Witch Appreciation Week – Part 1

So, it’s our friendly blue haired witch’s birthday!! 😀 I’d just like to say Happy Birthday Aheila. I hope that it will be a great year for you. This is part 1 of 2 for my part in Witch Appreciation.
The next will follow as soon as I can. J

Hugz!

Alyss

Why Witches?

Alyss stared at the screen, willing the words to come to mind, begging them to leap onto the page and let the story write itself. She was about to start a sentence when the now familiar smell of burnt amber drifted to her senses. Looking down, she frowned to see Minias climb out from underneath her bed, satchel and bag in hand.

“Going out?” she queried to which he gave her a strange look.

“Of sorts,” he said. “What are you working on?”

Alyss sighed and looked at the screen again that was still staring at her blankly.

“It’s witch appreciation week,” she said. “And, I have to write something. Or, not have to but want to only… When I try to do planned writing everything sort of falls flat and now I can’t even spell my name!”

Minias looked at her from behind his smoked spectacles and shrugged. “By your own admission, you are a pantser,” he said. “Don’t plan, just go with it.”

She smiled her thanks and turned her attention back to the screen, attempting a few words. “When will you be back?” she queried by way of farewell. Again Minias stopped and gave her that funny look.

“I’m not.”

Alyss almost dropped her computer from her lap. “What?!” she queried as she spun around to look at him. “Wha… Why?”

The demon sighed patiently and motioned to her bed. “You said I can stay until the end of the month. It’s the 30^th.”

Alyss blinked bewildered and then looked at her calendar. “Not in Canada!” she exclaimed. “I mean… Not yet. Not now. You… Your coffee…”

Minias shook his head. “That was the deal.”

Alyss was horrified but tried not to show it. Sniffing, she stood up slowly then sat down. “Ah, yes.” She hesitated. “Of course. Uhm. Take care Minias, thanks for all the coffee. I’ve grown very fond of it.”

The demon sighed again and smiled slightly. “Would you like another cup?”

“Yes!” Alyss exclaimed. “It helps me think. I can’t write without it.”

Minias sighed patiently and put his bags down. “Right,” he said. “Tell you what, I’ll stick around until you finish your piece for Witch Appreciation. It’s the least I can do after you put up with me for a month.”

Alyss smiled relieved and stood up to help him carry his bags back to his dimension under Alyssa’s bed. “I really appreciate it Minias,” she said. “Your coffee’s great.”

The demon made a considering sound and disappeared.

Feeling happier, Alyss sat back down and tried to write. When her roommate returned with her usual cup of caffeine delight, she still hadn’t even written a title. He stared at her screen for a few moments then sighed.

“Don’t delay on my accord.”

Alyssa grimaced and closed her laptop. “It’s not just that,” she said. “But, I’ll confess – I want to rework our deal.”

The demon’s eyes narrowed but Alyss quickly held up her hands. “No marks, No souls. Nothing. Just… Stick around. I enjoy the company, I love the coffee. And, believe it or not, you’re pretty inspirational in your own way – if only to drag me away from my game…”

“Kicking and screaming…”

“When I need to go to bed. When you don’t have to go, don’t. If you need to, do. But, you can stay here as long as you want. Just, please… Give me coffee.”

The demon raised and eyebrow then smiled slightly. “Well, if you put it that way,” he said. “So, do you have anything?”

Alyss grinned and started typing.

“Yes,” she said. “How does this sound? Where do Witches come from?”

Minias rolled his eyes and went back in underneath the bed. “Sounds like you’re trying to reinvent the wheel,” he said. “I’m going to go and unpack my bag.”

Alyss stuck her tongue out at him and stared at her paper, very happy. “You’ll see,” she said. “You’ll all see.”

 

To Be Continued…

 

Surprise Surprise.

Right. I don’t have a lot to say today. I had a very long, very unprofitable double shift today which encompassed me not getting any lunch. I feel as if food have this conspiracy against me to just not be available and, when it’s available (when is it not in a restaurant) I’m not able to sit down and eat it… But there you go, nothing that I can do about it but stop at a garage late at night and buy some orange juice.

A friend of mine, Kylie from the Nasties, wrote this blog post today – http://woobiespeaks.wordpress.com/2010/04/21/of-angry-ninjas-and-missing-ghosts-and-demons/ and unable to help myself, I had to write a part of my own.
Here we go:

Father of our Children…

And sometimes, the world surprised her.

The man was gorgeous. Charming. And smiling at her. Alyss, dressed up in her uniform which she had fondly termed, ‘the bat suit’ tried very hard to keep herself from swooning as she stared at her new customer. He was taller than she was, well muscled, foreign with black hair and beautiful green eyes. When he looked at her, he seemed to see ALL of her and it was disconcerting that she felt she wanted him to see more. Much more…

Her ovaries were doing a happy dance, chanting over and over: ‘Father of our children… Father of our children…’

Alyssa had to mentally shake herself several times before she could focus on the man’s order and, unable to give her usual response, she just nodded ever so slightly, blushing profusely and mumbling.

“Sure… Tea. Right.”

She left the table, her world turning as she tried to find her equilibrium again by touching the silver ring on her wedding finger.

‘Father of our children… Father of…‘

“Woman, wrap up those ovaries and put them away.”

Alyss blinked surprised at the familiar voice and turned to see a customer lower the newspaper that he was reading and look at her over the frames of his shades.

“I swear Other Half can hear them…”

The goat like slits of his eyes was narrow and laughing at her and for a split second Alyssa wasn’t sure whether she could hug him or choke him.

“Minias!” she snapped. “What are you doing here?!”

The demon from The Hollows pushed his glasses back up his nose and lifted up the newspaper again. “I was persuaded to set your mind at ease,” he said off handily. “Rest assured, I’m not gone, I just had business to attend.”

Alyss sniffed, catching the hint of burnt amber in the air, and shifted her tray, thinking about the order that she had to put through. Her ovaries started singing again but she quickly pushed all thoughts of babies aside.

“Persuaded?” she queried dryly to which the demon nodded. “By whom?”

Minias didn’t answer immediately, chewed over his words. “An unstoppable force,” he said eventually and dropped the newspaper again. “Don’t you have an order to put through?”

“In a second,” Alyss said. “Unstoppable force…” She blinked then grinned at the fugitive. “Kylie found you didn’t she?”

When the demon didn’t respond immediately she knew she had him.

“Hmm…” she said and took away from the table. “That’ll teach you, never cross a Nasty.”

The End because I’ve got to go to bed…

Sweet Revenge.

Last week, and the week before, I had to go to work sick because none of my fellow waiters were willing to stand in for me. It was bad, because I was actually very sick, first with a stomach bug and then with a flu like illness that would’ve had me bedridden had I not been for forced to drag myself up and go work. This was agonizing and I had thought that I’d almost be better off just quitting my job and applying for a new one when i got better.

But, as with most illness’s, it passed and I’m now back and bouncy (or as bouncy as I can be really…). I’ve retaken my position as a horse riding instructor at a local riding school, so my afternoons are now not just monopolized by the restaurant and, I actually have a valid excuse when people ask me to work for them…

Which they are doing quite a lot at the moment because I made half of the waiters (and one manager) ill.

Call me evil (call me NaSty…), but I can’t help but feel very truly, and deeply satisfied.

Nasty Pixie Tale Continued…

Hey guys!

I believe that this is part 5 of my Nasty Pixie Tale. The previous one was mistakenly labled 3 (and it was really 4). I’m back into writing mode and thought that I’d start off with this. I did and completed Script Frenzy, which turned out not to be as difficult as I thought. Really, it was actually quite easy though I’ll be the first to confess that the quality of my product leaves much to be desired. But, more of that later. For now – I return you to the adventures of the Nasties. Enjoy.

Nasty Pixie Tale Part 5.

The Nasties were moving again.

After a quick trek to the stream Antonio had discovered for a drink, some failed fishing and a rest, Antonio pulled them up and started herding them through the forest. His pace was considerably quicker than before, fuelled by an excitement he wouldn’t share with them lest he ruined the surprise. On the odd occasion, he’d run ahead to make sure he was on the right track, followed closely by Kylie and Marsha who seemed to revel in the increased pace – enjoying the strength of their new bodies.

Mud too lumbered forward with a slow but steady Zombie gait that allowed her to keep up with the group. Alyssa tried her best to remain with them but continued to fall behind until a now fully clothes Phil offered to piggy back her. It bore testament to her exhaustion when she accepted his help without protest.

Kylie glanced back to where Phil and Mud were walking before bounding ahead to where Antonio had trotted to an up rise, sniffing the air.

“Antonio-kun, you really ate ground on your last scouting trip,” she said by way of greeting. “How did you manage that?”

Antonio, who was still standing on all fours, smiled and unconsciously stretched his back, digging his very tiger like claws into the ground. “This body’s not just for show,” he purred.

Marsha snorted and gave him a sharp thump with her tail as she walked by him to look around. “Where are you taking us Antonio,” she queried. “Phil wants to know, as do we all really.”

Antonio glanced back to see Phil and Mud start up the hill, his light green hair flashing in the sunlight. Alyss’s wings were folded around him like a blanket and she seemed to be asleep. The young man didn’t seem to have any trouble carrying her and was making a joke with Mud, though his face was covered in sweat.

“We’re almost there,” Antonio said and turned around, standing upright as he did so. “You’ll see there’s a clearing just up ahead, that’s what we’re aiming for. And, I’m not saying, telling you would be like reading ahead in a book to see what’s going to happen next. That’s not how I tell my stories.”

Kylie laughed. “So you’re a spoiler free Antonio?”

Antonio smiled and turned to Phil. “Something like that, should I take her for a bit?”

Phil tossed some of his hair out of his eyes and shook his head, shifting his burden into a more comfortable position. She was indeed sleeping and their talking didn’t seem to hinder her at all.

“Nah, I’m alright. These wings are hot but other than that she’s no effort.” He looked around. “Are we there yet?”

Mud stopped with them and looked around, a small smile on her half rotten mouth. “I think we’re close,” she stated to which Antonio frowned.

“How do you figure?”

Mud tapped her skull. “Zombie sense.”

The group gave her a puzzled look then turned to Antonio. “So?” Marsha queried.

Antonio only grinned and dropped down to all fours again. “Come on, just a little bit further.” He trotted off, leaving the rest behind to roll their eyes at each other.

“Antonio the Adventurer,” Mud said dryly. “He seems to be enjoying himself.”

Marsha grinned at her and dropped down to all fours herself. “Aren’t we all?” she confessed and turned to Phil. “You sure you alright?” When Phil nodded she wagged her tail and trotted after Antonio. Kylie looked at them and got a wicked glint in her eyes.

“Bugger this,” she said. “I don’t have to stay behind them. I’m off to see what Antonio’s hiding. See ya!”

She leapt up into one of the trees, leaving the two conscious Nasties staring after their friends. Mud sighed patiently and started lumbering forward. “The living has no patience,” she said and glanced at the sleeping Alyss. “Think she’s nocturnal?”

Phil chuckled and started moving with her. “Would be interesting if she is, her sleeping patterns never matched with ours. What’s it like to be a zombie Mud?”

The carcass grinned. “Enlightening, what’s it like to be able to go invisible?”

Despite himself, Phil blushed. “Draughty.”

Antonio and Marsha waited for them at the edge of the clearing, both frowning when they did a headcount.

“Where’s Kylie?” Antonio asked, but before Phil could answer there was a shout from the clearing.

“It’s the clubhouse!! I swear!! It’s the clubhouse!!”

They looked up to see Kylie running towards them, her ninja mask unable to hide her glee. “Antonio you found our house!” Behind her, they could see the faint outline of a small house at the furthest edge of the clearing. Kylie ran up to them but, instead of slowly down, she leapt onto Antonio and glomped him to the ground. Grinning, she hugged the tiger. “You found our clubhouse!”

Antonio laughed as he pushed her off, accepting a helping paw from Marsha who pulled him up. “It might not be ours,” he tried to calm the ninja down. “But, it’s… Familiar sort of. I didn’t take time to explore it, I figured it would be something we can do together. And the door’s locked.”

Kylie grinned and pushed herself up. “I can fix that!” she exclaimed. “I’m sure I have ninja lock picking skillz!” She ran back to the cottage yelling; “We have a house!”

Marsha looked after her then at Phil. “Was there anybody there? Any new Nasties?”

Antonio shook his head and started to follow Kylie, motioning the others to walk with him. “No, I couldn’t see or smell anybody.” He paused for a moment, making Mud raise her only eyebrow.

“But?” she queried.

Antonio shrugged. “I couldn’t help but feel that that place is occupied. But, it wasn’t.” He hesitated and looked at Kylie who had already reached the house and was working on the door. Marsha made a considering sound in the back of her throat almost touching on being a growl and lifted up her tail.

“Maybe we should hurry down to her,” she said softly. “We don’t know what’s out here. And I mean, she might be a ninja but… she’s still our responsibility.”

Phil stepped forward. “Maybe I should go in first,” he offered. “I sneak in without alerting anybody to my presence…”

“I’VE OPENED IT!”

Mud shook her head and rolled her eye. “Great plan, late execution,” she said. “Come on, before she hurts anything. Go on you two, we’ll catch up.” She nodded as Antonio and Marsha sped down to where Kylie was slowly pushing open the door.

When the two animals joined Kylie she grinned and opened the door completely, stepping into the house confidently. “Hello?” she called. “Anybody in here?!”

Antonio rose up onto his hide feet and put his paw on Kylie’s shoulder. “Wait for the other’s kiddo,” he said with a small smile. “It’s only fair…”

A flower pot sailed out of the house and would’ve hit Antonio had Kylie not reacted instinctively and kicked it out of the way.

“Damn!” Marsha snapped as she dove both of them to the ground and pulled them out of the way as another pillow came sailing out of the door.

“Staaay… Awaaay…” A disembodied voice rose up around them. “Staaay… Awaaay…”

Both Antonio and Marsha seemed to double in size as the fur on their bodies stood on end and Kylie’s eyes were wide as she squirmed out of their grip. “There’s a ghost!” she said. “There’s a ghost in the house!”

“Guys!” Came Phil’s call as he ran up to them. The increased pace woke Alyss who blinked surprised and let go of him without warning, opening her wings with a flap as she jumped back from his back. She stood there blinking for several seconds until Mud grabbed her by the arm and pulled her forward. Phil reached the group and ducked as another vase flew out of the window that opened with a snap as the door slammed shut. “What’s going on?”

Antonio didn’t answer him immediately but looked back and yelled at Mud. “Get down!”

His warning came too late as a tennis racket sailed out of the house, spinning like a ninja star, and severed Mud’s head right from her body. Adrenaline jolted Alyss to a full waking state as she cursed in a foreign tongue and tackled Mud’s body to the ground before making a dive for her head and shoving it back in place.

Kylie tried to see what was going on inside the house by looking through the window but Marsha once again pulled her down and held onto her.

“What’s that?!” Phil asked, thoroughly spooked as another pan sailed out of the window.

“A ghost!” Kylie said. “Marsha let up! It might be Beej!”

“No way Kylie,” Antonio said sharply. “That voice sounded female.”

“Awh!” Kylie moaned in protest. “Come on guys! Let me go! I can talk to it!”

The disembodied voice drifted around them once more. “Staaay… Awaaay… Staaay… Oh for bloody hell. Where did I put that…” The voice faded away.

Silence reigned around the Nasties as they looked at each other. Alyssa and Mud joined the group and where Alyss looked bewildered, Mud seemed quite calm as she counted her finger to make sure she had a full set before looking at the door. “A ghost eh?” she said. “Goodness.”

All eyes turned to Kylie. “What did you do this time?” Alyssa snapped, gesturing to the door.

“Hey!” Kylie snapped. “I didn’t draw any ghosts just like I didn’t draw Phil naked! It just sort of happened.”

Marsha swallowed and motioned to Alyssa to calm down. “Do you think it’s one of us?” she queried to which Antonio let out a sharp breath.

“Someone’s gotta talk to it.” He said. “If it is… No Kylie, not you.”

The youth rolled her eyes. “Come on, I’m used to it.”

Mud sighed and pushed herself up. “None of you will,” she said patiently and lurched to the door. “Let’s leave the dead to the dead shall we?”

To Be Continued…

 

 

The Changing Season.

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted. Two, three weeks by my count and it feels like a life time. Our seasons are changing here, slowly, subtly. The wind carries a bite of cold, the night a chill. The few foreign trees that change colour has begun to dress themselves in their patches of brown and the migrating birds gather, waiting for that hidden signal that we never comprehend that tells them to move on. I have watched them from my window these past few days, seen them in my parents’ garden and I have felt a kinship with them that I have not felt before.

You see, like the birds, I have been waiting. Waiting for change, waiting for a signal. Waiting for a miracle.

Now the call has come for me to move, to step out of waiting yet instead of settling me here as I had hoped, I feel that it draws me further away from this place I had longed to call home. You see, I’m done. I am done waiting. Waiting for a job, waiting for change, waiting on people. It has dawned on me that I will be here forever if I do not move on, and like the birds who chose to stay behind, I will wither and die in a climate that’s not suited for me. I have tried, and I have failed and now – now it’s time to move on, past this limbo that’s called my bluff.

After almost a year of trying to find a job in my country, I’ve realized that it’s time for me to try and seek greener pastures in the rest of the world. Like so many people my age, I am going to move on, or at least try to, to a place where I might possibly have a chance to have a life and a future free of fear and prejudice and idiots that govern countries at the people’s expense. Recent events in my country have made it painfully clear to all of us that, although slower, we are moving towards becoming a second Zimbabwe. I will not elaborate further on this, for I do not want to discuss politics or racial prejudice here, but I’ll only say that it’s dawned on me that Lord Havelock Vetinari – a fictional character from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series – had it right when he said: If it’s not broken, don’t fix it, yet if it’s broken and it can’t be fixed, get rid of it…

I’ve come to realize that my country, this Africa of the South, cannot be fixed. It does not work, it never will. Africa is Africa and it will never change.

But, more than this though, I have come to realize that my life’s broken as well. That I am not happy and if it had not been for my Other Half and my horse keeping me together, I’d have fallen and failed many months ago. When I came back from England, I had said to my friends there that I fear becoming ordinary, living an ordinary life. It was a hard blow now when I realized that my life has moved beyond ordinary to being… Being… Nothing. A shadow of what it could be, making me a wraith. The only two things that have real meaning to me is my relationship with my partner and my horse. It’s the only things I can be proud of for I can’t even be proud of myself for I have accomplished nothing.

So, I want to try and change that. Or, just change.

And, try and find work in either Canada, Australia or maybe even the US.

If my country doesn’t want me, I’ll try and find one who does.