Thursday, August 29, 2013

POINT OF OBLIVION, Chapter 1

My loyal followers, I present to you a young adult story I wrote many years ago.  If you enjoy it, let me know and I will post more chapters.  If you'd rather read something else, I can post chapters from another story.

POINT OF OBLIVION is the story of Sarah Lockwood, affectionately called Lock by her dashing crush, who gets to leave our world to travel to the Realm.  In this tale, you will find fantasy and a steampunk-esque world.  There is romance, heartache, and adventure, an ancient myth, and an enchanted locket that allows her to pass between worlds.  There is also a hula hoop of doom.  Yes, it has blades.

Without further ado, you will get to meet Lock, when she was but a child and first had her taste of the Realm...

Chapter 1, SECRETS BENEATH ANCIENT CLOUDS

July; New York

A prince is born to the royal family.  Instead of bringing glory, he will face darkness, and choose the bleakest path.  The kingdom will mourn him, yet the heart within him will bring him back to salvation.
-                      Written by the Pen of Truth

Sarah Lockwood folded her arms against the railing of the gazebo. A breeze brought the scent of lilacs and she inhaled. “I wish I could live out here.”
            Her father strolled up the steps with a tray, joining her on the bench. He handed her a glass of pink lemonade. “What’s wrong with your bedroom?”
            Sarah glanced down the yard toward their house. “I like being outdoors more.”
            “Maybe we can camp out for your birthday.”
            “Next week I get to be seven.” Grinning, she set her glass on the bench to hold up seven fingers. 
            He kissed the top of her head. Strands of blonde hair caught in his short beard. “So should we waste this afternoon or do you want a story?”
            “Story about the Realm, please.” She sipped her lemonade. 
            “Hmm, which one to tell today?” He draped his arm around her shoulders. “How about the one where we met the Record Keeper?”
            She leaned her head against his chest while she stared across the yard to the stream beside the weeping willow. “What’s a Record Keeper?”
            “Your Uncle William and I didn’t know, either. We were only a few years older than you are when we found the portal to the Realm, and whenever we went there, we tried to stay hidden. We didn’t want to be caught, because then we might not get home again. So this one day, my brother wanted to take a different path. Our mom, your grandmother, had a bowling tournament, so we had a few hours before we needed to get back.”
            “Did you find a princess?”
            “No.” He chuckled. “We came across a cave. William started throwing rocks at it, even though I told him not to. I thought there might be a bear inside, but it was a man who came out. William panicked and started to run away, but the man looked familiar. I’d seen him talking to my parents’ gardener a few times. He wouldn’t invite us into the cave, but he came outside and brought us water to drink.”
            The weeping willow swayed in the breeze.  “Was he a nice man?” 
            Scott paused to drink from his lemonade. “Very. He explained to us about his job as the Record Keeper. He has to guard a magical Pen, but he didn’t go into details. William and I visited him again later, and he took us to one of the villages. That’s where I got your bracelet. It was for your grandmother, but it didn’t fit her, too small, and I kept it instead, as a memento.” 
            “You already told me the story about shopping in the village.” Sarah lifted her wrist to look at her charm bracelet. A cameo, a tiny key, and a miniature watch hung from the delicate brass chain. “When are you going to take me to the Realm?”
            Scott scratched his cheel. “It’s just a story, like the ones your mom writes.”
            “Hers are about vampires.” Sarah stood up to look into her father’s eyes. “The Realm’s real, isn’t it?”
            “I haven’t been there since I went to college.” He brushed a blonde curl off her cheek. “I’m sorry, honey, but it’s just a story now.”
            “If we ever go visit Uncle William, promise me you’ll try to go back, and you’ll take me.”

            “I’ll take you, Sarah,” he said.  

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