In darkness, an uneasy terror, too vague for name, lurks on the edge of consciousness that is never present in light. Shadows stand silent, each with a story woven by the threads of imagination and memory, of intent sullen in the wrinkled palms of witches scorned. Corners become pregnant with anticipation; closets the hidden cove of demons, the womb of evil black and cold, working mischief in silence too loud for comfort. Patient is darkness, unhurried and deliberate, as if the hands of destruction held back the gods of time, a cruel warp delicious only to those who delight in fields of fear and paranoia.
Kyra meditated as Von and Em slept the sleep of children tired. Her eyes were closed to matters slight as her mind and heart opened to matters grave and the expanse of hope extended to horizons distant and far. On the edges she watched, like storms of thunder and lightning, appearing only from the corners of awareness too slippery to hold, too ephemeral to ponder, intruders neither wanted nor welcomed but present nonetheless.
Em began to stir with a feline stretch of arms and back, her half-open eyes seeing without comprehending. Kyra opened her eyes as the flower of Em unfolded before her, life awakening, precious life unfolding, and that life would have questions of mind and heart seeking answers of logic and love. “Morning Em.”
Em yawned into her small balled fist. “Morning Kyra. What happened?”
Kyra spoke of what she knew, careful to avoid assumption and speculation for fear needed no breeding ground. She kept her tone steady and assured with inventory of facts as if the organization of details was itself a commodity of value with the power to convert fear into hope. Em listened and asked and Kyra answered and listened and so for minutes upon minutes the exchange continued as Kyra felt as Papa must have felt so many times.
When Em had asked her last question and silence prevailed, she looked lost. Kyra sat and waited for what she knew would come. “Kyra, I’m scared,” said Em, her voice humble before fate like a child not yet overcome with the hubris of age.
Kyra stood and opened her arms. Em folded within as a cold puppy nestles into its mother’s belly and Kyra whispered softly into her ear, “So am I.”
Reading: So Am I
Categories: Story, Kyra, Emy
37 comments:
I do love to mix my metaphors so just go ahead and spank me. :-D
Is anything more scary than the unknown(?). Hope for the best and fear for the worst, where hope tends to have a much shorter span, because usually it is known what the desired outcome would be. Fear on the other hand, and the endless possibilies of what that unknown end might be, now that, that would open up so many more trains of thought.
What a fabulously written chapter, that first part especially.the first paragraph and following that the second are awe-inspiring in their intensity and intricasy (sp?), like threads weaved together to create a noteworthy pattern.
Eerie and silent (no dialogue lends to that impression), felt my stomach muscles clench and my breath held of its own accord as I was reading, from this part to the next.
A wonderful chapter, a prime example of your mastery at cliffhangars, of knowing just where to stop for maximum effect. I'm just astounded, speechless, and full of shivers.
A*mazing. Please hurry and write the continuance.
xo
Sweetest, thanks for your kind words. This chapter began with just a single thought, that there is a terror in darkness that is never present in light. I think of Bravo, no power, cold, dark and looking, as all things do in dark, quite different than what Kyra is used to. The idea, which we have visited before, that Bravo is/was a living tomb, is I think now not only more evident but a very distinct possibility.
I do so much appreciated your kind words. I enjoy the challenge of taking a feeling, a mood, a thought, an ambiance and somehow converting the images and feelings to words. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't and sometimes we find ourself inbetween working and not working. :-D
I'd like to think this one, for the most part, works. :-)
And here we are, what a cliff hangar! I think we can all imagine this scene.
Thanks Deb. Now I just have to figure out what happens next. :-D
Black ricorice candy with swirls of raspberry. What a sweet fractal!
Thanks Saffy. This is one of my faves. Make sure you click on the image to see the very, very large version. Amazing in the detail. :-)
Yey! We have audio. :-)
Wonderful reading, that last part in particular (from Kyra spoke...) struck deep and took up residence upon hearing the words read.
Nicely done. :-)
Oh yes, it's amazing. There's peppermint and vanilla as well. Mmmmmm :D
Saffy, now you are making me want to lick this image, to stick my tongue right in the center and twirl it around as I feel the sugary confection give way to the warmth of my exploration leaving my lips and tongue glistening wet with sticky delectation. :-)
Hey Sunshine. Last night, after a few glasses of wine with dinner, Ms Mario said, "entertain me." So you know what I did? :-D I made her sit and listen to me read several of my chapters, in reverse order, since she had not been reading of late. After reading So Am I, she asked me why I was still working for the company I work for, which, coming unexpectedly, was the compliment of the day and made me smile from within at the sincerity of the comment, which leads me to why this audio reading is here.
Doing audio, I suppose like most everything else in life, is a skill, and my skill in this regard is rough and inconsistent at best. Then again, if I did more, I'd probably get better. Anyway, when I told her to sit and did the reading, with a few glasses of wine mind you, I read with an uninhibitedness and a boldness that surprised me, and I think in part, the power of the reading led to her comment (and how I wish I had captured that reading).
Well, after I had read her several chapters, I decided I needed to capture what I was hearing. At last, as these things tend to happen, as soon as I put the headset on, and I was reading to no one in particular, well, the magic was lost. This audio, although I agree the last couple of paragraphs are much better than the first few (I think I started to relax into the chapter or lose my self-consciousness of the reading as my mind shifted into the scene) is not nearly what I hoped it would be. Still, it is another brick in the wall of the story, one more small morsel to weigh and consider, and that can't be all bad. :-D
As always, thanks for your very kind words. I wish Blogger was more audio friendly and I didn't have to use a service like Gabcast, which, I'm not terribly happy with their audio quality. I need to do more research on posting audio.
Pleasant day and much love I'm sending your way. And a few candies courtesy of Saffy. :-D
I've completely run out of adjectives. I should have paid more attention in Language classes back in high school - then I would be able to adequately type a worthy comment.
Beautiful.
Meg
Meg, thank you for such a kind and sweet comment. Although I always say it, I do sincerely appreciated comments like yours and much of my encouragement and motivation comes from the feedback I get here. Hope you are having a great week and thanks for making mine just a little bit better. :-)
:-)
That must have been so nice to hear! :-) You know we all agree of course, but to hear such commendation from the someone closest to you, well, it must have lit that rolo smile like never before. :-D
Now that you have said it yourself, I will say too, that there was a little hesitation at the start there, but as you also pointed out, audio has been far and few between just recently and I second that suggestion, appeal for it nonetheless, that you start doing much more. I remember the reading well that you did of 'Yellow' and it, though (which only made it better) broken by commentary as the best I have heard. In that setting, one on one, I can just imagine how good it would have been. :-)
As I've said before, your quest to continually become better is the perhaps the largest component of why you just keep moving that way, but at the same time, I'm thrilled to hear that you are starting to take on board more easily the titles that we so often hand out to you. Like 'brilliant'. :-) I've read an awful lot of literature in my time, and not all romances :-D, and I'm not sure that I have ever enjoyed anything as much as I have enjoyed reading 'The Story', in any case, it's right up there with the best of them.
Happy day to you, x
Well, I was going to stop there, but it just struck me again, the variety, those moments of whiplash, like when you posted the poetry of 'the kiss' (forgive me if I have the wrong title, terrible at remembering those), the Wolfe chapters, and well, just about every other one before and since. Yep, brilliant.
Smiling at the thought of that rolo smile. :-)
Oh my Sweetest, that was nice. :-)
You know, I think you've inspired me to do a "Yellow" reading next time, which is to say, to add the commentary as the reading is taking place. I'll try that and see how it works and then we'll go from there.
You know what else? I think I'm starting to believe, believe that I can write. I'm not nearly where I want to be, not nearly where I know I can be, but I think I'm starting to think I can do this. I know that must sound strange to you, but when I say, and you know the history so I won't repeat it again, but when I say I had never written and never, ever saw myself as a writer, well, it takes awhile to start to reverse decades of thinking a certain way. I do feel the ship turning, slightly. Thanks so much to you and to so many others that have been nudging me for months upon months. Without you guys, I'm not here today, which is to say, this story is not where it is.
Lots of ideas in the hopper, some of them actually quite good. I'm thinking we might see Kieran again, but don't hold your breath. I'm also thinking Mairi has a seventh sense about her and senses that something is wrong and might just talk to Rog and that Rog may find himself between the rock of Yul and the hard place of Bravo when he learns no help is forthcoming. Then again, none of this may happen, until I actually write it. :-D
Proud Papa mode on:
Oh by the way, I do have to brag on C, proud papa that I am and all. As a seventh grader, he took the ACT test a few weeks ago, which is a standard university-entrance achievement test that high school juniors and seniors take here in the states. The average score for high school seniors is 21.5 (out of 36). C scored a 22. Now, if you want to see a huge rolo grin on my face, well, it's there now. :-D
Proud Papa mode off. :-D
Oh, and I also got this killer hair cut this afternoon. Hair is short, combed forward somewhat and the front section looking a bit spiky. I don't ask for these cuts, I just let my stylist do whatever she wants, but I do have to say, the Poppet is looking damn sexy today. :-D
And rather full of himself too I might add. :-D
Well done C!!! Wow! He's a credit to you and obviously a wonder onto himself, so wear that proud papa hat with pride! :-) Thrilled for you and him.
As for the rest, thrilled too to hear you speak this way. :-) Audio idea sounds fabulous, as do the ideas for where the story might go. :-)
Today is a great day. :-)
Love and hugs, x
SCREAMS!!! What?? It is over?? I want to hear more of the story!!
Your writing is sooo great. I love your metaphors.. I read your blogs before I go to bed. I just love the story.
Kahealani, the story is far from over. In fact, I see it continuing for a long, long time. Much action to come. Lots of chapters in my head. However, I am leaving for a business trip tomorrow and will be gone for a couple days so I probably won't post again (could maybe sneak one in tomorrow) till Saturday.
Thanks so much for reading. Much, much more to come Kahealani, so no worries there. :-)
but I think I'm starting to think I can do this.
damn its about time :0)
great chapter and big congrats to C thats an awesome ACT score for his age and the first time out, shoot by the time he graduates high school he may ace the thing!
Hope all is well in your world (hugs)
Hey Tubie. Thanks for the encouragement. Opinions, especially the ones we hold of ourselves, are slow to change. Taken me a little over a year, but I'm starting to think differently.
C is such a bright kid. I just hope he stays on track, which I have no doubts but just the father in me that worries about these things.
Heading out in a couple hours for a two day business trip. Leaving the computer at home, for once and bringing a book and my music.
As always, take care and hope you are feeling better. :-)
Stay safe - missing your presense in the blogeshere already. :-)
I think part of where my mind clicked was two things. First, my wife has never seemed all that excited about the story and her opinion of my writing was, well, not quite as enthusiastic as what I often see here. When she reacted the way she did to this chapter, not sure why, but it made me pause. Second, I went to the bookstore yesterday, to the lit section, and started picking up books, turning to random pages and just started reading. I'd read a paragraph, put it down, pick up another, and so on. I probably did this with about fifty books and all the while I kept asking myself the same question (keep in mind we are not talking plot and structure and all that, but just basic descriptive prose and dialogue), which was, how good is this in relation to what I "think" I can do and am doing. Here is the long and short of it. Not one of the books I picked up and read a random section impressed me enough to buy it, and I buy books like most people drink water. For whatever reason, those two events, predicated by months and months of steady comments on this blog by so many incredibly kind readers finally created a break in my consciousness, a break that was perhaps forming, but not really there before. I feel like a light switch just got turned on and I see with different eyes than before.
I better go pack if I'm not to miss my flight. :-D
Thank you Sweetest. Safe, boring flights are my preference. :-D
tree,
I like it that the title of the chapter appears to be the last sentence.
:)
btw, i don't know your real name, and you would probably never disclose it. it would be nice to know what your first name is, though.
this just sprang onto me for no reason at all. Hmm.. :)
Meg, my first name is the one I use: Trée (it is pronounced like trey). See, ask and you shall receive. :-)
Welcome home, Poppet. Missed you like you would never believe.
And Papa. And Kyra. And Rog, Yul, John, Mairi,... :-)
Hello luv. I have been away for quite a bit. Your images are stunning and wonderful, as always, and I have missed them....and missed you more. Thank you for checking in on me like you do. :)
You'll forgive that I've lost the storyline so much that I spend more time reading the comments than the posts now. I just have to know what's going on with you. :D
"why I was still working for the company I work for" I couldn't agree more!! Although, I suspect that company is served quite well by your presence. Still, you have so much talent. I love that you share it and hope it gives back to you all the warmth that you deserve.
"I do have to brag on C, proud papa that I am and all" Wow!! A 22!! What a wonderful boy. I know he loves to make his papa proud so you remind him often that he does. I hope he finds the love of his own talents to share with the world. What a brilliant and beautiful boy he is!
"I feel like a light switch just got turned on and I see with different eyes than before. "
Don't lose that light hon. Hang onto it with all you have...it is the light of the moon leading you to a new horizon!
Lots of love and hugs to you dear, sweet man! Keep up the great work!
Aggie
Sweetest, good to be home, at least for a few days. Leave again on another short trip on Tuesday. Trip was one I will not forget for some time. We received some terribly tragic news on Thursday. One of our reps, someone I had spoken to just two days earlier and only aged 38 or so, passed away in her sleep leaving behind a husband of 20 years and a son of 14. Our entire business family was/is in a state of shock. There was no warning, no indication that she was not in perfect health. She loved her job and was doing a very, very good job with us. Just, terribly tragic.
Aggie, thanks for those wonderfully warm words. Always a treat to see you stopping by and I miss your regular presence more than you know. Your comments have always been distinctly "you," and I've loved you to pieces for them.
When I got back from my trip and read again some of my comments on this post, I felt a bit embarrassed at my own public display of, what in my mind, is a bit of arrogance, although that is not quite the right word. I can see I am making progress in my writing, but I also still see how much more I need to progress and much more I can progress for what I know I don't know is still much, much larger than what I know I know.
Still, I would be remiss if I didn't say how much just having you stop by and leave a comment brightens my day. I do really, really miss you hanging around and I never fail to think of you when I look into the inky blackness of night and spy the silver object that will forever link you to me in my mind.
Much love to you my dear sexy warm-hearted blogger babe. :-)
Hi!
Wonderful audio posts...
Now this blog is becoming a real treat ...
Congratulations on C's brilliant performance ...
Hope this comment goes...
:)
more later
(*_*)
U
Thanks Uma. C is the center of my life and I could not be more proud. He is a fine young man. :-)
So glad you are enjoying the audio. Look for more to come. :-)
Trée, what a thrill it was to read these comments where you freely let us witness the awakening of your confidence that, Yes, you are a Writer! I felt truly privileged as I read these words and very touched by the genuineness in which you shared this with us--something so very significant in your life as this is to you. How precious.
I had just read the chapter where Kyra watches Em awakening and how Em stretched and her eyes began to open. It was a tender passage, and somehow, it feels like I felt reading your "writing" awakening (minus the fear Em was awakening to). I wonder if that makes sense. I don't know if it does. I feel rather foolish saying this, but I will anyway: I am so proud of you.
"Em began to stir with a feline stretch of arms and back, her half-open eyes seeing without comprehending. Kyra opened her eyes as the flower of Em unfolded before her, life awakening, precious life unfolding, and that life would have questions of mind and heart seeking answers of logic and love. “Morning Em.” "
It was this post Trée.
Thank you Oliviah. I do deeply appreciate you stopping by and it warms my heart to read your words.
:-)
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