National Novel Writing Month

Yes, I know. I must be crazy. But we all knew that, didn't we? Here's the beginning of my NaNoWriMo novel for 2007.

Grave Tidings

Tulsa, Oklahoma
Now

      The only thing unique about Justina Grave, besides her somber name, was what she did in her free time, what she called her vocation. Medium height with short brown hair, a bit thick around the waist and hips, a tendency toward red clothes, nice blue eyes and an infectious grin, altogether pleasant, but not drop dead gorgeous or even that remarkable. She worked in an insurance office as a CSR (Customer Service Representative), a job she hated but was adequately good at. She went to a local Catholic church faithfully once a week, not being a particularly devout or loyal Catholic since she disliked the Pope and "all the other men in skirts" as she put it, but she did believe in God and knew that He existed. She knew this with a cold stone certainty, a certainty not powered by faith, but rather bitter and bloody knowledge. She knew that ultimate good existed because she knew with ultimate evil existed. She knew this because -- when she wasn't watching the latest reality show on television -- she killed monsters.
      Vampires, werewolves, werecats, black witches, zombies, goblins, trolls, orcs, nagas, closet beasts, mad scientists, vicious merfolk, demonized eels, the list went on and on. One of her particularly favorite kills was a giant man-eating beetle. Its head was mounted above her bed. She didn't get many visitors in her bed. In fact, none since Leo, a drunken co-worker at the last Christmas party whom she had let follow her home even though she didn't like him and thought his jokes were decidedly unfunny, but it was Christmas Eve, and she thought it would be nice just once to wake up on Christmas with someone warm beside her. Naturally that night she was attacked by a group of bogins who were attempting to avenge the death of their shaman, dispatched to the Netherhinds by Justina a couple of nights before. It was a less than romantic evening, topped off with Leo vomiting party shrimp and cheese crackers into the commode as she killed bogins while attempting to do it as quietly as possible so that Leo would remain unaware that his co-worker was a 17th Circle Mage tasked with protecting the world from the minions of the Old, Older and Oldest Gods. Fortunately Leo passed out on the floor where he remained until morning, and by that time, Justina had disposed of all the assorted body parts.
      On this particular evening in March, Justina, after a harrying day at work where she had to deal with an irate customer who simply couldn't understand why his insurance was cancelled even though he hadn't made his monthly payment in four months, was looking forward to a long, relaxing soak in her claw-footed tub, a light meal -- probably another micro-waved frozen dinner -- and then a lovely evening watching the B-stars participating in Dancing with the Stars. So when she opened her door and saw her beautiful, demonic sister lounging on the couch, it put a particularly nasty topper on her day.
      "No," Justina said.
      Ludvina raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. "And hello to you, too."
      "Hello and no," Justina said, tossing her keys on the kitchen table.
      "I haven’t asked you to do anything," Ludvina said.
      "You will," Justina said. "No. No. No."
      "Such a bad attitude," Ludvina said. "But I don't blame you. I think it's your job. You come home exhausted after eight hours of dealing with moronic customers and worthless bosses, and naturally you're at wit's end. You can't even manage a civil greeting to your only sister."
      "I have other sisters," Justina said. "You're just the only one who hasn't tried to kill me lately."
      "Are they still up to that?" Ludvina asked.
      "Yes," Justina said, tossing her jacket on the couch. "Well, not really. It's more of form rather than function lately. Tama even sent me a cake on my birthday. Admittedly it blew up, but it did show she was thinking of me."
      "Familial love is a lovely thing," Ludvina said. "And after all, you did kill her husband on her wedding day."
      "He needed killing," Justina said. "To get back to what I was saying --"
      "You can't say no," Ludvina said.
      "Yes, I can," Justina said. "Just listen. No. No. No. No. No. NO."
      "There's no reason to shout," Ludvina said. "I'm simply delivering a message from Uncle Bane." She paused.
      Justina looked at her. Ludvina smiled.
      Picking up the remote, Justina turned on the TV. She flopped onto the couch and started to channel surf.
      Ludvina sighed. "You are the most stubborn being in the world."
      Justina didn't reply.
      "Fine," Ludvina said. "Fine. Be that way. I'll deliver my message and be on my way. I've had nicer receptions from priests than from you."
      "I bet you have," Justina muttered.
      Ludvina smirked. "Can I help it that I'm every man's desire?"
      Justina thought it prudent to not answer. She changed the channel again.
      "Justina." Ludvina's voice became serious. "Uncle Bane wants to see you tonight. Midnight. You know where."
      "And why should I give up sleep to see him?" Justina asked.
      "Because Mamon escaped yesterday," Ludvina said.
      Justina's head jerked around. "Escaped?" Her soulsword leapt into her hand.
      Ludvina looked at her sister soberly. "And he'll be coming to kill you first."

Copyright 2007 Stephen B. Bagley. All rights reserved.