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Cera Chronicles - Murder Most Fowl - #atozchallenge

Murder Most Fowl – Part D #atozchallenge and Featured Photo Friday

Posted on April 4, 2014April 5, 2014 by Loni Townsend

For the A to Z challenge, I present Murder Most Fowl, an unedited serial story from the unpublished Cera Chronicles. Please excuse the grammar mistakes. This hasn’t been critiqued yet. If you’re just diving into this story, you may want to start with part A.

“Deputy Fischer died from unnatural causes,” Bobby drawled. He eyed Molly and stroked his mustache. “I reckon you done put a hole in his chest.”

Molly’s jaw tightened—weapon quivering precariously—and she lifted her chin. “It weren’t me.”

“If’n that be the case, you won’t mind answerin’ a few questions.”

The two glared at each other. A ocarina-like breeze whistled through the buildings in a two-note melody, sounding vaguely like a coyote’s howl. Tumbleweeds rolled past us.

After a long stand-off of eye-twitching stares, Molly finally shoved her gun back into it’s holster. “Fine.”

He turned to me. “I’m gonna have to ask you to come along, Ma’am.”

Me? “I haven’t killed anyone.” Not on this world. Not intentionally.

“Procedure, understand?” He offered me a hoof-like hand. I considered breaking it. But then, the glossy sheen would make for an excellent replacement pair of shoes.

Bobby waved us into the closest building. I frowned as we stepped through the doorway. Nothing much in there—a cot, a chair, a fur rug. Wait, no. That was some guy without a shirt.

The door slammed shut behind us. Molly squeaked and whirled around, beating and kicking the door. “Hey, let me out!”

Bobby peered through the peephole from the other side and snickered.

No good, lousy, son-of-a…

Bright light flashed through the slot. Bobby bleated, and his furry face disappeared from view. The door swung outward and Molly stumbled forward—right into a masked man on the other side. In one swift movement, he picked her up and flung her over his shoulder. She kicked and beat at him like she had the door, to the same ineffective end. “Let me go! Help! Someone!”

I sighed. The runt had tried to pin a murder on me, but that didn’t mean she deserved to be abducted. “Put her d—”

The masked man fired his weapon, and a lightning bolt struck me in the chest.

Read E here.

If you want to start at the beginning, read it here. Don’t forget to visit other bloggers participating in the A to Z Challenge.

I also present Featured Photo Friday! (This is a regular occurrence on my blog.) I’m an amateur photographer who likes to play with apps and other software. Lately, my fascination has been with macro photography (those really close shots). Since today’s letter is D, I give you the bright yellow flowers already populating my lawn.

Dandelion.

dandelion

I don’t disdain these yellow blooms as much as many other people I know. Mostly because they remind me of the song Dandelions by Five Iron Frenzy. Here it is, if you wanted to give it a listen.

I know this post was a little longer than my other serial story posts. Congrats for reaching the end!

Though the rest of the story is already written, I’m curious: Have the length of the posts been manageable chunks? Too short? Too long? (They are all under 500 words.)

What do you think?

20 thoughts on “Murder Most Fowl – Part D #atozchallenge and Featured Photo Friday”

  1. SD Neeve says:
    April 4, 2014 at 7:32 AM

    The length is fine with me, I’ve been reading some longer than yours, so I’m okay with it. 🙂 I know posts are meant to be short, but if I like it, I’ll keep reading and keep coming back for more. 😉
    Have a great day. 😀

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      April 4, 2014 at 4:18 PM

      Good, I’m glad it’s not too much, or that it doesn’t drag. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Heidi Breton / Anemone Flynn says:
    April 4, 2014 at 8:33 AM

    Woot, more Cera story! I think the story lengths are great, it only takes a moment to read it before I have to move on. (I’m not doing the A-Z challenge, but I am doing other stuff this morning … ) Thanks for posting this!

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      April 4, 2014 at 4:18 PM

      I’m glad they’re working well. Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  3. Sheethalsusan says:
    April 4, 2014 at 10:19 AM

    Beautiful story! 🙂

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      April 4, 2014 at 4:18 PM

      Thank you!

      Reply
  4. Cristina says:
    April 4, 2014 at 11:40 AM

    Two for the price of one!

    I loved when you used “glossy sheen” – immediate visual. Love that!

    And then dandelions! I love them!!

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      April 4, 2014 at 4:19 PM

      I’m glad I’m not alone in my like of the yellow flowers. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Alex J. Cavanaugh says:
    April 4, 2014 at 11:44 AM

    That was tense!

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      April 4, 2014 at 4:22 PM

      I’m glad it wasn’t boring!

      Reply
  6. River Fairchild says:
    April 4, 2014 at 4:27 PM

    Another beautiful photo and I loved the line “Not on this world. Not intentionally.” 🙂

    River Fairchild – A to Z April Challenge
    Untethered Realms

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      April 4, 2014 at 8:46 PM

      I did have fun typing that one. 🙂

      Reply
  7. Pat Hatt says:
    April 4, 2014 at 6:33 PM

    No good lousy son of a cat? I bet it was that, dandelions abound today

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      April 4, 2014 at 8:49 PM

      Yes, I am certain cat was the first choice to complete that expletive.

      Reply
  8. Liz Blocker (@lizblocker) says:
    April 4, 2014 at 9:04 PM

    Oh lord, poor Cera is having quite a day! This totally cracked me up: Not on this world. Not intentionally. I’m loving her voice!

    Reply
  9. Sarah Chafin says:
    April 4, 2014 at 9:30 PM

    I just started at A and caught up. I love it so far! Great tension and I don’t think they are to long.Simply Sarah

    Reply
  10. Kajal says:
    April 5, 2014 at 12:22 AM

    That’s lovely…am loving Cera so much…not so poor, eh? lovely story!

    Reply
  11. stri says:
    April 5, 2014 at 10:41 AM

    Awesome 😀 I love this totally…

    Stri

    Reply
  12. Corinne Rodrigues says:
    April 8, 2014 at 5:28 AM

    Loving the imagery and the conversations, Loni.

    Reply
  13. Doreen McGettigan says:
    April 14, 2014 at 8:53 AM

    Definitely not too long. Because it is so good it flows, quickly.

    Reply

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Welcome to my blog. I post here on Wednesdays most of the time, but you can find me on social media any day of the week. My topics include my stories and writing, life at the Town's End, creating and tinkering with graphics, things I learn and think might be helpful to others, and the occasional amateur photo. Thanks for stopping by! I hope to see you around.

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