Steven Paul Watson, Author

Blog Flash Day #18:  Wild at Heart                                                                                 

Miranda twisted, quickly knocking the fresh dirt from her hands and trying to ignore the gravestone at her back.  She stood looking for those who were in pursuit but she could no longer see or hear them.  A growl escaped her, she could smell them and they were close.  She turned back to face her destiny, the old katana now leaned against the tombstone.  She quickly grabbed it, growling again, she felt it from within.  Like a reflex, her entire body reacted raising her blade in time to block the strike of another…

Miranda fought to catch her breath, hands on her chest; she had not meant to fall asleep.  The sun had started to set off in the distance and her book lay at her side.  “Bloody hell.”  She could remember the nightmare so vividly, how her heart raced as she ran through an old graveyard with multiple assailants behind her. 

Looking back she could only see the shadows as they pursued.  Tripping and falling, she could still feel the fresh dirt from disturbed ground on her skin as she looked up at her own tombstone. 

(94 Words)

       

Miranda found herself under an old willow as she first opened the book.  She had read it several times in the seven years, and each time she got lost in the fairy tale world.  A different world of distant love, betrayal, passion and hope but she found many likenesses in the sword wielding priestess protagonist.  Separated from the man she loved by distance and allegiances to warring kingdoms, with many twists and turns along her journey.  Miranda always found something new each time she read the book, and each time found it the much needed distraction she needed.

(98 Words)

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YaY!  Over the halfway point of this challenge, it has proven difficult at time to keep with the same story.  If you haven’t, check out the other 15 entries of my Blog Flash Story!!  🙂 

She could smell him, every hair stood on end knowing somewhere close there was a trespasser.  It was too close, to the bars she rushed poking her nose through and though she could not see from here she could get a better idea where the other was.  She knew the bars would not budge to let her to him no matter how hard she pressed, they were there for a reason, to keep others safe from her.  She breathed in and out deeply, the first warning escaping her lungs but still she did not see him.  Another warning and she heard him, scurrying away and then suddenly she saw him fleeing from her territory and she sat up proudly.

The water thrashed around her legs, she reached down with her free hand and splashed water up to her face before her attention went to the book in her other.  The reason she left the cabin, to escape if it was only for a couple hours.  Though more than a couple had passed she still had not opened the book.  One of a collection, given to her by her mother on her eighteenth birthday.  It was more than just the book that made her smile now, the memory of her mother’s smile that day always stayed with her.  

Before she had realized it Miranda had traveled miles, she could hear the running water and immediately knew where she was.  Through the small clearing to see the waterfall her uncle had brought her here to swim, and jump from the small cliff when she was a kid.  She even smiled when she thought how she had promised one day to bring her own children here.  She walked until the cool water came to her knees, thoughts of having children of her own was something she had not had in a long time.  Now she only thought it irresponsible. 

                              

(99 Words)

Derek made no attempt to sit quietly as he attracted looks from the other patrons.  The freshly bandaged hand on the table, the other fiddled with his last paycheck not near enough to cover the overdue bill in his back. 

He glanced at his phone, the text she had left him in the early morning ending the year long engagement.  He grumbled as he deleted the photo that had been his wallpaper for just as long. 

He felt something on his shoulder and quickly looked as the bird took flight to another table and smiled at the gift it left. 

(100 Words)

Miranda left Blue behind, she had not even realized she was weaponless until high up the trail behind her uncle’s cabin.  Book in hand, she looked up at the sun and though the weatherman had called for cloudy skies but it was clear now and she smiled feeling the cool breeze brush across her face.  For half a moment she thought about turning back, before she realized she had traveled further up the trail into the vast Virginiawilderness.  She smiled as she listened to the birds and squirrels play over head, everything was at peace.

(96 Words)  

Miranda stood flicking the glass from her exposed knees and paid little attention to the fresh cuts they left behind.  A wave of guilt washed over her even though she continued to smile.  She almost felt greedy; her entire life was built on the death of her father and the people he was involved with.  Her mother and uncle had spent their lives teaching her, keeping her safe from the threats that now hunted her.  Sacrificing any chance they had at normalcy.  But still she smiled, Blue close behind her as she went to wash off the morning’s relaxation. 

(99 Words)