Editing

Sucks! I wrote it, so I deided with the story fresh in my mind it was good to go right back for the first edit. This is actually hard. You get second thoughts about your own work, and wonder if it is good enough for other people to read.

So my goal for now is to clarify funny spots and make minor chages to streamline the story, along with the expected typo correction.

Tigger is doing fine, and Teioh is still a bitey bird. Honey chirps.

For now that is my life, and I bought more trail mix.

Torn
41

The morning was cool. Maureen sat on the patio playing with the air currents.

Julius looked on, pleased with her ability with air. She was able to use air as an effective attack, and was developing rapidly the ability to use air as a defense.

Maureen had also finally had some success with earth late the previous day. It wasn’t much, but anything was better than nothing.

Maureen continued to play with the air as she tried to decide how to ask the question that had come to her the night before.

“I’d tone that down a little if you want your plants to survive.”

Maureen focused on the small whirlwind, at least she thought it had been small. While she had been thinking of other things it had grown larger than her and if it grew any bigger it would be visible from the other side of the house. She quickly reeled it in.

“Sorry,” she said, a blush creeping into her face. “Had something on my mind.”

“Well, let’s get that something taken care of before you blow us out of here.”

Maureen let the whirlwind dissipate.

“Not that I’m eager to get things going, but why is this whole battle thing taking so long?”

“Training, equipment, plans. All of those take time. Our side has been mostly prepared for some time. We have used the extra time for strengthening, but the other side… Well, let’s just say that the infighting in evil slows them down a little.”

“So why don’t we just attack them?”

Julius took a deep breath, not knowing exactly how to answer.

He finally decided how he wanted to respond.

“I would like to say that we don’t want to, but that is not the case. We have initiated some skirmishes, but have never staged a massive attack.

I think the main things holding us back are the rules. Those who have set up this whole affair keep both sides in check until they are ready to make their moves. When there have been those who have decided to take things into their own hands, they usually end up disappearing. If a group tries to speed things up they usually runs into problems that either kill the group or make their plans impossible.

It was decided on our side this time to wait for the other side to make their move. We have been ready for some time, but we also knew that it was just better to wait. They have been in intense preparation for most of the recent months. But luckily for you they still are not ready.”

“So how long do we have left?”

“Days.”

Maureen grew pale. “Days?”

“Days.”

“How many?”

“I don’t know, nor do I care. If we allow ourselves to worry about it now we you training will cease. If the time comes as a surprise we will both know that you were as prepared as possible.”

“I really don’t understand that logic.”

“Let’s say that I did know an exact time. You then would know it as well, and your focus would be on how much time you have left. Your stress levels would rise, and with it your concentration drops. Less concentration means that your training is less effective, and therefore you are not as prepared.”

Maureen thought about it for a moment.

“I guess that it does make sense. I just wish that I knew.”

“No, you don’t.”

Maureen started playing with the air currents again. She couldn’t decide if she was happy with the answer or not.

“Would you take an opportunity right now if it presented itself?”

“Absolutely, but we have not been so lucky. Precautions have been taken on both sides to prevent attacks before we are ready. Therefore we cannot easily pick them off, and we are stuck waiting for them. Believe me, if things were different we would most likely already be fighting, as much as we dislike the idea.”

“And me?”

“If we could have taken out Jack, we would have. But I would have still been sent to train you.”

Maureen was silent, accepting her role.

Julius watched for a while.

“So you said that you had an idea for water today, but you have been working with air so far. Want to share your thoughts?”

“No. You’ll see what I have in mind later, when it gets a little warmer. It’s still too cool for water.”

The phone rang. Maureen ran inside to answer.

“Maureen?”

“Scott!” Maureen was ecstatic to hear from her husband. “Does this mean that things are clearing up there?”

“Sure does baby.”

“That’s great! When can I expect to see you home?”

“Well, the roads are still flooded. But they are expecting that they will be passable day after tomorrow. We will wait until the day after to leave”

“So in three days.”

“You got it.”

“Oh, I can’t wait. I have missed you so much”

“I’ve missed you too.”

“I guess I shouldn’t force you to tie up your parents’ phone, but if Karen’s available I’d like to talk to her as well.”

“She thought that you’d never ask. Hold on let me hand her the phone.”

Maureen heard the phone being handed over, and promptly dropped in her daughter’s excitement.

“Mommy!”

“Hi sweetie. Did you see the water?”

“Naw, it was rainin too hard.”

“Have you been good for Grandma and Grandpa?”

“Uh-huh.”

“What did you do while it was raining?”

“I played blocks, an helped Gramma make cookies, an colored.”

“Is that all?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Well I’m sure that Grandma and Grandpa need to use the phone too. So we need to say good-bye now.”

“Nooooo.”

“Yes, Karen. I’ll see you in a few days, and we’ll go out for ice cream.”

“Promise?”

“Promise. Now give the phone back to Daddy. I love you”

“I love you too. Bye Mommy.”

“Bye Karen.”

Maureen waited as the phone changed hands again. “Be safe on your return home. If the roads don’t look passable don’t try it ok?”

“I’ll be safe, don’t worry about that. I’m looking forward to that ice cream too.”

Maureen laughed. “She’s already excited about that, isn’t she?”

“You know it babe… My mother is asking for the phone, so we better finish up.”

“All right, I’ll see you in a few days. I love you.”

“I love you too. Bye.”

“Bye.” Maureen hung up the phone.

“I take it they’re ok?”

Maureen turned and hugged Julius. “They’re absolutely fine. They’ll be home in a few days.”

“That’s good.

Now that your mind’s been eased shall we get back to work?”