Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Welcome to Dorley Hall
Paid publication
Book #1	Welcome to Dorley Hall
Chapter	1
Free publication
Date posted	Nov 29, 2021
Word count	4,805
Points of view	Stefan
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Chapter 1: Welcome to Dorley Hall is the first chapter of the first book of the series. The book takes its name from this chapter. The chapter introduces Stefan and Mark, as well as the existence of a mysterious organization that seems to be turning disaffected men into happy women.

Plot

2012, Stefan

At school, Stefan talks with Russ about his brother Mark. Mark's always been like an older brother to Stefan but he's become incredibly withdrawn, not responding to texts or coming to birthdays. Russ thinks he's overreacting, but Stefan is still worried.

A month after Mark goes to the Royal College of Saint Almsworth for university he goes missing. Russ's dad thinks Mark killed himself.

2014, Stefan

Stefan is buying some stuffing at a Tesco when he notices a girl, Melissa, struggling with a checkout machine. She looks familiar and sounds a lot like Russ's mom.

2015, Stefan

Stefan has decided to minmax his AS-level exams so he has the best chance he can get of being admitting to Saint Almsworth. He's done research, tracking down men who go missing on or near the university, and has noticed five women who have a distinct resemblance to them. He thinks that someone at Saint Almsworth is helping closeted trans women start new lives. And he wants to be one of those women.

2019, Stefan

Stefan is twenty-one, depressed and broke. Despite spending two years attending Saint Almsworth, he hasn't found the mysterious organization he's so sure exists. His body continued to change, worsening his dysphoria. In an act of desperation, he decides to go to a party with his housemates. He hits it off with a girl named Christine. Intoxicated by pleasant alcohol, weed and company, he shares his theory about her dormitory, Dorley Hall.

He wakes up in a cell. Over the loudspeakers, Christine demands, “What do you know, Stefan Riley?”