Finally an Author... Somewhat!

Today, after an online submission of a sample writing, I was accepted as a freelance writer for a popular online article site. Now, I don't expect the bucks to start rolling in, but it's a start and I'm tickled! So in the coming days and weeks, I am going to do more writing on the blog and kind of highlight some of the stuff I've written over the years. Primarily what I do is fiction, I dont know if you could even call them short stories but they are pieces of a story that give a glimpse into a bigger picture. One at least called Dark Gift I may actually turn into a story at some point. Right now it's just a fun (kind of scarey) read.

In looking through my computer this evening I found a few that I forgot I even had. Here's one of my favorites and pretty much summed up a period in my life where I was trying desperately to find out who "Donna" was. Anyway, hope you enjoy!

Hello World

I woke up this morning, rolling over in my bed to realize once again that bed is just too big and empty for one person. I suppose I'm back to the couch tonight but before I roll over to get up for the day, I lay there for a few minutes staring at the wallpaper decorated with small ivy leaves, not really focusing on anything in particular, just letting my mind wander back over yesterday and the conversation he and I had. It haunts me alot, wanting to trust but being so afraid of being hurt again. Wanting him just to be here so we'd know one way or another what was going to transpire with things. Heaving a small sigh, I fling the covers off of me, and sit on the edge of the bed for a minute, watching the horses out around the barn through the window. They will be hungry so I get up, pull on a pair of old black boxers.. a leftover from an old boyfriend, and slip on a loose t-shirt and pad my way through the house to turn on the coffee pot. The carpet is warm against my feet and I feel the change as I step into the kitchen and it's hard parquet floor.

As I make the preparations for the coffee, I realize how quiet the house is.. how lonely. Sham is mewling round my feet, wanting his breakfast too and as I push the start button on the coffee maker, I bend down to pick him up and cuddle him close. Funny how a cat never has that nasty smell like a dog does.. he just smells clean tho he's never been bathed in his life. He purrs and rubs his face against my neck, my friend, my ally when everything else in my life is shit. I put him to the floor as I reach in to fill his bowl with food for the day and he forgets me as he goes to his tuna/salmon/chicken surprise.

I slip on my old barn shoes and make my way to the feed room, opening the door as the old black and white barn cat jumps into the feed barrel to see if there is a mouse for breakfast this morning. There is none, so she looks at me expectantly like I'm supposed to produce one for her. I laugh, "Silly girl" as I scratch her ears and she meows at me quietly and begins to purr. The silver gelding walks round the side of the barn by now, knowing that it's breakfast time he's come to hurry me along. I pour his feed out into his bucket and scratch his neck as he eats. So big, so much mass and muscle, but so soft and so gentle to be around. The other horses by now are alerted to the sound of feed and start to make their noises to hurry me along. I throw them each hay and give them their grain, squishing through the mud that yesterday's rain left. it's still misting.. better put the geldings hay under the tree where he'll have some shelter to eat.

Finishing my chores, I make my way back inside.. carefully pulling my muddy boots off at the door and padding to the kitchen barefoot. I'm always barefoot... a by-product of growing up in the country I suppose.. don't wear shoes unless it's cold outside or I'm in the barn doing something and then it's iffy.. usually I'm barefoot too then but a bit more careful around steel shod hooves.

The coffee is finished now and as I pour a large cup I feel Sham again wrapped around my ankles. In the darkened kitchen all I see in his black face is his big green eyes and a pink mouth with white fangs when he talks to me, thanking me for breakfast and finding his way into the bedroom to lounge on my pillow for the rest of the day. I add creamer and sugar into my favorite coffee mug and stand there, leaned against the counter listening to the rain outside get heavier as I take a first deep drink of the hot, strong, creamy coffee. Going to be another long day it looks like. I make my way then into my office, picking up the CD's that Sham has once again knocked to the floor, and sit down in my big comfy chair hitting the power button on my computer at the same time. The old machine boots up, slowly.. noisely... protesting my waking it's slumber. It logs in easily to the internet and I turn on my messengers waiting to see who might be around to talk to.

Hello world.