|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 7:03 pm
Isaiah had lately been indulging in an urge to wander when he would rather be sleeping, and today had brought him to a part of town far from his own house. The sun was bright in the sky and the air was comfortably settled in-between warm and cool, and with the people milling around this oddly high class and undoubtedly hip-for-the-trendy-college student street, Isaiah felt pleasantly like an outsider looking into something rare and entertaining to see. The fact that he was carrying a baby in a blanket-stuffed cardboard box as he walked did not diminish this.
"Nice day, ain't it?" he said to the baby in the box.
Uziri looked up at Isaiah and burbled, more interested in her pacifier than a one-sided conversation.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 8:38 pm
It was just another Tuesday, like any other Tuesday. Ethan had to crawl out of bed (or rather the floor, since he gave Caden his bed) at the early hour of 11:30am. He thought about how glum he felt once again, the same routine thought that pops into his mind every week that happens to include this horrific day named Tuesday (which is every week). Glancing down sleepy-eyed at his little fog-creature, Ethan muttered some words that the boy failed to understand, though the same words came out of that mouth every seven days.
"Class is going to start at 2:00pm, so I better hurry the hell up or else I'll miss it for sure."
To Caden (and most likely everybody else) Ethan's words lacked any sort of emotion, thus explaining the difficulty for this little baby to pick up its meaning. Nonetheless, Ethan had his own explanation as to why he was feeling so beat. See, he had been at a club last night -- some sort of a bore -- so he decided to get a few shots to lighten his mood. To Ethan's surprise, the dance floor didn't get any hotter with the ingestion of alcohol and neither did the girls. He came home at six in the morning.
Anyway. So Ethan had a night out, and now he's back; that's completely normal. What's also completely normal is that, like every college student, he takes one and a half hours in order to get ready for his public appearances. You can't blame him, though, each thing on his to-do list was incredibly tedious, such as "2 follow up on Becks's latest hairdo and attempt to pull it off as an original". Finally, Ethan was as decent as someone could be with last season's corduroy jacket. He grabbed his canvas bag and stuffed in a few pens, his cell phone, Caden, his notebook, and was down the stairs in a flash.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 1:29 pm
Wandering past what looked like the b*****d child of an art gallery, pretentious bookstore and over-priced coffee shop, Isaiah caught a whiff of coffee and wondered offhandedly what it tasted like. He was more of a tea person anyway, when not savagely taking his liquid meals fresh from unsuspecting barenecked bystanders.
"Do I want tea?" he asked Uziri.
"Gnnrf?" Uziri countered.
"You make an excellent argument."
"Nppht."
Isaiah resumed on his way past the shop, cheerily ignoring the sidelong looks he was getting from people, most of them scandalized at the sight of a hapless baby being carried in a box by no doubt a penniless hooligan out to sell her on the curb for booze money.
The notion made Isaiah laugh.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 4:43 pm
Ethan's "Ye Olde English" class was halfway across the college town so naturally, he took the Vespa. With Caden carefully resting in the canvas bag, the two companions FINALLY took off. They rode past Turnbury Square and zoomed down Fifth Avenue, past that coffee shop Ethan and Caden happen to frequent, hurrying towards the concrete buildings and oaken classroom doors at the end of the road. A peculiar dance of bobbing heads was not unusual for Tuesday rides to class. Caden peered out in the comfort of the shade, while Ethan the warmth -- away from the shadows of trees. The autumn sunlight cast down at such an angle that wrapped the silver Vespa, the spirit-child, and the foreigner in its strange but well-choreographed bubble. If he could have seen the scene himself, Ethan would rapidly be over his hangover. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. All things bright and beautiful appeared monotonous to the wasted teen.
"It's too late for coffee now, Caden."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:18 pm
Now that he'd gained the attention of many more people than he wanted to, the amusement at the dirty looks was starting to wear off and now Isaiah was just getting annoyed.
"C'mon, Zee, apparently our existence is offending people," he said loudly to the baby, glaring pointedly at a particularly buxom young woman who was looking at the hapless young man as though he was something the cat had dragged in, eaten and rejected halfway through digestion. He turned abruptly and stepped off the sidewalk, walking into the street and realizing maybe looking both ways actually was a good idea when a Vespa appeared and proceeded to move directly towards him.
"Yerk!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 11:52 pm
It all happened in a flash, as they often say. Nothing was out of the ordinary, except for the guy and his box... neither watched where they were going. As in, he just walked out onto the street while staring at the ground -- that's not a problem, of course -- if there wasn't a small motorcycle heading straight towards you. Kind, gentle, hungover, grumpy Ethan swirved. The grayish Vespa made a halting, squealing, smoking 256 degree turn, until it finally faced the victim. It was impressive, really, to everyone but the student, who knew he had done it this time.
No, he didn't kill anybody; however, he was going to be late to class. With Caden peeking out from under the flap of his bag, Caden slowly got off and strolled over to the stunned pedestrian.
"Let me guess, you want some contact numbers. Let's get this over with."
Caden huddled in the little canvas bag and rolled his eyes. He knew it was going to happen at SOME point in time. Better sooner than later.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 7:01 am
Greatly relieved he hadn't just been run down like a stray dog and embarrassed he'd instigated this entire incident, Isaiah shook his head hard and felt himself blush brilliantly.
"I'm really sorry, it was totally my fault, I wasn't looking-" he rambled, shifting his hold on Uziri's box and holding it closer to his chest.
Uziri, realizing she'd missed something that had the potential to be exciting or funny (or most likely some combination of the two) pushed herself up unsteadily and grabbed hold of the box's side, cat-like eyes peering over the edge at the man on the Vespa balefully.
"Pfah!" she said.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 2:48 pm
This was a total surprise. The stranger was apologetic, definitely not one of those familiar Brits that hate Americans. As the adrenaline rush from the event trailed away, so did Ethan's huffing-puffing hautiness.
"I'm..."
This was hard, apparently, for a splendidly spoiled celebrity kid to say.
"It's really..."
Not to mention him being stunned by the reaction of someone he nearly mowed down.
"Hey man, you alright?"
Though what Ethan had meant to say didn't exactly pop right out of his mouth, he did his best. After an awkward second, Ethan bent over to give this stranger with a box a hand, and pulled him up.
That was when the green/yellow/orange eyed baby popped out of its box and gurgled some sort of greeting. Realizing that this was what he had almost destroyed, Ethan felt his heart being tugged towards somewhere he'd rather not go. However, at this point, it wasn't up to him anymore. He shivered.
"I am SO sorry."
Inside the bag hanging from his shoulder, a turquoise light pulsed, and fog seeped out of a tiny opening.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 10:54 pm
Grateful for the help getting back up, Isaiah nodded.
"Yeah, I'm alright...coulda made you crash, I'm so stupid, I'm really sorry..." he said, holding the box against his hip and brushing himself off with his free hand. His arm was a bit scraped, but it would heal soon enough, so Iz paid it little mind.
Uziri caught sight of something emerging from the bag, and her eyes narrowed. Smoke? Mist? Nerve gas?
"Bnah," she said, pointing at the leaking stuff awkwardly.
"Huh? Oh...um, is something in your bag leaking? There's...huh, looks like smoke, kind of..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 11:22 pm
What an ice breaker; little Caden had saved the day without even knowing it. His noticeable appearance finally diverted both humans' attention away from the problem at hand in order to fix their eyes on his slowly solidifying form. Of course, this wasn't the best time, or the most convenient place, for a baby boy to come out and play. That, however, didn't stop the spirit of the London Fog. His feet emerged from the cloud of fog first, with the rest of his body gently piling on top, until every strand of his hair was built from the grayish puff. His calm and composed turquoise eyes, which now were colored like the still Caribbean Ocean on a cloudy day, rested on Isaiah and did not budge. Most people wouldn't know, but Ethan seemed to be able to read Caden's mind.
"You're not exactly British, are you? And this baby of yours, she's something special, like this little guy here, isn't she?"
A rare smile graced Ethan's face (Ethan doesn't smile at strangers too often because of his family's circumstances).
"I could go for some coffee right about now, you?"
He lit a cigarette and started walking towards the warm coffeehouse, of course, expecting the rest to follow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 12:39 pm
Isaiah watched with jaw slightly agape at the mist-turned-infant. That was something you just didn't see too often, if at all. At the man's question, Isaiah regained himself and shook his head.
"British? No, not really..."
So is that where he'd wandered to, then? All the way into England? It would've been just Isaiah's luck to manage to wander from one world to the next and not even realize it. Of course, that brought up the question on how he'd get home again, but he'd worry about that later. He followed after the man that had nearly run him over, eyeing the mist-creature with curiosity.
Uziri watched the boy as well with a speculative expression. Hmm...he might be worth her time, perhaps.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 7:45 pm
With his back turned away from Caden, Ethan was not able to translate for us the cause and (desired) effect of the fog-baby's following course of actions.
Seeing that his guardian had walked off towards the coffee shop, Caden followed willingly. He didn't go right away, though. See, this little boy decided to be some sort of a gentleman (or perhaps he just an agenda of his own), and ushered Isaiah and the baby girl into the coffee shop first. All this time, Caden did not take his darkened eyes off of Isaiah. The slight "encouragement" from the spirit-child was meant to be gentle, but to a bystander it was actually a little bit rough. If Ethan would have seen it, he could have recognized an urgency in Caden's actions.
Wide turquoise eyes took a short peek outside the coffee shop before its oaken doors shut the fog in.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 7:54 pm
Having recovered from his initial shock at Caden's appearance, Isaiah paid the child little mind as he entered the coffee shop. His stomach growled dismally for the first time, and Iz sniffed the fragrant air- by turn sweet and pungent- and resisted the urge to shove his way to the front of the burgeoning line and get some tea.
Uziri shared none of Isaiah's short attention span, and continued to watch Caden. She blinked little, not wanting to disrupt her view and miss a milisecond worth of something. The tendrils of her shadow-aura curled and waved about behind her, trying to mimic Caden's smooth movements.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 10:24 pm
Having no concept of what money is as Ethan does, and having nearly run someone over, one would find themselves in the position to treat his victim to whatever their heart desired (of course, it has to be found inside the coffee house).
"So, uh, this is kinda my favorite place. Pick what you want, my treat."
The celebrity's child strolled toward the front of the line, without looking at the menu hanging on the wall once. Ethan coughed a little to get Isaiah's attention.
"Well?"
In the meantime, little Caden was having fun with Uziri himself. After slipping in, he finally took note of her existence (by now he was solid). He was looking up at her, inside a box, and she was staring back with an equally intense gaze. The two held that gaze, and it looked as if they were speaking through their eyes. They weren't. In fact, they stared just to stare, to observe something fantastic. Somehow, though, Caden gestured for Uziri to come out of the box. Maybe it was the work of a sudden anxiety that encroached on the two of them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 3:11 pm
Isaiah nodded, setting down Uziri's box and looking up at the menu.
"Hmm...I'll get the darjeeling white tea, please," he said to Ethan. "Zee'll have one'a them mint-brownie thingies."
Wow, Iz thought to himself a beat later. I just managed to sound pretentious and idiotic at the same time.
Uziri watched Caden with that same unflagging interest, and stood up unsteadily. The box tipped over and Uziri tumbled gracelessly out of it. She sat on the floor, uncharacteristically silent. She tilted her head to one side and reached out to Caden in expectance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
