Bells in the Rain (Visual Dare)

My flash fiction for this weeks Visual Dare!

Anne-Lynn stood with her forehead on the glass; the bells rang in her ears as she watched the rain pour down on the other side.  She bounced her ring finger on the glass and smiled each time it made the bells chime. 
“Miss you.  Miss you so much.”  She whispered as she closed her eyes.  Again she bounced the ring against the glass and smiled through the tears.  It had been years since the car accident, she still remembered his mother’s voice filled with hesitation, dread, and sorrow.  The accident was two days after he proposed. 
(96 Words)

Blog Flash Day #6: Reading

Blog Flash 2012

Blog Flash 2012 Day #6:  Reading

Her uncle pulled away after their hug, he was not an easy man to read.  She had not spent enough time around him to know his tells.  “What aren’t you telling me?”
He paused with a sigh, “they found your friend Ashley this morning…”
Miranda paused, “And you thought it was me?”  She could hear Ashley’s laugh even now.
“They are looking for you it is only a matter of time before they find you.”
Miranda crossed the room, Blue at her heels; she picked the sheath of her weapon from the carpet.  “And I’ll be ready for them.”
(99 Words)

Lists and Goals for 2012

            Is it really August already???  Really hard to believe as this year seems to be flying by.  A lot has changed, and a lot going on in my life especially of late.  I can’t remember a time, especially recently, where I have been as up beat and happy as I currently am.
          At the first of the year I made a goals list for 2012, just like I have so many times in the past.  Though this year’s list was bigger than any previous years coming in at twelve, with several others back ups for the list.    Plus I have the bonus of a second list, of “22 things” that I could do now (started by Angie Richmond, you should check out her blog and her art).  I figured with the year half gone; it is a good time to take a look at those two lists to see just where I am at.

            Of the twelve goals, as of now I have only been able to knock one off the list.  To complete a rough draft of a new idea, I literally just did that with JuNoWriMo (click here for a sneak peak at that).  Of the others on the list, several are actually close to complete.  I had a goal of reading eight books, I just finished my fifth a couple weeks back so I should have no problem knocking this one off.  I am only fifteen pounds away from my weight goal for the year (even if I don’t reach it, I still consider this a win;  in the past year and two months I have lost around 53 pounds).  I am positive I will complete several others in the next six months.
            There are two things on the list of twelve I can pretty much mark out as ‘fail’.  First is “WiP 500”.  I kept pace for the first month and half but after that I fell into a writing slump, a slump I did not get out of until June.  The other is one I just never got around to doing and that was to go see an Eastern Kentucky Drillers game (arena football).
            The 22 things list is a bit different as they are not really goals but a list of things I could be doing now, no excuses.
            So the first two things on my list – to Draw/Paint more, and I have been successfully doing this.  Really only the one thing completed, and a couple sketches in different levels of completion.  But just doing that much is an improvement over how much I’ve done over the past few years. 

            3/4 – to run the extra mile/exercise more, and I was doing really well with this one up until the heat got to us.
            7 – Confess my thoughts/feelings…yes I will admit it has lead to less over thinking…  And my have a direct influence on my current happiness.  😉
            9 – Take a compliment – I think I am much better t this.
            12 – Take more photographs – If you follow me on Facebook you know this one I have been doing a lot of.
            13 – Edit!  UGH!!!  Do I need to say any more about this one?  But really I have made some progress on my Steampunk novel since the first of July but not as much as I would like.  And it is entirely my own fault.  I just can’t seem to break through and get into editing at the moment.
            15 – Call, talk on the phone – This is another I can count in the yes category, especially the past month.
            That is really the only ones I have anything to say about….  

I won! ….sorta

I won an award for my entry (Night in Vegas) in Emmie MearsEnd of the World Flash Fiction challenge…
I’m not sure it is one I want to brag about or anything, but there it is.  I will admit to having bad habit of waiting until the last minute sometimes to get my flash fiction entries done.  Something I guess I need to work on.  Be sure to swing by and check out all the other entries (and mine can be voted on as a reader’schoice award).

Blog Flash Day #5: Frustration

Blog Flash 2012 Day #5:  Frustration
“Crazy ass old man.”  Miranda’s frustration showed as she ran a hand through her dark hair.  “You busted up your own cabin, why? To prove some twisted point?”
“That puppy would be the death of you, if I were anyone else.”
Miranda could see clearly, turned to look at the man, his grey hair, and a weapon just as weathered.  “You said I’d be safe here.”
“Does not mean you let your guard down, I could have been them.”
“They could have followed you here.”  
                                                             
The old man moved in for an embrace, “I was worried about my niece.”

Blog Flash Day #4 – Busy

Blog Flash Day #4 – Busy
Miranda leapt around the table, Blue in one hand, she reached with the other only to have the katana fall from grasp.  The sound of it hitting the floor was deafening.  To her knees she released the wailing puppy and franticly fought to raise her weapon in defense. 
“Who’s there?”
To her feet she held the sword in front of her but still she could not see for the thick air in the room.
“You let your guard down.”
She turned to the direction the gruff voice originated as she felt the sharp edge of the blade at her throat.  
(100 Words)

Blog Flash Day #3: Color

Swing by  Blog Flash 2012 and check out all the wonderful bloggers who are participating in the event and show their entries some love.  
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Blog Flash Day #3:  Color
Lost in Blue’s big brown eyes;  he whined until she finally lifted him from the dark floors, and stood holding him against her black t-shirt as he tried for a kiss.  His spots looked blue in the bright sunlight of the room.
“Want a treat?”
Blue yelped, not yet able to bark.  Setting her weapon on the counter she pulled the drawer of multi-colored soft treats open. 
“Sorry things have been strange, Blue.”
Glass shattered, bright colors filled the room, and she heard the intruder’s soft steps but still could not see him for the blindness.
(96 Words)
…….
We will see how long I can keep this up, I’m going to try and have all 30 entries one story…

Blog Flash Day #2: A Furry Friend

Blog Flash 2012

A Furry Friend –

The absence of thought, only reflex, she spun to her feet with the katana lifted high and ready to strike at her opponent’s.  She took a deep breath removing the blindfold and dropping to one knee twirling the long blade behind her back in the process. With a big grin her brown eyes met another’s.  “Dangerous game you are playing Blue.”
The small puppy released a small anxious growl; its head twisted to one side and began to wag its tail.  Tiny legs began to fidget in excitement at Miranda’s out reached hand before it lunged forward to her knees.
(100 words)

Blog Flash Day #1 – Thinking

What it’s about?  A daily challenge to write 50 to 100 words about a given word for the next 30 days.  Check it out:  Blog Flash 2012

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Thinking –
                                   
She had not moved from her meditative state for hours, her legs crossed and her hands rested on her knees.  The sun beat through the unobstructed windows, but she could not see for the dark blindfold over her eyes.  Lost in her thoughts, the katana sat just in front of her free of its sheath waiting.  The scent of fresh roses from the garden outside filled the room as she took another deep breath, listening to the shadows.  Miranda had lost much in her life, having never known her father but still his enemies were coming for her.

(99 words)

End of the World Challenge: Night in Vegas

Night in Vegas by Steven Paul Watson (@ashviper)


“It’s not the end of the world.” Derek smiled warmly at her.
 Cameron had been his best friend since high school and, despite his soon to be ex-wife’s jealousy, they had remained in touch for the four years of his marriage. She was the first person he called when his wife told him she wanted a divorce and was seeing someone else. Derek jumped on the first available plane, landed in Vegas before he knew it without telling another person what was going on in his life or where he was going. 

Cameron brushed her dark straight hair across her shoulders and sat across from him on the bed. She smiled as she pushed the wine bottle into his hands. It was the same trademark smile she had greeted him with at the airport.

“To brighter days ahead,” Cameron promised. 

He took a drink from the bottle and quickly wiped the excess from his lips before he again stared into her light brown eyes. He had never thought of her as anything but a friend, but now he found his eyes drifting to her lips.

Derek started to speak, but before a single word could be said her hand was there on his lips. He sat there stunned by her movements as she crawled into his lap to wrap her legs around his waist.

                                                                                                                                          
She moved in slowly and kissed him, he could taste the cherry Chap Stick she always wore and could feel her hands clasp around the back of his neck.  “I have wanted to do that since graduation.”

“You never said anything…”

“I did. Maybe not with words, but I told you in every way I knew how.”

Derek smirked as their eyes once again met, he was unsure of how he had felt about her. All this time he never knew; she was always the friend he went to when he needed advice. The one he went to when he was down. Derek slowly ran his hand down her face, to her chin and across her lips and smiled. He could see it now, her eyes, same look in her eyes he could remember from all those years ago. He leaned forward again kissing her lips, but she pulled away with a smile causing him to bite his own lip in anticipation. She pushed into him only stopping when he was on his back and she on top of him, again they kissed and she pulled away biting on his lower lip with a hint of a laugh.

Sirens erupted, the hotel room shook from the sound alone. They quickly untangled their bodies from each other and moved from the bed to the large window. Nothing looked any different from their view so high up in the hotel, crowds of people in the streets walked, shambled, moved swiftly through the streets. But still the sirens continued to scream.

(482 words)

Swing by Emmie Mears “End of the World” flash fiction page to see all the great entries.