Bill W

The word "persecute" comes from the Latin persecut- ‘followed with hostility’, from the verb persequi, meaning "to follow" or "pursue", which itself is a combination of the prefix per- ("through") and sequi ("to follow"). It entered Middle English through the Old French persecuteur and describes the act of harassing or oppressing someone, either through persistent annoyance or, more formally, for beliefs like race or religion. The combined meaning of "to follow through" evolved into "to follow with hostility," which is the basis for the modern definition of oppressing or harassing someone. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the verb persecute was first used in English before 1475. The OED cites a translation by author and translator Stephen Scrope as the earliest evidence of its use. The word persecute was derived from the noun persecution during the Middle English period, around the year 1350. The OED cites its first appearance in the text "Apocalypse St, John: A Version" and is a borrowing from French. Five examples of persecution are murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation, and other inhumane acts done against any civilian population, or persecutions on political, racial, or religious grounds, when such acts are done or such persecutions are carried on in execution of or in connection with any crime against peace or any war crime. Examples of "persecute" in a sentence: "We often see dictators using force to repress and persecute their opponents." "In the 1930s, the Nazis passed laws that were meant to persecute German Jews." "Mr. Weaver and his family have been persecuted by the authorities for their beliefs." "Local boys constantly persecuted him, throwing stones at his windows." "Vic was bullied by his father and persecuted by his sisters." (Not a nice family!)

This is truly a Halloween short story, but not the spooky and scary variety. There is definitely some trick-or-treating going on, but not exactly what you'd expect. This is a humorous and romantic Halloween encounter, but to discover if it's a huge success or a total flop, you'll have to read this well-written story to find out. Do yourself a favor and check in out.

A dramatic and chilling story that is perfect for Halloween. What is planned by Alex to save their relationship isn't exactly something that Eduardo's excited about, but he goes nonetheless. What is meant to be a time for them to reconnect and reignite the love they once felt for each other doesn't go as Alex hoped, but to find out what happened, you'll have to read this spooky tale.

Very apropos for the season. Spooky and dramatic, but somehow I can't see Alex locking Eduardo outside without a coat, no matter how upset he is with him. I think it would have been better if Eduardo had just decided to stay in the jeep instead of retrieving his laptop and returning to the cabin. Alex could have been just as oblivious, yet he wouldn't have been responsible for Eduardo's death, even if the authorities hadn't charge him. He'd still have had a guilty conscience, if he really love Eduardo. You also failed to explain whatever that pink thing was on the Jeep's door handle. You could have explained that Alex went out and retrieved it before reporting what they found the following spring. Maybe it was a note from Eduardo or possibly something he discovered the Jeep that made him decide to just walk away. I don't think I'm the only one who feels that way, and if you weren't going to explain it, then there was no sense in mentioning it in the first place.

If you enjoy Halloween or good scary stories, then this one is for you. This spooky tale contains plenty of tension and some really scary moments, shared by four boys, although their experiences are separate, not shared. I dare you to read it either right before or on Halloween night in a dark house with only the light from your computer screen to read by - muhahaha!

I loved the story and you did a great job setting it up and describing the tension during the night for both groups of boys. I was, however, hoping that the four boys would have talked about the evening before they left. I didn't expect Eric to own up to what happen to him to the younger pair, but I was hoping that the ghosts of the Baker brothers had shared information about who had killed them with Chris and Shawn and they would have, in turn, shared that information with Eric and Donny.

Yes, it's Secrets 2: Looking Through Different Eyes. I hope you enjoy it.

This is a touching and thought provoking story about a group of strangers that met online in a chat group and became close, you might even say as cyber bffs. They promised to one day get together and meet up in person, but time passed on and so did life. Then one day they get an email from one of the members of that chat group and he's finally arranging for them to all to get together. To discover what happens and how things work out, you're going to have to read this wonderful and heartfelt story. I'm sure you've all met others online and possibly even agreed to meet up with them in real life one day. Did it happen? Whether it did or didn't, I'm sure that you'll find a way to connect with this intriguing short story.

Oh, so many wonderful memories you evoked in me. I remember the chat rooms I visited in the 90s, and a few of them I developed some close friends. There were a group I met in person, one at a time, and actually got to know better. We even kept in touch afterward, some longer than others, but you brought back some wonderful memories for me. Also a few that weren't so wonderful, because it eventually came to my attention that two of them had died, and the status of the others is uncertain. I wish I still knew how to connect with them, but their old email addys are no longer active and one belongs to someone else. Thanks for those amazing story, @Inkognito.

Things were going so well, so I hope Mark isn't there to cause a problem. I hope he's there to apologize for his sister's actions and will be making a peace offering. I can't wait to see what you do with this next.

Another wonderful moment, and this one with some touching, concerning (Uncle Matt's tackling skills), and provocative (the triplets). I can't wait to see what happens next.

Another wonderful and touching chapter, and you made me shed a few more tears.

Is he Noah's graduation present?

A wonderful start and you've already made me shed a tear.

Down on your luck? Be careful what you wish for! Looking for a job? Check the company out carefully first, before you apply, interview, and most of all, accept an offer of employment! This was a humorous look at Theo Godley, who is desperate for a new job. After submitting his application, he is invited to interview. It takes place at a hotel, rather than at the business itself, and he is question by a panel. A short time later, he gets a job offer and accepts, but his first day at work wasn't quite what he was expecting. To find out more, you'll have to read this wonderfully delightful and comedic tale.

"What big forelegs you have, Grandma!" I considered this spider to be feminine, because the females spiders are always much larger than the males.

The word "jot" comes from the Greek letter iota (ιiota𝜄), which was the smallest letter in the alphabet and came to mean "the least part of anything". This meaning was adopted into Latin as iota and then into English, originally used as a noun to mean a "tiny bit". The verb form "to jot" appeared later, referring to writing a quick, brief note, a meaning that developed from the noun's association with a small stroke or mark. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun "jot" was first used in the Middle English around 1362, in the writings of William Langland. The earliest known evidence for the verb "jot" is recorded from around 1530. The phrase "jot and tittle", meaning the smallest detail or minutiae of something, comes from the Bible, particularly the 1611 King James Version, where Jesus says that not one iota (jot) or dot (tittle) will pass away from the law. Examples of "jot" used in a sentence: "He paused to jot a few notes on a slip of paper." "Give a friend with a lot on their mind a place to jot it all down." "The Notes app isn't just a place to jot down your grocery list." "I have yet to see one jot of evidence presented here today."

Even though @kbois has written multiple stories about Gabriel and Lucifer, each one can be enjoyed separately and you don't have to read all of them to be hooked by this unusual pair. Who else would have thought of pairing these polar opposites into a fun couple, so sit back and savor this wonder and humorous chapter in this continuing tale.

I always love reading your stories about Gabriel and Lucifer, and Gideon added some nice comic relief. Thanks for writing this fun story.

If you like shifter and werewolf stories, then you must read the fascinating take on the old theme. @kbois used fresh eyes and a keen sense of humor when writing this intriguing tale and it would be a shame if you missed out on this imaginative take on the older, and somewhat stale, version that you're probably familiar with. I can't say enough about this marvelous story and highly recommend it, so do yourself a favor and check it out!

As usual, another wonderful story from the vivid imagination of Kbois. First of all, I loved the way you had wolf observing the man so closely at the beginning of the story and that wolf's actions seemed to pull it away from the pack. I'm glad wolf chose to leave the pack when confronted, rather than fight, and that is what led him and Nick to become close. I knew that "rotting smell" was going to mean danger and I believe the werewolf learned its error by not killing wolf when it had the chance, because when the tables were turned, Wolf and Farley didn't hesitate to finish it off. The way you ended the story, it was obvious that Nick can now change into a wolf as well, most likely due to the bite on his shoulder, rather than the claw marks on his chest. If that's the case, then he'll need a second name as well. If you decide to continue this theme, maybe you can have a Nick/Lobo combination to go along with Wolf/Farley, and I'm sure that could lead to a lot of fun both in the bedroom and out in the woods. This was a wonderful story and I truly enjoyed it. Congratulations on this interesting take on the theme, and kudos on a job extremely well done!

And here I thought you were going to say you were dressing up as an RCMP - a mountie!

If you enjoy stories about magic and powerful wizards, then this wonderful short story is for you. The authors paints powerful images that allow us to visualize what's taking place, and although not all of those images are pretty, there are many others that are, including the possibility of a romantic encounter. This story also raises questions that are relevant in today's society, and both of the main characters have decisions to make as to whether the wizard is evil or good. You may have to ask yourself that same question as you're reading this magical and captivating tale, because, as one of the characters points out, there are two sides, or viewpoints, to every conflict. Well done, @lawfulneutralmage!

I, like the others, enjoyed this chapter, yet I was slightly taken aback at the start due to the shift in time and the emergence of the new characters, Derek and Jordan. However, once I figured out what was going on, I love the way you brought it all together, from the ruins, to Derek and Jordan's conversation in the gardeer, to Jordan debating which was the right thing to do. That was a satisfying place to stop - temporarily , because I would also like to see this continued, if you have the time and inclination. I agree with Headstall as well, this story resonates in today's world as well. There are many questions that each of us must answer in our own minds, like Jordan, and hopefully we'll all do what we feel is best. However, we may never know if the choice we made was the correct one. Thanks for such a wonderful and enchanting story.

The word "rationalize" is formed from the adjective "rational" and the suffix "-ize". The word "rational" comes to English via the French word "rationaliser", which in turn comes from the Latin word "rationalis", meaning "of or belonging to reason," which itself comes from ratio, meaning "reason" or "calculation". Therefore, to "rationalize" literally means to "make rational" or "to explain something in a rational way", The word rationalize has evolved to mean the psychological act of giving a plausible but false reason for behavior to conceal the true motive. It can also mean to make something more efficient or effective, as in "rationalizing operations". According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the earliest known use of the verb "rationalize" is from the mid-1600s, specifically 1665, in the writing of N. Hodges. The most common modern meaning emerged in psychology. It was first introduced by psychoanalyst Ernest Jones in 1908, and this sense means "to devise superficially plausible explanations or excuses for one's actions, beliefs, or desires, often without being consciously aware that these are not the real motives". Examples of using "rationalize" in a sentence: "Sarah tried to rationalize her grandson's strange behavior by blaming it on the boy's father." "He couldn't rationalize buying such an expensive car." "John didn't bother trying to rationalize what the sound could have been." "Jessica couldn't rationalize her sudden urge to return to the cottage." "So what, then, is the big problem with simply trying to rationalize the system?" "You can easily rationalize it by telling yourself it's work-related." "Ernest selfishly tried to rationalize his decision by saying it would be better for everyone. " "How did the individuals who masterminded and ran the camp system rationalize their own behavior?" "Hard to believe that these people can justify and rationalize such sickening behavior!"