Mairi comes around the corner of the corridor and sees Yul, knees pulled into her chest, streaks running down her face, crying. She inquires. Yul speaks between sniffles. Something to do with Rog.
Scene moves to the bar with Rog, Von and Trev. Rog and Von are talking. Trev listens and watches but doesn't speak. Rog is hunched over his shot of snoot like a dog over a bone.
Von: Wanna talk?
Rog: Nope.
Von: Wanna talk anyway?
Rog: Nothing I ain't already said.
Von: Well, not like I have anywhere else to be. Humor me.
Rog: I'm frustrated. That's all.
Von: (raises his eyebrows)
Rog: Look, if I thought you could help, I'd waste your time but it'd just get in the way of a good shot of snoot.
Von: How many have you had?
Rog: Shots?
Von: Yeah.
Rog: Not enough.
Scene shifts back to Mairi and Yul
Mairi: What did he say?
Yul: He yelled at me.
Mairi: About what?
Yul: Said something about the kinds of questions I was asking.
Mairi: That's odd. What were you asking him?
Yul: Nothing. I was just trying to get him to talk.
Mairi: What did you say?
Yul: All I said was I thought the ship seemed awful quiet.
Mairi: That's it?
Yul: Yeah. That's it.
Back to Rog, Von and Trev
Von: Let me guess. Yul?
Rog: I don't even want to talk about it.
Von: What did she do this time?
Rog: I've told her a bazillion times I don't like statements that end in a question. Just pisses me off to no frailing end. And you know what? No matter how many times I tell her, she still needles the shiott of of me.
Von: Give me an example.
Rog: Okay. Try this on. She says, 'ship is awful quiet.'
Von: That's not a question.
Rog: Right. But then she adds, 'isn't it?'
Von: Okay.
Rog: What?
Von: I just said okay.
Rog: You think I'm an idiot.
Von: No. I'm just not sure I follow.
Scene flips back to Mairi and Yul
Mairi: Why would that upset him?
Yul: Because he's a Yakmuk's arse.
Mairi: Yeah, well, besides that.
Yul: You're asking the wrong person. I was just trying to make conversation. And he attacked me.
Mairi: Did he say anything else?
Yul: Like what?
Mairi: Anything.
Back to Rog, Von and Trev
Rog: Look, if a person wants to say something, fine. Just say it. But damn, don't end every statement with an "isn't it" or "don't you agree" or, frail, just pisses me off.
Von: I can see.
Rog: Why can't she see? I've told her a thousand times I hate that crap. "The ship is awful quiet, isn't it." Isn't it. Isn't it. If I hear that question one more time . . .
Back to Mairi and Yul
Yul: Get this. He accused me of trying to delibrately piss him off?
Mairi: How?
Yul: By asking him a question.
Mairi: What did you ask him?
Yul: Just asked him if he thought the ship seemed awful quiet.
Mairi: Why would he think that question was you trying to aggravate him?
Yul: Frail if I know. You see the shiott I have to put up with.
Back to Rog, Von and Trev
Von: Your permission to ask a question?
Rog: Don't frail with me.
Von: Besides Yul and her way of asking questions is there anything else on your mind?
Rog: Well, now that you ask, actually there is.
Scene fades back to Mairi and Yul
Mairi: Are you sure their wasn't something else he seemed upset with?
Yul: No. Not really.
Mairi: You sure?
Yul: Yeah.
Mairi: Yul.
Yul: What?
Mairi: Trust me.
Yul: Alright. Damn you.
Back to the boys
Von: Anytime you ready.
Rog: (slams back another shot) Tell me why the frail we're just sitting here?
Von: What do you mean?
Rog: Kyra! John tells us he saw Kieran and we are just gonna sit here and do nothing? Is that what we are going to do. Nothing. Look at me Von. Nothing?
Back to the girls
Yul: He mentioned Kyra.
Mairi: How so?
Yul: Same old shiott.
Mairi: Enlighten me.
Yul: (her face starts to tremble as she searches Mairi's face) He wants to go rescue her. (the tears cascade)
Mairi: Oh baby. (opens her arms)
Yul: (through tears she manages to say) What do I have to do? Tell me, what do I have to do?
Next thing we hear is tocins sounding and lights blinking and Arn's voice: "We have an unexplained Pod launch."
Rog: (to Arn) Where is John?
Arn: (no answer)
Rog: Arn?
Arn: On the Pod.
18 comments:
Ooooh, first comment rights. LOL I liked the cutting between scenes. You know, more and more I am seeing this as a screen play. I see a long running series here. The characters are so real and you totally nailed the whole communication thing. I keep telling my therapist that it is like I'm talking German and he's talking Swahili. We both totally understand what we said and we actually think we understood what the other person said but the truth is we didn't have a clue. OK that is a whole 'nother rant. I am seriously needing some naked time out on a sun drenched deck to clear my head.
W, I could talk for days on the skill of listening, or lack there of. Suffice it to say, most of what is said, it not what is heard, if heard at all. And the crazy thing is, almost all of us think we are pretty dang good at communicating. And we are all about as delusional as the nerd who thinks he is going to date the cheerleader. :-D
Now, lets talk about something more important, like that naked time out on a sun drenched deck. Having just foolishly gotten sunburned beyond recognition, I must insist on making sure the same thing doesn't happen to you. Have I told you the smell of suntan lotion/oil is perhaps one of my favorite all-time scents? :-D
PS: I have very, very good hands. Very good. And I mean like very, very good. :-D
LOL aside at the Yakmuk's arse, isn't it wonderful how arguments escalate in this manner, miscommunication and thinking the other person is thinking the same thing, assumptions, presumptions and second guesses and all from nothing and a complete eruption, and then someone comes along, at least in this case, and asks a simple question and suddenly it becomes clear, taking that step back, that two were involved and that the two will never see things as the other did. Expertly done, as Wamblings said, you have conversation nailed, natural and audible, never a pause that shouldn't be there nor a single moment where something sounds off kilter. Love the fast paced shifting between the scenes, two familiar scenes at least in as much as these having been somewhere near here before, Von putting Rog straight in a matter of words over snoot and Mairi being in the right place at the right time, when she is needed, to offer some comfort, or if not comfort, understanding and real help. That Trev is present and just listening, I find interesting, not that he says nothing, but that he is there. Interesting in a nice way, where before he both before and after Sal seemed to be a little apart from the others, not quite on their wavelength or part of the group, not in every way that the others shared at least, here he is, there, offering his ears and sharing the beverage and it seems almost like a sort of inauguration. He is larger.
The wanting to rescue Kyra bringing back memories, long story and all said, but something that relates to the above and how ones own filters cloud how one views things said and done and so on.
John, I am speechless and anticipating greatly hearing more thereof. Not least after his recent conversation with Von, the right question asked, which makes the answer here difficult to fathom, though I am sure that he believes in what he is doing and believes it is the right way...at least I hope so. Excellent cliffhanger chapters of late, keeping us on the absolute edge of our seats without a doubt this story, as I have said probably over 500 times before, one on average for each chapter, ;-), goes from strength to strength. Excellent piece of writing!!
Sweetest, thank you for the comment. I too liked the inclusion of Trev, almost like a younger brother learning the ways of snoot from an older brother but having the gumption to know to keep his mouth shut, something not always understood by the new guy. :-D
As for John in the Pod, be careful not to make too many assumptions. Things are not always as they seem. I'll not say more to not spoil the surprise. :-)
Likewise, we see assumptions being made with regard to Rog and Kyra based on past experience. How many times have we all done that? Viewing life through the lens of our past, trying to make sense out of now by layering it with what was. And how often has that come back to bite us?
As always, your kind words are very much appreciated. Glad to see you enjoying the story. :-)
OK, how can I make an intelligent comment when you are chatting up Wamblings about sunscreen and your hands?
Love the way this chapter is written. I mean it was good. Very good. Did I mention that it was good?
See?
Hope your weekend has been nice.
Ooooh, I didn't know I was being watched. {blushing} Well, not really. Blushing, that is. :-D
Good day Jen. C graduated from eight grade today. Big event. Smiles all around. Hard to believe he starts High School in a few months.
As always, thanks for the very kind words. :-)
That would be eighth. Apparently, I could use a refresher myself. :-D
Graduation wishes to C as follows:
I wish you Faith, in something. You choose....
I wish you Hope, in something. You choose.....
I wish you Joy, in something. You choose.....
I wish you Peace and Love in all things. Again, You choose.....
Love,
Jen
Glad that it was a good day Tree.
You know Trée, as I was reading this I had to smile. The conversation is so typical. People sometimes hear what that want to hear. And that's it. I think we all do it, at least to some degree. And of course that leads to many misunderstandings.
Ah, human (or humanoid) behavior is so interesting. Great job on this dialog!
Thanks Deb. I'm never sure if my dialogue sounds real or contrived. Thanks for the kind words. Always appreciated. :-)
Thanks Jen-nay. :-)
Well, it is early in the season and most of my body is winter pale...
I think sunscreen could be in order.
Better safe than sorry. No worries. I'll do my best not to miss any places, especially those that might not ordinarily get sun--those are the ones we need to pay special attention to since if you burn there, that wouldn't be much fun. More than one coat might be necessary. :-D
You know, I like the way you move when you fan. :-)
"Because he's a Yakmuk's arse."
I have to work line this into a conversation one day. It's too good.
I agree with Wamblings, the cutting between scenes is well done. It keep the reader alert.
Oh and thanks for the picture of Yul on the sidebar. Now I don't have an excuse to forget she's not a he (and that she doesn't look like a bald King of Siam).
Thanks Jack. Nice to see you stopping by. :-)
Wow...
Reading this and the "Do you love her?" section really got to me. Not in a bad way, just very parallel with a situation I went through that my heart is still raw about. I always love how your writing is so familar to so many people on so many levels--it's so addictively awesome!!
--snow
Snow, thank you for those very kind words. Very much appreciated. Hope you are having a great week. Take care. :-)
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