Monday, December 31, 2007

"And I hadn't been"

I got a new fancy digital SLR camera! That means new, better pictures!

And ring the new year in right with a new installment of The Propagandist.

Monday, December 24, 2007

A Xylophone Writes

Please stop hitting me.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Stairwell, Flights 49-50

Amy isn't here anymore.

It's just Peter and Calvin, making their way up, step by step by step.

Peter is starting to slow a bit, but Calvin is dutifully behind him, deliberately slowing his steps to keep pace with his friend.

Peter stops to rest at the landing of the 50th floor. He sits on the ground under the big painted "50".

"This isn't easy," Peter says.

Calvin shakes his head.

Peter smiles, and Calvin gives him a quizzical look.

"You ran up and down 34 flights of stairs to get the ice for Amy, and yet I'm still the one who's out of breath."

Calvin gives a little smile.

"That was a pretty nice thing to do," Peter says.

Calvin gives him a quizzical look.

Peter is embarrassed. "You don't have a thing for her, do you?"

Calvin stops smiling, but not in an injured way.

"Calvin?"

Calvin shakes his head. Peter clears his throat a little bit, awkwardly. He stands up.

"Let's go."

He goes.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Saturday, December 08, 2007

Stairwell, Flights 32-34

This time it's Amy that falls, but it wasn't as mild as Peter's. She was not paying attention, it seems, and kept climbing when there was not a step to place her foot on. She falls hard on the landing of the 32nd floor, landing heavily on her left hand and her right elbow. Giving a little moan, she lies on the landing and clutches her leg.

Peter and Calvin are nearly a flight and a half above her, and Peter only stops when Calvin turns around. With a roll of his eyes, he leans against the wall.

Calvin glances down through the crack between the stairs and, not seeing Amy, vaults lightly over the rail to the floor below him.

He runs down the stairs to Amy, helping her lean herself against the wall behind her.

"Call Peter," she breathes.

He looks at her helplessly.

"Peter!" she yells.

He walks down, annoyed, but upon seeing Amy, rushes down the last few stairs.

"You hurt?" he asks, leaning down next to her.

"What do you think?" she bitterly responds.

"Hey, I was just trying to-"

"Shut up!" she says.

There is a brief silence.

"I think you need some ice," Peter says, "Calvin, grab some ice."

Calvin nods and gets up. He tries the door, but it is locked.

"Dammit," Peter says.

Calvin hesitates a moment, and then runs down three stairs to leap over the rail. He disappears from view, but he can still be heard, making his way down the stairs like that.

Peter examines Amy's leg a little.

"It's not gonna get better because you're staring at it," she says, "just relax."

He sits back, opposite from her.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"I'm still sorry."

"Fine."

He glances around a little.

"I like this lighting," he says.

Amy smiles.

This is Similarly Emo

She gently lays her
Hand upon mine and softly
says, "Let's just be friends".