Anti-Nano Excerpt Day

[naomi_jay]

Can you believe this is the last Anti-Nano Excerpt day? Luckily, by the power of Cthulhu...

wwathon starts next week, so nobody needs to cry! Huzzahs!

So, I've not been working on Night and Chaos this week because I'm thisclose to being done with the second draft of BLOOD HUNT. However, I do have a snippet from Night and Chaos from the weekend. Enjoy!

 

 

I heard the pub door swing open and Van's heavy footsteps thudded on the street. I closed my eyes and rested my forehead against the cool metal post. Didn't want this. Couldn't do this, not now.

            'Ryan?' he asked, resting his hand on my shoulder. 'Are you okay?'

            'Great,' I said, shrugging him off. 'I'm great. I just got to watch you dry-hump some random tart, and now I need to puke. Couldn't be better.'

            'I wasn't dry-humping -'

            'It's fine, it's not my business. You should fuck her. I want you to fuck her.' I levered myself off the post, pleased to find I could stand unaided. 'You should fuck her,' I repeated, voice trembling, 'because then we'll really be done.' Oh God, was this me talking? I bit my lips to stop any more stupid words coming out.

            'Ryan.' Van moved in front of me, expression somewhere between concerned and exasperated. 'What the hell? You've been the one pushing me away, don't make out like I've done something wrong here.' The street lamp exploded, hard plastic shards shooting out to scatter across the street.

            My heart thudded, fear making me skittish and stupid. I poked him in the chest. 'You...' I started, then had to stop, worried I was going to puke. The feeling passed. 'You...' I tried again. 'You've been...' I didn't know what my point was. 'You're such a... I don't even know, Van.'

            He sighed, concern vanishing to leave annoyance. 'You're drunk, Ryan. Why don't you go sleep it off?'

            'Don't patronise me, you bastard,' I snapped, shoving at him. It was like pushing at a mountain. 'I wouldn't be drunk if it wasn't for you.'

            He laughed at that and stepped back, shrugging. 'Fine. You just stay out here and puke. I'll be inside dry-humping the random tart, okay?'

            Something snapped inside me. Call it stress, call it one too many drinks. Call it sheer stupidity, I don't know. Whatever it was, his words were too much. I swung at him.

            Clumsily, I mean. I probably couldn't have hit him sober, but drunk I had no chance. I missed his chest, stumbled forwards and would have crashed straight to the pavement if he hadn't caught me. I found myself crushed against his chest while he laughed hysterically.

            'Fucking hell, Ryan, what was that?'

            His laughter was mortifying. It certainly didn't curb my desire to hit him. I wriggled uselessly in his embrace, trying to free myself. 'Let me go, you arsehole.'

            'No way. You owe me an apology for that, Ryan.'

            'Fuck you!' I tried to kick him but got my feet tangled up with each other and just slipped around foolishly, held up on by Van's strength.

            'I wish you would,' he said frankly. 'Maybe then we wouldn't be having this discussion.'

            I flushed, tears stinging my eyes. 'Van, Van,' I sobbed. 'Please...' I didn't know what I was asking for. I'd completely lost control of this situation. I stopped fighting and went limp in his arms, breathless and sick, crying like a little child. I felt pathetic. Probably looked pretty pathetic too. Van tangled his fingers in my hair, stroking gently.

            'Jesus, Ryan, don't cry. I can't stand it when you cry.'

            'You made me cry,' I sniffled, burying my head against his chest, rubbing my face against the worn material of his hoodie. 'I feel sick.'

            The world shifted and suddenly I was in his arms. 'C'mon, you lush. Let's sort you out.'

            I didn't protest, just cuddled up to him and let him carry me into the B&B. The bored receptionist gave us an odd look, but Van muttered something about fainting spells and fits, and she stayed quiet. Our rooms were upstairs. Going upstairs, cradled in Van's strong arms, made me feel sicker, so I closed my eyes and tried not to think about being dropped.

            He took us into his room, set me down on the bed with utmost care. 'I'll get you some water.'

            The bed was too soft; I was sinking into it. I fought my way upright and stared around the dark room. Light seeped in from the hallway, just enough to hurt my eyes and make them water all over again. At least I wasn't crying anymore. I wiped my eyes with my sleeve and nestled down in the pillows to wait for Van.

            He reappeared with a tall glass of water and sat beside me on the bed while I chugged it back. 'Careful,' he cautioned, taking the glass from me. 'Don't make yourself sick.'

            'I'm fine,' I said automatically.

            'You always say that.' He brushed the hair from my face. 'You never mean it.'

            'You don't know me,' I said, taking the glass back. 'We don't know each other, Van, not anymore. We don't...' I choked on a fresh wave of sobs.

            'Stop that.' He took the glass again, set it on the bedside table. He swung his legs up on the bed and pulled me into his arms, forcing me into a hug. Alright, so I let him. I leaned into him, inhaling the smell of beer and spicy cologne. He'd pushed the door shut when he came in, so we sat together in perfect darkness now. I liked it. I didn't want him to see me all blotchy and bleary-eyed, and I couldn't bare to look at him and see pity or anger in his eyes.

            'Is that why you've been so cold?' he asked me softly. 'Because it's been so long?'

            I swallowed, my throat thick with tears. 'I don't know, Van. I just... I don't know.'

            'Don't cop out like that.'

            'Well, what do you want?' I fought to keep my voice down. 'After the way things ended, with the way things now, and after so long apart... We're not the same people we were six years ago. How could you possibly expect us to just pick up where we left off? It doesn't work like that, Van. We can't just start rutting like animals like nothing ever happened. I'm sorry. We can't. I can't.'

            He sighed and shifted around, resting his head on mine. It felt nice. We used to sit and talk like this a lot, all wrapped up together in the dark, warm and cosy. I realised with a pang that I'd missed it. Such a simple thing, and I'd missed it. Issues.

            'So I screwed up, that first night,' he said. 'You were in shock and I barged in like some alpha male asshole and went too far. I'm sorry.'

            I didn't want him to be sorry. It wasn't like I hadn't enjoyed it, I just hadn't thought it the most appropriate way forwards. Still didn't. But... 'It's -'

            'Don't say it's fine,' he warned me.

            I shut my mouth and we sat in shadowed silence, Van's arm draped around my shoulders, our legs twined together. I'd just started to fall asleep when he moved. 'I should get you into your own bed,' he muttered.

            'No,' I mumbled, clinging to his arm. 'Can't we... just stay like this?'

            He turned to me and my too-good night vision showed me clearly the doubt and desire on his face. 'You just said we couldn't...'

            'I'm not asking for sex,' I cut in. 'Just company.'

            I saw him wrestle with it. Saw him wondering if we could share a bed and simply sleep together. Saw him give in, his shoulders relax. 'Company,' he repeated, stiffly, as if it was a foreign word. 'Just... company?'

            I nodded. 'Please?'

            He sighed and slumped down in the bed, pulling me with him until we were spooned together on top of the duvet, me tucked into the curve of his body, his arm tight round my waist and his breath warm on my skin. 'I'll never get you, Ryan,' he said, kissing the back of my neck. 'Never.'

            Tears pricked at my eyes again. 'I'm sorry,' I said. For everything. For leaving, for wanting to leave, for not being happy enough with him. 'I am sorry, Van.'

            'Me too.' His fingers brushed my hip gently, sending a shiver through me. 'Now go to sleep before you sober up and kick me out.'

 

I await everyone else's snippets eagerly!

Comments

[out-totheblack.livejournal.com]

You are made of awesome.

Are these characters continued from another book? You do such a great job with them. Already, from the few excerpts I've read, I'm pulled into them and care about them.

I can't wait to find out what is actually going on with Ryan. She seems to be sick, but I really don't think that is it.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

*blushes* Thank you :) This is the first piece I've written with these characters, but I actually started it back in 2008, so they've been in my head a while.

In this scene, she's actually just drunk, but there is mysterious stuff going on... most of which won't be revealed until book 2!

[acidamoeba.livejournal.com]

I find you to be incredibly cruel cutting off right there.

The make an awesome, if completely destructive couple. On the one hand, I want things to work for them, on the other, it's all delicious angst and cross-purposes.

Here is my humble offering: http://acidamoeba.livejournal.com/34772.html

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

I haven't decided myself if they're going to work it out or not! On the one hand it seems like they should, on the other... if it didn't work the first time, will it really work the second?

[out-totheblack.livejournal.com]

There are such things as second chances. But has something changed to make it work this time?

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

Well, I've got three (planned) books to work that out in... Maybe by the next Anti-Nano, we'll all know!

[out-totheblack.livejournal.com]

LOL, too funny.

[out-totheblack.livejournal.com]

Well, here is mine. Sorry about the length.

[skarrah.livejournal.com]

Now those are some complicated characters you've got there! I get the impression there's a whole novel's worth of backstory at the very least. :)

Here's just a teeny snippet from me:

I laughed even though I felt like crying. The warning prickle of tears was starting up at the back of my nose.

“Crazy bugger. I think I asked Mom if we could give Bryony back after about a week. She cried a lot. Especially at night. Colic or something like that.”

Zach gave my hand a squeeze. I looked up to see him wearing a sad smile.

“You never know what you have until it’s gone.”

I nodded and sniffed. Who’d have thought I’d actually miss the little brat?

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

Aw, that was so poignant. I feel really sorry for the narrator even though I'm not sure what's happening, lol. Looking forward to seeing more!

Yeah... I'm trying really hard not to turn this into a novel, but it might happen despite my efforts!

[out-totheblack.livejournal.com]

Awwww :(

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

oh my gosh we are a great fit

[out-totheblack.livejournal.com]

Told ya.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

^_^ I am loving your icon!

[dwg.livejournal.com]

Doing this in the comments because it's short:

The dream wouldn’t let Cal go. He had trouble breathing, his body convinced that the teeth and claws that tore into his flesh were real and still there. He was surprised that his clothes weren’t soaked with blood, that he didn’t cough up his own teeth, that his bones weren’t broken. He tried to ask Henry to remind him that being eaten alive was on his list of things to never do, only the words died in his mouth and all he could make was a pained sob.

“You’re breathing,” Henry told him softly and gently rubbed his back in slow, soothing circles. “It’s just a dream. It can’t hold you, not when I’ve got you. You’re breathing.” This had been his mantra for the last…however long they’d been awake.

“I’m sorry!” Cal whispered with a shaking breath. “I’m so sorry!”

“Don’t, don’t even.” Henry said through his teeth. “Don’t ever.”

OTPPPPP. ;___* they are so messed up.

[out-totheblack.livejournal.com]

Intense and very descriptive.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

Cool!

[acidamoeba.livejournal.com]

Messed up is not the word!

Are those night terrors, or something much more sinister?

[dwg.livejournal.com]

A bit of both! Because sometimes, Cal's dreams come true.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

Awesome! I want to see more of his dreams now.

[wtfbrain.livejournal.com]

I had a longer piece, but bleah. So here's a shorter bit, short enough for a comment:

"Titus," she calls out over her shoulder, and he looks up, squinting against the bright morning light. "Get yourself some color for your clothes. All that black's going to get you killed out here."

"Gotcha," he sketches a half-salute as she pulls her goggles down and ties the bandanna over her mouth.

"See you 'round," she waves, and revs her bike. As she pulls away, dust rising in a cloud behind her, Titus certainly hopes she's right.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

I'm so intrigued by the world here. Looking forward to finding out more about it!

[the-emily-boyd.livejournal.com]

Oo, loved the snippet ;)
Here's just a little of mine,

“Shit happens.” Nikolai supplied.
Shard dropped her head into her cupped palms, wanting nothing more than to sink through her skin and bones, through the floor and the dirt until she was nothing more than worm food and bleached bone.
“One moment I’m being kissed by my best friend, and the next I’m being told I have superpowers. It is just….it’s all so unreal. This cannot be happening. Not in my wildest dreams.” She dug her fingertips into her aching temples.
“Your best friend?” Nikolai sounded like he was laughing at her. Shard turned her head a fraction and squinted at him.
“It was unexpected.” She muttered defensively and then she could feel the chuckles vibrating through his arm and down her spine.
“Uh huh.”

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

Love the names here. And this a really hooky little snippet - definitely makes me want to read more.