Stories

The world appraised each the moment they were born. While Walter Samson IV stands to inherit his family’s empire, Teyshawn Jones fights every day for a slim chance at a future. Neither can afford to stray from the narrow path before them, yet what each truly wants is the freedom to walk side-by-side.

Note: This story begins four-and-a-half years after Kept Boy to Made Man and seven months after Souris lands in Chicago. While it is not necessary, it is recommended you read those stories first as an introduction to the Land of Lincoln and many returning characters.

Roger Cicero is an enigma. Behind the man’s meticulously crafted facade lies an angry and broken boy. When he is pushed into a case that hits close to home, the successful lawyer is forced to draw on his buried past to save another battered boy’s future.

After his parents are killed, TJ's world is flipped upside down by what he discovers.

Ludo has a nice life. A lovely wife and son, an attractive modern house, and a good job, idyllic really. But his wife is restless and spends too much time at work; Ludo finds himself getting too close to Arthur, the father of one of his son’s friends. Then his wife’s job takes a sinister turn, casting everything else into the shade.

Ralph has a successful web-design firm, lovely twin daughters and an ex-wife with whom he is on reasonable terms, though his parents persist in regarding him as a disappointment, disliking his choice of career and general lack of ambition. But, in the wake of his divorce, he experiences a return of feelings and ideas that he hasn’t had since his teenage years when an affair with another boy at school left an indelible mark. And now, he has to decide, does he want to be that person who hides, lashes out at any suggestion he might be gay, or does he want to break free.

In spite of a serious injury as a youth, a college student makes his way through life.

In The Dreamer, Mason and Robert navigate life’s trials, love, and self-discovery against the backdrop of a society not always ready to accept them. Starting in college, their connection deepens as they face family rejections, identity struggles, and career pressures. Together, they build a life marked by resilience and unwavering love. Over time, they marry, have children, and create a lasting family legacy. As they grow old, the enduring symbol of their bond—a ring forged from a meteorite—becomes a reminder to their children and grandchildren of a love that reached beyond time, built on courage, devotion, and unity.

Prompt #385 –

Brendan Nelson had a tough week at work. He is a Project Manager at a small software company. Nothing went well on his current project. The last delivery to QA (Quality Assurance) was a total failure, the techs couldn't even install it. Add to that, a serious problem in the development of a new feature arose. Finally, on top of that, the customer was screaming about a bug that hadn't been fixed for months, and now it apparently crashed the system. As if things weren't bad at work, he had to come home to a surprise.

A recent college graduate has a painful coming out to his family but gets a surprising response from his father.

Someone buys a house and receives a belated letter from the son of the previous owner. He is a Navy Seal, wounded and recuperating, unaware as he sent it that his parent has passed away. An unexpected friendship forms..