Penny Rose would have preferred to keep her eyes shut throughout the journey. But Lucif's words of warning rang loud in her ears, and she kept them carefully trained on the marshy peat beneath her feet - only glancing up from time to time to make sure that Lucif was not mesmerized by the dancing flicker of the blue lights. Lucif's tail was madly twitching under her hand, even though she could tell it was trying very hard to keep it still. The coiled tension of that large, feline-like spine told the story of even Lucif's nerves, and Penny Rose knew that on this journey, they were walking a very fine line of danger indeed.
Her hand slipped into her pocket of its own accord, in the heart of the damp and cold fabric, the box still glowed warm, and Penny Rose wrapped her hand around it, holding tight to to the square edges, reassuringly radiating against her leg and under her fingers. Her basket, which had shrunk to yet a smaller size, was slipped in her other pocket, folded into a triangle that would fit it he palm of her hand. She hoped very much that it would re-find its original shape, and thought very hard about the fire that would burn in it when they reached the other side. She felt the tail go stiff under her hand, and her stomach leapt.
Lucif was staring, wrapt, at a particularly bright and gleaming blue light, one that was flightily buzzing in front of its nose. Lucif's mirrored eyes, for once, seemed to be betraying it. Penny Rose watched the dreamy reflection of the dancing light in Lucif's strange gaze, the light coming ever closer, becoming ever brighter. Penny Rose's hand tightened on Lucif's tail, her heart beating into her throat. "Lucif!" she said, the cry coming out closer to a whisper. "Lucif!" she said, her voice stronger now. "You must look away."
Lucif didn't even glance back at her. It simply took one step to into the deeper water of the marsh, its nose pointed up and straining toward the bright bright blue. Penny Rose took a gasp of air, and although the pull of the blue light seemed to be pressing on her senses, drawing her attention, drawing her thought, she jerked on Lucif's tail. There was no response. The graceful spine was taught like a wire, the gait usually so fluid was stiff. Penny Rose pulled her hand out of her pocket and gripped the tail with both, pulling on it, as now Lucif was slowly and inexorably stepping into the sucking water of the marshes. Penny Rose could hear the sound of the wetness around the large, taloned paws. She pulled as hard as she could on the silken fur of Lucif's tail, but nothing could interrupt its hypnotized stare, its puppet like steps.
Penny Rose searched about for something to interrupt that unblinking gaze. She cast about, but all around her the marsh was dark, just the eery, hovering lights drifting in the silence. They were all alone, all alone except for the fairy-like lanterns, the dangerous beings, fluttering in the ringing blackness.
"Lucif!" she screamed, realizing that the lights weren't just hovering, motionless, they were drawing nearer. A group of them, as if made curious by the energy of Lucif's captured stare. Nothing. Lucif was deaf and blinded by the most beautiful of light. Penny Rose felt tears of frustration and terror rising in her throat. In her pocket she could feel the box burning brighter, the basket, too, seemed to be growing slightly, becoming more substantial in her pocket. What to do? What to do? Her fingers were biting into the tail, now, but it was simply beginning to pull her, making her slide across the squelch of mud and grass beneath her feet, and she could feel the ice of water against her toes as she was being drawn away into the deeper marshes. She had to let go, or she, too, would be lost. But she could not continue without Lucif. No, she could not.
The box in her pocket was so hot as to be almost painful against her leg. She tightened her grip on Lucif's tail with one hand, and without thinking, drew the box out with the other. It was not only warm, it was bright. Very bright. She remembered her dream, the words arranging and rearranging themselves before her eyes, and the golden light of the box got stronger, as if the power of her memory was stoking its fire. She stared at it, frantic, and then, a tear escaping from beneath her lashes, she squeezed her eyes shut and thought with every ounce of her strength about the dream, about the light. In her hand, she felt the box click open, and from behind her lashes, she saw the light exploding in the night.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Reading
The light exploded, and Penny Rose dared to peek through her lashes, her eyes blinded for a moment by the brightness. Then the light subsided slightly, materializing into the concrete forms of letters, written in light, across the dark of the sky. They flew and burnt, twirling and cascading across Lucif's back, its marled fur gilded under each flying cipher. They whirled around the straining nose, the mirrored eyes, the bright, otherworldly blue of the marsh lights paling and fading by comparison. Penny Rose watched in wonder as they wrapped themselves in running gold around Lucif's muzzle, freeing the great eyes from their slavish gaze, the marsh lights receding imperceptibly until they had nigh disappeared, small, unseen glows at the base of the grasses.
And then Penny Rose realized she could make out words. Hope and love and freedom, she saw them running through the other letters, the letters of a million alphabets, she saw the words that she could read, and as she read, she could read more, and more. Freedom comes with the price of love, she read, and there is hope where minds still live on, and then, deeper, she read, the layers of letters revealing more and more words, more stories, stories she could sense, stories that made her mind sing, and the greatest songs of history. She stood, transfixed, her mind traveling through the letters, which now were casting themselves in waves in front of her eyes, and Lucif, awakened from its stupor, who had leapt back onto the safety of the marsh grass tufts, was watching as Penny Rose read.
The golden light lit her face as beautifully as nothing could have, and she suddenly looked much older. Or was it an older self that Lucif saw? A future Penny Rose, another Penny Rose, the one to come? Her hair waved and blew from around her face, cast back by the power of the words, and it, too, glowed from within as if it had caught afire from the magic around it. And then Lucif saw - the gold in the center of Penny Rose's eyes, the gold that was not reflection, but source. And it was, at that moment, that Lucif snatched the whirling box from where it hovered, wide and glowing, and immediately, the letters disappeared, the box shuttered itself, a rectangle with no opening once more, glowing but lightly, almost as if in reflection of something else. Slowly, Penny Rose came back to herself. Lucif watched as the gold faded slowly from her eyes, her hair coming to rest upon her shoulders once more, her hands drifting down to her sides.
Lucif bowed to her, and offered her the box. "Welcome to Madrin, Reader," it said, and bowed its huge head at her feet.
And then Penny Rose realized she could make out words. Hope and love and freedom, she saw them running through the other letters, the letters of a million alphabets, she saw the words that she could read, and as she read, she could read more, and more. Freedom comes with the price of love, she read, and there is hope where minds still live on, and then, deeper, she read, the layers of letters revealing more and more words, more stories, stories she could sense, stories that made her mind sing, and the greatest songs of history. She stood, transfixed, her mind traveling through the letters, which now were casting themselves in waves in front of her eyes, and Lucif, awakened from its stupor, who had leapt back onto the safety of the marsh grass tufts, was watching as Penny Rose read.
The golden light lit her face as beautifully as nothing could have, and she suddenly looked much older. Or was it an older self that Lucif saw? A future Penny Rose, another Penny Rose, the one to come? Her hair waved and blew from around her face, cast back by the power of the words, and it, too, glowed from within as if it had caught afire from the magic around it. And then Lucif saw - the gold in the center of Penny Rose's eyes, the gold that was not reflection, but source. And it was, at that moment, that Lucif snatched the whirling box from where it hovered, wide and glowing, and immediately, the letters disappeared, the box shuttered itself, a rectangle with no opening once more, glowing but lightly, almost as if in reflection of something else. Slowly, Penny Rose came back to herself. Lucif watched as the gold faded slowly from her eyes, her hair coming to rest upon her shoulders once more, her hands drifting down to her sides.
Lucif bowed to her, and offered her the box. "Welcome to Madrin, Reader," it said, and bowed its huge head at her feet.
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Christmas mustard
The new color for the season? Doing it up mad men style. Mix and match wonderful gifts with your own inexpensive brands for a holiday look... :)
Sweater: (gift) banana republic, dress: old!! Necklace: (gift) pier 1, tights: Ann Klein, shoes: target
Sweater: (gift) banana republic, dress: old!! Necklace: (gift) pier 1, tights: Ann Klein, shoes: target
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Marshlights
Penny Rose was unsure but as she clung, close and blind, to the soft, thick fur of Lucif's back, she heard the phantom growls of a thousand hunting beings, and in order to simply stop straining to know what the dark held, she shut her eyes against the sting of the blackness. The basket hung from her hand, seeming smaller as if it had compacted to accommodate the mood of silence.
Lucif seemed as if it didn't breathe at all, and Penny Rose did her best to keep her frightened lungs from gasping. The ground at least had flattened before them, and they made their way across peety soil, littered with pin needles. From time to time Penny Rose felt the rough bark of a branch against her cheek, but she was otherwise untouched, Lucif's path unvaryingly reliable.
Lucif paused, and Penny Rose's eyes opened. The large head nuzzled her shoulder, and it spoke directly into her ear. "Ahead lie the marshes."
She could barely make out some bluish lights hovering ahead of them, bluish lights that winked and wavered. She gulped. The unfriendly creatures? Where were they? Lucif's muzzle was reassuringly firm against her arm. "We must follow the path of the marsh lights. They will guide as across in safety. But we must go one by one - if you were to ride me we would surely sink." Lucif paused, and its voice became ever so slightly softer, "whatever you do, do not stare at them, though. For each one alone will mesmerize you and you will be lost. You must walk always to the next one. You must walk always forward." Penny Rose shivered, but the basket nudged, courageous, against her leg and the box warmed in her pocket bravely. "Do not fear, young one," remarked Lucif, "for you are strong."
Penny Rose took a breath, and put her hand once more on Lucif's shoulder. Lucif shook its head. "Not my shoulder, dear one, this time you must take my tail."
The thought of it made Penny Rose shy - that long, leopard-like tail, that twitched at any slight response - in her hand? Surely not. Lucif turned and its tail slightly wrapped itself around her timid fingers. Penny Rose held it lightly, but when Lucif moved, she would surely drop it if she did not hold harder, and so with one hand gripping her basket, the other Lucif's tail, they began the journey across the marshes.
Lucif seemed as if it didn't breathe at all, and Penny Rose did her best to keep her frightened lungs from gasping. The ground at least had flattened before them, and they made their way across peety soil, littered with pin needles. From time to time Penny Rose felt the rough bark of a branch against her cheek, but she was otherwise untouched, Lucif's path unvaryingly reliable.
Lucif paused, and Penny Rose's eyes opened. The large head nuzzled her shoulder, and it spoke directly into her ear. "Ahead lie the marshes."
She could barely make out some bluish lights hovering ahead of them, bluish lights that winked and wavered. She gulped. The unfriendly creatures? Where were they? Lucif's muzzle was reassuringly firm against her arm. "We must follow the path of the marsh lights. They will guide as across in safety. But we must go one by one - if you were to ride me we would surely sink." Lucif paused, and its voice became ever so slightly softer, "whatever you do, do not stare at them, though. For each one alone will mesmerize you and you will be lost. You must walk always to the next one. You must walk always forward." Penny Rose shivered, but the basket nudged, courageous, against her leg and the box warmed in her pocket bravely. "Do not fear, young one," remarked Lucif, "for you are strong."
Penny Rose took a breath, and put her hand once more on Lucif's shoulder. Lucif shook its head. "Not my shoulder, dear one, this time you must take my tail."
The thought of it made Penny Rose shy - that long, leopard-like tail, that twitched at any slight response - in her hand? Surely not. Lucif turned and its tail slightly wrapped itself around her timid fingers. Penny Rose held it lightly, but when Lucif moved, she would surely drop it if she did not hold harder, and so with one hand gripping her basket, the other Lucif's tail, they began the journey across the marshes.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
The Dark
Lucif and Penny Rose made their way carefully in the dark, the basket lighting their way with a low, steady light. They had passed through the murky undergrowth that surrounded their clearing, and now were picking a path through boulders that lay at the bottom of a small waterfall. Penny Rose slipped on the slick moss, and the basket seemed to bob upwards to help her. Lucif glanced back limpidly, and then without a word continued on, setting a pace that was, perhaps, only a slightly slower.
It was another mile of walking, but through less unwelcoming terrain, beside the edge of the river, to reach the marshes. And Penny Rose wondered quietly where the Unfriendly Creatures slept, her heart beating faster, feeling by turns warm and cold. If Lucif called them unfriendly, the word meant more than it possibly could on any other tongue.
Suddenly, the marled silver coat stilled ahead of her, and she nearly ran into it, nearing her shoulder as it was, she steadied herself with a touch of its fur, and waited. The silver eyes turned to her, and a slight shaking of its head told her to be quiet and still. Lucif moved slightly to shield her from the darkness to their left - the blackness of the forest, and also the unknown to their front that only it could see. Penny Rose, trapped in the low light of the basket, felt like a bird in a cage. The basket faded out in response, as if it could feel her fear. In her pocket, the box began to glow ever so slightly, and she took heart in its little warmth.
There was a sudden darkness ahead of them. A blacker black in the night, a large thing, a thing with reflective eyes. And Lucif, so calm one moment, suddenly left her side with no noise - only the whisper of air of its immediate departure. Penny Rose's eyes were still adjusting, and the darkness was so profound they would never see the detail, but she realized when she heard the thud of fur against something solid and alive, the strangled roar of something in the dark, the crunch of teeth against bone - a sickening sound - that Lucif was killing something. And it was doing it with quick, lethal force and absolute efficiency.
The sound of something falling to the ground was quickly followed by Lucif's warm fur beneath her hand, reassuring. "Don't light the lantern-basket," said the kind voice. "We shall move without it's help. Put your hand on my shoulder."
Penny Rose took the long, strange fur in her hand, and moved blind past the fallen beast. "Was that an Unfriendly Creature?" asked Penny Rose, her voice shaking ever so slightly.
"No - not of the kind I was speaking. That was a denizen of the caves, and it was strange that it should wander so far from its home. Passing strange."
"Does it hunt by night?"
"It hunts always," came the quiet reply. "We shall not use the lantern again tonight."
It was another mile of walking, but through less unwelcoming terrain, beside the edge of the river, to reach the marshes. And Penny Rose wondered quietly where the Unfriendly Creatures slept, her heart beating faster, feeling by turns warm and cold. If Lucif called them unfriendly, the word meant more than it possibly could on any other tongue.
Suddenly, the marled silver coat stilled ahead of her, and she nearly ran into it, nearing her shoulder as it was, she steadied herself with a touch of its fur, and waited. The silver eyes turned to her, and a slight shaking of its head told her to be quiet and still. Lucif moved slightly to shield her from the darkness to their left - the blackness of the forest, and also the unknown to their front that only it could see. Penny Rose, trapped in the low light of the basket, felt like a bird in a cage. The basket faded out in response, as if it could feel her fear. In her pocket, the box began to glow ever so slightly, and she took heart in its little warmth.
There was a sudden darkness ahead of them. A blacker black in the night, a large thing, a thing with reflective eyes. And Lucif, so calm one moment, suddenly left her side with no noise - only the whisper of air of its immediate departure. Penny Rose's eyes were still adjusting, and the darkness was so profound they would never see the detail, but she realized when she heard the thud of fur against something solid and alive, the strangled roar of something in the dark, the crunch of teeth against bone - a sickening sound - that Lucif was killing something. And it was doing it with quick, lethal force and absolute efficiency.
The sound of something falling to the ground was quickly followed by Lucif's warm fur beneath her hand, reassuring. "Don't light the lantern-basket," said the kind voice. "We shall move without it's help. Put your hand on my shoulder."
Penny Rose took the long, strange fur in her hand, and moved blind past the fallen beast. "Was that an Unfriendly Creature?" asked Penny Rose, her voice shaking ever so slightly.
"No - not of the kind I was speaking. That was a denizen of the caves, and it was strange that it should wander so far from its home. Passing strange."
"Does it hunt by night?"
"It hunts always," came the quiet reply. "We shall not use the lantern again tonight."
Unfriendly Creatures
Penny Rose awoke feeling damp and still a little chilled. The fire that was the basket still, burned demurely on one side, and Lucif lay, awake motionless as a statue on her other side. She didn't want to wake up, but go back to the soft velvet of sleep. But she knew it was time, and curiosity was eating away at her...
"Lucif," she said, and the mirror eyes turned toward her, from the point they had been fixed upon deep in the trees behind them.
"Ah, you've awoken," said Lucif, not moving. Penny Rose struggled to sit up, feeling strangely sore around her body.
"Who was that woman?" Penny Rose asked, still a little angry from the blaze that had brought her to shore.
"That, my dear, is a rare creature of this world. She only appears when she feels she should; and her gifts are sometimes not just dangerous, but fatal. Your choice was good, however."
"Good? But she pushed me into the river and I couldn't swim!"
"Yes, but your basket saved you. Sometimes they are not so kind. Your choice likes you, and as such, is extremely useful. See how it burns?"
Penny Rose watched it, merrily crackling away, yet staying whole nonetheless.
"It does a great deal more than that, when needed."
Penny Rose looked at it in wonder and concern. She remembered the moments in the river, the way it bore her down first, then up. "But not always."
"No, it is a somewhat mercurial gift."
"Perhaps it depends on me," querulously, Penny Rose reached for the basket, whose flames strove toward her hand like a pet.
"Yes, and it likes you, so all is well. It has burned there to keep you warm for some time now, and that is no easy feat. However, I'm afraid we'll be asking it to do much more before the end of our journeys."
Penny Rose looked at it, and smiled.
"Are you hungry?" Asked Lucif, glancing at Penny Rose's bedraggled form.
"No," said Penny Rose, realizing it for the first time, "I'm not."
"Yes, it is the way of this place - food and drink are not necessary, but sometimes they are very pleasant. What would you like, my dear?"
Penny Rose looked at her feet. "Milk and biscuits."
The basket stopped burning for a moment, and closed itself into a little ball. Then, with what looked like a small effort, it opened up like a flower in the sun, and in the curve of its belly was a mug of milk and a small plate of buttery biscuits.
Penny Rose smiled, and giving the basket a little pat, she gratefully took the plate and the mug of milk. "Would you like one?" She asked Lucif.
It looked at the biscuits strangely. "No... what I enjoy to eat is quite different."
Penny Rose ate the biscuits with great appreciation, the sugary blandness of them giving her a moment of homesickness and strengthening her resolve. There was something sinful about eating a whole plate of biscuits, but Penny Rose did it, in part, to keep the basket happy - she would hate to offend so strange a thing.
Lucif rose and stretched, it's long, graceful body seeming longer and more strange as its paws brushed the earth, its head arching up. Penny Rose's feeling of dissonance grew, as she munched the last crumbs of the biscuits. The basket rolled on its side nearer her, and the flames died to a contented set of embers. She put her hand close to keep it warm, for the afternoon was drawing to a close.
"It will be time to go soon," remarked Lucif, off-handedly, as it looked around solemnly at the darkening forest around them.
"But it's getting dark," replied Penny Rose, "can we travel in the night."
"For our next journey, we must," replied Lucif, its eyes shining light and brighter in the gloaming.
Penny Rose nodded. "Where do we go?"
"We go to the sea, but we must get through the marshes to get there. And in the day they are swept with the gaze of unfriendly creatures."
"Unfriendly creatures?"
"Lucif," she said, and the mirror eyes turned toward her, from the point they had been fixed upon deep in the trees behind them.
"Ah, you've awoken," said Lucif, not moving. Penny Rose struggled to sit up, feeling strangely sore around her body.
"Who was that woman?" Penny Rose asked, still a little angry from the blaze that had brought her to shore.
"That, my dear, is a rare creature of this world. She only appears when she feels she should; and her gifts are sometimes not just dangerous, but fatal. Your choice was good, however."
"Good? But she pushed me into the river and I couldn't swim!"
"Yes, but your basket saved you. Sometimes they are not so kind. Your choice likes you, and as such, is extremely useful. See how it burns?"
Penny Rose watched it, merrily crackling away, yet staying whole nonetheless.
"It does a great deal more than that, when needed."
Penny Rose looked at it in wonder and concern. She remembered the moments in the river, the way it bore her down first, then up. "But not always."
"No, it is a somewhat mercurial gift."
"Perhaps it depends on me," querulously, Penny Rose reached for the basket, whose flames strove toward her hand like a pet.
"Yes, and it likes you, so all is well. It has burned there to keep you warm for some time now, and that is no easy feat. However, I'm afraid we'll be asking it to do much more before the end of our journeys."
Penny Rose looked at it, and smiled.
"Are you hungry?" Asked Lucif, glancing at Penny Rose's bedraggled form.
"No," said Penny Rose, realizing it for the first time, "I'm not."
"Yes, it is the way of this place - food and drink are not necessary, but sometimes they are very pleasant. What would you like, my dear?"
Penny Rose looked at her feet. "Milk and biscuits."
The basket stopped burning for a moment, and closed itself into a little ball. Then, with what looked like a small effort, it opened up like a flower in the sun, and in the curve of its belly was a mug of milk and a small plate of buttery biscuits.
Penny Rose smiled, and giving the basket a little pat, she gratefully took the plate and the mug of milk. "Would you like one?" She asked Lucif.
It looked at the biscuits strangely. "No... what I enjoy to eat is quite different."
Penny Rose ate the biscuits with great appreciation, the sugary blandness of them giving her a moment of homesickness and strengthening her resolve. There was something sinful about eating a whole plate of biscuits, but Penny Rose did it, in part, to keep the basket happy - she would hate to offend so strange a thing.
Lucif rose and stretched, it's long, graceful body seeming longer and more strange as its paws brushed the earth, its head arching up. Penny Rose's feeling of dissonance grew, as she munched the last crumbs of the biscuits. The basket rolled on its side nearer her, and the flames died to a contented set of embers. She put her hand close to keep it warm, for the afternoon was drawing to a close.
"It will be time to go soon," remarked Lucif, off-handedly, as it looked around solemnly at the darkening forest around them.
"But it's getting dark," replied Penny Rose, "can we travel in the night."
"For our next journey, we must," replied Lucif, its eyes shining light and brighter in the gloaming.
Penny Rose nodded. "Where do we go?"
"We go to the sea, but we must get through the marshes to get there. And in the day they are swept with the gaze of unfriendly creatures."
"Unfriendly creatures?"
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