Author: Ellen Million
Webpage: http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com
Brittle, chapter 3
Seattle at dawn, on one of those days when she has wept herself dry, is one of those magical places where anything can happen, even sunshine and laughter in a place poorer than dirt itself.
Max, sitting at the top of the space needle, watched the sun come up with pleasure and a child-like delight, hugging her knees to her chest. The day before had been perfect. Work had been easy, just demanding enough to be entertaining. Normal had been no worse than usual, and the rest of the Jam Pony gang had been their usual fun-loving selves. In the afternoon, Gen had sauntered in and wooed Normal into letting her take the rest of the day off, claiming to be a foster-sister in a strange mixing of truth and fiction that was somehow completely believable. After a less-than-usually-substandard cup of coffee (Gen again took a glass of the lumpy milk), she and her new-found sister went to Pike's Place for a day of window-shopping.
It was a strange sensation to reach for the same object as someone and not always reach it before them, to remember and laugh over a poster with the same photographic exactness, or to be able to see the something from a distance and realize that her sister could see it just as well. Her sister.
Max had told her about Zach and the other X-5s, Gen had shared stories about the hoard of cousins she'd grown up with. Gen wistfully asked if she could meet Zach, and Max had laughed. "I'm not even sure if he's alive, let alone where he is now." Gen was disappointed. "I'm working on it," Max assured her. "Logan's a wiz about getting information for me."
That had earned a knowing look from the blonde girl. "You've got a crush on him, don't you?" She didn't wait for an answer, but grinned knowingly. "He likes you, too. It's so obvious." Max nearly choked, but Gen only laughed at her and shooed away her denials.
When they had parted, in the darkest hours of the morning, Gen had spontaneously hugged Max, and told her, "I'm so happy that I found you, Max. You're the best thing that's happened to me in a very long time." Max had been flustered, but delighted. She'd gone at once to the Space Needle, in need of thought before returning to work. And all she could think about was the wonder of having Gen fall into her life.
She was on time to Jam Pony, so there were few people about. Normal made a cutting remark about timeliness, and tossed her a package. "Thanks, Normal," she smiled at him. He'd wonder about that all day, she realized.
She spent the day dreaming about a different kind of childhood, and looking back on her own with a critical eye. What would it be like to not walk about in a constant state of fear? To hear a gunshot without being certain it is aimed at oneself? To love without considering the security risk? Here she balked, thinking about Gen's flippant comments about Logan, and directed her thoughts elsewhere.
When evening came in a rush of cool air and a gathering of clouds, Max stopped at home to change before she met Gen at Crash to introduce her to Original Cindy and Kendra.
She arrived at Crash on the Ninja, and parked it in the alley. The bouncer who guarded the door knew her well, and knew to keep an eye on Max's bike. Max was always careful to keep the bouncer well-tipped; she knew how his loyalties leaned.
Just as she was throwing down the kickstand, a whistling sound perked her ears, and, though she threw herself quickly to one side, something pricked through the arm of her leather jacket. She whirled to face the direction it had come from, and a dark figure from a window two stories up raised a weapon to fire again. Max dodged to one side, and a tagged dart lodged itself into her motorcycle seat. She took a moment to glance at her arm, awkwardly, and could see another tag protruding from the back of it. A feeling of dread swept her, followed almost immediately by a rush of nausea. She flashed a glance at the bouncer, who was studiously looking in another direction. Yes, she knew where his loyalties lay; someone had paid him well to look the other direction while this took place.
She poised herself to run out of the alley, but almost at once, numbness took her legs, turning them to rubber beneath her. Coordination abandoned her, and she felt the pavement rush at her face.
******
Author's Notes: Well, this one was a bit shorter than the first 2 chapters, but this week has been NUTS at work, and this was a good stopping spot, so deal. :-) I really, really, really appreciate the reviews so far, they've been wonderful, don't stop! I have the plot pretty much worked out, but if there's something you'd like to see in future chapters, let me know. (Still taking votes on happy vs grim ending, too... I can go either way) Any ideas for including illustrations would be nifty, too... I have some sketches of Gen and Logan and Max that I'd love opinions on. (I can host them on my own webpage, but not sure if it's kosher to have the pictures coded into the story itself.)
Webpage: http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com
Brittle, chapter 3
Seattle at dawn, on one of those days when she has wept herself dry, is one of those magical places where anything can happen, even sunshine and laughter in a place poorer than dirt itself.
Max, sitting at the top of the space needle, watched the sun come up with pleasure and a child-like delight, hugging her knees to her chest. The day before had been perfect. Work had been easy, just demanding enough to be entertaining. Normal had been no worse than usual, and the rest of the Jam Pony gang had been their usual fun-loving selves. In the afternoon, Gen had sauntered in and wooed Normal into letting her take the rest of the day off, claiming to be a foster-sister in a strange mixing of truth and fiction that was somehow completely believable. After a less-than-usually-substandard cup of coffee (Gen again took a glass of the lumpy milk), she and her new-found sister went to Pike's Place for a day of window-shopping.
It was a strange sensation to reach for the same object as someone and not always reach it before them, to remember and laugh over a poster with the same photographic exactness, or to be able to see the something from a distance and realize that her sister could see it just as well. Her sister.
Max had told her about Zach and the other X-5s, Gen had shared stories about the hoard of cousins she'd grown up with. Gen wistfully asked if she could meet Zach, and Max had laughed. "I'm not even sure if he's alive, let alone where he is now." Gen was disappointed. "I'm working on it," Max assured her. "Logan's a wiz about getting information for me."
That had earned a knowing look from the blonde girl. "You've got a crush on him, don't you?" She didn't wait for an answer, but grinned knowingly. "He likes you, too. It's so obvious." Max nearly choked, but Gen only laughed at her and shooed away her denials.
When they had parted, in the darkest hours of the morning, Gen had spontaneously hugged Max, and told her, "I'm so happy that I found you, Max. You're the best thing that's happened to me in a very long time." Max had been flustered, but delighted. She'd gone at once to the Space Needle, in need of thought before returning to work. And all she could think about was the wonder of having Gen fall into her life.
She was on time to Jam Pony, so there were few people about. Normal made a cutting remark about timeliness, and tossed her a package. "Thanks, Normal," she smiled at him. He'd wonder about that all day, she realized.
She spent the day dreaming about a different kind of childhood, and looking back on her own with a critical eye. What would it be like to not walk about in a constant state of fear? To hear a gunshot without being certain it is aimed at oneself? To love without considering the security risk? Here she balked, thinking about Gen's flippant comments about Logan, and directed her thoughts elsewhere.
When evening came in a rush of cool air and a gathering of clouds, Max stopped at home to change before she met Gen at Crash to introduce her to Original Cindy and Kendra.
She arrived at Crash on the Ninja, and parked it in the alley. The bouncer who guarded the door knew her well, and knew to keep an eye on Max's bike. Max was always careful to keep the bouncer well-tipped; she knew how his loyalties leaned.
Just as she was throwing down the kickstand, a whistling sound perked her ears, and, though she threw herself quickly to one side, something pricked through the arm of her leather jacket. She whirled to face the direction it had come from, and a dark figure from a window two stories up raised a weapon to fire again. Max dodged to one side, and a tagged dart lodged itself into her motorcycle seat. She took a moment to glance at her arm, awkwardly, and could see another tag protruding from the back of it. A feeling of dread swept her, followed almost immediately by a rush of nausea. She flashed a glance at the bouncer, who was studiously looking in another direction. Yes, she knew where his loyalties lay; someone had paid him well to look the other direction while this took place.
She poised herself to run out of the alley, but almost at once, numbness took her legs, turning them to rubber beneath her. Coordination abandoned her, and she felt the pavement rush at her face.
******
Author's Notes: Well, this one was a bit shorter than the first 2 chapters, but this week has been NUTS at work, and this was a good stopping spot, so deal. :-) I really, really, really appreciate the reviews so far, they've been wonderful, don't stop! I have the plot pretty much worked out, but if there's something you'd like to see in future chapters, let me know. (Still taking votes on happy vs grim ending, too... I can go either way) Any ideas for including illustrations would be nifty, too... I have some sketches of Gen and Logan and Max that I'd love opinions on. (I can host them on my own webpage, but not sure if it's kosher to have the pictures coded into the story itself.)