The Algorithm Had Won
WRITING PROMPT: “JUMP INSIDE THEIR HEAD”
Content Warning: This post contains explicit language.
The Algorithm Had Won by Nash Urban
The car shifted into neutral and rolled to a stop, the sound of the rain and the wipers a barrier to the outside world, dull and unbiased. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Each aggressive word in staccato accompanied Alex's open palms pounding on the steering wheel, crescendoing into a final "Fuuuuuuuuck!"
He wasn't quite sure why he chose this spot. Both hands ran through his wet hair from front to back. It was a lie, of course. He knew exactly why he chose this spot. It was quiet with a view. Happenstance. A first kiss. A proposal. It was hers and his. It was theirs.
He wiped the wet from his cheeks, not quite sure where the rain ended and he began. But why? She was better than this. She was perfect. He must have missed something, said something, done something. Thoughts pointed inward, racing to find what he did wrong. Every possible memory flashed by like a social feed in his head. Wait. What's this? His heart skipped a beat, and he had to remind himself to breathe. This can't be right. The feed algorithm adjusted. This wasn't me... It was him. It was always him. "That sonofabitch." The algorithm had won.
His knuckles whitened on the steering wheel, eyes shifting towards the glove box and the promise of protection that lay quietly tucked inside. The beats were back, pounding. The stick shift slammed into reverse, gravel spewing from the front of the car. Alex knew where this road led. The question was, did he?
© Nash Urban, 2024
All rights reserved.
Nash’s Notes:
FYI: The article voice over contains additional spice! Also in Podcast flavor.
Apologies for the language kind of out of left field there. This might be my first and only apology though. Reminds me that I should go and check that box on my podcast settings. I guess this is a good time to share my thoughts on profanity and the like, the gist being, if it serves the story.
Here is the thing: while I don't mind using profanity, I'm not a fan of profanity for the sake of profanity–it needs to make sense. It needs to be part of the character and/or the story I am trying to tell. That is not to say that my usage will always be subtle and tasteful, but for me, it will always be in service of the story or in the pursuit of my craft.
That's why I'm here and hopefully you, the reader, as well, asking questions like: Where is this author at? Where is he going and where has he been? How is he telling his stories? How is he growing? Is this someone I want to give my time to? Was the story entertaining?
Which brings about the broader topic of crossing lines. Well, I am new to this whole writing fiction thing. Put another way, I am green. I will only know when my line is crossed once I step over it. I need room to experiment and grow without the pitchforks coming out. But this is my line and my line is probably different from yours. But guess what? That's okay. If I offend you, that's also okay. If I spent all of my time worrying about offending or upsetting strangers on the internet with what I write or say, I would never get anything published.
That being said, I am not out here trying to be a shock jock or be hateful or malicious under the guise of fiction. I just want to tell stories, and stories go places. Characters can be scumbags and scenes can make us feel uncomfortable. But we need that and we need to know why. And our opinions need to be our own, not what the nameless mobs think. And we can share those opinions or not. But we can be respectful and civilized about it.
But while I am writing for me, the reader is the one holding the key. You see, while I have the power to put metaphorical pen to paper and dictate my own boundaries, you, dear reader, have the ultimate power: choosing to read or not. I'm reminded of the saying "If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" Which is to say, if I write something and no one is around to read it, does it even exist?
Time. Time is our most valuable resource, and seeing as how you are still here, it means you shared a little of yours with me. And for that, I am truly grateful. I'm here for the fiction. I hope you are too.
Okay. Allow me a moment to step down off my soapbox and we can get into today’s writing prompt which is:
WRITING PROMPT: "JUMP INSIDE THEIR HEAD”
In this prompt, I was to choose from a list of provided scenarios and “jump inside the character’s head” to write a scene that describes what this character might be thinking. The scenario I chose was:
A husband or wife finds out the other has been cheating.
Did you catch on before reading this? I think that much was obvious, though I did want to leave a few things up to the reader’s imagination by only hinting at them. Hope you enjoyed the story.
A couple of additional things:
I was to get inside the character's head, which I attempted. But, also, the character was kind of getting inside their own head. That’s where the idea of the algo came from. Seeing what you want to see.
I bent perspective from third-person limited a couple of times, but I think it worked.
I am still not sure when to use italics for internal monologue or if that’s where I should be using them at all.
Until next time.
See you on the next page,
Nash
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Disclaimer: Prompt from "The Foundations of Fiction" course by J. Brody & J. Rendell on Udemy. Not sponsored or affiliated. Used for commentary and educational purposes under fair use. For full course, see Udemy.