17,500 < Novella < 40,000 words

Diversity

Diversity
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

“You have to be either gay or black to get ahead in this organization.” Luther drank deeply from his tall glass of beer. “I’m black, so you lose.”

I could only shake my head, but in agreement. But we were here to celebrate his elevation to a named manager on one of the key funds established by our employer. That meant not only the status but a share of the return based management fee.

The XX-Files Part 2

The XX-Files Part 2
By Cindy Pagent

This is a story of Discovery. Part 2

(For those of you who read Part 1 before, I’ve done some slight refinements to it, and reloaded it, so you might want to re-read it! Thanks, Cindy!)

Sandy Andros, of the Aero Airplane Company, has been working at Aero for about 5 years. Being 25, and not having lots of attributes of Maleness, like a big, muscled, hairy body, or having a beard to speak of, only being 5’6” tall, and a whopping 120 lbs, looks like, and is, a Geek. In fact, he looks a lot like Gillian Anderson, Agent Dana Scully of the FBI, despite being Male!

He is asked by several of the Women of his area to go to the Firms Halloween Party as Agent Dana Scully with someone else as Agent Fox Mulder, because there is a Costume Contest, and the girls think Sandy, and a handsome Fox duplicate will win!
Sandy finds out something new from this escapade! Can you guess what?

In this Second Part, Sandy and Paul have gone to the Aero Halloween Party, they won the Couples Category, and some other things happen to the two of them! Good Things! And things are leading up to something wonderful!

“The Best Damn Thing” Section 13: “Head Above Water”

Head Above Water

I had gone camping once before that day.
It was in the backyard in a medium-size pink tent with my sister. We made it through the night and then went inside for lucky charms and Saturday morning cartoons.

Having a tent was something I wished I had that night as I woke up with bugs of every shape and size crawling all over me—including a water bug that’s had no issues with sitting on my face.

Heat Rises - Chapter 6 of 6


Heat Rises


Chapter 6

A couple of days later, my cell phone rang. It was Ken. “Hey Chrissy, I’m lonesome.”

“Aww. Why don’t you get some friends to come over?”

“Why do you think I’m calling you?”

“You were supposed to call me when you got out of the hospital. You’ve been in school for a couple of days … maybe I missed that call.”

“I talked to you at school.”

“You promised to call as soon as you … never mind.”

Heat Rises - Chapter 1 of 6

Heat Rises
Chapter 1 of 6

The heat was record-breaking. Most of the businesses in town were well equipped for hot weather, but the air conditioners at the high school couldn’t keep up and it was 80 ͦ in the coolest part of the school. Most of the girls were coping pretty well, as skirts and dresses got shorter and thinner. But the dress code proscribed the wearing of shorts, so the boys suffered in long pants while the girls managed to get a cool breeze on their nether regions.

“Brilliant Disguise” Chapter 2 “Human Touch” (starter)

Human Touch

Four years later, I graduated from MSU with a degree in engineering and a unique knowledge of Japanese anime thanks to the revolving door of roommates who insisted that we watch “just one more episode” and they would then leave copies of videotapes. I could have opened my own “Bootleg Blockbuster Video” store.

Or at least I could have refreshed the video store back in Caledonia.

I came home for a week or two and then left for Memphis, Tennessee.

The Loyalty Test 2019

Tim Rodgers was so ecstatic when he hung up the phone and went to his computer. He just got done with a productive conversation with the Dean of Business at Northeastern Wesleyan University. He was offered a full-time professorship chair there. The man was going to end the business world section of his life. No more late night at the office, daily meetings to just make some paper-pushers look busy or meaningless paperwork to give to some hoarder to file only to never see the light of day again.

Noticing - Part 1

Ash "the Flash" Johnson was an average kid. Went to school, played football, wanted to get into a career writing webcomics and teaching history eventually. His daily routine consisted of getting up, getting dressed going to school, and going home. He was so entrenched in his routine that there were some things he simply didn't notice.

Noticing - Days 1 and 2
By Hikaro

Blank Check

Mark Thomas, now fourteen years old, had been railroaded by his parents since the age of nine to end up going before a Juvenile Judge twice a year, every six months, and spent exactly two months in juvenile detention. Why? So his parents could go on vacation without having to pay someone to watch Mark at home. Their taxes were still paying someone to watch Mark, but the little they had to pay, thanks to creative bookkeeping, was more than worth it to them. But Mark's parents didn't count on a Judge they had yet to put in their pockets. A Judge, who by good fortune, and loyal people, found out what Mark's parents were doing and turned the tables on them. Judge Ruth Walinkiewicz was about to surprise the parents of one Mark Thomas, helping Mark in the process, if only she could get him to trust someone again.

Edit Note: I did not intend to bump this story, only to add an Aunt Jane Universe suggested by another reader. Also, due to my ignorance at the time this story was posted, boo-boos were made in HTML formatting, as were some writing opposes. Plus, I separated those speaking so it became clearer who was speaking and when.

“A Change Will Do You Good” Chapter 3 “All I Wanna Do”

III. All I Wanna Do
I woke up to the smell of bacon and coffee. We may have been at the beach, but the traditional southern breakfast was still the norm.
“We’re all going to the beach,” Sia told me as I walked out of my room.
“Swell,” I replied as Sia’s friend, Kat, ran past the both us to one of the bathrooms.
“You are coming, right?”
I sort of shrugged my shoulders and nodded in reply and then walked to the dining area.
“Where’s dad?” I asked as Mom stacked several pieces of bacon and a biscuit onto a plate for me.

Cynthia and the Wonderful Corrections - Chapter 2

Cynthia and the Wonderful Corrections - Chapter 2

By Portia Bennett

 
Introduction: This story is the fourth and final story in a series within a series. The overall series is the “Cynthia Chronicles”. This story is directly connected to “Simoné and the Second Time Around”, “Marti and the Doppelganger”, and Marti and the Doppelganger – a Follow Up”. Several of the stories in the Cynthia Chronicles left some unanswered questions. In “Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling” two of the antagonists are regressed to childhood. Now we will learn what happened to them. In “Randi and the College Professor” Randi and Frank Deere adopt Betty, a bit of a rogue witch. Betty was regressed to early childhood, but she kept her powers. As it turns out, Betty was a real blessing. We also learn a bit more about Cindy’s first born who is the first new wizard in probably close to a thousand years. Then there is a question that has been floated about. What about death?

Remember Betty? She was the young witch who tried to break up the romance between Randi Lewis and Frank Deere. She didn’t know there were other witches and had never had any formal training until she found a book of programmed learning for witches. She doesn’t understand her power and makes some significant, far reaching mistakes. Betty is given a second chance, and now she is the adopted daughter of the two people she tried to break apart. Things are going quite well as we shall see.

Cynthia and the Wonderful Corrections - Chapter 1

Cynthia and the Wonderful Corrections - Chapter 1

By Portia Bennett

 
Introduction: This story is the fourth and final story in a series within a series. The overall series is the “Cynthia Chronicles”. This story is directly connected to “Simoné and the Second Time Around”, “Marti and the Doppelganger”, and Marti and the Doppelganger – a Follow Up”. Several of the stories in the Cynthia Chronicles left some unanswered questions. In “Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling” two of the antagonists are regressed to childhood. Now we will learn what happened to them. In “Randi and the College Professor” Randi and Frank Deere adopt Betty, a bit of a rogue witch. Betty was regressed to early childhood, but she kept her powers. As it turns out, Betty was a real blessing. We also learn a bit more about Cindy’s first born who is the first new wizard in probably close to a thousand years. Then there is a question that has been floated about. What about death?

Bobbie’s professional golf career is over and now she has a four-year old daughter and a newborn. Cindy and Don are not only raising their firs born, but have also officially adopted Martin and Joann who are only a few months older than their first born. Things are getting interesting.

Cynthia and the Wonderful Corrections - Prologue

Cynthia and the Wonderful Corrections - Prologue

By Portia Bennett

 
Introduction: This story is the fourth and final story in a series within a series. The overall series is the “Cynthia Chronicles”. This story is directly connected to “Simoné and the Second Time Around”, “Marti and the Doppelganger”, and Marti and the Doppelganger – a Follow Up”. Several of the stories in the Cynthia Chronicles left some unanswered questions. In “Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling” two of the antagonists are regressed to childhood. Now we will learn what happened to them. In “Randi and the College Professor” Randi and Frank Deere adopt Betty, a bit of a rogue witch. Betty was regressed to early childhood, but she kept her powers. As it turns out, Betty was a real blessing. We also learn a bit more about Cindy’s first born who is the first new wizard in probably close to a thousand years. Then there is a question that has been floated about. What about death?

We will briefly go back to the day Bobbie Anderson won the Master’s. This episode was extracted from “Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling.” The main story will pick up from that point.

Marti and the Doppelganger – A Follow Up, or What Happened to Those Raccoons, Anyway Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10 – Getting Close to Graduation at the CIA

By Portia Bennett

 
Introduction: This story is the third, the penultimate, in a series within a series. The overall series is the “Cynthia Chronicles”. This story is directly connected to “Simoné and the Second Time Around” and “Marti and the Doppelganger”. The latter left many unanswered questions. Some of those will be answered, some probably not. There are many references to previous stories in the series. If you are confused by some of them, just put it off to my senility. The Cynthia Chronicles takes place in a universe very similar to ours. Unfortunately, it might be too similar.

For any who read “Myrna and the Genetic Disaster”, this is the same story, only with the political rantings and scientific explanations removed. There may also have been a few edits and additions.

This is the tenth part of ten. I had considered reorganizing the last few chapters of the story as there is quite a bit of skipping around and going back and forth in time. I decided the heck with it and left them as they were.

We will see how things go with Tammie and Wanda. Their relationship is one made in heaven. At least some would find that metaphor appropriate. Sydney and Marshall Hendricks find love rather quickly. We will learn a lot more about them in the next story.

Marti and the Doppelganger – A Follow Up Or, What Happened to Those Raccoons, Anyway. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9 – A Post Visit Discussion and the Procyon Family Talks about Their Future

By Portia Bennett

 
Introduction: This story is the third, the penultimate, in a series within a series. The overall series is the “Cynthia Chronicles”. This story is directly connected to “Simoné and the Second Time Around” and “Marti and the Doppelganger”. The latter left many unanswered questions. Some of those will be answered, some probably not. There are many references to previous stories in the series. If you are confused by some of them, just put it off to my senility. The Cynthia Chronicles takes place in a universe very similar to ours. Unfortunately, it might be too similar.

For any who read “Myrna and the Genetic Disaster”, this is the same story, only with the political rantings and scientific explanations removed. There may also have been a few edits and additions.

This is the ninth part of ten or maybe eleven. I had considered reorganizing the last few chapters of the story as there is quite a bit of skipping around and going back and forth in time. I decided the heck with it and left them as they were.

Ronnie and her mother discuss the past weekend, especially, how good it was for everyone. The raccoon family continues to learn about their new environment. Their neighbor is a bit upset with them. They’re innocent..

Marti and the Doppelganger – A Follow Up Or, What Happened to Those Raccoons, Anyway. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8 - The Trip to Chico

By Portia Bennett

 
Introduction: This story is the third, the penultimate, in a series within a series. The overall series is the “Cynthia Chronicles”. This story is directly connected to “Simoné and the Second Time Around” and “Marti and the Doppelganger”. The latter left many unanswered questions. Some of those will be answered, some probably not. There are many references to previous stories in the series. If you are confused by some of them, just put it off to my senility. The Cynthia Chronicles takes place in a universe very similar to ours. Unfortunately, it might be too similar.

For any who read “Myrna and the Genetic Disaster”, this is the same story, only with the political rantings and scientific explanations removed. There may also have been a few edits and additions.

This is the eighth part of ten or maybe eleven. I had considered reorganizing the last few chapters of the story as there is quite a bit of skipping around and going back and forth in time. I decided the heck with it and left them as they were.

The girls take a short road trip to Chico, California to visit Rhonda and her family. There is a lot of bonding.

It’s a Grim World for a Blind man with no Balls to Scratch

Back in the Discovery, Amy asked, “Why are you doing this for me? I can tell you’re no paedo, scumbag social worker, nor a bloody do-gooder, so what’s in it for you?”

“I had a poor childhood. I’m regarded as a bit weird. I can earn big money, but most of the time don’t because I don’t want a boss. Money doesn’t mean much to me, and right now I’ve got some and don’t need it, but you’ve got none and need it. I’ve no friends and often go weeks without talking to any one, so maybe I just want some one to talk to.”

The XX-Files

This is a story of Discovery.

(For those of you who read Part 1 before, I’ve done some slight refinements to it, and reloaded it, so you might want to re-read it! Thanks, Cindy!)

Sandy Andros, of the Aero Airplane Company, has been working at Aero for about 5 years. Being 25, and not having lots of attributes of Maleness, like a big, muscled, hairy body, or having a beard to speak of, only being 5’6” tall, and a whopping 120 lbs, looks like, and is, a Geek. In fact, he looks a lot like Gillian Anderson, Agent Dana Scully of the FBI, despite being Male!
He is asked by several of the Women of his area to go to the Firms Halloween Party as Agent Dana Scully with someone else as Agent Fox Mulder, because there is a Costume Contest, and the girls think Sandy, and a handsome Fox duplicate will win!
Sandy finds out something new from this escapade! Can you guess what?

The Heads of Helltown High

A sink school and a broken Britain, symptoms of a dis-functional democracy. Can a dying teacher with a vision, a recently released armed robber with nothing and a twenty-five year old widowered musician walking a tightrope with the abyss of insanity on one side and the temptations of suicide on the other do anything to help…?

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