WRITING OBSTACLE
Inspired by Samantha Roberts
Write a descriptive scene about a character feeling the sunlight on their face for the first time in a very long while.
Try to use as many senses as you can to capture this moment.
Light And Spontaneous Combustion
Saul almost fell in battle, making his way to a cave where he tripped right into a hole. The hole took him down to a place where he fought off the undead until he was one. With his new being, he only left at night to find food. His family was to be avoided at all costs. After all, he wanted a fair chunk out of his wife’s neck when he was alive. He often left the cave as someone would tell him, “You do know this is more bearable if you bring in your family.” He replied often by saying, “Don’t tempt me!”
On one particular night, long after his death, and the deaths of his immediate family, he went out to violate a cow. The cow never seemed to mind—so he milked her for all the blood he needed.
But that’s when he saw her—not his wife—but a fair lady who walked the fields under the moon. Her robe was white. She had weight in all the right places, and for him, it was his weakness. He wanted her—like really wanted her—but said no to himself.
Like the creature of darkness he was, he stalked her. When she went back into town, he watched her from the rooftops asking himself if he should. What would happen in 20 years if he would? He watched her throughout the night. So caught under her spell, he forgot the time—thinking to himself who cares about that stuff anyways.
Though, vampires are different when the sun actually creeps up behind them—like it did him. He saw the light shine on either side of his ways off the building. The shade where he hid was provided by the roof foundation for a chimney. The light just got brighter and brighter as he waited. He hoped for something. A dark cloud on the horizon would be nice, but it was a sunny day. Blue without a single cloud.
And that’s when he realized there was only one way out.
His new lady friend’s apartment was across to the next building. A drop that led to a lit alley was between them. Her window was open, though she was asleep.
“The conditions aren’t ideal, but it’s now or death.” He stood in shadow, lined up with the window, and ran at it through the sun. As his face hit the light for the first time since dying, his skin began to burn. He pushed his body off the ledge with his undead muscles, arms circling as he finally caught fire halfway through the air.
He flew straight through her window, body near ablaze.
She woke at the ruckus. Half asleep, she ran from the room.
He yelled: “Water! Water!” The bedroom had a bath on its side. He ran into the bath and turned on the shower. He found a towel on the way out. No luck finding her, though.
She was gone. Of course she was. “It was just a little fire.”