Fiction: Ghosts in the Machines

This month's Words for Wednesday prompts are provided by Sean Jeating and posted at River's blog over here. This week's prompts are: innocent, evil, face, expanding, born and/or come, surprise, planet, minor, follow. Last week's prompts are: instruction, stupidity, ignorant, disregards, joined and/or shy, not, means, from, destruction.

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Fiction: Ghosts in the Machines
Jennifer Woo liked the peaceful atmosphere of the Dish Mat. Movements were slow and conversations were held in subdued voices. Most days, she sat and read novels behind the counter in the back. The Dish Mat was an automat that mostly ran itself. Anyone could get a quick meal from the multiple vending machines that lined the walls. During the week days, Jenny was there before 8am and closed a few minutes after 10pm. Despite the many instructions on the walls and the tent cards in various languages on the tables, people still asked Jenny questions. She had learned to disregard the minor irritation answering the same questions.

Fiction: Ghosts in the Laundromat

This month's Words for Wednesday prompts are provided by Sean Jeating and posted at River's blog over here. This week's prompts are: visited, chewing, nudging, saw, point and/or side, honey, companion, silent, loudly.

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Fiction: Ghosts in the Laundromat
The Quick Mat on the corner street was rumored to have ghosts but Gabrielle Woo knew it wasn't true as it was her second sister who started the rumor to get people interested in the place. Their mother thought it was a great idea as she made Jenny their publicist although Gabby didn't think they need a publicist for a laundromat.
    During the week days, Gabby, the fourth sister of five, was behind the counter in the back of the store where she sat for twelve hours until closing time. Most she was there to answer questions such as how much for a cup of detergent even though it said so on the machines. Everything was in the two vending machines at the front so Gabby rarely had to do anything. But if you want her to keep an eye on your stuff, she would refuse. It wasn't her job or so she claimed.

Book series I've only read one book of (Vol. 2)

Maybe my reasons for not continuing a series a bit lame but that's that. I don't think it matters because we can read whatever we want or don't want and it's perfectly okay to put down a book or a series when you're not enjoying it. I like to read books I enjoy rather than try to like books I'm not enjoying. And just because I put it on this list didn't mean I might not continue later on. Here are more book series that I read one book of and will not likely continue. (Most of these I read before 2025.)(My previous list is here.) 

01 - A Wrinkle in Time (#1) by Madeleine L'Engle
What's it about: time, space, another planet
What I think: I should love this because it's the kind of book I do like reading but I can't seem to get into it. Perhaps if I had read this as a child, I might have loved it and even devour the series but it was dull to me.
Reasons to quit series: It was kind of dull

02 - The Case of the Missing Marquess (Enola Holmes #1) by Nancy Springer
What's it about: missing mother, amateur sleuthing
What I think: Being Sherlock Holmes' younger sister, there is some expectation that really wouldn't have been there if that's not the case. For some odd reason, I keep thinking Holmes is going to come and solve the mystery but nope. Apparently Enola backwards spells Alone and that's somehow described her well. At times, she seems awfully mature and at others, she is essentially a child playing a game. I don't dislike her but I also don't like her. The mysteries (there seems to be two here) is a bit bland to me.
Reasons to quit series: If she is her own original character with no relations to Sherlock Holmes, I might like her but mostly the mysteries was dull.

Fiction: How to save 127 people with a lot of trying

This month's Words for Wednesday prompts are provided by Sean Jeating and posted at River's blog over here. This week's prompts are: hear, modern, influenza, physical, organs, original, pea, human, rather, size. 

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Fiction: How to save 127 people with a lot of trying [The first part is here]

01 - "Cordelia Elizabeth Anne Allbright, get your arse up." Tabby's voice sank into Cody's mind. It was quiet, firm with plenty of bossiness that reminded Cody of her granny, Gerty, who whisper-yelled all her names whenever Cody was in trouble. 
    "We agreed I only have to do this once a month not whenever you feel like it!"  Cody responded. There was still one day before September ended. She was exhausted from two hours of cleaning bathrooms at the Groovy Diner. She deserved her rest.
    Tabby kneaded Cody's back. "Do you wish to let 127 innocents die?" 
    Guilt, Gerty was an expert on making Cody feel it with a few words. Somehow Tabby knew the same trick. Growing up with Gerty, Cody had learned never to do anything stupidly immoral because 'karma doesn't just bite you, it obliterate your soul' as she relished in reminding Cody.
    "You have no time to linger. Get up and get to JFK airport ASAP."
    It was jarring to have Tabby's voice in Cody's head. Tabby said transferring thoughts was faster and a talking cat led to all kinds of trouble.
    "No, I—!" Cody's voice dropped. It was vexing how Tabby turned on and off her voice like a radio. It made arguing with her maddening. All her life, Cody either write down what she wanted to say or not say them at all. She knew sign language but rarely used it. But there was an advantage in not speaking - you don't have to answer questions you don't want. Such as why you have men's clothes in your closet when you're a single woman. Mrs. Roman, Cody's landlady, knew why. A year ago, Cody was sleeping in her room when she heard screams. Without a thought, she changed into Male Cody (MC), charged down the stairs and knocked out Mrs. Roman's ex-husband before he could kill her. In fear, MC had changed back to Cody. As easily as she was to accept Cody's ability, Mrs. Roman still snooped around Cody's room now and then.
    When Cody first realized her ability to change forms, she thought she was a genetic freak. Gerty assured her at least she wasn't a cockroach. Gerty evoked all small animals had tougher lives than humans.       
    Over the years, Cody had changed into many different faces and body shapes but no matter who she changed into, they would always be the same age as her. MC had been her go-to disguise since her teens. If there had been an original MC, Cody didn't remember. As she reached eighteen, she made MC's physical size to six feet six inches and then was unable to change it. Gerty said it was fate.
    Perhaps meeting Tabby was fate. At least, Gerty would say so. Tabby, like Gerty, had a sense of righteousness and an abundance of bossiness. As she walked toward the bathroom, Cody reminded herself Tabby was only trying to save lives. Everything else, including Cody, was minor stuff.

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