Chapter 14 | Chapter 16

Things at “Camp Forgotten Hollow” slowly became routine. Mari woke up each afternoon, had a solitary dinner, and did any cleanup the camp needed. I then woke up later (closer to sundown – for obvious reasons..) , went to find my breakfast alone (also for obvious reasons), and came back to camp.

Between the two of us, the camp was always spic-and-span, and the garden was growing weed-free. It wasn’t a huge additional income, but it was welcome none-the-less. I was still making most of our money from painting, because Mari had quit her job so she wouldn’t have to commute to Windenburg every work day. Once we had a house, perhaps she could find a job she could work from home in an office, but I certainly wasn’t going to require it of her. I was making enough money currently that we were still able to save a hefty amount with every paycheck from the gallery.

WC: Day Five < | Challenge Home Page | > WC: Day Seven

Learning to Be Normal

Jaz woke up and ran their hand through their hair, feeling the new lightness of the shorter cut. It felt weird. With a surreptitious look over to Penny’s bed, Jaz quickly ascertained that their room-mate had already headed downstairs for breakfast. Nobody had seen them fussing with their hair in the confusion of waking up. With a relieved sigh, that almost turned into a wry laugh – when had they suddenly become so worried about what others thought of them?? – Jaz rolled out of bed and stretched. A look through their side of the closet was sobering. Their new foster Mom had spent a fortune on them. How on earth was Jaz ever supposed to pay them back for this?? Clearly, there were a LOT of chores in Jaz’s future. Running a hand over the threadbare clothes they had brought from home, Jaz remembered the glee with which Penny had disposed of her old clothes, and wondered if they should do the same. However, these were one of the only things they had left from their previous life… and it felt weird to get rid of it. Peering around to make sure Penny hadn’t returned, Jaz pulled out her backpack and stowed the old clothes in there, out of everyone’s view. Nobody could make fun of her for keeping her nasty old clothes if they didn’t know about it, right?

Zipping up the backpack and stuffing it into the back of the closet, Jaz looked down at their brand new PJs, and, hearing the sounds from downstairs (not to mention the delicious smells), Jaz headed down for breakfast.

Chapter Seven | Island Spirits Welcome page | Chapter Nine

Nork was determined to finish his aspiration, so his stay back at the village was a short one. Before Utel could even protest, Nork had packed up and was heading back out on another long journey. This time, he was headed to a mysterious forest glade that supposedly had some other rare fish he was looking for.

After communing with the tree spirit (yeah, I know it sounds weird, but that’s apparently the only way to get there per the legends.) – which seemed receptive to his approach, Nork was rewarded with a gaping hole in the base of this massive tree. Tentatively, Nork stepped inside… and after a few wrong turns, he came out into the light of a mysterious meadow.

Story Info | 1850 Part Two

Charlotte walked up to their new home, trying to juggle two toddlers and a hatbox she’d kept with her on the coach. Her husband, Theodore, had traveled with most of their belongings weeks ago, and the smoke rising from the chimneys was a welcome sight. Back home, things had gone from good to horrible in the space of a few words from Theodore’s older brother. As soon as he had decided not to go to sea with his ship, and decided to, instead, take over the family farm… Theodore’s prospects changed from wealthy farmer to a homeless family man in moments. It was also very quickly clear that there was no talking Theodore’s brother out of his newfound wealth by birthright. Theodore and Charlotte had been working under the assumption that the plantation was all but theirs, and they found themselves out on their rears from one heartbeat to the next. Theo had found a boarding house that could take them temporarily, and had immediately begun looking for opportunities. The sad truth of the matter, though, was that back east, there just weren’t any opportunities to be had. However, the government was opening up the west, and there were claims of riches for farmers willing to take the arduous journey to the plains. Sadly, They had decided that, to assure their children the best future possible, living near their families was no longer going to happen. With the meager stipend Theodore’s brother had allotted them to “find their own way”, Theo bought a large undeveloped farm sight unseen. Before Charlotte was anywhere close to ready, and with a toddler and a tiny babe in her arms, Charlotte was left to her own devices while Theo headed west to prepare a home for them.

By the time Theo’s “all is well” letter arrived, signaling the start of Charlotte and the kids’ journey, that baby was a toddler, and Charlotte felt she needed four extra hands to keep both of them out of trouble on the journey.

The world was dying. Everyone who lived there could sense it coming. The Powers That Be were fighting it with all they had, but it was obviously a losing battle. Day by day, the trees were browner, the grass more withered. Food – which had seemingly always been scarce – was ever harder to come by. And worse than all this – was the sky. It loomed above them with a hazy, miserable semi-darkness that seemed to be neither day nor night. Some doubted that the sun even still existed past the grim murk that was their daytime. Even when night fell, the ambient light didn’t fully dissipate, and the smog above remained. It was becoming unequivocally evident that the knowledge to fix their world was no longer available in this world.

So, they posited, it was time to look elsewhere for the solution to their cataclysm. The strange portal shimmered, and each individual that came through had the whole weight of the world’s hopes on their shoulders. One by one, they turned out to just be another mouth to feed. Doubts began to creep in. What if there wasn’t anyone who could fix their world… anywhere in the universe. Or the next Universe. What if they were simply damned?

The attempts began to try to escape through the portal, but every attempt invariably failed. The luckless traveler would be sent right back, with a sense of dread overwhelming their every thought. Finally, it became clear that they were stuck here. The cawing of the crows mocked the escape attempts of the Powers like a Harbinger of their ultimate downfall.

With a renewed determination, they fired up the portal again. And again. And again. One by one, the disappointments came in. One by one, the new settlers were abandoned to their dismal future here. And still the portal brought them in. Even as hope died, the portal found more souls. The Powers had to try to find help, even when, deep inside, their hearts told them it was folly. And so the arguments broke out. The researchers grew more and more desperate, as the days grew shorter. Signs of life faded as an alarming crawling darkness crept in. It began to take over not just the world, but the thoughts of everyone in it. A writhing, slithering, living darkness it seemed no one could heal.

Slowly, even the Harbingers fell silent. … And through it all – despite those who fought it – everything inexorably died in a slow, painful, starving atrophy of the soul.

Story Info | Chapter 1

Chapter Six | Island Spirits Welcome page | Chapter Eight

Nork was getting so close to finishing his life-long goal of becoming a master angler. All he needed to do was collect some more types of fish to be considered a true master. He’s heard all the stories about where to find these fish, and one morning, he decided it was past time to start hunting them down. Packing some food – mostly herbs and spices to cook whatever fish he caught, and a small package in case of.. well, whatever might happen.. Nork waved goodbye to a bewildered Utel and headed off.

Much of the journey was one he’d already undertaken, so he remembered the way and where to stop for food and rest. Granted, he was going the opposite way, but at least it was mostly familiar territory.

Finally, he returned to the land of his birth. The hot, dusty, inhospitable desert Utel and he had come from. He briefly considered going back to their old settlement area, but decided against it. Who knew what had ultimately happened, and seeing the bones of the ruined settlement didn’t sound like something he really wanted to do.

Chapter 3.12 | Rules for this challenge | Chapter 4.1

Generation Three: Red

Appearance: Red hair, scandalous clothing style
Traits: Romantic, Hot-headed, Art Lover
Aspiration: Serial Romantic
Occupation: Art Critic
House Goal: 30,000 worth

The Beginning of the End

My lovely daughter was growing up. And I couldn’t do anything about it. I tried to help her as much as I could by regaling her with stories of when I first started out, but she laughed, waved me off, and said she would figure it out when the time came. To myself, I muttered “And it’s coming!” and headed off to do some household chores.

I had become a real home-body these days. After reaching the top of my career, I had reduced my work hours, and I hardly ever even had to travel to the city anymore. So now, I spent most of my time home with my kids, husband, and Fish.

Chapter Five | Island Spirits Welcome page | Chapter Seven

Utel’s days were full of family life these days, but she certainly didn’t mind it. Young Saazul was learning more day by day, but she was still underfoot at nearly all times. She wanted to help in the garden, she wanted to cook, she wanted to follow Nork when he was leaving for the day – which had to be discouraged, because that wasn’t something girls really did, and she was just always busy. Utel disagreed with the gender roles in this tribe, but she wasn’t going to try to change things when she was so new to the tribe.

Saazul had finally learned to feed herself, at least. Utel could actually enjoy her own food without little fingers constantly walking across her plate. The chatter was never-ending, however. She had learned to just nod and agree with whatever babble was coming out at that given time.

Nork, on the other hand, had apparently had other things to do and had left camp practically at dawn. Utel assumed he was off fishing for the tribe. If she only knew how wrong she was….

Chapter 13 | Chapter 15

When Sonia and I pulled up in front of a huge, ugly mansion in a desert town an hour or two later, I sat there for a moment, completely nonplussed. I hadn’t even known there was a desert town anywhere close to where we lived… and I quickly made sure Sonia would let me take care of things by myself. She nodded, and replied that she would remain in the car, then expressed concern about me being in the bright sun.

With a hand on her shoulder, I assured her I had plenty of energy left from my meditation, that I would be just fine as long as he answered his door in a timely matter… and then left the shade of the car with a smile.

Chapter 3.11 | Rules for this challenge | Chapter 3.13

Generation Three: Red

Appearance: Red hair, scandalous clothing style
Traits: Romantic, Hot-headed, Art Lover
Aspiration: Serial Romantic
Occupation: Art Critic
House Goal: 30,000 worth

Fish Arrives

All this domestic bliss must be getting to me. Because I brought home a puppy. He was just so darn cute in the rescue’s ad, so alone and needing a home… I couldn’t help but bring him home. I had called from the shelter on my way home, telling Kado to prepare the kids for something new… and then I chickened out. I know… me. Chickening out. Really funny. But I did. So instead of telling him I was bringing home a new pet, I said I was bringing home fish. Kado was (understandably) confused, and said he’d get the grill ready.. and I just laughed.