Everything is normal. My novel is finished. on Cascade Hall

Echo Elms

November 04, 2006 11:42 AM

Everything is normal. My novel is finished. by Echo Elms

Dead. The words had flowed out of him on to the page and now burned in his brain. Canyon, his main character who had just spent 45,000 words getting into more and more trouble was dead. It was all his fault.

He had thrown no less than five tantrums as he wrote the last 5,000 words of his book. He could be rescued by aliens! He could suddenly gain super powers! The gods could look favorably on him! He could think of a PLAN. But it was not to be. The story could only end one way if the planet was to be saved, and Canyon was a hero to last.

He poked at his quesadilla.

At least the world was saved.

Someone across the table was looking at him. Echo checked his posture and sat up a little and tried not to look so despondent.

"I finished my novel," he explained, more conversationally than he expected. "My main character died."\n\n

21 Echo Elms Everything is normal. My novel is finished. 93 Echo Elms 1 5

Grail Markner

November 04, 2006 3:38 PM

That makes it normal? by Grail Markner

Tired. Bored. Ready to go back to sleep. This was what Grail felt. And she had quite liked it. The quiet of her sisters was still going on. They probably realized the year was slowing down. They realized if Gray made a fool of herself now, no one would remember come next year. Sure they bugged her a bit, but her insomnia and fear was gone. At least now.

This made Grail very happy. This also made Grail miss sleeping. She felt she had to make up for the last few months of staying here. But no, she stayed awake and decided to have something nice to drink. Something... like iced tea. It was a warm day, after all.

So, blonde hair all piled up into a messy bun. Her favorite ballpoint pen stuck in her said hair. Grail slid on her rounded rectangular glasses (too lazy to put in the blue contact lenses) and walked on down to the Cascade Hall with the Rasberry Iced tea she had brought at the beginning of the year. Gray thought of getting food while she was at it anyway.

In her hand was also the book she had been reading, A Wind in the Door, as well as the notebook in which she was writing all the things that intersted her. Things, Gray knew, she would have all summer to look up on her computer. Having no friends in Traverse City, and being afraid of making friends in Detroit.

Grail sat at the first table that came her way, and looked up. It was the boy from Defense Against the Dark Arts. Wait a second. What house was he in. She took a second to think, and looked up and down the table, not many people were at. Oh... was she at the Pecari table!? Libby started cracking up, and Grail knew her sister hoped for Grail's pain. Crap, she was ready to stand up and move to a different table when the boy (Echo, she remembered) spoke up. Something about a novel and a main character? Gray gave him a puzzled look.

"Oh. Well..." what do you say to that? "Uh... I'm sorry? It happens..." she trailed off with a small shrug, her brown eyes darying around a bit. Libby laughing at her. Grail was going to have to kill the real Libby when she got home.\n\n

0 Grail Markner That makes it normal? 0 Grail Markner 0 5

Echo Elms

November 04, 2006 11:22 PM

No, not really. by Echo Elms

"Uh, I'm sorry," the girl started. Oh, right, he knew her. Grail. From his Astronomy group when his and Ginger's combined efforts managed to blow a pumpkin to bits and she and Adam been terrified and didn't really do a whole lot. Well, if he was going to be despondent, Grail seemed like like someone who understood unhappiness. "It happens..." she finished.

"Yeah, I guess," Echo relented. She wanted to leave, he could see that, but she wasn't gone yet so he tried to explain, "It's just, I should have been able to stop it, you know."

He wanted her to sit down so he could tell her about how hard he had tried; but he hoped she'd leave so he couldn't. He didn't know her well enough and he was in a mood where he was just going to start spilling.

Not that it would all make sense. His thoughts were all over the place. Outloud, he was currently babbling, "I mean, it's not like he was wearing a read shirt. If he'd just had a red shirt at the beginning, I could almost understand."\n\n

21 Echo Elms No, not really. 93 Echo Elms 0 5

Gray

November 05, 2006 10:59 AM

Oh. Okay. by Gray

Grail nodded dumbly while Echo refused to make any sense. Well, she had a bet he was making sense in his own mind, but she had no idea what he was saying. He should have been able to stop it? What? Stop what? The death of a character. "I suppose..." she shrugged, unsure of what else to say. "But sometimes... things like that have to happen." She really hoped she was making sense to him.

Grail sat back down and slid off her glasses to clean a second. Was he going to say anymore? If not, she wasn't staying. She gave Echo a few seconds to keep going. Gray drummed her fingers on the notebook, remembering the heavy ballpoint in her hair, before she was ready to stand again. Before Echo started babbling again, and Gray felt she had to stay. But what to say now?

"I mean, it's not like he was wearing a read shirt. If he'd just had a red shirt at the beginning, I could almost understand."

Wait. Rewind. What? Red shirt? How did this come into the death of a character? Gray was immensly confused now. She could feel her sisters turning now, wanting to hear more so they could give their sister hell for it later. Oh joy, Gray should just go now. But no, she had to talk again. "You..." she trailed off, thinking she should leave it. But, no. "You're not making.. sense. What?"\n\n

16 Gray Oh. Okay. 113 Gray 0 5

Echo Elms

November 05, 2006 7:21 PM

thanks for staying by Echo Elms

"You're not making... sense. What?" Grail stopped him before he could go launching into something completely different. He almost had to make a mental tornado just to remember what he'd just said five seconds ago. Luckily, the words were still in his ears and he gave them a second to reprocess them.

"Um," he delayed. Red shirts. "Oh, uh. Muggleness. Um. There's this show -- I don't know how much you know about muggles -- it's from a tv show. Star Trek. They have a new plot every week except it's really old so they don't anymore except that they do but it's not the same. Anyway, um, they had this show and every time there was a guy on the show with a red shirt he always died by the end of the episode. My dad has all the DVDs."

Wow, most inarticulate response ever. Too much information if she was a muggle--muggle born, same difference--too, and not enough if she wasn't.

"If Canyon was wearing a red shirt, I could just say it was his destiny or something to die by the end of the book. Like, not like I intended it, but I doomed him by carelessly choosing his wardrobe. Or something."

Explaining things was good for the soul, even if his explanations didn't make sense, and Star Trek was a good diversion.

"So, um, did that help?" And a change of topic before he decided to talk about some really serious things that weren't worth even thinking about. He didn't know anything about Grail at all except that he didn't really want her in his next DADA group -- nothing personal, he didn't particularly want Saul (his best friend who was not Elly or Meredith) in his DADA group either. "Are you muggleborn or wizarding?"\n\n

21 Echo Elms thanks for staying 93 Echo Elms 0 5

Gray

November 05, 2006 8:08 PM

I don't like it, I'm telling you by Gray

Muggleness? What? And stating he didn't know much about Muggles? What? Gray was one. And yes, she did know of Star Trek, but not knowing didn't make her any less Muggle. Gray never got into space and that. She actually hated sci-fi, unless it had good reason to it (like the book she had just set on the table). Grail went for more history (mainly in religion, thanks to Aurther).

Then he went into this character wearing a red shirt. What? Still not making sense. Echo's character obviously wasn't a Star Trek character, he could make up any rules he wanted. She shook her head at his question if she got it. "No, I still don't get how a red shirt can tie into a death. Destiny or not. Destiny doesn't work on your wardrobe."

This kid was getting weirder and weirder in Gray's eyes. And she thought she had a messed up life being named after the cup in your mither's favorite book. She was suddenly glad Aurther wasn't into Star Trek like most of his dorkier (Grail defined herself as nerdy, so they certainly weren't that) friends.

"I'm... Muggleborn. But I never grew up on sci-fi. I kinda... hate it, personally," Grail mentioned when he asked about her "Muggleness" or whatever. "I was more into paranormal history and religion histories and... quantum physics." Her fingers drummed on A Wind in the Door before she showed it to Echo. "This is really my only exception to sci-fi, but it's more quantum physics than aliens and crap." And it didn't use clothes to find destiny. Gray still didn't get that.\n\n

16 Gray I don't like it, I'm telling you 113 Gray 0 5

Echo Elms

November 06, 2006 4:42 PM

I don't know if I like it so much either. by Echo Elms

So, Echo summed up, Grail hates sci-fi, and calls it aliens and crap. Nice. It answered his question anyway, whether or not he could say "tv show" and be understood. Wizarding kids sometimes didn't know anything about the most basic things.

He would sort of have rathered she was an alien--er, of wizarding upbringing--than have her dislike sci-fi, though. Fah on the that. Usually people who disliked sci-fi hadn't even seen it -- read it, for that matter. And in a lot of it the aliens were really fascinating. But did most people see that? Nope. They just thought it was dorky and dismissed it altogether. Obviously, this was the case with Grail because she clearly didn't get the humor of the red shirts. It was a stupid show sometimes, but it was supposed to be stupid and that made it good. What was so hard to understand about that? Maybe you needed a guide to get it. His dad had pointed out all the little extras in it -- like the red shirts -- that made the show great.

Echo stopped himself from rambling off a tirade aimed at convincing her of Sci-fi's superiority to all other genres except, possibly, fantasy. It would be impossible without a dvd player and television -- or at least his home library on hand. Until then, he tried to think of something worthwhile to say. He didn't know anything about paranormal history or quantum physics -- at least, not anything that wasn't in Stargate, and that hardly counted at true.

He glanced down at the Madeline L'Engle book. Maybe there was hope for her, if she liked L'Engle. Unfortunately, A Wind in the Door was a book he just did not get. He'd read it a few years ago and it was like something out of a distorted dream -- rather exactly like this conversation.

"I don't think I read this one," he lied diplomatically, "But I liked A Wrinkle in Time."\n\n

21 Echo Elms I don't know if I like it so much either. 93 Echo Elms 0 5

Grail

November 06, 2006 5:07 PM

I guess we're just too opposite to get along by Grail

Grail sighed as she flipped a few of the pages on her book. She was still trying to understand the red shirts thing. And wardrobe. And destiny... Jeez, this was all very confusing.

"GRAILIE'S LOSING HER SMARTNESS!" Chali's voice rang in her head, and Libby and Alice gathered around to hear the next stupid thing out of her mouth.

"Will she make a fool of herself?" Alice whispered over at the twins.

Doesn't she always?" Libby whispered that, rolling her eyes as if Alice should have known. Yes, Grail had to shoot her sisters. They were really making her mad. And it didn't really matter if she "made a fool of herself" in front of Echo. Gray didn't like the boy too much anyway, and didn't really care if he thought she was insane anyway.

He'd already seen her in her crying state and insane state. And then in her angry state after the crying state in DADA. A few second ago she was in her calm state, and now Echo was seeing her in her confused, unrelating state. Hm... five states, that was actually more than many people saw her in. Oh well, he probably didn't rrealize it anyway. Ugh, Gray bit her lip, why didn't she look before she sat down.

Oo. Hey. Something they had in common. Madeline L'Engle. Hah, this was a pretty big first. Gray nodded at his Wrinkle in Time statement. And he hadn't read A Wind in the Door? That made no sense, normally when they finished one and liked it, there was only a short transition period where they started the other. They could disregard the other two, but Wrinkle and Wind were so close.

"I read that one too. And Many Waters, that one was my favorite," she replied back. Waters was actually her first. She'd read Wrinkle shortly before coming here, and recently just started Wind since her head was calmer. "I have Swiftly Tilting Planet, but I haven't read that one yet."\n\n

0 Grail I guess we're just too opposite to get along 0 Grail 0 5

Echo Elms

November 06, 2006 10:47 PM

You can say that again by Echo Elms

Echo racked his brain trying to remember something about any of the L'Engle books he'd read. There was a girl named Meg, and there was Charles Wallace. There was an attic. There were blood cells and some weird disease and people moving by thinking about moving rather than actually moving. That had been the part that he didn't understand and seemed like a weird dream.

"It was awhile ago," he admitted, deciding this truth might actually bring a more interesting conversation than pretending more familiarity than he felt, "I stopped reading them I think because I was too young to really understand what was going on. I remember liking Charles Wallace. He was a cool kid. Weird, but cool." Echo used to fancy that he was weird but cool, too -- even if the other kids in his elementary school would only agree with half of that statement.

He had never heard of Many Waters, and he wasn't sure if Grail wanted to discuss favorite books or not so he didn't take the bait to name his own favorite. Anyway, it wasn't like he was going to admit -- particularly not to Grail -- that his all-time favorite book was Nate the Great. It was a little kid's book. The best book EVER, but a little kid's book.

"Maybe I should try them again," Echo added, still referring to the L'Engle series, "My list is a mile long, though. I think I might read the Pyridian Chronicles next. The High King. The Black Cauldron. Ever hear of them?"\n\n

21 Echo Elms You can say that again 93 Echo Elms 0 5

Grail

November 07, 2006 10:33 AM

Theres one thing... by Grail

Grail nodded when Echo mentioned Charles Wallace and them. "I just started recently. My brother had all of them, but I only read Waters when I was little. It made sense, but not a lot. The other two are a bit difficult to read if you're young, I guess," she stated. "My favorites were always Sandy and Dennys. Calvin too."

Well, this was a start. Books were always a good thing to talk about with Gray. Of course, at her old school she was never able to find many people who liked books... and whenever she did, Chali made a point in ruining everything....

Then Echo mentioned three books. One out of that three, Gray had heard of. She was a little embarrassed to admit she only knew the one too. And not from a book. "The Black Cauldron," she found herself ready to laugh. "Didn't they make a cartoon movie on that? I've seen that one..." Grail had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. She loved that movie, along with other kids movies such as Little Nemo and that rat movie. Nihm, she belived.

It was, of course, a bit embarassing to admit.\n\n

0 Grail Theres one thing... 0 Grail 0 5

Echo Elms

November 08, 2006 7:55 PM

One, then. by Echo Elms

"Yeah," Echo agreed. He'd even seen the cartoon version of The Black Cauldron. "The book is by his guy Lloyd Alexander (I've got it upstairs), and the series is called the Pyridian Chronicles. What I don't get is the first book is called The High King and The Black Cauldron is the second book. I think. Why would you name a movie after book two instead of book one? I mean, if you made a movie, wouldn't you do book one? It makes me feel kinda weird about starting it, you know, like maybe nothing happened in the first book."

He hadn't realized he was worried about it before, but now that he said it this seemed like a valid concern. Maybe that's why he'd finished writing his novel a whole three hours ago and still hadn't started on his reading pile yet. Or maybe that particular phenomina could be explained by the death of his main character.

Canyon.

It's alright, Canyon, he comforted the Canyon-spirit that semi-existed in his writer's head, If I made a movie about you, I'd name it after the first book in the series.

He imagined Canyon pushing back his cowboy hat in the seat next to him, I don't know what you're talking about, Author-man, but you suit yourself. You are one crazy weirdo. Canyon leaned back, stretching his feet out and covering his face with the big ole hat.

I am so writing you a prequel, Echo vowed, and Canyon made some noise that either meant he didn't believe him, or that he was too cool to care one way or the other.

Echo'd get back to him later. For now, strangely, this conversation with Grail was becoming most helpful.\n\n

21 Echo Elms One, then. 93 Echo Elms 0 5

Gray

November 10, 2006 8:57 AM

Close enough, we can stop there by Gray

Gray thought a second of Echo's question. Yes, that did make no sense. But wait... The High King. She heard of that somewhere. "I do think they made a movie on that, except... I'm not sure. I don't think it was a cartoon... or if it was, not by the same guy who made The Black Cauldron movie. So it still doesn't make any sense," Gray muttered, trying to think.

Gray looked down at her own book. A few years ago they'd made a TV movie on A Wrinkle in Time. Grail hadn't liked the movie that much, it didn't follow the character descriptions well. Meg was some beautiful tomboy looking girl and Charles Wallace seemed stuck-up. They sort of ruined the book, and Gray wasn't surprised when the movie became more of a flop.

Echo seemed to be in his own world again, so Libby came out to draw Gray back into her own little world. "It's a wonder why you two don't get along. You're both exactly the same." Gray couldn't help but ask how. Echo and Grail had almost nothing in common and... "You're both weird little nerds who ead way too much and think about it too much!" Libby interruped angrily. Gray shoved her off. As if that helped any better.

"Feeling... better?" she asked Echo, a bit confused. \n\n

16 Gray Close enough, we can stop there 113 Gray 0 5

Echo Elms

November 11, 2006 11:23 AM

Stopping. by Echo Elms

"Yeah," Echo nodded when Grail asked if he was feeling better, "I am. Thanks."

Great so, now what? Here was this girl and she somehow made him feel better and maybe they had a couple things in common, but, honestly, now it was all awkward because he was looking at her and they weren't talking and he didn't know what else to say. Especially now, really, since she asked if he was feeling better. That was a conversation stopper.

"I guess I should go work on transfigurations, then," he said, gathering up is things, "Hardest class ever, right?"\n\n

21 Echo Elms Stopping. 93 Echo Elms 0 5