Day 3

In my previous post I mentioned that I'd come up with an idea for a novel, a fantasy set in England. It's in the early stages yet, and a lot of it is rather vague in terms of plot and suchlike, so I thought I'd try some exercises. This one is my first attempt at writing some dialogue from a scene that occurs very early on; I'm trying to get a feel for the characters (named, for the moment at least, Violet and Samson). Tomorrow I think I'll try writing a description of each character from the other's point of view.

It's actually quite helpful (I've already learned some things I didn't know about Violet before), but I'm having a bit of trouble with Samson's dialogue. He's supposed to be in his twenties, but here he's disguised as an old man. He's also not from modern-day England, so I'm not sure how to pull that off...

***

V: Excuse me. I was wondering if you knew which way it is to Nottingham.

S: Nottingham, miss?

V: Yes.

S: I'm afraid I can't say I've heard of it. There's no Nottingham around these parts as far as I know.

V: But that's impossible! I've only been walking for half an hour, maybe less.

S: Lost, then, are you?

V: No—I mean, maybe. It's hard to explain.

S: It will be if you don't even try.

V: Well, I was walking in a wood, following a path, when I came out into this field. But when I turned around it was gone!

S: The path?

V: Not just the path; the whole wood! If I didn't know any better, I'd say it had disappeared, but that's just silly.

S: You're probably right there; it'd take some pretty powerful magic to make the trees actually disappear. Are you sure they didn't get up and walk away? They can be mighty quiet when they want to be.

V: Well, if you're going to be like that!

S: Like what, miss?

V: Taking the mickey! I know it sounds ridiculous, but there's no reason to be rude.

S: Where did you say you were from, again?

V: Nottingham. Well, Middle Barton, really, but I've just come from my grandmo—from a house in Nottingham.

S: I see. Would you like to come with me to the next village? Perhaps someone there will have heard of this Nottingham.

V: Yes, thanks, that would be great. I need to find a phone, anyway, to call my parents. I didn't exactly tell them I was going for a walk.

S: A phone. Yes, that would make sense.

V: Pardon?

S: Oh, it's nothing. After you!

***

Note: Names of places are place-holders. I'm not sure exactly where I should set the story, so I've just used familiar names that work well enough.