Throwback forward Thursday
Thanks for the tag, @kneelbeforeyourdogbabylon 😘
Post the first lines from your current wips (or your favorite lines, whatever floats your boat! everything's made up and the points don't matter!!) and let your followers vote on which lines intrigue or excite them the most.
Ezra woke with a start and immediately reached out in the dark, hoping that Crowley was still lying next to him and it was all a strange dream. There was no one there, though. The bed was cold. There was no light seeping in from anywhere, and he didn’t know if he was even in the same room.
2. The room was suddenly plunged into darkness, and a few people laughed; someone screamed, prompting even more laughter. A spotlight was turned on and pointed at the curtain, and Crowley began to panic. It was different when he was just practising, but now someone was going to try to sing along to what he was playing, and if he lost this gig, Bea probably wouldn’t be bringing any new jobs his way anymore because he’d probably be at the bottom of the Thames. Babysitting this singer might pay him a small fortune, but only as long as he didn’t fuck it up.
There was a flutter of the curtain, and a woman stepped out, dressed in a light blue dress covered in beads and sequins. Her short, blonde curls were nearly white, falling just above her chin. She was wearing a blue headband with white feathers that matched her dress. Crowley’s mouth dropped open as he watched her cover her blue eyes and squint into the crowd, attempting to see beyond the stage lights. She was beautiful, with kohl-lined eyes and ruby red lips.
3. Ezra sighed and nuzzled into the pillow again. “It’s fine between us. Now tell me what I was supposed to have read in the papers this morning.”
“Gold, Aziraphale. Some lucky zounderkite found gold. Could you imagine?” Crowley finished the apple and threw it out the open window.
“What?” Crowley asked innocently, as if he didn’t know why Ezra would have a problem with him throwing fruit at people. “Anyway, why aren’t you excited about this?”
Ezra closed his eyes, wanting nothing more than to go to sleep. “Because I have spent the last ten hours kneading countless loaves of bread. I’m tired, and west is very vague. Could be next door, could be out in Philadelphia or even Texas.”
“You’re being daft on purpose. They found it out in Alta California, newspaper said—all the way, on the other side of the country. We could go out there, find some gold, and get some land. You could send for your family, and we could start a ranch, maybe. It’s got to be better than here. Look at you, you’re not even awake right now, are you?”
“Yes, I’m awake,” Ezra whined, opening one blue eye, peering at Crowley. “This is all a lovely idea, but we can’t afford to go all the way out to California. The only money I have is the little that my family gave me before I left, and the measly pay I make at the bakery. And you don’t have any money at all!”
4. “I think it might be best if I leave,” Ace says, pulling off his shoes, setting them neatly next to Crowley’s. “I think you can handle it from here.”
Crowley finds himself unexpectedly at a loss for words. He had planned to talk to Ace about this very thing, but he also had plans to visit America one day; that didn’t mean he would actually do it.
“Where will you go?” Crowley asks, trying to look nonchalant as he sips his coffee. “How will you get your own place? What will you do?”
“Mr Brown offered me a job,” Ace says, showing Crowley a business card with a flying carpet on it. “He says it’s at the community theatre. More fixing things.”
“Is that what you want to do? You don’t have to leave.”
“There’s nothing left to fix.”
Crowley scoffs and shakes his head. “There doesn’t have to be something to fix. You can just stay.”
Ace shifts awkwardly, still standing at the door, hair dripping. “I like you, Crowley,” Ace says, looking at a spot on the carpet. “I love you—”
Crowley starts to interrupt when Ace raises a hand to stop him.
“You’ve been very kind to me since we found each other again, when you hit me with your car, but I don’t like the way you make me feel.”
“What?” Crowley asks, surprise written on his face.
“You are happy when I fix things for you, and I’m happy to do it. It makes me glad to do things for you and your son, but you keep telling me that I’m not what I know I am.
5. “Can you just help me? I’m afraid I’m in a bit of a hurry.” Crowley didn’t like the look of the man. He wore a very expensive-looking suit, had an overpriced haircut, walked with his back too straight, and looked at Crowley like she might rob him at any moment.
“I’m not sure how acquiring a first edition of Tom Jones really necessitates a hurry. Rare books are my partner’s expertise. I wouldn’t dare sell any of those without speaking to her first. And, as you can see, she isn’t here. So write down your name and phone number so she can call you when she gets back,” Crowley spoke slowly, just in case.
The man was visibly annoyed; Crowley’s work here was done.
“It is a set of six volumes, actually. And I haven’t seen a more pristine set than the one here. I’ve been trying to get ahold of Miss Fell for weeks.”
“She’s a very busy woman,” Crowley said sardonically with a shrug of her shoulders. “This sounds like a life-or-death book emergency, so I will message her immediately.”
The man heaved a heavy sigh, pushing his dark, immaculately coiffed hair back off his face. He leaned on the counter and smiled a very handsome smile.
“You’ve been such a help, miss,” he said, making an excessive amount of eye contact. “I would really appreciate it if you would call Miss Fell so we can get this properly taken care of.”
“Oh, I can’t call her. She’s volunteering at the children’s hospital. She won’t have her phone on her. But I’ll text her and ensure she gets back with you,” Crowley grinned and tapped the paper with a black-painted fingernail. “Once you give me your information.”
The man huffed indignantly and scribbled his name down.
“Freddie Cadbury? Like the chocolate?”
He rolled his eyes. “It says Bradbury.”
“Does it? Of course it does. I’ll have Miss Fell reach out once she walks through that door.”
Which are you most interested in reading more of?
1. Ezra awoke with a start...
2. The room was suddenly plunged into darkness...
3. Ezra sighed and nuzzled into the pillow again...
4. I think it might be best if I leave...
5. Can you just help me...
Voting ended onJul 18
The excerpts just got longer as I went along...
I tag everyone!!
