poemtry and prose

My mind turned on itself. Reaching my arm around the chair’s arm i fumble for the drawer in the nightstand. My body turns as i open the drawer and i search for something to mark my place. Post-its galore and a few sticky tabs lay junked but with such a book I really don’t want to use them. I would be too afraid to destroy the paper or lift any more ink from a page.

A strand of ribbon tumbles into my hand. I look at the color, purple. Before i lay it down, across the spine marking the page i have just finished reading, i just sit and stare at the ribbon. I wonder if the book tells me anything about what this color may mean and why i choose to include it in the book. That knowledge will wait as i am excited and want to share my discovery with someone.

And with that i put the ribbon into the book, closing the covers and dart off to the phone to give Sam a call. Samantha is my friend who’s more into the occult and magic than i am. If i am to figure out what this book is really trying to tell me, she’d be the one to talk to. At the very least she may recognize the script and maybe help identify the author.

The phone beeps as i dial the 10-digit number to call Sam. With it being Friday afternoon, i am not sure if she is home yet or not. Samantha works at the Wishpering Shadows bookstore. It’s one of two occultist and new agey bookstores in town. Which fits her lifestyle. We first met at University Bay during our freshman Comp class. She was and still is a bit of a rebel, never really fitting in with her far out ideas of literature and writing. I will admit, she’s one of the best writers of modern fiction i know. I guess it was our love for the Goth scene and a spooky thing in general that keeps us being friends even thought it’s been a year since she dropped University. Which is a shame because she is such a smart person with a lot of creative Fire in her.

The ringer picks up at the 3rd try, “Wishpering Shadows. This is Sam, how may i help you?”

Glad to hear Sam’s voice and not that weird and dark dude that works with her answer the phone, i retort, “Hey Sam, it’s Kendra. Was wondering if you had time to get together tonight, meet me and see something i just found.”

“Mmmmm... hiya Kendra dahling,” Sam’s overly dramatic voice sings. “I take it you want to rescue me from the boredom that is my life tonight? Yeah, of course i will hang out with you. After all, I’m getting bored of the gothclub kiddies. I need something smarter in my life. So i get off around 6ish tonight. It’s been dreadfully boring which is unusual. No one has even come to me for a rune reading and i typically get at least one of those on a Friday.”

I smile, Sam has obviously forgotten that it is getting close to mid-term time and like most good little school children, they are probably studying. “Sam, it’s what... coming close to midterms. They’ve probably got studying to do. I’m sure when they want some wisdom about when they need to start writing that paper to get a halfway decent grade, they’ll come flocking to you. ANd then you won’t have any time for those clubgothers.”

“Ha Ha, very funny Kendra. Okay, yeah. I’ll swing by your place and we can head out to some bar in Old Town from there. Sounds good?”

“Great. Yeah, and i think you’ll be happy you put off your routine tonight.”

I hang the phone up, and look over at the clock, I’ve got about 2 hours to shower, dress and get ready for Samantha to visit. And maybe check my e-mail.

I wander back over to my chair; bend over to grab my laptop but stop. I am tempted to continue reading that journal-book. It is like it’s calling out to me. Ever since i laid my eyes on it, i have not been able to stop thinking about it. Makes me feel as if i am going insane. Maybe i am. Then again, i have not had much sleep. I repack my laptop back in it’s case, and decide that I am in need instead of that shower. To wake my weary mind.

I stop by the bed to grab my remote for the stereo, getting ready to see friends demands music. I have five goth cd’s in the changer (the stereo sits atop my bookcase in the closet) so i set the stereo to play a bit loud and at random. Then i wander into the bathroom, dropping the remote off on the kitchen counter, leaving the sweet sounds of the Sisters of Mercy behind me.

The knob to turn on the shower is one of those old style claw knobs, another great reason why i chose to live here. i have to start equal parts of hot and cold water and adjust to get the right mix of water i want. It took me a few lessons of scalding hot and freezing cold showers to learn how to get the mix of both just right. The first time i did it being the worst.

My hair now washed and smelling of herbal lavender, i wipe off the mirror and gaze into my face again. This time my black hair glows with glossy hints of red and my green eyes appear more alert and awake, almost smiling. My skin tanned from the oriental side of my mother’s family gives me an otherworldly appearance. I reach out and grab the bristly, warn down brush I have owned since grade school, it seems, and within seconds get all the knots out of my hair. My girlfriends have always been jealous of me, my hair never tangling like theirs. They want to know how i do it. I tell them that i let it go natural, since it does have a mind of it’s own.

Dried and hair ready, i step back into the room. Mosi has since gotten up from the bed, and is now curled on my chair. A halfhearted attempted at getting away from my loud music. She’s a silly beast. “Now what to wear.” I ask her.

I decide that i should probably wear my baby doll Anarchy t-shirt and black vinyl pants. The combination allows me to stay warm yet stylish. It may have been warm today, but nighttime in Fall, around here gets cold fast. I am torn between wearing my combat boots or my stylish 3/4” heeled boots; hoping that Sam will not be dragging me to the clubs tonight. I would much rather hang with her in a bar than to deal with the club gothers for a night. I settle for my heeled boots hoping that that may sway Sam into not dragging me into the club. Besides, i want to get back early so i can continue reading the book. Again with the book. For an accent, i grab my purple scarf, to go with my long leather jacket. Now I am ready to hit the town.

I decide, as an after thought, to go into the bathroom once more and put on some white power, semi-heavy eyeliner, and red lipstick. Okay, now I am ready to go wow the world. I look at the clock, only a half hour left before Sam arrives. I hope she’s not late this time.

I turn the music down a bit, and wander over to Mosi and my reading chair. She winks at me, stretches out and then curls up again, placing one paw over her left eye. And begins to purr. Not being able to withstand such cuteness, i stroke her back and pet her. The purr grows louder.

“Okay sweetie,” i begin, “will you let mom sit in the chair now to do a bit more reading from her book before mom heads out for a little bit?”

Mosi just smiles at me and purrs. I take that as a no answer, so i grab the book again, and head over to the edge of the bed. And i open it to where i last finished.