The day was over; I was tired. Classes had gone well, although there were one or two students who simply didn't seem to grasp that college is another way to spell work. One of my more difficult students, Laura Buisson, the daughter of a trustee, was especially obstreperous. Her attitude of entitlement and assumption of authority—all unearned—grated on me. He...
It was the weekend before finals at Columbia University. For most students this meant pouring over class notes and skimming through textbooks for any information that might be relevant on an exam. But up in her dorm room in John Jay Hall, senior Caroline Johnson was preparing for a night out. She put on her makeup and did her hair, then slid her 5'2" frame i...
The morning sun, chirping birds and warm breeze fluttering in through the curtains of my bedroom all conspired against my desire to continue sleeping. As I gradually regained consciousness and grudgingly opened my eyes, my waking mind quickly began replaying the events of the past 24 hours. I nuzzled my nose deep into my pillow and breathed deeply, rewarded...
Author's note: Thanks for your support for my last two stories. This one is in the same vein, longer on story and character, so if you're looking for a quick fix, this might not be it. Please remember to vote if you like it, and even if you don't. ~~~ I've always been fascinated by that moment, the transition when one thing becomes something else. The...
"The Best of both Worlds" Claudia's painting of Marina became a worldwide sensation. The rights to reproduce it were bought for tens of thousands of Euros, all of which Claudia put into a special bank account for Marina. She herself was still so wealthy, she figured it would be nice for Marina to have her own nest egg, but for the time being didn't let her...
My name is Ariana. And if you asked me who I was a month ago, I would have told you I was a normal medical student. But today I'm not so sure. So many things have changed. Mid-terms were just starting. And I was stressed. I had wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember. But this was NOT what I had in mind. The classes were ridiculous. And the exa...
Chapter 2 : Pixie. I suppose a little scene-setting is overdue. When you came through my door, you found yourself in a bare windowless anteroom: one wooden chair, one set of drawers; plain lino floor; no pictures or mirrors; no shades on the light bulbs. To the left a door led into the headmistress' study, which did have windows but the curtains were alwa...
Chapter 1 2050 Southwest state of fear and lust The skies opened, a dark veil of heavy rain turned the hot pavement into a steam bed in the late summer heat of the suburban mall. Nina scampered to her beat up Toyota gas electric hybrid at the far end of the parking lot and threw the bags of clothing and perfumes into the rear seat. Rivulets of water stre...
I waited for my husband Robert to come home. My new lover, Trish, had left earlier that afternoon, and I knew I had to be honest with Robert. I didn’t want to hurt him, but I couldn’t deny my feelings. I thought about the events of the day: meeting Trish just that afternoon, making love with her, and knowing in my heart that she was someone that I could not...
Home sweet home, she thought, looking around her at the library carrel that had become her nest over the past months as she worked to finish the school year. Now, late at night, late in the week, late in the semester, the desk and shelves were barely visible under the stacks of books, marked-up essay drafts, and multicolored sticky notes. The glow from her l...