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Monday 10 May 2010

Death, Desire and Rage have their say (and rather loudly, too)

I felt compelled to transcribe this particular assault upon my senses several days ago, when it happened. But, as I'm continuing to post popular choices from the post-poll, I thought this would make a fine example of my insanity in the 'conversations with my characters' category.

The Scene. I lie peacefully in bed, on the very cusp of falling into a blissful sleep, when, to my horror and disbelief, I become aware of voices.

DESIRE [hushed whisper]:
Rage. Rage. Stop it, can't you see she's trying to - don't you dare - 

RAGE:
Sangu? Magpie? Favourite scribe?

DESIRE:
Hmpf. You dared.

ME [opens eyes, sees Rage, and shuts them again, convinced the gods aren't this cruel. Opens eyes again. No, he's still there]:

ME:
I wanna sleep.

RAGE:
Which is fair and all that, but I really do have to tell you -

ME:
Where's Death? I want him to take you away. He's the only one you ever listen to.

DESIRE [indignantly]: 
And me! 

ME:
Does he? Does he really? I do hate to break it to you, Des, but if you had a smidgeon of command over Rage, he wouldn't be here destroying my peaceful slumber.

DEATH:
Did I hear somebody ask for me?

ME [shrieks] 

DEATH:
Sorry. Did I startle you?

ME [infuriated by the stupidity of that question]

ME [sulkily]
And you're supposed to be the clever one.

DEATH [grins]. This is enough to set Rage off, who adopts a look of inappropriate good humour.

ME: 
You're all far too happy for this unearthly hour of the morning. Goodnight.

DESIRE:
See? I told you you shouldn't have woken her. Now you've gone and upset her. Apologize at once.

RAGE:
But -

DESIRE:
I am trying to prove I can command, Rage, would you do me the courtesy of humouring me?

DEATH:
I do hate to be a kill-joy -

RAGE:
No, you don't.

DEATH:
But I do.

RAGE:
You don't. You're always ruining the fun. Hey-ho, what can you do? In your nature and all that.

DEATH:
And you are what, precisely? A ray of sunshine?

ME [with my head buried in a pillow]:
I really don't deserve this.

7 comments:

  1. Teehihi! Lovely!
    That would make for a hilarious short animation.
    In your manifold writing experiences, have you ever tried writing theater plays?

    I have very little to base my assumption on, but I'm already getting the impression you are quite good with dialog. Or maybe it's transcription? ; j

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  2. yay! got my wish! def should have won..

    and alesa has a point, you're good at plays, like the one i read!

    (enjoys adding yet more to sangu's plate)

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  3. Yes, I have to be the arbitrator of those inner arguments between the different aspects of myself, too.

    And then there are the voices of my characters who speak to me out of the twilight edge of almost sleep. As has been said, you are very good with dialogue. Have a healing weekend, Roland

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  4. Haha, thank you Alesa, I'm glad you enjoyed it. And yes, I have actually tried writing plays and screenplays before, but I've never done it with any serious intent.

    I plan to write a couple more soon, though. One of my main characters in ECHOES (the book out on submission) is a playwright and I thought it would be fun to write his plays (or try) so that I could bounce off them while writing the next book.

    So that answers you too, Steve. See? More on my plate! And the play you read was awful.

    Thanks, Roland, I'm so glad I'm not the only one! *sheepish*

    Have a lovely week, everyone!

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  5. I have things like this happen to me all the time, but my characters are completely unruly and often smutty.

    No one said we had to be sane...

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  6. it's been ten minutes since I read this, my dear, and I'm still laughing!

    -Harry

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