Exercises from the Energheia Writing Course 2024

Hallo, my name is Inigo Montoya

Teacher: Tabea Hawkins (Energheia International Writing Course 2024)

Theme: Creating character voices, dialogue and scenes

Start of the characters day

♦♦♦

The strange day

It is still dark but you can almost guess the first glimmer of light behind the horizon. The wind doses off through the plains, wheezing as if a gentle snore. She plants herself firmly on the rocky ground. Her breath comes out silently, her heart beats strongly. Her attention is in her feet.

Is something moving? She rises, walks outside. The camp has a deserted look. She grabs a spear and starts walking. Doesn’t matter where. Faster. The body tensioning up. Faster. The spear high and low, her breath gaining strength. Her face all serious, faster, faster, the steep stomp hard and fast quick, the arms more rigid, faster, harder, the eyes close, the face locks an expression of effort, the feet stop suddenly, the spear arm recoils from behind, the whole movement shoots the flying weapon.

It pierces only a tree. It doesn’t kill today. It doesn’t because she didn’t want it. Today is for mercy. Tomorrow for blood. Her breast regains its quietness. Her eyes soften. The fingers unclench from the scarred palms. The sun rises yet again.