Tag: inspiration

Please Come, Thursday

Published on by Yinglan3 Comments

May I just say, I am absolutely positively not looking forward to tomorrow. In fact, I wish it would just fly by quickly and Thursday would come. I’d rather go to school than do what I have to do tomorrow. Not only it would take the entire day and it disgusts me a lot. It makes me shiver just talking about it. It’s got that “Ick” factor.

This would be my second year doing it though I don’t know why. My doctor finally called me back last Friday after making me wait anxiously for two days. He said my lab results looked okay except my hormones were a little high. No surprise there. He then told me I have to do a 24-hr urine test.

I was like “What?” Again? “You just told me everything was fine.”

He replied saying he needed to make sure my Calcium wasn’t out of whack. Didn’t it show in the lab results? I saw it. But he kept sticking to his reason, prevention of my hypocalcimia returning.

Anyway, just now on my way home, I stopped by the hospital to pick up my kit. I was a regular customer at the lab and the lab technician took my word that I needed to do this test. She didn’t even look at my lab order to make sure before disappearing to the back to gather the kit. She returned almost 5 minutes later with one of those large white personal belongings bags. Still, I had to make sure I didn’t hear wrong, hopefully, I did and don’t have to do this icky test. Unfortunately, that was what my doctor ordered. I peeked at my lab order and my doctor wrote specifically at the bottom, “24-hr urine test.” UGH! There were a lot of check marks on there also so I have a faint sensation he is doing so much more than just check my Calcium.

So now, the kit sits in my bathroom which I have already told my aunt she has to use the bathroom downstairs tomorrow while I spend the entire day at home doing this yucky test. But I don’t think my aunt has a clue of how the test will be conducted. She’s 4’11”, 80 pounds, and never been the doctor a day in her life. No, she has no clue of how anything works. How lucky is that?!

Happy and Accomplished

Published on by Yinglan2 Comments

I feel like I’ve finally accomplished something today. I have completed my assignment that’s due tomorrow after another round of Beat the System. Hopefully, my instructor will settle for a 3% similarities. It’s a different instructor than Business Law.

I’ve also completed the homework that’s due on Wednesday. Finally! Now if I can just finish yet this week’s Business Law homework, I’d be the happiest girl on Earth.

I won’t say much. I began scribbling down an idea that’s been stuck inside me for a few weeks now. I feel like it’s going to burst. I’ve finally finished the character list yet again for the novel I’ve been trying to write for about two years now. This will be my fourth possibly fifth rewrite as well as change of characters. Like most writers say, the first novel is always the hardest. I agree with them completely.

Before I go though, I like to share this photograph I’ve found on pinterest.

“En ese momento me di cuenta de que el anochecer es sólo una ilusión, porque el sol sigue estando presente, ya sea por encima o por debajo de la línea del horizonte. Y estos significa que el día y la noche están unidos como muy pocas cosas lo están; no pueden estar el uno sin el otro, pero tampoco pueden existir a la vez.” Nicholas Sparks.
Song of the Setting Sun Print by Phil Koch Credit: Pinterest

 

The Great Loosening

Published on by Yinglan7 Comments

Home…Soil…Rain…

It reminds me of Fall 2009, just about two months after we moved into our current home. To be honest, I still can’t see why my mom had purchased this house. Of all the houses we looked at, she just had to pick this one.

We spent almost two weeks after moving in painting and cleaning the walls. It was so full of fingerprints and grease that it’s disgusting just to talk about it. We also cleaned every nooks and corners of this house except underneath the range; we didn’t clean that until we replaced the range in 2011. You have no idea what sort of weird objects we found. Currently, the only place remained  uncleaned is the deck outside and I don’t ever want to touch that.

There are a lot of garbage underneath that deck. It used to be the previous family’s go to trash can when they did take-out every single night.

Anyway, back to Fall 2009. In our backyard, we have this huge plot of soil.

This wasn’t always like this. Back we moved in, this lied an above ground swimming pool. After the previous owner removed the pool, we were left with this awkward polygon shape plot of soil. My mom thought we’d turn it into a garden except the surface at the time resembled this:

Credit: ritavaags.blogspot.com

The summer was dry that year, I remember. We didn’t get a lot of rain and every commercial on TV was screaming at us, conserve, don’t water your lawn.

In September or October, we finally got a decent storm and when the storm finally ended, I decided to take a shovel, go out into the backyard and start loosening up the soil. The day was wet and damp but the air felt fresh and breathable for the first time in a while. I set my shovel on the soil and effortlessly lifted it. The top layer resembled mud but the soil was drying up quickly, I had to work fast.

Finally, I managed to get the top soil loosened and then I began digging into the next layer and the next and the next. Of course, my mom came out and helped but after a short time, she gave up and went back into the house, leaving me out there to continue digging.

By the time I completed and went back into the house, it was about 4 or 5 hours later. My whole body ached but when I looked out at the plot of land, I couldn’t help to admire the result of my hard work. It no longer looked like a desert, it looked like a garden.

That year, we planted three plum trees (two on this plot of land and one in the front yard) and two blueberry bushes. The tree in the front yard survived but the two in the back along with the blueberry bushes died. We didn’t know why at first but we found out later that too much Chlorine had seeped from the pool water. The soil was toxic to plants.

We had spent the past five years or so neutralizing the soil with topsoil and cow manure. It’s worked so far but the trees and plants are still struggling, I can tell. You can tell too. The apple tree has been there for five years, yet it’s hardly grown. Not enough nutrients in the soil.

We planted cherry trees for the third time two years ago but it died after a few months. So last year, we decided on Asian Pear Trees and it barely survived the year.

The entire yard was covered in frost.  I had to be very careful this morning when I stepped out to marvel at the beautiful blue sky. Not for long though, spring is coming real soon and we’ll have to start planting again.

I wonder what my mom has in mind this year. I know snow peas are a definite yes. I know she’s already given up on corn. We probably won’t have blackberries this year, well maybe. As you can see in the above picture, my aunt’s went overboard with the trimming. I still can’t believe she did that. Hopefully this garden will flourish this year.

Have to get back to my assignment, so ciao for now. 🙂

BEAT THE SYSTEM

Published on by Yinglan5 Comments

I spent almost the entire day today doing my case briefs for my business law class. Not an ideal way to spend a Sunday. By the time I can finally exhale a breath, I was at the point when I start swearing.

Oh, it’s not the case briefs that’s frustrating me, in fact, they have become a little easier for me.  It’s the originality reports.

I was woken up at 7 am this morning, isn’t that nice, after I finally went to bed at 11:30 pm last night. It turned out my mom needed help because the last case brief was done by me. So she had no clue how to do it.

I went to sleep after that and didn’t open my eyes again until 8:30. I went downstairs and ate something before returning upstairs to work on my own case briefs. It only took me until noon to complete both of them. I was so happy and relieved after I submitted it because I thought I had finally completed my homework and can finally relax and do some blogging.

Unfortunately, right after lunch, I went online and checked the originality report on my assignment. HOLY FREAKING COW!!!

55% similar and I wrote all of it!

The next 4 hours were spent trying to change just about every word on my assignment. I twist each word when I can while trying to retain the meaning of the sentence, intend to do anything to BEAT the damn SYSTEM.

It is ridiculous! We’re doing a case brief, for god sake! The titles have to be the same. After all, the decision of the case didn’t come out yesterday and I am not the first one to do case brief on this specific case. The names of the cases cannot be original. It can NEVER be original.

I think the need to use this program is stupid but at the same time, it wouldn’t have so many similarities if my mom hadn’t turned in the exact same case just last week. Apparently neither of us read the instructions and we were just supposed to submit one of three cases. Well my mom submitted all three. If she had just ignored me and read the instructions, this wouldn’t had happened. Sometimes I hate her for whining that she doesn’t have enough time to double-check.

Anyway, I basically had to rewrite my case briefs, going over every sentence that was caught in the originality report. It was such a pain to search for fitting synonyms and rewrite each sentence. Eventually, after two more tries, I finally did it. I went from 55% to 49% to 16%. I am happy with 16% since 10% came from my mom’s paper which I co-wrote.

I enjoy writing and I enjoy puzzles but sitting in this seat all day doing this? Trying to satisfy the originality report? It’s not my kind of enjoyment especially when I never even been to these websites that the system is “accusing” me of copying my materials from.

I mean, the case name is Griswold v. Connecticut, it will be this name forever, you simply can’t count 10% against me for using the same title. There is no such thing as originality when doing case briefs for landmark supreme court cases!

Oh and by the way, does this satisfy today’s prompt? I think it does.

Daily Prompt: Enough is Enough

What a day!

Published on by Yinglan4 Comments

This may look like it was written when I’m half awake because I was exhausted yesterday. I am exhausted today. I really really really need to sleep.

I spent half of yesterday morning trying to search for answers in my oh-so-vague business law book. Guess that’s the result of having a CPA write a law book.

That book has to be the worst textbook ever written. The answers to the questions at the end of the chapter are not even in the book. I had to google it and look in five or six websites before I even find the answers.

Let’s not forget to mention each clause of the Constitution are so vaguely explained that after I read it, I am scratching my head going what the heck does that supposed to mean? Oh and have I mention how much I have come to hate the wording of the Constitution? No wonder people break laws, no one can understand what it means. Even the Supreme Court justices have arguments over the interpretation of the meaning.

Before the semester began, I thought it would be fun studying all those landmark cases since I enjoy history and all but now it feels it feels, oh, I can’t even find the words to describe it. I still have two case briefs that’s due tomorrow as well as I have to take three chapter quizzes. In three words, I am miserable. 😦

Yeah, I know what I’ve said about how my semester is looking bright, yadi yada, but this business law class is just driving me insane. The material, the pile of homework, it’s just beyond crazy!

Anyway, back to yesterday. I spent the remainder of the morning working on my cost accounting assignment, now that’s a piece of cake. I finished it in a jiffy. After lunch, I returned to my room, attempting to write something but I was interrupted by my mom dragging me out to shop the second I finished my story for Friday Fictioneers. She said I needed the exercise and walking around the base exchange was classified as exercise.

At least I hit jackpot and finally scored myself two pairs of jeans, 🙂 which it’s still sitting in a bag by my door. I haven’t had time to hang it since the five minutes after I came home, I was busy finishing tagging my post to be published.

Then just as I was getting ready to hang my new pants, I had to leave again, this time, to school. I am volunteering for Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) next month and I need to get my certification in order to be qualified to help people file their taxes.

My mom wanted to get her certification too. So she tagged along.

Oh my gosh, do you know how annoying it was? She was always steps behind the instructor and asking me for help. Then I ended steps behind too.

Thank god at least I’ve used this program once before and I still remember what I’ve learned from my taxation class but her mind seemed as if it was blank. So many times during the night, I wanted to get up and yell in her face, “Why don’t you look up at the screen and see what the instructor is doing?”

I know it’s wrong but I’m getting this certification to volunteer, to earn my service hours. Meanwhile, she’s just doing it for the fun of it. If I do something wrong, I have a big risk. I have to get the experience to find a job. Meanwhile, she doesn’t need to worry about this risk.

Anyway, I was exhausted by the time I got home. My mom was suggesting we do the three quizzes but I was like NO WAY, I have to sleep. I was to get up before six this morning to take my annoying cousin to take his TOEFL exam this morning AGAIN.

I am exhausted and I want to sleep. Unfortunately, that won’t be possible since my homework is piling up and I just gulped down a large cup of cappuccino. Besides, I have to go pick up my cousin soon. Now, I just hope I can get a grip on this business law class and then hopefully, all will be right in the world.

 Daily Prompt: Easy Fix (Hopefully)

That Mighty Long Chat

Published on by Yinglan7 Comments

I went on a camping trip for three days and two nights during the summer between 6th and 7th grade. It was fun and not fun as I pointed in this little walk through my adventures.

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The fun? We got to go to all these cool and amazing places. The not fun? 3 minutes cold showers and the constant teasing by my camp-mates and the camp counselors couldn’t do anything about it.

I didn’t quite enjoy the telling ghost stories around the bonfire either. The log wasn’t comfortable and not a fan of burnt marshmallows. Also the night was still chilly even with the fire burning in the middle.

That’s why if I want to have a long chat with someone, I would definitely not do it around a fire. If I am to have that long chat, I have no idea who, surprise me, I don’t care, I would most definitely choose some place comfortable and indoor, preferably some place with couches.

This looks comfortable, let’s chat!

 

Daily Prompt – Fireside Chat

To Start the Day…

Published on by Yinglan7 Comments

I do a lot yet I also do very little in those 30 minutes after I awaken from my long 6-10 hours slumber and none of those thing will ensure my day is off on the right foot. Continue reading “To Start the Day…” →

These Little Moments…

Published on by Yinglan3 Comments

I don’t like taking pictures, especially of people, with people, eh… Bad experience with my mom on multiple occasions, don’t ask.

Continue reading “These Little Moments…” →

Imagination Recharged

Published on by Yinglan6 Comments

Last week was both a great week and a bad week for me. First the new semester began and that came with a lot homework and reading. Continue reading “Imagination Recharged” →

Blogging 101: Be Inspired by the Neighbors

Published on by Yinglan2 Comments

I have been mulling over this post for a few days now. You know, homework, outings, lack of time, blah blah blah. Continue reading “Blogging 101: Be Inspired by the Neighbors” →

Pencils Only

Published on by Yinglan3 Comments

“Do all of your assignment with pencil on paper.” That’s what all the instructors said on the first day class.

When I was working on my undergraduate degree, we were not allowed to type our homework, except for the communication class when we were required to type our reports. Well, frankly, if we were to write our reports by hand, it would take forever and by the time we finish, our hands might be in some serious pain.

Even now, I write all my notes by hand on my tablet instead of typing them in Microsoft OneNote. I enjoy writing my notes by hands because it just feels so much faster especially when the class involves drawing tables and graphs.

Still, that doesn’t stop me from imagining what the world would be like if we were to go back to pre-keyboard era which would be before the 1860’s when the typewriter was invented. Technically, typewriters count as keyboards. They have keys and the paper is the screen.

Underwoodfive

I guess without the keyboard’s existence, I might be dipping pens, pencils probably existed but maybe only special people used ’em. Maybe clumsy people like me might not even have pens but just wooden sticks to write in the sand so we don’t get ink all over our dresses.

This semester, I found out I have to type all my assignments! Honestly, I rather prefer to go back to the pencil and paper days. At least I won’t have to stare at a screen the entire day. I mean, it’s killing my eyes! I find myself to have to zoom in to 150% this morning just to read this Supreme Court Case (Brown v. Board of Education) for my Business Law assignment and the font wasn’t even that small. The words just looked so blurry and tiny to me.

Please do NOT tell me I’m going blind.

The Tiny Soldier Part 3 (Flash Fiction Chain #5)

Published on by Yinglan30 Comments

Flash fiction Chain #5

I am super excited to participate in this Flash Fiction Chain hosted by Jithin of PhoTrablogger. The following parts are inspired by the above image. Continue reading “The Tiny Soldier Part 3 (Flash Fiction Chain #5)” →

Contradiction of Everything

Published on by Yinglan2 Comments

Daily Prompt: Do you have a good friend or close relative with whom you disagree on a major issue (political, personal, cultural)? What’s the issue, and how do you make the relationship work?

Do I?

My 17-year-old cousin, the one who’s living in the basement, who’s eating all the food, contradicts just about everything. The way he argues about everything just makes me dislike him even more.

The worst part? My aunt stands with him. It’s ridiculous!

So I stopped talking to him but sometimes, even when I’m not talking to him, he had to jump in. Like on the day when we took the trip to Morgan, before we hit the highway, my mom had to stop by the Air Force Base to pick up her prescription. The three of us waited in the car.

Anyway, my aunt was begging me to take her to City Creek Mall which I did. She was talking about buying souvenirs and I started telling about when I took my former boss’s wife to the mall late 2013. I told about how she purchased over $200 worth of environment friendly soaps without blinking just because her daughter said it was good stuff. I also told about the tea shop next to the environment friendly soap store, how a few ounces of tea leaves cost $40.

“It’s so ridiculously expensive. I don’t think I’d waste my own money on tea.” I said.

The normal response, I think, would be, “I have to agree, money is hard to come by and you worked hard to earn that. It’s good for you to save.”

Instead, my cousin piped up, “You can’t be like that. When you want it, you’ll be willing to spend to get it.”

“Unfortunately,” I replied, “I will never have the heart to spend so much for food.”

He sighed, “Well, then that proves you’re cheap.” Can you believe that? He flat out and called me cheap! Least to say, I spent the remainder of the trip irritated.

Next Saturday, I’m supposed to spend the day shuttling him again from home to the testing center and home again. I don’t even want to do it but as usual, I’m the only one that know how to get there.

One more month and he’ll gone. One more month and I’ll no longer have to hide food in my room. 

I still cannot believe I’m hiding mentos and butterscotch candies in my room. It’s not like I’m going to eat it all.

 

Brain Power

Published on by Yinglan6 Comments

Daily Prompt: Let’s assume we do, in fact, use only 10% of our brain. If you could unlock the remaining 90%, what would you do with it?

This is a strange prompt, I have to say, and it was late today. I didn’t see it come up until at the start of my second class.

Do we really use only 10% of our brain? That would be an interesting fact.

If I can unlock the remaining 90%, I would not know what to do with it. It’s just too much brain for me. I would rather it stays locked.

Whoa, scratch that…

Actually, I read this novel a while ago, I can’t remember the title but according to the story, apparently everyone has some kind of supernatural power, they just need to unlock it with their minds.

What if my other 90% was some sort of supernatural power? If that’s true, I would love to use that 90% for mind reading or some kind of cool psychic power. So I can secretly get a glimpse into my mom’s complicated mind, hey maybe it’s not complicated, just to see and double-check her tasks for me before I go do it. Because I’m really tired of the vague instructions and the unappreciative behavior. I mean what exactly do you want me to do?

It’s Crazy…

Published on by Yinglan8 Comments

I just spent almost the entire day doing homework and studying for the two pre-lecture quizzes for tomorrow only to find out one of my teachers had delayed the quiz to Tuesday. I finished my homework though, finally. Continue reading “It’s Crazy…” →

It’s Looking Bright

Published on by Yinglan15 Comments

Well, I just had another adventurous day, this time, not on the road but on the sidewalk. Apparently, the university had decided to clean the parking lots but not the walkways. There was like a layer of ice in front of every building. It took me forever to get to my class.

I was surprised that despite the ice and slippery conditions, some people decided to wear their flats and high heels to school. Well, I would like to wish them good luck. Then again, I bet no one is as clumsy as I am.

Anyway, before I left this morning, I opened my browser and had a quick look at the prompt. Honestly, I thought it was worse than yesterday’s. But whatever, I need some inspiration.

My keyword for the google image search is “LANDSCAPE” and here’s the eleventh image.

" Street Art " Montreal 2012

This is beautiful, isn’t it? According to google, this is a painting of sunset in Montreal, Canada.

“LANDSCAPE” is often my search word in google because when it’s so gloomy and cloudy and the weather’s yucky outside, my inspiration meter would plunge and looking at beautiful painting or photo of somewhere tend to be able to squeeze something out of me.

You know, after going to my new classes today, I think I will look forward to this semester and this year. It’s looking bright.

Bad Weather and a Busy Day

Published on by Yinglan6 Comments

I had such a busy morning and a nerve-wrecking drive JUST to pick up my paycheck. But I’m home now and alright. Whew!

I feel both grateful and angry that the storm chose to ignore the city I’m residing in. It’s completely ridiculous! The moment I left the city on the Freeway this city, rain began pouring harder, much harder.

When I’ve already gone 10 miles, I had this terrifying urge to turn around and go home, to call the office and tell them to forget it, I am not driving in this dangerous condition. But then, my stubbornness kicked in and I hate to do thing halfway. Besides, I kind of need the money to cover my books and credit cards especially with that $3200 tuition, I need it now more than ever.

Finally, about an hour later, I made it to the office. In and out of that office in less than 5 minutes and then it was time to go home.  Yikes!

The drive back, that’s scary. I am not sure whether it was the road material or the road was flooded, I couldn’t tell but my car made this funny whooshing noise and it skidded TWICE even with winter tires. Thank god for no traffic, otherwise I’d be in trouble.

It was terrifying. After that, my chest began to pound. I was almost praying, hoping that the story I wrote over the weekend wouldn’t come true. It cannot come true and it better not come true.

I made it home and had to immediately make some lunch, to calm my nerves but I’m just happy I’m okay. I’m just so glad I only have Tuesdays and Thursdays classes this semester and then I don’t have to face so much bad weather.

They should NOT be spoiled…

Published on by Yinglan1 Comment

Daily Prompt: Pick a contentious issue about which you care deeply — it could be the same-sex marriage debate, or just a disagreement you’re having with a friend. Write a post defending the opposite position, and then reflect on what it was like to do that. Continue reading “They should NOT be spoiled…” →

A Slow Day

Published on by Yinglan4 Comments

I feel like today is going especially slow. I don’t know why. Last night, after suffering from a stomachache all night, I went to bed only to find myself sleeping and waking up repeatedly through the night and finding myself at a different place on the bed every time.

It’s weird, right? I wonder if I should be worried. Nah, maybe I’m having a strange week, that’s all. Maybe just some pre-semester jitters.

My aunt is currently downstairs cleaning the floors while I was supposed to wash my mom’s car. That’s not going to happen.

DSCF9674

Outside is dark and cloudy again and it’s freezing cold, only 39°F. I thought there’s not supposed to be a storm for the next 7 days. The weatherman lied, wouldn’t be the first time. I checked the weather and it’s supposed to snow and rain on Monday. How am I supposed to go to Salt Lake City to pick up my paycheck?

On the bright side, after almost a month, I finally sold my mom’s statistics book and after two days, I finally applied for that summer audit position at American Express. I’m crossing my fingers and hope the HR will return my email soon, preferably Monday, and give me an interview. Until then, all I can do is cross my finger and not jinx it.

Amazed…

Published on by Yinglan4 Comments

You know, I’m kind of amazed at myself right now.

I finally finished this month’s work last night. I am so happy I get to relax and decompress during these last few days before the semester officially begins again.

Now I know I’ve complained about my work often because it’s so bored. I just sit at my computers translating stuff. Is that boring or what? So to take away the dullness, I decided to scour through my CD collection and listen to songs I haven’t listened to for at least the past 5 years.

When my stereo was still in the basement, I used to go down there and sing along to all the song I know. This week, I decided to do the same thing. That’s why I am so amazed. I still remember the words. All of them. It’s like when I want to sing along, the words just flows perfectly out of my lips and I heard these songs forever ago.

I don’t know how I do that because if you ask me to repeat it back to you, I cannot but when the music plays, I can sing the lyrics perfectly.

Home At Last

Published on by Yinglan2 Comments

It was a cold and snowy night. I can still remember this night horribly well because it was most likely the first time when I spent the whole drive home praying that I wouldn’t get into an accident.

Continue reading “Home At Last” →

The Shadow on the Wall Part 10 (Flash Fiction Chain #4)

Published on by Yinglan16 Comments

img_9989-fileminimizer

I am super excited to participate in this Flash Fiction Chain hosted by Jithin of PhoTrablogger. The following nine parts are inspired by the above image.

Character List :

Maggy: 19 year old Granddaughter of the Owner of the House

Robert: 27 year old House Cook

Steve: Fifty-something House Caretaker

Grandpa: Owner of the House (Dead and Bejeweled, Sacrificed as an experiment by Frank Somerset)

Frank Somerset: Mad Scientist and Maggy’s Grandfather

Nita: Narrator

Recommendation:

Read all the other nine parts before venturing this part.

Part 1 : Written by Sweety

Part 2 : Written by Travelling Hat

Part 3 : Written by Saya

Part 4 : Written by Kelvin Moses

Part 5 : Written by Sona

Part 6 : Written by Manvi

Part 7 : Written by Austin

Part 8 : Written by Wandering Story Teller

Part 9 : Written at will by Rashmi

Now onto Part 10

“What happen next?” Nita’s cousin asked eagerly as she looked out the window, rain had begun to fall outside. Nita was pausing the story both for dramatic effect and the fact that she had no idea what happened next. She had no clue her hyper cousins would be so into the story.

She cleared her throat loudly, inhaled a deep breath, reached deep into her mind and continued…

Maggy smiled in her sleep. She rolled over and could feel the roughness of the hay. Her eyes burst opened and she bolted up, suddenly remembering everything from the previous night and how she’d come to be nestled among these hay. She glanced around and realized she was in the barn about two miles from the mansion.

Rob’s arms stretched high up in the air, his t-shirt pulled up revealing his lean abdomen. “Good morning.” Maggy said.

Rob turned around, a little startled, and smiled brilliantly. “Good morning to you too.”

“What’s for breakfast?” He blinked. “Oops, forgot.” She covered her mouth and giggled. It didn’t take long before they both burst into laughter.

Snap…

Their laughter ended abruptly when they heard that. Maggy gasped. “What was that?”

Rob pulled her up from the pile of hay they’ve been sleeping on. “Come on.” Quietly, they made their way to the back of the barn and hid themselves behind a thick stack of hay.

Footsteps entered the barn, sets of footsteps, Maggy could differentiate. She was sure she knew who they belonged to but she needed reassurance. She turned to Rob with pleading eyes. Can you see who it is? Her look told him. He nodded and slowly inched forward to get a look at the intruders. When he did, he immediately sprang back. Maggy opened her mouth. Is it them? She was going to ask but Rob threw his hand over her mouth. “Shh,” he whispered quietly and guided her out the back door.

The moment they’re out, Rob pulled his hand from her mouth and they broke off in a sprint. Rob was a quick runner but Maggy, on the other hand, was running out of breath. At the bottom of the hill, Maggy stopped, her hands rested on her knees. She panted. “Rob…wait.”

Ahead, Rob continued running but he soon realized Maggy was no longer behind him. Maggy? He thought, stopped, and looked back. Maggy was at least a hundred yards behind. She was kneeling on the grass, panting. His eyes shifted from her to something in the distance. Two figures stumbling toward her. Good lord, he thought. They’re coming.

Maggy stared at him as his expression quickly shifted to anxious and worried. He waved his arm frantically, motioning her to go toward him quickly.

Maggy turned around and gasped. Frank and Steve were staggering quickly toward her. She turned back to Rob who was already jogging toward her. She was caught in the middle. She picked her up and began jogging toward Rob but her legs were like jelly. Jeez, pick it up, won’t ya. She urged her legs.

Her stomach growled from hunger and her heart pounded in her ears both from panic and exhaustion. She stretched her hand toward him but when they were just a finger away, she felt a triple sting in the small of her back. The remaining strength in her legs suddenly felt completely drained as everything before her swirled. Her knees fell on the grass as her eyelids drooped.

Faintly before the darkness gave way, she saw Rob fell to his knees as well, the end of three red darts stuck out of his left shoulder.

Look for the conclusion: James

Master of Words

Published on by Yinglan1 Comment

Daily Prompt: If you could choose to be a master (or mistress) of any skill in the world, which skill would you pick?

If I can pick to be the master of any skill in the world, I would pick the Master of Words. I would always know the right things to say.

Those of you who are frequent readers of my blogs probably notice that I rarely comment on any posts. I usually just click “like” and that’s it. That’s because I’m afraid of saying the wrong words and offending somebody which is what my mom often says when she brings me to meet somebody.

In fact, I think that’s how all my friendship ends, either by my mom’s disapproval or my words.

She often tells me the thing I say embarrasses her, that it’s inappropriate, childish, and whiny. Honestly though, that’s the way I speak. I cannot change my voice. So eventually, I just stopped talking. Just don’t really say much in general. I mean, what’s the point?

So, if I am the Master of Words, I’d know what to say at all times, meeting my mom’s friends, at job interviews, anywhere. Oh, and if this mastering thing can add in some voice and tone adjustments like Donald Duck in Donald’s Dream Voice, make my voice sound less whiny and childish and more adult-like, I’d be all in.