-I wrote the following novel nearly two decades ago. In the years between then and now I've honed my craft, and my perception of this world; my thoughts and ideas; have changed dramatically. However, I still enjoy the premise and have decided to do an overhaul of revisions and rewrites, though likely not until sometime next year. (Though I'm sure I'll do a little as I post chapters)
For now I hope you will enjoy a glimpse into my book writing beginnings...
They are the closest of friends though they have never met in waking life.
Prologue-PT1 Prologue-PT2 Chapter 1
Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10
Chapter Eleven
“All right, all right. Why don’t we go for a walk to the stream while it’s still light out,” Amy suggested.
They all got up and followed Aliyah into the field taking one of the two paths she traveled almost every day. It led into the woods and to a cliff which took you down to the slowly running water, but this was not the place to go down so they hung a left and followed the edge.
There was only one safe place to make your way down, a place she and Amy had long ago dubbed “Leaf Landslide.” At this time of year it was more like dirt landslide, but if you went after the leaves fell in autumn the lower half of it would be calf deep in them and you could literally slide all the way down to the bottom. It was great fun and she looked forward to it every year.
They came to the edge of it and followed Aliyah down the first incline which was a little steep but you could stay on your feet. It leveled out onto a platform, a place that would make an excellent spot to camp one day, then headed down another incline. At this time of the year when there was no leaves this second descent required crouching and moving carefully from tree to tree.
Once they were at the bottom they headed right into the stream, splashing each other and searching for salamanders until the sun started going down.
There would be a time in Aliyah’s life when she would look back on days like this with great nostalgia. A small part of her was aware of that and it made her enjoy the moments more deeply than some people were ever able to.
Aliyah was thoroughly wet, as Dave seemed to think it was great fun to push her into the water every chance he got- but she got him back, so it was okay. At one point, while both of them were soggy and laughing, she was startled to find herself thinking that he was even better looking with his hair messy and wet.
When she had a chance she observed him for a moment. He had a pretty well developed physique for a boy of fourteen, with some definition in muscle, and even the beginning of a “six-pack” on his stomach, he was extremely tan, and his sandy colored hair combined with piercing blue eyes were a great combination. He normally wore his hair in a way that made him somehow less attractive, and she thought she might make a friendly suggestion about changing it. He was also pretty tall-it was amazing how growth spurts hit guys- at the beginning of last year she had been a good inch or two taller than him, and now he was towering above her by about 5 or 6 inches.
Little did she know that he was doing the same kind of observing the other way around when she wasn’t looking. Once again it was a fact that did not escape Misty’s attention, and incidentally Amy was also beginning to notice. When she and Aliyah had a moment alone as they walked back to camp, she commented on it.
“What do you mean?” Aliyah looked innocently at her.
“Come on Ali, you two have been flirting pretty heavily today, Misty pointed it out, but since then I’ve been noticing it too. Checking each other out when the other isn’t looking for example.”
“He’s checking me out?”
“Ha! I knew it, you do like him!"
“I don’t know. Maybe a little. Look at him, I know you guys have had your problems, but can you honestly say he isn’t attractive?”
Amy looked inconspicuously up ahead at him walking with John, shirt still off, hair still a mess.
“Yeah, I suppose so, I mean he does have a pretty nice chest. And with his hair like that...”
“I was thinking that too!”
“Okay, so he’s kind of cute. What about Dark eyes?”
Aliyah made a face “Come on, he’s a dream. Literally, I mean who knows when or if I’ll actually meet him.”
“But just this morning...
“I know, I know, I had just woken up from him, and he’s so fresh on my mind after I dream of him. But I’m not going to stop myself from liking other boys because of this dream character who at this point is much too old for me. Besides, whoever I go out with now isn't likely to last forever.”
“Which leads me to my next point, what if you do go out with Dave and then break up, won’t that put a big kabosh on your friendship?”
“I’ve been thinking about that too. Okay stop, we’re getting wayyyy ahead of ourselves, I never said I wanted to go out with him, I just said he was cute, and I’m flattered that he might think that of me.” Unconsciously she ran her fingers through her long honey-colored hair.
“There’s really no need to be flattered, you’re very pretty, with your beautiful hair and bright green eyes. You’ve always been pretty, but this summer you have started to “blossom” as my mom would say, or in fact has said.”
“Thank you Amy, that’s so sweet! But I’m surprised it isn’t you he’s checking out, snow white.”
Amy shook her head with a smile. Her jet black hair and blue eyes combined with her fair skin had won her that nickname two years before.
“Okay, shh,” Aliyah commanded as they arrived back at the camp. The last thing she needed was for Dave- or worse Misty- to overhear this particular conversation. Of course Misty would doubtlessly pick on them all night regardless of whether or not she knew for sure.
But Aliyah wasn’t upset about that, in fact she was actually really glad that Misty was there. They intended to play truth or dare, and that was one girl who would not hesitate to dare kissing.
“It’s getting dark,” Janie stated as she added more wood to the fire that had all but went out.
“Here let me get that,” Dave shoved more newspapers underneath and hit the matches. Aliyah watched him thinking that he looked manly taking charge of the fire. This time he looked up and caught her looking. He smiled knowingly in response, and she felt her heart stutter a bit.
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