11-24-2003, 09:42 AM
Unfortunately, this is not the Scene. The next scene is the Scene. I am unconsciously attempting to delay the inevitable. -_-
Anway...
Scene 14, take 69! I mean, uh, 96! 609! Whatever!
***
Twenty minutes passed in stealth as Tai ran from booth to booth, asking the same question at each one, and receiving the same answer in return. Between booths he'd ask the people walking around, and they, too, would respond with the exact same words:
"No, I haven't seen her. Sorry."
And then they'd move on, leaving the boy--working on becoming a young man--to continue his search with despair digging ever deeper into him, stabbing and cutting into his hope until it lay dead, blood pooling beneath it from wounds that cut down right to the bone. That bone was stripped clean, and then broken, marrow flying.
And lo, the lifeless corpse of hope is known as dread.
Tai stumbled up to the next booth, his legs aching, his head clouded by worry and growing fatigue. He leaned against the booth, trying to regain whatever energy he could. He looked up, eyes bleary, and said, without even looking at the owner, "Have you seen a little girl this high--" He raised his hand to about Kari's height. "--with brown hair down to here, brown eyes, wearing a yellow shirt and pink shorts?"
The answer came. He sighed, pushed away from the booth, took two steps and stopped dead. He turned his head to look back at the owner. "*What* did you just say?"
The owner pointed with one long-nailed finger. "I said, 'I think I saw her go in there.'"
Tai followed the finger, eyes widening as realization dawned on him. "Oh. Thank you."
She peered at him. "Kid, are you all right? You look like shit."
Tai gave her a blank look.
She shook her head and waved her hands in the air. "Fine, fine, I won't ask. Just go." When he continued to stand there, looking blankly, she made a shooing gesture with her hands. "Go!"
He went. With steps that grew steadily more stable and speedy, he went, his head clearing, eyes focusing, and all the aches and pains invading his body retreating in defeat. Adrenaline, oh adrenaline, how we love thee.
He charged right up to one of the blocky park buildings and stopped in front of the door. A blue circle with a white stick figure of a person wearing a skirt etched into it was nailed to the surface. The ladies' lavatory. He took the doorknob in one hand.
Suddenly, all sound seemed to drop away. The buzz of human activity ceased to exist in the park. Human heartbeats grew quiet and breathing stilled. It was as if all the Earth's atmosphere had been swiftly siphoned away and replaced by a noiseless, airless vacuum.
A vacuum in which Tai was the Great Attractor.
Tai suddenly felt very, very self-conscious.
There was a baby of nine months in a stroller just to his left whom he was *sure* was staring at him. The mother pushing the stroller was gazing at him with wide eyes. A passing single father gaped at him as he walked past, head turning to remain focused on him. Everyone around him was looking at his hand on that shiny silver doorknob, or at the blue-and-white emblem on the door. He felt a sudden rush of heat in his fingers, and knew that even the sun was staring.
*It's in my mind it's not real none of it is real none of it don't think about it don't don't don't even consider it don't don't don't think about it don't don't don't even muse upon it don't don't don't' don't don't DON'T THINK ABOUT IT.*
His resolve firmed, he gripped the knob tighter and began to turn.
"Mommy, why is that boy standing there?" queried a little girl.
His resolve faltered, his fingers went slack.
*This is so childish,* he thought, squeezing his eyes shut tight. *I* need *to go in there. I* need *to find Kari, and if this is the last place* anyone *saw her, this would have to be my best bet so far.*
*So just step inside.*
*I can't!*
*DO IT.*
The knob turned. The boy entered.
***
Was it enjoyed? Hm? Was it? C'mon, you can tell me, I'm the Author... :P
agz
Anway...
Scene 14, take 69! I mean, uh, 96! 609! Whatever!
***
Twenty minutes passed in stealth as Tai ran from booth to booth, asking the same question at each one, and receiving the same answer in return. Between booths he'd ask the people walking around, and they, too, would respond with the exact same words:
"No, I haven't seen her. Sorry."
And then they'd move on, leaving the boy--working on becoming a young man--to continue his search with despair digging ever deeper into him, stabbing and cutting into his hope until it lay dead, blood pooling beneath it from wounds that cut down right to the bone. That bone was stripped clean, and then broken, marrow flying.
And lo, the lifeless corpse of hope is known as dread.
Tai stumbled up to the next booth, his legs aching, his head clouded by worry and growing fatigue. He leaned against the booth, trying to regain whatever energy he could. He looked up, eyes bleary, and said, without even looking at the owner, "Have you seen a little girl this high--" He raised his hand to about Kari's height. "--with brown hair down to here, brown eyes, wearing a yellow shirt and pink shorts?"
The answer came. He sighed, pushed away from the booth, took two steps and stopped dead. He turned his head to look back at the owner. "*What* did you just say?"
The owner pointed with one long-nailed finger. "I said, 'I think I saw her go in there.'"
Tai followed the finger, eyes widening as realization dawned on him. "Oh. Thank you."
She peered at him. "Kid, are you all right? You look like shit."
Tai gave her a blank look.
She shook her head and waved her hands in the air. "Fine, fine, I won't ask. Just go." When he continued to stand there, looking blankly, she made a shooing gesture with her hands. "Go!"
He went. With steps that grew steadily more stable and speedy, he went, his head clearing, eyes focusing, and all the aches and pains invading his body retreating in defeat. Adrenaline, oh adrenaline, how we love thee.
He charged right up to one of the blocky park buildings and stopped in front of the door. A blue circle with a white stick figure of a person wearing a skirt etched into it was nailed to the surface. The ladies' lavatory. He took the doorknob in one hand.
Suddenly, all sound seemed to drop away. The buzz of human activity ceased to exist in the park. Human heartbeats grew quiet and breathing stilled. It was as if all the Earth's atmosphere had been swiftly siphoned away and replaced by a noiseless, airless vacuum.
A vacuum in which Tai was the Great Attractor.
Tai suddenly felt very, very self-conscious.
There was a baby of nine months in a stroller just to his left whom he was *sure* was staring at him. The mother pushing the stroller was gazing at him with wide eyes. A passing single father gaped at him as he walked past, head turning to remain focused on him. Everyone around him was looking at his hand on that shiny silver doorknob, or at the blue-and-white emblem on the door. He felt a sudden rush of heat in his fingers, and knew that even the sun was staring.
*It's in my mind it's not real none of it is real none of it don't think about it don't don't don't even consider it don't don't don't think about it don't don't don't even muse upon it don't don't don't' don't don't DON'T THINK ABOUT IT.*
His resolve firmed, he gripped the knob tighter and began to turn.
"Mommy, why is that boy standing there?" queried a little girl.
His resolve faltered, his fingers went slack.
*This is so childish,* he thought, squeezing his eyes shut tight. *I* need *to go in there. I* need *to find Kari, and if this is the last place* anyone *saw her, this would have to be my best bet so far.*
*So just step inside.*
*I can't!*
*DO IT.*
The knob turned. The boy entered.
***
Was it enjoyed? Hm? Was it? C'mon, you can tell me, I'm the Author... :P
agz