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Excerpt from Manuscript – Snow

15 Saturday Apr 2017

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Excerpt from SNOW:

8th Grade Dance 006

The sun was beginning to set behind the grayish-blue, Sierra Mountains. The murmurs of the afternoon voices continued to echo in her ears.

It had been an eventful afternoon, but January was exhausted. She had waited twelve years for this day and now it had finally come and gone, as if in a blink.

“Congratulations Young Lady.” Her grandpa extended out his shaky hand, suffering from chronic arthritis for most of his adult life, but obviously proud of his only grandchild.

“Thank you, Grandpa. I’m so happy you and Grandma were able to make it.”

“We wouldn’t have missed your graduation from high school…not in a million years.”

January smiled, politely dismissing herself.

She was distracted. She hadn’t seen Jack since the ceremony ended, almost thirty minutes earlier.

As she wondered out to the parking lot, she heard a car’s brakes screeching. She held her breath, waiting in anticipation for the final part, the sound of metal as it crashed into another car, or the thud the car made as it hit something or someone. She waited with batted breath, but nothing.

She relaxed, letting her breath out. Suddenly out of nowhere she heard footsteps coming up behind her.

Startled, she turned around, ready to scream out…”Jack! what they hell! You scared me to death. Where have you been…”

She didn’t finish her sentence, as he pulled her roughly into him, passionately kissing her with all the desire and wanting he had building up inside of him.

“I love you baby…that’s all I wanted to tell you.” Quickly extending his arm forward, revealing the most gorgeous dozen red roses she had ever seen.

“Oh, Jack! They’re beautiful and so are you. I love you too…more than words!”

“You can prove it to me tonight. Now go home and get pretty for me. I’ll see you tonight at eight.”

January watched with a smile upon her lips, as he ran down the street, jumping back into his white 1967 Camaro, that he had left idling in the middle of the street, and took off in a hurry down Main Street.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright July 26, 2016

THE MONSTER UNDER MY BED

14 Wednesday Sep 2016

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THE MONSTER UNDER MY BED

arcata-ca-july-2016-084

No one will believe me…I tell myself, as I try to drift off to sleep.

But sleep doesn’t come easy to me these days. I lay here in the dark, wondering if I would be happier, if I wasn’t me.

This is silly, I tell myself. I have people who love me. My mom loves me, but sometimes it feels as if she doesn’t understand me. But then again…what adult does truly understand a teenage mind.

One or two? I take that back. Zero.

Depression surrounds me, but I must not let it draw me in. I’m really trying, but there are days when I wonder if it is enough.

Written By: Unanimous Author
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright September 14, 2016

Excerpt from Manuscript – Dear Paxton

07 Sunday Aug 2016

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Excerpt from Manuscript – Dear Paxton

Ms Mandi Photo 1

Lisa ran into the bathroom, with black streaks running down her once made up, pretty face. She stared at herself in the mirror with disgust.

How could she have been so stupid? Why had she believed his lies, once again? Will she ever learn?

“I hate you!” She screamed, hitting her fists hard against the bathroom mirror. The mirror with the pretty, little flowers…the flowers she had painted on it earlier. But now she hated them, hated how they stared back at her, mocking her.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright 1999

Excerpt from Manuscript – Snow

26 Sunday Jun 2016

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Excerpt from SNOW:

8th Grade Dance 006

The sun was beginning to set behind the grayish-blue, Sierra Mountains. The murmurs of the afternoon voices continued to echo in her ears.

It had been an eventful afternoon, but January was exhausted. She had waited twelve years for this day and now it had finally come and gone, as if in a blink.

“Congratulations Young Lady.” Her grandpa extended out his shaky hand, suffering from chronic arthritis for most of his adult life, but obviously proud of his only grandchild.

“Thank you, Grandpa. I’m so happy you and Grandma were able to make it.”

“We wouldn’t have missed your graduation from high school…not in a million years.”

January smiled, politely dismissing herself.

She was distracted. She hadn’t seen Jack since the ceremony ended, almost thirty minutes earlier.

As she wondered out to the parking lot, she heard a car’s brakes screeching. She held her breath, waiting in anticipation for the final part, the sound of metal as it crashed into another car, or the thud the car made as it hit something or someone. She waited with batted breath, but nothing.

She relaxed, letting her breath out. Suddenly out of nowhere she heard footsteps coming up behind her.

Startled, she turned around, ready to scream out…”Jack! what they hell! You scared me to death. Where have you been…”

She didn’t finish her sentence, as he pulled her roughly into him, passionately kissing her with all the desire and wanting he had building up inside of him.

“I love you baby…that’s all I wanted to tell you.” Quickly extending his arm forward, revealing the most gorgeous dozen red roses she had ever seen.

“Oh, Jack! They’re beautiful and so are you. I love you too…more than words!”

“You can prove it to me tonight. Now go home and get pretty for me. I’ll see you tonight at eight.”

January watched with a smile upon her lips, as he ran down the street, jumping back into his white 1967 Camaro, that he had left idling in the middle of the street, and took off in a hurry down Main Street.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright July 26, 2016

Excerpt from Manuscript – Snow

11 Wednesday May 2016

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Excerpt – SNOW

Tulips 05.11.2016

“I know you’re lying!”

January knew he only lied when he was using. She had lived with the cycle for long enough to see the subtle changes in his behavior. She used to laugh about it, saying he was two-faced, but in reality it wasn’t funny.

She had been living with this man’s ups and downs for nearly twenty-seven years.

“I’m not lying, baby.”

“I know you didn’t go to work today, Jack, your boss called.”

“What a prick. He has had it out for me since the first day I started.”

Jack always knew what to say. Nothing was ever his fault, it was always the other guy.

January had come to a point when she no longer fought, it was easier to just accept it. Her best friend had told her once, you made your bed, now lie in it. She guessed she had.

“Jack, what are we going to do. We need money for our mortgage.”

“Don’t worry baby, I will get you the money.”

“How? You just lost your job.” January cried.

“Don’t worry your pretty little head, I will take care of it and have your mortgage money to you by Friday.”

It was always Friday, but he could no longer keep his promises. His lies were starting to catch up with him, they were drowning him and her and their family. Poor Bella, she didn’t deserve any of this.

“Jack, I can’t take this anymore. You always get fired after two weeks, why is that?”

“I told you baby, he was a prick. I will find another job, didn’t I tell you not to worry?”

“Hi, Daddy, are we going to have to move again?” Bella had just walked into our conversation, holding her ice cream in her hand, as it melted, dripping down her arm.

It was always the same story, but nothing was getting better. She knew why he lost his job after two weeks, it wasn’t because of any other reason, but he was using again.

He had just gotten paid two days before and now he had changed, January saw it, his boss saw it, and now Bella saw it.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright May 11, 2016

Excerpt from Manuscript – SNOW

29 Friday Apr 2016

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Excerpt from Snow…

Patrick's Point HSU 8.2014

January stood frozen, in front of her New York window flat. She was alone. It seemed as if she had been alone forever, although it had only been seven days since he left.

She wondered if he would return or leave her to deal with her devastating news alone. She hoped he would come back, but by the look upon his face and the hateful words he had spoken, she wasn’t so sure.

Actually, she wasn’t so sure of anything anymore. The disease had left her numb and afraid.

She wasn’t thinking about herself anymore, as her gaze caught something magical, down on the street below her expensive Brownstone. She was on the fifth floor of her apartment flat, but her eyesight was still good, thank goodness she still had that.

She had to smile. Young love was wonderful, she thought.

She vividly remembered when she and Jack had been so young and naive in love. She had loved him more than life itself back then.

“What happened to us?” She said out loud, even though she was the only one in the room.

The echo of the silence sharply snapped back at her. Relentless, she let the tears fall from her face, no longer caring about her make-up smearing or how she looked.

“What was the point?” She thought.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright April 30, 2016

Excerpt from Manuscript: Snow

28 Sunday Feb 2016

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SNOW

Photo_Chair_061513 001

I sit in a trance like state, remembering the flashbacks from my life. Remembering how I took life for granted. Remembering how I thought I had all the time in the world. Not knowing, that I did not.

Remembering that one day…it had such a significant hold on me and a tight hold on who I become later in life.

My mother…holding the shiny, silver shears in her hand. I remember thinking, “She does not appear sane.”

“Mommy, what’s the matter…” I asked.

“You have been a very bad girl, very bad indeed. Did you not know that I would find out.. did you not…I’m speaking to you, January…”

“Mommy, I do not know what you are talking about.” I whimpered.

“But you do. Yes you do, January.”

“But Mommy, I do not.”

A fast and sharp burn spread across my face. I had been hit.

Suddenly, I blacked out; not remembering what happened next…as I sat on the cold, expensive marble floor, gathering my golden curls into a pile on the floor.

Silently, I glanced up, seeing my reflection in the bathroom mirror… “I’m hideous!” I cried.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright: February 28, 2016

Excerpt from A Walk to Barrow Hill

16 Wednesday Dec 2015

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A Walk to Barrow Hill:

The house appeared to be dark. Every shade in the house had been drawn. An uncomfortable chill crept up her leg, causing her to shutter.

She felt an eerie feeling encircling her as she called out.

“Mama, it’s Anna. Are you home?”

Silence filled the voided spaces of the empty rooms.

“Mama are you okay? Rose asked me to come over and check on you.”

Anna entered room after room, quietly shutting the doors behind her as she left.

The bathroom was the only room she hadn’t come to yet. Cautiously she peeked around the corner, slowly opening the door.

“Mama!” Anna didn’t recognize her own voice, as a ghostly scream escaped her before collapsing to the stone-cold tile floor.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright: December 2015

Excerpt from Dear Paxton

08 Sunday Nov 2015

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DEAR PAXTON

Ms Mandi Photo 1

It was Saturday when Cole finally showed up at the apartment.

“Where are you going?” Lisa demanded with hurtful eyes.

“I’m moving out, Lisa. I don’t want to be with you anymore.” His eyes blazed with hatred, directed towards her.

Desperately, she reached out, gently touching his arm.

Impulsively, he retracted. “Don’t cause a scene! Lisa, just let me go!” He hissed.

“Where have you been these last couple of days? You could have called me.” He only shrugged his shoulders.

“You’ve been with her, haven’t you? You’re leaving me for that bimbo that gave you her number…the one I found in your wallet the other day? Answer me, damn it!””

“Lisa, I don’t love you anymore!”

“All of a sudden, you’ve stopped loving me?” Lisa was shaking.

“I don’t know anymore, Lisa. Maybe I never really loved you…look at you…you’re pathetic.”

“Me?” Lisa spat.

“Just let me go…don’t stop me!”

“Cole, I’m pregnant…”

Cole grabbed her by the arms, throwing her into the closet doors. “Don’t you dare think that will keep me. I’m out!”

Cole grabbed his keys and his bag, slamming the front door behind him.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright 2000

Excerpt from Julian’s Voice: A Ruby in the Rough

01 Sunday Nov 2015

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Jewels froze.  She couldn’t’ hear much more than the roar of the fire or was it the house?  The house seemed to be angry.  It was almost as if it had a mind of its own and was screaming out to her.

Written By:  Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright 2015