I wrote this short story for class. There's still a lot of editing to do. This was greatly inspired by Jacob's Ladder and Silent Hill. It's still too much like a Silent Hill fanfic for my tastes, but that will change with editing. Then I hope to get this published.
~
It wasn't that I liked to dance—in fact I was horrible at it—it was that I wanted to fly. To me, this was the closest thing. I bounced, turned, and let loose. It felt good to not be controlled by anyone or anything but the rhythm of the music, and even that was merely a guide. If I wanted to twist left, I could. The beat couldn't direct that.
He could, though. I felt the will drain from my limbs as he stepped beside me and began guiding my movements so they complimented his own. I was no longer free to do as I pleased. I was used to this, though. I never should have let myself get carried away when he had stepped out.
"I had no idea you could dance so beautifully," he whispered into my ear. I shuddered, which he mistook for pleasure.
"Sorry, I got carried away," I muttered, looking down. He held me closer. I could smell the alcohol on his breath. He wasn't drunk, and it wasn't overwhelming, but it still made me uncomfortable.
"Don't apologize. I like it," he said, guiding me towards the door of the club. "Why don't we have some fun at my place? We have some time before your mother comes for my announcement." Was that supposed to be a reward? His 'announcement', which he'd been being sneaky about all week, was obnoxiously obvious. He was the perfect man, as my mother made sure to remind me at every possible opportunity. We were in our final year of college and had been together for three years. What else could his announcement be?
"Sounds great," I lied; a smile plastered on my face. It was how I made it through the time we'd been together. I felt his arm snake under my shirt and bile rose into my throat. I managed to turn my cough into a moan. He seemed appeased by this as we walked the short three blocks to his apartment. Once we were up the stairs and behind locked doors, he moved towards me. As he grabbed at my skirt, I felt heat rising to my face. I closed my eyes against the oncoming attack—or was it passion? The doorbell rang too early and he groaned, frustrated.
"We can just ignore it," he suggested, still hovering over me. I insisted he answer the door. He obeyed. I could hear my mother's voice.
My vision blurred until all I could see was white and everything was moving in fast-forward. I lost all sense of myself and what was happening. I could hear screams. Mine?
~~
I don't know how long I had been standing at the bus stop, but it was obvious that I had missed the bus. It was drizzling. I pulled an umbrella from my book bag and opened it, protecting my head from the soft downpour. I stood a few more minutes waiting, just in case. Nothing. Wherever I needed to go could wait until later I supposed. I crossed the unusually quiet street and began my way through the alumni garden. It was a shortcut to campus and usually a beautiful one. The path I walked along was brick. Each one was engraved with the name of a student who had graduated from the university. It's funny how easily their accomplishments could be converted into a simple walkway for students rushing off to classes or their social lives. My mother said it was an honor and one day I would become one of these bricks. Maybe I was already a brick.
Puddles interrupted the path. I was glad for my boots. They may not have kept my feet dry since they weren't built for rain, but they kept them warm. I couldn't say the same for my skirt or white blouse. I shivered as I exited the garden and began the long stretch back to my dorm. This road, Junction Avenue, had been barred from traffic since too many students had been hit trying to cross. It runs straight through the middle of campus and is usually the quickest way to get to most of the buildings, which were all locked by now. It was night time and the weekend so the only open buildings were the library and the dorms. The lights from the many floors of the library and the street lamps that lined this road created a dim glow that barely lit my way.
The lamp beside me suddenly flickered out. I looked around and noticed that each street light behind me went dark, one by one. The ones in front of me followed suit. I quickened my pace. What was going on? Was there a storm coming? I saw a figure in the distance. Maybe they knew what was going on.
"Hey!" I called. The figure swayed. "Hey, what's going on?" As I neared the figure, I heard a horrible squelching noise. I had never heard anything like it before. It sent shivers up my spine. I couldn't tell where it was coming from. I looked everywhere for the source before noticing the figure had gotten closer. It was most definitely not human.
I stopped in my tracks as it came closer. It reminded me of a grey hound. My boyfriend had taken joy in watching their races. The back legs sprouted up to an unnatural height. I could tell even from this distance that they would tower over me. The body of the creature twisted down to the ground in a distorted fashion. It only had one front leg which jerked randomly from time to time. Looking at the head made me gag. It was engorged and had the appearance of a sack. I doubted there was a skull in its depths. The head dragged along the ground as the creature continued towards me. I tried to run, to move, but fear rooted me to the spot.
It slowly came nearer and nearer. Then it stopped and made a horrible howling noise. It began running towards me. I screamed and ran with a speed I didn't know I could muster. Adrenaline took over as I propelled myself forward, the dog creature on my heels. It snarled and lunged forward. I fell to the ground to avoid it. The dog stumbled and fell. I pushed myself up and grabbed the umbrella I had dropped in the commotion. It stood up and rounded on me, lunging again. I didn't have time to stand. I held my umbrella in front of me, closing my eyes and braced for pain.
I heard a sharp wail. I cautioned a glance and saw that the dog had impaled itself on the metal tip of my umbrella. I didn't waste any time getting to my feet. I dropped the umbrella and ran. My dorm wasn't far away from there. The dog moaned horribly, but didn't move. I heard the same squelching noise and turned to see another in the distance coming towards me. I saw my dorm and pushed myself even harder. I flung myself at the door just as another came from the opposite side of the path and dived toward me. I stumbled inside and leaned against the door as it shook from the impact. I slumped to my knees, leaned against the door, and sobbed.
~~
I woke with a start still against the door. In my dreams, there had been a TV set on loop. Images of puppets controlled by a strict, feminine hand flashed on the screen. I stood, brushing off my skirt. In proper light, I could see that my blouse was speckled with blood. Ignoring this, as my mind didn't yet want to register what this could mean, I made my way to my dorm room just wanting to collapse into my bed and forget. I tried to open the door, but the key wouldn't go in. I tried banging on the door in hopes of waking my roommate, but to no avail.
Not wanting to go back outside, I began pounding on every door of the three story building. There was no an answer from any of them. What was going on? Had there been an evacuation? I knew I wouldn't get answers here. I walked back down the stairs to the front door and took a deep breath. I cautiously pushed the door open. Outside, it was grey and still drizzling, but there were no signs of anything supernatural.
The main building, the Ernhard Center, was on the opposite side of campus from the dorms, which made me nervous. I started down the road at a quick pace. My heart sank when, after a few steps, I saw a shape on the ground. I held my breath and crept forward. When I got closer, I noticed it was an umbrella. I let out my breath in a sigh of relief and picked it up. I inspected it. No blood, no fur, nothing to indicate that a large, monstrous creature had been attached to the end of it the night before. The cement surrounding the spot was slightly darker than usual. I held my umbrella above me and continued onward.
I felt at ease now. As strange as it was that the campus was empty and, despite the fact that the horrors of the night before still lingering in my mind, I felt light hearted to be alone. I was usually surrounded by people. Whether they were friends, other students in class, my mother, or my boyfriend, it was rare that I ever had alone time. Whenever I did manage it, I always felt rather happy. I could hum or skip or do something silly without being judged for partaking in such frivolities. I didn't have to live up to my mother's standards.
I strayed from my thoughts as I approached a large building. What the Ernhard Center lacked in height, it more than made up for with its grand appearance. It was very ornate with large pillars and magnificent, decorative windows. Staring up at it, I felt a memory wash over me.
~~
"This school isn't anything like the brochure described," my mother huffed, reproving the high windows and marble floors with a harsh glare. I stood silent at her side, regarding the building reverently. I was going to attend college here. It was almost beyond belief. This was such a prestigious school and they had selected me due to my high grades and SAT score. It would have been a dream come true if only it were my dream.
"Stop standing there gawking. You look like you've never seen a fancy building before." My mother's voice cut through my thoughts. I stood straight and still. "That's better." She nodded her approval. "This will be your first time away from me and I can't have you forgetting your manners. Remember, you represent the Veneer family. We can't have you standing around and making a fool of yourself before you even set foot in a classroom."
"Yes ma'am." I looked forward, though I longed to look down or anywhere beside the future I was heading towards. I had wanted to major in journalism. I had wanted to go to state with my high school friends. I had wanted…
"I trust you. You've done well so far. I know you'll continue to do so." The pride in her voice made me feel guilty for considering my own desires. Her trust and compliments spurred me towards this future and this life. Her life?
~~
I closed my umbrella as I entered the building. It dripped, leaving a trail of water. The bookstore, on my left, was closed from what I could tell, and the food court on my right was the same way. The other shops were closed for the weekend. Usually the Ernhard Center was full of students studying even on weekends, but today it was eerily abandoned.
I walked up to the help desk, which was abandoned. "Hello?" I called out, looking around to see if there was anyone about. Nothing. I rang the bell on the counter several times and waited. Once again, silence was my only reply.
I leaned against the desk, unsure of what to do next. There was obviously something odd going on and it appeared that I was the only one left to witness it. Pondering what I should do next, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned to find a little girl walking from one painting to the next along the walls. She had just stopped in front of a picture depicting the crucifixion when she spotted me. "Hello there," I called out, grateful that I had finally found another human being.
She considered me curiously, walking towards me. She had hazel eyes and nappy brown hair. Her pale skin was marked with many scrapes and bruises. I had a strong sense of déjà vu as I watched her slow movements. I walked towards her. She stepped back before turning and bolting down the hallway that connected this building to the library.
"Wait!" I called, running after her. She looked over her shoulder and, upon noticing me, quickened her pace. I followed as best I could before I finally had to stop, out of breath, watching her run past a bookcase. As she disappeared from my sight, the book case teetered and then fell to the ground, interrupting the silence with a startling crash. I crept cautiously to where the shelf has fallen. DVDs littered the floor where it fell. I noticed one of them was titled Jacob's Ladder.
My first date with him had been to see this movie at a Halloween movie showcase. I could tell that he couldn't care less about what was happening on the screen, but the film enthralled me. He would much rather have been making out, but for that moment he respected my wishes.
If only it had lasted.
~~
"Oh come on baby," he cooed, pacing back and forth, "what are you afraid of? You know I'll be gentle."
Did he seriously think those words would convince me that giving myself over to him was the best idea? Then again, he was never one for originality. Instead of responding, I focused on my roommate's clock. The bright blue numbers glowed steadily, lighting the room in an ethereal shade of ice. I suddenly felt cold.
"Babe, I'm talking to you," he looked at me impatiently. Another minute passed and the clock counted up. As much as I may have wanted time to speed past this moment, the clock made sure that I was kept painfully grounded in reality.
"Fine, don't talk. I see how it is. You can sit there in your own little world, but don't expect me to join you. You keep trying to push me away. Do you really want me gone? I just want the chance to show you how much I love you. What do you say?"
Fine. I was used to going through the motions anyways. "Show me," I whispered. He was everything she wanted. My mother had made sure to voice her surprising approval when I had introduced them. I couldn't lose him. I lay back and let him have his way. My body moved under his and he moaned my name. The whole time, I kept my gaze fixed upon the clock.
12:41, 12:42, 12:43…
~~
I placed the movie back on the floor and noticed a VHS tape. It was out of place among the smaller DVDs. I picked it up, curious as to what movie it could possibly be. Instead of the movie title, my name was printed across the front. I suddenly felt very cold. I turned, expecting to find someone watching me, but only the empty quiet met me.
I inspected the tape, turning it over in my hands. Could this tape hold the answers for my current situation? Why did it have my name on it? I stopped turning the tape and put it into my book bag. Asking questions wouldn't do me any good. I needed a place to watch this tape. The library didn't have any older electronics—another reason why the tape had piqued my interest—which left the old audio visual department in the Gyven Building. It was located across the street from the main building.
The thought of returning outside to where there may be creatures wasn't appealing, but it didn't seem I had much of a choice. Waiting here wouldn't bring me any closer to an answer.
I walked to the entrance of the library and peeked through the window of the door. I couldn't see any monsters. I opened my umbrella as I exited the building. The drizzle had grown harder while I'd been inside. I kept a steady pace, crossing over Junction Avenue on my way. The building was in my sights and I was almost there when I heard it. The squelching noise.
My blood froze as I looked around. There were a lot of trees and buildings blocking my view and the rain wasn't helping matters. I walked cautiously forward and to my relief, the sound slowly faded. I let out the breath I had been holding and continued briskly onward.
I had just reached the door when I heard an inhuman shriek. I turned quickly to see something large lumbering after me. It was not a dog. I didn't care what it was. I ran forward as fast as I could, grabbing the door knob. It didn't budge. I kept turning it franticly, hoping it was merely stuck, but it was no use. The door was locked.
I turned and saw that the lumbering figure was larger than the dog. A twisted humanoid form stumbled towards me on all fours. Perched atop it was a smaller twisted form that appeared to be holding puppet strings. I stepped away from the door and ran back towards the main building. The monster roared and I could hear it coming after me with a thudding sound that was growing closer.
I had made it back to Junction Avenue when suddenly the sky grew dark. I fell to my knees, heart in my throat. I heard a gunshot and screams. The rain was blurring my vision. It was pounding on my umbrella and blowing underneath. I felt strangely in control. The rain was dark and as the sky lightened, I noticed it was red. It was blood.
My blood curdling scream attracted several more of the monsters. They were surrounding me. I was covered in blood and shivering. The rain had become normal once more. I couldn't think straight. I scrambled to my feet and tried to run, but stumbled as my foot had hit something. Looking down, I noticed a revolver lying on the road. I picked it up and opened the chamber. To my utter dismay, it only had one bullet. I might be able to take out one of the creatures, perhaps opening a path. He had taken me to the shooting range on several dates before, so shooting wasn't unfamiliar to me.
One of the monsters lunged at me. I held up the gun and shot. The monster fell to the ground, dead. The others reacted to the noise, lunging forward. There had been only one bullet, but I kept pulling the trigger in futile hope. Each time I pulled the trigger, there was a shot and an accompanying thump as a monster hit the ground. I was beyond relief as I kept firing the guns. Their shrieks filled the air around me as I shot until they moved no more.
Once they were all disposed of, I inspected the revolver. The bullet was still there. I would have questioned it, but I didn't want to jinx my good fortune. Standing, I abandoned my umbrella so I could walk through the downpour and be washed clean. There was so much blood.
~~
There was so much blood. I couldn't see it, but I knew it was there. I lay on the table, looking at the machines hooked up to me and the machine that had just finished inside me. It was a cold, robotic nightmare full of blood and pain.
"All done," the doctor said in a tone that masked the seriousness of what had just happened. He acted as if this wasn't a nightmare I had never imagined I would be living.
"You hear that?" He sighed in relief. I nodded, not wanting to talk.
We gathered our things and he led me out the door. I was shaking uncontrollably. As we left the clinic, there were protestors. People who didn't understand thrust picket signs in my face reminding me of the mistake I had made and of the mistake I had removed from my uterus.
I felt empty, despite what these people may have thought. I missed whatever had been inside me. I also envied it. It would never have to endure a world of going through the motions in order to please those who will never be pleased no matter how hard you try. No matter the sacrifices you make.
He held me close before helping me into his car. I didn't speak. I just watched as the rain hit the windshield. I watched as the sun set and the rain slowly became blood; the blood of a child that would never be born.
~~
I was completely lost now. I had no way to watch the tape and nowhere to go. I wandered aimlessly for… hours? Days? Weeks? There was never night and there was never sun; only cloudy skies and the rain that fell relentlessly— rain that didn't wash away the blood.
I kept walking, trying the doors of various buildings, but they were all locked. There were no other people in this land, only monsters that I mercilessly slaughtered with a gun that shouldn't have been able to fire. With each downed monster, there was a memory that grew within me. Memories I had tried so hard to forget. Wandering aimlessly on this lonely college campus gave me plenty of time to reflect back on them.
My dad had left my mother. He had become fed up with not living up to her standards. He had a new wife now. She was rich, skinny, beautiful, and mentally stable; everything my mother couldn't be. I remembered the endless phone calls to my secret love which had to stop abruptly. Everything became hazy after that point until I entered college. Then, most of my memories were of him and of phone calls from my mother, making sure I was living the right way.
I passed through Briarwood, the local college town nestled right alongside campus, coming to a stop in front of Heaven's Delight. It was a night club that prided itself on giving a 'heavenly good time.' It had always been his favorite club. A memory flashed, of him on top of me, of me closing my eyes and waiting for the onslaught to end. It soon faded, leaving me feeling empty.
I tried the door of the club and—to my surprise—it was open. I entered. The lights were on and the music was so loud that it hurt my head. There was no one inside, not that I had thought there would be. The thrum of the beat was intoxicating and I couldn't help but nod my head along with it.
The music guided me to the center of the dance floor and I began to dance, forgetting the downpour and the loneliness. As I danced, I realized that despite the nightmarish state I had found myself in, I had a sadistic happiness concerning the entire situation. I was alone and uncontrolled. For once, my privacy couldn't be invaded...
The door slammed closed. I jumped, coming out of the trance the music had put me in. The little girl from before stood before me, blinking. She then turned and left back through the door. I quickly followed, but there was no sign of her. I sighed, walking back toward campus.
Hearing a scream, I ran to where the sound had come from and found one of the puppet monsters chasing her. I quickly pulled out my gun and shot it. Its body fell limply to the side. The girl stood rooted to the spot, hugging a teddy bear. "Are you okay?" I asked, kneeling so I was eye to eye with her.
I gasped, backing away from her. This girl wasn't just a random kid that had been passing through campus; she was me. She was the exact image of the pictures in our albums of happier times back when my parents saved their money so we could take a vacation together to the mountains or the beach or wherever our fancies led us. Back when I would be tucked in to bed and encouraged to become whatever I wanted and to go where my heart led.
She looked up at me with innocent eyes that didn't yet know what lie ahead for her. "Thank you," she said shyly, handing me her bear. "I have to go now."
"Wait, how is this possible?" I demanded.
"This is your mind, how am I supposed to know?" She responded without turning around, running into the rain and disappearing from sight.
"My mind?" I asked aloud, regarding the bear. Was this all happening inside my mind? How could that be? Unable to fathom an answer to the question at hand, I turned the bear over in my hands. There was a tear in his back. I pulled at it and saw something glinting from inside. I reached in and pulled it out. It was a key with a paper tied to it that read 'Agnosco veteris vestigia flamea.'
"Virgil," I muttered, remembering the line from my Latin class. I knew where the key went. I wasn't sure how I knew, but then again, if this was all taking place inside my mind, I could make this key go to whatever door I pleased and make it open. I made my way to the AV department building. There were no monsters along the way.
I reached the door, unlocked it, opened the door, and stepped inside. To my surprise, on the other side of the door was a garden courtyard. It was gorgeous. I had come to a staircase. The area next to me was raised to be even with the top few stairs. There was a wall made from large cement bricks. Square holes had been cut into these bricks and inside nearly every hole was a glass bottle of some kind. Inside each bottle was a piece of paper containing what I could only assume was another memory.
I vaguely remembered a place like this on campus. I hadn't needed to go to the AV department since freshman year. I walked down the stairs to the sitting area. The wall that bordered this area was made of glass with a few doors lining the bottom. I tried the doors. The first three were locked. I tried the fourth one and it swung inward. I stepped inside.
Shelves lined the walls. They were full of old VHS tapes. Past the shelves were a few alcoves that each contained a VCR hooked up to a TV. Students came here to watch tapes for class. I had a class where the teacher loved giving viewing assignments. I had fallen asleep in these booths many times with a documentary serving as my lullaby.
I sat down at one of the TVs and pulled the tape out of my book bag. My hands trembled as I inserted the tape. I felt cold as I waited for whatever was coming.
I watched myself being pushed onto his bed. He was removing my jacket hungrily and starting to rip at my shirt when the doorbell rang. He cursed and stood, straightening his tie. He went to the living room, telling me to fix my shirt as he left. I stood slowly, my movements jerky. I opened the drawer of his night stand where he kept his gun.
I picked it up and entered the living room. There were screams and the gun fired. I was covered in blood.
I closed my eyes, thinking of what the video made me realize.
When I opened them again, I was standing back at the bus stop. The bus pulled up and I climbed aboard. I was finally ready to face my destination.
~~~
There was blood on my hands and arms. It also covered the walls, floor, practically everything in the room, including the two bodies in the middle. I didn't scream, nor did I cry; I laughed. I felt right for the first time in a long time. I didn't have to look to know who they were, but I did anyways.
I knelt on the floor, blood seeping through my skirt and staining my knees, and turned the first body over. He stared up at me. His face in death looked more handsome than I had remembered, though perhaps that was because he couldn't talk or touch me. I closed his eyes and stood, stepping over him to kneel beside the larger body.
I didn't turn it over, nor did I touch it. I stared, expecting it to be another trick of my mind, but the body was still. This was my mother. I fiddled with the gun, as I knelt there in disbelief. She was gone and the proof of which was in front of me, but it didn't feel real.
I stood and walked back towards the bedroom to replace the gun when I heard her cackling laughter. I turned to find her sitting up and laughing at me. "Did you honestly think it would be that simple? What do you intend to do now?"
She stood and as she did, her body twisted into a most hideous shape. I looked directly at the monster my mother truly was; the monster that would always be with me, even in her death, because so much of who I am is due to how she was to me.
"There's only one way to end this," I said, raising my gun.
"You think that one bullet will hurt me?" she sneered, "You've already marked me with several and look at how well that worked."
"No," I said simply, holding the gun to my head, "It will set me free."
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Banished 12/15/2010
I have a small idea for a fantasy story involving being banished to an uninhabitable land and finding a lost princess there. It's a pretty cool story and, like most of my fantasy, is really about the little people behind the grand adventure and getting to know the entire town. Here's a little drabble from the begining.
~
They left, joking about my sentence more than likely, and I was left in a room full of people who didn’t like me. And oh how these people did not like me. Then again, I was the reason that they were here, more than likely. I couldn’t imagine myself being very popular after that factor. I spent the time until dinner listening as they called me every creative name in the book and wished upon me every torture in this world and hell.
~
Banished. Just like that, my world was turned upside down and my existence was made meaningless. And for what? A crime I didn’t commit. Well, okay. I did commit the crime, but it was for really good reasons, I swear! One second I’m at the top of my game as a knight fighting dragons and searching for a lost princess, you know, the usual, and the next I’m being sent away to rot out the rest of my meaningless existence in a desolate land that kills even the most skilled of warriors, or so I’ve heard.
I looked at the judge, pleading, begging, anything but banishment! “I’ll be your maid for the rest of my life! I’ll buy you the best steeds in the entire world! I’ll trim your toe nails!” I thought I had him with that last one, considering the state of his nails as viewed through his sandals, but alas, fate would be that cruel.
“Jeremiah Axien Goodfellow, the punishment has been decided and by our old laws, we are unable to change our ruling.” He leaned closer, sneering the last part in obvious joy, “You would know that if you really were the upstanding citizen and guard you make yourself out to be.” He then sat up straight once more, wincing as if there were a foul odor in the air. “Take him to the dungeons. We’ll transport him first thing in the morning.”
He waved and two burly men planted themselves on either side of me, making sure I didn’t drop my pace on the way down the stone stairs into the dank bowels of the castle where prisoners were kept. “Funny, I’ve been putting people in here for ages. It’s a cruel irony that I should be staying here now, don’t you think?”
“Shut up and walk. If your lips weren’t flapping, we’d be there by now.” One of the guards grumbled. The other grunted his agreement as they grabbed me roughly, forcing me forward. Sheesh, considering all these guards usually see are terrified prisoners heading to their doom or raving mad men shouting for revenge, you think they’d be open to a little humor. Humor is how I tend to cope with, well, everything.
We finally arrived at my cell which looked exactly like all the other cells. They shoved me inside. “Dinner will be brought down in a few hours, then you might want to get some sleep. It’s a long journey to the cursed lands.” The guard that grunted chuckled, running a hand through his brown hair. He looked every bit like a bull that had cornered someone and was preparing to charge.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
untitled poem 11/30/2010
So many people have misinterpreted the meaning of this poem, but I'm glad they can see themselves in it. I'm still pretty proud of this one.
~
I know there's a heaven and I know there's a hell,
sometimes where I'm going I can't even tell.
I try my hardest and try harder still,
but I keep falling while trying to climb that hill.
There's a part of me that is undeniable sin.
No matter how I try to change, I just can't win,
I've shed many a tear in my disgrace
I feel I have fallen out of the eternal race.
Yet it's not an unhappy feeling inside,
In fact this emotion makes me feel quite alive.
It's nothing like murder, lying, or theft
It's not coveting, jealousy, or major debt.
It's simple really, and something I don't expect to be returned,
I am in love, and for this I am spurned.
I fall from the graces towards the fires below.
Was it worth it? My answer is no.
But I can't change this part of me
because believe me, I've tried.
I try to keep it all inside
and oh how I've tried to hide,
but it's like hiding a walrus behind a chair.
You can deny all you want, but it's obviously there.
~
I know there's a heaven and I know there's a hell,
sometimes where I'm going I can't even tell.
I try my hardest and try harder still,
but I keep falling while trying to climb that hill.
There's a part of me that is undeniable sin.
No matter how I try to change, I just can't win,
I've shed many a tear in my disgrace
I feel I have fallen out of the eternal race.
Yet it's not an unhappy feeling inside,
In fact this emotion makes me feel quite alive.
It's nothing like murder, lying, or theft
It's not coveting, jealousy, or major debt.
It's simple really, and something I don't expect to be returned,
I am in love, and for this I am spurned.
I fall from the graces towards the fires below.
Was it worth it? My answer is no.
But I can't change this part of me
because believe me, I've tried.
I try to keep it all inside
and oh how I've tried to hide,
but it's like hiding a walrus behind a chair.
You can deny all you want, but it's obviously there.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Kingdom Hearts BBS drabble 10/11/10
This is a story written because I loved the friendship between Isa and Lea, so I wrote this.
~
"So let me get this straight," Isa paced in front of his fiery headed companion, holding a finger up for emphasis, "you want us to somehow scale the castle wall by using vines that may or may not be there and will somehow defy physics and support us, enter a window that we will randomly come across, ignoring the architecture of the actual building, and then make it down the probably heavily guarded halls into this tech lab that we're not even sure it has so you can make a copy of the internal memory, assuming of course that the computer isn't password protected, all so you can see the truth of something that is probably not even stored in the internal memory of said computer. Have I left anything out?"
Lea looked away. "Well, when you put it that way..." he trailed off, drawing invisible designs on the cobblestones of the street where he and Isa had been sitting, enjoying a sea salt ice cream. That is until he opened his mouth about his latest scheme.
"I'm not putting it any way other than the logical way. One of us has to think things through logically and it's certainly never been you." Isa folded his arms, glaring down at his friend, who avoided his eyes.
Lea sighed and laid back, watching the clouds dance in the sky as the wind escorted them towards a destination that they were ignorant to. To be one of those clouds... "I just really want that data," he admitted. He also admitted, though only in his mind, that his plan had been stupid from the get go, but he had hoped that today would be the one day Isa would have ignored reason in order to have some fun. The data would have been an added bonus to that.
"Why is this data so important to you?" Isa was curious, as ever since the local news had distributed a story about a new tech lab being built somewhere within the castle, his friend had spoke of nothing during his hair-brained adventure attempt but obtaining data from the lab.
Lea shrugged from where he was laying. "Curiosity, looking for some closure, etcetera." He waved the question away with no intention of a better explanation than the one he had given.
"Closure?" Isa turned. He knew his friend had an issue concerning the disappearance of his mother, but what kind of closure could he get from a computer that was locked inside the bowels of a castle. Isa decided not to press the issue as, even though it had been well over a year ago, it was still a sore spot for Lea.
"Yeah," Lea answered simply. "So much for that. You're probably right anyways, that computer would be impossible to get to, even for someone as cunning as you."
Isa stopped, slightly annoyed. He knew Lea would try to provoke him into compliance by questioning his intelligence, but damn it all if it didn't work every time. "Someone could be the most cunning, intelligent person in the world and they still could not break the laws of physics for a fantasy." He turned and disappeared down an alley leaving a confused and slightly hurt Lea behind him.
ooo
Isa stared at the castle wall, glancing over his shoulder periodically to make sure no guards were approaching. Lea had been right about a latticework of vines covering a small position of the castle wall, but how would he climb it without seriously injuring or humiliating himself from a fall? As he continued staring at the wall, hoping for an answer to manifest, one surprisingly did. It came in the form of a little girl.
He heard the laughter before the shouts. Flattening himself against the wall, he chanced a peek at the commotion. His eyes widened as he realized the laughter had belonged to Kairi, a little girl whom many revered as their princess. She was currently bolting away from the castle with two burly guards chasing after her. "Kairi, please return at once!" One of the guards shouted after her in an indistinguishable accent. The other huffed as he ran, nearly out of breath.
"No!" she shouted, continuing her run like a rabbit being stalked by a hungry fox, though in contrast, she was enjoying this chase with childlike fascination. "Not until I find her!" Whatever was said next, Isa missed. His curiosity was killing him, but he thought it best not to follow, especially when the doors to the castle were not only completely unguarded, but slightly open. He looked around, making certain no guards would jump out, and made his way nonchalantly inside.
Inside, the halls sprawled every which way. It was like a maze. "Hmm," he mused to himself, "apparently Lea was right about one thing." As he wandered he noticed that the halls were surprisingly unguarded. He also humored the thought that he had gotten further than Lea and he ever had when they had tried infiltrating the castle together. Although, he couldn't say it was due to his intelligence as he had just gotten surprisingly lucky.
The castle was a point of wonder for the boys, which is why they always tried to sneak inside. They would sometimes hear rumors about happenings inside its walls, but the rumors usually cropped up when there was nothing else to gossip about in town and so they were probably more myths bred from boredom than anything. Whether true or not, they served to continually pique the boys' curiosity. Every kingdom had their secrets, and it was this that drove Isa to do stupid things at the whim of his best friend. It wasn't even that Lea was always stupid so much as eager to get to the end results and so skimping on the means to get there. Isa liked to think everything through before working, though he realized he followed Lea simply because he didn't like giving the orders himself. Some people were born to be leaders and others were born to follow along, giving importance to the leader. Isa preferred the latter more and his friend fulfilled the former.
Isa shook his head, clearing his mind as he continued along slowly and soundlessly through the grandiose halls. They had never been inside the castle before and he caught himself staring around in awe. It wasn't that civilians were never allowed inside, but it was a rare happenstance as they wanted to protect those inside from any harm. Finally the twisting hallways brought him to a door. He had no idea how he'd gotten there and was certain he probably couldn't find his way back, so he entered slowly. He closed the door carefully behind him, jumping slightly when it clicked into place. He held his breath waiting for several minutes which seemed to span hours. No one came.
He exhaled and continued on his way. Slightly down the hall, he noticed a large office with open door. There were papers scattered everywhere on the desk and floor. The man sitting at the desk sighed, tossing another paper aside. On the wall in front of him hung a portrait of, Isa assumed, himself. He was slightly tanned with silver hair and wearing the standard castle lab coat. If there was a scientist here, then he must be heading in the right direction towards the lab. He snuck by the door quiet as a mouse and just as he assumed he was in the clear, "Braig?"
The voice made him jump. He lost his balance on the slick tiled floor and fell over with a thud. "Braig, is that you?"
Isa felt it'd be ridiculous at this point to pretend that no one was there after all the commotion he'd made. "No." A simple answer. He picked himself off the floor as he waited for a reply, his heart hammering in his chest.
"Oh," the man said disappointed, "well, if you see Braig, can you tell him to come here? I'm having a slight miscalculation."
"Sure." Straight and to the point. Sighing in relief, he continued forward, only to hear footsteps behind him. He paused for a second before continuing along; thinking it better than facing what was behind him. He ducked into another open room and hid behind a cabinet inside. The room was dark and empty. The footsteps stopped outside the door. Isa counted, trying hard not to think about whatever had followed him in hopes that this would make it leave. No such luck.
The lights turned on and the footsteps continued inside. There was no point in hiding anymore at this point, so he abandoned his spot beside the cabinet and strolled towards the man. He was the same one from the office. "I thought the voice belonged to an outsider." The man surveyed him with eerily yellow eyes. Isa didn't flinch, staring intently back. "Though I applaud you for coming this far. What brings you hear, may I ask?"
He was nice, but Isa refused to let his guard down, "Curiosity," he answered truthfully, though he failed to mention it was the curiosity of his friend.
"Hmm," The man considered him, pacing around the room. He then walked over to the door and shut it, clicking the lock into place. Isa felt a chill creep up his spine, but he ignored it, standing tall. "Curiosity of what? There is a lot to be curious about within these walls, but rarely does this curiosity bring one to infiltrate it. Even rarer is the person actually successful." He paced, hand to his chin. "You're a gifted youth." It was odd hearing someone call him gifted. Usually people only referred to Lea this way as the boy had the memory of an elephant and was decently gifted in combat. Intelligence was never really noticed by their other friends or the adults. Isa relaxed his posture slightly. The man smiled. "Tell me, what is it that you're seeking?"
Isa looked up at the man who appeared to have no intentions of hurting him, despite confining him to the room. "Data from the new lab," he responded, looking straight into the man's eyes.
The man chuckled. "Is that all? There's not much there yet, as the data is still in the process of being moved, but why? There are so many valuables in this building and information on things that most could not possibly fathom and you come seeking something so humble. The new lab, as I'm sure you know, is only a catalog of the people who have lived or are currently living in this world as well as visitors, a census if you will. It's nothing interesting, no dirt for black mail or gossip fodder, so why?"
Isa considered for a moment why he was seeking such data still. This was his adventure into the inner workings of the castle and yet he still held Lea's request as his reason. He supposed friendship would do that to you. "Closure," he finally replied.
"I see," the man looked away from him at a poster on the wall depicting a creature Isa had never seen before. "Stay here," he commanded, and swiftly left the room.
Isa leaned against the wall, studying the poster as he waited. The smart thing would have been to leave right now, but for some reason he stayed. It wasn't only his curiosity, but the man himself. He felt drawn to him. It wasn't only the way he had acknowledged Isa's strongpoint, but the fact that he was met with respect. Never once was he talked down to as if a child nor were his replies met with complaining or a hurt stare as often was the case with Lea. He knew he could be short and considered rude, but that was never his intention and his friend understood this better than anyone. It still didn't prevent the look of hurt from clouding his features.
Finally, the door clicked back open. Isa looked up to see the man smiling, holding out a disc. Isa stared at it incredulously. Had the man really retrieved the data he needed instead of summoning troops to take him away? Isa readily accepted this gift. "Thanks," he said, still in shock. The man smiled at his expression.
"I give this to you with the request that you don't show it to anyone, not your parents or your friends." Isa nodded furiously, his strong demeanor forgotten as the fruit of his labor lay resting in his palms. "Also, I have but one request of you. Well, two actually."
"Sure!" Isa said without hesitation.
"First, what is your name?" the man asked.
"It's Isa." That was a simple request, though one he felt should be reciprocated. "May I ask yours?"
"I'll answer you after you answer me. When the time comes, I will need you and your friends to help me. I need those with special gifts like yours. You see, we're working on an experiment and we may need more volunteers in the future. Would you be willing to do this?"
"Sure," Isa nodded. This seemed like a good request. Another chance to enter and explore the castle seemed more like another gift than a request. He would, of course, bring Lea. He wouldn't imagine sharing the experience with anyone else, plus if their intelligence were to be measured against each other, Isa may come out to be even smarter. Perhaps he could even work at the lab one day alongside this man. Isa had always secretly dreamed to become a scientist at the castle, working towards some secret goal that he would finally be a part of instead of speculating about outside in the town. This had always been a pipe dream, though, as he was only a commoner and very few if any ever received jobs within the castle.
"Now that you have answered me, I'll answer you. As for my name, please, call me Ansem."
ooo
Lea walked the streets, kicking at an abandoned ice cream stick on the ground. Isa had been away all day; could he really be that mad from his jab? He had always joked with his friend in this manner, though. The sky was growing dark and soon Lea would be forced to return home for the day. Then again, it was no fun without his partner in crime at his side, so he turned to make the trek back to his house. When he did so, he nearly collided with his blue-haired friend. "Isa!" he shouted, grinning ear to ear.
Isa smiled back, hands behind his back. "Lea, how much do you appreciate me?"
"Huh?" Lea looked at his friend in surprise, "what kind of question is that? I appreciate you a lot, man. You're my best friend, after all. Heck, today without you yelling at me or getting in trouble with me was so boring. I'll take our failed adventures any day over being alone."
"Hmm," Isa thought, "I guess that answer will have to do."
"Do for what?" Lea asked as the answer was shoved into his hands. A disc glinted in his palms. "What?" He was shell-shocked.
Isa turned, not looking his friend in the eye. This made lying easier. "I only managed to grab two files before I was caught, but I made sure to grab the important ones first, so I think you'll find them helpful."
"Wait, did you..." Lea trailed off, staring at Isa's back with wide eyes. The next thing Isa knew, he was wrapped into his friend's strong arms in a bear hug. "No way! How did you...? Oh man!" Lea was speaking too fast to make sense, lost in his euphoria. Isa smiled, enjoying the embrace for a moment before making his usual protesting.
"Hey, cut that out," Isa brushed himself off as Lea stepped back, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "Anyways, you better check it out." He pulled out a small portable computer from his messenger bag. Together the two crowded around it as Lea loaded the disc.
On screen were two names. One matched that of his mother. Lea made an indiscernible noise as he looked at the name. The other was "Ventus?" Lea asked, remembering the blonde boy who they'd met nearly a year ago.
"I thought you might want to know what happened to him. I know you two hit it off and we haven't seen him at all. I figured you could use closure for that, too." Isa looked away. Lea's expression softened as he opened the file.
"Thanks man, you don't know how much this means." Isa smiled, nodding at his friend. "You know you're going to have to tell me about your adventures! How did you even get in the castle or find this data?"
"Tomorrow," Isa agreed as the two sat poring over the two files. Little did Lea know that the rest were tucked safely away in Isa's room. Little did Lea know just what his friend had unwittingly promised them into. Little did Lea know just what had occurred from his simple need for closure, but at the moment none of that mattered to either of them as they looked forward to their next adventure, spurred on by today's success.
~
"So let me get this straight," Isa paced in front of his fiery headed companion, holding a finger up for emphasis, "you want us to somehow scale the castle wall by using vines that may or may not be there and will somehow defy physics and support us, enter a window that we will randomly come across, ignoring the architecture of the actual building, and then make it down the probably heavily guarded halls into this tech lab that we're not even sure it has so you can make a copy of the internal memory, assuming of course that the computer isn't password protected, all so you can see the truth of something that is probably not even stored in the internal memory of said computer. Have I left anything out?"
Lea looked away. "Well, when you put it that way..." he trailed off, drawing invisible designs on the cobblestones of the street where he and Isa had been sitting, enjoying a sea salt ice cream. That is until he opened his mouth about his latest scheme.
"I'm not putting it any way other than the logical way. One of us has to think things through logically and it's certainly never been you." Isa folded his arms, glaring down at his friend, who avoided his eyes.
Lea sighed and laid back, watching the clouds dance in the sky as the wind escorted them towards a destination that they were ignorant to. To be one of those clouds... "I just really want that data," he admitted. He also admitted, though only in his mind, that his plan had been stupid from the get go, but he had hoped that today would be the one day Isa would have ignored reason in order to have some fun. The data would have been an added bonus to that.
"Why is this data so important to you?" Isa was curious, as ever since the local news had distributed a story about a new tech lab being built somewhere within the castle, his friend had spoke of nothing during his hair-brained adventure attempt but obtaining data from the lab.
Lea shrugged from where he was laying. "Curiosity, looking for some closure, etcetera." He waved the question away with no intention of a better explanation than the one he had given.
"Closure?" Isa turned. He knew his friend had an issue concerning the disappearance of his mother, but what kind of closure could he get from a computer that was locked inside the bowels of a castle. Isa decided not to press the issue as, even though it had been well over a year ago, it was still a sore spot for Lea.
"Yeah," Lea answered simply. "So much for that. You're probably right anyways, that computer would be impossible to get to, even for someone as cunning as you."
Isa stopped, slightly annoyed. He knew Lea would try to provoke him into compliance by questioning his intelligence, but damn it all if it didn't work every time. "Someone could be the most cunning, intelligent person in the world and they still could not break the laws of physics for a fantasy." He turned and disappeared down an alley leaving a confused and slightly hurt Lea behind him.
ooo
Isa stared at the castle wall, glancing over his shoulder periodically to make sure no guards were approaching. Lea had been right about a latticework of vines covering a small position of the castle wall, but how would he climb it without seriously injuring or humiliating himself from a fall? As he continued staring at the wall, hoping for an answer to manifest, one surprisingly did. It came in the form of a little girl.
He heard the laughter before the shouts. Flattening himself against the wall, he chanced a peek at the commotion. His eyes widened as he realized the laughter had belonged to Kairi, a little girl whom many revered as their princess. She was currently bolting away from the castle with two burly guards chasing after her. "Kairi, please return at once!" One of the guards shouted after her in an indistinguishable accent. The other huffed as he ran, nearly out of breath.
"No!" she shouted, continuing her run like a rabbit being stalked by a hungry fox, though in contrast, she was enjoying this chase with childlike fascination. "Not until I find her!" Whatever was said next, Isa missed. His curiosity was killing him, but he thought it best not to follow, especially when the doors to the castle were not only completely unguarded, but slightly open. He looked around, making certain no guards would jump out, and made his way nonchalantly inside.
Inside, the halls sprawled every which way. It was like a maze. "Hmm," he mused to himself, "apparently Lea was right about one thing." As he wandered he noticed that the halls were surprisingly unguarded. He also humored the thought that he had gotten further than Lea and he ever had when they had tried infiltrating the castle together. Although, he couldn't say it was due to his intelligence as he had just gotten surprisingly lucky.
The castle was a point of wonder for the boys, which is why they always tried to sneak inside. They would sometimes hear rumors about happenings inside its walls, but the rumors usually cropped up when there was nothing else to gossip about in town and so they were probably more myths bred from boredom than anything. Whether true or not, they served to continually pique the boys' curiosity. Every kingdom had their secrets, and it was this that drove Isa to do stupid things at the whim of his best friend. It wasn't even that Lea was always stupid so much as eager to get to the end results and so skimping on the means to get there. Isa liked to think everything through before working, though he realized he followed Lea simply because he didn't like giving the orders himself. Some people were born to be leaders and others were born to follow along, giving importance to the leader. Isa preferred the latter more and his friend fulfilled the former.
Isa shook his head, clearing his mind as he continued along slowly and soundlessly through the grandiose halls. They had never been inside the castle before and he caught himself staring around in awe. It wasn't that civilians were never allowed inside, but it was a rare happenstance as they wanted to protect those inside from any harm. Finally the twisting hallways brought him to a door. He had no idea how he'd gotten there and was certain he probably couldn't find his way back, so he entered slowly. He closed the door carefully behind him, jumping slightly when it clicked into place. He held his breath waiting for several minutes which seemed to span hours. No one came.
He exhaled and continued on his way. Slightly down the hall, he noticed a large office with open door. There were papers scattered everywhere on the desk and floor. The man sitting at the desk sighed, tossing another paper aside. On the wall in front of him hung a portrait of, Isa assumed, himself. He was slightly tanned with silver hair and wearing the standard castle lab coat. If there was a scientist here, then he must be heading in the right direction towards the lab. He snuck by the door quiet as a mouse and just as he assumed he was in the clear, "Braig?"
The voice made him jump. He lost his balance on the slick tiled floor and fell over with a thud. "Braig, is that you?"
Isa felt it'd be ridiculous at this point to pretend that no one was there after all the commotion he'd made. "No." A simple answer. He picked himself off the floor as he waited for a reply, his heart hammering in his chest.
"Oh," the man said disappointed, "well, if you see Braig, can you tell him to come here? I'm having a slight miscalculation."
"Sure." Straight and to the point. Sighing in relief, he continued forward, only to hear footsteps behind him. He paused for a second before continuing along; thinking it better than facing what was behind him. He ducked into another open room and hid behind a cabinet inside. The room was dark and empty. The footsteps stopped outside the door. Isa counted, trying hard not to think about whatever had followed him in hopes that this would make it leave. No such luck.
The lights turned on and the footsteps continued inside. There was no point in hiding anymore at this point, so he abandoned his spot beside the cabinet and strolled towards the man. He was the same one from the office. "I thought the voice belonged to an outsider." The man surveyed him with eerily yellow eyes. Isa didn't flinch, staring intently back. "Though I applaud you for coming this far. What brings you hear, may I ask?"
He was nice, but Isa refused to let his guard down, "Curiosity," he answered truthfully, though he failed to mention it was the curiosity of his friend.
"Hmm," The man considered him, pacing around the room. He then walked over to the door and shut it, clicking the lock into place. Isa felt a chill creep up his spine, but he ignored it, standing tall. "Curiosity of what? There is a lot to be curious about within these walls, but rarely does this curiosity bring one to infiltrate it. Even rarer is the person actually successful." He paced, hand to his chin. "You're a gifted youth." It was odd hearing someone call him gifted. Usually people only referred to Lea this way as the boy had the memory of an elephant and was decently gifted in combat. Intelligence was never really noticed by their other friends or the adults. Isa relaxed his posture slightly. The man smiled. "Tell me, what is it that you're seeking?"
Isa looked up at the man who appeared to have no intentions of hurting him, despite confining him to the room. "Data from the new lab," he responded, looking straight into the man's eyes.
The man chuckled. "Is that all? There's not much there yet, as the data is still in the process of being moved, but why? There are so many valuables in this building and information on things that most could not possibly fathom and you come seeking something so humble. The new lab, as I'm sure you know, is only a catalog of the people who have lived or are currently living in this world as well as visitors, a census if you will. It's nothing interesting, no dirt for black mail or gossip fodder, so why?"
Isa considered for a moment why he was seeking such data still. This was his adventure into the inner workings of the castle and yet he still held Lea's request as his reason. He supposed friendship would do that to you. "Closure," he finally replied.
"I see," the man looked away from him at a poster on the wall depicting a creature Isa had never seen before. "Stay here," he commanded, and swiftly left the room.
Isa leaned against the wall, studying the poster as he waited. The smart thing would have been to leave right now, but for some reason he stayed. It wasn't only his curiosity, but the man himself. He felt drawn to him. It wasn't only the way he had acknowledged Isa's strongpoint, but the fact that he was met with respect. Never once was he talked down to as if a child nor were his replies met with complaining or a hurt stare as often was the case with Lea. He knew he could be short and considered rude, but that was never his intention and his friend understood this better than anyone. It still didn't prevent the look of hurt from clouding his features.
Finally, the door clicked back open. Isa looked up to see the man smiling, holding out a disc. Isa stared at it incredulously. Had the man really retrieved the data he needed instead of summoning troops to take him away? Isa readily accepted this gift. "Thanks," he said, still in shock. The man smiled at his expression.
"I give this to you with the request that you don't show it to anyone, not your parents or your friends." Isa nodded furiously, his strong demeanor forgotten as the fruit of his labor lay resting in his palms. "Also, I have but one request of you. Well, two actually."
"Sure!" Isa said without hesitation.
"First, what is your name?" the man asked.
"It's Isa." That was a simple request, though one he felt should be reciprocated. "May I ask yours?"
"I'll answer you after you answer me. When the time comes, I will need you and your friends to help me. I need those with special gifts like yours. You see, we're working on an experiment and we may need more volunteers in the future. Would you be willing to do this?"
"Sure," Isa nodded. This seemed like a good request. Another chance to enter and explore the castle seemed more like another gift than a request. He would, of course, bring Lea. He wouldn't imagine sharing the experience with anyone else, plus if their intelligence were to be measured against each other, Isa may come out to be even smarter. Perhaps he could even work at the lab one day alongside this man. Isa had always secretly dreamed to become a scientist at the castle, working towards some secret goal that he would finally be a part of instead of speculating about outside in the town. This had always been a pipe dream, though, as he was only a commoner and very few if any ever received jobs within the castle.
"Now that you have answered me, I'll answer you. As for my name, please, call me Ansem."
ooo
Lea walked the streets, kicking at an abandoned ice cream stick on the ground. Isa had been away all day; could he really be that mad from his jab? He had always joked with his friend in this manner, though. The sky was growing dark and soon Lea would be forced to return home for the day. Then again, it was no fun without his partner in crime at his side, so he turned to make the trek back to his house. When he did so, he nearly collided with his blue-haired friend. "Isa!" he shouted, grinning ear to ear.
Isa smiled back, hands behind his back. "Lea, how much do you appreciate me?"
"Huh?" Lea looked at his friend in surprise, "what kind of question is that? I appreciate you a lot, man. You're my best friend, after all. Heck, today without you yelling at me or getting in trouble with me was so boring. I'll take our failed adventures any day over being alone."
"Hmm," Isa thought, "I guess that answer will have to do."
"Do for what?" Lea asked as the answer was shoved into his hands. A disc glinted in his palms. "What?" He was shell-shocked.
Isa turned, not looking his friend in the eye. This made lying easier. "I only managed to grab two files before I was caught, but I made sure to grab the important ones first, so I think you'll find them helpful."
"Wait, did you..." Lea trailed off, staring at Isa's back with wide eyes. The next thing Isa knew, he was wrapped into his friend's strong arms in a bear hug. "No way! How did you...? Oh man!" Lea was speaking too fast to make sense, lost in his euphoria. Isa smiled, enjoying the embrace for a moment before making his usual protesting.
"Hey, cut that out," Isa brushed himself off as Lea stepped back, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "Anyways, you better check it out." He pulled out a small portable computer from his messenger bag. Together the two crowded around it as Lea loaded the disc.
On screen were two names. One matched that of his mother. Lea made an indiscernible noise as he looked at the name. The other was "Ventus?" Lea asked, remembering the blonde boy who they'd met nearly a year ago.
"I thought you might want to know what happened to him. I know you two hit it off and we haven't seen him at all. I figured you could use closure for that, too." Isa looked away. Lea's expression softened as he opened the file.
"Thanks man, you don't know how much this means." Isa smiled, nodding at his friend. "You know you're going to have to tell me about your adventures! How did you even get in the castle or find this data?"
"Tomorrow," Isa agreed as the two sat poring over the two files. Little did Lea know that the rest were tucked safely away in Isa's room. Little did Lea know just what his friend had unwittingly promised them into. Little did Lea know just what had occurred from his simple need for closure, but at the moment none of that mattered to either of them as they looked forward to their next adventure, spurred on by today's success.
Monday, August 30, 2010
flower writing doodle 8/30/2010
I rather like how this came out. I have no idea where I was going with it, though. I'll need to actually get an idea around this should I ever want to finish.
~
There were dead flowers everywhere. It was the first thing she noticed when she entered the gates and the last as she stepped inside the old mansion. Being a gardener, she didn't think to admire the grand, yet slightly disarrayed appearance of the house or the fact that rolling hills painted the background. Nope, just the flowers. "Hello?" she called out nervously. She clutched her bag in front of her to keep from wringing her hands as she often did when she was very aware of herself.
A tall, rather lanky man appeared in the hallway. From his attire, it was obvious that he was the hired help. "Please do hand me your coat and hat madam. My master is waiting for you in the parlor to your right." She nodded, obliging immediately. She removed her green overcoat and slid her matching hat off her peppered hair. As she handed it to the help, she noticed that the daisy she had secured through the ribbon tied around the middle was wilted.
"What is this place?" she wondered aloud.
"This is Harken's manor," a voiced boomed from the parlor. She jumped and then quickly scurried into the room as the help disappeared back to where ever he had come from. In front of her a man with a rather large nose and sunken, tired eyes. He appeared to be young, but his dreary black suit and pale skin marred this. If she hadn't read the letter that called her to this place beforehand, she would have assumed he was of the same age as her. "And I am Mr. Harken."
She hesitated before nodding her head in a show of respect. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Penny Greensend." She made no move to offer her hand and neither did Mr. Harken.
"Please sit," he motioned to a chair in front of him. Beside it was a vase of fake roses. Penny took the chair as he spoke again. "As I'm sure you noticed when you came in, the flowers need tending to. I've tried many gardeners, but none were capable of bringing lilies to life in my yard, or anything else for that matter. The last one mentioned you and said that you have such a talent for flowers that your house puts Central Park to shame. Is this true?"
Penny thought for a second, "I suppose it is, although I wouldn't be so bold as to all it better than the flowers at the park."
"How humble," Mr. Harken smirked, clasping his hands in front of him as he leaned forward. "I'm delighted that you responded so quickly to my letter. Of course, money is no issue so I can pay you what you like if you are able to get lilies to grow once more in the gardens in front of my manor. The butler can assist you with any tools you should need and you're free to come in for a drink or nourishment as you see fit. I only ask that you stay in the kitchen, garden, and the shed and away from the rest of the house as I'm a rather private person and enjoy my space. I'm sure you can understand such wishes." Penny nodded as Mr. Harken stood. "When can you start?"
"Well, I have nothing else to do today."
He smiled. "Good. Mr Wing!" Harken snapped his fingers and the help came lumbering into the room. "Lead Ms. Greensend to the shed in the back. Show her where the gardening tools are." He nodded and gently guided her into the kitchen and from there through a side door. He waved her on her way and retreated back into the manor.
Penny saw the shed in the back. It was nearly the size of her small house. What she assumed was once a dogwood tree leaned against the shed, dead or nearly there judging by the way a tiny green leaf still clung stubbornly to one of its branches. "Five gardeners have already tried to tame this land, but nothin' ever grows." His voice was, she now noticed, heavily accented. Judging by his mop of ginger hair, she assumed he was Irish, but didn't deem it apropriate to ask.
"Why is that?" she asked curiously.
"Dunno. Mr. Harken is, as he told you, a very private person. Even I'm not allowed in a good majority of the rooms." Mr, Wing reached into his pocket and pulled out a large ring of keys. "He gave me the keys to all the rooms, though, but I don't dare cross him. He seems the type to not be very forgiving." He sorted through the keys before settling on a larger one. He opened the lock of the shed and opened the doors. "I should have the master make you a set for the kitchen and shed, well if you last as our gardener that is. None ever do beyond a few days."
She looked over the bags of fertalizer and pesticide. There was a box of lily bulbs and several other seed packets tossed haphazardly onto a shelf. On the wall hung tools of various sizes and types for gardening. "He sure has everything covered, it seems, although I think I may have to bring in some of my own fertalizer and such as I'm not familiar with this stuff here."
"I'll ask the master if that's okay. I'll go ahead and leave you to this, just lock the door behind you and stay on track." Penny waved as Mr. Wing lopped back to the manor. She sized up a few hoes and spades before selecting a few satisfactory ones. She grabbed a bag of fertalizer so she could examine it and the box of bulbs. She pushed the door closed behind her and juggled the load in her arms as she locked the door back then headed to the front and set to her work.
~
There were dead flowers everywhere. It was the first thing she noticed when she entered the gates and the last as she stepped inside the old mansion. Being a gardener, she didn't think to admire the grand, yet slightly disarrayed appearance of the house or the fact that rolling hills painted the background. Nope, just the flowers. "Hello?" she called out nervously. She clutched her bag in front of her to keep from wringing her hands as she often did when she was very aware of herself.
A tall, rather lanky man appeared in the hallway. From his attire, it was obvious that he was the hired help. "Please do hand me your coat and hat madam. My master is waiting for you in the parlor to your right." She nodded, obliging immediately. She removed her green overcoat and slid her matching hat off her peppered hair. As she handed it to the help, she noticed that the daisy she had secured through the ribbon tied around the middle was wilted.
"What is this place?" she wondered aloud.
"This is Harken's manor," a voiced boomed from the parlor. She jumped and then quickly scurried into the room as the help disappeared back to where ever he had come from. In front of her a man with a rather large nose and sunken, tired eyes. He appeared to be young, but his dreary black suit and pale skin marred this. If she hadn't read the letter that called her to this place beforehand, she would have assumed he was of the same age as her. "And I am Mr. Harken."
She hesitated before nodding her head in a show of respect. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Penny Greensend." She made no move to offer her hand and neither did Mr. Harken.
"Please sit," he motioned to a chair in front of him. Beside it was a vase of fake roses. Penny took the chair as he spoke again. "As I'm sure you noticed when you came in, the flowers need tending to. I've tried many gardeners, but none were capable of bringing lilies to life in my yard, or anything else for that matter. The last one mentioned you and said that you have such a talent for flowers that your house puts Central Park to shame. Is this true?"
Penny thought for a second, "I suppose it is, although I wouldn't be so bold as to all it better than the flowers at the park."
"How humble," Mr. Harken smirked, clasping his hands in front of him as he leaned forward. "I'm delighted that you responded so quickly to my letter. Of course, money is no issue so I can pay you what you like if you are able to get lilies to grow once more in the gardens in front of my manor. The butler can assist you with any tools you should need and you're free to come in for a drink or nourishment as you see fit. I only ask that you stay in the kitchen, garden, and the shed and away from the rest of the house as I'm a rather private person and enjoy my space. I'm sure you can understand such wishes." Penny nodded as Mr. Harken stood. "When can you start?"
"Well, I have nothing else to do today."
He smiled. "Good. Mr Wing!" Harken snapped his fingers and the help came lumbering into the room. "Lead Ms. Greensend to the shed in the back. Show her where the gardening tools are." He nodded and gently guided her into the kitchen and from there through a side door. He waved her on her way and retreated back into the manor.
Penny saw the shed in the back. It was nearly the size of her small house. What she assumed was once a dogwood tree leaned against the shed, dead or nearly there judging by the way a tiny green leaf still clung stubbornly to one of its branches. "Five gardeners have already tried to tame this land, but nothin' ever grows." His voice was, she now noticed, heavily accented. Judging by his mop of ginger hair, she assumed he was Irish, but didn't deem it apropriate to ask.
"Why is that?" she asked curiously.
"Dunno. Mr. Harken is, as he told you, a very private person. Even I'm not allowed in a good majority of the rooms." Mr, Wing reached into his pocket and pulled out a large ring of keys. "He gave me the keys to all the rooms, though, but I don't dare cross him. He seems the type to not be very forgiving." He sorted through the keys before settling on a larger one. He opened the lock of the shed and opened the doors. "I should have the master make you a set for the kitchen and shed, well if you last as our gardener that is. None ever do beyond a few days."
She looked over the bags of fertalizer and pesticide. There was a box of lily bulbs and several other seed packets tossed haphazardly onto a shelf. On the wall hung tools of various sizes and types for gardening. "He sure has everything covered, it seems, although I think I may have to bring in some of my own fertalizer and such as I'm not familiar with this stuff here."
"I'll ask the master if that's okay. I'll go ahead and leave you to this, just lock the door behind you and stay on track." Penny waved as Mr. Wing lopped back to the manor. She sized up a few hoes and spades before selecting a few satisfactory ones. She grabbed a bag of fertalizer so she could examine it and the box of bulbs. She pushed the door closed behind her and juggled the load in her arms as she locked the door back then headed to the front and set to her work.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Very short Pokemon drabble 7/13/2010
This features my original character Kaida. She has a huge back story and not the best life, but she eventually discovers herself and sets out for a new land. This is just a mall drabble I wrote for an experiment...or something.
~
It was something more grand than I could comprehend. Above me, the stars twinkled and the moon cast its light on the lake water below. Along the lake's surface snoozed several surskit and a few Volbeat flashed flirtatiously to a group of gathered Illumise as the hoots of Noctowl perched in the trees created a score for the activities of the night. Those who cast this time as a metaphor for death have never truly experianced nightfall. It's brimming with just as much life as the day and in my opinion, the stars in the sky are much more beautiful than the cotton puffs of the day. I laid back in the cool grass, closing my eyes. I heard a rustle behind me and then a few sorrowful notes. It seemed a band of Kricketot and Kricketune were gracing me with a performance tonight.
I listened as they strummed out their emotions in a way words could never portray. I sighed, jealous. It would be so easy if I could only release my emotions in such a way, but I've never been musically inclined and I would be more likely to stare at a peice of paper at a loss for words than compose them into poetry. The only way I knew how to express myself was through battle. I picked a pokeball from my belt and stood up. The Kricketune band stopped playing at my disturbance and hopped away. The Kircketot chattered to themselves and considered me to see if I was a threat. I threw my pokeball into the air and they scattered as well. Suddenly the night had become more still.
My Banette stood before me, hugging the doll it carried close. It was still attached to the doll it was born from and I had no intention of ever changing that. After all--I looked at the fading brown stripe dyed in my hair--I was the same way. "Bay?" Banette looked up at me, expectent for a command. I had none to give. I was even at a lose when it came to battling at the moment.
~
It was something more grand than I could comprehend. Above me, the stars twinkled and the moon cast its light on the lake water below. Along the lake's surface snoozed several surskit and a few Volbeat flashed flirtatiously to a group of gathered Illumise as the hoots of Noctowl perched in the trees created a score for the activities of the night. Those who cast this time as a metaphor for death have never truly experianced nightfall. It's brimming with just as much life as the day and in my opinion, the stars in the sky are much more beautiful than the cotton puffs of the day. I laid back in the cool grass, closing my eyes. I heard a rustle behind me and then a few sorrowful notes. It seemed a band of Kricketot and Kricketune were gracing me with a performance tonight.
I listened as they strummed out their emotions in a way words could never portray. I sighed, jealous. It would be so easy if I could only release my emotions in such a way, but I've never been musically inclined and I would be more likely to stare at a peice of paper at a loss for words than compose them into poetry. The only way I knew how to express myself was through battle. I picked a pokeball from my belt and stood up. The Kricketune band stopped playing at my disturbance and hopped away. The Kircketot chattered to themselves and considered me to see if I was a threat. I threw my pokeball into the air and they scattered as well. Suddenly the night had become more still.
My Banette stood before me, hugging the doll it carried close. It was still attached to the doll it was born from and I had no intention of ever changing that. After all--I looked at the fading brown stripe dyed in my hair--I was the same way. "Bay?" Banette looked up at me, expectent for a command. I had none to give. I was even at a lose when it came to battling at the moment.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Silent Hill drabble 5/25/2010
I wrote this based on events between games 1 and 3. I love Silent Hill and the relationship between Heather and her father Harry. I pretty much love all of Silent Hill and the universe. I would love to make a psychological story like that. Anyways, that's neither here nor there. For now, here's what I wrote.
~
Harry stared blankly at the TV where some show--sports or something--was on commercial break. He was slumped in his old arm chair glancing anxiously at the door every few seconds. She should have been home by now. The show's announcer shouted words that held no meaning for him as a crowd cheered. He turned the power off and rushed over to the phone. He would start down the line. There was a list of numbers he would methodically call whenever she was late. First was the local police and then the hospital, followed by the mother of some friend. Last was the police station in Brahams. He had never had to call down to that number and prayed he never did because if he did, it would probably be too late.
"Hello, Ashfield Police," the voice on the other end answered, sounding bored, "how can I help you?"
"My daughter's missing. She was supposed to be home twenty minutes ago." Harry said urgently into the receiver.
"Sir, we can't file a missing person's case over just twenty minutes. How old is she?"
"My daughter's sixteen and--"
"Oh, a teenager," the police officer on the other end chuckled.
"You don't understand. Heather's not like this." Harry leaned against the wall.
"Sir, every parent doesn't want to think their child could be a wild party girl, but trust me, she's probably so busy hanging out that she let the time slip away. If you don't hear anything in another hour or so, then you can call us again."
"Hey wait!" Harry shouted as the officer hung up. He growled in frustration and began punching in the numbers for the hospital. The phone had started to ring when the door handle turned and in slinked his little girl.
"Hello, Ashfield general," another bored voice asked. Harry placed the receiver back on the cradle and glared at his daughter with narrowed eyes.
"Sorry Dad," she looked away, shifting under his glare uncomfortably. "I missed my bus because I dropped my bag and the wind decided that it would steal my essay." Heather laughed nervously.
Harry sighed. It wasn't her fault that he was so uptight. He reached forward and pulled her into his embrace. She breathed in deeply, hugging him back. "It's okay. I just worry about you."
"I know," Heather said as she turned towards her room. "Oh, the library had pizza for the children today and I stole a few slices, so you don't have to worry about making dinner tonight." With that, she entered her room and closed her door behind her.
Harry couldn't help but smile. She was always looking out for him as much as he did for her. It wasn't either of their faults that they were in the situation they were in even if in the begining he had blamed her. This child had come from the world of someone's nightmareish delusions brought to life and it was his job to keep her safe. He may have hated her in the begining for not being his little Cheryl, but now she had grown to be something even more and he loved her more every day. Her spirit shined through and she was a daughter any father would feel lucky to have, especially him, especially after what it took to get her.
Harry began whistling to himself as he pulled a microwave meal from the freezer.
~
Harry stared blankly at the TV where some show--sports or something--was on commercial break. He was slumped in his old arm chair glancing anxiously at the door every few seconds. She should have been home by now. The show's announcer shouted words that held no meaning for him as a crowd cheered. He turned the power off and rushed over to the phone. He would start down the line. There was a list of numbers he would methodically call whenever she was late. First was the local police and then the hospital, followed by the mother of some friend. Last was the police station in Brahams. He had never had to call down to that number and prayed he never did because if he did, it would probably be too late.
"Hello, Ashfield Police," the voice on the other end answered, sounding bored, "how can I help you?"
"My daughter's missing. She was supposed to be home twenty minutes ago." Harry said urgently into the receiver.
"Sir, we can't file a missing person's case over just twenty minutes. How old is she?"
"My daughter's sixteen and--"
"Oh, a teenager," the police officer on the other end chuckled.
"You don't understand. Heather's not like this." Harry leaned against the wall.
"Sir, every parent doesn't want to think their child could be a wild party girl, but trust me, she's probably so busy hanging out that she let the time slip away. If you don't hear anything in another hour or so, then you can call us again."
"Hey wait!" Harry shouted as the officer hung up. He growled in frustration and began punching in the numbers for the hospital. The phone had started to ring when the door handle turned and in slinked his little girl.
"Hello, Ashfield general," another bored voice asked. Harry placed the receiver back on the cradle and glared at his daughter with narrowed eyes.
"Sorry Dad," she looked away, shifting under his glare uncomfortably. "I missed my bus because I dropped my bag and the wind decided that it would steal my essay." Heather laughed nervously.
Harry sighed. It wasn't her fault that he was so uptight. He reached forward and pulled her into his embrace. She breathed in deeply, hugging him back. "It's okay. I just worry about you."
"I know," Heather said as she turned towards her room. "Oh, the library had pizza for the children today and I stole a few slices, so you don't have to worry about making dinner tonight." With that, she entered her room and closed her door behind her.
Harry couldn't help but smile. She was always looking out for him as much as he did for her. It wasn't either of their faults that they were in the situation they were in even if in the begining he had blamed her. This child had come from the world of someone's nightmareish delusions brought to life and it was his job to keep her safe. He may have hated her in the begining for not being his little Cheryl, but now she had grown to be something even more and he loved her more every day. Her spirit shined through and she was a daughter any father would feel lucky to have, especially him, especially after what it took to get her.
Harry began whistling to himself as he pulled a microwave meal from the freezer.
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