The Valkyrie story that has weighed so heavily on my soul is about finished. Right now, it sucks. I'm not sure how much mythology to put in, or whether or not it's relevant to the character.
Here is an excerpt WARNING, EXTREMELY ROUGH DRAFT:
Faye strolled around the park listening to the sounds of death; the lack of children's laughter, the creak of a merry-go-round. She could hear the scattering and scratching of leaves scraping against the sidewalk, a brittle sound that always reminded her of a skeleton's laughter. She circled a swing set and sat, the seat was cold and the chains creaked with each movement. Darkness consumed the sky taking with it the sun and blanketing the world in a warm glow. Her legs stretched out before her as she climbed higher, reaching for the stars, hair fell behind her like a flag in the wind. It was easy to sense the souls of those torn unexpectedly from life if you knew what to look for. If you knew what to listen for you heard their wails like tom-cats mewling, or heard their voices mingle with the wind. Faye heard and was comforted. Coming to the park was like coming home.
"Bit old to be on a swing set, aren't you?"
Faye started and almost fell. She settled herself and looked behind her, the direction of the voice. She was not surprised to see Officer Jacobs there. She nodded to him and continued her smooth arc, forward and back. The heavens came closer and retreated. Only conscious thought kept her from putting her hand out and reaching. She smiled at her foolishness, and slowed her momentum.
"How are you, Officer Jacobs?"
He smiled and sat on the swing to Faye's left. He was not in uniform. He wore simple jeans and a t-shirt that read "Change" below a picture of Obama. He scooped up pebbles in his hand and began throwing them into the distance. After each toss he would look at Faye and smile, his white and even teeth like bones against a background of charcoal.
"Can't complain," he said. "You?"
Faye considered before answering. "Unhappy," she said. "Confused."
Officer Jacobs nodded like she'd said nothing out of the ordinary and threw another pebble.
"Why're you here, Faye?"
"Do you hear them?" she asked, "They call."
He dropped the pebbles and wiped a hand across his shirt, smearing dust across his chest. He looked out in the distance, towards the merry-go-round and past the jungle gym, he looked at the trees swaying with the wind and then back at Faye. A look crossed his face. Confusion, Faye thought, and worry.
I like Faye a lot. I've got to do some more research on Norse stuff (I have been reading a lot. I read the Nibelunglied, amongst some other Norse stuffs. I haven't come up with an ending yet because, well, it will change after I know my character a bit better. I decided to end on an unsatisfactory note while I do some more character sketching. Faye's voice still isn't clear to me.
