First Page Friday

I’m also writing a biweekly LGBTQA column and reviews of Rat Queens at Twin Cities Geek. Check those out. Be sure to read the forums, too, if you’re a Minnesota based geek.

Behind the cut is the first page of my current rough draft.

Rollerskate Faeries Vs. Flying Saucer Mad Science

Chapter 1: The Betty Boomers

The night before it came from the sky, Magnetic Attacktion was at roller derby.

“Magnetic Attacktion’s your lead jammer!”

The wind shrieked in Magnetic Attacktion’s ears as she whipped around turn 4, legs crossing and uncrossing with deceptive slowness, wheels gliding on the ice-slick floor of a converted Minneapolis warehouse that the Mill City Derby Dolls called home. She wasn’t a speedster looking for every last bit of aerodynamic advantage, she was a cannonball bearing down on the opposing team’s wall. When “Maggie,” as her league-mates called her, got off her skates she became Tera Netic, a 34 year old grad student and library worker.

The scoreboard on the wall read 124-127, against her. It was all down to this final jam, and everything had gone well so far. Mina Menace (also known as Mina Miller) of the Crush Cuties was still struggling her way past the circled defensive wall of the Betty Boomers.

Mina broke free of her last blocker. Maggie bit hard on her mouthguard, hearing the ref whistle one of the Boomers’ blockers to the penalty box for breaking off late from Mina’s escape from the pack. Mina was too good a skater to risk a trip to the sin bin in the final jam of the game when her team was only up by three. Maggie pumped her legs hard and skated straight for a momentary hole in the Cuties’ defenses.

The hole closed up again, but not fast enough to contain the hurtling Magnetic Attacktion, and she skated through, seeing her scoring ref hold up four fingers. Mina put on a burst of speed as Maggie grinned, tapping her hips to end the jam. Barely coming around the last turn, 60 feet behind the pack, she turned and skidded to a stop.