Wednesday Writing In Progress – The Dragon

On By Stephanie IngramIn Writing2 Comments

Fantasy landscapeI have been away for a while, not absent from writing, but focused on other writing-related projects. But now here I am back where I started. The truth is it’s nice to be back. It’s nice to play with new ideas and it’s kind of nice to pick up the blog and make another effort at posting regularly. (Not my strong point, I know.) You can expect to see a lot more from me in the near future both in terms of blog posts and (hopefully) published stories. Fingers crossed!

Today I thought it would be fun to share a little snippet of a current work-in-progress. After all, it’s Wednesday and we’re midway through the week. Why not look at where we’ve been and think about where we’re headed?

I’ve always loved and been fascinated by dragons so wouldn’t it be fun to write a story that actually includes one? While I’ve always wanted to keep a dragon as a pet, the dragon of this particular story is not nearly so friendly.

I hope you enjoy my little sneak peek into my world of writing. Keep in mind that it’s still very much a first draft but I’m interested in hearing your thoughts on the story and where it may go from here?

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Fruitlessly, she pulled and struggled against the rope. The men who had brought her here had been thorough in their attempts to keep her in place. At one time in her life, she might have called them neighbors or even friends, but as they’d prepared her for her death, not one had been willing to meet her eye or hear her plea, not even Kyrad.

Hot air washed over her with the putrid stink of the dragon’s breath as it settled just a few feet from where she lay on the platform of the high mountain. She could scream but no one would help her. They had purposely left her here to die, a sacrifice to the hungry dragon in return for peace amongst the village, a scheme which all seemed entirely too convenient in her opinion.

“Die gracefully”, they had told her when the calling had been made, “It is, after all, a great honor to be the chosen one.”

Layla sucked in her breath as she watched wide eyed as the dragon paced along the edge of its high perch. Just a few more wriggles and her left hand would be free.

The dragon let out a loud bellowing roar that shook the mountain and echoed far into the distance. Layla wondered how many people down below in the village looked up, cowering in fear, as they held fast onto each other for comfort. They were waiting for the dragon to claim his meal so that the sacrifice would be complete. Layla had been the chosen one. She closed her eyes and held back the hot tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. No, she wouldn’t face death this way, not as a coward. There had to be another way. She continued to strain against the binds as determination filled her. In the name of her parents, she would prove them all wrong.

In the distance, thunder cracked in response to the dragon’s roar, a deep sound that shook their world. Dark clouds swirled above, moving closer at rapid speed. The first fat drops of rain began to spill down on them as the dragon turned his focus back to Layla. He sniffed tentatively and his arrow-tipped tongue tasted the air as he approached her. Even though she had nowhere to go, she sank back into the rock as though she wished the mountain would split wide and swallow her into its depths. The dragon spread his wings wide as he arched his back and shot a plume of smoke and fire into the night almost as if he were thanking the gods in triumph. Rising on his hind legs, he was easily four times the height of a grown man. Nevertheless, Layla held steadfast onto the only thing she had left – hope.

Red bead eyes regarded her with curiosity. She’d managed to free her left hand finally but she didn’t dare to move while she was under such close scrutiny. She held her breath, biding her time, waiting for the dragon to make a move.

The dragon ambled forward until its snout was nearly pressed against her nose. Layla squeezed her eyes shut and said a silent prayer to the gods and then as the dragon lifted up its head and opened its jaws wide to snap down over her, she quickly flung her weight to the right where she still dangled helplessly by the hand still tightly bound. She watched in horror as the dragon’s razor sharp teeth clamped down over the brush and rock. It recovered, snorting steam from its nostrils as it took two steps back, preparing for the next attack.

By some miracle, Layla managed to free her right hand. She scrambled into the bushes before the dragon’s teeth could catch her. The dragon roared as flames shot from it jaws and ignited the bushes where Layla had sought protection. She squealed and ran, barely escaping. The two went back and forth this way for a while, the dragon insistent on catching its prey and Layla determined to escape. She needed to get to the other side of the platform where she knew there was a way over the mountain, to the safety of the village below.

But as the dragon nipped at her feet and tore the bottom of her gown, she realized with a heavy heart, even if she managed to escape, where would she go? The village was no longer her home and her friends were no longer her friends. If she returned from the mountain, she would not be considered a hero, but rather a coward that sacrificed the village for the sake of her own life. This left her only one option, she couldn’t simply escape from the dragon’s clutches, she needed a way to destroy it. It was her only hope.

Layla grabbed a large rock and flung it as hard as she could, aiming for the dragon’s eyes. It hit with a satisfactory thunk right between the eyes. She hunched over trying to catch her breath while the dragon, stunned by the retaliation, took off to the sky and began circling overhead again. This gave Layla a moment to try to clear her head and think.

The rain fell faster around them and soaked the dress until it clung uncomfortably to her body. Layla scrambled, desperate to find anything that she could fashion into a weapon before the dragon returned to its perch. Her hand clutched the stone that still dangled around her neck on a golden chain. It had been a gift from Kyrad. Angry, she ripped it free allowing the chain to drop in a heap to the ground. She fastened it quickly to the end of the longest stick that she could find and wrapped it in place with the broken chain. She’d only just finished her makeshift weapon when the dragon’s talons touched down just a couple of feed from where she worked.

She squealed, sinking back into the shadows and nearly losing the stick in the meantime. The dragon roared, rearing its ugly head and shooting flames in every direction. This time, it meant to have its meal, the initial curiosity replaced by a ferocity that she didn’t believe she had the strength to match. Who was she to slay a dragon, after all? If it were such an easy feat then any of the large men from her village would have surely completed the task by now. Layla cowered, her heart hammering wildly in her chest, biding her time until the dragon’s next strike.

The dragon scratched the ground with its sharp talons much like a bull paws the ground before it charges. She watched as tendrils of smoke rose into the air from its nostrils, the heat turning to steam as the rain cooled the fire. Layla shivered as fear and dampness crept along her spine. Every moment stretched into an eternity before finally, the dragon made its move, running at top speed from one end of the landing to the space where Layla laid in wait. It was now or never, she knew, so once again she said a silent prayer to the gods who listened and raised her weapon just as the dragon towered over her. Its large body shook as the beast howled into the night. And then, much to her horror, its full weight sank down over her.

Saying Goodbye

On By Stephanie IngramIn Family and Fun8 Comments

GrandmaLast week was a very long and difficult week for my family. Earlier in the month, my grandma had suffered a silent heart attack. Despite all the efforts at the hospital and the initial optimistic views that she would be going home in a few days, it never happened.

Sunday the 15th the hospital suggested that all the family come to say our goodbyes.

My grandma had six children, including my dad. Most of those children married giving her many grandchildren and even great grandchildren now as well. It’s a big family!

From Sunday to Wednesday, my dad and his brothers and sisters lived at the hospital. No one wanted to leave Grandma’s side for fear that when they did, the worst would happen. Sleeping on chairs or waiting room couches took its toll on her children but everyone else pulled together to be there and offer support in any way we could. There was always a full crowd in the waiting room and people ready to make a run to get food.

The hospital staff bent the visitation rules because there were so many of us there to see her. Instead of only allowing two to three visitors in her room at a time, there were as many as ten at a time.

It was during this time I realized how blessed I am to be part of such an amazing family. It was a sad experience to know that I was there to say goodbye to someone I loved but at the same time, it was amazing to watch everyone come together and just be there for each other – no questions asked. Sometimes we just sat, each lost in his or her own thoughts staring at the wall or with head in hands but it wasn’t always sad and serious either. The days sat by Grandma’s side were filled with reminiscing of the happy times and remembering other loved ones that had gone before her.

Tuesday night her children spent a sleepless night by her side and Wednesday morning she passed away.

Those six children are living proof of the good person my grandmother was. They are six people who will always be there to support each other in any way needed. They didn’t turn out that way by accident.

I’m sad to say goodbye. I can’t imagine the holidays without Grandma. I can’t imagine not having her around. But I am also very honored and grateful to be a part of this family so if there is any good that comes out of an otherwise painful experience, it’s knowing how much love we share and that we’re never alone.

RIP Grandma. I will always have fond memories, especially of all the fun camping trips that we shared while I was growing up.

Grandma is pictured above on my wedding day with her youngest son, my Uncle Tom.

Live in Fear of the Dreaded …. Saturday the 14th?

On By Stephanie IngramIn Family and Fun1 Comment

bad luck misfortuneIt’s kind of funny the way something that happens to us as a kid has a lasting effect on the way we approach something as meaningless as a date on the calendar. It happened to me.

Flashback to an eleven year-old Me. Back then, it was fun to “fear” Friday the 13th. But even as we poked fun at the day, I ended up having incredible luck. I don’t remember the details of what exactly made it so amazing but I remember those fly-high feelings. I remember deciding at a very young age that bad luck on Friday the 13th was nothing more than a silly superstition.

Then came Saturday, the 14th and that changed everything.

Saturday, those happy feelings came crashing down right along with me as I plummeted down the steps. As if that wasn’t bad enough, later that same day, I fell off my swing. The swing incident might not have been so bad if it weren’t for the fact that I’d instinctively clutched the metal chain trying to catch myself, slicing open both my hands in the process. Ouch!

While I didn’t suffer any major injuries for either of these mishaps, they certainly left a lasting impression, one that made me look at the calendar in a whole new light. Maybe for me, I thought, Friday the 13th isn’t the bad luck day – it’s actually Saturday, the 14th! As if someone needed to prove this theory true, since that horrible day, I don’t remember having anything good happen on a Saturday the 14th, and believe me, I pay attention.

So now, as some of you step tentatively out your door this Friday and fear what fate may lurk around the corner, I will be embracing what I expect to be a wonderful, good luck day.

And tomorrow… Well, maybe after all these years, I should finally forgive that one bad day and accept that maybe Saturday the 14th is just another day on the calendar after all…

Maybe.

In the meantime, check out this article on BBC News – Friday the 13th: The Accidental Superstition?

Do you have any superstitions or exceptionally bad luck stories that center around a specific day on the calendar?

Frolicking My Way Through Friday

On By Stephanie IngramIn Family and Fun2 Comments

pepperAs some of you already know, I recently added a new addition to my pack… errr…family. I was told she’s a black lab/retriever mix. I don’t know if this means she’s black lab mixed with a golden or a lab mixed with some unknown breed. She looks a lot like a lab though.

The young couple that had her before us adopted her at 8 weeks, kept her for 4 weeks, and then decided they needed to find a new home. They never took her to a vet but aside from having two types of worms and a few fleas, she’s very healthy according to our vet. And oh, not only is she absolutely adorable but she’s one of the cuddliest dogs I’ve ever met.

Maybe I’m just not used to a dog that likes affection. Webster is a good dog but he made it clear from day one that he had no interest in being held and even when you go to pet him, he often leans away as if he’s trying to let you know that he’s not really into the contact. He’ll let me give him attention but it’s limited and he would never jump in my lap. But if it’s playing you want to do? Well then, grab a rope toy because he’s ready to go!

Now that Pepper has been a member of our family for three weeks, we’ve had a chance to get settled in and I’m happy to say that she’s a perfect fit. Even on her first night in a new place, she had no anxieties about being somewhere different. We’ve had a few hiccups learning where to potty but for the most part, she’s also good about going outside now as well. webandme

dogsAnd then there are Webster and Pepper together! They are two dogs that simply cannot get enough of playing. It’s rather amusing to watch “giant” Webster with “tiny” Pepper, although he’s surprisingly gentle with her. He will grab a rope toy and entice her to chase him and obviously, she can’t resist.  I am grateful that we’ve been having such warm and sunny weather because it’s nice to be able to tell them to go play outside in the afternoon. They chase each other through the woods behind the house and all over the yard. I often watch them and wonder who is getting more tired – Webster or Pepper but I think the real answer is ME! Ha ha

When they do manage to exhaust each other and it’s time to rest, Pepper has attempted to cuddle up next to Webster but each time, he gently takes his paw and pushes her away or he gets up and moves. He’s truly not a cuddle dog, not even with other dogs. That’s okay though because then she ends up on my lap instead and I am not complaining a bit.

Dogs are awesome. They are loyal, happy, friendly, playful – everything you could ever ask for in a friend. They live in the moment and love life. We all should be a little more like them. Okay, maybe they have their annoying moments as well. (Don’t we all?) But for the most part, you can’t go wrong having one or two around.

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