Probability Map

March 15, 2018April 7, 2018 ~ Piece, of the Sky

thinking

Ran walked out the bar and down the street. She felt the wintry night wind on her neck. She was headed in the direction of Midtown.

Several cars drove by. Someone stopped at a red light too long, and a taxi cab driver leaned on his horn – even though there were signs everywhere warning commuters not to honk.

She kicked a beer bottle cap. It ricocheted off a trash can and rattled down the sidewalk, before falling into the gutter.

A town car pulled up to the curb. One of the tinted passenger windows rolled down and a blond woman poked her head out, “Hey you, where are you going?”

Ran wiped away her tears, before turning around, “Me? Uh, Williamsburg.”

“Really?” the woman said, “It’s that way.”

“Um,” Ran stalled, “I’m new to the city.”

The woman laughed, “Get in; I’ll show you around.”

Ran shook her head, “I’ll pass, thanks.”

“I used to live here,” she said, inclining her head, “I just got back. You know what, if you ever want to have fun, here’s my card.”

Ran took the business card from her slim, manicured hand, “Thank you. I got lost on the way back to the hotel.”

“Point taken,” she said, “Cheer up, OK?”

The window went back up, and the car pulled away, tail lights disappearing into the night.

Ran turned the card over and saw only a name embossed, in bold letters: ‘Dallas Pace.’

She shrugged, flinging the card behind her. It fell in a puddle and floated over the reflected moon.

heartline

Perturbation Theory

March 12, 2018April 6, 2018 ~ Piece, of the Sky

I miss the sea, water

Alli was paddling back, from kayaking out to the Peak, a rock that stood up in the water, rising at least twenty feet. Every time she came out to Ran’s house on the waterfront, she spent the morning heading out to the pinnacle and rowing around it, before heading back to shore.

The morning was hazy. White clouds hung low in the sky. The crest of the Peak, had been covered in fog.

One oar stroke at a time, Alli made her way forward, through the choppy waves of the low tide. She was cruising. The beach was in sight. Trees here and there, and the scrubland of the dunes.

Ran’s house came into view. Ran was sitting on the beach waiting for her. She had a fire going and was grilling breakfast sausages. Just like when I met her, Alli thought.

She tied up the boat at the dock out front. Strolling down the beachfront in her sandals, she waved to Ran, who waved back. In the house, she changed into a T-shirt and shorts that weren’t damp with sweat and put on a new sweatshirt. Outside, she made her way to Ran, who was plating the sausages.

“How was it out there?” Ran asked, as Alli got closer.

“Peaceful,” Alli said, sitting down on the sand.

“How was your parents’ house?” Ran asked, handing her a plate.

“Uneventful,” Alli answered, “We just watched ‘Jeopardy,’ mostly.”

“That’s good,” Ran said. She gave Alli a fork.

They ate the food, watching the sun climb through the low-hanging mist.

“How was your time with Kaan?” Alli asked. She opened a thermos of coffee Ran had brought.

“Oh, you know, just watched the fight,” Ran shrugged.

Ran unrolled a colorful, striped blanket, and they lay down in the dune grass, after eating their food, staring up at the brightening sky.

Ran put her arm around Alli’s shoulders, “Do you like being with me?”

Alli glanced at her and put her arm around Ran’s stomach, “Of course I do.”

She ran her hand over Alli’s soft hair, the medium fade, “Do you think people can reincarnate while still alive?”