Old Prose

So way back in 2015, I wrote three little bits of prose to provide a fictional comedic preface to some playlists of songs I was listening to at the time.
I recently stumbled across them and thought they were entertaining enough to post here.
I'll provide some commentary on them for additional value.

Here goes:

1 - The Rooftop (2015)

I found him waiting for me, on the rooftops. Already facing away, as if he'd accepted my death as a fact already. My ragged breath brought his head up, and my words turned him around;

"Who are you?"

His lips contorted into what only a cynic would call a smile. He straightened his suit as he strode towards across the rooftops. He circled me and ran his hand across my shoulders.

"So you are still alive," His voice was lined with disappointment, I felt compelled to answer.

"I expected something more." I tried my best to imitate his contempt. Bad idea.

He laughed, almost uncontrollably. I wanted to fling myself off the concrete rooftop as I watched his laughter turn to retching. He spat several globs of blood-flecked mucus before he could regain his composure.

"Something more? Ohh, you've only reached the tip of the iceberg, there's so much more for me to share with you."

I had to run, get away by any means possible. Even the pavement below was becoming a more welcoming sight than another moment here.

Too late, I felt the cold stab of his fingers in my temples.

For a moment I saw nothing, then strings of numbers and words knitted themselves together before my eyes...

So this one was a shameless ripoff of a scene from the 2009 PS3 game 'Infamous'. I kept the 'mysterious figure's identity hidden mainly to avoid too many direct comparisons. 

Looking back, I don't know who I was fooling. But nevertheless, the style was pretty in line with my later attempts at YA fiction so I'm not embarrassed by it.

2 - Asylum (2015)

"Oh god, what is that smell?"

James clutched at his notebook as he forced down a wave of nausea.

He felt like a fool for asking, as Dr. Sharp was quick to point out the excrement streaked across the cell through the square window in the door.

He heard scrabbling, the patient had a limp, often crawled around on all fours. The scrabbling grew louder.

Whump.

The door rattled in its frame from the impact, and James caught a glimpse of matted hair and red-streaked eyes on the other side.

The scrabbling subsided. James turned to Dr. Sharp.

"Why’ve you brought me down here? He’s worse if anything!"

"I thought that too, but take another look. There’s progress."

James focused on the walls, the dark smears, they seemed to form, letters? Words?

It wasn’t just the scrawling of a madman, no, these were deliberate, purposeful.

James checked his notebook, yesterday’s work. He had written in a trance. Now he wasn’t so sure. Every word, symbol, accent, bracket placement was identical to to the large clumsy shapes he saw on the cell walls.

Another sound from the cell, a muffled, choked, rhythm of breath. It was laughter.

I'd completely forgotten that I had ever written this one. Interestingly, it shows off what I think is the only recurring character in my written fiction so far. Dr Clarence Sharp was inspired by a couple of real and fictional people way back when I was still in school, probably 2013 or as early as 2012. He originally appeared in a piece I did for English in early 2013, as I always had an interest in the 'unsympathetic mad scientist' figure and wanted to work out what made characters like that tick. This piece isn't the most insightful view of Sharp though he certainly comes across as a stuffy authority figure even here. I just needed a scientist guy and Sharp fit the bill.

O'Brien from 1984 was the main inspiration though, and he remains one of my favourite villains from my favourite book. Real people inspirations were probably dozens of authority figures we've all dealt with. Dr Clarence Sharp will probably pop up in future fiction as he's a reliable collection of tropes.
My gratuitous use of italics comes from me reading 'American Psycho' around this time.

3 - Untitled Medieval Piece (2015)

The hero fell, beaten. Each gash in his armour softly wept with his blood. A final blow to the face flung him back against an unforgiving brick wall. Teetering on the edge of consciousness, he could only watch as the embodiment of Boredom plucked him from the ground and breathed sulphur into his face; 
"Are you finished? May we begin now?" Boredom held out an unfamiliar tool in his other hand.
In response, the hero spat in his face.
"Never, there's no way I'd stoop that low!"
Boredom laughed, a knowing, condescending life that filled the hero's heart with dread.
"Come now, my friend. We both know that isn't true."
He dropped the hero to the ground, who hurriedly staggered to his feet, his face upheld in a noble stance as he spoke.
"So that's what it's to be? Torture?" He did his best to let out a carefree laugh, "I was raised in the Gloucestershire planes of stagnation! It'll take a little more to break my spirit!"
A pad of paper fluttered down to his feet, followed by a biro and a strange opalized cuboid. Was this.... an iPod? He knelt to pick up this assortment of objects and looked up to find Boredom wearing a new expression; one of triumph.
"Surely you don't mean-?" He faltered as Boredom interrupted with glee.
"That's right, my friend. I want you to make a playlist!"
In that instant any resolve the hero was on his knees, sobbing like a child.
"Oh God no! Anything else!" He wept fiercely, "You know I won't be able to stop until I have a thirty-plus song list of ones I think go together pretty well!"
Boredom was cackling madly;
"Exactly! You won't be able to get any work done now until you finish!"
Broken both physically and mentally, the hero slumped in the dirt and screamed in anguish as he came to terms with this fate and his self-inflicted trial began.......


This is actually the earliest piece, finalised and posted in early 2015. I remember having fun writing this. I think in hindsight it was inspired by watching a lot of fantasy films, maybe some Studio Ghibli as well come to think of it. Not posting the actual playlist so you'll just have to assume I had taste that was better than my fiction. It's probably my favourite of the three bits here.
I often enjoy villains that are not only entertaining but enjoy being villains. Boredom here is a pretty basic example of what I mean but I think the point comes across.