Tovi's Story

Sunday, Oct. 04
CONTEST ROUND: Write a background story about your protagonist. Make your readers relate to him or her in such a way that we would be devastated if he or she were to experience conflict (which, ultimately, sometime in November, he/she will.) The object of the contest is to make your judges root for your protagonist! Simply put: the character we like best, wins. If your protagonist is an assassin or someone similarly "unlikeable," never fear! I love Vlad Taltos, the professional assassin (reference: "Dragaera" series by Steven Brust.) You can make us love your character, too.

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“Lights out!” hollered the night mother as she flipped the switch and the room faded to a hazy grey. The noise and the lights of the city street below still filtered in through the narrow window. Murmurs from the boys on the opposite side of the room echoed through the darkness.

Tovi Bane lay down on his cot and listened for the door. Slam! Sure enough, like clockwork, she left the building. Night mother? Some “mother” she is. What kind of mother leaves her kids- especially B- he’s just a baby- a baby left alone while the night mother goes off to who knows where for three house every night during her shift. A pang of hunger stabbed his belly and he thought about his midnight snack. It was a good one tonight. He got it just around the corner at the market where Ted got caught stealing a month ago. Tovi hadn’t any trouble at all. It was in and out- a piece of cake. He lied down on his cot, pulled the sheet up to his chin, and sank his hand beneath the pillow and through the rip in the fabric. His fingers moved among the dusty, soft and prickly feather-stuffing. His hazel eyes widened and he pressed his lips together, holding his breath as he slid his small hand around until he felt the cold metal of the small, round object. Phew. It’s still there. Tovi clasped his hand over it and imagined its luster. He knew better than to take it out and look at it; the other boys would find out about it and come for it - steal it - for sure. It was worth a lot and Tovi knew it. He knew it when Mama gave it to him two years ago, the day she left him forever.

“Here,” Mama said with a tear in her eye. She lowered her skinny finger, letting it slide right off and drop into Tovi’s seven-year-old palm. “You can get money for it. Lots. You can get some food,” she said in a raspy, slow voice.

Tovi kissed her forehead and left her bedside that day. He left the house and got food- lots of food, but he kept Mama’s ring in his pocket. He knew about the pawn shops in the street, but that ring was the thing Daddy gave to Mama when they got married. Daddy didn’t make it home from the war and Mama said she had to leave to. That ring was staying with Tovi. He learned that day how to get what he had to get without money, without people even knowing about it. It was the saddest day Tovi ever knew. Even sadder than all the days since, spent in Ruffner Children’s Home.

“Hey kid,” a raspy voice shot through the dark, startling Tovi.

Tovi released the ring and withdrew his hand from beneath the pillow. “What?” Tovi replied, his heart racing.

“Whatcha got for us today?”

Tovi’s stomach grumbled. “Nothin.”

Rog Redman, a big kid hovered over Tovi. “Don’t lie. I know you got somethin’.” He tore back the sheet and shoved his hand into Tovi’s side leg pocket. He pulled out a soft plush toy and laughed. “Aw, the baby’s got a toy!” he sniggered.

Tovi snatched it out of Rog’s hand. “Give it. That’s for B. Here,” he growled, reaching into his pocket and handing him what he wanted.

“Thanks, liar,” he mocked as he grabbed the flattened cupcake from Tovi and stuffed it into his mouth, crumb’s falling to the floor as he ambled away.

“Welcome,” Tovi answered. Next time, I’ll just take two. That’s all. Tovi doubted any boy in that home was as hungry as he was- he was always hungry. They just didn’t feed them enough. Tovi knew the other boys probably felt like he did- probably hungry. They were all just waiting- waiting for someone to come take them home with them- waiting and hungry.

The room grew quiet as the boys in the room drifted off to sleep. Tovi tried to sleep to, but his growling stomach kept him awake. click, click, click, click… Tovi knew that noise. A rat. And, he knew where it was going. B!

Like a bat out of hell, Tovi flew out of bed to the kitchen and grabbed a broomstick. He tore back down the hallway toward the nursery. B was already crying when Tovi reached his crib. Tovi couldn’t see. It was too dark. His heart raced as he swung the broom against the floor around the crib. Then he saw two beady eyes- its front claws scaling the opposite crib rails. Tovi leapt into B’s bed and swatted the rat until it retreated and dropped off the side of the crib.

Tovi watched the fat beast scurry back down the hall toward the kitchen. He stood tall, broomstick still raised and ready to attack. He looked down at little B. B’s bottom lip curled and quivered. His dark eyes filled with tears and he let out a frightened cry.

Tovi’s heart sank. He lowered the broomstick and knelt down beside B. “Don’t cry- it’s okay now, buddy.” Tovi dug into his deep pocket and pulled out the stuffed elephant and handed it to the hysterical infant. B held the toy, but didn’t stop sobbing.

Tovi lay down and placed a protective arm around B. “It’s gonna be okay. I’m here. I won’t leave you. We’re together now.”

B nuzzled into the nook of Tovi’s arm and hiccupped as his sobs began to subside.

Tovi talked softly to him. “It’s not your fault they left you alone. I promise I won’t ever do it. I won’t leave you.” He laid his head on the cold mattress and pulled up the baby-sized quilt to cover B. Tovi knew he had some time before the night mother came back. He laid there with B, watching over him, and for awhile, Tovi forgot about his hunger.









This is my 2009 NaNoWriMo protagonist's back story: day 4 challenge, an entry in

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October Novel Prep Challenge  (13+) A month-long novel-planning challenge with prizes galore. #1474311 by Brandiwyn🎶