For the A to Z challenge, I present Murder Most Fowl, an unedited serial story from the unpublished Cera Chronicles. Please excuse the grammar mistakes. This hasn’t been critiqued yet. If you’re just diving into this story, you may want to start with part A.
Violence wasn’t always my first response, but on this world, I considered it my go-to solution. I lobbed a fireball at the cowgirl who’d been annoying me more than my stalker. She rolled out of the way and disappeared behind one of the walls.
Pandemonium erupted. The good people of Graverock charged for the other exit while Undertaker Coleman doled out cover fire. He saluted me. “Well, I’ve gotta go meet my new clients. Good luck!” He yanked the door closed behind him.
I growled and charged after Perry, summoning more flames to my bidding.
“Mistress Cera!” Michael scrambled after me. “The metal on this world reacts to your power. If you use too much—”
I raced out into the open. A bullet struck my shoulder. Pain burned deep and blood dribbled from the wound.
Without looking, Seth flung one of the many daggers he always carried. The cowboy who’d shot me dropped dead.
I clutched my shoulder, applying pressure to stem the blood flow. “This world can actually kill me?” Well that was frigging fantastic. I extinguished my fire. Brute force it’d be then.
Fresh skin spread over the wound. I released my shoulder and scanned the group surrounding the entrance. About two-dozen assailants—a mix of human and cattle, most dressed like the pirates I’d fought earlier.
Metal clicked near my ear, and a barrel touched my temple. “I don’t know why you’re involved…” Perry pressed her six-shooter harder against my face. “But this is where you get uninvolved.”
Wood creaked with a tightening bow string somewhere behind me. Off to my side a shadow moved. “Don’t kill her.”
Perry snorted. “Don’t you mean me?”
“Well, yes, but not in the way you do.” I turned my head to look at her, and the barrel centered between my eyes. Past Perry’s head, I could see Seth’s towering form, and the sword poised to behead her. In my peripheral, Fues stood in the doorway, arrow nocked. I dropped my gaze and focused on the ‘x’ shaped pendant hanging from a leather collar around her neck. I’d seen one of those before…
Joe crept out through the doorway. “Perry?”
She cast him a glance. “Joseph? I missed you…” She swung the six-shooter in his direction. “But my aim’s gettin’ better.”
The air cracked with a boom. Perry screamed and clutched her hand. Bartholomew reloaded his shotgun. “Nobody shoots my son ‘cept me.”
Perry whipped another gun from her belt with her opposite hand and fired. Lightning shot in a glorious blaze.
Bartholomew’s eyes went wide and his gaze dropped to the hole in his shirt. “You’re gonna…” His knees buckled and the toothpick fell from his mouth. “…pay for that…”
Thanks for reading! If you want to start at the beginning, find it here. Don’t forget to visit other bloggers participating in the A to Z Challenge.
Do you have any criticism? Suggestions? Wild, off-the-wall ideas of “you know what would be funny…?” Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear them.
Edit:
I completely forgot about Featured Photo Friday! So here is a macro shot of a violet flower.
I don’t actually know what these flowers/plants are called, but they are everywhere around here. I’m not even sure if they’re considered a flower or a weed. But it was either this shot, which I took about a month ago, or vegetables, which were much more boring.
Hopefully you like the photo. And if you know what it is, I’d love to find out!
I LOVE the first line of this one! 🙂
“Nobody shoots my son ‘cept me” — haha! Great story and great characters!
Somebody needs to shoot her.
Oh this is so exciting! I’m loving it! 😀
Oo, what does the necklace mean! Is it important! And as for Seth, now that’s a man you want on your side. 😉
As to any improvements … no, you don’t need them, the story is fine as it is and doesn’t need changing. The mix of humour with the flair of vivid narrative and engaging dialogue is what keeps me coming back. When it goes to publication, let me know, because I’ll definitely buy it. 😀
Oh, and I just purchased the paperback of Thanmir War from Amazon. Can’t wait for it to arrive. 🙂
Wow! Thank you!
Thanks for visiting my blog the other day! Oh, and I love the photo – beautiful! I don’t know much about flowers so no help there – sorry! 🙂
Madeline @ The Shellshank Redemption
Minion, Capt. Alex’s Ninja Minion Army
The 2014 Blogging from A-Z Challenge
Yikes. Talk about a violent world! Certainly glad I’m not hanging out there.
True Heroes from A to Z
The flowers are not from this world! They will kill you!
I have to second Carrie’s comment as it’s what I was going to post – you had me at the first line with this one. Love it.
And the flower photo is gorgeous. I love that violet color.
I want to know what Seth looks like! I know he’s hot and tall, but that’s it. I know, silly me, always bugging you about descriptions!! I loved finding out more about Cera’s powers and how they work on this world… And the line about brute force!
Noted! I’ll add that to my list for Murder Most Fowl revisions.
In the meantime, here’s a line from This World Bites: His black hair was cropped military short, and his burnished steel gaze swept the trees and benches while subconsciously checking the clearance of the sword on his hip.
I think you’d like TWB better. It’s a bit more descriptive, and not quite as speedy. Plus you learn more about the characters and their connections.
What great dialogue and action! Excellent job. Have a wonderful weekend. 🙂
… this is where you get uninvolved. 🙂
Love this, and it’s only one of many great lines in this piece!
“I don’t know why you’re involved…” Perry pressed her six-shooter harder against my face. “But this is where you get uninvolved.” There have been many great lines in this series, but that’s the best so far! Love it! =) And I’m pretty sure those flowers are grape hyacinths. We have them too, and while they’re so cute and pretty, I still pull them b/c they’re growing in places I don’t want! So…I googled it to make sure I was right(I am, yay! 😉 ) and when I was typing in grape hyacinth it came up ‘grape hyacinth invasive’. *snort*
Love how you do action! I’m a snappy read kind of girl, and you make it snap. (I’m one of those bad girls who skip description…skim it when I read, forget to add it when I write and have to put it in during the edits…Liz’s comment made me think of that…I never noticed all that was mentioned was he was tall.)
More fantastic banter & action! Violence sounds like the perfect go-to solution–especially during tourist season in Asheville *grips steering wheel, goes through mantra of expletives*
WriterlySam
Echoes of Olympus
A to Z #TeamDamyanti