Day 24: I Hear Her Singing Through The Wires
So, I'm not reaching my goal of 30 days of night writing. I AM finishing this story though. More thoughts on the whole process tomorrow.
Was it better knowing Hannah wondered. There might still be time to turn back and go home. Her parents would ave to admit to the thing they had promised. They could move away, go somewhere without wires and clowns and mad dancers.
“They met the king on the road and he drove them where they needed to go”.
“The hospital?”
“Sounds likely. They were stranded with a broken-down car and the king and his men went by. Your parents agreed that you would be his. They probably thought it was some sort of joke”.
Hannah tried to picture it, but could not. She could not imagine her parents giving her away, even when she had yet to be born.She could not imagine the king of the carnival as a creature that any mother would trust her daughter to.
“Why did they do that?” Hannah wasn't exactly asking the gatekeeper or anyone.
A woman danced by. She wore a garment which followed every contour of her body. It seemed to be woven from teeth.
“Your parents were different people then, I imagine. I know that thy lived above your grandmother's garage. After their promise they were able to move to that nice house in the country. Your mother quit her job to become a writer”.
Hannah was quiet for a while. Her mind felt like some cold unknown place.
“I imagine they forgot it along the way. People tend to forget the genuinely outrageous”.
“They forgot?”
“In the end I don't know what's going on in their heads. I only know what the king knows. Your father threw away the mask that was meant for you”.
Hannah looked down. She had not given the mask much thought after the lady had urged her to put it on. It was still in her hand. The thin leather straps that were meant to keep it in place had wrapped themselves tightly around her wrist.
“You never really lose those things”. The gatekeeper said. “Keep it close, Hannah. You may not want it now, but you will.”
Hannah touched the mask with her free hand. It seemed like such a brittle thing. Heavy paper and cheap rhinestones around the eyes. She could rip it if she wanted to.
“I can still leave, right?”
“Certainly” the gatekeeper said, wiping his mouth with a yellowed handkerchief. Had there been some dark drop at the corner of his mouth? “You can leave at any time”. He put the handkerchief back in his pocket and pulled out a pocketwatch. He looked at it and sighed. Hannah could not quite hear it, but she felt it.
“What is it?”
“It is time for the king's appearance. Don't you want to come. His majesty will want to see you”.
Hannah frowned “Why should I want to see him?”
“Because you are curious and you want to understand. And because you can leave at any time”.
The plangent blare of trumpets filled the night air and the revelers grew quiet. The gatekeeper stood up stiffly and for a moment he looked old and tired. He held out his hand to Hannah. After a few moments she took it. This entry was originally posted at http://hafwit.dreamwidth.org/18474.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
Was it better knowing Hannah wondered. There might still be time to turn back and go home. Her parents would ave to admit to the thing they had promised. They could move away, go somewhere without wires and clowns and mad dancers.
“They met the king on the road and he drove them where they needed to go”.
“The hospital?”
“Sounds likely. They were stranded with a broken-down car and the king and his men went by. Your parents agreed that you would be his. They probably thought it was some sort of joke”.
Hannah tried to picture it, but could not. She could not imagine her parents giving her away, even when she had yet to be born.She could not imagine the king of the carnival as a creature that any mother would trust her daughter to.
“Why did they do that?” Hannah wasn't exactly asking the gatekeeper or anyone.
A woman danced by. She wore a garment which followed every contour of her body. It seemed to be woven from teeth.
“Your parents were different people then, I imagine. I know that thy lived above your grandmother's garage. After their promise they were able to move to that nice house in the country. Your mother quit her job to become a writer”.
Hannah was quiet for a while. Her mind felt like some cold unknown place.
“I imagine they forgot it along the way. People tend to forget the genuinely outrageous”.
“They forgot?”
“In the end I don't know what's going on in their heads. I only know what the king knows. Your father threw away the mask that was meant for you”.
Hannah looked down. She had not given the mask much thought after the lady had urged her to put it on. It was still in her hand. The thin leather straps that were meant to keep it in place had wrapped themselves tightly around her wrist.
“You never really lose those things”. The gatekeeper said. “Keep it close, Hannah. You may not want it now, but you will.”
Hannah touched the mask with her free hand. It seemed like such a brittle thing. Heavy paper and cheap rhinestones around the eyes. She could rip it if she wanted to.
“I can still leave, right?”
“Certainly” the gatekeeper said, wiping his mouth with a yellowed handkerchief. Had there been some dark drop at the corner of his mouth? “You can leave at any time”. He put the handkerchief back in his pocket and pulled out a pocketwatch. He looked at it and sighed. Hannah could not quite hear it, but she felt it.
“What is it?”
“It is time for the king's appearance. Don't you want to come. His majesty will want to see you”.
Hannah frowned “Why should I want to see him?”
“Because you are curious and you want to understand. And because you can leave at any time”.
The plangent blare of trumpets filled the night air and the revelers grew quiet. The gatekeeper stood up stiffly and for a moment he looked old and tired. He held out his hand to Hannah. After a few moments she took it. This entry was originally posted at http://hafwit.dreamwidth.org/18474.html. Please comment there using OpenID.