If Heaven Forbids (CA - Saber)
Quote from Skyelre on October 7, 2019, 11:57 pmRiley beamed seeing the expression on Amos' face, soon returning to the couch as Amos entered the kitchen.
" You guys are tea buddies." He said to himself in a giddy voice.
" Ah no- My mom is trying tea out, I've never liked the stuff." Henry objected.
" But still, if he's got something in common with your mom... That's almost like having something in common with you."
Henry laughed dryly. " My mom doesn't like tea either," He stated frankly. " She's just using it trying to find a replacement to drinking alcohol when she's stressed, and with my injury and everything, she's been really stressed lately."
Riley's smile fell. " Oh."
A moment passed before the seriousness that had entered the air was swept away as Henry turned to Riley with a smirk, leaning back onto the couch.
" So you want to hear about the coma. What? Have we really used up all my good stories?"
Riley shrugged as a grin grew upon his face. " Unless you want to tell me about your motorcycle accident instead....." He innocently said.
Henry frowned, brows furrowed. " No. We don't talk about that. Ever. That was.. That was just stupid. The whole thing."
Riley beamed seeing the expression on Amos' face, soon returning to the couch as Amos entered the kitchen.
" You guys are tea buddies." He said to himself in a giddy voice.
" Ah no- My mom is trying tea out, I've never liked the stuff." Henry objected.
" But still, if he's got something in common with your mom... That's almost like having something in common with you."
Henry laughed dryly. " My mom doesn't like tea either," He stated frankly. " She's just using it trying to find a replacement to drinking alcohol when she's stressed, and with my injury and everything, she's been really stressed lately."
Riley's smile fell. " Oh."
A moment passed before the seriousness that had entered the air was swept away as Henry turned to Riley with a smirk, leaning back onto the couch.
" So you want to hear about the coma. What? Have we really used up all my good stories?"
Riley shrugged as a grin grew upon his face. " Unless you want to tell me about your motorcycle accident instead....." He innocently said.
Henry frowned, brows furrowed. " No. We don't talk about that. Ever. That was.. That was just stupid. The whole thing."
Quote from Mae on October 11, 2019, 4:51 pmAmos stepped into the kitchen and deliberately surveyed the tea flavors with an attuned eye. He saw fruit teas and leaf teas likely purchased from grocery markets and herbal stores. Then his eyes set on a refined Indian tea, quite unlike its neighbors. As immediately as his eyes came to it there began again music in the back of his mind; an elegant cultural music stemming from the breath and life of that distant land. He heard the ancient veena bringing to mind the tales of a thousand years; the deep-throated tanpura echoing across the sands and through the forests of India; and the magnificent dilruba whose soulful sound could be adequately described as no less than transcendent.
More than content to savor the music while savoring the refined smell of tea, Amos did not return to the sitting room for a short time. He came back with one hand in his pocket, and the other holding a glass to his lips while Riley and Henry were engrossed in a story. He set his shoulder to the doorframe and gave leave for his legs to be at ease, casually leaning in the kitchen doorway to listen in.
Amos stepped into the kitchen and deliberately surveyed the tea flavors with an attuned eye. He saw fruit teas and leaf teas likely purchased from grocery markets and herbal stores. Then his eyes set on a refined Indian tea, quite unlike its neighbors. As immediately as his eyes came to it there began again music in the back of his mind; an elegant cultural music stemming from the breath and life of that distant land. He heard the ancient veena bringing to mind the tales of a thousand years; the deep-throated tanpura echoing across the sands and through the forests of India; and the magnificent dilruba whose soulful sound could be adequately described as no less than transcendent.
More than content to savor the music while savoring the refined smell of tea, Amos did not return to the sitting room for a short time. He came back with one hand in his pocket, and the other holding a glass to his lips while Riley and Henry were engrossed in a story. He set his shoulder to the doorframe and gave leave for his legs to be at ease, casually leaning in the kitchen doorway to listen in.
Quote from Skyelre on October 13, 2019, 12:59 amHenry sighed a long breath before returning to look at Riley directly in the eyes. " ...The coma isn't a pleasant story."
Riley just kept smiling as he responded a simple, " I know."
Henry took another deep breath as he got more comfortable on the couch, left arm now resting on the couch back. His gaze now wandered as he recounted the events, his hand moving now and then to join in his words for emphasis.
" So… I was nineteen at the time. Not as stupid as I was when I had my motorcycle accident, but still pretty stupid. I was out with a few people whom, at the time, I would've called my friends, just hanging out and eating lunch.
When my food arrived, I was only a few bites in when I started to have a reaction. This particular crowd, familiar with my allergies, never liked getting involved in helping me deal with them. So they started to tease me like they always did as I was beginning to struggle to breath, and were making fun of me and that I'd have to go "stab myself" with my EpiPen now just to live. I tried to laugh it off, and decided maybe I didn't need to use it this time. ...So stupid.
Pretty soon breathing got harder, and eventually I knew I needed help. I had left my EpiPens in my motorcycle pouch back then, so I figured I'd just get up and go grab it real quick before things got worse. But when I tried to get up, I fainted immediately. I was now on the floor, and life just felt like it slowed down. I could barely breathe or think. From what I heard, some lady- just a random bystander- started screaming something about my face turning blue, and started telling someone to call 911. I was only still conscious for maybe about a minute when I stopped breathing, but it felt like an eternity. Because several minutes passed without breathing, my brain took damage and I fell into a coma. After that, I was out for about 11 days.
After I finally came to, it was horrible. I was insanely thirsty but they never would give me anything to drink except a stupid dang wet sponge to suck on. I could hardly remember anything anyone told me for the first two weeks. I had to have therapy to relearn how to walk, and even talk and read to an extent. Recovery took over a month, and that was only enough to feel half normal and well enough to leave the hospital. ...My mental capabilities did take a hit. Like I'm sure you've heard many comment on… or just outright mock about, I do talk much slower than I use to. My reaction speed is slower, I have some memory problems, and now I have trouble with headaches, sleeping, all kinds of things I didn't have before. The whole thing was just awful and completely changed my life. …I really wish I would've been smarter back then, but you can't change the past, so I just had to adapt and get use to the changes it caused."
Henry now stared solemnly at the ground as he finished, the weight of the story seeming to almost dim the room.
Riley wasn't smiling anymore, but he still had a twinkle in his eye from amazement. " That's when you got your Phoenix tattoo, right?" He asked quietly.
" Yeah," Henry replied, finally looking over at Riley again. " That's when I got it."
Henry sighed a long breath before returning to look at Riley directly in the eyes. " ...The coma isn't a pleasant story."
Riley just kept smiling as he responded a simple, " I know."
Henry took another deep breath as he got more comfortable on the couch, left arm now resting on the couch back. His gaze now wandered as he recounted the events, his hand moving now and then to join in his words for emphasis.
" So… I was nineteen at the time. Not as stupid as I was when I had my motorcycle accident, but still pretty stupid. I was out with a few people whom, at the time, I would've called my friends, just hanging out and eating lunch.
When my food arrived, I was only a few bites in when I started to have a reaction. This particular crowd, familiar with my allergies, never liked getting involved in helping me deal with them. So they started to tease me like they always did as I was beginning to struggle to breath, and were making fun of me and that I'd have to go "stab myself" with my EpiPen now just to live. I tried to laugh it off, and decided maybe I didn't need to use it this time. ...So stupid.
Pretty soon breathing got harder, and eventually I knew I needed help. I had left my EpiPens in my motorcycle pouch back then, so I figured I'd just get up and go grab it real quick before things got worse. But when I tried to get up, I fainted immediately. I was now on the floor, and life just felt like it slowed down. I could barely breathe or think. From what I heard, some lady- just a random bystander- started screaming something about my face turning blue, and started telling someone to call 911. I was only still conscious for maybe about a minute when I stopped breathing, but it felt like an eternity. Because several minutes passed without breathing, my brain took damage and I fell into a coma. After that, I was out for about 11 days.
After I finally came to, it was horrible. I was insanely thirsty but they never would give me anything to drink except a stupid dang wet sponge to suck on. I could hardly remember anything anyone told me for the first two weeks. I had to have therapy to relearn how to walk, and even talk and read to an extent. Recovery took over a month, and that was only enough to feel half normal and well enough to leave the hospital. ...My mental capabilities did take a hit. Like I'm sure you've heard many comment on… or just outright mock about, I do talk much slower than I use to. My reaction speed is slower, I have some memory problems, and now I have trouble with headaches, sleeping, all kinds of things I didn't have before. The whole thing was just awful and completely changed my life. …I really wish I would've been smarter back then, but you can't change the past, so I just had to adapt and get use to the changes it caused."
Henry now stared solemnly at the ground as he finished, the weight of the story seeming to almost dim the room.
Riley wasn't smiling anymore, but he still had a twinkle in his eye from amazement. " That's when you got your Phoenix tattoo, right?" He asked quietly.
" Yeah," Henry replied, finally looking over at Riley again. " That's when I got it."
Quote from Mae on October 14, 2019, 11:41 pm"Rising from the ashes of your past life." Amos said softly in the doorway. He sipped his tea thoughtfully and stepped into the room where the other two young men sat on the couch. As he passed, he noticed a thin layer of dust under the lampshade and stopped. There, he drew a figure-eight on a horizontal axis with his smallest finger where the other two could see it.
"The lemniscate is a symbol representing infinity." Amos said. He spoke ever more quietly. "While some believe a new phoenix is born out of the scorched body of its predecessor, others hold that the phoenix is reincarnated from its own ashes into a new living body. Whatever the case, the process of its rebirth is infinite; able to be completed not once but many times."
Amos traced the lemniscate with his finger without upsetting the dust. After three passes, his finger stopped in the center of the symbol where the line crossed over itself.
"As sure as the promise to live again," he said, quieter still. His last words were so wistful that he appeared to say them to himself. "Is the promise of another death yet to come."
"Rising from the ashes of your past life." Amos said softly in the doorway. He sipped his tea thoughtfully and stepped into the room where the other two young men sat on the couch. As he passed, he noticed a thin layer of dust under the lampshade and stopped. There, he drew a figure-eight on a horizontal axis with his smallest finger where the other two could see it.
"The lemniscate is a symbol representing infinity." Amos said. He spoke ever more quietly. "While some believe a new phoenix is born out of the scorched body of its predecessor, others hold that the phoenix is reincarnated from its own ashes into a new living body. Whatever the case, the process of its rebirth is infinite; able to be completed not once but many times."
Amos traced the lemniscate with his finger without upsetting the dust. After three passes, his finger stopped in the center of the symbol where the line crossed over itself.
"As sure as the promise to live again," he said, quieter still. His last words were so wistful that he appeared to say them to himself. "Is the promise of another death yet to come."
Quote from Skyelre on October 23, 2019, 8:40 pm" Basically," Henry replied to Amos' comment he made at the door. Then Amos moved back into the room, soon to notice and draw the lemnisicate symbol in dust, speaking of it's meaning. Riley had a bit of a bewildered look as he listened, while Henry's face fell default.
Then silence.
" You make it sound tragic when you put it that way." Henry finally responded, his voice hushed reflecting the voice that had been speaking prior.
" Whether it be one reborn again and again or another taking it's place, it doesn't really matter. Life and death have always been in an infinite loop, and always will be. It's quite amazing when you think about it."
" Basically," Henry replied to Amos' comment he made at the door. Then Amos moved back into the room, soon to notice and draw the lemnisicate symbol in dust, speaking of it's meaning. Riley had a bit of a bewildered look as he listened, while Henry's face fell default.
Then silence.
" You make it sound tragic when you put it that way." Henry finally responded, his voice hushed reflecting the voice that had been speaking prior.
" Whether it be one reborn again and again or another taking it's place, it doesn't really matter. Life and death have always been in an infinite loop, and always will be. It's quite amazing when you think about it."
Quote from Mae on October 24, 2019, 2:16 am"When applied to the cycle of life, actually, it is rather droll. But when applied to a singular life, yes, amazing." Amos answered. He left the lemniscate in the dust under the lampshade and circled back into the room. "It would foretell that such a one would experience life-changing alterations over and over again; multiple near-death experiences which would change one's perspective on life again and again."
"When applied to the cycle of life, actually, it is rather droll. But when applied to a singular life, yes, amazing." Amos answered. He left the lemniscate in the dust under the lampshade and circled back into the room. "It would foretell that such a one would experience life-changing alterations over and over again; multiple near-death experiences which would change one's perspective on life again and again."
Quote from Skyelre on October 25, 2019, 12:06 am" Really? You ever had one of those yourself Amos?" Henry asked, a subtlety to his voice that was hard to identify.
Riley looked a bit confused by what was spoken, but he still smiled and had excitement on his face over the fact that his friends seemed to have finally found something they could talk about.
" Really? You ever had one of those yourself Amos?" Henry asked, a subtlety to his voice that was hard to identify.
Riley looked a bit confused by what was spoken, but he still smiled and had excitement on his face over the fact that his friends seemed to have finally found something they could talk about.
Quote from Mae on October 26, 2019, 12:34 amAmos seemed to look distant. His face was no less solemn or telling now than it ever was.
"Yes," he simply said.
Amos seemed to look distant. His face was no less solemn or telling now than it ever was.
"Yes," he simply said.
Quote from Skyelre on November 7, 2019, 9:28 pm" You sure talk like you've witnessed it before." Henry concluded.
Riley was staring off in the distance now, the gears turning in his head. Then after a moment something seemed to click as he looked at Amos with a mix of shock and excitement.
" Wait, Amos, have you almost died like Saber? Like, do you have any crazy stories about almost dying?"
" You sure talk like you've witnessed it before." Henry concluded.
Riley was staring off in the distance now, the gears turning in his head. Then after a moment something seemed to click as he looked at Amos with a mix of shock and excitement.
" Wait, Amos, have you almost died like Saber? Like, do you have any crazy stories about almost dying?"
Quote from Mae on November 8, 2019, 12:33 pmAmos looked at Riley. His prolonged gaze sat on his friend's countenance. His face never revealed his thoughts.
It was not so much a blank stare as staring blankly, for the former knew not the answer, and the latter revealed not the answer. At any rate, when Amos looked away a moment later that seemed to be the end of it. Whether the answer was yes or no was anyone's guess, until...
Amos reached for his collar. He continued to stare at the light filtering through the curtain as, one by one, he unfastened each button on his shirt. Beneath the black garment a long white scar was revealed extending vertically the whole length of his sternum.
With his face as somber as ever, Amos looked at his friend again.
Amos looked at Riley. His prolonged gaze sat on his friend's countenance. His face never revealed his thoughts.
It was not so much a blank stare as staring blankly, for the former knew not the answer, and the latter revealed not the answer. At any rate, when Amos looked away a moment later that seemed to be the end of it. Whether the answer was yes or no was anyone's guess, until...
Amos reached for his collar. He continued to stare at the light filtering through the curtain as, one by one, he unfastened each button on his shirt. Beneath the black garment a long white scar was revealed extending vertically the whole length of his sternum.
With his face as somber as ever, Amos looked at his friend again.
