The boat skips across the water, racing ever further away from land. Warm salt water droplets kiss her skin. She closes her eyes and imagines that the little vessel carrying her is passing over a coral reef, teeming with life. Beyond that, she envisions the little fishing boat passing over a sunken ship-a pirate ship, mayhaps, left so long to the world under the sea that it has been entirely encrusted in barnacles. Surely such a once-stately ship was filled with treasures in addition to the aquatic life that now call it home. She's so entirely lost in her day dream that the gagging sounds coming from the stern of the boat take a minute to catch her attention.
"Forget to take your Dramamine, Errol?", Gretchen asks as she squeezes her eyes shut even harder for a moment, in no hurry to get back to this reality.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Muffin
"Arrrrrroooooooooooooooooooooooooooo"
The lonely howl made her pull her blanket a little more snuggly around her shoulders, despite the fire still crackling in the fireplace.
"ARRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
Not so lonely the second time (at least two more howlers had joined the first), she threw her blanket aside and went to the sliding glass door that lead to the back yard.
It was much too dark to see anything beyond the weather ravaged deck that wrapped around the modest house, the deck illuminated only by the soft yellow glow escaping through the lace curtains adorning the windows.
"Muffin!! Muffin, time to come in, girl!"
She paused, waiting to hear the galloping gate of her dearest friend and cohort racing across the yard. When the sound didn't come, she repeated the call-something she hadn't had to do since Muffin was a pup. Still nothing. Grumbling to herself, she went to find her slippers (upstairs, of course). A chorus of cries interrupted the silent mouthful she was giving her absent furry friend- a choir piercing enough to, at first, bring her to a halt as she reached the top of the stairs-then make her run, cram her feet into her slippers, and seemingly fly back to the sliding glass door, all in a second's time. She was about to open the door, and mentally, already through it, when Muffin came trotting into view.
Something like Muffin, at least.. This dog's muzzle was grossly elongated, unable to close around a sea of horrificly oversized teeth.
The lonely howl made her pull her blanket a little more snuggly around her shoulders, despite the fire still crackling in the fireplace.
"ARRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
Not so lonely the second time (at least two more howlers had joined the first), she threw her blanket aside and went to the sliding glass door that lead to the back yard.
It was much too dark to see anything beyond the weather ravaged deck that wrapped around the modest house, the deck illuminated only by the soft yellow glow escaping through the lace curtains adorning the windows.
"Muffin!! Muffin, time to come in, girl!"
She paused, waiting to hear the galloping gate of her dearest friend and cohort racing across the yard. When the sound didn't come, she repeated the call-something she hadn't had to do since Muffin was a pup. Still nothing. Grumbling to herself, she went to find her slippers (upstairs, of course). A chorus of cries interrupted the silent mouthful she was giving her absent furry friend- a choir piercing enough to, at first, bring her to a halt as she reached the top of the stairs-then make her run, cram her feet into her slippers, and seemingly fly back to the sliding glass door, all in a second's time. She was about to open the door, and mentally, already through it, when Muffin came trotting into view.
Something like Muffin, at least.. This dog's muzzle was grossly elongated, unable to close around a sea of horrificly oversized teeth.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
A Dream Is A Wish
All of the color had been sucked from the world-or so it seemed. Grey nets hung from high, dingy ceilings. And she was running.
It was a maze to her, the endless sea of aisles made up of tall shelves filled with items she couldn't identify. She couldn't place the smell offending her nose. She was only a little girl, after all.
She knew she had to run, though. Sometimes that's enough.
Her memory was foggy. She didn't know how she got there. She wanted her Mom. She didn't know how much longer she could run. The exertion made her blood pulse in her gums and her lungs protested every breath. Every turn seemed to bring her back to where she'd just been.
She stopped. Panting, out of breath, and all alone, she peered around a shelf loaded to the gills with rusted piles of this-and-that. One of her long golden curls tangled itself in the mess. She was about to tear it free and get moving again when a hushed voice interrupted her panicked mind.
"Come this way! Quickly, now!"
Her head snapped at the sound, painfully freeing the tangled curl in the process. There was a man no more than 30 yards away from her-a man that had crept into the aisle she'd ventured to glance down moments before.
"You have to come NOW!"
The voice was not hushed the second time. That got her moving again-and fast, in the opposite direction of her new-found company. She was aware of the man shouting behind her. The shouts gave way to foot falls.
She was being chased.
It was a maze to her, the endless sea of aisles made up of tall shelves filled with items she couldn't identify. She couldn't place the smell offending her nose. She was only a little girl, after all.
She knew she had to run, though. Sometimes that's enough.
Her memory was foggy. She didn't know how she got there. She wanted her Mom. She didn't know how much longer she could run. The exertion made her blood pulse in her gums and her lungs protested every breath. Every turn seemed to bring her back to where she'd just been.
She stopped. Panting, out of breath, and all alone, she peered around a shelf loaded to the gills with rusted piles of this-and-that. One of her long golden curls tangled itself in the mess. She was about to tear it free and get moving again when a hushed voice interrupted her panicked mind.
"Come this way! Quickly, now!"
Her head snapped at the sound, painfully freeing the tangled curl in the process. There was a man no more than 30 yards away from her-a man that had crept into the aisle she'd ventured to glance down moments before.
"You have to come NOW!"
The voice was not hushed the second time. That got her moving again-and fast, in the opposite direction of her new-found company. She was aware of the man shouting behind her. The shouts gave way to foot falls.
She was being chased.
Monday, November 12, 2012
The Golden Years
"I will never understand why you have to go out risking life and limb for food, George, when we've so much already at our disposal, and need for naught."
He shook his head at her, same as he had for as long as he could remember. The same plea had fallen on his ears back in their courting days, and all throughout their child rearing years. Now, it would seem, it would follow him throughout their golden years-though he didn't know why they were called 'the golden years', exactly. Last George checked, there was nothing 'golden' about having the bulk of your conscious thoughts going towards making sure you don't void your bowels at an inappropriate time-other than the bedding, on occaision, of course.
"Why, g'dammit, Juniper, because I CAN! I can and I WILL!", George exlaimed emphatically, stamping his foot as he spoke the last word. He would never admit it, but these exchanges with the Mrs. amped him up for the task that lay ahead every bit as much as the risk itself, perhaps as much as the potential rewards.
"Yes, but, have you forgotten what day it is, dear?", Juniper asked her beloved
George didn't respond. Rather, he retreated, silently, into his head-reaching, searching, grasping for any straw, no matter how small, that would trigger the recall switch, delivering him an anwer, any answer, to give June asides from admitting that he had absolutely no clue as to what she was talking about or what day it was, for that matter. Just as he was about to concede, to admit defeat-
"Meeeeeeoooowwww! Meeeeeooooooow"
"Ahh. Yes", George didn't jump at the cries coming from what seemed to be right outside his front door. He forced a sly expression into his eyes, "Of course, my love, I know that Little Destroyer is away, so, sure as the sun rises, the cat will stay in, rather than going to investigate the bigger world beyond, to escape the grabbing hands. I was merely making sure that YOU were thinking likewise, my dear, as I couldn't bear to have you ever forget it".
Juniper nosed a chunk of stale bread towards her husband without saying a word. "Well," George said, "there is no need to go out risking life and limb, when we've already so much at our disposal and we need for naught".
He shook his head at her, same as he had for as long as he could remember. The same plea had fallen on his ears back in their courting days, and all throughout their child rearing years. Now, it would seem, it would follow him throughout their golden years-though he didn't know why they were called 'the golden years', exactly. Last George checked, there was nothing 'golden' about having the bulk of your conscious thoughts going towards making sure you don't void your bowels at an inappropriate time-other than the bedding, on occaision, of course.
"Why, g'dammit, Juniper, because I CAN! I can and I WILL!", George exlaimed emphatically, stamping his foot as he spoke the last word. He would never admit it, but these exchanges with the Mrs. amped him up for the task that lay ahead every bit as much as the risk itself, perhaps as much as the potential rewards.
"Yes, but, have you forgotten what day it is, dear?", Juniper asked her beloved
George didn't respond. Rather, he retreated, silently, into his head-reaching, searching, grasping for any straw, no matter how small, that would trigger the recall switch, delivering him an anwer, any answer, to give June asides from admitting that he had absolutely no clue as to what she was talking about or what day it was, for that matter. Just as he was about to concede, to admit defeat-
"Meeeeeeoooowwww! Meeeeeooooooow"
"Ahh. Yes", George didn't jump at the cries coming from what seemed to be right outside his front door. He forced a sly expression into his eyes, "Of course, my love, I know that Little Destroyer is away, so, sure as the sun rises, the cat will stay in, rather than going to investigate the bigger world beyond, to escape the grabbing hands. I was merely making sure that YOU were thinking likewise, my dear, as I couldn't bear to have you ever forget it".
Juniper nosed a chunk of stale bread towards her husband without saying a word. "Well," George said, "there is no need to go out risking life and limb, when we've already so much at our disposal and we need for naught".
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