Lulu M. Sylvian's Blog, page 3
September 26, 2023
An Improper Derailment: Chapter 30
July 25, 2023
An Improper Derailment: Chapter 29
July 7, 2023
Shift’N’Howl Author Interview with Sheri Queen
June 30, 2023
Shift’N’Howl Author Interview TL Reeve and Michele Ryan
June 23, 2023
Shift’N’Howl Interview with Claire Davon
May 30, 2023
An Improper Derailment: Chapter 28
May 9, 2023
Happy Release Day!
March 28, 2023
An Improper Derailment: Chapter 27
Catch up with Chapter 26…Start the series from the beginning…
“Is that one edible?” Mary mumbled to herself. She tried to remember what local fauna was edible.She gathered what few berries she could find. And there were prickly cactus that she seemed to recall from her studies that could be eaten.
She had remembered that cactus contained water, and right now, that was probably more pressing than actual food.
There were old nests and other signs of small creatures that lived among the barren stone pillars that formed the canyons she currently explored.
After taking care a bit of personal business, she had immediately returned to where Marshall lay sleeping. He was exactly where she had left him, safe as houses. And she hadn’t gotten lost.
Feeling confident with a successful first expedition, she ventured forth in an attempt to find some form of sustenance. They hadn’t had time on the ability to forage for a breakfast this morning. Marshall had emphasized the need to be clear of the carnivorous sauran territory above all else.
Mary wasn’t sure which need of her body was greater at the moment, the need for sleep, or food.
Her stomach grumbled with an unladylike sound that reverberated through the air.
“Fine, I guess it’s food.”
She located a nest that looked like it wasn’t completely abandoned and set up a snare. She hoped for a rabbit, but at this point, she wouldn’t say no to something more unsavory such as a vole of some type. Desperate times called for desperate measures.
With disappointment in her personal fortitude, Mary realized she had drifted off as she sat in wait for her snare to catch something. The struggles of a pitifully thin, mostly gnarled skinny legged, bird brought her out of her dreamless sleep with a jolt.
“My, you are pitiful. But if you are my only option, you will have to do.”
The poor thing didn’t look to have enough meat on it for even a taste. With a grimace and girding of her mentality with steel boning as in her corset, Mary did the needful thing, and dispatched the creature.
“If there are birds, then maybe there are eggs.” Eggs were always so much easier to deal with.
She continued her scavenging until she heard her name in the distance.
Without much to show for her time she hurried back toward where she had left Marshall asleep.
“Mary!” She heard him bellow.
“I’m returning post haste!” she called back.
“Where are you? Mary?”
“Marshall, stay put or we shall both be lost in this maze.” She could only hope he heard her and listened to her, two very different things she was well aware of.
Marshall’s voice grew more concerned with each call of her name. She picked up her pace as she threaded her way back through the labyrinthine rock formations.
Suddenly she was wrapped in Marshall’s embrace. He held her and breathed heavily.
“I thought you had gotten lost,” he finally admitted before releasing his hold on her.
“I’m right here. I was out looking for food.” She triumphantly held up the scrawny bird she had trapped. “You were so deeply asleep, I thought I’d be back long before you woke.”
“Don’t ever go wandering off like that without telling me first.” His large hands cupped her face, and his eyes searched hers.
“You were asleep. And we need sustenance before we both collapse.”
“I could have gone out hunting after I woke up.” He scooped the bird she hand dangling from her grasp. “It this supposed to be food?”
“It has more meat on it than any of the little field mice out there. It was the best I could do.” She didn’t fold under his scrutiny, something she was proud of. She had done a good job and she knew it.
“Oh, I also found these. I’m not sure which of anything is edible.”
She opened the front of her skirt wide. She had gathered it into a giant pocket to carry the various cactus and berries she had found.
Marshall reached into the collection of fruits. He began picking the berries and tossing them. “I don’t know what those are, and I don’t eat berries I’m unfamiliar with. Now this”— he held up a piece of cactus she had broken off— “we can eat it, and drink the juice. Some folks make good booze from this juice.”
He broke a few of the spikes off, and put his mouth around the piece and sucked. He let out a contented sigh as he held it out to Mary to try.
She gathered her skirt, still holding more offerings, in one hand and accepted the cactus. She was thirsty, and now that Marshall has taken a drink, she knew it would be safe for her to do so as well.
It was sticky and warm, but it felt good on her throat.
“Let’s see what we can do with this. Well done, Mary. We’ll have a decent lunch with all of this.”
Marshall smiled at her, and suddenly she felt very proud of her self. If not slightly flustered at the sudden attention.
“But, I’m serious. Don’t go wandering off again, you had me worried.”
©2023 Lulu M. SylvianNow that they won’t starve to death, what is in store for Mary and Marshall? Tune in next time…
January 31, 2023
An Improper Derailment: Chapter 26
Start the series from the beginning…
Mary stumbled as she crossed the terrain.Marshall had been quiet, not even chastising her or teasing her about wanting more sleep. He kicked the fire to ensure it had burned itself off and then they were off.
He had wanted to get out of this territory. Yesterday he had wanted to get to it.
Mary tried to understand, but she was so tired, every bone in her body ached. The caves had been safety for the night, but they were not a long term solution to their problem. They were deep in the middle of sauran territory, and apparently not the kinds of megafauna plant eating saurans Mary was familiar with.
“Can we please rest?” she whined.
“We’ve got to keep going. I’m tired too, last night was a long one.”
Marshall didn’t pause or stop. He kept walking. The terrain didn’t change much. It was rocky with intermittent scrub grass. The prairie and its endless miles of tall grass was somehow gone.
How would he know when they were safe? How could he tell if they were beyond the range of the saurans that would eat them for lunch?
Mary trudged, half asleep. She couldn’t keep going. She fell to her knees with a cry.
“I can’t.”
Marshall took the few steps needed to be by her side. He lifted her with relative ease, even though she knew he was tired. He hadn’t slept at all, he had to be more than exhausted.
He pointed some where in the distance. “Let’s make it to there, and then we can rest.”
Mary whimpered and clutched at his jacket. She had to be strong for him, herself, for their survival.
Marshall eased her to her feet. “You can do this, it’s not that far.”
She held to his arm, uncertain if he was supporting her, if if she was supporting him. They reached a row of low dark trees. Mary had assumed they marked the banks of a stream, but there were only more rock formations like a scar in the land.
“We should be safe in here.”
“Marshall, won’t the saurans follow us?”
He shook his head as he slid more than walked down into the formations of eroded rock.
Mary scrambled after him, careful to not fall. When they reached the bottom, Marshall sat. “I think this is a fine place to rest.”
Mary looked up at the edge where the land had given way. She turned and in front of her was a labyrinth of towers of rock.
“Are you sure we’ll be safe here?”
Marshall didn’t answer. When she twisted to look back at him, he had tipped his hat over his face. He was already asleep. That was her answer. If Marshall felt safe enough to sleep, she had to accept they were safe enough.
Curling up by his side to nap with him was a very tempting thought. But she had been traveling with him long enough to know that wasn’t an option. She needed to find them some food. But first, a rest wouldn’t be unreasonable.
Mary perched with her back straight. Good posture helped her to stay awake. Her eyes drifted closed. With a jerk, Mary brought herself back to attention.
“Enough of that.” She stood and brushed off her skirts, more out of habit than actually getting any form of dust or dirt off.
“Right.” She propped her hands on her hips and looked at her surrounding, memorizing the spot exactly, so that she could return to Marshall without getting lost.
Marshall had kept them safe last night, it was her turn to now make sure they survived another day, and that meant water and food.
She looked at her walking stick-slash-emergency cudgel that lay discarded on the ground near Marshall’s sleeping form. She picked it up. No need to go about without any kind of protection.
©2023 Lulu M. Sylvian
Tune in next time to find out if Mary locates food and water.
Chapter 27 coming in March.
January 20, 2023
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