|
|
|
A soft knock was heard from beyond the creamy wooden door. A soft voice proceeded. "Jordan... are you awake?" The responce was a groan loud enough to wake the dead. "I'm coming in anyway." In the door way appeared a stout woman not a day older than 39. Though from looking, you would've never guessed she gave birth to Jordan. "Riley's dad called. He wanted to thank you for helping and staying with Riley last night."
Jordan sighed into his pillow, and lifted his head. He didn't really remember anything after he fell asleep at the hospital. Whoops. "Thanks for letting me know. Now, for my heroic actions, can I have my beauty sleep please?" His mother left without another word, a soft, yet agitated smile across her face.
"Oh! Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't know you were asleep! I just wanted to talk and say thanks again for yesterday...oh, never mind that. I've called at a bad time haven't I? Would you like for me to call later? I should let you sleep, it's the least I could do! Oh, I'm terribly sorry-" Riley apologized frantically, debating in his head over which course of action he should take.
"Riley!" Jordan interrupted, nearly yelling in the intercom."Apologizing really doesn't help, ya know. How about we meet on the street corner in ten, okay?" he hung up before Riley could answer. Jumping out from his safe refuge under the blankets, he took a momen to yawn and stretch his legs, noticing the unruly bundle of hair atop his head. "Augh." he declared, to no one in particular. In a few more minutes, he bounded down the stairs and out the door, not even taking the time to bid his family goodbye.
The street corner was dull and grey, minus the figure leaning on one shoulder against a nearby wall. Putting his 'ninja like' skills to the test, Jordan stepped ever-so-carefully until he was three inches away from the target's back. With one bounding motion, he heavily placed his hands on Riley's shoulders, hoping to create a startled reaction.
And a startled reaction he recieved. Riley jumped nearly ten feet in the air, "I hate you!" He proclaimed, once back down on the ground again.
"No, you don't." Jordan leered through his glasses. His smile curled evilily.
"Oh, just le'me be! You're such a bully!" Riley pouted, crossing his arms over his chest, playing a little game.
But Jordan wasn't playing fair, instead he took Riley under his arm and dragged him into the market area.
They walked from storefront to storefront, glancing through sheer walls, looking for anything that might be relatively interesting for those with their 'fine tastes'. The concrete shuddered as a bitter wind rose throughout the square, a tempting feel in the autumn sky.
Jordan quivered slightly under his thin coat, and hoped no one would notice. People taking time to worry over him was not to his liking. "Hey..." he ran up a few paces ahead, and leaned against a glass door encrypted with the stores name. "It's Riley's place of sanctum!" He swiftly dissapeared inside the musty passage.
"I'm probably going to end up killing you for this, aren't I? If I die, I'm blaming you!" Riley threatened with his squeaky, little voice.
"Just look for yourself!" Jordan replied, laughing at the high-pitched sound that made Riley all the more lovable.
After pushing him in, Jordan watched Riley's face light up. He was rather suprised he'd never been here before. The old smell was instantly unnoticable as you walked further into the shop. The walls were suddenly adorned with old records, guitars, and racks of decaying yellow parchment inked with brillant melodies, all containing memories long forgotton, while on the ground sat antique pianos and keyboards fit for someone of the Victorian era. Off to the left was another room. The stained royal blue carpet was reflected in hundreds of mirrors, light bouncing to and fro in the abyss.
"The Mirror Room, that there." Jordan said aloud. "And if you noticed the room on the right, it's called the Literature Room."
He looked back just in time to see Riley briskly pace backward, only to follow suit. They stood together in the oversized doorway, onlooking ceiling high shelves of tattered books and old newspapers. Even he had to note it was pretty amazing.
Riley stood in absolute awe, all the creamy pages, lined the room to its brim, all of them only a hand's grasp away. And to his amazement, the books had already been placed in alphabetical order. Now who in their right mind spent all the time to arrange all these books in such a fashion was beyond him, but he didn't care, there was something he was specifically looking for. Riley immediatly ran to the "W's." Approximately seven rows above his head lie what he longed for, naturally it did not take him long to retrieve the book from the latter. Coming down was a different story, his foot missed the next step and down he flew. An entire row of books followed him from where he tried to maintain his grip. He came across the mahogoney floor with a thud and a procession of about fifty two hundred paged books echoed throughout the store. Muffled cries came from within the mountain of books.
Riley emerged from his ivory pool, his eyes shut tight. With a comical smile painted on the boy's face, the cries revealed themselves to be laughter. He was laughing at himself. "Only me, right?" He turned to Jordan and shrugged; the grin still on his face, he bent down to rescue his lost book.
Before Riley could pick it up, Jordan snatched it up, looking at it inquisitively. He waited for an explanation. Before he got one, he noticed a pair of deep blue eyes peering from beyond a nearby wall. A young girl in a white dress, who appeared no more than thirteen, emerged from another room, blonde hair pulled back, bouncing along with her footsteps. Both hands clutched a small wooden broom, crippled with age. She giggled. "I see you found something! And I'm no picking that up!" Smiling, she walked to the boys. "By the way, I work here. If there's anything I can do for you, just ask!"
But, oh how that smile crept right through the skin, flowing like fish in Riley's veins.
"Uum, hi." he hung his head so she could not see his face. He did not want to know her, there must be some sort of diversion he could create. No sooner had he made this wish that the phone in his pocket began to ring. God bless, Jeremy. "Hey Dad. Something up?"
"Yeah, uum, I just got a call from the Landon Train Station." Jeremy's news confused Riley.
"And?" He placed his hand around his belt.
"Judy called. She is going to a convention in Bigua...but her next train is not leaving until tomorrow afternoon...She wanted to come see you."
Riley's heart sank. Why? Why? Why? Now of all times! He did not want to deal with her, he never wanted to see that putrid face again, never.
"I'm sorry kid, I told her we already made plans, but she seemed to know I was lying, sorry."
"No," Riley sighed, drawing up some courage for the upcoming event, "It isn't your fault, you tried. Thanks for the warning though. Bye." He cut his father short, not wanting to hear that name until he absolutely had to. The rest of his body sank with his heart, back sliding down against the bookshelf, head held delicately in his hands.
"Riley? Hey, what is it?" Jordan gave him a concerned look.
"I was hoping I would never have to tell you, but... My mother's coming for a visit tonight. And yes, she is alive, always has been...She lost custody of me when I was four, but if you don't mind I'd rather not say much about it." Words came surprisingly smoothly to him.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Too much to take in at one time! So," Jordan turned to greet the girl, "I'll stay here and clean the mess. Riley can go, but," he turned again, this time facing Riley, "you have to call me as soon as you can. We have some things to discuss." He then cleared a path so they could, at the least, walk around.
"Neh? Oh, she isn't coming until later tonight. I can clean this up, it was my fault after all. I just..." His words came to a sudden halt, "Hey, uum, would you mind coming over for dinner. I'm sorry for having to include you in all this, but... I hate being alone with her. Jeremy has to stay late tonight with the tennis team. Please? If you don't mind, that is?" He gave Jordan a pathetic look, gathering up as many books as he could. "Oh, let's see...." He turned each one over, carefully placing them in alphabetical order, one on top the other.
"Huh? Yeah, sure. Sounds good." Jordan went through the alphabet on his fingers, placing books in appropriate spots. He felt like a little kid, but proud of it. He had sensed the hint of liquid terror mixed into Riley's soft voice, and he suddenly felt a surge of over-protection come crawling in his head. He was brought back to reality by a sniggering from behind him. The girl was laughing. She was still standing there after all.
"You...you.... you’re REALLY bad at this!!" she grabbed a book out of his hand, and whisked it into a shelf. "And that's how you organize." This girl was kinda creepy, all grins and whatnot. She also wasn't afraid to be personal, as they would soon learn. Her head jerked back from the wooden bookcases, and her eyes landed on Jordan's chest. "Ooohh!! That's pretty! It also look familiar..." She racked her brains for any knowledge on the symbol the shining pendant wore. Nothing came to her mind, at least at that moment.
Riley caught a breath, wiping his lips with his sleeve, "Ooh, Jordan, you make me laugh. I idolize you." He mocked swooning, then faced the girl. "And that; that we found it at the river bank oh so many years ago." Riley caught a breath, wiping his lips with his sleeve, “Ooh, Jordan, you make me laugh. I idolize you.” He mocked swooning, then faced the girl. “And that; that we found it at the river bank oh so many years ago.” He tried to lighten the mood with his poetic tone and flowing grace... What grace? Oh, never mind that. Rather, he got caught up with the song inside his head and began to sing, "Just stay with me, safe and ignorant. Go back to sleep, go back to sleep. Lay your head down child; I won't let the boogeyman come. Count the bodies like sheep to the rhythm of the war drums. Pay no mind to the rabble. Pay no mind to the rabble. Head down, go to sleep to the rhythm of the war drums..." On and on he went, swaying with the beat, placing books one after the other back on the shelf. "I'll be the one to protect you from your enemies and your choices. Son, they're one in the same. I must isolate you, isolate and save you from yourself."
Jordan rocked back and forth on his heels, whispering the same melodious tune. He had heard it many times before, mostly as a sign of anguish. Out the blue, a harmony rose from between the two boys. The girl was a nosey busybody indeed, hitting notes of a perfect match to the ones secreting from Riley's lips. The three stood weaving around each other, hands gently floating past the other's.
And before any of them knew it, they were done. A drop of sweat glistened down Jordan's cheek, hopefully due to the stuffy atmosphere. He smirked at the leather-bound wonders all arranged in a fine manner. "Well, I think that takes care of that!" he burst out.
Riley didn't seem to care, he was lost in his own little world, singing along, "...Protect you from the evil ones, don't love you son. Go back to- Neh? Oh! Oh, I guess we are then? Well, uum, now what?" He stepped backwards, admiring their hard work's efforts. But his heel caught on the tassels of the rug, and down he went, yet again. "I hate my life! Today is just not my day!" He proclaimed, gently rubbing his backside.
Jordan extended his bony hand to grab at Riley's thin shoulders, helping him up. "You just never quit, huh?" A tacky grimace flashed across his face as he continued, "I guess we're off, okay? I do want to come back. We didn't get to look around enough to enjoy everything!!" The grimace slid into a lopsided smile, as he grabbed Riley's small hand in his own and used his other to whisk it back and forth, waving to the pouty looking girl. It was obvious she was dissapointed to see them go. It struck a nerve in Jordan's already occupied head, but he was a but tired of the dusty, cluttered rooms. "You lead the way." He released Riley's hand once they had passed the massive glass door.
"Alright then... Well, let's see, I'm cooking tonight since Daddy won't be home. Suppose we're going to the farmer's market, Jor!" Riley flashed his friend a big grin. "What sounds good to you? For dinner, I mean." He lead the way down a few blocks into the main market square near the park.
"You cook? I'm scared! And 'Daddy'?" Though he would never admit he found those qualities to be very cute, Jordan feigned a frightened expression, and added, "Can we have something Italian? With shrimp!" He snickered at his own childishness, and suddenly stared ahead, past a bundle of brazen trees, and whisled at the crowded, brooding street, adorned with vendors and busy shoppers bustling to and hither. It was a new sigh, yes indeed.
"Like lin...lingua- Oh, dammit! Noodles! There noodles! Do you want noodles with seasonings and shrimp?!" Riley stammered; long foreign words could not register in his mouth, they never were spoken correctly. "And yes I cook! Just le'me alone!" He pouted; face turning a pale pink from embarrassment, his voice a few pitches higher.
"Yes, exactly!" Jordan squeezed the flushed figure beside him, "You really are something. You don't know just how imporant you are." His voice walked to a faint whisper, and he self-conciously released Riley. He didn't dawn on the subject too long, he was angsty to see his best friend cook! Eyes tinted with the usual shimmer of naive pleasure, he stared at the oddities spilling over under the splintered makeshift storefronts. The one thing that really caught his eye was all the seafood and meat products. Mainly organic, the tender substance was displayed like a trophy. The bug-eyed fish stared back at him with agony. He winced and turned to Riley, "Where are we headed, exactly?"
"I told you. The farmer's market. We have noodles at home, but I want to buy some seasonings and shrimp, you know fresh stuff. Whether or not you want to believe it, but Momma's filthy stinkin' rich. I'm trying to set an impression." Riley took hold of Jordan's hand, pulling him through the massive crowd all while explaining the sad thruth about his relationship with his birth mother. "Air! I need air!" He proclaimed, leering at the conitnuous body of human souls. Riley hated crowds with a deep passion.
"Wealthy, you say? And you're sure I can't do anything to help you acheive dramatic revenge? I've always wanted to try it." Jordan teased, more than he should. They reached a pocket of empty street and stopped to let the suffocating Riley catch his breath, Jordan staring at the seemingly endless skyscape. "Ready," he asked over-enthusiastically. The slight nod he got in return wasn't to reassuring. "I sure don't want you passing out in front of me again. And I'm sure these people wouldn't enjoy it much either." The silence that followed that statement was what he expected. Glancing right and left, he slid down the wall behind him, into a position to be considered a half-squat, half-sit.
"Heh," Riley's long awaited response finally came, "I don't want revenge, I just never wanted to see her again. It was almost like she never existed, until now. Hate to disappoint you. I'm sorry, that is such a terrible thing to say, but..." His voice fell away quickly. Such a terrible thing. The reasons he had to impress his mother were ones out of fear, not love. Once Jeremy adopted him, Riley never spoke of his birth parents again. Well, unitl now anyways. It was starting a-new. "Whew!" He sighed, sitting alongside Jordan, resting his head on his friend's shoulder.
"I somehow think we're never gonna get out of here." Jordan was cautious, as to not move Riley's head as he babbled. He watched the bustling streets die down, every minute the viscosity of the crowd thinning. After a time of what seemed like seconds, though in reality it was simply a few minutes, Jordan perked up and rose to his feet. Nimbly checking to see if the coast was clear, he declared, "Okay! Let's go!" He started walking, but could only get a few paces from where he once stood before skidding to a halt. "..Umm....where are we headed, exactly?"
Riley chuckled, " The farmer's market Jordan. You know the booths with crops the farmer's drive into town?" At Jordan's lack of a response, Riley swung his arms open in frustration, "The amish people? Oh, boy. You really are somethin'."
The blantantly confused expression radiated off Jordan, almost to the point where he could smell it. "Amish?" He gave it some thought, "Oh, whatever. My head hurts, I've been thinking too hard today. See what you're doing to me!?" He then playfully socked Riley in the arm, making sure no one would trip on anything in the process.
"HEY! Thinking is good for you! It acutually makes you use your brain! Or in your case, at least dust it off once on awhile. You see? I'm helping you!" Riley giggled at his first insult. "Now you see what you've done to me? Anyway...it won't take long. I have money...thankfully. Oh, this is going to be quite something, so I'm forewarning you. Momma tends to...yell if things are not to her liking. And she is very superstitious, so you best be on your gaurd and watch what you say! Aargh!" Tensions rose from within his blood. Why, why, why?!
"My brain is not dusty!" Jordan folded his arms, and looked away, "I think I can handle yelling.....but I think I'm gonna shut my mouth, just in case." His eyes again darted into the distance. He hope this didn't end badly, it would surely shake Riley up.....He felt very sorry for his friend. He had never had many serious problems with anyone. It just happened that way, questionably. He sighed and directed his thoughts back to Earth.
Riley begun to venture back into the less crowded square, a song in mind. Over and over the wheels turned forming a melody within his mind. Every note, every key perfectly arranged in mind. Sub-consciously he began to hum along to the beat, keeping time by patting his hand in his thigh. He had only three days to put the final touches on his part before the Winter Ceremony opened to the public for yet another year. Jordan was attending this year. Riley turned to see Jordan lagging behind, "Come on!"
Jordan huffed along to make up for his wandering mind. The cicadas hummed along to the whispering wind while their footsteps echoed, bouncing off the nearby walls. Stars began to flicker into being, when he noticed Riley's constant tapping. "Spazzy much?" He breathed right in the ear closest to him.
"No, just singing. Sorry. You're still coming to the Ceremony this year right?" The news of Jordan's moving left Riley worrying that he would not be able to attend.
A line of horse drawn buggies finally came into view and Riley immediately ran to the vendors.
Jordan called out, breaking into a jog, "Well of course I'm coming! We're leaving early the next morning....." He still didn't want to accept that fact, no matter how many times he lied to himself, tricking his own mind into being insensitive to the pain of leaving Riley.
Riley pretended not to hear the last sentence and continued to run. The only way anyone had ever produced a method to get Riley to actually be some what social was for him to sing. You could say music was a God-given gift to him. "Morning Mr. Deliah!" He greeted one of the vendors with a large smile.
"Aaw, well look who it is! Good day, to you too Riley. What is it that I may get you?" The man stood high beyond Riley's head, his long beard bounced and waved as he talked.
"Neh, I'm not sure. We have guests coming for dinner tonight, but Dad is going to be late, so I have to cook."
"Well, then, what is it that you're cooking? Perhaps I can offer some suggestions." Mr. Deliah leaned slightly over his counter.
Riley paused for a second, mentally trying to say the word, but it wouldn't come to him. So he took the easy way out, "Shrimp and spaghetti, sir." He replied.
"Aaw, Italian is it? Well, I must have something here for you! Violet, come here!" He called into the buggy behind him.
"Yes?" A woman, dressed head to foot in dull brown appeared, carrying a small boy on her hip. "Oh, Riley! How nice to see you, child!" She greeted him the same as her husband had greeted Riley.
"Nice to see you, too!" He greeted her the same way he greeted her husband.
"Riley!" The boy cried out, squirming slightly. Finally free of his mother's grasp, he hugged Riley's leg.
Hey, buddy!" Riley pulled the boy off his leg and onto his shoulders, while his parents debated over which types of herbs to be used in Riley's cooking. After five minutes of extreme consideration, they finally produced the boys with a small, ceramic jar.
"That'll be seven dollars, Riley." Mr. Deliah smiled.
Riley exchanged his money and their son for the jar, then turned to face Jordan, "Ready?"
"Of course, that was much faster than expected."
 pixelated - parfait · Thu Jan 04, 2007 @ 11:08pm · 0 Comments |
|
|
|
|
|
