I collapsed into the swivel chair with a sigh, leaning my head back to stare at the ceiling. Finally. A break from work, from customers, from everything. I closed my eyes, putting my aching feet up on the table.
Only an hour left. I told myself.
One more hour and I could go home and get away from the crazy that was work today. I could have kept going, I suppose. Gone right until the end of work and then sat down. But I took my chance when I finally had someone come in to cover me. Just a few minutes to sit down, to get away from the idiotic customers that thought they knew everything. To get away from responsibilities for just a sec--
"Tammie! Report to the Fish Wall Immediately!" Came Roger's voice over the intercom system.
I literally groaned out loud. "Seriously?" He knew I was on break! What could be 'so' important that it couldn't wait ten more freaking minutes?
Ten seconds went by. "Tammie, to the Fish wall. Now." Roger's voice repeated with a hint of panic.
I huffed, swinging my legs off the table and stood. If he'd forgotten how to bag fish again I was going to be so pissed.
I heard the water flowing from across the store. I frowned. Too loud. That was too loud. My steps quickened into a run as I glanced down one of the isles and saw a stream of water flowing out from under the fish tanks.
Oh no.
Oh no.
I dashed into the back to find a sopping Roger holding a towel desperately over a cracked pipe. "Tammie!" He cried in relief. "How do you turn this off?!" Water sprayed everywhere, despite his attempts to block the flow. Had more than one pipe burst? What had happened in the five minutes I'd been gone?
"Hold on." I said dashing past him, getting soaked myself in the process as I had to get on my stomach to reach under the fish system to the valve there. What a stupid place to put the thing. I twisted it, and slowly the flow from that pipe disappeared. But our old system appeared to have had it's last stand. Above both of us, another pipe suddenly cracked. Sending a fresh stream of water down upon our heads. I pushed myself up and, slipping on the water, dashed to the power and threw the lever. I couldn't do anything else at this point. We had to stop the system from running.
The filters went silent.
And finally the flowing water stopped as the pipes emptied. I brushed wet hair out of my eyes. "Well....this is unfortunate." I managed.
Roger nodded, "I-I'll...I'll go call--" He said shakily.
"Yah, better do that." I said, "I'll work on cleaning up the water."
We had to have had a mini lake out in the main store by now. It had to be cleaned up quickly or else who knew how much of our product would be ruined.
I must have looked like a crazy person running to the back of the store, dripping wet.
So much for getting off on time today, I thought grabbing a broom and a mop. Of course this had to happen the week our floor machine broke too, no easy way to suck up the water.
Time to get to work.....some more. Why couldn't this have waited until after I'd gone home for the day?
-Inspiration from work.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
The Flight to Freedom
His wings shone brighter than a full moon, nearly as blinding as the noon day sun. She crouched down in the shadows, fighting her instincts to run from the whiteness. To hide. To get away from the winged human -an angel- she'd heard it called, chained to the ground.
She edged forward, tense, ready to back away at the sound of her master coming back.
He looked up suddenly, his bright blue eyes latching onto her. She froze. forgetting to breathe as she fought the terror that rose up in her. This angel wasn't like her master at all. Different. Scary in another way. She'd been so quiet but somehow he'd heard her, had looked up. This, this was dangerous. She should run, she should. His eyes warmed suddenly, like the honey treat she'd been given long ago. "You shouldn't be here." He said quietly. His voice barely carrying to her sensitive ears.
She chewed on her bottom lip, nodding in agreement. She shouldn't be here. But neither should he. He was not meant for the ground. "Nor you." She managed to say. Human words were unfamiliar to her. The master had not seen it fit to teach her how to say them, only to hear them and obey.
His eyebrows rose. "You talk."
She gave a half shrug, looking over her shoulder. No she didn't. But apparently she'd said the right words. Edging closer to his chains, too close to him for comfort, he could kill her this close; she pulled out the key from a tangle of her hair. Hidden in plain sight. Always the best way to do hunting. She'd watched. Observed. She knew what to do. The key made a satisfying click as she turned it, opening the chains on his ankles. Open chains. Freed Angel. Danger for her. She darted backwards, to avoid contact with him, as he stood, wings spreading to their full extent.
"Go." She managed, ushering him upwards. "Go. Go. Go." He had to leave. She had to leave before the master discovered her treachery.
He darted forward before she could blink, grabbing her into his arms. "Not without you." He said, clamping a hand over her mouth before she could yelp. He jumped into the air, wings flapping strongly.
She let out a muffled shriek. No! No! Not off the ground. Too high too high! She cowered into him, clinging onto him as tightly as she could, burying her head against his chest. Too high, she would fall, she would not do well. Why was he taking her!
"You don't deserve to stay there either, little one." He whispered into her ear. "You'll be better off elsewhere."
She didn't believe that. To be away from the master was death! She'd had that knocked into her head hundreds of times. He was condemning her to death!
-Inspiration from a partial song lyric "an angel chained to the ground" heard on the radio.
She edged forward, tense, ready to back away at the sound of her master coming back.
He looked up suddenly, his bright blue eyes latching onto her. She froze. forgetting to breathe as she fought the terror that rose up in her. This angel wasn't like her master at all. Different. Scary in another way. She'd been so quiet but somehow he'd heard her, had looked up. This, this was dangerous. She should run, she should. His eyes warmed suddenly, like the honey treat she'd been given long ago. "You shouldn't be here." He said quietly. His voice barely carrying to her sensitive ears.
She chewed on her bottom lip, nodding in agreement. She shouldn't be here. But neither should he. He was not meant for the ground. "Nor you." She managed to say. Human words were unfamiliar to her. The master had not seen it fit to teach her how to say them, only to hear them and obey.
His eyebrows rose. "You talk."
She gave a half shrug, looking over her shoulder. No she didn't. But apparently she'd said the right words. Edging closer to his chains, too close to him for comfort, he could kill her this close; she pulled out the key from a tangle of her hair. Hidden in plain sight. Always the best way to do hunting. She'd watched. Observed. She knew what to do. The key made a satisfying click as she turned it, opening the chains on his ankles. Open chains. Freed Angel. Danger for her. She darted backwards, to avoid contact with him, as he stood, wings spreading to their full extent.
"Go." She managed, ushering him upwards. "Go. Go. Go." He had to leave. She had to leave before the master discovered her treachery.
He darted forward before she could blink, grabbing her into his arms. "Not without you." He said, clamping a hand over her mouth before she could yelp. He jumped into the air, wings flapping strongly.
She let out a muffled shriek. No! No! Not off the ground. Too high too high! She cowered into him, clinging onto him as tightly as she could, burying her head against his chest. Too high, she would fall, she would not do well. Why was he taking her!
"You don't deserve to stay there either, little one." He whispered into her ear. "You'll be better off elsewhere."
She didn't believe that. To be away from the master was death! She'd had that knocked into her head hundreds of times. He was condemning her to death!
-Inspiration from a partial song lyric "an angel chained to the ground" heard on the radio.
Monday, March 28, 2016
Traveled
I couldn't get over it. This world. This WORLD! It was so similar, yet so different from my own. Yet, in many ways it felt like I'd come home. All my problems seemed so, so, small now that they were in a different universe entirely. I still had to face them some time. But for now....for now, it was good to be away from it all.
-Inspiration from watching the Supergirl/Flash crossover
-Inspiration from watching the Supergirl/Flash crossover
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Secret Hero
I adjusted the buttons at my wrist once more, as I waited for the elevator doors to open. There was nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing whatsoever, I told myself for the millionth time. I could act normal. Be normal. Be myself. Nobody would notice my injuries because I always wore long sleeve shirts to work, I wouldn't stand out, nobody would know I'd helped to save the super heroes from being defeated by Ghirar. From all appearances, they had pulled a victory at the last second. Saving the city once again. I exhaled, yes. For all intents and purposes, I was never there. Nobody would know I was there. So why was I freaking out about this?
-Inspiration from watching Rise of the Guardians.
-Inspiration from watching Rise of the Guardians.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Lives on the Line
"Hey, Hey, Honey, look at me. Look at me." I told her, struggling against the ropes holding me to the chair. "Just at me. It's going to be alright. We're going to be fine."
Noelle swallowed, her chest heaving with suppressed sobs. Her mascara ran down her face, as her desperate grey eyes held onto mine. "Tony." She whispered.
"It's going to be alright Jazzie. We'll get through this." I had no idea how we were going to make this out alive. Kidnapped. Tied up. Injured. Thanks to some crazy lady.
"We're going to be fine."
"Fine? You look less than fine, cutie."
I tensed, think of the devil and so she appeared.
"Let us go." I told her. "We've done nothing to you."
She laughed, sending chills up my spine.
"Nothing? Na-ah-ahuh-thing?" She repeated in a sing song voice, trailing a long manicured fingernail along my jaw. "Ah, cutie pa tootie, you've done everything. Everything to me." She flashed a smile, brilliant white teeth, but her breath put a garbage dump to shame.
"We don't even know you!"
"Of course not! But your happiness has wronged me!" She hissed, her nails digging into my cheek, before she whirled to Jazzlyn. "How could you two be Sooo happy when I was supposed to be this happy! It's not fair!"
"We had to work at it." Jazzlyn said raising her head even as she trembled. "It wasn't all good--"
"But you have Each Other!' Crazy woman cried. "Everyone I've cared about." She pulled out two guns, pointing one at the each of us.
"No!" I cried.
"Has been taken away from me." Her eyes glinted. "Now...I get to take away everyone's happiness from them!"
"You don't have to do this."
She laughed, throwing her head back. "Oh, Oh you poor delusional fool." She said cocking the gun, finger on the trigger. "I do."
"Stop!" I threw myself against my bonds.
A bang.
A flash of fire.
Jazzie's scream.
Agony exploding in my chest, like a firework on steroids.
Jazzy....jazzy....jazzy....
-Inspiration from watching Arrow
Noelle swallowed, her chest heaving with suppressed sobs. Her mascara ran down her face, as her desperate grey eyes held onto mine. "Tony." She whispered.
"It's going to be alright Jazzie. We'll get through this." I had no idea how we were going to make this out alive. Kidnapped. Tied up. Injured. Thanks to some crazy lady.
"We're going to be fine."
"Fine? You look less than fine, cutie."
I tensed, think of the devil and so she appeared.
"Let us go." I told her. "We've done nothing to you."
She laughed, sending chills up my spine.
"Nothing? Na-ah-ahuh-thing?" She repeated in a sing song voice, trailing a long manicured fingernail along my jaw. "Ah, cutie pa tootie, you've done everything. Everything to me." She flashed a smile, brilliant white teeth, but her breath put a garbage dump to shame.
"We don't even know you!"
"Of course not! But your happiness has wronged me!" She hissed, her nails digging into my cheek, before she whirled to Jazzlyn. "How could you two be Sooo happy when I was supposed to be this happy! It's not fair!"
"We had to work at it." Jazzlyn said raising her head even as she trembled. "It wasn't all good--"
"But you have Each Other!' Crazy woman cried. "Everyone I've cared about." She pulled out two guns, pointing one at the each of us.
"No!" I cried.
"Has been taken away from me." Her eyes glinted. "Now...I get to take away everyone's happiness from them!"
"You don't have to do this."
She laughed, throwing her head back. "Oh, Oh you poor delusional fool." She said cocking the gun, finger on the trigger. "I do."
"Stop!" I threw myself against my bonds.
A bang.
A flash of fire.
Jazzie's scream.
Agony exploding in my chest, like a firework on steroids.
Jazzy....jazzy....jazzy....
-Inspiration from watching Arrow
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Achy Breaky Head
"Come on, it can't be that bad!" I said in exasperation. So her head ached. So what? "You can't be so simple of a creature to be weakened by an achy head."
She grimaced at me. "Guess I'm simple." She said leaning her head against the wall, massaging her temples. "I can't....I need to sit down." She said turning.
I caught her arm before she could slide to the ground. "We have to move!"
"and if I take another step I'm going to vomit all over your nice shoes." She said jerking her arm in my grip.
I growled. "I don't have time for this!" I grabbed her head. Holding my fingers over her temples. I concentrated, seeking for this 'headache.'
It was like stirring a vipers nest. The headache lashed out at me like a coiled black lightning bolt. Darting into my own head before I could stop it.
I gasped, letting go in shock, staggering back. This....this was a headache?
All of a sudden my already enhanced senses increased by twelve.
The smells, the sounds.
Vomit? How could she not be trying to tear her head apart? I could hardly see with all the squiggly lines crossing my vision.
I flinched as her hand, too warm, grabbed mine. "What did you do?" She asked, pulling at me. Looking more energized than I'd ever seen her.
"Something stupid apparently." I groaned, closing my eyes. That helped with the vision. But the rest? It felt like a clawed demon had moved into my head and was kneading my brain with gusto. "This...is a headache?"
"Yah." She tugged at my arm. "Come on, you said we have to move. Surely such a thing can't weaken such a high and mighty creature."
I opened my eyes enough to glare at her and she flashed one of those heart stopping smiles. "Guess we'll see." I took a firmer grip on her hand and pushed away from the wall. I would be stronger than this thing. I would get us both to safety. "Come on." I said tugging at her, she came much more willingly now. Keeping up with me easily. Which was unfortunate. I should be able to out pace her. I kept my head as still as possible, difficult to do when running, as we navigated the passageways.
As soon as our lives weren't in immediate danger, I was going to get this 'headache' out of me.
-Inspiration from personal experience suffering from a headache that won't go away.
She grimaced at me. "Guess I'm simple." She said leaning her head against the wall, massaging her temples. "I can't....I need to sit down." She said turning.
I caught her arm before she could slide to the ground. "We have to move!"
"and if I take another step I'm going to vomit all over your nice shoes." She said jerking her arm in my grip.
I growled. "I don't have time for this!" I grabbed her head. Holding my fingers over her temples. I concentrated, seeking for this 'headache.'
It was like stirring a vipers nest. The headache lashed out at me like a coiled black lightning bolt. Darting into my own head before I could stop it.
I gasped, letting go in shock, staggering back. This....this was a headache?
All of a sudden my already enhanced senses increased by twelve.
The smells, the sounds.
Vomit? How could she not be trying to tear her head apart? I could hardly see with all the squiggly lines crossing my vision.
I flinched as her hand, too warm, grabbed mine. "What did you do?" She asked, pulling at me. Looking more energized than I'd ever seen her.
"Something stupid apparently." I groaned, closing my eyes. That helped with the vision. But the rest? It felt like a clawed demon had moved into my head and was kneading my brain with gusto. "This...is a headache?"
"Yah." She tugged at my arm. "Come on, you said we have to move. Surely such a thing can't weaken such a high and mighty creature."
I opened my eyes enough to glare at her and she flashed one of those heart stopping smiles. "Guess we'll see." I took a firmer grip on her hand and pushed away from the wall. I would be stronger than this thing. I would get us both to safety. "Come on." I said tugging at her, she came much more willingly now. Keeping up with me easily. Which was unfortunate. I should be able to out pace her. I kept my head as still as possible, difficult to do when running, as we navigated the passageways.
As soon as our lives weren't in immediate danger, I was going to get this 'headache' out of me.
-Inspiration from personal experience suffering from a headache that won't go away.
Monday, March 21, 2016
Musical Reminder
I let the melody surround me as I played.
I hadn't even liked the guy.
Okay, not at first.
But the last twenty-four hours when I'd been stuck with him....
I'd grown....fond. And I don't grow fond of people that quickly.
I frowned, adjusting the melody on the piano, from angry to more melancholy.
I hadn't liked him.
But....we'd had a few similar interests.
Like the piano. I glanced down at the ivory keys, remembering his own hands flying over them just hours before. Hours. It felt like a lifetime. How could a man have changed my life so quickly. How could he have found a place in my limited circle of admiration to stand. We'd been so different. Yet...I'd liked him.
I exhaled, letting the melody drift to a close.
And now....I would never see him again.
-Inspiration from watching Lucifer: A Priest Walks Into a Bar
I hadn't even liked the guy.
Okay, not at first.
But the last twenty-four hours when I'd been stuck with him....
I'd grown....fond. And I don't grow fond of people that quickly.
I frowned, adjusting the melody on the piano, from angry to more melancholy.
I hadn't liked him.
But....we'd had a few similar interests.
Like the piano. I glanced down at the ivory keys, remembering his own hands flying over them just hours before. Hours. It felt like a lifetime. How could a man have changed my life so quickly. How could he have found a place in my limited circle of admiration to stand. We'd been so different. Yet...I'd liked him.
I exhaled, letting the melody drift to a close.
And now....I would never see him again.
-Inspiration from watching Lucifer: A Priest Walks Into a Bar
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Trapped Alone
The noise reminded me of firecrackers going off on the Fourth of July. A series of small explosions that echoed around me. I'd only begun to look up, when I was struck on the head, and to be cliché, had my world go black on me.
A line of lava seemed to be running down my head, as I stirred. I opened my eyes, the colors and shapes blurring around me before snapping into focus. I winced closing my eyes. Too bright. I struggled, gasping for breath as I tried to push myself up off my stomach, to move my arm to touch my aching head, but I was prevented. Cautiously opening my eyes against glare of the sun against the rocks, I cautiously twisted my head aware of the streak of lava there. Injured there. I groaned softly, working to not hyperventilate. Rocks. Debris. Pinning me down. Trapped.
I was trapped! Alone. In the middle of nowhere.
-Inspiration from reading an article about an arch partially collapsing. Musing about what would have happened had someone been under it.
A line of lava seemed to be running down my head, as I stirred. I opened my eyes, the colors and shapes blurring around me before snapping into focus. I winced closing my eyes. Too bright. I struggled, gasping for breath as I tried to push myself up off my stomach, to move my arm to touch my aching head, but I was prevented. Cautiously opening my eyes against glare of the sun against the rocks, I cautiously twisted my head aware of the streak of lava there. Injured there. I groaned softly, working to not hyperventilate. Rocks. Debris. Pinning me down. Trapped.
I was trapped! Alone. In the middle of nowhere.
-Inspiration from reading an article about an arch partially collapsing. Musing about what would have happened had someone been under it.
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Vanished
"The train never stops, but the man vanishes." he said. "There's no side tunnels, no stops, he's gone."
I frowned, grabbing the mouse from him to scroll through the video. That couldn't be right. It's impossible for a man to just disappear like that. Yet that was exactly how it appeared. Timing was right, the number of cars on the train stayed the same.
"Impossible." I muttered, watching the footage. There had to be something here. Something to indicate how one man on an empty train could just...vanish. Honestly, this would be so much easier if there were cameras on the train itself. Anything could have happened in that seven minute gap between stations. Anything. We had a missing person here, and no idea what happened. "Have you scanned the footage"
"To all the other entrances to see if he left? Of course." he said in a tone that made it sound like I'd just insulted him. "This was the last stop. Everyone has to get off. The train goes on to the yard after this point. You can see here." He points. "The conductor walking along the aisle, checking to make sure everyone is off. He wouldn't leave someone there. Even if someone managed to avoid him, The cleaning crew would call if someone managed to make it to the yard. And the last incident reported was seven months back."
I tapped my fingers against my chin, frowning. "There has to be more to this." I turned abruptly away heading for the door.
"Where are you going?"
"I have a train to catch." Maybe being on the scene, taking the same journey would help solve the mystery.
-Inspiration from watching Sherlock Season 3 episode 1.
I frowned, grabbing the mouse from him to scroll through the video. That couldn't be right. It's impossible for a man to just disappear like that. Yet that was exactly how it appeared. Timing was right, the number of cars on the train stayed the same.
"Impossible." I muttered, watching the footage. There had to be something here. Something to indicate how one man on an empty train could just...vanish. Honestly, this would be so much easier if there were cameras on the train itself. Anything could have happened in that seven minute gap between stations. Anything. We had a missing person here, and no idea what happened. "Have you scanned the footage"
"To all the other entrances to see if he left? Of course." he said in a tone that made it sound like I'd just insulted him. "This was the last stop. Everyone has to get off. The train goes on to the yard after this point. You can see here." He points. "The conductor walking along the aisle, checking to make sure everyone is off. He wouldn't leave someone there. Even if someone managed to avoid him, The cleaning crew would call if someone managed to make it to the yard. And the last incident reported was seven months back."
I tapped my fingers against my chin, frowning. "There has to be more to this." I turned abruptly away heading for the door.
"Where are you going?"
"I have a train to catch." Maybe being on the scene, taking the same journey would help solve the mystery.
-Inspiration from watching Sherlock Season 3 episode 1.
Thoughts: Answer to disappearance would involve a magic of some sort. An introduction to a hidden world within our own. Maybe there's a 'magic portal' of sorts for 'special' folk. That takes them to a different station, to stop at, but while they're in this portal time doesn't shift so that the train still arrives on time to it's 'normal human' stops. This time there was just the misfortune of someone on camera noticing since the guy was the only one on the train. (possible Harry Potter esq connection. *shrugs*)
Friday, March 18, 2016
A Choice To Move On
"I thought you knew me!" Her once warm eyes now as cold as the stone beneath our feet. "I thought you loved me!"
"I thought I did too." I whispered. But I didn't recognize this creature before me that wore her face. The one who wanted me to kill the man tied to the chair in front of us. If she knew me at all, she would know that I never had any intention of killing the man who'd tormented me all my years I'd been a slave to him. I would not be like him. "I can't kill him."
"Yes you can! If you love me you will!" She screeched.
"If you love me at all you won't make me!"
Her eyes blazed, the knife in her hand coming up. "Coward."
"No."
"You're a coward, I give you the man who ruined your life! Who took away six years of your life! You can take his life in return!"
"For what Cause?" I demanded. "Yes. I hate him. But I'm not a killer!" I backed away towards the door.
"Don't you dare leave." She hissed, stepping forward. "Do this! Finish the job!"
"No. It's over." I told her. "This. And us. I'm done." I dashed out the door, hearing the thunk of the knife on wood just behind me.
I ran into the night. Heart breaking even as it raced with adrenaline, hearing her howl my name into the night. What had I just nearly gotten myself into??
-Inspiration from watching Daredevil Season 2
"I thought I did too." I whispered. But I didn't recognize this creature before me that wore her face. The one who wanted me to kill the man tied to the chair in front of us. If she knew me at all, she would know that I never had any intention of killing the man who'd tormented me all my years I'd been a slave to him. I would not be like him. "I can't kill him."
"Yes you can! If you love me you will!" She screeched.
"If you love me at all you won't make me!"
Her eyes blazed, the knife in her hand coming up. "Coward."
"No."
"You're a coward, I give you the man who ruined your life! Who took away six years of your life! You can take his life in return!"
"For what Cause?" I demanded. "Yes. I hate him. But I'm not a killer!" I backed away towards the door.
"Don't you dare leave." She hissed, stepping forward. "Do this! Finish the job!"
"No. It's over." I told her. "This. And us. I'm done." I dashed out the door, hearing the thunk of the knife on wood just behind me.
I ran into the night. Heart breaking even as it raced with adrenaline, hearing her howl my name into the night. What had I just nearly gotten myself into??
-Inspiration from watching Daredevil Season 2
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Getting My Own Life
There are a million faces like mine.
Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if the number had now reached two million,
With the rate that original made copies of himself, it's hard to know for sure.
A million copies that look exactly like him.
A million copies to do whatever stupid stunt he wanted them to do for 'science.'
That's why I had survived so long.
I wasn't as stupid as my other clone brothers.
Willing to follow his directions like lemmings off a cliff.
No wonder there were a million faces like mine.
There had to be.
Because my original couldn't accomplish everything he did otherwise.
I just wished...that he'd actually see us as real people for once.
I stood in line, keeping my expression neutral as Original walked through the ranks. Pencil tapping at his chin as he decided who his next victim would be.
I never understood this morning process. If we all looked exactly alike, dressed exactly alike.
What was there to decide between? Why not just pick the first clone closest to him for his mad schemes?
Of course, his indecision was possibly the only reason why I had survived getting chosen for this long.
I held my breath as he walked past yet again, keeping my eyes forward. I needed an escape. A way to get out of this death trap. To actually be someone besides a number. To have a name of my own. To get out of my creator's thumb and have my own life. I wasn't just a mindless clone. I was me. And I very much wanted to stay alive to discover more of who I was and how I was not exactly a clone to the Original.
-Inspiration from watching Inside Out -Imaginary Boyfriend
Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if the number had now reached two million,
With the rate that original made copies of himself, it's hard to know for sure.
A million copies that look exactly like him.
A million copies to do whatever stupid stunt he wanted them to do for 'science.'
That's why I had survived so long.
I wasn't as stupid as my other clone brothers.
Willing to follow his directions like lemmings off a cliff.
No wonder there were a million faces like mine.
There had to be.
Because my original couldn't accomplish everything he did otherwise.
I just wished...that he'd actually see us as real people for once.
I stood in line, keeping my expression neutral as Original walked through the ranks. Pencil tapping at his chin as he decided who his next victim would be.
I never understood this morning process. If we all looked exactly alike, dressed exactly alike.
What was there to decide between? Why not just pick the first clone closest to him for his mad schemes?
Of course, his indecision was possibly the only reason why I had survived getting chosen for this long.
I held my breath as he walked past yet again, keeping my eyes forward. I needed an escape. A way to get out of this death trap. To actually be someone besides a number. To have a name of my own. To get out of my creator's thumb and have my own life. I wasn't just a mindless clone. I was me. And I very much wanted to stay alive to discover more of who I was and how I was not exactly a clone to the Original.
-Inspiration from watching Inside Out -Imaginary Boyfriend
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Stranded
"Your car must be the one I saw on the side of the road."
I managed a smile, though inside I wanted to throttle her. "Possibly, I suppose there aren't many cars still out in the park in this weather."
"It's a good thing I came along then." Her eyes sparkled, giving away her concern for malice. I was 99% sure that she'd was the cause for my dead battery. I could have sworn I saw her ugly grey Honda driving along this road earlier on the day when I was up on the overlook.
I nodded. "Yah, it would be nice to get into some dry clothes." I would look forward to that at least. The long drive back to my place would be intoler---
"Hmmm." She leaned back in her seat. "Well....good luck then." She wiggled her fingers at my gapping face, laughing as she squealed her tires, kicking up mud and water into my face as she sped away.
I...I couldn't believe it! Had she really....really just left me? Alone. In the middle of nowhere. IN A RAIN STORM?!
How could she be so....sooo EVIL?!
-Inspiration from watching Pride and Prejudice -Pink Bible version.
I managed a smile, though inside I wanted to throttle her. "Possibly, I suppose there aren't many cars still out in the park in this weather."
"It's a good thing I came along then." Her eyes sparkled, giving away her concern for malice. I was 99% sure that she'd was the cause for my dead battery. I could have sworn I saw her ugly grey Honda driving along this road earlier on the day when I was up on the overlook.
I nodded. "Yah, it would be nice to get into some dry clothes." I would look forward to that at least. The long drive back to my place would be intoler---
"Hmmm." She leaned back in her seat. "Well....good luck then." She wiggled her fingers at my gapping face, laughing as she squealed her tires, kicking up mud and water into my face as she sped away.
I...I couldn't believe it! Had she really....really just left me? Alone. In the middle of nowhere. IN A RAIN STORM?!
How could she be so....sooo EVIL?!
-Inspiration from watching Pride and Prejudice -Pink Bible version.
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
I Betrayed You
I couldn't control me. My anger, the hatred, all the bad thoughts I would keep down, dismiss, not worry about. It had all boiled to the surface.
The result?"
I'd become a monster.
Tears welled in my eyes even before I opened them. My throat constricted and dry. The nightmare had ended, I could feel that. I was back in control. I had my emotions...the bad ones...in check once more.
I...I didn't want to wake up though.
My reality had become a living nightmare. One I didn't want to live in.
I sat up slowly, wincing as my shoulder twinged. I'd hurt that pretty bad, but not as bad...I couldn't look at the faces of the people around me. I sensed they were on the defensive, ready to attack me if I decided to attack them. In one swift day. I swallowed, pivoting slowly on the bed, away from them letting my hair cover my face. "I'm alright....now." I said, knowing that I didn't sound alright at all. But I had to give them something. Some sort of comfort even if it was for nothing. I hugged myself tightly, wishing the memories of my actions wouldn't be so fresh in my mind. Knowing that...that I'd...I'd killed....tears ran down my cheeks.
"Are you sure?" A stranger asked me. "You're not feeling...murderous now?"
I flinched. "I'm sure." I told him in a wobbly voice. "Please....leave....please."
******
I fell to my knees, in front of the freshly filled graves. The headstones too shiny, too new. I couldn't see the names carved there, blurred by my tears.
Shaking in agony. I knew who was there. And each grave drove a barbed spike into my heart. Jimmy my closest friend, Hunter my crush, Avery my other best friend, Little Bill my brother, and my Father Jean.
Gone.
Dead.
Buried.
Because of me.
Because of me.
******
"Don't I know you?"
"Probably, wish you didn't though." I muttered, my hoodie further down to hide my face. I wished nobody knew who I was. Nobody would have gotten hurt if I'd just stayed a nobody instead of trying to make a difference in the world. I should have just dug my own grave and hid in there. I didn't even know why I still lived, still tried to help others...
Okay I knew. I couldn't face my family and friends on the other side. I couldn't bear to have them think of me as a monster. I just...just wanted to prove that I was as good as I....but how could I be good....after....after everything?
-Inspiration -From watching Supergirl -Red Kryptonite.
The result?"
I'd become a monster.
Tears welled in my eyes even before I opened them. My throat constricted and dry. The nightmare had ended, I could feel that. I was back in control. I had my emotions...the bad ones...in check once more.
I...I didn't want to wake up though.
My reality had become a living nightmare. One I didn't want to live in.
I sat up slowly, wincing as my shoulder twinged. I'd hurt that pretty bad, but not as bad...I couldn't look at the faces of the people around me. I sensed they were on the defensive, ready to attack me if I decided to attack them. In one swift day. I swallowed, pivoting slowly on the bed, away from them letting my hair cover my face. "I'm alright....now." I said, knowing that I didn't sound alright at all. But I had to give them something. Some sort of comfort even if it was for nothing. I hugged myself tightly, wishing the memories of my actions wouldn't be so fresh in my mind. Knowing that...that I'd...I'd killed....tears ran down my cheeks.
"Are you sure?" A stranger asked me. "You're not feeling...murderous now?"
I flinched. "I'm sure." I told him in a wobbly voice. "Please....leave....please."
******
I fell to my knees, in front of the freshly filled graves. The headstones too shiny, too new. I couldn't see the names carved there, blurred by my tears.
Shaking in agony. I knew who was there. And each grave drove a barbed spike into my heart. Jimmy my closest friend, Hunter my crush, Avery my other best friend, Little Bill my brother, and my Father Jean.
Gone.
Dead.
Buried.
Because of me.
Because of me.
******
"Don't I know you?"
"Probably, wish you didn't though." I muttered, my hoodie further down to hide my face. I wished nobody knew who I was. Nobody would have gotten hurt if I'd just stayed a nobody instead of trying to make a difference in the world. I should have just dug my own grave and hid in there. I didn't even know why I still lived, still tried to help others...
Okay I knew. I couldn't face my family and friends on the other side. I couldn't bear to have them think of me as a monster. I just...just wanted to prove that I was as good as I....but how could I be good....after....after everything?
-Inspiration -From watching Supergirl -Red Kryptonite.
Monday, March 14, 2016
The Fall Through
"What were you thinking! Going out with someone like that?" My Aunt demanded.
"Someone like what?" I asked, brushing past her, regretting coming home. If I'd known she'd drive all the way across town to see me, I would have stayed out all night. Couldn't I get any peace with my world melting down around me?
"A Rich Man!" She denounced.
"What does his money have to do with anything?"
"Were you not dating him for--"
"No!" I said turning to her. "I dated him because I LIKED him. Money had nothing to do with it." Sure, it would be nice. Sure, to have money would be great. Especially when I was...I had been living pay check to pay check. Now without my job thanks to his jealous ex girlfriend, I needed to find a new job and fast.
She shook her finger in my face. "Do not lie to me little girl! You cannot believe your Cinderella dreams will come true. You want money you have to work. Work. Work!"
"I know, Auntie Meg. You've told me that a hundred times."
"And I'll tell you a thousand more until it gets into your thick skull. "You cannot skip a head in li--"
The doorbell rang. And my heart leapt in relief. Some reason to get out of this conversation. To not have my dreams crushed even more so.
I dashed for the door. "I got it." It was my apartment, of course I would get it. Whoever it was, they were a lifesaver.
-Inspiration from watching Maid in Manhattan
"Someone like what?" I asked, brushing past her, regretting coming home. If I'd known she'd drive all the way across town to see me, I would have stayed out all night. Couldn't I get any peace with my world melting down around me?
"A Rich Man!" She denounced.
"What does his money have to do with anything?"
"Were you not dating him for--"
"No!" I said turning to her. "I dated him because I LIKED him. Money had nothing to do with it." Sure, it would be nice. Sure, to have money would be great. Especially when I was...I had been living pay check to pay check. Now without my job thanks to his jealous ex girlfriend, I needed to find a new job and fast.
She shook her finger in my face. "Do not lie to me little girl! You cannot believe your Cinderella dreams will come true. You want money you have to work. Work. Work!"
"I know, Auntie Meg. You've told me that a hundred times."
"And I'll tell you a thousand more until it gets into your thick skull. "You cannot skip a head in li--"
The doorbell rang. And my heart leapt in relief. Some reason to get out of this conversation. To not have my dreams crushed even more so.
I dashed for the door. "I got it." It was my apartment, of course I would get it. Whoever it was, they were a lifesaver.
-Inspiration from watching Maid in Manhattan
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Canyon Smashing
I looked up as I heard the crunch of tires on the loose rock. A rusted little chevy pulled past my truck, to park on the far edge of the parking lot. Away from the trailhead. I frowned, as a young woman stepped out, dark hair pulled up in a high ponytail. It was a bit late in the day for hikers to start on this particular trail. The sun would be behind the mountains in another thirty minutes or so, and the hike itself would take at least two hours.
I leaned on the steering wheel of my truck, watching as she pulled out not one, or two, but four pumpkins from the trunk. Awkwardly carrying them one on the ground by a picnic table. Obviously heavy, but with how she handled them, she'd done this before.
I frowned. This just kept getting weirder. Halloween had been a couple of weeks ago. There was no party going on here. So why in the world would this woman be by herself with four pumpkins?
The thought that she was about to perform a cult ritual crossed my mind, as she set them up in a circle.
She then pulled out a bat from her trunk and stood in the middle of them. She went perfectly still for two seconds. Then shrieked, like a pterodactyl and swung the bat. Smashing into the first pumpkin sending guts and seeds flying in all directions.
My eyebrows rose so high they probably disappeared under my hairline. What in the world!?!
Shrieking continuously. She spun hitting each pumpkin time and time again. Smashing them into a mushy mess that resembled more slime than pumpkin.
I got out of my truck, cautiously approaching her. No need for me to get hit with the bat. "That's one way to take out your anger." I remarked. She spun to face me. Bat held up in a batter's swing. She was basically orange from head to toe. "What did the pumpkins ever do to you?"
She frowned. "Nothing." She turned away, smashing another pumpkin peace. "I'll clean it up. Go away."
"Sure you don't need help?"
"I got it."
I shook my head. "Maybe talking out your problems to a stranger would help?"
"No." She didn't even look at me.
I raised my hands slowly. "Alright....well....if you need me, I'll be over in my truck...you know on the other side of the parking lot."
"I won't need you." She said tersely. "Bye."
-Inspiration from a talk in Church. The speaker's friend deals with anger by taking pumpkins up the canyon and smashing them.
I leaned on the steering wheel of my truck, watching as she pulled out not one, or two, but four pumpkins from the trunk. Awkwardly carrying them one on the ground by a picnic table. Obviously heavy, but with how she handled them, she'd done this before.
I frowned. This just kept getting weirder. Halloween had been a couple of weeks ago. There was no party going on here. So why in the world would this woman be by herself with four pumpkins?
The thought that she was about to perform a cult ritual crossed my mind, as she set them up in a circle.
She then pulled out a bat from her trunk and stood in the middle of them. She went perfectly still for two seconds. Then shrieked, like a pterodactyl and swung the bat. Smashing into the first pumpkin sending guts and seeds flying in all directions.
My eyebrows rose so high they probably disappeared under my hairline. What in the world!?!
Shrieking continuously. She spun hitting each pumpkin time and time again. Smashing them into a mushy mess that resembled more slime than pumpkin.
I got out of my truck, cautiously approaching her. No need for me to get hit with the bat. "That's one way to take out your anger." I remarked. She spun to face me. Bat held up in a batter's swing. She was basically orange from head to toe. "What did the pumpkins ever do to you?"
She frowned. "Nothing." She turned away, smashing another pumpkin peace. "I'll clean it up. Go away."
"Sure you don't need help?"
"I got it."
I shook my head. "Maybe talking out your problems to a stranger would help?"
"No." She didn't even look at me.
I raised my hands slowly. "Alright....well....if you need me, I'll be over in my truck...you know on the other side of the parking lot."
"I won't need you." She said tersely. "Bye."
-Inspiration from a talk in Church. The speaker's friend deals with anger by taking pumpkins up the canyon and smashing them.
Saturday, March 12, 2016
No More Music
The lid shut over the pearly piano keys with a quiet click.
With a wistful smile, she brushed her hand over the smooth dark wood, the final note she'd played on the piano still ringing in her ears.
She loved this piano.
Unfortunately, where she was going, she couldn't take it with her. Too big, too bulky. She could hardly move it here in the house, let alone carry it away from it.
She turned away from her only joy in this place, adjusting the strings of her bonnet.
Head held high, she glided from the room without a second look, heart fluttering violently in her throat.
No one ever did this.
No one would ever leave like this.
But if she didn't leave.
Didn't take a step for herself.
She would die. She couldn't live like this anymore. Live this horrible life.
Her hand shook as she raised it to hail a city carriage.
At any moment she expected to be caught. For someone to realize what she was about.
She plastered a smile on her face. "To the Opera, Please." She said, stepping inside.
She always went to the Opera at this time.
To listen to the musicians, the players, the performances.
She'd dreamt of performing there.
No longer.
Her habits would be her solace. No one would suspect....
She cut off the thought.
Silly to think anyone could read her mind, but if she thought about it, maybe someone would realize. And she couldn't have that.
-Inspiration from watching Episode 3 of Murder Maps. -Seeing the lid shut on the piano.
With a wistful smile, she brushed her hand over the smooth dark wood, the final note she'd played on the piano still ringing in her ears.
She loved this piano.
Unfortunately, where she was going, she couldn't take it with her. Too big, too bulky. She could hardly move it here in the house, let alone carry it away from it.
She turned away from her only joy in this place, adjusting the strings of her bonnet.
Head held high, she glided from the room without a second look, heart fluttering violently in her throat.
No one ever did this.
No one would ever leave like this.
But if she didn't leave.
Didn't take a step for herself.
She would die. She couldn't live like this anymore. Live this horrible life.
Her hand shook as she raised it to hail a city carriage.
At any moment she expected to be caught. For someone to realize what she was about.
She plastered a smile on her face. "To the Opera, Please." She said, stepping inside.
She always went to the Opera at this time.
To listen to the musicians, the players, the performances.
She'd dreamt of performing there.
No longer.
Her habits would be her solace. No one would suspect....
She cut off the thought.
Silly to think anyone could read her mind, but if she thought about it, maybe someone would realize. And she couldn't have that.
-Inspiration from watching Episode 3 of Murder Maps. -Seeing the lid shut on the piano.
Friday, March 11, 2016
Far From Home
I pulled back in the shadows as everyone ran by, all calling my name. All searching for me.
They didn't need to find me. They couldn't find me.
I exhaled, listening to them get further away.
"Ted."
Victor touched my shoulder. I flinched, shying away.
"Go." I whispered harshly. It shouldn't have surprised me that he found me.
He shook his head. "You can't do this alone."
"I have to."
"You don't."
"Vic, I'm no good to you anymore. I can't protect you like this!"
He smirked. "Then I guess I'll have to protect you now huh?" He jerked his head in the opposite direction. "Come on." He tugged at me. "We need to go before the idiot scientists actually figure out what we're up to."
-Inspiration from watching Fantastic 4 (the new movie.)
They didn't need to find me. They couldn't find me.
I exhaled, listening to them get further away.
"Ted."
Victor touched my shoulder. I flinched, shying away.
"Go." I whispered harshly. It shouldn't have surprised me that he found me.
He shook his head. "You can't do this alone."
"I have to."
"You don't."
"Vic, I'm no good to you anymore. I can't protect you like this!"
He smirked. "Then I guess I'll have to protect you now huh?" He jerked his head in the opposite direction. "Come on." He tugged at me. "We need to go before the idiot scientists actually figure out what we're up to."
-Inspiration from watching Fantastic 4 (the new movie.)
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Leaving Him
I had every intention of going back when I got into my car.
I forced myself to smile at my husband as he stared at me from the doorway. Giving him a reassuring wave. I was only going to be gone for a couple of days. I would be back soon enough.
It became more difficult to keep the smile as his frown deepened, his dark eyes burning into mine, and I couldn't but feel like I had already betrayed him. He hadn't wanted me to go on this trip. Not alone. Leaving him was the last option, but we had to do it.
He was concerned about me driving by myself, and I was concerned too. I'd never made a long drive by myself before. But his work wouldn't allow him to take the time off to travel with me.
But somebody needed to go finish filling out the paperwork to finally sell off our old townhouse. And since he couldn't leave, and the new owners wanted to move in ASAP....it was left to me.
I clenched the steering wheel. I would mess this up, he believed I would. That we wouldn't get the money we needed to from the house. My shoulders hunched. My husband wouldn't be happy when I got home. He never seemed to be happy anymore, no matter what I did. I couldn't make him happy like I used to.
Please....please....let me be able to do this one thing right. I would go over the paperwork eight times, reading every single word making sure it was all to standard and fine.
This would be fine.
I could do this.
I drove off into the morning sun, my breathing coming unsteadily as I got further and further away from my husband. I would be back. I would be back. Triumphant. With every 'i' dotted and 't' crossed, and he would smile at me like he used to. Hold me close, tenderly kiss me and tell me how amazing I was. He would be happy, when I returned.
I wouldn't return.
*****
The flashing blue and red lights were my first indication that someone had finally stopped to help me.
They reflected in the snow, nearly blinding me as I looked up from my huddled position beside the flat tire I'd tried fruitlessly to remove from my little Honda.
I probably looked like a deranged lunatic, I knew my mascara had run by the black streaks on my hands.
"Ma'am" The officer called as he got out of his car. "Are you alright?"
My throat was so clogged from sobbing that I couldn't do more than shake my head.
I was hopeless. Fresh tears flowed from my aching eyes. I'd known that I shouldn't have taken this journey by myself. Would my husband have gotten a flat tire? No, he wouldn't have. I must have driven over a nail, a piece of glass, a sharp rock. And gotten myself into this mess. My husband would have avoided any thing that would pierce the tire. If he'd gotten a flat tire he would have had it fixed in no time at all.
(What if the husband purposely made the tire go flat in the first place?)
I couldn't even call for help! My phone had died on the journey because I'd been a fool and not realized it would be searching for a cell signal the entire time I navigated my way through the mountains. My first venture out by myself since before I got married, and I was failing miserably at it.
-Inspiration from a blog post.
I forced myself to smile at my husband as he stared at me from the doorway. Giving him a reassuring wave. I was only going to be gone for a couple of days. I would be back soon enough.
It became more difficult to keep the smile as his frown deepened, his dark eyes burning into mine, and I couldn't but feel like I had already betrayed him. He hadn't wanted me to go on this trip. Not alone. Leaving him was the last option, but we had to do it.
He was concerned about me driving by myself, and I was concerned too. I'd never made a long drive by myself before. But his work wouldn't allow him to take the time off to travel with me.
But somebody needed to go finish filling out the paperwork to finally sell off our old townhouse. And since he couldn't leave, and the new owners wanted to move in ASAP....it was left to me.
I clenched the steering wheel. I would mess this up, he believed I would. That we wouldn't get the money we needed to from the house. My shoulders hunched. My husband wouldn't be happy when I got home. He never seemed to be happy anymore, no matter what I did. I couldn't make him happy like I used to.
Please....please....let me be able to do this one thing right. I would go over the paperwork eight times, reading every single word making sure it was all to standard and fine.
This would be fine.
I could do this.
I drove off into the morning sun, my breathing coming unsteadily as I got further and further away from my husband. I would be back. I would be back. Triumphant. With every 'i' dotted and 't' crossed, and he would smile at me like he used to. Hold me close, tenderly kiss me and tell me how amazing I was. He would be happy, when I returned.
I wouldn't return.
*****
The flashing blue and red lights were my first indication that someone had finally stopped to help me.
They reflected in the snow, nearly blinding me as I looked up from my huddled position beside the flat tire I'd tried fruitlessly to remove from my little Honda.
I probably looked like a deranged lunatic, I knew my mascara had run by the black streaks on my hands.
"Ma'am" The officer called as he got out of his car. "Are you alright?"
My throat was so clogged from sobbing that I couldn't do more than shake my head.
I was hopeless. Fresh tears flowed from my aching eyes. I'd known that I shouldn't have taken this journey by myself. Would my husband have gotten a flat tire? No, he wouldn't have. I must have driven over a nail, a piece of glass, a sharp rock. And gotten myself into this mess. My husband would have avoided any thing that would pierce the tire. If he'd gotten a flat tire he would have had it fixed in no time at all.
(What if the husband purposely made the tire go flat in the first place?)
I couldn't even call for help! My phone had died on the journey because I'd been a fool and not realized it would be searching for a cell signal the entire time I navigated my way through the mountains. My first venture out by myself since before I got married, and I was failing miserably at it.
-Inspiration from a blog post.
Monday, March 7, 2016
Found, Not Lost
"Stop."
My quiet words cut through the chatter of my friends, as our driver braked to a stop.
I got out of the car.
I had no idea where we were.
It was some little town beyond the outskirts of the little towns outside the huge cities I'd grown up in.
"Mitch, what's up?" I raised my hand to silence Johnny.
"I don't know." I looked around, inhaling the scent of sunflowers and mown grass. I couldn't remember ever coming through this town. Yet, it felt so familiar.
"Mitch, we're going to be late."
"Our gig isn't til tomorrow Johnny, how can we be late?" I said, stepping further away from the car. How could this place be so familiar? I looked back over my shoulder. "Come on, I could use some fresh air, stretch out my legs." I was taller than all of them, more cramped too in our car. Fancy as it was, it still sucked leg room wise.
I didn't wait for a response as I headed towards the center of town. This was an itch I needed to satisfy. Badly. It felt like home. How could this place feel like home? I hated small towns. The cities were my home, I'd always felt more comfortable in the hustle and bustle. Small towns with their lack of...well all that, had seemed slow and dull. So why? Why did this place not bug me like all the other places did? It had all the same feel as the other slow and dull towns. Yet, it didn't.
"You couldn't have picked a more boring place to stop." Johnny complained, bumping into my side. "Trees, old houses, horses? You want to be a cowboy suddenly or something?"
"Come on Johnny, it's nothing, I just want to stretch my legs. Here is a bit better than an oil slicked gas station."
He raised an eyebrow. "Mmmhmmm."
"What?"
"Doesn't look like its nothing." He smirked. "You're looking around like you're looking for something."
I exhaled, shaking my head with a chuckle. "Alright," I couldn't really hide anything from Johnny. We'd been friends for years. "This place....it feels familiar."
"Familiar how?" Johnny asked gesturing around. "It's a farming town. We pass through hundreds of these places on our tours."
"I know, which makes this weird. I know this place."
"We've never been here before!"
"I know that too! Which is why I want to look around."
Johnny glanced at his watch. "Well...let's not take too long alright? No longer than an hour, Mitch. I want to be in a comfy hotel bed before midnight tonight."
*****
"Johnny." I hissed, gesturing him over.
"What?" He asked. "You finally ready to go?"
"No, look." I pointed to an old Missing Child poster. "Does that?"
"It looks like you." Johnny said, pulling the poster from the wall. "Your stupid gap toothed grin was unforgettable, until you got braces." He held the picture up next to my head, looking between the two of us. "Same eyes, same stupid curl to your hair behind your ears, same old smile before those braces."
"Only, I wasn't, I'm not missing."
Johnny shrugged, handing me the picture. "You're the one being crazy here, Mitch. Talking about this place feeling like home, this picture, you are the same age this missing boy would be, how you know where things are."
"I know. I know."
"I've known you since seventh grade..." He shrugged again. "That's a year after this boy went missing."
"But I wasn't missing! I'm not missing." I said under my breath.
"But you'd just moved to town with your folks when we became friends. You never really have mentioned where you lived before that." Johnny replied. "Look, you're acting freaky, this place has you acting freaky. You can choose to forget about it, and we can get to the hotel, or you can--"
"Stay and check it out." I finished for him. I held the picture. I'd held similar photos in my parent's house. I knew my face. And this looked like my face. How could I not want to check it out? I knew people had look-a-likes. But this was just weird on all accounts. "Let's go."
*****
The door opened, revealing a woman, I forgot to breathe, she looked so familiar. So very familiar. "Yes?" She asked searching my face, a slight frown on her lips, glancing to Johnny, then back to me. He voice sounded like the one I often heard in my dreams. The voice of the angel in my mind.
I exhaled, pulling myself together. "I'm sorry." I told her, offering a smile. "To disturb you, I'm looking for a Mrs. Symphs?"
She nodded, "That's me, but if you're selling anything I don't want it."
I pressed my hand against the door, to keep her from shutting it. "No! No, I'm not...I'm not selling anything Mrs. Symphs." I said speaking more quickly. "I was just passing through town, and...well, I saw this." I held up the missing child's poster.
She froze for the briefest of moments. "And?" She whispered.
"Well....it." I let go of the door to rub a hand through my hair. "It looks like I did....when I was younger...like my school photos." I spoke more quickly. "I don't know if I'm this boy, and I know I'm causing you pain. But I just had to...well, know...to see...I'm sorry. This is causing you pain isn't it?" She had gone as white as a sheet, frozen like a statue. I wasn't known for being the most tactical of people when speaking. And it looked like I'd just stuck my foot in my mouth, and driven a spike through an aching heart. I took a step back. "I'm sorry. Truly. I shouldn't have."
"Wait." She whispered. "Don't go." The door swung open as she stepped forward, reaching out to touch my face, cradling my cheek in her palm. I closed my eyes, this felt so familiar. Her hand so warm and comforting. I'd never felt this relaxed with someone else touching my face, not even my parents. How could this stranger make me feel so relaxed? So at home?
-Inspiration from seeing a commercial for a new show called 'The Family.'
My quiet words cut through the chatter of my friends, as our driver braked to a stop.
I got out of the car.
I had no idea where we were.
It was some little town beyond the outskirts of the little towns outside the huge cities I'd grown up in.
"Mitch, what's up?" I raised my hand to silence Johnny.
"I don't know." I looked around, inhaling the scent of sunflowers and mown grass. I couldn't remember ever coming through this town. Yet, it felt so familiar.
"Mitch, we're going to be late."
"Our gig isn't til tomorrow Johnny, how can we be late?" I said, stepping further away from the car. How could this place be so familiar? I looked back over my shoulder. "Come on, I could use some fresh air, stretch out my legs." I was taller than all of them, more cramped too in our car. Fancy as it was, it still sucked leg room wise.
I didn't wait for a response as I headed towards the center of town. This was an itch I needed to satisfy. Badly. It felt like home. How could this place feel like home? I hated small towns. The cities were my home, I'd always felt more comfortable in the hustle and bustle. Small towns with their lack of...well all that, had seemed slow and dull. So why? Why did this place not bug me like all the other places did? It had all the same feel as the other slow and dull towns. Yet, it didn't.
"You couldn't have picked a more boring place to stop." Johnny complained, bumping into my side. "Trees, old houses, horses? You want to be a cowboy suddenly or something?"
"Come on Johnny, it's nothing, I just want to stretch my legs. Here is a bit better than an oil slicked gas station."
He raised an eyebrow. "Mmmhmmm."
"What?"
"Doesn't look like its nothing." He smirked. "You're looking around like you're looking for something."
I exhaled, shaking my head with a chuckle. "Alright," I couldn't really hide anything from Johnny. We'd been friends for years. "This place....it feels familiar."
"Familiar how?" Johnny asked gesturing around. "It's a farming town. We pass through hundreds of these places on our tours."
"I know, which makes this weird. I know this place."
"We've never been here before!"
"I know that too! Which is why I want to look around."
Johnny glanced at his watch. "Well...let's not take too long alright? No longer than an hour, Mitch. I want to be in a comfy hotel bed before midnight tonight."
*****
"Johnny." I hissed, gesturing him over.
"What?" He asked. "You finally ready to go?"
"No, look." I pointed to an old Missing Child poster. "Does that?"
"It looks like you." Johnny said, pulling the poster from the wall. "Your stupid gap toothed grin was unforgettable, until you got braces." He held the picture up next to my head, looking between the two of us. "Same eyes, same stupid curl to your hair behind your ears, same old smile before those braces."
"Only, I wasn't, I'm not missing."
Johnny shrugged, handing me the picture. "You're the one being crazy here, Mitch. Talking about this place feeling like home, this picture, you are the same age this missing boy would be, how you know where things are."
"I know. I know."
"I've known you since seventh grade..." He shrugged again. "That's a year after this boy went missing."
"But I wasn't missing! I'm not missing." I said under my breath.
"But you'd just moved to town with your folks when we became friends. You never really have mentioned where you lived before that." Johnny replied. "Look, you're acting freaky, this place has you acting freaky. You can choose to forget about it, and we can get to the hotel, or you can--"
"Stay and check it out." I finished for him. I held the picture. I'd held similar photos in my parent's house. I knew my face. And this looked like my face. How could I not want to check it out? I knew people had look-a-likes. But this was just weird on all accounts. "Let's go."
*****
The door opened, revealing a woman, I forgot to breathe, she looked so familiar. So very familiar. "Yes?" She asked searching my face, a slight frown on her lips, glancing to Johnny, then back to me. He voice sounded like the one I often heard in my dreams. The voice of the angel in my mind.
I exhaled, pulling myself together. "I'm sorry." I told her, offering a smile. "To disturb you, I'm looking for a Mrs. Symphs?"
She nodded, "That's me, but if you're selling anything I don't want it."
I pressed my hand against the door, to keep her from shutting it. "No! No, I'm not...I'm not selling anything Mrs. Symphs." I said speaking more quickly. "I was just passing through town, and...well, I saw this." I held up the missing child's poster.
She froze for the briefest of moments. "And?" She whispered.
"Well....it." I let go of the door to rub a hand through my hair. "It looks like I did....when I was younger...like my school photos." I spoke more quickly. "I don't know if I'm this boy, and I know I'm causing you pain. But I just had to...well, know...to see...I'm sorry. This is causing you pain isn't it?" She had gone as white as a sheet, frozen like a statue. I wasn't known for being the most tactical of people when speaking. And it looked like I'd just stuck my foot in my mouth, and driven a spike through an aching heart. I took a step back. "I'm sorry. Truly. I shouldn't have."
"Wait." She whispered. "Don't go." The door swung open as she stepped forward, reaching out to touch my face, cradling my cheek in her palm. I closed my eyes, this felt so familiar. Her hand so warm and comforting. I'd never felt this relaxed with someone else touching my face, not even my parents. How could this stranger make me feel so relaxed? So at home?
-Inspiration from seeing a commercial for a new show called 'The Family.'
Sunday, March 6, 2016
A Second Chance
I pulled the beanie lower over my hair, watching, wrapped up in an oversized jacket, as finally, maintenance returned to the broken elevator, a month after they'd left me trapped inside. Deaf to my screams for help. Deaf to the banging on the metal doors.
I hung out in the shadows, as they turned on the power, fixed whatever issue they couldn't have fixed a month ago, and bring the elevator up to the tenth floor.
Despite knowing what they would find, I leaned forward, curious to see the scene from an outsider's perspective as the elevator doors opened.
I bit my lip, cringing back. Oh yah. It was worse than I'd expected. The smell was enough to make a grown man cry. These maintenance guys didn't stand a chance. The sight that greeted them wasn't pretty.
Claw marks in the padding, bloody streaks on the wall. I had fought for my life in that tiny cell.
I'd lost.
If it had only been a few days, maybe, maybe I would have survived.
But a month, without food or water. I had no chance, though until the very end I had believed that I had. That someone would find me. That I would be rescued.
No one had heard me.
No one had wondered about my absence.
I'd been stuck right under their noses.
And nothing.
My rotting body. I turned away. I had loved that skirt I'd been wearing. My hair, a rats nest I could hardly get under control on a good day. And my fingers, bloody, worn down from repeated attempts to escape.
I missed me. I'd had a good life. Not the one I wanted, but one I was content with, happy with. Just trying to make ends meet until I could accomplish my goals.
I stayed, watching as the ambulance arrived, as the crime scene unit showed up, as my body was photographed and finally, finally wheeled away.
With the decomposition, there would be no easy way to identify me. But finally, I had been found.
"Get your fill, Miss?"
I looked up surprised that a police officer was standing in front of me.
"What?"
"Of the scene." He jerked his head to the elevator, "You've been standing here the entire time, I've been here. Probably even before then. Is that your handy work?" He asked flipping open a notebook. I didn't think that the police used those anymore. "Did you ensure this woman died?"
I exhaled, getting over my surprise that he actually saw me, spoke to me. Perhaps them finally finding my body meant that I could finally start over in this new one. "I tried to save her." I told him. "To no avail."
"Save her? This woman has been dead for at least a week."
My hands clenched, I met his eyes. Hoping he saw the pain in mine. "Three weeks actually. Stuck in that elevator for a week and a half before she died, because those idiots assumed it was empty. Because the residents of this hole in the wall of an apartment thought it was just partygoers making a fuss just one floor up or down."
He frowned, hand drifting down to the gun at his waist. "How do you know all this? Why did you not call for them sooner?"
"Because, Officer." I said, pulling the hood of my jacket over my beanie. "I am the dead woman."
-Inspiration from reading an article online about a woman's body being found in an elevator after maintenance turned it off and didn't come back to fix it for a month.
I hung out in the shadows, as they turned on the power, fixed whatever issue they couldn't have fixed a month ago, and bring the elevator up to the tenth floor.
Despite knowing what they would find, I leaned forward, curious to see the scene from an outsider's perspective as the elevator doors opened.
I bit my lip, cringing back. Oh yah. It was worse than I'd expected. The smell was enough to make a grown man cry. These maintenance guys didn't stand a chance. The sight that greeted them wasn't pretty.
Claw marks in the padding, bloody streaks on the wall. I had fought for my life in that tiny cell.
I'd lost.
If it had only been a few days, maybe, maybe I would have survived.
But a month, without food or water. I had no chance, though until the very end I had believed that I had. That someone would find me. That I would be rescued.
No one had heard me.
No one had wondered about my absence.
I'd been stuck right under their noses.
And nothing.
My rotting body. I turned away. I had loved that skirt I'd been wearing. My hair, a rats nest I could hardly get under control on a good day. And my fingers, bloody, worn down from repeated attempts to escape.
I missed me. I'd had a good life. Not the one I wanted, but one I was content with, happy with. Just trying to make ends meet until I could accomplish my goals.
I stayed, watching as the ambulance arrived, as the crime scene unit showed up, as my body was photographed and finally, finally wheeled away.
With the decomposition, there would be no easy way to identify me. But finally, I had been found.
"Get your fill, Miss?"
I looked up surprised that a police officer was standing in front of me.
"What?"
"Of the scene." He jerked his head to the elevator, "You've been standing here the entire time, I've been here. Probably even before then. Is that your handy work?" He asked flipping open a notebook. I didn't think that the police used those anymore. "Did you ensure this woman died?"
I exhaled, getting over my surprise that he actually saw me, spoke to me. Perhaps them finally finding my body meant that I could finally start over in this new one. "I tried to save her." I told him. "To no avail."
"Save her? This woman has been dead for at least a week."
My hands clenched, I met his eyes. Hoping he saw the pain in mine. "Three weeks actually. Stuck in that elevator for a week and a half before she died, because those idiots assumed it was empty. Because the residents of this hole in the wall of an apartment thought it was just partygoers making a fuss just one floor up or down."
He frowned, hand drifting down to the gun at his waist. "How do you know all this? Why did you not call for them sooner?"
"Because, Officer." I said, pulling the hood of my jacket over my beanie. "I am the dead woman."
-Inspiration from reading an article online about a woman's body being found in an elevator after maintenance turned it off and didn't come back to fix it for a month.
Friday, March 4, 2016
Away from the Fire
"David!"
I flinched, even before Chef Yuri caught me by my ear, tugging it hard, to get me to my feet. "What did I tell you!" She dragged me away, smacking me with a spoon.
"But!"
"No buts!" She scolded tossing me back at the foot of the fireplace sending up a fine cloud of ash in the process. "You belong in the kitchen. Get that through your skull before I beat it into you."
"Yes, Chef Yuri." I told her, as I picked myself up, brushing myself off. I hardly glanced at the door, but she smacked me again with the spoon. "Get to turning those spits." She said pointing to the hogs tied over the fires. "If you let these burn, you'll spend the night scrubbing every inch of this place.
I grimaced. Sure, yah, whatever, she probably would still find reason for me to lose yet another night of sleep in this hole of a kitchen.
I grabbed the metal spits, the heat hardly penetrating through my calloused hands and turned them. Belong to the kitchen? Ha. Hardly. I didn't want to stay here for the rest of my life. Slaving away so that the rich and mighty could enjoy a good cooked meal. Why couldn't I see the rest of the palace? What harm could come from that? Tracked dirt? Like the maids didn't spend all day making the place spotless anyways.
-Inspiration from watching Anastasia. "Demetri, you belong in the kitchen."
I flinched, even before Chef Yuri caught me by my ear, tugging it hard, to get me to my feet. "What did I tell you!" She dragged me away, smacking me with a spoon.
"But!"
"No buts!" She scolded tossing me back at the foot of the fireplace sending up a fine cloud of ash in the process. "You belong in the kitchen. Get that through your skull before I beat it into you."
"Yes, Chef Yuri." I told her, as I picked myself up, brushing myself off. I hardly glanced at the door, but she smacked me again with the spoon. "Get to turning those spits." She said pointing to the hogs tied over the fires. "If you let these burn, you'll spend the night scrubbing every inch of this place.
I grimaced. Sure, yah, whatever, she probably would still find reason for me to lose yet another night of sleep in this hole of a kitchen.
I grabbed the metal spits, the heat hardly penetrating through my calloused hands and turned them. Belong to the kitchen? Ha. Hardly. I didn't want to stay here for the rest of my life. Slaving away so that the rich and mighty could enjoy a good cooked meal. Why couldn't I see the rest of the palace? What harm could come from that? Tracked dirt? Like the maids didn't spend all day making the place spotless anyways.
-Inspiration from watching Anastasia. "Demetri, you belong in the kitchen."
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Fetch
The ringing of my cell jerked me awake. Groaning I blindly felt around until the smooth case touched my fingers, Fumbling I picked up. "Hello?" I asked groggily.
"Frank Klauffe?" A female voice asked me on the other end.
I rolled over on my back, rubbing at my eyes. "Speaking." This probably wasn't good. Good news never came for me nowadays. Maybe I was being kicked out of my apartment again. Got my car towed, some other misfortune to prove that I really was cursed.
"Then, Mr. Klauffe, I'd like to congratulate you. Miss Jane Covee has decided to hire you as her assistant. You will be expected to be in her office in an hour."
Click.
Her end of the line went dead before I could even process what she was saying.
Hired? I dropped the phone onto the bed, massaging my temples. How could someone hire me if I'd never interviewed for them? Jane Covee? Why in the world would she want to hire me out of hundreds of thousands of real applicants? I rolled back over onto my stomach, pulling my pillow over my head. In an hour huh? A job....I exhaled. "Might as well go see." I muttered, pulling the pillow off my head as quickly as I pulled it over. I pushed myself out of bed, staggering to my closet to get ready. If this was a real gig, it would be much needed.
Jane Covee raised her perfectly symmetrical eyebrows, giving me a once over that made me feel like I was a pig at market. And not a very presentable one at that. "Tennis shoes...dress pants, button up short sleeved shirt." She remarked. What was she? A fashion hostess now?
I nodded, keeping my temper in check.
"Why the tennis shoes?"
"So I can run at your beck and call without tripping." I told her as politely as I could.
"Clever." She said with a slow smile. "A mutt with a head on his shoulders."
The hairs on the back of my neck rose. "Mutt?" I repeated. She couldn't know, could she?
Her eyes sparked. "I do believe that this will work. Frank is it? Make those shoes useful and run down and grab me a club sandwich. No mustard." She turned her back to me, shuffling papers on her desk.
-Inspiration -begun from watching Lucifer. Shifted through random thought process
"Frank Klauffe?" A female voice asked me on the other end.
I rolled over on my back, rubbing at my eyes. "Speaking." This probably wasn't good. Good news never came for me nowadays. Maybe I was being kicked out of my apartment again. Got my car towed, some other misfortune to prove that I really was cursed.
"Then, Mr. Klauffe, I'd like to congratulate you. Miss Jane Covee has decided to hire you as her assistant. You will be expected to be in her office in an hour."
Click.
Her end of the line went dead before I could even process what she was saying.
Hired? I dropped the phone onto the bed, massaging my temples. How could someone hire me if I'd never interviewed for them? Jane Covee? Why in the world would she want to hire me out of hundreds of thousands of real applicants? I rolled back over onto my stomach, pulling my pillow over my head. In an hour huh? A job....I exhaled. "Might as well go see." I muttered, pulling the pillow off my head as quickly as I pulled it over. I pushed myself out of bed, staggering to my closet to get ready. If this was a real gig, it would be much needed.
Jane Covee raised her perfectly symmetrical eyebrows, giving me a once over that made me feel like I was a pig at market. And not a very presentable one at that. "Tennis shoes...dress pants, button up short sleeved shirt." She remarked. What was she? A fashion hostess now?
I nodded, keeping my temper in check.
"Why the tennis shoes?"
"So I can run at your beck and call without tripping." I told her as politely as I could.
"Clever." She said with a slow smile. "A mutt with a head on his shoulders."
The hairs on the back of my neck rose. "Mutt?" I repeated. She couldn't know, could she?
Her eyes sparked. "I do believe that this will work. Frank is it? Make those shoes useful and run down and grab me a club sandwich. No mustard." She turned her back to me, shuffling papers on her desk.
-Inspiration -begun from watching Lucifer. Shifted through random thought process
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Survive
Keep. Moving.
One foot.
In front.
Of.
The Other.
Keep.
Moving.
Water.
Water.
Somewhere.
Water.
Somewhere.
Food.
I crawled around the cage, time and time again. My tail dragging through the waste and blood of the unlucky ones. The ones who had succumbed to the lack of food and water too soon.
Their scales concaved into their skinny bodies. Wounds, bite marks, gnawed on limbs showed what the others had attempted to do to survive.
I could feel myself getting colder. The sun must be gone from the outside, with darkness that brought the death. Warmth. That too I would need to survive.
I curled up, as tightly as I could, huddling in a corner away from the others who had perished.
No water. No food. No warmth. I closed my eyes.
Perhaps...
Perhaps I should stop fighting.
Give up.
Like the others.
Die.
Movement,
Warmth.
Something picked me up.
I twitched, opening my eyes the barest of cracks.
Bright light.
Warmth below.
Sounds from above.
It was one of those odd giant creatures. The ones that occasionally stomped by, shaking the earth.
This one held me.
It was warm.
So warm.
It made sounds as it moved me away from the cage.
Placed me in warm water.
I lowered my head, opening my mouth to gulp down as much as I could.
Luxuriating in the sensation.
This....
Maybe....
Was this the beginning of more to life? To food and water? To heat? All the time?
I lifted my head.
Hoping so.
Survival would be easier if it was so.
-Inspiration from article online about ill treated animals.
One foot.
In front.
Of.
The Other.
Keep.
Moving.
Water.
Water.
Somewhere.
Water.
Somewhere.
Food.
I crawled around the cage, time and time again. My tail dragging through the waste and blood of the unlucky ones. The ones who had succumbed to the lack of food and water too soon.
Their scales concaved into their skinny bodies. Wounds, bite marks, gnawed on limbs showed what the others had attempted to do to survive.
I could feel myself getting colder. The sun must be gone from the outside, with darkness that brought the death. Warmth. That too I would need to survive.
I curled up, as tightly as I could, huddling in a corner away from the others who had perished.
No water. No food. No warmth. I closed my eyes.
Perhaps...
Perhaps I should stop fighting.
Give up.
Like the others.
Die.
Movement,
Warmth.
Something picked me up.
I twitched, opening my eyes the barest of cracks.
Bright light.
Warmth below.
Sounds from above.
It was one of those odd giant creatures. The ones that occasionally stomped by, shaking the earth.
This one held me.
It was warm.
So warm.
It made sounds as it moved me away from the cage.
Placed me in warm water.
I lowered my head, opening my mouth to gulp down as much as I could.
Luxuriating in the sensation.
This....
Maybe....
Was this the beginning of more to life? To food and water? To heat? All the time?
I lifted my head.
Hoping so.
Survival would be easier if it was so.
-Inspiration from article online about ill treated animals.
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Through The Wall
If another word passed through his lips, he wouldn't have any.
I reacted, the man in my grasp, flying across the room, shattering the glass wall as he crashed through it. Oh the noise it made was like music to my ears. As was the satisfying crack of his head against the desk.
It wasn't enough though. He had made so many suffer.
I stepped forward, intent on making him suffer just as much if not a hundred times worse. Torn limb from limb. The scent of his blood in the air, soon it would splatter the wal--
"LUKE!"
I barred my teeth, looking down at the puny human trying to block my path.
"Luke." She said more softly, staring at me.
The look in her eyes.
I blinked. The roaring fire, quenched by a frozen avalanche.
I drew in a breath.
Right. Right. "Right." I took a step back, distancing myself from the situation. "All yours then?" I said adjusting my cufflinks.
Being human. Sometimes. It was really irritating.
*****
"How did you do that?"
I glanced at her, drawn from my own internal conversation. "Do what?" I said, straightening in my seat.
She sat down next to me. "Pick up a man and toss him across a board room like he was a tennis ball."
I exhaled. "This again?"
"Are you drugged?"
I made a face. "Don't offend me. Drugged?" I shook my head. "Lyssa, Lyssa, Lyssa. Those little trinkets wouldn't effect me even if I used them." I'd tried them once. To see what the fuss was about. Humans and their stimulants. I almost wished it had effect me. Be so much easier to blame something.
"Then how?"
"What excuse do you want? How about Adrenaline. There you go. Adrenaline. Next subject."
"Stop being flippant Luke! I want answers."
"No. You don't!" I turned more fully to her, reigning back the fires I could feel burning in my eyes. "Because the real answers, which I have already given by the way, you won't believe."
Her chin jutted out, refusing to back down. "You were going to kill him."
"Yes."
"And that doesn't bother you?"
"No."
"It should."
"It doesn't. That weevil wouldn't be breathing right now. Wouldn't have the chance to hurt any other girls. I thought it would be quite justified."
I got to my feet, adjusting my jacket. "Now, I've admitted I'm a monster, happy now?"
-Inspiration from watching the show Lucifer.
I reacted, the man in my grasp, flying across the room, shattering the glass wall as he crashed through it. Oh the noise it made was like music to my ears. As was the satisfying crack of his head against the desk.
It wasn't enough though. He had made so many suffer.
I stepped forward, intent on making him suffer just as much if not a hundred times worse. Torn limb from limb. The scent of his blood in the air, soon it would splatter the wal--
"LUKE!"
I barred my teeth, looking down at the puny human trying to block my path.
"Luke." She said more softly, staring at me.
The look in her eyes.
I blinked. The roaring fire, quenched by a frozen avalanche.
I drew in a breath.
Right. Right. "Right." I took a step back, distancing myself from the situation. "All yours then?" I said adjusting my cufflinks.
Being human. Sometimes. It was really irritating.
*****
"How did you do that?"
I glanced at her, drawn from my own internal conversation. "Do what?" I said, straightening in my seat.
She sat down next to me. "Pick up a man and toss him across a board room like he was a tennis ball."
I exhaled. "This again?"
"Are you drugged?"
I made a face. "Don't offend me. Drugged?" I shook my head. "Lyssa, Lyssa, Lyssa. Those little trinkets wouldn't effect me even if I used them." I'd tried them once. To see what the fuss was about. Humans and their stimulants. I almost wished it had effect me. Be so much easier to blame something.
"Then how?"
"What excuse do you want? How about Adrenaline. There you go. Adrenaline. Next subject."
"Stop being flippant Luke! I want answers."
"No. You don't!" I turned more fully to her, reigning back the fires I could feel burning in my eyes. "Because the real answers, which I have already given by the way, you won't believe."
Her chin jutted out, refusing to back down. "You were going to kill him."
"Yes."
"And that doesn't bother you?"
"No."
"It should."
"It doesn't. That weevil wouldn't be breathing right now. Wouldn't have the chance to hurt any other girls. I thought it would be quite justified."
I got to my feet, adjusting my jacket. "Now, I've admitted I'm a monster, happy now?"
-Inspiration from watching the show Lucifer.
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