Thursday, July 25, 2013

Prompt: Switch up the genre, part 2

This is a re-write of Tuesday’s prompt/characters as a fantasy tale…

I had the biggest crush on Eric Stanton from the first time I saw him on the lake shore, waiting to get across to the island. We had all heard stories, of course, but none of us really knew what to expect. My calling was like a waking dream, superimposed on my vision whether my eyes were open or closed. It was a constant stream of symbols, art, words, and arrows directing me toward the island. I’m glad there were stories, actually, or I would have thought I was losing my mind. I didn’t know if anyone else I saw was heading there, and I didn’t speak to anyone about it until I actually reached the shore.

There were maybe twenty people milling around, but the most handsome man I ever saw walked around them all to approach me. He had long dark hair that curled around his ears and over his shoulder. His blue eyes seemed to glow, and I wondered if that was some kind of sign of his magic, or his power. I wondered if I had a sign, or if I would. His voice was deep and smooth, I could almost feel it like a caress against my skin. I was so caught up in his beauty that I completely missed what he said. His bright blue eyes crinkled with frustration, and my first brilliant words to him were, “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“I think we’re supposed to cross together. My calling is like a ribbon flowing out in front of me, and it wraps around you before it leads out over the lake.”

I blinked at him in surprise. I was nowhere near as attractive as he was. Was he joking? Making fun? Teasing? I stiffened. “Your calling?” I asked, only slightly more intelligently than before.

He shrugged. “What’s yours like? I’ve been talking with some of the people here—”

Some of the pretty girls, I thought bitterly, sure that he was making fun of me now.

“—and it seems each one of us has a different experience. See that tall fellow over there? He hears voices whispering instructions to him. I think that really would drive me mad! Don’t you?”

I followed his hand pointing to the tallest man on the shore, draped in a patchwork cape of intricate design. I wondered how one could tell the difference between voice whispering instructions and other voices that might mean you were mad after all.

Eric continued describing the different callings of the people he had spoken with, and I continued debating his intent. I wished I could relax and enjoy the sound of his voice, the pleasure of his beautiful face. I didn’t dare. Even when he stayed close by me as we climbed the rickety platform ferry with no railing to hold on to as it rocked and floated across the lake with no visible means of locomotion.
 
I planted my staff firmly in front of my feet and imagined myself barely floating above the wood, escaping the rough rocking. Eric made a coughing sound that jerked my eyes open, and I dropped to the platform with a thud. I looked around in confusion, but no one else seemed to have noticed. Eric put his finger to his lips and smiled. Our secret.

 ***
 
So there you have it. Three different "takes" starting with the same original prompt, or at least the same two main characters... It's interesting to see what different direction they lead!

Dogs in house
Houdini, Brindle, Bacon
 
 
Time writing:
45 minutes
 
 
July word count:
12,768

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