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FridayFiction-ToiBoxEdition

Friday Fiction: ToiBox Edition No. 001 #fridayreads (family, library, stone, push)

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Time for something new. Anyone who’d like to join in is welcome, but if you’d simply like to read it, that’s cool with me. Hopefully readers and other writers will enjoy this and even leave me a comment or two.

So here’s Friday Fiction #001 Prompt #2449113142

Topic/Theme: family | Location/Setting: library

Character(s): na | Object(s): stone | Action: push | Random Additive: na

The Story Stone

On a warm day in the distant future a boy cries out.

“Ahh! I’m tired of this crap!”

“Sim, stop whining. We haven’t even been at it that long.”

“May, we’ve been pushing the shelves around for hours. I mean seriously, nobody cares. Why can’t we just stack’m along the walls and start loading them up?”

“You’re joking right? Don’t let Dad hear you talking like that or we’ll both get a lecture.”

“Did someone say lecture? Is it bad that I know that means you guys are talking about me?”

“No Dad, it just means you’re honest with yourself; too bad Sim didn’t get that trait. Have the books arrived yet?”

“Just now; that’s why I’m here to relieve Sim.”

“Oh thank that crazy god in heaven you’re always talking about.”

“Don’t get too excited son. I’m only relieving you so you can help unload the crates of books. May, you think you can handle this on your own for a while?”

“Sure Dad; the dolly is in good condition and everything’s laid out perfectly in your floor plan. I’m good.”

“Come on Simon, don’t look so glum.”

“Aw Dad, you know I hate it when you talk all old and outdated.”

“Well son, that’s why I keep doing it. It builds character and you’ll thank me later.”

“Yeah, that’s what Mom used to say…Wait, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-“

“It’s okay son. You’re allowed to remember your mother. We all are.”

“Dad?”

“Yes May.”

“Do you think she really wanted all this? I mean, what if we got it all wrong and are somehow disgracing her memory instead of fulfilling her dream?”

“Oh honey, I know it’s hard not having any certainty, but I know your mother wanted this library. It was her dream for years, to have a place where people could come to read free stories and escape reality.”

“But Dad, no one else wants this place. No one’s going to come here.”

“Sim, you’d be surprised how many people are just waiting for a chance to hold a real paper book in their hands again. They are secretly excited, watching us behind closed doors, just waiting to read stories of make-believe long forgotten. Besides, we have the stone. It has to go somewhere.”

“Oh my, the stone. Seriously Dad, how are we supposed to get that in here? You, me, and Sim together can’t move that thing. You sure it shouldn’t go to a museum?”

“Don’t worry about the stone. Let’s finish the library and let the stone worry about itself.”

On a cold day in the very distant future a woman exhales.

“I can’t believe we actually made it here. We’re standing only a few meters away from the Story Stone.”

“I told you I’d pull through. After ten years of putting up with me, you deserve the best anniversary vacation possible. Plus you’re always going on about those stories and old books.”

“Thank you Charles, it’s wonderful. Aren’t you excited? I mean look at this place.”

“Yes, Susy, it is quite remarkable. Where do you think they found all these books? And what’s up with this stone? Why is there a line just to see this stone?”

“Oh Charles, you never listen when I talk, do you?”

“Honestly Susy I try, but you’re always talking about books. No body reads books anymore, not even the digital kind.”

“Well, thanks for enlightening me. In case you care to know at some point, the stone is a bit of legend.”

“What kind of legend?”

“The magic kind. Apparently this library was started by a woman who wrote some kind of grant about the value of books, but she died before the library was ever built. The story goes that the woman was studying some old ruins and was killed by the stone. The ground shook, the stone rolled, and she was caught in this path, but she didn’t die instantly. It’s said that while she lay under the stone, waiting for someone to find her while slowly suffocating, she noticed the words on the stone.”

“The stone has words on it?”

“Yes, now you’re interested aren’t you? It turns out that the stone had a story carved into it in a language that’s long been extinct. However, since the woman was some kind of scholar, she could make out most of the words. She wrote down as many as she could before died.”

“Well, then what?”

“Well, then her body was found and sent home to her family. It was her husband who found the notes written on paper in her pocket. No one really knew what to make of that paper since no one actually writes on it anyone, so it was collected and included in her personal effects when she was shipped off. Aside from writing as much of the story as she could on the paper, she also wrote a note to her husband. She told him to find the stone and bring to a place where people could escape reality.”

“And so he brought it here and built this library. That’s kind of sweet actually. The only thing I wonder about though, is how they got it in here. It’s so big; they must have built this place around it.”

“Well Charles, my darling, that’s the real kicker. No one knows how it got inside. There’s no record of a crew or any special equipment being used to move the stone inside, but there are plenty of records showing that the building was completed before the stone was placed here.”

“That’s just silly and a little creepy. See Susy, that’s why people don’t read anymore. It creates silliness like this…Oh well, looks like were next in line to see your precious Story Stone.”

“Yes we are and I’m so grateful.”

969 words

Friday April 3, 2015 – Prompt #055372151
Topic/Theme: hate | Location/Setting: station
Character(s): humanoid alien | Object(s): na | Action: guide | Random Additive: na

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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Books

Review: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

I give this book a 4.

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This is a story that most people are familiar with but few have actually read. Being one of those people for so long, I decided to rectify that. I’ve been in a phase of going back and reading many classical and pivotal works of literature, and like so many others, this story did not fail to live up to its reputation.

The first thing one notices upon reading this story is the use of language and the specific style in which the story is written. Stories just aren’t written like this anymore, and though it was an adjustment, I felt somehow draw to this unique quality. This classical style of writing gives this story an edge and a sense of mystery that would otherwise come off as boring or over exaggerated.

The true value of this story comes from the introduction of the duality of man, in which this particular character of Jekyll/Hyde represents. The duality of man wasn’t a new idea at the time this story was written, but this story captures a sense of humanity that is still assessable and applicable today. While instances that truly test the human psyche typically stem from some sort of trauma or moral or metaphysical dilemma, Dr. Jekyll explores the inner reaches of his soul simply because he can, and then there are consequences.

Many times people look at Edward Hyde as a villain, but he was only what Jekyll refused to be and was only able to exist because of Jekyll. After reading this story and understanding it to the best of my ability, I don’t see either of these personas as good or bad, but simply products of necessity.

Would Dr. Jekyll bothered to have sought the personification of this less socially acceptable counterpart had society not been so restrictive and “polite” at the time? Would Hyde have been so wicked if the perception of wickedness had not been so profound, or if his counterpart had been allowed the freedom to experience “wicked” things without the necessity of a transformation?

This story is in many ways a jab at society and the big picture that it paints in the minds of its citizens. Does everything have to boil down to a question of right and wrong, or is there an acceptable gray area of existence for humanity to dwell  within, and still live in harmony? I could go on and on, but I won’t. I’ll leave that to all the profoundly smart thinkers out there who believe they have all the answers.

For now, I just know that I enjoyed this story. Reading the account of these characters through a series of letters was strange and enlightening all at once. It allows the reader a chance to experiences different points of view, but can also have the effect of being indecisive and confusing. However, in this story, the confusion is a good thing. If you read this story with a full and complete understanding of every thought and emotion expressed, then you are truly an evolved person and should go ahead and ascend into the heavens. I kid, but seriously, this is not a clear case to understand: mentally, physically, or spiritually. If anything, this story excels at leaving the reader with questions of why, how, and what about me?

I’d recommend this story to anyone who appreciates classical literature, sci-fi, and thought-provoking stories that question the nature of humanity.

This review has been posted to GoodReads. If you’d like to obtain a copy of this book, try this link.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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IWSG

#IWSG March 2015: Interviews & Anticipation #bloggerswanted

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Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click the image to learn more or sign up.

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I don’t know how encouraging this will be to anyone who happens to be reading it, but I’d like to have a conversation with you. Really, whoever you are, I want to get to know you. It seems that no matter how hard I try I just can’t seem to really connect to those around me and in the blogosphere it’s even harder. I’m not sure if people, or other authors, think I have something up my sleeve, but no one seems to believe me when I say I want to get to know them.

I’m not going to lie and pretend that I’m the perfect pen pal or virtual friend you’re ever going to find, but I do like connecting with people, even if I’m not that good at staying connected. Being an introvert is only a small part of it. What can I say, I have issues, but that doesn’t make me a bad person. I want to get know people, especially other bloggers so I can learn from them, but my problem may be that I don’t have much to offer in return.

While I love to interview people, they may not want to be bothered with the whole process knowing that my post isn’t likely going to garner them a 1000 new followers or fans. I’m small time, but I like it here at The ToiBox of Words and think others would too if they simply gave it a chance.

I’ve pretty much given up on the idea of video interviewing authors and bloggers. I guess I missed the memo that said talking in front of a web cam was a mortal sin. What kind of introvert am I anyway? Why would an introvert have a You Tube channel? I guess deep down, I know it doesn’t bother me because my following is so small and filled with people, to which, I feel pretty confident in calling friends.

In any case, I’m making efforts to reach out and interview some new authors and even some book bloggers just because I’d like to get to know them. We’ll see if any of them say yes.

On a completely different note, I’m trying to walk by faith and believe that I’ll be able to release my sequel, Eternal Curse: Battleground by May of this year, but I feel like I’m battling a giant in the process. We’ll see what happens.

Would any of you like to be interviewed?
Why are people so camera-shy?
Are you working on a book or other release? I’d love to hear about it.

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After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s co-hosts:
Chemist Ken,
Suzanne Sapseed,
Shannon Lawrence!

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Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share more inspiration and support. (This month, I’m #121).

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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