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Merry Christmas!
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Wishes and Resolutions
“Happy Birthday, Riley.” Asia clinked her champagne glass with his. She wasn’t drunk in the least, even though she’d drained every glass someone had shoved at her. In retrospect, she should have been more cautious, because anyone who was sober would have realized she should have been passed out drunk after consuming as much as she had, yet she was still hanging onto Fiona’s keys and was nominated designated driver for the ladies.
“Happy New Year.” Riley’s blue eyes shone, and he finished off the champagne. “So, in the spirit of the new year, what vice are you going to give up? What new habit do you want to acquire?”
“What did you wish for when you blew out your candles?” Asia asked. Two could play at this game.
“I see you still have that whole quid pro quo thing going,” Riley said. “Fine. I will show you mine if you show me yours.”
“If I didn’t know you and how utterly sweet you are, I’d think you’d just made a dishonorable proposition,” Asia said. But she grinned. “This year, I am going to leave the past behind me.”
Riley blinked. “That’s all? That hardly seems much of a struggle.” Then he narrowed his eyes. “Of course, knowing our cipher of a stunt girl, that’s got some deeper meaning to it, doesn’t it?” He slung an arm around her shoulders. “Tell your Uncle Riley all about it, luv.”
“It just means that when I look at a man I’m not going to see a former love in his place, no matter how similar their faces appear,” Asia said.
“This former love break your heart?” Riley asked.
“No. He just died.” Asia nudged him lightly in the ribs. “What about you? What did you wish for?”
“True love,” Riley said promptly. “What else does a romantic actor wish for?”
(308 words)
“Happy New Year.” Riley’s blue eyes shone, and he finished off the champagne. “So, in the spirit of the new year, what vice are you going to give up? What new habit do you want to acquire?”
“What did you wish for when you blew out your candles?” Asia asked. Two could play at this game.
“I see you still have that whole quid pro quo thing going,” Riley said. “Fine. I will show you mine if you show me yours.”
“If I didn’t know you and how utterly sweet you are, I’d think you’d just made a dishonorable proposition,” Asia said. But she grinned. “This year, I am going to leave the past behind me.”
Riley blinked. “That’s all? That hardly seems much of a struggle.” Then he narrowed his eyes. “Of course, knowing our cipher of a stunt girl, that’s got some deeper meaning to it, doesn’t it?” He slung an arm around her shoulders. “Tell your Uncle Riley all about it, luv.”
“It just means that when I look at a man I’m not going to see a former love in his place, no matter how similar their faces appear,” Asia said.
“This former love break your heart?” Riley asked.
“No. He just died.” Asia nudged him lightly in the ribs. “What about you? What did you wish for?”
“True love,” Riley said promptly. “What else does a romantic actor wish for?”
(308 words)
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
This Year is Your Year
“So,” Keith said. He was sprawled on the cool tile of Angel’s fancy kitchen. He had a champagne flute in one hand and an empty bottle of Bushmills in the other. “What’s your new year’s resolution?”
DJ, who was stubbornly clinging to a bottle of absinthe, said, “To stop drinking alcohol.”
Tobias, whose head was nestled next to DJ’s knee, let out an ungainly laugh. “Yeah right.” He waved his bottle of vodka to emphasize his point.
“In that case,” Christian said, “you’re welcome to take this as paint thinner.” He plunked down his mason jar of moonshine next to DJ’s ear.
“The day you stop drinking alcohol,” Gabriel said, “is the day Keith stops setting things on fire for fun.” He paused, then waved his shot glass. “That’s probably a good new year’s resolution for you, Keith. Because Asia’s gonna crumple you into a ball and throw you down the Marianna Trench if you keep burning her stuff.”
“Why do we even bother writing new year’s resolutions?” Keith asked. “We’re gonna live forever. If we actually followed through with any of them, we’d be perfect in a century, easy.”
“You know what my new year’s resolution is?” Tobias asked. “To get Asia to kiss me. Just one more time. Before I die.”
“You make it sound like you’re going to die sometime this year,” Christian said.
“He will, if he manages to get within kissing distance of her,” Gabriel said. “That’s killing distance too, you know.”
“It’d be nice to kiss her again, though,” Christian conceded.
“Then we should make it a team effort,” DJ said. “This year, Tobias gets his kiss. Next year, we nominate someone else.”
“I like it,” Tobias said.
“That’s because this year is your year,” Keith said. “But - all right. I’m in.”
“Happy new year, Tobias,” DJ said.
In the other room, crowded with Angel’s supermodels, starlets, and assorted floozies, people were cheering.
Six men stared up at the kitchen ceiling and contemplated the coming year.
(332 words)
DJ, who was stubbornly clinging to a bottle of absinthe, said, “To stop drinking alcohol.”
Tobias, whose head was nestled next to DJ’s knee, let out an ungainly laugh. “Yeah right.” He waved his bottle of vodka to emphasize his point.
“In that case,” Christian said, “you’re welcome to take this as paint thinner.” He plunked down his mason jar of moonshine next to DJ’s ear.
“The day you stop drinking alcohol,” Gabriel said, “is the day Keith stops setting things on fire for fun.” He paused, then waved his shot glass. “That’s probably a good new year’s resolution for you, Keith. Because Asia’s gonna crumple you into a ball and throw you down the Marianna Trench if you keep burning her stuff.”
“Why do we even bother writing new year’s resolutions?” Keith asked. “We’re gonna live forever. If we actually followed through with any of them, we’d be perfect in a century, easy.”
“You know what my new year’s resolution is?” Tobias asked. “To get Asia to kiss me. Just one more time. Before I die.”
“You make it sound like you’re going to die sometime this year,” Christian said.
“He will, if he manages to get within kissing distance of her,” Gabriel said. “That’s killing distance too, you know.”
“It’d be nice to kiss her again, though,” Christian conceded.
“Then we should make it a team effort,” DJ said. “This year, Tobias gets his kiss. Next year, we nominate someone else.”
“I like it,” Tobias said.
“That’s because this year is your year,” Keith said. “But - all right. I’m in.”
“Happy new year, Tobias,” DJ said.
In the other room, crowded with Angel’s supermodels, starlets, and assorted floozies, people were cheering.
Six men stared up at the kitchen ceiling and contemplated the coming year.
(332 words)
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Not Again; Next Year Another
Not again, Scott had told himself. Not again.
But sitting beside his brother’s hospital bed, listening to the dull roar-hiss of the machines keeping him alive, made him crave the bitter-sweet shock of absinthe and sambuca all the more.
“He’ll be all right,” Joey said in a low voice.
“He’s the best out of the four of us,” Scott said. “Trained the hardest, fought the longest, made the highest belt - he only had two more ranks to go before he made black. But he always panicked in a skirmish, and --”
Joey squeezed his shoulder.
Scott fell silent.
“How long has it been?” Joey asked.
“Nine months,” Scott said. “Since I tasted even a drop. I told myself that this year I’d make it to the one year mark.”
“How was it going?”
“At the party last night I was Designated Dave and proud of it.” Scott stood up. “Here. This seat is yours. I’m going outside for a smoke.”
“You should put cigarettes down on your new year do nots,” Joey said, but he sank down into the orange plastic chair anyway. “You’re a singer.”
Scott reached into his jacket and felt for his battered pack of smokes. He still had a neat little silver hip flask, but these days more often than not it was filled with coffee or that freaky herbal tea of Clay’s that he pretended he hated.
Scott stepped out onto the small balcony and shivered in the winter air; he’d forgone his coat like a macho idiot. When the first hit of nicotine spiked in his veins, he sighed in relief. He’d given up the worse of the two vices. Next year he’d give up another.
(283 words)
But sitting beside his brother’s hospital bed, listening to the dull roar-hiss of the machines keeping him alive, made him crave the bitter-sweet shock of absinthe and sambuca all the more.
“He’ll be all right,” Joey said in a low voice.
“He’s the best out of the four of us,” Scott said. “Trained the hardest, fought the longest, made the highest belt - he only had two more ranks to go before he made black. But he always panicked in a skirmish, and --”
Joey squeezed his shoulder.
Scott fell silent.
“How long has it been?” Joey asked.
“Nine months,” Scott said. “Since I tasted even a drop. I told myself that this year I’d make it to the one year mark.”
“How was it going?”
“At the party last night I was Designated Dave and proud of it.” Scott stood up. “Here. This seat is yours. I’m going outside for a smoke.”
“You should put cigarettes down on your new year do nots,” Joey said, but he sank down into the orange plastic chair anyway. “You’re a singer.”
Scott reached into his jacket and felt for his battered pack of smokes. He still had a neat little silver hip flask, but these days more often than not it was filled with coffee or that freaky herbal tea of Clay’s that he pretended he hated.
Scott stepped out onto the small balcony and shivered in the winter air; he’d forgone his coat like a macho idiot. When the first hit of nicotine spiked in his veins, he sighed in relief. He’d given up the worse of the two vices. Next year he’d give up another.
(283 words)
Monday, December 21, 2009
I Will Not
This year, Bob told himself, I will not think of her.
He lay in his hospital bed and stared at the IV where it hung beside its bed. Through the plastic and translucent liquid, the world beyond was concave, as if he were looking through a fishbowl. Idly, he wondered if this was what it really looked like for fish or if they constantly suffered from double vision because their eyes were on either side of their head.
The squeak of wheels on linoleum roused him from his contemplation, and he turned. A nurse - unfamiliar, if young and pretty - wheeled in a tray of food. She smiled brightly at him.
“Hey there, happy new year! Is your family coming to visit?”
“I think they said they’d come by for dinner,” Bob said. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and fidgeted with the blankets. If she’d been older and motherly, he might have let the nurse fluff his pillows and fuss over him, but she was young enough and pretty enough that Bob blushed, if only a little. He missed being able to hide behind his hair.
“That’ll be nice.” The nurse smiled at him and set the tray in front of him.
“Yeah,” Bob said. “Um...where’s Janice?”
“Home with her family,” the nurse said. “I’m low man on the totem pole, as it were, so I’m working the holiday. I’m Caroline, by the way.”
Bob felt his insides clench, but then he forced the sensation away. “It’s nice to meet you, Caroline.”
There. He’d done it. He’d said her name.
“You too. Enjoy your lunch!” And the nurse walked away.
Bob stared at the food for a long time, but he wasn’t hungry. He went back to looking at the IV bag.
(295 words)
He lay in his hospital bed and stared at the IV where it hung beside its bed. Through the plastic and translucent liquid, the world beyond was concave, as if he were looking through a fishbowl. Idly, he wondered if this was what it really looked like for fish or if they constantly suffered from double vision because their eyes were on either side of their head.
The squeak of wheels on linoleum roused him from his contemplation, and he turned. A nurse - unfamiliar, if young and pretty - wheeled in a tray of food. She smiled brightly at him.
“Hey there, happy new year! Is your family coming to visit?”
“I think they said they’d come by for dinner,” Bob said. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and fidgeted with the blankets. If she’d been older and motherly, he might have let the nurse fluff his pillows and fuss over him, but she was young enough and pretty enough that Bob blushed, if only a little. He missed being able to hide behind his hair.
“That’ll be nice.” The nurse smiled at him and set the tray in front of him.
“Yeah,” Bob said. “Um...where’s Janice?”
“Home with her family,” the nurse said. “I’m low man on the totem pole, as it were, so I’m working the holiday. I’m Caroline, by the way.”
Bob felt his insides clench, but then he forced the sensation away. “It’s nice to meet you, Caroline.”
There. He’d done it. He’d said her name.
“You too. Enjoy your lunch!” And the nurse walked away.
Bob stared at the food for a long time, but he wasn’t hungry. He went back to looking at the IV bag.
(295 words)
No More Drama
"I hereby resolve to not get involved with anyone this year!" Bryan exclaimed, his eyes bright from the sugar coursing through his system.
Mark snorted quietly into his own cup of Pepsi, "Yeah right Bry," he said as he turned to survey the room. It was crowded, bodies packed into the small space, the badly hung crepe not hiding the fact that it was a smelly old gym at a small school.
"I mean it!" Bryan said loudly, "I am through with girls, They are nothing but trouble, and drama, and enormous pests."
Mark looked his twin in the eye, "Bryan, if I know you at all, which I do, then you will fall for the next girl that you kiss. The only way to keep your resolution is to not kiss anyone. And I don't think that you can do that."
"Sure I can."
Mark shook his head, "You mean you won't kiss anyone tonight on the stroke of midnight?"
"Nope."
"Well, I guess we will see in about ten minutes if you can keep your promise. I bet you ten bucks that you can't keep from kissing anyone."
"Your on Bro."
3...
2...
1...
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!"
...."I knew you couldn't do it."
Mark snorted quietly into his own cup of Pepsi, "Yeah right Bry," he said as he turned to survey the room. It was crowded, bodies packed into the small space, the badly hung crepe not hiding the fact that it was a smelly old gym at a small school.
"I mean it!" Bryan said loudly, "I am through with girls, They are nothing but trouble, and drama, and enormous pests."
Mark looked his twin in the eye, "Bryan, if I know you at all, which I do, then you will fall for the next girl that you kiss. The only way to keep your resolution is to not kiss anyone. And I don't think that you can do that."
"Sure I can."
Mark shook his head, "You mean you won't kiss anyone tonight on the stroke of midnight?"
"Nope."
"Well, I guess we will see in about ten minutes if you can keep your promise. I bet you ten bucks that you can't keep from kissing anyone."
"Your on Bro."
3...
2...
1...
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!"
...."I knew you couldn't do it."
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Project #53: Resolutions
It's not the new year yet, but there's no harm in thinking ahead. What do you characters choose as a new year's resolution? How good are they at keeping it? What do their friends say about it? Why do they choose to make a certain resolution? You have 100-400 words to show how your characters are resolved. Write on!
Overview #52: Finals
I did my best not to do conventional final exams. I went with some conventional ones, obviously, as with Bob and Dan, but I tried to take them from unconventional angles, where Dan's is during the homeschool days and Bob's is during his brief stint in high school. When it came to the other characters, I had a much harder time thinking up finals that were obvious. Since Sector Five is all about the wetwork, kills as finals was the obvious choice, and I didn't want to do that. I know that sometimes an actual production is the final for a number of theatre courses, and I'm still working James out in my head, so I figured I'd throw some of that in there.
As for Angel - well, a friend sent me the video, and it stuck with me, and I knew I had to do something with it. So I did. Because Angel has technically already made Operations agent already, so he needed a new test.
I am both proud and disappointed in John's entry, partially because it was so much exposition and so little story, but in the end it solved a lot of things about Carolyn, and that made me happy.
As for Angel - well, a friend sent me the video, and it stuck with me, and I knew I had to do something with it. So I did. Because Angel has technically already made Operations agent already, so he needed a new test.
I am both proud and disappointed in John's entry, partially because it was so much exposition and so little story, but in the end it solved a lot of things about Carolyn, and that made me happy.
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