Paragraph of the Week (Part 32)

Well, again, it has been a while. But, let’s not lament over lost time. Instead, here is another paragraph in the story “Waves.” We are getting to the end so hold on!

“I could never figure out why she loved the thing, even she didn’t know. Every time I asked her, she said she couldn’t remember where she had gotten it from, just that she had it ever since she was a little kid. When I doubted her once, she whipped out a picture of when she was four and showed me the thing. And there it was, plastered around her neck.”
“She was a good woman.”
“Too good.” John sighed.
“You know, I’ve never really ——”

Paragraph of the Week (Part 31)

Or maybe I should call it paragraph of the month at this point! With an increasing work load, it is becoming harder and harder (and more difficult to remember) to post new content. But, I’m not giving up. So, here we go.

So, you asked me to lunch and then to retrieve a mysterious object,” Jacques said, “what else will be on our itinerary for the day?”
John shrugged. “Have to see if we get the key back and if you will actually talk.”
“The key? Oh monsieur, you don’t mean…”
“She always wore it around her neck. It was the only thing left after the fire. I’ve worn it every day since then. You remember it, remember her wearing it, right?”
“Of course, it never left her body.”

Paragraph of the Week (Part 30)

Some of you guys might be wondering if I died. I am sorry to inform you that, no, no I have not died. Yet, anyways. Again, I’m going to try to get out more blog posts, maybe even some…GASP…non-paragraph of the week posts. Until this becomes a reality, enjoy this weeks paragraph of the week. And if you can’t remember the story before this, and I don’t blame you if you can’t, you can always check them out in the archives.

“So, you asked me to lunch and then to retrieve a mysterious object,” Jacques said, “what else will be on our itinerary for the day?”
John shrugged. “Have to see if we get the key back and if you will actually talk.”
“The key? Oh monsieur, you don’t mean…”
“She always wore it around her neck. It was the only thing left after the fire. I’ve worn it every day since then. You remember it, remember her wearing it, right?”
“Of course, it never left her body.”
“I could never figure out why she loved the thing, even she didn’t know. Every time I asked her, she said she couldn’t remember where she had gotten it from, just that she had it ever since she was a little kid. When I doubted her once, she whipped out a picture of when she was four and showed me the thing. And there it was, plastered around her neck.”
“She was a good woman.”
“Too good.” John sighed.
“You know, I’ve never really ——”

Paragraph of the Week (Part 29)

Between work and school, I tend to forget about the blog here. But not completely! We’re still chugging along here, and we will be for a long time. Now, I won’t keep you guys from the next paragraph. Here it is.

The street lights popped on and yellow light filtered in through the bare tree limbs. John glanced up at the snow flakes that momentarily blocked out slivers of light, moving his hand to his chest and feeling the emptiness. A pigeon sat on top of the post. It burrowed its beak into its feathers, pecked at them and whatever else was nestled close to its body. A feather fell, drifting down and landing on the sidewalk. John watched it, stepped over it, and feigned a smile.

Paragraph of the Week (Part 26)

Well, this story is moving along now! (mostly because I have been putting in more than just a paragraph…) So, here is the next installment!

They turned down one of the side streets and headed to the lake. The buildings varied from luxurious homes, complete with winding staircases, driveways, and statues in the small, gated front yards to heavy, squat apartment buildings worn from years of misuse; almost every structure was ancient and tired looking. One building, a wide and tall structure with a yellowish brick, made John turn his head and stop. He had gone up the stairs to it almost every day for a month, and every time he always felt tricked.

When he had first been looking for an apartment, John had replied to an ad that advertised brand new units. It had seemed too good to be true, and it had been.

Paragraph of the Week (Part 23)

See? I’m not dead! If you thought I really had perished (or worse yet given up), I’m sorry to disappoint. Weddings, as most of you know, are very time consuming and planning for my own has taken up large chunks of my time. To make up for it, here’s a decent sized chunk for this week’s Paragraph of the Week!

“Come on,” Jacques said, motioning to the meal. “It is pretty good.”
“You never answered my question.”
Jacques smiled. “Let’s just eat in peace.”
“After all these years, that’s all you have to say?”
“There’s a lot I could say, but I don’t believe it is the time for it.”
“Then when will it be the time?”
“Soon.”
John snapped his chopsticks in two. “Fuck that.”
“Monsieur, easy now. Why are you so upset with me?”
“Why? WHY? You ran out after…after…she…” John rested his forehead on his trembling hand. “I just wanted to talk with you.”
“And now we are talking. Just…just be patient. It is all I ask. Nothing is easy these days.”
“Yeah, nothing is easy.”
They ate in silence, staring at the food and the table. When the meal was finished, Jacques threw a twenty down, stood up, and opened the door. John followed him, a gust of cold air lashing his flesh, raising his skin in bumps and pricks.
Jacques stopped just outside, eyes focused on a strobing streetlight trying to blink on. “Is that going to be all for today?”
“Let’s take a walk.”
“Guess we need to catch up on old times, right?”
John nodded and reached for the missing key that should have been around his neck. “That, and I could use some help.”
“With what?”
“Dropped something earlier. It’s a two man operation to get it back, so I’ll need your help.”
“Then lead the way.” Jacques half bowed and flourished his hand.

Paragraph of the Week (Part 13)

Uh oh, unlucky 13. But, if you’ve been following the story, you’ll have found that John has already had his fair share of bad luck. And before we begin, just wanted to make a note and say I might be starting something new here. We’ll see. I’ll make a post about it soon and we can see how much interest there is in it (hint, it has to do with query letters and making them shine). Until then, have fun with a paragraph.

The next day, John went to Jacques’ apartment. He knocked and knocked and knocked. There was no reply. The gnawing, nagging voice began eating away at his sanity. Nothing. John went to the apartment manager and interrogated him. He said Jacques had left. Maybe he was just going crazy. He tried to ask questions around the station, but no one knew anything. Throwing his badge to the captain, John went on a quest for answers, but more importantly, on a journey to keep control over his mind.

Paragraph of the Week (Part 12)

Did you think I would forget this two Saturdays in a row? Of course not! How I could deprive you all of the Paragraph of the Week? I mean I’m cruel, but not that cruel. And to prove that, I’m doing TWO paragraphs this week…not because they were small or anything. So have fun and read just a little!

John collapsed, wailing into his white knuckled hands. When the fire died and the fireman ok’ed the area, John wandered inside, picking through the rubble, trying to find something, anything of hers, of theirs. The CSI’s soon ushered him away, but before they could, John saw something: a fedora. Jacques’ fedora.

The police asked him questions. He answered, leaving Jacques out of the equation. John knew the system, knew what they would do. That wouldn’t work; he wanted to handle it his own way.

Paragraph of the Week (part 11)

Better late than never. Due to a busy weekend and a poor memory, I forgot the beloved paragraph of the week! But never fear, it’s here now. So sit back and enjoy this week’s paragraph.

He lifted his head, his chin bleeding, his face red and sweaty. She was in the window, her face twisted and screaming, flames and smoke surrounding her, consuming the pale night gown. She slid down the pane and vanished. He leapt up and began running towards the flames; several firemen held him back as he tried to claw and kick his way into the burning house.

Paragraph of the Week (Part 10)

And with this paragraph of the week, we’ve hit 50 posts here! Hurray! I thought I would think of something special to do for 50, but since I couldn’t, I’ll do it for 100 (which isn’t THAT far away…). For now, enjoy the next section of paragraph of the week.

Their house had been consumed in flames; the fire ate away the wood siding, breaking in through the roof and leaving holes where torrents of black smoke rushed into the night. The fire engines were just arriving when John pulled up. He leapt out of his squad car before he had a chance to fully take in the scene. His toe caught on the sidewalk and he tumbled to the ground. He was encased by the beautifully horrifying smell of burning wood. He was pressed into the concrete by the waves of overwhelming heat. He was drowned out in the ocean of flames, in their roars and bellows, in their immense, hope shattering intensity. And, he was already feeling the despair seep into his bones.