The fifteen minute novel writing experiment is a attempt to write a complete (and very rough) draft of a novel by writing for fifteen minutes each day. I have taken a timed writing from one of the daily prompts done in 2021, cleaned it up a little and used it as my jumping off point into a story. Each day I will take the last line of the story written the day before and use it as my sentence starter and write for fifteen minutes, growing the story as the year progresses.
Day 107: Anya nodded even though she had seen enough tools laid out on work benches to know where she could probably find most of the tools.
Anya nodded even though she had seen enough tools laid out on work benches to know where she could probably find most of the tools. She thought it best not to mention that yet.
“Well the names of the tools are mentioned so it would be nice to see the pictures of the tools so that I know what the book is talking about,” Anya said. “But even the ones that don’t have specific tools listed have mushrooms, herbs, barks, seeds and other necessary materials listed.”
“Oh,” Marta said. “Yes, we assumed they would, given the vast amount of shelf space the library has dedicated to the various plant and animal kingdoms as well as harvesting, processing and preserving. So many of them have no culinary value so magic makes the most sense of course. When the time comes we will do our best to find what is needed for your studies. If you plan on staying…”
Marta let the sentence trail.
“The thing is I was thinking of trying something small,” Anya said. “Just because I wanted…” This time Anya wasn’t entirely certain how to finish the sentence.
“Just to see if you do have magic and that this isn’t some sort of fairy story we’ve made up for some unfathomable reason?” Marta guessed shrewdly.
“Something like that,” Anya admitted. “It isn’t that I don’t believe you, I mean I did see the images in the basin. But magic isn’t real where I come from and while I am willing to admit that you might have it…”
“It doesn’t really seem possible that you have it,” Marta finished. “Despite being able to open rooms the rest of us can’t see?”
Anya frowned. “That’s just…I fell into one of the rooms by accident. I didn’t see it at first I just tripped on the stairs leaving the platform that night you showed me Lord Mathis and the past and I fell through the wall. After that I saw things.”
“So you think that you seeing the hidden rooms has something to do with you entering the room first and not because you have magic of your own.”
“It seems like accident,” Anya said. She knew she was being slightly stubborn, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. “If I do something that is magic on purpose, then it will feel real.”
Anya felt heat creep to her cheeks at the admission, but she didn’t take it back.
Marta stared at her for a moment and then nodded slowly. “I can see how that might convince you it is real and help you decide whether to stay once Lord Mathis stops searching for you. “
Marta stared off. “Yes, I could see that. We might have an issue replicating some of the tools, but of you found something that only required ingredients and whatever incantations and other input the book suggests rather than the specific sorcerer’s tools, we should be able to help you make a test of it. Is that what will convince you?” Marta asked. “Is that what has been holding you back?”
“You can’t tell?” Anya asked.
Marta shook her head. “No,” she admitted. “During the season I have more insight and can see more, but only when someone has reached a conclusion or needs something to reach a conclusion. It was harder to tell with you, your mind sort of…pushed aside my efforts to help.”
“But I heard,” Anya began.
“I was able to add questions,” Marta said. “Suggestions were simply knocked aside by something in you.” She shook her head. “Your mind was different from any other I’ve ever connected with, or attempted to connect with as the case may be.”
Ten til Midnight 