FREE KINDLE FOR PC

FREE KINDLE FOR PC
So you can read my books

Saturday, October 2, 2010

BEFORE THE MONSTER RETURNS_BAD NEWS BLOGFEST REDUX


{FOR CLARIFICATION} :

Abigail Adams is leader of America's revenants {vampires} because she is a revenant herself, hence her ability to become mist in the bedroom of her dying husband.

I keep forgetting most of you don't read all my posts. Abigail as vampire can be seen in these two recent posts :

(1826) Quincy, Mass. -- In John Adams' bedroom the night before his death. {A FAREWELL TO LOVE}

http://rolandyeomans.blogspot.com/2010/09/farewell-to-love.html

(2005) New Orleans, La. In the home of the undead daughter of Lord Byron {DEATH WEARS 3 FACES} :

http://rolandyeomans.blogspot.com/2010/09/death-wears-three-faces.html


Little Lucy Wentworth can be seen in my first BAD NEWS entry: THE DEVIL'S WIND --
http://rolandyeomans.blogspot.com/2010/10/devils-windbad-news-blogfest.html

AND NOW FOR MY BAD NEWS ENTRY REDUX :


{It is the year 1857 in the port city of Mumbai, India.

"The Devils Wind" is the name the sepoys gave to the mutiny of Moslems against British rule, a barbaric, uncontrollable fury that swept across the hot plains of India as if blown by the Devil.}


Abigail Adams hadn't improved with age.

Her beauty had crystalized into cold porcelain flesh. Her wisdom had brittled into cleverness. And her hate for me had bittered like over-steeped tea.

Small Lucy Wentworth clung to my left leg, looking fearfully at the revenants who ringed us on the Mumbai dock. I studied them coldly. The ship that offered freedom was only a dozen feet away.

It might as well have been moored in the dust of the moon.

India hadn't been kind to me. But then, she was harsh even to her own children.

Though there wasn't a part of me that wasn't hurting or bleeding, I could still take the revenants. Abigail, being both genius and revenant, was another matter.

Abigail whispered, "I have traveled half the world to have you at my mercy."

Lucy chirped in her proper British accent. "Then, you have traveled a long way just to die."

Abigail flicked cold eyes to Lucy then back to me. "You are weak, wounded, and unarmed."

Lucy laughed with the confidence of innocence. "And still, Captain Sam will kill you and your bullies."

"Madripoor," I said softly, and Lucy ducked down and hugged her knees as she had in that death-trap.

I slipped into the fighting stance taught me by the Shaolin priests, and Abigail regarded me with cool, appraising eyes.

She spoke low. "Yes, even after fighting your way across all of India, I do believe you would be unstoppable ... in defense of a child."

"I-If Abigail Adams were still alive and here, you'd be sorry," quavered Lucy, her beloved pith helmet dinged and battered.

The revenants around us jerked at Lucy's words and looked to Abigail. Lucy laughed.

"See? Even your killers know the name of Abigail Adams."

And death was on the night winds like the smell of ashes as the woman named murmured, "And where did you hear that name, child?"

Lucy raised her chin in defiance. "All through these many frightful nights Captain Sam would tell me stories of her ... of how she and her husband gave birth to America ... of how strong she was, of how smart she was, of how brave she was ... of how much she sacrificed for love."

Abigail husked, "Sacrificed for love."

"Yes, for love. Oh, I can see how you scare these leeches all around us. No doubt you are strong, brave, and perhaps even smart."

Lucy hugged my leg as if it were my chest. "But you will never be loved."

Abigail's eyes sank deep in her perfect face. "No. I shall never be loved ... again."

Lucy raised her chin in defiance. "Captain Sam said I could do no better than to model myself after Abigail Adams, that if she saw any Thuggee trying to kill me, she would box their ears for them."

Lucy giggled, "I would have quite liked to have seen that."

Lucy pulled out five dirty pages, folded neat in her torn jacket pocket. "I've copied some things Abigail said to memorize and live by."

The little girl closed her eyes and repeated by rote, "To be good, and do good, is the whole duty of man comprised in a few words."

Lucy glared at Abigail. "But to a monster like you I would wager those words mean nothing."

Abigail spoke thickly. "You would lose that wager, Lucy Wentworth."

She looked at me with eyes suddenly wet. "I was mist in the darkness, Samuel, when you promised my husband you would save me if you could."

Lucy frowned, "Your husband?"

Abigail rasped, "Yes, my beloved friend and husband ... President John Adams."

Lucy looked up stunned at me. "Captain Sam? Th-This is Abigail Adams?"

I nodded, "This is what has become of a hero who made choices she thought were right ... and was mistakened."

Lucy gave a look of horror at Abigail. "B-But you are a monster."

Abigail shook her head. "Not at the moment, child. Go to the ship, Lucy. Go now. Quicky. Before the monster returns."

The circle of revenants reluctantly opened for us.

I took Lucy up in my arms and limped fast to the ship and safety. Lucy looked wistfully and sad over my shoulder at the shrinking figure of Abigail Adams in the deepening mists.

Lucy gave a forlorn, chidish wave to the tall, tormented leader of America's revenants. For a short moment my enemy was gone.

And the beloved Abigail of John Adams returned the same wave.

I know it was just a trick of my mind. But for a moment I thought I felt a hand squeeze my shoulder.

And I heard President John Adams whisper in my ear, "Thank you."
***


10 comments:

  1. "Her beauty had crystalized into cold porcelain flesh." - you had me at this point. I love your descriptions, so vivid and atmospheric. Nicely done Roland.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love the writing of this. I couldn't figure out what kind of monster Abigail had become but she was chilling. Wonderful. :D

    ReplyDelete
  3. This has a great beginning and the bad news really works. I felt a little slowed in the middle but the overall tone went really well with the story.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nicely done, though I too was a little confused at the monster(s). However, I am sure if this were longer that you would have explained that.
    Nancy
    N. R. Williams, fantasy author

    ReplyDelete
  5. Abigail Adams is leader of America's revenants {vampires) because she is a revenant herself, hence her ability to become mist in the bedroom of her dying husband.

    I keep forgetting most of you don't read all my posts. Abigail as vampire can be seen in these two recent posts :

    (1826) Quincy, Mass. -- John Adams bedroom the night before his death. {A FAREWELL TO LOVE}

    http://rolandyeomans.blogspot.com/2010/09/farewell-to-love.html

    (2005) New Orleans, La. Home of the undead daughter of Lord Byron {DEATH WEARS 3 FACES} :

    http://rolandyeomans.blogspot.com/2010/09/death-wears-three-faces.html

    ReplyDelete
  6. I nodded, "This is what has become of a hero who made choices she thought was right ... and was mistakened."
    Lucy gave a look of horror at Abigail. "B-But you are a monster."


    I take it this is the bad news that Lucy receives; to have her illusions of hero worship dissolved. A sad thing for a child.

    I do like that Abigail relented for the one moment in the face of the child's dissappointment.

    .......dhole

    ReplyDelete
  7. Donna : Yes, that is part of the bad news. The other part is the revelation Abigail received from the dark mirrors of a child's eyes.

    N.R.: I tried to relieve the confusion you felt by re-doing the beginning of my post. Thanks for heads-up I was confusing my friends.

    Dawn : I'm glad only the middle slowed for you. Thanks for giving me hints on how to improve.

    Brenda : Sometimes the worst monsters on the pretty ones. Thanks for liking my little post.

    Talei : You always make my evenings with your comments. Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  8. Very vivid. I also love the name for the monsters: revenants. But this is the passage that roped me in to this world:

    "Her beauty had crystalized into cold porcelain flesh. Her wisdom had brittled into cleverness. And her hate for me had bittered like over-steeped tea."

    Very nicely done!

    ReplyDelete
  9. And a little child shall lead them.....

    Children can cut through all the muck and see the truth, and shame us, uplift us, and bring us back to ourselves.

    This was an outstanding glimpse of what could have been, as well as the reality that wasn't expected....

    ReplyDelete
  10. My favorite line:

    And her hate for me had bittered like over-steeped tea.


    I'd love to get a peek into your imagination, Roland! Fantastic stuff.

    ReplyDelete