Wanxian & Damn Lies
Nov. 13th, 2006 09:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nanonanoHere are the entries both day 11 and day 12 of ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
mini_nanowrimo. Day 10 was a major Nano catchup day, so I used my word count there. I didn't like doing that really. I'd intended this challenge to be seperate. Somedays don't work out that way.
The first one is based off a city off the Yangtze irrevocably changed by the Three Gorges Dam. I'm hoping to write more in this eventually.
Day 11 (Wanxian story)
There used to be shops all along the staircase of every kind imaginable – food vendors, hairdressers, dentists, even a tailor. He passed by the occasional vendor, but they were mostly interested in the ferry traffic. They were waiting for the cruise ships with the tourists on board, hoping they'd throw a little yuan their way.
Halfway up the staircase, he found the old stationer's store. The old place had seen better days. But it was still open. He went inside, expecting to see the old man mixing inks. But there was a woman behind the counter instead. She wore the colors of mourning. Had the old man passed away?
She greeted him pleasantly when he came inside. "How may I help you?"
"Is Mr. Lu still here?" He asked quietly.
Her face clouded. "Mr. Lu died several months ago. I am his daughter. I take over his business now." Seeing his reaction, she added. "He was a very sick man. He didn't experience any pain at the end."
"I am glad to hear that," he said. "I had hoped to return earlier, but my business always kept me away. He kept telling me he would outlive even the town."
I'm flat out shocked I wrote this. But I'd watched David Hewlett's storyline of "Century Hotel", so it was on my mind when I saw the three word prompts. I don't know how well I did.
Day 12 - Damn Lies (Century Hotel)
There were lies and there were lies.
Some lies hurt more than others.
Danny was living one kind. Michael was living another.
One could pass for "normal" -- have a girlfriend, maybe even settle down. The other never would have that kind of life, no matter how many pretty nurses tended his wounds, no matter what words he used.
One would always feel included, the other would always feel left out.
Danny never thought he was being dishonest about himself. He didn't see what the big deal was. He wasn't hurting anyone.
Michael knew he was. That was the brutal truth.
mini_nanowrimo. Day 10 was a major Nano catchup day, so I used my word count there. I didn't like doing that really. I'd intended this challenge to be seperate. Somedays don't work out that way.The first one is based off a city off the Yangtze irrevocably changed by the Three Gorges Dam. I'm hoping to write more in this eventually.
Day 11 (Wanxian story)
There used to be shops all along the staircase of every kind imaginable – food vendors, hairdressers, dentists, even a tailor. He passed by the occasional vendor, but they were mostly interested in the ferry traffic. They were waiting for the cruise ships with the tourists on board, hoping they'd throw a little yuan their way.
Halfway up the staircase, he found the old stationer's store. The old place had seen better days. But it was still open. He went inside, expecting to see the old man mixing inks. But there was a woman behind the counter instead. She wore the colors of mourning. Had the old man passed away?
She greeted him pleasantly when he came inside. "How may I help you?"
"Is Mr. Lu still here?" He asked quietly.
Her face clouded. "Mr. Lu died several months ago. I am his daughter. I take over his business now." Seeing his reaction, she added. "He was a very sick man. He didn't experience any pain at the end."
"I am glad to hear that," he said. "I had hoped to return earlier, but my business always kept me away. He kept telling me he would outlive even the town."
I'm flat out shocked I wrote this. But I'd watched David Hewlett's storyline of "Century Hotel", so it was on my mind when I saw the three word prompts. I don't know how well I did.
Day 12 - Damn Lies (Century Hotel)
There were lies and there were lies.
Some lies hurt more than others.
Danny was living one kind. Michael was living another.
One could pass for "normal" -- have a girlfriend, maybe even settle down. The other never would have that kind of life, no matter how many pretty nurses tended his wounds, no matter what words he used.
One would always feel included, the other would always feel left out.
Danny never thought he was being dishonest about himself. He didn't see what the big deal was. He wasn't hurting anyone.
Michael knew he was. That was the brutal truth.
