|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nathanael Nevermore Captain
|
 Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 8:51 am
 Image credit: http://rhemdoodles.blogspot.com/Formerly lake Crosswater, the easternmost border of Crosshaven is a sudden steep drop-off into a hole in the earth that seems to go down for miles. A waterfall was born when the earth splitting cut into the lake, which had been a reservoir for river water. The city has finished a fine walkway with railing around the falls, as pictured above, and this project was the first major city construction project after the tragedy that started to Second Age. It stands almost like a natural monument to the tragedy and its victims. This is a very peaceful place, especially at night... peaceful and some would say depressing. One local philosopher has said that to stand on the falls crossing and look down into the endless white water rushing into the blackness was like staring oblivion in the face. Some citizens, who lost loved ones to the openings in the ground, come here to remember them, and toss flowers over the edge in their honor. It has also, unfortunately, been rumored to be the site of a few suicides, though none of the bodies have ever been recovered.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 2:34 pm
Felony pulled on the skirt of a tired out woman clutching to a basket and a duffle bag. "Felony, stop please. I need to rest." She slumped down, protecting her bundle from the cold. Felony helped by curling around it, adding his warmth to the mix. "We need money..." She couldn't believe it. Her nest egg was all dried up. What am I going to do? I had so much...And you spent it all trying to get Nevi out. Didn't you? Oh shut up! I love him I need him. Love doesn't do much when your hungry. "I could try calling them." The idea of talking to her parents was a closed door. They had disowned her upon finding out that she gave birth out of wedlock. "s**t..." On cue, her son started to wail.
"Oh no! No sleep please, shhh!" Her son was hungry, cold, and waken up his sister. "I need help."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:08 pm
A high-pitched giggle came lilting on the breeze that passed over the water. Crunching leaves could be heard. At last, a very inebriated young doctor stumbled through the bush, a bottle of vodka in her hand. It was half empty. It took her a few moments to adjust her eyes, but when she did, a sluggish smile crept across her flushed cheeks.
"A-Avice Archer? Is that you? HA! it's been way too long, girl!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:14 pm
"Theo?" Felony growled a warning, which Avice quickly silenced. "The last time we saw eachother was when I gave birth....How have you been?" She couldn't belive it. Her last solid connection to Nevi just came stumbling through the bush and was drunk. "Theo, how much have you had?" Concern and disaprovel was heavy in her voice as she lifted her son and soothed him. Trying to silence the cries.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:29 pm
Theo swayed where she stood and smiled goofily. "Man... those are some chubby babes. Hee hee hoo hoo..." She tilted her head back and giggled to the sky. "I dunno how much I've had." She frowned confusedly and struggled to keep her focus on Avice. "But it's never enough."
She took another swig.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:33 pm
Feeding her son, Avice shook her head at Theo. "Come, sit by me. Come look at my chubby babies." She patted the ground beside her and Felony moved to accompany her. "What happened? You weren't like this three months ago..." She was worried. Her sickenly cheerful doctor was able to make her laugh even when she had to go through child birth alone. "Talk to me." Avice waited for her friend to tell her, the only sound coming from her suckling son.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:41 pm
Theo stumbled over and plopped on the ground next to her patient and close friend. She tapped the bottle against her knee as she though for a moment, then slurred when she finally spoke.
"Didja ever meet Derrick? No you wou-wouldn't haf. This was after I stopped seeing you. EHN-EE-WAY. He was a real sweet guy. We took care of eash uther, see? Even though I'ma doc, it's nice to be taken care of for once."
She hiccuped a little. "He was killed in the battle." She smiled a bit, but her eyes teared up. Her lip quivered like a child's.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:48 pm
Avice thought as she changed sides with her son and covering up what she could. Finaly, she opened her arms to Theo and pulled her towards her, resting Theo's head on her shoulder. She softly petted her hair. "It's alright, now think this through Theo. If Derrick took care of you, do you think he's be happy seeing you like this? If you can't find the strength to stop then think of how your loved one would react. Thats how I is was able to live once Nevi was taken from me. Now you need to do it to." She blinked away tears at Nevi's name. Come on now, hold it together for Theo and your children. Just breath. "You know you always got a shoulder to cry on with me."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:55 pm
Theo sniffled as her hair was stroked. At least Avice had her children. And Nevi was still out there somewhere. Theo was quiet for a long moment, but then Avice could feel her trembling, the sobs silently wracking her body. When she cried, she sounded as young as she acted. Though Theo was a brilliant doctor, she was still only a girl. She wouldn't even be legal to start drinking for another year.
After a while, her tears subsided,a nd she was grateful for Avice. Then the situation dawned upon her.
"Avice, it's late! Why are you out here with your kids?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:02 am
She froze. "I got evicted....The job I'm doing doesn't give enough money to pay the bills and you know I used up my nest egg to try and get Nevi out." She let go of Theo and carefully put her son back in the basket to try and keep both of them warm. "Did you know that before this became the falls....It was the lake? It was the first time I ever meet him." Tears came to her eyes once more, making them shine with tears that couldn't be shed. She had reached the point where tears ment she was weak. "I came here a lot before I went into labor.....Praying he would pop up drunk somewhere. Saying something stupid that he lost his way home..." She choked back a sob. I will not cry! Inwardly, she slapped her self. "I hate living with the hope." She shook her head violently and eyes Theo. "Why are you out her drinking? SHouldn't you do that at your house?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:10 am
Theo sat quietly and listened to Avice's story. It had been quite the shame about Nevi. She wondered what he had done, but thought it impolite to ask. She jumped a little when Avice turned the question back on her.
"Well, I like being outside. Haven't been home in agezzz... Wandering outside makes it feel like there's some-somewhere I need to go. Like I'm doing something important."
She shrugged. "Maybe we could help each other. You cud live wif me, and help me break this habit." She tossed the bottle into the water and over the falls. "It's like... gunna kill my liver y'knowww...?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:16 am
"Well.....I don't know...." She would not be a charity case. She steeled herself to politly turn down Theo's offer when she looked at her two sleeping childeren. And how they shivered in the light wind. "Okay, I'll live with you untill I can support my self again." She wrenched her eyes away from her kids after she pulled their blankets up higher. "And the first thing we're going to do for that habit is throw out all of your bottles at your house." She smiled as she stood up, Felony watching his master help up the intoxicated girl. He helped her by keeping a hold on her duffle bag as she carefully picked up her basket that carried her children. "Thank you Felony." She took the bag from her dog. "Well Theo? Ready when you are." Her voice was back to a shadow of it's old self. Calm, teasing, pleasent.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 4:23 am
Perhaps it is by some freak of fate that he arrives at this spot when there is no one still there. He is searching all the old places for signs of Avice. This was where he met her, this very spot, he's sure of it, back when it was just the bank of a lake, not an endless chasm of tumbling water.
He stands, his hands on the railings, looking out, and for some reason, it gives him comfort to be in the presence of something so vast, to feel so insignificant and look at the perspective of his life.
But above all, it is amazing to stand in an open space, to have a taste of freedom. The lake was like that. He had grown up by this lake, when it was a large pool of stagnant water, and now it had broken free.
He shouts over the roar of the falls, just to hear what his voice will sound like echoing off of all of that tremendous and powerful water.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 8:28 am
Avice smile at Theo didn't falter, she couldn't hear any thing over the falls. But Felony's ear stood on end. Other Master? It had been so long since he had heard that voice. Looking back and forth, he started barking. Call out for his master to hear him and come back. Master! Master! Look over there! Look over there! The sounds of Felony barking and jumping back and forth in a frenzy made Avice to break away from helping up Theo. "Felony, what is it?" She had no idea what was going on, but the loud high pitch barks were waking up her children. And soon their screams of interrupted sleep helped to fill in the air.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 4:49 pm
His eyes closed, he is immersed in the sound of the falls. By and by, another sound can be heard over the noise. A barking dog. It draws him out of his contemplation, and he looks up.
It sounds like felony, the dog he had stolen just for Avice.
He takes a couple of steps back from the platform, standing there, on that bridge behind the water. "Avice?" He calls loudly, his voice carrying over the lake water.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
