Weekend Writing Warriors #14

Hey WeWriWa! This is the last snippet in a series, and a direct continuation from last week’s post (check it out here, or the rest of my posts here). To meet some new authors, read some great writing, or join in the 8-sentence fun, stop by at Weekend Writing Warriors!

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“I won’t hurt you,” he says, with a voice like amber and pine. It makes me want to believe him.

But sixteen years of instinct scream otherwise. My eyes flick to Mother’s body, discarded in the dirt. It would be better to be ripped by the Shadows then fall into the people’s hands.

The boy takes a step towards me. I look one last time at Mother.

I lunge for my dagger and sprint for the trees, as the night swallows the sun, and I leave my heart behind.

_____________

There you have it! I know this one was short, but I wanted to finish the scene. I hope you enjoyed 🙂 This scene is the start of the action in the story, and so much more to come. Looking forward to all your posts, and happy 8 sunday!

 

Blog Post and Novel Excerpt © Victoria Davenport and the Coffee.Write.Repeat. blog

Weekend Writing Warriors #13

Hey there, Warriors! This is part of a series, and a direct continuation from last week’s post (check it out here, or the rest of my posts here). To meet some new authors, read some great writing, or join in the 8-sentence fun, stop by at Weekend Writing Warriors!

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It whirls and shifts, and reshapes itself into the figure of a man–Something about this tugs at my heart, at my familiarity, but I am not there to process it; I am miles away, curled up beside my mother.

Thud-thud, thud, that is all I know, all that is certain–but this, too, has changed; nothing is certain.

The Shadow-man moves closer, as if reaching out–then a light bullet finds its target, and shatters the Shadow into dust.

I blink, and somehow I am rooted back in my body, in reality.

I count three bodies: three hunters, and Mother’s–Two hunters remain alive, though the girl is marred by nightfire.

The hunter stands in the midst of corpses, watching me. He lowers his swords to the earth, laden in frost and blood. His eyes are a startling green, and I find myself captivated by him the same way a rabbit might be captivated by a bewolf, just before it is eaten.

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Only one more snippet from this scene! Hope you’ve enjoyed so far, I certainly enjoyed writing these 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, and happy 8sunday!

 

Blog Post and Novel Excerpt © Victoria Davenport and the Coffee.Write.Repeat. blog

Weekend Writing Warriors #12

Thanks for sharing another 8sunday with me! This is part of a series, and a direct continuation from last week’s post (check it out here, or the rest of my posts here). To meet some new authors, read some great writing, or join in the 8-sentence fun, stop by at Weekend Writing Warriors!

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The Shadow moves towards me, but I am not there–I am no one, a fragment, Thud-thud, thud.

Images flash before me, and the world falls away.

My hand grabs the torch from my pack, and lights it–my feet carry me closer to the Shadow, my teeth bared in a snarl. Instinct, only instinct drives me–I am gone, rattling empty like shards of glass in a hollowed out shell.

Still the Shadow stands there–unmoving.

But it isn’t entranced by the light, as they usually are; It isn’t terrified, running away–it’s standing there, staring at me.

I can hear voices and shouts, but they pass on the edges of my awareness–all that exists is me and the Shadow, cocooned in silence.

The Shadow tilts its head, as if studying me.

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This one was a bit easier to fit, so hopefully it reads better. Thanks so much for the continued feedback and support, from both WeWriWa vets and newbies 🙂 Looking forward to your posts this week, as always, and happy 8sunday!

 

Blog Post and Novel Excerpt © Victoria Davenport and the Coffee.Write.Repeat. blog

Weekend Writing Warriors #11

Welcome to another 8sunday! This is part of a series, and a direct continuation from last week’s post (check it out here, or the rest of my posts here). To meet some new authors, read some great writing, or join in the 8-sentence fun, stop by at Weekend Writing Warriors!

___________

The world is foggy–I blink, and it sharpens into clarity.

I see the humans; They are staring at me, horrified–The younger one, with the swords, looks as if he is going to run towards me. I wonder if he means to kill me; I reach for my knife, but find the sheath empty–I see my dagger scattered on the grass, out of reach.

Then, I realize Mother isn’t there–I can’t hear her anymore, either; Where did she go?

There is a terrible, ear-splitting crack behind me–Like bone being split in two with the force of lightning.

Then, silence–Tangible, all-consuming silence.

No, no, no.

I turn–The Shadow that took me holds Mother aloft, her body limp, smoke rising from her chest and melting into the Shadow itself. It swells in size as it absorbs, then lowers her body to the ground–

A husk.

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Again, some creative punctuation here to fit it within the 8, but I hope it still reads well, and that you enjoyed 🙂 Three more snippets from this scene, so I hope you stick around. Thanks for stopping by, and happy 8sunday!

 

Blog Post and Novel Excerpt © Victoria Davenport and the Coffee.Write.Repeat. blog

Weekend Writing Warriors #10

Thank you for sharing another 8sunday with me! This is a continuation from last week’s post (check it out here, or the rest of my posts here). To meet some new authors, read some great writing, or join in the 8-sentence fun, stop by at Weekend Writing Warriors!

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I am not me–I am someone else, no one. A hundred different lifetimes, worlds—all at once, until it feels this pathetic human body is going to explode.

Abruptly, it stops.

The Shadow lowers me to the ground–I clench fistfuls of grass in my hands, to reassure myself that this is real; Images flicker across my vision, my body quivering with the power of them, but they are fading.

I can still feel myself, tainted; shadows pound through my heart, course through my veins–The visions have taken root in some unnamed part of me, the shards bound together in a knot.

I can feel it, inside–something strange, unnamable, powerful.

Like a second heartbeat, beating beneath my own–A scattered, fragmented pulse I can’t quite make sense of, Thud-thud, thud.

My eyes open.

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Hope you enjoyed! A few more snippets in this series, then I’ll have to decide what to share next. Thank you for stopping by, looking forward to all the posts this week. Happy 8sunday 🙂

 

Blog Post and Novel Excerpt © Victoria Davenport and the Coffee.Write.Repeat. blog

Weekend Writing Warriors #9

Last week, I shared the very first snippet from my new WIP, Nightfire, and the response has been great (you can read it here). The next couple weeks, I am going to share snippets from the inciting incident of the story, in succession. Hope you enjoy 🙂

To meet some new authors, read some great writing, or join in the 8-sentence fun, stop by at Weekend Writing Warriors!

While Kera and her mother are out searching for a new den to call home for the winter, they encounter a band of hunters (human soldiers who protect the safehouses) which is being attacked by Shadows. Though she has been raised to believe humans are incredibly dangerous, the Shadow is about to kill a girl, and against her instincts, Kera rushes to help. She kills the Shadow, frees the girl, and feels accomplished–then she is grabbed by a Shadow herself:

__________

I feel its breath on the back of my neck, and I cringe as the first wisps of nightfire grope at something inside me.  I hear Mother somewhere, miles away, screaming–screaming my name.

“Kera!”

The Shadow finds what it’s looking for, and my body erupts into fire.

I’m not aware of anything but an overwhelming, consuming agony–tearing through my flesh, eating at my soul.

I have the horrible sensation of being split in two.

I am going to die, in the worst way imaginable–I feel myself stretched to a breaking point, waiting for the moment when I tear.

Something breaks inside, and my mind is flooded. Fractured images and emotions crash over me. My eyes fly wide open, staring at something only I can see. They whir past, too swift to comprehend, broken fragments of memories and scenes and feelings I can’t begin to decipher.

___________

There you have it! There are least two more snippets in this scene, so I hope you stop by over the next couple weeks to find out what happens next 🙂 Thanks for reading, and happy 8sunday!

 

Blog Post and Novel Excerpt © Victoria Davenport and the Coffee.Write.Repeat. blog

Weekend Writing Warriors #8

I had such great feedback and responses last week, thanks so much for everyone who stopped by! (You can read all previous posts under the category Weekend Writing Warriors) This week, I am sharing the very first snippet from my new WIP, Nightfire. I am very excited, I hope y’all enjoy 🙂

To meet some new authors, read some great writing, or join in the 8-sentence fun, stop by at Weekend Writing Warriors!

In this scene, Kera and her mother are searching for a new den to shelter for the winter, after Kera and Hana’s encounter with a Shadow left their mother spooked. They argued the night before over the risks of moving so late in the season, as well as the familiar topic of the enigmatic radio her mother carries, listens to obsessively, and refuses to explain. Kera brings it up in the heat of argument, and tempers flare:

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I close the distance between us, turning her around to face me–her body has gone to stone, but her eyes are breaking. “I don’t know what you’re listening for, but do you ever think about letting it go? Whatever it is, isn’t there–But I am; I’m here, Hana’s here. We are real–Whatever you think is on the other side of that radio isn’t.”

A strangled sound escapes from her throat, and her hand flies to her mouth, as if to hold the sadness in. Tears well in her eyes, and for a moment I see a glimpse into a dark and shattered heart–Mother is supposed to be strong, not broken; the thought terrifies me.

Then she gathers herself up and retreats back into her armor of granite, a smile replacing her tears; she reaches a hand up to my cheek, “You are so incredibly smart, Kera; your instincts, and your heart, are strong–but there are some things you could never understand. We have a lot of ground to cover, and not enough time.”

With that, she drops her hand to her side, and continues on ahead into the woods in search of home—and possibly, something that doesn’t exist.

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There it is! I felt this snippet was necessary to set up the next scene, which is the inciting incident of the story. I really look forward to reading all of your great posts this week! Thanks for stopping by, and happy 8sunday 🙂

 

Blog Post and Novel Excerpt © Victoria Davenport and the Coffee.Write.Repeat. blog

Weekend Writing Warriors #7

Last week I posted the last snippet from the first chapter of my YA fantasy manuscript, Ember. (You can find those here). This week, I wanted to show y’all a little tidbit from one of my two other POVs, Crow. He is an assassin and vigilante for the most powerful drug lord in the Dregs, who also happens to be his 12-year-old sister. He’s probably been my favorite character to write so far. I hope you like 🙂

To meet some new authors, read some great writing, or join in the 8-sentence fun, stop by at Weekend Writing Warriors!

In this scene, Crow has just returned late from killing a target: he hesitated, because at the last moment, he saw a doll, and realized the man was a father. Things are black and white for Crow. His targets have always been bad, corrupted men like their father, but things are changing, and he is starting to question his sister’s judgment. She is seated on her throne (made of bones, based on rumors she is a cannibal) and confronts him in front of their “court”:

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The same venom that coursed through my veins reared itself in the depths of her eyes–she drew herself taller, all at once looming over the room though her slight frame didn’t even fill out the macabre throne. “I did not think I would have to question my own blood, brother–so what if there was a child? Better off dead, probably tainted with the same corruption as its father–or do you question my judgment on that as well?”

My lips did not move, but she read the words in my eyes: Our father had been tainted, corrupt, and now his venom would flow in our veins as long as our hearts beat–should we die also, because of our father? The venom raged in her eyes, molten, murderous black– I’d learned to still mine, to quiet the cruel, bloodthirsty heart in my chest, but hers was wild, fueling rages that often ended with spilled blood–perhaps it would be better, without our corruption.

There was a moment where I wondered if she’d strike me, one hand white-knuckled around a bone and the other clenched in the air. There was a flicker of something in her eyes, like realization, then horror–then, all at once, the venom evaporated, and it was if someone had sucked all the breath out of her. She sunk in on herself, her hand falling to her side, looking abruptly like the child she was, dwarfed by the throne, and a wry smile curled her lips, “You are right, brother. As always.”

_______

Again, I used some creative punctuation here to fit it within the 8 sentences, so it doesn’t read quite how I’d like, but hopefully the point and mood still get across. It was especially hard to choose a snippet for Crow that would work, since he’s the most verbose of all the POVs, but I hope this one works. Next week, I’ll do a snippet from my new WIP, Nightfire, since I know some of y’all are anxious for a peek 🙂 Looking forward to all your posts, and happy 8sunday!

 

Blog Post and Novel Excerpt © Victoria Davenport & the Coffee.Write.Repeat. blog

Weekend Writing Warriors #6

This is a continuation of my first chapter, so if you haven’t read the previous posts (or need a reminder) check out the most recent here, and the rest under the category Weekend Writing Warriors. To meet some new authors, read some great writing, or join in the 8-sentence fun, stop by at Weekend Writing Warriors!

I shook my head. “I’m sorry, I tried–we can try again later, if you want, but I have to go.”

The light in his eyes dulled, but he smiled anyways. “That is alright, go, and bring back some sweets if they have any?” He kissed me on the forehead, and I nodded, though I fought the familiar surge of panic and disgust–a leftover instinct, warning me away from affection. Affection meant love, and that was weakness–that was dangerous, people exploited weakness.

I gripped my knife in my hand, too hard–the metal was comforting, powerful. Here was something I knew, something I was good at.

Something I could control.

——

THE END. Well, the end of the first chapter, anyways! Have I got you hooked yet? I hope so 🙂 Next, I will probably do some excerpts from the other POVs to give you a look into their minds and voices–or possibly some snippets from my brand new untitled WIP. Can’t wait, happy 8sunday! 🙂

 

Blog Post and Novel Excerpt © Victoria Davenport & the Coffee.Write.Repeat. blog

Weekend Writing Warriors #5

This is a continuation of my first chapter, so if you haven’t read the previous posts (or need a reminder) check out the most recent here, and the rest under the category Weekend Writing Warriors. To meet some new authors, read some great writing, or join in the 8-sentence fun, stop by at Weekend Writing Warriors!

I felt for it, as he had taught me, and gripped it with mental fingers–it shied away from my touch, slipped and trickled through my grasp–but I relented, and gripped it harder. Then, as I slowly began to draw it out, it stopped–as always, it collided with the invisible wall it inevitably did: My humanity.

I sighed, opening my eyes, “I can’t.”

His smile widened, the hope still shining in his eyes. “Yes you can, Falcon, you are Amaranthine, it is in your blood–you have it, but you must learn to harness it.”

I looked back at the plant–if anything, it looked sicker than it had before. I fought a groan of frustration–I knew Asa only wanted what was best for me, he wanted to be proud of me, to have someone to share that part of himself with, but I was useless. The human half of me tainted my magic the same way the sludge tainted the plant–and this taint Asa couldn’t fix.

———

Only one post left for the first chapter! Hope you like it so far 🙂 I can’t wait to finish this chapter, and hopefully show y’all some snippets from my new WIP. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, and seeing your posts this week. Thanks for stopping by, and happy 8sunday!

 

Blog Post and Novel Excerpt © Victoria Davenport & the Coffee.Write.Repeat. blog