Conversation

An unsettling piece by John Nevinson. This was in response to an exercise of writing just pure dialogue – no explanation, no guiding reflection. Most of us found this quite hard, as the author wants to guide their reader, to feel sympathy or disdain for characters by their inflection, or their inner monologue. It was difficult to retain the driving force behind the conversation, with no explanation of why and how!                    

“ Hey, there?  William? It’s me.” 

“Oh, no! Not you. Why can’t you leave me alone?” 

“Oh, you know I can’t do that, bruv!” 

“Don’t call me that!  Bruv.  I hate it.” 

“Well, William, you’re the closest thing to a brother that I’ve got. My twin brother!” 

“No…no…  I can’t stand that.   It’s horrible. Just leave me in peace. Please!” 

“But I can’t, William.  You know it’s my turn to come out.” 

“No. Not today. Please, Billy. Another time?” 

“Nah! I’ve spent the last week cooped up while you’ve been to bloody Waitrose, painted your kitchen, dug over your veg patch, done your Treasurers’s job for the church…” 

“Please…Just leave me alone!  Leave me in peace.” 

“No, William. I am more than ready for some time out.  A good booze up, a couple of spliffs, a nice easy girl to mess around with….” 

“Billy!  Last time you came out, you left me in the lurch.  It was mortifying, explaining to the guy in the pub why I was chatting up his girl…” 

“That was so funny, bruv!  Prissy little William in trouble.” 

“It’s wearing me down, Billy. All these surprise visits from you. It’s killing me.” 

“Now that’s what I wanted to hear, William.” 

“What?” 

“That it’s getting to you, wearing you down. Killing you. ‘Cos you know I’m stronger now, and I will win in the end.” 

“Win?” 

“Oh, come on bruv. You know this is a battle to the death.  I’m getting stronger. I am winning. I am going to win. You’re on the way out, man!” 

“I can’t let that happen.  Please, Billy.  Don’t take everything!” 

“It’s all or nothing, bruv. You’re fading away.  William who was a good little son, good pupil, good neighbour, good worker…   You aren’t the real William. That’s me. Bad boy Billy!  I’ve shared this body with you for too long. It’ll be mine soon. I can’t wait to have it all to myself. I’m glad it can kill you, William, because I can’t wait to live!”