Sad, Brown Eyes: Part 2

Juliana tried to pay attention to Louise as she gossiped about two other librarians and Mrs. Goodwin, but she couldn't shake what had happened the night before and that morning. Her putting herself as well as her Anichanical grizzly in danger followed by getting caught for theft weren't the best things for a responsible woman to do.

She loaded some books onto the correct shelves and sighed. Louise stopped her chatter. “You're not even listening to me, are you?”

“No, I am,” she lied. Louise took control of the now book-free cart and made her way down the aisle. Juliana followed. “No, I wasn't,” she admitted sheepishly. “I was thinking.”

“You're always thinking,” Louise pointed out. “You wouldn't be you if you weren't.”

At the end of the day, Juliana headed home, skipping out on drinks with Louise and the other librarians that she'd spent the entire day grumbling about. Juliana stepped into the apartment and found Mr. Unsworth and his son at the dining room table. The Anichanical parrot greeted her with more obnoxious, robotic squawks.

The men stood as she entered. “I thought you were going out after work,” stated Mr. Unsworth. Juliana shook her head. She took off her hat and set it on a side table. She made her way to the back stairs. “I didn't have the best day. I'm going to read in the workshop.”

Nathaniel snickered. “Book Worm Juli.”

Juliana ignored him and went down the steps. Upon seeing her Anichanical, the vexations of the day withered. “Power on,” she said. The bear hummed to life. He trudged to her side. She fiddled with his harness straps and kissed him. “I hope you had a calm day, Alec,” she said as she went to a glass cabinet. She opened the doors and grabbed a blue book. This one she legally owned. The book was titled, The Earth, Then and Now.

She sat in the rocking chair by the stove, spending a few minutes heating the coals before she got to reading where she'd left off. Alec lay at her feet. She propped her feet up on his back and rocked slowly. The chapter she'd left off on reflected on an event known as the Freeze. Some called it the Ice Age.

It first became clear that something was occurring when the summers were abnormally chilly. Over time, summers had sleet and eventually snow. Scientists warned the world that the earth would eventually freeze over and they needed to prepare for this inevitable outcome. However, not enough people took it seriously. They claimed that weather fluctuated often and this would pass. Due to their arrogance, when the Freeze came it exhausted them. The cold and ice overtook everything. Many died, humans and animals alike. It blizzard for two straight years. Cities were buried. Food became scarce. Humans tried everything they could to stay alive.

By the end of the blizzards, too many animals had fallen to the frigid death. Re population was impossible. In the end, the remaining animals that had survived perished and the world became human dominate. Though humans were able to re-adapt to the new climate, digging out as many cities as possible, and rebuilding, the world missed the convenience animals once brought them. Food, clothes, tools.

Juliana turned to a past chapter in the book. It was about a man named Gerard Black. He was a brilliant inventor. He traveled Europe eighty years post Freeze with a marvelous idea. He'd created the Anichanicals. Each city he stopped in, he proposed his gadgets and showed off his prototype. Anichanicals could be used as transportation, home security, to power factories, or to just have for companionship. Effortless, free labor, clean. The world was enthralled.

Gerard Black didn't stop there. After the Anichanicals' high success, he developed special greenhouses for farming, which had become highly difficult in the harsh winter conditions. The climate inside the greenhouses perfectly stabilized the growth of wheat, cotton, fruits, and vegetables. Food had never been easier to come by. His magnificent designs changed the new world. Everyone knew his name. If and when a problem arose the world called to him for help. He could fix nearly anything. Juliana was personally exceedingly grateful to him and his magnificent mind. He'd given her the closest thing to an animal friend that she would ever get.

She set down the book and stood. Alec huffed, steam hissing from his nose. Juliana patted him. “I'm not going anywhere.” She went to another shelf and picked up a different book. This book had no cover for it had never been published. She ran her fingers over the penciled in name on the top page. Pietro Russo. Her father.

Pietro was a well known, wealthy historian and had been the one responsible for Juliana's fascination with history and animals. He decided to write a textbook on all the many former species of animals. Juliana remembered sitting in his study as a child while he worked. Sometimes he would stop to read to her and tell stories of human and animal encounters. Juliana had most loved the idea of grizzly bears. That was how Alec had come to be her Anichanical companion. He was a gift from her father on her tenth birthday. In fact, it was her father who had given him his name. Not many people knew that. Not even Mr. Unsworth.

One morning not long after that tenth birthday, her father had announced he and Juliana's mother were going on a research trip. They arranged for their daughter to stay with Mr. Unsworth for the couple weeks they would be gone. No one had anticipated they'd never return.

After months of investigating, the search for her parents came to an end. The trail had gone cold. No one knew what became of the Russo's. No trace of them could be found. Their home and everything in it had been auctioned off, leaving Juliana an orphan and homeless. Her once luxurious life came crashing down around her. If it weren't for Mr. Unsworth taking her in permanently she would have gone to an orphanage, possibly to rot. She owed him so much.

Years later, Juliana had been going through the few belongings of her parents that she'd been able to keep and found his manuscript. Inside the tattered pages, she'd come across a hand-drawn map. It lead to an X out in the hills of New Tuscany. That was why Juliana went out with her Anichanical so often. She was trying to find where the X indicated. Her father had created the map. Somewhere out there in those hills laid a clue to her parents' disappearance. She would find it.

After dinner that evening, Juliana excused herself and went to saddle Alec. She bundled herself up and left the workshop. She climbed on his back and he moved towards the border of the city. The guards intercepted them when they came near. “Miss Russo, please remember that the border will close at midnight.”

“I understand,” she said. The guards were skeptical of her. She continuously left the city and no one ever knew why. After her parents had mysteriously vanished, each city in New Tuscany had set up a boarder control. People could come and go as they pleased, so long as they had an ID card indicating they were a citizen of said city. The only exceptions were supply shipments, mail, and police. Juliana's continuous adventures beyond the city perplexed the guards, but they had no reason to force her to stay. They allowed her to pass.

Alec began his run, going where Juliana led. She’d mapped out a new course. They would find where the X indicated. Tonight would be the night. They searched the hills for two hours, snaking up and down. When the sun began to set, Juliana opened the panel on the Anichanical’s shoulder hump. Inside were some switches and dials. She turned the one that activated the bear’s headlight eyes. The bright lights beamed over the snow and they pressed on.

After another hour Juliana was beginning to lose feeling in her fingers even with the fur gloves over them. Without the sun the cold became virtually unbearable. She rubbed her hands together but it had little effect. She grimaced as a sharp blast of wind slammed her face. The wind stung fiercely and made it hard to breathe.

Alec stopped running and stood stiffly on a downslope of a hill. For a moment Juliana feared he’d stopped working. She checked his gauges. They were all normal. “Why’d you stop, Alec?”

The Anichanical rose up on his massive hind legs. Juliana gasped and held tightly to his harness. “Alec!” she screamed. “What are you doing?” She lost her grip and slipped down his back, falling in the deep snow.

The bear fell back to all fours and gave a shake. His bright eyes turned to her. She flicked her wrists, getting rid of the powder from her gloves. She gave him a sour look. “Bad grizzly!” She shivered violently. Thanks to him and his antics she would have to turn home early or she would surely freeze.

She got to her feet. “I have no time for this, Alec.” She reached for the saddle, but he stepped

away from her. Now she was losing patients. “Stop this! What’s gotten into you?”

The bear ran the rest of the way down the hill, leaving a bewildered Juliana behind. She chased him. “Come back!” Would her old friend actually abandon her? He’d never done anything but protect her since she first laid eyes on him. The mere thought of him doing such a thing broke her heart.

The bear moved into some dense trees and she lost sight of him. “Alec, please!” Terror rose inside her chest. She would die out there if left all night. Her feet shuffled through the deep snow. Another blast of wind blew over her, knocking back her hood. She stopped and waited for the wind to die. When it did she scanned for the headlights of Alec’s eyes. “You stupid apparatus! Come back!”

At the end of her insult, the Anichanical came back into view. His gears shifted and he looked to his right. Juliana reached his side, less than amused, and curiously glanced where her bear looked. She felt her growing anger subside. Her eyes fell upon a log cabin nestled under some low-hanging branches. The windows all had green shutters. No smoke came from the chimney. If anyone lived inside she detected no evidence of it.

She patted Alec. “Good boy,” she whispered. This had to be the X on her father’s map. She moved to the front door and set her ear on it. No sound met her eardrum. “Hello?” she called, knocking four times. The wait lasted two minutes. She turned with a sigh. Abandoned. Maybe there was something inside. Maybe her father had used this place as a private area to study and write. She chewed her lip and went to a window. Tugging on the shutters did nothing. They were stuck tight.

A noise at the front door captured her attention. It was unlocking. Fear suddenly clenched her heart. She never should have come. The door opened and a man's head popped out. The man narrowed his eyes against the cold air and Juliana watched as his whiskered jaw dropped at the sight of Alec. “Upon my word,” he breathed.

Juliana held her breath, hoping he wouldn't look her way. The man stepped outside, wrapped in a thin, cotton blanket that looked ancient. The wind kicked up his thick hair. It was light gray with strews of black, like coal scattered across the snow. He studied the Anichanical grizzly with quizzical eyes. “Where have you come from, my friend?” He reached for Alec. The bear stepped back and looked to Juliana for guidance. The man followed the bear's bright gaze and spotted the obscure woman. His breath caught in his throat. His eyes full of wonder, he said, “My dear child.” Nothing more. They stared at each other openly. He finally added, “Does this Anichanical belong to you?”

Juliana nodded slowly. The man went back to his house but made sure to beckon her inside before he entered himself. Juliana knew there was no going back. She told Alec to wait for her and went in, shutting the door behind her. The inside was dark save for a few small candles on tables. An old couch and a couple chairs were haphazardly placed.

The man blew into his hands and asked, “What is your name?”

“I'm Juliana Russo. I've come from New San Gimignano.”

His eyebrows raised, as if he realized something important. He stepped closer. “Russo? Pietro's daughter?”

Juliana's heart skipped a few beats. He knew her father. “Yes. I am. You knew him?”

The man gave a nod, his eyes becoming doleful. “I did. He and I spoke on many occasions.” He retreated to a back room and returned holding a framed photo. He passed it to Juliana. She saw it was a picture of this man and her father. Tears sprung to her eyes. He looked just as she remembered him. Wise, confidant, full of life. What had happened to him?

“The name's Carlo Costa,” said the man. “How did you find your way to my cabin?”

Juliana lowered the picture and wiped her eyes on her sleeves. She quickly explained her father's makeshift map to Carlo and how she'd been trying to find the X. Carlo sat down on the couch, gesturing for her to do the same. She sat and Carlo said, “He should have left well enough alone.”

“What?”

Carlo rubbed his scruffy face. “Your father asked me about something he had no business asking about. He'd heard about me from his research concerning Black Industries. He asked me countless questions and because of my disdain for Gerard Black I . . . slipped.”

Juliana gripped her gloves. She was tired of him beating around the bush. She leaned forward. “Tell me.”

Carlo scratched his cheek. “Project Reinisiate.”

Some answers and yet still so cryptic. She inhaled slowly. He chuckled. “I can already tell you are just like your father.”

“What is Project Reinisiate?”

He finally got to the point. “Project Reinisiate is an experiment a group of scientists and I were working on in a secret laboratory beneath the streets of New Paris. Something special that would change the world. However, I sensed that Gerard Black was catching wind of it. I knew we would soon be found out. I advised them to abandon the work, but my fellow scientists weren't having the same worries. So I left; I moved out here. One day, I heard a knock at my door. Pietro had found me. That's when I slipped and told him of Project Reinisiate. For my mistake, I knew Pietro wouldn't give up until I told him the location of the lab. After I disclosed the location, I advised him not to seek it out.... I suppose... he went regardless.”

Juliana's head was spinning. Finally she had some answers. She now knew where her parents had gone. Still, she couldn't help wondering why her mother had gone with her father. She had no business being with him. He'd gone for research, not holiday. Most-likely she wanted to go just for his company. She had done trips like that with him before, Juliana recalled.

Juliana asked, “What exactly is Project Reinisiate? Why would my father want to go find out more?”

Carlo made a face, not eager to share any more information. One look at Juliana's serious eyes he knew he couldn't stop now. He rubbed his eyes. “Before the Freeze got out of control, scientists gathered DNA from every living animal still alive and from the bones they'd gathered. They knew the animals would die first. The world wouldn't be the same without them. The scientists planned to one day bring them back to the world.”

“Clones,” Juliana deduced.

“Clones,” Carlo confirmed. He closed his eyes and lowered his head. He had more to share. Juliana wanted to know everything, so she waited, ignoring her itch to push him. He cleared his throat and looked back at her face. “Gerard Black and his people could never find the lab on their own. Someone had to have told them. Someone held hostage, most-likely.”

Juliana knew what he was implying. She knew where his ominous words led. Still, she didn't want to believe it. “No. My parents weren't...” She covered her mouth, wanting to vomit. Her mother was never suppose to be there. She would have been safe, home, free to raise Juliana. For a moment, Juliana resented her father. He never should have let her tag along. Then, one glance at the picture of her father made her bitterness evaporate. She started crying.

Carlo made no move to comfort her. She tried to stop, but her emotions were through the roof. She wiped her nose and took a deep breath. Carlo waited for her eyes to met his before he said, “I believe they are still alive.”

These words brought her tears to an end. She furrowed her eyebrows. “How could you know that?”

Carlo rubbed his tired eyes. “I received a transmission a week after I saw Pietro last. It came from one of my fellow scientists. They were under attack. They informed me they'd gone into lock down.” He placed his hand on Juliana's. “Juliana... the only way to disable the lock down is to enter a code from the outside. I am the only scientist who left the lab and therefore am the only one who can free those trapped.”

None of his words made her feel any better. “So?”

“They wouldn't kill your parents if they thought they could still be of use. Gerard Black's people knew your parents got the information on the laboratories location from someone, so they believe your parents may know the code. Although I never told your father the code, he does know where I am. They will hold your parents in hopes of learning my location.”

Juliana breathed deeply, calming down. He was right. They could still be alive. Perhaps tortured, but alive. She felt like she had the whole thing figured out. “If those people find you they will force you to open the lab and they will use the clones as profit like they do the Anichanicals.”

Carlo shook his head. “No. They have no need for real animals. Black Industries profits are main-ly the Anichanicals. They are their first product and what they're best known for. The idea of living animals threatens Gerard Black's livelihood. People could have living dogs as pets, with personalities and warmth. Wet noses and soft fur. Cows for milk. Chickens for eggs. If Gerard Black finds out the code he will get in and destroy the laboratory.”

“Why doesn't he just blow it up from the outside?”

“The lab is deep underground. The lab entrance where the code must be entered is above ground. No weapon could reach the lab. They'd destroy New Paris before making a dent in the structure. How would that help Gerard Black's reputation?”

Point. Gerard Black and his people had been holding her parents for the last seventeen years. They wouldn't risk being discovered now. Secretly hurting people wasn't the same as publicly doing it. She stood. “Okay then. Let's go enter the code.”

Carlo laughed. “I'm not going anywhere near New Paris. I'm safe here.”

“But my parents!” They had to save them. Why wouldn't he help her? All he had to do was enter a little code. Her parents would go free, animals would return to the world. He had to help her. And yet, he wouldn't budge. She wanted to grab him, force him to help her, but she couldn’t. She wasn't a violent person. Another tear fell from her eye. “Please, Mr. Costa,” she begged.

He stood, wiping his hands on his pants. “I'm so sorry, my dear. I can't. Your parents are safer this way. They will live.”

She turned her back on him and headed for the door. She pried it open and flurries blew inside. Alec stood right where she'd left him. With one last look, she said to the man, “The world needs animals... and my parents need a good life. Think about that.” She left with her Anichanical bear, leaving Carlo's door wide open.

End of Part 2

Sad, Brown Eyes: Part 1

Here it is, ladies and gentlemen! Part 1 of my novella, Sad, Brown Eyes.

Sad, Brown Eyes

The Anichanical stampeded down the snowy hillside, sliding effortlessly on the ice. Juliana gripped the harness, cringing as the bitter wind blasted her cheeks. The fur hood she wore provided warmth, but it hardly matter at the speed she was flying. Her skirt billowed around her knees and her fur coat whipped behind her furiously.

The Anichanical reached the bottom and bounded onward. Juliana urged the mechanical grizzly bear to move faster. The gears in the powerful legs shifted audibly and the bear pounded through the high snow. Juliana tried to see if they'd cleared the border, but the ice and wind stung her brown eyes, fogging her vision. “Keep going, Alec!” she shouted over the wind.

She felt snow compacting on her Anichanical's metal frame. If they didn't make it back across the border soon its legs would freeze up and they would be stranded overnight. The Anichanical took stride after stride. Juliana closed her eyes, bowing her head against the wind. It had to be close. It had to be.

She chanced a look up and cheered when she saw the tower and its flame, marking the border. They made it. The Anichanical slowed to a trot. Juliana hacked at the snow with the soles of her boots. Her dress was freezing to the leather saddle she straddled. She had to dismount soon. “We're here,” she said, patting the shoulder of the machine. It huffed as if it had breath, steam hissing out of the mouth and nose. Despite the fact that the Anichanical ran on steam, he had been designed not to conduct heat. Something else would have to help thaw his frame.

Juliana rode on her bear's back until they reached the edge of the border. As expected, she was met by a guard. He held up his gun, aiming it at her. She held up her ID badge. “Juliana Russo, Librarian.”

The guard lowered his gun, but only slightly. He beckoned her forward. She followed his instruction, keeping her ID up. The guard pulled out a device from his leather holster, holding his weapon with one hand. He switched the device on and a blue light scanned the ID. It verified who she was. He lowered the gun completely. “You went out in this blizzard?”

Juliana and her bear stepped over the border into the city. She didn't bother answering him. She needed to get her Anichanical indoors before major complications ensued. They walked through the city, trudging knee deep in the snow. On days with weather such as this she wished women were allowed to wear trousers. A dress and tight corset made her adventures more complicated.
It took more time than she would have liked before they reached her home. They walked around the back of the old building and Juliana raised the metal security gate leading to the workshop. Flurries instantly blew inside as soon as the gate lifted. A male voice shouted obscenities from somewhere inside the workshop. Juliana ushered her Anichanical inside and quickly pulled the gate shut. The voice complained and demanded to know the identity of the intruder. Juliana announced herself. “My bear is coated in compacted snow!” She pulled off her hood and removed her gloves. The man the voice belonged to came into view. “Juliana, what have you gotten into now?”

She shook snow from her ebony locks. “Will you help defrost him before it becomes an even worse problem?”

The man chuckled and gathered the proper tools. “It still amuses me that you call the thing a he.” He lowered his goggles over his eyes and turned on his blowtorch. The heat instantly began thawing the bear. Juliana sat on a stool and unlaced her tall boots, wincing with every tug. Her feet were as numb as her face. She walked in her stocking feet to the stove. Sitting in a rocking chair, she propped up her feet. The heat from the fire radiated to her. She sat back and rocked, enjoying the warmth.

The man spoke to her from where he worked. “I'm waiting.”

She lifted her head. “It was nothing. Just . . . investigating.”

He snorted. “You are going to kill yourself one of these days,” he predicted. “I'm telling you, you end this childhood fantasy before it ends you.”

She rubbed her feet with a sour expression. “Mr. Unsworth, you can't expect me to do that.” She shook her head. She couldn't stop now. Mr. Unsworth grumbled under his breath and turned off the torch. “Pass me that towel.”

Juliana reached back and grabbed hold of the peach towel hanging off a workbench, giving it a good toss. Mr. Unsworth snatched it out of the air and mopped up the melted ice that had accumulated around the Anichanical's paws. The bear gave a shake, like any real bear would. Grinding followed the action, copper and steel scrapping together against the joints.

“Your pet should be ready and raring,” Mr. Unsworth said with a facetious tone.

Juliana felt refreshed herself. She went to her bear, rubbing behind the small ears. “You feel better, Alec?”

The Anichanical nudged her with his nose. She kissed him sweetly. Her affection for the machine brought forth more of Mr. Unsworth's lecture. “Juliana, its not alive.”

She looked back at him over her shoulder. “I understand that.”

“You're parents—”

“My parents . . .” Juliana interrupted. “Yes, Mr. Unsworth. My parents would understand.”

The man ran his hand through his white hair. “I apologize.”

She rubbed Alec and said, “Power down.” The lights in the hollow eyes of the bear went out and the hissing and humming of the inter-mechanisms fell silent. Juliana collected her gloves and boots and told Mr. Unsworth goodnight. She exited the workshop up the side staircase to the apartment above.

The apartment was small, but she loved it. It had an old smell, like books and ink. Candles burned on a writing desk at the front window. She dropped her gloves and boots and blew the candle out. The room fell dark and cold. Juliana went to her bedroom and changed out of her clothes, which were now damp from the melting ice. She shook out her clothing and draped them over her clawfoot tub. She didn't bother washing. The days events had drained her and all she wanted was to sleep.

The next morning, Juliana bathed and dressed in her favorite olive green and maroon dress. She stylishly piled her hair atop her head before heading into the kitchen for breakfast. She stretched as she rounded the corner. Something greeted her, landing on her shoulder with a squawk. The sudden addition to her morning routine took her off guard. The Anichanical parrot flapped it's wings, knocking them against her cheek. Juliana heaved a sigh. “Nathaniel!”

A handsome, roguish man came out of the kitchen, holding a mug filled with coffee. “Morning, Ms. Russo.” He winked and sipped his coffee. With a whistle, the Anichanical flew from Juliana's shoulder to his. The parrot had wings, but they were for show. Propellers whorled under each wing as well as the tail to create its flight.
Juliana brushed by the visitor and grabbed a fresh loaf of bread. “What are you doing here?” she asked as she sliced it.

“My father requested my help.” He leaned against the counter. “Even so, if I just wanted to pop by I have every right, considering this is his home.”

Juliana ripped her teeth into her bread slice. She'd grown up with Nathaniel Unsworth. Most days she felt like she still lived in her childhood with him around. That could be viewed as good or bad, depending on the day.

His Anichanical parrot squawked and repeated Nathaniel's words. “This is his home. This is his home.”

Nathaniel laughed and finished his coffee in one large gulp. He set down the mug, wiping his lips with the back of his fingerless, gloved hand. “You went out there again, so I heard.”

Juliana chewed her bread, turning her back on him. He stepped in front of her, arms raised out to his sides. He gave his classic, goofy, crooked smile. “I'm only making conversation, Juli.”

“I'm not willing to talk about it,” Juliana stated.

Nathaniel dropped his hands. “Fair enough.”

Juliana finished her bread and grabbed her coat and hat. “I must dash. I'll see you around.” She opened the door and stepped out onto the icy steps leading from the apartment to the street. Most of the roads had been cleared so stagecoaches were moving about, pulled by Anichanical horses. Juliana stood along the street and hailed a cab. The black vehicle rolled to a stop and she climbed in back. “The New San Gimignano Library, please,” she told the driver.

She stared out her frosted window as the stagecoach moved. They rode passed a hill overlooking the countryside. She tried to picture the rolling hills covered in green grass instead of the stark snow. The snow shimmered like diamonds under the sun rays. It was a lovely sight, but not one that was suppose to happen in New Tuscany. At least not in July.

The stagecoach stopped and Juliana paid the driver. She hurried inside the New San Gimignano Library. People were already inside scouring through the many books. She went to the backroom and took off her coat. A girl came in behind her. “You are in so much trouble, Juliana.”

Juliana faced the girl. She gave her a puzzled look. “Why? Who's angry with me?”

The girl laughed. “You're joking, right? I know you well and know when you're making a joke.” She laughed harder. Juliana wanted to laugh along with her best friend but she honestly had no idea. “Louise, I'm not teasing.”

Louise rubbed her arm. “Mrs. Goodwin found your hidden stash.”

Juliana let loose a comprehending gasp. She ran by her friend and climbed the main stairs to the second floor. In the backroom there, she went to a supposedly locked trunk under a table in the corner. The lock wasn't broken but was indeed detached. She lifted the lid and felt her heart sink. Her books were gone.

“Miss Russo. Can I help you find something?”

Juliana turned in a flash to face her employer. The woman stared at Juliana with her snake-like eyes. The skin around her eyes stretched so tightly Juliana wondered when it would tear. Mrs. Goodwin clasped her hands in front of her. She continued to play dumb. “Nothing has gone missing, has it? Not like many of the libraries un-checked out books.”

Juliana couldn't cover this lie. She sighed in defeat. “I am so sorry, Mrs. Goodwin. I know it was wrong of me to take the books without permission, but—”

The head librarian held up her hand to silence her words. Juliana pressed her lips together and hushed. Mrs. Goodwin gave her a disappointed look. “Knowledge is an amazing thing, Miss Russo. History is recorded so we may never forget. However, one can get too much.”

Juliana nodded to show she understood, at least on the outside. Inside she was screaming. Ever since she was young she'd had a fascination with history. Not only history, but with a particular part of it.

Animals.

Her mind was filled with stories her parents had shared with her. Stories her grandparents had shared. Animals were like the Anichanicals only made of flesh and blood. These living creatures had all gone extinct a hundred years ago. But the memory of them lived on through the Anichanicals. The fur of her own coat had once been part of a living bison. She'd seen Anichanical bison, but feeling that warm pelt under her hands made her mind race. Something so large, so majestic, had once roamed the world. Such an idea consumed her.

Mrs. Goodwin could see in Juliana's brown eyes that she'd lost her. “Pay attention, Miss Russo,” she snapped. Juliana came back to reality. She nodded again. “I'm sorry, Mrs. Goodwin. I understand. I won't take the books again.”

“I should hope not,” said Mrs. Goodwin. “You are a very bright young woman. I adore having you here. Please don't make me dismiss you for something as silly as hording private property. Should you want to read a book... check one out and return it when finished.”

Juliana got the message. Mrs. Goodwin raised a sharp eyebrow and slowly turned, taking her leave.

End of part 1

Update on New Novella

     I am really excited to announce that my first short story will soon be available here on my blog. I will be putting up installments of it weekly. I am anxious and yet excited about this. I have never put up work before. Not of this magnitude. I've put up essays and small poems but never prose like a short story. I already feel very attached to the characters and the scenery. To offer them to the public is very nerve racking. However, I feel that it will be well received. If you are a fan of Steampunk then this is the story for you! It is my first attempt at Steampunk so I hope I did it justice. I should have the first part posted as early as March 21.
     Adventure, danger, Anichanicals!
     Coming soon!

Love Writing

     

    Below is an essay I wrote for my class. I felt carefree as I wrote it and it also helped me explain how much I truly love being a writer. I hope you enjoy it.

Dear Writing,

            I am here to express something to you. You are amazing. When I was thirteen I didn’t have a clear idea for what I wanted to do when I grew up. The last thing I ever would have expected was to be a writer. To be honest, I hated reading and wasn’t particularly fond of you. One day, all of that changed.

            I found myself in a situation where I had nothing to do except read. While I read I started to notice the beautiful ways words molded together. Writing, you make the most simple things blossom. For example, explaining the taste of an orange can be described as so much more than simply how tangy it is. On the contrary, Writing, you say an orange tastes like a warm evening laying in an orchard. Each bite of the fruit sends tingles across your taste buds. That, my friend, is how you describe the taste of an orange.

            As I read over each page of my book, I knew I had to try you for myself. I found a notebook and started to jot down ideas for a novel. Truth be told, they were horrible, but for a young girl I thought I had struck gold. Subsequent to brainstorming I grabbed a pack of lined paper and wrote longhand. My fingers ached and my parents wondered why I wouldn’t want to come down to eat. But I was fascinated by you and couldn’t stop.

            Twelve years later I have only grown in you. I’ve written many stories and each one gives me a different feeling. Writing, what you have done for me is immeasurable. You are my calling. You are not only my talent, but my way to escape. Reading is fantastic because it gives people a chance to see new worlds, expand their minds, and feel free. That is exactly what you did for me, only greater. You help me create the worlds for people to explore. My mind holds entire universes waiting for travelers. Without you they would lay abandoned.

            My friend, because of you, I can feel myself become smarter. I learn so much about the world in order to make each chapter tangible for the reader. I find myself craving to know more each time I sit down to write. I desire knowledge, which I never had as a child before the age of thirteen. Knowledge became more than homework assignments and note taking. I now saw knowledge as a stepping stone to greater things.

            Writing, why did it take me so long to find the joy you hold? I thank God every day for leading me to you. I’m sure there were people in my life who thought you were another impossible dream of mine to add to my box of giving up. How wrong of those people to assume such things? Yes, you are not an easy thing to accomplish, Writing. Some days I want to throw in the towel. On some days I start to believe those who doubt me. “I will never get published. No doubt people would stop reading after the first page anyway.” Oh the impossible dream of you. I shake and feel hot tears coming, but then I stop. At these moments I think and realize I do have talent. You are me and I am you.

             I love what I do! It's an amazing feeling to know I have a talent and that it is you. Even if no one else sees it then it's at least something for me. I love you and I thank you each and every day. Let’s continue this fantastic bond and share it with the world.

 

                                                                                    Much love,

                                                                                         Sarita C. Waldorf

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Summary of Two Story Stories

Which story would you rather read?

Story #1:

   Children see time differently than adults. A minute feels like five. An hour feels like and eternity. When they grow up that feeling goes away. But why?
   Twelve-year-old Nathan and the other children in his small town, known as the Second Seers, are feared. Adults fear the children are possessed by the devil. Second Seers can feel the time around them and can predict the actions of others.
   But the adults don't understand. They can't remember that all children have this ability until they come of age. So, they put the children on trial. Will they bet sentenced to death?




Story #2

   Julianna lives in a frozen world. Where all species of animal are extinct. She has never seen one, but she's read all about them. She also owns an Anichanical*. A man invented mechanical animals to help serve humankind. Though Julianna loves her Anichanical grizzly bear, she still wishes for some way to return real animals to the world. And one day, her dream has the possibility to be realized.


*subject to change

Texas Book Festival 2013

   This past Sunday I was able to attend the Texas Book Festival in Austin. I had never been before so I was super excited about going! The first day it came I wasn't able to go because of my day job but Sunday I took my chance and went. Right away I felt at home. It was like a smaller scale of World Con. My friend was with me and we went through each tent and talked with a lot of writers. Each gave great advice. The panels were great too. The one about creating a heroine was the best, both my friend and I agreed.
   Texas has such a welcoming atmosphere. I knew the people, both locals and visitors, would be all smiles. Even the weather was nice and cool for a change. People from H-E-B were giving out free books. A combined book of "Eragon" and "Eldest" from Christopher Paolini's Inheritance series. I was pretty happy about that. We also got a book given out by PENGUIN HOUSE (USA) called "What the World is Reading." It is full of sample books. I think that is a great idea to market books they have published.
   I'm excited to read books from authors I heard speak at the panels and report back on my favorites. Also, my novel is coming along great. I'm going through lots of revisions. My goal is to have the second draft completed my New Years. Fingers crossed!

P.S. My short story is still in the works too. Don't you worry.

Edits and Starting a Short Story

   I have been helping a friend with her book edits. I have always thought I was a horrid editor, but as I read through the story I found that I know more than I thought. Sometimes I need to remember that I am good at what I do and carry that feeling with me everyday. It will even help me with my own work.
   With my own story, I have changed things around so much and have even moved many chapters to either earlier or later spots within the plot. I never thought I would do that. I am so happy I have. It makes the story flow so much better. As a writer you can't be afraid to move things or cut huge parts out. You need to remember that your book may be perfect to you, but it could be word vomit to outside readers. Your book isn't for you. It is for the world. Push away your pride and fix the story! It truly makes you love your story even more.
   I have started my very first short story. Let me tell you, it is not easy for me. I have NEVER written a short story in my life. I am the writer that goes into details and who loves to create worlds for my characters to explore. So being tied down to only a select number of words freaks me out. I admire those with the discipline to keep stories short. It isn't my forte. That being said, I am excited to take on the challenge. When it is finished I will post it on my blog. I hope you will all enjoy it. It has been fun creating new characters while I have a break at work. My main focus is on my novel, but I will do my best to get my short story finished. I have no intention on publishing it, though. It is merely for you (potential readers) to read and hopefully enjoy.
   Once again, thanks to all who support me and my dream. I would be lost without all of your love and good wishes. XOXO