Nett’s Shorts

Wakeful Echoes A sequel to More Time to Dream.  Wren woke up next to the man who held her heart - or did she?  There is a forgotten reality beyond the idyllic world of her dreams.  Can she find her way back?  Does she want to? Excerpt: Now that I knew of my dual existence, I became aware of the parts of this one that were missing, things which had never crossed my mind due to how complete I felt with Nicolai.  Family.  Friends.  Occupation.  Perhaps their lack was what caused me to start filling the empty void of my forgotten reality with daydreams.  While in the throes of imagination, I would sometimes hear more echoes of those who presumably loved me, even the occasional phantom touch which seemed to tug ever so gently. Then Nicolai would regain my focus, making me wonder why I had ever been thinking of anything or anyone else but him, and I would ignore their siren call - until the next time my mind would wander.   A light hand on my shoulder startled me out of one such reveri

  Ripples of Fate Bree is plagued with morbid visions she can do nothing about.  Will she find a way to change the inevitable - or will fate have the last laugh? Excerpt:      Wind whipped my hair and spritzed me with sea spray as I stood on a stretch of beach strewn with boulders.     Offshore, waves spouted like geysers against a breakwater.   Scanning the sunbathers and swimmers dotting the landscape, my eye was drawn to a boy of about ten hanging on a raft.     His vigorous kicks churned the water behind him, propelling him farther from the shore.      “Andy!     Not too far out, now!” a woman yelled from the water’s edge.   “Andy!” she bellowed when he ignored her.      “Aw, Mom!”       He was wobbling to and fro, slowly changing course, when the raft flipped over in a whirlpool of bubbles.      “ANDY!!!”      The woman ran into the water, faltering at the sight of a large dorsal fin slicing the surface.     Face pale with terror, she dove in.      A shrill volley of whistles came

A Different Me Isabelle and her sister planned a weekend in Vegas to escape their humdrum lives.  Creating new personas to amp up the fun, they end up with more adventure than they bargained for. Excerpt:      “Hello, Chantelle.”     His manner was different from before, menacing to be exact, adding to her unease.        “Umm, Johnny, right?”  She took a furtive glance around the empty hallway.  “I was just getting ready to call it a night.”      “Can’t let you do that,” he said, looming over her.  “The night’s just getting started.      She juggled the ice bucket between them.  “Listen, I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression…”      “This isn’t about you and me,” his eyes roamed up and down her body, “not that I hadn’t given it some thought.”      The door to her room opened, revealing Jennifer clad in flannel pajamas.  “Izz, everything okay?”      “Everything’s fine, isn’t it Chantelle?” he asked, mistaking ‘Izz’ for ‘is’.       “I-I-I’m going inside.  Goodnight.”      She slipp

Phantom Memories A young man has moved into my home.  Despite being unaware of my haunting presence, he is helping me discover who I am - and what happened to me. Excerpt:      “Is this her?” Sybil asks, holding one of the pictures from the mantel.      The doorbell rings and Amy goes to answer as Matt replies, “Yeah, that’s her.”      “She was pretty!”      “Yes, she was.”      All eyes turn toward the speaker and my buoyant mood sinks when I see who Amy has ushered in.      “Guys, this is Matt’s next door neighbor, Charles.”      After a round of greetings, Sybil asks, “You knew her?”      He takes the picture from her, looking at my image with an inscrutable expression.  “I did.”        “Could you tell us about her?”      As curious as I am, I have no desire to hear myself described by my killer.  Wandering off, I end up at the study.  I’ve come here a few times since that night, but still haven’t ventured inside.  Occasionally an image will flash before my eyes, brief but potent.  

One Too Many Sunsets Charlene was wagered like chattel, gambled away by her husband to be used and abused by hard men.  If she never saw him again it would be too soon, but he has something of hers - something she aims to get back! Excerpt:      She set up camp and waited, her spirits sinking with the sun as it finally fell below the horizon.  Fear and anger kept her from succumbing to exhausted slumber despite the moon’s steady progress across the starlit sky.  She felt no relief when at last someone approached, for it wasn’t her husband.  Rising from her perch near the fire, she aimed her [weapon] at the rider.      “Thar’s no need to be pointin’ that thar [weapon] at me.  I’m here to fetch ya for yer husband.”      “And why hasn’t he come himself?”      The man scratched his whiskers, the unsettling sound chafing her jangled nerves.  “Well, I’d tell ya, but he’s a wantin’ it to be a surprise fer ya.”      Her hand wavered, but she did not lower the [weapon].  “You’ll forgive me, sir

More Time to Dream Wren is cheating on her husband with the man of her dreams.  Literally.  Nicolai has always accepted he had to share Wren with the waking world, but what will he do when their time together is threatened? (This story continues in Wakeful Echoes. ) Excerpt:      He joined me at the water’s edge, lifting my chin to look in my eyes.  “It’s time you told me.”        “Told you what?” I evaded, trying to avoid his stare.      “Wren.”      He never called me Wren.  My eyes locked with his and what I saw in them broke my heart.  I burst into tears.  “I’m so sorry, Nicolai!”      “Tell me.”      And so I did.  Between hiccuping sobs, I told him everything, ending with Tom’s proposal.      “Does he make you happy?”      “Not like you!  Nothing like you!”      “Wren.  Does he make you happy?”      I couldn’t look at him anymore.  Couldn’t witness the hurt I had caused him.  Turning away, I whispered, “Yes.”      “Then marry him.”      “What?!”  The shock made me face him once m

Missing Wings Humans have freewill.  Do the divine?  What opportunities would they encounter?  What would come of their choices?  Here is one possibility. Excerpt:      Her words hit him like a thunderbolt.  “You’re one of us!”  He shook his head, marveling.  Then the pieces fell into place and he clutched the hand holding his.  “You couldn’t go back!”      She gave his hand a final squeeze, then reached for a picture frame sitting on the end table.  “No, but I’ve never regretted it,” she said, looking at the photo with a proud smile.  “It’s going to be a challenge explaining all of this to her.  She doesn’t know her lineage.  Aaden wanted her to have as normal of a childhood as possible.”      He was stunned yet again.  “Your husband knows about us?  About,” he waved his hand, “everything?”      “Of course!  I wouldn’t have married him on a lie!”      Raphael was humbled by both of them.  “He sounds like an extraordinary man.”      Her expression softened.  “He is.  We have a good lif

Grisly Cravings When Jody was a child, she loved spending summers on her grandfather’s farm.  The wholesome lifestyle was an enjoyable reprieve from the city; that is, until they unearthed a ghastly spore. Excerpt:      I kept quiet the rest of the drive to town, hoping I could find someone to express my concerns to while we were there.  That hope was dashed upon our arrival.  The market was busy, but the normally cordial shoppers were all single minded in their purpose - buying meat.  Grampa, who I’ve seen give a needy neighbor his last dollar, nearly knocked over a pregnant woman as he shouldered his way through to the display case.  Grabbing two large roasts, he headed toward the cashier.      The grocery line was where the townsfolk shared news and spread gossip, but not today.  It was tense and silent.  An unmistakable trace of black sludge was on the neck of the person in front of us, making me think of how that cloud had grown and divided.  Had it kept doing that?  Was it still?

Culpability A sequel to Accountability.  Amanda’s secret was more than Mick could handle.  He had cut her out of his life until a mutual passion brought them together once more.  Will they find love again, or does fate have something else in store? Excerpt:      Take what she could get…  Yes, that’s exactly what she had been doing.  These meetings with Mick were the highlight of her existence, to the point where she didn’t know how she had survived the two years before they came about.  She never let it show of course, always being careful to guard her expressions and maintain a professional attitude lest she disturb their fragile rapport.  Even so, spending time with him fed her soul.      Today’s furtive glances gave her cause for concern, however.  Mick was a happy person at heart.  Even during the initial strain of their reunion, he never seemed sad.  She had sensed anger, frustration, contempt - all those and more, but never sorrow.  Now, it was rolling off of him in waves.  She c

Going In Solo Retired and aging Special Forces officer Jack Franklin finds himself in the middle of a terrorist attack.  Does he still have what it takes to be a hero? Excerpt:      When I near the maintenance room, I am hit with a pungent stench.    Edging closer to the open door, I peer in to discover my target in the back of the room with his pants around his ankles.    It appears his bowels are not in agreement with his decision to die today.    He left his [weapon] propped against a pilaster halfway between where he squats and the door, reinforcing my presumption of their inexperience.    I needed an opportunity to present itself, and this one came with a big red bow.    All I have to do is get to the weapon before he can, making me grateful for the ace up my sleeve.      Jan’s severe food allergies have plagued her most of her life, playing havoc with my peace of mind.  During a long, eventful military career, not once had I felt the same level of fear as I have for my daughter’s

The Judge The media called him a serial killer, although that’s not how he saw himself.  He was righting wrongs!  He was protecting the innocent!  He was… about to meet his match. Excerpt:     I could tell by the slope of his shoulders he was ready to talk.  I would be the first to hear the details of what transpired between Johnny Evans and his killer.      “Your honor,” I said in greeting.     He ignored me, continuing to stare at his hands, and I let the silence stretch until he was ready to break it.  When he did, his eyes did not meet mine.     “Evans had motive.  There was no one to corroborate his alibi.”      “And the murder weapon?  His were not among the prints they found.”     He waved his hand in dismissal.  “The box cutter was used by all the employees.  It was more suspicious that they weren’t on it.”     “The jury didn’t think so.  They considered it reasonable doubt.”     “So they did.”     “What happened that night, sir?”      The Judge leaned back in his chair, final

Accountability Amanda Davidson is being hunted, forced to flee time and again from a vengeful pursuer.  But there is no escape from a guilty conscience. (This story continues in Culpability.) Excerpt:      Mandy threw her incriminating clothes across the bedroom with a growl and grabbed her robe before stalking to the kitchen.  She was pulling it on when she noticed a silhouette at the french doors.  A flash of lightning revealed it was Mick, but she was already giddy with adrenaline.      Her pulse kept its erratic tempo.  Though he was only a shadow in the downpour, she could imagine the hunger in his eyes.  Remembered the feel of his lips.  Thrilled at the memory of his eager hands.  Somehow she arrived at doors, still separated by the glass between them.  He placed his palm on its surface, vapor radiating from his hand in a smoky print.      She flipped the lever of the lock, gasping when the door blew open with a brisk, wet gust.      Mick followed on its heels, sodden and drippin