Post by Victoria Alexander on Apr 1, 2008 23:27:20 GMT 1
“What’s it like?”
“Hmm? What like?”
“To move without concern, without feelings?”
“I wouldn’t call it without feelings.”
“Why?”
“Because every new place has something that wants to hold you back. That wants you to never leave. It makes you long for it, if you do.”
“Do you long to stay?”
“Stay where?”
“In one place.”
“I don’t know..”
Victoria nodded as their hushed whispers went silent. Sitting in a small theater with her feet on the next seat in front of her, Victoria’s eyes were on the large screen in front, a cardboard bowl of popcorn in her lap. The flickering grey tones covered the seats in front of her with light. The room seemed filled with life, as music poured from the speakers as the black and white characters would move around. The movie had no spoken words only flashes of black screen with white text that were meant to be read. You would miss something if you were to look away.
They were the only two there, Blue and Victoria. He had taken her there to spend some time with her. He liked old silent movies. It never mattered to Victoria whether they were talking or not since she seemed to be whispering towards Blue instead. More or less focusing on the movie in whole rather than the small details.
“How can you not know. I mean for as long as I remember you have always been somewhere different. You don’t stay in one place long.”
“Well then I guess I just have some of that gypsy blood in me. Ever since our parents died in the wreck I’ve bounced around from house to house until Theodore was old enough to go on the streets. I don’t think I remember being in one place for very long.”
He paused as he stuffed a handful of popcorn into his mouth. Chomping away until he was able to continue on.
“Did I ever tell you my dad was in the military? No? Well he seemed to bounce from one station to another just like I do now. My mother never minded. In fact we stayed on base most of the time. My mother would stay home with me and Theo all day telling us of how proud she was of our father. How brave he was. I can still remember her dressing us up and we would play as if we were in the army. I used to have this plastic assault riffle. Theo never liked it since he would always get stuck with a small one. But it seemed as if we started to get comfortable my father would pop up, spend some time with us, and after he left again we would be off to another base. I don’t think my mom thought much of it, but we never had anyone but each other.”
“That would explain why you two are so close.” Victoria nodded at her own statement before asking her question. “So were you guys moving when your parents got into the wreck?”
“No, my dad was on leave. We were planning on going on vacation since he had a couple weeks free. My parents were on their way to the store. My brother and I were staying with a friend of my mothers that she met on base. Last I remember her saying was ‘Bartholemew, you take care of your little brother you hear me. And let him play with your toys. You silly boys never like to share.’ I never liked my name.” He pointed out and seemed to make a face at it. “And after watching her and my dad pull away she was gone. I would have never thought something that bad could have happened. I guess no one does.”
He stuffed another handful of popcorn in his mouth.
“Do you remember your parents Vic?”
She shook her head.
“No I was so little then, that I don’t remember much. I can still see their faces. But nothing of who they were or what they did. I mean I have what my birth certificate says and some documents from the old orphanage I had but how they sounded, how they laughed, what they liked to do, if they gave me a pony when I was little. Nothing seems to pop up in my mind anymore. I still see what happened that night. Its been burned into my brain. I remember the screams and the shouts but no lullabies or good nights. No stories or such. And unfortunately I didn’t have any relatives to tell me anything about them after that. I always wished I knew more.”
Blue nodded continuously munching on popcorn. Things grew quiet between them as they watched the rest of the movie. In the end, it was a happy ending. It was always a happy ending. As Victoria watched the credits begin to roll she started to rise. Blue had his hand on her arm to stop her.
“Vic, Tak’s going to be here within the next couple weeks. He was very vague on the details, but he is coming.”
Victoria sort of looked defeated as her eyes went to the floor.
“I kinda figured it would come down to that Blue. And to be honest with you, I think its time I had that chat your brothers been trying to get with me for the past two years.”
As they both rose from their seats, they took their leave. With the cool air hitting her in the face as Blue opened the door for her, she stopped.
“Blue?”
“Yes Victoria.”
She took only a half of step before putting her arms around him. He squeezed as they stood just outside of the exit doors.
“Thank you for spending time with me. Its good to know that old friends are always around. When you need them the most.”
He petted her short wild hair for just a second before holding her arms length away.
“That’s what old friends do. Now don’t get all mushy on me and lets go. You still owe me a cup of coffee.”
“Hmm? What like?”
“To move without concern, without feelings?”
“I wouldn’t call it without feelings.”
“Why?”
“Because every new place has something that wants to hold you back. That wants you to never leave. It makes you long for it, if you do.”
“Do you long to stay?”
“Stay where?”
“In one place.”
“I don’t know..”
Victoria nodded as their hushed whispers went silent. Sitting in a small theater with her feet on the next seat in front of her, Victoria’s eyes were on the large screen in front, a cardboard bowl of popcorn in her lap. The flickering grey tones covered the seats in front of her with light. The room seemed filled with life, as music poured from the speakers as the black and white characters would move around. The movie had no spoken words only flashes of black screen with white text that were meant to be read. You would miss something if you were to look away.
They were the only two there, Blue and Victoria. He had taken her there to spend some time with her. He liked old silent movies. It never mattered to Victoria whether they were talking or not since she seemed to be whispering towards Blue instead. More or less focusing on the movie in whole rather than the small details.
“How can you not know. I mean for as long as I remember you have always been somewhere different. You don’t stay in one place long.”
“Well then I guess I just have some of that gypsy blood in me. Ever since our parents died in the wreck I’ve bounced around from house to house until Theodore was old enough to go on the streets. I don’t think I remember being in one place for very long.”
He paused as he stuffed a handful of popcorn into his mouth. Chomping away until he was able to continue on.
“Did I ever tell you my dad was in the military? No? Well he seemed to bounce from one station to another just like I do now. My mother never minded. In fact we stayed on base most of the time. My mother would stay home with me and Theo all day telling us of how proud she was of our father. How brave he was. I can still remember her dressing us up and we would play as if we were in the army. I used to have this plastic assault riffle. Theo never liked it since he would always get stuck with a small one. But it seemed as if we started to get comfortable my father would pop up, spend some time with us, and after he left again we would be off to another base. I don’t think my mom thought much of it, but we never had anyone but each other.”
“That would explain why you two are so close.” Victoria nodded at her own statement before asking her question. “So were you guys moving when your parents got into the wreck?”
“No, my dad was on leave. We were planning on going on vacation since he had a couple weeks free. My parents were on their way to the store. My brother and I were staying with a friend of my mothers that she met on base. Last I remember her saying was ‘Bartholemew, you take care of your little brother you hear me. And let him play with your toys. You silly boys never like to share.’ I never liked my name.” He pointed out and seemed to make a face at it. “And after watching her and my dad pull away she was gone. I would have never thought something that bad could have happened. I guess no one does.”
He stuffed another handful of popcorn in his mouth.
“Do you remember your parents Vic?”
She shook her head.
“No I was so little then, that I don’t remember much. I can still see their faces. But nothing of who they were or what they did. I mean I have what my birth certificate says and some documents from the old orphanage I had but how they sounded, how they laughed, what they liked to do, if they gave me a pony when I was little. Nothing seems to pop up in my mind anymore. I still see what happened that night. Its been burned into my brain. I remember the screams and the shouts but no lullabies or good nights. No stories or such. And unfortunately I didn’t have any relatives to tell me anything about them after that. I always wished I knew more.”
Blue nodded continuously munching on popcorn. Things grew quiet between them as they watched the rest of the movie. In the end, it was a happy ending. It was always a happy ending. As Victoria watched the credits begin to roll she started to rise. Blue had his hand on her arm to stop her.
“Vic, Tak’s going to be here within the next couple weeks. He was very vague on the details, but he is coming.”
Victoria sort of looked defeated as her eyes went to the floor.
“I kinda figured it would come down to that Blue. And to be honest with you, I think its time I had that chat your brothers been trying to get with me for the past two years.”
As they both rose from their seats, they took their leave. With the cool air hitting her in the face as Blue opened the door for her, she stopped.
“Blue?”
“Yes Victoria.”
She took only a half of step before putting her arms around him. He squeezed as they stood just outside of the exit doors.
“Thank you for spending time with me. Its good to know that old friends are always around. When you need them the most.”
He petted her short wild hair for just a second before holding her arms length away.
“That’s what old friends do. Now don’t get all mushy on me and lets go. You still owe me a cup of coffee.”
