Friday Snippet #17

September 7, 2012September 7, 2012 Monica La Porta#FridaySnippets, friday snippet, indie writing, small excerpt from a YA dystopian novel, writing just for fun1 Comment

Still writing for fun. Allegra and Julius are still wandering through Cartaghena.

From X:

The gate didn’t swing open as supposed to. She applied more pressure. “It doesn’t open.” She needed to say it out loud.

“It could mean anything.” Julius moved to her side. “Look ahead,” he instructed her.

Allegra straightened her head. “What did you see?” At first, she had been put out by the way he used her eyes better than she did, but during the years it had proved useful. “I see things through you in a different way than you do,” he had said once without explaining much. But at the first occasion he had avoided them a punishment, she had been grateful for his ability to spot details and never questioned it again. One night, they were out of their respective quarters, way past curfew—a dare from one of their classmates, and Julius saw, before Allegra noticed, their teacher’s pointy shoes emerging from the dark corner she was staring at. That split second had allowed them to run back to their rooms, none being the wiser.

“Something moved at the end of the path.”

She focused on the dark-gray gravel covering the path that went from the entrance to the stairs leading to the porch. “I see nothing.” She opened her nose then and the faintest aroma of sandalwood reached her nostrils. “Dad!” She beat at the metal bars of the gate. “Dad!”

Friday Snippet #16

August 31, 2012August 31, 2012 Monica La Porta#FridaySnippets, friday snippet, small excerpt from a dystopian wip, writing just for fun1 Comment

Another week, another snippet. Still enjoying this new and surprisingly refreshing concept of writing for fun. Words just form in my mind and fingers click on the keys. Is that easy. Here it is, straight from my imagination, my weekly snippet from X:

“There’s nothing out here.” Allegra had never experienced sensorial blindness, but without her nose to direct her, she felt as if seeing with her eyes wasn’t enough.

“What do you mean nothing?” He caressed her shoulders the way he did when she was tense.

The slow, circular motions around her scapulae combined with a calming push from his aura normally soothed her anxiety.

But not this time. “My nose doesn’t catch anything. There’s nothing out here,” she repeated, and he finally understood the entity of her words and interrupted the contact between them by removing his hand to give her some privacy. “I don’t know how I didn’t catch it earlier.”

“You were so preoccupied…”

She felt him stepping closer, but he didn’t close the final gap waiting for her to decide if she wanted to be consoled. “I should’ve sensed it immediately.” She was angry. Mere hours out of school and she had already failed.

“It’s understandable—”

“I’m responsible for your life.”

“I’ve survived for nineteen years already.” His words weren’t meant to offend her, but Allegra felt worse.

“I was thinking about my family.”
“I know and I don’t blame you for it. I’m worried for mine too.” He did close the gap this time without asking for permission and she was glad for it.

Allegra leaned on him and closed her eyes. “It won’t happen again. I promise.” She breathed in his scent, the familiar essence of Julius doing the trick to send the tears away. “You’re still here.”

He chuckled at her statement. “I’ve no intention to let go of my guide.” He had started calling her My Guide a few years back, soon after they had been paired. At the beginning it was just who she was to him and she hadn’t liked it—their differences in built and height the source of infinite jokes among their peers. Then, she had realized he was only using it in private.

Friday Snippet #15

August 24, 2012August 24, 2012 Monica La Porta#FridaySnippets, friday snippet, small excerpt from a dystopian novel, writing just for fun4 Comments

Here it is, and it is still Friday here in the Pacific Northwest.

From X, my little fun project which is getting darker and darker:

With uncertain steps, her heels loudly clicking on the stones, Allegra led the way to her parents’ house, a mere fifteen minutes away from the bridge. A few people hurriedly walked through the alleys, disappearing behind darkened glass doors. She took a good look at the buildings, at first incapable of understanding what was different. Then, she saw it.

“It’s early,” Julius said, “It’s not surprising there aren’t lots of people around.” He didn’t comment on the darkened glasses.

Every single soul on Terra knew of Cartaghena’s see-through skyscrapers. It was as if the fires that had ravaged the earth had also obscured the city’s soul. It was a morbid thought and Allegra didn’t need it.

“I’m sure there’s a reason.” Again, Julius had connected his aura to hers.

“It doesn’t seem right.” Allegra let him calm her. “Thank you.”

“Anything for you.” It was his usual response, but somehow his words sounded different.

She dared looking up and Julius averted his eyes, but she caught a lingering pale blue shade flickering through his aura before he could revert to neutral once more. Longing.

Unsettled by nuances of feelings she couldn’t decipher, Allegra hurried her steps, his hand protectively splayed on her back. Although she was his eyes, in moments like these she couldn’t have walked a single step by herself.