Reaching forward she grasped a root, her feet fighting for a hold in the loose dirt and rocks. The root seemed to hold for the moment as she pulled herself up catching a stable hold with one of her feet. Risking a glance behind her she sees the Tear and the others were still following at an unnerving pace. Zahida faced forward and continued to climb out of the chasm, slipping back down a few feet and scratching herself up more. Her arms and legs were scratched deeply and bruised from her fight to escape and this climb. Patches of feathers flew into her face and she flexed her wings. Unsure if they would be able to hold her she did not risk using them. They had been badly mangled as well, more blood dripped off of them than any other part of her. Her feathers stained red. Taking another step up she reached out for a hand hold and the ground below her gave away and she slid back down, deep into the chasm. Dust burned her wounds and her eyes. She was exhausted. If only she could give up.
Zahida took a deep breath and pushed herself higher, knowing the creatures would be at her heels any minute now. The cuts on her hands stung where the dirt and grime from her ascent had work its way into them. A gash on her brow dripped blood into her left eye but still she kept moving. She only needed to make it out of the chasm from there she could run. Run where? That she would figure out when she was up there. A talon caught her ankle, then, cutting into her skin as she jerked her foot away from it. It seemed to lose its hold briefly before it clutched her leg tightly. She flexed her wings out and prayed they could hold her for the next hundred or so yards. Rippling feathers spread out, sticky with blood, and with all of her strength she leapt upwards, her wings pushing a gust of wind downward.
©Copyright Meghan McNeill 2011
“You want us to what, again?”
Chloe shouted. By this point they had moved outside because they were done with their meal and because Chloe could not seem to keep her voice down. She was particularly dramatic when she didn’t like what she heard. Zach and Chloe spoke with Grimm near their car, Gabe had excused himself and gone home. He would have to explain later what Grimm meant by ‘good job keeping them safe.’ Chloe ran a hand through her purple and brown hair, her other hand on her hip indignantly. Grimm just waited for her to finish and Zach while also distressed at what Grimm had just told them was more worried at that point in time about his sister waking up the neighborhood. His hands came up about chest high and just kinda stayed there, palms facing out and slightly down. He looked as if he was trying to will her quieter.
“I want you to work as reapers for me. Escorting the dead, the things you do already but hopefully with less sorrowful souls and a better dental plan. You were born to do this, why do you think you can see spirits? Surely you didn’t think it was normal. Now like I said before, this was your father’s debt, but I have someone I think you would like to see. How much do you know about your mother?”
Zach looked up at the man, god… Force of nature, he was seriously going to have to ask Grimm what to classify him as, interested. If Grimm knew something of his mother then Zach wanted to know. He would almost agree without knowing the terms. Suddenly he noticed Grimm’s face, it was a pale white like the rest of him but the depths of his eyes seemed to go on forever into a blue black nothingness. He had predominate cheekbones and surprisingly a mousy brown hair. Not really knowing why, except maybe he watched too much television, he expected a head of black, sleek hair. Instead he found a wavy mess of mousy brown hair.
© Copyright Meghan McNeill 2011
I am half way through a novel I am writing for November’s National Novel Writing Month Or NaNoWriMo an OMGWTFBBQ!!!! I am so frustrated with everything. Today I started writing and every paragraph or so I would curl into a ball and cry!
I am having some serious issues with my motivation since I’ve fallen behind and it is making me sad, I am also at a hard part of my book… I know whats happening and I am still crying.
I want to share excerpts of my book with you as I fumble through… the good the bad and the crying.
Bear with me, this is my first time, and we all know how awkward first times can be, hopefully this will be a success and I’m glad to have you all along for the ride.
Yours Truly;
Elly
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