NaNoWriMo
I'm a slacker. Or I was. I wrote a grand total of 9 words. Yesterday was better. Here are the fruits of that labor:


After a while, Meredith closed her eyes and shook her head, amused.

“What?” Darryl was impatient, “What was it?”

“This is what he calls a secure phone, apparently it’s untraceable and untappable.” She laughed dryly.

“Your friends are a little scary.”

“I know it. Just don’t touch the phone, ok?”

“I don’t think I’d dare.”

Meredith smiled, “I’m going for a walk.”

“Pizza for dinner?”

“Please!”

Darryl nodded. Meredith pulled her jacket from the closet and tucked the new phone in the pocket. She walked outside into the brisk fall air.

She made her way to the park at which she’d found a little-visited glade. Once there, she situated herself in the center of the area, sitting toward the east, where the moon would rise. With closed eyes, she began concentrating.

* * *

“I don’t know how you do it.” Dave looked flabbergasted.

Victoria sat heavily on the cushy chair in the hotel suite. She looked around and realized that it was not at all unlike a hotel at which she’d worked right after college. “Do it? Neither do I. I’m exhausted.”

“No, I mean,” he paused, searching for words, “you know exactly what to say. You know how to communicate with every crowd. It’s almost like you’re psychic.”

“Oh, now Dave, you don’t believe in that stuff, do you?” Victoria smiled, “You know I do extensive research before each appearance. It wasn’t that hard to figure out that a college crowd would go for the story of the boy who was just out of college.”

“It’s not only that,” he sighed. “You just… you know when to shift tactics, you know when to crack a joke, or be serious, or get angry. It’s just amazing.”

“Well, thank you.” She closed her eyes, “I just know how to read people.”

He shook his head. “Anyway. You get some sleep. Tomorrow we travel all day so it should be a good day for research.”

“Going north?”

“North-east, actually.”

“Good.” She opened her eyes, “Dave, I need some air. I think I’m going to take a walk.”

Dave jumped to his feet. “Oh no! No you don’t! You heard about the shooting in Knoxville, and there was another one in Memphis, and I heard today another one in Little Rock. No, you are not going anywhere alone. We’ve bumped up the security at everything. You are to go nowhere alone!”

She looked at him balefully. “Fine. I’m going to bed. See that I’m not disturbed until morning.”

She stood, and the pair moved toward the door. “I do appreciate all you do, Dave. Don’t think I don’t. I’m just tired.”

He nodded, “Get some sleep.”

She chuckled, “If I can.”

“Are you sure you don’t want anything to help with that?”

“Oh, yes. A world of yes, I’m positive. Those things always make me feel like death warmed over the next day.”

He walked to the door and stopped to look back at her. She saw a flash of affection in his eyes, “If you need anything at all, I’ll be right down the hall.”

“I will call if I need anything. Dave, you need as much sleep as I do. Go to bed. I’ll be safe and secure here. Don’t worry.”

He grinned, “I can’t help it. Goodnight, Miss Holladay.”

“Goodnight, Dave.”

As he closed the door behind him, she took a deep breath. The guard outside was there to keep anyone from getting in, but he served just as well to keep her from getting out alone. But he was sleepy, and it was only a matter of time.

She laid on the untouched bed and smiled. Her mother had always made sure to remove the bedspread from every hotel bed before either of them touched it. She said that they were dirty, and not washed near enough.

Victoria closed her eyes and let her consciousness expand. The ritual, if it could be called such, was relaxing. She could sense the town, the depressed, hanging on for dear life town, with a bright spot that was the life and energy of the college. She expanded more and got tingles from Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison. She rose even further and could sense the outrage of a country at odds with itself.

Suddenly, she knew she wasn’t alone. The realization jolted her, and she nearly lost her connection. The familiarity of the presence grounded her and she held on. Then it was as if she was taken by the hand.

* * *

Today's been far more productive. Get to that later.