The Rebellious Heart
I trod through the rubble up to the steps of the broken edifice looming above me. As I strain my neck to look up past the cement skeleton and it's garish pink sign, I catch a glimpse of a large winged shape clinging to the edge against the background of red-orange clouds spiraling overhead. I step up the crumbling stairs to the front door and push the door open with a deafening creak. The utter blackness beyond the doorway blinds me. Within two feet, the dull, red light of sunset from outside has faded into the shadows. I walk slowly, feeling with my feet, though I know the layout of this building like the back of my hand. Which is well, because the only light, coming from outside, is quickly fading. As my shoes automatically pick through the rubbage strewn about on the floor, my mind wanders, bringing up memories from a month ago of how my entire life changed in this very building.
I had been going for my daily run through the neighborhood when I decided to take a side street I'd never gone down before. I wasn't focused on the run, more on the possible plans for the evening, when I realized I had no idea where I was. I slowed my gait to a trot and looked around, taking in my surroundings. Graffiti covered every easily accessible surface. Trash floated by like pigeons on the wind. And the quiet. That's what really got me. I've never known a place as completely silent as the courtyard I finally stopped in. Although there was a road and several alleyways leading into the courtyard, it felt enclosed and suffocated. I drew in a deep breath just to ensure the presence of air in this strange place that felt both huge and claustrophobic simultaneously. Probably fifty windows stared out onto the enclosure, yet they felt empty, sightless, and dead. However, my eyes were drawn to the monumental, soaring structure that dominated the far side of the yard. It was apparently a hotel at one time with a gigantic pink sign that read, Rebellious Heart. Whereas the rest of the buildings sharing the yard looked spiritless, the Rebellious Heart absolutely trembled with life. As if in anticipation of possible guests, though those days seemed to be long gone, as expressed by the broken windows and boarded up door. I seemed compelled to go inside and even now I couldn't tell you if it was my own decision or some outside force that pulled me towards that barred portal, but I found myself inexplicably drawn to it. I yanked the boards free and began my exploration of the interior. After much stumbling about, resulting in many cuts and scratches, I found myself in the lobby at the base of a winding stairwell. From the light of a struck match I saw the wrought-iron wind into the void above me. The smell of sulfer and heat from the match as it singed my fingertips were the only outside inputs registering as I stared up and up and up. I could see no top to these stairs whatsoever. I began the climb, the musty smell of old furniture and peeling paint replacing the sulfer, and the cold from the metal bannister sent shivers down my spine. I quickly ascended, the creaking of each step under my light step quickening with my impatience to reach the top. I suddenly stopped. What was that noise? A sound like a pop followed by a richochet off of metal. Just when I had figured I was being paranoid, it happened again. And then again. The stair shifted violently beneath me. The whole of the staircase was breaking from the rotted and weakened wall. I broke into a full run up the stairs, misjudging several times and keeping myself upright simply by luck. My eyes, at this point fairly adjusted to the deep dark, spotted a glimmer off to my left. I leapt off the stair as it finally collapsed under its own monstrous weight. I seemed to drift slowly through the air as the huge, iron-scaled snake coiled into the darkness below me. As the dust from the impact rose up, billowing into the dark atmosphere, time sped back up and I flew into the chandelier I had glimpsed. As the once-exquisite lamp swung with my transferred momentum, I took one last leap and landed, crouched, on(what I learned later to be) the twenty-fifth floor. I squinted back over the railing as the chandelier's moldy fasteners finally released their withered grip on their host, and sent it plummeting as if in response to the fallen staircase's beckoning. As I quickly turned my head to avoid the next cloud of smoke, I thought I spied a shadow moving through a nearby doorway. I followed the apparition through the door to another staircase. "Oh, no. There is no way I'm going up there." I thought. I searched the rest of the floor before realizing that there was no way down. Only the staircase up. "Well at least its solid." I said to myself as I began the trek up the wooden stairwell. My journey ended as I reached a single door. As I opened it, the moon's light shot in, assaulting my darkness-accustomed eyes. I smelled the fresh air and understood how sweet it was. I wiped much of the sweat, dust, and grime out of my eyes and wandered onto the roof of the Rebellious Heart. I watched the moon bleed out over the city as it rose gloriously, leaving the roofs all around me dimly lit. Slowly the city awoke as lights sprang on and chimneys belched white smoke. As I looked down upon the city, a long shadow fell over me. Knowing that there is no way up from the ground anymore, I spun, fist cocked back to defend against whoever had been hiding up here. My eyes only registered a large figure before I was picked up by my closed fist and held up before my assaliant's face. "WHO ARE YOU?" was the rumbled query with which all strength left my body...
But of course, that was a month ago. I'd learned so much since then. "I'm a much wiser person now," I thought as I reached the large lobby and stood amid the ruins of the iron stair. I looked up into the darkness above me and whistled. I've been taught a great deal and have had such a good time. I count myself incredibly lucky for making the choices that brought me to the Rebellious Heart a month ago. And I do not take good luck lightly, hence my nightly return to the shabby hotel. My new friend brings me knowledge and I bring him companionship. I smile as I hear the heavy beat and flurry of wind that occompanies Azrael's arrival. He lands surprising lightly for his massive frame. His bat-like wings wrap around him like a cloak and clasp at the claw-joint. He smiles down at me, a terrifying expression if you're not used to it. "Hello, Little Human," he chides, "haven't scared you off yet, have I?" I shake my head and laugh, for this is what he says every night. I grab onto his long, rough tail as he offers it to me. With a flare of leathery wings and a burst of acceleration, I'm yanked up off the ground and we rocket to the stairwell on the 25th floor. My daunting task a month ago took 10 minutes where Azrael's flight took 5 seconds. Once again, we sit on the ledge and discuss. I tell Azrael all about my family and friends and all of the modern things of this world. In turn, he shares his life stories, some over a thousand years old. There we'll sit until the first rays of sunshine clear the eastern skyline and we are inable to continue our conversation till the morrow. I'm writing a book filled with the stories he tells me about his life. The life of Azrael, the gargoyle.
I had been going for my daily run through the neighborhood when I decided to take a side street I'd never gone down before. I wasn't focused on the run, more on the possible plans for the evening, when I realized I had no idea where I was. I slowed my gait to a trot and looked around, taking in my surroundings. Graffiti covered every easily accessible surface. Trash floated by like pigeons on the wind. And the quiet. That's what really got me. I've never known a place as completely silent as the courtyard I finally stopped in. Although there was a road and several alleyways leading into the courtyard, it felt enclosed and suffocated. I drew in a deep breath just to ensure the presence of air in this strange place that felt both huge and claustrophobic simultaneously. Probably fifty windows stared out onto the enclosure, yet they felt empty, sightless, and dead. However, my eyes were drawn to the monumental, soaring structure that dominated the far side of the yard. It was apparently a hotel at one time with a gigantic pink sign that read, Rebellious Heart. Whereas the rest of the buildings sharing the yard looked spiritless, the Rebellious Heart absolutely trembled with life. As if in anticipation of possible guests, though those days seemed to be long gone, as expressed by the broken windows and boarded up door. I seemed compelled to go inside and even now I couldn't tell you if it was my own decision or some outside force that pulled me towards that barred portal, but I found myself inexplicably drawn to it. I yanked the boards free and began my exploration of the interior. After much stumbling about, resulting in many cuts and scratches, I found myself in the lobby at the base of a winding stairwell. From the light of a struck match I saw the wrought-iron wind into the void above me. The smell of sulfer and heat from the match as it singed my fingertips were the only outside inputs registering as I stared up and up and up. I could see no top to these stairs whatsoever. I began the climb, the musty smell of old furniture and peeling paint replacing the sulfer, and the cold from the metal bannister sent shivers down my spine. I quickly ascended, the creaking of each step under my light step quickening with my impatience to reach the top. I suddenly stopped. What was that noise? A sound like a pop followed by a richochet off of metal. Just when I had figured I was being paranoid, it happened again. And then again. The stair shifted violently beneath me. The whole of the staircase was breaking from the rotted and weakened wall. I broke into a full run up the stairs, misjudging several times and keeping myself upright simply by luck. My eyes, at this point fairly adjusted to the deep dark, spotted a glimmer off to my left. I leapt off the stair as it finally collapsed under its own monstrous weight. I seemed to drift slowly through the air as the huge, iron-scaled snake coiled into the darkness below me. As the dust from the impact rose up, billowing into the dark atmosphere, time sped back up and I flew into the chandelier I had glimpsed. As the once-exquisite lamp swung with my transferred momentum, I took one last leap and landed, crouched, on(what I learned later to be) the twenty-fifth floor. I squinted back over the railing as the chandelier's moldy fasteners finally released their withered grip on their host, and sent it plummeting as if in response to the fallen staircase's beckoning. As I quickly turned my head to avoid the next cloud of smoke, I thought I spied a shadow moving through a nearby doorway. I followed the apparition through the door to another staircase. "Oh, no. There is no way I'm going up there." I thought. I searched the rest of the floor before realizing that there was no way down. Only the staircase up. "Well at least its solid." I said to myself as I began the trek up the wooden stairwell. My journey ended as I reached a single door. As I opened it, the moon's light shot in, assaulting my darkness-accustomed eyes. I smelled the fresh air and understood how sweet it was. I wiped much of the sweat, dust, and grime out of my eyes and wandered onto the roof of the Rebellious Heart. I watched the moon bleed out over the city as it rose gloriously, leaving the roofs all around me dimly lit. Slowly the city awoke as lights sprang on and chimneys belched white smoke. As I looked down upon the city, a long shadow fell over me. Knowing that there is no way up from the ground anymore, I spun, fist cocked back to defend against whoever had been hiding up here. My eyes only registered a large figure before I was picked up by my closed fist and held up before my assaliant's face. "WHO ARE YOU?" was the rumbled query with which all strength left my body...
But of course, that was a month ago. I'd learned so much since then. "I'm a much wiser person now," I thought as I reached the large lobby and stood amid the ruins of the iron stair. I looked up into the darkness above me and whistled. I've been taught a great deal and have had such a good time. I count myself incredibly lucky for making the choices that brought me to the Rebellious Heart a month ago. And I do not take good luck lightly, hence my nightly return to the shabby hotel. My new friend brings me knowledge and I bring him companionship. I smile as I hear the heavy beat and flurry of wind that occompanies Azrael's arrival. He lands surprising lightly for his massive frame. His bat-like wings wrap around him like a cloak and clasp at the claw-joint. He smiles down at me, a terrifying expression if you're not used to it. "Hello, Little Human," he chides, "haven't scared you off yet, have I?" I shake my head and laugh, for this is what he says every night. I grab onto his long, rough tail as he offers it to me. With a flare of leathery wings and a burst of acceleration, I'm yanked up off the ground and we rocket to the stairwell on the 25th floor. My daunting task a month ago took 10 minutes where Azrael's flight took 5 seconds. Once again, we sit on the ledge and discuss. I tell Azrael all about my family and friends and all of the modern things of this world. In turn, he shares his life stories, some over a thousand years old. There we'll sit until the first rays of sunshine clear the eastern skyline and we are inable to continue our conversation till the morrow. I'm writing a book filled with the stories he tells me about his life. The life of Azrael, the gargoyle.