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 Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2010 11:03 pm
The Old Forest
Hank enjoyed poking around in Metz's backyard. It was overgrown and wild and tangled and he found interesting things there. Metz kept the bit immediately around the back of the house tamed, but she said no one had bothered with the rest of it since before she moved in. So Hank explored by himself.
Today Hank was in his overalls again, and a pair of black galoshes to keep him from getting too muddy. He had a small canvas tote bag he had discovered in the basement, and a pair of safety scissors and a spade. Technically he was collecting plants to give to Metz to decorate the kitchen, but amid the jungle he also often found . . . things. Things he liked, and secreted away.
Several days ago he had found a bit of an old stone path, and on hands and knees, was able to crawl along it without getting tangled up in the overgrowth. Today he followed it farther.
There were lots of half-walls in the garden, flowerbeds that were overgrown, so he was used to those walls that came to eye level on him but would be only at knee level for an adult. But when he came to the end of the path he was surprised to find that it started to stretch along a very tall brick wall- full walls, as tall as the ones that marked the side of the garden around the rest of Metz's property. He looked up. There were tree branches poking over the wall. There were no trees anywhere else in the garden- just overgrown hedges.
Hank decided that on the other side of the wall there was a forest, and wondered how to get into it. So he followed the path as far as it went along the wall to the right.
It ended in a corner, with a dilapidated old fountain built into the wall that did not run, but had a bit of water at the very bottom. A monster face had its mouth open; that was where the water would come from, and it would puddle down. There was no gate.
Hank turned around and headed the other way. At the far end, there was a matching fountain, bone dry, and a wooden gate set flush into the wall.
Hank gave it a push. It didn't budge. He pushed harder. The gate did not move.
The hinges appeared rusty, but still whole, as did the lock and handle. Plainly to get into the wood he'd have to find the key.
That was ok for Hank. He liked finding things. And no one would no about it.
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Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 8:11 pm
The Shadow of the Past
Private Roleplay
Hank was determined to find the key for the gate in the garden. So determined, in fact, he was prepared to break his and Metz's most important unspoken rule. He was going to Snoop.
Snooping was very different from exploring the garden or finding things in the basement, because when he did those things he wasn't going to look for anything in particular, and he didn't go through Metz's personal stuff. She never bothered with his things, and he did the same for her.
The idea of seeing what was behind the locked gate in the garden had taken him over though. So he was systematically searching the house for a key that might fit into that lock.
The basement and main floor had turned up nothing. The library (his room) was also empty. The only places left were Metz's own room (locked), the attic, which was hard to get to because he couldn't reach the trapdoor or get the ladder down, the butler's pantry in the basement (locked) and the door Metz wouldnt talk about (locked). Those were the three locked door in the house, and Hank was convinced that the key lay behind one of them.
So while Metz was in the bath and he was supposed to be asleep, he took the flashlight from the desk and crept in jammied feet down the hallway. He shone his flashlight under the crack in the door, and couldn't see anything. He tried the keyhole, and putting the flashlight on the floor so it shone through the crack. He could see shapes: a large, squarish shape against one wall; window; a taller rectangular shape. He tried the doorknob. It squeaked,but held firm, so he went back to peering. It looked neat. He couldn't make out what the shapes were, but the room didn't look cluttered like most of the rest of the house.
"Hank? Hank, what are you doing out of bed. . WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"Metz was standing behind him in the hallway, quaking with rage. Hank shrunk back a little. Metz had never actually been angry with him before.
"I'm going to bed rightnow," he said and skittled off to the library. He crawled in bed and covered himself up, but for a long time he could here sounds in the hallway before Metz went back to her room.
The sounds sounded like crying, but that couldn't be right, could it?
Grownups didn't cry.
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Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 11:26 am
The Choices of Master Hank
Toddler Journal Entry 2
I MaDE MEtZ saDD thE othEr day.
I Dint MEEn too. I wus looKing for a KEY but I Dint FinD It. I aM noT goIng to PEEK in ThAat rum Ny Moar.
GiRls are pesky. MEtZ says Sun I aM goIng To Skul and tHere wIll be GiRls and I mUs bE nicE.
My CouSIns go To Skul too but I DoNt Know ThEm All.
I DonT wanT To go To Skul.
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2010 4:56 pm
Growing Pains
Child Journal Entry 1
Dear Book,
Metz has been talking to my aunts when she thinks that I'm not around, but she's not very sneaky. She's worried about me. I'm supposed to start at the Academy soon, but I'm not growing the way my cousins did.
Aunt Shiny said that Ask's wings came in pretty quickly, and Aunt Sun said that Edmund, Gavin, Kei, and Willow all got their wings at about the same time, too. My shoulder's don't even feel itchy or stretched like Edmund said his did. The wings should have come in by now.
The wings didn't come in, but I did have a growth spurt. Aunt Shiny went to pick me up and hug me and she said I was really heavy. Even heavier then Ask. I'm not fat though! I'm just big.
My eyes changed, too. The white parts turned black, really slowly over a few weeks. And now their reflective, like the lions on National Geographic. Metz was really worried that something was seriously wrong with me, so she ripped through all of the papers she got when she took me in. Eventually she found some paragraphs about “acceptable variations in demonstrated gene types, for Angelic or Demonic metas.” It also said that “the full implications of these variations have not been confirmed or explored, but should be monitored if your child demonstrates them.” I had to copy those over from the book, but Metz said as long as I wasn't in any pain, it wasn't an issue.
I still don't want to be the only freak without wings in a school full of angels.
Also, Gavin's irritated with me. I watched him walk across Aunt Sun's kitchen to get a cookie, and I said hello to him. No one else saw him, and he says it's my fault he got caught. I didn't know he was invisible at the time, I just figured Kei and Aunt Sun didn't care if he wanted a cookie.
I hope I get wings soon.
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Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 9:35 pm
Adventure Time
Child Journal Entry 2
Dear Book,
I haven't had any luck finding the key, but I finally found a way into the forest at the end of the garden. And I've been back every day since. My prickles have gotten stronger, so I decided to test them out on the back wall. I had to take my shoes and socks off, but it was really easy. I just climbed up and over, like Spiderman, and then left them behind when I got to the ground.
I think it's not a forest. I think it was an orchard. The trees are all in rows. And there's a little creek that winds through. I haven't explored it all yet, but there's some stone furniture and a few paths.
The best part of the orchard is this: no one else can get in. The other side of the door is overgrown with ivy, so I'd have to chop it down to open that up. And the tree canopy is too dense for anyone to fly through; they'd break their wings. So you have to go over the wall or teleport to get in.
I like this place. I like the pond and the stream, and the old furniture,a nd the nooks and crannies in the walls. I like the trees. And I like that it's mine. No one else comes back here. Metz lets the garden grow like a jungle.
I feel like this is a place for me. It's damp. It's shadowy. And it's wild.
It's not like the school. I don't belong there. The buildings are all wrong for me. It's why I'll never move into the dorms. I need to be here. Close to my orchard. I feel like I'm me when I'm there.
One day I might show it to someone. But not yet. For now, it's all mine.
Hank.
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Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 11:04 pm
Happy Birthday To ME
So, it was my birthday just a bit ago. May 1st. I thought everyone had forgotten - although who I expected to remember I don't know. I don't have a girlfriend, or any siblings, and I'm really not that close to my cousins. I pretty much have Metz, and the orchard.
Anyway, it turns our Metz did remember. She just didn't tell me, cause she had to wait for her dad to finish restoring it. She got me a 1968 Pontiac Roadrunner.
She didn't say it, but I'm pretty sure it's since I don't have wings and she thinks I should be able to get around on my own, since everyone else can, you know, fly.
Anyway, I'm glad I've got the car now. I don't have to rely on Metz to get back and forth to school, at least.
It would have been nice to have a bit of a celebration though.
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:35 pm
HOLY CRAP
Teen Entry 2.1
I ASKED ADELINE OUT. WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH ME.
There is also a bunch of other crap going down because apparently the roommate I never roomed with went crazy and now the humans around here hate metas or something, kind of like the mutants in the Xmen, but I can pass for human. Metz hasn't decided what we're doing about me, yet but I'm having trouble focusing on that.
CAUSE I ASKED ADELINE OUT. As friends but still. LIKE OUT. TOGETHER ALONE!
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 11:54 am
Serious Business
Teen Entry 2.2
A letter came to the house today with more about this whole deal. Basically, they want to turn the academy into a safehouse for metas. But I don't live on the grounds, and Metz doesn't know what to do - should she let me stay here, or should she make me go to school? If I stay home, will I be able to go to class? Will they let me leave to come home if I go to school? Metz is going to write a letter. She started crying yesterday, and went on about how she couldn't lose another child, because that's why the door is locked. It's the baby's room, the baby she lost with her husband in the car crash. She finally told me.
I didn't know what to say about it. I never knew the man, but I know Metz still misses him. I don't want to leave her alone here. And she won't go to the academy with me, she needs her routine.
If I stay here, I have Metz, and the house, and the orchard. But if I go to the Academy, there will be other Metas like me. And Adeline.
So, I don't know what to do. It's not like people know I'm a meta. I don't get out much. And sunglasses are a wonderful thing, and my hair hides my ears, and dyed hair is not a big thing these days.
I wish I had someone aside from Metz to talk about this stuff with.
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 10:01 pm
Just Passing Through
Teen Journal Entry 3
Dear Book,
I think I'm going to go with suggesting a picnic. And I can cook. All that kind of thing. For me and Adeline, I mean.
I feel bad we can't go somewhere nicer, but I don't think she'd like the stares. And, well, I don't know where to go. Really. Maybe all this stuff will die down and I'll be able to take her out properly.
What if it doesn't, though?
Also, I'm getting really tired of waking up so early so I can get to school before dark. And waiting there so long so I can come home after dark.
I don't want to move into the dorms, though. I don't feel comfortable. And honestly, I don't feel comfortable that Adeline and all of my cousins are there, too. I mean, that crazy guy is there.
Ugh, I just want to give Adeline a nice time, not make this a big drama.
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Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 10:58 pm
Doldrums
Teen Journal Entry 4
Dear Book,
I don't know what has happened. It's like ever since the humans realized metas were actually different, every one has shut themselves up inside of themselves. Everyone just goes to class and back to their room - or in my case, back home.
No one is doing anything, even the little kids. It's like everyone is too scared to go out and do stuff so we all try to be busy and avoid it. I've been working on the cooking - I think I'm getting pretty good, but I still haven't phoned Adeline up about the date and it's not like cookery is actually going to do anything for the world. It's just what I'm doing to hide.
I have cleaned up the orchard a bit more. Or at least piled the dead branches in one place.
Yeah. I don't know what is going on here or what I can do about it, but I want something to change so I don't spend the rest of my life like this.
Maybe I should start by phoning Adeline.
Hank
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