The exercise:
Let's get back to the Random CD prompt, shall we?
Go ahead and pick a song as randomly as you like. Or maybe just use one that's been stuck in your head recently. However you do it, borrow your chosen song's first line and use it as your own (after credit goes where credit does). And then... take it from there.
The final day of November already, huh? December looms. The Christmas month. The final entry for House of Mercy. The last days of 2016.
Not sure if I'm ready for any of it, but that's not going to change anything. So I might as well just say: bring it on.
Mine:
Gypsy by Lady Gaga (yeah, I know. I actually wanted to use a different song but the opening line wasn't inspiring much of anything.)
Sometimes a story has no end.
If you're sitting there thinking to yourself, Oh yeah, I get what he means. I've seen The Neverending Story, then get out. The door is right over there. I don't have time for your fantasy nonsense.
Because, you see, what I'm talking about is real. There are tales that cannot be bound by life and death, space or time. They are too big. Too important.
I'm not talking about something with no beginning and no end. Of course it has a beginning. Everything does.
I do not know who started the tale. Or why. Or even when. But I do know one thing for certain.
This story will not, cannot end.
It's slightly weird to see you addressing the previous days comments again -- that's not a criticism, it's just that I'd got used to going back a few pages to find out where we were up to with comments. I think I was kind of enjoying revisting older stories like that :)
ReplyDeleteI'm delighted to see that you're choosing Lady Gaga! And you picked a great opening line to start with too. Plus I remember the Neverending Story, and the Luck Dragon (clearly a cute dog). So all good, and I really enjoyed the determination of the narrator and the hint that they might be talking about the whole story of the universe....
[For the Youtube video there's no official video yet it seems, so you'll have to wait out or skip the first 30 seconds of someone talking.]
Words like fire
"Words like fire underneath your breath," said a new voice. "Air like fire underneath your steps. This world is going to burn."
Ernest looked at Lord Vileburn, his body language suggesting controlled tension; the dog poised to pounce, waiting motionless for the rabbit to emerge from the hole.
"The last words that Lord Campion heard," said Memneth. "I can be sure of that, even though he was a vampire. Well, that look of surprise is a joy, Ernest, let me savour this moment! I haven't seen you look like something is new to you since Alchemy class when we were thirteen! A vampire undergoes two spiritual deaths: the first when they become a vampire and the second when they actually die. The first is a strange thing and is a kind of cocooning of their spirit so that it can change. It pupates, if that's the right word a couple of centuries later - no really, Ernest, we have examples... perhaps you're not the best person to explain that to, so put it abye for now. The old Lord Campion hadn't pupated -- you really don't like these terms, do you? -- so when he was killed this time there was still a human spirit for me to locate and interrog-"
"Enough!" Ernest frowned, though Memneth was smiling as though he were the only one understanding a joke. "These are still people."
"No, they're not actually."
"They suffer perhap-"
"Ernest. Ernest, really. They're not people, they stop being human when the transition starts. They are people-shaped, surely, and until they pupa- ok, until the transformation completes they can act much like they used to be. But a vampire, a true, fully-grown vampire, is practically a different species to you and me."
The silence drew out as Ernest though about what Memneth had said, and Lord Vileburn watched his face. Twice Ernest appeared to be about to speak, and twice he subsided, keeping his silence while his brain thought furiously. Only when he had given enough thought to the implications did he finally meet Lord Vileburn's eyes and speak again.
"I'll need to see some of this for myself," he said. "I can take your word for now, Andy - Memneth, sorry. But this is horrible. The idea that we might be creating vampires for our own purposes was upsetting, but that we are inflicting a... a sub-life of monstrosity on people is... is...."
ReplyDelete"You deal with the edges of society all the time, Ernest," said Lord Vileburn. "You know better than I what people are capable of, so I shall so this: this afternoon I shall accompany you to the Campion's tomb and show you the details of vampirism so you understand. But in return, and I know I'm asking a lot of you, please consider that even though it is repulsive to us there are people who have and will willingly embrace vampirism."
Ernest shuddered. "I had thought of that," he said. "And you are right, I have much to think on now. I am not happy about that."
Lord Vileburn nodded. "The words Lord Campion heard," he said, "seem grandiose. If I were you I would probably enquire with the Lords-Martial if they have any meaning for them; a weapon that could turn air to fire might be quite interesting and would certainly make the world burn."
Ernest looked around. "I suppose if the world caught fire you would return here and wait until it was ashes?"
"It's one of the options open to me."
Lord Vileburn seemed to release hold of something Ernest hadn't even been aware he was holding and the stars spiralled around them again. David's presence returned, his gaze slightly glassy, and Memneth nodded to Ernest.
"The priest," he said, picking up impeccably from where their conversation had departed David earlier, "will have spent all of yesterday preparing the body for burial, and I'm told that the tomb has a number of sorcerous protections. Not unusual for someone of Lord Campion's rank, and the sensitivity of his occupation."
David nodded, listening intently. Ernest continued on with the broad strokes that he knew David was permitted to hear, and ignored the faint smirk that flickered around Lord Vileburn's lips.
Greg - only slightly? Hah :P
ReplyDeleteThat song reminds me of... Bowie, I think. Regardless, I like it! So thanks for sharing :)
Those are rather ominous final words to hear. And there are several interesting revelations in this piece, though I'm not fully convinced that all is as it seems with Lord Vileburn.
Fascinating continuation. I hope you're enjoying writing this as much as I'm enjoying reading it!