Characterization Sample

Hello My Wonderful Readers!

I have been working on Chapter One now for a little bit and wanted to show a taste of the fun I've been having.  I love characterizing (making characters come to life) with their looks, personalities, hopes, dreams, fears, nervous ticks.  So this was a fun practice for me to get that point across without going overboard and not letting people's imaginations have any say.  You see how she sees others but not necessarily herself.  Some details, but nothing that gives way to what others see yet.  

Enjoy!

Sarah

"Putting my hair into a towel and wrapping it above my head, I went out of my bathroom in my shorts and tank top and settled into my bed as I turned on the latest show I was fixed on.  I couldn’t get enough of crime shows and considering where the world was going, I was more than ashamed of it.  However, that part didn’t bother me as much as romances did.  Romances made me both gag and cry from the sight of a lover wrapped in their arms.  Perhaps it was me being petty, but I just couldn’t stand the sight of Hollywood bullshit on romance.  However, I could watch them piece together a weird coincidence crime shows and not bat an eyelash.  I suppose we all had our vice to live with. 

Falling asleep to the background noise of my crime show, I had a weird dream.  My friend, Savannah who ran the bar, was there.  She had bright red hair with pale skin and green eyes.  Tall and thin, she always looked like a model to me.  Savannah could pull of any clothing, but she usually went for the torn skinny jeans and tank tops.  Her dainty tipped up nose could always seem to sense any form of bullshit, and her large, doe like eyes made anyone want to tell her all their secrets.  She was a ghoul, and actually she introduced me to ‘him’. 

We were in the city at night, the lights looking dimmer than usual as we were laughing as we usually do after a hard night of dealing with drunks.  I remember noticing but not really caring either.  We were passing an alley way, when she pulled me in just so we were no longer seen by the street crowd that didn’t seem to be as busy as usual.

“Maya, we have to go,” she called to me pleadingly.  Fear was spread across her face, and her color was gone even more so than usual from her features. 

“What’s wrong, Vanna?” I asked as I resisted feeling the pull from her as she tugged at my arm. 

“He’s coming and we have to go, now.  He knows about you and Rai, and he doesn’t want… shit,” Savannah said as she turned around.  There was no one there and yet even my heart started to pump cold blood through my veins.  “You go!  I got you.”

Pushing me back, she stood widening her stance to protect me as I ran.  The city seemed endless as I tried to outrun what was coming after me.  Then suddenly, I ran into what seemed like a brick wall. 

Looking up to the sky there was a tall and foreboding figure.  Eyes that I couldn’t forget even if I tried.  “Rai?” I spoke his name cautiously reaching out as I stood back up.  However, there was nothing but pain when speaking his name.  One hand reached out and wrapped around my neck. 

Waking up with a jump that almost launched me off my bed, I was breathing heavily reaching to touch my neck.  Coughing a bit, I reached for my bottle of water that I always kept beside me on the nightstand.  The cool water helped me come back to my senses. 

Looking into the mirror on my wall, I saw that my lack luster hair was all tangled and wavy meaning I didn’t get much sleep at all.  My bright eyes looked dull as I had dark circles under them as my skin looked even more pale than usual.  Savannah and I almost tied with how light our skin was, but she usually won for lightest.  I could see my boss now telling me to sleep better and eat healthier.  I just couldn’t, I felt like I was being watched or when I did get some sleep I just kept having nightmares.  Perhaps that was why I wouldn’t say his name other than in my dreams, he killed me every time. "

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