Every Moment
Magnolia
Greta once again took her shower in the ocean and was sullenly dissappointed when Chris wasn't there this time. She whined softly, got dressed, and ate the fish she caught. The waves crashed and the seconds were lifeless. She missed Chris. Or anyone for that matter.
Shuffling in the grass startled her.
It was Bob.
"Hi." He said, looking at his feet.
"Hi Bob."
"Chris wanted to see you today. He tried to manage to escape the house unnoticed. Unfortunately, his mum got 'em."
"Ugh." Greta grunted in disgust. "What's her problem anyway?"
"I don't know if Chris wants you to know."
"Well what he doesn't know won't hurt him."
Bob laughed, lightening the atmosphere.
"Well, she's so bitter because she caught Chris's father cheating on her last year, with a co-worker. Worse off, the co-worker was pregnant."
"Ouch."
"Yeah, so she packed up Chris and moved from Chicago, all the way to here. She found out that her husband was killed in a car crash recently, and she lost her heart. That must have hurt, but Chris just soldiered on. Without a pang of guilt. The thing about Chris, is that he's a real serious guy. He thinks that it's his responsibility for him to hold up the world on his shoulders."
"Yeah well, I was always a proper girl. So I ran. I was lonely, and sad. I still am, but Chris sorta brightened my world. So did you and Darren. I never had friends, I was private schooled, and I lived outside the world. I was an introvert. When my mom died, I felt so depressed, I had to get away from the house she perished in, and the risk of the orphanage. It would be too hard to bear."
"I bet."
They ate thier lunch in silence. Bob brought a sandwich and Greta ate her fish.
"You know," Bob said after a while. "Darren didn't mean to do what he did. He had to do it, but it was cowardly. He hasn't been to school. He really is overwhelmed with guilt. And Chris's harshness isn't helping either. God! How could we be such fools!"
"We are young."
"Yeah, but Chris is risking life and limb to come out here, and I said I was going to the market. He really cares."
"Does he like me?"
"Yeah, of course he likes you."
"No I mean likes me. You know, like like me."
"That's what Darren says. Chris never liked anyone, and I think that his own feelings are puzzling him. He doesn't get it. And he never seemed to feel. You've changed him. If you saw him before, you would've been amazed at the difference like I am."
"Yeah well.." She broke off. Greta sang a little tune.
Your heartbeat is pulsing at night in your chest
It’s gold and it’s glowing with all the life you have left
I received your words from hospitals where you felt alone
Your words like smoke, they made me sick but they kept me warm
Run where you’ll be safe
Through the garden gates
To the shelter of magnolias
Your eyes are like sea glass, so weathered and worn
From all they’ve seen of adolescence torn
The lovers who have tainted you, they pulled you into the night
They touched your skin with velvet gloves and made you feel alive
Run where you’ll be safe
Through the garden gates
To the shelter of magnolias
There’s not much time
The blush in the sky begins to fade
You are weathered and worn
Your petals soft and torn
The fading color
You have bent your shoulders
To hold the weight of the world
You will surely shatter
"Wow." Bob said, mouth agape. "Who wrote that?"
"I did. It's a hobby. You sing?"
"Yeah, a little. I write too. A little."
"Ooh I want to hear!" She shouted excidedly
"Fine." He said, and began.
Like the light was all I had
I struck the book with my last match
The candle burned so soft and slow
I felt the warmth and felt its glow
Salt tasting tears
They roll off of my lips
One for each day I’m inside this house, it’s a trap
One I can’t quite escape so pretend it’s the place that I love
The grass was clipped
The summer sun
Was beating down on my front yard
All the boys and girls would laugh
I’d watch them through the curtain’s crack
Place all your bets and watch me lose
The life that I got but never used
Dream every night that one will come true
But only bad ones ever do.
My heart beats way too fast
To let regret sit in my lap
Won’t let it pass me by again.
"Wow, you're really good."
"Thank you. I best be getting home now, going to the market my ass."
Greta laughed and bid him farewell, and stared at the ocean for the end of the night.
She thought of Chris, and when she will see him soon.
--------------------------
Shuffling in the grass startled her.
It was Bob.
"Hi." He said, looking at his feet.
"Hi Bob."
"Chris wanted to see you today. He tried to manage to escape the house unnoticed. Unfortunately, his mum got 'em."
"Ugh." Greta grunted in disgust. "What's her problem anyway?"
"I don't know if Chris wants you to know."
"Well what he doesn't know won't hurt him."
Bob laughed, lightening the atmosphere.
"Well, she's so bitter because she caught Chris's father cheating on her last year, with a co-worker. Worse off, the co-worker was pregnant."
"Ouch."
"Yeah, so she packed up Chris and moved from Chicago, all the way to here. She found out that her husband was killed in a car crash recently, and she lost her heart. That must have hurt, but Chris just soldiered on. Without a pang of guilt. The thing about Chris, is that he's a real serious guy. He thinks that it's his responsibility for him to hold up the world on his shoulders."
"Yeah well, I was always a proper girl. So I ran. I was lonely, and sad. I still am, but Chris sorta brightened my world. So did you and Darren. I never had friends, I was private schooled, and I lived outside the world. I was an introvert. When my mom died, I felt so depressed, I had to get away from the house she perished in, and the risk of the orphanage. It would be too hard to bear."
"I bet."
They ate thier lunch in silence. Bob brought a sandwich and Greta ate her fish.
"You know," Bob said after a while. "Darren didn't mean to do what he did. He had to do it, but it was cowardly. He hasn't been to school. He really is overwhelmed with guilt. And Chris's harshness isn't helping either. God! How could we be such fools!"
"We are young."
"Yeah, but Chris is risking life and limb to come out here, and I said I was going to the market. He really cares."
"Does he like me?"
"Yeah, of course he likes you."
"No I mean likes me. You know, like like me."
"That's what Darren says. Chris never liked anyone, and I think that his own feelings are puzzling him. He doesn't get it. And he never seemed to feel. You've changed him. If you saw him before, you would've been amazed at the difference like I am."
"Yeah well.." She broke off. Greta sang a little tune.
Your heartbeat is pulsing at night in your chest
It’s gold and it’s glowing with all the life you have left
I received your words from hospitals where you felt alone
Your words like smoke, they made me sick but they kept me warm
Run where you’ll be safe
Through the garden gates
To the shelter of magnolias
Your eyes are like sea glass, so weathered and worn
From all they’ve seen of adolescence torn
The lovers who have tainted you, they pulled you into the night
They touched your skin with velvet gloves and made you feel alive
Run where you’ll be safe
Through the garden gates
To the shelter of magnolias
There’s not much time
The blush in the sky begins to fade
You are weathered and worn
Your petals soft and torn
The fading color
You have bent your shoulders
To hold the weight of the world
You will surely shatter
"Wow." Bob said, mouth agape. "Who wrote that?"
"I did. It's a hobby. You sing?"
"Yeah, a little. I write too. A little."
"Ooh I want to hear!" She shouted excidedly
"Fine." He said, and began.
Like the light was all I had
I struck the book with my last match
The candle burned so soft and slow
I felt the warmth and felt its glow
Salt tasting tears
They roll off of my lips
One for each day I’m inside this house, it’s a trap
One I can’t quite escape so pretend it’s the place that I love
The grass was clipped
The summer sun
Was beating down on my front yard
All the boys and girls would laugh
I’d watch them through the curtain’s crack
Place all your bets and watch me lose
The life that I got but never used
Dream every night that one will come true
But only bad ones ever do.
My heart beats way too fast
To let regret sit in my lap
Won’t let it pass me by again.
"Wow, you're really good."
"Thank you. I best be getting home now, going to the market my ass."
Greta laughed and bid him farewell, and stared at the ocean for the end of the night.
She thought of Chris, and when she will see him soon.
--------------------------