The Middle Princess

“Once upon a time in a far away land.....”

Who am I kidding? I’m sorry this story can’t begin in such a misleading way. This is no fairy tale; there is no way to dress this tale up or skim over the brutality of this story. I am afraid we must just jump in with both feet.

Kennis was a beautiful baby; a Princess by birth and the middle of twelve daughters to a harsh King. Yep, ‘The’ twelve Princesses; you know the story, dance all night and worn out shoes. I digress, when the Princesses came of age it became apparent that Kennis was unique. Her Father worried that he would not be able to marry her off and so jumped at the first marriage proposal thrown in her direction. The proposal came from a not so desirable Knight, with a reputation for treating his women (and there were many) badly. But the King was harsh, the Knights prowess on the battlefield was legendary and his daughter was dutiful.

Fast forward five years...

“Wench.”

“Wench.”

“Where the hell are you? Get out here; it’s about time you gave me with a son.”

She could hear him crashing through the rooms of her prison, getting closer.

Kennis suffered this every night when Kellen was not away defending the kingdom, she suffered his brutal force with grace. Never once allowing him to see the true affect he was having on her; destroying her soul, taking it piece by piece. 

When Kellen had had his fill of her and the ale had finally lulled him into a deep slumber Kennis slipped out of the bed chamber and into the cool moonlight. There she screamed into the night, she let her tears carry away her pain. She called out the name that had dominated her dreams for as long as she could remember; the name of her Prince that would come and save her someday, the Prince who wore out her shoes.

Exhausted, her face wet from tears, Kennis collapsed into the still warm grass. The thought of ending this torture once and for all was dancing around her mind; when a sudden draft beat across her bare skin. Then again; a cool respite from the summer heat. Kennis looked up wanting to cool her face. At first she couldn’t make out the figure before her though her tears, it was huge and were those wings?

“Devyn?”

Day 19 NaBloPoMo December - Home

Loki at The Modfather was talking yesterday about home and how she is glad to be back in Lancashire.

Having not lived outside of Lancashire I cannot claim to have felt this way. However, what I have had recently is an overwhelming relief that I didn't follow my dreams and move far far away. Once upon a time, and also in the not so distant past, the thoughts and often detailed plans were hatched to move away. I am talking anything from the south of this country to clear across the big pond to the land of dreams. What I thought I wanted was to get away from was where I lived, I realise what I actually wanted to get away from was me. I didn't like who I was. I was an old and hagged version of me, I hated what I had become, I hated my job...the list goes on.

Now, I'm in a much better place, I like me and I don't really care if others do too or not. This has de-misted my eyes and I can see much clearer. Being able to look around me and see what is here, along with the talented art of Lee Johnson has allowed me to appreciate what I almost gave up.

So; inspired by Loki, with thanks to Lee, this is my home, this is Lancashire.

 

(Lee has kindly allowed me to post one of his shots here...I am soooo lucky. Please bob over and take a look, as well as being super talented he shows Lancashire in the most beautiful ways)

 

 

Home

 

When I was young

I used to dream

Of sailing the ocean wide

Take myself across the sea

To the promised land

 

There was a moment

A desperate time

When the dream took flight

I searched, I planned

It was close enough to touch

 

Back then we stayed

It was too far away

Right now I see

The reason was more than you

It was inside me too

 

For now I see, I appreciate

All that is around

The beauty of this green isle

It's many secret corners

Yet so close to the ocean grand

 

I am where I belong

The woodlands and hills

Beauty in solitude

Or side splitting laughter

This is my promised land

 

Seeing as it is nearly Christmas and I have had a special request (see tomorrow), there will be a Christmas song every day from now until Christmas.

 

Please listen to this one, I stumbled upon her voice whilst searching You Tube for different Christmas songs. Her sound is beautiful and hypnotising and altogether amazing, this is Maria Mena

 

 

How do you feel about where you live? Will you be home for Christmas?







Day 14 NaBloPoMo December - Favourite Fairy Tale Friday

Last week I asked for your favourite fairy tales and Jewles from Frazzled & Frumpy chose one of my favourites. So for this reason (read here writers block and I have something old to re-hash that will work) I will feature her choice today.

No seriously, Snow White and Rose Red is not one of the more popular fairy tales, yet when Deb at Kicking Corners set a challenge based on this fairy tale I was hooked.

I read some fairy tales and see all the twists and turns, I see the way things could have worked out after the 'happily ever after', I see the same framework with a modern take or sometimes the whole dynamic in the tale gets flipped on its head and I see a widower not a widow. Sometimes they don't speak to me at all!!

More often than not I get to wondering how this story started, were the village elders trying to warn the younger generation about the dangers in the world? Or did something happen in a village and the story erupted out of that?

Did the family in this tale let in a very hairy stranger to shelter and did one of the daughters fall for this ruggedly handsome man? Has the story developed from such a non-magical beginning? Stories and tales have traditionally been passed down through the generations. Each story teller tweeking the story as it passes through their age. Will people tell our stories in such fanciful ways long after we have gone? Or has the ability to record and reproduce information and stories all but buried this tradition. Our tales doomed to be re-told verbatim time and time again, never to change. And how sad would that be?

Sorry tangent much, sorry! In response to Deb's challenge I attempted a re-write of the tale, and here it is. I hope you enjoy it and if you have read it before (thanks for sticking with me for so long) can you see if I have tweeked my story on the second telling?

Snow White and Rose Red

see original here

There was a man and woman who lived on the outskirts of a vast forest. They lived a simple life in a small cottage; grew vegetables in their garden, collected fruit from the trees around their house and kept chickens which dutifully gave them eggs for breakfast every morning. The woman loved nothing more than to tend flower garden, especially in summer, when she would hum along with the bees as they skipped from flower to flower. Her favourite amongst them all were the roses that guarded the front door. One a deep ruby red and the other the purest white rose that ever there was. These roses produced beautiful blooms from the passing of the last frost until the first nip of Jack in the winter.

Every day she would cut one bloom from each rose and place them in a vase, taking a moment to say her silent prayer wishing for a child whom they could shower with love. Her husband felt the same and wondered year after year why they had yet to be blessed.

A few years later, when they thought that all hope was lost, during her usual ritual and silent pray the woman caught her finger on a thorn. Her blood splattered on the crisp snow, the first of the season, at the base of the roses. T hat winter the roses continued to bloom along with the unborn children in her womb. The woman gave birth to beautiful twin girls. But tragedy struck and she only survived long enough to name her daughters; Snow White, for she had the palest skin anyone had ever seen and Rose Red, for she had lips as red as the rose at her door. The man grieved for his soul mate but adapted to his new role as sole parent well. Every day he continued the tradition of placing to roses, one white one red, in the vase at the window; saying his silent prayer to his wife and expressing his gratitude for the girls they had longed to raise together. Life continued, but from the day of her death the little cottage was never without roses in the window. They continued to bloom throughout the winter, defying Jack Frost and his reaches and bringing a smile to the widowers face, letting him know he was never alone.

His daughters grew to be just as beautiful and gracious as his wife. Rose Red became a passionate young woman, head strong in her ways, even in her childhood exploring the forest with reckless abandon. Snow White was her opposite in almost every way, the quiet and watchful of the sisters. During their childhood the sisters complimented each other, doting on their Father and always ensuring their chores were completed before going into the forest to explore, sharing everything together; they were the dream come to life.

One evening, as the girls sang in poetic harmony to their Father, there came a knock at the door. Raising calmly Snow opened the door to the icy air and was faced with a tall and dark man wearing a brooding expression.

“May I enter to warm by your fire, the night is so cold and I will not make it to where I am safe”

“Of course, please sit, I will fetch a blanket” came Snow’s compassionate response to the figure before her. He was a tall and well built figure with long dark hair pulled into a leather thong at the nape of his neck. He stood there in just jeans and shirt sleeves, with ice crystals in his hair trying fight the convulsions that came with being so cold. As Snow returned with a thick crocheted blanket Rose moved from her customary spot in front of the fire to let their mysterious guest sit. Although they were all curious as to the predicament the stranger found himself in none drew attention to it, they simply whiled the evening away with anecdotes, laughter and tea. Eventually came the time when they were all ready to retire to bed, even give his concerns for his daughter’s safety the Father could not bear to see this man turned out into the cold and dark of the forest.

As the man rose to bid the family farewell the Father, placing his hand on the man’s shoulder, said “Please, we have little, but feel free to sleep by the fire and remain safe and warm for the evening”

The man was rendered speechless by the family’s kindness and could simply nod in appreciation.

The following day the sun was shining and it was beginning to feel like spring was in the air. After spending time helping the family with the daily chores, the stranger bid the family farewell.

“Will we ever see you again?” Snow asked as they parted at the garden gate. She was quite taken with this lost soul who had wandered into their lives.

“May be some day, when you need me, maybe” and with that he was gone......

 

I had completely forgotten I hadn't finished this....Hmmm think I will have to revisit this and complete the tale.

Hope that makes you feel a little better Jewels ;-)

Day 12-12-12 NaBloPoMo December - Friends

 

 

see original here

 

 

I've been searching all my life

For someone just like you

I can be there in times of need

And you would be there for me too

 

I always smile when you pop up

Because chatting is so effortless

Face to face or via text

Though laughing has some side effects

 

It seems you are what I was searching for

You plug a hole inside me

A connection with the world and more

I just wish you saw what I see.

 

I have had many friends in my life, some who I still count as my friends some who are no longer in my life. Recently I have come to see what I have been missing, friendship as a two way street. It is a long time since I have had that!! Many people have been awol when it came time to be there for me, many more simply aren't close enough.

 

In a little twist of my life I have realised I have the final piece of my puzzle; I have my other half, I have my babies, I enjoy my job, developed a hobby that I enjoy and now I have a few close friends who make my world complete (even if they don't live on the same continent). You know who you are and I thank you for being in my life. 



Day 28 NaBloPoMo - I got 99 words but the.....

Flash fiction is a relatively new thing in the grand scheme of things, the first use of the term appears to have been in 1992 in an anthology Flash Fiction: Seventy-Two Very Short Stories.

(Flash, ahha. sorry couldn't help myself - original here)

More recently than this however I have discovered 99fiction on tumblr (via twitter). Now this intrigues me, can you really tell a story in 99 words? How better to find out than having a go?

Take 1 - 121 words, editing required!!

Take 2 - 101 words, arrgghhhhh.

Take 3 - 100 words, bah!

Take 4 - 98 words. Wahooooo

Meet Again

 

 

 

Seven years and he still recognised her red hair. So much had happened, so much lost. Would she even want to see him again?

The salt wind was whipping her blazing hair as she stared out across the waves, the water caressing her naked feet and the sand was clinging to the wet edges of her skirt.

Faith turned to walk along the shore as she always did and there he was, holding the rest of her soul. Tears of relief fell as they walked towards each other, their finger tips meeting as if they had never parted.

 

Phew, so can it be done? Is 99 words enough to tell a story? Can I find another 99 words to enter the competition? So many questions, I feel like adding a comedy 'dum, dum duuuummmm'

 

 

 

For your added enjoyment ;-)



Day 23 NaBloPoMo - Will the real red riding hood please stand up!

*APOLOGY / DISCLAIMER*

You may want to put the kettle on and grab a snack before you sit down to read this post, my Red Riding Hood re-visit ended up being a lot longer than first anticipated (try about 1,000 words longer, I was aiming for 300-600. Oooppps, hehe). Anyway, it's the weekend so sit back with a cup of something warm and enjoy (or at least I hope you will!)

 

 

Last week I set a little challenge for you all to sink your teeth into and I promised to go away and work on a re-write of my own. Deb at Kicking Corners has been posting hers in instalments for most of the week (think I should have taken a leaf out of her book!) and has at least me on the edge of my seat waiting to see how it ends, here is part 1, I always think it is best to 'begin at the beginning' (it's an Alice thing).

 

In the spirit of beginning at the beginning here is a link to the Brothers Grimm version of the tale. I am sorry that I can't hand you one of my copies of this story, especially the really old version. Reading them from paper seems to make them more magical for me.

 

I sort of opted for a 'what happened next' version, with a few extras. I hope you like it.

 

 

The Hunted Turn Hunter

 



 

Maddi sat watching the torrent of water moving and gurgling as cut through the earth, gathering pace and mass on its journey to the Cascades. If she closed her eyes she could hear the thunderous roar from here, they were heading in that direction but she knew they had at least a day’s hike before they reached the village and more to get to the Cascades.

The noise brought with it a flash back to the day Skathi saved her, or dammed her, after all these years she still wasn’t sure which it was.

She was young, naive and completely taken in by the handsome stranger. She could still remember his syrupy voice, how he made her feel like she was the centre of his universe and then the physical pain as his betrayal hit. It was like a square on blow to the stomach how he used her to take the one thing that mattered to her.

 Her Grandmother was the matriarch to the village, as was tradition she lived in isolation so the Seers could converse with her. Only the purest member of the family was allowed in her presence to tend her needs. Fen used her to get to her Grandmother, he changed before her eyes into a wolf of monstrous proportion, the sight of his bones breaking, twisting and reforming froze Maddi to the spot and she watched helplessly as he ripped her Grandmothers throat out. His attention then turned to Maddi but mid pounce there was a yelp and he landed on top of her. Wounded but not dead Fen had beaten a hasty retreat with an arrow in his back.

“Maddi we need to move out” Skathi shouted from the tree line

Coming out of her reminiscence Maddi collected her bow and Quiver and started to jog after Skathi, throwing them across her as she went; they had much time to make up. Last night’s storm had delayed them; they could only hope it had delayed Fen too.

As darkness descended they decided to sleep just outside the village; Hunters, dressed in leather and carrying weapons, were easily recognised and very rarely welcome in villages, especially this one.

Being so close to home brought back so many memories. Staring into the flames the clearest memory was of her first transformation.

 Fen may not have been able to complete his attack but he still ruined her life with just one scratch. She had had no idea why he held such a magnanimous look in his eye as he made his retreat, not until the burning pain of her insides twisting and reforming. She watched her life slip away as the disgusted look dawned on her mother’s face looking at the half breed she was now faced with.

“It is no daughter of mine, take it, burn it. It will pay for the disgrace it has brought on this village. Let us hope the Seers accept the sacrifice”

Hot tears burned down Maddi’s face as she remembered the words that cut through her soul, the heat of the flames as they reared around her feet. In that moment she wanted to die, in that moment she wanted the Seers to take her and punish her.

It had taken Skathi ten years to make Maddi see that she was needed, that she saved her from the flames because she had a purpose. Ten years for Fen to rear his head again. This time they were two, this time she had a new weapon, this time she had Maddi.

“Get some sleep Maddi, you’re going to need it.”

Maddi woke startled from her sleep. Her training kicked in before her brain did, she surveyed the tree line crouched and arrow poised. She could smell something, something out of place. Slowly Maddi moved, almost crab like to where Skathi was sleeping and nudged her. In moments they were back to back arrows aimed into the shadows of the trees, waiting, breathing.

“When I saw him come through town I had a feeling you wouldn’t be far behind”

The sound of that voice was enough for Maddi; she lowered her bow and stood up straight as Artur stepped out of the shadows. The gangly young boy she knew was all grown up, it took Maddi a moment to remember they weren’t the same age any more, the last time she saw him was the way she had always thought of him. This young man with his copper hair dropping down over his beautiful hazel eyes was not the boy she knew.

“Artur, I.....”

“Missed me, yeah I know I missed you too”

“But I.....”

“Couldn’t come back, yeah I know! Now shut up and come here” As they closed the gap Artur scooped Maddi into a bear hug, whispering into her red curls, “Still wearing red I see”

“The wolves can’t tell the difference” Maddi replied.

“Ok, reunions will have to wait a while, Fen is massing a pack and he is coming for the village”

“We know” Skathi replied in her usual curt manner

“So when do we leave?”

“Artur there is no we” Maddi said, not wanting to leave so soon after finding him again, “You can’t come”

“I’m sorry; you’re thinking you can stop me?”

“We don’t have time for this, we have to go” Skathi turned and started her harsh pace into the woods. Maddi had come to appreciate her emotional distance.

“Whatever, if you can keep up and be silent, oh and won’t be watching your back” With that Maddi started after Skathi.

“What the hell happened to you?” Artur muttered as he set off at the same pace.

To Maddi’s surprise Artur actually managed to keep up and didn’t even seem to need any recovery time. Maddi didn’t have any time to reflect on that right now. From this vantage point they could see the pack camped on the banks of the river that the Cascades fed into. Dawn was just breaking, sending shots of pink and orange across the thin clouds punctuating the sky. The pack were still sleeping, but the more Maddi looked the more she was sure Fen was not down there.

Just then a twig broke in the shadows behind them, when Maddi turned she saw a figure standing there.

“This is impossible” Maddi exclaimed, taking a step forward.

“Hello my dear” came a frail voice from the dark

“Grandmamma? How? I...” it felt like the world was moving, like a rug being pulled from under her feet. Maddi had to grab for the nearest tree to regain her composure.

“Madder, it has been a while” There was a syrupy tone to this voice that Maddi just couldn’t put her finger on.

“I always wondered what Maddi was short for” Artur whispered to Skathi

“Sush”

Maddi moved slowly and tentatively closer.

“Grandmamma, what big eyes you have!”

“All the better to see you with my dear, though I am old and my sight is failing. Step closer so I may see the woman you have become”

“My, Grandmamma, What big ears you have!”

“All the better to hear you with my dear, though my hearing is not what it was. You must come closer you are speaking so quietly”

“And what big teeth you have, Fenrir!” Maddi straightened and aimed her bow as Fen revealed himself with a mighty howl, waking the pack below. “You think me so easily fooled”

“Well you were last time” Fen smirked

“I have grown since then Fenrir”

“Oh, I can see that” There was an undertone to Fen’s voice that Artur wasn’t much liking.

“Don’t talk to her like that” Artur raged

“Or what pup? What will you do about it?”

Just then the sound of the wolf pack baying came from the forest, distracting Maddi for just a moment.

In that moment Fen leapt, pouncing towards his prey, moving through the air toward Maddi. In that split second Artur threw his axe and Maddi watched as it buried its self deep in Fen’s chest. He dropped, mid-pounce, right at Maddi’s feet.

Skathi was at Maddi’s side in a split second, “This isn’t over Maddi. You know what must be done!”

Hanging her head, Maddi inhaled deeply, she could smell the forest and the wolf pack just in the shadows, waiting to see what would become of their Alpha. She looked towards Artur, with a tear in her eye.

“Please don’t watch this” she begged.

With that she dropped her weapons and fell to the floor as her insides burned and twisted like an acid coated hand was trying to rip them out, but she was fighting back. Slowly her body reformed into the slender wolf that was the other half of her.

Maddi stalked over to Fen, whose broken body lay gasping in the dirt. Artur moved forward and removed the axe from his chest and looked directly into her green eyes, the same green eyes he had grown up with. That look conveyed everything Maddi needed to go through with what had to be done. That look that said he understood.

With a low guttural growl she sank her teeth around Fen’s jugular, ripping a gaping hole in the broken wolf’s neck, making sure he was incapacitated. Then she turned her attention to his chest, using her teeth and claws she ripped at his chest until his beating heart was visible. In one final manoeuvre his heart was in Maddi’s mouth and then gone forever. Maddi sat on her haunches; her muzzle bloodied and finally let a tear slide down her fur. It was over, after ten years of hunting he was gone.

A moment later a howl rippled through the pack and in the bright sunshine of the early morning the wolf pack presented themselves in submission to their new Alpha. Even the copper coloured wolf that stood separate to the pack, next to Skathi.

Maddi let all her anguish and tiredness go in howl to rival the noise of the Cascades, echoing down the valley. Red Riding Hood was home.





Day 21 NaBloPoMo - Alone

Alone

 

My heart is weeping

You've no time to talk

The loneliness is eating

Turning light to dark

 

There are times I need you

A ward against the dark

I thought you did too

Seems I don't hold your spark

 

Were we friends?

Or did I dream it?

The road's had many turns

But I still feel it

 

Alone

It's dark

Now is the time

To repair my heart.

Day 14 NaBloPoMo - National Short Story Week

Apologies, original writing Wednesday has drifted to Thursday. But as I haven't yet gone to bed to me it is Wednesday still...ok?! If not blame Deb at Kicking Corners for keeping me chatting!

I read somewhere that this week is National Short Story Week so I have spent all day trying to come up with something to mark this occasion on my little old blog and here it is.

Some of you may have met Faith and Dan before here even in the space of that little exercise she was me without the baggage yet started to morph into her own character. Well she continues to have her own little random adventures, every now and then coming to play in my mind for a while, giving me snippets of her life before the cottage (or after I'm not sure sometimes). Today she wanted to play, regardless of my attempts to tell her tomorrow, today is for serious writing. I think she has a little of my childish side because this just caused a little strop and a day of nothing of use for a short story. Tired and past the daily deadline I have given in and she has her story, I hope you like it.

The Room looked sumptuous and elegant. The guests all in the monochromatic palate and the classy decorations of crystal and candles gave an air of magic about the place. The band playing a mix of pop and rock songs acoustically gave it a timeless energy, people were dancing and smiling. And the donations were coming in thick and fast, Faith had done this. They had been tasked with organising the annual fundraising masquerade together, but seriously Dan’s forte was lugging things around or being outdoors, not stuck in here with sparkly things. She had carried him and he knew it. Now all he had to do was not mess this up!

‘Slow, slow, quick, quick slow.’ The steps to their dance were revolving round in Dan’s head like some kind of speech in a language he didn’t speak or understand. He was going to prove he had two left feet not only to a room full of strangers, plus a few people he knew, but to her. Why exactly did they have to stick with tradition again?

In that moment Dan looked up to see Faith enter the Grand Ballroom and stand at the top of the stair case. She paused, surveying the room to make sure it was as perfect as she had left it. In that pause Dan couldn’t breathe. She simply sparkled. It wasn’t her dress; although it was stunning, a backless number, an interesting mix of lace over satin that skimmed her hips and just touched the top of her shoes, with a split up the left side to allow maximum movement. No she was radiant; her eyes shone through the black mask, adorned with feathers that had a blue/green cast perfectly complementing the green of her eyes, her red hair falling in curls over her shoulders and her red lips the only shots of true colour. Dan recovered himself, realising he had been staring open mouthed for longer than was polite and made his way to the bottom of the stairs.

“You look amazing” was all he could mumble as she glided to meet him.

“Looking good yourself” Faith admired Dan’s toned muscular body wrapped in the tailored black suit, black shirt and tie. “Opting for the non-traditional I see” noting the lack of a bow tie.

“You know me” he shrugged, attempting a natural smile and failing miserably. 

The band came to rest and the master of ceremonies announced the moment Dan had been dreading.

‘Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow. Don’t balls this up, don’t balls this up’ Dan thought to himself.

“Relax” Faith whispered in his ear, sending an electric current down his back.

“Ladies and gentlemen it is my supreme pleasure to present the organisers of this evening’s festivities in the first tango of the evening. Please give them a warm welcome as the take their places on the floor”

Dan inhaled and led his lady onto the floor, presenting her to the room and their rapturous applause. Just for this moment she was his and he was hers, this was their time. Muse-Starlight began to pump across the dance floor and Dan took Faith into his arms, she had chosen this for him and that made him smile on the inside. The closeness of their bodies meant he could feel the beating of their hearts, as one, in time to the bass line of the music. His hand on her bare back and started to lead her in this dance of love. The sensual slowness around the floor, punctuated by the staccato change of direction and the pauses. The pauses that seemed to pulse with the desire they both felt in that moment.

Neither thought about the steps, neither thought of the crowd around them. There was only music. There was only the beating of their hearts. There was only the feeling of their bodies, moving as one, the tension between them growing. The last few steps and Dan dipped Faith into a classical kiss position, their eyes locked framed by their masks, holding that moment drinking each other in. Dan’s lips so close to Faith’s, how he would love to kiss her right now.

After a moment too long, paused and fighting temptation, the applause roused them from their dream and Dan brought Faith back to her feet, leading her to the edge of the dance floor and into the waiting crowd.

He didn’t speak to her again all night, simply watched her move through the crowd with the grace and air of a professional hostess. It was beautiful and alluring to watch. What was he doing getting jealous of the men she was talking to? And if that letch let his hand wander down her back one more time.......

PS Loki at The Modfather posted today (yesterday) one of her funniest posts since I found her.Go have a read and a giggle!

Day 7 of NaBloPoMo - Me, Myself and I

So NaBloPoMo's Wednesday contributions will see me return to posting some of my original writing. Today however I think I have been hanging with Loki-Lou too much (if that is even possible she is hilarious). This combined with my current musical obsession - the Lostprohets has resulted in a very surreal story that turned into an internal conversation with inner voices. I promise I have only taken paracetamol with some Pepsi!!

99% of the lyrics are from the Lostprophets, I hope they don't read this and come after me with some random sharp implement for sodomising their songs :-/ However there are three lines attributed to other artists, prize for anyone who can spot all three (and by prize I mean a very big virtual pat on the back - I am a writer/librarian I can't afford outlandish prizes. I sit here typing with my gloves on to stop my fingers freezing)

So with out further ado (ok maybe a little, the 'you's' in italics means she is talking to the boy, the normal 'you's' mean she is talking to herself)

Me, Myself and I

Girl (G) - ‘You’re here by my side in my summer’

‘Don’t you wake me up, I don’t want this dream to end’

Inner voice 1(I1) - ‘Some days these dreams just ain’t enough’

G - ‘But when you’re here with me that’s all I need’

I1 - You’re ‘lost in fiction’

Inner voice 2 (I2) - ‘So can you feel your heartbeat racing? Can you feel the tension rise?’

I1 - It’s ‘Always the wrong place at the wrong time’ this is ‘No good for me, no good for you’

G - ‘I’m sick of holding it in’

I2 - ‘Stop dreaming, start something’

G - ‘Are we lost or do we know which direction we should go? Sit around and wait for someone to take our hands and lead the way’

I2 - ‘Wake up, yeah I’m so sick of waiting for us to make a move.’ ‘It’s time to make a move’

G - ‘I don’t know how to change from being me, I don’t know what to say, maybe another day’

I1 - ‘If only you tried you could move on.’

G - ‘Another day, in another hand, things could be so different’

I1 - ‘You’re wasting your time’

I2 - ‘For all this to mean so much to me, for all this you make a move’ ‘Win or lose it’s time to choose’

G - ‘Every word I say would come out wrong and make you look the other way’

‘Her eyes are open like a book’

G - ‘I’ll be there cos I can see in your smile time stood still for me when you call’ ‘Answer me this’ ‘ How you feel , when you’re lying next to me’ ‘Could you be the one?’

‘For all these times that we walked away’ ‘Give me something to believe in, give me someone to believe in’

Boy (B) - ‘My soldiers march tonight, in the city of your dreams. This beautiful army are tearing at your seams’

G - But ‘the stars, they shine for you’ ‘I will not let this part of me be apart from you’

B - ‘Hey now dry your eyes, you will recover’ ‘I’m not what you want me to be’ ‘and if we did we won’t be friends’

G - ‘I would stop time to stay with you’ ‘I would stop time to keep you here’

B - ‘Tonight I feel stronger, Goodbye’

I1 - ‘Love, like waves always crashing down around us’

G - ‘I can see into this abyss, there is no stopping me from feeling this’ ‘There’s no hope for me’ ‘I’m slowly taking apart my broken sanity’

I2 - ‘And there’s a lot you can’t undo’

I1 - ‘I’ve never been the one to turn my back or let you fall through those cracks under your feet’ ‘some days are good, some days are tough’

G - ‘I know this feeling I keep buried inside won’t retreat or delete. It ends tonight, the dull pain that remains isn’t pretty’

I2 - ‘So how’s it gonna feel when I leave this town, broke and burning, with memories that we once found’

I1 - ‘Hold on, where we belong’

G - ‘And I seem to think you were once here with me, maybe I was wrong’ ‘And I sit and wonder, falling under’ ‘All these memories pull me down like lead’

Thoughts come my way....but it was nothing at all’ ‘I get the feeling that it’s gone and it’s the reason that I feel so dark now’

I1 - ‘If it wasn’t for love we’d have faded away’

G - ‘You took apart my soul’ ‘You put me on my knees and cut my throat’ ‘See you at the bitter end’

 

 

 

 

G - ‘To all the fights I’ve conquered and beyond’ ‘Love was once a part but now it’s disappeared’ ‘But I still feel lost without you’

‘Yesterday I lost my closest friend, yesterday I wanted time to end. I wonder if my heart will ever mend, I just let you slip away’

‘Maybe I’ll never see you smile again, maybe you thought it was all pretend. All these words that I could never say, I just let them slip away’

‘Maybe one day when I can move along. Maybe someday when you can hear this song. You won’t let this slip away.’ ‘I wonder if you’re listening, picking up on the signals’

‘And I wait here on my own, and I wait to see’

‘Pick myself up off the ground’ ‘And put the pieces back as one’

I1 - ‘Times like these won’t last forever’ ‘Burn, burn the life you can’t choose’

 

G - ‘We’re giving up, we’re moving on’

 

 

B - ‘Hello again, it seems so long since we last met’ ‘Just say hello again, say hello again’ ’Remember what it was like to enjoy our time’

I2 - ‘It’s not the end if you just say hello again’

I1 - ‘But tonight you’ll get it right’

G - ‘I have no regrets’ ‘The memories I hope will never fade’

 ‘Tonight I feel stronger, Goodbye’

 I hope you liked it and you don't now send the men in white coats after me ;-)


The fourth day of shout outs for the Wonderful Team Readership Award goes to Michelle over at Buttered Toast Rocks because it soooo does!! And if the title isn't enough for you visit her because she is an uber talented writer and faces zombies head on in the wee hours of the morning ;-)

Breathe

Don't let go. Don't let go.

Under the duvet, curled in a ball holding her knees to her, hoping that would stop the hole inside bursting out of her chest and consuming her.

Breathe. Just breathe.

But what if she just stopped would any one care? Would anyone notice?

You'd think the hole inside would make it easier to fill her lungs, but it took effort, concentration. Pull your diaphragm down, raise your chest, drag the air inside and let it go. The air escaping from her lungs at speed as if even that doesn't want to stay any longer than it has to.

In, out, in, out.

Alone, so empty. Was it her, was she the reason no one stayed? She always thought she could make it alone, she had many times. People came into her life and left when they chose, each time it got a little harder to handle, but there was always one and now he was gone too.

In, out, in, out.

There was a reason to go on, a reason to breathe she just couldn't see it through the tears. Would the gushing river ever stop? It threatened to wash her face away, the torrent had already taken her smile, or was that already gone? The order of things was getting muddled.

In, out, in, out.

'Mummy' a voice called. It was distant, like a dream, or from a far away land that she no longer belonged to. As she drifted on this ocean the sweet sound came again, 'Mummy'. It was closer this time, a rope attached to her heart was pulling her to shore. She couldn't set foot on land again, she couldn't be there. She didn't know why only that it hurt to be there. She fought, she couldn't go back.

Gasp, in, out, in, out. Breathe, don't forget to breathe.

'Mummy' so loud now, so familiar. Am I the mummy? Is that who I am? A hand plunged into the ocean of duvet and grasped hold of her hand. It was small and smooth, it clung on as only a child can to a parents. Her head broke the surface, their beautiful eyes they belonged to him too. She remebered now, the pain and sorrow but also the need. She had to go on, for them for the little angels that saved her, their hands around hers and whispered in her ear.

'Don't let go. Don't let go. Just hold onto us.'

200 Tuesdays - Nessie

Week two of 200 Tuesdays and another little morsel of original writing for you to enjoy, hope you like it.

Nessie

Peace, static, peace, static. Damn Nessie wished she could hold her breath forever. Life is so much simpler beneath the surface, calm, like the world was on pause. With each coil and stretch, with each stroke she relaxed a little, her resolve steeling for what was to come.

Nessie preferred the open water for swimming; lakes, rivers, oceans. Sometimes though the indoor pool just had to do, it was hard to find open water fit for swimming in the middle of the city. If she could just hold her breath, stay beneath the waves, she wouldn’t have to face what was coming.

Just one more length!

Sooner or later Nessie knew she would have to face her daemon, literally. If she was lucky she would be ready, it would be on her terms. If not who knew what her chances would be, the odds weren’t good. Her parents had trained her well, for this, the year she would come of age.

Since the angels left every sixteen year old had to face ‘their’ daemon before they hit adulthood. Her parents were lucky, their daemons were lower level, her sister was not so lucky and she was nowhere near prepared enough. Nessie would not make that mistake.

She had memorised all that the ancients had written about the creatures of the underworld, categorised by method of kill. She was physically at her peak and the best of her peers at hand to hand combat in all its forms. Only one person, her best friend, out ranked her in sword play but he helped her train so she wasn’t far off the mark.

There were rumours that the underworld was not going to make it easy this season. Rumours that something darker than ever was coming. Nessie had a feeling it would be coming for her.

Just one more length!

view original here



Magic Moment

Today I glimpsed behind the magicians curtain. I saw the magic and I want in!! *sorry if that is a little cryptic, I promise I will clarify soon*