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Everything Changez

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The Straight Path: A Novella in Six Parts ​Part I: The Hollow Fields ​The chill wind sweeping off the Appalachian ridges found every tear in the canvas tarp and every gap in the abandoned hay shed. Liam, twenty-three, kept his arm tight around Maya, twenty-two, but his comfort was thin, and her comfort was thinner. They had been together since high school, a connection forged in the easy days that now felt like a myth. Now, their life was a tight, desperate orbit around their need for the drug known locally as "crank." The only warmth came from the brief, brittle high. Their rural Virginia town, Red Oak, was beautiful on postcards, but ugly and indifferent to those who lived on its fringes. They had long ago burned every bridge, trading family and futures for the fleeting illusion of energy. Their current prize was a stolen battery, waiting to be traded in the morning—if they could just make it through the night. ​Part II: The Catalyst of Cold ​The crisis wasn't the polic...
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Days gone by

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This is an ai representation of "friend" who shared with me what little he and his lady and his lady could spare.I care about these people and their plight.lets give Smyth County Virginia hand up
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Found or Forgotten .

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“The Edge of Home” A Novella by Lyconius --- Chapter 1: The Cold Ground The morning frost clung to the nylon walls of the tent like glass. Lila rubbed her hands together and blew into them, staring at the empty coffee tin beside the small fire pit. Next to her, Mason stirred awake beneath the old army blanket, his breath forming clouds in the chill. They’d been living in the woods for three months—just beyond the old train tracks on the edge of Chilhowie, Virginia. No one knew they were there, except a couple of hikers who pretended not to see. Lila used to waitress at the diner off Route 11. Mason had worked drywall until the layoffs. When her mother’s house sold and his truck broke down, the bottom fell out. They drifted into the woods with what they could carry—an old tent, two duffels, and each other. Every day was survival: keeping warm, finding food, staying invisible. But it was getting harder. The police had been patrolling the backroads again. Lila watched the smoke rise from ...
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The Beginning

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Introduction for Peoples Lair ​Welcome to Peoples Lair, a unique space where compassion meets creativity—dedicated to serving and supporting the most destitute in Smyth County, Virginia. ​Every day, you'll find heartfelt poetry and moving fictionalized stories right alongside our powerful grassroots mission. We use the art of storytelling to illuminate the issue of homelessness and drive real, tangible change in our community. ​Our Mission: Help is on the Way for Smyth County ​We are actively setting up to accept and distribute critical aid right here in Smyth County! ​COMING SOON: We're rolling out donation boxes and organizing for the direct distribution of various essential hygiene items. ​WE WILL BE ACCEPTING: Donations of clothes, cookware, funding, and survival items to ensure our neighbors have what they need to endure and thrive. ​Follow our daily page for updates on donation box locations, specific needs, and stories of the impact your generosity is making! Together, w...
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