Story total = 1137 words
Post total = 567 words
I have no idea if the second section is going to end up in the final version of the story. I'm debating on just how to tell this superhero story.
“I’m not here for them. I know how you feel about criminals.” Roger’s hand swiped across his mouth quickly. “Don’t worry, we’ll catch this guy.”
“I wish I had gotten a better look.”
“We’re looking through the security system.”
Of course they were. Peggy felt stupid. It’s not like the murderer had tried to hide. “Do you know what he used to kill Ardenwood?”
“Not yet. Want a ride home?”
She shook her head as she stood. “No, I don’t want to take you from your job. I can take the bus. I can go now, right?”
“Yeah.” Roger escorted her through the maze of desks and halls. Why was it so hard to accept his friendship? Probably for the same reason she couldn’t go back to her father’s house. They reached the station lobby and Roger cleared his throat. “Be careful. If you think you see that guy in the coveralls again, call me.”
“I will.” The night air was heavy with humidity. Peggy’s skirt went limp and clung to her legs. At least the bus would be air conditioned. She sat down at the bench at the end of the block.
Robert ran. Fear licked his heart. A woman ran ahead of him, her dark blonde ponytail swinging, speeding like the denizens of the abyss were after her. Maybe they were after them both. What else would he be afraid of?
The woman glanced over her shoulder and reached back for his hand. She didn’t see the arms reaching out of the darkness ahead.
Fear squeezed his heart. “No!” But he couldn’t run any faster. The unknown woman was out of reach.
One hand grabbed her shoulder. The other hand sprayed something into her face. (Need effects of cyanide poisoning again to describe Peggy’s death. Lost my copies of this info.)
Now he had speed to reach her before he finished screaming his rage. Robert cradled the woman and caressed her face. The light in her eyes was gone. He screamed again through his fangs and into his bedroom. Robert panted from the false exertion. A nightmare of the death of a woman he had never met, what was wrong out there?
He went to the ballroom first. He slipped past the dust cloth draped furniture to reach the wall of windows. The city in the valley below glowed orange predominately with sprinkles of white on the skyscrapers. The town his father had founded was now a metropolis and with all the ills that came with that social progress.
Robert turned away from the glass. What could he do? He already had his secretary, no, assistant was researching and revising the social programs that he had started in the ‘60s.
But the woman in the dream had depended on him personally.
Damn! It was only a dream. No one could depend on him. He had limitations that would get him killed by the superstitcious. He stopped on the staircase. They couldn’t use him limitations if they didn’t know what he was.
Notes
Peggy Wynn – thrown out of the house by her father for having sex in it with a deadbeat. She married the deadbeat, who was a criminal deadbeat at that. Peggy went to college, taking some writing courses. Matt Roger arrested her husband, and Peggy found out about his criminal activities. She left him, he almost killed her, and Matt Roger saved her from that too. She got the divorce and changed her name.
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Zy's Novel Post 17
Novel total = 19,129 words
Post total = 248 words
The Personal Journal of IGA Agent Zy
15.8.1010/7 July 1997
Murdock says I need something to relieve stress, something removed from the self-defense training. I think he's just tired of listening to me practice 'cause he recommended painting.
I haven't played with colors since grade school, but he bought me a complete art set at the last station. Chalk, pastels, oils, charcoals, watercolors, brushes, easel, and a dozen different sized canvases. I don't think anyone has ever spent that much money on me.
I suppose that means I'm going to have to use them so not to hurt his feelings. But I'm not taking lessons.
Chapter Six
Zy took a deep breath and faced herself in the mirror. Grey smudges circled under her brown eyes from her too long nose. She was tired and hadn’t been taking good care of herself. “That’s why I’m so short tempered right now,” she muttered and turned her attention to her clothes. Dressing gave her more time to reflect. D’pa would be a hostile witness, and she had to go through him to get to anyone else in the organization that might know something.
And she needed to get a list of employees. That meant playing nice with Xeryl. She laced up her ankle boots with a grimace. She would have to suck it up and apologize even though he started it.
Post total = 248 words
The Personal Journal of IGA Agent Zy
15.8.1010/7 July 1997
Murdock says I need something to relieve stress, something removed from the self-defense training. I think he's just tired of listening to me practice 'cause he recommended painting.
I haven't played with colors since grade school, but he bought me a complete art set at the last station. Chalk, pastels, oils, charcoals, watercolors, brushes, easel, and a dozen different sized canvases. I don't think anyone has ever spent that much money on me.
I suppose that means I'm going to have to use them so not to hurt his feelings. But I'm not taking lessons.
Chapter Six
Zy took a deep breath and faced herself in the mirror. Grey smudges circled under her brown eyes from her too long nose. She was tired and hadn’t been taking good care of herself. “That’s why I’m so short tempered right now,” she muttered and turned her attention to her clothes. Dressing gave her more time to reflect. D’pa would be a hostile witness, and she had to go through him to get to anyone else in the organization that might know something.
And she needed to get a list of employees. That meant playing nice with Xeryl. She laced up her ankle boots with a grimace. She would have to suck it up and apologize even though he started it.
Monday, October 10, 2005
Strix Post 4
Total word count = 570
This post's progress = 181 words
“It’s been legally changed.”
“And you say the same thing every time, Wynn. Not very creative.” Roger rested his elbow on the table. “Why were you there?”
“I thought they already took my statement.” Peggy wadded up the wipe and left it on the table. “Right before they said they had to take my fingerprints.”
“This is Matt asking, not the detective. But if Ardenwood was your sugar daddy, I’m going to say eww a lot.”
Peggy sighed. “I had a job appointment for ghost writing Ardenwood’s memoires.”
“What about your job at the newspaper?”
“Dad got me fired after I covered the Ver Hagan benefit. I degraced him by not crawling back to the house he threw me out of, or something stupid like that.”
Roger tapped his finger against his cheek. “And now you’ve seen a murderer and he’s seen you.”
“I don’t know why he didn’t kill me too. I’m sure your cop buddies are wondering too.” Why did that last part come out so bitter?
“I’m not here for them. I know how you feel about criminals.”
This post's progress = 181 words
“It’s been legally changed.”
“And you say the same thing every time, Wynn. Not very creative.” Roger rested his elbow on the table. “Why were you there?”
“I thought they already took my statement.” Peggy wadded up the wipe and left it on the table. “Right before they said they had to take my fingerprints.”
“This is Matt asking, not the detective. But if Ardenwood was your sugar daddy, I’m going to say eww a lot.”
Peggy sighed. “I had a job appointment for ghost writing Ardenwood’s memoires.”
“What about your job at the newspaper?”
“Dad got me fired after I covered the Ver Hagan benefit. I degraced him by not crawling back to the house he threw me out of, or something stupid like that.”
Roger tapped his finger against his cheek. “And now you’ve seen a murderer and he’s seen you.”
“I don’t know why he didn’t kill me too. I’m sure your cop buddies are wondering too.” Why did that last part come out so bitter?
“I’m not here for them. I know how you feel about criminals.”
Strix Post 3
Nope, won't make the mistake of not getting at least the 5 minutes in. I was irritated all day yesterday.
Today's count = 133 words
The binder slipped from her grasp. She stepped back and looked at the assistant’s desk. And her fingers pressed the numbers while she concentrated on finding her voice.
The gruff voice answered and it was really him, not an answering machine. “Roger, I found a dead body. Please come get it.”
It felt like hours later. Peggy had forgotten her watch at home before her appointment and the room that had put her in at the police station had no clock either. She focused on wiping the black ink off her fingers with the cleaning wipes provided. A just in case measure, they had told her. She kept a wary eye on the corner waiting for a rodent or insect to come darting out.
The door to the spartan room opened. Roger ran his hand through his brown hair before sitting down at the table. “Hey, Winnward.”
Today's count = 133 words
The binder slipped from her grasp. She stepped back and looked at the assistant’s desk. And her fingers pressed the numbers while she concentrated on finding her voice.
The gruff voice answered and it was really him, not an answering machine. “Roger, I found a dead body. Please come get it.”
It felt like hours later. Peggy had forgotten her watch at home before her appointment and the room that had put her in at the police station had no clock either. She focused on wiping the black ink off her fingers with the cleaning wipes provided. A just in case measure, they had told her. She kept a wary eye on the corner waiting for a rodent or insect to come darting out.
The door to the spartan room opened. Roger ran his hand through his brown hair before sitting down at the table. “Hey, Winnward.”
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Strix (the Night Storm revision) Post 2
No clear title yet, but Strix is going to be the new superhero alias.
Daily word count = 129
“I’m all done. Mr. Ardenwood wants to see you now.”
Peggy jerked her head up. The man in the blue coveralls was shutting the outer office doors. She caught a glimpse of black curly hair and thick lips before the door closed. Maybe he was installing something, she thought as she brushed off her skirt.
She marched to the open inner office door with binder in a damp grip. “Mr. Ardenwood, I want to thank you for seeing me.” Her mouth fell open.
The bald man sprawled in his leather executive chair. His jaw dropped open and his arms hung slack off the arm rests. His eyes stared into the corner of the ceiling.
The binder slipped from her grasp. She stepped back and looked at the assistant’s desk.
Daily word count = 129
“I’m all done. Mr. Ardenwood wants to see you now.”
Peggy jerked her head up. The man in the blue coveralls was shutting the outer office doors. She caught a glimpse of black curly hair and thick lips before the door closed. Maybe he was installing something, she thought as she brushed off her skirt.
She marched to the open inner office door with binder in a damp grip. “Mr. Ardenwood, I want to thank you for seeing me.” Her mouth fell open.
The bald man sprawled in his leather executive chair. His jaw dropped open and his arms hung slack off the arm rests. His eyes stared into the corner of the ceiling.
The binder slipped from her grasp. She stepped back and looked at the assistant’s desk.
Friday, October 07, 2005
Capt. Kate Short Story Post 1
Capt. Kate was my Faire persona. I've been doing so much history research for the resource guide, I thought that a fiction peice through her eyes might be another good use for the research. Plus I read Murder by Magic this summer and thought an Elizabethan sea dog ghost story sounded like fun.
Daily writing = 143 word
Kate Roberts stared at the stone thurst into the splintered wood. The salt water had already filled the hold ankle-deep. Empty casks eased free from their ropes and nets to bob. The latern light was too feeble from the stairwell. Had the Crimson Lady been struck a fatal blow?
There comes a regularity with being cursed. Course, Kate didn’t feel she was cursed. It mattered not that others added Storm-blown to her given name simply because every ship she had floundered and was lost in the storm. She never lost any crew by God’s teeth save for the fools who could not follow orders in a crisis. Those were hardly sailors one desired come what may. Due to that fortunuous circumstance of her life, she had never expected her ship to run aground, no matter how foggy the night.
Daily writing = 143 word
Kate Roberts stared at the stone thurst into the splintered wood. The salt water had already filled the hold ankle-deep. Empty casks eased free from their ropes and nets to bob. The latern light was too feeble from the stairwell. Had the Crimson Lady been struck a fatal blow?
There comes a regularity with being cursed. Course, Kate didn’t feel she was cursed. It mattered not that others added Storm-blown to her given name simply because every ship she had floundered and was lost in the storm. She never lost any crew by God’s teeth save for the fools who could not follow orders in a crisis. Those were hardly sailors one desired come what may. Due to that fortunuous circumstance of her life, she had never expected her ship to run aground, no matter how foggy the night.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Strix (Night Storm Revision) Post 1
This started a long time ago, back in 1992. This is the third take on it, and I think it'll probably be the last one. The title will change, but I don't know to what yet.
Today's writing = 127 words
Peggy Wynn flipped through her portfolio one more time. All the pieces showed off her writing, but also conveyed how interesting she could make interviews and childhood rememberances. Just what Mr. Nate Ardenwood would need in the ghostwriter of his memoires. She shut the binder and leaned back in the chair. Ardenwood’s executive assistant had apologized profusely for the wait before leaving for the day. What could possibly be taking so long? How tempting it was to just leave, but she needed this job. She closed her green eyes.
The waiting room chair jabbed the body in the right spots to keep one awake. That was fine; she didn’t need to fall asleep on a job interview. Be respectful, be courteous, be the opposite of her father.
Today's writing = 127 words
Peggy Wynn flipped through her portfolio one more time. All the pieces showed off her writing, but also conveyed how interesting she could make interviews and childhood rememberances. Just what Mr. Nate Ardenwood would need in the ghostwriter of his memoires. She shut the binder and leaned back in the chair. Ardenwood’s executive assistant had apologized profusely for the wait before leaving for the day. What could possibly be taking so long? How tempting it was to just leave, but she needed this job. She closed her green eyes.
The waiting room chair jabbed the body in the right spots to keep one awake. That was fine; she didn’t need to fall asleep on a job interview. Be respectful, be courteous, be the opposite of her father.
Blog Maintenance: changes
Scroll down to the bottom. I've added Progress Bars for just about everything original on my working list. I left off fanfics because this is the stuff I need to be concentrating on. The fanfic muse has no problems with encouragement, where as my originals muse and discipline need some bolstering.
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