Character Interview

While the plotting of Jenna's story is underway, the MCs are flourishing in my mind.  These two could not be more different, I am very much looking forward to writing their story. 

So, since I'm not actually ready to begin writing in earnest, I decided to do an interview of sorts.  Here's a glimpse of their personalities...


Jenna

Hi, Jenna! It's great to get to talk to you today.

Thank you for having me, I'm excited to be here! 

So, first question, what was your initial reaction to know that you'd be cooped up in a safehouse indefinitely? 

Laughs Is it too late to run? No, actually, by that point I was ready for some downtime. Life had really put me through the ringer.

When you met Tael, what was your first impression of him?

Quite honestly, I thought he was the cat's meow, if he would only smile a little more.

He didn't smile much at the beginning, did he?

It's understandable, I mean, with his line of work and everything. But I like him better when he smiles.

What was your first fight about?

Oh my, there's been so many. Laughs at the memories The first fight was when I was right and he refused to admit it! Actually, I don't remember exactly what it was about... it had something to do with my inability to express my feelings about the homicides, yet somehow he felt that I expected him to know how I was feeling. It was kind of twisted, and our emotions were both running high. I think we both just needed someone to yell at for a while. 

And yelling helps?

Most definitely. Neither one of us takes it personally, which is a miracle, for sure. I guess we both suppress our emotions, and when it comes to blows, we're too frustrated with each other and ourselves to take anything to heart. 

Tael seems to really embrace tradition. Does this cause a lot of stress on your relationship?

It did at first. Mostly because he didn't understand me, and I thought he was just being a stick-in-the mud simply to aggravate me. Eventually we came to an understanding. I think tradition is boring, and he thinks spontaneity is terrifying. So, when the stakes are down, he allows me to have a little fun. But when things get tense, I let him cling to his tradition. It works for both of us.

You talk a lot more than Tael does. Does this draw you together or pull you apart?

Ah, I can't remember how many times I have said, "Tael, just talk to me." He internalizes things naturally, but I feel like that when expectations and plans aren't spoken out loud, they're just a beast lurking in the darkness. At least when they're spoken, we both can see what the other is thinking clearly. At first, it caused stress on our relationship. I talked too much and he didn't talk enough. But I think we've found a healthy balance. 

What is one thing that is on your bucket list that you're not sure you'll be able to get Tael to do?

Skydiving. He tells me, "Anyone who would jump out of a perfectly good airplane is completely insane." I just smile at him and say, "Yes, dear, I am." 

 

Tael 

 

Hello, Tael. Thanks for coming today, I am excited to interview you.

It's an honor to be here. shifts uncomfortably in his chair Though I will say this is my first interview, so take it easy on me.

No hard questions, I promise. What was your first impression of Jenna?

You said no hard questions! She's going to kill me when I say this, but I didn't understand her at all. She witnessed the murder of both her parents, yet, she appeared to have hardly sustained any emotional damage from it. So, first impressions? Heartless, emotionally dead, some kind of strange creature who feeds on pain. I don't know, honestly. I just know it completely confused me.

You're right, she's going to kill you for saying that.

Thanks... this is entrapment... isn't this entrapment? 

Next question. When was the first time you were attracted to Jenna? 

The night she stood at the window, with her hand pressed against the glass as the rain ran down the outside. I watched her, she didn't move for hours. That's when I knew that the scar of that night was so deep, she couldn't help but ignore it because it was literally tearing her apart. At that moment, all I wanted to do was fix her... take away her pain, anything. 

Tell me about the first time you told her you cared about her.

Well, it wasn't as diplomatic as that, unfortunately. I was angry at her, as I am a good sixty percent of the time. I just yelled it into her face. She was being difficult and stubborn and I was tired of fighting with her. So I just said it.

She talks a lot, doesn't she?

Yes. All the time. I worship the person who created movies, because I think they're the only thing that saves me. When we sit down together and watch a movie, she gets to be surrounded by words, and I get to zone out but still be with her. I love hearing what she has to say, but I also cherish those times when nothing is said, but we're together... it's hard to explain.

How do your best and worst memory of the safehouse link together? 

The hardest thing for me were the endless nightmares that Jenna endured. Every night. Sometimes, every hour of the night. I would pray that I could take them from her, you know. Just to give her a break. Yet, those nights – the long hours in the middle of the night, when she was too afraid to go back to sleep... those were some of the best times we had together. The movies, the games, the stupid and enraging conversations. God works in mysterious ways. 

She was different than other witnesses you protected. Why did she catch your attention?

She was so intensely annoying and infuriating and fascinating... if you imagine the brightest neon colors, that's what Jenna was to me. It hurt to look at her, but my eyes automatically gravitated that way. I couldn't help it. And it drove me crazy, because we always fought, and never agreed, and drove each other crazy... but on a deeper level we understood each other. When it came down to the wire, we were so amazingly in synch, that the glaring differences were all but invisible. 

What's your idea of the perfect date?

Something quiet, something small and private and... anything that doesn't include rock climbing or crazy left-handed bowling challenges. The middle of a meadow, with nothing but fresh air and sunshine, a small picnic basket. That would be perfect.