Inventing Love
The setting sun shone brightly through the cracked roof of the attic. Looking out at quiet Suburbia, Edward watched as the town was lulled to sleep by the evening silence. A silence Edward knew all too well. Alone in the empty mansion on top of the hill, poor Edward had only the shuffle of his feet and the snip of his scissors to keep him company. Once he had so much more. He had a family, he had friends - people who liked him and smiled when they saw him. People who wanted to be with him and spend time with him.
He had love...
Startled by his memories, Edward scurried out of the moonlight into the shadows of the attic. Sitting down in his favourite corner, Edward crossed his legs and leaned back against the wall. Love. It was the only thing Edward wanted more than anything in the world. Staring out at the sky through the cracks in the ceiling, Edward closed his eyes and fell into the dreams of once upon a time...
"...Edward, I want to show you something," the Inventor said. Edward sat in his ever-patient grace, scissors snipping in curiosity as his innocent eyes looked sincerely towards his father. The Inventor sat down in his comfortable chair beside him.
"This Edward," The Inventor said as he pulled something out from his jacket pocket, "is love."
Edward looked down at the Inventor's outstretched arm. In his hand was a single heart-shaped cookie. Carefully running a scissorfinger across it, Edward stared at the cookie with the deepest interest, a small smile crossing his innocent face, recognising his favourite treat.
"Love is a cookie?" he asked.
"It can be, Edward, yes!" The Inventor chuckled, taking a small nibble off the top of the heart. "But love isn't just cookies."
Edward snipped a finger, patiently waiting for the Inventor to explain.
A warm smile spread across the Inventor's face. He leaned in close to Edward. "This," he said, pointing to Edward's heart, "is what love really is, and where it comes from. Love is the feeling you get when you see something you like. It's a warm blanket on a cold night." The Inventor patted the cookie with his finger. "It's a sweet cookie that makes you smile."
Edward smiled. He loved cookies.
"That's love too!" The Inventor said, touching Edward's grinning lips. Your heart, your smile - even your scissors. There is nothing about you Edward that isn't love, and the result of my love for you."
The Inventor ran his delicate old hand across Edward's smooth pale cheek. "I love you Edward," he said. Still smiling, Edward closed his eyes to the touch, his heart pounding gently to the warmth of his father's hand...
...Waking from his dream, Edward looked down at his scissorhands. Bringing them delicately to his face, he touched his once smooth cheek, now studded with nicks and cuts. And in that moment - for only a brief moment - Edward felt the warmth of his father's love once more in his gentle heart. Smiling, Edward whispered into the silence of the empty mansion.
"I love you too."
The setting sun shone brightly through the cracked roof of the attic. Looking out at quiet Suburbia, Edward watched as the town was lulled to sleep by the evening silence. A silence Edward knew all too well. Alone in the empty mansion on top of the hill, poor Edward had only the shuffle of his feet and the snip of his scissors to keep him company. Once he had so much more. He had a family, he had friends - people who liked him and smiled when they saw him. People who wanted to be with him and spend time with him.
He had love...
Startled by his memories, Edward scurried out of the moonlight into the shadows of the attic. Sitting down in his favourite corner, Edward crossed his legs and leaned back against the wall. Love. It was the only thing Edward wanted more than anything in the world. Staring out at the sky through the cracks in the ceiling, Edward closed his eyes and fell into the dreams of once upon a time...
"...Edward, I want to show you something," the Inventor said. Edward sat in his ever-patient grace, scissors snipping in curiosity as his innocent eyes looked sincerely towards his father. The Inventor sat down in his comfortable chair beside him.
"This Edward," The Inventor said as he pulled something out from his jacket pocket, "is love."
Edward looked down at the Inventor's outstretched arm. In his hand was a single heart-shaped cookie. Carefully running a scissorfinger across it, Edward stared at the cookie with the deepest interest, a small smile crossing his innocent face, recognising his favourite treat.
"Love is a cookie?" he asked.
"It can be, Edward, yes!" The Inventor chuckled, taking a small nibble off the top of the heart. "But love isn't just cookies."
Edward snipped a finger, patiently waiting for the Inventor to explain.
A warm smile spread across the Inventor's face. He leaned in close to Edward. "This," he said, pointing to Edward's heart, "is what love really is, and where it comes from. Love is the feeling you get when you see something you like. It's a warm blanket on a cold night." The Inventor patted the cookie with his finger. "It's a sweet cookie that makes you smile."
Edward smiled. He loved cookies.
"That's love too!" The Inventor said, touching Edward's grinning lips. Your heart, your smile - even your scissors. There is nothing about you Edward that isn't love, and the result of my love for you."
The Inventor ran his delicate old hand across Edward's smooth pale cheek. "I love you Edward," he said. Still smiling, Edward closed his eyes to the touch, his heart pounding gently to the warmth of his father's hand...
...Waking from his dream, Edward looked down at his scissorhands. Bringing them delicately to his face, he touched his once smooth cheek, now studded with nicks and cuts. And in that moment - for only a brief moment - Edward felt the warmth of his father's love once more in his gentle heart. Smiling, Edward whispered into the silence of the empty mansion.
"I love you too."
