My heart dropped as I listened intently to the loud sounds. I started walking toward the Factum Class, the strongest and most powerful class. Each step I took , my heart pounded stronger and stronger in my chest. I knew, logically that there was no way that someone like Earl had gotten in, I just had no idea what or who to expect.
As I walked closer to what I thought was the source of the sound, I started to also hear a very faint voice in between each loud boom. I stopped for a moment to really listen and decide whether I needed a more powerful object than the ice wand that I was still carrying. As I stood there listening, my husband's breathing started to get labored. I turned to him and asked, "are you okay my love?"
"Yeah, this is just a lot to take in, should I go get the sword that's hanging on the wall next to my side of the bed, I feel like I need some weapon or something." He looked around in dismay and his eyes seem to give away how scared he really was.
"you have a point," I said "Why don't you go back through the door and get the sword, or even my BB gun I think would help. Just say the words: Credindo Vides and think the word "open" in your mind."
"Credindo Vides? isn't that the phrase you used to open the door? " he asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Yes, that phrase has many uses, of which I will explain later. now go." he turned away to leave.
"wait, " I said, "I love you."
He looked back at me, smiled, nodded his head, blew me a kiss, and turned back towards the direction of the once blue door.
I watched him for just a moment longer and turned back towards the sound and the very quiet voice. Truth be told, I didn't think the sword would do any good against whatever I would be facing. I just thought I'd take advantage of the situation and have Bob get out of harms way. I knew that I was the one that was better trained at handling these situations. This was what I had been trained for, memory or no memory. I hoped whatever it was I was purposely trying to find, my muscle memory would take over.
As I continued forward toward the sound, I held the ice wand in a defence position close to my body. I listened to each boom echoing throughout the room, trying to make my footsteps as quiet as possible. The quiet voice was the thing that intrigued me the most. I couldn't figure out what it sounded like, but for some reason, I wasn't scared. It might have been the fact that my glass ring gave no hint of danger or it might have been that as I listened more intently to the voice, in between the loud booms, I thought I heard a child's laugh.
I rounded the next corner of shelves into the Animale Class. Suddenly the loud booms stopped. All was quiet and still as if nothing had ever happened. The tomb-like silence made my heart beat even faster in my chest. I took a breath and tried to reach deep within myself for the answer that I knew was on the tip of my tongue. I stood there for a moment longer with my eyes closed trying to go back into my lost memories. In an instant I felt myself awaken the ice wand as I opened my eyes and a small bouncing ball of light was coming toward my face. I lightly touched the ball with the tip of the wand, it scattered like breaking glass as it hit the floor. A child's laugh was all I heard next.
Moments later, several more balls of light came from out of the darkness. I scattered each one easily and heard the laugh each time I did. The balls of light became frozen in mid air for a milli-second, then fell to the ground and shattered. Just when I thought the barrage of bouncing balls had stopped coming, I turned around and watched as each of the balls that I had just destroyed , glow and return to their previous shape. They came at me again.
"okay," I thought "let's take a different approach. what story are these balls of light from?"
It had been such a long time since I had been in this section, that I couldn't recall right away what I knew about the tale. My muscle memory took over as I searched my brain for the story that I would help me...
"okay,think" I told myself
The seven balls of light kept coming, and each time I would freeze and shatter one of them it would re-create itself and then gain momentum. Each time they reformed they changed their color they went from bright white to a pigment of blue.
As they changed, I thought they looked like the same color that my ring would glow to warn me of danger. "That's it!"I screamed as I shattered the seventh ball for the eighth time.
I quickly laid down the ice wand at my feet and prepared for the next round of re-created light balls to attack. It didn't take long. I refocused my thoughts on a memory that I had resting in the back of my mind. I could see in my mind, The ring on my finger glowed blue again , but this time it was a different color of blue, the color was darker, powerful and full. I took my stance as the balls of light attacked again, easily taking out each one in turn. As the balls lay shattered on the floor, I swung my ring hand around, palm up, and concentrated my thoughts on bringing the balls to me. The balls melted into an electric pool of blue plasma with the occasional electric bolt splitting the surface. The pool became a liquid floating mass as I willed it to return to me. My open palm glowed blue as the electric shape slowly dissolved into my glass ring and disappeared.
I heard a door echoing thoughout the hall and thought that it must be Bob coming back through the entrance door. Behind me, I heard the laugh again. The laugh sounded like a young child at play, and very friendly. As I turned a saw a small creature move into the shadow and up one of the shelfs.
"Aurelia! you have come for me?"
"Aurelia," I thought, "who's Aurelia?" "Yes, I have come to see if you want to play. I do so enjoy playing." I tried to sound confident as I talked to the creature that, in the shadows, looked like a purple chipmunk.
It laughed again and jumped to a shelf that was closer to my height. "oh joy, my dreamcatcher has come back to play."
"Dreamcatcher," I thought, "then he must be talking about me, why is it calling me Aurelia?"
"yes, I have now come into the light so I can see ...my friend better." I only hoped that I was right to use the word friend. I turned my back and went to pick up the ice wand from where I had put it on the floor. As I turned around to face the shelf again, I came face to face with what can only be decribed as a dark purple, furry, squirrel. The only difference was it's eyes were more like a cats eyes, on the front instead of on the sides, and it's stomach was colored with patches of green and brown.
"I miss my Aurelia! Why you stay away so long and lock me in here? I thought we were having a fun time, are you still mad at me?"
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Monday, April 1, 2013
Spector Class
"What
the...?" Bob muttered.
As I
held the wand in my hand I could feel a chill climb up my arm. I
forced the feeling to retreat as I realized that I might need to
explain the Spector I was holding.
"This
was the wand from a book called "Victoria's Ice Pick",
written in 1901. The soon-to-be queen in the story was given
the blessing and curse of being able to use this wand to turn
whomever or whatever she wanted into ice by the King of a beautiful kingdom, rich in magic. As
long as she stayed away from the King's son, Aramis, this wand would
work according to her every command, but if she even mentioned his
name the wand would turn against her. The book became a bit of an
obsession for some. The main character was Queen Victoria's namesake,
and since her funeral was in 1901 people started to entertain
themselves by fantasizing this story to be about the real Queen."
I stopped talking as Bob's eyes began to glaze over. I had forgotten
how much I really did enjoy losing myself in the stories behind the
objects.
"You
still with me?" I questioned
"Yeah,
I'm fine love. This is just a lot to take in. The door itself is like
something out of a
dream.
Can you...can you just slap me please. Just to make sure I'm not
dreaming. This place is too spectacular to not to be a dream."
My husband slowly turned in circles as he looked around the room.
"This place is a techno fiction come to life!"
I let
out a sigh and gently took his hands and led him to a sitting
position on the floor. "Okay, let me slow down." I
whispered "But, you are on the right track. These things, in
this area are part of the Spector class of Artifacts, are indeed, techno fiction brought to life. Each are
created by a book or another form of fiction and brought to life by
belief. Belief that is pure,simple and very very powerful."
My
husband gave a look of understanding and nodded his head as he said,
"I'm listening."
I
stood up, taking the Spector Ice Wand in my hand. I began to worry
whether I could remember why I was chosen to be the "Dream
Catcher" in the first place. I had nothing to worry about. I
took the wand in my hand and, like old muscles waking from atrophy,
felt the chill run through my body. This time, I didn't fight it. The
resentment and bitterness grew until they threatened to consume me ;
it took all my strength to keep my consciousness in control.
"Watch."
I took the wand in my hand and turned toward one of the blank screens
on the opposite side of the wall, I touched it lightly with the tip
of the wand. Slowly, very slowly, the screen started to freeze. The
screen turned light blue, then crystal clear, then as I focused the
power of the wand, the screen split and cracked until it finally
splintered into a thousand frozen pieces.
"Whoa"
Bob murmured. "That was incredible!"
"Victoria
was able to use this wand to turn anything into ice. The ice, when melted, could help to bring water to her Desert kingdom. She
loved Aramis,but she wanted to help her Kingdom. The thought of being alone without the man she loved eventually made her decide not to take the King's deal. That is until the King captured Victoria's father and promised to turn him into ice if she didn't take his "generous suggestion." Eventually her fear of the losing her father won out and she took the King's deal, but decided never to
use the wand. Since Victoria could never be with her true love, she
took to secretly watching him as he moved about the castle. The King
found out, and flew into a jealous rage. He sent his spies to catch
her in the act and capture her. Startled, she flung out the wand and aimed it at her captors. Aramis, seeing
his love in trouble, had sprung to her aid moments before. He lunged into the direct path of the wand's power, dropping to the floor a
perfectly preserved iceman. The shocked silence that followed was
shattered by the queen's screams. Victoria ran, pushing past her stunned
assailants, Aramis' name trailing behind her in painful waves of
anguish. She lived out her days in hiding, angry, bitter, and alone.
The wand took its promised toll, slowly turning her heart and soul
hard as ice.Victoria's kingdom soon became known as...”
Mid-breath,
a huge crash echoed throughout the hall. Bob stood up from the floor and looked at me, "Is that supposed to happen?"
"um, no. Let's..." gripping the ice wand tighter in my hand, "go check it out. It sounded like it came from the entrance door."
I tilted my head toward the sound and said, "Follow me."
As quietly as we could we started to jog toward the once blue door. I listened with my ear on the door for about a minute. When we heard the sound again, I turned around as I realized that the sound was not coming from the other side of the door but from inside the room.
"um, no. Let's..." gripping the ice wand tighter in my hand, "go check it out. It sounded like it came from the entrance door."
I tilted my head toward the sound and said, "Follow me."
As quietly as we could we started to jog toward the once blue door. I listened with my ear on the door for about a minute. When we heard the sound again, I turned around as I realized that the sound was not coming from the other side of the door but from inside the room.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
The Door Opens
My husband stared at the blank wall and openly asked, "is that it?"
"Someone's a little excited to see my secret." I joked. My husband did not seem amused so I stopped to make sure that he was still with me. "Are you sure you're okay?"
He shook himself, as if trying to wake himself from a dream, and assured me that he was fine.
I noticed he had a tie tack on him that was shaped like a strange lion. "Where did you get this?" I asked him as I pointed to the tack.
"Oh, I don't know, I think you gave it to me a couple of ..." clearing his throat as he finished, "years ago."
"I don't remember giving you this, it's kind of ugly. I must have gotten it at one of the many garage sales I have been to over the years. Whatever, anyway, are you sure that you are okay?" He looked up at the ceiling as if searching for the right words and muttered, "I'm fine...honey...I'm just excited and scared about what all this has really been about."
I wasn't quite convinced with his answer, mainly because he never calls me "honey", but I really just wanted to move forward with the truth so I could feel better about the secret that I had been keeping from him. I took a deep breath and turned back toward the door.
I took the blue, glass ring in my hand and turned it so the ball of glass faced my palm. I held out my palm and pressed firmly on the blank part of the wall. I closed my eyes and muttered, "Credendo Vides."
The blank door became clear as new glass and then fell away completely so my hand could move through what used to be the wall. As my hand entered the newly opened space I felt around for the latch that I knew was on the opposite side of the door, just above the door frame. I finally found the latch and clicked it open.
"There," I said "that should make it easier."
I grabbed the door from the inside with my other hand and slid it straight up the wall. It moved effortlessly as if it was on a track. When the door was finally at my eye level I held my ring hand up again and closed my eyes and muttered, "magnus."
The door flashed blue as the whole wall glowed steadily, while the door began to increase in size. The symbol on the front of the door remained the same size and soon you could see within the center of the symbol was a key hole. The door stopped growing when it became the perfect size to walk through. Once again the door was as solid as it was before. I stepped forward to put the key into the newly formed hole.
The door opened and the illumination quickly moved to light the room.
I stepped inside first and Bob stepped in a moment behind me. As I glanced back at him I noticed his lion tie tack giving off a faint orange glow. The newly formed shadow around the animal look like something I had seen before.
My heart jumped. I exhaled a deep, quick breath; I remembered where I had seen this animal before. It wasn't a lion! That animal on the front was a big dog called a Chow Chow. I wasn't sure who the tie tack really belonged to, but I knew that it wasn't my husband's, and I knew I needed to get it off without him knowing.
I quickly turned and faced him, hoping to cut off his vision from the rest of the room.
"What's wrong...honey?" he muttered as he continued to strain his neck to see above me.
"I just thought of something. I know how hard this is for you, so I just want you relax. Close your eyes for just a second." He closed his eyes as his right hand moved closer to his chest. I spoke calmly and softly, "Think about that first moment when we met, how I looked , how you felt about me the first time we kissed." He leaned his head slightly back as he started to remember. "Think about that moment that you first told me you loved me, when you accidentally asked me to marry you...." He chuckled a little at the word "accidentally". As he continued to remember, I watched his right hand move away from the tack.
I whispered, "abducto" and reached to grab the tie tack. I could feel a dull force of electricity fighting back as I removed it. I quickly chucked it behind Bob and then commanded the door to close. The room filled with brilliant and beautiful bluish light.
"Ok, you can open your eyes now." I said.
"What was that all about?" Bob asked as he stood there shaking his head from side to side. I grabbed his hand and said, "I just wanted to remind you of how real and honest our love is before I show you what's in here." As I turned back around to lead him further into the room, I added, "Remember, don't freak out."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob took a exaggerated breath as he finally stepped inside. I must admit, I didn't remember the room being quite this big. I hadn't been inside for at least a couple of years, so my eyes gazed around the room in awe at how big it had become.
At first glance someone would say that the room looked like Times Square. It was filled with screens of every size and shape, sitting on rows and rows of clear, blue shelves. Instead of advertisements for hair creme or the newest Broadway musical, you saw images from the world's most popular books, movies, radio shows, and any other idea that could create sparks of belief in people, bringing that idea here.
Each screen seemed to draw you in, giving you the distinct impression that you had fallen into a dream.The images on some of the screens were hazy, some were fading in and out, and others emitted nothing but muted white noise.
My husband followed me as I tried to explain, "These represent the collective hopes and dreams of the world. Things that usually, in your world, um , that is our world, do not exist; that is until they are believed in so much by enough of humanity that they are created and brought here for safekeeping."
My husband looked at me, shell-shocked and confused, "Love, what the freakity ho ho is this? Is there a credit card bill coming for all these TVs? How exactly did you get so many?"
I shook off my first reaction to be upset by his accusation and thought that it would be a better idea to show him rather than tell him.
"Okay...follow me." We walked together towards a group of artifacts. As we walked I ignored his bemused expression and carried on with the explanation. "We are heading toward what is called the Specter Class, or "S" Class. The items found here are slightly older, and therefore less powerful. I mean, an item draws its strength from the collective power of ...well, faith,...or belief. It is strong in nature, but weak in the energy that gives it life." I found my words were just confusing me as well. Bob let out a deep sigh of patience. I stopped and thought for a second, pacing up and down the aisle, "Okay, watch."
I took his hand and did my best impression of a "Darth Vader" walk toward "S" Class, row 19, section 78. I turned and faced a screen paused on the image of a three and a half foot crystal wand. I put my right hand up to the screen and commanded , "Crendendo Vides!" causing a flash of blinding light. When it cleared, I was holding the wand and staring at a grey lifeless screen.
My husband's pale face was frozen in shock. "Bob, breathe!" I shouted as I snapped my fingers in front of his face.
"Someone's a little excited to see my secret." I joked. My husband did not seem amused so I stopped to make sure that he was still with me. "Are you sure you're okay?"
He shook himself, as if trying to wake himself from a dream, and assured me that he was fine.
I noticed he had a tie tack on him that was shaped like a strange lion. "Where did you get this?" I asked him as I pointed to the tack.
"Oh, I don't know, I think you gave it to me a couple of ..." clearing his throat as he finished, "years ago."
"I don't remember giving you this, it's kind of ugly. I must have gotten it at one of the many garage sales I have been to over the years. Whatever, anyway, are you sure that you are okay?" He looked up at the ceiling as if searching for the right words and muttered, "I'm fine...honey...I'm just excited and scared about what all this has really been about."
I wasn't quite convinced with his answer, mainly because he never calls me "honey", but I really just wanted to move forward with the truth so I could feel better about the secret that I had been keeping from him. I took a deep breath and turned back toward the door.
I took the blue, glass ring in my hand and turned it so the ball of glass faced my palm. I held out my palm and pressed firmly on the blank part of the wall. I closed my eyes and muttered, "Credendo Vides."
The blank door became clear as new glass and then fell away completely so my hand could move through what used to be the wall. As my hand entered the newly opened space I felt around for the latch that I knew was on the opposite side of the door, just above the door frame. I finally found the latch and clicked it open.
"There," I said "that should make it easier."
I grabbed the door from the inside with my other hand and slid it straight up the wall. It moved effortlessly as if it was on a track. When the door was finally at my eye level I held my ring hand up again and closed my eyes and muttered, "magnus."
The door flashed blue as the whole wall glowed steadily, while the door began to increase in size. The symbol on the front of the door remained the same size and soon you could see within the center of the symbol was a key hole. The door stopped growing when it became the perfect size to walk through. Once again the door was as solid as it was before. I stepped forward to put the key into the newly formed hole.
The door opened and the illumination quickly moved to light the room.
I stepped inside first and Bob stepped in a moment behind me. As I glanced back at him I noticed his lion tie tack giving off a faint orange glow. The newly formed shadow around the animal look like something I had seen before.
My heart jumped. I exhaled a deep, quick breath; I remembered where I had seen this animal before. It wasn't a lion! That animal on the front was a big dog called a Chow Chow. I wasn't sure who the tie tack really belonged to, but I knew that it wasn't my husband's, and I knew I needed to get it off without him knowing.
I quickly turned and faced him, hoping to cut off his vision from the rest of the room.
"What's wrong...honey?" he muttered as he continued to strain his neck to see above me.
"I just thought of something. I know how hard this is for you, so I just want you relax. Close your eyes for just a second." He closed his eyes as his right hand moved closer to his chest. I spoke calmly and softly, "Think about that first moment when we met, how I looked , how you felt about me the first time we kissed." He leaned his head slightly back as he started to remember. "Think about that moment that you first told me you loved me, when you accidentally asked me to marry you...." He chuckled a little at the word "accidentally". As he continued to remember, I watched his right hand move away from the tack.
I whispered, "abducto" and reached to grab the tie tack. I could feel a dull force of electricity fighting back as I removed it. I quickly chucked it behind Bob and then commanded the door to close. The room filled with brilliant and beautiful bluish light.
"Ok, you can open your eyes now." I said.
"What was that all about?" Bob asked as he stood there shaking his head from side to side. I grabbed his hand and said, "I just wanted to remind you of how real and honest our love is before I show you what's in here." As I turned back around to lead him further into the room, I added, "Remember, don't freak out."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob took a exaggerated breath as he finally stepped inside. I must admit, I didn't remember the room being quite this big. I hadn't been inside for at least a couple of years, so my eyes gazed around the room in awe at how big it had become.
At first glance someone would say that the room looked like Times Square. It was filled with screens of every size and shape, sitting on rows and rows of clear, blue shelves. Instead of advertisements for hair creme or the newest Broadway musical, you saw images from the world's most popular books, movies, radio shows, and any other idea that could create sparks of belief in people, bringing that idea here.
Each screen seemed to draw you in, giving you the distinct impression that you had fallen into a dream.The images on some of the screens were hazy, some were fading in and out, and others emitted nothing but muted white noise.
My husband followed me as I tried to explain, "These represent the collective hopes and dreams of the world. Things that usually, in your world, um , that is our world, do not exist; that is until they are believed in so much by enough of humanity that they are created and brought here for safekeeping."
My husband looked at me, shell-shocked and confused, "Love, what the freakity ho ho is this? Is there a credit card bill coming for all these TVs? How exactly did you get so many?"
I shook off my first reaction to be upset by his accusation and thought that it would be a better idea to show him rather than tell him.
"Okay...follow me." We walked together towards a group of artifacts. As we walked I ignored his bemused expression and carried on with the explanation. "We are heading toward what is called the Specter Class, or "S" Class. The items found here are slightly older, and therefore less powerful. I mean, an item draws its strength from the collective power of ...well, faith,...or belief. It is strong in nature, but weak in the energy that gives it life." I found my words were just confusing me as well. Bob let out a deep sigh of patience. I stopped and thought for a second, pacing up and down the aisle, "Okay, watch."
I took his hand and did my best impression of a "Darth Vader" walk toward "S" Class, row 19, section 78. I turned and faced a screen paused on the image of a three and a half foot crystal wand. I put my right hand up to the screen and commanded , "Crendendo Vides!" causing a flash of blinding light. When it cleared, I was holding the wand and staring at a grey lifeless screen.
My husband's pale face was frozen in shock. "Bob, breathe!" I shouted as I snapped my fingers in front of his face.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
The Small Locked Door
My house was still in shambles from the attack, but we did manage
to have a new maroon door put on the next day . It was
sort of funny how glad I was to have a door that looked more like something I would have chosen, rather than the copy and paste one that came
with the house. It even had a smaller iron door in place of a normal keyhole.
The rest of the destruction was, miraculously, minimal. The chandelier was in pieces, which we replaced with a cheaper garage sale version. The book shelves had been knocked over, but only one of the individual shelves had actually broken. Some of my favorite 99 cent store "dust collectors" had been smashed to dust, by what ever power Earl had been using. The only thing that I was extremely sad to lose was a bejeweled box that carried an authentic dream-catcher. It was said to be several decades old and was given to me by a kindred spirit that I met while visiting Colorado in 1999.
Even though the house was slowly getting back to normal, every thing with my husband was extremely strained. We used to be able to sit in silence quite comfortably, but now every moment felt awkward and painful. The only peace came when we had to go to work. We would mechanically kiss goodbye and we would go our separate ways, each wishing we could stay and talk but also glad there was no time for things that would remain unsaid.
I was sure the week was never going to end, as each minute moved forward I could swear another two minutes moved backward.
Through all the tears of the broken things, my husband tried to be patient, waiting for me to tell him the real story of what happened that day with Earl. I wanted to tell him everything...at least the parts I remembered. How do you gently say, "I'm not the woman you thought I was, here's who I really am" without a lot of potential screaming. It wasn't that I was afraid of him harming me, I just didn't want to lose him. I didn't want him to think my love for him was as fake as the person that I was pretending to be. Truth is, after 20 years with no contact, I've been wondering for a long time if this "calling" was really what I wanted to do or who I wanted to be. I just couldn't be sure anymore, but I also couldn't see a way out of telling my husband either. So, a week after "the incident" with Earl, I decided it was time to let him in on my...secret.
"Love, I have something to tell you." I said as I sat down beside him while he was reading (his favorite) book. He looked up from his book and let out sigh as if to say, finally, I have been waiting for this, as he said,
"I'm listening."
I took his hand and walked him over to a little picture frame with a key inside. The key was glued to a paper backing and above it had an inscription that said,"You Have The Key To My Heart" written in old style black script.
I pulled the picture frame off the wall and opened up the back, and gently pulled out the key. He looked at me, puzzled, but did not say a word.
"Okay so...what ever I am about to show you please remember that I love you with all my heart..." as I took his hand in mine I added, "and don't freak out." I tried to give him a confident, loving smile but I was pretty sure it just looked awkward and forced.
"just breath," I told myself as we walked towards on of the empty, extra, spare rooms. I opened up the mirrored closet door and started to clean up all the boxes that were strewn all over the floor. Finally after a little "digging" I uncovered a small, black door that was about the size of my hand. I turned my glass ring around in my finger and laid my palm gently on the door. My heart and mind became one as I thought of all the hopes and dreams that I had as a child. The ring sprang to life in my hand, and soon the door changed from pitch black to glowing blue. As the blue essence seeped within the door frame and the scroll work, the door turned a deep shade of red with gold filigree around the frame and a blue emblem in the middle of the door. The blue emblem, that looked like a blue pearl caught in a net, continued to glow as the rest of the door returned to normal.
I stole a quick glance at my husband who seemed not to be breathing as he stared at the door. I could see the wonder in his eyes and tried to envision how all of this new information was going to effect him. I wondered for a moment if he would faint, yell, or panic...or maybe he would do a mixture of all three. He caught me looking at him and whispered, almost inaudibly, "finally."
"Um...what," I said.
"sorry, did I distract you?" he questioned
"no, I just thought I would take this slowly...for you." I added "are you okay?"
He simply nodded as he looked back at the door. Maybe it was the way the glowing light hit my husband's square framed glasses, but he seemed to have this intense and somewhat sinister look on his face.
I mumbled, "okay, moving forward," as I took the key and put it in the middle of the emblem. The door had no hole, yet as I pushed the key in, the door gave way freely. I opened the door and my husband let out a deep breath as there was nothing but white wall behind the door.
The rest of the destruction was, miraculously, minimal. The chandelier was in pieces, which we replaced with a cheaper garage sale version. The book shelves had been knocked over, but only one of the individual shelves had actually broken. Some of my favorite 99 cent store "dust collectors" had been smashed to dust, by what ever power Earl had been using. The only thing that I was extremely sad to lose was a bejeweled box that carried an authentic dream-catcher. It was said to be several decades old and was given to me by a kindred spirit that I met while visiting Colorado in 1999.
Even though the house was slowly getting back to normal, every thing with my husband was extremely strained. We used to be able to sit in silence quite comfortably, but now every moment felt awkward and painful. The only peace came when we had to go to work. We would mechanically kiss goodbye and we would go our separate ways, each wishing we could stay and talk but also glad there was no time for things that would remain unsaid.
I was sure the week was never going to end, as each minute moved forward I could swear another two minutes moved backward.
Through all the tears of the broken things, my husband tried to be patient, waiting for me to tell him the real story of what happened that day with Earl. I wanted to tell him everything...at least the parts I remembered. How do you gently say, "I'm not the woman you thought I was, here's who I really am" without a lot of potential screaming. It wasn't that I was afraid of him harming me, I just didn't want to lose him. I didn't want him to think my love for him was as fake as the person that I was pretending to be. Truth is, after 20 years with no contact, I've been wondering for a long time if this "calling" was really what I wanted to do or who I wanted to be. I just couldn't be sure anymore, but I also couldn't see a way out of telling my husband either. So, a week after "the incident" with Earl, I decided it was time to let him in on my...secret.
"Love, I have something to tell you." I said as I sat down beside him while he was reading (his favorite) book. He looked up from his book and let out sigh as if to say, finally, I have been waiting for this, as he said,
"I'm listening."
I took his hand and walked him over to a little picture frame with a key inside. The key was glued to a paper backing and above it had an inscription that said,"You Have The Key To My Heart" written in old style black script.
I pulled the picture frame off the wall and opened up the back, and gently pulled out the key. He looked at me, puzzled, but did not say a word.
"Okay so...what ever I am about to show you please remember that I love you with all my heart..." as I took his hand in mine I added, "and don't freak out." I tried to give him a confident, loving smile but I was pretty sure it just looked awkward and forced.
"just breath," I told myself as we walked towards on of the empty, extra, spare rooms. I opened up the mirrored closet door and started to clean up all the boxes that were strewn all over the floor. Finally after a little "digging" I uncovered a small, black door that was about the size of my hand. I turned my glass ring around in my finger and laid my palm gently on the door. My heart and mind became one as I thought of all the hopes and dreams that I had as a child. The ring sprang to life in my hand, and soon the door changed from pitch black to glowing blue. As the blue essence seeped within the door frame and the scroll work, the door turned a deep shade of red with gold filigree around the frame and a blue emblem in the middle of the door. The blue emblem, that looked like a blue pearl caught in a net, continued to glow as the rest of the door returned to normal.
I stole a quick glance at my husband who seemed not to be breathing as he stared at the door. I could see the wonder in his eyes and tried to envision how all of this new information was going to effect him. I wondered for a moment if he would faint, yell, or panic...or maybe he would do a mixture of all three. He caught me looking at him and whispered, almost inaudibly, "finally."
"Um...what," I said.
"sorry, did I distract you?" he questioned
"no, I just thought I would take this slowly...for you." I added "are you okay?"
He simply nodded as he looked back at the door. Maybe it was the way the glowing light hit my husband's square framed glasses, but he seemed to have this intense and somewhat sinister look on his face.
I mumbled, "okay, moving forward," as I took the key and put it in the middle of the emblem. The door had no hole, yet as I pushed the key in, the door gave way freely. I opened the door and my husband let out a deep breath as there was nothing but white wall behind the door.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
I hate waiting...
"So what brings you to my house, friend?" Kris asked.
"Oh just in the neighborhood, trying to get some exercise. You know me, I'm always trying to be a little healthier." I lied. The answer came so quickly that I knew she wouldn't hesitate to believe me.
"So, Kris can I use your phone? I think I need to call my husband." I'm not quite sure why I didn't tell Kris what had happened. I think I just didn't want to upset her. plus, I was unsure she would even believe me.
Let see: Kris a big man in a velvet duster attacked me with a violet flying bubble of energy, but don't worry I defended myself using my glass ring and knocked him out. Then, I ran here to your beautiful home and your two children, in the hopes that the big man would not find me. Yup, crazy nuts.
There was no way to explain it so I was not going to try. Unfortunately, I knew that I had to at least try and explain what happened to my husband.
Kris allowed me to use her phone and I stepped out on her shaded patio to call him at work. Bob only worked about 2 miles away so I knew it would be easy for him to come and get me from Kris' house.
Before I dialed on Kris' phone, I found my cell phone in my pocket. I decided to use mine instead in order to keep her out of any "drama" that might be coming.
The phone rang three times before a deep, gentle voice picked up.
"Thank you for calling the best husband in the world, how may I assist you."
I laughed. I always loved hearing my husband speak. His voice was so powerful, some said he sounded like the voice of God. I wasn't sure about that. I just knew he sounded like someone that could make the sun shine on a cloudy day, and make my heart skip a beat; even after 10 years of marriage.
"Bob, you are lucky that your company has caller I.D." I teased.
"I know, I know. What going on, Love?" he asked.
"When is your lunch break?"
"In about a half hour, why? "
"No reason, I just need you to pick me up at Kris' house. I think I got a little over tired on my walk here and I don't really want to walk home. Plus, I am sweating like a pig and it's gross."
"I'm sorry love, why don't you just ask Kris to take you home and I will meet you there in a half an hour."
"I would but Kris is leaving to take here son to ...soccer practice. She was planning on leaving in just a couple of minutes." I felt bad about such a brazen lie, but I really didn't want to involve Kris.
"Well, I'll ask Shelly if I can take my lunch early. Just stay there and I will be there soon."
"okay, sorry to be so annoying. I should just walk home. But to tell you the truth," I took a moment to look around to make sure Kris wasn't listening before I whispered, "I think our house got broken into."
"Well then...are you sure? Never mind. I will pick you up as soon as I can. love you." Bob hung up and my heart started to race again with worry. How was I ever going to tell him about a past that I couldn't remember much of myself. It had been 20 years with no contact from either side. I knew I wasn't even supposed to have a life, other than my given path. I knew the generalities of my task, but not the details. So, I worried about how I was going to explain about something that I didn't remember much of. I mean, who really remembers details of when they were 13 years old?
++++ ++++++ +++++ ++++
In about 15 minutes Bob showed up in his gold 1973' Cadillac that we had gotten off of eBay for a decent price. He loved that car, it gave him the extra leg room and head space that a man of his height required.
I had decided to wait outside, in front of her garage, since it would avoid any small talk with Kris (she was a gossip monger). As soon as I saw Bob I ran to the car, and then remember the broken staff and went back to get it. The staff was still laying on top of the bushes, but I had to maneuver a little in the branches to reach it. When Bob saw the staff, he gave me this "please explain" kind of of look. I still had no idea how to start so I just shrugged and threw it into the trunk, that I unlocked with my set of keys.
"are you okay?" Bob asked. I could tell he was very concerned about me and my proclamation on the phone. My body started to experience a little shock and all I could mutter was, "I'm unhurt, although we might want to call the police just to be safe."
As we drove towards home, all I could hear was the sound of the Cadillac engine. I stared out the slightly dirty window, secret hoping that when we got there all would be as it usually was. Calm, quiet, and with out a speck of Earl...or what ever his name was. Bob stopped the car a couple housed away from ours to call the police. After he was finished, we sat in the car watching the house and waiting. Everything seemed to look okay from the outside. My car windshield still looked broken and the garage was bent in at the spot Earl had hit it. I tried to see any sign of Earl, but then seemed to be nothing.
"I'm sorry Tiffy, but I really need to know what happened?" Bob looked at me, his blue eyes were so empathetic. I could tell he was ready to believe what ever I would say. But, I couldn't have this conversation now. I just turned my head and glazed my eyes as I looked out the window," I told you, I was just relaxing when someone broke down the front door and broke into the house." His caring face fell and was replaced by a look of disappointment. After 10 years of marriage, he knew there was more to it than that.
"Okay, " I said " let me start from the beginning."
As I started to explain a cop car pulled up in front of our house, I took a breathe and mouthed the word, 'later". He nodded his head, and we both opened the car doors and introduced ourselves to the cop.
"Oh just in the neighborhood, trying to get some exercise. You know me, I'm always trying to be a little healthier." I lied. The answer came so quickly that I knew she wouldn't hesitate to believe me.
"So, Kris can I use your phone? I think I need to call my husband." I'm not quite sure why I didn't tell Kris what had happened. I think I just didn't want to upset her. plus, I was unsure she would even believe me.
Let see: Kris a big man in a velvet duster attacked me with a violet flying bubble of energy, but don't worry I defended myself using my glass ring and knocked him out. Then, I ran here to your beautiful home and your two children, in the hopes that the big man would not find me. Yup, crazy nuts.
There was no way to explain it so I was not going to try. Unfortunately, I knew that I had to at least try and explain what happened to my husband.
Kris allowed me to use her phone and I stepped out on her shaded patio to call him at work. Bob only worked about 2 miles away so I knew it would be easy for him to come and get me from Kris' house.
Before I dialed on Kris' phone, I found my cell phone in my pocket. I decided to use mine instead in order to keep her out of any "drama" that might be coming.
The phone rang three times before a deep, gentle voice picked up.
"Thank you for calling the best husband in the world, how may I assist you."
I laughed. I always loved hearing my husband speak. His voice was so powerful, some said he sounded like the voice of God. I wasn't sure about that. I just knew he sounded like someone that could make the sun shine on a cloudy day, and make my heart skip a beat; even after 10 years of marriage.
"Bob, you are lucky that your company has caller I.D." I teased.
"I know, I know. What going on, Love?" he asked.
"When is your lunch break?"
"In about a half hour, why? "
"No reason, I just need you to pick me up at Kris' house. I think I got a little over tired on my walk here and I don't really want to walk home. Plus, I am sweating like a pig and it's gross."
"I'm sorry love, why don't you just ask Kris to take you home and I will meet you there in a half an hour."
"I would but Kris is leaving to take here son to ...soccer practice. She was planning on leaving in just a couple of minutes." I felt bad about such a brazen lie, but I really didn't want to involve Kris.
"Well, I'll ask Shelly if I can take my lunch early. Just stay there and I will be there soon."
"okay, sorry to be so annoying. I should just walk home. But to tell you the truth," I took a moment to look around to make sure Kris wasn't listening before I whispered, "I think our house got broken into."
"Well then...are you sure? Never mind. I will pick you up as soon as I can. love you." Bob hung up and my heart started to race again with worry. How was I ever going to tell him about a past that I couldn't remember much of myself. It had been 20 years with no contact from either side. I knew I wasn't even supposed to have a life, other than my given path. I knew the generalities of my task, but not the details. So, I worried about how I was going to explain about something that I didn't remember much of. I mean, who really remembers details of when they were 13 years old?
++++ ++++++ +++++ ++++
In about 15 minutes Bob showed up in his gold 1973' Cadillac that we had gotten off of eBay for a decent price. He loved that car, it gave him the extra leg room and head space that a man of his height required.
I had decided to wait outside, in front of her garage, since it would avoid any small talk with Kris (she was a gossip monger). As soon as I saw Bob I ran to the car, and then remember the broken staff and went back to get it. The staff was still laying on top of the bushes, but I had to maneuver a little in the branches to reach it. When Bob saw the staff, he gave me this "please explain" kind of of look. I still had no idea how to start so I just shrugged and threw it into the trunk, that I unlocked with my set of keys.
"are you okay?" Bob asked. I could tell he was very concerned about me and my proclamation on the phone. My body started to experience a little shock and all I could mutter was, "I'm unhurt, although we might want to call the police just to be safe."
As we drove towards home, all I could hear was the sound of the Cadillac engine. I stared out the slightly dirty window, secret hoping that when we got there all would be as it usually was. Calm, quiet, and with out a speck of Earl...or what ever his name was. Bob stopped the car a couple housed away from ours to call the police. After he was finished, we sat in the car watching the house and waiting. Everything seemed to look okay from the outside. My car windshield still looked broken and the garage was bent in at the spot Earl had hit it. I tried to see any sign of Earl, but then seemed to be nothing.
"I'm sorry Tiffy, but I really need to know what happened?" Bob looked at me, his blue eyes were so empathetic. I could tell he was ready to believe what ever I would say. But, I couldn't have this conversation now. I just turned my head and glazed my eyes as I looked out the window," I told you, I was just relaxing when someone broke down the front door and broke into the house." His caring face fell and was replaced by a look of disappointment. After 10 years of marriage, he knew there was more to it than that.
"Okay, " I said " let me start from the beginning."
As I started to explain a cop car pulled up in front of our house, I took a breathe and mouthed the word, 'later". He nodded his head, and we both opened the car doors and introduced ourselves to the cop.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
The Past returns
"Nice shot" I yelled, "but you missed."
I turned the glass ring around in my finger so the the ball of the ring looked like it was being held in my palm. The pulsating grew stronger. As I flicked my wrist, a white bubble started to form. I could feel my hand tingling as the bubble grew.
The memory of me standing in front of the man with the blue robe flashed. I had the feeling that this was my favorite training game. Only this was not a game.
"Here it goes," I thought.
"My turn" I yelled as I pitched the white bubble underhand, now burning cold in my hands. The bubble quickly picked up speed and blasted into tiny pieces before targeting Earl. After being hit by the blast, Earl lost grip of his staff and sailed backwards into my garage door.
I moved to where his staff had fallen and hit Earl again with another white bubble of energy. This time I used a flicking motion so it would hit Earl and return to my hand. When the bubble returned to me I felt a surge of confidence. I grabbed Earl's staff and ran as fast as I could. I didn't think. I just ran. My heart was pumping so fast and I was having trouble breathing, but I didn't care; I knew I had to get as far away as possible. My thoughts flashed, for just a moment, to Mugsy who was still locked in the car. I was sorry that I had forgotten to let her out but there was nothing I could do about it now. Suddenly, Earl's face came to my mind. I stopped running, as I thought, "I know him, but how do I know him?" I turned around and saw nothing but the eery quiet street. My face started to sweat in the afternoon sun as I headed towards a friend's house that lived across the street, past the park. Maybe I had lost Earl, "no, not Earl, his name is...is.." It was so frustrating that I couldn't find the information that I was desperately searching for. I continued to look around me and spotted the same green-looking squirrel cross my path. My body flinched as I made a break for it and headed towards the path through the park.
Was exactly is that green squirrel creature, and was it a friend or an enemy. I tried to access any twinge of memory; but couldn't so I bit my lip and moved into a sprint.
+++
I banged on my friend's door, my chest burning inside from the lack of oxygen. I waited in the corner of her shaded porch, trying to will her to be home and answer quickly. I paused for a moment to listen through her door, I could hear footsteps coming down the staircase. I remembered that I was holding the cracked staff and thought there was no way to explain it so I threw it into her block shaped bushes a millisecond before the door opened.
"Hey friend, what's going on?"
'Um...hi Kris. I was wondering if I could come in for just a minute." I stammered
"Sure friend, come in." Kris welcomed me into her beautiful three story redbrick home. Every time I stood in her house, I couldn't help but feel a little jealous. I glanced at the black chandelier hanging above the Baby Grand piano in her sitting room as I followed her to the kitchen.
"you look like you need a some water. Jack!" Kris yelled upstairs to her twelve year old son. "Miss Tiffany is here, make sure to get some pants on before you come down." We looked at each other as Kris commented, "Maken sure we avoid any embarrassment, for you I mean." I took the plastic water bottle Kris offered and leaned on the counter. Kris started talking about the new Cordell Wide Oak hard wood floors they were going to have put in next month. I tried to sound excited but I all I could manage was a couple of ohs and uh-huhs, here and there.
As I sipped the water, I glanced down at my glass ring now and again. I knew that it would flicker to let me know if Earl had followed me here. I doubted that he had, since he looked quite unconscious before I took off toward the park.
I turned the glass ring around in my finger so the the ball of the ring looked like it was being held in my palm. The pulsating grew stronger. As I flicked my wrist, a white bubble started to form. I could feel my hand tingling as the bubble grew.
The memory of me standing in front of the man with the blue robe flashed. I had the feeling that this was my favorite training game. Only this was not a game.
"Here it goes," I thought.
"My turn" I yelled as I pitched the white bubble underhand, now burning cold in my hands. The bubble quickly picked up speed and blasted into tiny pieces before targeting Earl. After being hit by the blast, Earl lost grip of his staff and sailed backwards into my garage door.
I moved to where his staff had fallen and hit Earl again with another white bubble of energy. This time I used a flicking motion so it would hit Earl and return to my hand. When the bubble returned to me I felt a surge of confidence. I grabbed Earl's staff and ran as fast as I could. I didn't think. I just ran. My heart was pumping so fast and I was having trouble breathing, but I didn't care; I knew I had to get as far away as possible. My thoughts flashed, for just a moment, to Mugsy who was still locked in the car. I was sorry that I had forgotten to let her out but there was nothing I could do about it now. Suddenly, Earl's face came to my mind. I stopped running, as I thought, "I know him, but how do I know him?" I turned around and saw nothing but the eery quiet street. My face started to sweat in the afternoon sun as I headed towards a friend's house that lived across the street, past the park. Maybe I had lost Earl, "no, not Earl, his name is...is.." It was so frustrating that I couldn't find the information that I was desperately searching for. I continued to look around me and spotted the same green-looking squirrel cross my path. My body flinched as I made a break for it and headed towards the path through the park.
Was exactly is that green squirrel creature, and was it a friend or an enemy. I tried to access any twinge of memory; but couldn't so I bit my lip and moved into a sprint.
+++
I banged on my friend's door, my chest burning inside from the lack of oxygen. I waited in the corner of her shaded porch, trying to will her to be home and answer quickly. I paused for a moment to listen through her door, I could hear footsteps coming down the staircase. I remembered that I was holding the cracked staff and thought there was no way to explain it so I threw it into her block shaped bushes a millisecond before the door opened.
"Hey friend, what's going on?"
'Um...hi Kris. I was wondering if I could come in for just a minute." I stammered
"Sure friend, come in." Kris welcomed me into her beautiful three story redbrick home. Every time I stood in her house, I couldn't help but feel a little jealous. I glanced at the black chandelier hanging above the Baby Grand piano in her sitting room as I followed her to the kitchen.
"you look like you need a some water. Jack!" Kris yelled upstairs to her twelve year old son. "Miss Tiffany is here, make sure to get some pants on before you come down." We looked at each other as Kris commented, "Maken sure we avoid any embarrassment, for you I mean." I took the plastic water bottle Kris offered and leaned on the counter. Kris started talking about the new Cordell Wide Oak hard wood floors they were going to have put in next month. I tried to sound excited but I all I could manage was a couple of ohs and uh-huhs, here and there.
As I sipped the water, I glanced down at my glass ring now and again. I knew that it would flicker to let me know if Earl had followed me here. I doubted that he had, since he looked quite unconscious before I took off toward the park.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Some pent up energy
As I squatted next to the side fence with the car keys clutched in my right hand and holding Mugsy in my left, I listened very closely for the right moment to move. I could feel my heart beating wildly out of my chest and thought that Earl could probably hear it too. I strained to hear a sound as everything suddenly went silent. The moment seemed to slow to a crawl and all I could hear was the beating of my heart pounding in my ears. This moment was going to last forever, I just knew it.
The quiet was suddenly split by Earl. I could hear glass breaking from what sounded like my sitting room. "I WILL FIND YOU DREAMCATCHER AND I WILL TAKE THE STORY RELIC I NEED!" Earl yelled as the destruction continued. "All my beautiful collectables!" I thought. "He better not break the crown of Aurastar." That was my favorite crown. I listened to what sounded like a fire being started in my living room and decided it was time to go. The noise of my bookshelves crashing and my chandelier coming down would hopefully hide any sounds I made.
I crept toward the car and unlocked it as quickly as I could. I threw Mugsy into the passenger seat and apologized as she yelped in pain. I took one last glance at the front door as I jumped into my blue Chevy Tracker. As I closed the door, the destruction noises stopped. I didn't want to start the car or even lock it until I heard some movement that would mask my departure.
Minor mistake.
A moment later a violet bolt hit my windshield, blasting the glass into a million pieces. Mugsy ducked under the passenger seat as the glass headed towards her. I wished that I could do the same thing. As the glass started to settle, I saw Earl in front of me wearing a ghoulish leering grin. At least the voice sounded like Earl; he was wearing different clothes...very different. He was wearing a ragged looking velvet red duster. Around his neck was a silver pendant in the shape of a lion. In his right hand he had a old staff split in half at the top. He laughed as he beckoned me to get out of my car and face him. I decided that was not a good idea and tried to make a break for it, but the car would not start. Suddenly, the glass ring started to make a pulsating "whirrr" sound and I noticed my fingers were tingling. I stepped out of the car, slammed the door, and never took my eyes off Earl.
"You want me, you got me!" I yelled unflinchingly. I may have sounded fearless but my mind was yelling something completely different. My thoughts went something like, "oh crap, oh crap, oh God, oh God. please help, please help! "
"What do you want?" I demanded "Oh crap, stop talking just stop talking"
"You knows what I want. Give me the chamber key." Earl demanded and moved forward.
"I don't know about any chamber key. Look I think you've got the wrong...person...um dreamcatcher." I stammered as I took a step backward. My plan was really simple...throw my keys at his head and run.
"Oh nope I don't, I can tell by that little glass ring that you're wearing. You think I wouldn't recognize the symbol of your people?" "Plus, you have a different...light about you, sews I could tell. I must admit you are not like I pictured you would be. you got a little.." he gave a mean spirited laugh "fat."
"That's something coming from a guy who looks like a Biggest Loser reject. what do you weigh under that velvet duster ? 425..450?" I criticized and took another step back. "what are you doing? stop making him mad. shut up shut up, shut up."
"Let's see how out of practice the little Taloa Dreamcatcher is." As Earl grabbed his staff with both hands and started chanting, a violet bubble began to rise out of the top. I rocked back and forth, not really knowing what to do, and hoped that I would soon wake up from this obviously terrible dream.
Earl gave a final yell and sent the violet bubble racing toward me. I instinctively moved to the left as it barely sailed past my face at a breakneck speed. As my driver's side mirror shattered, I caught a glint from a piece of broken glass. In this moment I felt my past returning to me. I knew what I had to do.
The quiet was suddenly split by Earl. I could hear glass breaking from what sounded like my sitting room. "I WILL FIND YOU DREAMCATCHER AND I WILL TAKE THE STORY RELIC I NEED!" Earl yelled as the destruction continued. "All my beautiful collectables!" I thought. "He better not break the crown of Aurastar." That was my favorite crown. I listened to what sounded like a fire being started in my living room and decided it was time to go. The noise of my bookshelves crashing and my chandelier coming down would hopefully hide any sounds I made.
I crept toward the car and unlocked it as quickly as I could. I threw Mugsy into the passenger seat and apologized as she yelped in pain. I took one last glance at the front door as I jumped into my blue Chevy Tracker. As I closed the door, the destruction noises stopped. I didn't want to start the car or even lock it until I heard some movement that would mask my departure.
Minor mistake.
A moment later a violet bolt hit my windshield, blasting the glass into a million pieces. Mugsy ducked under the passenger seat as the glass headed towards her. I wished that I could do the same thing. As the glass started to settle, I saw Earl in front of me wearing a ghoulish leering grin. At least the voice sounded like Earl; he was wearing different clothes...very different. He was wearing a ragged looking velvet red duster. Around his neck was a silver pendant in the shape of a lion. In his right hand he had a old staff split in half at the top. He laughed as he beckoned me to get out of my car and face him. I decided that was not a good idea and tried to make a break for it, but the car would not start. Suddenly, the glass ring started to make a pulsating "whirrr" sound and I noticed my fingers were tingling. I stepped out of the car, slammed the door, and never took my eyes off Earl.
"You want me, you got me!" I yelled unflinchingly. I may have sounded fearless but my mind was yelling something completely different. My thoughts went something like, "oh crap, oh crap, oh God, oh God. please help, please help! "
"What do you want?" I demanded "Oh crap, stop talking just stop talking"
"You knows what I want. Give me the chamber key." Earl demanded and moved forward.
"I don't know about any chamber key. Look I think you've got the wrong...person...um dreamcatcher." I stammered as I took a step backward. My plan was really simple...throw my keys at his head and run.
"Oh nope I don't, I can tell by that little glass ring that you're wearing. You think I wouldn't recognize the symbol of your people?" "Plus, you have a different...light about you, sews I could tell. I must admit you are not like I pictured you would be. you got a little.." he gave a mean spirited laugh "fat."
"That's something coming from a guy who looks like a Biggest Loser reject. what do you weigh under that velvet duster ? 425..450?" I criticized and took another step back. "what are you doing? stop making him mad. shut up shut up, shut up."
"Let's see how out of practice the little Taloa Dreamcatcher is." As Earl grabbed his staff with both hands and started chanting, a violet bubble began to rise out of the top. I rocked back and forth, not really knowing what to do, and hoped that I would soon wake up from this obviously terrible dream.
Earl gave a final yell and sent the violet bubble racing toward me. I instinctively moved to the left as it barely sailed past my face at a breakneck speed. As my driver's side mirror shattered, I caught a glint from a piece of broken glass. In this moment I felt my past returning to me. I knew what I had to do.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
My First Memory
After the incident with Earl the other night, I started to think that the odd things that were happening were a series of connected events instead of just a coincidence. It was my first day off in a while and I decided to go to my hope chest and open up my old memory box that I thought would help me to connect the Chow-chow, "the face" , and the green squirrel. It was a small wooden box with two humming birds carved on it facing each other, holding a rose between them. The box was also carved all the way around and was very detailed. It took me a while to find the special key that went to the lock. In fact looking at the key you wouldn't think it did anything at all. The key was gold, flat and about an inch long with two prongs at the end. The key always used to remind me of a tiny crow bar.
I hadn't looked in this box for years but I was convinced that the things that were happening had to do with my past. I just didn't know how. I found the whole thing to be very frustrating mainly because I couldn't remember details from when I was young. As I opened the wooden lid, I spotted an old letter wrapped in a plastic sandwich bag. The Letter read on the outside "My Dearest Dreamcatcher" written in beautiful script. I slowly fingered the letter as I slipped it out of the plastic sleeve. I took a deep breath and started to read.
My doorbell rang and I was pulled back to my bedroom clutching the letter in my hands. I was a little annoyed as I walked to the front door. I was about to give the person at the door a piece of my mind for taking me away from such a great memory so I decided to take a deep breath before I opened the door. As I reached for the door handle with my right hand I saw the gold symbol on the glass ring flicker. Of all the things that I did not remember, this was not one of them. I remembered that when the ring flickered it meant someone sinister was near. I felt a shiver up my spine and did the only thing I could think of to do. I panicked.
I quickly grabbed my keys and ran the other way, out the side door through the garage. I got to the locked gate that would let me sneak to my car and hid. I couldn't remember the combination to the lock. "Oh crap", I thought. "okay just breath" I told myself. I remembered I had written a hint on the back of the lock to help me...in case I forgot the combo. As I reached up to turn the lock over, I heard the voice of Earl say, "Come on ...miss. open the door. surely you remember me." he hesitated then continued, "I just wanted to apologize for scaring you the other day."
When the door didn't open I could hear him getting irritated. His breathing got harder and harder. I got the feeling that any minute now he was going to put his fist through the door. "Open up you stinky dreamcatcher. I know it's you. I have been searching for you for decades."
I remembered the combination and fumbled a couple times as my heart was racing. I tried to stay quiet but Mugsy thought we were playing and kept rubbing up against my leg. I finally released the lock, open the gate, and peered out. The ring on my finger was turning hot white as I heard the bolt on my front door unlock.
I hadn't looked in this box for years but I was convinced that the things that were happening had to do with my past. I just didn't know how. I found the whole thing to be very frustrating mainly because I couldn't remember details from when I was young. As I opened the wooden lid, I spotted an old letter wrapped in a plastic sandwich bag. The Letter read on the outside "My Dearest Dreamcatcher" written in beautiful script. I slowly fingered the letter as I slipped it out of the plastic sleeve. I took a deep breath and started to read.
My
Dearest Dreamcatcher,
You have a lifetime mission to fulfill. You have been called to greatness. This is a position of honor that has been a corner stone of our Legacy. I am proud of who you have become, but you are still young. How I wish that I could come with you. I believe in you. Please allow me to offer this word of advice: Remember each item that is put in your charge is precious and must be protected at all costs. Practice your talents each day, prepare for the day when the adversaries will find you (for it will come), and remember that we will be watching.
With all my devotion and love,
Otec
I stared at the letter for a moment as tears filled my eyes. I wiped the tears away and remembered a man with deep brown eyes wearing a blue robe. He was standing away from me as he threw what looked like a flaming hot white baseball at me. I felt a twinge of worry, but then felt a surge of brilliance and caught the ball as it came toward me. As I looked around, and realized I was standing in a grassy arena. I couldn't see the faces of anyone else but I knew I was being watched ...and tested. The man with the deep brown eyes gave me a look of encouragement and said, "Good deed my little dreamcatcher in training, now just one more." I giggled...You have a lifetime mission to fulfill. You have been called to greatness. This is a position of honor that has been a corner stone of our Legacy. I am proud of who you have become, but you are still young. How I wish that I could come with you. I believe in you. Please allow me to offer this word of advice: Remember each item that is put in your charge is precious and must be protected at all costs. Practice your talents each day, prepare for the day when the adversaries will find you (for it will come), and remember that we will be watching.
With all my devotion and love,
Otec
My doorbell rang and I was pulled back to my bedroom clutching the letter in my hands. I was a little annoyed as I walked to the front door. I was about to give the person at the door a piece of my mind for taking me away from such a great memory so I decided to take a deep breath before I opened the door. As I reached for the door handle with my right hand I saw the gold symbol on the glass ring flicker. Of all the things that I did not remember, this was not one of them. I remembered that when the ring flickered it meant someone sinister was near. I felt a shiver up my spine and did the only thing I could think of to do. I panicked.
I quickly grabbed my keys and ran the other way, out the side door through the garage. I got to the locked gate that would let me sneak to my car and hid. I couldn't remember the combination to the lock. "Oh crap", I thought. "okay just breath" I told myself. I remembered I had written a hint on the back of the lock to help me...in case I forgot the combo. As I reached up to turn the lock over, I heard the voice of Earl say, "Come on ...miss. open the door. surely you remember me." he hesitated then continued, "I just wanted to apologize for scaring you the other day."
When the door didn't open I could hear him getting irritated. His breathing got harder and harder. I got the feeling that any minute now he was going to put his fist through the door. "Open up you stinky dreamcatcher. I know it's you. I have been searching for you for decades."
I remembered the combination and fumbled a couple times as my heart was racing. I tried to stay quiet but Mugsy thought we were playing and kept rubbing up against my leg. I finally released the lock, open the gate, and peered out. The ring on my finger was turning hot white as I heard the bolt on my front door unlock.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Stranger Danger
I looked up at where "the face" had been as my heart stopped while holding my breath. The face was gone. I looked behind me at the gate that I had come through a couple seconds ago and saw a man staring at me. He was wearing a greenish city uniform with the name Earl embroidered on the upper left chest area. He was wearing a huge sun hat and a skull bandana around his neck that sparkled and glittered in the left-0ver sun.
"Excuse me" I muttered, unsure of whether he was someone I could trust.
"You're not supposed to be here...miss" he said. There was something in the way that he added the "miss" at the end that told me that he was speaking from a place of bitter authority. I decided to be as kind and get home as fast as I could.
"Oh sorry" I stuttered "I was just getting my dog back, she got loose from me when she saw a ...squirrel and took off down here."
"Uh huh" he commented, looking me up and down, trying to rip the half truth from my lips.
He finally smiled and nodded his head as if he decided to believe most of what I was saying.
"Well then you got your dog now so you better leave before I call them cops."
I gave a nervous laugh and pulled Mugsy back up the path. I didn't take my eyes off of Earl as we walked up the path. When I got on the other side of the fence I muttered an "I'm sorry" and thanked him for his time and patience. "Uh huh" was all he said.
As I walked back down to the sidewalk I could feel him staring at the back of my neck. I was anxious to be out of his sight line so I started to run back home even though it was a half mile away. As I ran, I could hear his first statement in my mind, "You're not supposed to be here yet." "Yet." He had said the word "yet." The second time he left that part out as if he was testing me to see if I heard him.. What exactly did he mean by "yet?" I thought about it all the way home as I tried to forget every detail of him. As I rounded the final corner Mugsy took off and pulled away from me. "Home!" I commanded. She obeyed and took off towards home. When I got there she was waiting for me to open the door, obviously glad to be home. So was I. As I walked inside and locked the door I heard Earl's voice. "You're not supposed to be here yet." I jumped and my heart skipped a beat. I knew the voice had to be in my head but my heart was telling me it was something more sinister. I ran to my room, quickly closing the door behind me As my breathing slowly calmed, my eyes fell on a blue glass ring with a tiny gold symbol in the middle of it in my open jewelry box. I hadn't worn this ring or even thought about it in...years. Two decades to be more precise. I slipped it on my right middle finger and decided to do a quick inspection of my small three bedroom house.
"Excuse me" I muttered, unsure of whether he was someone I could trust.
"You're not supposed to be here...miss" he said. There was something in the way that he added the "miss" at the end that told me that he was speaking from a place of bitter authority. I decided to be as kind and get home as fast as I could.
"Oh sorry" I stuttered "I was just getting my dog back, she got loose from me when she saw a ...squirrel and took off down here."
"Uh huh" he commented, looking me up and down, trying to rip the half truth from my lips.
He finally smiled and nodded his head as if he decided to believe most of what I was saying.
"Well then you got your dog now so you better leave before I call them cops."
I gave a nervous laugh and pulled Mugsy back up the path. I didn't take my eyes off of Earl as we walked up the path. When I got on the other side of the fence I muttered an "I'm sorry" and thanked him for his time and patience. "Uh huh" was all he said.
As I walked back down to the sidewalk I could feel him staring at the back of my neck. I was anxious to be out of his sight line so I started to run back home even though it was a half mile away. As I ran, I could hear his first statement in my mind, "You're not supposed to be here yet." "Yet." He had said the word "yet." The second time he left that part out as if he was testing me to see if I heard him.. What exactly did he mean by "yet?" I thought about it all the way home as I tried to forget every detail of him. As I rounded the final corner Mugsy took off and pulled away from me. "Home!" I commanded. She obeyed and took off towards home. When I got there she was waiting for me to open the door, obviously glad to be home. So was I. As I walked inside and locked the door I heard Earl's voice. "You're not supposed to be here yet." I jumped and my heart skipped a beat. I knew the voice had to be in my head but my heart was telling me it was something more sinister. I ran to my room, quickly closing the door behind me As my breathing slowly calmed, my eyes fell on a blue glass ring with a tiny gold symbol in the middle of it in my open jewelry box. I hadn't worn this ring or even thought about it in...years. Two decades to be more precise. I slipped it on my right middle finger and decided to do a quick inspection of my small three bedroom house.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
something in the air
Mugsy would not stop acting strangely as we walked. She refused to go, whimpering and pulling at her pink leash. I could ignore her pulling; there were occasions when she would pull at her leash because she was smelling something "important" in the grass and was not finished with it. But, I could not ignore the whimpering. My dog would bark at huge greyhounds but the moment the dog got closer and she could see that the dog was bigger than her, she would stop barking. It was usually very funny to watch. She was a lovable barking mutt, but I could not ignore her cries of concern. I knew that dogs usually had a keener sense of the things happening around them.
I looked forward towards the trail and decided to calm my puppy and go home.
As I leaned down to calm her and pick her up, I saw a flash of something that my heart recognized as...home. I thought I saw a dark shape running across the path, it reminded me of a squirrel except greenish. It was strange but, when I saw it I had a memory of a place that I felt I used to live. The place the colorful, like stepping into a beautiful landscape painting. I was standing in front of some older men in blue robes with caps on their heads. They were telling me that my time had come and that I needed to go through the door. I looked around and the door was a tree that was broken in half with a rainbow paving the entry.
I returned to the moment and picked mugsy up to let her know that she was okay and that if she did not want to go I would not make her.
I lied.
I took a couple of steps forward as she was calming down, I looked at her and she looked at me with her big brown eyes as if to say, "I love you, please let's go home." I apologized and we moved forward. With each step I could feel something in the air, something that was calling me back to the place 'it all started." What it was exactly, I did not know, I just knew that I felt like I had to go, I had to see it, the Katura tree, plus I wanted to make sure the green squirrel was just my imagination. I mean a green squirrel, that smacks of crazy right?
It was just a couple more minutes until I got to the location as I started to break into a run. I noticed how utterly out-of-shape I was a decided that the target zone wasn't going anywhere and I could walk fast instead. As, I got to the sign that read, "No trespassing" I found my heart beating faster. I had not idea why, this was no big deal. It was just a bunch a shrubs, broken logs, and one beautiful tree after all. I looked up to the top of the branches to see if I could see the "face" that I had seen before. My heart skipped a beat as I saw it again. The wind blew and the face moved with the wind. I smiled at the face and giggled under my breath as I told myself that I was being silly. I moved under the trespassing sign as a warm breeze came through. The breeze felt like a hot breath on my ear and I shrugged my shoulder to shake the weird feeling.
The face, I noticed was still there and I looked at it as I walked down the hill. I felt like a child that sees a shadow in their bedroom during the night and thinks it a ghost so they stay up all night staring at it, waiting to move.
I decided to try and talk to it just to prove to my imagination that it wasn't real.
"Hello, nice to see you here." I said
I waited a few seconds and then took my eyes off the face as I made a sigh of relief. Then I heard a voice say, "you're not supposed to be here yet."
I looked forward towards the trail and decided to calm my puppy and go home.
As I leaned down to calm her and pick her up, I saw a flash of something that my heart recognized as...home. I thought I saw a dark shape running across the path, it reminded me of a squirrel except greenish. It was strange but, when I saw it I had a memory of a place that I felt I used to live. The place the colorful, like stepping into a beautiful landscape painting. I was standing in front of some older men in blue robes with caps on their heads. They were telling me that my time had come and that I needed to go through the door. I looked around and the door was a tree that was broken in half with a rainbow paving the entry.
I returned to the moment and picked mugsy up to let her know that she was okay and that if she did not want to go I would not make her.
I lied.
I took a couple of steps forward as she was calming down, I looked at her and she looked at me with her big brown eyes as if to say, "I love you, please let's go home." I apologized and we moved forward. With each step I could feel something in the air, something that was calling me back to the place 'it all started." What it was exactly, I did not know, I just knew that I felt like I had to go, I had to see it, the Katura tree, plus I wanted to make sure the green squirrel was just my imagination. I mean a green squirrel, that smacks of crazy right?
It was just a couple more minutes until I got to the location as I started to break into a run. I noticed how utterly out-of-shape I was a decided that the target zone wasn't going anywhere and I could walk fast instead. As, I got to the sign that read, "No trespassing" I found my heart beating faster. I had not idea why, this was no big deal. It was just a bunch a shrubs, broken logs, and one beautiful tree after all. I looked up to the top of the branches to see if I could see the "face" that I had seen before. My heart skipped a beat as I saw it again. The wind blew and the face moved with the wind. I smiled at the face and giggled under my breath as I told myself that I was being silly. I moved under the trespassing sign as a warm breeze came through. The breeze felt like a hot breath on my ear and I shrugged my shoulder to shake the weird feeling.
The face, I noticed was still there and I looked at it as I walked down the hill. I felt like a child that sees a shadow in their bedroom during the night and thinks it a ghost so they stay up all night staring at it, waiting to move.
I decided to try and talk to it just to prove to my imagination that it wasn't real.
"Hello, nice to see you here." I said
I waited a few seconds and then took my eyes off the face as I made a sigh of relief. Then I heard a voice say, "you're not supposed to be here yet."
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
and so it continues
Today was a beautiful spring day. it was 78 degrees outside and I was ready for a walk. I got my dog and grabbed her pink leash with the light pink hearts on it, so people would know she was a girl, and headed for the door. I don't know why but I started to think about the last time I had let my dog outside. My thoughts flooded to that dog that attacked Mugsy, which I later found out was a dog called a Chow-chow, a nice name for such an aggressive and giant dog. I realized that it had been several months since I had wanted to go outside with Mugsy at all. Today unfortunately, i knew that i had to "start somewhere" since mugsy was getting very pudgy for her little chihuahua/pug mix frame. Plus, I wasn't in the best shape of my life either so it was a beautiful day and it was time to get moving.
I started to walk up the usual way, up the street to the first main light about a quarter mile up the road then turn right and come back. The whole walk was usually a mile and took no more than 14 minutes. as I went to go toward the main stop light I stopped and thought about a place that i had not been to in years. The place was a doorway of sorts at least it felt like that to me. It was up the street a little and was the sight of an old drainage ditch. After years and years of water running through it, it had grown to be full of shrubs, flowers, herbs , weeds, dead broken logs, and one really beautiful and full Katsura tree whose leaves always reminded me of a heart.
I decided that I wanted to go see it even though it was gated off by the city and had a sign on it that read, "trespassers will be prosecuted." in my mind I had a right to go there and no city was going to stop me. I tugged at Mugsy to go left instead of right, she resisted for a moment but soon gave in and walked along side of me. Occasionally she would switch sides as she usually does in order to smell everything within her level.
About 15 minutes in to walk she started to whimper as we got closer to my memory area. I was determined to go since I kept getting lost in my own memories. I remember playing there with a young group of children that I was looking after. we were using it as our own imagination arena. We pretended to fight the goblins and monsters that were there as we flung spells and hid behind the broken log from our unseen attackers. I could remember how frightful and scary it had been when we heard a tree branch break on it's own while we silently listening waiting for the right moment to attack the imaginary goblins. That very real small moment of hearing the branch break caused us to wonder if there were more sinister, real forces at work as we hastily decided that it was time to go. the kids climbed up the small ravine first and as I looked back at the beautiful Katsura tree I would have sworn that I saw a face looking at me from beyond the leaves. I was both secretly scared and intrigued by that moment. Scared because of the feeling I got that the face I saw was really there and intrigued because the faced seemed to have been smiling as if to say, "i missed you."
I was torn from my memory as Mugsy started to forcefully pull backward and bark at something that was sending her into behavior that I had never seen before.
I started to walk up the usual way, up the street to the first main light about a quarter mile up the road then turn right and come back. The whole walk was usually a mile and took no more than 14 minutes. as I went to go toward the main stop light I stopped and thought about a place that i had not been to in years. The place was a doorway of sorts at least it felt like that to me. It was up the street a little and was the sight of an old drainage ditch. After years and years of water running through it, it had grown to be full of shrubs, flowers, herbs , weeds, dead broken logs, and one really beautiful and full Katsura tree whose leaves always reminded me of a heart.
I decided that I wanted to go see it even though it was gated off by the city and had a sign on it that read, "trespassers will be prosecuted." in my mind I had a right to go there and no city was going to stop me. I tugged at Mugsy to go left instead of right, she resisted for a moment but soon gave in and walked along side of me. Occasionally she would switch sides as she usually does in order to smell everything within her level.
About 15 minutes in to walk she started to whimper as we got closer to my memory area. I was determined to go since I kept getting lost in my own memories. I remember playing there with a young group of children that I was looking after. we were using it as our own imagination arena. We pretended to fight the goblins and monsters that were there as we flung spells and hid behind the broken log from our unseen attackers. I could remember how frightful and scary it had been when we heard a tree branch break on it's own while we silently listening waiting for the right moment to attack the imaginary goblins. That very real small moment of hearing the branch break caused us to wonder if there were more sinister, real forces at work as we hastily decided that it was time to go. the kids climbed up the small ravine first and as I looked back at the beautiful Katsura tree I would have sworn that I saw a face looking at me from beyond the leaves. I was both secretly scared and intrigued by that moment. Scared because of the feeling I got that the face I saw was really there and intrigued because the faced seemed to have been smiling as if to say, "i missed you."
I was torn from my memory as Mugsy started to forcefully pull backward and bark at something that was sending her into behavior that I had never seen before.
Friday, November 19, 2010
My first adventure
I sat all alone wondering when my husband would get home. It was 5 minutes before the 8 o'clock hour on the evening of the 30th and I was worried. He usually got home around 7pm so this was not good. I don't tend to over react, but tonight was different. Tonight I felt like there was something in the air. Like the air right before you realize that your cookies are about to burn. Something was different.
Suddenly, my dog jumped up and started barking. I got excited since usually my dog is able to hear my husband's car coming into the driveway, call it my own personal alarm, my dog knew 9 times out of 10 when my husband was home before I did.
As i ran to the door and quick thought entered my brain, "it's not him, don't open the door." I ignored it and opened the door. I ran out in the hopes that I would be able to surprise my husband before he could get out of his car. To my surprise he wasn't there. I was crestfallen and started back inside the house when I realized that my dog, mugsy-pugsy, was no where to be found. Mugsy, I called where did you go. As I walked around my car that was parked in the drive way, a big auburn colored, bear-like dog came into view. It had big black eyes and I started to think I know this dog, but I didn't know how I knew it. I immediately yelled for Mugsy to get inside the house as I stood transfixed by this bear-dog. Suddenly, the dog stopped, got this look in it's eye that said, "I am here for you" and started bolting toward me. I couldn't move until my Mugsy barked with her girly yelp and I came out of what ever power the bear-dogs eyes had me, and I headed for the house. Mugsy got in a moment before I shut the door. My right hand went the to dead bolt while my left hand stayed on the door, but just as I got my hand to the bolt the door started to open. I could feel a hateful force behind the door as my strength was being taxed. I started to panic a little as I wondered how a dog was forcing the door with such human strength. Dogs do not usually act like this, I knew that, but I couldn't figure out why this was happening.
As I tried to push the door closed my strength was losing against the unseen force. the door crept open little by little, bit by bit. I finally used my shoulder and my full body weight and with last tired shove I got the door to close. I locked the dead bolt and the gold chain at the top of the door and ran to the window to get a peek at my attacker. there was nothing.
As I looked out the window I didn't even see anything moving outside, it was as if the whole world was paused on t.v. or something. It was creepy. I shivered and went to my dog to comfort her and make sure that she was unharmed.
A moment later, as I was in the kitchen , the dead bolt unlocked itself and the door was only stopped by the gold chain that I had fashioned at the top of the door, just in case. I stopped breathing as I heard a voice say, "Tiffy let me in"
it was my husband, he was home and I could breath again.
*****************************************************************************
I told my husband the next day about what had happened with the Chow-Chow (I looked up pictures on google.com until I found it's name) and he shrugged it off. He said I was worrying too much and told me that it was probably the strong wind that we had that night. Plus, he said "You know how our bedroom door always slams shut by itself when we turn on the air conditioner or the heater, it's probably just something like that...but backwards." He kissed me on the lips and told me he would make me some hot chocolate.
Suddenly, my dog jumped up and started barking. I got excited since usually my dog is able to hear my husband's car coming into the driveway, call it my own personal alarm, my dog knew 9 times out of 10 when my husband was home before I did.
As i ran to the door and quick thought entered my brain, "it's not him, don't open the door." I ignored it and opened the door. I ran out in the hopes that I would be able to surprise my husband before he could get out of his car. To my surprise he wasn't there. I was crestfallen and started back inside the house when I realized that my dog, mugsy-pugsy, was no where to be found. Mugsy, I called where did you go. As I walked around my car that was parked in the drive way, a big auburn colored, bear-like dog came into view. It had big black eyes and I started to think I know this dog, but I didn't know how I knew it. I immediately yelled for Mugsy to get inside the house as I stood transfixed by this bear-dog. Suddenly, the dog stopped, got this look in it's eye that said, "I am here for you" and started bolting toward me. I couldn't move until my Mugsy barked with her girly yelp and I came out of what ever power the bear-dogs eyes had me, and I headed for the house. Mugsy got in a moment before I shut the door. My right hand went the to dead bolt while my left hand stayed on the door, but just as I got my hand to the bolt the door started to open. I could feel a hateful force behind the door as my strength was being taxed. I started to panic a little as I wondered how a dog was forcing the door with such human strength. Dogs do not usually act like this, I knew that, but I couldn't figure out why this was happening.
As I tried to push the door closed my strength was losing against the unseen force. the door crept open little by little, bit by bit. I finally used my shoulder and my full body weight and with last tired shove I got the door to close. I locked the dead bolt and the gold chain at the top of the door and ran to the window to get a peek at my attacker. there was nothing.
As I looked out the window I didn't even see anything moving outside, it was as if the whole world was paused on t.v. or something. It was creepy. I shivered and went to my dog to comfort her and make sure that she was unharmed.
A moment later, as I was in the kitchen , the dead bolt unlocked itself and the door was only stopped by the gold chain that I had fashioned at the top of the door, just in case. I stopped breathing as I heard a voice say, "Tiffy let me in"
it was my husband, he was home and I could breath again.
*****************************************************************************
I told my husband the next day about what had happened with the Chow-Chow (I looked up pictures on google.com until I found it's name) and he shrugged it off. He said I was worrying too much and told me that it was probably the strong wind that we had that night. Plus, he said "You know how our bedroom door always slams shut by itself when we turn on the air conditioner or the heater, it's probably just something like that...but backwards." He kissed me on the lips and told me he would make me some hot chocolate.
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