Nick Beeson
02-03-2015, 04:15 PM
I was unsatisfied by the Garden Party, and felt it lacked plot, so for a college assignment I re-wrote it with a more powerful story Please read without seriousness, while some parts are serious, the essay was meant to be a funny rehash of the story.
--(Contains language)--
And after all, the weather was ideal.They could not have had a more perfect day for a garden party if they had ordered it. The sun shone bright in the sky overhead, like a brilliant gem placed on a light blue velvet pillow of a sky. The temperature was swell, a comfortable 30 degrees Celsius. The soft wind mad the flowers wane gently back and forth like quaint ballerinas dancing in the wind a if they were in the London Opera House. They were in full force this season; For over 200 bright and beautiful blooms had sprung in April and the mass of flowers gave the whole garden the sweet aroma which made Laura feel blissful. Laura had the task of supervising workmen as they came by to set up the marquee her mother had ordered.
“Where would you like it?” Asked the first workman, who clearly was irked by the futile festivites taking place today.
“Just over by the band. A bit to the left of the tennis court… Oh, a little to the right… There. Perfect!” As Laura wathed the men clumsily and half heartedly place the marquee in the desired location, she wondered if the reason they weren’t in the Royal Army because of their lack of effort. As the workmen wheeled around to leave, Laura’s gaze met that of the youngest workman. He was a smaller fellow, about Laura’s age with beautiful blue eyes. Laura’s heart gave a giant leap when she saw him. She was rather glad there were still some men who didn’t have to fight overseas.
“Miss Laura!” Mrs Sheradan called. “Pray help your mother, I am rather faint from preperations of dinner and I require you to converse with the florist on the garden’s lillies.”
Laura was not too fond of her mother; She loved her dearly, yes, but she felt the woman was distant, as if she existed in a world of flowers and crumpets. “Yes Mother, I shall.” As Laura was walking out, she glimpsed Saidie out of the corner of her eye arranging sandwiches neatly on a platter to be served during the afternoon’s festivites. Her sister, much like her mother, often had her head in the clouds, as if nothing wrong could ever possibly exist. Jose complimented her sister’s sandwhich efforts with a coutreous grin and sincere appreciation. As Laura glided outside, she felt a warm breeze envelop her, giving her momentarily a sense of pure peace. However, such exctasy was short lived, as the florist barged into her revelry to question Laura about the selection of lillies and their placement. Laura soon remembered her assigned task and ambled with the florist among the rows of lillies deciding where each variety and color should be placed. “I would imagine the purple ones would look absolutely splendid over by the gazeebo.” Said :Laura, hoping her gardening decoration skills pleased her mother.
“Indeed” The florist said, while he contemplated in his mind what the scene before him would look like. “I think a mix of purple with a dash of yellow would do just fine over there..” He began to place a couple lillies in the bed to mark the spot, and carried on with Laura to scout further locations for the aroma filled flowers. Laura was excited to see her envisionment come to fruition. It was remarkable to see so many vibrant plants so delicately placed and stratigically located. She revelled in how exquisite the insuing evening will be; with the band, the food, how wonderful the weather had become, and the scrumtious crème-filled pastries Cook had made. She turned back towards the house, leavingt he florist at his work to go boast to her mother on her brilliant arrangement.
Laura remembered to ask the florist about how many her mother had ordered, and as she turned around to pose the question, a shrieking sound rained out of the crystal-blue sky like a demon coming forth from a innocent child. Luara watched in horror as something shrieked out of the sky and landed where the florist was. Before Laura was thrown violently from the blast, she watched the florist disapear into a mist of mangled human, soil, shrapnel, and fire. This was too terrible to imagine; she felt a warm trickle from her forehead and realized that she was bleeding. As she turned skyward to scream, she saw what seemed like thousands of planes moving in like clouds overhead. The thunderous roar of the engines was deafening, and these storms unleashed a rain of something. Laura was grabbed my her panicking mother who screamed, rather out of character “Holy Mother ****ing ****”, just as Laura realized what the mass of planes had loosed: Thousands of troops.
The Nazis had never seemed like a threat to the Sheraden family. They had been told by Winston Churchill to keep calm and carry on, however, they never imagined a full scale invasion would tear at their quiant estate. Laura was still reeling from the terror of it all. Dizzily, she looked up as her sister ran to the aid of the gardener, who had been planting flowers near the florist when the artillery round hit. But Jose’s wretched scream let Laura know that there wasn’t much to save. Mrs. Shereaden called desperately for Jose to return to the house, to help drag Laura inside and get to cover, but the barrage of bullets emminating from the dozens of Nazi troops sent Jose into a tangled mess near the crater. Her mother, stunned, burst out into a fit of rage and torment, but quickly realized she had two of her children she need to protect. Greif would have to wait. For the first time ever, Laura saw something never before seen in her mothers eyes: grim detirmination to protect her. It was as if a switch which controlled all animal instincts to protect and fight had been off her whole life and had now been activated.
Laura was surprised by the sheer strength of her mother as she hauled her out of the splintered patio into the house where Meg stood ready with a towel for Laura’s head. As Laura peered through the doorway, she gazed upon the thousands of Nazi troops breaking through the outer wall of the estate. They looked like ants as the crawled everywhere, and klled whatever moved. A bullet ringed by her mother’s head, and she ducked and esentially threw Laura to safety. Meg and her mother dragged Laura towards the wine cellar. Halfway throught the dining hall, the East wing of the house exploded with a violent force beyond any power Laura had ever known. The way to the wine celler was now blocked by a pile of debris which had once been a lovely kitchen filled with the aroma of sweet and delectable treats. Now it had been reduced to a pile of burning hopes and dreams.
They were closing in. Laura, pinned behind the overturned dining room table peered out. She could now see the glare of rage in their eyes. They were coming. A bullet tore through the havy burgandy table as if it were nothing but a paper doile. Laura ducked as the splinters streaked across her face. Another bullet hurled itself through the table, then another, then another, until the sound of supersonic projectiles became a steady stream of dread buzzing and whizzing overhead. The sound of shots being fired came closer, and closer, yet the table splintered less and less. Meg looked confused as a shell casing landed three feet from her huddled form. Through the thick smoke, Laura saw the blue eyed worker firing back on the Nazi invaders. Laura felt a strange joy envelop her. She had something that she never remembered having before. No, just ten minutes before it had existed. But the feeling was taken for granted all too often. She felt safe.
The blue eyed kid hopped the table where Laura and the remainder of her family huddled and advanced upon the invaders. Shot after shot rang out and Laura hoped and prayed none hit that boy. However, hope was futile, as he came crashing over head over heels over the table clutching his arm. He had been hit and Laura leaned over to help him. His arm had suffered a deep wound. Now no one was defending them. It would be over soon, but she wanted to thank this brave, young man for risking his life to save her. She leaned over and kissed his cheek as he lay unconsious on the remainder of the hand stiched carpet that once housed many a party. Her mother pulled Meg close, the fired gone from her eyes as she wheeped uncontrollably. Their hope was gone. The wonderful plans for the evening were a distant memory as though it were a dream barely remembered the next morning. Her mother lay there utterly hopeless. Laura however still was tending the man. She clung to the hope that he gave her. Another artillery round hit and the group was flung carelessly into the chaotic remains of the Sheredan residency.
A soft breeze skimmed her face. Laura awoke gently at first, then remembered what had transpired and shot up and screamed. “Take it easy miss, you’re ok now.” Said a voice from a light ahead of her. When she had regained her vision in its entirety, she looked up to see a man wearing a white helmet with a cross on it, and had the American flag on his right shoulder.
“Is my family ok? Where is the man that saved us?” Laura asked, desperately hoping that they had survived.
“Ummm, your mom and sister are doing very well. They came to a couple hours ago. But there wasn’t any guy in the wreckage.”
“Are you sure? He had blue eyes and was shot in the arm before the explosion.” Laura said matter-of-factly. She knew he had to be here somewhere.
“Would you like more morphine ma’am? You’re still a little loopy from the injuries.”
Had she imagined it all? No, the man was assuredly there. He had fired upon the Germans in an incredible attempt to save her family. He couldn’t have been an angel, can angels get shot?
“Your mother is here to see you. You should rest more but I have a feeling she’d beat us all up if we don’t let her in.” Said the medic with a slight smile, seemingly amused with his own joke.
--(Contains language)--
And after all, the weather was ideal.They could not have had a more perfect day for a garden party if they had ordered it. The sun shone bright in the sky overhead, like a brilliant gem placed on a light blue velvet pillow of a sky. The temperature was swell, a comfortable 30 degrees Celsius. The soft wind mad the flowers wane gently back and forth like quaint ballerinas dancing in the wind a if they were in the London Opera House. They were in full force this season; For over 200 bright and beautiful blooms had sprung in April and the mass of flowers gave the whole garden the sweet aroma which made Laura feel blissful. Laura had the task of supervising workmen as they came by to set up the marquee her mother had ordered.
“Where would you like it?” Asked the first workman, who clearly was irked by the futile festivites taking place today.
“Just over by the band. A bit to the left of the tennis court… Oh, a little to the right… There. Perfect!” As Laura wathed the men clumsily and half heartedly place the marquee in the desired location, she wondered if the reason they weren’t in the Royal Army because of their lack of effort. As the workmen wheeled around to leave, Laura’s gaze met that of the youngest workman. He was a smaller fellow, about Laura’s age with beautiful blue eyes. Laura’s heart gave a giant leap when she saw him. She was rather glad there were still some men who didn’t have to fight overseas.
“Miss Laura!” Mrs Sheradan called. “Pray help your mother, I am rather faint from preperations of dinner and I require you to converse with the florist on the garden’s lillies.”
Laura was not too fond of her mother; She loved her dearly, yes, but she felt the woman was distant, as if she existed in a world of flowers and crumpets. “Yes Mother, I shall.” As Laura was walking out, she glimpsed Saidie out of the corner of her eye arranging sandwiches neatly on a platter to be served during the afternoon’s festivites. Her sister, much like her mother, often had her head in the clouds, as if nothing wrong could ever possibly exist. Jose complimented her sister’s sandwhich efforts with a coutreous grin and sincere appreciation. As Laura glided outside, she felt a warm breeze envelop her, giving her momentarily a sense of pure peace. However, such exctasy was short lived, as the florist barged into her revelry to question Laura about the selection of lillies and their placement. Laura soon remembered her assigned task and ambled with the florist among the rows of lillies deciding where each variety and color should be placed. “I would imagine the purple ones would look absolutely splendid over by the gazeebo.” Said :Laura, hoping her gardening decoration skills pleased her mother.
“Indeed” The florist said, while he contemplated in his mind what the scene before him would look like. “I think a mix of purple with a dash of yellow would do just fine over there..” He began to place a couple lillies in the bed to mark the spot, and carried on with Laura to scout further locations for the aroma filled flowers. Laura was excited to see her envisionment come to fruition. It was remarkable to see so many vibrant plants so delicately placed and stratigically located. She revelled in how exquisite the insuing evening will be; with the band, the food, how wonderful the weather had become, and the scrumtious crème-filled pastries Cook had made. She turned back towards the house, leavingt he florist at his work to go boast to her mother on her brilliant arrangement.
Laura remembered to ask the florist about how many her mother had ordered, and as she turned around to pose the question, a shrieking sound rained out of the crystal-blue sky like a demon coming forth from a innocent child. Luara watched in horror as something shrieked out of the sky and landed where the florist was. Before Laura was thrown violently from the blast, she watched the florist disapear into a mist of mangled human, soil, shrapnel, and fire. This was too terrible to imagine; she felt a warm trickle from her forehead and realized that she was bleeding. As she turned skyward to scream, she saw what seemed like thousands of planes moving in like clouds overhead. The thunderous roar of the engines was deafening, and these storms unleashed a rain of something. Laura was grabbed my her panicking mother who screamed, rather out of character “Holy Mother ****ing ****”, just as Laura realized what the mass of planes had loosed: Thousands of troops.
The Nazis had never seemed like a threat to the Sheraden family. They had been told by Winston Churchill to keep calm and carry on, however, they never imagined a full scale invasion would tear at their quiant estate. Laura was still reeling from the terror of it all. Dizzily, she looked up as her sister ran to the aid of the gardener, who had been planting flowers near the florist when the artillery round hit. But Jose’s wretched scream let Laura know that there wasn’t much to save. Mrs. Shereaden called desperately for Jose to return to the house, to help drag Laura inside and get to cover, but the barrage of bullets emminating from the dozens of Nazi troops sent Jose into a tangled mess near the crater. Her mother, stunned, burst out into a fit of rage and torment, but quickly realized she had two of her children she need to protect. Greif would have to wait. For the first time ever, Laura saw something never before seen in her mothers eyes: grim detirmination to protect her. It was as if a switch which controlled all animal instincts to protect and fight had been off her whole life and had now been activated.
Laura was surprised by the sheer strength of her mother as she hauled her out of the splintered patio into the house where Meg stood ready with a towel for Laura’s head. As Laura peered through the doorway, she gazed upon the thousands of Nazi troops breaking through the outer wall of the estate. They looked like ants as the crawled everywhere, and klled whatever moved. A bullet ringed by her mother’s head, and she ducked and esentially threw Laura to safety. Meg and her mother dragged Laura towards the wine cellar. Halfway throught the dining hall, the East wing of the house exploded with a violent force beyond any power Laura had ever known. The way to the wine celler was now blocked by a pile of debris which had once been a lovely kitchen filled with the aroma of sweet and delectable treats. Now it had been reduced to a pile of burning hopes and dreams.
They were closing in. Laura, pinned behind the overturned dining room table peered out. She could now see the glare of rage in their eyes. They were coming. A bullet tore through the havy burgandy table as if it were nothing but a paper doile. Laura ducked as the splinters streaked across her face. Another bullet hurled itself through the table, then another, then another, until the sound of supersonic projectiles became a steady stream of dread buzzing and whizzing overhead. The sound of shots being fired came closer, and closer, yet the table splintered less and less. Meg looked confused as a shell casing landed three feet from her huddled form. Through the thick smoke, Laura saw the blue eyed worker firing back on the Nazi invaders. Laura felt a strange joy envelop her. She had something that she never remembered having before. No, just ten minutes before it had existed. But the feeling was taken for granted all too often. She felt safe.
The blue eyed kid hopped the table where Laura and the remainder of her family huddled and advanced upon the invaders. Shot after shot rang out and Laura hoped and prayed none hit that boy. However, hope was futile, as he came crashing over head over heels over the table clutching his arm. He had been hit and Laura leaned over to help him. His arm had suffered a deep wound. Now no one was defending them. It would be over soon, but she wanted to thank this brave, young man for risking his life to save her. She leaned over and kissed his cheek as he lay unconsious on the remainder of the hand stiched carpet that once housed many a party. Her mother pulled Meg close, the fired gone from her eyes as she wheeped uncontrollably. Their hope was gone. The wonderful plans for the evening were a distant memory as though it were a dream barely remembered the next morning. Her mother lay there utterly hopeless. Laura however still was tending the man. She clung to the hope that he gave her. Another artillery round hit and the group was flung carelessly into the chaotic remains of the Sheredan residency.
A soft breeze skimmed her face. Laura awoke gently at first, then remembered what had transpired and shot up and screamed. “Take it easy miss, you’re ok now.” Said a voice from a light ahead of her. When she had regained her vision in its entirety, she looked up to see a man wearing a white helmet with a cross on it, and had the American flag on his right shoulder.
“Is my family ok? Where is the man that saved us?” Laura asked, desperately hoping that they had survived.
“Ummm, your mom and sister are doing very well. They came to a couple hours ago. But there wasn’t any guy in the wreckage.”
“Are you sure? He had blue eyes and was shot in the arm before the explosion.” Laura said matter-of-factly. She knew he had to be here somewhere.
“Would you like more morphine ma’am? You’re still a little loopy from the injuries.”
Had she imagined it all? No, the man was assuredly there. He had fired upon the Germans in an incredible attempt to save her family. He couldn’t have been an angel, can angels get shot?
“Your mother is here to see you. You should rest more but I have a feeling she’d beat us all up if we don’t let her in.” Said the medic with a slight smile, seemingly amused with his own joke.