Year-long NaNo discussion
Jes Drew
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Summers of Yesteryear
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Agent Jesse studies us with the perfect poker face of calmness. “The next part of the drill. What do you do when something like that happens?”Mickey smacks Tim on the arm. “Run for the hills! Run for the hills!”
Jesse frowns. “Not exactly the answer I’m looking for.”
Alex raises his hand slightly. “Look for survivors?”
“No. First you make sure you are not in immediate danger. From flames, smoke, debris, or toxic chemicals- anything.”
Sheila glances around, as of expecting a fire goblin to jump out at her. “Are we?”
Jesse’s face doesn’t so much as twitch, but I know he has to inwardly cursing the people who put him in charge of training a bunch of teenagers. “You are safe. That was just a demonstration from our scientists.”
As if summoned, Joan appears, carrying a giant flame-thrower over her shoulder.
Tim shakes his head. “Lies. When Joan has a flame-thrower, there is no safety for anyone.”
Agent Jesse turns to Miss Joan and frowns at her equipment. “That’s all we need for this drill.”
Miss Joan glances between her equipment and us, as if calculating the pros and cons of not being a homicidal maniac.
A breeze whips at my hair and clothes as Tim really does take off running for the hills, Mickey and all.
Jes wrote: "This book is a companion novel to my Dystopian Takeover trilogy, about what happens when the dust settles through Violet's eyes. As she trains to stop future takeover attempts alongside several oth..."A POV from Violet!?!?! Sounds awesome Jes! Can't wait to hear more about it! =D
Jes wrote: "Agent Jesse studies us with the perfect poker face of calmness. “The next part of the drill. What do you do when something like that happens?”
Mickey smacks Tim on the arm. “Run for the hills! Run..."
Haha, this scene! I love it! I've been wanting Agent Jesse to have a role like this. ;)
“You were always such a ferocious creature.”My blood turns to ice, and I frantically shine my flashlight around the room. The shadows dance around me, but I can’t seem to see the King of them.
But my other hand goes for my knife just the same.
“A heartless liar and manipulator. So like me.” His voice echoes all around me now.
Why can’t I pinpoint his location? “Show yourself! Show yourself, Earnestine!”
But the psychopathic psychiatrist I met during the Dystopian Takeover just laughs, the chuckles becoming louder and louder like drums in my head. “Maybe that was why it was so easy to get into your head. To make you do my bidding. Because it was exactly what you wanted to do.”
I blink, trying very hard not to remember the flashbacks from the part of my mind I dare not tread.
But how can I forget the way I almost killed Emily? The reason she had every right in the world to walk out of my life and never look back.
Slowly, carefully, I make my way toward the garage, still checking to make sure the shadows didn’t reach out to strike me. “I’m with a team of well-trained agents. They’ll come looking for me. They’ll find you-”
Just as I reach it, the garage door drops down, the sound of it causing my heart to stop and my hands to drop my flashlight. It flickers off even as I loose the light of the moon.
Throwing myself against the garage, I press my back to it and wave my knife in front of him, bracing for his attack.
“They won’t come for you. You mean nothing to them. No one ever comes back for you. Except me.”
I feel it. His touch against my left forearm.
Without hesitation, I drive my knife down into him. Into my left forearm.
I cry out with pain even as I bring myself down to the dust coated floor.
Tears prick my eye as I consider pulling out the blade and risking bleeding out, or keep it in and risk Dr. Earnestine unarmed. “I’m going to kill you. If it kills me, I’ll kill you.”
He just laughs. “That’s exactly what it will take. You see, I am you.”
My fingers grasp the blade, ready to pull it out. Shaking, but ready to kill and die. “Where are you!”
The laughter echoes again. It’s always the same laugh with the same tempo. “I already told you. I’m in your head.”
That’s when I realize what I should have known all along.
I’m alone in this hangar.
Jes wrote: "“You were always such a ferocious creature.”My blood turns to ice, and I frantically shine my flashlight around the room. The shadows dance around me, but I can’t seem to see the King of them.
B..."
*gawks* Wow, I totally need to read this...
Thanks. My sister thinks I have issues (but so does she, so...)
Jes wrote: "Thanks. My sister thinks I have issues (but so does she, so...)"What? No! I love darker stories (if that's what you were implying she thought you had issues with XD) and write them too.
No, she writes darker stories. But my characters have a bad habit of things messing with their heads. That villain especially is terrible at it, and was actually born late in the story's life because I watched the most terrifying documentary (and piece of film period) ever: https://alienintrusion.com/
SHINE wrote: "Don’t we all? I think we all need “Get Help!” at some point. Bonus if you know what the “Get Help!” reference is from!"
I LOVE that scene! Loki is my absolute favorite!
Jes wrote: "No, she writes darker stories. But my characters have a bad habit of things messing with their heads. That villain especially is terrible at it, and was actually born late in the story's life becau..."Ah, I've done that before myself XD
Jes wrote: "I scare myself at night."Huh... don't think I've done that, lol
I close and lock my door behind me so that there won’t be any witnesses.Then I dial Mom’s number and wait for my execution.
“Hello,” Mother greets on the other side of the world. “This is Daphne White.”
We’re so different that we don’t even share the same last name- not since the divorce, anyway. Sometimes I think we need a translator to understand each other. “This is Violet.”
“Violet!” she gushes- she likes putting on a show. “How are you, love?”
Translation: let’s focus on pleasantries- they’re simple and safe.
Except, they’re not. “Well enough, considering the ‘Cure.’”
“That’s good,” she says before quickly changing the subject- she dislikes talking about weakness as much as I do. “How’s life at the compound? Who’s all there with you? I know your old friend Alex is. Is he as hot in person as he is on the news?”
Translation: if you don’t want to stick with pleasantries, than let’s at least pretend to have a normal mother/daughter relationship.
I clench my jaw. “Everything’s fine here. How’s everything in France?”
“Just lovely.”
Translation: just fine (fine being either positive or negative; really it’s a neutral word that can be twisted any way one pleases).
“And I suppose Dad hasn’t bothered to call to see how I’m doing after the whole Dystopian Takeover thing, has he?”
“No,” Mom answers with more artificial sweetness than usual.
Translation: change the subject. Now.
I ignore my mental translator. “I assumed as much.”
Awkward silence ensues.
Groaning, I drop down on my bed. “Well, it was nice talking to you.”
“Thank you for checking in for me,” she answers just as falsely.
Hanging up, I toss the phone on my pillow and stretch out.
Then I get up and join the others at the Running Fields.
This time, instead of running away from Alex, I pretend to be running away from Mom. I’d run away from Dad too, but he’s already run away from me.
Nice word play mixed with emotion!! =) Its compelling.
“Sounds fun,” I mutter before walking up to the base agent table, where Sheila and Mickey are sitting as far away as Alex and Tim as possible.I glance at the boys before taking a seat in nice, spacious middle.
Halfway through my dinner, a note slides over to me from the girl’s side. Opening it, I read:
He seriously gouged you? Why didn’t you tell us? We could’ve beaten him up for you.
Rolling my eyes, I slide the note back down to them unanswered.
Then a note slides toward me from the boy’s side. Taking another bite of dinner, I open this one:
If it’s any consolation, Alex is super repentant. The last thing he ever wants to do is hurt you. -Tim
Oh my goodness, this drama is so not worth it. I slide Tim back his note too.
Then two notes come sliding back to me, one on either side.
I read the girls’ first:
Did he at least offer to kiss the boo-boo?
Please, God, don’t let me ever go into a dangerous mission with these people.
I’m almost scared to read Tim’s:
Believe me, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it up.
Tim is a terrible reader of persons. I just need to go on solo missions.
I slide the notes back to their respective senders simultaneously.
Wait- I did send the right ones back to each group, right?
Glancing toward Tim, I see his eyes about bug out of his face when he reads the note I sent him.
Oh, dear-
I turn to Sheila and Mickey, giggling over their notes. Sheila wags her eyebrows at me.
I’ll take that solo mission right about now.
That's awesome, it's so fun to smile and laugh over your own writing.
Thank you. I had terrible writer's block on it until yesterday morning and I woke up with fresh ideas and marathoned 7,000 words.
“Well, I'd say that was pretty effective for a silencing mechanism,” Agent Jesse says, looking like he's trying very hard not to be amused. “Let's see if Alex can use it as an interrogation method.”“Me?” Alex manages to ask before turning to me and taking a deep breath. Then just like that he seems to make himself seem almost suave. “Hey, Beautiful.”
“Copycat,” Miss Joan accuses.
“I don't know your name,” he adds, “so can I just call you… Callopygian?”
I stare at him. “Callapygian? What on earth does that even mean?”
Agent Jesse shakes his head. “Maybe that would be an effective means of learning a girl's name, if you used a complement that's in the common vernacular.”
"You mean like 'vernacular'?” Sheila asks sarcastically before rolling her eyes. “Guys with big vocabs.”
“I got a dictionary on my phone!” Mickey announces victoriously, whipping one out of her pocket.
Alex whirls around. “No, don't look it up!”
I raise an eyebrow at him and he blushes.
“Callopygian,” Mickey reads aloud. “The quality of or possessing the quality of having an attractive or shapely rear end.”
I raise my eyebrow higher.
Tim coughs. “Did not see that coming.”
“Callopygian,” Sheila whispers like she's trying to commit it to memory. “Callopygian...”
“It was the first thing that popped in my head.” Alex holds out both his hands in surrender. “I just happened to read that word recently, and…”
Maybe all those dry-looking classics he reads aren't so dry.
“I don't really think you're callopygian, Vi.”
I cock my hip again. “Excuse me?”
“I mean, uh, I wouldn't know because I don't look down there. Your eyes are up here.”
“Uh-huh.”
Miss Joan, who had been chuckling steadily since the word was unmasked, is now laughing so hard that she falls out of her chair.
Agent Jesse rubs the bridge of his nose. “Well, I hope this example has convinced you all of the effectiveness of the flirting interrogation. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go bang my head on a wall.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, me too.” Okay, so maybe Alex is that big of a jerk after all.
“Vi...” Alex pleads, but he's interrupted by Sheila, who bats her eyes. “You know, I find guys with a big vocabulary attractive.”
“Well, you'll just have to like a different nerd because I-” Alex stops himself and blinks. “Wow, the flirting technique really is effective.
Or maybe he's not so much of a nerd as a victim of his circumstances.
“Because you're not callopygian enough?” Sheila asks. “Really, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself.”
“I think I'm going to go bang my head on a wall too,” Alex mutters.
Tim stares off into the distance as if suddenly realizing something grand. “If I bang my head on a wall I don't get a headache.”
And with that one last piece of information, our lesson in subtle interrogation comes to an end.
Elizabeth wrote: "Wow. That was marvelous. xD ^.^"Thank you. That bit I wrote a while ago, when I first learned a certain vocabulary word...
xD xD It's hilarious, I couldn't help laughing at the awkwardness. ^.^
Elizabeth wrote: "xD xD It's hilarious, I couldn't help laughing at the awkwardness. ^.^"Awkwardness is what you get when you try to train five teenagers who kind of know each other to be spies.
SHINE wrote: "I LOVE IT!"Glad you like it, SHINE.
Jes wrote: "“Well, I'd say that was pretty effective for a silencing mechanism,” Agent Jesse says, looking like he's trying very hard not to be amused. “Let's see if Alex can use it as an interrogation method...."Hahaha This is brilliant Jes! XD
Grace wrote: "Jes wrote: "“Well, I'd say that was pretty effective for a silencing mechanism,” Agent Jesse says, looking like he's trying very hard not to be amused. “Let's see if Alex can use it as an interroga..."Thanks!
“Hey, aren’t you Franklin’s son?”I glance up from my phone to see Alex standing halfway between the vending machine and my bench, being approached by two men wearing US flag-colored shirts.
Wonderful. This entire international airport, and our only two fellow Americans somehow found us.
The stouter of the two glares at Alex. “My sister almost died from that stupid ‘Cure’ she was given at school because of your fool of a dad.”
Alex steps back cautiously. “I’m very sorry about that. Is she all right now?”
“You have no right to talk about her!” the man yells.
His taller counterpart looms over Alex menacingly. “You’re a psychopath just like the rest of them!”
Pushing the glasses that didn’t work for a disguise up his face, Alex clears his throat. “I’m not sure you thought about the ignorance behind your statement before it escaped through your mouth, let me explain-”
Oh. No.
Pocketing my phone and picking up my drink, I start walking toward my foolish fellow teammate I never asked for. It’s time for an extraction.
Even as I start moving forward, the stout man pulls back his fist and shoves it into Alex’s face.
Alex staggers backwards, grabbing at his glasses.
I slide behind the two men and splash my water on the floor in front of them just as they move closer toward Alex.
Kicking behind me, I make just enough contact with the nearest one to hear him fall.
I turn to see the stout one go crashing down- and drag his taller companion down with him.
Then I reach and grab Alex’s arm, slightly surprised to feel so firm of a bicep in my grip and tug him forward.
He staggers blindly after me.
Just as two air marshals move forward.
Oh, drat.
“Officers,” Alex mumbles, still covering his eyes with one hand while his other grabs a paper out of his pocket and holds it out to them.
The men take one glance at it before waving us onward and moving toward his two assailants.
“A traveling gift from Jesse,” Alex offers.
I glance at the paper in Alex’s hand to try and see what our new supervising officer gave to give us such a powerful passport through trouble, but it looks like boring words and a picture of shield with the word ‘Peacemaker’ written across from it. Our team insignia, I suppose.
Tugging Alex forward a few more steps, I turn to see that he still hasn’t moved his hand from his eyes. “How bad is it?”
“I don’t know. Scratched corneas hurt like the dickens, but aren’t usually serious-”
I groan and drag him into the nearest family bathroom.
Locking the door behind us, I back him against the wall. “Okay, lean forward and move your hand.”
He obediently lowers his face toward mine, almost hitting his nose on mine in his blindness. But he doesn’t move his hand.
“Light makes scratched corneas hurt even more.”
“We don’t even know if it is that. Now move your hand, you baby.”
Slowly, very slowly, he slides his hand off his face.
I look heavenward. “Good grief, I’m going to have to go out on the field with you?”
“Well?”
Moving my gaze back down, I almost hit my chin on his nose and then find my gaze on level with his gray eyes. Only, black now rims one eye, and the skin just under the other is sliced open slightly.
“Well?” Alex asks, and his breath is against my face. Thankfully, it’s minty and not something worse.
I step back an inch. “Can you see clearly?”
Blinking, he looks around the room. “A bit blurry, but clearing up. I don’t think they actually got my cornea.”
“You were just being a baby.” Reaching my arm around him, I have to lean into him to grab a paper towel.
He grins. “I appreciate the hug. It really helps me feel better.”
“Don’t be a dork.” I wet the paper towel with sink water and pat it on his scratch. “I’m only doing this so Jesse doesn’t think I can’t take care of even one teammate.”
His grin deepens, and his eyes dance. “But you can. You’re my hero.”
"Dork."
SHINE wrote: "THIS IS SO GOOD!"Thanks Shine!
*rolls eyes* Sometimes Alex is just way too sarcastic for his own good.
Elizabeth wrote: "*rolls eyes* Sometimes Alex is just way too sarcastic for his own good."It's his survival mechanism. He's on a spy team with three teenage girls and only one fellow dude.
Ouch. Sounds like hard luck. Poor kid. xD
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