The Crossing
Fiona Dirac left the train from Sandy Point at the Crossing, rolling her bike up to the street and winding her way around the cars parked at the rail station.
She stood in the central square where all the roads and all the rails met and crossed and went on east and west, north and south past all the maps she knew. She could go inside to wait but she was edgy and decided to stand outside and stroll around until her train came.
She took a brief look at the shops and restaurants around the station. They weren't the kind of places where she could pass the time.
Things had not gone well so far. One old lady on the rail was determined to find out who she was and if she was a runaway who ought to be reported to someone and kept trying to peek into her backpack. A thin man with a red beard insisted on explaining his plan to relocate all the squirrels in the city. A couple kissed, constantly.
She rolled her bike down to the other side of the restaurant to get out of the spotlight, considering the old lady's interest in runaways, and looked around for something cheap to do to pass the time.
And there, right there, right on the sidewalk and texting away was Jay Lombardo.
It wasn't shocking to see him downtown, it was just such shockingly useful coincidence. Despite what she'd told Vivian, she wasn't above coaxing the guy, or lying to him, or any combination of bullshit to get him to cooperate, and here he was alone and looking lost - potentially vulnerable.
Fiona contemplated the situation.
Go get him.
“Hi Jay,” she called out to him. "My mother and father left something for you, something connected with her work that they thought you'd eventually be interested in seeing, something unusual. You want to take a look at it?"
He looked at her with obvious surprise, hesitated, and then said in a firm voice, "Right now I'm looking for a ride home, but later yeah, sure. When?"
This was beyond her most ridiculously hopeful expectations. Whatever happened to him, it was pushing him in her direction and it wasn't for a date.
She didn't have a car but he wasn't going to get away.
“Tomorrow. If you don't have my number, I have yours.”
Fiona is an interesting girl, very enigmatic. I'm super curious about who her parents where and this trip she's going on. I'm really happy to see there peripheral characters that we've seen here and there take center stage because I've always loved this world and I'm glad we are peeling back move of its layers. The hood light fixed turned out ver nicely too :).
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. It can really drag on me sometimes, as you know, and although I'm enjoying creating and writing it's hard. I love some of these characters and have mixed feelings about others. We've picked up some of those who sat on the sidelines (Eric, Miranda, and the teens) and I've found inspiration in some who appeared almost out of nowhere. Fiona is a searcher but she's not sure what she's looking for, and she's probably outgunned to deal with anything truly awful.
DeleteThank you SO MUCH for sticking with us. It raises my spirits more than I can describe.
It must be hard for Fiona, travelling alone with only her bike and a backpack. She is one brave girl or maybe a little naive. I wonder if she is really ready to face what she is looking for and how long is she willing to search for it.
ReplyDeleteFiona's all of those things but haunted and burdened with the conviction that she alone is willing to take on the risk and the responsibility of tracking down her parents' killers. They'd probably tell her it's not worth it, well maybe. She's entering Lombardo territory now too - Gabe and his connection to her parents' murder, whatever that actually is - and that's both seductive and intimidating. Sharing Jay's vision puts her a step closer though so she's definitely not going to back down now.
DeleteThank you. Thank you!
Wow, you've made the city look so atmospheric: that first overlooking shot is incredible. The night time setting with the lit up street lights and windows was clever, it makes the city look big and densely populated.
ReplyDeleteI like the crossroads setting. It gives the impression of Fiona attempting to start on her Hero's journey, but that she doesn't know how to begin. Jay showing up when he does and agreeing to meet with her both helps her move in the right direction and, hopefully, gives her a companion for her journey.
I really enjoy Fiona's confidence: she doesn't wait around for other people to act so she can react, but she initiates herself. She set out on the journey on her own, and she goes to get Jay's help with her own power to convince him. That's the makings of a true strong female character, and I love it! / Ani
Oh thank you! I love that city although displaying it in the daylight means constantly moving the buildings around. You're right, the perspective and impact I want works much better at night.
DeleteFiona is casting about for anything she can use to more or less pry open this puzzle and keep going. Jay walks up the street, Jay is a Lombardo (although an annoying one), she has bait she thinks will work on him, so she throws it at him. It works. I don't think he's going to get very far trying to push her around LOL!
I wrote this several times trying to get the encounter pared down, removing bystanders, and removing all but a brief exchange between them. He's tired and anxious and has no transportation home so he wouldn't feel like getting into anything with her right then and there. I think it worked.
I can't even tell you how much I appreciate this!