This book cover is designed by me. It is only temporary. This image was edited by me, but was not taken by me. If this is your image and you would like me to change it, please let me know. It was just what came up o a google search.
Thursday, December 21, 2017
Awake: Prologue
AN: I decided this time that I didn't want to do a prologue. Your probably wondering why there is one. I got so stuck on the first chapter, that I decided to write one anyway.
___________________________________________________
Prologue
Thursday, November 13, 2533
Is Anyone Else Awake?
I'm Maris Thane. I'm alone. I'm scared. I need help. Am I the only one left alive?
Thursday, September 28, 2017
Weekly Writing Prompt
Today's Prompt: A teenager who has spent their entire life on a boat learns there are other people in the world and the live on land.
I lean over the edge of the boat, breathing in the fresh, salt air. I watch as mermaids splash through the waves, slipping under and then jumping up. My bare feet are damp from being continuously splashed by the water leaping up from the sea below. I call it the Jewel of Moreno, as it was called when grandmother was my age.
"Pnevma tou Nerou" I turn around at the sound of my name. A fairy, so pale she is almost translucent stands behind me. Her silver-blue hair trails down her back and ends by her bare feet. She wears only a pale white dress that seems to fade into nothing at the end. I recognize her as grandmother's messenger fairy.
"The captain would like to see you." The fairy says. She flits around nervously, as she knows how my temper can get sometimes. "Captain says it's urgent."
"Tell her I'll be there in a minute," I say without moving. I want to enjoy my surroundings for a little while more since this will be our last time in the cove of the Jewel of Moreno for a very long time.
The fairy glances nervously between me and the front of the ship.
"Captain said now." The fairy flitters behind me. I sigh.
"Fine, go tell her I'm coming." I turn away from the rail, annoyed. What could possibly be so important? The little messenger fairy flies toward the front of the ship, quickly.
"O Thanatos tha pesei apo sas!" I spit and yell after the fairy. She flies just a little faster.
I untuck my skirts from the ocean blue sash tied around my waist and pull my shoes back on. I glance over the edge of the rail one last time to make sure that my appearance is acceptable. I sigh, noticing a strand of my jet black hair has fallen from the neat bun it was placed in that morning. But there is no time to fix that now.
I walk along the wood deck of the Spasmeno Chrono, the ship I live on, to get to the front where the captain stands. Despite her age, she still stands up straight, with perfect posture and grace. She lived to see the time when people still lived on land, with beautiful palaces and balls. I would love to go to a ball, where people wore beautiful gowns, and hair styled to the sky. Where people would dance, and laugh, and enjoy themselves. Where people didn't have to worry about what horrible creatures now live there. I wish I could have lived then.
But I didn't, and there is nothing I can do about that.
"Giagia," I say when I reach the captain. She turns around, and a warm smile spreads across my grandmother's face.
"Pnevma." She says. "I've been expecting you. You seemed to have scared Grasidi. Now, did you spit at her again?"
I look down at my feet. Spitting at a fairy is a sign of utmost disrespect. Grandmother of all people would be upset with me.
"Pnevma! You know better!" Grandmother shakes her head in disapproval. "You should be a proper young lady by now."
"I'm sorry Giagia." I really do try to be proper like mother wants, but I like being free, like grandmother. Unfortunately, grandmother agrees with mother. "What do you need me for Giagia?"
"Grasidi, go find Asteri. Pnevda will need her." Grandmother says sending her fairy to go find mine. "I have something for you, Pnevda."
I see my two older sisters, Angelioforos and Polemistis, coming towards us.
"But let's deal with them first, shall we?" Grandmother whispers to me.
"Grandmother!" Angelioforos says coming up to where we are standing. "Froura has come down with a fever again, and mother requests your presence."
"Tell Theotita I'll be down in a minute," Grandmother says. "I'm busy lecturing Pnevma."
"I will tell her," Angelioforos says. She turns and walks off with Polemistis. I see them giggling as they go, probably about my "lecture".
"Bye Ange! Bye Misti! Tell Mitera and Froura I said hi!" I call after them.
I turn back to Grandmother.
"What is is Giagia?" I ask. She puts her finger to my lips and pulls out a box from behind her back. It's small, about the size of a jewelry box.
Grandmother hands me the box. It feels right to hold it like it was meant for me. I open the lid slowly. Inside is a beautiful gemstone, milky white on the outside, with ocean blue swirling inside. It seems alive, almost like it contains the ocean itself. It's attached to a silver chain. A necklace, I realize.
"Giagia, it's beautiful!" I say throwing my arms around her. Grandmother pulls me off.
"It's special you know. It is the Water Spirit's Stone. Or in the olden language, I Petra tou Pnevmatos tou Nerou." She smiles and tucks the loose strand of hair behind my ear. "It is meant for you."
"Thak you Giagia," I say, stroking the necklace. And the second my finger touches the gem, a flash of ocean blue lightening illuminates the sky. I hear the screams of my mother and sisters from below deck.
Grandmother grabs the stone and hastily throws it around my neck.
"It will keep you safe no matter what Pnevda!" Grandmother calls over the howling wind. "And so will I!."
Rain pours down and I hear lightening crack once again. The ocean tosses are ship around like the little toys I used to play with.
"Pnevda, take the wheel!" Grandmother yells as she runs to the stairs. "I'll help your mother with Froura."
"Giagia!" I scream, but she's too far away to hear.
I turn to the wheel, just in time to see we are headed straight for a huge rock. I scream and am frozen to the spot. But just as we are about to crash, I feel a cold shock from where my necklace now is. I quickly grab the wheel and thrust it to the left, just barely missing the rock. I hear thunder crack, and lightning hits right where our sale is. I scream again, as the fire begins to spread down the mast. The was rock the boat viciously, and waves crash over the edge. The hem of dress it soaked, and the wind has torn my hair into a mess.
I see flames creeping towards me, and I run to the back of the ship, abandoning the wheel. The wind has full control of the ship now anyway. I keep running, trying not to slip on the wet deck.
But despite my efforts, I slip and fall. The ship tilts hard to the left, and I am flung across the deck. My dress rips on the old wood, and I lose a shoe. A wave crashes onto the ship and pulls me closer to the edge. I grab onto the rail as I dangle off the ship. I scream as the ship dunks me into the water momentarily. And then I see a wave jump up at me. It submerges me as it washes onto the deck. My grip falters, and the ocean recedes, carrying me with it.
____________________________________________
I wake up in a puddle of water, seaweed, and wet sand. I cough up some water and open my eyes. I don't know where I am. I try to stand, but fall right back down. I try again, this time I manage to stand, weakly. At least I'm standing. I'm dripping wet, with seaweed draped all over me. My dress is ripped, and my feet are only covered by half a sock. My hair is matted and tangled, and still half in my bun. Every inch of me is covered in cuts, bruises, and sand. And then I realize where I am.
I am on land.
I see nicely dressed people walking around on a wooden path above the sand. I see buildings beyond that. I see trees in the far distance. I am on land.
And I am alive.
I collapse back to the ground in a fit of laughter. And I barely manage to hear someone scream before everything goes black.
I lean over the edge of the boat, breathing in the fresh, salt air. I watch as mermaids splash through the waves, slipping under and then jumping up. My bare feet are damp from being continuously splashed by the water leaping up from the sea below. I call it the Jewel of Moreno, as it was called when grandmother was my age.
"Pnevma tou Nerou" I turn around at the sound of my name. A fairy, so pale she is almost translucent stands behind me. Her silver-blue hair trails down her back and ends by her bare feet. She wears only a pale white dress that seems to fade into nothing at the end. I recognize her as grandmother's messenger fairy.
"The captain would like to see you." The fairy says. She flits around nervously, as she knows how my temper can get sometimes. "Captain says it's urgent."
"Tell her I'll be there in a minute," I say without moving. I want to enjoy my surroundings for a little while more since this will be our last time in the cove of the Jewel of Moreno for a very long time.
The fairy glances nervously between me and the front of the ship.
"Captain said now." The fairy flitters behind me. I sigh.
"Fine, go tell her I'm coming." I turn away from the rail, annoyed. What could possibly be so important? The little messenger fairy flies toward the front of the ship, quickly.
"O Thanatos tha pesei apo sas!" I spit and yell after the fairy. She flies just a little faster.
I untuck my skirts from the ocean blue sash tied around my waist and pull my shoes back on. I glance over the edge of the rail one last time to make sure that my appearance is acceptable. I sigh, noticing a strand of my jet black hair has fallen from the neat bun it was placed in that morning. But there is no time to fix that now.
I walk along the wood deck of the Spasmeno Chrono, the ship I live on, to get to the front where the captain stands. Despite her age, she still stands up straight, with perfect posture and grace. She lived to see the time when people still lived on land, with beautiful palaces and balls. I would love to go to a ball, where people wore beautiful gowns, and hair styled to the sky. Where people would dance, and laugh, and enjoy themselves. Where people didn't have to worry about what horrible creatures now live there. I wish I could have lived then.
But I didn't, and there is nothing I can do about that.
"Giagia," I say when I reach the captain. She turns around, and a warm smile spreads across my grandmother's face.
"Pnevma." She says. "I've been expecting you. You seemed to have scared Grasidi. Now, did you spit at her again?"
I look down at my feet. Spitting at a fairy is a sign of utmost disrespect. Grandmother of all people would be upset with me.
"Pnevma! You know better!" Grandmother shakes her head in disapproval. "You should be a proper young lady by now."
"I'm sorry Giagia." I really do try to be proper like mother wants, but I like being free, like grandmother. Unfortunately, grandmother agrees with mother. "What do you need me for Giagia?"
"Grasidi, go find Asteri. Pnevda will need her." Grandmother says sending her fairy to go find mine. "I have something for you, Pnevda."
I see my two older sisters, Angelioforos and Polemistis, coming towards us.
"But let's deal with them first, shall we?" Grandmother whispers to me.
"Grandmother!" Angelioforos says coming up to where we are standing. "Froura has come down with a fever again, and mother requests your presence."
"Tell Theotita I'll be down in a minute," Grandmother says. "I'm busy lecturing Pnevma."
"I will tell her," Angelioforos says. She turns and walks off with Polemistis. I see them giggling as they go, probably about my "lecture".
"Bye Ange! Bye Misti! Tell Mitera and Froura I said hi!" I call after them.
I turn back to Grandmother.
"What is is Giagia?" I ask. She puts her finger to my lips and pulls out a box from behind her back. It's small, about the size of a jewelry box.
Grandmother hands me the box. It feels right to hold it like it was meant for me. I open the lid slowly. Inside is a beautiful gemstone, milky white on the outside, with ocean blue swirling inside. It seems alive, almost like it contains the ocean itself. It's attached to a silver chain. A necklace, I realize.
"Giagia, it's beautiful!" I say throwing my arms around her. Grandmother pulls me off.
"It's special you know. It is the Water Spirit's Stone. Or in the olden language, I Petra tou Pnevmatos tou Nerou." She smiles and tucks the loose strand of hair behind my ear. "It is meant for you."
"Thak you Giagia," I say, stroking the necklace. And the second my finger touches the gem, a flash of ocean blue lightening illuminates the sky. I hear the screams of my mother and sisters from below deck.
Grandmother grabs the stone and hastily throws it around my neck.
"It will keep you safe no matter what Pnevda!" Grandmother calls over the howling wind. "And so will I!."
Rain pours down and I hear lightening crack once again. The ocean tosses are ship around like the little toys I used to play with.
"Pnevda, take the wheel!" Grandmother yells as she runs to the stairs. "I'll help your mother with Froura."
"Giagia!" I scream, but she's too far away to hear.
I turn to the wheel, just in time to see we are headed straight for a huge rock. I scream and am frozen to the spot. But just as we are about to crash, I feel a cold shock from where my necklace now is. I quickly grab the wheel and thrust it to the left, just barely missing the rock. I hear thunder crack, and lightning hits right where our sale is. I scream again, as the fire begins to spread down the mast. The was rock the boat viciously, and waves crash over the edge. The hem of dress it soaked, and the wind has torn my hair into a mess.
I see flames creeping towards me, and I run to the back of the ship, abandoning the wheel. The wind has full control of the ship now anyway. I keep running, trying not to slip on the wet deck.
But despite my efforts, I slip and fall. The ship tilts hard to the left, and I am flung across the deck. My dress rips on the old wood, and I lose a shoe. A wave crashes onto the ship and pulls me closer to the edge. I grab onto the rail as I dangle off the ship. I scream as the ship dunks me into the water momentarily. And then I see a wave jump up at me. It submerges me as it washes onto the deck. My grip falters, and the ocean recedes, carrying me with it.
____________________________________________
I wake up in a puddle of water, seaweed, and wet sand. I cough up some water and open my eyes. I don't know where I am. I try to stand, but fall right back down. I try again, this time I manage to stand, weakly. At least I'm standing. I'm dripping wet, with seaweed draped all over me. My dress is ripped, and my feet are only covered by half a sock. My hair is matted and tangled, and still half in my bun. Every inch of me is covered in cuts, bruises, and sand. And then I realize where I am.
I am on land.
I see nicely dressed people walking around on a wooden path above the sand. I see buildings beyond that. I see trees in the far distance. I am on land.
And I am alive.
I collapse back to the ground in a fit of laughter. And I barely manage to hear someone scream before everything goes black.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Apologies
I'm going to start over with Awake. I wasn't happy with where it was headed. Same characters, same storyline, different style.
Weekly Writing Prompt
Today's Prompt: The pen wasn't worth stealing.
The cell is cold and hard, made out of polished marble. Water drips down around me, the only sound in the whole jail. It's dark and the hard bench makes it hard to sleep. And I've heard there's worse.
This is all because of Mai. She told me to capture the Pen. We ended up in the Pen.
I stare at the wall, counting the drops of water that fall. 29, 30, 31.
Suddenly, I hear the door at the far end of the room open, and lights flood the room. I hear the sound of boots walking against the perfectly clean room. I glance through the electric bars of my cell. Two Guards walk into the room, followed by that stupid girl.
"Hello there Rebels." She says smiling one of her stupid smiles. "My name is Thane. Maris Thane. To day you will be tested to see if you are innocent or not."
I spit on the ground in front of her.
"Unfortunately," she continues glancing my way. "You are going to have to wear these." She holds up a black metal collar.
"They aren't the most comfortable things, and they don't exactly come off either." She says, almost sypethetically. And then I notice she is wearing one too.
Thane goes around snapping the collars around our necks. When she gets to me she snaps it on tightly and whispers to me.
"Good luck Skydart." Thane winks at me and moves on.
The cell is cold and hard, made out of polished marble. Water drips down around me, the only sound in the whole jail. It's dark and the hard bench makes it hard to sleep. And I've heard there's worse.
This is all because of Mai. She told me to capture the Pen. We ended up in the Pen.
I stare at the wall, counting the drops of water that fall. 29, 30, 31.
Suddenly, I hear the door at the far end of the room open, and lights flood the room. I hear the sound of boots walking against the perfectly clean room. I glance through the electric bars of my cell. Two Guards walk into the room, followed by that stupid girl.
"Hello there Rebels." She says smiling one of her stupid smiles. "My name is Thane. Maris Thane. To day you will be tested to see if you are innocent or not."
I spit on the ground in front of her.
"Unfortunately," she continues glancing my way. "You are going to have to wear these." She holds up a black metal collar.
"They aren't the most comfortable things, and they don't exactly come off either." She says, almost sypethetically. And then I notice she is wearing one too.
Thane goes around snapping the collars around our necks. When she gets to me she snaps it on tightly and whispers to me.
"Good luck Skydart." Thane winks at me and moves on.
Thursday, May 11, 2017
Weekly Writing Prompt
Today's Prompt: There was a strange wailing sound coming from the next room.
The day started out like any other. I was perched on the edge of my bed brushing my caramel colored hair. It was early morning and I was still wearing my nightgown. The town was just waking up, but I was up early. We had a lot of preparing to do today. At dawn tomorrow morning, the new sorcerer of Fareya would be named. My entire childhood I dreamed of the day I would be eligible, hoping it would be me. I still fantasize sometimes, but it could never be me. The sorcerer must be the rightful heir, and I am just a simple village girl. There I go again letting my fantasies get the best of me. I continued to brush my hair to get it as silky as possible for easy styling when I hear the ear piercing wail from the next room. I knew at once what it was.
A banshee.
And the room next to mine was...Gin's room.
Oh no, I thought, Gin please be okay. I quickly ran into Gin's room armed with just my hairbrush. When I enter I didn't see a banshee. Instead, I saw Gin leaning out her window. She let out another banshee scream as I ran next to her. Some horrid green creature around two feet tall was running away from her window. I cupped my hand around my mouth and let out the highest pitched scream I could manage. Finally, the creature was out of sight.
"What was that thing?" Gin asked, her voice sounding a little shaky. I shrugged.
"How should I know. It was in your room." I responded. "What I want to know is how you knew how to get rid of it?"
"I...I guess I just knew Gemma." She said.
I launched into a tight hug.
"Well, as long as your okay," I said. Gin was my best friend, and she had been since I found her on the streets six years ago. She was just a little shorter than I was and just a little paler. While my hair was caramel hers was more of a chocolaty brown. What we did have in common were our eyes. We shared the same light blue eyes, mine had a golden ring around the pupil, and hers was gray. Even though we looked quite different, my parents called us to peas in a pod.
But something felt different today, and when we pulled away from each other I knew. Gin now stood at my height, maybe even taller. She was a little paler than usual and her eyes had turned from light to a dip endless blue with her pupils lined in silver.
"What?" she asked when she saw me looking at her strangely.
"Nothing," I said. "Now come on and get ready." I forced a smile.
I didn't know it then but I missed the most obvious signs that our lives were about to change.
The day started out like any other. I was perched on the edge of my bed brushing my caramel colored hair. It was early morning and I was still wearing my nightgown. The town was just waking up, but I was up early. We had a lot of preparing to do today. At dawn tomorrow morning, the new sorcerer of Fareya would be named. My entire childhood I dreamed of the day I would be eligible, hoping it would be me. I still fantasize sometimes, but it could never be me. The sorcerer must be the rightful heir, and I am just a simple village girl. There I go again letting my fantasies get the best of me. I continued to brush my hair to get it as silky as possible for easy styling when I hear the ear piercing wail from the next room. I knew at once what it was.
A banshee.
And the room next to mine was...Gin's room.
Oh no, I thought, Gin please be okay. I quickly ran into Gin's room armed with just my hairbrush. When I enter I didn't see a banshee. Instead, I saw Gin leaning out her window. She let out another banshee scream as I ran next to her. Some horrid green creature around two feet tall was running away from her window. I cupped my hand around my mouth and let out the highest pitched scream I could manage. Finally, the creature was out of sight.
"What was that thing?" Gin asked, her voice sounding a little shaky. I shrugged.
"How should I know. It was in your room." I responded. "What I want to know is how you knew how to get rid of it?"
"I...I guess I just knew Gemma." She said.
I launched into a tight hug.
"Well, as long as your okay," I said. Gin was my best friend, and she had been since I found her on the streets six years ago. She was just a little shorter than I was and just a little paler. While my hair was caramel hers was more of a chocolaty brown. What we did have in common were our eyes. We shared the same light blue eyes, mine had a golden ring around the pupil, and hers was gray. Even though we looked quite different, my parents called us to peas in a pod.
But something felt different today, and when we pulled away from each other I knew. Gin now stood at my height, maybe even taller. She was a little paler than usual and her eyes had turned from light to a dip endless blue with her pupils lined in silver.
"What?" she asked when she saw me looking at her strangely.
"Nothing," I said. "Now come on and get ready." I forced a smile.
I didn't know it then but I missed the most obvious signs that our lives were about to change.
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Weekly Writing Prompt
Today's Prompt: There are many theories as to why she was murdered.
I am here today to tell you the story of my life. Well, not exactly. I am here to put the rumors to rest.
I am here today to tell you why my life ended.
My name was Mai. I was nineteen. I had lost my family years ago. There was one person in the world who cared for me. He saved my life, gave up everything he believed in, just to try to be the family I lost. I let him down.
It might have been my rebellious thoughts, but I doubt it. t may have been my ignorance, but it wasn't. I know what it was. And that's what I'm about to tell you.
The day started out like any other. An, the man who pretended to be my brother, the only one left in the world who cared about me, was already awake. As usual. We ate breakfast together, as usual. He left to make money for us to live off, as usual. But that day I had enough. I followed him. I know it sounds ridiculous, but all these years I never knew what he did.
I snuck out after him. I raced down the wooden staircase, careful not to trip as always. I ran until I reached the center of Shoquer. By now, An was nowhere to be seen, so I walked around looking. Nothing. I felt a hand pull at the silver bracelet my mother gave me before she died. I grabbed the hand and turned around to face the stupid scavenger who thought I wouldn't notice. I hated them. All of them. I looked straight at the person. My eyes went wide. No. it couldn't be.
"An" I squeaked, barely even a whisper. It couldn't be.
"Mai," he started. But I wasn't going to hear any of it.
"You lied to me," I whispered. I turned and ran.
I heard him call me but I couldn't come back.
I was crying so hard I couldn't see. I didn't see the transport coming towards me. It slammed into me. I fell to the ground. I couldn't breathe. I felt someone's arms around me, and without opening my eyes I knew it was An.
Basically, after that, I was taken to the capital to be taken care of. They lied to An and said I wouldn't live. They gave him the option to clone me, but in the process, I would die. He thought I would die anyway, so he said yes.
I'm not an idiot. I know why they did it. I have always dreamed of becoming a rebel. Thy knew that. So they created their perfect clone instead. But I took one look into her eyes and knew she wasn't as perfect as they planned.
I am here today to tell you the story of my life. Well, not exactly. I am here to put the rumors to rest.
I am here today to tell you why my life ended.
My name was Mai. I was nineteen. I had lost my family years ago. There was one person in the world who cared for me. He saved my life, gave up everything he believed in, just to try to be the family I lost. I let him down.
It might have been my rebellious thoughts, but I doubt it. t may have been my ignorance, but it wasn't. I know what it was. And that's what I'm about to tell you.
The day started out like any other. An, the man who pretended to be my brother, the only one left in the world who cared about me, was already awake. As usual. We ate breakfast together, as usual. He left to make money for us to live off, as usual. But that day I had enough. I followed him. I know it sounds ridiculous, but all these years I never knew what he did.
I snuck out after him. I raced down the wooden staircase, careful not to trip as always. I ran until I reached the center of Shoquer. By now, An was nowhere to be seen, so I walked around looking. Nothing. I felt a hand pull at the silver bracelet my mother gave me before she died. I grabbed the hand and turned around to face the stupid scavenger who thought I wouldn't notice. I hated them. All of them. I looked straight at the person. My eyes went wide. No. it couldn't be.
"An" I squeaked, barely even a whisper. It couldn't be.
"Mai," he started. But I wasn't going to hear any of it.
"You lied to me," I whispered. I turned and ran.
I heard him call me but I couldn't come back.
I was crying so hard I couldn't see. I didn't see the transport coming towards me. It slammed into me. I fell to the ground. I couldn't breathe. I felt someone's arms around me, and without opening my eyes I knew it was An.
Basically, after that, I was taken to the capital to be taken care of. They lied to An and said I wouldn't live. They gave him the option to clone me, but in the process, I would die. He thought I would die anyway, so he said yes.
I'm not an idiot. I know why they did it. I have always dreamed of becoming a rebel. Thy knew that. So they created their perfect clone instead. But I took one look into her eyes and knew she wasn't as perfect as they planned.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)