Tuesday Tales: Writing Earth

Welcome to Tuesday Tales, a weekly blog featuring diverse authors who post excerpts from their works in progress based on word and picture prompts. We’re a book hungry troop that enjoys reading as much as you do. Today our word prompt is earth. My excerpt is from one of my books in progress, Hannah’s Haint, a vintage paranormal romance set in a small town in the 1950s.  Please visit the other fabulous authors at Tuesday Tales.

A thud sounded from down the hallway.

Her heart jumped to her throat. Was it Lily again, trying to frighten her? Where was a strapping soldier when you needed one? She’d soon see lights installed in this section, if she had to empty her pocketbook. Grabbing a wrench in one hand and stuffing a flashlight in her apron pocket, she crept down the passage, feeling her way. Better not flick on the flashlight until she identified the source of the noise.

Another thud, louder.

Lily, what are you playing at now? She almost muttered it aloud but stopped herself. What if it wasn’t the hotel ghost this time? Nate had mentioned hearing something up here one night last week. She should have let him investigate, instead of brushing it off.

A light bobbed catty-cornered to Lily’s old bedroom, and then came the sound of chipping or scraping.

Hannah stopped and squeezed her eyes shut. Maybe she should go back and telephone someone. That fiasco last time she called the Chief, though. Her cheeks burned at the memory of being deemed hysterical. Maybe Nate? Nope, no time for that anyway. She would not be frightened out of her own hotel. Determined to approach in silence, she slinked like the neighborhood tabby, slow and deliberate.

She made it to the doorway, peered around, and her mouth fell open.

Grant Peavey knelt by the built-in hutch, using a screw driver and file on the rusty lock. He had a small flashlight clenched between his teeth.

She must have uttered some sound of surprise, because the next thing she knew the light was trained on her face. Blinded, she stepped back against the door jam and reached into her pocket. Instead of shining the light in his eyes she waved it up and down his casual, all black ensemble. “W-what on earth are you wearing, Grant?”

His laugh was chilling. “Not why am I here or what am I doing, but what am I wearing?”

She swallowed. His demeanor was off kilter. “Crazy question I know, given the situation, but I’ve never seen you in anything but a three piece suit. You don’t seem like the Grant I know.”

His features screwed into a menacing scowl, and he stepped toward her. “Ah, Hannah.” His fingers bit into her flesh. “You have no idea how many Grants race around inside my brain.”

I hope you enjoyed the snippet based on the word prompt earth. Thanks for stopping by. Please visit the other fabulous authors at Tuesday Tales.

Cheers & Happy Reading!

Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic in Romance