Internal Monologue of a Creative Writing Professor, by Richie Narvaez

 "Internal Monologue of a Creative Writing Professor," by Richie Narvaez, in Kings River Life, December 18, 2024.

Internal monologue is the key here. We are following the thoughts of a creative writing professor so it is not surprising that he is constantly editing himself, correcting his description, adding background and detail, as he goes.

His mind is an interesting place to be.  (Old joke: What's the last thing to go through a mosquito's mind? A windshield.)

What makes this particular monologue  so interesting is that, well, here is how it starts:

There is a school shooter in the building.

Wait, let me set the scene.

See? Already revising.

He describes the classroom in which they are hiding.  ("Today's lesson is creating a sense of place.") He describes the students. (Is one of them a future victim?  Perhaps the shooter?)

Witty, suspenseful, and satisfying.