If looks could kill...

I have been pretty much planted in front of my computer working on my novel all day. 9,592 Word Count! I knew I should have taken the frozen chicken out at noon for dinner tonight.. I had planned on it but forgot.  I knew I should have been folding the laundry that has been sitting since last week but I kept putting it off.  I knew I should have made the kids do more of their chores.  But no.  I had to write.  My story is starting to take on a twist and I am totally into it.  I am thinking if I can keep turning out the pages like this I WILL make the November 30th deadline, a feat in of it's self.  I will have boocoe bragging rights and a short novel. 

When lunch time came around and my children like baby birds started chirping feed me, feed me, I scanned the slim pickings in my fridge and cabinets.  Left overs from dinner lastnight and peanut butter is about all we have. NO! We want pizza! Yes, I agreed with them, pizza was very tempting.  But I knew we could not afford take out again and if I did order and write a check that could possible bounce Josh would kill me.  So I shook my head no to my little chicks and told them we will have to survive on what we got. Awwwww is what I got. Then I added unless.. your big brother wants to buy us lunch with some of his birthday money he has left?  Ohh I know.. What a terrible suggestion.  That was his money and he should spend it on something fun but I really didn't want to eat left over chilly mac and I was dying for a soda too.  But my son has a big heart and had no problem in paying for the pizza.  We got two largess and two 2 litters of soda and bread sticks for 27 and change.  Zane had $40 and change and he insisted on being the one to pay the delivery driver.  I was clicking away at my story when it arrived but I tore myself away as he was paying the lady at the door.  I thought he gave her a $10 and a $20 and when she asked if we wanted the change I told Zane to let her have the rest as a tip.  I wanted him to learn that you always tip delivery people.. that is how they make most of their money.  Later when he commented that she got a big tip I shrugged it off, thinking he thought $2 is a lot of money.  I know it was to me when I was 10yrs old.

Josh was running late getting home tonight so we decided he would just go right to the kids school for the parent teacher conferences without all of us.  And that was fine with me, I was in grossed in my story anyways and didn't necessarily want to go.  I knew pretty much how the kids are doing and there would be no surprises.  When he got home he sat with each kid and me and talked about the report cards and what the teachers had to say about them.  AnnMarie is right on grade level but does need to practice her reading a bit more.  Josh is very satisfied with her report card and the meeting with the teacher.  He told her as long as you are trying your best I will always be proud of you and gave her a big hug.  When we sat with Zane he was a bit nervous as Josh was toying with him and making him guess what he got in each subject.  Finally I told Josh to just tell us what he got.  3 As and 3 Bs.  His teacher said she was very pleased with Zane and that bit of a problem we had with him getting up and talking in class was concluded, she had reshuffled the class twice since then.  Josh told Zane he was glad about his grades but he knows he can bring those Bs up to As by the next report card.  He just has to stay focused in class and on his work.  His teacher doesn't assign homework so his standing homework with us is studying his spelling and reading for 30 min a day.  Both Josh and I think it kinda strange she doesn't give homework but she explained it to him that she asks them to do it all at school and if they don't finish their class work then they have it as homework, and that about never happens.

So after that little family meeting Josh finds out about the lunch since I suggest the left overs for dinner (I forgot to take the chicken out).  He was very upset about it, especially after finding out Zane paid for it and on top of that I had not gotten my house work done today.  I know Josh busted his ass at work today and it was cold and a bit rainy plus the project is loosing money, that always puts him in a mood.  But when he was scolding me I was brought back to my teen years when my Mom had asked me for my $200 pay check from my little fast food job to help cover the rent.  My dad blew his top when he found out about it, saying there was no excuse for my Mom to ask that of me but really I had no problem with it, I was happy to help.  This felt like the same situation but not as big, but pretty much the same yelling my dad did to my Mom.  Then Zane told him that it was the rest of his money, he had given the lady $13 tip. What! NO! it was two dollars I insisted.  No, Zane had given her two $20 no the 10 and the 20 I had thought.  So now I feel so crappie about it all and Josh insist to Zane he will get all his money back.  Josh couldn't even be in the same room as me for half an hour.  He went into our room until Zane asked him to come out and watch a movie with us.  I sat with them and watched as I folded some of the laundry.. I still have tons to go. Oh well, tomorrow is another day and it will be better I hope.

More of a taste....

Hannah closes her eyes tight hoping to wake up from this apparent nightmare.  All her senses feel like they have been heightened and she can smell something musty that was not there before and she can hear heavier breathing that was not her own. To go along with the breathing she hears foot steps making their way towards her stall.  There are only two bathroom stalls in this unisex bathroom and she hopes who ever it is will make their way to the other one and leave her alone.  The foot steps stop right in front of hers and she holds her breath.  There is giggling at her stall door as the person tries to open it.  <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

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Hannah squeezes her baby blue eyes even tighter and lets out a small cry and builds up the courage to say softly “Some one is in here” Hannah expects in her rational part of her brain to hear an answer of “oh sorry” but no. There is just more heavy breathing and more giggling of the door.  The bathroom stall’s lock holds but the giggling becomes forceful.  Hannah is in shock and very stoned.  Her innocent mind can only think some one doesn’t realize she is in there and they too have to go potty real bad.  But she can not figure out why they would keep trying a locked stall, the universal sign of it being occupied.  As the violent pulling of the door becomes more and more she thinks to herself there is a rhythm to it but also realizes that the lock is not going to hold and something is after her.  She takes a deep breath and is ready to scream. She opens her eyes and it is no longer pitch dark.  There is a bizarre glow of multi colors coming from the other side of her stall.  The most prevalent color is a deep crimson red, almost blood red.  The shock of seeing the colors deflates the building up scream in her and she lets it out in a long surprised breath.<o:p></o:p>

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The latch to the bathroom stall that Hannah is cowering in does not hold and is finally broken down.  The door is pushed in and the stall is flooded with the crazy light.   Standing before Hannah is to her what looks to be a cartoon like devil dressed in a trench coat.  It has the body of a man but his head is red with pointy pearl white horns.  His eyes are blazing green yellow, almost cat like.  His hands are on the stall door and she can see they too are deep red with stone black razor sharp nails.  The devilish figure gives her an ominous smile showing rotting decaying teeth.  Hannah thinks this is a joke but her mind tells her this is no cheap Halloween costume.<o:p></o:p>

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