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Thursday, August 26, 2010

GHOST OF A CHANCE_CHAPTER 21_THEY WERE NEVER DEFEATED;THEY WERE ONLY KILLED


{"If there's one guy,

just one guy

Who'd lay down his life for you and die

It's hard to say it

I hate to say it,

but it's probably me."

- Sting ("It's Probably Me.)}

{Samuel Clemens, ghost, again. Roland has managed to escape DayStar but with the threat of a return engagement.

Meilori's, being what it is, we are still not safe. We are not even in the same galaxy with "safe." And I will let Roland take it from here.} :


As DayStar's laughter lingered in the shadows,

the world around us smudged like a wet painting being smeared by an angry, dissatisfied artist.

The tango dancers were replaced by men in tuxedo's and women in gowns. Grace Jones was gone.

Duke Ellington and his band replaced her, playing "Harlem Nocturne." I felt as if I had wandered into some hellish nightclub of the 1930's.

Marlene hugged my right arm. "You were so brave, Liebling."

I felt sick inside. "I was not brave. I was what I had to be."

One finely etched eyebrow arched, and Marlene husked, "That is what it is to be brave."

Mark Twain winked and nodded. "What she said ... but without the sexy throb."

From the table to our left laughed a shockingly familar voice, ""I've seen it go worse with DayStar."

I turned and stiffened. A mature Humphrey Bogart. And next to him, a young Lauren Bacall. And across from them both,

the revenant (vampire),Major Strasser, in his dress white Gestapo uniform.

In his right hand was a luger. Pointed right at us.

His arching black eyebrows reminded me of swooping birds of prey. The black moustache seemed almost to crawl above his thin lips.

His eyes were as flat and glassy as a snake's ... but without as much warmth. "I will take care of the 'worse.'"

Mark Twain grunted, "What is it with everyone and lugers? They think one in the hand means the world by the tail."

Major Strasser barked a laugh. "Or a nuisance in the grave."
***


12 comments:

  1. Nice addition! I loved the beginning quote you started off with; for some reason that just really caught my attention:)

    Happy writing,
    LReneeS

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  2. LRenee : Thanks. Writing at 2 A.M. can be a challenge. Being a blood courier can be draining!

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  3. Oh, Bogie and Bacall, doesn't get any better than this. Nice writing as always, Roland. Loved Twain's line:

    "What she said ... but without the sexy throb."

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  4. More wonderful writing! I have so many favorite lines from you.

    Here's my favorite on this one (Twain):"What is it with everyone and lugers? They think one in the hand means the world by the tail."

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  5. ...you've got me envisioning Marlene's presence, husky, sexy throb included, and I'm enjoying the image...I mean, from a ghost's perspective anyway.

    ...on a further note, thanks so much for offering up "Crucible" as an idea for my title. I went ahead and emailed it to the "minds that matter" for consideration. I actually read Miller roughly a hundred years ago in highschool, and had forgotten it over the years. The symbolism of the title would possibly fit the story's scheme.

    Thanks again Roland, and as always, well done.

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  6. Just zipping by to tell you there's something for you over at my blog. I'll be back later tonight to read this sure-to-be awesome post!

    ~that rebel, Olivia

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  7. Mark Twain winked and nodded. "What she said ... but without the sexy throb."

    That was fun to read; makes me wish he would travel east and hang out for a while!

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  8. Shhhh; want to know a secret: I LOVE big band music. Yep, stops me dead everytime to listen.

    (Who could have guessed the headbanger was a sucker for trombone and sax?)

    Nice ending to the last scene, and transition into the next.

    .......dhole

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  9. Donna : My taste for music is really wide, too.
    Thanks for liking my last scene's transition. With the hours I've been working, my head is always light it seems.

    Words Crafter : Isn't Mark Twain a hoot? In the movie of this in my head, I see Nathan Fillion from CASTLE and FIREFLY as Mark Twain.

    Olivia : Thanks for the award. It's only been four work days, and I've already put in 40 hours and 700 miles. I am seeing double or I would visit you and my other friends more.

    Elliot : I am flattered and happy that you like my suggestion of CRUCIBLE enough to submit it to the Powers That Be for your novel. I hope they approve. I think it would add a depth and echo of Arthur Miller's play that would shine favorably on your novel. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

    Terry : I thought you'd like the luger line. Mark Twain is the man.

    Gardner : Samuel is fond of Mark Twain himself. And you're right : it doesn't get much better than Bogart and Bacall.

    LReneeS : I work hard at coming up with a post title and opening quotation that will intrigue and amuse. I'm glad you like them this post.

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  10. Glad to see you got the award up. I didn't even realize you made this post so EARLY! Wow, you deserve much more credit than what I gave you. Writing at 2AM; now that I can understand is exhausting.

    Happy writing,
    LReneeS

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  11. Marlene hugged my right arm. "You were so brave, Liebling."

    I felt sick inside. "I was not brave. I was what I had to be."

    One finely etched eyebrow arched, and Marlene husked, "That is what it is to be brave."

    Mark Twain winked and nodded. "What she said ... but without the sexy throb."


    I've had a character admit to that. And I've said 'Who else was going to do it.' It is so true a statement.

    And I do love Sam. So more trouble ahead? Not at all surprised. ;-D

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  12. Roland, this story just keeps getting better and better. When you get done I want to go back and read it with no break. Yep. Looking forward to that.

    "...the world around us smudged like a wet painting being smeared by an angry, dissatisfied artist." God, I loved that.

    Listening to Harlem Nocturne, not sure I'd heard it before. Awesome tune.

    Hope you get some real time off this weekend, Olivia

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