The heat dome is hovering and the dew point is in the high 70s. So’s the humidty percentage. Welcome to the good ol’ summertime. I’d roll my eyes but I’m afraid to get sweat in them. Oh, who am I kidding, I’m sitting under a ceiling fan with the AC going. Because it is so miserable outside, today’s theme for #1LineWed is apropos: heat, humidity, hot. Luckily, I had just the scene to share from NIGHT WISH. I’m not going to set it up, just let y’all kinda roll with it because I’m all mean like that. 😉
****
Jen
Early to bed, early to rise. Welcome to my life, I thought bitterly. I was neither wealthy, healthy or wise. No. I was simply mired in a swamp of depression, regrets, and feeling totally stupid. Why was I here? What had I been thinking? Masochist. That was me.
The AC in Rascal worked overtime. “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity,” the weatherman had intoned that morning. Seriously? Heat plus humidity added up to danged hot! And my hair was the lastest victim.
I heaved out of my car then leaned back in to grab my bag. I hated this job. Hated my apartment. Hated my life. I even hated myself but could I hate the one person who was the basis for all this? Oh, hell no. Not me. See? Masochist. Totally. I shut my car door and beeped the locks with my fob. Trudging to the front door, I fumbled for the other set of keys.
Something slammed into me and I careened into the building’s entrance, my face smashing against the glass door. Stunned, I tried to figure out what had happened. I caught a reflection in the glass. Two men. In hoodies. One had a gun. Did I mention I hated Mondays?
“Open the door, bitch.”
Stars zoomed around my head like in the cartoons but my brain decided it was time to think. I could unlock the door and not hit the alarm code. Or I could hit the panic button. Or…not. Had my employer paid the alarm company? I’d bugged him about that for two months now.
“Bitch! Door!”
I dug in my bag for the keys, managing to spill a bunch of stuff in the process. Not that I cared. The one with the gun was now pressed up against me and the barrel of the gun pressed into that soft indention at the base of my skull. A shadow flickered in my peripheral vision and then there was nothing around me. I checked the glass door for reflections. No. Wasn’t my imagination. The two men were gone. Poof. Like puffs of smoke.
A third man appeared, this one tall, muscular, and wearing an all-too-familiar vest. For a moment, my heart seized. Wizard? But it wasn’t. Another Nightrider. One I didn’t recognize. He shook his head and looked like he wanted to tsk at me.
“Seriously, babe. You need to find a better job.”
Did I mention I hated Mondays? They just weren’t conducive to good health.
****
What are you doing to stay cool? Writers, do you have any heated words to share? Readers, where’s your favorite place to indulge in a good book when the temps steam up outside?
Silver James 
Love it!
Yah, I’m trying to not go outside if I don’t have to and then it’s only first thing in the morning. Yesterday, Hubs and I took a short walk at 8:30 and then I did some vine trimming. I was sweaty and gross by the time I was done. Blech. Yay for AC!
Yay, I finally have something to contribute today. Here’s a bit from Cinder Ugly where Jeni goes to hell on Precious’s back…
Before the word had fully left my mouth, he was full-sized right there in the hallway. In half a shake of his whip-like tail, I was on his back and right after I’d gotten a firm grip of his fur, we were jumping through space and time. The last time, I’d been seriously disoriented by the utter lack of sensation in the ethosphere. This was not like then. Apparently, traveling to hell takes a different route. This was like traveling through an Escher print, except it was on fire. The whole world was on fire. And so was I.
Unlike the last time someone had set me on fire, though, this didn’t hurt. Flames were licking at every part of me. My clothes were aflame. My hair was aflame. It was hotter than shit. But I wasn’t even sweating. I felt nothing.
Sleeping Ugly turns into Cinder Ugly, I thought as I wiggled my burning fingers in front of my face. I was still giggling when we flashed through the fire and landed in a place so pink, I thought for certain my retinas were going to be permanently damaged.
“Here. You’re going to need these,” said a voice to my right.
I reached out blindly and my hand clasped around a pair of glasses. Flipping them open, I made to slide them onto my face, only poking myself in the cheek once before they were settled into place. I opened my eyes and discovered The glasses were some type of shades. Instead of making everything darker, it changed the pink into the more normal and acceptable colors of the plane I’d left behind. Precious was actually brown and cream. Cute look on him and definitely not so girly.
“Thank you,” I said as I turned to see who’d been so kind.
On my right, there was only a disembodied hand floating in the air. A hand with claws and fur. “It’s all part of the service we provide here,” said the disembodied voice that came with it. “Can’t have visitors running into things.”
Another hand floated into view holding a clipboard. This one would’ve been human except for the bits of flesh hanging from it. “You have an appointment, I believe,” came a different voice.
Yeah, I’m totally done with summer. Too bad summer isn’t ready to take a hike! And yay for words. Awesome words!
Apparently, traveling to hell takes a different route. AHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Sleeping Ugly turns into Cinder Ugly, 😏 I see what you did there. Well done! Stay in and stay cool! 😎
If I’m not in the house with the A/C on (and I bought a new one for the Livingroom that has a Dehumidifier built in, and blows cool air too!!) then I am outside in the gazebo with the cats (early morning and evening) or in the nice cool truck on my way to work in my semi-cool office. Ugh. I’ve taken to wearing skirts because they are cooler than jeans. Gah.
Loved both snippets!!!
You’d think where you are, it might be a bit cooler. We’re sort of known for our heat and humidity down here. LOL Hang in there and hope for an early fall!
Well, here Fall could be tomorrow followed by winter and then summer 2 days later.
That’s what you get for living up there. 😉
Still better than tornadoes and dust storms!
LOL This is true! 😉