Chapter Text
"A Star in the Lake" and "A Hundred-Year Fog" are my two-part reinterpretation of the movie "Winter's Tale" (2014).
I have NOT read the original novel by Mark Helprin, so my reinterpretation is based on the movie alone. Therefore, the events/characters that are exclusively in the book will not be featured in my stories.
I don't want to write something that's already been written. I want to create my own version of this tale. Helprin is the original creator of these characters, Akiva Goldsman is the adapter of his book, and I am an adapter of Goldsman's adaptation. This is not me trying to discredit either Helprin or Goldsman's versions of "Winter's Tale". This is me, a lover of these characters, a lover of this film, following in their footsteps while leaving my own, as well.
I don't own these characters. But I love them. I want to hold them for a while.
Given how little people know about this movie, and how poorly it was treated, I want to write about it. To think about it. To paint my own version of this tale and stay there for a little bit.
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy it.
Blanca
A HUNDRED-YEAR FOG
Story begun on January 2025
1. Oblivion
It was January. That was obvious.
It was late and early, all at once. Late in the evening, early in the year. Winter's breath revitalizing and hovering above New York.
It was cold out here. And every part of him ached. That was undeniable.
He'd stepped out of the East River and was now regaining his breath on an uncomfortable bed of rock and sand. That was unquestionable.
O, Come…
But Peter Lake did not remember.
O, Come…
He waited, lain on his back, upon the grey pebbles, the sand, the river, and the water looped around his calves, cold chains coiling over his charcoal-colored clothes, the inconspicuous white of his shirt clashing with the black, open jacket, dampened and heavy. The roots of the city, claiming him back, tying him down.
He waited the way a child waits to be lulled to sleep by music.
He waited for answers to prayers.
O… Come…
He waited for death. He waited for life. He waited for pain to subside.
When he licked his lips he tasted blood and he did not know why. When he touched his chest no heartbeat massaged his hand and he did not know why.
He waited for a name. For a story.
For deja vu. For faces.
Come…
He waited, staring at the sky, watching the stars.
Or a star. One, in particular, just flickering now, as if roused awake. Blinking. Winking. Looking at him.
Come… who…?
He was waiting for something, perhaps. For heaven itself to speak. For this oblivion to dim down to nothingness.
After a while, he felt foolish for his inactivity and managed to crawl. On all fours, ascending, leaving the river behind. When he breathed, thick drops of salt and ice leapt from his face and hair.
Peter Lake got on his feet, moving somewhere, anywhere but there. He could not stay there, it hurt too much.
But he did not know why.
He did not know.
Come… who…
He didn't remember anything.
Author's Note: To anyone who is here today... I'M BACK :3 I promised you.
Here it is, the canon continuation of "A Star in the Lake"!
I did say I'd keep "The Flight of the Magpies" around anyways, and I shall, I'll leave it be for now, but I won't continue it and I won't consider it part of my WT duology any longer, I went off the rails with that one given how much I diverted from Peter's arc in the film, I clearly lost my way and had no idea where I was going. I lost the map, is what happened. I got carried away. I'll finish TFOTM in my own time, I like having an AU where both Peter and Beverly are dead, where Peter keeps his memories and is able to coexist and interact with the woman he loves, but the truth is, I betrayed the very point that made the movie so special to me. And for that… I'm keeping Peter's immortality path. His amnesia path.
I'll also maintain a singular POV, going off of ASITL. This is Peter's POV. Now, I will make one for Beverly, too, eventually, but for the time being, I have to finish his story, and the painful beauty of it comes in the fact that he doesn't see Beverly again for a very long time. So... we have to suffer that, too XD Sorry. Again, I promise, I'll make all the waiting worth it.
But I am keeping the bone structure of Peter's journey. That is the basis through which he proved to be such an admirable character to me in the first place.
It's been a long time coming, sorry, but… here it is. I won't disappoint you, I promise :3
For now, here is Chapter 1, back to my short-and-sweet chapters. I need to re-learn to leave the editing for later, like I did for ASITL. That way I can update you quicker.
Here is your hug, thank you as always for being here, and I'll see you again in a wink! *hug*