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Tal’s Tales #1: The Unusual Stranger In A Town Of Dust

Focus: Scenery and location.
The Unusual Stranger In A Town Of Dust

Dust and dry dirt covered the wide main road in this little town that was forgotten as the 2 suns met high in the sky. They caused the delicate vegetation to wither away and fragile creatures to seek shelter. In a few weeks, life would flourish. Soon this little town would be full of color and life from the now withered vegetation and fragile creatures. For now, it was only gray, beige, and unbearably hot. Until the suns passed each other, this town would remain lifeless.

Not even rain clouds would venture out of wherever they hid. The only storms that showed themselves were windstorms. These storms caused the dust and dirt to dance around the buildings with the passion and violence of an angry lover scorned.

A well-dressed stranger arrived in a bright blue metallic carriage powered by the latest travel technology, while the 2 suns still fought for the sky. He wore a rich violet suit with a lush emerald shirt. This unusual stranger was accompanied by an even more unique figure who was tinted silver. The silver one tried to cover as much as he could as he got out of the carriage. He carried a bag filled with medical and mechanical tools, while the well-dressed stranger carried nothing.

As they walked into the saloon, the doors swung closed. The wind welcomed them to town by dancing around the main road, causing the once clean and fancy vehicle to match its surroundings.

The stranger saw this through the dust crusted windows and tighten his jaw. His mouth nearly disappeared and his eyebrows furrowed. The dirt covering his carriage would not suit him at all.

He looked around at the saloon and it matched the rest of the town. It was gray, dirty, and lifeless, except for the barkeep that blended into the bar he was sitting at. “You’re either a week late or 3 weeks early.” He said not getting up from his stool.

Want More

All of the stories in this series can be found in the Tal’s Tales section of this site. I also post snippets on my Instagram account and Facebook page.

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Tal’s Tales: A Fun New Project Starting

If you watch my update videos, you will know my writing direction is shifting. I am moving away from articles and blogs. Instead, I will write more stories and poetry. As part of this change in direction, I have started a short story series called Tal’s Tales. The stories will be part of a larger story and use the same characters. However, each story will also be enjoyable as a standalone story. Each installment will focus on a different storytelling or writing aspect.

The major reason I’m writing this series is to improve my writing, so it is more engaging. A secondary benefit is that I hope to reach more of my target audience and show my fiction writing skills.

I’m starting with 30 story focuses. A few of the focus notes will be difficult to pull off, but being challenged is the best way to grow. I am excited to share this series with you and see where it goes.

Why am I telling you all this?

I am finishing up the article series Tiff’s Tips and have put my other series Love Nerd on the back-burner. I may post a few more articles here and there, but my writing focus will be on Tal’s Tales and my other project Royal Memories. Since this will be a shift for the site, creating a post about it seemed appropriate.

What are Tal’s Tales about?

Tal’s Tales is about a group of characters who travel the universe in a living spaceship. Each character is a different species. The overarching focus is how they interact with each other in different situations. It will feel like a wacky sitcom at points and will be a fun read.

Please, give any and all feedback. This is for me to grow as an author, so I welcome all feedback.

Musical Romance (Short Story)

Musical Romance short story

Your best friend, Beth, invites you to an open mic night at a local coffeehouse. It the first time Beth will sing one of her original songs in front of people, besides you and her cat, Meowers.

It thrills you to support your friend.

After you finish your shift at the call center for a tech company, you rush home to get ready. Your clothes are changed and you redo your hair. This is in record time and you meet Beth at the cozy coffeehouse.

At The Coffee House

You can smell the beans roasting and the coffee brewing from outside the door. As you enter the coffeehouse, you look around the warmly decorated room. It has two large couches facing a makeshift stage area and wood tables that are only large enough to seat four people each. 

Beth finds you and greets you with a great enormous hug, the way she does when she is nervous. As she is still squeezing you Beth stated, “You made it.” When the hug is released she tells you, “The first person is about to start. I’m fifth in line.” She straightens her red and brown floral dress that flows over her slender body.

“Of course, I made it. I wouldn’t miss this.” You look at your friend and ask, “How are you doing? Nervous?”

Beth tried to smile. “Nah, no, no. I’m fine.”

You look blankly at her and her face drops, fully revealing her nerves. “Yes, I am. I shouldn’t be, the crowd isn’t that big, but it’s my song. What if they hate it? I could mess up. What if I can’t really sing?”

“Don’t be silly. You’ll do great. Meowers and I love the song. Plus you’ve sung in front of bigger crowds than this.”

Confused, Beth asked, “When?”

“Our middle school recitals and karaoke.”

Beth shakes her head as she states, “Those don’t count. Karaoke isn’t performing and middle school ended like half a lifetime ago.”

“Still, you’ll do great.”

The Open Mic Starts

Just then the first performer takes the stage and taps on the mic. It is a sizeable round man with little hair on the top of his head, but plenty of white hair coming from his chin. He sings an old blues song as he strums on a guitar. This musician is talented and the crowd applauds him when he finishes. The next performer is a woman with pigtails and a banjo. She can’t seem to play and sing together, but struggles through the full song, anyway. The following two performers get progressively worse and the audience hardly even claps for the last man, who leaves almost in tears. His nerves won.

Beth’s Turn

It is Beth’s turn. She is nervous and starts by fumbling the first notes on her simple acoustic guitar.

You mouth, “Breathe,” to her. She closes her eyes for a moment and takes a deep breath. She starts again and plays her song perfectly. It is beautiful. The crowd cheers for her at the end. They are very thankful that she was a wonderful singer and the song was beautiful.

Beth makes her way back to the table where you are sitting with a giant smile on her face.

As she sits, the next act gets on stage. It is a male musician who has perfectly curly brown hair and sits on the stool, but keeps one leg on the ground. He smiles a nervous yet cute smile as he places his guitar on his lap. Once he clears his throat he says, “This is my first time here too, and I also have an original song.”

Another New Musician Sings

He sings and your eyes meet his sparkling hazel eyes. You hold eye contact with him and smile. It feels as though the room melts away and he is singing only to you. Towards the end of his song, he looks down to make sure he is playing the right notes, but is grinning widely.

At the end of the song he thanks the audience, but is looking at you when he does so. The crowd applauds him as he leaves the little platform that makes up the stage.

He walks directly to you. “Hi, I’m Matt.” He says with his hand out.

You shake his hand as you tell him, “Hi Matt, I’m Lucy. You were great.”

“Thanks. I don’t mean to be too forward, but can I join you two lovely ladies?”

Before you can answer, Beth does. “Of course, we would love that.”

The conversation quickly dies down as the last performer takes the stage. She resembles a jazz singer with her hair pinned in curls and a black fit and flare dress on. She sings a slow and soft song. It is a very loving, sweet jazz song. After she finishes, the audience claps, but starts to leave.

Matt, Beth, and you continue to talk. After half an hour Matt buys both of you cups of tea and you help him carry them over to the table.

You do not realize the time passing. As the coffee house closes, Matt asks for your number. Smiling, you give him your phone number and he sends you a quick smiley text, so you have his.

When The Coffeehouse Closes

This is the start of something new, but after a long day at work you are ready for bed.

You say goodnight to Matt at the coffee house and walk with Beth to your car, which is outside of Beth’s apartment. You say goodnight to your best friend and get in your car.

When you get home, you see that you have an unread text message from Matt. It says, “I’m glad I went to the open mic night, tonight.”

You smile as you respond with, “Me too. Goodnight.”

As you get ready for bed, another text from Matt pops up on your phone. “Goodnight.”

Want More?

If you would like to read more short stories please check out my Portfolio or perhaps you would enjoy watching readings of my work on YouTube.

I Am A Soggy Bagel

bagel (2)

Today I got dressed up. I felt like I needed to look good. I wanted to take extra time for myself, so in the morning I woke up early. I put on my new cream cheese spread and wore heels. I even did my make-up. I was looking amazing if I do say so myself.

I started my car and went to work. I was on the highway when it started to rain and then I got a flat tire. I pulled over to change the tire. As soon as my car was safely on the side of the highway the clouds fully opened up. Have you ever seen a bagel in high heels changing a tire when it was raining buckets? I am sure I was amusing the drivers with all four tires intact that drove by. I just know it was not fun changing that tire and I was almost instantly soggy. After a few nice people did stop to help I finally had my tire changed to the spare.

I stopped, soaking wet, at a tire store. They changed the spare out for a new regular tire and I was off to work, again. The only real different was that I was no longer fancy or looking amazing. I was simply a soggy bagel in heels.

A Scene inspired by Supernatural

writing

I am sure most of you will think this is fan fiction and guess what it is. I usually force myself to find my own story and really only be inspired by the television, movies or books I fall in love with. It has been a while though and I think it works best as fan fiction. If you don’t enjoy this little scene, I am sorry, I will go back to my poetry and original stories tomorrow. Today I am being a little fan girl.

Also if you are a fan of Supernatural reading this let me know what you think. I hope you are not expecting a script though, because script formatting is not how my brain thinks for the first draft on paper.

The scene opens with Sam and Dean standing in the bunker’s library area. Sam has an old book in his hand and there is a door drawn on one of the brick walls. Both of the boys are staring at the wall.

After a moment Dean states, “I thought you said it would work.”

Sam responses with, “Just give it a minute.”

As soon as Sam’s words are spoken there is a crash and burst off. The chalk door on the wall flashes like a bright strobe light three times and then all is dark again for split second. The lights come back on and there is a woman, almost as tall as the boys, clothed in every imaginable weapon. She has two large pistols drawn and pointed at the guys.

As soon as the three of them see each other, the woman swings around looking for any danger. When she sees all is  cleared she lowers her guns. “What the heck and how did you do that?”

Uncertain of what to say the two brothers look at each other before Sam answers, “We needed help and was actually thinking we would be summoning some one else.”

Sam’s remark noticeably offends the woman, “Of course you did.” She starts to point one of her pistols at Sam as she talks and tells him, “Well if you are all-powerful now, you can send me back, reverse your stupid summoning ritual. I have a vampire werewolf hybrid to kill.”

Dean smirks and says, “Hey lady, how about you calm down. We’re hunting the same thing. We should hunt it together.”

The woman now is pissed off, “Hey lady?”She starts to aggressively advance to Dean, “Hey lady?! Really Dean, do you want to be shot?”

Sam goes to his brother’s side and calmly tells her, “He meant nothing by it. We are just trying to hunt the same thing.”

Now both guns are pointed at the brothers, “Let me get this straight, you are hunting a vampire werewolf and decided not to call me on my phone to tell me that you now believe me. No, instead of admitting, once again that I was right, you decide,” She looks around to where she came from, “You decide to create a summoning door to summon someone else to hunt my monster?! Well, sorry if I am not happy when you two basically tell me I’m crazy and to go fight it myself then I get yanked back to the bunker when I am mid-fight.”

The two brothers stare at her as she waits for one of them to say something, anything. She waits to strike again. The boys just stand there confused, so she finally shouts, “Really. you’re going to just stand there and act dumb.”

“We’re not acting, so how about you put the guns down and explain from the top what you’re talking about.”

“Shove it, bitch.” The girl says and holsters her guns. She turns while walking towards the tables. The boys slowly follows. She sits on the table while the guys swing chairs around to sit down. She takes a deep breath. “Okay what were you actually summoning for?”

“Help, we need help with the vampire,” Sam started and corrected himself when he saw the woman’s clenched jaw, “with your monster.”

“And why didn’t you just call me, you knew I was on my way to fight it. Why didn’t you just let me in on your penis party?” The woman said and waited for a retort.

She childishly mouthed along with Dean, “It wasn’t a penis party.” Dean was a little taken back by her knowing what he would say. “Who are you?”

“Dean, now is not the time to play that game. You know ever since we were kids it was you two and dad training, while I was stuck with mom, grandpa and the books. Just answer my question. What happened to the phone saying, we’re idjits come back, so we can fight it together.”

Sam looked at her just as puzzled as Dean was. Sam asked her, “Who do you think we are?”

The woman who was not amused told them, “Seriously, I am not in the mood for games. If you made a summoning door just to grab me from a fight tell me and we’ll move on. I’ll moved out, but we’ll move on.”

The woman stood up and readied her self to leave or for one of the guys to stop her. It was Sam who spoke as she stood, “Our mom died when I was six months old.”

“Sammy, that is not funny.  You’re twisted.” She turned to walk out of the bunker, but before she could take a step she saw Castiel standing. “What?” She asked as she quickly rushed to take off her weapons. “How?” The sword that was hanging on her back was the first to leave her body, then the holsters with the two large guns, then the belt with assorted knives and two smaller guns. “I thought.” Next was the long sword that was around her waist along with the two sais that were strapped to her thighs. “We all thought you were.” She unwrapped throwing knives from her calves and then stood up. “There no more weapons.” She walked over to Castiel still rushed and without thinking hugged him tightly, “We all thought you were gone.”

When Castiel did not embrace her as tightly as she did, the woman pulled away. “Cas? What?”

“I am sorry, do I know you?”

The statement visibly hurt the woman. “Cas, look into my eyes and please tell me you know who I am?”

Castiel did as he was told, but could not lie. He could see that she wanted him to know who she was, but he did not, “I am sorry. I do not know who you are.”

“But you know them?”

Castiel nodded and the woman returned to her spot on the table severely defeated. “Guys, no joking, do you know who I am?”

Dean shook his head and Sam whispered, “No, do not.”

The woman kept her eyes down”Are you two the sons of John and Mary Winchester?”

Sam again answered for both of the brothers, “Yes.”

She looked up at Sam and asked, “Did you ever have a sister?”

“No, our mother died when I was six months old.”

With pain filled eyes she asked, “What killed her?”

Dean answered, “The yellow eyed demon.”

“The yellow eye demon? How dad tells.” She paused before correcting herself, “How my dad tells the story he was hardly a hunt. I mean it got Grandpa Samuel, but that was how dad told mom that he was a man of letters and how dad found out mom was a hunter. It was their first hunt together.”

“Your dad was a man of letters?” Sam asked.

“Your’s wasn’t?” She asked.

Sam told her, “Our grandfather, Henry, died before he could tell our dad. “

“Was it when he time traveled to the future to fight Abaddon?”

Dean looked at her, “How did you know?”

“Because you two jerks told me to wait in the car. You said it was too dangerous and you did not need me. I didn’t listen and killed that bitch. Grandpa went home and told dad to name me after him.”

Dean paused and asked”Wait what’s your name?”

“Henrietta.”

“How old are you?” Sam asked.

“27.”

Sam smiled and told Dean, “Mom lived for another four years.”

“My mom died 10 years ago. She lived until I was 17. “

Dean asked, “How?”

Henrietta answered, “Saving our lives.” She then looked straight into Castiel’s eyes and told him, “If you’re brother is pulling anything or playing with me in any way, I will kill him.”

Sam stood up from his chair and patted Henrietta  on the knee, “I could use some coffee before we go on this hunt. Heni do you want any.”

Dean looked at Sam a little confused. Henrietta also looked at Sam but she was a little taken back, “Did you just call me Heni?”

“Yeah, I guess I did. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, it’s just that is your nickname for me.”

Dean laughed and asked, “Heni, like a chicken?”

Henrietta looked at Dean with a blank face and told him one word, “Don’t.”

“So, chicken do you want coffee.”

“You know it seems like so much is different but you are still a tool.” She shook her head with a slight smile and got up. “I think I’ll need something before this hunt.” As the four of them walked  towards the kitchen she mentioned, “We can figure out what’s what while we drink.”

Castiel made sure to walk next to Henrietta and asked, “Why did you take off all your weapons before hugging me.”

“My Cas doesn’t or well didn’t like weapons. He said he came to bring guidance not violence. You would still smite any one that needed it. Honestly I just think all those weapons made it uncomfortable to get close.”

With that they leave the library area of the bunker and go to the kitchen to drink coffee while they discuss their plans to hunt a vampire werewolf hybrid. They leave figuring out Henrietta until after the murderous monster is taken care of.

 I do have a whole detailed back story for Henrietta, but if you missed the major points; Henrietta is the boys’ sister from an alternate time line or universe. In her time line their mother fights the Yellowed eyed demon when she first meets him and kills him. He kills her father, but the demon brings her and John together. John knows about hunting and supernatural things because his father never died in the battle with Abbadon. Henrietta saved him and he was able to raise john as one of the last Men of letters, which helped him help Mary fight the Yellow eyed demon. 

John and Mary raised all three of their kids as hunters and men of letters. However, John was more protective of his little girl and tried to keep her in the bunker, which had been their home for most of their. Since their father was protective of the only girl in the family the brothers were also overly protective of her. Still she did train and was actually pushed to train harder than the guys, since she had something to prove. 

Okay I can go on and on about this character. I am liking her and keep trying to put her in a story of her own, but in my mind she is so tangled up in Supernatural that I can’t.

Any ways,  This is all I can do for tonight. If you ask I will explain more or write another short story about her, but for now it is off to bed for me.

 

DMV Fairies

This is a ten-minute creativity burst that I enjoyed writing. I hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you think.

DMV fairies short story logo and image.

DMV Fairies

7:45 am I walk to the line and start my day-dream as I fill out a form. Fairies fight hungry monsters in the night while the rays of sunshine are on my face as I wait.

8 o’clock visits and leaves while I write the same information over and over. I wait, write, and wrangle answers to questions I hardly care about. I would rather watch the good guys win in my mind and see how fairies can hunt the evil that lies right beneath the surface of society.

No one but a select few know how close the dream world is to our own. No one knows how close they are to being hunted by the evils these fairies face. The evils and monsters that hide imagination away or the vampires who feed on ideas and souls. No, hardly anyone knows of the battle for the unrealistic, but the monsters, vampires, and ghouls all search out to feed with only a few fairies and hunters aware enough to fight and keep us free.

Now it’s 9:30. I am done; with my new paper license and car’s plates I leave the DMV and hope that my creativity always stays near.  Now driving away I hope and wish for the fairies to stay near.

Want More?

If you would like to read more short stories please check out my Portfolio or perhaps you would enjoy watching readings of my work on YouTube.

Space-Riders: In the Ship (#3)

Space-Riders

#3

Otto, took his place in the pilot’s seat on the control deck with Zio taking a seat next to him as a co-pilot. “Do you have a flight program installed?” Otto asked.

“I have simple flying software installed. I should be able to help you fly the ship, but am not capable of flying a ship by myself.”

Otto nodded and started the engine. He would be able to fly his new LiBatto XZ952 space-ship, that he had named Aimi. Captain Otto smiled once her engines started up. Each engine made its own purring sound and Otto smiled grew as each of the 10 engines turned on.

Neither of them noticed the lady standing behind them. She was sitting against the wall and completed camouflaged. Her face and torso matched the wall completely and her lower half blended into the seat. Even when Zio looked around, he did not see her sitting there.

Once the ship was up in the air and heading to the next planet they were suppose to go to, the camouflaged lady started to snack on the chocolate covered raisins, she had bought in the town they had just left from.

The ride was smooth and uneventful until Otto punched in the coordinates of the planet where he was planning to pick up his first shipment using Aimi. The camouflaged lady had already visited Patarex, the planet Otto set as the destination, and had an almost lethal experience. She shook her head and the ship diverted from its path. Instead of heading toward Patarex it started to go in the opposite direction.

This confused both Otto and Zio. They both tried to work on a solution, but after 2 hours of trouble shooting and trying to turn the ship around they were defeated. All of the ship’s information and itinerary said they were going to Patarex.

Aimi, the ship was clever, she knew that the camouflaged lady did not want to be found out, but also knew that the others on the ship would not give up trying to turn her around unless she displayed what they wanted to see. She was not given a new location, so searched the universe for another planet, solar system or galaxy with the same name. She found a solar system named Patarex far away from the planet the captain wanted to go to and set her path.

 

Space-Rider #2 (Entering the Ship)

Space-Riders

#2

Otto, the captain, turned the corner with Zio close behind. He smiled at his new cargo ship before turning to the parking lot’s attendant to sign free is ship and pay the parking toll.

While Otto did this Zio stared at the ship with a puzzled look on his mechanical face.

When Otto turned his attention back to Zio and his ship he saw Zio’s confusion. “What?” Otto asked.

Zio answered with, “I am a mechanic and a doctor. I am not programmed to fix or maintain a tree.”

Otto paid little attention to Zio as he continued to walk, while he told him,“Alright, If I ever transport a tree I will not ask you to do anything to it.”

Zio still puzzled responded with, “ You are aware that your ship is a tree from the planet Calowixo?”

Now Otto was confused and stopped to tell his companion,“Zio, this is a ship, not a tree. I have flown it from Lardeth to here. Trees typically do not fly, since they must be rooted to the ground and are plant forms.”

“That is true with the exception of the Blurack tree that lived in Wid on Calowixo.” To Zio this was common knowledge. He had many employers who traveled to many different solar systems and many different galaxies. Zio never forgot any of the planets or stories he was told, so although he had never been to Calowixo, he knew stories of the great planet, since his first and second captains told it to him.

Being human, Otto had not gotten a chance to travel as much as Zio. He had not heard of Calowixo or JuJu596, which was the galaxy Calowixo belonged to. This being the case he stated, “I would believe you if I had ever heard of Calowixo. Now, if you are saying that you are unable to help me with my ship, you are freed from your duties.”

Zio sighed, he had been on the dusty planet, Kilo, for a full year now. He only sat and waited for a full year. His last captain had died on Kilo and when those who inherited the ship came, they did not need Zio. He wanted to be wanted and needed to work, so he told Otto, “I do not wished to be freed from my duties. I will join you. There is still a ship within the tree.”

Still not believing Zio’s claims that there was a planet called Calowixo Otto told him, “Right, we’ll be stopping at the next planet that has a doctor for droids.”

Both men started to walk towards the ship, again. Captain Otto touched his dark brown electronic forearm cuff to open the ship’s cargo ramp. The two men walked in and started the journey they did not know they were going on.

Space-Riders: Barroom findings(#1)

I have had this story in my mind for a while now. Since it is in fragments, in my mind, and more about the characters right now, I thought it would be cool if I simply wrote a short story series with them. This is the first Space-Riders (the title most likely will change).

Space-Riders
Barroom Findings

The doors to a dusty old bar swung open and in walked a captain clothed in a beige suit with gold and silver buttons, along with gold and silver pins. He wore his wealth proudly as his identifier. He strolled up to the bartender and sat on an empty bar-stool, before telling the bartender, “I need a mechanic and doctor, for my ship.”

The bartender stared at him for a moment before asking,“Would you like them in the same body?”

“Yes, and I need it right away.”

The bartender nodded and waved over a man who had appeared to be sleeping while sitting at a table across the gray and dirty room. He stood and walked over to the bar, as he placed his old brown Stetson on his head. The captain nodded at the man and then asked the bartender, “How much for him?”

“Under the inter-planet law for conscious technology, I can not accept payment for him. He is to be paid humane wages.”

The captain nodded and looked at the man standing next to him, “What are you?”

“I am a Trion 5,963.02 model of a doctor and a Xera 99×21.9 model of a ship mechanic, with Zio 9.09z software for spaceship technology.”

Again the captain nodded with acceptance  at the information. “Do you have a name?”

“I have been called multiple  names.”

The captain smirked at the android’s answer and asked, “Which one do you identify with?”

“Zio.”

“Alright Zio, do you want to come with me and help me on my ship?”

Zio smiled at the captain before telling him, “That is what I have been made for.”

“Alright, let’s go,” The captain said and tossed a 1,000 credit coin on the bar as a token of appreciation for the bartenders help.

They walked through the compact sand behind the bar, where the captain had landed his ship.