The Hunter, Story 1

A character centered story set in a fictional world. A magical hunter attempts to catch rogues of his kind.

A sudden cold fell over the small town, a cold signalling the strangers arrival. He marched the gravel road that lay in the center of the town, the steady crunch of the road under his heavy boots drew attention. Many glanced at the stranger and quickly averted their gaze or scurried back inside their homes. He took no notice of the commotion he was causing and continued intently. He was dressed most peculiarly, a grey cloak hung loosely over his broad shoulders, reaching his ankles. Under the cloak a white top that closer resembled armor than any shirt commonly seen. There was nothing unordinary about his pants, however, the belt that accompanied them also supported a scabbard by his side, a small silver colored hilt extruding from the top. He advanced further into the town, seemingly dragging the cold air with him. He came to an abrupt stop, having reached his goal. He entered the bar, full of life at this time of night and took a seat in an open booth.

“May I get you anything to drink, sir?” A waitress approached.

“No, thanks.” The stranger responded, his voice was rough yet soothing.

“Well sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave, we are going to fill up soon and need this booth for customers.” The stranger looked up, right eye was covered with an intricate piece of silver. The iris of his left eye shone an unnatural pale blue. “I am expecting someone.” He told the waitress, now growing impatient.

“Are they gonna order anything?” She asked him, doubtfully.

“Probably not, but this is a good place for a meeting.”

“Then we still need you to leave, sir.” When the stranger didn't budge and stayed silent, she stomped off to the kitchen, no doubt branding it as a lost cause. About 2 minutes passed before another approached his table. 3 men, 2 of which were so drunk they could barely walk a straight line, the remaining one who could form a coherent sentence spoke.

“When a lady asks you to *hic* move, move!” His words came out as more of a drunken yell than any conversational tone.

“I'm just here to meet someone, please leave.” The stranger replied calmly.

“Not so *hic* easily. We still gotta teach you a lesson.” A dark smile appeared on the drunk's face. “Now move *hic* your bum, before we move it for you!” A small grin crept onto the strangers lips. “What you are about to do.” He spoke, facing them, “I highly suggest you don’t do it.” Now rising from the cushioned bench he had been sat on. 

The drunks threw the first punch, the stranger effortlessly sidestepped his fist and then grabbed it. Tugging his arm, the stranger guided the first drunk’s head into the edge of the table, the drunk promptly collapsed. He slid back, dodging another attack and forcefully kicked the remaining 2, they staggered into another customer. She shoved them away, attracting more attention to the ongoing brawl, which was now evolving into an entire barfight. The stranger picked up his scabbard and fastened it again to the side of his belt. Careful to avoid the passed out drunk at his feet he made his way to the exit.

A local volunteer for the police force of the small town greeted the stranger on horseback as he exited the bar, in which complete chaos had erupted. Trotting up to him, the police volunteer was clearly suspicious of his appearance.

“What is your name?” The volunteer asked, his name tag read, ‘Officer Hudson’.

“It's Flynn if you must know, but that isn't important, I'm looking for someone.” Flynn responded.

“Surname?” Officer Hudson questioned, disregarding the last half of what he said.

“Don't have one, now do you know of any Mr. Collins?” Flynn persisted.

“Of course, he’s the assistant to the mayor, what do you want from him?” Officer Hudson looked nervous speaking to Flynn. 

“I need to see him, where is he?”

“Town hall, you're coming with me though. I’ll take you to him.” Officer Hudson yanked on the horse’s straps and it began trotting down the street, Flynn hesitated for a second but reluctantly followed. As they were walking away, a window of the bar shattered, caused by the ongoing barfight, no doubt. As they made their way toward the other end of town, led by the horse, locals glanced in their direction. Still clearly unsettled by Flynn’s attire, but assured by the police officer accompanying him.

“What is it you need from Collins anyway?” Hudson asked, turning to face Flynn from his horse.

“I don’t need anything from him, he requires my assistance.” 

“With what, Collins is a stubborn one. He wouldn't ask for help if it were the end of the world.” Hudson said with equal parts amusement and doubt in his voice. 

“It concerns the fires that have been going on around this town.” Flynn added, A perplexed look crossed Hudson’s face, soon replaced with a grim scowl.

“I don’t know what you plan to do, our entire fire patrol is trying to stop them right now. 2 brave ones have already lost their lives. I don't know what you would plan to do with it, unless you think pissing on it will make it stop.” Hudson’s tone was aggressive, clearly the topic hit very close to home for him.

“That is between me and Mr. Collins.” Flynn responded, “and if i'm not mistaken, that there is the town hall.” Officer hudson dismounted and tightly squeezed Flynns arm, dragging him into the office, when they arrived he pushed him into the room.

“Wait here, i’ll go get Collins.” The door slammed shut. Approximately 10 minutes later a stout man entered the room, he had short grey hair, and what could only be described as; a very  punchable face. He wore a grim expression, once he entered the room he paced over to his desk and plopped down into his cushioned chair. Papers, pens, and probably important documents lay scattered across his desk, drawers lay open too.

“My, my Flynn, a bar fight? You sure know how to get someone's attention, eh.”

“Would’ve been fine if you had shown up, what happened there?”

“I would never show my face in those parts!” He began to fiddle with a pencil that was laying on his desk.

“What, did you start one to many bar fights too?” Flynn lowered himself into a collapsible metal chair, facing Collins. As Collins considered his response Flynn took note of his movements, he was anxious, there was a twitch in his movements that Flynn had not seen before. As the silence between them grew longer Flynn decided to ask about the reason he had been summoned here.

“What do you want, you said something about the fires.”

“Oh yes, the fires, I believe they aren't mere fires. Firefighters are not suited to deal with these, especially the volunteers from this place. Something about these fires makes me believe that it's more your area of expertise.” He stood and gazed out the window, a far away look on his face.

“What about these fires makes you think they aren't natural, how could I help?”

“Have you ever seen someone perish in a fire Flynn?” He slowly returned his attention to the conversation. “Fires are not new to this area. They have been plaguing us for years, people have lost property, animals and even family members to them. I have seen the aftermath, I know what they look like. Cottages caved in, a heap of charred planks. Fields of grass turned to tundras of ashen dirt. Trees, missing leaves and threatening to fall. But worst of all, the people that don't make it. It's an awful sight to see, A shriveled body, with boiling skin and exposed muscles. I have had to see it, Flynn. I had to be there, it was terrible. But it’s due to this that I can tell you what's happening isn't normal, what is happening right now is extraordinary in the worst way possible.” He paused to let out a deep sigh, his head sunk and he looked depressingly at the floor. “I'm out of options Flynn, my only answer for these fires is that one of your kind is to blame. From what I’ve heard,  you're the person to call about rogues.” Flynn grimaced and leaned in.

“Before I will do anything, how do you know about… everything?” 

“A traveler showed me many years back, he told me he needed to talk about something important, I directed him to the mayor, but he refused and pleaded that I should hear him. Naturally I lent him an ear. He didn't just tell me, but showed me. The truth about you ghosts, they all came from a spirit world he said, each infused with a different ability, the abilities he demonstrated were magic and bordered on godhood. Your name came up when my anxious mind asked how anyone could stop these beings.” Collins picked up a cigarette and started smoking, a triumphant look on his face. Flynn laughed, and Collins’ expression turned confused.

“I’m afraid you’ve been lied to, my dear Collins. Since there is no purpose obscuring this from you, allow me to tell you what is really happening. While some call us ghosts, we aren’t. It's a translating error, really. Ghost isn’t the only name for us, throughout the generations we’ve been dubbed elders, deity’s, gods, immortals and ghosts. We don't come from any spirit world, but what this traveler of yours said about the abilities is true, for the most part. Each one of us is born with a certain way our power manifests itself. Here I suppose you would call them primitive elements. I happen to be born of the power of ice, and I am here, on terra minima or as you call it, “earth” to hunt elders who have escaped here and use their powers to wreak havoc upon this place.”

“Terra minima.” Collins repeated. “Latin if i'm not mistaken, for small earth.” 

“You're lucky you're the first.” Flynn scoffed. “Terra minima 12 doesnt even have a hunter such as myself.”

“Whatever the truth may be, and i'm not quite convinced…” Flynn cut him off mid sentence with a hand motion, a glass of water on Collins’ table suddenly tipped over, a solid brick of ice slipped out and hit the hardwood floor with a thud. “Whatever the matter,” He continued, doing a very poor job of masking his shock. “I believe these recent fires are not an accident. I believe one of your elders is to blame.”

“What makes you think that?” Flynn raised his eyebrow, interested in what Collins' reasoning was.

“As I said before, I know what a natural fire looks like. Enough to know this isn't it. Houses have been burned to the ground, the wood itself becoming ash within minutes. Trees have been set ablaze and completely disappear before people's eyes. But most curiously, a cabin in the very center of town burned down recently, the fire didn't spread, nothing else was harmed, and it happened mere 5 minutes after the residents had left to fetch some groceries. Simultaneously, a fire started 4 miles east of the first cabin. In this fire, nothing was hurt. According to the person that lives inside, he heard screaming in the basement. A fire had started around his wife. Upon investigation, the fire hadn't left anything but a faded burn mark on the concrete walls. But the corpse was unlike anything the doctors at the morgue had seen before. The skin was charred and black. Autopsy shows she didn't pass out from smoke inhalation as it usually goes. She simply immediately burned to death. The fire had to be nearing the temperature of molten magma if that happened. You can ask the husband what he saw, officer Hudson, although I believe you two have met.” Flynn nodded understandingly.

“It certainly sounds like an elder could be responsible. I just need a little more to be convinced, where was the fire last seen, or any place that hasn't been fixed or covered up yet?”

“A small shack behind this building, and a tree only about 200 feet from there.” 

“Thanks, i’ll check it out.” Flynn stood up and began to leave.

“Wait a minute Flynn!” Collins called after him. Flynn slowly turned on his heel to face Collins again. “I assume its protocol to capture them, not kill.”

“That would be correct.” Flynn answered.

“Well in that case, i’ll pay you to kill him.” A sudden anger rose up in Collins’ eyes, Flynn raised his eyebrows, surprised. “It's the least he deserves, this son of a b***h killed my daughter! I don't intend to let him get off easy.” Flynn nodded slowly. Without saying a word Flynn exited the office, leaving Collins to his cigarette.

As Collins had told him the house was situated directly behind the town hall, although calling it a house wasn't exactly accurate, it more closely resembled a heap of ash. The occasional butt of a plank stuck through the grey coals. Flynn examined it more closely, he had seen many sites that were a victim of a rogue fire elder. Being ice, they were his antithesis, his primal enemy. He was more inclined to hunt them because of this fact. The scene before him, he could tell, was the result of an attack, it looked identical to his previous ones. Footsteps approached on the road to Flynn’s left.

“Hey, sir!” Flynn called out, the pedestrian turned to look at him.

“Yeah, what do ye want, huh?” He had a rather grumpy disposition. Flynn interrupted his search through the ash to approach the man. 

“Do you know the owner of this home?” Flynn asked.

“Of course I do, they moved in with dat old bar owner, der was a fight or somethin’ there yesterday.” Flynn sighed and rolled his eyes. He wasn't eager to return, but he thought he might order something to drink this time. He would wait until the next day, reserving a room at a local hotel located only 60 paces from the bar.

“Oh no, not you, no way, OUT!” The bartender yelled at him as he approached the bar.

“I would just like to speak to the owner of this place.” He replied calmly.

“What, you gonna start a brawl with him!” 

“That brawl, I assure you I didn't start it.”

“Say I believe you, what do you want with the owner.” The bartender said quietly, leaning over the bar and getting in Flynn’s face.

“I need to speak to the people whose home burned down, I hear the owner of this bar is tending to them.”

“And what's it to you?”

“I'm on private business, tasked by the mayor.” The bartender raised an eyebrow and disappeared into the back end of the restaurant. Soon, a man wearing a vest and black trousers appeared behind the bar and stepped forward to greet Flynn, extending his hand. 

“Edwards, Doctor Edwards.” He held himself straight and formal.

“Flynn, I assume you're the owner of this bar?” 

“Yes, and I’m told you wanted to see Melissa and Emily. They are most likely asleep by now, tell me, what did you want to ask them.”

“Their house, the fire, what happened.” The owner gestured with his head to an empty table, Flynn followed him and took a seat.

“I don’t want to go into too many details, but I was over… visiting Melissa. All of a sudden Emily screams downstairs, Melissa rushed to look what was wrong. A blaze, right in the kitchen, stove wasn't even on, we all got out in time, but clearly the house didn’t.”

“When was the fire?”

“2 days ago, at about 8pm.” Flynn glanced at the clock on the opposite wall, 7 o’clock.

“And the fire before that, when did that one happen.” Flynn asked, Dr. Scott thought quietly to himself.

“I suppose that was 2 days before this fire, around 8 too.”

“And the fire before that?” Flynn was now speaking in a hurried tone.

“Well, that must have been 6 days ago, so 2 days before that fire. Come to think, it was also at 8.” Dr. Scott looked alarmed at Flynn sitting opposite him. “Oh god, this isn't natural is it, an arsonist. That's why the mayor hired you!”

“Something like that.” Flynn stood up. “Thank you for the information, I clearly must be going now. Not much time remains.” Dr. Scott nodded vigorously, looking very concerned. Flynn jogged back up to his hotel room, constantly checking every clock he passed. 7:15, 7:18, 7:22, 7:26. At 7:29 he burst through his door. He promptly shut his window and pulled the curtains across them. The door he slammed shut with a “do not disturb” sign hanging on the knob. He closed his eyes and listened. The room directly right of his clearly had 2 arguing children within. He marched over, ripped the door open,

“You guys need to shut up, now!” The wide eyed children blushed and nodded, flustered.

Flynn returned to his room, 7:35. He closed his eyes once again, this time he didn't hear anything, nothing to distract him. He sank to his knees, resting his palms on them. As he closed his left eye, what would have been his right eye pulsated. He concentrated, focusing on his control of ice, his power over cold. Soon, he was able to see everything around him, the entire town. He could sense and in a way, see every leftover patch of snow, every ice cube in every glass made cold by the cold liquid inside. He could model every single breeze of chilly wind. In his head, he constructed a map of the entire town, where there was cold and where there wasn’t a lot. He saw every house and every action anyone was taking, if what Collins had told him about the heat of these fires was true, it would be hard not to sense such an immense disturbance. He allowed himself to become distracted by conversations happening around town, a way to keep him occupied until 8. Soon it was 7:59, Flynn extended his senses again, allowing himself to observe everything. He expected something to happen the moment the clock stuck 8, but was surprised when nothing did. He dropped his guard slightly, and then it happened. A shock of heat so powerful Flynn’s eyes snapped open. He forced himself to close them again, focusing on pinpointing the location, once he did he opened his door. Then he paused, gesturing with his hand and closing his eyes once more, a bright white light suddenly filled the corridor, centered on Flynn. When he opened his eye again, he had accomplished exactly what he hoped. Guests in the hall stood perfectly still, mouths open and unblinking. He had done this before on several occasions, manipulated the power of cold, to freeze the very force of time itself. Now that he knew the location of the rogue he had much time to make his way, and set up a perfect attack. A common misconception about stopping the passage of time, you can not still move objects. 

All movement requires any amount of time to move, when removing the time from that equation it's impossible for anything to budge in a world where time isn’t. Any item, even as small as a single blade of grass could sustain Flynns weight and never even bend. He made his way through the town, Working his way to the spot where he had sensed the flame. He strolled silently through the town. He passed Officer hudson, saddled on his horse, trotting the main road. He passed Dr. Scott, who was brandishing a fire extinguisher he recently purchased. He passed Collins, walking hand-in-hand with a woman who must have been his wife. The absence of any sound or motion always spooked Flynn, being the only being in a motionless world disturbed him. Possibly the only thing that would scare him more was a motion not his own, although that would be impossible. He reached the area where the fire had, and still did, burn. A small second floor apartment situated 3 blocks fore the end of the road. The blaze wasn’t hard to spot, a smoldering ball of flame about 4 feet tall. It was so hot that it should have sucked all the oxygen from the air around it. He found that any oxygen levels near the apartment were normal. The only thing that could power a fire such as the one before him was magical. A controlled burn like this would require at least visual contact, Flynn examined the surrounding area through the windows of the apartments. Concentrating on where the fire was visible from. He didn’t need to search long, across the backyard another home stood, in the bottom floor a man, his face masked in the shadow of his hood, two eyes glowed the hue of lava illuminating a thin set of lips. It must have only been Flynn’s imagination but the lips seemed to twist into a sinister grin. Flynn began to examine the rogue fire elder.

“No, it can't be.” Flynn stumbled back, the face in the window slowly disappeared, and the elder began to walk away in slow motion. His power of fire must have been concentrated in breaking through Flynn’s time freeze. This meant the fire behind Flynn would disappear once time resumed, the elders power was now focused elsewhere, clearly. Fueled by shock and determination, Flynn backed up and ran through the window. The lock he had held on time shattered in harmony with the window, Flynn gracefully rolled to cushion his fall. Not a second was wasted in taking up pursuit. He sprinted across the lawn and vaulted into the window where we had seen the rogue. He rushed through the door, and began to chase the elder again. Destroying every obstacle in his path. The Elder’s hood was blown off his head, revealing long black hair, Flynn was starting to shorten the distance in between himself and the rogue elder. The elder turned his head briefly to hurl a ball of fire at Flynn, which he quickly dispelled with a counterspell (As its known). In looking over his shoulder, the rogue stumbled and tripped on a rock. Flynn seized the opportunity, drawing his sword and performing a clockwise leaping spin. He did not expect his blade to be met with another, yet his strike collided with his opponent's sword. The rogue’s resembled a build of japanese culture while his was constructed more like a medieval short sword. Flynn expected his fighting style to match his choice of weaponry. 

“Why’d you do it?” Flynn asked, backing up.

“Reminded me of home.” The elder stood up. His face was black as tar, his molten eyes the only light. His lips were thin and the color of cement, his nose blended in with the rest of his features. The visage was truly an intimidating sight to behold. While most elders sustained themselves on pure magical energy in place of oxygen, nutrients and water. This one seemed to be entirely magical energy, its body only created from willpower and control. No wonder such a being could resist a time freeze.

“Your home, not a nice place?” Flynn backed up, keeping his sword raised defensively.

“Oh it was wonderful, until some drunken band of wraiths decided to gift them some fire magic.”

“Wraiths?” Flynn didn’t recognize the term.

“I suppose you would call them deities or elders or something.  But do you wanna know what this village did with the gift of pure fire energy. They gave it a conscious, me! They made the energy me! Of course since they created me, they acted like they owned me, just because they created me meant I was to serve them. Constantly being everyones b***h!” Flynn backed up, his opponent copied, subconsciously. They circled each other, slowly backed up, nearing 2 puddles on opposite ends. The Elder began to speak again. “I fled, how could I not. I ran somewhere where I could watch it all burn. Claim my birthright as an elemental warrior.” 

“I was a warrior, before I became a hunter, fought in the 12th temerian war. Let me tell you something about warriors. Warriors kill with honor, they fight for a cause. You, on the other hand kill without reason, a murderer who wants nothing more than to watch people suffer.” As the  elder’s eyes filled with a fiery rage, Flynn sprung his trap. The puddles now directly behind either of them suddenly froze, Flynn jumped back, allowing the power of ice to overtake him, briefly becoming ice himself. He jumped out of this condition through the other puddle, taking the Elder by surprise and making an arcing slash across the back of his knees, forcing him to kneel. A glowing orange liquid gushed from the wound instead of blood. Flynn slid and caught up in the thrill pivoted on his heel, his outstretched sword mirrored the turn, severing the fire elder’s head with one clean cut. An audible thud sounded as the body fell to the ground, another one as the head impacted with the ground. Flynn stood back and watched as the body melted into the same orange goo, it must have been the magical energy, now with no will to bind it. Usually Flynn would need to collect the souls of the rogues he killed. But this apparition only succeeded in fulfilling one of the necessities of a being, namely mind, body and soul being the rest.

Flynn’s body did not require sleep, yet he decided to rest in his hotel room regardless. Collins Would not have any available time until later in the afternoon. Flynn took this opportunity to goof off a little bit, visit some places around the town. Namely the smiths ranch with “Worlds freshest milk.” And the famed “World's largest rubber band ball". People always treated him with caution and unease but he enjoyed himself, a rarity in his profession. Late afternoon soon arrived, Flynn leaned against the wall beside the door to Collins's office.

"Flynn!" Collins looked happy, a smile graced his face. "Good news, my friend?" 

"Indeed, if taken care of your arsonist… permanently." Collins dug around in his pocket and tossed Flynn a key.

"I know I promised you money. But this key opens my safe, in the office. I'm sure you'll find it more valuable than any amount of money." Flynn debated arguing but his curiosity got the better of him. He nodded and silently opened the office door, scanning for the safe. He found it lying beneath the desk, unlocked it. Inside was a sword, same style as his own, unlike his own, a stone of power Levitated between the base of the blade and hilt, a ring surrounded it. The stone represented the power of ice, his element. The blade was pure ice energy. Holding it he felt more powerful, him energizing the sword and vice versa. He channeled his power into the sword, slowly tracing an arc in the air before him, the air itself froze at the swords touch, he caught the now sublimating dry ice. Sheathed the sword, left his in the safe, locking it again. He emerged from the office and tossed the key  to Collins, who nodded understandingly. Flynn turned his back and walked out the door. He didn't say another word to anyone else in that town. Simply gathered his belongings and left, ready for the next journey.

Author's Note

How is the dialogue between characters?

Reviews

[hvysmker]

First of all, Chris, you CAN tell a good story, but it would garner more readers if legible.

You seem to be working on a novel. If so, for Christ’s sake, take time off to study grammer. This chapter has so many grammar errors that it would take me all night to review them.

I had the same problem when starting to write fiction. I took two weeks off to study grammar rules. Here is a long crib sheet written for me by my pal and alter ego, Oscar Rat, the only rodent fiction writer on the Internet:
----------------------------------------
I have trouble with both grammar and understanding the books I've found. These are some crib sheets I put together from about a half-dozen books on the subject and numerous web sites. I have no idea where I got each bit of explanation. Hey! I am a rat, you know.

They help me and might help others. I keep a copy next to my computer and find them easier to use than the books themselves. There's NO guarantee of accuracy. At least they're good for us rats, so stupid humans shouldn't be a problem. He, he, "burp," "gigglesnort."

Apostrophes - '
==============
Are those little things like mouse turds. Check by rubbing your monitor. If you don't know how to use them, take up ditch digging instead of writing.
Apostrophes are NOT used for possessive pronouns or for noun plurals, including acronyms
They add to the singular form of the word (even if it ends in "s"):
the owner's car James's hat
- add 's to the plural forms that do not end in "s":
the children's game the geese's honking
- add ' to the end of plural nouns that end in "s":
houses' roofs three friends' letters
- add 's to the end of compound words:
my brother-in-law's money
- add 's to the last noun to show joint possession of an object:
Todd and Anne's apartment

Books -- Human books are made of paper and not as sturdy as tanned dinosaur skin. So, no nibbling or drooling on the pages.
======

Brackets [ ] and Braces { } - rare in fiction, avoid
===================

Capitalization
===================
Days of week, months, holidays, races and nationalities, proper nouns (Tom), titles (Mr.)
No to : days date, year, seasons also subjects like high school or college, unless a specific place, like in Riverdale High School or U.S. Post Office. at a post office shouldn't be capitalized.
(There, in darkest winter, still full of Christmas cheer, on the thirty-first of December of nineteen-ninety-nine, a Friday in the Twentieth Century.)

Clauses - not a complete thought
===============
(after the plane has landed) - Clause
subject = plane - what the sentence is about.
predicate = has landed - tells something about the subject.
(We'll have dinner after the plane has landed) = a complete thought, or sentence.
Dependent clauses often follow words such as : although, because, since, while, after, where, when, which, who, that, if, whenever, wherever, why, or, else, whether, yet, but
Less than a sentence but more than a phrase

Colons - introduce long lists, emphasis
===================
1. Introduces words, phrases, or clauses that explain, amplify, or summarize what has gone before: "Suddenly I realized where we were: Rome." "There are two cardinal sins from which all the others spring: impatience and laziness."-Franz Kafka
2. Introduces a long quotation: In his original draft of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson wrote: "We hold these truths to be sacred and undeniable; that all men are created equal and independent, that from that equal creation they derive rights inherent and inalienable?"
3. Introduces a list: We need the following items: pens, paper, pencils, blotters, and erasers.
4. Separates chapter and verse numbers in Biblical references: James 1:4.
5. Separates city from publisher in footnotes and bibliographies: Chicago: Riverside Press, 1983.
6. Separates hour and minute(s) in time designations: 9:30 a.m., a 9:30 meeting.
7. Follows the salutation in a business letter: Sir or Madam:

Commas:
===================
Separates the clauses of a compound sentence connected by a coordinating conjunction (Where do you humans come up with such mouse-crap?): A difference exists between the musical works of Handel and Haydn, and it is a difference worth noting. The comma may be omitted in short compound sentences: I heard what you said and I am furious. I got out of the car and I walked and walked.
Separates and or or from the final item in a series of three or more (optional): Red, yellow, and blue may be mixed to produce all colors.
Separates two or more adjectives modifying the same noun if and could be used between them without altering the meaning: a solid, heavy gait. But: a polished mahogany dresser.
Sets off nonrestrictive clauses or phrases (i.e., those that if eliminated would not affect the meaning of the sentences): The burglar, who had entered through the patio, went straight to the silver chest. The comma should not be used when a clause is restrictive (i.e., essential to the meaning of the sentence): The burglar who had entered through the patio went straight to the silver chest; the other burglar searched for the wall safe.
Sets off words or phrases in apposition to a noun or noun phrase: Plato, the famous Greek philosopher, was a student of Socrates. The comma should not be used if such words or phrases precede the noun: The Greek philosopher Plato was a student of Socrates.
Sets off transitional words and short expressions that require a pause in reading or speaking: Unfortunately, my friend was not well traveled. Did you, after all, find what you were looking for? I live with my family, of course.
Sets off words used to introduce a sentence: No, I haven't been to Paris. Well, what do you think we should do now?
Sets off a subordinate clause or a long phrase that precedes a principal clause: By the time we found the restaurant, we were starved. Of all the illustrations in the book, the most striking are those of the tapestries.
Sets off short quotations and sayings: The candidate said, "Actions speak louder than words." "Talking of axes," said the Duchess, "chop off her head."-Lewis Carroll
Indicates omission of a word or words: To err is for human idiots; to forgive, a divine rodent trait.
Sets off the year from the month in full dates: Nicholas II of Russia was shot on July 16, 1918. But note that when only the month and the year are used, no comma appears: Nicholas II of Russia was shot in July 1918. ( I din't no at. Jeeze!)
Sets off city and state in geographic names: Atlanta, Georgia, is the transportation center of the South. 34 Beach Drive, Bedford, VA 24523.
Separates series of four or more figures into thousands, millions, etc.: 67,000; 200,000.
Sets off words used in direct address: "I tell you, folks, all politics is applesauce."-Will Rogers. Thank you for your expert assistance, Dolores. (S'Okay, Oscar. He, he.)
Separates a tag question from the rest of a sentence: You forgot your keys again, didn't you?
Sets off sentence elements that could be misunderstood if the comma were not used: "Some time after, the actual date for the project was set."
Follows the salutation in a personal letter and the complimentary close in a business or personal letter: Dear Jessica, Sincerely yours, Fred.
Sets off titles and degrees from surnames and from the rest of a sentence: Walter T. Prescott, Jr.; Gregory A. Rossi, S.J.; Susan P. Green, M.D., presented the case.

Comma Splice - instead of semi-colon - she played the piano; she was very good.
With a conjunction - she played the piano, and she was very good.
With a period - she played the piano. She was very good.
Serial Commas - She displayed faith, hope, and charity

And Test for commas between adjectives - try to insert "and" between adjectives.
Reversal Test - See if you can you reverse the adjectives? If so, you can use a comma.
That and which - that = no comma, which = comma
Restrictive - necessary for the sentence, no comma. Cowboys whom ride horses also carry guns.
Non-Restrictive - not necessary information, can use comma. Cowboys, whom ride horses, also carry guns.
Separate Compound Elements in Sentences - separate to independent clauses joined by a conjunction. ( , and , but )
( I can't understand but a tenth of that comma crap. Yawn! Back to the top to try again.)

Compound Adjectives
=================
The best way to tell whether to use that darned hyphen or not is probably to do a simple test. If both words are needed to convey the description you need, then use the hyphen.

The innocent(-)looking old man ...
The innocent old man? No. He's NOT necessarily innocent.
The looking old man? No. That doesn't even make sense.
Therefore, innocent-looking is what you want -- a compound adjective.

... telling off(-)color or sports jokes ...
...telling off or sports jokes? No.
...telling color or sports jokes? No.

Conjunctions - connect clauses together
===============
And, but, for, although, as, since, because, when, while, or, plus, before, so, yet.
It's all right to begin or end a sentence with a conjunction, but don't overdo it.

Connectives :
===================
Besides, also, what's more, anyway, next, finally, then, afterwards, nearby, above, yet, and, as a matter of fact, beyond, in other words, however, still, for example, for instance, so,of course, well, in short, hence, but, since, again, meanwhile, furthermore, in addition to, eventually, rather, nevertheless, on the other hand, indeed, accordingly, consequently, to be sure, therefore

Contractions
===================
It's, I'll, we're, don't, there's, isn't, won't, he'll, he's, she's, hasn't, couldn't, you'll, doesn't, can't, that's, you're, they've, aren't, wasn't, they're, we've, I've, I'd, let's, they'll, didn't
"It's" is ONLY a contraction of it is. If you can't replace "it's" with "it is" then don't use it. Use "its" instead.

Dashes - like a colon but informal, instead of ellipse
===================
Indicates a sudden break or abrupt change in continuity: "If-if you'll just let me ex-plain-" the student stammered. And the problem-if there really is one-can then be solved.

Notes: Do not overuse dashes or use them in place of other punctuation. Do not leave space before or after a dash. (There's a lot of argument about that "space" point. Some do, and other's don't use spaces.)

Sets apart an explanatory, a defining, or an emphatic phrase: Foods rich in protein-meat, fish, and eggs-should be eaten on a daily basis. More important than winning the election, is governing the nation. That is the test of a political party-the acid, final test.-Adlai E. Stevenson.

Sets apart parenthetical matter (Humans, bah. What the hell does that mean, Oscar): Wolsey, for all his faults-and he had many-was a great statesman, a man of natural dignity with a generous temperament?-Jasper Ridley

Marks an unfinished sentence: "But if my bus is late-" he began.

Sets off a summarizing phrase or clause: The vital measure of a newspaper is not its size but its spirit-that is its responsibility to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly.-Arthur H. Sulzberger

Sets off the name of an author or source, as at the end of a quotation: A poet can survive everything but a misprint.-Oscar Wilde

Definitive - the
===============

Dialogue and Quotation Marks go together.
===================
Be careful with adverbs, use only when needed
Put a little physical activity into your dialogue occasionally.
"I dunno, Oscar," Malodor Skunk said, rubbing her beautiful tail over his face,"about doing that."

If quote ends in (?) Or (!) and has tag, use lower case on tag. - "Are you sick?" he asked.
If no tag, use period instead. "Where that damned Oscar Rat go? The b*****d."

Interpolated (inserted) Speech Markers - "Get your coat," she said, "because it's cold outside."

Dialogue Interpolated into Narrative - She turned from the sink- "I'm busy," she said- and then returned to the dishes.

Use upper-case in dialogue after a tag ends with a comma - He said, "Hello there."

More than one paragraph in dialogue? - Then leave off final quotation mark until end of last paragraph:

Oscar asked, "Where was that idiot, Charlie, when that crap was going on?

"Probably sitting at the back of the bar and scratching his a*s."
----------------

Incomplete Utterance - use Dash instead of Ellipse. If talk drifted off to nothing, use ellipse. Telephone conversations, one sided, use ellipse.
"Look, Malodor, honey. You done got me wron...."
"The hell I did. I saw you feeling up that squirrel," Malodor said, cutting him off.

Ellipses Avoid. Can use period or - instead.
===================
An ellipse indicates either a pause or, at the end of a sentence, it fading away without completion.
Omissions - ellipses inside a sentence . . . Three, with a space on each end.
"Rats are far superior to humans ... an obvious fact."
If used at the end of a sentence to indicate the sentence fading out, incomplete, use four dots with no space in front.
"Well ... yeah. I suppose so, but you know...."
The last symbol indicates a period, exclamation point, or question mark:
"xxx...." "xxx...!" or "xxx...?"

FARTHER denotes physical advancement in distance.
"Where's that guy live?"
"It's only a little farther."
FURTHER denotes advancement to a greater degree, as in time.
"All we need to further the experiment is a little more time."
"I'll need further explanation."

Exclamation Point
==========
An exclamation point indicates strong emotion. Sentences of emphasis may take the form of a command, an interjection, or a declaration. Exclamatory constructions may be in the indicative or imperative mood. (Jeeze! More darned grammar mouse-crap.)

Testing for an exclamation point is as follows: If your voice inflection rises when reading the sentence, the exclamation point is probably appropriate; however, if your inflection falls, ending with a period may be the better choice.

Emphatic Command: "Bring him here!"
"Shoot him!"
"No! Don't! I'll be good."
Not Emphatic: "I think you should bring him in here so I can see you shoot the b*****d."

Emphatic Interjection "No! I refuse to go." "Disgusting! You make me sick!" "Idiot!"
Emphatic Declaration "This is great news!" "What a fight!"
Wondering why all the examples in this table appear within quotation marks?
When an exclamatory sentence begins with an interjection, e.g., oh, really, no, etc., a comma normally follows the interjection. Wow, that was really something! Oh, that was really great! No, I won't go!

However, an exclamation point can follow an interjection, yielding two exclamation points within a single sentence. In constructions of this nature, convention allows only a single space between the first exclamation point and the following word. Additionally, the word following the first exclamation point is capitalized. Wow! That was really something! Oh! To be free of these chains! Really! I've never been so embarrassed!

Gerund an action verb always ending in "ing" that functions as a noun.
=====
Traveling might satisfy your desire for new experiences.
Made by adding "ing" to the end of a verb.

Hyphen - Used to split words, compound words (brother-in-law), and long numbers
===================
1. Indicates that part of a word of more than one syllable has been carried over from one line to the next:
During the revolution, the nation was be-
set with problems-looting, fighting, and famine.
2. Joins the elements of some compounds: great-grandparent, attorney-at-law, ne'er-do-well.
3. Joins the elements of compound modifiers preceding nouns: high-school students, a fire-and-brimstone lecture, a two-hour meeting.
4. Indicates that two or more compounds share a single base: four- and six-volume sets, eight- and nine-year olds.
5. Separates the prefix and root in some combinations; check a dictionary when in doubt about the spelling: anti-Nazi, re-elect, co-author, re-form/reform, re-cover/recover, re-creation/recreation.
6. Substitutes for the word to between typewritten inclusive words or figures: pp. 145-155, the Boston-New York air shuttle.
7. Punctuates written-out compound numbers from 21 through 99: forty-six years of age, a person who is forty-six, two hundred fifty-nine dollars.

Interjections - free floating without grammatical connection
===============
ah, oh, well, say, eh, phooey - Often ending with an exclamation point !
An interjection expresses an emotion. It might show excitement or surprise.
Wow! That is a giant pumpkin.
Ouch! You stepped on my toe.
Yippee! We won!
Whoa! Hold your horses.
Bravo! you did a great job.

Modifiers - makes word more understandable, defining them.
===============
Adjectives modify nouns and Adverbs modify verbs
Dangling Modifiers - usually at beginning of sentence but not always (Nearing the park)
Misplaced Modifiers - not, only, almost, hardly, the like (meaning not clear)

Never
====
Never chew on the sticky parts of Charlie's porno magazines. It tastes icky.

Nouns and Pronouns
===============
Name Proper Capital
Common Not Capital
May be Subjects - actual actor
Objects - one acted upon
Also may be Direct or Indirect Objects of verbs
(John hit Billy the ball - ball is direct object of verb hit, Billy is indirect object of hit)
May be subject or object complement of another noun (Mary seems a perfect cheerleader)
Plural Nouns:
Here are some general rules for spelling plural nouns.
Most nouns add "s" -- book, books; cup, cups; sprout, sprouts
Most nouns that end in ch, sh, s, x, or z add "es" -- box, boxes; bus, buses
Most nouns that end in a vowel and y. Add "s" -- boy, boys; day, days; key, keys
Most nouns that end in a consonant and y. "y" becomes "ies" -- baby, babies; country, countries; spy, spies
Most nouns that end in "f" or "fe" the "f" or "fe" becomes "ves" -- elf, elves; loaf, loaves; thief, thieves
Most nouns that end in "o" you add "s" -- kangaroo, kangaroos; piano, pianos; video, videos
Certain nouns that end in a consonant and "o" add "es" -- hero, heroes; potato, potatoes; volcano, volcanoes
Some Exceptions: Geese
Certain English nouns change a vowel sound when they become plural. These include goose, geese; man, men; mouse, mice; and tooth, teeth.
Some nouns don't change at all when they become plural. These include deer, fish, sheep, and species. A few nouns have plural forms that are leftover from Old English. These include child, children and ox, oxen.

Pronouns - Takes the place of a name avoiding repetition (first called antecedent)
personal : I, he, you, me, him, it, we, she, they, us, her, them
relative : who, which, whom, that, whose, of which (to tie sentence parts together)
non specific : anybody, everybody, one, any, everyone, other, all, everything, several, anyone, few, some, anything, many, somebody, another, none, someone, both, neither, something,each,nobody,such, either, nothing, much
No Capital letter when a name follows a pronoun. -- "this is now, and my papa's trial."

Prepositions - connects its object to another word in the same sentence
===============
with, from, to, for, on, by, of, at, in, like
prepositional phrase - prep n + objects
(at the side of the road - pre ? adj pre ? n) the - definite article
A preposition links a noun, pronoun, or phrase to another part of a sentence. Because many prepositions show direction, some say that "a preposition is anywhere a cat can go." The cat walked across the couch. The cat leaned against the couch.

Paragraphs
=======
Every time you start a new thought, start a new paragraph. If a new speaker begins to speak, start a new paragraph. There should not be more than one person speaking in any paragraph. (Even if it is two very small mice.)
It's a unified group of related sentences dealing with one idea or topic
========

Parentheses ( ) stray thought or asides. Avoid
===================

Phrase - not a complete sentence
============
Doesn't have a subject or predicate and is not a complete thought. Less than a Clause.
To the train, in the house, for his car, at her side, from the door.
Never use except inside a complete sentence.

Prepositional Phrase - a phrase introduced by preposition (Jeeze! Even a human can figure that out.)
in, to, for, after, above, below, beside, by, except, from, at, among, into, like, near, on, over, through, toward, under, upon, with, without

Such as -- under the bed, toward the sun, like a bat, over the hill

Punctuation
========
Question Mark, Period, Exclamation Point

Question Marks
===========
I've studied the subject of using question marks on declarative sentences, using both the Internet and several grammar books at home. Some say yes, and others say no with others saying either. Some don't say, but have examples that do show it my way (i.e. "I'm hungry, McDonald's Okay?). My copy of the "Writer's Digest Grammar Desk Reference" says: "Sometimes a declarative sentence has an interrogative thrust and should be followed by a question mark." A couple of Internet references say the same, depending on what type in inflection is meant. I think we all use it that way, verbally, even though it is a statement. (The question in question was whether I could use a question mark in a sentence that did NOT expect an answer.)

I finally came to the conclusion that an imperative sentence may conclude with either a period or a question mark. It's a subject that is rarely taught in high school or college English classes.

Polite requests often appear in question form but conclude with a period rather than a question mark. Whether to end a sentence with a period or question mark is usually determined by voice inflection, the pitch or tone of the voice. Upon reading a construction, if the inflection rises, a question mark is probably appropriate; if the inflection falls, a period is probably the better choice.

"Will you call Mr. Sommers and cancel our appointment."
(A question mark at the end of this sentence would be equally appropriate.)
"Will you review these papers and give me your opinion?"
(A period at the end of this sentence is also appropriate.)

A interrogative statement is followed by a question mark. Interrogative constructions are in the indicative mood.
"How are you feeling today?"
"Did you visit the temple ruins?"
"Where is Mary?"

Sometimes, an interrogative statement may be followed by a period instead of a question mark. A writer's choice of end mark is based upon both meaning, i.e., the main idea expressed by the sentence, and also upon emotional content, i.e., voice inflection.
"You liked the movie." --or-- "You liked the movie?"
"How about that guy." --or-- "How about that guy?"
Those sentences may or may not expect to be answered, according to the conversation.

When a sentence is only mildly interrogative, as in the above, either a question mark or a period is grammatically appropriate. A writer, by his or her choice of end mark, has the ability to affect the sense of the sentence.

Quotation Marks
============
Double quotation marks enclose direct quotations: "What was Paris like in the Twenties?" our daughter asked. "Ladies and Gentlemen," the Chief Usher said, "the President of the United States." Robert Louis Stevenson said that "it is better to be a fool than to be dead." When advised not to become a lawyer because the profession was already overcrowded, Daniel Webster replied, "There is always room at the top."

Double quotation marks enclose words or phrases within a sentence to clarify their meaning or use or to indicate that they are being used in a special way: This was the border of what we often call "The West" or "The Free World." "The Windy City" is a name for Chicago.

Double quotation marks set off the translation of a foreign word or phrase: die Grenze, "the border."

Double quotation marks set off the titles of series of books, of articles or chapters in publications, of essays, of short stories and poems, of individual radio and television programs, and of songs and short musical pieces: "The Horizon Concise History" series; an article entitled "On Reflexive Verbs in English"; Chapter Nine, "The Prince and the Peasant"; Pushkin's "The Queen of Spades"; Tennyson's "Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington"; "The Bob Hope Special"; Schubert's "Death and the Maiden."

Single quotation marks enclose quotations within quotations: The blurb for the piece proclaimed, "Two years ago at Geneva, South Vietnam was virtually sold down the river to the Communists. Today the spunky little?country is back on its own feet, thanks to 'a mandarin in a sharkskin suit who's upsetting the Red timetable.'"-Frances FitzGerald
Put commas and periods inside quotation marks; put semicolons and colons outside. Other punctuation, such as exclamation points and question marks, should be put inside the closing quotation marks only if part of the matter quoted.

Quotations within Quotations - use single quotes. If sentence ends with a quotation terminal punctuation goes on the outside - Did Rex give you that look that says, "Oh, so tired"?

Quotations used for Emphasis are okay but avoid.

Thoughts --- Quoting thoughts is okay too, but say "thought," or use thought: also, you can use single quotation marks for thoughts. OR italics. OR thinking aloud with double quotes. A lot of ways.

Revise
===================
Can this be stated more simply?
Can this be stated better?
Does it have to be stated at all?

Semi-Colons - like a half-period. Stronger than a comma, but less than a period. Avoid overuse.
===================
Separates the clauses of a compound sentence having no coordinating conjunction: Do not let us speak of darker days; let us rather speak of sterner days.-Winston Churchill

Separates the clauses of a compound sentence in which the clauses contain internal punctuation, even when the clauses are joined by conjunctions: Skis in hand, we trudged to the lodge, stowed our lunches, and donned our boots; and the rest of our party waited for us at the lifts.

Separates elements of a series in which items already contain commas: Among those at the diplomatic reception were the Secretary of State; the daughter of the Ambassador to the Court of St. James's, formerly of London; and two United Nations delegates.

Separates clauses of a compound sentence joined by a conjunctive adverb, such as however, nonetheless, or hence: We insisted upon a hearing; however, the Grievance Committee refused.

May be used instead of a comma to signal longer pauses for dramatic effect: But I want you to know that when I cross the river my last conscious thought will be of the Corps; and the Corps; and the Corps.-General Douglas MacArthur


Links Independent Clauses - link two related sentences or can use coordinating conjunction instead. Use instead of repeating a verb.
Separating Items in a List if at least one item contains a comma.

Sentences
===========
A Simple Sentence is one that cannot be broken down into clauses. (Yep. I think so.)

Compound Sentence - two or more independent clauses tied together by coordinating conjunctions. A coordinating conjunction is a word that connects two words or two groups of words that are used in the same way-that is, they are the same part of speech or they are grammatically alike. The coordinating conjunctions are and, but, for, nor, or, so, and yet.
"Do you want to play checkers or cards?"
"We're going to be 'Calvin' and 'Hobbes' this Halloween."
A subordinating conjunction is a word that connects two groups of words that are not used in the same way-that is, they are not the same part of speech and they are not grammatically alike. Some common subordinating conjunctions are after, because, before, how, if, since, than, though, until, when, where, and while.
"Bobby played in the park until it got dark."
"The movie was funnier than I had expected."
Sometimes a subordinating conjunction comes at the beginning of a sentence.
"Since you are here, let's rehearse."
"After Margaret had lunch, she took a nap."

Complex Sentence - both independent and dependent clauses
Declarative
Interrogatory
Imperative
Exclamatory


Tails
======
There is NO inflection or even meaning defined to tail motion in speech in the English language. That fact makes translating Rodent Languages to English extremely difficult.

Verbs Adverbs
===================
When tense
Active -- subject acting Use Okay, not Ok.
Passive -- subject acted on Avoid : was, is, are, am (to be verbs) Also watch and, "Joe hit the ball." Active but, so, then, it, (use comma for = which that)
"The ball was hit by Joe." Passive To be, to have, to do
More on Verbs - action or a state of being
Tense - past present future
Infinitive - to followed by verb (split infinitive is when another word is between to and the verb)
Participles -
Present - ends in -ing
Dangling Participles - when a participle is not directly related to a noun or pronoun
Past - ends in -ed, -d, -t, -en, -n
Conditional verbs (present=past): can, could ; may, might ; must, ought ; would, should ; Shall, will
Gerund - verb ending in -ing and used as a noun
Infinitives - to + verb
Present - to see, to swim
Split Infinitive - to adv verb (to fully consider) a matter of style, but avoid if possible
Perfect Infinitive - to have adv verb (to have fully considered) is Okay but should avoid

WAS or WERE Was = singular subject. "She was" Were = complex or multiple subjects "They were" or "Jon and Joan were."

Principle Parts
Present tense - see
Past tense - saw
Past Participle - seen ( I have seen)

Adverbs - tell something about Verbs
Tell why, how, where, or when (The woman sang badly - n v adv)
many formed by adding ly to Adjs (Avoid too many ly advs because weak)
Also how, where, when, very, today, here, often, then, somewhere, nowhere, never
often start sentences (also avoid too many)

Who or Whom?
==============
Objective - whom, whomever -- them substitute him/her/them for whom.
Subjective - who, whoever -- they substitute he/she/they for who.
"whom" is the objective form, so you need to say for whom, by whom, to whom against whom, etc..
"he bribed him." = whom If substituting "him," or "them" or "that" works, use whom. who If substituting "he," or "they" works, use who.
"whom" requires a preposition like: to whom, through whom, by whom.
(Kinda moot, since "who" is generally accepted for either. Hardly anyone uses "whom" anymore, except in fancy writing. Helpful Oscar.)

Worse or Worst
======
Test your sentence by substituting best and better for worst and worse. Worse indicates something can get even lousier. Worst means it is the lousiest.

Misc
====
Try to avoid nibbling the edges of any book. It makes it hard to turn pages in the future.

Choose strongest word possible. The best word is a verb or noun. They're always better than adjectives or adverbs.

Avoid complex words like -ation, -osity, - ousness, -ance, -bility or other suffixes or prefixes

Adjectives describe Nouns. A Noun can be used as an Adjective. "Woman driver" is two nouns.

"Jones's house." -- It's "'s", even if a name ends in "s". Only use the apostrophe after the "s" when its a plural noun.

by Oscar Rat