Istoryan Writers

[diem]

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@metatron, because my contacts in Manila are working professional writers who offered to coordinate but couldn't find sponsors as of yet. We were planning to invite local editors of newspapers/publishing firms here in Cebu but alas we did not get enough to base solid support to push through with this. Oh well. Life.

Personally, for me joining a workshop does not necessarily teach you all about writing. The best thing about joining a workshop is meeting people of like passions and widening your network.

[metatron]

if the aspiring writer refuses to learn anything from workshops, well, that's too bad. finding contacts is easy. writing well is a completely different story

anyway, it's heartening to find myself in a forum brimming with so much talent. i'm no writer, though, just a reader--an insatiable one, at that

[annapeace]

i am more of a dramatic person, i actually write sad things.. i like feature writing
am no good at news...
i love poem writing... got lots of cheesy ones na nga e...
hmmm... i love writing when i get mad... because im tired of telling my friends
my probs, i just write them down instead. i call myself a writer not because im
good at it but simply because i write...

[thisbe.ara]

@diem: hi, that was a really great sharing. yet again,i feel feel inspired to write. but what is inspiration if you don't put action into it, eh?
actually, there was an EB before for those who were active in this thread. we came up with plans of meeting occasionally to write about a certain topic. i don't know what happened as the plan didn't turn out to be successful.
anyway, i am inspired with an idea of having the same concept as the photography forum-- they have this weekly game wherein they assign a topic per week. then each would submit entries to the "game master" (whoever won the week before and the one who gave the topic) in which all entries will be shown at the same time anonymously. then follows objective crtiquing and voting-- for us to harness our craft, learn from it and/or just plainly have fun! the owner of the entry with the most votes would be the game master of the next week. i would ask permission from the photo guys first. hehheehe.. what do you guys think?

[diem]

[font=arial]@thisbe.ara, actually i'm familiar with that concept of the iStoryan Photographers.. in fact, the iStoryan Comic Drawing Club members also hold a similar 'contest' where the members draw a certain concept (e.g. 'monster', 'hero') then upload the works on the Post your Drawing Thread for voting.

Anyway, I'm game with that concept if you are. We could set up a series of guidelines, decide who will serve as 'Game Master/Moderator' (I suggest humbly that maybe it could be a panel), and perhaps confirm who iStoryan writers we could expect the works from, those who are sure and eager to participate. Comments/suggestions please, everyone.

[thisbe.ara]

OT@diem: i am really up to this. please PM me your YM/MSN or wherever we could chat so that we could at least discuss some guidelines and present it to the group. thanks diem!

[thisbe.ara]

OT: diem and i are currently coming up with guidelines and marketing materials for the weekly writing game. stay tuned!

[diem]

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Late afternoon landed on the quiet gates outside the modest suburban homes along Arquilles Avenue. Somewhere, a dog barked & was replied by a perky yelp.

Perched on the rim of an open metal trash drum, a stray orange tabby held its head still, eyes & ears alert. Seeing no immediate danger, the cat reached to claw at the plastic skin of trash bags.

From one gate, a small boy of ten came out, dribbling a basketball too large for his hand. Attired casually in a sando, blue shorts, & rubber thongs the boy walked the driveway leading into the avenue keeping his ball ahead of him.

Roaring through the afternoon peace is a red Ford sedan. Inside, the driver glanced at his wristwatch which told him that he was a few minutes late to his appointment. He pressed on the gas pedal. The sedan increased speed, raising hot dry dust in its trail.

The boy heard the car coming as he followed the turn in the street, the park is only a few meters ahead. Excited, he walked faster only to lose control of his basketball.

The ball bounced away, & the boy followed to get it, moving into the path of the coming car!

A screeching of tires startled the boy who froze. The car did not slow down.

Force seized the boy, flinging him upwards & away a meter to the side. He dropped, scraping his palms & knees. There was a heavy thud, followed by a thunder crack of glass, then a pounding, a low thump & another screeching of rubber.

The boy found himself able to stand. He felt a wet heat on his knees, looked down & saw some his skin has peeled off. Somebody instantly came to him, grabbed him by the shoulders.

“Are you okay? Oy, are you hurt?”

The boy heard the voice. He saw a fat woman he recognized as a neighbor but she was not facing him.

He moved his head, seeing that the red car has finally stopped, the driver getting out & running back towards the street turn. Others emerged from their doors & gates, eyes staring back w/ shocked expressions.

The boy whirled back to the corner where he was standing just moments ago. He saw someone, a young man, lying motionless on the grey street.

A newcomer called out, addressing the fat woman beside the boy. “Is the boy okay?”

She nodded, “He’s okay. We have to help him, he saved the boy! He saved the-!” She cried.

The driver was already kneeling beside the prone body on the street, eyes quickly inspecting him. Two men, brothers, came up to them. He called to them. “Please! Help me turn him over.”

The brothers helped the driver. “Watch his head & neck!”

“He’s still alive!” “Keep him still! Don’t move him!”

“I’m calling an ambulance!” “Oh God, he’s bleeding out…”

The boy stood, numb. The pain of his knee was gone at the sight of the body on the road, at the blood pooling by the dark-haired head, rich & almost black, a piece of night in the afternoon sun.
*****
Night. Day. Night. Day. Night. It seemed to him that the sun was crossing the skies in hyper speed. Why couldn’t he feel or hear anything?

The question ignited the senses back & it shocked him w/ pain. The loud squealing of wheels, the stampede of hard feet. He couldn’t move but he felt being floated down, through the days & nights, dark & light.

In the light, there was a face. It was crying.

“Kel—!”

His eyes opened. Before him, he could see a dim whiteness ahead. His other senses quietly told him that he was lying down on a bed, that there was a fluorescent bulb to the right emitting soft light.

A female nurse’s plain face leaned into his line of sight. She regarded him for a moment then drew away. He waited & heard, “He is awake now.”

Gentle steps came beside his bed. There was a girl, her pale heart-shaped face supple w/ youth. Dark hair tumbled down in full coils, curling at the tips. Her lips pouted & her large olive brown eyes were brimming w/ tears.

He watched as her small hand squeezed his in a firm clasp. Suddenly, agony wrecked her features. He wondered if it was a mirror of his own current misery.

She lifted his hand in both of hers, pressing it to her lips. He felt the moisture on her cheek. Such tender action & strong emotion could only come from family or friend, he thought, but she was a stranger to him. He didn’t know who she was.

He realized he didn’t know who he was.

“Caleb—Caleb?”

He turned at the repeated name. Could it refer to him? Was he Caleb? To his surprise there was a very tall man in a long back coat, collarless. The man was very thin. The skin of his face was like thin leather on bone, bearing hard edges. It was a severe face yet the eyes were kind.

Had the thin man been there all along?

“Caleb?”

The patient found that he could speak out the hoarse words. “Is that my name?”

The thin man & the girl locked eyes.

“Is that my name?” the patient pressed, despairing that he himself did not know. “Who are you people?”

The girl rubbed the back of his hand, a reassuring gesture. She smiled though her fear was apparent. “Yes it is your name,” her smile opened wider, brightening her pretty face. “We are your family.”

Somehow, he calmed down. He understood what she said was true. She continued to explain, “You’re in the hospital. You had an accident. There was a car driving fast & was about to hit a child but you came, pushed him out of the way... you got hit instead.”

There was warm pride in her words, in her gaze. He saw it & felt better.

“We nearly lost you,” the thin man on the other side. His tone was like cold water.

The lady child bit her lips, both hands clutching now to his arm. He could feel her trembling.

“Hey—”

He waited until she faced him fully before grinning at her, “It’ll be okay.”

She nearly cried, but smiled through her fresh tears. He sighed, tired. He needed to say that, he did not want to see the girl cry. Such a familiar emotion.

The thin man in black came behind the girl, placed his hand on her shoulder. “The doctor warned us to expect this,” he told the young injured man. “Your head injury may cause memory loss but he assured that it’s only temporary. You can come home tomorrow.”

The girl squeezed the patient’s hand. “You must rest now, Kuya Kel. Please save your strength. The questions, for later. There will be plenty of time for that at home.”

“Just one question, please. What is your name?”

“My name is Rachel.”

Rachel, her name struck a chord that echoed loud w/in him. How many times have he thought of that name. That face?

The man in black said, “Sleep, Caleb, get some rest.”

Caleb nodded, he already felt tired, his body obeying on its own. He closed his eyes & fell quickly into a deep sleep. The girl & the man left the room, making no sound.
******
The next day, they came for him after lunch. The girl was dressed in a school uniform, a long sleeved all-green sailor blouse w/ a calf length skirt. Caleb registered it as another familiar thing.

Rachel helped him up to his feet, guided him through his first wobbly steps, & even when he was able to walk w/out aid, she still remained close to him all the way to the hospital portico.

Outside, the thin man waited. Rachel mentioned that he was her uncle Matthias.

“Uncle? Is he my uncle, too?” asked Caleb.

“No. He adopted you ever since you were little. You are like a son to him but you always called him Sir.”

Caleb thought on this, it seemed right. He couldn’t imagine that stern-faced man to hold any paternal instinct couldn’t imagine himself calling the thin man Father or Dad. Sir seemed the proper word.

He said to Rachel, “How are we related?”

“You’re my boyfriend.”

Caleb was stunned by the declaration, she said it w/ sincerity. His shock was obvious for Rachel giggled. “We’ve been living together since I was born. Though not by blood, you’re like my big brother & you’re my best friend.”

Relieved, Caleb studied the girl. He judged her to be twelve or younger. Often, she watched him w/ warm attention that he felt conscious & flattered. They walked out of the open doors, she leading him by the hand before Matthias.

“Caleb, how are you feeling?” the older man inquired.

“I’m alright—Sir.”

Matthias nodded, intently gazing at Caleb. A black car rolled up behind him, stopping. He opened the rear passenger door for Rachel. She grabbed his hand as she stepped inside. “Come on,” she invited as she made room for him.

Sharply, the young man pulled back. “Sit on the left side, please.”

They all stopped. Caleb was surprised by what he said & how he said it; phrased as a request but it sounded more of a command that demanded no opposition.

“I’m— I’m sorry—” he tried to explain but couldn’t. Rachel did not seem so surprised. Blank-faced, she settled herself on the left side. “Rachel-?”

As Matthias closed the car door, a corner of the man’s lip curl in satisfaction. “Take the other side, Caleb.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Caleb sat behind the driver as Matthias climb inside the front passenger seat. The young man made a cautious glance at Rachel, unsure of the girl’s mood after the way he reacted. She appeared calm.

He faced his side window, watched the city scenery passing by. Caleb caught his faint reflection on the window tint; he peered closely at the face looking back at him. It was of a lean-faced teenager having wide-set eyes, wavy dark hair w/ bangs falling over the bandage wrapped round his head. It was a strong face yet it appeared alien to him.

The car was now driving into a quiet street, alongside a long high wall. The wall soon gave way for a wide gate which opened into another road that stretched deep into a large, wooded estate. Sunlight came as beams, thin & thick, through the leafy canopy over the road. The car soon curved into a small rotunda, a fountain stood as its center, fronting a sprawling aged building structure.

Caleb saw the building’s tall windows; each was framed w/ metal bars, each bearing a crucifix-shaped plate. The car stopped before the building’s gaping entrance.

Rachel waited for him by the front steps. She saw him size up the building.

“It looks like a monastery. Is this our home?” Caleb asked.

“Yes, this is home.”

Matthias came up behind them. “Welcome back to Sanctuary, Caleb. Come inside now.”
*****
Rachel opened the door & stepped inside first. Caleb followed her & was taken aback by the simplicity of everything inside. There was only a bed, a table, two chairs, & a closet. It was drab & lonely.

“Is this my room?” He was forced to ask.

“Yes. What is wrong, K’ya?”

“Ah it’s just that—it just that— there is something missing.”

Raising her brow, Rachel said gently. “Like a personality?”

“Yes!” The word erupted from Caleb. How could he remember who he was when there isn’t a piece of humanity to encourage him? There appeared to be nothing of such in this room, no photo, no object of personal value.

Rachel clutched his arm w/ both hands, making him turn down to her. She stared up at him. “I’ve mentioned it to you before but you just didn’t care so much about it.”

“I did? Before?”

“Yes. But don’t worry Kuya Kel; I have some pictures of us—”

A cough interrupted. They saw Matthias waiting outside the door.

“Oh! I’m going to be late for class,” exclaimed Rachel. She squeezed Caleb’s arm. “I promise to show you the pictures when I get back home.”

Caleb nodded. She left him, moving quickly pass Matthias who regarded the youth, “Better get some rest, Caleb.”

“Yes, Sir.”

But he did not rest. He watched from one of his windows as Rachel & Matthias climbed back into the black car that brought them here. When the car disappeared from his sight, Caleb turned away from the sill & went out his room.

He walked the huge corridor & went down the stairway. He wanted to explore his ‘home.’ Perhaps he could find himself a clue to his own lost identity.

The day took on a faint yellow hue when Rachel finally stepped pass the front door. She walked up to the first of the stairs but her intuition led her elsewhere.

She found Caleb in the ground floor library. It warmed her to see him sitting in his usual seat, holding one of his favorite books. Hopefully, Caleb would recover his memories but Rachel discovered she liked this new Caleb.

Caleb raised his eyes & saw the girl watching him. She strode up him, hands behind her back. “Remember anything?”

The young man casted his eyes about the towering shelves of the library, among the numerous books. “This seemed more like home than my own bedroom.”

“It should be. You spend most of your time here. If not here—”

“Where else?”

Rachel pointed to the window. “Out there.”

Caleb stared out. Beyond the window was a wood of ancient trees that held back the daylight, creating a deep & ominous gloom.

“Out there? What would I be doing out there?”

Rachel shrugged her small shoulders, not willing to share. Changing the topic, she announced, “Let me change first & I’ll bring down the pictures I told you about.”

She whirled & walked w/ quick steps out of the library.
*****
Dinner was served early in the kitchen. It consisted of steaming rice, sour fish broth & fresh fruit for dessert. Matthias gathered the plates to wash. Caleb stood to assist but the man motioned the youth to remained where he was.
While Matthias tended to the washing, Rachel showed Caleb her flowery photo album, adorned w/ scarlet frills & orange laces. Pasted in its vibrant pages were photos that Rachel took of special & casual events for the past year.

Caleb saw himself in a number of photos, bearing a somber expression like he did not enjoy being photographed. “Am I so— serious?”

Rachel laughed but stopped, seeing the intense frown on Caleb’s face as he glares down at the album pages. “What is it like, Kuya Kel?”

Caleb closed the album as Rachel went on, “What is it like to not remember?”

The young man paused, considering the question. “It’s like grabbing at shadows. These shadows have shapes of things you need & people you know. You want to hold on to them but you can’t because they’re just shadow. These will be gone when the light comes.”

Caleb stared at his hands, “There are so many questions that I could not voice them all. I am filled w/ doubt— all I got are feelings to answer.”

“Feelings?” Rachel asked. Matthias was quiet w/ the dishes but his head moved slightly to listen.

Caleb nodded. “I feel— that I’m where I should be. I’m not afraid. Just worried that’s all. Like I have something very important to do, & it worries me that I forgot.”

Rachel leaned her face on the open palm of her hand, propped by its elbow. “Some things never change. You still remembered to worry.”

Caleb smiled, pleased by her words.
*****
Morning light arrived through the windows of the Sanctuary. Fresh from a shower & nearly dressed, Caleb finally figured why his face seemed so alien to him. There were no mirrors in his bedroom; apparently he wasn’t the vain type.

His clothes in the cabinet were neatly folded, pressed in piles. His uniforms were hanged & labeled for each day of the week. How very organized of him.

Last night Matthias asked him if he was able for school. Rachel told him that he already missed a week’s worth of classes. Caleb replied that if they think it’s all right, then perhaps it would be okay.

So here he was, pulling out the uniform labeled today. W/ economy of movement Caleb dressed, wondering at the same time where he could find a mirror to view himself. Behind the hanged clothes, he noticed a glittering object.

Pushing back the garments on the hangers, a silver crucifix was revealed nailed on the back of the closet. It was slightly crooked. Caleb reached inside & nudged the crucifix properly.

Something clicked audibly. Caleb took a step warily, his senses alert.

A slit appeared, breaking the closet rear interior wall into two.

The clothes piles lowered down, disappearing from view. Caleb couldn’t believe his eyes as a wall of swords pushed itself out from a hidden recess in the closet! Trays of knives of various sizes & small throwing blades slipped out the sides!

Caleb stared at the weapons; his reflection caught & twisted by the polished sharp metal, what is this?!

[sniper168]

eyyy pips, can you recommend me an editor and headwriter at the same time who has ample experience? need one pretty badly a.s.a.p. for my project. pm me pls or text me @ 09275710345 / 09212346808

[shaxyra]

..cool..

so wat's up with the workshop thing?