You Are Invited to a Public Reading

Drawn by Aimi of AimiArts

On Thursday, May 3rd at 6:45 pm, I will be doing a public reading of The Inugami for critique at West Shore Evangelical Free Church at 1345 Williams Grove Rd, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055. Admission is free and open to observers. The actual reading takes place around 8 pm with the first 85 minutes a business meeting.

Story Excerpt

That afternoon, Kelly returned to her apartment to find Shadō practicing with her sheathed sword in the living room. The Inugami had moved the furniture back against the walls and had dressed herself in the clothing that was in the buried box of her former master.

Shadō had bound her chest with a large strip of cloth. Dimly, Kelly remembered it was called a sarashi worn by Japanese swordfighters of both sexes. The only other articles of clothing were a floor-length skirt with slits up both sides almost to the waist and a heavy sash that served as a belt. A slit in the back of the skirt allowed the Inugami’s white-furred tail to move freely. Kelly watched with growing respect as Shadō practiced her elaborate kata, a complex series of movements, making the sheathed katana hiss through the air.

Shadō made three elaborate moves before sliding the sheathed sword into her belt then turned to face Kelly and bowed low. “Welcome home, master,” Shadō said. “How may I serve?”

Kelly shook her head. “You are not my servant,” she said firmly. “We are equals.”

The Inugami looked up, her eyes betraying her emotion. “In the world of the onmyōji order and balance must be maintained even within the chaos of magic: student and teacher, servant and master. Without order, we surrender to complete chaos and in chaos there is only destruction. I am no longer hidden and my presence is felt in worlds seen and unseen. We will have visitors and some will come to challenge.”

Kelly swallowed and placed her backpack on the dining table next to the ancient book of the Daoist sorcerers. It lay open to the page describing the paces of Yu, a shamanic dance that traced the nine stars of the Big Dipper to capture its supernatural strength.

“The world has changed, Shadō,” Kelly said. “The onmyōji belong to the past. They must stay there.”

Shadō sighed with obvious consternation. “You see an Inugami before you. You are aware of the presence of kitsune.” The Inugami came and knelt before Kelly. “The world has not changed. A part of it has simply been hidden and now it bursts forth. Soon you will see other marvels and some will not be friendly. You must prepare.”