picowrimo | Pico, Day 29

.... Aaand by dint of simply doing nothing else all morning, along with a hefty dose of panic, I got the challenge story finished. 2800 odd words in two days, mostly plot-lite vignettes strung together with the chocolate. It's over at my journal if anyone is interested...

I was so nearly first! This is an extract from something completely different - a longstanding idea that I had an idea for the first line of on the bus to work. I won't be picking it up as a project as yet, but it has made me feel enthusiastic about doing so in the future.

*

The trolls were setting fire to the newspapers again.

In the old days, they had set fire to the telephone directories in the public telephone boxes. Telephone directories in phone boxes had long since gone the way of all flesh - or almost all flesh - but happily, free newspapers at the bus stop had come to replace them. The newspapers were replaced daily and the trolls, showing due consideration, waited to burn them until the evening. Strictly speaking they ought to have been recycled, but as long as they weren’t left blowing about the streets no-one particularly cared about that. There was no shortage of trees in the neighbourhood and general feeling was that the faint smell of smoke for an hour after sunset added to the charm of the place.

I've finished Chapter 7. Phew. It will need proofreading and rechecking before I'd actually post it, but at least it's done for now.

Excerpt:

They emerge again a short time later, in a steamy maze of vertical, diagonal and horizontal conduits, escorted by the three Suliban, who now hold Archer’s plasma pistol. The situation has vague similarities to an official arrest.

“Do you think they’re taking us to their leader?” Archer jokes. Hoshi’s wordless glare speaks volumes. “No, I don’t think so, either,” he continues, completely unfazed by the fact that they’ve been captured.

Hoshi gives him another glare. “Be careful what you wish for, Captain – you might get it!”

Where they’re actually brought is a small, open area, where Sandra and Ianto are already being held. It’s obviously very warm in there because Sandra has already shed her parka and is about to get rid of her blouse without taking off her corset.

“What?” she snaps at Archer whose eyes are widening at the sight. “It’s boiling hot in here; and it’s not as if the lizards would care.”

The Suliban seem fairly indifferent indeed.

Just over 400 words today, although I'm less tired than the last couple of nights. But I reached the end of a chapter, so it seemed like a good point to stop. Edward and Rupert are chatting in the kitchen:

Rupert removed the coffee pot from the stove. "Did I tell you that I found a grave up near Derwentdale Hall? It belonged to the Dowager Duchess Margaret – and I think relatives of the Dukes of Norfolk cared for it when they owned the land."

"They might well have done. Do you know the story of how Duchess Margaret came to be buried there?"

"She was the last Catholic Peveril, at least until..." Roo trailed off, then began again, "And the FitzAlan Howards are the most powerful Catholics in the country, which must be why they looked after her."

"Quite possibly," Edward said, making an informed guess as to what Roo had left unsaid. "But there was a marriage proposed between a Peveril and a very distant relative of the 11th Duke of Norfolk in the 1800s. Cecilia: if you've heard of her."

237 words today that I think will work. Some of them ~

***

Mycroft held out his hand for Kit’s phone.

“Arrange for his transfer to Bart’s and for his mother to see him first,” Sherlock said, flipping the mobile between his fingers.

“Fine.” Mycroft pressed a button on his phone and got up.

Red slid off his shoes where he had been dozing.

“A change in plans,” Mycroft said into the mobile as he walked into the hallway. The door clicked shut behind him.

Red arrived a moment too late and stretched up towards the door handle.

John shook his head. “You’ve a ways to grow before that,” he said.

Red pushed and the door rattled slightly against the jamb.

More editing. Got to one of the scenes that needs a lot of work - it is very rough and needs more thought.

I'm sorry for having been awol for a while, at least in the comments. But some health issues came up and they always manage to cascade somehow. Much better now :)

I couldn't get back in the mood of the piece I've been working on though. Instead I started making notes and doing some research for another story I owe someone. I may have lost a bet in the World Cup pool last year or something like that.... In any case, I've had a basic idea for the story all along, and the recipient wants some New York scenes (she's going to illustrate it) so I was mapping out where various things can happen and what those various things will be. I'm pretty sure she's hoping for romantic NY scenes, heh. Luckily she knows me pretty well and isn't holding her breath ;)

46 words on Wednesday!

no subject

no subject

A Matter of Time

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject