Ember-Raine Winters's Blog, page 6

Week 31 Flash This! What Are You Doing?

 

She couldn’t help the thoughts that ran through her head as she laid chained to the wall in the dank basement. She didn’t know how long it would be before Tim and the guys found her. She hoped that they would. The laugh that bubbled up within her was hollow and self-deprecating. She’d promised herself long ago that she would never allow herself to depend on him again. If it hadn’t been for Griffin practically begging her to treat Kaylee she never would have had to see him again.

Micheal. She sighed. What must he be thinking right now? She wondered if he was ok. She wondered if her mother was worried when she didn’t come home. She had no idea how long she’d been trapped in that basement. She drifted off to sleep thinking about that day. The day that everything changed all those years ago.

“What are you doing?” Her mother gave a disapproving scowl as she walked into the bathroom where Marcy was hovered over the toilet.

“What does it look like, Ma?” She asked irritably.

“Are you sick?” she asked, confused.

She shot her a dark look but suddenly her stomach began to roil again and she almost didn’t make it in the toilet before the entire contents of her already empty stomach pushed past her lips.

This is bad! She thought momentarily. Every morning that week she had woke up puking. She couldn’t keep anything down. She was afraid of what that meant. Terrified to take the test and find out what she already knew in her heart.

The gasp that came from her mother’s lips as she suddenly realized what was happening felt like a bullet to her chest. She didn’t want it to be true. What could she do? Tim was no longer a part of her life. She didn’t want him anywhere near her. How could she have his baby? Surely God wouldn’t be that cruel?

“You’re pregnant?” Her mother whispered.

“I don’t know, Ma. I bought a test yesterday but I’m too scared to take it,’ she replied sadly.

She flew into action then. Grabbing the test and helping Marcy up off the floor. The quick movement almost had her doubling over and dry heaving back into the toilet.

The test took entirely too long and when it finally showed up with the little plus sign in the window her heart cracked open. She stumbled to the nearest wall and slid to the floor in a heap.

A large crash had her bolting upright. A moment later, Tasha came flying down the stairs. The guys had found her and she had a feeling nothing was ever going to be the same.

Flash This Week 30 You Stealthy Little Bitch

Her eyes shot open. The blinding pain in her head only got worse as the memories of what had happened came flooding back. She groaned and looked around wildly attempting to assess the situation. Doug was nowhere to be found. He took the restraints off her wrists and left her locked in the dimly lit room.

That was his first mistake, she thought triumphantly. She moved slowly around the dank musty room. It was some sort of basement. The wooden stairs looked as if they creaked and she climbed them gingerly. One noise could bring him back in an instant. She knew that. She also knew that if she had any hope of getting out of there she needed to hide. She finished climbing the stairs and reached the door that would lead to the rest of the house.

Locked! She knew it would be. She just desperately hoped that she could find a way out before he came back. She knew better than to pin all of her hopes on Tim. She had just recently been around him again after ten long years apart. There was so much she needed to tell him, but she didn’t want to. Now in this situation there was a good chance she would never get the opportunity.

She walked carefully back down the stairs and found a small alcove behind the stairs. The longer she stayed there the more familiar her surroundings became. She remembered this room as if it was from a dream. She hadn’t been in that basement since she had been a small child playing hide and seek with Tim and Dylan. How did she end up in his childhood home? What connection other than the obvious did Doug have to their child hood? Questions swirled through her mind as she continued to search for a way out. She remembered why they never hid in the basement. There was only one way out and it was blocked.

An idea came to her and she squeezed her tiny arm between the loose boards at the base of the stairs. Could it still be there? She felt around in the small space until the knobby end of the baseball bat brushed her fingers. Relief, at finally finding a weapon, was swift. The clicking of a lock sounded above her and she pulled at the bat with all her might. She pushed and pulled until it finally released with a thunk.

“Shit.” She heard Doug curse and his footsteps pounded down the creaky steps.

Okay Marcy, it’s now or never!

She gripped the bat in a white knuckled grip and waited for him to round the corner in search of her. She knew that he was going to find her. The spot was not the stealthiest place in the world, but she didn’t really have any other options.

Cold blue eyes came into focus and she swung as hard as she could. She meant to go for his knee but hit him in the thigh instead. He cursed and dropped. Marcy didn’t take any chances. She ran. She ran up the creaky stairs and out the door that led to the kitchen she used to have cookies and milk in as a kid. She made a grab for the front door but it seemed to be padlocked from the outside,

She wracked her brain trying in vain to remember another way out. She paused only briefly in the living room and then sprinted through the house to the back door. The glass in the door had been broken at some point and the windows were boarded up. She tried the handle and blew out a breath of relief when it opened easily. She ran through the overgrown grass of the back yard and hid behind the old tool shed.

“You stealthy little bitch!” Doug roared as he moved through the yard. “You can’t hide forever Miss Marcy.”

He chuckled and the sound grated on her ears. It was nothing compared to the fear she felt by the closeness of his voice. Right behind her. She turned carefully and looked up and up and up into the cold blue eyes of her kidnapper. That was the last thing she saw before he punched her in the temple and everything faded to blackness.

Flash Fiction Week 29 You’re Sick

Marcy was having some major issues this week. Hell, she had been having issues for the last couple months. If it hadn’t been for stupid Griffin and the guys at GTT she wouldn’t be thinking about Tim again.

That’s a lie. She never stopped thinking about Tim for one minute over the last ten years. How could she? He was the love of her life! She definitely would have noticed the large man coming up behind her as she unlocked the door to her office.

She never would have been knocked out and woke up chained to her desk. She would have seen all this coming. They were supposed to be vigilant! There were dark forces at work and if they found out what she and the guys were up to, they would be in some serious danger.

“Doug?” she asked in horror.

This could be so much worse then I thought.

“Hello, Dr. Holcomb,” he replied with a sick smile.

There was lust in his eyes and Marcy balked at the idea of what that could mean. She was no fool when it came to fighting off an attacker, but even she couldn’t fight him off with her hands chained to the desk.

“What are you doing, Doug?” she asked with a shaky voice.

She wished in that moment that she was stronger, but after having two sessions a week with Tasha over the last month she knew that this man could not be reasoned with. He got off on the power he held over his victims.

“I have been watching you,’ he replied in what he must have thought was a sultry voice. It just made Marcy gag.

She couldn’t fight him. She knew that. The man was well over six feet with big beefy arms and a huge beer belly. He leaned closer to her and she could smell his rotten breath. It reeked of stale beer and cigarettes. She gagged and squirmed when he took her mouth with his own and rammed his tongue in.

“We’re gonna have a lot of fun together,” he smiled lasciviously.

“You’re Sick!” She screeched in his face.

She didn’t even see his fist as it barreled quickly towards her face. She felt the white hot pain and attempted to blink back the spots from her vision.

Tim will come for me, was the last thought that ran through her head before everything went black.

Flash This Week 28 Do I Know You?

The second the elevator doors opened she ran. She knew Tim would come after her. She didn’t have the strength to confront him again. The tortured look in his eyes when he said good-bye was almost enough to send her running back into his arms.

It made her even angrier. How could he look at her and regard her with such desperation? How could he look at her with such love and devotion after what he had done? He looked destroyed when she left. Was she wrong? Was the whole encounter nothing more than a misunderstanding?

She bolted through the glass doors that led out of Tim’s apartment building and stopped dead when she bulldozed into someone walking down the street. The woman had long blonde hair and was at least six inches taller than her five foot two inch frame.The woman put her arms out to steady Marcy. Her mouth went dry and her lungs refused to fill with air as recognition dawned on her.

She pulled herself from the woman’s grasp and shot her a scathing glare.

“Are you ok?” she asked in her sweetly melodic voice.

“Fine, I’m fine,” Marcy replied and turned to leave.

“Wait! Do I know you?” she asked a moment later.

“Nope,’ Marcy replied and attempted to flee.

Her heart was breaking all over again. What was she doing here? He was really tortured about their break-up if this woman was already coming to his apartment so soon after she left him. Her mind whirled and she attempted to leave once again. The woman grabbed her arm.

“It’s Marsha, right?” she asked. “Or Paisley? No, that’s not it.”

That took Marcy by surprise and it made her even angrier. He told this woman about her. She obviously didn’t care to listen.

“No, I don’t know you. I’m sorry, I have to go,” She replied and turned to leave again.

She looked pointedly at the woman’s hand still wrapped around her arm. She looked up and saw the elevator doors open and Tim walk out. He blanched as he looked between the two women.

Ripping her arm from the woman’s grasp, she ran down the street at full speed. The whole time Tim was calling to her desperately to stay. To let him explain. She couldn’t. She wouldn’t.

As his voice faded into the dark night, she vowed to never speak to him again.

Flash This Week 27 “Not Like This”

“Wait Marcy!” He bellowed as he tore from the room.

He hadn’t expected to see her there. He hadn’t expected the fiery little pixie to be curled in a ball on the floor, sobbing. He had no idea what was going on. What she thought she saw that day.

Andy’s pregnant wife had walked up to him while his Aunt was in the restroom that day at the Bistro to thank him for everything he and the guys had done for her after Andy’s death. She seemed good. Well, as good as can be expected so soon after her husband died needlessly. A car bomb in Iraq. His death like many others still haunted Tim’s dreams. He almost lost his cousin that day too.

He sat down against the wall next to Marcy and hung his arms over his knees. He sighed and attempted to wrap his arm around her. She stiffened and turned her head slowly. It was so slow he knew then the anger had returned. He dropped his arm and looked at her, sad.

“Marcy,” he sighed and put his head in his hands.

“Don’t! I don’t want to hear any of your lies!” She screeched.

He looked at her dumbfounded. She isn’t going to let me explain! He started to get angry. His blood began to boil and he had to stop and take a deep breath before he blew. He was quickly matching the rage in her eyes.

“Why?” she asked brokenly. “Why did you do it?”

“I didn’t do anything!” He bellowed.

She flinched and he instantly regretted his actions. He never wanted to make her scared. He never wanted to upset her. He would never, ever cheat on her. He should have known something like this was coming. They had both been different since they got out of the army. She was more neurotic and threw herself into her degree. She was distant and paranoid at the best of times. She was volatile and violent at the worst of times.

“I don’t want to fight with you,” he sighed. “Not like this.”

“You should have thought about that before you cheated on me!” she screeched.

“I didn’t! Would you let me explain?” He bellowed.

She got up quickly and made a dash for the elevator. He blew out a strangled breath and went after her. He couldn’t believe it was going down like this. After everything they had been through together, she was really doing this.

“Leave me alone Mac,” She said and I sighed. “I can’t talk to you right now. I can barely look at you!”

“Don’t leave me Marcy! Not like this! Please, Baby just hear me out!” He bellowed as the elevator doors open and she walked inside.

The tears were streaming down her face. Her bright blue eyes were shining. Her milky white skin was blotchy from crying and he hated himself for being the cause of her tears.

“Good-bye Tim,’ she said on a strangled breath as the doors closed and took his heart with it.

“Good-bye, Marcy.”

Indie Advent Calendar

Remember the little Christmas calendar from when you were a kid? Come on… I know you do! You could open a new little window every day in December wondering what was waiting for you! Most of the time it was chocolate and the biggest prize was Christmas Day!

Well some indie authors got together to give you that same thing! Each day in December go to the blog listed below to find two different books! They are great for Christmas presents or just for your own library! There is something for everyone! While you are there make sure you check out Kay’s facebook page for your chance to win a copy of your favorite book! You can also vote for which book you want to see as a video review. Born to Resist is featured on the tenth so make sure you go and check it out!

Happy Reading!

Ember

Indie Advent Calendar

Flash This Week 26 prompted by Jane

She barreled into the room. Her face was a mask of fury. Slamming the door, she couldn’t even look at his too perfect face. She wanted to scream. She wanted to run. She wanted to punch him in the face.

The worst part was he looked completely bewildered as to why she was fuming. That just made her even madder. He lied! He said he had lunch with his aunt that day. He said he was busy at the nursing home.

Little did she know, he was out to lunch with another woman. A tall blond with a perfect body. I shouldn’t be surprised, she thought to herself. All men have a fascination for tall leggy blonds. She thought he loved her. She thought they would be together forever. She was wrong.

“Well? What do you have to say for yourself?” she shrieked.

“What?” he asked completely dumbfounded.

“Where were you today?” she screamed in his face.

It was more like his chest. She was short, maybe five foot two. Tim was freakishly tall. He was broad with big bulging muscles and sinfully dark brown eyes. She mentally slapped herself and glared at him.

He paled at the question and she glared at him again. That hesitation was all she needed to know. She could never be with him again. She was hiding her heart break behind her anger. She couldn’t let him see the complete and utter devastation that he caused. Her heart was shattered and she didn’t know if it would or could ever be repaired.

“Marcy? Babe? What are you talking about?” he asked, confused.

“UGH!” she growled and turned to leave.

“Are you leaving?” he asked getting angry.

“Maybe,” she replied.

“Are you coming back?” he asked quietly, almost pathetically.

“Maybe not,” she answered as she closed the door behind her.

Writing by the seat of my pants! Re-blogged from Lori’s Reading Corner

Writing By The Seat Of My Pants

By: Ember-Raine Winters Author of Born To Resist

 

I was never one to make outlines. When I was in school, I got in trouble all the time in my research writing class because I could never stick to the outline. (If I wrote one in the first place) I was notorious for flying by the seat of my pants while writing.

It was no different when I decided to write Born To Resist. I had an idea and I ran with it. For me, when I write something I care about deeply, it just flows. It didn’t take me long to write the first draft. I never even really thought much about plotting out each scene I just wrote and wrote.

I think it probably has something to do with the organizational skills of the person writing. I have never been one with great organizational skills. While working with my mother on her business (my day job). I am known as the tornado. I know where everything I need is, but no one else could find it to save their lives. I’m not saying that it’s not good for everything to always be in its proper place and completely organized. It really is. I wish I could be like that. As it is, I work best in the chaos that is my own head.

My writing is much the same. If I were to try to map everything out ahead of time I could almost guarantee that by the time I was done it would be totally different then what I intended in the beginning. Which, when I was in college was the bane of my English teachers existence.

I have heard from many authors in writing groups that I am a part of on Facebook, that they allow the characters to lead the story. The characters tell them how the story will go. At first, I thought they were crazy. I mean I am extremely involved with my characters. I even have my favorites, but I thought, that is a bit ridiculous.

It wasn’t until I started writing Born For War, the sequel to Born To Resist, that I realized what they had been saying was true. I was getting to some pivotal war scenes and I was writing things that had never even occurred to me before. I was writing their story not my own. It was as if they were living things telling their story through me. It was surreal.

I realized then, even though the organization and plotting work for some people, it definitely wouldn’t work for me.

Upcoming Blog Tour Dates

I set up a VBT with Pump Up Your Books. It is set to kick off on October 3rd. I have the tour schedule listed below! Don’t miss out! You will probably learn more about me then you ever wanted to know!

Tour Schedule

Monday, October 3 – First Chapter Reveal at The Writer’s Life

Tuesday, October 4 – Guest Blogging at The Story Behind the Book

Wednesday, October 5 – First Chapter Reveal at Books, Dreams, Life

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Monday, October 10 – Interview at My Bookish Pleasures

Tuesday, October 11 – Guest Blogging at CBY Book Club

Wednesday, October 12 – First Chapter Reveal at The Bookworm Lodge

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Monday, October 17 – Interview at I’m Shelf-ish

Tuesday, October 18 – First Chapter Reveal at Bound 2 Escape

Wednesday, October 19 – Book Review at Live Love Books Blog

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Monday, October 24 – Interview at The Literary Nook

Tuesday, October 25 – Book Review at Cheryl’s Book Nook

Tuesday, October 25 – First Chapter Reveal at Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!

Wednesday, October 26 – Guest Blogging at Lori’s Reading Corner

Friday, October 28 – Character Interview at Pimp That Character!

Didn’t really want to do this!!

I have been struggling lately on whether I wanted to post my thoughts on the current matters going on in the country.

It wasn’t until I read a quote from Edmond Burke that I decided that I could no longer hold my silence.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Edmond Burke

So yeah… That quote is a bit dated and yeah I am in no way a man, but I feel it is my duty as an author and a citizen of the United States to voice my opinion. 

Colin Kapernick is out of control. Just tonight I heard that while he was practicing for his game against the San Diego chargers he was wearing socks that made a derogatory remark about our police officers that keep us safe every day. On the cusp of the incident where he disrespected our national anthem and our flag and everything it stands for.

Yes, I understand that as an American that is his right to express himself, but I do not agree that a public figure should blatantly disregard those who gave their lives so that he could have those rights. He is not making a political statement he is shaming all of those who worked, bled, and sacrificed their lives so he could choose whether he wants to stand and honor those people who made it possible for him to be in the profession he is in and make the tens of millions of dollars he makes a year.

I’m all for equality and I HATE racism. I understand where many African Americans are coming from. I do not however; believe in the Black Lives Matter movement using violence and murder to get a point across. Every celebrity that has become a member of that movement I have boycotted and I urge my followers to do the same. 

The mothers of the movement, as Alicia Keyes called them and Beyoncé honored them last week, are the mothers of criminals who were told by the police to lower their weapons. Do not resist the police and if they tell you to do something, do it. That way everyone is breathing the next day. 

Police are trained to protect themselves as well as the community in which they serve. They are people. They have parents and siblings, husbands and wives and children just like the rest of us that they want to come home to at the end of their shift.

I have come to the conclusion that I have to boycott one of my favorite TV Shows this season because one of the members of the black lives movement is going to be a judge this season. This makes me incredibly sad, but as long as The Voice employs members of a movement who use violence and anarchy to get thier point across I will not watch it and I will never buy or listen to another Alicia Keyes song again. I urge my followers to do the same