July 31st WSEIJM

A Short Excerpt From...

Savannah WWIII

Amy coughed. Once she started, she could not stop. The pain racked at her ribs, burning inside of her like fire. She cried out unable to stand the unbearable pain that radiated through her, but stopped at her legs. She spit out a metallic tasting liquid that came up with the coughs and started coughing again. The coughing fit died down and she relaxed, letting her head fall to the side. The light that surrounded her came from a fire that sat not five feet away. She could not see the fuel or where it might have come from. Then again her head hurt so bad and her eyes where watering so much that she could barely see the red liquid that seemed to be splattered around her.  She waited, trying to will herself to sit up, but her body screamed not to yet. “Help.” Amy’s voice came out raspy and dry. It hurt to speak. “Help.” Her voice cracked and she tried again. “Help me, please. Is there anyone there?” There was no reply. Amy slowly prepared herself to sit up. One of her hands wouldn’t move. Pain shot through the other when she tried to put weight on it. Amy growled and pulled herself up using her abs. She couldn’t help the tears, it was hard to take the pain, the kind of pain she imagined someone felt when they were shot. All around her she could see nothing but dirt and gravel and chunks of cement that trapped her feet, beyond that was darkness. She looked up and could barely see a pinprick of light hanging there. Twelve. The number popped into her mind, making her head hurt worse. She wondered what twelve had to do with anything then wondered if she had fallen from the pinprick of light. No, she decided, it was too far, she would have died. How did she get there then? Where ever there was? She tried to remember what had happened before she woke up. Where was she? Her head started to work again. 

Carefully, she started to wiggle her feet out from the broken pieces of cement and rock. The boulders tore at her skin, but she kept going wanting only her legs and feet to be free. With a cry, she yanked them out the rest of the way and watched the blood start to ooze down. Luckily, the jeans had protected most of her legs, and she still had shoes. Amy tested her knees and ankles. She gritted her teeth as she moved the right one. Okay, she had her body back, now where was she? She used the rocks to lean against and scoot up to stand straight. Amy limped over towards the fire. It seemed like it was coming through the wall, through a hole, maybe a gas fire, like the ones in science labs, only bigger. She looked up and down the wall and saw a bit of a painted letter hidden underneath a layer of rock dust and soot. With her good hand, she scraped off the film. Underneath, the words SCAB Phoenix, Arizona Elevator Shaft 3 appeared, undamaged by the whole scenario. Now she knew where she was.

“Why am I here? What’s SCAB?” She whispered. She looked down at the floor and realized it was metal, and saw the huge cable in laying in the middle. It didn’t seem long enough to reach the pinprick light, so she assumed the rest was still handing up there somewhere. On the other side of the words, opposite the fire, was a ladder that must have broken off and fallen to land and stay on the other side of the shaft. That wasn’t going to be a way out, so the only way to escape would be to go down.  She scanned the floor, looking for an escape hatch into the elevator cab. She found one, already open, but half blocked off about two feet from where she woke up. Amy put her back to the rock blocking it and shoved. The rock screeched as she pushed it across the metal and out of the way. She sat on the edge of the hole, unable to see down, knowing undoubtedly there were rocks under her and that it would hurt a lot when she landed. Amy put her feet through the hole and let herself fall through. She concentrated on landing on her unwounded ankle and hit the ground with a thud. She cried out, unable to cry quietly anymore and sat on the lumpy, slightly squishy floor. The pain faded away and she realized that the drop hadn’t been as long as she expected, or as rocky. A dreadful stench filled her lungs, making her cough. She reached out, trying to figure out what she had landed on. Her fingers tangled up with something... Hair like. She followed it to where it came from and reached out to touch it. Skin. Amy screamed and jumped away, but only landed or more lumpy, squishy human things. They weren’t things, though, she realized. They were actually humans. She screamed again, trying to find the wall, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to jump back through the hole. Her back hit the a wall and a hallow echoing thud filled the room. She screamed, scared by the wall, then realized what it was, a door. She screamed again, “Let me out. Let me out. Please, let me out!” Amy clawed at the door. “Let me out, let me out!” She cried, “Please.”

July 29th WSEIJM

The Science of Deduction

Chapter Two

Chapter One can be found on the Short Story of the Month Page

The cab slowed to a stop at the red light. Camie glanced at Sherlock who was staring out the window. 

"So you're on the forensics team?" Camie asked.

Sherlock glanced at her then back out the window. "I'm not. I am a Consulting Detective. When the police are out of their depth, the consult me."

"Hello, freak. Lestrade invite you?" Sally raised the yellow tape so Sherlock could walk under. She stopped Camie. "Who is this? A girlfriend of yours?"

"A colleague. Doctor Camie Greer."

Sally put her hand on her hip "Doctor of what exactly?"

"Deduction and psychology." She smiled. "I was invited, too."

Sherlock smirked as Sally let Camie through. Camie took a deep breath. "Have fun on your date last night?"

Sherlock laughed at took Camie's arm. He lead her to the doorway and nodded at the guard.

"That was quite good." They walked across the wide marble floor around the indoor fountain. 

"Really, you think so?"

"Course. It was brilliant." Sherlock lead Camie up the stairs of the abandoned hotel. Blue crime scene lights lined the steps. "What gave it away?"

"She smelled like man." Camie let go of his arm as they reached the top. Police men and investigators in blue containment suits hurried every which way. 

The man from Sherlock's apartment, Lestrade, was waiting. Sherlock pulled two pairs of while gloves out of his pockets and handed a pair to Camie. "Where is it?"

"In the ballroom. I can give you ten minutes before you are questioned." Lestrade started walking down the hall. 

"Good - wait, questioned?"

"Yes, the whole team seems to believe that you murdered her."

"I'll just have to proved them wrong." He glanced at Camie behind him who had taken off her coat and put her hair up. "Ever seen a dead body?"

"Yes."

"Would you like to see more?"

"Would I be here if I didn't?"

Lestrade opened the doors and let them in. A man laid in the middle of the room, sprawled out with a pool of watery blood around his head. "Victim's name is Mark Bitterpool, age twenty-three, works as a personal assistant at the national bank. Found this morning by two women and a retailer looking to buy this place."

"Why do you think I killed her?" Sherlock never took his eyes off the body. Lestrade sighed and went back to the doors. He shut them as Sherlock and Camie watched. Written across the door in red was SHERLOCK. "Hmm. Interesting. When was she killed?"

"About twenty-four hours ago."

"Good. I didn't do it. I was stuck inside all day bored. As Mrs. Hudson." Sherlock turned back to the body. "Now, Miss Greer, what do you think?"

Camie gave Sherlock her coat, who immediately gave it to Lestrade. She picked up both of the dead man's hands and looked them over. "Detective Inspector why did you think he was murdered?"

Sherlock smiled at her and Lestrade only stared blankly. "Sorry, what?"

"Do you think this man was murdered?" Camie stood up.

"Er... Yes, I do."

Camie peeled off her white gloves and took her coat from Lestrade. "Then you are partially correct. Bitterpool killed himself."

"What are you talking about?"

Camie pointed at the door. "Look, letters on the door written in blood. A cut on his wrist, his right wrist because he was left handed. How can I tell? There are ink smudges on the side of his palm. When he wrote, his hand dragged across the paper. Never see a lefty without it. But, if he's left handed, how come there's no blood on his hand from writing Sherlock? Conclusion. He was kidnapped on his way home from work, the murderer force Bitterpool to cut himself and write Sherlock on the door with a paint brush. As soon as bitter pool was done, the murderer slit Mar's throat, took the knife and the paint brush, and bathed Mark in bleach to kill any biological evidence."

"That's brilliant."

"I'm not done yet Detective Inspector. Now a man like this on his way home from work would have had a coat, a briefcase, and a smartphone at least. Look at the ground. It's covered in footprints. You told us not to contaminate evidence. I think your people should also take that advise. If people had been more careful, you might have noticed footsteps leading to the fire place. You will find all of Bitterpool's missing processions in there."

"Is there anything else you would like to tell me Doctor Greer?" Lestrade looked away from the fireplace. He couldn't hide the look of annoyance on his face. He had just realized that he had yet another Sherlock to deal with.

"Yes, there is one more thing. There will be more murders. More perfect murders. Why, you ask?" Camie looked straight at Sherlock. "Who ever did this wants Sherlock's attention. They're trying to send a message."

Lestrade turned to Sherlock also. "Is she serious?"

Sherlock cleared his throat, wiping the surprise off of his face. "Course she is. I think we're done here. Don't forget to check the fire place. 

When Camie came back from the restroom, she found her Sherlock laying on the couch, eyes closed, fingertips touching, and one sleeved rolled up. Three skin colored nicotine patches laid on his skin. She sat in a chair by the fire and picked up the violin laying on the ground. She glanced at Sherlock who seemed to be lost in thought then slowly started playing. Camie stared off into space thinking about Sherlock. Maybe it would work out and she wouldn't be so lonely anymore. He was just as smart as her. She's been craving for someone who could understand her, actually see the connections. All those nights, sitting in the dorm alone because her roommates thought she was a freak, studying a major that she invented. Professor Young was nice, he offered to pose as the Professor teaching her made up classes for almost eight whole years. He was handsome, but he could never quite keep up with her. Sherlock could. Camie could feel it. Maybe she found a friend. 

Camie's phone vibrated in her coat pocket. She abruptly came back down to Earth and stopped playing. She couldn't remember is she had kept playing that whole time. The text was from Rosalie, wondering where she was. Camie thought about running home, but then remembered she had no cash and her Oyster card was at home. 

"Sherlock, could I stay the night?"

His eyes flashed open. "Yes. I might need you. John's bedroom is down the hall."

Wow.

Long time since I wrote this. Hope you enjoyed some Sherlock fan fiction!

~Snowie

July 28th WSEIJM

Waiting For November

January 1st

The thing about politicians is that they can speak for hours without really saying anything. When I was younger, I was sure my grandpa was a politician in a former life. He could talk for hours to my grandma out on that old porch swing. My grandma would daze off every now and again, looking off into the ever expanding field of corn bright green against a rich blue sky. In the end, both of my grandparents would fall asleep in their chairs. Grandma did this because of boredom. Grandpa slept because he had run out of things to say about nothing in particular. 

I lived in a small town where everybody knew everybody and their business. There was one stop light, a courthouse, 3 churches, 1 grocery store, and one school split between three buildings. Entertainment came in the form of sports and television. If you lived in Harling, you were destined to stay there. I was desperate to leave. My grandfather was a Collins which made me a Collins by blood. We were probably the most famous people in Harling. The reason for that being that I was related to half of the town. The men of my family always ended up like my grandpa. They would farm for 80 years, have sons of their own, sit in rocking chairs watching corn grow, and make their wives fall asleep as they talk about nothing in particular for hours upon hours. If I stayed in Harling, I would end up like my mom: part time job at the green house, with an endless supply of cleaning and caring to do for the rest of my life. I can't cook, or do dishes, or even fold laundry. My three brothers can do it better than I can. I knew I had to get out. This wasn't the life for me. 

I tried to put this into coherent thought and make words come out of my mouth right when I told Grandpa. Everything still came out all jumbled up. 

Grandpa smiled. "You need to work on speaking your mind, Annie. I'll give you some advise."

I sat back in my chair by the fireplace, ready to zone out the moment he started talking about nothing. Out of the corner of my eye, Grandma smiled and started rocking back and forth in her rocking chair again. The fire spit little orange embers into the chimney. Grandpa cleared his throat. "Find yourself a project."

"A project?"

He nodded. "A project. Not a school project and it can't be easy. Pick any topic you like, analyze it, learn about it, then try and pick out something you dislike about it. Then try and change it."

Grandma laughed. "This was an assignment your Grandfather's sixth grade teacher gave him."

"It was the fifth grade."

"No, Honey, it was sixth. I have the proof." Grandma waved a knitting needle at him. I smiled at the two of them and sat back listening to Grandpa start up about local politics and who should have been state senator. After awhile, I heard him move on to complain about voting and the President. I tuned out. 

Grandpa stopped talking and he was watching me. It took a second before I realized he had asked me something. 

"Sorry, what?" I leaned towards him. 

"Have you thought about voting yet?" His voice lowered a little. 

I hesitated. " No, not really. I suppose that if there's someone I like who doesn't seem like a self-centered jerk then maybe."

Grandpa laughed. "You women are always so particular about your politics. Has to be the right one. Macy's the same way. How long since you voted?"

Grandma smiled her old kind smile as if she were remembering a dear memory. "I haven't voted in twenty years. Seems like they just got worse after Roosevelt."

"Why?"

"Well, why not?" She set down her knitting needles and reached for her coffee. "I haven't like anyone whose run for president for more than twenty years. It was a waste of effort filling out a ballot when I didn't want anyone of them takin' that vow."

"Why didn't you like any of them, Grandma?" I sat back in my chair and slouched down. 

"There are things that make a good man and a good politician. They are honest, humble, respectful, they keep their word, listen to the people, intelligent and caring, compassionate and trustworthy."

"Seems like women make much better politicians than men." I started rocking back and forth in my rocking chair. 

"I think you would be a great politician." Grandma sipped at her coffee then went back to knitting. 

"You'd have my vote." Grandpa bent over and picked up today's paper leaving me alone to get lost in though. I remember Grandpa muttering in the background, "She'd be a better politician than all of the crap they put out there today."

A bit on this piece...

Waiting For November is about a small town girl named Annie, who is looking to change the world. The way she plans to do it is though American Politics, only she's not running for president. In less than one year, Annie goes from small town girl to International Revolutionary. In this day by day novel, Annie and her team try to keep everyone in the U.S.A. from voting in November and change U.S. Politics forever. 

So.....

I know, I know, I know! For shame! I've missed "three days". Technically, I have only missed two. I did write one post, but I took it down for reasons to be explained later. Rather than beg for mercy and explain it away, I will do a challenge to make up for it. The challenge can either be a blog challenge or a video challenge. If there are no suggestions, then I guess I won't be doing a challenge. 

~Snowie

July 25th WSEIJM

The Infinite Universe

"Where are we?"

That was the first question I ever heard her ask. Those where the first words I ever hear her speak. It wasn't surprising that she spoke them. It was surprising that those were the words she chose. Not where am I? Not who are you? But where are we?

I didn't even know she was on the TARDIS. I turned around and stared at her. The young girl stared at me. She looked as if she came out of a C.S. Lewis Narnia book. A TARDIS blue bow sat in her hair. The girl's black hair contrasted sharply with her white nightgown. Her eyes wandered around the Control Room before settling on me as if she were more curious than lost. 

"Who are you?" I asked. 

The girl opened her mouth as if to say something before slowly closing her red lips. After a moment, she slowly opened them again. "Well, I don't know. Who are you?"

"I'm the Doctor."

"Where are we?" She walked down the stairs onto the main deck of the TARDIS room. Her pale feet were bare on the cold metal. 

I smiled. "Would you like to find out?"

The girl nodded eagerly. I reached out and took her hand. Together we ran for the door. I tossed the door opened and threw her out. Before she could float away out of the air bubble that surrounded the TARDIS, I caught her hand and let her float. She laughed as her raven hair floated and swirled around her head. 

"We're in the sky?" She asked. 

I nodded. "Well, technically we are in at the very edge of the universe near a soon to be super nova. But you see, that's the thing. The longer we stay here, the farther away we get from the edge of the universe because this universe is constantly expanding. Expanding into basically nothing. Here's another thing. The universe has no edge, really, because, well, there is no edge. So we can't be at the edge. You see the universe is like a bubble..." I noticed her face and saw it was only filled with fascination. "Never mind what I said."

"So what your trying to say is that we are basically floating in space next to a star that is about to become a super nova." The girl smiled and pulled herself back into the TARDIS. She didn't let go of my hand as we stood face to face, chest to chest. 

"Nova." She whispered.

"What about Nova?"

"That's my name." Nova kissed my cheek. "Nova."

"Hello, Nova." I looked in to her eyes and saw they were made from galaxies.

"Hello. I am so very pleased to meet you."

So, a little Doctor Who fanfic for today!

What can I say? I've been watching T.V. shows on physics. 

Thoughts on this fanfic...

• No, It's not an Eleventh, Tenth, or Ninth Doctor fanfic. It's a future doctor and future companion. 

Questions?

• Who is Nova? How did she get on the TARDIS? And why is she so mysterious?
• What is this new Doctor like? And is he cute?

~Snowie

July 24th WSEIJM

Raining Purple

The sky was dark, almost a purply-grey-black color. Rain poured down clanging against the glass of the bus stop. The street wasn’t very busy and anyone who did happen to drive by was paying attention to the road and nothing much of anything else. Way up in the grey sky scrapers that lined the street, the politicians, the lawyers, and the businessmen were complaining about having to run out in the rain to catch a cab home. At the corner a bus made a wide turn and barreled through the puddle. The red double decker showed as it reached the bus stop. The doors swung open with a hiss and the driver stared down in to the little glass shelter. Through the pouring rain ran a girl, her head partly hidden by a black hood and a soft purple scarf. With a white fleece gloved hand, she dropped her coins in to the slot and made her way down the aisle. She stumbled as the bus started forward again and sat down in the window seat. She put her large purple plaid book bag in the empty chair next to her. The girl folded her hands in her lap and bit her bottom lip. The chair squeaked a little every time she moved which under other circumstances, would have been fine, except for the fact that she never stopped moving. She leaned to the left as the bus pulled around the corner absentmindedly hanging onto her bag. The corners of her mouth moved up in a little grin, and the girl glanced around the nearly empty bus. The only other people on were an annoyed business woman who was texting angrily and two teenage girls that seemed to be off in their own little land. One was painting her nails and listening to the other talk about something quickly and quietly. They both burst into a short fit of giggles and started talking excitedly. The girl’s grin grew bigger when she heard their laughter. 

She held her bag as the bus slowed to a stop at the next bus stop. The doors opened with a hiss of steam. A grey fedora appeared and rose slowly. Below it was a man’s face. The collar of his dark grey wool coat was turned up against the rain and wind outside. He held the change for the fare in a black leather gloved hand. The driver waited for him to enter the change and took off right away when the man did. The man didn’t stumble like the girl had when the bus pulled forward. The girl noticed the black slacks and black shoes he wore under his knee length trench coat, how he walked with a slight limp and used his umbrella as a cain. The man stopped by the girl’s seat. He looked down at her and she up at him.

“Is this seat taken?” His voice was rich and deep. He looked just like the others who had come to her two months ago. The girl looked around at all of the other empty seats then back up at him. 

“No.” She took her bag off the seat and laid it on her lap. The man sat down where her bag had been. He put the point of his umbrella between his feet and positioned his hands on top. The man stared straight ahead not saying anymore. The girl looked out the window at the grey-purple-black sky watching the rain fall against the windowpanes of sky scrapers. 

The man cleared his throat. “Hello.”

She looked at him. “Hi.”

“My name is Mr. Thomas.”

“Alice Thorton.” She shifted to face him a little surprised that he didn’t know her name. The others had. Alice stuck out her hand. He shook it. 

“Pleasure to meet you, Miss Thorton.”

“And you, Mr. Thomas.” She waited for him to say more. 

“A young man came into my office this morning asking for me. He gave me a letter and told me that if I ever meet a Miss Alice Thorton. I was to give it to her. I asked him how I would know if it was the right Alice and he told me that I would know when I saw her. He didn’t say anymore, just walked out.” Mr. Thomas stood up as the bus came to a stop. He reached into his pocket and took out a crisp white envelope. Alice took it from him. “Have a good night, Miss Thorton.” He nodded and walked back to the front. He walked down the steps. At the bottom, his fedora fell out of sight. Alice watched him walk across the sidewalk to the shelter. He stood there waiting as the bus pulled away.

Alice looked down at the letter. The stationary was thick and creamy, very expensive stuff. On the front in blue ink written in cursive was Miss Alice Thorton. She looked around the bus again wondering if anyone had noticed Mr. Thomas talking to her. Nothing had changed. Alice carefully opened the letter knowing what it would contain and already hating it. 

July 23rd WSEIJM

The Running Begins

Mom and Dad are dead. James is dead. Ramen is also dead. Ramen killed them and I killed Ramen. Just last night I had given Ramen a bath, fed him, and petted him until he fell asleep in his kennel. Yesterday morning, he ran three miles with me. A week ago, he went hunting with me and my dad. What had happened? Did Ramen have rabies? It was unlike any rabies I had ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot of dogs with rabies. My dad was the only vet in Mason County, Alabama. I worked for him in the summer and I was planning to go to college and become a vet next fall. I was going to take over dad’s business. People around here always needed vets. 

Mikey clung to me, he had finished crying. Now, we both sat against the wall staring at Ramen. 

“Why can’t I go get Daddy?” Mikey asked. 

I felt a lump in my throat and almost couldn’t answer. “Daddy and Mommy are sleeping. Just like James. We can’t wake them up.”

“Is Wa-men sleeping, too, Jelly?” I smiled a little. At four years old, Mikey still couldn’t say Julie or Ramen. I ruffled his blond hair. 

“You know it.” I went back to staring at Ramen. It wasn’t rabies. I hadn’t seen any bites when I gave him a bath. If not rabies, then what? A mental disorder that suddenly appeared? What was new? What had been changed in Ramen’s life recently?

Nothing. 

I stood up and felt the drying blood crack on my skin. I needed to get this off. I needed a shower, desperately. This wasn’t deer blood or wild boar blood or fish blood. This blood was human and dog blood. I carried Mikey down the hall and into the kitchen. I tried to call the police again, but no one picked up. There was no way Ramen could have cut the lines. There was no way a dog was smart enough to do that. I wasn’t smart enough to do that. Something was seriously wrong. I set Mikey on the counter. “Wait right here. Don’t move.” I grabbed a box of cereal and handed it to him. “Eat this. I’m going to go talk to Mrs. Davis. I’ll be back in a minute.”

From behind me through the glass door, there was a high pitched whine. I turned around slowly. Mrs. Davis’s golden retriever, Boxy, stood at the door, his tail was wagging. And, everything would have been perfectly normal if there wasn’t blood trailing down his front.

This has to be a nightmare.

Boxy growled and barked at us. He back up and pounced at the window. The door rattled, but the glass held. I grabbed Mikey from the counter and he dropped his cereal. He started crying again. I ran downstairs to the basement and locked the door. Above us, I could hear Boxy howling and barking as he slammed himself against the glass over and over. 

I set Mikey down on the washer and turned on the lights. But, the lights wouldn’t turn on. I cussed dad’s fondness for cheap lightbulbs and ran to the boxes of camping gear. I found a solar lantern and turned it on. The light was flickering ever so slightly and I knew there wasn’t much power left. I opened the curtains on the windows to let more light in. 

Quickly, I ripped open boxes of camping and hunting gear. I changed quickly in to my green pants and hiking boots with a new shirt and my mom’s old army jacket. I helped Mikey change and found two duffle bags. I filled one with clothes and the other with freeze dried food and water. I had no idea what was going on. I just new that I needed to run. Upstairs, there was a crash like breaking glass. It was breaking glass. Boxy had finally broken through the window. Mikey had started crying again and asking me what was happening. I screamed shut up at him. Luckily, he did. 

I opened dad’s gun case, thanking god that Dad trusted me enough with the code. I pulled out my shotgun and put it in the carrying case. I stuffed as many boxes of bullets as I could in with it and slung it over my shoulder. Next to my father’s gun was my mothers and beside that was my bow and arrow set. I was better with those than I was with the gun. Number one in the county, and when you lived in a county of backwoods country folk who lived off of what they hunted, being number one was a huge bragging right. 

But, bragging rights didn’t matter when the world you know is falling apart.

At the top of the stairs, I heard Boxy scratching at the door. I strung my bow with a hunting arrow. I would only get one, maybe two shots off at Boxy before he tried to maul me, too. And, I would need Mikey’s help to do it. While I was thinking about it, I grabbed my multipurpose hunting knife and hooked it through a loop in my cargo pants. Sitting on the washer was dad’s old camo hat. I can’t remember a day where he had not worn that hat. Now, I had an itching feeling he would never wear the hat again. I put my hair up in a pony tail and put the hat on. I gave Mikey a hug. “I need you to be brave, Mickey.”

Mickey stood at the door, his hand around the door knob. He was trying to be brave, but his whole body was shaking. With a little hand, he pushed his orange hat out of his eyes. 

“Remember what I told you Mikey?” I asked him. Mikey nodded. I drew my arm back, pulling the string to my ear. Boxy barked and scratched at the door. “On three, Mikey. One... Two... Three.”

Mikey opened the door at hide behind it. Boxy jumped through coming down the stairs at me. I let an arrow go. There was a thud as it hit Boxy in the wrong shoulder. Boxy whimpered and slowed down. I pulled another arrow and shot Boxy again at just a few feet away. Boxy tumbled down the rest of the stairs, two of my arrows jutting out of his chest. Before I could feel sorry for the dog, I jumped on top if it, pulling a knife and cutting open it’s throat. 

Boxy whimpered one last time before finally dying. I wiggled my arrows out from Boxy’s chest and quickly cleaned them. I tried wiping some of the blood off of me, but figured it would take to long. I grabbed one duffle bags. I could carry two, but then it would be impossible to shoot anything. I would have to make three trips to the truck and back. I had no idea how many dogs were effected. If all of the dogs in Hanson were affected, chances were all of their families were dead.

Mikey was still hiding behind the door. I coaxed him out and told him to stay close to me. We walked quickly out the door to the garage. I threw the duffle bag of clothes in the back beside some fishing gear and opened the truck. Mikey climbed in the middle. “Wait here. Don’t get out of the truck Mikey. Okay?”

“Okay. Can I have Rufus?”

Rufus was Mikey’s stuffed cat. “Sure. You can have Rufus if  you stay in the truck. Where is he?”

“Bed.” Mikey smiled a seemed to calm down a little. In Mikey’s bed, above James and Ramen.

I took a deep breath. “Okay.”

I closed the truck door and ran back inside. I grabbed the duffle bag and managed to attach the gun safely to my bag. I ran back to the truck. Mikey was still sitting in the middle seat. I put the food bag in the passenger seat. “One more trip, buddy. I’ll get Rufus.”

I jogged back inside and grabbed my school bag. I dumped everything out. On the kitchen counter was my dad’s wallet. I grabbed it and his keys. I was about to go to the basement, but mom’s wedding ring caught my eye. I hesitated and grabbed that, too. What else? In the basement, I grabbed more camping things that I wasn’t able to fit in the clothes bag. All that was left now was Rufus. Better get it over quickly. I sprinted into the boys’ room and up the bunk bed ladder. Rufus was sitting there. I ran back out of the room without looking back. 

To my relief, Mikey was still sitting in the car. I opened the truck door and got ready to hit the garage door button and hop in the truck. With my luck today, there was bound to be a dog waiting outside the garage door. Four or five gas containers caught my attention before I hit the button. I threw them in the back of the truck. I slammed my hand against the button and jumped in the truck. No dog was waiting in the gravel driveway. I turned the truck on and backed out. 

Hanson consisted of one road an about forty houses. It was a small, unincorporated town. Everyone hunted and everyone farmed. It was about five minutes drive to Mason City, Mason County’s biggest city. And everyone had a dog or two. I drove slowly, checking each house for signs of life. There were, by the time I left Hanson, I had run over two bloody dogs and had about ten following me. I hit the highway and raced into town. I didn’t meet anyone on the way in. 

This is Part One of the Second "Chapter" in The Day The Dogs Went Wild. Hope you enjoyed it!

~Snowie

July 21st WSEIJM

I hope you guys don't mind a video instead of a piece of writing today.

~Snowie

July 20th WSEIJM

Blood Thirsty

That morning, I was woken up by a single dog bark. And then, one by one all of the dogs in my neighbor hood joined in. The howl rose above the roofs of the houses like a mourning cry. And, when the howl had ended, a single savage bark came from the  room below me. And then I heard my little brother Michael scream. 

I jumped out of bed and ran out my closed bedroom door. I slowed down when Miky stopped screaming. Mom must have taken care of it. A quiet moment draped over the house, like someone had taken a deep breath and couldn’t let it out. The house was never this quiet. I jumped when the AC turned on, but something was still off. 

My parent’s door to their bed room was opened just a foot, so I peeked inside. The lights were still off, but I could easily see two bodies laying in the bed. The sheets were thrown everywhere. Why hadn’t they gotten out of bed. Mikey’s scream was louder then their alarm clock.

“Mom. Dad. Wake up. I think Mikey had a nightmare.” I waited, and they didn’t so much as moan. Were they even breathing? I stepped in the room, feeling along the cool, bumpy wall for the plastic light switch. Finally, a chance to get back at them for waking me up via light all those times. I flipped on the light and immediately wished I hadn’t.

The whole bed was soaked red, like someone had poured crimson dye over the sheets. Some of the sheets were torn and others were wrapped around the pale limbs of my parents. I backed up, slamming into the wall before running out of the room. I ran downstairs to the kitchen and grabbed the phone. I dialed 911 as I grabbed the biggest knife I could find in the kitchen. The phone rang and rang and rang and rang. No one ever answered. Down the hall, Mikey screamed again. I dropped the phone and ran towards his room. What if the killer was hurting them? Oh, god. James. 

The door was already opened. I burst in, slamming the door against the wall. Mikey sat in the corner of his bed, far away from the door. His face was pale white and he was crying. From under the bed was a growl. I flipped on the light. 

Ramen stared at me, teeth bared. Blood dripped down his hairy chin. He was covered in the stuff. I held the knife in front of me. What the hell was going on? I tried to keep my eyes on the dog and not the person he was eating in the bottom bunk. Adrenaline rushed through my blood. I couldn’t breath steady. “Everything’s going to be okay, Mikey.”

Ramen lunged at me off the bed. I closed my eyes and held the knife out. Mikey screamed again. I fell to the floor as Ramen landed on top of me. He whimpered as the knife I held sank into his heart. 

I laid there gasping, waiting for Ramen to stop twitching. Warm blood leaked from Ramen’s body down the knife and onto my hands. I could feel Ramen’s muzzle against my neck and tried to not think about the blood that was on his chin. Ramen let out a final breath. I pushed the dog off of me and sat up. I looked down at the knife that was sunk a few inches into Ramen’s chest. And I finally had the sense to cry.

I thought it was all a dream. And for a while, I kept thinking that I was stuck in some sort of nightmare. But, it was very much real. 

I should be dead right now. But, by a chance of luck, I am still alive, and so is Michael. Now that I look back on everything that has happened, I’m not sure if I should call it luck. Luck would have been dying. It would have been a lot less painful. No, what happened to me and Mikey that day, was not luck. It was a really terrible fate.

My name is Julie Swartz. The date is May 4^th, 2012. This is the day the whole world went to hell.

This is the first "chapter" of The Day The Dogs Went Wild. 

It is pretty rough and in need of lots of work, but I am hoping to turn it in to a novella or something of the sort. 

~Snowie

July 19th WSEIJM

IN THE LAND OF LIGHT AND STONE

In the Land

Of Light and Stone

Sun beats down

Cooking the Earth to the core.

A blistering cold

When in the depth

Of a cold white.

To the nonobservant

A desolate wasteland

And to the observant

Blooming with life

Soaring ashen mountains

Layered in reds and whites

Hold keys to the past

A time long gone

Uncovered inch by inch

By never ceasing winds

Over the past

Walk the creatures

Of the present

The strong will they hold

Carries them

Through long winters

Raging fires

And Summer’s heat

The Land of Light and Stone

Withholds for no man

As it barrels forward 

Towards a certain fate

As the ashen mountains fade

Into the meadows that surround them. 

The Land of Light and Stone

Speaks of the Earth’s power

How a single drop of water

A single gust of wind

Changes the land forever

How with time

Comes change

As the Earth spins

The world’s cycles 

Shift and Rotate

In to a new era of history

The Land of Light and Stone

Is more than it seems

It’s more than Light

And Stone.

~Snowie

July 18th WSEIJM

Trigger Point

Anger

Builds up

Inside me

Ready to go off

Like a gun.

Maiming, 

Killing

Everything

In it's path.

Woah there. So, a bunch of intense poems right in a row there, what's up with that? How about we lighten the mood with another book review.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Goodreads
Amazon
Veronica Roth
Divergent

Insurgent was a very, very, very good book and I'm glad I picked it up the moment I saw it in the library. Insurgent is the sequel to Divergent, and both are dystopian novels. If you haven't read Divergent, I highly recommend you do before reading Insurgent. Also, if a long time has passed since reading Divergent, you might want to review what happened, otherwise Insurgent is a little confusing. For now I'll pretend you have read Divergent and just dive right in. 

Insurgent picks up where Divergent left off after the Erudite's simulation attack on the Abnegation. Tris and Tobias (Four) are on their way to Amity headquarters to take cover from the Erudite and figure out what they should do. With war on the horizon, secrets are about to be discovered and relationships are put to the test. Tris discovers that Marcus, Tobias's abusive father, and Johanna, an Amity leader, are privy to a secret that could change everything. It is the secret that caused Jeanine, the Erudite leader, to attack the Abnegation. Tris makes a choice to discover this secret no matter the cost. 

Roth's words and ideas are an effortless read. They seem to come right off the page and pull you into the story. It was really hard to put this book down. All of the characters had multiple layers and grew and changed throughout the book, and I love Tris's relationship with Tobias. I would recommend this book to anyone with a dystopian or fantasy obsession.

Happy Reading!

~Snowie

July 17th WSEIJM

Open

I wear my heart on my sleeve.

Or do I?

I'm smiling at most anything.

Or am I?

When I'm hurt, 

I cry. 

You can see if I'm mad

Just by my face. 

I smile to cover

Hate

Annoyance

Embarrassment

Truth it

I can't handle pain

And worry. 

The worry

Drives me insane. 

I'm like a clam

Closing myself

Hiding my true feelings

The true me

Placing an average shell

Around me

I'm the pearl inside

Waiting to be found

Someday, maybe

Just maybe

I'll open

Show the pearl I am.

I'll wear my heart on my sleeve. 

Someday I'll be

Me.

July 16th WSEIJM

Stronger

Here I go again

Overreacting as usual

Over you

I've tried to love you

I've tried to just be friends

But I can't

I can't just be friends

Not with you

Not when you're so...

So imperfectly perfect

And it's had to take it

All the pain, I mean

The pain of you

Falling out of love

With me

I can't just be friends

We have to be more

Or nothing at all.

Being stuck in the middle

In limbo

Hurts

Now, I think,

I can safely say

We're nothing at all

It was wrong

To even get my hopes up

I knew we would never

Ever

Work.

But I let myself believe

Believe that there was hope

For a you and me

A me and you

So I let you in

And everything burned. 

Now, I'm walking through the ashes

Picking up pieces of me

Destroying the pieces of you.

Slowly, but surely

Bit by bit

I'm deleting you.

I'm done with the pain.

I'm done with the drama.

I'm leaving you

In the ashes

Because I deserve more

I deserve so much better

I've realized that

I don't need you

With me.

I don't need you.

I only need me.

And the next time

I fall in love, 

No, the first time

I truly fall in love

Is when I learn

To love

Me. 

July 15th WSEIJM

I stand Alone

Here I stand alone

There used to be many of my kind

We weren't a grove

But one tree

All of them grew from me.

Unable to run,

We stood our ground

From a fiery, deathly sound.

The fires came,

The fires raged

And to this day their ashes stay

Here I stand alone

July 14th WSEIJM

Forgetting You

Forgetting you 

Isn't easy

It's one of the hardest things

In the entire world

Because it is not possible

I can never completely forget you

That's impossible

You have helped me

Change

And grow

So much

And I thank you

I wouldn't want it

Any other way

But now it's time

To throw away the pictures

To delete your number

It's time

To start forgetting you.

July 13th WSEIJM

Time Tells

When I see you

My stomach goes knotty

And I find it hard

To not stare

I can't help smiling

Especially when you smile

Because something

In your smile

Makes the world

Seem a whole lot brighter

One look at you

And I know

Exactly what you are thinking

You are unlike anyone 

Anyone I have ever known

Before you

I was alone

No one I knew was like me

No one thought

Wondered

Questioned

Believed like me

Until I meant you

Now, I can't stay

You're leaving

I'm stuck here

Surrounded by people

Who go everyday

Secretly, Unknowingly

Hating me. 

So, I keep moving

Breaking down barriers

Making the most of time

Moving forward

Moving away

Away from people

Who 

Don't believe by believing

Don't wonder in ignorance

Don't question the unquestionable

Sooner or Later

I'll have vanished

Far out of their sight

In a place I belong

Whether or not

You are there

Is something

Only time tells. 

July 12th WSEIJM

Broken Lips

Take a look at my hands

They are like dry clay

Brittle and crumbling

From pulling myself up

Off the floor

And my knees?

Please, don't look.

The skin is broken

Bloody and dirty

From falling to the floor.

My body is covered

In scars

And fresh cuts

Every time one heals

A deeper cut takes it's place

My lips

Are dry and cracked

From screaming

Screaming and begging

For the help

I so desperately need

But look at you

Your hands are soft

You haven't picked me up

Your knees are smooth

You haven't fallen with me

Your lips are whole

You haven't screamed

And your ears

Your delicate ears

Have not drunk

A thousand words

From my broken lips.

July 11th WSEIJM

Hidden Meanings

Just look back

And you will see

A deeper meaning

Inside of me

I'm not just words

On a page

I'm a thought

An idea

A want

A need

Words have power

You will find

So take a moment

To look at mine.

July 10th WSIEJM

The Journey

For much in every beginning 

There is to be had

But in the end

All we have is ourselves

And time

Time is relative

Something humans created

To make sense of the world

To keep track of themselves

Beginnings

And Endings

Are short

It is the middle

The longest

The hardest part

That matters most

Too often

The middle is forgotten

And lost

In the jumble of chaos

That surrounds it

Isn't the journey

More important

Than the destination?

July 9th WSEIJM

Stupid

Don't make me laugh

You with your lies,

Complaints and pains

You're a spoiled brat

You always get what you want

And,

On the small chance you don't,

You whine and cry so much

Even puppies want to kill you*

You're so stupid

And narrow-minded

The world revolves around you

You never shut up

The world you see

Is the one you want to see

Your eyes are closed

And you're always right. 

You never stop to consider

What do other people think?

You don't care- Screw Them!

It's all about you. 

You have the capacity of a fork

Why go further? Why try?

Stupid humans. 

Life is hard.

Get over yourselves

And move on.


*This line never fails to make me laugh. I have no idea why it does and I have no clue how I thought it up.

Also...

I felt that the blog needed a little refresher, so I changed up the template and the theme just a tad... Okay, so maybe I went overboard and maybe the blog looks a whole lot different, but I made a header that I love. 

Let us see... I have five book reviews that I would like to do. Ever since school got out and I have all of the time in the world, I have been a reading machine. Reading is good for the brain and my writing. 

Speaking of writing, I've read through Love By Text once, and then reread the first five chapters. I also started on what might turn out to be a little novella called The Day the Dogs Went Wild. More on that later. 

Thinking about doing some serious outlining this week, 

~Snowie

P.S. 

Here Are Some Titles I Thought Up For Love By Text. Feel free to comment your favorite!

• Love By Text
• Amelia
• Amelia Perfect
• To Love
• Loving Amelia Perfect
• Loving Amelia
• Perfect
• Perfectly Loved
• Imperfect Love
• Perfectly Imperfect
• Twenty Seconds of Courage

July 8th WSEIJM

Human Nature

Why bother? Why try?

We all end up in the sky. 

Or the ground. 

That's okay

I'm afraid of heights. 

July 7th WSEIJM

I Love You

I'll never forget

Last time we kissed

Over a year ago

The very day you left

Even now

Years later,

Our love is 

Unfailing.

July 6th WSEIJM

Blood Sisters

My words sting

I do know that.

Yours aren't much different

We are troubled souls,

Lost and looking for answers.

Some we can provide for each other

Others we help each other find

You're the closest I've ever been

To another person.

I know more about you

Than you do yourself.

And I'm pretty sure

You know more about me

Than you would ever like to.

We're so different

Yet so much the same.

My life is whole,

To whole for me

Still, your life is shattering

I'd like to help you rebuild it

Piece by piece

And you are welcome

To take a hammer to mine

I had no choice but to be protected

You made yourself bulletproof by choice

But your guard came crashing down

When I came. 

You always say

I see too much

But, maybe, 

I see too little. 

July 5th WSEIJM

Lost

What can you do

If your friend is

In trouble?

You don't know how to help

But you know you must try.

What do you do

When you try to help

But your friend won't listen?

They say they've tried

Or that won't work.

They push you out. 

Push you away. 

They're trying to protect you.

They've seen too much pain.

They can't see more,

What if you need to help?

You want to help

Because you're hurt too. 

But they push harder. 

Saying "I shouldn't have told you

You shouldn't be hurting."

What do they do when you say

"What hurts you, hurts me."

Or

"Too late. I'm in too deep."

"I can't back down.

Not for me. 

Never for you."

July 4th WSEIJM

Choosing Happiness

Today I choose happiness
I choose to smile
Because I have freedoms
And rights and protection
I smile because I am thankful
Because millions of people
Have lives that are far more worse
Than mine
And I am not one of them
I choose to smile
To make today the best today
Because my todays are running out
Today I choose happiness
Because I deserve to be happy
I will not let the bad things
Take over my life
I will not fall in a pit of putty
I deserve more than that
And I respect myself far too much
For that to happen.
And most importantly
If you are the cause
For my unhappiness
I will leave
Because I deserve
To have someone
Who can always make me happy.

July 3rd WSEIJM

The Wonders of A Bird

With every turn and twist
Your stomach jumps
Your heart stops
Your breath freezes
With every dive and swoop
Your eyes water
Your muscles burn
Your legs ache
With every start and stop
Your wings flap
Your feathers shift
Your head swivels
Oh, the wonders of a bird

July 2nd WSEIJM

Pollution Will Fall

The thunder rolls
The animals quake
The tide flows
The humans wake

We don't think
We don't listen
And, with a wink,
It has risen

If there's no cause
There's no effect
We can't pause
And hit reset

Pollution is killing
Take a stand
We are willing
We've delt our first hand

Pollution will fall
We will rise
We took the call
Now meet your demise

An Overabundance Of Words

Welcome to July! June was full of awesome and overflowing with words. In fact, there were so many words in June that some spilled over into July. July, I have decided, is Write Something Everyday In July Month (WSEIJM... Oh, yeah. Acronyms!). I will try my absolute hardest to post one piece of writing a day even if it kills me. I think this sounds like a really good challenge. I have a feeling that 90% of the posts will be poems. Don't click away now! There might be a short story or two in there somewhere.

And, to kick off WSEIJM (Pronounced Weh-Cee-Gym), here is a little poem written by yours truly, Snowfire.

Stay Still

If I stay still long enough
I can feel the world spin
Everything seems to stop
Be still.
The birds stop singing
All the sound drifts away
And, for a moment,
The wind stops blowing.
It's almost as if
The whole wide word hesitates
... Then gasps
Time slows down
Making moments into hours
The only thing I hear
Is my heart
Thudding slowing
Beating in time
With the rest of the world
If I stay still


~Snowfire