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    Katydid
    Katydid
    Katydid
    Ebook106 pages1 hour

    Katydid

    By Popeye Theophilus Barrnumb

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Katydid is a story about a day in the life of a 10-year-old girl trying to survive on her own in a post-apocalyptic world. Staying alive and dealing with the daily perils in After is not easy. Trying to not become prey for the many predators that rise out of the ashes is often the least of your worries. It would not be easy for anyone, much less a lone, young girl. After losing everything she had, and everyone she knew, from Before, Katy is bound and determined to keep the one thing she has left – her life. Such as it is. And will be.

    This medium-length novelette is an extended adaptation of the author's short film screenplay of the same name, which is included, along with two poems.

    This story falls somewhere between Science Fiction and Literature. (not my words, and I thank the person who said them – I never expected to get that kind of a response, feedback, review, and compliment)

    (contains adult themes)

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPopeye Theophilus Barrnumb
    Release dateJul 15, 2014
    ISBN9781311641649
    Katydid
    Author

    Popeye Theophilus Barrnumb

    In short, Popeye Theophilus Barrnumb is a writer, author, poet, screenwriter, and independent filmmaker. He lives in Northern California, USA. You may contact the author via his website: www.iPopeye.net

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      Book preview

      Katydid - Popeye Theophilus Barrnumb

      Katydid

      ____

      Popeye Theophilus Barrnumb

      Description

      Katydid is an inevitably uplifting story about a day in the life of a 10-year-old girl trying to survive on her own in a post-apocalyptic world. Staying alive and dealing with the daily perils in After is not easy. Trying to not become prey for the many predators that rise out of the ashes is often the least of your worries. It would not be easy for anyone, much less a lone, young girl. After losing everything she had, and everyone she knew, from Before, Katy is bound and determined to keep the one thing she has left – her life. Such as it is. And will be.

      This medium-length novelette is an extended adaptation of the author’s short film screenplay of the same name, which is included, along with two poems.

      (contains adult themes)

      Table of Contents

      Chapter I – Run!

      Chapter II – Jump!

      Chapter III – Escape

      Chapter IV – Fire

      Chapter V – FLASHback!

      Chapter VI – Memories

      Chapter VII – Dark of Night

      Chapter VIII – Hullo!

      Chapter IX – Old Man George

      Chapter X – The Mourning After

      Epilogue – Lucky

      Here There Be Poetry

      Katydid – The Screenplay

      Colophon

      Dedicatum

      Author’s Foreword

      About the Author

      Afterword (of sorts)

      Colophon

      Copyright 2014-2015 by Popeye Theophilus Barrnumb, Esq.

      All rights reserved.

      The Full Colophon has been placed at the end of the e-book for the reader’s reading convenience and e-book formatting.

      E-book Edit Version 1.01 – May 2015 (1st minor correction edit)

      First Edition – September 2014.

      Smashwords Edition License Notes

      This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Copies of this book are available at Smashwords.com, and Amazon.com in paperback and e-book format (Kindle and possibly others), the author’s website ( www.iPopeye.net ), and possibly other locations on and off the InterWebs.

      Dedicatum

      I dedicate this book to all of my teachers,

      both formal and informal.

      The Full Dedication has been placed at the end of the e-book for the reader’s reading convenience and e-book formatting.

      Author’s Foreword

      The Author’s Foreword has been placed at the end of the e-book for the reader’s reading convenience and e-book formatting.

      Katydid

      Chapter I

      Run, Katy, RUN!

      The words pounded in Katy’s mind like her heart was pounding in her chest; her blood thrushing through her veins. Other than quick decisions whether to keep straight, or dog left or right, Katy didn’t seem to be able to think of anything else. Although a stray thought suddenly hit her– Is this what rabbits feel like when they’re running from their hunter?

      A predator chasing its prey. Katy knew what it felt like to be hunted, to be prey, and to be chased, but she had never been in this situation. Nothing this extreme. Usually she was so careful. A young girl in After had to take great care. You can’t be too careful. That was a good rule to live by. If you wanted to live, to stay alive in this new world.

      The forest rushed by her, mostly unseen. It was dark, but not dark-dark. The overcast and ever-cloudy sky let enough mid-afternoon sunlight through that the thick tree cover couldn’t blot it out completely. The mountain landscape was littered with trees – some kind(s) of pine? – with occasional bushes and ferns and plants of various kinds. And moss. But you can’t hide behind moss.

      The uneven ground was difficult to traverse, especially the also-occasional snags from fallen, grown-over branches and tree roots – and rocks, large and small – that wanted to jump up and trip you. And the pine needles were slippery where solid ground would be better for escape. But maybe better for hunting and chasing, too.

      Never look back!

      Her dad told her that and Katy repeated it in her mind, to remind herself lest she falter. It seemed to be human nature, or something. To want to look back at what is chasing you and see how close they are, or, hopefully, how far ahead – away – you have gotten. When you’re running away from someone, never look back. It will slow you down. Just keep your head down and run full out, as fast as you can, and don’t stop. Not until you’re safe. And then run some more, just to be sure. You will either outrun them, or you won’t. So far so good.

      So Katy used her ears. It was difficult to hear over her labored breathing, the rush of blood in her ears, the sound of her small pack and canteen slapping against her back, and the rustle of her clothes, but she could hear the men behind her. Further away now? Maybe just a little? Their panting and rapid, pounding footsteps fading? Katy was silent, and so were they — except for the non-verbal sounds. Better not to waste breath on yelling... or screaming... no matter how much you wanted to.

      Just run. And don’t stop. Don’t fall. Try not to trip. Maybe now would be a good time to start thinking of exactly where she was going. At first it was just GO! It didn’t matter too much which direction. Speed and sudden, immediate action were what were called for, and so she did. Rabbit! One second she was there, and the next she was not. But if she had gained a little distance, she could start making conscious decisions about direction. Try to out-smart them. Maybe hide. Figure out a way to escape, because she knew she couldn’t run forever. Neither could they. It was a high speed waiting game.

      Who would give up first? Who would fall? Who would break a leg or sprain an ankle? Who would win? Who would lose? Not Katy, not the latter. She was nothing if she wasn’t a winner. And she was lucky. You had to look at life that way, no matter what the truth and reality really were. That’s where hope

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