The Scarlet Letter

For those who have read The Scarlet Letter this might be a little interesting. This is an addition to that book, like what happened to Pearl when the story stopped. If you haven’t read the book, it probably wont seem like much,but you can always judged my writing skills. lol.
Nathaniel Hawthorne set he pen down beside the paper on which he was writing on. Closing his eyes and relaxing back in his chair, he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Staring at the back of his eyelids for a moment, his mind wandered from the events in the story and the now. He picked up the manuscript and looked at it as if it held secrets that it would not reveal, not even to him, the creator. Brows furrowed in concentration, he didn’t notice the woman-that came up the stairs that sounded off such a racket-until he heard the knock on the door. At the swift rap he jerked his head over his shoulder quickly, and then called, “Come in!” the door opened to a woman in her mid thirties with lush dark hair, almost black. Her skin was smooth without flaw, not overweight and not over skinny. She wore a beautiful maids dress crafted by her own hand, one that was beautiful as it was purposeful. However, the most astounding aspect of this woman was the scarlet letter A on her breast. Nathaniel smiled faintly at the thought of the A, and their confrontation at the beginning. She had come up to him with that same red letter on her chest and had asked for a job at the custom house. He pointed at the scarlet letter and said,
“Nay, not with that on thine chest. I’ll never have anyone staying here if rumor gets out I’m harboring an adulteress.” And the woman had replied to him,
“It is not for any act I have committed that I wear this badge.” The woman’s eyes seemed dark and full with secrets, looking into his soul. “It is for my mother.” A most queer woman, but he gave her a job for a short period. She worked exceedingly hard in all that he assigned her. She had the front room clean and habitable in 3 days, a feat He had not thought possible in its abused condition. She came to bring him breakfast and dinner, a full meal well appreciated. Nathaniel’s work consumed him, giving him no extra time. He had lived like a hermit for that past few weeks, weeks that turned into months. He rarely saw anybody during the day and less during the night, but the woman never forgot him, and continued to bring him meals. She was intelligent, understanding, and able, qualities of women not usually accepted by men. Nathaniel knew better though.
The woman walked over to the desk and set the tray, laden with food, gently on the desk.
“Is there anything thou shalt need in the future?” the woman asked. She has never failed to say these lines for all the times she had brought meals to his desk.
“nay, I shalt not be needing anything thanks to you” the woman’s eyes looked at him sharply. She then turned to the door, and as she walked out she said, “I’ll be back soon with a blanket and more candles” Nathaniel chuckled to himself. Many didn’t understand his lenient attitude toward the maid. He knew however, that she was capable of much more then what was thought of her. Probably her upbringing, he though. Yes that would be it. He gazed out the dirty window to his left and said aloud her name, as if to test it upon his tongue. “Pearl.” He scratched his chin and bent his head once again to his work.

Scotland Forever: Chapter 5 (a portion)

Dropping you right into the middle of the story here…..brief synopisis: Ian and Alanna are siblings, Joanne is a young French women rescued froma shipwreck, and the French are the bad guys, although Joanna is not. So….. 

-Time proceeded with out restraint, and it was more than a month after the shipwreck when Ian started his daily patrol of the hills. During the last month things had gone from bad to worse. Barrie, Todd, and their men had tried to keep it secret from their enemies that they knew anything about the French aid. But a week later the word somehow leaked out, and the fighting had been consistent. Ian had been in a few of these skirmishes, and had laid low the occasional French man. The bow was still his weapon of choice and had held up well through the clashes. His archery teacher, George Hood, had not been seen for a while.
 Apparently French dragoons had been seen patrolling the hills, decked out in a bad imitation of English dragoon uniforms. Barrie had figured that Cullen’s men and his French allies now outnumbered Todd’s friends. Especially as their casualty list had racked up to twenty dead. Already some of Todd’s friends had given up, and returned to their homes. That is, those who still had homes. The French had randomly started burning crofts around the countryside, leaving some homeless. Nonetheless, Todd had refused to give up so easily, and he was backed up by a few of the clans. The McLaifs, MacKays, Lairds, McHerits, and s were the ones that stood resolute behind the MacBrae family, they would not give up so easily.
 As Ian patrolled the hills and woods, he kept a sharp eye out for trouble. The top of a hill could conceal a French dragoon. A smattering of trees could hide a friend of Cullen. His duty was to watch out for any enemy troop movement in places where they shouldn’t be.
 Looking at the sun, he noted that he was heading west, away from his house and towards the sea. In fact, he realized that he was almost to the cliffs where he had seen the shipwreck happen a month ago. When he was less than a quarter-mile away from the cliffs, he caught site of his sister and her new friend Joanne, talking in the grass. He was surprised and worried when he saw them, he thought they knew better that to be out by themselves at this time.
 Approaching them, they looked up and Alanna started, putting her hand to her chest.
 “Och, ye scarred me!” she exclaimed, “where did ye come from?”
 Ian, looking disappointedly at her, stated, “I am patrolling the brae as I am supposed tae. Why are ye out here, alone?”
 “Well, were talking, is there a problem with that?”
 Aye,” continued Ian, ye should nae be out here at this time. Its dangerous.”
 Alanna retorted, “And what makes ye so bossy?”
 “Alanna!” exclaimed Ian authoritatively.
 She looked at her brother standing firmly in front of her, his bow and quiver slung across his back while his claymore hung from his belt that surrounded his kilt. “Alright, we shouldn’t be out here. I’m sorry.”
 Joanne had remained quiet all that time, watching the siblings talk, and no doubt trying to comprehend exactly what they were saying. She had progressed quickly in her learning of English, and could almost carry on a conversation. Now she spoke up, and said, “You walking, uh, on grass, non, hi..hill? Oui?”
 “Aye, I’ve been walking on the hills. What have ye been doing?” he smiled down at her.
 “Talk, eh… see.”
 Alanna translated, “I’ve been showing her around.”
 “Oh, I see showing her around the isl…” he paused, and listened. Then asked, “Do ye hear that?”
 “What?”
 “That drumming sound.”
 Alanna listened, then nodded, “Aye, it sounds like…”
 “Horses.” finished Ian in a whisper. “Over that hill to the east, you girls run south! I’ll distract the dragoons, because I’m sure that is who it is, French dragoons.”
He then turned and ran a little ways in a northerly direction, then stopped and looked back. Alanna had already gotten up and started running towards home, but Joanne was just standing there looking hesitantly after Alanna, then towards the sound of advancing hoof beats. Oh my gosh, thought Ian, I forgot, she’s French also! He watched with apprehension, as time seemed to stand still. But before the oncoming dragoons could top the hill, Joanne had made up her mind. And just as the dragoons did top the hill, the two young women disappeared into a clump of woods.
Then Ian realized that he was still in sight. And the dragoons saw him. Hastily he turned and ran, west. With his sword flapping at his side, Ian ran as fast as he could. Then he realized that he had trapped himself. In front of him was a small rise in the ground, which then sunk down slightly to the edge of the cliffs. He recognized this part of the cliffs to; it was the part in the shape of Italy, a peninsula of cliffs. There was no choice but to run straight, so Ian did.
The dragoons were galloping hard towards their sure prisoner, positive of his capture. They had just seen him disappear down the small rise, and know as they topped the rise they beheld their prisoner. But, much to their surprise, he was nowhere in sight. Shocked, they reigned up on their horses and scanned the small area where they had last seen him go. They even searched the area on foot, but to no avail. He was gone.

Ian breathed a sigh of relief as he dropped of the cliff side and onto the sand below. After a half hour of climbing down a cliffside, and praying not to be seen, he was exhausted. Even though the sea cliff had provided an abundance of foot and hand holds, descending had been quite a workout. He had just barely been able to disappear below the edge of the cliff before the French dragoons had arrived. As he had climbed down, he could hear them searching in frustration above him. Next time he would have to be more alert.
I hope the girls made it, Ian though worriedly. Why did Joanne nae escape tae her fellow French? She had the perfect chance. Och, it’s a good thing she did nae, she could have given away some valuable information. He pondered that as he walked down the beach, then hastily yet carefully back up to his croft. Much to his relief he didn’t see any more dragoons or foes. And when he entered the croft, he saw his family and friend sitting restlessly around the room.
But when he came through the door, his family sprang up and rushed over to see how he was doing. Barrie grabbed him by the shoulder and grinned at his son, relieved. Flora hugged him tightly, also relieved. Alanna grinned from ear to ear and hugged them all. Joanne, still sitting, just smiled and sighed thankfully.
 “Aye son, we’re bonnie glad ye’re a ‘right. We sure were anxious when the Alanna and Joanne got back and told us breathlessly what happened. What did happen?”
Ian explained, while Flora gasped occasionally in the background.
“Mother, it’s okay!” exclaimed Ian in reply to her gasps, “It’s over.”
“I ken, I ken, but its hard tae imagine ye in that danger.”
Barrie chuckled, “Aye mother, besides that is probably the most danger Ian will ever get in all at one time.”
How wrong he was.-

The Man on the Roof

i did this in school last year when asked to do an assignment to see how well we could do descriptive writing. it’s a story of a guy going through hard times and looking for hope, so then he meets this getto dude and he finds help. lol, thats it in a nutshell. here is the long version.

I do not think I will ever forget the man on the roof. My mom had just been in a car accident and I was waiting in my apartment for the doctor’s call. At last, I couldn’t stand it. I climbed to the top of my apartment building and stood near the edge.

I stood there for a while, wondering how unjust the world can be and if it’s worth living. Suddenly I heard a noise of metal scraping metal, and I whirled around. As I look back on it, I realize how dangerous my part of town was, and the risk I was taking of being on the roof was great. Nevertheless, there he stood, the man I could not forget. He had long black hair and it did not look like it was washed. His skin was rough and dirty. His eyes were dark and took in his surroundings quickly. He looked at me, and we looked at each other for several long moments. Then, I think he noticed my tears. I did not know I was crying, so deeply was I in my thoughts. He started walking toward me, and as he approached, I saw the gun sticking out of his belt and the gleam of the knives along the belt on his chest. He looked tall and forbidding. I looked in his eyes and saw something in them. Compassion? No, that was not it. It must have been knowledge, understanding of what I was going through.

He was about three strides away when he stopped. He whispered, “your living”. I was confused at first, but then I began to understand. “Your living,” he said, “and as long as you’re living, things can only go bad for a while, but keep living. For at the end, it can only get better”. I was scared, but more curious then scared. As if in answer to my thoughts, he slowly shook his head, and turned to slip over the other side of the building.

I then returned to my apartment to hear my mothers voice on the answering machine. I understood then, what the man said, and since then, I have never forgotten it.