In the final stretch, folks should be approaching their 50k at any time in the next seven days. How close are you folks? Are you getting there?

Of course, that is if you’re participating in NaNoWriMo. If you’re not – are you approaching your monthly or other word count goals?

November 17-23

DING DING DING! I hit my numbers last night without realizing it. This afternoon I checked my count (as I do every time I start writing, so I know how many words I’m doing per day) and there it was. 50k, plus 97.

50,097 words into One for Sorrow. While that gives me a NaNo win, and I’ve Lorum Ipsum’d it into the verification (yay for purple bars!), I’ve got another 25k to go to finish the story. I think. It could be a little more or less, since we’re only just getting to the point were Jack finds out that Angel’s daughter is alive and living as Jeremy McClane’s child. That could throw yet another wrench into his and Shay’s plans.

Not to mention Shay is only just recovered from the hit and run, and her behaviour is a bit off. I’ve got to rein that in, because she’s not supposed to be all pouty and whiny.

Jack, on the other hand, has just cut a deal with Anubis and worked out a way for him to stay alive – and mortal – after he does what he needs to do with Serena McClane.

I can’t wait to write that scene, I really can’t.

Word count as of the midnight, Nov. 23rd: 50,097

Excerpt:

As soon as Doctor Hall left the room, Shay started gathering her things, and getting dressed. She’d always been good at getting past security; Serena’s, Jeremy’s, the private hospital they’d had her in so many times. This wouldn’t be any different. Even if Jack and Healy were in the building, she’d be long gone before her absence was noticed and they were told. If they weren’t here, so much the better.

Beneath two layers of clothing she’d hidden her knives in their sheaths, Jack’s extra gun in a badly fitting shoulder holster, and her journal. Tucked into a hidden pocket in her right boot was her ID and some cash. She was all set to get on the road.

For a moment, Shay was worried about Jack. He’d never forgive her for putting herself into harms way, but there was no way around it. She wanted him to stay after he was finished the task at hand, and without her sacrifice, he wouldn’t be able to do so. Above and beyond all that, she desperately wanted to be the one to kill the woman who had tortured and abused her for so long.

Shay stuck her head into the hallway, and finding it empty, quietly walked towards the sign marking the stairway. She knew there was an elevator here somewhere, she’d heard it ping on occasion, and she didn’t want to get caught sneaking past it so she sped up. When she entered the stairwell, she listened carefully. No one was on at least the floor above, or two below, so she began the trip down.

For such a busy and well secured building, not one person appeared as she made her way to the ground floor. She could hear the bustle of activity once there, so she gave the basement a try. There was a separate access to it, and she found the stairwell in complete darkness when she opened the door. Cursing for not remembering the mini flashlight in her pack, she felt all of the pockets in her jacket, finally coming up with her Zippo lighter. The contrast of the flame to the darkness burned her eyes momentarily, but as they adjusted, she could see her way well enough.

Again, there was no one about, and she quickly crossed the dusty floor to a very old, mouldered looking door that she hoped led to the outside.

She was wrong.

It opened easily, and silently, belying the rust and crud that encased the hinges. The hallway beyond was lit by the odd low watt bulb about every thirty feet or so. It was more a tunnel than hall, with rounded walls braced with old wooden beams. There didn’t appear to be any way to escape or hide if she came across someone who would take her back to the house, but she had no choice. Shay stepped into the passageway and closed the door behind herself.

Thankfully the floor to the tunnel was dirt. She had gone quite ways, passing five of the lights, before she heard another sound beside her breathing. Men’s voices, from somewhere up ahead, though she couldn’t make out what they were saying. Shay couldn’t see anyone in the tunnel, but at the furthest reach of her sight, she thought it looked as though the tunnel curved. Once she’d gone another sixty feet or so, she saw another archway, a side tunnel from the one she was in. That seemed to be where the voices were coming from, and luckily, it was situated between two lights. If she was lucky, she could sneak past without being seen.

Carefully peering around the corner, she spied the two men. They were quite a way from the entrance, which was slightly smaller than the main tunnel. She tried to understand what they were saying, but their words were in another language. Curious, but not enough to stick around long, she built up the courage to run past the side tunnel, and get two lights down the tunnel.

She had no idea if they’d seen her or not. If she was right, she would have been nothing but a blur in their peripheral vision.

Stopping in the dark space between lights, she caught her breath. She’d gotten away with escaping so far, and there was only two lights, maybe sixty feet, to go. Pushing herself, she kept moving. Once she arrived at the door, she listened carefully, and tried the latch. It moved easily enough, as did the door. Again, despite looking like it should groan or squeal in protest, the door was silent as she opened it. Beyond, there was green grass, trees and a road. There was no light, no guard, and no alarm.

She’d made it.