A-Z Challenge #20: T is for Time

T is for Time, Inching Along

[I'm not really sure where this one came from! Haha]

The Girl watched the little bug scrunch up and straighten out, dragging its body along. It was a bright, bright green, contrasting with everything else in the building she was climbing.

She frowned.

She didn't like to think about the bug being so lost. There was nothing up this way for it to eat - no, she wasn't going to share her catch. Not that it would want any. All this struggle and effort, all this wasted time, to climb its own grave.

The Girl dropped her supplies and scooped the bug up. Briefly, she wondered what it would taste like. But she had a much bigger meal waiting so instead she just stuck in the crook of her neck and began climbing down.

For one more day, at least, she'd help it find someplace better to explore.

Later, when she was back at work, she'd sometimes stop at a window and crane her neck, trying vainly to see if she could spot it in the bushes at the bottom. Of course she couldn't, but there was no harm in trying. She was in no rush. The days were stacked up in line, all the same whether past or future. It would be another year until she would realize she was also climbing a building that would have been her lonely grave. Another year until what she was waiting for, found her.

If time had a smile, it would be as wide as the Chesire's.

*Also, one of the bigger hurdles that has kept me so busy is now over… my sister's Bridal Shower was on Sat. and she loved it! Not only that, but she was surprised! It was a lot of fun, despite the long drive there and back (she lives in CT while my family is in NJ). Hopefully now I can start working through the huge backlog of posts and chapters I've got half read or written and finish a them.*

A-Z Challenge #19: S is for Sharp Shooting

S is for Sharp Shooting, How James Meets Nick

   James meets Nick on a sunny day.
   Somehow, and he should have been suspicious from the start because his luck is never that good, James has found an apple orchard.
   James enjoys a lazy afternoon eating apples until he wants to puke, and strumming his guitar. The guitar is a beat-up, ratty thing, with half its strings missing and a crack in the neck threatening to snap the thing in two. He’s just thinking it might be time to find a place to lie down for the night, when the raiders show up. They’re an mean-looking bunch. Then again, you’re either mean in this new world, or a wimp.
   James knows what he is...
   “This is our orchard,” Tall-Dude says.
   “Just leaving,” James mutters. He turns to go.
   “What about payment for all these apples?” Rat-Faced Girl snaps, and she gestures at the cores littering the ground.
   James wants to say, ‘For being your orchard, you sort of suck at guarding it,’ but instead he offers to play a tune. “For old times’ sake,” he says. And it’s typically 50/50 whether or not that sort of thing will work.
   For these guys, they want more. They want his bag. And James is preparing to run.
   “Where do you think you’re going?” Tall-Dude grins.
   The scuffle would have been short. James hasn’t learned much fighting, since he spends most of his days running, and he’s trapped. In a stupid, last ditch effort, he climbs a tree. Rat-Faced Girl starts to climb after him, when a sound CRACK sounds. The apple closest to the girl’s hand explodes, and both her and James screech. James nearly falls out of the tree in surprise.
    The explosion turns out to be a gun-shot, and a second group of scavengers arrive. James watches the little battle unfold, not surprised that the new comers win. None of the original group seems to have a gun, and not many stick around to try and steal them.
    A young man wanders over and looks up the tree where James is still perched, too terrified to climb down. He has a narrow face, but wide smile. Skin naturally tanned, and eyes slanted.
   “Can you play that?” The stranger asks.
   “What?”
   “The guitar. Can you play it?”
   James nods.
   “Perfect. My name’s Nick.”
   “James.”
   The day James met Nick was sunny, sky blue and wide, and important, so important, that if James had known he would have refused the offer. Since he doesn’t, and only thinks it’s a little safety for a little while, James shakes Nick’s hand.


[I'm keeping my A-Z challenge entries themed. They're set in the post-apocalyptic world of my current w.i.p The Wandering Shadow. They're typically scenes featuring the four main characters - Art, James, Barnard, and Elpirt. I hope you find them entertaining and enjoy learning about the characters. Excited to be a part of the A-Z Challenge!]

A-Z Challenge #18: R is for Rusty

R is for Rusty


"Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole" - R. Caras

A lhasa apso with a big heart to match his bigger than life attitude. Nearly took off my finger once when I tried to rescue him from chocolate. But I loved him. He's in a better place now, chowing down on chocolate, bones, and meat. I don't want to make this post too sad... we may have lost Rusty this morning, but I want to remember all the good times when he was still alive.

So I'm going to share a happy memory:

One time my boyfriend and I were walking Rusty, watching him for my dad and whatnot, and we're walking along, all casual, and Rusty is this tiny little guy. This HUGE dog playing outside with his family gets away from the kids and starts leaping around and charging towards us. I'm flipping out more than Rusty. Rusty just sort of snorts and turns on his heel, all, 'What's this dude think he can do to me? Pff...'

Haha, that was Rusty.....  <3

A-Z Challenge #17: Q is for Quest

AN: First off, I'm a little behind on replying to comments. Never fear, I will catch up! Though I wonder why Blogger doesn't have the ability to make the replies to comments alert worthy? Maybe they do and I haven't found the option yet...

Also, I have stared at this snippet for quite awhile... and I'm fairly certain the tenses in the first part don't match the rest. This is because tenses are my mortal enemies, and they like it when I embarrass myself by showing off my lack of comprehension. If by some miracle they do match... well... I guess I win this one, eh tenses?

Q is for Quest, Of Which There are Many

Quest #72

   “You're... you're...” The woman gasps for air, but he didn't loosen his hold. This was their first lead in days, and he'd die before leaving without the information he was after.

   They're both covered in sweat and grime. The smell in the air is enough to make him swallow down bile incessantly. He thinks about never exploring the old, mutating sewer system again. He's had enough of slick floors making his footsteps squelch, and molting people with wandering memories and wart covered skin. He's had enough of sludge glowing in the dark, and snapping turtles more fierce than rats.

   “Ch-Ch-Chessss-”

   “Chester,” he snaps, pent up anger and fear adding an almost physical bite to his words. She flinches and flounders in his hold, face swelling as she struggles for air. He thinks she could pass for a witch, maybe something worse. “The Bard. Perhaps you've heard of The Wandering Shadows?”

   Her breathing comes out in sick wheezes.

   “Well!”

   “Yes. I-I-we have.”

   Cool relief floods his body. “Good. Then maybe you can help me. Where are they keeping him?”

   She shakes, trying to protest. “Who, who ah-ah-ah're you-”

   Chester has no time for games. “I want to know where they've taken Art. I want to know now.”

[I'm keeping my A-Z challenge entries themed. They're set in the post-apocalyptic world of my current w.i.p The Wandering Shadow. They're typically scenes featuring the four main characters - Art, James, Barnard, and Elpirt. I hope you find them entertaining and enjoy learning about the characters. Excited to be a part of the A-Z Challenge!]

A-Z Challenge #16: P is for People

P is for People, Shadows of the World

[Went a little experimental again... I think it fell a little flat, hmm... let me know what you think!]

    They had been loud.

    There had been cars that guzzled, and the heavy hammering of buildings sprouting up like concrete trees. There had been music, always music, playing through cracked windows somewhere. And shouting, often shouting, of strangers or lovers or others. And if there wasn't screaming there was laughter, whether the small sort of children or the deep sort of adults. Footsteps, whistles, sirens, bells, honks, horns, rings and hums.

    Now they are quiet.

    Now the earth is the loud one.

    Time sending concrete jungles to the ground, overrun with vines and plants and the tiny steps of rodents. Music is scarce, and laughter even rarer. Shouting still happens, from time to time, but it is desperate most often, and short. The people duck into nooks and crannies and lean against one another and wait. What are they waiting for?

    They move like shadows. Quiet, solemn, and waning.

[I'm keeping my A-Z challenge entries themed. They're set in the post-apocalyptic world of my current w.i.p The Wandering Shadow. They're typically scenes featuring the four main characters - Art, James, Barnard, and Elpirt. I hope you find them entertaining and enjoy learning about the characters. Excited to be a part of the A-Z Challenge!]

A-Z Challenge #15: O is for Omitting

O is for Omitting, A Short Conversation

   “Thanks.” Why are you here?
   “It wasn’t any trouble.” I’m sorry.
   “Elpirt says the wound’s not that bad.” Why did you leave?
   “Ellie would know.” I was stupid.
   “We’re going to head out tomorrow.” What do you want?
   “I’ve already helped Barnard pack.” Can you forgive me.
   “I fought a lion!” Of course. And you called me an idiot?
   “I saw it. I was surprised to see one alive.” Thank you. Thank you.
   “Let’s have a feast! Lots of celebrating to do now. Hey, tell Elpirt I should be allowed to get up. We’ve got to eat lots of food and, hey, you got a new guitar? Music! We need music and -” Well, you were stupid, but families forgive stupid stuff.
   “Stop moving! The bandages, geez, Art lie back down!” Family.


[I'm keeping my A-Z challenge entries themed. They're set in the post-apocalyptic world of my current w.i.p The Wandering Shadow. They're typically scenes featuring the four main characters - Art, James, Barnard, and Elpirt. I hope you find them entertaining and enjoy learning about the characters. Excited to be a part of the A-Z Challenge!]

A-Z Challenge #14: N is for News

N is for News Update!

So, a little break from the regularly scheduled posting of Wandering Shadow snippets. (shh.... this isn't because I totally blanked on a snippet for N, *shakes head vigorously* not at all)


Anyway... first off, thank you to everyone who has been following the snippets so far. I know I don't give a lot of explanation behind them, haha, so I hope you're enjoying them despite probably being a little confused. I guess to give a tiny bit of information - The Wandering Shadow is set in a post-apocalyptic world, and you follow Art as he collect (*coughdragscough*) a couple of other survivors into his mad scheme of living-it-up in this supposed "dead" world. Naturally, they have varying degrees of tolerance for Art's antics. The book is mostly from James' point-of-view, and, well, James is not so easily convinced that life is anything to hoorah about.

So, besides the snippets, I've been a little busy the past week, and I'm going to be quite busy this week. And whenever I get super busy I sort of shut-down on things not directly related to what needs to be done. Unfortunately, writing falls under this. Luckily, I haven't just been sitting around fretting (not too much, anyway), and I've try to maintain a certain level of productivity.