Sunday Snippet: Wandering Soul

I sometimes wonder if time is speeding up. The week flew by. Then again, I have multiple work projects going right now and they're all at different stages.

Had a decent week of television viewing. Not quite as heavy as last week but I got through a full round of my current shows.

Actually started and ended the week with Classic Rugrats. I'm currently watching season five and it's weirdly missing Susie Carmichael. Maybe there's more of her in the later episodes.

Finished up the second season of Madame Blanc Mysteries. Ended up fairly pleased with the resolution of Jean's stalker. Very glad and hopeful we don't have to see more of her.

Caught another episode of Cannes Confidential. I seriously love this show. The cast is amazing and the chemistry with all of them is terrific. I have a very sneaky suspicion one of the main characters is going to be a bad guy and I'm actually kind of here for that if it happens.

Watched another episode of Peak Practice. I have two left in season nine and it's going to be kind of heartbreaking because I know what's coming. Also, Andrew is seriously annoying right now and I'm not sure if he'll improve or not.

Continued my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica with "Scar." This is another one of my favorite episodes even if, like "Black Market," there are some big flaws with development for later episodes. One of the best conversations of the entire series is in this episode.

Finished up a two-part Silent Witness. The culprit was indeed one of two characters I thought it might be. Such a great episode.

Started season two of Death in Paradise. Good opening episode with some familiar faces in the guest stars. I love catching my favorite actors in other roles.

Enjoyed an episode of Fantasy Island. So cool to kind of see how Elena assumed the role of host. I'm very curious about Ruby's mystery woman. I have a theory about her and I hope we get some answers before the end of the season.

Finished up season two of Strangest Things. I'd be interested in more episodes, but I won't hold my breath. The combination of Discovery and HBO Max is the stupidest thing ever and I'm honestly not sure I'll even continue trying to find shows I want to watch.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Wandering Soul, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the miniblurb:

When unsettling dreams haunt Isobel Graff, she turns to an old friend to help her work through them. Garfield McCaskill has long buried his feelings for Isobel and when she seeks his assistance, he's thrilled … until he realizes the person she trusts the most—him—is part of the reason she's having the nocturnal visions.

And a preview snippet…

Isobel Graff let out a moan and tossed over onto her back. "Uggghhh. What's going on?" Her head thrashed on the pillow and images swirled in her mind.

Music. Music came from all angles. The chords dissonant and clashing against each other. She put her hands against her ears and closed her eyes, trying to keep the sound at bay.

When that action didn't help, she gave up and her eyes popped open. A figure lurked in the shadows, the subtle shift of black, gray, and fuzzy whisps of white hiding facial features.

It's a man. Why can't I see his face?

The orchestral sound dissipated, the strident crash and boom becoming muted. The inky fog whorled around her encompassing everything … except the figure standing somewhere near but not close enough to touch.

Isobel tried anyway. "Who are you?" She reached out, her hands fumbling in the cloudy vapor that kept changing direction.

The figure turned, the heavy mist of gray swallowing him up. Isobel didn't understand the bereft sensation left behind when he disappeared into the darkness.

The music crescendoed, rising to a headache-inducing level. Isobel ran, stumbling over unseen obstacles, trying to escape. The smashing, thrashing cacophony followed and she sank to her knees, covering her head. Her mouth opened on a scream, anything to drown out the noise that wouldn't cease.

Her eyes snapped open and the harsh sound coming from deep inside her chest stopped. Blessed silence enveloped her.

Lifting a shaky hand to her forehead, she blinked the remnants of the nightmarish dream away. "What's going on with me?" She shuddered and glanced around.

The rose-red fingers of the breaking dawn peeked in through her window. Her sheets were twisted and flung aside. Her quilt hung over the edge of her bed. All evidence of the physical cost of her reckless slumber.

Dragging the quilt up and around her, Isobel propped her pillows against the headboard. Leaning back, she tried to shuffle the vision into something that made sense. The jumble in her brain wouldn't settle, similar to the dance of shadows and the constant thrum and thunder of the music she'd heard.

Shaking her head, she rubbed her temples. "Even now, my ears are ringing…"

Unwilling to fall back asleep, she drew her knees up, resting her cheek on them while gazing out the window. "Nothing like being afraid of what my dreams might bring…" She stayed there, an unsettled weight between her shoulders, until the sun rose over the horizon.

This story is very much in the beginning stages but I'm excited to see where it goes. I love writing Isobel.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye