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Hi.
I've got an absolutely enormous story in my head. It's been there, for a long, long time.
I really, however, need to get it out onto paper/topic. Writing it alone is difficult... but writing it out here is dangerous, because then the idea could be stolen. So I'm going to copyright all my entries into this topic, I hope SR don't mind... :0) Or, I'm going to at least try. :0D Could always ammend it later.
So, this topic is going to be a chapter based story, that I'm going to try and write in whenever I can. Please, please, please don't add to this... but comments will be fantastic, but make them in another topic, please. I just need to write, that's all... but it's going to be really, really difficult to write. Must do it though.
And you may recognise one or two characters in this... :0)
That's all. Ta. And now you get to know my name because I love this story so much. :0D
--poncy serious mode, but hey, could be worth it--
All ideas, stories, characters and entries into this topic by the Special Reserve forum user "Grix Thraves": © Darren Williams 2002
--end poncy serious mode--
Right, I'll start writing. :0)
I've got an absolutely enormous story in my head. It's been there, for a long, long time.
I really, however, need to get it out onto paper/topic. Writing it alone is difficult... but writing it out here is dangerous, because then the idea could be stolen. So I'm going to copyright all my entries into this topic, I hope SR don't mind... :0) Or, I'm going to at least try. :0D Could always ammend it later.
So, this topic is going to be a chapter based story, that I'm going to try and write in whenever I can. Please, please, please don't add to this... but comments will be fantastic, but make them in another topic, please. I just need to write, that's all... but it's going to be really, really difficult to write. Must do it though.
And you may recognise one or two characters in this... :0)
That's all. Ta. And now you get to know my name because I love this story so much. :0D
--poncy serious mode, but hey, could be worth it--
All ideas, stories, characters and entries into this topic by the Special Reserve forum user "Grix Thraves": © Darren Williams 2002
--end poncy serious mode--
Right, I'll start writing. :0)
Page:
CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT - Leon
------------------------
Leon pushed his way through the branches, like he had done so long ago... he was younger then though, he had much more courage back then...
These days, he wasn't sure what to make of anything. Things tumbled by, merged together... life was just one long day. The same old things over and over... He wasn't really designed for that.
He wasn't really designed for anything more than... change.
He dragged his feet in the soggy mud... the rain was really beginning to soak the soil up now. The noise beneath his feet was, well, quite amusing.
Folding his ears over his face, Leon cupped his hands around his mouth and lit up another cigarette. The light lit up his face, and his eyes fell upon the hill before him.
He climbed the hill, holding onto the grass with his hands to pull himself up it, and eventually reached the top.
A glimmering pool of water in the shape of an eye lay at the peak of the hill. Leon watched the rain skip down and beat across the surface of the pool...
Leon sniffed, and looked into the pool... he got down on his knees, held his cigarette between two fingers, breathed in, and stuck his head down into the water...
The bottom was there... no illusion. He blinked underwater, and then pulled his head out. The rain had soaked it enough anyway. Leon sniffed again, and stuck the cigarette back in his mouth.
There was something odd about this pool...
"I wish it was lighter. I wish the sun was still here." Leon said to himself.
He looked around.
"Why's that, Leon?" He said. "Well, because then I'd be able to see the pool better." Leon took a drag from his cigarette. "Well, why isn't there a sun, Leon?" Leon took another drag, and flicked the cigarette into the pool of water. "Well, because..."
A beam of light shone straight up from the pool, and Leon fell over backwards... it shot straight up from the centre of the pool, where Leon had just flicked his cigarette... a strange humming sound emitted from the pool...
Then, it slammed back down into the pool again, taking the sound with it. Leon blinked, holding himself up with his arms.
He got up, and walked to the pool, and got out his lighter... he lit another cigarette, and threw it into the pool...
A bigger ray of light shot up into the sky, breaking apart the clouds. Leon looked down into the pool... through where the ray was... there was like...
Leon got out his lighter, lit it, and held it over the pool...
The water's surface began to change... it faded, and slowly brightened, to show another place... buildings, a city...
Leon put his face into the pool...
------------------------
Leon pushed his way through the branches, like he had done so long ago... he was younger then though, he had much more courage back then...
These days, he wasn't sure what to make of anything. Things tumbled by, merged together... life was just one long day. The same old things over and over... He wasn't really designed for that.
He wasn't really designed for anything more than... change.
He dragged his feet in the soggy mud... the rain was really beginning to soak the soil up now. The noise beneath his feet was, well, quite amusing.
Folding his ears over his face, Leon cupped his hands around his mouth and lit up another cigarette. The light lit up his face, and his eyes fell upon the hill before him.
He climbed the hill, holding onto the grass with his hands to pull himself up it, and eventually reached the top.
A glimmering pool of water in the shape of an eye lay at the peak of the hill. Leon watched the rain skip down and beat across the surface of the pool...
Leon sniffed, and looked into the pool... he got down on his knees, held his cigarette between two fingers, breathed in, and stuck his head down into the water...
The bottom was there... no illusion. He blinked underwater, and then pulled his head out. The rain had soaked it enough anyway. Leon sniffed again, and stuck the cigarette back in his mouth.
There was something odd about this pool...
"I wish it was lighter. I wish the sun was still here." Leon said to himself.
He looked around.
"Why's that, Leon?" He said. "Well, because then I'd be able to see the pool better." Leon took a drag from his cigarette. "Well, why isn't there a sun, Leon?" Leon took another drag, and flicked the cigarette into the pool of water. "Well, because..."
A beam of light shone straight up from the pool, and Leon fell over backwards... it shot straight up from the centre of the pool, where Leon had just flicked his cigarette... a strange humming sound emitted from the pool...
Then, it slammed back down into the pool again, taking the sound with it. Leon blinked, holding himself up with his arms.
He got up, and walked to the pool, and got out his lighter... he lit another cigarette, and threw it into the pool...
A bigger ray of light shot up into the sky, breaking apart the clouds. Leon looked down into the pool... through where the ray was... there was like...
Leon got out his lighter, lit it, and held it over the pool...
The water's surface began to change... it faded, and slowly brightened, to show another place... buildings, a city...
Leon put his face into the pool...
CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN - The Greatest Thing In The World
------------------
*SEVEN YEARS AGO*
"Do you know what the greatest thing in the world is?" Renna said.
Grix lowered his eyebrows. They were all lined up, lying down on their fronts, watching the waves. It was midafternoon.
"No... what?" Grix asked.
"Finding out there's a new series of something you like on tv." Renna said. "That's the best thing in the world."
"Naahh..." Seiyo said. "That's not the best thing in the world."
"Then what is?" Renna asked, turning to face him. "Then?"
Seiyo looked around. "I don't know. But not that."
"Well, it's staying the best thing in the world until you can think of something better." She said, turning her face back to the waves and kicking her feet.
"Alright then." Seiyo said, turning. "Washed bedding."
"Ooh... that IS good." Renna said. "The way it's all ironed and made out and smells so nice!"
"New music." Grix said, joining the conversation. "That's the best thing in the world. Listening to new music."
"New music that's good, though." Seiyo said.
"Well, obviously." Grix replied. "There's nothing better than hearing something new, that really hits you straight away."
"Purples sunsets." Renna said.
"Green sunsets!" Seiyo said, and laughed.
"You're all wrong." Leon said, finally saying something. "None of those are the best thing in the world."
"Then what is?" Renna asked. "Oh woolly one."
Leon glared at her, and looked back at the sea. "Imagination. Imagination is the greatest thing in the world."
"Imagination?" Grix asked.
"Imagination." Leon said. "Nothing in the world will ever be as wonderful, as magnificent, as wonderous, as your imagination. Nothing will ever be able to entertain you as much as your imagination, and nothing will ever be stronger than your imagination. It contains all the power, the comfort, the love and care, everything. You don't need anything if you have imagination."
"I still think washed bedding is better." Renna said.
Grix smiled, and watched the waves for a little while longer.
------------------
*SEVEN YEARS AGO*
"Do you know what the greatest thing in the world is?" Renna said.
Grix lowered his eyebrows. They were all lined up, lying down on their fronts, watching the waves. It was midafternoon.
"No... what?" Grix asked.
"Finding out there's a new series of something you like on tv." Renna said. "That's the best thing in the world."
"Naahh..." Seiyo said. "That's not the best thing in the world."
"Then what is?" Renna asked, turning to face him. "Then?"
Seiyo looked around. "I don't know. But not that."
"Well, it's staying the best thing in the world until you can think of something better." She said, turning her face back to the waves and kicking her feet.
"Alright then." Seiyo said, turning. "Washed bedding."
"Ooh... that IS good." Renna said. "The way it's all ironed and made out and smells so nice!"
"New music." Grix said, joining the conversation. "That's the best thing in the world. Listening to new music."
"New music that's good, though." Seiyo said.
"Well, obviously." Grix replied. "There's nothing better than hearing something new, that really hits you straight away."
"Purples sunsets." Renna said.
"Green sunsets!" Seiyo said, and laughed.
"You're all wrong." Leon said, finally saying something. "None of those are the best thing in the world."
"Then what is?" Renna asked. "Oh woolly one."
Leon glared at her, and looked back at the sea. "Imagination. Imagination is the greatest thing in the world."
"Imagination?" Grix asked.
"Imagination." Leon said. "Nothing in the world will ever be as wonderful, as magnificent, as wonderous, as your imagination. Nothing will ever be able to entertain you as much as your imagination, and nothing will ever be stronger than your imagination. It contains all the power, the comfort, the love and care, everything. You don't need anything if you have imagination."
"I still think washed bedding is better." Renna said.
Grix smiled, and watched the waves for a little while longer.
CHAPTER THIRTY SIX - The Uckerby, The Photograph, and a Bloody Monkey.
------------------------------------
"It's not that exciting." Seiyo whispered, his ears still flat against the top of his head as they peered down the hill... "Dragons are common here."
"But..." Grix screwed his face up in the pretense that he was concentrating more than he probably was... "...monkeys... what do you mean common? Do they fly over to the Diamondlands?"
"Sometimes. They haven't in a while, I haven't seen them in the sky at all... or birds... I never see any birds these days. It's funny." Seiyo looked into the sky, just to check.
The dragons below the hill were being walked around in circles... each one had a number, and the monkeys riding, all were wearing different coloured clothes, with helmets and carrying whips.
"Perhaps they're racing them." Grix said. "All the monkeys do seem to look like jockeys..."
"Monkey jockeys?" Seiyo asked... "That's just silly."
Grix blinked as a butterfly with beautiful red and blue wings flew in front of his face, and landed on his nose.
"It's not safe here." The butterfly said. Grix blinked, and looked the butterfly in the eyes. Seiyo turned his head slightly.
"Hello." Grix said. "It's not safe here?"
"That's what I said." The butterfly replied. "Yup. Not safe at all. Come with me, I want to show you something."
Grix screwed his face up again. "Why should I trust a butterfly? Especially one that talks and... you could lead us into a trap. Or... look, I'm very confused, this place worries me. You're a butterfly..."
"No I'm not." The butterfly replied.
"Yes you are."
"When could butterflies talk?" The... thing, said.
"So what are you?"
"I'm an Uckerby." The Uckerby replied, proudly. "You can always trust Uckerbies."
Grix pushed himself backwards on the grass, pushing himself down the hill... Seiyo followed. The Uckerby flew up into the air, and landed on Seiyo's head.
"Where's it gone?" Seiyo asked.
"It's on your head."
"Oh."
"Go down there..." The Uckerby said, flying off. "See that path? We need to go there."
-----------------
Grix and Seiyo, guided by the Uckerby, reached a small beach... oddly, the sea seemed much rougher here, than the beach they'd last seen. Still no sun in the sky, but the moon was far to the right... so they were probably facing the other beach.
"Here." The Uckerby said, excited. "There was something in the sand. It washed up, I think you'll need it."
Grix looked around the dark beach... something glittered, half buried in the sand.
"I have to go now!" The Uckerby said, worried about something... "I must go! Good luck you two, I'll see you later!"
"Woah, hang on..." Grix tried to shout...
But the Uckerby had gone.
Grix looked at Seiyo, Seiyo looked back.
The glittering object stopped glittering so much, and under the calm bask of the distant moonlight, Grix bent down to see what it was.
A photograph.
Two benches were seated between two trees, with many trees behind them... it looked like the Diamondlands... And...
"Something's not right with that photo, Grix." Seiyo said, looking over his shoulder.
"No Seiyo..." Grix tried to count the shadows, but couldn't quite make them all out. Shadows formed by nothing... all made by what appeared to be people or things sitting on the two benches... but nobody was there.
The shadows were made by the moonlight, only the moon pictured... Grix tried to identify some of the shadows. Seiyo was there, well, his shadow... and he could see Renna and Leon... he was probably in there too... just... and... what looked like the shape of a monkey...
"Grix! A monkey!"
"I can see, Seiyo... perhaps we're meant to find him."
"I'd say he found us first, Grix." Seiyo said. Grix looked around. A monkey was running towards them carrying a shotgun.
Now, under normal circumstances, Grix would always welcome the company of a monkey. Except when he's running wildly towards him, screaming, and trying to aim a shotgun at him.
"Run."
Grix took off, and Seiyo quickly followed. The shotgun was fired, and a cloud of sand spurted up into the air.
"OOOOHHHAAAAA!"
The monkey screamed, and the shuffle of a shotgun being reloaded was heard. Grix looked over his shoulder to see the monkey dancing angrily in the sand.
They both kept running, and it started to pour with rain.
-------------
Grix and Seiyo lay in the shelter of a small cave, watching the rain pour down outside.
"I really think we should lie low for a while." Grix told Seiyo, trying to catch his breath back. "I'm getting a little bored with the being chased thing."
"That was no ordinary monkey." Seiyo said, getting his breath back too. "That was a Bounty-Monkey."
"Bounty Monkey." Grix asked, holding his breath in disbelief.
"No, with a -." Seiyo replied.
Grix shook his head. "Ok. Let me guess. Bounty-Monkeys are set out to kill people/animals/whatever, and are then paid for doing so. So someone's paid a Bounty-Monkey for my death."
"The terms go along the lines of 'your head on a plate', if I remember correctly. Leon knows more about them than me, he told me about them. I'm very tired, can we sleep?"
"Yeah, sure... it seems safe enough here." Grix said.
He thought to himself.
Nah.
------------------------------------
"It's not that exciting." Seiyo whispered, his ears still flat against the top of his head as they peered down the hill... "Dragons are common here."
"But..." Grix screwed his face up in the pretense that he was concentrating more than he probably was... "...monkeys... what do you mean common? Do they fly over to the Diamondlands?"
"Sometimes. They haven't in a while, I haven't seen them in the sky at all... or birds... I never see any birds these days. It's funny." Seiyo looked into the sky, just to check.
The dragons below the hill were being walked around in circles... each one had a number, and the monkeys riding, all were wearing different coloured clothes, with helmets and carrying whips.
"Perhaps they're racing them." Grix said. "All the monkeys do seem to look like jockeys..."
"Monkey jockeys?" Seiyo asked... "That's just silly."
Grix blinked as a butterfly with beautiful red and blue wings flew in front of his face, and landed on his nose.
"It's not safe here." The butterfly said. Grix blinked, and looked the butterfly in the eyes. Seiyo turned his head slightly.
"Hello." Grix said. "It's not safe here?"
"That's what I said." The butterfly replied. "Yup. Not safe at all. Come with me, I want to show you something."
Grix screwed his face up again. "Why should I trust a butterfly? Especially one that talks and... you could lead us into a trap. Or... look, I'm very confused, this place worries me. You're a butterfly..."
"No I'm not." The butterfly replied.
"Yes you are."
"When could butterflies talk?" The... thing, said.
"So what are you?"
"I'm an Uckerby." The Uckerby replied, proudly. "You can always trust Uckerbies."
Grix pushed himself backwards on the grass, pushing himself down the hill... Seiyo followed. The Uckerby flew up into the air, and landed on Seiyo's head.
"Where's it gone?" Seiyo asked.
"It's on your head."
"Oh."
"Go down there..." The Uckerby said, flying off. "See that path? We need to go there."
-----------------
Grix and Seiyo, guided by the Uckerby, reached a small beach... oddly, the sea seemed much rougher here, than the beach they'd last seen. Still no sun in the sky, but the moon was far to the right... so they were probably facing the other beach.
"Here." The Uckerby said, excited. "There was something in the sand. It washed up, I think you'll need it."
Grix looked around the dark beach... something glittered, half buried in the sand.
"I have to go now!" The Uckerby said, worried about something... "I must go! Good luck you two, I'll see you later!"
"Woah, hang on..." Grix tried to shout...
But the Uckerby had gone.
Grix looked at Seiyo, Seiyo looked back.
The glittering object stopped glittering so much, and under the calm bask of the distant moonlight, Grix bent down to see what it was.
A photograph.
Two benches were seated between two trees, with many trees behind them... it looked like the Diamondlands... And...
"Something's not right with that photo, Grix." Seiyo said, looking over his shoulder.
"No Seiyo..." Grix tried to count the shadows, but couldn't quite make them all out. Shadows formed by nothing... all made by what appeared to be people or things sitting on the two benches... but nobody was there.
The shadows were made by the moonlight, only the moon pictured... Grix tried to identify some of the shadows. Seiyo was there, well, his shadow... and he could see Renna and Leon... he was probably in there too... just... and... what looked like the shape of a monkey...
"Grix! A monkey!"
"I can see, Seiyo... perhaps we're meant to find him."
"I'd say he found us first, Grix." Seiyo said. Grix looked around. A monkey was running towards them carrying a shotgun.
Now, under normal circumstances, Grix would always welcome the company of a monkey. Except when he's running wildly towards him, screaming, and trying to aim a shotgun at him.
"Run."
Grix took off, and Seiyo quickly followed. The shotgun was fired, and a cloud of sand spurted up into the air.
"OOOOHHHAAAAA!"
The monkey screamed, and the shuffle of a shotgun being reloaded was heard. Grix looked over his shoulder to see the monkey dancing angrily in the sand.
They both kept running, and it started to pour with rain.
-------------
Grix and Seiyo lay in the shelter of a small cave, watching the rain pour down outside.
"I really think we should lie low for a while." Grix told Seiyo, trying to catch his breath back. "I'm getting a little bored with the being chased thing."
"That was no ordinary monkey." Seiyo said, getting his breath back too. "That was a Bounty-Monkey."
"Bounty Monkey." Grix asked, holding his breath in disbelief.
"No, with a -." Seiyo replied.
Grix shook his head. "Ok. Let me guess. Bounty-Monkeys are set out to kill people/animals/whatever, and are then paid for doing so. So someone's paid a Bounty-Monkey for my death."
"The terms go along the lines of 'your head on a plate', if I remember correctly. Leon knows more about them than me, he told me about them. I'm very tired, can we sleep?"
"Yeah, sure... it seems safe enough here." Grix said.
He thought to himself.
Nah.
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE - Depressed Breasts.
-------------------------------
*ONE AND A HALF YEARS AGO*
Grix was dragging his chin along the counter. Today was Friday.
Someone approached his till. A young man, married to a screaming wife and two screaming children. The man peered up at the menu, and Grix gazed into his nostrils.
His left one looked like it held hostage a little alien, being ripped apart by strange brown tentacles. Grix could almost hear it scream in pain as the man "mmmm"ed through his nose at the menu.
"Do you do chicken nuggets?" The man asked.
(DOES IT F*CKING SAY CHICKEN F*CKING NUGGETS ON THE F*CKING MENU?)
"I'm afraid not sir."
"Ah, damn."
The whole family walks off. Grix wondered to himself why chicken nuggets were so important to the wellbeing of some people. Mind you, he wouldn't eat these burgers anyway. 85% beef. It doesn't say what the other 15% is.
Grix looked up from the floor to see Claire standing in front of him.
"Hi." Claire said.
"Hi." Grix replied.
"I think I'm insane." Claire said.
"Me too." Grix replied.
"You think I'm insane, or you think you're insane?" Claire asked.
"Both." He said.
They both stared at each other.
"I kinda came in to tell you that I'm in love with you."
Grix blinked, and fell slightly onto the counter.
"Oh. Erm. Why?"
"I'm not sure. You just make me happy." She replied.
"Oh."
Grix blinked at the floor.
"You paid fifteen pounds to get into the park, to tell me that?" Grix said. "That sounded rude, sorry, I meant... I'm just shocked."
"Actually, I tried ringing you, but you've got no signal." She said.
"Ok."
"Yeah." She replied.
They looked at each other for a small while longer.
"There was a man here earlier." Grix said. "He had an alien up his nose."
Claire smiled.
"You can learn many things from looking up people's nostrils all day."
"Really?" Claire asked.
"No." Grix replied. "I'm just finding it difficult to say anything."
"Me too." Claire replied.
"Another woman had depressed breasts." Grix said.
Claire smiled. She knew exactly what he was talking about.
"I'm sorry I didn't call." Grix said. "I kept stopping myself."
"Why?"
"I didn't think you'd want to bother with me."
"You're stupid. Very sweet, but still stupid." Claire said.
Grix smiled. "I guess so. I'm really struggling for words here."
"I think we've done this bit." Claire said. "What stage are we at?"
"Of what?"
"Of the 'I love you, you love me' meeting?"
"Moving from terrified, to slow acceptance, hopefully leaving for holding each other, possibly leading on to quitting job early, then perhaps leading to talking like we normally do. And maybe some sex."
"I have my car." She said. "You can quit early today, perhaps we can go for a walk."
"I wouldn't mind that." Grix said. "I'm still pathetically nervous. Your words are still bumping around in me."
"It'll pass." Claire said. "Like when you told me."
"You were scared."
"Scared to be loved. Not scared to be loved by you." She said.
"I think that's my problem too."
"You have lots of problems."
"I know. I think. Yes."
"This is awkward. I want a hug." Claire said.
"I can't. My hands have burger fat on them."
"I don't really care. Hug me."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Your clothes will get messy."
"So? I can wash them."
"I can wash my hands now."
"Go on then."
"I am. I'm washing my hands. Then I'm going to come out and hug you."
"Good."
Grix washed his hands. He pulled down some paper napkins, and dried his hands with them.
"Hurry up." Claire said.
"Shut up."
Claire smiled.
Grix opened the back door, walked out, walked up to Claire and wrapped his arms around her.
"Mmm." Grix said.
"What was that?"
"That's a hug noise." Grix said.
"I don't have a hug noise."
"I do." Grix said, and smiled. He kissed her on her cheek, and she kissed him on his lips.
"You're pathetic, disgusting, stupid, insane, and I hate you." Claire said, and looked him in the eyes.
Grix smiled and hugged her more. Claire smiled and hugged back.
-------------------------------
*ONE AND A HALF YEARS AGO*
Grix was dragging his chin along the counter. Today was Friday.
Someone approached his till. A young man, married to a screaming wife and two screaming children. The man peered up at the menu, and Grix gazed into his nostrils.
His left one looked like it held hostage a little alien, being ripped apart by strange brown tentacles. Grix could almost hear it scream in pain as the man "mmmm"ed through his nose at the menu.
"Do you do chicken nuggets?" The man asked.
(DOES IT F*CKING SAY CHICKEN F*CKING NUGGETS ON THE F*CKING MENU?)
"I'm afraid not sir."
"Ah, damn."
The whole family walks off. Grix wondered to himself why chicken nuggets were so important to the wellbeing of some people. Mind you, he wouldn't eat these burgers anyway. 85% beef. It doesn't say what the other 15% is.
Grix looked up from the floor to see Claire standing in front of him.
"Hi." Claire said.
"Hi." Grix replied.
"I think I'm insane." Claire said.
"Me too." Grix replied.
"You think I'm insane, or you think you're insane?" Claire asked.
"Both." He said.
They both stared at each other.
"I kinda came in to tell you that I'm in love with you."
Grix blinked, and fell slightly onto the counter.
"Oh. Erm. Why?"
"I'm not sure. You just make me happy." She replied.
"Oh."
Grix blinked at the floor.
"You paid fifteen pounds to get into the park, to tell me that?" Grix said. "That sounded rude, sorry, I meant... I'm just shocked."
"Actually, I tried ringing you, but you've got no signal." She said.
"Ok."
"Yeah." She replied.
They looked at each other for a small while longer.
"There was a man here earlier." Grix said. "He had an alien up his nose."
Claire smiled.
"You can learn many things from looking up people's nostrils all day."
"Really?" Claire asked.
"No." Grix replied. "I'm just finding it difficult to say anything."
"Me too." Claire replied.
"Another woman had depressed breasts." Grix said.
Claire smiled. She knew exactly what he was talking about.
"I'm sorry I didn't call." Grix said. "I kept stopping myself."
"Why?"
"I didn't think you'd want to bother with me."
"You're stupid. Very sweet, but still stupid." Claire said.
Grix smiled. "I guess so. I'm really struggling for words here."
"I think we've done this bit." Claire said. "What stage are we at?"
"Of what?"
"Of the 'I love you, you love me' meeting?"
"Moving from terrified, to slow acceptance, hopefully leaving for holding each other, possibly leading on to quitting job early, then perhaps leading to talking like we normally do. And maybe some sex."
"I have my car." She said. "You can quit early today, perhaps we can go for a walk."
"I wouldn't mind that." Grix said. "I'm still pathetically nervous. Your words are still bumping around in me."
"It'll pass." Claire said. "Like when you told me."
"You were scared."
"Scared to be loved. Not scared to be loved by you." She said.
"I think that's my problem too."
"You have lots of problems."
"I know. I think. Yes."
"This is awkward. I want a hug." Claire said.
"I can't. My hands have burger fat on them."
"I don't really care. Hug me."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Your clothes will get messy."
"So? I can wash them."
"I can wash my hands now."
"Go on then."
"I am. I'm washing my hands. Then I'm going to come out and hug you."
"Good."
Grix washed his hands. He pulled down some paper napkins, and dried his hands with them.
"Hurry up." Claire said.
"Shut up."
Claire smiled.
Grix opened the back door, walked out, walked up to Claire and wrapped his arms around her.
"Mmm." Grix said.
"What was that?"
"That's a hug noise." Grix said.
"I don't have a hug noise."
"I do." Grix said, and smiled. He kissed her on her cheek, and she kissed him on his lips.
"You're pathetic, disgusting, stupid, insane, and I hate you." Claire said, and looked him in the eyes.
Grix smiled and hugged her more. Claire smiled and hugged back.
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR - More To Live For
------------------------------------------
Leon nursed his head... Renna offered a bag of frozen peas. He didn't have a clue where she managed to get them from, but accepted them all the same.
He took a cigarrette from his pocket, and tried to light up. Renna pulled it from his mouth and threw it outside of the tent. He looked up, and she looked back into his eyes. She had changed out of the clothes she was wearing, and was just wearing a t-shirt with Kermit the Frog on it and jeans now.
"No."
He nodded, and just held the bag of peas to his head. "I'll go after them." Leon said. "I know Grix will be alright, but I'm not sure about Seiyo."
Renna frowned and tried to smile at the same time, that awkward expression that you know looks embarrassing. "I should stay here. There's a lot to be done..."
Leon nodded again.
"But how are you going to go after them?"
"I have a boat." Leon replied, and patted his trouser leg to indicate keys.
"Why didn't you go after him straight away then?" Renna asked, raising her voice.
"Because I'm not sure if I can get to it." Leon said, still looking at the floor.
Renna lowered her eyebrows. "Where is it?"
"It was stolen. They can't actually use it... but they just carried it away. The ba... gits knocked me out."
"So... you don't actually know where they took it?" Renna asked.
"Yeah. Well. Kind of." Leon said. "I followed their footsteps, deep impressions when carrying a boat... and..."
"Well?"
"They stopped when they got to this eye shaped lake, at the top of a hill. As if they'd just kinda jumped in. Only problem was, the lake was only something like a metre deep."
"An eye shaped lake?" Renna asked... "Where's that?"
"Not that far away... it's odd, it really looks like it was carved into the land. The bottom is lined with white stone."
Renna blinked, and sat down. "Ok. You go off and check this eye lake and see if you can get your boat back or whatever... I'll stay here, and try and sort things out for the moment."
Leon nodded. "Ok."
"How's your nose now?" Renna asked.
"Not too bad. He's hit me harder than that before." Leon replied.
----------------------------------------
Leon and Renna stood facing each other in the night... it was Leon that made the first move. He stood forward, hugged Renna, kissed her gently on the side of her head, and hugged her more.
"I forgive you, by the way. For that last night." Leon said, still hugging her. "Stuff like that wasn't meant to happen, it was stupid."
"I... I'm sorry." She said, and hugged him more herself. "I couldn't face coming back."
"Now that was stupid too." He let her go loose in his grip, and looked into her eyes. "I thought you were dead, you know."
"I thought I was too." She said.
There was a silence, and they just looked at the floor and each other.
"What happened... when you were out... please?" Leon asked.
Renna looked to the floor. "It's all over now." She looked up, and smiled gently. "It doesn't matter anymore. I went through a lot, but I came out alive. That's all you need to know."
She smiled some more, and Leon hugged her. "I'll be back soon, with Grix and Seiyo, and hopefully, maybe even a sun shining over us."
They held each other for a bit longer.
Leon let her go. "I better get going. I don't know how much time I have to waste."
Renna leant forward and kissed him gently on the nose. "Good luck. I love you."
"I love you too." He said, and walked off. Renna watched as he slowly faded away as he left the Diamondlands.
She sighed, and went back into the tent to sleep for a little while. But she knew she wouldn't be able to.
------------------------------------------
Leon nursed his head... Renna offered a bag of frozen peas. He didn't have a clue where she managed to get them from, but accepted them all the same.
He took a cigarrette from his pocket, and tried to light up. Renna pulled it from his mouth and threw it outside of the tent. He looked up, and she looked back into his eyes. She had changed out of the clothes she was wearing, and was just wearing a t-shirt with Kermit the Frog on it and jeans now.
"No."
He nodded, and just held the bag of peas to his head. "I'll go after them." Leon said. "I know Grix will be alright, but I'm not sure about Seiyo."
Renna frowned and tried to smile at the same time, that awkward expression that you know looks embarrassing. "I should stay here. There's a lot to be done..."
Leon nodded again.
"But how are you going to go after them?"
"I have a boat." Leon replied, and patted his trouser leg to indicate keys.
"Why didn't you go after him straight away then?" Renna asked, raising her voice.
"Because I'm not sure if I can get to it." Leon said, still looking at the floor.
Renna lowered her eyebrows. "Where is it?"
"It was stolen. They can't actually use it... but they just carried it away. The ba... gits knocked me out."
"So... you don't actually know where they took it?" Renna asked.
"Yeah. Well. Kind of." Leon said. "I followed their footsteps, deep impressions when carrying a boat... and..."
"Well?"
"They stopped when they got to this eye shaped lake, at the top of a hill. As if they'd just kinda jumped in. Only problem was, the lake was only something like a metre deep."
"An eye shaped lake?" Renna asked... "Where's that?"
"Not that far away... it's odd, it really looks like it was carved into the land. The bottom is lined with white stone."
Renna blinked, and sat down. "Ok. You go off and check this eye lake and see if you can get your boat back or whatever... I'll stay here, and try and sort things out for the moment."
Leon nodded. "Ok."
"How's your nose now?" Renna asked.
"Not too bad. He's hit me harder than that before." Leon replied.
----------------------------------------
Leon and Renna stood facing each other in the night... it was Leon that made the first move. He stood forward, hugged Renna, kissed her gently on the side of her head, and hugged her more.
"I forgive you, by the way. For that last night." Leon said, still hugging her. "Stuff like that wasn't meant to happen, it was stupid."
"I... I'm sorry." She said, and hugged him more herself. "I couldn't face coming back."
"Now that was stupid too." He let her go loose in his grip, and looked into her eyes. "I thought you were dead, you know."
"I thought I was too." She said.
There was a silence, and they just looked at the floor and each other.
"What happened... when you were out... please?" Leon asked.
Renna looked to the floor. "It's all over now." She looked up, and smiled gently. "It doesn't matter anymore. I went through a lot, but I came out alive. That's all you need to know."
She smiled some more, and Leon hugged her. "I'll be back soon, with Grix and Seiyo, and hopefully, maybe even a sun shining over us."
They held each other for a bit longer.
Leon let her go. "I better get going. I don't know how much time I have to waste."
Renna leant forward and kissed him gently on the nose. "Good luck. I love you."
"I love you too." He said, and walked off. Renna watched as he slowly faded away as he left the Diamondlands.
She sighed, and went back into the tent to sleep for a little while. But she knew she wouldn't be able to.
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE - The End of the Beginning
--------------------------------------------------
"Seiyo?" Grix said.
"Grix?" Seiyo said. "You ok?"
Grix looked around. They were in a bathroom. And by the looks of it, a service station bathroom. There was poo splattered all over the walls.
"Yeah. I'm fine." He said, looking at a grimy reflection. How the hell...
"Grix?"
"Yeah?"
"Where are we?"
Grix looked around. "We're in a bathroom. A very dirty bathroom."
"I know." Seiyo said.
Grix lifted his hand off the sticky and wet floor, and tried to pull himself up from it. Grix was soaking. From head to toe, soaking wet. So was Seiyo.
Grix stood, as did Seiyo. Seiyo looked at Grix, and dusted him down. "There."
"Thanks Seiyo." Grix said. He walked over to the hand heater, and put it on. He warmed his clothes, and Seiyo stood next to him and did the same. The dust burnt, and put a horrible smell in the air. Seiyo flapped his ears about to dry them.
Grix blinked, and looked into the mirror. "I feel like I just died."
"Me too. I feel awful." Seiyo said. "I'm just glad you're alright."
Grix remembered... he just started swimming... then he got tired...
"Did I drown?" Grix asked.
"No... I... don't think so... I came in to save you, I swam after you." Seiyo said. "I..."
Seiyo looked into the mirror.
"I think I saved you. Maybe I saved you. I can't remember taking you in here."
Grix looked at the cubicles. Of the three, two were out of order. Grix looked in the third one. It had been used, and not flushed. Most of the poo was on the sides of the walls though.
"Why do I keep waking up in bathrooms?" Grix said... "Are we dead? Is this hell? Did we drown?"
Grix walked to the door of the toliet... and opened it.
He looked outside.
"We're... I don't think this is hell." Grix said.
They were on a hill. A grassy hill.
The two of them stepped outside, and noticed that the toilet was just a small brick building at the top of the hill...
Grix closed the door, and noticed the second thing. There was a sign on the door of the toilet, with a black sillouette of a monkey on it.
Grix looked back at Seiyo. Seiyo blinked at him.
There was a roar, and Grix and Seiyo both jumped, and pressed into the wall in the darkness... a light emerged from over another, larger hill... then it went dark. And another roar, and the light appeared again.
Grix and Seiyo looked at each other, and started crawling over the hill. Seiyo pressed his ears back flat on his head as they both peered over.
And saw a field full of dragons.
Being rode around by monkeys.
--------------------------------------------------
"Seiyo?" Grix said.
"Grix?" Seiyo said. "You ok?"
Grix looked around. They were in a bathroom. And by the looks of it, a service station bathroom. There was poo splattered all over the walls.
"Yeah. I'm fine." He said, looking at a grimy reflection. How the hell...
"Grix?"
"Yeah?"
"Where are we?"
Grix looked around. "We're in a bathroom. A very dirty bathroom."
"I know." Seiyo said.
Grix lifted his hand off the sticky and wet floor, and tried to pull himself up from it. Grix was soaking. From head to toe, soaking wet. So was Seiyo.
Grix stood, as did Seiyo. Seiyo looked at Grix, and dusted him down. "There."
"Thanks Seiyo." Grix said. He walked over to the hand heater, and put it on. He warmed his clothes, and Seiyo stood next to him and did the same. The dust burnt, and put a horrible smell in the air. Seiyo flapped his ears about to dry them.
Grix blinked, and looked into the mirror. "I feel like I just died."
"Me too. I feel awful." Seiyo said. "I'm just glad you're alright."
Grix remembered... he just started swimming... then he got tired...
"Did I drown?" Grix asked.
"No... I... don't think so... I came in to save you, I swam after you." Seiyo said. "I..."
Seiyo looked into the mirror.
"I think I saved you. Maybe I saved you. I can't remember taking you in here."
Grix looked at the cubicles. Of the three, two were out of order. Grix looked in the third one. It had been used, and not flushed. Most of the poo was on the sides of the walls though.
"Why do I keep waking up in bathrooms?" Grix said... "Are we dead? Is this hell? Did we drown?"
Grix walked to the door of the toliet... and opened it.
He looked outside.
"We're... I don't think this is hell." Grix said.
They were on a hill. A grassy hill.
The two of them stepped outside, and noticed that the toilet was just a small brick building at the top of the hill...
Grix closed the door, and noticed the second thing. There was a sign on the door of the toilet, with a black sillouette of a monkey on it.
Grix looked back at Seiyo. Seiyo blinked at him.
There was a roar, and Grix and Seiyo both jumped, and pressed into the wall in the darkness... a light emerged from over another, larger hill... then it went dark. And another roar, and the light appeared again.
Grix and Seiyo looked at each other, and started crawling over the hill. Seiyo pressed his ears back flat on his head as they both peered over.
And saw a field full of dragons.
Being rode around by monkeys.
Don't write in the topic
Oops
Oops
Way too much to read from a computer screen.
I've copied it into a word file, from which I will print it, read it, put my name on it and send it on to some publishers! ;-D
I've copied it into a word file, from which I will print it, read it, put my name on it and send it on to some publishers! ;-D
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO - The Unforgiving
---------------------------------------
"It's six years to the day, man. Six years." Leon looked out. "Maybe they forgot. Maybe you forgot. But I don't think I ever will."
Leon stood facing the sea, where the sun would be setting if it was still circling. "It just seems natural to be here now. It come here, to try and forget... to try and forget it all."
Grix stood behind him. Leon had gone missing after he and Renna had put Seiyo to bed. Renna said she’d stay behind, and Grix went off looking for him.
He knew exactly where he’d be.
Smoke rose from the darkness. Grix could feel Leon’s eyes falling in sadness to the floor, even though he was facing the other way.
"There’s nothing I can say that will ever change the past, you know." Grix said. "I made a mistake. I’m sorry."
"You know?" Leon said, turning around slightly, then facing the sea again. "I don’t even think YOU think you made a mistake. I think you were glad to lose us. I think you wanted to grow up. To live life on your own. You didn’t need us anymore, you were glad to see us go."
"That’s not true." Grix said. "I hated to see you go. I needed you then, I needed you more than ever. I always need you guys. I just don’t realise it sometimes."
Grix looked up at the stars.
"You’re good for me, you’re all so good for me. If we ever get this place fixed up, you’re coming out with me. The times we had were fun. I miss it."
"Can’t you remember?" Leon said, turning around, and blowing smoke in his face. "I’m imaginary. I’m a figment of your imagination. I’m not real."
"You’re real, sure you’re real. You're real to me."
"I AM you. I’m just you. Everything I do, and see, and touch and feel, that’s you. That’s your imagination, creating it all. Making me feel I’m real. Do you have any idea how hard it is to live like this? Have you any idea how many times I’ve tried to kill myself? Tried to just throw myself over a cliff?"
Grix looked at the floor. "I..."
"The only thing that ever stopped me, was Seiyo." He turned around. "He doesn’t know I tried, many times... but every time, just as I was about to end it, give up, I knew if I left this damn place, Seiyo would be as good as dead too. There’d be no-one here to look after him. I thought Renna was dead, you weren’t coming back, and he’s never been able to look after himself. I couldn’t leave him like that."
Leon sniffed and wiped his eyes. "F*cks sake."
"That was the past man. I’m here now. I’ve come back. Renna is alive, Seiyo is better. We can stop all this crap and get back on with life."
"For the past six years, I’ve had no life. At first, we were alright. The Diamondlands were just the same, we played cards, we enjoyed life... but we started to distance. We gave up hope, we stopped talking. Renna attacked me one night, cut my face open. She ran off after that. Left us alone. With you and now Renna gone, Seiyo lost it. He cried all the time, he attacked loads of animals, smashed them in. He nearly killed someone once. So he started drinking. And I started smoking. And the whole f*cking Diamondlands fell apart."
Grix sat down on the sand, and watched the sea.
"I just wanted you to know. That’s all." Leon said, and threw his cigarette on the floor. He walked past Grix, sitting down.
"And another thing." Leon said. "Just so you know, now you’re here, I haven’t got much of a reason to live anymore." Leon walked back into the forest, leaving Grix to watch the sea.
He watched into the distance, as a speedboat powered in the distance... water spraying... he watched as two figures fell out of the boat as it turned suddenly, and a scream filled the air.
Grix gave in. He stood up, and walked straight into the ocean. He dived into it, and started swimming.
He didn’t hear Leon shouting.
---------------------------------------
"It's six years to the day, man. Six years." Leon looked out. "Maybe they forgot. Maybe you forgot. But I don't think I ever will."
Leon stood facing the sea, where the sun would be setting if it was still circling. "It just seems natural to be here now. It come here, to try and forget... to try and forget it all."
Grix stood behind him. Leon had gone missing after he and Renna had put Seiyo to bed. Renna said she’d stay behind, and Grix went off looking for him.
He knew exactly where he’d be.
Smoke rose from the darkness. Grix could feel Leon’s eyes falling in sadness to the floor, even though he was facing the other way.
"There’s nothing I can say that will ever change the past, you know." Grix said. "I made a mistake. I’m sorry."
"You know?" Leon said, turning around slightly, then facing the sea again. "I don’t even think YOU think you made a mistake. I think you were glad to lose us. I think you wanted to grow up. To live life on your own. You didn’t need us anymore, you were glad to see us go."
"That’s not true." Grix said. "I hated to see you go. I needed you then, I needed you more than ever. I always need you guys. I just don’t realise it sometimes."
Grix looked up at the stars.
"You’re good for me, you’re all so good for me. If we ever get this place fixed up, you’re coming out with me. The times we had were fun. I miss it."
"Can’t you remember?" Leon said, turning around, and blowing smoke in his face. "I’m imaginary. I’m a figment of your imagination. I’m not real."
"You’re real, sure you’re real. You're real to me."
"I AM you. I’m just you. Everything I do, and see, and touch and feel, that’s you. That’s your imagination, creating it all. Making me feel I’m real. Do you have any idea how hard it is to live like this? Have you any idea how many times I’ve tried to kill myself? Tried to just throw myself over a cliff?"
Grix looked at the floor. "I..."
"The only thing that ever stopped me, was Seiyo." He turned around. "He doesn’t know I tried, many times... but every time, just as I was about to end it, give up, I knew if I left this damn place, Seiyo would be as good as dead too. There’d be no-one here to look after him. I thought Renna was dead, you weren’t coming back, and he’s never been able to look after himself. I couldn’t leave him like that."
Leon sniffed and wiped his eyes. "F*cks sake."
"That was the past man. I’m here now. I’ve come back. Renna is alive, Seiyo is better. We can stop all this crap and get back on with life."
"For the past six years, I’ve had no life. At first, we were alright. The Diamondlands were just the same, we played cards, we enjoyed life... but we started to distance. We gave up hope, we stopped talking. Renna attacked me one night, cut my face open. She ran off after that. Left us alone. With you and now Renna gone, Seiyo lost it. He cried all the time, he attacked loads of animals, smashed them in. He nearly killed someone once. So he started drinking. And I started smoking. And the whole f*cking Diamondlands fell apart."
Grix sat down on the sand, and watched the sea.
"I just wanted you to know. That’s all." Leon said, and threw his cigarette on the floor. He walked past Grix, sitting down.
"And another thing." Leon said. "Just so you know, now you’re here, I haven’t got much of a reason to live anymore." Leon walked back into the forest, leaving Grix to watch the sea.
He watched into the distance, as a speedboat powered in the distance... water spraying... he watched as two figures fell out of the boat as it turned suddenly, and a scream filled the air.
Grix gave in. He stood up, and walked straight into the ocean. He dived into it, and started swimming.
He didn’t hear Leon shouting.
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE - The Chest
-------------------------------
Claire tilted the tiny little treasure chest around in her hands. It was locked tight, and the key that fitted the lock was probably the one that Grix... well, that person had stole.
She sat cross legged on her bed, looking at all the photos of her and Grix which lined the wall. Well, they weren't all of her and him. She was a photographer.
Well, that was a lie. She wanted to be a photographer. Not to take pictures of people and stuff like that... landscapes, that's what she liked. Sunsets and sunrises over mountains and underwater.
She lay back, and put her head back on the bag of frozen peas. That lump still hurt. The next time she saw Grix, she'll knock him out.
Might knock the sense back in, seemed to help knock the sense out. Who knows. Perhaps Grix was going crazy... but... she knew Grix. She knew he had things running around in his head. If one of those people took over, then, this is probably what it'd be like.
She twirled the chest around. He gave it to her a few years back, and told her that it contained the three most precious things to him. But he couldn't keep them, he had to give them up.
It looks like Grix... she really needed a name for him. Maybe she'd ask that before she knocks him out. That bloke wants the chest. Why?
She put it under her pillow. Grix, the real one, had told her to keep it safe... so she guess that applied to now more than ever, really.
She couldn't help but wonder what the hell was in there, though...
She turned the lights off, and the moonlight forced it's way in through the curtains, reflecting off the photos that covered the walls of her apartment... the time was...
She looked at the clock.
Twenty to twelve.
Mmmm.
-------------------------------
Claire tilted the tiny little treasure chest around in her hands. It was locked tight, and the key that fitted the lock was probably the one that Grix... well, that person had stole.
She sat cross legged on her bed, looking at all the photos of her and Grix which lined the wall. Well, they weren't all of her and him. She was a photographer.
Well, that was a lie. She wanted to be a photographer. Not to take pictures of people and stuff like that... landscapes, that's what she liked. Sunsets and sunrises over mountains and underwater.
She lay back, and put her head back on the bag of frozen peas. That lump still hurt. The next time she saw Grix, she'll knock him out.
Might knock the sense back in, seemed to help knock the sense out. Who knows. Perhaps Grix was going crazy... but... she knew Grix. She knew he had things running around in his head. If one of those people took over, then, this is probably what it'd be like.
She twirled the chest around. He gave it to her a few years back, and told her that it contained the three most precious things to him. But he couldn't keep them, he had to give them up.
It looks like Grix... she really needed a name for him. Maybe she'd ask that before she knocks him out. That bloke wants the chest. Why?
She put it under her pillow. Grix, the real one, had told her to keep it safe... so she guess that applied to now more than ever, really.
She couldn't help but wonder what the hell was in there, though...
She turned the lights off, and the moonlight forced it's way in through the curtains, reflecting off the photos that covered the walls of her apartment... the time was...
She looked at the clock.
Twenty to twelve.
Mmmm.
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