Writer's Block

Since I started writing stories, around the age of five or so, I have only finished one when I was very young about a group of kids who encounter a monster living in the sewers beneath their house but realize in the end the monster isn't a bad creature at all and they become friends. I wish I still had a copy of the tale as it might provide me the information I need to stick with one written creation and see it to the very end. With the Creature Talker I hoped I would be able to conquer whatever section of my psyche prevented me from completing my art but instead I allowed myself to doubt and get pulled away long enough that starting again seems like a daunting and unforgiving task.

For the last few years I have started, scraped, and started again a story focused on a female werewolf. Last night I began again for the fourth time but only got a few paragraphs down and not a single one made me happy in the least. The base and pieces are floating around inside my head but I can't weave the threads to hold them together coherently.

Despite my dismal thoughts I am going to put in all my effort to actually write and finish this story even if it ends up being a jumble of nonsense. Hopefully you'll be able to read the first chapter here next week.

The Creature Talker - Chapter Six

Khea held back a snort, "If you didn't thrash through the water like an angry horned hog I might not have." Stopping to realize how cruel this might sound to the younger girl Khea relaxed her tone, "I'm Khea and while I'm not a birther I think you may be some rotations away from traveling through the swamp alone. What are you doing here by yourself?"

The girl's eyes began to must as she started her story, "My family made an agreement with a tribe nearby for me to join with one of their brothers even though he already had two women in his house. I refused but my family wouldn't listen and were planning the exchange so as soon as I got the chance I left. I didn't bring enough food though and you're the first person I've found so I thought..."

Khea interrupted, "That you would steal some from me." The girl nodded. "Stealing is going to get you into trouble you can't handle. Why haven't you asked the plants for help?" The girl just gave Khea a blank confused stare. "Are you an Animal Talker then?" The girl continued her puzzled glare. "Don't your people talk to the plants and animals for help and assistance?"

The girl's eyes widened with excitement, "I thought you were just stories that the elders created to entertain the young ones! Can your people truly talk to plants and animals? How does it work? Are they usually friendly? What do you do if they are angry?"

The barrage of questions caught Khea off guard. The thought that any person existed without being a Talked had never crossed her mind. How isolated she and her tribe sisters were from everyone, and everything, became more clear with each word Khea absorbed from the girl. Slowly, Khea compiled her response, "Yes, we exist. To tell what I know I thought everyone had the Talker ability. Every one of my sisters and all the elders we can remember can speak with the plants or the animals..."

The girl, in her glee, interrupted Khea's train of words, "What about the brothers of your tribe? Can they talk to living things in the swamp or is it just the sisters?" While Khea realized the girl had already mentioned an arrangement with a brother from another tribe it had not sunk in with the quick paced conversation following that the girl's people have males and females living together. This seemed as foreign as not having a talking ability. Continuing this exchange of words and learning more about about this girl and her tribe's seemingly strange way of life tempted Khea but she knew this wasn't the knowledge the Silvers sent her to retrieve. Not accustomed to in depth conversations with someone this close to her in age Khea felt unsure of how to bring it to an end and get the girl on her way.

Khea placed her left hand on her right shoulder, a sign of apology in her tribe, "I'm sorry younger one. I enjoy being a story teller of my tribe but I cannot spend time with the sun on the sky with these tales. I suggest you head back the way you came staying in the clearer areas as it's harder for something or someone to ambush you. I can even give you some food to help hold you over but I must continue my path."

The girl, whose name Khea forgot to gather, squared her shoulders and planted her feet firmly in the soggy, green tinged dirt as she stared at Khea. "I am not going back there. I will not be the third woman in an arrangement even if it means my family does not get three boars from that tribe. I should mean more to my family than those stinky beasts!" The girl's blatant disregard for her tribe's, and birther's, decision shocked Khea but also vaguely reminded her of her balking at becoming a birther. Khea could tell the girl had little chance of surviving of her own much longer and trying to convince her to go home could go on fruitlessly for days. Khea sighed audibly, "What does your tribe call you?"

A grin exploded across the girl's face, "I'm Toj!"

The Creature Talker - Chapter Five

The sun's warmth stole Khea from the pleasant scenes sleep had deposited her in and brought her back to reality. She wasted no time in disassembling the hammock, enjoying some small fruit and allowing Peck to eat away at the core, and continuing her trek towards where the rot descended. Her unease about what lay ahead remained but she concluded that the sooner she gathered the information the sooner she could return to the comfort and security of her village. She knew that learning how the rot started, and how to stop it, could lead into the warmer days but she tried to push those thoughts into the deep recesses of her mind. She needed to be alert and aware of her surroundings and those types of thoughts bogged a person down.

Except for the occasional worrisome idea, Khea managed to focus and time passed quickly as she sensed, and tentatively greeted, the different animals in her range. As the day progressed she pushed into a part of the swamp that fell outside of her tribe's territory. She limited her gift as these animals may never has encountered a Creature Talker before and their responses could vary from excited and curious to downright vicious. Contending with a confused and aggressive beast would add an element she wanted to avoid while on this journey. Khea felt it better to allow her feathered, furred, and scaled brothers and sisters to reach out to her versus herself upon them. Most she sensed came off as curious and a few seemed happy to swap images and give her some basic information on the area. From what she gathered from them there were few dangers to worry about as she could handle their predators.

This newly acquired sense of safety soon fled as Khea heard a gentle sloshing  through the shallow waters to her left flank but could not sense an animal's presence. She reached for the dagger tucked inside her belt and slowed her movements. As she stopped the sounds dissipated but always resumed shortly after she began walking again. At least it isn't a trained hunter, she thought, as she heard what sounded like a splash from tripping. She continued until she reached an opening in the trees and promptly spun around and demanded the follower to reveal themselves.This declaration surprised Khea herself but she admired the strength she currently exuded.

Her stand waned slightly when some time passed with no visible response. Khea and Peck exchanged glances before Khea repeated the order. The wait was short lived as the sloshing noise returned and a very human creature emerged from the clump of trees into the clearing. The human, a girl a few years younger than herself Khea guessed, hung her head as she approached. Despite this act, Khea could see the girl's skin was a few shades darker than hers and her tribe sisters and more strikingly the girl's hair which was as dark as the inside of her tree house after the sun disappeared. Once she reached a few steps from Khea the girl slowly raised her face and murmured, "I hoped you wouldn't hear me."

Dragon Interruption

My apologies for the delay in getting more chapters up but a little over two weeks ago I took home my first bearded dragon and the adorable guy has eaten up my time. Between daily baths, several feedings which include tearing apart veggies and making sure he eats all his feeders in a certain time frame (dealing with roaches is a blast...), cleaning his tank, and general cuddle time I don't have much spare time.

I do have Chapter Five written, and hope to get it posted over the next few days, and am scribbling away at Chapter Six so content is coming I swear.

In the mean time, enjoy this adorable picture of my dragon Fuego -

The Creature Talker - Chapter Four

The meditation, shorter than Khea preferred, ended and in a few fluid motions she grabbed what she packed and slid down the vine to the swamp she knew. She took a few moments to intake the images of her home and remind herself that she would see them again. Peck appeared to do the same from his vantage point on Khea's right shoulder. Due to their extended friendship, Khea understood he would be coming on this journey but she spent some time trying to iterate the perils they could encounter. Peck did not seem phased.

From what the Silvers gathered the rot spread from where the sun disappeared down towards their village. Before her nerves could finally take hold Khea started off in that direction. Peck greeted the other feathered creatures as they traveled through familiar paths causing a cascade of whistles, chirps, and melodies in return. Despite the current circumstances Khea couldn't resist the smile spreading across her face. She scratched Peck's chin affectionately, "Remember Peck, not all we run into will want to be friends. While you think you are the same size as the eagles I want you to flee if trouble arises." Peck puffed out his plumage slightly offended at Khea's comment on his size. "Oh, I know how tough you are little one with the eagle sized courage." This placated him and allowed Khea to focus on her steps instead of being distracted by his grumblings.

As the sun began its trek to hide behind the horizon Khea exhaled a sigh of relief as she found herself within known territory. She chose what appeared to be a tree with sturdy limbs and began to make a hammock. In moments like this Khea wished she had the Plant Talkers' abilities. With assistance from the vegetation they found the materials for a hammock, tied them together, and hung them before any noticeable shift in the sun's position in the sky. Her attempts often kept her busy until the moon took over for the sun. Peck, already bored before Khea put the final touches on her sleeping spot, found a connecting branch nearby, ruffled his feathers, and drifted off into the world of dreams. Khea soon followed.

The Creature Talker - Chapter Three

The light hours, and her departure, arrived far too soon for Khea's liking. Word had spread through her village as quickly as the fire that cracked across the sky during a storm. Many of her tribe sisters delivered food for her to take on the journey as well as weapons made from sharpened rocks in case she needed to defend herself or cut a path for safe passage. The generosity came as a surprise to Khea who always believed she could disappear into the murky waters without a person taking notice. Their acts, and chants of safety, gave Khea an encouragement and the first sliver of hope that she might actually return.

The Silvers granted her some time to convene with the local creatures before she left. Khea knew leaving them would cause confusion, and possible panic, as they often relied on her to help settle disputes, air concerns, and for general company. Khea gathered all she could reach with her gift and spent much of first light attempting to explain why they would not be able to sense her for many sun rises and sets. Most could not grasp the concept given that her ability did not give them human understanding and only opened a gate between the different beings for communicating. She sent images, which worked as the most universal language, out to them illustrating her absence from the area and her trek to the land beyond. Many flooded back images of them joining her but she insisted they wait and greet her upon her return. Their help could aid her greatly but the thought of any getting hurt, or even killed, on her behalf caused her great anguish.

While they agreed to stay behind, the creatures followed Khea back to her dwelling hoping to get a few more moments in before her journey. Most of the village already returned to their daily tasks by the time Khea returned to her home. While their support was appreciated having the time to herself as she completed her final preparations came as a relief. Since she received the news, Khea barely had a moment to process and she needed to clear her head before her feet touched unfamiliar ground. In her empty dwelling, expect for Peck who perched quietly atop her bundled food and who understood any disturbance would cause a rock in his direction, Khea sat down to meditate.

Initial Inspirations for The Creature Talker

Know this might sound crazy but the first spark of "I should write this down" generated itself from a clip of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. Believe he was in Thailand and somehow found himself digging for some type of creature to consume in the mud. He didn't last long but those brief images spurred in me the beginnings of a new story to craft.

Once I started to scribble down my initial notes, I couldn't help but take bits and pieces from different tribe cultures I had watched in a plethora of documentaries available on Netflix streaming. The idea of the men and women living separately came from certain groups in New Guinea where the men believe that spending too much time with women makes them weak so the genders rarely interact. These same people have an entirely different way of understanding time which is why Khea and her tribes women often relate time to the abundance or lack of sun light instead of using our Western hours.

As the story continues to grow, I intend to incorporate more practices and beliefs from still existing cultures so if anyone has good books or documentaries related to this topic to recommend I would love to hear about them.

The Creature Talker - Chapter Two

"Sit, Khea" one of the oldest of the Silvers, Qia, instructed as she used a worn and wrinkled hand to gesture to the open spot before them. Khea knew better than to protest so she took a cross-legged seat obediently. The same Silver continued, "You must have heard by now from our creature sisters and brothers of a strange rot seeping through the swamps killing all the plants it touches." Khea nodded. The animals had been bringing her stories of crimson colored blotches on plants which then died within days. She should have taken their words more seriously but some creatures had a tendency to elaborate tales especially in a bid for her attention.

"The plants within our grounds have started to grow nervous which means this rot must be migrating towards us. We know almost nothing of this plague except the destruction it leaves behind. Since you are not a birther, we have decided that it will be your duty to go out beyond our grounds and find out what you cab about this rot and if it can be stopped. You will begin your trek at first light tomorrow and will have the light hours this day to prepare."

There was no discussion. No chance to raise her voice and protest the decision. When the Silvers delivered a command it had to be obeyed or you ran the risk of exile. The swamps were not a place where one should be alone so the vision of this trek stirred a panic within Khea. Besides a few occasions where she joined her tribe sisters to attend to a sick or injured animal she had never set foot beyond a half day's journey through the swamp and certainly never without a guide. Now she faced the reality of a strange and very possibly dangerous mission with her ability as her one comfort.

Several adabe, rodent creatures about the size of small felines with turquoise bristled fur and four amber eyes perched atop mobile antenna, gathered on the ground below the dwelling sensing Khea's troubled emotional state. "Please brothers, I need some time" she whispered. They indignantly ignored her request and trailed behind her feet chattering to each other in high pitched tones. Khea, too preoccupied with her own thoughts, decided it was not worth the effort to try and send them away again. Sometimes she thought they belonged in the cat family with how blatant they disregarded instructions that did not serve their own purposes. They did make great look outs though as their eyes could capture every angle and were sensitive to movement. Now, more than ever, Khea needed to remember and try to rely on the abilities of the different creatures. She could think about during the dark hours as she already knew that no sleep would befall her this evening.

The Creature Talker - Chapter One

The gentle, almost soothing, chirping turned into furious pecking as Khea did not wake fast enough in the bird's opinion. Finally, the sharp taps from the bird's beak is too much for her to ignore and Khea grumbles and brushes the feathered creature from her face. The bird, content with his accomplishment, floats over to the crude window of Khea's dwelling and watches as she gets to her feet.

"Are you happy now?" Khea asks the small bird, no larger than an orange, as she slathers a mixture of mud and ground leaves from the Hoy Tree over her body and face to deter insects from feasting on her blood. The bird does look proud and confirms this by leaving the ledge and perching on Khea's shoulders careful to not dig his talons too deep into her delicate human skin. "Of course you are," she responds to her own question as she begins the descent from the safety of her tree house to the water soaked ground below.

Her people had inhabited these hostile swamps for hundreds of dual seasons. Stories from the Silvers, the elders of the tribes, told legends of a dry land where their ancestors had lived but Khea could never wrap her head around that idea. What she, and everyone still walking among the living, understood was a life in the swamps. A life living in huts built in the trees, bed hammocks constructed from vines, and food collected and hunted within the murky waters. A world where water was sparse seemed nearly impossible.

While most humans who occupied the swamps had the tongue of the plants Khea was the only member of her tribe with the tongue of the creatures. Plant Talkers could connect with the trees, flowers, vines, and even the weeds that flooded the waters. The vegetation told the Plant Talkers if they had rot, what sections of themselves were edible, and even helped predict strange weather patterns and impending insect infestations. Plant Talkers easily navigated the swamps by communicating with the surrounding plants and using them as trusted guides.

Creature Talkers had similar abilities but their connection was with the animal brothers and sisters. Due to their higher state of thought, communication with the creatures involved more complications as they tended to be more stubborn and less cooperative than the plants. Khea learned this the difficult way at the tender age of three when it became obvious the plants were silent but she could almost never sleep without a two or four-legged furred, feathered, or scaled companion despite her protests. 

Being a Creature Talker presented challenges in her daily life. Unlike her tribe sisters, Khea refused to eat to hunt or eat the animals whose voices and personalities resounded within her skull. Due to this decision, which had been met with resistance from her birther, Khea's frame contained less meat than those she dwelled with and she often had to rely on her ability to help her locate berries and routes rich in nutrients to sustain herself. Her bond with the animals also caused a level of self-inflicted isolation from other humans. The creatures provided what she believed to be a more than adequate level of companionship and they often lacked the cruelty she noticed in her human brothers and sisters. The bird who woke her this sun rise, who she affectionately referred to as Peck, remained one of her closest companions and rarely left her side for more than a sun rise and set.

This morning, Peck sat on her shoulder and preened Khea's short, nearly shaved, aqua colored hair that contrasted sharply with her almond skin and eyes such a dark brown hue that they almost appeared to be black. Most of the women in her tribe had a similar appearance though hair colors ranged the spectrum that accompanied the sun on its rise and descent from the sky. Khea had heard that older tribe brothers looked much the same but men only visited per invitation to help usher a baby into the world, and Khea's urge had yet to surface, so her eyes had never seen a human brother older than ten years old. Her continued refusal to send an invitation generated whispers among the tribe but she did her best to ignore them.

Despite her aversion to hunting, and her mild avoidance of human interaction, Khea helped contribute to her tribe and her current trek would bring her to one of the Silver's tree house to get her light hours' duties. She usually spent her days repairing tree houses, asking the animals to assist in moving food or materials, preparing plant based dishes, and watching the young children whose birthers were occupied by other tasks, Though she did not want to take on the role of birther Khea enjoyed her time with the children. She filled the hours with the children teaching them about the variety of creatures that lived nearby and entertaining them with wild tales of far away lands.

Today she doubted she would spend time with the young ones as she heard no protests of warnings from the creatures of a hunting party which meant her sisters were staying close. As she approached the Silver's dwelling she ushered Peck to wait for her in a nearby tree as Plant Talkers tended to balk on non-humans entering their homes. Once Peck settled, Khea grabbed onto the vine hanging from the house with her calloused hands and hardened soles of her feet and hoisted herself inside of its walls. What greeted her caused a sense of dread in her chest; all the Silvers of the tribe sat in a row at the far end with no joy in their faces.

Beginning Take II

So, I just went and deleted all my old blog posts. When I first started writing here I envisioned documenting all my random thoughts and the odd, and sometimes amusing, things that happen in my life. After a few entries I quickly realized my life isn't all that interesting so I thought I'd dedicate it to a topic I love, animals. For reasons unknown to myself I couldn't find the motivation to write and thus abandoned this space. Now, as I sit in my hotel room overlooking waves lapping against the shore, I am reviving this blog. What will it be about this time? 

Writing.

Yes, some might know that on rare occasions I actually start writing stories. I have yet, since maybe the 5th grade or so, accomplished the task of finishing one. My goal here is to post my stories as I go, hopefully incorporate feedback whenever possible, and let everyone know where my inspiration, thoughts, and absolute out-there-ideas might be coming from though sometimes I don't even know.

Currently, I have several short chapters of a new story that I started writing on the plane to Jacksonville, Florida from Boston,MA and the rest scribbled on my balcony as I enjoyed the sound of the ocean and the warmth on my toes. If I don't crash post-dinner (it is a work trip, after all) I will get at least the first chapter posted here this evening. Be on the lookout and spread the word if you like,  or don't like, what you intake here.

Best.