A novella or s.s.? - "The Werewolf of Tupelo"

[true_noir_chloe]

I pasted this from my Word copy, so it came out kind of weird - not like a real manuscript. This is something I wrote a while back and I'm not sure if you can consider it a novella or a short story - it is approx. 7,000 words. This is a story of faith and contentment.

The following is only a bit of Part One. I'll send the rest if you want to find out what happens.

The Werewolf of Tupelo

Part One: The Meeting


“Gainey Beth!â€

[true_noir_chloe]

How do you delete this post if nobody wants to read it? I knew there was a reason it had been hidden in my drawers. Next time, I'll send something that has to do with anime I suppose. Although, I don't have anything I can put on this site. Maybe I'll do something super hero-like --- kidding. Actually...

[ShiroiHikari]

Hey! ; _ ; Don't be discouraged! I like it, I think your descriptions are good. Post some more! I was gone or I woulda caught this sooner :[ It doesn't have to be related to anime to be posted ^_^

[EireWolf]

I want to read more! Don't delete it.

I like the way you make us "hear" the dialect being spoken. The only tiny criticism I have is that I kinda' tripped over the first sentence. (I don't understand what it means.) But I really like Gainey Beth and her imagination. And I want her to get away from her evil mother.

So please write more!

[true_noir_chloe]

This is a finished and edited work. Funny, I'm trying to figure out what you mean by the first sentence. I guess she missed it on the edit. I think I fixed it.

I'll paste some more when I get a free moment - and it does have a happy ending - I don't like sad ones.

[Mimichan]

I read the story last night, but couldn't post anything because my keyboard was on the fritz...I really like this story^_^ ...can't wait to read more.

[true_noir_chloe]

Thank you Shiroi Hikari, EireWolf and Iesu_no_Senshi. You're all being very nice. I actually like this story, and usually I'm really picky after I write something and want to throw it away. So I hope you like it too. I think I'm a lot like the werewolf in this story. *tee hee*

Okay, I'll paste some more of it. Here is the scene where she meets the werewolf for the first time. This is the end of Part One. I have Part Two, but, I'll place that here next time I get on this site. I haven't had much time lately.


Before I knew it, the full moon was up and the sky was bluish gray. Shivering on my rock, I waited, since I had nothing better to do until I was sure my momma would be busy putting the younger ones to bed – then I would slip in, unnoticed.
I knew this was when it happened, though – when the werewolf would come out. My brothers didn’t believe in the legend of the Werewolf of Tupelo, but I was now here to prove them wrong – or at least find out the truth.
Quiet….
Still….
Shivering….
Waiting…. And, waiting.
I was about to leave when the highest-pitched, blood-curdling howl broke through the trees.
“AW… OOOOOOOOOO.â€

[ShiroiHikari]

Yay! I really wanna see where this is going!

[true_noir_chloe]

This is Part Two: Brothers. Gainey Beth has a lot of brothers. This might be scary for the younger kids, so only over 13. Okay.... it's only mild. I've done some rewrites today on this. So if it doesn't flow right, please let me know. Thanks for reading.

Part Two: Brothers

This morning I woke early, pulling my journal from the nightstand. I ate breakfast before my brothers: Luke, Lonny, Lee, Lorenzo, the twins, Lamech and Leland, and Lyle, the baby. I was never sure why my momma called me a name that began with “G.â€

[ShiroiHikari]

; ________ ; How sad...

[true_noir_chloe]

Don't worry ShiroiHikari, it gets better. Sadness only lasts for a short while, when you have the Lord. She'll find out. I'm placing the rest of Part Two and then later Part Three: Harold's God. It might make you cry. But, remember, there's a happy ending. Christians don't ever have sad endings.

[continuation of Part Two: Brothers]


“Ga… Ga… Gainey Beth, that you?â€

[EireWolf]

Aaaaaaooooohh... What a sweet werewolf.

I can't wait to read more!

[Mimichan]

Wow..this story is very good. I look forward to reading more of it^_^.

[true_noir_chloe]

Thanks for reading Iesu_no_Senshi and EireWolf. This is the second to last part and then I'll have a question for anyone who reads this. You can help me out with something.

Now, we get to meet Harold.

Part Three: Harold’s God

Upon waking, I noted a dark shape in the corner of the room. I wasn't in my bed. And I had the presence of mind to remember I was with the Werewolf of Tupelo - otherwise known as, Harold.
There was a fire in front of me in the little iron pot stove and something smelled good in the pot that sat on top. I was cozily tucked under a large, wedding-ring patterned quilt. My right foot was propped up on something and sticking out underneath, but the rest of me was bundled real tight and warm.
I took in my residence at the moment. To my right were hundreds of books piled along the entire wall in stacks that reached maybe five-feet high and six rows across. To my left, was a desk, papers neatly placed in slots. Beside the desk was an easel and paints. On the easel was a beautiful painting with lots of green. It was the entrance to the Natchez Trace Trail in the morning; I knew because the fog was low in the painting.
By the side of the easel on the floor were stacks of paintings on canvas boards. He was an artist, I thought, because his painting was so beautiful it made me want to cry.
“You awake, sweet Gainey Beth?â€

[true_noir_chloe]

I couldn't paste all of Harold's God into the above section, so I'm placing the rest here. The question I wrote of at the beginning of Part Three, I'll ask when I paste Part Four. Thanks again.

[continuation of Part Three: Harold's God]

Harold turned back to me then sauntered to his painting. He coughed into his hand, and then placed the other hand on the easel, leaning against it. “When I was around nine, my father took me out to the shed and said he’d beat the curse out of me. The curse that made me look like the devil himself, he said. After the beating he locked me in the shed, like I was an animal. The next day my mother let me out and told me to leave. Never come back. I was so little, however, I didn’t understand. I thought she didn’t want me. She told me to never come back or she’d give me what for. I always wondered what that meant.â€

[ShiroiHikari]

I'm really enjoying this. :] I can't wait to read the rest.

[EireWolf]

Wow... What a great story. I had no idea this condition existed, but it probably spawned the first werewolf legends. Here's a site with some interesting links about CGH: http://www.geocities.com/quijybub/CGH.html

Chloe, I can't wait to read the rest.

[true_noir_chloe]

This is my quandary: Do I end this in the next few paragraphs with a quick overview of how things worked out for Gainey Beth and make this a short story, :rolls_eye or do I add an entire section where Aunt Estelle comes to pick her up. This would give you a chance to hear Estelle's voice and Gainey Beth and listen in on what she tells Gainey Beth's mom - her sister - of which, she doesn't see eye-to-eye.

What do you think? Please let me know and I will include, for now, the short version tomorrow night or Tuesday.

In the original version it was the short story. But, I'm having second thoughts of making this a more well-rounded novella.

Thanks.

Also, thank you very much, EireWolf for that site. It's been so long since I researched CGH, this is really interesting.

[EireWolf]

Give us the whole novella. I don't like rushed endings.

*wags tail and waits for more story*

[true_noir_chloe]

This is the rushed ending of Part Four: Estelle. I will write a comment after this.

Part Four: Estelle

I spent four days in the hospital. My entire leg, from my foot up to the top of my thigh, had a cast. Again, Luke was being whooped for costing my family so much money. Money they did not have. In fact, the hospital bill incurred made my mom and dad approach a conclusion - especially when they found out I would need all kinds of therapy - they would have to send me to Aunt Estelle.
Aunt Estelle would come visit in two days. She was married to an orthopedic surgeon in a place named Westlake, California. I always wanted to live near a lake. She would fly me back with her and we'd go to her husband's medical center.
Momma seemed to handle things as usual. She kept repeating prayers and wailing, "Please don't let the curse befall my boys." I guessed Uncle Harold had something to do with that.
So, all in all, my life took a nice turn for the better.

The End, for now.



This is what I found in my drawer, the last of some writings I had done before I had to go in the hospital for some surgery. I was out of commission for a while and I forgot a lot of stuff I had done. Now, I remember why I had placed this in the drawer. Also, I found that at the end of this short story, my editor had commented to possibly make this a novella and give her a more well-rounded ending.
Haha. She agreed with EireWolf. So, I'll give you'all my blatant short ending for now while I go and write the ending it was supposed to have.

Thanks for reading this. If I go back to getting this published I'll let you know. And, it will be published a novella.

I really appreciate all your comments.

[EireWolf]

Momma seemed to handle things as usual. She kept repeating prayers and wailing, "Please don't let the curse befall my boys." I guessed Uncle Harold had something to do with that.

I was imagining that's how Harold would "take care of everything."

[true_noir_chloe]

Okay, this is for EireWolf. It's a first draft, so feel free to comment. I hope I kept Gainey Beth's voice. That was hard trying to copy.

Thanks for reading.

I've changed this on Sat. 11/15 with my new edits.

This is:

Chapter Four: Estelle

I sat plopped down on the orange recliner in the living room. The recliner which my momma breast-fed everyone one of us on; however, I tried not to think of that as I sat. My leg was slapped onto the edge of the recliner, toes peeking out at the top of the cast. I looked over the television through my toe sight. The remote was somewhere else and I contemplated getting up and finding it. Probably nothing on anyway, we only had five channels and two of those were all fuzzy.
Momma was busy in the kitchen and the boys, thank goodness, were at school. Lyle was sleeping in the back bedroom.
Daddy walked in.
He looked me over. “You…â€

[true_noir_chloe]

(cont.)

Finally, my crying eased and I looked to the ground – still embarrassed. Not only had I fallen in front of Aunt Estelle, but now I was crying like a baby.
Aunt Estelle placed her palms on top of the log, stretching her back, then smiling at me.
“I came here earlier than I told Janetta, your momma,â€

[true_noir_chloe]

Ouch! I'll try to fix the mistakes tomorrow. It's so late.

[EireWolf]

This is so... ... so good! *blows nose loudly into hanky*
I'm glad you're writing more to this story!

[ShiroiHikari]

I'm glad there's more too

[true_noir_chloe]

Thank you very much. *bows deeply to the ground* Part Five: At Harry's Place, is next.

[true_noir_chloe]

This part is shorter.

Chapter Five: Harry’s Place

The rain had come quick, as spring storms did here in the south. Aunt Estelle was without a coat and again I felt guilty for causing someone else to suffer for my forgetfulness. We arrived at Uncle Harold’s door soaked to the bone.
Uncle Harold loaned my aunt a flannel shirt and some baggy pants while her clothes dried by the stove, draped over a chair.
“Sorry,â€

[EireWolf]

[true_noir_chloe]

Chapter Six: Secrets

Aunt Estelle was staying at the Marriott in Tupelo. I had never been to a hotel before. I just hoped momma wouldn’t be upset; but, I knew Aunt Estelle would handle everything.
Outside the window I watched forests of trees. We were working our way through a dense area, meandering along a black top, and headed toward the freeway.
My daddy drove a blue pickup, nothing like this fancy rental car my aunt had. She had cloth seats, not vinyl and everything was so clean inside. My daddy’s pickup had all these cups and junk on the floor.
“Want to listen to some music?â€