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Round Robin Story!
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Round Robin Story!
Round Robin Story!
These sound so cool! I wanted to try writing in the other one, but it got all confusing. So if no one minds, I think I'll start another one. Here goes:
Sydney gazed longingly out over the rolling green hills and the wide blue sea. There was a slight breeze coming off the ocean, ruffling her hair. It was in the dead of summer, and the wildflowers were in bloom, their heavy scent perfuming the air. The sky was a lovely shade of pale blue, and not a cloud lingered in it's vast expanse. It was the most beautiful day she could of wished for.
And yet something was wrong.
Anyone want to contribute?? Or is it too boring?? I'm just beginning to write stories. I don't know how to. Sorry if it's horrible. You can change it, if you want.
submitted by BellaTrix
(January 25, 2009 - 8:47 pm)
(January 25, 2009 - 8:47 pm)
Sydney sighed and rose to follow the woman back to the cottage. As she trod briskly over the waving grass, she thought about the sparrow. Dead. How could she have known? It was the same the day her parents left. To find a home, they said. In the New World, they said. She was sad that they were leaving, but she tried to think happy thoughts--about their home, in America. But she couldn't keep visions of disaster out of her mind. If she had listened to the forebodings, maybe she could have kept them from going... It was too much to think about. And they were almost to the house.
**********
Gee, I hope this doesn't conflict with anything.
(January 29, 2009 - 8:49 pm)
Yeah...*heavy sigh* conflicting things are evil...
****
Rebeka paused on the neatly swept steps leading to the front door. She turned around, brushing off her apron, the crumbs from numerous apple and mincemeat pies scattering in the brush.
"Now, darlin'." She reached out and patted Sydney's cheek. "Make sure you have good manners before the master and his wife. My lord, he's good at punishing people if they don't turn out nice. Oh, here. You better give me your cape and apron. My my, when did you last wash these?" Sydney nervously untied her apron and cape, then patted her unruly hair, tucked tight underneath her cap. "Well now, I guess i'd better go back to the kitchen. You scurry along, darlin'." The chubby woman bustled out of sight, and Sydney took a deep breath. The polished windows sparkled, like the gleam in a demon's eyes. As she passed through the oak door, she couldn't help but feel as though she had just been swallowed alive.
*****
and there you go! take it away, people!
(January 30, 2009 - 3:29 pm)
Kit Kat. Fire Bird has started a other thread that me and Emilyhave replyed to, it fits in after your story, so here they are.
**********
OK it's my first time writing in a "Round Robin Story" so here goes.
*********
As Sydney entered the cool depths of her uncle's manor she wished that
she was back at her little hut to take care of the little orphan
kitten. She desperately wished she was not crossing the rough
stone floor and she dreaded sitting down to a table with her cruel aunt
and uncle. Cautiosly, Sydney poked her head into the cavernous dining
room. Quickly scanning the room she saw nothing out of the
ordinary, nothing that would suggest why she had been asked, no
demanded, to have dinner with her caretakers.
"Well come in girl stop, skulking around!" The shrill voice of
Sydney's aunt pierced the gloom. Sighing, Sydney walked to her
chair and slid onto the hard wood. Her aunt and uncle were
eating, not taking any notice of her. Reaching for the large
tureen of stew in front of her, Sydney ladled out a generous serving
for herself and began to eat. For a long peroid of time all that
could be heard was the slurping of stew. Then, Sydney's uncle,
whose name was Robert (though she called him Squint), dried his mouth
on his napkin and addressed her.
"Sydney, my wife tells me that you have not been paying attention to
your work lately." Then Squint said, "No, no objections. And this
is bad not only because we expect you to work and by slacking you are
disobying us, but also because laziness is not a good quality in a
wife."
"What?" Sydney gasped. "You've given my hand in marriage without my consent? "
"No consent was needed," Sydney's aunt piped up. "He is a very nice gentlemen by the name of Rothington."
"By nice do you mean rich?" asked Sydney disgustedly.
"Well, of course" said the Squint.
And of course a fight followed soon afterward. It ended in the
wee hours of the morning when Sydney's aunt, tired from the shouting
match ordered Sydney, "Leave at once you ungrateful girl!"
Well I will leave, thought Sydney. I will run away; that will show them to arrange a marriage for me.
******
I hope you like my addition.
(January 30, 2009 - 9:55 pm)
I like it, your a lot better than me.
***************
When they got to her room, a very small opening in the wall, with a
straw bed, a few candles, a little book, and all what she posessed.
She thought about what she could pack, her warmest cloak, her only
two dresses, her green wool sweater, toughest shoes, her reed coumb
that she made her self, and her two most preciouse things, her fathers
penknife that could cut through any thing, her mothers beutiful lock of
golden hair that she gave her before she left on that dreadful
ship.
Sydney's eyes filled with tears, she knew that she had golden hair
like her mother, blue eyes like her father, big and beutiful, like a
pebble that got shaped by the water. Sydney cried herself to
sleep thinking of the happy times, when she lived with her mother and
father, and wondering what the next day will bring.
Sydney woke up, it was almost dawn, she had to get away now, to feed the kitten she forgot all about it last night.
When she got in the hut, she brought some food to the kitten,
he ate it upfast, as not to let any oneelse have any, Sydney laughed,
that laugh went through to the kitten and when that kitten heard it, it
suddenly turned into her mothe and father, Sydney stepped back in
fear, "don't be afraid" said her father,we are spirits to come
and give you a message, "What's the message?" said Sydney,it
is...Sydney suddenly sat up in her bed, it was a dream, she thought,
what were they trying to tell me? What did it mean?
Sydney's unt calle d and said "Sydney get in here I would like you to
meet your future husband.
(January 31, 2009 - 10:15 am)
Guess it's continued here.
***
Here? Already? She rose from her bed and dressed in the early morning
light. She hurried to the house. At the end of the winding country path
that led to it was a black carriage, with two horses tehered to it,
their heads yanked high up by the coachman. With dread she
reached the house. As she neared the door she heard her Aunt's
voice. "I'm sorry, Sir Rothington, she really is a slothful girl.
Sydneeeeey!" In the parlor was a distinguished and stuffy looking
man probably in his mid thirties. "I'm sure I can manage her, Nel," he
said with disdain. "Sydney, meet Sir Rothington, an old family friend."
She could never, ever, ever marry him! She thought quickly. Maybe, if
she could offend him, he'd go away, and never come again. "No!
Never! I won't marry an ancient lump like that if my life depended on
it!" As the ancient lump's face turned red, Sydney reflected that she's
already lost today's meals. Now what?
***
I may have bungled a detail or two from the rest of it, I couldn't look back while I was writing.
(January 31, 2009 - 8:26 pm)
(February 2, 2009 - 12:22 pm)
heres more:
While Sydney was bemoaning her loss of lunch, in a faraway land just afew miles away other things were taking place- so similar to the eventsat Roberto Manor and yet a world away.
"Lucee, meet your future husband!" beamed Auntie Maye. "Isn't he a CHARMER!"
A young, dark-haired man with olive skin looked at femine, bouncyLucee from under raised eyebrows. "I am Renardo," he said with a slow,rich, Latin accent. "Hello."
Lucee's mouth fell open anmd she began whining the way she alwayshad. "BUT HE'S SO MOOOOPEY! AND UUUUUGGGGLEEEE! AND FORRRREIGNNNN!PLEEEEEASE DON'T MAKE ME MAAAAAARRRRRY HIM, AUNTIE MAAAAAAAYE!"
Renardo half-listened with considerable uninterest. What a dullchild. She couldn't be more than fifteen. And couldn't be moredismal. Her jewel-dripping clothes and long, lucious, golden tressescouldn't conceal the illiterate, uneducated, childish, pampered,molly-coddled little "princess" inside. Not his type of girl.
Merciful Heavens he thought. Spare me from the wrath ofthis witch's daughter before me. By what spirit's ill judgment was Ibrought into the presence of that dreadful ship captain's daughter? WasI not rid of her?
(February 5, 2009 - 8:37 pm)
At least she doesn't want to marry me! Auntie Maye I am NOT going to marry that fool! Fool? No, you're the fool, princess. Lucee walked out of the room and tripped on her glimmering dress. Clumsy. "Auntie Maye, I am not going to marry him; if you make me then I will run away," she said in a whiney foolish voice. Run away. Good idea, princess.
"Roberto I'll show you to your room," called Auntie Maye. "Okay."With the sound of footsteps he asked, "Why doesn't Lucee want to marryme?" "Well she doesn't want to marry you because you'reugly." "I don't think I am ugly," said Roberto in his smooth calmvoice. "Well she does, she cares about looks a lot," she said asthey got to his room.
The room was medium-sized with a big mirror on one wall to make itlook large, with striped wallpaper the color of the sea. His bedhad creme-colored sheets and a green blanket the color ofseaweed. Like the sand with seaweed growing on it. Oh, hemissed his friend the sea, so big and blue, you could see yourreflection in it, like that mirror. There was one desk, and awardrobe with his bags piled up on it.
Let's think of a plan to get back to the sea. I'll just haveto slip out the kitchen, and then there's the road. I think the kitchenis not far away. I have to pack light. I'll pack my warmestthings and all my money. I'll pack it now. I'll leave anote saying that if Lucee does not want to marry me she doesn't haveto, because I do not even want to marry her.
Robeto ran as fast as he could away from that dreadful mansion. Just three miles and I'll be to the ocean.
That was a dreadful dinner thought Sydney, as she fed the littlekitten. She saw a little thing in the distance getting bigger andbigger. I wonder what that is, girl. Maybe it's someone that's comingto take me away. But little as she knew it was. As thething got closer and closer she noticed that it looked like aboy. Before she knew it, it came running into her littlecottage. "Who's there?' she said in a shaky voice. "I amnot going to hurt you, I am just coming here to rest. I ran three mileswithout stopping." Three miles? three miles? You can comein here and have a rest for the night but when you wake up I am notgoing to be here." "Why not?" said Roberto, "because myaunt is trying to make me marry someone that's an ancient lump." "Someone's trying to make me marry someon, too, so I am runningaway." "I am running away, too" said Sydney. "Maybe we can runaway together! "Okay," said Roberto.
**************
I think it's corny.
(February 6, 2009 - 5:23 pm)
(February 7, 2009 - 9:00 am)
More;
((Actually, Meadow, you got one more thing mixed up, or maybe it was me reading it... it's Sydney
being forced to marry the "ancient lump"... Renardo is stuck with the
flirtatious, flighty "princess." Otherwise, though, yours was really
good, and funny. I liked it.
P.S. Are we the only two doing this story??))
As they "ran"- well, they walked, now that they were out of
danger--Renardo told Sydney his story. She loved his rich, deep voice.
"I was born in Italia, far away from here," he said, his voice
carrying her away to a poor Italiaian ((not Italian, it's
pronounced it-al-yuh-lay-in)) village, to a small, cramped cabin where
an impoverished woman lay on a bed, holding a tiny baby, surrounded by
midwives and her daughter, fifteen-year-old Retalialea. "Saints!" she
cried desperately. "Take me from this world that I may not gaze
upon this God-smited face a day more! By minotaurs and monkeys, this
child shall live an unlucky, unhappy existence, never finding love...
and when at last he has it shall be swiped away from him like a fish
from the water!" And with a sudden burst of energy, she let out a
shrill scream, cried out, "This infant is CURSED!" and breathed her
last.
The baby was raised by one of the midwives, a young woman with two
small children. She became as a mother to him and called him Renardo,
after the feast day of the saint he was born upon. Life seemed fair to
the lass, Gael, her four children. Renardo, Retalilea, Gaspetto,
and Sindi, and her strong and able husband, Marvin.
But one morning, it became known that Marvin and Renardo's
(biological) older sister had run away together, leaving Gael and her
children to fend for themselves. A few years later, after being
evicted, the good-hearted, wonderful, loving mother died.
Eight-year-old Gaspetto loved five-year-old Sindi and three-year-old
Renardo, but as a young boy he was unable to take care of them. He
hired himself out as a stable boy, gave his younger siblings to other
families to be cared for, and visited them as often as he could.
But Renardo had been given to a miserly, angry old man whose wife
had died and daughter ran away out of fear of her father. He was sold
into slavery and bought by the Duke of Kensington at age
nine. Renardo had traveled oceans and forests and seen more of the
world in six years than most people did in a lifetime. The Duke was
kind to him and soon adopted him as a son. He lived in prosperity until
age seventeen, when most gentlemen marry.
This was not good for Renardo, cursed from birth. He had no luck
finding a wife and the strain eventually killed his surrogate father.
Renardo was convinced that the Duke's death was his fault and had lived
with the guilt--and the title he inherited--ever since.
"Oh!" said Sydney. "So you're nearly royalty!"
He smiled wanly. "And that's why my advisor sent me to Lucee." He
told the story of the pampered child he was expected to marry and gave
a vexed laugh. "And now I'm here!"
"Yes," said Sydney happily, her hand brushing his. "Now you're here."
But Renardo hadn't told this strange girl one thing. He hadn't
confided in her about the awful, horrible ship and the connection that
Lucee had to its captain. He had lied about the exact nature of the
Duke's death, as well. That had taken place on the ship, as well... but
he had not lied about the guilt, the gnawing knowledge that it as his
fault.
((Sorry, I know you said his PARENTS died on that ship... can we
change that to father? I forgot all about it and then, peacock that I
am, did't want to change my story. Sorry. :)
And can we have some more people here, please? I think it's just Meadow and me, and this story has a really interesting plot.))
(February 8, 2009 - 4:55 pm)
(February 8, 2009 - 10:56 pm)
AHHHH!!! :):):):) I'm confuzzled!!! What happened??? :):):) Okay, sorry. Don't answer that if you don't want to! I'll . . . try to catch up! :):)
(February 9, 2009 - 10:59 pm)
Someone started a other thread continuing the story. And a bunch of people replyed including me, but that was because no one else was doing anything. You might not understand, but thats the most clear way I can tell you.
(February 10, 2009 - 9:18 am)
Bella Trix someone did something before you and it fits in with yours so here it is;
Sydney admired this tall, aloof stranger who had disrupted herlife. How she wished she had had such an interesting life.(Though not with the pain.) She found herself drawn to him, likeshe had known him, a long time.
"You said you were a sailor," Sydney said. "What was the ship you were on?"
"It was the Marcotta, Sydney," answered Roberto.
She gasped, "The Marcotta! My mother and father were sailing on the Marcotta! Did you know them? Did they suvive the voyage? Did they..." Roberto held up a hand to stem the flow of questions.
"One question at a time," he said, his eyes twinkling. "What were your parents named?"
"They were Mr. and Mrs. Elijah Trintly." Instantly, all color drained from his face.
"Oh," he moaned. "I had hoped that it would not have been them."
(February 9, 2009 - 4:53 pm)
(February 10, 2009 - 9:26 am)
sorry I forgot to write my thing in so it will fit. I thought I did though. here it is;
They were the first ones to die. I was hoping you would say that Mr. and Mrs. River Trintly were your father and mother, me and them were the only ones to survive. Said Renardo. Sydney took in a deep breath and said; My mother and father were mr. and Mrs. River Trintly. Well my fathers real name is Elija, but he re-named himself River. I thought that he would say his real name. What did they look like? Well, mrs. River Trintly had long golden hair, the most beutiful woman on the ship. And your father, he had eyes just like you, like a blue water shaped pebble, with hair as black as the sky at night. Sydney laughed, the first laugh for almost a million years it seamed to Sydney. Where did they go? asked Sydney. They went off to america to find a home, to live in, and told me to find a beutiful maid, marry her, and bring her there. Maybe they ment me! said Sydney. Maybe they did maybe they didn't Said Renordo. Sydney then felt a little embarrasment, and wished she hadn't of said that. Then a deep silence came in.
(February 11, 2009 - 11:02 am)
*takes a deep breath* Okay, here goes:
(February 9, 2009 - 11:49 pm)
More from my sister;
Finnally they reached the cottage. When they went in, Sydney's eyeslooked straight at an orange pot. There were brown curtains allover the windows. And the bed was covered with pillows. Andeverything was covered with white cloth as if it was deserted. The cottage walls were all black. Suddenly Sydney asked,"Renardo, why are the walls painted black?"
"Because it keeps the light in," answered Renardo.
And then Sydney said, "I'm hungry."
"Then lets go into the kitchen," said Renardo. "Please get methe flour; it's on the top shelf" Then Renardo started makingsome bread. When Renardo was done making the dough, he put it inthe oven. When the bread was done cooking, they ate it.
submitted by Autumn, age 8, IL
(February 11, 2009 - 6:39 pm)
(February 12, 2009 - 1:27 pm)
Some from Mary;
As they munched the bread, Renardo appeared in deep thought. Finally hespoke. The tone of voice he used made Sydney recognize he was veryserious.
***
Okay, sorry. I'm feeling very lazy right now... I simply cannot start writing some big thing about Renardo, who always talks FOREVER,because I would not have the strength to write anything decent.Sorry... let's just pretend I'm leaving it at that because of suspensereasons.
(February 12, 2009 - 6:22 pm)
(February 13, 2009 - 9:23 am)
More from me;
"Sydney." He took a few deep breaths. "I had lied to you about
part of my life; some of it's real though."
"Why did you lie to
me?" Sydney asked in a confused tone.
"Because..."
*********
I don't want to put any important parts in either, i'm just not good
at writing serious stuff. When I try, it gets kinda corny. I
think that someone else might have an idea for the serious thing. I'm
lazy, too; that's part of the reason.
(February 24, 2009 - 1:26 pm)
(February 24, 2009 - 7:02 pm)
Listen to this: Jessa was sitting on the side of the boat and around her was the wavy dark blue ocean. The wind was wild. Every time I took a deep breath, it filled my lungs with air, and then I saw the whale. It was following us when it finally saw me. It turned around.
Was that good? This if fun. Only if someone responds.
(January 28, 2009 - 8:47 pm)
OKay, our story so far:
(PS, the authors are, in this order, BellaTrix, Kit Kat, BellaTrix, Kit Kat, Meadow, and...here we have a problem. Um, Lena...I shall graciously let you find a way to fit your piece in, or you can type the next part...I'm so sorry, but I know it takes forever for things to be posted, so sorry so sorry so sorry not trying to be a dictator but, if anyone else knows how to fix it into the story, pray tell! Anyway, then the next author is: Meadow, Yulan, Meadow.)
***
The breeze was too gentle, the wildflowers too lovely. The sky too blue, the world too beautiful. It was as if something was missing from her...as if someone had dropped her, and she had shattered, and been glued back together, except for a small shard that lay hidden in the grass. Above her a sparrow called, it's soft cry awakening Sydney from her reverie.
Sydney looked up at the bird, it's delicate feet curled around the young sapling. It was so gentle, so innocent. As if a single breath could knock it over. A terrible vision of it crumpling to the grass, so it's call would be heard no more, flashed through the turmoil in her mind. And in a second, she understood. She was that sparrow...and it was her.
***
The kitten's legs cycled helplessly in the tangled sea grass. Gently Sydney reached out to it, extracting the string from around it's neck. The note was smashed up, it's ink blurred. It was undistinguishable. Sydney stuffed it into her pocket, and reached out to pick up the kitten. The white ball of fur swatted at her with tiny pinprick claws, and mewed for help, the kitten's blue eyes wide with the terror of a baby alone in the world. Sydney pulled off her green wool sweater, wrapping it gently around the kitten, who trembled silently in the sudden darkness of the wrappings. Cradling the precious bundle gently, Sydney once again started over the fields of waving wheat and grass, the call of the ocean not as terrifying now as it had been. The beat of the tiny creature's heart kept the evil out of Sydney's mind.
Eventually, the hut rose before her, threadbare and simple. She carefully set her burden down on the table, relieved to hear a mew meaning the kitten was alive. She glanced out the dusty window to where her aunt and uncle's manor sat, proud and haughty on the hill. The sun coming off the white walls blinded her, and tears blurred her vision. Ever since her mother and father had died at sea, their ship spiraling into the depths, she had been forced to live with her aunt and uncle, rich merchants of the Irish coast. They looked down upon their sister, Sydney's mother, and scorned Sydney. As far as they were concerned, she didn't exist.
A small call jerked her back to attention. With a cry of surprise and fear, she fell back on her knees. The sparrow lay, crumpled, nearly stilled, next to the threshold.
***
The Sparrow was the missing piece, the most innocent. And there it lay, down in the soft grass, motionless. And then Sydney saw her life pass in front of her, all the times when her mother, Mechell, tucked her in to go to sleep, and when her father, river, with his blue eyes just like hers, played with her in that very same place, the place where the wildflowers were too lovely, too fragrant for her to bear, the grass so green she got blinded from it, the sky so blue that she thought it the sea, oh, she missed her parents so much, she hadn't seen them sence they sent her to her Aunt and Uncles house to live with them.
I got the liveing at aunt and uncles house from my great grandma, her mom and dad told her to pack her things and go to her aunt and uncles house, and that was the last time she saw them.
***
As she was sitting there, at peace with the world, all within her was calm. Then, a sharp voice cut through the air like a knife. "Sydney! Get back here! Don't you have chores to do?"
Sydney sighed. Why did she have to live here, out in the rougb country? Why couldn't she live with her mother and father, in the heart of civilization? Those questions would have to wait. She knew that if she didn't finish her chores, she wouldn't get dinner.
***
"I'm coming" she got up and ran as fast as she could to get the bucket for the cow, with her weatherstained cloak flying behind her. just as she finished all of her chores, she was going to go to her little cottage, by the sea side to fead the kitten. But it was too late, her aunt had called her to dinner two minutes ago.
she wondered what she would have for dinner this time, well her aunt and uncle ate rich foods. maybe she might have, something good that she liked.
She was suddenly pulled from her thoughts when, the cook Rebecka, a nice plump woman, called her in cheerfully. come help me cook some of this lasanya, for your aunt and uncle. What am I having for dinner Rebecka? Gruel? No, you're going to eat with your aunt and uncle tonight, Sydney.
(January 29, 2009 - 3:29 pm)