Not a Normal Dinner Conversation, Part 2

Master Class this week gave hostile intentions as one of the prompt phrases.  It seemed to fit well with getting One Night in Dusseldorf going again.  Here's a quick synopsis of the story so far, with links to the previous posts above.  Emma is looking for her sister's killer.  Her search took her to Dusseldorf where she fell in with a pack of werewolves, only she didn't know it at the time.  Now she's discovered they're werewolves and they think she's the key to keeping the pack healthy.  James, the second in command to Kris, the leader of the werewolf pack, has just explained that part to Emma.  Now she wants to know about her sister supposedly still being alive.

            James looked down at his half eaten dinner.  I was determined to wait him out.  Dropping a bomb on me like he did claiming my sister is still alive and that they’d been playing games with me all along had me feeling rather angry.  I’m not sure if James could feel me glaring at him, if he finally gave in to the silence, or he decided his dinner wasn’t that interesting to stare at, but he finally glanced back up at me.

            “There is a war of sorts going on.  One humans know nothing about.  Lauren got caught up in it.”

            “And?”

            “She was wanted for the same reason we needed you here.  You are both strong druids, coming from an unbroken line of druids stemming back at least ten centuries.  Maybe even longer.”

            “So why did I see the police reports?  The pictures?”

            “They were the result of what could be considered some hostile interventions.”

            I snorted, “That’s one way to put it.  The body was identified by DNA.  There wasn’t even enough left for dental records.”

            “That was done intentionally so no one would catch on that the body was not Lauren’s.”

            “Were you and Kris involved?”

            James jerked back as if I’d slapped him, “Gods no!  Kris would have killed anyone involved in something like that.  Our pack is fighting to reestablish the natural balance in the supernatural world.”

            “I take it not everyone is?”

            “No.  There are some packs that are quite power hungry.  When many of the druids disappeared, some packs fared worse than others.  Those packs have completely lost the balance.  Kris hopes to find enough druids who are strong enough to reign in those packs, to save them from this madness.”

            “And that’s where Lauren and I come in.”

            “Exactly.”

            “Where is Lauren now, then?”

            “That is a more difficult question to answer.”

Be sure to stop by Master Class to read other great responses, too!

Not A Normal Dinner Conversation, Part 1

This week Trifecta gave us the word "manipulate" as in "to change by artful or unfair means so as to serve one's purpose: to doctor".

I decided to revisit my One Night in Dusseldorf series for this prompt.  It’s been a while since I worked on it.  James, Kris, and Emma are in London.  Emma is still trying to get answers about who killed her sister and how her sister died.  James and Emma are out at dinner after Emma’s discovery that Kris is a werewolf for real.  Emma is still trying to wrap her mind around all of that.  Then James tells Emma her sister is still alive.  And this is the next piece in the story:

I dropped my fork.  The clatter of it bouncing of the plate and hurtling to the floor seemed deafening, loud enough everyone should be staring.  But they weren’t even looking at all.

“What the hell do you mean?  If you knew she was alive, why didn’t you tell me that right away?  Back in Germany?”

I never wanted to throttle someone, to beat the ever living daylight out of someone as bad as I wanted to pound Kris at that moment.

“Stop and think, Emma.  You were notified by the police of her death.  You saw the photos.  You said so when we first spoke over the phone.  You would never have believed me had I told you then.  You needed to see the world Lauren inhabits now.  Only then would you believe me.”

I took several deep breaths.  That James was right wasn’t helping any.  I needed to think.

“So you’re saying you had to manipulate me into a position for me to believe you.”

It was ever so slight, but I spotted the hesitation before he answered.  There was more to this than he was saying.

“That is a part of it,” he finally sighed.

“And the rest?”

“We need you, Emma.  I know Kris tried to tell you that.  I don’t know that you really understood.  I still am not certain you understand.”

“Kris said something about some druid something,” I conceded.

“Not just something.  You are one of a small handful of people alive on this earth that can help our people maintain control, maintain balance.”

“So you needed to manipulate me not only to get me to believe you, but to get me to agree to help you, too?”

“We needed to manipulate the situation, not you.  We needed you show you how important you are.  We need you.  To turn away from us now is a death sentence for me, for Kris, and our people.”

“What about my sister?  You haven’t explained anything about Lauren yet.”

Be sure to stop by Trifecta via the badge below to read other great entries.  And this week the entries are community judged, meaning you get to help pick the winners!

An Old Acquaintance

Write at the Merge gave us Guns N' Roses November Rain and Shakespeare's quote "The third day comes a frost, a killing frost."

This is the current scene I'm working on in a short story for NaNo.  It was originally suppose to be a Precipice submission earlier this year, but that obviously didn't happen.  Oh well.  As always, any concrit is much appreciated.

The light in the windows faded into a dirty orangish glow that was rather fitting for a mid-November evening before disappearing entirely.  The faint twinkle of stars fell short of the warehouse floor.  The temperature started to drop.  I was getting cold.  It wasn’t the frosty cold from Minnesota that I was used to.  But it was cold enough I was starting to shiver.

I sensed the movement more than saw it gliding out of the darkness.  My jaw dropped when I realized I knew this werewolf.

“What the hell are you doing, Lawrence?”

“How many times did I tell you, little druid, that I needed you?”

He had said that on numerous occasions before Kris kicked him out about a year ago.  I just figured he had a thing for me.  And, seeing as there were way more males than females in the pack, some of the males would try to seduce a female away from which ever male she was with.

“This is one hell of a way to win a girl’s heart.”

“It isn’t your heart I want.  Not anymore.”

At least I hadn’t been far off the mark back when he was still with Kris.

“I’m not giving you a blood sacrifice.  What you’re asking for is wrong and you know it.  That ritual won’t give you the kind of power you’re looking for.”

“There is only one kind of power.  And I need it.  Kris is wrong.  We can’t keep living among the humans.  Not anymore.  Not when there are so many more than there ever used to be.  We should be ruling them, not hiding.”

“That ritual will corrupt you.  It will eat you alive.  I will not be a party to your destruction despite you 

kidnapping me.”

“You’re wrong.  I can control it.”

“No one can.  That is why it is a forbidden ritual.  It never should have existed, much less survived this long.  Lawrence, let me go.  I’ll talk to Kris.  See if you can come back.  The others can come, too.”

“He’ll never let me back.  Not after abducting you.”

“For me, he will.”

“The ritual begins the day after tomorrow at sunset.”

Lawrence turned to walk away.

“That ritual will kill me, Lawrence.  You know that, right?”

He froze, “I know.”

Then he left me to shiver in the empty loneliness of the warehouse.

Be sure to follow the link above to other great stories based on these two ideas!

Rusty Charm

This week Trifecta gave us the word Craft, as in skill in deceiving to gain an end.  My piece is a segment out of a short story I'm working on for NaNo.  The story takes place several years after the events of my One Night in Dusseldorf serials.  Any concrit you have is most welcome.  Be sure to stop by Trifecta Writing Challenge to check out other great responses to this prompt.

Just then, one of the werewolves sauntered out of the dimness.  I figured this was my chance.  I needed to use every bit craft and cunning to try to convince this guy to let me go.  Hell, I didn’t even know what they wanted me around for much less going through the effort to kidnap me like they did.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I was very happy this pack rescued me from the Spanish Inquisition guys.  I would rather have thanked them and moved on than this.  But, nobody asked me.

“Would you help me out a second?” I tried to muster as much charm as I could.

“What?”

It appeared my charm needed some work but I plowed on anyways, “The blood from where I hit my head on the bricks is really bothering me.  Can I have a towel to clean it off with?  I’d also like to check my head to see how badly I got cut.”

“You’re head’s been checked already.  Three stitches were put in.  You’ll be fine.”

With that he wandered off back into the shadows.

“Shit.  I guess Kris was right.  I don’t pull off the sweet and innocent thing very well anymore,” even though I was talking to myself I kept my voice low.  I didn't want to attract any more attention than absolutely necessary.

Movement heading for me caught my attention.  I didn't figure that was a good thing.  Once he’d waded through enough shadows, I saw it was the same wolf I’d just been talking to.  He had a wet cloth in his hands.

“Hold still.”  He grabbed my chin and started to wipe the blood off my face.  I didn't know what to think.  

Maybe my sweet and innocent bit worked after all.  When he made to leave again I spoke up.

“What do you guys want from me?  I don’t even know who you are.”

“You don’t have to.  We know who you are.  Druid.”

A Dinner Surprise

Having gotten to choose the Master Class prompt this week, I had to use The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.  After all, it is the inspiration behind the name for this blog.  So, we had to use the last line out of the book - "We'll take in a quick bite at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe.".  It took me a bit to work out how to use this line.  But, it ended up fitting into a serial story I've got going.  This is the latest in the One Night in Dusseldorf series.  If you've missed any, follow the link at the top and it will give you the other pieces.  So, here it is!

"Let's take in a quick bite at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe." ran through my head.  I felt so far out of touch with reality it wasn't even funny.

I followed Kris, as a black wolf, out of the woods.  James waited on the veranda.  I struggled to wrap my mind around everything.

Magic was real.  Werewolves were real.  And the world didn't know.  But I did.

Kris disappeared as I made my way through the formal gardens.  I didn't catch where he went.  He was just gone.  I joined James.  Neither of us spoke for a while.  Somehow, he sensed my need for silence, for a moment of normalcy.

I don’t know how long we stood that way, but after a while he turned to me with a cheeky grin, “Are you hungry?”

“Yeah.  What’re you thinking?”

“We’ll take in a quick bite at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe.”

I blinked.  

“What are you talking about?  Why are you quoting The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy at me?”

I couldn't believe he'd gone there when I'd been thinking that not more than five minutes earlier.

James laughed, “We have a restaurant called the Restaurant at the End of the Universe over in East London.  The owners are big Douglas Adams’ fans.  Even if you don’t like the book the food is to die for.”

Comprehension flowed into my addled brain.  He hadn't actually read my mind.  I laughed and offered James my arm.

“It sounds delightful.  Shall we?”

We took the Underground to the Stratford stop.  Coming up the stairs I could see Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park glowing in the East London twilight.  I followed James several blocks to a small restaurant on the corner.  As he said, ‘Restaurant at the End of the Universe’ glowed in tasteful blue lettering above a patio.  The place was busy, too.

Once we were seated and our orders taken, James looked at me with a more serious expression than where we’d been on the trip to the restaurant.

“I know you've had bit to take in today.”

“Yeah.  That’s one way to put it.”

James looked down, fidgeting with his napkin and water glass.  Several tense minutes passed.  I couldn't stand it any longer.  Just as I was about to break the uncomfortable silence, James blurted out in an uncharacteristically blunt manner.

“Your sister is alive.  In a fashion.”

Yeah.  He was way out there all right.  Let's take in a quick bite at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

Be sure to follow the link below to see how others used this line!

Understanding Begins

Here's my response to this week's Don't Panic Picture Prompt, where's yours?

I sensed that there was something more she wanted me to understand.  I replayed the conversation through my mind several times as we sat by the pond in a comfortable silence.  She was nothing but patience in every line of her body.

I think she knew before I did that I’d figured out what she wanted me to see.  Her face lit up a little and she smiled.  That smile made me want to do anything she asked.

“You’re Her.  You care so much about the balance of life because it is, quite literally, your life,” I struggled to explain what I knew in my heart to be true.

“Yes, child.  There are so very few druids left.  Even fewer who know what it means to be born a druid.”

The sense of incredibility almost drowned me.  I was talking to Mother Earth in the most real and literal sense possible.

“What do you want of me?”

“Listen to Kris and James.  They are good men.  They will guide you into your powers.  Just as all other living things depend on each other for survival, you and they must rely on each other as well.  Together you are so much stronger than alone.”

I didn’t know what happened next.  She was there talking to me and then she was gone.  In her absence, I felt eyes watching me.  I turned to see the faint glow of yellow wolf’s eyes in the shadows of the trees.

In case you've missed any part of this serial, follow the One Night in Dusseldorf link above and it will take you to the rest of the story.

First Lesson

At first I struggled a little with this week's Don't Panic Picture Prompt.  It's a bit late because I spent the day at a family reunion yesterday.  But, I realized this morning that it fits in well with the Dusseldorf serial.  If you've missed parts of that story, follow the tab at the top labelled One Night in Dusseldorf and you will be linked to the rest of the series.

I heaved a sigh and scrubbed at my face.  How had my life come to this?

“It is difficult to understand how all of this can exist.  I assure you, though, it does and it is vital to life as you have known it that this world does co-exist.

“Why?”

“Imagine what the world would look like without any color,” I grimaced as she continued, “That is what it would be like without this world living as well.  All belief in and thoughts of magic and dreaming of fantastical creatures would never happen.  This world gives the ordinary world the gift of imagination and inspiration.”

She let me mull her words over in a comfortable silence, waiting for me to come to terms with everything.

“Okay.  So, magic exists.  Werewolves exist.  What is it Kris and James claim I am again?”

“A druid.”

“And what is my job in all of this?”

“Yours is a special job.  You are a protector of the natural balance.”

“What does that mean?” I interrupted.

“There cannot be life without death.  Light is defined by darkness.  That is what the natural balance is.  You have been given powers to help protect that balance.  The ordinary world does not understand this, not to the level they need to understand it.  That is part of why the earth is being destroyed faster than it can be repaired right now.”

“So what am I supposed to do about it?  I can’t change that.”

“But you have skills that will make a difference.  Have you ever seen the photograph of the gorilla with a small butterfly perched on its finger?  The gorilla is just studying the butterfly.”

“Yeah.  It’s by Olga someone.”

“Correct.  She is a druid.  Her photography inspires people in the ordinary world to take steps to correct the natural balance.  That photo alone inspired thousands to donate to gorilla preservation funds.”

I nodded, “And when the gorillas are rescued and their habitat preserved, all sorts of other things survive as well.”

“Exactly,” she smiled.

Wandering

Here's the next installment of Kris, Emma and James's story.  If you've missed some, follow the tab labelled One Night In Dusseldorf and it will link you to the previous entries.

Kris started to talk but his words droned in my ear making no sense.  In a fog, I turned and walked away into the woods not paying the slightest bit of attention to where I went.  It felt as if I’d been sucker punched.  All the crap Mom told me before she died was real.  I always believed it was just drug-induced ramblings from her treatments.

Looking up, I found myself in a clearing.  A small pond sparkled in the center of the lush green grass dotted with tiny purple flowers.  I flopped down at the edge of the pond.

“God I wish someone could just explain all this to me in a way that makes sense,” I muttered throwing the occasional pebble into the water to watch the rings ripple away.

“He is a good man, you know.  Rather impatient, particularly for a faoladh, but a good man never the less,” a soft voice came from behind me.

I whipped around half rising and ready to fight.  The waif of a woman before me was clearly no threat, though, so I sat back down.

“What?”

“Kris.  He’s kind, loyal, honest.  A bit blunt and impatient sometimes but it’s a small price to pay.”

“Who are you?”

The glimmer in her eye told me what her words did not.  I didn’t really want an answer to that question.  At least not yet.

“I can understand how you are feeling right now.  You came back to the old country to look for your sister.  You feel responsible for her, more so since your mother died.  Kris will help you.  He will find answers for you.”

“How do you know that about me?”

“Did you not just wish for someone to explain this to you?”

“Uh, yeah.”

She reached over and smoothed the wrinkles in my brow.  The touch of her hand brought a wave of peace that washed over me like a tidal wave.  My instincts said I could trust her.  Somehow she must have read that thought in my face somehow.”

“Trust those instincts.  Yours, unlike modern people, will not lead you astray.  They are part of your birthright.”

“As a druid.”

She nodded.

“This really is real.  I haven’t fallen down some hole into never never land or been fed some acid or ‘shrooms or something?”

She shook her head with a slight smile.

Cracks in Reality

Trifecta's prompt inspired me to return to a serial piece I've been working on for a while now.  The prompt is

CRACK
1a : a loud roll or peal <a crack of thunder>
  b : a sudden sharp noise <the crack of rifle fire>
2: a sharp witty remark : quip
3a : a narrow break : fissure <a crack in the ice>  
  b : a narrow opening <leave the door open a crack><cracks between floorboards> —used figuratively in phrases like fall through the cracks to describe one that has been improperly or inadvertently ignored or left out <a player who fell through the cracks in the college draft> <children slipping through the cracks of available youth services>
4a : a weakness or flaw caused by decay, age, or deficiency :unsoundness
  b : a broken tone of the voice
  c : crackpot
5: moment, instant <the crack of dawn>

As usual the entries have to use the third definition and are between 33 and 333 words in length.  Be sure to check out other responses here.  If you've missed some of this story, follow the tab at the top labelled One Night in Dusseldorf.

If I’d felt a little unsure of myself before following Kris into the woods, now I felt down right lost.  I glanced around trying to find some sign that I was dreaming.  There wasn’t one.  I even tried pinching myself, convinced I must have fallen through some crack into Never Never land on my way out to the little chapel.

People don’t just turn into animals, I thought.

The air around the wolf shimmered again.  Then, the wolf was gone.  Kris was standing in its place.

“Give me your hand,” his rich baritone flowed around me, soothing and reassuring me.

I hesitated.  Kris waited.  I reached out feeling like I was in one of those slow motion movie montages.  Kris took my hand and placed it on his chest.

“See.  I am real.  What you saw is real.”

“How?”

“It’s magic.  Literally.”

“How can you exist and the world doesn't know?”

Two Choices

Once again, I must apologize if this is a bit rough.  I'm writing it at about 10:00 PM after a LOOONG day at work preceded by multiple other LOOONG days at work.  But, that's what I get for working in the behavioral health care field with teenagers some times.  In all honesty I love my kids I work with, it just gets rather overwhelming at times.

Anyways, I did combine Trifecta's prompt, the word path as in course, route or way of life, and part of Write at the Merge's prompt, a stained glass window to bring you this.  I did just, unfortunately, realize I didn't get this done in time to link up to Trifecta's challenge, but that's okay. 

It is the next part of the story of Emma, James and Kris.  If you've missed some of the story, the tab labeled One Night In Dusseldorf at the top will give you the links to the rest of the story.  Here it is.  Please enjoy.

I still couldn’t wrap my mind around what Kris was saying.  It sounded so unbelievably ridiculous, but he was serious.  I could almost hear the air between us crackling with the tension of the moment.  He wanted me, needed me, to believe him.  I just stood there like an idiot unsure of myself.

“Follow me,” he snapped, loping off into the woods.

I trailed behind him, still trying to digest his words.  I rounded a bend in the path and stopped.  The path descended into a small hollow.  In the center was a small rough stone chapel like building.  The windows were stained glass that threw brilliant rainbows around the clearing.  It looked like a sea of color had rained down and filled the depression.

Kris gestured and I stepped up to the building.  It was older than I’d first thought.  Being the daughter of a historian specializing in architecture came in handy right then.  I estimated the tiny structure to be at least five to six centuries old, maybe older.

“My great-great grandfather built this chapel.  He wanted to remind my people of the choice we made back then.  My people were dying, hunted and feared by missionaries to this land who didn’t understand us.  A druid came to my great-great grandfather and offered him a choice.  One path led to a life where we survived but had to adapt to a new world.  The other one ended with my people being hunted down like rabid dogs.”

As he told me this story, we circled the chapel.  Each window depicted in surprising color and detail different scenes from the story.  We stopped in front of the south end.  The window covered most of the wall.  And indicated the choice that was made.

“We agreed to become the guardians of the druids.  That druid changed us to make us better protectors.”

Then it happened.  The air around Kris shimmered.  He disappeared.  In his place was a black wolf watching me with Kris’s eyes.

Also, please head on over to Trifecta and Write at the Merge's websites to read other great authors and their inspirations from the prompts.

A Walk in the Woods

I managed to combine Trifecta's writing prompt with the Write at the Merge prompt this week.  It is revisiting a story I haven't worked on in a while but it fit well.  To completely understand Emma's comment at the beginning, be sure to read the rest of the story, or at least the piece just before this one.  They are in the tab labeled One Night in Dusseldorf at the top of the page.

Here are the prompts for the week:

Trifecta -
This week's word is:

BITCH (noun)

1: the female of the dog or some other carnivorous mammals
2 a : a lewd or immoral woman
   b : a malicious, spiteful, or overbearing woman —sometimes used as a generalized term of abuse
3: something that is extremely difficult, objectionable, or unpleasant

Please remember:

• Your response must be between 33 and 333 words.

• You must use the 3rd definition of the given word in your post.

• The word itself needs to be included in your response.

 

 

Write at the Merge gave us these two things:

 

This week, we have an image and a quotation for you:

image courtesy of lynnsta (via Flickr Creative Commons)

So here's my 333 word take on the two prompts:

            “Well,” I blinked, trying to find words, “Ain’t that a bitch.”

He was right.  We all knew it.  I didn’t want an ordinary life.

            “Come with me,” Kris said in a tone that almost commanded.

            Part of me wanted to refuse just because he expected me to listen.  His jaw tightened.  He saw my instinct to refuse out of spite.

            “Lead on my furry friend.”

            That didn’t seem to go over well either.  But, what can I say?  I tend to be a smart ass when I’m uncomfortable, which was a massive understatement right then.

            I followed Kris through the house, though mansion would be more accurate.  We stepped out onto the huge stone veranda.  I noticed a heart set in stone near the door.  It seemed odd, yet fitting, for Kris.  James trailed behind us.  I got the impression from James that, no matter what Kris did or where he went, James would be right there with him.  Again, I wasn’t sure that was a good thing.  But, what the hell, I was already in way over my head.  What difference would it make to see this through now?

            The formal English garden that greeted me was impressive.  I didn’t think there was a single pebble out of place.  The huge tract of completely untouched land just beyond the garden didn’t fit the scene.

            “Okay.  I’m here.  Why’d you bring me out here?”

            Kris didn’t answer.  He passed through the garden into that undeveloped land and chose a game trail.  James stopped at the edge of the trees.  I hesitated, unsure of what to do.  James gestured for me to follow Kris.

            “You feel better out here,” Kris said once James couldn’t hear us anymore.

            “And how do you know that?”

            “I told you.  You’re a druid.  I’m a faoladh, werewolf for lack of a better translation.  I know what you feel, what you need.  That’s my job.”

            This guy was seriously creeping me out.  What the hell was going on here?

Falling Into A Dream

Here's the next piece in the Dusseldorf serial.  The rest of the story can be found under the tab at the top labelled One Night In Dusseldorf.  Any concrit you have is always welcome.

I felt certain I’d heard him wrong.

“You heard me correctly, Emma,” James’s voice was too level.

“Okay.  Show me the door.  I’m outta here.”

“I’m sorry.  We cannot let you leave now.  You know too much.”

“What the hell do I know, James?  No one will believe me if I said anything anyways.”

“The wrong people would believe you.  Then your life would be in great danger.”

I sat there staring at James.  There was just no way this could be real.  He got up and left the room.  I’m not sure how long I sat there but eventually Kris came into the room.  I couldn’t help but look for signs that he was a werewolf, as if I knew what to look for.  But, as I watched him move about the room, it did seem like he had an inhuman grace.

My mind drifted back over the last few days.  The more I reflected on what I’d seen of Kris, the more I had to believe in what James said.  My final proof shy of seeing one of them become a wolf came when Kris turned to me.  He had a feral gleam that no human ever could hope to attain.

“James told you?” it sounded more like a statement than a question.

“Yeah,” I cursed myself under my breath for the quaver that sounded like weakness in my voice, “This isn’t a dream, is it?”

“No.”

“Why tell me?  I assume this is something you keep under wraps since the world isn’t freaking out over it.”

“You wanted to know about your sister.”

“And?” his words may have indicated that was it but his face told me there was something more to it than that.

Kris watched me for a long, silent minute before he answered, “You have something we need.  I need.”

I blinked several times, “What?”

“You have power.  It’s what got your sister involved in this.  I need the power you have.”

“Are you sure this isn’t some delusion or dream?”

“Don’t worry.  You’re awake and not crazy.

“I feel crazy.”

“No,” Kris corrected, “You are feeling the effects of the symbiotic magic.”

“The what?”

“Your magic with mine.  You are what they used to call a druid.  I am a wolf.  Your kind and mine have had a symbiotic relationship for centuries.”

I scrubbed my face, “What does that mean?”

“A whole new life for you.”

“What if I like mine just as it is?”

“You don’t.  You wouldn’t be here if you did.”

Kris had a point there.

Getting In Deeper

This week I chose to combine the Don't Panic Picture Prompt with Trifecta's Writing Challenge.  The two ended up working out well when I went back to visit James, Kris and Emma's world.  If you haven't been following their story, you can find it in the tab at the top of the page labelled One Night In Dusseldorf.  This came in at exactly 333 words.  Feel free to let me know what you think!

I awoke to find myself in a bedroom I didn’t recognize.  My heart racing, I sat up trying to remember what happened.  When the trip to London resurfaced I regretted it.

“How the hell did I get to London?” I hadn’t realized I’d spoken out loud until James’ voice came out of a shadowed corner of the room.

“We brought you here for your protection.  Do you remember?”

“James!  What the hell are you doing hiding there?”

“Kris and I wanted to be sure you were well.  What do you remember?”

“Yeah.  Kind of.  I know we didn’t take a flight here.  How did Kris do whatever it was he did?”

James didn’t answer at first.  I was about to get up and beat the answer out of him when he spoke again.

“Emma, the world I am about to tell you of must be kept secret.  If it were common knowledge, many lives would be in danger.  Do you understand?”

“Sure,” the confusion and disbelief must have shown in my face because quicker than I could blink, James was leaning over me pinning me to the bed with an intensity I hadn’t seen from him since meeting him.

“I am in utmost earnest with this request.”

“Okay,” I blinked, “No one will find out from me.  I give you my word.”

“And I will hold you to it,” James backed off to sit in the chair next to the bed and gestured toward a huge photo on the wall.

The photo was of some mountains taken near sunset.  The golden light washed over the ancient hills in amazing contrast to the verdant shades covering them.

“Our story starts there.  The Isle of Skye.  Our people were driven from the Isle centuries ago.”

“What people?  What does this have to do with how we got to London from Germany?” I was totally lost.

“Because we are what you Americans call werewolves.”

I didn’t know what to say to his matter-of-fact statement, “Excuse me?”

To London

Okay - so maybe I fudged this prompt from Write On Edge a little.  The prompt was Olympic inspired.  I had 300 words to write about anything - as long as the setting was Beijing, London or Rio de Janeiro.  I had to go back to James, Emma and Kris for this one.  And, while the piece does not start in London, it ends there.  That counts, right?  Either way, here's my response.

Kris led me to another clearing, this time with a small stream cutting across one edge of it.  Kris loped to the stream and knelt.  He cupped one long fingered hand to scoop up some of the crystal clear water.

Over the next minute the others filtered into the clearing.  It puzzled me how they knew Kris was waiting there.  As they gathered, Kris stayed near the water with his eyes closed.

I started to speak but James touched my arm and shook his head.  His warning look was unmistakable.  Frustrated, I walked away before I said something that would get me in trouble.

Kris must have come up behind me when my back was to him because when I turned I almost ran into his well muscled chest.

“We need to go.  Now.”

“What?” I could tell by the look on his face he was serious.

“Stephan’s on our trail.  We’re going to London.”

“London?  From here?  In case you hadn’t noticed, there’s no airports or train stations around,” my sarcasm didn’t over well as Kris gritted his teeth and growled slightly.

“Someone will get your belongings from your hotel room.  Close your eyes.”

“Ah.  No.  Not until you tell me what you’re planning to do.”

“I already told you.  We’re going to London.”

“How?”

“Close your eyes.  You won’t get sick that way.”

I looked around Kris to James but he was no help.  I couldn’t read the expression on his face.  Kris wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to his solid body.  A blinding light flashed.  In an instant I was dizzy, nauseous and my head pounded.

“What just happened?” I struggled not to be sick.

“We’re in London.”

Kris pointed over my shoulder.  I turned and saw Big Ben before the world spun into darkness.

If you've missed their story, you can find it by following the tab labeled One Night in Dusseldorf at the top of the page.  Also, don't forget to link up with the Don't Panic Picture Prompt.  It ends tonight!

The Run

Write On Edge gave us a great prompt in honor of the Fourth of July.   We were challenged to write about the idea of freedom in 400 words.  While not patriotic, here's my take.  I had to go back and visit Emma, James and Kris one more time.  Let me know what you think.

With no warning, Kris held his hand up.  Everyone stopped.  Growling under his breath, he stormed back to me like some wild predator. 

“What,”

James stopped me with a glare and a slight head shake.

Kris circled me as if I were prey.

“Too slow.  This’ll help.”

I wasn’t sure if Kris was talking to me or himself.  With James still watching me I didn’t dare ask either.

To my shock and embarrassment, he cupped my face, leaned in and kissed me.  Not just a quick peck but a serious, movie scene worthy kiss.  He released me before I had a chance to object – not to the kiss itself but for how he did it.  He turned and loped back to the front of the short line without another word.

I stood there, in the middle of the trail, stunned.  James touched my elbow.

“It was a gift,” James told me in a soft voice.

“What was?” my face wrinkling, shaking my head.

“Kris gave you the ability to keep up with us.  He wants to move faster.  Trust it.  Trust me.  You’ll keep up.”

“”Hunh?”

“Kris wants to run so he gave you a bit of his power.  He doesn’t want you to slow us down.  Stephan is too much of a risk.  Now, love, no more speaking.  Run.”

James flashed a quick grin at me before Kris signaled everyone to move again.  This time they ran.  James passed me.  I watched them for a moment as they faded into the forest faster than anyone should be able to run.

“Trust them,” I muttered.

Taking a deep breath I ran after them.  To my utter amazement, not only did I keep up with them, I caught up to Kris, passing everyone else in the process.  He glanced at me, smiled and pressed harder.  Sensing the challenge I lengthened my stride, finding myself able to match his pace.

The forest flashed by in streaked glimpses of browns and greens.  In the running, I started to feel a peace I hadn’t felt in years.  There was something about running with this man, this stranger, that lifted me.  It freed me from something I didn’t even realize I carried.  It didn’t take long before I ran with Kris for the sheer joy of being able to fly through the forest as free as the wildlife startling from the brush with our passage.

In case you've missed it, the rest of Emma's story can be found here.

Consequences

I had fun with this week's Write On Edge Prompt.  So, I decided to do another take on it.  As a reminder we had 100 words to change one of the following phrases into active voice:

[he/she/I] was devastated by [...]
[feeling] was experienced by [...]
[person/thing] was possessed by [...]

Here's another 100, well in this case 99, words in Emma's story.  If you've missed it, most of the story can be found under the One Night in Dusseldorf tab up top.  The last 100 words were posted yesterday under No Passive Voices!

Kris turned without a word and led James and me deeper into the woods.  He moved with an incredible grace.  His walk had to have devastated hearts everywhere.  Kris had powerful, wide shoulders as well.  But it was the confidence flowing from every step that kept drawing my attention.  That kind of self assurance was magnetic.

A predator, I thought, That’s what he reminds me of.

Walking behind him, I experienced a déjà vu feeling.  Something attracted me to him and this place.

Little did I know at the time how right I was about Kris and his magnetism.

No Passive Voices!

I know I haven't written much other than the prompts at Write On Edge lately.  I could use the excuse that I'm still trying to get ready for this baby or that Camp NaNoWriMo has taken up quite a bit of my time.  Both of which are true.  But I feel bad for neglecting to post more often.  That being said, I promise, there'll be more coming soon!

Now, on to the prompt for the week -

For Today, we gave you a short challenge. Three fairly generic passive phrases. Your goal wass to make them active in a short scene, either fiction or non-fiction. You could choose one, two, or all three to play with, but you only had 100 words.
[he/she/I] was devastated by [...]
[feeling] was experienced by [...]
[person/thing] was possessed by [...]

I had to return to Emma, Kris and James in One Night in Dusseldorf for this one.  It came in at 98 words.

As I weighed the options, something strange possessed me – a reckless, wild feeling.  I didn’t care what anyone else thought.  Kris offered me passage into an exciting, dangerous world.  I didn’t know if I’d survive it.  I didn’t care.  And that wasn’t like me.

I think they knew that spirit possessed me.  I saw it in the way they looked at me.  It was as if they knew what it was, as if they knew the words hovering on the edge of my lips.

My heart pounding and hands shaking I replied, “Lead on.  I’m seeing this through.”

First Taste of Magic

I liked this week's Write On Edge prompt.  It took me back to Emma's story that started back with the Dusseldorf prompt.  I'm not sure if the way I wrote this scene works or not.  I tried to keep in mind the idea behind this prompt was to make sure everything that happened moved things along and that conflicts need to continue to happen in order to tell the story.  Let me know what you think of how this one worked out.

Either way, I hope you enjoy my take on this one.  If you missed the rest of Emma's story, the link below will catch you up.

http://thisisnothitchhikersguide.blogspot.com/p/one-night-in-dusseldorf.html


Here's the prompt and my take on it:
For this week, I’m offering you this opening line:
“Two men appeared out of nowhere, a few yards apart in the narrow, moonlit lane.”
You have 500 words.

Two men appeared out of nowhere, a few yards apart in the narrow, moonlit lane.  Each eyed the other, tension thicker than the fog that eddied around them.  The blond man looked away first; and missed the small smile from the black haired man.

“Where’s my information, Brayden?” the black haired man growled.

Brayden hesitated, his body hunched.  He refused to meet the other man’s dagger gaze.

“Well?  Either answer me or challenge me, boy.  I’m not going to wait all night.”

Brayden sighed, his body crumpling like a tin can, “Please, Stephan, don’t do this.  She’s no threat to you or your pack.”

“That’s not for you to decide,” venom and disdain dripped from every word of Stephan’s answer.

Brayden inched back from Stephan.  Quicker than a lightning flash, he turned to run.  It did him little good.  Stephan tackled him faster than the eye could follow, slugging him hard several times.  Blood oozed out of Brayden’s mouth to pool on the ground.

“Give me that information.”

One hand was still wrapped in Brayden’s hair, the other cocked back to strike again.  The lethal glint in Stephan’s dark eyes was as bright as a neon sign.

“I didn’t tell her anything.  I just sent her to James.  That’s all I said.  I swear,” Brayden choked through the blood.

For several seconds the men were frozen in time.  Stephan’s hand moved in slow motion to his foot.  He eased a long, serrated knife out of his boot.  Brayden’s eyes followed every minute movement Stephan made.

“What else?”

Those two words fell like bombs.

“He was taking her to Kris.”

“And?” the knife was now lying against the side of Brayden’s face, a razor thin line of blood welled up beneath it.

“I haven’t heard anything else.  Please, I don’t know anymore.”

“Not smart of you.”

A scream ripped through the still night.

Kris let go of my head just as abruptly as he grabbed me when he’d stormed back into the cave.

“Now do you see why we need to move, and fast.  That happened two days ago.  Stephan knows this place and I’d bet anything he’s on his way here this second.  I’m taking you somewhere we can talk safely.”

I couldn’t get the image of Brayden just laying there on that dirt road, blood streaming from the side of his face, out of my head.  I wasn’t sure if he was alive or dead.  Whispering a silent prayer for him, and for myself, I followed Kris out of the cave.  We made our way through the ancient German forest along trails so faint I wasn’t even sure the game that made them could find them again.  It didn’t seem to slow Kris down, though.

As we hiked, I continued to process what Kris had shown me.  How he could even do that was something I couldn’t begin to fathom.  Then, assuming what I saw was real, I started to wonder what the hell I’d gotten myself into.

Secrets Kept, Secrets Revealed

Write On Edge gave a prompt this week around the word core.  While I've already written one piece exploring the idea of a person's core, I continued to think about it.  Following Emma's story that started back during the prompt about Dusseldorf, here is part of her search for the core.  If you've missed it, click the link below for the previous parts of the story.

One Night in Dusseldorf

Without further adieu, here's Secrets Kept, Secrets Revealed

“How-?  What do you-?  I mean,” I fought to keep my careening mind from going down in a spectacular wreck.

Kris moved across the cave with a predator’s supreme grace to tower over me.  His golden eyes reflected the faint light like golden pools at sunset.  His scent reminded me of a rich, loamy forest after a fresh rainfall.  I felt myself relaxing, my frantic thoughts calming near him.

“How do I know what you’re looking for?  What do you mean my sister?  I mean, what are you talking about?” he whispered.

I nodded, mesmerized by the way the shadows danced across his finely sculpted face.

“Brayden is mine.  He tells me what he knows.  He sent you to me because I am one of the few who can help you find out what happened to your sister.”

The shock of hearing Brayden’s name from this man snapped me out of the reverie I was falling into staring at this man’s striking appearance.  It took me a second or two to process what he said.

“What?  Brayden is yours?  Tell me what you know about my sister,” I couldn’t talk fast enough with the flare of pain and anger at comprehending his words.

Out of the corner of my eye I caught the look James shot Kris.  Kris stepped away from me with a dark look back at James.  Clearly there was something more going on here than I was catch on to.

“Do you think perhaps there are better places and times to be discussing this subject?” James broke the silence.

“Yeah.  Let’s go,” Kris’s manner had changed.  Even his voice was rougher, colder.  He stalked out into the damp forest.

James took my arm to lead me out after Kris.  He stopped when I didn’t budge.  I just looked at him, waiting.

“I am sorry, Emma.  We do not have time for this.  We must leave, now.”

“Not until I get an explanation as to what the hell is going on here,” I stood waiting, my arms crossed.  I didn’t know if James realized I had a pair of Glock 27s beneath my jacket.

He studied me for several seconds before turning his back and scrubbing his hands through his dark hair.  I guess he didn’t know about the guns.  He had about thirty seconds longer before he’d find out about them in a less than pleasant manner.

“Look, Emma, you are straying into a world of which you know nothing.  Please, trust me when I tell you this is not the place to discuss serious matters.  We will meet Kris in a safer location and you will receive your answers there.  You have my word.”

“And how good is that word?”

Kris’s shadow darkened the mouth, “If you two want safe passage out of here, you’d better follow now.  I can’t promise anything after I leave.”

The two men stared at me, waiting.  The only trouble was I didn’t know if I could trust either of them.

Into The Fire

This started as the response to a Write On Edge prompt, One Night In Dusseldorf.  But, the ideas continued to pop into my head.  These characters just don't seem to want to leave me alone.  So, here's the continuing story of Emma and James.  Their story started here.

James led Emma to the edge of the city.  There an old growth forest began.  Ancient trees sheltered the ground so well little grew beneath them aside from a few species of shade loving plants like ferns.

The misty rain that continued to fall evoked a rich, loamy smell that comforted Emma.  She watched James search for several seconds before finding a trail that led into the darkness of the trees.

“How much farther is it?” Emma whispered as if afraid of disturbing the stillness.

“Tis not much farther.  Their sentries should be stopping us momentarily.”

“What do you mean, sentries?”

“As I said at the pub.  This clan is very secretive.  They fear much of the modern world.  Sentries are posted to keep people from straying into their territory accidentally and to be certain visitors have no hostile intentions.”

“What’ll they do about me?  I presume they know about you.”

“I pray they have enough faith in me to allow you safe passage.”

Emma stopped, “You pray?  You pray!!  Look, mister, I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing but I don’t find it funny at all.”

“I am not playing a game, Emma, this is serious.”

Emma never learned what James was going to say next.  She woke up sometime later in a cave.  James sat talking with another man at the mouth.  She lay very still, trying to hear what they were arguing about before they knew she was awake.

Before she had a chance to hear what they were saying, the two men turned to face her.  Glowing golden eyes chased her into the darkness as she squeezed her eyes shut pretending she was still out cold.

“Please do not pretend to be unconscious, Emma.  Kris has already informed me you are awake,” James’s voice came from near her head startling her into opening her eyes once more.

“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t kick your ass right now,” Emma grumbled as she stood up.

“Perhaps because you do not know the way back to Dusseldorf from here?  Would that be sufficient?”

“I could figure it out.”

“You’d never make it past my sentries,” Kris spoke up in a distinctly American accent, “Ant to even try them you’d have to get past me.”

“And who are you?”

“Emma, may I present Kris.  He leads this pack.  Kris, this is Emma.  I spoke to you of her approximately one month ago.”

“What James is trying to say, Emma, is that I’m the guy that can give you some answers.”

“How do you know what I want to know?  Wait, let me guess.  James told you.”

“No.  He just told me you wanted to talk to me and that I might be interested in meeting you.”

“Then how do you know what I’m looking for?”

“You want information about your younger sister.”

Emma sat back down hard.  Her whole body trembled as she struggled to breathe.  She’d been so careful about the information she gave.  She didn’t want anyone to know it was her younger sister she looked for.

And this stranger knew.