Fiction

Part: ONE (An awkward predicament) I awaken in a place I’m not accustom with my brain becoming heavy as if wet sponges pressing, building against my heavy skull. It seems I’m in a small boxed room, with gothic carved inscriptions along the wooden frames, which I can’t make out perhaps patterns' the windows look locked. The walls padded the whole room washed in some kind of clear icy blue. Seems I am here because of something mental' I really have no idea. The only thing I really recall is the man, I recently met, what I would call the man of my dreams. I just don’t understand why I am here. I guess I will sort it out eventually. In the mean time I will think about my new prince charming, this will calm my thoughts and perhaps add some spice to the lack of décor. We met accidentally enough, by crashing into each other literally. He was coming out of the florist as I was going in and we just collided like two galaxies. He was so delicious looking, with his dark hair, dark beard and his intense piercing green starry eyes. He looked so yummy-licious, he actually managed to start a fire in me that made me feel higher than a hot air balloon and giddier than a school girl. After smashing into him I say, “Oh my gosh, I am such an idiot. I am so sorry” He replies, “ No harm done. I should have been watching where I was going. But it’s not every day I bump into some one as beautiful as you. Let’s start over, hi, my name is Steven.” Blushing, I answer back, Strange way to meet some one. I am so sorry. Thank you for the compliment. I guess I at least owe you my name. My name is Vay. Again so sorry for crashing into you.” “No need to apologize, perhaps bumping into each other was destiny. Maybe it was written in the stars for this to unfold, right this very second, so we could meet each other. Anyway, I would be honoured if I could take you to dinner. How about tonight' We could meet right here, if you like at least until you get to know me a little better. I want you to be at ease with me. Not to think of me as some kind of crazy”, then he laughs. “You are sure your, OK with this' we will meet here at eight' ‘I guess the least I can do is give you a chance, so I will see you here at eight.” Steven agreeing, then we part ways and I go back to shopping, but I can’t get Steven off my mind. I’m just so excited about our date tonight. I literally can’t contain the butterflies. Soon it is almost Seven, so I rush back to my flat to look presentable before I go to meet Steven. Almost being eight I rush back to the florist, I defiantly don’t want to be late for our first date. Arriving I see Steven is already there, nervously pacing back and forth like a caged animal. I noticed he is carrying a bunch of brilliant yellow daffodils what a unusual choice I thought, at least he got my favourite colour. I make sure Steven sees me so I don’t surprise him even though he had me frightened with his hideous daft-dilly’s but I wont let on that I dislike them, walking up to him I say, “Hi, have you been waiting long'” Steve says. ‘I’ve been here for a few minutes. May I say you look delightful. Also, I got you these. I hope you like them.’ “I am very flattered by the daffodils. Thank you so much. How did you know I liked yellow'” ‘Remember when I first met, you, you were dressed head to toe in shades of yellow, just like you are now and may I say the yellow looks great on you because of your dark long hair. Anyhow I figured you like the colour because of how you were dressed and it appears I was right. I thought may be we go out to dinner then we catch a movie, how does that sound to you'” Sounded like he was calling all the shots but I wasn’t about to actually state that. “Dinner and a movie sound really scrumptious. You lead and I will follow.” Yeah like a sheep that you’ve mistaken me for I whispered to myself. Steven had a way of being terribly manipulatively sweet all in one go, his language mysteriously hypnotic you couldn’t escape such beauty rapped in waves of undeniable ugliness and you wouldn’t dare question him. I was under a spell, basking in rays of what most people call love. Here in Walsall there are not many things to do like you would in a bigger town. We have like one movie theatre, so we decided on a movie “The Mummy Returns” because I have been dying to see it. We agree on Mexican food at the restaurant known as Francisco’s. Before all that we make a quick trip to my flat so I can put my ridiculously beautiful daffodils in water Steven insisted. I’d rather toss them in the nearest bin. We arrive at the restaurant and lead to a table by the hostess. Then we are greeted by the waiter. I order the tacos and Steven orders tequila shots and corona beers, Waiting on the food, we have a couple of shots as we talk. Steven says. “Have you thought since we meet that may be you’re my twin flame ' I think you are the most beautiful women I have ever seen, since we smashed into each other you have been the only thing on my mind. I feel lucky just to be in your presence.” I look at Steven feeling my face blush I say, “ Thank you for your kind words, you do flatter me.” ‘You could be right because since, I met you I can’t think of any thing else but you.’ ‘There is definitely some kind of voodoo here wouldn’t you say'’ ‘I’m always on the defensive because I have been hurt before, but with you I feel a mysterious something . I just couldn’t wait to see you again.’ ‘I must say I feel exactly the same way.’ Did he say voodoo, or was I hearing things' ‘I want to know you, go places with you and I hope this wont be our final date.’ You just leave me breathless.” Exactly why I was drawn too him so suddenly, I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but something made me doubt him but what' ‘I want to see you again also I said without thinking like a programmed robot.’ ‘You know I lived in Walsall a couple of years now and I have never been sight seeing. I have always had an interest in the wild flowers and two places I wanted to see here is the Art Gallery and the Arboretum. The stories behind these places just intrigue me.” “Well, we have something in common, an interest in flowers. I visited the Arboretum once, and I found a little space for day dreaming in wild nature the flower gardens are simply divine” How strange I thought, that he has lived in this area and never looked around I was sure he lived near the Arboretum, was he telling me lies and if so why' I’m sure it’s nothing but it still managed to give me goose bumps. ‘So if we agree to see each other this is something you would like to do’ smirked Steven' Our drinks and tacos arrive and we continue talking through out the meal After we finish our meal we go to see “The Mummy Returns.” After that Steven drives me to my flat, after arriving Steven says. “I was having such a good time, I hate for the night to end. ‘Do you want me to walk you to your door'’ ‘No, I will be fine but thank you.’ I hate for the night to end also. Then before I realize it we are sharing a very passionate kiss. Then he suggests we sleep in the car and gaze the night sky. The next morning we wake up and drive through MacDonald’s for breakfast we decided to drive to and tour the Arboretum and sit amongst the flower gardens. After arriving here the feeling one gets, well there are no words for the intoxicating feeling one has. Steven walks around like he is in some kind of a trance like he notices everything here. After the first date we become quite the ideal couple. We are always together and do everything together. Steven sends me fresh yellow daffodils every day, to show his love for me, frankly I’m thinking it some what peculiar he seems perfect. After a couple of weeks things start to change as Steven starts spending more time with himself and claiming him not recalling where he was or what the hell he was doing. But I have become entangled, I love the idea of him more than I trust him. One night we stayed together we get up the next morning and the local news is on, a story about a terrible death. “It says here they think the death was some how connected to poisoning by “opium” because they found a narcotic substance in the body. The murder they think was some sort of sacrifice but they were still investigating. They say the victim was a older female around the age of thirty. Now that will send chill’s up and down your spine. Now we have a killer that worships flowers. How appropriate. Steven says. ‘It is probably just some nut case. I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Why worry' You will be safe as long as you are with me.” Three weeks pass with no more incidents, until one day another death reported in the paper with the same wild flower. Steven says, “Are you still worried about the crazy guy in the news' I can sense from the look on your face. No need to worry my daffodil.” “I guess you are right but I would think any woman that lives alone would be kind of shocked, don’t you think'” “I tell you what to ease your nerves why don’t you come stay with me until they arrest this foolish hippy. I promise you will be safe.” “Perhaps so, good idea. I will stay with you for a while.” Time passes about two months. I’m still staying with Steven. This thing really scares me. We both go to work, go out sometimes together, but there are times Steven just vanishes for hours and he has no explanation. One evening I’m just doing the washing up and there is a knock on the door. Upon answering it. It is the police wanting to speak with Steven. I ask, “Why do you want to see him' Is he in trouble'” The police say.” We want to speak with Steven we think he is mixed up with something.” ‘Mixed in what' He is with me most of the time.” “ All we can tell you is that we think he may be involved with the murders, I’m sure you have heard of. It all starts to make sense now, the wild flowers the times he disappears with no memory, Then this thought just overwhelms my mind and my next moment I am aware of, I wake up in this under decorated mental ward. According to the doctors here, Steven was made up, just something in my mind. I was sad and lonely so Steven was a fabrication. The murders were real enough though and they confused me so much I managed to fit them in to my actuality. So they say, I cant differentia between reality and imagination. What a fine mesh I was in. I see it is almost time for me to see the horticulturist or am I seeing the psychologist' but first I hear a knock on my room door. I say, “ Come in.” In comes an nurse carrying a bunch of brilliant yellow daffodils. Part 2 {Commentary} I began the story from the end for I felt it could help in enticing the reader to continue. I got my inspiration from a book called The Yellow wallpaper, it was written in epistolary style, it highlights on illustrating attitudes in the nineteenth century towards women’s mental health. I found this amazing as in a connection that still runs deep all over in today’s society. So I decided to write my story in first person and I found it really exciting almost as if I was reading someone’s inner feelings. I do like first person as in it allowed me to control my airy fairy poetry that I sometimes get carried away with rather than focus in on the plot so in that sense it was a great help. Also first person point of view allowed me to tell the story directly thought the eyes and thoughts of Vay my main character. I liked that my main character sees, thinks, and that the, audience gets to experience it the same time Vay does. The first person has a magical direct link with the audience you let the reader be inside the character’s head. I found the emotions difficult to portray as they happen in the moment as they are being felt I found that tricky as in keeping trace where everyone was with there emotions. I did like the fact I was able to reveal Vay’s fears to the reader confiding in the reader. I tried my best to give a direct account of events so it would be more believable I really had to focus on this and edit a lot of things out so it would flow better. I found that I was able to show Vay as strong minded and indefinable and very switched on. I wanted it to be a romantic horror and laid back . I was able to share her traits which was fun. Vay was experiences a lot of things in her world and around her . It did feel natural to write in first person however I think the setting and environment could have been described with more emotion. I found I was redrafting a lot to make sure it was logical and clear. I was endlessly editing the language the sentences and style. I had to keep going back over and over to make sure it was all relevant to my vision or if I was drifting. Some things could be written more precisely so I wet back and had another go.