Semi-Daily Scribbles

Amelia felt blocked. She was dry as a bone. Nothing was coming, and she was beginning to fear that nothing would ever come her way again. Was bad luck dogging her every step? She couldn’t understand why. She was an adept rule follower, law abider, and dutiful daughter. That had to count for something. Amelia had been so meticulous in her studies. She wasn’t in it for fame or prestige, or an Employee of the Month plaque. She threw herself into learning the Old Ways so she could keep her balance in a world that was constantly bucking her off. No thrill ride, this. It was her craft, her life’s calling, her one and only chance to make a difference. Amelia wasn’t entirely convinced that anyone was actually keeping score. If, however, some big, invisible tallyman were doing his job, she’d be able to prove she was using her time wisely. 

She couldn’t keep staring up at the full moon forever. A damned decision loomed over Amelia stronger than any gravitational pull. Why choose at all? Why not let every random thought and half-formed idea duke it out until the clearest vision floated to the top? Amelia liked a challenge. It was all one big guessing game whether or not she could get the words right, anyway. She repeated them in preparation for this very moment, but no amount of practice was going to make choosing any less difficult. Amelia was standing at the crossroad. One false move and she’d lose it all. She closed her eyes and hummed softly as a warm wind rippled around her. The air was charged with her hopes and expectations. Amelia noted the taste of metal in her mouth as the wind intensified. Lightning left the sky and stabbed the earth with its jagged white beam. The hillside was struck over and over again until the ground was pockmarked and seeping. Amelia’s feet felt hot as she willed herself to stay rooted to the spot. There was no turning back now. She realized, perhaps too late, that fulfilling one’s potential isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.