| |
"Don't worry, Angel, you know I'll return soon. Everything will be the same...we'll be together always! And remember, distraction can be a blessing."
The words hung in the air as clear as the day Jake spoke them. They echoed inside her head..."Remember, DISTRACTION!"
Angel tried to fill the lonely hours as best she could, but everything she did now seemed so difficult, so exhausting. Sighing, she picked up her needlework and continued stitching, but her concetration was lost.
"DAMN!"
The needle found it's mark and pierced the skin of Angel's thumb. Why had she become so clumsy? Jake promised he would return, everything would be fine.
"I can't stand not knowing!"
Angel threw the needlework to the floor in frustration. Raising her thumb to her lips, she began to sob. The pain in her finger was not the reason for her tears. It was this day, this frightful, unending day! She felt trapped in a nightmare she couldn't awaken from. Everything was foggy and unclear...nothing seemed real.
"Why, Jake, why did it have to be you?"
Distraction...it did not help her today. Angel glanced to her right and caught sight of the reason for her misery...the white and gold antique style phone. She leered at it now, it's beauty spoiled and tarnished to her She needed to hear it ring, but it just sat there...silent, still.
"Demon, why must you torment me?"
Angel looked away from the phone and focused her attention to her bleeding finger. Sighing, she rose from the velvet settee and crossed the parlor to the kitchen. Moving as if in a trance, she went to the sink and washed the tiny wound.
"It may as well have been an arrow through my heart."
Did she just speak her thoughts? There was no one to hear, even if she had. She was unsure of what she was doing recently. Without Jake she felt lost, helpless.
"What's wrong with me?" she asked the silent room.
She had always been organized, pepared for any situation, but now.... she felt stranded, unable to focus. She stood there not knowing what to do. She looked back across the room to the phone. How can I get through this, she thought. Remember, DISTRACTION...Jake's words kept repeating in her head.
She was at the mercy of time, and her emotions. She could not complete a simple task. Fear had deadened her senses. She could not quell the uneasiness in her stomach.
"I just need to know if..."
Angel's voice trailed off as hopelesness overtook her. She needed to surround herself with familiar things, Jake's things. Gaining control of her emotions, Angel left the kitchen and headed for the library. Once there, she sank into an oversized damask covered chair...his favorite. Angel took a deep breath. "Calm yourself, listen to your thoughts." Her composure regained, Angel looked around the room...Jake's sanctuary, her comfort. Her gaze settled on the top of the oak bookcase across the room. The old, burnished wood seemed so warm, almost glowing. On top of the bookcase stood the Carriage Clocks, the ones they had collected together.
They reminded her of tiny brass soldiers lined up at attention. She heard them ticking. Small, glass encased conductors of time, counting off the minutes without consequence. A small distraction. Their stark, numbered faces stared at her...expressionless bastions of time. DISTRACTIONS, time...what did it matter? Angel felt her heart pounding. The ticking of the clocks became louder and louder, until her heart was beating to their cadence! Her mind started drifting. "Where did I put the clock keys? When did I wind them? Yesterday...last night...last week?" She should check them, see if they needed winding.
Folding her arms across her chest, Angel stood and walked over to the bookcase. A distant look crossed her face. She became mesmerized by the tiny gears inside...meshing, turning, performing an intricate dance to silent music. Gently, she placed her fingers on the glass of one ornate clock.
"My favorite.", she sighed. "The one you gave me, Jake." Stroking the smooth, cool glass, she wondered...
"How many lifetimes?"
The deep, golden patina of the brass case reflected the room. A microcosm of their life's perfection captured in one small refraction of light. No artist could paint this with brush and oils. No photograph could portray the depth of emotions contained within this room. A lifetime of love, pleasure, and need all fulfilled with his embrace. He was the heart and soul of her existence, the measure of all her joy. He held her happiness... she, his heart!
Hope...she must hold fast to hope. She must cling to it, let it be her lifeline. Yet, with each tick of the clock, Angel could feel hope unravelig. Thread by thread, it slowly slipped through her fingers. Her grip was weakening.
"Don't let go!" she told herself.
Chimes marked the half-hour, a brief, muted tone filling the air. Angel looked at the gilded clock face. Ten-tirty. How long had she been standing there? She felt desperate at the loss of time. She heard her voice pleading...
"Jake, I need you! I'm not strong enough!"
Turning away from the clocks, Angel walked back to the chair, falling into it's worn, familiar cushion. She rubbed her hands over the upholstered arms, feeling the frayed fabric between her fingers. He would sit here, she mused, his elbows resting where my hands are now. Here in this room they would sit and talk, sharing their dreams, knowing all their desires had been fulfilled. Jake would speak words of adoration to her. His hand would softly caress her cheek...
The memory was too strong for her to bear. Pressing her hands over her eyes, she could see his face, hear his voice...low and gentle. His eyes, so warmed by love, gazing into hers with deep affection. This piece of their life she would cherish always... her sweet DISTRACTION. A slight smile touched her lips as a soft breeze floated across her face. Opening her eyes, she noted the time...ten-thirty three. Had a mere three minutes passed, or did eternity just run through her soul?
She realized her life's fate even before she heard its end.
|
Help Us Stop Plagiarism -
Nearly all works at PnP are original. However a few people choose to plagiarize.
To check, choose a phrase from the work, then either drag and drop to the search box or copy and paste.
click on search and works at Google will be shown which match. Just to be sure, please do this before
you recommend or rate the work highly...
|
 |
|
|
|
Select a Random Work
from Stories
|
|
Welcome !
