Holiday Contest entry back on track...excerpt

After a few weeks of tending my sick child, I am back in the flow.  The holiday story I was writing just wasn't working out.  The story I originally had in mind for the Holiday contest was designated to Valentine's Day instead. But suddenly that story and the characters in it have found their Christmas Spirit and I've switched it up. A Holiday tale of Love surviving death. Christmas Spirit with a paranormal touch of Comfort. 

I'm up to 5K words, have a solid plot, cooperative characters, and real life, as well as Spirit inspiration influencing it.  This will be my second story featuring a disabled main character (using a wheelchair) and I can't wait for you to all meet her and the rest of them.  I have some amazing people in my life who have lent their life experience and inspiration to the story, but it really is all about the lovely, impish Spirit who is guiding it along.


Oh, and horses will figure in heavily, one special horse in particular named Windust


Enjoy this little excerpt from the story. :)

Excerpt:

 

Rachel looked around at the modest pile of wrapped presents beneath the Douglas Fir, noting the lovely contrast between colors and characters. Glancing around, her blue eyes landed on several piles of yet-to-be-wrapped gifts. She sighed. She was in charge of wrapping all of the gifts for the Toy Drive this year. She had been given the choice of crafts, cookies, or gift wrapping. She chose, in her opinion, the lesser of three evils. She had no patience for crafts. Her sister-in-law's kitchen was not wheelchair adapted the way her own home was. So she had begrudgingly accepted the wrapping task, wondering just how much work could it be to wrap a few gifts for kids?

She yawned, stretched, and lightly banged her head on the table. “Just a little break,” she told herself as she closed her eyes.

“Rachel,” a voice called softly in the distance. “Rachel.” She lifted her head and looked around.

“Who said that?” She reached for another package lying on the low card-table, knocking over her mug of tepid cocoa in the process. The cocoa spilled, running all over the roll of festive wrapping paper and ruining the cardboard box containing a babydoll. With a groan of annoyance, she grabbed up the box, ripped the sopping cardboard open and glared at all of the plastic twists and security ties holding the doll in.

“You've got to be kidding me!” she growled. After unsuccessfully trying to untwist the ties, she picked up the the fancy pair of pinking shears and attacked the box with them, cutting her thumb on the cardboard in the process. Disgusted, she pushed away from the table, grabbed a paper towel and wheeled over to the coat rack. Flinging her woolen shawl over her shoulders and slipping on her leather gloves, she pushed fast and hard, escaping out into the cold night air.

The hair on the back of her neck stood up as she made her way down to the barn. She felt like she was being watched and the sooner she got herself inside, the better. A howl broke the stillness of the night startling her. Despite the fact that she knew it was just the old husky that lived down the lane, she still picked up her speed. Sarah wasn't due back for another couples of hours. She would hide out in the barn, check on the horses, and spend some alone time with her horse Windust. Her heavy heart lifted remembering how Windust had come into her life and the man who came with him.

“I miss you.” She said, opening the stable door and rushing inside. She slammed the door shut and breathed a sigh of relief, chuckling to herself at her silly imagination. Of course no one answered her and no one was watching her. She unlatched the stable door. Wind nearly knocked her out of her chair, greeting her, and nudging her body. She pushed on the brakes to ensure she wouldn't move and then wrapped her arms around his gray neck, breathing in his horse scent and loving him.

“I can always count on you, friend.” She stroked his neck and kissed his muzzle, closing her eyes and allowing the memories to overtake her of that very first day...

~Luna