Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Apatheia~ Chap 1. "Dwelling"

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The long dark serpent, ever hungry, slithered in and out of the shadows in the moonlight around the happy, but dimly lit cottage. Her soul was empty and her cravings were monsterous.

Silently she glided past a bright red plastic ball and a slightly rusty tricycle, inhaling the scent of the children who lived and played in the cottage. Everyone was asleep, or so it seemed.

In fact, the mother of the home, Clara, was not asleep. She was in bed reading something about current events, something political, an article that didn't have to do with pre-school, weight loss, or romance! She sighed as she glanced over at her snoring husband who lay next to her and was breathing heavily. His features had changed a lot. She marveled at how different he looked now compared to the man she married 13 years earlier. She had changed too. A tiny, but deadly feeling of dread came over her as she wondered what 13 more years would do to them...but she quickly forced the ill feelings away. They would mange, they always did.

Outside, the serpent suddenly lifted her head, as if the scent of something she was looking for had brushed by her. She flicked her tongue and continued to look for an entrance into the cottage. Yes, she was hungry, but she could be patient, vey patient. This family might suit her needs perfectly...

The next morning a sleepy Clara, who had stayed up too late reading, arose to the sound of little bare feet skipping down the hall. The 3 year old was making her way to her mother. A golden haired creature named Hannah, full of sunshine and music would soon cross the threshold of of her mothers room and find her mom sitting up on the edge of the bed, trying to wake up. Daddy would be in the shower, or off to work already.
"Mamma- I want...." And this is how the family's day began, almost every day.

The sun was coming up and the serpent had found a way in, under the house, long before day-break. A vent in the foundation of the house had been left open.
She curled and coiled her long thick body into a pile to keep warm, and she listened. Though the serpent was a night creature, she could hear and feel the vibrations of the morning routine, and was becoming aware of the occupants of the house. She heard the tiny steps of Hanna, a shower running, the heavier footsteps of a slightly bigger child, a boy perhaps? She could hear Clara calling out at various times, "Breakfast is ready! Where are your shoes? Don't forget to brush! Billy, where is your homework? And a phone ringing."

The serpent sighed, and an evil smile curved on her wicked mouth,
"Yesssss"...her toungue slithered, "This family will work out jussssst fine."

25 comments:

Lady Prism said...

I know that serpent....

Mayden' s Voyage said...

Friend- thank you for saying that.
I realized, early this year, that hate is not the opposite of love- Apathy is. And it sneaks in...and it can be deadly.
In the last 2 years I have seen it devour so many families- found serpent tracks in my own house too--
And she is hard to kill~

Anonymous said...

I used to care about apathy, but then I realized I don't give a darn about it

Anonymous said...

I used to care about apathy. Now I just don't care about it.

Anonymous said...

I used to know how to post and get it correct the first time. Apparently I now don't.

Mayden' s Voyage said...

Anon- it is touching to see how much you care, I mean, don't care...
:)
Someday I'll post chapter 2- maybe you'll come read it? Maybe not?

Libby said...

oh, i've lived with (continue to live with) that serpent...

sparringK9 said...

/bark bark bark

very screwtapian. no question indifference is the killer. now if you look over at that honking goose thats keeping you up and have a homicidal fantasy...well at least you are still invested. /howl

freya and i have said we could retire right now had we only videotapped the rows we have gotten into standing around in the kitchen debating politics, the dog training, work, art, my hatred of hollywood, etc etc etc.ding ding ding round 2992866557! grrrrrrrherherhaha

add tequila and youve got a sitcom baby!!

/grrrrrr

sparringK9 said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Mayden' s Voyage said...

Libby- I fear there are more snakes under the houses than anyone wants to admit...

K9- /grrrrr indeed! :)
"Screwtapian"- you made my heart flutter! :) I'll take that as one of the nicest compliments ever.
We all love a sitcom- subjects, conflict, resolution...all neat and tidy in 30 minutes.
Life is just never like that, is it?
John Cougar Melloncamp sang,
"Oh yeah- life goes on...long after the thrill of living is gone."
I felt sick when the day came and I understood that line... :(

..................... said...

yes, and when it finally does get into the house, it's so well camouflaged you barely notice it is there....
until too late at times.

Libby said...

Cors, i swear, i have to quit coming back here & reading this & the comments, they're making me get all boo-hoo-ey!!

boneman said...

See?
This is why I told J Cosmo and Percival that I should just shut up and read quietly.
I had no idea it was apathy.
I was busy being scared fer the lil girl, Hannah.
Dang!
Will the serpent get her?
Is this such a good place t'be?
Dang!

CHAPTER TWO!
CHAPTER TWO!

Mayden' s Voyage said...

I think I have hit a universal nerve...all without photos~ ;)

Schaumi- she does a find a way in- and what she does inside- well, I can't tell you...it would ruin the story! But I will finish this soon- I saw the ending this afternoon- better jot it down! :)

Libby- you are so sweet. As you know, it gets worse before it gets better.

Boneman- I know you got a magnet, but I'm writing to you today- hope you will have something in the mail from me by the weekend, Moday at the latest? Hope so :)

Neoma said...

Wow, you are one up on me, I had to pay big bucks to find out that love and hate are both very strong emotions, it is apathy and indifferece that is the killer of a marriage. But I have much experience with this, I have killed two marriages and am working on the third, but I am just to old now to finish the job.

As I said, you write well, and you have something to say, as long as you do I will read.....and I might even comment, welcome or not....haha

Mayden' s Voyage said...

Nea-
I've been married to my highschool sweetheart for 17 years. We've known each other for 25.
He is a kind and gentle man...but even the best of marriages can fall ill- specially when there's been so much time.
It hasn't been an easy year for us- but I believe things will turn around.
I wish you the best in yours.

You are just in time for my latest photo shoot! :)

X. Dell said...

Sparkling prose here.

Mayden' s Voyage said...

X~ thank you friend :)

Bird said...

indifference...apathy...failure. sigh...

i am weary this evening and this story and the comments has sent me tripping down memory lane, so-to-speak, and thinking of my 18 year marriage that dissapeared one day in the hiss of a serpent. what that serpent whispered in his hiss - i am still trying to understand.

sigh.

some nice writing here -will come back for the next installment.

f l a p/f l a p/f l a p

Bird said...

i've come back because i cannot post a comment at the moo post - blogger tells me the comment function has been disabled by the blog administrator - what - we can't comment on the cows mayden? por que?

no fair. moooooooooooooo.

(i think it a charming picture.)

Lady Prism said...

yeah!!!...can'tplace a comment...and who could the other moo be?

Bird said...

mayden: i've been fussing about with a poem for a while, unhappy with it, and your serpent post made me fuss some more and finally post it - though i am still not done with it. come by the roost and tell me what you think.

others are of course welcome to comment and critique as well. the poor thing needs help.

ThursdayNext said...

I want to make a belt out of the snake in this story...

sparringK9 said...

hallo mayden

is funny what thursdaynext saying here. een slang is creature of mysteries and cloaking in symbol.
she soms brengt necessary horror to clean away a rodent that needing to perish.

vaarwel voor nu,
freya

Enemy of the Republic said...

Yes, chapter 2 awaits my comment for what that is worth. What is it about those serpents?