mathmission
03-13-2006, 11:51 PM
Here is a short story I wrote the other day.
Untitled
By Mathmission
Lynn sat in the corner of her room, on the floor, propped against the wall. Above her, a black and white photo was hanging. It was a photo of a pier Lynn had visited years ago. It was her favorite photo.
It was foreign to her now, erased from her memory. It reminded her of photos in frames sold at super-stores.
“Nothing?” the man asked. His name was Kurt. He was a taller man, with dark hair. He sat on the bed, watching Lynn.
Lynn waited a moment before answering. She panned the room once again. The walls were painted an off white, reminiscent of the hospital walls she had grown so accustomed to over the past two months. This was her first time home since the accident.
“Nothing,” she replied. “Just random images.”
Lynn looked up to the photo. A fuzzy image of a man was blurred out.
“Who’s that?” she asked, nodding to the photo.
“Hmm?” Kurt asked.
“In the photo. Who’s that man?”
Kurt looked at the photo. He studied it from a distance.
“I don’t remember,” he said. “Must have been one of your friends.”
“I don’t remember it at all,” she said.
“Don’t worry about that,” he replied.
Lynn brought her hand to her forehead. She pressed her head back against the wall. A sharp pain was growing in her temple. As she lifted her hand, her bruised arm swelled with pain.
“Are you feeling alright?” Kurt asked.
“Just a little dizzy,” she said.
Kurt picked up a bottle of water, and walked over to Lynn. He sat down next to her, on the floor, and handed her the bottle. She twisted off the lid, and began to drink.
“Your doctor said to drink lots of water. Said it would help with the headaches.”
Lynn set the bottle down on the floor next to Kurt. She had drunk nearly half the bottle. Again, her hand came to her face, pressing against her eyes as she rubbed them.
It was dark in the room. Only one lamp, sitting on the other side of the room, was lit. Its yellow light cased shadows against Kurt and Lynn’s face.
“Have I been to the beach?” Lynn asked.
“Yes. A few years back.”
“So I could have taken that picture.”
“I’m pretty sure you did.”
There was a pause. Lynn looked back to the picture again.
“How old was I then?”
“Twelve, I think—no, you were thirteen.”
“Where you there?”
“Yes,” Kurt said.
Lynn and Kurt sat in silence. Lynn panned the room, looking from object to object. She felt out of place, like a stranger. Her toes pressed into the carpet. Clumps of strands filled the spaces between her toes.
Another sharp pain shot through her temple. She winced.
Kurt handed her the bottle again. She took it, and finished the remaining water. It helped. A few moments later, the pain disappeared.
“I need some air,” Lynn said. Kurt nodded.
She pressed back against the wall, and stood. Kurt stood as well, and helped her up the rest of the way. Lynn hadn’t walked much in the past few weeks, and was readjusting to being mobile again.
Before taking a step, she looked down to her feet. Her leg was wrapped in a bandage. Her toes were small. Her skin was bright, with patches of red where bruises had begun to fade.
She concentrated. Kurt held her hand, and waited.
And then, she took a step forward.
Kurt and Lynn made it to the living room before she had to sit down. She had been struck with a fit of dizziness. The room began to spin, and she dropped down to her knees. Kurt had helped her up, and led her to the sofa. There she sat, waiting for the walls to again be still.
Lynn tried to focus on the sounds around her, and the fabric against her skin. After a few moments, she regained control of her spinning world. Kurt had opened the sliding glass door, letting in the fresh outside air. A storm had moved in, and a light rain had begun to fall.
A bird had perched on the railing of the deck, covered by the overhanging roof. It was shielded from the rain. It chirped as it watched the storm. Light thunder rolled in the distance.
The fresh smell of cool rain water blew into Kurt’s living room. Lynn drew deep breaths. They felt cool in her lungs: damp and refreshing. She focused on the pattering of the rain droplets hitting the deck. It helped to calm the spinning room.
“The air helping much?” Kurt asked.
“Somewhat, I think.” she replied.
“That’s good.”
Lynn looked out to the deck, and watched as the rain droplets grew in size. The bird was still sitting on the deck, chirping at the encroaching storm.
“I think I remember something,” she said.
Kurt sat, listening to the rain. Lynn watched.
“The sound of it, reminds me of something.” She stared out to the street. The smell of fresh air filled the living room. The mist from the deck seemed to flow like fog into the house.
Lynn turned back to Kurt, and smiled. She leaned forward, pressing her hands into the cushions of the sofa. She looked down to her feet again. Closing her eyes, she leaned forward, and stood. Kurt took her hand.
“You sure you wanna do this?” Kurt asked.
“Yeah,” she said back. She smirked, an image Kurt remembered very well. Her voice had even sounded different than when the two were inside. The smell was encompassing.
Lynn took several steps forward, into the rain. Droplets fell against her head, wetting her dark hair. In seconds, she was soaking wet. Her hair stuck to her forehead, and her shirt formed to her body.
Standing in the driveway, she closed her eyes, and took in a deep breath. There was something familiar about it, she thought. Something people never forget. She turned her palms upward, and let the rain pelt her hands.
Kurt joined her in the rain. In seconds, he too, was soaking wet. He took Lynn’s hand, to steady her, and help her walk across the driveway.
Across the street was small field, filled with trimmed dark-green grass. Kurt led her there, supporting her when she needed to stop.
Lynn felt the pain in her temple again. She stopped, and leaned into Kurt. He held her while she struggled to focus on the rain, the smell, the water, anything but the pressure in her head.
Her legs were tired as well. They hadn’t been used like this in weeks. She didn’t care though. It felt good to move. It felt good to walk.
“Want to go back?” Kurt asked.
“No,” she said. “Just give me a minute—just need to catch myself.” She held onto Kurt, barely moving with each breath.
Another soft roll of thunder.
And then, the pain was gone.
Lynn moved away from Kurt, under her own strength once again. She stood, and looked down to the ground. Her bare feet were shiny from the rain; her skin was drenched. She focused again, her small feet almost touching each other, and stepped forward onto the blanket of grass.
Inside again, Lynn sat covered in towels. She was nearly dry. Her hair had curled from the rain. It hung down her back, and along the side of her face. In her hand, she held another bottle of water. She sipped it.
And then, a knock at the door.
Kurt stood from the couch, touching her knee as he leaned forward. He walked to the door and opened it.
It was one of the doctor’s assistants. She had come for Lynn.
“Time to go?” Lynn asked.
“Yeah, the nurse is here.”
“Hello,” the nurse said to Lynn. “Feeling a little better?”
“A little,” she replied.
The assistant entered and helped Lynn up from the couch. She led Lynn to the door, and exited. Lynn stopped just outside the door, and turned back to Kurt.
“I’ll see you later, right?”
“In a few hours,” Kurt said.
“Alright.” Lynn smiled. And for the briefest of moments, Kurt felt she had recognized him.
Lynn turned, and headed towards the nurse. Kurt smiled, and waved. He then shut the door, and it all faded away.
Through the window, Kurt watched as the nurse helped Lynn into the car. The rain had slowed, but still, it was a challenge.
Kurt watched as the car drove down the street. It disappeared over the hill, and into the distance.
As he passed through his living room, he noticed that the bird was still on the deck, still chirping at the rain. It turned to Kurt, stood a moment, then flew off into the lightly falling rain.
Kurt walked back to Lynn’s room. The lamp was still on, casting shadows against the walls. He walked in and stood facing the wall he had earlier sat against. He could still hear the rain against the roof.
He walked up to the black and white photo hanging on the wall. He remembered that moment as clear as any memory he kept of Lynn.
He had been standing on the beach, just a few feet in front of Lynn. They were watching the sun set on the water. Lynn picked up his camera, and snapped the picture.
It was out of focus, but still, it was her favorite picture of her father.
Untitled
By Mathmission
Lynn sat in the corner of her room, on the floor, propped against the wall. Above her, a black and white photo was hanging. It was a photo of a pier Lynn had visited years ago. It was her favorite photo.
It was foreign to her now, erased from her memory. It reminded her of photos in frames sold at super-stores.
“Nothing?” the man asked. His name was Kurt. He was a taller man, with dark hair. He sat on the bed, watching Lynn.
Lynn waited a moment before answering. She panned the room once again. The walls were painted an off white, reminiscent of the hospital walls she had grown so accustomed to over the past two months. This was her first time home since the accident.
“Nothing,” she replied. “Just random images.”
Lynn looked up to the photo. A fuzzy image of a man was blurred out.
“Who’s that?” she asked, nodding to the photo.
“Hmm?” Kurt asked.
“In the photo. Who’s that man?”
Kurt looked at the photo. He studied it from a distance.
“I don’t remember,” he said. “Must have been one of your friends.”
“I don’t remember it at all,” she said.
“Don’t worry about that,” he replied.
Lynn brought her hand to her forehead. She pressed her head back against the wall. A sharp pain was growing in her temple. As she lifted her hand, her bruised arm swelled with pain.
“Are you feeling alright?” Kurt asked.
“Just a little dizzy,” she said.
Kurt picked up a bottle of water, and walked over to Lynn. He sat down next to her, on the floor, and handed her the bottle. She twisted off the lid, and began to drink.
“Your doctor said to drink lots of water. Said it would help with the headaches.”
Lynn set the bottle down on the floor next to Kurt. She had drunk nearly half the bottle. Again, her hand came to her face, pressing against her eyes as she rubbed them.
It was dark in the room. Only one lamp, sitting on the other side of the room, was lit. Its yellow light cased shadows against Kurt and Lynn’s face.
“Have I been to the beach?” Lynn asked.
“Yes. A few years back.”
“So I could have taken that picture.”
“I’m pretty sure you did.”
There was a pause. Lynn looked back to the picture again.
“How old was I then?”
“Twelve, I think—no, you were thirteen.”
“Where you there?”
“Yes,” Kurt said.
Lynn and Kurt sat in silence. Lynn panned the room, looking from object to object. She felt out of place, like a stranger. Her toes pressed into the carpet. Clumps of strands filled the spaces between her toes.
Another sharp pain shot through her temple. She winced.
Kurt handed her the bottle again. She took it, and finished the remaining water. It helped. A few moments later, the pain disappeared.
“I need some air,” Lynn said. Kurt nodded.
She pressed back against the wall, and stood. Kurt stood as well, and helped her up the rest of the way. Lynn hadn’t walked much in the past few weeks, and was readjusting to being mobile again.
Before taking a step, she looked down to her feet. Her leg was wrapped in a bandage. Her toes were small. Her skin was bright, with patches of red where bruises had begun to fade.
She concentrated. Kurt held her hand, and waited.
And then, she took a step forward.
Kurt and Lynn made it to the living room before she had to sit down. She had been struck with a fit of dizziness. The room began to spin, and she dropped down to her knees. Kurt had helped her up, and led her to the sofa. There she sat, waiting for the walls to again be still.
Lynn tried to focus on the sounds around her, and the fabric against her skin. After a few moments, she regained control of her spinning world. Kurt had opened the sliding glass door, letting in the fresh outside air. A storm had moved in, and a light rain had begun to fall.
A bird had perched on the railing of the deck, covered by the overhanging roof. It was shielded from the rain. It chirped as it watched the storm. Light thunder rolled in the distance.
The fresh smell of cool rain water blew into Kurt’s living room. Lynn drew deep breaths. They felt cool in her lungs: damp and refreshing. She focused on the pattering of the rain droplets hitting the deck. It helped to calm the spinning room.
“The air helping much?” Kurt asked.
“Somewhat, I think.” she replied.
“That’s good.”
Lynn looked out to the deck, and watched as the rain droplets grew in size. The bird was still sitting on the deck, chirping at the encroaching storm.
“I think I remember something,” she said.
Kurt sat, listening to the rain. Lynn watched.
“The sound of it, reminds me of something.” She stared out to the street. The smell of fresh air filled the living room. The mist from the deck seemed to flow like fog into the house.
Lynn turned back to Kurt, and smiled. She leaned forward, pressing her hands into the cushions of the sofa. She looked down to her feet again. Closing her eyes, she leaned forward, and stood. Kurt took her hand.
“You sure you wanna do this?” Kurt asked.
“Yeah,” she said back. She smirked, an image Kurt remembered very well. Her voice had even sounded different than when the two were inside. The smell was encompassing.
Lynn took several steps forward, into the rain. Droplets fell against her head, wetting her dark hair. In seconds, she was soaking wet. Her hair stuck to her forehead, and her shirt formed to her body.
Standing in the driveway, she closed her eyes, and took in a deep breath. There was something familiar about it, she thought. Something people never forget. She turned her palms upward, and let the rain pelt her hands.
Kurt joined her in the rain. In seconds, he too, was soaking wet. He took Lynn’s hand, to steady her, and help her walk across the driveway.
Across the street was small field, filled with trimmed dark-green grass. Kurt led her there, supporting her when she needed to stop.
Lynn felt the pain in her temple again. She stopped, and leaned into Kurt. He held her while she struggled to focus on the rain, the smell, the water, anything but the pressure in her head.
Her legs were tired as well. They hadn’t been used like this in weeks. She didn’t care though. It felt good to move. It felt good to walk.
“Want to go back?” Kurt asked.
“No,” she said. “Just give me a minute—just need to catch myself.” She held onto Kurt, barely moving with each breath.
Another soft roll of thunder.
And then, the pain was gone.
Lynn moved away from Kurt, under her own strength once again. She stood, and looked down to the ground. Her bare feet were shiny from the rain; her skin was drenched. She focused again, her small feet almost touching each other, and stepped forward onto the blanket of grass.
Inside again, Lynn sat covered in towels. She was nearly dry. Her hair had curled from the rain. It hung down her back, and along the side of her face. In her hand, she held another bottle of water. She sipped it.
And then, a knock at the door.
Kurt stood from the couch, touching her knee as he leaned forward. He walked to the door and opened it.
It was one of the doctor’s assistants. She had come for Lynn.
“Time to go?” Lynn asked.
“Yeah, the nurse is here.”
“Hello,” the nurse said to Lynn. “Feeling a little better?”
“A little,” she replied.
The assistant entered and helped Lynn up from the couch. She led Lynn to the door, and exited. Lynn stopped just outside the door, and turned back to Kurt.
“I’ll see you later, right?”
“In a few hours,” Kurt said.
“Alright.” Lynn smiled. And for the briefest of moments, Kurt felt she had recognized him.
Lynn turned, and headed towards the nurse. Kurt smiled, and waved. He then shut the door, and it all faded away.
Through the window, Kurt watched as the nurse helped Lynn into the car. The rain had slowed, but still, it was a challenge.
Kurt watched as the car drove down the street. It disappeared over the hill, and into the distance.
As he passed through his living room, he noticed that the bird was still on the deck, still chirping at the rain. It turned to Kurt, stood a moment, then flew off into the lightly falling rain.
Kurt walked back to Lynn’s room. The lamp was still on, casting shadows against the walls. He walked in and stood facing the wall he had earlier sat against. He could still hear the rain against the roof.
He walked up to the black and white photo hanging on the wall. He remembered that moment as clear as any memory he kept of Lynn.
He had been standing on the beach, just a few feet in front of Lynn. They were watching the sun set on the water. Lynn picked up his camera, and snapped the picture.
It was out of focus, but still, it was her favorite picture of her father.