Sunday Snippet: Weapons of Mass Destruction
Had a very busyweek with work projects and family stuff. I'm kind of exhausted but not in abad way. My sleep schedule is somewhat all over the map and that doesn't help.Insomnia is a definite pain in the butt.
I had a pretty solidweek of viewing television. I got another full round of shows in and might beadding one or two in the next week.
I picked back upwith Suspects and enjoyed the episode. This show is a little chaotic andI like that. I also rather like the characters.
Caught anotherepisode of Cannes Confidential and thoroughly enjoyed it. I have oneepisode left and I'm not ready for the season to end. I truly hope there's moreto come from this show. It's so good!
Watched thepenultimate episode of Peak Practice season nine. I'm bracing for impactfor the finale. Then it's on to season ten!
Started a newtwo-parter of Silent Witness. Very interesting episode and I'm not surewhere part two is going to go. This isn't a bad thing.
Enjoyed anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. This is such a fun show even if there'salways a murder to solve.
Caught anotherepisode of Fantasy Island and, yep, my biggest pet peeve happened. Takea couple and tear them apart for stupid reasons. I'll finish out the season andsee what happens, but I'm cranky now and that probably means I won't watchanything else if it has another season.
Started a rewatchof The Batman. I rather liked this series. I might also be able tofinish my rewatch of Batman: The Animated Series. For whatever reason,it seems to be available again.
Watched another ClassicRugrats episode with two eps I'd forgotten about. Season five seems to havequite a few of those.
Missed watching BattlestarGalactica this week. My viewing partner had a family commitment and we'repicking up again this week.
That's it for thelife update. Tonight's post is from Weapons of Mass Destruction, a sexyshort that got a start with a writing community prompt.
Here's theminiblurb:
Bennie Sheehan and Sutton McBride are instructors at amage academy. When they're trapped by a group of students pulling an elaboratelark—a yearly tradition—the former classmates reminisce about a favoriteteacher and discover a mutual attraction for each other. The game then becomeswhether they can act on their feelings before the group of academic trickstersundo their prank.
And a preview snippet…
Bennie Sheehan reachedfor another archive and opened the book. "I know there's a reference tothe topic in one of these tomes." She occupied the large table in thecenter of the academy's library and had half the surface covered.
She used the index,running her finger along the side of the page. "Aha! Yes. I knew I'd findsomething." She snagged a bookmark and turned to the noted page. "Whydid I agree to take over Carmody's advanced rune class after half term?"Because he'd planned a sabbatical and she had the lightest course load at themoment.
Right.
Because she'd only beenback at the Bramblewood Academy for half a semester.
Setting the book aside,she checked over her list. She had everything she needed to get started afterthe mid-term break. "Hopefully, I won't have to bring everyone up to speedwhen I take over Carmody's class." The guy rarely stuck to his syllabus.
A noise in the upperstacks drew her attention and she glanced upward. The head librarian, SuttonMcBride, guided a cart of books from the center of the left wing usingspellwork to return the titles to their rightful place. He moved like a maestroconducting an elaborate symphony.
Bennie tilted her headto one side. "He's only improved in half a decade." They'd graduatedfrom Bramblewood the same year but didn't have many classes together.
She'd had a huge crushon Sutton—like half their class—and always kind of regretted not being moresocial during her four years of study. If she had been, she might have had anopportunity to take a shot with him. Sutton participated in a slew of activities.The mage society, competitive spellcasters, the underground rune club, and thelock and key group.
Her lips curved."I belonged to study sessions for one and spent ninety percent of my timecrouched over my desk poring over my notes." Kind of like now.
She went back to herresearch, double-checking the resources she wanted to use. About halfwaythrough the review, an odd feeling settled over her. It's too quiet.
The library usually hada buzz of muted tones and whispers. Right now, the space almost echoed withsilence. No hum from groups huddled together discussing their latest projectsor the slick sounds of pages being turned. Only utter stillness.
Bennie got up and didsome quick recon. The windows on the first floor were shuttered, no light reflectingin from the streetlamps outside. The upper stacks didn't have moonlightfiltering in through the large glass panes at either end of the library. A hardball of dread settled in her stomach when she attempted to open the main doorsand they didn't budge.
She tried the sideentrances next and couldn't get through. The doors weren't locked, yetsomething, a spell or hex, held them in place. For thoroughness, she checkedthe window closest to her, but nope, it wouldn't move.
She put her hands onher hips. "Dammit. Locked in and trapped. What the hell is going on?"As soon as the words left her mouth, realization of the date kicked in."Shit. Midterm break." She sighed.
Time for the annualbiggest magick prank week of the year. Just for tricks and grins.
And I'm stuck in themiddle of one.
I'm having a lot offun with this story. It's early days yet, but Bennie and Sutton are coolcharacters and a joy to write.
That's it for thisweek.
Cheers!
Skye
