A writing meme to start the morning...
Apr. 21st, 2008 09:24 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
measiThey're doing some pipe work in our neighborhood, so our water's shut off. No laundry for me at the moment.
So instead, I'm doing the writing part of my day. For warm ups...
1. Pick a character, pairing, or fandom you like.
2. Turn on your music player and put it on random/shuffle.
3. Write a drabble related to each song that plays. You only have the time frame of the song to finish the drabble; you start when the song starts, and stop when it’s over. No lingering afterwards!
4. Do ten of these, then post them.
Fandom: Doctor Who (obviously)
I don't freeverse enough. This felt pretty good. Whether or not they make sense? I dunno. They do to me because I get what I was seeing/feeling. I also haven't done drabbles before. Maybe I should entertain the idea more often. Does this break my concept of avoiding songfic, though?
Eh, if it does... I'll consider myself shamed and just go with it.
The weird thing is that I notice how I listen to music... I rarely listen to words (got stuck and did a double-take on one song... lyric stuck out, and I literally stopped writing and just laughed. It broke the mood. But I listen to the music, not the words, and work off THAT emotion, which is probably why some of these go a bit random from what the song is about. And why #10 worked so damn well (it's such an incredibly sad piece of music to begin with).
#10 may be something I revisit, BTW. A couple others have potential, too. But #10 really just sticks out to me.
Like... a lot.
Nothing here that's above a PG-13, for those who care about such ratings. Other than a quick spellcheck, these are otherwise untouched, since I presume that's the intention of the meme.
Song #1: Woman in Chains – Tears for Fears 6:28
She’s staring up at the central column of the TARDIS, her face illuminated by the deep greens and blues in the darkened chamber. She does not move, aside from a natural blink and the occasional flit of her eyeline. Looking, peering…
He realizes she’s searching for something. Something in the TARDIS herself.
Refusing to interrupt her, he leans carefully against the corridor wall, keeping to the shadows so he can observe without risk of intrusion.
What is she looking for?
Rose stretches up, touching the central column reverently, her head turning just a fraction toward him... And that’s when he sees the tear on her cheek.
Does she remember? Oh Rassillon, does she carry that memory inside her?
But he took it out of her, as solidly as he did the vortex that carried her back to him. She couldn’t remember Satellite Five.
Could she?
Song #2: Sadeness – Enigma 4:15
He brushes his hand gently across her stomach, feeling her breath catch, her skin tremble. He smiles, pulling gently backwards until her body is flush with his.
“Relax,” he says. “We won’t do anything you don’t want to do.”
Rose doubts that she can relax. She doesn’t doubt his sincerity, however. But in the darkness of this room, trapped beneath the king’s court, she knows he’s right. They need to relax.
Sex is relaxing, right?
“Jack,” she groans, feeling his lips touch her shoulder.
Song #3: Nightshift – The Commodores 4:54
Jack stretches back, observing the man across the table. All ears, leather, his hands protectively wrapped around himself – the Doctor remains a mystery to him, carefully protecting himself from allowing others in.
But every once in a while, a smile breaks across the Time Lord’s face, and Jack realizes that some day, that wall might break down.
“Gorgeous place,” Jack says, gesturing with his glass.
“I thought we could use a good place to relax, just for a bit,” the Doctor replies, sipping his own drink.
“Yeah. We needed this.”
The Doctor’s expression grows softer, distant. “Yeah, we did.”
Jack turns, seeing Rose walking toward them. And turns and sees that smile cross the Doctor’s face.
Song #4: Walking in Your Footsteps - The Police 3:36
Rose gasps, staring out at the sky. It’s pinkish orange, the light suggesting it’s early morning. And already, a warm breeze is tickling her skin.
She is perfectly happy here.
She knew it was safe to come out of the TARDIS, surprised that just this once, the dials were readable to her. Safe air, safe radiation. She was invited to come out, the TARDIS beckoning her to explore before the Doctor woke.
The sight is strange to her eyes – a world unlike anything she’s seen.
The grass feels silky against her bare legs. It’s red. And the trees that shade her have silver leaves that shine in the early morning sun.
Song #5: The Sweetest Thing – U2 3:02
Rose laughs, her voice echoing through the TARDIS, as she dances around the console. The TARDIS is apparently in on it too – changing her lighting subtlety for her passenger’s mood.
The Doctor groans – girl time. Great. Although he can’t help but laugh, either. Rose’s joy is infectious. He walks forward without meaning to, sweeps her up and spins her around the console.
Blue eyed boy meets brown eyed girl.
Song #6: Smells Like Teen Spirit – Tori Amos 3:11
He’s gone. He’s gone…
The voice in her mind keeps saying it like a chant, unwilling to shut up.
The stranger that has taken his place – she does not understand. He can just change. Why did he not tell her that he can just change everything about himself?
It’s worse than grieving death in a way, because the person isn’t really dead. He’s still there, right in front of her, shivering in the dark.
Is this what families with terminally ill loved ones feel like? She feels guilty for the thought as soon as it passes. She shouldn’t make light of such trauma.
But she feels like he’s been ripped from her, even though he’s still there.
Song #7 – Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol 4:28
His coat is soft against the grass as she stretches out. Relaxed, happy – just watching the sky. She begins to drift off.
And then a car flies just overhead, making her yelp.
She feels the Doctor squeeze her hand, chuckling, pulling her back down to the ground. She allows him to pull her.
And she drifts off again, just listening to the buzz of insects, the lapping of the water against the beach. Slipping into silence as she falls asleep.
He knows as soon as she does, turning his head toward her. He smiles, watching her be so human, so incredibly human, napping against the summer breeze. He loosens his hold on her hand, stealing a couple soft strokes along her arm.
She can’t know how he feels. But he feels it anyway.
Song #8 – How to Save a Life – The Fray 4:23
“Hey,” he says, moving faster to her side. The tears have clearly been flowing for a while. He’s amazed she’s managed to keep so quiet about it. “Rose, what’s wrong.”
“Jack,” she whispers.
His head falls forward, both in frustration and understanding. She’s only recently begun to remember what happened on Satellite Five. It all started with Jack. And as she’s remembered, she’s pulled away from him, from her mum. She’s mourning, and she’s forcing herself to be alone.
He hates it, trying to force his way back into her thoughts. She can’t suffer this by herself. He’s seen the tension in her body movements. She doesn’t understand what’s happened; she can’t put any of it to words, to explanation.
And he feels helpless when she’s struggling. All he can do is hold her. He doubts it’s enough.
“He’s okay, Rose. I promise, he’s okay.”
And somehow, he knows that’s the truth. Jack is okay. He can feel him, even now as they travel through the vortex. He doesn’t understand how.
But he knows. And he wishes he could explain that to Rose.
Song #9 – Time after Time – John Barrowman 4:00
“How do I…” Rose stopped, staring at the Doctor. She doesn’t understand. It’s not her Doctor. Can’t be. He’s wearing a blue suit.
“Hullo Rose,” he says softly. He takes her hand, and she gasps. He’s real! He’s really here.
“No, I’m not,” he replies aloud. “Dreams do funny things sometimes. You’re asleep, and if this is happening, I suppose I am, too.”
“A little soppy for us, isn’t it?” Rose laughs, leaning closer to him. If he’s not real, it’s a damn good impression of him.
“Bit romance novelly, yes. But I’ll take it. How are you?”
“Been better. Doing okay. I dunno. What do you want me to say?”
“That you’re okay.”
“Yes, I am. But I miss you.”
Song #10 – Adagio for Strings – (Platoon soundtrack) 8:11
Donna said she’d walk in the dust. He decided to as well.
He swore he’d never come back here, but somehow he just felt the need. The TARDIS didn’t like the idea, but he pushed, and she finally relented.
His feet rest in the dust, the harsh wind in his hair as he looks toward the mountains. They’re unrecognizable now, split and scarred from the war.
It’s lifeless and barren. And he knows that his feet are the first to touch here since that horrid day when he pressed the button.
He finds a rock, pushes himself up on it, and takes his head in his hands. So much death. All of them… his own people, the Daleks, the people of Earth, Jack, Rose…
Rose…
Her scream as she fell toward the void rushes through his head as loudly as the screams that covered this planet. This shell of a planet.
Rose had said that when she first met him, she’d been told by someone that Death always came with the Doctor. He’d laughed at the idea then. Now, he laughs at the bitter irony of how true those words were. How Rose should have listened to them. Now she’s trapped, dead for all intents and purposes.
And another danger has been opened to the universe. Now the Cybermen know how to get through the breach. He couldn’t possibly know if he got them all…
No. He can’t worry about it anymore. It’s done. He knows it’s done. They all were pulled into the breach. Nothing could have escaped it. All of the Cybermen are trapped. He knows they are.
He looks up, staring across the ruins toward the horizon. He knows he needs to go on. Life will go on.
He knows it has to.
So instead, I'm doing the writing part of my day. For warm ups...
1. Pick a character, pairing, or fandom you like.
2. Turn on your music player and put it on random/shuffle.
3. Write a drabble related to each song that plays. You only have the time frame of the song to finish the drabble; you start when the song starts, and stop when it’s over. No lingering afterwards!
4. Do ten of these, then post them.
Fandom: Doctor Who (obviously)
I don't freeverse enough. This felt pretty good. Whether or not they make sense? I dunno. They do to me because I get what I was seeing/feeling. I also haven't done drabbles before. Maybe I should entertain the idea more often. Does this break my concept of avoiding songfic, though?
Eh, if it does... I'll consider myself shamed and just go with it.
The weird thing is that I notice how I listen to music... I rarely listen to words (got stuck and did a double-take on one song... lyric stuck out, and I literally stopped writing and just laughed. It broke the mood. But I listen to the music, not the words, and work off THAT emotion, which is probably why some of these go a bit random from what the song is about. And why #10 worked so damn well (it's such an incredibly sad piece of music to begin with).
#10 may be something I revisit, BTW. A couple others have potential, too. But #10 really just sticks out to me.
Like... a lot.
Nothing here that's above a PG-13, for those who care about such ratings. Other than a quick spellcheck, these are otherwise untouched, since I presume that's the intention of the meme.
Song #1: Woman in Chains – Tears for Fears 6:28
She’s staring up at the central column of the TARDIS, her face illuminated by the deep greens and blues in the darkened chamber. She does not move, aside from a natural blink and the occasional flit of her eyeline. Looking, peering…
He realizes she’s searching for something. Something in the TARDIS herself.
Refusing to interrupt her, he leans carefully against the corridor wall, keeping to the shadows so he can observe without risk of intrusion.
What is she looking for?
Rose stretches up, touching the central column reverently, her head turning just a fraction toward him... And that’s when he sees the tear on her cheek.
Does she remember? Oh Rassillon, does she carry that memory inside her?
But he took it out of her, as solidly as he did the vortex that carried her back to him. She couldn’t remember Satellite Five.
Could she?
Song #2: Sadeness – Enigma 4:15
He brushes his hand gently across her stomach, feeling her breath catch, her skin tremble. He smiles, pulling gently backwards until her body is flush with his.
“Relax,” he says. “We won’t do anything you don’t want to do.”
Rose doubts that she can relax. She doesn’t doubt his sincerity, however. But in the darkness of this room, trapped beneath the king’s court, she knows he’s right. They need to relax.
Sex is relaxing, right?
“Jack,” she groans, feeling his lips touch her shoulder.
Song #3: Nightshift – The Commodores 4:54
Jack stretches back, observing the man across the table. All ears, leather, his hands protectively wrapped around himself – the Doctor remains a mystery to him, carefully protecting himself from allowing others in.
But every once in a while, a smile breaks across the Time Lord’s face, and Jack realizes that some day, that wall might break down.
“Gorgeous place,” Jack says, gesturing with his glass.
“I thought we could use a good place to relax, just for a bit,” the Doctor replies, sipping his own drink.
“Yeah. We needed this.”
The Doctor’s expression grows softer, distant. “Yeah, we did.”
Jack turns, seeing Rose walking toward them. And turns and sees that smile cross the Doctor’s face.
Song #4: Walking in Your Footsteps - The Police 3:36
Rose gasps, staring out at the sky. It’s pinkish orange, the light suggesting it’s early morning. And already, a warm breeze is tickling her skin.
She is perfectly happy here.
She knew it was safe to come out of the TARDIS, surprised that just this once, the dials were readable to her. Safe air, safe radiation. She was invited to come out, the TARDIS beckoning her to explore before the Doctor woke.
The sight is strange to her eyes – a world unlike anything she’s seen.
The grass feels silky against her bare legs. It’s red. And the trees that shade her have silver leaves that shine in the early morning sun.
Song #5: The Sweetest Thing – U2 3:02
Rose laughs, her voice echoing through the TARDIS, as she dances around the console. The TARDIS is apparently in on it too – changing her lighting subtlety for her passenger’s mood.
The Doctor groans – girl time. Great. Although he can’t help but laugh, either. Rose’s joy is infectious. He walks forward without meaning to, sweeps her up and spins her around the console.
Blue eyed boy meets brown eyed girl.
Song #6: Smells Like Teen Spirit – Tori Amos 3:11
He’s gone. He’s gone…
The voice in her mind keeps saying it like a chant, unwilling to shut up.
The stranger that has taken his place – she does not understand. He can just change. Why did he not tell her that he can just change everything about himself?
It’s worse than grieving death in a way, because the person isn’t really dead. He’s still there, right in front of her, shivering in the dark.
Is this what families with terminally ill loved ones feel like? She feels guilty for the thought as soon as it passes. She shouldn’t make light of such trauma.
But she feels like he’s been ripped from her, even though he’s still there.
Song #7 – Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol 4:28
His coat is soft against the grass as she stretches out. Relaxed, happy – just watching the sky. She begins to drift off.
And then a car flies just overhead, making her yelp.
She feels the Doctor squeeze her hand, chuckling, pulling her back down to the ground. She allows him to pull her.
And she drifts off again, just listening to the buzz of insects, the lapping of the water against the beach. Slipping into silence as she falls asleep.
He knows as soon as she does, turning his head toward her. He smiles, watching her be so human, so incredibly human, napping against the summer breeze. He loosens his hold on her hand, stealing a couple soft strokes along her arm.
She can’t know how he feels. But he feels it anyway.
Song #8 – How to Save a Life – The Fray 4:23
“Hey,” he says, moving faster to her side. The tears have clearly been flowing for a while. He’s amazed she’s managed to keep so quiet about it. “Rose, what’s wrong.”
“Jack,” she whispers.
His head falls forward, both in frustration and understanding. She’s only recently begun to remember what happened on Satellite Five. It all started with Jack. And as she’s remembered, she’s pulled away from him, from her mum. She’s mourning, and she’s forcing herself to be alone.
He hates it, trying to force his way back into her thoughts. She can’t suffer this by herself. He’s seen the tension in her body movements. She doesn’t understand what’s happened; she can’t put any of it to words, to explanation.
And he feels helpless when she’s struggling. All he can do is hold her. He doubts it’s enough.
“He’s okay, Rose. I promise, he’s okay.”
And somehow, he knows that’s the truth. Jack is okay. He can feel him, even now as they travel through the vortex. He doesn’t understand how.
But he knows. And he wishes he could explain that to Rose.
Song #9 – Time after Time – John Barrowman 4:00
“How do I…” Rose stopped, staring at the Doctor. She doesn’t understand. It’s not her Doctor. Can’t be. He’s wearing a blue suit.
“Hullo Rose,” he says softly. He takes her hand, and she gasps. He’s real! He’s really here.
“No, I’m not,” he replies aloud. “Dreams do funny things sometimes. You’re asleep, and if this is happening, I suppose I am, too.”
“A little soppy for us, isn’t it?” Rose laughs, leaning closer to him. If he’s not real, it’s a damn good impression of him.
“Bit romance novelly, yes. But I’ll take it. How are you?”
“Been better. Doing okay. I dunno. What do you want me to say?”
“That you’re okay.”
“Yes, I am. But I miss you.”
Song #10 – Adagio for Strings – (Platoon soundtrack) 8:11
Donna said she’d walk in the dust. He decided to as well.
He swore he’d never come back here, but somehow he just felt the need. The TARDIS didn’t like the idea, but he pushed, and she finally relented.
His feet rest in the dust, the harsh wind in his hair as he looks toward the mountains. They’re unrecognizable now, split and scarred from the war.
It’s lifeless and barren. And he knows that his feet are the first to touch here since that horrid day when he pressed the button.
He finds a rock, pushes himself up on it, and takes his head in his hands. So much death. All of them… his own people, the Daleks, the people of Earth, Jack, Rose…
Rose…
Her scream as she fell toward the void rushes through his head as loudly as the screams that covered this planet. This shell of a planet.
Rose had said that when she first met him, she’d been told by someone that Death always came with the Doctor. He’d laughed at the idea then. Now, he laughs at the bitter irony of how true those words were. How Rose should have listened to them. Now she’s trapped, dead for all intents and purposes.
And another danger has been opened to the universe. Now the Cybermen know how to get through the breach. He couldn’t possibly know if he got them all…
No. He can’t worry about it anymore. It’s done. He knows it’s done. They all were pulled into the breach. Nothing could have escaped it. All of the Cybermen are trapped. He knows they are.
He looks up, staring across the ruins toward the horizon. He knows he needs to go on. Life will go on.
He knows it has to.
