Disclaimer: the usual.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
WRITER'S BLOCK
chapter 1
Pencil shavings littered the desk and spilled onto the floor, the long limbed beauty sat oblivious in a sea of scrunched-up paper biting her nails and searching for ideas. Outside wind bent trees backwards and hail threatened to break windows yet still she sat so engrossed with her efforts that nothing short of total world destruction could rouse her.
Finally in desperation she threw down her pencil and screamed, frustration written all over her perfectly moulded face. "God Pan! You're s'posed to be a writer! What the hell's wrong with you?" Deciding nothing could be accomplished this night she flew out into the storm towards her favourite secluded haunt.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
5 yrs ago
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sixteen-year-old Pan squirmed nervously on the hard plastic seat, impatient for her category to be read out. All the Z-gang were there for her big moment - this was the first time any of the had been nominated for such a prestigious award. Videl looked at her daughter and beamed. The National Writer's University Award for Poetry was the highest honour any author could receive, and that her daughter - at only sixteen - had been nominated was the proudest moment in her life.
Eventually the compere walked to the podium and announced, "And now, to the next category. For writers from sixteen to twenty five, the award goes to: Son Pan! Congratulations! Please now come and read your entry."
Amidst the screaming and cheers of her friends Pan sat transfixed staring disbelievingly at the pudgy, balding man. ~OMIGOD! This CAN'T be happening! ME a writer??!! Me an actual recognised writer? I think I'm gunna faint!~ Nevertheless she found her feet and glided up to the podium on a cushion of air, not believing for one second that she was awake. Still it took her some time to regain her voice, but once done she thus began:
"Wind tossing swirling ripping up my roots
tearing all I know
stealing me from life.
Passing in a blinding flash I fly
fly fly fly up
*
Nothing known here all is new no comforting arm to anchor,
nothing to do but wander
to make mistakes and learn.
*
I search for rich good soil
where my roots will grow and flourish,
but every thread I sprout
touches poison, withers and dies.
*
No light but the blackest night
eyes blinded I stumble
falling over deep dark edge
touching nourishing land at last.
*
Sprouting smiles green leaves shoot
in all directions light now blooms;
friends around me offer hands: they'll never leave again.
I've finally found my feet."
(ok, so please just use your imagination and pretend this is a good poem? pretty please??)
In silence the entire audience looked at her, wondering how the young girl before them could have ever possibly written what she had just read out. Only one face looked up with a mixture of pride in his best friend, shock at her skill and understanding of its meaning. He alone knew just how hard Pan's teenage years had been, how close she had come to giving up everything to escape the suffocating blackness.
As part of her prize Pan received a scholarship to the university, where she spent the next five years buried under pieces of paper and pencil shavings.
~~~~~~~~
back to the present (the day after she ran out into the storm)
~~~~~~~~
A dead-to-the-world young quarter-sayain was brutally awakened by the shrill tones of her ringing phone.
"Mphf?" Was all the person on the other end heard when she finally picked it up. He rightly guessed she hadn't even opened her eyes, and had only found the receiver through sheer luck.
"Hey Pan. Glad to see you haven't broken your age-old habits yet!"
"Shddup Trunks," she mumbled. "Jus cos 'm a writer doesn mean I haveta wake up early. So there!"
"Don't stick your tongue out at me girly! The wind might change and you'll be stuck like that."
"I wasn't sticking out my tongue!" She coloured though in reply to his disbelieving 'sure'. "Yeah well anyway whatcha calling for mister president? Last time I recall you were too busy to go out with your friends. Suddenly come to your senses have you?"
"Hmph. Well you could say that. I was just thinking cos I haven't seen all you guys for at least three months we could go out some time soon. So whatcha think? up for it?"
"Hell yes! When? I haven't been out for soooooooooo long! Hey could we go dancing or something? I know I normally hate it but I've been locked up in my apartment trying to get this damned book finished for so long I don't even remember what the sky looks like anymore!"
"Sounds like I'm not the only recluse round here hey? The dancing sounds great though, so we'll all meet up at my place say round eight tomorrow night?"
"Can't wait. Anyway I gotta go - I've got a meeting with a publisher in an hour. Eek! I'm so scared!"
"You'll be fine. Hey, if they don't like you, just blast them to the next dimension! Ok, so I'll see ya tomorrow night! Bye!"
Pan face faulted when Trunk's comment made her recall just how long it had been since she'd done any training. ~I probably wouldn't even be able to light a candle any more~ At that thought she trailed off to the shower looking as sad as she would if someone had died. In a way, a part of her had....
________________________________________________________________________________________________
sooo, whatcha think? yeah i know, it's short. ah well, neva mind. please don't forget to review! ^_~