WOE: The Queen Approaches

WOE prompt: use setting to deepen the development of your story.  You can use it to give insight into a character or a conflict or simply to evoke an emotional mood from your reader.


The clearing was in the deep of the forest, and it was unexpected, even with the GPS coordinates.  A sudden parting of trees, and Zenna found herself wide-eyed and surrounded by a coven of tall, ancient oak trees that stretched endlessly into the air. Their branches formed a canopy so thick that the dying sunlight barely penetrated.  Instead, a soft glow emanated from the bark of the majestic oaks, brightening with the darkness.  No insect or bird sounds seemed to penetrate the area around the circle of trees, and even the sounds of Zenna's breathing seemed to be muted.  There was a stillness to the air, as if the entire forest was waiting.  Darkness finally fell, and the air at the center of the clearing began to shimmer rhythmically.

Feeling the pulse of an immense power within her bones, Zenna bowed her head.  She did not enter the clearing.  Placing her backpack on the ground, she knelt to wait for the arrival of the Queen. 

Write on Edge: Violence

Prompt:  As writers, we fall in love with our characters and shield them from negative events. But effective plot development demands conflict.  This week we’d like you to stir up some conflict, using the following quote as inspiration.

It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of nonviolence to cover impotence.
Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948) 

This is continuation of this storyline.  I kind of felt that they went together.

"You owe me a new stereo, Andy."

I stood in the middle of my living room, panting from my exertion and my outrage, my hands curled into fists. I wanted to punch something. Somebody. I realized that Andy was talking to me; I hadn't been listening.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Zenna?"  Andy's voice was raised, his face red. 

"Excuse me?" I managed to keep my voice level.

"You've been standing there with your mouth hanging open, not listening to a thing I've said!  How could you be so rude?"

"You're going to have to do better than this." Andy continued.  "I have clients to impress."

I faced him.  My anger had been smelted into a white hot element composed of all the hurtful comments, the snide insults, all the little snips and cuts that had happened throughout our entire relationship.

"Maybe if you weren't so hideously boring," I heard myself say, "you wouldn't need me to impress your clients."

The right side of my face seemed to burst into flame and then I was falling.  I put my hands out, and the sound of my collarbone breaking was a shot in the sudden quiet.  The pain careened through my nervous system to collide with my brain. Panting, I pushed myself into a sitting position.

"Oh my God, Zenna!  Oh my God!" I glared at him with the eye that wasn't swelling shut. His face was white, his eyes huge and round.

"You can't tell anybody about this, Zenna! I'll be arrested--I'll lose my job!"  His voice had that wheedling quality that I loathed.

"Get out." I had to clench my teeth to speak, which made the side of my face throb even more. "Get out of my house. Right. Now."