Post your story here. Remember that you can submit a part of a story. For example, write the ending or write a scene (a single incident). Anything you do will help you with the story overall.
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The "rules" are as follows.
Name of protagonist: Jack, a charming, ambitious, smart and selfish 26 year old.
Kind of conflict: external conflicts (with social environment, with other people etc.) Jack wants to marry a rich woman.
Why does he she want that? It's the easiest route to success.
What does he or she need to do? To find that woman somehow and seduce (attract; not have sex unless you are really daring!) her.
What are the obstacles (name 3): He comes from a poor family. He doesn't have enough good clothes. No car.
Setting: From a poor eastside Vancouver neighbourhood. (east of Main Street). Near Boundary.
Ending:
Does the protagonist succeed. How? or Why not? In a way he succeeds, but finds that it is not a perfect situation. The ideal woman is 20 years older than he is.
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7 comments:
As I said, we don't need to write a full story on Jack. Our plot outline suits a short novel, actually. But, we can establish a character, show his motivations, and have a bit of fun, too! Here's my first attempt.
Jack
Jack scratched his belly absently as he flicked through the channels on TV. His eyes followed the blonde in fitted leather pants. The news cameras featured the charity ball at the Hilton. Jennifer Lewiston was the biggest donor by far. She flashed her white teeth and waved to the crowd.
“Hey Jack! Get up off the couch will ya?”
Jennifer Lewiston! He loved the sound of the name. She’d have a hot tub, that was sure . . .
“C’mon man.” Frank groused. “I’ve gotta study. Give me a break and go watch TV on your laptop or something.”
Growing up by Commercial Drive, Jack lived now in a Yaletown loft. The lights of the Science World sphere twinkled on the ink-black waters of False Creek, while the Skytrain squealed by on its way to the Stadium Station.
“You know. I could marry someone like her!”
“What? You are crazy man. She’d never have a guy like you. Not in a million years! She must be, like, 20 years older than you.”
“Still. It’d be worth the try. She’s still got a nice butt.”
“Yeah, sure. You and Jennifer Lewiston!” Frank snorted once and sat down as he pointed the remote and turned off the news.
“Hey, Frank. Think I could borrow your car on Saturday? Ya know I’ll take care of it.”
“Man, this is the last time. Why don’t you stop buying all those Polo shirts at Club Monaco and lease yourself something? Jeez . . .”
Jack thought he cut a pretty fine figure in those shirts. Besides, if you wanted to leave your east side upbringing behind, you had to look the part. But, for Jennifer Lewiston, he’d need more than a Polo shirt. He was still thinking of her when he nodded off in front of the Japanese anime at midnight.
An interesting beginning! The name of Jennifer Lewiston sounds very young - that is why a wonderful name for a woman is her forties and flashes her white teeth!
Helena
Matter of Age and Marriage
Jack was whistling a lovely song while he was walking home in east Vancouver. The environment around his neighborhood irritated him very much: the graffiti , the drug addicts, the homeless people, and prostitutes. He made up his mind to live on the west side someday.
“What a heck of world it is! Am I destined to live in this poor area? Why------?” Jack groused when he felt life was unfair to him. He was very disappointed, so he locked himself in the room after he finished his walk.
His mother knocked at the door and reminded him it was supper time.
He was disgusted with what he had seen, so he asked, “Mom, can we move to the west of Vancouver?”
“Are you crazy? Where is the money? Unless you win a lottery or marry a wealthy girl.” his mother replied, and she continued, “How can you expect a young girl to be rich?”
“How can I make a fortune? I have no money, no good clothes, no fancy car,” he cried out.
“Lottery, rich,” he repeated these two words.
His mother’s words gave him a sudden inspiration. He then started to look for an opportunity. The activities that prosperous people engaged in were his target.
He found a woman named Amanda with modern dress and gorgeous make up, who drove a Mercedes Benz to play games in a casino everyday.
“Wow, what a pretty girl you are!” he flattered.
“Are you talking to me?” Amanda surprised.
“Of course, it is my pleasure to talk to such a beautiful lady.” He complimented.
Since then, Jack tried his best to please Amanda. For example, he carried the heavy items she purchased, did all her housework, and massaged her before she went to bed.
Amanda, 46-year-old lady, inherited property worth millions from her husband. She figured out she was too old to be Jack’s girl friend.
“How old are you?” Amanda asked.
“I am 26 years old, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Jack smiled when he answered.
Regardless, their ages were twenty years apart; however, falling in love is an unpredictable thing. Jack imagined he would be a millionaire sooner or later. Amanda was amazed she could have a husband younger than her son. They were both happy to marry soon after.
After they enjoyed a joyful marriage for a few years, Jack suddenly realized his role was just like a servant, especially when Amanda has gradually become weak year by year. Although she is rich, Jack has never had her money in his hand. In order to reach his goal, he has to carry on his duty day and night. He doesn’t even have time for walking.
459 words
Jack decided to make some investigations of Jennifer Lewiston, so he visited his friend who worked for CBC.
Puffing Frank's car on his way, he dropped into a sweet daydream.he felt that he was a young gentleman wearing a fashionable leather jack and driving a sport's car flew on the heavy traffic road. It was such a good feeling that he had never experienced. While he suddenly waked up and stroke the brake before the crossroad, he had already run the red traffic light.
His friend told him a lot of things about Jennifer: she was a widow now since her husband died one year ago .She was rich,for she inherited his property and lived in his mansion.At 16 years old, she married an old merchant who had been at his fifties at that time. And they had two children. Both of them were married.
His friend seemed to know his mind ,so he warned Jack implicatively: "she is old and draft enough!"
On the way back to the East side of Vancouver, he dreamed the sweet dream again.All of the things such as the mansion,the big cars,...and the tableau dangled before his eyes.
He felt that he was in a narrow way:one side of it was a icy lake with a lot of holes and the other side was a huge bubbled hot tub.He must make a bold decision if he wanted to leave the disgraced the East part. The gamble already began--it'd be worth the try.
A Halloween Night by Masaru
Chapter 1
Barbara
“I know Jack doesn’t love me. The reason he married me is to get my money and my body. That doesn’t matter now because he is such a young, charming lad compare with my late husband Robert Anderson.” Looking at Grouse Mountain and Burrard Inlet from her 26th floor condominium’s balcony, she recalled Bob who used to have the company named “A and B Real States”, which he had made millions of dollars before he died three years ago , at the age of 65.”I was in the same situation as Jack at that time” she mumbled as if she protects herself from qualms. “I was only 26yeas young when Bob asked to marry him. He needed just some nice looking girl like me to look after him and his 6 years young girl after he had lost his ex-wife. He had already had enough money that time not to answer no when he propose to me, but he devoted so much time to make more money that he couldn’t have enough energy left to make love with me anymore. After all, I am buying back what I had lost during these 20 years.” She looked dawn below and found a young couple strolling along Central Park walk hand to hand. It remind her when she met Jack for the first time, actually it was the second time according to Jack’s memory. She made it habit to walk in the park every morning. One cloudy morning, it started raining at half way on her concourse. She stood under a big tree when Jack approached her and cover her head with his jacket. “Here you are Mrs. Anderson” Surprised by not because his act but because he knew her name, she asked him where she met him before. “At Ocean View, on the day of your husband’s funeral “”Did you know my husband?’”Not really, but your daughter Emilee and I were in the same class at Killaney High School one time.’ The name of Emilee reminded her that the day of Bob’s car accident and Emilee’s sad face. She invited him for a cup of tea while he could dry his clothes in her apartment near by the park. Then a few months later, they get married.
Chapter2
Emilee
“I know Jack does love me. Not because I am Barbara’s step-daughter but because I am a young and pretty. When we were in the same class, he was so smart and handsome that every girl had wanted date with him but he hadn’t a penny to spend and no car to take them drive around. I felt sorry for him but I, myself, had been enjoining with another rich boyfriends. I and Barbara didn’t get along because I knew she married my father for his money. That is why I left home for Toronto University. I ran into Jack when I flew back from Toronto to see my father at General Hospital in the intensive care room. Poor father! He never recovered consciousness till he died five days after. The day before the funeral, I saw him walking along Boundary Road near 50th avenue. He lived in the same small house and still didn’t have a car. I gave a ride and told about my father what had happened. He was kind enough to attend the funeral. We talked over telephone many times about good old days after I came back to Toronto. I have a job here which is very important to me. I should have stay in Vancouver and stop their married. It was too late. They were in a hurry. But why Jack to Barbara? Why not to me? Oh! Jack, Jack,,,” She was wondering in her apartment with a glass of whisky in her hand. Outside of the window, street tree’s leaves are shaking with chilly October’s night breeze.
Chapter3
Jack
“I know that car accident with Bob had some connection with Barbara but it doesn’t matter now because I have everything what I wanted before.” He was driving aimlessly around the corner of his old address street with his new B.M.W. Most of trees had shaken off their leaves and sidewalks were covered with yellow carpet. Here and there, some leaves were flying off from its tree like golden birds in sunset light. “I hate this street, I hate poverty. I don’t know why I am driving around here.” He knew that he just wanted show off how rich he was now. He drove off to the park‘s parking spot and get off from his car to sit on a bench. Over the trees, he could see a 26stories hi-rise. “That is my building now; at least I am the husband of legal owner anyway.” He couldn’t stop smiles coming on his face, and then his eyes spotted the place he had used to hide from being seen by Barbara.”It took three years to figure out how I can get acquainted with her. Thanks Emilee, her story about Bob’s accident hinted me the truth behind it. Drinking and driving, that was the case when Bob smashed his car on the down slop highway. Emilee said he never drunk when he was driving and there was no trace left of being used brake. When I mentioned Emilee’s name, Barbara was scared I might found something new about the accident. Anyway, it doesn’t matter now. Between I and Barbara, Bob’s name is off limit. Instead, we make love each night, just like she wants her lost years back. That is marvellous but,,,” He looked up the sky and thought about Emilee. “I wish I could get marry with Emilee sooner or later. Sooner is better, of course, but how? Another accident? No. Poison? May be, but how?”The darkness of the night surrounded around him already. He stood up and stretched himself then walked toward his car.
Chapter4
Inspector Masaru
“Yes I know people want have good times at Halloween party. They might have a few drinks, I know that. No, that was not a case of drinking and driving which had happened last night on the highway. It was a terrible ,fatal accident all right. According to friends statements at the Halloween party, it was Barbara who drove back home with Jack because he had enough drinks already. He might be in sleep when the crush happened. Poor Barbara! A friend of her said every years Barbara had party at her home but this year they decided to go out. Yes, we know now she had cancer and her life was limited. According to her home doctor, she had a year or two left to live. Anyway, her dead face was a beautiful one. She had even a smile on her face. In my home town, sometime we call those cases as –shinju-which means a double suicide. Oh, it is wrong topic beside reports. Did you guys have good Halloween last night? Don’t trick people, treat them well.’
(1169words First draft)
The Epilogue:
Jack married her.Now he had new clothes and big car' but no much money, no more than a little pocket money.He disappointed. He found that he already fell in a trap and was under the cross fire of her.
Both of the young Jennifer in the past and Jack in present had the same plot wanting to make money in a easy way without hard work. She was a winner and proficient in this way,so she knew Jack's mind very well. She had gotten the property with her youth. Now She would use her money to buy Jack's youth.The woman was old and craft enough. Before they married, she already made a notary public about her property.Therefore,even he divorced her,he couldn't take a share of her money.
In the home, her son and daughter looked down upon this stepfather. He lived at the lowest level, the bottom,in this family.His dignity was damaged.He felt so disgraceful. Other than that,there was no hope in his future.The invisible hands clamped his neck tightly.
Eventually Jack realized the marriage like that was only a kind of deal,a barter or an exchange.In this case, How can he desire to any love and happiness?
A creepy joke
A horrible headache woke her up. She couldn’t move. She open her eyes, but only dark.
“Where am I?” she whispered with puzzled voice. She gasped and began to tremble. A heavy smell of wood and wet ground persisted in her nose. Like a lightning in night, an idea crossed her mind. Her heart bumped crazy. Goosebumps invaded her skin, when she understood. She screamed desperately:
“Alive! They buried me alive!”
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