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| Fic Challenge #2: All entries | |
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| Topic Started: Dec 2 2011, 04:50 AM (55 Views) | |
| Broken, Beat & Scarred | Dec 2 2011, 04:50 AM Post #1 |
Thorn Within
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Hey folks! I'm posting the two entries for the first of twelve prompts of our Christmas challenge in this thread. You may post your comments here, but let's keep our authors anonymous. If you've entered, please, don't tell us which of the two is yours, and if you know who's written what... Well, keep that a secret, too.  Happy reading! |
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| Broken, Beat & Scarred | Dec 2 2011, 04:54 AM Post #2 |
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Thorn Within
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Entry 1: 1. Let it snow / Lars watched the snow from the window of Connie's New York apartment. He stood against the tall window pane, resting a glass of red wine on the windowsill, looking out at the snow falling to the street below. From the 8th floor the snowflakes swirled dramatically in a wintery breeze. It was a week before Christmas, and Upper Manhattan was being gradually painted in a snowy blanket of ice, gathering at it’s heaviest on the eaves, ledges and peaks of the buildings, and spreading into heaped piles of white crush on the sidewalk. ‘I wish it would snow in San Francisco’ he said out loud. But he had said the words softly, half to himself. Lars turned his head to see Connie across the room, standing in front of the Christmas tree, holding Bryce in her arms. It was a tall pine tree—she had insisted the bought a real one, and the strong scent of sticky pine filled the apartment. Their three year old son was fascinated by the bright tinsel and the hanging decorations. He had grabbed a bright silver bauble in his hands and tugged it successful from its hanging branch. He held it to his face with glee admiring the shine. Connie noticed Lars’ nostalgic face with a smile, and the two of them joined him at the window. ‘Darling, gør de savner Danske vintre?’ he asked. Connie smiled, remembering. She saw his face was melancholie from the wine. There were times when she did miss Danish winters. ‘Ja, undertiden’ she admitted. ‘Why?’ she asked. Bryce handed his father the bauble and Lars took it kindly with a smile. He paused thoughtfully on his son’s eager face for a moment. ‘I’d love to take this little guy to Copenhagen for Christmas sometime soon’ he suggested. ‘We should do that!’ Connie smiled. Bryce pointed out the window to the snowy street below. He saw children playing, piling up snow with trowels and building rounded bodies of ice into snowmen. He pointed in surprise. ‘Mommy, look!’ Bryce’s small hands reached to the cold glass window, smudging his palms against the glass to get a better look at the street below. ‘Can we…I wanna go down there!’ he explained as best as his young mind could. His eyes were wide with excitement. ‘It’s very cold out there, Brycey’ his mother explained, but he didn’t seem to care. Lars made to take his son from her arms. ‘Lets take him’ Lars said warmly. He realised Bryce had never had the chance to make a snowman before. Connie agreed, and together they dressed him in a bulky snow jacket and fluffy ear muffs. Downstairs, Bryce’s small feet disappeared into the mushy ice. He was already up to his knees. Lars grinned, lifting him over the deep snow that had collected around the steps. ‘Here…’ Lars dropped to his knees demonstrating, and began collecting the cold snow with his gloves. Bryce copied his father, and together they collected the wet ice, patting it into a large ball. Connie watched from the steps, admiring the two of them with a happy grin. Together, Bryce and his father had built a large snowy body. ‘He needs a head!’ Bryce laughed. Lars agreed, and they made another ball of snow that sat vicariously on top of the first. ‘Shall we take a photo before it melts?’ Lars asked his son, Bryce nodded and Connie took a photo of them both: Bryce stood proudly in front of Lars who knelt behind him in the snow on the city sidewalk. Lars took a moment to take in Bryce’s ecstatic face: he couldn’t help but admire the snowman they had made together, and the joy on his son’s small face. His cheeks were quickly flushing a deep pink from the cold. ‘We should head back inside’ Connie suggested, rubbing her hands together vigorously to warm up. Snow was still falling quickly around them as Bryce let his mother lift him into his arms. She turned to Lars, to find him, tears running down his cheeks. Looking away, he wiped them quickly. Connie paused for a moment on the steps before speaking softly. ‘Lars…Do you want to go home?’ she asked. He stood to his knees with some effort, brushing the wet snow from his knees. ‘To Denmark?’ he asked. ‘Yes, that’s what I meant’ she smiled. Lars nodded sadly. He joined Connie knee-deep in snow, and she kissed Lars warmly before they took the stairs inside with their son. |
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| Broken, Beat & Scarred | Dec 2 2011, 04:56 AM Post #3 |
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Thorn Within
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Entry 2: 1. Let It Snow! She sighed. She was used to cold Decembers. Snowy Christmases. That was the one reason why San Francisco didn’t feel like home. She had kept on glancing outside practically the entire day, just hoping, wishing really, that she'd see a snowflake falling down from the sky. But no. No snow. A knock on the door startled her. She rushed to see who it was, and smiled at the man standing in the hallway. The man she was in love with. Kirk smiled back at her, stepping closer to give her a lingering kiss on the lips. “Hey babe,” he whispered, closing the door behind him. “I thought you were busy.” “I was. But not anymore.” They walked to the kitchen in silence, as usual, and she poured him a cup of tea, pouring one for herself as well. “So,” he started, “you don’t have any plans for the weekend, do you?” She sighed. “Well, I really need to work. I have a few cases that I haven’t looked at closely enough and-” He held up a hand. “But I mean… You’ll be in town, no agreed lunches or drinks or anything like that?” She frowned. “Why?” “Oh, humor me, Liz. Anything?” She shook her head. “Nothing, other than work. Why?” “Just wondering,” he said, smiling at her. ---- Two days later, as she came home from work, she found Kirk waiting for her at her apartment. He had her weekend bag on the couch next to him and he was reading one of her books. “Hi honey, what are you doing here?” “Oh, finally, don’t bother getting your jacket off. We’re going away for the weekend.” “We're what?” She started to shake her head, and tried to take off her coat, while he was doing his best keeping it on. “Kirk, I can’t. I have work to do.” “Take it with you. Now, turn around and walk out to my car.” “Where are we going?” “You’ll see.” ---- The whole flight had been a mystery. They had taken Metallica’s plane, and the captain had refused to tell her where they were going to. As they were about to land, Kirk pulled out a scarf that he tenderly wrapped around her neck. “Look, Liz, I appreciate the huge adjustment you had to make to move to San Francisco. I know it hasn’t been easy for you. I know there are things you miss about living up north, and I’m hoping this’ll make up for one of them.” They waited until the plane had stopped and proceeded to the door. Liz was excited. And nervous. But mostly excited. The stewardess opened the door and Liz gasped as she saw the scenery in front of her. A snow-clad cottage, with warm light streaming through the windows into the dark night. And snow. “Snow!” she whispered. As they walked down the stairs, he started humming her favorite Christmas-related song. And as if on cue, large snowflakes started falling down from the sky. She swirled around, with her arms stretched out. He laughed, catching her in his arms and kissed the tip of her nose. “I love you.” Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! |
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| The Cosmic Gerbil | Dec 3 2011, 05:52 AM Post #4 |
Forbidden Forest Ranger
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Snowy stories  I love snow 
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| kirks_wife | Dec 3 2011, 02:24 PM Post #5 |
Honey, I'm home!
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Minna--are we having a poll to vote like before? |
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| Broken, Beat & Scarred | Dec 4 2011, 12:35 AM Post #6 |
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Thorn Within
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I'm still thinking about that, Cheryl. I thought about putting all entries under the same poll, since there are so few entries per prompt, but then, I don't really like that idea. I'll think about it for the rest of the day and have some decision made before I get home.
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| Broken, Beat & Scarred | Dec 4 2011, 01:57 PM Post #7 |
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Thorn Within
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Hello again, two days have passed since I posted some challenge entries the last time, and here are two new entries. Comment in this thread if you've read the entries, but again and still, let's keep the authors anonymous.
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| Broken, Beat & Scarred | Dec 4 2011, 02:01 PM Post #8 |
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Thorn Within
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Entry 1: 2. Santa's Little Helper Lars stood in the kitchen, glaring at Kirk and James. “No fucking way.” They were both grinning one moment, and then trying to look serious the next. As if that worked. “Come on, man, it's for charity!” Kirk pleaded. He wiggled that... that ridiculous thing as he spoke. “No. Fucking. Way.” He stomped his foot angrily, to prove his point. It was so fucking unfair! He wouldn't. “We're doing it too,” Hetfield grinned, placing his thumb under the wide leather belt slung across his belly. Yeah, sure, he could laugh. It was different for him. It wasn't demeaning for him. “I'm fucking fifty years old! Well, nearly. Are you fucking kidding me?” He huffed and puffed. “That thing?!” he pointed at... that ridiculous thing. “We'll make a deal,” Robert suggested as he walked into the room. Even he had gotten a better part. “Not a chance.” “I'll... Umm... Dress up as you for Halloween?” Kirk suggested and chuckled a little. That bastard. “Oh, that's supposed to make me feel better? Thanks.” He was not going get out of this, Lars thought, so, he might as well make it worth his while. “Okay, okay, that was mean of me. Umm... Let me think. I'll be a pink bunny for Halloween.” “I think you should do that. And Rob, since you have the animal theme down, maybe you should be Easter Bunny.” “I'm down with that.” “And Hetfield, you son of a bitch, I bet this, that,” Lars pointed to the ridiculous thing, “was your idea? I think you should first of all make some profit of that outfit of yours. Come to my house on Christmas Eve.” “Deal.” “I'm not done. For Halloween, you better wear a fucking Pippi Longstocking outfit or something like that.” James roared with laughter. “Is that a dare?” “Hell yeah? You scared?” “Not one bit. I'll see you out there.” James grabbed the outfit Kirk was holding and slung it to Lars. The three men turned around and walked to the door, as Lars watched Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and Rudolph disappear through the door, all he could do was laugh as he pulled on the green stockings and the rest of the garments that would make him Santa's, a.k.a. The Mighty Het's, Little Helper. |
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| Broken, Beat & Scarred | Dec 4 2011, 02:02 PM Post #9 |
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Thorn Within
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Entry 2: 2. Santa’s little helper / Castor's ears were as pink as Santa’s little helper's. ‘James, I can’t watch you do that…’ Francesca covered her eyes in horror as James scaled the ladder reaching up to the roof of their house. He had a hammer between his teeth, and nails shoved into his pocket, and the determined thought to anchor this bloody plastic reindeer and Christmas lights to the roof---even if it killed him. She thought it just might. Their son Castor stood at the base of the ladder, watching his father with a devious grin, mostly because he knew it was aggravating his mother. They both nervously watched James reach the top of the ladder, and take the first few steps onto the red shingle-tiled roof. He placed the reindeer and lights he held under his arm onto the steep roof, finding his balance with a minor wobble. ‘James, be careful please!’ she called out again. He didn’t reply, her paranoid concerns were annoying him. It was just as well he couldn’t see her hands that covered her worried face. He started by nailing Rudolph’s plastic feet securely to the rough surface. It took a few hits to pierce the heavy roofing tiles, but once it did, in was anchored firmly. He called downstairs to his wife and son who were watching earnestly. ‘That look okay?’ he asked. He didn’t turn to them to look down in case his head spun with vertigo. ‘What about the light on his nose, does it work?’ she called back. It was comical to be checking, to be asking if Rudolph’s nose would blink as it should. James tweaked the plastic bulb covering the blinking light inside. He shook the batteries a little in the casing and it glowed brightly. He grinned at his efforts: Rudolph looked back at him, a proudly blinking reindeer at home on his familiar roof. ‘Sorry about your foot, dude’ James apologised to the plastic deer. ‘But you know what happened last year, you ended up in a tree halfway to Texas’. He patted Rudolph teasingly and his nose blinked in approval. James gave the thumbs up to his wife and son below, and descended the ladder to the safety of the ground. Later that evening, he held his youngest daughter Marcella is his arms. It was cold outside, and Castor’s ears were as pink as Santa’s little helper’s. Cali stood with behind them with her mother, and they admired the glowing decorations on the roof as a family. ‘Dad it’s awesome!’ Marcella thanked her father for risking his life for their Christmas decorations yet again. ‘You’re welcome, sweetheart’ he replied. |
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| MetallicaObsessed | Dec 4 2011, 08:01 PM Post #10 |
Blackened
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I enjoyed both..tough choice! |
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| Broken, Beat & Scarred | Dec 6 2011, 01:24 PM Post #11 |
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Thorn Within
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Here I am again, two entries for the third prompt. Vote and comment here, but again, the authors should remains anonymous. Happy reading! |
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| Broken, Beat & Scarred | Dec 6 2011, 01:25 PM Post #12 |
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Thorn Within
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Entry 1: 3. Christmas Lights “Come on!” James yelled at me from the door. “Since when have you been interested in taking walks?” I yelled back at him, trying to find my sweatpants and sneakers from the closer. “What the hell is taking you so long?” he asked, now from the bedroom door. “I'm trying to find my freaking sweatpants. If we're going to take a walk then I can at least,” I stopped as I glanced at him. “Why are you wearing that?” “Clothes?” “No, your fancy jeans, your good leather jacket and your new leather boots.” “Well, I didn't mean that we'd go jog or anything... Just a nice, quiet stroll, look at the Christmas lights and shit,” he shrugged. I looked at him for a moment and then it hit me. The one sneaker I had managed to find dropped on the floor. “You're going to break up with me.” He furrowed his brows at me. “What? How do you get that from us going on a walk?” “We never do that!” “Okay, whatever, just go put your jacket and shoes on. I'm not going to work up a sweat and I'm not going to wait around for you for two hours.” He turned around and walked to the front door. I left the room soon after him, grabbing my purse from the ottoman. “It has not been two hours,” I muttered under my breath as I was walking to the front door. I put on my shoes and grabbed my jacket with me, putting it on as I walked to the elevator where James was still waiting for me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and kissed my cheek. “I'm not breaking up with you, you moron." “Good, I didn't think you'd be that stupid.” He laughed at my words, pulling me closer to him. “I love you, you should know that by now. And this, going to see the Christmas lights,” he started as we stepped into the elevator, “I just...,” he took a break and sighed. “I haven't cared that much about Christmases before, since it's a family thing and I don't really have one. But now... I feel like I could like this particular holiday.” “James...” I choked up and I couldn't do anything but give him a kiss. “I love you, too.” “So I've heard.” He took my hand in his and pulled me to the street behind him. He seemed to have a particular route in mind as we walked through the neighborhood. Neither of us spoke during the beginning of the walk, we just walked hand in hand in a comfortable silence. As we reached the more expensive residential area, the Christmas lights started to get fancier, understandably. And as it had gotten darker outside, the lights seemed to be shining more brightly. “That house looks so pretty,” I said, leaning onto him. I looked wistfully at the front lawn, the two pine trees were beautifully lit up. I would have loved to live in a house like that. “Do you think those trees actually grow there? Or do they get two new ones every year? I can't really see...” “I don't know about that. Maybe we need to take another walk in this area in a few months,” James suggested. “We can do that.” James pointed at a figure of Santa with his reindeer and the sleigh. “I like that one, too.” I nodded at him, admiring the glinting lights draped around a screened porch. “Oh! I think I found my favorite so far.” James said, sounding enthusiastic. “Turn around!” I did and smiled at the pretty house: a wrap-around porch, two junipers that had brightly lit snowflake decorations on them. What really caught my eye, though, was that someone had gone through a lot of trouble getting the Christmas lights to organize a sentence, “Will you marry me?”. “That's so romantic,” I said quietly. “It must be a wonderful surprise for the people who live there. Or the one who's being proposed to.” I turned around to look at James, thinking I'd give him a kiss. He gotten down on one knee. I blinked at him. “James?” He took my hands in his. “Beth, I've known you for four years and even if I haven't always shown it, I've known that you're the one. I love you and I want to grow old with you. I want to have kids with you. I want to share my life with you. Please, make me the most incredibly luckiest man in the world and accept my proposal. Will you marry me?” “Are... Are you...” I sunk down on the ground, grabbing his hands with mine. “Really?” “I, uh... I got you a ring, too,” he reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out what I assumed was the ring, as it glinted in the little light we had. “And well... The house. I got that, too.” “What?” My eyes widened and I looked back at the house. I sat back on my heels and started to laugh. “Oh my god, James.” “You're killing me here.” He pulled me to him and rested his forehead on mine. “Please, say yes.” “Yes, yes, yes!” I gave him about a dozen kisses and laughed. He started laughing too. Christmas lights never looked the same to me ever again. |
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| Broken, Beat & Scarred | Dec 6 2011, 01:26 PM Post #13 |
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Thorn Within
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Entry 2: Lars glared at the ropes of lights spread out across the floor. Three of the seven ropes were not lighting up. There were at least fifteen lights that were burnt out and not working. And four of the bubble lights weren’t working. “What’s wrong?” The voice came from the kitchen. He huffed and glared at the lights. “Three of the strings aren’t working, there’s a million and a half lights that are burnt out and four of the bubble lights aren’t working, and I changed the bulbs already, and I don’t know why they aren’t working and all I want is to make them work, so we can put them on the tree and-” Lars was cut off by a soft pair of lips pressing to his. “We can buy more lights.” Lars shook his head and sighed. “But these are the lights from our first Christmas. I want them to work. They’re supposed to work.” “Let’s put a few of them up on the tree and see if we can figure it out.” James said, running his fingers slowly over Lars’ shoulders, massaging and squeezing gently. He sighed again. “Okay.” Lars picked up a few of the strings of lights that were working. “Start with these?” James smiled at him and nodded. He started draping the lights, watching Lars’ dejected look staring at the lights as he wrapped them around the tree. “Look, see, there’s a couple that are out right there.” Lars said, pointing them out. “I don’t care.” James said, still draping them up and around the tree. Twenty minutes or so, they were finished. He stood back and looked at the tree. “I think it looks great, what about you?” He turned to look at Lars and caught him catching his bottom lip between his teeth. “Some of the lights are missing.” Lars looked at them, biting his lip harder. He wrapped an arm around Lars’ waist and tugged him closer. “Babe.” James nuzzled the top of his head, the fuzz tickling his chin. “But-” “Babe.” James said again, his nose trailing along the side of his face. “Look at the tree. Not the missing lights. Look at the tree.” He ordered softly. He looked up at the tree, all the lights twinkling, casting a glow on the room, on James. His eyes reflected each of the lights, making his eyes shine. “Doesn’t hold a candle to you.” James smiled. “Wrong.” He watched Lars’ sense of confusion for a long moment. “It doesn’t hold a candle to you. You’re so gorgeous. Just like that tree.” Lars frowned, looking up at him. “But, James-” “The lights don’t matter.” He said softly. “It’s the whole picture that matters. Just like our relationship. We’ve had our fights, our troubles, and yet at the end of the night....” James looked at the tree again. “We come together to make something beautiful.” His eyes filled with tears and Lars looked up at James. Lars looked at James smiling down at him and leaned up, savoring in the touch of their lips together. It was only later, after they’d relived their first Christmas together and made love on the floor amid a pile of blankets that James changed all of the lights on the tree so they lit up and shone. It would make Lars happy. |
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| Broken, Beat & Scarred | Dec 8 2011, 12:57 PM Post #14 |
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Thorn Within
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So, some entries are here yet again. Enjoy, vote, comment, and keep the authors' identities a secret. |
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| Broken, Beat & Scarred | Dec 8 2011, 12:58 PM Post #15 |
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Thorn Within
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Entry 1: December, 1990 It was a chilly, snowy night in the city. James walked along, his hands buried deep in his pockets and the collar on his jacket turned up. Snow swirled round, shimmering in the light from the street lamps and the brightly lit up shop fronts. Everywhere people were laughing; from couples walking arm in arm to excited kids, admiring the toys in a nearby shop window. James felt as if he was the only person in the city with a scowl on his face...if he would have had his way, Christmas would have been cancelled that year. Ok, so maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration, he thought. But James just wasn't in a Christmas *mood*. He had drunk too much the night before and woke up with a massive hangover. He'd also overslept as a result and hadn't had time for any breakfast. At the studio, he had had to put up with his band mates talking nineteen to the dozen about anything and everything and Bob Rock chivvying him along to work. When Kirk had suggested that they rent It's a Wonderful Life from the video shop that evening, James had told him he wouldn't be held responsible for when Kirk went to return the vid and had to explain to the shop keeper why it had been shoved sideways up his ass. Bob Rock had said they could leave the studio early that day, either because he was feeling Christmassy, or because he was secretly fed up with the lads non-stop chatter. Lars, Kirk and Jason had obliged but James had stayed behind, wanting to be alone. He had no wish to ride back with them in the car, listening to Lars going on about Danish Christmas traditions. It was nothing to do with the fact that he felt uncomfortable being in a vehicle on an icy road. So James had chosen to walk back and after ten minutes of happy shoppers and Christmas music blaring from every car that went past, he was just about ready to deck somebody. He sighed with relief when he finally reached the Metallimansion. His feet crunched through the fresh snow on the path as he headed towards the door. Letting himself in, James pulled off his coat and shook the snow from it. Warmth filled the air and he could hear the sound of rock music coming from the living room. Hanging up his coat, James made his way to the kitchen, wanting to help himself to the bottle of whiskey hidden at the back of the cupboard. However, the living room door flew open and Lars came dancing out, wearing a green paper hat and holding a fruit pie. "Hey James!" Lars chirped. "Was waiting for you to get back. Were you, uh...OK walking back on your own?" "No, I was kidnapped and raped by aliens", James said impatiently. "Course I'm fucking alright Lars". "Oh, OK then", said Lars. His smile faded a little, then quickly returned. "Come on through. We're having a bit of a party". Before James could protest, Lars flung his arm around his waist and ushered him into the living room. James had to marvel at how quickly his band mates had set everything up. Multi-coloured paper chains and tinsel adorned the walls, balloons bounced around of their own accord and a trestle table had been erected and was loaded with food and drink. There were paper plates filled with sausage rolls and slices of pizza, cupcakes, fruit tarts and pies and plenty of beer, as well as what looked like bottles of wine. Kirk (who was wearing a red paper hat) was trying to blow up a wiggly balloon and Jason (in an orange hat) was helping himself to some cheese curls out of a bowl. "Lars, couldn't a party have waited until the weekend", James groaned. "Oh, stop being such a grouch", Lars giggled. Grabbing a bottle opener off the table, he then took a bottle out of a dish filled with ice and waved it under James' nose. "Here, have some bubbly". "Fuck off. That's a fucking chick drink". "Oh come on", Lars begged. Tucking the bottle under his arm, he dug the bottle opener into the cork and tugged. "Fuck, I can't get it out". "As you frequently say when you sleep with Dave", James said in an undertone. "Stop it James! Hey, one of you guys come and help me". Kirk whimpered into his still deflated balloon and Jason helpfully hurried over. "Thanks Jase", said Lars. "OK, I'll hold it and you pull". James smirked as he watched Lars grip the bottle in both hands and Jason wrestle with the opener. He finally managed to free the cork, which shot across the room like a bullet. The Champagne exploded from the bottle, soaking James' face. "Oops", said Lars. Kirk and Jason looked at each other nervously. James' expression was like thunder. Without a word, he turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. James went into the bathroom and locked the door. He grabbed the towel off the door and began wiping his face. "Fucking stupid pair of pricks" he muttered under his breath. "Hey, chill out dude" said a familiar voice. James whipped round and saw Cliff standing there; silvery white and transparent but wearing his familiar Misfits t-shirt and bell bottom jeans and holding a joint in one hand. "Cliff!" he exclaimed, his scowl vanishing instantly. "Ha, so you haven't forgotten how to smile", Cliff teased him. "Fuck off", James replied with a grin. "So, why are you so wet Jamie?" Cliff asked, taking a long drag on his joint. "Lars and Jason, that's why", James grumbled. "They were farting about with a bottle of fucking Champagne and they fucking shot it all..."... "Hang on dude", said Cliff, glancing down at his stomach. "Can you see the bog roll through me?" "Umm, yeah", said James. "Shit", said Cliff, stepping sidewards, away from the toilet roll holder. "OK, that's better. So, why did they drown you in Champagne?" "They were trying to open the bottle". "Ah, it was just an accident then" Cliff said. "Don't get so mad over that. After all, no way would they mean to waste all that good booze". "Good point, though I wouldn't call fucking Champagne good" said James. "Have you ever tried it before? I would think it'd feel good...all those bubbles on your dick". James snorted with laughter. "Ah come on, you know what I meant". Cliff laughed too. "Sure did! Right then...you ready to go back to the party?" James made a face, screwing his nose up. "Aww, don't be that way Jamie. You used to love parties". "I still do", said James, twisting the towel round in his hands. "It's just that I've had a shitty day today". "Then all the more reason to go and have fun at the party, to negate the shit vibes" grinned Cliff. "Hmm, I guess so" James agreed but he still looked uncertain. Cliff smoked his joint thoughtfully. "You know, it's not like Lars and Kirk have every reason to love Christmas either. Remember that one year when Kirk's girlfriend split up with him a week before Christmas. An' then when Lars' aunt was sick and we went to visit her in hospital on Christmas day". "Yeah" said James, scrunching up the end of the towel. "They're still making an effort to have fun, even though they have some bad memories of this time of the year. And that's what you gotta do dude...stick two fingers up at the shit stuff and have fun. You can't let it beat you". "Yeah, I guess you're right" said James, finally replacing the wet towel its hanger. He sighed. "It's just that..."... "Yeah?" "I miss you dude", James mumbled, staring down at his trainers. "I miss you too" said Cliff. "And Kirk and Lars. And Jason looks like he's pretty fun guy. But don't forget Jamie, I'm always here. Even when I aint actually with you like I am now, I'm up there..."...he pointed to the ceiling. "Watching over you and the others". James looked up again and smiled at Cliff. The two guys hugged each other, or at least James put his arms in position so he would have been hugging Cliff had he been solid. "Go on now Jamie" said Cliff, finally releasing him. "Or all the Champagne will be drunk". James chuckled and watched as Cliff slowly faded away. He gazed thoughtfully at the place where Cliff had been, then he unlocked the bathroom door and went back into the living room. James stood for a moment, watching his band mates enjoying the party. Kirk had managed to blow up the wiggly balloon and he and Lars were playing balloon tennis with it. Jason was standing well back and shouting out encouragement, a glass of the rogue Champagne in his hand. "Oooops, you nearly dropped it there Lars", he said cheerfully, as Lars made a spectacular save, preventing the balloon from landing in half a cream cake. "Shut up asswipe, you're making me lose!" Lars yelled. "How am I? I'm cheering you on" Jason said in a mock hurt tone. "Well go and get a cheerleader's outfit and do it properly then" said Lars, batting the balloon hard at Kirk. Jason stuck his middle finger up at Lars and Kirk caught the balloon, though he nearly fell over the settee doing so. James strode into the room, grinning as he waited for his buddies to notice him. Lars saw him first and gave him the thumbs up. "Hi James. So you're...umm...dry again now?" "Yep", said James. "An' now you and Newkid are gonna get what you deserve". Kirk chewed on the knot at the end of the balloon. Jason looked first at Lars, then at James, waiting to see what would happen. James walked over to Lars, who looked nervous but stood his ground. Then James reached out and wrapping his arms around Lars, pulled him into a tight hug. Lars gasped in surprise and James chuckled. "Uhhh, you're hugging me dude?" Lars asked. "Yeah", said James. "You OK with that Larsie?" "Sure" Lars grinned weakly. "More than OK. I was um...expecting a wedgie, in fact". "I can give ya want if you want". "Nah, it's alright!" James laughed and released Lars, then he went over to Jason and hugged him too. Jason gaped...totally shocked but not at all upset. "What about Kirk?" Lars giggled. "Don't leave him out". "Yeah but he didn't annoy me and ahh, fuck it". James let go of Jason and grabbed Kirk, hugging him too. Kirk squealed and squirmed about but it was too late. BANG! The balloon he had been holding popped as James squashed it against his chest. "Ooops!" said Lars again. "Oh well, I guess that means I won the game". Kirk and James stared at each other, then they burst out laughing. "Right" said James, releasing Kirk. "I need a proper drink now...where's the beer?" He went over to the table and grabbed a can. Jason picked up a big, round balloon and threw it over to Kirk, bopping him gently on the head with it. "Fancy another game?" "Bring it on", said Kirk, flexing his fingers as if he wanted to pop the balloon. "I'm playing the winner" Lars said. He bounced over to where James was drinking. Lars nudged him and the two guys shared a grin. "Now this is a real drink" said James, thrusting the can under Lars nose. "I agree" said Lars, helping himself to another can. He took a gulp, then added, "Glad to see that you're cheerful now Jamie". "Yeah", James replied. "I guess you could say that I, uhhh...found some Christmas spirit". The End |
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7:57 AM May 22