Sunday January 1st, 2017

The exercise:

Write about something that has been: revitalized.

Welcome to 2017! Ideas are beginning to swirl for this year's yearlong prompt. Haven't settled on anything yet, but I hope to do so and introduce the idea by the end of the week.

We got a serious dumping of snow overnight. When we went up to Kat's parents for dinner this evening, her dad asked if we'd been out all day because he hadn't seen the car parked by our house.

I told him no, it's just buried in snow.

I suspect that I am not going to enjoy hauling firewood through the orchard tomorrow morning.

Mine:

New years and new beginnings. They seem to go hand in hand, don't they?

Everyone I know gets all obsessed with their resolutions and commitments to lifestyle changes. Quit smoking. Quit drinking. Start exercising. Get a life.

I've never really understood it. Not until this year, anyway. I guess I've never had a reason to get caught up in all that hoopla. My life was good. My health was good. My career was on the right track. Keep doing what I'm doing didn't seem like a very worthwhile resolution, you know?

This year is different though. My life needs some changes. Drastic changes. That's why I'm cutting ties with the people who have, without me even realizing it, been weighing me down. I'm ready for a fresh start. To set out on my own. Make my own schedule, do as I choose for a while. My days and nights will be my own for the first time in... man, I don't even remember.

See what I mean? This is long overdue.

So goodbye house. See ya job. Later neighbours. Take it easy, hometown. Peace out wife and kids.

I'm running away from home.

4 comments:

Greg said...

If the car can be buried so effectively in snow that people believe you're out in it, then I understand the need for snowshoes better now! I'm sure that the firewood will be fun though, you just have to turn it into a game. I can't quite work out what kind of game it would be at the moment, or who would be forcing you to play it, but I'm sure it's a fun one :)
Happy New Year to you too! I hope that the first year of Donald Trump being in charge of a large part of the North American continent is a good one.
I hope, wherever away from home you run to, you continue to update the daily-writing practice blog :-D There's such a sense of enthusiasm throughout this tale that it's kind of hard to feel annoyed with narrator for his selfish act, I think you've really captured the spirit of "revitalized".

Revitalised
The door was silky smooth to the touch, which Ernest attributed to the mould growing over it. It yielded to even slight pressure, swinging gently inwards. The door disappeared into darkness, and a rectangle of seeming oblivion was the only way onward. Ernest could hear Samual's breathing quicken behind him, and he guessed that Kevin was holding his breath from the lack of other noise. The way forward was uninviting, and the way Kevin had said that this was where the vampires lived made him suspicious that there was even more going on here than he'd been told about. He was acutely aware that he was going, unprepared, into an unknown environment. Usually he'd have David here with him, and while David might be tactless and occasionally headstrong, his abilities with magic were unquestionably remarkable and reliable. Right now he would very much appreciate having David here in case things turned out to be... difficult.
It took all his emotional strength to step forward. It's easy enough to say that you don't care what happens, to tell yourself and others that you're brave, but taking the first step is absolutely the hardest part. He reminded himself that this was expected, that Kevin was probably judging him on this... and still it took every scrap of courage and determination to step forward.
The darkness was like ice-water and the shock of it on his face nearly make him jump back. He couldn't repress a flinch, and had to hope that he was already far enough into the darkness that Kevin and Samual couldn't tell what had happened. His hands lifted reflexively to protect himself and the movement through the black was like stirring iced water. He shivered, unable to suppress that either and forced another step forwards. He felt like he was falling forward, but there was nothing to feel, nothing to catch himself on. He pressed on with a third step, and then a fourth, and suddenly he was back in a world of light and warmth.
And pain. His hands burned like they'd been in snow for a half-hour and then put in front of the fire, and tiny flashes of light obscured his vision as his face tingled and felt like it was thawing out. Breath hissed raggedly from his lungs; he wanted to scream but was unwilling to do so while he couldn't see who -- or what -- might be around him.

Greg said...

"Lord Derby," said a rich, vibrant voice to his left. "A man I would have met sooner."
"He's not alone," said another voice, further away but on the same side. "There are others coming through."
"With him?"
"Seemingly."
There was an odd sensation as though the air had thickened. "Who is with you, Derby?" asked the first voice.
"Two men," said Ernest. His mouth felt numb, as though he'd been to the dentist for a tooth extraction. He resisted the urge to flex his jaw and see if he could work the numbness away. "A guide and a servant."
"Two men," said the second voice. "Only."
"Very well." The air seemed oddly looser again, and though his hands were still burning painfully his vision finally cleared. He was standing in a sphere of light; he could see no walls or ceiling around and above him; below his was a circle of carpet that disappeared where the darkness around them touched it. There were armchairs set around, and people -- all men he realised -- sat in them. Between the chairs were small occasionally tables, on which were set glasses of a dark liquid and candles.
Samual stumbled through a patch of darkness and came to a halt by Lord Derby's elbow. A moment later and Kevin stepped confidently through, though he rubbed his eyes quickly once inside the light. He looked around the assembly, and then gestured to the youngest of the men.
"Lord Derby," he said, looking at Ernest, "may I present the revitalised Lord Campion?"

morganna said...

My writing
Begun anew
Old habits returning
Prompts answered
Taking time from a busy life
I'm back!

Marc said...

Greg - yes, well, if you figure out a game that works for the firewood, do let me know :P

Ugh, Trump. I... nah, that's all that needs to be said about that, actually.

What a fantastic description of Ernest's entry into the darkness! That was truly inspired. And oh man, that ending! This is... well, it is continuing to be good!

Morganna - hurray!

I think that's all I need to say about that :D

Well, also: welcome back :)