The Story

by Tyrone J Black

Demanding attention like a hangnail or a silhouette of a chiffon dressed woman against the sunset, the story opens. Tidbits come forth prying open the imagination to rivers of thought. But, not so many to as to bring exhaustion, or so little as to frustrate, or bore. Infused narration and dialogue stimulate. Thirst for more leads the reader through the setting with taunting sensations, color, and action.

Casual or emotional exchange between characters, social ritual, banter, arguments of persuasion, or collaboration enhance details. Personalities and nuances generate from voice, body language, action. And each character grows unique.

Major characters seem to strut their story presence. The narrator ties events together with dispassionate observing from afar, or from inside character minds. Or the part is snatched away by the characters themselves with one-minded observation “this is what I see,” as a simple diary of their stumbling steps “this is what I saw,” or in self-contemplation “this is how I should have seen the pieces come together.”

Minor characters scurry about in supporting roles with surprising agility. They go from behind the scenes and back again building the plots terrain and dropping small details.

Words weave character and detail through a plot or more. From an established base fabric the story threads through action, tightening, bonding the characters and settings. A collage takes shape. Tense treads hold between them restful folds of introspection and revelation.

“Why you dirty Rat!” to “Do you have to go?” Wolves and sheep, knights with quests and romance, pirates and treasure, bully and weakling; the conflict and action dynamic rise and fall. They crash then may rise again. Anticipation develops that as one wave passes another may come.

After each wave a climax. The major climax sees the dawn, the light on the horizon.

A resolution. Is the villain vanquished in a stroke of valor, or brilliance, or destiny? Or will he survive to come back in the next chapter? Or did he win?

The end reveals the readers room. The disarray or order and the message left to interpret from the words of the story. The story stops.