Reminiscence + Existence
Page 1 of 1
Reminiscence + Existence
Fia Sat Jan 24, 2009 7:07 pm
Tired and cold, Fia huddled in front of the cooking fire. She was sitting on her straw-stuffed mattress with a mug of hot herbal tea in her hands. Her bones began to feel less cold although the weather outside was still grim with the wind howling around her little house, sucking sparks ever faster through the flue into the night sky.
She was weary, but at least the mattress kept the chill of the earthen floor from her somewhat. After finishing the last of her tisane she finally lay down, hoping for some sleep.
Faces. Blue eyes crinkling at the edges with warm smiles. That and her name was what remained of her past, it was strange how the mind picked and chose the memories it kept. The young woman stared into the flames, sleep had not come easy to her for a very long time.
It was me who broke it all. And ever since then, I have not felt at home. The thick branch on the fire collapsed, sending a shower of sparks upwards and the wave of heat washed over her. It must have been a trivial matter indeed, if I can not remember it.
Slowly her brown eyes closed. As weary as she was, cold and the thoughts on her mind would not keep her from sleep forever. The flicker behind her closed lids was comforting. I remember waking under a tree, damp and shaking from cold. That was before they took me in..
(To be continued)
She was weary, but at least the mattress kept the chill of the earthen floor from her somewhat. After finishing the last of her tisane she finally lay down, hoping for some sleep.
Faces. Blue eyes crinkling at the edges with warm smiles. That and her name was what remained of her past, it was strange how the mind picked and chose the memories it kept. The young woman stared into the flames, sleep had not come easy to her for a very long time.
It was me who broke it all. And ever since then, I have not felt at home. The thick branch on the fire collapsed, sending a shower of sparks upwards and the wave of heat washed over her. It must have been a trivial matter indeed, if I can not remember it.
Slowly her brown eyes closed. As weary as she was, cold and the thoughts on her mind would not keep her from sleep forever. The flicker behind her closed lids was comforting. I remember waking under a tree, damp and shaking from cold. That was before they took me in..
(To be continued)
Fia- Number of posts : 35
Age : 41
Location : Scotland, UK (IRL)
Registration date : 2009-01-20
Re: Reminiscence + Existence
Fia Sun Jan 25, 2009 5:15 pm
How old had I been? It must have been around my twelfth birthday, or not long after. The weather, I remember the weather. Cold, it was foggy and the ground marshy. The first night I had ever spent on my own outside, usually there was at least my siblings around.
The sounds, or better the lack of them and except the intermittant noise of night dwelling animals kept me up, as well as the cold. And by the time it dawned I remember that I had been almost ready to tell my mother that she had been right and I would be doing whatever she wanted me to do.
At first walking was difficult as I was still shivering from the ill effects of a night spent motionless in the freezing cold. Once I began to warm a little, unfortunately my mind did as well. Whatever caused me to think that I would just wait out and make my family worry for me would be a good idea, I really don't know. Just that I never made it home.
Instead I remember that there was a merchant on the road, and a band of brigands. And that I was scared. My heart still beats faster to this day when I think what these beasts did to the man before relieving him of his wagon, animals and goods. Today I think the man was stupid for travelling alone, but I was almost a child then.
I stood as if turned to stone, unable to turn away and watched as they maimed the poor man. Then they took his cart and horses away and finally I was able to move. Diving into a bramble thicket, the thorns pierced some of my clothing and pricked my skin but I could avoid making any further sounds than a low gasp. Waiting with baited breath, I don't know how long I lay there trembling.
After that, the shock took me and I don't remember much else but spending another miserable and hungry night outside, bedded on pineboughs and not sleeping much at all...
The sounds, or better the lack of them and except the intermittant noise of night dwelling animals kept me up, as well as the cold. And by the time it dawned I remember that I had been almost ready to tell my mother that she had been right and I would be doing whatever she wanted me to do.
At first walking was difficult as I was still shivering from the ill effects of a night spent motionless in the freezing cold. Once I began to warm a little, unfortunately my mind did as well. Whatever caused me to think that I would just wait out and make my family worry for me would be a good idea, I really don't know. Just that I never made it home.
Instead I remember that there was a merchant on the road, and a band of brigands. And that I was scared. My heart still beats faster to this day when I think what these beasts did to the man before relieving him of his wagon, animals and goods. Today I think the man was stupid for travelling alone, but I was almost a child then.
I stood as if turned to stone, unable to turn away and watched as they maimed the poor man. Then they took his cart and horses away and finally I was able to move. Diving into a bramble thicket, the thorns pierced some of my clothing and pricked my skin but I could avoid making any further sounds than a low gasp. Waiting with baited breath, I don't know how long I lay there trembling.
After that, the shock took me and I don't remember much else but spending another miserable and hungry night outside, bedded on pineboughs and not sleeping much at all...
Fia- Number of posts : 35
Age : 41
Location : Scotland, UK (IRL)
Registration date : 2009-01-20
Re: Reminiscence + Existence
Fia Mon Jan 26, 2009 8:24 pm
The time that followed only exist as hazy shreds in my memory. The few things I do know is that it could not have been more than a few days and that I must have eaten. Because when I met the Gyptians, I was not hungry.
One of the moments that stood out was when I met the lynx. I had managed to find food in the woods, although I can not remember what it was. But I must have been engrossed in it because even though I sat with my back against a tree I did not see it sitting down in front of me. Instead I only looked up seeing it already sitting there staring at me.
My heart beat so wild I thought it wanted to burst from my chest. It sat, a few yards from me with it's yellow eyes staring straight at my face. I forced myself to breathe slowly and evenly, trying not to startle it as it seemed not much smaller than me and much more powerful. In the end it must have gotten bored of me as it stood, stretched it's hindlegs and slunk off into the undergrowth. Shortly after I left the spot as well, feeling unnerved by the encounter.
But that night, even though I imagined those yellow eyes staring out the bushes at while I lay on my boughs, I slept remarkably well. Possibly because I was so exhausted. And by now I really wanted to go back home.
One of the moments that stood out was when I met the lynx. I had managed to find food in the woods, although I can not remember what it was. But I must have been engrossed in it because even though I sat with my back against a tree I did not see it sitting down in front of me. Instead I only looked up seeing it already sitting there staring at me.
My heart beat so wild I thought it wanted to burst from my chest. It sat, a few yards from me with it's yellow eyes staring straight at my face. I forced myself to breathe slowly and evenly, trying not to startle it as it seemed not much smaller than me and much more powerful. In the end it must have gotten bored of me as it stood, stretched it's hindlegs and slunk off into the undergrowth. Shortly after I left the spot as well, feeling unnerved by the encounter.
But that night, even though I imagined those yellow eyes staring out the bushes at while I lay on my boughs, I slept remarkably well. Possibly because I was so exhausted. And by now I really wanted to go back home.
Fia- Number of posts : 35
Age : 41
Location : Scotland, UK (IRL)
Registration date : 2009-01-20
Re: Reminiscence + Existence
Fia Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:17 am
I just had not found the right path yet. And I was dreadfully hungry. I remember my stomach protesting quite noisily as I trudged through the trees on the lookout for the road. Surely I could not be that far away, but I did wish that I had paid more attention when I left our house.
There was the flicker of a fire through the trees. And music. The sound of a wooden whistle drew me closer to the fire. There was the scent of roasting rabbit, too. I crept closer, but my woodsmans skills were not quite as good as I hoped as the dogs suddenly raised alarm. Men shouted and I stiffened, standing as if I had been hexed into stone. But the dogs were friendly and the men took in my appearance before saying something in a strange language. Or with a strange accent. I managed to make out that a little girl like me would not be much of a threat and I could sit and warm myself at their fire.
What a strange band these people were, garishly coloured garb, gold hoops on the women's arms and ears, grubby children and the men all looked forbidding and stern and sported huge black beards and long hair. Someone told me that they were Gyptians and camping here for a few days. Only now I noticed the tents and carts with shaggy skewbald horses. I would be allowed to stay the night with them, they said. And I hungrily tucked into the offered bread and meat.
There was the flicker of a fire through the trees. And music. The sound of a wooden whistle drew me closer to the fire. There was the scent of roasting rabbit, too. I crept closer, but my woodsmans skills were not quite as good as I hoped as the dogs suddenly raised alarm. Men shouted and I stiffened, standing as if I had been hexed into stone. But the dogs were friendly and the men took in my appearance before saying something in a strange language. Or with a strange accent. I managed to make out that a little girl like me would not be much of a threat and I could sit and warm myself at their fire.
What a strange band these people were, garishly coloured garb, gold hoops on the women's arms and ears, grubby children and the men all looked forbidding and stern and sported huge black beards and long hair. Someone told me that they were Gyptians and camping here for a few days. Only now I noticed the tents and carts with shaggy skewbald horses. I would be allowed to stay the night with them, they said. And I hungrily tucked into the offered bread and meat.
Fia- Number of posts : 35
Age : 41
Location : Scotland, UK (IRL)
Registration date : 2009-01-20
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum|
|
|