Post by jameswestern on Mar 12, 2011 3:50:20 GMT -8
James stood in the middle of the promenade wearing a black suit and yet, could have stood out a mile with his distinct yellow hair that always turned heads. Cradled in his palms was a fire lit candle that tickled the man's chest with idle poking and prodding of light. He watched as the strawberry scented wax began to melt, just like the snow on a rare warm morning day; erasing all evidence that it was never there.
His silent steps brought him to a doorway where the neon light that read as 'Classroom' winked down on him. His gaze fell from the spot, past the shimmering light and onto the floor.
No evidence of what happened here 34 years ago.
None at all.
James felt his knees wobble and his restraint tremble before he finally succumbed to the gravity well of his feelings and crouching down on the floor, a dart of hot wax flinging free from its burning home and landing on the hard, cold metal floor.
Turning his head his gray eyes wandered over his shoulder to the spot he had been standing at just a moment ago. He could hear the sounds and cries of men, women and children running in a panic to get to safety.
Suddenly he felt his neck being squeezed as a strong hand grabbed the back of his tiny shirt, his small young hands rising to claw at the person's arms, biting and fighting to get free as the smell of smoke filtered up his nose. He looked up and saw the people running by him, the doorway off the classroom.
He knew what was to come but he struggled still, desperately trying to break the powerful grip that had now encircled his entire throat. His father shouted but he couldn't hear him except his own cry as he watched that doorway.
There was fire inside, then he saw a figure, two. It was mum! And his brother! They were alive the- The display screen on the wall just outside of the classroom exploded, yellow sparks, blood red hues as the ghostly like form of fire engulfed them both.
His body went limp and his father finally managed to pull him away, hesitating only at the sight of his son and wife burned alive before his eyes before dragging James around the corner.
James blinked, the movement of his muscles allowing a tear to slip past his eyelashes and down along the smooth mountain slope of his skin and nose. That was where he had stood.
He turned his head back around, his hands shook briefly but his time and training in starfleet took hold, his grip hardening and the trembles dissipating. James blinked hard once more and realized that half of the wax had now burned away. How long had he been sitting here? The ache of his feet finally reached the impulses in his brain but he remained in the same gargoyle hard stance.
Forming a lump in his throat, James tried to gulp it down his dry esophagus but it stayed there, fueling the need to stop breathing, to stop doing anything. His eyes moved up to look at the display screen that had exploded, hoping for that just one brief moment, that minuscule second within space and time that it would do the same, swallow him whole.
He closed his eyes.
"Mum... bro."
His lips turned into a smile, after all these years he was still calling his brother by that nickname and hardly ever his name. The moment of humor quickly as his smile faded along with the increasingly disappearing wax.
His face steeled over and his eyes opened.
Reaching out with his arms, James placed the candle on the ground, licking the air around it as his hands retreated to his lap, his whole body as still as a statue of the most strongest stone.
James wanted to stay there, remain here and sink in his own pity but he knew he was better than that. He was done... almost done. James stood up to his full height, his eyes piercing of the dying flame.
"Computer, end program..."
His eyes filled with tears.
"And delete."
The candle, the spot of wax, the neon light, the screen, all of it began to fade to be replaced by the sight of the holodeck, the flame seemingly spreading as it's light finally died.
"Good bye Mum, good bye Dean."
James turned and left, not looking back.
He was done.
End James
His silent steps brought him to a doorway where the neon light that read as 'Classroom' winked down on him. His gaze fell from the spot, past the shimmering light and onto the floor.
No evidence of what happened here 34 years ago.
None at all.
James felt his knees wobble and his restraint tremble before he finally succumbed to the gravity well of his feelings and crouching down on the floor, a dart of hot wax flinging free from its burning home and landing on the hard, cold metal floor.
Turning his head his gray eyes wandered over his shoulder to the spot he had been standing at just a moment ago. He could hear the sounds and cries of men, women and children running in a panic to get to safety.
Suddenly he felt his neck being squeezed as a strong hand grabbed the back of his tiny shirt, his small young hands rising to claw at the person's arms, biting and fighting to get free as the smell of smoke filtered up his nose. He looked up and saw the people running by him, the doorway off the classroom.
He knew what was to come but he struggled still, desperately trying to break the powerful grip that had now encircled his entire throat. His father shouted but he couldn't hear him except his own cry as he watched that doorway.
There was fire inside, then he saw a figure, two. It was mum! And his brother! They were alive the- The display screen on the wall just outside of the classroom exploded, yellow sparks, blood red hues as the ghostly like form of fire engulfed them both.
His body went limp and his father finally managed to pull him away, hesitating only at the sight of his son and wife burned alive before his eyes before dragging James around the corner.
James blinked, the movement of his muscles allowing a tear to slip past his eyelashes and down along the smooth mountain slope of his skin and nose. That was where he had stood.
He turned his head back around, his hands shook briefly but his time and training in starfleet took hold, his grip hardening and the trembles dissipating. James blinked hard once more and realized that half of the wax had now burned away. How long had he been sitting here? The ache of his feet finally reached the impulses in his brain but he remained in the same gargoyle hard stance.
Forming a lump in his throat, James tried to gulp it down his dry esophagus but it stayed there, fueling the need to stop breathing, to stop doing anything. His eyes moved up to look at the display screen that had exploded, hoping for that just one brief moment, that minuscule second within space and time that it would do the same, swallow him whole.
He closed his eyes.
"Mum... bro."
His lips turned into a smile, after all these years he was still calling his brother by that nickname and hardly ever his name. The moment of humor quickly as his smile faded along with the increasingly disappearing wax.
His face steeled over and his eyes opened.
Reaching out with his arms, James placed the candle on the ground, licking the air around it as his hands retreated to his lap, his whole body as still as a statue of the most strongest stone.
James wanted to stay there, remain here and sink in his own pity but he knew he was better than that. He was done... almost done. James stood up to his full height, his eyes piercing of the dying flame.
"Computer, end program..."
His eyes filled with tears.
"And delete."
The candle, the spot of wax, the neon light, the screen, all of it began to fade to be replaced by the sight of the holodeck, the flame seemingly spreading as it's light finally died.
"Good bye Mum, good bye Dean."
James turned and left, not looking back.
He was done.
End James