Thursday, January 10, 2013

Country Girl to City School In Lincoln Ne.



This is a chapter from Candle Light Dreams..Celeste's abusive aunt has just sent her to first day of school in Lincoln. She sent her off alone with a map. This is one part-She is looking back on her day following school.
 Book out this year. When? Undetermined. Ladette Randolph Sandhills Ballad editing. templeranch@wordpress.org
Chapter 35:  Despairing
Her feet slid along the icy slick street. The new school was enormous and overwhelming, like a huge penitentiary with wire fences. Why hadn’t she thought about Lincoln and all the people compared to the country? She was made for a one-room school. All day long she’d watched hundreds of kids running up and down the halls like armies of ants, she a stranger among them. No one said hello which left her stranded and wondering what to do with her hands. She’d hung them to her sides, held them behind her back, used them to pull on her dress, ran them though her hair, still she was unable to get them to feel at home or comfortable. Out of options, she’d scratched herself then pulled on her nails, also biting them. The feet were good for drawing designs in the snow.
When the lunch hour came, Celeste took her tray wondering where she should sit. She felt self-conscious and alone in the big cafeteria. At UNION SHE would be sitting with Ginny and the other girls, each trying to get Miss England’s attention, asking her if she wanted something from their lunch pail. All Miss England ate was an apple and some cheese.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Candle Light Dreams Nebraska-Hate Will Club


  Nothing stopped Will’s desire to torment Ginny. Celeste as well as Ginny dreaded Will’s bravado and cocky attitude. Early in the fourth grade, Ginny took action. She and Celeste were walking to school one morning when Ginny stopped and turning towards Celeste, said, “Celeste, I want a yes or no. Are you going to join my ‘I Hate Will’ Club?  It’s just you and me. We’ll use the old shed out behind the barn for a club house.” Her eyes shiny, her face eager, she continued. “It has an old ice pick and that hog hanging device. It’s the thing they used to bleed pigs out before boiling them. The shed’s about empty except for those and some axes and barrels.” 
    Horrified at the thought of hanging Will, Celeste remained silent. What would Mom and Dad say when they found Will dead and dripping blood?
    Impatient for an answer, Ginny tapped the toe of Celeste's shoe.  Panicked, Celeste’s mind was empty.
    “Celeste, we’re about to go to school, and I want to know whether to make plans or not. I want a yes or no. Right now.”
    Celeste, her voice an octave higher asked, “What are the plans?” Which would be worse? Having Ginny mad or killing Will?
    “It’s going to be fun,” Ginny laughed. “We’ll move the stuff aside and bring in pans and gravel for mud pies. Once the pies dry, we’ll bomb him. Can’t you just see him? I’m going to make that crazy, mean gizzard cry.”
    “Ginny,” Celeste giggled, relieved. “I’ll join. I thought you were going to murder him on that pig hanging thing. I mean hang him, drain him, axe him, and pick him. I just didn’t think ...”
    “Hey. You really are creative, Celeste. Let me give that some thought.”
Candle Light Dreams Nebraska