Alyssa Pennini's Blog, page 4

The Legend of Valtera: Chapter 3

Previous Chapters

Dal stood in the doorway, his black hair, pale skin and dark clothing making him look striking and dangerous, the opposite of the man she knew standing before her. Her second oldest friend was the sweetest, kindest person she knew. His expression caused dread to pool in Prea’s stomach; her mouth went dry.

“What are you doing here, Dal?” she asked, not wanting the answer. He didn’t have to say anything, Prea knew what he was here to tell her, knew it in her bones. She just didn’t want the confirmation.

With tears in his own eyes, his voice coated in sadness Dal said, “Prea…We got word down at the docks.”

“No,” Prea interrupted, holding up her hands and stepping back. “Don’t say it. Don’t…say…”

“The…your father’s ship…it went down. There were no survivors. I’m so sorry.”

“Nooo,” Prea moaned, spinning around as her world suddenly lost all meaning. “Nooo. This…can’t be happening. This…” It was as if the air had been sucked out of the house; she couldn’t breathe.

She bolted past Dal and out of the house, escaping into fresh air, hoping there was something she could do to change all of this.

“I need to get to the cliffs,” Prea muttered as she ran. “Maybe if I say Mama’s spell…”

“Prea, where are you going?” Dal called as he ran after her. His long legs allowed him to catch her quickly and he pulled her to a stop. “Prea!”

“Let me go, Dal,” Prea demanded softly, clutching her chest. “I can’t breathe. I need to go.”

“You need to stop,” Dal ordered and grabbed her by both arms. “Prea, I’m so sorry.”

“No. This can’t be real,” Prea argued, struggling against Dal’s grip. She was only twenty years old. “This has to be a dream. Dal, tell me this is a dream.” She stared at him with desperate eyes and only found tears and pity looking back at her.

“It’s not a dream, Prea. I wish it was. I wish this wasn’t real, but it is. I’m sor…”

“Stop saying that,” she ordered, gasping for air that never seemed to come. “Stop. Saying. That. I just need to get to the cliffs.” She was losing control, the world was still spinning and her eyes pricked with tears. Now that she was no longer moving, her strength vanished and her legs buckled.

Dal caught her before she could fall and they collapsed to the ground together. He held her as she cried for her father, cried for Leal. Papa had been gone for a lot of the last five years since Mama passed, but it didn’t matter. He was her father, her protector, her guide. He held her to a higher standard and made her a better woman. All she ever wanted was to make him proud. And now he was gone.

“Prea, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Dal whispered against her hair.

When Prea felt she could cry no longer, she pulled away. But the sudden realization she had known, that feeling in the pit of her stomach, brought on a fresh wave of tears. Her father was never coming home; she would never see his ship on the horizon. There would be no more secret conversations, no more promises. And Leal…her Leal was gone. There would be no wedding, no house or children.

The air and ground were cold, but her pain and grief didn’t allow her to feel it. She was still sobbing in Dal’s arms when she heard her name being called. Not now, Prea thought, annoyed that she couldn’t even grieve in peace.

“Prea?” Carr called. “Prea, where are you?” She didn’t answer and Carr eventually found his way out the open front door. “Prea?”

He stopped in his tracks when he saw the two of them on the ground in each other’s arms. “Prea, what’s the matter?” he asked suspiciously, eyes narrowed at her shrewdly. He was quite intuitive and could sense more than most adults.

“Cricket, it’s Papa. He…they…the ship went down. Papa and Leal are gone, Carr.” Prea stood and moved to her little brother whose young, beautiful face crumpled.

“But they’re supposed to be back soon. Leal was…going to…take me fishing.” Kneeling down, Prea hugged him close.

“I know, sweetheart. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Carr started sobbing, his breathing quickened, and his coughing began. His panic and despair made the fit worse and he could barely gasp in shallow breaths.

“Carr, you need to breathe,” Prea ordered sharply. She knew what this felt like having just experienced it. Carr just shook his head. “Cricket. Cricket!” Prea cried and tried to lightly shake him out of it. His body went limp and he fell to the ground.

“Dal!” she yelled, trying to cushion her brother’s fall, but she wasn’t in a great position to  help.

Dal rushed from his spot behind her. “What happened?”

“He fainted. He might have hit his head.”

“I got him,” Dal said and extricated Carr from Prea’s grasp, hauling him up off the ground.

“What do you want to do?” Dal wondered quietly.

“Ugh.” Prea shook her head, trying to clear it. It didn’t work.

“Prea?”

“Uh. Bring him upstairs. We’ll put him in bed. He’s going to be exhausted when he comes to,” Prea answered, noting she was exhausted as well. She followed Dal as he climbed the stairs and placed Carr on his bed before heading back down. Prea waited until her brother’s eyes flickered open and he looked at her in confusion. “It’s all right, cricket,” she said, pushing his blond curls off his forehead. “Just rest now. I’ll check on you later.” Prea tucked him into bed and he fell right to sleep.

Standing in the doorway, she watched him sleep for a minute. Oh, how she would love to be young again, when your mind couldn’t comprehend the sadness and the grief. Closing the door, she returned downstairs to Dal. Prea found him in the kitchen, cleaning up what was left of her cooking. She had completely forgotten about dinner. He was boiling water in the kettle and had chamomile tea waiting on the counter.

“Thank you, Dal,” she said, incredibly grateful that he was here.  

They both turned, hearing the front door open. “Here we go again,” Prea said grimly. She went to go greet her sister, instead she found Beda who rushed over and embraced her.

“Oh, Prea. I’m so, so sorry,” she cried. Prea thought she would cry again, but it appeared she had no more tears. She held on, clutching the sturdiness of her oldest friend. When Beda finally released her, she clasped Prea’s face in her hands. Beda’s cool grey eyes locked on to Prea’s, silently assessing her state of mind. Beda eventually broke the silence. “I love you, Prea. I’m here for you. Always.”

Prea hugged her tight one more time. “I love you too, Beda. Come, Dal’s making tea.”

Beda and Prea sat at the table while Dal poured them some tea. “Hello, Dal,” Beda said, glancing at him. She returned her gaze to Prea, “Word’s getting around town. I’m not sure if the news has reached the infirmary or not. Have you heard from Alvie?”

Prea blew on her tea, lowered her mug. “No. We’re waiting for her to get home. She should be here any minute.”

Beda looked around. “Where’s Carr?”

Dal answered for Prea. “He’s asleep upstairs. He fainted when Prea told him the news.”

“Is he all right?” Beda asked, concerned. Prea and Dal nodded.

They sat in silence, Prea and her two best friends, together under the worst circumstances. She looked from one to the other, from fiery to dark, with their sad eyes staring back at her. They had been with her for as long as she could remember. And, as they had shown countless times before, they were here with her now.

The door opened again not much later as Alvie arrived home. She rushed into the kitchen, taking them all in. She looked from Dal to Beda, before turning her gaze towards Prea. “What’s going on? People were whispering and staring at me when I was leaving the infirmary. And everyone avoided me on the way home.” She paused. “Prea?” she asked anxiously.

Prea stood. “Alvie…” she said consolingly. She could say no more before her younger sister bolted upstairs and slammed the door to her room. Prea needed to do something and poured herself another cup of tea.

Beda sat and studied her friend. The two had known each other for a long time and she had been there when Prea’s mother had died. Beda could typically read Prea pretty well, but right now she had no idea what her friend was thinking or feeling. “Prea, how are you so calm?” Beda wondered.

“I have no idea. I feel like I’ve cried my eyes dry,” Prea said quietly. She paused and shook her head. “Now it just doesn’t seem real. I don’t know how long it’s going to take for me to look out onto the bay and not expect to see their ship on the horizon.”

“You’ll get through this,” Beda assured her and lowered her voice. “You’ve done it before.”

“But this is different, Beda. Who am I supposed to turn to? What if I make a mistake? What if I can’t be everything for Alvie and Carr? They need parents. All three of us need our parents.”

“You’re more than enough for them,” Dal replied quickly. “None of my brothers would have done what you did if it had been my family. Alvie and Carr are lucky to have you. And you’re not alone.”

“That’s right. You’re not alone. Dal and I will help you,” Beda promised. “We’ll help all of you get through this.”

“I’m not even sure what you’ll be able to do, if you’ll be able to help at all.”

“We’ll do whatever you need,” Dal answered simply.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“What you’re going to do is focus on the present,” Beda instructed matter-of-factly. “You’re not going to look to or worry about the future. You’re going to focus on the task at hand. And right now you just need to rest and drink your tea.” Beda turned away from Prea. “Dal can you go check on Alvie and make sure Carr’s still asleep?” she asked, taking charge.

Dal nodded and left the room. He returned a little while later. “Carr’s still out and Alvie…well she’s going to try to get some sleep.”

“Thanks, Dal,” Prea added.

Prea didn’t say anything for a long time, just sat at the table with her friends who were now her family. “We were finally going to set a date,” she murmured, her voice breaking. She could barely get the words out. “Leal had promised that we would set a date for the wedding after he returned. He was going to ask Papa for his blessing while they were out at sea.” Beda stroked her hair soothingly.

“Oh, Prea…”

The tears Prea thought had dried up, ran freely again as she cried for her lost love.

The Legend of Valtera: Chapter 2

Prologue

Chapter 1

Prea woke with a start as a scream pierced the night. That sound was like nothing she had ever heard before and it sent a shock of panic through her body. She looked around in the dark, noticing Alvie’s profile across the room. Her sister sat rigid in her bed, silent. Another shriek erupted; a terrible noise that sliced through the walls as if they were paper. She jumped out of bed in the wake of the scream, rushing out of her room where she paused briefly as she passed a mirror and saw her scared twelve-year-old self staring back at her.

Prea ran into her parents’ bedroom and froze, paralyzed by the contorted look of agony and dread on her mother’s face. Her mother was hysterical and her father was barely holding it together.

“Something’s wrong, Garon,” her mother yelled. “It’s too soon. The baby isn’t ready.” Isa Reed howled again.

“Breathe, Isa. Breathe. Everything will be all right,” her father soothed. He turned, realizing that they were not alone. He came and grabbed Prea by her shoulders, shaking her frozen frame free. He waited as she struggled to tear her young eyes away from her mother’s crying face.

“Prea, you must go now. Get Doctor Locke and bring him back here. Quickly, my child,” Garon demanded. But she couldn’t; her brain told her body to move, but her body wouldn’t listen.

“Go, Prea. Go now,” her father yelled as he pushed her out of their room. Always the dutiful daughter, she ran down the stairs, grabbed a coat and shoes and rushed out the door. The last thing she heard was another of her mother’s panicked cries as she ran into the night.

Prea returned with Doctor Locke, the door still open from when she left. That was not a good sign. Only silence greeted them as they entered, silence and faint crying.

“Come, Doctor. They’re upstairs,” she said, rushing up the steps. When she reached the top of the stairs, Prea stopped. Something was wrong, she thought, as the doctor pushed past her. Prea tiptoed slowly down the hall, pausing at the door to her room. She glanced inside, hearing Alvie quietly sobbing in the darkness. Her heartbeat quickened as dread shivered through her veins, her pulse echoing loudly in her ears as she continued down the hall.

Prea stood in the doorway to her mother and father’s room again, but there was no screaming this time. She spied her mother lying in bed as though she was sleeping, but Prea knew that was wrong. Her father knelt by the bed, head in his hands as tears slid down his face. She had never seen her father cry before. The doctor came towards her now, saying something; his mouth was moving, but she heard no words. Finally his words broke through the fog as he laid his hand on her shoulder.

“I’m so sorry, Prea. We were too late, child. Your mama and the baby have passed on,” Doctor Locke explained gingerly. “They’re stars in the sky, now.”

* * *

Prea’s eyes shot open in the dark, her heart hammering like horse’s hooves in her chest. She sat up and held her head in her hands before she let out a ragged breath. A dream, it was just a dream, she assured herself. That wasn’t how it happened. The proof is sleeping in the next room, she thought, and breathed deeply in an effort to calm her heart. Nonetheless she was rattled.

She got out of bed and silently moved down the hall, stopping outside Carr’s room. She opened the door quietly, peering inside, making sure her brother was indeed alive and sleeping. She made out his outline in the shadows, saw his chest rise and fall as he breathed in slumber. Prea closed the door, letting out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Her pulse slowed and she returned to her bed.

She hadn’t thought of that night in a long, long time. Her father had always expected a great deal from her, but that was the first time she had felt the true weight of responsibility. But now that it was on her mind, Prea couldn’t help but lie in bed and recall what really happened.

* * *

The night before every voyage, she and her father always had a secret conversation, the first of which happened eight years ago, shortly after she found out about Mama and the baby. Prea had stayed up as late as she could manage that night, wanting to spend as much time with her father as possible. He told her tales from his journeys and stories of the places he’d been.

“All right, Prea, time for bed,” he had announced at nine o’clock, when he finished his last story. Mama and Alvie had been in bed for hours and now it was her turn.

“But Papa, I don’t want to go to bed. I’m not even tired,” she said through a yawn.

He chuckled. “Yawning means you’re tired. Time for bed.”

He nudged her along, up the stairs, into her bedroom and tucked her into bed. He sat there as tears welled up in her eyes. “I don’t want you to go, Papa. You just got back. Why do you have to leave?”

He wiped away the lone tear that escaped. “It’s my job, Prea. It’s how I provide for you and Mama and Alvie and now the baby. I know you understand.” Prea reluctantly nodded. “Now Prea, you’re twelve, almost a woman. I’m trusting you to look after your mother and your sister while I’m away. Mama’s going to need extra help. Can you do that?”

“Yes, Papa.”

“Do you promise, Prea?” he asked.

“I promise, Papa.” He kissed Prea goodnight and then he left.

When Papa had come home towards the end of the pregnancy, Mama wasn’t doing so well. A twelve-year-old Prea was relieved beyond belief when she spied Papa’s ship on the horizon. A few days after Papa came home, Prea woke at the sound of a scream.

Like the dream, the doctor had beaten her home as she tugged Alvie along and they reached their wide open door a few minutes later. Holding hands, the sisters crossed the threshold into eerie silence, never a good sign, and Prea hoped she wasn’t too late.

They had waited downstairs, too scared to move. A world without Mama was unbelievable. Papa was gone at sea so much and Mama was all they had. Pulling Alvie over to the sofa, she sat her sister down. Doing the only thing she could think of, Prea grabbed the book of old tales, Mama’s favorite, off the shelf and sat down next to her sister. Opening the book to her mother’s favorite passage, the story of Aylin and Ciro, she started reading out loud to Alvie until she fell asleep. When Prea could no longer keep her own eyes open, she drifted off, her head resting against her sister’s.

Her father had found them hours later, leaning against one another, asleep. He lightly nudged her shoulder, “Prea? Prea, honey, wake up.” She woke sleepily as Alvie stirred beside her.

“Papa? What happened? Is Mama all right? What about the baby?”

Alvie woke at the sound of Prea’s voice. “Papa?” He had looked odd; a mixture of disbelief, fear and relief visible on his face.

He looked at them with gentle eyes. “Everything is fine. Mama and the baby are sleeping now.” He sat down on the floor in front of them with head in hands. The girls shared a glance before they realized that Papa was crying.

Fear trickled in again as Prea asked, “Papa, what’s wrong? You said Mama and the baby were fine.”

It had taken him a minute before he was able to speak, “They are fine, now. But we almost lost them both. We did lose them for a few minutes.” He paused, choking back tears. “I was sure there was nothing for Doctor Locke to do. But somehow he managed it. He brought them both back. By the heavens, they’re alive and sleeping upstairs.” Relief washed over her, through her, as Papa scooped them both up into a bear hug. “I’m sorry, my girls, I’m still a little in shock over it all. Come, let me introduce you to your baby brother.”

Papa had led the girls into his room quietly, so they didn’t wake either of them. At the cradle, they peered down at the tiny pink bald baby sleeping peacefully. He was so small, smaller than she imagined. Prea couldn’t believe that he was there, that he had survived everything. But he did. Her little brother was a survivor. She looked up at her father, saw him watching her baby brother sleep, an expression of pride on his face. “We’re naming him Carr. It means fighter.”

* * *

Knock-knock. Knock-knock. Someone was knocking at her door. Why would somebody be knocking at her door? Prea was confused, hadn’t she just gone back to sleep? She slowly got up and strode to the door, opening it. Alvie’s blue eyes were staring back at her.

“What are you doing, Alvie?”

“It’s late. You’re usually back from the cliffs by now,” Alvie informed her. That got Prea’s attention and she walked over to the window, yanking the fabric away and saw that the sun had broken free of the horizon. How was this possible? She was always up at dawn, always out on the cliffs to watch the sun rise. She never slept in.

Prea turned back to her sister in the doorway. “Is Carr up?”

“I was just about to wake him,” Alvie said as she studied her older sister. “Prea, are you feeling all right? You never sleep this late.”

“I’m fine. I—I had a bad dream. It woke me in the middle of the night,” she answered distractedly. “I’ll go wake Carr.”

“Okay,” Alvie said as Prea passed her in the doorway. She watched Prea knock on Carr’s door before heading back downstairs.

The lingering edginess from the dream was finally fading as Prea got breakfast for her brother. The dream couldn’t have been any further from reality. Carr was a light in her life and he always brought her out of sadness and despair. He was overly energetic this morning, it seemed, but Prea was unusually grateful for his bubbling personality as it had lifted the rest of her uneasiness. Carr was giggling and playful, pulling Prea into his optimistic joy.

* * *

The day had gone by quickly, Prea thought, as she exited the schoolyard, Carr trailing a few feet behind. They were heading straight home this afternoon, the sky above threatening to call forth rain any minute. A storm seemed to be brewing off in the distance, causing Prea to regret oversleeping. She couldn’t remember the last time she had missed dawn on the cliffs; cold and snow didn’t even stop her, though she didn’t stay out as long. She could call on the elements, the sun, moon and stars at any time, she supposed, but it just didn’t feel right unless she was overlooking the bay.

“Come on, Carr, we need to be heading home.”

He hurried up until he was walking alongside her. “The sky looks angry. Is it going to storm?”

“I’m not sure. It looks like it, though,” she responded. “We’ll have to go out as soon as we get home and gather the vegetables.”

“What about Papa?” Carr asked. “Will he be okay in the storm?”

“I’m sure they’ll be fine. They’ve been in storms before. They know how to handle themselves.”

Although she remained optimistic for her brother’s sake, storms were always a concern with her father out at sea. As they arrived home she put her things away, took a basket from the kitchen and walked around back to the garden. Alvie was a miracle worker with the earth; they were able to grow most of their food and whatever excess they had, they sold. She had been at it for years, and now the garden spread from the rear of the house almost to the tree line. She’d had a connection to the earth, it seemed, since birth.

Nature was a very powerful force; it could be both supportive and destructive. The Reed children had learned from their mother at a young age to respect the earth and the elements. Prea had learned to work in harmony with nature, lest she feel its wrath.

Prea gathered all of the ripe vegetables, bringing them inside and starting dinner. There was something comforting in this daily task, though she was still watching the sky darkening out the window. She could hear Carr upstairs playing and didn’t think there was a happier sound in the world.

Papa and Leal would be home any day now and she couldn’t wait. When Prea first met Leal three years ago, she had been quite surprised. Her father didn’t bring people home with him on his voyages and this was a first. Papa had been gone for months, making a trip to northern Delmar on the western coast of Valtera. She was seventeen at the time and had been without her mother for two years. Prea had just started her teaching job and was taking care of a fourteen-year-old Alvie and a five-year-old Carr.

Carr had been a real handful; he was finally old enough to understand where Papa was and noticed how long he was gone. It was hard to contain his energy, though Alvie helped somewhat. Her oldest friends Beda and Dal helped as well; Prea couldn’t have done it on her own. She was tired and grateful for her father’s return. Alvie and Carr had gone to the docks when word came in that they were arriving, while Prea was busy at home making dinner.

Their arrival had been boisterous and joyful, as Papa had come into the house carrying an excited Carr in his arms. Prea couldn’t recall the last time her sister had smiled that big and she had stood, tears in her eyes, as she greeted her father.

It had been a long time since she, herself, had felt that much happiness. Papa had released Carr, letting him slide down to the floor, before he stepped forward, embracing his eldest daughter and holding her tight. The tears slid down Prea’s face as she clung to her father; right now in his arms, she wasn’t an adult or responsible for anything. She was just his little girl. When she opened her eyes once more, she got her first look at Leal standing in the doorway behind her father.

He was leaning against the doorway, a smile spread across his face. Her glance locked onto his kind hazel eyes, and she felt an immediate flutter within her. Finally pulling away from her father, she said, “Papa, it’s so good to have you home. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too, Prea.” He turned, beckoning Leal into their home. “Prea, I’d like you to meet Leal. He came back from Delmar as one of the crew. Leal, this is my eldest daughter, Prea.”

“Welcome. It’s nice to meet you,” Prea said, stepping forward.

“The pleasure is all mine,” Leal greeted, taking Prea’s hand in his.

Leal couldn’t have come into Prea’s life at a better time. It had been two years since her mother had passed; two years of increased responsibility, two years of raising a child. She had begun to feel burned out and overworked. Her father was home for as much time as was possible, but it was not nearly enough in her opinion. Leal made Prea feel young again. He took her mind off the responsibility, the work, the stress. He gave her his attention and affection, eventually his love.

Back in the reality of her kitchen, Prea continued to watch the storm forming in the distant sky. She had his love now, had had it for a while, that was without question. She would always have his love; their connection could never be broken. His presence, on the other hand, was desperately needed.

Prea finally had a moment to herself which was something of a rarity. She untied her hair as she strolled into the sitting room, looking for a book to read. Prea was relaxed, reading as she heard a knock at the door. Who could that be? Alvie should be home soon, but she wouldn’t have to knock. She rose; that feeling was back in her stomach, down in the pit, as she crossed the room towards the door. Time seemed to be moving slower than normal. Her hand turned the knob, opening the door slowly.

In Memoriam

By: Alyssa Pennini

True courage and bravery

Are found few and far between

In those who stand their ground

Where most would likely flee

The epitome of selfless

They’ve given others their life

Gone but never forgotten

We must honor their sacrifice

The Web

By: Alyssa Pennini

Oh the mighty web we weave

Hidden for only those who see

This world is more than meets the eye

Invisible threads span land and sky

Connecting all things big and small

Unifying once and for all

The entirety of the planet earth

Proving that everything has worth

The One

By: Alyssa Pennini

You are my one and only

The person I love the most

I can’t believe I’ve found you

That I can keep you close

The first one I wish to share

Both the good and the bad

Your very presence in my life

Helps to outweigh all the sad

You are my light, my life

My one star shining bright

The last piece of my puzzle

The only one that’s right

Beneath the Stars

Garon Reed couldn’t sleep, so he wandered around in the darkness hoping to quiet his mind. He was in Beech for the time being and was enjoying being on dry land. No matter how much he loved the sea, how it flowed in his veins, he had missed the certainty and stability of the ground beneath his feet.

Veering off the cliff road, he walked through a vacant plot of land, the pull of the sea still calling to him. The grass soon gave way to trees and he made his way through the wooded maze before finally stepping out onto the cliffs overlooking the bay.

It was a beautiful sight to see, the moon shining bright, illuminating everything, it was practically day. The undulating waves glistened silver under the moonbeams, reflecting the sky above.

But what surprised him more was that he was not alone. A little ways down the cliff, a young woman lay on the ground, gaze focused on the heavens above. She was so encapsulated by whatever she saw that she didn’t even hear him as he moved towards her, his feet working without his command.

When only a few feet separated them he stopped, hesitant in how to proceed as she still hadn’t noticed him. He didn’t want to frighten her, but he felt the need to know her, to talk to her.

“Do you do this often?” Garon wondered finally. Though his tone was soft, she still jumped up at the noise, turning to face him. But she made no move to speak or flee, instead studying him quietly. They stared at each other for so long he wondered if he was ever going to get an answer.

Finding what she was looking for apparently, the woman gave him a small smile. “As a matter of fact, I do.”

“You spend your nights laying on the cliff and gazing at the night sky?” he asked, incredulity clear in his voice.

Her smile widened slightly, her eyes glittering as if she was amused. “I come out here to watch the stars.”

“And what exactly do you see?” He knew there had to be more to it than that.

“Life…the heavens, the universe. I see everything.”

Now it was his turn to study her as she returned her gaze to the sky, though she remained seated, her arms circling her knees. Fascinated, Garon moved to sit beside her, never taking his eyes from her face.

The pair remained like that, sitting in companionable silence, she looking at the sky, he looking at the sea.

Garon had no idea how much time had passed when she broke the silence.

“Huh,” she murmured, head tilted to the side.

“What?” he wondered, turning to face her.

Her eyes snapped to his as though she had forgotten his presence, but she still gave him an easy smile. “Oh, nothing.”

“All right.” He was caught up in the icy blue color of her eyes, seemingly glowing with the reflection of the moon and starlight. “My name is Garon. Garon Reed,” he added, offering her his hand.

“Isa. Hawthorn,” she replied, shaking his hand. “So Garon Reed, what brings you to the cliffs at this hour?”

“I couldn’t sleep. Thought a walk would clear my head.”

“Did it?”

“A little bit. But then I came across a young woman staring at the stars and suddenly I had more questions than before.”

“I see. Anything I can do to fix any problems that I may have caused?”

“May I see you tomorrow?”

“How will that fix anything tonight?”

“It won’t. But I will rest easier knowing when I will see you next.”

“Ah. Well in that case, yes you may. Come by the schoolyard tomorrow afternoon at 3. You can walk me home.”

“Can I not walk you home tonight?”

“I’m not ready to go home yet. But I think you might.”

She just so happened to be correct. The sleep he had been searching for had slowly been pulling at him since he sat down and remained unmoving. And with her confirmation that this was not the last time he would see her, he had just enough energy to get himself back home.

“It’s all right, Garon. This is not the end.”

“No, it’s not. Goodnight, Isa. I will see you tomorrow,” he replied, rising slowly to his feet.

“Yes, you will. I’ve been wondering when I would finally meet you. Goodnight, Garon.”

He slowly retreated from the cliff’s edge, back towards the trees, confused by what she said. But as he watched her return her focus to the sky, he knew he would eventually discover all the answers to his questions. Maybe not tomorrow, or anytime soon, but one day he would know.

“It is most certainly not the end,” he whispered, stealing one last glance of Isa Hawthorn before disappearing into the trees.

Need for Change

By: Alyssa Pennini

My dreams are filled with desperation

As I flee from forces with much frustration

Or fall from great heights with no end in sight

For restless is my life, no matter day or night

It’s far from what I need, I am trapped within my mind

An unending pattern, with no escape to find

Not my want or wish, my courage has been drowned

Overshadowed by the weight of unwanted fear around

But now exhaustion pulls, the same, day after day

The urge for a switch grows, until I cannot live this way

But enough is enough, for now I can declare

A new future is coming, a change is in the air

Broken

By: Alyssa Pennini

It doesn’t matter

If I break or shatter

Just don’t say I’m weak

I’m allowed to let tears leak

For I can just start anew

To find the me that is true

To build up from bottom to top

And to never ever stop

To get that much stronger

And maybe last a little longer

For just because I’m broken now

Doesn’t mean I don’t know how

To put myself back together

And become a whole that much better

In Between

By: Alyssa Pennini

The weight of the world

Falls on my shoulders

Holding me in place

Like an invisible boulder

My steps grow short

Pushing me down

My legs are like lead

Feet fixed to the ground

I’m lost at the moment

A life without direction

With nothing much to do

I find time for reflection

Not happy with the present

My life is frozen in place

Change isn’t happening

But it’s what I wish to embrace

Though I’m stuck in the past

I wait for the future to be seen

I’m neither here nor there

But somewhere in between

Writer Series: Let’s Publish a Book

We’ve made it to the end of the line. Finally. The Legend of Valtera was edited, complete and ready to be released into the world. I’d done some research and let me tell you there are many websites detailing out the self-publishing process, even more than what I’ve done here. I suggest researching all available options in all possible formats before beginning the publishing process.

To start off, I knew I wanted to offer my book in both paperback and ebook form. I had heard about both Createspace and Kindle Direct Publishing through my web searches and knew that I was definitely going to use these two, Createspace for paperback and Kindle Direct for ebook.

Both are user friendly with helpful guides and templates to make the process as easy as possible. I focused on the paperback first as there was more involved in the process, for example dimensions, margins, formatting, etc. The cover art and the interior layout were more important than for the digital version. But all in all, pretty self-explanatory.

Once the paperback was finished, I moved on to Kindle. Again, simple and easy to use, the steps detailed out and helpful guides here and there. There is also a program choice called Kindle Select that, if enrolled, offers a 90 day exclusive period where your book is only available on Amazon. I didn’t find it to be all that valuable, but it did mean that I couldn’t publish in any other ebook formats.

A few months later, once the Kindle exclusive period was over, I looked at publishing in other ebook formats. I remembered reading the book Unenchanted by self-published author Chanda Hahn which was released through Smashwords. So I looked into it. Smashwords is a platform that allows for your book to be published across many retailers, basically all the major ones besides Kindle.

This one took a little more effort to complete because there are certain formatting standards that need to be fulfilled before you can submit your book for publishing. The good thing is, they offer a free Smashwords Style Guide that explains all the requirements necessary. So if you follow the guide, you’re good to go.

If you’ve written an entire book, made it this far, I suggest going all the way. If nothing else comes of it, you’ve still accomplished something that not everyone can claim. You’ll be a published author. It is something that you worked hard for, something to be proud of.