by Sarah | Nov 13, 2011 | Challenge, Escaping Humanity, Writing
The Saga Continues. Since we alternate every week, you start at Mary’s site with Chapter 5 of “Escaping Humanity” – then come back here and read Chapter 6!!!
For those that have missed this from the beginning, you can find the complete story description and chapter listing HERE.
*~*~*~*
James led Annie down the hall quick as he could. The sooner he could pass her off, the sooner he could go let off some steam. Something about being near this woman was making his already taut nerves shatter.
For her part, Annie was still laughing under her breath. Apparently tension made her giddy. Either that or she was cracking under the pressure. Around here it wasn’t an uncommon event.
“Here we are,” he pushed open Warren’s office door. The brief relief he’d felt flew away at the empty space inside. “Dammit.”
“What?” Annie followed him in, a soft gasp interrupting the smile she’d still been sporting. “Oh my.”
James left the door open while she scanned the wall of monitors in Warren’s office. Just as he was about to grab his cell to text him, it buzzed with an incoming text.
Something came up. Be there soon as we can.
“Damn.” He shoved the phone back in his pocket, “Cyber’s been delayed. Have a seat. We’ll wait here.”
She took a seat, then looked up at him, “Are we going to sit in sullen silence? Or do you want to tell me about this telethon?”
“You don’t remember that either?”
“I told you. I don’t remember anything before the battle.”
James sighed, “Fine. The telethon. It was supposed to be to raise money and awareness as to what mutants really were. To help those hurt by the military, and their families. It was all my Mom’s idea.”
*~*
Five Years Earlier (2018)
“No. I don’t want this to be a parade or a freak show for the viewing public’s fun and pleasure.” Talisa slammed down her clipboard, “We aren’t a circus side show. This is serious. Any day now they could launch an all out attack.”
Roark walked up behind her and rubbed her shoulders, “I agree, Li – but we also have to make some bit of a show. There has to be at least a few mutants that have physical abnormalities. Everyone that we use has volunteered for it. They know what they’re getting into.”
James’ hands clenched together and his low growl rumbled through the room, “This whole thing is a freak show! Why don’t we just fight already? I’m sick of the subterfuge. You’ve got Cyber running so many pathways for this thing the entire country is wired for battle! I’m sick of hiding!”
“James,” Talisa’s voice switched in a flash. The frustration melting into concern and warmth he knew she reserved for all of her kids. Her hand smoothed along his head before rubbing his back, “If we go to an all out war, the destruction could be extreme. Right now our best defense is counteracting the propaganda. This telethon will take a large leap in that direction.”
“We’re taking every precaution to make sure that everything about this telethon is safe.” Roark didn’t approach, but his concern was laced into the warmth of his voice. Underneath it he was as tense as James, and James knew it. “Cyber is running all the interference necessary, making everything unhackable by even the best military minds. There are p.o. boxes all over the country in the offices where our best mutants are working. If this fails, you may just get your wish.”
“It’s not a wish,” Talisa snapped. “We don’t want a war. It would be too vast, too huge. So many innocent lives, both human and mutant, would be lost. I like a good fight as much as either of you, but I don’t want an all out war.”
“No one does,” Roark sighed.
“It’s going to happen.” James shrugged off Talisa’s hand and stood up. “Don’t delude yourselves into thinking this freak show is going to do anything but make them angrier. Make them hunt us down even harder. I’m supposed to be protecting our people!”
“And you do protect them.” Talisa frowned, “But we have to do whatever we can. Make people know what we are. How we were created.”
“Look at everyone here, James.” Roark pointed outside the windows of the office they were in. The crew was setting up for the first hour of the telethon. Both humans and mutants greeted each other like old friends. Some were starting to take their seats behind the phones. Others were showing off their mutations to each other. “They all have hope for something better. We need to foster the hope, not the fear.”
“You’ve turned into such a weak old man,” James snarled. “I remember when you both used to fight first and bother with science later.”
The sharp sting at the back of his head was the only warning before Talisa had him pinned on the floor. Her own snarl was deep and harsh. Pressure drove into his trachea, cutting off his air supply, “We lost a lot of good people that way. I almost didn’t live the last time we tried it that way. If the day comes that we need to fight you know we will be there on the front lines. Right now we are doing whatever we can to keep you and your brothers and sisters alive for as long as we possibly can! You need to stop being such an angry little brat and start using the brain I created you with!”
“Li,” Roark pulled her back against him. “Let him breathe.”
James coughed once the air started returning to his lungs. “Dammit, Ma!”
Roark growled low, “Remember son. We’ve been fighting since before you were created. You have the need for battle in you, but you haven’t had to live with nearly half the consequences we have. I hope you never have to.”
“I hope I never get as weak as you two have.” James spun on his heel and slammed the door behind him.
*~*
Back to 2023
James jaw clenched, staring at his clenched fists in his lap. The consequences he’d ended up facing were far worse than he’d ever expected. Worse than his parents had ever expected. “I was right. Everything escalated after the telethon. Within a year all out war had started. Small skirmishes grew into larger battles. Then a year ago the militaries sent out the mass destruction efforts.”
“And your mom was right about the innocent lives,” Annie’s voice was soft.
“To say the least.” James straightened up, pulling his phone out of his pocket. After he sent off a quick text he hopped to his feet. “Gotta go. Cyber will be here soon.”
“Wait. What?” Her face fell and she rose to her feet, “I’m just supposed to sit and wait?”
“Something like that. I don’t care. Just know that every move you make will be watched.” James walked to the door and closed it behind him. The memory had shaken him too much; he couldn’t be around anyone like her while he dealt with it. She was a stranger. An unknown. It had to stay that way.
“That was rude, big brother.” Charlotte touched his arm. The concern in her eyes let him know how much she’d overheard, “Go on. Lynx is waiting for you in the training room. I think after that you need it. I’ll wait with Anna.”
“Annie. She wants to be called Annie.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
by Sarah | Nov 6, 2011 | Challenge, Escaping Humanity, Writing
The Saga Continues. Since we alternate every week, you start here with Part 3 of “Escaping Humanity” – click HERE to go to Mary’s site and read Part 4!
*~*~*~*
Ilana sat on the stone banister of the steps in front of Anna’s apartment. On the surface she kept her features stoic, almost bored. For anyone that passed by the dirt under her nails was all that had her attention.
Inside she was laughing her ass off. James’ internal dialogue about the woman he was attempting to ‘save’ was just too much.
Dammit, she’s a stubborn one. What the hell does she have in that bag? Could we be tracked because of it? After a pause, he went right back to admiring her again. For someone that’s dying she’s got a hell of a figure.
Ilana sighed, picking at some actual dirt beneath a nail. James was a great warrior, an excellent tracker. Underneath it all he was always disgustingly male. She shut down the telepathic energy in her brain to stop listening in on his next series of thoughts. As amusing as some of his thoughts could be, she didn’t like watching porno. Plus, when he switched back to suspicion again, and he inevitably would, it would make her paranoid.
She hated being paranoid. Yes, they were living in a really shitty time. There were few people you could trust. Yes, she was fully aware of every danger lurking around every corner. Yes, she knew all too well how much the minds of the military had been corrupted into believing mutants were an evil insidious race.
Before the war had gone from covert military action to all out fighting, Ilana had been anything but paranoid. There’d been a time when she was anything but dark and depressed. There were days before she was nothing but a Guardian living only to protect her people and kill those that would kill them.
Unlike her parents, all of their kids had been born mutants. Ilana had been the most unique of them all. Instead of one mutation, or even two, Ilana had been able to call on any of the mutations her family members had. At will. Just as easy she could push it away like it had never been there.
She’d been pegged as a Guardian of her people. The embodiment of ancient tales of a shape shifter born to protect that had come to life.
Believing that, Ilana knew she’d been spoiled. Rotten as the day was long, she’d been a difficult child for her mother.
The War had changed all of that.
Guardian.
What a joke.
She hadn’t been able to stop the destruction of her tribe’s lands. She hadn’t been able to save her own parents.
“Illy,” James’ voice was soft. His hand on her shoulder was warm. “I left you alone too long again.”
James understood. His self-loathing over what had happened to their parents was close to equal to what she carried. Aware now of the tears lingering on her cheeks, she wiped at them and forced forward a smile. “I’m fine, Jimmy. This her?”
In a brief thinning of the dust cloud still darkening the sky, the young woman’s blonde hair shimmered a bit red. At first her blue eyes were wide with shock, but inevitably narrowed in suspicion.
“Yup. Insisted she bring a bag. Think you can haul this load?”
Ilana smirked, despite Anna’s anger-flushed skin. James’ intent had been to make her smile, not insult Anna. Even if he had managed to do both with a skill she almost envied. “Be nice, Jimmy. She’s got no idea what’s going on. Although with her mutation I have no idea how she couldn’t.”
“The war,” Anna straightened up like she was putting her backbone back into place. Admirable, even if it was an act. Without reading Anna’s mind, Ilana could see how worried and afraid she was. It was something they were all too used to seeing these days. Everyone they rescued wore the thin lips, wide eyes and pale flesh of fear. “New York City is pretty much dead. I can find signals out, but so much information is controlled or encrypted beyond what I can do.”
“Cyber,” Ilana said at the same time as James.
They both laughed and James nodded at her, “Exactly. I’m guessing whatever information Anna got a hold of was all military propaganda. Cyber is intent on protecting everything else from those that would use it to hurt us.”
“So you want the world to think the military is right?” Anna huffed, “Because if he’s blocking all of that information, no one is getting it!”
“He’s trying to make sure mutants are safe. There are more military now than mutants, or even humans. General Steele has all the power. More than the President who’s only a figure head these days.” Ilana sighed, “We have to be careful who gets their hands on what until we have a better idea what position we are in.”
“For what?”
“To fight back.” James lifted his chin, his lips curling up in an eager grin. “To pay back the bastards that created us only to try to destroy us all.”
“You look excited at the thought that this war isn’t over.” Anna adjusted her bag, taking a step back. “Haven’t we had enough?”
Ilana pursed her lips, “James. Is the distraction set into place? We should get out of here as soon as possible.”
Before James could answer a loud scream echoed through the remains of the buildings all around them. James grinned as it was followed by gunfire and high pitched female laughter. An explosion shook the ground, “I think she’s got it covered. Why didn’t you check yourself?”
“Because I didn’t want to hear your sick and twist thoughts, thanks for asking. You okay to get back to the plane?” Ilana rolled her shoulders, preparing for what she had to do next. In a blink she pulled on the one mutation she was born with and could never dismiss. Shape shifting.
“I’m fine. I’ll probably help out Lynx and meet you back there.”
“Fine. Just remember – you could still be killed!” Ilana frowned, knowing that he’d heard her even though he’d started running before she’d been close to finishing.
His voice echoed back in his gleeful shout, “Failure is not an option!!”
Ilana rolled her eyes, “Well then, Anna are you ready to get away from the chaos?”
Anna clutched her bag to her chest, staring where James had disappeared. What little color had been in her face was gone. Pale as a ghost, the dark circles under her eyes added to the effect of death. Maybe she wasn’t wrong. Maybe she was dying.
Ilana moved closer and touched her arm, “I know it’s overwhelming, Anna. I know James is a total idiot and handled this poorly. I mean really, I know there’s only a very small patch of Central Park left – but even post war it’s the last place you’d go to meet a stranger. Lynx and I came to late to stop his idiotic move there. Really, though. We’re the good guys. If there is such a thing.”
Anna trembled but nodded, “He’s a jerk.”
“Let’s get moving. Those two will only be able to distract the soldiers for so long. Once they scatter, our chance to escape will be lessened.”
Anna took a shaky breath, “But how will we leave?”
Ilana grinned, pulling her shoulders forward as wings grew out of her back. They stretched out to full length under Anna’s wide-eyed gaze. “We’re going to fly.”
“What the hell?”
“Yeah. I get that a lot. There’s a lot you have to learn, Anna. Don’t worry, I’m stronger than I look. We’ll get to the plane long before those two animals do.” Ilana stepped closer, “I know. It’s weird being picked up by a girl, but it’s going to happen.”
Anna’s weak protest was ignored as Ilana scooped her up and bent her knees. “Don’t hold your breath, Anna. That makes it worse.”
With a push she flew straight up into the air, making it to the dust clouds as quick as she could. It wouldn’t help them if any of the soldiers saw them before they hit the cover of the dust clouds.
Ilana didn’t need to see to fly back to their plane. Her sense of direction was impeccable. To her fortune Anna had gone completely still. If the woman had fought it would have been a bigger problem. Instead they made it to the plane with little trouble.
The barn they’d hidden it in was next to a burned out field. The barn itself was scorched and half falling over. Ilana pulled open the door of the barn, “Our plane is inside. It’s nothing fancy, but it gets us there. Cyber’s trying to build us something much nicer and stealthier – but parts are hard to come by. James will be along soon.”
“Seriously. What are you people?”
“Mutants.”
“I know that. What are you?”
Ilana’s amusement faded. “We’re what the military created with their virus, Anna. Thousands of mutants created because they tried to make super soldiers and instead spread a virus across the planet. In return for their blunder, they tried to find us all and kill us. You were there, you should know this.”
“I don’t remember.” Anna pulled her bag close, “I just remember the end. The day the city was destroyed. Before that – I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Then when we get back home you’ll get a history lesson. Right now all you need to know is that we are the ones fighting for survival. Mutants aren’t an insidious species. We are the victims of a virus. We just want to survive. To live. Like everyone else. Now please get on the plane. Hold onto the armrest, this plane has no stealth. We’ll be in for a bumpy ride.”
“I’m already on a bumpy ride.”
“It’ll get worse before it gets better.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
by Sarah | Nov 1, 2011 | Challenge, Escaping Humanity
My good friend, alpha reader, and all around awesome individual Mary & I decided to have a little fun with our challenges. For at least the next few weeks we are going to joint write a story using prompts alone as our guide. So, if you want to see Part 1 of “Escaping Humanity” – click HERE to go to her site and read it!
*~*~*~*
Well if everything hadn’t just gotten exponentially complicated. Most missions James had been on went smoothly. Mutants were scattered everywhere now, still being picked off by military that had been kept safe in hidden locations when the worst had hit.
James’ own home had been destroyed, the reservation that had housed not only a large Lenape tribe, but many mutants. His parents, fighting on the front lines had been blown up in front of his own eyes. The loss of them had been almost too much for him and his brothers and sisters to bear. Only the thought of keeping the people they held dear together had made any of them move forward.
Now what was left of the tribe had gathered in Montana. They had started rebuilding a life there. One that had become a sanctuary for many mutants. The Lenape had always accepted those that had developed mutations from the virus, so keeping the easy rapport had made sense.
His Mom’s old friend Warren had returned to the states with his wife Abigail. Since then, they’d been working to find as many mutants as possible to take to safety before the military found them. It was his job, along with his sister Ilana, to gather them up and bring them back.
Now there was this one. Anna. The young woman in front of him was a mutant, her response to his statement had been proof enough.
But dying? That complicated things. While Abigail was an excellent doctor, medicine was hard to come by. They had to rely on the land for most of it. Raiding abandoned hospitals was their next bet.
Maybe this was a case of mistaken identity. None of Anna’s records that they’d found had revealed any doctors at all. “Are you sure?”
Her scoffing laugh was enough of an answer, but she elaborated. “Yes, I’m sure. Or do you think I said it to make you go away?”
“Well that would be stupid. It would make me more determined to get you out of here. Somewhere that you can be cared for.”
“So you’ll take me some place I don’t know so that I can die with an audience? No thanks.”
“No. So that maybe you can get help.” He couldn’t stop the sneer that formed. “Or would you rather stay a spoiled brat and be killed in a far worse way then whatever is killing you?”
“Excuse me?” While moments before she’d been a bit trepidatious, she now showed him a bit of fire under her tired features; a fire that raged even more when she moved toward him. “You don’t know anything. So just go away or I will make you.”
A smile tugged at his lips, but he kept it in check. “I’m not leaving without you. There are people out there that will torture and kill you just for being a mutant. Spirits forbid the military get a hold of you. I can take you somewhere with a doctor and that’s safe.”
“I have absolutely no reason to trust you.”
“No. You don’t. Just…hold on.” He pulled out the ringing cell phone in his pocket and flipped it open. Keeping in mind the woman in front of him, he used Warren’s code name, “Yeah, Cy? What did you need? There’s been a complication. It’s taking too long to get her out of here.”
“A cell phone? There’s no active tower here!” Anna moved toward him, her eyes glued to the device.
James held up his hand to silence her and keep her at a distance, “No. She’s giving me trouble. Not frightened and desperate like most of them. She didn’t know what she was.”
“How could she not know? With the war, I thought everyone knew.” Warren’s voice raised a few decibels with his disbelief. “That’s what the damn war was about!”
“Look, I’m not paid to psychoanalyze the nutcases.”
“You’re not paid.”
“Exactly.” James looked over at Anna, feeling a little lift of satisfaction at her scoff of defiance. “She doesn’t trust me.”
“You got a mug like your Dad’s. I’m not surprised. Put her on the phone for me.”
James quirked a brow, but held out the phone. “Anna. Cyber wants to talk to you.”
She snatched the phone away, “Hello?”
James didn’t let on that he could hear every word. He walked to the window and looked out as Warren started to talk.
“Hello, Anna. Have you figured out my trail yet?”
The lingering silence almost brought a chuckle out of the depths of darkness James always carried these days. Almost.
“I’m not sure what you mean.” Anna recovered, but too late for them to not know she was bluffing. “What trail? There’s a strange man in my living room, and one on a cell phone in an area with no towers.”
“Don’t play dumb. It’s beneath your capabilities. Have you figured out how I got this cell phone to work? Have you followed my trail all the way to where I am?” Warren did chuckle into the line, but it was brief and respectably short.
“Not all the way,” she whispered. As if it would mean he wouldn’t hear her. “I’m tied up somewhere around what used to be Chicago. Where are you?”
So Warren had been right. Her mutation was the same as his. Being able to communicate with computers and through the internet using just their brain.
Warren smiled, “Despite the ground destruction in Chicago, many of the lines and towers survived. It’s easy to get signals twisted around there. That’s why I always use it as a hub. Don’t feel bad. For every hack you try, I’ve already got a counterattack in place. You’re not supposed to be able to get past Chicago.”
“How do you know?”
“If you want to know that, you’ll have to come and see for yourself.” Warren wasn’t an idiot, he knew James could hear. Without changing his tone of voice he spoke, “James. What is the complication?”
“You mean besides the ground troops heading this way?” James still didn’t turn around, but he could almost feel daggers being glared into his back. “She says she’s dying. I have no confirmation of the fact.”
“I am.” There was almost a sob in her voice, but then it was gone. “I don’t need a doctor to tell me that.”
“I see. Well, we have an amazing doctor here, Anna. We also have managed to procure a decent amount of equipment and medicine. Please, let us try to help.” Warren sighed, “How close are they, James?”
“Two miles. Give or take.”
“He’s spot on, Anna. He always is. I think it’s best to take your chance with James over those troops.” Warren’s tone was warm, but concerned. “The military will do whatever it takes to rid the earth of mutants. You don’t want to be caught.”
“I’ve passed their sweeps before without incident.” Anna was unsure, her voice lacking any conviction. When James turned around he saw how wide her eyes were. Fear.
“Maybe you would this time. But now you know what you are. It’s much harder to fake when you know the truth.”
James shook his head, “I’m done with the pleasantries, Cyber. We need to get out of here. They know my face and we will have trouble.”
“Okay!” Anna gasped when he advanced toward her. “I’ll go. I need to pack.”
“No time. Give me the phone. We’re leaving now.”
For a moment it looked like she’d be stubborn. Then she handed him his phone with a frown, “And just how are you going to get us out of here without them catching us?”
“Oh, I have my ways. Now let’s move. We have clothes and food at the reservation.”
“Wait. I need one thing.”
It took all his effort to not shout and scream at her to move. Instead he gave a short nod, “You have thirty seconds.”
She was back in fifteen, a large purse that might have been called a small suitcase slung over her shoulder. “Okay. I’m ready.”
“Good. I have one rule. Until we get there you do as I say. Remember, your life depends on it.”
“Doesn’t mean much to a dying woman.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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by Sarah | Oct 27, 2011 | Challenge, Changing Tracks, Writing
“Wake up,” Jane hissed. She jammed her elbow into her friend’s side. “You start snoring and we’re done for.”
“I’m up,” Marjorie mumbled. “It’s just the dark is easier on my eyes than that dress. What was that woman thinking?”
“She’s thinking she looks like a proper lady should.”
Marjorie’s eyes opened at that and she flashed her teeth at Jane, “Well she looks like a circus clown. What’s she going on about now?”
“About the evils of recreational drugs, hippies and their protests. I’m pretty sure she mentioned Woodstock in there. Of course, pants are evil and heaven forbid we wear short skirts.” At that Jane tugged at her own tiny slip of a dress. It wasn’t modesty, she had none. It was anger. “Now get back to helping me instead of dozing there.”
“Does she know we went?” Marjorie sat up and grabbed a few bibles and her stamp, stamping them dutifully, if a bit slow. “And how did we get stuck with this boring job? I mean really, stamping the new bibles with our church’s name?”
“Well neither of us sew, and we don’t bake. This is really all that’s left for girls wishing to do something for their church. Besides, do you really want to be in the middle of that quilt circle?” Jane stamped the next book with a bit too much force. The judging eyes of Mabel Greene turned their direction.
In unison both women gave her their most saccharine of smiles. Marjorie dropped hers the second Mabel looked away. “I’m all for helping people, that’s why I signed up for this Auxiliary thing. We’ve done no community outreach, and been judged every week because we live free.”
“You’d think with the flood victims we’d be doing something other than stamping brand new bibles.” Jane frowned down at the book in her hands. “The money used to buy these could have gone to buy clothes for the children.”
“Does that woman ever shut up?”
“I wish she subscribed to the same rule as her husband. A good sermon should be like a woman’s skirt; short enough to rouse the interest, but long enough to cover the essentials. Like mine.” While short and still in style, Jane always kept her skirts a little longer than most.
“Just wear pants and you never have to worry.” Margie slammed down her bible on the table, the humor of her statement lost in the rise of her anger. Speaking of sermons, it was clear she was about to blow with one of her own.
“Is there a problem, ladies?” Mabel looked over at them, “Are you tired from all of your free living and merry making?”
“No. We’re tired of you and your hypocritical ways, Mabel Greene. Does your husband know you diverted the funds to buy these bibles instead of buying food and clothing for the flood victims over in the next town?”
Jane rose to her feet next to her friend. There wasn’t a lick of embarrassment. Not at all, after all, Marjorie was right. “There are children without clothes or food and you’re worried about the length of my skirt?”
“Not just the length of your skirt. It’s your loose ways, Jane.”
“Loose? I am far from loose, Mabel. Then again you don’t care do you? You’re the one that spreads the rumors that claim I sleep with half the town’s police force just because I am friends with them.”
Marjorie laced her arm through Jane’s. She alone knew the truth of Jane’s feelings for one man alone. “We don’t need them, Jane. This isn’t the only church in town. And who says we need a church to do good deeds?”
Truth was she liked the preacher at the church. Before Marjorie had gotten to town he was one of the few that supported her and believed in her amnesia. Marjorie had a point, though. They didn’t need the Auxiliary to do good deeds. “You know what, Marjorie? You’re right. Let’s go.”
“I bet Cole will contribute something,” Marjorie said as they walked out the door. “Man hasn’t stepped foot in a church in years, but he’s not about to let people suffer in favor of fresh clean bibles.”
Jane laughed, “Well he’d let people suffer – but not innocent lives and definitely not in favor of bibles.”
Speak of the devil himself, Cole was standing outside leaning on his motorcycle. His cockeyed grin gave away his excitement to see them get out early. “Hey, Janey.”
She let him tug her close and returned his kiss without restraint. “Hey.”
“Didn’t expect the two of you for another hour.”
“Well we told Mabel Greene to shove her bibles up her ass.” Marjorie grinned, “And it felt real good.”
“Wish I could have seen that. You should have told me, we could have sold tickets for a show like that.” Cole’s hand slipped along the line of Jane’s skirt. The man would tease her until the day she died. Not that she minded as long as he followed through. “What set you off?”
“They bought brand new bibles. The old ones were holding up fine, but she used the Auxiliary money to buy new bibles instead of helping the victims over in the next town. After the flood those people have nothing.”
Cole’s eyebrow quirked up and his lip quirked up, “That mean you two are planning on doing something?”
“You bet we are. And you’re going to help.” Jane leaned against him. He wasn’t the only one that could tease. She moved in for a kiss but stopped just shy of touching her lips to his, “Right?”
“What’s in it for me?”
“Me.”
“I’ll do whatever you want.”
*~*~*~*~*
***I took characters from my (currently being queried) novel, Changing Tracks – and moved them forward in time 100 years. From the 1870’s to 1969.
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by Sarah | Oct 20, 2011 | Challenge, The Tribe
“Seriously?”
“Yes.”
“I’d really rather go out and find us a fresh kill than eat this.”
Velli rolled her eyes and handed him the chop sticks, “You’re three hundred years old. You’ve never eaten sushi?”
“Not on your life.” With a low growl, Kane grabbed the chopsticks and poked at the assemblage of rolls and nigiri on his plate. “What is that?”
“Use your nose and tell me.”
“It all smells like Lake Erie in the seventies.”
“You’re an uncouth oaf.” Velli dipped her roll in wasabi and held it out to him, “Eat. You’ll like it.”
“There’s a beak in it.”
“It’s a carrot, you dope. Eat.”
His nose wrinkled and his mouth twisted into a tight curl. The longer it sat in front of his face, the higher his lip curled up. “No. I’ll wait, Shift tonight and get something more appetizing.”
“The big tough man is afraid of a little sushi.” A giggle escaped and she stuffed the roll in her mouth. With a sigh, she sat back in her chair. “You’ve eaten fresh fish from the river.”
“Only when we were in Werewolf territory and all the local game was in hiding. I was desperate and it took all of our effort not to throw it back up.”
“Then eat that one. There’s no seafood in it.”
“The scent transfers the taste.”
“You should Shift into a chicken.”
“I just don’t get why we had to eat here when there’s a perfectly good steak house across the street.” Once again his chop sticks poked at the nigiri in front of him.
“Because you want me happy. I haven’t had sushi in weeks. I want sushi.” The moment he opened his mouth to protest she shoved a california roll in his mouth. “Now shut up and eat. Unless you want to have a very cold bed tonight.”
For a moment it looked like he was going to spit the food back out. His body wrenched when his gag reflex kicked in. There was no chewing, only one large gulp as he swallowed it whole. “I ought to spank you for that.”
“Really? Oh goody…let me do it again.”
*~*~*~*~*
***Same characters as last week’s post. I loved this prompt but was at a loss as to what to write for it. Then my friend and alpha-reader suggested these two arguing. It worked really well 😀
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by Sarah | Oct 16, 2011 | 100 Words, Challenge
It’s never ending.
More. Better. Bigger. Nicer.
What’s in front of us. What’s right here. It’s never enough.
Someone else always has something better. Something nicer. Something WE want.
How do they do it when we struggle so much? How did they get that new car? How come we never get ahead?
Every time we get a toe-hold, the rocks crumble to dust and we fall again.
Stuck between not enough, and without anything.
Then we turn.
See their bright faces.
The smiles and sparkling eyes.
Asking us to play. To hug. To love.
Then. Only then.
We are satisfied.
****
For the first time ever, I wrote this to its conclusion…stopped…hit word count…and it was 100 words exactly. Without trying, editing or effort. Now I am the one satisfied 😉
Please, visit Velvet’s site to check out other more worthy entries…
The Saga Continues. Since we alternate every week, you start at Mary’s site with Chapter 5 of “Escaping Humanity” – then come back here and read Chapter 6!!! 
