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Email Subscribe To Newsletter Deb CarverOwens PO BOX 2214 Foley, AL 36536     admin@debcarverowens.com     Author of Sci-Fi, Short Stories, Poetry, Music, Editorials, and Articles.

Come and see the Christmas website and visit. It is the most wonderful time of the year and I love this season. It makes me miss white Christmases from when I lived in Illinois and Montana. I haven't been in the snow for so long that I would have to get used to it all over again. I am going to put the featured book in this blog so that you can read an excerpt and buy your copy. See ya at the website! Black Seven: Legend of Venetta Excerpt 1509 AD Lake Michigan Region The lake was still and sparkling in the sunlight. All the trees were colored with yellows, oranges, and reds. There were four lakes all around and behind this one that her people had seen at one time or another in their travels. This was the time of year that the hunters gathered from all the nearby tribes to stave off starvation through the winter. Venetta was no hunter; however, she and several women went with the men to process the animals that the warriors dispatched. She was not looking forward to her task, but it was an honor to be chosen. Packing her skin covered carrying bag, she blew the stray strands of hair away from her brow. The hunters were ready to leave and would start their journey at dusk. Joining the other women, Venetta waited patiently for the ritual being performed to bless the endeavor of the men; to bring enough meat to last until the first thaw of spring. "You think you are something special?" her aunt Morenca whispered in a venomous tone. "You know as well as I do I should have been chosen to go this year." "I am sorry that you weren't chosen, Morenca, but there is nothing I can do about it." Vanetta answered in a whisper also. She tried to ignore her aunt, but it was hard when all your life someone belittled you. Vanetta never knew when or in what form the torment would be delivered. More than not, there was a physical blow involved. Vanetta was just glad that they were at a gathering and not alone. Vanetta turned back to face the chief who was standing beside the Holy Man who was blessing each of the warriors that were about to make the journey. When the rite was completed, the party started through the forest toward their hunting grounds in silence. This is the way they would travel most of the journey. She glanced toward her parents having the feeling that this was the last time she would see them. Turning back, a chill came over her, and, even though she looked straight ahead, she could only see the vision that had formed in front of her. Her feet carried her on, but her eyes saw darkness. Suddenly, there appeared a mist out of the darkness and when it cleared; there was a strange symbol that seemed to be on a wall of some kind. She had never seen it before, and it frightened her. The symbol was all in black with a line going horizontally across the top with a vertical line attached to the end of it going down. Just as suddenly, the vision disappeared. Usually her visions meant that something was imminent, but there was no way for her to interpret the scene being unfamiliar with the object that she saw. She tucked it away in the back of her mind to remember hoping the time would come that there would be familiar ground on which to relate the vision. Most of the members of hers and the other tribes were afraid of her and made her feel that she was not a part of them. Her father tried to tell her that she was special and that the others were jealous, but, Venetta still felt like an outsider. She was nineteen and most of the other young women were either mated to a warrior or spoken for to be united after the hunt during the celebration feast. None of the warriors would have anything to do with her and that is what really hurt. She was afraid that she would have to live her life alone with no one to give her children or protect her. Tormenting her every opportunity was her mother's sister, Morenca. She was tall and willowy with long, long, black hair that went to her hips while Vanetta was petite with hair that went every which way. Her aunt was the same age as Venetta, but that was where the similarity ended. Morenca was haughty and spiteful making sure that Venetta new that she was more liked than her niece. The chief's son, Stillmah, had bragged that he would collect the most meat so that he could be joined to Morenca which is another thing that Morenca taunted her about. The only good thing about being chosen to go with the hunters was that Morenca was not there. Venetta frowned as she remembered the show that Morenca had made about not being chosen. She had screamed her disapproval like an unruly child. Being united with the warrior that brought back the most meat was not good enough for her; she had to be the center of attention always. Venetta sighed and set her mind on the journey before them. She was happy to get away from all the forbidding looks and whispers that were her constant companion. The other women with whom she travelled were not particularly friendly; keeping to themselves. But, at least, they didn't ridicule her for her special gifts and that eased her mind somewhat. She had been told since she was a child that her eccentricities and abilities to have visions were a present given to only her. Her parents had tried to make her see that there was nothing wrong or strange about the way she was. It was hard to accept when the other girls her age shunned her, and the matrons ignored her. That had been going on since the day she had slipped on the ice and fallen down an embankment onto the frozen lake. She was five summers old and had been following a bright light beneath the ice. As she neared the place where it stopped, the water had frozen as if a wave had been suspended upward. She climbed to the top and slipped on the edge. Falling downward, she landed with her head against the surface and felt a jolt go through her. Her parents were afraid that she wouldn't survive the fall, but, ever since that day, she had visions that frightened her people. The chief had decided to let her live after her parents had paid the "foreboding price". At the age of sixteen, she had been shunned by the other teenagers of the tribe and ridiculed by the young warriors. She didn't want to think about all that. There was no reason for these thoughts to ruin her journey. Tucking it back in her memories, she followed the other members of the party until they came to a clearing in the forest. It was decided that they would rest here for the evening and continue at first light. She helped the women prepare the camp and cook the food. After the men had eaten their fill, the women ate their meal and cleaned up. Venetta found herself a bush with leaves that hung out to shelter the ground and lay down. She wrapped up in her blanket and listened to the night sounds. Soon she was asleep……. The sky was clear, and it looked to be a sunny day for this time of year. Venetta glanced up and gasped. Roiling black clouds came from the east to stop over the hunting party. She could hear the thunder and saw great streaks of lightning strike the ground all around them. Running as fast as she could to keep up with the others, she espied a cave to the left and ran to get inside to safety. The others had kept on running forward not having seen the cave. She tried to call them back, but they could not hear her over the roar of the thunder. As she watched, streaks of lightning struck the running figures. The hunting party fell one by one except for Stillmah, who had veered off to the right and hid behind a large boulder in front of a small hill. Turning into the cave, she felt sadness at the loss of so many of her people. The storm ended as quickly as it had come, and the sun shone once more. Entering the cave, she discovered that she could see the walls, for; the cave was not very deep. Looking around, she saw drawings on the right side, but, on the far back wall was the symbol she had seen earlier. A line that was horizontal connected to a vertical line at the end of the first one. She slowly walked to the symbol and with her hand traced the odd shape. Suddenly, there was a blinding light that appeared in front of her……. Venetta awakened with a cry and rolled from under the bush. The others roused from their beds and stood looking at her with disgusted and wary expressions on their faces. The women stared at her in horror while the men had looks of disgust. She was so embarrassed that she didn't think of telling them the dream she had. They would not believe her, and it would add to their jests at her expense. Walking to the water, she took her bag and filled her drinking skin with the clear blue liquid. The men were ready to depart and so she followed them with the other women walking apart from her. Glancing back to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything, she left with the others. The sun had just started to lighten the sky as they made their way to the hunting grounds a day's walk from their camp. Venetta thought about the dream and possible explanations for it. She wanted to tell someone that they would soon be in danger, but, when she tried to talk to the women, they turned their heads away from her and went on. How could she get the message across to the men that they were walking into disaster? Finally, she decided to try to get Stillmah to listen. She quickened her pace and walked behind him. "Stillmah," she whispered, "I have to tell you something of great importance. Will you talk with me?" Stillmah glanced behind him and smirked, "What would I have to say to a crazy woman? Go back with the other women and leave a warrior to contemplate his journey." "But it is vital that you listen to me." She begged him. "The hunting party is walking into danger." "What would you know about danger? There is nothing a crazy woman can say to me that I would believe." He said and swung his hand back to let her know that their discussion was at an end, but his hand connected with her cheek. "Do not bother me again. I cannot be seen talking to one such as you. Since I will be the one who will join with your aunt, we shall see how you act when I am the head of your household." Stillmah's overconfidence had always been one of his downfalls. Venetta dropped back to walk with the other women massaging her cheek. He and Morenca deserved each other, even though, there was no certainty that he would be able to fulfill his boast. Throughout the day, she picked berries and added them to her basket along with edible roots and wild seasonings that grew in the area. By nightfall the women would have gathered enough for a small feast. As they neared the place from which the hunting would be done, the feeling of foreboding grew stronger and stronger. They had almost reached the site where they would camp when Venetta looked up at the sky. It was clear and so she relaxed a little, but, while she was still watching, black roiling clouds could be seen coming in quickly from the east. "Stillmah look!" She cried and pointed to the clouds. "What is it, crazy woman? What mischief are you starting now?" He asked sarcastically and glanced in the direction she was pointing. The black clouds were moving rapidly toward them. The other men obeyed when he motioned for them to run. Following the men, the women cried out after seeing the clouds and ran behind them. The party traveled quickly into the forest looking for a place of shelter. Venetta kept a watchful eye for the cave of her dream and when she saw it ran to take cover inside. Just as she was at the mouth of the cave, she watched Stillmah duck down behind a boulder in front of a small hill. It was her dream coming true! She tried to scream to get his attention waving her hands frantically, but, the clouds had already overtaken the hunting party. Stillmah could not hear a word she was saying for the ear-splitting thunder that sounded all around them. He watched as the others ran on in a blind panic not seeing Venetta trying to get his attention. They both froze in horror as the lightning struck the running people and as they fell, Venetta could feel the tears rolling down her cheeks. She turned and went inside the cave to find it just as it had been in her dream. Wanting to find out what was happening; she wiped the wetness from her cheeks with her tunic sleeve and walked to the back of the cave where the strange symbol was on the wall just as she knew it would be. Reaching out her hand, she knew what needed to be done. She traced the picture with the flat of her hand. Like in her dream, a blinding light appeared. $8.99 epub format ISBN: 978-1-41602-623-2 $16.99 Paperback ISBN: 978-1-71698-177-7