No More Dedications.
/
Prologue: The Tail of Ursa Major
How do you convert the agèd
Prologue: The Tail of Ursa Major
How do you convert the agèd
Days, the mourning nights
When evening fever catches
In our throats and
At our drowsy sights?
At our drowsy sights?
Is that when Ursa Major turns
Her paw to beat the flies away?
When Ursa Major turns her tail to
Keep our skies from grey?
Keep our skies from grey?
/
"O I don't know why, love comes to me."
There is a dull silver stone over here that Thom would love to look at. Perhaps Lou could gloss it, make it keep a pretty silver, even when it hasn't been left out to the rainshine. She picks it up, slips it into the pocket of her raincoat; keep it for when they reach home again. He'll be surprised. She knows they'll both like to see this one. And when he sees it he'll do the thing with his nose and call out excitedly, maybe clap his hands together asking if he can touch it. The tactile mind of a four-year old, just drinking in the world as it drifts to him. We could say that his small head is a land surrounded by ocean and all his senses are aquatic. No not quite so; they are more amphibious. They're wanting to jump in and out of the water, splash about and live between the two. "Look mummy, mummy is that a whale? I saw the whale!"
"O I don't know why, love comes to me."
There is a dull silver stone over here that Thom would love to look at. Perhaps Lou could gloss it, make it keep a pretty silver, even when it hasn't been left out to the rainshine. She picks it up, slips it into the pocket of her raincoat; keep it for when they reach home again. He'll be surprised. She knows they'll both like to see this one. And when he sees it he'll do the thing with his nose and call out excitedly, maybe clap his hands together asking if he can touch it. The tactile mind of a four-year old, just drinking in the world as it drifts to him. We could say that his small head is a land surrounded by ocean and all his senses are aquatic. No not quite so; they are more amphibious. They're wanting to jump in and out of the water, splash about and live between the two. "Look mummy, mummy is that a whale? I saw the whale!"
"Where is it? Show me, point to where you see the whale." She is crouching beside her son and they look into the inseparable grey of raining sky and storming sea. Her hood is blown back by a saline blast as she hugs Thom, rocking him to keep his warmth in. If there will be warmth let it all be his. One small finger directs her eyes to a distance on their right. It is probably the shadow of a wave that escaped at the right moment and leapt up too high, took too long to come back down. Yes, it's escaped again and, "Look there it is!" His voice rises an octave as the wave crashes back into the sea. It looks rather like a whale, perhaps smaller, like an orca, doesn't it? It is sweet, precious, how they see it so clearly and truly that way.
Oh now his rubber boots are stomping and his arm is still outstretched. Ah the nose, there it goes, crinkling up as his mouth pushes out a smile that travels through his cheeks, into the dark brown of his eyes, finally reaching his brow. That's her boy.
/
"I once loved a woman, a child, I am told."
"Ageless dreamer, I won't wake you up."
The car is not used to being so silent inside, but its only loud noise fell fast asleep three U-turns ago after the Otava rendition of 'the wheels on the car' was sung for the last time.
"We're lost, aren't we."
He glares into the road and leans over the wheel, brow intent on burying the eyes beneath them, as far into their sockets as they will go. There will be a headache galloping towards him through the fog if he sits and glares like that any longer, but at least the inside of the car is quiet again. Outside, the engine hums its worksong against the gushing wind and distant waves. She is still searching the side of Lou's face for a reply, but she will get only the same exhausted silence. It has been a long day, they know. Surrendering to the tiredness, she tucks her legs up to her chest and turns to watch outside the car. Perhaps she will see something familiar there to get them home again.
Ana had declared from the sun-stained sheets of their marital bed that they should forsake their phones for a day and be outside with each other. Lou had liked that very much and agreed. It would be calming, clearing, in spite of the sky's stormy face, and he would give all the time in the world to his wife and their son that day.
"We should've at least taken the map. I didn't plan this as well..." A sigh mists the passenger window. He doesn't see her propping her elbow up on the car door's armrest, and covering her worried left brow with her worried left hand, because he is still glaring into the road. But he knows that's what she is doing, or about to do, or thinking of doing. His glare gives up its game, shoulders uncurl, and arms lose their tension. "Don't worry, I know where I am now." This is not altogether a lie, and it works as he intended.
"I'm glad that's one of us un-lost." She follows his lead, unfolding her limbs from their hostile position as she reaches a hand to the radio. The car's only loud noise makes but a peep as he yawns and turns in his seat. Her hand holds back. No noise. Let them have no noise at least until they're home.
Oh now his rubber boots are stomping and his arm is still outstretched. Ah the nose, there it goes, crinkling up as his mouth pushes out a smile that travels through his cheeks, into the dark brown of his eyes, finally reaching his brow. That's her boy.
/
"I once loved a woman, a child, I am told."
"You're supposed to be leading me." She was stepping on his toes at every other beat but they laughed and moved all the same. "Then let me lead you- God, I can't believe how ridiculous you are, so stubborn." One eyebrow raised itself against his comments and pulled a corner of her mouth up with it. Sway slightly to the left and she leaned her whole body into it, a motion like the sea and he felt he was barely a gust, a puff above the surface to catch the foaming crest. "You're not letting me-"
"Fine," she said, and let her body fall limp, almost lifeless in his arms. "Can you please lead me now, darling? I'm afraid I can't quite do it for myself, I'm so hopeless at this dance." He dared to feign dropping her, and immediately felt the weight in his arms start back to full life. Oh, she smirked, startled. Oh, you did not just.
"Even?"
"Even."
/
"Even?"
"Even."
/
"Ageless dreamer, I won't wake you up."
The car is not used to being so silent inside, but its only loud noise fell fast asleep three U-turns ago after the Otava rendition of 'the wheels on the car' was sung for the last time.
"We're lost, aren't we."
He glares into the road and leans over the wheel, brow intent on burying the eyes beneath them, as far into their sockets as they will go. There will be a headache galloping towards him through the fog if he sits and glares like that any longer, but at least the inside of the car is quiet again. Outside, the engine hums its worksong against the gushing wind and distant waves. She is still searching the side of Lou's face for a reply, but she will get only the same exhausted silence. It has been a long day, they know. Surrendering to the tiredness, she tucks her legs up to her chest and turns to watch outside the car. Perhaps she will see something familiar there to get them home again.
Ana had declared from the sun-stained sheets of their marital bed that they should forsake their phones for a day and be outside with each other. Lou had liked that very much and agreed. It would be calming, clearing, in spite of the sky's stormy face, and he would give all the time in the world to his wife and their son that day.
"We should've at least taken the map. I didn't plan this as well..." A sigh mists the passenger window. He doesn't see her propping her elbow up on the car door's armrest, and covering her worried left brow with her worried left hand, because he is still glaring into the road. But he knows that's what she is doing, or about to do, or thinking of doing. His glare gives up its game, shoulders uncurl, and arms lose their tension. "Don't worry, I know where I am now." This is not altogether a lie, and it works as he intended.
"I'm glad that's one of us un-lost." She follows his lead, unfolding her limbs from their hostile position as she reaches a hand to the radio. The car's only loud noise makes but a peep as he yawns and turns in his seat. Her hand holds back. No noise. Let them have no noise at least until they're home.
/
"You have a kind of wing, to take her and surprise her."
"When you suggested dancing and said you knew a place, I really wasn't expecting anything like this." They were out of breath and moves after discovering that his hips could twist neither that way nor this. She slid the plastic cupful of water across the table to him and he drank it willingly.
"What, you thought I meant a nice little bar that slowly trickles into a nightclub the more alcohol and courage and hours pour out of it?" They shared a small laugh and continued to drink: she took in the stale air, he sipped the water quietly.
"But it was fun, I- I think I actually enjoyed the tango?"
"I'm glad you had fun. There's more of that to be had," her voice petered off into uncertainty. They sat in silence, both hunter and hunted alike: neither wanting to move so suddenly, in case one startled the other into running.
"I'm glad you had fun. There's more of that to be had," her voice petered off into uncertainty. They sat in silence, both hunter and hunted alike: neither wanting to move so suddenly, in case one startled the other into running.
...