Perspective

I was going through the pictures on my phone the other day when I came across a sequence of pictures that seemed off.  I recognized the place, but the angle was funny.  All the pictures had been taken from a couple of feet lower than my own eye level.  My daughter had taken them.

I found it interesting how different the front hallway of her school (which I'm fairly familiar with, having been on the PTA board for a while) looked so different from a different perspective.  First of all, I realized that all the posters and advertisements we had out were at adult eye-level.  She was looking up to see any of them, and most of what she could see was plain, blank wall.

When I write, I love third person, omniscient.  It allows so much freedom as far as, you can tell the reader anything you want.  But for voice, first person makes all the difference.

The prompt for this week is to try and use a perspective you haven't used before, whether that's a unique character or a different point of view in your writing.

Enjoy!

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My response:


Contemporary.  Romeo and Juliet.  Death scene.  Perspective: Juliet's best friend - who would have to be a new character and would take over some the nurse's roles. 

I never left the church after the funeral.  It was enough that I'd convinced Juliet's mom that drawing the funeral out, with the funeral service on one day and the graveside and burial the next, would bring in more publicity.  She always would do anything for more camera time.  When the funeral procession left the cathedral, heading towards the dinner, I hid in the shadows until they were gone. 

Friar Laurence would be missed at the party.  We locked eyes as he laid his robe across the pulpit and followed the mourning family out the door.  I nodded and gave him a grim smile.

When the doors shut, I checked on Juliet.  Her body temperature was still depressed, but I could tell by the flush on her cheeks that her heart had started beating again.  It was still irregular, but she wasn't supposed to wake up for another hour, so that didn't bother me.  I went upstairs, to the Friar's office, to check our suitcases.

I wasn't able to get any of Juliet's clothes, so everything I had packed, I had to buy.  I wasn't worried.  I knew her taste.  Besides, as long as she got to be with Romeo again, she wouldn't care what she was wearing.

Romeo.  I rolled my eyes thinking of him.  This whole thing had been crazy.  I'd told Juliet she'd lost her mind, but would she listen to me?  At least it would all soon be over.  Romeo had dropped his phone when they ran him out of town, but Ben figured out where he was, and Friar Laurence sent him a letter.  Ben was on his way there, to make sure Romeo was okay.  As soon as Friar Laurence got back and Juliet woke up, the three of us would be on our way, too.

My phone was still on vibrate, and it rattled against my thy.  I pulled it out.  It was a text from Ben: Here now.  Not good.  Laurence's letter in the door, R not here.  Car missing.

It took a minute for the pieces to come together in my mind.  If the letter from the Friar was in the door, and Romeo wasn't there, that meant he still didn't know our plan.  Ben had only just gotten there, so he hadn't had a chance to tell Romeo the plan. 

Horror swept over my heart.  If Romeo heard the news and believed it, he'd be on his way here.  He was as crazy as Juliet.  Nothing would keep him away.  And as soon as he got here, either Juliet's cousins or the Prince himself would make sure he breathed his last breath.

There was still hope.  Romeo would come to find Juliet.  He was too much of a romantic to do anything else.  And I was here, with Juliet.  Maybe she'd even be awake by time he got here.

I slipped out of the Friar's office.  Just as the door closed behind me, I heard a cry.  It was long and low, and ended in wracking sobs.  I flew to the upper railing and looked down at the sanctuary, three stories below. 

I breathed a sigh of relief.  Romeo had made it here.  If we could just sneak him out with us, all would still be well.  I ran from the railing towards the stairs.  My slippered feet barely made a sound as I ran, so I heard Juliet's voice as she woke up.

"Romeo?!"  She laughed.  "I thought we'd have to go find you!  You're here!"

For a moment, my heart lifted.  No harm, no foul.  We'd get through this.

Then the still air of the cathedral shattered with Juliet's piercing wail.  "Romeo!!!  What's this?!!!  Did you drink this?!!!"

What did she mean?  Was he drunk?  How had he made his way into the city and managed to avoid everyone looking for him?  He couldn't be drunk ...

Through the pillars, I caught a glimpse of the raised bed in the sanctuary.  Juliet was sitting up.  Romeo no longer stood by the bed, but lay across her lap, his face pale.  His lips trembled and he reached a hand towards Juliet's cheek.  Then another pillar blocked my view.

"Juliet!" I cried.  What was going on?!

I reached the last turn of the staircase.  Now I had a straight shot to the sanctuary.  My eyes found Juliet and watched in horror, refusing to look away. 

She did not cry.  She did not wail.  Her face became a mask of stone, the picture of perfect agony. 

Her hands reached to the dagger on Romeo's belt. 

My feet ran, but time slowed.  I knew I wouldn't make it in time.

There was no last kiss.  No loving promise.  No tears falling on perfect lips, so anxious was she to meet her beloved Romeo.  She simply grasped the dagger in both hands and thrust it deep into her own breast.  It was simply the quickest way to get to him, just like this crazy scheme. 

In her last moment, her heart already stilled by the dagger, but her spirit still in her eyes, she saw me.  She saw me, and she smiled.  Then she fell back against the pillows.

The phone in my pocket vibrated.  It was Ben:  Did you get my text?  This is BAD.

I typed out a response: It's okay.  They're together now.  Forever.