Aug 17, 2012

Wraith

Blog Flash 2012




The fractured auburn light flooded the deserted site, illuminating the late afternoon fog as it rolled in from the nearby coastline.  Dust danced amongst the aging monuments of granite and limestone where they stood to bear the names of the once living, while they too slowly crumbled.

As the heavenly solar orb lavished the last of its light it soon fell below the cliffs edge into the murky depths of the horizon, leaving the land to the mercy of the chill northern winds.

A young woman burst forth as though from the gathering haze, static fiercely erupting through the air disrupting the quiet emptiness as she landed nimbly and continued her graceful stride in the same movement.

Treading carefully across the tended soil she felt that frustrating ache rise in her thoughts, the need to feel the damp clods of dirt beneath her feet, the silk of her aged rose nightgown where it clung to her slender legs, to smell the fresh salt air mingle with the sour scent of bodies journeying to the afterlife, or even to weep at her loss of such things.

So she bowed her head and closed her mind to the sorrows of her existence, and instead turned to a decrepit crypt by the cliffs edge.  The detailed angel that had once guarded its hosts had long since surrendered to the onslaught of elements.  And other destructive forces she seethed, noting the grieving head laying shattered by its side.

Taking a deep breath she exhaled a string of words, humming them softly as she pushed her hands out before her, gently edging through the thick mantle of the tomb.  Falling unsteadily into the stale darkness a timid thought grew as she wondered whether she would even be able to fear.

Waiting in the suffocating closeness she decided she could.

for the sleepless,
Jaq xx

Aug 16, 2012

Fae

Blog Flash 2012
...what is a different world,
for I have so many...





The tumultuous song of the heaving waterfall surrounded her, pulsating through the ground like an earthly drum, vibrating against her entire being as she collapsed upon damp soil, gasping for air to fill her lungs.  Pushing sodden hair from her eyes she blinked uncertainly around the clouded glade, her heart racing in fear at its unfamiliarity.

“Mykael?  Mykael!”  Eyes wide she scanned the impenetrable wood and rippling waters, expecting to see him appearing through the mist.  She felt the rising panic at realising she was alone, the cold understanding scattering her thoughts.  Run.  Leaping to her feet a searing pain erupted in her leg and she quickly tumbled, twisted branches entangling her fall.

Closing her eyes she pulled her knees in tight against her chest, unaware of the shivers that beset her drenched form, or the tears that warmed her cheeks. 

***

Daniel fought through the hostile undergrowth, second guessing whether he had actually heard anything.  Although the deafening torrent of a waterfall brought doubt he was unwilling to abandon the possibility without being certain.  Feeling the ground drop away he splashed into a shrouded dell, the cold water biting as he breathed heavily, unsure of a direction. 

Wading through the churning waters he caught sight of someone lying amidst a copse of bushes, hurrying to lift their slight frame from the tangled clutch of brittle limbs.   As he carried her beneath the starlit night he faltered, pale skin shone bare, and a sense of disrespect swept over him bringing with it a deep blush; he would have overt his eyes if not for the translucent wings leading from her back.

Holding her close he began the trek back, ignoring the mayhem and confusion tormenting his thoughts, listening to the thunderous din fade behind them until only his footsteps filled the air.


another surfaces,
Jaq xx

Aug 15, 2012

Books

Blog Flash 2012



Endless mystery will always surround the lure of the written word, the magnetism of crafted tales as they weave enchanting ideas throughout ones imagination.  I cannot say for certain what draws us in, the captivating charm that tantalises instinctual curiosity to the point of bursting under the sway of emotional duress.  The sensation of following a journey of such tangible characters; and missing them as though your kin moved to another continent.


What makes you laugh in infectious happiness as you gossip with friends about pure ridiculous nothingness.  Or exhale with deep satisfaction and awe when leaving the cinema.  What drives the intense need to immerse ourselves in stories?


word count: 109
 
 
a love of adventure,
Jaq xx

Aug 14, 2012

Children

Blog Flash 2012




The unyielding humidity clung to his skin, sweat trailing through the layered dust.  Leaning in the cool shade of an abandoned doorstep he puffed absentmindedly into a rough flute found discarded in the litter of the midday markets.  Taunting the peaceful air with an uneven melody he was startled by harsh cries, lethal paws reaching up to bat at the offending instrument.  Allowing a lopsided grin to escape he stroked the dishevelled creature, imitating the proud purring.  Eyeing the bold feline he began a cheerful tune, like the other beggars played to earn their bronze, watching it’s tail flickering lazily along.

word count: 101

children of the night,
Jaq xx

Aug 13, 2012

Forest

Blog Flash 2012




Your voice tears through me, shattering the strained silence.  My shaking hands plunge into the cool water at your feet, again and again, anything to dispel the face staring back.  We tremble in unison, your anger lashing out as I recoil in fear and dispair.

"I'm sorry!" I wail in desperation, but you are already walking away, leaving me to curl into the damp forest floor.

My relentless sobs follow you from the clearing, until I am left to sleep alone with the whisperings of nightmares.

word count: 86

rundown,
Jaq xx

Aug 12, 2012

Generations

Blog Flash 2012



The contented hum of the gathering resonated throughout the cool vineyard, interspersed by the sound of platters being passed to eager hands, and often accompanied by smiles of sincerity and creases of laughter.  Several jubilant parents toasted with raucous laughter, pointing after their wild offspring roaming erratically through the wavering foliage.  Young women striving to show their maturity could not help but gaze distractedly at the handsome stranger being fervently urged to assume the acoustic guitar by his side.  Feigning a modest reluctance he acquiesced, inspiring a carefree waltz as chairs were left forgotten.  White cotton dresses hung in the breeze as grandparents swayed with the angelic young.

word count: 108

fulfilment,
Jaq xx

Aug 11, 2012

Insidious

Blog Flash 2012





“Morgana awaits.” She purred, making no effort to disguise the desire glowing from dark ardent eyes.  He nodded his appreciation, taking a moment to watch the elegant black dress tighten across her hips as she sashayed back to her desk.

Anticipation and a strange sense of restlessness tingled beneath his skin, immediately forgotten as he stepped through large varnished doors, drinking in the luxury of the private dining hall.

A stark contrast to the simple grace of the antechamber, coated in creams and serene dusk light falling through vaulted windows, this room had an aura of opulence and mystery.  Reaching out tentative fingertips to graze the heavy silk drapes, he practically sighed in pleasure.

“Your taste excels.” He murmured, noticing her impassive gaze appraising him slowly.  Hastily approaching to accept the delicate hand she extended he pressed it tenderly to his lips, noticing her gown matched the deep plum of the décor and smiling wryly at its way of melting into the shadows surrounding the main table.

“Your glass,” a voice like velvet prompted.

Tugging at his cuff links uneasily he moved to the centre of the room.  Raising the daunting chalice he stared warily at the heady liquid, nausea overwhelming him as crystal feelers ensnared his shaking hands.

“Now drink”.

word count: 211

sleep tight,
Jaq xx

Aug 10, 2012

Defeat

Blog Flash 2012




Up there is a key.
We are strung from the precipice,
to await the despondent wave,
an unnerving weight in hand.
Touch the copper carving,
weaving demons unto
the restless shadows.
Turn to the light,
fumble at the gate,
your victory is not yet here.

word count: 45

unlock your ambition,
Jaq xx

Aug 9, 2012

A Journey

Blog Flash 2012



"Remember, it's a favour to Mother" she simpered, painted lips pouting to hide a mischievous grin.

Struggling to withhold my obvious disdain I scooped a handful of fading foliage from the train tracks we were following, relishing the sharp crunch as I closed my fist around them.  I watched her skip ahead, catching the delight at her own ingenious as it spread across her face.  Scattering the fractured ruins of autumn to the wind I contemplated the growing dusk, seriously considering abandoning her in the night.  Though returning home would be unthinkable.

The rich earthy aroma of the damp soil filled the air, this time of year always had been pleasant.  The road from Wickering to Palbury was notorious for its tempting detours, could I not just start afresh?  Learn a trade, find some land, seek adventure?

I shook my head clear of such alluring illusions, it was those unruly ambitions that had thrown me into this ridiculous journey accompanying my darling sister to the precious Madame's College for the Courteous.  She was only too willing to be groomed into an obedient and submissive lady, desperate to please a handsome gentleman.

"Hurry up!  Don't you know how terribly un-lady-like it is to dawdle?"

Surfacing from my musings I begged my ears to become impervious to her whining torments, and, swallowing my aching resignation, hurried to catch up.

word count: 226
apologies for annihilating the word limit!


family ties,
Jaq xx

Aug 8, 2012

Fielding

Blog Flash 2012


credit: myself


Time does not exist here.
Where you lay upon the cool grass, lush bristles itching at your skin.
The sky is boundless, shifting clouds whispering across its wake.
Air is exhaled through grazing trees, swaying hypnotically before its tender lungs.
And the world is silent but for the soothing rhythms that fill your soul.

word count: 54

memories,
Jaq xx

Aug 7, 2012

Breakwater

Blog Flash 2012

credit: myself


The setting sun cast its fading warmth onto the fresh breeze as it breathed through the harbour, streamers of deep amber saturating the horizon where it burned its final kiss.  She watched as their toes gently swirled in the smooth water, smiling at the ripples echoing across the surface.  Together they listened to the calls of seabirds, the creaking footfalls over the jetty, the peace.  Nervousness pulled at her as she fought the urge to look at him through her curtain of sun bleached hair, focusing on the tender heat from his arm as it lay across her shoulders.

word count: 99


Playlist:
Ocean (2012) - John Butler

living for that moment
Jaq xx

Aug 6, 2012

A Liebster Blog

Same love, different face.
Thank you to Andrew Toynbee for giving me
the other side of Liebster.


“The Liebster Blog Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The Meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome."
The Rules:
1.   If you are tagged/nominated, you have to post 11 facts about yourself.
2.   Then answer 11 questions and generate 11 new questions for the people you tag.
3.   Tag 11 more Bloggers.
4.   The person you tag must have less than 200 followers.


The Facts:
1.  I am currently twenty years old.

2.  I have the strongest passion for Australian music and have seen most of my favourite bands six or seven times.

3.  Love the Scottish accent.

4.  My younger sister is my disagreeable opposite, though I would do anything for her.

5.  I change house every week, usually living out of a suitcase.

6.  Love to cycle.

7.  My first car is my baby, I named her Nebraska Jones after a song, my friends call her a death trap, and almost every part has malfunctioned/ broken at some point.  (I still love her)

8.  I am a bit of a committment-a-phobe and specialise in indecision.

9.  I live for the sun, craving those 30 degree days and going to the beach.  I can never wear enough layers for winter.

10.  Favourite movie is Hot Fuzz, I prefer action over chick flicks.

11.  I have wanted to be an author since I was four years old, writing stories about the Easter bunny and a pirate captain named Stef.


The Questions:
1. Has any book made you go ‘wow’ as you’ve completed it?
  Most do.  Especially the Bartimaeus trilogy by Johnathon Stroud which has always stayed with me.

2. From where do you draw inspiration for your stories?
  Distracted daydreams during classes or long drives, photographs that spark the stirrings of an idea, and especially music.

3. Do you listen to music when you write, or do you prefer silence?
  I have taken to always listening to music, usually songs recently added that have caught my avid attention.  They just keep the imagination flow going, constantly shifting your writing atmosphere.

4. How has blogging changed your writing or your outlook towards it?
  Honestly I didn't think it would, it was just going to be somewhere to record bits, I can barely remember the beginning.  And then I discovered flash fiction.  To say my outlook has changed would be an understatement, most of my days are spent pondering my next flash.

5. What is your favorite food?
  Icecream for sure.  And mash potato.

6. What finally prompted you to attempt your first novel?
  Having spare time really.  I started a story, and lost it, literally.  Mentally worked on another, and discarded it.  Finally I committed to writing the kind I love to read, and wrote pages of it.  I still love to read those, I love my characters undeniably and try for the courage to sincerely develop it.

7. Dogs or cats – and why?
  Dogs forever, I love looking into their eyes and feeling that companionship, running with them in the park and feeling their excitement, and they're so fluffffyyyy.

8. Naughty books – all the details or leave the story at the bedroom door?
  With applied taste, its interesting how many synonyms are employed to skirt the detail.

9. What is your current WIP about?
  Ummmm... it's my characters and their glorious conflict, its about freedom and betrayal and faith and archery and deserts and castles and a little bit of magic I suppose.

10. Has a movie brought you to tears for any reason?
  Not one I can remember... though the show Deadwood brought on many, its so delightfully sad.

11. Do you prefer to write at home or elsewhere?
  I prefer to hash something out at home if I'm going to do it properly, but there are a fair number of ingenious ideas cluttering my mobile and iPod from when I'm on the go.


For tags and questions check out the next Liebster Awards,
Jaq xx

The Booker Award

Blog Flash 2012

The Booker Award,
thanks to the dreamy Sania Heba



The rules:
 
* This award is for book bloggers only.  To receive this award the blog must be at least 50% about books (reading or writing is okay).
 
* Along with receiving this award, you must share your top five favorite books you have ever read.
 
* You must give this award to 5-10 other lucky book blogs you adore.
 

Top 5 Books: 
1.  The Farseer Trilogy         by Robin Hobb
2.  Everything                        by Tamora Pierce
3.  The Bartimaeus Trilogy   by Jonathan Stroud
4.  Hood (King Raven)          by Stephen R. Lawhead
5.  Wolf Of The Plains           by Conn Iggulden

It is most unbecoming to choose one book from an entire series, it compares to harbouring a favourite amongst your children, and I always desire trilogies and series beyond a stand alone novel.  These are more in chronological order rather than ranked according to adoration.
 

The Blogs:
Lillie Mcferrin Writes
Kelly Exter
Anonymous Legacy
Bullish Ink


to love the written word,
Jaq xx

Aug 5, 2012

Len

Blog Flash 2012



The silence grows uneasily before they are able to fully accept it.  Although inevitable it snatches the breath from their lungs as they struggle to comprehend his absence, they choke on their grief where it wells in unseeing eyes, anguished tears flood the room.  They follow the ritual of communal consolation, allowing their fellows that brief instant of insight into their true heartache.

I smile small comfort, watching from a distance, wondering when that tidal wave of sorrow will break upon me so I may begin mourning.

But I don't feel it.

It lies far out of reach, trapped within that glass bottle on the verge of shattering.

word count: 108
my lucky number...

with respect,
hoping you find peace,
Jaq xx

Aug 4, 2012

A Creature I Don't Know

Blog Flash 2012


Credit: Myself



I keep losing myself under the demanding broiling emotions of others; their pain and grief, ecstasy and love. Usually I am able to retreat back into my own, following the tunnel to familiar thoughts, shaking free the residue of worry and empathy. But what of the day I don't realise how far their tides of life have drawn me in, how will I know to return to normalcy.

Will I remember myself.

Each time is like a splinter embedding itself within, a constant itch I can never find. And they grow.

Which of those frenzied thoughts are my own?

The other selves are blooming from the darkness.  They look alike, like me, but different.  And I am afraid. 

I don’t want to lose myself in their chaos.


word count: 127
though it could have gone so much furthur...

down the rabbit hole,
Jaq xx

Aug 3, 2012

Color

BlogFlash2012




It was unimaginable, like a blessed dream full of vibrancy and joy.  She could not take it all in, merely followed it in awe as it flowed endlessly above her, such an open expanse of sky.  Blue he had called it.  She watched the light clouds swim across the heavens, curling spools of pure white born anew after releasing their burdens upon the earth.

Everything seemed so energetic, and as she stood beneath the suns searing caress she hoped she would always be able to see the sky, her life had been grey for so long.

"Clarissa," his voice was grim, exposing the disquiet and foreboding hidden by his unreadable features.  "the Guides are coming".

word count: 115


a colourful concept,
Jaq xx

Aug 2, 2012

The Hunt

Blog Flash 2012
Day 2: A Furry Friend




The primal howling of the night creatures hung in the thin cool air.  He stood frozen, instinctual terror claiming all senses.  Crouching low as he gripped the pitiful blade, willing his eyes to see through the darkness and praying the elder souls would not allow him to fall to the hunting of beasts.

Rapid breaths echoed through the eerie silhouettes of the forest, the moonlight without mercy as it lingered behind strengthening storm clouds.  His heart beat with an incoherent rhythm, spreading the mounting fear throughout his body as he strained to hear beyond the crushing silence of the night.

word count: 100

as darkness falls,
Jaq xx

Aug 1, 2012

Thinking

Blog Flash 2012
Day 1: Thinking


Insecure Writers Support Group



Overthink (def) [verb] ~ to spend more time thinking about something than is necessary or productive...


What lurks behind your eyes as you lie awake at night? What innovative conjurations twist just beyond your grasp? What romantic or adventurous dreamings make you lust for deep sleep just to recapture that feeling?

And what unsightly doubts linger as you strive for words worth experiencing? Those debilhitating condescending inklings that are your undoing...

The Insecure Writers Support Group is an unknowing step towards acknowledging ones mind can be your strongest enemy when writing, and to finding ways of overcoming the obstacles you think are there.

But how do we prevent every other emotional revolution from inflicting self doubt upon hard worked words?  Where does the line between writing and life blur when it comes down to negative thoughts...

And how do you find clarity among the static thoughts that clamour from all sides, to seize that line of inspiration that pulls you to salvation.

Take a breath.  Listen.

This is how I write.


a compulsive overthinker,
from sjp
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