The Freedom Runners

Just a little taste of what I’ve been working on for National Novel Writing Month…don’t judge, it hasn’t been edited. It’s my work in its rawest form.

The sun beat down on my shoulders sucking new freckles to the surface. The smell of tar was thick as heat rose from the road. My mind wanders from the cute boy I saw at Pharmacy last week, to the hunger pangs in my stomach. I was supposed to go directly home after school, but I couldn’t bring myself to face my parents relentless arguing again. So instead, I decided to go on an adventure. There was a hint of an opening to a very overgrown dirt path off of old McConnell Road. For months I had been eye−balling it on my way home from school. Today I would find out where it went. Overgrown grass, vines and branches try to detour my journey, but I push through. A dirt path ran along a small creek. I stop long enough to watch small silver fish do their best to swim against the current. Trees provide shade to cool my skin. I remembered reading about trails such as these in my recreational books. They were referred to as hiking trails.

The deeper into the path and woods I went, the further my mind drifted from reality. Here I was able to forget about my parents and their childish behavior toward one another. And here there were no Assistants breathing down your neck watching your every move. As soon as all of these thoughts brought me rest, a rush of worry followed them. What would the consequences be if I were caught here, wandering with no reason. In that moment I decided it was time to turn back and head home. I started to follow my previous footsteps back and saw something to my right in the distance. A small stone building. Curiosity got the best of me, as it always does, so I gave myself five minutes to explore further. Everything came clearer into view upon approach. In front of me stood a small building made of wood and large gray stones. You only saw something like this in history books at school these days. Everything in the Cities was white, man−made, and uniform. Sterile.

The garden around back brandished a short wooden fence. A small, simple shed stood adjacent from the fence. Someone must live here. I approached the garden and spotted the biggest, reddest, most tempting strawberries I had ever seen! My stomach gurgled at the sight. I had to have one. Just one, I thought. I bent down and plucked one from the vine. Its flavor was like nothing I had ever tasted before. Sweet, with melodies of earth swirled in. I reached for another. A loud crack caused me to jump. I swirled around and around and saw nothing.  I heard it again. It was time to leave. Not before grabbing a few more berries though. I heard the cracking sound again. I moved away as fast as I could from the stone building. Along the path with the creek. Crack! My pace quickened as the cracking sound finally began to fade behind me. The wind whistled past my ears and my heart was beating against my ribs. The wind whipped my hair like reigns on my back. I felt…alive. I looked down as each foot moved swiftly, one in front of the other. That was the first time I ever ran. I was 15.

Penny’s Vampire Diaries

Tonight, I revel in all things fictional. I’ve had my ticket for six weeks, and it’s finally here! It’s the end of an era. In hours the Twilight Saga will come full circle for America. I didn’t pounce on this young adult pop phenom trend until late in the game. I began reading the books after viewing the first movie, so my wait has been less than others. All I want to say is that I have enjoyed being on the journey with Edward and Bella, and I’m oh so glad Suzanne Collins has already provided us with a new trilogy to obsess over. I am in no way likening the works of Meyers to Collins, nor comparing any of the film productions. I’m just delighted the trend of inventive fictional books are being read and presented in HD.

Still unsure? I was too. I wrote about my first Twilight experience four years ago. You can read about it here.

http://www.pennylovespeanutbutter.blogspot.com/2009/06/pengs-vampire-chronicles.html

LEWIS

My brain ached as it absorbed the difficult task set before me. How could I get close without upsetting her? I couldn’t risk leaving the envelope unattended or have someone else deliver it for me…except for maybe Anna. Anna could do it. Grayson use to talk about Clara and Anna being inseparable all the time.

My intention was to intercept Anna after school. But passing the school this afternoon I saw crowds of students gathered around outside in the courtyard. Reaching into my brown leather satchel my fingers tightly grip what might be the most significant piece of paper I have ever held.

It doesn’t take me long to spot Anna in the sea of students. Even with overcast weather her red curls reflect light like the moon. I inhale enough frost bitten air to fill my lungs as well as my feet with sufficient motivation to move. I hope I don’t regret this, you owe me one Grayson.

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All right guys, I know I have not been consistent with posting the short story but I am continuing to write it. I will post when I can, but I have also taken the Nanowrimo challenge and began writing a novel this month. So that commitment is trumping a lot of other things in my life for the month of November. I will post excerpts from my novel here. The working title is The Freedom Runners. Wish me luck and send some creativity fairies my way ;)

ANNA

Sorry for the delay on entry number two. I was without a computer for a week. However did I survive? Enjoy :)

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ANNA

I didn't mean to do it, truly. At first it was just a foolish and fleeting thought, and the next thing I know my fingers are tugging at the handle of the fire alarm­­­−my scapegoat for the afternoon.  Clara had to be warned before she found out for herself. At least I could ease the blow of a painful memory strolling back into her life. Standing on top of the old and rickety rust red picnic table in the courtyard I spot her. What a lost looking little puppy dog my bestie appeared, I thought while running towards her to commence operation break out.

For a second, I lost Clara in the assembly of students. I turned a half way around only to thwack directly into Lewis. Lewis Cole? It can’t be. “Lewis! What are you? I just don’t under…?” “Anna, listen to me right now. Give this envelope to Clara. Straight away. Don’t tell her I was here.” Before I could summon up any sort of response he was gone.

CLARA

Okay guys, I'm dipping my metaphorical pen into the fictional ink, so to speak. I will be posting pieces of a short story weekly. Please read, comment, share ideas, and share with others through social media. This is my attempt to grow an audience as well as work on skill and creativity. Thanks for all your support and encouragement in regards to my writing over the years.

Penny
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CLARA

Peering through dew glazed windows of the school gym; my mind couldn’t help but wander. Did he notice me? It's so dark and loud there in the evening, there’s no way he saw me. I did drop a whole tray of drinks about five feet from his table so he might have… no, no he didn’t. Tugging at the tops of red and white striped tube socks I snap back into reality as the sound of a fire alarm assaults my ears. Another fire drill, what is the deal? Like herds of cattle every student at Heritage High pushed through the school doors to wait for further instruction. Any other time I welcomed these unplanned breaks from the monotonous rhythm of a school day. Not today. The air was cold and brittle. Each breath drawn assaulted my lungs like sharp needles. It was unseasonably cold for September in Virginia. 

The bright sun caused me to squint. I watched my peers nestle into their usual groups. Quickly I scan the huddles of students to locate Anna. She has to be out here I thought. Just as my mind was about to stray back to the fool I had made of myself the night before, I saw him and Anna. Across the courtyard I watched as he handed her something. A white sealed envelope. Something was scribbled across the crisp white paper in thick black ink. A name…Clara Frost. My name.

Hello Friends! I am posting an old entry today because it was featured on www.mypurposenow.co and I also wanted to make sure my blog was linking to all of my other social networks. Please take the time to follow/share my blog as well as the My Purpose Now website with others.

I have been working hard on some new blog posts so stay tuned! Now that Aceland is older I'm finding a little more time for reading and writing :)

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BE INSPIRED

I know someone who just…
Joined the Navy.
Said a prayer.
Jumped out of a plane.
Flew to Australia.
Won ten-thousand dollars by doing a little tango.
Welcomed home their first child.
Said yes.
Took a break.
Planned a road trip to deliver their mother’s ashes to their final destination.
Competed in a body building show.
Waited.
Bought a diamond ring.
Ran a marathon.
Stopped making excuses.
Started their own business.
Recovered from alcoholism.
Moved to LA.
Said what they needed to say.
Lost thirty pounds.
Ended a toxic relationship.
Took a traveling job assignment.
Did the dishes, cooked dinner, fed the baby, cleaned the living room.
Forgave me.
Read a book.
Placed their faith in God instead of the world for the first time.
Lost their job, and found another.
Rekindled a friendship long lost.
Said thank you.
Danced.
Got signed.
Said I do.
Learned to play the guitar.
Ate a cheeseburger.
Went back to school.
Went fly fishing.
Wrote a blog.

Whether you find yourself in a discouraged, ordinary or extraordinary state. Be inspired. Mediocrity is for the apathetic. You were created with greatness in mind!

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” Zechariah 4:10 (NLT)


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Penny is our fifty-something in training. We know she will be fabulous – she’s got more than 20 years to prepare! Penny works with the women of MPN as our editor and is responsible for making sure articles are posted each day. She’s a talented writer and we are excited to be featuring her for the first time. We’d be lost without her and are glad to have her on the team! – Deb, Karen and the team at MPN
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Penny DeArmond: Penny lives in Grapevine, Texas with her husband, Bryce, and sweet baby boy! A hairdresser by trade and writer by aspiration, she sees both of these commissions as opportunities to minister. Currently, being “mama” is priority, but in her free time she runs the park trails of Grapevine and snuggles up with a good book and a cup of coffee. 


As a writer, Penny is joining her mother-in-law and two sisters-in-law to share the possibilities of healthy women-in-law relationships in a book on the topic. 


Penny serves as the website editor and moderator for My Purpose Now. She is excited to be a part of the ministry while learning so much from the previous generation. You can keep up with Penny on her blog at pennylovespeanutbutter.blogspot.com

Call Me A Foule of Parlement

Valentine’s Day. For many it’s just another day. Some, go nuts and run for the nearest Hallmark store to purchase a five foot tall card to declare their love to their significant other as soon as Christmas is over. To others, it's become known as Singles Awareness Day - A day to commit to the eating of a tub of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. And as for me, it’s one of my favorite holidays, during my single years and my not so single years alike. I’ve heard all of the arguments of the naysayers. “Why do we need a special day to celebrate loving someone? That should be something you do every day.” (Yes, it should.) “It’s just another holiday cooked up by the chocolate conglomerates of the world to make an extra buck.” But what is so wrong with having a whole day extra specially dedicated to love?

Now I’m not endorsing the millions of pounds of chocolates or flowers being sold and bought, nor the sappy love cards written by a complete stranger. But I am absolutely a fan of the origins of this holiday that so many call made up and superficial. No you don’t get the day off work, but you can enjoy a sweetheart shake from Sonic or a heart shaped donut filled with chocolate from Krispie Kreme! Valentine’s Day is part legend, part poetry, part history, and I find it particularly interesting. I will do my best to bring a little clarity to the origins of this mysterious holiday. I did my research, and these are the pieces of the story I hope to be true.

Jack and Rose. Edward and Bella. Romeo and Juliet. Noah and Allie. What do all of these great romances have in common? (Other than being my favorites?!) They were all forbidden. What is it about a forbidden romance that makes it so good? It’s a timeless story, survival of the deepest love, some with happy endings and several with tragic repercussions. So where does this Valentine story begin and what does it have to do with forbidden love? Valentine (aka Valentinus) was a Roman priest in 1493, later to become know as Saint Valentine. Valentine was arrested and imprisoned upon being caught marrying Christian couples in secret, who at the time were under persecution of the Roman ruler, Claudius II, also known as Claudius Gothicus. Claudius ordered that young men remain single. The Emperor allegedly did this to grow his army, believing that married men did not make for good soldiers. Helping Christians at this time was considered a crime. It is said that Claudius took a liking to his prisoner, Valentine, despite his crime, until Valentine tried to convert the Emperor. At which point Valentine was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stoned. When that failed to kill him, he was beheaded. The skull of St Valentine is presently on display in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome.

There is an additional modern embellishment to the story, widely repeated despite having no historical basis whatsoever. On the evening before Valentine was to be executed, he would have written the first "valentine" card himself, addressed to the blind daughter of his jailor Asterius, whom he had grown quite fond of, signing as "From your Valentine." Hence, Saint Valentine became a martyr for love and for Christ and the “Valentine card” was created. This story, whatever parts may be true or embellished led to the creation of a great feast to be held on the anniversary of Saint Valentine’s death, February 14th, and St. Valentine’s Day was born, known today simply as Valentine’s Day.

If martyrdom doesn’t evoke amorous feelings for you, the first recorded relationship of Valentine's Day with romantic love is in Parlement of Foules (1382)a poem by Geoffrey Chaucer. (The Canterbury Tales) Written to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia, he wrote:

“For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.”
Translated-"For this was on Saint Valentine's Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate."

Many of the current legends that describe Saint Valentine were embellished in fourteenth century England, notably by Geoffrey Chaucer and his circle, particularly in this poem, connecting the feast day of February 14 with romantic love.

So there you have it! My agenda is not to persuade all of the Valentine’s Day haters to lovers, but simply bring more understanding as to what this somewhat misunderstood holiday was evolved from. For more interesting Valentine topics search: The Valentine’s Day Massacre.

I did most of my research on Wikipedia and eChaucer. Check them out for more on Valentine’s Day and The Parliament of Birds.