tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34465349776996215462024-02-19T14:57:39.190-08:00WritingRaineyby Evelyn RaineyWritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.comBlogger405125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-39945094476277175902016-07-08T17:04:00.000-07:002016-07-08T17:04:05.029-07:00Gone for a While, Back Now<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wow, I can't believe it's been almost two years since I last posted on this blog.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But a lot happened in those two years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Let's see - </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">May 2014 - I began <a href="http://denouementlit.com/" target="_blank">Denouement Literary Agency, LLC</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">July 2014 - a very large lump between my scalp and my skull turned out to be cancerous and led to two surgeries.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Also July 2014 - Published <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Island-Remains-Evelyn-Rainey/dp/163355743X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1467945075&sr=8-2&keywords=The+island+remains" target="_blank">The Island Remains</a> through Whiskey Creek Press.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fall of 2014 - I did not slow down. I went to conventions and conferences as a guest author and spoke at writers groups around the state at least once or twice a month.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Winter of 2014 - I crashed and burned. It caught up with me. So I regrouped and focused within. I relinquished command of Writers for All Seasons to the outstanding and ever-talented Dr. Tracy Zielinski.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Spring of 2015 - struggled to make a go of Denouement. I had about 30 authors interested in this new-style of agency. I was working day and night - editing novels and contacting publishers and helping set up marketing for already published authors. I found a publisher for an author and was so excited!!! Only - the author did not follow through on our contract, and 6 months of hard work didn't pay off. I realized - probably during the dead of night - that I was basing my success - not on my own hard work, but on the ethics of others: no matter how hard I worked, I would not be successful unless other people did their jobs and/or followed through with their responsibilities. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Summer of 2015 - one year cancer free! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">July 2015 - Edited and helped publish <b>Stories for All Seasons</b> - an anthology written by the group I'd facilitated for 10 years - Writers for All Seasons.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">August 2015 - The idea of helping people become published authors still impassioned me - I just realized a literary agency was not the best way - for me - to accomplish that. So I began to think about starting my own publishing company. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>So I did.</b> I began with <a href="http://portalspublishing.com/" target="_blank">Portals Publishing</a> as an imprint of Denouement Literary Agency, LLC and focused on Science Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, and History. I published <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Laughing-Humans-Evelyn-Rainey-ebook/dp/B01C0LO12E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467945287&sr=8-1&keywords=laughing+humans#navbar" target="_blank">Laughing Humans</a> - mostly to walk my way through the process - as trade paperback and an e-book. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was so much fun!! And the end result was beautiful!! So I started promoting Portals Publishing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But something was missing. I had already bought several domains for Building Life-long Inspirational & Successful Strategies - the workshops I was teaching at Women's Resource Centers around the state. So I started <a href="http://blissbooksonline.com/" target="_blank">BLISS Books</a> to focus on inspirational books. I began marketing BLISS Books - seeking authors - through the Unity churches around the world.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Between the two houses, I've produced ten books so far - in trade paperback and Kindle, and am now producing Audible versions of each of them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All of these books are available internationally through Amazon, Books-a-Million, Barnes & Noble, and other on-line stores. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So many books are being sold per project that I'm re-thinking the standard "royalties every 6 month" thing and would like to send out royalty checks every month. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have 65 projects (manuscripts) lined up and contracted. I've passed by a few proposals, but always tried to give detailed reasons (hopefully in a helpful manner) to those whose books I declined.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Spring 2016 - I began a new writing group at Unity in the Grove Chapel called Writers at Unity. Critique based, I teach a 30 minute lesson and then we share our writing. We meet twice a month and I have fallen in love with writing again. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">May 2016 - several classes opened up at Gibbons Street Elementary - where I spent 12 years teaching before someone talked me into becoming a Teacher of Gifted. I prayed about this, applied for 2 of the jobs, interviewed, and was offered a position within 15 minutes of the interview. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Summer 2016 - I am following my BLISS.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-55754461233236224952014-09-20T04:51:00.000-07:002014-09-20T04:51:01.357-07:00CreativeCon 2014I was a guest author at CreativeCon in Panama City, FL last weekend. It was brilliant! <br />
Organized by a wonderful young man of the name Jason Kretzer and his friends and family, CreativeCon's second year was held in the West Coast State College library facility. <br />
There were a lot of artists and authors - more on those in my next post.<br />
<br />
Look for pictures of the event on my Facebook and Twitter accounts.WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-29661107670540607702014-09-15T09:00:00.000-07:002014-09-15T09:00:01.185-07:00Excerpt from The Island Remains Chapter Four
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">Wilhelm was enjoying his Sunday
off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had just spent two hours in the
stables and now was going to the church for morning services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The path led him beside a small orchard of
crabapples.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Ow! Damnation!” The sound of
ripped cloth accompanied the oath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">Wilhelm stopped and peered up into
the tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Pettigrew?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Bloody hell, keep your voice down,
Willy, or Somersby will find us.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Another sound of ripping and then the boughs danced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“What are you doing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“I’m stealing apples.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“You shouldn’t do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They belong to the Reverend.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“That’s why it’s called stealing.”
The teen stuck his head out and grinned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Come up and help me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“No!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Willy, I need your help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My sleeve’s caught on a branch.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Oh.” Wilhelm climbed over the
stone fence and reached for a low branch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Quiet!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone’s coming!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Quick! Get up here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">The boy scrambled up and joined
his friend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">The blonde hair and pink dress of
their tag-a-long appeared as she climbed over the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I see you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Go away, Gertrude,” Pettigrew
hissed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“I’m not!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to steal apples, too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“They are crabapples, Trudy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very bitter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sour.” Wilhelm tried to dissuade her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“They are sweet at the top of the
tree.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She began to climb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“No, Gertrude, you’ll fall and get
hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The branches are thin up there!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">The German reached for her in
response to the panic in Pettigrew’s voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“I can do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m light.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She passed by the boys and reached out for the bright red fruit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">Distracted by Gertrude, the boys
had forgotten to watch out for the Reverend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His voice boomed up at them, “I know you’re up there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come down at once!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">The three children obeyed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Pettigrew! And Willy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not you, too, Gertrude!” He stood with his
hands on his hips towering over them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Just
what did you think you were doing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">Gertrude grinned, “We were
stealing your apples!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Stealing?” He roared, “Thou shall
not steal!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">Wilhelm stepped forward, sheltering
the other two behind him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That’s in the
Bible, sir.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Of course it’s in the Bible!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Pettigrew taught me to read the
Bible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, some of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I read that part out loud last night.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“You should have taken it to
heart, boy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Willy wasn’t stealing,
Reverend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was only helping me get my
shirt unstuck.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">Wilhelm pointed to Pettigrew’s
shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“You’re bleeding.” The Reverend’s
face clouded with concern.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Are you going to die?” Gertrude
grabbed his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are you going to die
like our momma?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Be silent, Trudy,” Willy
scolded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Of course he is not going to
die.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Promise? Promise me, Willy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Gertrude, enough.” To the boys,
the Reverend stated, “I need two altar boys this morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll clean your wound and bandage you up
before putting on your robes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">Pettigrew opened his mouth to
protest but was overrun by Willy’s excitement, “I can be an altar boy? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wirklich</i>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll let me march down the aisle and light
the candles?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">Somersby smiled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“And we’ll get to wear robes,”
Pettigrew supported Willy’s enthusiasm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“I want to be an altar boy, too!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“You can’t be an altar boy,” Willy
argued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re a girl.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Girls should get to be altar boys,”
she insisted as they all walked up to the church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Heaven forbid,” Somersby
laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Next you’ll be telling me you
want to be a priest.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“You could be a nun,” Willy
suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“We’re not Catholic,” Pettigrew
corrected him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Well, you could sing in the
choir, then.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">She liked that idea so much, she
serenaded them into the church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">#<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“How is the headmaster?” Luther
and Karl stood as Delamair settled their coffee tray.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“He’s over the worst.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re sending him to his brother’s next week,
once he can travel.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Next week?” Karl’s voice
deepened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“The doctor has a car; he’ll be
able to come Friday morning and transport him and help him settle in.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“You’re not going?” Luther asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“I’m needed here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctor will be staying with him at the
manor.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Oh,” Luther didn’t hide his
disgust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Karl looked questioningly
between the two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was pale, Luther
was red-faced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With a sudden clarity,
Karl despised the headmaster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">Luther took a cup from her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So, you will be very busy this week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t forget to find a refuge for
yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You and the Old Man used to
sit out in the garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you still
visit it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">She glanced at Karl and replied,
“Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s my second favorite place.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">His eyes twinkled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">#<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">They sat together in the garden
and talked long into the night, but they discussed nothing of a personal
nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They bantered jokes and debated politics,
brushed on religion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He walked her to
the base of the stairs and took her hand in both of his.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He drew it to his mouth and kissed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned it over and pressed his lips into
her palm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">He whispered, “Tomorrow night?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Yes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">He kissed her hand again and
watched her ascend the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">The next night, he brought a
bottle of wine and two glasses and they discussed Wagner and Da Vince; impressionists
versus romantics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had never been to
Paris, so he described the wonders of the Louvre.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">The third night, she brought a
basket of blackberries she’d gathered that morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They took turns feeding each other until he
could bare it no longer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He began
licking her fingers, nibbling them as she laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He kissed her then, while she was still
laughing and released her before his passion grew too intense.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">He stood and clicked his
heels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Until tomorrow night, my Vor.” It
took all his will power, but he left her still sitting on the bench.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">She was late the next night and
found him pacing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“I didn’t think you were coming.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“I was packing for Thomas but he
doesn’t understand why he has to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
kept taking his clothes out of the case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I finally got him settled.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Why do you have separate beds?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">She stood before him and stared up
at the sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Delamair,” he stepped
closer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Does he make love to you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“No,” she whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Never?” He leaned in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Never.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“How can you bear it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To never be touched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To never know that special bond between man
and wife?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">She shrugged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“You knew it once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your child-“<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">She stepped back as if he had
slapped her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“I think your husband is either a
pervert or a fool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What kind of husband
is he to ignore your needs?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“What kind of husband are you, to
want to make love to me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">It was he who felt slapped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">“Good night, Colonel.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="evelynbest" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Century Gothic;">He continued pacing after she
walked away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Excerpt from<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
Island Remains<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">© Evelyn Rainey <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Whiskey Creek Publishing<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ISBN tba June 2014<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-83720572254471154482014-09-08T08:54:00.000-07:002014-09-08T08:54:00.722-07:00Excerpt from Bedina's War - As Needed Chapter Four<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Excerpt from<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bedina’s
War<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">© Evelyn Rainey <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Comfort Publishing<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ISBN 9781936695881<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-23862964583428143302014-09-01T08:49:00.000-07:002014-09-01T08:49:00.432-07:00Excerpt from Bedina's War - Orchidea Chapter Four<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Excerpt from<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bedina’s
War<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">© Evelyn Rainey <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Comfort Publishing<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ISBN 9781936695881<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-35730420884569524782014-08-30T06:08:00.002-07:002014-08-30T06:08:35.309-07:00<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well, as you can see, my incredible organizational skills have far outrun my follow-through skills. I have a spreadsheet that shows me what I want on this blog and I fill it out once every 6 months with the intent to go back into the dashboard and fill out the missing bits.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">With the cancer surgeries and the change in teaching position/responsibilities and need to change locations for Writers for All Seasons and the springing forth of Denouement Literary Agency and all the speaking engagements and paperwork and meetings that that has joyfully entailed, I have neglected this blog.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I plan to rectify that soon.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I had a dream about my father last night. It was one of those significant dreams that one needs to pay heed to. He helped me see something I was doing was - if not "wrong" - was dangerous to my vision of how to follow my bliss. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So the time I spend will be spent on writing (personally, professionally and for my column at BellaOnline - which I have also shamefully neglected) and my agency (did I tell you I have taken on a partner -- Daniel LeBeouf?) and grabbing hold of the robotics course I'm teaching and my family - definitely need to spend more quality time with my family. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">At the strong suggestion of my newest publisher - Start-Media - I've started a fanpage on Facebook and author page on Amazon and Goodreads. I will also be creating a fan page for Denouement Literary on Facebook.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have a speaking engagement slash book signing event this Wednesday evening at Sebring with the Florida Writers Association there. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I'm a guest author at CreativeCom Saturday Sept. 13, 2014 up in Panama City, FL</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Necronomicon is in October.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So my dad was right - need to make some changes - actually, just one. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Type at you later!</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Evelyn</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span>WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-50765328888124001632014-08-25T08:45:00.000-07:002014-08-25T08:45:00.264-07:00Excerpt from Bedina's War - Tinker's Damn Chapter Four<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Excerpt from<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bedina’s
War<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">© Evelyn Rainey <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Comfort Publishing<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ISBN 9781936695881<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-79479334798405566072014-08-18T08:37:00.000-07:002014-08-18T08:37:00.099-07:00Excerpt from Minna Pegeen Chapter Four<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Excerpt from<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Minna
Pegeen<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">© Evelyn Rainey <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Comfort Publishing<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ISBN 9781935361381<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-16820689661445748132014-08-11T18:02:00.001-07:002014-08-11T18:02:56.110-07:00The Island Remains by Evelyn Rainey book trailer<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/MQAbqsDT6XY" width="480"></iframe><br /><br />
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<br /><br />
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WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-8542663429814860522014-08-11T08:32:00.000-07:002014-08-11T08:32:00.330-07:00Excerpt from Perky's Chapter Four
<br />
<div class="Subhead" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<strong>May 3<o:p></o:p></strong></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Looky, looky, looky!” Jeremy, our public relations
coordinator foisted a massive foam hat at me as I walked into the back room. “Just
in time for May.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Two-foot masts blossomed with canvas sails. Hemp
rigging attached the sails to the two and a half foot boat.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“It’s a ship,” I blinked, taking it from Jeremy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“The Mayflower.” Jeremy identified the hat with a
Scarlet O’Hara twang. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Wait ‘til you see the pilgrims,” growled Doreen.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Is this an anchor?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Yeah,” Calvin smiled coldly. “Turn your head just
right and smack! You hook someone’s eye with it.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Everyone laughed nervously because as much as we
loved Calvin, sometimes he wasn’t joking. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Doreen clapped her hands for attention. “Good
morning my Perky Ambassadors! Welcome to the first Monday in May!” She called
our monthly associates meeting to order, and turned the meeting over to our
newest of a long line of short-lived managers. He stood before us, trim, tidy,
dressed in a black suit, white shirt, red power tie, and shiny leather shoes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Good morning. My name is Thomas Ambrose. I have
been known to change traditions. I’m going to do so this morning. I would like
us to go up into the café for our meeting. I think it’s very important for
every employee to know all of our products, not just books, so I’m going to
treat you all to breakfast. Tea, coffee, doughnuts, and bagels.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Please tell me you brought them in from Martin’s
Bagels down the street,” Calvin gasped.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“I love humor in the workplace,” replied the new
GM grimly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Then you’re gonna love the coffee!” Jeremy
swished.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“A bribe by any other name,” suggested Sam Wayne.
“You’d think these GM’s would leave notes for each other. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">GM number 572, treated staff to breakfast to get them on my side</i>.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“That’s a good idea, but then they’d have to keep
tallies of how many died from food poisoning,” laughed my best friend Lilly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“But NOW, they have to make another list of
tallies for those who died from being ripped apart.” Henry shoved past us.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Well, looks like someone didn’t enjoy being taken
downtown for interrogation about Mrs. A’s murder!” Calvin did the teapot
gesture, so I smacked him on the head.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Interview, not interrogation,” I smirked.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Did you get that detective’s phone number, Henry?
He could ask me anything he wanted—at anytime,” cat-called Jeremy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Now, now, children,” scolded Angelique. This
stunning six-foot blond with an hourglass figure, stiletto heels, size D cups,
and blood-red fingernails’ real name was Adam. He smoothed his linen suit over
his hips and tugged the hemline of his skirt a little closer to his mid-thighs.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“We’re not really going to wear that thing, are we,
Uncle Billy?” Bessie was a new ambassador. She clung to Billy’s arm. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“There, there, little girl. You’ll get used to the
h#%&&* things. Pardon my French.” He patted her hand.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Each of us sat with a steaming cup of Perky’s
finest brew and a pastry; no one except Henry had touched them yet. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
We looked up at the new GM without quite achieving
the expectant hush most new GMs demanded. “My name is Thomas Ambrose.” He
glanced around the tiny café. “I expected a larger turn out. I’m sure you are
aware that these monthly meetings are mandatory.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Preaching to the choir, brother,” sang Jeremy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“This is the entire staff. He fired seven people
this week,” Calvin mumbled.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Seven?” I usually keep my mouth shut at these
meetings, but Calvin’s information startled me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Lilly held up seven fingers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Yes?” Thomas pointed at Lilly. “The woman in
jeans and the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Have you martyred a
Christian today</i> T-shirt. Did you have something to add?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Sir, no sir!” she snapped. Despite a face like an
angel haloed by glossy black ringlets which cascaded below her shoulders and were
held back with a turquoise ribbon; despite size eight faded jeans and hemp
sandals; despite rings on her toes and no need for a bra (due to firmness, not
size); once a Marine, always a Marine.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Mr. Thomas?” Bessie raised a trembling hand.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Yes?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“We don’t really have to wear that thing on our
heads, do we?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Thomas glared with obvious distaste at the
Mayflower sailing on top of Calvin’s head. Calvin had almost managed to hook
Angelique’s hoop earrings twice now. Thomas sighed in disgust. “Yes. They will
help identify you as Percival Floor Ambassadors.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Or escaped loonies,” Sam Wayne snorted.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Ain’t that the pot calling the kettle black?” Jeremy
pointed at Sam.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“I notice none of you are eating or drinking. Or—few
of you.” Thomas put his hands in his pockets. Henry snatched the shiny doughnut
off of Doreen’s plate. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Doreen was a solid chunk of muscles and would have
been happy plowing fields, baking bread, and slaughtering hogs on a prairie
farm during the Western Expansion. At five foot one, she was the only Perky
Ambassador shorter than me. She wore beautiful dresses that just didn’t look
quite right on her, and scuffed Doc martens, which she’d gotten from the
Catholic thrift store for two dollars. She brooked no insolence from anyone for
any reason. But she had a soft-spot for Henry.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Thomas continued. “I’d like to take this time to
thank,” he peered at an index card in the palm of his hand. “Elizabeth
Smythe-Covington for filling in as café manager during your recent loss.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Who?” Sam asked.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Elizabeth Smythe-Covington,” Thomas repeated.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Who’s that?” Angelique questioned.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Thomas referred to his card again. “Did I
pronounce your name wrong?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“No. It’s fine.” Henry kept her eyes on the tabletop.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Elizabeth? Your name’s Elizabeth?” Sam gawked.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Yes.” She glared at him.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Like, a girly girl’s name, Elizabeth?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Sam, don’t piss her off!” I warned softly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Well, I can see why you’d go by Henry. It’s a man’s
name. Manly. For a man.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Sam!” Lilly hissed. “Don’t make it worse!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Sam, Henry’s real name is Elizabeth. She’s called
Elizabeth because she’s a girl.” Billy said this in a stage whisper, behind his
cupped hand.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Excerpt from<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Perky’s
Books and Gifts<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">© Evelyn Rainey 2013<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bedlam Press <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ISBN 9781939065377<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-28541817734141964502014-08-08T15:23:00.000-07:002014-08-08T15:23:00.030-07:00Excerpt from Possum Playing Poker Chapter Four<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The phone rang at precisely six a.m.
the second Saturday of the month like it had every third month for the last fifteen
years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I reached to answer it, when all of
a sudden, Josh grabbed my hand and growled, "Let the machine answer
it."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He looked adorable with sleep
tussled hair and sheet wrinkles on his cheeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The phone clanged a second time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"But I know who it
is."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I reached with my other hand.
He captured that one, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remembered
our kiss; he remembered our kiss, too and smiled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The machine crackled, "Ronnie,
that you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm having a lot of static on
the line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Listen, I know they're
monitoring us, so think a minute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Remember Huey, Dewy, and Louis?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Three days from now. Women at War.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My-my-my."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a
pause.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Whenever you can,
kid."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Click.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Who else knows about
this?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Josh demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Nobody else knows."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pressed the stop, rewind/erase button on my
new answering machine and crossed my arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"You're tampering with
evidence!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He jabbed the stop,
knocking the machine to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I'm erasing my own
tape."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked into the living
room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"That was some kind of code,
wasn't it?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He followed me,
gesturing back toward the office.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Wow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don't miss much, do you."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I crawled back onto the sofa bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"I'm going back to sleep."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He yanked the sheet off me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"You are compromising your own
safety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, I demand you tell me who
was on the phone and what it meant!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I stood up on the mattress and
towered over him, furious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"I have
never compromised anything in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And that's another thing -- this is my life!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>MY LIFE!!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stormed off the sleeper sofa and stomped
into the kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"It used to be so
peaceful, so--"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Lonely?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Boring?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I glared at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Organized!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Are you saying this is MY
fault?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don't get mad at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your father --"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Leave the Mad Scientist out of
this!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I clanged an iron skillet
onto the stove, jerked open the refrig, wrestled the bacon out of its plastic
cocoon, and tapped my foot, waiting for it to sizzle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I spun around and hollered,
"Don't just stand there, make some coffee!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Yes, ma'am."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Josh stated calmly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I smothered bagels with cream cheese
and finally commented, "I bet Claire's having a real laugh at me."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"How so?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Josh poured the coffee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"This terrorist slant makes no
sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if Claire made up the note and got one
of her friends to hire those people to make an attempt?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What would be the result?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I'd get stuck here the rest of
my life."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Josh mumbled around his
bacon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"So go home!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pushed away from the table, terribly
hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Nothing about this makes
sense."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"By 'makes sense' you mean like
vacuuming in the middle of the night makes sense?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You mean like never having any clocks in the
house that tell the right time makes sense?!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was standing, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I'll come back another
time."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A sweet old lady stood
inside the back door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Josh's hand flew behind his back,
drew his pistol and dared the intruder to breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She screamed, dropped the jar she was
holding, and crumpled into a heap on the floor.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;">"Mrs. Jenkins!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>"Josh Dylan, is that the best you can do: scare little creatures
and defenseless old ladies!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Josh lifted her up and placed her
gently on the sofa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She moaned in
terror, but I sat beside her, patting her hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"How did she get in?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His voice sounded strangled as he tried to
control his rage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"She has a key."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Josh pursed his lips, glanced around
the room, and took a deep breath, “Why?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Because she's my neighbor."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Josh nodded fiercely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"He was going to shoot
me!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mrs. Jenkins whimpered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"No, no dear."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I helped her sit up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"He's just a Yankee."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Oh."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She accepted all the implications.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Would you like some coffee,
Mrs. Jenkins?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Josh pointed toward
the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I wouldn't presume," she
replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"There's bacon and bagels,
too."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I added, accompanying her to
the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Well, maybe just a
little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After such a shock, you know."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mrs. Jenkins consumed three bagels
and four slices of bacon, regaling us about the <st1:place w:st="on">Caribbean</st1:place>
fruit flies that were devastating her papayas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I caught Josh's eye once and
smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He smiled back and stood up to
retrieve the jar by the back door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Here's your jar,
ma'am."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He placed it in front of
her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Oh, I don't need it now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Silly me, I was going to make pancakes this
morning, but I didn't have any flour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
saw you were up, and I knew you wouldn't mind."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"We don't mind a bit,
ma'am."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Josh went to the freezer,
pulled out a bag of unbleached wheat flour, and handed it to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"I love pancakes, my grandfather used to
make them every Sunday before church."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He held her elbow as he walked her
to the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Maybe you could save
me one or two, Mrs. Jenkins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It'd bring
back good memories for me."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There were tears in Mrs. Jenkins
eyes as she promised to do so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she
kissed him on the cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"You be
good to my Ronnie," she whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Yes, ma'am," he replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We spent the morning at the Public
Library.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Josh finally sat down in the
magazine section and I slipped upstairs to non-fiction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took an index card out of my pocket and
copied down the four digit Dewy Decimal number from the spine of <u>Women at
War</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next, I went to the <u>Star
Trek Encyclopedia</u> and figured out the star date for three days from today,
and rounded it to four digits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I
put 13 on the end, for 'M' if A = 1 and B = 2 . . .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put all together in the proper order, it made
a phone number.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put the card back in
my pocket and sat down next to Josh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Ready?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I smiled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Whenever you are,” he
stood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Aren't you going to check
out anything?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Oh, I'm not allowed to."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He held the door for me as we left.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Excerpt from<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Possum Playing Poker<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">© Evelyn Rainey <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Available for publication.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-90459761556765512972014-08-01T09:30:00.000-07:002014-08-01T09:30:01.908-07:00Excerpt from Laughing Humans Chapter Four<br />
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Showers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"What
died?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Simple
words echoed up to Hunter as she squatted in an air vent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was exploring new territory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cave she looked down into was full of
'chairs' and 'tables'.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a large,
dimly lit room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three cave people sat at
one table in the middle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Garbled
words answered the understandable words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
sniffed the air, not smelling death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
listened carefully to the cave dwellers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were laughing and putting their hands
over their faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They punched each
other playfully and talked about 'bad smell'.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Again,
Hunter sniffed and smelled nothing different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
climbed out of the vent and cautiously approached the three, sniffing, trying
to discover what caused their reaction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They
saw her and stopped laughing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stood
still.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe one was leader and wanted
her submission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She watched their faces
for signs of their rank.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They
whispered to each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One reassured
the others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It smiled at her and spoke
softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Hunter smiled back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Encouraged by their calmness, Hunter moved
closer, running her<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">hand over the smooth 'tabletop'.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She said these words to herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Gods spoke <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">to her in the dark, telling her the names of things. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In light, she touched the items she'd learned
and said the words mentally.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>One
day, she would say the words out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The one
smiling pointed to its chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>"Mark."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It pointed to
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Hunterock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hun-ter-og."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Did it
sign 'same'?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunter came closer, about a
table away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She recognized the sound of
her name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark nodded and repeated its
signals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunter Rogue."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
slapped her breast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sounded muffled
against the material of the green outfit she still wore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Yr
Hunter Rogue."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cave dweller
tapped its chest and smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Im
Mark."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter,
Mark -- same!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunter was surprised.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She smiled and leaped onto the chair next to
her new friend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Dear
God!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cave people at the table
covered their faces and made strange noises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They puffed out their cheeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
was scared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She jumped away from
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark was making sounds of anger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
signed 'same', but as she bent to slap Mark's chest, it jerked away from her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
slowly crept back up to her air vent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
returned to her troop empty-handed and angry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>First
New was there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunter bowed to Bigfeet
and then walked over and sat down next to her friend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>First
New touched her hair and hummed, "Hunter?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunter grabbed First New's hand and held it
to her nose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sniffed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>First
New had no scent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
sniffed up First New's arm to her armpit and neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her hair smelled like trees in summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing else about First New smelled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunter pried her mouth open and smelled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even her breath was nice.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Same,"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunter signed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Same," she repeated, hitting hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Same,"
Vivian signed gently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
curled her lips and puffed her cheeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She took First New's hand and pressed it against her nose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she pressed her own hand against First
New's nose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Vivian
gagged, like the people in the table-chair cave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
stood up and walked away, deeply hurt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Vivian
jumped up, then hesitated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She clapped
her hands and took a deep breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Slowly, she took off her outfit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
troop watched in habitual silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Her
skin was dark, hairless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She walked to
the flower and sat on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The water
swooshed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stood up and walked into a
niche in the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She touched the
wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rain fell only on her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
smiled and laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She exaggerated the
motions of taking a shower.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
already had her suit off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She began
pressing the walls, asking the cave to give her rain, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>First
New took her hand and let her stand under the rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Warm rain!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Like summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First New rubbed
something on her skin that smelled like trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The dark layers of dirt smeared and ran down her legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The skin underneath was pale and
freckled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the most wonderful
feeling Hunter ever remembered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
tree smell overwhelmed her own scent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her skin changed colors from rusty brown to shell pink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The itches in her hair stopped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunter let First New bathe her and didn't
care that the whole troop was watching.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mark
would not hold its nose now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Plenty
of times, Hunter's scent had saved her life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Most carnivores eat good-smelling animals, not strong musky animals like
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that time was gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was
time to live like these cave dwellers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>While
the other females showered, Vivian brought combs and brushes in and showed
Hunter how to use them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunter
recognized the small branch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now she
would learn to use it right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Vivian's
hair was short, but the colonists were tenderly impatient with their long
hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vivian left the cave and returned
with something covered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She went to
Hunter first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Same?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Same,"
Hunter assured her happily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>First
New lifted Hunter's hair, then ran her fingers through her own short
curls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Same?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Same."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunter would learn whatever First New wanted
to teach her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sat patiently as First
New put a cold thing to her hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her
hair fell into her lap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Bigfeet
was too busy enjoying her shower to notice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter's
rust-colored locks fell in a matted heap onto her lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She caught Darkarm's eyes again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He smiled admiringly, aware that Bigfeet
could not see him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Then
Vivian picked up the fallen hair, covered the scissors, and left the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Arton begged for Hunter's first hair
clippings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are still his favorite
possession.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Vivian
ordered new outfits for every female.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The five males still refused to dress or wash.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dr.
Rivers whispered, "Can you teach me how to bathe tonight?" for which
he received a bruise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few other females wanted their hair
cut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for the most, the shower was
quite enough adaptation at one time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Excerpt from<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Laughing
Humans<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">© Evelyn Rainey <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Available for publication.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-69861394618642708612014-07-25T09:26:00.000-07:002014-07-25T09:26:00.128-07:00Excerpt from Follow the Bees Chapter Four<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He
was a huge Newfoundlander; dark and muscular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Colette was a yellow lab, large by most standards, but diminished by her
companion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They looped across heathery
fields and bounded over streams full of koi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The sun never rose; it never set; it burned golden in the powder blue of
the dream-world sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a lucid dream,
everything was brighter, smelled richer, felt fuller, tasted like heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In lucid dreaming, everything had
meaning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <st1:place w:st="on">Labrador</st1:place>
and Newfoundlander nipped affectionately at each other, as dogs do.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They topped a rise and she heard murmuring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A bee circled her, buzzing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She snapped at it and continued chasing her
friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More droning; three more bees
joined the first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They flew in front of
her, diving at her tender nose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She yelped.
More singing, more bees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stumbled as
a dozen sank into her thick mane, stabbing her with their stingers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She howled and tumbled down the hill.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The Newfoundlander
rushed to her side, devouring as many bees as he could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whirring deafened her as hundreds of bees
attacked her, stinging and dying as she tried to outrun them.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The phone was ringing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Colette fell out of bed, gasping and
sobbing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her skin was on fire, remembering
the dream-stings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grabbed the phone
blindly, “What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You’ve got a nosy neighbor.” The
usually gruff voice sounded dulled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Camp?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You need me to come and clean his
clock?” Slurred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Camp loved Bushmills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Camp, what time is it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It’s – aw fuck – it’s only midnight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“In <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Wyoming</st1:state></st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s midnight in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Wyoming</st1:place></st1:state>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“A-yup.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’m in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florida</st1:place></st1:state>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Ah hell, Spooky, did I wake you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I was being stung to death by bees.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No shit?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Don’t call me Spooky.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Good natured silence balanced them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Deputy Fife doesn’t believe I’m a
credible witness.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“His loss.” The tinkle of ice against
glass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You doing OK?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Sure.” Colette crawled off the floor
and sat on the bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Bees, huh.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You tried to protect me from them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I was in your dreams?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Always, but she didn’t say it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“So, what do the bees mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She took a deep breath. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She realized he was giving her time to pull
herself together, to slip into her safe teacher-mode. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Bees represent betrayal, usually sexual in
nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mindless mob ruled by instinct
and preservation of a singular concept, fanatically so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bees are ancient and the first insects to be
domesticated.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I know something about bees,
too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can’t really fly.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ice and glass tolled again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What do you know about Ralph Waldo
Emerson?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“They were those mutant turtle things,
right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>If she closed her eyes, she could
still smell his skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He wrote a
poem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lots of poems, but there’s one in
particular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s creepy to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I keep hearing phrases from it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Alway, alway something sings’.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Do you – need some company?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Camp, this is the first vacation you’ve
taken since Noah launched his ark.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That wasn’t a no.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Are you fishing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“A-yup.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Metaphysically, she threw herself at
him for a brief moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Be careful
where you put your hooks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I keep them in my tackle box.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Nope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There’s one scattered on your boat, hidden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be careful not to get stuck by it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She heard him take a sip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Good night, Spooky.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Good night, Camp.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Excerpt from<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Follow
the Bees<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">© Evelyn Rainey <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Available for publication.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-1788294946358628332014-07-24T19:24:00.000-07:002014-07-24T19:24:00.116-07:00START more recipes here<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;">Gluten-free and
Vegetarian/Vegan Recipes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;">To meet my
needs of being “gluten-free”, there are no ingredients that have wheat in them.
Since one out of one-hundred people now have problems with the way the United
States processes their foods, there are plenty of brands which are marked GF
Gluten-free. However, read all the way around the label and determine if there
might be traces of wheat or if the product was processed in a plant or on machinery
that also handles wheat. (These statements are usually NOT found near the list
of ingredients.) If this is the case and you are gluten-sensitive or have a
wheat-toxicity, don’t use it! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;">I also deleted
recipes which called for hidden gluten – like shrimp, frozen mangoes and
parsnips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;">Vegetarian</span></b><span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;"> foods allow the use of milk, honey, eggs, and other
non-kill animal products; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">vegans</b> do
not. I have endeavored to post only recipes with vegan-appropriate ingredients.
If I really liked something, though, that was vegetarian rather than vegan, I
will note it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;">Whenever
possible, use non-GMO products (non-genetically modified).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you think gmo’s are ok for you, you haven’t
read any science fiction books, let alone Charles Darwin. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;">These recipes
are not an attempt to substitute wheat or animal ingredients with something
else. These recipes are “naturally” or originally gluten-free and
vegetarian/vegan. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-35369620245766624252014-07-18T09:23:00.000-07:002014-07-18T09:23:00.360-07:00Excerpt from Close You Eyes Chapter Four<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Excerpt from<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Close
Your Eyes<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">© Evelyn Rainey <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Available for publication.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-65506414792076736262014-07-17T19:23:00.000-07:002014-07-17T19:23:00.574-07:00SVENGALI TOMATOES <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">(not sure about
this, but I bet it’s a memorable taste!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">1 1-pound can
tomatoes, cut up<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">¼ cup canned frozen
cranberry-orange relish<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">2 Tbsp light
raisins<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">1 Tbsp sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">½ tsp ginger<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">½ tsp salt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">¼ tsp cayenne<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">Combine all
ingredients; simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve warm or cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">(Mrs. Janet Stark
Halvorson, Maryville, TN © Southern Living 1968)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN";"><span style="font-size: large;">Gluten-free and
Vegetarian/Vegan Recipes</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN";"><span style="font-size: large;">To meet my
needs of being “gluten-free”, there are no ingredients that have wheat in them.
Since one out of one-hundred people now have problems with the way the United
States processes their foods, there are plenty of brands which are marked GF
Gluten-free. However, read all the way around the label and determine if there
might be traces of wheat or if the product was processed in a plant or on machinery
that also handles wheat. (These statements are usually NOT found near the list
of ingredients.) If this is the case and you are gluten-sensitive or have a
wheat-toxicity, don’t use it! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN";"><span style="font-size: large;">I also deleted
recipes which called for hidden gluten – like shrimp, frozen mangoes and
parsnips.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN";">Vegetarian</span></b><span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN";"> foods allow the use of milk, honey, eggs, and other
non-kill animal products; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">vegans</b> do
not. I have endeavored to post only recipes with vegan-appropriate ingredients.
If I really liked something, though, that was vegetarian rather than vegan, I
will note it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN";"><span style="font-size: large;">Whenever
possible, use non-GMO products (non-genetically modified).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you think gmo’s are ok for you, you haven’t
read any science fiction books, let alone Charles Darwin. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">These recipes
are not an attempt to substitute wheat or animal ingredients with something
else. These recipes are “naturally” or originally gluten-free and
vegetarian/vegan.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-22558615696671853632014-07-11T09:15:00.000-07:002014-07-11T09:15:00.138-07:00Excerpt from To Hold Back the Dark Chapter Four<br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Church the next morning was a joyous
event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matt stood in for Patsy as music
director and Atticus announced the arrival of Patsy and Le’Vander’s boy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What are you doing?” Jeremy hissed
at Venutha.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She sat back on the pew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You look like you’re looking for
someone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I might be.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Who are you looking for?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“A friend.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well, sit still and she’ll find
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What, did you bathe in perfume this
morning?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jeremy rubbed his nose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It’s not a her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And he happens to like my cologne.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">“Shush!”
Wren-at-Dawn commanded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned his
attention back to the choir and the way Lanza’s lips moved as she sang.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Venutha stuck her tongue out at
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jeremy grinned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Debbie sat with her eyes
closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her head ached with the remnant
of a nightmare and her left shoulder twinged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She must have slept on it wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In her lap and sprawled beside her was the dog Venutha told her last
night was named Awohah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dog sighed
deeply and Debbie rubbed his ears.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">##<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No kidding?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My kid has been begging me to take her to Gatlinburg.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John Parker frothed two lattes for the couple
at the counter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t suppose you’d
do me a favor?”<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What?” the older man asked
cautiously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“If I give you a postcard, would you
mail it from Gatlinburg?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she could
– you know – have a piece of it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’s sweet,” the woman said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Here,” John snatched one out of his
apron. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I already had it made out and stamped.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The older man hesitated but the
woman took it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Elizabeth Court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a lovely name.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Ah, she’s a real killer, she
is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t get to see her often; I move
around a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So she keeps tabs on me by
the postmarks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Puts pins in this huge
wall map, following me around the country.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Isn’t that sweet,” she smiled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The man held out a ten.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No, no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The latte’s on me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One favor for another.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well, thanks,” he softened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>John Parker smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d always been able to tell so much of the
truth that what little – but vital – bit of it that was the lie was overlooked
by all but the most cynical of listeners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Isabel Cortez made him send out a
postcard every Monday, to keep track of his whereabouts in his search for his
daughter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that he’d found Hreno, he
had to find a way to snap the leash that Earther held on him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When he first escaped five and a
half years ago – he broke the neck of an orderly at the prison’s clinic, stole
his clothes and identification, and left at the end of his shift – he
discovered the wonder of this new planet Earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Cars – Stelt like cars – and dancing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Stelt loved to dance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The food
was tolerable, once he got the hang of money; and got some money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he liked popcorn, the kind with butter
and salt that left his hands all greasy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What he didn’t like were the whores.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Women and men would befriend him and take care of him, but then they
wanted sex but refused to be married.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That made them whores, and he killed every single one of them, after
raping them as punishment for their promiscuity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he was arrested, after wandering in
search of his daughter for seventeen months, he freely admitted to three of the
slayings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had they asked him about all
the others, he would have admitted to them, too, but they didn’t ask.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While awaiting trial, she showed up – Isabel
Cortez.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they were alone, she
proclaimed herself as his new lord, his Strategia Oscura.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She offered him freedom of a sort, if he
could find his daughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Of course I can find my
daughter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re connected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s woven from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Set me free and I’ll lead you to her if she’s
still on this world.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">It
was completely the truth. Everything except, “I’ll lead you to her.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would never allow Cortez near his little
girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She made his last Strategia Oscuro
look meek.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">He
heard the bells on First Baptist’s tower and took off his apron.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had the afternoon off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And he did have plans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">##<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">When Debbie
arrived at the old church at 9:45 Monday morning, Morgan was waiting for her.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">“I turned on
the air, and started a pot of coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
set up the chairs in a circle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Didn’t
know if you’d need the tables or not.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He opened the door and took the canvas satchel from her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He frowned at the weight of the bag.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">“Books,” she
supplied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Crochet books.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’ll put them on the counter.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She watched him as he walked away from her toward the
kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was trimly dressed in khaki
jean shorts and a flowered Jimmy Buffett shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Leather – hand-tooled by the look of them – sandals allowed his feet a
quiet passage along the Formica floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Debbie glanced up at the florescent lights and ceiling fans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This is nice. Thank you, Colonel.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Actually,” he brought her a mug of coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s General, or it will be soon.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Congratulations.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He shrugged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It
means I’ll only have five years before I have to retire, but I’m ready.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“A lot can happen in five years.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“A lot has.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“The first year it sleeps, the second year it creeps, the
third year it leaps.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Excuse me?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Debbie looked down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“It’s an old gardener’s saying about transplants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems to apply to major life changes,
too.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You’re very wise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It like that.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stepped
closer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I like you.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He put his arms around her and drew her into his
embrace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She succumbed eagerly to his
kisses.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">“Grandma,
wake-up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Debbie bolted upright, muffling a
little shriek.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Geeze, sorry!” Thomas backed away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Debbie looked at the clock beside
the bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“These damn nightmares.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Mommy, Grandma said ‘damn’!” the
boy ran down the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Excerpt from<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To
Hold Back the Dark<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">© Evelyn Rainey <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Available for publication.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-23496831940965246722014-07-10T19:22:00.000-07:002014-07-10T19:22:00.154-07:00BAKED TOMATOES WITH RICE<br />
<span style="font-family: AR CENA;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: AR CENA;"><span style="font-family: "AR CENA";">6 tomatoes<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: AR CENA;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA";">Salt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA";">½ cup diced celery<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA";">¼ cup diced green
pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA";">2 Tbsp chopped
onion<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA";">2 Tbsp butter/margarine<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA";">2/3 cup rice<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA";">¾ cup water<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA";">Dash of pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA";"><span style="font-size: large;">Remove seed and
pulp from tomatoes; salt insides. Bake in shallow baking dish at 375 degrees for
15 minutes. Sauté celery, green pepper and onion in butter for 3 minutes; add
rice, water, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cover. Let stand for
10 minutes (note, this recipe called for “instant rice. Cooking time should be
lengthened for normal rice). Add tomato pulp. Fill baked tomato shells with
mixture; bake for 5 minutes longer. Yield: 6 servings.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA";"><span style="font-size: large;">(Janet Chamnes,
Easley, SC © Southern Living 1968)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN";"><span style="font-size: large;">Gluten-free and
Vegetarian/Vegan Recipes<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN";"><span style="font-size: large;">To meet my
needs of being “gluten-free”, there are no ingredients that have wheat in them.
Since one out of one-hundred people now have problems with the way the United
States processes their foods, there are plenty of brands which are marked GF
Gluten-free. However, read all the way around the label and determine if there
might be traces of wheat or if the product was processed in a plant or on machinery
that also handles wheat. (These statements are usually NOT found near the list
of ingredients.) If this is the case and you are gluten-sensitive or have a
wheat-toxicity, don’t use it! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN";"><span style="font-size: large;">I also deleted
recipes which called for hidden gluten – like shrimp, frozen mangoes and
parsnips.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN";">Vegetarian</span></b><span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN";"> foods allow the use of milk, honey, eggs, and other
non-kill animal products; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">vegans</b> do
not. I have endeavored to post only recipes with vegan-appropriate ingredients.
If I really liked something, though, that was vegetarian rather than vegan, I
will note it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN";"><span style="font-size: large;">Whenever
possible, use non-GMO products (non-genetically modified).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you think gmo’s are ok for you, you haven’t
read any science fiction books, let alone Charles Darwin. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN";"><span style="font-size: large;">These recipes
are not an attempt to substitute wheat or animal ingredients with something
else. These recipes are “naturally” or originally gluten-free and
vegetarian/vegan. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-69648496380533452352014-07-04T09:11:00.000-07:002014-07-04T09:11:00.609-07:00Excerpt from To Build an Army Chapter Four<br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The
phone rang, jarring Ben away from the most recent Kathy Reich’s novel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ben Feinstein.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">“Ben,
it’s Atticus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your dog’s in the cemetery
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s not bothering anybody, but
it’s supposed to freeze tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just
thought you’d like to know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Ben
glared down at the snoring schnauzer. “I’ll be right there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Every
chance the dog had, she escaped and went to lie on John’s grave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tossed on his heavy sheepskin coat and
grabbed a quilt from a closet beside the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was at the cemetery in less than five minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The parsonage’s front yard was full of cars
and Ben remembered there was supposed to be an elders’ meeting this
afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he got out of his truck,
the elders were all leaving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded
shyly at the few who greeted him and went to retrieve the dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She lay there, as if she were dead herself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Suddenly,
the hairs down his arms and legs zinged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He heard shouts coming from the elders and turned, expecting to see lightning
bolts shattering the clouds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, he
saw a silver white circle expanding to the size of a garage door and people
began leaping through towards the elders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Ben
gaped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew this was what happened,
but he’d never seen it for himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Twelve children, three men and two women tumbled from the white circle
and were screaming and bleeding and shaking short knives and what looked like
beaded nets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">“Is
that all?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are there more of you?”
Atticus roared above the din.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The
refugees argued among themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Like
a stream of gold, the dog bounded past Ben, around the circle the elders had
formed, through the screaming foreigners, and leaped into the center of the
portal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The
voices fell silent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Ben
ran up to Taralyn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where’d she go?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The
young woman shook her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">They
waited, holding their breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In minutes
which felt like hours, a child tumbled through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A rope was attached to her leg and stretched back into the light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right behind her appeared a golden rump and
shaggy tail of John’s dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As her head
cleared this side of the portal, Ben could see blood dripping from its snarling
fangs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was protecting the child from
whatever monster had the other end of the rope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Without
thought, Ben ran, grabbed the rope, and yanked it with all his might.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The end, attached to an empty gauntlet, flew
out of the portal just as the light winked out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He knew what he’d seen through that circle would haunt him if he let it;
a man – with face and neck torn away by an animal – roaring in fury.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Numbed, he turned around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The creature which had savaged the soldier
was panting joyfully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girl she had
rescued clung to the dog’s chest as if she would never let go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Atticus
looked stunned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several of the elders
stood gaping in confusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The newcomers
quieted and moved as a group away from the rest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">“I
thought only people with souls could travel through a portal,” Sarah’s voice
trembled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">“You’re
never had a dog?” Eduviges asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Dogs
have souls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So do cats.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Sarah
sputtered, “That’s not in the Bible.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">“Neither
are ukeras, but they have souls,” Gwen knelt down in front of the girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The child squeezed her eyes shut and clung
more fervently to the dog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">“Welcome
in the name of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We serve the
light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whom do you serve?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The
dog hassled and pressed her muzzle on top of the girl’s head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Muffled against the golden fur, the girl
responded, “I serve the light, the bringers of light, and the light
eternal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so does Ohamaha.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">“Would
you like to join your family?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Swiftly,
but with absolute certainty, a woman stated, “She is not ours.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">A
man beside the woman agreed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ventu has
no claim on us, nor we on her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We took
her in – is all – for a short while.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">“And
she brought nothing but disaster in her wake,” snarled the younger man.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Ben
was watching the dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever had
happened on the other side of that medallion of light had been miraculous for
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ben had feared she would pine away
and die within a week, so deep was her grief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But now, her eyes twinkled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
grinned and huffed in that way that dogs do when they’re laughing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And she’d saved this little girl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">“You
need to come with us, girl,” Gwen reached toward her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dog growled deeply, brooking no interference.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">“She
can come with me.” Ben heard himself saying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“John’s dog found her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She can
come home with us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Atticus
stared down at the vet who showed up six months earlier, claiming he’d been
told to come here in a dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was
a goodness in the man, Atticus had felt it when they prayed together before
allowing Ben to join the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A good
man with a deep sorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Atticus nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">John’s
dog seemed to understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stood
slowly and with the child still holding her, walked to Ben’s truck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wrapped them both in the quilt after
buckling the girl in the front seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">And
then Ben headed home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">“Dogs
have souls,” he said aloud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Excerpt from<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To
Build an Army<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">© Evelyn Rainey <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Available for publication.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-77272301043496377982014-07-03T19:22:00.000-07:002014-07-03T19:22:00.460-07:00 STUFFED ZUCCHINI<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">8 small whole
zucchini<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">3 Tbsp
butter/margarine<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">1 small onion,
chopped<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">½ cup chopped
celery<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">½ cup chopped
green pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">1 cup drained canned
tomatoes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">1 tsp salt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">1 tsp oregano<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">Plunge whole
zucchini into kettle of boiling water. Turn off heat and let cool in the liquid
for a few minutes. Melt butter in skillet. Stir and fry onion, celery, green
pepper and tomatoes until barely tender. Add salt and oregano. Scoop out some
pulp from zucchinis, leaving solid shell. Chop pulp into vegetable mixture.
Pile filling into zucchini. Place in shallow greased casserole. Bake 45 minutes
at 350 degrees. Yield: 8 servings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">(Mary Louise Wild,
Louisville, KY © Southern Living 1968)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;">Gluten-free and
Vegetarian/Vegan Recipes</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;">To meet my
needs of being “gluten-free”, there are no ingredients that have wheat in them.
Since one out of one-hundred people now have problems with the way the United
States processes their foods, there are plenty of brands which are marked GF
Gluten-free. However, read all the way around the label and determine if there
might be traces of wheat or if the product was processed in a plant or on machinery
that also handles wheat. (These statements are usually NOT found near the list
of ingredients.) If this is the case and you are gluten-sensitive or have a
wheat-toxicity, don’t use it! </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;">I also deleted
recipes which called for hidden gluten – like shrimp, frozen mangoes and
parsnips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;">Vegetarian</span></b><span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;"> foods allow the use of milk, honey, eggs, and other
non-kill animal products; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">vegans</b> do
not. I have endeavored to post only recipes with vegan-appropriate ingredients.
If I really liked something, though, that was vegetarian rather than vegan, I
will note it.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;">Whenever
possible, use non-GMO products (non-genetically modified).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you think gmo’s are ok for you, you haven’t
read any science fiction books, let alone Charles Darwin. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;">These recipes
are not an attempt to substitute wheat or animal ingredients with something
else. These recipes are “naturally” or originally gluten-free and
vegetarian/vegan. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-19849621159171541772014-06-30T15:20:00.000-07:002014-06-30T15:20:00.079-07:00Excerpt from Possum Playing Poker Chapter Three
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I can't believe you arrested
those two!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We sat on my front
porch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rush slobbered scraps from a pan
at Josh's feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"You were
magnificent!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Josh wrinkled his
forehead as he drained his tea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"They didn't even look at me
when I apologized."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Ricocheting that bench off the
guard rail was brilliant!'<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"They'll have to get their
daughter Cecilia to run their tiende de comestibles now."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"They don’t have a Mexican
grocery store."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"And she's pregnant."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"How would you know she's
pregnant?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"If they're not Mexican, what are
they then?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We had finally converged into the
same conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Josh answered me,
"They are known assassins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mercenaries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's quite a star in
my crown."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Where'd the gun come
from?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped rocking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Right here."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Josh patted the small of his back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"You've had a gun on all this
time!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And you haven't shot
yourself?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I do not shoot
myself."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His voice deepened in
anger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Guns go off around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's just a fact."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stood and put my hands on my hips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Ask anyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go down to the Bow and Bullet and ask anyone
how Mark got his nickname!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Josh templed his fingertips and
pressed them to his lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"All
right, what is his nickname?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Stub."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Josh pressed his fingertips into his
eyelids and sighed deeply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The phone rang.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I need to answer that."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Josh stood up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I'll answer my own
phone."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pushed him gently back
into the rocker and stepped across Rush.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Hello?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Miss Olson, this is Special
Agent MacGregor from the Bureau.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'd
like to thank you for your cooperation today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My men and I were quite impressed."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Thank you, I mean, you're
welcome?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"You're lucky to be alive,
young lady."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Oh."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"May I speak with Agent Dylan,
please."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was not a question.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Josh stood at my side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Yes, he's here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's Special Agent MacGregor." I handed him
the phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Dylan, sir."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He paused, listening, and then remarked, “No
sir, my blackberry doesn’t seem to work in this location.” Another pause. “Yes,
sir, I realize its range is world-wide.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I started to walk away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He reached out and caught hold of the fabric
of my sleeve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He slowly pulled me back
to his side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Perhaps it has more to do with proximity than
location.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As in, proximity to a black
hole phenomenon.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;">I stuck my tongue out and tried to walk away
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shook his head and mouthed ‘Stay’
at me as he 'Yes-sir'-ed and 'Understandable sir'-ed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dylan cleared his voice, "Would
you explain the situation to Miss Olson?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A pause.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"No, no problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She's --” he looked deeply into my eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Formidable."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Another pause.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Thank you, sir."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He hung up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He let go of my sleeve and took a deep
breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"I'll be right back."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He returned carrying a flight
bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"I'll just bunk down on the
couch."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"What?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"It makes into a bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My sister has one just like it."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Agent Josh Dylan, you can not move
in with me."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gave him
teacher-look number seven, reserved for the most defiant second graders, right
before I send them to the office.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Yes, ma'am, I can."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"You have no right --"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"By the authority of Governor
Douglas himself, I am to move in with you, spend every waking moment with you,
and guard every breath you take."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Pug?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Josh blinked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Frank Douglas told you to move
in with me?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Josh nodded, "Yes, ma'am, the
Governor of Florida."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I'll kill him."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I jerked the phone off the cradle and punched
in eleven numbers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Josh unfolded the couch and got
sheets from my linen closet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"I'd
like to advise you, all phone calls are being monitored."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Pug!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shouted into the mouthpiece.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Who do you think you are?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The man on the other end of the phone
tried to soothe me, but I was livid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I'm never speaking to you
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not ever ever!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I slammed the phone down in frustration and
stood fuming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"You call the Governor
'Pug'?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Josh's voice was humorlessly
calm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He leaned nonchalantly against the
door frame.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“His name is Francis Ignacio
Douglas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In college, he used to eat like
a pig. Ignacio became Pignacio, and then Pugnacious, and then just Pug."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"You went to college with the
Governor?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"He wasn't governor then, just
a kid, like me."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"How about some coffee?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"What do you mean my phone is being
monitored?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You mean tapped?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I followed him into the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"All incoming calls will be
monitored for your own safety."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"What are they going to do, say
'Boo' and scare me to death?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"A laser beam can be directed
through any optic fiber.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just dial your
phone number, and when you answer, press the trigger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'd like to suggest you route all calls
through your answering machine."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"It doesn't work."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Get it fixed."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I tried to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tony of Sylvester's Videos and Electronics
said he didn't know the thingy-whatsit could melt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He called to discuss it with his cousin in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Milwaukee</st1:place></st1:city>, but his cousin
thought Tony was pulling his leg and hasn't spoken to him in a month."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Josh sighed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Excerpt from<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Possum Playing Poker<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">© Evelyn Rainey <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Available for publication.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-3059350641133239072014-06-27T09:08:00.000-07:002014-06-27T09:08:00.158-07:00Excerpt from Comes the Warrior Chapter Four<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">At
dawn Thursday, she started a pot of coffee and gazed absently out into the
backyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The yard was deep and - other
than a large oak tree near the house – was clear of trees for about one half of
an acre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deep green grass covered the
ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A huge picnic table and trestle benches
which could have sat two dozen people bordered the left side of the yard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a brick and cement barbecue
pit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She guessed the fenced field beyond
was probably cattle pasture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Woods, beginning
with the oaks and maples surrounded the right edge and a pecan grove stood
sentry at the bottom of the yard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
too beautiful to stay inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
retrieved her well-worn broomstick from her room and went quietly out the
kitchen door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Gwen
stood in the center of the yard and drew a deep cleansing breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hadn't done the Morning Meadow ceremony
in over six months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Morning Meadow was a
ritual that taught spiritual lessons and physical skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone who served the light learned
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Children begin the practice as soon
as they are old enough to hold a wooden dowel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Morning Meadow was a beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The basic steps for all the complicated steps to come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With mastery, the lessons learned in Morning
Meadow were sufficient to protect yourself in simple battle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Simple
battle, she snorted at her thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
thought she was done with battles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Light had other plans for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
cleared her mind and held the stick horizontally to the ground at shoulder
height: </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Dawn</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">She
sank to her knees, keeping the staff steady: </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Awareness</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">She
lowered the stick to the ground, pressing her forehead to the cool dewy grass: </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Awe</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She held that position while her muscles
stretched and her joints popped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Curling
upwards from the small of her back she stretched the staff as far as she could
reach: </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Surrender</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">She
returned to the </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Dawn</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">
position and drew in another breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">She
dropped the rod end, allowing the tip to dip level to her waist and repeated it
with the left end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She did this six
times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the rod dipped to her hip on
the right and the left six times. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
dropped the staff to her knees on the sides and eventually allowed the staff to
touch the grass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Spider's Web</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"> wasn't complete until she'd
walked the staff ends back up to </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Dawn</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"> position again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her wrists ached from disuse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">She
transitioned to<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Frog in the
Pond</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">, alternately
swinging the staff outward from chest to side with the right hand snapping the
free end into her left hand and then arching the staff with her left hand out
to the side and back to snap into her right palm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She repeated </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Frog in the Pond</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"> a dozen times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">She
brought her hands together in the center of the rod and stretched it up as far
she could lift it and then bent at her waist touching her knuckles to the
ground:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Rainbow</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Holding the staff parallel to the ground and
keeping her feet flat, she began to twist it around to the back of her ankles
to the left and then to the right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rising
slightly, she twirled it around behind her left calf and then her right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A little farther up with each pendulum she
worked the staff up to her waist and then all the way inch by inch until she
stopped twisting her torso and began twirling the staff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had taken her two weeks to learn how to
perform the </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Journey</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">
without falling over with dizziness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Smiling with joy, she repositioned her hands and returned to </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Dawn</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">She
began the exercises again. </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dawn, Awareness,
Awe, Surrender, Daw</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">n</span></i><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She added steps to </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Morning Meadow</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"> working her way across the
yard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A box step for </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Spider’s Web</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">, grapevine steps for </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Frog in Pond</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">, but nothing for </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Journey</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"> because balance was the key
to that exercise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">As
she arched to the ground with the </span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Rainbow</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"> she followed through with a somersault.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She arched and rolled across the yard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she turned around and worked her way
back to the center of the yard in box steps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sweat was pouring down her arms, torso and legs and her mouth was fuzzy
with thirst.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Dawn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Awareness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Awe. Surrender.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dawn.</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">She
laughed and lowered the staff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
smelled coffee and turned at the sound of pastor's voice, "That was
beautiful, Gwen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks for brewing the
coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Didn't know what you wanted in
it so I brought the works."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">He
stood behind her carrying a tray laden with a steaming pot, mugs, a jug of milk
and a sugar bowl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Still
breathing hard, she smiled and followed him to the picnic table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">"It
is so beautiful here," she sighed over the mug she had to hold in both hands
due to her aching wrists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">"You're
beautiful here," he replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">"Atticus,
please don't.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don't know me."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">"I
agree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don't know you yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I do know beauty when I see it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And you are beautiful."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">She
put down her mug and frowned. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">"Do
you do that exercise every morning?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">"I
stopped for a while but I plan to get back into the habit of the </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Morning Meadow</span></i><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That's
its name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's a spiritual ceremony as
well as a physical rendition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every
individual step has a name too, but they are all things from a meadow."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">"Tomorrow
morning, will you let me try it with you?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">She
nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"It's not as easy as it
looks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don't get discouraged."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">He
snorted, "That didn't look easy at all!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">"What
are your plans for today?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">"It's
Thursday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I work on my sermons for Sunday
and Wednesday, prepare the agenda for the Elders’ meeting, and go fishing in
the afternoon."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">"Is
there anything I can do to help you?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">"Are
you any good at cooking?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">"With
the right ingredients," she replied softly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"There's only so much I can do with
peanut butter."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Excerpt from<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Comes
the Warrior<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">© Evelyn Rainey <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Available for publication.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-76499977304996693762014-06-26T19:21:00.000-07:002014-06-26T19:21:00.070-07:00APPLE-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">2 acorn squash<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">Salt to taste<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">3 tart apples<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">1 cup broken
cashew nuts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">¼ cup melted
butter/margarine<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">½ cup maple syrup<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">Cut squash in half
lengthwise; scoop out seeds and stringy portion. Place cut sides down on rack
in skillet and add 1 inch of boiling water. Add salt; cover and steam about 20
minutes. Remove to shallow baking dish. Peel, core and dice apples; add nuts,
butter and syrup. Fill squash with mixture. Brush surface with additional
melted butter. Add ½ inch hot water to pan; cover with foil. Bake in 400 degree
oven about 30 minutes. Yield: 4 servings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR CENA"; font-size: 12pt;">(Mrs. G. B. Powell,
Birmingham, AL © Southern Living 1968)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;">Gluten-free and
Vegetarian/Vegan Recipes</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;">To meet my
needs of being “gluten-free”, there are no ingredients that have wheat in them.
Since one out of one-hundred people now have problems with the way the United
States processes their foods, there are plenty of brands which are marked GF
Gluten-free. However, read all the way around the label and determine if there
might be traces of wheat or if the product was processed in a plant or on machinery
that also handles wheat. (These statements are usually NOT found near the list
of ingredients.) If this is the case and you are gluten-sensitive or have a
wheat-toxicity, don’t use it! </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;">I also deleted
recipes which called for hidden gluten – like shrimp, frozen mangoes and
parsnips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;">Vegetarian</span></b><span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;"> foods allow the use of milk, honey, eggs, and other
non-kill animal products; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">vegans</b> do
not. I have endeavored to post only recipes with vegan-appropriate ingredients.
If I really liked something, though, that was vegetarian rather than vegan, I
will note it.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;">Whenever
possible, use non-GMO products (non-genetically modified).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you think gmo’s are ok for you, you haven’t
read any science fiction books, let alone Charles Darwin. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "AR HERMANN"; font-size: 12pt;">These recipes
are not an attempt to substitute wheat or animal ingredients with something
else. These recipes are “naturally” or originally gluten-free and
vegetarian/vegan. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-48308481057978299032014-06-23T09:29:00.000-07:002014-06-23T09:29:00.297-07:00Excerpt from Laughing Humans Chapter Three
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Clothing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Uri's
report began with a deep sigh:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-family: Metro; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Day fourteen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-family: Metro; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We've noticed a rudimentary sign
language, mostly facial expressions, sometimes enhanced by hand and arm motions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-family: Metro; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter Rogue has gone into the
tunnels every day for a week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She comes
back with various items she's taken from the rooms along the ventilation
system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever she brings back, she
takes immediately to Big Feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She keeps
nothing back for herself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-family: Metro; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Most items are accepted by Big Feet
-- tasted, and shared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-family: Metro; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Some items have been refused by the
leader:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>body powder, a jumpsuit, and --
God knows where Hunter found it -- a flashlight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-family: Metro; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter takes the refused items back
into the tunnel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They've been detected
by the ship's scanners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunter leaves
them in a pile three meters in from the colonists' air vent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-family: Metro; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter has allowed herself to be
seen by the ship's crew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have been
briefed on responsible reactions to our little marauder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don't believe she presents a danger, but
Dr. Arton continues to cite incidences of aggression by captured or cornered
females in the past.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-family: Metro; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The troop -- strike that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The colonists show approval of Hunter's
return by the slapping/clapping sounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-family: Metro; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Our nightly, subliminal linguistic
lessons have yet to prove fruitful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Laughing Humans of Bicanthra III still only laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-family: Metro; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>End report.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Good
smell!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Flowers, mating smell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good smell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
watched from an air vent as a naked female sprayed perfume across her breasts,
down her thighs, and behind her knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
sniffs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good smell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>White Female sat on the edge of the
'bed'.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunter knows many words now. Bed
is for resting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>White
Female slowly steps into other skin called 'clothing'.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunter see many females put on clothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It still confused her.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>White
Female picks up small branch and rubs hair with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looks at herself in big dead-eye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other White Female (same-but-dead) looks
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>White Female is not frightened by
same-but-dead female.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She rubs her cheeks
and smiles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
crawled into the room as soon as White Female left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunter finds the clear stone with smell
inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She shakes it, presses it,
squeezes it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No smell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
angry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throws down clear stone on
floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It breaks and smell comes to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>On
hands and knees, she puts her nose into the perfume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes her sneeze.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
touches, tastes, spits out the liquid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then she rubs the perfume all over her breasts, down her stomach to her
thighs, and behind her knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
stands and faces same-but-dead-Hunter in 'mirror'.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It still frightens her a little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The skin underneath the smears of perfume
gleams a speckled white.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She smiles in
mirror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
small branch smells nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunter rubs
her hair with it, but her locks get tangled in the bristles and Hunter finally
leaves it hanging from her hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
looks 'stupid'.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stupid was new word<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>god tells her last dark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
goes to cave wall, presses stone, and smiles at her accomplishment as the
closet door slides open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many
colors!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grass color is good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunter pulls out the green suit and grabs two
more as an after thought.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
must not look stupid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First New wears
clothes and looks not stupid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>First
New can teach Hunter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
can teach Bigfeet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
peeks out of tunnel into her troop's cave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everyone claps and laughs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>First
New is there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is 'humming'.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He is trying to teach Notoes to wave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They all watch Hunter as she climbs out of tunnel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Her
perfume strikes the troop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They clap and
laugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They rub her breasts and smell
her knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Darkarm
likes smell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunter watches Darkarm when
Bigfeet isn't looking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
plops the three outfits in front of Bigfeet, hoping she'll refuse them again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
held her breath as Bigfeet touches the bright grass and sky clothes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunter knows Bigfeet likes clothes, but they
frighten her, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are like dead
things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Bigfeet
curls her lip and turns away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Quickly,
Hunter picks up the green and the blue outfits and runs to First New.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thrusts them at her, scared that Bigfeet
might stop her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>First
New is startled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looks up
questioningly at Hunter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
sits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Putting her feet into the
leggings, she taps First New's legs and then her own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
troop quiets as they watch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
pulled the outfit over her legs and tapped First New's legs again, this time
rubbing the closing seam.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A growl
rippled through the expectant hush.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
glared at First New, hoping she'd stand up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If she challenged Bigfeet, Hunter could learn so many things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But First New was afraid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her nostrils flared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked from Bigfeet to Hunter and back
again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
crawled across the floor, displaying her full submission to Bigfeet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She held the blue suit in her hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she reached Bigfeet, she kept her eyes
to the ground and pushed the suit into Bigfeet's lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She then crawled backwards to First New,
keeping her face down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
took a keep breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was dead, but
she was still afraid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bigfeet did not
refuse the outfit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bigfeet was fingering
the material.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She watched Hunter
closely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
stood, her back to Bigfeet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First New
stood, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="-ms-layout-grid-mode: line; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hunter
slapped her left breast, then paused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Clamping her lips tightly, Hunter slapped her breasts again, then hit
the back of her hand against First New's small breast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Excerpt from<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Laughing
Humans<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">© Evelyn Rainey <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Available for publication.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3446534977699621546.post-22054585518661532002014-06-20T09:04:00.000-07:002014-06-20T09:04:00.602-07:00Excerpt from Troughton Company Chapter Four<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Birmingham’s gone, sir.” Major Crumbley
never sugar-coated anything. Glynn admired that in her, but she’d never make colonel
if she didn’t learn to soften her blows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Last intel we had said mechmons and
city-eaters pretty much ignored Alabama.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It wasn’t mechmons. Birmingham
burnt to the ground, three weeks back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Survivors?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Scattered across the countryside,
foraging as best they can.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Atlanta is still rife with cholera,
right?” Glynn was counting on taking 20 from Augusta through Atlanta and on to
Birmingham. The civies could travel the three hundred miles safely without
having to deal with the mountains.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes, sir.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Crap almighty!” With Birmingham
burnt to the ground, he’d lost shelter for the winter. Two thousand civilians
plus six hundred soldiers, starving, freezing come winter. Glynn poured over
his maps for alternatives. “If we take 78 north to Athens and follow 129
northwest into Gainesville and then 53 west to 75, we could take 75 north
through Dalton and into Chattanooga. That’s what? Two hundred sixty miles?
Divided by twenty miles a day marching, plus two days’ rest for every three
marched.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The major rolled her shoulders, “There’s
a Wal-Mart about ten miles out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sent
Yarborough and his team to take anything not tied down.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Have him give the requisitions
officer – Dilts - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a copy of the script,”
Colonel popped his neck and pulled out his maps. “Original –“<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I know the fruiting routine.
Original gets posted on the door.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Excuse me?” Glynn sat back and
stared at Crumbley. “Insolence will not be tolerated in the 74<sup>th</sup>,
Major.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“My apologies, sir.” She saluted and
left.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Colonel,” his valet Private
Matthews set a tray of stew in front of him. “The major had a brother and his
family who lived in Birmingham.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Glynn glanced up in remorse. He
nodded and pushed the stew away. “I hear Rodrigues’ team just picked up five
orphans. Take the stew to them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Begging your pardon, sir, but the
orphans are fine. Eat the damn stew.” Matthews picked up a load of laundry and
headed out of the tent. Glynn had the maps open, the stew forgotten.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Eat it before it gets cold, ‘cause
God knows what it will taste like then.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Glynn shook his head but picked up
the bowl. No spoons, he sipped the greasy broth and used his fingers to pick up
what few chunks of vegetables and meat there were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tried not to think about the taste –
something between dishwater and barbeque, with some chunks soft and squishy
while others were so hard they like to break his teeth. But he ate it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What he needed were self-sufficient
groups, instead of these dependent, helpless whiny civies. What he needed were
people like the Troughtons. “Shit, I forgot about Mickey.” Glynn shouted to his
corporal outside the tent. “Johnson! Find a way to get word to Sgt. Michelson.
Tell him to forget the rendezvous at Brimingham. Tell him,” he perused the map.
“Tell him we’ll meet up at Nashville and head toward St. Louis for the winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And tell him we need the Troughtons. No holds
barred.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’ll send Yolanski and Edwards in
the morning.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>‘No. Tonight. Mickey’s got one more
week with the Troughtons and rumor has it they’re traveling toward Montana.
So,” Glynn used a pencil and ruler on the map. “Tell Yolanski to head south
along 75 with due haste.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes, sir.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That night, as his stomach churned
on the greasy sorry-excuse-for–stew, his mind raced along map lines and
boundaries: mechmon territory, chewed up landscapes, bombed and burning cities,
and open terrain. Highways invited mechmons, but there was no way to transport
that many people through woods and mountain passes without losing too many to
death and injury. Highways were easier to travel, strenuous paths demanded more
calories to burn which meant more food and supplies like boots, socks and medicines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Glynn rolled over on the thin cot
and grunted. He couldn’t sleep; hadn’t slept, had to sleep. He had to move his
people as far away from the east coast as possible before it was too late. He
sat up and bowed his head. “God, don’t let them nuke the world. OK? Just – help
us find a way without that. Amen.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He lay back down and didn’t sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Hell, Mickey, if I’d known you’d go
domestic on us, I would have brought you an apron.” Yolanski’s words were
tempered by a huge grin. The three members of the 74<sup>th</sup> hugged each
other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Edwards clung to him and whispered,
“I have some laundry you could wash.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mickey stepped back quickly,
jostling the tub of hot water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We need to speak to Troughton,
ASAP, Sergeant.” Yolanski gently put his arm on Edward’s elbow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She looked at him and shrugged,
“Nothing ventured.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’ve been telling you for months,
Edwards, Yolanski would be happy to wash behind your ears.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">”Who says he hasn’t been?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Yolanski blinked and his mouth
popped open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“See that man over there?” Mickey
pointed. “He’s Preacher. Don’t play poker with him, cause you can’t bluff worth
a shit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">”Welcome to Troughtonville, Mr. Yolanski,
Miss Edwards.” Jerry walked to the three, flanked as always by Chrissy and Hunter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Sir,” Yolanski saluted. “We need to
talk. Is there someplace private?<br />
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Yolanski blinked again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Smartboard, ring the bell for an
all-call.” To the Seventy-fourthers, he explained, “Anyone not on duty will
come to the fire. We’ll hear what you have to say together.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Andrews brought up two bowls of
gumbo and handed them to the soldiers. Edwards took hers with a gruff grunt;
Yolanski smiled gratefully at Andrews. Their fingers brushed under the bowl and
both men blushed.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The Troughtons assembled quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“The floor is yours, Mr. Yolanski,”
Chrissy held out her hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Colonel Glynn sends his regards and
asks that you rendezvous with the 74<sup>th</sup> at Nashville.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I thought the 74<sup>th</sup> was
going to winter at Birmingham. You can’t get to Birmingham from Nashville, can
you?” Sally asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Birmingham burned to the ground
about a month ago,” Edwards stated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Excerpt from<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Troughton
Company<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">© Evelyn Rainey <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Available for publication.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
WritingRaineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08753268449289928984noreply@blogger.com0