Let It Be, Part 1 [Rewrite] (The Cassandra Project)
I am stuck, most severely, on this rewrite. I really want to bribe the Muses. Maybe if I toss someone to Calliope, she'll throw me a bone. After all it worked for Cassie.
This is what I have so far, whenever I can get my mojo back I'll finish it.
Cassie looked through the window without looking. Her feet were curled under her and arms were folded tight aganist her body, almost like she was expecting an attack.
Joshua pretended not to notice how she winced when he touched her leg lightly. “Hey, while they're inside, what's going on?”
“Beats me.” She never turned her head. “Ask Halley.”
“All she wants is an apology-”
Her voice went cold. “For what? She doesn't own him and they're not married! He can-”
The car door opened.
“-and I really don't think they sound like the Beatles!” Cassie finished with empahsis.
“They do!” Joshua protested. “Even dressed like them, come ON!”
“Children, children.” Marty chuckled and passed bottles of water to them from the driver's seat. “Don't make me turn this car around.”
“Please no!” Halley's smile seemed a bit tight around her eyes. “Especially since it's five minutes down the road!”
The men laughed. Cassie resumed her silence.
Halley rattled the printed directions in her hand. “This says look for the mailbox with a stuffed monkey hanging from it.”
Marty nodded as he moved the car back onto the road. “Everyone's made it. I got a general idea where they're camping.”
After a few minutes of dull, rural road Marty found a mailbox with a stuffed monkey sitting on top. He turned down a dirt road composed of bumps and dips to enter a forested area. He parked and they piled out to make their way to the weathered booth occupied by a pair of smiling women.
Cassie let them go without comment, her attention turning to the green hills sourrounded by the woods. Laughter, shouted conversation and the occasional ring of a hammer drifted up to her. She shivered despite the pullover.
Joshua came up behind her. “Hey. You okay?”
“Sure, sure.” She frowned at the peace below them. “Something's going on. I feel it.”
He rolled his eyes. “Ya know, if I didn't know you I'd say you were being pessimistic.”
She forced a smile and let him lead her back to the car.
Joshua stepped back to admire his handiwork. “This look right?”
Cassie looked up from coaxing flames from the wet wood. “It's a pop up tent, not the Taj Mahal. It's lovely, gorgeous.” She dropped her head back to the wood.
He stuck out his tongue. “Like you can do better!”
Wordlessly she pointed at the olive drab pup tent set between two trees a few steps from his bright blue nylon dome. He grinned. “Okay, okay. But did we have to camp away from the group?”
“I didn't want to wake up to Halley's attempts at showing me how okay she is with something that means more to her than the parties involved.” Cassie gently blew on the flames. “I did them a favor, actually.”
“Whatever, you old fraud.”
They stopped as a dreadlocked woman entered their camp, carrying a pot of coffee in one hand and a cup. “Welcome.”
“You're not, Eris.” Cassie set a few small logs on the fire. “Get lost.”
“Oh, come on, Cassandra!” Eris sat on the ground next to her. “You won't even introduce me to the boy! And Athena spoke so highly of him!”
Cassie glared at her. “Joshua, Eris. Eris, Joshua. My dear boy, never trust a goddess bearing coffee. Especially this one.”
Eris put down the pot and raised her hands, palm up. “I come in peace. I saw you come up but for some reason no one else did-”
“No one else?” Joshua asked, sitting across the fire from the goddess. “Who else is here?”
Eris grinned at him. “Oh, you think you know what's going on, do you? You and this creature carry only a spark of truth and assume you hold a lamp. Go fetch some cups for yourself and Princess Cassandra, child.”
Joshua swallowed, caught Cassie's slight nod and went to his tent.
“The Conclave is meeting here.” Eris rolled her cup between her hands. She looked away. “I don't know why the others can't see you. I don't care but I do owe you one.” She paused. “Whatever you've done, keep it up. I won't say a word.”
Joshua returned with two cups. Eris smiled her thanks and took them, filled each then handed them out as if she was hosting a tea party.
“What's your game, Coyote?” Cassie took the cup but didn't drink.
“Nice. Such the conversationalist, sweetheart. No wonder Apollo wanted your mortal ass.” Eris winked.
“Whatever, Trickster. I'm not helping you.”
“I'm wounded!” Eris pouted. “Did you really think I'd want to cause trouble? Honestly, I'm offended!”
“Tell someone who actually believes you, Loki.” Cassie poked the growing fire. “Doesn't matter, won't work anyways.”
“Crackhead. I'm a goddess, you can't lie to me!” Eris poured herself another cup.
“You keep thinking that.” She set aside her cup to frown at the goddess. “What are you plotting?”
Eris shrugged. “Thinking of putting holes in Hera's tent. Maybe giving the Golden Girl's vessel herpes.”
“Lame, lame and lame.” Cassie added a log. “Discordians everywhere will weep at their Lady's lack of creativity. Damn, you suck.” She smiles brightly. “Nice visiting with you. Get thee hence. Find a muse not a seer.”
“Love you too, sugar.” Eris stood up and kissed Cassie on the top of the head. “Be seeing you.”
Cassie sat on her heels and stared into the fire until Eris had gone. “The Conclave's meeting here.”
“Here!?” Joshua leapt to his feet. “But weren't you warned-”
She grabbed his leg and tugged him to the ground. “It doesn't matter. We're here, a part of events. Eris tells me they can't see me.”
He sat down slowly. “What do we do?”
Cassie's face broke into a grin. “We find a Muse.”
The Vendor's Row was a series of tents selling everything from clothes and books to soap and food. Cassie made her way to a plain tent with a display of equally plain drums. She was greeted by an older woman. “Hello, can I help you?”
“Sure can, Calliope.” Cassie smiled. “I need some inspiration,” she said in ancient Greek.
The woman narrowed her eyes. “Who are you?”
“Cassandra.”
Calliope frowned. “Why can't I see you, Daughter of Priam? And what would you do with such a gift?” She held up a hand. “Never mind. I see what your intention is and I will not be a part of it!”
“C'mon, please?” Cassie begged. “All you have to do is-”
“No!” Calliope's pale eyes settled on Joshua poking among the displays. Her face softened. “Maybe we can make a deal...”
“Done!” Cassie rubbed her hands together. “Here's the plan...”
Halley linked her arm through Joshua's as they walked toward a well-lit campsite. “I heard they're playing the cloven fruit game.”
“The what-who?” He frowned.
“You'll see.” She giggled.
They were warmly greeted, offered chairs and food. Joshua handed a bottle of wine to the smiling blonde woman who was acting as hostess. “I'm Mia, welcome.”
“Joshua. Thanks for having us.”
When they had found chairs, Mia held up an orange studded with whole cloves. Conversations faded as everyone turned their attention to her. “Here's the rules, people...” She laughed at the muttering. “We have new players! We have to go over this!” She waited for the grumblings to pass before starting again. “If you are handed the fruit, you have two choices: take it out with your teeth for a kiss or with your hands for a hug or a handshake. Then, you hand the fruit off to someone else. Since I'm holding it...” She looked around the circle then handed the fruit to Joshua.
He accepted the fruit with a smile and took a clove out with his teeth.
Cassie sat alone at the drum circle. She watched the dancers move around the bonfire, trying to ignore the drummers' lack of a consistant beat. Two young women, barely old enough to drink, went around the fire with a rather sizeable bottle of wine. A party seemed to erupt wherever they passed and the circle became more rowdy with every passing moment.
One of the dancers stopped and as if in a trance, walked over to one of the drummers. Without a word, she kissed him roughly, grabbed his arm and hauled him off into the darkness.
Calliope, seated next to the now-missing drummer, winked at Cassie and continued to play badly.
“HOW COULD YOU!?”
The shriek knocked Cassie out of a sound sleep. She tried to cover her head with her pillow and tried to go back to sleep but Joshua crawled in beside her.
“What do you want?” she yawned. “Go away! I've a hard enough time trying to sleep with that racket going on-”
“Shush!” He yanked her pillow away and tucked it under his own head. “Listen!”
“How could I do what?” a male voice said.
“You KNOW!” said a very teary female.
“Marty and Halley,” Joshua whispered.
“Joy.” Cassie rolled over and covered her head.
He poked her. “Just pay attention, will you?”
“I don't belong to you!” He growled. “You've made it clear you don't want to have anything to do with me! We're just friends, remember?”
“Maybe... maybe I was wrong...” Halley started crying. “I love you!”
“Oh, dear LORD, who writes this stuff?” Cassie yanked back her pillow. “Trite, utter trite. This is worse than a soap opera.”
“What's wrong with you?” Joshua tried to steal it back.
She didn't respond right away. Cassie sat up and stared at her hands. “Sometimes you can't change fate. Sometimes the bastards win.” She let go of the pillow and crawled out of the tent.
Joshua followed her, rubbing his face and yawning. “Where'd they go?”
She pointed to a nearby tent. “Didn't you know such verbal trash ends in nudity? We have more serious things to deal with.”
“Like the lack of coffee.” He tried to hide his yawn.
“Not a bad idea. C'mon, let's grab some liquid sunshine.”
Cassie bullied him into putting on shoes and practically dragged him down the hill to the coffee shop tent. The remenants of the drum circle had gathered there to share a cup of something hot before stumbling to their beds. Some recognized Cassie and smiled a greeting. She managed a frozen smile in return.
Joshua settled on a bench near a cluster centered on a woman in a sarong. “It was amazing!” she gushed. “I mean, really! I channeled Aphrodite! He even called me by that name and said he had never been with a more beautiful woman!”
Cassie arrived in time to elbow him in the ribs so he would stop staring and handed him a cup. “It's not very good but it's hot.” She tried not to grin. “What?”
“They... that woman...” he whispered. “She said she channeled Aphrodite! But SHE'S here so how-?”
Cassie sipped the coffee to hide her smile. “Calli can't meddle with the gods but she can influence man. How was the fruit game?”
He sniffed his cup. “Boring, really. I've come to the conclusion it's more for people who had trouble talking to the opposite sex.”
“You lack imagination.” Cassie rolled her eyes. “I should've given you pointers.”
He watched the last few drummers and dancers move away. “What is the point of this again? Why come out here into the woods?”
“You told me it was to reconnect, remember?” She climbed on the table. “Get back to your roots and stuff.”
“When did it become a party?” He tried to sip his coffee. “Ugh! Do they wash their socks in it?”
“I saw a pair of panties in the pot. I think it's to give it body.” She shoved him with her foot. “How did we switch moods? You were happy until we came out the tent.”
He sighed and forced a smile. “Alright, troublemaker. Let's go see the fruits of our labors.”
She toasted him. “THAT'S the spirit! I bet Eris is fit to be tied.” She cackled. “Lets go watch!”
EDIT: I added another page.
This is what I have so far, whenever I can get my mojo back I'll finish it.
Cassie looked through the window without looking. Her feet were curled under her and arms were folded tight aganist her body, almost like she was expecting an attack.
Joshua pretended not to notice how she winced when he touched her leg lightly. “Hey, while they're inside, what's going on?”
“Beats me.” She never turned her head. “Ask Halley.”
“All she wants is an apology-”
Her voice went cold. “For what? She doesn't own him and they're not married! He can-”
The car door opened.
“-and I really don't think they sound like the Beatles!” Cassie finished with empahsis.
“They do!” Joshua protested. “Even dressed like them, come ON!”
“Children, children.” Marty chuckled and passed bottles of water to them from the driver's seat. “Don't make me turn this car around.”
“Please no!” Halley's smile seemed a bit tight around her eyes. “Especially since it's five minutes down the road!”
The men laughed. Cassie resumed her silence.
Halley rattled the printed directions in her hand. “This says look for the mailbox with a stuffed monkey hanging from it.”
Marty nodded as he moved the car back onto the road. “Everyone's made it. I got a general idea where they're camping.”
After a few minutes of dull, rural road Marty found a mailbox with a stuffed monkey sitting on top. He turned down a dirt road composed of bumps and dips to enter a forested area. He parked and they piled out to make their way to the weathered booth occupied by a pair of smiling women.
Cassie let them go without comment, her attention turning to the green hills sourrounded by the woods. Laughter, shouted conversation and the occasional ring of a hammer drifted up to her. She shivered despite the pullover.
Joshua came up behind her. “Hey. You okay?”
“Sure, sure.” She frowned at the peace below them. “Something's going on. I feel it.”
He rolled his eyes. “Ya know, if I didn't know you I'd say you were being pessimistic.”
She forced a smile and let him lead her back to the car.
Joshua stepped back to admire his handiwork. “This look right?”
Cassie looked up from coaxing flames from the wet wood. “It's a pop up tent, not the Taj Mahal. It's lovely, gorgeous.” She dropped her head back to the wood.
He stuck out his tongue. “Like you can do better!”
Wordlessly she pointed at the olive drab pup tent set between two trees a few steps from his bright blue nylon dome. He grinned. “Okay, okay. But did we have to camp away from the group?”
“I didn't want to wake up to Halley's attempts at showing me how okay she is with something that means more to her than the parties involved.” Cassie gently blew on the flames. “I did them a favor, actually.”
“Whatever, you old fraud.”
They stopped as a dreadlocked woman entered their camp, carrying a pot of coffee in one hand and a cup. “Welcome.”
“You're not, Eris.” Cassie set a few small logs on the fire. “Get lost.”
“Oh, come on, Cassandra!” Eris sat on the ground next to her. “You won't even introduce me to the boy! And Athena spoke so highly of him!”
Cassie glared at her. “Joshua, Eris. Eris, Joshua. My dear boy, never trust a goddess bearing coffee. Especially this one.”
Eris put down the pot and raised her hands, palm up. “I come in peace. I saw you come up but for some reason no one else did-”
“No one else?” Joshua asked, sitting across the fire from the goddess. “Who else is here?”
Eris grinned at him. “Oh, you think you know what's going on, do you? You and this creature carry only a spark of truth and assume you hold a lamp. Go fetch some cups for yourself and Princess Cassandra, child.”
Joshua swallowed, caught Cassie's slight nod and went to his tent.
“The Conclave is meeting here.” Eris rolled her cup between her hands. She looked away. “I don't know why the others can't see you. I don't care but I do owe you one.” She paused. “Whatever you've done, keep it up. I won't say a word.”
Joshua returned with two cups. Eris smiled her thanks and took them, filled each then handed them out as if she was hosting a tea party.
“What's your game, Coyote?” Cassie took the cup but didn't drink.
“Nice. Such the conversationalist, sweetheart. No wonder Apollo wanted your mortal ass.” Eris winked.
“Whatever, Trickster. I'm not helping you.”
“I'm wounded!” Eris pouted. “Did you really think I'd want to cause trouble? Honestly, I'm offended!”
“Tell someone who actually believes you, Loki.” Cassie poked the growing fire. “Doesn't matter, won't work anyways.”
“Crackhead. I'm a goddess, you can't lie to me!” Eris poured herself another cup.
“You keep thinking that.” She set aside her cup to frown at the goddess. “What are you plotting?”
Eris shrugged. “Thinking of putting holes in Hera's tent. Maybe giving the Golden Girl's vessel herpes.”
“Lame, lame and lame.” Cassie added a log. “Discordians everywhere will weep at their Lady's lack of creativity. Damn, you suck.” She smiles brightly. “Nice visiting with you. Get thee hence. Find a muse not a seer.”
“Love you too, sugar.” Eris stood up and kissed Cassie on the top of the head. “Be seeing you.”
Cassie sat on her heels and stared into the fire until Eris had gone. “The Conclave's meeting here.”
“Here!?” Joshua leapt to his feet. “But weren't you warned-”
She grabbed his leg and tugged him to the ground. “It doesn't matter. We're here, a part of events. Eris tells me they can't see me.”
He sat down slowly. “What do we do?”
Cassie's face broke into a grin. “We find a Muse.”
The Vendor's Row was a series of tents selling everything from clothes and books to soap and food. Cassie made her way to a plain tent with a display of equally plain drums. She was greeted by an older woman. “Hello, can I help you?”
“Sure can, Calliope.” Cassie smiled. “I need some inspiration,” she said in ancient Greek.
The woman narrowed her eyes. “Who are you?”
“Cassandra.”
Calliope frowned. “Why can't I see you, Daughter of Priam? And what would you do with such a gift?” She held up a hand. “Never mind. I see what your intention is and I will not be a part of it!”
“C'mon, please?” Cassie begged. “All you have to do is-”
“No!” Calliope's pale eyes settled on Joshua poking among the displays. Her face softened. “Maybe we can make a deal...”
“Done!” Cassie rubbed her hands together. “Here's the plan...”
Halley linked her arm through Joshua's as they walked toward a well-lit campsite. “I heard they're playing the cloven fruit game.”
“The what-who?” He frowned.
“You'll see.” She giggled.
They were warmly greeted, offered chairs and food. Joshua handed a bottle of wine to the smiling blonde woman who was acting as hostess. “I'm Mia, welcome.”
“Joshua. Thanks for having us.”
When they had found chairs, Mia held up an orange studded with whole cloves. Conversations faded as everyone turned their attention to her. “Here's the rules, people...” She laughed at the muttering. “We have new players! We have to go over this!” She waited for the grumblings to pass before starting again. “If you are handed the fruit, you have two choices: take it out with your teeth for a kiss or with your hands for a hug or a handshake. Then, you hand the fruit off to someone else. Since I'm holding it...” She looked around the circle then handed the fruit to Joshua.
He accepted the fruit with a smile and took a clove out with his teeth.
Cassie sat alone at the drum circle. She watched the dancers move around the bonfire, trying to ignore the drummers' lack of a consistant beat. Two young women, barely old enough to drink, went around the fire with a rather sizeable bottle of wine. A party seemed to erupt wherever they passed and the circle became more rowdy with every passing moment.
One of the dancers stopped and as if in a trance, walked over to one of the drummers. Without a word, she kissed him roughly, grabbed his arm and hauled him off into the darkness.
Calliope, seated next to the now-missing drummer, winked at Cassie and continued to play badly.
“HOW COULD YOU!?”
The shriek knocked Cassie out of a sound sleep. She tried to cover her head with her pillow and tried to go back to sleep but Joshua crawled in beside her.
“What do you want?” she yawned. “Go away! I've a hard enough time trying to sleep with that racket going on-”
“Shush!” He yanked her pillow away and tucked it under his own head. “Listen!”
“How could I do what?” a male voice said.
“You KNOW!” said a very teary female.
“Marty and Halley,” Joshua whispered.
“Joy.” Cassie rolled over and covered her head.
He poked her. “Just pay attention, will you?”
“I don't belong to you!” He growled. “You've made it clear you don't want to have anything to do with me! We're just friends, remember?”
“Maybe... maybe I was wrong...” Halley started crying. “I love you!”
“Oh, dear LORD, who writes this stuff?” Cassie yanked back her pillow. “Trite, utter trite. This is worse than a soap opera.”
“What's wrong with you?” Joshua tried to steal it back.
She didn't respond right away. Cassie sat up and stared at her hands. “Sometimes you can't change fate. Sometimes the bastards win.” She let go of the pillow and crawled out of the tent.
Joshua followed her, rubbing his face and yawning. “Where'd they go?”
She pointed to a nearby tent. “Didn't you know such verbal trash ends in nudity? We have more serious things to deal with.”
“Like the lack of coffee.” He tried to hide his yawn.
“Not a bad idea. C'mon, let's grab some liquid sunshine.”
Cassie bullied him into putting on shoes and practically dragged him down the hill to the coffee shop tent. The remenants of the drum circle had gathered there to share a cup of something hot before stumbling to their beds. Some recognized Cassie and smiled a greeting. She managed a frozen smile in return.
Joshua settled on a bench near a cluster centered on a woman in a sarong. “It was amazing!” she gushed. “I mean, really! I channeled Aphrodite! He even called me by that name and said he had never been with a more beautiful woman!”
Cassie arrived in time to elbow him in the ribs so he would stop staring and handed him a cup. “It's not very good but it's hot.” She tried not to grin. “What?”
“They... that woman...” he whispered. “She said she channeled Aphrodite! But SHE'S here so how-?”
Cassie sipped the coffee to hide her smile. “Calli can't meddle with the gods but she can influence man. How was the fruit game?”
He sniffed his cup. “Boring, really. I've come to the conclusion it's more for people who had trouble talking to the opposite sex.”
“You lack imagination.” Cassie rolled her eyes. “I should've given you pointers.”
He watched the last few drummers and dancers move away. “What is the point of this again? Why come out here into the woods?”
“You told me it was to reconnect, remember?” She climbed on the table. “Get back to your roots and stuff.”
“When did it become a party?” He tried to sip his coffee. “Ugh! Do they wash their socks in it?”
“I saw a pair of panties in the pot. I think it's to give it body.” She shoved him with her foot. “How did we switch moods? You were happy until we came out the tent.”
He sighed and forced a smile. “Alright, troublemaker. Let's go see the fruits of our labors.”
She toasted him. “THAT'S the spirit! I bet Eris is fit to be tied.” She cackled. “Lets go watch!”
EDIT: I added another page.