| RoYds Part 25 - Problems |
Present Day
Elizabeth looked across her desk at Paul Sharney; the young man sitting opposite her, and cast her mind back to the last evening they had spent together. A wave of nostalgia washed over her and carried her back through time. In an instant, she was sitting on a stool watching him play bass guitar and singing along with the other members of the band. His long brown hair curtained his face and gently danced upon the shoulders of his white cheesecloth shirt. He looked across the room towards her and smiled. They both knew it was over between them. The only problem would be in finding the right words.
“Ready?”
She had failed to notice that the music had ceased. “Yeah. Sorry to drag you away like this. If you want I can make my own way to the bus station. I don’t mind.”
She watched his nimble fingers as they fastened the toggles of his brown duffle coat and then assisted her with her colourfully embroidered Afghan; both garments haunted by the faded scent of Patula oil.
“Did your dad agree to you coming to Glastonbury with us yet?”
She hadn't bothered to raise the subject at home, knowing instinctively what the answer would be. “Not yet, but I’m working on it. Hey! You sounded great tonight. It’s really coming together.” She smiled and looped her arm through his as they walked in unison down the dimly lit road towards the bus station. Part of her loved him –- part of her always would.
“You’ve changed. I knew you would be different when you came back and you are. Your dad got what he wanted. He only let you go to Europe for three weeks because he knew it would split us up.”
Guilt engulfed her as she sensed his pain and yet she felt only a little sadness of her own. She gazed up at him through her long blonde hair, “My dad’s not like that.” It was a lie and both of them knew it. “I guess we are just growing up and growing in different directions...” She didn't know what else to say.
“I'll always be there for you, Elizabeth. No matter what happens in the future. If you ever need a friend I'll be there for you.”
His sensitivity had been one of the reasons she had fallen for him in the first place and it had also played a part in driving her away.
Their last kisses were more passionate than any they had previously shared; the sense of loss fuelling the tiniest sparks of passion that still existed between them. It was a new discovery for Elizabeth, the first time she realised that passion was as much a part of her nature as anything else.
“I know I’m not what you need...”
She felt him tremble as he dared to speak her mind for her and understood the words were not easy. Nestling her face in the warmth of his woollen scarf, she held him tight before breaking away and leaving traces of glitter and blue mascara in her place.
The following Friday, she stayed away while the band played their first breakthrough gig. Years later, one of their mutual friends had informed her over several glasses of warm rosé wine that he had dedicated their performance to her. That had been the last time she had cause to remember their final night together until the moment they met again at RoYds.
Elizabeth brought herself back to the present and studied his profile while he read through the file he was holding. The part of her that loved him wished he was still alive.
“Find what you were looking for?”
“Yes. Did you?”
Elizabeth was not too sure how to take his answer. Was he trying to be funny? “I meant in the file...” she replied hesitantly. There was definitely an edge to both his voice and his attitude; something she could not remember being there in the past. Perhaps it was something that he had grown into.
He ignored her question and slapped the file closed with an audible smack before returning it to its place within the drawer of one of the filing cabinets.
“Do you remember the old hospital? The one on the road between Whituth and Badale?” he asked, blatantly changing the subject.
“Moorlands? Yeah. Never knew it was a hospital though. I always thought it was an old people’s home. It’s been empty for years. Why?”
He definitely was a lot more confident than she ever would have imagined he could be. In place of his shoulder length brown hair was a respectable yet slightly edgy haircut, and his whole persona was rather reminiscent of Johnny Depp.
“Thanks. I have always admired Johnny –- he hasn’t sold out.”
“So, what about this hospital?” she asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
“Several teenage members of the Living have claimed to have witnessed some weird events up at Moorlands. So far, their rantings have been dismissed and put down to drugs they've been using. I’m not too sure, though... Thought it might be worthwhile if we took a look around. Fancy taking a trip up there?”
“Why not? When did you have in mind?” Elizabeth found herself quite excited at the prospect. It might be good for them to spend some time together away from RoYds.
“Ten minutes? That OK with you? I’m just waiting for the others to arrive.”
“The others?” Elizabeth asked intrigued.
“Tashriel and Gemma Bolton are coming with us.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes upwards.
“Great girl, Gemma! What’s your problem?”
“Did someone call my name?” asked a beautiful young redhead waltzing into the room.
PrevLabels: Elizabeth, Present Day, Refuge of Delayed Souls, Web Fiction |
posted by Miladysa @ 23:10  |
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| 14 Comments: |
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Bimbimbie said :
Past boyfriend with attitude who can read her mind, spells trouble for Elizabeth ... there'll be tears before bedtime ;)
There was definitely an edge to both his voice and his attitude; something she could not remember being there in the past. Perhaps it was something that he had grown into.
“Thanks. I have always admired Johnny –- he hasn’t sold out.”
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I like your blog design and story.
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"Past boyfriend with attitude who can read her mind, spells trouble"
LOL Bimbimbie - You said it gal ;)
A Good Moroccan - That's very kind of you to say so. Thank you :)
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nice.. i got this previously itself in my reader.. and remembered you said something about it FB or twitter. neways its always a pleasure to read ur two world fiction.
-Aiz.
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Beautiful scene! You combine the past and the present so well -- and I love what Bimbimbie said! :D
This is fantastic: "The sense of loss fueling the tiniest sparks of passion that still existed between them." And enter Gemma -- I rolled my eyes, too, lol. Love a bit of sparks flying between her and Bess!
And I laughed out loud when he read her mind about Johnny Depp! :D (my college boyfriend looked a bit like him ... only with blue eyes) You have such a gift for portraying poignancy and hurt and hope all at once. Great way to start my weekend -- now I want to write ...
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ahh, a well timed entry into the room. Good seque to the next section.
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Nice throwing Johnny in there and a nice hook to the next chapter. Loving these! And thank you for not making them too long, it's easy to keep up with the story that way for us time poor possums!
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"And enter Gemma -- I rolled my eyes, too, lol."
I couldn't stop giggling when I read that comment Melissa :D
With regard to the college boyfriend - now I'm going to have to scan all your FB friends closely *wicked cackle*
Charles - That girl likes to make an entrance :)
Baino - "Loving these!" - Can't tell you how much that means to me possum - it keeps me going! Thank you x
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I love this scene and, reading it, I can see you love(d) it too... :-)
And Johnny Depp!!! :-) :-) :-)
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Vesper LOL - yes indeed ;D
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Johnny Depp not sold out. How true!
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Must admit to having a bit of a soft spot for Johnny, Howie :)
I wonder if he would like to star in the film version of RoYds? We'll have Tim Burton as the director and film it on location in the UK? What do you think?
Btw, ALL the locations mentioned in the story exist, there's a link in the sidebar to an interactive google map with street views and/or photos and there's more on my face book page if you're interested :)
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I agree about Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, but who could play Elizabeth? I will check out the Google map and your Facebook page. Thanks.
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Perhaps we'll have a worldwide search for Elizabeth, Howie - she could be the new Scarlet O'Hara LOL
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Bimbimbie said :
Past boyfriend with attitude who can read her mind, spells trouble for Elizabeth ... there'll be tears before bedtime ;)
There was definitely an edge to both his voice and his attitude; something she could not remember being there in the past. Perhaps it was something that he had grown into.
“Thanks. I have always admired Johnny –- he hasn’t sold out.”