The exercise:
Write about: the accomplice.
We have returned home. Today was actually a pretty smooth trip, as Max was basically entertained by a video he was watching in the car and generally pretty excited about coming back to Osoyoos. The road got a bit dicey in places with snow and slush and ice, but it was manageable.
Now I am ready to sleep for a week. I'm sure Max will be agreeable to that as well, right?
Mine:
I never did set out to be nobody's accomplice. I can promise you that much. Swear on my Mama's bible, on whatever page you like. I ain't got no reason to lie.
Richard was such a nice boy. Always polite to his elders, never mean to his classmates. Not even me, and everybody was mean to me. How could we not be best friends?
We had some fun, Richard and I. Nothing bad or dangerous or whatever. Just simple, innocent fun.
At least, I always thought it was. Looking back now though? I'm not so sure. Did he steal money out of my sister's purse when I wasn't looking? Did he keep some of those matchbooks when we was supposed to give them all back?
Maybe he did. Maybe he didn't. I never knew it if he did. I just helped him by distracting people or by carrying heavy things. There was even this one time when I got something off a really high shelf for him, what with... him... being... so... short... and...
You know what? Maybe he did just use me all along. Maybe Richard and I weren't never really friends. I dunno. There's one thing I do know, and it's this:
I never meant for nobody to get hurt.
And I'm real sorry somebody did get hurt.
Real, real bad.
2 comments:
The video sounds like a good way to distract Max, it's a shame he didn't have that distraction on the way out! And it sounds like you've had a good Christmas if you're that tired :)
I can't put my finger on what it is, but even though your writing is at your usual excellent standard I can't seem to get into this today. Richard seems interesting enough, and I like how you build the relationship between him and the narrator, but I still feel kind of outside it all. I suspect this is more my fault that your writing's though!
The accomplice
Everyone has an accomplice said the guru. The yurt he lived in – the one the four of us were sitting in, shivering in the draughts and wishing we'd worn warmer clothes – smelled bad, like the animal skins hadn't been cured. In everything you do, you have an accomplice. However, the accomplice can be different for each thing, and it is up to you to find out who they are.
"How about when you're having sex?" Bill sniggered, but it was most surprising that it was Maggie who'd asked the question. She was usually the one to point out what everyone was thinking but not saying, but this was bold even for her.
Even then, said the guru. He sounded like this question got asked a lot. and whoever you're having sex with might not be your accomplice either.
Bill stopped sniggering, and there was a silence around the yurt – broken by the wretched, unceasing wind – that suggested we were all thinking quite hard about that. I know I was.
The wind blew the doorflap of the yurt open and a fox was sat outside, staring at the guru. He met its gaze, nodded to its yellow eyes, and then gestured at us to leave. I think that's the only time I've been kicked out of anywhere by a fox, but it seemed right somehow. Maybe it was the guru's spirit-wife or something.
As we hugged ourselves, now that we were caught in the wind's full wintry blast, we staggered back to the car. We were inside, the doors all slammed shut and the heater turned on when Maggie squeaked. We all turned to look at her, and she blushed.
"I know who my sex-accomplice is," she said, blushing harder. "Oh god, but it's so obvious when it's pointed out to you like that. Isn't it?"
Muttered denials and shaking of heads. I, at least, was lying though; I'd figured mine out probably faster than Maggie. And my horror at that realisation meant I'd be seeking out my murder-accomplice next and tidying my life up. Some things just have to be done.
Greg - we had a different video playing on the way out, he just got tired of it sooner than we'd hoped he would.
Reading mine over I'm pretty okay with what I've got. Not sure what might help it, but I'm open to suggestions if you happen to figure it out.
Intriguing characters and details in this one. Lots going on behind the scenes here, though you did give us a little peak at the end there. Not sure the guru had that result in mind while he was dishing out his wisdom!
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