Most people would see that as working at a turtle's pace but that's on a good day. When health issues or depression raises their ugly heads, I end up shifting down to a snail's pace or stopping altogether. If it wasn't for the wonderful comments and encouragement I've received from my new online friends, I probably would have given up long ago.
I am making progress though. Final edits are almost complete on my novella as soon as I receive the last of the beta comments and suggestions from my critique group. Not sure how well it will turn out since the money I had set aside for an editor was burned up by an ER visit. Hopefully the feedback I've gotten and with the help of a friend who will look it over for punctuation, it will be alright. I'm also slowly adding new chapters to my epic fantasy and have entered several short contests.
If you're getting tired of reading scenes from my fan/fic, I decided to share the first scene of a western a friend of mine challenged me to write.
Good luck if you're doing NaNoWriMo and thanks for reading.
Chapter One
Never Look Back
Even though
nothing had changed, everything felt different. The smell of bacon frying, and
the sizzle of eggs in the griddle were just like every other morning in the
kitchen. As of today, it could no longer be called their kitchen. The ranch now
belonged to another.
Maebelle Cutter
set the plate of flapjacks alongside the eggs and bacon, sat at the head of the
table, and joined hands with her two boys in silent prayer. All the words that
needed to be said had come out over the past several days. Today was the day
for goodbyes.
Joshua finished
first, gulped down the last of his coffee, stood up and carried his dishes to
the sink. Emptying the water bucket into the large pot on the stove for hot
water, he headed for the well outside, and gently shut the door behind him.
“Yer brother still
ain’t keen on the idear, is he?”
“Na, don’t you
worry bout him, Mama. He knows it be fer the best. He jus not be liken it.”
Sonny finished his coffee, got up and kissed her on the forehead. “Ya shore
there ain’t nothing else we can do?”
She reached up and
placed her hand on top of his were it rested on her shoulder. “You boys need to
hit the trail if you aim to reach your uncle’s place in time. Mr. Crenshaw and
his younguns will be here shortly to help me pack up what’s left and finish
movin out.”
“Best be getting
the horses saddled up then.” He squeezed her hand and left, passing Joshua on
the way back in with a full bucket. Crossing the yard, he led the horses out of
the now empty barn, and stopped to gaze out over the open fields where herds of
cattle used to roam.
The beginning of
the end came three years ago when the railroad forced his Papa to sell a strip
of land right through the middle of their property. A right of way they called
it. Then at Christmas time that same year, the old man lost his battle with a
sickness that had plagued him all year.
Even though he and
Joshua tried to keep the ranch going, their hearts just weren’t in it, and it
pained him to watch the fire diminish in his Mama’s eyes. It was time for
everyone to move on.
“Come on little
brother. Let’s say our goodbyes to Mama and hit the trail. Uncle Travis is
waiting for us.”
She stood on the
front steps to hug the boys, and kiss each of them on the cheek, then held them
at arm’s length. “Papa’d shore nuff be proud of you boys and the men you’ve
growed up into. Sonny, I expect you to watch over your brother, and see he
don’t come to no harm.” With a tear in her eye, she continued. “Now get on
outta here, and live your lives jus as it were meant to be! Never look back.”
One last hug and a
kiss before the brothers mounted up and rode out through the front gate for the
last time. If they had looked back, they would have witnessed their mama
huddled on the top step, head in her hands and her body racked with sobs.
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