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A Note From The Author Plus A New Entry From Nathaniel’s Private E-Journal…

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From the author: I hope everyone enjoyed the first, of what I hope will be many holiday tales shared around Christmastime.  It was supposed to be just a quickie short-story that I would put out on Smashwords as a free download for all, but obviously it grew as I continued to write.  Also, time was getting away from me due to my workload at my college.

So I wound up releasing the story in pieces here on my blog and over the course of days it continued to grow and grow.  In the end I wound up with not a short-story as planned but a novelette (a story between 7,000 and 20,000 words in length).  Not quite long enough to be a novella, but much larger than short-story.    Also due to the time-crunch what I posted here was basically a first draft, which would explain any editing errors some of you might have noticed as you read.

However, I’m still not quite done with the story.  I’m going to release it as a small novelette this coming Christmas.  It will basically be the same story that you read, but there will be an epilogue added to the end as well as original pen and ink illustrations created by me.  For those who don’t know, I’m also an artist and have done the covers for my other novels that have already been published.  I’m aiming for pen and ink in the hopes that it will be easier to upload into e-book form as well as in print.  Yes, I intend to make a small paperback version for those who’d like to hold the book in their hands if at all possible.  I may also try using charcoal (which would simply be black and white, along with shades of grey).   Ideally, I’d use my favorite medium soft pastel, but I wouldn’t be able to guarantee the quality of the colors in the printed form or on the computer.  However, I will be looking into it.  If anyone else out there has had some experience in color artwork in an e-book or in print, please tell us about it in the comment section below.

Now as I’ve told you all before, Nathan’s first novel-length story will be coming out around either October or December of this year (2015).  Of course, I will have a number of new blog and e-journal entries for him and the other characters to post here.  I’ll also be releasing another novel before then titled “The Door”, which will be the third in my Para-Earth Series.  It will star several of the characters you already met in my holiday novelette, (Sergeant Veronica Ross, a grown-up Julie, and Police Chief Roy Petersen).  Alas Jason will not appear having joined his ancestors, but not before he passed the mantle of shaman on his niece.  If you’d like to read how this all happened, you can check out “The Bridge” and its sequel “The Ship”:

NOTE: Both e-books are just $1.49 each for the next two weeks.  After that, the price will got back up to $2.99 a piece.  You can also sample the first 30 pages of each story for free at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.  Just click on the title and start reading.  I’m providing the links right here:

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/byseries/1383

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00B1W8TEU

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/allan-krummenacker

With all that said, I hope to see more and more of you here as I supply you with more short tales of Nathaniel and his friends.  I plan to introduce more characters here as the year goes on, so keep reading and spread the word about this site.  Happy New Year to you all, as I step aside and let Nathaniel take the stage…

Nathaniel’s Private E-Journal, January 1st, 2005

12:10 AM
 

 
 

I’m standing on a deck overlooking the great wide Pacific Ocean.  Another year has passed but I am not alone.  I am surrounded by members of my extended family located in Aptos, California.  Although that’s not where I am at this moment.  We’re standing near the famed Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk having just watched a fabulous fireworks display out on the water.

The Cloudfoots have been part of my life since 1999 when I first met Jason, the patriarch of these wonderful people.  As their name implies, they are of Native American descent, specifically they are Seneca one of the five original tribes that formed the Iroquois Confederacy.

Together, Jason and I, along with Otto located his missing niece Julie who had run away from home just two days before Christmas.  The moment Jason and I locked eyes, I knew there was something different about him and I was right.  He was a shaman, one who knew about the Para-Earths, as Otto has named those alternate realities of this world.  Jason also knew right away I’d been to one and had come back changed, but he also knew I was still a good man and our friendship formed.

He’s here with me tonight enjoying the love and joy of his children and grandchildren.  Jason lost his wife two years ago, for which I was very sorry.  She had been a wonderful woman, warm and caring.  I’d spent that New Year’s Eve with him, to make sure he did not face it alone.  Not that I had much reason to worry.  Julie and her parents were there as well.  It was the first time I’d seen her in 1999 and my how she’d grown.  From the pudgy little girl I’d help locate, she was now slightly taller than me and still growing.  She also had filled out in more ways than one, especially in the muscle department.  I feel sorry for any boy who pissed her off.  Not that she seems very interested in them.  A part of me suspects her yearnings lie elsewhere.  I just hope I never have to compete with her for a date.

Not that such a thing is likely.  I’ve kept to myself more since Veronica and I parted company three years ago.  I’ve found myself thinking about her a lot tonight.  Probably it’s because of all the police officers watching over tonight’s festivities.  There was one female officer in particular standing near her patrol car that caught my eye.  She looked nothing like Veronica, but the way the officer stood there reminded me so much of my red-headed love.

God she was amazing.  It’s not often you find someone so passionate and dedicated, not only to you but to her work.  But I digress…

A new year stands before us all.  I have no idea what surprises this one will have in store for me or those I call ‘family’.  But I know I will not face this new year alone which is a great comfort.  I have people like Jason, Otto, Brian, their families and so many others who’s lives touch mine.  I think that’s been the greatest gift of all.  Even though I have outlived so many people who I’ve loved, I am never truly alone.  And because I remember, none of them are ever forgotten.

My existence is a strange one, but at least I find it serves so many others.

Jason is proposing another toast to all so I better wrap this up.  A promising new year awaits and I for one am looking forward to seeing what it has to offer.

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“Home For Christmas: A Para-Earth Holiday Tale” – Part Six

woods-at-night

CHRISTMAS REUNIONS

For several seconds no one moved.

Jason looked around.  He knew the opening had to be near here, but even he didn’t know its exact position.  And they didn’t have much time.  A part of him didn’t trust Sergeant Ross and her companions to not overreact if they saw the creature.  Besides, he felt they owed her for protecting Julie.

There had to be a way to find the portal.

Just then he noticed Otto cupping his hands to his mouth.  A second later, his friend let out an amazingly accurate imitation of the low bellow they had heard before.

Jason was impressed.  He himself could imitate a great number of animal calls, but only after he’d heard them a number of times and had practice long hours.  Otto, on the other hand, had done it perfectly after just hearing the call once.

In fact the call had been so accurate, even ‘Big Mama’, as Nathan referred to the animal, reacted.  Luckily, the young man was still with her and began stroking her large muzzle to calm her down, while saying, “Easy, false alarm.  We’re just trying to get our bearings.”

But just as the great beast settled down an answering cry, louder than the last one, came back.

Beaming Otto cried, “Got it!  This way my friends, Nathaniel, get her to follow.”

However, the young man did not respond.  Instead his eyes seemed fixed on the opening of the cave.

Jason followed his gaze and saw two figures watching them closely.  “Ah,” sighed and went over to Nathan.  “Come, we must get her home first.  They will wait until we return.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry, they aren’t going anywhere.”

“Who isn’t going anywhere?” called Otto staring at them and then at the cave.  “I don’t see anyone.  Now come, we have to get her home before the opening closes.”

Nathan sighed and shook his head.  “Damn,” the young man murmured and turned away.

Quietly, Jason studied the boy and his dog then made a slight gesture in their direction.  The two seemed to understand and headed back in the cave, while he followed his ‘three’ friends further into the woods.

‘Big Mama’ seemed to sense what was coming.  She was becoming more and more excited as they moved forward, and it was getting a little harder for Nathan to control her.  But every so often a stream of green mist seemed to snake out from beneath his coat and she’d calm down again.

Moving past them, Jason caught up with Otto who was leading the way and asked, “How will we know we’ve found the opening?”

“If we’re at the correct angle, we will see it,” his friend assured him.  “Otherwise, we could literally walk right by it and just hear strange noises from among the trees.”

Hearing this, Jason peered deep into the forest ahead.  After several moments, he spotted something that definitely did not belong.  “There it is!” he whispered.

Otto looked at him, “You’ve spotted it already?  What does it look like?”

“Something wondrous,” was all he could say.

Nathan had overheard everything his two friends were saying and smiled.  He could now sense the opening himself, and so could his charge.  She was becoming very excited, sniffing the air eagerly.  Still he did not relinquish his control over her, for fear she might rush ahead and accidentally run his companions over.

But it was getting harder, so as one of her massive front paws came down in the snow, he scurried up her arm and onto her shoulders.  She did not seem to mind in the least.  Nor did she flinch when a couple of his fingers elongated into narrow sharp tips which slowly penetrated her thick skin.

However instead of drawing from her, he allowed a small amount of himself to pass into the creature.  It was just enough to establish a link between them.  Then he focused his eyes straight ahead.

The animal paused and shifted in wonder.  He knew she was now seeing through his eyes and was amazed at what lay before her.

The opening was clearly visible now.  It was like a scene from another time that had super-imposed itself over the dark forest landscape.  Ice and snow seemed to stretch for miles, while in the sky ever shifting colors, similar to the northern lights glowed and danced.  Amidst the white were moving shapes some of which resembled creatures who had walked the world he knew, while others were completely unknown.

But close to the opening were several beasts whose size and shape were very familiar to him.

Big Mama seemed to recognize them as she called out and they responded in kind.

Knowing the time had come he called out, “Uh guys… you might want to move to one side.”

Otto and Jason did as instructed, just as his mount lunged forward as quickly as her game leg would allow.

Within seconds Nathan found himself in that other version of Earth caught amidst a family reunion of sorts.  The other sloth-like beings crowded around Big Mama, sniffing and rubbing against her in a most welcoming manner.

It soon became clear he wasn’t going to be able to get down easily.  Not unless he wanted to be accidentally stepped on.  But then he heard chanting from behind and turned see Jason and Otto had followed them into this place.

The other creatures seemed intrigued by their presence and in particular the shaman’s song.  The moved away slightly, allowing Big Mama to lower herself into the snow.

Taking the hint, Nathan slid down and stroked her muzzle one last time.  “Merry Christmas,” he murmured to her and then headed over to where his friends waited.

As soon as he joined them, Jason brought his song to an end.

A moment later, the ‘reunion’ started up once more as their charge was herded gently away from the opening and up the nearest hill.  Towards the top she stopped and turned, sniffing the air once more and called back to them before heading off with her family.

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For a moment the three men stood there staring at the wondrous sights around them.  But then Jason said, “Sergeant Ross will be looking for us, and she’ll have others with her.”

“True,” Otto sighed and led the other two back out the way they’d entered.

“How long will the opening last?” Jason asked once they were back in the forest>

“Another day, maybe two,” Otto replied.  “I’d like to come back here tomorrow and do a little exploring, if you don’t mind Nathan.”

“I can load up on the red stuff and join you,” his friend offered.

“We’ll see,” Otto told him, “We have no idea how much sun there might be, and remember it would reflect off all that snow and ice.  It might be too much for your system even if it was well fed.  Besides, the weather report for around here is more snow.  I’d rather you deal with any remaining questions Sergeant Ross may have.”

“Indeed,” Jason smiled, “I have a feeling she’ll want to ‘see’ him alone.”

Otto couldn’t resist nudging his young friend and saying, “You dog, you.”

Before Nathan could respond, they came to the clearing near the rocks just as Veronica and several officers, including one who appeared to be her boss.

“There you are,” she cried upon spotting them.  “Did the bear come back at all?”

Otto shook his head and turned to Jason who said, “No, she didn’t.  I think she knew her work was done and has gone home.  Black bears are rarely seen in these parts because they try to avoid humans, but a child in distress was enough for her to make an exception.”

“Huh?  I’ve heard of wild animals protecting or adopting children, but never thought I’d see the day it actually happen,” commented the gruff-looking officer.  Then the man looked at him and Nathaniel and said, “I’m Police Chief Roy Petersen, thanks for your help in finding the girl.  We appreciate it.”

“We were happy to help,” Otto replied and then noticed the fellow looking at him curiously.

“Have we met before?” the man asked, “I could swear you seem familiar, especially with that accent.”

“I doubt it, this is my first time here in Connecticut,” Otto shook his head. “I don’t come over to America very often.”

Just then Veronica frowned and said, “But Nathan said the two of you investigate reports of strange creatures, like Bigfoot and whatnot.”

‘From now on Nathan does not get to do the talking,’ thought Otto as he quickly came up with a reply. “This is true.  But we look into reports from various countries.  There are legends rumors of unknown animals all over the world.”

This seemed to satisfy her as she shot a glance at Nathan who smiled back.

Otto quietly resigned himself to the fact that they would probably be sticking around at least for a few more days.

“How is Julianna?” asked Jason, anxious to know how his niece was doing.  He would’ve dearly loved to have held and spoken to her for even just a few minutes, but circumstances being what they were had prevented it.

“She’s fine, in fact she’s doing really well,” Chief Petersen smiled.  “Dispatch got a call from your wife just as we were heading out.  Your brother and his family were found alive and well out at sea.  Their ship took a pounding during the storm which drove them way off course and knocked out their radio equipment.  But everyone’s fine and they’re being towed back to port even as we speak.  With a little luck, they’ll be joining you on Christmas day.  So it looks like our work is done here.”

“Indeed it does,” he smiled back and then noticed Nathan glancing back at the cave and thought, ‘Almost.’

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As the clock struck midnight, Jason made his way through the snow once more.  Julianna was safe and resting comfortably.  He’d asked her many questions about her experience and her responses had both warmed his heart and troubled him slightly.  She remembered things exactly as Nathan had instructed, but she had asked questions about things like how large the ‘bear’ had been.  To her the animal that had protected her had seemed much larger than any black or even grizzly bear.  And there had been something odd about the beast’s claws…

He sighed inwardly.  She was going to follow the path, just as he and his brother had.  He had hoped it would be one of his own children, but they had not shown any sign of interest or talent for it.  In fact, they hardly showed any inclination to even really learn the stories or herbal remedies that had been passed down through the years.  Whereas his niece, she could never get enough.

It was something he’d have to discuss with his brother, but after the holidays.  There was no need to burden him with what may come to pass down the road.

Besides, there was another who needed his help right now.

He had just reached the area where the cliff face stood with its low narrow cave entrance.  His ears could detect voices coming from inside.  One of them he recognized and smiled.  Yes, he had not been mistaken in placing his trust in his new friends, particularly this one.

Closing his eyes, he listened carefully, filtering out the sounds of the wind and trees until he could hear ‘them’.

“So you’re parent’s car flipped over and you were thrown from the wreck?” Nathan was saying to the twelve-year old boy before him.  The lad was huddled up close to his dog.

He could clearly see the boy’s dog still seemed uncertain about what to make of him.  But there was little he could do about it.  Misting would not help in this particular case.

“That’s right,” Michael nodded.  “I tried to reach the car to get at my parents, but I could see from all the blood they were dead.  Then that big animal started roaring and stomping around and Riff and I took off running.”

“Looks like you hit your head pretty good,” Nathan remarked.  “That’s quite a bump you got there.”

“Yeah,” the boy nodded, touching his head.  “I must’ve hit the doorframe when I got thrown.  I remember feeling really dizzy as me and Riff headed into the woods.  He stayed with me the whole time, wouldn’t leave my side even once.”

“Then you found this cave and crawled inside, am I right?”

“We had to,” Michael told him.  “That thing was still out there and it seemed to be following us.  When Riff led me to the cave, I could see right away the thing wouldn’t be able to get inside, so I let him help me in and then we just curled up together and waited for the creature to go away.”

“Only it didn’t, it kept hanging around didn’t it?”

“Yeah,” the boy nodded and touched his head.  “Dunno how long we’ve been in here.  I kind of fell asleep and then I heard that girl crying and knew the creature would go after her so…”

“So you called out to her and tried to keep her safe?”

“Yeah, I didn’t want it to hurt her like it did my folks.”

Nathan frowned, “I thought you said the creature killed them.”

The boy hesitated, “I thought so too, but when I was asleep I dreamed I heard them calling to me.  And then today, when I was watching you and the others dealing with the thing, I heard them again.  Do you think they might be okay?”

Before he could answer, Nathan’s sharp ears detected chanting coming from outside the cave.  He recognized the voice immediately, but the song was different than the one he’d heard earlier.  Yet it filled him with a sense of longing.

Then he heard more voices calling as if from a distance, but getting nearer.

Both Michael and Riff heard them too and stood up.  “That sounds like Mom and Dad… can you hear them?  Or am I just dreaming again?”

“No,” Nathan assured him, “I hear them too.”

Michael started forward and then stopped, “What if the creature is still out there or comes back?”

“It won’t,” Nathan assured him.  “She’s gone home and now it’s your turn.”

The boy hugged his dog and murmured, “I’m afraid.”

“I’ll carry you, both of you,” Nathan offered and removed the dark heavy cloak he’d changed into before coming back here. After wrapping both Michael and Riff in it, he lifted them up and headed for the opening.

“I hope we’re not too heavy for you,” the boy whispered as they drew closer to the entryway.  “Riff’s pretty big.”

“You guys aren’t that heavy,” Nathan assured him and even felt a faint wagging of a tail as he stepped out into the clearing.

There off to his left he spotted Jason continuing his chant, while a man and a woman stood near the trees with their arms outstretched.  “Michael!” they cried in unison.

“Mom!  Dad!” the boy cried and rushed to meet them, with Riff following close behind.

Nathan stayed still, his arms still held out as the reunited family hugged and laughed, before slowly fading before his eyes.

Once they were gone, Jason finished his chant and approached him.  “Do not look sad my friend, they’ve been searching for him all this time. And now they have all moved on, just as you have.”

“Is it that obvious?” Nathan asked, shifting the bundle in his arms ever so gently.

“How long have yours been gone?”

“Over a hundred and thirty years,” Nathan told him.  “But I do have other family.  It’s an extended family which is composed of many homes and people who know what I am, and that I’ll always watch over them.”

“My people belonged to the Iroquois, and we used to live in longhouses that were comprised of many families who lived together,” Jason remarked.  “You’re extended family sounds much the same.  I would honored if you would count my family among them.”

Nathan thought about it for a moment and then said, “I’d like that too.  But, some of them are going to have to know the truth about me.  I don’t age like normal people.  If I keep coming back to visit, I’ll either have to wear make-up to look older or…”

“My wife and my eldest boys are fully aware of the other worlds,” Jason interrupted.  “Remember, I told you before about that which my ancestors imprisoned so long ago.  Well, that prison still exists and it is my job to keep watch over it and make sure the thing does not escape.  After I’m gone one of my children, or possibly one of my brother’s, will take over the job.”  Here the shaman paused and turned to him and said, “I would feel better knowing they had someone like you to help guard their back.”

Nathan smiled, touched by his friend’s words.  “Of course I will.”

“Good, it would be nice to add to my family at Christmas.  You and Otto will join us.”

Hearing the note of finality in his friend’s voice, Nathan nodded.  “Of course,”

As those two words left his lips the beam of a flashlight appeared among the trees.

A moment later, the familiar form of Chief Petersen, followed by one of his male officers appeared.  “Okay Jason, I’m back just like you asked.  What did you find…?  Oh no, please don’t tell me that’s Rachel?”

“No, it’s Michael Broughman,” the shaman replied.

“The boy who disappeared after his parent’s car crashed eight years ago?”

“I’m afraid so,” Nathan nodded.

“Where did you find him?”

“Inside the cave,” Jason answered.  “Julianna told me about a boy she’d seen in there who’d helped her.  We never saw anyone come out, so Nathan and I came back to see if he was still there.”

“And apparently he was,” Roy shook his head in disbelief.  “But she said he ‘helped’ her?  How?  Are you telling me she saw a ghost?”

“Perhaps,” Jason shrugged.

“Or maybe she simply saw the shadow of the remains and imagined he was real,” suggested Nathan.  “The mind can play tricks on people, especially when their stressed or upset.”

Chief Petersen took a closer look at the bundle and nodded.  “Looks like the boy took a nasty blow to the head in the crash, probably a concussion.  The dog knew he was hurt and wouldn’t leave him so it tried to keep him warm and they both froze to death,” he sighed.  “Well, at least now they can reunited with his folks and rest in peace together.”

“They already are I’m sure,” Nathan heard Jason reply as they both stared into the woods, which gleamed like a frozen cathedral in the night.

magical snowy night

THE END?  OR WOULD YOU LIKE AN EPILOGUE?  PLEASE LEAVE AN ANSWER IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.  I HAVE A LITTLE MORE TO OFFER, BUT ONLY IF YOU ASK FOR IT MY FRIENDS…

by

“Home For Christmas: A Para-Earth Holiday Tale” – Part Five

shoulder radio

FOUND

As soon as Veronica ended her chat with Jason, she changed the channel on the radio.

“What are doing?” asked Nathaniel watching her closely.

“Switching to the police frequency, I need to let the others know we’ve found Julie’s trail,” she replied.  As soon as she heard the familiar chatter of her fellow officers she hit the button.  “Attention all officers, this is Sergeant Ross, I’ve found the girl’s footprints and their fresh.”

A brief round of cheers and congratulations were offered, then one gruff voice burst out of the radio saying, “Good job, Sergeant.  I’m with a team of volunteers at the opening in fence where you left the flares.  Can you give us your position?”

“We’re deep within the woods off to your left as you look into the field, Chief” she responded.

After a moment Roy’s voice came back saying, “Who’s we?”

“I ran into Jason Cloudfoot and a couple of ‘Bigfoot’ hunters who volunteered their help,” she replied and gave Nathan an apologetic look.  He rolled his eyes and shook his head with a smile.  Then he mouthed ‘I’m going to try and find her trail again,’ and moved a few yards ahead.

Just then Roy’s voice came over the radio again.  “Oh for God’s sake, someone else looking into that damn Yeti or Winter-Beast folks keep talking about.”

Veronica frowned.  “You mean there really is some kind of Abominable Snowman around here?” she asked, thinking about the strange howl they’d heard moments before.

“Yeah, it was first seen about thirty years ago.  Some big creature covered in white fur that only shows up in winter.  Supposedly it caused an accident the year before I took over as Chief of Police.  A couple lost control and crashed just about where I’m standing.  They were killed in the crash.  Their son, along with his dog, apparently had been thrown from the car.  Their footprints were found leading into the woods, along with a third set of prints that no one could identify.  They were huge and described as ‘monstrous-looking’.”

“Oh really?” she murmured, thinking back to the strange bellow she and Nathan had heard a few moments ago.  “Did they find the boy?”

There was a pause before she heard Roy quiet reply, “Not to my knowledge.  Look, we ain’t got time for legends.  I see another flare and then what looks like some glowing lights leading into the woods.  Is that you’re doing?”

“Yeah, we were marking our path so we could find our way back out,” she told him.

 “Thank God, for a minute there I’d thought someone had decided to decorate the entire woods for Christmas.  I’m seeing some more off to my right, should I be sending any men that way?”

“Those they were left by Jason and another volunteer when we split up.  Don’t bother following those, the four of us are heading for a rocky area west of your current position.  We think Julie might have headed that way.”

“Copy that.  Stay put and we’ll follow the trail you’ve left,” her boss instructed.

“Negative, we’ve just heard a loud roar or bellow a few moments ago.  It might have been a bear or something, we’re going to investigate.  I’ll be dropping more of glow sticks for you to follow.”

“Understood, but proceed with caution Sergeant.  We’ll bring some extra fire power just in case,” Roy instructed, and then added quietly, “And Ronnie, be careful.  Don’t do anything foolish.  I know how bad you want to find the girl.”

Veronica smiled, touched by her old partner’s concern.  “I’ll be all right, I’ve got good help with me,” she replied, glancing at Nathan whose head suddenly snapped up.  His eyes were closed and his brow furrowed, as if he was in deep concentration.

Curious she drew closer and waited.

After several seconds she reached out a hand and was just about to touch his right shoulder when his eyes snapped open.  “I know exactly where she is!” he cried, leaping to his feet.

“How…?” Veronica began but he cut her off with a look and said quietly, “She’s not alone.”

*   *   *   *   *

Julie still couldn’t believe what was happening.  The huge beast had just finished snuffling her from head to toe and then let out the most piteous bellow she’d ever heard.  Now it was trying to curl up around her as if to keep her safe from the cold.

Did it understand that she was lost and upset?

It seemed like that was the case.  Uncle Jason had told her before that some animals will respond to the cry of a baby or child as if it had come from one of their own offspring.  It seemed to trigger a mothering instinct in them and… a female!  This thing, whatever it was, had to be a female.  And now it was trying to mother and protect her.

But what was it?  She’d never anything like it before.  It clearly wasn’t a bear.  Plus it was way larger than a grizzly.  So what was it?  Glancing over at the cave, she could see Michael and his dog standing in the entrance looking confused and uncertain.

Then she heard voices in the distance, a man and a woman’s.  She didn’t recognize either of them, and although they were calling out, she didn’t hear her name.  Instead it sounded like they were calling for someone else…

 Suddenly she spotted movement in the snow.  They were small and she couldn’t make them out clearly, but they appeared to be mouse-shaped.  There were dozens of them.  Their dark forms stood out clearly against the white-snow.

A moment later, more voices could be heard, along with the sound of fast feet crunching through the snow.  Then she heard her name being called, “JULIE?”

“I’m over here!” she cried and then noticed the animal holding her seemed to become startled and afraid.  “Move slower, your frightening her!” she added loudly and tried to calm her protector by gently stroking its thick fur.

“Don’t be afraid,” she whispered, “I won’t let them hurt you.”

The great beast seemed to respond to her gentle touch and relaxed as two figures emerged from the woods, one tall the other short and bearded.

“Uncle Jason!” she smiled and then quickly said, “Don’t hurt her.  She’s protecting me.”

“I can see that,” her relative nodded and smiled staring at the beast.

His companion shook his head in awe and his mouth stretched into a wide grin.  “Oh, she is magnificent.  You did say it was a ‘she’ right?”

Julie nodded.

“Definitely from a cold climate,” the stranger muttered as he slowly approached.  “No wonder she only appears in winter, she follows the snow.  What a clever girl you are,” he added excitedly.

The animal seemed to sniff around in his general direction until it located the man and apparently decided he was not a threat.  Then it did the same towards Uncle Jason with similar results.

Otto studied the great beast carefully.  It reminded him somewhat of the Giant Sloths that had wandered this Earth during the Ice Age, only this one had other adaptations such as white fur and those massive claws.  No doubt they were for bringing down tall tree branches and other hard to reach flora.  It didn’t have the snout or teeth for taking down large prey, although it might also indulge in fish from streams.

In any case, it was a magnificent specimen.  It also seemed to be…

“Lost,” Jason murmured beside him.  “The creature is lost.  It’s looking for something, but cannot find it.”

“The way home?” Otto suggested.  “That would explain why it keeps coming back here in winter.  It knows the doorway is near, but has not been able to find it because it only opens every ten years.  The question is why didn’t it find the portal the last time it was open?”

“Look at how it moves.  It searches by sound and smell.  I do not think it can see,” the shaman replied.  Then he called to his niece, “Julianna, can your friend see?”

The dark-haired girl shook her head, “No, she’s blind.  I saw her eyes they were pale and milky.  She can’t see at all, so she searches by sound and smell.”

“Ah, that explains much,” Otto nodded.

“Yes, Jason agreed, “It will need our help to find the opening so it can go back to being among those who are searching for it.”

Otto was about to ask Jason how he knew this when another great bellow rang out.  Only this time it had not come from the creature before them.  It had come from elsewhere, unfortunately the sound echoed off the walls of the cliff and seemed to come from all directions.

The animal before them looked up and around as if confused and gave a plaintive cry of its own in response.  Soon the creature seemed to become agitated and began moving around, carrying the girl with it.

“NO…” Jason began when a figure appeared out of the woods.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?” Sergeant Ross cried upon spotting the animal and immediately pulled out her weapon.  But then a green mist seemed to rise up from the ground and engulfed her, the huge beast, and its precious charge.

the vision

Jason stared in awe as the unnatural haze seemed to have a calming effect on those caught within its grasp.  The cloud hovered around the trio for several seconds, defiantly resisting all attempts by the wind to push it away.  Then it slowly slunk back in among the trees, where Sergeant Ross had emerged.  Then the blood-red mice who dotted the snow, followed and a few moments later, Nathan stepped into the clearing and walked right up to the animal.

Stretching out two arms the young man said in a soothing voice, “It’s okay, you’ve done your job. I’ll take her from here, she’ll be safe.  You’ve done well, Big Mama.”

The great beast obediently released its charge into Nathan’s waiting arms and even gave a gentle nuzzle to the girl before moving away from the pair.

Then Nathan turned to Sergeant Ross and quietly told her to holster her gun, which she did without question.

“Good, now take Julianna and head back to your boss and the others.  You found the girl being protected by a mama grizzly who was all covered in snow.  The animal thought she was a cub who needed protecting and was keeping her warm until you and I showed up.  Then she got up and took off, it was a Christmas miracle,” he told her.

Unfortunately, the sergeant’s mind was not so easily swayed.  “But grizzlies are brown and the thing I saw was white…”

“That was the snow sticking to the bear’s fur.  She’d been staying put after curling up around the little girl,” Nathan pointed out casually.

“Oh… yeah, it was amazing,” Sergeant Ross nodded and started to head back the way she’d come.  Then she paused and said, “Aren’t you coming?”

“I’m waiting for Jason and Otto to catch up.  As soon as they’re here we’ll follow.”

Jason watched the policewoman scan the area and even look right at him.  “All right,” she nodded.  “But if you don’t show up in ten minutes with the two of them I’m coming right back.  I can’t leave you hanging out here in the dark by yourself.”

With that she disappeared into the woods, following the trail of glowing sticks.

Nathan blew a sigh of relief as soon as Veronica and the girl were gone.

‘That was close,’ he thought as he headed over to where Jason and Otto were waiting.

He’d actually been able to hear most of the conversation passing between Otto, Jason and the little girl thanks to his ‘minions’.  Since they were actually made up of him, he was able to see through their eyes and hear through their ears.  So he knew what to expect when he and Veronica arrived on the scene.  But he hadn’t expected her to pull out her weapon so quickly.

Luckily he’d been able to take his mist form which had a calming effect on most beings, especially mammals.  It also had the added effect of making them more pliant and easy to suggestion.  He’d kept his ‘revision’ of what happened close enough to the truth so that neither Julianna’s nor Veronica’s mind would reject what he’d told them.

Still, the fact that Veronica had questioned him about the animal’s fur was a bit surprising.  She obviously had a strong mind and will, but she seemed to accept his explanation.   He might need to stick around for a few days to just to make sure his suggestion did wind up sticking.

Of course, if they succeeded in getting the animal home it would be moot point.  There would be no way for Veronica to check up on what she really saw.  Even if she remembered that Otto and Jason were actually here when she arrived, both would tell her they’d seen a snow covered grizzly bear.

Reaching his friends he sighed, “Okay gentleman, we have ten minutes to get this creature back to her own reality and home in time for Christmas.  How are we going to do it?”

TO BE CONCLUDED ‘FOR REAL’ TOMORROW…

by

“Home For Christmas: A Para-Earth Holiday Tale” – Part Four

 THE THING IN THE WOODS

Bonnechere_Winter04

Julie continued to stare at the opening of the cave.  The creature was moving very slowly as if searching for something.  It raised its camel-like snout into the air and sniffed several times, before moving again.

She’d never seen such an animal before.  For one thing it was huge, way too big to come into the opening of the cave.  So even if the animal did sense their presence, it couldn’t get at them even if it wanted too.

Then again, it could try using those massive claws on its front paws to try and reach in to get them.  She’d never seen such talons before on any animal.  There were three on each paw, and measured a good yard or more in length.  They were so long in fact, that the animal had to curl its front paws back and walk on its knuckles.

But what made them truly frightening was the way they curved like a scythe.  She could easily picture herself being hooked by one of those terrifying claws and dragged out into the snow.

Yet, something about the animal’s behavior made her think it didn’t want to harm anyone.  Her father and Uncle Jason had taken her out into the woods to observe animals in the wild.  She’d seen how various creatures behaved and this one seemed to be more lost than anything.

Without thinking she slowly started to move towards the opening to get a better look when Michael hissed, “What are you doing?  It’ll kill you if you go out there!”

“How do you know?” she whispered back.

“Because it killed my parents!”

*   *   *   *   *

Otto and his companion were studying the ground carefully as they entered the woods.  So far they had found nothing but what looked like mice tracks.  He knew from experience that these belonged to Nathan and was inwardly pleased.  Surely they’d find the missing child with this much ground being covered so quickly.

Still, he was a little surprised that his friend had apparently revealed his nature to a stranger.  Looking up at the tall Seneca, he could tell there was more to this man that met the eye.  Decades of meeting people from all different walks of life had allowed him to catch certain looks and behaviors in people that spoke volumes about themselves.

Pausing to crack another plastic stick from his pouch, he placed the glowing rod securely on a tree branch, just as his companion spoke.

“I appreciate what you and your friend are doing to help find my niece,” the man said.  “I’d like to be able to do something for the two of you.  You are seeking something that much I can tell.  But what it is, I have no clue.  Would you tell me what it is?”

“Nathaniel did not tell you?”

“Only that he had crossed into one of the many realities that are and are not, like this one.  Places where some if not all life, evolved very differently than it did here,” the Seneca replied quietly.

Intrigued, Otto turned to him.  “You have knowledge of such places?”

“As shaman of my people, I know a great many things, including how to recognize those who have been places and come back ‘changed’ by their experiences,” the fellow nodded.

“Then you also know that the openings that occur tend not to last for very long, but sometimes come back every so often,” he pressed.  “Have you heard of any around here?”

“Yes, I have.  There is one place not far from where we are standing where the woods have been reported to be haunted,” Jason told him.  “Strange noises can be heard, from beings unseen that are not of this world.  Even the local creatures avoid that place when the sounds come.”

Immediately, Otto became more excited.  “I see,” he nodded rubbing his hands together.  “Most interesting, tell me when do these sounds occur?  Are they all year round or just at certain times?”

“Only in winter, as I suspect you have already guessed,” Jason answered with a smile.  “But they do not come every winter.  I have heard them twice myself.  The first time was when I was only a boy of ten and had come out this way to hunt deer, in order to see if I could approach one and pet it without frightening the animal.  It took me by surprise and I was both frightened yet intrigued.  I came back several days in a row trying to find the source of the sounds, but then they ceased.  I returned the following year, but they did not come.  Still I hoped and kept coming back year after year in Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.  Then exactly ten years later, around Christmas I heard the sounds again.”

“Yes, yes… that is exactly what I calculated,” Otto beamed with pride.  Then he glanced at his friend and said, “And that happened ten years ago, am I right?”

Jason smiled and nodded.  “Indeed it did.  And I got close to the source, but the wind kicked up and began to howl as it is doing now.  It drowns the sounds and carries them away, but I am certain even without hearing those strange noises that I could find the opening you seek.”

“Do you think it’s possible your niece has already found it?” Otto asked quietly.

“It is possible, but I do not think she would enter such a place.  My brother and I have taught her well to avoid certain places where things do not feel right,” Jason assured him.

“I hope so,” Otto sighed.  “The question is, did something from the other side have as much common sense?”

“You speak of the creature that supposedly wanders these hills in winter, don’t you?”

“Have you seen it?”

sloth paw prints

“No,” Jason shook his head, “but I’ve heard of it.  A towering creature with massive claws which can stand up on its hind legs from time to time, but mostly travels on all fours.  I have even seen the strange footprints it leaves in the snow.  They are huge yet not found very often.  They seem to vanish near large snowdrifts, yet I’ve been able to detect a disturbance in the pack as if something has passed into it, as a fish will move through water.”

“It swims through the snow?”

“No, I suspect it travels beneath the white, displacing the snow before it and pushing the pack past and then behind it, thus leaving no trail for anyone to follow.”

“Especially adapted for a colder climate,” Otto murmured thinking aloud, “It must come from a version where the Ice Age never ended.  Do we have any idea of the creature’s nature?  Is it aggressive?  Does it hunt other animals?”

“I’ve not heard of any strange remains being found in this area or of any livestock disappearances that could not be explained,” Jason replied after a few moments of thought.  “However, there was one incident about eight years ago when…”

A low distant cry as if coming from a gigantic throat cut off the rest of his words.

As the sound echoed and reverberated across the woods, both men stood there listening in wonder.

Soon the sound passed and only the wind could be heard.

“That…” Jason began.

“Would be our friend,” Otto nodded.  “It sounds very large indeed.”

“And I think I know where it came from and it is not too far from where the opening you seek is.”

“How can you be certain?” asked Otto curiously.

“For that howl to have echoed so well above this storm, the creature must be near a stony area.  And I know of one not too far from where we parted company with Sergeant Ross and your friend, Nathan.”

Just then the radio attached to Otto’s belt crackled and the voice of the policewoman in question could be heard.

“Jason?  Professor Hofstadter?  Do you read me?  Respond?”

Grabbing the device, Otto pressed the button and replied, “We read you loud and crackly.  Did you hear that deep, loud noise?”

“We did,” came the reply.  “We also found one of Julie’s footprints in the snow.  She appears to have been headed towards a rocky area to the south of our current position.  We’re heading that way now.”

He turned to his companion who nodded, “That’s the same area I was going to take you.  Tell them to move carefully and we’ll catch up as soon as we can.”

Otto relayed the information and then the two of them set out, moving as quickly as possible.

“I’m sure we will find her safe and sound,” he assured his companion.

“I hope you are right,” Jason replied, but kept moving with a fast determined step.  “You asked me before if the creature was dangerous or not.  Well, there had been a car crash that occurred at the same place near the barbed wire fence where we met and…”

*   *   *   *   *

“That thing killed your parents?” Julie murmured.

“Yeah,” her shadowy companion whispered back.  “It would’ve gotten me too if Riff hadn’t led me away to safety.  He was the one who found this cave and dragged me inside.”

“He dragged you? Why?”

“I’d hurt my head and couldn’t walk too well,” her friend replied.  “I don’t remember too much after that, except waking up inside here and feeling cold.  Riff was still with me and curled up with me so we could stay warm.”

Julie turned and stared back at the mouth of the cave.  The animal was moving slowly very slowly, or so it seemed.  She could see the back half of the creature and noticed one of its hind legs was limping.  “It’s hurt,” she murmured.

“Probably from when our car hit it,” she heard Michel remark somewhere behind her.  “It rose up out of the snow as we were driving and my Dad lost control trying to turn away from it.  But the car started to slide and couldn’t straighten out.  Our car fish-tailed and then suddenly that thing hit us and sent our car flipped over.  We rolled over a barbed wire fence and then the door to the backseat on my side opened and I went flying because I didn’t have my seatbelt on…”

As she listened Julie kept one eye on the creature which continued to move away from the mouth of the cave.  Something didn’t seem right.  Then without thinking, she crawled forward all the way to the opening and took a closer look at her pursuer.

The beast was as bigger than a bear, perhaps as large as a rhino and had long limbs which made its limp so distinct.  Strangely, she couldn’t detect any blood on the animal that she could see.  There was nothing near the snout or around that injured hind leg.

She was about to double back and ask Michael another question when the animal suddenly sniffed the air and turned around to face her.  The great nostrils flared and exuded steam as the beast seemed to stare at her with eyes she couldn’t see.

Just then a strong wind kicked up and blew some of the long hair back off the animal’s face.  What she saw made her cry out in shock.

A moment later, the great beast unleashed a bellow of its own, before loping straight towards her as quickly as its bad leg would allow.

Paralyzed she stood there unable to move, as the snow continued to fall all around her…

snow-falling-through-light-gif

TO BE CONCLUDED TOMORROW….

by

Novel Update…

Hello everyone, I’ve given Nathaniel and company a break this week because of the holiday.  They’ll be back shortly with more blog entries.  But in the meantime I thought you would all like to know how things are progressing on the actual novel.

I’m sure you’ll all be happy to know that I completed the 2nd draft yesterday, which gave me something extra to be thankful for on Thanksgiving.  Writing in the first person has been quite the adventure for me.  Most authors stick inside one character’s head and they act as the narrator for the entire story.  But I prefer sharing various character’s points of view, so I normally used limited third person, where I give each character a chapter where we see inside only their heads for that chapter.

Doing blog, journal, and diary entries to tell the story, has allowed me to do something similar with this novel.  However, I’ve had to create unique ‘voices’ for each character as well.  I didn’t want a blog entry by one of my teenage characters to sound the same as one of my middle-aged male characters.

I’ve also had a bit of a challenge dealing with past tense vs. present tense.  After all, if you’re writing about something that happened to you in your blog/journal you use past tense.  So I’ve had a little bit of a challenge making the events sound just as exciting as if I were using the present tense like I have in my other novels.  Plus I’m trying to make sure I ‘show’ people what happened and not just have the character ‘tell’ you what happened.  I like to give enough details that my readers can picture the scene and all the action inside their heads like it was a movie.  So I’m going to be paying close attention to what my beta-readers say when they get to look at the book.

Now, that I’ve completed the 2nd draft, the book is getting looked over and the first edits will be under way.  I won’t be doing much new writing for a few weeks because I’m attending university and it’s getting towards the end of the semester.  This means the professors are loading us up with last minute assignments, as well as getting us prepped for final exams.

I will be putting out a short story involving Nathaniel and several characters from my previous novels, creating my first cross-over story.  Being a short story it won’t take me long to put it together.  It will be a holiday piece which I plan on releasing on Christmas Day.  So stay tuned for more detials on that.

In the meantime, Nathaniel, Lisa, and Marisa, as well as a few others will be posting here again very shortly.  So you won’t be without anything new to read here.

With that said, thanks for all your support and feedback.  I’m glad so many of you are enjoying my vampyre’s experiences along with those who are a large part of his extended life.  For those who celebrate Thanksgiving I hope you had a wonderful holiday.  I’m looking forward to this weekend to start decorating as well as study and do homework.

Until next time be happy and healthy.

by

An Important Announcement About “The Vampyre Blogs” Novel Release Date…

For those of you who don’t already know, I started attending the California State University at Monterey Bay in August and the workload had been fairly manageable, until recently.  Things are heating up and I have less and less time to work on “The Vampyre Blogs”.  I had planned on getting the latest draft finished, edited, beta-read, etc. so I could have it out in time for this Christmas.

 Unfortunately, that is not going to happen.  I’m afraid I’m one of those authors will not release a book until it’s had all those things done to it.  Currently, I’m still trying to finish the 2nd draft and I’m still not entirely happy with the piece.  Plus I haven’t even started on a cover for the book.  I do have this, which I made on my computer.
However, I’m not totally sold on this version really.  I’d prefer to try and do a soft pastel piece like I did with my other two novels.  But instead of doing the entire cover in soft pastel, I’d like to create more of a background and then super-impose the image I have on top of the background.  In short, I’d like a nice blend of the two and that’s going to take time.

All this is bad enough, but there is also the issue of the holidays getting closer and closer.  I’d still need to get the novel to my beta-readers, but they’re going to be busy with family stuff like cooking, visiting, and shopping.  I don’t feel right asking them to take time out of their schedules to read the book and give me their feedback.  That wouldn’t be right.

So I’m going to continue to finish the 2nd draft and getting it edited and whatnot over the holidays.  Then I’ll be sending beta-versions out in January and doing another draft after that.  I hope to have it all done my March, but I won’t be releasing it then.  Instead the book will come out in late October to coincide with Halloween.  Why wait until then?  Because the story begins in early fall and ends just around Halloween, thus making it a a more seasonal novel.

Now for anyone worried they have to wait for more Nathaniel and company until then, never fear because I’m still going to be posting more mini-stories here.  Plus, I’m working on a special ‘free’ short story for this Christmas that will involve Nathaniel and several characters from my other novels in the Para-Earth Series.  Anyone who’s read “The Bridge” or “The Ship” will be pleased to see some old friends as well as our favorite Civil War vampyre.

I’ll be releasing the short story through Smashwords which carries e-book formats for all the new e-readers and laptops people will be getting as gifts.  You’ll find Mobi (for Kindle), Nook, Apple, Sony,  Phones, and even plain good old PDF for those who just have a computer/laptop.  And in the spirit of the season, the story will be “FREE”.  So stay tuned.  I’ll be announcing more as the day draws near.

Finally, I want to also let you all know that Nathan will not be a one-book wonder.  I intend to keep him going for some time.  When you’ve got someone who’s over a 150 years old, you got a lot of room for many tales.  I’m even considering making an anthology filled with short stories from different eras he’s lived though.  But that’s a little ways down the road.  For now, I’ll leave you with the following list of novels I’m working on and their intended release dates for the next 2-3 years:

October/December 2015 “The Vampyre Blogs – Coming Home”

In 1862 Nathaniel Steward was only sixteen years old. He left home to fight in the Union Army, knowing the experience might change him. He had no idea how much it would. Now, 150 years later, he’s finally coming back to what he thinks is an empty manor. What he doesn’t know is someone has been waiting, and some ‘thing’ is following him, a being that does no belong in this world.

Coming Mid-2016 “In The Shadow Of The Door – Book 1”

Cassandra’s ghostly protector Brandon has always been an enigma to many. Now, we get to hear his story which will lead directly up to the events that took place in my third book, “The Door”.

Coming December, 2016, “The Vampyre Blogs – Family Ties”

Nathaniel is back and he’s not alone. A mystery involving a member of his family has arisen, but so has an old enemy. New dangers arise that threaten not only those he loves, but his entire hometown. Like any soldier he will fight to protect his place of birth, but it may cost him his very existence.

Coming Mid-2017 – “In The Shadow Of The Door – Book 2”

Brandon’s story continues as he and his uncle continue to struggle with the family curse that everyone believed was over. The threat has been thwarted but not ended and time is running out. Soon the door will be reopened and nothing will be able to stop what will come out of it if they don’t seal it for good first.

Coming in December 2017, “Harlequin House”

When Alex Hill was only twelve years old he went inside the most haunted place on the planet as part of a team of paranormal investigators from the university his older cousin Rick was attending.
  Within those walls he watched most of the team die one by one, and barely got out with his sanity intact.  He swore nothing would ever make him go back.
Tonight he will enter the place the very place that has haunted his dreams for the last twenty years, to save his father. Will he be as fortunate this time?

OTHER BOOKS IN THE PARA-EARTH SERIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE NOW FOR ALL E-READERS AND IN TRADE PAPERBACK:

 

THE BRIDGE

Alex Hill buried his psychic talents for eighteen years. But with the scream of tires and twisting metal all this changes. Upon learning his girlfriend Police Sergeant Veronica Ross was nearly run down by two teens he becomes concerned. But when he learns both the driver and passenger had been dead for almost twelve hours when they nearly ran her down, he knows what he must do…
*NOTE: You can sample the book for free at:
 

THE SHIP

What starts as a simple surfing lesson, turns into a struggle for survival for billionaire heiress Cassandra Elliott and her new love interest the Seneca shamaness Julie Cloudfoot.
Cassandra is knocked off her board by an unseen assailant who leaves a terrifying gash in her wetsuit, along with a small red mark on her leg. Soon terrifying visions of a ghost ship begin haunting the heiress’ dreams. She also begins to find herself strangely drawn to the sea whenever a strange fogbank appears in the distance.
Something hiding within the miasma, but what does it want from her, and what connection does the entity have with the legendary “Lost Colony of Roanoke” and the tribe of Tuscarora Indians who Julie is distantly related to…

by

An Early Halloween Treat From Me To You!

stock-vector-trick-or-treat-halloween-text-109771892

*HAPPY HALLOWEEN everyone!  I decided to give you all an early treat by sharing a snippet from “The Vampyre Blogs” novel itself.  Unlike the other entries you’ve seen here on this blog, this entry actually shows up in the book.  I was careful to choose this particular entry since all three characters are well known to you by now.  Plus it doesn’t give too much away, while hopefully leaving you with some questions to think about until the novel’s release at Christmas.  So without further ado, here are Marisa, Lisa and Nathaniel.  I hope you enjoy*

MARISA’S MUSINGS – October 7th, 2012

It’s been such a strange day, especially this evening.  I still don’t know what think at the moment.

Waking up and finding Dad was still at home sitting in front of the TV just like in my dreams, gave me a start.  Especially when I saw he looked a little greyish, but then Mom opened the curtains and I saw he was just tired.  I literally blew a sigh of relief, but it still set me on edge for the rest of the day.

Unfortunately, most of my classes were on the quiet and boring side today, which meant I kept worrying about my dad.

Thank God Lisa was in all of them with me.  I don’t know what I would’ve done without her around trying to distract me.  But I still couldn’t get that damn dream out of my head.  It had felt so real.  Then, just as we arrived at The Crypt, I started wondering if it had actually been some kind of warning. The idea it might be really put me on edge.

Unfortunately, that’s when Dianne showed up and started in with me, as usual.  Normally I can ignore her comments, but tonight, I just couldn’t.  God I feel so bad about what happened.  Poor Lisa got caught up in things and could’ve wound up getting hurt if Nathaniel hadn’t stepped in when he did.

I still feel bad about blowing up at him the way I did at the time.  But that’s not the only thing that’s bothering me about him.  After tonight, I can’t look at him the same way I used to.

Finding out he was once married and that his wife pass away in his arms, really hit me hard.  I guess that’s why I kissed him the way I did.  I just wanted to wipe away the pain I knew he was experiencing at that moment, along with my own.  I didn’t tongue him or anything, but for a second I nearly did.  Something about him that made me feel so alive that I didn’t want it to stop.  But I remembered Lisa was with us and I know she has a crush on him.  So I backed off.  But a part of me wanted to go right back to kissing him.   I don’t think I’ve ever wanted someone so bad in all my life.

And truth be told, I still want him.  But I’m also a little leery of him, because of because of what happened next.

I excused myself and started to fix my make-up.  After all that crying I’d done earlier, I knew I must look like hell.

Nathaniel was kind enough to walk away and give me my space, while Lisa checked on me quick before she went over to join him at the window.  As I heard the two of them talking quietly, I stole a glance over my shoulder.  Lisa was hanging onto him in a playful way, and I started to get jealous for a moment.

Quickly, I shook my head and pulled out my compact so I could use the mirror as I fixed my make-up.  Surprisingly, I didn’t look too bad and was able to make myself presentable rather quickly.

Then I decided to use the mirror to take another at Lisa and Nathaniel to see what they were up to.  And that’s when it happened.  I could see Lisa still acting if she were draped all over Nathaniel, only he wasn’t there.

I blinked and stared at the mirror again, but the image had not changed.  From the way Lisa was positioned, I knew she had to be hanging onto someone, because there was no way she could keep her balance in that pose.  But there was no one there.

Carefully I took another look over my shoulder and saw the two of them just as I had before.  Then I looked back at my mirror and saw only Lisa holding on to empty air.  I let out a little gasp and dropped everything, including the compact which shattered on impact.

Immediately, Lisa came rushing over to see what was wrong and quickly helped me gather everything.  Nathaniel on the other had stayed by the window.  He seemed to be in deep thought.

Naturally, I didn’t tell either of them what I saw, or rather what I didn’t see.  Instead, after Lisa helped me get all my make-up back in the purse, I told them I felt like going back down to the dance floor.   I’d remembered there were huge mirrors on the walls down there and wanted to see what would happen when we got down there.

To my amazement and relief, I saw all three of our reflections in every one of them.  At that point I was fully ready to believe my eyes had simply played a trick on me.

But now my mind has gone back to the day in my Aunt Betsy’s office when I first met Nathaniel.  She had brought in those beautiful fresh cut flowers.  But after he went near them to get his coat and hat,  we’d found them black and withered.

Is he what I think he is?  I’ve seen enough movies to know all the signs.   Yet, I saw his reflection in the mirrors of the club.  Plus he has a bunch of mirrors in his home which I’ve seen him use.

No, I think I’ve just been stressing out too much lately.  There’s no such thing as vampires.  Right?

Happy-Halloween-Gif-2

by

Lisa’s “Private” Journal June 16th, 2011

*Author’s note: Today I’m introducing Brian’s daughter Lisa, who is also Marisa’s best friend.  Like her father, Lisa is fully aware of what Nathaniel is and has no problem with it as you will soon see.  She too will be a key player in the actual novel.  So please sit back and relax as Lisa introduces herself to you all.  I hope you’ll find her as charming and fun as I do…*

SQUEEEE… ENGLAND IS SO COOL!

Oh my God, I’ve been having the best time since we got here.  This place is so incredible.  I really didn’t know what I was going to think of this place when I was told we were going, but I’m so glad we came.  My whole attitude about coming was kind of ‘mixed’ so to speak.  I’d really been looking forward to enjoying the summer with my best friend Marisa, only to be told we were heading overseas for three months touring Europe.

My dad is teaches history over at New River Tech College and had been wanting to visit the continent for some time in order to take in some ‘history’ in person.  But he didn’t want to just visit, he wanted to really explore and have the time to do his research.

Enter my godfather, Uncle Nate, who thanks to his inhumanly long life, was heading to England to visit some of his ‘extended’ family there and other parts of Europe.  While he was looking to going, he hates to travel alone.  So he decided to ‘drag’ us along with him on this trip.

As exciting as the trip sounded, I was pretty annoyed about not being with my bestie as planned.  I even tried to talk my parents into letting her come with us.  Much to their credit, they did like the idea and would’ve loved to have had her along.  They like to think of Marisa as another daughter and would’ve watched over her like a pair of hawks.  However… there was Uncle Nate to think about.  Marisa does not know about his being a hundred and sixty-four year old vampyre.  None of my friends know, which is why I have to keep this blog “PRIVATE”.  It’s more like a personal diary where I share my adventures and experiences involving Uncle Nate.  The only people who will ever read these entries are myself and any children I have when I’m older.  I want them to know and understand what makes Uncle Nate so very special and amazing.  He’s been part of our family since 1866 when he married the widow of his best friend and commanding officer in the Union Army.  He’s been our ‘guardian angel’ ever since.

And we’re not the only family he watches over.  Since coming here I’ve met at least a dozen families who know and adore him as much as we do.  They too know his secret and guard it with a vengeance.  I’ve been told that before we finally head back home, I’ll have met many more who call him “Uncle”, “Friend” and even an “Angel” with dark wings..

But what I want to talk about right now is this new thing I’m getting into.  As soon as we arrived in London’s Heathrow Airport I started seeing people in the most amazing outfits.  They’re Goths, but not like the ones I’ve seen in school who do the dark clothing and black hair routines.  These people take it a step further into like living history meets art.  We’re talking Classic Goth clothing and make-up done with STYLE.

I totally fell in love with the clothing at first.  I mean, some of the styles border on historical with an added touch of modern clothing.  Like this dress…

But I’m not just getting into the clothes.  The make-up is fascinating me as well.  It turns out one of my ‘cousins’ over here is into the Goth scene, and she’s been taking me under her wing.  She’s been showing me all kinds of cool make-up and looks I can go for, like this one she did for a party we went to…

I’ve started accumulating a new wardrobe.  Kate (my cousin) gave me this little outfit to take home with me.

I can hardly wait to show it to Marisa when I get back.  That’s one of the major drawbacks to being here.  I can’t phone her from here because it’s too expensive to make an overseas call.  And we’re kind of on the move a lot, so I don’t get much of a chance to get online except for a few minutes, like now.  So I’m mainly using my computer time to write all this stuff up, while I keep sending postcards and short letters back to  her.  I hope I can tell her about Uncle Nate one of these days, he’s really an amazing guy and I think she’d really like him.

Great, Mom’s getting on my case about getting off so I have to stop for now.  We’re heading to Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum tonight and in a few days we’ll be in France.  What a wild trip this is turning out to be.  I can hardly wait to see what comes next.

Later all! (kiss)

by

Reflections On The Past And Ponderings Of The Future…

The Crypt is silent tonight.  It’s a Tuesday and the place is closed as usual.  Usually I only open the place on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.  If I have it open during the regular weekdays, a lot of the kids would never get enough sleep for school the next day, and I don’t want to deal with angry parents complaining that my place is an attractive nuisance.  Not that anyone would believe it.  My place is a drug and alcohol free zone.  It’s actually one of the safest places teenagers can come to get away from the darker elements out there.

Still, keeping the place open seven days a week would be quite demanding on me and my DJ Scar-Man.  He has a family these days and needs to be able to spend time with them.  And I need time to myself.  Even after a hundred and fifty years, I still enjoy some ‘me’ time.  I know, I know, most vampires you see in movies or read about are lonely and longing for company.  Well this is real life and I have plenty of extended family and friends who love to have me visit. or like to come over and drop in to see me and I love it.

However, I do need some time alone every so often and tonight is one of those evenings.  So with the doors locked up I’ve scaled the many steps that lead to the top of this old building where my art studio awaits.  I though I might be in the mood to pick up a brush and work on a canvas or two, but not at the moment.  Instead, I’m in a more contemplative mood at the moment.

There’s a huge picture window at one end of the studio that allows me to gaze out at the town.  It’s very pretty at night.  The streetlights are lit up, as well as a number of houses.  The evening is still young so very few have gone to bed just yet.

 

Who knows who I might meet this evening if I venture out into the streets.  That’s half the fun of being a night walker.  It’s always an adventure.  You see things and people, most folks overlook in their busy day.  For me, I find stories and inspirations for paintings, novels, or just things that make you think a bit.  No, I’m not  one of the gloom and doom vampyres of legend.  I’m going to be walking this earth for some time yet and I’m fully aware of it.  I am what I am these days.  Although I did not choose this existence, it was pushed onto me by a very unlikely source, but unlike others I treasure each moment I have.

I’ve touched and had my life touched by so many wonderful people.  Not just the stars I met back in vaudeville, or the heroes I met out on the battlefields, but everyday people and I thank them for it.  The ones who’ve come and gone, as well as those who are still with me now.  Yes, I’ve said goodbye to a good many friends over the decades, but there are always new people entering one’s life that you can share and experience so much with.

In my hundred and fifty… correction hundred and sixty-seven years on this planet (I always forget to count my life before the change) I’ve seen so much.  How many people can claim they saw the first silent films?  Or heard the first radio broadcasts?  I encountered and even got to work on some of the earliest computers when punch-cards were the high point of technology.

Plus I got to watch man reach the moon and take his first steps onto that barren alien landscape.  And there are so many years ahead of me, which both fill me with wonder and a slight dread.  For unlike vampyres of legend I do age, albeit at a much slower rate.  I was only seventeen when I was changed and these days I barely look thirty.  For every ten years that pass for others I age only one.  This means I have a long time ahead of me, but what about when I finally start to reach ‘old’ age?  Will I start to turn grey and less able-bodied?  With I spend centuries trapped in a body that is feeble and infirm?  That’ is a frightening prospect, that I try not to think too much about.

There’s still so much about my condition I don’t know anything about.  In spite of twenty years spent getting degrees in botany, anatomy and physiology, and several other sciences, there’s still so much to learn.  Luckily, science continues to move forward and I can always go back and take more classes and learn more about the new discoveries that may help me fully understand what I’ve become.  And that’s something I actually look forward to.

I love taking classes and learning new things.  I’ve taken all kinds of classes over the decades including art, dance, languages, mathematics, writing, etc.  Learning can be so much fun.  I meet new people and get introduced to new ideas and skills.  Life is a wondrous thing and whether you have only one life-time or many what you do with your time can be very enriching.  It all depends on the individual.

And right now, this individual feels like stepping out for a while.  I’ll come back here later and start working on one of my unfinished canvasses.  There’s one in particular I’m very eager to get back to.

I’ve already put it on an easel so it can be waiting for me when I get back.  It’s a portrait of a young girl with flowing black hair and the most amazing brown eyes.  I can never forget her eyes.  They saw through me like no other and loved me for who AND what I am…

by

Marisa’s Musings “Lost and Alone”… June 23rd, 2011

****NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: I want to warn you all in advance that this particular entry is a bit heavier than some of the ones you’ve seen before.  It deals with someone fighting cancer.  So if you wish to take a pass on this entry I’ll understand.  I suffered a loss of someone very dear to me a few months back and it hurt to write this passage, since I drew upon a lot of the emotions and thoughts that I went through.  However, this sub-story plays an important role in the main novel.  So I leave it to your own discretion.  I don’t wish to hit anyone’s ‘triggers’ and set you off. SPOILER: And if it’s any comfort, the person fighting cancer is still around in the novel.****

 

Sorry I haven’t been posting for a while, my life has turned upside down in the worst way possible and I don’t know what to do.

About two months ago Dad went to see our family doctor, Jack Tyler.  He’s been our physician for as long as I can remember.  Which only makes sense since he and my dad grew up together.  Anyway, Dad went to see him for his annual physical.  Aside from feeling a little tired for the last month or two, he didn’t have any complaints.  But some of his blood tests came back and something wasn’t right.  So there were more tests, followed by X-rays and a Cat-Scan.  Long story short, he’s got cancer.

Uncle Jack assured us that it was detected early and there was a good chance they could treat it with surgery.  Well, the surgery seemed to go okay, but then they found it had spread to one or two lymph nodes.  So they removed those as well and now he’s getting chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

He’s been holding up for the most part, but those therapies take so much out of him.  He’s lost weight and looks a bit grey some days.  Plus they leave him pretty weak. Some days he mostly sleeps or just sits and reads or watches a movie or two.  Uncle Jack has told us things are looking good, but he said that about the surgery so I’m not as confident in his predictions.

At this point I’m trying to spend more time with Dad.  I keep feeling like I may lose him and I don’t want to.  I’ve stopped hanging out as much with my friends, except for Lisa.  She’s my best friend and has been trying to be there for me every step of the way.  Unfortunately, she’s heading to England for the summer with her family.  Apparently, her godfather is over there and made arrangements to have her entire family come and stay with him for a while.  I’ve never met the guy, but I’ve a lot about him.   Uncle Nate is in like his twenties and is working with a professor over in London, which is someplace Lisa’s always wanted to visit.  She offered to ask her parents to let her stay with my family, but I told her no.  If this turns out to be the last summer I have with my father I want to be with him as much as possible.

 

 

I even cut back on my school activities as soon as I knew he’d been diagnosed with cancer.  The first thing I did was give up my place as head cheerleader.  Both my parents told me I didn’t have to do it, but I knew they’d need me, and they have  It’s been a rough couple of months.

Watching my dad have to sit around be tired out so easily freaks me out sometimes.  I mean, he’s a mail carrier.  He walks miles and miles every week doing his route.  Now he gets winded just moving from room to room sometimes.  Which is why I need to be around for him.  Mom can’t always be here, so I make sure I am.  He and I sit together and talk or read.  Sometimes we’ll watch movies, but even that’s been kind of hard lately.  Not for him, but for me.

 

 

I know I mentioned a while back that he loves vampire movies.  They’re like his all time favorite thing to watch.  And until he got sick I loved them too.  But now when I watch the heroes trying to save someone who’s being fed on night after night by Christopher Lee or whoever’s playing Dracula, I keep noticing how pale and even grey the victim looks sometimes.  They’re so weak and tired, after having started out so lively and vibrant earlier in the film.  So instead of helping take my mind off what Dad’s fighting, I get a huge reminder that I may lose him.

When I look at the television screen instead of seeing a vampire, I see some form of cancer that’s taken on a human shape.  And it’s everywhere.  Even at school I used to hang with a couple of the Goth kids, but then I stopped.  All that pale make-up and dark clothing… it was too much.

 

 

God I wish Lisa were here right now.  I feel so lost and alone sometimes.  But I’ve still got my dad and I’m going to hold onto him as much as possible.  I pray Uncle Jack is right and Dad is going to be okay.  I just wish there was more I could do for him.  I feel so helpless sometimes..

Oh, he’s just woken up from a nap and is calling for me.  Sounds like he wants to watch another movie with me.  Talk to you all again soon.  If you don’t hear from me again for a while, I know you’ll understand.

Ciao for now…