filing off the serial numbers

[marycatelli]

Sometimes, filing off one set of serial numbers only reveals that another needs to go.

I simplify the backstory of a crime and a false accusation because the hero of the story, I realize, is not the boy who knows the accusation is false, but another one who was caught up in the consequences.

But on reflection, it occurs to me that I need to rework how he gets caught up in the other boy's story.  It requires them to be somewhere where he is not expected, and the villain of the piece tries to kidnap the other boy, and gets him too.  That obviously could be a number of things, but I need one. . . and not by winning a contest.

So I start to ponder.  And the first thing that comes to mind is that the reason the villain wants to kidnap the other boy was to confuse his memories of what really happened, because claiming he was magically confused does not get all she wants.

Which, you note, is not how to get the two boys in the right place together. . . .

sigh

Comments

[headnoises.livejournal.com]

Liberty buddy requirement?

Someone else gets in trouble-- so, for for a while, everyone is required to be with another person if they're ____.

[marycatelli]

Possible. Though I'd have to work out why these two are assigned buddies -- they're rather different in age -- and perhaps more crucial, why the villain doesn't realize it.

[headnoises.livejournal.com]

Make the assigned thing a future threat, if people don't follow along with "if we find you, you'd BETTER be with at least one other person." Whoever it fits insists on walking with the other guy-- or drafts the other guy-- into the Unexpected Place.

[marycatelli]

Doesn't fit their characters -- either of them -- alas.