"Remember that Spock toy I bought you when we were ten?" Russ asked, lying back on the bonnet. "The one from the Motion Picture when he had the blue uniform with the thing on his belly."
"The thing, one could only assume, was a communicator." Dai addended with a wave and a laugh.
"Of course."
"I never quite got around to getting you that one of Kirk." Dai said quietly.
"I always preferred the uniforms from Wrath of Khan onwards. I liked the way the lapels – "
" – opened up."
"It looked like it was a real uniform, you know? It looked like they were real officers."
"Star Trek Two's the best though." Dai stated, starting to count off his points against his fingers, "The best kind of sci-fi – about, you know, new beginnings. Project Genesis is like an analogy for the whole film. It may as well be the beginning of Trek post the Original Series, but also brilliant because it ties it in the old. Instead of a really vague, enigmatic high concept they made the characters grounded and human."
"'Frankly, I find that... insulting!'" Russ countered gleefully, putting on his best Nimoy drawl.
"Nicely done!" Dai said, sitting up.
**
"Where else has this town got to offer? Nowhere too rough, mind." Alice muttered, "I'm a girl of delicate sensibilities."
Russell laughed. "There's the Annwfn, Coedcae way. It's a Double Dragon pub so the beer's like piss but it should be nice and dingy."
"Annwfn, like the Underworld, Annwfn?" Alice asked.
"Aye." Dai nodded, wondering how she knew.
"Oh. Right. Just so I know what I'm getting myself into."
**
The beings took Vaddi's hand and led him into the bower that waited at the centre of the oasis, a golden path lined with trees that glowed vibrantly. As they moved Vaddi could see the two beings clearly from the corners of his eyes. One male, one female. They were both teasing him with their smiles and the way their eyes shimmered with light.
He felt his resistance melting. This, surely, was rapture. Bliss awaited him at the end of the path, be it death or enlightenment, both or neither. He could not know. But he walked willingly into the light. Refusing guilt. Refusing shame. He gave all of himself without question.
And they laughed, long and cold as the world passed out of order and Vaddi with it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I like Alice, even though we're only getting a brief glimpse of her here. And Russ and Dai's relationship is very endearing.
But I have to admit, I am totally enthralled by the "other world" sections. Obviously, I'm a big fan of fantasy writing anyway, but it conveys such a brilliant contrast to the normality of the real world. Plus it seems so grand and epic, something magical and beautiful, yet somehow slightly cold and cruel.
The combination of these two sections, I think, is partly where it gets this power from. So good work.
Oh, wow. Vaddi walked right into that one!
*tumbleweed*
Ah, and at last we meet the enigmatic Russ of shallow clothing approval and twelve-year-old experimental sex that could have been with two brothers if only he'd played his cards right. Yes, I'm not past that yet. Although he seems like a nice enough chap. And agreement re: Star Trek Two, good call.
Is Alice some kind of brutish troll or something, though? Is there some reason we should be surprised she knows what Annwfn is? It's only an excerpt, so it's hard to really gauge context, but I found that mildly condescending. It does come from a boy who has no qualms about fraternal sex, though, so surprise is not me.
Also, all jokes aside about Vaddi, I adored that section. It feels like you've really stepped your game up for it; you can practically see the next gear clicking into place. And it reminded me of The Devil, the tarot card from the major arcana. I don't know if that was intentional, but it gave it a good ambience.
Post a Comment