Awakening (updated version)

Hey guys! Today is the Second Campaigner Challenge! I used three of the prompts and used inspiration from all the pictures. All of my entries are under 200 words (I made three of them). One is a flash fiction, the second is describing the water pear, and the third is a poem with a twist. All three are connected in a way. Hope you guys enjoy!

***

Awakening

I look up at the rusty bridge support and lean back against the concrete wall. If only we could make it out of here.

The gash on my leg burns and I moan in agony. But it's not the gash that's killing me. It's the infection. I grit my teeth, wanting to ignore it.

Ravir is at my side. His dark hair is wet from the rain that passed overhead only minutes ago. He pours cool water over my lips and obediently, I swallow.

"Mara," he says, running his fingers through my hair.

"I'm not-" I catch my breath as he pain flairs again. "I'm not goong to make it much longer."

His jaw tightens and his eyes fill with anger. "Don't talk like that. Don't-"

"Tell me a story."

"Mara, please."

"Tell me," I whimper.

His breath is unsteady but he begins. "The ocean stretched out before us. Kids played soccer in a field not far away and we could hear them from the beach..."

"Sounds a lot better than this dump we're at," I remark.

He smiles but I can tell he's hurting for me. "We got up and I helped you to a cave...

***

"It was dark. Everything about the cave was dark. We could only hear he trickle of distant water in a far off.

A hand gripped your shoulder and you knew it wasn't me. The hand was cold but soothing at the same time. An old man walked out of the darkness. He saw that you were injured. That you were dying.

He held a wooden object, beautifully carved from bamboo. The handle was smooth. It had been passed down throughout he centuries because it was magic. He held it out into a fall of crystal blue water. And instead of softly falling to the floor, the water grew.

It grew into a sphere that rested on the wooden tool, as if there were some invisible, tear-shaped container to hold its frame. It was beautiful. And you gasped as the man held it out to you.

'Take it,' he said.

But you only stared in wonder.

I urged you to take it, and finally you reached out. Your hand rested on the cool, liquid and it rippled with your touch.

'Try it,' said he man.

You brought it to your lips and you drank. And all your pain was gone."

***

Ravir finished his story,
The sorrow in his eyes burned,
The rain started to pour again,
And pain in my body returned.

"Mara," he said gently,
"I promise you'll be alright."
But I shook my head with tears in my eyes,
Knowing I'd already lost my fight.

"Mar," he continued,
"I know you haven't failed."

Yet I knew the truth, so I replied,
"I don't believe in fairytales."

The darkness closed in, I closed my eyes,
Gold light streamed through my mind,
Pictures faded and a whisper said,
"Mara, you were blind."

There was a stream of water,
There was a wooden spoon,
A pear of liquid rose,
For a promise made too soon.

A taste of food unearthly,
Brought on an energy of healing,
A breath of life flew through me,
And returned to me my feeling.

And I felt Ravir touch me,
Felt his hand squeeze mine,
My will to live returned again,
And finally, I opened my eyes.

***

Thanks so much for reading! Hope you enjoy! And if you really like it, go vote for me at Rachael Harrie's site. I'm entry # 63!!

--Jess

P.S.
Sorry about the formatting of this post! Luckily, I was able to fix and update it!! We're on a cruise right now, so that's why I couldn't post it right the first time. Have a great day!

The Promise- First Campaigner Challenge (Fourth Campaign)

Hey guys! Today is the day of Rachael Harrie's first Campaigner Challenge of the Fourth Campaign! Here are the guidelines:

"Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “Shadows crept across the wall”. These five words will be included in the word count. 

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), do one or more of these:

• end the story with the words: "everything faded." (also included in the word count)

• include the word "orange" in the story

• write in the same genre you normally write

• make your story 200 words exactly!"

So here is my entry of exactly 200 words with the included word 'orange':

***

The Promise (modified from WiP)

Shadows crept across the wall as the red-orange light of day shrank over the horizon. There was a rustling in the trees a few feet away. Alex felt for the gun in his pocket and aimed it in the direction of the sound.


"You really gonna shoot me?" Lara asked.


Alex put the gun down. "You scared me."


"Come on, let's go."


The two of them entered the abandoned building. The night grew darker and the only light was that of the moon shining through the broken windows.


"Alex," she said. "I need you to promise me something."


"Sure."


"Promise that you'll never forget me. This me. The one that's good. That no matter what happens, this girl is still here."


Alex looked at her, not sure if she really meant it. "Lara, I-"


"Promise!"


"Okay. I promise."


Her eyes grew dark. "Thank you."


"You're a good person, Lara."


She shook her head. A tear streamed down her face as she aimed the gun at his chest.


He turned to her and froze. "Lara, what are you doing? Don't do this!"


"I'm sorry, Alex. I loved you."


He reached for his gun. A bang filled his ears and everything faded.

***

Who shot whom? I guess that's up to you to decide ;)

If you really like it, go to Rachael Harrie's site and vote for me! I'm #19
And if you like writing flash fiction, you might want to check THIS out.

Thanks!

--Jess

11 Random Questions... Go!!!

Thanks Lady Gwen for tagging me in the Platform Building tag of 11 questions! Here are the questions she gave to me:

1. What is your secret weapon of choice?
Definitely a lightsaber ;)

2. If you could sit down for coffee with any historical figure, who would it be?
Hmm... that's a tough one. There's so many people to choose from!! I guess I'd have to go with the Egyptian queen Nefertiti.

3. Any "famous" figures in your ancestry? Who and what did they do?
Maybe Alexander Hamilton but we aren't sure, lol. He was the Secretary of the Treasury when the U.S. became a country.

4. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Either China or Italy.

5. What was the #1 song the day you were born?
Um, I have no idea.

6. What is your favorite genre to read and why?
Hmm, I think for me it mostly depends on the book. It's hard for me to choose any one genre! But I guess it would have to be dystopian or sci-fi.

7. Who is your favorite literary character and why?
Anakin Skywalker. In the books, not the movies. He's my favorite because he's a very deep character who struggles with the pain of losing his mother and the fear that others he loves will die. In real life this isn't such a good thing but for an author, turning your MC to 'the dark side' to save the ones they love is a pretty brave thing to do. It might destroy your character but it makes them very realistic!

8. Besides reading and writing, what is your favorite pastime or hobby?
Figure skating or playing the violin. Ooh, or Image Editing and Design. I use this free program called GIMP to create/edit pictures and that's always fun :)

9. If you could switch places with one person for 24 hours, who would it be? Why?
I was going to say the President of the U.S. but by the time my 24 hours would be up, I'm afraid the world would be destroyed. So instead, I'd like to be some neurological scientist. I guess I can't name any names (because I don't know any) but it sounds like a cool thing to be.

10. What is the area you live in most famous for?
Probably the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

11. What are the top 5 programs you watch on television?
Um... we don't have cable. We got rid of it four years ago so we'd have more time to read and do other things. But the TV shows we watch through Netflix and Apple TV are:
LOST, GLEE, THE OFFICE, 30 ROCK and last but definitely not least, STAR WARS THE CLONE WARS.

So there we go! Okay, now here are some Campaigners I'm tagging:

1. Melanie Stanford @ Daydreamer to Writer
2. Alexandra Shostak
3. Andrew @ Lost Realms
4. The Golden Eagle @ The Eagle's Aerial Perspective
5. Alyssa McKendry @ Life is Good
6. Megan @ Paws, Fangs & Smiles
7. Stephanie Allen @ My Personal Fairytale
8. Sarah F. @ Inklined
9. Jay Noel @ Writer on Fire
10. Kate @ The Scribbling SeaSerpent
11. Marcy @ Creation and Compassion

Now here are my 11 questions:

1. What's your favorite song?
2. How old were you when you started writing?
3. What's your favorite movie/book?
4. If you could be any animal in the world, what would you be? Why?
5. If you were the main character of a book, what genre would it be?
6. What is the coolest thing you've ever done?
7. If you could be a character from any book, who would you be? Why?
8. What genre do you write in?
9. What's your favorite thing to do, other than write?
10. If you could meet one historical figure, who would it be?
11. Is there anything else we should know about you?

Feel free to leave a link to your answers in the comments! Have fun :)

--Jess

Fourth Campaign- Rachael Harrie

Hey guys, just a heads up, Rachael Harrie is having another Campaign. For more info, click HERE.
My I'm Hearing Voices Character Blogfest post is just below this one.
Thanks!

--Jess
P.S. This is my 100th post :)

Campaign Entries I Loved

Well, the Campaign entries are finally over. All we've got to wait for now are the results. So I thought that today, since it's late and I'm feeling a little lazy, that I would just show you my five favorite entries:

1. Angie at Live to Write~ On the Beach
2. Rance at The Action P(r)ose~ All Gods Pilgrims
3. David Powers King's Ghost by the Seashore
4. Avery at Creative Type~ Purgatory
5. Jocelyn Rish's Party Girl

All of them I think have a dark flair to them, which I tend to love. So, go check out their entries and 'like' them on Rachael Harrie's site if you get the chance!

--Jess

P.S.

Apologies for the super short post (with not much content, as my dad would put it). Hopefully I'll have time for a longer one tomorrow or Thursday!

Third Campaigner Challenge: Synbatec Island

Alright, this post is part of Rachael Harrie's Campaign. This is the third and final challenge! I'm really going to miss the Campaign! I've had so much fun and met so many new and awesome bloggers!! Anyway, here's the challenge:

Write a blog post in 300 words or less, excluding the title. The post can be in any format, whether flash fiction, non-fiction, humorous blog musings, poem, etc. The blog post should show:

• that it’s morning, 

• that a man or a woman (or both) is at the beach

• that the MC (main character) is bored

• that something stinks behind where he/she is sitting

• that something surprising happens.

Just for fun, see if you can involve all five senses AND include these random words: "synbatec," "wastopaneer," and "tacise."   (NB. these words are completely made up and are not intended to have any meaning other than the one you give them).

So here's my entry:

Synbatec Island

Of all the things he told me, one remains clear. He was one of the last that could remember a sunrise. I’m cursed with the knowledge that such a thing existed. He used to speak of a time when pink and gold drops of light fell from the sun and into the clouds.

I stand on the island of Synbatec. He said that the sunrise was most beautiful here. During the war, countries rose and fell, but nothing could destroy the skies of Synbatec. Nothing except for the Tacise. The Young had predicted it. But the Elders couldn’t see it coming.

I look up at the dark green and grey clouds. They didn’t see. I almost laugh out of anger. I reach down and feel the grainy sand slip through my fingers.

The sea used to be beautiful. And so was the beach. I close my eyes and try to imagine a time when the skies and oceans were blue. I imagine families coming here to enjoy the view. A woman sits with her husband as they watch the waves crash in synchronizing harmony. A taste of sea salt is ghostly present. I try to breathe in fresh air of the place but a foul smell fills my nose and lungs. I cough and open my eyes.

Our world used to be beautiful. I glance behind me and see the wasteland of papers and bottles and debris left behind from a glorious civilization. A scrap of wastopaneer is picked up by the wind and blown into the sea. The sea that once had blue, crystal waves is now polluted with junk. The water has turned grey and green from oil. Lightning flashes and I jump in surprise. There’s no longer anything to do, but wait. If only we had known.

***

Yeah I know, not exactly the picture you saw at the top, but oh well. I thought most people would take a happier approach so I chose the 'dark side' for this one.


It's exactly 300 words and I think I used everything in the right way. I'M ENTRY #5. (I know! I actually made it in really early!) If you like it, vote for me here!

--Jess

Second Campaigning Challenge: Imago

Hey everyone! I can't believe that it's already September 26th! I just found out that the official 'moving' date is this coming Thursday, which is super exciting! Anyway, here is my entry for Rachael Harrie's 2nd Campaigner Challenge:

Imago of Writing

Staring down at the sheet of paper, I try to read the words in front of me. After an entire summer of writing everything down, everything in my head, there seems to be a miasma of words constantly floating over me. I tell myself to focus but find myself yawning instead.

Oscitate. I don't even have to think about it for my mind to replace the word 'yawning' with this one.

I glance back down at the paper and roll my eyes at the poor examples of grammar and sad run-on sentences. I run my fingers through my hair, deciding that this entire passage is just a lacuna in the story. I continue reading, trying hard not to feel completely frustrated.

"He walked down the corridor of mirrors, and the synchronicity of his reflection was dizzying."

It's funny how I thought that this entire passage was so good while I was writing it. I almost laugh as I read the next few sentences. I rub my eyes, tired and slightly annoyed with myself. What's even stranger is that I actually stick with writing and continue loving it. I've always loved a challenge, but this is definitely the hardest one yet.

***

So that's my flash fiction piece, it's exactly 200 words, I made a reference to mirrors and used all of the words that were given to us (though something tells me that I didn't use the word miasma right... feel free to correct me). If you really enjoyed this piece, feel free to vote for me (and other favorites) on this linky list here. I'm entry #112!

--Jess

P.S.

Thanks for being so patient for me to come back to the blogosphere! We are back from Michigan now but this entire week I've been feeling really sick and I've got to prepare for the Regional Championships in Figure Skating which is on Thursday. Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading more of everyone's blogs! Thanks for stopping by!

Favorite Campaign Challenge Entries

Hey everybody! In case you didn't stop by over the weekend, I had a figure skating competition on Saturday and to tell you the truth it went pretty well! I skated my best out there (I didn't land two of my jumps though) and had lots of fun! And I got fifth place out of six, so I didn't get last! (The funny thing is, we went skating again yesterday and I was able to land my jumps fine! Oh well, I guess that's just how it goes...)


I've also been developing new story ideas, and I'm so excited! This whole thing is just so new to me! I wasn't exactly sure if I'd be ready to start another story for a while after finishing up with editing for my current one (I'm not done with that yet, don't worry). Turns out, I've been getting ideas everywhere and need to take a notebook wherever I go or I'm going to explode with too much information inside me!


Anyway, I'd like to share with you my favorite Campaign Flash Fiction entries, and make sure to 'like' them on the Campaign First Challenge if you really like their flash fiction piece! (There were so many great entries and so many that I loved, but of if I tried to make a list of all my favorites I think you guys might get bored. Congrats to everyone who participated!)

1. The Soulless over at Imagination to Publication. This one seriously creeped me out but I loved it!
2. In the Closet over at Feel of Something New. I thought this one was a little creepy too, but I liked how the feeling of the passage was different than most of the other ones I read (I guess it was the 'feel of something new'!)
3. Animate over at The Lobster Tank. I really liked the passion in this passage and I loved the sad hope that the person feels!
4. The Open Door over at Niiganab. I love rhyming poetry! I can't get enough of it! I thought this was a very great poem for the challenge!
5. The War over at Jessica Love Writes. This one reminded me of Middle School (LOL) and it made me laugh.

Hope you enjoy!

--Jess

Campaign First Challenge: Shadows

Hey everybody! Today I'm posting my entry for the First Campaign Challenge! (I know I'm a little late, but hopefully that's okay).

Here are the rules:

Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words "The door swung open" These four words will be included in the word count.

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), use the same beginning words and end with the words "the door swung shut". (Also included in the word count.)

For those of you who want an even greater challenge, make your story 200 words EXACTLY!

So here I go, EXACTLY 200 words!

Shadows

The door swung open. Fear began to crawl through her, turning her blood cold. The light of the moon shattered the darkness around her. Shadows spilled slowly into the room like suffocating tar. They had found her.

"Dara," they whispered. An electric chill shot through her. They would show her no mercy. "Dara," they called again.

Her stomach twisted inside her, as if trying to escape. She breathed deeply, hardly making a sound. Her hands were shaking. He betrayed me. She closed her eyes remembering him. He told me it would be alright. A pang of regret hit her. And he lied. She tried hard to keep her fear under control. When she was sure the shadows were gone, she stood. Moonlight was still shining through the open door. Taking a step forward, the old floor creaked beneath her. She cursed under her breath. Something shot across her vision.

With a horrific screech, the shadows returned. Her heart stopped dead at the blood chilling sound. She could feel the breath of darkness on her skin. With sickening realization, she knew she couldn't escape. She tried to scream as terror swept through her. Darkness enclosed the room, and the door swung shut.


--Jess


P.S.
If you really really like my post, go here and click 'like' under my name to vote for me! (I'm #235!) And I was inspired by David Powers King's post yesterday to write it in a POV that I'm not used to... I usually write in first person, present tense, so this was quite a change for me!

Campaign and Awards!

I have been having so much fun these past few weeks! I've been able to edit quite a bit of my novel and have actually found some time in my day to read! I've been playing my violin more often and all of those blogfests were awesome! I'm also signing up for the blogging Campaign over at Rachel Harrie's site! Signup closes on the 31st, so be sure to go over there to meet new blogger friends!

Also, I have been awarded by Laila Knight these two awesome blog awards:

They both came from Laila Knight over at the Untroubled Kingdom of Laila Knight! Go stop by her awesome blog and give her a nice 'hi'. Thanks so much Laila!


I should probably pass these on now. The rules are:

1. Thank and link to the person who nominates you
2. Share seven random facts about you
3. Pass this award to five new blogging friends
4. Contact and congratulate the awarded bloggers

Okay so seven random facts, here I go!

1. I love Japanese food. I'm like, obsessed with it. (I wonder if it's because I'm a quarter Japanese...) My least favorite food is fried onions. I can eat plain ones, as long as they're not cooked in any way!
2. I am a very artistic person. I love to write (duh), paint, draw and play violin. By the way, I love any kind of music. (All of the kids at my old school thought I was crazy because I actually liked Opera.) It really just depends on the song for me.
3. I'm TERRIBLE at writing romantic scenes. And they're not even kind of good, they are actually terrible! It's really funny :D
4. I used to like a guy in 6th and 7th grade and ever since then I decided that I would wait until college before ever having to go through that again. (That's probably why my romantic scenes are so bad!)
5. I don't really follow any particular religion. I just choose the good things from each one and that works pretty well for me. (As long as you're a nice person it shouldn't matter too  much right?)
6. I love dreaming! I don't care if the dreams are scary or fun... as long as I'm dreaming! More than once have I found inspiration for my stories and poems in my sleep!
7. I'm in love with science. I want to be an astrophysicist when I grow up (as well as a writer of course!) but any kind of science I think is awesome!

The five people I'm giving this award to are:

1. Anna Saikin at http://annasaikin.blogspot.com
2. Teralyn Rose at http://teralynpilgrim.blogspot.com/
3. Ellie Garrett at http://elliegarratt.blogspot.com/
4. Isis Rushdan at http://isisrushdan.blogspot.com
5. Alyssa McKendry at http://lifeisgood-forever21.blogspot.com

So go check out those awesome blogs! Hope you enjoy :)

--Jess