[...Posted by Ted H]
Still on pace, baby! There are write-ins scheduled on Mondays that are pretty close to where I am...Id do it, but Im sure I wouldnt be able to get much done...Id prolly spend more time talking about how awesome I am and how I might actually hit 50K this year....not much production would come out of that for me or others, so I might want to stay away.
Current status of my 2011 NaNoWriMo: 15,800 / 50,000 (34,200 words to go!)
Current pace has me writing my 50,000th word on: November 25th
Keep pace with me or join me if youre doing it too: http://nanowrimo.org/en/participants/reted/novels/safe-haven/stats
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[Safe Haven - Church Intruder]
The garden wasn’t much, but Patrick was happy with what he had going. Patrick had fallen asleep last night on a bench in the church yard. He didn’t mind, the bench was a bit uncomfortable but the scenery more than made up for it. There were some days he could lounge in the yard of his church and the relative beauty would momentarily trick him into thinking he was in a better place. Sometimes it would even trick him into thinking he was still home, 13 years ago with her, but he knew she was capable of maintaining a better looking garden, and then the illusion would fall apart and it would break his heart since he would be reminded that she was dead.
“Hmm, not how I wanted to start my day,” he said to himself as he looked up into the grey sky, now feeling down after thinking of her again. He absent mindedly reached for the ring he kept on a chain around his neck. “I wonder,” he said aloud “How different I’d be if you survived.” Patrick shook his head and turned to enter the church again. It was time for him to unlock the doors so that people could come and go as they please. He didn’t have to hold any faux-masses today, but people liked to be able to stop by and pray whenever they want. Some even stayed longer and talked with Patrick. The conversations made it worthwhile for him, at least the ones that kept away from religion and faith.
Patrick reached into his pocket for the key and went to unlock the door, but found that it was already unlocked. “What?” he asked until he realized that he never locked it last night. His conversation had ended with Jake, and afterwards he felt anything but tired, so Patrick took a walk out back in his garden while wracking around in his head over what Jake meant when he said he wasn‘t coming back for a while. He then rested on the bench and went right to sleep, never bothering to lock up.
“No harm, no foul,” he said as he put the key back into his pocket. He usually locks up so no one can come in and steal from him or do worse. Lord knows people had been stealing plenty from this church before Patrick even arrived at Safe Haven and he wasn’t interested in if his presence would change that trend. And while the ResEs usually wouldn’t lower themselves so far as to screw around with a church, Patrick didn’t feel like taking any chances after curfew. He was lucky the place even had lockable doors and a key. One errant night apparently wasn’t going to harm him though, but he made a mental note to make damn sure the doors were locked up tonight before he passed out anywhere.
Patrick turned away from the doors and was about to head back to his garden when he noticed someone was huddled up in one of the pews on the far end of the church. “Shit. So much for no foul,” Patrick said as he walked over to the person who was asleep. He was going to kick them out. Who cared about how the church was open anyway, Patrick didn’t like the fact that they felt entitled to spend the night. He was about to shake them awake when he realized who it was.
“Cayra?” Patrick asked as the girl suddenly woke up. She immediately shot up and looked about before calming down. “Are you ok?” he asked as Cayra looked up at him and sighed heavily. “Does anyone know I’m here?” she asked. Patrick shrugged “I didn’t even know you were here. What happened?” Cayra stood up and looked up to the sky through the collapsed part of the roof. “What time is it?”
“Morning, I’m not sure exactly when either, I just got up.”
“And no ones been asking about me? Any enforcers come knocking?”
“Cayra, you’re the first person I’ve seen today and I have no idea what you’re talking about. What happened?”
“Last night, after I left. I was caught after curfew.”
“Impossible. You left too early to be out then.”
“I went…I watched the sun set. I was sneaking home when two ResEs caught me.”
“And you ran here?”
“Not exactly. A Rogue ran in and killed one. The other one chased him off and I ran. Another one followed me into the outskirts and…”
“What happened?”
Cayra dropped her head as she pulled out a gun. Patrick’s eyes lit up at the sight and he immediately took it from her hands. Cayra was saying something else but Patrick’s mind wandered to the gun. He knew who the guns owner was, he just wouldn’t believe Jake would ever intervene like that for Cayra. “Did you…see who the Rogue was? Would you know him if you saw him again?” he asked, cutting off whatever Cayra was saying. “No,” she said after a moment “Never saw his face. Why? What difference would it make?” Patrick looked back down at the gun. “None,” he said “I guess it doesn’t matter.”
If Jake wished to remain anonymous to Cayra still, he must have good reason. It wasn’t Patrick’s place to tell Cayra the truth. There were bigger things to worry about anyway. “So, afterwards, you came here?” he asked as Cayra nodded as she said “I’m glad you didn’t lock up last night.”
“Yeah,” Patrick said as he wondered if he should rethink his door locking policy. “It probably took you longer to get here from the outskirts than your own home though. Why?” he asked. Cayra hesitated “I know you don’t believe in…well anything,” she said “But I just feel safer here than in my own home. Like God wouldn’t let any harm come to me in here.” Patrick felt guilty. He knew Cayra didn’t mean any ill will by it, but it really made him feel hypocritical over his pseudo-priesthood.
“You’re welcome to stay here,” he said but Cayra refused. “I wouldn’t want to put you in an awkward position,” she said “I just need to know if those other ResEs know who I am or anything.” Patrick sighed. “You can always ask Kate,” he said “Pretty sure she’s still sleeping with one, among others.” Cayra made a face. Neither of them liked or respected Kate that much, but it wasn’t as if Cayra had the luxury to go to anyone else for info. “Any idea where she is?”
“See if she’s with John before you try her home…you know, because-” Patrick started as Cayra raised her hand “I know, I know,” she said as she stood up. “You should probably wear something else, just in case,” Patrick said as he ran over to a closet and pulled out a blue coat. “It might be a bit snug, but it has a hood so you’d have that going for you.”
“Thanks,” Cayra said as she removed her brown sweater and put on the coat. It was too small to button up but she didn’t mind as she put the hood up over her head. “Stay safe,” Patrick said as he opened the front door for Cayra. “Don’t worry too much,” Cayra said as she forced a smile “I’ve got a guardian angel looking out for me, right?” Patrick shook his head, “Don’t rely too much on any Rogues,” he said as he handed Cayra the gun back. “Better you have this,” he said. Cayra nodded and waved as she left. “Invitation to stay is still open,” he called out as he shut the door.
He thought back to last night when Jake said he wouldn’t be in the city for a while after this. “Figures,” Patrick said to himself “You would leave right when we actually need you around.”
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