Writer's Choice: My story "Ghosts Never Die"

[franciskerst.livejournal.com]

I was kindly invited to post my only completed Man from U.N.C.L.E story here, for the Writer's Choice, as it was too late for the "Twelve Days of Christmas".

Because actually, yes, it's a Christmas story, though of a rather peculiar type. I wrote the first chapter for one of the earlier "Down the Chimney" Challenge with quite traditional "christmassy" prompts. My unfortunate "beneficiary" must have been very disappointed for I never got a word from her. Which I completely understood as I had chosen to write the least christmassy Christmas story ever! No, don't be afraid, there is nothing evil in it but all the Christmas folklore is put upside down. It takes place during the Xmas Eve, Napoleon and Illya are in jail after a failed mission, totally powerless and unable to escape, simply because they are not allowed to escape! I wanted to show what could happen in the real world if U.N.C.L.E was a real organization, obliged to abide by the ordinary rules governing all other international institutions.

I also played with other tropes, common in fanfiction. It's a gen story but the background and premises are of a kind frequently found in slash; in this story the same conditions (of forced intimacy) lead our heroes to completely opposite developments. Nothing expected happens: the villain is not the villain; the innocent who saves the day was first among the bad guys; M Waverly has to pay the bills and the meal cooked by Napoleon at the end is a disaster!

So if you dare to face this sacrilegious attempt go to: http://archiveofourown.org/works/467866 (sorry, I forgot how to create a proper link).

Comments

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Congratulations you made it! Welcome to Section VII! Hope you'll be interested in joining in some of our future challenges in 2014! I have to say again, I enjoyed this story very much.

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

This story has always intrigued me, and it's one I've read more than once or twice. Sometimes Christmas just can't live up to the hype of secularism, and this story is a reality check on how things sometimes happen to people regardless of what holiday it happens to be.

[franciskerst.livejournal.com]

Thanks to tell me; I sometimes thought this story had just dropped in a black hole, without leaving a trace. Which somehow discouraged me to complete the sequel.

[avery11.livejournal.com]

This is a wonderful, powerful story, uncompromisingly real. There's nothing pretty about it, and yet you've made their raw, gritty reality a beautiful thing. Terrific story--I can't believe it's your only one to date. Notice I say "to date." Being an optimist, I hope you will decide to write more.