At the Wall of Sleep
Apr. 12th, 2010 03:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
anarchist_queenShe slept in the bushes in the back yard of a ruined building. The noises she heard from within had sounded happy and friendly. But she hadn't dared emerge when she saw anyone. But it soon became clear that someone knew she was there, as every morning and every evening, a dark skinned boy with hair shaped like raven's wings would leave food and water for her.
One night when she emerged from her hiding place, she looked up and saw the boy sitting on the steps. His face was unreadable, so like her father's, until he smiled. His grin was cocky and friendly.
She froze when she saw him, crouching like a cat, watching him.
“Hey there.” he said. “I'm Mooner. What do they call you?”
She said nothing. She didn't move. Her silver eyes flashed in the fading light like a cat's. His, the color of gold, did the same.
His eyes flickered to her stained t-shirt. “Florida huh? I like it. It sounds exotic.”
Tentatively, she smiled. Yeah. She liked it too.
*****
Florida sat on the front steps of Castle Pup, keeping watch. Mooner had given her a knife and taught her how to use it. The shirt she'd been wearing a year ago when she'd come here had long since become unwearable. But Mooner had replaced it. The knife she wore in a sheath slung from a belt, another gift from Mooner. She now had a shed built in the backyard. It was nice and cozy and it suited her.
When Mooner appeared this afternoon he had someone with him. Someone she didn't recognize. Her eyes narrowed behind the fluff of her hair that hid most of her face. Mooner tossed her a candy bar.
“Don't kill 'im Florida. Ron's gonna stay with us for a few days alright?”
Florida studied this Ron. He looked unsure, but hiding it under a veneer of toughness. He was holding a dead fish in one hand. She nodded. He'd do. Besides, if Mooner vouched for him...
She watched as they disappeared into the building. The building that even after a year she'd yet to venture into. Ron saluted her with the dead fish. When they were gone from sight she looked back out at the street. And grinned.
[Dialogue for the second flashback taken from canon.]
One night when she emerged from her hiding place, she looked up and saw the boy sitting on the steps. His face was unreadable, so like her father's, until he smiled. His grin was cocky and friendly.
She froze when she saw him, crouching like a cat, watching him.
“Hey there.” he said. “I'm Mooner. What do they call you?”
She said nothing. She didn't move. Her silver eyes flashed in the fading light like a cat's. His, the color of gold, did the same.
His eyes flickered to her stained t-shirt. “Florida huh? I like it. It sounds exotic.”
Tentatively, she smiled. Yeah. She liked it too.
*****
Florida sat on the front steps of Castle Pup, keeping watch. Mooner had given her a knife and taught her how to use it. The shirt she'd been wearing a year ago when she'd come here had long since become unwearable. But Mooner had replaced it. The knife she wore in a sheath slung from a belt, another gift from Mooner. She now had a shed built in the backyard. It was nice and cozy and it suited her.
When Mooner appeared this afternoon he had someone with him. Someone she didn't recognize. Her eyes narrowed behind the fluff of her hair that hid most of her face. Mooner tossed her a candy bar.
“Don't kill 'im Florida. Ron's gonna stay with us for a few days alright?”
Florida studied this Ron. He looked unsure, but hiding it under a veneer of toughness. He was holding a dead fish in one hand. She nodded. He'd do. Besides, if Mooner vouched for him...
She watched as they disappeared into the building. The building that even after a year she'd yet to venture into. Ron saluted her with the dead fish. When they were gone from sight she looked back out at the street. And grinned.
[Dialogue for the second flashback taken from canon.]
