MOTHER GOOSE TOWN
by Brandiwine
April 22, 2010
Prologue
The man pulled into a massive parking lot in his blue jag. He pulled himself from the car and stood staring at the yellow, brick brownstone before him. He noted the mesh covered windows and sucked in a breath before stalking over to cement stairs to enter a lobby cluttered with comfy furnishings.
"Hello, Jack." A tall man greeted with caring brown eyes and shoulder-length brown hair. He wore a blue blazer over tan pants with a white polo shirt and Dock Martin shoes. Jack wore jeans with a long-sleeved navy shirt. He wore loafers on his feet.
"How is she?" Jack asked as Jathe forced a smile.
"Much the same. Would you like to see her?" He asked turning to the right of a pale blue hallway.
"Yes, of course." Jack said following Dr. Netcam into Irenya's fuscia-colored room where she sat motionless, staring at the wall.
"Irenya, your father's here." Jathe informed her as she didn't even blink.
"Thanks. We'll be fine. I know you can hear me. I miss you." He said kissing her still head.
"What do you think about in there?" He mused gazing into her far off gaze.
"Come down the rabbit hole, Alice." A white rabbit told Irenya as she followed him down, down, down into a quite mysterious world.
Chapter 1: The accident
It was a sunny day in California that April. The sun was high and the water blue in the ocean. The waves were so clear and the surfers were topside as life blew apart for the Sprat's.
Irenya was a pretty child of nine with her brown hair in a braid. Her eyes looked excited out the window of the station wagon as she wore a jumper over a pink shirt with Mary Jane shoes. Her mother was petite with white-blond hair and soft-blue eyes. She wore a smart, navy skirt with white shirt and pumps. Her hair was in a braid also. Irenya's mother (Caliopey) always did the braiding. They sang a song as Caliopey drove her white station wagon near the tracks when a train whistle blew before them.
"Mamma, a train's coming." Irenya chirped as Caliopey was late getting Irenya to school and had a meeting afterwards.
"It's not here yet, Sweetheart. We can make it." She said revving the engine, racing for the train tracks to launch over them as the engine failed.
"Mamma! The train!" Irenya panicked as Caliopey said nothing, trying to get the engine started as the train slammed into the driver's side of the car mashing it up. Caliopey was killed instantly, but Irenya escaped the car as sirens wailed onto the scene and Jack Sprat drove up in his blue Jag to see what had happened.
"Are you ok, Sweetheart?" A cop asked wearing a stiff, blue uniform as Irenya pointed at the car looking scared.
"The reaper's come for my Mamma!" She cried as Jack rushed up to them.
"Is this your daughter, Sir?" The cop asked not knowing how to console her.
"Yes, she is. Jack Sprat. What happened?" He rushed as the cop tried not to laugh at his name.
"Your wife tried to rush the train and she died. I'm sorry for your loss."
"Daddy, the reaper's there! He's taking her!" Irenya cried as Jack hefted her into his arms and carried her off to his car with the cop looking after them astonished.
Jack's House
"We're home now. It's ok." He said as Irenya was still crying.
"Mamma! The reaper took Mamma!" She gasped as Jack flipped through his mind for something to calm her.
"Jack sprat could eat no fat." He said as she joined the rhyme.
"His wife could eat no lean." She chimed in as he sat in a leather recliner with her on his lap.
"So together they licked the platter clean. Feeling better?" He asked gently rocking her.
"Yes. Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water."
"Jack fell down and broke his crown."
"And Jill came tumbling after."
"What's broke his crown mean?" She asked cuddling close.
"I think it meant he broke a crown off his teeth. You didn't have lunch did you?" He asked carrying her to the kitchen, setting her down on a chair.
"Do I have to take the pill?" She asked as Jack began to make her an omelet with scrambled eggs, ham, and cheese.
"Yes. You have a condition. Remember?" He asked popping two pieces of toast in the toaster for her.
"What's my condition?" She asked as he handed her a juice glass.
"Childhood Schizophrenia. Drink that." He said flipping the omelet onto a plate before buttering her toast.
"Daddy, last night I dreamed of the white rabbit. Will I see him tonight? There was a green book with gold letters." She said as he cut up her omelet for her.
"Like the fairy book I read to you from sometimes?" He said sitting near her as she nibbled at her food.
"Yes. I like the story about the spinning elf and the name." She said biting her toast.
"That's Rumplestilttskin. I thought Hansel and Gretel was your favorite." He said checking his watch.
"Yes, it's one of my favorites. Daddy, what about school?" She asked gazing up at him with dilated pupils.
"School will have to wait. You need to go to bed." He said clearing her plate away as she felt drowsy and let Jack carry her up to bed.
Evening
thunder rumbled that night as Irenya slept in her bed. Clouds smashed together and thunder shook the house as Irenya bolted up in bed afraid. She dashed out of the covers and ran into the hall. Jack heard her get up and rushed from his room to see what was wrong as rain pelted the roof of the two-story beach house. Irenya wore a cotton nightgown and Jack wore sweats and a t-shirt.
"Daddy!"
"What's wrong? It's only a storm." He said hoping she'd go back to bed as she turned to head for the stairs to the basement.
"The sound! There's a tornado! I know it!" She shouted, rushing for the stairs as Jack cut off her path and took her into his strong, unyielding arms.
"There's no tornado. This is California known for earthquakes. It's just a spring shower. That's all. Come on." He said carrying her back to her room.
"It was so loud." She whined as he held her on his lap sitting in a rocking chair in her room.
"Oh, I know. This is the house that Jack built." He said as she finally let her face fall from it's mask of fear and panic.
"This is the malt that lay in the house that Jack built." She said snuggling closer to Jack's warm frame as the rhyme continued.
"This is the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built." He chuckled as Irenya reached for her blanket that Jack moved to hand to her.
"This is the cat that killed the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built." She continued as Jack tucked her into bed and sat near her with her small hand in his.
"This is the dog that scared the cat that killed the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built." Jack said letting out a breath after finishing as Irenya smiled.
"You are the best Daddy. This is the cow with the crumpled horn that tossed the dog that scared the cat that killed the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built." She yawned as Jack had the last word.
"This is the maiden all forlorn that milked the cow with the crumpled horn that tossed the dog that scared the cat that killed the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built." He finally breathed after rushing to finish as he found Irenya sleeping and his phone vibrating in his pocket.
"Sprat, is that you?" Dr. Netcam asked with his stiff brogue ringing out over the line.
"Yes. What do you want, Netcam?" He asked switching a monitor on before returning to his own room.
"I heard your wife died. I want to know how Irenya is. I read she was in the car in the paper." Netcam said as Jack frowned before answering.
"Caliopey's dead. Irenya saw her die. She's ok now." Jack said watching rain sleush over his second-floor window.
"Did the storm bother her?" Netcam asked as Jack stuck his tongue out at the wall.
"The storm spooked her, but she's fine. I can take care of my child." Jack spat as Netcam said nothing.
"Just let me know if you need help. That's all." Netcam finished as Jack grunted and hung up.
"You don't need to know about the Reaper. That was a hallucination and none of your business." Jack muttered, gazing at the rain spattered window before going to his bed. MOTHER GOOSE TOWN
by Brandiwine
April 22, 2010
Prologue
The man pulled into a massive parking lot in his blue jag. He pulled himself from the car and stood staring at the yellow, brick brownstone before him. He noted the mesh covered windows and sucked in a breath before stalking over to cement stairs to enter a lobby cluttered with comfy furnishings.
"Hello, Jack." A tall man greeted with caring brown eyes and shoulder-length brown hair. He wore a blue blazer over tan pants with a white polo shirt and Dock Martin shoes. Jack wore jeans with a long-sleeved navy shirt. He wore loafers on his feet.
"How is she?" Jack asked as Jathe forced a smile.
"Much the same. Would you like to see her?" He asked turning to the right of a pale blue hallway.
"Yes, of course." Jack said following Dr. Netcam into Irenya's fuscia-colored room where she sat motionless, staring at the wall.
"Irenya, your father's here." Jathe informed her as she didn't even blink.
"Thanks. We'll be fine. I know you can hear me. I miss you." He said kissing her still head.
"What do you think about in there?" He mused gazing into her far off gaze.
"Come down the rabbit hole, Alice." A white rabbit told Irenya as she followed him down, down, down into a quite mysterious world.
Chapter 1: The accident
It was a sunny day in California that April. The sun was high and the water blue in the ocean. The waves were so clear and the surfers were topside as life blew apart for the Sprat's.
Irenya was a pretty child of nine with her brown hair in a braid. Her eyes looked excited out the window of the station wagon as she wore a jumper over a pink shirt with Mary Jane shoes. Her mother was petite with white-blond hair and soft-blue eyes. She wore a smart, navy skirt with white shirt and pumps. Her hair was in a braid also. Irenya's mother (Caliopey) always did the braiding. They sang a song as Caliopey drove her white station wagon near the tracks when a train whistle blew before them.
"Mamma, a train's coming." Irenya chirped as Caliopey was late getting Irenya to school and had a meeting afterwards.
"It's not here yet, Sweetheart. We can make it." She said revving the engine, racing for the train tracks to launch over them as the engine failed.
"Mamma! The train!" Irenya panicked as Caliopey said nothing, trying to get the engine started as the train slammed into the driver's side of the car mashing it up. Caliopey was killed instantly, but Irenya escaped the car as sirens wailed onto the scene and Jack Sprat drove up in his blue Jag to see what had happened.
"Are you ok, Sweetheart?" A cop asked wearing a stiff, blue uniform as Irenya pointed at the car looking scared.
"The reaper's come for my Mamma!" She cried as Jack rushed up to them.
"Is this your daughter, Sir?" The cop asked not knowing how to console her.
"Yes, she is. Jack Sprat. What happened?" He rushed as the cop tried not to laugh at his name.
"Your wife tried to rush the train and she died. I'm sorry for your loss."
"Daddy, the reaper's there! He's taking her!" Irenya cried as Jack hefted her into his arms and carried her off to his car with the cop looking after them astonished.
Jack's House
"We're home now. It's ok." He said as Irenya was still crying.
"Mamma! The reaper took Mamma!" She gasped as Jack flipped through his mind for something to calm her.
"Jack sprat could eat no fat." He said as she joined the rhyme.
"His wife could eat no lean." She chimed in as he sat in a leather recliner with her on his lap.
"So together they licked the platter clean. Feeling better?" He asked gently rocking her.
"Yes. Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water."
"Jack fell down and broke his crown."
"And Jill came tumbling after."
"What's broke his crown mean?" She asked cuddling close.
"I think it meant he broke a crown off his teeth. You didn't have lunch did you?" He asked carrying her to the kitchen, setting her down on a chair.
"Do I have to take the pill?" She asked as Jack began to make her an omelet with scrambled eggs, ham, and cheese.
"Yes. You have a condition. Remember?" He asked popping two pieces of toast in the toaster for her.
"What's my condition?" She asked as he handed her a juice glass.
"Childhood Schizophrenia. Drink that." He said flipping the omelet onto a plate before buttering her toast.
"Daddy, last night I dreamed of the white rabbit. Will I see him tonight? There was a green book with gold letters." She said as he cut up her omelet for her.
"Like the fairy book I read to you from sometimes?" He said sitting near her as she nibbled at her food.
"Yes. I like the story about the spinning elf and the name." She said biting her toast.
"That's Rumplestilttskin. I thought Hansel and Gretel was your favorite." He said checking his watch.
"Yes, it's one of my favorites. Daddy, what about school?" She asked gazing up at him with dilated pupils.
"School will have to wait. You need to go to bed." He said clearing her plate away as she felt drowsy and let Jack carry her up to bed.
Evening
thunder rumbled that night as Irenya slept in her bed. Clouds smashed together and thunder shook the house as Irenya bolted up in bed afraid. She dashed out of the covers and ran into the hall. Jack heard her get up and rushed from his room to see what was wrong as rain pelted the roof of the two-story beach house. Irenya wore a cotton nightgown and Jack wore sweats and a t-shirt.
"Daddy!"
"What's wrong? It's only a storm." He said hoping she'd go back to bed as she turned to head for the stairs to the basement.
"The sound! There's a tornado! I know it!" She shouted, rushing for the stairs as Jack cut off her path and took her into his strong, unyielding arms.
"There's no tornado. This is California known for earthquakes. It's just a spring shower. That's all. Come on." He said carrying her back to her room.
"It was so loud." She whined as he held her on his lap sitting in a rocking chair in her room.
"Oh, I know. This is the house that Jack built." He said as she finally let her face fall from it's mask of fear and panic.
"This is the malt that lay in the house that Jack built." She said snuggling closer to Jack's warm frame as the rhyme continued.
"This is the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built." He chuckled as Irenya reached for her blanket that Jack moved to hand to her.
"This is the cat that killed the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built." She continued as Jack tucked her into bed and sat near her with her small hand in his.
"This is the dog that scared the cat that killed the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built." Jack said letting out a breath after finishing as Irenya smiled.
"You are the best Daddy. This is the cow with the crumpled horn that tossed the dog that scared the cat that killed the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built." She yawned as Jack had the last word.
"This is the maiden all forlorn that milked the cow with the crumpled horn that tossed the dog that scared the cat that killed the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built." He finally breathed after rushing to finish as he found Irenya sleeping and his phone vibrating in his pocket.
"Sprat, is that you?" Dr. Netcam asked with his stiff brogue ringing out over the line.
"Yes. What do you want, Netcam?" He asked switching a monitor on before returning to his own room.
"I heard your wife died. I want to know how Irenya is. I read she was in the car in the paper." Netcam said as Jack frowned before answering.
"Caliopey's dead. Irenya saw her die. She's ok now." Jack said watching rain sleush over his second-floor window.
"Did the storm bother her?" Netcam asked as Jack stuck his tongue out at the wall.
"The storm spooked her, but she's fine. I can take care of my child." Jack spat as Netcam said nothing.
"Just let me know if you need help. That's all." Netcam finished as Jack grunted and hung up.
"You don't need to know about the Reaper. That was a hallucination and none of your business." Jack muttered, gazing at the rain spattered window before going to his bed