Scenery.

“Mind if I join you?”

It was Drew, Melanie knew his voice well.

“No, I was actually about to come in to find some company!” she replied, squinting in his direction. She knew it was sunny out, the sun was warming her bare back cozily. Straightening her sundress and cane across her lap she made room for him.

“I don't see why everyone is locked up in their bedrooms to study,” She began, voice crisp and matter-of-fact.

“ I mean, you have the great outdoors to sit and think in,” she added as they settled down, Drew’s foot swinging them.

“Ha! We don’t have the time to think, like you can… “ he sighed and then after a slight pause and seeing the puzzled look on Melanie’s face, quickly added,

“I didn’t mean that to sound mocking I was just pointing out that you have more opportunity to think more than others.”

“Hmmm… Actually, I do have homework I’m supposed to be working on. I mean, I know I ought to be tremendously thankful for braille but sometimes it’s just so tedious!” she cried, throwing her hands up to emphasize her feelings.

“Yeah, same… like, sometimes I get really pissed at whoever invented Calculus...” Drew cast Melanie a sideways glance, she was looking straight ahead, and the sun was making her natural blond highlights stand out radiantly.

“Looks like we’re both on the same page then” she said, tapping her cane idly against the wood of the swing. There was a small pause in which the sounds of cheery birds and the humming of bees filled the space in between them and around them.

“I was just thinking the other day,” Drew began, staring at his knees, “and realized you know this house and these people, better than anyone.”

Melanie heard the scuff of his shoe against the brick beneath them and felt a twitch at the corner of her mouth. He seemed nervous…

“May I ask why you were thinking of me in particular?”

“I was thinking of Fred first, actually-” Drew said with a laugh, “The way he’s always gushing his thoughts to everyone and the way he forgets where everything is… How clumsy he is compared to you.” He turned slightly to watch her expression; Melanie’s smile lessened and she gravely said,

“Even if I am blind, it doesn’t exactly make me any more… glorified, for want of a better word, knowing my way about here,” she waved a hand vaguely toward the large barn to their right and the fields beyond.

“I guess so… but it’s just so hard for me to imagine, not being able to see but understand everything so well, like you do.”

“Trust me, if we switched places, I’m sure you be just as good as me if not better.” She laughed and fidgeted with her cane’s head. It was polished brass in the elegant shape of an upside down bluebell. There was another pause in conversation and then Melanie said, abruptly,

“Well, would you mind walking me back to the garden? I think I’d like a change of scenery.”

“Sure.” Drew said and even though Melanie had no idea, felt an amused and amazed smile spread over his face…  

Glitter Dust.

Jack was used to the rain. He was always outdoors and the city never saw the sun. It was always stormy in the city, no sunlight and no warmth ever penetrated the place and the milk white skin of the people who lived there. Jack was a courier, he lived and breathed the water from the sky. He had learned all the deceptive ways of the mud and the tricks of the tavern owners throughout the city. Tall, sodden buildings sagged over the walkways which were forever flooded with garbage and human waste. Jack navigated the gutters as best he could but there seemed to be no escape from the floating bits of discarded food and clothing. There was always a glimmer of hope in the city that one day the weak sunlight might break through the fortresses of storm clouds in the sky above, but the day had never come, not in centuries. People were accustomed to the clothes never drying on soggy washing lines and everyone hardly slept. Beds were rarely filled and never dry and even the shelves in the bakery were warped by moisture. The tavern owners offered dry food and dry pillows but Jack knew better than to believe them. The boy had heard so many stories about how the city might have become so dismal. One tale said that the city had been cursed long ago by an aggravated rain goddess. Another folk tale said that the city had been known as the saddest place anyone had ever known, and so the rain was the tears of the gods being shed for the people living there. Jack did not know what to believe but he knew his job and so he worked hard in the city of rain. Until one morning in the middle of the dry season. Dry season was merely whenever the precipitation stopped, the roads still ran with water but at least the clouds weren't as black.

“Jack! Jack I need your help!”

“Freda?”

“Over this way!” A girl not much younger that Jack stood in an alleyway to his left and beckoned him with a dripping hand. Like all of the women of the city, she was clad in nothing but a few tightly wrapped rags and her body was shimmery with glitter. The city's permanent situation had forced long garments and carefully applied makeup out of women's minds, but the rain never seemed to get rid of glitter dust.

“Jack, can you help me with this barrel? It's too heavy and since the water on the ground is seeping through the cracks, it's making it even heavier.”

“Sure thing Freda. I like your gold dust today.” Jack smiled briefly and then bent to push the barrel further.

“What's in the barrel?” He asked after a few yards, curious why Freda would be toting such a heavy load to the market.

“Dust. I'm starting a new business in the square ahead.”

“I thought the dust market was doing poorly.” Jack grunted as he started the tank rolling again.

“It was, but this'll be the envy of all who see it. I found a way to make camouflage dust.”

“What!?” Jack stopped suddenly but Freda kept walking.

“You know, dust that makes you disappear into your surroundings. It's like the next best thing to dry bread!”

“Freda, you understand this has to be authorized right?”

“Author what?”

“You have to send in a request to sell this stuff. The mayor has to say 'Ok'.”

“ Could you ask her for me?”

Jack straightened.

“Freda! I can't just walk up to the mayor and ask her!”

“Why not?”

“Be-Because she's... well-” He faltered, “She's busy. All the time. You can't sell this merchandise without her say so.”

“What if I don't care?” Freda waved her arm around and the dull lamp light caught the gold glitter's sparkle.

“You could get arrested if you sell it without a permit. I'm not about to let you go to jail alone.”

“You really care that much?” Freda clasped her hands in mock appreciation. “I really could care less about going to jail, it'd be an adventure compared to this.” she gestured to a large piece of gunk floating past them in the gutter. Jack shivered out of disgust and turned his eyes to the grey sky. Turning back to Freda he saw her face change from a similar look of disgust to radiating mischievous light.

“Say, what if we go together then?” Jack eyed his friend. She was a pretty creature with the lithe shape of an athlete, a sign of living off her wits for some time. Jack knew her past but didn't judge her for it, although sometimes he had a hard time deciphering the truth from her stories.

“If you're going then I'm going.” He decided.

“What? You mean you want to get arrested with me?”

“As long as we're together it'll be fun, like you said.” Jack started, nervous but beginning to get excited about the idea.

“I'm tired of running from shack to shack with pay fit for a pack animal. I'll go to jail, sure. I bet it's dry!” A smile lit up Freda's gold streaked face and she put out a graceful hand.

“Then come on! Let's start selling this stuff!”  

dh

Beast.

Hey folks! This is a snippet of a story I've had going for some time. Hope you enjoy!

SIZZLE. CRASH.

I wake up to the sound of debris falling from some where. Everything smells like smoke and the carpet in front of me is charred to dust. Looking up,  the roof is on the verge of collapsing inward from a large puncture right above where the coffee table had been.

“Caleb?” a sandy sounding croak…

“Jade, are you okay?” I sound fine. My face and neck stings; my shirt is scorched. Then I blink in the dusty air, where’s Malcolm? The middle of the room is obliterated and there’s only a eight foot wide, one foot deep depression left.

“No… I think it’s my ankle... Where’s Mal?” Jade’s voice comes from near the entrance of the room; where the enormous framed tapestry had hung.

“I don’t know. I’ll look” I get up, balancing shortly on one knee; despite the dust in my eyes, I still see stars of dizziness. My heart sinks fast, the furniture that had sat in the middle of the room, the books, the coffee table, the couch, were nowhere to be seen. My trunk wasn’t there anymore either.

“Is he there?”

“No”

The finality of the actual words sting in my throat, but that’s what they are now, fatally so.

I help Jade up, only to carry her to the unscathed kitchen, her left ankle is totally twisted and awkward, toes are already turning purple. Probably completely fractured; that tapestry had to be at least twenty pounds, never mind the frame. Well that would definitely hurt.

“AH…” Jade sighs when I put her gently but without ceremony on the cleared kitchen table.

“Do you think he could be,” Jade stops, puts a hand to her throat and then points out the kitchen window.

“What?” I ask, and then I inhale sharply at the sight I behold when I turn.

“It’s still here.”

The dragon is poised in a regal stance; claws viciously sharp. You can see them all the way back here, at the house. The bright yellow amber eyes glint in the dawn, surrounded by blacker than night scales. Suddenly all I can think of is Malcolm. I surprise myself.

“Jade. You don’t think he took Malcolm, do you?”

“What?” Jade gasps, forgetting, it seems, about her pain. “And, who says it’s a he. It’s beautiful.”

“I mean, the roof... it's not disintegrated.” I start, breaking the reverent phrase still hanging in the air.

"If it wanted to finish him it would've burned this place to the ground!"

Jade shakes her curly head and then says,

“Caleb Sanders you’re the craziest Dragonologist ever! If you're seriously implying that that beast is interested in preserving us, you're mad. Let's find Malcolm."

We’re both quiet after that. The dragon outside shifts from claw to claw… Then it lifts its mighty head, opens its powerful jaws and belts out a column of flame that falls, like an ignited snake to the parched ground. The next second, the beast is gone. 

Inkling

Playing around with eyeliner and photo booth- I apologize for the terrible quality!

-dh-

Thanks/New Years

        Sorry about this outlandishly delayed post! I just recently watched Baz Lurhman's The Great Gatsby and its complete special features. Finally, inspiration! No plagiarism or stealing of ideas was meant if there is any of that in this post. I simply decided to write and this is what came out...

         Any party that I've ever attended has not been of my own volunteering. Every time I go out I make myself a fool or worse, embarrass someone else. I was not altogether thrilled when my nosey mother in-law phoned me halfway through dinner to urge me to attend a complete stranger's New Year's party. The year up to this cold night had been less than exciting for this cubicle dweller. 

Still, I protested. 

         The car was in the shop, it was alright she was on her way already, she could pick me up; I had nothing to wear, that was fine, she promised to help me when she got there. Nothing I said made a difference. It is in these circumstances that I find myself disgusted at my own being and wish that it wasn't so impossible to simply go and be with people. Besides, she whined, it was the start of a New Year which by the sound of it, was like a renewing of her commitment to get me 'socialized'. I had to cave. Just this once. 

The ride was pitiful. I squirmed in the stiff outline of the suit she'd brought me from Eric's extensive collection. Eric, my brother in-law and much more outgoing friend was always attending dinners and fancy meetings. He had an enormous drawer filled with strictly individual style ties and stuffy old bow-ties that confounded me to no end.  I swallowed and tried not to think of it. The car was making me feel giddy and nervous, as if my in-law's chatter about my host wasn't enough to put me on the edge. 

"He's famously rich you know," I cut in. 

"Listen, Dana…"

"-Great eye for things like decor and wonderful taste in wine…" I gave up and automatically tuned her out- thinking of nothing but the lead-like mashed potatoes that sat at the very bottom of my stomach. I rolled down my window, feeling ill at ease and woeful. Parties would be the death of me. 

"Now, we're coming up to the house now- don't forget to say hello and thank you, etcetera…." 

"Of course." I reassured her huge bushy red hair, I couldn't see her profile clearly because of it. 

"You know Jared, you worry me sometimes. You forget to have a good time."

"Thank you for your concern… I suppose" I mumbled.

"Come on now, before the sun comes up…" 

We struggled out of the car, I, feeling somewhat like a swimmer who's come up for air. The night was chilly and invisible ice crunched under my fancy, also borrowed, and devilishly cold shoes. The house was magnificent. Covered in multicolored lights the flat surfaced house stood tall and lumbering like a wave that might crash onto your head at any moment. The trim along the twelve windows looked like candy frosting and the double doors were painted electric blue. 

"Welcome, Mr. and Mrs.?" A man at the door wearing a tall party hat with 1982 wilting off the foam. 

"Keebler, we're not a couple." My mother in-law scooted past the man and I looked him up and down before remembering to say, 

"Thanks."

P.S The Great Gatsby really is a phenomenal piece of artwork, it is out on DVD and Blueray now. I highly recommend it!

Westwood.

Rain pelted the station's windows. The glass on the walls were filthy, I realized,  now that the rain drops plowing across the sparkling exterior highlighted the dirt. Small handprints and unknown smudges polluted the image to the outside. As I was staring quite aimlessly out of the station window a large, ungainly man came into focus beyond the rain spattered pane. He waved frantically at me and I felt my heart sink. He was unfamiliar, he was out of breath and seemed in a rush and he was most importantly waving a small white envelope. 

He was a man with a case, and no detective. 

A man with money and a case. I felt a tad bit happier and rose to greet him as he came sputtering into the station. 

"Bad spot of rain to be out in sir," I said in an effort to be kind, helping him out of his great coat. There was no tag- it was handmade, custom and very well taken care of by the way the water ran right off of the collar. 

"I know," he replied, disgruntled and wobbling with suppressed annoyance. As I got a chance to look him over I saw that his many chins were illustriously decorated with a necktie from Westwood and a series of expensive pins lined his lapel. One was obviously military but the rest were undefinable to me. 

"Do you happen to be the detective I was directed to find at platform eight?"

I was about to respond by stating the obvious but I decided against it and responded simply,

"Yes. I see you are in some trouble then..."

"I am in a vast amount of trouble. As you can see, I am not at my best but there is plenty of reason for that, as you will know. Come, let's get a cuppa somewhere and have a chat, shall we?" He seemed intelligent enough and although I knew he was marvelously rich, I didn't doubt that he had a good heart. 

P.S Sorry for the weird outline on this text, I couldn't remove it for some reason. Next post will be normal!

Asa.

This is a scene from a recent story I'm exploring. I felt like it created a mood so it's officially part of my description/setting experiment now. Enjoy!

...I decided in a second that no one could know Asa had been here. It was strange enough having my friend over when he was awkwardly invited. I had to hide him but how I was going to do that between the three seconds flat it took Maggie to thump downstairs, and ask grumpily what was for breakfast, was an impossible magic trick. I gave up.  Right on cue with my thought train, my little sister came downstairs, black hair an absolute mess and still clumsy with sleep; As soon as she saw Asa’s imposing frame leaning against the sink, she bolted straight back up stairs. She was gone so fast I could practically still see her when I blinked.

“She’s so annoying.” I said suddenly.

“It’s alright.”

“No, it’s weird. My little sister having a crush on anyone is fine but not you. She’s weird.”

“Whatever man. I guess I'll get outa your hair- I just came to tell you Heather was away. Oh, and also, that I got a text from my mom.”

I felt my jaw drop.

“Your mom?”

“Mhm.”

“When, exactly?”

“Around three A.M last night. Well, technically this mor-”

“What’d she say?”

Asa frowned because I had cut him off and took out his lighter again.

“She said she needed money. Fast.” Lighter on. He avoided looking at anything within a two foot radius of my body.

“Annnd are you gonna ask her where she is?” Lighter off. On again.

“Maybe.” Asa seemed insecure- undecided.

“She seemed scared. Very shorthand, very cryptic. Not that I’m used to her texting me all the time or something but…you know.” Asa gave me a long, hard look. I swallowed some cereal and found I wasn’t actually hungry anymore.

“What’s she doing texting you? She hasn’t seen you since-”

“Stop!” Asa’s eyes bulged slightly. He grabbed his glass out of the sink again and filled it.

“Let’s go to the park,” I said quietly, “We won’t have to worry about Maggie hearing anything there.” Asa dipped his head in agreement, swallowed, and dumped the glass out. 

--dh