Year 2, Day 34: 10/15/12 - "Something More"

"Monday, hard to wake up...

Out the door.

The freeways standing still today

It's gonna make me late, and that's for sure. 

I'm running out of gas and out of time
Never gonna make it there by nine..."

-"Something More" by Sugarland

Communication is Key: It's definitely not the strong suit of my current institution, if the current actions and activities of others is any indication.  I'm going to have to be extra diligent in my own messages and methods of communication to insure that everyone is kept informed and everyone is kept up to date on things!  No communication is a scary thing to deal with, especially when it is so important that everyone be kept informed.

Share and Share Alike:  I've decided that the only way for me to push myself to finish one of my stories is to start posting excerpts on my blog.  This way, if any of my crazy (said lovingly!) friends starts reading it and wants to know how it ends, they'll badger me to finish it.  I need the motivation!  I figured I'd start with the book that is currently occupying my mind, one I call Four Crossings.  I'll put the opening here and see if anyone is paying attention - if they ask about it, I'll think about posting more!

Desdemona Quinn’s bottom lip was split, there was a small cut dripping blood over her left eye, and she was pretty damn sure that she had a few bruised ribs.  But she was winning.

            She stood there in the middle of the encaged ring and slowly stalked the man trying to fight his way back to his feet.  She had long ago blocked out the raucous cheering of the watching crowd.  They weren’t her concern.  But now that victory was imminent, she allowed much of the noise to seep back in.

            She glanced to her right and caught sight of a small girl, her face heavily bruised, her eyes full of some indefinable emotion.  Then she caught the eye of the woman standing guard over the girl, identical emerald green eyes sharing a silent moment.  Then the other woman spoke.

            “Finish it, Des.”

            Des couldn’t hear her, but she could read her lips.  She nodded, took two steps and with a deceptively smooth motion, slammed her heavy, steel-toed boot into the back of the man’s head.  He went down with a thud and stayed there.

            Des stood over him for a long moment before she turned and left the ring.  She walked with her head held high, her back straight despite the pain shooting through her ribs.  The cage door was opened and she ducked through and out into the crowd which parted easily for her exit.

            She went to the other woman and knelt in front of the young girl.

            “You’re safe now, little one.  He won’t hurt you again.”

            The girl’s large brown eyes filled with tears and she launched herself into Des’s arms.  Des fought back a flinch at the pain the impetuous embrace caused, but it was a hurt she would gladly bear.  She returned the girl’s hug and then easily set her away from her.

            “Esme is going to take you to the main transfer station.  You should be back home in no time.”

            The girl’s eyes widened in surprise, “I get to go home?”

            Des smiled at her, “Yeah, little one.  Four Crossings is no place for you. And your family misses you very much.”

            The girl’s eyes widened further and she began to tremble slightly.  “I d-didn’t think they’d want me back.”

            Des felt a sadness fill her but she did not betray the emotion to the girl.  She knew all too well what it felt like to not be wanted.  She shook her head at the girl, “They want you back very much. So much so that they offered a reward for your return.”

            The girl couldn’t hide her surprise or her growing happiness.  Des had stretched the truth slightly, but the girl didn’t need to know that.  She stood and moved away from the girl, sharing another look with the other woman.

            “It’s time.”

            Esme nodded and guided the girl away.  Des watched them disappear into the waning crowd before she turned to head the other way towards the back exit.

            No one approached or bothered her as she moved away from the hustle and noise.  They all knew who she was and what she was capable of.  The people of Four Crossings were many things, including greedy and murderous, but they weren’t stupid.

            Everyone knew that messing with Desdemona Quinn ranked right up there with messing with the devil.  Many people even believed her to be the devil.