FIC: The Pursuit of Happiness.

[belluminabyssus]

title: The Pursuit of Happiness
universe: Die Young & Sell Your Soul
characters: Alison, Warren, C.C, and Chris Howlett.
word count: 2300
note: This was written for the allstars month at Brigits_Flame. The prompt was "erudition."

Comments

[rubyelf]

Wow... just the letters tell a whole story by themselves. The dates, and the apologies... and then the last letter from C.C. is just brutal but says in those four words more than a million other words could say. The way the letters show the time (and their relationships) stretching out as months become years is fantastic.

[belluminabyssus]

Okay, first off: your icon is bloody amazing. I approve so wholeheartedly. Labyrinth = the best thing ever.

This piece was originally waaaay longer, so I'm glad that in cutting it down I didn't lose anything ... thanks so much for your very kind words! I do hope I get to read some of your writing this month -- are you participating in either contest?? (I was going to attempt the "regular" contest, but since things are due tonight, I'm not sure if that'll happen ... eep.)

[rubyelf]

I am fond of "Labyrinth" too... I while ago in my journal all I had to post was "You remind me of the babe" and Keppie immediately came back with "What babe?" and we went from there.

I am working on getting something written for the all-stars, but writing has been like pulling teeth lately... well, for months, really. I don't think I will get anything done for the regular contest. It'll be a miracle at this point if I get a coherent all-start entry done! Especially since the Steelers are in the playoffs tonight and if you live where I do, that is Very Important Business...

[belluminabyssus]

Amazing! I'm so sad I missed that...

And yeah ... I completely agree. The regular contest was a no-go for me ... I tried, then promptly failed. Hopefully you get something in for the all-stars! :D YOU CAN DO EET.

[so_wordy]

I am so glad to see that you're writing more in this universe. Honestly, I love it! And it's good to see a bit of backstory as to why C.C. is the way she is.

Now I'm wondering about her brother in the present story. You've got me hooked on these characters! Tell me,will there be more? :D

[belluminabyssus]

Her brother has his soul taken. :( And yes, yes, yes there's plenty more! I've already written about 26,000 words in this novel, so I'll probably be doing a lot of backstory, and there are plenty of excerpts to be had. :D

I'm glad you're enjoying it, especially since this is like ... my new project lololol.

[keppiehed]

OMG, you make me so jealous. You are gone forever and you come back with perfection like this. I mean, seriously. You know, the first piece I remember from you was this one you wrote in the jungles in Vietnam, and you blew me away. I mean, I just sat there and thought, this girl, she is the real deal. This one can win anything, anytime, because this is writing, no practice, no pretending. And it just doesn't matter when you drop in or out ... bam! There it is. That same chill. It isn't a fluke, that's talent. Way to go, I am still just as impressed as I was the first time I read your stuff. #1 fan! No kidding!

[belluminabyssus]

fdnkafnkalga your comments always make me blush. And your icon makes me want to die of adorableness.

But seriously, thank you so, so much -- and you shouldn't be jealous! I HEAR YOU HAVE BEEN WINNING LIKE EVERY CONTEST EVER, WOMAN. That's a hell of a big accomplishment. And your pieces this week (especially the allstar one) were really great. So make no mistake -- you're a force to be reckoned with, too, and although I know you don't consider yourself a "writer" per se, you definitely have the skill to be one!

[hwango]

...and here we see the true dangers of Anthropology - it's not the traps and mummies you have to watch out for, it's obsessing over the work. = )

I found that I switched sides very quickly - it was hard not to sympathize with Alison at least a little early on, but after that first broken promise... By the end of the string of letters, I can't help but agree with C.C.

Definitely left me interested to see what Alison would do in response - come home and try to fix things, or realize it's too late and stay? Nicely done!

[hwango]

(I know traps and mummies are more Archaeology than Anthropology [and fictional Archaeology at that], but I just couldn't resist)

[belluminabyssus]

Pffft, I'm not picky. I giggled at that comment. :)

And yeah, I was trying to sort of show both sides of the story, here -- this is backstory for the novel I'm currently (slowly) plugging through, and as C.C. is the main character there, I wanted to sort of give Alison a chance. So I'm glad you felt that worked in some way.

And I'm not sure if you do, in fact, want the answer to your question -- but if so, the answer is that Alison does come home to try and fix things. :)

[katden]

The letters were a perfect touch :)

[belluminabyssus]

I'm glad you liked them! Cute icon, btw.