Hey, Readerland! Back again with Day 20. Including today, 11 more days to go.
Got through my edits and rewrites today. Going to have my lovely assistant read through it tonight or tomorrow and then post it for the group again. I might actually get this out before the week's over. How cool would that be?
Anyway, time to get started on tonight's exercise, which is:
14. Capture the moment of redemption for a truly terrible villain. Why and how does it come?
Yeah, I remember this one. Last time I wrote about a murderer. I have no idea what I'm going to come up with this time.
Jack the Ripper stepped out of the cool English night and into a liitle nook of a church not many people knew about. His shoes were muddy and his waistcoat covered in blood. There was no one in the church, so he knelt down in front of the small alter and prayed.
"Lord, please guide me." He said. "I have slain another, but there are still so many."
"Hello, Albert." A voice said.
Albert looked up and found a man sitting on one of the two pews. The man had a kind face and he was dressed well, with his long hair pulled back into a ponytail.
"Who are you?" Jack asked.
"Come now, Albert." The man said. "Surely, in my house, you know who I am."
"J-Jesus?" Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, known colloquially as Jack the Ripper, asked. "It can't be."
"Why not?" Jesus asked. "Did you not ask my father for help? I have come to help you, Albert."
"Yes? Please, help me Lord Jesus!" Albert cried. "I have tried and tried to make London a better place for families by destroying those elements that infest it. I have started with the prostitutes and soon I will move on to the thugs and retches that inhabit the gutters of this great city!"
Jesus' eyes went wide. "Albert, no. You are doing the exact opposite! The killings you have perpetrated have caused a panic in the city! There is more violence and corruption now that you have killed the harlots! Don't you see, Albert? You are becoming that which you seek to destroy."
"No!" Albert stood and paced to the door, but did not leave. "I am making this city safer! These people, this refuse that lives in the slums, the understand nothing but violence and death! I have visited that upon them and I remain free! Soon they shall learn that violence begets violence and more of them will die!"
"How many, Albert?" Jesus asked. "How many of them will die before enough have perished to prove your point?"
"As many as needs be!" Albert yelled. "As many as it takes."
"Albert, you are going about this the wrong way." Jesus said. "You are in a position of influence. Use that influence to make changes in society, not your knife! Your father has made changes and so can you!"
"But how?" Albert asked. "These people care nothing for the law! I have been killing prostitutes!"
"And killing is a sin against God, Albert." Jesus said softly. "You have sinned now seven times yet you do not seek forgiveness."
"Forgiveness is not for me." Albert said. "Forgiveness is for those who have done wrong and need to redeem themselves! I have not done wrong! I have done right for all of London! For all of England!"
Jesus stood and faced Albert. "Take my hand, Albert. There is nothing to be afraid of. I just wish to show you what awaits you if you continue down this path."
Albert stood still for a moment and then took the man's hand.
Albert's mind was filled with images of more and more death, each murder causing more and more disruption in London. Buildings were destroyed and even the military had trouble maintaining order. The images finally showed Albert his discovery over the body of a seventeenth prostitute. He was surrounded by police officers.
Albert watched as the visions showed him that his father, Edward VII, disowned him and threw him to the court. He was found guilty and hung the next morning.
From there, Albert saw himself in Hell, a lake of frozen fire burning him continuously. He could hear his own screaming and knew without doubt that it would last forever.
"Nothing I'm doing will make things better." Albert said breathlessly as the visions cleared.
"No." Jesus said.
"What must I do?" Albert asked, grabbed the front of Jesus' suit.
"Lay down your knife." Jesus said. "Kneel here and pray to my Father for forgiveness. He will show you the way, Albert."
"Thank you, Lord." Albert said, falling to his knees, the bloody knife clanging on the floor. "I will. I will pray for forgiveness and guidance. Thank you, Lord Jesus!"
Albert looked around and saw that he was all alone. He turned back to the altar and bowed his head.
Okay, so I went with a literal redemption, I guess. It worked out.
So, what's on tap for tomorrow, you ask? The answer is:
12. Transcribe an interview with a mythic figure -- the Devil, an archangel, Hephaestus, your
deceased parent, the Burger King, whoever tickles your pineal gland.
Ooo. That could be fun. I'll have to figure out who to interview first.
Anyway, that's going to do it for today. Thank you all for joining me and I will see you tomorrow. Until then, take care and be awesome to each other.
#WWWYKI
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