tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74157879043599902922024-02-25T12:07:37.697-06:00On The WindHeidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-38881462866305255932023-01-15T08:14:00.001-06:002023-01-15T08:25:16.218-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Twenty-Six( out of order )It was Thursday, two days before the party. Gladys had been driving TP nuts, ringing the doorbell every five minutes with armfuls of party supplies. The counters were overflowing; there were bags and boxes in the laundry room, folding tables and chairs on the patio along with a pop-up tent ready to assemble. TP finally asked her to please come in without ringing the bell, and she Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-70499235553932570252023-01-11T07:11:00.003-06:002023-01-11T07:12:32.148-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Twenty-Nine(for earliest chapters click on 2022 posts link on left sidebar) "I think I've found the right building for our new pet shelter."They were eating breakfast the morning after the party; TP, Evalda, Harold and Madeline. Evalda had cooked oatmeal, and there were left over fruit tarts from last night."It's not too far from here, actually. Used to be a vet's office, so there are kennels and a bigHeidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-54099470387988865682023-01-10T07:00:00.000-06:002023-01-10T07:00:09.843-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Twenty-Eight(for earlier chapters, click on the 2022 posts link on the left sidebar.)The policemen instructed him to stay where he was and disappeared down the hall. People came in the back door but were only allowed to use the bathroom. At one point, Gladys' strident voice rose, demanding to be let into the kitchen, but she was firmly rebuffed. Then he heard Madeline speaking to the officers, and shortly Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-74095984659081906102023-01-09T07:03:00.002-06:002023-01-17T13:37:24.354-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Twenty-Seven (IMPORTANT: before reading this chapter, read chapter twenty-six which got listed after chapter twenty-nine by mistake!)At four-thirty the musicians arrived to set up. TP had built a brick and plywood platform between the flower patch and the food tent, covering it with old sheets which Gladys had sprinkled liberally with dried flower petals."Oh, this is charming, TP. I feel like I've Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-39150749843240644412023-01-08T07:11:00.002-06:002023-01-17T13:40:35.149-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Twenty-Five (for earliest chapters click on the 2022 posts link on the left hand sidebar)Hattie opened the door and gave a shriek, putting a hand to her cheek."Doc! Doc, get out here right now!"Doc came barreling up behind her, his face grey with trepidation. When he saw TP, he gave a great, gusty sigh and grabbed his friend, hugging him tightly. The three of them stood there a long moment, laughing, Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-80817033094066263372023-01-07T07:02:00.001-06:002023-01-15T08:09:56.369-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Twenty-Four (for earliest chapters click on the 2022 posts link on the left sidebar)The chimera was about to attack. It's outline wavered in front of him, misshapen and purple. He had to get away."No!" he cried, striking the air with his fist, shaking his head from side to side."Mr. Dunlap! TP!""What?" "It's me."He squinted in the bright light. Glorious Beginnings. That nose. "What are you Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-13051325834358399112023-01-06T07:07:00.004-06:002023-01-15T08:08:45.201-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Twenty-Three(for earliest chapters click on the 2022 posts link on the left sidebar)They made a camp of sorts on a level spot well out of reach of the mist. TP sat on a log and ate his bread, nuts and raisins, stretching out his legs in front of him to work out the kinks. His white shirt now had purple splotches, courtesy of the stingles. Evalda would love it.The food tasted like dust in his mouth, but he Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-77734973878897269982023-01-05T07:05:00.000-06:002023-01-05T07:05:02.166-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Twenty-Two(for earliest chapters click on 2022 posts on the left sidebar)TP's gear was stowed in the bow of the boat while he sat on a padded chair in the stern. Glorious sat on a bench in the center, facing him, manning the oars. He wasn't a talkative fellow, which suited TP just fine. His mind was focused on the challenges ahead, not on idle chit-chat with a stranger. He certainly wasn't about to ask theHeidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-49989062318839024262023-01-03T18:17:00.005-06:002023-01-15T08:06:41.263-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Twenty-One(for earliest chapters click on 2022 posts link on the left sidebar)Wild roses blossomed on either side of the road as TP trudged towards Boggy Meadow, but he barely noticed the lush display, nor smelled the delightfully scented morning air. Even the many species of small, flying reptiles visiting the flowers failed to catch his attention. Last summer he'd spent hours in the meadows and fields ofHeidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-45597023638336842462023-01-03T07:10:00.005-06:002023-01-03T07:10:53.279-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Twenty (for earliest chapters click on 2022 posts on the left sidebar)TP's fragile state of mind took another hit. When had he lost the button? He'd only noticed it missing today, and assumed it had come off in the wash.But a search of the washer and dryer and his bedroom floor including every inch of the closet yielded no button. It was entirely possible the button found at the crime scene was Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-86102478500049324472023-01-02T07:04:00.003-06:002023-01-02T07:04:45.675-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Nineteen(for earliest chapters click on the 2022 posts on the left sidebar)The thing about bees, TP thought as he lay in the grey, no-man's-land of predawn, was their altruistic nature. They sacrificed themselves for the hive, collecting nectar and pollen, working tirelessly to care for the queen, the drones, their sister workers. The single drone bee lucky enough to mate with a new queen died Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-64993367378885766002023-01-01T07:13:00.000-06:002023-01-01T07:13:23.129-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Eighteen(for previous chapters click on the chapter links on the left sidebar)It sat on Widow's Moan, sometimes simply called The Widow, an island in the deeper waters of Boggy Meadow Swamp. The name came from stories of the many fishermen who'd disappeared there, leaving their wives to grieve and lament and forever wonder what had happened. The mistangle was a foggy, circular cloud that swirled and Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-91970274509682031022022-12-31T07:07:00.000-06:002022-12-31T07:07:55.574-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Seventeen(for previous chapters click on the chapter links on the left sidebar)"So when did you first know the chimera was still with you?"They were sitting in Doc's office, a small examining room at the back of his house with a table, desk, three chairs and an attached lab. The walls held shelves of medical books, watercolors of sunrise and sunset over the wetlands and a large poster identifying Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-33576264863403606602022-12-30T07:00:00.001-06:002023-01-15T08:03:22.717-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Sixteen(for previous chapters click on the chapter links on the left sidebar)He was in Minglemist. Even if his eyes were closed, he would know. The air smelled different - a peculiar greenish blend of ferns and leaves and whatever else inhabited this place. The path he was on wound through a dense patch of lollywon trees, their bent and crooked limbs draped with moss, looking like ancient hairy soldiersHeidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-27263419094472365182022-12-29T07:07:00.000-06:002022-12-29T07:07:25.553-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Fifteen (for previous chapters click on the chapter links on the left sidebar)The night was not what he'd expected. He'd been dreading the nightmares, the jolts of electricity that wreaked havoc on his nervous system, the pressure on his chest, the terrible sensations of falling. He did have to endure the soulless red eyes burning into him as he fell asleep, but then a gentle breeze lifted him Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-78836771453499597462022-12-28T07:06:00.000-06:002022-12-28T07:06:20.063-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Fourteen (for previous chapters click on the chapter links on the left sidebar)TP sat in his rocker in the living room, slowly rocking back and forth, staring down at the grey, black and red rug beneath his feet. The brass clock over the mantle read nine-twenty p.m. Madeline had made him a cup of tea which sat cooling on the end table. The colors in the rug matched his mood: black for Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-25334144851132878172022-12-27T07:03:00.000-06:002022-12-27T07:03:39.743-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Thirteen (for previous chapters click on the chapter links on the left sidebar)Despite the sedative, he hardly slept. His nervous system was in overdrive, his thoughts were jumbled and confused. He awoke countless times to find himself pacing the floor or thrashing around on his bed, certain something was holding him down. He dreamed he was climbing mountains and falling off cliffs, his heart Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-71041610476818917612022-12-26T07:09:00.000-06:002022-12-26T07:09:49.115-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Twelve (for previous chapters click on the chapter links on the left sidebar)They stayed up late again, talking, TP in his rocker and she on the couch. TP was in no hurry to retire. He'd been knocked out a good part of the day and wasn't sleepy. In fact, he felt wired up. And the longer he stayed awake the less time the beast had to haunt his dreams."I've been wondering, TP, if the chimera could Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-27204088140095309102022-12-25T07:06:00.000-06:002022-12-25T07:06:54.407-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Eleven (for previous chapters click on the chapter links on the left sidebar)TP had to meditate before entering the lab to dispel the anxiety caused by Mel's words. He kept thinking about the people he'd injured, hoping they'd all fully recover. It was an impossible situation for him. If he went to the authorities and told the truth, they'd think he was mentally ill. They'd give him a psychiatric Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-34281988777784622182022-12-24T07:03:00.000-06:002022-12-24T07:03:17.176-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Ten (for previous chapters click on the chapter links on the left sidebar)Madeline took Harold and Archie for a drive around the neighborhood in the green beetle."It's got a lever that makes the back of the seat shoot up," Harold explained to TP when they returned. "I worked the lever and Archie rode in the back. Madeline, do you want to see my dump truck?"They played in the yard until dusk, Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-1402688148594511442022-12-23T07:10:00.000-06:002022-12-23T07:10:39.694-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Nine (for previous chapters click on the chapter links on the left sidebar)He'd been pruning in his garden and had tripped and fallen through a hole in the wax myrtle hedge; a hole that hadn't been there the day before. As he fell he was fuming, thinking that Gladys had cut the hole so she could spy on him. But instead of landing in Gladys' back yard, he'd found himself on a shaded lane with Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-75269160979313967282022-12-22T07:01:00.000-06:002022-12-22T07:01:23.205-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Eight(for previous chapters click on the chapter links on the left sidebar) A deep heaviness settled over TP. His chest felt so constricted he could barely breathe. His whole body felt wooden and stiff. He stood up, dropped the paper and dragged himself down the hall to his bedroom.In his closet were the leather slip-on shoes he wore around the house in the evenings. Never outside. With dread he Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-55998828240498877852022-12-21T07:04:00.007-06:002022-12-21T07:12:09.836-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Seven (for previous chapters, click the chapter links on the left sidebar)Before turning in for the night TP looked in on Harold, whose bedroom was right across the hall from his own, at the back of the house. Harold's pajamas were a riot of parrots, zebras, giraffes and elephants - really, how could one sleep in such a jungle? Shubert, the teddy bear (who'd been put through the wash on delicate Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-34135915750023101812022-12-20T06:55:00.000-06:002022-12-20T06:55:23.905-06:00A Twist in the Mist - Chapter Six (Scroll down for previous chapters)"The troubadours wore hats with feathers."They were on their way home after visiting the butterfly garden and indoor displays at the nature center. Harold was playing with a duck feather he'd found, running it back and forth across Archie's back as the dog straddled his lap, front paws on the arm rest, nose stuck out the open window, tail thumping Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7415787904359990292.post-85003325102686341282022-12-19T07:21:00.000-06:002022-12-19T07:21:21.519-06:00A Twist in the Mist, Chapter Five(Scroll down for previous chapters) Marshy Point Nature Center was a short drive east from Baltimore. A quiet little park in Middle River, it was situated on a peninsula between Dundee and Saltpeter Creeks. There was a convenient canoe and kayak launch on the Dundee side that TP often used, and that's where he was headed with Harold.They'd stopped at a store along the way to outfit Harold Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16549613587204332175noreply@blogger.com0