Of course, those steps at this point were just writing mostly erotic stories on a website. But she was in the lead for the annual contest to write the... most stories there. Ironically, the contest was even called Survivor. It seemed to be a theme in Tara’s life…surviving. And now this…surviving the loss of a baby. At times it seemed more than she could bear. For a quarter of a century, mother had been a core part of who she was. At forty-four and after eighteen months of trying to get pregnant,. ." Let me come with you."Sarah watched the reaction to her words. She was asking them to trust her. To trust someone they had just met, knew nothing about, and who was the servant of those they now had cause against. But, then, she was also asking herself to trust them. Trust those she knew nothing about, who had just confronted one she had considered, if not a friend, then a teacher and mentor. Neither side had long to consider the matter."No," Daium said, all four eyes boring down on her.. She can only stare at the spirit, trying to see through it and convince herself that this was not happening.(scuff-STEP)Cassie gasps as something starts to emerge from the darkness, and for a terrifying moment, she feels as if she is floating towards it, carried aloft on currents of power. The gray fades, leaving the black to reach its tendrils towards her and slither about her mind.She could have her own cage, her own little protected space, where no one would harm her."Help me, Cassie!"Cassie. “You work here?”“Would you believe me if I said I did?” the alien replies.“Shit, I hope not,” she says, her disgust showing on her face.“Why do you say that?” the alien presses.“These guys in here are always trying to push a shoe sell on people,” she says with a shake of her head. “I really hate pushy people.”“You were nice when he said he’d help you,” Azelia points out.“I was, wasn’t I?” the girl asks. “Maybe it’s because I’m always courteous at the library. “So do you work here or not?”“Not,”.