Spring came and the world was teeming with life again. I could smell the fresh scent of grass, emerging from the thinning snow, and brown soil started to appear here and there. I could feel my fur started to shed. There were times when I was so proud of my winter fur. They said it was the best in the area, no other steel blue coat ever equal that of mine. But the years has taken its toll. And I couldn't be more relieve to know that soon it will be time to wear the thin brown summer coat again.
An obscure movement was coming from beneath the snow. I freezed a moment, then snatched. A snow hare. Nothing escapes my agile paws. I took the hare to the storage I dug near the hillside and I laid there resting for a moment.
'You're not young anymore, Rev." I reminded myself. Who knows this will be the last spring of my life?
I closed my eyes. I reminisced my life, from the day I was born, to this very moment. I can't say I'm not satisfied. A glorious youth, victorious adventures, a great wife and kids. What more could I ask for?
Suddenly, squeaking voices caught my sharp ears. The eggs. They must be hatched already. I got up from the ground and lurked from behind a rock. In front of me, a hunting field was waiting for the greatest hunter to make a move.
Few minutes later, my storage was bursting, and I feel a little exhausted. Few days ago, Kone gave birth to our sextuplets. Spring is always the busiest time for me, as Kone always gives birth in May. It took a while for the pups to learn to hunt by themselves, and an honorable male like me is never absent to provide.
I sighed. Yeah, provide. That's all I ever did. The celebrations for the new pups always overshadowed the celebration for the provider itself. Nobody ever care if one of those days in May is also the day I was born. Like today.
It's not that I'm complaining, but this icy wilderness is harsh. The severe weather, food scarcity, the hunters, not to mention the global warming. This could be my last birthday.
I don't want blame Kone. She has too many things in her hands already. Sometimes I do wish she would put more attention to me, not only to the kids. But, if that's not going to happen, then I will take care of this by myself, as I always do with things. This time, I will make a celebration for MYSELF.
I started to gather as many food as possible. Anything from a carcass to my favorite food, lemmings. By the end of the hunt, I brought home 50 lemmings, a hare, 10 birds, and a big deer carcass, a polar bear leftover.
"Well, well, this is what I call A FEAST." Kone greeted me with delight.
The sextuplets attacked the pile of food and ate them vigorously. For a moment, there was only munching sounds in the den.
Kone leaned her body on mine. I was waiting for her to ask what happened, and I would tell her that it's my birthday and that I have forgiven her for forgetting it all this time.
"Thank you dear, to remember." Was all she said.
"Well, of course I remember MY BIRTHDAY. Every year." I answered, a little harshly.
"Oh, I thought you forgot. You never wish me a happy birhtday." She said, rather perplexed.
"Well, isn't the birthday person who usually get a birthday wish, not the other way around?" I lift my eyebrow.
Kone chuckled.
"You fool old fox! We're octuplets. Of course we were born in the same day."
***
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The Lost Door
"You have to save the Millimen."
Those words repeated over and over again in Ruby's mind. She had been trying desperately to fall asleep, but she couldn't forget how Lilia suddenly appeared to her. 'It's been 20 years, how could she ever find me again?' Thought Ruby.
She finally surrendered. She got up from bed, pulled up her socks and put on her slippers. If Lilia took all the troubles to find her, then something must be happening. She opened her bedroom window and climbed down.
The street was damp and cold. She got on Bus No.2. It took 45 minutes to get there. She looked out the window, familiar houses and signs passed. She closed her eyes when they passed the lane with lining trees. It always scared her how those trees seemed to be moving and alive.
She had to walk another 15 minutes after she got off the bus. She remembered every turns and corners. The night air seemed to be haunting. She ran when she heard a hoot. She'd been wanted to run, and now she had the reason.
'I will get back before sunrise. Mom mustn't know about this.'
She remembered how Mom hated it, even just to hear about the Millimen. She said they didn't exist, it's just her imagination. But, Ruby knew it's because Mom never really paid attention. You see, they're so tiny. How could you see them when you're always busy doing things?
Mom also hated Lilia. That's because Lilia was the only kid who confessed to also see the Millimen. When they moved out of the house, Mom made sure Ruby would never mention Lilia again.
'Found it!' Still looked so much like it was, except for the weather-beaten condition. But what shocked her was the sign in front of it.
CONDEMNED. DEMOLITION ON JANUARY 23.
That's tomorrow! She regretted, why she didn't took Lilia's warning immediately. She ran into the dark house, shouting their names.
The house turned out to be more dilapidated than it looked. The floor was loose. It was dangerous, but Ruby headed boldly into the basement. That's where the Millimen live. It was dark, the only light was from a ventilation on the basement wall. Suddenly, they emerged out of nowhere. Pan, Skye, Blu, Flo, and Huggano.
"They're destroying the house, Ruby. We haven't found our way home yet. What should we do?" Said Huggano.
Ruby's heart tinged with pain. For 20 years they've been wandering alone in this abandoned house, unable to leave. Somewhere in this house, was the door to their world. They've been trying to find it ever since they accidentally got tossed here, but it was said to be so tiny, it's so hard to see. And without any light, it's even harder to find.
"We have to find the door before the demolition!" Ruby's voice was firm, but her heart sank.
The Millimen cheered. They're always so enthusiastic, so full of energy. They never changed. Back when she was kid, finding the door was their only activity. They would scavenged every inch of the house until Mom got so annoyed and tell her to stop.
"Not without me." The familiar voice was heard. Lilia appeared out of the blue.
"Perfect." Said Ruby, "Now all we need is light."
Suddenly, blinding lights were pouring all over the basement. It felt like 1000 flashlights devour them.
"It's okay, darling. We got you." Ruby heard Mom's voice as she grabbed her and locked her body. She tried to struggle, but then she felt a needle in her arm and then she felt so calm.
***
In the backseat of the car, Ruby leaned her head to the window. Her head felt so light, she wondered if she had just woken from a dream. Outside, she saw her mom, talking to some police.
'What is she doing there?' She thought. 'And why is that looked like my childhood home?'
Mom got into the car, and as they drove away, Ruby saw a pale little girl, peering from behind a big tree.
'That's Lilia.' Ruby thought of her childhood friend. 'Strange, why hasn't she grown a bit?'
Those words repeated over and over again in Ruby's mind. She had been trying desperately to fall asleep, but she couldn't forget how Lilia suddenly appeared to her. 'It's been 20 years, how could she ever find me again?' Thought Ruby.
She finally surrendered. She got up from bed, pulled up her socks and put on her slippers. If Lilia took all the troubles to find her, then something must be happening. She opened her bedroom window and climbed down.
The street was damp and cold. She got on Bus No.2. It took 45 minutes to get there. She looked out the window, familiar houses and signs passed. She closed her eyes when they passed the lane with lining trees. It always scared her how those trees seemed to be moving and alive.
She had to walk another 15 minutes after she got off the bus. She remembered every turns and corners. The night air seemed to be haunting. She ran when she heard a hoot. She'd been wanted to run, and now she had the reason.
'I will get back before sunrise. Mom mustn't know about this.'
She remembered how Mom hated it, even just to hear about the Millimen. She said they didn't exist, it's just her imagination. But, Ruby knew it's because Mom never really paid attention. You see, they're so tiny. How could you see them when you're always busy doing things?
Mom also hated Lilia. That's because Lilia was the only kid who confessed to also see the Millimen. When they moved out of the house, Mom made sure Ruby would never mention Lilia again.
'Found it!' Still looked so much like it was, except for the weather-beaten condition. But what shocked her was the sign in front of it.
CONDEMNED. DEMOLITION ON JANUARY 23.
That's tomorrow! She regretted, why she didn't took Lilia's warning immediately. She ran into the dark house, shouting their names.
The house turned out to be more dilapidated than it looked. The floor was loose. It was dangerous, but Ruby headed boldly into the basement. That's where the Millimen live. It was dark, the only light was from a ventilation on the basement wall. Suddenly, they emerged out of nowhere. Pan, Skye, Blu, Flo, and Huggano.
"They're destroying the house, Ruby. We haven't found our way home yet. What should we do?" Said Huggano.
Ruby's heart tinged with pain. For 20 years they've been wandering alone in this abandoned house, unable to leave. Somewhere in this house, was the door to their world. They've been trying to find it ever since they accidentally got tossed here, but it was said to be so tiny, it's so hard to see. And without any light, it's even harder to find.
"We have to find the door before the demolition!" Ruby's voice was firm, but her heart sank.
The Millimen cheered. They're always so enthusiastic, so full of energy. They never changed. Back when she was kid, finding the door was their only activity. They would scavenged every inch of the house until Mom got so annoyed and tell her to stop.
"Not without me." The familiar voice was heard. Lilia appeared out of the blue.
"Perfect." Said Ruby, "Now all we need is light."
Suddenly, blinding lights were pouring all over the basement. It felt like 1000 flashlights devour them.
"It's okay, darling. We got you." Ruby heard Mom's voice as she grabbed her and locked her body. She tried to struggle, but then she felt a needle in her arm and then she felt so calm.
***
In the backseat of the car, Ruby leaned her head to the window. Her head felt so light, she wondered if she had just woken from a dream. Outside, she saw her mom, talking to some police.
'What is she doing there?' She thought. 'And why is that looked like my childhood home?'
Mom got into the car, and as they drove away, Ruby saw a pale little girl, peering from behind a big tree.
'That's Lilia.' Ruby thought of her childhood friend. 'Strange, why hasn't she grown a bit?'
Saturday, January 16, 2010
A Note On A First Date
It took me six months to muster the courage to ask her out. And the date couldn't be more perfect if this just didn't happen. I forgot my wallet. So much for making impression, I don't know what she would think of me five seconds from now.
I took a glance at the waiter. He looked down on me, waiting impatiently. Somehow, he grew taller and taller from where I sat. He already hated us because we were laughing so much, and didn't budge a bit although we knew they were closing for the night. That was until he came and showed us the bill.
'Ehm'. I cleared my throat. She's looking at me unknowingly with her big sparkly eyes. Oh no, she could've been my future, the wife I would marry one day. I would never met someone as perfect as her anymore. It just took me so many time and effort. I even read the twilight saga, just to make up some conversation. Then why, oh why, in my 16 year old life, something like this should happen? Right now, I just wanted the earth to break open and swallow me.
And suddenly it did.
At first, I thought it's just my hand, shaking so hard. But then, I heard the glass tingling, bottles toppled on the floor, and suddenly the windows cracked and shattered. It was chaos. We took cover under the table. But the shaking was tremendous, and I could see the floor began to crack.
'This must be my lucky day.' With that thought in mind, I passed out.
***
A friend once said, miracle only happens to saints. I woke up the next day in a hospital bed. It turned out to be a 5.0 magnitude earthquake. It wasn't much actually, but the pizzeria was said to be in an old building. My left arm suffered from a bone fracture. Apparently, somebody stepped on it on their way out during my passed out. I'm still trying hard not to think that it was the waiter, deliberately did it on purpose.
If you're curious about the girl, she's alright. She managed to get out. We met at school about a week after that, but she thought it's a bad omen to keep dating someone with whom you had such a traumatic first date with. If only she knew that I also couldn't pay for the meal.
Well for me, I've learned my lesson. Life is just too short to wait for six months to ask your dream girl out. And by the way, my dating life isn't that bad anymore. Many girls wanted to know about what happened, and the cast helped a lot, too.
I took a glance at the waiter. He looked down on me, waiting impatiently. Somehow, he grew taller and taller from where I sat. He already hated us because we were laughing so much, and didn't budge a bit although we knew they were closing for the night. That was until he came and showed us the bill.
'Ehm'. I cleared my throat. She's looking at me unknowingly with her big sparkly eyes. Oh no, she could've been my future, the wife I would marry one day. I would never met someone as perfect as her anymore. It just took me so many time and effort. I even read the twilight saga, just to make up some conversation. Then why, oh why, in my 16 year old life, something like this should happen? Right now, I just wanted the earth to break open and swallow me.
And suddenly it did.
At first, I thought it's just my hand, shaking so hard. But then, I heard the glass tingling, bottles toppled on the floor, and suddenly the windows cracked and shattered. It was chaos. We took cover under the table. But the shaking was tremendous, and I could see the floor began to crack.
'This must be my lucky day.' With that thought in mind, I passed out.
***
A friend once said, miracle only happens to saints. I woke up the next day in a hospital bed. It turned out to be a 5.0 magnitude earthquake. It wasn't much actually, but the pizzeria was said to be in an old building. My left arm suffered from a bone fracture. Apparently, somebody stepped on it on their way out during my passed out. I'm still trying hard not to think that it was the waiter, deliberately did it on purpose.
If you're curious about the girl, she's alright. She managed to get out. We met at school about a week after that, but she thought it's a bad omen to keep dating someone with whom you had such a traumatic first date with. If only she knew that I also couldn't pay for the meal.
Well for me, I've learned my lesson. Life is just too short to wait for six months to ask your dream girl out. And by the way, my dating life isn't that bad anymore. Many girls wanted to know about what happened, and the cast helped a lot, too.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Obsession and Compulsion
Nothing's like a Christmas Dinner. Martha looked around the room, feeling happy and satisfied. The room filled with warm yellowy light, laughter filled the air, beside her, her daughter touched Martha's arm gently, they're laughing over some jokes that her son threw. On one edge of the table, sat her loved one, Martin, her husband for 30 years now. If there's one occasion that Martha always looked forward to, it's Christmas. The atmosphere, the food, the decoration, the celebration, everything always pleases Martha. And oh, the presents. It's always something that Martha looked forward to the most.
Martha looked at another table next to the dinner table. There, stacks of gifts lay, awaited to be passed on to the new owners.
"Okay, it's time for presents!!!" Shouted her daughter, raised from her chair to the next table, handing over the presents to each person.
"Thank you, darling." Martha took hers with delight. She got white box with beautiful pink floral pattern the size of a shoebox from Maya, her daughter, a perfect rectangular shape. From Mike, her son, a vintage wooden cigarette box with sliding lid. A classic beauty. And from Martin, a big rounded carton container, decorated with cute household equipment patterns. Martha giggled, where did Martin get this kind of pattern? It's just cute.
"Do you like the slippers, Mom? It's so comfy, I got one at home, so I thought I'd bought one for you, too." Ask Maya.
"And next year's pocket calendar for you, Mom. I don't want you to forget dates too often. Especially important dates like my wedding date." Commented Mike.
"Please make me more of your delicious treats with that new multi-purpose mixer, honey." Said Martin.
Yeah, every present was great, but they knew it wasn't those things that delighted her more. It's the boxes. Oh, look at those beautiful boxes. Covered with lovely patterns, each sizes different from another, some even had particular smell on it. Everyone knew that Martha's more in love with the boxes than with the presents. Sometimes, when they had no idea on what to give to her, they'd just go and buy beautiful boxes. They knew it would pleases Martha, and she would soon find some objects to filled them with.
Martha's love for boxes was not meaningless. She also loved keeping and stacking. Every object is a piece of history for Martha, every object is worthy. She found it hard to throw something as valuable as memories. She still kept the dress she wore for her first dance party, where she met Martin, her favourite quilt that her mom sewed when she first moved out of the house, the clothes of her babies, Maya's tutu, Mike's batman costume, their report cards, even their test papers. Martha loves every single one of them, she never threw away every single one of them.
That's why she loved boxes. Because boxes keep them safe, undamaged, and neat. There were times when her kids, or even Martin, said she was a hoarder. That's when their mood were bad or they tripped over some boxes or could not find the things they're looking for. But she's not. 'I'm definitely not,' said Martha to herself. She's so different from her late father, who was unable to throw everything away, and just laid them everywhere, unorganized, to the point that one day, they couldn't open the front door, so they have to go in and out from the garage door and had to walk sideways just to go through doors.
Martha is very well organized. Besides, she's so expert in organizing things that her house was very neat-looking. She classified things, put it into different boxes, noted which boxes contain what things.
She stacked every boxes with care, one on the top of another. She knew what size and volume is perfect on another, so they wouldn't fall or struck people on the head. She's so busy stacking until one day she realized how much she loved it. It's like an art of its own. You need skill, calculation, and sense to make a perfect stack. A perfect stack could go meters high, high above your own head, and stood firmly without any nails or glue. Some of Martha's masterpieces could even touched the ceilings. Stacks that sometimes Martha would stood in front of and admired. She wondered, why is there no courses for boxes stacking.
Ting-ting-ting. Martin clang his glass, standing from his seat.
"I'm happy this year is ended beautifully. As you all know, I had fully retired from my job and I swore to myself that this will be the time to pursue something very important in my life. Reviving the romance with my old flame."
Martha struck by the last words of Martin's speech. She was dumbfounded. Suddenly, her mind rolled back to years and years before, when they were young, even younger. Martha knew exactly Martin's old flame. Everyone they knew, knew it. They knew how much in love Martin was, and so aghast when Martin decided to leave it for the sake of his family. Actually, Martha was never against it, she's happy whenever Martin's happy. It was his decision to do it.
"I've gathered the old gang and surprisingly, they all agree," Martin continues, "that we've decided to start the practice on January 8th, 7 p.m."
"Great, dad!" said Maya, encouragingly.
Everyone's clapping their hands. Martha's getting more and more nervous.
"But, but, don't you all need a place to rehearse, honey?" She asked.
"Oh, don't worry. Don't you remember Stanley owns a Jazz bar? Perfect, isn't it? We could practice twice a week, he even promised a performance for us, and who knows, a record deal?" Martin's voice filled with enthusiasm, as he's dancing back and forth. "This is the time, honey. This is the time."
"NO!!!" Exclaim Martha, her hand slammed the table.
Everyone was freezed. In the back of Martha's mind, rolling a scene from 5 years ago. She accidentally found Martin's old flame, Nina, in the basement. A shiny saxophone he owns eversince he was a teenager. His father bought it for him for his first performance. Martin treasured it like nothing else in the world. He never touched another saxophone, let alone blew one. For him, it'd be like cheating. He fell in love with jazz, but he was in love with Nina. They're inseparable. It was even there when they met each other. Martin was playing with his band on the night Martha attended her first dance party. He was so handsome and talented, recalled Martha. It was such a sacrifice, when Martin decided to stop pursuing his music career and entered a big oil company for the sake of providing better for his family.
But it wasn't Nina or the memory that amazed Martha. It's the box. A heavy plywood and metal box, reinforced with thick foam padding, covered by dark brown Nappa leather, just the right size to fit the occupant tightly. Like every old things, it was beautifully made and destined to live as long as it could.
Soon Martha found its best function as one of the best foundation of one of her masterpieces.
Inside, Martha's heart and head is boiling. Back when she was a kid, there's nothing she hated more than other kid came and destroyed her wooden blocks tower.
"I'll make sure you will never ever do that, Martin." She stated, calmly, but determined.
Martha looked at another table next to the dinner table. There, stacks of gifts lay, awaited to be passed on to the new owners.
"Okay, it's time for presents!!!" Shouted her daughter, raised from her chair to the next table, handing over the presents to each person.
"Thank you, darling." Martha took hers with delight. She got white box with beautiful pink floral pattern the size of a shoebox from Maya, her daughter, a perfect rectangular shape. From Mike, her son, a vintage wooden cigarette box with sliding lid. A classic beauty. And from Martin, a big rounded carton container, decorated with cute household equipment patterns. Martha giggled, where did Martin get this kind of pattern? It's just cute.
"Do you like the slippers, Mom? It's so comfy, I got one at home, so I thought I'd bought one for you, too." Ask Maya.
"And next year's pocket calendar for you, Mom. I don't want you to forget dates too often. Especially important dates like my wedding date." Commented Mike.
"Please make me more of your delicious treats with that new multi-purpose mixer, honey." Said Martin.
Yeah, every present was great, but they knew it wasn't those things that delighted her more. It's the boxes. Oh, look at those beautiful boxes. Covered with lovely patterns, each sizes different from another, some even had particular smell on it. Everyone knew that Martha's more in love with the boxes than with the presents. Sometimes, when they had no idea on what to give to her, they'd just go and buy beautiful boxes. They knew it would pleases Martha, and she would soon find some objects to filled them with.
Martha's love for boxes was not meaningless. She also loved keeping and stacking. Every object is a piece of history for Martha, every object is worthy. She found it hard to throw something as valuable as memories. She still kept the dress she wore for her first dance party, where she met Martin, her favourite quilt that her mom sewed when she first moved out of the house, the clothes of her babies, Maya's tutu, Mike's batman costume, their report cards, even their test papers. Martha loves every single one of them, she never threw away every single one of them.
That's why she loved boxes. Because boxes keep them safe, undamaged, and neat. There were times when her kids, or even Martin, said she was a hoarder. That's when their mood were bad or they tripped over some boxes or could not find the things they're looking for. But she's not. 'I'm definitely not,' said Martha to herself. She's so different from her late father, who was unable to throw everything away, and just laid them everywhere, unorganized, to the point that one day, they couldn't open the front door, so they have to go in and out from the garage door and had to walk sideways just to go through doors.
Martha is very well organized. Besides, she's so expert in organizing things that her house was very neat-looking. She classified things, put it into different boxes, noted which boxes contain what things.
She stacked every boxes with care, one on the top of another. She knew what size and volume is perfect on another, so they wouldn't fall or struck people on the head. She's so busy stacking until one day she realized how much she loved it. It's like an art of its own. You need skill, calculation, and sense to make a perfect stack. A perfect stack could go meters high, high above your own head, and stood firmly without any nails or glue. Some of Martha's masterpieces could even touched the ceilings. Stacks that sometimes Martha would stood in front of and admired. She wondered, why is there no courses for boxes stacking.
Ting-ting-ting. Martin clang his glass, standing from his seat.
"I'm happy this year is ended beautifully. As you all know, I had fully retired from my job and I swore to myself that this will be the time to pursue something very important in my life. Reviving the romance with my old flame."
Martha struck by the last words of Martin's speech. She was dumbfounded. Suddenly, her mind rolled back to years and years before, when they were young, even younger. Martha knew exactly Martin's old flame. Everyone they knew, knew it. They knew how much in love Martin was, and so aghast when Martin decided to leave it for the sake of his family. Actually, Martha was never against it, she's happy whenever Martin's happy. It was his decision to do it.
"I've gathered the old gang and surprisingly, they all agree," Martin continues, "that we've decided to start the practice on January 8th, 7 p.m."
"Great, dad!" said Maya, encouragingly.
Everyone's clapping their hands. Martha's getting more and more nervous.
"But, but, don't you all need a place to rehearse, honey?" She asked.
"Oh, don't worry. Don't you remember Stanley owns a Jazz bar? Perfect, isn't it? We could practice twice a week, he even promised a performance for us, and who knows, a record deal?" Martin's voice filled with enthusiasm, as he's dancing back and forth. "This is the time, honey. This is the time."
"NO!!!" Exclaim Martha, her hand slammed the table.
Everyone was freezed. In the back of Martha's mind, rolling a scene from 5 years ago. She accidentally found Martin's old flame, Nina, in the basement. A shiny saxophone he owns eversince he was a teenager. His father bought it for him for his first performance. Martin treasured it like nothing else in the world. He never touched another saxophone, let alone blew one. For him, it'd be like cheating. He fell in love with jazz, but he was in love with Nina. They're inseparable. It was even there when they met each other. Martin was playing with his band on the night Martha attended her first dance party. He was so handsome and talented, recalled Martha. It was such a sacrifice, when Martin decided to stop pursuing his music career and entered a big oil company for the sake of providing better for his family.
But it wasn't Nina or the memory that amazed Martha. It's the box. A heavy plywood and metal box, reinforced with thick foam padding, covered by dark brown Nappa leather, just the right size to fit the occupant tightly. Like every old things, it was beautifully made and destined to live as long as it could.
Soon Martha found its best function as one of the best foundation of one of her masterpieces.
Inside, Martha's heart and head is boiling. Back when she was a kid, there's nothing she hated more than other kid came and destroyed her wooden blocks tower.
"I'll make sure you will never ever do that, Martin." She stated, calmly, but determined.
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