tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75312473225762595252024-02-08T11:58:42.931-08:00Fiction ArchivePhoebe Opheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00790080139729320106noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7531247322576259525.post-301440966431531252015-01-01T10:39:00.000-08:002015-01-01T10:39:11.351-08:00A Daring Rescue<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
A Daring Rescue </div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
by Phoebe Ophelia</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I have a signal from a
matter-transmission station,” Lieutenant Sami said from the comm
station. “And another from the shuttle Alphonse. They are about
50 meters apart. The station is in a forested area, fairly secluded,
but the shuttle is near a large structure, several stories tall.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Can we communicate
with the inhabitants of this world?” said Captain Vasquez.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I'm detecting no radio
emissions, sir. They must not have the tech for that.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“So no radar, either,”
mused the captain. “All right. Commander Crichton, assemble a
team and prepare for a stealth mission to recover the shuttle.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“What
about...Lieutenant St. Clair?” said Commander Crichton, a tall man
with dark hair and striking blue eyes.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“We will attempt to
recover Lieutenant St. Clair, as well, Commander, but we need more
information.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Understood, sir.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Assemble your team,
and be ready in one hour.”
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The matter-transmission
station was a meter-wide disk hidden in a pit formed by a ring of
boulders. The team transmitted through one at a time, starting with
Crichton, then Roberts, Jennings and hulking Torq, all security
ensigns, and then petite Lieutenant Sami. All wore blackout suits
and hoods. Crichton led them through a forested area to a clearing
around a large structure. The shuttle was not far from it.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“We've reached the
shuttlecraft,” Cricton sub-vocalized for the comm unit implanted in
his jaw. The team secured the area, forming a perimeter around the
shuttle. Lieutenant Sami opened the panel by the entrance, casting a
shallow light which Crichton moved to shield from the building with
his body. He could see her pale face in the eerie light, seeming to
float in the darkness.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“The shuttle has
power,” Sami sub-vocalized, keying in a sequence on the touchpad.
The door opened silently; the inside of the shuttle was dark and
empty. “Looks like Lieutenant St. Clair put her in lockdown mode.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Power her up.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sami moved to the front
of the shuttle and bent over the display there. Her petite
silhouette was suddenly illuminated by the lights of the console.
“It looks like the shuttle soft-landed. It can be relaunched with
minimal repairs.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Scan for Lieutenant
St. Clair's comm unit; see if you can send a message to her.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“She's not in the
immediate area...a wider scan will take some time.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“In the meantime, check
the logs for any leads.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Commander,” Crichton
heard over the comm, “A door has opened in the structure, and an
alien stands in the doorway, looking out. It hasn't seen us yet.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Crichton silently left
the shuttle and peered around the bulkhead to see for himself. The
alien was backlit and hard to see. The door itself was much larger
than he had expected, he estimated it was about five meters high, and
the alien was perhaps four. It presented a humanoid silhouette,
though very thin. A much smaller figure, less than two meters tall,
suddenly darted out past the alien, and the alien gave chase,
scooping up the smaller figure in its arms. “Da-da-da!” the
smaller creature shrieked.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Dih-dah, mee la
nee-na,” said the large alien in a very deep, booming sort of
voice. It turned and carried the smaller creature back into the
structure.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Commander!”
sub-vocalized Ensign Torq. He looked sharply over at Crichton. Torq
was a Val, not a human, and his skin was the same color as his
blackout suit. All Crichton could see of him was his slitted,
catlike eyes. “That is a human!”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“What? Are you
certain?”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I have no doubt.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Was it Lieutenant St.
Clair?”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“No, sir.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Crichton went back into
the shuttle. “Sami, can you get a signal to the Molari?” he
asked.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“...yes, sir, I've got
a link.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“How fast do you think
you can make the shuttle spaceworthy?”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“It may take thirty or
forty minutes. Half that if Roberts helps me.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I'll leave him with
you. Update the Molari on our situation and be ready to launch as
soon as possible. I've got to rescue that human and see if there are
any others. If you and Roberts are discovered, I want you to launch.
We'll head back to the matter transmission point.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Good luck, sir.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Thank you,
Lieutenant.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Crichton and the two
security ensigns moved out. Torq, at 2.1 meters tall, was the only
one that could reach the handle on the door. It was dark inside the
structure, but a little light shone from a window to their left. Stairs led up to a second floor immediately to their right.
“Jennings,” Crichton ordered. “Watch the stairs.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The first room was large
and open, with double-scale chairs and what looked like a long couch
facing a structure made of stone. Through a wide doorway at the far
end was another large window and to the right was a room filled with
huge machines. Another door under the stairs revealed a small room
with two strange basins inside.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
They went back and
started up the stairs. Each stair was as tall as Crichton's thigh,
so it was a difficult climb and took some time. Jennings remained on
the first floor, keeping watch.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The second floor
consisted of a long corridor with several doors. Torg opened each in
turn. The first was storage, with layers of shelves. The second was
a larger version of the room downstairs with the basins. Inside the
third was an alien lying on a raised platform, a covered in a cloth
pulled up to its chin. “It seems smaller than the one in the
doorway,” Torq said.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the fourth room was a
cage, two meters wide, three long and about three tall. It stood on
legs like a table. In it was a human, lying on the cushioned floor
of the cage, asleep. “I'm going to wake him and explain what's
going on. You wait in the hallway and keep watch.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
There was no lock on the
cage, just a simple sliding latch. It was made of wood and it had
been fitted very tightly, so it took all of Crichton's strength to
unlatch it. The cage doors then opened outward like a cabinet. “Wake up,” he whispered. “I'm here to help you.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The man rolled over and
looked at him. It was difficult to make out his expression in the
darkness. “Da da da?” he said out loud.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Shhhh!” Crichton
sushed. “I can get you out, but you must be quiet.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Commander,” Torq
said over the comm. “The last door opens.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Hide!” Crichton
said, closing the cage quickly and ducking under it.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Too late; I've been
seen by the alien. I flee. It gives pursuit.” Crichton heard
noises on the stairs, then it was quiet. “Jennings and I have
reached the shuttle,” Torq said, “but we were seen and the alien
approaches.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Damn.” Crichton
opened the cage again. “Come on.” He tugged at the man's hand;
the man got down from the cage very carefully and began to follow him
without a word. They worked on the stairs; the man was not very
agile, so it was slow going.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Commander, the alien
is almost here,” called Sami over the comm.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“You have your orders.
Launch.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“But what about you?”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I and the man I've
found can get to the matter transmission point while the alien is
distracted by what you're doing. We're almost to the bottom of the
stairs. Go now!”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Crichton grabbed the
man's hand again and pulled him out the door and across the road away
from the shuttle. It launched, brightening the sky behind them with
the glow of its engines. The man slowed and looked back, hooting in
excitement. “It's okay,” Crichton told him. “Lieutenant St.
Clair left a matter transmission point near her crash site. We can
escape that way. I'm sure the captain will want to hear how you
ended up in that cage.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Crichton pulled him
gently into the forest to the point. Crichton helped the man climb
over the rocks and stood on the platform, then tapped the activation
code out with his foot.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The world disintegrated
around them, then coalesced again as the cargo bay. “Captain,”
Crichton said aloud to the comm. “Commander Crichton reporting in.
I have rescued a human prisoner from the surface, but it's not
Lieutenant St. Clair.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Take him to the
infirmary; I will meet you both there shortly,” Captain Vasquez's
voice responded.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Crichton turned and
looked at the human, getting his first good look. The man was about
his height, 1.9 meters, and a little chubby. His expression was wide
and bewildered. “Come on, sir.” He took the man's hand again
and began to lead him to the lift. “What's your name?”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The man looked at him and
said, “Da da da!” He seemed to be missing some teeth.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“You don't speak the
common tongue?”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Da.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Hm.” Crichton
didn't bother trying to speak to the man for the rest of the trip up
the lift to the infirmary. Dr. Worthing was there, prim as ever in
her long white coat.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“This is the human you
rescued?” she asked Crichton.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Yes, Doctor,”
Crichton said. “He doesn't speak common. Or, maybe his captivity
damaged his mind, somehow.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Hi there,” she
smiled at the man. “What's your name?”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
He grinned and pointed at
the doctor. “Aha!” he said.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Dr. Worthing furrowed her
brow. “Tom,” she said. “Are you sure...?”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Sure of what?”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
She placed her hand on
one of the beds. “Sit here,” she said to the man. He walked
over and put his hand on it, too. “Sit,” she repeated, sitting
on it to show him what she meant. He copied her, and she pushed a
button on the console at the foot of the bed.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Tom,” said the
doctor, reading the results. “She's not human.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“She?” Crichton said.
“But...” he looked at the being in front of him. The features
were all characteristic of human males, except the cheeks were
beardless. He was a little chubby, but still within the range of
normal.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“She,” Dr. Worthing
confirmed. “She has an internal gestation pouch. She's not human.
Her organs are all in different places, and her DNA is different.
She is...still growing.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Growing?”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Rapidly. If her
growth rate is analogous to humans, she is very young. Perhaps the
equivalent of a two-year-old child.” The doctor looked up at
Crichton, her expression grim. “Tom, you didn't rescue a human prisoner, you kidnapped an alien baby.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Crichton sat down heavily
on one of the beds. Everything fell into place suddenly. The
structure they'd invaded was a family home, the hulking machines
things like refrigeration units and ovens. The weird basins were
sinks and toilets. The cage from which he'd “rescued” this
person was not a cage at all, but a crib. He rubbed his hands over
his face. “Torq said he was certain he'd seen a human. It was
dark...she was so quiet, I thought she wanted to be rescued. She
came along willingly.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“She doesn't seem to be
disturbed by this experience,” the doctor said.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The baby alien had turned
around on the bed and was playing with the pillow.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I was hoping she knew
something about what happened to Jenien,” Crichton said.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Tom,” Dr. Worthing
said, gripping Crichton's arm. “Lieutenant St. Clair is
resourceful and tenacious. I'm sure she'll be all right.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Captain Vasquez came in
and the doctor briefed him on what had happened. “The aliens
probably thought Lieutenant St. Clair was a lost child,” he said,
“And took her away from the crash site.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“And the shuttlecraft
was just sitting in the alien's backyard. They may have thought it
was a toy because of its size.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I agree. Commander, I
want you to take the matter transmitter and return this child to her
home. Just leave her somewhere safe where she will be found and
return. Lieutenant Sami and Ensign Roberts are doing a high-altitude
search for Lieutenant St. Clair's comm signal. Contact us through
them if you encounter any trouble.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Yes, Sir.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The alien child was
cooperative as Crichton led her by the hand to the transmitter and
then helped her climb back out of the pit. There were aliens combing
the woods for the child, so he simply pointed her in their direction
and went back into the pit. “Shuttle Alphonse to Commander
Crichton.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Crichton responding.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“We've located
Lieutenant St. Clair's comm signal. She's several kilometers north
of you, heading in your direction. She won't return our attempts at
communication; her receive function may be damaged.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I'm going to
rendezvous with her, see if she needs any help.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Your orders were to
return immediately.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Clear it with the
captain then, Sami, I think he'll see it my way.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Crichton headed north.
The sun began to rise to his left as he walked. He had only been
walking for twenty or thirty minutes after dawn when he saw a person
a bit smaller than himself. He watched the person for a moment. It
looked like a human and wore a long white dress that obscured the
being's figure. The hair was short and dark. It stopped for a
moment, then said, “Who is that?”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Commander Crichton let
out his held breath. “It's me, Jenien. It's Tom.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Ugh, finally!” she
said, stomping over to him, and then past him. He followed. “I've
been listening to your comm chatter all night.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Why didn't you
respond?”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I didn't want to
expose these aliens to us any more than they already had been, and I
certainly didn't want to get anybody else captured.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Were you mistreated?”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Ha! I've been poked,
prodded, manipulated, patronized, locked in cabinets, stripped,
dressed, DIAPERED!”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Crichton began to laugh.
Lieutenant St. Clair rounded on him and gave him a punch in the
shoulder. He grabbed her arm and pulled her close. “I'm sorry,”
he said. “I'm just so glad you're all right.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
She gave him a quick
kiss and said, “Let's save it for when we're back aboard. I don't
want to be caught again.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“It wasn't that bad,
was it?”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I'd rather be sent to
a Crunlian torture pit than go back there.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Gives you an idea what
it'll be like for our kids.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
She stopped and looked at
him. “Kids? We're not even married.”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Well, about that--”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“No. No, no, no, NO!
You are NOT proposing to me here. I would never forgive you if I had
to link this experience with your proposal in my mind forever!”</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Ha-ha, all right. Not
here. Come on.” He took her hand and began to run back to the
matter transmitter.</div>
Phoebe Opheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00790080139729320106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7531247322576259525.post-29197586875956319362014-12-17T22:50:00.000-08:002014-12-17T22:50:15.128-08:00A Calendar of Tales: December<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Way back in 2013, I was inspired by <a href="http://acalendaroftales.com/" target="_blank">Neil Gaiman's A Calendar of Tales</a> to write my own tales using the same inspirational quotes. I did not read his stories before I wrote mine, but I did read them after, and they are all awesome.</i><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<b><br /><br /> “Who would you like to see again in December?”<br /><br /><br />“My 18 yo-runaway-self so I can show her that I find someone to love & own a home of my own - it did get better.”</b><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"> <span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;">Cherry
shivered as she sat at the bar of the all-night diner. She was
eighteen now, a full adult. She had been on her own for nearly a year
and she didn't feel any less lost. She spent her nights here, nursing
a cup of coffee, if she couldn't find a couch to surf. The night
staff didn't care as long as she paid for something and didn't lay
down in a booth to sleep.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
had enrolled at the local junior college, but couldn't handle a full
schedule while she didn't know where she was going to sleep, and so
wasn't eligible for financial aid or job placement. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', monospace; line-height: 200%;">Without a job or
rental history, she couldn't apply for any of the rooms on the
housing board at the JC.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
shivered in the diner, but not because it was cold. Earlier that
evening, when she had been trying to find a couch, an acquaintance
had offered her more than a couch. He had offered her a bed. A
permanent bed, if she wanted it; but he would be in it.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> He
wasn't icky, or anything, though she wasn't interested in him. It
would solve all her problems; a stable address would allow her to get
a job, to take more classes, to get set up eventually with her own
place. She wouldn't let herself consider the obvious; that accepting
his offer would make her feel like a whore, and she'd never ever feel
like anything else. That wasn't logical. A job was a job, however it
paid.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> If
that was true, why was she sitting staring into a cup of coffee and
shivering in the diner instead of with him right now?</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
picked through the bit of change she'd managed to pan-handle that
afternoon. There was enough for the coffee and a buck for the server.
She prepared to put the money down and leave.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> An
older lady sat next to her at the bar. “Don't go yet, kiddo.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Cherry
looked over at her. There was something familiar about her that she
couldn't place. “Why not?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Because
I want to buy you a piece of cheesecake and tell you some stuff.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Cheesecake?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yeah,
you like cheesecake, don't you?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Sure,
but--”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Hey,
Chris,” she called to the server. He walked over, then looked
between the two of them. He seemed a little freaked out, but Cherry
couldn't see why. Maybe he knew this lady and she was bad news? It
seemed far-fetched. She was the kind of middle-aged suburbanite you
never see in late-night diners. Totally wholesome and harmless.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Two
cheesecakes, please. And a coffee.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What's
your deal, lady?” Cherry asked.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Just
a minute.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Wait
for the cheesecake.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Oh...kay...”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Chris
the server brought the cheesecakes. He seemed a little less freaked
out. “You ladies enjoy,” he said.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> The
lady took a large bite of the cheesecake, and nodded at Cherry. She
shrugged and took a bite, too. It tasted like one of those frozen
cheesecakes you get at the grocery store; good, but not amazing. She
sipped her coffee, which had been refilled, then said, “So, what's
your deal?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
wanted to tell you that you don't have to move in with Jason.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Cherry's
eyes grew wide. “What?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
mean it. You don't want to, I know. I remember. And you don't have
to. You're going to pick up a classified section tomorrow, and you're
going to see a job there that will meet all the needs moving in with
Jason would. You will find your calling, meet the love of your life,
and in ten years, you'll be living in a house that you own.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “How
do you even know about that? Who are you?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “You'd
never believe me.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Whatever,
lady.” Cherry ate the cheesecake; it was the best meal she'd had in
days. She wanted to believe the woman, but things like that just
didn't happen. “Thanks for the cheesecake. It's been a trip.”</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “When
you're nearing your fiftieth birthday, your youngest son, the little
surprise, will invent a time machine in the basement. You'll know
what to do.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Cherry
turned back to the woman, but she was gone; the only evidence of her
having been there was an empty plate and a twenty dollar bill. She
snatched up the twenty and looked at it. Just an ordinary bill. She
sat back down. It wouldn't kill her to wait until tomorrow to see
Jason, and this much money would buy her some breakfast.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Chris
the server walked by again to fill her coffee cup. “Hey, where'd
your mom go?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “My
mom?” Cherry said. “My mom's been dead for three years.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What?
Hey, I'm sorry. Who was that lady then, your aunt?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “No,
I'd never seen her before. She was just some weird lady.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “You're
kidding me, right? She looked just like you.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What?
No way!”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Well,
she was older, but yeah. She looked like you, but older.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Cherry's
eyes got wide. “Maybe she was!” she whispered.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Heh,
you're pretty weird. What's your name?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Cherry.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “No,
really?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yeah,
really.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What
are you planning on doing after this?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Well,
the campus library opens at seven, so I was going to see if I could
get some sleep there before my first class, but now...I think I might
pick up a newspaper on my way. Have a peek at the classifieds.”</span></div>
Phoebe Opheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00790080139729320106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7531247322576259525.post-64424561408286004862014-12-17T22:48:00.000-08:002014-12-17T22:51:26.088-08:00A Calendar of Tales: November<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Way back in 2013, I was inspired by <a href="http://acalendaroftales.com/" target="_blank">Neil Gaiman's A Calendar of Tales</a> to write my own tales using the same inspirational quotes. I did not read his stories before I wrote mine, but I did read them after, and they are all awesome.</i><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br /> “What would you burn in November, if you could?”<br /><br /><br />“My medical records, but only if that would make it all go away.”</span></b><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', monospace; line-height: 200%;">Abigail
peeked over into the caldera and then pulled quickly back. The rocks
themselves were smoking down there, and the updraft was very strong.
She had begun to sweat in her heat-proof suit. She couldn't survive
here without it, but if she stayed too long, her own retained body
heat would cook her.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
took out the fat folder full of Steve's medical records and set them
carefully on the edge of the caldera, then eased them over into the
flaming pit. The updraft caught them and swirled them around, but
almost all of them burned up in the hot wind or settled down into the
caldera.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> One
lone page did neither. It snagged on something just below the edge.
She leaned over and reached for it, but couldn't quite get it. Her
suit had started to smoke. She pulled away and staggered down the
mountainside. She stopped about twenty feet from the caldera and
tried to breathe and think.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
could get the page and make sure it burned. Steve would live, and she
would never have existed. Was it worth it?</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
and Steven were assassins, and as such she had expected a quick,
exciting death for both of them, not a lingering, dull, painful one.
Cancer ate Steve over the course of a year. After six months of
watching, Abigail could stand it no more. She left the love of her
life to chase improbabilities. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
sought miracle cures, wish granters, anything that had the potential,
however small, to save him. She had been to the bottom of the sea and
the bottom of space. She'd seen shamans all over the world. She'd
followed a tunnel through the earth to another world where everything
was upside-down. She'd bought five hundred sixty-three lamps
purported to have genies within; of them only one held a genie, and
it was only able to do parlor tricks, not cure cancer.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> This
was his last chance. A ritual burning of something one wished to
destroy; it was retroactive, so even if Steve died while she was out
here, if it worked, he would be alive and cancer-free when she
returned.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> </span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Abigail
stood still and weighed what could be on that one page against her
own existence. If she had never been born, perhaps her father
wouldn't have lost his mind and started beating her and her mother,
but she thought that unlikely. The disease had been in him, planted
by his mother, whom Abigail resembled. </span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> If
she had never been born, her father might still be alive. He was her
first cold-blooded murder, committed just before her brother was
born, when she was only fourteen. There had been an investigation, of
course, but her mother's testimony made it clear she had acted in
self-defense. Abigail had no illusions. She had stabbed him as he sat
watching tv. There had been no struggle. It was not self-defense.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Rather,
she had done it to save her unborn brother from having a father like
theirs; to keep little Joshua from becoming another monster in a line
of monsters.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> So,
it stood to reason that her mother could be dead, would probably be
in pain, and her brother would be a monster, if Abigail had never
existed.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Then
there was Steve. He had helped her since the beginning. He'd hired
her to help him with a job, because of her stealth and almost magical
understanding of locks and security systems. They had made quite a
team. She knew she loved him when he was discovered on a job and
she'd had to rescue him; she didn't know until then how much she
needed him.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Abigail
started to walk back down the mountain. She was exhausted. It seemed
Steve would already be dead if she had never existed. She had killed in cold
blood, and perhaps the world would be better off, but the ones she
loved needed her and she couldn't abandon them.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> All
she had left was a thin hope that she could return to Steve's side
before he left her forever.</span></span></div>
Phoebe Opheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00790080139729320106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7531247322576259525.post-50840273550274978222014-12-17T22:44:00.003-08:002014-12-17T22:45:04.084-08:00A Calendar of Tales: October<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Way back in 2013, I was inspired by <a href="http://acalendaroftales.com/" target="_blank">Neil Gaiman's A Calendar of Tales</a> to write my own tales using the same inspirational quotes. I did not read his stories before I wrote mine, but I did read them after, and they are all awesome.</i><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in; page-break-before: always;">
“<span style="font-family: Gabriola, fantasy;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What
mythical creature would you like to meet in October? (& why?)”</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
“<span style="font-family: MV Boli;">A
djinn. Not to make a wish. But for the very best advice on how to be </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;">happy
w/ what you already have.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> It
was made of blue fire. The light and shadow formed a face, but the
rest of it was a blue blaze. Jenny took a step back from it, but it
didn't get any farther away. No heat or odor came from it.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “There
is no need for fear, Master,” it said. “I am here to serve you.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What...like
a...like a...” It hovered impassively as she stammered. She cleared
her throat and said, “What...exactly...are you?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
am a djinn.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What,
like a genie?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Basically,
yes.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
thought genies lived in lamps and granted three wishes to anyone who
rubbed...”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “It
doesn't have to be a lamp. I am bound to that ring you just put on.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “This
was my mother's. She never told me--”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
never appeared to her.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Never?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Never.
She was frightened.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “How
could she be frightened if you never appeared to her?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “She
needed a very ordered life, and didn't believe in the possibility of
me. As soon as she put on the ring I ceased to exist, constrained by
her will.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “You
died?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “No.
I simply did not exist while she wore the ring.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “How
can that be?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “It
is my nature.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What
is your nature? I mean, there are many legends of genies being evil
tricksters, teaching people to be careful what they wish for.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “My
nature is a reflection of my master's nature. If an evil trickster
wears the ring, I am an evil trickster. If a generous, kind person
wears it, I am generous and kind.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “You
can see into people like that?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
can know anything applicable to my master's needs.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Then
you already know what wishes I would choose?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “No,
because you haven't decided yet. You feel you still need
information.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I...guess
I do.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
will help you. Ask me what you will, and I will answer.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Will
it count against my wishes?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “No.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “And
I get three?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yes.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Do
I have to write up a contract for these wishes in order to avoid
loopholes?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
will grant the spirit of each wish. You don't have to think of which
consequences you'd prefer to avoid. Because I reflect your nature, I
will naturally avoid them.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “And
I get three wishes?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yes.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Okay.
Hm. I don't know. What would you wish for?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
have no will of my own. You are my master. I exist only to </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', monospace; line-height: 200%;">help you.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What
about those stories about the genies who want to be free?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Just
stories. If I were freed I would cease to exist forever.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Jenny
gasped. “Oh, no!”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> The
blue-flame face smiled. “I appreciate your concern for me. I would
like to avoid that fate, also.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Because
I would?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Of
course.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What
about after my wishes? What happens to you then?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
no longer exist until someone else puts on the ring.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Oh!”
Jenny said. “That's terrible! Wouldn't you rather exist all the
time?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Of
course.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “And
you can know anything?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yes.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What
happens after a person dies?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Their
body decomposes.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “That's
not what I meant.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
know nothing true about an afterlife. If I had to supply information
about one, I would, depending on the faith of my master. You claim
agnosticism, but have no belief in an afterlife, so I have no need to
prevaricate.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Here's
what I propose, then. I will disconnect you from the ring, and rebind
you to my blood; you will serve me and then my oldest living
descendant. You will exist continuously. After the three wishes are
made, you will continue to exist as an adviser. I...never want you to
be evil, so...remain a reflection of my nature, as it is now. I
mean...I don't think I'm evil.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “You
are a very compassionate person. I would be proud to have your nature
permanently.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “You're
just saying that.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “No,
I mean it. I've been reprehensible. Is this official? One wish for
this, and then two others for later?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yes.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Your
wish is my command.”</span></div>
Phoebe Opheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00790080139729320106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7531247322576259525.post-14593888584050356522014-12-17T22:43:00.001-08:002014-12-17T22:43:53.350-08:00A Calendar of Tales: September<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Way back in 2013, I was inspired by <a href="http://acalendaroftales.com/" target="_blank">Neil Gaiman's A Calendar of Tales</a> to write my own tales using the same inspirational quotes. I did not read his stories before I wrote mine, but I did read them after, and they are all awesome.</i><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in; page-break-before: always;">
“<span style="font-family: Gabriola, fantasy;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Tell
me something you lost in September that meant a lot to you.”</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
“<span style="font-family: MV Boli;">My
mother’s lion ring, lost & found 3 times over... Some things
aren’t meant to be kept.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Elle
stole the ring from her mother and put it back more times than she
could count. She rarely even put it on. She just liked to look at the
lion's head. It was very handsome, in a lionish way. Her mom never
wore it either, but she missed it when it was gone. Elle always put
it back secretly, unable to face her mom with the fact she'd stolen
it.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
knew her mother must have caught on at some point, but she never said
anything about it until she lay on her death bed. “Did you ever put
back that lion ring you took from my jewelry box?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yes,
mother,” Elle said, holding Mother's hand. “Nearly every time.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Mother
smiled. “Nearly,” she said. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Well...yes.
Most recently I seem to have...misplaced it. I'm sorry.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Ah,
too bad. Oh, well. It's yours now, anyway.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Mama,
I just told you it was lost.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “You'll
find it again. I always did.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “That
was me, Mama. I took it and put it back.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Oh,
no, that's not what I'm talking about. But you'll see. The ring is
yours now.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> And
then she died.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Elle
had strange, sometimes terrible dreams about that lion head ring that
night. She woke up from one and immediately tracked it down, in a
drawer near her nightstand. It was mother's ring. Mother should have
it.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> At
the funeral, Elle put the ring on Mother's finger. It would go into
the crematory with her and be destroyed. She would never look at that
handsome lion face again. She would miss it, but this was for the
best. She moved back among her family, but no one much talked to her.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> After
seeing mother to the crematory, Elle took a break outside in the air.
A man approached her. “Excuse me...um, sorry to bother you, miss,
but I'm a gardener here and I found this just off the path to the
crematory.” He held up the lion-head ring.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “My
mother's ring! This was supposed to go into the...”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “It's
too late, now. Maybe you should keep it.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
don't want it.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Aw,
come on, it's nice.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Elle
held it out to him and he backed away suddenly. “You keep it.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “No...I
couldn't”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
don't want it. Please take it.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> He
shook his head and continued backing away. “No, thank you. I'm
sorry. I should go back to work.” He turned and ran.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Elle
tried to get rid of it by passing it off to her family as part of
Mother's estate. No one would take it. Elle was so mad that she wore
it to every family gathering.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
sold it at a pawn shop. She passed by it in the window frequently. It
went unsold for so long that in the end she bought it back for just a
few dollars. Somebody had to keep it. It might as well be her.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> It
sat in a drawer for months. Elle moved on with her life. She'd look
in on it every now and then, but rarely thought about it. Then, one
day it was gone. She hunted for it. It couldn't really be gone.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> A
man lived with her then. “What are you looking for?” he asked.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “The
Lion Ring.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Lion
Ring?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “A
ring with a lion's head on it. It was my mother's.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I've
never seen you wear it.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
don't wear it. I hate it.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Then
why are you looking for it so hard?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “To
make sure it's really gone.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Baby,
that's ridiculous. You'll never be done looking if you don't find
it.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “You
can't just keep looking for it forever.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
stopped and looked at him. “I...suppose I can't,” she said,
running her hand back through her light brown hair. “If it's gone
it's gone. If it's here, it'll turn up.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “There
you go.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Elle
began an aggressive cleaning program. The house looked great
afterward, but she didn't find the ring.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Then,
several months later, just before her wedding day, the ring returned
to her. It appeared in her jewelry box like it had never been gone.
The lion's gaze was like an icy spike through her chest.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> When
she caught her oldest daughter, Susie, stealing it from her, she
tried to destroy it. She went at it with every cutting tool in the
garage. None of them managed more than a scratch or dent, and she
couldn't bring herself to try and cut the lion's head, only the band.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Elle
threw it in the sea. She was blessedly free of it for three days,
until Susie went to the beach with her friends. Then it appeared back
in her jewelry box, like it always had done.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> When
Susie moved out, it vanished again, this time for a number of years.
Every time it appeared again, Elle tried to give it to her, but she'd
never take it.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Then
Elle grew old died and it was Susie's problem.</span></div>
Phoebe Opheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00790080139729320106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7531247322576259525.post-87548456915205518532014-12-17T22:41:00.000-08:002014-12-17T22:41:24.649-08:00A Calendar of Tales: August<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Way back in 2013, I was inspired by <a href="http://acalendaroftales.com/" target="_blank">Neil Gaiman's A Calendar of Tales</a> to write my own tales using the same inspirational quotes. I did not read his stories before I wrote mine, but I did read them after, and they are all awesome.</i><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in; page-break-before: always;">
“<span style="font-family: Gabriola, fantasy;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If
August could speak, what would it say?”</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
“<span style="font-family: MV Boli;">August
would speak of its empire lasting forever whilst glancing, warily, at
the leaves cooking on the trees.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> RM
lay back in the grass; it had gone gold and was getting a little
prickly, but he still found a comfortable spot and stared up into a
spotless sky. He glanced over and looked at Mina beside him. She
gazed up into the sky also.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Mina
was a girl who lurked on beauty's doorstep but stubbornly refused to
enter. Some might have said if she took care of her skin, got a
flattering haircut, wore newer, better fitting, more stylish clothes,
she would be beautiful; and perhaps it was true, but RM didn't see
any of that. The oversized, secondhand jeans and t-shirts couldn't
hide her grace. She was everything he wanted her to be.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Except
one thing.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> He'd
been trying to bring it up all summer, but somehow it had always been
time to do something else. What a summer it had been! They'd taken up
karate lessons from RM's Uncle Bob, and stopped their occasional
smoking at his request. Suddenly RM had enough energy to go
exploring, and he did, and Mina was almost always with him.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Mina
looked over at him. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips curved in a wry
smile. “What're you thinking?” she asked, her voice biting and
suspicious.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> RM
rolled over and raised up on one arm. “I'm thinking summer's almost
over. There are Naked Ladies blooming all over.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Ha!
I should have known it would be porno with you.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> RM
rolled his eyes; Mina knew perfectly well he was talking about
flowers. She rolled over onto her stomach and began picking at the
grass.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Brooding?”
he asked, raising an eyebrow.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Screw
you.” She tossed it off like it was nothing, which it was. She
rarely did that around him anymore. She even glanced at him and
looked apologetic for a moment. “Well, I was thinking about the end
of summer, too. About how we haven't really done anything...</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', monospace; line-height: 200%;">really
amazing.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
think the summer's been pretty full.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yeah,
with hanging around town. It's been fun, but not really amazing.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Oh.
I see. You want a change of scenery?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Nah,
not really, I guess. I like it here.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yeah,
me too.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “But
still. I'd be nice to do something really awesome.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Well...like
what?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Mina
rolled over onto her side, facing him. “I don't know. I'll have to
give it some thought.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I'm
not doing anything crazy,” he said.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
pouted. “I'd never ask you to do anything crazy.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> RM's
heart pounded. “I have an idea.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “For
what?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Something
amazing.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Oh.
Let's hear it, then.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Okay.”
He moved closer to her and put his hand on her arm, then leaned down
and put his lips on hers.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
inhaled sharply, sort of a gasp up through her nose, but that was the
only sign of surprise. She lifted her head and their teeth bashed
together. He came up for air and tried to apologize, but then they
were kissing again, both of them together like they'd had the same
thought at exactly the same time.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> RM
had no idea how long they lay there and did nothing but kiss, but it
was long enough for him to consider moving his hand down her arm and
then maybe see where else she'd let it go, when she broke off
suddenly and exclaimed, “That's it!”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Wha?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “The
amazing thing we'll do. We'll prank Marcus Aurus hard. I still
haven't gotten him back for what he did to me at the spring dance.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Um...wasn't
he just getting you back for--”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “We're
not even,” Mina insisted. She bounded to her feet. “Come on!”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> RM
sat up and looked up at her. “Really? So, what, it's like that
didn't just happen?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What?
Of course it happened. We don't have to talk about it to make it have
happened, do we?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
suppose not.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Good,
then. Come on.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “You
don't want to talk about it then?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What
do you want me to say?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “That
you'll be my girlfriend?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “It'll
make things weird at school.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yeah,”
RM said, slowly climbing to his feet. “And get us more attention
than we like, I suppose.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “They
don't like to see our kind too happy.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> RM
snorted. “No. But we can cool it at school. That's how we play it
anyway, right?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Mina
nodded. “Yeah, all right,” she said.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> RM
stepped up to her, put his hand on her shoulder and kissed her. This
time there was no tooth-banging. She broke away far too soon and
grabbed his hand. “Come on. We can make out later. We gotta get to
the junkyard.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What
are we going to do?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “See
if you can figure it out as we go along.”</span></div>
Phoebe Opheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00790080139729320106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7531247322576259525.post-16054559073227202562014-12-08T12:01:00.003-08:002014-12-17T22:40:16.365-08:00A Calendar of Tales: July<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Way back in 2013, I was inspired by <a href="http://acalendaroftales.com/" target="_blank">Neil Gaiman's A Calendar of Tales</a> to write my own tales using the same inspirational quotes. I did not read his stories before I wrote mine, but I did read them after, and they are all awesome.</i><br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in; page-break-before: always;">
“<span style="font-family: Gabriola, fantasy;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What
is the most unusual thing you have ever seen in July?”</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"> “…an
igloo made of books.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “It's
too cold in here, can you please turn down the air conditioning?”
Aurora held onto the edge of the counter and on her tippy-toes she
was able to see the top.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “No.
And shhhh. You're in a library.” The reference librarian was a
skinny old lady who had one of those weird voices that was both low
and high pitched at the same time. “Don't you belong in the
children's section?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
read all those books already,” Aurora said. “And I like how it
smells better in here.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> The
reference librarian frowned at her. “Where's your mother?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “She's
dead,” Aurora said.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> The
reference librarian frowned even more deeply. “And your father?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Is
across the lobby at City Hall. I'm not allowed in there anymore.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> The
librarian looked a little frightened. “Why not?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
don't know. My daddy says it's because I'm too cheerful.” She
giggled. “Can you believe it?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yes.”
The librarian's whole face was a frown, now. “That, at least, I'll
believe. I'll need you to go to the children's section now.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Why?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Because
this area is meant for quiet studiers, not cheerful...little girls.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Aurora
nodded. “That makes sense. But can you turn down the air
conditioning? It's too cold.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “No.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Why
not?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Because
I said so.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Aurora
fumed. Her face darkened. “That's not an answer,” she said.
“That's not even an excuse!”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “If
you don't go to the children's section right now, I will tell your
father how you've been misbehaving.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
haven't been misbehaving.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “You've
been lying to me.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
have not.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “You
told me you've read all the books in the children's section.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Aurora
rolled her eyes. “I wasn't lying, I was exaggerating. I've read
MOST of the books in the children's section. And some in the young
adult, but I have to have my daddy here for that. He likes to make
sure they're age appropriate. Anyway, I'll go back there, I just want
to know why you won't turn down the air conditioning.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “That's
enough. I'll call building security to remove you if you don't go
now.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Is
that really easier than answering my question?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> The
librarian reached for the phone.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Aurora
gave her a dark look and ran down the stairs to the children's
section. There was nobody else down here. No one to talk to. There
were a few books she wouldn't mind reading, if she felt like reading
at all, which she didn't. She wished Daddy would have let her go to
the water spray park down the block, but he said he wanted her out of
the sun on such a hot day.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> It
wasn't a hot day down here in the children's section. It was a cold
day. A snow day. Aurora tried to make a visible breath, but couldn't
see it. It was too bad she didn't have a blanket, maybe she could
have made a tunnel between two of the huge bookcases. She didn't
think she could roof it over with books.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
went out on the big carpeted circle area. There were two child-sized
soft chairs there. Aurora pushed them around until they were back to
back, with a gap between them. She hunted for just the right book, a
hardcover with big, wide pages, but not too thick. She found it; it
was a book full of maps.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
put the perfect book on the chairs as a bridge and crawled into her
impromptu fort. It was all right, but very simple. She thought about
how she could improve it.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Jack
went down the stairs to the children's section of the library. He was
hoping (but not seriously expecting) to find Aurora curled up
peacefully reading.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> What
he found instead was even more amazing. It could only be described as
an igloo made of books. The shelves nearby were quite bare. Jack made
a soft sound of appreciation and Aurora stuck her head out the
entrance. “Daddy!” she squealed and ran to his arms. He swooped
her up and twirled her.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Hey,
Baby,” he said, giving her a tight squeeze.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Look
what I made, Daddy!”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “You
made that all by yourself?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yep!”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “It's
amazing. Here.” He put her down and brought out his phone and took
a picture of it. “Now it's saved forever.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Hooray!”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Jack
crouched down in front of her. “Now...Rora. When you built this,
did you think at all about who would put all those the books back on
the shelves?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Aurora's
face fell. She looked back at the igloo, then put her face in her
father's chest. “Oh, no,” she said. Her eyes filled up with
tears.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “No,
no, it's all right,” he said. “Let's you and me put them back,
all right?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “But
I don't remember where they all go!”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “That's
okay. I'll show you how to know where they go, all right?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Aurora
sniffed. “All right.”</span></div>
Phoebe Opheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00790080139729320106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7531247322576259525.post-28130242377403516902014-12-08T12:00:00.000-08:002014-12-17T22:40:24.628-08:00A Calendar of Tales: June<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Way back in 2013, I was inspired by <a href="http://acalendaroftales.com/" target="_blank">Neil Gaiman's A Calendar of Tales</a> to write my own tales using the same inspirational quotes. I did not read his stories before I wrote mine, but I did read them after, and they are all awesome.</i><br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in; page-break-before: always;">
“<span style="font-family: Gabriola, fantasy;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Where
would you spend a perfect June?”</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
“<span style="font-family: MV Boli;">A
refrigerator. Summertime always makes me wish they’d make large </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;">refrigerators
that people could squeeze in.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: MV Boli;"> <span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;">Don's
head ached from the sudden, extreme change in temperature. He'd been
lying on a beach chair, wishing his humble home had air conditioning
while at the same time feeling grateful for every leaf on the tree
that shaded him. He liked hot weather, but this was ridiculous. It
was too hot to move, too hot to think.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> He'd
been thinking about going into his shower and standing under the cold
faucet, or at least maybe get another beer out of the fridge. He
stood up, took one step, and</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Suddenly
it was very cold, like stepping into an over-air-conditioned room on
the hottest day of the year. It was also perfectly dark. After the
brightness of the day, Don was completely blind.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> He
took a step and bumped into something. It felt strange, like damp
paper. He felt it up and down. It seemed slightly spongy, and gave
when he pushed on it, but not very much. Was he in some kind of
tunnel? How could he have been cursing the heat one minute and then
stuck in this cold blackness the next?</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Don
put his fingers on the wall, chose a direction and walked. If he was
having a stroke or some sort of episode brought on by a undiagnosed
brain tumor, it really didn't matter which way.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> A
moment later, there was a ninety degree turn. Don tried to turn, but
found that another wall began just a foot away; he would have to turn
sideways to fit down this new tunnel. Instead he felt the paper wall
again, skipping the gap. He felt as high as he could reach, then
moved his hands down.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> At
about chest high there was a ledge. He felt around it and found it
was actually a horizontal gap, a rectangular hole in the wall. The
edges of it were strange, as though the wall was hollow, only made of
two thick sheets of paper, with a third one arranged in curves
between them.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> He
was afraid to reach into the hole, but he did. His hand encountered
something smooth and slightly yielding. It felt like plastic, curved
plastic. Yes, they seemed like curved plastic containers of some
kind, just on the other side of this strange wall.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Don
had a vision of a huge dark room full of enormous cardboard boxes,
all holding tubs of yogurt the size of swimming pools.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Don
heard a skittering sound. Something squeaked. He turned around,
searching the darkness with his eyes and ears. Something furry pushed
him. He threw himself for that first gap, wedging himself between two
boxes. Mice might fit in here with him, but he thought he was big
enough handle a mouse or two.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> A
rat would be almost as big as him.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> He
heard something that sounded like paper ripping and something
wriggling around. He imagined a man-sized rat chewing and squirming
to fit into the gap with him and he broke out in a sweat. He felt hot
again. He wanted to flee but there was no where to go.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> A
light flared, and in the instant before he was blinded he saw not a
brown rat, as he'd imagined, but a white rat with horrible ruby red
eyes. Don heard skittering feet and a triumphant whoop. “Who...who's
there?” he stammered.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> The
light came closer. It illuminated where he hid between the cardboard
boxes. “Well, now,” said a old man's voice. “What's this?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Don
put his hand up against the light. There was a thin figure there who
stood tall beside it. “Hello?” he said. “Who are you? Where am
I?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I'm
Reginald. Well, for now. I've been so many.” Don's eyes slowly adjusted.
He faced a tall and thin old man with a ton of crazy white hair. Over
a tattered suit he wore a rat skin cape. He held up a sparkler; it
spat bits of fire everywhere, but none of them caught on the damp
paper or painted concrete. “You are in the place where things go
when they fall off.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Fall
off what?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yes.
I fell behind the wall in a video game. Part of the real world at
last! Except I'm eight inches tall and none of the humans can even
see me.” He tilted his head. “What game did you fall off, QWOP?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Don
looked down at his shorts and tank top, and felt colder than ever. He
shivered, and squatted, and hugged his knees. “Why a giant
refrigerator?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Because
it's meant to be hell.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “You're...just
making that stuff up. You don't know.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Then
why do you keep asking me?” He took off his ratskin cape and handed
it to Don, who took it with both revulsion and gratitude and put it
over his shoulders. “Come on,” he said. “I'll take you
someplace warm.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Don
didn't know whether or not to trust Reginald, but one thing was for
certain: the rats were afraid of his sparkler. Don nodded and began
to follow him.</span></div>
Phoebe Opheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00790080139729320106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7531247322576259525.post-13416195136669966582014-12-08T11:58:00.001-08:002014-12-17T22:40:37.832-08:00A Calendar of Tales: May<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Way back in 2013, I was inspired by <a href="http://acalendaroftales.com/" target="_blank">Neil Gaiman's A Calendar of Tales</a> to write my own tales using the same inspirational quotes. I did not read his stories before I wrote mine, but I did read them after, and they are all awesome.</i><br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in; page-break-before: always;">
“<span style="font-family: Gabriola, fantasy;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What
is the weirdest gift you’ve ever been given in May?”</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
“<span style="font-family: MV Boli;">An
anonymous Mother’s Day gift. Think about that for a moment.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Aaron
picked up the small package and looked at it. It was addressed to
Shelby Jones. Jones was his wife's maiden name. There was no return
address.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Hm.”
He brought it in the house. “Hey, Shel, you home?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yeah,
babe, I'm working,” Shelby called from the office. Aaron saw her
sitting there with one leg tucked under her as she always had, and he
was struck by an image of her ten years ago, doing the same thing.
She smiled up at him and wrapped her arm around his hips. He bent
down and kissed her, then showed her the box.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Hm.”
She took it from him, snagged a box cutter from the desktop and
opened it. Inside was a wrapped gift and a card. Shelby opened the
card. Her eyes widened, she dropped the card and put her hands over
mouth. Tears filled her eyes and her face pinched as she fought them.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What
is it?” Aaron said, grabbing the card from her lap. It was a
Mothers' Day card. He looked at her, horrified. Who would send a
mother's day present to a woman who couldn't have children?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Shelby
grabbed the gift and unwrapped it. She reached in her hand and pulled
out a beautifully carved wooden figure. It looked like an owl. She
turned it over and over in her hands, stopping with the owl
upside-down and its foot showing initials VWJ. Shelby seemed to melt
into her chair, holding the owl close to her.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Shel...”
Aaron said, putting his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him
and seemed to cringe. “Do you know what all this is?” he asked
her.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “VWJ.
Victor Winter Jones. He's...my son.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Aaron
sat down on the floor of the office. “You don't have a son. You
can't. Because...of the cancer.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Shelby
shook her head. “I told you about the cancer. It was all I could
do. The rest...I...just couldn't. It was all too much.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “You
really do...have a son?” Aaron didn't know what to feel about
Shelby having someone else's child, even back before they met. He was
more worried he'd say the wrong thing right now and lose her.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Shelby
nodded. “I was very young, there were a few candidates for baby
daddy and none of them seemed very promising, but as soon as I knew
he was in there I loved him. It didn't make any sense. Probably
hormones, or something. It was on the first ultrasound that they
found the cancer.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Aaron
scooted closer to her on the rug and touched her knee. She gathered
his head into her lap and stroked his shaggy, dark hair. “I loved
him. I wanted to keep him. I tried. But it was just too much. The
surgery, the chemotherapy after, and I didn't have anyone to help me.
So I gave him up. You know the rest.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Aaron
did. She recovered from the cancer, and then set about trying to
destroy herself with drugs and booze.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Someone
asked me who I wanted to be when my son found me, and that became the
focus of my recovery. And I did. Find him, I mean. He was three. I
wanted to cuddle him so badly, but...I was terrified the family would
reject me and I'd never see him again, so I just started sending
anonymous birthday presents. I see him every now and then, but I've
never interacted with him.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “How
old is he?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Seventeen.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Aaron
got up and put his arms around her. “I'm sorry you couldn't tell
me. I'd have helped you choose the gifts.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Shelby
snortled a bit of slightly hysterical laughter and shook in his arms.
“I think I thought I deserved to go it alone.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I'm
glad you changed your mind.” He looked at the owl in </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;">Shelby's
hands. “I think Victor has figured out a few things on his own.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “He's
smart.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “And
talented. I bet he carved that owl.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Shelby
nodded. “And sent it to his bio mom to show off to her.” She
placed the owl on the desk next to her laptop.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Come
hang out with me in the kitchen,” Aaron said, grabbing her hands
and pulling on her arms.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “The
kitchen?” She resisted, but eventually stood up.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yeah.
Take a break from all this heavy shit. I'll make some tea.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “You
just want me to make you food.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Oh,
you're going to make me food? What a woman!” He wrapped his arms
completely around her and gave her a huge kiss.</span></div>
Phoebe Opheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00790080139729320106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7531247322576259525.post-8049583941834638832014-12-08T11:56:00.002-08:002014-12-17T22:40:46.564-08:00A Calandar of Tales: April<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Way back in 2013, I was inspired by <a href="http://acalendaroftales.com/" target="_blank">Neil Gaiman's A Calendar of Tales</a> to write my own tales using the same inspirational quotes. I did not read his stories before I wrote mine, but I did read them after, and they are all awesome.</i><br />
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in; page-break-before: always;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 200%;"> “</span><span style="font-family: Gabriola, fantasy; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What’s
your happiest memory of April?”</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
“<span style="font-family: MV Boli;">When
the ducks would trust us again; my father & I fed them fresh
bread stolen from the inn he worked at.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Jack!”
said Mrs. Ostraman in her deep and rather snooty voice. “That feral
daughter of yours is out on the deck. With...things.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Jack
glanced over to the deck door from the table at which he stood,
covered in plates of food. “Yes, I'll take care of it in a minute,
Mrs. Ostraman!” he said.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> He
delivered the plates and had a few words with the people at his
tables, then he opened the door out to the patio. There were a few
people out here, but not many; it was very early in the season. Mrs.
Ostraman was a permanent resident, and was always either out on the
deck or just inside. Jack always wondered why, since she actually
seemed to hate outside-related things.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> The
wooden deck formed a second-floor patio, and a large oak tree grew up
through the center. A bar was set up out there for when it got
really busy, but for now it was unmanned. A set of wooden steps led
down to the gravel driveway.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> At
the top of these steps was a little girl with a bright red bucket.
Little blonde wisps of hair stuck out from the french braid Jack had
made this morning. She still wore most of her drab school uniform,
except that she had taken her shoes and stockings off. The bottom of
her skirt was wet and so were the sleeves of her jacket.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> His
heart broke with love for her, and not just because of her
resemblance to her deceased mother. “Daddy!” she shouted,
thumping the bucket onto the top step. “Look what I got!”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Jack
crouched and peered into the bucket. It was half-full of water, and
at the bottom rested two reddish-brown salamanders. “Salamanders?”
he said.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
grinned and nodded.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Baby,
what are you doing? Didn't you go to school?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Her
delighted face fell. “I...did. For a little while.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What
happened?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “We
had to sit down and write letters,” Aurora said.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Letters?
To who?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “No,
just letters. As and Bs and Cs. Over and over. I told Ms. Smitts that
I already know how to make letters, but she didn't care. Then Alice
called me a name, and I left during first recess.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Jack
could not be mad at Aurora. He remembered only too well being cramped
in a classroom on an early spring day. For a little girl who already
knew how to make her letters, the stream out of which she'd caught
those salamanders offered so many more interesting lessons. “If it
was up to me, I'd let you catch salamanders every day, Baby. But
we'll both get in trouble if you don't go to school.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
know, Daddy, I'm sorry.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Jack
sighed. “It's all right, Baby. Listen, would you do something for
me, please?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Don't
bring things like this up the stairs, please?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
just wanted to show you.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “And
I wanted to see. But I've got to work, so we can keep staying here.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Ohhhkay,”
Aurora said, sounding disappointed.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Hey,
chin up. I thought I saw some ducks down by the lake earlier.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Ooh,
ducks? And ducklings?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Maybe.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
want to see little baby ducks!”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I'll
take my lunch in about an hour; why don't I meet you on the
archy-bridge and we'll have a picnic.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Aurora
grinned. “Okay!” she said, and she gave Jack a big wet hug.
“Bring some bread for the ducks!”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Jack
laughed. “Okay, Baby. I will.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
kissed Jack on the cheek and hauled up her bucket, then walked slowly
down the stairs. Jack crossed the deck to go back inside. “You're
spoiling that child,” Mrs. Ostraman said. “She'll never learn to
sit still or obey.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> He
smiled at Mrs. Ostraman. “There are worse things,” he told her.</span></div>
Phoebe Opheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00790080139729320106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7531247322576259525.post-12646873429212509652014-12-07T11:26:00.000-08:002014-12-17T22:40:54.939-08:00A Calendar of Tales: March<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Way back in 2013, I was inspired by <a href="http://acalendaroftales.com/" target="_blank">Neil Gaiman's A Calendar of Tales</a> to write my own tales using the same inspirational quotes. I did not read his stories before I wrote mine, but I did read them after, and they are all awesome.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0.04in; page-break-before: always;">
“<span style="font-family: Gabriola, fantasy;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What
Historical figure does March remind you of ?”</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
“<span style="font-family: MV Boli;">Anne
Bonny and her rapscallion heart, dreaming for a ship of her very
own.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', monospace; line-height: 200%;">Annie ran down the corridor and
stepped into the med bay. Inside were two kids about the age she was
when she graduated from the academy twenty years ago. Both turned
from their work and looked at her, surprised at the intrusion.
“Lieutenant Richardson?” she asked, looking between the boy and
the girl.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yes?”
said the girl. She was a little thing, short and thin, with black
hair tied up in a neat bun. She was all business, but it hid a great
nervousness. It was probably her first time in charge of anything;
everyone had been tapped to help with the evacuation.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I'm
Annie Bowman, I've been assigned to assist you in the med bay as long
as I am able.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Commander
Bowman?” said the boy, his eyes wide. He was a local boy, big and
broad shouldered, his brown hair streaked with sun-bleached yellow
and his skin very tan. Richardson frowned, looking at Annie with new
eyes.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Annie
smiled at the boy. “Mister...?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “York,
Sir. Ensign.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Very
good, Ensign York. I'm only Commander Bowman until we get out of the
planet's gravity well. Then I'm a civilian contractor. That's how it
works when you have--”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Debilitating
space sickness,” breathed Lieutenant Richardson. Her brow furrowed.
She must have been thinking that Commander Bowman had been sent along
with her on her first mission in charge of an entire med bay to
evaluate her and to take charge if she screwed up. Really, Annie had
wanted to stay behind and help with the rest of the evacuation on the
ground, but she'd received orders. She wondered if her father had
anything to do with this.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Space
sickness?” said Ensign York. He looked extremely confused.
“But...you saved my brother on the Alexander when that big storm
hit...”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Space
sickness is different from sea sickness,” Annie explained. “But
we don't have time--”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “We
don't have time for chit-chat,” said Lieutenant Richardson. “We've
got to get webbed down for launch. Commander, you first, please.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> The
kid might be nervous but she knew what she was supposed to do. Annie
lay on her couch and pulled over the manual harness. Richardson hit
the button and the automatic webbing closed over her. She didn't need
to be reminded to strap a vomit-mask to Annie's face. “Do you want
a shot, now? We'll probably have to maneuver.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “No,”
Annie said.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Really?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “If
I'm going to die, I'd rather die spewing bile than half asleep.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Richardson
shrugged and helped York with his automatic webbing.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> The
increased Gs of the launch didn't bother Annie in the slightest as
they pressed her down in her couch; down was just stronger. Then the
captain announced they were in maneuvers. Annie's stomach clenched in
anticipation.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Down
shifted crazily. Annie felt like she ought to be rolling around,
rather than fixed in her couch. She tried to hold it back but soon
all she could do was vomit and weep.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Annie
came to, but she didn't open her eyes. She stayed still. The suction
on her vomit mask had taken it all away, but now it was dead. She
braced her head back against the couch and opened her eyes. Only dim
emergency light showed. Red globes of blood floated in the air in
front of her; not a good sign. She shut her eyes again and carefully
turned her head toward the couch next to her. Her head swam, but she
managed not to lose control of her position, and she didn't vomit.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> The
next couch was empty. The one beyond was full of Lieutenant
Richardson, unconscious, with one arm floating out of her manual
harness. It looked like she'd been able to get into hers when the
automated one failed, but York hadn't been quick enough.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Richardson!”
Annie called. “Lieutenant! Lieutenant Richardson!” Richardson
moaned and turned her head. Annie put as much command into her voice
and shouted, “Richardson!”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> The
girl's eyes snapped open and she turned her head. “Commander
Bowman!”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Ms.
Bowman,” Annie corrected. “We're in freefall conditions. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', monospace; line-height: 200%;">You're
in charge, Sir.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Where's
Max?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Ensign
York? I don't see him.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What
should I do?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Use
your head.” Annie shut her eyes. “And find me a manual vomit
mask, please.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Annie
heard Richardson open her harness and begin to move around the room.
She felt her remove the old mask and put a new one on, and press the
switch into Annie's hands so she could control the suction. Sometimes
just having that breeze against her face helped, but she didn't want
to wear out the battery pack.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Then
Richardson gasped and made a retching sound. “Oh, God,” she said.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Is
it York?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yes.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Is
he dead?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
don't know. There's blood everywhere. He's...oh, God, he's breathing.
He's unconscious. The blood's coming from his leg. God. The bone's
sticking out.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Annie
opened her eyes and saw Richardson hauling York's body over to his
couch. She pulled the manual harness across his body and secured it,
then flipped over so she was head down. Annie closed her eyes and
tried very hard to imagine Richardson as a dolphin; she was swimming
underwater. Down was down. It didn't help.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Ms.
Bowman,” Richardson said.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Annie.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Help
me, Annie, I can't do this.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What's
wrong? You know what you're doing.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yeah,
but this is Max!”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
can't help you,” Annie said. “I will only be sick if I cut loose.
You can do it.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Ack!
Tell me a story. Please.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What
story?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
don't care. How did you end up in the Navy with space sickness?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Urgh.
I was recruited before the anti-gravity tests, and I tested through
on the old tests. Then, once I got to real freefall, blargh. I was
here on scholarship from the colonies, I couldn't afford to get back
home on my own. So I joined the academy and trained as ground-level
civil defense.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Have
you left Garault since then?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
go out to the colonies nearly every year to visit my family. On most
trips, the gravity works, and it's fine. Otherwise, yeah, they have
to ship me like a leaky package.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I'm
sorry.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
appreciate it. It was my dream to be a starship captain, but I had it
all right on Garault. It's a beautiful planet, all over. Well...it
was.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Neither
of them had any idea what the aliens would do to Garault once they
claimed it, if it was even their goal.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “All
right. I think that's done it.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “You
think?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I've
never done this before except in simulation. Fortunately the medpacks
survived...whatever happened, even if nothing else works in here.
Max'll be okay. Are you all right?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I'm
not injured.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Um...”
Richardson put her hands back over her tattered bun. “Everyone's
stable...so...I should...communications.” She pushed off from
York's couch and floated up to the main instrument panel. Annie shut
her eyes again.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Captain?
This is Med Bay, checking in, over.” She said it, then waited,
muttering to herself about blocked and open corridors. Then she
repeated, “Captain, this is Med Bay--”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> The
line crackled, and a few jubilant hoots carried over. “It's great
to hear from you, Med Bay. What is your status?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “We've
got emergency power, but no gravity. Ensign York is severely wounded
and Ms. Bowman is incapacitated. What happened, Sir?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Our
transport made it, that's what happened. We're dead in space.
Everyone left is heading for the shuttle, and we could really use
some medpacks.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Can
you send someone to help us, Captain? I don't know if I can get both
these men to the shuttle by myself.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Do
your best. When we can we'll send someone your way.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Understood.
Med Bay out.” Richardson was quiet for a while. It sounded like she
was tinkering with something. “Annie, I'm going to give you the
anti-vertigo shot,” she said. “As soon as you're able to, I want
you to take that pack and move as fast as you can toward the shuttle
bay.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I'll
never make it before I pass out.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “That's
all right. I have an idea. If it works, we'll be able to drag you the
rest of the way. If it doesn't, I'll have to come back for you.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I'm
ready.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Richardson
gave her the shot. Annie immediately reached up and opened her
harness. The sudden movement of her body made her float free of the
harness and spiral, slightly. She pressed the suction button on the
vomit mask and heaved. Richardson caught her and steadied her spiral.
“You weren't ready.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “No.
I'm ready. Push me toward the pack and then I'll pull myself up the
wall. I've got to get started.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Richardson
braced her feet and pushed off, giving Annie a little momentum. She
floated over to the backpack, overshot and banged her shoulder into
the wall. She sat down on the wall next. The backpack was just above
her. She grabbed it and put it on her back. Then she pulled her way
to the door and through it.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Fortunately,
it was mostly one long corridor from Med Bay to the shuttle. The
vertigo was gone, replaced by a feeling like she was moving through
increasingly viscous gel. For a long time she was alone. After five
eternities, Something shot by. It grabbed at her. She resisted, but
found herself swept along. “It's all right, it's us, Annie, look,”
Richardson said. She reached out as they floated and pulled on a
passing hand hold, speeding them up and slightly altering their
trajectory.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Good
thinking, kid,” Annie said. “I'll hold on.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Max
has got you.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Commander,”
said Ensign York.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Annie.”
Everything seemed to be falling away, and in a sense it was, as the
corridor flowed by. In another sense, it was Annie's perception as
she fell unconscious under the sedative.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> When
Annie opened her eyes again, she was strapped into a couch again, but
down was down again. She released the harness and sat up, rubbing the
side of her head. She felt weak.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Richardson
approached. “How are you feeling?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Better.
The gravity is back on. Where are we? What's going on?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “We're
in the little med bay on the shuttle, heading for Earth.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “We
escaped the xenos?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yeah.
The captain had us hide in the shuttle bay until he had a clear path
out of the gravity well, and we hit hyperspace before the aliens
noticed us.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “You
did really well, Richardson.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;">“Call me Mary,” she said. “And thanks.” Richardson shook
her head. “Most of the transports made it, but we were one of the
few escorts that escaped. Why are they doing this?” She sat down
and put her face in her hands.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “I
don't know,” Annie said, patting Richardson on the back.</span></div>
Phoebe Opheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00790080139729320106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7531247322576259525.post-45574733436233936772014-12-07T11:17:00.000-08:002014-12-17T22:41:04.213-08:00A Calendar of Tales: February<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Way back in 2013, I was inspired by <a href="http://acalendaroftales.com/" target="_blank">Neil Gaiman's A Calendar of Tales</a> to write my own tales using the same inspirational quotes. I did not read his stories before I wrote mine, but I did read them after, and they are all awesome.</i><br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in; page-break-before: always;">
“<span style="font-family: Gabriola, fantasy;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What’s
the strangest thing that ever happened to you in February?”</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
“<span style="font-family: MV Boli;">Met
a girl on beach, searching for her grandma’s pendant, lost 50 years
ago. I had it, found previous Feb.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> The
pebble plonked into the Sound, casting ripples on the surface of the
water. Mark didn't even bother cursing his inability to skip a stone;
he felt as gray inside as the day.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> He
stuffed his hands down into the pockets of his coat. The air was
freezing cold but very still. Even if there had been other people
around, he wouldn't have been able to see them through the fog. He
doubted anyone was there. In this weather the only cheer to be found
was inside.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> He
walked slowly down the beach. It wasn't even his favorite. There were
more rocks than sand here. There was a beach just north of here that
had lovely yellowish sand, and, on a summer day, had a gorgeous view
across the Sound to Vashon Island, and beyond it to the Olympic
mountains.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> This
was the beach where he had seen her, last February. It was on the 9<sup>th</sup>
day of a streak of bitterly cold and foggy weather, and Mark had fled
his cramped apartment following an urge to destroy things just to
break up the monotony. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> The
only thing this had done was save his things; it was just as
claustrophobic out in the fog as it had been inside. Then she had
appeared out of the mist.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
wore nothing but a little blue summer dress, and there was yellowish
sand on her bare feet and legs. Her blonde hair was long and
straight. She'd seen him and smiled, becoming very beautiful, and
then she'd taken one of his gloved hands and put something in it. He
was frozen solid by this apparition. The light that touched her was
not gray but a dazzling summer yellow. She'd kissed his cheek and run
off into the fog.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> By the time he thought he might chase after her, he knew he'd never find her in the fog. He'd have wondered if he
imagined her if he hadn't been holding an aqua-blue, teardrop-shaped
pendant in his hand.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Since
then he had come back down every chance he got, and sometimes when he
should have been doing something else. It had been nearly a year, and
he had nothing to show for it but a pendant and a poor review at
work. Every time he came down here, he resolved it should be the
last, but it never had been.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> He
turned around. The visitor's center and small parking lot at the
bottom of the hill were hidden by the fog, so he headed up the beach
away from the water toward the path that lay at the edge between the
forested hill and the beach.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> A
figure emerged suddenly from the fog and Mark's bones tried to leap
out through the back of his neck. He knew immediately that this was
not the girl who had given him the pendant; this person was as
bundled against the cold as he was. He slowed and turned toward the
figure.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> As
he approached, he saw it was a girl with long, straight blonde hair,
but hers flowed down from under a purple knit cap, and her hands were
stuffed deep in the pockets of an old wool coat. She noticed his
scrutiny, looked him over, and smiled at him warily. “Good
morning,” she said.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> He
shrugged, looking around at the fog. “Is it morning? Who could
tell?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
gave him a nod. “It's smart to come early. Gotta get down here
before all the tourists so you can claim a good spot.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Mark
let out a little laugh. “I live here and I don't even recognize the
place.” He turned and looked toward the Sound. It may as well have
been a pond for all he could see.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
followed his gaze, and looked out at the fog, and stood near him in
silence for a short while. He looked back at her. It could have been
the same woman, he decided; they were of similar age, and her facial
features were close. Still, he didn't see much of that other girl in
this one. This was a winter girl.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
caught him staring at her and raised an eyebrow. “So what brings
you to the beach on this fine morning? I mean, other than to soak up
the sunshine?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Ah,
sometimes it just gets too cramped inside, and then you think,”
Mark shrugged, “Maybe it'll be better outside, but then, you
know...it's not, really.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Ah,”
said the woman.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “That
sounds weird.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “No,
I get it. This weather sucks.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Mark
sighed. “Actually...I met someone here about a year ago and haven't
seen her since, and I was...you know, I was hoping...”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “She'd
show up again?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yeah.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
gave him a nod and looked back out at the Sound. Mark looked at his
shoes, feeling awkward, and was beginning to think he might as well
excuse himself, when she said, “I grew up here. Those apartments
just behind Fourth Avenue.” She pointed up the hill. “My
grandparents and I. Grandma would always bring me down here, whenever
I wanted, even when it was snowing. I...come down here to remember
her, and to look for...” she hesitated, obviously feeling awkward,
too. “Well, my grandmother's pendant. Grandfather gave it to her
when they were just teenagers, but she lost it somewhere before I was
even born. She's always come here, so why not here?” She sighed.
“It's a chance in a million, really, right?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What
does it look like?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “What?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “So
if I see it I'll know whose it is.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Well...it's
a...blue, teardrop shaped...”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Mark
took the pendant he'd been given out of his pocket and showed it to
her. She froze in place, staring for a moment, then she moved the two
steps between them and reached for it. He gave it to her, and for a
moment she seemed to curl up around it. She wrapped it in her fist
and pressed her fist to her chest. Then she looked at it again, and
looked at him. “Where...how did you...”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Well,
the lady...the person I've been hoping to see again...she gave it to
me.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> She
looked up at him. “Really? That's...”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Yeah.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Pretty
weird.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Oh.
Yeah. Weird,” Mark said. He hesitated only a moment; he had to at
least try. “You want to get some coffee?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Like...right
now?” She looked around and considered, then nodded. “Yeah, okay.
Just give me a minute. I'm April, by the way.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Mark.”
He wandered down to the water but didn't go far; he didn't want to
lose her in the fog. He picked up a stone and tried skipping it. It
plonked right into the water.</span></div>
Phoebe Opheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00790080139729320106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7531247322576259525.post-44992442347655014442014-11-23T12:28:00.001-08:002014-12-17T22:41:13.332-08:00A Calendar of Tales: January<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Way back in 2013, I was inspired by <a href="http://acalendaroftales.com/" target="_blank">Neil Gaiman's A Calendar of Tales</a> to write my own tales using the same inspirational quotes. I did not read his stories before I wrote mine, but I did read them after, and they are all awesome.</i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Question: Why is January so dangerous?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Answer: Because an aging veteran just retired, to be replaced by a dangerously unqualified youth, no more than a babe in arms</b>.</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Grandfather!”
Kopi wailed, watching as the beam from the Enemy's weapon cut his
father's father in half. He fell upon his grandfather's torso and
wept as the Enemy swept past them. Kopi didn't acknowledge them, nor
they him, for he was unarmed and only a child. “No, no, no,” Kopi
moaned.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', monospace; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', monospace; line-height: 200%;">Kopi
lay over the blood-covered corpse of the last adult he had known
alive, weeping but not sobbing. Other dead lay nearby, but he didn't
look at them. There was no point. There was no point to any of this.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> The
Enemy came down from the sky and slaughtered The People until only
children were left, living unprotected in the wilderness. They
guarded the People's meager dwellings against the children until the
forest reclaimed them, and would let none of the children's crude
structures stand.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> The
Enemy were not people, but empty shells that looked like people.
There was a tiny thing inside them that glowed. Kopi had seen it flee
when one of them was killed, but he didn't know what it meant.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Kopi
searched his grandfather's body for things he could use. He took only
the smallest weapons, the most easily hidden, for the enemy would
kill even a child if he was armed. Other children crept out of the
cold forest and approached him. No one said anything. They all looked
at the fallen man that had once been their leader, or they looked at
Kopi.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> A
skinny girl who had been alone in the forest longer than anyone put
her hand on Kopi's shoulder. He looked up at her. Her face was grim,
all their faces were, but hers was especially so. It was she who
finally spoke: “So what do we do?”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Kopi
looked down at his grandfather. Of course, it passed down to him now.
Grandfather had said as much. “It's all up to us now,” he said
softly.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> The
girl gave a single nod and bent down to remove the old leader's badge
of office. She moved to pin it to Kopi's shirt, but he stopped her.
None of the other children were so well-dressed as he; the girl
beside him wore nothing more than a hip-length sack dress. Clothes
were not what made him leader. Blood made him leader.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Kopi's
father had told him stories of their ancestors wearing their status
in rings on their ears, so he moved his shaggy back hair away from
his. The girl nodded fierce approval; she'd also heard these stories.
She pinned his new badge of office through the cartilage of his ear.
It hurt, but Kopi didn't mind. It was the least of all his hurts
right now.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> Many
of the other children were bigger than him, but Kopi was the leader,
now. He lifted his chest and gave his first command. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', monospace; line-height: 200%;">“Gather
everything you can from the dead. Food, clothing, weapons.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “Where
will we hide?” another child asked.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.04in;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"> “We
can't hide,” Kopi said. “We have to fight.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Please comment if you feel so moved!</i></span></div>
Phoebe Opheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00790080139729320106noreply@blogger.com0