Just one post (now two.. soon three...)
The CBB -> Ste Therese's House
#1: Just one post (now two.. soon three...) Author: Caeli, Location: West Midlands PostPosted: Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:23 pm

I've lost all inspiration for my only other drabble on the board, so I thought I may as well post this, which I wrote quite a long time ago, when I first became a lurker on this board. [based on a song from Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, substitute Canaan for Austria]

Do you remember the good years in Canaan?

In her mind she was back in Austria. Rowing on the lake at camp, in the wonderful warm Baumersee. Everything was perfect, and she was with almost all the people she cared for.

The summers were endlessly gold.

It was hot as could be, that particular summer. The golden sun beat down on them, a never-ending supply of warmth and light. It didn’t rain once, and that was just how she liked it.

The fields were a patchwork of clover.

She remembered that time, when she had been walking, a walk that seemed to last forever. And she remembered the four-leafed clover she had picked, a lucky four-leafed clover. That was the day they had arrived somewhere safe to shelter. She had never told anybody about that clover. After all, maybe it wasn’t true. She had been half-delirious that day.

The winters were never too cold.

Her mind went back even further, remembering the time when she had been down by the frozen lake, and along with her friends had tried to rescue that poor girl. That wasn’t such a good memory.

We’d stroll down the boulevard together,

She remembered the time she had found a poor family wandering the streets of Innsbruck. She had rescued them, and they had been grateful. That had been a good thing. She had been a good person. When she was young, she had done everything right.

And everything round us was fine

She’d gone from poor to rich in the blink of an eyelid. And suddenly, everything round her was fine. She had a mother and father of sorts, even though they weren’t really. And she was an aunt. She had plenty of friends, and everybody had liked her.

Now the fields are dead and bare, no joie de vivre anywhere

It was someone else thinking now. Everything was wrong now, now that she was going. It felt like his life was falling apart, like there was nothing else left to live for. He felt he knew her better than anyone, and wished he could be the one treating her. But a different doctor, one Reg Entwhistle was in charge of her. And he was left to wait. Hoping and praying.

Et maintenant we drink a bitter wine

“Doctor! Doctor!” He turned slowly. He knew what they were going to say even before they said it. He was a doctor after all. “She is gone now. I am very sorry, but you must leave for the moment, at any rate.” He rose slowly. He knew there were people outside, waiting for news, any news except the news he had for them. He left the bedside full of pain, but he could not shed a tear. There was no movement, except for a small sign swinging slightly at the end of the bed. The hospital doctors surrounded the bed, and covered the woman’s body with a sheet. A doctor grabbed the sign to stop it swinging, and read it with a heavy heart. He hated his patients dying, that was understandable of course. But it was much worse when he knew them. Most people knew this particular patient though.
“What’s her name?” asked one doctor.
“Josephine Maynard.”

Last edited by Caeli on Mon Jun 06, 2005 3:57 pm; edited 1 time in total

 

#2:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:35 pm

Wow!

Caeli, that is powerful. I'm so glad you posted it. Thank you.

 

#3:  Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under PostPosted: Sun Jun 05, 2005 3:54 am

That was great, Caeli.

Thank you for posting it.

 

#4:  Author: Caeli, Location: West Midlands PostPosted: Sun Jun 05, 2005 5:48 pm

I was going to leave it at that, but now here I've written a continuation, so I may as well post this one too. (also based on a song from Joseph, called Close Every Door)

Close every door to me, hide all the world from me,

Jack peered out through the window. It was Nell Wilson. He definitely didn’t want to see her at the moment. He just wanted to be left alone, left to grieve and cry and scream and do everything else that he shouldn’t do. He wanted the world to stop, and for everything to be silent whilst he vented his anger on everything and everyone, randomly attacking anyone who tried to help.
He knew they were worried about him. Everybody was worried about him, as he retreated further and further into the shell he had built himself, the one where everyone had left the world except him. And he could sit, alone and depressed. There was nobody left in the house, Madge had all the children. He couldn’t even remember where Anna had got to, but she was coming back when he wanted her. He remembered her telling him that.

Bar all the windows and shut out the light

Nell was still at the door, knocking persistently, determined to come in. Jack drew the curtains so he wouldn’t have to see her waiting to be let in. He didn’t like the light anyway. Light was bright and happy, all the things that Jack didn’t want to be. He knew he was feeling sorry for himself, but he didn’t care, he just wanted to be left alone. Was it that much to ask?

Do what you want with me, hate me and laugh at me, darken my daytime and torture my night

He knew he was being paranoid when this particular thought flashed through his mind, but it was as often as all the other horrible thoughts that went through his mind day by day. People outside, in that other world that Jack could hardly remember, the world were Joey had lived, laughing at him, the head doctor who couldn’t cope. And whenever he really thought it over, he knew it wasn’t true, and that people were just worried about him, but still the thought came back. Over and over again. And at night everything was worse. He only left the house to go and buy food, and everyone noticed the enormous bags under his eyes, and how thin he was. He could just see them all feeling sorry for him, and he didn’t want that.

If my life were important I would ask will I live or die?

But his life wasn’t important. Not any more. Now his life consisted of hiding from all the people who cared about him, hiding from all the people who he loved. But the person he had loved the most had gone, and he had to remember that, he couldn’t just forget her. He wasn’t suicidal, but sometimes he wished he could be back with Joey, even if it did mean death. When this thought passed through his mind, he dismissed it quickly. That was the easy way out. Nell was still at the door.

But I know the answers lie far from this world

He peeped through the curtains that he had just drawn. Nell saw him, and smiled, but it was hard for her to smile looking at a face like that. And suddenly, Jack rose and sprinted to the door. Nell walked slowly in, and placed her arms round Jack, who cried and cried until there was no more tears left.

 

#5:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sun Jun 05, 2005 10:30 pm

Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad

Thank you Caeli - both of those were beautiful.

 

#6:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Sun Jun 05, 2005 10:51 pm

thank you Caeli

very emotional Crying or Very sad

 

#7:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 10:06 am

Thank you Caeli, both very beautiful.

 

#8:  Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 9:24 pm

They were so both so powerful Caeli - thankyou

 

#9:  Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 7:17 am

Thanks Caeli. Forgot how much I like Close Every Door - and it makes me cry every time. Except if Jason Donovan's singing it.

 

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