So I participated in NaNoWriMo last year and this is (some) of my unfinished work (I mean, I met the quota, but I didn't finish the story
). I wanted to get someone's opinion on it - or, at least, let people see it now that some of it has been re-written... Please be warned, there is swearing - and some bloody parts as well. I guess - Enjoy?
Chapter 1
The room was quiet but for the turning of old pages, soft as the breeze that blew outside the window, the rasp of the leaves imitating the sound of shore that would be no where in sight should one take a look. There was a boy lazing on one of two beds, sheets pristinely arranged, a book in his hands and a reading light turned on next to him in order to cut through the dimness of the room. He had mussed dark hair and pale yellow skin with slanted brown eyes that skimmed the written words with such a speed that to a passerby it would seem like he wasn’t reading at all. A chocolate smudged mouth silently shaped some of the words as his eyes passed over them.
The boy’s name is Luke.
He is not the main character of this story.
No, instead the focus should be placed on the boy attempting to silently creeping through the door at this very moment, a canvas bag graffitied with faded writing slung over one shoulder, a patch with the name “Nathan” crudely sewn on slightly askew, stitching pulled loose around the upper left corner.
This is Nathan Harlow. And he is the protagonist of this story.
His steps barely make the floorboards creak, feet light on the aging wood, fingers pushing against the old door gently so as not to disturb the old hinges.
Many a day have these two boys spent staying up late at night, talking over the day’s events, recounting the ways they angered their friends or made them laugh. The hours on duty, to them, are spent jesting and giggling and being reprimanded. For though they may be boys with a not too immense age difference, they also happen to be survivors in a world overrun with creatures only referred to as Beasts.
Hulking masses of muscled flesh coiled tight beneath tough skin, heads almost completely smooth, only broken up by the slits for their ears, their nose, and by their enormous mouths. Row upon row of long, sharp, needlelike teeth forced them to keep their maw open at all times. The Beasts walked hunched over like an ape, running on all fours when they had to, and were faster than any horse alive – faster than any car back when they first had cars to chase after.
Their town sits near the middle of a sprawling green forest, the mountains making a breath-taking backdrop to the east. The people in this town used to make their work by toiling away in the quarries and mines of the mountain, giving the town it’s name - Quarry.
Squat homes are reinforced wherever possible with iron bars and yet while it seems like a prison at times not even the gloomiest of days can squash the lighthearted joy found there each day. Weaving between houses and through the streets children discover ways to frolic, to play and forget the danger lurking behind high, weaved iron fences. To forget why there are menacing spikes driven into the ground, sharpened to a point. That behind the walls there are bandits and Beasts, monsters and monsters disguised as men.
The top of the barrier was lined with a mosaic of rusted and shiny razor wire, some areas replaced and others left to rot until something could swap with them. The iron bars were driven deep into the ground and maintained with the utmost care.
Let’s just say that after events over ten years ago, people got really picky about how safe they wanted their homes.
---------- Post added 09-10-2013 at 10:14 PM ----------
Nathan slowly turned the dull knob of the door, twisting it silently, pushing gently on the wood so that the old hinges wouldn’t squeak and give him away. However, when he peeked through the gap just to see Luke staring at him with a ‘totally busted’ look on his face he pushed the door none-too-gently the rest of the way, not caring whether or not he made a sound.
He kicked it closed behind him, pushing against it with his foot when it didn’t close all the way. His bag flew through the air onto the empty bed, crushing the pillow and spilling the contents all over the mattress. Nathan kicked off his shoes and sat on Luke’s bed – more specifically, he sat on Luke’s outstretched legs.
“Hey there, Luke, what are you doing up still?” he said, bouncing a little bit on the older boy’s knees.
He got kicked off the bed in response, a fond yet irritated huff coming out of the Asian boy. A papery slap sounded in the room followed by the dull thud of the book being placed on the bedside table. Nathan looked up to see an arched brow, a silent question splayed across the others face.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” said Nathan, turning so that he could lean against the side of his bed.
“Really. Really. Do you really need me to ask what you’re doing back at-“ Luke took a quick glance at the watch around his wrist – “just past one in the morning?” He did not sound impressed.
In response Nathan shrugged, resting his head back on the corner of the mattress.
“I was on shift. You can’t blame me for getting here late if I was on shift.”
“That’s true, but I can blame you for being late because you weren’t supposed to be on the late rounds tonight. You were supposed to be back here and sleeping by curfew because you have shift in the morning. And still do, if I’m not mistaken.”
Shit. Caught. He should’ve suspected Luke would’ve checked out his schedule considering that lately he had been on twice as many shifts, switching around with others so that he would have the most time on town patrol.
“Fuck. Um, if I say it was for a really good reason would you promise not to tell Melea? Please?”
“What I should be doing is going to Elijah, but something tells me that he’s in on whatever idiotic plan you have to work yourself to exhaustion. And no swearing!” Here Luke finally gave into the urge to hit Nathan though it was not in the way Nathan was expecting – and only because he had a high reaction time did he manage to dodge the book aimed right for his face.
“Shit, man, watch where you’re throwing!”
“Oh trust me, I did.”
Nathan glowered at the other’s smug look before blindly reaching for one of the hardcover books that had been spilled across his bed. When he finally grasped one he brought it in front of him, holding it between his thumb and forefinger.
“Well, I guess you won’t be wanting your birthday presents then. A shame, I spent so long waiting for Tom to pass through. All that work gone to waste. Oh well.” He drew out the last two words, sighing dramatically.
“Wait, hold up a minute, presents? I like presents. Give me the book, Nathan.”
It was a complete 180 from how he was acting before – from pissed off to childishly excited in less then three seconds. It was entertaining to watch as Luke flipped onto his stomach, stretching his arms out into the gap between beds, fingers straining as he tried to grab the novel from Nathan’s hands.
“Nope, you’ve made yourself perfectly clear.” A little smirk grew on his face as he dangled the book just outside of Luke’s reach.
“Nathan,” Luke whined, “it’s my birthday. You can’t do this to me on my birthday.”
This time it was Nathan that arched a brow, staring at the other boy with an incredulous look on his face.
“Really. Really.” He mocked, repeating Luke’s words from earlier.
The other boy deflated, arms hanging limply off the edge of the bed. He sighed softly, lifting his head. Black hair hung in his face covering most of the skin.
“I was just worried about you. I mean, for the past three days you’ve been double shifting and never told me why. Coming back to the room at ungodly hours – and no, you weren’t as silent as you thought you were – then playing it off like it was nothing. You’re constantly tired and the circles under your eyes are darker than I’ve seen before, and you wouldn’t tell me why.”
Nathan pulled his lips into a tight line, watching as Luke’s eyes widened and watered over, lips pouting slightly.
Well fuck me, he thought. Luke was using puppy dog eyes on him – something he regret having taught the older boy. It was surprisingly effective even against Marcus, who’d rather stab you than have you think he had a squishy inside.
---------- Post added 09-10-2013 at 10:19 PM ----------
Well fuck me, he thought. Luke was using puppy dog eyes on him – something he’d regret having taught the older boy. It was surprisingly effective even against Marcus, who’d stab you sooner than have you think he had a squishy inside.
“Shit, man, that’s not fair.” Said Nathan, grudgingly handing over the book. A delighted smile sprung up across Luke’s face, the expression from before completely melted away from the happiness. Nathan watched as he read the first few pages, a hand running through his hair and a fond yet tired expression settling on his face. While he himself couldn’t read – being born during the Incident didn’t leave much in way of schooling - he liked watching Luke as he devoured books. And he knew that later he could convince his friend to read to him, so all was well.
For a while they stayed in the relative silence of the room, nothing but the hush of the wind between them.
Curled up and warmed by his own body heat Nathan started to doze off, head lolling before jerking back up sharply, eyes widening before returning to their half-lidded state. He had almost fallen asleep on the floor before Luke nudged him with his foot.
“Hey, Nate, you should get into bed.” He spoke softly, trying not to startle the younger boy out of his sleepy stupor.
Nathan nodded slowly and untangled his limbs, pulling himself up onto the bed. He flailed around for a moment, dislodging the bag from his pillow and sending most of the books and magazines onto the floor. With the covers pulled loosely around him he started to drift off again before Luke spoke up.
“Thanks, Nathan. This… this is a pretty awesome gift.”
Sleepily he smiled in return, eyes closed.
“’s no problem, Lukey. ‘s your birthday.”
A short silence before there was a response.
“You need your sleep. I’ll take your shift in the morning, okay?”
“Mhm, okay.”
There was a soft click as the older boy flipped off the light, setting the book down. Quietly they exchanged goodnights before settling down into the embracing abyss of sleep, letting it cradle them as they dreamed.
~*~
