Chapter One. Charlotte.
Her bicycle cut through the fog like a knife. Riding around in the mysterious haze of an autumn sunset gave her a certain rush. Excited to arrive at the autumn festival, she pedaled faster and faster yet. After all, the autumn festival was one of the most tremendous celebrations of the year. It marked when the magic of the majestic city was in full circulation. The leaves turned the brightest of reds and oranges before they gently slipped off of the trees, and danced to the ground. Not only were the leaves in their most colorful state, but so was the city. Videpolís was alive with spirit. The walls of all the houses and buildings glowed with iridescence and life, as if freshly painted. Clothes had a new sheen. Even the people were more beautiful. The normally pale became tan, their hair vibrant with color, and their teeth, white as snow.
Charlotte was seventeen, with auburn hair, and dark skin. In her right eye, a crescent shaped scar that overlapped everything she saw. Used to it by now, it affected her little. She lived in Videpolís, the most stunning city in the nation. With a large deposit of magik under the center of the city, everything was wonderful, all of the time. She had friends who enjoyed her company, family that loved her, teachers that introduced her to the real world, and guided her along the way.
Still on her bicycle, she turned her head left and right. On the left, a parade. The Duke and his wife riding on the back of an elephant, both were looking as beautiful as ever. The royal band was playing, and their shamans performing tricks with fire and lights. On the right side, she noticed six of her friends walking towards the heart of the festival in a sort of blob formation.
She whistled and their heads turned. Their faces lit up like they did whenever she showed up. The moment she stepped off her bike, she was bum rushed by her best friend, Cynthia.
“Charlotte!” Cynthia embraced her in a deathly bear hug. “It feels like forever since I saw you.” To Charlotte’s surprise, she squeezed even harder.
Charlotte began to beat upon Cynthia’s back until she got the message to loosen her grip. As she managed to catch her breath, with a grin on her face, she wheezed out a sentence. “I saw you yesterday at school.”
Cynthia giggled. “I know, but it’s the autumn festival. Everything’s amazing today. What can I say?” Everyone giggled, as Charlotte gave hugs to everyone in the group.
After her welcomed embraces, Charlotte and her friends strolled down the street, about a block and a half away from the center of the celebration. As they walked, they passed at least one hundred stands, if not more. The streets were lined with desperate but optimistic venders. Gypsies offering their fortune telling services, proclaiming their mystic abilities of their so-called third eye, shamans and alchemists alike with hand made charms containing self-proclaimed defenses and powers. Odd looking characters swallowing fire, and of course some of them spitting it back up.
Charlotte bought two necklaces. One was in the shape of the sun, rumored to guide your way at night. The other was a silver chain with a rainbow colored orb with an aurora of colors, as if the northern lights were dancing on her chest. Her friend, Alexander, purchased a sleek knife made to hang from a back pocket. On it was an engraving of a lone wolf howling on a cliff top. This symbol was supposed to give strength to the holder when all alone.
By the time they made their way to the field where all of the people had gathered, the sun had set, and there were very few open spaces left. They threw down a few towels, and a blanket, and snuggled up tight. As the shamans sprayed magnificent fire works into the air, casting auroras in shapes, telling the city’s story, the duke’s booming voice surrounded the park, narrating the pictures in the sky.
In the clouds, appeared a lovely blue and purple display in the shapes of two opposing armies, head to head. The duke began to speak. “Hundred’s of years ago, when the Great Plains were ruled by popular religion and dictatorships, a war began. After several public insults made by the Christian nation towards the neighboring Muslims, tensions began to rise. After four long years of going back and forth, the Muslims finally became fed up, and invaded the Christian country.”
The purple and blue lights in the sky quickly became red and orange, resembling a towering fire over a city. “As the ravenous Muslim army stormed through the sleeping, unsuspecting capital city, they set buildings a flame, skewing anyone they saw.
“The Christian’s would have responded, but they were unable to, simply because the entire city was dead. The rest of their country was useless without their capital city, their government, their army.” In the sky, little brown figures were shown fleeing in boats and cars, down bloody red rivers, and gravel roads. “As the Muslim army retreated, satisfied with their destruction, there was a mass exodus of the Christian country. After twenty years, some Muslim explorers went back to the area, to find ruins of a once prosperous city, covered in forestation and wild animals. When the explorers reached the old capital building, they noticed that there was almost nothing left. It was completely destroyed, a pile of rubble on the ground. However, on top of the heap was something curious; a blue flower, almost a violet color, simply growing out of the remains.”
In the atmosphere, a picture of a blue flower was painted magnificently amongst a pile of black. “The lead adventurer, Aaizim, simply walked up, and picked it. Suddenly, he was thrust into a new world. He saw people digging below the capital building, and finding some sort of vibrant aurora, and afterwards, a prosperous city, not ruled by religion and dictatorships, but freedom and a fair monarchy.” Upon the clouds, a brightly colored city was scribbled. “When he awoke from his vision, he told his friends immediately what he saw. They later dug to this aurora and found that it indeed was magik. As they attracted free thinking people from around the continent, they formed a city ruled by a duke, a duchess, and a small group of senators. The flower that sparked the idea for this marvelous city became their symbol, and earned them the nickname ‘the Blue Flower State.’ Now, four hundred years later, I am proud to be carrying on my great great great great grandfather’s city the way he envisioned it.”
As the aurora faded, the audience burst into applause, jeering with excitement and nationalism. As the royal band struck up an exciting song, the audience began to clear the field.
“Are we all still going to the party in Aaizim tonight?” Charlotte asked, partially unaware of her friends’ agenda.
Alexander was quick to respond. “That was the plan.”
“Cool,” Charlotte said as she began plotting her night, “I vote we take the train, so I can load my bike on the front. I for one do not want to bike all the way there. It’s like, seven miles.”
“The trains is going to be packed!” Alexander countered.
Cynthia then chimed in. “Oh my goodness, the train is going to smell so bad. I don’t even want to think about being shoved in between all those sweaty people.” She shivered, making a groaning noise imagining her bumping against the numerous perspirating passengers.
Hakim, another one of her friends, began to persuade her in another direction. “How about you chain your bike up here, and I’ll drive you up here on our way home. I brought my car.”
“Ah, thanks Hakim.” Charlotte began smiled and gave him and tugged on his hand. She began giggling, becoming flirtatious. “You’re just so wise. I don’t know what we would ever do with out you.”
“It’s all for you, Charlotte. It’s all for you.” He began smiling to realizing she was still holding his hand, he gave Charlotte a look of curiosity.
She then began briskly walking, his hand still in her grasp. “Well come on, I want to get to a club before it gets to crowded. My parents said I could actually stay out tonight, no curfew. I’m not missing this because you bums are lollygagging in the field.” Her brisk walk evolved into a jog, which was slowly transforming into a run. The group followed her to a light pole. Charlotte locked up her bike, and they continued towards Hakim’s car.
By five a.m., everyone was, the streets were cleared; the parties were over, Charlotte’s bike was in her house, and Hakim’s car in his garage. The city was sleeping. Little did anyone know, that through the mist came an ill-tempered army, with one thing on their minds. Steal the color.
Chapter Two. Valentine.
In the distance Valentine could make out fireworks. He knew this meant they would be leaving soon, to invade Videpolís. The air in Morté had been thicker than usual for the past month or so. Citizens like Valentine had been hastily drafted by the army. This had happened before, Morté was not new to military drafts. Their city had earned their name. After all, the word Mort in Latin means death. The only reason this induction was any different from the previous few, was because there was no official war. As far as the citizens knew, they were at peace with all neighboring cities.
Morté was nothing compared to Videpolís. Ninety five percent of the population was poor or homeless, and the other five percent had something to do with the government. The only people who owned cars either worked for the government, or owned a business, and needed immediate transportation. Almost all of there roads were made of dirt. The only stimulation their economy had were the small markets throughout the city. Under their city, little magik.
Valentine was a single man who, when not serving the military, lived in a small apartment, on the fourth floor of an adobe building. He worked at a small shack that sold traditional cuisine. He had brown eyes, light, shaggy brown hair, his skin tan with a crescent shaped scar next to his left eye. He was tall and thin, with some muscle from his brief army training. He was now dressed in traditional army camouflage, with a rifle at his side.
As the soldiers finished up their final meal of the night, they heard the General over the loudspeaker in the ceiling. “Attention all soldiers; we will be loading the trucks in exactly an hour and a half. Please finish your meals with in the next thirty minutes, and keep your eye on the time. If anyone is late….. don’t be late.” The intimidating voice blaring from the ceiling cut out. After about ten seconds of silence, the men resumed what they were doing prior to the interruption.
Loyal to their city, Valentine and his friends did not mind serving. True, it did take away from their personal lives, worrying their friends and family, but it was their patriotic duty. The military was one of the few things the people of this city had to brag about. Sure, they had a mean recipe for grilled Salmon, but that couldn’t compare to the riches and glory of Videpolís, no matter how delicious their spices were. That city was rich with color; their people prospered. Few were poor, and even the poor were happy. In Morté, it didn’t matter how rich a person was, everyone was dismal, dreary, melancholy. Whatever way it’s put, everyone was unhappy.
That’s why, on that particular night, after the soldiers had driven into the city well after their celebrations had ended, the color would be stolen from Videpolís.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
the beggining of my nanowrimo story
National Novel Writer's Month started today, or yesterday I guess, it's late. Anyway, I began writing. I accomplished 1,103 words. I would have done more, but I was babysitting for six hours :P anyways, without any further adieu, here is the beginning of the Blue Flower State.
(please ignore the lack of indentations or new paragraphs, blogspot sucks for formatting stuff)
Her bicycle cut through the fog like a knife. Riding around the in the mysterious haze of an autumn sunset gave her a certain rush. Excited to arrive at the autumn festival, she pedaled faster and faster yet. After all, the autumn festival was the most tremendous celebrations of the year. It marked when the magic of the majestic city was in full circulation. The leaves turned the brightest of reds and oranges before the gently slipped off of the trees, and danced to the ground. Not only were the leaves in their most colorful state, but so was the city. Videpolís was alive with spirit. The walls of all the houses and buildings glowed with iridescence and life, as if freshly painted. Clothes had a new sheen. Even the people were more beautiful. The normally pale became tan, their hair vibrant with color, and their teeth, white as snow.
Charlotte was seventeen, with auburn hair, and dark skin. She lived in Videpolís, the most stunning city in the nation. With a large deposit of magik under the center of the city, everything was wonderful, all of the time. She had friends who enjoyed her company, family that loved her, teachers that introduced her to the real world, and guided her along the way.
Still on her bicycle, she turned her head left and right. On the left, a parade. The Duke and his wife riding on the back of an elephant, both were looking as beautiful as ever. The royal band was playing, and their shamans performing tricks with fire and lights. On the right side, she noticed six of her friends walking towards the heart of the festival in a sort of blob formation.
She whistled and their heads turned. Their faces lit up like they did whenever she showed up. The moment she stepped off her bike, she was bum rushed by her best friend, Cynthia.
“Charlotte!” Cynthia embraced her in a deathly bear hug. “It feels like forever since I saw you.” To Charlotte’s surprise, she squeezed even harder.
Charlotte began to beat upon Cynthia’s back until she got the message to loosen her grip. As she managed to catch her breath, with a grin on her faced, she wheezed out a sentence. “I saw you yesterday at school.”
Cynthia giggled. “I know, but it’s the autumn festival. Everything’s amazing today. What can I say?” Everyone giggled, as Charlotte gave hugs to everyone in the group.
After her welcomed embraces, Charlotte and her friends strolled down the street, about a block and a half away from the center of the celebration. As they walked, they passed at least one hundred stands, if not more. The streets were lined with desperate but optimistic venders. Gypsies offering their fortune telling services, proclaiming their mystic abilities of their so-called third eye, shamans and alchemists alike with hand made charms containing self-proclaimed defenses and powers. Odd looking characters swallowing fire, and of course some of them spitting it back up.
Charlotte bought two necklaces. One was in the shape of the sun, rumored to guide your way at night. The other was a silver chain with a rainbow colored orb with an aurora of colors, as if the northern lights were dancing on her chest. Her friend, Alexander, purchased a sleek knife made to hang from a back pocket. In it was an engraving of a lone wolf howling on a cliff top. This symbol was supposed to give strength to the holder when all alone.
By the time they made their way to the field where all of the people had gathered, the sun had set, and there were very few open spaces left. They threw down a few towels, and a blanket, and snuggled up tight. As the shamans sprayed magnificent fire works into the air, casting auroras in shapes, telling the city’s story, the duke’s booming voice surrounded the park, narrating the pictures in the sky.
In the clouds, appeared a lovely blue and purple display in the shapes of two opposing armies, head to head. The duke began to speak. “Hundred’s of years ago, when the Great Plains were ruled by popular religion and dictatorships, a war began. After several public insults made by the Christian nation towards the neighboring Muslims, tensions began to rise. After four long years of going back and forth, the Muslims finally became fed up, and invaded the Christian country.”
The purple and blue lights in the sky quickly became red and orange, resembling a towering fire over a city. “As the ravenous Muslim army stormed through the sleeping, unsuspecting capital city, they set buildings a flame, skewing anyone they saw.
“The Christian’s would have responded, but they were unable to, simply because the entire city was dead. The rest of their country was useless without their capital city, their government, their army.” In the sky, little brown figures were shown fleeing in boats and cars, down bloody red rivers, and gravel roads. “As the Muslim army retreated, satisfied with their destruction, there was a mass exodus of the Christian country. After twenty years, some Muslim explorers went back to the area, to find ruins of a once prosperous city, covered in forestation and wild animals. When the explorers reached the old capital building, they noticed that there was almost nothing left. It was completely destroyed, a pile of rubble on the ground. However, on top of the heap was something curious; a blue flower, almost a violet color, simply growing out of the remains.”
In the atmosphere, a picture of a blue flower was painted magnificently amongst a pile of black. “The lead adventurer, Aaizim, simply walked up, and picked it. Suddenly, he was thrust into a new world. He saw people digging below the capital building, and finding some sort of vibrant aurora, and afterwards, a prosperous city, not ruled by religion and dictatorships, but freedom and a fair monarchy.” Upon the clouds, a brightly colored city was scribbled. “When he awoke from his vision, he told his friends immediately what he saw. They later dug to this aurora and found that it indeed was magik. As they attracted free thinking people from around the continent, they formed a city ruled by a duke, a duchess, and a small group of senators. The flower that gave them the idea for this marvelous city became their symbol, and earned them the nickname ‘the Blue Flower State.’ Now, four hundred years later, I am proud to be carrying on my great great great great grandfather’s city the way he envisioned it.
(please ignore the lack of indentations or new paragraphs, blogspot sucks for formatting stuff)
Her bicycle cut through the fog like a knife. Riding around the in the mysterious haze of an autumn sunset gave her a certain rush. Excited to arrive at the autumn festival, she pedaled faster and faster yet. After all, the autumn festival was the most tremendous celebrations of the year. It marked when the magic of the majestic city was in full circulation. The leaves turned the brightest of reds and oranges before the gently slipped off of the trees, and danced to the ground. Not only were the leaves in their most colorful state, but so was the city. Videpolís was alive with spirit. The walls of all the houses and buildings glowed with iridescence and life, as if freshly painted. Clothes had a new sheen. Even the people were more beautiful. The normally pale became tan, their hair vibrant with color, and their teeth, white as snow.
Charlotte was seventeen, with auburn hair, and dark skin. She lived in Videpolís, the most stunning city in the nation. With a large deposit of magik under the center of the city, everything was wonderful, all of the time. She had friends who enjoyed her company, family that loved her, teachers that introduced her to the real world, and guided her along the way.
Still on her bicycle, she turned her head left and right. On the left, a parade. The Duke and his wife riding on the back of an elephant, both were looking as beautiful as ever. The royal band was playing, and their shamans performing tricks with fire and lights. On the right side, she noticed six of her friends walking towards the heart of the festival in a sort of blob formation.
She whistled and their heads turned. Their faces lit up like they did whenever she showed up. The moment she stepped off her bike, she was bum rushed by her best friend, Cynthia.
“Charlotte!” Cynthia embraced her in a deathly bear hug. “It feels like forever since I saw you.” To Charlotte’s surprise, she squeezed even harder.
Charlotte began to beat upon Cynthia’s back until she got the message to loosen her grip. As she managed to catch her breath, with a grin on her faced, she wheezed out a sentence. “I saw you yesterday at school.”
Cynthia giggled. “I know, but it’s the autumn festival. Everything’s amazing today. What can I say?” Everyone giggled, as Charlotte gave hugs to everyone in the group.
After her welcomed embraces, Charlotte and her friends strolled down the street, about a block and a half away from the center of the celebration. As they walked, they passed at least one hundred stands, if not more. The streets were lined with desperate but optimistic venders. Gypsies offering their fortune telling services, proclaiming their mystic abilities of their so-called third eye, shamans and alchemists alike with hand made charms containing self-proclaimed defenses and powers. Odd looking characters swallowing fire, and of course some of them spitting it back up.
Charlotte bought two necklaces. One was in the shape of the sun, rumored to guide your way at night. The other was a silver chain with a rainbow colored orb with an aurora of colors, as if the northern lights were dancing on her chest. Her friend, Alexander, purchased a sleek knife made to hang from a back pocket. In it was an engraving of a lone wolf howling on a cliff top. This symbol was supposed to give strength to the holder when all alone.
By the time they made their way to the field where all of the people had gathered, the sun had set, and there were very few open spaces left. They threw down a few towels, and a blanket, and snuggled up tight. As the shamans sprayed magnificent fire works into the air, casting auroras in shapes, telling the city’s story, the duke’s booming voice surrounded the park, narrating the pictures in the sky.
In the clouds, appeared a lovely blue and purple display in the shapes of two opposing armies, head to head. The duke began to speak. “Hundred’s of years ago, when the Great Plains were ruled by popular religion and dictatorships, a war began. After several public insults made by the Christian nation towards the neighboring Muslims, tensions began to rise. After four long years of going back and forth, the Muslims finally became fed up, and invaded the Christian country.”
The purple and blue lights in the sky quickly became red and orange, resembling a towering fire over a city. “As the ravenous Muslim army stormed through the sleeping, unsuspecting capital city, they set buildings a flame, skewing anyone they saw.
“The Christian’s would have responded, but they were unable to, simply because the entire city was dead. The rest of their country was useless without their capital city, their government, their army.” In the sky, little brown figures were shown fleeing in boats and cars, down bloody red rivers, and gravel roads. “As the Muslim army retreated, satisfied with their destruction, there was a mass exodus of the Christian country. After twenty years, some Muslim explorers went back to the area, to find ruins of a once prosperous city, covered in forestation and wild animals. When the explorers reached the old capital building, they noticed that there was almost nothing left. It was completely destroyed, a pile of rubble on the ground. However, on top of the heap was something curious; a blue flower, almost a violet color, simply growing out of the remains.”
In the atmosphere, a picture of a blue flower was painted magnificently amongst a pile of black. “The lead adventurer, Aaizim, simply walked up, and picked it. Suddenly, he was thrust into a new world. He saw people digging below the capital building, and finding some sort of vibrant aurora, and afterwards, a prosperous city, not ruled by religion and dictatorships, but freedom and a fair monarchy.” Upon the clouds, a brightly colored city was scribbled. “When he awoke from his vision, he told his friends immediately what he saw. They later dug to this aurora and found that it indeed was magik. As they attracted free thinking people from around the continent, they formed a city ruled by a duke, a duchess, and a small group of senators. The flower that gave them the idea for this marvelous city became their symbol, and earned them the nickname ‘the Blue Flower State.’ Now, four hundred years later, I am proud to be carrying on my great great great great grandfather’s city the way he envisioned it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
