|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 11:45 pm
 / Meeting RP between Felix and Aleister The clock seemed to tick louder with every passing minute; tick-tock, tick-tock. It taunted him, he could hear it laugh at him from across the room on the wall.
“What are you working so hard for? Why don’t you look at me?”
No, no. If he looked at the thing he’d only upset himself, he knew it was late and he should probably be in bed, but he was in the middle of studying the War of 1812, too busy trying to memorize dates and names. The young man rubbed his forehead and sighed, hunched over his book on the living room table, papers scattered all around him with scribbles and scratches that were supposed to be notes on the chapter.
Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock.
He couldn’t take it anymore, sharply his deep green eyes shot to the clock like he was staring disapprovingly at an annoying child. His expression dulled and his mouth frowned when the time registered in his mind: 1:03 AM. Go figure.
The man strung his fingers through his hair and pushed it back out of his eyes, leaning back against the couch to look at the ceiling and think, the moment his eyes shut it felt like a wave of ecstasy rushed over his body. It felt good to shut his eyes, when was the last time he could actually shut his eyes and relax? When was the last time he actually went to bed on time and had a good nights sleep? He opened his eyes halfway and stared blankly at the ceiling again, these questions floating in his mind while he listened to the clock in the background. It took him a moment before he stood up, stretching his arms high above himself and yawning.
“I’ve studied enough for tonight, I think…” he said to himself in a low tone, arms falling limply to his sides.
He left his papers on the table as he left the room, climbing the stairs to his bedroom. He opened the door and let the cool air from inside rush out at him, it felt nice and so inviting. The man’s feet shuffled across the hardwood floor, his body simply flopping to the bed when he reached it. Ahh, his bed felt so nice. He turned his face into the pillows and let himself drift off to sleep.
”Felix, don’t you think you work hard enough, boy? How late were you up ‘til this time?”
“U-until about 4 or so, I think.”
“That really can’t be healthy for you. Haven’t you tried relaxing?”
“Relaxing, sir? I really… I don’t really have time for that.”
“Of course you do, you need to make time for it, that’s your problem. Why don’t you try reading a book? Something not about world history, hm? It might do your mind some good to get away.”
“Get away…”
A jolt in his body shook him awake violently; Felix yelped and felt himself fall from his bed to the floor with a loud thud. His arm and leg still clung tightly to the edge of the bed while the rest of him now lay face up on the ground. He pushed himself away from the bed and grabbed the clock on his nightstand, the bright green numbers showed it had only been three hours that he’d slept.
“Well, I guess that’s my fault.” He sighed as he put the clock back, “I’ve screwed up my sleeping pattern, it’s what I get.”
Felix rolled his eyes and stood up, sitting down on his bed and leaning back, arms propping his body up behind him.
“Now what…” The question seemed to echo in the room and fade.
He couldn’t go back to bed, that’d be pointless, he was too awake. A light clicked on in his head after a minute of thinking, getting up he drug himself downstairs and opened the door to his study. Four walls of bookshelves full of books looked back at him, it was a more pleasant feeling than when he shut his eyes. His professor said he should try reading to relax, it made enough sense to Felix, he may spend night and day reading but it didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy it, the subjects just got… tiring. It was time he sat down and tried something new, maybe it would put him to sleep.
Felix ran a hand over the covers of a few books on the shelf closest to him and looked around, he didn’t know what most of these books were since 90% of them weren’t his to begin with. The previous owners of his house had left them there and locked the study up, taking the key with them when they moved. He’d only just recently broken into the room but had only bothered to go looking through the history material. A tingle shot through Felix’s body, an excited feeling over what he could possibly find in here.
“Hmm… Wow, there are a lot of fictional stories in here, I wonder what the old owners were like.”
The young man looked over the shelves in awe at all the titles, some he’d heard of and some he hadn’t but all of them sounded magical. One by one his eyes scanned over their bindings and read the dusty titles, a series that took up almost half of the shelf it was on caught his interest the most, the books were so big and thick. He placed a finger on each of the books, tapping them as he went down the line and reading their number aloud to himself. Felix stopped when he reached near the middle of the line and raised a brow, something was wrong here, there was a little gap between these two volumes. It couldn’t be the next one in the series, the corresponding number was right beside it! His index finger fell between the gap, sliding down until it hit something solid. It stroked along the edge of the object and down more until he hit the wood shelf, repeating the action a couple more times to be sure of what he was feeling.
“I think it’s another book…” Felix’s eyes widened slightly, sparkling with curiosity, “Who put this here? This can’t be where it belongs.”
It took a few tries to pry the small book from between the two others, it had been jammed in there pretty well. When he finally managed to get it out, a puff of dust following after it and into his face, he coughed and brushed the cover to examine it. The book was old but still in good shape, by the cover it looked to him like an adventure novel.
“’Thieves’ World’.” Felix whispered, twisting the book around in his hands and thumbing through the pages, “What a weird name for a book. Sounds kind of cynical…”
A book with that kind of title who knew if he’d like it or not, but he shrugged the thought off and tucked it under his arm, rushing back upstairs to his room and turning on his little table lamp. The man settled himself on his bed and leaned against the backboard, pillow propping his lower back up. He stuck his finger into a random page to read, just to test the water. Everyone did it, they see a book that looks interesting and open to a random page to be sure.
Oh, so it wasn’t written by just one person? It was an accumulation of works, well that’s nice he thought as a small smile settled on his face, at least he wouldn’t get disinterested because by the time he could there would be something new to read. To his luck he’d opened up to the beginning of a story, ‘A Fugitive Art’, well that sounded promising. Felix cringed putting the two titles together and wondered what he was in store for.
Well, all for the sake of trying something new, right?
------
Light broke past his curtains into his room and over the sleeping face of the young man. He turned his head and shut his eyes as tightly as he could to try and block the sun’s rays but it didn’t do much. Felix shook his head again and pushed himself up, his back was so sore from sleeping upright against the backboard, but the pain would subdue once he started to move. The book he’d began was resting on his stomach, sitting like a small paper tent on the page he’d left off at. He set it as it was on his nightstand and stood, arms stretching as far as they could above him as he let out one long yawn. They flopped to his sides and his feet began their shuffle across the floor to the door, down the stairs and to the kitchen. Felix mindlessly began to start his day, making coffee to wake himself up before he attempted to make breakfast.
He took his cup into the living room and sat down at the table again where he’d left his work, looking down at it with irritation, muttering curses into his coffee as he drank. The cup was slammed down beside him as his other arm propped his head up above his book, picking up where he’d left off the night before.
Of course it was annoying to do this day after day, and yes the story he’d began last night was actually very interesting, but be that as it may he had things to do and wasn’t going to break away from what he worked so hard to do.
A few sentences in he stopped, looking up into the kitchen. He could have sworn he just heard something. No, no, it was probably his cats. Felix went back to his book and sighed, bringing the cup of coffee to his mouth again.
His hand stopped as he caught something in the corner of his eye, something green and orange and much taller than a cat. Slowly he turned his head to see a small child… in his house. Just… looking at him. They stared into each others eyes for a long and intense few moments until the child lifted his hand and pointed at the other man. Felix cocked a brow, still shocked that this kid had gotten into his house.
“You.” The boy stated bold and clear, “Paint. Now.”
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 2:44 am
Document 1, Day One.
I... I don't know. I just simply do not know. This morning I woke up and came downstairs to find a small child in my house!
In my HOUSE.
He won't tell me how he got in here, he won't tell my WHY he's in here! All he keeps doing is asking for paint! I managed to find some crayons for him to play with, something to keep him occupied while I try and calm down.
A child... there's a child in my house...
I'm watching him in the living room right now, he's at my work table just scribbling away, he looks very content right now. I wonder where he ran away from. I should probably go to the police, he has to be a runaway, he looks too young to be in some sort of gang.
He better not have broken a window to get in here...
Good god what do I do, there's a child in my house!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 5:12 pm
Document 2, Day One.
Well, I managed to get my thoughts together and even make breakfast for myself and my... little guest. He seemed pretty happy to eat something, but he still didn't say a word to me no matter what I asked him. He just sat there at my table and colored away...
I gave the police a call this afternoon as well and asked about any reports of missing children, particularly any with bright orange hair. They weren't very helpful, but according to what the officer said no children had been reported missing for the last two months.
If that's the case, where did this child come from? Maybe his family doesn't know he's missing yet...
I couldn't think of what to do so I decided to give my sister a call too, I told her everything and she said that I should try and keep him here until something comes up, reasonable advice.
.... but I don't really know how to take care of children. I don't even know this child's name yet, and who knows how long he'll be here!
I guess I should clean out the guest room...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:29 am
Document 3, Day One Two.
I hadn't even noticed the time. I guess it's tomorrow now. Haha....
I spent the whole afternoon preparing the guest room, I think it looks fairly decent now. Enough to temporarily keep a child happy.
Oh! Speaking of the kid, when I went downstairs to check up on him I found this scribbled in my text book. It kind of pissed me off to see he'd ruined a page in my schoolbook, but oh well, I decided to rip it out and keep it. (I'll have to explain to my professor what happened to that page though....)
"Aleister". I think this is the boy's name. He seemed to respond to it when I yelled at him. He also doesn't like to be yelled at, I found out, my white pants are now red and white. Good thing crayon can come off of that.
He's asleep now though, I put him to bed hours ago. I still don't know what I'm going to do, I might call my sister again and see if she can come down to help me out. It's only been one day, but I feel so overwhelmed. I just need someone here to help me out right now...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:46 am
Document 4, Day Two.
Didn't get a lot of sleep last night, was up studying the American Civil War and probably went to sleep around 3 or 4. The boy- Aleister, he woke me up today. I kept hearing noises downstairs and, come to find out, he was playing with my cats Cow and Waffle.
They flipped over my study table and made a fort out of it and the couch....
I couldn't yell at him, it was too cute. He even made a little sign for the front that said "Secret Clubhouse".
He spoke to me, too! More than just asking for paint this time! Though... it was only to tell me I wasn't allowed in his clubhouse without the right password, but it was something. It seems like he's getting pretty comfortable here, which is good for now.
Like I said I would, I gave sis a call and she came down, she's still here now. I can see her talking with Aleister through his clubhouse walls, she's doing her best to get information out of him. Women have a better chance doing that kind of thing, especially when it's to a young boy.
That came out a little perverted... I'm scribbling that out. She just has a way with kids, like most women do. Aleister seems to like her, he's teasing her and laughing, talking much more to her than he has to me. That's a good thing.
My sister suggested that I try and take him out for a bit, to the park or something. She said it might help him open up about where he ran away from. Why didn't I think of that?
To the park it is then...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:06 am
Document 5, Day Two.
This boy doesn't know how to sit still. Today was terrible.
I took Aleister to the park, it was alright at first while my sister was with us, he was well behaved and clung to her the entire time. When she had to leave, though, that's when things went downhill. He didn't want anything to do with me and he ran off. He ran. off. Just- just woosh! Gone! I had no idea where he went!
He had me in a panic.
By the time I found him he'd run so far away from the park I'm surprised I even went that far looking for him. Thankfully he was talking to two other children who were with their parents, or guardians, whatever they were. I didn't take too long to chat with them.
When we got home he wouldn't shut up about his 'new friends' to sis, and I ended up having to tell her the whole story, she scolded me for letting him run off like that but she also said something that kind of hit me hard. She said:
"It looks like he made some friends today at least, that's a nice thing. You could take a lesson or two from him, mon cher."
I don't know, it kind of stung to hear.
My head is still buzzing, I need a nap I think... Today was too much... I can't wait until his parents come looking for him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 2:23 am
Document 6, Day Seven.
Some time has passed now and I've started to get used to this chil- I mean Aleister. Actually, I've learned he likes to be called Al. I've learned quite a few things about him in the last few days, he's finally started to open up to me, but not enough to find out who his parents are and where his home is.
Though he did share some things with me; he's very avid about his art, apparently nothing in the world is more important to him than his art (he told me so, word for word.) and even showed me a few of the things he'd drawn. He's very good at it for a boy his age. Al seemed pleased that I was interested in his passion, and he even asked me what my passion in life was.
It fascinated him I suppose, because now he sits with me while I study and asks questions. He says he's helping me become a better teacher.
The kid's been well behaved, though he's still a bit of a brat from time to time. Despite our 'bonding' I think he enjoys pissing me off more than he does anything else. Just the other day he decided it would be "Super fun!!!" to take all the macaroni out of the cupboards and glue them to the kitchen floor.
I will admit, the design was very impressive...
I made him pick each noodle off the floor though. By hand.
Really I don't know how I feel about the kid, I don't want to get attached to him since I know soon he'll have to go home, but something about him gives me a warm feeling in my stomach, a kind of feeling I haven't had in a long time.
Maybe I just enjoy the company.
Oh god dammit, now he's spreading glitter on the cats!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 3:20 pm
Document 7, Day Seventeen.
The house has been fairly quiet for the last couple of days. There hasn't been any news of a child like Aleister missing (and trust me, I've been putting it out there), so I'm starting to wonder if he even has a home to go back to. He doesn't remember one, so maybe he really doesn't have one. That's not unusual, right? Children being abandoned at a young age, too young for them to remember?
It actually has me in a panic, I'm not prepared to raise a child. I mean, I don't mind children, not at all. But actually taking care of one... that frightens me.
I don't want to make the same mistakes my parents made with me...
I've thought about giving him to an orphanage, or to someone who would know what to do with a child in his position, but he's gotten too used to living here. To me it seems wrong, besides, I already cleared out the spare bedroom which he's already seen fit to flail paint all over.
Well, it makes sense to me to keep him. I'm not sure how I feel about it, but in a way I found Al so he's my responsibility and no one elses.
I think I make a pretty good dad.. Al seems happy. He's making friends, I've been tutoring him on and off when he comes to sit with me.
Cooking for the monster might be an issue. The little jerk didn't bother holding back to tell me how much my food sucked.
Thank you. I already knew that....
Maybe I can should hire a chef, can people do that?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 9:03 pm
Document 8, Day Twenty-two.
As hope to find Aleister's real family grows dimmer for me, I've begun to adjust how I treat him. He's become less like a temporary guest and more like a permanent son now, and I'm actually starting to get used to this role as a father. In fact, we've been going out places more often. He's very fascinated by the city, so we end up going there at least once during the week and doing something, this time without him running away (though I worry).
Aleister drew this the other day for his friend, Amir. He tells me they're best friends, emphasis on the best. He seems to like to invite the boy over without my permission a lot, something I should try and discuss with him later.
Amir seems like a good boy though, very quiet. He seems a bit nervous when he's around me, too, I wonder why that is... Either way, they get along so I'm not too worried. Al seems pretty happy to have someone near his age to be around, and he's always excited when Amir comes over.
I myself have started to get to know the other family, too. I guess the boy lives in a mansion with a so called Doctor Yam-Yam (Aleister had to correct me) and many servants to assist him. It's pretty unusual, definitely out of my comfort zone to tell you the truth, I always feel weird when I have to go over there. An unusual atmosphere for such a young boy like Amir, but who am I to judge?
There's also one particular resident there that I've become acquainted with; Sergei. I guess he's one of the many chefs in the household, and he seems nice enough. Very tall man, a bit intimidating, and something about him makes me uncomfortable, but he's polite and friendly. According to Amir he can cook anything, too bad I can't have him around my house for that.
Amelia's said that she's proud of me, because I've 'stopped being a creepy hermit man'. I'm not too sure how to take that....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 7:29 pm
Document 9, Day Thirty-four.
The other day I was reading a book to Al and he told me he really liked the main character in the particular story we were reading, the character was artistic like he was, he told me. He said that he wished he could bring his work to life too, just like that character did.
It was adorable. He was so excited, and he told me it was his first book he'd ever read (that he could remember). He said that tomorrow he was going to tell Amir all about it, he just seemed so proud.
It's been cozy, everything's been really calm and settled around the house. Aleister has been getting out more and meeting new people, in fact he made a new friend named Dasdeva, apparently he's artistic too and is friends with Amir. I had the pleasure of making his 'mother's acquaintance, she seemed like a nice woman.
Al keeps blathering on and on about a slumber party too, I'm not sure what all that's about, but... it sounds like it could be a fun experience for him.
Things have been eventful, to say the least.
It's gotten late and I've taken to reading the rest of the book we started, I'd forgotten I had found it in the old study until today. It really is a good book.
Something about the character Aleister likes gives me an odd feeling, I can't really describe it. But when I read his story, I feel almost like I'm having fits of deja-vu. Couldn't ever tell you why.
What was this book called again? Oh, right, Thieves World.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
