Continuing from last time! I planned to do this on a monthly basis, but I think bi-weekly might be better.
This excerpt is from a short story I’m currently working on that I never finished in time for a romance anthology deadline. It follows Sheerin as she walks into the missing girl’s apartment and continues a few scenes after my previous excerpt.
Jenny was a painter. Sheerin should have known the minute her thoughts began to go on overdrive.
Sheerin took one step inside the apartment and froze. She stumbled and tried to steady herself against the wall, the whispers growing louder and louder.
Behind her, Axel swore. He pinned Sheerin to the side with one arm, stepped in, then turned her around to face the closed door, using his back as some sort of thought-shield. She could have told him that physical covering didn’t really help once the thoughts began to worm their way into her mind, but Sheerin was actually grateful for his attempt and said nothing to deter him. She took deep breaths and set the whispers aside while the investigator murmured a gruff apology, his hands pressed tightly on her shoulders.
Story Notes: “Sketch” is a short story of a woman reluctantly working with a private detective in order to find a missing girl. While Sheerin has every opportunity to refuse the current assignment, there is vested interest in finding the girl, for the girl has Sheerin’s brand of skill: one that can pull the thoughts out of pictures.
Story and Somnomancy 
Fascinating ability Sheerin has. So physical shielding doesn’t work, but would any other kind of shielding?
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Sheerin usually has mental safeguards to keep from an overload taking place, some of them being a high degree of focus and an ability to compartmentalize her thoughts (which she’s learned after years of practice with her ability). It’s not perfect, because if she gets surprised and/or doesn’t have prior knowledge of the environment–which was the case in the excerpt–then she’s more prone to a hearing too many thoughts. Pictures and paintings scream to her, in a literal sense, lol.
Thanks for stopping by!
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I like it, very different and quite intriguing. Can’t wait for more! Great snippet…
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I’m really intrigued about Sheerin’s abilities, I’ll have to take a look at your previous snippet! Good 8 sentences.
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Thanks! 🙂
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I wonder if Sheerin would make a good art critic. 🙂 I like how the private eye tried to help her by shielding her.
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She could certainly tell you what the painters were thinking about when they were painting their works!
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