WEP #flashfiction Sneak Preview #Excerpt from Proof of Existence #wepff

The current WEP prompt is inspired by

“Manuscript of the Old South”

with main character, Pansy.
🤨
No? Oh right, that's because both of those were *changed in the publication process.

(*Something which could happen with my entry later. Just saying.)


Main character Katie Scarlett O'Hara Hamilton Kennedy Butler in:

https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2023/01/wep-february-challenge-gone-with-wind.html

GONE WITH THE WIND

Quick background information for my take on the prompt:
Proof of Existence is set in 2006. These scenes occur near the end of Act 2. It takes place on May 19 &  29, 2006.

SPOILER ALERT!!

If you haven't read Fractions of Existence (book one), you won't know:
highlight to read

• Xavier controls liquid. He is making it rain. 💧
  
• Jezebel (Jez) controls heat, fire, electric... ⚡
  
• Gwendolyn (Wend) controls air. She is the wind. 🌬
• Heath is currently gone in this scene. His birthday is May 20.

This explains the tag and why what's going on in this urban fantasy is plausible for the story.
Tag: An excerpt that is literally about a character who is GONE in a scene with THE WIND. 😆

Title:

CHAPTER 21 Excerpt

Jezebel let herself into the apartment. Still in her pajamas and bathrobe, Wend sat on the sofa with a nearly empty box of tissues and her phone, crying hysterically.

"Where is he?" Jez asked. Wend pointed to the door to the terrace as she squeaked out a thanks for coming.

Jez adjusted her scarf as she marched over. The clean, fresh scent of him and his rain bombarded her. She paused to breathe it in, momentarily lost in the memory of his finest hugs. Rain poured down, water running inside thanks to the open door. She considered going for a towel, but this floor wasn't hers, and the growing puddle was not why she came. She spread warmth through her body before stepping outside. "Looks like it'll be a wet lunch today."

"He'll see it," Xavier said, his face turned up to the clouds. "He'll see it, he'll know I care, and he'll come home."

Jez leaned against him. "I miss him too. But all you're doing is soaking the city."

"No! He'll see it. He'll find a weather report. He'll see it's raining in New York City and he'll call me."

Jez touched his jaw. "Look at me. Xavier, you're upsetting Wend. And, as powerful as you are, it does rain all over the world without your direct intervention."

"She's upset because adding wind won't help, according to her."

"Really? I'm pretty sure she's upset because you are standing out in the rain yelling at the clouds like a madman."

He leaned against her hand, finally looking her way. "His birthday is tomorrow. I can't sit here and do nothing, Jez. He would have found me."

The rain pounded harder as tears welled up in Xavier's eyes. 

"Dammit," Jez pointed to the sky. Lightning struck across the clouds. "He'd find me too. I've never been able to hide from him. Tens of thousands of years, Heath has always been able to find me."

They stared at each other as she sent a bolt across the lightning rods of the highest buildings. 

Wend swept to the door. "I thought you came to help," she cried.

Another flash of lightning tore across the sky. "I am helping! We're having a thunderstorm brunch in honor of tomorrow being Heath's birthday. You may as well come add some wind to the party."

*****

"I hope you’re having a meaningful Memorial day. How's the happy couple?" Jez asked as she answered Xavier's call.

"We're okay. They're filming on Fire Island, so we opted to come out to California. We're on the yacht. Plan to fly back Wednesday night."

"That's good," Jez said as she sipped her drink. She kept her tone casual, as if two weeks ago they hadn't spent most of the day creating a storm. As if they didn't goad Gwendolyn into causing a thirty-eight miles-per-hour wind in the middle of that afternoon. 

"Yeah. So, umm,"

Jez sighed. "No, I haven't heard from him. Yes, I still have his phone. I checked his apartment twice this week. Nothing. Presents are gathering dust. I've looked at his other local hiding spots, too. No one has seen him."

"Oh," bits of Xavier's shattered heart drifted through the phone. Jez lit her finger, evaporating her tears away. 

545 words  FCA

---

Yes, it's REAL weather.
https://weatherspark.com/h/d/23912/2006/5/19/Historical-Weather-on-Friday-May-19-2006-in-New-York-City-New-York-United-States

(Wow! Fractions of Existence is finally in ONE of the right categories on Amazon! "#11,800 in Mythology & Folk Tales")

🎉 I intend to release Proof of Existence on April 4, 2023. 🎆

It picks up where the first book left off. It is still a Speculative Fiction / Urban Fantasy, set in 2006, though this one focuses a bit more on the paranormal romance angle. The main characters pass for the 18–29 age bracket, so it's still New Adult. (Though college is no longer one of Wend's primary concerns. She has something entirely different to learn now.)
I hope to get a launch party going. If you are interested in helping out, please fill out this short form:
https://forms.gle/9qkdk6FheDtZvR7Y9
(Thank you to Natalie, Kate, Ronel, Christine, Yolanda, and Toi for your support. I will be in touch in or near March. 😎 ❤ )

Please add to your Goodreads TBR. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65150644-proof-of-existence
Some "book sites" to connect with J: