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 Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 12:08 pm
With a clinking of metal the key turned in the lock and the front door was safely sealed. Drops of moonlight splashed through the wide windows bathing the empty cafe' in shades of blue and gray. What might have seemed beautiful only looked cold and ugly in Rebecca's eyes. The room echoed with loneness, a call she refused to answer. But she acknowledged the longing for the warm hues of the earth instead of the false promises of the city. It was funny how she purposefully surrounded herself with the things she despised most.
The small woman let out a sigh and drifted back across to the counter, ignoring the sound of her empty steps upon the tile. She had only been here a month and she had yet to adjust. And that fact lay heavy in the air as she leaned against the counter, almost as if the negative emotions were trying to drag her down. Grieving was not an easy business, especially when one would rather ignore the problem instead of come to terms with it.
Pushing up on the small wooden flap she moved behind the work counter and pushed through the door that lead to the house. But here the feeling of isolation was even stronger. Drawing frustrated fingers through her tawny colored hair she leaned forward. Perhaps a run would make her feel better. She laced her fingers under the sides of her jeans and pushed down, slipping them off. She continued to undress in the chill of the hallway until she stood naked and bare, facing the back door.
She welcomed the change as it came, for despite the myths it was not brought about simply by the moonlight. It was uncomfortable at best, but having done it all her life shifting was neither chore nor an experience of agony. It was a bit painful at times, yes, but to her it cleared the senses like strong spices did in foods. She moaned slightly as her bones creaked and her joints popped. Her hair shortened and spread from her scalp to her entire body as her limbs began to shorten and lengthen in places. With a grunt she leaned forward to touch her palms to the ground as her tailbone grew out and formed that part of her body which did not exist in a human form.
Within moments she stood with canine jaws parted as she panted, tongue lolling out between white fangs. All her senses felt sharpened, crisper, as if she had just improved her connection with life itself. Shaking her body to loosen her fur she let out a long breath through her nose. Yes, this was more like it. Without hesitation she loped forward, her claws clicking against the hardwood floor. Butting her head against the doggie door she made her way out into the musky night air and the chill of the city streets.
The flicker of streetlights and the buzz of radiators were nothing like the sounds of the woods at night. But there was one thing that would not change, no matter where she was. The feeling or running like the wind itself. So she surged forward pumping her strong legs into action. She didn’t know what the sensation of flying was like, but she always imagined it was something like this. Racing through the shadows of the city buildings she didn’t care where she was going. She felt alive for the first time in so long.
She skidded suddenly to a stop as the bark of a dog ripped through the air. It was hoarse and crude, the sound of a dog. Her heart strained under a new sense of bitterness. She missed the sweet sounds of her pack, the throbbing growls of affection and the smooth howls under midnight skies. With a snarl of disgust she turned, walking stiffly back to her home. Being on her own…it was eating her alive. She refused to admit it.
But she did give an inch by thinking that perhaps it was time she found someone to share her home with.
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Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 12:40 pm
Dear Night Listener,
Business is running smoothly, despite the hitch in last week’s supply shipment. The banana cream I received that I did not order found a use. Some people took a quick liking to the chocolate banana cappuccino mix, for which I am grateful. What else would I have done with such a useless type of syrup? Oh yes, I know you’d say I’d find something interesting for it. You always did believe I could cook up anything I wanted and it’d be a hit. Maybe you simply lacked a good set of taste buds.
Mrs. Radly has returned to being a regular customer. Apparently her knee surgery was a success and she can move about freely now. This is a nice change, fore if you had seen her hobbling about before you would have wondered how she got anywhere. She and the other usual customers help keep this place running smoothly. I know the café would fair well without them.
I suppose I have been trying to avoid the true subject in which I am writing about. You would have known that from the start of reading this letter, though. You always could read me so well. Do you recall when you said that one day I would glow with motherhood and bask in the joy of having pups of my own? That dream is dead and don’t you try to say otherwise. It was burned in the fire. However, I need help around the café….I don’t think I can run it by myself. So I’ve been thinking about adopting.
Yes, stop laughing, I am serious. There are plenty of kids out there that need a home…and I need help. Oh, don’t make it sound so dirty, I’m no slaver. I know it’s not the same has hiring someone on for a job. But you know how I get when I have nothing to keep myself busy. Raising a kid will give me more then enough to do. Perhaps enough to let that horrible night fade into memory at last.
I know, it is silly that I cannot forget. You would have forgiven the event long ago and moved on. But I’m not like you. I’m not so foolish to believe the world can go back to the way it was before. I’m not so naïve to think that believing in the world means anything or makes a god damn difference! We are islands and our on our own in this life. We must fend for ourselves.
I’m sorry. I admit I got a bit angry, look at all the ink I spilled on the page. I suppose I just miss you terribly. Though a fat lot of good that does me. There I go again. Sorry. Perhaps I should end this for now. I know you’d forgive me if I said something horrible but…I’m not like you.
-Becca
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Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 1:32 pm
“I must be out of my mind,” Rebecca murmured as she stared down at the table and the odd potted vegetable sitting there. She had wanted to adopt a kid, yes. It had seemed like a good idea at the time. But now she was starting to wonder if she had been at all sober when she went to the lab to get this…this. Though she didn’t drink alcohol at all, so that couldn’t be it. So her conclusion was that she was going crazy. Utterly, and completely crazy.
For a woman who thought she had lost her senses she was relatively calm. Getting emotional just wasn’t her way of going about things. She was a practical sort, after all. Leaning forward she brushed her hair behind her blue eyes and then reached out to inspect a green leaf thoughtfully. Those at the lab had said it would become a child…how a vegetable became a kid was beyond her. Her instincts were of no help in the situation either. Half of them balked at the idea of such an unnatural thing…but those of a maternal variety didn’t care what it was.
“So you’ll become a kid, hmm?” she asked thoughtfully while tugging on the rings looped though the top of her ear. Rationally she tried to tell herself that there were stranger things in life. Like the existence of her own species or perhaps like the fire that had destroyed her…He pivoted on her heel and marched over the kitchen sink. She took the spray bottle that she normally used on her sensitive houseplants and filled it with water. Then she glided back to her new “child”. “You’ll need water and good sunlight, perhaps some fresh air…I don’t know about you being a kid, but I know how to handle plants,” she told the green vegetable firmly.
Lifting the pot carefully in one hand, she began to spray the leaves and the soil beneath with gentle spurts of water. It was a painstakingly slow process, one that often cramped her hand, but it was worth it. Pouring the water eroded the soil and spraying the leaves helped to keep them moist. Finally, after what was probably five minutes of pulling the small plastic trigger, drops of water came through the bottom of the pot. “Good, it’s draining properly then,” she murmured to herself, setting it back down in a small tray.
Setting the spray bottle down, she lifted the tray and pot in both hands before walking back into the kitchen. Her eyes scanned the few windows that dotted the place, searching for the most suitable one for her new charge. Finally she went right across to the sink, setting the plant on the ledge right against the window. “This gets the most direct sunlight and I can open the window a little without letting the bugs in,” she commented as she turned the small crank that tilted the set class sideways and open to the summer air.
Putting her hands on her hips she sighed, looking a bit worn down. “This had better work,” she grumbled before turning and heading back out to the café. It was time to get some real work done.
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:07 am
Private Roleplay - IN PROGRESS
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:09 am
Private Roleplay - COMPLETE
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:55 am
Dear Night Listener,
So I followed through with my thoughts from my earlier letter. What thoughts, you ask? The ones about adopting. Because I did just that. Are you done laughing now? Yes, I adopted a child. It was, however, the strangest form of adoption I’ve ever seen. When you look for adoption agencies there are often comments left on how wonderful they were and what not. This one had the best reports and seemed to offer the most for my adoption, if that makes any sense. Free daycare and schooling, along with medical assistance and an activity center came with every child. So what’s so bizarre you ask? The child itself. When I adopted I was given a cabbage. Yes, a vegetable. This was where the kid was said to come from.
No, it wasn’t a prank. In a few days a child did come from the cabbage just as they said. It was a little boy, actually. You know, his hair reminded me of those horrible werewolf movies that made us look more like apes with hair problems then wolves. But I guess he was cute, in his own way. He has these huge blue eyes…
You know I hate that eye color, don’t you? I always found your warm brown eyes more charming then anything else. But anyway, I named the boy after you. Don’t give me that look! So he is James Weaver. Though I’ll admit I can never call him James…for that will forever be your name in my mind. But that nick name you hated so is free game, of course. I call him “Jamie” and I think it suits him just fine.
I got really lucky with him, I did. He’s such a good kid. He listens to me and he tries to be helpful. After some of the brats I’ve seen go in and out of my café I know I got a good deal. He’s very curious, I’ve noticed. He’s always going up to the customers and checking everything out. Luckily they all think he’s adorable and not annoying. He didn’t talk much at first either, but he’s learning very quickly. It makes me wonder if it’s simply because he’s a kid from a lab or if he’s exceptionally bright.
Until recently I wasn’t sure how common kids from his lab were. But just the other day a strange woman came in with a young girl who went to the Liberty Center as well. While this doesn’t promise that the little redhead came from a cabbage, it does show me that the Liberty Center must have quite a few active participants. I’ve decided to sign Jamie up for daycare, though he really isn’t a hard kid to watch. It’s more for developmental reasons then necessity. Interacting with other kids will be good for him. Especially if he might end up in school with those same kids later.
The hardest thing about having him around, though, is I can’t change as often as I’d like. I guess I should have thought about that before I adopted him but…it’s still hard to adjust to. But I never change in front of him. The last thing I need to do is give the kid nightmares. But he’ll have to learn what I am someday. And hopefully he won’t find it too strange. But seriously, what could be stranger then being born from a cabbage?
Yours Always,
-Becca
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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 1:46 pm
Dear Night Listener,
Things have been fairing well here, I suppose. I signed Jamie up for daycare, since during the busy work hours he’s more of a hassle then a help. He’s still too little to do much in the way of assisting me. I know, I know. He’s a kid, not a worker, but that doesn’t mean I feel comfortable ignoring him while I go about fixing up orders when things get quick in the café. I may not be mother material- don’t you dare protest!-but I’m not stupid. He’ll have much more fun at daycare anyway, where he can meet kids and get the proper mental stimulation he needs at his age.
But Jamie’s new “schooling” isn’t the only reason I’m writing to you. I’ve decided to-don’t laugh-adopt again. I am not getting motherly, so don’t you dare mention it! This adoption shall be a bit easier then the last. At least that is my hope. She’ll be “older” then Jamie and more likely to help out. Don’t tell me I’m wasting my time if I don’t want to be mother. You know how we ‘wolves are. We can’t trust our well being with simple strangers. She and Jamie can’t and never will be a pack, but…well there, I’ve lost my train of thought, thank you. I suppose it wasn’t very important to begin with.
Jamie seems happy at the idea of a new sister. Though having to explain the whole thing to him became quite an ordeal. I don’t understand the process wholly myself. The agency I visited said she’d be older, that much I understand. But there was a lot of talk of DNA, other planets, and I suppose “aliens” that it went right over my head. You know how I hate technology so. They told me a lot of things that I probably would rather have not learned. Some examples for you? They said she’d have “instincts” from a culture some of her genes were from? Yes, I don’t understand it either. When I think instincts, well I’m sure you know where my train of thought goes, us being ‘wolves. But I don’t think it’s the same thing.
In any case, they gave me a walkie talkie sort of thing to talk to her, since she’s not…ready to come yet? I didn’t quite understand that bit, but they recommended that I talk to her through it on a regular basis. Since I imagine I’d get odd looks if I just sat around in my café talking to a piece of mechanic equipment I decided to take it with me in my purse, apron, or whatever I could manage at the time. That way she could hear me talking throughout the day and I suppose when I got a moment and it wasn’t too strange I could just talk to her. Talking to someone I can’t see, however, is nearly beyond me.
Jamie is more excited then I am. Whenever he gets the chance he chatters into the device in his toddler speech. Perhaps he thinks he’s preparing his sister for the world or maybe he just gets lonely. I suppose I’m not the best company, not that that’s ever been my goal here. I hope when she does come, however, they get along. I don’t’ think I could stand a feud in the household.
Well, I must be off. Jamie needs to be picked up soon.
With love,
-Becca
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Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:38 am
Private Roleplay - IN PROGRESS
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Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:39 am
Private Roleplay - IN PROGRESS
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Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 1:47 pm
Reserved for solo about RICEE
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Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 1:49 pm
Open Roleplay - COMPLETE?
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Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 1:51 pm
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Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 2:01 pm
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Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 8:27 pm
Private Roleplay - COMPLETE
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Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 6:11 pm
(( Note: This roleplay is back dated. ))
"So...we don't celebrate Halloween?"
Jamie stared at his mother from across the table. They had closed up for the night, schools and chairs turned upsidedown and slid atop the tables, and Becca was running a wet rag in rapid circles across the counter to clean off the crumbs and spills.
"No," was her stiff reply.
His eyes followed the rotation of her hand as he began to think. It wasn't like her to forget an explanation or refuse to offer one. It baffled him. He knew some people didn't like the holiday; he had heard customers talk of it both in a favorable and damning light. Most of who didn't like it, he found, had talked a lot about the devil and such. But Becca didn't talk about that kind of thing. He didn't think that was it. What other reason was there? The problem was frustrating, causing his brows to furrow a little.
Ten minutes of silence passed between them as Becca cleaned and he meditated. Finally his mouth dropped open and a question jumped out, "Why?"
"Why what, honey?" she asked, stopping to look at him.
"Why don't we celebrate Halloween?"
Her shoulders rose, tense at his question, but as she let out a weary breath her body relaxed just a little. She didn't know how to explain it, because she didn't really understand herself. All she knew was that the holiday always made her uneasy. Some in her situation would have found it liberating...but it just didn't work that way for her. And now, with kids, it wasn't as easy as shutting herself up in her house for the night. Ignoring it hadn't made it disappear like she had hoped.
She brought her fingers to her forhead, running her nails back against her scalp as she leaned back a little. "Look," she finally managed, knowing it wasn't fair to exclude him for no reason, "If you...still want to go...trick or treating or whatever...we can call one of the other parents and see if they'll take you."
"But-!" Jamie objected, his frustration obvious in his rash frown.
"I'll call someone tomorrow, ok? Don't worry about it, I'll find someone for you to go with," she interupted. She offered nothing else. He still didn't know and she honestly didn't know when she was going to tell him...but she certainly wasn't going to bring it up just because of this stupid holiday.
Jamie hid a glower. He jumped down from his seat and went back to his room as quickly as he could without running. He hated when she got like that; when she shut herself up and he couldn't get in. He didn't understand and that was the thing that bothered him the most. He hated problems he couldn't solve, codes he couldn't crack. Maybe he'd go upgrade RICEE's battery or something. Anything he knew he could handle without any roadlbocks. He'd had enough of those for tonight.
But one day he'd figure it out. He just had to.
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