CANDLELIT CHRONICLES: HISTORIC HAUNTS

June 7_Pondering Writing & Free Read 812 word count

Sometimes I should learn to engage brain before typing: seems I failed to make myself clear on the subject of market research. I called it irrelevant, forgetting that readers do not in addition read my mind. I have no problem with market research: it's an invaluable tool for the vast majority of writers. In today's publishing world, most writers, other than the already-established and famous, need all the help they can get to break into publishing. So: market research becomes a very valuable and important tool-for those aiming toward potential publication. For those who aren't, then it becomes irrelevant. That's all I mean. 'Nough said. Back to the Writing.





Speaking of which: the newest novel kept me awake last night, writing sentences in my mind, calculating scenery, developing and adding characters, comparing geographical locales. Writing was interrupted this morning for a trip to the Library (have to go when I'm offered a ride, you know) so I'm just now getting back to it. Not only is this a new novel, new sub-sub-genre niche; now the novel's got me singing Beatles sons, something I've NEVER done before in my life. I'm singing “Yellow Submarine,” rather apropos to Chapter One.

Chapter Nine

         Alice and Lisabeth, due to the latter's insistence, had remained much longer in the Park than Alice had expected. She still did not feel much better, but some of the roiling in her stomach had quieted. Her head still pounded though and she stayed out of the sun. When twilight came on, she was glad because that seemed to relieve the head pain. Since the girls were late returning, Mrs. Hudson walked over to the park to fetch them. Her husband had just arrived home, but she offered to go, as she wanted to pick up banana splits for dessert. She stopped in at Danny Wilber's stand and ordered four banana splits to go, telling the proprietor she would be back to collect them just as soon as she fetched the two girls from the park.

“All right, Mrs. Hudson, I'll stay open just for you all. After you come back and get the splits, it'll be time for me to close up for today.”

         Nancy Hudson strolled on to the Park and quickly located Alice on the swings, and Lisabeth, who had since returned to the merry-go-round and was spinning so mightily that Alice's tummy began to feel queasy again.

“Let's go, girls. We've got a special dessert for after supper, and we have to stop by and pick it up on the way home. Oh, and Lisabeth, Daddy's home too.”





“I doan wanna go yet, Mumsy! We just got here!”





“Well, not quite just, little lady, you've been here since at least one PM. Now come on, I've ordered banana splits for your dessert, and we have to hurry and go pick them up. Mr. Wilber wants to close and go home to his supper.”





“He can get his supper at the Stand! I'm not ready to go!”





“Lisabeth! Tomorrow is your birthday, it's a big day, you've got Alice over to stay with you till Monday, and IF you don't come on home with me right now, I am going to eat your dessert and your Daddy's too!”

         That was apparently sufficient threat, for Lisabeth suddenly let her foot up off the ground, no longer pushing the circular bench, and let the merry-go-round come to a stop. Then she jumped off, walked over to her mother, and sullenly took her hand. Alice had already hurried to Mrs. Hudson as soon as she had appeared, and had long been ready to go. They walked out of the park, stopped at the H&W Stand to collect the splits (Mrs. Hudson let Lisabeth carry her own, and Alice agreed to carry one even though she didn't intend to eat it. The entire time they stood in front of the Stand while the transaction was completed, Danny Wilber watched Little Alice with a leering glare, but there was nothing of sensuality involved. No, Wilber studied Alice looking for evidence of the poison he had placed in her very special Root Beer, a glass just for her, and he had hidden the empty under the counter. That poison was designed to weaken her will and make her amenable to the psychic manipulation of The Testament Core. Danny Wilber had been a loyal Tool of The Testament Core since his stillbirth, but he wasn't perfect-and this afternoon Danny had committed a very serious mistake. Soon he would arrive at the home where he “resided” with his mother, Monica, and by the time the first few sentences flew from her mouth, Danny would be expecting all hades to break loose, and he would feel the flames of Mr. Joe's wrath already licking at his feet.