LJ Idol Week 40: Distance

[crisp_sobriety]

Part One: Margaret

Depending on who one asked, I was born sick, or I was born cursed.

My father favored the latter, and that’s why he left, I suppose. My mother, on the other hand, had clear childhood memories of her great-aunt, the last such creature before me. Said great-aunt used to walk off into the moonlight in nothing but her nightgown,

Comments

[suesniffsglue]

What a cool concept! I hadn't heard that part of werewolf mythology before. Really pretty story, like a song!

[crisp_sobriety]

Thanks! :3

[halfshellvenus]

I was wondering if someone would take the werewolf approach, though I liked this twist on it even better. And the little digs at assaulting trees as a show of bravery.

I also liked that, because of the description of the dirty (but not torn) clothes, we can't be sure if the person ever fully transformed into a werewolf, or just became moonstruck and lost herself in lunacy every month.

[crisp_sobriety]

Heh, the tree detail was fun. Elizabeth is a very young fourteen --the bravado of a teenager, but as completely un-self-conscious as a child. Therefore, she battles trees.

Thanks so much!

[i_17bingo]

“You talk like you’re behind bars.”

I like this line a lot. And I like her a lot (Is she Elizabeth or Margaret? It's unclear whether the chapter headings are narrator names or salutations). She's got that sense of power and immortality and utter lack of self-preservation that teenagers have. It's fun. Stupid, but fun. And (Margaret?) is the sullen girl who is a victim of her emotions. All in all, a fun metaphor for adolescence and deep friendship--a cheerier version of Ginger Snaps when you think about it.

And well done with that particular bit of obscure werewolf cure; I'd never heard of it, but I really love it.

[crisp_sobriety]

:3 Thank you!

Ah, nuts! Well, Margaret is the cursed one, Elizabeth is the vanquisher of trees. Names aside, I'm glad their characters came through well --you more or less described them perfectly in this comment.

I'm surprised more people haven't heard that bit of lore! It's made a bit of a resurgence, lately (which is how I even know about it).

[roina_arwen]

An intriguing teen paranormal story - I'd love to see this fleshed out with more description and background and taken to the next level.

[crisp_sobriety]

Same.

Thanks for reading and commenting!

[tsuki_no_bara]

i was wondering how this was going to end - was margaret going to hurt elizabeth after all, because it's her animal nature and she can't control it forever? or was her human side going to win out? i'd never heard that aside to the myth, but if you don't want your story to end in blood and tears, that's probably the way to go. i really liked it - after elizabeth's declaration of love, it made the most sense. i really liked the pov shift, too, being able to see each girl through the eyes of the other.

[crisp_sobriety]

Thank you! :3