My short story, is you like?

Users who are viewing this thread

Goat Whisperer

Well-Known Member
Messages
9,321
Reaction score
0
Tokenz
0.00z
Revised:

Out of body experience


Her eyes fluttered open, a cold chill ran along her spine. It was dark. She felt around herself... It was hard beneath her, a solid slab of bone-chilling rock. Wearily, she crawled forward until, she collided with something hard in front. Shakily she rubbed her hands over the rough stone. She felt her way along it, until she ran her hand into another jagged wall. No it was a bump, she moved her hand over that, and further along.


Then the wall ended, nothing there but empty space, she opened her eyes wide but, she still couldn't see. She put her hand out into the empty opening and only felt cold air. She felt down and realized the rock under her hand had ended too, and that she was on the edge of... of something, what it was, she didn't know.


She turned herself around and eased her legs over the side of the rock, she lowered her feet, then her legs and soon half of her body, but all she felt was the rugged rock on her chest and arms but, nothing below, or in front. Bewildered she pulled herself back on top of the rock. Then crawled in the opposite direction, when her hand found once again, nothing it front of her.


She felt along the edge of what she was on, it ran back into a stony wall. She rolled back into a sitting position, and inspected her own body. She rubbed her hand along her legs, but, once again felt the cold air of nothingness. Herself wasn't their only a barrier that stopped her hand from going any further. Where her legs, and body used to be.


The darkness seeped into her eyes and blotched out her mind. Nothing. She couldn't see and she realized that she had only heard silence, she couldn't hear. She tried pulling her self on top of her weak legs. They crumbled underneath her and she sank back down to her meager existence. She tried to move or do anything but, she had lost any control of real movement.


She forgot, who she was. She didn't know where she was, but, she knew that she was scared. Her inner-most body, her soul, was shaking, and she wondered, if she was a soul and if she no longer had a body. Or maybe she never had, had a body at all, maybe her whole existence, had been a far of dream. She whispered, “I'm scared,” but to her astonishment she didn't here anything.


She rolled over onto her back, and everything became numb, lost within herself, it was black, dark, soundless, and loneliness. There was nothing to see, hear, or do. “I must be insane,” She said out loud, but, she still couldn't hear a word, she screamed at the top of her lungs, no sound drifted to her ears.


“Where am I, what is this?”She shouted out, she knew that she had said it, but, no sound came to her ears. She was in a voidness bubble, a place where nothing existed but, touch, and the noise of her thoughts, inside of her brain, that cried out for something anything to prove her existence. She tried to let tears seep from under her eye lids, but, she couldn't even cry.


Time went by slowly, every, minute, second, moment, lasted for hours. She wasn't sure what to do, and finally just began to roll, when she found herself on the edge, she kept on rolling. Until she fell off, and with a sudden rush could tell that she was falling... and falling. Down. Faster and faster, yet she never hit anything, but the open air.


Air blew past her and as she looked towards were she was falling, she could still see nothing but, empty blackness, and once again nothing, was in front of her, it was completely empty and it kept going down forever. She suddenly longed for the security of the ledge she had layed on before.


At first she was falling, then she was floating, between the void of time and space, nothing changing but, the wind blowing past her. If it was her, she no longer knew. She only knew that she could hear herself inside of her conscience, crying out, and she knew that it made no difference whether her eyes were open or not, and she became unsure if they were there at all anymore.


She felt nothing, heard nothing, and saw nothing, only a blank dark world. She gave up, and tried to just fall asleep leave this terrible place, of non-existence, to go back, to her dream world. She couldn't. So she continued to fall through her endless hole, this rip in space it's self.


Then far, far away she could see a very small light and as she came closer to it, it grew bigger. Until it engulfed her, blinded her. She could, all at once see, here, and feel, feel herself. It blinded her, the light, at first. When she blinked a few times she could see, see clearly. She could hear, silent beeps, and the rustle of tools. There was a man with a with a blue mask covering his mouth standing over her, blocking the light from above.


He said something, it was a garbled mesh of words.. Then she could pick out understanding from behind what he was saying underneath his mask, and he said, “I think she is going to be okay.”
The man walked away, and she closed her eyes, and opened them again. She still found herself in the room, with the blinding light staring back at her from above.


She tried to speak, but, their was something blocking her mouth in her throat. She gave-up and sullenly allowed her eyes to close, afraid that she would go back to the darkness, but, to tired to care. She fell back into her slumber.


Not soon after, her eyes opened up again. The room she was in, was fluorescent, without the blinding light glaring into her eyes. She moved her stiff neck to the side and saw a clear window, looking into a bright blue sky. “I'm back.” Her hoarse dry voice whispered out. “I'm back.”
 
  • 10
    Replies
  • 469
    Views
  • 0
    Participant count
    Participants list

COOL_BREEZE2

Well-Known Member
Messages
10,337
Reaction score
0
Tokenz
0.00z
Wow. That is an amazing piece. You are becoming quite the writer Abrianna.

Only drawback I could find was repetition. Too many "she"s at beginning of sentences/paragraphs when you already have a good deal amount of "she" also in between sentences. Be careful of repetition. Some of the sentences could have started with other than "She" when you have others started with that also.

Another example of this is 11th paragraph:

"She felt nothing, she heard nothing, and she saw nothing, only a blank dark world."

This may have been better as:
" She felt nothing, heard nothing, saw nothing...only a blank dark world."


Try to tighten up using that example in other situations in the story.

My .05
(inflation).
 

ssl

Banned
Messages
4,095
Reaction score
1
Tokenz
0.00z
cb - I do want to point out that writers may use a variety of mechanisms, and repetition is one of them. Not only that, imagery combined with repetition, specifically the absence of senses in the beginning, strengthens the darkness felt inside by the female character.

abri - I loved it. I would do one thing with it: publish it in a collection of short stories; they do not have to have common themes, but still, very well done piece of work.
 

Goat Whisperer

Well-Known Member
Messages
9,321
Reaction score
0
Tokenz
0.00z
I can't edit anymore... and I revised it so here it is revised.

Out of body experience


Her eyes fluttered open, a cold chill ran along her spine. It was dark. She felt around herself... the floor was hard beneath her; a solid slab of bone-chilling rock. Wearily she pulled her self up onto her knees, reaching out in front of her body. She felt the cool stone that she lay on, then hesitantly crawled forward and then she abruptly stopped as she collided with a hard surface in her way. Shakily she rubbed her hands over the rough stone, feeling her way along it, until her hand discovered a wall no a jagged outcrop, she continued following the wall.


Abruptly the wall ended; nothing but empty space. She forced her eyes wide open desperate to see what lie ahead, but still, she couldn't see. She extended her arms straight out in front feeling nothing but open, cold air. She felt down and realized the rock under her hand had ended too, and that she was on the edge of.... of something, what it was, she didn't know.


She slowly rolled onto her stomach and discovered she could ease her legs over the side of the rock. Hesitantly and slowly she lowered her feet, then her legs and soon half of her body, but all she felt was the rugged rock on her chest and arms but, nothing below, or in front. Bewildered she pulled herself back on top of the seemingly floating platform and crawled in the opposite direction, with her arms outstretched, once again, she found nothing it front of her.


She felt along the edge of the cool slab which eventually backing into a stony wall. She rolled back into a sitting position, and inspected her own body. She rubbed her hand along her legs, but discovered her legs were no longer there; where her legs and body should have been there was nothing.


The darkness seeped into her eyes and blotched out her mind. Nothing. She couldn't see and it slowly began to dawn on her that since awaking in her precarious situation she had heard nothing; seen and heard nothing. Now she came to the realization that she couldn't hear. She tried pulling her self on top of her weak legs. They crumbled underneath her, and she sank back down to her meager existence. She tried to move, her arms, head, shoulders, legs, nothing was responding; she had lost control of all movement.


She forgot, who she was. She didn't know where she was, but, she knew that she was scared. Her inner-most body, her soul, was shaking and she wondered if she was a soul, and if she no longer had a body. Or perhaps, she never had a body at all; maybe her whole existence had been a far off dream. She whispered, “I'm scared,” and wasn't surprised when she didn't hear, it echo back to her ears, she couldn't even hear herself.


She rolled over onto her back, and everything became numb, lost within herself; it was black, dark, soundless, and lonely. There was nothing to see, hear, or do. “I must be insane,” she said out loud, but, she still couldn't hear a word. She screamed at the top of her lungs; no sound drifted to her ears.


“Where am I, what is this place!?” she shouted out. She knew she had said it, but, there was no familiar sound of her voice. She was in a voidness bubble; a place where nothing existed but, touch, and the noise of her thoughts, inside of her brain, that cried out for something, anything to prove her existence. She tried to let tears seep from under her eye lids but she couldn't even cry.


Time went by slowly, every minute, every second lasted for hours. She wasn't sure what to do, and irrationally she began to roll, as it was the only the she could do. When she found herself on the edge she kept on rolling, until she fell off. With a sudden rush could tell that she was falling...falling; down she went, in a whoosh of cool, dark, air. Down, down, faster and faster; there was nothing to stop her relentless falling, nothing but open air.


Air flowed past her and as she looked towards were she was falling, she could still see nothing but empty blackness; an abyss from which she began to fear would never end. She briefly wondered if she had discovered a tiny niche of the universe that went on and on forever. She began longing for the security of the ledge she had lain on before.


At first she was falling, but eventually the sensation was replaced by a feeling of floating, between the void of time and space, nothing changing but, the wind blowing past her. If she even existed, she no longer knew. She only knew that she could hear herself speaking from inside her conscience, crying out for something to change this abysmal experience. She knew it made no difference whether her eyes were open or not, and she became unsure if she had eyes at all anymore.


She felt nothing, heard nothing, and saw nothing; a bare dank world. She wanted to give up, and tried to fall asleep hoping to leave this terrible place of non-existence; she wanted to return to her dream world but she had no control. Her descent continued; falling through her endless hole in space.


Almost imperceptibly at first she noticed a faint, small light that seemed to grow, bigger and bigger, until it engulfed her; blinded her. All in a flash she could see, here, feel-- feel herself. The light blinded her at first, but after blinking a few times she was able to see clearly; she could hear soft beeps, and the clinking and rustling of metal. A man appeared with a blue mask covering his mouth and his body blocked the light from above.


This man said something, but it was a garbled mesh of words. Slowly she began to understand what he was saying, “I think she is going to be alright.” The man walked away, and she closed her eyes, and opened them again. She still found herself in the room, with the blinding light glaring back at her from above.


She tried to speak, but, their was something blocking in her throat blocking her throat. She gave-up and sullenly allowed her eyes to close. For a moment she was afraid she would return to the darkness, but she was too exhausted to care. She fell back into a slumber.


Not soon after, her eyes opened again. The room she was in had a fluorescent glow, without the blinding light in her eyes. She moved her stiff neck to the side and saw a clear window, looking into a bright blue sky. “I'm back.” Her hoarse dry voice whispered out. “I'm back.”
 

COOL_BREEZE2

Well-Known Member
Messages
10,337
Reaction score
0
Tokenz
0.00z
It's a good story but still way too many "she"s for me. You've got "she" in most every sentence multiple times much too soon after the other.

I'm no expert, mind you, this is just my unprofessional opinion based on some do's and don'ts (or rather things to avoid) in writing.

Maybe Sparkey would be better able to advise more professionally as he has more knowledge of this stuff.
 

Goat Whisperer

Well-Known Member
Messages
9,321
Reaction score
0
Tokenz
0.00z
It's a good story but still way too many "she"s for me. You've got "she" in most every sentence multiple times much too soon after the other.

I'm no expert, mind you, this is just my unprofessional opinion based on some do's and don'ts (or rather things to avoid) in writing.

Maybe Sparkey would be better able to advise more professionally as he has more knowledge of this stuff.

I haven't seen sparkey for ever, and I don't know what else to say but, she.
 

COOL_BREEZE2

Well-Known Member
Messages
10,337
Reaction score
0
Tokenz
0.00z
I saw Sparkey around today, or at least saw his posts today.

How about PMing him and asking him to come take a look at it? That might be a good idea.
 

Sparkey Duck

Active Member
Messages
2,105
Reaction score
0
Tokenz
0.00z
Hello there. :) It be mainly little things really, since it's only a second and third draft ;). Once again, just my opinions, ignore them if you so wish :willy_nilly:

Thought I'd add my two pennies (I'm trying out English versions of American phrases) You do use the word she FAR to often, it spoils the flow somewhat.

She forgot, who she was. She didn't know where she was, but, she knew that she was scared

minor things, some of your grammar is way off, you have commas where you should not, full stops where there should be none. That said, it is none too bad. You don't really need '...' 's, it doesn't really improve flow any, perhaps opposite. You also have too many paragraphs :) It's something people do to make their work look less 'long', but an avid reader will not be put off by a more 'bulky' paragraph :)

And too many ;'s :)

The idea is very good and some of you imagery is great, however, she starts off being able to crawl. SO she has proprioception. As I am assuming that this about her not being able to recognise herself in the subconscious, and that lack of connection to herself is a reflection on the state of her 'real world' body. But then she would have to get more perception as the story progresses, not the other way around. So as she gets nearer becoming 'awake' she gets worse, that is a little confusing, as there is no reason (or clear reasoning why?) Falling, darkness and the likes represent death, and it takes seriously good writing to pull off a different connotation for them, though you may pull it off, and I just may not see it.

^ Having said that a progressive worsening, as long as it is consistent, may work, and would be a good insight into the conscious vs subconscious mind.

Your dialogue. If you awoke in a situation like that, would you ever see your self saying "I'm scared", that is more of a feeling, a state of mind, than something that you would say out loud? Would you not shout something like "Hello", "Is anyone there" "where am I?"?

A niche cannot go one forever and ever... It's a niche!

Almost imperceptibly at first she noticed a faint
Then (...) far away she could see a very small light ... I feel this is better,

One big rule is try and not to sound clever, this will come across any way.

blotched out her mind - NEXT LINE came to the realization, she does jump about from state to state a little too much.


I can't edit anymore... and I revised it so here it is revised. Oh yes you can, you can always revise it, if you do not work and work at it, you will never reach it's full potential. There is always something that can be changed, always something 'wrong' it's just a matter of getting it close enough :)

Overall it's quite good, but working on it more, taking the imagery to places where we might not expect, creating a sense of danger of darkness to the reader, it could be a fabulous little piece.
 
79,550Threads
2,190,540Messages
5,003Members
Back
Top