FlashFic: After the Funeral
He lies dozing in my arms, finally having cried his fill. I still pet the pup's long, silken headfur tenderly, wishing that I could take away from him some of the pain, but knowing that pain at least as well as himself. It's not an easy thing, losing...
Collar
Rain can be a blessing or a curse, a pleasure or a penance, usually dependent upon three things: How much of it there is, whether or not you have to venture out in it, and what sort of things happen to you while it's going on. On a day when you can...
Character Vignette -- Once, With Another Woman...
What follows is one of my writing warm-up exercises, sparked the line in the title. The lady in question discovered something important about classical music... and other interpretive aspects of life... * * * My mother always said that I was a silly...
Exercise -- Write About a Premonition
As I've mentioned in my profile, I'll occasionally upload things that are snippets, observations, character studies, or just a part of a story that I'm playing with. Writing exercises can sometimes provide a wonderful starting point... or even a very,...
Amphorae
I stretched as well as an old wolf can, feeling my muscles trying to explain to me, yet again, that they all wanted to be laid tenderly, horizontally, upon the comfort of my bed, rather than more vertically in the office chair in front of my screens...
Bloodline, Part 4
I didn't sleep that night. One advantage to being my age is having learned some tricks over the years, which includes how to get by with little or no sleep for short periods. I was to meet Johnny later, and I had a lot of thinking to do. I had already...
Bloodline, Part 3
I took a few seconds longer than I'd wanted to, staring at Johnny's appearance. When he shifted a little on his hindpaws, I came back to myself, holding my expression neutral. I unlocked the door and ushered him into his apartment, following in without...
Bloodline, Part 2
I got his call a few days later, with his mildly stumbling apology for "passing out" on me. He thanked me for locking up for him and, after another few exchanges of relative banalities, he asked if I'd like to see him again. I arranged to take him to...
Chapter 6: Rescue and Recovery
Quote: Have you ever felt uncomfortable in your own skin? Maybe there's a reason... That was how I remembered it. The fact that I was remembering it meant either that there really was something to this whole life-after-death thing, or I wasn't...
Chapter 5: Night Delivery
Quote: Have you ever felt uncomfortable in your own skin? Maybe there's a reason... Let me explain something about surveillance for you: It's dull. I was going to use an obscene gerund in that description, but even that overused "F-bomb" doesn't...
Chapter 4: Set-Up
Quote: Have you ever felt uncomfortable in your own skin? Maybe there's a reason... Betty Lou's _maneki neko_ waved at me when I entered the Really Good that evening. I was always amused that a Japanese cat adorned so many Chinese restaurants....
Chapter 3: New Client
Quote: Have you ever felt uncomfortable in your own skin? Maybe there's a reason... I read somewhere that it's inaccurate to say that sleep is ever "dreamless." The REM cycle is all about dreams, and you definitely dream every time; the question...