Submission for Stars Theme at Creative Construction

I showed a few days ago a star that I entered in the weekly contest at Creative Construction. I mentioned then that I was going to try to write a short piece for the theme as well. I have managed to do that, and I thought I would post it here as well. Please offer comments and suggestions as you like.


The Stars

“The stars,” she thought. “If only I could reach the stars.” Her heart pounded as she lay in the bed near the window, the curtain blowing in the warm summer breeze.

Her head hurt and she only wanted to escape the pain. Throughout the years, she had made every effort she could, she had tried to make him happy, tried to make sure that anything she said wouldn’t set him off again. Of course, it never worked.

Neither did the halfhearted disguises she tried to implement to hide his hatefulness, his disdain for her. The long dark hair that she let drape casually over the sides of her face, covering her cheeks and the inevitable bruises left by his individual fingers. The long sleeved shirts every day of the year, to cover the marks on her upper arms where he grabbed her to slam her against the wall. The jeans to cover her legs where he kicked her when she was down. Everyone knew it was a futile attempt to hide insanity – his for treating her the way he did; hers for taking it for so long.

She no longer knew what to do, only knew that it had to come to an end. The catalyst had come – a trip to the emergency room that couldn’t be avoided – a shattered wrist. Of course, they all had questions and she answered them the best she could, all the while protecting him. Three days they kept her – two surgeries on her wrist. A hope that she would one day regain full usage of it, but no promises from the doctors. No one could promise her anything.

They sent her home with a prescription for painkillers and something to help her sleep. Her wrist would be in the cast for four months. He was scared to come visit her, scared to come pick her up; afraid that the police would be waiting for him. Her friend that lived in the apartment above her drove her to the pharmacy and then to the apartment building. Her friend helped her up the stairs and left her, telling her if she needed anything, to please call.

A sixty-day supply of Oxycontin and Ambien. She looked them up online before he came home. Both addictive, both potentially toxic. A story about a two-year-old girl who accidentally took one of her grandfather’s Oxycontin pills. Luckily, her mother found her before she slipped into a coma and never woke up.

He didn’t believe that she had protected him; didn’t believe that no one would come looking for him. He took his anger and disbelief out on her. After seemingly endless hours, he finished his rage and left to go drinking. She crawled to the bed with her medicines and a bottle of water.

“The stars,” she thought over and over. “Safety in the stars. A savior in the stars.” The warm summer breeze bathed her body in comfort. “If only I could reach the stars, there would be no more pain.” Her thoughts fell further and further apart, her breathing shallower. Her last thought was of the stars and the safety they could provide from the evil that her life had become.

When he opened the door, the curtains fluttered in the breeze, the wind blowing her dark hair across her face: an angel bathed in sunlight.


I've submitted it over there, so we'll see how it does. By the way, she had a very interesting post today about rejection. It was very insightful and had the most touching letter that she received as a child. You should certainly check it out.

Update on Etsy

I have been sporadically adding photographs to my storefront on Etsy and I wanted my friends and followers to see the new, updated storefront: http://www.creatingcharacter.etsy.com/. I have added a number of new photos on there and they can all be had for a very reasonable price. Take a look when you get a chance and let me know what you think!

While browsing around over there, I found a couple of other storefronts that I think are pretty awesome. Of course, both of them sell jewelry, but I definitely think that they are worth a look: neawear and LegionCreative. Those necklaces are pretty nifty!

This is the Simpla Necklace 15 by neawear - absolutely lovely!

And the Black and Red Tiki Daisies Pendant by LegionCreative. I might have to go shopping before too long!

As always, there are tons of lovely and interesting things to look at over on the Etsy site. It's always worth a minute to browse around if you're looking for a one of a kind gift for that special someone.

Shades of Inspiration Group at Flickr

I set up a bunch of google alerts that will let me know when there are various contests coming up. Some of the alerts I set up were: writing contest, fiction contest, non fiction contest, photography contest, and story contest. I have come up with a good bit of leads, although a lot of them cost money to enter. I understand that sometimes you have to pay, but right now it's just not possible. Maybe after the beginning of the year when things pick up.

One of those alerts is how I found the Shades of Inspiration. You're allowed to post up to five things to the pool each day, provided you are a member of the group, so I signed up, so that I could seek out new things to photograph. (Like I needed an excuse.) :) The idea is to find things that fit the theme of the week.

The "owner" of the group is Sadie Olive - le journal Very nice blog. Evidently, the whole thing started with a contest of "I Saw Red" in which participants were to show thier photography skills using red. I wish I had been in on that one - I like photographing red.

I entered these three photographs for today. I took them when me, mom, Lys, and the passel of kids went to Taco Bell for lunch.

Keep an eye out for any other photos that I might gather up for this week. I know the week is almost up - it ends on the fourth, but I might get lucky. :)

Weekly Competition at Creative Construction Blog

There's a weekly competition over at Creative Construction that allows a variety of inputs for the contest. In the last contest she had, there were photos, short stories, and poetry. A great way to get your stuff out there and be seen.

Anyway, I submitted this photograph:







This was a star on one of my trees - I have three - a green one, a silver one, and a white one. The white was one decorated all in silver, white, and glass ornaments.

If I have time this week, I'm going to try to write a short piece focusing on stars - we'll just have to see what happens. :)

Found a Nice New Blog

I found a nice new blog while wandering around the internet today: http://oneminutewriter.blogspot.com/.

Today's post was: What resolution will you not make this year because you know you'd probably break it?

This was my answer: I will not resolve to lose any more weight. I have lost quite a bit, but I have come to the realization that I will never be back down to a one or a zero, and that's okay. As a matter of fact, I have sent all of those clothes that no longer fit me to Goodwill, in response to my not resolving. :)

I know that I gained quite a bit of weight once I started working at the courthouse and I think that stress had a lot to do with it. I worked hard for a while to get the weight back off and I got down to a size 6. I haven't lost another pound, so I am sure that this is where I am meant to be, so I just make sure that I don't overeat, and that I eat fairly reasonably.

A size 6 is not bad for me - I am not grossly overweight for my height, and I do not feel that I look terrible. I am sure that there are those that disagree, but that's ok. That is actually one of my resolutions this year - to no longer care what others think of me. :)