WeWriWa: EU82

This snippet is from Emmily, Unbound, an SFR story about Emmily, a 40-something woman, and Gen Rael, an alien who crash-landed on Earth and took her hostage until his rescue arrives. Their fiery beginnings together have taken a turn. They're on the back porch together. Emmily just asked Rael if he has a mate at home.

Last week ended with this:   

         “No. No mate. Anywhere.”

         I exhale. My inner-fool will not be silenced.  I ask, “Why not?”

The Snippet:       

     

     

     He rubs his forehead before answering. “I never found the woman who became my best friend, the female I want to share all things with, to trust to be on my side—as  your people say—'come hell or high water’, and I will settle for nothing less.” He pauses, then he sighs again. “Because of my rank, I am asking a great deal of her when I… It will be demanding. For both her sake and mine, I do not discount the challenge ahead for my chosen.” 

     The weight of his words coupled with his earnestness has me wondering. There’s a lot more to this than he’s saying. He’s watching me with such intensity, and then his face softens into a smile. 

      I say, “So much to consider when choosing in your culture.” 

      He nods and looks toward the ceiling of the porch—like the answer is coming to him from somewhere above us.

A few more lines if you're interested:

        

     He says, “She must be intelligent, and she will know how to laugh.” He turns to me and narrows his eyes.

     Is this intense look because he’s searching for a reaction to his words?

     “She will have…” He cocks his head to the side, then he smirks. “She must have spunk.”

Next week, her reply.  

 

Last weekend, we went for a drive to Buttermilk Falls, only an hour and 15 minutes from our house--but I'd never been there before. Fred Rogers (aka Mister Rogers) used to play there as a boy--his grandfather (his last name was McFeeley--any Mr Rogers fans will recognize that name) owned the farm the waterfall is on. Lovely park. In the pic, I'm with Leo the deaf Cocker, and we're behind the waterfall. Not much water going over it that day.

 

WeWriWa: EU 76

 

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors. IHappy June! If you'd like to participate or read tempting morsels from other authors, please sign up--or check the linky list at: http://wewriwa.blogspot.com/ 

Also, check out the Snippet Sunday group on facebook. 

This snippet is from Emmily, Unbound, an SFR story. Emmily is on a supply run, and Adren (the youngest looking alien) is with her this time. He's just revealed to her that they will harm bystanders to keep her from exposing them to authorities. 

Several of you commented last week that my focus on Adren might be confusing to the reader about who is actually our heroine's romantic interest. The chapter I've been sharing is about a third of the way through the story, and is another supply run--which I've used as a vehicle to help flesh out  other characters within the group. One-on-one time with Emmily. Some may get side stories down the line. From this point forward, my hope is that the reader will feel like they know Adren a bit better, and possibly sympathize with him. I think that in the larger context of the story, it's obvious that her romantic interest is Genrael. That doesn't mean I'm discounting the comments and advice you generously shared with me last week. I'm learning. :-) And I do put them to good use. It's on my list to take another look at physical descriptions and see where they might need to be made less appealing through Emmily's eyes.

I'm finishing this chapter today, and will move on to a chapter where Emmily and Genrael's romance is the focus.  

Last week ended with:  His eyes ignite with a fire I didn’t think he possessed.

The Snippet:         

  

“The truth? I know it well. That Genrael, Kade, Jayla, Kuvio, Breen and me? Our truth is that we are stranded a long way from the safety and familiarity of our home. How or why we are here does not matter, but the reality is that we are. And we are not going anywhere until our rescue arrives." He pauses, then his voice cracks when he adds, "We are doing what anyone would do facing the same peril. Only what we must to survive.” 

     Yet again, he has rendered me speechless. 

     As I stare at him, he says in a voice gone so soft, I strain to hear him. “And we are trying to do it without harming others.” 

     My anger turns to heartache. He might tell me he’s older than me, but this… this crash that left them stranded a zillion miles from home for all I know, has rendered him in some ways no more than a frightened child. And still, there is goodness in him.

    My eyes swim. For how messed-up this whole situation is. For their terrifying  current life’s reality, In some convoluted way, I’m sympathizing with them all, like it’s okay, perfectly fine that I’m their hostage, keeping them safe until they can all go home.

   “I would do the same,” I tell him. “to survive, if I had to.” 

    He never even pointed a weapon at me. He used a threat, which I now suspect was an empty one. 

    I pull back onto the road and head toward home.

That's it for this week. Scene change coming up. Thank you so much for visiting and for reading. :-)