NaNoWriMo (Day 4 of 30) "Strangers in the Dark" (49,070 words left)

Another day, and that means more NaNoWriMo!!! Once again, I fear this is going to be another day of only a couple hundred words or so. And just when I was thinking it would be one of the biggest word count days. See, I volunteered at my local chamber today for a straight 5 hours, and usually I have quite a bit of free time while I wait for the phone to ring, plus, I didn't have any ongoing projects today. However, all the materials arived for our business expo and that meant putting together 150 exhibitor packets. So, no time to write. I did have fun though. When doing a task in which I have to do the same thing over and over again, I make a game of it, trying to find the fastest way to do something and then whipping it out. The other volunteers and I finished everything, but with little time to spare. :( Anyway, here's what I accomplished today before hitting the sack!

Strangers in the Dark (Continued...Again, still Chapter One.)



Late one afternoon, a thundering beat came stampeding down a street near our house. Jensen pulled back one of the heavy blankets we had nailed over the main floor windows to better insulate the house, and discourage neighbors from seeing any light sources we had acquired. Once the blanketed veil was lifted away from the window, that monotonous beat grew louder and louder as armored police, army cars, and mounted steeds flooded into view. They brought with them guns, barbed wire, shields, marked saw horses, anything that could be used to establish a wall or barricade.

I’m pretty sure I heard the word ‘cool’ escape Jensen’s mouth more than once.

“Come see!” He waved the rest of us to the window, interrupting Mom’s twiddling of her thumbs and the card game Dad and I had been playing for the last three days. I must admit that it was quite the sight. Within minutes, the police lined their cars perfectly diagonal to one another, creating a near impenetrable barrier all on their own as the mounted men weaved in and out, giving the grey and white camouflaged army men just enough time to place a small barricade in the intersection just down from our house. They then moved flawlessly to the next one, and the next, until they hit the main highway that left town. There, they had stationed a mix of uniformed men and women with guns and shields all facing the interior of the city.

A shiver ran up and down the entire length of my body. If only I were to walk a few blocks down the street, then their sights, their weapons, would be aimed at me, my friends, neighbors, family, and everyone else within the city.

“Why are they doing this?” I begged either one of my parents.

“I’m sure they’re just trying to be precautious,” my mom soothed.

“The last time the electricity went out like this,” Dad began, “the crime rate soared. They’re preparing for some kind of outbreak or riot. People are going to start getting desperate if the lights don’t come back on or some relief doesn’t get here soon.”

“What are we going to do?” Jensen asked, a slight wobble in his throat.

Dad wrapped his big arms around all three of us. “I don’t know about everyone else, but we’re getting out of here. Soon. Maybe even tomorrow.”

(398 words)

Yeah, I like the way this is turning out. Even though I'm not writing a ton, it's flowing for me. lol. Until tomorrow!