Category: Delusions

She Wants

She wants
to walk through the silver rain
into one of his pictures
and live there instead of here.

Without his light
her own life seems sadly
underexposed.

Image by Chris Anderson courtesy of the Estate of Chris Anderson

Point of View

I had forgotten its fullness had arrived until I came upon its reflected shimmer in a rain puddle on the street.  Colors not evidenced in its original glow swirled in the eddies remaining after the violent intrusion of car wheels.

Image by Safal Karki via Unsplash

King Gulch Confidential (New)

EXT., HALLWAY/OUTSIDE SMALL BUILDING, DAY

Detective Andrew Tassel, young, new on job, squares his shoulders before entering outer room of the Morgue. Gives himself a little pep-talk.

ANDREW

Okay, Drew, you can do this. Yes, it’s your first murder, yes, you’re new on the job.

Sign on the wall instructs him to put on “sterile suit” hanging on wall and gloves. Also tells him to leave all phones and electronic devices in basket on counter. He does this while continuing the pep talk.

ANDREW (CONT’D)

But this is a frickin’ one horse town. And you have a degree, a degree in Criminology. Use your head. You probably know more forensics than this podunk doctor. Let’s just get this over quickly.

He opens the door and enters main room of Morgue.

INT., MORGUE, DAY

Body of KATHERINE FEATHER on slab, we see her bare feet and head. The rest of the body is draped. Medical Examiner ISAIAH CRANE examines the feet as Andrew enters. CRANE is a tall, thin, slightly morose man, given to folding his hands in front of his chest while speaking. His speech is cryptic, punctuated by the occasional inappropriate smile.

ANDREW

Hi. You are . . .?

CRANE

Isaiah Crane, M.D., J.D., Ph.D.

(turning)

Your M.E. You can call me Dr. Crane.

ANDREW

Hello. Hi. I’m Andrew Tassel. Detective Andrew Tassel.

CRANE

Welcome to King Gulch. How can I help you?

Andrew glances at the body as CRANE continues to examine lower extremities. He retches slightly.

CRANE (CONT’D)

What? Did you say something?

ANDREW

No, nothing. So, Dr. Crane can you give me any information about Ms. Feather’s death?

CRANE

Yes. . .

ANDREW

(impatient)

Well . . . Your report?

CRANE

. . . isn’t complete yet.

ANDREW

What? What am I doing here? You called me, said I should come over.

CRANE

I thought we should meet.

ANDREW

Really? Like I don’t have enough to do? Okay, as long as I’m here, how about a preview?

CRANE

I don’t do previews . . . But I’ll humor you since you’re new. Death occurred at approximately 11pm. Cause of death was asphyxia. But the blood work isn’t complete. The discoloration and edema of the feet and ankles I can’t figure out yet.

ANDREW

Great. How can give me a time of death when you don’t even know what she died of? You’re wasting MY time.

CRANE

I’m wasting your time? Listen, sonny, I’m not only the ME in this county, I’m the only doctor, too. You were the one who wanted me to get this autopsy done. I’d rather be delivering a baby somewhere.

ANDREW

Hey! Out here there have to be more deaths than births.

CRANE

Natural deaths, but not . . . Murder!

Continue reading King Gulch Confidential (New)

The Company

He had worked for The Company for eight months and had learned.  There were three kinds of employees: the Bigwigs, the Wheels and the Cogs.  The Bigwigs worked upstairs.  The Wheels had private offices.  The Cogs slogged it out in cubicles.  He was a Cog.

The physical plant was cheap.  Walls surrounded the private offices but they did not contain conversations therein.  He tried to keep his ears shut, he still heard too much.

Now one of the Bigwigs wanted to know what he knew about the Wheel who supervised him.  In the palace intrigue, whose side was he on?

Image from Flickr Commons

Calliope

I’m looking for my muse. Have you seen her? After searching for her in the usual haunts, I’ve decided she’s hiding from the daily onslaught of scandal, lies and corruption. I tried to keep her well with sleep and vegetables, but I’d find her sneaking peaks at MSNBC and reading WAPO. At first, I thought that might help, but for every hour she spent consuming TRMS she would spend three trembling under the bed. Maybe I need to let her go. Find a new muse with the muscle-mass of a body-builder and the goal focus of a raptor.

A drabble by Becky Kjelstrom

Painting by Charles Meynier

NOISE

She had lived there for ages.  When she first arrived, the walls of her apartment were thick.  In order to hear what was happening next door she had to strain her ears, even though her hearing was quite good.  Over the years, the vibrations, the rise and fall of decibels, the expanding and contracting frequencies, must have eroded wood and plaster.  How else to explain?  She was nearly deaf but clearly perceived the voices, movements, even the thoughts of her neighbors.  They might as well be in the same room as she.  They might as well be in her head.

Image by Denny Muller via Unsplash.com

The River Twist

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

She sits beside the river, resting, watching it run.  She knows it is time to get in, move on.  But she wants a few more moments to breath, think about where she has been and what awaits.

The river has been wild lately.  Too much rain and snow melt, too  many sharp rocks, hidden snags.  But maybe there is a broad beach at the mouth and a sunset.  Or a sunrise?  Something more than this cold, shadowy ledge.

She takes a deep breath, the wind seems to settle, the current slackens.  She slides into the icy water and heads downstream.

Image by Robin Anderson

Weather Report

In the morning the sky will be clear.  Soon clouds will form.  Through the afternoon a storm will rage, dark and tempestuous.  Occasional, ironic patches of blue sky may appear.   Finally, sunset will be brilliant, a gathering calm before the Green Ray.

After nightfall, you will see Forever.

Image by Tom Barrett via Unsplash.com