http://slow.writerscafe.org/tuelumi The original writings of author Lindsay en-us Copyright 2026 WritersCafe.org 1776067526 WritersCafe.org RSS Generator 15  The year was sixteen twenty-nine, and it was early autumn; September had nearly come to a close. The town in question was not large, nor was it small, being seven miles to the northwest of Southend-on-Sea and an entity in its own right. Within this town was a peculiarity not often found thes.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/309103/ I’m a gymnast, you know. Well, I was a gymnast anyway. I don’t get much chance to compete these days. Plenty of chances to practice with the gymnastics bit, though, so I still count that. My brother’s always on my bloody case about it. He says ‘Talia, you’re not getti.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/309102/ Monday dawned bright and clear.The view I got of it was actually rather good, despite the overabundance of concrete and steel. It was one of the reasons I liked that line of work. Every single morning—with the exceptions of Sundays, when I tended to oversleep—I was able to watch the .. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/304065/  I woke up in my bed a few hours later. Sunlight filtered in through my cheap curtains. That was later than I usually slept. What was the bloody time, anyway?I squinted at the clock next to my bed. A little after nine in the morning. Shite, that meant I had slept for ten hours. I must have .. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/304021/  I hated nights like this.No sane person would come outside. It was after ten, chilly, and raining just enough to make me really, thoroughly miserable. Me and the half dozen people I could see going about their business, whatever that might be. At least they probably had business outside th.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/304018/ I was not born to this life. Not many are, to tell the truth. But then again, not many are thrown in with such violence, as I was all those years ago. My life shattered that day. Now vengeance is the only thing that holds me together. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/304016/ A typical day viewed from an atypical perspective... http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/304014/  I met her when I was sixty-eight years old.She was only twenty-three, a mere child next to me.Still, though, sixty-eight is young for a hunter—what age is not?—and I certainly appeared no older than my twenties as well. It was fortunate for me that my circumstances allowed th.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303968/ Why does a child despise her family?I know there must be people out there who get along. Families who act like the families on television. I know that, somewhere, there are daughters who love their mothers, even their fathers. I used to think this—this indifference—was the way of thi.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303966/ Snow fell like a whisper through the bare branches overhead. Somewhere above the grey blanket of clouds, a cold sun slipped below the horizon, and the woods were silent. Only the soft crunch of footsteps landing in the fresh carpet of snow broke the encompassing silence. It was surely the last snowf.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303965/ Please forgive us, we each did what we thought was right. These are our stories, our explanations, and our requiem for all who were lost. These are the accounts of the time of the Traitor's War. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303964/ She fell asleep as the sun set. Even a hunter can’t stay awake forever, and her day had been a long one. She felt like she had been awake forever.Her cousins had left not too long after he had gone. Maybe… maybe an hour after. They had congratulated her and patted her on the back an.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303963/ Something was blaring in Aleda’s ears and she was not pleased. Not pleased at all. When ignoring it didn’t make the cacophony go bother somebody else, she flailed in the direction of the intrusive noise. Her second try did the trick; the alarm by her bed, now silenced, skittered across h.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303962/ “So…”Talia trailed off, grinning at her in her usual way.“…Buttons?” Aleda finished for her. It was something she’d heard her mother say, sometimes.“Your birthday is on Tuesday,” Talia told her.“Yes, I noticed that,” Aleda s.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303961/ They looked at Nate appraisingly. Ryan had laid him across the back seat, careful of his broken leg, and now he was slowly coming to.“Hey, Ryan,” Aleda said. “I hate to ask, but…”“No.” He shook his head. “If it was just some cuts and bruises I cou.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303960/ There were tests. There were papers, too, and lab reports, and projects for nearly every class. If Aleda had thought that the weeks before Thanksgiving and Winter Break had been busy, they were nothing compared to the work she had in those last few weeks in April and May. School was ending.Aleda.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303959/ Detention passed slowly. So did the following week, although dinner with Ryan and a nighttime walk through a theoretically closed park made things infinitely better. A week later she was done with the silly detentions, and all of her television-watching privileges were returned without further com.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303958/ It turned out that their incident at lunch earned them detention for the next two Saturdays—for disrupting lunch and for leaving their designated classrooms (and cafeteria) without permission. Even Mom wasn’t too pleased with her that time, and she ended up without television for a week... http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303957/ If asked later, Aleda would not have been able to say which part was harder. The confrontation and subsequent arguments with her father were gut-wrenching and horrible, but at least with him she had Seth and Mom to calm him down a bit. Seth stayed at their house that night, then caught a ride with P.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303956/ “Hey, Ryan?”“Mhmm?“…Remind me why I had that milkshake?” Aleda was in pain. After the cheeseburger, fries, and something purple and foamy that West had called a “Super Duper Very Berry”, it had only made sense to get the chocolate milkshake. And a.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303955/ Aleda was silent the entire way into Philadelphia. Even when they stopped at traffic lights and drove slowly down side streets her mouth stayed shut. The part that unnerved Ryan the most was finding himself wishing for her usual stream of chatter. No, not a stream—she didn’t talk endless.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303954/ “Well, I think that went alright.”Ryan turned in his seat to raise an eyebrow at his sister, who was squished between the other two girls. Seth, who had come with Mike to the party, had insisted on driving, saying that he felt more comfortable with Talia safely in the back seat. &ldq.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303953/ Ryan ran his fingers through his hair for the fifth time that morning. Across the apartment his sister giggled. He shot her a look and went back to his oatmeal. When he leaned over his bowl, short hairs brushed across his forehead, and his hand automatically went up to scratch. Talia giggled again... http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303952/ Talia stuck her head into her brother’s room. Cheap curtains blocked out most of the morning light, leaving just enough for her to see him quite clearly, lying on his bed. He had only come home from work an hour ago and he was already laid out. Lazy git. He usually didn’t sleep until lat.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303950/ Ryan was having some trouble.Riding the motorcycle helped; all of the wind that rushed past his face took with it any chance that the air would recirculate, like it would have in Talia’s car. But it didn’t help enough.It was too close. There was no way to escape something that close... http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303949/ He heard her voice and he was out the door, coat trailing behind him because he couldn’t be bothered to pause while pulling it on. If he could have afforded a cell phone, he would have been on the line with her the entire time just to make sure she was alright.It was that damned boy. Ryan .. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303948/ She was never going to get the hang of these ridiculous American holidays.Apparently it was St. Valentine’s day. Now, saints’ days she got. She was from Spain. There were a lot of saints, and most of them had their own days.But only in America would they celebrate a beheading by gi.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303947/ Talia was gone. She was either at work or running errands of some sort. Maybe she was even scouting.Unless she had gone out for lunch herself. He wouldn’t put it past her to drive all the way out to Philadelphia to keep up her social life. He rarely paid attention to what his sister did du.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303946/ Aleda stared at the wooden claws in his hands. “W-when did you—? But… W-why?” she stuttered. She looked up at him with wide eyes. “You said…”“I changed my mind,” he said simply. “Still interested?”She nodded hesitantly, still .. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303944/ “Not bad. Do it again.”Aleda groaned. “I’ve been doing this crap for an hour! Can’t we at least try something else?”“First of all, this ‘crap’ will probably save your life one day, and second, it’s only been fifty-three minutes. Not an .. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303943/ “Where did you go, Aleda?” “I-I was out,” Aleda stuttered. Papa crossed his arms, waiting. “With Ryan.”He raised an eyebrow. Glanced back at Mom. Aleda looked back and forth between the two of them for a moment.“No!” she said quickly. “I me.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303942/ “Aleda…” he said under his breath.“Yeah?”“…Go back to the bike. Now. Don’t run.”“Are y-”“Just go!” he whispered harshly. Aleda backed away slowly, keeping Ryan’s large frame between her and the house full.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303941/ Holidays were more or less optional in Aleda’s family. Winter Solstice might be celebrated, but Christmas could be safely skipped. The whole concept of a few “holy days” a year, really, was unfathomable to all but the most newly-called, and only the most dedicated party animals wou.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303940/ Aleda wasn’t talking to him.In fact, she was barely looking at him… Which was a unique trick, considering that she’d been pummeling him with those wooden claws for the past forty minutes. He’d had to take his shirt off just so she wouldn’t rip it to shreds like she w.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303939/ Aleda walked out of the apartment in a kind of daze. Ever since that incident at the shopping center, the world burned at the edges of her vision like an after-image of itself seared into her retinas. It was so faint, and if she looked at anything directly, the light disappeared and she couldn&rsquo.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303938/ “You still smell like blood.”“You need to come up with a better greeting.”Ryan’s nose twitched. “Well, you do.”“And yet you’re the only one to comment on it!” Aleda said, throwing up her hands. She stalked inside and threw herself dow.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303936/ The days passed.Classes went by. Each one was barely different from the rest. Mara renewed her efforts to set fire to the chemistry lab tables, despite being temporarily distracted by the section on acids. Nate tried to convince her that they should go to a movie the next weekend; Val tried to con.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303935/ Ryan left.He stayed long enough to unstrap Aleda’s hands from the training claws and give her a few last pointers before telling her that he needed to go home and get some sleep. Aleda was left to take a much-needed shower and finally put on some regular clothes. He had come earlier than usu.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303933/ She would never know how she managed to make it back home that night without her parents ever finding out. Even considering the drive—which took her over half an hour each way—Aleda got home no more than an hour and a half after she left. She had spent more time on the road than on the h.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303930/ She suffered no nightmares that night.The same dreams danced across her sleeping mind… and yet, they were not the same. Empty eyes and the smell of death still stalked her through the darkness, but the darkness now glowed with light. Instead of running, she turned and stood, welcoming the c.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303929/  So much for a freaking holiday. Aleda’s weekend had been awful. She had been in a bad mood ever since that incident at Thanksgiving dinner, and not even Nate’s offer of dinner and a movie the next day had done much to cheer her up. She had complained to him at the restaurant abou.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303928/  Sweet merciful heaven and earth, that girl was driving him completely off his nut! Was it even possible for her to act her age for longer than two minutes at a time? His own sister had whined less as a little girl, and she had been Daddy’s Little Princess for goodness’ sake! That.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303926/ Now that it was the middle of November, the weather was getting colder with a vengeance. Aleda couldn’t even imagine what it would be like in January and February, the coldest months of the year. She also wasn’t sure how many more warm layers she could feasibly wear in order to deal with.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303925/ “Leda, talk to me. Please?”Nate followed her down the hallway after Chorus, resolutely weaving through the onslaught of students and bulky backpacks traveling in the other direction. Aleda hadn’t spoken a word to him since the previous afternoon in the library. Not in homeroom... http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303923/  “Pretty please?”“No,” Aleda said to Mara while they walked to Chemistry class. “Don’t do anything to her.”“Come on,” Mara begged. “She totally deserves it after what she said to you!”Aleda frowned and gnawed on her lip, .. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303922/ She had known this would happen.It was inevitable, really.In fact, it was downright strange that it had taken so long; they had been in this town for two and a half months already.Of course, she couldn’t ask Mom why it had taken her so long—that would just encourage her. No, be.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303920/  It was Saturday again. This time, Aleda had no rehearsals to attend. No musical to put on. She effectively had the day off. So she did not much appreciate the fact that, for the third time, she was being awakened by a loud pounding at the front door.Bloody Talia.“Morning,&rdquo.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303919/  Exactly who did he think he was? Sending her off like that, as if she were nothing but a nuisance to be disposed of! As if he were any better!It had been fine, for a little while. Better than she could have expected, anyway. Once he got going on his demonology lesson, he turned into somebo.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303917/  “No…no! Absolutely not!”Talia did her kicked-puppy look at him.“Sorry, no! How many times do I have to say this?”Ryan growled exasperatedly at his sister, who continued to follow him around the living room. The little girl was pouting over on the couch. H.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303916/  Once again, Aleda was startled out of sleep by a loud, insistent, and annoyingly cheerful knocking at the front door. She fell out of bed with a groan and looked at the clock. It was a quarter to seven in the morning.“Que carajo quieres!? Hijo de la gran puta… Yes! Ay, yes, .. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/tuelumi/303914/