Christian Speculative Fiction discussion

For week four, the writing challenge is the following:

Using a finger in a random place in a random novel on my bookshelf, I will write an opening scene but begin the scene using the line my finger points to at random (written in ALL CAPS).

You, in turn, should continue the narrative. However, your first line must be a line from a random place in a random novel (write it out in ALL CAPS). Then, let your imagination go wild!

For this exercise, you don't have to write a complete scene but can leave it hanging for the next writer/creative person to tackle.

Please leave a notation at the bottom of your post the book/author you drew from.

For the sake of uniformity, the names of characters for our flowing story will remain the same. If your book's character is a male, he will be named SAMUEL. If the book's character is a female, she will be named SALLY. If there is a third, fourth, fifth, and sixth character, their names will be MICHAEL, PETER, ANGELA, and PAMELA (use accordingly).

Thank you.

I will begin the exercise for everyone in the next entry.

Have fun! Be creative! And let's see what happens!

-Sean

This challenge will run for the next 2 weeks (although all the challenges are open-ended).

THE BROTHERS STARED AT EACH OTHER.

"What was that sound?" Samuel asked in a low voice.

"Stop scaring yourself!" Michael said, seeing the scared look in his brother's face. He kept his face neutral, ignoring the racing of his own heart, and trying not to be panicked.

"You know the warnings. Have you forgotten, Michael?"

"No, I haven't forgotten. But they were just words spoken to control us."

Samuel stood up and approached the cellar window. "No one's supposed to be in the house with us."

"It was probably the house settling. It is hundreds of years old, you know."

__________________________________________________

My first line, from the novel "Schindler's Ark" by Thomas Keneally.

AND THE MOMENT HE DISCOVERED AN ATTACK WAS COMING, HE WOULD LEAVE. There was no way Michael would allow Samuel to be captured by the Withygales again, even if it meant giving himself for his brother. It would do no good, however, if the younger boy freaked before they had a chance to escape the house.

The door to the Withygales’ subterranean abode had closed after Michael pulled Samuel to safety but as Michael waved his brother away from the rotted, cobweb-infested window, his eyes shifted to the shadowy corner where he and Samuel had emerged from the tunnels not five minutes before.

“Samuel! Stay away from the window.”

Samuel’s face blanched. “That’s right. The Withygales warned me about the trees here. How they can suck the life out of …” Samuel’s words dropped off as his mouth formed a perfect ‘O’.

“Don’t trust anything those creatures say. After all, they kidnapped you. And ... when we entered this house before, the trees were normal.” He scrunched his face into a scowl. “But …we’d better not take any chances. Let’s see what’s upstairs. Maybe we’ll find something to eat.”

Samuel’s eyes lit up. “Oh boy! Food! I’m so hungry I could eat a rhinoceros.”

My first line from --A Cast of Stones by Patrick W. Carr

That was great, Chris! Really good and immersive! -Sean

Sean wrote: "That was great, Chris! Really good and immersive! -Sean"
Thanks Sean. I look forward to what others might add.

"WELL, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT MOST, I'M GLAD YOU'RE FINALLY HAVING AN IMPACT"

said Michael.

"A - An impact?", said Samuel. "Is that a kind of food?"

"No. An impact on the curse. Your hunger is helping you focus, not slip back into their thought control. We need to get away from here, but I'm not sure you should eat yet."

"But I'm hungry!", cried Samuel, bounding up the stairs.

There wasn't much left upstairs, even of the dusty floorboards in some places, certainly no food. In the largest room Samuel had found a solitary piece of furniture standing guard under a huge dusty sheet. He yanked it off and drowned Michael's caution in a cloud of dust and coughing.

When it cleared, there was a dressing table in a dark whorled wood. Elaborate and stained with age, it supported an enormous gilt-edged mirror clouded with age and corrosion.

"Oh! I can seem myself!", Samuel cried. "The Withy's don't allow mirrors!". He immediately started rubbing at the mirror with the cuff of his sleeve, trying to clean it.


First line from: "An Ocean is a Snowflake, Four Billion Miles Away" by John Barnes, in Jim Baen's Universe #2

Gordon wrote: ""WELL, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT MOST, I'M GLAD YOU'RE FINALLY HAVING AN IMPACT"

said Michael.

"A - An impact?", said Samuel. "Is that a kind of food?"

"No. An impact on the curse. Your hunger is..."


Nice job, Gordon! Moving forward in an interesting direction. I like the way you shortened Withygales to Withys; it adds dimension. I look forward to seeing where the next person takes this developing tale>

Really good, Gordon! Nice touch and creativity!!

The world that is being written is an interesting one--especially regarding the law against mirrors.

Who next will take the tale further?

Indeed, I want to know too! Fun challenge so far. I think harder than challenge one, because fitting a random sentence into the flow could be much harder.

Your random sentence was really tough. Yet, you handled it well!

where will the adventure go next?

Hello,
Who will continue this story? Just read the posts above to get the direction and characters, and then add to the story.

Anyone else want to join in the fun for this fourth challenge?

This is open-ended group, so please add to it as you feel the desire!

-Sean

"THE MIRROR WILL BE MOVED TO A NEW HOME TOMORROW," said a tremulous voice emanating from the mirror.

"Wha…wha…what!" stammered Samuel as he leaped backward away from the mirror. He frantically looked around the room. "Who said that?" he asked obviously shaken.

"What's wrong with you?" Michael asked his brother, clearly not having heard the creepy sounding voice.

"You didn't say that?" asked Samuel, disconcerted by Michael's question. "Quit playing games. Quit acting like some kind of creepy ghost. Your ventriloquist skills suck."

"What are you talking about?" Michael asked, puzzled by his brother's behavior. "I know you said you were hungry, but you're acting kind of weird."

"You didn't say that the mirror was going to be moved tomorrow?" the incredulous Samuel challenged.

"No, I didn't," countered the baffled Michael, " How do I know what's going to happen to that mirror? I've never seen that mirror before. You know that, you wierdo."

Dumbstruck, Samuel gave his brother a deer-in-headlights look.

"Hahahahaha," laughter resounded throughout the room. Both brothers simultaneously looked at each other, after having jumped out of their skin, and screamed like two frightened girls. They both ran towards the door, only to have the door shut close before they could get there.

First line from: "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" by J.K. Rowlings

Leatha, amazing that your random entry had a mirror. Almost spooky! Haha. Nice job!!

If anyone would do the honors to continue, including anyone who has already contributed, please feel free.

I will add to it tomorrow. On my list.

Thanks again, Leatha! -Sean