twice about bein' anythin' but what she looked like.

The Bank Heist - Part 4 of 11

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Part 4 of 11

Chapter 6
Now we get to the interestin' part that I've been making you wait for. We writers need to put in some suspense so you good folks will keep on readin'. We gets back to the bedroom and it dawns on me I ain't got no clothes to wear. This little fact had dawned on Patty last night, and that wicked sense of humor I told ya's about cut in again as she hands me a pair of her panties.

The Bank Heist - Part 3 of 11

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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.
 

The Bank Heist - Part 2 of 11

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Part 2 of 11

Chapter 3
I was havin' this really strange dream. Like, I sometimes have sexy dreams, ones that make me change the sheets before my mother can do the job, but they're usually not all that vivid and I don't remember much when I wake up.

Annie, Get Your Gun! Chapter 8 – Heeeere’s Annie!

The next couple weeks leading up to the book report were pretty normal, aside from my new wardrobe options. As the day I would make my debut as Annie Oakley at school drew nearer, I started to anticipate the event and harbored a mix of anxiety, excitement, and hope that my decision to go “all-in” would be well received. As I finished typing up my report, I had a little bit of trouble concentrating as I thought about all of this, but ultimately buckled down and got it done.

Mom had me practice my presentation with her, and even gave me a few pointers.

“Right Here Waiting” Chapter 4 “ To My Senses“

I stood motionless for a few minutes, trying to make sense of the feelings that were overcoming me. Did I want to cry? Scream? Stay in a stupor of emotions?
Yes, to all of the above.

It Brings On Many Changes

I’ve written over one hundred stories for BC and a handful of non-TG novels. Picking a favorite is treacherous – but this story just might be it.

Each chapter is written with a new narrative character to allow us to get to know the main character from various perspectives. Each chapter could be a standalone story.

You will be angry at the start of the story. The rage you’ll feel is needed to complete the entire picture. Please don’t be put off – the story ends as it should.

Suicide is a very dark topic and too real, to too many in our community. This story deals with a suicide -- but it is far from as dark as you might imagine. It tells the story of a transvestite from the point of view of his wife, his daughter, his mother-in-law, his best friend, a psychiatrist -- and herself. If somehow this story brings you down, I apologize, as it's not written to elicit that response.

Queen of the Masquerade Ball Chapter 3

I didn’t get to Haley as she was quickly absorbed into a crowd of girls who looked like extras from a Black-Veil Brides video shoot. Not that I had an issue with goths, but at that moment the spell that I was under, the one that compelled me to get up and walk through the lunchroom. The one that made me think the ocean of students would part and it would just be the two of us, faded away and instead I found myself walking to the door that lead to the lunch line. I pretended that I was looking at the price of Cheetos as Haley was cloaked in a veil of black, red and purple hair.

Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week Chapter 1

It was a perfectly fine day.
My espresso was perfection: overly sugared with whip cream along the top.
The coffee kept me level-headed—zen in a cup. Nirvana. A way to get my mind to not think about the forty-five minute drive it took to get to work from the suburbs. I had no issues getting from my apartment to the local Starbucks and then onto the “they call it an interstate highway, but it’s a parking lot”, just like Joni Mitchell said.

Creatures - Part 2

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Creatures

Part 2 -- The Conclusion

by Anon Allsop

Chapter 21

It was dark by the time they had loaded both of the corpses into the Suburban, Chet and the dogs left a little while after they had found Stew. Each corpse couldn't have weighed more than thirty pounds. The skin on each was stretched tight like blackened paper, and only their clothes told the men who they once had been.

Quietly, almost reverentially, they drove back to town where the doctor was already waiting for them at his office. Holding the door, he watched as both Stew and Eve were carried in and placed upon separate gurneys.

Creatures

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by Anon Allsop

Another world, long ago

The macabre creature looked upward into the strange sky, one of its twin suns grew dim causing odd light to be cast upon the land. Tilting its strange triangle-shaped head slightly, it turned then raced back toward its nest to protect a small clutch of sleek and nearly impervious silver mirror-like eggs.

The eggs were nestled within the earthen bowl, each reflecting the face of the alien beast as Christmas ornaments would reflect back a child's face - distorted and bent across its surface. She hovered over them, instinctively using her body as the last bit of protection from what was racing down from above. Slowly she raised her head, just as the meteorite entered the thin atmosphere burning and tumbling toward the ground.

“The Desert Rose Letters” 6 “A Love Calling”

A Love Calling

It wasn’t too long before the gym was packed, which blew my mind, as no one ever talked about the volleyball team. They were apparently the black sheep of the red-headed stepchild because Emily’s dad recounted how they had won nearly every single game so far and were going to go to state. He whispered that he couldn’t say exactly how he knew, he just said, ‘modesty forbids’ and gave me a wink.

“The Desert Rose Letters” 5 “Eighth Wonder”

Eighth Wonder

We were in a state of euphoria whenever we were together. That feeling that you’re floating above the ground, maybe on cloud nine or as close to heaven as living gets without drugs. I think I had a smile on my face for most of the day, which may have scared a few people. For the first time in several years I lifted my head up and looked above everyone, like the fog had lifted.

“The Desert Rose Letters” Letter 1 “Storyline”

Due to another story on the site, I have changed the title.
This is not a part of LadyDragon623’s “Desert Rose” story.
The title is based on the song “Desert Rose” by WhiteHeart

Storyline

The Winemaker Chapter 1

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The Winemaker

by Theresa Black


Copyright 2020

'Mihi nomen est Calpurnia Valeria, sed cum ego natus eram dicitur Sextus, sexta vivum puerum parentes mei, et in tantum puer.' ('My name is Calpurnia Valeria, but when I was born I was called Sextus, the sixth living child of my parents and the only boy.')

I read the neat Latin script on the roll of parchment a second time. No, there was no mistake, it said 'puer' (boy) not 'puella' (girl), and 'Sextus' not 'Sexta'.

“The Turn of a Friendly Card” Chapter 1 “Games People Play” (starter)

Games People Play
"He said he had to work," she stated with such adamancy you'd swear she was defending his life in a court of law. In a way, she was defending him...in the court of public opinion...or at least to opinion of her friend, that being me.
"I just saw him at Starbucks. He' s not at work." I replied with an equal amount of gusto--I didn't want to win the battle or the war, but Renee could be an idiot sometimes. You'd think our class salutatorian would have at least a pamphlet's worth of street smarts.
"You’re lying "

Chrissy

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This story was originally written by Julie, sometime in the 90s and posted elsewhere. I read it and liked the premise, but the ending didn't suit me. So for my own enjoyment, I rewrote the ending. Julie's end had Chrissy transitioning, mine is more like my life. When I was finished modifying the ending, I liked it so much that I couldn’t resist posting it, so…

Covid 19 part 14 Crossing the line.

Terri's friends Charlie and Jan are told of Terri's secret and they allowed to choose Jessica's eggs with Terri's sperm so that their children will be full blood siblings to Jessica and Terri's.

Toni Ch. 2

The Mall

Where are you going, son?"

"I'm going to the Mall, get a shirt, and perhaps a pair of cargo pants. With all the books I carry, I need pockets for my pens."

"Take the credit card and get a few more items."

"I can't; it’s too much, the car was more than enough, never mind." There was no point in continuing; I would be lying if I said I don't like my car. I love it.

"It's only a Volkswagen bug," replies my dad.

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