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Shelly Poop

PostPosted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 5:14 pm


I've been piecing together the plot of this story for some time. I just started writing the actual 'story'.

Let me know what you think, and if I'm ever too vague. I tend to be vague. It's my 'style' xD


The sky was gray and overcast. Everything that day was gray. It would rain soon. Gentle, cool breezes swept the leaves and grass in a gentle caress. Before it transformed itself into a howling wind, it was quite soothing. A man moved swiftly through the trees, hidden mostly under a dark gray cloak. His ragged breath tore through his throat, and he hunched over something that was held in his arms. Every so often he’d pause to glance back, a fearful glint in his eyes. It was the look of a hunted animal.
Thunder rumbled, still far off. The man quickened his pace, even thought it hurt him to do so. He was breathing hard, and he’d been moving for quite some time now. At the beginning, he’d been running, but found that he couldn’t keep that up for long. Over him, all around, the trees moaned. They rustled menacingly, it seemed. Their leaves were dry and lifeless. He looked down at the bundle he carried. Wrapped in blankets the color of deep ocean water was an infant. She was not even a day old. So far, she’d been silent. Even after her first breath, she hadn’t cried. Almost as if she understood the need to be quiet and unnoticed.
The storm was almost over them now. Rain began falling. The man looked up, turning eyes the same color as the sky upward. Feeling wetness spatter on his cheeks, he knew it was no use. They would have to ride the storm out. An image of his daughter suddenly surfaced in his mind, like an unwanted rat gnawing through his mind. She was still a girl in his memory. Only twelve. So young and sweet.
His daughter's hair was as black and glossy as a raven. Her eyes had been light brown when she was younger, but they had darkened… Selene, they had called her. Their one and only beloved child. She was a monster. The image in his mind turned dark, the girl becoming something hideous. He quickly shoved the thought away.
Then, the trees began to thin out. Ahead, the man saw a grassy field stretching on. Gasping for breath, he began to run. Once he was out of he woods, the wind buffeted him across the prairie. It began raining harder. The sky darkened, lightening flashed, and thunder boomed. The babe in his arms began to cry.
He could make out lights through the rain. They were orange, and inviting. It was the village of Troas. He had friends in Troas. They would help him. He hoped.
PostPosted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 2:16 am


Uh.. I'm confused... How does it go from the little girl to the twelve year old at about the third paragraph?

Lira_Sharkova


Shelly Poop

PostPosted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:18 pm


Sorry about that sweatdrop
I changed it a bit so it'd make more sense... hopefully 3nodding
PostPosted: Wed Feb 07, 2007 5:45 am


you want to avoid "gaps" like that without mentioning how the change takes place unless your intention is to keep your reader in the dark about some useful information. i do this a lot in my novels especially when it's being told for another characters point of view so that you as the reader fell you are actually in that person's role.

Erebos Azrael


Shelly Poop

PostPosted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 5:00 pm


Bomber: Well, there is a great deal I wanted to hint at, but keep the reader guessing, too... Selene's past is a big part of the story, and it will come in later.
Do you have any suggestions?

Anywho, here's the next ''installment''.


The storm was terrible, but Selene didn’t care. Her anger and hatred exceeded was exceeded only by her greed. Her daughter had been stolen from her. Not a minute after the infant had been born.
In a rage, she destroyed the nursery. The doctor and nurses had nowhere to go. They fell to her demented ravings. Wild, dark eyes bulged crazily from her skull, and black hair whipped around like angry snakes. Blood still ran down her thighs as she tore the bed apart, threw the gurney across the room. WHO? Her mind screamed. Who would dare to take her!? A cowering nurse was slumped limply against the far wall. She regarded Selene with calm, but fearful eyes. Selene slit her throat. As she watched the nurse’s blood drain out on the beautifully tiled floor of the nursery, her mind pondered. Who would have guessed? Who, in all the world, knew what she really was? And the answer came to her. It was the only answer, really. Because he had, actually, helped to make her what she was. Her father.
A deadly calm came over her. She moved back to her decimated bed, and sat on a bit of cushion. There was noise from outside the birthing ward. Doors crashed open. Yelling, screams, horror filled faces came into the room. Selene looked up, her face perfectly calm and composed. She was surrounded by softly murmuring nurses, maids, and servants. They comforted her, convinced she was in a shock of horror. Quickly, they removed her from the bloody room.
Among the other whispered nonsense, Selene heard, “the Prince Otteragney will be here soon,”. That was when she began to weep.


(lol, I made up the name 'Otteragney' by throwing some letters together. I thought it was cute whee )
PostPosted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 9:42 pm


suggestions for hinting...hmmm...well first off don't come right out and say it. beat around the bush. like for example if a zombie is creeping up on my character to keep the element of suspense i would say something like the following:

Eric walked down the hall sweating as he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. The shadow underneath his feet grew bigger and bigger and as the sound of groaning came nearer to him, he could feel a cold breath fall down upon him, a pugent stench lingering from behind.


See? doesn't come right out and say it, yet it paints a very clear picture of what's going on almost as if you are the character.

Erebos Azrael


Shelly Poop

PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 8:00 am


Okay, well..
As the story progresses, the reader gets little hints at Selene's (and Samaria's) past. At first, it just seems like a ranodom occurence, and then everything falls together.
I wanted to make it seem like Selene was an evil person from the get-go; as she slaughtered those people for no particular reason (well, okay, there is a reason, but-).

er so yeah. Here's the next installment xd

~
Those first few days were a blur of pounding hooves, wind driven rain, and constant anxiety. It was the storm of the century, lasting four whole days. He was grateful. The man was convinced that, if not for the storm, he would have been found. As it were, he escaped with his precious cargo.
When the rain clouds broke, and sunlight shone down on the earth on that fourth day, he knew it was a sign. He had succeeded. But not, of course, without some help. It wasn’t he, after all, who controlled the weather.
He soon discovered that it would be impossible to settle anywhere for quite some time. There were people everywhere who would turn them over in a heartbeat. He had made some pretty powerful enemies. But he did not regret it. Every time he looked at the small, innocent face of his granddaughter, he was gratified. Samaria was what he named her.
It was nearly a year later that he decided being on the run was a lot harder than it sounded. There were plenty of people who were willing to take him in for a night or two, especially if they knew he had a baby. However, they were also bookmarks for whoever might be following him. People who remembered a face, a name, even someone who stopped for a night, wouldn’t feel guilty in relaying the information to authorities. Quite the opposite, they might feel as if they’d helped to bring down a criminal. It was much safer to have as little human contact as possible. Skirt entire towns, if possible. Leave no evidence they were ever there.
While dickering over the price of bread in a town market, he had the scare of his life. It was a town he’d never visited before, and couldn’t expect anyone he knew to be there. He wasn’t the only person who traveled, it seemed.
“Hey, Ed’!” someone from the crowd shouted. He turned, eyes wide and terrified, half expecting to see a fully uniformed soldier bearing down on him. But it wasn’t. It was Jark, his half-remembered friend from a completely forgotten time. Jark was a short, round man. He had chubby red cheeks and was perpetually smiling.
“Oh, hi,” Ed replied, sounding so relieved Jark took it as a personal compliment. He made his way over, looking like an overstuffed penguin, and gave Ed a slug on the arm.
“Where ya been, Ed? Haven’t seen you in years! Let’s go get a drink, eh? What doya say?” Jark merrily inquired.
“Er.. call me Yonni, please, Jark. …And I can’t. I really would like to, but-”
“Ho! Haha, Ed, you didn’t tell me you had another!” Jark suddenly exclaimed, catching sight of the bundle in a sling around neck and shoulder. The small face peered out at the world with large, bright blue eyes.
Casting an apologetic glance back at the vender, Ed took Jark’s arm and led the man away from the crowded marketplace. “Lets find somewhere better to talk,” he said.
Jark was all in agreement. They found an empty, dark saloon and sat at one of the wall tables. Ed adjusted the bundle as he sat down so the babe could sit up and look around. “A real beaut’” Jark commented. “..So you married again?”
Ed shook his head shortly. “Nah.” Jark pulled a puzzled face. Ed had always an honorable man, righteous in all his doings. He couldn’t see how Ed could have procured a baby. Edmond laughed, remembering why he’d liked Jark. The man was talkative and bright, and always made him laugh. “She’s not mine,” Ed explained.
“Oh!” Jark said, looking relieved. “Well, why ‘ave you got her, then?”
Ed had thought about coming up with a story to explain away his situation, should anyone ask, but he never had settled on just one. Now, he simply made one up. “She’s a friend’s. I’m looking after her for a few days.”
Jark appeared to accept his tale without further qualms. “So what are you up to now? .. besides babysitting,” he chuckled.
Edmond shrugged. “You know, little of everything.” Jark looked at him with concern. “You ain’t wanderin’ around wit’out a home, are you?”
Ed scoffed. “’Course not, friend. I’ve got my legs under me. And what about you? What are you doing, this far from Tyre?”
The bell over the saloon’s door jingled. Ed was sitting with his back to the door. The look on Jark’s face as he glanced at the newcomer was one of surprise mingled with fear and awe. Ed leaned over the table immediately, hiding the baby from view. “Who is it?” he whispered in a barely audible voice.
Jark shook his head slightly. “It’s a… an elf!” he whispered back, and then stared at Ed with dawning comprehension. “Are you running?” he asked quietly.
The newcomer walked to the bar of the saloon. The bartender said hi.
Ed swallowed hard, looking at Jark pleadingly. Acting as casual as possible, he rose from his seat and made for the door. Jark stayed where he was, an interesting battle going on in his head, which was broadcast on his face. Just as he was pushing through the door, Edmond glanced back at Jark. He was still sitting. Ed nodded at his old friend. Jark nodded back. Then Edmond left.
That first encounter was the scariest, but it taught Edmond a whole lot. Carelessness was apt to get him killed. And not only him, but an innocent child.
~

So.. should I introduce Edmond's name a little earlier? I think it sounds funny the way it is.. xp
PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 6:33 am


Be careful with the name "Samaria." I say this because if you decide to get this published in the future, the publishing company might make you change the name. An instructer of mine told me that any resemblances to another character's name might get you in trouble. While it's a different name, it's similar. Understand? Samaria is similar to Samara (From The Ring, blah blah blah). Publishers aren't worried about you, or your book, they are worried about getting sued by the creator of the movie for letting you use that name. sweatdrop That was a mouthful. If you have any questions, please PM me.

-Aurelia

Eternally Gone

Devoted Loiterer


Shelly Poop

PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 6:49 am


scream Thats stupid.
I mean, I see your point, and I thank you for brining it up, but its still stupid. People make me angry.
In all honesty, I choose character's names to suit them. They match, you know? And besides, that name is actually Biblical. Samaria is a kingdom in Elijah's time. They cant sue me for using an already documented name, can they?
-grrr- I hate people xp
PostPosted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 8:08 am


I realize it's stupid. You have no idea how hard it is to come up with different, unique names (I'm talking about the uncommon names.) When they've been used in movies or other books. As far as using a name like that from the bible, I'm unsure. They might just tap you on the hand and say "Don't do it again, but we'll let it slide this time." If you can get away with it, I say leave your story the way it is. If you catch any trouble, I would just tell them to sod off. rofl

And yes, people are stupid.

Eternally Gone

Devoted Loiterer


Shelly Poop

PostPosted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 3:39 pm


Thanks smile

I'll remember that when I become a famous writer xd
PostPosted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 9:57 pm


agreed but still be extremely careful and of worse comes to worse i'll even let you use my signature style...naming characters after their chacteristic trait. For example, in one of my books i have character who never does the same thing twice and doesn't have any sense of order to his life, so i named him Chaos. if you have any questions or need advice pm me.

and btw Aurelia, i'm not letting you leave. you're good with the people. i need you.

Erebos Azrael


Shelly Poop

PostPosted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 6:38 am


Have you ever heard of Piers Anthony? He wrote the Xanth series..

Anywho, that guy had all kinds of names like that xd

There was a guy that was always arriving just on time. Guess what his name was? Justin Time rofl
And there was a cat that could see the future. Her name was Clairvoyance. whee

But yeah, Im familiar with the concept 3nodding
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