Sabbath's Response to Pandemics and Epidemics

Yesterday (4/10/2020), on Facebook, I mentioned writing posts during my time off from work on the thoughts of my many characters about facing pandemics or even a nasty epidemic. Some wouldn’t care, others, a bit of concern, while a few would throw themselves into doing what they can to help others get through until the sickness was gone. Admittedly, many of these characters have magical abilities and decent skills in their fields, but the reactions would be different.

Naturally, Sabbath would be the first. She is my oldest character and most written. She occurs in many forms, so not all my characters will be voiced in these posts, but there will be many.

So, without further ado, the first of the many voices in my head on handling pandemics and epidemics; Sabbath Silverclaw.

Name: Sabbath Silverclaw

Alias(es): Sabreela Ethalli Silverclaw

Occupation: Retired. Formerly a protector of the world of Haven, Healer, Diplomat, Mage, and Lady of the city of Cat’s Haven

Sabbath’s reaction to what is going on in this world would be one of curiosity and genuine concern. It is her nature to help those in need to become well and do everything in her power to heal, by magic or more traditional methods, everyone who falls sick. But, there is a caveat. She won’t heal just anyone, and it wrenches her soul to not tend to certain ones.

First of all , they must want her aid. She asks if they want her to help them. Then, gives them the choice of magic or medicine. In the world she lives in, magical healers aren’t very common but aren’t rare, either. Few are strong enough to withstand the worst diseases by their own ability. For her, she considers it a blessing to be able to go where other medical experts will not due to the severity of the illness.

Sabbath would use the skills she learned by the guild masters to research the illness and find a cure that any healer in the guild could administer. She did not rely on magic and taught that to others when she could. When possible, she’d bow to the more experienced if she knew she could not figure out a means to cure the sick. But, she would record the ways which succeeded in curing without the aid of magics.

She’d work those long hours on the front lines like our doctors and medical personnel are doing now. Deciding who would be given the life saving medicines and who would die was never easy for her. Epidemics and pandemics would have her falling out of her True Neutral ways to the more lawful good side.

Altruistic, yes, and willing to do what it takes. She’d be one to stay in the hospitals 24/7 until someone made her stop to rest.

As a leader, she’d be urging everyone to keep calm and do what they could to keep from getting sick… much like how our current President is doing with us. But, in this case, she’d do what she asks others to do.

Any questions for Sabbath, I will gladly answer them in her ‘voice.’ Ask your questions here or on Facebook. Twitter is not used and rarely monitored.

Writing Again

More to celebrate coming soon. :D

It has been a while, a very LONG while, since I last posted on any blogs other than the occasional blurb on Facebook.  Last known post here was back in November.  Her we are at the end of April.

Bow before your feline overlords

Not a lot has happened during these five months.  Very little in fact beyond work and taking care of myself, my son, and our family.  Naturally, my three cats get the lion's share of the attention but then, they are our furry overlords and must be treated as such.  If either of them demand my attention, they'll get it in some form or another.  Naturally, it is never enough... to them.

But, as the title of this post says, I am writing again.  It has been too long.  A couple of years too long since I actually sat down and wrote.  I guess college burned me out that badly as far as writing.  Speech class alone was a LOT of writing, then there was English Comp and Lit to slog through.  Yeah, there was a lot of writing.

This story is not yet named, but it starts off rather sad.  Depressing if you ask me, and it wasn't easy to write.  It just came to me one day at work and I guess my general mood added to the overall idea of how to start this one off.  But, the fact of the matter is, I am back to writing.

So, to prove I am doing something, here's an excerpt:

(Warning: it is a bit long)

Slowly, Firiel looked up at Tish then a soft laugh bubbled its way up her sore throat.  “I keep telling you, Tish, there is no need to be so formal with us.”  Though the laugh started a coughing fit which curled the old cat up in pain, she still maintained a brighter outlook.  As best as she could, she waved off her mate when he tried to help her through the episode.  “No.  Vorn, I’ll be fine,” she finally gasped as she relaxed.

“Mom, please,” pleaded her son before the look all children have come to understand from their mothers appeared in the weather face.  “We love you.  Let us help you through this.”

“No, son.” She whispered, struggling to get just a few more minutes with her family.  “I’ll be fine.”  Then, with the last of her strength, she sat up and pointed towards a dusty old box sitting on a shelf beside a large soft cushion.  “Look in that box.  My rings.  Make sure Rhaina get the turquoise one, Minka.  That one is hers.  Yours is my bonding ring.”  She gave her daughter a weakened smile then gave her attention to her son.  “There is a gold band in there, that one is yours.  Tish, my pearl pendant is for you.  Use them to remember me by.”

No sooner had the last words left her lips then she lost any strength she had left.  Her body slumped back against the pillows and she lay there gasping for her last breath.  Vorn slipped his arms around her shoulder and listened to her heart work hard to keep beating slowing with each remaining beat.

“I… love… you…” she whispered softly into his ear with her final breath.  Her eyes closed then her body went still.  As if a switch went off, the color drained from her fur with the last rattling breath left her body.

Wracked by uncontrollable sobbing, Vorn held beloved wife tight in his arms while his children watched; unable to believe that their mother was gone.  “I’ll always love you, Firiel.  Always.”  He choked his words into her cheek fur, clinging to her lifeless body as if just holding on tight would bring her back.

Micah, Tish, and Minka watched, trying not to believe what their own senses told them.  Tears rolled down their cheeks in fresh rivers unchecked.  Only their father’s sobs could be heard in the quiet of the bower.  His grief knew no bounds.  Theirs was too fresh to accept but it was growing quickly within them.

I hope you enjoyed this.  Maybe more will be shared later.  For now, feel free to critique and comment.

Ciao for now!

Something New

Lately, it has been rather difficult for me to think of anything to write about on this blog, or any of my blogs for that matter.  I had taken a very long hiatus from writing due both busy/hectic work schedule and finishing up college.  Neither one is a good excuse  for not writing, but when your brain is mush after dealing with people all day, one tends not to do creative things until the mushiness goes away.

Work, at the moment, is still taking most of my energy.  Trust me when I say that Money Center at any Wal-Mart is not a place to see happy customers unless there are multiple registers in use on those super busy days.  A lone cashier on a busy day is not very happy, productive, or quick and the customers do not want to wait to pay their bills, cash their checks, or send/receive money transfers.  It all must be done N-O-W!

I do what I can.  That is all that one can do.  Right?  Right.

So, about this something new the title of this post says…  I’m considering doing random blogs from the perspective of my various characters.  Granted most do not live in our reality and are furry (anthropomorphic) creatures in varying degrees of sanity and animal rating (feral to civilized).  But, to give some insight into their minds and thinking, and perhaps some humor to entertain, could help break some of my writer’s block and offer ideas into where to take a plot arc.

Black Friday, Society of Night and Lies, Test of Ascension, and my erotica compilation could benefit from this.  Maybe, allowing some of these characters to speak to the world outside of a role play forum or a book will either get them to speak or finally be quiet so others may have their spotlight.

Be warned, though, I have a lot of characters.  A LOT of characters from all walks of life.  Many are related in some way or another and others are all there is to represent their people.  There will be a short blurb before each of their posts stating who they are (some characters are shy and won’t tell), where they come from as well as the reality they hail from as well.

I didn’t see this idea anywhere so if it is a copy, sorry, I didn’t know.  It just came to me this morning while I was preparing to take my son to the bus stop.

Enjoy your day and, please, tell me what you think of this idea.  All comments, complains, and suggestions are welcome.

A Heart-Felt Thank You

To all the police officers, guardsmen, and security personnel, I want to say thank you for giving us, the citizens of these cities, hamlets, and other populated areas, your time to keep us safe from harm.  Thank you for stopping the robbery with a chance stop for refreshment during your shift.  Thank you for helping store security wrangle that shoplifter who tried to make off with groceries and big screen TV.  Thank you for escorting the customer service supervisors as they go around the store at night pulling tills and making sure, the law-abiding citizens, are also following traffic laws.

You put your lives on the line for the people of your town and protect them to the best of your ability whether those same citizens want you to or not.  You deserve our respect, not our scorn.  You deserve more than what is given to you daily, not the pittance most receive.

It may seem that you have a target painted on your back after the tragedy that has happened in Dallas and Baton Rouge.  Your families may not be as safe as you once thought we were with so many wanting to see the police departments disbanded and defunded.   The world, as we know it, is falling apart and those simple things, respect, honor, and loyalty, are falling by the wayside to be replaced by ignorance, hate, and self-importance.

I am but one small cog in the giant retail machine.  But, as a tiny cog, my simple greeting of "Be safe" is always with all the best intentions.  I understand how dangerous your job is on a normal day without snipers laying in wait for the unwary.  I want, and wish, you to return home to your families so that I, and my co-workers, may see you come back to our store the next day to catch another round of thieves and prevent assault on the rare occasion.

While there may be the few bad apples hiding in each precinct which have helped cause this problem we have today, that doesn't mean that all of you are racist or cruel.  You are doing your jobs and you are doing your jobs to the best of your ability.  That is all we can expect.  Trust me, when I say that we notice when you do go above and beyond the call of duty and many of us mourn with you when your comrades have fallen.

This letter cannot begin to say what I want to say, but it is my hope that you, and everyone who reads this, understands that there is not enough thanks that can be said, written, or even drawn to show you how I, and others within my store, feel.

To the police, thank you.  Thank you.  Thank You!  For being there and keeping us safe.  To the security guards, and servicemen, retired and active, my deepest and most heart-felt thanks go to all of you.

Be Safe, all of you.

I mean it.

A Little About My Fantasy World

After such a long hiatus from this blog and other writing pursuits, it has come to my attention that not many know much, if anything, about the world I create in; the world which centers around the short stories of my compilation Trysts of the Hearts; the series which is supposed to be erotic based.  So, without further ado, I’ll give some insight into the paranormal aspects of my fantasy world of Haven.

Hauntings in my world aren’t uncommon.  There are the deep, dark forests where few animals live because of spirits, either from the dead or nature, dwell.  In these places even the most dulled senses can pick up the creepy vibe when they enter, but only those with a shamanistic background in magic or their talent is connected with communicating with ethereal beings can see and either banish them or work with these spirits.

Animated skeletons in these places are always planted by necromancers and other pranksters to scare people away their secret places.  Bogs, forests, ancient cemeteries forgotten by time are usually filled with hidden places filled with treasure and all of them are guarded by any number of undead such as skeletons, ghouls, and mummies.  Any powerful mage is capable of animating or ensnaring these to protect their labs and libraries.

Goblins, vampires, licht, nightmares, and the like are very real entities who prey on the living.  Zombies, in their own right, are also just as real within this world and in some places, are a problems for adventurers to handle for a bit of gold and treasure.  Regardless, they are dangerous without someone strong enough to defeat them or at the very least keep them at bay.  Magical weapons are a good resource when delving into old towers and dungeons.

Just don’t forget the special charms at the apothecary shoppes or the person who sends you on that quest because they just have to have that particular item and are too scared to get it themselves.  Better yet, hire a good mage and shaman to accompany you on that adventure because even the kitsune can be more than a handful for the best adventurers.

Monster Week Prompt 3

You knew it was coming.  Enjoy!

Twilight hung over the raw battle field, covering the dead bodies in a shroud of darkness as the sun set. A tick haze rolled across the shadowy field, covering the fallen and setting fire to what was left of the trampled grass adding smoke to the ethereal haze. A strange howl rose up, making the ground shudder and the smoke and haze swirl as if it were boiling.

High above the battle ground a lane figure stood watching as the light waned and a new menace entered the field. Bright yellow eyes missed nothing as she gazed at the unfolding scene below. A hot wind flew up, tossing her cloak behind her in billowing waves .

She was not pleased with what she saw below. Nor was she pleased with what was coming out of the deepest depths of Hell. This was just the beginning of a war she tried to prevent between the gods. The price of blood for this battle was already paid and now, those souls would not be able to see the rest they deserved.

“What do you see, mother?” A soft male voice came from behind her as a large hand reached for her shoulder. He stood tall and burly, dressed in armor and carrying a helmet beneath one arm. Only his feet were bare, letting him feel the earth beneath his toes and let his claws dig in deep while he fought.

Another howl broke the silence, shuddering the ground once again as mother and son observed. Looking up at him, she smiled, whiskers twitching at the acrid scent of metal and leather. That smile faded quickly with her reply. “I see a large menace coming to us, my son. We will have to fight again.”

“The men are tired. I don't think they could go another step right now.” His voice sounded concerned for the men under his command.

“I know, Yaneh, I know, but we are left with no choice.” She heaved a heavy sigh and turned to walk back to the encampment. “I have healed all that can. The rest… will have to make do with a potion. Prepare them, son.”

Her words were just as good as any command from a king or emperor to him. Yaneh nodded then followed his mother back to where his men set up their camp. Though his mother was smaller than her, she had about her a strength he could never describe and learned quickly never to question her motives.

He jogged ahead and called out the orders to have all the men assemble before night was fully upon them. It wasn't much time, but he knew they needed to be ready. As soon as his orders were passed along through the ranks, he left to help his mother prepare her potion.

“The men are gathering.” He stated as he came to a stop by her fire pit. “Do you want me to help you?” He grinned slightly at her and tilted his head.

Blue eyes met yellow briefly before the smaller feline nodded. “If you want. You know what to do as much as I.” From a pouch hanging from her belt, she dumped out several musty smelling bags. Together, she and her son picked through them and poured the contents into boiling pot of water over the fire.

The flames danced high, changing colors with each new addition to the pot. As the last ingredient was added, a fox came running up, panting hard from his exhaustion. “Lady Sab'Eth! Lady Sab'Eth! We need you. The enemy is coming up the cliff toward us.” He no sooner got the last words out and he fell into a heap, dead with an arrow through his back.

“Quickly son! Drink the potion then get it to our men as fast as you can.” She flung her arm back to whisk her cloak away from her body then glared into the night. Behind her, she heard the heavy thud of her son's feet hit the ground as he ran back to take care of his contingents.

From out of the darkness, two sets of reflected the fire light. As they moved closer, the faint sound of chains clinked and the vague outline of the huge apes appeared in the flickering light.

A whoosh of wind rushed through, tugging at her cloak s Sab'Eth stood there, glaring at the intruder with her hands down at her sides and the tip of her tail flicking slowly with her contained anger. “So,” she growled, “you decided to surrender? Good. We don't need any more bloodshed on this land.” She sounded as bold as she felt and knew the demon wasn't there to end the war but to end her.

A loud, booming, laughed rumbled through the earth toward her before the baleful glare of a demon entered the ring of light cast by her fire. “What ever gave you that idea? You know as well as I that I'm here for you.” He laughed again.

The giant apes rattled their chains and strained against them to get to her. Sab'Eth smirked then barked a laugh of her own. “You can't have me, Grax. You don't have the balls to try and take me.” She flexed her fingers, showing off the claws she kept sharp and hidden.

Grax smirked then released the chains. “Get her,” he commanded the giant apes.

The beasts howled as they leaped at her, digging hand-like paws into the ground and throwing up dirt with each step. Their headlong rush to the smaller feline lady skidded to a stop when their bodies felt nothing except for the slash of searing pain along their hind legs.
They turned quickly and rushed her again only to receive the same treatment.

She wasn't aware of the attack on the camp, only the demon at her own and the pets which were coming after her. Round and round she lead them, slashing at exposed flanks and legs. Many times she tried for the head and missed. They could see her coming.

As she wiped her forehead, she smirked. “Looks like you finally found a pet worthy of taking me on, Grax. Let's see If they can handle another demon.”

The spell she recited jerked her body as the demon's laughed at her attempt. He watched as the apes continued to attack, barely breaking through the spell's field to touch her contorting body. The feline humanoid body reshaped through flashes of brilliant light, turning her from a morph to a panther-like demon with pupiless glowing eyes and a dark aura surrounding her body. Knotted muscles twitched beneath a short pelt of ebony fur as she roared her anger at the attacking apes.

Almost as large as the demonic apes, Sab'Eth rushed at them and slashed with claws sharp enough to slice through metal as if it were butter. She gave as good as she got in the fight with the monstrous apes. She could smell their determination to kill her as commanded. They were her equal in strength, but she had a slight edge; she still had her intellect and could out think both beasts with ease.

Grax kept watch, his eyes narrowing when the cat-woman changed shape. He snarled with how easy she could avoid the worst of the apes' strikes. But they were two against one. He had the advantage. Just to make sure, he tossed in a spell of his own, adding to the speed and strength of his minions. Then, just to add to his own amusement, tossed fireballs into the fray.

She was without backup and now, the advantage shifted over to the demon's side. Dodging fireballs and trying to avoid being tackled by the apes, she twitched and turned, letting her own instincts guide her movements while she considered her targets.

For what seemed like hours, she battled the apes. Her energy was beginning to ebb and her three opponents were limitless. She was starting to show the effects of being out numbered, but she kept fighting on, getting slower and slower, but her strikes more devastating. She'd sooner die than lose a fight to these beasts and Grax.

Over the howls of the apes, a loud roar echoed, startling the demon enough his throw was off, hitting his own minion rather than the panther. The chance gave her an opening. While the ape burned, she went for the throat, swiping with her paw to main it and get out of the way of the acid coursing through its veins.

Again, a roar startled the apes, giving her another opportunity to strike. She was getting too tired to fight, but she took every chance she could. Rest would come later.

“Mother!” The shout sounded more like another roar and the acrid scent of transformation reached her nose in time for her to see the tendrils of dark aether wrap around her son. When he emerged, he looked much like her only larger, stronger, and better protected by the very spirit he held within him. As he leapt into the fray, he roared to her, “Run! I have this.”

Sab'Eth shook her head then dropped to the ground to let him tackle the apes before they could crush her. “No! Tale care of them. I'll get Grax, their leader.”

No sooner said than an army of the demon apes arrived, howling their hunger. Some were dragging their victims. Others were licking their lips and drooling at the prospect of more than just dinner.

Just as the demons arrived, so did the army her son led. They shouted and banged their weapons against their shields then charged. A clash of metal and stone like flesh rang through the mountains as the two armies merged into one battle under the pale moon light.

Over it all, the maddening howl of the beastly apes shook the ground and the roars of the clans answered them back. Only the rising sun, hours from that point, would tell who the victor would be.

Monster Week Writing Prompt 2

Today's prompt features a djinn.  The picture, I swear, comes out of a AD&D monster manual.  That is how familiar it looks to me, but it serves as a very good prompt.  This one isn't as long as the others.  Maybe a page or so in length, so you don't have to skim through as much.  Oh, and before I forget, it is a silly ending.  It wasn't intended to be scary at all.

Arms crossed, the green genie frowned at the quivering man before him. 10,000 years and he gets the same reaction every time. They all get scared of the big, muscle-bound, man made of smoke without bothering to introduce themselves or give him an excuse to scare them. It was all the same and he could guess what the next thing would be, a “request” for wishes.

“Oh great and powerful genie, I have searched far and wide...” The man's voice faded from his mind as the djinn looked down on him.

Genie. He was not a genie. No one could get it right. Genies are weak compared the djinn. All the magical demigods considered them fledglings of the magical world and the djinn thought no less. Seriously, he could be doing something else besides listening to the same old litany for the millionth time in as many years. It wasn't the life he wanted, but he was stuck with it.

Realizing he needed to give a reply to his “master” he looked down at the man, lifted a brow ever so slowly, then moved in close enough to touch his nose to man's. His intense stare made the man cower and back away from him before the djinn decided to straighten up and return to scowling at this pitiful insect of a master.

“Out with your demands, human.” His voice boomed and thunder rolled to emphasize his displeasure. Just then, as the silence filled the area only to be broken by the squeak of a very frightened human, he got an idea.

“I... I... I wish to be rich.” The man's voice quivered uncontrollably. “Yeah, I wanna be rich. And famous!” He raised his hand to point out the addition to the first wish.

“That's two wishes, human,” he snarled through his growing smile. The evil just glimmered in his eyes. “Make this last one count.”

The human blinked up at the djinn before protesting. “N-no, that's one wish. Just one. I get two more.”

Arching a brow high, he leaned in close to the human and smelled something foul. He must have scared this human into filling his shorts. Lovely. “There are no exceptions, /human/,” he said, growling under his breath at him. “Rich and famous are two different requests. Should have rephrased that.”

“But! But!” The stammered before relenting with a heavy sigh.

“What is your last request.” He just knew what the last wish would be and he was going to give it a different interpretation.

Puffing out his chest, the human grinned, thinking he'd have this genie right where he wanted him. “I want to be what every woman needs, genie.”

A snap of his fingers and the djinn made the wishes come true, but the first two, he canceled. They were no longer needed now that the human was laying on the ground as a long, thin pad.

Monster Week Writing Prompt 1

Elements of Genre Writing decided this is monster week.  Okay, I can work with this.  When it comes to monsters, I’m not the best, but someone may give some good critique on how tom improve it.  So, without further ado, this week’s flash fiction response to day 1 prompt.

“Don’t got into the forest.” The order was clear, the danger unknown, but it was felt in the words and seen in the expression of the sergeant issuing the order. “Until we further notice, no one is to go into the forest. Guard the gates until Melencamp returns.”

The sergeant turned on his heel and left the group of guardsmen waiting for their leader to dismiss them. Among the mangy crowd of men a murmur started as what caused the order to come down so quickly after the disappearance of a few farmers on their way to the next town. A bark as sharp as the squinted eyes of the head guard brought the men back, straightening them up in a rough caricature of a trained contingent.

“You heard the sergeant, no one is to go into the forest until the wizard arrives. That means citizens, too.” As short as what the man looked, no one dared to snicker as his display of strength. Not one of them wanted to have the dwarf bringing them down in front of their peers for the man was fast and very strong and they could see the souvenirs of fights in the past on his armor and helmet. Another barked command the guards went to their assigned positions along the high rocky wall.

No one in and no one out until further notice. That worked well for the guards and the other citizens of the mountain town, but for Gherig, those orders didn’t include him. He had a charmed existence and considered himself the best thief in the realm able to escape any danger.

Slinking through the shadows toward the sluice gate where the river filled the moat, he crept silently. No one noticed him there except for the dogs that roamed the walls in search of scraps. Their barking came moments too late and didn’t bring anyone to investigate. Why would anyone bother with stray dogs fighting over a scrap of meat.

That is what Gherig counted on. No one knew he left. All he had to do was get across the open land between the walls and the forest. Until the sun went down, he’d have to wait. The late day sun gave too much light. As soon as night fell, he’d be on his way to see what was keeping the guards in this night.

Being patient wasn’t a strong point with him. Try as he might, he found himself startled into wakefulness. The sky was dark with ominous clouds blocking the moon and stars from view. Even though it was summer, a cold wind swept from the forest toward town sending shivers down his spine. A long and lonely howl echoed from the nearby valley adding to the general feel of unease the night had brought with it.

With a shrug, the thief ran across the bared land to the forest, keeping away from the road itself lest he seen by the guards on their rounds. Out of breath, he looked back at the stone walls and saw the torches move but no one coming after him. He made it across successfully.

“Good.” The single word was spoken aloud and it felt out of place among the shadow draped trees. He could barely see a few feet ahead of him. Something felt odd about the old wood. Something not natural and the feeling tickled the back of his mind as a warning of things to come.

Not one to give in to his own instincts, he continued deeper in until he felt sure his own torch wouldn’t get any attention from across the field. As he set about priming his torch and looked for his flint, he got the feeling that he was being watched.

The feeling grew and grew, building while he worked and made him nervous. Trying to ignore the sensation, he kept working on making some light. When at last the flames burst into being and lapped at the pitch coated wood greedily, the light it gave seemed feeble as if scared of the forest itself.

Then, on the night breeze, he heard his name whispered. Over and over, he heard his name whispered but nobody was there. It was just him and the trees and the trees don’t talk.

He crept along the game trail, looking all around to find the source of the voice. The further into the forest went, the stronger the feeling he was being watched. The trees pressed close, grabbing at his clothes as if to pluck them away. Roots lifted to trap his feet and make him stumble.

No where was there the buzz of a bug or the hoot of an owl. Nothing, nothing at all moved except for him and the night wind through the tree limbs.

The trail he followed twisted and turned, ridding him of any hope of being able to find his way back to the field by the city gates. When he wasn’t stumbling over invisible roots, he was brushing away tendrils of moss hanging from the limbs while they grabbed at him.

Without warning, he fell with a thump on the hard earth. The torch fell from his hand and sputtered out, leaving him in darkness again. As his eye adjusted to the dark, the moon found a sliver between the clouds to shed pale light down into the thicket he had fallen into. Brambles twisted into strange shapes with long thorns prepared to strike any who dared step too close. From amid the thorny briars, the whispered voice emanated; daring him to come closer.

A shadowy figure moved within the branches; small child-like, in size but with waves of death and fear flowing around it like a cloud. It moved closer with the brambles giving way before it. The face remained enshrouded with shadow, but the slight body became defined and moved stiffly though with purpose toward his grounded body.

His mind screamed at him to get up and leave. Danger was there in front of him, but he ignored those thoughts. There could be no danger from a child of any kind. He was bigger and stronger than this kid.

Or so he thought.

Behind the child, other shadow cloaked beings appeared, each moving slow and stiff, reaching out with waves of death toward him. Gherig’s eyes went wide as they appeared before him. His strength left him, leaving him shuddering before the child as he lay on the ground watching it and the other.

The clouds began to part, offering more of the moon’s light to the clearing, showing him the white dress of a merchant’s daughter he knew fluttering around he legs. He knew her to be dead, he had done that deed. Others behind her entered the light, their faces blank, eyes nothing more than dark holes where evil lay in wait beside his death.

Her face loomed closer. She whispered his name as a vile grin parted his lips to expose crooked teeth. Her eyes were like the others, holes that held evil desires to drink his soul for the evil he had done.

Gherig’s eye widened, showing the whites as he tried to back away from the girl. She was coming for him. All he could feel was a fear like no other grow when he saw her skeletal hand lift to reach for his throat.

All was quiet at the castle. The cold wind had calmed, leaving the guards to their duty of patrolling the wall. When the moon stated to beak through the clouds, the old wizard Melencamp appeared with grave news. He and the others paused in the market square when a human scream broke through the silence of the night. Moments after, the old clock struck the midnight hour. Few looked up at the sound of the scream. Only the old wizard paused before he was ushered to the lord’s manor to go over his findings.

Tragedy Writing Prompt 2

It seems this is tragedy week in Elements of Genre Writing on Facebook.  Yeah, I know, I am slow on the uptake, but it wasn’t really mentioned until today.  We had another picture for today’s prompt.  Another prompt had a song and video for the prompt but it was a tag game for the whole group to work with.  I may give it a try another week.  For now, I am getting accustomed to people there.

There was nothing left to say. She didn’t want him any longer and that was abundantly clear. Seeing her anger flashing in her eyes like a forest fire out of control only added emphasis to the shrill words and the sudden slam of the door in his face. Behind the thick oak, he could hear her sobs and the slam of another door somewhere inside the house.

Shawn heaved a heavy sigh, turned around, then headed to his beat up old truck. Sitting on the passenger’s seat was a small, slender, box; a gift for the woman who shattered his heart without giving him a chance to explain. The bracelet inside may never get to feel the soft flesh of her wrist or the charms dance along her sleeves. He couldn’t bear to keep it, so he slipped it into the mailbox with the hope that she would find it before the postman made his rounds that afternoon.

Rather than head back to his quiet apartment, he decided to keep on driving. Far passed the city limits he went until his tank ran empty. The battered and broken fence of the old quarry lay just down the slope from him, hidden behind overgrown vines and trees. Everyone knew it was there and many have trespassed for the privacy the barren rock walls gave on full moon nights.

The keys were left behind on the driver’s seat and the gas can placed by them to let whoever found it know, it needed fuel and it was abandoned. Shawn didn’t want it. He didn’t want the ache in his heart. The angry words thrown at him ran races through his mind giving him little peace. If only she would have let him speak.

Rumor took his girl away from him and misinformation cemented the idea he cheated into her heart and mind. Sarah would have none of it. She believed everything her friends told her and believed the pictures they showed her on their phones.

If only… if only… It all ran through his head trying to sweep away those angry words and give him peace. Peace would not be his friend. It eluded him as easily as the shadows in the night. With his truck down, he had only his two feet and the dirt road ahead of him with the trees reaching toward each other from both sides.

With hands in his pockets and his head bowed, he walked, following the old road. The animals watching reflected his mood and stayed quiet out of deference for his emotional loss. They watched and moved on, leaving him to his circling thoughts and softly mumbled words.

A week later, Sarah found herself driving down the same road. The old truck was still there, untouched by human hands. No signs of Shawn were there. Seeing how empty and alone that truck was, she shivered and gasped as if something cold ran up her spine to tickle the base of her skull. Her fingers traced the little charms of her bracelet while she looked for any sign of him.

Only the quiet of the woods greeted her and the sense that she was no longer welcome filled the air. Unsure of what it was, Sara turned her car around and left. Nothing was waiting for her down the road, only more loneliness and the idea that the past cannot be changed. If only she knew what her words had done to the lonely man. Only the woods know and they won’t give up their secret.

SCORE!

Don't get too nervous about me making more than one post in a given month or year.  This is supposed to be the normal thing in this quiet corner.  With this being the end of my first week of externship for my degree, I thought I'd summarize what I have been doing.  This isn't just for me, but this is also part of my assignment for the week at Brown Mackie and for the woman I am working with at SCORE.

What is SCORE you ask?

SCORE used to be an acronym for Service Corps of Retired Executives, but, this has changed in the last several years to be just SCORE.  The name change is because there are more than just retired execs volunteering.  They have people from all types of businesses both retired and working giving their advice to potential business owners and current business owners looking to expand their business.  Across the nation there are almost 400 chapters; ensuring there is one close to even the smallest of towns for business advice.

The chapter I am working is here in Tulsa, just at the edge of downtown.  The people in this chapter are great and so knowledgeable about their work.  There are people who have worked in the oil and gas business, international business, human resource, retail, hospitality, banks, medical, lawyers, CPAs... the list can go on and on.  They work with the Small Business Administration and other non-profits.

What have I been doing?

I've been sitting in on several workshops, seeing what it is they do as well as taking notes on making the business legal, creating business plans, and getting to know some of the tax forms business owners need to have, and the most important, things you need to know before writing your business plan.  That kind of research is key if you are to be successful.

Not only do they give vital information, they also offer up their services as mentors and give resources for more information such as the american community survey to find out about demographics for the area you want to set up shop.  They even help with ideas to gather funding.  Their knowledge will also help to figure out some very important considerations.

Tuesday was essentially the same workshop but with different speakers at the Sun Building where SCORE is located.  Both sessions went over things like who your customers are, the business idea, the feasibility of your business idea, and the different hats you will wear as the entrepreneur.  They cannot stress enough that you be decisive and learn how to delegate so you don't put yourself into an early grave from the stress.  You are going to work hard, but you should be able to enjoy the benefits of your hard work.

The afternoon session had one of the mentors speaking who is a lawyer.  His started off entertaining enough to grab your attention then he went over some of the legal issues such as the different types of business and what was required for them.  After him, a woman who is a CPA took his part and expanded further explaining more about sole proprietors, partnerships, limited liability and c-corp and s-corp.

All was very informative and I have plenty of notes and handouts to go over.  Far too much to bring up here.

Thursday's session took basically the same thing but in a more orderly fashion going over Start-up Basics as well as what SCORE has to offer.  This session was the first of five and the only free one of the five.  The others are $25 a session of $75 for the four.  (No, this is not an advertisement)

They covered the different options you have for your business with advantages and disadvantages.  They touched in briefly on pricing and how each business type does this and how you are to be competitive.  They even went over things to consider with your competition.

Above all, the speakers said you have to keep it simple.  Yes, the K.I.S.S. method was mentioned and is followed by many.  This same method goes for writing your business plan, figuring financials if this is a new business and what is needed if you are purchasing an existing business.

There is a long list of things all business owners need and need to know.  The biggest comes from insurance.  Find an experienced commercial insurance agent to help figure what it is you need.  The same goes for finding a good banker and lawyer, and, naturally, a CPA.  All of these will help keep you on the right path and make sure you don't miss a license of fee that is required

There will be a lot more coming in the future.  Soon, though, this blog will return to being about my writing.

Fun Saturday

After spending a week of feeling so very tired like I didn’t get much sleep, I woke up feeling rather rested and refreshed.  Still feel fatigued in general but not nearly as bad as I was.  It was the kind of tired that had me feeling numb and barely awake.  If I sat in my chair, I was asleep in minutes.

Found at seevanessacraft.com
Don’t forget to add the lime!

Almost 12 hours helped cure that feeling and I got a nice boost from a healthy drink, too.  Found the recipe on Facebook, believe it or not, and it is super easy to make and it tastes good, too.

All you need is a gallon container or four 24oz bottles, one cucumber, one lemon, two limes, and a bunch of mint.  Slice the cuke, lemon and lime and put them in the container(s) with cold water along with the crushed (or rough chop) mint.  Let it steep overnight then viola! Instant detox drink.  It is a good replacement for water and is very good tasting.

Since I only  have a two quart pitcher, I made do and added more water when it got low.  Also, since I didn’t have any fresh mint, I used dried and it still came out good.  I didn’t mind drinking tiny bits of reconstituted leaf.  But, then again, mint leaf is good for an upset tummy, too.  I also added in some lemon basil which gave it an extra little zing.

Definitely try this detox drink.  I’m adding this to what I normally have during the day to help boost energy and clean out my system.

But that isn’t what made today fun.

Found on bestclipartblog.com

Today, I went to the 1st Annual Catoosa BBQ Cook-off.  Dylan’s Legacy, a group which helps raise awareness of charities and groups raising money and awareness for their cause.  Catoosa’s fire department was not just raising awareness for the charity they were working on but also bring some attention to their city.  I have to agree with them, there is very little to bring people to Catoosa other than the Port or passing through on 44/66 to where ever, or the Casino.

This was their trial run.  It was a small gathering; maybe 50 people total were there and five, I think, contestants showing off their smoking and grilling skills.  I must say, the $5 fee to get in was well worth it.

Their only problem is they didn’t make quite enough food.  Everyone got one plate which sampled everything from pulled pork, brisket, and ribs to baked beans and grilled corn on the cob.  The smokers couldn’t get a plate.  But they know everyone liked the food.  Not a single plate had anything left on it.

They do this again next year, I’m going to be there.

I talked with the coordinator and got word there may be a chili cook off later on.  I may enter my chili just to see how it compares.  There is a reason why I call it the Cold Cure.  While not spicy hot, it has kick and it drives away what ails you within a couple of days.

Just ask my mom and Dave.  They ask for it when they’re not feeling well.

Back to the cook-off today.  The members of their smokers (grilling not cigs) club put up the money to pay for everything.  There were no sponsors to help lessen the financial burden.  The logo for it was donated by a friend of theirs who refused to put his name on it for credit even though it would be good advertising for them.

Mom and I have already volunteered to help with future events and even offered a few suggestions to help out.  We can do many things such as help take donations or entry fees, or even serve food so the coordinators can do their job of keeping things moving and tend to problems that may arise.

If you live in or near Tulsa, or plan on coming our way, keep watch on the group Rockin M Ranch or Catoosa Firefighters on Facebook for news on what is coming up in the future.  For us authors, these will be great people watching events.  ;)  Not to mention just plain fun away from the house.

How’d y’alls day go?

Alert the Media!

*flails wildly then faceplants on the floor*

One down, one to go! Time to celebrate the first win!

Those who have been keeping and rooting for me, you can finally cheer.  I passed the state exam for Life/Accident and Health products portion of the state licensing exam.  It almost wasn’t going to happen due to technical issues with the computer I was on.

Wasn’t anything I did.  Nope, not this time.  ;)  The computer was acting up before I got there.  They had to reboot it four times before I could take the test.  The crazy thing would freeze at the end of the sample test (I swear it’s to make sure people understand what country they’re in with all the America centric questions) and not let me continue.  The final reboot let me complete the practice and got me all the way through to the end and tallied my score.

Maybe I did threaten to bring a tech-god to fix the problem or IT was going to be there after I was done to upgrade and fix the problem, I don’t know, but it did work.

It’s done.  Finally done!  I won’t have to worry about it again unless the license lapses for any reason.  From here on out, it will be continuing education to keep me up to date on changes made in the insurance code and ethics courses to prove I won’t commit fraud or something to that matter.  That will only be 24 hours per year, so no worries.

Due to studying this week, and other things going on, I didn’t do any writing.  Not all was distractions with Facebook, I promise, though some were along that line.  There was review and extra studying on the sections I needed more focus, such as Medicare and Long-term Care policies.

This means I have nothing new to give on Black Friday 2 nor anything to report on my Camp Nano novel.  Both of those needed to be set aside for the purpose of passing the most pain in the neck test I have ever taken.  At least it did pay off and I can put some effort into both of the projects when I’m not working or training.

Which means I have this weekend free after the shopping is done and Monday between doctor appointments for Colin and Dave.

OW! Hot stuff!

That reminds me, keep Dave in your thoughts, he is starting down the road toward gastric surgery to help him get rid of his excess weight and the lymphedema lump on his inner thigh.  Monday, he consults with his doctor about which procedure he’ll recommend then starting the string of tests which have to be done before the operation date.  One way, or another, we will get this done; even if it means I have to pay for incredible insurance which will cover the surgery, tests, and post-op visits.

Thankfully, we already know, he won’t be down for more than a day or two and be on a protein shake diet for a few months.  But, it will end his diabetes almost immediately and start straightening out other weight related issues.  This also means that I’ll be forced to diet, too.  But this is a good thing.  I need to lose about half my body weight to be within the target range for my height and build.

Okay, I rambled too much.

I hope everyone had a safe and fun-filled 4th of July.

Do you have anything to celebrate this week?