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Writer's Guild / Re: Merfolk: The Depths Prologue [WIP]
« on: November 16, 2010, 01:56:31 PM »
[Continued]
“It's a world out there, of wonder and freedom. We gots out own society and the other sea dwellers call us landlubbers 'cause we tried human.”
“Okay...”
I looked at him again. Small eyes, bluish skin, pale, enourmous hands. Built like a steamroller.
“Why aren't people noticing you?”
“Tha mutes? Can't see, can't hear. Only the voiced will see.”
***
Free fall. That's the closest I'll ever get to describe what it feels like to swim. Absolute freedom.
* * * * *
Till death do us part.
Or a divorce agent.
Happily married for six years.
Then he can't handle the kid.
***
I know this, it gives me a sense of deja vu. I have gone through this before, and it's almost familiar. One day I see that Elliot was like it from the start. And I'm almost relieved. Now I know why he has had such trouble sleeping. Now I get a full nights rest every night in the bathtub. Maybe I should sell my bed.
***
“Conrad!”
I call out, through the mist on the docks.
“Yeah, who be calling?”
“An old friend!”
A large, almost comically stout silhouette appears in the mist.
“Jasmine?”
“The very same.”
“Ai thot yeh'd settled down!”
“I had.”
Elliot wakes on my arm and gives a squeal.
“O'll be dammed. Yer a mother!”
***
He looks at me with a grin only a baby can give. We are where we belong, mother and son.
* * * * *
It was in may.
I worked at the dock.
She was pregnant with our first child.
But fate thought otherwise, both died in labour, she held my hand.
***
I began drinking, for what else did I have? I ate only poorly, no time to cook. I got a deal with the chief, working less for less pay, now I had no wife to feed. My skin started itching, and I bathed in the sea to relieve it. It was the only thing keeping me sane. The sea. One late sorry night at the pub I complained to the barkeep 'bout my troubles.
***
“I'm quitting.”
I had already found another job.
“Oh. Sorry to hear that, is it the wife?”
“Nah, I'm past that by now.”
“Okay then. You know you're one of the best loaders we have. Is it your back aching up?”
“Not that either. My back's never been better.”
“Then why are you quitting, Conrad?”
“Going out to sea for a while.”
It wasn't exactly a lie.
***
The best years of my life. Actually creating something, instead of just the same old job. I was building the Railway.
“It's a world out there, of wonder and freedom. We gots out own society and the other sea dwellers call us landlubbers 'cause we tried human.”
“Okay...”
I looked at him again. Small eyes, bluish skin, pale, enourmous hands. Built like a steamroller.
“Why aren't people noticing you?”
“Tha mutes? Can't see, can't hear. Only the voiced will see.”
***
Free fall. That's the closest I'll ever get to describe what it feels like to swim. Absolute freedom.
* * * * *
Till death do us part.
Or a divorce agent.
Happily married for six years.
Then he can't handle the kid.
***
I know this, it gives me a sense of deja vu. I have gone through this before, and it's almost familiar. One day I see that Elliot was like it from the start. And I'm almost relieved. Now I know why he has had such trouble sleeping. Now I get a full nights rest every night in the bathtub. Maybe I should sell my bed.
***
“Conrad!”
I call out, through the mist on the docks.
“Yeah, who be calling?”
“An old friend!”
A large, almost comically stout silhouette appears in the mist.
“Jasmine?”
“The very same.”
“Ai thot yeh'd settled down!”
“I had.”
Elliot wakes on my arm and gives a squeal.
“O'll be dammed. Yer a mother!”
***
He looks at me with a grin only a baby can give. We are where we belong, mother and son.
* * * * *
It was in may.
I worked at the dock.
She was pregnant with our first child.
But fate thought otherwise, both died in labour, she held my hand.
***
I began drinking, for what else did I have? I ate only poorly, no time to cook. I got a deal with the chief, working less for less pay, now I had no wife to feed. My skin started itching, and I bathed in the sea to relieve it. It was the only thing keeping me sane. The sea. One late sorry night at the pub I complained to the barkeep 'bout my troubles.
***
“I'm quitting.”
I had already found another job.
“Oh. Sorry to hear that, is it the wife?”
“Nah, I'm past that by now.”
“Okay then. You know you're one of the best loaders we have. Is it your back aching up?”
“Not that either. My back's never been better.”
“Then why are you quitting, Conrad?”
“Going out to sea for a while.”
It wasn't exactly a lie.
***
The best years of my life. Actually creating something, instead of just the same old job. I was building the Railway.