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.

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.

character sketch: dexter busby (aka buzz)

dexter is an optimistic all-american kid just out of high school. he's a man of platitudes. he's also very much a creature of the present; he has no real aspirations for the future. After all, "it'll turn out". his optimism isn't without basis. he's lucky. very lucky. for as long as he can remember he's been lucky and he knows it. that's not to say that he isn't smart or capable, "luck'll only take you so far". of course, "a little luck goes a long way".

nothing has really been out of reach for buzz: he was the star of the baseball team, most popular guy at school, and never lacked a date on saturday night. that notwithstanding, his reach never really exceeded his grasp: he enjoyed baseball, so he excelled; making friends was easy when everyone wanted to be your friend; athletic + popular + good-looking = lots of attention from girls.

enter the mysterious stranger who asks a simple question for which buzz has no answer. why? he recognizes that he's gifted beyond just about everyone. but for what purpose? is there a purpose? that's the one thing buzz's life has been missing, and, somewhat to his consternation, is not forthcoming. perhaps this stranger, with his particularly pointed question, also has some answers.

character sketch: oscar rickey

perhaps the one person who cares for harriot despite her personality (excepting her mother, of course), oscar barely registers on her radar. where she's only known him for a couple years (as her neighbor), he's known her since they were in middle school together, and been her silent admirer nearly that whole time.

oscar's fairly average by most accounts, with one exception. he holds his beliefs intensely and is absolutely certain in the veracity of his world view. until recently, there were two indisputable facts at the center of his life: first, there was no man (including him) good enough for harriot; second, he's the person she needs the most, since he's the only one who truly understands her. that's why he does whatever he needs to do to be part of her life. the fact that harriot has had (very) little success in social situations has kept oscar from going off on some fit of deluded paranoia. (yes, his convictions border on insanity. but since his situation is as it is, they keep him in line with society. he's even considered a fine young gentleman.)

that equilibrium was disrupted when he met a mysterious stranger promising a path to power and prestige. now, there are possibilities open to him that were previously inconceivable. perhaps he'll soon convince harriot that they were meant to be.

character sketch: harriot cooper

she's a confident and independent 23 year old with a razor wit. which, in 1955 terms, means she's a socially awkward outsider. so despite her rubenesque figure, which she makes very little effort to hide, no one really dares to brave her acerbic tongue. women are uncomfortable around her and men would rather be elsewhere.

she performs her duties as a nurse with diligence and pride. everyone she talks with has a nickname for her (including harry, hattie, babe, doll, etc.), even though she constantly insists on being called harriot. Despite her lack of grace, her boss seems to be intensely attracted to her (ass).

still, she's happy with the way her life has turned out. well, sort of. actually, she's rather bored with her life. she lives alone. she spends most of here free time with her extensive collection of jazz and blues records. she's a fan of escapist fantasy novels, like the works of hg wells and jules verne. she also devours riddles just about as soon as she's heard them.

one day, a mysterious stranger suggests that she may be destined for greatness. though initially doubtful, the prospect of adventure stews in her mind until she eventually gives in and takes her first steps onto an incredible journey.