“Get out of the way!”
Sarah whipped around just in time to back into the lockers as one of the jocks ran through the hall. He was tailed by four others. The one who yelled looked back at her for a split second grinned and kept running. A teacher popped out of a room telling them to slow down and quit running as they rounded the corner of the hall. Sarah rolled her eyes. She was used to this…
“Get out of the way!”
Sarah whipped around just in time to back into the lockers as one of the jocks ran through the hall. He was tailed by four others. The one who yelled looked back at her for a split second grinned and kept running. A teacher popped out of a room telling them to slow down and quit running as they rounded the corner of the hall. Sarah rolled her eyes. She was used to this display of complete idiocy. She had been going to school with them since elementary school and the shenanigans just kept doubling.
“Football tryouts are in a couple days.”
She laughed as she turned to face the voice.
“Really, Adam? Football?” she asked shaking her head.
“You know you would be perfect for the team. They need brains added to the bench,” Adam said chuckling.
“I put up with the meatheads enough in gym class,” she said as she shut her locker and gathered the books she would need for homework.
“You know this school and town needs a new scandal,” Adam said as he walked with her towards the front doors of the school.
School had only been in session a couple of days but Sarah chose to take advanced placement courses this semester. That means she has homework galore and no time for distractions. The jock heads had made their way back around the building whooping and hollering.
“Yo, Adam, what’s up my man?” Jared asked as he gave Adam a high five.
Jared was the ringleader of the flying monkeys. He thought the world revolved around him and the only person who didn’t see it this way was Sarah. He looked over at her.
“Hey, Sarah, sorry about earlier,” he said smiling.
She was disgusted with his smile. He thought he could win anyone over with it and that was so not the case. There was once a time when she would melt into his smile but not anymore.
“Adam, I’m going to go,” she said leaving the group of boys behind.
“Alright, see ya later,” Adam called after her.
“Nice talking,” Jared yelled sarcastically. He looked to Adam, “Dude, why can’t I crack her?”
“Did you ever think it’s because your next door neighbors so she sees your bullshit every day?” Adam said back laughing.
“Man, I could so punch you right now,” Jared said laughing back. “So, what’s the down low? Have you heard from anyone who might be trying out for the team this year?” he asked taking out a pen and pad to jot down tips for the coach.
“There’s an exchange student who is pretty fit and can kick a ball like a cow kicking in your dome,” Adam said pulling out his own paper he had written on.
“Anyone else?” Jared asked.
“Yea, a transfer student from Mississippi, built like a shit brick house and apparently played AAA football down there so definitely a keeper,” Adam said winking.
“Alright excellent! Anymore?” Jared asked as he jotted down on the paper what Adam was telling him.
“You’re going to laugh,” Adam said looking down at the paper folding it back up and shoving it in his pocket.
“What?” Jared asked.
“Well, I been trying to talk one person into trying out,” Adam started.
“Who?” Jared asked leaning up against the locker waiting for the name drop.
“Well, you’ve known them for a long time,” Adam said.
“Just tell me the name please and stop beating around the bush,” Jared said getting annoyed.
“Sarah,” Adam said with a serious look on his face.
“Sarah!” Jared laughed. He quickly stopped, “You’re not joking. Adam, we can’t put a girl on the team. We will be ridiculed.”
“She’s really good!” Adam protested. “She’s the fastest runner in the school, she has an arm like a cannon and remember last year while playing softball? She caught that ball without a mitt jumping up in midair. She would be stellar!”
“If she took a hit, she would go down and not get back up,” Jared said with the most serious and protective tone.
“IF she took a hit. They would have to catch her first,” Adam said catching onto his words.
Jared stood there thinking about it.
“I’d have to run it by coach first. It’s not the best idea in the world you know,” Jared said walking towards the exit doors with Adam.
“I don’t think ya’ll would be disappointed,” Adam said smiling.
“Does she want to try out?” Jared asked
“That’s MY next step. We were talking about it before you strolled back up,” Adam said as they walked down the steps and into the student parking lot. “Why don’t you talk to her when you get home about it?” Adam said grinning slyly.
“Are you kidding? We haven’t spoken since middle school in an actual conversation. I don’t know what I did but it’s like she hates me,” Jared said stopping at his car.
“Maybe it’s not hate,” Adam said pointing at him as he walked to his car. “See ya later,” he said jumping in his car.
“Yea, see ya later,” Jared said as he processed everything they had been talking about.
A long time ago, Sarah and he were the best of friends. They were next door neighbors so of course they grew up close. He did everything to protect her. He beat up an older kid that had pushed her down after they had won a game of kickball. He got in trouble of course and grounded. That night he heard the familiar tap of rocks hitting his window. He walked to it and smiled. She was down there waiting for him to crawl out his window so they could go to the tree house and spend the night. His parents always knew he snuck out even when he was grounded, but they didn’t care. It was Sarah.
Middle school rolled around and Jared started playing football. Sarah helped him practice at home and she was good at it. The first football game was lost. Sarah showed up at his doorstep with an ice cream cone and they walked the block eating and talking about everything but the game.
“You know, winning isn’t important,” she said looking over at him.
“Yea, I know,” he grumbled.
“Do you?” she asked stopping.
He looked over at her and smiled, “Yea, I do.”
They made it back to their driveways and was saying goodnight as she leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“No matter if you win or lose a game, you’re always a winner to me,” she said smiling as she walked backward to her house.
He couldn’t say anything. He was surprised and happy. He waited by his locker the next as he usually did for Sarah so he could walk her to her mom’s car and then go to practice.
“Jared!”
He wheeled around to see Cindy walking up to him. She was the most popular girl in school and was very pretty.
“Hey, Cindy,” he said smiling at her.
“I wanted to tell you, you played a good game last night,” she said smiling and rubbing his hair.
He blushed, “Well, we didn’t win.”
“You came close though,” she said moving herself closer to him. “How about I give you my number and we talk about the game tonight over ice cream,” she said as she wrote her number down on the palm of his hand.
He smiled a crooked, smitten grin, “Sounds good.”
“Great!” she said cheerfully and planted a kiss square on his lips.
Sarah had rounded the corner right at that moment and saw the two lip locked. He looked up just as she turned around and walked away.
“Sarah!” he called to her but she kept walking.
The last bell rang for the end of the day. He had football practice so wouldn’t see Sarah until later that evening. When he got home, he ran next door and knocked on the door. Sarah’s mom answered.
“Hey, Jared, how was practice today?” she asked smiling at him.
“It was intense,” he said smiling back. “Umm, can I talk to Sarah?”
“Sarah isn’t feeling well. She went to bed early tonight. Sorry, sweetie,” she said as he stepped off the porch and she closed the door.
He looked up to her bedroom window just to see her curtain fall back into place. He went on his date with Cindy and they started dating. Sarah was always busy when he went over to her house. They slowly drifted apart from being friends to where they didn’t even acknowledge each other in the hallways at school.
Jared jumped in his car and drove home. He put the car in park and climbed out of the driver’s door and glanced up to Sarah’s room just as the curtain fell back into place. He got a wild urge and acted on it. He walked over to the lattice on this side of the house and climbed it up to the balcony beside her window. HE hoisted himself over the railing and knocked on the balcony door.
Sarah opened it annoyed, “What are you doing, Jared?”
“I came to talk to you,” Jared said walking away from the balcony’s railing and closer to her.
“What do you want?” she asked exasperated.
“Adam said you might try out for the team,” Jared said fiddling with a string on his shirt.
“Adam will say anything to please you,” she said rolling her eyes.
“Well, are you? I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Jared said crossing his arms and changing his tone of voice.
“And who are you? The football police? If I want to try out, I will,” she said crossing her arms back in response.
“You don’t realize you could get hurt. It’s not like horseplay. It’s not like how we used to play. When you get tackled, you go down hard,” he said as serious as he could.
“Well, we will see what I choose to do,” she said not budging. “Now, if you don’t mind, will you remove yourself from my balcony? I have homework to finish,” she said walking back inside her room and shutting the door. She watched as he climbed over the railing and back down the lattice and over to his yard. She sent Adam a text: Tryouts are in the bag.
Just Before Dawn- Chapter One (erotica)
She walked the halls of the Physical Therapy unit reminiscing on the days she worked them. She had just finished her 12-hour shift on the floor and was excited to clock out and get home. Tonight would be their first night in a while they spent indoors. Of course they had a lot of romance in their lives, but intimacy was a touch and go base with them. They had shared the moments of elation and…
Sisters of Light and Darkness- excerpt
Long ago, before the creation of man, before the creation of life, lived the ultimate source of power. In the beginning, a vast space called the “Deep” reigned. Her name was Tiamat. Her loneliness echoed silently through the black space of emptiness. So, as her first real act of power, power she did not know was buried deep within her, she created a mate for herself. Her blood made of starfire…
Long ago, before the creation of man, before the creation of life, lived the ultimate source of power. In the beginning, a vast space called the “Deep” reigned. Her name was Tiamat. Her loneliness echoed silently through the black space of emptiness. So, as her first real act of power, power she did not know was buried deep within her, she created a mate for herself. Her blood made of starfire churned within her bosom and created a flow to her womb where a heartbeat began. The heartbeat grew in beats and soon the heartbeat was the same speed as her own. Her belly grew larger as the heartbeat created a vessel of life inside of her. In an explosion of power, she gave birth to her love, Drac. As his head crowned in the birthing process she uttered a few small words that held an immense power.
“Let there be light.”
The baby’s first sight was of bright color so that he could gaze upon the wondrous face of pure love. The light set off a series of small explosions throughout the empty void. Planets, stars, and galaxies formed within the space. The great unknown “Deep” became a universe of multitudes of life forms. The baby grew in seconds following the full phase of metamorphosis to a wise, aged man. Tiamat smiled at her new love.
She interlocked her fingers to his and said, “We will create the most powerful beings to exist as children.”
He nodded in acknowledgement to this proclamation. They held their interlocked hands in the air and their bodies formed a circle. The blood of starfire that churned within her was now a part of him. Glorious floating red lights swarmed the two and illuminated their floating bodies. They gazed into one another’s eyes as an implosion within their bodies convulsed the two together. A red ball of fire enveloped the two and their swirled in a whirlwind into the sky. The centripetal force pulled the two apart sending one to the sky and one to the ground in a huge cataclysmic explosion. The two would never again be together physically but they were forever tethered together by a circle of repetitious life. Draco was now the sky and Tiamat was now the embodiment of Earth. Their alchemical marriage of power created the strongest bloodline of starfire to ever exist. Solve et coagula, which is as above so below, started the chain of life that exists today.
Out of this combination of great magic, they created the first of the bloodline to begin the Anannaki race. Their daughter, Ki, and son, An, became known to all of creation to follow as the Great Mother and the Great Father. The two began to mold and create their first generation of Gods and Goddesses. Their powers would be split and three were chosen to live in the light and three were chose to live in darkness.
The God of Light was named Enki and he was the supreme ruler over the Astral realm. Alongside him to rule were his sisters, Lilith and Ninlil. The God of Darkness was named Enlil and he was the supreme ruler over the umbral realm. Alongside him to rule were his sisters, Inanna and Astarte. Even though they resided in different realms, they all shared a strong bond with each other. However, the strongest bond was between the sisters who could travel from realm to realm to visit with their other brother.
Enlil was jealous over his brother’s rule of the earthly realm, so he created a wondrous place outside of the realms that existed, called the Garden of Eden. He gave the realm to his sisters as a gift. The sisters used this gift as a creation place for two human creations. They molded two bodies out of the remnants of stardust that was blowing away in the wind. They created a handsome young man named Adam. All fours sister breathed into his body and watched as his chest filled with air and it exhale. Nothing. They tried again breathing into his lungs filling him with the breath of life and again nothing happened. They turned to the second body. They shaped a beautiful young woman from the stardust whom they named Zoe. All four sisters looked to one another as they attempted with the woman what they had tried with the man. They placed all of their magic and will into their energy and breathed a breath of life into their creation and she animated before them.
Zoe was frightened. “Where am I? Why am I here?” she asked in confusion as her soul seeded deep within her body.
“You have been chosen to live in the most glorious space created,” Ninlil said walking to her. The other three sisters smiled upon her.
She looked to the ground and saw the body of a young man.
“What about him? Why isn’t he living like me?” she asked looking around to the four sisters.
“Well,” Lilith began, “We tried to animate him but it takes an act of human love to resurrect his soul into this body. Only one’s soulmate can bring one to life from nothing,” she said peering down at the small being.
Zoe stood and walked over to the body of the young man. She reached her hand out hesitantly to touch and caress his face. He was so beautiful. She had never laid eyes on a creature that placed what she felt inside of her. She was overwhelmed with the feeling bubbling inside of her. She leaned in compelled to his face and kissed his lips. When she exhaled during the kiss, the breath of life entered into his body and his eyes opened. He sat up and looked into the eyes of the woman in front of him.
“I have been waiting a long time to see those eyes again,” he said brushing his hand against her cheek.
She smiled in remembrance of his soul. “Adam.”
“You two are the only ones that exist in the peaceful place,” Astarte said to them as they stood to their feet.
“Everything has been provided for your nourishment and survival,” Inanna said motioning to the surrounding area growing fruitful with herbs and plants.
A shadow descended upon the land and they all looked heavenward as a figure emerged in the darkness.
“Brother, it’s nice to see you. Come, see what we have created with the gift you gave us,” Lilith said smiling as Enlil walked to their sides.
He frowned. “I did not create this place for you to put humans in it. It was created as a midpoint for everyone so you would not have to travel so far to see me,” he said with disgust trailing on his face.
The girls felt foolish. “We can’t undo what has been done,” Ninlil said looking to Enlil. “It goes against what mother and father have taught us to do.”
Enlil whirled away in jealousy. He was the one that was thrown into darkness unwillingly. He looked at the landscape of the garden and his eyes rested on two trees. He smiled.
“I apologize my sisters for my rude outburst,” he said bowing his head to them. “But since you have messed up the idea of my gift, can I make a few ground rules for the mortals you have created?” he asked.
The girls noticed the sinister look in his eyes and looked to one another. They knew what he would command would be awful but they could not deny his request. After all, he created the garden himself.
“Of course, brother,” Lilith said bowing her head in defeat.
He turned to the mortal creations, “You have a marvelous place to survive in for eternity. You will never have to sleep for your world is already a dreamland. However, there is one rule I have for you,” he said motioning for them to follow. He walked over to the two trees that resided in the middle of the garden. One of them had a spring of water at the base of it with beautiful flowers and appetizing fruit clung to its limbs.
“This is the Tree of Life. As long as you drink from its waters and eat from its fruit you will live forever with immortality,” he said looking to the mortals to see if they understood. They shook their head in acknowledgement.
The second tree was an ancient tree. The base of the tree had grown its roots down and then back up creating a dragon of wood. Atop the tree was the farthest branches that had twisted into the shape of a bird.
“This is the Tree of Knowledge. It contains all of the mysteries that surround creation, evolution, and the power of gods,” he said and looked to his sisters who stood there with grief stricken faces.
“Please, don’t Enlil,” Astarte begged knowing what command he was going to lay down.
He grinned to his sisters, “This fruit in one bite would grant you everlasting enlightenment. However, you may not eat from this tree. It is forbidden,” he said looking to the two mortals. “If you disobey my orders, immediate death will succumb you. Have I made myself clear?”
Beauty is Fangs Deep- Chapter Two
Larissa had scooted over to John, and he put his arm around her. Duke still sat on the other side of the car breaking into the 12 pack he had bought where they filled the car up. Michala sat staring out the window. It had been a long time since she had been on a road trip, but she had never been cross country before.
John stole glances at her through the rear view mirror watching her peer out the…
Larissa had scooted over to John, and he put his arm around her. Duke still sat on the other side of the car breaking into the 12 pack he had bought where they filled the car up. Michala sat staring out the window. It had been a long time since she had been on a road trip, but she had never been cross country before.
John stole glances at her through the rear view mirror watching her peer out the window. He was jolted from one of his glances when he felt a hand go between his legs.
“What are you doing?” he asked Larissa annoyed.
“I thought you would like a treat as we drove,” she said removing her hand.
“It would be too hard to focus on driving,’ he said laughing. She scooted back over to her seat scowling at him.
“Michala wanna switch seats with me. I’m getting tired,” Larissa said turning around in her seat to face Michala.
Michala shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t mind,” she said climbing over the front seat and switching places with Larissa.
Larissa made a pillow with her jacket against the door and started to doze. Duke murmured something under his breath and threw the empty beer bottle out the window. He took a cue from Larissa, pulled his hat down low, and adjusted himself to sleep as well.
Michala scooted closer to John and leaned her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her. The other two didn’t care what or how they expressed their friendship. They knew coming into the relationship how close of friends they were and never bothered speaking up against their actions.
“So what were you back there thinking about while admiring the tumbleweeds?” John chided.
She elbowed him in the ribs chuckling, “Everything, what my next steps are, how I’m going to get to those next steps, just everything,” she said swiping a fallen piece of hair out of her face.
“You know what’s best for you,” he said tickling her side.
She laughed smacking his hand away.
“Ok, I couldn’t resist, I’m sorry,” he said wrapping his arm back around her.
She sunk into his side deeper breathing in the smell of his cologne. She loved the smell of his cologne. She felt a pluck on her forehead and opened her eyes, as John laughed putting his hand back on the wheel.
“You’re such an ass,” she said laughing flicking him back.
“Oh, it’s on. The flick war has started,” he said preparing to flick her again.
“I call truce,” she said leaning away throwing her hands up in front of her face.
“Ok, ok truce,” he said and she flicked him again.
They both laughed. They watched the sign as they drove by “Leaving California, entering Nevada.”
“One state down and like 20 more to go,” she said joking.
They both got quiet for a minute or two.
“Thank you for my rose, you were the only one who gave me flowers on graduation,” she said looking up to his face.
“I have no clue what you’re talking about. Delusional, delusional. Where’s the asylum?” he said laughing and looking around as she punched him in the arm.
“Ha ha, funny,” she said sarcastically.
“You’re welcome,” he said smiling looking down at her.
“I haven’t read the letter yet, what’s it say?” she asked reaching around to grab her purse from the back seat.
“Read it and find out. If I wanted to say it out loud, I wouldn’t have written it,” he said back grinning.
“You’re such an ass!” she said punching him in the arm again.
“Seriously, though, can you wait til were not in a car full of people to read it. I do have my reputation to uphold you know,” he said laughing.
Before she could throw another punch he yelled, “Truce!”
She fished the letter from her purse and he grew silent and stared at the road. She flipped open the flap of the envelope and saw something shiny in the bottom of the envelope. It was a ring. She didn’t know what to do next.
“Anybody hungry?” John yelled out waking the two in the back seat.
“I could eat a human!” Duke yelled back.
John pulled into the parking lot of a Swiss Burger joint. Everyone hopped out besides Michala.
“I’ll catch up with yall in a minute. I’m going to change clothes,” she said hoping the distraction was excuse enough.
“Ok,” everyone said.
John watched her walk to the trunk and get some clothes from her bag.
“Be careful out here by yourself,” he said following the other two inside.
“I will,” she said slipping back in the car to change.
She waited until everyone was out of sight and reopened the letter. The ring fell out into her purse and she picked it up and looked at it. It was a simple gold ring with a small diamond on top of it. She was nervous to read the letter, but she unfolded the pages and began to read.
Michala,
Seeing you today walk across that stage and deliver that speech made me realize how short life is. We’ve been through everything together as friends. Friends. We’ve been friends for so long, I can hardly remember a moment without you in my life. I don’t want to go another minute without you still in my life. I’m breaking up with Larissa tonight. I know you and Duke are on the ropes. This is my one chance to have what I’ve wanted for years. You. I love you. I always have. This ring is my promise to you. I will be right here when you get back from whatever adventures you go off to have. My heart is your heart from now until eternity. I got the ring size from your mom, so its sized to fit. Now bring the ring inside the restaurant we’re stopped at because I know you made some excuse to stay outside and read this letter. Get to moving punk I’m waiting for you.
Love,
John.
She was speechless. She hurriedly put the dress on she fished out of her suitcase. She put some makeup on and was brushing her hair when she heard a tap at the window. She looked out and saw a strange man standing there.
“Excuse me, can you tell me how to get to Stewart, we’re lost and can’t find a map,” he said. She looked him over and his mannerisms as well as his dressing style was fairly unusual. He had on a black suit with his hair slicked back. She glanced over to his vehicle which was a nice Jaguar. She assumed the woman in the seat was his wife. Both of them had pale complexions.
“I’m sorry, I’m not from around here and my driver is the one with the directions. He programs it in his head,” she said smiling.
The man did not smile back, and he didn’t find her joke amusing in the least.
“Thank you for your time,” he said and walked back to his vehicle, got in, and pulled away from the diner. The woman stared at her as they drove past the vehicle.
Her concentration was broken when she heard yelling, “You’re such a slime ball!”
It was Larissa. She could guess that they just broke up. She got out of the car and walked toward the burger joint, “You okay?” she asked.
“Did you know he was going to break up with me? Well, of course you did, you two are probably screwing around behind my back aren’t ya?” Larissa said with her eyes squinted in hate.
“No, I didn’t-“ Michala began.
“Whatever, I’ll be waiting in the car!” she yelled as she jumped in the backseat.
Michala was hesitant to walk inside now. She looked through the window and saw John with his fingers pursed over his eyes. Duke stood from his seat and walked to the door running into Michala.
“Did you know they were busting up?” he asked her through a glare.
“No,” she said quietly.
“Sure, sure you didn’t because you two aren’t the closest of friends I’ve ever seen between a guy and a girl. Just admit it, you knew he was breaking up with her. That’s why you ended it with me,” he said angrily.
“No, I ended it with you because you’re a two-bit cheating man whore!” she yelled at him pushing past him to go inside.
He grabbed her forearm and saw John stand up from the table. “This isn’t over,” he said throwing her arm back down.
She didn’t know how to act now. She was embarrassed by the actions of the two towards her. She knew once she read the letter how they would react to John breaking up with Larissa. She pushed the door open to the burger joint and walked over to John and sat down across from him. He had his hand over his eyes in aggravation.
“You okay,” she asked grabbing his hand on the table.
He pulled his hand away from hers, “Yea, I’m fine,” he said in a monotonous tone.
She didn’t know how to react to him pulling his hand away.
“We’re finished eating. If you want to eat take your time. I’m going to the car to sit,” he said standing up with their trays of trash.
“Oh, well I’m…I’m not hungry,” she said standing up and putting the ring she held in her one palm back into the purse.
She didn’t understand the reason he was acting the way he was to her. She walked in front of him out of the diner and back to the car. She got in the car but didn’t scoot back close to him. Instead, she curled her legs up underneath her and lay her head against the window. John started the car, and they drove away from the diner in silence.
It was about an hour later when John broke the silence.
“Who was that man that was talking to you in the parking lot at that burger joint?” he asked looking over to Michala.
“Just someone asking for directions,” she replied and returned her attention back to a book she had brought along for the trip. Her mother had bought her a reading light so she could read on car trips when they visited her grandmother in Washington.
“They looked strange,” he said trying to continue conversation.
“Yup,” she replied keeping to herself and the book.
He didn’t like them not talking to one another. It was making him antsy, and he really wanted to pull over and talk but knew he couldn’t because of the other two disgruntled passengers.
“What are you reading?” he asked.
“A book,” she replied.
“What’s it about smart ass?” he said annoyed.
“This girl’s best friend professed his love to her through a letter and gave her a ring and then totally blew her off when she came to him over it,” she retorted while flipping a page.
It sank in. He knew she was going to read it, but Larissa exploding the way she did made him forget completely about writing the letter.
“Michala,” he started.
“Save it. It doesn’t matter,” she said closing her book and lying her head against the car door.
Great, he thought to himself, now everyone is mad at me.
It was around 3 am when he woke Duke up.
“Hey man, you care to drive?” he asked yawning.
“Not at all,” Duke replied while stretching.
John pulled the car over and the two switched spots.
“Just stay on this highway until you hit Colorado. Wake me up, and I’ll tell you which highway to take,” he said jumping in the back.
He had been driving for 12 hours and needed the break. He pulled his hoody hood over his head and stuffed his hands in the pocket of it. He leaned his head against the window but not to look outside. He fell asleep staring at Michala in the front seat.