Whispers
By Miaka
whispers/1: something missing
Disclaimer: The characters of Aida don't belong to me. I suppose Ryan partially does, but not really. Author's notes at end.
Something is missing. I don't know why I feel so lonely here of all places. I'm in a museum, for God's sake. Hundreds of people all around me, all smiling and going about their way, absorbed in everything around them here. I don't know why I feel out of place. I'm always the guy who is making the jokes, making sure everyone feels like they fit in. But here.I'm more of a part of the museum relics than the people looking at them.
I'm being stupid again. Hell knows what I'm talking about, because I'm not lonely at all. Okay, so I don't have a girlfriend at the moment, but I have a couple of my brothers living in the city, plus a bunch of friends whom I'm still pretty tight with after college. I like my job, too.
But something is missing. I don't know how to explain it. My mother keeps on telling me I need to find a nice Jewish girl. Probably not a bad idea, because girls keep my mind off of this crap for a while, even if things end a little ugly. My father tells me that I need to be realistic in finding someone to date, and he's probably right. My friend Nate tells me I need to get laid. He's also probably right. Maybe a girlfriend would help. I've been acting weirder and weirder lately. Ugh, I hate the winter.
My watch reads 4:10. Exactly ten minutes after 4, aka when my brother is supposed to meet me. I haven't seen him or the kids in a few weeks, and Jerry finally got me to come down here. I'm not a big museum fan, to be honest. The air conditioning is always too cold (and I don't understand why it has to be on in February). But the kids wanted to see this new Egyptian exhibit really badly. Sarah and Mike are cute, but they're scary when they want something. It's easiest just to go along.
Anyway, they're late, and I'm just standing here at the entrance to the Egyptian Wing thinking too much. Bad for a guy's health. I'm starting to really wish I had brought a book. I keep telling myself not to check out this wing yet since I might as well save my boredom until the kids come. But considering how close my perch is to the air conditioner, I guess it can't hurt to look. I just won't read the blurbs yet.
For all the money that was supposedly shelled out on this exhibit (according to the Times), it looks pretty nice. They even made an imprint of this Egyptian symbol on the wall, which is actually pretty cool looking. Looks like an eye or something. In the middle of the room there's this big, well.box. That's the only way to describe it. I'm in no rush, so I make my way over towards it. One side has been taken out and you can see inside. Strange.
I stoop down to get a closer look. It's really not that big. It's covered in a big glass case, so I can't really see that much. I allow myself to cheat and look at the blurb below. "Most likely used as a tomb for traitors or poor servants. Bones were found inside when originally excavated, but were too far deteriorated for further information to be obtained."
Burial. My breath gets a little tighter, a little thinner. I used to be terrified of graveyards when I was a little kid. Not because I'm afraid of ghosts or anything like that, but it was just the idea of being trapped underground. I've always been scared of not being able to get out. I'm actually scared of taking the subway. I mean, what if the tunnel caved in and you couldn't get out? Stupid, I guess, but I do keep in shape by walking to work.
Traitors. So that would mean execution. I wonder if they got buried alive. Doh, I'm being stupid. Who could do something that terrible to someone?
But shit, I can barely breathe now. I should know better than to think about this stuff. I look at the tomb again. It's not like it happened to me, anyway. Why am I getting so freaked out?
Time to look at the rest of the museum, instead of standing there gaping at the big blue box like an idiot. I look up, and find myself staring into brown eyes. A black girl, probably about the same age as me, is looking at the tomb also. She catches my eye, and we both smile. Wow.she's hot. What a guy thing to say, I know. But it's true. She's got a slender body, but not disgustingly skinny like some of the girls I see in the city. She's wearing this full length white dress. She's smiling at me, and I feel like I could burst with giddiness. I don't know why, but she reminds me of a princess.
Okay, Ryan, get a grip on yourself. Turn away from the complete stranger. People get arrested for stalking in cases like this. Don't need to add a fine for that on top of paying back college loans. Keep on walking towards the statue of the pharaoh (and try not to make an idiot of yourself in the process).
The black girl keeps looking at the tomb for a minute, then looks at the statue of the archer. That's right, look away. Please. Don't embarrass yourself. I look up at the statue of the pharaoh, hoping for some sort of sympathy. Instead, cold eyes of stone stare back at me. Strange, they look kind of sad. And lonely. I bet she didn't get to get out much.
Well, neither do I. My job keeps me in the city most of the time. I love being here, though. I grew up with my mom in rural Ohio, and I was relieved when I could get out and explore someplace else. New York City has more or less done the trick (I could spend a lifetime seeing the whole place), but I'm having the urge to do something new, not as confined as New York. No ties of time and space. What the hell am I talking about?
I look at my watch again. 4:15. Where is Jerry? I sigh and look around the museum. And wow.there She is again, looking at a statue of a woman carrying a basket-
Why am I being like this? I need a girlfriend. Badly. I need to stop obsessing over random women in museums. Obsessing? Hey, I'm allowed to look at girls, aren't I? I look over at a blond checking out a weapon's display. It's normal. I'm a guy, and I'm allowed to check out women.
Is She looking at me? No, just my imagination. What's wrong with me, anyway? There's something missing. Something is threatening to burst out inside of me. It's always been there, but now it's coming to the surface. Something feels so painfully familiar. God, I hate this. I like my life without complications, nice and simple. Logical. Not like this, not getting suddenly scared at nothing at all. I want to run, but I'm locked down in my own body, trapped. Just like if I was buried-
No! Can't think about it, can't think about it.
I catch the princess's eye again, and my heart skips. Princess? Dammit! I look at the tomb with fear. Fear.
What's wrong with me?
Author's notes: I'm trying out something new. Yes, I'm still working on Elaborate Lives, but it's coming slowly. Feedback is good! Don't worry, there's more than this. In case anyone is wondering, there is no relationship between "Ryan" in this story and the same character in the beginning of Elaborate Lives. They both are reincarnations of Radames, but that's about it. This shouldn't be too long (a couple of parts at most). I wanted to put something out since I'm going anywhere with Elaborate Lives these days. Please give me feedback!
By Miaka
whispers/1: something missing
Disclaimer: The characters of Aida don't belong to me. I suppose Ryan partially does, but not really. Author's notes at end.
Something is missing. I don't know why I feel so lonely here of all places. I'm in a museum, for God's sake. Hundreds of people all around me, all smiling and going about their way, absorbed in everything around them here. I don't know why I feel out of place. I'm always the guy who is making the jokes, making sure everyone feels like they fit in. But here.I'm more of a part of the museum relics than the people looking at them.
I'm being stupid again. Hell knows what I'm talking about, because I'm not lonely at all. Okay, so I don't have a girlfriend at the moment, but I have a couple of my brothers living in the city, plus a bunch of friends whom I'm still pretty tight with after college. I like my job, too.
But something is missing. I don't know how to explain it. My mother keeps on telling me I need to find a nice Jewish girl. Probably not a bad idea, because girls keep my mind off of this crap for a while, even if things end a little ugly. My father tells me that I need to be realistic in finding someone to date, and he's probably right. My friend Nate tells me I need to get laid. He's also probably right. Maybe a girlfriend would help. I've been acting weirder and weirder lately. Ugh, I hate the winter.
My watch reads 4:10. Exactly ten minutes after 4, aka when my brother is supposed to meet me. I haven't seen him or the kids in a few weeks, and Jerry finally got me to come down here. I'm not a big museum fan, to be honest. The air conditioning is always too cold (and I don't understand why it has to be on in February). But the kids wanted to see this new Egyptian exhibit really badly. Sarah and Mike are cute, but they're scary when they want something. It's easiest just to go along.
Anyway, they're late, and I'm just standing here at the entrance to the Egyptian Wing thinking too much. Bad for a guy's health. I'm starting to really wish I had brought a book. I keep telling myself not to check out this wing yet since I might as well save my boredom until the kids come. But considering how close my perch is to the air conditioner, I guess it can't hurt to look. I just won't read the blurbs yet.
For all the money that was supposedly shelled out on this exhibit (according to the Times), it looks pretty nice. They even made an imprint of this Egyptian symbol on the wall, which is actually pretty cool looking. Looks like an eye or something. In the middle of the room there's this big, well.box. That's the only way to describe it. I'm in no rush, so I make my way over towards it. One side has been taken out and you can see inside. Strange.
I stoop down to get a closer look. It's really not that big. It's covered in a big glass case, so I can't really see that much. I allow myself to cheat and look at the blurb below. "Most likely used as a tomb for traitors or poor servants. Bones were found inside when originally excavated, but were too far deteriorated for further information to be obtained."
Burial. My breath gets a little tighter, a little thinner. I used to be terrified of graveyards when I was a little kid. Not because I'm afraid of ghosts or anything like that, but it was just the idea of being trapped underground. I've always been scared of not being able to get out. I'm actually scared of taking the subway. I mean, what if the tunnel caved in and you couldn't get out? Stupid, I guess, but I do keep in shape by walking to work.
Traitors. So that would mean execution. I wonder if they got buried alive. Doh, I'm being stupid. Who could do something that terrible to someone?
But shit, I can barely breathe now. I should know better than to think about this stuff. I look at the tomb again. It's not like it happened to me, anyway. Why am I getting so freaked out?
Time to look at the rest of the museum, instead of standing there gaping at the big blue box like an idiot. I look up, and find myself staring into brown eyes. A black girl, probably about the same age as me, is looking at the tomb also. She catches my eye, and we both smile. Wow.she's hot. What a guy thing to say, I know. But it's true. She's got a slender body, but not disgustingly skinny like some of the girls I see in the city. She's wearing this full length white dress. She's smiling at me, and I feel like I could burst with giddiness. I don't know why, but she reminds me of a princess.
Okay, Ryan, get a grip on yourself. Turn away from the complete stranger. People get arrested for stalking in cases like this. Don't need to add a fine for that on top of paying back college loans. Keep on walking towards the statue of the pharaoh (and try not to make an idiot of yourself in the process).
The black girl keeps looking at the tomb for a minute, then looks at the statue of the archer. That's right, look away. Please. Don't embarrass yourself. I look up at the statue of the pharaoh, hoping for some sort of sympathy. Instead, cold eyes of stone stare back at me. Strange, they look kind of sad. And lonely. I bet she didn't get to get out much.
Well, neither do I. My job keeps me in the city most of the time. I love being here, though. I grew up with my mom in rural Ohio, and I was relieved when I could get out and explore someplace else. New York City has more or less done the trick (I could spend a lifetime seeing the whole place), but I'm having the urge to do something new, not as confined as New York. No ties of time and space. What the hell am I talking about?
I look at my watch again. 4:15. Where is Jerry? I sigh and look around the museum. And wow.there She is again, looking at a statue of a woman carrying a basket-
Why am I being like this? I need a girlfriend. Badly. I need to stop obsessing over random women in museums. Obsessing? Hey, I'm allowed to look at girls, aren't I? I look over at a blond checking out a weapon's display. It's normal. I'm a guy, and I'm allowed to check out women.
Is She looking at me? No, just my imagination. What's wrong with me, anyway? There's something missing. Something is threatening to burst out inside of me. It's always been there, but now it's coming to the surface. Something feels so painfully familiar. God, I hate this. I like my life without complications, nice and simple. Logical. Not like this, not getting suddenly scared at nothing at all. I want to run, but I'm locked down in my own body, trapped. Just like if I was buried-
No! Can't think about it, can't think about it.
I catch the princess's eye again, and my heart skips. Princess? Dammit! I look at the tomb with fear. Fear.
What's wrong with me?
Author's notes: I'm trying out something new. Yes, I'm still working on Elaborate Lives, but it's coming slowly. Feedback is good! Don't worry, there's more than this. In case anyone is wondering, there is no relationship between "Ryan" in this story and the same character in the beginning of Elaborate Lives. They both are reincarnations of Radames, but that's about it. This shouldn't be too long (a couple of parts at most). I wanted to put something out since I'm going anywhere with Elaborate Lives these days. Please give me feedback!