As I began to become unaware of my pleasant surroundings there was a knock on the door. Thomas' back straightened, his eyes widened, his pupils dilated, like some kind of alert animal. he grabbed my arm and walked me to the couch. "Sit," he said. "Don't say a word, just watch T.V." I didn't ask any questions, I just watched him strut to the door frame and open it slightly. His face conveyed what I took to be a fake grin as he greeted the invisible stranger. Once he decided to invite the guest in I swapped my gaze back to the television, that stupid reality show!
I heard Thomas' light walk as well as the dragging of the stranger's feet across the barren wood floor. Then came the pause, and I knew it was because of me.
"Ah, Jasper, meet Eva. She's a cousin of mine, visiting for the week. Eva, meet Jasper."
I turned around to find a very gaunt man, taller than Thomas at a ghastly stature of 6'7". His face was pale and he had dark circles under his eyes. He was clothed in black from head to foot down to his shoelaces. His nose was long and pointed, his face conveying no emotion. He just stared.
"Hello," I said, discomforted by his gaze.
"Pleasure to meet you," he replied, a horrible grin on his face.
"Have a drink, won't you?" Thomas interrupted, and Jasper obliged willingly.
The two talked for quite some time in harsh whispers, and no matter how hard I listened I could not overhear their conversation. Irritated and utterly confused, I just returned to my place at the TV and tried to gaze intently at its glow. Finally the mysterious man rose from his seat, he thanked Thomas for his hospitality and turned to leave, but not before giving me a look that could turn milk sour. Thomas walked him to the door, hugged him, and then told him he would love to be in the man's company again soon. He shut the door and walked anxiously into the living room.
"Do you have all your things together?" he inquired.
"Yes," I said, showing him my backpack.
"Good, because we're leaving," he proclaimed. "Right now.
"
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
How Hearts Beat
There was one moment
Where we crossed the street,
The city behind us
In a rubbish heap.
And we'd laugh together
With tears in our eyes
As we made our descent
Without saying goodbyes.
Because we're too young to care
About war ravaged minds,
Where the rage and the beauty
Was often combined,
And the soft spoken words
Often held such foul lies
That we don't comprehend
That we're being denied.
So we creep down this sidewalk
Through this burning land
And we'll never look back
To what we don't understand.
-Belief IS <3
Where we crossed the street,
The city behind us
In a rubbish heap.
And we'd laugh together
With tears in our eyes
As we made our descent
Without saying goodbyes.
Because we're too young to care
About war ravaged minds,
Where the rage and the beauty
Was often combined,
And the soft spoken words
Often held such foul lies
That we don't comprehend
That we're being denied.
So we creep down this sidewalk
Through this burning land
And we'll never look back
To what we don't understand.
-Belief IS <3
Monday, January 5, 2009
Taking Sides 2
I got up and began pacing, head bowed in thought, looking at the floor as if it would give me some answer, as if it would tempt my lips to move from their sullen position. Finally I stopped, looked up at the ever ticking clock on the wall, my eyes roving and studying each picture on the mantle. I felt the warmth of the fire on my legs, smelt the crackling wood, listened to the droning sound of the TV. At that single, solitary moment my senses were more acute than ever. I opened my lips slightly, took a shallow breath, and whispered, "I need your help."
His voice, silky and smooth barreled at me from across the room, "They've caught you haven't they?"
"Yes," I said somewhat inaudibly.
"How did you find out about me?"
"My brother, Sorren, before he died he gave me your name. You have no idea how long it took me to find you, searching the world for a Thomas Applegate that has no record whatsoever."
"Do you know what would happen if they figured out where I was hiding?" he questioned calmly, "I hold the key to the location of every Traveler out there. They could have every one of us locked up in a matter of months."
My countenance darkened. I knew he was right. How could I have been so ignorant in front of such a lovely creature? After all, he was only one of two Keepers left on the planet, and the other was so difficult to find Thomas couldn't even keep up with him. "The Wanderer" was what Sorren had called him. He had chosen not to live among human beings and took to adopting nomadic ways, changing his location every couple of months. He was the reason my brother was dead, the reason so many of us had perished in the war.
Thomas got up gracefully from his spot on the couch and walked my way, this time with a purpose, and with every step he took forward my heart leapt, and its pounding became so racuous I could no longer hear that ridiculous reality show. He stopped in front of me, his face inches from mine. I felt his cool hand at the base of my neck. It slid along my shoulder, down my arm and grasped my hand. His other hand pressed on my chin lightly to make my downcast face gaze into his. When I finally built up the nerve to look at him he said, "You're safe here." And I believed every word of it.
To be continued...
His voice, silky and smooth barreled at me from across the room, "They've caught you haven't they?"
"Yes," I said somewhat inaudibly.
"How did you find out about me?"
"My brother, Sorren, before he died he gave me your name. You have no idea how long it took me to find you, searching the world for a Thomas Applegate that has no record whatsoever."
"Do you know what would happen if they figured out where I was hiding?" he questioned calmly, "I hold the key to the location of every Traveler out there. They could have every one of us locked up in a matter of months."
My countenance darkened. I knew he was right. How could I have been so ignorant in front of such a lovely creature? After all, he was only one of two Keepers left on the planet, and the other was so difficult to find Thomas couldn't even keep up with him. "The Wanderer" was what Sorren had called him. He had chosen not to live among human beings and took to adopting nomadic ways, changing his location every couple of months. He was the reason my brother was dead, the reason so many of us had perished in the war.
Thomas got up gracefully from his spot on the couch and walked my way, this time with a purpose, and with every step he took forward my heart leapt, and its pounding became so racuous I could no longer hear that ridiculous reality show. He stopped in front of me, his face inches from mine. I felt his cool hand at the base of my neck. It slid along my shoulder, down my arm and grasped my hand. His other hand pressed on my chin lightly to make my downcast face gaze into his. When I finally built up the nerve to look at him he said, "You're safe here." And I believed every word of it.
To be continued...
Taking Sides Pt.1
God he was beautiful, standing there in the melancholy cold night. One hand was shoved in his pocket, the other grasped a cigarette which he placed tentatively to his lips and drew in a breath, exhaling slowly and quietly as he changed his stance. His almond colored eyes never wandered, as if he were always deep in thought. His toffee colored hair was curly and frazzled, and he hadn't shaved in a couple of days, but his sharp features made up for it.
He didn't speak a word as he tossed his now burnt out cigarette to the ground and walked inside, glancing my way as if beckoning me to go with him, and of course I obliged. The warmth of the house took over as we stepped inside and he poured me a glass of champagne. He then looked straight into my eyes, almost through me to the point where I felt invisible, watching me as I sipped my bubbling beverage.
"Who are you?" he wanted to know.
"Eva," I replied with slight hesitation, unsteady in the presence of the unfamiliar, "nice to meet you."
He kept his gaze steady and said calmly, "I'm Thomas. It's my pleasure," and that was all, at least for a while.
He crossed the room almost lazily and flipped on the TV to some bizarre reality show which he seemed to take no pleasure in. I watched him do it, hearing only the soft pounding of my own heart in my ears and the ticking of the old clock hanging above the fireplace. "Come sit," he said as he settled down on the couch, and I followed his lead without question. He should have known he was far too intriguing for his own good.
I sat awkwardly beside him, although I doubt the situation was as awkward for him as it had been for me. He was used to strangers, he lived among them, worked among them, and had trust in them where I hardly got to step outside of my own peaceful bubble of a life. I could feel those eyes burning into me with all their intensity and I finally mustered up the courage to look into his solemn face.
"Why have you come?" he asked. Oh, what a devilish question. He was good, very good...
He didn't speak a word as he tossed his now burnt out cigarette to the ground and walked inside, glancing my way as if beckoning me to go with him, and of course I obliged. The warmth of the house took over as we stepped inside and he poured me a glass of champagne. He then looked straight into my eyes, almost through me to the point where I felt invisible, watching me as I sipped my bubbling beverage.
"Who are you?" he wanted to know.
"Eva," I replied with slight hesitation, unsteady in the presence of the unfamiliar, "nice to meet you."
He kept his gaze steady and said calmly, "I'm Thomas. It's my pleasure," and that was all, at least for a while.
He crossed the room almost lazily and flipped on the TV to some bizarre reality show which he seemed to take no pleasure in. I watched him do it, hearing only the soft pounding of my own heart in my ears and the ticking of the old clock hanging above the fireplace. "Come sit," he said as he settled down on the couch, and I followed his lead without question. He should have known he was far too intriguing for his own good.
I sat awkwardly beside him, although I doubt the situation was as awkward for him as it had been for me. He was used to strangers, he lived among them, worked among them, and had trust in them where I hardly got to step outside of my own peaceful bubble of a life. I could feel those eyes burning into me with all their intensity and I finally mustered up the courage to look into his solemn face.
"Why have you come?" he asked. Oh, what a devilish question. He was good, very good...
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