April

Blogging from A to Z Challenge — Letter E

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AtoZ2019E

Today’s Positive Adjective:
Erudite: having or showing knowledge that is gained by studying

Atwyna closed the cover of her book and blinked. As she rejoined her physical body, she noticed the room had grown dark and cold. She rubbed her eyes, surveying her surroundings. She estimated the time was approaching nautical dusk, but she was unclear which day.

Petting the large tome on the oak library table, Atwyna was sure it had taken possession of her mind for a least two days. The grumbling in her stomach was another clue. Her chair scraped and squeaked along the floorboards as she pushed away from her workspace and tentatively stretched muscles frozen from inactivity. Feeling seeped into her body and she smiled as she reentered her favorite place.

Her library contained her most prized possession, works she had painstakingly searched, bartered and paid dearly to obtain. She had outfitted the entire room with long boards that reached the rafters. Countless books filled each shelf. Stacks of dusty scrolls protruded from the shelves, poked into any available cubbyhole.  There were delicate parchments, some entombed in worn, embossed folios while simple leather straps held others together. Her desktop was lit by a skylight high overhead, so as not to waste valuable wall space with windows.

There was a soft tap before the door creaked open, admitting a white kerchiefed head. Blue eyes sparkled, and a grin painted the young face when she saw Atwyna reclining in her chair.

“How is my favorite erudite wizard today?” she asked bursting inside. “Done with the book I see.”

“Yes I finished, Marin.”

“Good, good,” Marin nodded and bustled around the room stoking the stove and lighting the lamp on the table.

“Supper will be ready in a few minutes. Then you can get a good night’s sleep.”

Atwyna raised her hand motioning for Marin to stop.

“I’ll eat, but then we’re leaving.”

“Leaving?” Marin smoothed her apron with the palms of her trembling hands.

Atwyna rose and wrapped her arm around Marin’s shoulder.

“Then you found the answer?” Marin whispered.

“Yes, it will be a long journey, but I think we can save your brother.”

Tears pooled in Main’s eyes, but she squared her shoulders and smiled at Atwnya.

“Looks like I need to finish supper and start packing,” she said.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

On the Menu – Thursday Threads

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snowballs coconut cakes

Photo credit: hddod on Visual Hunt / CC BY-NC-ND

“They are so sweet,” Mira cooed as she bent over the makeshift hydroponic tray and reached to pet the furballs.

“Don’t touch them,” Dexter yelled, slapping her hand away.

“Ow. What the—? Why not? They want to snuggle,” she snapped at Dexter as she rubbed the red mark on her wrist.

“They bite.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she leaned toward them again.

“I have the scars to prove it,” Dexter said as he watched Mira lean closer.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. And don’t expect me to stitch you back together.”

Mira glanced at him and smiled.

“They wouldn’t harm me, would you, my precious babies?” As Mira spoke her voice took on the sing-song quality mothers use when they speak to infants.

“Did the big, bad human hurt my little darlings?”

Dexter stood mouth agape as the furballs nuzzled Mira and made a noise he had never heard before.

“Yes, tell Mama how he stole you from me,” she said stroking them.

“Wait, a minute here. I stole nothing. They were being ejected into space with the garbage. I saved them. I’ve done nothing since I found them but try to take care of them and find their mother. They have bitten and scratched me for my trouble.  Not to mention the shots and stitches. And now you accuse me of stealing?”

“Humans are a strange species. Why would you save them when most creatures consider our babies tasty treats?”

“I guess we’re gluttons for punishment,” Dexter sighed.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Blogging from A to Z Challenge — Letter D

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AtoZ2019D

Today’s Positive Adjective:
Didactic
a) designed or intended to teach
b) intended to convey instruction and information as well as pleasure and entertainment

Desi was younger than her classmates. She had never understood her “gifted” label and considered it a curse. Kids her age shunned her. They told her college would be different and the students would be more accepting. The undergraduates weren’t overt at excluding her because they knew better. They used more subtle tactics. Introduced as a brilliant young mind and they viewed her as competition.

Desi held her own in most of her classes. Solving math, statistics or programming problems only required the proper application of specific, known rules to derive the answer. Her grades followed another set of guidelines. It provided a nice, neat, logical package.

Drama class stressed her. Here, no laws applied, and the issues didn’t have easy solutions. Everything here was messy. Often there was no decisive correct response or the most popular one made no coherent sense. Desi considered Professor Tate a throwback to the hippies. She insisted her students “feel” and try to connect with their “deepest emotions.” The latest play proved no exception.

Desi had grown accustomed to her position. Her classmates cast her as the youngest child, the half-wit, and now a fool. While Desi understood the didactic nature of the assignment, the allocation seemed designed to humiliate her. She spoke with Professor Tate who told Desi it took intelligence to play the jester, and the two of them devised a plan. Desi read the script studying each part. When they performed this afternoon, a deeper plot would be revealed. Professor Tate assured her, the thespians would learn a valuable lesson.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Fair Warning – Friday Fictioneers

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Title: Fair Warning
Source:  Friday Fictioneers sponsored by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple
Word count: 100 words

PHOTO PROMPT © Ronda Del Boccio

I hate late night dog walks. The mutt insists I honor my responsibility. The mongrel’s insistence on sniffing every blade of grass to prolong our walk is directly proportional to my longing to be tucked in bed.

Tonight is no exception. Maybe I’m cranky, but the nightly tug of war is excessive. I glance at the cur who is trying to pull me in the opposite direction from home.  I jerk the leash, and the dog turns, tail between its legs, snarling, it backpedals.

I yank the leash again. A hand covers my mouth and I wish I had listened.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Blogging from A to Z Challenge — Letter C

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atoz2019c.

Today’s Positive Adjective:
Convivial: relating to, occupied with, or fond of feasting, drinking, and good company

Growing up, I anticipated one day more than any other. More than Christmas or even my birthday. When spring broke winter’s frigid grip, school recessed, and we packed the car, headed to Aunt Opal’s farm.

April was a busy time, and we “city folks” as my cousins called us were the hired help, nobody could afford to hire. Despite my cousin’s insistence, our tiny town didn’t compare to St. Louis or Chicago. Still, it was larger than the town nearest the homestead. Aunt Opal’s farmhouse hustled and bustled more our “city” house ever did.

Her kitchen whirled with activity, the convivial epicenter of farm folk for miles. While daily events varied wildly, everyone who entered her domain received a loving embrace. It didn’t matter if it had been five minutes or five weeks. The greeting never changed, nor the question which followed.

“You hungry, dear?” she would ask, and proceed with your choices. A slice of strawberry-rhubarb cobbler? A hunk of warm bread right from the oven? Well, a glass of lemonade then? Once your belly was full, she put you to work. Except it didn’t seem like work. Not when she was recounting the latest Taylor twin’s antics. Or how she found her best, laying chicken cuddled in the hayloft with the cat, three days running, despite locking the hen in the coop.

No, I couldn’t wait. The two-and-a-half-hour trip took much longer. I suspected Daddy drove slowly, to torment me. Wedged between my brothers in the back seat I willed the car to go faster. I dared to ask my question once again.

“Daddy, are we there yet?”

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Blogging from A to Z Challenge — Letter B

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atoz2019b

Today’s Positive Adjective:
Benevolent:
a) marked by or disposed to doing good
b) organized for the purpose of doing good

 

“It isn’t like that. You’re mistaken.”

“You want me to believe scores of authors, spanning centuries wrote the wrong story? Sorry, I’m not buying it.”

“I had hoped you were seeking the truth. Did I misunderstand? Yet you are painting me with the same bad press Zeus has been slinging for eons.”

“So, this is your brother’s fault?”

Hades rubbed his hand across his face and wondered at the wisdom of granting the interview. Persephone thought it might be a good idea to clear the air, to give the mortals a glimpse of the real god, the true Hades. He sighed, aware Annabeth was watching his every move.

For a mortal, she was intelligent and rather pretty, except she smelled like a moist, living human. The sound of her beating heart was distracting, and her breathing… Hades tried not to shudder. It was obvious she had done her homework. He also realized she had formed an opinion and changing her mind wouldn’t be easy.

“How’s your cell reception?” he asked.

Startled, Annabeth dug the phone from her purse. She held it above her head, rotating it in one direction then another.

“Nothing. No bars.”

“Yeah, we’re pretty isolated. Always have been. If you hadn’t noticed, this is a busy place. You know people are dying to get in.” Hades smiled, hoping his lame joke would have an impact. When Annabeth didn’t respond, he shrugged and continued.

“I’m sure you have the statistics. Let me assure you it is a lot of work to process those souls daily, twenty-four seven as you say. No vacations. Ever.” Hades paused letting his words sink in.

“So, when my dear brother started his smear campaign, it was months before I heard about it. You know why he did it?”

“No. Why?” Annabeth tilted her head, wary of his motives.

“You realize Zeus has a little problem?”

“Problem?” Annabeth’s eyebrows knitted together as she searched his angular face.

“Everyone loves Zeus. Don’t they? He’s got the looks, the thunderbolts, and the bad habit of stepping out on Hera. His escapades have caused more than a few problems. Wouldn’t you say?” Hades watched the light bulb illuminate in Annabeth’s brain.

“What’s that have to do with you?”

“Deflection,” Hades paused. “Zeus would get Olympus in an uproar. Hell, at one point they were ready to oust him. Athena helped him. A brilliant plan really. She used her shield to deflect their outrage here. On me. By the time I heard, the storm was over, and Zeus was the darling god again.” Hades shrugged leaning back against his throne.

“You’re a patsy?” Annabeth’s right eyebrow lifted as she spoke.

“I’m just saying, Persephone and I have been together forever. Any stories about me stepping out on her? No. I would never do that. And the story about me abducting Persephone? That’s another of Zeus’ concoctions. She loves me, and I love her.  She’s my queen, my equal here. I care about the wellbeing of all the humans who cross the river, and I work hard to serve them. The Underworld’s purpose is to tend mortal souls. We subject no one to inequality.”

Annabeth remained silent for a long time. Hades watched her consider his words, weighing them against the stories and her extensive research.

“Let me get this straight,” Annabeth began, “You want me to believe you’re a benevolent god, a faithful and loving husband, and an equal rights advocate?”

Hades nodded as she spoke. When she finished, his smile stretched from ear to ear.

“I think you’re discovering who the real devil is.”

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Initiation – #MenageMonday

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Title: Initiation
Source:  #MenageMonday! Challenge Week 2×27
Word count: 250 words

Source: Dreamstime

It took me two years to convince Sammi to hire a runner for the boneyard. When she broke, she made it clear. The kid was my responsibility.

The teenager was eager, and he took his job title to heart. I chucked when I saw him sprinting towards me. He stopped a few feet away, resting his palms on his thighs as he sucked air.

“You okay, kid?” I asked.

He looked at me and raised his right index finger. I tapped my foot and waited.

“I’m fine,” he panted sliding his hands to his waist as he straightened.

“Sammi sent a message?” I prodded, eager to hear her latest edict.

“Hey, she said this was the plane that started it all,” he motioned to the shell in front of us.

“She said a bomb went off, killed everyone on board, and it crash-landed here.”

I laughed, and he looked confused.

“Sorry kid, we make it look that way. Some movie people paid to shoot footage. The rest we cannibalized for parts.”

“Oh, I see, and like a fool, I believed her,” the kid said.

“Gotta take Sammi with a grain of salt. She’s a jokester.”

The kid shook his head.

“She also said the lost keys are no excuse.  We have to get it started.”

I purposefully looked at the plane, before turning to face him again. I could hear the gears working in his head. He wasn’t stupid.

“Let me guess? Never any keys?”

“Happy April Fool’s Day, kid.”

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Shattering Illusions – Flash Fiction Challenge

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Title: Shattering Illusions
Source:  Flash Fiction Challenge
Prompt: Write a story that uses the word eminence.
Word count:  99 words

Jules was his father’s second son. He was deemed the spare heir to the kingdom. Always second best, he fought to win favor, to stand free from his brother’s shadow. Each passing year, the competition between them grew.

Their rivalry forced his vision higher, to the eminence of Mont Aiguille. He imagined looking down onto his brother’s domain. Determined, he focused on his goal, fought through doubts and fear until his kingdom became a reality.

He grew stronger than the mountain, hardening his heart he stood alone, freed from the shadows, he realized there had been nothing to prove.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Blogging from A to Z Challenge — Letter A

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atoz2019a.

Today’s Positive Adjective:
Assiduous: showing great care, attention, and effort

 

Addie loved the treasures Papa made in his tiny, crowded workshop. She spent hours perched on a stool as he meticulosity molded, and hammered, creating the perfect receptacle for the simmering stones.

Forbidden from entering the studio when he wasn’t there, she couldn’t force herself to obey. Late at night, Addie would slip from her bed. and tiptoe downstairs. In the pale light, she would caress Papa’s tools, examining the details of whatever project lay on his bench.

One morning Papa announced that Jules, Addie’s older brother, would no longer attend school. Instead, Jules was to apprentice with Papa. Jules groaned, and Addie silently wished she was so lucky.

For months Jules reluctantly followed Papa to the workshop each dawn and bolted from his hell the moment Papa released him for the day. Addie’s clandestine visits continued, and she grew bolder. She held Papa’s tools, manipulating them as he did, while she imagined herself performing the tasks he assigned to Jules. By day, she watched Jules’ beefy hands ruin costly materials and his stubborn attitude soured Papa’s patience.

One spring afternoon, Papa let out a beastly roar and banished Jules from the shop. Jules ran, almost skipping in delight. Not long after, Papa emerged, his shoulders slumped, and he sighed shutting the door behind him. Addie waited, but all was quiet. Unable to resist she entered and surveyed Jules’ destruction. Without thinking, she selected a tool and started the repair.

It was a day she would never forget. The day everything changed, and a new path opened to her. She fingered the pendant at her neck, her first creation, but not her last. Her days found her next to Papa, assisting him, collaborating with him. With assiduous use of the precious materials, Addie worked, crafting masterpieces fit for a king.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Blogging from A to Z Challenge — Theme Reveal

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atoz2019tenthann

I am excited to take part in this year’s A2Z Challenge and thrilled to announce my theme.

This challenge provides the perfect opportunity to combine my two favorite things. The first is my enjoyment of Flash Fiction, and the second is my focus on maintaining a positive attitude. Enter my discovery of Boom Positive and their List of Positive Adjectives and the theme emerged.

So, what is a Positive Adjective?

“An adjective is positive, when it has at least one definition, that can be used in a positive or uplifting manner.” — Boom Positive

Need another reason?

“A man’s character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation.” — Mark Twain

In April, you can expect a Flash Fiction piece, inspired by a Positive Adjective.

I can’t wait to get started.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer