This is something I've been planning to write since the Summer Challenge. It's basically The Magician's Nephew from the point-of-view of Uncle Andrew in the form of a journal. This is kinda rough but I've been trying for days to get myself to write something - so here it is. Comments appreciated!
A Magician’s Journal
Day 1
Success at last! All these months of tests and trials, but finally my life’s work is coming to fruition. Those hours of research; those days pouring over old manuscripts and books of magic; all the money I’ve had to sacrifice on buying and disposing of guinea pigs. But in the end it has been worth it. Tonight…this very night…my work has proved successful. I have found a way to get the magic dust into the right form, and have sent a living creature right out of this world. This is not mere transportation, or teleportation to somewhere one can reach in the real universe, but another world completely. It took me by surprise…the moment that little creature vanished completely from my sight. A lesser man would have been faint or ill; but to a magician of my ability, it was only the sheer joy of success that caused me to cry out. Oh the glory! To think that I would be the one to reach this achievement!
But why not? After all I have sacrificed; who else deserves such an honour? My old godmother Mrs Lefay? Hardly! She grew weak in her old age and wanted the box destroyed! Destroyed! Perhaps it was selfishness on her part. She knew she had not the presence of mind to find out what the dust was and how it could be used and thought were she to fail, no one else should succeed. Well she was wrong and I HAVE succeeded. Ahh, the potential gain from this discovery…the money…the fame! I can finally leave this pathetic home and my poor sisters. No longer need I rely on them or their charity. Letitia will see now that it was not in vain that she lent me money. Aah…I shall make my own way at last!
But…
The final step. I must make sure that the return journey can be achieved. I need a human subject, I must find a way to get to the boy.
The boy. It was providence itself that brought him and his mother to our house. Letitia would say that I should not rejoice in our sister’s misfortunes, but the situation is perfect. Now if only I can get him on his own. Or even better, with that little friend of his from the house next door. The pair of them would be perfect for the job. Children’s minds have not yet been corrupted and are more likely to accept the concept of magic. I can tell the boy has a craving for adventure and a foolhardiness that would make him want to show himself brave in front of his friend. And if that failed, perhaps I could coax the girl to take a ring and he would have to go after her. Now if only Letitia were not so protective. Thus far she has thwarted every attempt I have made to discuss my work with the boy – to propose the experiment in a way he could not refuse. But every time I try to speak to him, she prevents me. And she forbids him from entering my study. I must find a way to entice him here. I must formulate a plan.
I am impatient, but have come this far. It will not be long now. Letitia will let down her guard and I will be ready. Until then, let me glory in this. I have succeeded; and will soon be known as the greatest Magician this world has ever seen. Success!
Once a daughter of Eve. Now a daughter of the Second Adam.
Ooh! Very nice job Ajjie, you captured Uncle Andrew so perfectly. I'd definitely like to read more. ^.^
*shudders* What a creep. Well done! 😀
Here's the next instalment. It's Day 4 because we know Digory and Polly found the magician's office a few days after the guinea-pig disappears. We don't know for sure how much time passed between the disappearance of the children and their partial return (or whether Andrew could even see them returning) and their final return from Charn with Jadis. I am assuming that a little while passed between each event but not as much time as it seemed to the children. It breaks off at the partial return.
Day 4
It is certain now. Luck has been with me and it is clear that I will be known as the greatest Magician of all time. I was sitting in my study, pondering how I might corner the boy when out of the blue, I heard muted voices a rattle as of a latch followed by a creaking noise coming from the far side of the study where there was a small maintenance hatch. At first I suspected burglars, and was contemplating what enchantment I could use to defend myself, when suddenly one of the intruders spoke. It was the voice of a girl. It was followed shortly by the voice of a boy, a voice I knew well…None other, in fact, than the voice of my nephew. What brought them into my office I still cannot say, though it seemed they were not expecting to find me here. I acted quickly; not wanting to miss the opportunity chance had granted me.
I stood up; knowing surprise was my best advantage. The children were certainly surprised to see me there and I knew I needed to act quickly and firmly so that they would not for one moment hesitate to cooperate with the experiment. I thought it best not to say at once what I planned, and in that my wisdom was rewarded. I also made sure to lock the study door before anything else, lest either child attempt to bolt. Even then, I had to keep my wits about me, as the young girl very quickly insisted that she need to leave at once for dinner. To be sure, this was a lie; I doubt her parents would even have missed her, but it put an idea into my mind. I allowed them to beg. They even promised to return immediately after the meal. Huh! Did they think to insult my intelligence? I remained calm, however, and stuck with the plan. I pretended to give in and allowed that the girl could return home. I also made use of my fine-tuned gift of persuasion. I softened the girl by suggesting that children like them would find no entertainment in the company of an old man like me and hinted how lonely I become sitting all day in my office. The life of the wise is indeed one of loneliness.
And then I baited her. Pretending to let her leave, I offered her one of the rings as a parting gift. Thankfully, the young girl had not been spoiled by her parents and told not to accept gifts from strangers. Though I think the allure of the rings itself would have convinced her to accept the offer regardless. And I may have used a simple magic trick of the will to convince her that I only wished her well. The will of man, and especially of a child, is so easy to bend to your own when you know how; and the right words said in the right manner have much effect. There little chance she would refuse.
I made sure she selected a yellow, and at last my wait was rewarded. There was a tense moment when she remarked that the she could hear the rings humming and the boy began to suspect, even shouting out to her to stop. But it was too late; she had simply to touch the ring, and vanished completely from my office.
The most dangerous moment was when the boy shouted out, but I shut him up quickly by reminding him of his mother’s illness. I proceeded to explain to the boy the great project on which I had been working. It was too great for him to fully appreciate the significance, and he kept harping on about how I had put the girl at risk. How dare he speak to me of risks! The things I have sacrificed to get this far! But I played on his sense of chivalry to convince him that it was up to him to rescue the girl. I knew he would agree and with a little coaxing, I succeeded. He agreed to take the green rings to rescue the girl.
That was but minutes ago. Now I wait for their return. Hopefully it will be soon.
Wait…what’s that…I see something now…
They are returning… They are still faint but becoming clearer as though into focus… No!… Wait! They are vanishing again. Something is wrong! The green rings are not strong enough to draw them back into this world. What is happening?...
Once a daughter of Eve. Now a daughter of the Second Adam.
Ajjie, I've decided. You're good at writing creeps. 😀
*nods in agreement with Ariel!*
that's very... Uncle Andrewish, Ajjie. He's very... evil and cunning and sneaky and... scary. 😛 nicely written.
Ajjie, I've decided. You're good at writing creeps. 😀
Thank you...I think? Wait is that a good thing? Also are there any other creeps I've written that you're thinking of or was that a generalisation.
Hmm...I'm trying to decide how to proceed from here. Uncle Andrew pretty much can't write anything more down until after the rest of the events of the book are over. I figured that would be okay, and he'd just write them in retrospect. But would he be honest? I mean I'm kinda wanting to capture his thoughts at the time, his first reaction to seeing Jadis and the Wood between the Worlds and the "talking" (i.e. growling) animals and Aslan. But would he still admit that he thought Jadis was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen after everything that happened later? I was hoping to cover some of what happened during that chaotic trip around London but would he genuinely confess how out-of-control he was during that ride? Would he even want to relive anything that had happened by writing it down?
Thoughts?
Once a daughter of Eve. Now a daughter of the Second Adam.
Well I personally think it would be good to have him write in retrospect. He is Uncle Andrew and so we can automatically assume that he is an unreliable narrator, so anything he says he did may not be taken as seriously as a story with a reliable narrator. (I know this is a series of journal entries, but I think one can still be unreliable when writing down in a journal.) He may confess a few things if they have been growing on his mind, but because he is who he is it would be hard for him to really show how he felt because of his arrogance. (He still kept that as can be seen in the last few pages of MN.) Just my thoughts. 🙂
A generalization. 🙂 And yes, it's a good thing because you want us to loathe him. 😀
I think that, for example, he might still be sore over having to pawn his watch in order to pay for lunch, but he'd still proclaim her a "dem fine woman". He might mention that her magnificence stole the breath right out of him and (at least initially, as he might put it) struck him as such a wondrous creature that he could neither speak nor stand straight (or something). And, while his journal entry would say this and (at least in part) truthfully so, we'd all understand the real meaning.
