Let me preface with: I
LOVE SUMMER!
Hard to believe I’m a week into summer and still haven’t
accomplished much! In my defense, things haven’t exactly worked out the way I
anticipated. I did some unscheduled dog sitting. And just for the record…5 Labrador
retrievers in one house is a total chore…just walking from one room to another
is an ordeal! Then there was a massive issue with one of my pups, Divot (he’s
missing a chuck of his ear, hence the name). Apparently, he has some
birth defects. One in which his diaphragm didn’t form properly and his
intestines have been sliding between his abdomen and chest cavity for years.
Imagine his regular vet’s surprise when she saw his intestines floating around
his heart in an x-ray! So a semi-serious surgical procedure was needed.
Thankfully, he survived the surgery and is recovering!
So as you can see, other things have gotten in the way of my
original plan. BUT I have managed to write 3,500 words on the next Ruby Hood,
bringing the total word count up to 16,000 words. Ideally, I would love to have
the second book finished by the end of June and off to my editor. I’m shooting
to have it released in Oct. 2014 (a year after the first). And I must say, this
one is good…lots of twists and turns. In The
Twistedly True Guardian Tale (working title that I don’t love), we meet my
version of Snow White, the 7 Dwarves and Robin Hood. Questions about Kayla’s heritage
also get answered, and the budding relationship between Kent and Ruby will
blossom (or wilt…I haven’t decided yet). Then I’ll add in some more strife and
conflict to propel the characters onto a third book!
But since the school year has officially ended, I thought I
should post the final segment of the American Gothic project I did with the kiddos.
In case you missed the first two parts, follow the links to check them out: Part 1 and Part 2.
Enjoy the final installment
of my short story, American Gothic!
PART
3
“Oh
good heavens!” the young woman exclaimed. “What on earth brings you to our
quaint little town?”
“Sadly,
a missing child.” Agent McClint added.
“Well,
please come in. I’d be happy to help.” Lilia responded.
“Would you care for a cold drink of lemonade on
this particularly warm spring day?”
Agent
McClint beamed. “That would be lovely, ma’am. It has been a long day.
Maude
settled the very handsome man at the kitchen table with an icy cold beverage,
and was about to sit down when a phone rang. “Please excuse me while I grabbed
the phone,” She said smiling affectionately, before she walked to the foyer to
answer the ringing phone. The moment she stepped into the room, the ringing
stopped. Maude paused and looked around. An odd sensation made her shiver. She brushed
it off and turned to head back to the handsome FBI agent.
Once
Lilia returned to the kitchen, her eyebrows shot up to her hairline. Clark
McClint was standing over the stove, peering into her potion pot.
“Agent
McClint, how does my grandmother’s homemade allergy medicine smell?” Lilia
composed herself and walked into the room smiling.
Clark
rubbed his eyes and turned to face the young blonde. “Umm, it smells
interesting.” He said before he sneezed. “I guess, I could use some. May I try
it?”
“I’m
sorry, Agent McClint, but it must simmer for several more days before it’s
ready for human consumption. How long will you be here?” Lilia asked .
“I
hope not very long, but it depends on how quickly I can solve this case.” The
agent responded.
“Well,
tell me how I can help.” Lilia said sweetly and gestured to the kitchen table
for them to sit.
Clark
choose a chair and Lilia sat next to him. “There is a little missing girl,
Macie Trims. She was last seen in the woods between your farmhouse and the
Cummings’ farm to the east of you. She is about 10 with brown hair and green
eyes. I’d like to know if you have any information about this little girl.
Anything you can provide might help.”
“Oh,
that is just terrible!” exclaimed Lilia. “Those woods are dense and terrifying
for me and I’ve lived here my whole. I can only imagine how scary they would be
for a little girl who’s new to the area. Have you searched the woods?” Lilia
asked as concern dripped from her lips.
“We
have. Our dogs picked up a scent near the edge of the Cummings property, but we
found nothing.” Agent McClint said dismayed.
“Hmmm…”
Lilia got up to stir her potion and refill the agent’s lemonade. “I assume
you’ve searched the bomb shelter old Mr. Cummings built in the 40’s.”
“Huh?”
“The
bomb shelter. He built it back during World War II.” Lilia turned to look at
the agent. Her cobalt eyes held his firmly.
Clark
pulled a notebook out of his pocket and looked through his notes. “I don’t have
any information about a bomb shelter.” Agent McClint furrowed his brow in
confusion before he looked backed to the young woman.
Lilia
said, chuckling. “Of course not, Agent McClint. Old man Cummings wasn’t known
for sharing that sort of information with the city. I’d be happy to show you,
if you have some time.”
As
the two walked through the woods, conversation flowed easily. The two exchanged
stories about their childhood, books, movies and the weather.
Lilia stopped abruptly when they neared the underground bomb
shelter. She could find it with her eyes closed, as a child this is often where
she went to get away when she needed some time to herself, especially those
difficult high school years.
Clark
McClint followed her lead and froze. He brought his finger to his mouth, and
pulled out his gun, listening intently.
A
faint crying could be heard, when the birds weren’t chirping and the leaves
weren’t rustling in the breeze. “Oh no!” Lilia shouted, before bolting into a
broken and battered barn.
“WHOA!
Where are you going?” Agent McClint shouted as he holstered his gun and ran
after her.
Within
moments, Lilia leapt like a gazelle over two roof beams that had fallen down
and ducked under a doorway that was about to collapse before her eyes. She
grabbed the trap door in the floor, pulled it open with ease and disappeared down
the dark rickety ladder to the bottom.
Agent
McClint mumbled under his breath as he climbed down the wooden ladder, which creaked
with every step. The agent huffed at every splinter that dug further into his
skin. He groaned as his feet touched solid earth. After grabbing his flashlight,
he turned around and gasped in surprise.
In
the corner, Lilia sat holding a little girl on her lap. “Sshhh, it’s okay now,
sweetie. You are safe.” She cooed as she cradled the young girl, gently wiping away
the little girl’s tears.
“I
want my mommy,” the little girl whimpered.
“I
know, darling, and we’ll get you home soon.” Lilia said softly before she
looked up and smiled at Agent McClint.
Clark
returned her smile and sighed, then he grabbed his two way radio and called it
in to his boss. “We found her. I repeat the girl has been found!” There was a
loud rejoicing in the background. The agent then leaned down next to the little
girl. “Are you Macie Trims?” He asked and the child nodded in agreement. “How’d
you get here, sweetheart?”
The
little girl snuggled closer to Lilia. “I don’t know. I just woke up here.” She
whimpered.
“OK,
kiddo. We can talk about it more once we get you home. Are you ready to see
your mom?” The agent asked and held out his hands to take the little girl, but
she shook her head and clung tighter to Lilia.
“I’ve
got her,” Lilia said as she deftly stood up with the young girl in her arms.
The three carefully climbed the battered ladder back to the warm sunlight
spring day.
*****
Ending: Wrap up loose ends and
provide closure. If you intend to end with a cliff hanger, you MUST resolve the
first part, and then introduce a new problem to be dealt with in the next
segment.
BEEP
BEEP BEEP…the alarmed sounded and Lilia bolted out of bed. She had been having
some odd dreams lately and last night’s was super strange. She stretched and
shook off the eerie feeling. Today was the day she was going to meet the little
girl that had just moved onto the Cummings Farm, Macie Trims. Macie and her family
had just moved to town, and she had promised Mrs. Trims she would show the
little girl around, especially the woods. They were scary for Lilia and she had
lived here her whole life. That must have been where that bizarre dream had
come from.
“Lilia,
hurry up dear. I made breakfast. You are due to meet the Trims in 30 minutes.
Hurry up, Darlin’” Grandma shouted from the kitchen.
“Coming,”
Lilia shouted as she pulled her long blond hair into a ponytail on the top of
her head and grabbed her running shoes on the way out the door. She hopped down
the steps toward the succulent smell of bacon and pancakes.
Before
she walked into the kitchen she stopped and looked at the picture over the
fireplace. This painting had a special place in her heart. ‘Good morning Mom
and Grandpa. I miss you terribly.” She said sadly. Lilia had lost her mother
and grandfather almost a year ago in a terrible barn fire on the Cummings’ farm.
Her unselfish and brave mother and grandfather had rushed into the barn to
rescue the animals trapped inside moments before the burning barn collapsed.
After their death, Gran M had this painting made from a picture to keep their
memory alive. In the picture her mother and grandfather stood stoically in
front of the farmhouse. Like father like daughter, both were people of few
words and forget a smile for any sort of picture. It always made Lilia smile;
she kissed her forefinger and lightly tapped the painting before the hurried
into the kitchen.
“Morning,
Gran M.” The 20 year-old said before she kissed her grandmother’s cheek and
snuck a piece of bacon.
“Morning,
Darlin’, grab a quick bit and get moving. I ran into Mrs. Trims at the market
this morning and Macie is anxious to meet you.” Grandma Maude said absently.
“I
had the strangest dream about the little girl and you last night, Grandma. The
little girl had gone missing and you were an evil old witch sold her soul for
youth.” Lilia said and then laughed, as she grabbed a to-go coffee mug.
“Heavens
dear!” Grandma exclaimed. “You know your powers will be in full force on your
21st birthday next week when the Blood Moon rises. You need to be
careful. That may have been a premonitions that something terrible is coming.”
“Grandma!
Be serious! I know you think I am destined to become some powerful witch, but
really? I’m sure it was just a reminder to be careful in the woods, especially
with a kid. Besides, what could possibly happen in Farmtown? You worry too
much!” Lilia said as she dismissed her grandmother’s warning and headed out the
door and bound down the front steps. “I’ll be back later,” she called and
headed off, humming a soft tune, completely oblivious to the unfamiliar van
parked at the neighbor’s house.
A
sinister voice snickered. “Have fun with Macie Trims today, Lilia. I have her
kidnapping set for this evening. That will give me a chance to get close to you
before you come into your powers next week. I will have those powers. You won’t
even know what hit you, witch!” Clark McClint spoke to himself and watched the
young woman in the rearview mirror. Laughing, he pulled off his sunglasses and
his eyes blazed red.
The End
Coming Soon: Latest
Reads
Hunting the Moon by Becca Boucher
Reinfection by Cynthia Melton
Defending Jacob by William Landay
