Midnight Voltage

Anyone remember that Core War Short Story Contest a while back? Well, I was going through all my various writing folders (my computer's a mess...I wanted to finally organize stories that I had finished, abandoned, are in progress, and ideas, etc.), and I came across my old Core War entry idea. I had forgotten how much I loved that; I think that may be the farthest I've ever gone into someone's character with the exception of two (or three) of my main characters for other projects. Unfortunately I also remember why I had never gone forward with that story: I never liked the plot I had planned nor could think of one I liked. =/ I'm definitely going to revisit that idea, though (and maybe not even as a Bionicle story, but definitely with the same character), as I love that character idea.

I also found a small piece of a second-person narrative I was working on (I completely forget what I was writing it for, as all I have are about 10 lines of story...) that I also quite like, and definitely hope to finish. One problem is: "the creature is revealed in a brief instant as it steps into the light. The sight is horrible. You scream in unadulterated fear as knife-sized teeth tear you apart, look down to see that you have lost your legs."

That's a problem because I don't like writing Bionicle stories any more (well, for most things...see, now I like to write because I want to be able to show people that I wrote it, but I don't want to show anyone anything that's Bionicle except here on BZP), and there's not really an animal that fits that description (if there is and I'm just not thinking, please let me know =P). I s'pose I could create some sort of fantasy creature (I haven't written anything in the fantasy genre besides Bionicle things, so maybe this is my time to...) or use some Mythological creature, though. And the other problem just being I'm not sure what else to do with this story...

I found a few other cool story ideas, too, but these two are my favorite. Maybe I'll actually start writing again? (considering before Souvenirs I hadn't completed a short story in...a long time.) I hope so.

Souvenirs

It's been a while since I've written a short story. =/ I'm just really glad I was able to write/post this, and hopefully more bursts of inspiration will come up. I started writing this on Christmas Day, then didn't write anything until this past Monday, so I know it's a little late for a Christmas story, but I'm just glad I finished it. =P

Anyway, reviews are very much appreciated in the topic. =] I can review something of yours in return, too.

Yesterday I shot a handgun for the first time; my sister's boyfriend owns one (S&W 9mm), and as such offered to take me to a shooting range. Was definitely awesome and quite fun. It's funny how easier it is. When I first tried it I was kinda scared and thought it'd be hard, but it's really not, and the blowback isn't bad at all (of course, it gets worse the bigger gun you go, but still). Now I really want to go shooting in the desert with a sniper rifle like he does sometimes as well. I also really want to shoot a Beretta 92 and some other handguns just to see the difference (a revolver would be cool, too). Anyway.

So, promotion/transfer. Best part about it is definitely the new name color; I love this shade of blue. It's kinda funny, though; I haven't done anything staff-official yet due to inactivity in the forums I'm assigned to, Windy always stealing my closing topic chances in Q&A, and the good behavior of everyone. =P But still, it's definitely awesome.

On the literature side of things, I'm currently planning a couple projects with some people...definitely hope to start writing them soon, as I am incredibly excited for both. One thing is re-joining the BZPRPG, which I've been planning to do forever (and attempted it back when the forums first came back, but only ended up posting once before leaving again =P), but due to basketball and school haven't been able to. But now that basketball is over, I should have enough time to stay active. Anyway, I'm planning a few things for that, so it might be a little while before I actually join again, but once I start posting I hope to not disappear again.

I mentioned Kill Shot by Vince Flynn in my last entry briefly (I finished it the next day). An extremely awesome book and highly recommended. It also became the #1 New York Times Bestseller, which I'm very happy about. Anyway, that led me to wanting to re-read some of Vince Flynn's older books, so I re-read his first, Term Limits. Also definitely recommended, but I'd recommend American Assassin and Kill Shot more (because they, and all his other books, have Mitch Rapp; these two are prologues to all the other books, AA being first and KS being next, so to read them chronologically read those two then all his others starting with Transfer of Power; go to his website).

Anyway, currently reading Locked On, by Tom Clancy. Another great book that I'd recommend. I really hope to go back and read all of the Tom Clancy books I haven't (I've only read Patriot Games, Dead or Alive, and Against All Enemies, all of which were fantastic).

And that's about it.

So when I woke up this morning I really felt like writing a Christmas story. I love little bursts of inspiration like this. Anyway, ten minutes later, this is the result. It's not finished yet -- probably still need to edit it some, and there's actually going to be a second part to it -- as right as I was outlining a further part of the story I had to do some other things.

But still, I wanted to post it here while it's still Christmas (for us West-coasters, at least, for a few minutes =P); once I finish it I'll post it in COT, but for now:

~::~

A whiff of sweetness from the pine tree in her living room filled her nose as she walked past the Christmas tree. She stopped for a moment, smelling the sweet, syrupy scent. The lights sparkled around her; lights from the tree; light reflecting off the ornaments; rays from the sun shining an incandescent illumination upon the room through the drawn shades; all part of the conglomeration of lights forming a radiant brilliancy throughout the room.  

Music played from a stereo on the far side of the room; “Carol of the Bells.” The music and light filled her with warmth as she observed the room around her. Packages in various states of disarray, wrapping paper torn to pieces, children squealing, giggling with delight in the playroom upstairs as they made use of the goods they had received, their grandparents laughing heartily at seeing the young children at play.

And, for the briefest of moments, it brought a smile to her face. Until tears clouded her vision again; wet globules of water streaming down her unblemished cheeks. She had turned her head to the single, non-Christmas picture hanging on the wall. Her husband, in his USMC Dress Uniform, his expression stoic; so plain just as all military pictures were. Seeing his face only brought more tears, wishing he could be with her now.

But his absence wasn’t the worst part. It was not knowing if he’d ever come home alive; not knowing if he was alive now with the delayed notifications from the chaos of war. An organized chaos, but chaos all the same. She knew his body may never make it home – one wrong step and he may become a mass of millions of unidentifiable pieces. An empty coffin with only a flag.

That was what she feared, why she cried herself to sleep every night. Are you alive tonight? was her constant query. Part of her liked to think that she would know – that they were connected by some unseen force, binding them together, letting her know when he breathed and when he didn’t – but she knew that wasn’t possible. So instead she hoped, she prayed, she cried; begging God to give him just one more day. Until the next night when she repeated desperate plea.

She lifted her head from her hands, unconsciously having sat on the sofa as the memory of her husband controlled her thoughts. The pine still sharp in the air. The music still playing. The lights still dazzling. Her children still shrieking. Pull yourself together. It’s Christmas for God’s sake. She grabbed a tissue. Wiped her eyes and blew her nose. She sniffled and stood up.

Her children ran down the stairs, proudly displaying their recently acquired gifts. She smiled again as they tugged and pulled on her hands and clothes. She acquiesced, allowing them to drag her into the backyard, then chasing them, tickling them – all the while letting herself become more and more involved in the game, her sorrows melting away through the joyous squealing of her children. Children too young to understand the gravity of their father’s situation.

~::~

The second part would be his (the husband's) thoughts/whatnot as he's trying to remember his wife/still celebrate Christmas while in Afghanistan.

All comments/etc. are very much appreciated. =]

And, of course, Merry Christmas, everyone!

Or Happy Halloween, I guess, but IMO the birthday of Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is much more important. =P

On that note, I've been reading the Dresden Files recently -- I forget when I started, but I've been reading them in order from Fool Moon [I read [i]Storm Front[/i] about a year ago] and am currently on White Night. I own every book with the exception of Changes, which I will hopefully get soon [or at least when it comes time to read it].

They are definitely some of my favorite books ever. Jim Butcher is just a fantastic author, and Dresden is an awesome character, along with the whole slew of supporting characters [my favorite being Bob], well thought-out plots, and superb descriptions that make the Dresden Files a must-read.

I'll write a full review of the series when I finish Ghost Story [and I'll also be doing individual book reviews], but for now I just wanted to give a shout out to an amazing series whose main character's birthday is today. I really must thank Aaron [Nuju Metru] for recommending the series to me; I probably wouldn't have ever heard of them if he hadn't. The only thing I can say is I wish I would've read them sooner. =P

And on the subject of stories, Edgar Allen Poe is a genius. You must read one of his stories today, or you are not properly celebrating Halloween.

And so with that: what's your favorite Poe story? For me, I don't know. It's really hard to choose, and I haven't read nearly as many as I should -- hope to change that, soon [but heck, I've got a reading list the size of Alaska -- so many books and stories I have on my shelf that I want to read (and some that aren't on my shelf)].

Hope everyone has an awesome time, and don't forget to enter the Short Stories Contest in the library!  

Write-Offs are writing challenges originally created by 55555 and Kakaru, where a group of people get together in a group chat on Skype and write. A theme is given, and all participants have 15-minutes to write a vignette/flash fiction story about said theme, with no extra time for editing or preparing. At the end, the stories are sent to all participants and the participants critique each others' works.