My book is finally finished!! :-)
Updated last: May 12th 2007. Keep watching this space!
Updates:
12th Dec 2005: Finished first chapter!
19th Oct 2006: Finshed second chapter!
22nd Nov 2006: Finished third chapter!
12th May 2007: Finished fourth chapter!
12th May 2007: Finished fifth chapter!
12th May 2007: Finished sixth chapter!
Eevee sat loosely on her window seat peering through the glass into the street ahead of her. She sat in the living room of the home she had lived in since she was a little girl. And now she was going to leave it behind her. Leaving her parents and elder sister, as she embarked on the world.
A slight wind blew through a crack in the door, riffling her black skirt through the air. She remained unmoved in the cold.
Eevee was once a happy and energetic teenager, yet as she grew older she never seemed to stay from being depressed. In her mind, she had always been left to the side, neglected. She wiped the tears from her eyes and wished she could call out to the people in the street, calling for them to come and save her from her own personal hell, but she knew she couldn't.
"How can they hear me?" she wondered to herself. "They're dead inside. Their lives have killed them"
It was the close of an April day, chilly and wet. Raindrops coated the unending walls of solid rock. It was a lonely night. There was no sign of anything now, apart from the odd blackbird swooping past.
She lay for perhaps two hours. She threw open the window, letting in a sweet smell from the blossoming trees in a small green opposite the house.
It was quite a bit dark by this point. Turning towards the front door, she stepped out into the stinging cold outside. And she left home.
She held a lantern close to her body, pacing through shaded, echoing streets. Day after day, she traipsed longingly through alleyways, bypaths and forgotten passages, looking for a new place to call home.
About a month passed. She stood on top of a hill at the edge of a secluded forest and looked out on the buildings in the distance. The morning sun glinted on the metalic skyscrapers underneath her, and glistened onto a small river not so far way. Eevee ran towards the river and climbed in a small boat floating in the frosted water. She drifted downstream into the town of Kalen.
Kalen was a town that had been left more or less unchanged for hundreds of years, leaving it with a depressive atmosphere that hung above the gothic buildings like a dark smog. She hadn't been here for many years. Not since she was a child when she used to live here with her family.
Even so, Eevee found comfort in the old-fashioned streetlights dotted along the cobbled streets.
"You'll never make it" Eevee recalled her sibling saying, "You'll be back. You couldn't possibly live out on your own". Eevee had confided in her sister that she was leaving home. She had tried to make excuses to her as to why she chose to do this, but in reality, there were no real reasons. She had no reasons for many of the things she had done over the course of her life. But this, this out of every single action she had made, would be one to change her life forever.
Eevee only knew one person who lived in Kalen. A girl who she used to be a friend with in her childhood, named Lily. Lily had grown up to become what you may call a witch doctor (but she would refer to herself as a "faith healer") and they were close in their early years.
She had promised her friend that whenever she needed help, she would be there, waiting for her. Well, now was one of those times.
Quite early one morning (possibly midnight, mabye one in the morning), she found a special delivery on her doorstep.
"Lily! Lily! Where are you, Lily?"
Lily, half asleep, pulled open the heavy, wooden door, shocked to say the least. She stood there for a while staring at her ex-sidekick, Eevee. A state of silence existed for a few minutes. Then...
"Lily? I need to stay here for a few nights! You always said I could come back so I thought...."
"Yes." Lily said in a low voice, cutting short the end of her friend's frantically paced sentence. A soft smile stretched across Eevee's rounded face as she ran first into Lily's arms, and then into her house. She stopped quite quicky as she realised there were more people living in this house than just Lily. An elderly woman walked in front of her.
"Ahem. Aheeeeem. And who may you be, young lass? We cannae have little minxes running around the place. Well? Well?"
"Uh... it's...uh...ahem...it's...Eevee. Uhm. Ma'am." Eevee stuttered as she threw out her sweaty palm for the woman to shake hands with. It was declined.
"Come wi' me, y'ung missy". The dark haired young lass ensued the gray haired elderly one.
They entered a small room in which there was a large number of curious individuals. Some were drinking a mucky green liquid from tiny pink china cups, while the rest were dancing ridiculously around them. Eevee found this hard to comprehend in the beginning, but when a man, who looked around 20, sporting odd looking facial hair and a polka-dotted beret grabbed her and began to dance with her, she soon got into the spirit of things. They danced on and off for over 6 hours, stopping only to catch their breath.
"That was great," Eevee panted. "You are great."
She was being truthful. For years she had searched for a person who would just let her feel totally herself with, without thinking twice about it. And there he was. In the end he had found her. In the days that passed the twosome became closer friends than even Lily or Shawney had been with her. Marley - for that was his name - was also quite pleased with himself. He had never made real friends (not like this before) and was happy enough to get someone who could accept him, for he was usually too off-beat for others to fully understand. In the end, he was happy enough to get an aquaintence in whatever way possible to him.
As it got brigher and the people gathered in Lily's house had sauntered off home, half drunk, Eevee started to roam around Kalen, seeing if she could remember anything from her distant childhood. Drifting over the gritty soil, she found herself (for almost no reason at all) at a florist she recalled buying her parents buying tulips from many years ago.
The florist was hidden behind rundown block of flats, where she could see a small table filled with different varieties of flowers, most of which Evee had never seen before. Set down beside them was a small money box, on top of several old, yellowed newspapers, probably dating back several decades.
The two stall owners approached Eevee. The first one, a lanky, almost robotic looking man, handed her a business card and a small transparent packet filled a sort of blue seeds. He told her to plant them somewhere but to keep it out of the way of certain police officers in the town.
The male aide introduced each of the flowers by their full Latin names, giving a thorough destription of each type. Eevee, who was unused to this kind of thing, put herself on high alert. The way she was brought up was to never trust shop owners, especially if they seem pushy. She forced herself to keep the illusion that she was cool and collected, even though she was quaking in her boots.
She indicated she wished to buy a bouquet of flowers which she thought might look nice in the bathroom, and handed them to a jittering blonde woman behind the table, who silently wrapped the posies in a creamy-coloured tissue paper, and then again in another sheet of paper, decorated with blue-green floral patterns. She placed it in a plastic carrier bag.
Eevee reached for her purse and took out a few coins, which she placed on top of the newspapers. Grabbing the bag, she turned and walked away.
Eevee awoke at about 8:30 the following morning to an ovenlike heat. She felt beads of sweat abseil down her forehead. She forced her way out of her duvet, and towards the bathroom.
She stared mindlessly at the ceiling as she waited for the tub to fill with the icy water from the blue tinted tap she had turned on. When the tub was full, she slipped out of her robe and glided into the water, feeling slight pangs of pain from the shee cold.
It was a long, narrow room, with a door at one end and an empty bookshelf at the other. In the middle sat the extravegently designed bath tub, painted a silvery hue, with a number of multi-coloured polka dots sketched over the top. Next to the tub sat several lit candles throwing light around the room. Opposite the candles was a vase displaying Eevee's newly bought flowers.
She slowly dunked her head beneath the water. Slowly, she rose back to the surface, and wiped soap from her eyes and mouth. She took a slight sip from a bottle of vodka she had brought in with her.
As she had left the door ajar, not thinking of locking it, Marley pushed it open, walked in and closed it behind him, without much of a care. He sat down in a lotus position next to the bath tub, smoking opium. He softly admired Eevee's silhouette, and a delicate smile grew across his face. Eevee did not move or say a word, even though she knew she had company. She simply watched him stare at her from his meditative position on the carpet below her. She pulled her rich black hair into a harsh ponytail, creating a midnight shadow behind her neck.
* * * * * * * * * * *
A couple of hours had passed and Eevee was sleeping peacefully upon Marley's arms, using them as a makeshift pillow. Her long, grey trousers dragged onto the carpet, while her long hair rested over her naked breasts. Marley was busy noting down ideas for a poem he was writing. His fingers searched through Eevee's hair, whilst with his other hand, he sketched a small doodle of a kitten sitting underneath a top hat. He put down his pen and adjusted his beret slightly.
Walking through the green door that seperated the living room from the kitchen, Lily walked in carrying a very expensive gold tray, laden with ice cold coffees. Offering some to Marley, he took a small cup off the tray. He pressed his hand to Eevee's bosom and she held it there. He whispered something into her ear, and she woke immediately. She rejected the offer of caffeine and sunk back into Marley's arms.
Lily pushed her teapot forwards over an empty glass and a stream of coffee poured out from the spout. She shouted through to the neighbouring rooms if anyone wanted any of her coffee and almost immediately a middle-aged couple walked in, and kneeled down next tp them. They each took a glass. The male peered over at Marley's notes, and gave him the thumbs up.
Outside of the walls that made up Lily's house, the sun shone brilliantly out of a clear blue sky.
Marley and Eevee, finally moving from their position on the rug, ventured outside into Lily's garden. Pushing through flowering trees, they walked until they reached a beautiful pond strewn with white, blue, pink and yellow water lilies. They sat down on the cotton-like grass, and for a while, stared into the waters. Looking up for a moment, their eyes locked. Marley with his distant, otherworldly eyes, which still glinted like a child's, and Eevee with her eyes that ran as deep as a valley in any of the steepest mountains; so deep, in fact that you could probably see a herd of sheep grazing within her hazel eyes.
They looked away from each other momentarily, but found they could not help looking into each other. Their lips met each other, and they kissed.
Eevee placed her palm on Marley's jumper, and tugged at it slighty. Realising what she meant, Marley lifted the sweatshirt over his head and threw it on a heap on the greenery beside him. He watched intentively as she pulled off her drawstring trousers, before doing the same himself.
They felt comfort in seeing each other in their natural state. Her shaggy black hair flew about in the wind, flapping over her high forehead. It landed over her pierced eyebrow.
They made love that last evening. Now it was the morning after.
The sun was rising higher in the early morning sky, bringing warmth in it's wake. Eevee, still sans clothing, slowly opened her bleary eyes, yawned slightly, and rose to her feet. She felt suddenly alone, and it was not until this moment she realised Marley, the person she had spent the night with, the man she now knew she loved so dearly, was not there beside her to greet the new day. She searched the garden from top to bottom, but to no avail. She was alone, and she knew it. Throwing Marley's jumper over herself, she upped and left.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Lily's living room seemed a lot emptier without Marley. He would liven up any room just by walking into it, one of the many reasons why Eevee was so deeply in awe of him. Now it was devoid of any hint of sound.
It was a week since he had left Kalen, a week of immense pain for Eevee, who still waited on him to arrive home to her again. She clutched half a chocolate muffin in one hand, while tapping the base of an empty cigarette packet with the other, anticipaiting the day's delivery of mail. She had waited for the day's post each day since Marley's dissappearence. On this particular day, she was in luck, as a letter addressed to her in beautifully flamboyant handwriting landed on the door mat. Rushing to pick it up she ripped the envelope open.
To the most beautiful Eevee,
I am alive and well, so that's one thing you needn't worry about. The night we shared together was the best night of my life, and I felt something I know I have never felt before. You felt it too, I know you did. It was in the air. It was all around us.
You're probably wondering why I left you like that, and to be honest, I am too. I should explain myself.
After we shared that experience together, I felt like I was the luckiest man to have walked the earth, but I also felt so much pressure inside. I felt I was now commited to you in all sorts of ways - mentally and physically alike. This pressure, I'm afraid to say, was too much for me. So I chickened out - I ran. I spent the first few days just thinking. Thinking about you mostly, but other things too. In the countryside, there is not much to do besides think.
I sat crosslegged underneath a tall oak tree for hours on end just imagining your lips against mine. I wished so badly you were there next to me, but I was so afraid, Eevee, I really was. Just too afraid to go back home.
When I started on the move again, I still had you in my minds eye. You were never far from me.
A young man found me there without food or water, walking aimlessly and very kindly took me into his home. His name is Randy and you'd love him. He's sweet and loving like you are.
So, I am here at the moment, in Randy's cottage here in Pelican Meadows. He gave me a job at his circus, and at the moment it's going smoothly. I am only doing small jobs here at the moment, but it's great here so i don't mind.
I am in Randy's spare room at the moment, but I think they are arranging for me to have my own caravan. Imagine! It'll be excellent.
Send my love to Lily,
Marley
xx
Eevee broke the locks on the rustic doors of Lily's home and stepped out. She was determined to find her Marley, even if she didn't know the way to Pelican Meadows.
Walking aimlessly like a lost child, she shook her way through the messy evergreen trees that built up the large forest surrounding Kalen. Although the vast, empty sky above was bright blue and devoid of any clouds, the plantlife of the woodlands restricted much of the light, and so the trees were very shaded. Eevee fetched the torch out of her rucksack and switched it on.
The torch light bounced off the trees and exposed frightened mammels who ran for cover in the dense grass.
Beyond the forest was a vast area of countryside. The rolling hills were dotted with full-fleeced sheep grazing silently, while pea-green birds flew above. The fields were sewn together with hedgerows like a gigantic quilt of different colours and textures.
And in the distance, a small hamlet. A tiny village, with what seemed to be a number of brightly coloured circus tents and marquees. That must be it! Eevee cried this thought in her mind, wanting to cry it out loud, but stopping herself for fear it was interrupt the dreamlike atmosphere around her.
Spurred on by the autumn winds, she ran through the fields of wheat and corn to the small town. Seeing the towns welcome sign, her heart skipped a beat. "Welcome to Pelican Meadows", it read in large, crimson letters. Eevee had never neen happier to see a welcome sign in all her days. She followed a road of grey ribbon toward the circus. Opposite the huge tents, there was a small cottage, painted a bright white with a thatched rooftop. On the little house, long tresses of ivy grew like a full head of hair. Eevee knocked on the door and awaited a response.
A large, but soft-looking man opened the door and invited Eevee in. This must be Randy, she thought. He offered her a glass of herbal tea which she accepted gleefully.
Hearing the activity below, Marley clumbered down the stairs, running straight into Eevee's arms. They embraced and for a moment the world seemed to stop for them.
They kneeled and gazed at each other. Marley's eyes locked with Eevee's just as they had done before. He started to speak, professing to Eevee his love for her, and she did the same. They decided to marry.
In Eevee's mind her search for Marley and Pelican Meadows felt like the first Christmas Eve. As If she had followed a star, eyes uplifted, to find a baby nestled in a manger.
The evening was perfect for a wedding. The ceremony was held at Lily's garden, exactly half a year after the night the twosome realised their love for one another. The night where two became one. This was happening again today, only in a very different climate.
It was now winter. Snow rested on the grass like a thick blanket, while frosted drops of snow drifted through the trees. Eevee and Marley looked at their reflections in the ice-edged pond. Whereas before they were nude, they were now in an oversized black suit and a long white dress. But their love for each other had only grown in the 6 months.
The wedding was a traditional one, with a minister, even though neither had set foot in a church. They made their vows and kissed for what seemed like a lifetime. The lillies on the pond seemed to dance in the ambience of their love. Randy, the best man, could not have been happier.
It was possibly the most passionate dusk that Lily's garden would ever see.
* * * * * * * * * * *
In the month that followed, Eevee bore her first child and named him Sunny. She returned to her family's home with her son and husband to prove to them she could make it out on her own. After this first visit, the two families met up every once in a while, finally taking each other into their hearts.
Randy died soon after Sunny's birth, leaving his cottage and circus in Pelican Meadows to the new parents. Marley became the new circus manger, and Eevee took a job as an acrobat, gaining fame in the local area for her skills.
They were to have two more children, a son and a daughter, who they named Louis and Willow. Their lives were finally complete and they couldn't be happier.
Lily visited every so often, and she, Eevee and Marley remained close friends.
Life was good.