I miss these two in the last post
Shame if Mr. Winter had the same size pupils…uh oh!
Month: April 2014
Writing Process Blog Meme
I don’t usually accept ‘awards’ any more but this one is a little different. For starters there is only four questions to answer relating to your way of writing. To those that I am going to nominate I also realise you are ‘award free’ but decided to nominate anyway if for no other reason than to acknowledge how much I enjoy your writing. Of course as you all know there is no obligation to these things. Ok, let’s get started …
Jacqui Murray nominated me www.worddreams.wordpress.com
If you haven’t visited Jacqui and you love to write her blog is a gold mine of great writing and just about everything a writer might want to know whether you are an old hand at it or a newbie or a ‘I want to but … ‘ Jacqui with enthuse you to start and keep you going’
Rules of this meme requires answering four questions about how I write and nominate three others.
Questions:
What am I working on at the moment?
I am still tweaking Ember Moon and trying to get it typed out in correct format so a publisher might, might, maybe at least pick it up. I am anxious to start on a story from one of the 365 – A face a day but I must concentrate on Ember Moon first.
How does my work differ from others of this genre?
I don’t know that it does. This is a hard question for me. The only way I can answer is I try to make my work as original as I can. As we all know we think we are doing original but most things have been done before.
How does my writing process work?
Early morning is the best time for me, as it is for many but being born lucky with keeping my ‘childlike mind’, stories come into my head without too much effort any-time of day or night (maybe that is common, I don’t know). When the story strikes, I will do my damnedest to stop whatever I am doing and get it down or at least the idea. I have an app on my Ipad called ‘Index Card’ I find that excellent for this . The other app I have for more comprehensive writing is ‘A Novel Idea’. Failing those (middle of the night or without Ipad any scrap of paper that I can get my hands on as well as the back of my hand when desperate).
Nominations:
http://araneus1.wordpress.com/ – Terry
http://gigisrantsandraves.wordpress.com/ – Gigi
http://artcoloredglasses.com/ – Kathryn
I went to a writing last week and we had a lovely publisher Blaise van Hecke from Busybird Publishing www.busybird.com.au
Blaise was so giving of her knowledge on how a writer can best submit to a publisher. I hide everything under my bed where publishers cannot spear me with their rejections but Blaise gave encouragement to us all by giving us tips on how to present our work so at least a publisher will pick it up. In other words not scribbled on the back of a serviette in pencil!
Excuse my ignorance but I didn’t know any of these things. These tips are for Australian writers as USA and others differ which I found very interesting as we have a mix here in Australia of English and American styles.
ellipses … a space before and after the words.
When sending a submission type in Serif font as it makes easier reading for the eyes.
Quotations: Australia is single ‘ not double ” – I have always used double.
For fiction writing only the first para is blocked the rest are indented. (Non-fiction is all blocked)
New indented line for each person speaking.
In fiction – no underline for heading.
I could have listened to her all night. For those that already know this and are going ‘ho-hum’ well sheesh I was born under a cabbage leaf and they have just got me out!
Happy writing and creating to everyone.
“Stories you read when you’re the right age never quite leave you. You may forget who wrote them or what the story was called. Sometimes you’ll forget precisely what happened, but if a story touches you it will stay with you, haunting the places in your mind that you rarely ever visit.”
― Neil Gaiman,
Knitting – Birds
My friend sent me this link http://blog.fuzzymitten.com/2009/04/spring-chick.html
Well, she started something that I couldn’t stop!
The pattern is very easy and it uses up the scraps of wool that you look at and wonder what you can do with it. The pattern is for a chicken but I decided on birds. It says to use felt, however, I thought wool would look better and on a few I fashioned the beak from the strand of wool where I finished off and knitted the wings. It wasn’t as successful as I would have like so I used the felt and must admit they do look better but it is rather fiddly doing the beak. I have three more to go and that is it.
I only like knitting small things and I have so many scrappy bits of wool so now I am having a go at a pencil case. An addict of pencils cannot have too many pencil cases. It is knitted but has a material lining and a zip. We shall see what happens.
These birds are a fun project that is quick and cute. I may turn them into a mobile at some stage. Doing them in matching colours would make a lovely mobile for a child.
Those of you who are knitters, happy clickety clicking. Our winter is coming so there will be soup and knitting…yeah!
“it is pure potential. Every ball or skein of yarn holds something inside it, and the great mystery of what that might be can be almost spiritual”
― Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, Knitting Rules!: The Yarn Harlot Unravels the Mysteries of Swatcing, Stashing, Ribbing & Rolling to Free Your Inner Knitter
Sketch St.Kilda Beach and Ivanhoe
I found this in my ‘drafts’. Have I already posted it? Am I having a senior moment, if so, please forgive me. This was some time ago but …
The day started calm, sunny, breakfast in a restaurant right on the beach-front, friendly chatter. Maybe we chatted a little too long as when we finally got started so did the wind and the heat.
We all managed to sketch a little something as we were not trying to hold everything from pesky wind. It was an exercise in patience. One friend lost her beautiful hat, whipped off by the wind and tossed unceremoniously into the sea. (I had visions of a hermit crab enjoying a new home). Not to be outdone by wind and sea she found a cardboard box and saved her face from the dreaded sun and skin cancers that so many of us suffer here in Oz. We met up at lunchtime, relaxed over a delicious lunch and had a ‘show and tell’ which is always the highlight of our day.
Given the first attempt of me trying my hand at boats (the disaster in dry dock), I progressed with this effort.
It is always a good idea to look at your work either through a mirror or in this case at a photo of it. The clouds are on a lean and whilst they were very thick, they could be better, but that is the nature of sketching and learning.
SKETCHING AT IVANHOE, A BEAUTIFUL SUBURB OF MELBOURNE…
Ah, the elements of the weather and en Plein Air sketching. The weather was warm, humid and trying its hardest to rain today, it didn’t quite carry out a downpour which made it all the more humid but our small group of sketchers’ soldiered on. I chose a small section of the shopping centre but didn’t get much done as the ants decided to visit, many of them, nipping at me, running up my arms and down my legs, finally when one decided to investigate down the back of my neck I gave up and moved. I don’t like killing anything but if ants have news broadcasts then tonight they will have sad news of many deaths in Ivanhoe…squish, squash, stay on the ground or die. (that is a bit brutal…but they hurt when they bite).
I love watching some of the other sketchers; the way they are broad and quick with their medium, getting things down, moving across the page, backward and forward ,bringing the scene into being in such a free and easy way. I am different as I enjoy the small things and I am still learning not be overwhelmed by the (what I feel is chaos) busy scene in front of me.
Waiting patiently
Deep red rose and silent chimes
for cool summer breeze.
randomrose ©
365 – Face A Day (continued)
I cannot believe I have completed 65 days of faces. Some are disasters either through being in a hurry, tired or just plain crappy work. The thing I am pleased about is that someone does come each day. Strange, amazing people. Sitting with coffee in hand I choose a pencil of some description (can only use pencil or biro on these very thin pages). There is no rhyme nor reason what I start with. I am not looking to draw a perfect face I am looking to see who appears and what story they have to tell. If I try too hard then their story doesn’t come and it is just an exercise in drawing-I don’t want that. I want surprise and fun. Here are my people to date (or from where I left off before my story telling posts).
An active line on a walk, moving freely, without goal. A walk for a walk’s sake.
Paul Klee
Creative Writing – Ember Moon – A Story for Children
Continued
CHAPTER 5- 1 year later…
Andre and Oscar remained friends. Andre became a librarian and Oscar continued to puzzle about everything and anything. He had taken up writing about his puzzles. His manuscript about the rainbow serpent was tucked away under his bed never to be published, as the ending didn’t seem complete. He never found out why the serpent died or what the colours were that pulsated across the sky.
One ordinary day
Oscar got a message from Andre to visit the library the next afternoon. When Oscar arrived at the library Andre took him to the room where it all began and to his amazement and delight Koray was there and he had some startling news.
Koray told the story of the rays they saw in the night sky on that amazing night after capturing the rainbow serpent. The rays belonged to the black threads that sewed themselves into the dark clouds. The colours are the threads lifeblood, without them they were slowly dying. The Rain Bowers had stolen them to build the serpent, as the colours are powerful. The threads had been trawling the night sky trying to find them. Their luck was in on the night we were trying to capture the serpent. They heard the commotion and saw their colours, their beautiful serene colours, ugly and intensified on the beast. They saw Andre struggling and came to help.
The threads had wrapped themselves around Andre only to anchor themselves in their weakened state until they began stitching into the cloud. They sent their apologies for frightening Andre. They drained the serpent of its colours and as strong, as the serpent was as it writhed within the cloud it was no match for the threads taking what was rightfully theirs. Once the threads gathered their colours into themselves they transformed into their original shape of gaseous rays that spread across the night sky dancing in celebration and the serpent fell to its death.
That news was something Oscar had been waiting for. That was the exciting ending he needed for his unfinished manuscript. Andre asked Koray if he knew where the threads were now.
Koray explained they have returned to their home in the atmosphere above planet Earth. They are Aurora Australis. They dance in the night skies depending on solar radiation, the planet’s magnetic shield, and the planet’s position in relation to Ember Moon. Their dance is an exciting phenomenon to the earthlings.
Wow, us earthlings get a mention, how cool.
CHAPTER 6…THE ENDING
Months have passed since Koray’s visit…
Andre had not seen Oscar for some months and was wondering how he was. They had both been excited to see Koray and the news of the mysterious rays was a fantastic ending to their story. Andre still takes the greatest pride in knowing how he saved, not just Ember Moon but the whole universe. He was smiling deep in thought remembering the sight of the very ugly very dead serpent at their feet when the bell on the library desk rang bringing him back to the present.
It was Oscar. They greeted each other with a hearty hug asking each other at the same time how they were. “Full of puzzles as usual” Chuckled Oscar “And I am up to my neck in books as usual,” said Andre, his neck dipping and soaring as he laughed. Oscar handed Andre a parcel “I have a gift for you and I am puzzled to see if you like it. Andre zipped open the package and stared in disbelief. There on the cover of a book was a picture of cogs and planets with the title ‘Ember Moon and the evil rainbow serpent’. Under the title were the authors’ names… Andre and Oscar, The Protectors.
Andre’s eyes looked like they were sitting on the end of long stalks, his neck was weaving around, his ladders were rattling and his lips were stretching into the widest grin until his mouth was beginning to look a lot like his neck.
They sat together, Andre reading the book, Oscar nervous, waiting for him to comment. There were no obvious signs on Andre’s face to indicate what he was thinking. He did not look up from the book until the last page was turned. He closed the book slowly, his eyes were misty, his mouth void of words but the nod of his head on his very long neck showed Oscar all the approval he needed.
YES, THIS IS THE END! All the puzzle pieces are in place giving us a complete picture. Wait…my fingers are still hovering over the keyboard. Maybe there are more puzzles after all.
Do you think Oscar and Andre should have any more adventures? Do you think Koray will ever come to visit again? Are the Rain Bowers plotting anything else? What is a good name for the planet they live on?
Email me with your answers, thoughts and your stories about what future adventures these two strange, wonderful beings could be involved with and who knows, we might have a book published with all our names as authors.
I dedicate this book to my two lovely Granddaughters, Madelaine (10years) and Bianca(8years) who were my original editors. Their comments and ideas were invaluable.
————————————————————-
This is a children’s book and the last paragraph is for the readers of the book, not for my wonderful blog readers…well…if you have that child within feeling …
I am hoping to illustrate the book using mixed media picture that hopefully will photograph 3D (kinda) really don’t know how or what or where etc. but certainly a work in progress.
Thank you for those that have sent along ‘likes’ and comments, much appreciated.
Here a a couple more pieces I have made for the book:
The books are not finished. I have an idea to put them on shelves somehow?
Rainbow Serpent – Ember Moon
Creative Writing – Ember Moon – A Story for Children
Continued
The euphoria was momentary, roars and flashes of light and colour burst out of the cloud. Koray trembled. Andre froze as he looked up to see the ugly head of the serpent breaking through the cloud net, that same piece had moved sideways again. The serpent, still partially trapped was writhing with fury to escape. He broke free through the gap and with an almighty hiss, streaked away in the direction from which he came. They waited but knew that the serpent would return as the low rumbling growl and hissing were still very audible and they were not wrong. The hissing became stronger and louder, he was attacking again.
Koray stretched his arms toward the skies and began chanting strange words. Whether it was the chanting that did it, who knows but stars began to appear, hundreds of them, flooding the night sky. Oscar was amazed at his next thought. He remembered another thing he read in the reference book. “Hurry Andre, Oscar shouted, “Gather the stars, and try to attach them to the cloud to hold it together”. Koray chanted and chanted, chaos was everywhere, the rumbling, hissing of the serpent was getting closer, and the purple sky was swirling with stars. Andre did not have time to be afraid or question whether it would work or not, no one would ever know unless he tried. He laddered up and reached with all his might to his left then his right gathering the stars who seemed to comply. Andre moved around the dark cloud forcing it back into position and studding it together with stars trying not to look in the direction of the serpent. As much as he tried it was not enough, he could see more holes appearing. Koray chanted on and on, his voice rising into the sky.
Andre felt weakness in his neck, arms, and ladders; he was exhausted he felt defeated.
Out of nowhere, something wound around Andre’s wrist then his neck. Black threads; he was terrified. The black threads wound around his fingers whilst the other end latched itself to the cloud and began to weave itself in and pulling Andre’s hand with it. Andre could feel his life ending when another thread attached itself to his other hand and began the same thing. They pulled his long arms further and further into the cloud net. He was powerless. He was doomed but just as fast as they latched on, they let go. Andre unbalanced with the sudden release. He rocked back and forth out of control. A long thread wound around his neck and it stopped him from rocking but it was tightening its grip. He braced himself for the end of his short life. He closed his eyes and waited. The thread around his neck loosened slightly, he opened his eyes just in time to see it slip gently from his neck into the clouds. He was finally free and steady on his ladders. When his heart had slowed to a frantic beat, he could not believe what he saw. The black threads had literally ‘sewn’ themselves into the cloud and along with the stars, they had formed what looked like an impenetrable net and not too soon as the head of the monster once again roared into sight.
Andre had never folded himself down so fast in all his life. The sky filled with flashes of colour, the rumbling and screaming hisses were so loud it was enough to make your toenails curl. This time the clouds moved straight into the serpent and again they took on grotesque shapes. The rumbling, screaming, and hissing died down. Koray quietened his chanting to a whisper and finally there was total silence in the night.
The three friends exhausted and terrified, waited. They waited to see if the monster was going to break free again, knowing if that happened they would never be able to stop it. A slither of Ember Moon’s glow appeared from behind the slow moving dark misshapen mass of cloud net. Koray bowed deeply and when he rose, he whispered, “Ember Moon is safe”, but Oscar and Andre cautiously kept their eyes on the sky.
The cloud had just about passed ember moon completely when bright colours started to emanate from the dark mass. Gasps and groans escaped from Andre. There just seemed no way to stop that evil monster. There was no hope. As the three brave friends looked up into the night sky, they began to realise it was different this time. There was no rumbling or hissing and no ugly head appearing, just long dancing coloured threads spreading themselves across the sky. It raised their hopes although they did not understand what was happening.
A heavy THUD next to Oscar’s feet nearly toppled him off the tower. They all looked down and saw a clump of brown. On closer inspection, they saw what was left of the evil serpent, a brown speckled mess, and best of all, very, very dead. Oscar did not mind seeing this dead body.
The colours in the sky pulsated into a stunning light show. The stars floated free as the winter cloud reshaped itself into its original form and passed out of sight.
Oscar and Andre turned to Koray but he was gone. For a horrible moment they though he may have fallen from the tower until they saw a ruby heart shape hovering just above where he had been standing, it slowly rose into the sky until it was glowing in front of the Ember Moon before it disappeared. They knew Koray had gone home. Oscar and Andre stood together for some time smiling at Ember moon and the mysterious dancing rays.
No one fell from that tower…whew! I am glad Koray made it back to Ember Moon, aren’t you? Now let us tie up the loose ends because I don’t know about you reader but I don’t like stories that end without me knowing answers to all my puzzles, like…What were the colours in the sky? What happened to Oscar and Andre? Did they ever see Koray again?
To be continued……
Creative Writing – Ember Moon – A Story for Children
Continued…
The night of action…
The third night arrived far too quickly for any of them. They made their way to the top of the satellite tower. The starless sky was a strange purple haze and deathly still. Ember Moon was glowing softly in the purple. To the far right they saw the winter cloud slowly making its way toward Ember Moon. Andre waited for Koray to give the signal to begin. Koray nodded, Andre began his extension. He extended with speed but stopped with a violent jolt lurching to one side stopping far short of where the dark clouds would pass. He wavered around trying to get his balance, he felt himself lurching further to the right when one of his ladders folded or broke or something and he began folding back down in the most ungainly manner. His voice struck a note of horror when he nearly toppled off the tower taking his two friends with him. He shut his eyes tight. When he stopped moving, he opened his eyes he saw one ladder sticking out at an odd angle. Andre stretched his neck down to see that a joiner had come out. Andre could not believe the disaster, it had never happened before and in his excitement and panic he left his tool kit home. The three looked at each other, no thoughts in their head, no words to utter, just staring at the odd shaped ladder.
Finally, it was another of Oscar’s habits that came to the rescue, his habit of collecting things. Just that morning he had picked up a cog lying on the pathway outside his apartment. He had put it in his pocket and forgotten about it until now. There was an assortment of other findings in his other pocket as well. He gave it all to Andre who chose the cog, a piece of wire and a small rod. His hands worked with a tremor attempting to repair the damage.
Oh, Oh this wasn’t planned. Will the repair work? Will it all be too late? Let us read on quickly…
Koray had not taken his eyes from the cloud mass. Finally, he said quietly but with an edge of urgency that the cloud was almost at Ember Moon. Andre did the best he could with the repair and started back on his way, slowly at first testing its strength. Once he felt steady, he moved like the flick of a Swiss Army Knife.
Shaping the cloud into a net was difficult; it was heavy and sticky and did not seem to want to go in the direction Andre was pushing it. He just about had it into a net type shape when a piece broke sideways exposing a small hole. He pushed and pulled until he got it back into place. Andre did not have a chance to see if the cloud would stay in place. He heard a rumble to his left then hissing then he saw it He saw the serpent, rainbow coloured with black scales, slithering, sliding, and weaving toward Ember Moon. Andre gave an almighty push and the cloud rolled into the serpent or the serpent slid into the cloud he was not sure which. The serpent’s rumbling and hissing became muffled, the cloud took on grotesque shapes as the serpent squirmed within its net. The rumbling and hissing slowed as did the movement of the clouds. Andre folded himself down to the safety of the tower. “We got it…We got it! The cloud has netted the monster”. Andre did not know whether to laugh or cry. They all shook hands and looked into the sky where the cloud had passed directly in front Ember Moon blocking it out completely. All was silent.
The three stood with arms about each other, Andre’s long arm wound around his two friends like a lasso.
Success, amazing…THE END!
Sorry readers, do you really think that would be the end of this story, of course not…
To be continued …
Creative Writing – Ember Moon (a story for children)
Continued…..
Back to the alcove behind section ‘z’ and The Meeting
“Hello, my name is Koray; I believe you have a small book that belongs to me. Oscar swallowed his dizziness and retrieved the small book from his pocket. The strange man bowed deeply and when he rose up, the heart on his forehead was glowing. Oscar asked him what the writing meant. Koray looked at Andre who quietly urged him to begin his story He reminded Koray there did not seem any other choice, he needed urgent help, and Oscar was by his own account. a very good solver of puzzles.
Oscar learned from Koray that the writings in the small book were the ancient language of all moons. It is their history and tells of where precious minerals are. The serpent is a new addition, it is the biggest threat ever seen in the galaxies.
Koray told Oscar the whole story (the story we already know). After he had finished Oscar, Koray and Andre sat in deep thought. Andre was the first to speak asking when the attack by the serpent would take place. Koray’s voice shook as he told them that it would be in three nights time when the first dark clouds of winter pass in front of Ember Moon.
When Oscar finally spoke he began asking Koray a million questions, well, maybe not that many but a lot anyway. Koray, Andre, and Oscar huddled together whispering for the next hour. When they parted, Oscar promised to try to puzzle out a plan but also said he was not confident about a solution, even after asking all those questions. They made to meet the next day in narrow room next to the reading room…well it was not a room, it had a door which was locked (Andre knew where the key was). It had no windows and no ceiling. Didge’s Father built the library in two parts but then discovered one section did not quite meet the other so he ended up with a strange combination of a room that was not a room but it had a door. That was so like Didge’s Dad. Luckily, Koray he can go through doors and walls when he is in disappearing state otherwise he would have been stuck in that room when he first landed.
Oscar puzzled hard and long into the night, so many pieces, no straight edges, nothing he could put into a corner to start a plan. He was drifting off to sleep with exhaustion when it struck him. Something he had read in the reference book. The cloud of winter pass was a thick sticky substance made up of millions of small particles left over from each happening (he wasn’t sure what that exactly meant yet) and he didn’t know what good it would be but at least it was a start, a cover maybe or a…a… net? Oscar jumped out of bed and began to write a plan. He did not get back into bed that night. He was not in the least bit tired nor was he the least bit confident, but at least it was something.
CHAPTER 4-THE PLAN
In the room, that is not a room…but it has a door…
Koray and Andre listened to Oscar’s plan. One minute Andre was nodding in agreement, next he was shaking his neck in all directions in disagreement. Koray listened quietly without interruption. Andre’s face looked ashen, his worry lines rippled under his skin, and his ladders rattled involuntarily. Koray had a complicated look on his face, a mixture of hope and despair.
The plan: When the winter cloud comes, Andre reaches up and forms it into a net shape to capture the serpent hoping that Koray will know where or how the monster can be destroyed or rendered useless…or..or…something?
Koray said the plan was too shaky. Yes, the cloud was made of a strong sticky substance but whether it would serve as a net would be impossible to tell. Maybe if the cloud could encase the serpent it might suffocate it… or… maybe not, but they had to try something and that was the only plan they had.
Andre was still pale and his ladders were rattling to the racing beat of his heart as he heard Koray even think about the possibility of such a plan. Koray saw how Andre was shaking; he spoke softly asking him how far he can extend his ladders, arms, and neck. Andre recalled with a tremble in his voice that he once reached as high as the stars in the northern sky of his planet. Koray was surprised and delighted. “If you can reach that far then you can reach the clouds as this is the time when Ember Moon is at its lowest in the sky. Koray bowed low in appreciation of Andre’s modesty.
The plan went from Oscar to Koray to Andre and back again, tweaking this and that, changing that and this, adding other and subtracting some. Finally, a time and place was set. In three night’s time, they will meet on top of the new satellite tower on Mainmount Hill. Andre felt a low excitement that maybe…just maybe he could be of the ultimate use, yet the fine timing that was needed was shaking his faith in his ability not to be…that word … cl..sy. At that thought, his ladders shuddered.
So…they have hatched a plan…will it work? Can Andre really reach that far? Can they save Ember Moon?
Oscar worries about it,
Andre is fretting about it and
Koray is willing it to work.
to be continued….
Creative Writing – Ember Moon (a story for children)
Continued…..
CHAPTER 3 – THE MEETING
OSCAR
The library was very quiet when Oscar walked in the next afternoon; only two visitors were browsing. He kept his eyes focused for anything that slightly moved… or not moved…like a body. He made his way to the reference section without interruption. He took down the huge Ember Moon book, placed it on the equally huge table, and opened it to, surprisingly, the first page. That is not Oscar’s usual practice; he always worked from the back to the front of a book. It gave him more puzzles as he did not know what he was reading until he got to the start then he would put it all together, but not on this day, his curiosity was too strong. He spent a good hour reading, running his finger under each line so he did not miss a single word. There was nothing about small books, strange languages, or snakes; however, the theory of the rogue planet was spellbinding and terrifying.
ANDRE
André had just finished stacking shelves when he saw Oscar at the reference table. He felt he needed to apologise again for running off the day before so he made his way to him to apologise. “Excuse Me,” said André. Oscar jumped, then André apologised for making him jump. “Sorry said André. Sorry I just made you jump and sorry about yesterday the way I ran off”. Oscar smiled at so many times ‘sorry’ came from this boy. “That’s o.k. Oscar smiled, I was deep in my reading, and you don’t have to keep apologising”.
André saw that Oscar was reading the new reference book on Ember Moon and asked him if he found the book interesting. Oscar nodded enthusiastically, telling André that he spent most of his time solving puzzles and the ember moon was something he was especially interested in because of Nathaniel Knight’s theory of a rogue planet that could be a danger to them all. He said he was even more interested and puzzled since he found a strange little book in the library the day before titled Ember Moon, obviously not belonging to the library. Oscar then asked André if he knew anything about it watching him closely, ready to see his reaction.
Oscar knew he should have stopped there and not mentioned the dead body again for fear of confirming to the boy that he was crazy but the words fell out of his mouth before he could stop them. When he finished he stood with his puzzle head pink from top to chin, especially his nose. Whilst he thought the boy knew something more, he wished he had not mentioned dead bodies.
Oscar did not expect what happened next. André almost shouted for Oscar to stay right where he was. His head and neck disappeared in a flash leaving his laddered body behind which looked quite bizarre. Oscar stood there still pink-faced and very confused by what just happened when the boy’s head popped back around the corner and pleaded. “Please, it is very, very important to stay right here”. His head disappeared again taking the rest of his body with him this time, his ladders rattling into the distance.
Oscar didn’t move, number one because he could not have moved had he tried, the bizarre events felt like they had nailed his feet to the floor, and number two, he has never turned away from a puzzle yet and the puzzles in this library were getting bigger and bigger. He didn’t have time to think further, an index finger reached around the corner of the aisle and beckoned him to follow. The finger belonged to the very long arm of André. Oscar followed until Andre’s long arm caught up with the rest of him in a small alcove in the ‘Z’ section and there to Oscar’s amazement was the dead body except the dead body was alive. Oscar felt his eyes rotating in his head, now he really was having a dizzy spell.
Pause: Now I will tell you about Koray…
Koray did have a secret, he was sole keeper of the history of Ember Moon as was his Father and his Father before him and his Father before him and, well, you get the idea don’t you.
Koray left Ember Moon to search for help, as a dark and brutal threat had come from the planet of the Rain Bowers. The Rain Bowers had always been rogues and renegades around their own galaxy raiding and capturing smaller planets and using their beings as slaves. Now they were a threat to all galaxies. They developed a rainbow coloured evil serpent that can wrap itself around large planets dragging them from their axis and taking them back to their galaxy. They strip them of their precious minerals and life forms, which allows their planet to grow larger and stronger and the most powerful in all atmospheres. Ember Moon is their target. If they can capture that, there will be no stopping their evil ways.
Koray had to be vigilant as the Rain Bowers had their seekers everywhere reporting on planets, galaxies, and especially the movements of Koray. They need to capture him and get the history book to complete their knowledge of Ember Moon’s hidden minerals. Unfortunately, Koray found the tides outside of Ember Moon played havoc with his dream state. He was exhausted by the time he reached this planet and took cover in the library through the open roof next to the reading room. He knows it will only be a matter of time before the seekers find him. It will not take much to capture him. His waxing and waning is not working to full capacity and his dream state comes upon him so quickly now.
Koray told Oscar how he had watched and listened to André each afternoon and began to trust him. He showed himself to him and they became friends but he did not think André have the burden of this problem as he was only a boy but now time is running out and he is desperate to save Ember Moon and all the galaxies including this one.
There, now…Do you agree that was worth the wait? Did André do the right thing in bringing Oscar to meet Koray? Can they save Ember Moon from the evil serpent? Will that save everyone from the Rain Bowers? Can Oscar puzzle out a plan? Let us continue…
At this point, Oscar does not know the story yet but you and I do. (How cool is that).
Back to the alcove behind section ‘z’ and The Meeting
to be continued….
randomrose 