Archive for the ‘2) Excerpts’ Category

Posted on October 27, 2011 - by jennifer

runaway excerpt by JNS

runaway is an excerpt from my book For the Love…This brief intro is about a man reminiscing about his past before going back home to visit his mother and dying father, both of whom he hasn’t seen in years. This is only a small portion of an interesting and entertaining piece.

Enjoy!

runaway

The door stretched quietly open as his size 10½’s lightly touched down on the front porch. He quickly jumped off the brick platform and then started moving faster towards the edge of the yard. He paused when he reached the point where he would cross over onto the road. He looked back at the house, feeling a pair of eyes calmly watching through closed blinds, before turning his face forward, in the direction of darkness and uncertainty.

He ran on thick gravel for what seemed like hours. Eyes red and body soaked. His t-shirt had a rip in the middle and was spotted with dots of blood. His jeans were wet, the knees black. His lungs released heavy air as he ran up the hill and followed the deep curve of the road. He had been in constant motion for nearly 15 minutes, and after tripping over a branch lying in the road, he slowed down to a fast-paced walk. His mind was running faster than he had been, but all he could think about was getting out of that house. This wasn’t the first time he thought about running, but it was the first time he had actually done it.

When he reached the end of the road he tiptoed into the woods, occasionally firing up his lighter, to guide him along an overgrown path to what he considered his safe haven. This place of shelter was an old abandoned shed deep in the woods, about a mile off the main road. He had found the place by accident, the first time. He had been walking home from the bus stop one day and instead of turning towards his house, he’d hiked down the road, and then kept going, right past the “Road Ends” sign. He’d strolled through the leaves, listening to limbs break under his feet, to the squirrels hop between trees, and to the strange sounds coming from deep in the woods. After about 30 minutes of aimless wandering, he’d seen the building and rushed to see inside it. No fear had entered his mind as he’d pushed open the wooden door and crept inside. Once he’d sauntered in, he felt this abandoned place was all his own. Like it was put there for him to find and keep all to himself.

Tonight was different. This wasn’t just his hideout anymore, a place to hang out when things got bad, this had now become a place to lay his head until he could figure out what came next. He looked down at the torn t-shirt and then pulled it over his head. He tossed it on the floor beside him and examined his arms and chest for bruises and cuts, noticing the old scars. He’d finally done it. Finally stood up to the man he had feared all his life: His dad.

He had gotten tired of the fights, tired of watching his mom block punches with forearms thrown up in front of her face, or a knee lifted up to deter a hit to the stomach. So this time he stepped in. He stood in front of his dad’s 6’5 frame like a man and dared him to beat his mother again.

“Boy, you better get out my face before I fuck your li’l ass up,” he said aloud, mimicking his dad, standing in the exact same position, facing down the thought of his dad being in his presence.

“Don’t hit my momma no more.”

“I said, move before I hurt you.”

“Not until you leave her alone.”

He felt his mom’s hand touch his tightened fist, “Baby just do what he say. This between me and yo’ daddy.”

“You best listen to her.”

“If you such a man, hit me, you coward. Stop beating on a woman and hit me.”

In the blink of an eye, his dad had raised his fist and swung for his face. He ducked, and caught his dad’s lip with a right-hand hook, and then punched him again with his left until he fell to the floor. He dropped down on top of his father, pounding whatever was in his reach until anger had transformed to hate. That hatred made its way to his wrist, fingers, hands, as he wrapped them around his dad’s neck and began to choke what life he had left out of his body. His mom sat in the corner crying, begging him to stop before he killed him. He focused on his dad’s eyes as they rolled into the back of his head, but couldn’t let go….

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Posted on December 21, 2009 - by jennifer

Scars – Part 2 (visually speaking)

I’m excited to present a visual representation of one of my favorite poems in my book – “For the Love, Short Stories and Poems, Vol. 1″ entitled Scars – Part 2. Let me know what you think!!!

Posted on May 15, 2009 - by jennifer

“ode to love” – introductory poem from “For the Love”

ode to love

It’s as discreet as the wind whisking cool air on a hot day.
Gentle.
Subtle.
Yet you know it’s there.

It’s fulfilling.
Nourishing.
Everlasting.

As profound and extensive as the sky;
No reach can touch it.
No end in sight.

Can’t feel without it.
Can’t breathe without it.
Can’t live without it.

Love.