Another small piece, this one from Chapter 13 of the current WIP, the novel I hope to finish during NaNoWriMo… again, this is an extremely rough draft, written during 30-minute word sprints with some fellow members of my writing group! Current word count for November as of this morning stands at 19,651. – JRF
***
Pavel hardly felt the hands locked around his biceps, hardly saw the nearness of the rifle muzzles to his face. They led him out the front door, stumbling, mind and body numb. His vision telescoped, blurring everything but the waiting Registry car with its armor-plated sides and barred windows. Vince and the six guards escorting him led the way, and from inside the vehicle Pavel heard the ceaseless shouting of the little girl.
The only one still fighting.
They shoved Vince inside and locked him to a seat, and then it was Pavel’s turn, the door looming wide and dark. He balked. He didn’t belong in there. He hadn’t had a choice in any of this, he’d just been trying to get his life back, to explain the truth of things to someone who could help.
Why did you lie to the search officer?! That was your chance to explain everything and you wasted it! They’ll never believe you now…
His shoes slid in the dirt as they hauled him forward, nearly throwing him inside. He jostled into Vince and smashed his injured arm against the seat, eliciting a cry of pain. Vince didn’t even so much as glance in his direction as the officers man-handled him into the seat and cuffed his ankles to thick supports bolted into the bare metal floorboard. They had left his hands free, but Pavel feared that was more because of his bandages and sling than any sign of goodwill or trust.
The doctor was put in after him, the seat narrow enough that Pavel was smashed between her and Vince, the exact place he most did not want to be. He hunkered down and kept his throbbing arm folded protectively beneath the other, riveting his eyes on his own shoes. The Luthers had been put in the row behind, and Mitzi’s screaming finally subsided to sobbing whimpers beneath Linette’s soothing words of comfort.
Nausea slithered through his gut again and Pavel closed his eyes, trying to wrestle his breathing under control. Trying to ignore the close confines of the car and his companions as the guards slid the door shut. If he kept his eyes closed, visualized a wide-open field, a blue sky, maybe he could stave off the clutching fingers of panic creeping up his throat.
Wide-open sky. Green fields. My apartment. Amy.
Why did you lie, goddamnit?!
The sounds of more doors opening and shutting broke into his frantic thoughts, followed by the soft hum of the engine starting and soon after, the smooth sensation of movement.
***
Dark! I feel like it’s me in the car rather than Pavel. And I have a very unpleasant sensation that nothing good is about to happen to him… It may only be two snippets so far, but I’m absolutely loving this. Genuinely can’t wait for it to be a completed novel. And I don’t say that if I don’t mean it.
THANKS!!! ^_^ All good things to hear of course, you’re giving me warm fuzzies! Lol. I’m thrilled you are enjoying the little pieces as much as you are, but gosh I hope the whole thing can hold up to your expectations now! YIKES. Haha. Maybe I should stop putting up snippets!!! O_o Thanks so much for reading and for your comments, I look forward to hearing what you think on future installments if I do continue them… which I probably will because I’m a writer and I NEED FEEDBACK! Even if it’s concrit… I’ll take it! 😉 Ps… will we ever be seeing any snippets of YOUR novel???