Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Once Upon a Time linkup: Disaster



Well, it has been a good long while since I did the linkup and I thought to myself, I had better get back on board.

This prompt, disaster, came to me because it fits very well with the ending of my first novel.

So, this extract comes from In the Shadow, #1 of the Endless Fire Trilogy.


save me...

 

© Pure Grace
Word Count: 413

 

For a moment the room was still.
Merrie felt the panic rise in her as it drew on. All she could think was, Oh, God, I am caught. I can’t deny this one. There’s no way out…no way out… Julia has won. Merrie’s mouth wouldn’t work. She parted numb lips, her mouth as dry as a bad fig, and tried to run her thick tongue over stiffened lips.
“Tell me that is not what I think it is…” Claudia breathed.
Merrie swallowed and turned to her, ready to explain. The look on Claudia’s face stopped her.
“Tertia, you don’t know how this got here, do you?” Claudia turned to the girl on the couch.
Tertia looked from Claudia to Merrie, face stricken, scared to death.
“No!” she squeaked. “No! I have no idea.”
“Merrie?” Claudia turned to her. “What is this?”
Merrie tried to breathe. Every breath seemed constricted, like a huge stone crushed her chest. “I…I don’t know why it…where it…” she stopped, voice breaking off with a crack.
“Tertia, out.”
The girl rose and fled the room. Merrie stared at the curtains swinging into place behind her, breath hot and heavy in her lungs.
Disappointment flooded Claudia’s face. “I cannot believe it.”
Merrie stood sick, dry mouthed and burning all over. She could see everything falling away from her at once. Her home, her peace, her security…
“Nay,” she whispered, trembling. She caught her breath, paralyzed with dread, and watched Claudia’s eyes turn icy. Sweat broke out on her upper lip and she tasted salt on her tongue. “It was…not me!” She choked on the words. How could she possibly make Claudia understand? Her lips parted, desperate for the right words. There had to be away. Tears were stinging her eyes and she turned them up to Claudia, running her tongue along her lips. But the depth was gone from Claudia’s eyes. Nothing remained on her face but disconnected misery. All at once, Merrie felt the hope drain from her. I am lost. There is no way to right this now. What can mere words say against such proof as this?
She closed her eyes. It was over. She could feel it, deep down in her belly, as though something had been ripped out of her. There was no escape from this one. Julia had triumphed in her final maneuver. Merrie had been flirting with Julia’s treachery for too long and she was caught.
So be it.
 

 
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Also, Katie over at Whispering of Pens is hosting a Writing Contest. You can find it here: http://katie-writingblog.blogspot.com/2013/03/writing-contest.html She is offering some fun prizes and I think it will be neat to see all the winning entries!! Go check it out!!!




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