#originalliterarywork #webserial

This post is an experiment to explore how Steemit can be used to by aspiring writers to monetise their ideas as well as get early feedback from their audiences. The idea is that writers periodically post chapters of their manuscripts here on Steemit. Readers can then upvote each chapter if they like it and/ or suggest amendments to the work.

Rather than just 'throw the idea out there' I've decided to attempt to show how this could work in practice by using one of my own original works entitled "Painters."

I will serialise Painters (or rather where I've got to so far) here on Steemit. I don't consider myself a writer however I do think this idea could be of great benefit to writers. Feel free to share and comment on this work in the section below. Please share Steemit and this idea with writers (be it scripts, novels, poems) that could benefit from using this platform and following the template set out in this post. Use the hashtag #originalliterarywork so people can easily find your content.

Hopefully this concept will help expose Steemit to a whole new wave of content providers. Or spark similar ideas within the community.

READERS I'M INVITING YOU TO LEAVE YOUR FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW. IF YOUR SUGGESTIONS ARE GOOD, NOT COULD YOUR IDEAS BE INCORPORATED INTO THE STORY BUT YOU COULD ALSO BE COMPENSATED BY OTHER READERS UPVOTING YOUR COMMENTS. EDITS MADE WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED AT THE END OF THE POST.

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Chapter 1

It was the phone call Morgan was expecting and half- dreading. Morgan looked at his phone. The number was withheld but he knew who it was.

He answered the phone.

The voice said, "If you want to see Petra again, alive, the price has gone up. I want half a million transferred to the account I'm about to text you."

It was the same voice that had reassured him that everything was going to plan only three hours earlier. It was the same voice that told him to meet under the arch at Shadwell tube station at midday for the drop off. It was now three in the afternoon and Morgan was still waiting.

Morgan knew he could not go to the police. What could he say? He had paid a man one hundred thousand pounds to abduct his daughter from his ex-wife. The man he paid was Taylor. Now Taylor was extorting for more money than had been agreed.

Morgan said, "I'm giving you nothing. Nothing until I see Petra is here in London."

The phone went silent.

Morgan was on hold.

Thirty seconds later, he was off hold.

A voice came through the phone.

It was Petra, "Daddy? Daddy? Are you there? Help me daddy? I'm so frightened..."

Before Morgan could speak they are cut off.

Taylor came back on the phone, "You have two hours."

Morgan's voice intercepted before Taylor could cut the call, "Wait!"

There was a pause. Morgan continued, "Wait. I don't think you heard me. I said you get nothing. Not the second instalment. Not the fantasy five hundred grand you’re dreaming of, nothing. Not until I see Petra, in the flesh. Here, safe and sound, in London. Do you hear me... Neil"

Taylor was spooked. It took him a few seconds to register that Morgan had called him Neil. He had gone to great lengths to conceal his real name, his birth name, from anyone he did this kind of work for. Neil belonged to a different life.

However he knew now wasn't the time to panic. He had the advantage. He had the girl afterall. She was with right there with him. Tied up, in his hideout, on the ninth floor of an abandoned warehouse in Shadwell.

He hung up his mobile phone. He picked up the binoculars and walked to the window overlooking Shadwell station. He looked down at Morgan standing under the arches. To his amazement, Morgan was looking up back up at him with a pair of binoculars of his own.

While still holding the binoculars to his eyes with his right hand, Morgan pulled his mobile phone out of his pocket with his left. He punched eleven digits into it. He didn't once take his eyes off Taylor, who was at the window of the building of in the distance.

Taylor felt the mobile phone in his pocket vibrate. He picked it up and answered. He kept his glaze on Morgan through the binoculars the whole time.

Morgan started, "Neil. Listen to me very carefully. Both of your hands are now occupied. I can see you. By now, the twelve year old girl I hired you to abduct has broken out chair you tied her to. I'm sorry to disappoint you but the double bowline knot that your father assured you was the strongest knot known to man, isn't. If you turn around you'll see she has a mousegun pointed at your temple. Not my small weapon of choice but she insists it’s the most reliable gun you can hide in the hemline of a skirt. Don't be alarmed and don't do anything rash, I have a proposition for you. I'll be up in a second to discuss it."

Taylor turned around. Sure enough. The little girl he had abducted was laying belly down on the table in the middle of the room. Like a trained military sniper, she had the gun pointed straight at his head.

Morgan ended the call.

...

They all three sat around the table in the hideout. Morgan, Taylor and the little girl. The girl had her gun pointed at Taylor's head.

It was indeed an intriguing proposition. However Taylor didn't appreciate being duped. If they had gone this far to deceive him why should he believe they were being truthful now? Taylor knew his limitations. He could do child abductions. Internationally if need be. He could do assassinations. Synchronised assassinations at the right price, no questions asked. But this? Working for "them" was too complicated.

After a long pause, Taylor spoke, "Thank you for your offer Mr Morgan, but no thank you."

Morgan passed Taylor a slip of paper and said, "That's unfortunate. On there are details of the account I'll need you to refund the fifty grand upfront payment to. I cannot let you keep the money. I'm sure you understand."

Taylor nodded. He took the paper and put it in his pocket.

Morgan said, "Put your gun on the table."

Taylor compiled. Morgan emptied the bullets onto the table.

Morgan continued, "Leave via the side door. You won't be hearing from us again, Taylor."

Morgan gave Taylor a smile. He handed Taylor back his gun. Taylor picked up the firearm. Taylor left the room.

Morgan walked to the window. He waited. He then watched Taylor exit the building onto the street below. Finally he turned to face the little girl perched on the solitary table in the centre of the room.

Tears streamed down his face as he uttered, "Petra."

He hurried across the room to embrace her. Morgan realised that he sailed close to the wind with this operation. However he knew he had to go off the grid if he was to ever get Petra successfully out of Egypt. Taylor was the natural choice for this job.

Petra said, "Thanks for rescuing me Daddy. I wasn't sure you got my message. Mum is such a killjoy."

Morgan reprimanded her, "She is your mother and she loves you dearly. We just have differing opinions on your future."

Petra, “You wasn't really thinking of recruiting that loser, where you Daddy?"

Morgan, "Of course not, honey. He was the only way to bring you back without anyone suspecting." He kisses her on the forehead. "Come with me. I have a picture for us to paint."

As they walked out of the room Morgan began to reason to himself. When the others found out they'd understand. He had to get her back. Not only was Petra the best employee they had. She was the only daughter he had left.

End of Chapter 1

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Please leave your feedback and suggestions in the comments section below. If your suggestions are good, not only could your ideas be incorporated into the stort but you could also be compensated by other readers upvoting your comments.

EDITS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

(None as yet)