G.G. Atcheson's Blog
January 27, 2018
The Legacy's last installment: Chapter two
Chapter 2
"Zulikmha?" Alex called.
I had been so engrossed in the story that his words made me jump and nearly drop the device. Ksarr differed so much from Earth. Its two suns made it look awkward even though they were hard to see behind the thick stinky smug. Eww…
"Sorry, I didn't hear you come in," I said, putting the memory cube away. "I so love this…" The words died in my mouth at the sight of the gorgeous woman who clung to his arm.
Don't take me wrong. I'm not the jealous type but looking like that had to be a sin. She had perfect skin, perfect blonde hair, perfect hazel eyes, perfect full lips, and on top of that, she was taller and slimmer than I was. In case you didn't get the picture, she had everything to make a girl doubt herself, all in one convenient package. As if that wasn't enough, her outfit was so tight, it didn't look like clothes.
"Hmm," I said. "Is that paint on your skin? A little less and one might think you're naked."
Alex laughed, which did nothing to lighten my spirit.
"What's funny?" I asked.
"I think my timing was perfect," he said with a hint of a smile. "You are grumpy. This means you must be hungry."
"Humph! I'm not grumpy, but yes, I'm starving."
"I hope you will be satisfied with her blood," he said.
If she so much as walk an inch closer to him, I think I'm gonna scream.
Instead of shouting my thought, I mumbled, "As long as you don't feed on her."
"Why? No, I rarely drink blood anymore, but you know that."
"Yes, I do, but with such an appetizing morsel, you could easily change your mind."
"Are you jealous by chance?" he asked. His eyes sparkled as if he had the best time of his life.
"If every female Xhartan looks like her, yes. I'd soon rather go back home."
"She is not Xhartan," he said and looked at her from head to toe. "But I admit she is a work of art."
I felt a pang in my heart. This wasn't what I was hoping he'd say.
"Would it be so hard for you to tell me she isn't your type or something?"
"Zulikmha, it's not what you think," he said and took a step toward me.
I stepped back and his eyes turned a dazzling lime green.
Good! Let him worry a bit. After all, he brought that bimbo here. What was he thinking?
"Come on…when did I ever do you wrong?"
I looked at the ravishing beauty standing near him. "Aside from her you mean?" Before he had time to reply, I threw the malevolent woman's name in his face. "What about Destiny?"
He winced and rubbed the spot where a star shaped scar marred his chest. "Please…no…do not go there, ok? You know it was not my fault."
"Your fault or not, she's still having your child."
He let out a long sigh and ran his fingers through his thick dark hair. "Ok, leave it at that before you say anything you might regret," he said. All hints of happiness had vanished from his face.
I immediately regretted my harsh words. He was right. He had been nothing but kind to me. The least I could do was let him explain himself.
"I'm—"
"No," he said, interrupting me. "You said what you needed to say. Now, it is my turn. "
"But—"
"This is FP0001 or, if you prefer, Female Prototype 0001. She is an android. She uses the same technology as our Hearts to regenerate her blood. My people thought vampires would prefer drinking from something that looked human rather than bags." He shrugged. "I guess they were wrong. I'll arrange for someone to fix the dispenser to add the new blood flavor."
Without adding another word, he left. I ran out calling his name but he was gone. A sob escaped my throat. Sure, I could go out and look for him. I wasn't a prisoner but although prior to our departure Alex had shown me how to find my way around the ship and had spent many hours trying to make me feel at ease, I still didn't like leaving our room. Besides, I didn't want to encounter anyone, so I stayed in suddenly realizing that with Alex out most of the time, it would mean a long three-month journey.
I sighed and noticed the darn android hadn't moved an inch. I pinched her out of spite. She smiled at me and asked me if I was hungry.
"Go! Out! I don't wanna see your fake face anymore," I told her.
"As you wish," she replied and walked out.
"Stupid bitch," I muttered. "I'm not hungry," I shouted at the android's back.
After this, I didn't think I could ever feed anymore. I wiped my tears with my shirt's sleeve and ran to the bed where I sat crossed-leg, took the memory device, and continued Alex's story.
"Zulikmha?" Alex called.
I had been so engrossed in the story that his words made me jump and nearly drop the device. Ksarr differed so much from Earth. Its two suns made it look awkward even though they were hard to see behind the thick stinky smug. Eww…
"Sorry, I didn't hear you come in," I said, putting the memory cube away. "I so love this…" The words died in my mouth at the sight of the gorgeous woman who clung to his arm.
Don't take me wrong. I'm not the jealous type but looking like that had to be a sin. She had perfect skin, perfect blonde hair, perfect hazel eyes, perfect full lips, and on top of that, she was taller and slimmer than I was. In case you didn't get the picture, she had everything to make a girl doubt herself, all in one convenient package. As if that wasn't enough, her outfit was so tight, it didn't look like clothes.
"Hmm," I said. "Is that paint on your skin? A little less and one might think you're naked."
Alex laughed, which did nothing to lighten my spirit.
"What's funny?" I asked.
"I think my timing was perfect," he said with a hint of a smile. "You are grumpy. This means you must be hungry."
"Humph! I'm not grumpy, but yes, I'm starving."
"I hope you will be satisfied with her blood," he said.
If she so much as walk an inch closer to him, I think I'm gonna scream.
Instead of shouting my thought, I mumbled, "As long as you don't feed on her."
"Why? No, I rarely drink blood anymore, but you know that."
"Yes, I do, but with such an appetizing morsel, you could easily change your mind."
"Are you jealous by chance?" he asked. His eyes sparkled as if he had the best time of his life.
"If every female Xhartan looks like her, yes. I'd soon rather go back home."
"She is not Xhartan," he said and looked at her from head to toe. "But I admit she is a work of art."
I felt a pang in my heart. This wasn't what I was hoping he'd say.
"Would it be so hard for you to tell me she isn't your type or something?"
"Zulikmha, it's not what you think," he said and took a step toward me.
I stepped back and his eyes turned a dazzling lime green.
Good! Let him worry a bit. After all, he brought that bimbo here. What was he thinking?
"Come on…when did I ever do you wrong?"
I looked at the ravishing beauty standing near him. "Aside from her you mean?" Before he had time to reply, I threw the malevolent woman's name in his face. "What about Destiny?"
He winced and rubbed the spot where a star shaped scar marred his chest. "Please…no…do not go there, ok? You know it was not my fault."
"Your fault or not, she's still having your child."
He let out a long sigh and ran his fingers through his thick dark hair. "Ok, leave it at that before you say anything you might regret," he said. All hints of happiness had vanished from his face.
I immediately regretted my harsh words. He was right. He had been nothing but kind to me. The least I could do was let him explain himself.
"I'm—"
"No," he said, interrupting me. "You said what you needed to say. Now, it is my turn. "
"But—"
"This is FP0001 or, if you prefer, Female Prototype 0001. She is an android. She uses the same technology as our Hearts to regenerate her blood. My people thought vampires would prefer drinking from something that looked human rather than bags." He shrugged. "I guess they were wrong. I'll arrange for someone to fix the dispenser to add the new blood flavor."
Without adding another word, he left. I ran out calling his name but he was gone. A sob escaped my throat. Sure, I could go out and look for him. I wasn't a prisoner but although prior to our departure Alex had shown me how to find my way around the ship and had spent many hours trying to make me feel at ease, I still didn't like leaving our room. Besides, I didn't want to encounter anyone, so I stayed in suddenly realizing that with Alex out most of the time, it would mean a long three-month journey.
I sighed and noticed the darn android hadn't moved an inch. I pinched her out of spite. She smiled at me and asked me if I was hungry.
"Go! Out! I don't wanna see your fake face anymore," I told her.
"As you wish," she replied and walked out.
"Stupid bitch," I muttered. "I'm not hungry," I shouted at the android's back.
After this, I didn't think I could ever feed anymore. I wiped my tears with my shirt's sleeve and ran to the bed where I sat crossed-leg, took the memory device, and continued Alex's story.
December 21, 2017
The Legacy's last installment: First Chapter
This will be the opening chapter to The Legacy's last installment and possibly called The Legacy: Doom.
(Unedited version)
Chapter 1
"Hey, Mellie," Alex said, sticking his head in the room. "I see you found the memory device I set up for you." He walked in and touched the Zarhi Xralh. His face changed into a grimace and he quickly removed his hand as if the simple physical contact hurt him. "Are you sure you are up to experience this one?" he asked me. I could see the concern on his face.
"Yes," I replied. "Unless you prefer I don't."
He shrugged. "No, it is fine. It is just that well…going undercover with the Ksarrichis is the worst mission I have ever done, but if it is what you want then go ahead. It would never cross my mind to deprive you of your free will."
"And that's why I love you so much," I said and jumped into his open arms.
"So now, how about I show you the command center?" he asked. "You cannot stay inside your room the whole trip."
"Command center? Isn't it where the pilot or the commander stands? Are we even allowed in there?"
He smiled showing his lovely dimples. I don't think I could ever get tired of watching them.
"Zulikmha," he said. "I am Lutnalind. There is no rank higher than mine. Of course we can go there, but we better hurry," he added while rubbing my back.
"Why the rush?" I asked and moaned at his touch. It felt so good.
"Do you not want to see your sun one last time before we leave your galaxy?"
"Huh? The sun? When d'we take off? How come I didn't feel anything?"
He shrugged. "To answer your first question, we left a couple of minutes ago. I asked them to hold off a bit so you could have a chance to see it. We should be in orbit around it as we speak. Now, for your other question, would you have preferred to experience the change in gravity? It could always be arranged—"
"No!" I said. "Absolutely not. It just that…I don't know…I thought maybe we'd have to strap up, or get into pods or som'thing," I told him. "Well at least, I don't have to worry about pissing my pants."
"Do you need to relieve yourself?"
After staring at him for a few seconds, I realized he was serious. "Oh, Alex, it's just an expression. People tend to pee themselves when they're scared."
He frowned and his eyelashes hid half of his azure blue eyes. I followed his stare but it appeared to be on nothing in particular. At least, nothing I could see. This could only mean he was up to something. As to prove me right, the corners of his mouth rose, offering me another magnificent display of dimples. I was definitely a sucker for those.
"I see," he said. "Kind of like when I titillate you."
"Titillate?" I repeated.
"Uh huh," he said.
"Who even uses that word anymore?" He didn't answer but his mischievous look made me raise my hands in front of me as a defense mechanism. "No! Please, don't tickle me," I pleaded but too little too late. He picked me up, and threw me on the bed.
"Lutnalind Zhendar Xavelk, shall we wait a little longer for you and Ms Johnson to come to the bridge?" a voice asked.
It sounded like the man stood in the room with us, yet I couldn’t see any evidence of speakers of any kind. I brought my hand to my temple and touched the little gadget Alex had affixed there. It enabled me to understand his language, both written and spoken.
"Now that's technology," I said before I realized I had spoken aloud.
"We are on our way," Alex replied to the invisible man. He pressed his lips on mine and offered me his hand.
"Saved by the bell," I said and stood up ready for the great adventure that awaited me.
"Save by…what?" he asked and grunted. "Never mind...Let us go before they lose patience."
He took my hand and we ran like children through the corridors earning smiles and whispers from Alex's people who moved out of our way nonetheless. We stopped in front of a closed door that said 'Authorized Personal Only'.
"Ready?" he asked me.
"Won't the sun hurt me?" I asked suddenly worried. I was so eager to see it that I hadn't thought about the implications of standing in front of vampire's deadliest enemy.
"Not a chance," he reassured me. "The widescreen has a special safeguard as does the rest of the ship. You will be perfectly safe, as if you would see it on one of your movie screens, but it is real, Zulikmha. No fake here."
Nothing he had told me had prepared me for the magnificent view that greeted us. The sun, this huge ball of fire, covered most of the windshield—or whatever it was called on a spacecraft. It looked like I was seeing it through a prism. It was not yellow as I always thought it was but all colors at once, depending on which angle I looked at it.
"It's gigantic!" I said and noticed I had held my breath since we had entered the room. "Far from the cherry size dinky thingy I remember."
"And we are still at a reasonable distance from it," he said.
He pulled me closer, put his arms around me, and rested his chin on my head. The sight in front of me along with Alex's proximity gave me a hint of what it must be like to be in heaven. We watched without a word. Every now and then, fire seemed to spurt out of the bright star. Curiosity got the best out of me. I had to ask.
"Are these some kind of explosions on the surface?"
"Earthlings call them solar flares."
"They are beautiful."
"And quite handy," he added.
I pushed my head against his chest. "How so?"
"Our ships pull their energy from them. It helps us go faster," he explained. "Each orbit builds up our speed. Soon we will be using our momentum to propel us to the next star."
A particularly huge one that somewhat looked different from the others came directly at us. I gasped.
Alex chuckled and hugged me tighter. "We are safe," he said.
"It is time, Lutnalind," the man standing next to the Heart said.
"You may want to close your eyes for this," Alex advised me.
Little did he know how inadequate his warning had been. It had only made me more curious. Of course, I kept my eyes open. What would you expect? If he hadn't held me so close, I'd probably be sitting on the floor. Instead, he picked me up and held me in his arms.
"Are you alright, Zulikmha?"
"I don't know. My head's spinning."
"Let me bring you back to our room. What was I thinking?" he said, shaking his head. "You haven't seen the sun in a hundred and seventy years. Why would you heed to my advice?"
I could always count on Alex not to scold me. Even if he knew it was my fault, he'd never shove it in my face. The man had the patience of an angel…well that is…if they'd actually exist, that'd be how I'd imagine them. But…you know…they probably don't anyway…exist that is…
Oh shoot! Why am I babbling?
He laid me on the bed and sat beside me holding my hand. He looked regal in his Lutnalind attire. Not that he didn't look yummy in plain jeans and tee. In fact, he'd look even yummier without anything on.
"I know that look," he told me and smiled.
I felt my cheeks burn.
How did he guess what I was thinking?
"Lutnalind Xavelk, requested in the conference room," the voice said once again interrupting us.
Alex sighed. "I have a few meetings to attend but I promise to be back as soon as I can. Will you be alright?"
I nodded.
After giving me a kiss that left me wanting for a lot more, he left. I picked up the memory device and examined the little square box. It wasn't ornate or fancy, not even shiny. Nope, just a simple black cube, but what a cube it was!
"You and I have a date," I said and activated it.
(Unedited version)
Chapter 1
"Hey, Mellie," Alex said, sticking his head in the room. "I see you found the memory device I set up for you." He walked in and touched the Zarhi Xralh. His face changed into a grimace and he quickly removed his hand as if the simple physical contact hurt him. "Are you sure you are up to experience this one?" he asked me. I could see the concern on his face.
"Yes," I replied. "Unless you prefer I don't."
He shrugged. "No, it is fine. It is just that well…going undercover with the Ksarrichis is the worst mission I have ever done, but if it is what you want then go ahead. It would never cross my mind to deprive you of your free will."
"And that's why I love you so much," I said and jumped into his open arms.
"So now, how about I show you the command center?" he asked. "You cannot stay inside your room the whole trip."
"Command center? Isn't it where the pilot or the commander stands? Are we even allowed in there?"
He smiled showing his lovely dimples. I don't think I could ever get tired of watching them.
"Zulikmha," he said. "I am Lutnalind. There is no rank higher than mine. Of course we can go there, but we better hurry," he added while rubbing my back.
"Why the rush?" I asked and moaned at his touch. It felt so good.
"Do you not want to see your sun one last time before we leave your galaxy?"
"Huh? The sun? When d'we take off? How come I didn't feel anything?"
He shrugged. "To answer your first question, we left a couple of minutes ago. I asked them to hold off a bit so you could have a chance to see it. We should be in orbit around it as we speak. Now, for your other question, would you have preferred to experience the change in gravity? It could always be arranged—"
"No!" I said. "Absolutely not. It just that…I don't know…I thought maybe we'd have to strap up, or get into pods or som'thing," I told him. "Well at least, I don't have to worry about pissing my pants."
"Do you need to relieve yourself?"
After staring at him for a few seconds, I realized he was serious. "Oh, Alex, it's just an expression. People tend to pee themselves when they're scared."
He frowned and his eyelashes hid half of his azure blue eyes. I followed his stare but it appeared to be on nothing in particular. At least, nothing I could see. This could only mean he was up to something. As to prove me right, the corners of his mouth rose, offering me another magnificent display of dimples. I was definitely a sucker for those.
"I see," he said. "Kind of like when I titillate you."
"Titillate?" I repeated.
"Uh huh," he said.
"Who even uses that word anymore?" He didn't answer but his mischievous look made me raise my hands in front of me as a defense mechanism. "No! Please, don't tickle me," I pleaded but too little too late. He picked me up, and threw me on the bed.
"Lutnalind Zhendar Xavelk, shall we wait a little longer for you and Ms Johnson to come to the bridge?" a voice asked.
It sounded like the man stood in the room with us, yet I couldn’t see any evidence of speakers of any kind. I brought my hand to my temple and touched the little gadget Alex had affixed there. It enabled me to understand his language, both written and spoken.
"Now that's technology," I said before I realized I had spoken aloud.
"We are on our way," Alex replied to the invisible man. He pressed his lips on mine and offered me his hand.
"Saved by the bell," I said and stood up ready for the great adventure that awaited me.
"Save by…what?" he asked and grunted. "Never mind...Let us go before they lose patience."
He took my hand and we ran like children through the corridors earning smiles and whispers from Alex's people who moved out of our way nonetheless. We stopped in front of a closed door that said 'Authorized Personal Only'.
"Ready?" he asked me.
"Won't the sun hurt me?" I asked suddenly worried. I was so eager to see it that I hadn't thought about the implications of standing in front of vampire's deadliest enemy.
"Not a chance," he reassured me. "The widescreen has a special safeguard as does the rest of the ship. You will be perfectly safe, as if you would see it on one of your movie screens, but it is real, Zulikmha. No fake here."
Nothing he had told me had prepared me for the magnificent view that greeted us. The sun, this huge ball of fire, covered most of the windshield—or whatever it was called on a spacecraft. It looked like I was seeing it through a prism. It was not yellow as I always thought it was but all colors at once, depending on which angle I looked at it.
"It's gigantic!" I said and noticed I had held my breath since we had entered the room. "Far from the cherry size dinky thingy I remember."
"And we are still at a reasonable distance from it," he said.
He pulled me closer, put his arms around me, and rested his chin on my head. The sight in front of me along with Alex's proximity gave me a hint of what it must be like to be in heaven. We watched without a word. Every now and then, fire seemed to spurt out of the bright star. Curiosity got the best out of me. I had to ask.
"Are these some kind of explosions on the surface?"
"Earthlings call them solar flares."
"They are beautiful."
"And quite handy," he added.
I pushed my head against his chest. "How so?"
"Our ships pull their energy from them. It helps us go faster," he explained. "Each orbit builds up our speed. Soon we will be using our momentum to propel us to the next star."
A particularly huge one that somewhat looked different from the others came directly at us. I gasped.
Alex chuckled and hugged me tighter. "We are safe," he said.
"It is time, Lutnalind," the man standing next to the Heart said.
"You may want to close your eyes for this," Alex advised me.
Little did he know how inadequate his warning had been. It had only made me more curious. Of course, I kept my eyes open. What would you expect? If he hadn't held me so close, I'd probably be sitting on the floor. Instead, he picked me up and held me in his arms.
"Are you alright, Zulikmha?"
"I don't know. My head's spinning."
"Let me bring you back to our room. What was I thinking?" he said, shaking his head. "You haven't seen the sun in a hundred and seventy years. Why would you heed to my advice?"
I could always count on Alex not to scold me. Even if he knew it was my fault, he'd never shove it in my face. The man had the patience of an angel…well that is…if they'd actually exist, that'd be how I'd imagine them. But…you know…they probably don't anyway…exist that is…
Oh shoot! Why am I babbling?
He laid me on the bed and sat beside me holding my hand. He looked regal in his Lutnalind attire. Not that he didn't look yummy in plain jeans and tee. In fact, he'd look even yummier without anything on.
"I know that look," he told me and smiled.
I felt my cheeks burn.
How did he guess what I was thinking?
"Lutnalind Xavelk, requested in the conference room," the voice said once again interrupting us.
Alex sighed. "I have a few meetings to attend but I promise to be back as soon as I can. Will you be alright?"
I nodded.
After giving me a kiss that left me wanting for a lot more, he left. I picked up the memory device and examined the little square box. It wasn't ornate or fancy, not even shiny. Nope, just a simple black cube, but what a cube it was!
"You and I have a date," I said and activated it.
June 5, 2017
Freebies July 1st
On July 1st, all my eBooks will be offered FREE on Amazon. Follow the links for amazon.com or go to their respective pages for the link to the Amazon in your part of the world.
Dax:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XHFKLN2
or GR Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Fate:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EW39YBC
or GR Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
Destiny:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KLNAP2Y
or GR Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
My books will be part of a bigger event with more freebies and deals from many authors.
http://events.supportindieauthors.com/
It's not on right now but on July 1st, this link will lead you to a webpage with all the links to these fabulous books.
Dax:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XHFKLN2
or GR Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Fate:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EW39YBC
or GR Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
Destiny:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KLNAP2Y
or GR Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
My books will be part of a bigger event with more freebies and deals from many authors.
http://events.supportindieauthors.com/
It's not on right now but on July 1st, this link will lead you to a webpage with all the links to these fabulous books.
May 7, 2017
POVs change or not?
When you read a series, do you mind if the POV changes between books?
So far my Legacy series has always been written from the POV of Alex, an alien who crashed on Earth. For this last installment, I've decided to go with the POV of the girl with whom he has fallen in love. Would that make you not want to read the sequel (and last book of the series)? Or would that not bother you at all?
Here is the opening chapter of my WiP. Like the other books, this story is a mix of science fiction and fantasy with a hint of romance.
This is copyright material so please do not copy paste elsewhere. Thanks for any feed back. :)
Chapter 1
"Hey, Mellie," Alex said, sticking his head in the room. "I see you found the memory device I set up for you." He walked in and touched the Zarhi Xralh. His face changed into a grimace and he quickly removed his hand as if the simple physical contact hurt him. "Are you sure you are up to experience this one?" he asked me. I could see the concern on his face.
"Yes," I replied. "Unless you prefer I don't."
He shrugged. "No, it is fine. It just that this mission, undercover with the Ksarrichis, I have such bad memories of it…but you are wise enough to know for yourself. It would never cross my mind to tell you what to do or what not to do."
"And that's why I love you so much," I said and jumped into his open arms.
"So now, how about I show you the command center?" he asked. "You cannot stay inside your room the whole trip."
"Command center? Isn't it where the pilot or the commander stands? Are we even allowed in there?"
He smiled showing his lovely dimples. I don't think I could ever get tired of watching them.
"Zulikmha," he said. "I am Lutnalind. There is no rank higher than mine. Of course we can go there, but we better hurry," he added while rubbing my back.
"Why the rush?" I asked and moaned at his touch. It felt so good.
"Do you not want to see your sun one last time before we leave your galaxy?"
"Huh? The sun? When d'we take off? How come I didn't feel anything?"
He shrugged. "To answer your first question, we left a couple of minutes ago. I asked them to hold off a bit so you could have a chance to see it. We should be in orbit around it as we speak. Now, for your other question, would you have preferred to experience the change in gravity? It could always be arranged—"
"No!" I said. "Absolutely not. It just that…I don't know…I thought maybe we'd have to strap up, or get into pods or som'thing," I told him. "Well at least, I don't have to worry about pissing my pants."
"Do you need to relieve yourself?"
After staring at him for a few seconds, I realized he was serious. "Oh, Alex, it's just an expression. People tend to pee themselves when they are scared."
He frowned and his eyelashes hid half of his azure blue eyes. I followed his stare but it appeared to be on nothing in particular. At least, nothing I could see. This could only mean he was up to something. As to prove me right, the corners of his mouth rose, offering me another magnificent display of dimples. I was definitely a sucker for those.
"I see," he said. "Kind of like when I titillate you."
"Titillate?" I repeated.
"Uh huh," he said.
"Who even uses that word anymore?" He didn't answer but his mischievous look made me raise my hands in front of me as a defense mechanism. "No, please," I pleaded but too little too late. He picked me up, and threw me on the bed where he proceeded to tickle me in all my most sensitive areas.
"Lutnalind Zhendar Xavelk, shall we wait a little longer for you and Ms Johnson to come to the bridge?" a voice asked.
It sounded like the man stood in the room with us, yet I couldn’t see any evidence of speakers of any kind. I brought my hand to my temple and touched the little gadget Alex had affixed there. It enabled me to understand his language, both written and spoken.
"Now that's technology," I said before I realized I had spoken aloud.
"We are on our way," Alex replied to the invisible man. He pressed his lips on mine and offered me his hand.
"Saved by the bell," I said and stood up ready for the great adventure that awaited me.
"Save by…what?" he asked and grunted. "Never mind...Let us go before they lose patience."
He took my hand and we ran like children through the corridors earning smiles and whispers from Alex's people who moved out of our way nonetheless. We stopped in front of a closed door that said 'Authorized Personal Only'.
"Ready?" he asked me.
"Won't the sun hurt me?" I asked suddenly worried. I was so eager to see it that I hadn't thought about the implications of standing in front of vampire's deadliest enemy.
"Not a chance," he reassured me. "The widescreen has a special safeguard as does the rest of the ship. You will be perfectly safe, as if you would see it on one of your movie screens, but it is real, Zulikmha. No fake here."
Nothing he had told me had prepared me for the magnificent view that greeted us. The sun, this huge ball of fire, covered most of the windshield—or whatever it was called on a spacecraft. It looked like I was seeing it through a prism. It was not yellow as I always thought it was but all colors at once, depending on which angle I looked at it.
"It's gigantic!" I said and noticed I had held my breath since we had entered the room. "Far from the cherry size dinky thingy I remember."
"And we are still at a reasonable distance from it," he said.
He pulled me closer, put his arms around me, and rested his chin on my head. The sight in front of me along with Alex's proximity gave me a hint of what it must be like to be in heaven. We watched without a word. Every now and then, fire seemed to spurt out of the bright star. Curiosity got the best out of me. I had to ask.
"Are these some kind of explosions on the surface?"
"Earthlings call them solar flares."
"They are beautiful."
"And quite handy," he added.
I pushed my head against his chest. "How so?"
"Our ships pull their energy from them. It helps us go faster," he explained. "Each orbit builds up our speed. Soon we will be using our momentum to propel us to the next star."
A particularly huge one that somewhat looked different from the others came directly at us. I gasped.
Alex chuckled and hugged me tighter. "We are safe," he said.
"It is time, Lutnalind," the man standing next to the Heart said.
"You may want to close your eyes for this," Alex advised me.
Little did he know how inadequate his warning had been. It had only made me more curious. Of course, I kept my eyes open. What would you expect? If he hadn't held me so close, I'd probably be sitting on the floor. Instead, he picked me up and held me in his arms.
"Are you alright, Zulikmha?"
"I don't know. My head's spinning."
"Let me bring you back to our room. What was I thinking?" he said, shaking his head. "You haven't seen the sun in a hundred and seventy years. Why would you heed to my advice?"
I could always count on Alex not to scold me. Even if he knew it was my fault, he'd never shove it in my face. The man had the patience of an angel…well that is…if they'd actually exist, that'd be how I'd imagine them. But…you know…they probably don't anyway…exist that is…
Oh shoot! Why am I babbling?
He laid me on the bed and sat beside me holding my hand. He looked regal in his Lutnalind attire. Not that he didn't look yummy in plain jeans and tee. In fact, he'd look even yummier without anything on.
"I know that look," he told me and smiled.
I felt my cheeks burn.
How did he guess what I was thinking?
"Lutnalind Xavelk, requested in the conference room," the voice said once again interrupting us.
Alex sighed. "I have a few meetings to attend but I promise to be back as soon as I can. Will you be alright?"
I nodded.
After giving me a kiss that left me wanting for a lot more, he left. I picked up the memory device and examined the little square box. It wasn't ornate or fancy, not even shiny. Nope, just a simple black cube, but what a cube it was!
"You and I have a date," I said and activated it.
So far my Legacy series has always been written from the POV of Alex, an alien who crashed on Earth. For this last installment, I've decided to go with the POV of the girl with whom he has fallen in love. Would that make you not want to read the sequel (and last book of the series)? Or would that not bother you at all?
Here is the opening chapter of my WiP. Like the other books, this story is a mix of science fiction and fantasy with a hint of romance.
This is copyright material so please do not copy paste elsewhere. Thanks for any feed back. :)
Chapter 1
"Hey, Mellie," Alex said, sticking his head in the room. "I see you found the memory device I set up for you." He walked in and touched the Zarhi Xralh. His face changed into a grimace and he quickly removed his hand as if the simple physical contact hurt him. "Are you sure you are up to experience this one?" he asked me. I could see the concern on his face.
"Yes," I replied. "Unless you prefer I don't."
He shrugged. "No, it is fine. It just that this mission, undercover with the Ksarrichis, I have such bad memories of it…but you are wise enough to know for yourself. It would never cross my mind to tell you what to do or what not to do."
"And that's why I love you so much," I said and jumped into his open arms.
"So now, how about I show you the command center?" he asked. "You cannot stay inside your room the whole trip."
"Command center? Isn't it where the pilot or the commander stands? Are we even allowed in there?"
He smiled showing his lovely dimples. I don't think I could ever get tired of watching them.
"Zulikmha," he said. "I am Lutnalind. There is no rank higher than mine. Of course we can go there, but we better hurry," he added while rubbing my back.
"Why the rush?" I asked and moaned at his touch. It felt so good.
"Do you not want to see your sun one last time before we leave your galaxy?"
"Huh? The sun? When d'we take off? How come I didn't feel anything?"
He shrugged. "To answer your first question, we left a couple of minutes ago. I asked them to hold off a bit so you could have a chance to see it. We should be in orbit around it as we speak. Now, for your other question, would you have preferred to experience the change in gravity? It could always be arranged—"
"No!" I said. "Absolutely not. It just that…I don't know…I thought maybe we'd have to strap up, or get into pods or som'thing," I told him. "Well at least, I don't have to worry about pissing my pants."
"Do you need to relieve yourself?"
After staring at him for a few seconds, I realized he was serious. "Oh, Alex, it's just an expression. People tend to pee themselves when they are scared."
He frowned and his eyelashes hid half of his azure blue eyes. I followed his stare but it appeared to be on nothing in particular. At least, nothing I could see. This could only mean he was up to something. As to prove me right, the corners of his mouth rose, offering me another magnificent display of dimples. I was definitely a sucker for those.
"I see," he said. "Kind of like when I titillate you."
"Titillate?" I repeated.
"Uh huh," he said.
"Who even uses that word anymore?" He didn't answer but his mischievous look made me raise my hands in front of me as a defense mechanism. "No, please," I pleaded but too little too late. He picked me up, and threw me on the bed where he proceeded to tickle me in all my most sensitive areas.
"Lutnalind Zhendar Xavelk, shall we wait a little longer for you and Ms Johnson to come to the bridge?" a voice asked.
It sounded like the man stood in the room with us, yet I couldn’t see any evidence of speakers of any kind. I brought my hand to my temple and touched the little gadget Alex had affixed there. It enabled me to understand his language, both written and spoken.
"Now that's technology," I said before I realized I had spoken aloud.
"We are on our way," Alex replied to the invisible man. He pressed his lips on mine and offered me his hand.
"Saved by the bell," I said and stood up ready for the great adventure that awaited me.
"Save by…what?" he asked and grunted. "Never mind...Let us go before they lose patience."
He took my hand and we ran like children through the corridors earning smiles and whispers from Alex's people who moved out of our way nonetheless. We stopped in front of a closed door that said 'Authorized Personal Only'.
"Ready?" he asked me.
"Won't the sun hurt me?" I asked suddenly worried. I was so eager to see it that I hadn't thought about the implications of standing in front of vampire's deadliest enemy.
"Not a chance," he reassured me. "The widescreen has a special safeguard as does the rest of the ship. You will be perfectly safe, as if you would see it on one of your movie screens, but it is real, Zulikmha. No fake here."
Nothing he had told me had prepared me for the magnificent view that greeted us. The sun, this huge ball of fire, covered most of the windshield—or whatever it was called on a spacecraft. It looked like I was seeing it through a prism. It was not yellow as I always thought it was but all colors at once, depending on which angle I looked at it.
"It's gigantic!" I said and noticed I had held my breath since we had entered the room. "Far from the cherry size dinky thingy I remember."
"And we are still at a reasonable distance from it," he said.
He pulled me closer, put his arms around me, and rested his chin on my head. The sight in front of me along with Alex's proximity gave me a hint of what it must be like to be in heaven. We watched without a word. Every now and then, fire seemed to spurt out of the bright star. Curiosity got the best out of me. I had to ask.
"Are these some kind of explosions on the surface?"
"Earthlings call them solar flares."
"They are beautiful."
"And quite handy," he added.
I pushed my head against his chest. "How so?"
"Our ships pull their energy from them. It helps us go faster," he explained. "Each orbit builds up our speed. Soon we will be using our momentum to propel us to the next star."
A particularly huge one that somewhat looked different from the others came directly at us. I gasped.
Alex chuckled and hugged me tighter. "We are safe," he said.
"It is time, Lutnalind," the man standing next to the Heart said.
"You may want to close your eyes for this," Alex advised me.
Little did he know how inadequate his warning had been. It had only made me more curious. Of course, I kept my eyes open. What would you expect? If he hadn't held me so close, I'd probably be sitting on the floor. Instead, he picked me up and held me in his arms.
"Are you alright, Zulikmha?"
"I don't know. My head's spinning."
"Let me bring you back to our room. What was I thinking?" he said, shaking his head. "You haven't seen the sun in a hundred and seventy years. Why would you heed to my advice?"
I could always count on Alex not to scold me. Even if he knew it was my fault, he'd never shove it in my face. The man had the patience of an angel…well that is…if they'd actually exist, that'd be how I'd imagine them. But…you know…they probably don't anyway…exist that is…
Oh shoot! Why am I babbling?
He laid me on the bed and sat beside me holding my hand. He looked regal in his Lutnalind attire. Not that he didn't look yummy in plain jeans and tee. In fact, he'd look even yummier without anything on.
"I know that look," he told me and smiled.
I felt my cheeks burn.
How did he guess what I was thinking?
"Lutnalind Xavelk, requested in the conference room," the voice said once again interrupting us.
Alex sighed. "I have a few meetings to attend but I promise to be back as soon as I can. Will you be alright?"
I nodded.
After giving me a kiss that left me wanting for a lot more, he left. I picked up the memory device and examined the little square box. It wasn't ornate or fancy, not even shiny. Nope, just a simple black cube, but what a cube it was!
"You and I have a date," I said and activated it.
May 6, 2017
The Legacy: Dax Giveaway
Starting May 7th and ending May 21st.
Offered to USA, Canada, and UK residents.
Good luck!
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
Offered to USA, Canada, and UK residents.Good luck!
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
February 12, 2017
The Legacy: Dax
The Legacy: Dax (Prequel to the series) will be in the hands of my editor no later than tomorrow (Monday, February 13th).
I started the story over two years ago after readers asked me questions about things that happened in book two and three. Health issues made this a long and difficult process, but it finally came together.
For those who read the series, in part or in full, Dax will answer about everything. For those who have not, it will give insight on things that actually happen later.
In short, Dax is a standalone that can be read at any time.
Here's the blurb I will probably go with:
Blood spattered my face and chest while the screams of the tortured man resonated within the walls of the chamber. The severed arm that fell in my hands almost slipped to the floor.
"I wonder what he'd look like with arms instead of legs and legs instead of arms," someone said. The medics stood ready to cauterize and heal any injuries so the fun, as they called it, would last. Fifty times, they would resurrect him before mercifully letting him go.
Because I was the youngest of the navigators, I always felt I had something to prove. When the need to infiltrate this brutal and amoral society presented itself, it sounded like the perfect opportunity. Now, I need to learn the secret behind their invasion plans and leave before I lose my mind.
As of today, I have spent exactly eight months, two weeks, and five days, undercover with the Ksarrichis.
I started the story over two years ago after readers asked me questions about things that happened in book two and three. Health issues made this a long and difficult process, but it finally came together.
For those who read the series, in part or in full, Dax will answer about everything. For those who have not, it will give insight on things that actually happen later.
In short, Dax is a standalone that can be read at any time.
Here's the blurb I will probably go with:
Blood spattered my face and chest while the screams of the tortured man resonated within the walls of the chamber. The severed arm that fell in my hands almost slipped to the floor.
"I wonder what he'd look like with arms instead of legs and legs instead of arms," someone said. The medics stood ready to cauterize and heal any injuries so the fun, as they called it, would last. Fifty times, they would resurrect him before mercifully letting him go.
Because I was the youngest of the navigators, I always felt I had something to prove. When the need to infiltrate this brutal and amoral society presented itself, it sounded like the perfect opportunity. Now, I need to learn the secret behind their invasion plans and leave before I lose my mind.
As of today, I have spent exactly eight months, two weeks, and five days, undercover with the Ksarrichis.
July 19, 2016
UFOs
I have been asked a few questions about the strange encounters noted on my profile so let me explain a little bit more. Back then I used to live in Chateauguay, a suburb southwest of Montreal, Quebec in Canada.
My first encounter happened on a quiet night around 2 AM. We were on a straight road that crossed an Indian Reservation by the name of Kahnawake when suddenly I noticed that there was a large light in the sky. There really was nothing extra-special about it. It looked like a star, but much
This started in the late 70's. I used to live in bigger and less bright.
Even though I stared at it for most of our trip, I can't describe it more than that. This was nearly forty years ago and sadly, I didn't have a camera handy to catch it either so this is how I remembered it looked.
At some point, I told my husband about it. He dismissed it, without even checking it out and told me it was more than likely the moon and I should stop imagining things. Yet, there were two problems with his statement. I could see both the moon and the strange light and even at that, the unusual object was too small to be the moon, and too big to be mars. On top of that this light, for lack of a better word, moved from north to south while we, in the car, stayed on a straight course.
Seeing that I wouldn't let go, he checked it out and admitted it wasn't the moon but stubbornly added that it was probably a plane or a helicopter. But the problem with his assumption was that my window was open and we couldn't hear anything but the soft sound of the car's engine.
As we neared our destination, the thing still hung up there as if it was following us. My hubby took a 90-degree turn. Instead of being in our back, the light was still on my right, but now slightly ahead of us. My hubby, who had noticed it, hit the brakes. The light continued for about a hundred feet and stopped. I heard him muttered something and he backed up quickly. The light stayed still for a few seconds before it backed up about the same distance we did, positioning itself on our right. My hubby repeatedly said, "No, no, no!" and hit the gas. He took a left turn into our street. The light followed for a second or two, and then zoomed over our head and disappeared in the same direction we had come from, the reservation.
My hubby never slowed down until we reached our house. We looked at each other and we both asked the other, "Did we really did just see what we saw?" We stayed in the car for long minutes wondering if we shouldn't have stayed and checked it further.
This was our first encounter (at least, that we recall).
That same summer, we had a few more but the one other that stroke a cord happened during the following winter and it left our dogs (two Samoyeds) crying and scratching to get inside the house while we stood outside, baffled. We didn't see the light itself. It was around 3AM when suddenly the whole yard turned as bright as if it were 3PM. The dogs howled and ran to the house, looking over their shoulders.
We're talking about two adult and well-behaved dogs that wouldn't normally bark. This is why we could play outside with them in the middle of the night without having the neighbors swearing at us.
On this particular night though, they were all but quiet. They alternated between whining and howling while scratching at the door to get inside. It took a while for my hubby and me to realize they were not looking at us but rather at something behind us in the sky. We both turned to see if we could discover what was causing them to act so out of character. Everything happened too fast. I can't really describe what we saw. However, we both had the same experience. Whatever had lit the yard flew in a zigzag reminiscent of lightning but with the thickness of a moon crescent, before it disappeared in the direction of the Indian reservation. As soon as it did, the normal night returned. However, the dogs didn't want to stay out anymore. We had to let them in.
After that night, they never came outside with us in the middle of the night ever again. You may believe what you want, but to me, the proof lay in the dogs' behavior.
My first encounter happened on a quiet night around 2 AM. We were on a straight road that crossed an Indian Reservation by the name of Kahnawake when suddenly I noticed that there was a large light in the sky. There really was nothing extra-special about it. It looked like a star, but much
This started in the late 70's. I used to live in bigger and less bright.
Even though I stared at it for most of our trip, I can't describe it more than that. This was nearly forty years ago and sadly, I didn't have a camera handy to catch it either so this is how I remembered it looked.
At some point, I told my husband about it. He dismissed it, without even checking it out and told me it was more than likely the moon and I should stop imagining things. Yet, there were two problems with his statement. I could see both the moon and the strange light and even at that, the unusual object was too small to be the moon, and too big to be mars. On top of that this light, for lack of a better word, moved from north to south while we, in the car, stayed on a straight course.
Seeing that I wouldn't let go, he checked it out and admitted it wasn't the moon but stubbornly added that it was probably a plane or a helicopter. But the problem with his assumption was that my window was open and we couldn't hear anything but the soft sound of the car's engine.
As we neared our destination, the thing still hung up there as if it was following us. My hubby took a 90-degree turn. Instead of being in our back, the light was still on my right, but now slightly ahead of us. My hubby, who had noticed it, hit the brakes. The light continued for about a hundred feet and stopped. I heard him muttered something and he backed up quickly. The light stayed still for a few seconds before it backed up about the same distance we did, positioning itself on our right. My hubby repeatedly said, "No, no, no!" and hit the gas. He took a left turn into our street. The light followed for a second or two, and then zoomed over our head and disappeared in the same direction we had come from, the reservation.
My hubby never slowed down until we reached our house. We looked at each other and we both asked the other, "Did we really did just see what we saw?" We stayed in the car for long minutes wondering if we shouldn't have stayed and checked it further.
This was our first encounter (at least, that we recall).
That same summer, we had a few more but the one other that stroke a cord happened during the following winter and it left our dogs (two Samoyeds) crying and scratching to get inside the house while we stood outside, baffled. We didn't see the light itself. It was around 3AM when suddenly the whole yard turned as bright as if it were 3PM. The dogs howled and ran to the house, looking over their shoulders.
We're talking about two adult and well-behaved dogs that wouldn't normally bark. This is why we could play outside with them in the middle of the night without having the neighbors swearing at us.
On this particular night though, they were all but quiet. They alternated between whining and howling while scratching at the door to get inside. It took a while for my hubby and me to realize they were not looking at us but rather at something behind us in the sky. We both turned to see if we could discover what was causing them to act so out of character. Everything happened too fast. I can't really describe what we saw. However, we both had the same experience. Whatever had lit the yard flew in a zigzag reminiscent of lightning but with the thickness of a moon crescent, before it disappeared in the direction of the Indian reservation. As soon as it did, the normal night returned. However, the dogs didn't want to stay out anymore. We had to let them in.
After that night, they never came outside with us in the middle of the night ever again. You may believe what you want, but to me, the proof lay in the dogs' behavior.
June 22, 2015
The Departure
For those who read Fate, this is a scene that takes place in Xhartan right before LX left on his mission.
I'm hoping this will explain his state of mind after his ship crashed on Earth.
Enjoy!
++++
The Departure
The rain had just stopped. The weathermen had done a wonderful job refreshing the temperature. It was now a comfortable 95 degrees outside. With the clouds gone, the two suns shone brightly. I stood by the open window, admiring the millions of droplets that sparkled like mini stars.
"When are you leaving?" Saylia, my wife, asked from behind me.
"Soon," I replied after shifting my gaze to the sea and the landing docks. Engineers still swarmed around my spaceship but it seemed the last-minute check-ups were completed. I needed to be on my way.
"You promised you'd be here for the birth of our son."
"I will. This won't take more than a few months, three at the most. I'm not landing anywhere," I repeated for what felt like the hundredth time.
"But you said—"
I sighed. "Saylia, you knew my job would take me away for months and sometimes years at a time. You even claimed you didn't care and that all you wanted was the prestige of being the mate of the Prime Navigator. Your words, not mine. So why this now?"
"Why?" she cried, throwing up her hands. Children's laughter drifted from somewhere in the field behind our home. She lowered her voice. "Zhendar, it's always you. Can't the Leaders send someone else, just this once?"
"I'm the best they have and there's no time for training. Besides, it's just a short mission. I'll be back before you know it."
"So that's it. You're leaving me alone with the kids…again," she said and crossed her hands over her round belly.
She looked so vulnerable. I hated these fights but more than anything, I loathed being away from my daughters for any length of time. Saylia was right. I was barely ever home, yet I had no choice. At four-hundred-and-seven, I was far too young to retire. They would never let me. Over three hundred years of space travel had made me the most experienced navigator on Xhartan. They had invested so much time and resources on me; I couldn't let them down. They counted on me…but so did my children.
I wiped a tear.
A soft wind blew through the window, carrying the clean crisp scent of the ocean. It tickled not so old memories of Saylia being happy—happy I was leaving, not mad. Zhayne, her secret boyfriend, would lurk around the corner until I'd leave, unaware I could sense him so eager he was to warm my side of the bed.
What had happened between them?
"Zhendar?"
A harsh reply crossed my mind but not my lips. Saylia was pregnant with my son; she deserved I showed some consideration.
"We'll talk about this when I come back," I said and left.
I'm hoping this will explain his state of mind after his ship crashed on Earth.
Enjoy!
++++
The Departure
The rain had just stopped. The weathermen had done a wonderful job refreshing the temperature. It was now a comfortable 95 degrees outside. With the clouds gone, the two suns shone brightly. I stood by the open window, admiring the millions of droplets that sparkled like mini stars.
"When are you leaving?" Saylia, my wife, asked from behind me.
"Soon," I replied after shifting my gaze to the sea and the landing docks. Engineers still swarmed around my spaceship but it seemed the last-minute check-ups were completed. I needed to be on my way.
"You promised you'd be here for the birth of our son."
"I will. This won't take more than a few months, three at the most. I'm not landing anywhere," I repeated for what felt like the hundredth time.
"But you said—"
I sighed. "Saylia, you knew my job would take me away for months and sometimes years at a time. You even claimed you didn't care and that all you wanted was the prestige of being the mate of the Prime Navigator. Your words, not mine. So why this now?"
"Why?" she cried, throwing up her hands. Children's laughter drifted from somewhere in the field behind our home. She lowered her voice. "Zhendar, it's always you. Can't the Leaders send someone else, just this once?"
"I'm the best they have and there's no time for training. Besides, it's just a short mission. I'll be back before you know it."
"So that's it. You're leaving me alone with the kids…again," she said and crossed her hands over her round belly.
She looked so vulnerable. I hated these fights but more than anything, I loathed being away from my daughters for any length of time. Saylia was right. I was barely ever home, yet I had no choice. At four-hundred-and-seven, I was far too young to retire. They would never let me. Over three hundred years of space travel had made me the most experienced navigator on Xhartan. They had invested so much time and resources on me; I couldn't let them down. They counted on me…but so did my children.
I wiped a tear.
A soft wind blew through the window, carrying the clean crisp scent of the ocean. It tickled not so old memories of Saylia being happy—happy I was leaving, not mad. Zhayne, her secret boyfriend, would lurk around the corner until I'd leave, unaware I could sense him so eager he was to warm my side of the bed.
What had happened between them?
"Zhendar?"
A harsh reply crossed my mind but not my lips. Saylia was pregnant with my son; she deserved I showed some consideration.
"We'll talk about this when I come back," I said and left.
February 14, 2015
POVs
Point Of View (POV)
With the two samples below, I will try to show you how a story told from two different people and two different POVs can give an entirely distinct feel to the same narrative.
Ready?
First Person POV – Past Tense
The planet's only sun sat low on the horizon. It reflected on the surface of the lake, which rippled in a myriad of colors. The view left me breathless. I took a few minutes to admire it, all the while pondering about my luck. This didn't seem so bad after all; I could have crashed in a much more hostile environment.
The cool wind blowing in my hair brought welcome relief from the furnace that had been my ship. Although I managed to extinguish the fire, the smoke I inhaled still stuck to my palate and my clothes. I needed a good scrub. After I assessed my surroundings one more time, I undressed and went for a swim, hoping to get rid of the grime that covered my skin.
A sense of peace emanated from the area, yet something felt wrong. It was too quiet, unnaturally quiet, even. A place like this should have crawled with life. As if on cue, something chirped in the woods nearby.
Was it warning its friends of the intruder that I was?
Not knowing what made the sound and why, I teleported back inside my ship. Safety came first. Tomorrow, I would have plenty of time to find out what lurked in the forest and beyond, but for now, I needed rest.
**
Now for the barely ever used 'infamous' Second Person POV – Present Tense
You make yourself as comfortable as humanly possible while buried in wet rotten leaves. Your heart is pounding. Sweat drips down your eyebrows and into your eyes. Fearing you might miss something, you dare not blink.
They say the strange object that flew across the sky and over your head landed in the lake. They ask you to confirm but you can't. The sun, set low on the horizon, blinds you. If only clouds would cover the sky, even for a few seconds, it would give you a bit of respite, yet you know it won't happen so you suck it up and keep your eye glued to the riflescope, finger on the trigger, ready to shoot if you get the order.
At least, the target seems unaware he's being watched. After he looks around, he undresses and steps into the lake. You follow his every move and make sure to keep him in your scope.
The only sound you hear is your breathing. The fauna seems to have fled.
Uneasy, you anchor your foot, and ready yourself for anything, but the tiny movement disturbs a bird in the tree above your head. As soon as it chirps a warning, the alien, once in your line of sight, disappears out of thin air. You rub your eyes and fetch your binoculars only to confirm the mark is gone. You feel the hair of your back rise on guard and resist the urge to flee.
With the two samples below, I will try to show you how a story told from two different people and two different POVs can give an entirely distinct feel to the same narrative.
Ready?
First Person POV – Past Tense
The planet's only sun sat low on the horizon. It reflected on the surface of the lake, which rippled in a myriad of colors. The view left me breathless. I took a few minutes to admire it, all the while pondering about my luck. This didn't seem so bad after all; I could have crashed in a much more hostile environment.
The cool wind blowing in my hair brought welcome relief from the furnace that had been my ship. Although I managed to extinguish the fire, the smoke I inhaled still stuck to my palate and my clothes. I needed a good scrub. After I assessed my surroundings one more time, I undressed and went for a swim, hoping to get rid of the grime that covered my skin.
A sense of peace emanated from the area, yet something felt wrong. It was too quiet, unnaturally quiet, even. A place like this should have crawled with life. As if on cue, something chirped in the woods nearby.
Was it warning its friends of the intruder that I was?
Not knowing what made the sound and why, I teleported back inside my ship. Safety came first. Tomorrow, I would have plenty of time to find out what lurked in the forest and beyond, but for now, I needed rest.
**
Now for the barely ever used 'infamous' Second Person POV – Present Tense
You make yourself as comfortable as humanly possible while buried in wet rotten leaves. Your heart is pounding. Sweat drips down your eyebrows and into your eyes. Fearing you might miss something, you dare not blink.
They say the strange object that flew across the sky and over your head landed in the lake. They ask you to confirm but you can't. The sun, set low on the horizon, blinds you. If only clouds would cover the sky, even for a few seconds, it would give you a bit of respite, yet you know it won't happen so you suck it up and keep your eye glued to the riflescope, finger on the trigger, ready to shoot if you get the order.
At least, the target seems unaware he's being watched. After he looks around, he undresses and steps into the lake. You follow his every move and make sure to keep him in your scope.
The only sound you hear is your breathing. The fauna seems to have fled.
Uneasy, you anchor your foot, and ready yourself for anything, but the tiny movement disturbs a bird in the tree above your head. As soon as it chirps a warning, the alien, once in your line of sight, disappears out of thin air. You rub your eyes and fetch your binoculars only to confirm the mark is gone. You feel the hair of your back rise on guard and resist the urge to flee.
August 25, 2014
Short story (WC 331) First Person Plural POV
Last February, I enlisted in an online writing course. I had so much fun that when the opportunity to retake the course presented itself. I couldn't pass it up.
For warm-up assignment, we were presented a picture of an old abandoned rollercoaster. It sat in the middle of a forest. Trees had grown in and out of its humps. The only rule was a WC no more than 500.
Mine has 331 and I used First Person Plural POV.
No title*. (If anyone has an idea, please speak up!)
It didn't take long for nature to take over. Once the last human died, and no one was left to maintain the hideous buildings, the trees soon reclaimed their habitats. Only vestiges of Earth's past remained. Old skeletons of constructions now melted gracefully with the décor and offered shelters for the smaller critters.
We didn't take great pleasure in accomplishing this task, but our job was done. Humans wouldn't destroy anything anymore. They had their chance and yet refused to take it, oblivious to their incoming doom.
Too bad, but something had to be done.
Millions of years ago, we risked everything to come here. Finding the right meteors hadn't been easy. Many of us died before we reached our destination where we lived peacefully until the Homo sapiens appeared. At first, we were happy to share our home, yet they ignored us, even killed many of us. So we decided to keep them in check by making their lives miserable. But something happened. Something we didn't foresee. Unlike the dinosaurs, they multiplied rapidly and soon they were billions. With each generation, they needed more room, devastating acres upon acres of land, thus leaving creatures big and small without shelters.
We couldn't let this barbaric species go on and destroy all life on the planet especially now that they had discovered space travel. Soon their detrimental habits would have spread to other worlds and more would have suffered. More would have died. In the end, getting rid of them was a small price to pay.
You see; humans made a fatal mistake when they discounted us. They never saw us coming. We looked harmless. But naïve we were not. We understood strength was in numbers. We suffocated some, poisoned, or starved others until none were left. Together we prevailed and proved them wrong.
Pollution and mindless killing are now a thing of the past. We, the flora of Earth, took our world back and we intend to keep it. So invaders…beware!
For warm-up assignment, we were presented a picture of an old abandoned rollercoaster. It sat in the middle of a forest. Trees had grown in and out of its humps. The only rule was a WC no more than 500.
Mine has 331 and I used First Person Plural POV.
No title*. (If anyone has an idea, please speak up!)
It didn't take long for nature to take over. Once the last human died, and no one was left to maintain the hideous buildings, the trees soon reclaimed their habitats. Only vestiges of Earth's past remained. Old skeletons of constructions now melted gracefully with the décor and offered shelters for the smaller critters.
We didn't take great pleasure in accomplishing this task, but our job was done. Humans wouldn't destroy anything anymore. They had their chance and yet refused to take it, oblivious to their incoming doom.
Too bad, but something had to be done.
Millions of years ago, we risked everything to come here. Finding the right meteors hadn't been easy. Many of us died before we reached our destination where we lived peacefully until the Homo sapiens appeared. At first, we were happy to share our home, yet they ignored us, even killed many of us. So we decided to keep them in check by making their lives miserable. But something happened. Something we didn't foresee. Unlike the dinosaurs, they multiplied rapidly and soon they were billions. With each generation, they needed more room, devastating acres upon acres of land, thus leaving creatures big and small without shelters.
We couldn't let this barbaric species go on and destroy all life on the planet especially now that they had discovered space travel. Soon their detrimental habits would have spread to other worlds and more would have suffered. More would have died. In the end, getting rid of them was a small price to pay.
You see; humans made a fatal mistake when they discounted us. They never saw us coming. We looked harmless. But naïve we were not. We understood strength was in numbers. We suffocated some, poisoned, or starved others until none were left. Together we prevailed and proved them wrong.
Pollution and mindless killing are now a thing of the past. We, the flora of Earth, took our world back and we intend to keep it. So invaders…beware!
