Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Constellations or Spooky tale for Write, Edit, Publish blog-hop





In this post for the October Write, Edit, Publish blog-hop we are challenged to write about the Constellations or to scare you with a Spooky tale. Denise Covey and Yolanda Renee have really put on their witches hats to come up with such a challenge. We'll, I've done both. Alas I'm not alone, so I've added the link that will take you to the list of all the other writers and artist. To read go here.




Guess which constellation is in my story? You're right.









Orion

Half the student body was in the park tonight. At least it felt like half. Some were gathered around the huge bonfire in the pit the park provided. Most were smoking pot and drinking beer. I was using one of the telescopes Mr. Weaver had provided to study the stars along with my classmates.
            “Hey, Wigs,” Brian said, walking up to me along with his buddies, Jack and Paul.
            I glanced at them. “My name is Katie.” The students at my school had started calling me ‘wigs’ after I lost all my hair during chemo, two years ago when I wore a wig. All better now and my hair was back, short but real.
            Brian stopped in front of the telescope blocking my view. “It’s not fair that you were assigned Orion.”
            I stood up straight ready for a fight with the class bullies. “What’s it to you?”
            “We want Orion.” Brian shoved his hands into his pockets.
            “So?” I looked between the three.
            “We are all from Orion,” Paul said.
            “Huh?” Paul was tall and too thin.
            “It’s true,” Jack said. “Aliens came down and colonized this planet from the Orion system.”
            “You’re saying we are from the Orion system? That we are aliens?” This sounded a lot like that weird T.V. show.
            “Not exactly,” Brian said. “We mated with the inhabitants. Changed the DNA.”
            “So what exactly does this have to do with me?” I folded my arms.
            “When you do your report,” Brian said. “Add that in.”
            “You’re joking, right? You want me to humiliate myself by claiming that advanced aliens had sex with cave women? The answers no, boys.”
            “Look.” Jack grabbed my arm. I yanked it out of his fingers and backed up.
            “You three are just pissed because Mr. Weaver gave you the Big and Little Dipper. Maybe you should take it up with Orion, I hear he’s moved in down the street. Big guy, white hair, carries a sickle.” I approached the telescope. Brian picked it up.
            I put my hands on my hip. “Hey Dipper boy, put it down!”
            “You are just---” Jack seemed to have a hard time figuring out how to insult me.
“Hand over the assignment. You take the two Dippers and we take Orion.” Brian’s grin made me want to smack him.
            “Why don’t you go to the nearest cave and dance with the Neanderthals.”
            “Because you won’t be there, ‘Wigs.’” Paul stepped a little to near and I backed up.
            Mr. Weaver came over. “You alright Katherine?”
            “Yeah, just great.” I said. “These three want Orion instead of the Big and Little Dipper.”
            “The assignments stand. Get to work on your project boys and leave Katherine alone.”
            Brian, Paul and Jack walked away grumbling. Mr. Weaver adjusted the telescope and nodded at me. I finished my study of Orion and put my notes in my backpack and left.
            My parents had bought a house that skirted the park. I approached the back gate about fifteen minutes later. I was still mad at the dipper boys and took several steps over the brown grass in the backyard toward the rear of my house. The night had been cool, but a sudden blast of frigid air came on the wind and I was shoved to the ground. I grunted, lost my breath and turned over on my back. The fallen oak leaves rustled beneath me.
            Above me in a cloudless sky was the constellation Orion. Now I’ve never been good at connecting the stars the way the Ancient Greeks did, but as I watched a laser light spread between the stars to outline Orion. His sword sheathed at his side and a sickle raised in one hand.
            As I watched, Orion turned his head and his eyes came alive in shades of red. He leapt from the sky and landed near me. I gasped, my hair was tossed in the wind about my face and I wondered if someone had slipped me a hallucination pill in my coffee.
            “You dare to mock me, human?!” Orion’s deep voice rocked the bare branches of our oat near me. I opened my mouth but couldn’t speak.
            “Die!” Orion swept his sickle past my head. I scooted back like a desperate bug on my hands and feet, straddling the ground. Orion’s sickle slammed into the oak tree. It groaned and a dead branch fell slicing deep into my side. I gasped. Pain coursed through my body like ghostly fingers trying to freeze my soul. The imagine of Orion blurred. I felt the ground shake with his weight as he walked away and realized he had left.
            The wind still whisked through the bitter night. Oak leaves swirled around me. I held my side were the oak had injured me. Blood flowed warm between my fingers. My breath now came in short gasps. My last thought as I died was; The Dipper Boys would get Orion now.


Word Count: 825

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed my story.

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N. R. Williams
Copyright 2016
All rights reserved.

31 comments:

Denise Covey said...

Nancy, quite a few twists and turns here. Love how you've combined HALLOWEEN and CONSTELLATIONS. Good job! Those bullying Dipper Boys were despicable, but so was Orion. Sad that Kathleen died.

Love the look of your new Halloween collection. I've downloaded it. Thank you! Do love that cover!

Denise :-)

Denise Covey said...

And forgot to say, love your new blog look! You've been busy!

N. R. Williams said...

Thank you Denise, you're the best.
Nancy

Crystal Collier said...

Definitely didn't see that ending coming. Whew!

Deborah Drucker said...

I liked the way the story came together with the class assignment and then meeting the living god.

Yolanda Renée said...

Congratulations on completing and publishing your Halloween tales! I'll have to pick up a copy!

Loved your story, so sad though. All she wanted was to complete her homework assignment, but perfect for a Halloween twist!

Thanks, Nancy! So glad to have your entry for the WEP Halloween/Constellations Challenge!

N. R. Williams said...

Haha, glad to surprise you Crystal.

Hi Deborah
That would be spooky for sure and in Katherine's case, deadly.

Thank you Yolanda. I hope you enjoy them.


Thanks everyone for stopping by and for your comments.
Nancy

Olga Godim said...

Ouch, that's one scary story.

Elephant's Child said...

I am pretty certain that the Dipper Boys will fare no better. Or I hope not. I can't see Orion being proud to call them kin.
Brilliant, and unexpected take on the challenge. Thank you.

Nilanjana Bose said...

Scary-sad. Didn't see that coming. I bet Orion gives the Dipper boys the same treatment. Very clever to combine both Halloween and Constellations in one tale - kudos!

Laura Clipson said...

I love her last thoughts, such a great piece, thanks for sharing.

N. R. Williams said...

Thank you Olga, Nila., Laura and E. Child. The scare is on.
Nancy

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Nancy - well done ... such an interesting take on Orion .. and on kids growing up ... nasty pieces of work ... I hope she has her come uppance and can make their life pretty miserable ... now she can look down! I'll try not to think about the stars coming out from the sky ... I have a lot of it to see ... and a lot of stars to look at when the sky is clear ... cheers Hilary

Bish Denham said...

Yikes! That quite a different take on the old rake.

cleemckenzie said...

A grisly end to what I thought was going to a fluffy, humorous tale. Well done. I love surprises.

Ann Carbine Best said...

What a clever story, Nancy. I loved the twist at the end. Not expected but wonderfully surprising. I'm still smiling about the Dipper Boys. You do humor - and fantasy - so well.

Linda said...

Hello Nancy, you have a lovely blog. I found you via a comment you left on Hannah's blog. I, too, struggle with depression, but I don't have a great talent for writing. Doing my blog posts helps me, as well as long walks in nature, and, of course, and definitely not least, God.

N. R. Williams said...

Nice to see you, Hillary. May the stars treat you well.

Hi Dish, don't let Orion charm you.

Thank you Clee.

Thanks Ann for such a lovely compliment.

Nice to meet you Linda. I'll check out your blog.

Thanks all for stopping by.
Nancy

Pat Hatt said...

Ouch, to avoid it only to be done in by the tree, and all from homework. Another reason not to give homework lol great tale indeed.

desk49 said...

a tree a sickle
an angry God
she had no change
in this blog

N. R. Williams said...

Good point Pat.

So true, desk.

Thank you both for coming.
Nancy

dolorah said...

eeek; I think I'm glad the clouds are hiding the night sky tonight Nancy. That was great :)

D.G. Hudson said...

Hey, I've always liked Orion, too. I could easily find it in the sky. . .didn't know he had a bad temper - these gods and mini-gods need to chill more. I think he overstepped his bounds. . .

A very interesting twist of the challenge!

HBF said...

Lovely writing, it was definitely an enjoyable read. Did not see that twist at the end coming one bit!

HBF said...

But if the cops wouldn’t do anything, this crazy old bat would.

N. R. Williams said...

Thank you Donna.

You never know about gods, D. G.

I'd like to see you in action HBF.

Thanks for coming by.
Nancy

Unknown said...

Ah, didn't see that coming. Poor Katie.

I don't blame her for not believing the boys, but that was a steep price to pay.

N. R. Williams said...

Indeed.
Nancy

farawayeyes said...

What a delicious little gem. You really write these 'kids' so well. I love the moniker 'the dipper boys'. You made me laugh and gave me a shiver all in less than 1000 words. Than's quite a feat. Well done!

Ann Carbine Best said...

Thanks for stopping by yesterday, Nancy, and commenting on my (3rd or is it 4th) return to Blogger post. I'm so sorry about your health problems, but glad you're turning 65 to get social security. I was grateful to get Medicare at 65 shortly AFTER I broke my arm (but a dear friend and others helped me financially). I hope as you are planning to get your stories up again that all goes well. That can be expensive ... covers, etc. If I ever self-publish, I'm just going to use the generic cover Amazon provides. I personally don't care if an eBook cover is fancy; I'm more interested in the content.

Know that I'm thinking about you and will keep in touch. Ann

N. R. Williams said...

Thank you for the compliment, faraway. I appreciate it.

Hi Ann,
Nice to see you. Take care.

Nancy