Dangerous Dance

Glad you could join us for the next distressing episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Elliot D
Photo credit: Wes Lum

Suspended in the wavering blur of Elliot’s desperation, the mesmerizing Passionetta twirled before him, dangerous and distracting. Her voice stroked his weakened will with its ethereal hum, drawing him closer, tempting him with visions of carefree eternal rest.

It would be so easy, he thought, so pleasant, just to lie here and watch her dance. I would never have to move again.

He fought to close his mind to a tiny warning deep within, urging him to resist her beguiling charms. As darkness seeped into his sight, the murmur of alarm faded to the shadow of a whisper.

Time was running out.

To be continued…

Previously, on Elliot’s Adventures ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Next time . . .

Today’s twofer from April 5, 2016:

The Dog

Dogs always terrified me. They’re loud and unpredictable. They’ll jump on you with their mouths wide open, their tongues hanging out, and their savage flesh-ripping teeth coming right for your face. If you’re five, Marsha Gumber’s aggressive little mutt might cut you off from your house and bark and bark and bark while blood runs from the scrape on your knee to the edge of your lacy chartreuse ankle sock. Maybe you’ll cry. In your heart you’ll know that a dog will never be your best friend.

So how did I end up with a dog?

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This is Hugh. He’s just as sweet as he looks. (Photo credit: S.T. Ranscht)

I’m a cat person. I have been since I was six, when our neighbor’s cat had kittens and Dad brought one home. She was a beautiful Maine Coon who loved all of us and liked hanging out in the bedroom I shared with my older sister, who named her Figaro. She was still with us when I moved out after college.

Except for the first eight months after that, I’ve shared my home with at least one cat. (Once, for 2-1/2 weeks, there were seven.) I understand them. I admire them. I identify with their independent self-sufficiency.

Brylan loved them, too. But when he moved out of town, he rescued two dogs. Sister and brother litter-mates, Mina and Hugh.

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You can tell which one is Mina, right? (Photo credit: S.T. Ranscht)

I met them during their fluff ball puppy stage, and they were, in fact, adorable. But when a series of LA apartment vacancy confusions found Brylan moving into a No Pets apartment, Hugh and Mina came to live with me in San Diego.

At the time, my house was ruled by Gretel the Gentle, Queen of Cats. Brylan had chosen her for his own 13 years earlier. She had become… majestic in stature, so I erected the baby gate between the kitchen and dining room to establish a canine-free queendom for her to rule. She didn’t seem to notice her real estate holdings had shrunk to 1/3 their former size. I suspect she viewed Mina and Hugh as serfs outside her royal walls and beyond the protection of her magnanimity.

This arrangement seemed to suit all of us.

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Gretel. Does this look like the face of someone who will abide dogs? (Photo credit: S.T. Ranscht)

Well, Life happens, and lives end. Mina left a sorrow-filled hole in our hearts when she succumbed to massive kidney failure at the tender age of four. Two years later, at the grand old age of 18-1/2, Gretel passed gently into the Eternal Unknown.

What about Hugh, you wonder?

What can I tell you?

Hugh is my best friend.

#AtoZChallenge

Author: Sue Ranscht

Having survived valve repair surgery and an experimental cardiac bypass at age 5, three years before it was an accepted medical procedure, Susan grew into the size of her overworked and enlarged heart. Maybe she thought she had enough to give it away -- twice. Both times, she had to retrieve the shattered pieces and puzzle them back together. She thanks her Dad for the only advice of his she ever followed to the letter: "Never get married. Learn to take care of yourself." So of course she is a writer. Susan has co-written a YA SciFi novel, and has three more novels in various stages of evolution. She's had several short stories published in other people's anthologies, some of which were contest-related. Let her tell you a story...

23 thoughts on “Dangerous Dance”

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  6. Gretel is clearly queen of the house (as it should be!). I have two wee beasties (as I like to call them), and Kin-mei, the fat, orange one, is definitely king whereas Cid is more of the court jester. He drives grumpy, old Kin-mei up the wall, and it’s quite amusing because they could pass for Garfield and Nermal :p I like both cats and dogs, but I think I’m more of a cat person. Their oft cited aloofness doesn’t bother me (nor are all cats aloof all the time either. Silly fancy by non-cat people); plus I understand not wanting to be bothered sometimes!

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      1. They really do. It’s one of the many reasons I don’t have one. I know I don’t have the energy to take care of one right now. Plus both me and my husband are out of the house during the day.

        Cid is going to be 6 and Kin-mei is going to be 14. I’m actually quite surprised that we’ve had him for as long as we have! We got him when he was around six months old.

        I’ll have to post some videos of them! They are pretty adorable together when Cid isn’t annoying poor Kin-mei. I never know what their interactions are going to be. Sometimes they’ll sleep together and everything will be fine. Other times Kin-mei will hiss at him and run away, while Cid looks confused. I love kitties so much.

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        1. I would love to see videos of Kin-mei and Cid. I don’t have any felines in the house anymore — I no longer have the heart to face the inevitable and heart-breaking end. But, outside, for the last couple of years, I feed a semi-feral, rather beaten-up, long-haired ginger Tom who comes and goes as he will. Normally, I would have taken him to be neutered, but he has no interest in being handled. In fact, his idea of social interaction is to hiss and glower.

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          1. Oh no! A house without cats D: I definitely understand that feeling. Kin-mei is a bit advanced in years, but still going strong. I remember there was a comedian who said that having a dog or cat is investing in a future tragedy, which is true.

            I’ll have to edit and post the many videos I have of them! If there’s one thing you can never have enough of, it’s cat videos ♥

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  7. Great posts! Love the Twofors, thank you… Elliott is really living inon the edge and I enjoyed reading about your animals too 😺 x

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    1. Thank you, Tre. Hugh and Mina melted my heart every day — Hugh still does. Gretel showed us her love, but she certainly was Queen of the House. Even if Hugh barked at her from the other side of the gate, she refused to be intimidated as she’d hiss in his face, causing great consternation on his part.

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