David sat in the last row of his mother’s mini-van. His closest family members were all surrounding him, all of them wearing the same basic ensemble most appropriate for grieving. The black and white pieces of various clothing, mixed and matched in ways that varied from person to person. Even David was dressed to play his part.
He looked around quietly to take in the scene in front of him. The air within the car held a sort of somber tone, as they made their way to the funeral home. Everyone was together yet separated. Trapped within their own little worlds of sorrow. David understood that the adults, being the only ones to really remember his grandfather were in fact truly taking this the hardest. But it was his cousins that he wondered about the most. Whether or not their behavior was out of respect or a collective state of melancholy influenced by their parents had yet to be determined.
David then shifted his attention to the window directly to his left, deciding that focusing too much on it would be a waste. Instead he preferred his head to go on about the past two weeks’ activities…
He had almost turned into a madman. He kept rolling the events of that day in his mind, over and over again, adamant on figuring out what it was and how to re-induce it. His many online searches and New-Age book readings finally brought him some kind of an outcome. Four days after the news of his Grandfather’s passing, David sat in bed thinking about all he had read. His investigation had lead him to the topic of out of body experiences or OBEs for short and so he began to weigh out the possibilities of it being the answer to his problems.
Around a good five minutes into his mental debate, he felt the sweet of call of sleep begin to set in. He did not bother to fight it, he merely just embraced it and fell into a merry slumber, or so he thought. The next thing he remembered was that he awoke. Only thing was it was not his body that was awake. He could feel that part of himself still in the same position he dozed off in, but this, this was something new. This new part of him, the him he embodied now was slightly hovering over the bed. There was a sort of dual presence within him. One that knew and understood the shape that was still on the bed and another that was really just a blob of conciseness. They were in so many ways connected and distant. And he felt all of it. After the brief sense of interest and amusement he held towards being in this state, the bubble of enthusiasm soon broke. He was over come by a sense of fear that accompanied being exposed in such a way. His mind started to think about all of the negative stories he read about people never re-attaching themselves, apparent demons that walked the earth in search of opportunities for harm. All of this made him scramble – for lack of a better word – back to his body, eager to fix the semi-spilt pieces of himself. That panic stayed with him long after he was safely grounded back into his rightful place. And yet, through all of that anxiety his sense of wonder returned. He seemed even more fascinated now, confidant that he was on the right path.
His bout of reminiscence had ended. He looked around himself again to find that everyone was starting to pile out of the car. They had reached the home. One of his younger cousins had turned to him and asked if he was coming. David quickly murmured a sound of affirmation and followed behind, wishing that the day would be over as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Showing posts with label story. Show all posts
Showing posts with label story. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Part II, Chapter II first draft
David sat in the last row of his mother’s mini-van. His closest family members were all surrounding him, all of them wearing the same basic ensemble most appropriate for grieving. The black and white pieces of various clothing, mixed and matched in ways that varied from person to person. Even David was dressed to play his part.
He looked around quietly to take in the scene in front of him. The air within the car held a sort of somber tone, as they made their way to the funeral home. Everyone was together yet separated. Trapped within their own little worlds of sorrow. David understood that the adults, being the only ones to really remember his grandfather were in fact truly taking this the hardest. But it was his cousins that he wondered about the most. Whether or not their behavior was out of respect or a collective state of melancholy influenced by their parents had yet to be determined.
David then shifted his attention to the window directly to his left, deciding that focusing too much on it would be a waste. Instead he preferred his head to go on about the past two weeks’ activities…
He had almost turned into a madman. He kept rolling the events of that day in his mind, over and over again, adamant on figuring out what it was and how to re-induce it. His many online searches and New-Age book readings finally brought him some kind of an outcome. Four days after the news of his Grandfather’s passing, David sat in bed thinking about all he had read. His investigation had lead him to the topic of out of body experiences or OBEs for short and so he began to weigh out the possibilities of it being the answer to his problems.
Around a good five minutes into his mental debate, he felt the sweet of call of sleep begin to set in. He did not bother to fight it, he merely just embraced it feel into a merry slumber, or so he thought. The next thing he remembered was that he awoke. Only thing was it was not his body that was awake. He could feel that part of himself still in the same position he dozed off in, but this, this was something new. This new part of him, the him he embodied now was slightly hovering over the bed. There was a sort of dual presence within him. One that knew and understood the shape that was still on the bed and another that was really just a blob of conciseness. They were in so many ways connected and distant. And he felt all of it. After the brief sense of interest and amusment he held towards being in this state, the bubble of enthusiasm soon broke. He was over come by a sense of fear that accompanied being exposed in such a way. His mind started to think about all of the negative stories he read about people never re-attaching themselves, apparent demons that walked the earth in search of opportunities for harm. All of this made him scramble – for lack of a better word – back to his body, eager to fix the semi-spilt pieces of himself.
He looked around quietly to take in the scene in front of him. The air within the car held a sort of somber tone, as they made their way to the funeral home. Everyone was together yet separated. Trapped within their own little worlds of sorrow. David understood that the adults, being the only ones to really remember his grandfather were in fact truly taking this the hardest. But it was his cousins that he wondered about the most. Whether or not their behavior was out of respect or a collective state of melancholy influenced by their parents had yet to be determined.
David then shifted his attention to the window directly to his left, deciding that focusing too much on it would be a waste. Instead he preferred his head to go on about the past two weeks’ activities…
He had almost turned into a madman. He kept rolling the events of that day in his mind, over and over again, adamant on figuring out what it was and how to re-induce it. His many online searches and New-Age book readings finally brought him some kind of an outcome. Four days after the news of his Grandfather’s passing, David sat in bed thinking about all he had read. His investigation had lead him to the topic of out of body experiences or OBEs for short and so he began to weigh out the possibilities of it being the answer to his problems.
Around a good five minutes into his mental debate, he felt the sweet of call of sleep begin to set in. He did not bother to fight it, he merely just embraced it feel into a merry slumber, or so he thought. The next thing he remembered was that he awoke. Only thing was it was not his body that was awake. He could feel that part of himself still in the same position he dozed off in, but this, this was something new. This new part of him, the him he embodied now was slightly hovering over the bed. There was a sort of dual presence within him. One that knew and understood the shape that was still on the bed and another that was really just a blob of conciseness. They were in so many ways connected and distant. And he felt all of it. After the brief sense of interest and amusment he held towards being in this state, the bubble of enthusiasm soon broke. He was over come by a sense of fear that accompanied being exposed in such a way. His mind started to think about all of the negative stories he read about people never re-attaching themselves, apparent demons that walked the earth in search of opportunities for harm. All of this made him scramble – for lack of a better word – back to his body, eager to fix the semi-spilt pieces of himself.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Part I, Chapter I, First draft
Part I
Chapter I
And so he’s dead, hmm?
Thought David, a 16 year old who just entered his sophomore year of high school. His aunt, the sister of his father was on the other end of phone. David held it in his hands albeit rather loosely. He felt numb. Not sad nor angry, just simply numb. Did that explain his bout of apathy? The lackluster thought he’d just had?
His aunt, now breaking down continued. “I’m sorry to tell you first David. I’d meant to get your mother or father - your father especially – but you picked up the phone and…. Oh my god your grandfather is dead…” Her voice trailed off, the stream of tears blocking any coherent thought.
“Auntie Judy,” David started. “I know, I know. I’ll get my dad for you, please just give me a moment.”
He put the phone down slowly, as if a sound would disrupt her. As he moved further away from the living room, he could still hear her wails of sorrow for her lost father. For this, he began to feel horrible. He began to understand what this would put his family through, and he had no choice but to inform the others.
He found his father in the back yard. He looked at his dad for a moment before calling for his attention.
“Hey, I just heard the phone ring. Who was it?”
“Auntie Judy,” he replied. “Dad it’s really important. Granddad - something happened.”
He watched the look on his father’s face. It went from it’s usual bright-eyed self to a look that epitomized worry and confusion.
They both hurried back silently to the phone where Judy had been waiting, all the while David was still in a state of detachment. He saw as his father picked up the phone, asked a few questions, and fell into the same distress as his sister.
He kept watching and watching, wondering why he could not do more. Why he couldn’t feel anything. But then, it happened. The corners of his vision started to blacken. The darkness ate away at the light until the only thing he could see was what fell within a circle. He began to blink in an futile attempt to fix whatever has happening but it didn’t work. Next everything around him started to break down. He could not see what should have been around him – instead the image that replaced it was quite mesmerizing. It was of what looked to be a stream of luminous treads. The treads were just floating in front of him, moving like wavelengths on a chart. He then simply forgot about everything. He forgot about his grandfather, his dad, even his almost apathetic behavior towards the horrible news. All that mattered now were the thread-like objects here. So close he could almost touch them. So close in fact that….
The jerk came suddenly, harsh and unforgiving. Reality came swirling back into view, giving him whiplash in the process. His breathing became shot, coming in at uneven paces and he felt frantic.
“Hey, hey David. Get up! Get up!”
He was hearing his father’s voice, faint like a whisper. As he inched closer and closer to proper consciousness, he found himself on the floor with his father kneeling over him.
“Look, I know today has been very stressful and all.” His father looked at him, desperately trying to keep himself calm for what he thought to be the sake of his son. “ Go to bed. I’ll take care of very thing else and wait for you mom to get home.”
He then helped David up and helped him to his room. After his father had left the room with one more worried glance, David began to ponder.
What was that? He asked himself. That – whatever it was – has never happened before. Maybe that's why I didn’t feel anything about the news of his death. Maybe it took its toll on me mentally…
He laid back on his bed, eyes struck on the ceiling. He really did not like this, any of it. But somehow he could not get that feeling out of his head. The feeling that he had a fleeting glimpse of something more. Something that had to be explained.
For some time he went on like this, flipping the day’s event over and over in his mind. As sleep finally drew closer, he fell into it with one thought and one thought only:
I’m going to find out what it was. No matter what.
Chapter I
And so he’s dead, hmm?
Thought David, a 16 year old who just entered his sophomore year of high school. His aunt, the sister of his father was on the other end of phone. David held it in his hands albeit rather loosely. He felt numb. Not sad nor angry, just simply numb. Did that explain his bout of apathy? The lackluster thought he’d just had?
His aunt, now breaking down continued. “I’m sorry to tell you first David. I’d meant to get your mother or father - your father especially – but you picked up the phone and…. Oh my god your grandfather is dead…” Her voice trailed off, the stream of tears blocking any coherent thought.
“Auntie Judy,” David started. “I know, I know. I’ll get my dad for you, please just give me a moment.”
He put the phone down slowly, as if a sound would disrupt her. As he moved further away from the living room, he could still hear her wails of sorrow for her lost father. For this, he began to feel horrible. He began to understand what this would put his family through, and he had no choice but to inform the others.
He found his father in the back yard. He looked at his dad for a moment before calling for his attention.
“Hey, I just heard the phone ring. Who was it?”
“Auntie Judy,” he replied. “Dad it’s really important. Granddad - something happened.”
He watched the look on his father’s face. It went from it’s usual bright-eyed self to a look that epitomized worry and confusion.
They both hurried back silently to the phone where Judy had been waiting, all the while David was still in a state of detachment. He saw as his father picked up the phone, asked a few questions, and fell into the same distress as his sister.
He kept watching and watching, wondering why he could not do more. Why he couldn’t feel anything. But then, it happened. The corners of his vision started to blacken. The darkness ate away at the light until the only thing he could see was what fell within a circle. He began to blink in an futile attempt to fix whatever has happening but it didn’t work. Next everything around him started to break down. He could not see what should have been around him – instead the image that replaced it was quite mesmerizing. It was of what looked to be a stream of luminous treads. The treads were just floating in front of him, moving like wavelengths on a chart. He then simply forgot about everything. He forgot about his grandfather, his dad, even his almost apathetic behavior towards the horrible news. All that mattered now were the thread-like objects here. So close he could almost touch them. So close in fact that….
The jerk came suddenly, harsh and unforgiving. Reality came swirling back into view, giving him whiplash in the process. His breathing became shot, coming in at uneven paces and he felt frantic.
“Hey, hey David. Get up! Get up!”
He was hearing his father’s voice, faint like a whisper. As he inched closer and closer to proper consciousness, he found himself on the floor with his father kneeling over him.
“Look, I know today has been very stressful and all.” His father looked at him, desperately trying to keep himself calm for what he thought to be the sake of his son. “ Go to bed. I’ll take care of very thing else and wait for you mom to get home.”
He then helped David up and helped him to his room. After his father had left the room with one more worried glance, David began to ponder.
What was that? He asked himself. That – whatever it was – has never happened before. Maybe that's why I didn’t feel anything about the news of his death. Maybe it took its toll on me mentally…
He laid back on his bed, eyes struck on the ceiling. He really did not like this, any of it. But somehow he could not get that feeling out of his head. The feeling that he had a fleeting glimpse of something more. Something that had to be explained.
For some time he went on like this, flipping the day’s event over and over in his mind. As sleep finally drew closer, he fell into it with one thought and one thought only:
I’m going to find out what it was. No matter what.
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