If you've been reading my blog, you probably remember meeting dear Elroy Plemmons back in November of 2013, when I first decided to make my characters write journal entries. Yes, he is still oh-so-cocky and the daredevil he's always been, but, when I started the sequel to Pro Deo et Patria, he took an unexpected turn: He became more like his brother. Whether that was Donovan leaking out into my writing or the aftermath of all Elroy went through in the first book, I have no idea, but it intrigued me and, upon returning to writing, the first thing I read was an exchange between the twins. It was one scene, their introduction, that pulled me back into writing. And it is that very scene that I will share with you today.
Of all the characters I've written in my lifetime, these two definitely have a special place in my heart. Maybe it's the way Elroy feels like he's older than Donovan, like a few minutes can make a difference. Or maybe it's the way Donovan gets so angry when Elroy messes up. Whatever it is, I love these characters and I hope you will, too.
This is Elroy (top) and Donovan (bottom).
Their skin is supposed to be darker, but . . .
Do you have any idea how hard it is to find boys with fiery red hair?
~ * ~ * ~
The room was getting smaller, walls were closing in, the air was becoming thicker and harder to breathe. Sweat dripped from his forehead and, as even the smallest of noises rang through the night air, he could feel his stomach tighten, his heart begin to pound. The world felt as though it were spinning faster than ever before and he was begging it to stop.
Daytime wasn't so bad - the light, the people, the voices to distract him from reality. Anyone could slap on a fake smile for a few hours. They all did, he'd noticed. Not that he was any better. They were pretenders, but he was the fakest of them all. He plastered grins onto his face, told lies even he didn't believe, but they played along, for who really wanted to know how he, or anyone, was doing these days?
Nightfall would always come, though. The frauds would go home, his mother would retire to her room for the night, and he would be alone once again. He'd tried to convince himself that he was okay, but he knew he was a terrible liar. He knew the shadows would bring to light the things he'd tried so hard to keep hidden. He could run from a lot of things, but he was for certain he could not run from the past, from the memories, from himself.
Even sleep couldn't block it all out. It haunted him, turning dreams into nightmares and nights of peace into insomnia he couldn't escape. There was no cure for this, whatever it was. The only conclusion he could come to was that he was losing his mind and no one would ever know.
Leaning against the door of his wardrobe, he placed his hands over his ears, attempting to block out any sound, for even the most minuscule of noises reminded him of that terrible night six years ago, the night everything changed. He couldn't breathe now, no matter how many lungfuls of air he attempted to inhale. He wanted to scream, but the silence had trapped him once more. He lowered himself to the floor, squeezing his eyes shut, praying morning would come soon. At least the Donovan Plemmons who pretended to be all right was halfway okay; whoever this was would never be.
He was almost positive he couldn't take another second of this torment, another moment of restlessness, when, without warning, the window across the room swung open and a figure climbed inside, dropping a bag to the floor. "Donovan?"
He knew who it was immediately. If the obnoxiously loud whisper didn't give it away, the fiery red hair did, but Donovan didn't respond. This person didn't deserve a response.
Clenching his teeth, the teenager tried to calm his pounding heart, tried to pull himself together, but there was no use. He'd already been spotted.
"Donny?"
Suddenly, strong arms wrapped around his small body and he could feel a head on top of his. His brother had never done this before. It was unlike Elroy Plemmons to comfort anyone, let alone Donovan. But they were twins; one could feel what the other was feeling. At least, that's what their mother had always told them.
"Ssh. It's okay, Donny. You're okay. We're okay."
Donovan tried to shove him away - after all, he'd gone six years without comfort, why should he need any now? - but Elroy refused to let go.
"You left us," Donovan whispered. Tears of anger were flowing from his eyes as he clenched his teeth, still struggling against his brother. "You've been gone for months. What were you thinking, you idiot?"
"I was trying to help."
"By doing what? Leaving me all alone with Mama? You have lost your mind if you think she can survive without you here. She's running all of our customers away and spending every waking moment searching for you! She thought you'd been killed!"
Elroy felt a pang of guilt surge through him, but he ignored it. Donovan was the favorite son. It had always been that way. He never got into trouble, never disobeyed their mother, never messed up, and he would never abandon his family when they needed him most. Elroy, on the other hand, embraced his own mistakes and took pride in the things he did wrong. He didn't want to end up like his brother, stressed and anxious - that wasn't a way to live.
"Well . . . I wasn't killed." He offered a sheepish grin, but Donovan finally escaped his grasp and smacked him on the head. "I'm sorry, okay? I know it was selfish of me to leave. I was trying to find work elsewhere, earn some extra money to help you and Mama. Hanoria is a poor village, we'll never make it here."
Donovan rolled his eyes, thankful anger could distract him from this terrible night. "You know better than anyone why we're forced to stay here. We cannot start over anywhere else. We had one chance and this was it. We can't leave Hanoria."
"Why not?" the elder of the twins snapped. "Because you and Mama are too afraid of what might happen? Because you seriously believe the lies they fed us about the war? It's been six years! Every kingdom left believes there were no survivors and, even if they found out we made it, what could they do to us now, after all this time?"
Donovan sighed. "Don't you get it? We are the only ones left. Everyone else was executed. If they find out we're still alive, they'll eliminate us immediately."
The war that had destroyed their home country, Rondonia, had been a short one. They had been fighting against Spirulous, a mighty nation, one filled with powerful people, whose only goal had been to take more land for themselves. It had ended in the destruction of Rondonia and all of its people, except three, who'd escaped to Dalithorne before their lives, too, could be taken. With their tan skin and dark red hair, they could be spotted for miles. They would have been located long before now if it weren't for the fact they'd taken refuge in this place, a kingdom whose ruler was kind, building up a gentle nation, who accepted all with open arms.
"I don't get what you're so afraid of," Elroy snapped. "We should be proud of who we are. We shouldn't have to hide from it."
"We don't have much of a choice, Elroy. Hanoria is the safest place for us now. No one would ever think to search here."
"They're not trying to find us. It's been too long." He ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I know you and Mama think I'm crazy, but I don't want to be stuck here forever. Why can't you two just take chances every once in a while, let life happen, stand up for who you are?"
"Because Papa took a chance and he is no longer here." Donovan turned away from his brother, not wanting to see the pain he knew he'd just caused. "I'm sorry, but . . . We can't afford to take chances anymore."
Elroy knew he and his brother would never see eye to eye on this matter. Because of their father, he would always want to take chances, he'd want to enjoy life and see his family move past what had happened long ago. But, because of the same man, Donovan would always be afraid; he would fear the unknown, keep himself from starting a new life and forgetting what happened in Rondonia.
They were twins, but Elroy couldn't for the life of him figure out how they'd ended up so different.
"It's okay to be scared," he said, giving his brother a hard pat on the shoulder, "but it's never okay to live in that fear." He stood up, ruffling Donovan's hair. "I'm leaving the money I made on the table. If you can't sleep, I'll be in the kitchen. It's been a while since I've eaten. Try not to wake Mama, okay? I'll see her in the morning."
He had only just reached the door when he heard his brother's soft voice behind him, "Hey, Elroy?"
"Yep?"
There was a long pause. "I'm glad you're back."
"Me too, Donny." He reached for the doorknob.
"Oh, and Elroy?"
"Yes?"
"You're still a jerk for leaving us. Don't do it again."
He smiled in spite of himself. "I don't plan on it."
Daytime wasn't so bad - the light, the people, the voices to distract him from reality. Anyone could slap on a fake smile for a few hours. They all did, he'd noticed. Not that he was any better. They were pretenders, but he was the fakest of them all. He plastered grins onto his face, told lies even he didn't believe, but they played along, for who really wanted to know how he, or anyone, was doing these days?
Nightfall would always come, though. The frauds would go home, his mother would retire to her room for the night, and he would be alone once again. He'd tried to convince himself that he was okay, but he knew he was a terrible liar. He knew the shadows would bring to light the things he'd tried so hard to keep hidden. He could run from a lot of things, but he was for certain he could not run from the past, from the memories, from himself.
Even sleep couldn't block it all out. It haunted him, turning dreams into nightmares and nights of peace into insomnia he couldn't escape. There was no cure for this, whatever it was. The only conclusion he could come to was that he was losing his mind and no one would ever know.
Leaning against the door of his wardrobe, he placed his hands over his ears, attempting to block out any sound, for even the most minuscule of noises reminded him of that terrible night six years ago, the night everything changed. He couldn't breathe now, no matter how many lungfuls of air he attempted to inhale. He wanted to scream, but the silence had trapped him once more. He lowered himself to the floor, squeezing his eyes shut, praying morning would come soon. At least the Donovan Plemmons who pretended to be all right was halfway okay; whoever this was would never be.
He was almost positive he couldn't take another second of this torment, another moment of restlessness, when, without warning, the window across the room swung open and a figure climbed inside, dropping a bag to the floor. "Donovan?"
He knew who it was immediately. If the obnoxiously loud whisper didn't give it away, the fiery red hair did, but Donovan didn't respond. This person didn't deserve a response.
Clenching his teeth, the teenager tried to calm his pounding heart, tried to pull himself together, but there was no use. He'd already been spotted.
"Donny?"
Suddenly, strong arms wrapped around his small body and he could feel a head on top of his. His brother had never done this before. It was unlike Elroy Plemmons to comfort anyone, let alone Donovan. But they were twins; one could feel what the other was feeling. At least, that's what their mother had always told them.
"Ssh. It's okay, Donny. You're okay. We're okay."
Donovan tried to shove him away - after all, he'd gone six years without comfort, why should he need any now? - but Elroy refused to let go.
"You left us," Donovan whispered. Tears of anger were flowing from his eyes as he clenched his teeth, still struggling against his brother. "You've been gone for months. What were you thinking, you idiot?"
"I was trying to help."
"By doing what? Leaving me all alone with Mama? You have lost your mind if you think she can survive without you here. She's running all of our customers away and spending every waking moment searching for you! She thought you'd been killed!"
Elroy felt a pang of guilt surge through him, but he ignored it. Donovan was the favorite son. It had always been that way. He never got into trouble, never disobeyed their mother, never messed up, and he would never abandon his family when they needed him most. Elroy, on the other hand, embraced his own mistakes and took pride in the things he did wrong. He didn't want to end up like his brother, stressed and anxious - that wasn't a way to live.
"Well . . . I wasn't killed." He offered a sheepish grin, but Donovan finally escaped his grasp and smacked him on the head. "I'm sorry, okay? I know it was selfish of me to leave. I was trying to find work elsewhere, earn some extra money to help you and Mama. Hanoria is a poor village, we'll never make it here."
Donovan rolled his eyes, thankful anger could distract him from this terrible night. "You know better than anyone why we're forced to stay here. We cannot start over anywhere else. We had one chance and this was it. We can't leave Hanoria."
"Why not?" the elder of the twins snapped. "Because you and Mama are too afraid of what might happen? Because you seriously believe the lies they fed us about the war? It's been six years! Every kingdom left believes there were no survivors and, even if they found out we made it, what could they do to us now, after all this time?"
Donovan sighed. "Don't you get it? We are the only ones left. Everyone else was executed. If they find out we're still alive, they'll eliminate us immediately."
The war that had destroyed their home country, Rondonia, had been a short one. They had been fighting against Spirulous, a mighty nation, one filled with powerful people, whose only goal had been to take more land for themselves. It had ended in the destruction of Rondonia and all of its people, except three, who'd escaped to Dalithorne before their lives, too, could be taken. With their tan skin and dark red hair, they could be spotted for miles. They would have been located long before now if it weren't for the fact they'd taken refuge in this place, a kingdom whose ruler was kind, building up a gentle nation, who accepted all with open arms.
"I don't get what you're so afraid of," Elroy snapped. "We should be proud of who we are. We shouldn't have to hide from it."
"We don't have much of a choice, Elroy. Hanoria is the safest place for us now. No one would ever think to search here."
"They're not trying to find us. It's been too long." He ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I know you and Mama think I'm crazy, but I don't want to be stuck here forever. Why can't you two just take chances every once in a while, let life happen, stand up for who you are?"
"Because Papa took a chance and he is no longer here." Donovan turned away from his brother, not wanting to see the pain he knew he'd just caused. "I'm sorry, but . . . We can't afford to take chances anymore."
Elroy knew he and his brother would never see eye to eye on this matter. Because of their father, he would always want to take chances, he'd want to enjoy life and see his family move past what had happened long ago. But, because of the same man, Donovan would always be afraid; he would fear the unknown, keep himself from starting a new life and forgetting what happened in Rondonia.
They were twins, but Elroy couldn't for the life of him figure out how they'd ended up so different.
"It's okay to be scared," he said, giving his brother a hard pat on the shoulder, "but it's never okay to live in that fear." He stood up, ruffling Donovan's hair. "I'm leaving the money I made on the table. If you can't sleep, I'll be in the kitchen. It's been a while since I've eaten. Try not to wake Mama, okay? I'll see her in the morning."
He had only just reached the door when he heard his brother's soft voice behind him, "Hey, Elroy?"
"Yep?"
There was a long pause. "I'm glad you're back."
"Me too, Donny." He reached for the doorknob.
"Oh, and Elroy?"
"Yes?"
"You're still a jerk for leaving us. Don't do it again."
He smiled in spite of himself. "I don't plan on it."
~ * ~ * ~
So that's Elroy and Donovan! I want to go more into detail about their past and what happens to them in the second book, but it's all too spoiler-y for now, so I suppose you'll have to wait. During the first half of the first draft, the twins were merely background characters, of sorts. They were part of the main cast, but it wasn't until the middle of the book when I began delving into who they truly were and what had happened to make Donovan so afraid. It started with a few paragraphs, then a few more, and then I added a section to the book and I found myself in love with the two of them. Elroy even decided to hog the majority of the sequel I started in November. Apparently he wanted to be the main character (still trying to talk him out of that one).
Although it is rather ironic, Donovan has been the more difficult of the two to write. Of course, he cooperated nicely in the excerpt above, but that's about as far as it went. While Elroy insisted I dive into his story head first, Donovan was harder to reach and still is. Some characters are just like that, I guess - too afraid of the spotlight. Let's just hope he'll come out of that shell sometime soon.
So, now let's hear your opinion! Are your characters difficult to write, hard to get along with? Do they think the sun rises and sets for them everyday, or do they shy away from attention? Let me know! I love hearing about the adventures of other writers! ^_^
If you liked the twins, keep an eye out for them in upcoming Beautiful People linkups! I figured they deserve a little more attention than they've been getting. ;) Thanks for reading!
So, now let's hear your opinion! Are your characters difficult to write, hard to get along with? Do they think the sun rises and sets for them everyday, or do they shy away from attention? Let me know! I love hearing about the adventures of other writers! ^_^
If you liked the twins, keep an eye out for them in upcoming Beautiful People linkups! I figured they deserve a little more attention than they've been getting. ;) Thanks for reading!
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