Steven Paul Watson, Author

Five Sentence Fiction – Harvest

            June is over and I did participate in JuNoWriMo (NaNoWriMo in June) and I did it really the same way I did my first couple attempts at NaNo, by just winging it.  I went into the month undecided on what I wanted to write, even in the first week of the month I changed my project three times.  Around the 8^th I finally settled on what I wanted to write…

            Directly inspired by one of my past Five Sentence Fiction entries (Hunger), I wrote the first two chapters before I forced myself to sit down and write out some sort of overview, planned plot for the story.  I ended up just shy of the 50 k goal for the month but did get a very (very) rough draft done that I can return to later. 

            A sneak peak from the story:

            Darwin rose from the cold floor, straw stuck to his face from the smelting heat in the bowels of the ship, instantly he realized the shackles were gone from his wrists and ankles.  He knocked the bedding from his face as he stood; the clang of the opened cell door brought a smile to his face as he stepped through the entrance and out into open room.  “You are a lost soul; much blood lays in your future Gladiator.”  Darwinhad never heard her voice before, even though he had only seen her the once, he knew instantly it was her.  She stepped into the candle light of the cabin, her ghostly appearance even more apparent in the shadows and bleak darkness of his prison chamber.  “You will be the ruin of my mother’s house even though she sees you as a savior.” 

Her pale skin, solid white hair with matching slip of a dress, dark brown eyes were her most striking feature. “Whispers say you are a seer, tell me how am I the ruin of your house, I will do anything to make it untrue.”  

She was close enough to touch, Darwinreached his arm out and ran his hand down her soft cheek, eyes closed she leaned into the palm of his hand and smiled. “Our paths are one…she does not have my gift and I have kept this future to myself.  I have seen it many times over the years never did I know your face until two days past.”  She kissed the palm of his hand and he saw the wicked mischievous grin grace her thin lips. 

“Is this a dream?”

“It is what you want it to be.”

He ran his free hand through her silky straight white hair, “How is it you have seen me in your visions and not know my face.”

“Many times I have felt your hand over my mouth, the blade against my neck but never had I seen more than shadows.  Not until the day beneath the arena, when I touched you, I saw it clear.  Just as if it had been there all along staring down at me.  You are destined to take my life…”  She leaned into him, pushing the hand at her face away.

He placed his hand on the small of her back and pulled her even closer as he lowered his head to kiss her thin lips.  Her fingernails dug into his bare chest and the existing wounds from the arena forcing him to push her away before their lips met, still she smiled.  “When will this happen?”

“An enemy disguised as a friend will send you to me.  There will be no doubt when the time comes, it will be my blood you are asked to spill.”  She took a step back away from him and as suddenly as she had appeared she was now gone.  Darwinrushed to the door and out into the open air immediately met by the two guards with swords drawn and realized it was no dream.

Five Sentence Fiction – Faeries

Seven miles from the nearest home Simon had set up his camp, he traced the outline of his jaw in the crystal clear pool of water.  He had come this far down the Appalachian trail in hopes of finding an escape but there in the water he could see clearly the mark she left on his face and felt the one he could not see even more.  Simon heard the laugh, more of a giggle; it broke him from his reflection as he stood from his crouched position and heard the sound of the birds take fight, “even the birds are having a laugh at me.”

He turned to stoke the small dancing fire a hurt smile graced his chapped lips when the voice broke through the chattering wilderness, “The heart scars so easily,” he was stuck in a haze of confusion from the moment he saw her standing in the clearing with him.  Her body covered in a slip of a purple dress, hair a violent red with matching eyes and a mischievous grin but none of it was as spectacular as the fluttering transparent wings and it was then he looked to the trees around him, before he thought it was just fireflies but realized now they were something so much more.

For more Five Sentence Fiction check out Lillie McFerrin’s blog!

Forbidden Love:  London in the Skies

The airship London was a small vessel meant for transportation and minimal occupancy, it had been in her family for generations.  She could hear the hum of the steam engines, the smell of oil hung thick to the air and every breath was near intoxicating.  The floors a seasoned oak, stained with a storied past.  Paintings of times old hung to the walls keeping the secrets of all they had seen.  Aboard this airship was the one place she knew she was always in control and was fully herself.

Short brown hair hung to her shoulders with streaks of purple and red, the goggles with their lime green tint and bronzed casing stuck to her forehead as beads of sweat fled the rubber exterior. The black leather corset clung tightly; white laced long sleeve top exposed her cleavage for the shadows to stare.  Brown fitted pants with matching belt and gun holsters hung to her hips.  White laced ruffles floated around her wrists as she sharpened the surgical knife.

She turned away from the work station; it was the first sound the doctor had made in an hour.  A whimper, knowing all hope was lost.  She pulled the goggles down over her hazel eyes, with her purple eye liner.  She starred contently at the blade for a moment longer.  The second plea for mercy brought her to her feet, the sound of her heavy knee high black boots thundered across the room.  “I love you,” she whispered to his ear.

A sharp smile graced her thick red lips as she placed the tip of the sharp blade to his chest, their eyes met one last time.  Aboard her airship, Jaclyn Ripper was always in control and who she was meant to be.

Check out the other entries to the Forbidden Love blog hop, last day to enter.

Forbidden Love:  Shooting Stars, Broken Heart!

Lucas swung in the hammock and looked up at the shooting stars; he was on his fifth drink and far from done.  The glorious sight over head was something he had only witnessed once before and made the feeling in his stomach bitter sweet. 

The last time so vivid in his mind, the same hammock, the big difference was Tessa.  It was one of the last days they spent together over four years prior.  The night ended with the only time the two ever kissed and he still remembered her voice, “I’m in love with you”.  They had only been just friends before then and he didn’t realize what was in front of him.  He loved her but he was not sure he loved her in the way she needed him too. 

Lucas pulled the invitation from its flashy envelop once more.  “You are cordially invited to the wedding of Mr. Joshua Scotch and Tessa Daniels”.  His heart sunk each time he had read it; it was closer to the hundredth time now instead of the first.  They had remained friends all these years and he knew this day was coming.  He was truly happy for her.  He studied the picture of the happy couple and then back to the hand written note for him inside, he knew it was her own hand writing.

Lucas set the invitation back inside the envelop and took another drink feeling another round of tears swell.  He would not go to the wedding.  He did not trust himself to be there and not say something when it was asked if anyone objected.  He truly wanted her to be happy.  She was more than just a friend, she was the one he foolishly let get away…

Five Sentence Fiction –  Lost

Bradley paced back and forth, frantic, ever part of him screamed in anger and it felt like his heart was going to explode from his chest.  He ran his hands through his short hair in frustration how could he have lost it, he had torn his way through his apartment and it looked like a tornado had been there in his place.  Weeks Bradley had planned this evening, a full moon lingered overhead outside and the night air was just right for a moon lit stroll through the park and he had already went by the small bridge and hid the single lily.  He looked at his watch once more, ’10:01’, he knew Maria would be there in less than an hour as she was always early but it didn’t matter if he couldn’t find it.  The door bell chimed, he thought his heart had stopped that very moment but it was the shock he needed, and he knew the small black velvet box was in the cookie jar waiting for him all along. 

For more five sentence fiction goodness check out LillieMcFerrin’s blog, (and her snazzy looking new site).

Also check out her Forbidden Love Blog Hop, only a few days remaining to get your entry in.

Napping Blogger Award

Thanks Donna B McNicol for the award 🙂  

What I do when I want to relax or get away from people, a number of things really.  I enjoy going to the movies, but sometimes that is the last place you want to go when you just want to escape people.  A lot of times over the past few years when I want to take time just for me, I go for walk/run.  Just nature and my mp3 player…as I always have to have music.  : )  Other times I like to go by any of the local lakes.  

The Five Bloggers who deserve a break:

(Be sure to go back to her page to pick a banner of your choice if you don’t like the one I picked)

          The whistle of the arrow caught Ackyer off guard, he had not seen the goblin with his dark green skin but his daughter held no hesitation with her shot.  “We have lurkers in the marsh,” Januala stated as she glanced back at her father with his proud grin plastered across his face as he pushed the boat along at a slow pace, “there will surely be more waiting for us in the forest around the dock.”

            “Vorsita will send them a scurry,” Ackyer quickly stated he could see the rotted dock, the path leading up surrounded by vines and thin trees almost shaped a dome over the well placed stone path, they were nearly there.

            The bones of past visitors littered the beach, the goblins had secured many meals at the expense of unknowing travelers and even now he could hear them moving somewhere just out of sight.

            The boat came to the dock and just as swiftly the splash could be heard; the two thousand pound dragon landed with a roar as he shook the water from his orange scales, the sounds of goblins padding away brought a smile to the father and daughters faces.

For more Five Sentence Fiction check out Lillie McFerrin’s blog.

One Chance

Dexter moved through the thick under growth every vine, limb, and root stabbing out at his armor.  His hand rested on the pommel of his sword, he did not expect danger or hostility, his journey was not one of war. His quest was one of mending. 

A wise shaman told him where he could find the tomb, a secret only a few held.  But the old man saw the pain in Dexter and deemed him worthy of an audience.  He told him the way, once and only once it was for him to remember every detail.

He crept through the lavish green forest, closer and closer he could hear the waterfall.  Until he was there, he smiled for the first time in months.  His heart skipped, the most life he had felt within his chest in recent memory.  He could hardly contain his excitement as he rushed to the waterfall and through to the secret path behind.  Even in the dark tunnel he had no problem seeing the carved face on the door, the tomb and his one wish awaited him.

“What is it you wish of me,” a voice called out the moment he laid his hand to the wooden face.

“A chance.” 

The face shifted its normal glum look to a smile. 

“Too prove love can prevail, that there is no obstacle to much for love, one solitary chance.”  He could almost see his loves face in the reflection on the wall and he smiled.

But the face quickly lost its own grin and showed only sorrow, “I can grant many things.  Wealth, fame…but the heart I can not control.”  He dropped to his knees immediately as the eyes closed, his heart again broken and tears fell as he knew there was nothing he could do.