Lucid Waking

Archive for April, 2007

Shopping for Prom Dresses

            “Pink?” Samantha asked. She had a low chocolate voice that soothed the ears, even when her mouth had fallen open on its own accord from surprise and disgust. She blinked her smoky kohl-rimmed eyes once slowly as if the image of the long fuchsia dress would disappear if she rewetted her eyes.
            Tammy spun around in a circle especially enjoying the extra swish the skirt made around her legs when she stopped. The bodice of the dress was low cut and ended in a corset-like ribbon cascade in the front. The skirt of the dress went down to the floor and covered her black boots. She gazed at Samantha through her black eyeliner and rolled her green eyes. “Look I know it’s not black, but isn’t it pretty?”
            “Tam, that color will burn Jason’s eyes right out of their sockets.” Samantha said placing one hand on her hip. She nearly pushed down her black skirt on her slightly curved frame, but instead of pulling her skirt up she instinctively pulled her black blouse down.
            Tammy smiled through her dark red lipstick. “Come on,” she said exasperated.  She walked towards the dressing room without a second glance. “I’m going to get it.”
            “Don’t be stupid, you’re wasting your money.” Samantha said quickly following her. Tammy stepped neatly into the first door open and started humming to herself. “What ever happened to green?” Samantha asked, hopefully as she reached the door just as it closed. Tammy ignored her and continued humming.  She walked out of the dressing room with the dress draped over her forearm. She tugged her black pants up higher with her free hand as she stepped back out into the store area. A few more people had come into the shop and stared at them, but Tammy ignored them. Samantha blushed a bit, but walked past all of them, including her friend out of the store.
            Tammy joined up with her later and carefully rustled the tissue paper of the bag as she shifted it from one hand to the other. “Ready?” she asked as she looked cocked her head and rolled her eyes up to look at Samantha.
            Samantha smiled. “Good gracious, let’s get to Hot Topic.”

The Captain’s Daughters

On a bright, clear summer day sitting under a tree
Were a captain’s only daughters, numbering three
The first was a brat and as vain as the sun
The second was a demon loved by no one
But the third was the youngest; an unknown gem
For she was so quiet no one noticed them.
So when the first would whine looking for mirror
Or the second would run around causing an awful terror
The third would quickly silence them with a shush from her thin lips
And all three would slink right off onto one of their father’s ships.

Reflections

            Miriam looked in the mirror and did a double take. At two in the morning and still working on her senior research paper, she thought she had finally lost her mind. The window in her mirror was starting to glow lightly and her reflection was sleeping soundly in her bed, the covers tousled and blanket kicked across the room. The slow distant sound of snoring reached her ears barely audible under the buzz of her computer motor.
            Miriam stood up and walked towards the dusty glass. The alarm clock buzzed and clicked the radio on. Static crackled on the other side of the glass as her reflection grumbled and turned over to switch the station. Birds flittered outside her glowing window as her cell phone rang.
            “Good morning, sweetie,” her reflection said into the phone, smiling. “Sure, I can come. Will you pick me up at noon? Ok, bye.”
            Miriam stood gaping at the glass, her mouth becoming dry with lack of sleep and dusty air. Her reflection got up and pulled off her nightgown, humming quietly with the radio. She jumped as she saw Miriam in the mirror and self-consciously wrapped her nightgown across her body.
            “Who are you?” the corporeal Miriam asked her reflection loudly.
            The girl smiled. “Your hopes and dreams.” With those final words the scene melted into the dark room and Miriam stared back at herself dimly lit by her computer screen. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes. It’s just too bad I’m not done, she thought as she shut down her computer. She sleepily fell onto the bed and soon her breathing became more rhythmic as the slow distant sound of snoring reached her reflection’s ears barely audible over a lovesick sigh.
            “Poor thing,” her reflection said, pulling a tee shirt over her head. “At least tomorrow is Saturday.”

Grow white angel tree
into the red moon night.
Whisper happy colors to a soft sky.