Monday, October 15, 2007

Chapter One: Novel

Here is the complete first chapter of my newest novel to never be finished. I hope you enjoy. Give me feed back if you wish












1
The diner was busy. A normal October day. The older gentlemen sat in the corner sipping coffee and talking about the weather. Rain was on the way, and with it, the temperature was going to dip into the lower 40's. Already you could feel the change in the air.
Russ sat by himself, nursing a diet soda. His knee would not stop bouncing. It was like this when he was nervous or excited about something. Every sip of the soda was like a job interview death sentence. He had an hour before his latest job interview. And he feared for his delicate white shirt, and every few seconds he would adjust his tie.
He had been out of work for a few months. It had been a terrible few months. The weeks seemed to have gotten worse. Loose your job one month. Your girlfriend the next. And in times like this you really forget to believe in something. Hell you forget to believe in anything.
The thunder came rolling in next. Everyone watched excitedly. There was something about rain. Most people fall into two categories. Those who like the rain, and those who it ruins there whole day. There is something comforting in fall rain. The way the fallen leaves glisten. And float down the rivers or the passing lane. Like life really. It always flows. You can't stop it, unless you build up barriers. And Russ knew something about barriers. He wish he had never taken his down to begin with.
Russ had been married. It was the happiest time in his life. Having someone who understood you, loved you, wanted the best for you. They had wanted kids. He had dreamed about kids. And when his wife had gotten pregnant it was the downfall of his marriage.
She always blamed him for the loss of the pregnancy, and it made him guilty. He had put to much stress on her. After all she made all the money in the household. If she could have stayed home, the child would still be alive. She never would have been at work that day. A the guilt began to eat away at him this morning, and that was not a good sign. A lone tear washed down his face, and he knew it was life, we all flow from water.
The diner was situated in a large city block. The high rises here however were only 20 stories at the tallest. But a city is a city. The waitress smiled as she came over to ask if he needed a refill. He placed his hand over the tall plastic glass.
“You sure your okay hon?” The waitress asked him. She placed a delicate hand on her left hip as she held the pitcher of diet soda out. He could smell a sweet fragrance of apple and lilacs. He shook his head and watched as she walked on back over to the counter.
The little bell dinged as another straggler came in from the thunder and wind. He was wearing a dirty and ripped green jacket. Something from an Army Surplus store. He was dark skinned, and had a fuzzy white beard. Like he was the African American version of Santa Clause. He walked past Russ and towards the table of the elderly gentlemen.
“Can I trouble any of you men for a few dollars, I was hoping to get a breakfast and some coffee.” He asked, and as I listened I could feel the shame radiating off him. I knew people, and this man was down on his luck. Of course you did not have to be psychic to see that.
“Mam,” I motioned to the waitress, “ Get this gentleman anything he wants.” I was not a rich man, but I believed in Karma. And I needed all the luck I could get. And buying a poor homeless man really could not go toward ruining my day.
The homeless man sat in the booth with me. I was surprised. Although his clothes had seen better days he was well groomed and manicured. There was no offensive odor. In fact he smelled better than the older gentleman bathed in cologne and baby oil.
The pretty little blonde waitress came back over to take his order. I was shocked when basically repeated my order right down to the diet coke. You never really think of homeless men drinking diet coke.
His eyes were piercing blue. Clear, strong eyes. They seemed to float in front of his face. And they starred right into Russ' soul. “Look at you ol' buddy. You got a little thing for that waitress there ain't ya?” His accent was southern, maybe Georgia.
“No.” I paused trying to phrase my next words. It almost seemed like this was some kind of test. His eyes watched me intently. As if he was sizing me up, judging me even.
“Son, don't lie to me. I would be all over something like that. I guarantee.” His accent seemed to shift to a Cajun one. He let out a hearty laugh. Russ felt sorry for him. He thought he might have been one of the Katrina Transplants. Nowhere to go, and now he travels North looking for a place to belong. In a way, the two of them were no different.
There was not much talking between the two of them. When the waitress brought his food, he ate it politely. Not like a starved man. I filled up my drink after all. Paid the tab. The waitress smiled at me a few more times. Every time I felt the man kick me in the shin, like we were in second grade all over again.
His smile was just as strange as everything else about him. His teeth were pearl white. And for someone who may have been living on the streets his attitude was jubilant. When the waitress came over for the last time, he looked up at the pretty waitress that smelled like a lilac field in the middle of an orchard.
“Mam. I have a question for you.” He paused for her to smile.
“Go ahead, sir.”
“Do you have a young man in your life?” She seemed to be take aback for a split second but maintained her composure. She did not seemed offended just shocked.
“Well sir, I don't. I did until a week ago. Long story. And I have a feeling one of you has placed to be.”
“Well I was wondering if you would be so kind to give this man here your phone number?”
Russ looked toward the man, his face had turned as red as the ketchup bottle she had in her smock. He was not sure how to react. And the waitress had even blushed.
“Well I may have to think about that. Maybe he should be the one to ask me.”
Russ again felt the kick in his shins. And the gentleman stood up. Proclaiming he had to go. He touched the waitress hand, gentle squeezing her palm between his thumb and forefinger. She snapped her hand back, not like she was appalled but more like you get hit with a small jolt of static electricity.
“Well, I can tell you. A good man is one who pays for another's privilege. And this man gave me three. His company, meeting you and the excellent meal by your staff. I am truly blessed this day.” He pulled a sock cap out of his coat. And pulled it over his ears.
“It was nice meeting you Russ.” The man held out his hand. Russ went to take it, and instead the man grabbed his palm the same way as the waitress. And he felt the same jolt that he imagined she felt. And a slight burn. Followed quickly by slight nausea that quickly faded.
And he left. Russ felt his hand tingle. Like it had fallen asleep. He looked at his watch. He still had 30 minutes till it was time for the interview. He watched the office building across the street. He knew after today his entire life would be different.
The waitress slid across from him in the booth. She ran her slender delicate fingers through her blonde hair. In front of her was a plate with cherry pie.
“So is this a game the two of you play or something?” She looked across at Russ quizzically. “Because if it is, you could have just asked me for my number. I would have given it to you.” She pushed the plate across the table to Russ. Pinned to it with a little plastic sword was an order card, and written on it was the waitress' name and phone number.
“By the way. My name is Becca.”
“Russ.” He held out his hand to her and she shook it.
“Hey Russ, I don't give my pie to just anyone. You got a good heart. Most people would not have done that you know.”
“What can I say. I always try to help some one in need.” He took a fork full of the pie, and watched in horror as a rebellious cherry rolled down the front of his shirt and tie.
If only that had been the worst part of his day.
* * *
Russ rolled off the mattress in the corner of the hotel room. His shoulder was still burned. Several men were sleeping on other mattresses spread out among the room. You never knew how much a bed frame meant until you sleep on a mattress on the floor.
Joe had just walked into the room when Russ was getting dressed in his fatigues. He was pale. And Russ knew this day was going to be bad.
“What is it Joe?” Fear was working its way into his chest. He did not need anymore complications. He only wanted to do one thing. Get these people they were meeting to safety.
“We have to leave. We can't stay here.” He became frantic, and started waking up others. Some where already panicking and grabbing their weapons. Joe motioned for Russ to follow him out. Stepping out of the room was like stepping out into a nightmare.
Everywhere around them, buildings had crumbled. Cars were everywhere in the streets. And the awful white dust blew into your eyes. The dust that had covered everything. The dust was 99% of what used to be the population of City of Evanston. Every time Russ seen it, he would have to hold back the nausea.
He knew why Joe had panicked. At the corner of Main and First Street was another element of terror . It floated around, searching for something. It was a large chrome orb. Black tendrils seemed to whip around it as it moved. It did not float around like a balloon but more like a dragonfly. It was jerky and not smooth. But those tendrils pushed it off walls, moved debris. We gave these things the nickname Beholder Orbs. They reminded Russ of a creature from the Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual.
And to think, a year ago. The scariest thing he had to worry about was going to a job interview with a stain on his shirt.
 
posted by Hendersonman at 8:47 PM, |

2 Comments:

I liked the first part...it held my full interest. But the end part about the orbs was totally different. I would need to read more about that to be able to make any comments on it. So where's the rest?
I liked it - I thought it felt very real and touching. It's cool what happened at the end, now we understand it's a science fiction story.

Write more!