The Persistence of Memory/ Thanksgiving 2016/ The Honey Thief Redux/ Attention Redux/ A Hospital Bed

[Carrion Queen]

Hello, reader:

Ximena had never exerted her power so strongly, for so long. Now doubled in power, prolonged for hours, and altering the course of time’s natural flow

a rip appeared.

Ximena blinked and breathed in. Where was she? She felt strange but couldn't put her finger on it. "Oh…" she said. I think something might be wrong?

Ximena blinked and breathed in. Where was she? She felt strange but couldn't put her finger on it. "Oh…" she said. I think something might be wrong?

Ximena blinked and breathed in. Where was she? She felt strange but couldn't put her finger on it. "Oh…" she said. I think something might be wrong?

Ximena blinked and breathed in. Where was she? She felt strange but couldn't put her finger on it. "Oh…" she said. I think something might be wrong?

Ximena couldn’t blink or breathe in. Where was she? She felt strange but couldn't put her finger on it. "Oh…" she thought. I think something might be wrong?

[Carrion Queen]

Ximena sat enveloped in warmth. She was sitting in a bed with her back propped against many pillows, and she was covered up to her waist in a blanket. Next to her legs were two other leg shapes. The TV flickered in front of them in soft colors. "Raja," she said. Raja continued looking at the screen with an intense kind of concentration. He put his hand over hers and began writing in her palm with his index finger. [Trying to figure out. David Bowie hot here?] His eyes narrowed. [His hotness an eye trick? The stretch pants are -- ] he shook his head. [And yet.] Ximena leaned on him and looked at their hands "What is eternity?" she whispered back. Without knowing why, she felt like crying.

Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here… I have suffered, I’ve been mutilated, and I’ve lost. I consider eternity. I consider surrender. I hear a sound that’s one long, unbroken note fluctuating and vibrating.

"This one isn’t normal." "Every Gift is different and unique, it doesn’t mean anything," said her mother. "No. This isn’t like you and it’s not like Marge. It’s wrong to tamper with something so fundamental as -- as time!" her aunt blurted out. Next to Ximena sat her father. Ximena leaned on him and looked at their hands. "What is eternity?" she whispered back. Without knowing why, she felt like crying.

Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here… I have suffered, I’ve been mutilated, and I’ve lost. I consider eternity. I consider surrender. I hear a sound that’s one long, unbroken note fluctuating and vibrating.

Henry looked across the table at Ximena and smiled. He took her hand in his. A waiter put down a plate of dumplings to share. "I love you more than anyone. You know that, right?" he said, smiling. There was a feeling around her of warm honey. "Forever." Ximena leaned on him and looked at their hands "What is eternity?" she whispered back. Without knowing why, she cried.

Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here… I have suffered, I’ve been mutilated, and I’ve lost. I consider eternity. I consider surrender. I hear a sound that’s one long, unbroken note fluctuating and vibrating.

Ximena pulled her hand slowly away from the center of Emily’s chest. As she did, the glow faded. "Um... thanks." Emily paused for a moment. "Just a question though... what did you just do? Not that I don't appreciate it, or anything, but, well, you know..." “I stole your heart,” Ximena said with a grin, holding up a hand that mimicked holding the organ, contracting her fingers like a beating heart. What is eternity?, she thought to herself, gazing at Emily in the dim glow of their flashlights.

Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here… I have suffered, I’ve been mutilated, and I’ve lost. I consider eternity. I consider surrender. I hear a sound that’s one long, unbroken note fluctuating and vibrating.

Well, what is eternity? She thought it to herself in the dark as all of them wondered simultaneously. A slight pinch in the arm was all she could feel. Besides that there was nothing.

Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here… I have suffered, I’ve been mutilated, and I’ve lost. I consider eternity. I consider surrender. I hear a sound that’s one long, unbroken note fluctuating and vibrating.

[Carrion Queen]

Stuffed animals sat haphazardly on the bed with them. A whale, a cat, an eagle. Raja was writing on her hand because he knew if he whispered to her, she'd fall asleep. The two of them were part of the room, muted colors and all. She rested her head on his shoulder and he rested his head against her head. The movie continued playing. [Kidnapping tho. Not hot] he wrote with his index finger on her palm. How long have I been here for?

I feel spread thin. What was I doing before? What does "before" mean? There’s no such thing as before. Everything happens all the time, at once. .... No, that's not right. I think I can do this.

"What if she uses it to go back in time and she changes something and Hitler is president!" her aunt yelled, sending some cranberry sauce that was still in the shape of a can into a jiggling fit nearby. "That's not how it works," her mother said with a sigh. "How do you know? What if you try to ground her and she turns you into an old woman?" "I don't think she can do that either," said her sister. Ximena could not do either of these things. The scent of her plate piled with stuffing was strong. Her hands were stuck under her legs, so no one noticed that they began to glow. How long have I been here for?

I feel spread thin. What was I doing before? What does "before" mean? There’s no such thing as before. Everything happens all the time, at once. .... No, that's not right. I think I can do this. The structures that govern us all are characterized by a lack of mercy. But that doesn’t mean we have to be that way, too.

Henry snapped his chopsticks apart and they split unevenly. He stared down at the uneven break in the cheap wooden chopsticks. "I -- I -- Sometimes I do bad things to people I love and I really wonder why. I go, 'I love her more than anything. So why am I doing this to her?' H-hypothetically, of course. Is it... really so wrong to love yourself more than you love other people? It's not, right? Shit. Nevermind." The restaurant started to feel hazier, a bit like she was drunk. "My parents are out of town," he said with a forced casualness. Ximena took a deep breath and smelled stuffing and cranberry sauce. She was sitting on her hands, and they began to glow. How long have I been here for?

I feel spread thin. What was I doing before? What does "before" mean? There’s no such thing as before. Everything happens all the time, at once. .... No, that's not right. I think I can do this. The structures that govern us all are characterized by a lack of mercy. But that doesn’t mean we have to be that way, too. You are more than the worst moments of your life.

“I slowed your heart down and then let go slowly until it was beating normal,” she said finally, looking back to Emily. “I control time,” Ximena said with a shrug. Emily's shoulders relaxed as she smiled faintly at Ximena's joke. "I see. Well, um, thank you again. I hope it wasn't too hard on your or anything to do it, if it was I'm really sorry about it..." There was a brief moment of silence before the reply continued. "That's a really cool gift, though. What else can you do with it?" Emily asked How long have I been here for?

I feel spread thin. What was I doing before? What does "before" mean? There’s no such thing as before. Everything happens all the time, at once. .... No, that's not right. I think I can do this. The structures that govern us all are characterized by a lack of mercy. But that doesn’t mean we have to be that way, too. You are more than the worst moments of your life. Put them back. Everything in its right place.

Ximena looked out at the void. If she had a head to cock, she would have done that. Time may be a flat circle but this ass ain't, am I right???? The void did not respond. She imagined she sighed, as she could not actually sigh. Ximena looked at a broken chopstick in front of her. How long have I been here for? Alright, let's do this. One.

I feel spread thin. What was I doing before? What does "before" mean? There’s no such thing as before. Everything happens all the time, at once. .... No, that's not right. I think I can do this. The structures that govern us all are characterized by a lack of mercy. But that doesn’t mean we have to be that way, too. You are more than the worst moments of your life. Put them back. Everything in its right place. Count to one.

[Carrion Queen]

It became much neater. Ximena cuddled into Raja, wrapping her arms around his torso. It was not something unusual; he didn't respond except to shift a little to get comfortable. "That's not fair. It's not fair!" said Sarah on the television screen. "You say that so often. I wonder what your basis for comparison is," said Jareth, mildly annoyed. The air seemed to glitter around them, but only Ximena noticed. Things are rarely fair.

It became much neater. Emily pulled her hand back out of her pocket to adjust the straps on her dufflebag before shining her flashlight around a bit. She turned and took a couple step away before looking back at Ximena. "Anyway, I, um, well I really like talking to you and all, but would you mind if we do some searching while we chat? We should probably try to get out of this darkness as soon as we can," Emily said. Ximena watched her walk into the darkness. The air seemed to glitter around them, but only Ximena noticed. Things are rarely fair.

It became much neater. Ximena wanted to run and reach out to Emily and Raja, but she had no legs to run with and there was no ground to run on. Every direction looked exactly the same: inky nothing. Just as you are not defined by the worst thing you have done and your worst moment, it is not possible to stay cocooned with old treasures -- not for very long. The only way is forward. Keep going forward or every trial will have been for nothing. Things are rarely fair.

Ahhh...

The void seemed less heavy, like a lighter shade of black. Before it felt like somehow there were boxes stacked on top of wherever this was, pushing down. She felt a sense of satisfaction; she had cleared the last hurdle.

Ximena opened her eyes and grinned.

((Ximena continued in C-Walk ))