Cluttered Shelving

Instance 68 - Pt. 1 The tether unspooled behind Nelson as she pushed off. She didn’t like it out here, not the way some of her crew did. It was dizzying, stomach churning. The hull of the ship extended out into the distance in front and behind her as she ran, but in nearly every other direction there was only space. There was nothing firm for your eyes to hold onto in that distance. No matter how still you stood on the hull, the ship was always spinning, moving relative the starfield around it, and you couldn’t hold a single point of light fixed in your gaze for long enough to get any real bearings. Nelson stared at the hull below, guiding herself to a landing, then pushed off again. Jumping and dashing got you across the hull a lot faster, and she was in a hurry, and even though it wasn’t inherently any riskier than just walking, she wished she had the luxury of taking her time. “She’s crying now,” the voice in her headset informed her calmly, “she’s gonna let go soon.” “Why didn’t th...

Want to start at the beginning? - Ice, Part 1 -- Wilham made his way lightly over uneven stones and debris. The further they went, the worse the condition of the hallways. “Why did you come up here?” Domani finally asked. “To see what was here.” “Father is going to be mad.” Wilham blushed a little. He seemed genuinely affected each time their father scolded him for disobedience, yet it never seemed to act as a deterrent when new chances for adventure presented themselves. “So don’t tell him, please.”

Want to start at the beginning? -  Ice, Part 1 -- “Can the fire be any bigger?” Domani had not minded the cold on the trip - out in the wild, snow and trees on all sides. It had actually been exciting, something to keep her mind sharp. But here in her room she’d expected to have a chance to warm, instead the cold seemed to be penetrating her more, gripping at her bones, making it a labor to do more than sit and shiver. “I’ve already had words with the maids who didn’t think to warm your room for you before your arrival,” Aleanna, Domani’s keeper, carefully took garments out of the travel chest and hung them in a wardrobe, “It will take time to heat a space this big, but it won’t be this cold always. By tomorrow you’ll be toasty in here.” “It seems there are a lot of unexpected things to get used to.”

Want to start at the beginning? -  Ice, Part 1 -- The Guardian’s cave was lit by sunlight that shone through dozens of imperfections in the rock. Each crack was adorned with a cluster of icicles that held the light, magnifying it and casting it into the many corners and crevices of the cave. The ground too, was covered in icicles, tall, thick icicles that thrust upward into the cave’s cold interior. In the far rear of the cave, so deep that shadows fought against the icy light, an ice flow spanned from ground to ceiling. The boy sat in the cave listening to the whispers of his brothers and sisters who had passed into the ice. They were children so old, so full of the ice magics that guarded their home, that they had become rooted to the land, locked into the ice flow at the far interior of the cave. They seeming as cold and unmoving as the river that formed their boarder. But just like that river, deep below the surface life still flowed, and in quiet moments they spok...

Writing is rewriting, and in that spirit, I've cleared the ground and started my 'Emma' story over. I plan to salvage some of the old writing, but much of it will be completely new material. Part one starts today. -- Blue Cost Part 1 Clouds ringed the valley, swallowing the trees and rocks of the upper slopes in a grey mist. Even at noon the sun could not cut through the dense cover, leaving the valley in cold shadow. The statue Emma leaned against was damp and cold, but she paid it little mind. With her eyes closed she took deep breaths, letting the cold air linger in her nose and throat before slowly exhaling. It felt clean, fresh, like she was the first being in the whole world to breath in that particular gulp of air. She thought about nothing as she pressed her back into the statue and breathed. When she finally opened her eyes she looked to the line of clouds moving further down the sloping edge of the valley. It created the illusion that there was nothing more to the...

Want to start at the beginning - Unweaving pt. 1 -- Robin’s friends called the house a few times to check on her. She decided that they must have set up shifts because the same person never called twice in a row. Not that she ever spoke to them. She let everything go to voicemail, and she completely ignored texts. She could imagine them on the phone with each other, sharing their worries, just as she had with them after Caius’ mother died. Robin couldn’t think of anything to say to them, and could imagine only too clearly the things they would say to her. The only thing she could think to do was continue to ignore them.

A weak breeze blew, taking some of the stifling heat off Robin’s skin. The relief lasted only a moment and she was again overwhelmed by the hot air. She squinted up at the pale blue sky, unbroken by clouds. She sat in the front row of the large crowd, glad to be one of the few who had a chair. It wasn’t exactly hard for her to stand, her legs weren’t weak, her head was clear, but still she was amazed her legs were holding her upright. Standing took effort, it took a choice and a resolve, and she didn’t think she had any of that. All day, from waking up in the dark after a fitful night of sleep to standing here in the cemetery, she wasn’t sure how she did any of it. But she was here, so she must have accomplished it somehow.

The cars on either side of her crawled forward.. The sun had yet to burn through the gray cloud cover, and the lack of sunlight left Aubrey lethargic. She shifted in her seat, trying to stretch her muscles and get blood flowing to her head. This early on a Saturday morning she’d expected to have the road to herself. She tried to think if there was some sort of game in town, some reason the roads were full, but her sluggish brain could do little more than focus on working the pedals in the car.

Want to start at the beginning? -  Emma, pt 1. --- Sil’s feet made no noise as he walked through the wet grass. Emma lightened her step to match his so her own feet slid over the damp ground noiselessly. The light of the fire behind them was a harsh glare on an otherwise dark landscape.  A cold breeze raised goose-pimples on her arms, and she regretted leaving her jacket in the tent.  Sil lead her down a slope so the camp was above them. Tents and horses vanished over the lip of the hill, followed by the fire so only an orange glow in the air remained. He kept walking, not speaking, keeping his eyes on his footing. When even the faint light of the fire began to fade, unease rippled through Emma’s gut. 

Want to start at the beginning? -  Emma, pt 1. --- The storm that threatened all day never came. The bloated, grey clouds dropped little more than the annoying spray that followed them to the campsite.  The sparse trees vanished entirely and gave way to a grassy field. On the horizon Emma could see some huge red formation of rock, dark and shadowed on such a day. 

Want to start at the beginning? -  Emma, pt 1. --- The bow Emma held was smooth, the wood flexible. She’d been surprised; the bows her father had taught her to use were smaller and more rigid. This bow would allow her to hit a target farther away, but it would also require more control and strength to use. Sil crouched silently next to her, watching the far field as he aimed his bow. When Emma had asked if she could learn to use the larger bows she’d expected Lison to teach her. She imagined his arms wrapped around hers, helping her aim the bow; she’d pictured his fingers brushing against hers as she worked the tight string.  When she proposed it he agreed it was a good idea for her to learn, but confessed to being a horrible shot. So Emma now found herself out in the woods with Sil, hunting kinibs.

Want to start at the beginning? -  Emma, pt 1 --- “The dwin hero of our tale doesn’t make her appearance at the start. Instead we first meet the crafter Raycole. She was a legend in her time, her skills unmatched.” “How come only the crafters in stories can do anything impressive?” someone whispered.

Want to start at the beginning? -  Emma, pt 1 --- The warm, heady smell of roasting meat filled the camp. Rilen and Emma worked together to set up the tent they would share. Rilen taught Emma the best way to pick a spot and the proper order for setting the stakes and hanging the cover. Though Rilen had never been as far as Blue Coast, she had traveled some with her brother, and learned a few things about being on the road. When they finished they sat inside the tent and Emma told Rilen about her race with Lison. Rilen seemed nervous just hearing about it and quickly changed the topics to the journey ahead of them and what she expected Blue Coast to be like. “Between here and there you must try riding Juniper. It is so amazing.”

Want to start at the beginning? -  Emma, Part 1 --- Learning to control the horse with the reigns and with her legs didn’t take Emma as long as she would have guessed. Before they were even out of the valley she was able to stop Juniper, maker her go forward, and change how fast she trotted. In the saddle Emma could not feel Juniper’s movements as she had the night she rode with Lison, but it was easier to hold herself in place on top of the horse. While holding the reins in one hand, Emma stroked Juniper’s mane with the other, gently patting the horse on the neck.

Neither man spoke as their horses walked side by side up the twisting mountain road.  The taller man, with short black hair and a beard that needed trimming, watched ahead at the edge of the trail.The blond man was twisted, examining the contents of a saddlebag, his curly hair bouncing next to his face. Behind him, slung over the horse and tied down with strong leather straps, was a suit of armor; the full moon and a field of stars were reflected in its polished surface. 

Want to start at the beginning? - Ice, Part 1 -- She didn’t believe her father when he said the keep was close. Perched on the bench of the wagon all she could see in any direction were trees and snow. Behind the wagon, in a long train that reached so far back she couldn’t see the end of it, was her father’s household staff and the carts and wagons that carried their cargo to his new home.  Her father was mounted on his great black and white steed talking to his Marshal, sometimes tossing his head back to address his children in the wagon.  “The first order of business will be to make my presence and character known to the people.” 

Want to start at the beginning? - Emma, Part 1 --- The lamps in her room cast dim light against the stone walls. It was impossible to tell if it was day or night, one of the things Emma had always hated about her room. She sat on the bed, her legs crossed, her hands in her lap. She’d tried to sleep, but after a fitfully tossing about for what felt like hours, she decided to wash and dress and wait for the morning. The side of the oil lamps had lines along them, designed to tell the time as the oil slowly burned. Dawn was near, according to the lamp, and soon she would be gone.

Want to start at the beginning? - Emma, Part 1 --- All the Overseers took their seats.  Eibe sat in the far right chair. To his left was an old woman, bent with age and wearing a gray and white wrap. On the far left was a man with a long braided beard and deep red robes. The proceedings passed so quickly Emma was amazed.  The Assembly was called to order and contract negotiations began. In the past her time watching the Assembly had felt unending, each speech and motion taking what seemed to her to be hours. But today it all rushed by, four contracts were awarded before Emma had mentally rehearsed her speech once. She did not know if the world was moving quickly, or if her own mind was dragging slowly.

Want to start at the beginning? - Emma, Part 1 --- Emma wasn’t sure if the chill that ran through her as she entered the hall was due to the cold shadows or her own uncertainties. A steady trickle of people followed behind her, each moving quickly to their seats. She lingered in the open entryway, feeling out of place, and worried that people might be staring at her.

This post is a quick reference to help readers navigate the stories already posted.  Emma -  Emma, Part 1 Emma, Part 2 Emma, Part 3 Emma, Part 4 Emma, Part 5 Emma, Part 6 Emma, Part 7 Emma, Part 8 Emma, Part 9 Emma, Part 10 Ice -  Ice, Part 1 Ice, Part 2