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Bits and Pieces


danex

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This is a thread for all those little things that you want to share, but don’t quite need their own thread. Stuff like: ideas that you haven’t fully fleshed out yet, character outlines that you haven’t used, writing prompts you think could be fun, opening paragraphs that don’t have anything following them. Just those random Bits n Pieces that you want to share or want some feedback on. 
 

Here are some openings for some short stories that I wrote forever ago and haven’t continued. I wrote them late at night and hardly remember doing it, but they aren’t horrible, so I’ll share as an example for what this thread could be.
 

“A Kingdom Conferred by a Handshake”

Spoiler

Chapter 1 (also the only chapter and it’s barely even started, it’s like, literally 50 words)

“On Vacant Thrones and Getting Drunk”

Most Kings get grand coronations and royal banquets upon their ascension to the throne. I got a handshake and a pat on the back. I didn’t intend to become the ruler of the kingdom that night. All I wanted was a quiet table and a strong drink. Apparently the fates had different plans.

The Steel Horse wasn’t the most respectable pub in the city, but it was a perfect place to drown ones sorrows and forget their pasts, and that was exactly what I intended to do......

 “The Storyteller”

Spoiler

“Ah! Hello there! What can I do for you?”
...
”A story? Of course I can tell you a story! After all, it is my business to do such things. What’ll it be? I could tell you the story of the great kingdom of Camelot and it’s leader, King Arthur! Hmmm, no, that doesn’t seem to be the story for you. It’s dryer than it sounds, lot of politicking. What about an epic fantasy, Prince Charming and his quest to save the fair maiden! Oh you’ll love it, it’s got dragons and duels and magic-”
...
“No? Picky, aren’t we? Well, out with it, what story do you want?”
...
My story? Well... that’s a very old story indeed. Alright, sit down. Get a drink if need be, I won’t have any interruptions during my story, ya hear? Now, where to start...”

I.
Concerning Names and Storytellers

“My name? Why on earth would I start my story with a name? Names are given too much importance if you ask me. Trying to label a person’s entire identity, their entire being, in just a few words. I am a storyteller, we don’t deal in “few words”. My identity is in the stories I tell, in the way I live. Trying to describe something as incredibly complex as a human life in one or two words is futile, even for the greatest of storytellers. Yes, instead, I will start my story at the beginning, and not with a name. 
What is a storyteller? We are all storytellers at one point or another. Yes, the great bards and minstrels are often referenced among us, but we are also the man complaining to his wife about his day, describing how idiotic his new coworkers are. We are also the child, excitingly telling his friends the events of the day before. Storytelling is in the foundations of society, for at its core, storytelling is the transfer of information. What would we be if we couldn’t share anything with anyone? Dull husks I think, soon to wither and die, unable to ask for, or receive, knowledge. Yes, we are all storytellers at one point or another, but few of us make it a profession.”
...
“How did I become a storyteller? Well, that isn’t what you came here for, you want to know my story. Before I was a storyteller, I was a different person altogether. I cannot tell you their story, you’ll have to go ask them for it yourself.”

Edited by Danex
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All my short story/concepts are either way too old and therefore terrible, or too long to put here cause they're not bits and pieces. So I'll paraphrase them!

"The Amnesia Project"- I have a couple chapters of this one. They're terrible.

Spoiler

A 17 year old boy wakes up in a hospital room, and he cannot remember anything about his life. He know how to walk, talk and eat- but his actual memories are gone. He lives in a state of nothing- as you would expect from a boy with no memories- until he finds a rejected newspaper clipping explaining how the US government caught a dangerous criminal gang leader and are putting him through a test that could be used as an alternative for prison in the future.

The face of the gang leader in a picture found on the newspaper is the main character.

"Sensor Thief" - I lied. This one is a snippet. Sort of :P. 

Spoiler

 

One 

Yahn McAllister strode through Kingdom Bank like he owned the place. He walked expertly, hands halfway in his dress pants’ pockets and posture straight. He never backed down from a gaze, always staring right back at whoever took notice of him, whether it be an employee or civilian. Yahn knew that any sign of worry or distress would give away his presence. A thief had to remain calm. 

Yahn took notice of everything in the bank. The pristine marble floor tiles checkered with obsidian squares. The pure white granite columns carved with depictions of little angels and fluffy clouds spiraling up to the curved ceiling twenty feet above. Skylight windows let down plenty of sunlight, so the chandeliers hanging from the window bracings were nearly useless. The whole place seemed to say, ‘look how rich I am!’ Yahn found the extravagance ridiculous. But, he supposed, when you have nearly $500,000 dollars on hand, why not show it? Not that it was their money to spend, but Yahn doubted the bank really cared as much as the public thought they did. 

He straightened his red and white tie and adjusted his navy suit. His black hair was pulled back in a ponytail that he now tucked into his shirt to avoid the possibility of it distracting him. The white-tan streak in his locks flashed in the sunlight. He took off his glasses, which had plastic lenses without a prescription, and tucked them in his back pocket. He knew he was nearing his destination, so it was time to prep his asset. 

He casually reached into his suit and pressed the small button on the device sewn onto his suit. He felt the box hum, coming to life, against his chest. Within a few seconds, the contact lenses he was wearing came to life also, connecting with the device that was powering them.  

Yahn suddenly knew everything. He knew the age, name, and business of the person passing by on his left. He knew how old the specific obsidian floor tile was, and where the rock was found, carved, and polished. He knew which people on the velvet couches were secretly working for the bank. And most importantly, he knew exactly where to go to find the vault he was looking for.  

The device Yahn wore giving him this knowledge was called a Sensor. And it was not supposed to exist. 

The halls of Kingdom Bank seemed to stretch on forever, and Yahn knew if he was not in possession of the Sensor, he would never find the vault. It was too well hidden and protected inside the maze of corridors. But the Sensor read his brainwaves and knows what he’s looking for. It knows exactly where to go, and tells Yahn this through the contact lenses, projecting virtual instructions on the floor that only he could see. Colorful arrows pointed to the right pathways. Blaring X’s warned Yahn that is would be a mistake to venture through that door, or down that hallway. The displays seemed childish and unprofessional, but the corridors drew smaller, the ceiling got closer. The device worked, and Yahn knew he was close. 

He turned a corner that looked almost exactly the same as all the other corners in the building. The candles on the mahogany table fitted in the corner glowed with a soft light that was extinguished by the greater shine of the five-foot window behind it. Yahn wondered how much energy this bank wasted each day. Then again, the Sensor required immense amounts of power to run itself and only functioned on illegal energy cells that Yahn had traded for on the black market. Half of his loot from this job would go to buy more. The other half was obvious- Yahn’s own indulgence. 

 

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If I already started a thread, is it fine with you that I'll post it here? It would be better arranged if I will.

@Danex, your ideas sound interesting, though for some reason I can't see where the second one could lead - I'd hazard a guess that this is the reason you didn't keep writing it, but I may well be wrong. 

My ideas that weren't posted around here:

The idea was of taking a character - preferably of the type that's usually the mentor in stories - and write a series of short stories about him, which were told at his funeral. here's the one I wrote - not the best, but it's a beggining.

Spoiler

It was a warm and sunny day, without any hint for something dangerous. Galard, alongside his dragon bond, Lightning, walked down the streets of the great city Dragan, which was named after a nearby river, on his way to the king’s castle, to report the results of the negotiation with the trolls. It was very successful in a way, but before he could finish, he had to have the king’s agreement. Of course, in a lot of things the king had to trust Galard, so it was expected that the king would agree. 

I run after him. “Galard!” I shouted.

Galard turned around. “What?” he asked. “I hope this is important, because I have to report on this negotiation now.”

Believe me, it’s a life-or-death matter.” I said, breathless. “Apparently, some flesh-eating goats got down of the mountains. Maybe they’ve followed the trolls. Anyway, they begun eating people.”

Where?” asked Galard immediately. I pointed northwest, the direction I came from. Galard climbed on Lightning. “Come.” he said. “It’ll be quicker that way.” I climbed on Lightning after him. The moment I sat, Lightning took off.

How many flesh-eating goats is it?” asked Galard.

I believe it’s three.” I said. “When I got out to find you, the people in Bern’s farm went out with forks, trying to fight the goats. It was useless, of course. The flesh-eating goats entered into Bern’s goat herd, and you can’t tell the difference.”

Maybe the only solution will be to kill all the goats without getting near them.” said Galard. “But it’s too hard. I’ll have to find solution...”

I can blow fire on them.” suggested Lightning. “That’ll kill them all, and there will be no problem.”

Right, but I think Bern will prefer, if possible, to have some goats left after getting rid of the flesh-eating ones.” I said.

The moment I said that, we landed near Bern’s farm. It was a short flight.

Bern and his sons, Bellr and Gund, stood before a goats herd, armed with forks, trying to keep the goats away from the house.

Back off, I said!” said Bern. The goats retreated.

I have brought Galard.” I declared.

Ah, mr. Galard, sir, thank goodness you came.” said Bern, turning toward us. “As you surely heard, we’ve got a little problem here.”

I’ll see what I can do.” said Galard.

But please think of a solution quick, if you can.” said Bern. “Because, well, every now and then one of the goats eats another, and I’m afraid they’ll be out of goats sooner or later, and go on us.”

I can always burn them all.” said Lightning.

Oh, well, I wouldn’t want you to do that, my honourable dragon. not unless there is no other option. You see, we’ll have to chase them away, (since I believe we all want me and my house safe and whole after that,) then to retreat, and then to lose our best goats.” said Bern.

But if your life depend on it, you wouldn’t care for a few dead goats, right?” asked Galard.

So you don’t have any better idea?” asked Bern worriedly.

Actually, I have.” said Galard. “Don’t you have shepherd dogs?”

Yes, I’ve got two nice shepherd dogs, and we’ve already thought to use them. After all, who knows our goats better than them? But we couldn’t find a way to do that without the dogs getting eaten.”

Maybe I can use some protecting magic.” said Galard. “But it wouldn’t help if your dogs will attack the goats.”

That’s fine with me.” said Bern with relief. “It’s not like I want my dogs to get killed.”

He went inside the house and got out with a pair of barking dogs. Gallard drew near the dogs and cast a spell on them.

Go shepherd our goats.” ordered Bern.

The dogs run towards the goats, barking, and some goats in the herd tried to eat them. Now that was an unusual site, goats trying to eat shepherd dogs.

The dogs did their mission faithfully - and succeeded taking the flesh-eating goats apart of the herd. Since it was ridiculous - and almost impossible - to kill flesh-eating goats with forks, Lightning did blew fire on the four remaining goats, all of them being flesh-eating ones.

Now,” said Galard, a little exhausted after the spell he cast, “I must go report the king. Good afternoon.” than he climbed Lightning and they flew back to the city.

The first word of each paragraph refused to be unbolded for some reason. It's not my best story, but not my worst either. wrote it for a work at school in my 11th grade, actually.

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