Sara's Night Out: A Short Story

I don't see horror/suspense movies in the theater like I used to, quietly trading snarky comments with a friend at the ridiculousness of the situation or the characters' choices.  The problem is that, since my journey into motherhood, I take the children's fake peril way too seriously.  I don't mean getting a bit creeped out afterward.  I'm talking about full on adrenaline dump, ready-for-a-fight against imaginary characters creating make-believe havoc.  Like I'm the mom version of the Incredible Hulk, ready to rain down my wrath on those who would harm such a precious little darling.

That's where the idea for the following short story arrived.

Sara's Night Out

I settle into the second chair in the middle row, leaving my husband to take the aisle seat.

"Aren't you proud? I haven't mentioned Sammy once tonight," I say, referring to our son who is back home with the babysitter.

I wince, but Emmet only smiles.  The house lights dim, and we turn our attention to the screen.   Having forgotten my jacket, I squirm closer to my husband.  The movie has already started, and he stares at the action onscreen.

Monsters have surrounded a secluded mountain resort, and stranded vacationers barricade themselves inside the main lodge.

"What are those things?" a young woman asks.

"I took the blood from the one we killed up to the microscope in the nature center.  It's riddled with parasitic viruses!" a guy with thick glasses says.

I giggle.  "Parasitic viruses," I say into my husband's ear.

He doesn't turn, but, even in the dark, I detect him rolling his eyes.  I bite back my other comments and turn back to the story.

The camera sweeps through the forest to a tiny, dark cabin with its own monster fan club.  The scene  moves to the cabin's interior, and my stomach drops.

"Who left that kid all alone in the woods?" I ask.

Emmet pats my hand.

The little girl on screen cowers beneath a table as the creatures crash through the window.  The biggest pushes past the others and licks his lips as he stalks toward the girl.  My heart races until I can feel its pulsing even through my toes.

They'll cut away soon...Or someone will come to help her.  Who wants to watch a little girl get ripped apart, right?

The monster has reached her now and drags her out from under the table by her leg.  She shrieks and slaps him across the face.  She kicks at him with her free leg, but he wrenches the other.  He lifts her over his head and throws her at his waiting companions.

The blood within my veins has been replaced with fire.  I grip the armrests of my seat until my knuckles turn white.

The monsters drag the screaming child outside and throw her down upon the ground.  She scrambles to her feet.  She sprints in the opposite direction, tears streaming down her face.  She screams for help, but her fear renders her little voice into unintelligible warbles.  The monsters descend, mouths open and ready for the easy meal.  The girl howls, and something bursts within my chest.

The arm of my chair dislodges itself with a crack.

"Mama's coming, sweetie!" I say as I leap over the row of seats in front of me.

People scatter out of my way as I stalk down the aisles, chair arm raised above my head.  I reach the edge of the floor lights and plunge into the blackness beyond.  My foot catches something.  I stumble and hit the ground hard.  Pain pierces my right knee, but it may as well come from someone else's body.  I rush back to my feet and whirl the chair arm at the nearest monster.  My arm vibrates with the force of the connecting blow, but the monster continues its assault.  I swing again and again, repeatedly bashing the monster over the back, but it only ripples and continues the assault.

The little girl's screams reach inside my body, a thousand needles piercing my brain and shredding my heart.  I grit my teeth and turn away as my eyes begin to burn.  A hundred eyes stare at me, but no one moves a muscle.

"Help me!" My voice cracks as warm liquid spreads down my cheeks.

The light from a room beyond ours catches my eye.

I'm attacking a reflection.

I race up the ramp toward where the real monsters wait.  Someone reaches out and grabs my arm.

"Let's go home, Sara," a voice says in my ear.

The girl's cries weaken.

"Mama's coming, baby!"

I yank free and continue my upward climb.  I burst through a door and stumble into a room filled with equipment.  The source of the light and sounds sits to my right, encased inside a strange box.  I raise the weapon one last time.

"Mama's here, baby...Mama's here."

Book Review: The Banished of Muirwood by Jeff Wheeler

Eighteen year old Maia was banished from her kingdom by her own father--with quite a bit of persuasion by his new lover.  Now, her only hope to save herself and her people lies in a quest to rid the world of the Myriad Ones, a nasty group of spirits drawn to all forms of human suffering.  Her dabbling in reading and magic (which are forbidden for women), however, has left her with several powerful enemies.  As she fights to stay one step ahead of those who hunt her, it becomes clear that something has already gone horribly wrong.  Something is wrong with Maia, and that something threatens to bring doom down upon not only herself, but anyone around her.

'The Banished of Muirwood' is the first book in a series entitled 'Covenant of Muirwood'.  It is a followup series to the original Muirwood trilogy called 'Legends of Muirwood.  Although Maia's story occurs one hundred years later than that of the first trilogy, 'Banished' does seem to expect the reader to have a basic understanding of its world and magic system, so, if you haven't read the first series, I would recommend you do so before trying this one.  I feel that the 'Legends' series was better than the first book of this latest series, but I did still enjoy 'The Banished of Muirwood'.  The character development and elements of magic were not as strong, but still managed to paint an interesting picture.  There is an element of Cinderella and her Evil Stepmother that I found difficult to get through, but Maia's story is, thankfully, more than that. Maia is part ruler, part young girl, and the combination of the two both saves and hinders her progress.  By the time she begins to realize that her quest has begun to unravel before it has really begun, multiple layers of the plot have converged, and the action of the story really takes off.  If you are a fan of epic fantasy, you'll want to add the Muirwood series to your list.

Find it on Amazon

Book Review: 'The Martian' by Andy Weir

Mark Watney wakes on the Martian surface, injured, alone, and wearing a suit bleeding air. He has survived the dust storm that separated him from his team during their evacuation, but he knows they have been forced to leave him behind. The good news is that the habitat has also survived and is stocked with enough food and supplies to last a few months.  He also knows that another team is scheduled to arrive on Mars and could potentially give him a ride home. There are only two problems. First, communication is down and NASA thinks him dead, so his only hope of connecting with the other team would be to appear on their doorstep at just the right time. Second, the next team will not arrive for over a year, when his supplies will have long been exhausted. Can Mark figure out a way to contact NASA, stretch his supplies, and get himself to the right location on a foreign planet that seems bent on his destruction?

This book is extremely well written.  Following along with Mark as he works out the solutions to his problems under such extreme pressure kept me up well into the night. I simply could not put the book down. The character himself is fascinating, and I loved how he kept managing to find his sense of humor, even after set backs that pushed him to his breaking point. This book reads like an adrenaline-packed 'How to Survive on Mars' handbook that perfectly balances the science detail with the action and drama of Mark's story.

Find it on Amazon

Book Review: Dragonfly Part I by Charles A. Cornell

In World War II era England, Ronnie is pilot for the Royal Air Force whose gender has meant restriction to mail runs and supply deliveries for the “real” pilots.  When she is reassigned to a new base under the navy’s jurisdiction, she stumbles into a new program and chance for a far more exciting assignment.  A navy scientist has discovered a new energy source which he has adapted for a new type of plane called the Dragonfly.  Dragonfly’s unique abilities could give the British an important advantage in the war, but it’s still in development, and test pilots are, understandably, in short supply.  Fearing the enemy will destroy the base before the work is complete, Ronnie’s commander agrees to allow her to begin the testing until a replacement arrives.  While on a test run, however, the base is attacked.  Ronnie is forced to join the battle, setting off a chain of events that leads to her assignment on a top secret mission that just might be the difference between winning and losing the war.

Dragonfly is a dieselpunk novel set in an alternate reality version of World War II.  Although this area of history has certainly been the subject of more than its fair share of works of fiction, I was pleasantly surprised by how well the author took real world events and merged them into something that feels real but is something altogether different.  Following along with Ronnie as she learns the ins and outs of Dragonfly’s capabilities is interesting, and her subsequent crash course in the enemy’s technologies serves as a chilling counterpoint to all of the team’s advances.

Find it on Amazon

Summer Road Trip: our tour of the nation's great rest stops

As our 10th wedding anniversary approached, my husband and I decided to try something a little different to celebrate: a family road trip.

You might be thinking us insane.  "A road trip with a preschooler! But what about bathrooms, strange beds, all the packing, and the picky eating habits? Are we there yet?!"

Technology, honestly, is a lifesaver.  It's easy to find the nearest rest areas or, in absolute emergencies, restaurants and gas stations.   (Don't pass a rest stop, no matter how many times he swears he doesn't need it.  It's a trap!)  That also means it's easier to find familiar foods for the more 'discerning' child (Google Maps was our go to), and we brought along a few non-perishable snacks and a cooler for easy picnics from the grocery store when the pickings were scarce.  We also tried the trick of saving a couple cheap puzzles as surprises for our son along the way.  These worked great for awhile, but he soon lost interest.  He asked about a million times what time we would get to the hotel, where was it, what would we have to eat, where would we sleep, would there be elevators, and why weren't we just headed straight to Grandma's.  Then I surrendered and let him watch movies on my computer. (Yes, I know, his brain is now ruined forever.  Thanks.)

As for the packing? Yeah, completely insane.  There was so much, I decided to pack it into bags according to the stage of our trip that we would need it, so that we wouldn't have to drag everything out at each hotel.  This worked pretty well, but it did require a lot of pre-planning.


I knew Savannah would be tricky with a child since it's not exactly the first place anyone thinks of for family travel, but there are few good things to be found.  My son loved the playground at Forsyth Park, which was so enormous, he could only stare at it for several moments with his mouth hanging open. (There are two, one for the younger set and one for older children)  The downtown bus and tram are a great way to get around, along with free entertainment for the preschool set.  For dinner, if you're in the mood to splurge, I'd definitely recommend the Pirate House.  They really put in the extra effort to welcome families, including kids menus that have non-alcoholic versions of the adult drinks, and, when the ordering is done, they turn into pirate hats, eye patches, and treasure.  The food is great, and, if your kids are a little older, they also have guided tours of the historic building in which the restaurant is located.  We did, however, casually guide our son back to the quiet of the hotel pool after dinner, as the booze tours began to hit full swing.  Bar hopping from a bike-powered cart is apparently a thing, and the scene became less appealing for those of us with tiny human parrots.  (How do you stay on those things, anyway, and not spill your drinks all over your neighbors? Is that how you know when you've hit your limit?)

The Playground for young children at Forsyth Park

Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina was breathtakingly beautiful.  I'd recommend hitting the more popular sites first (those closest to the roadside), since it's also pretty busy during the summer.  We did the opposite, choosing a few hiking trails first.  By the time we visited Looking Glass Falls the stairs were overcrowded, making it difficult for our little one to climb down to the observation platform. There are several quiet, well maintained picnic areas when your family is ready for a break.  (There are also plenty of those very important restrooms.) When you and your family have had enough hiking, you can pick up the Blue Ridge Parkway from inside the park for some incredible views from the comfort of your vehicle.

Looking Glass Falls

This guy was a lot more determined to get a tourist-free photo of the falls.  I'd totally have gone there for you, but, you know, I didn't want my son to follow me up there and all

We had a great time, but the sheer distance of our trip (a side effect of our son's desire to be left at Grandma's house in Indiana for his first sleepover) was too exhausting.  If you're considering a road trip with your family, I'd recommend a shorter distance, or more time, if you're ambitious, so that you can spend a couple days at each stop and give everyone a break from the road.  Reservation-free is also a good way to go, so that the trip can be changed when needed.  The day you want to move on to a different location, you can check travel sites to find hotels with available rooms.  Booking a few hours before hand won't give you a wealth of choices, but you can sometimes get good deals.  If you book much more in advance, a little hiccup in your schedule can lead to big problems down the line.

In short, a road trip with small children can be done, but you'll have to be flexible.  Everyone can have a great time, but the word 'relaxing' won't necessarily be one that comes to mind.  If that's more your speed, walk away from the road map and head straight for a vacation rental!

Short Story: Fly on a Web

I attended a writing workshop last fall in which Vic DiGenti suggested several methods for developing an outline for works of fiction.  The following is a short story I wrote using his ‘Fairy Tale System’.  The first sentence is a writing prompt from that workshop.

Trouble was lurking in the shadows of O’Malley’s bar, waiting for me to enter.  I knew he would be waiting in that same spot, at that same table, a silent reminder of an inescapable future.  Whilst in his favor, the rewards were plentiful, but only the dense or desperate failed to see that his wrath was inevitable.  Trapped in this town full of his worshipers, I had dutifully played along, pretending not to care about those who had fallen from his esteem.  But the last of my binds had painfully burst earlier that morning.  My poor father finally succumbed to the illness that had first put us into the monster’s debt.  As I laid him to rest, I knew I had nothing left to lose.

I took one last glance at the bar where the band’s music thumped a lively beat.  As I had expected, the entire town was already inside.  Readjusting my pack on my shoulders, I followed the silent road out of town.  The old forest quickly surrounded me in its own shadows.  I shuffled along the edge of the road, hardly daring to breath in the strange silence.

“Do you even know where you’re headed?”

I stumbled over a rock and landed hard in the brush at the side of the road.  A light pierced the darkness, revealing Jones’s imposing figure as he glared at me from a few yards up the road.

“I…”

He chuckled.  “Of course you don’t.  You’re stupid and poor and incapable of thinking any farther ahead than where your next meal’s coming from.”

I dragged myself off the ground and matched his gaze.  “I won’t listen to any more of your lies! Everything you say—”

“Is utter truth.  You’re just the daughter of some incompetent farmer from an inconsequential nowhere town.  No one out there,” he gestures vaguely in the direction of the nearest city, “cares about any of you.”

“That’s as may be, but you’re just a thug in that same nowhere town.  Your cronies don’t hold any power out there either.”

I had so much more I wanted to say, but he quickly closed the gap between us.  His hands shot out and wrapped around my throat before I finished drawing the breath to continue my rant.

“You have no idea who you’re dealing with.  I’m no thug…not even a man,” he said in my ear, his voice frighteningly low.  “I am immortal.  I have been worshipped by thousands and will continue to be long after you and your nowhere town have turned to dust.  Those who are loyal servants reap the rewards; those who are not become my sustenance…Any ideas which category you fall into?”

My head swam.  I flailed, pounding my fists into any part of him I could reach.  One of my blows caught his stomach, and his fingers released my throat.  I shoved him as hard as I could and ran in the opposite direction, leaving my pack where it lay.  I stole through the woods, no longer worrying about staying on course.  My feet slipped in mud and brambles tore at my clothes and flesh, but I barely noticed.  I could no longer hear him behind me, but I dared not look back.  I rushed over a rise, scuttling over loose rocks like the world’s clumsiest mountain goat.

He was waiting for me on the other side.

“How…”

He only laughed and reached out to me with one hand.  Dumbstruck, I stared as he flipped his wrist and clenched the outstretched fist.  Something within me snapped, and pain shot through my chest.  As my world grew dark, I watched the monster consume the last of its light.

Vic DiGenti is the author of the award winning Windrusher series and, under the name Parker Francis, the Quint Mitchell Mystery series.  He is also regional director of the Florida Writer’s Association and travels the state giving talks to help aspiring and growing writers.  To learn more about Vic DiGenti’s writing approaches and his works, please visit his website.

Book Review: Fade to Black (Awake in the Dark Volume 1) by Tim Mcbain and LT Vargus

Jeff Grobnagger suffers from a mysterious and sudden onset of seizures.  Every time, he blacks out and dreams the same thing:  an unknown figure in a dark robe murders him in an abandoned alley.  No matter what Jeff tries, his plans always backfire, and he is overpowered by the strange figure.  The blackness consumes him, until he finally wakes from his seizure.  Then, members of a strange cult barge into his life, seemingly knowing way more about Jeff than they should.  A brutal attack in his home makes it clear someone in the real world wants Jeff dead as well.  Somehow, he knows the only answer lies in surviving his twisted, seizure-induced dream.

Jeff’s journey to understand his dreams and the strange cult that has taken deep interest in him is intriguing.  The strange fights between him and the cloaked figure are exciting as the various twists and turns keep blowing up in Jeff’s face no matter how complex (or simple) his plans.  The cult members range from funny to extremely sinister, and serve to muddy the story enough to keep the reader guessing as to exactly is happening to Jeff.  Jeff, himself, is a complex character, a loner to the extreme with a nasty case of pessimism.  Most of the time, this takes the form of amusing sarcasm or curious social bumbles that up the conflict with the cult members and his few remaining friends.  Occasionally, however, it detracts from the story, slowing the plot as Jeff rehashes his depressing life philosophies.  Despite this, Fade to Black is an amusing and unique urban fantasy for those who also like mysteries and quirky characters.

Fade to Black is now free on Kindle