Paper Houses, Prologue/Chapter One
I would like to introduce you to the first chapter of the novel I'm writing.
I seem to have left myself with no where to go but hey, it works.
Which means that I don't know whether to continue from here or a few years later.
Oh and this needs to be put out there. Please dear god don't plagarise.
Please. Not that you guys would but still.
And without further ado:
Prologue/Chapter One: Paper Houses [080415-16]
She was all alone in a house made of books. The curtains were folded pages of a treasured children’s book and the fire in the fireplace burned bright and hot and it didn't singe the pages around it. She rounded the corner and glanced up the stairs made up of a contents page, the banister and railings an acknowledgement page. She gripped the banister and gingerly rested her foot on the first step. The paper stairs didn't crumple and she looked down she frowned at her feet. She slowly made her way up the stairs, waiting for it to fall apart beneath her feet. Her vision blurred before her as the words around her ran together.
The room at the end of the hallway had an illustrated still of Alice and the White Rabbit. She moved towards it, patting her hair down as she reached out for the door knob. She wrapped her fingers around the cool paper that had the same texture as cool metal. The door opened easily and she stepped inside the room, shutting the door behind her.
"You're late." Her eyes focused on the girl on the bed and she felt her brow furrow from confusion. The bedspread was Alice stepping through the looking glass and perched on the bed's end was a young girl dressed as Disney's Alice.
"I apologise." She answered as she stepped closer to the girl who reached into her pinafore to retrieve a small bottle. A tag hung off the bottle and she was would have bet both her boys that it had 'Drink Me' written on it.
"You should go. He needs you." The girl told her as she uncorked the small bottle. She stepped towards the girl and smiled as she got close enough to read the 'Drink Me' tag.
"Who needs me?" She asked as the girls comments registered. The girl turned towards her and she took a step back as she took in the girl’s familiar green eyes and the scar on the side of her neck.
"They all need you." The girl answered as a sharp pain flared in her lower back. She looked at the girl as she raised the small bottle of clear liquid up to her lips, the pain in her back turning into a dull, fading ache. The girl waved as she gulped down the liquid and the room faded out as she shook off the final remnants of sleep.
When Isabella Borgia opened her eyes it was to the less-than-perfect hotel room that was fairly cheap and smelt like disinfectant and the underlying smell of poor hygiene and urine. She felt the sharp pain in her back return and with a tired groan she carefully rolled herself over.
"Sorry mummy."
"S'okay baby." Isabella answered as she reached out to comb her fingers through her eldest son’s hair. She propped herself up on her elbow to peer over at her youngest as he slept, curled into a ball on the opposite side of the bed. Dominick was snoring softly, his fingers tightening around the blanket, keeping it close to keep him warm as he clutched at the old turtle teddy bear that he adored.
Isabella looked down as Benedict reached forward to press a hand against her protruding belly. Isabella felt her baby kick against it's brother's hand and Benedict wiggled down to rest his head against the place where his siblings feet were. Isabella smiled as her son looked up at her awed.
"That's your little brother or sister." She told him as the baby kept kicking at her brother. Isabella winced at the repeated movement and snuggled closer to her boys as a cold breeze rushed through the hotel room. It happened randomly and without warning and it made life harder for her and her children.
"Sister. I already have a brother I don't want another one." Benedict answered solemnly as he removed his hand. Dominick shifted nosily and Benedict moved closer to his mother as his brother's hand came in contact with his shoulder.
"Come here baby." Isabella murmured as Benedict shivered, another frigid breeze bursting through the room. She tucked the blanket closer around him and slipped out of the bed. She pulled the blankets up to beneath his chin and kissed his forehead.
Isabella's toes began to curl from the cold and she crossed to the suitcase in the middle of the floor. Their shoes were neatly lined up by the side and Isabella slid them on and she reached over to the nearby chair to grip her jacket. She slid it on and tried to pull it over her belly. It didn't work and Isabella struggled to button it up over the bulge of her baby and she sighed when it didn't work.
"Baby, mummy's going to ring Uncle Joe. I'll be back as soon as possible. Don't let anyone in and don't get out of bed 'til I come back." Benedict nodded as Isabella lifted up the hem of her jacket and felt around for a few moments. She found the right place and ripped the lining. She pulled out the small change she found in the hidden pocket and felt for the rooms’ keys in her right hip pocket.
She pulled her house and car keys out by accident and crossed to the door, her freezing fingers gripped the room key as she glanced over her shoulder. Benedict had sat up and blew her a kiss as he sidled closer to his younger brother who blissfully slept on. She blew a kiss back as she opened the door and stepped outside into the freezing winter night.
Isabella closed the door behind her as she tugged her jacket around herself before setting off across the car park. She checked that her car doors were locked as she passed it and waddled over to the pay phone on the other side of the car park.
She gripped the cool plastic phone in her hand as she carefully inserted a handful of coins into the appropriate slot. A dial tone came over the phone as Isabella reached out to enter an all too familiar number. It was cold out and her baby was kicking fitfully against her belly.
"H'lo?" The dial tone ended and Isabella sucked in a deep breath.
"Jonah?" She said softly as she rested a hand against her belly, gently rubbing to try and soothe her baby.
"Iz?" Her older brother sounded shocked and sleepy and Isabella took a deep breath as her baby settled itself for a moment.
"Sorry I'm calling so late." Isabella apologised as Jonah sucked in his breath, clearly audible over the phone.
"What do want? Money?" Jonah asked angrily over the phone and Isabella felt her baby kick at her belly again.
"Jonah no..." Isabella said weakly as she slumped against the fibre glass wall of the phone booth.
"Why else would you be calling? You're barely able to support yourself much less your two little boys. And another on the way. God Iz, get yourself together, suck up your damned pride and come back home." Jonah said as Isabella wiped at her wet cheeks.
"I've been having those dreams again." Isabella blurted as she heard a coin drop within the machine. She felt in her hidden pouch again, toying with the torn edge of her jacket's lining as she searched for stray coins.
"What this time?" He asked after a pregnant pause.
"I was in a house made out of the pages of books and there was this girl dressed as Alice in Wonderland saying that they needed me. But she didn't say we They were." Isabella toyed with her hair as she glanced around the empty parking lot.
"I'll look it up." Jonah said.
"I better go." Isabelle murmured as another coined dropped and Isabella estimated that she had half a minute left.
"Say hi to the boys for me. And ring when you have the baby."
"I will. I promise."
"Bye Is'bella.'
"Bye Jonah." Isabella hung up the phone and waited for a moment. No change dropped down and Isabella turned to waddle back across the parking lot, her baby still kicking her stomach at varying intervals. She checked her car again as she moved pass and her freezing fingers struggled with the key to her room. She eventually got it open and slid inside, her back aching as she leant against the now closed door.
"Hey babies." Isabella said as she watched Dominick uncurl himself from his older brother. He had just woken up; his eyes still half closed as he instinctively clutched his brother's arm.
"Where d'you go?" Dominick asked as he watched her warily, rubbing at his bright blue eyes.
"To call Uncle Joe, I told you." Benedict answered for her, quickly shushing his brother. Dominick looked a little cowed as he pulled the blanket up around himself. Isabella frowned and shrugged out of her jacket. She shook it out as she crossed over to the bed and draped her warmed jacket over her two children.
Isabella settled on the edge of the bed and slid off her shoes. She glanced over her shoulder at her boys as her baby kicked at her belly again. Dominick threw her jacket and the blanket off and crawled across the bed towards her. He knelt near her and gingerly rested his hand on her belly.
"Here." Isabella gripped Dominick's wrist and gently pulled his hand down to rest on the place where the baby was kicking.
"That's our sister." Benedict announced as he crawled across to sit with them. Dominick frowned and looked up at his mother, clearly worried.
"What's the matter baby?" Isabella asked as she reached out to trail the backs of her fingers across the side of his cheek.
"I've never had a sister before. Least don't think I have." Dominick responded as the baby continued to kick at his hand.
"Course we haven't, I'd remember." Benedict gently shoved his brother's shoulder and Dominick frowned over his shoulder at his brother.
"Ben, don't push your brother." Isabella chided as she felt a stomach ache develop where her baby was kicking.
"Yeah Ben." Dominick stuck his tongue out and Isabella sighed.
"Dom, don't gloat." Isabella scolded as Dom removed his hand from her belly.
"Ma. I'm hungry." Benedict said quietly as Isabella glanced over to the clock on the bedside table. It was a little past three and she took a deep breath as she felt the onset of a panic attack hit her stomach.
"Dom, can you please pass me my jacket?" Isabella smiled as her youngest child tried to crawl across the bed to reach her jacket.
"Here you are mum." Dominick passed her the jacket and Isabella reached into the right pocket to pull out her keys. She handed them to her Benedict as she thanked Dom. She pulled at the lining on the right side.
Benedict slid off the bed and moved over to the suitcase on the other side of the room. He reached in a pulled out her sewing kit as Isabella pulled out the paper money she had sewn in.
"Here mum." Benedict handed her the kit as Isabella whistled lowly.
"Will we be eating today mum?" Dominick asked quietly as Benedict pulled himself back onto the bed.
"We'll see baby. We'll see."
Feedback anyone?
I seem to have left myself with no where to go but hey, it works.
Which means that I don't know whether to continue from here or a few years later.
Oh and this needs to be put out there. Please dear god don't plagarise.
Please. Not that you guys would but still.
And without further ado:
Prologue/Chapter One: Paper Houses [080415-16]
She was all alone in a house made of books. The curtains were folded pages of a treasured children’s book and the fire in the fireplace burned bright and hot and it didn't singe the pages around it. She rounded the corner and glanced up the stairs made up of a contents page, the banister and railings an acknowledgement page. She gripped the banister and gingerly rested her foot on the first step. The paper stairs didn't crumple and she looked down she frowned at her feet. She slowly made her way up the stairs, waiting for it to fall apart beneath her feet. Her vision blurred before her as the words around her ran together.
The room at the end of the hallway had an illustrated still of Alice and the White Rabbit. She moved towards it, patting her hair down as she reached out for the door knob. She wrapped her fingers around the cool paper that had the same texture as cool metal. The door opened easily and she stepped inside the room, shutting the door behind her.
"You're late." Her eyes focused on the girl on the bed and she felt her brow furrow from confusion. The bedspread was Alice stepping through the looking glass and perched on the bed's end was a young girl dressed as Disney's Alice.
"I apologise." She answered as she stepped closer to the girl who reached into her pinafore to retrieve a small bottle. A tag hung off the bottle and she was would have bet both her boys that it had 'Drink Me' written on it.
"You should go. He needs you." The girl told her as she uncorked the small bottle. She stepped towards the girl and smiled as she got close enough to read the 'Drink Me' tag.
"Who needs me?" She asked as the girls comments registered. The girl turned towards her and she took a step back as she took in the girl’s familiar green eyes and the scar on the side of her neck.
"They all need you." The girl answered as a sharp pain flared in her lower back. She looked at the girl as she raised the small bottle of clear liquid up to her lips, the pain in her back turning into a dull, fading ache. The girl waved as she gulped down the liquid and the room faded out as she shook off the final remnants of sleep.
When Isabella Borgia opened her eyes it was to the less-than-perfect hotel room that was fairly cheap and smelt like disinfectant and the underlying smell of poor hygiene and urine. She felt the sharp pain in her back return and with a tired groan she carefully rolled herself over.
"Sorry mummy."
"S'okay baby." Isabella answered as she reached out to comb her fingers through her eldest son’s hair. She propped herself up on her elbow to peer over at her youngest as he slept, curled into a ball on the opposite side of the bed. Dominick was snoring softly, his fingers tightening around the blanket, keeping it close to keep him warm as he clutched at the old turtle teddy bear that he adored.
Isabella looked down as Benedict reached forward to press a hand against her protruding belly. Isabella felt her baby kick against it's brother's hand and Benedict wiggled down to rest his head against the place where his siblings feet were. Isabella smiled as her son looked up at her awed.
"That's your little brother or sister." She told him as the baby kept kicking at her brother. Isabella winced at the repeated movement and snuggled closer to her boys as a cold breeze rushed through the hotel room. It happened randomly and without warning and it made life harder for her and her children.
"Sister. I already have a brother I don't want another one." Benedict answered solemnly as he removed his hand. Dominick shifted nosily and Benedict moved closer to his mother as his brother's hand came in contact with his shoulder.
"Come here baby." Isabella murmured as Benedict shivered, another frigid breeze bursting through the room. She tucked the blanket closer around him and slipped out of the bed. She pulled the blankets up to beneath his chin and kissed his forehead.
Isabella's toes began to curl from the cold and she crossed to the suitcase in the middle of the floor. Their shoes were neatly lined up by the side and Isabella slid them on and she reached over to the nearby chair to grip her jacket. She slid it on and tried to pull it over her belly. It didn't work and Isabella struggled to button it up over the bulge of her baby and she sighed when it didn't work.
"Baby, mummy's going to ring Uncle Joe. I'll be back as soon as possible. Don't let anyone in and don't get out of bed 'til I come back." Benedict nodded as Isabella lifted up the hem of her jacket and felt around for a few moments. She found the right place and ripped the lining. She pulled out the small change she found in the hidden pocket and felt for the rooms’ keys in her right hip pocket.
She pulled her house and car keys out by accident and crossed to the door, her freezing fingers gripped the room key as she glanced over her shoulder. Benedict had sat up and blew her a kiss as he sidled closer to his younger brother who blissfully slept on. She blew a kiss back as she opened the door and stepped outside into the freezing winter night.
Isabella closed the door behind her as she tugged her jacket around herself before setting off across the car park. She checked that her car doors were locked as she passed it and waddled over to the pay phone on the other side of the car park.
She gripped the cool plastic phone in her hand as she carefully inserted a handful of coins into the appropriate slot. A dial tone came over the phone as Isabella reached out to enter an all too familiar number. It was cold out and her baby was kicking fitfully against her belly.
"H'lo?" The dial tone ended and Isabella sucked in a deep breath.
"Jonah?" She said softly as she rested a hand against her belly, gently rubbing to try and soothe her baby.
"Iz?" Her older brother sounded shocked and sleepy and Isabella took a deep breath as her baby settled itself for a moment.
"Sorry I'm calling so late." Isabella apologised as Jonah sucked in his breath, clearly audible over the phone.
"What do want? Money?" Jonah asked angrily over the phone and Isabella felt her baby kick at her belly again.
"Jonah no..." Isabella said weakly as she slumped against the fibre glass wall of the phone booth.
"Why else would you be calling? You're barely able to support yourself much less your two little boys. And another on the way. God Iz, get yourself together, suck up your damned pride and come back home." Jonah said as Isabella wiped at her wet cheeks.
"I've been having those dreams again." Isabella blurted as she heard a coin drop within the machine. She felt in her hidden pouch again, toying with the torn edge of her jacket's lining as she searched for stray coins.
"What this time?" He asked after a pregnant pause.
"I was in a house made out of the pages of books and there was this girl dressed as Alice in Wonderland saying that they needed me. But she didn't say we They were." Isabella toyed with her hair as she glanced around the empty parking lot.
"I'll look it up." Jonah said.
"I better go." Isabelle murmured as another coined dropped and Isabella estimated that she had half a minute left.
"Say hi to the boys for me. And ring when you have the baby."
"I will. I promise."
"Bye Is'bella.'
"Bye Jonah." Isabella hung up the phone and waited for a moment. No change dropped down and Isabella turned to waddle back across the parking lot, her baby still kicking her stomach at varying intervals. She checked her car again as she moved pass and her freezing fingers struggled with the key to her room. She eventually got it open and slid inside, her back aching as she leant against the now closed door.
"Hey babies." Isabella said as she watched Dominick uncurl himself from his older brother. He had just woken up; his eyes still half closed as he instinctively clutched his brother's arm.
"Where d'you go?" Dominick asked as he watched her warily, rubbing at his bright blue eyes.
"To call Uncle Joe, I told you." Benedict answered for her, quickly shushing his brother. Dominick looked a little cowed as he pulled the blanket up around himself. Isabella frowned and shrugged out of her jacket. She shook it out as she crossed over to the bed and draped her warmed jacket over her two children.
Isabella settled on the edge of the bed and slid off her shoes. She glanced over her shoulder at her boys as her baby kicked at her belly again. Dominick threw her jacket and the blanket off and crawled across the bed towards her. He knelt near her and gingerly rested his hand on her belly.
"Here." Isabella gripped Dominick's wrist and gently pulled his hand down to rest on the place where the baby was kicking.
"That's our sister." Benedict announced as he crawled across to sit with them. Dominick frowned and looked up at his mother, clearly worried.
"What's the matter baby?" Isabella asked as she reached out to trail the backs of her fingers across the side of his cheek.
"I've never had a sister before. Least don't think I have." Dominick responded as the baby continued to kick at his hand.
"Course we haven't, I'd remember." Benedict gently shoved his brother's shoulder and Dominick frowned over his shoulder at his brother.
"Ben, don't push your brother." Isabella chided as she felt a stomach ache develop where her baby was kicking.
"Yeah Ben." Dominick stuck his tongue out and Isabella sighed.
"Dom, don't gloat." Isabella scolded as Dom removed his hand from her belly.
"Ma. I'm hungry." Benedict said quietly as Isabella glanced over to the clock on the bedside table. It was a little past three and she took a deep breath as she felt the onset of a panic attack hit her stomach.
"Dom, can you please pass me my jacket?" Isabella smiled as her youngest child tried to crawl across the bed to reach her jacket.
"Here you are mum." Dominick passed her the jacket and Isabella reached into the right pocket to pull out her keys. She handed them to her Benedict as she thanked Dom. She pulled at the lining on the right side.
Benedict slid off the bed and moved over to the suitcase on the other side of the room. He reached in a pulled out her sewing kit as Isabella pulled out the paper money she had sewn in.
"Here mum." Benedict handed her the kit as Isabella whistled lowly.
"Will we be eating today mum?" Dominick asked quietly as Benedict pulled himself back onto the bed.
"We'll see baby. We'll see."
Feedback anyone?