Cynthia A. Morgan's Blog, page 260

November 3, 2016

Submerged – A #ShortStory #Collaboration – Part Three

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“Think back to high school, Josh. We had several classes together. When we were little, we even rode the same bus.”

I drew a blank.

“Julie Hanson!” she said, exasperated. “My name is Julie Hanson. I graduated the year after you? Hello? We saw each other every day. I even sat beside you in Geometry.

Still nothing.

“Lovely,” she said. “I see you’re still self-absorbed.”

“Uh…oh, Julie!” I said. “I didn’t even recognize you!”

She laughed without mirth, and threw a pillow at me. “Get some sleep, Dumbass. We’ll have plenty of time to catch up in a few hours and you can tell me all about cold water and shrinkage.”

I awoke some time later to the smell of bacon. I was happy to see she had dried my clothes and dumped them in a heap on the floor. I dressed beneath the blanket and found her in the kitchen pouring bacon drippings over Morpheus’s dog food. He inhaled it in seconds and stood watching me, licking his chops.

“Do you remember me yet?” she asked.

“No,” I admitted. “My memory has never been great.”

She nodded and stared at the stove. “Have you given thought to the other thing we discussed?”

I sighed. “The emeralds are stashed in a waterproof bag. They’re sitting at the bottom of the lake at the end of your dock. Somehow, we need to get them out before it freezes or we’ll be waiting until Spring.”

She looked up. “You threw a bag of priceless gems in the lake?”

“There weren’t many options. I wasn’t planning on swimming last night. I didn’t plan on running out of gas.”

“Brad Adams was chasing you?”

“No, just some guys who work for them.”

“So you abandoned your car and ran?”

I nodded.

“How far?”

“What?”

“How far from here? How far away is the car?”

“I don’t know. A mile. Maybe two.”

“Your car is sitting a mile or two from here?”

I felt the sudden need to defend myself. “It ran out of gas,” I said. “And it wasn’t my car, I stole it.”

“You stole it?”

“Yes.”

“From whom?”

“Brad Adams. When I grabbed the rocks.”

She searched my eyes to confirm that I was telling the truth. “Do you even know how lucky you are to have found me, Josh? No offense but you kinda suck at this.” She jabbed a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast into my ribs. “Eat. Then tell me everything. Start at the beginning. We need to come up with a plan,” she said. “A real one.”

After devouring the breakfast she made, which was far better than anything I’d eaten at the diner in a long time, I prepared to divulge the truth, or at least my version of it. We sat in the living room like old friends. She was nestled on the love seat beneath one of the many blankets she had piled over me the night before, while I had spread out on the couch and was staring at her brazenly, thoroughly enjoying the sight of her.

“The long and short of it is, Brad Adams owed me a lot of money from a Texas Hold-Em game a few months back and refused to acknowledge the debt. I don’t have the ‘muscle’ they have, mainly because I don’t know any thugs; so I decided to take what they owed me.” She stared back at me, the deep green of her eyes as impenetrable as the shadows of a forest. I stared back, unsure if she believed me or if she was contemplating murder; her expression was that indistinguishable. I hesitated; then plunged on in a false show of confidence.

“I hung out at the tavern until after closing, faked a last minute visit to the washroom; then slipped up the back stairs while they were closing up. Brad was busy with some piece of…” I broke off and gestured a wordless apology for the rude reference before continuing. “Brad was otherwise engaged and didn’t notice me when I went into the office or when I came out again. Emeralds secured under my vest, I skirted the washroom and headed for the door.”

“How did you get your hands on them? Wasn’t there a safe or something?” I smiled and nodded, but chose not to reveal that particular detail.

“Let’s just say I’m handy with locks.”

“Not so much with cars though, apparently.” Her jibe was less critical than it was teasing and I noticed a smile flirting with the corners of her mouth.

“No, never have been.”

“I know.” I stared at her again, long and hard, and it was only then that I remembered. Nearly ten years had passed since that Geometry class she mentioned and I hadn’t given her a second thought, mainly because ten years ago she was one of those shy girls at school that no one bothered to look at twice. Not because she wasn’t pretty, which, as I remembered, she was, but because she wasn’t one of the girls a guy could take home on a Friday night. She had even called me Dumbass, just like she had done one Valentine’s Day when she had placed a single rose in my car and I had inadvertently destroyed it while taking one of the ‘Friday Night’ girls home. The memory didn’t sit well with me, especially since she had blossomed from pretty schoolgirl to beautiful woman during the past ten years and now I was sitting with her, alone, in her secluded cabin.

“What’s the matter Josh? Having second thoughts?”

To Be Continued…

Part One

Part Two

Fred Rock of Fred Rock Fiction recently contacted me to discuss a possible, extended collaboration during which time we would write a short story based upon a piece he had begun and then hit a wall. I read the portion he wrote (designated above and throughout these posts in italics ) and was immediately intrigued. Inspiration sparked, we set about sending the piece back and forth between us for several weeks, adding to the tale, discussing possible stumbling blocks, and finally editing the ‘masterpiece’. Our final story is now ready to be shared, which we shall do in increments for your reading ease (and hopefully enjoyment!)

~Morgan~

Filed under: Collaborations, Flash Fiction and Shorts Tagged: #short story, Action, BnV, BooknVolume, collaborative writing, creative writing, Drama, Fiction, Mysteries, Suspense, ~Morgan~

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Published on November 03, 2016 09:55

Royal Splendour – #Poetry of the #NaturalWorld

royal-splendor

Acolyte of Royal Splendor

Draped in robes of Humility

Offering truest Praise in Warming tones

Hues shifting in supplication

As Reverence lilts upon the Breeze.

~Morgan~

Beautiful Photograph found on fotofree stock free photos. Credit Acknowledged to the Original Photographer. Thank you~

Filed under: Poetry Tagged: Autumn, Beautiful Photographs, Beauty, BnV, BooknVolume, Natural World, Nature, Peace, Poem, poetry, Poetry Blog, Shifting Seasons, spirituality, ~Morgan~

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Published on November 03, 2016 07:13

Heavensgate – Hope by Leo Kane – #BookReview

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Heavensgate: Hope by Leo Kane

When Jacob is a child, a mysterious girl comforts him at the funeral of the family he accidentally killed.

Years later, grieving for his lost wife and son, Jacob is at Heavensgate. He strongly believes that the dead should stay dead, but sees things other people don’t see.

Even worse, Jacob is besieged by his alter ego: the taunting, foul-mouthed, sex-crazed and dangerous Jake. A personality with a twisted sense of fun and no conscience.

Jacob battles for his sanity and soul, surrounded by supernatural enemies and allies, as he struggles to free the Keeper of the Forbidden Book and ignore the menacing pink Cadillac that drives by his lakeside lodge every night.

Wherever Jacob goes, people die, and the cops are moving in when a terrifying and seductive presence arrives on the frozen lake.

Now, Jacob will discover that even hope has a dark side.

*******

I began reading this book with an advantage. I had recently hosted a Character Interaction between Jacob and Jake on my blog, so I had some idea what to expect; however, as the story began to unfold, its complexities and multi-faceted layers wove a web of intrigue in my mind I could not ignore. In fact, I could barely put the book down (though I had to) and I found myself more and more curious about the main character…or main characters, perhaps.

The authors approach is both mesmerizing and, like any hypnotist worth his/her salt, equally confusing. Many times I had to stop and re-read, searching for the meaning behind the meaning; seeking truth where there, perhaps, wasn’t any to find. I felt the turmoil of the characters and was drawn into their psychosis with frightening clarity.

Hope is a tale not only of Hope, but of trauma and darkness and the slippery slopes of the human psyche. It kept me thoroughly beguiled and Im looking forward to book two of the series.

5 Stars!

You can read more about the characters of Heavensgate through a recent Character Interaction I hosted between Jacob and Jake.

~Morgan~

Filed under: Authors Books Reviews & Interviews Tagged: BnV, Book Review, Book Review Blogs, BooknVolume, Books to Read, Multiple Personality Disorder, Psychological thrillers, Supporting Indie Authors, ~Morgan~

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Published on November 03, 2016 05:02

November 2, 2016

Variegation – #DailyHaikuChallenge

Variegation

Lush Variegation

Autumn and Winter Fusing

Sensations Mingling

To take part in the Daily Haiku Challenge see The Original Post from Day One

Day 16

~Morgan~

Beautiful Photograph found on Pinterest. Credit Gratefully Acknowledged to the Original Photographer. Thank You~

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Filed under: Daily Haiku Challenge Tagged: Beautiful Photographs, BnV, BooknVolume, Change of Season, Daily Haiku Challenge, Natural World, Poem, poetry, Poetry Blog, Poetry Prompt, Winter, Writing Prompt, ~Morgan~

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Published on November 02, 2016 14:25

Nearly #WordlessWednesday

ribbet-collage

I simply had to share the Marvelous review I received today by Brienne Dubh of Escapology Reviews for Standing In Shadows

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Published on November 02, 2016 12:14

#WordlessWednesday – Photography by Jaewoon U

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~Morgan~

Exquisite Original Photography by Jaewoon U

Filed under: Wordless Wednesday Tagged: 500px photography, amazing Photographers, Amazing Photography, Beautiful Earth Photography, Beautiful Photographs, Beauty, BnV, BooknVolume, Earth_Pics, Light in Photography, Nature, photography, ~Morgan~

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Published on November 02, 2016 11:23

Submerged – A #ShortStory #Collaboration – Part Two

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When I awoke, I was sitting on a love seat before a raging fire. She had buried me beneath a mountain of thick blankets and I was sweating. Somehow, she had wrestled me into the cabin. Whether I had helped her by staggering along or had lost consciousness outside, I couldn’t say.

I was disappointed to find Morpheus curled at my feet, watching my every move. As I began shedding blankets, he growled low and ominous. My eyes never left his. His never left mine.

“Welcome back,” she said from across the room. She was seated on a couch in a white terrycloth robe and matching slippers, a steaming beverage in her hands. “Nice to see you didn’t die of hypothermia in my house.”

I felt as though I’d been dragged behind a truck. “What time is it?”

“Three in the morning,” she said, “but it seems to me that I should be the one asking questions.”

I didn’t reply.

“Let’s just cut right to it,” she said. “You’re expecting me to ask you what you were doing sleeping in my car. You don’t think I know who you are, or what you’ve stolen or who you’ve stolen it from. You’re wrong on all three counts.”

She had my attention.

“The only reason you’re here and not in the police station or somewhere less pleasant is that I want in and it seems to me that you’re in no position to negotiate. Bring me in on this thing and I will help you, I can even help you sell it. Refuse my help and I’ll call the cops. Or maybe I’ll just call Brad Adams directly. I’m sure they’d be happy to know your whereabouts on this lovely evening.”

I studied her face and determined that she wasn’t trifling with me. Resigned, I said, “I had to stash it. I don’t have it with me.”

“Yes,” she said. “I figured that out.”

It was here that I made a discomfiting discovery. Beneath the blankets, I was as naked as Morpheus.

*****

How she’d managed to remove my soaking wet clothes I didn’t care to wonder about, although with no sign of them hanging about to dry, I was in no position to dictate terms. On the other hand, she might not be so brazen if I took the lead where audacity was concerned. I stared at her and considered my course.

The first matter of business was determining how she knew who I was. I glanced round her cabin, to see if she lived alone or if there might be indications of a husband or boyfriend, but the overly feminine décor more than obliged an answer. Besides, she wouldn’t be sitting in her living room at 3AM with a strange man if there were, so I sought the answer to my next question: was she in some way related to Brad Adams? Blatant material wealth would have proclaimed she was, yet at closer inspection, although her home was decorated charmingly, the accoutrements were simple.

“You want the emeralds, do you?” My blunt question seemed to surprise her, as if she hadn’t known after all and I cursed inwardly, but she smiled and nodded.

“Well I knew you’d taken something that didn’t belong to you, though I wasn’t sure what, but yes, a few emeralds would be quite helpful, Joshua. Where have you hidden them?” Somehow, she knew who I was, but in a town as small as this one, halfway between Fairbanks and no-man’s-land, most people did know everyone else. I stared at her hard, trying to put a name to her face, but I couldn’t remember ever seeing her before.

“It’s Josh, and just how do you know me?” Sweltering under the six blankets still piled on top of me, I pushed all but one onto the floor and allowed the remaining one to slide to my waist. She smiled again and I didn’t miss her gaze as it dropped from mine to take in what the blanket had revealed. Years of working the woodlands had honed my physique and I wasn’t ignorant of the fact that most women watched me when I entered the diner or local tavern. I usually ignored them, well, most of the time, but it might just work in my favor now.

“You know it’s impolite to stare, don’t you?” My tone turned more teasing and her gaze shot back to mine, then slid sideways to the fire.

“I saw everything I wanted to see earlier, Josh. Now I’d like to see those emeralds you mentioned.”

“We can debate that point, but I’d like to thank you for not letting me freeze to death. Will you tell me your name?” My evasiveness brought her stare straight back to mine and she set down her drink as the demure smile curving her lips faded.

“You never were very observant.”

To Be Continued…

Part One

~Morgan~