Post by Ivor Evilen on Feb 18, 2010 21:48:04 GMT -5
I really think these forums need more incentive for people to check up more often, and I really want these forums to be bigger than what they are right now (which is why I have been posting quite a bit in the past few days).
Anyway, I don't know if this is any good, but I am going to try and update this story every now and then. Each part will be roughly 500 words. I'm not really sure where I am going with it, but it sounded cool as I wrote it.
Part 1 - "They need a sign..." (February 18, 2010)
He stands above the stage, on the catwalks above the curtains; below the actors wonderfully portray a happy version of medieval times… so unrealistic. He then coughs in disgust as he raises his arm, his sleeve falling back. With a sly smile He closes his eyes and conducts his hand to the tempo of the sweeping symphony that accompanies the performance. Humans do make such wonderful music.
“En Garde, you wretched man!” the hero proclaims, “if you fear me, then release thy prisoner!”
The villain laughs and retorts with some clever, scripted line… so predictable. Man’s understanding of history is pathetic… it rapes what makes the past so truly special: the lives in torment… the blood soaked earth… the desperation that drives lives... the present does not understand these golden truths.
He moves his mouth as if the sweeping notes of the choir originate from his own vocal chords; the highs and the lows as the warriors battle to the death, in which the hero will win. When do the heroes ever really win? He can recall a few times, but the more likely outcome is the sweet song of sadness. Besides, when is there ever truly good and evil? Who says who is right or wrong? He understands these truths, which is why He allows himself to enjoy the reality. Then He has an idea: perhaps He should make his presence known? It isn’t something He has done recently… maybe it is time for man to realize his feebleness?
As the actors continue their battle, He lands between them, head lowered, arms hanging down, sleeves concealing their existence. The warriors stop confused, and the choir and symphony gradually follow in suit, but the audience continues watching in fascination, intrigued by the sudden change of events. “Who is this new character?” they ask eachother.
He lifts his head and pulls back his hood, revealing himself to the ocean of eyes all focusing on him. He looks nothing like them… yet exactly the same, as if a cartoonish version of themselves. He seems slightly deformed… and very colorful… and as if it had always been, His drab robe changes shape and color… matching the style of His facial features. He doesn’t look real, but He is.
Then he laughs, the audience’s comfort beginning to dissipate as they slowly realize the joke: the man doesn’t belong… He isn’t in their play, and the director still stands to the side of the stage, once in anger, but now in fear.
“You are not living.”
He turns his gaze to a middle age woman in the audience, enjoying a rare evening away from her wild children, out with her husband. She tries to avert her eyes, but her curiosity slowly guides her head to meet the gaze of the stranger.
“They need a sign… I apologize.”
Suddenly the woman bursts outward as water, drenching the people around where she once sat. Her husband turns in horror and begins to scream, but He ignores him.
Part 2 - Confusion (February 22, 2010)
Zach sits on a barrel in the harbor docks, staring through the hazy bay at the ships coming in and going out. Smoke billows from the tall pipes of the ships as harbor men swiftly unload and load shipments of whatever. Zach watches them work; he watches them run helter-skelter through the harbor from ship to ship, checking papers and handling heavy machinery as he tries to keep his mind off of his misery, and every time he tries to forget, it only makes him remember again.
Why is she out with him… his best friend? Zach is supposed to be watching his younger siblings while his parents are out, but when one of his friends called him earlier, he had to find out for himself… so he saw them together… kissing after a romantic movie. She is his girlfriend. Maybe his parents are right; maybe he is too young to worry about love. Having a girlfriend in high school shouldn’t even be his primary focus… but how can she betray him like this? What is she planning on saying to him when they see each other tomorrow in class? “I’m dumping you”?
…. Sirens…? A lot of sirens… Zach turns his head… and not too far off- probably mid-town. What could be going on? Too many are going off for it to be a routine call. The opera house his parents are at is closer than him, he can just ask them later what is going on, and so he decides to ignore them.
Suddenly an ear-crushing blast goes off in the direction of the commotion. Zach winces and turns his head, witnessing a huge pillar of water reaching into the sky. The blast is so powerful, the hazy clouds from the factories and harbor split in a circle, revealing a blue sky. What is that?
Zach stands up quickly and pauses. Curiosity overcomes him and he begins to run... besides, his parents are in that part of town, and he worries for their safety.
As he runs, his hearing gradually returns, the sound of sirens increasing as more help arrives and as he himself gets closer. What could be going on… and what could have made that pillar of water? A water main couldn’t cause such destruction… Is it a terrorist? Suddenly his own problems didn’t seem so big, as he now worries for the safety of his parents.
Police cars swing around the corner a block ahead and park sideways. They turn on their speakers, calling to the citizens to return to their homes and avoid the area, but not to not panic. They claim the situation is under control. Zach continues running, and a policeman jumps out of his car, hollering at him, telling him that the area is not safe for pedestrians. The policeman isn’t as fast as Zach, and he quickly gives up. Another officer, young and jumpy, considers shooting at Zach, but the other convinces him to leave Zach to the officials closer to the source of the confusion.
Part 3 - Scorned (February 23, 2010)
“For more information on the developing story we are now going to Jamie Spring, who is at the scene of the Greater City Opera House… Hey Jamie, how does it look out there?”
“Not good. As you can see behind me, the officials have been very cautious, as they are unsure as to whether or not the opera house is on the verge of collapse. The “Heavenly Spire,” as it has come to be called, has shook the building to its foundations, and the water damage is enough that the building could come to pieces at a moment. The officials have been trying to pick up speed, but the delicacy of the situation is overwhelming. To add, a reliable source has informed me that the survivors are all slipping into comatose states, but that there is no known cause. It’s a mess out here and the area has been blocked off and civilians have been asked to stay indoors, so please avoid the area.
Jamie Spring lowers her mike as the red light on the camera turns off. She sighs and runs her hand through longish hair. As much as she wants to be, she isn’t done yet… she really needs to find someone to interview. All of the officials had snapped at her so far when she asked for an interview, and with all of the survivors pretty much impossible to communicate with, she decides to see if she can find a civilian witness of the incident. At first she glances around and sees a boy run between two police cars head towards the police tape. A cop spots him, but Jamie decides to cut in front of the boy.
“Excuse me, young man,” Jamie calls out. He stops suddenly and looks over her shoulder, taking in the situation.
“What happened here…?” he asks exhausted.
“I was hoping you knew… shoot… did you happen to witness the situation?” she asks, holding onto hope.
“Sort of… I- that’s my dad!”
The boy pushes Jamie out of the way and runs up to the building’s entrance where two officials are helping a man out the door, an arm over each shoulder. Curious, Jamie begins to follow the boy. A cop hollers for her to stay back as she ducks under the tape, but she just ignores him. Telling the boy to stay back, the officials continue to help the man to the paramedics. At a glance she sees his eyes and is taken aback by his bleached pupils. What happened?
The paramedics look at the man, and the boy stands back, biting his nails and staring nervously. Jamie has an urge to consul him, but decides it is best if she didn’t… he wouldn’t want it right now.
“I’m sorry,” the paramedic begins, “your father, I believe he is in a vegetative state... We won’t know for sure until after we get him to the hospital.”
The boy shakes his head and slowly steps forward, before pushing his way to his father. Lost and confused, he tries to say something, but can’t, hanging his head over, allowing the tears to drip from his eyes onto his father’s face.
To everyone’s amazement, his father speaks: “The day the one who scorned you rears her face is the day your life changes forever.”
He then falls silent.
Part 4 - Melodrama (February 24, 2010)
She stands in front of the old lighthouse that used to illuminate the harbor, a single tear staining her cheek. It is the fourth anniversary of that day… The day she murdered her happiness and almost lost her parents… the day she murdered her best friend. She clutches her fist in anger at the bitter memory. It seemed like such innocent fun then, but the wrath of justice wasn’t worth it, and despite her life having not been so bad since that day, her scars will last forever… if only she could see him one more time; just his smile. Sudden footsteps grab her attention. She swiftly turns on her heels, and when she sees the face of the individual, she stops breathing and turns around to hide her tears.
“Hey…” she whispers. She waits for a reply, but none is given. “It’s been a long time...”
“Not really,” he replies, “four years is rather insignificant.”
“Yeah… I guess you’re right… but to me it was forever...” She turns around and sees he stands at the edge of the water, looking down, his eyes lost and lonely. She wants to walk up to him and comfort him.
“Why are you here?” he asks absentmindedly.
She looks back to the bay, avoiding eye contact. “I never forgave myself… that day I-”
“You’re stupid,” he cuts in. She turns back to look at him, and their eyes lock. He seems… angry. “What did you do, you fool?”
It isn’t a rhetorical question… Zach expects an answer… a confession… as he stares at Mercy, but the pain and anger at her own decisions makes it difficult for her to respond.
She breaks free from his stare and closes her eyes, head down, tears streaming down her face. “I cheated on you… I wasn’t there when you-” She looks up suddenly, as if defending herself. “And how could I do that to you when our… how could I?”
“That just shows how stupid you are,” he sneers. He then turns around and starts to walk away. “Do you know what the past four years have been like for me?”
He pauses and waits… but when she doesn’t respond, he continues.
“I had to move far away to live with distant relatives, too far away to see my father… All the others woke up from their comas, even your parents, but my father never did… and my mother was never found, but I assume you already knew this. I heard you go to Metropolis University… funny, that’s where I dreamed of going… when I was young and foolish. Now that I am out of the care of a guardian, my place is to stay by my father and await his awakening……. Why won’t you say something, d*mmit?!”
“Will you forgive me?” she asks, not even realizing the words coming from her mouth until they are gone.
“Stupid,” he shakes his head laughing… darkly, “this isn’t a movie or a novel. We aren’t going to have a happy ending, and to be honest, I want you dead. I know it’s irrational and stupid, and you know what? The only thing that stops me… it isn’t the law. It is because I would never put that suffering and pain on those close to you.”
Anyway, I don't know if this is any good, but I am going to try and update this story every now and then. Each part will be roughly 500 words. I'm not really sure where I am going with it, but it sounded cool as I wrote it.
Part 1 - "They need a sign..." (February 18, 2010)
He stands above the stage, on the catwalks above the curtains; below the actors wonderfully portray a happy version of medieval times… so unrealistic. He then coughs in disgust as he raises his arm, his sleeve falling back. With a sly smile He closes his eyes and conducts his hand to the tempo of the sweeping symphony that accompanies the performance. Humans do make such wonderful music.
“En Garde, you wretched man!” the hero proclaims, “if you fear me, then release thy prisoner!”
The villain laughs and retorts with some clever, scripted line… so predictable. Man’s understanding of history is pathetic… it rapes what makes the past so truly special: the lives in torment… the blood soaked earth… the desperation that drives lives... the present does not understand these golden truths.
He moves his mouth as if the sweeping notes of the choir originate from his own vocal chords; the highs and the lows as the warriors battle to the death, in which the hero will win. When do the heroes ever really win? He can recall a few times, but the more likely outcome is the sweet song of sadness. Besides, when is there ever truly good and evil? Who says who is right or wrong? He understands these truths, which is why He allows himself to enjoy the reality. Then He has an idea: perhaps He should make his presence known? It isn’t something He has done recently… maybe it is time for man to realize his feebleness?
As the actors continue their battle, He lands between them, head lowered, arms hanging down, sleeves concealing their existence. The warriors stop confused, and the choir and symphony gradually follow in suit, but the audience continues watching in fascination, intrigued by the sudden change of events. “Who is this new character?” they ask eachother.
He lifts his head and pulls back his hood, revealing himself to the ocean of eyes all focusing on him. He looks nothing like them… yet exactly the same, as if a cartoonish version of themselves. He seems slightly deformed… and very colorful… and as if it had always been, His drab robe changes shape and color… matching the style of His facial features. He doesn’t look real, but He is.
Then he laughs, the audience’s comfort beginning to dissipate as they slowly realize the joke: the man doesn’t belong… He isn’t in their play, and the director still stands to the side of the stage, once in anger, but now in fear.
“You are not living.”
He turns his gaze to a middle age woman in the audience, enjoying a rare evening away from her wild children, out with her husband. She tries to avert her eyes, but her curiosity slowly guides her head to meet the gaze of the stranger.
“They need a sign… I apologize.”
Suddenly the woman bursts outward as water, drenching the people around where she once sat. Her husband turns in horror and begins to scream, but He ignores him.
Part 2 - Confusion (February 22, 2010)
Zach sits on a barrel in the harbor docks, staring through the hazy bay at the ships coming in and going out. Smoke billows from the tall pipes of the ships as harbor men swiftly unload and load shipments of whatever. Zach watches them work; he watches them run helter-skelter through the harbor from ship to ship, checking papers and handling heavy machinery as he tries to keep his mind off of his misery, and every time he tries to forget, it only makes him remember again.
Why is she out with him… his best friend? Zach is supposed to be watching his younger siblings while his parents are out, but when one of his friends called him earlier, he had to find out for himself… so he saw them together… kissing after a romantic movie. She is his girlfriend. Maybe his parents are right; maybe he is too young to worry about love. Having a girlfriend in high school shouldn’t even be his primary focus… but how can she betray him like this? What is she planning on saying to him when they see each other tomorrow in class? “I’m dumping you”?
…. Sirens…? A lot of sirens… Zach turns his head… and not too far off- probably mid-town. What could be going on? Too many are going off for it to be a routine call. The opera house his parents are at is closer than him, he can just ask them later what is going on, and so he decides to ignore them.
Suddenly an ear-crushing blast goes off in the direction of the commotion. Zach winces and turns his head, witnessing a huge pillar of water reaching into the sky. The blast is so powerful, the hazy clouds from the factories and harbor split in a circle, revealing a blue sky. What is that?
Zach stands up quickly and pauses. Curiosity overcomes him and he begins to run... besides, his parents are in that part of town, and he worries for their safety.
As he runs, his hearing gradually returns, the sound of sirens increasing as more help arrives and as he himself gets closer. What could be going on… and what could have made that pillar of water? A water main couldn’t cause such destruction… Is it a terrorist? Suddenly his own problems didn’t seem so big, as he now worries for the safety of his parents.
Police cars swing around the corner a block ahead and park sideways. They turn on their speakers, calling to the citizens to return to their homes and avoid the area, but not to not panic. They claim the situation is under control. Zach continues running, and a policeman jumps out of his car, hollering at him, telling him that the area is not safe for pedestrians. The policeman isn’t as fast as Zach, and he quickly gives up. Another officer, young and jumpy, considers shooting at Zach, but the other convinces him to leave Zach to the officials closer to the source of the confusion.
Part 3 - Scorned (February 23, 2010)
“For more information on the developing story we are now going to Jamie Spring, who is at the scene of the Greater City Opera House… Hey Jamie, how does it look out there?”
“Not good. As you can see behind me, the officials have been very cautious, as they are unsure as to whether or not the opera house is on the verge of collapse. The “Heavenly Spire,” as it has come to be called, has shook the building to its foundations, and the water damage is enough that the building could come to pieces at a moment. The officials have been trying to pick up speed, but the delicacy of the situation is overwhelming. To add, a reliable source has informed me that the survivors are all slipping into comatose states, but that there is no known cause. It’s a mess out here and the area has been blocked off and civilians have been asked to stay indoors, so please avoid the area.
Jamie Spring lowers her mike as the red light on the camera turns off. She sighs and runs her hand through longish hair. As much as she wants to be, she isn’t done yet… she really needs to find someone to interview. All of the officials had snapped at her so far when she asked for an interview, and with all of the survivors pretty much impossible to communicate with, she decides to see if she can find a civilian witness of the incident. At first she glances around and sees a boy run between two police cars head towards the police tape. A cop spots him, but Jamie decides to cut in front of the boy.
“Excuse me, young man,” Jamie calls out. He stops suddenly and looks over her shoulder, taking in the situation.
“What happened here…?” he asks exhausted.
“I was hoping you knew… shoot… did you happen to witness the situation?” she asks, holding onto hope.
“Sort of… I- that’s my dad!”
The boy pushes Jamie out of the way and runs up to the building’s entrance where two officials are helping a man out the door, an arm over each shoulder. Curious, Jamie begins to follow the boy. A cop hollers for her to stay back as she ducks under the tape, but she just ignores him. Telling the boy to stay back, the officials continue to help the man to the paramedics. At a glance she sees his eyes and is taken aback by his bleached pupils. What happened?
The paramedics look at the man, and the boy stands back, biting his nails and staring nervously. Jamie has an urge to consul him, but decides it is best if she didn’t… he wouldn’t want it right now.
“I’m sorry,” the paramedic begins, “your father, I believe he is in a vegetative state... We won’t know for sure until after we get him to the hospital.”
The boy shakes his head and slowly steps forward, before pushing his way to his father. Lost and confused, he tries to say something, but can’t, hanging his head over, allowing the tears to drip from his eyes onto his father’s face.
To everyone’s amazement, his father speaks: “The day the one who scorned you rears her face is the day your life changes forever.”
He then falls silent.
Part 4 - Melodrama (February 24, 2010)
She stands in front of the old lighthouse that used to illuminate the harbor, a single tear staining her cheek. It is the fourth anniversary of that day… The day she murdered her happiness and almost lost her parents… the day she murdered her best friend. She clutches her fist in anger at the bitter memory. It seemed like such innocent fun then, but the wrath of justice wasn’t worth it, and despite her life having not been so bad since that day, her scars will last forever… if only she could see him one more time; just his smile. Sudden footsteps grab her attention. She swiftly turns on her heels, and when she sees the face of the individual, she stops breathing and turns around to hide her tears.
“Hey…” she whispers. She waits for a reply, but none is given. “It’s been a long time...”
“Not really,” he replies, “four years is rather insignificant.”
“Yeah… I guess you’re right… but to me it was forever...” She turns around and sees he stands at the edge of the water, looking down, his eyes lost and lonely. She wants to walk up to him and comfort him.
“Why are you here?” he asks absentmindedly.
She looks back to the bay, avoiding eye contact. “I never forgave myself… that day I-”
“You’re stupid,” he cuts in. She turns back to look at him, and their eyes lock. He seems… angry. “What did you do, you fool?”
It isn’t a rhetorical question… Zach expects an answer… a confession… as he stares at Mercy, but the pain and anger at her own decisions makes it difficult for her to respond.
She breaks free from his stare and closes her eyes, head down, tears streaming down her face. “I cheated on you… I wasn’t there when you-” She looks up suddenly, as if defending herself. “And how could I do that to you when our… how could I?”
“That just shows how stupid you are,” he sneers. He then turns around and starts to walk away. “Do you know what the past four years have been like for me?”
He pauses and waits… but when she doesn’t respond, he continues.
“I had to move far away to live with distant relatives, too far away to see my father… All the others woke up from their comas, even your parents, but my father never did… and my mother was never found, but I assume you already knew this. I heard you go to Metropolis University… funny, that’s where I dreamed of going… when I was young and foolish. Now that I am out of the care of a guardian, my place is to stay by my father and await his awakening……. Why won’t you say something, d*mmit?!”
“Will you forgive me?” she asks, not even realizing the words coming from her mouth until they are gone.
“Stupid,” he shakes his head laughing… darkly, “this isn’t a movie or a novel. We aren’t going to have a happy ending, and to be honest, I want you dead. I know it’s irrational and stupid, and you know what? The only thing that stops me… it isn’t the law. It is because I would never put that suffering and pain on those close to you.”
