The Life and Loves of Larry Lovehart: Chapter Ten

[littleredman]

The Life and Loves of Larry Lovehart

Chapter ten: another interesting week for all involved

I can honestly say that the past week has indeed been one of the most interesting weeks the Residence has ever seen. Firstly, my Step-Father reinstated himself as Duke and regained control of everything that was once his, and secondly I tried to commit public suicide but ended up making an embarrassment of myself. I will start off by telling you about the Dukes return.

That day on the beach I had been slashed across the chest and knocked into a black abyss of unconsciousness. The Duke had taken my weapon from me and proceeded to slay the water creature, beginning with the removal of his claws, which formed his basic defences. From there, he had merely stabbed the creature in the brain, killing him instantly. Then he asked his manservant to help him carry me back to the Residence.

I was asleep for almost a week, and my world was quite different when I woke up. Summer had come into full bloom, the first we had seen for a very long time indeed. It was boiling hot when I first left the hospital and walked through the streets. The people were happy again; smiling, cheering whilst they worked and generally having a good time. Children played in the road, without any fear or care in the world.

It made me feel quite sick.
I arrived back at the manor for the first time to find Mother and Step-Father sitting side by side in the throne chamber, chatting with some of the newly appointed elite about various Residential-related issues, most of them very mundane in my eyes.

They welcomed me with open arms, both of them much happier than they had been before the Duke left. Mother gave me a most gruelling hug, and the Duke shook my hand and said he was proud of me for the way I handled the beach situation. Nothing was said of my actions over the last few months, and I felt like a child who had done wrong but it was never to be spoken of again.

Later that day I was sitting in the Pub alone, consumed with my thoughts. I was enraged to think how I could have been Duke of the Residence; full power over the entire kingdom… but it was not to be. Where did I go wrong? I found myself thinking, and before I knew it, it was closing time. So I made my way home again.

Much to my surprise, I found that Egmont was still alive and well in our quarters. He told me about how the Duke now had a respect for all life, and that anyone would be granted access to the Residence so long as they meant well. In my anger and drunken stupor, I told Egmont he was a disgusting creature and he should have been killed at birth. Then I fell asleep.

The next morning I was woken naturally by the bright sunlight streaming in through the Eastern window. I climbed out of bed and strolled across to the desk. There was a letter from Egmont telling me that he had left the Residence and would not be returning in the life.

So this is what it feels like to fail, I thought bitterly.

I got dressed and went for another stroll in the streets. Talking with many strangers, I found that I was no longer respected in the way I used to be. Even though the people still spoke to me as they would any nobleman, they didn’t have the same fear and contempt they once did. People had been afraid of me, Larry Lovehart, because I would have killed a man for looking at me the wrong way. I still would, but it probably wouldn’t get me very far.

And so another day passed and Wednesday, another boiling hot day, arrived. I decided it was a good day to die so I went into the stock rooms and found some strong rope.

Taking it out into the main courtyard, I scaled the Pub and climbed across the flagpole that hung from its roof. “Listen up, everyone! Listen up! Its Larry Lovehart here and I’ve an announcement to make!”

No one paid any attention, so I shouted louder and louder until people started to notice. After about five minutes I had the eyes of over half the people in the Residence upon me. Half wasn’t quite enough, but no matter, I wanted the story of my gruesome end to be told over and over again. That was always my favourite thing about stories; the way they were told over and over again until the final story was something quite different to the original. Hopefully there would never be a final telling for this story, the story of the Life and Loves of Larry Lovehart.

I tied one end of the rope firmly around the flagpole and the other end tight around my neck, and then stood up. “Ladies and Gentlemen of the Residence, I as you well know, am Larry Lovehart. For the last few months I had effectively been your ruthless leader through thick and thin. I did not murder the Duke, but I did rid the town of the likes of Harry Hatelung and Barry Blackbowel. I’d also like to think I brought a sense of…”

“Just kill yourself already!” shouted a member of my audience, and was immediately followed by loud hoots and screams from the crowd. After a few moments, everyone was cheering for my death. “Oh, alright then,” I muttered, and jumped.

I guess the flagpole was just not the right thing to use. First of all, when I reached the bottom of my fall, the flagpole flipped up and pulled me back into the air again, at least six feet higher than my original location. This repeated itself a couple of times; I was pulled up and down through the air until eventually the flagpole gave way and snapped, causing me to plummet into the dry dirt below.

As I slipped into a state of unconsciousness for the second time in recent memory, the crowd was silent for a few seconds before exploding in violent applause and laughter.

I awoke in the hospital two days later, with Egmont by my side. He apologised for leaving and I told him he was right to be sorry, and then if he ever does it again I’ll murder him. He nodded.

* * *

And so now I’m sitting in my Quarters staring out into the countryside beyond, considering what to do with the rest of my life. Things may have gone back to the way they were before the Dukes absence, but that doesn’t change what happened in the months following that.

I'm a psychotic, calculating, cold-blooded murderer and that’s how I like it. I have Egmont, my vicious Goblin friend, by my side and I have my desire for power and the spilling of blood. I think I’ll kill someone tonight, actually. I have a good idea - I’m going to sneak into his room and use a plastic tube to fill him full of cement. I also have plans for Maria; I’m not going to let her slip through my fingers that easily, just like several of the other girls in the Residence I have my eye on.

I’ll have my way with this place in the end, and it will be most, most delicious.

[jackokent]

Well done Litteredman, another fabulous episode. Few typos, I'm not sure actually how much critiquing you are after. Do you want me to go through it in Chrispenycate like detail?

Loved it anyway.

[littleredman]

If you want to go through it, I don't mind, I like Chrispenycate's analysis so from others I'd prefer more comments on the narrative etc.

Anyway, that's the last part of Book One so I'd appreciate some comments/analysis on the story as a whole.

Thanks for reading.

[roddglenn]

It's shaping up to be a really interesting story. At times witty and sometimes downright twisted! My only observations would be to sometimes show rather than tell. One example was when you say that it is a boiling hot day - it would be perhaps better to describe how his clothes immediately dampened with the heat of the day or how sweat quickly stood out on his brow...words to that effect.

Nice one.