A Solid Granite Milestone

*Thunk*

Did you hear that? That very solid thud, was the sound of a rather large milestone slipping neatly into place. That was the sound of my exhausted brain looking at the clock at three in the morning and then looking at the dial that tells me exactly how much brain I have transplanted into my computer. That was the sound of 20,000 words. And it shall only be upwards from here dearies. 

I have recently completed the last of my second year at university and now have a three month break in which to loll, eat lollies and uh, loll... and write! Of course! The writing I shall do! The words I shall paste upon the screen! The places I shall take Rook and Evie within this messy space residing in my skull! Oh, yeah, it's messy. It's filthy. Every day I have to carve out whatever song has been stuck in there, and then there are all of these strings of stupid, unrelated words that always require reordering - and the cravings! My brain gives me the weirdest cravings...

I have, uh, been busy packing and then unpacking myself. It was a long trip home from university, so I have not opened that little word document labelled 'Soulless' on my desktop just recently. I do not quite remember what I have just written. It gets that way sometimes. I'll be in a stupor, writing till the wee hours of morning, go to bed, get back up and read what I wrote and be utterly surprised and sucked in by my own story. This also happens with stuff that I've written and haven't read in a long time. My old novel, Sparks, I went back to edit one day and found myself laughing while reading some of the antics I painted in there. I think it's a good sign when you can surprise yourself with your own writing, don't you?

For my fans, Vlaedr in particular who has given me a wonderful shout out on his own blog, here is a weeny bit of these new words.

There were several tracks here. Small, dainty hoof prints lead off to the right. Rook sniffed the air deeply.

“This way,” he growled and began following the tracks. They followed the tracks back around the hill. Evie was just about to complain that they had nearly reached the point at which they had started up the hill from the other side when she saw movement ahead. Rook turned to her and held one claw to his lips. She rolled her eyes but stayed quiet. Rook turned back and lowered his pack to the ground as quietly as he could. Despite her anger at him, she felt her curiosity flare. She had always wondered how Rook caught their meals each night. He made his way silently through the thin trees on the hillside. Evie followed him as quietly as she could. She kicked a small stone accidentally and flinched at the sound. Rook’s ears flicked towards it. He turned and glared at her. He motioned sternly for her to sit, stay and be quiet. She raised her hands in a ‘fine’ gesture and crouched near a bush. Rook turned back and scented the air again. He crouched too, and moved forward on all fours. Evie noticed that he didn’t look as awkward doing this as normal people did.

Rook froze as their prey took a few steps. Evie could see it now. It was a small doe. She was grazing contentedly on a tussock of grass that grew a little further down the hill. As content as she looked though, Evie saw her large soft ears swivelling alertly. Rook was suddenly in Evie’s field of view. He was hidden from the doe by a few bushes. Rook closed the gap as slowly and as silently as possible. Evie heard a slight rustle. Rook had brushed a stick accidentally. The doe raised her head, alerted by the noise. She poised for flight, looking around with dark dewy eyes. Her nostrils flared, trying to catch the scent of possible approaching predators. Rook inched closer. Evie felt her breath catch as he poised to spring. Evie saw the muscles of the wolf within Rook tense and then suddenly release. He flew from cover. The doe was startled and took off, but Rook was fast. He closed the gap between them in several strides and was on the deer in seconds. She struggled as Rook clawed to get a grip, and then weakened as he sank his teeth into her neck. She stopped moving as the blood began dripping down Rook’s chin. Evie felt a surge of animalistic pleasure at the sight, then immediate crushing nausea. The doe blinked her soft lashes one more time.

Feeling: Tired.

Listening to: Nothing.

Wearing: Short shorts and Car Club tee.

Eating: Had some yummy white chocolate for dessert.