Post by Firefly :::Be Fearless::: on Apr 24, 2009 20:20:59 GMT -5
Okay folks! Here it is! You might have seen it on DSRP, but I'm going to bring it back slowly, in sections, just to make it interesting, and to make myself write more. Teehee! Here it comes!!! -makes whoosing sound-
Dying on the Inside is currently a: Short Story
Words: 7,163
* Microfiction: Up to 100 words
* Flash Fiction: 100-1000 words
* Short Short: 1000-2000 words
* Short Story: 2000-7500
* Novelette: 7500-15000
* Novella: 15000-40000
* Novel: 40000 and up (although generally at least 60k.)
Dying on the Inside
Chapter 1
The bell rang, a long, dull ring. Carmen looked up. More math. Sighing, she grabbed her books and stood. Waiting for the end of the day rush, she slowly made her way to her locker. She turned the combination lock and opened her locker. Opening the steel gray door, she looked at her reflection in the tiny locker mirror she had put on the inside. Her eyes, an icy, piercing blue, stared back, devoid of all emotion. The popular girls walked by, casting arrow sharp comments her way. They looked at her sweater and rolled their eyes. Carmen pulled down her long sleeves uncomfortably. I must look crazy, she thought. Wearing long sleeves in the middle of June. But she couldn't show the scars. She couldn't have her secret known. Carmen closed her locker and held her books tight. Fifteen minutes and I can be free, she thought. Home. That was the only place that she could really be free, or at least in her bedroom. Carmen's parents had divorced when she was 11. Living with her alcoholic father, she had to cope with him coming home late, often dizzy from the pub. Most nights were frightening, if you wanted an understatement. Something always happened. Some nights, her father would take his anger out on her. Some nights, her father would be yelling at the police outside. Some nights, she'd be alone. Tonight was no different. Carmen sat on the couch, watching the news as she waited for her father. "Tonight's breaking news," the news anchor announced. "A forty year old man was arrested for driving under the influence. Police were unable to save the car, for all the damage done to the vehicle. Two women were found in the back of the vehicle, dead. Police have not yet revealed their names. Their families will be informed. Our deepest sympathies go to those mourning for their loved ones. The suspect will be taken to court in the next month. The suspect claims to have no family." Carmen stared at the TV. Up on the screen was a picture of her dad. No a mug shot of her dad. She stared until the picture was taken from the screen. Blindly, she fumbled for the remote. Turning off the television she ran to her bedroom. No family? He says he has no family?! How could he forget me? Her vision blurred by tears, she groped for the shard of glass she was so fond of. Rolling up her sleeve she sank into the only thing she had. Pain. The one thing that could distract her from reality.
Carmen stretched her arms, then yelped in pain. Turning her head to look at the fresh scar, she counted how many she had. One, two, three, four, five... She didn't want to know, but something told her to keep counting. Nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen. Thirteen. One for every time that something had gone wrong in her life. Well, every time that something went wrong this month. Like her dad beating her. And her best friend murdered. And her mother having another baby. She had just discovered her distraction when she found that black shard of glass on the kitchen counter. Her father had just gotten home and was so drunk, that she had cowered in the corner, and left that evening with multiple bruises on her face. She decided to try out for herself what those kids at school had raved about. At least they had raved about it until they were suspended. A crash from outside pulled her from her memories. She sat up, and walked over to her window. Outside, a burly man with a balding forehead was holding his foot and yelling. Carmen covered her mouth in a failed attempt to cover a laugh. She sucked in her breath as the cutest boy she had ever seen ran out to help the screaming man. He had black hair, and was tall and muscular. The boy turned to look around. Their eyes met. Carmen quickly ducked. How can I be thinking this, she wondered. He could never like me. Not with what I've done. No, he could never like me. Just in case, she lifted her head just far enough that she could see him walk back into the house. So he's my new neighbor, she thought. Oh great. The cutest boy ever lives next to me. Me!
Carmen walked out of her room. That's right; my father is in the slammer. Great. Grabbing the remote, she flicked on the TV. Flipping the channels for the news, she stopped. What if he's in jail for years? What am I going to do? She thought frantically. Finally she reached the 12:00 news. The anchor was just talking about the episode last night. "Last night's accident left two women dead. The sentence is still under consideration. But the police have informed the public that he will be behind bars for a justifiable amount of time." This was too much. She was alone, and without means of survival. Carmen tried to keep the tears from flowing, her body shaking with the effort. But she couldn't keep it in. Giant sobs racked her body, causing her to gasp for air. She had to get away. She couldn't stay here. She couldn't even afford to stay here.
Dying on the Inside is currently a: Short Story
Words: 7,163
* Microfiction: Up to 100 words
* Flash Fiction: 100-1000 words
* Short Short: 1000-2000 words
* Short Story: 2000-7500
* Novelette: 7500-15000
* Novella: 15000-40000
* Novel: 40000 and up (although generally at least 60k.)
Dying on the Inside
Chapter 1
The bell rang, a long, dull ring. Carmen looked up. More math. Sighing, she grabbed her books and stood. Waiting for the end of the day rush, she slowly made her way to her locker. She turned the combination lock and opened her locker. Opening the steel gray door, she looked at her reflection in the tiny locker mirror she had put on the inside. Her eyes, an icy, piercing blue, stared back, devoid of all emotion. The popular girls walked by, casting arrow sharp comments her way. They looked at her sweater and rolled their eyes. Carmen pulled down her long sleeves uncomfortably. I must look crazy, she thought. Wearing long sleeves in the middle of June. But she couldn't show the scars. She couldn't have her secret known. Carmen closed her locker and held her books tight. Fifteen minutes and I can be free, she thought. Home. That was the only place that she could really be free, or at least in her bedroom. Carmen's parents had divorced when she was 11. Living with her alcoholic father, she had to cope with him coming home late, often dizzy from the pub. Most nights were frightening, if you wanted an understatement. Something always happened. Some nights, her father would take his anger out on her. Some nights, her father would be yelling at the police outside. Some nights, she'd be alone. Tonight was no different. Carmen sat on the couch, watching the news as she waited for her father. "Tonight's breaking news," the news anchor announced. "A forty year old man was arrested for driving under the influence. Police were unable to save the car, for all the damage done to the vehicle. Two women were found in the back of the vehicle, dead. Police have not yet revealed their names. Their families will be informed. Our deepest sympathies go to those mourning for their loved ones. The suspect will be taken to court in the next month. The suspect claims to have no family." Carmen stared at the TV. Up on the screen was a picture of her dad. No a mug shot of her dad. She stared until the picture was taken from the screen. Blindly, she fumbled for the remote. Turning off the television she ran to her bedroom. No family? He says he has no family?! How could he forget me? Her vision blurred by tears, she groped for the shard of glass she was so fond of. Rolling up her sleeve she sank into the only thing she had. Pain. The one thing that could distract her from reality.
~~~~~~~
Carmen stretched her arms, then yelped in pain. Turning her head to look at the fresh scar, she counted how many she had. One, two, three, four, five... She didn't want to know, but something told her to keep counting. Nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen. Thirteen. One for every time that something had gone wrong in her life. Well, every time that something went wrong this month. Like her dad beating her. And her best friend murdered. And her mother having another baby. She had just discovered her distraction when she found that black shard of glass on the kitchen counter. Her father had just gotten home and was so drunk, that she had cowered in the corner, and left that evening with multiple bruises on her face. She decided to try out for herself what those kids at school had raved about. At least they had raved about it until they were suspended. A crash from outside pulled her from her memories. She sat up, and walked over to her window. Outside, a burly man with a balding forehead was holding his foot and yelling. Carmen covered her mouth in a failed attempt to cover a laugh. She sucked in her breath as the cutest boy she had ever seen ran out to help the screaming man. He had black hair, and was tall and muscular. The boy turned to look around. Their eyes met. Carmen quickly ducked. How can I be thinking this, she wondered. He could never like me. Not with what I've done. No, he could never like me. Just in case, she lifted her head just far enough that she could see him walk back into the house. So he's my new neighbor, she thought. Oh great. The cutest boy ever lives next to me. Me!
Carmen walked out of her room. That's right; my father is in the slammer. Great. Grabbing the remote, she flicked on the TV. Flipping the channels for the news, she stopped. What if he's in jail for years? What am I going to do? She thought frantically. Finally she reached the 12:00 news. The anchor was just talking about the episode last night. "Last night's accident left two women dead. The sentence is still under consideration. But the police have informed the public that he will be behind bars for a justifiable amount of time." This was too much. She was alone, and without means of survival. Carmen tried to keep the tears from flowing, her body shaking with the effort. But she couldn't keep it in. Giant sobs racked her body, causing her to gasp for air. She had to get away. She couldn't stay here. She couldn't even afford to stay here.
