Writing Explorations: Week 81, You Could Already Be A Vinner!

[The Mood is Write]

My Writing Explorations series of exercises are a chance for users to explore new concepts and practice the art of raising two fingers to Writer's Block while screaming obscenities to fickle muses: to rebel against the idea that a person requires a mythical force inside them to make new and amazing things.

No. Listen well, users: there is no being inside you waiting to be let out. You are the writer, and in this exercise, you are given a place to push not only against Writer's Block, but also against the forces of stagnation. Feel trapped in your genre? Explore a new one! Stuck with a singular archetype? Do something else! In this thread, you will not be critiqued unless you request it. Should you wish it, I will happily offer my thoughts on how it might be improved, but I will not comb looking for fixes: this isn't the place: this place is for safely trying new things and indulging a love of writing.

Shake the bars of your cell block and roar, writers!

[fieldbox=How do I take part?]You can write to one or more (or none) of the prompts, the theme in the thread title, the bonuses—hell, you can even cast aside all of what I offer if you get a different idea.

The whole point is "get writing!"[/fieldbox]

Prompts:

1. A mixed-blood child whose mother hid his heritage (and her own) in fear of the father's racism. The discovery happens in a hospital, and seems to go well until...
2. A boy cuts off his own leg and replaces it with a mechanical one after he runs away from his parents. Why?
3. He had a face that begged to be punched, and spoke like he truly wished someone would kick his ass.
4. He knew what he was doing was wrong, but he joined in co-signing the death warrant of multitudes for the sake of no longer wondering if he'd eat another meal.

Bonus Rounds:

• Write in a random genre.
• "Are you clinically insane or just incredibly annoying?"
  "I don't know. Probably both."
• "I love when people underestimate me. Seeing the stupid expressions on their faces after they see what I can really do is fucking priceless."
• "Oh, and remember this, cuz I learned the hard way: when you're giving money to a hobo, don't stick it in his cleavage and tell him 'go get yourself something nice.' It ticks them off for some reason."
• "No. I can believe it. A random kid screaming for someone to notice him, who's gonna want to notice that? He's dirty, and he's broken, and he doesn't ever stop being annoying, especially when I—he likes you. Just keep walking, ok? It's better for you that way."
• "Hey fuckhead! Let her go. I'm the one you want."
  "Yeah? What can you do for me?"
  "Gimmie a moment, didn't think that far."
• "I built this labby! I built this labby on rock and roll!"

 

[PoetLore]

Philip had finally seen a glimmer of hope. they had celebrated a bit too much last night and were both passed out. They weren't aware he'd managed to pick the lock on his cage a few days ago and now as they slept off their revelry, he slipped out and ran. He stopped after an hour to rest and looked down at his ankle. They would always be able to find him as long as that magical rune marked his location.

He took off the rope belt from around his waist and tired it around his thigh. Pulling a knife he's stolen from them from it's sheath he closed his eyes and prayed for strength. He grabbed a bit of bark from the tree next to him and bit into it as he began to cut off his leg with that knife. it was a long torturous process but he eventually was ride off the rune. He used his shirt to tire up the stump after putting some spider webbing onto the wound to speed up the clotting. Using the knife to cut off a long branch to use as a crutch he began to hobble away from the severed limb.

He hoped they would be passed out for long enough to allow him to get away and into a city where he could build himself a mechanical leg to replace the missing one. As luck would have it, he was able to get to a city and find a kind woman who took one look at his injury and tended to him until he was well. He needed to be further away though, and after he'd build the leg and worked a bit to repay her kindness he disappeared into the night.

Philip had imagined that the big city would hide him best, and that his skills in building would enable him to find work easily. He was wrong though. People were wary of his mechanical leg, and his odd colored skin. Seeing all of them he was beginning to see that he was indeed different, but that didn't mean he was evil or untrustworthy. Still, he found himself living in an alley in an old wooden box, and scrounging for whatever food he could find in the dumpsters behind a few restaurants.

One day, a young girl caught him and yelled at him. "Hey! What are you doing?"

He popped his head up, "Trying to find something to eat." His amber eyes were almost glowing in the early morning sun and his blue green skin and slightly pointed ears made him look almost reptilian, but she did not flinch.

"In there?"

"Yeah...is that a problem?"

"Listen, I don't own this place so I don't care..but ewww...that is just disgustingly gross."

"Better than starving."

She frowned. "I can't argue that I guess. Just don't let big Harry catch you." A loud voice called from inside and she jumped, "Speaking of big Harry..I better go."

He watched for her after that and made sure whenever she was out there he appeared and though he wanted to be glib and sweet, he somehow always ended up annoying her by being crass and sassy.

She was so annoyed one day she tried to think of something that might get rid of him for good. So she asked the one questions she'd never dared ask. "What happened to your leg anyway?"

"Cut it off."

"So are you clinically insane or just annoying?"

"I don't know. Probably both."

"Why would anyone cut off their own leg?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. But it was necessary."

"Try me," she said suddenly stupidly curious.

He related the tale of his life with his parents, and how they used his healing powers to garner money from people after they'd purposely made them sick by polluting their water or some other equally sinister method. How he'd escaped but knew the rune would make them able to easily find him, and how he'd cut his leg off alone int he forest. "I don't ever want to be that kind of slave again...I'd rather live like I am."

She blinked as she listened, horrified at the things he'd endured and finding herself for the first time not annoyed at his presence. "I don't blame you. I would too." That loud yell came from within again but she lingered a bit, "Come back in two hours and I'll bring you something hot to eat." she promised and then darted inside.

He couldn't believe it. Something hot. How long had it been? A year? He didn't move for those two hours but waited there hoping she wasn't teasing him. He'd been so annoying and rude to her, like he was to everyone anymore. He couldn't really blame her for teasing or even purposely hurting him.

But when the two hours were over she appeared and looked around, "Hey...psst...damnit...I never asked your name."

"Philip," he said standing and smiling at the plate of steaming hot food.

She smiled, "I'm Hannah. And here you go, as promised."

He accepted the plate and sat down by the dumpster to eat it. It had been so long since he'd eaten with utensils that they felt awkward in his hands, but he ate slowly so he could savor it and that helped a bit. He chewed slowly and let the food linger in his mouth as long as possible. Oh it was wonderful, and he was more grateful than he'd ever been.

He was about to finish when a large man appeared at the door. "What are you going out here Hannah? Lisa said she saw you bringing food out here. You stealing from me girlie?" he asked as he grabbed up her arm and yanked her up until only her tiptoes were touching the ground.

"Hey ****head! Let her go. I'm the one you want."

"Yeah? What can you do for me?"

"Gimme a moment, didn't get that far."

"SO YOU are stealing from me?" he said and tossed Hannah aside like a rag doll.

"Ok...sure yeah."

Big Harry towered over him and reaching down grabbed him up by the scruff of his shirt, "Hannah go call the police."

"No."

Harry turned, "What did you say?"

"I said no."

He turned quickly and his fist struck her cheek and she fell to the ground in a heap.

Philip growled and his hands gripped onto the man's arm and his eyes turned an odd green color. Big Harry started to shake and then fell to the ground in convulsions before he jerked a few times and finally stopped moving. leaping over the large man to Hannah, he knelt next to her and brushed the hair gently back from her face as his hands began to glow a soft blue. It wasn't long before her lashes fluttered and she opened her eyes to look at him. "What...happened?"

"Big Harry hit you, and I guess he got so man he had a heart attack or something because he fell over like a stone." His heart had exploded but not on its own. Power that can heal can also destroy he'd come to realize. Odd that he'd never been that angry before to discover it. "Are you ok?"

 

[Doctor Jax]

"Are you clinically insane or just incredibly annoying?" Lora groaned, as she put her face in her hands and dragged her palms down over her cheeks in exasperation. The passenger in her carriage - a kid her own age, sporting some stubble and a sharp look in his eye - had been doing nothing but whistle the same tune, making a point to stare right into the eyes of Templars who were escorting this particular caravan. He didn't seem to mind that most of them were wielding lightning maces and BDUs.

"I don't know. Probably both," he stated with perhaps a bit too much glee, glancing over at her with a fast smile. He put his feet up on the dashboard of her cart, and she frowned at him, catching a glimpse of metal where the hem of his pant leg had slipped down. She swiped his feet down and muttered, "Um, rude."

"Oh, come on, the humidity's gone up and my leg aches," he whined with a pout, but he didn't attempt it again.

Lora glanced again at his ankles, his metal one hidden.

"You've had work done, I see," Lora muttered, peering ahead of her as the line of carts began to ground to a halt.

For the first time in the whole ride from Oiriton, the boy in the seat next to her stiffened uncomfortable and didn't shoot back with a quippy answer.

"Yeah, just a bit of a retouch," he answered with a relaxed sigh, though she didn't miss that he shifted to further hide the missing limb.

"Hey."

The two turned their heads towards the Templar that had approached the cart, the red equal-armed cross a lurid crimson against the white of his service vest. His helmet hid his eyes, and Lora felt a spike of unease as he put his hand on his lightning mace.

"Out of the cart. Inquisitor inspection."

Lora watched as a complete stillness overtook the kid beside her, his eyes darting to the other Templars along the caravan. She'd seen that look before, especially on the faces of those stuck in a bad spot near a lower level daemon: bolt or stay put? She made the first move, gesturing for him to get out and follow their orders, and the kid jolted out of his reverie. He hopped down easily, Lora behind him. Others were lining up farther down next to a refurbed bus, an Inquisitor in red on top of an ATV overseeing the whole operation.

The kid seemed calm, but his typically jovial nature had swiftly fled for kinder climes. No more whistling at Templars. Instead, he hung back.

"Please produce all your health passes and show them to the nearest Enclave official. Anyone who does not have a pass, you will be physically examined over there by that poplar stand, thank you. If you do this without a fuss, we will be moving right along shortly," the Inquisitor said, a thin man with an equally thin mustache.

Health check. God, am I glad I got a pass last week, Lora thought, but her eyes flickered over to the boy who had arrived to her with nothing but a shirt, some money, and a grin. He didn't even have a St. Abrithy's amulet, no send-off from relatives to ensure a safe journey. More than likely, he did not have a health pass.

By the time she realized this, it was too late. A Templar was already headed towards them, and it was now that Lora realized the boy might bolt. She took a step ahead of him, pulling out the red piece of embossed plastic covered in a scribble of black, and she said, "Here."

The Templar took it, scanning it briefly before looking up at the two.

"This health pass was only issued for a single person," the Templar said. "Which one is it for?"

"Both of us. This is my brother, and we... um, we couldn't afford two health passes. The Physician examined us both and said we could just use the one," Lora lied, lowering her eyes and digging the toe of her boot into the dirt. It was a likely enough story. She'd known more than one family that had traveled on a single health pass, hoping to God that an Inquisitor didn't pull out a family member for a random examination.

"...And he told you neither of you have the Taint?" the man asked, the bob of his head side-to-side informing Lora he was glancing between her and the boy. Lora thought of the metal leg she'd seen, and it all started to come together. No family - a missing limb - no health pass.
Someone who'd been touched - Tainted. And forcibly removed, if that machinery was anything to go by. But the church didn't care about that. Relapse was always a risk, one they wouldn't take.

God, kid, you owe me so much for this.

"Yeah. All he said was to tell whoever did an exam that my brother - he's got a metal leg because of an accident in a mill. Too much damage, nothing to save, so they just got rid of it. I-I know it looks bad-"

"Just... go on ahead back to your cart. It's alright, really. God be with ye," the Templar said, ending on a formal note as he headed on to the next person in the line.

With that, the two began to head back to the cart, and the boy muttered, "You didn't have to do that."

"Not worth losing your head over," Lora muttered back, shifting her jacket higher up on her shoulders.

"By the way... name's Gunther," the boy said as Lora climbed back into the cart, and Lora smiled a little, extending a hand.

"Nice to meet you Gunther. Now, if you whistle that song one more time, you can walk all the way to Adorai..."