Gina, Rus, & Percy: Body Language

Another exercise from 21 Days to a Novel by Michael A. Stackpole.

Percy closed the front door lightly behind him — you never knew when someone was sleeping in this house. The skintight running tech adhered to his body with the three hours of sweat he had earned in the Jersey Park Dome. It was monitoring his heart rate, had timed him and was now ensuring he cooled down correctly. The house was unusually quiet — Gardenia had a birthday or an anniversary or something.

He heard movement on the balcony. From his position by the door, he was obscured by the ‘welcoming and relaxing’ houseplant someone was struggling to keep alive. Nonetheless, he could see Russell’s lanky form folded up and sitting cross-legged on the little faux-stone wall while Georgina was at the little table tinkering with that awful metal cat of hers.

Russell was running a hand through his big, messy hair, all-too-young forehead wrinkling in concern.

One of Georgina’s eyebrows rose lazily, but her eyes remained fixed on her task.

Percy was fiddling with the interface on his arm when there was a flash of light outside. He looked up in time to see Georgina — now standing — kick the chair she’d been sitting on a moment before. Russell was on his feet now too.

She glanced up at him for the first time, and whatever he saw in her eyes made him take half a step back like she’d shoved him hard in the shoulder. She flicked a lock of purple hair out of her face and tilted her head to one side.

Russell bit his lip and looked up into the smog-shrouded lights above them. He shrugged and hopped back onto the wall. Percy saw Georgina tilt her head to one side. She must have said something funny, beacuse Russell grinned wide in response.

[Author’s note: Not terribly happy with this, but it’s a start, right?]