Almost done

So my mother has finished her readthrough of Torn. I am making the changes that needed done and then I am ready to send it off. Exciting and terrifying at the same time.

In other news I am getting antsy again. I want to make more soaps and stuff, but I still have too much backstock, and no money to buy new supplies. I need to get to craft fair. That way I can get the necessary money for buying supplies, and get to try some of the new scents.

Anyway, here is the next chapter.

Torn
56

The morning was beautiful, and perfect for water practice.

Maureen insisted that if they were going to have water practice it be in the mornings and evenings when the sun was not as bad. Julius relented easily, knowing that the water was the most important thing to work on.

They suited up, and were outside playing with garden hoses before most of the neighborhood had even wakened.

The tactics grew more sophisticated as the morning progressed. So much so that Julius couldn’t deny that Maureen was a formidable opponent, even without water.

Lost in his thoughts for the briefest of times he found himself mired in mud. The dirt working it’s way up his leg to hold him for a final blow.

He tried to undo the magic that was working against him, but couldn’t.

He moved frantically in an attempt to force the mud off of himself. He only succeeded in getting himself trapped more.

Finally he found himself staring down the sharp edge of her sword.

“I give!” he said laughing.

The mud fell off of his legs, and he was able to move freely again.

They were about to start another bout when Maureen heard the phone ringing.

She ran into the house, dripping and tracking mud the whole way.

She barely answered before the messaging service would have picked up the call.

“Hello?” she asked out of breath.

“Maureen? What have you been up to that you are so out of breath at this time of day?”

“Scott!” she exclaimed.

“Yep, you know it. But you still didn’t answer my question.”

“I was outside watering. It has been too hot these past few days, and the plants are suffering.”

“Watering at eight-thirty in the morning?”

“Why not? The plants get more water when the sun isn’t ripping half of it away, and I would rather be outside now than later”

“Uh-huh.”

“So why are you calling Mr. Skeptical? Everything still on for you getting home tomorrow?”

“Absolutely, I was just letting you know that the roads have cleared pretty much as expected. We should leave about this time tomorrow morning.”

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

“We’ve missed you too.”

“Is Karen there?”

“No. Mother took her grocery shopping. She promised Karen a cake before we left, so she took her to pick out the one she wants.”

“Oh. Okay,” said Maureen, a little disappointed.

“So in all the excitement I forgot to ask. How was your friend’s visit? Did he have a good time?”

“You can ask him yourself. I think he’ll still be here tomorrow when you get home.”

“He’s still there?” Scott asked, a little concerned.

Maureen realized how bad it sounded.

“Sorry, he had some car trouble. I couldn’t just kick him out. Besides we have the room and I was in need of some company. So it all worked out.”

Scott was silent for a minute. “Ok. Well then we’ll see you both tomorrow. I need to go. I’m going to drive around a little myself and make sure the roads are as good as they say.”

“Ok. Be safe. I love you.”

“I love you too. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Maureen hung up the phone and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Why did you lie to him?”

Maureen jumped, even though by now she knew to expect Julius to have entered the room.

“It was easier than telling the truth right then. I don’t think he would have had an easy time accepting the truth.”

“So when do you plan on telling him the truth?”

“When he gets home. It will be easier when I can just show him.”

Julius nodded.

“Come on. We should keep practicing before the sun gets too hot.”

Maureen walked out of the house. Julius followed.

***

Hours passed.

Maureen had a defeated feeling. Even in the heat of the day she was almost cold with the amount of water dripping off of her.

Julius had just won a bout, his first in days.

He won because he was able to turn her water stream against her.

The sun beat down, almost too much to handle. Even with copious amount of sunscreen her skin had a distinct pink tone.

“Ok, Julius. Last bout of the morning.”

He merely nodded. The sun was bothering him as well.

Julius let free the first shot of water.

Maureen moved to avoid it, and fell on the slick ground.

Quickly needing to even the odds she tossed a blast of superheated air at the vampire. His only choice as the air expanded was to drop to the ground as well.

Maureen managed to struggle to her feet.

Seeing her coming for him Julius let loose a shot of water.

She was too close. She didn’t have time to avoid it.

Maureen crossed her arms in front of her face, blocking the oncoming water while willing it to stop.

It never came.

As she realized that she wasn’t dripping she uncrossed her arms. The water had stopped and was forming a giant ball in front of her, growing larger as Julius held onto the hose trigger.

“Julius… Stop feeding it.”

He slowly let go of the hose. It dropped to the ground.

“Are you doing this Julius?”

The vampire shook his head.

Maureen reached out with a trembling hand, almost scared to touch the ball of water.

The sun beat down, she wished she could be colder.

Her fingers touched the water. It froze when she did, encouraged by her cold thoughts.

The ball of ice fell to the ground.

Julius stood up. He walked around the ball, which was already starting to melt in the heat.

They looked at it, then each other.

Maureen let loose a shout of triumph.

They fell into each other’s arms, ecstatic.