Chapter VI
Maria threw the door to Gertrude’s house open so violently that its hinges squealed violently. She rushed outside, thinking that her mother had gotten sick. Linnea wasn’t in sight. Maria looked around for the tracks of a wild animal or of another person, any clue to where Linnea might be, and why.
“Mother!” She called, beginning to sob. “Mother, Mother, where are you?” The noise she was making disturbed her younger siblings, and Maria heard Elaine racing out of Gertrude’s house as fast as her six year old legs could carry her, half carrying, half dragging Mathieu along behind her, as he still could not walk. When Elaine reached her, holding Mathieu by one arm and one leg, Maria had sunk down to the ground, and was weeping uncontrollably, ignoring the stains and dirt on her cleanest dress. Rescuing Mathieu from Elaine’s grasp, she hugged both children to her, ignoring their questions.
They sat together in silence, Maria crying, the bewildered Elaine watching, and little Mathieu asleep. It seemed to Maria as though time had stood still for hours, even though they had only been there for a few minutes. Maria had been recalling years of memories of her mother and wondering what would happen to her and her siblings, with their father too busy being a noble to care about the children he fathered, and their mother…dead, Maria presumed. Or kidnapped, as Maria knew that Linnea would never voluntarily leave her family. Besides, if she left, what would she do? Maria was the main breadwinner for their family, using her few specialized talents to bring in a meager amount of money, just barely enough to keep them alive if added to the money brought in from begging and other things. Linnea had no remarkable talents, and most occupations for average women were full.
Elaine’s childish voice broke into Maria’s thoughts.
“Look, Maria, what’s that?”
“What’s what, darling?”
“Shiny, over there!” Elaine escaped Maria’s hold and trotted over to pick up the “shiny”. When the mud had been wiped off with the hem of Elaine’s skirt, it proved to be a pewter angel.
“Maria, this is Mama’s. Let’s go give it back to her. It will be a surprise! Maria, where is Mama?”
“Elaine, sweetheart, I don’t know.” Maria’s voice felt as heavy as her heart. She took the cold metal trinket out of Elaine’s pudgy hand and placed it gently in her apron pocket. Once again absorbed in bleak thoughts about their even bleaker future, she picked Mathieu up and took Elaine’s hand in hers, and they walked back to Gertrude’s house, realizing never to let go of each other, because they were the only things they had left.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Chapter V
Chapter V
When they reached Gertrude’s house, the woman herself was standing by the door. She had an uncharacteristically large smile on her face, which immediately roused Maria’s suspicions. Gertrude never smiled. No reason was given to her to be cheerful about anything, least of all Maria. Maria, admittedly, never really gave Gertrude a reason to like her, giving as good as she got for every verbal slap and kick, sometimes doling out of her own verbal abuse. Not without warrant, she told herself. Gertrude needed to be taken down a notch or ten sometimes, and though Maria was usually quiet and demure, something about Gertrude incensed her.
Gertrude’s smile seemed to get wider as they approached. And, somehow, expectant and malicious at the same time. Maria felt even more wary and felt like hiding behind her mother, as little Elaine was. Elaine didn’t like Gertrude much, either.
“Come on in, everyone!” Gertrude’s unnaturally sweet and welcoming voice brayed. The family filed through the door, with Maria last. The house that Gertrude lived in was very…Gertrude, was the only word Maria could think of. It was covered in distractions to take the viewer’s mind off of the obvious dirtiness and poverty of the house and surrounding area. Through the only window-half covered with a pink curtain to disguise the lack of glass-there was a cherry tree in full bloom. It was beautiful, Maria admitted to herself, but its beauty was tarnished by Gertrude. After a closer look at the tree, Maria realized that the tree was old and gnarled and obviously hadn’t been tended in years-the weeds around its base were threatening to choke it to death. Maria felt a stab of pity for the tree, but was jolted out of her thoughts by Gertrude, who was handing her a cup of tea.
The three women chatted comfortably at first, but when Maria’s mother excused herself to use the outhouse, the conversation was very forced-Linnea was the only person who really wanted to talk to Gertrude. Maria would never reply to Gertrude’s queries with more than one-word answers, if she could help it. After three cups of Gertrude’s cheap, but very strong tea, Maria was also feeling the need to relieve herself, but her mother had not come back from the outhouse!
When they reached Gertrude’s house, the woman herself was standing by the door. She had an uncharacteristically large smile on her face, which immediately roused Maria’s suspicions. Gertrude never smiled. No reason was given to her to be cheerful about anything, least of all Maria. Maria, admittedly, never really gave Gertrude a reason to like her, giving as good as she got for every verbal slap and kick, sometimes doling out of her own verbal abuse. Not without warrant, she told herself. Gertrude needed to be taken down a notch or ten sometimes, and though Maria was usually quiet and demure, something about Gertrude incensed her.
Gertrude’s smile seemed to get wider as they approached. And, somehow, expectant and malicious at the same time. Maria felt even more wary and felt like hiding behind her mother, as little Elaine was. Elaine didn’t like Gertrude much, either.
“Come on in, everyone!” Gertrude’s unnaturally sweet and welcoming voice brayed. The family filed through the door, with Maria last. The house that Gertrude lived in was very…Gertrude, was the only word Maria could think of. It was covered in distractions to take the viewer’s mind off of the obvious dirtiness and poverty of the house and surrounding area. Through the only window-half covered with a pink curtain to disguise the lack of glass-there was a cherry tree in full bloom. It was beautiful, Maria admitted to herself, but its beauty was tarnished by Gertrude. After a closer look at the tree, Maria realized that the tree was old and gnarled and obviously hadn’t been tended in years-the weeds around its base were threatening to choke it to death. Maria felt a stab of pity for the tree, but was jolted out of her thoughts by Gertrude, who was handing her a cup of tea.
The three women chatted comfortably at first, but when Maria’s mother excused herself to use the outhouse, the conversation was very forced-Linnea was the only person who really wanted to talk to Gertrude. Maria would never reply to Gertrude’s queries with more than one-word answers, if she could help it. After three cups of Gertrude’s cheap, but very strong tea, Maria was also feeling the need to relieve herself, but her mother had not come back from the outhouse!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Chapter IV
Chapter IV
The answers to her questions were provided the next morning.
“Maria, come here please,” her mother said gently. “I need you to help me take Mathieu to Gertie’s. She will watch him while we go out and…work. ”
“What kind of work?”
“The kind that will get us money.”
“Where are poor women like us going to get work? Oh, no… No, no, no…”
“Maria! Do you really think that I’d do something as disreputable as that? Or to you? I’m ashamed.”
“Well, then what? If I’m going to be the one doing the work, I want to know what I’m going to be doing!”
“You’ll see.” They walked for another five minutes, Maria holding Mathieu and their wicker basket, Linnea holding Maria’s younger sister, Elaine, with one hand and their tattered suitcase in the other, until Maria realized what was odd.
“Mother, why are we taking Elaine and the luggage if we’re dropping off Mathieu at Aunt Gertrude’s and going to work? Why do we need the luggage mostly.”
“We might be staying at Gertie’s for a while, seeing as soldiers are looking for us, I thought it would be safest.”
Not altogether reassured, Maria followed her mother to Gertrude’s.
The answers to her questions were provided the next morning.
“Maria, come here please,” her mother said gently. “I need you to help me take Mathieu to Gertie’s. She will watch him while we go out and…work. ”
“What kind of work?”
“The kind that will get us money.”
“Where are poor women like us going to get work? Oh, no… No, no, no…”
“Maria! Do you really think that I’d do something as disreputable as that? Or to you? I’m ashamed.”
“Well, then what? If I’m going to be the one doing the work, I want to know what I’m going to be doing!”
“You’ll see.” They walked for another five minutes, Maria holding Mathieu and their wicker basket, Linnea holding Maria’s younger sister, Elaine, with one hand and their tattered suitcase in the other, until Maria realized what was odd.
“Mother, why are we taking Elaine and the luggage if we’re dropping off Mathieu at Aunt Gertrude’s and going to work? Why do we need the luggage mostly.”
“We might be staying at Gertie’s for a while, seeing as soldiers are looking for us, I thought it would be safest.”
Not altogether reassured, Maria followed her mother to Gertrude’s.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Chapter III
Chapter III
As Maria was lying in her bed, thinking angry thoughts and trying to go back to sleep, she heard the front door creak open. Whispered voices drifted through the thin wall separating the two rooms of their house.
“House,” Maria thought to herself. “House, but not home. Never home.”
She quickly collected her thoughts as she heard her name mentioned in the whispered conversation. Pressing her ear to the flimsy wall, she identified her mother’s voice and, startlingly, the voice of her Aunt Gertrude!
“What is she doing here?” Maria asked herself silently. Then, realizing that she could figure this out with the help of more eavesdropping, once again pressed her ear to the wall.
“-Work for me if I’ll feed her and clothe her and treat her well? That’s your deal? No. Give me something else, too. Keeping her will cost me more than her housekeeping is probably worth.”
“We don’t have much to give” Her mother’s voice replied. What deal was she trying to strike with Aunt Gertrude? Maria wondered. Whatever it was, she decided, she hoped fervently that it had nothing whatsoever to do with her.
As Maria was lying in her bed, thinking angry thoughts and trying to go back to sleep, she heard the front door creak open. Whispered voices drifted through the thin wall separating the two rooms of their house.
“House,” Maria thought to herself. “House, but not home. Never home.”
She quickly collected her thoughts as she heard her name mentioned in the whispered conversation. Pressing her ear to the flimsy wall, she identified her mother’s voice and, startlingly, the voice of her Aunt Gertrude!
“What is she doing here?” Maria asked herself silently. Then, realizing that she could figure this out with the help of more eavesdropping, once again pressed her ear to the wall.
“-Work for me if I’ll feed her and clothe her and treat her well? That’s your deal? No. Give me something else, too. Keeping her will cost me more than her housekeeping is probably worth.”
“We don’t have much to give” Her mother’s voice replied. What deal was she trying to strike with Aunt Gertrude? Maria wondered. Whatever it was, she decided, she hoped fervently that it had nothing whatsoever to do with her.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
VERY IMPORTANT!!! READ BEFORE READING STORIES!!!
the posts in this blog go from newest to oldest, so read the stories from bottom of page up so as not to spoil endings!!!!!!!
thanks
Kate
thanks
Kate
Ok, didn't work...
sorry the pics did'nt work...
:'(
oh well...
on another technical issue, the posts in this blog go from newest to oldest. I don't think you want to read my stories backwards, so I think you'll have to read up. We (I) apologise for the inconveniance. (I've always wanted to say that!!!!)
<3 Kate
:'(
oh well...
on another technical issue, the posts in this blog go from newest to oldest. I don't think you want to read my stories backwards, so I think you'll have to read up. We (I) apologise for the inconveniance. (I've always wanted to say that!!!!)
<3 Kate
Chapter II
Chapter II
Maria tossed and turned all night. She just couldn’t sleep. The mere thought of leaving again was repulsive enough to keep her up for a week. She got up and padded softly out of the bedroom that their family shared, noticing that while her younger siblings still slumbered peacefully, her mother was not there. She crept silently to the other room in their house. Her mother was sitting at their table, her back to the only exit from their house, her eyes on Maria.
“Go back to bed.”
“Why are you still up?”
“Maria, I said go back to bed.” There was a tone in Linnea’s voice that Maria could not argue with. She left the room and flopped gently onto her side of the bed, careful not to wake her younger siblings. Maria lay there for hours, but she did not go back to sleep.
Maria tossed and turned all night. She just couldn’t sleep. The mere thought of leaving again was repulsive enough to keep her up for a week. She got up and padded softly out of the bedroom that their family shared, noticing that while her younger siblings still slumbered peacefully, her mother was not there. She crept silently to the other room in their house. Her mother was sitting at their table, her back to the only exit from their house, her eyes on Maria.
“Go back to bed.”
“Why are you still up?”
“Maria, I said go back to bed.” There was a tone in Linnea’s voice that Maria could not argue with. She left the room and flopped gently onto her side of the bed, careful not to wake her younger siblings. Maria lay there for hours, but she did not go back to sleep.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
if this works... this is a testFriday, January 4, 2008
Chapter I
This story, as of yet, has no name. If anyone would like to suggest a name, comment please.
Chapter I
“No!” shouted Maria, running from her mother Linnea, who stood by their rickety wooden kitchen table, holding Maria’s baby brother in one arm and a tattered suitcase in the other. An ancient wicker basket lay at her feet. A girl of six, Maria’s sister, peeked out from behind Linnea’s skirts.
“Maria, be reasonable, you know this is necessary.” Linnea had a desperate look on her face.
“No! I’m not coming! I’ve gone so many different places with you, running from the thrice-cursed King and his thrice-cursed soldiers! I’m not running away, not one more time! Why did Father leave us so poor and desolate? ”
Upset by the noise, Maria’s baby brother Mathieu began to cry. Linnea held him closer to her and glared reproachfully at Maria. “Maria, your father had duties, duties that as a noble he is forced to comply with. As soon as he returns from service in the King’s army-”
“The same King’s army that’s hunting us right now, you know.”
“Maria, I know, but as soon as he returns we will be rich and flee no more, God willing.”
“You’re wasting your time.” Maria’s face was stony.
“Doing what?”
“Praying like that. If there is a God, He doesn’t care about us.”
“Maria!” scolded her mother, shocked.
“It’s true! Look at us. Just look at us. No one cares about us. It’s a wonder that we’re even alive.” Maria turned from her mother, hiding her tears.
“Oh, darling, if you won’t believe in God, at least believe in yourself.” Comforted Linnea, hugging Maria.
“I try, mother, I really do, but…But sometimes, it’s just too hard.”
Neither of the women knew what to say, so in the silence they stood there, Linnea softly stroking Maria’s long red hair.
Chapter I
“No!” shouted Maria, running from her mother Linnea, who stood by their rickety wooden kitchen table, holding Maria’s baby brother in one arm and a tattered suitcase in the other. An ancient wicker basket lay at her feet. A girl of six, Maria’s sister, peeked out from behind Linnea’s skirts.
“Maria, be reasonable, you know this is necessary.” Linnea had a desperate look on her face.
“No! I’m not coming! I’ve gone so many different places with you, running from the thrice-cursed King and his thrice-cursed soldiers! I’m not running away, not one more time! Why did Father leave us so poor and desolate? ”
Upset by the noise, Maria’s baby brother Mathieu began to cry. Linnea held him closer to her and glared reproachfully at Maria. “Maria, your father had duties, duties that as a noble he is forced to comply with. As soon as he returns from service in the King’s army-”
“The same King’s army that’s hunting us right now, you know.”
“Maria, I know, but as soon as he returns we will be rich and flee no more, God willing.”
“You’re wasting your time.” Maria’s face was stony.
“Doing what?”
“Praying like that. If there is a God, He doesn’t care about us.”
“Maria!” scolded her mother, shocked.
“It’s true! Look at us. Just look at us. No one cares about us. It’s a wonder that we’re even alive.” Maria turned from her mother, hiding her tears.
“Oh, darling, if you won’t believe in God, at least believe in yourself.” Comforted Linnea, hugging Maria.
“I try, mother, I really do, but…But sometimes, it’s just too hard.”
Neither of the women knew what to say, so in the silence they stood there, Linnea softly stroking Maria’s long red hair.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
oohh! favorite inspirations!!!
If you're a Harry Potter fan, and want to read an amazing fan fic on the Remus Lupin/Nymphadora Tonks relationship, go to this link.
http://mrstater.livejournal.com/77344.html#cutid4
It's the best fanfic out there!
(Fanfic means Fan-written Fiction, by the by)
I sat up for nights until 6am sometimes reading it!
Definately read it.
http://mrstater.livejournal.com/77344.html#cutid4
It's the best fanfic out there!
(Fanfic means Fan-written Fiction, by the by)
I sat up for nights until 6am sometimes reading it!
Definately read it.
Alright...
I'm a writer, among other things, and I have finally decided on a use for this blog!!
I'll type out chapters of my latest story, and in other random posts, bits of info on me!
Also, I really want to write a Harry Potter related romance fanfic, but can't seem to get a good idea!
If anyone has an idea just post a comment (you can even if you're not a blogger member) and I'll choose one or two, maybe three if there're lots of options!
I'm a writer, among other things, and I have finally decided on a use for this blog!!
I'll type out chapters of my latest story, and in other random posts, bits of info on me!
Also, I really want to write a Harry Potter related romance fanfic, but can't seem to get a good idea!
If anyone has an idea just post a comment (you can even if you're not a blogger member) and I'll choose one or two, maybe three if there're lots of options!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)