Mood: accomplished
This may be dumb, but here goes. As some of you may already know, I have been
writing a book. It started out as something fun to pass the time, but it’s really coming along. I just finished my fifth chapter, and am part way through the sixth! I decided recently that I actually want to try and get it published. I don’t know if that is just a stupid desire. It might never happen, but I know that it’s something I want to try. Think how proud I would be of myself!
I finally figured out what is happening with one of my main characters. It’s really weird, slightly mystical, and definitely interesting. Once I came up with it, the character has been so much more fun to write. I’m not going to tell you what is happening to him, but what I will do is show you. Realize that this was my first attempt at writing it, and it might have MANY flaws. However, I had a lot of fun writing it, and now I want to share it with someone. It’s just an excerpt from the chapter and not the whole thing.
Back story: They are two 16 year old kids. Blake and Maggie. Blake’s family all go to a very exclusive private school for boys in the next town. Blake went there for a few months, but didn’t like it at all. So, he moved in with his older sister and her family in order to go back to his old school.
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“So, how come you don’t go to Alpha?” I asked Blake one Friday after school. Jackson had to stay after for a CLUB meeting so we had the Lancer to ourselves.
“Sick of me already?” He feigned worry.
“You know what I mean.” I laughed. We were stuck in the crowded school parking lot. Everyone was in a hurry to get to their weekends. So, naturally, it took us all forever to get out.
Blake let the car idle and looked at me. “Actually, I’m not sure I know what you’re getting at. I didn’t want to go there.” His blue eyes danced in the sunlight. I was mesmerized. It took me a moment to remember what I was asking about. Even then I couldn’t speak. It was like I had no choice. I was stuck staring into his eyes until the line of cars moved, and Blake redirected his.
I cleared my throat. Trying to regain my train of thought I said, “Well, you said it was important to your dad.”
He nodded.
“Then, he uprooted his whole life and moved to Salem.” I went on.
“You make it sound like he moved to Calcutta.” He laughed.
“How so?”
“Salem isn’t that far away. It’s a half an hour drive. Maximum. It wasn’t that big of a move. Plus, it’s a nice town. Close to the city, and his family all lives there. I’m sure he would have gone back sooner or later.”
“But I thought that he wanted you to go to his Alma mater or whatever.”
“Yeah, maybe that was the driving force. But, like I said, it was bound to happen.”
“Why’s that?” I was curious.
“He and my uncle Noah have been working things out. They’re family you know. Brothers. I guess they don’t want to loose that bond, or can’t. Whatever.” He shrugged.
“But that doesn’t bother you?” I asked. “Being away from your family I mean.”
“I’m living with my family Mags.” Blake rolled his eyes. Again, I’d missed the obvious. “My sister is awesome. My dad doesn’t really get it, but he’s my dad. You know? I’m not going to loose him. I couldn’t if I tried.”
I thought about that for a second. It made perfect sense I looked out the window. We were on the street now. Driving home.
“You didn’t answer my question though,” I reminded him.
“What’s that?” He said tilting his head toward me.
I sighed. “What’s the deal with Alpha Blake?”
“Oh, that.” His face got suddenly serious. “Well, it’s a weird school Mags.”
I wasn’t exactly sure what he meant. I just unbuttoned my jacket and waited for him to go on.
“I know my dad and Noah went there. And my cousins go there now, but it’s just not for me.” Blake was noticeably troubled now. “Those just aren’t my people.”
I shook my head, and looked to turn down the heat. “What do you mean?” It was hard for me to imagine Blake not fitting in anywhere. He was so fun-loving and care-free. People just gravitated to him. I did. That anyone wouldn’t like him was beyond my comprehension.
“Everyone there is so full-of-it.” He was very serious now. The atmosphere was charged with his agitation. The air felt hot and thick. The change was so drastic that it took me aback. I tugged my coat off and double checked that the heat was off.
“They all think that they’re better than everyone else,” Blake went on. “It’s like they think they’re…I don’t know…Like they’re something more than the rest of us. All of them. Even the teachers. They just think their too good for society. It’s hard to explain. They don’t understand how I can have normal friends.”
“Normal friends?” I asked rolling down my window.
He pinched his nose between his eyebrows. Then he gesticulated wildly. “You know, people outside of the freak-school.”
“So, it’s not a good school?” I asked, bewildered by his behavior.
His lips tightened and he leaned his head from side to side while he decided on how to answer. “I mean, it’s alright. It’s got to be. Look at who it’s turned out.” He listed some of the more famous alumni. I was aware of some of them, and surprised by a few other names.” But the whole place is just surreal. It’s almost medieval.”
“Medieval?”
“The halls are lit with torches for god’s sake!” He rolled his eyes and shook his head at remembering the oddity. “But the classes are just weird.”
Nervous about upsetting him, I began to sweat, but curious to learn more I asked, “how?”
He let out a frustrated sigh, but continued for me. “Well, it’s normal lessons, but they’re all kind of colored with this bizarre brush.”
“What do you mean?”
He sighed again, and it almost sounded like a growl. “Well, science, history, civics. It’s all there, but it’s different.” He looked at me, and could tell that I didn’t really understand. “I guess you’d have to go to know. It’s so hard to explain. But, it was like we were learning someone else’s theories. Like it’s not how things really are, just what we’re supposed to believe.”
“They said that?” I wiped my brow.
“Didn’t have to.” He waved his free hand into the air. “They all believe it. The normal rules of society don’t apply to those guys Mags.” He let out another frustrated grunt. I could tell that he was uncomfortable talking about this.
“And there’s something about them that’s just… I dunno.” He shuddered.
“Creepy.”
We sat in the car in silence. My mind was abuzz with information. I had so many new questions. Why were they like that? What were the lessons like exactly? Why were they so secretive? Torches? Was his family the same way? Creepy? His cousins? Noah maybe, but his dad? I wanted to ask him everything, but I didn’t.
Blake was starting to relax again. He was calmer. I had stopped sweating. The air was cooler. I sensed that it was probably best to leave things alone for now.
I looked around and realized that we had driven past the turn-off to my house. I must have really upset him.
“Forget where I live champ?” I teased him.
He laughed, and I relaxed even more. “No. I’m taking you to meet my sister.”
“Oh.” I said, stupidly.
He raised one of his eyebrows. “Is that okay?”
“Yeah,” I said. Now I was agitated. “Cool.”
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Later on Maggie witnesses an interaction between Blake and his dad that is, well...it’s weird:
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Alone now, I peered out from behind the blinds. Blake had met his father at the beat-up old truck. I guess his uncle’s extreme generosity didn’t extend to his brother. Strange. As they talked, I took in as much of Blake’s dad as I could. His back was to me, but I could tell that Blake’s dad had the same build as his son. He was slightly taller, but he slouched so that they stood at the same height. He was older than I expected. His hair was mostly gray. Even from behind I could tell that the years hadn’t been exactly kind to this man. His posture almost seemed defeated.
While I watched, the old man grabbed one of his son’s arms. He leaned in close like he was sharing something secret. Then, Blake’s face went from friendly to frustrated in a flash. He tried to pull away, but his father held his arm firmly and spoke to him. Blake then shook his head and pulled his hands away violently.
The old man pulled away too. He recoiled momentarily, shaking his hands as though they’d been burnt. Then, he stood up tall and pointed to his son’s arms. At this, Blake rolled his eyes. Then he paused when he saw what his father was referring to. His eyes seemed to bulge for a fraction of a second, but then it was gone. He smiled half-heartedly, and said something that looked like “you’re crazy.”
His dad spoke again, for a while. This time Blake nodded. He spoke to his father more calmly now. Then he pointed to his car and the house behind it.
That’s when it happened. Blake’s father turned around. His eyes followed his son’s hand. He looked to the house. Quickly, I ducked behind the window dressings. I don’t know what I was expecting, but that wasn’t it.
His dad’s bright red face was horribly scarred. One of his dark eyes was smaller than the other. The skin around it had been remolded so that it barely seemed open. His nose looked as if it had been melted off, and then reshaped by a child. His mouth was crooked, and raised glossy bumps covered his cheeks.
He was grotesque, but that wasn’t the worst of it. Even though I ducked behind the drapery, I got the very distinct sense that he saw me. Blake’s dad was looking right where I stood. He was staring directly at me with his monstrously mismatched eyes. He glared at me. His expression clearly said that he didn’t like me. No, he loathed me. His eyes burned with hatred. Blake’s dad saw me, and he hated me.
My blood ran cold.
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Okay, so tell me what you think.
