Hidden Buttons and Careless Remarks

The careless remark was tossed flippantly into the still night air, where all at once it became a missile, pointed and powerful and heading straight for her. It hit its target with deadly accuracy, pressing those hidden buttons she had kept so carefully hidden. She felt the internal elevator doors slide silently open and she stumbled backwards, unbalanced by the force of her response, her gut feelings twisted and raging. Holding the big weight that a moment ago she had not felt, she saw the gaping black hole and in an instant she was plummeting down the deep shaft to where the dark things were waiting.

Keeping Her Tears at Bay

She swallowed, hard, the lump in her throat barely keeping her tears at bay. Like a pressure cooker they bubbled and boiled beneath the valve of her tightened jaw. With every shallow breath she feared they may escape and make it to her eyes and run burning down her flushed cheeks. She was terrified that if they got that far, they may never stop. He turned up the radio, flicked on the windscreen wipers and the engine roared as he pulled out into the fast lane.

Conversations About Life

He lifted his head and finally spoke, the words tumbling out of him and pouring into the space between them. "We are part of all this - this swirling mass of atoms called life. We breathe in and we breathe out, we cry, we laugh, we love, we die, it is full of meaning and yet means nothing."
She was silent for a moment, his words still ringing in the smoky room. Well yeah, I suppose you're right, she said, putting her cup down on the floor beside her. "What time are we going shopping".

Melody and Smoke

Chill out he said, as he meticulously bought the cigarette paper up to his lips and with a deft and artful tongue licked the exposed edge. The music kicked in with a floor shaking bass beat, he flicked at the lighter and inhaled deeply. The melody and smoke spiralled up to the high ceiling and she flung her legs over the arm of the chair and settled back into the cushions. He stretched out his suntanned arm and passed it to her. . . I'm chilling, she said, as she took the smoke down deep into her lungs and held it there.

A Storm Brewing

Jagged looks from his dark brown eyes sliced her composure. She sat cross legged on the worn carpet, it had seen better days and was frayed at the edges, like her patience. Coffee madam? he asked, the edge in his voice grating on her already fragile nerves. The purple curtains billowed into the room as the wind picked up outside. . . a storm was brewing.

Cut by Shadows

She ran, ran as fast as her legs would carry her, down the long winding alleyway, dodging puddles, cobbles slippery underfoot. The street lights casting an eerie yellow light, cut by shadows that blur in the tears streaming down her sunken cheeks. She fell against the old red brick wall, its crumbling surface scrawled with the brightly colored daubs of smalltown wannabe graffiti artists. Broken glass and cans litter the ground around her feet. She rests her forehead on the wet brick, the fine rain soaking through her thin grey dress. She hears his voice in the distance, a note of panic in his usually calm voice "Carol, Carol, don't be stupid, come home".

Gut Feelings

Could she be trusted, was the sweetness and light demeanour real? It appeared so, so why was his gut telling him otherwise. Was she baiting him? carefully setting him up with a smile on her 'butter wouldn't melt' face; putting a stumbling block that she knew would trip him, or was it just another coincidence ? One that fed into his mistrust of women like her. For now he would just play the game, give her the benefit of the doubt. But he would watch her. . . closely.

The Ocean at Her Feet.

The ocean rushed and swirled around her feet. Pulling and pushing at her sunbrowned legs as her feet sank deeper into the shifting sands. Night was falling. The Moon, almost full, cast its silvery light onto the undulating surface of that huge ocean spread out before her.

Crashing waves hurled themselves to shore, leaving behind glistening sand as they retreated back into that steel grey and silver world. She could feel the power. The ocean, the moon, her fragile self set in this landscape - and she began to cry, hot stinging salt water tears, that ran down her face and joined with the ocean at her feet.

Warm Summer Grass

They layed on their backs on the warm summer grass staring up at the vast blue dome above. Wisps of cotton white clouds morphed from one shape to another before dissolving back into the endless blue. She lazily reached out for his hand, she could feel the sun warming her through to her bones. Sounds of distant laughter and birdsong were the soundtrack to this perfect day. She could feel the strong steady beat of her heart and noticed it flutter in her chest whenever she thought of him.

Late Afternoon

The curtains blew gently in the breeze from the open door.
She stared at the intricate patterns of sunlight and shade cast upon the wall by the late afternoon light. Hypnotised by the shimmering pattern and movement, she felt a wave of happiness surge up through her body and transform itself to a giggle as it reached her mouth.

Pink Floyd were turning in the tape deck. David Gilmours guitar solo arced out of the huge black speakers squatted firmly on the thin carpet. Streaks of colour accompanied the delicious sound and intensified with each soaring note, a feast for her raw senses. She felt a gentle touch on her hand and smiled as he reached over and passed her another joint.

Animal

He always reminded her of an animal, a big friendly beast she would never quite understand. His huge hands and gentle eyes belied the power she felt emanating from him, it oozed from his pores and caught her up in his hidden glances, she was willing prey. He didn't speak much, words were not his thing but he moved lithe and easily, covering ground with his characteristic gait. He was tall and beautiful and his long dark hair fell forward over his face as he bent to gently kiss her.

Muffled

Muffled but still she hears it. She can just about make out her name, repeating, insistant. It beats out a primal rhythm, a heartbeat, calling to her. She takes another step further away and puts her hands up to cover her ears.

A Tinny Fragile Echo

Sometimes there was a screaming inside her, raging against all that was and longing for all that could have been. She heard it as if it were in the far distance, a tinny, fragile echo.

Carefully, quietly and quite deliberately she patrolled those hidden corridors and took each big solid oak door and firmly pulled it shut. Taking the large ornate key from the chain around her graceful neck she systematically made sure each was locked before moving on.

Like This

She kicked off her red shoes and padded gently over the thick carpet into her bedroom. She firmly closed the door behind her and leant back against it and stared up at the ceiling. I wonder, she thought, is it always going to be like this.

Smoke

He took a long slow breath and inhaled, pulling the smoke down deep into his lungs. Still and silent he held it there, eyes closed, head laid back against the overstuffed chair. Moments passed until he exhaled, filling the room with clouds of the sweetly scented blue grey smoke. It hung in the air. He was home.