Title: Scumbag Billionaire
Author: Harper Kingsley
Story Landing Page: https://kimichee.com/novel-scumbag-billionaire

He’d been surrounded by the aspect of death for his entire life.

It was part of living in the modern world. To constantly be barraged with misery and death until the brain became inured to it. Violence and vulgarity became something the mind automatically glossed over.

Ames had been so totally engulfed in apathy towards death that his cancer diagnosis had shaken his foundation.

He completely fell apart.

He’d been inured to the concept of death.

He was terrified of dying.

It had taken all his strength to pretend to be all right with his death. He’d given smiles to his family and friends. He’d done everything he could to keep them from seeing his gibbering terror.

He’d dealt with the pain and the indignity himself far, far away. He hadn’t wanted anyone to see him falling apart.

Even after the treatment had failed, he’d kept up the act that he was dying with grace.

His panic and despair were the only things he’d been able to keep for himself as sickness had taken away everything else. No one had thought to let him keep any privacy.

He’d maintained his facade of graceful acceptance right up until the very end. He hoped his loved ones would be able to go on with their lives. He didn’t want to be a negative burden that anyone had to bear.

He hoped that he was remembered fondly.

A bright flame burn out too quick, he thought. There were so many things he’d never gotten the chance to do. He’d gone straight from working hard every day to lying in his death bed. There had been no transition period. Simply the realization that all those chances were gone.

There were so many things … Read the rest “NOVEL: Scumbag Billionaire 009”

THROUGH HER WINDOW
by Harper Kingsley

He’d found her through the Internet in a remarkably easy way.

It was almost as though she wanted him to find her.

He didn’t mention the leaks in her security. Just quietly followed the gingerbread trail until here he was.

Standing outside her house.

Peeking in through her windows and seeing her there. In her house. Her safe place. Her home where she and her family lived.

He watched her for a long time. Standing there in the dark. Huddling in his jacket to deal with the night chill.

He saw all her secrets. The her she was when she was alone.

The strange, beautiful her. The awkward, disgusting, slovenly, vulgar, lovely her.

He watched her and there was no part of him that wanted to look away. Even though he felt guilty. Even though he knew that what he was doing was wrong.

Wrong on a fundamental level.

The level of "Thou shalt not secretly follow people home" badness.

He’d done things when he was younger. Things that had disturbed his mother enough that she’d enacted several awkwardly horrible "discussions" that basically amounted to "Don’t be a rapist."

It had upset him when he was younger. There were several instances where he had wanted to scream at her to "Stop! Stop! STOP!" But now… He kind of understood where she had been coming from.

The very thought of sexual assault disgusted him. He had NO interest in being That Guy. He’d always been careful in his everyday life to not share certain jokes and to not touch without permission. Even as a kid, he’d had a clear awareness of "Personal Bubble."

It was just that as a kid he’d been very obvious about what he was thinking about. It had set adults … Read the rest “SHORT FIC: Through Her Window disturbing, stalking”

Title: Scumbag Billionaire

Author: Harper Kingsley

Story Landing Page: https://kimichee.com/novel-scumbag-billionaire

Just a few wisps, but it was enough to raise his flagging spirits. To know there was a possibility of making fire as long as he persevered.

– KEEPS WORKING AT IT

– CREATES A FIRE

Once he had fire, Ames knew he was back in business.

Now he needed to figure out how to boil water. Then he had to get hold of some food. Then he could worry about shelter. Comfort. And getting off this island.

=>

While he worked he was able to think.

He could see himself reflected in water. (Wavery, out-of-focus, and definitely not the him he should have been.) He could see his body and feel the differences with his hands.

It had been a long time since he had a healthy body, but this body was not his. Nowhere near his memories.

He was in the body of someone else. He didn’t know who, but he had to wonder.

Had he stolen someone’s body? Had he entered a dead body? Was this a new body created to house his wayward soul?

He knew nothing and he had no way to find out any information.

He didn’t even know if he was still in the world. For all he knew, this was a primitive world filled with magic and miracles. He knew nothing.

He was in an unfamiliar body on an unfamiliar island in a world he knew nothing about.

Ames pushed away the sense of panic and focused on the now. It was the only thing he could do.

Whatever else, survival was the main priority. Everything else was speculation and fantasy until he was able to contact the world off the island.

He focused on gathering food and bettering his shelter. Everything … Read the rest “NOVEL: Scumbag Billionaire 008”

Title: Scumbag Billionaire

Author: Harper Kingsley

Story Landing Page: https://kimichee.com/novel-scumbag-billionaire

Ames gathered dry sticks and a mass of brown twigs (?) that he assumed was some kind of moss. At the same time, he also plucked some broad long leaves that he wove together into a pseudo-hat. It wasn’t very pretty, but it was good enough to block the sun.

With his hat on his head, he used the dry moss to make a nest with some small sticks waiting on the side. Then he used some sticks to make a teepee shape over the tinder nest. He was trying to remember everything he had ever seen or read about starting a fire without a lighter.

If he had some string, he would make a bow. Since he didn’t have any, he would have to spin the drill by hand. He wasn’t sure he could spin it fast enough to get a flame, but he had to try.

Water, food, fire, shelter–the basics for survival.

Ames used a rock to scrape the pice of wood he’d chosen to be a fireboard. The wood was about 13 inches long and three inches wide. He struggled to make a small hole in it with the rock and cursed when he hurt his fingers.

By the time he was done, it wasn’t pretty but it was a start. Next he used his rock to strip and sharpen the tips of the sticks he’d chosen to be drill.s. He figured he’d make more than one as he wasn’t completely sure of the strength of the wood.

He rested for a few minutes, knowing he was going to need a burst of strength for the next step. Then he drew in a deep breath, used his foot to hold the fireboard in place, and began … Read the rest “NOVEL: Scumbag Billionaire 007”

Through a window darkly gazing
At a sight afraid to see
Breathing deep the salted water
Dreaming dreams, of you and me.