A matter of...well, I can't think of the right word :P

Well, I really don't want to say what I'm about to, but I've been doing a whole lot of hard thinking and praying in the last 12-14 hours and I think this is the right thing to do. I think it's what would please God the most at this point.

Okay...so, no use trying to talk my way around it. I'm stopping writing. Not forever, but I don't know when I'll pick it back up. I do...completely plan on finishing “Rescue” at some point, but it may not be for a year and quite possibly longer.

I love writing. I love doing it more than I love doing anything else in the world when it comes to hobbies (for lack of a better word). I love it more than I love singing or cooking or anything like that. I'd be happy if I could just sit in my room all day and write. If I could make a living on writing, I'd be very content and happy. But I just can't, obviously. (Plus, there's other calling on my life that is so much more beautiful.)

And that's part of the problem. I need to do whatever I can to move forward in my life. I need to be able to leave everything from the “no major responsibilities” part of my life behind...at least for now. Writing ties me back to the time when I could do a day's worth of school then sit and write forever. I'm not there anymore. I need to not be there anymore. And as hard as it has been to admit it...writing is getting in the way of my mind being in the place it should be.

Writing is an escape for me in a sense. Not that I need to escape from anything really anymore...but it allows me to throw myself in a world that doesn't exist, which takes me out of the world that does exist...and thus the world that matters. It gives my mind the chance to create problems that I know I can fix. It gives me a chance to be with some of my “favorite people”...and they aren't even real.

Instead of escaping this world, I'm at the point in my life where I need to, not only face it, but embrace it and embrace the duties that brings with it.

Writing is a major distraction for me. Like I said before, I love it. I mean...I seriously can't begin to say how much I love it. As much as I gripe and complain about how bad I think I am at it (and I very well may be just as bad as all that), I do that a lot because I guess I've been afraid to face just how much I love it and how much it loves me back. Nobody (and I do mean nobody) knows how much I love writing. How much I love thinking about it. Coming up with plots. Hanging out with my characters. Creating a world where everything ends well and I can see that ending when nobody else can. I've never told anybody just what it does to me and how much I love it. IDK why I've kept it so secret. Maybe I didn't even know myself.

This may all sound crazy...especially to anyone who doesn't write...but if you do and you're passionate about it...you get an idea of what I'm saying.

And...it's pretty hard to accept that I won't be writing my book. I may continue writing...songs, short stories, etc...but I simply can't continue with my book and focus like I should on where I believe God is leading me. It's something that deserves everything in me...all that I am, can be and will be should be focused on this calling and leading from God and it takes more willpower than I care to describe to admit that writing is taking part of me that should be elsewhere.

More than anything else...I guess writing is just a distraction to my mind and time and it's so connected to my childhood (since I started loving writing back at a time when that was fine and I didn't have to focus on anything else.). And it's time for me to let go of childhood and embrace the fact that God is growing me up perhaps faster than I realized. And that takes effort, attention, devotion and hard work.

Even if writing isn't necessarily harming what I should be doing...it's certainly, certainly not helping it. And I need to devote my time and energy to things that will help it and all the people involved in the calling God has given me. I need to prove to God and show Him how serious I am and how much I am willing to work to get where I believe He is leading me. Even to prove how much I just want it. Because it really is so much more amazing than any book that I could ever write...or even, I think...any that has been written by man.

So, yeah...I kinda just spilled my guts here...and it's been hard to admit all of this. Like...really, really...really hard. But, I know now that it's best. The hardest part about it was just swallowing the truth the first time and admitting that I need to stop writing right now. Especially when I'm so excited and into my newest work, Rescue. I was so excited about it and had it planned better than any book I've even attempted writing...maybe too much so.

Sorry to all of you who were reading my book...and thank you so much for the time and interest you put into it. Like I said, I don't plan on this being permanent, but I'm not putting a time limit on it. I'm just going to have to wait on Christ and let Him lead me and show me when it will be right to take it back up.

Now that I've said all that I may have a good cry. :P Yeah...I'll miss it. A lot. But I do believe it's God's will for me and that it's a sacrifice that will help the future I believe God is arranging for me. And that makes the sacrifice so, completely worth it.
I'll still do things that have to do with writing...just not write my own book. 

Thanks again, y'all, for the time and thought you've put into the small amount of writing I put up on this blog. Hope I can return the favor someday, somehow. :)

RESCUE~Chapter 3

Ha! I got another chapter done. 0.0 :P
This is the third chapter, of course, and at this point in the last version I was about half way through the book. :P So, hopefully this works better.
Questions! How are the chasing scenes (both car and on foot)? How's Melody and Jason's conversation in the truck? How's...uh...everything? Does it make sense? How's the flow? Too short?
What do you think of Melody right now? Is she too...wishy-washy?
Thanks a bunch! :D (Again...dawgon formatting won't let me indent the paragraphs. :/ )

~.~.~.~.

Chapter 3

Martin Willard waited a moment before slowly pulling the phone away from his ear. His heart rate accelerated as he sucked in a few shallow breaths and mechanically set the phone down on the receiver.

Too many thoughts to process fully raced through his mind. His family. His job. His life. Then, his country. The well-being of the entire nation had just been thrown on his shoulders. No, not just their well-being; their survival.

If he didn't do what Buckeimer was demanding, his family would be slaughtered in cold blood. But, if he did do it, he would be destroying millions of lives.

No, he didn't like the president, the government or almost anything that came from Washington, but this was more than that. This was more than just a political agenda now. This was even more than just a war.

He tried to steady his heart-rate and his mind, but both were overpowering him. He coughed and reached for his stress pills, then pored two of them into his shaking hand and cramming them into his mouth, choking them down without water.

He had to think. He needed time to think. But it was clear that time was out.

He took a deep breath before picking the phone back out and punching in a series of numbers, and raising it to his ear. It rang on the other end only twice before a deep voice came through.

“Merlin.”

“John, it's Martin. Get the jet ready. We'll leave tomorrow night.”

~R~

Melody sat in silence as she rode in the passenger seat of the over-sized Dodge truck and Jason bobbed his head to the country music he was blaring over the radio.

She stared out the window and tried to ignore the churning of her stomach and the tears that continued to well up in her eyes. Every time she blinked, Samuel's face flashed in her mind for a split second. He was smiling at her with those twinkling, blue eyes. She'd never met anyone with eyes the same color as his. They were almost silver.

Jason's frog like voice boomed louder than the radio as the chorus to his favorite song played over the speakers, “When your heart won't tell your mind to tell your mouth what it should say!”

Melody reached over and punched the off button, killing the sound of the music and cutting Jason off in the second verse.

He looked over at her and raised his eyebrows. “You okay?”

She shrugged. “Sorry.”

He shifted slightly, then smiled at her and said, “Let's try to think about the right things, okay?”

She tried to smile back, but she couldn't swallow the lump down in her throat and a tear spilled out of her eye and rolled down her cheek. “I'm sorry, Jason. I want to and I really am trying. But, I can't seem to escape the memories. And every time it happens, I can't get out of it for the rest of the week.”

Jason sighed as he slowed down at a red light and a few raindrops fell onto the windshield. “I know.” He nodded.

There was a pause as he sat back and Melody shifted in her seat.

“I thought it was getting better,” he said.

“It was. I mean, it has been. This was the first time in almost two months. But, it was worse this time. I could see every detail again. I could feel everything. I mean, I was leaning over my bed like it was the cliff, for crying out loud.”

“I know, I know.” He nodded again with another sigh. “I know. What do you want me to do?”

Melody shook her head. “I don't want it to be like this! Nobody should have to do anything. I should be able to stop this. Just, ignore it. Fight it harder or something. I should be stronger than this. I've got to be stronger than this. I don't want to be the kind of girl that is always needing help. I want to help other people, not just be a burden on their backs to carry in the name of love!”

Jason turned his head back to the road as the light switched to green and they began to move again. He tapped on the steering wheel with his thumb and leaned forward, setting his gaze ahead. “You're not like that, Mel. Okay? You're not. But, as long as you hold to that belief, you'll be a slave to it. You've got to start thinking right. Think positively; think on the good things. Where is it in the Bible that it says to dwell on...” he squinted his eyes for a moment, then opened them. “Oh, I can't remember how it all went, but it talks about dwelling on whatever is good. You think too much about things, then you get mad at yourself for thinking too much about things then you...”

“Jay, please. I'm trying, okay?” Melody laid her head against the headrest and sighed. “I'm trying.”

She looked ahead at the rundown road and saw a car flying towards them at a ridiculous speed for that road. “Jay, look.” She pointed at it.

“It's fine. People speed on these roads all the time. And don't change the subject yet...I'm just saying that life is just now starting for you. Well, for both of us actually. And there's going to be stuff we'll have to face. You just...you have to stop looking at life so negatively.”

“So, you're telling me I need to be stronger than I am?” She looked nervously towards the car again as it continued to speed towards them.

He shook his head as the rough pavement leveled into an old dirt road. “I'm saying that you'll never be the kind of person you should be, never be strong enough if you don't start changing the way you think. I mean, I want to help you. And you...”

“Look out!” Melody shrieked, slamming her feet on the floor and latching onto the door handle.

Jason swerved to the right as the dark blue mini-van jerked into their lane and sped towards them, head on. “What they heck are they doing?” He shouted.

The van missed them, but as Melody looked in the rear-view mirror, she saw that they had spun around and were speeding towards them at what must have been more than seventy miles an hour. “Jay, they're trying to hit us!”

The rest of the country road was deserted, so Jason pressed harder on the gas and picked up speed.

Melody looked over and saw that the speedometer was reading sixty and she sat back, gripping the sides of her seat as the needle continued to climb. “Jason, slow down! Maybe they just need...”

Her sentence was cut short by a jolt as the van rammed into their bumper.

“What the heck?” Jason pressed the gas more and yanked the steering wheel to the right to turn down another road.

“What are you doing?” Melody screamed. “This road goes to the river!”

She looked over and saw the blood drain from Jason's face as he glanced in the rear-view mirror.

“Duck!” He shouted, reaching over and pushing her head down.

The sound of gunshots rang in the air as three bullets tore through the back window and whistled past Melody's face, exiting through the windshield.

“Jason, what is going on?” She sobbed, her face against her knees.

“Get down under the dash,” he said, adding even more speed to their pace.

She slid down and huddled in front of her seat, shaking and praying.

She heard another gunshot then all of a sudden a jerk as Jason slammed on the breaks and she could feel the truck skidding forward, then stop.

Jason cursed and smashed down the button on his seat belt and unbuckled, slinging the seat-belt off of him. He reached into the center console and pulled his pistol from it, smacking the bottom of the handle against his palm to jam the magazine into place and then chambered a round as he slowly opened the door and ducked, pointing the pistol towards the back of the truck.

Another shot rang out and Jason ducked back in and pulled his door shut as complete silence fell around them.

“Jay,” Melody whispered.

“Stay here.” He pushed his door open and set one foot on the dirt road.

“Don't leave me!” She whispered again.

“Don't move. I'll be right back.”

“Jay please-”

But he'd already gotten out of the truck and shut the door behind him.

She crouched down and looked up out the windshield at the pine trees that were on either side of the road. Not a sound reached Melody's ears from outside. The only thing she could hear was the blood pounding through her head as her heart slammed against her chest.

She sucked in deep breaths and wished she had her inhaler with her as the air grew thicker. Her breathing became shallow, threatening an attack, but she closed her eyes and tried to force herself to stay calm.

Tears rolled silently down her cheeks as she waited for Jason to come back.

The longer she waited the harder it was for her to sit still. She sat with her ears straining for a sound. Any sound. But everything was so quiet. Unnaturally so.

She laid her head against the side of her seat and hugged her knees. “God, please help,” she murmured as rain began to pound down against the windshield and some of it leaked through the bullet-holes. “Where's Jason?”

Finally, she heard a scuffling noise right outside her door and a moment later she heard it being opened.

She turned and let out a scream as she saw a dark tan hand reaching for her. She smacked at it and kicked at the man/s stomach without even looking at his face.

He pulled back for a minute, giving Melody just enough time to leap over the driver's seat and throw the door open, jumping out on the road.

She looked around and screamed, “Jason!”

There was no reply.

“Jason!” She shrieked, but still no answer.

She turned and saw the man run around the truck and lunge towards her.

She let out a choked shout and ran for the woods on the other side of the road. She didn't look back to see if he was following her, but just ran as fast as she could, dodging branches and tumbling over the briar covered ground.

She heard a crack behind her and something slammed into a tree in front of her. It wasn't a bullet, but she didn't have time to see what it was as she flew past it and turned to the right onto a deer path and found it easier to run without the thick underbrush growing up and tripping her.

Another crack behind her and something whizzed past her face, just barely missing her and it sunk into the ground in front of her. It looked like some kind of a dart as she ran past it and turned again, back into the thick of the woods.

She glanced back for a split second and saw the man speeding behind her, carrying a large pistol with a thick barrel. He was gaining on her quickly and she pushed herself to run harder as the air continued to grow thicker and thicker and her breathing became more and more difficult.

Her flip flops had flown off before she'd even reached the woods and she could feel the ground thorns digging into her bear feet every time they made contact.

She wished that she had worn her long jeans instead of the ones cut off at the knees when she felt stinging of her legs as the taller thorns brushed over her them, forming dozens of tiny razor-like slices all over her bare calves.

She continued to snatch in shallows breaths as she ran deeper and deeper into the woods, glancing back every now and then only to see that her efforts were doing her little good as the man continued to slowly, but steadily gain on her.

As she jumped over a log, she choked down a breath the wrong way and began coughing for air. Tripping over the log, she lay for a moment, trying to get a breath in before forcing herself back to her feet to continue running.

It was hardly running anymore, though. She barely picked her feet up off the ground, but managed to keep up her pace enough to move steadily.

The sound of the river caught her ears and she made one last desperate effort to dash towards it. If she could just get to it, she'd float on her back and let the current sweep her away until she could get to a shore. Her father had taught her how to do it years before when she was a little girl and it was the only way she saw out of this. If there was a way out of it.

In a few more minutes, she broke out onto to the narrow, red clay shore and stopped. The river rushed in front of her and she second guessed whether or not this was a good idea. Shooting her gaze down the river she saw that it looked clear enough with no debris, but still, she didn't know how much of an undercurrent there was that could pull her under and prevent her from getting back to the surface.

She gasped in a few deep breaths and turned in the hope that she had lost her pursuer. That hope grew as she scanned the treeline and saw no sign of him. Not a sound came from the woods and everything looked perfectly still.

She leaned over and rested her hands on her knees, allowing herself time to focus on a few good breaths.

Then, Jason flashed in her mind and her heart skipped a beat at the thought of him. Where was he? Why hadn't he answered her when he called? What on earth was even going on? This was crazy! She's never even heard of-

A cracking sound behind her broke her thought in half and she jumped up, turning to see the last thing she'd wanted to.

The man stood only a few yards away from her with the strange pistol raised level with her chest. “Don't move,” he said in broken English.

Melody didn't give herself time to think before she made one swift motion of bending her knees and throwing herself, backwards, into the river.

Them that the book's about

Finalllly found pictures of all my characters! :D None of them looked like I expected...but when I saw the pictures...passed over them and kept looking...I couldn't get these three out of my head. So...this is them! :D Thoughts? Took me forever to find the right ones...and I really hadn't expected to find all of them. Just need to find one for Peter now. Oh...and Buckeimer. >8-D (You may have to enlarge the pictures by clicking on them in order to read everything.)

All image credit goes to Getty Images.

Yes, he is younger in this version of the novel than he was in the last one.

Does she look 18 to you?

And yes...Derek turned out way cheesier than I'd planned. But he told me this is exactly what he wants to look like...so I decided he had the right to choose. Actually...I wasn't even looking for a picture of Derek...was looking for Jason...and this one popped up and started screaming "DEREK" at me. :P

RESCUE~Chapter 2

Well, I have just given into the fact that this book is going to come slowly. But, for me, that's a good thing. Because, I've noticed that I really tend to rush my work wayyyy to fast and that makes for pathetic books. So...I'm slowing down. I think that most of my chapters will be "short-ish", but I don't see that as a major problem if they work. Felt so good to get to write today. :D
How is the flow in this chapter? Is the pacing slowed down enough? Are you intrigued? And does it make sense?
Oh! And I found pictures of all three of my main characters! :D I may post those later if y'all are interested.
Oh...and apparently I have a new character. I say "apparently" because I had not planned for this dude at all. Have no idea where he came from, but he's insisting he stays. So, I just need to find him a last name and a face. I'm actually pretty glad that he popped up when he did. He may just be the element that I knew my story needed. Kinda  a lighter element to keep things from getting just too depressing. :P
Anyways...I'd really appreciate any and all thoughts. On this chapter and how it's working with the rest of the book so far. Thanks so much! :)
(Errr...I can't get the formatting on blogger to let me indent the paragraphs >.<)

~.~.~.~.

Chapter 2

“Hollister!” The German accent rippled through the air from an old, heavyset man lounging in his desk chair. “Where is that boy?”

A man in his mid-twenties, wearing a uniform that resembled that of the German military, ran into the room and skidded to a stop, bowing low, then stood at attention. “Yes, Heir Buckeimer.”

He sat up and leaned forward. “Why are you never here when I need you? I am leaving for a meeting in Berlin in twenty minutes and I am forced to take you with me.”

“A meeting?”

“Don't ask questions, just follow and do as I say!”

Hollister bowed again and said, “What would you have me do, sir?”

“Whatever I say to do, dumcoff! Get my briefcase from the cabinet and bring it here, then go get yourself some clothes packed. We will be gone over the whole of this week.”

“Yes, sir.” Bowing one last time, Hollister turned to leave the room.

“And, boy!” The old German's voice shot towards him.

Hollister turned and looked back. “Sir?”

“Not a word of this to anyone. This meeting is top secret and I will have you shot if anyone but you and me in this compound know about it. As a matter of fact, I will shoot you myself. Understood?”

Hollister hesitated, then nodded. “Understood, Heir Buckeimer.” He turned again and went out of the room, towards his quarters.

Stepping into his room, he reached to the right and flipped the light switch on to illuminate the room with a soft, yellow light. He went over to his closet and pulled out a duffel bag before turning and proceeding to pull different articles of clothing out of his dresser drawers.

His thoughts raced as he tried to imagine what this meeting could be about and why Buckeimer had chosen to take him instead of his regular attendant, Mueller. Why would there even have to be a top secret meeting? Germany was at peace. At least, as at peace as it always had been since Hollister could remember. And what part would he have in it? Maybe Mueller was sick and he was just the most available man. But, no...that couldn't be it. He hadn't been raised to just be a general's attendant. He knew things. More than most of the men in the compound.

The door opened behind him and he turned to see his room-mate standing there, staring down at him. “Where are you going, Derek?”

He shrugged and placed a shirt into the bag. “Just on a trip.”

“But, where? I never heard of any trip. Are you going alone?”

“I can' talk about it, Peter.”

Peter sat down on the bed and raised his cigarette to his mouth. “Why on earth not?”

“I have orders. It's top secret and I'm not to talk about it to anyone.”

His friend jumped up, nearly knocking the pile of clothes on the bed over. “You don't think this could have anything to do with Fellcamp Mission, do you?”

Derek stopped folding the shirt he was holding and looked up. “I-I don't know. I wasn't told anything.”

“It must be, Derek! It must be! And that is why they are choosing you to go. That's why they have been putting you through so much special training and...”

“Lower your voice!” Derek hissed, jumping up and slamming the door shut. “You're not supposed to know any of this. You'll get us both in trouble if anyone knows what I've told you.”

“Alright, alright. Yes, I'm sorry. But, think about it. And after the conversation I over-heard last week...it must be a Code Blue being called.”

“You don't even know where I'm going. And-wait, what phone call did you overhear?”

“It was Buckeimer talking to the American doctor.”

“Willard?”

“Yes, Willard.”

“How did you hear it?” Derek forgot about his packing and stared at his friend.

“How I heard it is irrelevant and what you don't know can't hurt you.”

Derek shook his head and crossed his arms. “Have it your way. But, tell me what was said.”

“Well, I could only hear the General's side, but it sounded like he was really hammering Willard for the package.”

“What package?”

Peter shrugged. “I don't know what's in the package, but it must be important because he was threatening the lives of Willard's entire family.”

Derek took a deep breath, then went back to his clothes and continued folding them. “Even supposing all that you say is true, this doesn't necessarily mean that they are launching the Fellcamp Mission.”

“What else could it mean?” Peter nearly shouted.

“I-I don't know.. But, we can't assume anything and we especially can't let Buckeimer know what pieces we put together. He has executed men for less.”

“Right.” Peter nodded and crammed his cigarette into an ashtray on the nightstand next to him. “How long will you be gone?”

“I'm not supposed to-”

“Oh, can it, Derek.” Peter snorted. “You've told me way more than that before.”

“He said he'd personally shoot me if I told anyone anything.”

Peter whistled and grinned. “That confirms everything in my mind.”

“What? Because Buckeimer would shoot someone? We've seen him shoot nearly half a dozen men before. Why would one more be such a big deal?”

“Not just that he would shoot one more man, Derek. That he would shoot you.”

Derek looked up and raised an eyebrow as he he zipped the duffel closed.

“They have been putting you through more special training than all the rest of us combined. There has to be a reason. And a big one. They obviously have a plan for you and so for Bucky to say he'd just shoot you...that's got to mean something substantial.”

Derek stood up, slinging the bag over his shoulder and looked at his friend. “Peter, listen. You may be right.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Okay,” Derek sighed. “You're probably right. But, if you are, that means that we have to be more careful now than we ever have been. Only a handful of us even know about the mission and why we are all here.”

Peter nodded and tried to look serious, but couldn't hide the twinkle in his young eyes. “Just think, Derek. What we have been waiting for our entire lives may be starting to finally happen.”

“I don't know, Peter. And I don't know if I'm ready for that to happen. We know more than most, but we still don't know everything. Something about it isn't right.”

“Lighten up! You're probably their secret weapon! I mean, why else would they be taking you or put you through all that training?”

Derek shoved past his buddy and laid his hand on the doorknob. Looking back he said, “I said you may be right, but we don't know for sure. And we have to be careful, Pete. Hold things down until I get back, okay?”

Peter nodded and slapped his friend on the back. “Stay safe.”

~R~

“Come on, Hollister!”

Derek felt himself being jolted back and forth by a hand, grasping his shoulder. Blinking, he looked up and into the face of Buckeimer. He sat up and looked around, the gentle humming of the small jet's engine catching his attention.

“We are landing in ten minutes and I don't want them seeing you looking like that!”

“Who seeing me? Looking like what?”

“I told you not to ask questions. Just get up and get yourself looking halfway decent.”

Derek stood up and walked to the bathroom where he pulled a comb out of his pocket and proceeded to sweep it through his short, blond hair as he looked in the mirror.

He realized that his hands were shaking as he fastened his top button. Looking back at his reflection he saw that his steel blue eyes were slightly reddened. Was he nervous? What was there to be nervous about? He was just attending the general.

No. No matter how much he lied to himself, or tried to lie to himself, he knew the truth. He didn't know if Peter was right or not, but something was up. Something big. And he was obviously involved. He felt his stomach churn as he stepped back out and took his seat for landing.

Buckeimer began to shoot out words as the plane gently bounced on he ground and gradually came to a stop. “When we get off, I don't want you to say a word more than is absolutely vital. Do you hear me? And do exactly as I say. Follow nobody's orders but my own until I say to. Am I clear, Hollister?”

Derek looked over and nodded at the general. “Very clear, sir.”

“Good. Now, come on.”

The door lowered into stairs and Derek grabbed his duffel bag, following Buckeimer down onto the cement.

Three men wearing black suits and dark sunglasses walked towards them.

Buckeimer waited until one of them approached him, shaking his hand with a little bow. “We are honored that you have responded so quickly, General.”

Derek looked at the speaker and saw the he was not German. His skin was too dark, but he couldn't tell much more because of the sunglasses covering his eyes.

“Just get us somewhere safe, quickly.” Buckeimer replied, turning to shake the hands of the other two men. “We will talk more in the car.”

“Right this way, sir. I will get your bag to ensure the utmost security.”

“Good. Come along, Hollister!”

Derek followed silently behind the four men as they walked towards the black limousine a dozen or so yards away.

One of the dark skinned men opened the door and bowed as the general got in. The two other men were next, then Derek slid into his seat with the last man who held the door, following him and sitting down across from him.

Derek sat with his back to the back window as the general lit a cigar and began puffing smoke into the air.

“You are sure that the car has not been bugged?”

“Completely sure, General.” The apparent leader of the three men said. It was then that Derek was really able to pick up his accent. He'd never heard it before, but it seemed to go well with his dark tan skin.

“Good, then we can get down to business. I have brought the boy, just as you suggested.” Buckeimer motioned towards Derek with a sweep of his hand.

“You believe he is prepared?”

“I don't know. But, he is more prepared than any of my other men. And this mission is long over-due.”

“Are we sure that this is the right time to start things? Are we prepared?” Another of the men said in broken German.

Buckeimer chuckled. “I used to think that we would never be ready for it. And I still think that. But if we are ever going to launch the Fellcamp Mission, it's now or never.”

RESCUE~Chapter 1 (Re-Write)

Okay! So...we are in FL. right now...but I managed to hang out in the van while everyone else was on the horses and I got my first chapter written...finally! Eeeesh, I've been itching, itching to write...feels so good. Not sure how good IT is though. :P We are headed to dinner now and I haven't had time to edit, so this is the 100% rough draft. Please let me know what you think of it all. I'd really appreciate all brutal thoughts. :P And, just so you know, this is the same story as the last version of "Rescue" I posted...I'm just adding way more to it, making it longer, giving more background/detail etc. Here's the first chapter. It's a bit shorter, but I think I work better with short stories.
Oh...and is there enough detail in this chapter? How's the emotion? What do you think of Melody? How about Jason? Is it all too choppy? How is Melody and Jason's relationship now? How does this one compare to the previous first chapter? Seriously...any and all thoughts are sooo welcome. ;)
Thanks SOOO much! :D

~.~.~.~.

Chapter 1

            “Melody, help me! Please!” Screams tore through the air as Samuel screamed for his sister.

            “Samuel!” She shrieked and ran towards the edge the cliff. “Oh, God, please!” Slamming down on her knees, she reached down and latched onto his right hand with both of hers while his left remained grasping the edge of the cliff.

            His arms shook and his knuckles turned white as he tried to keep a hold on the jagged rock.

            Melody sucked in deep breaths to keep herself calm as she pulled up on his hand. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she bit her lip, straining and tugging.

            Samuel's left hand slipped a half inch back. “Pull, Mel.” He groaned, hanging by his fingertips, from which blood began to flow as the rough surface cut into them.

            Sweat trickled down her face as Melody closed her eyes and yanked up. They flew open just in time to see her brother's left hand fly back.

            His weight yanked her down on her chest, knocking her chin against the ground. She screamed as her grasp broke and his hand slid down so that only their fingertips were locked together.

            Melody could feel her fingernails digging into his flesh as he swatted to grab her hand.

            “Sam!” She shrieked, reaching down and grabbing his wrist. She slid forward a foot so that almost her entire torso was in the air.

            “Let go, Mel!”

            “Wha- No!”
            “Melody, we'll both go down if you don't. Just let go!”

            “Sam, please.” She sobbed.

            “Do what I say, Melody,” he grunted.

            “No!”

            Their arms began to sway back and forth as both of their strength grew weaker.

            Melody stared down into the eyes of her brother. Deep green eyes that stared right back into hers. A gust of wind blew her long, red hair back and she shook her head to sweep her bangs out of her eyes.

            “Just hold on, Sam.” She slid another couple of inches forward.

            “I can't Mel.” A tear slipped down his cheek. Then, before she could think to stop him, he twisted his hand out of hers and flew back.

            “Samuel!” Her scream seemed to rip open the sky as she watched his head slam against a rock a few yards down. Blood sprayed as he continued to tumble past the cliff, landing on the ground, far below, where he remained motionless.

            “Mel,” someone whispered in her ear.

            She didn't reply, but kept screaming for her brother as she reached her hands out towards him. “Samuel, please! Don't! No!”

            “Melody, look at me.”

            She stopped crying and her eyes grew wide as she looked up and saw Samuel walking on the air towards her.

            “Sam?”

            “Mel, hey. Come on. It's okay.” His voice sounded different.

            She reached for his hand and he reached for hers.

            Silent tears streamed from her emerald eyes as she watched their fingertips meet, then slide up until their hands were locked in a firm grasp.

            “Sam...”

            “Melody, it's me. Jason. Look at me.”

            She felt her hair being stroked as a gust of wind blew in her face. Everything flashed black, then white.

            She looked around and let out a sob as her gaze landed on the white carpet. She was leaning halfway off the edge of her bed, grasping someone's hand as another brushed her hair out of her face.

            “Mel, look at me.”

            She looked up into the face of her older brother who was leaning down, looking at her with his eyebrows drawn together. His lips were set in a frown and tears welled up in his eyes.

            “Jay?”

            “It's okay. It's okay. You were just remembering again. Everything's okay now.”

            “No it's not!” She screamed, throwing his hand back and sitting up on her bed. “He's dead, Jason! Dead!”

            “He's been gone for over a year, Mel.”

            “So, you think that just because a miserable year has gone by I should be able to forget him?”

            “He was my brother, too, Melody.” Jason straightened up, still looking down at her.

            “You weren't there! You don't know how I-how he-and the blood. His face, smashed. His guts-”

            “I know, I know.” Jason sat down on the bed next to his sister and laid his hand on her shoulder. “I know, Mel. But, you did all you could, okay?”

            “I wish I had died that day!” She screamed. “I wish I would have gone down with him!”

            “Don't talk like that.”

            Melody curled up and hugged her knees, staring into space. “I shouldn't have yanked up.”

            Jason shook his head. “Don't start this again. Don't-”

            “If I hadn't done that, he wouldn't have pulled me down and I could have grabbed his other hand.”

            “Melody, please look at me.” Jason shifted on the bed and leaned down so that she couldn't avoid his gaze.

            “What?”

            “Let's go to town. Call Tracy and let's go watch a movie or something.”

            She shook her head. “I don't want to go anywhere.”

            “You can't keep yourself cooped up in your room all the time. Come on, please?”

            “I can't, Jay.” She sniffed and sat up, blinking as if she'd just woken up and looked around. “What happened?”

            Jason let out a sigh of relief. Mentioning something in their present life didn't always break her out. But it had this time, thankfully.“You were remembering again.”

            “Oh, yeah.” Her voice trailed off. “Samuel.”

            “Hey, let's call Tracy and see if she wants to go watch a movie with us. My treat.”

            Melody shrugged. “I don't hang out with her anymore.”

            “Why not? I thought you were best friends.”

            Melody snorted. “Yeah, like actual friends really exist anymore.”

            Jason bit his lip, letting his gaze fall to the ground. Then he looked at her and smiled. “Well, the truth is I'm glad.”

            “What?” Melody looked up at him in confusion.

            He grinned and stood up. “Because now, I get you all to myself.”

            She smiled a little and shook her head. “Okay, fine.” She stood up then stopped. “Wait.”

            “What?”

            “Where's Dad?”

            Jason shrugged. “He was expecting another business phone call, I think.” 

~R~

               “This is your last warning, Willard! You know what will happen if you don’t deliver.” The heavy accent flowed over the phone.

            “Please, don’t! Just give me a few more months.” Willard's voice shook.

            “Shut up and get it! Or I promise you, you’ll be sorry. But,” there was a chuckle. “Not as sorry as that little daughter of yours.”

            “If you so much as lay a hand on her-”

            “Oh, I won’t. But only as long as you deliver. And not a word of this to anyone or the result will be the same. And I may throw in a bonus for your wife and son. I mean it, Willard.”

            Click.

Okay...

I plan on (re) starting my book, Rescue, sometime today, Lord willing. Got a good bit going on...but I should be able to at least start the first chapter.

Before I do though...were there any last thoughts, ideas or...anything?

I have had a few ideas...some that I think are gonna work out really well if I get them out like I'm thinking.

The main thing I need to know now before I can start is...should Melody and Jason remain brother and sister? Or would it be better for them to be in a "romantic" kind of relationship? If I go the the "romantic route", I'd really work hard to avoid it being a romance. Probably have them as engaged. That seems the safest way, right now. But, I may keep them brother and sister...any thoughts would help that a lot. :)

Thanks a bunch!

... ... ...

Rescue. The book.Oookay. So. Yeah. No new chapters. At all. The start of chapter 4 several times, but not past the first few paragraphs.
This just isn't good and something's sucking the motivation out of me. This just isn't good either. :P
So...IDK what's wrong...but...well, for one, I can't seem to focus on my book when I sit down to write, but I can't focus on much more when I'm not writing. Well...almost. But, here's where I think my issue is. Pacing. As of right now and at the pace I'm going at...in three or four more chapters, my book will be done and I'll have nothing more than a glorified short story. That's really not what I want. I am strongly considering starting the whole book over and trying to pace myself better. Any thoughts on that idea?
And...if I do do that...I'll have a chance to start fresh so I need lotses of honesty here. (Not that I doubt any of you would be anyways...but be open to the idea of being brutally honest here. :P )I'll ask a few questions and would love (horribly, brutally honest, remember) feedback if anyone can spare a few minutes. I just need to know what to keep, what to change, where to change, how to change, who to change...you get the idea, right?
I think I like my plot. It's not some ridiculously large plot like I would like to write one day...but, I do think I like it. It feels solid for the most part and that's rare for me in my writing. So...as far as the plot goes...are you intrigued? And what parts are the ones that grab you and make you want to keep reading?
As far as pacing goes...where do you feel things moving along too quickly? Do you find that they ended up on the island too fast? Do you want more of them before they ever got on the plane? Did they run into trouble too fast?
And...now...I think maybe one of the biggest issues in my book (judging by reactions from readers)...how do I need to change Melody's and Jason's relationship? I know they're way too "wishy washy" and probably don't feel too real. Should I make him someone other than her brother? A best friend or cousin or something? Maybe IDK how to handle the big brother thing and that would help to change they're relation. Thoughts there?
And...are there any parts of the book you like? Parts you want built on?
What is the biggest plus? And what is the biggest minus?
Any other thoughts at all?


Thanks...I know that's a ton...and really...nobody has to answer any of them. But, you're welcome to answer some or all. Any or none...I appreciate anything. :)
I really want to finish this book...but I'm kinda drained on several points of it right now...so...I gotta figure out how to fix it or it'll get put me in more of a fix! :P

Rescue ~ Chapter 3

Well, for better or worse, chapter 3 is done. This chapter feels so scattered. I can't seem to get things together and it feels really forced at times. I'm still working on action...still trying to figure out not writing in first person and a boat load of other stuff. I'd love some help with a few questions if anyone has time. Does this chapter flow right? Does it make sense? Is the action just..."Blah"? Is it holding your attention? At what points does it lose you? What do you think of Jason's and Melody's relationship? Does it just get cheesy at the end of the chapter? And...is it too fast? Do I need more detail between things? And if so...where? And...uhhh...anything else? Thanks. :)

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Chapter 3

            “Jason!” Melody threw herself at her brother as Duerr forced her forward with the butt of his rifle.

            He snatched his arm free from Derek’s grasp, lifted his bound hands and brought his arms down around his sister to wrap her in a hug. Leaning down, he brought his head close to hers and whispered, hardly loud enough for her to hear, “Follow my lead and do exactly as I say.”

            Without giving her another moment to think, Jason lifted his arms from around Melody, shoved her behind him and rammed his elbow into Derek’s gut, sending him doubled over to the ground.

            Duerr screamed a curse and fired several shots in the air as he charged towards them.

            Jason pushed his sister forward screaming, “Melody, run!” And dashed deeper into the woods, Duerr close at their heels.

            “Jason, wait!” Melody shouted, slacking behind him.

            “No, Mel! Come on! We have to run!”

            “I can’t!”

            Jason continued to run and looked back to see her straining for air.

            “Mel, we can’t stop!”

            Melody gritted her teeth and tried to suck in a breath as she continued to run as fast as she could, but she couldn’t keep her feet from dragging and she nearly fell over the thick ground foliage.

            “Come on!” Jason screamed, running back to her and pushing her forward. “Don’t stop, Mel. Don’t stop!”

            Duerr was barely ten yards behind them, gaining on them fast and Melody wondered why he didn’t just shoot them.

            The wheezing returned in Melody’s throat and it took every ounce of will to keep her from collapsing again.

            Jason stayed by her side and kept telling her to run. To keep going. Not to give up.

            She strained to see through the almost completely dark jungle forest as she tumbled and tripped over dips in the earth, fallen tree limbs and the overwhelming ground brush.

            “Come on, Mel. Come on! Just a little farther.”

            She tried to reply and tell him that she wasn’t giving up, but it was all she could do to put one foot in front of the other, let alone try to talk.

            As they ran, she looked back just in time to see Duerr reach out and snatch at her hair as it flew behind her.

            She let out a choked scream and took a sharp turn to the right, tumbling over a log and falling to the other side on her shoulder

            Raising a shaking hand, she reached over the log and pulled herself up, trying to steady herself enough to run, but fell back again and lay on her back, choking for air. She felt her head buzzing and her ears rang as she reached up and rubbed her neck, trying desperately to get air to her burning lungs.

            She expected Duerr to reach out and snatch her up at any moment, but nothing happened. Instead, she heard a crash and a curse from the other side of the log.

            Jason and Duerr must have been fighting hand to hand from the sounds that reached her ears, but she couldn’t focus on that. She couldn’t focus on anything but trying to breathe.

            Gathering up her last ounce of strength, she rolled over on her clasped hands. Pressing her forehead on the ground, she bared down on her hands and pushed so hard that her hands and chest felt bruised. Releasing the last bit of air in her lungs she prepared to take in a deep breath, but she didn’t get the chance.

            Her shirt was grabbed and she was yanked up, causing her to snatch in shallow breath as she was slammed on her feet and forced to look up into the flaming eyes of Duerr.

            A wave of panic surged through her, but she was too weak from the lack of oxygen to do anything but looked around and pray that Jason would save her.

            A hand slammed into the back of Duerr’s neck, forcing him to release Melody who dropped to the ground and curled up, still trying to suck in air.

            She managed to snatch in enough to keep from passing out and looked up to see Jason tumbling with Duerr. He looked so small compared to the giant German. Even though Jason was tall and broad, she hadn’t noticed just how big Duerr was until she saw him next to her brother.

            The men grunted and strained as they rolled over and over on the ground, slamming into trees, rocks and each other.

            Duerr continually muttered what Melody assumed to be cursing, but she couldn’t tell because he was speaking in German.

            Jason raised his right fist and smashed it full into Duerr’s jaw, who returned the blow with one of his own to Jason’s gut.

            Melody watched as Duerr wrapped his arms around Jason’s waste and they began to roll over and over and over until Duerr’s back slammed into a tree. He let out a choked shout and released his grasp on Jason, who took advantage of his opponent’s vulnerable position by jumping up and ramming a foot into his lower ribs.

            Duerr screamed and curled up, hugging his stomach to protect himself from the next blow, but Jason continued to kick. He thrust his foot into Duerr’s hands, then his chest and a final blow to his face stopped any resistance from the German.

            Jason stumbled back, wiping his bleeding nose and breathing heavily.

            “Melody?” He shouted, looking around.

            “I’m here, Jay,” she said, forcing herself to her feet and bending over to lean on her knees.

            He ran over to her and put his hands on her shoulders, leaning down to look at her face. “Are you okay?”

            She nodded and gasped in a breath as tears streamed down her face. “Did you kill him?”

            “No.” Jason looked back where Duerr still lay against the tree. “He’ll probably wake up and go back to wherever he came from.”

            “Where did he come from?” Melody asked, straightening up and wiping her face with the back of her hand.

            Jason drew his eyebrows together and stared at the ground.

            “Jason?”

            “I don’t know.” He shook his head.

            “Where are we?” Melody hugged herself as a cold breeze blew through the woods.

            Jason shook his head again. “I don’t know, Mel. I know just as much as you do.”

            Melody shifted and took a step back.

            “What’s wrong? What is it?” Jason squinted to look at her.

            She looked up at him and let out a sob.

            “Melody, what’s wrong?”

            She sucked in a long, deep breath and squinted as pain shot through her lungs and up her throat. “Nothing,” she said, walking back to him and putting her arms around his waste. “I’m just scared.”

            “I know.” He wrapped her in a hug and kissed the top of her head. “But, we’re going to be okay, Mel. We survived that plane wreck. God saved us and there has to be a reason.”

            Melody shook in her head and buried her face in Jason’s chest. “Yeah, so that we can die out in the middle of some tropical jungle thousands of miles of home.”

            Jason pushed out and held onto her shoulders, looking down at her. “Don’t talk like that, do you hear me? That’s absolute garbage. We are not going to die out here. You can’t think like that.”

            “What good is wishful thinking going to do us, Jason?” She shouted. “Look around! Do you see any way out? Stop being so ridiculous and get real, here!”

            “Okay,” Jason let out a long breath and close his eyes, then opened them and looked back down at her. “First of all, calm down. You get too worked up too fast. Second of all, I’m not your enemy here, Mel. Okay? I just don’t want you to give up before we’ve even tried. You’ve got to hold on and hope.”

            “Hope? In what?”

            “Melody, I’m not going to play this game with you. You know what and-”

            A shriek rang through the air from near by.

            “What was that?” Melody forced herself into Jason’s arms again and squeezed his waste.

            “We’ve got to get somewhere safe,” he said. “Come on.”

            Melody grabbed his hand as they began to trot through the trees. They ran over thick brush, around trees, through vines and under low branches.

            The longer they ran, the harder it was for Melody to keep up. As their pace slacked to a quick walk, Melody stopped and said, “Jason.”

            He stopped and looked back at her. “What?”

            “Where are we going?”

            He shook his head and sucked in a deep breath. “I’m trying to find the shore. It seems like that would be the safest place and maybe there will be a boat or something. Do you know which way it is?”

            “Don’t you?” Melody asked, looking up at the treetops.

            “No, I was knocked out in the plane and guess I was dragged into the woods. I didn’t see anything.” He closed his eyes and squeezed them shut, grunting. Then he stumbled back and caught himself from falling.

            “What’s wrong?” Melody ran to him.

            He shook his head. “Nothing. Guess I’m just bruised up from the fight.”

            “Do you need to sit down? What’s hurts? Are you okay? Here.” She tried to get him to sit down, but he pulled back.

            “I’m okay, Mel.”

            “Stop trying to be so brave, Jay. You don’t have to do that, okay?”

            “I said, I’m fine. Come on, let’s keep going.”

            Melody stepped closer to him and looked up into his eyes. Even in the dark she could see the light in them. The determination. The strength.

            “Come on,” she almost sobbed. “Please, let’s just rest tonight. We can’t go on all night. We can’t even see anything. We could be going in the completely wrong direction right now.”

            “We can’t stop at night. If this is really a jungle, night is the most dangerous time to be out.”

            “Then let’s climb a tree or something. You’ve got to rest, Jay. You’re beat up and I’m exhausted. I thought asthma was bad at home but, that’s nothing compared to out here. But, you’re hurt and need rest. If we need to keep watch, I can stay awake while you try to sleep or-”

            “You’re trying so hard, aren’t you?” Jason looked down at his sister and smiled.

            “For what?”

            “Not to get down.”

            She shrugged and kicked at the ground. “Not really.”

            He pushed her matted and dirty hair out of her eyes and lifted her chin with his finger. “Okay, we’ll try to climb a tree and see if we can get some rest.”

            As Jason looked around for a good climbing tree, Melody sat down and looked around.

            What were they supposed to do? Yeah, they’d survive the night, probably. But, what about the next day? What were they even doing there? Melody feared that she knew the answer, but she wouldn’t even allow herself to think it. That couldn’t be it. And whatever happened, she couldn’t let Jason know that she knew anything. She’d tried twice before to tell him, but now she was glad he’d stopped her. She thought she had to have been wrong, but when she heard Duerr’s German accent, she knew that he must be related to the organization who wanted that black box. Whoever they were.

            “Here, Mel!” Jason called. “Come over here, I think I found one.”

            Melody rose and walked over to where her brother stood next to a tree, grasping a vine.

            Jason helped her mount a low branch and handed her the vine. “Be careful.”

            Melody laughed. “Jason, I’ve been climbing trees since I could walk.”

            “I know,” Jason chuckled. “But, you just-I mean-”

            “Jay, I’m fine, okay?”

            “Yeah.” He nodded and looked up at her. “Just-you-”

            Melody got down off her branch and looked up at her brother. His eyes were overflowing with that look that he’d had for her ever since she was little. That look that made him look more like her father than brother. The look that said he’d die before he’d let so much as a mosquito land on her.

            “Jay, I’m fine, okay?” She repeated smiling at him. “I’m going to be fine. You’re going to be fine. Everything is going to be fine.”

            He didn’t reply, but just stared down at her, his gaze unmoved.

            Melody took his hand in both of hers. “At least that’s what my big brother told me.”

            Jason grinned and sighed. He pulled her into a hug and held her for a minute before letting her go and motioning to the tree. “Come on, kiddo, time for bed. I’ll tuck you in for old time’s sake. How that?”

            She nodded with a smile and let him help her back up the tree. He followed and helped her find a branch then tie herself to the tree with a vine.

            “You’ll be safe for the night, okay? I’ll be on the next branch.” He made a final tug on the vine, tightening the intricate knot.

            “Where’d you learn all of this?”

            “I finished Eagle Scouts, remember?” He chuckled, shifting to get a better grasp with his legs around the branch he was sitting on. “Now, get to sleep, Kiddo.”

            “Night, Jay.” Melody smiled and leaned her head against the tree as Jason climbed over to his branch. The smile faded from her face as his soon as he had turned. This was going to be a long night. And now she was almost sure that it was her fault. Almost sure.