During lunch break high school freshman Tom was sitting on a bench outside, reading a sports magazine (but with the edge of a Penthouse sticking up), alone as usual. Well, as usual as it could be the fifth day of term. Tom was not a popular boy. Small, ”dainty” and with golden locks that was rather longish. There really was nothing wrong with Tom except that he was terribly shy and new in town. He had lost his parents and the only relative was a cousin of his mother's. Matthew and Martha were considerably older than Tom’s parents but they considered taking care of Tom as their duty. Tom had all the material support he could wish for. However, they didn’t really care for him and since they never had had any children of their own they didn’t understand him at all. So the less he bothered them the happier they were.

Anyway Tom was sitting there ostentatiously reading a sports magazine featuring baseball. Tom was quite a good baseball player and had great hopes to get onto one of the junior teams. However, if you looked closer you could see the edge of a Penthouse sticking up behind the magazine. Not that Tom was interested in the pictures. Actually he found the sports magazine much more interesting and if he wanted to look at naked girls internet had an abundant supply and Matthew and Martha had no clue how to restrict his access. No, Tom had arranged the Penthouse very carefully to throw off any suspicions about what he had hidden behind the Penthouse. His real secret was much worse, something that absolutely NO ONE must know. Tom was totally absorbed by the latest “Thumping ❤❤, Broken ❤❤, ❤❤United” book, according to some the soppiest, most braindead romantic drivel ever written. Tom just couldn’t get enough of it.

"To Be or Not to Be, That is the Existential Question" If given the power of a comic book superhero, is that person obligated to play the part for the greater good?

To Be or Not to Be, That is the Existential Question

Chapter 2: Or Not to Be

Last Time:

I thought to myself, 'Thank god! The pain is finally gone." I tried to say something around the breathing hose in my throat, but nothing came out. I put every effort into wagging a few fingers, but I couldn't move. Nothing!

James was just another boy in high school. Every day he went to class, played baseball, and dreamed of getting a hot girlfriend. The girl he wanted most was Meghan. She was in his P. E. class, and she was the most popular girl at school. James was hardly the only boy who wanted her.

 
Introduction: This story is a third 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. This is a rewrite of “Myrna and the Grievous Error” which was probably an error in itself. 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. There are some darker aspects to this story; however, the overall mood is upbeat. There is an allegory. Myrna Moskowitz puts it out there in a later part. The Cynthia Chronicles takes place in a universe very similar to ours. Unfortunately, it might be too similar.

This is the complete story in one submission. The revision starts to take effect about halfway through the post. If you didn’t read the previous story, start at the beginning. If you did, start around Chapter 7.

The story begins in the dark. Myrna Moskowitz awakes to find she is not in bed with her beloved husband, Avery. Instead, she is in some strange place with The Wizard. So begins a very strange and disturbing adventure that won’t be completed for at least a century.

>>>SUMMARY

“I’m going to HAVE to wear a bra! No way!”

“Stand up, Mike. And take your shirt off. ……… Well, that’s unusual.”
Some time later ……"NO, Mum. I’m never going to wear a bra. Never.”
“I’m not sure those, erm, chesty-things give you a choice!”

An AP-500 story

Friday, November 2, 2018

Yeah, so I'm grounded this weekend, and I found this journal my grandma got me a few years ago. Beyond the smell, it's a pretty good journal.

Anyway, explanations. Today at lunch, Christine was acting like a jerk as usual-your stereotypical blonde. I overheard her trash-talking my friends, and I went over to her and slammed my lunch tray in her face. It was worth it to hear her scream. She deserved it.

But I had to go to after-school detention today, and my parents grounded me. Whoopty-doo.

Monday, November 5, 2018

The Witch’s Apprentice

By Branwen Gillen