tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77649981531390956212024-03-13T05:35:00.867-07:00Zaidey Cooper Books~Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15682389603906016857noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764998153139095621.post-9198320252321658392013-03-19T13:40:00.001-07:002013-03-19T13:40:39.804-07:00Tuesday, March 19It appears that my book is now distributed to most of Smashwords book companies that they work with. Amazon still does not have my book yet though, and that is a little disappointing, but hopefully soon. Until then, I have caught a couple errors in The Fire Fox that I will be updating.<br />
<br />
I hope you will take some time and look at my personal blog. At the moment it is much more established than this blog, but I do intend to keep up with both.~Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15682389603906016857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764998153139095621.post-77344156269446517782013-02-23T05:04:00.001-08:002013-02-23T05:04:13.106-08:00UpdateWell, as of today my book has been distributed to a few companies such as Apple, but they are still revising at Smashwords for several other companies in their distribution network. Amazon and Barnes & Noble are two still waiting on their revised copy to distribute. <br />
<br />
Up until now, I have only sold ten copies, but that is okay. I am not giving up, and I know this can be a slow process. I am next focusing on some marketing and that should help get my name out there. But even if I don't sell many more books, I am content because I did this for myself and writing this book alone is a huge accomplishment!~Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15682389603906016857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764998153139095621.post-32592080720606322842013-01-01T14:07:00.000-08:002013-01-01T14:07:15.643-08:00Contact me!The best way to contact me is through email<br />
<br />
<a href="mailto:zaideycooperbooks@yahoo.com">zaideycooperbooks@yahoo.com</a><br />
<br />
I would love to hear from you!~Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15682389603906016857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764998153139095621.post-734204936599662002013-01-01T14:02:00.002-08:002013-01-01T14:02:58.772-08:00About ZaideyI have lived in southern Indiana my whole life. My husband and I live in a rural community with our budding family in a hundred year old farmhouse. We own a small business that offers small scale home repairs/remodels. We also do occasional "cleanouts" of abandoned property that allows us to come across items which we sell from time to time on eBay under the name "alwaysbluestudio". I take care of the accounting and eBay aspect of our business and also our two kids and six pets. I am involved in a local MOPs group, enjoy gardening and art, and attend a small church with my family. And somehow between all that I am also trying my hand at writing books on the side. I started this blog as a way for you to connect with my books.<br />
<br />
I attended Purdue University and graduated with a degree in fine art. I designed the cover of the Fire Fox book myself! I love art, but have always had a passion to write as well. Right now, I am focused on being a mother and a wife, but writing gives me that creative outlet I need to feel like myself again outside of the daily demands of real life. I am sure many of you out there can relate : )<br />
<br />
Thank you for taking part in this journey with me.~Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15682389603906016857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764998153139095621.post-23258018463207730572013-01-01T13:58:00.000-08:002013-01-01T13:58:12.505-08:00Welcome!Thank you for visiting my blog! I am glad you have taken the time to find out a little bit more about me and who I am as an author. <br />
<br />
First of all, my book <em>The Fire Fox Tablet </em>and any others that I write will be clean (free of profanity, sexual scenes, gore, etc.). So, you can feel safe reading my stories to your children or allowing your older children to read them on their own! That is not to say that there is no adventure or love - on the contrary. I feel my books are something you will enjoy as an adult, and that your child can follow along with you and understand as well. <br />
<br />
Second, I am a Christian. There are definite faith undertones to my style of writing. Whether you are a believer or not, I hope it will give you something to think on and ponder.<br />
<br />
And lastly, I hope you become a fan and come back for more. I intend to turn the Firefox into a series. If you like what you have read, be sure to leave me a review and share that with others. It would be an encouragement to me if you also started to follow my blog and subscribed to the posts via email. ~Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15682389603906016857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764998153139095621.post-4746220285563882532012-07-23T13:00:00.002-07:002012-07-23T13:00:38.976-07:00The Firefox Tablets: Chapter 1 Excerpt<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 36pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Part I: </span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 36pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Chapter 1<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Harrington; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Fire Fox<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
“Look here!”
yelled Tierce to his friends.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“You better watch it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll break your neck, and then we’ll have
to carry you all the way back home,” said Valkyrie who was definitely not up to
the task.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“I’m not going to
break my neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know what I’m doing.”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“I don’t know how
you are even moving after the twelve egg sandwiches you ate this morning for
breakfast,” teased Valkyrie.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“It was five, just
for the record,” Tierce puffed under his breath.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Yeah, you better
watch it Tierce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, I am surprised
you do not already have a pot-belly like Val’s pig Reno, and then your balance
will be all sorts out of whack,” chortled Matty, sounding a bit like the
snorting pig he was just referring to.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Tierce was with
two of his closest friends, Valkyrie and Matthew, in the woods not far from a
large castle and the city of Mura they called home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The three had been thrown together into a
tightly knit bond through their school classes, especially in recent years,
which was actually the reason for their visit to the woods today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To them it was a double accomplishment,
because they were not only getting some homework out of the way but they were
also able to enjoy time away from the daily expectations others placed on
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At sixteen years old, their
childhood was quickly vanishing and passing by with greater speed every
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
In the city of
Mura, school was very structured, as was the life afterwards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Children were educated in general studies
until the seventh grade, at which time they had to choose a focus path.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone who did not complete a path or dropped
out of school ended up a member of the common workforce, most typically
resulting in employment by the local mines – a profession many youths denounced
but later reluctantly fell into because they could not find another way to make
a living.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Tierce, Val, and
Matty all three chose botany in their seventh year, one of the less popular
paths, as their course of study.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
caused most of their classes to be scheduled together until they graduated from
school at the age of eighteen, which was still a couple of years away yet for
Tierce and his friends but was looming ahead in the distance nevertheless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Tierce was a quiet
boy among groups of people and felt botany would suit him more with the smaller
class sizes rather than the material, but he felt it was something he could
learn to appreciate and excel in as he gained more knowledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least, that is what his parents had
suggested when he told them he was scared to death to begin a focus path that
could possibly determine the course of the rest of his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Valkyrie had also chosen botany, not for the
class size but because it was her passion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She loved plants and ate up the information in her textbooks like pieces
of candy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matty just liked being
outside, so he chose botany as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
would never have chosen magic, the most popular path, where he would have been
inside a dark, smoky lab all day whispering chants and manipulating
objects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It simply did not appeal to his
sensibilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
So as a result,
they had all three began to see much more of each other and a fast friendship
was formed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of their favorite
pastimes was exploring the Great Forest just outside of Mura’s city limits, journaling
about the local plant species and collecting samples for their botany labs, but
mostly enjoying camaraderie and freedoms the vast woods afforded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On this particular day, they were doing just
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
There was a touch
of spring in the air, but winter had yet to release its tight grasp on the
world, reminding all who ventured outside that the cold season was not yet dead
as it softly bit the delicate skin of ungloved hands and kissed a rosy flush
into pale cheeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Tierce and his friends were in a small valley
covered in wild ferns, the bottom of which was home to a crystal clear stream
that snaked through the ravine and paused emptying into a short pool perfect
for swimming on hot afternoons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of
course, it was too cold to swim today, but Tierce, Val, and Matty had instead been
appeasing their selves by simply climbing over the roots of old trees and scaling
the sides of the ravine in search of new plant hybrids they may have previously
missed which would certainly give them extra credits with Professor Clove’s
accelerated <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rare Plants and Their
Intriguing Uses</i> class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
But the lure of a
boost in academic performance was quickly waning as they all found other
outlets for their curiosities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dusk was
beginning to near and the reddening sky should have sent a warning to them that
it was about time to return home, but they were all enjoying themselves too
much and no one as of yet was willing broach the subject.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Tierce in
particular was fixated with swinging out on a grapevine he had discovered
further up the creek while trailing a unique bluebell trail that he remembered
journaling about during his ninth year of school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the trail went cold and his hopes of
finding a new variation of the unique sapphire plant, he was not disappointed
when an ancient and gnarled grapevine had caught his eye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He was up high on
the western slope, at times momentarily swinging out from the tree testing his
weight on the vine by holding on for a few breathless moments as he lifted his
feet off the ground causing the overhead branches to bow beneath his experimental
pulls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It made him feel like he was five
years old again, when he would shadow his father, Asher, on his routine
pleasure hikes with nothing ahead of them except what they allowed to occupy
their time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nowadays, Tierce’s time was
hardly anything of his own with the demands of school and family hanging daily
on his shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Matty, who had
long since given up on getting anything productive done, was on the eastern
slope, looking for some delicious mushrooms he could perhaps take home for his
mother to fry up as a dinner treat that night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He normally would have been right up there with Tierce investigating the
strength of the grapevine, but he had an almost barbaric craving for Giant
White Morel, native to the Great Forest, and it had been haunting him for weeks
since the weather had began turning warmer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Matty was determined to find them if it was the last thing he did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So far, however, he had only been successful
in picking a few common clovers that he wove deftly in his careful hands as his
search continued.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Still daydreaming
of his father's hikes and old stories about the Great Woods, Tierce decided to
share an anecdote he had stumbled upon in his thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My dad says the best sort of grapevine is
the kind with a fork in the top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
only problem is usually one of the sides are no good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could swing out only to fall back into
the tree and get the life knocked out of ya,” he hollered as he smacked his
hands together to demonstrate what getting the life knocked out of you might
sound like.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Does that one
have a fork?” asked Valkyrie.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Tierce
knew the answer, but he looked up anyways still clasping the grapevine in his
hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He squinted until his eyes were
nothing but slits, hoping that with every effort maybe the vine would somehow
turn out to have a fork in it after all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“No, this one is
normal,” he said, disappointment dripping from his words.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Unlike you,”
mumbled Matty as he braided together a new bunch of clover he’d picked into a
quickly forming circlet.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“When my dad was a
kid, he found the tallest, strongest grapevine he’d ever seen right here in
these woods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it had a fork in it to
boot!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The vine was so thick around, he
could hold it in both hands, and his fingers wouldn’t touch on either
side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told me he’s never seen another
like it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve tried to look for it, but
never had any luck,” said Tierce.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Valkyrie and Matty
nodded silently in acknowledgement of Tierce’s statement, accepting the
information but most likely not retaining anything of what he had said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the boys did their investigating,
Valkyrie quietly observed the pool of water which was home to a wonderful array
of aquatic life and luscious mosses that had initially caught her eye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She bent over and dipped a finger into the mirrored
water as a bright orange and white speckled fish swam up to investigate the
intrusion and then quickly skipped back to the safe shadows of an algae bed once
it realized her finger was not a wriggling meal worm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She, too, would have joined Tierce on the
vine but knew if anyone was going to rally this group homeward it would have to
be her. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Matty, still
looking for mushrooms, glanced up the hill, scanning any area he may have
missed for his elusive treat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the
distance he suddenly heard a crunching of dead underbrush, and as he looked up
he saw what he would have sworn in that very moment to be a grey hooded figure that
swiftly departed from the top of the slope back into the dense trees
beyond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He blinked checking to make sure
his vision wasn’t playing tricks on him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Hey, did you guys
see that?” Matty asked.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“See what?”
questioned Valkyrie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all stopped to
look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“I swear I just
saw someone watching us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Up there on top
of the hill, I heard something crunch and when I looked up they ran away,”
Matty said.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“You’re just
making it up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stop trying to scare us,”
stated Tierce.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“I’m not!” Matty
protested, but after a few moments when no other sounds were heard, he resigned
himself that maybe he had imagined what he saw after all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It must have been the shadows of the trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess it was nothing,” he mumbled, and went
back to braiding clovers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But suddenly
out of the brush a small figure appeared and ventured into the valley.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Zenith!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are you doing here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mom is going to kill me!” Tierce
groaned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The little girl,
Tierce’s younger sister by three years, looked sheepishly at the friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You were gone so long, I wanted to come and
look for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is so boring at home,
and besides momma was getting worried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So I conjured up a tracing spell, and it led me here to you.”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Zenith was a first
year magic student.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously she was
already putting her schooling to use in quite practical ways.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Shew, you had me
scared, Zenith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought I saw someone
watching us but I guess it was just you,” Matty said clearly relieved.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“You shouldn’t be
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mom is going to kill me when she
finds out!”<br />
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No she’s not!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I came here on my own, it's no one’s fault
but mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, you wander around the
woods all the time, why can’t I do the same?”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Well for one, it
is practically nightfall, and for another you are thirteen years old!”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Oh my word, you
have been walking around these woods since you were practically a baby, so
don’t give me that ‘you are too young’ stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And the fact that it is almost nightfall is only more reason for you to
take me home with you now,” Zenith stated with a hand on her hip.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Matty and Valkyrie
smirked to themselves, both knowing there was no way Tierce was going to win
against the fiery Zenith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She may have
been a young girl, but she was already a feisty opponent that could give just
about anyone a run for their money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Val
rose and stretched out her back, opening her mouth to yell at Tierce to stop
bickering and start walking but suddenly was cut short by a strange cry that
echoed through the forest.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The sound met their
ears and shivered down to their toes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was eerie and frightening, and sounded like some ancient beast scrambling out
of its den and awakening for the night’s work ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It traveled from deep within the forest, most
likely farther than any of them had ventured before. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Someone please
tell me you heard that, and I’m not the only one hearing or seeing things out
here,” whispered Matty, almost too frightened to speak.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“No,” said
Valkyrie in a hushed tone, “I definitely heard that.”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
In the distance,
they began to hear a soft quick trample of dried leaves and the breaking of
frail branches, followed by another terrifying wail.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What. . . . do you suppose it could be?”
asked Tierce shakily, his pale face revealing more than the tremors in his
voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Zenith get over here, now!”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The cry resounded
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crunching of dried underbrush
was quicker now, with every second growing louder as the noise approached their
location.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“We need to get
out of here,” said Valkyrie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the
boys still remained glued in fear to their current locations Val tried a more
forceful command.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Let’s go!”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Valkyrie ran
around the pool to a narrow point and leaped across the water from one rocky
embankment to the next, praying that she found a suitable foothold in the
approaching twilight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Zenith followed in
Val’s footsteps, adrenaline keeping her close to the others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Val quickly regretted how perilously close
they were to sunset, and choked at the thought that they really should have
headed home before the sun began to wane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now, they would be trapped against the impending nightfall with a beast
hot on their heels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Matty rushed to
the bottom of the valley, sliding down the hill feet first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He caught up to Valkyrie and Zenith near the
pool since the ridge was not as steep there, and they began to climb uphill towards
Tierce, grabbing roots, tree trunks, and whatever else they could find that
might help them scale the hill faster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The horrible cry rang out again, this time closer than ever before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It no longer sounded like merely small
branches being broken, but instead large limbs and small trees could be heard
shattering in a constant chaos that was rushing forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The three finally reached the top and caught
up with Tierce who had not been running at full speed so that his friends and
sister could rally to his side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
grabbed for Zenith’s hand as they came upon him.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Don’t stop, don’t
stop!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep running!” said Valkyrie
frantically as they all four picked up steam and headed in a westerly direction
towards home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What should we do, climb a
tree?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hide under some brush?”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“I don’t know, I
can’t even think!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are we going to die?” wailed
Zenith.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We will be trapped if we climb up a
tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can’t risk it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever that thing is, I’m betting it has a
great sense of smell,” said Matty.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Maybe it’s not
coming after us,” said Valkyrie desperately.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Well, let’s not
find out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it certainly seems to be
headed straight in our direction.”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Another howl
sounded in the quickly passing twilight.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Matty thought feverishly
for a solution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Up ahead, a little to
the north, there’s a shallow cave we found awhile back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has a narrow opening, but I’m betting that
whatever is tracking us is too big to grab us from the outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d say our chances are better in there than
up a tree or under brush,” he said over the sounds of their trampling through
the woods.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Our chances of
what: survival?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, we are going to
die!” moaned Zenith. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s probably
hungry and wants to eat us for dinner!”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Zenith, stop it!”
hissed Tierce. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
They ran as fast
as they were able, accelerating through clearings located at random throughout
the woods, and slowing down through brambles and monstrous bushes which seemed
to pop up out of nowhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever was
chasing the three friends was almost upon them now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sounds of it running through the woods
echoed in their ears, and they could now even hear the heavy breaths and snorts
coming from the monstrous presence chasing them down.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Is the cave
close?” cried Valkyrie.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“It’s right up
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just ahead in the next clearing,
I’m sure of it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
If it had been an
oasis in the middle of a desert, they could not have been more thankful that
Matty had been right on the location of the cave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They came upon the entrance and Tierce slid
in without hesitation after his sister was safely inside, Zenith being his
primary concern over his friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matty
paused, looking at Valkyrie waiting for her to go next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Get in Matty,
I’ll go after you.”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Matty waivered,
and then reluctantly ducked inside the cave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He knew he should have insisted she go first, but did as he was told
knowing there was no time to argue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
soon as he was inside he heard the loudest, most ear piercing howl directly in
front of the entrance.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Valkyrie!” Matty
shouted reaching a fraught arm towards her.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Valkyrie turned,
her fists clenched at her side, and with her chin lowered, she looked up
through hooded eyelashes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe she
would have had enough time to escape, but a force took over her as she turned
to face the creature behind her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
instinctively took in a breath as she laid her eyes upon the beast for the
first time, horrified at the thing that for a moment stood unmoving before her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>~Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15682389603906016857noreply@blogger.com0