Ch-ch-Changes

Why hello there, 

I am so excited where the story, Jasper's Mountain, has been going and I cannot wait for the rest of the story to unravel itself so that I can, in turn, write it out to share with you. 

For the past couple of years, I have thought about taking part in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) that takes place in November. The goal is to write at least 50,000 words in the month of November. Excuses have been made, "It's just not the right time," or, "I don't have a good enough story in mind to dedicate to doing NaNoWriMo," or, "There is no way I have enough time to write 50,000 words in one month," and so I have let myself get by with not doing it. This year, I have made the commitment to see it out and write a novel during the month of November. When will there ever truly be the right, perfect time to do this? If I want to be a writer with novels on hand to share with others, then isn't it about time I act like it and go for it? 

The answer is simply, yes. 

With this said, I am taking Jasper's Mountain and completing its tale in November. I want for you to still be part of its creation, so I have decided to make a video each day about how the progress is going. I won't be putting each new installment out each week like I have up until now, but you will get to follow me along the journey. 

Thank you for all of your support through reading my work and words of encouragement! I am so excited to embark on the next part of my writing journey, and so happy you have chosen to join me! 

Time to go exercise my fingers! 

Jasper's Mountain - Part 16

Jasper’s mind wanders to a fearful place of wondering how many are behind them, or when those men’s comrades will discover they are missing. Or, if the one that Jasper knocked unconscious will wake up soon and run back to the group, telling them of their discovery.

Was it dumb of me to leave that man alive? Will that come back to bite me in the ass later?  

All Jasper knows to do now is to keep trekking through the woods.

The snow begins to fall again, heavy snowflakes fill the air and rest atop of his and Claudia’s shoulders and heads.

Walking snowmen. Jasper grins at the thought.

Claudia continues to lead them as they push through the heavy snow. They find themselves in a large opening, all that can be seen is the bright white sky, the deep white ground ahead, and the flurry of snow all around and in between. They were walking in a snow globe.

The lighthearted reaction Jasper at first had to their new surrounding turns sour as the wind and snow pick up in intensity. The cold each of them feel reaches past their dermal tissue all the way to their bones. Each new step resembles the last and the torture of sameness eats at them. The uncertainty of if they will ever make it out of this situation weighs on each of them.

Just focus on breathing. In and out. In and out.

Jasper’s eyes stay on Claudia’s feet and legs in front of him. They don’t keep much distance as they push through the thick snow. For Jasper, the sight of Claudia’s feet continuing to move pulls him forward. For Claudia, the knowledge that she is leading Jasper through this blizzard pushes her forward. The invisible rope they hold between them is what gets them through the long, rough portion of this journey.

Hours seem to pass before they find themselves among trees again. The snowfall is just as heavy, but the change of scenery brings a new spring in each of their steps. They feel rejuvenated and a sense of relief that they don’t have the possibility of being hunted in an open area with nowhere to escape.

“The river should be southeast of here. I say we head back that way and continue with the river,” Jasper says.

Claudia nods, not adding any comments. She has not said or expressed much since the attack of the two men.

Jasper takes the lead and holds his metal compass out as he changes their direction. The sounds coming from his stomach sound like caged beasts ready to bust out of captivity. With no sign of any animals on land, Jasper feels that the only place they are going to find food is by the water.

They continue to walk with less enthusiasm than before, as their bodies are fatigued and need rest. Inside, they are at battle with themselves, their vessels begging for sustenance and a warm place to lie their heads.

Claudia trudges behind Jasper with her head held low. Gradually, her footsteps begin to drag in the snow and every movement becomes more labored than the last. Her determination and the light bounce in her step fade into self-doubt and lead filled, sluggish motion forward.

Jasper is busy with his compass in hand, making sure they are on the right path, so it takes him a while to realize the state of Claudia and the distance that has grown between them. When he turns around to let Claudia know he thinks they are close, he is taken by surprise at how small she looks in the distance.

Oh god.

Picking up the pace, Jasper retraces his steps to get back to Claudia.

“Claudia! Are you ok?” He calls out.

She stops moving forward all together, head hung so low, her chin appears to be touching her chest. Jasper runs the last stretch of space between them just in time to catch her before she collapses on the ground. His arm wraps around her back, supporting her neck, and he swoops her legs up in his other arm.

Claudia slowly blinks at Jasper and says, ”I grew tired.”

“It’s ok. I’ve got you. Just rest,” Jasper assures her.

Claudia closes her eyes and drifts to sleep, her breathing becoming slower and deeper.

Jasper turns and walks toward the direction he just came from. As he walks, slower than before due to the extra, yet not so significant weight, he looks at Claudia and all of her features on her face. She has smooth skin with soft, dark features.

She is so small and so young. Her pure, innocent youth is so present on her face, yet, she has changed now that she’s killed a man.

Jasper hugs her tighter to his chest as this thought settles into his mind, as if he could shelter her from the pain that will surely reside in her heart forever from the events that occurred today.

She is far too young to carry such a burden.

Jasper's Mountain - Part 15

Claudia jumps up on the bank and takes off running. Jasper runs as fast he can, following her same path. Out of fear, he crouches his head down as he barrels through the snow. Stealing a look behind him he catches sight of at least one man.

OK, one man. I can take one man out, no problem.  

Claudia is much farther ahead of Jasper and she looks back to see what’s happening behind her. She starts zigzagging her running a bit, prompting Jasper to do the same. They run deeper into the thicker part of the forest, using the trees to protect their backs from flying blades, or bullets.

Almost as soon as the idea of using the trees for protection enters Jasper’s mind, gunshots are being fired. Bullets hit the ground behind Jasper, the trees around him. He flinches with each fire and pushes himself to run faster. He looks up to spot Claudia, but cannot see her.

Oh my god. Where is she? Did she get hit?

Jasper continues running, hoping he will find Claudia behind each tree he comes up on. The panic rises in his chest. The uncertainty of what his next move should be takes over his body.  

Stay focused. You can use the trees.

Shots are still being fired, but Jasper is now in tunnel vision focus. He sees ahead a clump of three of four trees standing side by side. Jasper knows this will be the advantage he takes in this chase. As he runs to the left of the patch of trees, he grabs his knives out of their sheaths resting on either side of his hips. Once he is behind the group of trees, he swivels his body around to face the direction in which he came, waiting for his pursuers to arrive.

Please, no more than three. No more than three.

Jasper can hear his first pursuer approaching; his labored breathing and heavy footsteps. A couple more seconds and he will run past the tree, right in line for Jasper to attack.

One. Two. Three. Jasper counts down to his attack.

The man must not have seen Jasper hide behind the clump, so as he runs past the tree he is taken by surprise. Jasper throws his first knife.

“OH!” The taller of the two men cries out.

The knife lands in the man’s shoulder. As he grabs at the knife, he swivels to look at Jasper, his face shown with bewilderment. Jasper leaps towards him and places a hand over the man’s mouth and pulls him down into the snowy ground, behind the trees. The man struggles and grunts at Jasper, trying to break free. When he bites Jasper’s hand, Jasper socks the man in the side of his skull, knocking him out.

Right as he pulls his bitten, bloody hand back, the shorter of the two men runs past the tree. The man passes them, but catches sight of them out of the corner of his eye. The man jumps behind another tree, taking cover and grabbing his gun out.

Jasper’s good throwing hand is now mangled, so he jumps up, moves backwards to find another tree to hide behind.

“Ahh!” The shorter of the two men yells out.

What? Oh no. Claudia...

Gunfire goes off. Three or four shots are fired before Jasper runs towards where the man went hiding.

As he turns the corner, knife held tightly in his left hand, he sees the man fall forward, head straight into the snow; a knife handle protruding from the top of his head.

Oh my god.

Jasper looks up into the tree and sees a small retreating girl, huddled on a branch.

“Claudia. Are you ok?” He asks.

She shakes her head slightly up and down.

“Why don’t you climb down, so we can get out of here.”

She doesn’t answer, instead, she makes her slow obeisant descent.

While she climbs down, Jasper is swift to pull both blades out of the two men, wiping them clean on the men’s trousers. He sheaths his own knife and holds onto Claudia’s till she’s ready to take it back. He checks the pulse on each man. The man he punched in the side of the head has a pulse, but the other man he could not find one.

Claudia climbs down on the opposite side of the tree from where the man lies, face down in the snow. She does not want to look at Jasper in the eyes and her shoulders are slumped forward. Her overall demeanor speaks of distraught unsettlement. Jasper feels bad about how poorly she is reacting to what passed but grateful for her action.

“We’ve got to keep moving, OK? There could be more of them coming this way, and we cannot take the chance of a larger group attacking,” Jasper tells her.

Claudia just nods her head slightly up and down while staring into the snow. Jasper rests a hand on her shoulder, which she flinches under, but doesn’t remove his hand.

“Thank you. You helped save my life with what you did,” he says.

She raises her eyes to meet his. They look at each other for a few seconds before continuing their journey. Claudia’s eyes hold a deep sadness and numbness to them, Jasper reflects.

Now, we need to gain distance between us and them if we want a chance at surviving this.