A Crafty Idea

I'll bet those of you who have read Martha's Vine...all the way to the end...think I planned the ending as some sort of crafty way to hook you on the next book. But that's not why I ended the book the way I did. The fact you are hooked, and waiting for the sequel was a side-effect.

I actually did it to force a discipline on myself. I never make promises I can't keep. I will bend over backwards to keep a promise. My ending was a kind or promise to my readers...and I am now bending myself in 1/2 to keep that promise to you.

Just finished another 3-thousand words today...I will start Chapter 18 tomorrow.

Would you like a sneak peak?

For those of you who would rather not know anything about the 2nd book, STOP reading now! (Yeah, good luck with that.)

~~A little backstory...Ruth has been captured by The Man. She lives under his command now. She is not happy about it, but she is making the best of things. It's been months since she has seen her husband, months since she has lived at Matthew's compound. One of The Man's soldiers has befriended her.~~

***

RUTH JUMPED at the unexpected sound. She was alone in the craft room. She was staring out the window. The darkness was inky black, but moonlight illuminated the fir trees near the home. 

“Hi,” a male voice said. “You alone here?”

 

Panic rose in Ruth’s chest, but then she relaxed—it was Mervyn. “Hi,” she said. She held a hand to her chest. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

“That wouldn’t be good,” Mervyn said as he walked toward her. He smiled. “I looked for you at dinner. Where were you?”

“Not feeling so good.”

“Can’t sleep?”

“No.”

“How about some fresh air?

“Fresh air?”

“Yeah— Let’s take a snowmobile out.”

Ruth smiled at the thought. She’d had wonderful times at Matthew’s camp when she and Peter, and a group of friends would go out night riding. They’d stop along the trail, start a fire, and have a cookout under the stars. She remembered the stillness and the intense brightness of the stars. But mostly the deep almost heavenly quiet. It had spoken to her soul.

“Yes, I’d like that.”

“Got a suit?” Ruth shook her head. “I’ll find one for you.”

Before long, Ruth was dressed and the pair headed to the Quonset hut. Mervyn grabbed a lantern, and he lit their way to the machines. “This one is good,” he said. “It’s gassed up.”

“Just one?” Ruth asked. She looked disappointed.

Mervyn smiled. “Oh, the deerhunter lady wants her own machine.” He shook his head. “Yes, we’d better stick to one.” He pulled off his glove and started the engine. “Don’t want to piss off The Man.”

“You won’t upset him by taking this one out?”

“No— I’ll just say I was scouting. He’ll be okay with that.”

“With a woman?”

Mervyn laughed. “He won’t know that part.” 

He ran the machine out of the hut, turned, and patted the seat behind him. “C’mon.” Ruth straddled the seat and grasped his sides. She could feel the hardness of his body through his snowsuit and heat rushed through her. She blinked in surprise.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” 

Mervyn pressed down the thumb throttle and the machine roared ahead, its headlight bucking up and down in the trees as it passed. 

Ruth closed her eyes and yielded to the power of the machine. Wind mixed with tiny ice darts stung her cheeks and her eyes, and she leaned into the man’s back for protection. The machine hit a drift and bucked upwards nearly unseating her. Mervyn slowed down. He reached back and grabbed her arm, pulling it tighter around his waist.

Ruth didn’t resist. She shivered.

***

~~Sheree~~

PS Let me know you are reading this blog...leave a comment. If I can write 3-thousand words a day, surely you can write 10. *grin*

Cold and grey today...and light snow falling.

Just a pretty shot...