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Feel the Silence

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Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
“Night, then,” Rohan said gratefully, and stretched out on his stomach. “Wake me when it’s my turn.”

Lucas stood and placed his sword back in his belt. He saw others pacing at various points around the small group and began to do the same. Brennan leaned against a tree. He struck a match and lit a crudely rolled cigarette. Lucas stared at the tiny little light before Brennan blew it out. Green spots flashed in his vision. It was full dark around them, with barely any moonlight. Some watchman he’d be; he couldn’t see his own hand in front of his face, let alone something or someone approaching. There was a tiny glow from the end of Brennan’s cigarette, and the smoke burned in his lungs. He continued to pace.

“You gotta p*** or something?” Brennan said.

“It keeps me awake.”

“You’re making me nervous.” The tiny ember bobbed up and down as Brennan spoke. Lucas reluctantly stopped and stood still, arms folded on his chest. He focused in, let the sounds of the jungle wash over him. It was eerily quiet. The birds weren’t chirping, nothing that might be a jungle cat screamed, even the mosquitoes were fewer up here. The wind rustled the treetops and Lucas was urgently, painfully nostalgic for home, for the alpine forests of the north, the scent of pine, the red-gold leaves of fall, and the scrabbling of squirrels among the ground.

“Do you miss home?” Lucas asked softly. He suddenly realized that was probably a stupid question. Who did*’t? He awaited Brennan’s biting retort, but his fellow watchman was surprisingly sincere.

“Every g*ddamn day.”

“You’re from Falador, right?”

Brennan grunted.

“Was your home—“

“Still standing after that battle? Yeah, somehow it was.”

“You’re lucky.”

“I’d rather have my mother alive than the house, but yeah, I suppose you could call it lucky.”

16-Aug-2013 16:31:42

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Lucas bit hard into his lip and tasted blood, grimacing at his own foolishness. “I’m sorry,” he offered. There was a long silence, and he resigned himself to the fact that Brennan was no longer interested in conversation. It would be a long time.

“You think you join up to protect them, you know? Like that’s what they tell you. Be a hero, defend your family. What a load of ****. Where was I when some barbarian ran her through on his sword? By the palace, standing guard so not a single one of ‘em managed to get inside and harm one of those royal ********. Because they ‘matter’.” Brennan spat in the dirt and took a long draw on his cigarette. Lucas did*’t speak. “My little brother killed the guy. Probably killed more them than I did that day. Kid’s like nine years old.”

“All this because a few people at the top are squabbling,” Lucas said. “One of them insults the other and the whole world falls apart as a result. All we’re defending is their pride.”

“You read that in your books? Cause hell, they don’t tell us that or anything about what’s going on.”

“That was what happened in a past war - King of Kandarin decided he just wanted Asgarnia, because the King of Asgarnia did*’t want his daughter to marry the King of Kandarin’s son. The war lasted four years.”

“All because some princess wouldn’t get married? I hope she found someone real special instead.” He stubbed out his cigarette.

It was crazy – tearing up empires over a marriage. And yet, Lucas found his thoughts automatically going to Justine. If it was her – he would have given anything to keep her from the inevitable arranged marriage. When he’d read the book, he’d wondered, what if that princess was in love with a stable boy? He wondered if his love for Justine was worth a war. He supposed he should know the answer by that now, but that seemed like a dangerous train of thought. “We’re just coin to them, bets in a game of cards,” he sighed. “They have no idea what it’s really like out here.”

16-Aug-2013 16:32:29

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
“You think if they did, it would change anything?”

Lucas tried to picture Gray in a uniform, with a sword in hand. It did*’t stick. “Maybe if it was their blood on the line – maybe it wouldn’t seem worth it.”

“I’d sure like to see that. Bunch of kings and lords out here. They wouldn’t last a day.”

One of those lords once said the same of me , Lucas thought. And here I stand . He laughed proudly, laughed in the imagined face of Gray, and Brennan joined him, a soft, throaty, unexpected sound in the total darkness.

16-Aug-2013 16:32:58

Chuk

Chuk

Posts: 14,177 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
You wanna lend me some of that... motivation? desire? whatever it is that got you going again? 'Cause I could use some. I haven't really written in months and months.

How's university going? Heading into your senior year this fall?

And... Wow. Damn. I guess I haven't actually read since some of your 2011 stuff. Almost exactly two years ago, in fact. For lack of a better term, that's mind-blowing. I can't believe it's been that long. I look forward to getting caught up, though, and seeing how much further all the characters have come.

20-Aug-2013 09:24:17 - Last edited on 20-Aug-2013 09:56:14 by Chuk

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Haha, no worries. I think there's about a whole year where I didn't post any adds, so you probably haven't actually missed that much.

I'm not sure what got me going. I'm determined to finish this and I definitely have time to write these days. I have a friend who is a writing powerhouse, she is just always writing, and hearing her talk about all her new projects recently just made me feel like I needed to get off my butt and stop being lazy. :P Once I dove back into the story, it's been easier to keep going. My new screenplay is frustrating me too, so it's nice to return to something familiar.

And yeah, I'm heading into senior year this year. It's crazy. Things are going well, though. It's been a good summer and I'm very much looking forward to next year. How about you? What are you up to these days?

23-Aug-2013 01:40:59

Chuk

Chuk

Posts: 14,177 Opal Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Crystal Smee said :
Once I dove back into the story, it's been easier to keep going.

That right there is probably the secret. I never get invested enough to be actually into it. I write maybe a page or two, then don't go back for a week or two, and then I find out I don't like what I wrote and toss it, etc. I'm no longer inside the world at all, much less inside the characters' heads.

I've just been working part time and trying to get through my classes. Struggling a bit, though. Getting pretty tired of school which is a bit of a bummer. Going into my fifth year now, without the end really being in sight quite yet. And mostly just 'cause I lack perseverance, which makes it that much more frustrating.

02-Sep-2013 09:17:37

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
As Jonah settled in for the night, Sorokin was uncharacteristically quiet beside him. Normally the team’s medic was full of questions or comments about the day, about the day to come, or anything. And normally, Jonah would have enjoyed the peace and quiet. But there was something about the place they were in, about the general mood of his squad, that the commander found unsettling. He’d climbed these mountains before, and they always had this effect. None of them would sleep well this night, that much was certain.

He propped his head up on his pack and stared at the array of stars above his head, framed by the tall trees. How many nights had he lain out like this with his daughter, teaching her constellations? An ache long buried was rising again, and he clenched his jaw against it. He banished images of the town from his mind. He was done with that place. He’d said his goodbyes. He longed to ask Sorokin for that last bottle back, but resisted. He needed a clear head tonight, if they were to survive the mountains.

He’d been drunk on this mountain once before, many years ago, with some of his men. Three had jumped from the cliffs to their deaths before the night was through. Jonah had awoken ***** in a foxhole of dirt he must have dug himself, scratches covering his body and blood under his fingernails. The rest of his squadron had been strewn about the ground in a similar state and awoke disoriented, injured, and with headaches that lasted for days. After that, the guard had been outlawed from drinking any alcohol at all, even when not on duty.

He wondered if he should warn the men, but knew it might only make them more nervous. Twenty-five years had gone by; maybe things were different now. But nothing else about this jungle had changed. After what had happened at the village, the men were on edge anyway. They expected the natives to attack at any second. Only Jonah knew they wouldn’t attack up here.

18-Sep-2013 05:34:34

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
He’d felt it, like passing through an invisible barrier, when something in the air had simply…changed. They all probably felt it, without consciously being aware of it or knowing what it was. But Jonah felt it, and the natives always did, as they had all been trained to recognize it. The natives wouldn’t attack up here. But his men were far from safe.

Sorokin snored softly beside Jonah, who laced his hands behind his head and listened to the wind rattle the branches of the trees. He felt the energy gathering, the hair standing up on his arms, and watched the stars, waiting for it to begin.


Lucas jumped at a sound in the darkness. He had no idea how long they’d been standing in silence. He couldn’t remember much at all – had he dozed off? He held his breath and listened carefully. Someone in the camp was snoring loudly. The wind ruffled the treetops and chilled his skin.

Crack.

A twig definitely snapped. He was sure. Right?

His heart sank. Why did they keep attacking on his watch? Maybe it’s just an animal, he told himself.

“Brennan?” he whispered. No answer. “Brennan?” this time in a pathetic high-pitched whine. Still nothing. He fumbled forward in the dark and collided with a dark form. He grabbed a tree to keep from falling.

“Hnnnh?”

“Wake up!” Lucas squealed. Brennan scrambled to his feet. “I thought you couldn’t sleep out here!”

“Guess I was wrong. You were out before I was – and it’s your watch.”

“I heard something.”

Brennan snapped to attention, petty bickering done. “Whadja hear?”

“A branch breaking. I think – it sounded like someone walking.”

They were both very still and silent for a few moments.

“Wouldn’t they have attacked by now if it was them? It’s always sort of…sudden…”

Lucas said, “Maybe they’re just getting ready for it.”

Crack.

18-Sep-2013 05:35:58

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