The Stone Spies
I know it's late Saturday - almost Sunday - but
here's this week's snippet. I thought we'd just follow along with Belendin for a
while, and not worry about the Dubric side of
things.
Anyway, you know the drill.
:)
**The
following excerpt is first draft narrative, likely full of errors, and many
changes are yet to come. Please do not quote or assume this is final text. All
words are ©2007, Tamara Siler Jones, all rights
reserved.**
The Stone
Spies
Part One -
Journey
Chapter 2 , Scene 1
Darkness
Village
of Caria
“But Ma! It weren’t no wolf! I
saw it!” Belendin had slammed his fist on the table, just as his pa
used to. He was man of the house now, after all. “It were a lil critter,
a lizard, bout the size of a robin but wit no
tail.”
“Bele, I’m not
intrest’d in yer stories,” Ma had said. “We foun' yer pa
right where you sed he’d be, but Mister Luig lost a boy ter a wolf attack
and he should know better’n you wot kilt him. No robin ain't never kilt
no one. Eat yer
dinner.”
“I ain't
hungry!” Belendin had hollered, shoving himself away from the rickety
table. She thought he was lying!
Blime!
Both his sisters had gasped
their surprise. No one ever talked back to
Ma.
“Sit yer ass back down before
I gimme a switch,” Ma had
said.
“Mind yer manners,
woman!” he had snapped, stomping over to Pa’s chair.
Ma had stood and pain began shortly
after.
Belendin lay curled on his side
in the shed and he refused to cry. No dinner, no bed, no nothing. Not even a
blanket. He’d freeze to death out in the shed, sleeping all night in the
cold. Ma had locked him in, even told him he had to miss his own pa’s
funeral. The welts on his ass stung, but the welts in his heart stung worse.
It was his duty so see his pa buried, it was his
responsibility,
and no Digger never shirked their responsibility. Not without help of the
womenfolk, anyways.
Grumbling, Belendin
fell into a fitful sleep filled with dreams of tiny chattering lizards with
needle teeth and claws, and of blood spurting from his father’s terrified
eyes.
Posted: Saturday - September 29, 2007 at 11:01 PM
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