#16000 words and i'm just getting to the actual plot omg

[theresaiswriting-blog]

A Wild Excerpt Appeared!

From chapter ? (because I closed the document without checking and can’t be bothered opening it again) of The Curious Professor, my steampunk/adventure novel.

No context, but The Baron is my favourite character and nobody can take that from me.

Note: This is from a first draft and I’m well aware that there’s probably problems.

     Tori marvelled at the colours and layout of the street before noticing a speck of what appeared to be an opened door close on the horizon. She followed the street up to the house she suspected was the right one.      A house painted red stood between a blue and green home, windows with curtains drawn and no pleasant little signs that showed a human being may live there. Yet she walked up to the wooden door, complete with peephole, and rapped her fist against it multiple times as to be heard.      For a moment there was nothing. Perhaps she had the wrong house, or her visit was unwelcome? She had been awfully presumptuous in thinking that a stranger – if this even was his home – would be interested in conversing with her. But in her life she had seen her parents and their acquaintances get what they wanted from persistence, and so Tori stood at the door.      And she waited.      And waited.

     Until she heard something move inside. Darkness covered the peephole for a brief moment before light flooded it once more.      Then there were clicks and slides, and the door opened.      Revealed was the man dressed in red. While his outfit was quite plain compared to yesterday’s ensemble, it was a colour that reminded her of cosy fireplaces. The suit he wore was accompanied by an almost golden, high-collared shirt which didn’t let a single millimetre of skin peek through.      The mask he wore didn’t match the suit; it was made of wood, and intricate leaves and swirls had been painted onto it with what she believed to be a golden paint.      ‘Hello,’ greeted the man, sounding almost joyous to have a visitor. His voice didn’t sound muffled by the mask at all. ‘Are you lost? Do you need help?’ Tori opened her mouth to respond but in a split second he’d continued, ‘oh! You’re the young lady who I had the pleasure of meeting yesterday! Tori, was it?’      She nodded. ‘Yes, and I would like help. Are you The Baron?’      ‘The one and only! Well – as far as Goodwill is concerned, anyway. But if we have matters to discuss, the door isn’t the best place to do it. Care to come inside?’      ‘Yes, please.’      Tori had been curious to see the inside of The Baron’s home; she’d expected all kinds of amazing things, or at least colours that would fill her with whimsy, the same kind she’d felt only a day ago. But what she found was the exact same as every other home she’d ever been to, filled with sombre tones and a trinket or two from any travels he may have been on.      She stopped just inside the doorway, shoulders slumped. At least The Baron remains interesting. ‘Take a seat, in the room to the left,’ he instructed. ‘I’ll only be a moment.’      The sitting room wasn’t any kind of fun, either.  On the wall opposite her stood a fireplace, which looked as though it went unused in these warm months. On either side stood leather chairs, one of which looked soft and as though cracks were beginning to appear. The other seemed barely used. Between these, closer to the door, stood a small table which was void of any decoration.      Paintings she didn’t know the names of hung on the walls. Some looked as though they were from decades past, the paint fading from its canvas, while others seemed to be from more recent years.      She noticed, at the very back of the room, a wooden desk. This was definitely old, having seen the ravages of time. The chair – also carved from wood – looked odd sitting by such an antiquity. Tori approached.      Atop the surface laid a frail map, taking up almost the entirety of the surface. Many town names were crossed out in black ink, and a small cut ran through them.      Alv----one.      Las----es.      Mount ----er Town.      Those were three among the many, but Tori’s attention was pulled elsewhere.      A dagger pierced the map, its tip dug into the desk. The town it pierced, despite being almost completely obscured, was recognisable immediately.      Goodwill.      Her fingers came down to the paper, wanting nothing more than to come into contact with her home town. She took a deep breath, knowing that the slightest shake could knock the dagger from its position.      Only a centimetre away now…      ‘Tori.’      She let out a small yelp, finger moving away with haste and knocking the dagger. She turned – barely taking the time to note that it stayed strong in the table – now noticing that The Baron had entered the room with a platter in hand.      ‘Tea?’       ‘Sir Baron, what is this map?’      From behind his mask, The Baron laughed. ‘Just The Baron is fine. But the map is of no importance.’ He placed the platter down upon the table by the chairs. ‘Come, join me.’      As Tori wandered to the lesser worn seat, The Baron poured tea from the pot into the two prepared cups. He took his seat, and moved one of the cups towards Tori.      ‘So, Tori, what is it I can assist you with?’      Tori took her cup. ‘Yesterday, that man you were with-’      ‘Ah, you’re referring to Professor Langsdale, of course!’      ‘Yes!’ Tori exclaimed, jumping up in her excitement and near spilling the contents of her cup onto the floor. ‘I wish to know more about him.’      There was a brightness in The Baron’s tone, as though a smile could be found behind his mask. ‘Why, Jack and I have been good friends for a number of years!’      ‘What’s he like?’ she questioned. ‘What kinds of things does he make? What was that big thing you two were riding yesterday? How-’      ‘One question at a time,’ The Baron said, though it sounded oddly like a warning. ‘Jack is a fine fellow, always the optimist with a new invention in that brain of his at any given second. I find it difficult to find what he’s thinking, if only because he’s always thinking so much. His is one of the most intelligent minds I have ever encountered, and I’ve known many a scholar in my day.      ‘As for what he creates, well, it’s easier to see for yourself.’      ‘You can’t tell me about them yourself?’      ‘Of course I could! But I’m sure you wouldn’t have believed me about the tall machine which walks around on spindly legs had you not seen it yesterday, would you?’      ‘I suppose not.’ But his secrecy only caused her excitement to build. She placed her cup – still half full of tea – back down upon the tray. What was the point of sitting around and drinking when there was adventure to be had? ‘I must meet him.’      The Baron laughed. ‘You seem more excited about his return than I am. I’ll tell you what – he doesn’t mind unexpected visitors, even if they are strangers. I’ll give you directions to where he lives, but only if you promise to deliver something for me.’      Tori was half-tempted to respond with why don’t you do it yourself if you’re so excited to see him?, but that would have been rude (even if it was said in jest), and rudeness was sure to get her nowhere.      ‘Okay,’ she agreed. The Baron stood, and Tori followed suit. ‘But what am I delivering?’      The Baron walked to the desk, opened the drawer and revealed a piece of paper, rolled up and adorned with a ribbon. ‘It’s confidential.’ Tori tried to peek into the roll, but was quickly swatted by The Baron (which was met with a small, ‘Hey!’). ‘His eyes only.’ He held the roll towards Tori, now certain to angle it downwards. ‘Can I trust you?’      ‘You have my word.’      ‘Truly?’ Tori nodded and took the roll in her hand. ‘Because the moment I discover this didn’t make it into Jack’s hands or that you took a single peek at it, there will be repercussions.’      ‘Repercussions?’      ‘Have you ever experienced tragedy, Tori?’      ‘No.’      ‘Then I’m sure you wouldn’t want to make this the first time.’ Tori stared up at The Baron – into the mask that portrayed none of his emotions – wide-eyed and suddenly shaking for a reason that wasn’t excitement.      And then The Baron laughed. Only a little, just enough to calm her nerves slightly. ‘I’m sure you’re a good child. Do you understand your instructions?’ Tori nodded. ‘Very well, then I’ll tell you where you must go.’      With the roll in hand, the room filled with basic furniture that one would find anywhere else didn’t seem so boring, and Tori could feel her own anticipation filling the air.