Monday, April 6, 2009

Teaser Tuesday

Ok, I know that it isn't quite Tuesday yet, but I wanted to post this before I forgot in my rush to get to work in the morning. This is my first attempt at a "Teaser Tuesday" so be gentle. Here is a small snippet from chapter 1 of Project 3 (titled Muse at the moment):


A skittering noise in the corner drew her attention, and she caught a flash of white fur as one of the ratcatchers went about its deadly work. Mink. Once, they were called mink. There was a pained squeak, and the faint scent of blood reached her. A tiny life cut short under the sharp fangs of a predator. It made her smile softly. That was how things should be. The hunter always triumphed over the prey.

As if it felt her gaze, the white ratcatcher scampered out of the shadows, back arched playfully. A spot of bright red marred its fur beneath its black mask. Kneeling, Artemis scooped the animal into her arms where it curled contentedly. She stroked the fur, smelling the pungent musk it emitted. It brought back faded memories that drifted away like smoke when she tried to grasp them.

There was a forest once, the floor dappled with light filtering through the canopy. She remembered running, lithe as the deer she paced, remembered planting her feet and drawing her bow… A hiss of a shaft in the air, the thrum of a string… Blood on her hands… A dark-haired man with swarthy skin smiling down at her, and a blond man with her green eyes full of pain, asking her why… No sooner did she reach for it than it was gone, and try as she might, the lost days would not return to her.

She was not aware of the passing minutes until the clock atop her own tower chimed the final bell. Far below, the Factory groaned and clamored as a team of workers turned the wheel to shut the valves. Beginning at the outer walls, the yellow gaslights dimmed and extinguished, the wave of darkness moving inward. It sped toward the base of the tower, the blackness halted only by the shining Greenery. The greenhouses held the never-ending night at bay, and the tower would gleam throughout the long Dark. Any who might open their eyes would see it, Olympus shining through the night. And within it, their golden goddess, their Lady watching over all.

The ratcatcher was limp in her hands, its tiny neck snapped.

15 comments:

Lori said...

Psst. You know, you can schedule a post to go live at a certain date/time. ;)

Marissa Burt said...

I liked it very much- the imagery pulled me right in to the story, though the last sentence threw me - dramatic, yes, but I wasn't sure it flowed with the pleasing description of the preceding para. Only other thing: para 3 - blond man with her eyes pulling her in (his eyes?) Great job!

K.A. Stewart said...

Lori - Yes, but that would involve clearing the cold & cold medicine out of my head long enough to figure out how to do that. ;)

K.A. Stewart said...

And no, the "her" in that sentence was correct. One of those things that makes more sense in a larger context.

Gretchen said...

I loved the juxtaposition of brutality in action and beauty in description. I'm scared, but intrigued.

K.A. Stewart said...

Be very afraid. That's my antagonist. ;)

Unknown said...

Wow, love it. What's the genre -- steampunk, post-apocalyptic, both or neither?

You definitely have me intrigued! And I want to know about the blond man with her green eyes full of pain! What gives!?!

Very nice work.

K.A. Stewart said...

It's both, actually! Steampunky-post-apocalyptic..ish...goodness!

sue laybourn said...

Flip! Another book I need to read when it's published!
I loved the imagery and, like everyone else, the blonde man...I'm intrigued.
I loved the last sentence, it was like a kick or a dash of cold water on the face.

BeshterBooks said...

Squee, I loved that part. The idea that she has to pull through her memory to remember that it is a mink, and that society had forgotten. Oh...so good.

GEEK!

Auggy said...

Ooooooh...*shifty-eyed look*

sunna said...

Oooh, I like her. And the imagery is lovely. Very nice!

Latasha McLaughlin said...

I liked this. I think it is very well written!

Anonymous said...

Ooh, yes. I remember this scene, and I still like it. :-) Lovely imagery and good insight into Artemis.

Rose Pressey said...

Great writing. I like it.