I am reading Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman and I am on page 200. The novel is about Richard Mayhew, an average Londoner with an average life who is dragged into the mysterious world of London Below when he helps a girl he finds bleeding on the street. Despite being the beginning of a fantastic adventure, his decision to be a Good Samaritan has negative consequences, as it causes him to miss a dinner with his trendy fiancée’s boss, leading her to dump him. I will be rewriting the first chapter, as it details Richard’s and his fiancée, Jessica Bartram’s, relationship and its ensuing end from Jessica’s perspective.
Jessica Bartram stood on the main floor of the Louvre, admiring a ridiculously large and important diamond. Or, rather, admiring her …show more content…
She was envisioning her career, her relationship, everything she’d ever worked for, all of it collapsing. The girl and Richard were talking. Jessica interrupted. ‘When you call the ambulance, don’t give your name. You might have to make a statement and then we’d be late…” Richard was picking the girl up. “Richard?” What was he doing? Was he crazy? “I’m taking her back to my place, Jess. I can’t just leave her here. Tell Mister Stockton I’m really sorry, but it was an emergency. I’m sure he’ll understand.” Jessica felt something warm pricking the back of her eyes. “Richard Oliver Mayhew.” With careful precision, she made her voice like steel, not letting an ounce of true emotion through. “You put that girl down and come back here this minute. Or this engagement is at an end as of now. I’m warning you.” (Gaiman 25) He wouldn’t. He couldn’t. There was no way Richard would leave her, not on a day as important as this, not for some strange homeless girl he’d found on the street, not when he knew it could mean the end of everything. Richard left. For the first time a long while, someone had refused Jessica
Jessica Bartram stood on the main floor of the Louvre, admiring a ridiculously large and important diamond. Or, rather, admiring her …show more content…
She was envisioning her career, her relationship, everything she’d ever worked for, all of it collapsing. The girl and Richard were talking. Jessica interrupted. ‘When you call the ambulance, don’t give your name. You might have to make a statement and then we’d be late…” Richard was picking the girl up. “Richard?” What was he doing? Was he crazy? “I’m taking her back to my place, Jess. I can’t just leave her here. Tell Mister Stockton I’m really sorry, but it was an emergency. I’m sure he’ll understand.” Jessica felt something warm pricking the back of her eyes. “Richard Oliver Mayhew.” With careful precision, she made her voice like steel, not letting an ounce of true emotion through. “You put that girl down and come back here this minute. Or this engagement is at an end as of now. I’m warning you.” (Gaiman 25) He wouldn’t. He couldn’t. There was no way Richard would leave her, not on a day as important as this, not for some strange homeless girl he’d found on the street, not when he knew it could mean the end of everything. Richard left. For the first time a long while, someone had refused Jessica