I love all of these! Building off of them, a good exercise I’ve found is to first identify what your main character “deserves.” Does you character deserve a safe place to sleep? A good day at school?
Then put the side villain directly in the way of your character getting what they deserve.
Nawal is a high school girl who part-times as a superhero. Her arch nemesis has been trying to figure out her civilian identity all day so Nawal’s been on high alert trying to avoid him. She deserves a good long rest, a good meal, and a safe place to get both.
Nawal’s step-mother has been stewing all day on how unfair her life is. She didn’t sign up for the suburban life when she married Nawal’s father. She has no interest in the running of the house or in managing her rebellious step-daughter.
Nawal is tired. More than tired. Her legs throb as she drags herself the last few steps to her front door. It feels like she’s been running away all day. All she wants to do is sleep.
Nawal lets herself in the door just as her step-mother comes down the stairs.
“You didn’t take out the trash this morning,” her step-mother says. She only glances at Nawal before focusing on the mirror in the hall. She carefully pats at her hair. “Better get to it before your dad gets home.”
“Amy’s supposed to do that today,” Nawal says. She normally wouldn’t talk back, but she’s tired and it seems like Amy’s been leaving more and more of her chores undone lately. “I’m really tired–”
“God,” her step-mother says. Nawal can see her roll her eyes in the mirror. “What do you have to be tired about? Just do it. And the dishes too. You know how much your dad hates a dirty sink.”
She didn’t eat at home today. “But Amy–”
“You’re here and Amy’s not. I don’t have time to argue, I’m already late to the salon.” Her step-mother grabs her purse and pushes Nawal aside. “It better be done when I get back.”
Nawal flinches when the door slams shut. After a long moment, she makes herself stagger to the kitchen. The sink is piled high with dishes, plates and cups and pots and pans. She spots the container that held the left over casserole she’d planned to have for dinner today.
Great. So now she has to figure out what there is to eat that isn’t “Amy’s” and do the dishes and take out the trash. There’s one good thing about being too tired. She’s too tired to cry.
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