Stand-in Novels & Stories

Just as I had finished checking in and turned to walk up the stairs, Nathan rushed in suddenly. He was panting heavily, sweat dripping from his forehead, and his face was flushed from running. "Did someone just check into a room here? Did a woman named Yvonne Liesel check in? Tell me, quick!" he demanded.

“I’m going to bed early.” Cain nodded, reopening the manual. She hesitated. “Don’t you have a post to stand or something?” “I do,” he said. “It’s called a sitting post.” Her eyes widened. “You are not staying in here to watch me sleep.” “Fine.” He stood and moved toward the door. “I’ll stand outside instead. By morning, everyone will know you’re under the King’s sentinel’s protection. Might want to come up with a good story for that.”

sneered a well-dressed young man standing behind Hoyt. "And you are?" Kenny asked, giving the man a subtle, composed smile. "Don't waste your breath on me. I have no interest in talking to the likes of you," the young man shot back icily. "Oh, really?" Kenny's smile did not waver. "And what if I insisted on an apology?" "Fool, who do you think you are, expecting me to apologize?" the young man said sternly. "Mr. Hoyt Sabine is just too nice. If it were up to me, I'd have thrown you out already!"

I stood up from my seat and pulled out a business card from my wallet as I walked forward and knelt in front of Raymond. “I’m not a bad man, Ray, but I can help your daddy fight off the bad men. Copy this number and save it on your phone, and whenever you come across any of the bad men, you call me instantly and I will always respond to your call.” I assured him. I made it look like I was talking to Ray, but I’m sure his father knows that I was extending a hand of friendship here, and I hope he takes it.

"Um, yes. Good morning ma'am. That's me and what I'm here for." Finally, she looks up and seems to run her eyes over the length of me before she says, "It's a good thing you're not late. Please, sit over there and wait with the gentleman and ladies. They're also here for the same position." And without further ado, places her head back right down and keeps on typing furiously.

Not the absence of information or the refusal to engage with the information that was available. The presence of something else. The specific courage of a woman who had looked at what she knew and what she didn't know and had decided that what she knew about the person was sufficient to move toward the person regardless of what she didn't know about the record. She talked about the kind of woman who stood beside someone when the standing would cost her. Not stayed. Stood. There was a difference, she said. Staying was passive. Staying was the absence of leaving. Standing was active. Standing was a choice made in real time in full knowledge of what the choice cost.