IT'S DONE! YAY!

Today I wrote nearly 6,000 words, right through to the end of my novel. I took only a short break for lunch. Honestly, the scenes were flashing almost in front of my eyes. It was almost like taking dictation. I even wrote a short epilogue, which sets the reader up for Book Two.

 I didn't make it to 50,000 words, but all of the major scenes are written. Now I can go back through and plump it up with some leisurely descriptions and getting-to-know-you character stuff. I hit just over 35K today.

Now, do I work on revising Book One and start Book Two in the New Year or just keep going and revise everything later? Decisions, decisions.

Here is a final snippet from one of the scenes I wrote today. I'm trying to be careful not to give too much away. Darva is nearly twelve in this scene and her brother is three.

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“Ari, would you like to play a game with me?” He nodded, his curls bouncing. “Good. In this game we have to be very, very quiet. Can you do that, Ari?”

He nodded again and put a dimpled finger to his cherry-colored lips.

“Ari quiet,” he whispered.

“That’s good, Ari. You are a good, big boy.” Ari grinned with delight. “But you must not even whisper in this game. And even if you see someone, like Papa or Auntie Mali, or even Mama, you must not make a sound. Can you do that, Ari? Not say anything, no matter who you see?”

Ari nodded and grinned, very careful not to make a peep. Darva held out her arms for him and lifted him from the bed. He put one chubby arm around her neck and held onto his Mali doll with the other. Darva took a deep breath, kissed her brother’s head and pressed it to her shoulder. Then she went down the hallway to the big wooden staircase and started down. When Ari heard Mama’s voice, his head popped up, but Darva gently pushed it back down, shaking her head and pressing her finger to her lips.

About halfway down one of the stairs squeaked. Darva stopped, her heart in her throat. She waited, but the two voices coming from her mother continued their argument. She went down a little farther and then scurried down the last few steps, her hand on Ari’s head all the way. She let out a breath, not realizing she had held it, and tip-toed to the fancy front door. She wondered if she and her brother would ever see that door again.

The sunshine was startling after the rainy, overcast morning. Dampness still clung to everything, but the glaring sun overhead would soon remedy that. Darva made her way to the stable where the donkeys, their milk cow and mother’s white horse were kept. When Mama was still Mama she had taught Darva how to ride. Luckily, the horse was still saddled. Mama was so distracted these days, she often forgot to take it off or even to feed the poor animal.

“Hey, boy,” Darva whispered, hoping the horse would not spook and make a noise.

She made sure his reins were tied firmly to the post as she boosted Ari onto the saddle. Then she untied it, climbed onto the fence and swung into the seat behind her brother. She clicked her teeth, gently slapped the reins and tapped the horse's sides with her heels. The animal moved out of its stall. Darva reined him in at the front of the stable. Should she send him into a gallop right away or would that draw her mother’s attention too fast? If she simply walked him right into the open street, would that be worse?

“What should I do?” she whispered, chewing her bottom lip.

“Go horsie!” Ari squealed, bouncing in the saddle.

“Ari, is that you? Where are you, Ari-Jondon? Mama wants to see you.”

Oh no! Mama was coming towards them. Darva had no choice. She kicked the horse as hard as she could. It whinnied and leapt into action, dashing passed its mistress and knocking her to the ground.

“Hold on, Ari!” Darva screamed, leaning forward to grab the horse’s mane with one hand and her brother with the other. She dug her knees into the horse’s sides, hanging on as though both their lives depended on staying on its back, which was probably true.

People came out of their front doors, shielding their eyes from the sun as they watched the wild horse galloping through the street. Two men came out, reaching for the reins that Darva had dropped. The horse fought against them, but they managed to bring him to a stop.

“No!” Darva shouted, glancing behind to see if her mother was coming. “Just give me the reins.”

One of the men handed the leather straps up to her and she took control of the horse, sending it into a rushing, but controlled run. They headed for the forest on the east side of Veroven, where nearly seven years ago Darva and her father had run.