#in chapters

[lizzylizzyinatizzy]

i’ve written 113 pages into my magnum opus and i’m still not done

[thegentlegood]

In Chapters - Fire

Fire art by Andy Fung

As you may or may not know I have a hand in running a night called in chapters at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff with John Williams, Richard James and the in chapters band. We invite writers, poets and musicians to write a single piece based on a theme and perform it live on stage with the backing of the in chapters house band (should they wish it).

The in chapters band is ace. It has Ed Mugford on the bass, Andy Fung on drums, Eugene Capper on Violin/Viola, Rhodri Viney on Pedal steel/saw/guitar and myself and Richard James on guitars/keys/banjos etc. Playing music with these fine gentlemen is one of my most favourite things to do.

As well as collaborating with the band it is always fascinating to work with the writers and musicians contributing to the night and I have to say that tonight's event based on the theme 'Fire' has produced some inspiring work. There's a facebook event page here too.  Both Rich and myself have contributed new songs and Rhodri wrote a beautiful accompaniment to some prose by Des Barry. Add to that the music of Miss Word Salad, the words of two proper award-winning poets, more prose from Holly Muller and John Williams and the all round meic stevensness of Meic Stevens and you've got a very special evening indeed

So, if you're at a loose end in Cardiff tonight come to the in chapters night and you won't be disappointed!

[calvincanbie]

wot there's no chapter title lulz - a7x fanfic unf

I'll probably regret this in a couple months when I'm looking back at it like wtf was I doing.

_________________________________________

“You're being a smartass, leave" he retorted.

I didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. “I’m brilliant, Brian."

He sneered at me, “Get out of my house.”

“It’s Michelle’s house too, and unless she tells me to get out, I’m not leaving” I replied stubbornly.

“Who pays for this fucking house because it’s definitely not Michelle” he snapped, and without even glancing at his wife, he continued, “Michelle can get the fuck out if she thinks she has any predominance over me.”

Matt, Val and Michelle just sat on the couch, watching us. “That’s a really nice way of speaking about your wife” I replied.

Brian was fuming; I don’t think I had ever made him this mad before, which made me feel better than ever. It was usually the other way around, with him always making snide comments and picking on me, to which I responded to in every way he wanted. “Get, the fuck, out of my house! I’ve never hit a fucking woman before, but I’m really keen to try” he snarled.

“Please stop swearing Brian, you aren’t mature enough to do that” I replied nonchalantly.

He really did look like he was plotting to kill me slowly and painfully. Matt and Val who just sat and watched, didn’t budge. I guess neither had ever seen Brian, who was usually a cocky, arrogant son of the bitch, might I add, so angry at someone. I suppose it shocked them. I don’t know why his wife didn’t do anything. He told her to ‘shut the fuck up’ before when she tried to intervene, and she plopped herself beside her sister miserably. I didn’t even pity her; rather, I looked down on her for letting him speak to her like that.

“I swear to fucking god, I’m not even fucking joking” he said through clenched teeth.

“And you don’t think anyone will try to stop you?”

He looked to the three people sitting on the couch near us, with a sceptical look on his face. He then turned back to me, and was full of rage again, “I don’t give a fuck what anyone does. I will hit you if I want to.”

“Well, it seems like you want to... so” I stepped back, and with welcoming open arms to Brian, “go a-fucking-head” I taunted. I knew he wouldn’t hit me. I was still prepared though, because if he lunged at me, I knew my knee would take shape in the spot between his legs very nicely.

I smiled a little when he growled, I was glad to see him so mad, it was payback for every single time he pissed me off. Just as it seemed he really was about to hit me, he turned and smashed one of his clenched fists through the window beside him. I was shocked for a quick second, but then I shook my head, “Oh Brian, you need to control your temper. I will see you later then.”

I turned around swiftly, and walked out the door, “See you later, Michelle, Val.”

They mumbled a bye, I think, and I went and sat in Matt’s car. I was waiting for a couple of minutes before he walked out. I looked at him callously for a few seconds, before turning away and crossing my legs. I was feeling very ignorant after my argument with Brian.

Matt sat in the driver’s seat, and was silent for a couple of seconds before turning on the engine and backing out onto the street. “Marly...”

“What?” I snapped quickly.

“You know, I’ve never cared when you and Brian fought, but this time... maybe you went too far.”

I looked at him disdainfully, “Are you for real? I went too far this time? What about all the times he’s flipped me over the edge? He made me break that cabinet in my house that I really liked, ok. Do you know how hard to was to get that into my back of my car?”

“You stole that cabinet outside of the donation store at three in the morning when you were drunk” he reminded.

I scoffed, “Whatever Matt. I don’t regret anything I said to him. Take me home. I got what I wanted, and now I want to eat.”

He sighed, “Sure thing. What was your phone doing at his house anyways?”

I looked at him like he was supposed to know, “I left it behind at the party last week at Brian’s.”

“Uh-huh, and why would you want to go to a party that Brian was hosting?”

I shrugged, “A party is a party.”

“Ok, ok.” A mischievous smile spread across his face, “It’s funny. All I go to do is drop Val off and take you over to get your phone. How did you get him so mad?”

 I laughed and rolled my head back into the seat, “I am Marly Baker, the only woman with the ability to piss Brian off with a comment such as ‘Your guitar needs tuning.’”

He looked at me for a quick second, laughing, and then turned his attention back to the road, “Really? Is that all you said?”

“Yea, well, you know Brian. He doesn’t like being told what he needs to do. He said he knew it had to be tuned and that I should mind my own business. Then, you know, somehow arguments from the past are brought up. I don’t know how Michelle can stand being around him. He has cheated on her, and lied to her, ugh; he’s a scumbag and a stupid diva”

“True, but Michelle knows that. She knows every little thing about Brian and has accepted him, as that’s why he loves her. She knows he loses his temper easily, and that he hasn’t been totally faithful to her in the past but he’s still a good guy. You’ve only bothered to notice the ugly side of him.”

“Jeez Matt, you’re really carrying the torch for him. I don’t think he has another side...” I sighed.

~

I shook my head, “It was good in the early 2000s. Don’t be like that.” I smacked my brother with the bag of Doritos in my hand, and they flew out everywhere onto him.

Zacky shook them all off, and started to eat all the ones that surrounded him on the couch, “You’re so gay. Hip-Hop sucked back then and it sucks now. Enough said man.”

“You’re in a rock band so it doesn’t count. Bring me somebody who isn’t a metal head and let’s have their opinion. They won’t say it was the worst thing ever.”

“Shut up Mars” he demanded.

I pushed my feet into his leg to annoy him, “You love me.”

“No, I don’t” he replied nonchalantly, ignoring me now, “Now watch the damn movie.”

I chuckled and turned to look at the TV screen. “Wait, did someone die?”

“Yes, you’d know that if you were watching the movie.”

I mocked him in a baby voice and started to watch the movie. It’s called Frayer, and is most definitely, from what I could tell, a low-budget film. By the end of the movie, I was yawning, “Well that was boring.”

“Well...” Zacky started. I knew a long analysis was coming. Whenever he watched a new movie, he always felt the need to debate it afterwards, usually to me because I was the only one who’d listen. I agreed and disagreed here and there as he went through every aspect in the movie.

“I suppose” I said, sticking my lip out and shrugging, “Still, those were some bad actors. I could do better.”

He rolled his eyes, “Unless your profession is in acting, then no.”

“Yes I could. I could easily get into acting.” I’m actually a veterinary assistant, but I want to be a zookeeper. Whoever said, ‘We always become what we said we’d never be’ was depressed, because although I’m not doing exactly what I prefer, I’m still surrounded by animals. I don’t save the animals directly but I do nurse them back to health. I feel like I’m making the world a better place, however corny and silly that may sound. Even thought I’m only 24, I often felt very old because of my career path. Then I remember that I’m not because everyone tells me that I’m immature and childish.

“I don’t know why you don’t” he mumbled, “You could easily make it to big screens with that loud mouth and colourful personality of yours.”

I smiled triumphantly, “Of course I could.”

Zacky stood up. He walked over to the DVD player where all the rented out movies were sitting on and scanned through them. “Watched that, and that, and that...” he finally put them back down, “I’m going to bed.”

“Hand me the movies” I asked. He picked them up and threw them at my feet on the couch, “Jeez, thanks.”

“You welcome” he replied smugly before exiting the room.