SHOPWIKI.COM,forALLofyourcomputerneeds.com

When searching for that new computer, whether it is for your personal use, an office computer or a gift for someone special, you need look no further than SHOPWIKI.Com. This on-line store doesn't just offer computers and all of the software that goes with it. Shopwiki.com takes their computers and their customers needs very seriously. Computers ranging from the home desktop PC to Laptops to a Mac are all available at the touch of a key. Budget PC's, Workhorse and High performance PC's are offered at Shopwiki. Depending on your specific needs, the shop will walk you through each PC and show you exactly what they have to offer you. Helping you decide if a Desktop or Laptop is the right choice for you, shopwiki goes the extra mile to aide in your decision.
Adding to the reasons that "shopwiki.com" should be your First and last stop for your computer needs is their features displaying each computer for you. They also detail what each computer is capable of doing. How much of the tasks you need to accomplish each type and size of computer can do is also included in this on-line store. Computer terms you may not be familiar with are included as well as the names of the manufactures that make them. All of the Specs are a keyboard away.
A visit to shopwiki.com will benefit the new PC user as well as the veteran. Your questions answered, you will come away fully equipped with the knowledge of what you need and how to obtain it. Shopwiki.com doesn't simply want to sell you a computer. They want to sell you the RIGHT computer for your needs.

agent Query Connect... the place to find your writers needs.

Agent Query Connect is an on-line site, created to help authors reach out to one another. The site offers avenues for writers to find agents and publishers as well as a place to connect with other authors. There are chat rooms so that you can converse with the people you need to know to succeed in the very competitive market of writing. For whatever your needs are concerning writing, you will want Agent Query Connect in your library of "things to have."

Your One Stop Spot for Auto Insurance

When Looking for a href="http://www.automobileinsurance.me/">">auto insurance, you will find everything you need under one URL. AutoInsurance.ME! is your one stop site for what ever you are looking for in an auto insurance policy. Knowledge is the key to finding the policy that is right for your specific needs. From liability to collision to comprehensive coverage, everything you need to know is right in front of you. AutoInsurance.ME! takes you through the plans with ease and allows you to become educated in what you need to know about coverage.
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Great Christmas Gift Idea

If you are looking for a great Christmas Gift, look no further. My novels, Abduction and Until Death Do We Meet will make excellent gifts for that suspense reader on your Christmas list. Normally they sell for 20.00 dollars each. Purchase them as a Christmas gift and you can get them both together for 35.00 dollars. That's a five dollar savings to you... an extra stocking stuffer or roll of film for keeping memories.
With each order you will receive the novels, autographed YOUR way, along with a CD of easy listening music, written and recorded by me titled "SimplyD". In the U.S., I pay all shipping costs.For overseas, add 15.00 dollars for shipping. Get them now so that you will have them in plenty of time Christmas.
From me to you, I wish you all a safe and memorable Holiday season, now and throughout the New year. Thank you, Darrel.

Soldiers... here and gone.

Today is Veterans Day. A day set aside to honor and to remember the brave men and women who have or are protecting our country. We take a moment out of our busy lives and have parades and school plays and bands playing the National Anthem to pay homage to the wonderful soldiers that have layed down there lives to keep our country free. Today i went to concert at our local school. From kindergarten to the High school, every grade honored our veterans. They sang songs about our Flag and told in beautiful voices how beautiful our country is. From "Your a Grand Ole' Flag" to "Oh Beautiful", I felt the spirit of our Homeland being Honored. The Band played the Theme of each one of the services and as each Branch was played, the veterans of that branch were asked to stand and be recognised. I felt such a pride as the United States Air force Theme was played.
At the end, as 120 students paraded past the audience, each carrying a U.S. Flag, the song by Lee Greenwood, "I am Proud To Be An American" was being played.
Today, I stopped and really thought about what it means to be an American. It means loving and honoring your country. It means standing up for your country and defending it whether by words or weapons. It stands for being free and the knowledge that we are only free because of the men and women that have stood and paid the price for or freedom. The brave people that have fought for this country against every adversary that one could imagine. Leaving this land to go to places they have never seen before... some that they had never "heard" of until they landed on their soil. Leaving their families behind to stop the enemy from getting close enough to harm this land we call home.
I sit and think of the causes we have fought to keep, both here and abroad. The Right to freedom of religion. The right to bear arms to defend our selves. And then I thought of the "right of Freedom of Speech" and my heart saddened a bit. I thought about things I have heard "fellow" Americans say about our men, our country and the war we fight right now in Iraq. A war that for whatever reasons we are fighting, whether it be to defend against terrorists or free a people from Tyranny, we are in it. Freedom of Speech is not limited here in America. There are few rules to govern what we say aloud. What a shame that there might need to be.
To be an American to me, does NOT mean you can talk down your country. It does not mean you have the right to speak badly of our soldiers or what they are doing. They are doing what they were told to do. I think that being an American means that whether we agree or we simply agree to disagree, we show support for our soldiers. They are after all the reason we are living in a land that IS Free. I am thankful for each and every man and woman that has stood up to defend our Honor and our way of life. I sleep sound because they are there. And as for me and those in my house, I say THANK YOU, from the deepest parts of my heart to every single soul that has ever fought to defend my freedom. God Bless America ,,, And God, watch over our troops. They are just Angels in Uniform.

Purpose... Is it a Must for Surival?

Purpose... such a strong word. Purpose is the reason for an action being done, an object existing or being made or used. Purpose can be synonymous with the goal or the intended result of an action. It means to be here on earth for a reason. Something bigger than just existing. To go through life with out ever serving a purpose, without ever reaching out to someone to help them to me, is a wasted life time. So many are in need of someone to touch their lives and help them in some way. Many that have no idea how to ask. The rewards that come with helping someone, with knowing your purpose is immeasurable. For some... it is their only means to survive in this world.
This being said, what happens when you can no longer find your purpose? What changes in your world when the reason you got up every single morning leaves? And where do you go when even those around you don't truly need your help? They are totally able to care for themselves. Walking through life with a "care-givers" soul, it is difficult at times to find reason for even being, existing. The purposes we have in this world are what give us the motivation to get out of bed and start the day. It begins as soon as we open our eyes. We focus and even look forward to the day, existing with the knowledge that today... someone, somewhere is going to or already Does need you.
Suddenly, you wake one day and find yourself searching for that Purpose. Looking through your life and at those around you, you strive to reach into each one of them and find a Need. I knew for ever it seems what my purpose was. I reached out o so many and helped them along their journey through life. While I was helping them, they were also helping me in more ways than I knew sometimes. They were saving me while I was saving them. And some, sadly, I let down. I failed them as a friend and as someone they loved and cherished. Too busy with life and yet as mixed up as it sounds, I should have been busy with their life. My "Purpose" and I let them slip away, leaving them alone and without encouragement. When you surround yourself with people in need and suddenly that "need" is gone, where does that leave you???
The need to help someone, the desire to have purpose I think is a survival mode inside. I don't know if everyone has it with in them. Perhaps there are those that can survive without a real purpose. What I know is this. people are placed in our lives many times for a reason. A Purpose, They come into our lives, sometimes only for a season. When the purpose for them being in our lives is found and that purpose has been fulfilled, they may simply move on. But forever, they are embedded, bonded to your life and memory for the rest of your life. Someone else will fill their spot or you, will fill a spot in someone else's life. The blessings filling your life with a reason to be.
When you suddenly wake and realize you don't know what your purpose is, it is a terribly frightening place to find ones self. It can absolutely leave you feeling worthless. The search goes on to find my purpose in this world that surrounds me. I truly hope that I find it soon, before it destroys me and my world.

Being an Empath... The Feelings of Others.

Before I begin, you need to know what an Empath is. The definition link will tell you the answer, but I think there is so much more. The ability to feel other peoples or even animals emotions is not something I would easily call a "gift" as such. That is not to call it a curse either but perhaps something more in between. The fact that one can take on the sadness or happiness of those around them can be a bit of both. Being psychically tuned in to the emotional experiences of a person brings on a deeper realm of each and every emotion. Although the "good" feelings are stronger, the sadness and horror harbored inside a persons soul is also stronger, more intense.
It was many years ago that I felt the sadness and excitement of people around me. In the beginning, long before I had even heard the word "Empath", it was only those closest to me that I could feel. Even more so, it was those that I felt a sadness for that truly found their way into my mind and my heart. I had not a clue what caused these feelings nor why I seemed to be the only one that could feel them. I smiled at happiness that was not my own. I felt inside that anyone elses smiles were just as much mine. The same had to be said about their sorrow and their loneliness. I could feel the emotions finding a deeper place inside of me as time went on. When I did realize, more was shown that I was an Empath, though it made more sense, the feelings continued to increase. I found ways to channel the feelings so that they were not so intense at times. Especially when it was no longer just those closest to me that I felt.
But I truly write today because of something else I noticed. Maybe learned is a better word. it has everything to do with the emotions i have been talking about. The ones that invade my mind without invitation and send me into a huge tumble. It was the knowledge that it didn't nor does it now matter the intensity of my own sorrows. That the reason they were so often pushed aside for others feelings was that it was and remains more important to see others happy. the happier and more content those I love and am surrounded by, the less sorrow I have to endure for them. The sadness that so many experience is sometimes nearly unbearable for me. I want at times to talk about it with them but there is a fear in me that screams out that if I do that, it will bring it to the surface. This will only guarantee me that the pain will be strong. Powerful enough I believe at times that it could destroy me.
Funny thing, not being afraid so much as to what your own sorrow will do to you as much as you fear what others pain will do to you. Looking at someone, even at a glance, and feeling your whole being fill with sadness is something few imagine and fewer want to. Crying inside and outside for sins you didn't cause but feel inside, none the less. And the knowing that the sadness that is felt is sometimes multiplied by the already too real sorrows of your own past. This... is he life of an Empath. No frills. No balloons or whistles. Just the sounds and the feelings of everyone that walks by you... AM I alone on this one? I doubt it seriously. Darrel

Am I forgetting????

This morning I sit and write in sadness. My night was short or long, depending on how you see it. My sleep was over-taken by dreams that caused me to cry out in the night. I woke with tears streaming down my face at the memories of what I had dreamed in the night. And I woke up afraid. Not because the dreams were nightmares. I woke afraid because they were so real and made me wonder what they meant. It was at any rate a very long night.
3 years and 8 months ago, my entire life changed. Everything I knew, every reason I got up in the morning... changed. Sheila and I had been together for almost 25 years. Our daughters were grown and our life different for certain but still filled with Love and caring and a forever that was to travel the miles from earth to heaven and back down to earth. It was a love that had seen so much sickness and so many hospital rooms. We walked through fires hand and hand and nursed one an others burns when we came out the other side. And this love saw a man broken, lost and breaking the heart of the very woman he had pledged his life too. A Man that no longer felt he was worthy of this Angels love and so he stepped out, thinking it was she that would one day leave him.
3 years and 8 months later, I wake with tears and sadness at realizing that she would have never left me. I stayed at her side to the day she went to heaven, never walking far away from her. We kissed good morning and kissed good night every single day of our life together. We whispered our "I love you's" and spoke them out loud even after I had done her so wrong. I still tell her I love her and know she hears me say it. I will always say it.
After nearly 4 years, loving someone new and feeling contentment at where my life is, still, I dream of Sheila. Mostly good things and wonderful memories. But that was not last night. Not unhappy where I am, I wondered why the dreams last night were so different, so hard.The sorrow and tears were so strong and real and I sat today, questioning why. I dreamed of her in her wheelchair, alone. I found her and cuddled with her and told her how Much I loved her. I waited in the dream for doctors to come and make her better. I called to them aloud in my dreams. I woke myself, calling out her name. Telling the empty air that I could not see her... I could not find her. I ached to know the feel of her tiny hand on mine just once more. I strained to hear her voice and prayed I would remember the sound when I woke. But, I didn't. I reached out to touch her and she wasn't there. But I heard her small tiny voice say so gently to me, "I am not gone, Love. I am right there in your heart, right where I have always been."
Fear? What am I afraid of today? I am afraid that I am forgetting her. I am so scared that I am leaving her behind somewhere because I am living a new life. I fear that God may not know me when I go because of the hurt I caused Sheila. Are these real fears? Yes! People will tell me it isn't a big deal or not to worry about it. They will say "you need to stay focused on the future" and I will nod. But in my heart, I will ask God to forgive me for what I did to her. I will ask him to remember the 24 years we spent together and all we stood by each other through. And I will thank him for the blessing of entrusting Sheila, who was sick from 1 year after we married until she went to heaven. A love... My Love that went too soon and left me without my having said All I wanted to and should have said to her.
Yes, I live each and every day with the guilt of what I did wrong. I pray silently that God will feel that the good far out-weighed the bad. The dreams will come again and I pray for strength to keep moving on with my new life, my new love. I cry even now because I don't want to forget her. I don't want to wake one morning and realize I have let her go away. I sit here crying because I Miss her so. And I wonder... Do I deserve to cry? I hope I am still allowed to cry for her. I remember all of our fun times and how hard we laughed as we went through our life together. And I pray once more that I am Not forgetting My Sheila.

Welcome... to My World.

As I sit here and look out my window at the weather, my thoughts drift from place to place. Nothing unusual about that for this bipolar man except... today I am able to reach out and touch a few of the thoughts. Very unusual for this man. Normally my thoughts race so fast that I can not catch, let alone, feel one of them. I like the moments, fleeting as they may be that I can do this.
Perhaps it is the weather itself that is allowing me to spend a moment with a thought or two. I see the ones that said I might want to make other blogs. Separate my thoughts on being bipolar from my short stories. A good thought that I am thinking on doing. Have a site for my "issues" and one for my short stories, so they do not all run together. I thank her in my mind and here for the idea. I think about the year we have had and how very different our seasons were this round. We had a wet spring that slid into summer without being noticed. The "summer" really wasn't much of a summer at all.
Now, as I sit here watching the rain quietly turning to snow, I wonder too where our Autumn went to. My favorite season seemed to wash past us in a fury of storms and rain that will be remembered for a long time to come. Devastating and yet because of the terrible storm we endured, the town is getting a face-lift. New rooves and new windows. Bright, clean new siding going on houses. As I watch this I think "Wow, this is the storm that is still here. It will be here, fresh in our minds until the final touches of new are completed. And still, we will remember why it looks so good every time we pass a new roof or new siding.
As I write, I feel my thoughts begin to race again. The wonderful feeling of holding a single thought begins to fade a bit. Soon, I will be back to abstract thought an chasing the thoughts until I am weary. And still one more thought comes to me. It settles and allows me to spend a moment thinking. That thought??? I watch each year as the season change a little more each year. More storms, more weather... less summer and short Autumns. I wonder if this is how it will stay. Will the seasons now take on a new look, a new length of staying?
And the thought that tangled with it. This is like me. Over the seasons, I too have evolved in different ways. I have settled a bit on that My Shiela is happy in heaven and that she doesn't have thoughts of sadness or of jealousy. She is now walking a new walk. One that will take her to the next step until we are all finished here on earth. I see and feel little changes in me like what I want from life and reaching out to make it mine. My springtime beautiful in that I have found new flowers and a place to make new memories. My summer, life fast pace and heated at times seems to have been melded into the Autumn of my life. The time to reap what I have sown, good and bad. seeds I planted in my children now blossoming, again of good and of sad.
I hold on as tightly as I can to Autumn, knowing that winter has already begun again. Snow outside whispering to me that Jack Frost has taken in a breath and is ready to exhale. I don't want to let go and allow winter to come. I like who I am in spite of the abstract thoughts and times when I truly am not sure why I stay.
I wonder too, as I do about the changing seasons, if this is how it will be now for me. Will some seasons, some friends stay for just a little while? Will my life all meld into one of such rushed moments, that I will miss the differences in the seasons? I want to experience each season, gently and slowly. I want to feel spring and see new life. I want to feel the heat of summer on my face and in my heart. I want to smell the fire-places as they start to burn in the fall. See the leaves change color slowly, not simply fall off the trees because winter came too soon.
Life is good and I am happy, mostly. I hold on to the mostly and look towards tomorrow. I wait to see if Jack Frost exhales or if he just gently blows his winter down on us. This.. is the mind of a bipolar. The mind that is gifted in being able to see life and everything it is in so many different ways. To imagine and feel everything and every place this mind takes me. Bad??? I don't think so. Hard to live with? Sometimes. Living life and making it all an analogy to reality and fiction. To always compare things that are real to something beautiful or ugly. Perhaps, just maybe, I have found a way to look at life and never see the ugly. To take every experience, every season, and make it a blessing. To be thankful for being able to be loved and love more than any one man deserved. To see the world through different eyes than the rest of the world. Not such a bad thing. Only when the abstract takes over and the Low times explode.
Do you have to be of like mind to understand what I have written here today? Hmmmmm??? I wonder how the rest of the world reads this.

The Writer Gazette... Resources at your fingertips.

You are a writer. You have finally finished that novel you had put away and taken out 20 times over the past X years. Now, the really difficult part about writing.Where are you going to send this creation? How do you know if it is "publisher" ready? What about a Query letter? What is a publisher looking for from you? And the big question you keep asking yourself. "How do I make my novel scream out "PICK ME!!??"
If you are like me, I think of seeking those answers much like I do shopping. Time is precious and so I like a store that offers everything I want under the same roof. Aisle after aisle of everything I need to start and finish a project. Less time driving from place to place, more time to do what I love to do. I feel the same about seeking out the right publisher for what I write.
Writer Gazette. When I am looking for some answers, be it publishers, writer markets, "how to" or "where to" books and e-books to get me from A to Z in the most direct, efficient path, Writer Gazette is where I go. Krista has built a writer help site that offers anything you need to find what you are looking for. She opens the doors to avenues that can take you through the process of preparation to submission as painlessly as possible. From her own books to those of writers, editors, publishers and agents, she guides you through the "maze" of becoming published. Writer Gazette enables you to find what you need so that you can get back to doing what it is you Really love to do. Write.
Have a look for yourself. I think you will like what you find. Writer Gazette... your one stop publishing site. {{Best Site in Writer's Digest magazine for: 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 & 2009. #3 of The Writer magazine's "25 Best Writer Websites"}} Tell her Darrel sent you.
Darrel Day. Author of Abduction and Until Death Do We Meet. www.thingsiknowabout.blogspot.com

You pay the Taxes!

Today, I want to talk about something that effects a lot of people. It is the reason for political talks, party conversation, and giving the government something to tax. It is the topic of votes for congress and the cause of more fights and arguments amongst friends than one could imagine. I am of course talking about cigarettes. Worldwide, between 80,000 and 100,000 kids start smoking every day. I have watched the price of cigarettes increase sometimes over night now for better than a year. Each time, someone says "It's enough! I am Quitting!" And each day, I see the same person buying another pack of cig's. My point truly isn't about that. It is about "Uncle Sam" and the cigarette companies ripping themselves off.
Taxes that are placed on cigs by our Government, causing the price to go higher and higher makes me wonder if they know what they are doing. If the price truly does continue to rise, it may force some smokers to quit. The way I see it, IF they do force people to quit, then where is the money they getting from Cigarette taxes going to come from? The revenue that is accrued by taxes from we smokers has got to come from somewhere. Non smokers are extremely quick to kick us out of restaurants and bars and stores and anywhere else they think we should not be aloud. The truth is that without us smokers, YOU will be paying the bill.
The government is already looking to start taxing things like potato chips and soda and anywhere else they can. You will be footing the bill to make up for what smokers taxes used to pay. The government complains and comes against those that smoke and the doctors and insurance companies make it a huge issue what damage smokers do to the environment and those around us. Somewhere along the road,they seem to forget that is smokers that are willing to pay the ridiculously high prices set by our government and supply a revenue of billions of dollars every year to finance their high paying jobs.
Say what you want about a smoker. complain, fight us, tell us how sick you are of breathing our smoke. Just remember this, please. When the price of pop or potato chips and ice cream goes up, because no one could afford to buy cigarettes anymore, I wont notice it because I have been paying for cig's that way for a long time. One last example of the not so smart way that Cigarette companies are cutting their own throats. A month ago, I was paying 15 USD's for a can of rolling tobacco. I alone bought two cans a week, plus the filters and machine. They decided to DOUBLE the price over night. The same cans I would have bought are still sitting there with a price tag of 35 USD's on them. Please, please tell me where the sense of that was! They are making Zero dollars on that can now. It was cheaper and less work for me to buy a carton of already put together cigs, than to make them myself. Hmmmmmm???? I am still thinking on that one.

Lost... another place to be in a Bipolar World.

Lost. The definition of this word is vast. It can mean anything from losing your wages at a poker game to not having a single clue as to where you are. The one I want to focus on is this one. { : unable to find the way b : no longer visible c : lacking assurance or self-confidence : helpless} This definition personifies the very being of a bipolar person. Some people have commented to me, saying "How can you speak so freely of All bipolar? Not everyone is You." They are very right and not every bipolar person has the same actions or reactions. But when you Generalize the disorder, similarities are found and most share the same issues and fears. Having said that, I am going to return to the thoughts of being Lost.
"Unable to find your way." That is one that dances through my brain so much these days. "No longer visible." That one I sometimes dream of. To be invisible would be to not have to hide or be embarrassed about the actions that come with being Bipolar. It would mean not having to explain my ways or to know in my heart that there are people I love dearly that simply choose to ignore this disorder or imagine that I can just "let it go." I don't think that these people can truly understand the depth of what being "lost" inside your mind truly means. To walk around, knowing you Want to do something, knowing there are things you Should be doing and yet not having the ability to find a way to do them. Physically, Yes... mentally, no. To feel as if you didn't belong in this time or in the place you are is a frightening feeling.
The "alone in a crowd" feeling comes in to play all too often in those scenarios.
Today, I am lost. I talk about this because sometimes there are still those that feel "alone" and think that their actions, their fears and movements are strange and that no one else in the world does them. I write because I want people to know that they are NOT alone and that the feelings they have inside are not crosses they have to bear alone. Lost has so many meanings but for me, someone that Bipolar is a part of my Everyday life, sometimes every single minute. It means waking up and it being a huge issue whether to sit or stand. Standing in the middle of the kitchen, staring out the window and thinking about all I could do and wondering what I WILL do.
LOST... standing in my own living room, wondering sometimes what keeps me inside so much. I Love the outdoors and yet... there is safety indoors. Not safety from "danger." I live in a tiny town that shoplifting is a "get in the paper" thing. lol. Safety from confrontations. A safe place, where I do not have to explain anything about me. No one to tell me I can fix this. No one to shake their head or whisper when they Think I am out of ear-shot. No body to feel as if I need to say "I am sorry" to because I twitch or shake. The only place I don't feel lost is right here. Writing is a place I can go and just Be. And I am thankful for that feeling.
If you feel "Lost" please, don't feel alone along with it. You are Not Ever truly Alone. There is a whole world of people that feel exactly like you do. I write this so that you know... Today, I am lost. Tomorrow, maybe it will be better. Always, Darrel

Welcome to My World...

Because it is Tuesday. Because it is cold and quiet. Because it just is. Reasons why I am in a low. I fear sometimes that my readers may look at this and say "Whoa, no thanks." And yet, I write. I write about my day and about where this disorder sometimes takes me. I write about the things that come to my mind sometimes so damn fast that I can not capture one single thought without ripping the other thoughts to threads. I fear what is and am afraid of things that don't even probably exist outside of this Bipolar mind.
I hear family and friends saying "get over it", "Move on", stop being so dramatic." Their words not only echo in my brain... they cut me and make me feel as if I am less than they want me to be or more than they want to believe. Challenges like getting out of bed are softer than the tasks of getting Into bed. Fearing what I might wake up as or where my mind will be when I wake. Knowing that in my sleep, I have NO control over my thoughts nor how they might set the standard for where I am going the following morning. How do you tell someone you love that it isn't them... it isn't laying beside them that is an issue. It is ending the day that you have some control over and not knowing what the next day will bring.
Life is good and yet, I fear that I have not truly accomplished anything. Not fully. Always half done. A CD that is GOOD and yet 100'2 sit in my closet, unopened, unheard. 1/2 done because they are only fully done if they are successful. Two Novels that sales have gone down on. Neither seeing #1 best sellers lists and yet... they are good. 1/2 done. Not finished because finished would be huge sales. So many half things in my life and yet, I try so hard to make them the best that I Am.
Welcome to my world. A world of successes that aren't. A world of seeing things always out of proportion and abstract. A world that keeps me going and yet stops me at every corner. Welcome to my Bipolar Day. Today, I deal with it my way... Tomorrow???? Who knows?
The world of a bipolar runs in such intense motions. Whether it is up or down, the intensity is always the same. The roller coater ride is never ending and you just have to hold on tight and hope there is still a Track around the next bend. This, is my world...

Courage and Strength

Today I want to talk about what I know about Courage and Strength. I will link you to the story of a little. A little girl that has a disease known as microcephalic osteodysplastic Priordial Dwarfism. Also known as MOPD, this disease only effects 100 babies in the world and many don't live past 5 years old. Though my writing here today includes little Finn Davidge-Hesketh, from Canada, it was watching a show last night about her that brought tears to my eyes. Finn is a six year old baby that was born with this terrible disease. She endures pain and tests that would have even an adult struggling. Her smile, her courage and her strengths made me sit back for a moment and look at myself. She is still the size of a 6 month old baby. Just 25inches tall and yet she takes life on like a giant. My heart so went out to this little miracle and at the same time, made me look around and even in the mirror.
I look back on my life and think of All the blessings I have been given through out my life. So many that they are almost more than any man such as I ever deserved to have. And yet, here I am, sitting here in awe of how strong this little girl is.She doesn't slow down for anything, nor for any-one. I think of my Sheila as I watch this tiny Angel, and of all the strength that Sheila showed and all the things she taught me about facing life, living life and not allowing anything to stop you from living life to the fullest. I wondered which one begat which. Did Having strength within give her the courage to never say enough? Was it the courage to face her diseases and pain that gave her strength? Which one of these elements happened to cause the other to occur?
As I watched baby Linn smile and struggle with her disease, I thought, my God, she is pure strength. Her desire to learn when her learning abilities were so limited screamed out to me. It said 'you can only be slowed down IF You yourself choose to slow down.' I think now, courage begets strength. My reasoning is this. As I watched Sheila suffer through some very unimaginable pain and fear, each thing that she faced up close and personal gave her the strength to go on. But... she could not have found that beautiful strength without having the courage to reach out and grab it and look closely at it. She had to look her pain and suffering right in the eye before she could harvest the strength that came with having courage to truly face things.
We, you and I have the same strengths inside to battle our daily Foes and to gain strength as win each battle, even if the same battle comes to us the very next day. As most of you know, I suffer from Bipolar2 and tourrets daily. I know my strength is in taking the disorders and facing them Up Close. but, unlike Finn and Sheila, I am afraid to reach out. I am scared of what might become of the me I know. I am frightened to see where the world might take me if I venture to far from the safety of my home. I watched this little girl on T.V. and I cried. I think I cried for her because she is so strong and such an Angel and I think I cried for me... because I am Not. But through her and through Sheila, I have learned that Courage must come first to allow strength for the next battle. I know now that until I have the courage to look my issues in the eye and stand up and say "I am not afraid", that though I can not gain full control, I Will not forge forward and beat the things that take me to such dark places.
Strange that through the eyes of a little ting girl, her smile and her courage, i would see my own weakness. Please do go and read about this little girl. See in her face and her smile the strength, the courage that is all of ours, if we will only reach out and grab it. Courage... begats Strength. Always, Darrel

Because I am... Answer to that gets old question.

Why are you Bipolar? Ahhhh, a question that WILL be followed by another and another question. If you have ever told someone, friend, family or foe that you are Bipolar, then you have heard these questions. What caused it? Were you taken advantage of as a child? Were you abused by someone physically or mentally? Why don't you just move on? It was so long ago. And then there is the "I had a friend that had that and he/she got cured."
The questions come back around so often that we just stop telling people. There is no real answers and those that we can answer, well, we might prefer not too. I have spent forever trying to explain something that even I don't always understand. The only real answer I can give someone is "Because I am." Life simply happens and we don't always have answers to questions we are asked. "They have pills for that." "REALLY???? Wowwwww... you Do know." And what about those of us that don't take the pills because they are like Poison to us? What about the ones that don't take them because of the "Side-effects?" Not that they are bad? No... There is just the cramps and headaches and the (Increased risk of suicide.} Yea, because we need help with THAT one.
I know I sound sarcastic here and I really do not mean to. I am really only trying to make a point. The things that people tell us, we are already aware of if we have been Bipolar longer than a year. Life for us is like nothing someone without this disorder can ever truly understand or imagine. We don't walk the same lines as others. We don't follow the same path as the rest of the world. We struggle just to start our day. We become lost and confused at the sight or thought of change. We have trouble being somewhere with someone too long. We don't have happy days or sad days. We have euphoric days, so high we would take on all the dragons of the world and conquer them all. Well, we think that. We have Lows that take us to the darkest places you could ever imagine and some that you couldn't.
We love and live with a passion and would give all we had to anyone that asked. We also live in a world that leaves us confused and dis-connected from the world around us. And we live in a world that tells us that everyone in the world could be friends and everyone in the world needs to be saved. And we try to save them all.
Why am I bipolar? What caused it? Why do I live in a world that was built on the largest most curvy roller-coaster that ever existed? Why do I start things and not finish them? Why do I "jerk" from time to time? Why do people make me so anxietic? Why can't I "get over it?"
I am bipolar because I am. That's my answer to all that wondered. Because, I am.

Another part of Bipolar...

I sit here this morning, looking out at nothing really. My mind is racing 10,000 miles per hour. Thoughts that won't let me catch them... a heart rate that speeds and slows, speeds and slows and, Speeds.I reach for my coffee cup, knowing it's empty, and try to talk myself into getting up and refilling my cup. Something so damn simple and yet such a huge task at times. Will I get up and get more coffee? I guess I'll have to see.
I think about my friends. I wonder this morning why they even call me friend. I neglect them and leave them sitting, wondering perhaps what it is they have done that caused me to stop talking to them. I wonder how I tell them that they have done nothing at all. It is Me. Anxieties inside of me, making me body shiver and my mind run rampant through every Oops I have ever made. Trying so hard to reach out to those that call me friend and yet not finding my way there. Afraid that I will get into a conversation, my mind will wander far away and I will not know how to say "sorry, I just need to go."
Just another part of this disorder that leaves me worn out inside and unable to make myself do things on the outside. Feeling as if I have only half accomplished anything I have done in this life. Half worked, half been a friend, half been successful. Never truly following through with anything I have ever started. Stepping out on a woman that loved me with her heart and soul. A CD that has touched only a few. Novels published but not yet best sellers. Friends that watch me drift further and further down a road that leads in the opposite direction. Half finished...
I don't not want to avoid friends. I don't mean to not respond. I wish things were different for me in my mind and yet want things to stay exactly as they are. No rocking the boat, no "must do's" or time sets. Just breathing, living and being. Living is a relative word for me. It says that I am doing more than just breathing. It says I am taking steps to do something with my life. I live in a world where fiction is reality to me and reality... is something I am unsure of at times. This is the life of a person that suffers from this disorder. Things we dream into life that don't or won't truly happen, but in our world, they already have and if not, they will. Believing that everything we have ever dreamed of will come o us if we wait for it long enough.
Feelings that we can conquer the world, save the less fortunate and help those in need. Believing we can do all of this without even having a grip on our own life. Mainly because, our own lives are NOT relative. They do not matter except for those fleeting times when we WANT it to matter. The moments that we want Everyone in the world to notice us. But when they do, we freak and run and hide again. A feeling, a roller coaster ride that few would want to take and fewer would survive it.
This is my world and this is where I dwell. My writing my only true safe place. It is a place I can go and create a world that is almost me but not really. Confusion that feels like certainty and those things certain that seem a bit unreal, like a facade that is not to be trusted that hides the true face we are looking at. How I want to tell my friends, my family that I love them but I simply can't see them right now. Wondering how long they will wait for me to come back. Trying always to decide if seeing them is the cure or if seeing them is a dangerous place to be. Feeling as if they are best to be away from me. Less hurt that way.
Oh my, this is my world. This is where I live and play and scold and chastise myself for the sadness and alone-ness and pain I bring to those that love me. You might understand where it is I dwell if you simply give me time and patience I so desperately need to survive. I guess we will have to see where today leads me. Just know I do care and I do want to talk to you. I simply don't know how right now.Please, forgive me for that. It's just another "Bipolar" day for me...

What will make my site a better, more profitable site?

I was asked a question a few days ago that I have not truly been able to answer yet. The questioned was posed by a company I had requested to advertise on my blog-site. Their question was this. "I noticed that your EPC is rather low. I was wondering your plans for promoting our program and maybe if you could comment on why your EPC is so low." Earnings Per Click is what a blog site can make when viewers come to see your site and find things of interest to buy. they click on the advert and you get paid X amount of dollars for each click.
I thought hard about this question and could not give them a good reason why my earnings were so low. The content of ones blog I believe has at least 1/2 an impact on this number. Drawing readers in and giving to them something that will keep them coming back is All important. Sometimes finding that interest is difficult. Keeping in mind that there are over 1 million blog sites out there in Cyber-space, that leaves you like A star in a very huge Galaxy. In that context, the North Star shines bright and therefore it grabs the attention of a star gazer first. Then you have the big dipper, the little dipper, the constellations, the milky way, the... well as you can see, the list is forever as are bloggers. But each one I mentioned has a niche. It has it's own little something that makes it stand out, even with the North Star shining so brightly.
You have bloggers and website owners and you have sites popping up all over the place. Sort of like stars in the sky. And you have Google and Yahoo, sort of like the moon and north star. A blogger needs to find a way to shine brightly, even with those giants out there. They aren't going any place soon so you have to make it with the knowledge that there is a lot of competition out there.
Being a published writer, I remember the rejection letters that came prior to my being twice published. The big dogs, the Steven Kings and Koontz's were already there and not going anywhere. I had to meld into the crowd and write my own way. And write, I have done. Confident and strong. Then, the question comes back to mind. Why IS my EPC so low? And still, I have no answer. I write with passion, I am openly Bipolar and blog strongly on that subject. I am not shy with words and... I am an excellent writer. So then, I ask you, my readers... what can be done to change those numbers? What can I add to my site or take away from site that is going to enhance it and cause it to be more desirable? What secrets are out there, waiting to be discovered that will bring the traffic as well as the EPC's?
As I have stated, I am NOT ever shy to reach out for some guidance. As my teacher and your teacher taught us, though I question it at times, "the only stupid question is the one not asked." SOOOOOO, I am asking. As there are the afore mentioned 1 million writers and bloggers out there in Cyber-world, then somewhere in that mix of brilliance and talent and experience, someone Must have an answer or three for me. Something I can take back to the gentleman, still waiting for a reason, an answer from me. Be it new advertising, new content or just New, I am open to hear it all.
And this, by the way, is how you Blog. ;)
Sincerely, me...

The Forest Has Ears... Final Chapter

"Dad has been outside for too long, Mom. We need to get him back inside as soon as we can. Aunt Ellie, can you hear anything from the trees?"
"I know that someone has died outside but it isn't your father. I know melody is the one that killed the witch. Give me a moment."
"We don't have a moment, Ellie! Derek could be dead already!"
"Karen, you and I both would know if he died."
"Really Ellie!? Because I sure didn't know he was Alive while you hid him from me!"
"Shhhh. The trees are whispering." Ellie listened closely. Her expressions left no telling of what she was hearing. She nodded quickly. "Thank you Nature. Blessings on you."
"What did they say?"
"She is standing not ten feet from the opening. If we reach out to grab Derek, Melody will follow. If we don't... Derek will be dead in a minute or less, Karen."
"Then we have no choice. Open the door! We will face Melody. We knew we would have to sooner or later! Open the trees. Ellie!"
"Sis, it will put all of us in danger. We could all die! Derek went out there knowing he might not come back."
"Open the trees!!!!!!! Open them now or I will go get him myself!"
"Mom, I love Daddy so much but Aunt Ellie is right. We are not ready!"
"Then by the Goddesses, you get ready Daughter! I am not leaving your father out there to die! Not by That witches hand!!!"
Karen flung the front door open to the cabin. The trees leaned in to try to hold her inside.
"Damn you Ellie, move those trees Now!!!!"
"It isn't me, Karen, it's Mom. She says she will protect Derek until the witches get inside."
"What witches? What are you talking about!?!?!?"
"Derek has witches that are turning from Melody. Let Mom and Derek do what they need to do! We will need all of our energy when we face Melody."
Karen stood in the doorway and cried.
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"Derek, listen to me. I am going to shield you until the good witches are inside. You must distract Melody for a moment."
Derek knew Michelle's voice. He stood as Melody was moving her wand. "Wait! Let me at least stand near my wife and children if I am going to die. I will have them open the door for me. I will say it's safe. Please let me die with them."
Melody studied Derek for a moment. She wanted him dead, but she wanted the one that killed her mother more. She could have it all if she waited for a moment more.
"I will burn a hole right through you if you try anything! One hit, one hole! Understand???"
Derek nodded and led Melody away from the door. As she followed, witches began to be sucked into the trees behind them. One by one, those refusing to follow Melody entered the Forest. Karen and Ellie were standing just inside the trees to help them through. As the last witch passed through, Derek suddenly began to fade away again. Melody stopped and looked behind her.
"Damn you! I will Kill you now!" As she turned to face Derek he faded totally from her sight. Melody raced to where the last witches were disappearing. She tossed her wand at the last witch. The witches body lit afire. As she reached the door, she shoved the burning witch from the gap. Entering the trees, she began to swing her wand around. The first burst of energy struck Ellie in the chest. She was tossed into the trees and fell to the ground, un-moving. Jennifer stepped forward. She was quickly joined by Jessica and Mark. She swung her wand again and Jessica raised her hands. The energy was deflected into the trees. They were set afire and burned hot and un-relenting. Skin was scorched and witches scattered. As Melody prepared to send another energy burst, Karen stepped forward.
"No!!!! This is between you and I, Melody. If you defeat me, you can do your best with the others!"
"Fine witch, let's finish this!" The other witches gathered behind their leaders. Half circles were formed and wands were held out in front of them. As the energy bursts came out of Karen and Melody's wands, they were knocked away. The witches behind melody began to use their wands. The Forest looked like a fireworks factory had exploded. Witches on both sides were falling to the ground. Bodies were strewn all over the forest. Karen turned to reach for Jessica as a burst struck her. Melody sent two bursts at Karen and knocked her off her feet. Her wand fell to the ground.
"Now little witch, you will pay for my mothers death!" Melody lowered her wand into Karen's face. "Say goodbye, witch."
Ellie suddenly appeared and leaped in between Karen's body and the burst of energy. It ripped through her body like a rocket.
"No-o-o-o-o-o-o-o, Ellie!!!!! God, no-o-o-o-o-o-o!!!" Karen watched as her sisters body burned.
"No more!" A voice echoed through the trees. "It ends here Melody!" The witches watched as Michelle's image moved to Ellie. "I will absorb all your injuries, daughter. You will be whole. Stand with your sister and Niece. I will not be able to speak with you ever again. I love you all."
As Ellie's body healed, the witches took each others hands. They turned the wands towards Melody and her followers. A burst of energy ignited from their wands. It struck Melody directly. She was tossed to the ground. Her strength stopped the burst from killing her. She layed on the ground. Karen walked up to her.
"We can be finished now. Let it end, Melody. Relinquish your wand and be done. Please."
"Not ever, witch!" Melody lifted her wand. All the witches that were behind Melody fled the forest, dropping their wands as they ran. Energy flew from Melody's wand knocking Mark and Derek off their feet. Karen and Jessica joined hands with Ellie. melody pointed her wand once more. A huge cedar, ten feet from them all suddenly leaned forward. It covered Melody's body and knocked the wand from her hand. The tree continued to lean until bones were heard snapping. Melody screamed out and then... all was silent again.
"Thank you, my friend" was all Karen could say. The tree once again stood tall.
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As the weeks went by, witches from all across the land came to listen to Karen and Ellie speak. New alliances were built, old ones repaired. Karen and her family settled in the comfort of the very forest that had saved their lives. Ellie came to visit as often as she could. Jessica listened and learned from her mother. Nature and all around them was right again.
Sometimes, while walking through the Forest, Karen would stop and smile. A gentle breeze would touch her face. "I love you, Mom. I feel you," was whispered through out the forest.

The Trees Have Ears Part 7

"How exactly are we supposed to stop Melody, Karen? She has so many witches with her."
"We stand together, Jenn, that is how we defeat her. Our combined energy will be enough as long as we do not stray from one another. Ellie, what is the best way to defeat Melody?"
"We need to reach out to some of her witches. If we can get them to stand with us, we would have a better chance of defeating her. Derek, you are our best chance for doing that."
"No!!! I am not allowing my family to be put up on the butchers block again! There has to be a better way!"
Derek moved and took Karen in his arms. HE kissed her gently. "Karen, this IS our family. All of them. One life isn't more important than the others. If you want us to live, then this is how we have to do it."
"Why you, Derek!?! You are the least enchanted of us all."
"That is exactly why we do need him, Karen. He is the one that may reach the younger witches without Melody knowing. She is tuned into us and may miss him or Dismiss him as insignificant." Ellie stopped and pointed at some paper on the table. She put her fingers to her lips to quiet them all.She wrote on the paper.
{For a few minutes, we need to write. The trees are still listening, I am sure. Our plan must be unheard. We need to send Derek out through the trees. We can cloak him for a little while. Derek can only be out for 5 minutes. Any longer and our energy will be weakened and Melody will see him.}
~~He is unsafe outside of the trees, Ellie. You know that!!!!~~
{Not for the first few minutes. He needs to the witches and see if he can turn them. We don't need their energy. We just need them NOT to give it to Melody against us. Derek is the only one that has the power of telepathy that is not going to stand out. Seek out their thoughts Derek. Find the scared ones. They will turn the easiest.}
~~If for even a moment you think Melody is on to you, get back in here, Derek. I mean that!!!~~
Derek nodded and went to the door. {We will open the doorway through the trees for only a second. You must hurry through so we can close it. We will be listening from the trees.} Derek walked silently until he reached the edge of the trees. He waited for the door to open. As it did, he rushed through it, tripping and falling as he did. When he looked up from the ground, he saw Melody standing above him. He waited for the feel of her energy to rip through his body. It did not come.
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"What was that!?!? I felt a breeze come through the trees."
"It must have been just wind, Melody. Nothing opened up."
"I know what a breeze feels like, Melinda! This was more than that. Almost as if a portal opened and then slammed shut. Start looking harder!"
"The girls are working as hard as they can Melody. But if your vast powers and energy can't see through the trees, how are we suppose to do that?"
Melody's hand moved so fast that Melinda never even saw it coming. 'SLAPPPPPPP!!!' Melinda was knocked from her feet. The other witches watched, some cowered as they watched Melody swing her wand around. Suddenly her hand stopped and the wand was pointing directly at Melinda. She smiled and then snapped the wand like a whip.Melinda was tossed across the highway. She landed in the gravel. Derek seized the moment and spoke to her mind.
"You din't need to be with her. She has hurt you over and over. Be with Karen and help us destroy Melody. Your entire life will be different. It will be free and safe."
Just as the next wave of energy struck Melinda she cried out. "Yes-s-s-s-s-s-s! Yes, I will!!" She stood up as the energy ripped through her body. "You don't have to live this way, ladies!!!" She looked at every witch present. "We are not Melody's property do do as she pleases with! Do not let her kill the one witch that could make us what we are supposed to be! We are Not Slaves!!!! We ARE Witches-s-s-s-s-s!!"
A surge of energy ignited from Melody's wand. The energy was so powerful, it scorched the faces of three witches standing to near Melinda. It hit Melinda and her entire body began to shake. She wrapped her arms around herself and screamed as her hair erupted into flames. Her body was covered in flame in seconds.
"Fight ladies!! We have a friend In Karen!! Melody is wrong." And then, there was silence. All that remained where Melinda had stood moments before was a scorched body. It moved involuntarily on the highway. The witches stood staring at the body. Fear was in their eyes. They turned away from the corpse and looked at Melody. She stared back at them, growling like a Lioness that had just made a kill.
"Anybody care to challenge me!? I am the most powerful with alive. Help me kill Karen and her pathetic family and I will reward you with anything you wish for! Turn on me or help the witches in those trees... and I will burn you to ashes! I hope that I have made myself clear!"
Derek sent out a signal to the witches. "Come with me. Fight with Karen and you WILL be free. I promise you!"
Witches looked all around. They searched for where the voice was coming from. Some of them backed slowly away from Melody. They gathered as close to the trees as they could. Moving their arms, they made gestures of searching again for a doorway. Derek could feel something changing around him. A breeze was blowing across his body. A witch look down at her feet. Her eyes told Derek the frightening truth. He put his fingers to his lips and spoke, almost in a whisper.
"Please, I am here to help you. Please don't say anything. She will kill me and kill you in the process."
The witch gave Derek a nod and stood in front of him, trying her best to conceal him. Suddenly, a voice from behind him sent chills down his spine. He felt physically ill to his stomach.
"I thought I killed you once already, you poor excuse for a witch. Nice of you to come visit me though. This time, I Will Not Fail. Say goodbye, Derek!"
Derek watched as Melody lifted her wand in the air...

Thoughts...

Today, I hope you will all forgive that the short story will have to wait until later. I am sorry for that. But sometimes, Life happens. Yesterday at 10 a.m., life happened here. We were hit with a tornado in this little town of Eldora. A tornado that showed up quick and with only a few moments warning. We watched out the window as we raced downstairs as the things in our backyard turned like a twister and were sucked up into the air. We listened from the basement as window were shattered by baseball size hail. Every window in the house but two were destroyed. Our living room and dining room and kids room were covered in hail stones and glass and debris from trees outside. Glass was stuck in furniture and outside... it looked as if someone had come through our town with a Machine gun and shot the outside of every house in town.
To see the effects of a Tornado on T.V, to read about it, hear people talking is far different from coming up from your basement and seeing it all in your living room. The reality of what Nature can do leaves one in awe of God's almighty power. Neighbors checked on neighbors, friends on friends and strangers on strangers. Banks without windows, stores wide open from missing windows. Amazing to see that No One was trying to walk away with T.V.'s or food or whatever they could get their hands on for free. This little town of Eldora, with a heart as big as any Metropolis, had only thoughts of how to help one another. that in and of itself says something about the quality of people that we share this town with.
But I want to say this. The emotions that well up inside you when you step out of your basement and see the damage is over-whelming. I can not even dare to imagine what Parkersburg, a town 30 miles from us that was torn into shreds last year by a tornado, could have been feeling. They lost lives and houses and suffered a devastating loss. I sit here today, trying to look through the thick plastic that covers the gaping holes where a window was just 20 hours ago. I look at the floor and carpet and covered still in tiny shards of glass that we will vacuum and vacuum to make it safe for the kids again. I look at the tree branches and leaves that still cover our living room and thank God we are all alive and well.
I step out to my backyard and look at my dog again. My buddy, such a huge beautiful Lab, and wonder if his leg will heal. I feel the knot on his neck where hailstones as big as golf balls and baseballs struck him before he was in the safety off his house. A call to our Insurance company to have them replace our windshield on the Bravada and tail lights and back hatch and windows in the Explorer. Tree's that lay every-where and the next door neighbors house, a tree that 3 men could not wrap their arms around laying on their crushed roof are a common scene here today.
Tears fill my eyes as I think of how truly lucky we were. How blessed that we are safe today and that no one was killed. Someone bigger than you or I hand his hand on this town. A storm, a severe thunderstorm warning... A Tornado. Minutes to get to safety. A minute too slow and it would have been a different blog you were reading today. That is how long we had for a warning of this one. No words written can ever convey to you the feelings of seeing your town, your own house, a place you call safety, destroyed in a matter of 10 minutes. There really are no words.
Today, we will work again, as we did until midnight to clean the debris from the house. Power gone for 12 1/2 hours delayed much of the clean up through the night. And we will smile at our neighbors, friends, family and be thankful we are all alive. No one will be a stranger ever again as we have all shared in a moment that will stay with us forever. Today, as we clear our houses of whatever nature placed inside our homes, we will stop and give thanks for our lives and our homes. Windows are replaceable. Knick-knacs can be re-bought. Nothing lost is un-recoverable. We are here and here, we will stay. Bless each and everyone of you and thank you for your patience with the story. I promise you the ending is coming. ;)
Always, Darrel.

The Forest Has Ears... Part 6

Karen stood slowly with the help of Ellie's out stretched hand. She walked to the doorway and stared. Her heart was pounding as she looked into Jessica's eyes. Derek slowly moved to the front of the doorway. Karen could see Mark standing inside the room. Karen touched the face of the man she had loved forever. She looked at Jessica and Mark. Tears streamed down her face as she tried to process all she was seeing.These people were dead. She had already accepted that and yet here they were, standing in front of her. Suddenly she struck Derek on his cheek with her open hand. He stepped back in shock of what she had just done to him. Jessica stepped between Karen and Derek.
"Mom, No!!!! He did nothing wrong!"
"Nothing wrong!?! Faking a death, letting me believe that I had failed in some way and that all three of you were dead!!! That is wrong! That is very wrong!" Karen turned away and looked at Ellie. "And You!!!! How could you do this to me!?!?!? I hate you for this, Ellie!"
"Then hate me, if you must, Sis. I did what I had to do to keep them safe until we could get to them here. If Melody even thought they were still alive, she would have hunted them down and maybe, just maybe, this time she would have succeeded in killing them."
Karen relaxed her mind a little bit. She walked to Derek and hugged him to her. She opened her arms to welcome Jessica and Mark. She held them tight to her, never wanting to let go of them. Her moment was only broken when Ellie spoke out.
"I am sorry to stop this but we really must figure out what we are going to do about Melody. She may already be here."
"We have the energy now to defeat her. We can not stay inside the forest forever. Melody will eventually find us and kill us."
"You are right Karen but if we are to fight her, it needs to be here, inside the safety of the forest. That is where we stand the best chance of defeating her."
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Outside the tree line, twenty or thirty witches moved up and down the row of cedars. Standing near the road, Melody watched as each one reached into the trees, searching for a doorway. She needed only a tiny opening to rip the trees wide.
"Where did they get such energy!? Karen was supposed to be the only one that had all the elements to reap from. I know I felt more than one energy flow when I was trying to drag the little witch out of the stand."
"Maybe Ellie has been hiding her powers from you, Melody."
A flash surged from Melody's wand and struck Melinda in the chest. The energy sent her sprawling across the pavement. The skin was torn from her belly and legs as she slid across it. Melody stood beside her now.
"Do you think I am so stupid or weak that I would not have felt her before this!? I have my mother inside of me! I can and I will kill them all, and then you will know who knew what!"
Melody walked back to the center of the Tree stand. Flames scorched the pavement where her feet touched. The witches all stepped away as she passed them. Her anger and her energy was strong this night.
"Listen to me, all of you! I chose each of you because of your strength and loyalty. If anyone wants to go, go now! Once we breach this stupid fortress, there will be no turning back! If anyone tries to run, I will kill you before you get ten feet from me. This battle does not end until Karen and her sister are both dead. Anyone with them dies also! Any questions!?!?!??"
Not a word was spoken. The witches turned back to the trees and continued searching.Melody moved against the trees and leaned her ear to one of the tree trunks.
"Talk to me. Tell me what you have heard in the Forest. I know you listen and hear everything." Slowly, she began to strip the bark from the tree. Long strips of tree skin peeled away as she raked her nails over the exposed tree. Sap ran red like blood from the tree. "You will tell me because I will claw away at you until there is nothing left. You will feel every single scrape! Now tell me, Tree, what do you hear in the forest?!?"
She listened as the tree moaned it's answer to her. Her face contorted at it's words. Deeper she dug into the tree as it whispered to her all she wanted to hear. The tree began to wither and weaken. It's branches sagged to the ground and it leaned forward like an old man trying to keep from falling over. Suddenly, Melody drove her hand all the way into the tree. She clenched her fist and pulled. A huge piece of the tree came out with her fist.
"You have served me well, tree. I will plant this heart of yours on top of the grave I bury the witches in. It will grow strong, feasting off of the witches for many years to come."
As Melody walked away, the huge tree lurched once more as if it were trying to stand straight. It stretched it's huge branches towards the sky and let out a loud moan that could be heard through out the Forest. And then... it died.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Shhhhh!!! Did you hear that?"
"Hear what Jennifer? I heard nothing."
"Listen, Mom. The trees are talking. They are trying to tell us something."
"She's right, Karen. I can hear them too." A silence filled the cabin. They all listened. And then Ellie spoke again. "Oh My Heavens! She knows."
"Who knows what, damn it. Tell me!"
"Tell her Jennifer."
"Melody knows we are all here. She knows about Ellie and about dad and Mark and I. She tortured one of natures beloved trees and it whispered of our existence. Mom, what are we going to do now!? She has 25 witches outside looking for us. If she finds a way in, how are we going to stop her!?"
"We will stop her, Jennifer. I don't know how yet, but we will stop her, once and for all."

The Forest Has Ears... Part 5

They walked through the trees, watching for any signs that Melody might still be watching. A tree would lean towards the ground as they passed now and then. A zap from a wand would send it standing tall again.
"She has managed to turn our own Forest against us. I just want one chance to end this all."
"Remember Ellie, she can hear us still, I am sure. These trees listen and she listens to them. Our oneness with nature right now is not helping us. I guess the plus for us is that the trees don't have eyes."
"We hope that they don't, Karen."
"Yes Jennifer, we hope."
The trail left by the fire was easy to follow. The erratic way that Alesha had run to try an escape it was obvious too. They walked until they found the opening from the forest to the "outside" world. A strong wind had started just as they were nearing the opening. All three were blown off their feet onto the ground.
"Stand together and do not let go of one another," Karen yelled above the thundering sounds of the wind. Trees reached down from the sky and struck them with their tops. Like giant whips, again and again they struck out at the girls. Some of the hits were like a knife cutting across their backs and arms. They could feel the blood seeping into their clothing.
"Don't let anything stop us! We have to close that opening before Melody kills us in our own safe place!"
Laughter filled the air all around them. The sound was so loud it hurt their ears. Jennifer let loose of the others hands to cover her ears. Immediately she was tossed into the trees behind them. As Ellie and Karen struggled to recapture her hands, they watched her body being dragged over the ground by an unseen force. Unseen but not unknown to either of them.
"Please, help me! I don't know what is happening!"
"It is Melody. She is trying to pull you from the trees! Mom's energy is still in the Forest. Melody's powers are weakened as long as she has to use them inside the trees! We won't let her take you, Jennifer. Trust us!"
"I do, Ellie...with my very life!"
Ellie stood up and faced the trees. She reached her wand out and touched a huge Cedar. The tree began to glow and lean forward towards the three witches.
"What are you doing, Ellie!?! They don't need any help getting to us!"
The tree began to wrap it's branches around all three of them. It leaned it's trunk towards the gaping hole in the forest. Ellie looked up at the huge tree.
"Mom, we need your help! We need you to move the trees to close the hole. Melody is trying to kill us. Please, help us."
Karen stared at Ellie as if she had lost her mind. She only looked away when she saw the trees begin to move their branches towards the hole. One by one they leaned. Ellie reached out and grabbed Jennifer's hands tight. The pull was strong and Ellie felt herself being moved towards the hole too.
"Karen, stop staring and grab my legs. Hurry!"
Jennifer's legs began to turn red as she was nearly to the opening. Small sparks came from them and she began to scream. The burning was getting worse as her feet left the confines of the Forest. Karen grabbed hold of Ellie's legs and leaned back. As Jennifer began to be pulled back into the Forest, the sparks stopped. The last of the trees leaned in and sealed the hole completely. The wind stopped immediately. Karen turned back to look at Ellie.
"Do you want to explain that one, please?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Mom!!!! I am talking about Mom! You called to her and the trees saved us. How did you know to do that?"
Ellie leaned down to begin dressing Jennifer's legs. Jennifer had passed out and was still laying motionless.
"Help me clean Jennifer up and listen. As you know, death for us occurs in stages. Not always do we move on to that final rest until things on earth are in order. Mom's energy was extremely powerful. She was able to remain close to this realm when she left. She told me in secret so it would not put anyone in jeopardy. She has done her own battles on her side of the realm."
"Battles? What kind of battles?"
"She has kept Anastasia from coming back and helping Melody. That in itself has been a non stop task for mom. But she is always near by to help us should we truly need her."
"Then why haven't we called on her before?"
"Each time we call on her, it weakens he hold on this realm. Eventually she would not be able to reach us to help."
"I understand now. Where do we go from here?"
"You are still the strongest witch in existence, Karen. Your energy can kill any witch you encounter, providing they are alone or have only a few followers. Melody will not attack us alone. We both know that. We have to have a plan and be ready for her when she does come. The trees will block the way in for now. I need you to place a concealing spell over the trees. You have the energy to do that. I do not. Melody will be able to get close to us but she won't have a way inside."
"And if she brings in a lot of help? How are we supposed to battle her? We have to expose ourselves to fight her."
"Yes we do. We will need more help. I think I know where I can get the energy we need to defeat her. Someone that is nearly equal to you in energy. You must understand something, Karen. Some of the things I have done, I did because this battle was predicted. The Elders knew it would come one day. We have been making all the preparations for it for a long time."
"And I was left out of the loop, why?"
"Because we knew that you would try to find a way to battle Melody alone. You would try to protect us as you have done so many times before. And you would have lost against her because she would never fight you one on one."
Lifting Jennifer, the sisters carried her to the cabin. Karen took time to honer the trees and all of nature. She then raised her wand and brought a covering over them. Snow began to fall over the forest and covered all of the trees and the ground. The cabin was covered also.
"Alright, that should keep us concealed from anyone looking for us, including Melody. It will buy us time to figure out how we can get this other witch here. The one with all the energy."
Ellie looked at Karen. Her eyes filled with tears. "Understand, Sis, there was no other way to do what I did. If you hate me for it, then I WILL live and die with that. We don't need to bring the witch here. She has been here all along."
"What are you talking about!?!? Tell me, damn you!!!"
"You can come out now," Ellie called towards the back room of the cabin. The door opened. Karen stared as the witch came to the opening. She stared for a moment and then fell to her knees. The world around her began to spin. Tears flooded her eyes and she convulsed as she wept. Nothing seemed real to her anymore. Everything about her world had just been turned upside down.
"I am sorry, Sis. The God's forgive me. I had no choice..."

The Forest Has Ears... Part 4

The line of fire seemed to have a mind of it's own. It burned everything in it's path including trees. They were turned to instant ashes at just it's touch. Karen stared as it snaked it's way through the Cedars as if it were searching for something... anything to consume and feed it's hunger. Jennifer stopped clawing at her eyes. She too watched the flames following the trail left behind by Alesha. Ellie held tight to her wand but she could feel herself weakening with each passing moment.
"Karen... come hold the wand with me. Hurry before I pass out and we lose Alesha."
Karen moved without question to her sisters side. She reached out and wrapped her hand around Ellie's hand. Wiping blood from her face and eyes, Jennifer knelt beside the two sisters. As her hand touched theirs, they saw her eyes widen. Her face became flush and she had to steady herself with her other hand to keep from falling backwards.
"Never have I felt such power in my life! You two together could stand against nearly any witch I have ever known. The energy is causing my head to flush. I don't know how long i can hold on to your hands."
Gently, Ellie pushed Jennifer's hand away. She smiled a weak smile at her.
"Just to know you are willing to stand with us is more than enough. We thank you for this. We are forever in your debt. Just sit and be watchful for us, please."
The flames grew in strength with Karen's added energy. They seemed to almost stand up as they traveled the distance through the forest. Nothing but ash and dirt were left in it's wake. Suddenly there was a huge flash of light. A scream followed the flash. A scream that sounded almost inhuman. There was no doubt who the scream belonged too. Karen's Book of Shadow suddenly re-appeared on the shelf again. The flames died as both ladies let the wand drop to the floor. Karen helped Ellie from the floor and took her to a chair.
"O.k. Ellie, it is time to talk. I have been with you for my entire life. Never once have I seen you display the powers I just saw. Why have you never used the energy before?"
"You mean why did I not use it to save mom and dad or Derek and the kids?"
"I never said that, Ellie."
"You didn't need to Karen. I could feel it. I have answers for you, if you want to listen."
"Ellie, it isn't anything you have to tell me. I am so sorry I put off that feeling to you."
"If you would like, I can step out for a while so you two can talk."
"No Jennifer, you can stay. You are as close to family as anyone will ever be. You should hear this too."
"I agree with Ellie, Jenn."
"I was born with the same energy as you were, Sis. Mom decided it was best to play it down, for my own safety. I was not as ummmm, energetic or passionate about the energy as you were. It was easier to keep my energy under wraps. She also felt that it might come in handy some day if the rest of the covens did not know I had such energy. I would be no threat to them that way. I had no aversions to not revealing the secret. When mom and dad were first attacked, you were too young to remember. Mom wanted to shield you from the dark side of Magick for fear it might influence you. That would have only made it easier for Melody's family to pull you over."
"What, I was a bad child? Mom didn't trust in my instincts?"
"Actually Sis, it wasn't a thing of being bad. It was the fact that you hungered so much for knowledge. Any knowledge. That was mom's concern. She trusted you or she would not have taught you so aggressively. When mom and dad were killed, I tried to save them. You better believe I did all that was within my powers to save them. Anastasia was just too powerful. Dad had such limited powers and mom could not hold her off alone. She sent me to the Forest here to protect me and watch over you. I never saw them again. When you and Anastasia fought, I hid in the trees. As she neared the cliff's edge, I gave her a little extra nudge to send her over."
"Then it was You that killed her, not Me!"
"Yes, Sis, it was me."
"Why did you let me take blame for it!? I don't understand this!"
"It wasn't about "taking blame'. It was about making your powers seem even greater until you Did reach that energy. And it worked. You are truly the strongest witch to come forth in over 200 years. Do you see now? Things happened the way they did for a reason."
"Yes, I see that now. I am sorry you have carried this for so long. I will not ever doubt anything nor short you of anything that you were or are now. I love you Ellie and I am grateful to you for all you have done. I am sure you have saved my uppity butt more times than you will ever admit to me. Thank you for that, too."
"Now you know, so there is no need to question. Together we can take Melody. But not with her full coven behind her. Her energy transferred to all of her followers would kill us. We need a plan."
Suddenly, the front door flew open. A hot wind, tainted with the smell of burnt flesh rushed the 3 ladies senses. A body crashed into the back of the cabin. What was left of Alesha lay at their feet. And then the breeze began to whistle through the trees. A voice followed the sound. It was a voice they all knew too well.
"What a beautiful little tale you tell, Ellie. So touching and sweet. It's nice to know who was really responsible for my dear mothers death. I will bare that in mind when I kill you three. Will it be a comfort to you, knowing that your baby sister will die fast and you will take the blunt of injury for her Again, Ellie?"
"Melody, how could you get in here? How did you find us? We stopped Alesha from reaching you!"
"Stupid witch! Do you think the Forest goes on forever? Did you think that there was no end to these stupid trees your mother created? The real world is right on the other side. Too bad you didn't reach Alesha before the flames burst a whole in the trees. You ummmm, left the front door open to your little world. And as we all know, the Forest Has Ears. It hears everything. All I had to do was ask."
"We will destroy you, Melody! I swear to the Goddess watching, we will Kill you!"
"Well then you better get ready for a battle, Witches. I am on my way to you now. Then we will see who kills who! Feel me, little witches? I am Pissed!"
The door suddenly burst into flames as laughter filled the cabin. A large hand, fingers out-stretched and reaching touched each of their faces. The smell of hair being seared filled the air. All three ladies pulled away from the fingers as their faces felt the scorching heat from them. They stood together, hands inter-woven together as one. The hand disappeared and the flames died away. The three stood staring at one another.
"What are we going to do, Karen? I am scared."
"We are going to fight her, Jennifer. But first, we need to see if we can patch the hole in the trees we made. It may be our only protection. After that, we finish this!"
"Or we die trying, Sis."

The Forest Has Ears... Part 3

Karen slept while Ellie drove. Ellie knew the way to where Karen wanted to go. It was the same place their parents had taken them when there was danger. A place that was circled by all the elements so important to a witches world. The forest protected them from peering eyes, even the eyes that did not need be beside you to see you. Inside the forest was a lake surrounded by more trees and fertile soil. Just beyond the lake burned an eternal flame.Not a flame that could be explained but none the less, a searing heat that could turn to ashes anything within 100 feet of it's flame. All the elements present... Earth, Air, Water and Fire. Few had ever been there and fewer even knew it existed. It was near dark when they arrived.
"Karen, you need to wake up, Sis. We are here."
"So soon? I feel like we just started driving."
The tall Cedars reached to the sky and made a canopy that shielded the Forest floor from nearly all light. They walked with their belongings until they found the small cabin that was nestled against the trees. Tiny shards of light still filtered through and made it appear as if the cabin were lit up itself.Pine cones arrayed the trees like Christmas ornaments and the ground was plush with grass like a carpet. They went inside and tried to get settled.
"We are going to be here for awhile, Ellie. I am sorry for this but it really is the safest place for us. The spell that Mom placed on the Forest here still exist. Only those we wish to see us can see us here."
"Melody has gotten stronger, Sis. I could feel her presence even outside the van. She knows where we are."
"I have no doubt that she does. Foolishly, we talked Mom into allowing us to bring her here when we were growing up. Mom seldom let her guard down but twice she did. The second time cost her dearly."
"Must we always dwell on the things that are gone now?"
"Gone? Nothing is ever truly gone, Ellie. It just moves on to another plaine. You know that. You know that. We have to remember or we will be caught off-guarde and then we lose. I have called on Jennifer and Alesha. They should be here within the hour."
"If melody hasn't found them and killed them."
"I placed a protective ring around them. They will be safe. In fact, they are here."
"Yes, I feel them too."
Jennifer and Alesha entered the cabin. The girls all hugged and greeted one another.
"The stories going around the different covens are that you are both dead. Killed by Melody because you betrayed the coven. It is total calamity out there. Witches vieing for your positions and some claiming they have your wand. Some even say they took in your aura and now have your powers. The coven is in complete disarray."
"Well, we all know that none of it is true,Alesha. Now we have to figure out how we are going to fix this."
"We need to know more, Karen. How can we really be of assistance when we don't even know what truly happened?"
"You are right, Jenn.I guess it's time to tell the tale. Some you know. My father and mother were both witches. Generation witches from further back than I need to go. Mother, like me, entered her Eldership at a very young age. As everyone knows,there are good and bad witches. The birth of a new witch is always followed very closely. When I was born, everyone knew. Ellie had been born first but she carried only a part of mother with her. For whatever reason, I was given more of her gift and the Craft was deeper embedded inside of me.I grew strong quickly and my "Book of Shadows" which any witch knows is truly a diary of sorts for us, thickened with spells and rituals and was my workbook, much like your own school books. When mother realized that the dark Craft were trying to take me from her, she created this place as a hiding place for us. Angering some very powerful witches, she and Father were killed. Ellie had the wisdom to hide me away until I came of age. She brought in witches and teachers to enhance my Craft until I was of age.
Years later, after I married and had my own children, Melody, the daughter of one of the Elders that sought me, waited for her chance and took my husband and children. Derek was only semi-protected because he was not a full witch. We did not perform the "great Rite" for marriage because he was only half witch. His mother was Christian. Whether she truly had the power to destroy him, I do not know. My daughter was very strong in her craft also and though the police said they found 3 bodies, I never saw the bodies close."
"You think they might still be alive?"
"I only know I never saw the bodies, Jenn. Where we are now is this. If we do not find a way to stop Melody, she will kill each one of us and take the Coven as her own. The balance of nature and of witches world-wide would be tossed so off balance that none would know for sure who was or who wasn't true. That opens the doorway to all sorts of bad things. Witches will begin doing as they please for good or bad. The world will re-open their eyes and the witch hunts will be little different from those of long ago. What man fears, he kills. Not a good thing for us."
"What can we do do stop Melody? They say she is as powerful as you are."
"Her strengths are great but weakened by her anger. She feels I am the reason her mother died. She truly hates me."
"You did kill her, right?"
"She did NOT kill her, Jenn!!!!" She gave her the option to step down and allow good witches to take the Coven. Anastasia chose to not listen and Karen used her wand to ward off an attack. In the struggle, Anastasia fell to her death. Karen was protecting herself and her family!"
There was a moment from behind the three girls. Books fell to the floor around them. They turned to see Alesha holding Karen's "Book of Shadows." She began to move towards the door. Ellie reached out to stop her. She was tossed across the cabin and fell limp to the floor.
"You can't see!" As soon as Alesha spoke the words, Jennifer cried out and placed her hands over her own eyes. She began clawing at them.
"Stop, Jenn... it is a Magick trick. Nothing more than words!" Karen raced to her side as she watched Alesha run out the door, book in hand. Holding Jennifer's hands so she could not scratch her own eyes out, Karen knew that she had been tricked. She would have to worry about the book and Alesha in a moment. She watched, as suddenly Ellie raised her own wand to the air. Fire and wind came from it and chased out the door after Alesha. Karen simply stood and stared. She had never seen Ellie use her wand and for certain did not know she had such power. A flame lit across the grass as it followed Alesha's path.

The Forest Has Ears... Part 2

The sky cleared almost as quickly as it had darkened. Karen turned and went back in to check on Ellie. She was sitting up, leaned against the wall of the kitchen. The only sign that she had been hurt was the blood stain on her blouse.
"Stupid, stupid me! If my head had been on right I would have seen that coming, Ellie. I am very sorry."
"Stop it, Karen. There is nothing we can do about it now. Thank goodness I have a little bit of mom in me or I would have been dead for sure. Thank you for the touch healing. That helps."
"What are we going to do, Ellie?"
"Right now, we are going to get out of here before that witch with a B sends more of her flunkies to mess with us. We can't go where we were headed, that's a given. Melody has eyes every-where. We need to find a safe place where she can't feel us for a while."
"Derek was a fool... A wonderfully, brilliant, handsome fool."
"O.k., where are we going with this, Sis?"
"He knew. He knew all along that one day being with a wiccan would cost him his life. He knew and still he stayed."
"He loved you. He always did, Karen."
"And it cost him his life! What kind of exchange was that!? Seventeen years of ducking and diving and hoping the next lightening bolt wasn't meant for you. When we walked the right of passage into Marriage, he knew then. No one has their broomstick break in half just from stepping over it. He said it was because our Love was so strong. I knew better and so did he. It foretold of his death even then. And still, he stayed."
"You have to remember that a lot of things were different with you, Karen. You were confirmed before you were ten years old. Unheard of. You were born with five stars on your shoulder, for cripes sake! At the initiation, we suddenly had a lunar eclipse. Your second Saturn return came to you before you were thirty. Anyone else is 58 to 60 years old, Sis. That's fact! No one really knew what it all meant. Mom and Dad maybe, but if they did, they didn't pass the knowledge on. All we can do is survive as long as we can. You didn't step out of the coven, remember? That was Melody and her followers. You tried to fix the tear in the fabric and..."
"And it cost me my husband and my children! What a price to pay for something I should have walked away from years ago!"
The lights began flickering again. Both ladies looked at the front door.
"Karen, we need to get out of here. We can not stay any longer. Take us to a safe place now."
Knowing the lights were not because the house was old, Karen knew Ellie was right. They finished loading the van and Ellie drove away from the house. As she turned the first bend, an explosion happened behind them. In the rear view mirror she watched as the house turned quickly to ashes. Quicker, she knew than was normal.
"Is it gone?"
"Yes Karen, completely. Where are we going? Point the way."
"There is only one place that Melody can't feel us. Head North to the forest. We can find refuge there while we figure out what we are going to do."
As they drove, a car suddenly appeared behind them. Ellie watched it in the mirror as it got closer to them. The car moved into the passing lane as it approached.
"I think we have company, Sis."
Karen looked at Ellie and then through the back window. The car was like any other car to the naked eye. To Karen, it shimmered and turned from silver to copper color and back to silver over and over again.
"It's more of Melody's girls. I can feel six of them. Keep driving and do not look back, Ellie. Do not even look into your mirror."
The car hit the back of the van. The van lunged forward as Ellie gripped the wheel tighter. "Just hold it as best as you can, Ellie. Keep your eyes glued to the road!"
Karen climbed from the front seat to the back of the van. She glanced up front and saw Ellie watching her. "Damn it, Ellie! I said keep your eyes on the road. Do you want to die!?"
"I am sorry... I am scared!"
"Me too, but I need to concentrate, please!" Ellie turned her eyes back to the road. She kept them focused on the highway in front of her, though she wanted so to watch what Karen was doing. Karen kicked the back door of the Van open just as the car struck it again. She grabbed the side of the door to keep from falling out. A bright light came through the back door and struck the floor. With a wink, the flames were extinguished. Karen stretched out her wand. It was long, longer than the traditional wand. It was a foot long and covered in every color that existed in a witches "tool kit." It was covered in Gold instead of brass and the shine from it could blind a person. The driver saw the wand first. Karen saw her eyes widen as she tried to back the car away from the van. Karen smiled.
Should have done that before you tried to kill us! Now it's my turn." Flashes were coming from every window of the car. They were striking the van on all sides and Ellie struggled to keep the Van on the road. Karen suddenly left the van and in an instant was seated next to the driver. The girls in the car began trying to hide on the floor of the car. Wands were being dropped and the driver could barely keep the car on the road.
"Don't you hate it when your leader forgets to tell you how nasty I am? You girls should have stayed in bed this morning. Now, I have to get mean. How shall we do this, ladies? Do you pull over and try to run or do we do it right here? Trap you like you did my Love and my children."
"It wasn't us, Karen, I swear it wasn't!!!!"
"Then I guess you should have just said "No", Tara. Too late for that though."
As the car came to a screeching halt, all the ladies reached for the door handles. As their fingers gripped the handles, they all heard the door-locks snap down. "Now that wouldn't be nice of you if you left just when I was about to start class, would it?"
With a wave of her hand, the car began to heat up. The windows fogged over quickly. Suddenly, Tara disappeared from the front seat. Karen turned towards the back seat.
"Tara is on her way back to Melody. She is going to tell her what happened here today. Unfortunately, you 5 will not be joining her."
"Please, please, don't hurt us!"
"It will only hurt for a minute, Selena. Much nicer than you were to my loved ones. And please don't deny it. I can still smell their presence on all of you. Bye ladies."
In a bright flash, Karen was back in the van. She watched as the car and all inside, turned to ashes. She crawled back into the front seat.
"Is it done, Sis?"
"For now. Let's get to the Forest. We can listen from there."