DEFENDING THE PEN
It’s all about murder . . . romance – writing it!
I post flash fiction, book announcements, interviews, and the things I love.
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Sarah
sighed heavily and drew an X across the small box showing March 31st in
her calendar. Twenty-four days since the plane crash. Twenty-four days of cold
and bitter winds. Even with clean water and the fish caught in the lake, her
appetite was lacking, and Chet's insistence that he had to return to the plane
left her fearful and sleepless. Add erratic hormones, fear, dwindling supplies,
and a woman searching for but failing to find hope, and you have an emotional
catastrophe waiting to happen.
Recognizing
the signs of a self-indulgent pity party, she closed the calendar. She said a
prayer of thanksgiving for the miracle of survival and closed with her favorite
chant. "Oh God, My God, thy Name is my healing." Trying to be
grateful but anxious and scared, she did her best to meditate but couldn't find
the peace she desired.
The sketchbook beside her caught her attention, and she
gazed at the drawing she'd completed upon waking. The picture was of a hungry
wolf pack. Angry, howling, salivating mouths dripping with the blood of their
latest kill. Sarah shut the book and shivered. The nightmare had awakened her,
and she'd drawn it, but now it was an hour till dawn, and Chet would rise soon.
He slept peacefully a few feet away from her. Her dreams had been about him and
his alarming plans. She cuddled in her sleeping bag and waited for him to
awaken.
An hour later, he did.
Sarah pretended to be asleep as Chet rolled up his sleeping
bag and moved about the cave getting things ready for his trip. Realizing she
was being foolish, she greeted him. "Want breakfast?"
"Good morning Sarah, no. I'll wait for
lunchtime," he said as he dressed for his trip. "Rescue will be any
day now, you'll see," he said, doubling his socks and putting his boots
on. "I just want to clear the snow off the main cabin so they can see the
plane from the sky. Then I'll light a signal fire using the plane's tires.
Black smoke is sure to get someone's attention. I'll use the metal and other
debris to create an arrow to show them we're well and waiting. I promise the
rescuers will be here before you even have time to miss me," he said
without a break.
She watched him closely. Was he trying to convince her or
himself?
Sarah tried to smile but was unsuccessful. "Just
please, please be careful. I'm worried."
"I know, and I will. I promise. I have to do this. The
weather is clearing, and they're looking for the plane. We've been socked in down
here but heard them above us, so the top of the mountain must be clear. I have
to go to make finding us an easier task." Chet assured her.
"I understand," Sarah said as she stood. "I
just wish I were going with you." She wrapped her woolen scarf around his
neck.
"Thanks." Chet buried his nose in it and breathed
deeply. "It has your perfume on it. It'll be my inspiration," Chet
said with a smile. "And I have a special surprise for you." He pulled
a package from his pack. "I've been saving it for just this
occasion." He handed a small parcel to her.
"Really," she said as she tore the brown paper
bag wrapping. Inside was a dark chocolate Hershey bar. Sarah smiled in delight.
"Chocolate! My word, how wonderful. Thank you," she said as she
hugged him and kissed his cheek.
"I held it back just for that reaction," Chet
said. His smile was just as bright as Sarah's. "Fish is getting
monotonous, but this should add a bit of delight to your day."
"Oh, it will. Thank you. I'll save some for your
return meal. We'll celebrate together."
Chet laughed. "Enjoy all of it. Besides, I'll have the
rescuers with me. There won't be time for a meal. Enjoy it while you wait. Once
off this blasted mountain, we'll celebrate with champagne and chocolate
eclairs. How's that sound?"
"Wonderful," she said and hugged him again.
Except she felt like crying instead of laughing. But for him, she held her
tears in check. Despite all his assurances, she was beyond worried.
Unsure she was being ridiculous or an overly emotional
pregnant lady, she kept her fear to herself. He'd heard the wolf's cry, just as
she had, but since he had the shotgun, his mind was made up. Rescue depended on
letting the rescuers know where they were, he said repeatedly, and she knew he
was right. But fear is the thief of hope, and she had a bad case. Still, she
shook it off. She didn't want him to leave with worry for her on his mind.
Chet grabbed his backpack and snowshoes. He surveyed the
cavern. "I hate to take the tent," he said, hesitating as if rethinking
his decision. The tent had been her private room. A space for her to be alone
and feel safe.
"Don't. I'm fine in here without it. You'll need it
more than I will. Did you take enough dried fish?" She asked, even though
she'd packed it the night before.
Chet smiled. "I did. You just be careful outside,
okay?"
Sarah nodded. "You too."
All words spoken. Chet turned to the cave entrance.
Sarah grabbed her crutch, which Chet had carved for her on
their first night in the cave. She followed him to the mouth of the cavern and
watched as he walked to the rope hanging from the rocks above. He hesitated,
turned for one last look at the frozen waterfall, then he waved, and she
returned the gesture. Chet deftly climbed the cliff to the path that led to the
plane. In a flash, he was gone, and she was alone.
Shivering uncontrollably, she looked at the bar of dark
chocolate in her hand and sobbed like a child.
This is another excerpt from the 7th book of my
Alaskan Series, Murder on Mount Fairweather, coming out December 2023.
I must
credit the WEP prompts for inspiring my writing this year. I've failed most of
my writing goals for 2023, but because of the WEP, I keep plugging away.
PLEASE JOIN US
ADD YOUR CHOCOLAT STORY BELOW!
XXX
FLASH FICTION, POETRY, NON-FICTION, PHOTO ESSAYS... POST AUGUST 16th - 18th
SUBMIT your name and URL to the list below starting August 16th to the 18th
POST your entry according to August's prompt "CHOCOLAT"
USE WEP in your Title and the Poster on your page. Post your word count.
STATE feedback preferences and give positive feedback as requested. See WEP Critique Page.
SHARE THE CHALLENGE on social media. Tweets are ready on the WEP blog.
Open to all genres - 1000 words maximum
Email Denise or another team member if you have more questions:
Sipping tea,
Angela stared out at the dark blue sky. The lights of the city flickered in the
distance. Not stars. There were never any stars. Oh, how she longed for the
country and the true night sky with the Milky Way trailing a path through the
cosmos. Inspiring romance and adventure.
Or did she desire
the cloudy night that created a blackness so thick it penetrated the soul? Encouraging
evil. Inviting terror. Warping the mind and inciting hellish nightmares.
She smiled, shook
off the melancholy, and finished her tea. Dawn was an hour away, and her
deadline was noon.
Sarah listened to the wind, but
the howl she heard was more animal than weather related. She wanted to ask Chet
but didn't want to wake him. Shivering despite the warmth of her down-filled
parka and the extra blankets, Sarah felt the breeze on her face. She covered
all but her eyes and finally succumbed to the call of dreamland.
Chet also listened to the
winds whipping around the mountaintop and their tiny shelter. His worries grew
with each gale as he recognized the distinct cry of the wolf. But exhaustion
took hold despite his concern, and he also yielded to the sandman.
Sarah was awake three hours
later. Her broken leg was causing severe discomfort. She wanted to shift
position, but any movement of her body worsened the pain. Then she felt a deep
vibration like a deep-ground earthquake. It lasted less than a minute, but an
odd, eerie blue light immediately appeared outside the plane's ice-covered
windows. It grew brighter as it moved closer. So bright she had to squint. She wanted
badly to sit up, but that was when she noticed a tall man standing over her.
She tried to scream but couldn't.
How could she warn Chet? She
was mute and frozen in place. The alien's eyes locked on hers. Large and diamond-shaped
with a cobalt blue pupil, the iris was that same brilliant azure color of the
light surrounding him. Even the sclera was a pale blue, or was it just a
reflection? While he held her gaze, she noted his height as seven feet or eight.
It was hard to tell as she was so low to the floor. And his skin, a dark gray,
almost black. Was he wearing a body suit? If so, it was skintight and showed well-defined
muscles and washboard abs. But like a Ken doll, he had no genitalia, and his
legs were just as muscular as his upper torso. No hair, no nose or mouth. Long
fingers, ten digits, but not human, clearly not human, she thought.
But his eyes held her, large,
probing, hypnotic. Is this a dream? I'm awake? Is he a rescuer? Why can't I
move? Panic rose as Sarah watched the tall, perfectly formed creature walk away.
No! Please don't leave!
Once the creature was gone, Chet
stirred and immediately jumped to his feet, grabbed the shotgun, and shouted, "Wait,"
as he disappeared into the blue light.
Sarah could finally move, but
immobile, she felt helpless and frightened beyond words. She placed her hand on
her womb, "It's all right, little one. It's going to be all right. I
promise."
Outside, Chet stood
uncomprehending what was happening. He saw no one, not even tracks, in the
fresh snowfall. But he did hear a loud whoosh as the air and snow around him flew
straight up from the ground, covering the area in a white fog. Then it grew
quiet. No sound, not even wind. Chet looked to the sky, and a flash of lights
ascended into the clouds. Was it real?
He rushed back inside. Seeing
the fear in Sarah's eyes told him it was, but it also calmed his nerves. He switched
on the LED lamps and stirred the fire. "It's a good thing Steve had all
the furniture crafted of burnable material and ordered fire logs as part of
your safety equipment. Still, in these storms, we'll go through it fast. It's
critical that we get below the tree line where we'll have ample firewood for
these cold nights. "Sorry, I don't mean to ramble. What do you say, since
we're both awake? A cup of cocoa?" he asked in a surprisingly cheerful
voice.
"Yes, please,"
Sarah whispered. Watching him closely, she wondered why he didn't mention the
strange man and the blue lights.
After melting snow in a pot
over the fire, she watched him prepare the concoction, adding the powdery cocoa
mixture and marshmallows to each cup.
"It's hard to believe
we're stranded on a mountaintop, but we have marshmallows for hot
chocolate," he said as he handed her a mug.
"Amazing that we have
cocoa," she said, still shocked by his response to what had just happened.
She watched the white mellows melt, blew on the concoction, and took a small
sip. "Perfect. Thank you," she said, her eyes full of questions.
He sat down on the floor
beside her. "I'm sorry I woke you. I just wanted to check the storm."
"You saw him, right?"
She barely whispered as she clutched her hot chocolate in both hands—"the blue
lights. I thought we were rescued, but I couldn't move. Not until he quit
looking at me?"
Chet forced a smile. "A
dream. A shame too. Rescue would be wonderful. But now I'm doubly sorry you woke
up that way." He lied because he knew better. He saw the man, the blue
lights, and those haunting eyes, and he, too, couldn't move until the gaze was broken.
But denying it as a nightmare was the only way for the unexplainable to remain
unspoken. He preferred it to be a shared nightmare rather than reality because
they already had too many worries.
"You're shivering. I
might be able to find another parka," Chet said.
"No, I'm fine. The
chocolate will warm me up from the inside," Sarah said and tried to give him
her best smile, but on the inside, she was screaming. Who was that? It
wasn't human. Oh, God, it wasn't human.
They drank their cocoa in
silence and despite the necessity of conserving battery life. Chet left the LED
lanterns on all night.
This is
an excerpt from the 7th book of my Alaskan Series, Murder on
Mount Fairweather, coming out December 2023. The first night after their
plane crashes, this encounter occurs. At
this point, I've not decided whether it makes the book, but it was fun to
write.
XXX
FLASH FICTION, POETRY, NON-FICTION, PHOTO ESSAYS... POST JUNE 21st - 23rd
SUBMIT your name and URL to the list below starting June 21st to the 23rd
POST your entry according to June's prompt "CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND"
USE WEP in your Title and the Poster on your page. Post your word count.
STATE feedback preferences and give constructive feedback as requested. See WEP Critique Page.
SHARE THE CHALLENGE on social media. Tweets are ready on the WEP blog.
Open to all genres - 1000 words maximum
Email Denise or another team member if you have more questions:
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