Hope 1Chapter- The Gnome of Illusion
September 4th 2007 12:27
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Hi all!
Two years ago I became a published author, (The Gnome of Illusion, Publish America.com) and I would like to share a chapter from the book with everyone.
CHAPTER NINE
The women were on their way in Maggie’s Jeep. Cass decided to leave her smaller car behind. If the occasion rose and she needed a car she would rent one. Cass was not apprehensive about this trip. She felt alive and able to help get her daughter back. Her daughter, it was her fondest dream come true except only one of her children had been found. She wanted them both and until they were back with her there would be a hole in her life that nothing could fill.
Neither woman was very talkative this morning. The quiet and the warmth of the heater made Cass drowsy and after they turned onto US10 she was dozing in the seat beside Maggie. Maggie glanced at her passenger and smiled. She knew Cass had a long road ahead but she seemed able to walk it now. She had seen the mental, and yes, physical changes come over her. From the time Maggie had arrived to this morning at the point they were getting ready to go. She stood straighter the paleness of her skin had mellowed to a slightly rosy shade. Her personality had changed from a frightened woman jumping at shadows to that of a woman who was ready to fight for the daughter she loved and bring her home.
Cass was dreaming. She was in front of that hateful building once more. The glaring orange letters mocked her. She moved through the open door into the moldy, dusty interior. A flight of rickety steps led upward. She tried the door leading off to the right. It moved slightly but she could see it was padlocked on the other side. The only place to go was up.
She stepped on the first riser being careful to stay as close as possible to the outside. The center of each step sagged and looked ready to cave in at any time. She hoped the outside was safer. At last she reached the top and found her self in the middle of a sort of foyer.
She shined her flashlight around and saw the open area was quite large. Straight ahead of her was a door with reinforced glass. To her right was a large room with large glass windows on the two exposed sides. She walked to the door first. The window was obscured by filth and she could see nothing. Cass tried the door and it opened with the protest of many years of disuse. She leaned out carefully and shined her light around. There was a pair of metal stairs in fair condition leading to the deserted back alley.
Cass closed the door quietly and turned to the windowed room. The door was missing and she stepped inside. The room contained an old desk and a lot of trash. She made her way around the desk, wading through papers bottles and cans. When she was satisfied the room was unoccupied she exited. She stood facing the staircase. To her left a wall and the windowed room. To her right a hall leading into darkness. She turned and walked down the dark, dingy hall.
She could smell the mold and dust. A tomb couldn’t smell much worse she thought. Because of where she was and why, she cautioned herself not to continue with this train of thought if she planned to get through this.
The flashlight led the way and Cass stopped at the first door on the right. She tried the door and it, much like the back door, opened with complaint. The room proved to be no larger than a commercial broom and mop closet. Leaving the door open she continued on.
The doors were quite far apart and Cass’ flashlight picked up a large, shiny spot in front of the next one on the right. She stopped before it and crouched down touching it with her index finger. It was cold, thick and slippery. Standing over the pool she detected a cloying, coppery smell. The door was slightly ajar and she skirted the dark pool. With shaking hands she shoved the door open wider and stepped inside.Her light detected a hole in the middle of the large floor. She played the light further into the right and near the corner she saw what appeared to be a pile of blankets or rags she couldn't quite make it out from where she stood.
Cass knew she had to walk to that spot and see what was there. A warning voice inside urged her not to go. Her legs shook with each step as she walked carefully around the gaping hole. Moving closer to the corner she saw that it was a sleeping bag. Two knitted hats peeked out of the top, one dark blue and one pink.
She leaned against the filthy wall willing her self to reach down and move the top of the sleeping bag. She slid down the wall to the floor turning she ended up on her hands and knees. She told herself all she had to do was reach out and turn down the top of the sleeping bag. She slowly reached out and touched the hem. At the same time she noted that the fluid outside the door was coming from the sleeping bag. She could see the trail leading from there to the door. Another trail led to the hole in the floor.
She steadied her hand, praying to God that they were sleeping and she could take them out of here to safety. Cass took a deep breath and quickly pulled the sleeping bag up and back. Something rolled out of the old, green sleeping bag.
Startled, Cass gasped and dropped her flashlight. As it rolled away from her it lit up the object as it moved across the floor. Cass’ mind registered what it was as it fell into the hateful black hole, a human head.
The last sound she heard as she collapsed on the floor was a piercing wail, hers.
I hope you enjoyed this preview of The Gnome of Illusion. Let me know what you think.
Two years ago I became a published author, (The Gnome of Illusion, Publish America.com) and I would like to share a chapter from the book with everyone.
CHAPTER NINE
The women were on their way in Maggie’s Jeep. Cass decided to leave her smaller car behind. If the occasion rose and she needed a car she would rent one. Cass was not apprehensive about this trip. She felt alive and able to help get her daughter back. Her daughter, it was her fondest dream come true except only one of her children had been found. She wanted them both and until they were back with her there would be a hole in her life that nothing could fill.
Neither woman was very talkative this morning. The quiet and the warmth of the heater made Cass drowsy and after they turned onto US10 she was dozing in the seat beside Maggie. Maggie glanced at her passenger and smiled. She knew Cass had a long road ahead but she seemed able to walk it now. She had seen the mental, and yes, physical changes come over her. From the time Maggie had arrived to this morning at the point they were getting ready to go. She stood straighter the paleness of her skin had mellowed to a slightly rosy shade. Her personality had changed from a frightened woman jumping at shadows to that of a woman who was ready to fight for the daughter she loved and bring her home.
Cass was dreaming. She was in front of that hateful building once more. The glaring orange letters mocked her. She moved through the open door into the moldy, dusty interior. A flight of rickety steps led upward. She tried the door leading off to the right. It moved slightly but she could see it was padlocked on the other side. The only place to go was up.
She stepped on the first riser being careful to stay as close as possible to the outside. The center of each step sagged and looked ready to cave in at any time. She hoped the outside was safer. At last she reached the top and found her self in the middle of a sort of foyer.
She shined her flashlight around and saw the open area was quite large. Straight ahead of her was a door with reinforced glass. To her right was a large room with large glass windows on the two exposed sides. She walked to the door first. The window was obscured by filth and she could see nothing. Cass tried the door and it opened with the protest of many years of disuse. She leaned out carefully and shined her light around. There was a pair of metal stairs in fair condition leading to the deserted back alley.
Cass closed the door quietly and turned to the windowed room. The door was missing and she stepped inside. The room contained an old desk and a lot of trash. She made her way around the desk, wading through papers bottles and cans. When she was satisfied the room was unoccupied she exited. She stood facing the staircase. To her left a wall and the windowed room. To her right a hall leading into darkness. She turned and walked down the dark, dingy hall.
She could smell the mold and dust. A tomb couldn’t smell much worse she thought. Because of where she was and why, she cautioned herself not to continue with this train of thought if she planned to get through this.
The flashlight led the way and Cass stopped at the first door on the right. She tried the door and it, much like the back door, opened with complaint. The room proved to be no larger than a commercial broom and mop closet. Leaving the door open she continued on.
The doors were quite far apart and Cass’ flashlight picked up a large, shiny spot in front of the next one on the right. She stopped before it and crouched down touching it with her index finger. It was cold, thick and slippery. Standing over the pool she detected a cloying, coppery smell. The door was slightly ajar and she skirted the dark pool. With shaking hands she shoved the door open wider and stepped inside.Her light detected a hole in the middle of the large floor. She played the light further into the right and near the corner she saw what appeared to be a pile of blankets or rags she couldn't quite make it out from where she stood.
Cass knew she had to walk to that spot and see what was there. A warning voice inside urged her not to go. Her legs shook with each step as she walked carefully around the gaping hole. Moving closer to the corner she saw that it was a sleeping bag. Two knitted hats peeked out of the top, one dark blue and one pink.
She leaned against the filthy wall willing her self to reach down and move the top of the sleeping bag. She slid down the wall to the floor turning she ended up on her hands and knees. She told herself all she had to do was reach out and turn down the top of the sleeping bag. She slowly reached out and touched the hem. At the same time she noted that the fluid outside the door was coming from the sleeping bag. She could see the trail leading from there to the door. Another trail led to the hole in the floor.
She steadied her hand, praying to God that they were sleeping and she could take them out of here to safety. Cass took a deep breath and quickly pulled the sleeping bag up and back. Something rolled out of the old, green sleeping bag.
Startled, Cass gasped and dropped her flashlight. As it rolled away from her it lit up the object as it moved across the floor. Cass’ mind registered what it was as it fell into the hateful black hole, a human head.
The last sound she heard as she collapsed on the floor was a piercing wail, hers.
I hope you enjoyed this preview of The Gnome of Illusion. Let me know what you think.
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