First Lines

[Culhwch]

The rope around her neck was coarse, cheap stuff; her red-rimmed eyes searched the crowd for any sign of him, in vain.

[vintagefury]

Originally Posted by Culhwch

His mother died on a Monday.

First thing that came to mind when I saw this was "Maman died today." Of course, I'm just that breed of nerd that would make connections like that.

A few first lines from things I'm currently working on.

(1)
Jim Gartner stared at a blank computer screen, wondering where science had gone wrong.

(2)
Man is the only creature with the awareness of his oncoming death, and he is condemned by it.

and

(3)
He was coming home late on a Thursday night; problem was, he had died last Tuesday. His wife was going to be in a snit.

Okay, two lines on that last one. I'm a cheater.

[Culhwch]

Originally Posted by vintagefury

Okay, two lines on that last one. I'm a cheater.

Far from the only one....

So who's Maman? (I'm the breed of nerd that has to know what you were talking about...)

Oh, and I really like (2).

[vintagefury]

Originally Posted by Culhwch

Far from the only one....

So who's Maman? (I'm the breed of nerd that has to know what you were talking about...)

Oh, and I really like (2).

Thanks.

It's the opening line to The Stranger by Albert Camus.

Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don’t know. I got a telegram from the home: “Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow. Faithfully yours.” That doesn’t mean anything. Maybe it was yesterday.

It was written in French. I understand that initially there was some squabbling over the translation for "maman" (the French word for mother), do they make it "mother" or "mom" - one more affectionate than the other - and at present translators settled on maman. If you've ever heard the song "Killing an Arab" by The Cure, it's based off a scene in there. Anyway, useless info, sorry.

It's a pretty incredible book. But two notes on it: one, really, the most interesting part of the book is the last few pages; and two, The Fall is his best work if you ask me, though less famous than The Stranger.

And to really help it bite, the last line: "For everything to be consummated, for me to feel less alone, I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate."

[Sir_Sparhawk]

Footsteps Echo down the winding metal corridor,

[HardScienceFan]

Too bad Death isn't the end.I've lived one life,filled to the brim with good stuff,and that's enough for me.I don't want to be bothered with another one

[Dexter]

People generally portray cannibals as almost subhuman savages, so Dan really enjoyed having guests over for dinner.

[ice.monkey]

"Ask me again if I've completed the first line," Kane enquired of his wife lying motionless at his feet in a pool of blood.

[Talysia]

A flash of light was all the warning he had before it hit him.

[ice.monkey]

A short while ago, in a galaxy very close to here...

[Talysia]

Everyone says that they see their life flash before their eyes just before they die, but all I saw was that face.

[Dexter]

The cry, when it came, was much closer than he expected.

[ice.monkey]

I used to believe that you only live once, but then I died and life became interesting at last.

[Dexter]

I used to believe I wanted an interesting life, but I've since learned to stop wishing.

[HardScienceFan]

The concrete wall rushed at me at about 90 miles per hour