Fall To Grace - Patrick Sean Lee (the reading strategies book .txt) 📗

down to the shoreline.
Wendy reappeared at his side. “Why on earth do you fall so much?” she asked.
He answered her question with one of his own. “What is this place? Where are we?”
“I have no idea, really. What does it matter anyway? We have to find my friends, that’s all. Let’s go.
“Try not to trip on the seashells.”
She led him away through soft sand that gave way beneath his shoes with each step, down the incline toward the beach with low waves breaking one after another onto more sand that was wet and grayish at the water’s edge. The rise of the dune he had noticed moments earlier fell as it approached the beach, and Laz caught sight of the wide mouth of a river. He held fast to her hand, she a step ahead of him.
“Is that the St. Lawrence?”
“How should I know? I’m dreaming all this the same as you. Dummy.”
“We’re dreaming?” He felt the pain still in his back where he’d hit. “I-don’t-think-so, Wendy. ‘Sides, in all my dreams my women adore me. Val, Melissa, Paula, Sereni…”
“Well, I don’t.” Wendy couldn’t help but notice how his mouth and eyes fell after she had made the comment. “Okay, I maybe like you a little. But not a LOT!” She squinted, suddenly. “Hey, look up there…at the edge of the forest. It’s Felix! And there’s Alsam and Barry. They’re talking to Beth. Let’s go see what’s up.”
“I’d rather go farther down the beach with you. I mean, I’ve had enough of Bookr…”
“Go ahead, but you’ll be going alone.”
Sword through the heart. More pain. It seemed that if he was to win this lovely Brit’s heart, he’d have to do it in the company of her friends...at the edge of the forest. He loathed forests, though he couldn’t remember exactly why. He’d have to be more clever, too, than that damned Felix or Barry.
So, up they went, and when the small group of extremely talented writers noticed their approach, Felix sang out. “May St. Patrick smile down on us…it’s WENDY!”
Barry followed up. “I mean, in the end, these things we are all clacking away on are basically souped-up calculators. The fact that an adding machine can take what we ask of it, in code (numbers) and come up…”
Alsam cut in. “Barry, for God’s sake we’re talking about love here.”
“I know. I know. I was just quoting something pertinent that I said…”
“Laz! We were just talking about you!” Beth rushed forward and kissed her old friend on the cheek. Not a slobbery kiss (that he would have preferred), but a kiss nonetheless. Barry guffawed. Wendy cringed.
“He’s in love with me,” Wendy said, mocking Beth.
“Laz loves everyone,” was Beth’s reply. “Felix, come kiss your old friend.”
“How ‘bout a knuckle-sandwich instead?” Felix answered and then smiled.
“Americans!” Laz spat. Nicely. Diplomatically.
Wendy agreed with Laz with a simple nod of her lovely head. She quickly rescued the looming argument she could see rising in Felix’s and Barry’s eyes by saying, “I just pulled Laz out of a hole he’d dug. He was talking romance, as usual, too.”
“I fell in.”
“Whatever,” Wendy said with a laugh. “You guys wanna’ see it?”
“Sure.” Felix.
“Sure.” Beth.
“Not particularly,” Barry said. “Oh, all right.”
Alsam seemed indifferent, but followed along as the group began to retrace Wendy’s and Laz’s steps.
“I was thinking about a new contest theme,” Beth quipped as they walked.
From out of the blue, a voice arose, followed by a body. “Count me out,” Happydagger said, running to join them.


Imprint

Text: Patrick Sean Lee
Editing: Darn it. No one but me. Oh wait, Val caught something:)
Publication Date: 06-03-2012

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
To Laz and Wendy, with love:) At the 11th hour...Laz designed my cover. Thanks so much, buddy!