DEFENDING THE PEN
It’s all about murder . . . romance – writing it!
I post flash fiction, book announcements, interviews, and the things I love.
Careful . . . you may end up the victim . . .
of fun!
The sand held hints of the
lives lost, strands of wire, coins, and jewels buried deep. Treasure hunters
with metal detectors crisscrossed the beach. Devoid of its former glory. Only the
palms stood tall. The resort was gone, and its entire population too.
A breezy summer morning
determined to be a blistering sweltering day had turned apocalyptic. A rogue
wave forty stories high hit the coast. And, in the blink of an eye, everything
disappeared. Mom and Dad had planned their retirement for years but barely had
the chance to enjoy the fruits of their labor before nature heartlessly
rebelled.
Thank you for reading my short flash submission for WEP's Great Wave Challenge.
I hope you'll follow the links below to read more entries from a group of talented artists who've interpreted this monumental work of art in more magical and brilliant ways.
“I don’t remember! I have no clue. None. Honest!” I shouted. The two men sitting across the table from me just shook their heads. One threw his hands in the air, disgust wafting off him like BO.
Tears, fear, and rage overwhelmed me. I lowered my head to the table in a feeble attempt to disappear. The kinder of the two pushed a glass of water and a box of tissues towards me. I reached for the Kleenex, desperate to stem the flow of streaming snot before it hit the table.
I wanted to know what happened, too. All I knew for sure is they found me with a dagger in my hand and my husband’s bloody body sprawled at my feet. Did I kill him? How? Why? What could have pushed me to murder?
Gale and I had been married for twenty years. He was a good father, an excellent breadwinner, sometimes even a great lover. We’d had our ups and downs, but never to the point of …. Sure, I’d been unhappy.It happens. You get lazy, want something more. Maybe even think that the grass is greener on the other side. Every now and then you get a hankering for adventure, but that’s all. Just fantasy, not something you’d go to drastic measures to make happen. There’s never a reason to kill!
I straightened up, cleaned the hysteria from my face, and blew my nose. “I want an attorney and a doctor,” I squeaked.
“Fine. That’s your right, but at least tell us what you do remember.”
I eyed the men individually. They were as desperate as I was to know the truth. I could see it in their eyes. I shrugged. I rubbed my head in a vain attempt to clear the cobwebs. “I remember working all day on the remodel of the kitchen, sanding, painting, and repainting. Then I showered, had a sandwich and tried to read, but I was drained. One of those exhaustions that tend to keep you awake despite how tired you are, so I took an Ambien. Gale had called earlier to let me know he was working late, so I texted him an I love you and wake me when you get home wink before I turned out the light. That’s it. I went to sleep, and woke up, literally, when you found me over his ….” My voice and mind stopped.
“Body! We found you holding a bloody knife over his dead body!” The detective shouted as he stood. “And now you’re claiming that you were sleepwalking! Shit, lady, nobody sleepwalks with a dagger in their hands.”
“I told you what I remember.”
A fresh round of tears and I was done. They’d get nothing more from me. Assholes!I’d seen that show Snapped. It was time to shut up and make them unravel this tale.
I wasn't sure I'd be able to participate this month. Health not withstanding, my computer fried when the fan stopped working. so now I have a cooling pad to take care of such a threat. A threat I didn't even know existed before this happened. I am feeling much better and look forward to reading all the entries!
1. SUBMIT your name to the list below NOW 2. CREATE your entry for the June challenge - UNRAVELED YARN 3. EDIT your entry 4. POST your entry on your blog on the date shown - state feedback preferences 5. READ other entries, giving feedback
ALL GENRES WELCOME except erotica - 1,000 words maximum
FURTHER ENQUIRIES VISIT www.writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com or VISIT HERE or: this month email: den.covey@gmail.com or nilabose306b@gmail.com
Question -What's harder for you to come up with, book titles or character names?
The first book had six different titles until I decided. That stress began to taper off with each book. Now it’s become much more straightforward.
For secondary character names, I generally use family, but for the main characters, I stress. I want the name to fit the characteristics and to paint an instant picture of the person. So yes, after 5 novels it’s still a stressor.
Thanks for visiting, what stresses you when writing?
1. SUBMIT your name to the list below NOW 2. CREATE your entry for the June challenge - UNRAVELED YARN 3. EDIT your entry 4. POST your entry on your blog on the date shown - state feedback preferences 5. READ other entries, giving feedback
ALL GENRES WELCOME except erotica - 1,000 words maximum
FURTHER ENQUIRIES VISIT www.writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com or VISIT HERE or: this month email: den.covey@gmail.com or nilabose306b@gmail.com
“Quit daydreaming!” A large crack sounded as pain registered across Heather’s back.
“Sorry, Master.” Heather bowed despite the pain and hurriedly lifted another crate of canned goods onto the wagon. And then another and another until all the vegetables were loaded for market. Taking a deep breath, she added the final two crates of fresh goods. Fear and an intense need to please the master had her finishing in no time.
“Loaded and secured, Master.” She knelt at his feet.
“About time.” He jumped into the seat and grabbed the reins. “I’ve left a list of chores to keep your idle hands busy. The most important is the wedding dress. Finish it. Mr. Humphries paid a handsome price for your lazy hide, so make sure you’re ready.”
“I will, Master.”
“You will or you’ll marry naked. Make sure your room is cleared and ready for your replacement. She’ll return with me.”
“Thank you, Master.” She bowed and kissed the dirty hem of his robe. “Please have a safe trip.”
He snapped his whip. Heather flinched at the sound but watched his departure until he was out of sight and the dust cloud created by thundering hooves dissipated.
Joy radiated from her toes to her fingertips as the Master’s distance grew. Bliss filled her soul. Her body swayed, and a song rose from her throat. Heather sang and danced until breathless, then sank to the ground and lay among the forget-me-nots.
“Have you decided?” a tiny voice asked. It came from a small body. Transparent wings vibrated faster than a hummingbird. The nymph flitted from flower to flower before settling on Heather’s knee as she sat up.
“I’m not sure,” she told him.
“What’? Are you daft? Either you cross the bridge to freedom or marry old man Humphrey and slop his swine until he decides to kill you.
“Ethan, don’t be so dramatic.”
“My best friend Bertrand saw it. He tried to intervene and lost both his legs because of it. I wouldn't lie to you.”
“Nymphs are bewitchers – little devils.” She gazed at him through her eyelashes, embarrassment reddening her cheeks.
“Master told you that?” The small nymph stood on her knee his hands on his hips, his wings still and glistening in the sunshine.
Heather nodded. She found the creatures’ bright blue eyes mesmerizing despite his ugliness and spindly limbs. He looked like a twisted twig, only his eyes and perfect white teeth were human in nature.
“Have I not healed the many wounds he’s inflicted or aided you when the chores became too much? Why do you question me?” He sat down in the lotus position on her knee cap. His arms crossed and his eyes wide and questioning.
She giggled. “You’re always so serious. The horrors you describe just can’t exist. The world is too beautiful.” She threw her arms open to the heavens.
“You would be concerned too if Master didn’t have you enthralled with black magic. Do you remember how you got here?”
“I’ve tried, but no. My only memories are of Master’s love for me.”
“Love? You call daily beatings love?”
“He says I’m a silly girl given to a restless mind. He’s right. I have daydreams. He took me in when I was homeless, and he’s given me everything.”
“The Master lies!” Ethan flew up from her knee in a huff and sprinkled her in sparkling dust. “REMEMBER!” He flew off in a blur.
Glittering remnants of the dust settled onto her exposed skin and then disappeared. Memories began flooding her mind. Recollections of another life, another place and time. A family. The mother she resembled, her adoring father, the sister who looked up to her. Even the wedding she’d planned to a handsome young man named Cody. But most surprising was her name – Logan Marshall, not Heather.
Her scream brought Ethan back. “Now do you see?”
“Where am I?” She looked at the world differently.
“That doesn't matter, but if you follow me, I’ll show you how to get back to your life.”
“Show me.”
Ethan flew toward the forest, and Logan followed. The plowed fields were densely packed but easy to traverse. She stopped right before entering the dark forest.
“Why do you hesitate?”
“I’ve heard screams. Master says wild man-eating beasts live here.”
“Peacocks. This is my home. There’s nothing to fear!”
Logan looked back at the log cabin, the farm that had been her home, but memories of a family tugged at her. Hesitation vanished. She joined Ethan who waited just inside the foliage. He led the way to a clearing. The gorge opening yawned wide before them. The end of the road.
“Where’s the bridge?”
Ethan whistled and threw out more glittering dust. A bridge of fire appeared. “See, salvation.”
“Fire? No way!” She backed away.
“Blue flame is magic, cool.” Ethen flew through it. “See, move closer, you’ll feel no heat. You’re pure of heart. An innocent. Strip first, you have to leave everything from this world behind to make the journey.”
Logan stepped forward, and a mixture of blue, green and purple flames formed a solid looking bridge with massive girders. Instead of crackling the fire sounded like the flutter of hundreds of nymph’s wings. Ethan was right, she felt no heat.
She kicked off her shoes, removed her smock and underclothes, but hesitated.
“Go on, your family is waiting.”
She smiled and took the first step forward. “Thank you.”
“No problem, saving virgins is my calling.”
Logan’s eyes grew wide. “But I’m not . . .
Ethan laughed.
Logan screamed as the flames consumed her.
“I know. But each sacrifice brings me closer and closer to becoming a full demon and owning a kingdom of slave maidens of my own.” His skin turned red and horns popped out on his bald head.
