tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57047409111797206272024-02-20T23:52:28.411-08:00One day at a timeshihnonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13854802538766274064noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-24217443829173251052009-08-11T08:54:00.001-07:002009-08-11T08:55:07.167-07:00Chapter 30: Awake<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Chapter 30<br />Awake</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I found myself in bed, listening to the sound of my alarm. Its incessant beeping meant hours had passed without me ever having recollection of that time. Sometimes, I would remember a fragment of a dream only to have it wisp away as I tried to hold onto it. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I opened my eyes. My alarm stopped beeping. My alarm wasn’t even there because I wasn’t in my room. I was on the floor if I could call it a floor.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Good morning, Hank,” a voice sounded from around me.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I looked around but saw no one there.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Who’s there?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Ah, I apologize.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From around me, the ground began to rise in segments, growing at tremendous speeds until a city was built around me. It wasn’t a city I recognized.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A white figure outlined in black began to walk down from the path before me. It had the shape of a human, but it lacked all the definition.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Who are you?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> “I think you know who I am,” its voice resonated from all around me.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“No, no I don’t.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Oh, well.” A smile creeped across the face of the figure.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I stared at the strange figure standing in the strange world. He didn’t speak again. We stared at each other for a while or rather – I stared at him. He had no eyes – I could not tell if he was looking at me.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“So did you make me dream?” I finally asked.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“No, I had no hand in that. But I saw and heard everything. Fragments shored upon my side.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“What do you mean?”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Text and Images © Jonathan Lee</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Well, I am everything and everything is me – to an extent.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Who are you?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“An Aspect of the City.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“How is that possible?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“My boy, you aren’t the only thing that’s alive. I’ve been around much longer than you, but not nearly as long as some other places,” the figure smiled.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Then, what do you want with me?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“The same I want with everyone else – for them to live, for them to dream.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“And what does that do for you?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“A city is only as alive as the people in it. A city’s dreams are only as good as its people’s.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“You’re living off my dreams?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“And nightmares as well. And just like people have nightmares, so do I.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Is that what Affects are?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“A type. Affects are many things just like everything else. It’s not how they’re made that’s important. It’s what they do.” </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A strange ringing began to echo into the halls.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Well, it seems this conversation is about over now.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> “Wait. I don’t understand!” I spoke.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“No one does.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I awoke to a strange mixture of senses. I could smell the smoke of incense burning nearby. A dazzling blue shone before my eyes. And a strange ring called from around me. I realized what the ring was as I gained my bearings. I reached into my pocket and grabbed my phone.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Grace calling…</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I answered.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Hello?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Hey! We’ve been worried about you all day. Where are you?” she shouted through the phone. I had to pull it back from my ear.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I looked around where I was. I was sitting in a wooden chair in a wooden room with a wooden table in front of me. On that wooden table lay a large warm colored cloth with coins and beads dangling from its edges. A crystal rested upon that cloth, and it looked as if it resonated a soft blue light. A woman sat opposite of me wearing flowing clothing wrapped in a shawl. I knew where I was, but I didn’t understand why I was here.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Sorry, I’m fine. Can I call you back in a bit?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I’m just glad you’re safe,” she sighed.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I wouldn’t dream of leaving.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Call me.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I will.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Call ended.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I looked at the woman opposite of me.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Why?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Because there are so many parts of you hidden away, shouting to be released, but you wouldn’t listen.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Who put you up to this?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Myself.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Really? Not Eason? Anna?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I don’t know who those people are. I saw in my own crystal that I would meet you. When you walked by, I knew what I had to do. And I watched you dream, and I dreamed with you. I walked with you when you turned away from whom I suppose is Grace. I was there when you woke in the same bed with her. And I was there when you turned from your family.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“And when I spoke to the City?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“What?” the woman asked.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“The fourth dream. You made me dream four dreams.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Dear boy, there were only three, and I made you do nothing. I may have made you dream, but those dreams were of your own choosing.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I sat there at a loss for words.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“There was another dream?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I didn’t answer.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Curious. Well, off you go, Hank.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The woman walked over and began to shoo me out of the shop. I left the store, and heard the door close behind me. Then, the lights behind me snuffed to darkness. I turned around and saw a boarded up window. I looked up, and the sign that read mystic when I first walked down the street now swung broken with faded words. On the door of the building hung a flyer.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Listen to the city and the words of another.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">LIstentoyourpeers.org/</span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-20177180984497356412009-08-11T08:53:00.001-07:002009-08-11T08:53:54.875-07:00Chapter 29: Innocence<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Chapter 29</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Innocence</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I found myself in bed, listening to the sound of my alarm. Its incessant beeping meant hours had passed without me ever having recollection of that time. Sometimes, I would remember a fragment of a dream only to have it wisp away as I tried to hold onto it.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I sat up and saw my alarm read 7:30. </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ack! I don’t want to go to school!</span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I looked at my airplane wallpaper. I wanted to be a pilot. I wanted to fly and soar through the skies. What I didn’t want was to go to school. School was boring. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My mom walked through the door. “Come on! You’re going to be late!”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I don’t feel so good, mommy.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">She ran over to my bed. I thought she would feel my forehead. I wanted her to believe me. I didn’t want to go to school.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">She grabbed my hand and pulled me out of bed. “No! You have to go to school. Don’t lie to me, Hank!”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“No! Mommy! I don’t wanna!”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“You have to go to school! It’s good for you! What kind of mother would I be if I let you stay home because you wanted to stay home?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">She dragged me to my closet and began to dress me.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I didn’t scream. I pouted. I didn’t want to go to school.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">She dressed me in a white dress shirt, a black tie, and a sweater vest. It was hot and stuffy. I didn’t like it. I looked in the mirror, and I saw my eyes. I didn’t quite understand what I saw, but it wasn’t right.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Come on!” She walked out the door.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I pouted and followed after her.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">~</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I descended the stairs and saw my mother walking out the front door. She looked at me, then closed the door behind her.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I entered the kitchen and looked at the dark room. Like all mornings, the kitchen and the dining room were dark. The sink was spotless – no dishes – no drops of water – unused. I opened the refrigerator and looked into its half empty confines. Anything in the refrigerator was mine. Neither of my parents were home to cook. They usually brought food home or ate out. I poured myself a bowl of cereal and cut fresh strawberries to put into it. I sat at the table and ate silently in the dark. I finished eating and placed the bowl into the sink.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Soon, I would take the bus to my new school – it was the first day of high school. I didn’t think much of it. Just another day.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I walked toward the bathroom to brush my teeth.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">~</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I stared into the mirror and began to sob. I held his toque in one hand and struck the wall with the other. This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be happening.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Hank. Are you alright?” My mother’s voice sounded from outside the bathroom.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. No words would come out. The only sound choked out was gasps of air swallowed by tears. I couldn’t even think. So many memories came back that they fragmented and overlapped. There echoed times I wanted to return to, times that I had forgotten, and times that never were. It was as if time stopped. I wished it did.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“If you’re not feeling well, you don’t have to go to school tomorrow.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Donny died an hour ago, and that’s all she had to say.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I looked up in the mirror, and I understood what I saw in my eyes all those years ago.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Text and Images © Jonathan Lee</span></span></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-5111918452353486322009-08-11T08:51:00.001-07:002009-08-11T08:52:48.581-07:00Chapter 28: Ephemeral<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Chapter 28<br />Ephemeral</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I found myself in bed, listening to the sound of my alarm. Its incessant beeping meant hours had passed without me ever having recollection of that time. Sometimes, I would remember a fragment of a dream only to have it wisp away as I tried to hold onto it. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">7:30 as usual.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I slapped the alarm and rolled to the other side.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I found my arms wrapping around her body. The ephemeral fragrance of her black hair etherized my senses. I closed my eyes and wanted to lull back to sleep with my arms wrapped around her. They say if you hold onto something you cherish, you dream only good dreams.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Hank?” her voice whispered with waking vibrato.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I didn’t answer.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> “Get out,” it returned to that pitch I knew so well. “Stop being lazy. Your snooze is going to go off in a bit if you don’t get up, and I can’t really take that sound at this forsaken hour.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“And what will you do all day?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> “Sleep. Whereas you should be going to work, lazybones.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I took one last deep breath, and I rose from the bed.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I took a shower in our bathroom. I used the bar of soap she bought, and I thought about how years before, she would have bought a different shaped bar of a different brand. We were different, but nothing had really changed. Nothing important. I dried myself and walked into our closet. Years before, my side would have been monochrome – white shirts and black jeans. Now, there were more colors – even some grids and stripes. But today, I felt like what I wore all those years ago. I felt young. I wore a white shirt and black jeans. I found a grey hooded jacket. And I found the red tie she had given me years before. The patch was still on it – faded from overuse. No toque though. The toque, well, that’s another story.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As I was leaving, I saw her still lying in bed. She wouldn’t have to work for another two hours. So I walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">She rolled away from me.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I turned.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Her arm wrapped around my neck, and she pulled me down. Her lips locked on mine. My eyes closed. I could smell the sweet fragrance of her hair, and I felt like I was dreaming.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Text and Images © Jonathan Lee<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></span></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-87501593546469415622009-08-11T08:49:00.000-07:002009-08-11T08:51:06.426-07:00Chapter 27: Forgotten<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Chapter 27<br />Forgotten</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I found myself in bed, listening to the sound of my alarm. Its incessant beeping meant hours had passed without me ever having recollection of that time. Sometimes, I would remember a fragment of a dream only to have it wisp away as I tried to hold onto it. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">7:30 as usual.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I got up, and I did my morning activities. I checked my e-mail. No new e-mails from my professors. It was just another day.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I then took the train to the university. I always liked the train. The wheels screeching as they grinded against the metal rail comforted me. It was a brutal sound that would always be there – that those wheels would always be turning – moving – even if nothing else were.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I got to class on time, which meant I was early. Everyone else was late. It seemed they showed no respect for the system, for the academics of learning, for the fact that some people had to pay for their college and chose to learn. No, they didn’t care. They didn’t care that a person put themselves up on the stage everyday to the scrutiny of others. Then again, not all professors cared about teaching. Some were in it just for the money. Others for the research. Not everyone cared about passing something onto someone else. Not everyone’s like me. I just don’t have anyone to pass it onto.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I sat in the park as I ate my sandwich. My phone rang. Mom.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I’m her son but not really. I’ve always felt more of a puppet – something for her political career. She married and had a kid to show a family aspect. I remember posing in family pictures when I was younger, but at some point, I was no longer invited to them. Instead, I became the angsty teenager, which made her more relatable to families. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And Dad? Dad showed more affection to other children – to his patients. I remember visiting him at work one day. I sat in his office and looked out toward the waiting rooms. Children played with the supplied toys and parents would talk to them. Whenever my dad walked into an exam room, he’d smile and say something that pertained to the child, personalized. I could hear it through the glass – it wasn’t sound proof. When the door opened again, the child would be waving goodbye to my dad as they sucked upon a lollipop.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Whenever either of them talked to me, they would only ever ask – “how was school?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So I let it ring.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I sat through another class, and my school day ended. It was time for me to head back to the station and head home. Someone tried to hand me a flyer, but I pushed past him.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As I continued toward the station, I found myself stopping in front of an alleyway. It led toward the back of buildings. I didn’t know why I stopped, but something felt familiar. I walked on. A strange feeling.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A girl bumped into me. She was running to go down that alleyway and struck me. She fell to the floor. She apologized from the floor, got up, and ran away. All I really saw was a skull ribbon in her hair. Somehow, I felt like I should know her. That I’ve seen her before.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I found myself reaching out and the word “grace” breaking through my lips. Why?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I continued walking toward the station, and a scream came from the alleyway.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The wheels of the train screech as I return to my apartment.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Text and Images © Jonathan Lee<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></span></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-65807592141161094702009-08-11T08:48:00.000-07:002009-08-11T08:49:38.329-07:00Chapter 26: Mystic<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Chapter 26<br />Mystic</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The next morning, I checked my e-mail. One new mail from Listentoyourpeers.org. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“To whom it may concern,</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Listentoyoupeers.org will be one years old next week! In honor of this momentous occasion, we’ll be hosting a party at our tower. You are all cordially invited to attend. Please see attached the flyer.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sincerely,</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Your friends at Listentoyourpeers.org”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">How did they get my e-mail?</span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I checked the e-mail and moved to delete it.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ring. Ring.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mom calling…</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Hello.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Oh! You answered!”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I know.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Well… how’s school going?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Good.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I’m glad to hear you’re doing well.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I never said I was doing well.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Glad we had this talk, Hank.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Call ended.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This was the first time I answered her phone call since I went to college. What could there be said? I now know. I went about the rest of my day as usual. Class was interesting – new material, but the same people. Did anything really change?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I walked out of class and looked at my phone. The curt conversation still rested on my mind. My family never talked much. My mother and father were busy working all the time – a politician and a doctor, always too busy with their own lives and careers that the dinner table only ever had one person sitting at it.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">They only ever asked me about school. That’s what I became focused on. Even now, away from home, they only ask me about school.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Which I wasn’t on anymore. I had wandered off to another place of the city I had never been before. It was an older section of the city – still brick mortar rather than concrete slab. Light cascaded out the windows and illuminated the stamped street. No cars were around and no people either. Every day, it seemed like I was finding myself somewhere new.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A door opened near me, and a woman walked out. She wore the strangest clothing for this time – gypsy garb. Above her hung a sign: “Mystic.” It suddenly made much more sense.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Let me get a good look at you.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I’m not interested.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Don’t be such a rash boy, Hank.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My eyes widened.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I’ve been waiting for you, boy.”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Text and Images © Jonathan Lee<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></span></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-33766914248013562009-08-11T08:47:00.000-07:002009-08-11T08:48:39.105-07:00Chapter 25: Next to Light<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Chapter 25<br />Next to Light</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Men who became Gods?” I asked.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“And women too,” Grace smiled.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“What do you mean?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Well, not to be sexist but—“</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I rolled my eyes.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Okay, okay!” she lifted her hands in defense. “Apotheosis.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I thought about it for a moment. “How do people become Gods?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“You want to become one?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I already have difficulty being human.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“That’s true,” Christopher chimed in.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I shook my head. Grace high-fived Christopher.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“My parents’ article was about the oral tradition: how great heroes became legends and how those legends became Gods. Many old Greek Gods began as heroes from other cultures who rose to godly status. Apollo wasn’t always the Sun God, but he began as Aplaa-Il – a Babylonian King who was said to have guided the sun’s light with his chariot to blind his kingdom’s enemies. There are many other examples too, but they begin as a story of how people become gods. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“It was a testament to the oral tradition of man, and how rising empires would use the same words of their predecessors to encompass more people. It was all a tool of rhetoric to get more people to follow them. By deifying the legends of old, the newer empires welcomed others.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Was there any mention of Medea?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“No.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“That was our big connection because of Greek mythology.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“What could Anna have been trying to tell me?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“It feels like a wild goose chase, and we’re still in the shadows.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Grace smiled. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I felt stupid. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Shadows are right next to light,” Christopher stated. “You just have to know which way the shadows bend to find out where light is.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We all thought about it.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Maybe we should research into Aplaa-il and Sun Gods?” I asked.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“And Babylon City as well,” agreed Grace.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Well then, I guess I’ll be taking Christopher home now.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We said good night, and Christopher and I walked back down to the bar. The bartender scowled at us as we exited.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Friendly guy,” Christopher stated.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I laughed as we entered the dark street. The dark street. Exactly where was this dark street? I didn’t know, but like Christopher said, we’d find the light soon.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Text and Images © Jonathan Lee</span></span></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-6903028251660957502009-08-11T08:44:00.000-07:002009-08-11T08:47:24.480-07:00Chapter 24: Expectations<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Chapter 24<br />Expectations</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Hank, it’s Eason. I have a report in my hand that tells me there was an incident at Zephyr Park yesterday.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I hear there are annual fireworks in the park.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“During the day. Witnesses say they saw a young man in a grey jacket with a grey skull-cap“</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I flinched at hearing him describe my toque as a skull cap.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“and a young woman with a skull ribbon in her hair.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Don’t know those people.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Witnesses also said that a little boy with a kite was with them.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Wouldn’t know.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Silence.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> “Just confirming. The witnesses must have been under duress and recalled wrongly then.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Call ended.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Who was that?” Grace asked.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Eason.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> “Who’s Eason?” Christopher asked?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“A detective.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Oh cool! How do you know a detective? He bailed you out of trouble? I pegged you for a troublemaker!” Christopher laughed.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I thought you said I was a good person.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“A good person will be good hearted, but he can still find himself in trouble.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“You’re really enjoying this.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“It sounds fun to be around you! What’ll we do today?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Well, I’m going to the library to do research,” Grace stated. “You boys have fun!”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“But…”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Before I could mutter anything else, Grace was already out the door.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“So what’ll we do then?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We walked out of the café several hours later.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I take that back. It’s boring to be around you,” Christopher complained.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“It would have been faster if you focused more.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Well, homework is boring!”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Be glad I even helped you.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“You could have just told me the answer instead of making me work for it.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Now, why would I do that?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I was wrong again: you’re not a good person!”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I found myself patting his head.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“What’re you doing?” Christopher asked.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“What am I doing?” I honestly asked myself.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“You’re a jerk!” he laughed. “Stop messing around!”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">He ran off, and I ran after him. We ran and ran. Eventually, he was winded, and I caught him. We were nowhere I recognized, which wasn’t saying much. I didn’t explore much of the city.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I’m hungry,” he stated.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Well, we can take a bus back-“</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Let’s try that place!”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“That’s a bar.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I have a good feeling about that place!”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“That’s a bar…” I tried once more.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I heard the first time.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“We’re not twenty-one, so we can’t enter.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Isn’t that Grace?” </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A woman wearing a purple skull ribbon walked into the bar.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Huh.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I found myself entering the bar.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Hey! No kids!” the bartender yelled at us.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Did a girl with a skull ribbon walk in here?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“What’s it matter to you, kid? You got the hots for her?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Yah, he does,” Christopher replied.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I sighed. </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Why does everyone keep saying this?</span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We heard feet scamper above us. Then, Grace appeared on the stairs.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Oh my gosh! What are you two doing here?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“He wanted to eat here,” I pointed toward Christopher.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“He was following you,” Christopher pointed toward me.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">She laughed. “You two are identical. Well then, are you hungry?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Yes!” Christopher stated.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Come on up, I’ll make something.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“What’s upstairs?” I asked.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“My apartment!”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We walked upstairs and found a single door that connected from the staircase. I imagined what could be behind that door. Cushions and couches, wallpaper and drapery, tables and chairs – all black and purple – tall and pointy. Gothic.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The door opened.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The walls were white. The carpet was white. There was even a white couch in the middle of the living room. The only things that weren’t white was a brown table in front of the couch with a fishbowl but no fish.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Well! What do you think?” she asked.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I’m confused,” I stated.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“What does that mean?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“It’s not what I expected.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Were you expecting a black room laced with purple drapery, skull patterned wallpaper, and medieval torture devices?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Everything but the medieval torture devices – yes.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I keep those in private,” she winked.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A cold shiver ran down my spine.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“What do you want to eat? I have chocolate muffins, chocolate cake, chocolate milk, and ramen.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“That’s eclectic,” I stated.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“If you don’t like it, you don’t have to eat it.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I apologized, and she began to concoct a strange mixture. She grabbed eggs, mushrooms, beef, flour, soy sauce, ginger, and many other things. She threw most of it into a pot of boiling water, and an atrocious smell bubbled out.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“What are you doing?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“I’m making ramen.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Christopher and I frowned at each other. This smelled like no ramen I had ever had. Three bowls suddenly appeared in front of us – bubbling brown broth over noodles, chunks of beef, carrots, mushrooms – I didn’t even know when she made the noodles.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Eat in!”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">She delved into her food. Christopher took a bite. I also forfeited hesitation and hope, and I took a bite.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It was delicious.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“See! I told you so!” Grace smiled.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I hadn’t said anything, but my face must have said it all.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“So, how was your research?” I asked before I took another bite.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Well, I read my parents’ article – the one about Greek Mythos.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Well, what was it about?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Men who became Gods.”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Text and Images © Jonathan Lee</span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-43969240402792116342009-07-18T23:45:00.000-07:002009-07-18T23:47:29.972-07:00Chapters ComingI made the unfortunate mistake on facebook last week by stating that I would post 3 chapters this week because I missed updating one last week. Well, I haven't put up a single one yet. The chapters are nearly complete and will be posted in one fell swoop when all is done. Images will be added at later times.<br /><br />-JonUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-39086316063520252092009-07-07T00:29:00.001-07:002009-07-08T20:57:54.552-07:00Chapter 23: Trust<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVDF_lkQ9FjV91rfXavLEQWAqrpj3AM5oUIq0yWF5PPBPaHbX-sIfVnu_xF5PWJmIwrUWzqq0SNkIISsjeqqRai5ppbdUlrGfLTuzqMYO0qMrjhsrATYBHGAqPIqWn2xy18n7ursD5Lv8/s1600-h/Honky+Tonk.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 258px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVDF_lkQ9FjV91rfXavLEQWAqrpj3AM5oUIq0yWF5PPBPaHbX-sIfVnu_xF5PWJmIwrUWzqq0SNkIISsjeqqRai5ppbdUlrGfLTuzqMYO0qMrjhsrATYBHGAqPIqWn2xy18n7ursD5Lv8/s320/Honky+Tonk.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356304385888453250" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Chapter 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5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I sat there at the Honky Tonk. Across the table sat Grace and Christopher. Grace was eating chocolate chip pancakes doused in syrup. Christopher lay his homework on the table and began to work on it.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">How did we get here? How did I get here?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">It wasn’t that long ago when I was on my own. It was just another day for me. Class and studying. But something happened. A strange phone call led me to an alley where I was attacked by an Affect. And only by Grace’s hand was I saved.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I ran from her, and she followed me. I pushed her away, and she followed me. I ran onto the subway, and she followed me. Another unknown call and another Affect. It knocked the train off the tracks, but Grace stopped it.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">We went our separate ways, but I saw her in class the next day. It seemed I couldn’t get away from her. So we talked, and she told me all she knew: Affects and Aspects, but it wasn’t my fight. I didn’t want any part of this. I walked away. That was when there was another phone call. I didn’t answer. But an Affect came anyways. I’m noticing a pattern here. But it wasn’t Grace that saved me. A detective named Eason Schwind saved me.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Grace came by, and he told us more about Aspects and Affects. He works for a group known as the Crown of the Sun. Opposing them is the group known as the Children of Medea. He told us the Children want to help Affects purge humanity, and he warned us of Jack. He wanted us to join him, but we declined.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Grace then took me out to track and hunt Affects. It was technically successful. I didn’t track them. I summoned them. I didn’t realize that I acted as a beacon. Grace knocked me out to stop the summoning, and she eradicated the Affects.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She took me home, and I threw her out. My phone rang once more, but no Affects came to me. Instead, I found one chasing Grace. I called her but her phone was dead. I ran out into the night to find her, but I had no luck. I had to learn how to use my Aspect to track her down. It wasn’t easy. There was some yelling. But I learned, and I found her. Together, we defeated the Affect.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A few days later, we met at the mall. I insulted Grace, and she ran from me just as an Affect began to attack the people in the mall. She was one of them. It ate her shadow, and she fell into coma. I ran to Eason, and he trained me. Turns out, sound has physical properties as well. I went back to the mall and defeated the Shadow Eater.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I went and visited Grace at the hospital. I signed her out from the hospital, and on our way out, we were attacked by the man named Jack – a murderer who can’t die. He wants to kill me because I interest him. We were saved by an Agent of the Children and were brought to meet Anna. She told us of Remnants, Aspects that regained their human consciousness. Eason interrupted her speech and took us away.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I met up with Grace the next morning. Then, I met with Jack in the afternoon. He saved me from the Agent who had saved me from him the day before. The agent wanted to bring me to the other members of the Children. But Jack left e alone. He had his fill in decapitating the agent. He left. I felt sick. Grace took me home and stayed the night. A storm brewed that night, and I tried to find Jack using the sound of the storm. I found Eason and Anna instead.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The next day, Grace and I went to Zephyr Park where we met Christopher. My phone rang again to warn us of an impending Affect attack. A murder of crows dove down, but Christopher stopped them all. We then ran away and came to the conclusion that…</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">After Christopher decided that Grace and I were to babysit him, he called his parents. I disbelieved him. His parents came by and took us to dinner. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">We walked into the restaurant. The hostess greeted us and then sent us to a table. We ordered our food and made some small talk. The night ended. That’s how it should have went. That’s what I expected.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">They took us to their home – a two story duplex. Theirs was the one painted pastel purples and blues next to the brown and orange one. The sun was setting, but even in that orange glow, it remained firmly purple and blue. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">We entered the front door. Inside, the walls were covered in lavender wallpaper – that is to say wallpaper with lavenders on them. Family pictures framed the staircase wall. Everything felt old fashioned – felt like that nostalgic memory of home everyone has, but that could possibly never be. But here it was.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I couldn’t remember the last time I sat down at a dinner table. Mr. Collins set the table. Mrs. Collins brought out a large tray of meatloaf, a bowl of mashed potatoes with the skin still in, a pitcher of gravy with mushrooms, and a plate of steamed vegetables. Grace ate three helpings not including dessert, which was cherry pie a la mode. That was an additional two helpings.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">There were the formalities and the pleasantries of a dinner table conversation, but Christopher’s parents asked about us – even made fun of us. <i style="">How long have you two been going out?</i> Everyone but me laughed at that, which caused more laughter. They never asked us anything serious – why would an eight year old want to be around Grace? Be around me? They trusted their child at such an age. They even knew he had an Aspect, but that may have been why. Christopher is good at reading people. He can protect himself. And they trust that he can take care of himself. I could still hear some trembles in their voices. Parents will always worry.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">After dinner, we went outside to Zephyr Park. The Collins’s lived on the other side of Zephyr Park. I was afraid someone might recognize us, but night and shadows obscure all. I didn’t even know why we went outside. Christopher sat us down in the grass and told us to look up. And then, I saw it. The city’s birthday celebration – one hundred years. We sat in the grass and looked toward that colorful night. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">After that, Christopher went to sleep. Grace and I left. His parents drove us home. They dropped Grace off first, and on our way to my house, we talked.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Christopher is different,” his mother stated. “But so are you, aren’t you?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Yes.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Maybe you can answer this then. What’s happening to my son, Hank?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I don’t know, Mrs. Collins.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“He’s had these powers since he was born.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I haven’t had mine that long.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=""> </span>“So you don’t have any answers either then?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“No. I don’t.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Well, we don’t know much about you, Hank. All we know is that Christopher trusts you, and that, that’ll have to do. Promise us one thing though: you’ll keep him safe.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I didn’t know how to answer, but an answer still came out.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">That’s how I ended up at the Honky Tonk with Grace and Christopher. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">My phone rang. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Eason calling…</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <span style="font-size:85%;">Text and Images © Jonathan Lee<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-35373603547346948252009-07-03T00:00:00.000-07:002009-07-04T14:55:50.802-07:00Chapter 22: Glances<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" 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<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapedefaults ext="edit" spidmax="1026"> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapelayout ext="edit"> <o:idmap ext="edit" data="1"> </o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Chapter 22:<br />Glances</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What was that?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Grace shut the door behind us.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Christopher and I looked at each other.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Oh come on!” Grace yelled. “That’s adorable! You two have the same look on your face.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Christopher and I continued to look at each other.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She shook her head. “But tell me what happened!” </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Well, I can create wind,” Christopher smiled.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“The wind?” I asked.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Yah. Like whoosh.” He threw his kite out, and it sailed across the room before it turned around and returned to him.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Grace looked at me. I shrugged.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You can manipulate wind at that distance?” Grace asked.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Is there something wrong with that?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Can you grab that pot?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">He got up from his seat and brought the pot over.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Here you go!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“That’s not what I meant.” Grace sighed.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Oh well.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Why does it matter so much?” I asked.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=""> </span>“That whirlwind…”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Was to get rid of the Rocs,” Christopher frowned. <span style=""> </span>“I’m not trying to show off or anything. I didn’t even make it that strong.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I looked at the boy.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You could’ve made it stronger?” Grace asked.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“But people might have gotten hurt.” A puzzled look came across his face.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“That’s not what I meant,” Grace sighed. “You need to keep your powers secret, Christopher.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Why?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Because, with what you can do, and what I believe you could do, people might want to abuse that.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I don’t understand,” I stated.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“He could be limitless, Hank.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Before I could say anything, she already began to explain.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“He can already manipulate it to the point that he can guide a kite and create a whirlwind. Just imagine what he could do if that whirlwind wasn’t his full strength.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I thought about it for a moment.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“He could become a target of Jack.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“He could be a target of the Children and the Crown.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Guess that means one thing then,” Christopher smiled.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Don’t you dare suggest it,” I stated.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The next day, I found myself sitting at the Honky Tonk with Grace and Christopher. His parents had dropped him off at school for Grace and me to take care of him. Even his parents were aligned with this idea.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></p><p face="arial" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Text and Images © Jonathan Lee</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-80232648214547526022009-06-29T17:25:00.000-07:002009-06-30T09:31:37.392-07:00Chapter 21: Whirl<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWybq6tl4QX6DFv6p7ekixYBC3biwvZA4Xpa8lx4JxXmMntW6kQUVZ1P41VnJnwdbLFyXzhSNpHwNwEXMP75N2RhaRV59PXQQ0eI47WpNqnwBO2OFZEGJaZJKacEUJugjhpxjxz9N-_E/s1600-h/Christopher.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWybq6tl4QX6DFv6p7ekixYBC3biwvZA4Xpa8lx4JxXmMntW6kQUVZ1P41VnJnwdbLFyXzhSNpHwNwEXMP75N2RhaRV59PXQQ0eI47WpNqnwBO2OFZEGJaZJKacEUJugjhpxjxz9N-_E/s320/Christopher.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352911657933690354" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Chapter 21<br />Whirls<br /><br /></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> 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style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The three of us stared up at the sky blotted by black wings. Plumed feathers slowly rained down. The crows were dead. Those black wings belonged to something else, something else whose incessant shrieking cut to the bone. People gathered around to see what was in the sky. All eyes were on that black mass. My fingers clenched on my phone.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Then they struck. They dived down. A murder of Rocs, so many that they blotted the sky, shot toward the park. Screams and panic. People turned to run.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Grace reached for her lipstick. We were so focused on what we would do that we failed to see what others did.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Christopher ran from us.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Come back!” I yelled.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">He didn’t listen.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Brat!” I chased after him.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">He ran toward the murder of Rocs as people ran from them, ran against us. People pushed and shoved to get away. No one seemed to care that a little boy was pushing past them toward the center. No one cared that I shouted out for them to stop him.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Blood in the air. Red and black talons. The people screamed as the Rocs dug at them. I would call them innocents, but they didn’t stop Christopher.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">But no Rocs attacked Christopher. Even the Rocs that attacked other people fled if Christopher was close. The little boy kept running.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">And then he fell. Someone bumped into him and knocked him down. The person didn’t even look back. I punched that person as they ran by.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Out of my way!” I didn’t recognize my voice. It was dark. Guttural. It was furious.<span style=""> </span>It was full of emotion. It felt unnatural. It was unnatural.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The people forded. I arrived at Christopher. He was okay. No one trampled on him.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Are you okay?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Yah. Just had the wind knocked out of me,” he smiled.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“C’mon, we have to get out of here!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=""> </span>“You get out of here then!” he stared at me.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You can’t fight these things!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Trust me, okay?” He got up and began to run again.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I bit down on my lip. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I ran after him.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What are you doing?” he said as he turned toward me.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I’m not letting you go alone.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You don’t even know me.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“‘Just ‘cause I don’t know you doesn’t mean I’ll turn my back on you. The world’s hard enough as it is, so we gotta watch out for each other.’”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Doesn’t sound like you,” the little boy raised a brow at me.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“No. It’s something someone else told me.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">He smiled. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">We pushed through the people and then there was blackness. A wave of wings and dread. I grabbed Christopher and turned to shield him. But they forded around us.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What’s going on?” I asked.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I said I could take care of myself,” Christopher smiled.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I stared at him, and I understood. “You’re too trusting,” I scolded. “Don’t go around telling people you have an Aspect!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I didn’t,” he smiled. “You know because you know.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">He seemed to have all the answers.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Anyways, you’re a good person, Hank.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Why do you say that?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You wouldn’t be here with me otherwise.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I furled my brow.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I told you. I’m good at reading people. And that strange gust of wind brought my kite to you two.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I looked at his kite’s spool.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Well, here we go!” he shouted.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">He sent his kite upwards, and a vortex of wind spun into the sky. A great blast of wind swept across the field – cool and crisp. The Rocs were caught in it and spun out of control. And then, it was over. The Rocs crashed into trees and the ground, bubbling into pitch.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Grace then ran toward us.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She grabbed the both of us, and we ran from the park. We ran to my apartment, and we shut the door behind us.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Text and Images © Jonathan Lee<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-13552494172895431132009-06-26T23:17:00.000-07:002009-06-30T09:34:23.599-07:00Chapter 20: A Gale<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeAjixmn8lEILpIVsk0u-3jPmcmCLxcVTTD-Dm74jHJA3xbXjNOx-WP02cf8TLm58Fl_aBBWZw83ui4vabh0KU17jsPzlVZpJDsp0f0AcxPyrpjOUzvuGyqntTL5QVlbQKDGXSMRmC9eY/s1600-h/Under+a+tree+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeAjixmn8lEILpIVsk0u-3jPmcmCLxcVTTD-Dm74jHJA3xbXjNOx-WP02cf8TLm58Fl_aBBWZw83ui4vabh0KU17jsPzlVZpJDsp0f0AcxPyrpjOUzvuGyqntTL5QVlbQKDGXSMRmC9eY/s320/Under+a+tree+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351891684897897474" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Chapter 20</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">A Gale</span><br /><br /></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> 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mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I awoke to sunlight cascading through the patio door. I could see the sky covered by light grey clouds with those spots of sunlight beaming through. It was a day after a storm.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I found a blanket placed over me – one of the two from my bedroom. I heard clanging come from my kitchen. I sat upright when a bowl of cereal appeared in front of my face.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Hungry?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I opened my mouth to speak.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Well, it doesn’t matter. You have to eat, or you won’t have any energy.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I closed my mouth.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Still. Didn’t realize you liked kid’s cereals for breakfast.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I took a spoonful of Cocoa Puffs.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“And afterwards, you can have some of your vitamin gummi bears.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I bit down into the metal spoon - hard. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">After breakfast, I did my exercise routine and showered. When I came out of the bathroom, I found Grace using my computer.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What’re you looking up?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“News. That was a sudden storm last night. You must have been cold, huh?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I scratched my head. I still wasn’t good at this, but I tried my best. “Thanks for the blanket.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=""> </span>“I woke up to use the bathroom. I found you huddled on the couch, so I brought out the blanket for you.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Thanks.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“No problem. Strange weather though.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Well actually-“</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I explained what happened last night.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I wonder what their past is?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“We all have our secrets.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Well, should we get ready for class?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You’re going today? I thought you never went?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“It’s time for a change. Anyways, we have to stay together. Jack is still out there.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I had forgotten in my sleep.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Thanks for reminding me.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“No problem!” she beamed.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Huh.” I snorted.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">We packed lunch and left for class. Class passed how it usually passed. I took notes and answered questions. The only difference was that I knew the person snoring next to me.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Class ended. We walked out of the lecture hall.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Let’s go to the park.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I began to walk toward the campus park when she stopped me.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“No, no, no! The park near your apartment. Zephyr Park.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I sighed, and we took the bus back toward my apartment.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">On the ride there, I asked her. “Did you find any information at the library yesterday?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“A little bit of information. I found an article by my parents about Greek mythology.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What was it about?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I saved myself a copy, but I haven’t gotten to reading it yet.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Ah.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Hey, what’s your favorite color?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Grey.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Grey’s a hue. It’s not a color.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What about you then?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Purple.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I would’ve thought black.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Well, you would’ve thought wrong.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You’re just a ray of sunshine aren’t you?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“It’s what I do,” she smiled.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">We arrived at Zephyr Park, the largest park in the city. It was about two square miles, had a small lake in it, littered with random fountains, and was famous for the wind tunnels caused by its massive arbor. But our first sight was of a little boy running a kite.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Did you ever play with kites?” Grace asked.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“A long time ago.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She laughed.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What?” I asked.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I never imagined you with toys. I thought you would’ve done arithmetic for fun.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I bit down on my lip. She smiled. A crisp breeze blew toward us.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The little boy suddenly ran toward us.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Look out!” </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The kite dove at us. I grabbed Grace and held onto her. The kite swooped back toward the sky.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I’m sorry about that!” the little boy shouted. “That’s never happened before.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Your kite seems to have a mind of its own,” Grace smiled.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Yah, there was a sudden gust. I’m Christopher Gail Collins.” The little boy smiled as he stuck out his arm.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I’m Grace.” She lifted a hand toward the boy.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Hank.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I didn’t shake his hand.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You’re funny, Hank.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=""> </span>“What? Where are your parents?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“They’re at work.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You’re what – eight?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Nine actually.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You need a babysitter.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I can take care of myself.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Something familiar about the boy.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What’re you two doing here? A date?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“How do you know so much for a nine year old?” Grace asked. She didn’t deny that we were on a date.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">He shrugged.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Well, we’re going to eat lunch. Do you want to join us?” Grace asked.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I think you’re boyfriend is getting frustrated.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“He tends to.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“We’re not dating!” I shouted.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“That’s hurtful,” Grace falsely despaired.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“C’mon!” I gasped. “It’s not that… Argh!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“See. You’re funny,” laughed the boy.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I glared at the boy.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I’m good at reading people’s airs. You’re actually a nice guy, but you try to make yourself seem mean. And that’s why you’re funny.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I sighed.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I’ll join you guys for lunch!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">We sat down under a tree and began to eat. I ate half of my ham and cheese sandwich. Grace ate a PB and J, a chocolate bar, an apple, and a ham and cheese sandwich. In that order. Christopher ate the other half of my sandwich.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I’m still kind of hungry,” Grace smiled. “Do you have anything left in your bag?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I took out a bag of chips.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">We shared them as we looked toward the sky. It was comfortable silence. Even with Christopher.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“The wind’s changing,” Christopher stated.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Suddenly, my phone began to ring.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I looked at it. It was blank.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Before I could even answer it, crows cried with such fearful timber and took to the skies. The crows cried once more, sharp and unfinished, and black feathers rained down. The call ended, and cries of glottal pitch filled the sky instead.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:85%;">Text and Images © Jonathan Lee<br /></span></p> <span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-49841488187495819982009-06-23T20:48:00.000-07:002009-06-25T10:14:09.785-07:00Chapter 19: Stormy Night<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlm-zlmfeVCOKkthvHZdCJWDwGBvdMJUlGQgu_tD8yDStEU_l7o72rafmgVtNbPOG-YxjwciQn1J_vHyjK82kXk-ANSrBkdTvQUoTMoNwFmEtiD5Ie8vnqUWQAxLfQCR_reNhTJLdzVng/s1600-h/Stormy+Night.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlm-zlmfeVCOKkthvHZdCJWDwGBvdMJUlGQgu_tD8yDStEU_l7o72rafmgVtNbPOG-YxjwciQn1J_vHyjK82kXk-ANSrBkdTvQUoTMoNwFmEtiD5Ie8vnqUWQAxLfQCR_reNhTJLdzVng/s320/Stormy+Night.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350916279505926546" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Chapter 19</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Stormy Night</span><br /><br /></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> 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mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I opened the door. Light from the hallway filtered into my dark apartment. My feet were unsteady. I tripped over the doorway and fell in. But a black billowy pillow caught me.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Watch out,” Grace smiled.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=""> </span>Her voice was comforting.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She helped me up.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Thanks.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“C’mon.” </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She turned on the light as she supported me inside. She dropped me onto the couch, and I lay there, sick to my stomach from the afternoon’s events.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What do you want to eat?” she asked as she walked into the kitchen.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She rummaged through my cabinets and drawers. A clattering of metal against glass and wood. She had no qualms about entering other people’s spaces.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I’m not hungry.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You have to eat,” her voice rose over the clatter.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I didn’t reply. There was more noise from my kitchen. And then a shadow loomed over me.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Here.” She handed me a plate with a PB and J on it – a true PB and J.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I looked at the sandwich.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“It’ll make you feel better.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I placed it onto the table.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She grabbed it and then sat on my chest.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What’re you –ufmhhhnnn” The sandwich was shoved into my mouth.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Bite down!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I bit into the sandwich.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Chew!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I chewed the sandwich.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Swallow!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I swallowed the sandwich. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She got off me.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“How was it?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Violating.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She laughed. “Well, you’re home safe now. Rest up, okay?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She began to leave. I grabbed her hand.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Don’t go.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She stared at me, then at my hand, then at me again.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Fine. But you’re taking the couch then.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I let go of her hand and she walked toward the room.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“And no peaking!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She slammed the door shut.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">Who did what to whom earlier?</i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I awoke to the sound of thunder. I hadn’t even realized I fell asleep. I got up and moved toward my back patio. Rain pattered against the sliding glass door. I don’t remember the weather forecasting rain.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I closed my eyes and placed my phone against my ear. With the rain, I could find Jack.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">All at once, the echoes of the rain silhouetted buildings, people, and city objects from all sides. I could see everything out at night, but it’s tremendously difficult to focus. I moved through the soundwaves at streetlevel to the skyline, but I could not find him. No. I found something else instead.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">On the roof of a skyscraper, a man in a half-trench walked toward a woman holding an umbrella. I could hear their conversation pitched in black.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“One of your agents attacked Hank today,” the man stated. He placed his hand to his mouth and took a puff of his cigarette. He blew out, but I could see no smoke.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I had nothing to do with that,” the woman stated. “I am merely director of this sector, but the Council is still above me. And beyond that, there are those who would go behind my back.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Hmm.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Eason, you know me. I would never do such a thing.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I knew you long ago.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“So what have you come here for then? You barged through my building and beat down many of my agents to reach me.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You could have let me through.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Did you come here to dance?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The man did not answer.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You know smoke and water don’t mix.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I’m stubborn.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Yes, you are.” A nostalgic tone caressed Eason, but he remained stoic. “Then, let’s dance.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The rain came down harder, but the man charged through it toward the woman. It pelted against his coat and his hair. She closed her umbrella, and the rain became like needles. It pinned down toward him. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I heard the man’s cigarette crackle. The needles dissolved above him in the blackness of sound. I don’t know what happened to them. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Oh?” the woman sounded surprised as she watched him continue toward her. “How much better you dance.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I’ve learned a few new moves.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I’d love to hear see them.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Hmm.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">He caught a hold of her arm.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You caught me. What now?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The rain slowed.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Watch out for those who want you to fall.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You don’t need to tell me.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">And the rain stopped. There was silence. The vision faded.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I sat there in the dark of the room. There was a storm, but now, it was quiet.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-54846755307884945692009-06-19T00:32:00.002-07:002009-06-19T01:26:58.289-07:00Chapter 18: Bloody Afternoon<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIzZY3jhLiplXYhAafaU9BTYcW6V5nDCW7yKsNlaTgUPJnMXUFrw9Vr9iiNyaz6xXXu66IT1u0GClPQinfl29WlB-QCpW69W43dYgtRiuTnIqTTCOptTdXqpMhqCFjyz1oVvGEl6dK2A/s1600-h/Knife+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIzZY3jhLiplXYhAafaU9BTYcW6V5nDCW7yKsNlaTgUPJnMXUFrw9Vr9iiNyaz6xXXu66IT1u0GClPQinfl29WlB-QCpW69W43dYgtRiuTnIqTTCOptTdXqpMhqCFjyz1oVvGEl6dK2A/s320/Knife+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348948624080585026" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Chapter 18</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Bloody Afternoon</span><br /><br /></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> 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mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Grace walked out of the Honky Tonk before I did. She was smiling and patting her stomach, which was oddly still flat. I walked behind her, placing my credit card, which felt lighter, into my wallet. The waitress waved us happily out. At least, two people were happy.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Well, I’m off to the library to do some research.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I’m heading back to class.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Well, I’ll call you later okay?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Alright.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Bye!” she yelled in a cheery voice as she walked toward the research library.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I walked toward my class. My phone began to ring.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Eason calling…</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Hello?” I answered.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Hank. Jack is definitely alive.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What happened?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“We found a woman gutted, ripped, and drained of blood.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I don’t understand.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“It’s Jack’s MO. Be careful.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The call ended.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I was unnerved. I could imagine what Jack could do with that blade, and that was the worst thing – imagination.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I walked toward class, and I felt a shadow follow behind me. I could hear a heavier set of footsteps. I closed my eyes and put my phone against my ear. The sound of people’s feet and their voices echoed off everything - showed me everything, but there was no Jack. I moved my phone away. All I had was a terrible fear gnawing at my stomach. If we couldn’t take him, how could I do it alone?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I walked into my lecture hall and took a seat. I’m a person who sits in a position and doesn’t move. Today, I fidgeted. I shifted my legs. I tried resting my head on my hand, but it wasn’t restful. I couldn’t pay attention. My notes trailed off the line. The door suddenly swung open. I immediately turned toward the door to see who it was.<span style=""> </span>Just another straggler late for class. I heard metal clinking to my right. Just someone tapping their mechanical pencil tip against the table. My heart was racing. Jack was alive. He wanted me dead.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The bell rang, class ended, and I bolted from the room.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I heard that heavy set of footsteps once more.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Calling Grace…</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Ring.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Ring.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">Answer!</i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Ring.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Ring.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Footsteps.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Ring.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Ring.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">C’mon!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Sorry!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Grace!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I’m not here right now! Leave a message after the beep, and I’ll call you when I can! Beep!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I quickened my pace. The footsteps quickened. I sprinted and so did the footsteps. I turned a corner and arrived at the back of the library. No one was around. This is where books from other colleges were transferred over. It was rarely in use. I held onto my phone. I held my breath. My phone was fully charged. I was at five bars of reception. All that noise and all that sound. I closed my eyes and listened. The footsteps drew closer. Closer.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">Now!</i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I swung my phone.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=""> </span>I felt the air leave my mouth. Pain. I looked down to see the hilt of a sword in my gut. I looked up to see the agent of the Children from yesterday.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You’re coming with me, Hank. Even if Ms. Anna lets you leave, the others won’t allow it.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">He must have seen the shock in my eyes.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I’m just an ordinary man trained to fight. Not everyone has powers to fight against Affects and Aspects.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">With a wave of his arm, he threw me against a dumpster.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">As I lay there, I began to hear my blood beating in my head. It was a powerful rhythm. I looked up, and I knew it wasn’t my heart.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">That wicked smile. Muted footsteps.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">Jack</i>.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">From another side, Jack slowly walked toward us.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I tried to crawl up, but my body would not move. The agent had knocked the breath out of me. I laid there and watched Jack walk toward us. His boots made no noise as they glided across the ground.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I thought I killed you yesterday,” the agent stated.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You’re too weak to kill me,” Jack replied as he walked closer.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What do you want?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Just some fun.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The agent drew his sword and charged toward Jack. He passed me. He was fast.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Those teeth gleamed.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The agent fell to the floor. His head rolled past Jack. His blade split in half. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Jack was faster.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">He picked up the agent’s corpse: head and all, and continued toward me. He drew closer. Closer. Closer. He stopped beside me.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Trash. Worthless trash.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">He threw the body into the dumpster. He then looked at me and smiled.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Not today. I’ve had my fill.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">He winked and walked away.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> <w:cachedcolbalance/> 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mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">I ran into the library and into the bathroom. I threw up into the toilet.</span></p> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">My phone rang.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:85%;">Grace calling…</span></p> <span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-89214698703307040962009-06-15T14:10:00.000-07:002009-06-19T01:18:30.329-07:00Chapter 17: Strawberry Morning<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdMef-iWesiXp6jtkKi4jXkNhGjZ-9YAOxfcsWpbHaUquxLuIJZ71sDWhigbZ2S7YHScb-i6XVGiEvn20IieagKYsfOfxA15frk07w9pnJmKR1t8xfBIb-KoPlYaYpexunH7XsO8BYT8/s1600-h/The+Tie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdMef-iWesiXp6jtkKi4jXkNhGjZ-9YAOxfcsWpbHaUquxLuIJZ71sDWhigbZ2S7YHScb-i6XVGiEvn20IieagKYsfOfxA15frk07w9pnJmKR1t8xfBIb-KoPlYaYpexunH7XsO8BYT8/s320/The+Tie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348950137390704626" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Chapter 17</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Strawberry Morning</span><br /><br /></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> 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mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1107304683 0 0 159 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">It was a terrible night for me. I barely slept. When I did sleep, I would dream of darkness. From that darkness, a smile would appear, and a metallic flash. Then I would wake.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">So I spent the hours studying.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Daybreak came, and I did my daily routine, but I still took the bus instead of the subway. I still felt it was too early to be seen there again. Eason said there would be no problems, but I wasn’t so sure. When people fear you once, it’s difficult to forgive or to forget. <span style=""> </span>I took the bus to school. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I arrived just as class started. The class was half empty, but I saw that purple skull ribbon. I sat down next to her, and she smiled.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You’re not in this class,” I whispered.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I know,” she whispered back.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The professor continued on with his lecture.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Why are you here in this class then? You don’t even attend our other class.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Well, I wanted to give you something.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Excuse me!” the professor turned toward us. “If you have something more important than me to say, then please say it to the class.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“No. Sorry,” I stated.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Class ended fifty minutes later. Grace and I walked out from the lecture hall.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“That was the first time I’ve ever gotten in trouble with a professor.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Sorry,” she stated. “At least, it’s a new experience!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I shook my head, and we continued walking.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“So, why did you come today?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I wanted to say ‘sorry.’”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You planned on getting me in trouble?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“No!” she laughed. “I wanted to say ‘sorry’ for being so out of character – for being so moody.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You were stressed, so don’t worry about it. I’m always moody.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You are moody!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Thanks.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“But still, I’m sorry.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Okay – but don’t really, don’t worry about it.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Here!” </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She handed me a wrapped package. It was wrapped in black paper with a purple bow. A small skull patch laid on the bow. It looked like the ribbon in her hair.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What’s this?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You’ll see!” she smiled.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I opened the package and pulled out the red tie.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Smiling is infectious.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A strawberry was sewn onto the bottom of the tie.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“It’s perfect. Thank you.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You’re very welcome!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“So what do we do now?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“How ‘bout lunch? You’re paying!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">It was an interesting way to start the day.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p>Text and Images © Jonathan Lee<br /></o:p></span></p> <span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-50646078309638559642009-06-11T00:33:00.001-07:002009-06-11T00:35:03.959-07:00Another Delay<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-I81Ix3vXTyROy63rZ1KOlBb6oOwfoGVjhD8PgaXPrrCBCfpOeO4MevSHosAO92xgWJmo36j5C3DyyygtIcKpu0vU0A8uLmHlH0KdCQBnfm-NZTk3r3HyX39zkFuh4Sz5_Y4IDBubSZY/s1600-h/Cosplay+Hank.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 98px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-I81Ix3vXTyROy63rZ1KOlBb6oOwfoGVjhD8PgaXPrrCBCfpOeO4MevSHosAO92xgWJmo36j5C3DyyygtIcKpu0vU0A8uLmHlH0KdCQBnfm-NZTk3r3HyX39zkFuh4Sz5_Y4IDBubSZY/s320/Cosplay+Hank.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345970253822023922" border="0" /></a><br />I apologize for these delays. Graduation, job hunt, and other matters have really started falling into place. Coming back Monday with hopefully no more delays. I hope this, however, tides you over.<br /><br />-JonUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-851756935438751522009-06-08T21:11:00.001-07:002009-06-25T10:40:45.727-07:00Chapter 16: Remnant<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisLZ5tShDCjX_z2ocK9Moqq2xOkR9yMkzM_ztUU4joitEPsZ-IRLYYSvJyxREEbr8zxYnXhdBdpIt8XofnoMcgfyCAVqPzXWp1aZ3YKD9VhnVZIo0Llpq2UGKl0SewcikrNT9wWCpCfmg/s1600-h/Divided+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisLZ5tShDCjX_z2ocK9Moqq2xOkR9yMkzM_ztUU4joitEPsZ-IRLYYSvJyxREEbr8zxYnXhdBdpIt8XofnoMcgfyCAVqPzXWp1aZ3YKD9VhnVZIo0Llpq2UGKl0SewcikrNT9wWCpCfmg/s320/Divided+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345177733610424274" border="0" /></a><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> 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mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Chapter 16<br />Remnant</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“He was there when we left.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“This is bad.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Who is he?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Jack Ulog is one of the most dangerous men alive. I’ll call you later.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Call ended.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I closed my phone. The fact that I could even answer my phone still surprised me. It was dead yesterday, and now, it was alive. Like Jack.<i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Clickclickclickclickclick.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I turned toward the woman who stood on the stairs, clicking her red fingernails against the banister.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Sorry.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“It’s okay. You must have been speaking with a representative from the Crown of the Sun. I suppose it was Eason.” An almost wistful tone upon her voice. “No matter. Would you listen to what we have to say?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“No.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Words pressed against the lips of the woman’s mouth, but before they could escape into the air, I continued.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“But Grace wanted to, so here I am.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The woman smiled, but it was a smile of mist – fading in a moment. “Oh, I forgot to introduce myself! I’m Anna.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Hank.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Grace.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“It’s a pleasure. Let me begin by telling you of the Children’s mission. We search for unity and peace. We wish to understand the Affects and reach toward them, for not all things are evil. Let me show you.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A door opened from the top of the stairs, and something human walked out. But it was not human. It had a head, eyes, mouth, nose, hands, feet, and skin, but all at once, everything was wrong. It had a head of grey twisted hair, dull grey eyes, a pale thin mouth, a blank sharp nose, sickly ashen hands and feet, and skin like moonlight.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“This is Anthony, a Remnant – an Affect that was once human.” The creature waved at us.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What?” Grace spat out.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“We don’t know why there are such things or how they came into being, but can we deny them existence? Do we follow the words of the Crown and believe all Affects are evil?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Anthony descended from the stairs and raised a hand toward me. My mouth twisted. I raised my own hand and caught his. His hand was strangely powerful in its grip, but it was neither hot nor cold. It felt absent, ethereal, but also present.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“How do you do?” he asked.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I stared at Anthony. “You can speak.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Yes.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Anthony is a Remnant that still resembles human. There are many Remnants of different size and shapes, but not all can speak. Anthony, like some other Affects, is special and can remember.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What do you know about Affects then?” Grace asked.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Legends say that-“</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I don’t want to know what legends say. What do you know?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Affects are what is left.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What is left? Left after what?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Miss Lovenson, you know.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A shadow cast itself across Grace’s eyes.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“That Roc was special.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Grace held Gilbert tightly in her arms.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Your family, Miss Lovenson-“</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The doors behind burst open. Eason walked in, smoke trailing behind him.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You could’ve called,” Anna smiled.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“They’re coming with me.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What if they want to stay?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Do you want to stay?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“No.” Grace’s voice whispered.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I began “She said“</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“No!” she raised her head and beamed in sing-song.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward Eason.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What’re you doi-“</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Let’s go!” she shouted. “Eason’s treating us to lunch!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What?” Eason blurted.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Then, take them, Eason,” Anna stated. “Please do visit again under happier circumstances.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Not anymore,” Eason answered.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Oh, and Miss Lovenson!” Anna shouted.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Grace turned around toward her.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Find out what your parents were researching.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The doors to the suite closed, and we found ourselves in the elevator, descending down.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Why did you come?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I felt uneasy leaving you two in the hands of the Children, and with Jack wandering the streets, I can’t take any chances.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">Didn’t you say I would be drowning in a whirlpool alone?</i> The words nearly escaped my mouth, but I knew better now. I had learned from the last time I had pushed someone away.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Thanks,” I muttered.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What?” Eason asked somewhat shocked.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I said ‘thanks.’” I stated clearly.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Did Jack hit you across the head?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:85%;">I bit my lip. He smiled.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=""> </span>“What are Remnants?” Grace asked Eason.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Shades,” the detective replied.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Shades, huh?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:85%;">We walked out of the building and into the streets. It was raining now. Eason opened the doors of his car and let us inside.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><span style="font-size:85%;">Text and Images © Jonathan Lee<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-23871690294182923052009-06-04T23:17:00.000-07:002009-06-04T23:18:14.636-07:00Hiatus 'til MondayNo Chapter for today. Resuming on Monday - school.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-68309747027051888222009-06-01T19:08:00.000-07:002009-06-01T19:12:27.220-07:00Chapter 15: Jack<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfNLK8V5pVSpBcWaYQOp4l2rdTbmwGGgMbf8RCm-ktW07JB36pYC8z9wkeKRh9gCJVzXqd2bEukO8fOaFqubAZ9s1Aqeudyw8i0i6jtoeNGNdugNRRef-CI-UoKA7f4Ut5hebofPG2yQ/s1600-h/Anna+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfNLK8V5pVSpBcWaYQOp4l2rdTbmwGGgMbf8RCm-ktW07JB36pYC8z9wkeKRh9gCJVzXqd2bEukO8fOaFqubAZ9s1Aqeudyw8i0i6jtoeNGNdugNRRef-CI-UoKA7f4Ut5hebofPG2yQ/s320/Anna+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342547290992864850" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Chapter 15</span><br /><span 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5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Who are you?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“It doesn’t matter.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A flash.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Grace stood before me, clutching her sword against the man in black.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Shadows?” the man’s mouth twisted wryly. “You don’t interest me.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Grace suddenly slid back into me, and we fell to the floor. I could feel something warm drip onto my hands. Blood ran down Grace’s arm.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The man in black began to walk toward us, shaking the blood off a knife. It gleamed wickedly.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I tried lifting Grace up. “Come o-AHH!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I was pinned against the wall, his hand crushing my throat. The cold metal tapped my face. A swift pain. He licked the blood from his blade. My head began to spin. Two voices – laughter and worry. I could hear Grace screaming. I could hear laughter, such terrible laughter. It all drowned out to a strange thumping. My eyes began to close.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Silence.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The man’s eyes opened white. His grip loosened, and we fell to the floor.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Are you alright?” A man in a suit stood before me.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I was covered in blood. My back hurt. My throat still tried to reshape itself from his grip.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Hank! Hank!” Grace ran toward me. “Oh my god.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“It’s not mine.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“We should leave,” the man stated.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Who are you?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I am an agent of the Children.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Grace helped me up.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What do you want from us?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I would like you to come with me.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“To where?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“To meet my master.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“And what does your master want?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Only to talk and to offer answers.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Well, we would like to be left alone.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Maybe Miss Lovenson would like answers to the event from twelve years ago.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Grace’s eyes widened.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Okay.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The two of us followed the man. I turned behind me and saw the man draped in black on the floor. Blood flowed onto the street floor.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Please get in,” the man in the suit stated.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">He opened a door to a black sedan – luxury class. We entered the back seats, and he proceeded to the front. My phone began to ring. I looked at it curiously. It died yesterday, and I had not recharged it.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Eason calling…</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Hello?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“How are you two feeling?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“We’re fine.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I went to check this morning, and you two had already left. Where are you headed now?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“We’re meeting with the Children.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What?!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Just to hear what they said. We listened to you too.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Silence.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“We also met the man in black.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Are you alright?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=""> </span>“Yes. He’s dead. An agent of the Children killed him.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Where’s the body?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Drive down Raleigh to Kensington. You’ll see a crashed cab and our dead driver.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Okay. Be careful about the Children.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Okay.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“We’re here,” the agent stated.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The car stopped in front of an apartment high-rise. He ushered us in pass the lobby to the elevators and then to the tenth floor – the suites. We exited the elevator and found ourselves facing a door. The man opened the door, and we found ourselves in a suite the size of an entire floor. Before us was a crossed stairway. A woman holding an umbrella stood on the landing.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Hello, Hank. Hello, Grace,” she stated. I had heard her voice before but where?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Suddenly, I heard a strange thumping in my head. Like the sound of a heart, but then, it stopped.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">Ring. Ring.</i> I looked at my phone.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Eason calling. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Hello?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“He’s not here.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What do you mean?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Jack isn’t here!”</span></p> <span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />Text and Images © Jonathan Lee<br /></span></eta>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-38301235713997148142009-05-29T00:15:00.001-07:002009-05-31T16:30:49.421-07:00Chapter 14: Blood<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" 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<![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Chapter 14<br />Blood<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Who are they?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“The organization opposing Eason’s.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“So the bad guys?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I suppose.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I raised my hand and yelled out. A yellow car stopped before us. Grace and I got into the car.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“The corner of Kensington and Fifth,” Grace stated.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The cab began to move.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">We sat there in silence. Grace had changed out of her hospital gown and into her normal clothes before leaving the hospital. She still wore no make-up, and her eyes stared at the Teddy bear in her hand.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What’re you going to name him?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She looked at me. “Him?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“The teddy bear.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Who says he’s a he?” Maybe he’s a she?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Don’t you mean ‘she’s a she?’”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You’re such a dork.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I smiled. “What’s her name?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Gilbert.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“She’s a he now?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Look at that ferocious face. Of course Gilbert’s a he. He told me so.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Okay,” I acquiesced. “Gilbert it is. How do you do, Gilbert?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I moved closer to the Teddy bear.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What’s that?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A pause.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Oh really?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I glanced at Grace.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I’m confused about that too.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What’s he saying?” Grace smiled.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“He wants to know why you don’t like hospitals?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Grace stared at me – her eyes wide.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Gilbert asked it.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She shook her head. “You wouldn’t tell me about strawberries.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What’s that?” I moved in toward Gilbert. “Oh, you’re right.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“And what did Gilbert say now?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“He said not to pry into things that should remain buried.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Gilbert seems to be wise when needed.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Well, appearances can be deceiving. Even bears with ferocious faces can hide wisdom. But you’re right.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I’ve always loved strawberries. My friend Donny knew that. He was the only friend I had – he was a brother to me. My parents were never around – too busy working. Because of that, I never really talked to other kids in class. I was myself, and I took care of myself.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">During lunch on the first day of high school, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with me – actual grape jelly. Donny sat down next to me and noticed I was eating the same thing.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“’You have a PB and J too? Right on!’</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">"I didn’t acknowledge him, but he didn’t care. When he saw that I had jelly in mine, he snatched the sandwich from my hand and trashed it.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“’Try this. It’s much better.’</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">"That’s when I first had a peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwich. It was much better. I had always loved strawberries, but Donny showed me the way. And we became friends. He always treated me better than I did him. A month before graduation, Donny brought me a slice of strawberry cake because I was accepted here. He asked me to go to the mall with him after school, but I turned my back on him. He went by himself. He was hit by a car. The driver was changing radio stations and didn’t see him. That was the last time I had strawberries.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I took off my toque. “This was Donny’s. That’s why I won’t switch it. I gave up strawberries, and I kept this toque to remind myself how painful it is to be connected.” </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I looked at Grace. “I don’t like hospitals either, but you don’t have to tell me why. The past is painful.” I put my toque back on.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I’ll tell you when I’m ready.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Fair enough.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“If the Children of Medea know about you, what do we do?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What we’ve been doing. Why should we stop for them?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">We were suddenly thrown forward. Our car skidded out of control. And then we stopped.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I looked at Grace. She was clutching onto Gilbert.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Are you okay?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She nodded.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Something then landed on the hood of the car – a black mass. Suddenly, a head looked up from the darkness, and I saw a wicked smile light in his eyes. He struck his hand through the glass and pulled the driver out. A bloody flash. Blood spilled from the neck of the driver, and the man bent down and began to drink.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I opened my door, grabbed Grace’s hand, and ran.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“As fast as you can,” the man laughed.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Within a moment, he was in front of us.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Who are you? Do you work with the Children of Medea?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Them?” he laughed. “No. Not those miserable fools. I am my own agent.” He creaked his head to a side. He was draped in black.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> Text and Images © Jonathan Lee<br /></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-59507925987472884832009-05-25T01:54:00.001-07:002009-05-26T00:36:41.386-07:00Chapter 13: Sound<span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahy__GucY29_ZN725yr8g9OFOCGeGKDGPAIcdITGKRFamP7tSDmdHiZQR4bwm_Jloj5YIZr7lHtfDdf1FdmSA0PJWsc7qEn6pGk3Y44QfApVCX_uEkvV_4ke3itxyGo-Ix0-H2ldtxe0/s1600-h/Sound+Finished.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahy__GucY29_ZN725yr8g9OFOCGeGKDGPAIcdITGKRFamP7tSDmdHiZQR4bwm_Jloj5YIZr7lHtfDdf1FdmSA0PJWsc7qEn6pGk3Y44QfApVCX_uEkvV_4ke3itxyGo-Ix0-H2ldtxe0/s320/Sound+Finished.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339861392808018498" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Chapter 13</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Sound</span><br /><br /></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> 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/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The Crossroads’ doors opened before me.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“If you do this, you won’t be standing alone.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I walked in. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“You’ll be in a whirlpool drowning alone.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The mall had closed because of the incident, but I called in a favor to open the doors.<span style=""> </span>It was growing dark out, but the Crossroads were well lit. I walked down toward the food court.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I looked at my cell-phone. It had one more bar on its battery. It had one bar for its signal. I closed my eyes, and I hit the green button.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Outbound…</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“You realize this is suicide?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Within moments, I could hear the skittering feet of a Widow, I could hear the slithering tongue of the Salamander, and I could hear the galloping hooves of a Nightmare.<span style=""> </span>It wasn’t what I was looking for. I opened my eyes and looked around the shadows. Nothing moved. I closed my eyes once more, and I listened.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“You came across this one? The Shadow Eater?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=""> </span>The sound of the Affects echoed through the dead halls of the Crossroads. It was quiet, and it was unnerving. A place of liveliness turned silent.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“That’s an old Affect – we don’t have an exact date as to when it first surfaced. All we know is that it consumes the shadows of living beings to sustain itself.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The three Affects moved closer to me, and I still had not found the Shadow Eater. I opened my eyes and terminated the call.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Show yourself! You devoured five shadows today; devour one more!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Two bars.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The three Aspects still moved closer. I ran through the Crossroads as they chased me, entering so many shops and stores, but still, no Shadow Eater. I traversed onto the second floor for better sight.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A stall exploded behind me and a whinnying howl cried through the mall. I ran toward the escalators. I closed my eyes and reopened them. I ascended the escalator, and I heard the Nightmare dash up behind me. Just as I neared the top, I leapt forward as the Widow descended down, striking with its eight legs. It missed. The Nightmare leapt up and crashed into the Widow, rending it to pieces upon impact. The Nightmare careened toward the ledge and shattered through the banister. It fell and bespattered the floor.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I turned around and saw the Salamander leaping toward me. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“Your limit looks to be three, and you’ve used it twice already.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A black maw opened up and devoured the creature whole.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I quickly rose from the ground and stared at the black mass before me. Across the mass, eyes opened and stared at me. The black peeled back to reveal glinting teeth.<i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I am quite full, boy, but it seems you’re special, so I will have another helping,” the Affect spoke. “But shadows don’t seem to interest me anymore after I ate your friend’s, Hank. ”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">My lip curled and bared my teeth.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Yes, I know everything about you now. A shadow is so much more than what you humans think. A shadow is attached to a person – lives their lives with them. It is the person. How can you have one without the other? But your friend’s shadow was different. After eating hers, I lost all taste for shadows because how could any shadow taste as good as hers? And thanks to that delicious meal, I can manifest myself without having to slink across surfaces. Hers was a special shadow that allowed me to taste flesh.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The creature melted back into the ground and disappeared.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Oh don’t look so angry boy. Your friend’s shadow still remains separate from me, but it’s losing strength.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Three bars. My hands clenched tightly around my phone.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Was she special to you boy?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“Didn’t you want to stand alone? <o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“So why crawl here begging me for help? <o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“What makes her so special?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Then you can join her soon.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I closed my eyes.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style=""><span style=""> </span>“What was that? That blast wave?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Her last moments will be alone. You could have spent them with her, but now, both of you will die alone.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The speakers in the Crossroads flared alive. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You only get one shot!” Eason’s voice echoed through the mall.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Four bars.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Music began to blare. A song I hadn’t heard since last year. It was the song that car played.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The sound reverberated through the air and showed me that black mass leaping from the ceiling toward me.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I opened my eyes and stared at it.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Five bars.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“One is more than enough!” I yelled as I swung my phone toward it.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A wave of pure sound blasted from my phone. The Shadow Eater was caught by it, and I could see a wave pass through its form. Its body was torn to pieces, disintegrating upon the blast. Within a second, nothing was left. No Shadow Eater, no sound.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“If you had stayed to your shadows, I might not have been able to get you. But you grew arrogant after eating my friend’s shadow!” I yelled through the halls.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Zero bars for signal. Zero bars for battery. I fell to the floor</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Eason soon found me.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What now?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Is Grace-”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Let me take you there.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Give me one second.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Eason drove to the hospital, and I was ushered to Grace’s room. She laid there in bed, silent. She had no make-up on, and she looked pale but peaceful. The only sound in the room was the beeping of the EKG. I sat down in a chair.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Wake up.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I opened my eyes and found morning. Grace sat in her bed, holding the teddy bear.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Thanks,” she whispered.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“How are you feeling?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Why do you ask?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I want to know.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Get me out of here. I hate hospitals,” she smiled painfully.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">We signed her out, and we left.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I’m sorry.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“It’s okay.” She held onto me as we walked out. “Where do we go from here?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I don’t know, but Eason said they know about me now.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Who?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“The Children of Medea.”</span></p> <span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Text and Images © Jonathan Lee<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-84509274648266050142009-05-21T00:00:00.000-07:002009-06-25T10:25:39.775-07:00Chapter 12: Echoes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCkTxcqk1Tlw_3g8mvcDffu1kZHu5lYwpBm1jafZM8S99a5Io61337tnyUQdos8JANH0DU83ZDhFrg5yxF4vE-Po1TkVzkAJl6n06GTbHf0LFm8V9EObS6Vardde-paYk9qd-Tog2J0s/s1600-h/Echoes+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCkTxcqk1Tlw_3g8mvcDffu1kZHu5lYwpBm1jafZM8S99a5Io61337tnyUQdos8JANH0DU83ZDhFrg5yxF4vE-Po1TkVzkAJl6n06GTbHf0LFm8V9EObS6Vardde-paYk9qd-Tog2J0s/s320/Echoes+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339264807836845986" border="0" /></a><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" 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mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Chapter 12<br />Echoes<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I was running.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style=""><span style=""> </span>“Hey, Hank! What’re you doing later?”</i></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">He smiled.</i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Out of the crossroads and into the noisy streets.<i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style=""><span style=""> </span>“I’m going to do homework.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Honking cars and shouting people.<i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">He sighed. “You know – it’s not healthy to work so hard.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I didn’t know what to do.<i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style=""><span style=""> </span>“It’s not healthy to lounge about all day either.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“Are you saying I lounge about all day?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“Yes.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“Well, it’s true. So, we’re two-of-a-kind then.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“Something like that.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style=""><span style=""> </span>“Come on! It’s Friday. You can do your homework on Sunday. Let’s go have fun. Let’s go<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I didn’t know where</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">to the mall!”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“Not today, Donny.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“Man, forget it. I’ll go by myself.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“You do that.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">I turned around and walked away</i>.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">to go it didn’t matter where just that I was gone.<i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“Oh yah!” <o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">He grabbed me by the shoulder. <o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“I almost forgot to give this to you.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">He handed me a tin-wrapped plate. I opened it.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“I can’t believe I almost forgot. My mom made some last night for our study session, but you left before she finished.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">A slice of strawberry cake.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A flat line ticking in my head.<i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“What’s this for?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“It’s supposed to be a surprise ‘cause you were accepted to Lawrence College! Congratulations!”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Run Run Run<i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“I don’t know what to say.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">As fast as you can</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“Thanks would be good enough. Or say you’ll go hang out.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“Thanks.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Out of breath but still running.<i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“So close.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">lives so fragile to be connected to shatter fragments build cities and ruins…<i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">We laughed.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Reachin-<i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">The bell ringed.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Callin-<i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“Alright then, Hank. Take care.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“You too, Donny.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">Lunch had ended. I went to Calculus and Donny to English. Sixth period ended. I walked home. Sirens flaring as the ambulance blared down the street past me toward the mall. Anxious. Nervous. Uneasiness.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Giving.<i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">I began to run.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">My feet had <i style="">taken me</i> <i style="">there</i>.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“What’s going on here?”</i><span style=""> </span>the voices intermingling in my head.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I need your help, Eason.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="arial"><br /></p>Text and Images © Jonathan LeeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-57963356082129423932009-05-18T00:09:00.000-07:002009-05-23T23:16:25.054-07:00Chapter 11: Shadows<a 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mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">I went to school the next day, and it was a normal day. I turned my back to Affects and Aspects. But everything was different. I knew now. I couldn’t return to my normal days.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Calling…</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Hi!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Hi.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“So…”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Are you free tomorrow?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Yah, I am. Do you want to do something?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Track an Affect?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Oh you’re no fun. Let’s go to the Crossroads at 10.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Okay, see you there! And dress fun!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Call ended: 1:32.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">I stared at my phone. <i style="">What’s the Crossroads?</i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">I woke up the next morning and walked toward my closet. I wore another white dress shirt, another pair of black jeans, and the same grey hooded jacket. <i style="">Dress fun</i>? I wore a striped red and blue tie. <i style="">That’s fun</i>. I grabbed my toque and left.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">I had to take three buses to get to the Crossroads. When I arrived, I found myself staring at a large gargantuan mall. The website had said it was large, but this was ridiculous. Four stories of pure commercial vampirism that spanned across four corners of an intersection. Numerous walkways connected the buildings on differing levels – making it easier for you to access another store where your money would disappear. And the noise.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Hey!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">I turned around. There she stood, looking like she always did.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You’re not in fun dress!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I’m wearing a fun tie.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“That’s not a fun tie! That’s still formal and serious. And what’s with everything else? You always wear that toque.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“It’s my favorite toque.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Have you thought of getting a different one?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“No.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Why not?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">I shook my head.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Fine, let’s get you a tie though.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">She grabbed my hand and pulled me into the Northwest building. We entered the Hendrick’s Department Store and moved toward the Men’s department. One of the saleswoman there turned to look at us, and in a glance, she had already sized us. She walked over toward us – her high heels clicking and clacking across the marbleized floor.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“How can I help you?” she said with blatant disdain.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You can’t,” Grace smiled in reply. “We’ll look on our own.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">And we pushed past the saleswoman. A muted curse parted from her lips and reached only her ears and mine. <i style="">Same to you</i>. We arrived at the tie selection, which composed of an entire wall, a two-tiered table in front of the wall, and three racks hung full of ties. Grace began to search through that sea of ties.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I think a pink tie would look good on you.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Pass.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“How about this one?” She held up a checkered black and white tie.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“No.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Maybe skulls?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Do they even sell skulls here?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Not here but at Hot Top-“</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“No. And skulls aren’t fun.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Says who?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Me.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">She laughed.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Well then, how about this one?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">She held up a plain red tie.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“How is this one any more fun?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Let me patch it.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“No skulls.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“No skulls.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Okay.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">So we walked over to the cashier, but someone had misplaced a Teddy Bear in the men’s department. Grace picked it up and held it.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“It’s so cute!” she screamed.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Aren’t you too old to have stuffed animals?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">She pouted and put it down. She dashed toward the cashier’s. Before I could reach her, she had already paid for it.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You didn’t have to buy me this. I could’ve-“</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Most people say thank you when they’re presented a gift.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I didn’t want a gift.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">She wrung her mouth. “No, you just want to be a shadow, pretending that you don’t care about anyone and that no one cares about you. Maybe you don’t want a gift, but have you ever thought that I wanted to get you something?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Grace threw the tie at me and ran off.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">I held the tie in my hand. I ran after her. I couldn’t find her, so I closed my eyes and put my phone against my ear. The noise of the shopping center filled my mind, and I searched through the waves of images to find her. I found her on the floor below. <i style="">How big is this place? </i>I ran forward and looked over a railing. I found her running in the food court.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">I tried calling her, but she didn’t answer. She sent me to voicemail. I looked over the rails at her as I ran down an escalator. Then, I saw something slink from a chair’s shadow. It flowed toward a table where a family sat. I saw it split down the middle, forming a dark two-dimensional maw, and swallow the family’s shadow. All four, father, mother, children, collapsed onto the table. I could hear their hearts suddenly stop. Grace turned around and looked at them. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">Don’t do it.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">She ran toward them. And she collapsed too.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Text and Images © Jonathan Lee</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-12646244203954116422009-05-18T00:04:00.001-07:002009-05-23T23:16:52.218-07:00Chapter 10: Quoth<span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_HRemW00RQ7JJJfFWOByEY0zrPdCXAQBOgDOJEi72fxNf7__W8c5glWCrn0wFMQiFFYNpSok3auE2Ayl-NRgDR9ek0mx0ckGqC_hTEEuiKTuVGfhWwNHrpy3OdxucBuU7p-eLHsNb1rI/s1600-h/Raven.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_HRemW00RQ7JJJfFWOByEY0zrPdCXAQBOgDOJEi72fxNf7__W8c5glWCrn0wFMQiFFYNpSok3auE2Ayl-NRgDR9ek0mx0ckGqC_hTEEuiKTuVGfhWwNHrpy3OdxucBuU7p-eLHsNb1rI/s320/Raven.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337056524103211042" border="0" 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mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">It was a midnight dreary. I was already weak and weary. But I found her. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She was not far from me, but I was not the only one searching for her. Something dived at her through the rain. It was only a blur in my noise. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">My eyes were closed, but I ran toward her. I couldn’t stop. To stop was to lose, and I hated losing as much as I hated waiting.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I could see her holding an umbrella in the rain. She was under a streetlamp, oblivious to the danger. She only turned toward me. And in that sound, I could see her smile.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A terrible cry.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I opened my eyes and saw it, large and furious. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I leapt at her. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The Affect sliced through the rain. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Her umbrella soared down the street.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The streetlamp toppled. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I held her close. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Glass shattered.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A great gust upon us.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Nothing more.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I looked up. An empty street.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Hank?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Shh.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I closed my eyes and held onto my cell-phone. The city under falling rain – rooftops and empty streets. Nothing. Only the two of us lying in the street. I opened my eyes and helped her up.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Hank. What’s going on?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“There’s an Affect after you.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“After me?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I nodded.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What is it?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“A raven.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Oh. They’re known as Rocs.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“That’s comforting.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">“But I’ve never seen one able to do that.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The streetlamp was severed in half – a clean cut. Electricity cackled from the truncated post.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Let’s not wait around.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I grabbed her hand and pulled toward an alleyway. She refused to move.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Where are you going?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“We’re getting out of here.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“No.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I turned toward her.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“We face it.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I bit my lip.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Fine. Lead the way.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She led me into the street to grab her umbrella. We then ran under the light of a streetlamp, and she held the umbrella above us.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The Roc cried once more with glottal pitch. I closed my eyes.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What are you doing?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Finding it.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The rain was cut from behind us.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Behind us!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She turned around.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“OH! Duck!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I fell to the floor with her. Another great gust of wind. She grabbed my hand and pulled. We ran, and I heard the streetlamp fall to the floor. The glass shattered and spilled into the street.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What happened?” my voice resounded all around us – a kaleidoscope of sound.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“That’s no ordinary Roc.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What do you mean?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“It’s really big.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“That’s why I wanted to run.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You didn’t say how big it was.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">It was true. I didn’t.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Well, what now?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“We face it.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“You need to broaden your horizons.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Like you?” she smiled.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Like me.” I nodded.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Maybe later.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">Hypocrite</i>.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She grabbed my hand and pulled me to another streetlamp.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Let go of my hand and lie down with your foot in the umbrella’s shadow.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Do it!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I did it, but I shook my head the entire time.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Where is it?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I was already searching for it, but this Roc flew above the cloud stratus. It negated all visibility, even mine. It was smart, and it was fast.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Sound is faster.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I already knew where it was as soon as it entered the clouds.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“It’ll be coming from the North!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Which way is North?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I pointed toward the direction.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“I see it.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I opened my eyes and turned to see the Roc in its full size. Its black wings spanned the entire street, darker than night. Grace clutched her lipstick.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Closer.” I could hear her whisper.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Time stops when waiting – even if it’s less than a second. <i style="">We had better win.</i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She swung. It was only the lipstick in her hand when she began her swing. It was a long thin blade when she had finished. The Roc’s left wing was severed from its body, and it crashed into the street, sliding and tumbling toward us – toward me. I lay on the floor, unable to evade it. I felt something pull at my feet, and I was dragged barely out of the Roc’s path. It tumbled past me and blew off my toque.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I looked up and saw Grace let go of my feet. She sat down and sighed.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“That was close.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">We both sat there wheezing. I closed my eyes.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i style="">“Grace</i>.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I heard where the voice came from, but I couldn’t believe it. I knew birds could imitate human speech, but this wasn’t imitation. This wasn’t even a bird.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I opened my eyes and saw Grace standing above the Roc. They were under another streetlamp. They stared at each other, and it seemed as if there was lament in the Roc’s eye. She angled her lipstick at the Affect’s head. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">It all happened so quickly, but the Affect soon bubbled and disintegrated into the street.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The rain flowed down Grace’s face. I picked up my toque and walked over to her.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“What was that?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She shook her head.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Okay.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I walked her to her apartment.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Good night, Grace.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Call me?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Not tomorrow, but soon.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She nodded. “Do you need an umbrella?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“No, I like the rain.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">“Take care. Good night.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I nodded.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">She closed the door. I walked back into the rain. I listened to the city through the rain and I heard two voices.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A woman’s whisper: “We’ll see what tomorrow brings.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">And</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Terrible laughter.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">But that was only for a moment, and then it was quiet. Only the rain and my footsteps. I walked toward my apartment with my toque in my hand. I would be sure to wash it tonight to use it for tomorrow.</span></p> <span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span>Text and Images © Jonathan LeeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704740911179720627.post-44138000577772731332009-05-15T00:03:00.001-07:002009-05-15T00:03:56.298-07:00DelayHi all. Sorry about the delay. There will be no 2nd update this week. What I will do, however, is have a double release on Monday.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0