I have not fallen off the face of the NaNo universe. I did, however, spend the past three days proofing some very long technical reports and my eyes and brain decided they had very little left. (My brain still has very little left and you will notice that as you read tonight’s selection; don’t hold it against me!) I am behind, but not to worry. If I get stuck, I understand that “redrum” is a very good word to type over and over again. Who can tell me what that’s from?!!!!! If you guess, my very next, very bad poem will be written in your honor. 🙂

Current Word Count: 22,621

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In the morning it was like nothing had ever happened. The sky was cerulean, the grass green. Aunt Caroline, despite Aunt Philo’s upset, went to the café to begin preparations for the day. And, Aunt Philo was dismayed because her internal crystal ball was still amiss. It was the only way she could keep her family safe and now she just had to face the fact that she couldn’t, at least not until whatever was blocking her waves became unblocked.

Phoebe felt uncomfortable. She felt a little like a box turtle slowly retreating into her shell. Like Aunt Philo, she didn’t accept that things were over. In her dreams Serena had been dancing around a fire, half-naked and laughing dangerously in the way that Phoebe had only ever heard Serena do.

Phoebe donned her shorts, tee, and shoes and prepared for her run. She needed this run today about as much as she had ever needed anything.

“Where are you going?” Aunt Philo asked.

“For a run.” Phoebe quelled the “duh” that wanted to rush through her lips.

“Why doesn’t anyone believe me that bad things are stirring and last night was just the beginning?”

Phoebe grinned and hugged her Aunt. “Because, while I do believe you, I one hundred percent believe you, what do you want us to do? Stay in the house and cower in corners? I’m already feeling half crazy.”

“Because of Kaden?”

“Because of everything.”

Aunt Philo nodded. “I don’t know. I can’t see anything, Phoebe. That’s what’s making me crazy. I don’t know whether it’s okay for everyone to go about their day in a normal way. I don’t know if someone who’s manipulating lightning is going to throw an electric sizzle at you when you leave the house. It makes me crazy.”

Her Aunt sounded overwhelmed in a way that Phoebe had never heard her sound before, even when she was dealing with her parents. A part of her thought she understood. For all of Aunt Philo’s “live and let live” attitude, she was almost controlling in her protection of her nieces and sisters. Knowing that, Phoebe also understood how Aunt Philo’s emotions must be running the gamut.

“Maybe you should look through the book to see if there’s a way to get your power back,” Phoebe said.

“Dang, but if that doesn’t sound like a line from ‘Charmed,’” Philo said, smiling.

“Oh, it probably was. I’m not very original.”

“You’re the most original person I know. Be safe on that run of yours. Mind you, I couldn’t talk your rock star out of running so he’s probably out on the beach too,” Philo said.

“Huh. Maybe I’ll stay in then,” Phoebe said and then laughed. “Kidding.”

—

Phoebe hadn’t run in three days. It felt good. The air had turned chilly and the wind off of the ocean felt cold, that kind of cold that told her that winter was coming. Thanksgiving was next week. She wondered what excuse her parents would find for not joining them for this year’s celebration. She wished that she could stop caring, but a part of her, the part that loved the falling burnished leaves and the crisp air and the smell of wood smoke, loved the holidays and wanted them to be the way they once were, with the family together.

But these were memories and desires of an eleven year old. That’s when her parents had left her and her sisters in the care of Philo and Caroline. They had wanted to be free of family commitments and bonds. They wanted to explore the world and their own pleasures. They had been the most selfish people that Phoebe had ever met. What kind of people left their three daughters in the care of a twenty-one year old who was just starting out in life? In many ways that was why Aunt Philo felt more like a sister than an Aunt. And that was why Phoebe would always feel like she owed something to Philo. How could you repay someone for losing part of their own life to take care of you when it wasn’t their responsibility?

Phoebe saw a figure running up ahead and it felt like reverse déjà vu. Kaden was returning from his run as she was just starting out. She felt her heart do a crazy dance. She wished she could figure that out. He was too pretty for her. He was too arrogant. Self-absorbed. But he could be funny and she thought that maybe he could be kind. If she ever got around to listening to his music, maybe she could decide for herself if he was talented.

As they drew closer, she wondered how she would have been if five years ago she hadn’t let one David Warren, her high school sweetheart, the man she thought she would be with forever and ever, fall in love with her cousin Serena.

Day 16 nanowrimo