A to Z Challenge 2013 - U is for Ululation

I'm posting snippets from a story for this year's Challenge.

If you'd like to read the whole tale, please start with A.

U IS FOR ULULATION

Danielle ran through the neighborhood's backyards and sent dogs to howling. Her hair whipped against her face and tangled as she leapt over fences.

Please let Libby be okay.

She heard a child's scream as she raced across Erik's back lawn and barreled through the glass door. Glass rained over the kitchen floor, and the alarm went off sounding like a dying siren's last ululation. Skating along with the shards, she darted down the hall and took the stairs two at a time to the second floor.

There was another scream and an ominous hiss. Not from Libby's room, but farther down the hall.

When Danielle kicked open the door, she found herself in the master bedroom. A gigantic serpent with a pink bonnet and a baby's rattle clutched in its tail loomed over its victim.

No. Victims.

Erik used his body to cover Libby's. Perhaps as his last act, because he didn't appear to be moving.

A to Z Challenge 2013 - M is for Monopoly and the April W4WS event

We're halfway there, folks!

This year for the Challenge, I'm posting snippets from a story.

If you'd like to read the whole tale, please start with A.

M IS FOR MONOPOLY

"When I was little, I had a monster in my closet too." Danielle rubbed the girl's back and didn't protest as Libby leaned against her.

Libby wiped at her cheeks, sniffling. "What did you do? Did someone come save you too?"

"Nope, no one. My parents wouldn't believe me. My brothers made fun of me. But the monster was real." Danielle ran her hands through Libby's blond locks, brushing them back from her face. "I would stay up all night with a flashlight pointed at the closet. To stay awake, I'd play Monopoly. I rolled the dice on my blankets so no one could hear them. I was always the dog. My brothers used to fight over the race car, but I loved the dog."

"I've never played that game," Libby said. Her voice was soft, but there were no more tears.

"Kids these days don't play it anymore. You have cool video games." Danielle gave the girl a little smile. "But one night, I fell asleep and the light went out. No one can stay up all night all the time. The monster came out and pinned me down on the game board with one big paw. It was going to eat me. I knew it. Its mouth was huge.

"I started kicking and screaming. I wasn't going to end up in a monster's belly. Then my hands started to glow, and the little dog yelled at me to kill the monster. Well, if my dog said I could do it, I was going to do it." Danielle made a slicing motion with her hand. "I killed it. Just like that."

"But I can't kill the monsters." Libby's lower lip trembled.

"That's all right. You have me to kill them for you." Danielle hugged the child. Tight.

Welcome to the March 2013 W4WS event! I'm honored to co-host this event with three talented writers, Mary Pax, C.M. Brown, and Stephen Tremp.  The mission of this group is simple: we have a spotlighted author(s) that we strive to help bring awareness of their book(s) to tens of thousands of new people, increase the sales of their book(s), drive new traffic to their blogs and increase followers, and create verbal and viral buzz.

 
We've made this simple and fast. It's as easy as a tweet or a RT, and sharing a status on Facebook. Go to the writer's blog and copy a tweet or RT from the posts with the tag #W4WS. The W4WS Facebook page will have all the updates and links for you.

 
To join the W4WS event, click here for the linky list. It will only take a minute of your time, and you'll have talented writers take a step closer to their dreams. 
This month, we're spotlighting two fantastically talented writers.

E.J. Wesley is a scribbler of words and author of the Moonsongs series. It's a kick-butt NA paranormal series which I highly recommend. Check him out on his blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

M. Pepper Langlinais is an award-winning screenwriter and bestselling author. Her newest book, The K-Pro, is a contemporary fantasy that's highly original and superbly written. Check her out at her blog, Twitter, and The K-Pro's site.