wow, it's my first new original writing in what seems like years and years. here's part of the first episode for use in "interview with an angel". for clarification, episodes are intended to be logical delineations on anecdotes, where each episode constitutes one moral or lesson or whatever. also, i'm contemplating changing the pov, which is as i originally intended, but i plan to play with it and see what i like. i haven't decided on what names to use, either.
all that said, i'd now like to make the expected platitudes. blah blah blah school. blah blah blah end of semester. blah blah if i can. i mean, i've taken a break today to work on this, haven't i?
It's a Saturday morning, and Kim and I are playing a game of tennis on our high school's courts. The campus is otherwise empty, unsurprisingly. We're comparably skilled, but it's obvious that I'm putting more effort into the game than she is.
I win the last point and give a quick, triumphant fist pump to the air before shambling to the bench to take a long draft from my thermos. Kim's amusement is plain on her face when she finally joins me at the bench, game balls in hand. She tosses the balls into her bag and sits cross-legged with exaggerated nonchalance.
"Good game" Kim says.
A little short of breath, I reply, "Thanks. You too." I'm as satisfied with myself as Kim is amused.
"Bruce, why don't you ever let me win?"
I jerk my head to emphasize my surprise. "Why should I?"
"'Cause I'm a girl."
"Ha!" I give her a sidelong glance. "You know, if I was just the slightest bit more sexist, you'd've just given me license for all sorts of... sexist shenanigans."
"Tsk. You're too sensitive to be a sexist."
I retort with an abashed "Am not! Take it back." She giggles. "But seriously, why don't you try harder?"
What I hope is a thoughtful frown replaces her laughing. "I don't know, maybe I just like hanging with you."
"Well, of course. I'm awesome." Then she punches me on the arm. To which I respond with a quick rub of my arm and a little pained laughter. "See? If I really was sensitive I'd be blushing instead of blustering."
Now she's smirking. "You are blushing."
I cut my eyes. "Well... Well, can you blame me?" I expect that I'm blushing more.
After a moment, she lightly slaps my arm where she punched me before. "Come on; let's play one more. I think I feel like beating you." She pulls the balls back out from her bag and jogs onto the court.
"That's what I like to hear."
It becomes apparent after only a few points that Kim very much intends to win, so I redouble my efforts and try to make a game of it.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
character sketch: christopher cowman (part 2)
here's the back story i promised last time. including this, there seems to be more information on christopher than even harriot. that may be 'technically' true, but this is just a single anecdote that sums christopher's impetus, whereas harriot's character is much more open ended. but enough self-criticism, here's the events that led to the present incarnation (relatively speaking) of christopher cowman.
as a teen, christopher had a crush on this cute red head he'd seen while working at his father's garage. apparently her family had just moved to town and were getting settled. he didn't even know her name, but he knew he'd marry her. the thought made him sad sometimes, but he didn't know why. one day he came across her being accosted by two obviously drunk men. this was the first time he'd ever let his anger flare as hot as it did. afterwards, he'd never remember actually doing anything. he does remember images like photographs flashing in his mind: him sitting over each of the mens' bodies, bashing their skulls in with a rock. she was passed out, so he picked her up and carried her to the doctor. she came to on the way and realized who she was with. she hugged him tight and in between sobs kept repeating "thank you thank you thank you" all the way to the doctor.
he finally learned that lilly was her name. she and christopher were inseparable for the next couple of weeks and were married within a month of his rescue. not long after that, he found out he was going to be a father.
it was inevitable that their relationship would begin to chafe young christopher. he couldn't leave lilly alone when he left for work, so everyday he'd drop her off and pick her up from her folk's home, and every night he'd stay home with her. one night, about three months into the marriage, he lost his patience with her dependance on him. he wanted to go out, and she didn't want to be left alone. heated words were exchanged, and lilly said that christopher wasn't her baby's father.
his anger flared. it didn't matter that it was true or not. as his fingers clenched, shock and horror for what he was about to do swelled in his mind, but not enough to diminish his fury. the image of his fist flying at lilly's face was smothered by the lightning that showed him hanging by the neck from a gallows, surrounded by the hateful, the curious and the disinterested.
when he regained control of his faculties, lilly lay at his feet, bleeding from a gash on her head. panicked, he carried her to his truck and took her to the doctor, but she was dead before they got there.
christopher slipped out while the doctor was calling the police. he knew what was in store for him, and he knew he deserved it, but he was more terrified than at any other time in his life. so he ran. all he could think of was to run, that and the images of lilly's and his death burning in his head.
as a teen, christopher had a crush on this cute red head he'd seen while working at his father's garage. apparently her family had just moved to town and were getting settled. he didn't even know her name, but he knew he'd marry her. the thought made him sad sometimes, but he didn't know why. one day he came across her being accosted by two obviously drunk men. this was the first time he'd ever let his anger flare as hot as it did. afterwards, he'd never remember actually doing anything. he does remember images like photographs flashing in his mind: him sitting over each of the mens' bodies, bashing their skulls in with a rock. she was passed out, so he picked her up and carried her to the doctor. she came to on the way and realized who she was with. she hugged him tight and in between sobs kept repeating "thank you thank you thank you" all the way to the doctor.
he finally learned that lilly was her name. she and christopher were inseparable for the next couple of weeks and were married within a month of his rescue. not long after that, he found out he was going to be a father.
it was inevitable that their relationship would begin to chafe young christopher. he couldn't leave lilly alone when he left for work, so everyday he'd drop her off and pick her up from her folk's home, and every night he'd stay home with her. one night, about three months into the marriage, he lost his patience with her dependance on him. he wanted to go out, and she didn't want to be left alone. heated words were exchanged, and lilly said that christopher wasn't her baby's father.
his anger flared. it didn't matter that it was true or not. as his fingers clenched, shock and horror for what he was about to do swelled in his mind, but not enough to diminish his fury. the image of his fist flying at lilly's face was smothered by the lightning that showed him hanging by the neck from a gallows, surrounded by the hateful, the curious and the disinterested.
when he regained control of his faculties, lilly lay at his feet, bleeding from a gash on her head. panicked, he carried her to his truck and took her to the doctor, but she was dead before they got there.
christopher slipped out while the doctor was calling the police. he knew what was in store for him, and he knew he deserved it, but he was more terrified than at any other time in his life. so he ran. all he could think of was to run, that and the images of lilly's and his death burning in his head.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
character sketch: christopher cowman
i'm posting a short character sketch today. i don't know, maybe he'll show up later. harriot, oscar and dexter aren't the only power users in this world. i've got some back story for him, and i'll post it some time. right now i'm not entirely happy with it. maybe after some editing...
christopher knows he'll hang. he deserves no less. he saw it--so long ago but he could never forget. the moment his fist touched her face, the vision of his fate burned in his mind. it was like a lightning bolt landing just outside the window of a pitch black room, and just as violent.
he deserves it, but he's afraid. he doesn't want to die. so he runs. and he's been running since. he's a capable mechanic, and quiet, so he doesn't have much trouble getting jobs in the towns he passes. he tries to avoid people in general; if he touches them he gets a vision of their death. it's impossible to avoid entirely, though, and he excepts it as a sort of penance. sometimes he wonders why it doesn't hurt like the first time. sometimes he wishes it would. sometimes it hurts enough.
christopher knows he'll hang. he deserves no less. he saw it--so long ago but he could never forget. the moment his fist touched her face, the vision of his fate burned in his mind. it was like a lightning bolt landing just outside the window of a pitch black room, and just as violent.
he deserves it, but he's afraid. he doesn't want to die. so he runs. and he's been running since. he's a capable mechanic, and quiet, so he doesn't have much trouble getting jobs in the towns he passes. he tries to avoid people in general; if he touches them he gets a vision of their death. it's impossible to avoid entirely, though, and he excepts it as a sort of penance. sometimes he wonders why it doesn't hurt like the first time. sometimes he wishes it would. sometimes it hurts enough.
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