The Written Word - The Program and I

Kira Hellweg is a recent graduate with a passion for music, Jesus Christ, and (oh, yeah) writing. She is the unpublished author of The Legend of Harthore, which is currently in the editorial stage. Her blog, Legend or Legacy, is currently focused on the above's imminent trilogy, but is sure to be invaded by her other WIPs and general writing tidbits.




Welcome to The Written Word (TWW for short) on YAWA. This series (managed by yours truly) on our blog will be focused on the most important thing to the majority of our readers - the actual writing. Every Thursday, we will share an excerpt from someone's writing, published or not. To start, the five admins will feature sections of our own WIPs. We hope you enjoy our writing, and feel free to email us at yawriters.alumni@gmail.com if you'd like to see your own writing featured!

Last week on TWW, you saw an excerpt from The Last Farm, a current WIP of our admin Carilyn Anne. This week, we have a special on TWW - an author spotlight.

Trixie Hall writes YA Fiction and curious poems. She grew up in a ghetto suburb and draws inspiration from the real-life characters she's met through various jobs and clubs. Hall has many interests, including coffee, kayaking and Political Science (her major). Once she has procrastinated with everything else she can possibly think of, Hall loves to write even though she sort of hates it. Questions for Trixie? Email her at trixie.paradiseonpaper@gmail.com.

I know everything about your personality.

Yes, you.

Within five minutes of seeing you (usually less), I’ll be able to put it together. your personality will be open to me.

How so?

One betrayal of your personality will trigger my mental databases. Are you a quiet person? Do you ask too many questions? Do you use body gestures more than words?

Oh, and what’s your horoscope?

If I pick up on just one single thing about your personality, you are doomed.

I always find something.

It’s like I can see your cover, talk to you for five minutes, and have read your whole book.

Without ever turning a page, mind you.

If I could see you reading this story (which I probably can), I would be able to figure out your personality.

Yes, check the locks on your doors.

What did you say? Ah, I heard you this time. I’m laughing inwardly at your question.

“Do you know your own personality?”

Why, yes. I do. I am analytical. I am cautious; I get this story into the right hands. I am a worker.

That’s how I know what my death will be, with, oh, a ninety-percent accuracy.

I use my skills diligently because I am a worker. I find out what I can about you because you have been targeted by my bosses to join their Program. I report back to them.

What is the program? The program and I catalog information about you to change the course of your history and the world’s history. They control their fates and your fate.

How do they do that? I cannot tell you the answer to that question until you decide to join.

You don’t want to join? Remember, I’m watching you. I know everything about you. Eventually, you’ll join because I’ll know just what weaknesses and strengths of yours to target.

Sort of like how if you search for something on Google, it’ll pop up on your Facebook advertisements. You know about the program now, after reading this far into the story.

Now I will begin to advertise it, quite subtly, in your life.

Back to the death part.

My skills come with a price. I understand other people too well. I work too hard.

Each personality takes a piece of my soul. My mind gets just a bit more full and the Program gets a little bit stronger.

My bosses are eating away at my life.

You see, once the Program is over, they will no longer need me.

I will be a liability.

Excerpt from The Program and I

by Trixie Hall

(c) 2013