Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
This is the Six Sentence Story bloghop
It is brought to you by Denise.
It has but two rules: using the prompt word, make the sentence count come out to Six. No more, no less.
Previously* on the Whitechapel Interlude: Anselm found lying in the middle of a cobblestone street in the Marylebone section of London by Brother Abbott and Sarah who return him to the safety of the headquarters of the local chapter of the Order of Lilith. To the young Brother, the calendar year, ‘1885’ has acquired a set of quotation marks to distinguish from others that seem to occupy hidden corners of his memory. Ministered gruffly by his bearded mentor, and tentatively by his wistfully mysterious lover, respectably, Anselm is taken before the Reverend Mother who must determine if he has suffered harm, presents a threat or is a newly enhanced asset to the Order.
The prompt word:
REMNANT
“Have you suffered any harm,” The Reverend Mother’s voice had the soft edges of genuine concern, yet her eyes glittered like a blade being sharpened before a battle-eve campfire, “that you are aware of, Brother Anselm?”
I thanked the goddess for Brother Abbott’s training, though I doubt he’d approve of the compliment, given my defenses were aroused by my Mother Superior’s qualifying phrase, which stuck like a worried wife’s greeting to her spouse returning at three o’cock in the morning. Her’s were words of comfort lofted towards me like a soft rope with more loops and cinches than a simple lifeline; I knew I was home, where I stood was not as certain.
For some reason, the title of Defoe’s adventure story, ‘Robinson Caruso’ came to mind; it was a favorite of mine as a boy, appealing to my desire to believe that, were I to find myself in such a situation, I’d have the strength and ingenuity of the castaway.
Turning my mind inward, as much to escape the glare of scrutiny as might the hero of the story seek shade from a tropical sun, I had a quiet epiphany, ‘Can a person, rescued from the most dire of circumstances, ever be truly free?’
Dragged out onto dry-land, painful stones and grit made tolerable by virtue of being alive enough to experience them, I felt the life I had before joining the Order float down among the childhood trauma and dreams of youth, the loom of life shuttling on without cessation, become but a scrap, one more remnant.
N.B.: * It’s no secret that part of the reason I participate in, (and enjoy), this bloghop is the opportunity to improve my writing. Two ways to do this: a) read the other Sixes and try to figure out how the writer achieved whatever effect that resulted in an exceptional story-ette and 2) to execute a task that is semi-beyond my current capabilities, specifically, this week, it’s to write an effective ‘Previously on…’ which we’re all familiar with if we watch any number of tv series e.g. ‘The Magicians’. ‘Castle’, ‘Warehouse 13’ among others. I must admit I’m surprised at how difficult this recap(ping) can be. I believe the goal is not to merely recapitulate the narrative, as it is to present the most recent plot changes that affect the main characters, while still providing a degree of backstory. Clearly first-time viewers are the target audience, as much as avid fans.
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I love that you have crafted the ‘previously’. It acts as a brilliant aide memoire – and (at my age) I so need a memory jogger! 😇 Thank you
Thank you. Like the dreaded novel synopsis, a ‘Previously on…’ is, imo, fiendishly more difficult than it appears to be.
Great stuff as per usual Speaking of the Beach Boys, saw a pix of Brian Wilson…now there’s an anti drug ad if I’ve ever seen one….sorry ADD. great job on this.
Thanks, Paul. Yeah, very sad when the bear wins. As close to a ‘fate worse than death’ as anything I can think of.
“I knew I was home, where I stood was not as certain.” That line was excellent!
I agree that the serial story takes a special skill! The essence has to remain but the story needs to advance. Well done on that!
And, with the enjoyment of (writing a serial) is that ‘what happens next?’ At least when it is written in full seat-of-the-pants mode.
Thank you.
(Don’t tell anyone, but! I grow increasingly uncertain of my ability to keep storylines straight as these two serials (‘the Whitechapel Interlude’ and ‘the Case of the Missing Fig Leaf’) seem to be approaching a collision, if not a convergence. Galaxies colliding ain’t got nothing on two serial stories crashing into each other.)
lol
Your work is a marvel. My realm is almost entirely flash fiction because galactic pressure, like yours, can’t be handled by anyone less than a superhero. lol
You sir, wear a cape well. {I don’t believe tights are required any longer.} :-D
Thank you… the process of this particular form of writing, (for me it’s sorta like ‘live mic story-telling’… while I work on polishing before I post, there can be no going back and restructuring the story so far… (of course, I have the good fortune to have characters who are willing to help by telling me the story, if I can listen)
Like Laura, I benefit from a bit of memory-jogging. I love the style of your stories, but storylines in a twist… Mmm, ouch!
luckily (for me) I don’t try to keep too close a track on the path we’ve covered, being more interested in the path (known or unknown) ahead…
thanks
I too was struck by the sentence, ‘I knew I was home, where I stood was not as certain.’ I feel the weight on him, so well shown by your words. I appreciate the ‘Previously on’ as well, since I missed the beginnings.
I really pay attention now, when watching any tv show that employs this device… fascinating and instructive and not a little intimidating (how simple an effect refresh of the story can be)
Well told, as usual. The allusion to Robinson Crusoe was a great comparison.
Also, the recap at the beginning was really helpful!
Long over due (the recap) and I intend to practice it with each installment of both serial stories. Listening to such recaps on various tv series, I’m beginning to see different forms of it, dependent, I assume on circumstance… sometimes it’s all about basic backstory, tonight (on an episode of the series ‘Castle’ most of the ‘Previously on…’ restated a subplot that had not been prominent for a while… while, still reasserting the relationship between the main characters, which is, in one degree or another, in all of them.
This is the line that caused me to reflect. “I had a quiet epiphany, ‘Can a person, rescued from the most dire of circumstances, ever be truly free?” Now that is surely a thought so many consider, and sadly think there is no way to escape even though physically they have been rescued, in their minds they are still bound to the past.
Your SSS always bring something for each of your readers. Once again, well done.
Thank you, Pat. It (that thought) appear at the juxtaposition between our character being returned home and the whole notion, exemplified in ‘Robinson Crusoe’ as a tale of being cast out.
It’s not easy to be the Reverent Mother, balancing the good of the one and the good of the whole.
Delicate balance indeed!
I like your descriptions of her words: “lofted towards me like a soft rope with more loops and cinches than a simple lifeline”. Words to be wary of.
Thanks, Frank.
Yeah, it’s the smooth words (from another) that usually have the most power.
Well done indeed. Totally enjoy your analogies/metaphors. As I read previous reader comments, I find they too have cited certain lines/pieces of your Six that stood out to me.
Agree about the recap. A very beneficial device for us readers.
Thank you.
Some excellent stand out visuals are: “painful stones and grit made tolerable by virtue of being alive enough to experience them” and “glittered like a blade being sharpened before a battle-eve campfire” and “the loom of life shuttling on without cessation” – the reader is pulled into the narrative by sensations here as well as by plot and dialogue.
The ‘previous episode’ recap is an excellent reminder when you’re invested in not one but two long-running serials. An art form in itself in cementing these little universes we create.
yeah… like the dreaded synopsis although, more accessible in concept would be the ‘elevator pitch’
Funny about the writing thing (and, I suspect life in general) the more things, skills, knowledge and insight we acquire the full the world becomes… watching any serial tv show now is interesting where it might not previously had been.