30 days of Creative Writing: Day 24

I’m back! After feeling particularly awful for a couple of days and pretty much incapable of writing anything creative, I’m feeling almost human again.

My tablet died, or to be more precise it won’t charge because the charger is dodgy. I’ve got another one on the way. This means even if I was feeling up to writing I couldn’t work on any on the exercises because I can’t read the book.

That being said, after my last post in this series I did take a look at the next one. I think I’m remembering correctly when I say it was about building suspense. There was a breakdown of the structure of horror etc stories that rely on suspense and anticipation for there effect and then a step by step process of writing a story, with had to be followed in the exercise. My brain must have been working away in the background because I have come up with something.

The front door swung open. Cassie looked up from the body she knelt besides and listened carefully. They were coming for her now. She stood, looking left and right for an escape.

The window! The street lamp reminded her how far she’d have to fall but it was the only possible route out of there. The creak from the loose stair tread made up her mind for her. Crossing the room Cassie unlatched the window as quietly as possible. It squealed as she pushed it wide. She stilled.
“The bedroom, hurry!” feet hammered on the landing.
Cassie pushed through the heavy velvet curtain to the slightly open window. She forced the window open completely. She climbed on to the ledge. They were getting closer.

She siddled out, gripping the wall.

Outside at last but not safe. She could go up or down. Below her she saw movement in the garden. If they looked up the reflected light from the streetlamp on the window would give her away. If she tried to climb down, they’d corner her.

Behind her the door opened. She had no choice. Turning carefully Cassie grasped the open window with one hand and reached up to find a handhold in the eaves. She tugged the fascia board. It gave slightly but held.

No time to check further. They were crossing the room. Clamping both hands on to the board Cassie heaved. A gust of wind caught the curtain drawing their attention. Cassie rolled on to the roof, clutching tiles desperately hoping not to fall. She peeped over the edge.

A head poked out of the window, brown hair and bald spot obvious in the lamppost light. Cassie drew back quickly, lay as still as she could and held her breath. The seconds limped by.

The window squealed shut. Cassie drew breath. Panting in fear, desperate for air and shaking from adrenaline with no outlet, she lay on the roof while below her pursuers tore the house apart.

‘Please don’t let them find the loft hatch, please don’t let then find the loft hatch.’ she prayed over and over, a soothing mantra that settled her breathing and restored her mind to order.

The Sun rose.

Below, the house was emptied of searchers. Cassie watched as they rode away, taking the body with them on an open cart. Cassie waited. The street became busy with gawkers. If she could get amongst them, blend in, she’d get away unnoticed by her pursuers.

Clang!

The hatch! They found the hatch. No choice now. She crawled to the roof ridge and stood.

“Come down Cassini and we’ll make a deal.” he shouted from the hatch, using the name they’d assigned her when she’d been forced in to joining the Guild.

“No fucking way.” Cassie hissed to herself and started to run along the roof ridge towards the next building. Her soft leather boots gave her feet flexibility and purchase on the tiles. A foot from the edge she leapt into the void.

Her momentum carried her across, but her pursuers below and behind had seen her and started to follow. Shouts echoed around the street. There was no way out of here. She raced for the next roof, leapt, landed badly and slipped. Cassie pulled herself up, took a deep breath and started to run again.

Too late. She looked back. He was about to make the jump. Distracted, Cassie didn’t see the loose tile until she stepped on it. Her foot went from under her and she crashed to her knees crying out in shock and pain.

She rolled over and over, tile after tile breaking, crashing beneath her. Scrabbling for a purchase, Cassie ripped her nails from her fingers as her gloves shredded on the rough edges.

She came to a halt, dangling precariously close to falling two storeys. Above her, confidently poised on the ridgeline stood the man she blamed for it all. Dressed, as she was, in Guild black, and waiting for her to choose.

“Climb back up here Cassini, we’ll discuss this like adults. You’re embarrassing the Guild.”
“Fuck the Guild and fuck you.”
Cassie stood, teetering on the edge, years of unwanted training finally coming in useful. As she balanced above her audience of watchmen, guild members and citizens she found her courage.
“My name is Cassie Carter’s-daughter. Ten years ago I was kidnapped from my family and forced to join the Guild. I wasn’t the only one; there was fifty of us. Experimental subjects. They took our wills and turned us into robota. I’m the last of the fifty. Rise up while you still have your own will.”
“Shut her up!” the man above shouted. Cassie turned and acted one last time.

A bow string sung. An arrow blossomed in her back. Cassie fell.

Her enemy fell with her.

I’m actually fairly pleased with that. I’m not sure how much suspense it contains, I hadn’t even planned it out beyond a vague idea and direction. The directed structure (as far as I can remember) of imperiled character escaping, near miss, getting caught, decision – escape or capture? has been followed as best I can. It somehow strayed into my favourite genre (fantasy, because you didn’t know that already did you?) when I had intended it to be a crime thriller, but hey-ho genre ain’t that important when I’m practicing structure.

I could do with some feedback if anyone has anything constructive to add.

Have a good Friday everyone.

Bye

Rose