Post by Kadaj on Apr 4, 2011 5:59:38 GMT -5
(To CoTH: Yes, I am Atomicwoof!)
A novel I'm working on based on the songs of singer/multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Bat For Lashes, pseudonym of Natasha Khan. (I have... One and a half page! Yay!) I really, really wanted to share this!
I give you my hands to do Your work; I give You my feet to go Your way; I give You my eyes to see as You see; I give You my tongue to speak Your words; I give You my mind that You may think in me; I give You my spirit that You may pray in me. Above all, I give You my heart that You may love in me – love the Father and love all humankind.
~ A prayer
I remember when we were little we were playing at a desert oak. It was Janus’ idea. He discovered it not too far away from the oasis where we lived. You, Daniel and I listened attentively. The largest oak he’d ever seen, he said! He ran out of the hut and we pursued him, thus leaving the oasis. At a certain moment we couldn’t see him anymore. Where we stood, there only was the desert, the oasis behind us and a large hill in front of us. You suggested climbing the hill to get a better view of the area so we could find Janus. Daniel and I were a bit reluctant. Once Sarah would find out we left the oasis, we were sure she would turn us into toads, except for you. The woman was always fond of you. That was the closest thing to love she could give: fondness.
I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. She raised us, fed us and taught us everything we needed to know. But I sometimes wonder if there wasn’t any room for warmth. I know you’ll disagree with me, but let us return to the anecdote, shall we?
We –did- climb the hill after all and there it was: the oak tree, ten times the size of our hut, carrying Janus on one of its branches. He waved at us and beckoned us over. We immediately ran downhill to the tree, but when we got there, it occurred to me and Daniel that we both were far too young to be able to climb a tree as big as it was. You said you were able to carry one of us on your back while climbing, but that once you were up, you wouldn’t return to carry the other up. You motioned for Daniel to climb up your back. At first he was a bit hesitant and he threw me a worried look. I nodded reassuringly at him, although I didn’t want to be left alone. He climbed up your back and you left me at the base of the tree.
I dropped myself in the sand, stroking through it with my hand, and while minutes turned into hours I grew more lonely and lonely. When The Great Lunaris appeared, I started crying. I was cold, hungry and I didn’t know my way back to the hut. Someone however heard my call. The tree spoke to me. Soothed, comforted me. The sand beneath me radiated gentle warmth. The stars started shining ever so brightly. They held me company and marvellous tales they told of love and magic, princes and princesses, witches and wizards, demons and crusaders… Things I could have never imagined. Things I had never heard before in my life. It was that night I believe was crucial for us all. I’ve always wondered why Sarah didn’t search for us. I believe this was her idea all along to test our capabilities. When morning fell, the three of you came down and we returned home together. You walked in front, leading the way. Janus, Daniel and I were following. I held Daniel’s hand tightly. I didn’t want him to leave me, lose him again, especially not to you.
Thinking of it… I’ve been envious of you all my life, even as a child. You always got exactly what you wanted; whatever appeased you, you received and whatever didn’t appease you was removed immediately You were and are still able to make two rocks fight; a master manipulator, even more so than Sarah. I remember when you took a ride on her motorcycle, wrecked it, bended the truth so much that I was the one being blamed while I didn’t even lay one finger on it. I was forced to work for over two years in her apothecary to pay for the damage done, while you even got a reward out of your “honesty”. So much for justice, but I’m sure I needn’t tell you that you’ve made my childhood a hell. I’ve always wondered why you never allowed me to be happy. Did you feel threatened by my presence as only other female among the children, I’ve asked myself. Or did I possess something you did not? Did you also feel envious of me? When we returned home, Sarah was sitting at the table. She was leaning on her elbow while she was reading The Home Messenger. We walked through the door, the floor cracking as we did. Sarah moved her glance from the newspaper. Two jade marbles stared intensely at us for a full minute. Her face showed no emotion. Her body did not move an inch; it was as if she was petrified. She started playing with her dirty blonde hair locks and suddenly a wide, smug grin appeared on her visage.
She arose and motioned us to wait before turning around and moving to her bedroom. She returned with a large book covered in dust. The cover was made out of thick, black leather with several tears in it. It was further adorned with brown eagle feathers and golden beads. She held it in front of us and asked us if we knew what it was. We shook our heads. The same smirk reappeared. She returned to her room, closed the door and remained there for the rest of the day. In the next days that came a lot of changes took place. On a cold desert’s night someone knocked on the door. It was a man with the longest and fuzziest beard you ever would’ve seen! He wore a long, black cape with a hood and beneath embroidered dark blue robes.
A novel I'm working on based on the songs of singer/multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Bat For Lashes, pseudonym of Natasha Khan. (I have... One and a half page! Yay!) I really, really wanted to share this!
I give you my hands to do Your work; I give You my feet to go Your way; I give You my eyes to see as You see; I give You my tongue to speak Your words; I give You my mind that You may think in me; I give You my spirit that You may pray in me. Above all, I give You my heart that You may love in me – love the Father and love all humankind.
~ A prayer
I remember when we were little we were playing at a desert oak. It was Janus’ idea. He discovered it not too far away from the oasis where we lived. You, Daniel and I listened attentively. The largest oak he’d ever seen, he said! He ran out of the hut and we pursued him, thus leaving the oasis. At a certain moment we couldn’t see him anymore. Where we stood, there only was the desert, the oasis behind us and a large hill in front of us. You suggested climbing the hill to get a better view of the area so we could find Janus. Daniel and I were a bit reluctant. Once Sarah would find out we left the oasis, we were sure she would turn us into toads, except for you. The woman was always fond of you. That was the closest thing to love she could give: fondness.
I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. She raised us, fed us and taught us everything we needed to know. But I sometimes wonder if there wasn’t any room for warmth. I know you’ll disagree with me, but let us return to the anecdote, shall we?
We –did- climb the hill after all and there it was: the oak tree, ten times the size of our hut, carrying Janus on one of its branches. He waved at us and beckoned us over. We immediately ran downhill to the tree, but when we got there, it occurred to me and Daniel that we both were far too young to be able to climb a tree as big as it was. You said you were able to carry one of us on your back while climbing, but that once you were up, you wouldn’t return to carry the other up. You motioned for Daniel to climb up your back. At first he was a bit hesitant and he threw me a worried look. I nodded reassuringly at him, although I didn’t want to be left alone. He climbed up your back and you left me at the base of the tree.
I dropped myself in the sand, stroking through it with my hand, and while minutes turned into hours I grew more lonely and lonely. When The Great Lunaris appeared, I started crying. I was cold, hungry and I didn’t know my way back to the hut. Someone however heard my call. The tree spoke to me. Soothed, comforted me. The sand beneath me radiated gentle warmth. The stars started shining ever so brightly. They held me company and marvellous tales they told of love and magic, princes and princesses, witches and wizards, demons and crusaders… Things I could have never imagined. Things I had never heard before in my life. It was that night I believe was crucial for us all. I’ve always wondered why Sarah didn’t search for us. I believe this was her idea all along to test our capabilities. When morning fell, the three of you came down and we returned home together. You walked in front, leading the way. Janus, Daniel and I were following. I held Daniel’s hand tightly. I didn’t want him to leave me, lose him again, especially not to you.
Thinking of it… I’ve been envious of you all my life, even as a child. You always got exactly what you wanted; whatever appeased you, you received and whatever didn’t appease you was removed immediately You were and are still able to make two rocks fight; a master manipulator, even more so than Sarah. I remember when you took a ride on her motorcycle, wrecked it, bended the truth so much that I was the one being blamed while I didn’t even lay one finger on it. I was forced to work for over two years in her apothecary to pay for the damage done, while you even got a reward out of your “honesty”. So much for justice, but I’m sure I needn’t tell you that you’ve made my childhood a hell. I’ve always wondered why you never allowed me to be happy. Did you feel threatened by my presence as only other female among the children, I’ve asked myself. Or did I possess something you did not? Did you also feel envious of me? When we returned home, Sarah was sitting at the table. She was leaning on her elbow while she was reading The Home Messenger. We walked through the door, the floor cracking as we did. Sarah moved her glance from the newspaper. Two jade marbles stared intensely at us for a full minute. Her face showed no emotion. Her body did not move an inch; it was as if she was petrified. She started playing with her dirty blonde hair locks and suddenly a wide, smug grin appeared on her visage.
She arose and motioned us to wait before turning around and moving to her bedroom. She returned with a large book covered in dust. The cover was made out of thick, black leather with several tears in it. It was further adorned with brown eagle feathers and golden beads. She held it in front of us and asked us if we knew what it was. We shook our heads. The same smirk reappeared. She returned to her room, closed the door and remained there for the rest of the day. In the next days that came a lot of changes took place. On a cold desert’s night someone knocked on the door. It was a man with the longest and fuzziest beard you ever would’ve seen! He wore a long, black cape with a hood and beneath embroidered dark blue robes.
