- 2023 -

I pulled up to the house mid afternoon. The autumn sun was high in the sky just at its tip. It shined warmth against the cool breeze. I stepped out of the car and breathed in the crisp air as I looked upon the old Victorian manor. It stood with all its windows reflecting the sun at me, welcoming me once again to a familiar place that I had greeted many times in my life. I knew every bend and point of the roof, the corners of wood. All the imperfections, ones that nature caused and some that I might have caused as a kid.

I approached and unlocked the heavy front door. It swung open with a creak and revealed the dim inside. I flipped on the lights and the warmth poured back over the interior. The main entrance opened up to the living room which had large bay windows out looking the forested backyard. To the right through a large open space was the kitchen that was fashioned in a grayish theme with black trim. Marble of gold and black flashed in the sun light from the windows. To the left of the living room was a set of stairs that went down to the lower level and past that the bedrooms of the house. Three in all. My parents, mine and then my two sisters.

Or at least they used to be.

I moved through the house and observed the character that still remained. The family pictures, the little trinkets that were perfectly placed on each shelf, the fake and real plants that brought a bit of nature and balance to the rooms. Each room cast more memories in my direction. Like a whole lifetime playing out before my eyes. The good and the bad. This house contained them all with in its walls. I sat down on the couch in the living room which faced the front door. The house was still. The wind brought a few creaks and the house stirred a bit, but it was different.

I brought my hands to my face and tears streamed from my eyes. Emotions from a lifetime bubbled up from an abyss. The house that held us was no longer the same. The memories were not scarred into the wood structure, the pain and happiness not mixed with the foundation, the mirrors that watched and held out glances never captured those reflections. The house,in fact, was just a house. While it held us, it seemed full of life. Now, it was just a building. Music no longer ran through its hallways giving movement and energy. A pot or a stove no longer threw off heat and breathed life into the heart. Foot steps and laughter no longer rang high into the ceiling and bounced off for everyone to hear, even faintly. No longer was it home.

The house that I had lived in, that I dreamed of living in again, no longer held what I believed.

The house was not what my spirit cried for.

It was the people, who made it a home.

When ever I have been in my house with no one home or a place that is familiar I notice that it takes a different tone. It is all the little things that go on with a family that really bring something to life. Objects, such as a house or and item are really important, not because of the thing, but because of the memories and people associated with them. A house doesn’t seem the same with out the people inside it.

What is the fun of being in a castle, if your alone.

“I would like to see what the city has to offer” the man smiled at him. A large slit between two thin lips.

Taylor looked at his watch and then at the man “You are okay with the rates we spoke about over the phone still?” The smiling man nodded violently and stuck out his hand. Taylor took it and they shook.

They both stepped out of the small room and down a hallway that breached into bright light. Buildings scattered the horizon in all directions and the symphony of the city filled the air. Mariten Metropolis. A city standing bright and tall as an example of what humans were capable of. A mixture of science, industry, art and culture. The pinnacle of the heights. Ever changing, ever evolving, and ever attracting tourists from the whole world. Taylor looked at his new found employer. A average looking man. Short knappy brown hair, roundish face and smaller then average nose. He wore small round glasses that made him look like an old book keeper. He stood admiring the sites and sounds. Small airplanes zooming in and out between buildings, light rails slinking along their snake paths just below them. Lights pervading each and every single surface that they could. They lit up with advertising, videos and public announcements. The man’s name was Sigil. A strange name, but those that came from the west usually had something interesting about them. He had called earlier looking for a guide around the city. In particular the Arts and Theater district. He said he had gone to school for dancing and performing arts of the stage. Taylor couldn’t believe that looking at him, but maybe it was when he was younger.

“Sigil, this way, we will take the light rail to the theater district.” Taylor said motioning to the station. Sigils head snapped from what he was occupied with and stared for a moment in the direction and that smile slid onto his face as he moved.

The ride was short, ten minutes by light rail took you across half the city. Taylor sat in a lux seat next to Sigil. At first Taylor tried to ask a few questions and dig a bit deeper into Sigil as they sat down, but the only answers he got were quick un-insightful reflections then followed by awkward silence. He decided to sit back for a bit. He peered out the window looking at the city pass by. He enjoyed the light rail. Somedays he would just sit and ride it around the city. It went from one side of the city then up a level and back and continued all the way up and then skipped around to the bottom again. The train entered a tunnel. The cabin outside was plunged into darkness, but the rail lights inside the cabin illuminated the windows. His faces reflection lazily stared back at him. He noticed Sigil, then focused on him.

Sigils face stretched into that thin smile with eyes gleaming straight into his. He could see them clearly as if he was staring right at him. The reflection in the window was precise. The thin smile cracked just a bit to show teeth. The eyes seemed like infinite black voids. As if marbles had taken their place. The glassy surface reflecting all this nightmares back at him.

The train exited the tunnel and Taylors head swiveled to look at Sigil. The man looked unbothered and was peering the other way. Then he turned to meet Taylors gaze

“Are we almost there?” Sigil asked.

Taylor realized he was starting at the mans eyes. They did not seem to inspire the same horror as they had a second ago.

He snapped out of it “Yeah, next stop is ours”

“Brilliant” Sigil said.

Out of all the districts the Theater and Arts never appealed to Taylor. He appreciated it, but there were to many statues of half naked people holding buildings up to his liking. The people there also got on his nerves. It was like walking into a place where everyone was trying to sell you on their flavor of life with some interpretative muse. He was more akin to the Science and Industry. Labor and progress forward was his thing. The station entered the main square which held large banners made out of gold that welcomed all to the district. Sigil strode into the middle of the square and stood with this hands in his pockets. His head clicked as if it was clockwork side to side. Taylor came up behind him and started to explain all the buildings and streets to him.

“A play, Taylor.” Sigil interrupted “I mean, I would like to see a play if we could. Back where I come from we had the most wondrous plays. I would like to experience one from the top of the world. Money, of course, is no worry” Sigils was face was a mix of seriousness and enthusiasm. As if seeing a play was the most important act on the planet.

“Of course, there are plays starting all the time here, any subject or particular one?”

“Pick which one you would like to see. I am curious” Sigil said.

Taylor sighed. Damn he would have to sit through something. He looked up at a board which listed a continues list of the plays starting and ongoing at the moment. He ran his eyes down the list.

“Atlas and the Narrow Sea. Monsters, damsels in distress, some life lessons and who know what else. Maybe some backstabbing betrayal, how about it?”

“Sounds interesting” Sigil said “Very interesting, lead the way Taylor.”

A man fell off a make shift cliff face, plunging into a pool of water below. A sharp scream from a women crying and stretching an arm to the fallen man below. Then from the right side of the stage a monster with many black shiny eyes and many claws menacingly approaches the women on the cliff face.

Taylor gripped his seat. The play had engrossed him way more then he thought it would. The hero had been tossed off a cliff and now the the leading lady sat helpless against a giant monster.

The lights went dark and the stage could be heard changing scenes. Taylor leaned back in his chair and let out the breath that was caught in his chest. The lights dipped low and flashed leaving everyone in total darkness. Only small lights running up the side of the stage shown.

But it was enough. Two black marbles reflected that light. It was so subtle that Taylor thought it was his eyes playing a trick on him, but when he closed his eyes and reopened, they remained. A small fraction of light bounced off those eyes, no doubt a smile resting just below them. This time they felt predatory, sizing him up, drawing him in. Applauding filled the theater and the curtains started to pull up. The head which held the eyes shifted to the left in another clockwork tick and returned forward. A roar came from the monster on stage and Taylor jumped in his seat.

The last act of the play played out, but Taylor could only stare forward and away from Sigil. Even if Sigil was now engrossed in the play, his eyes were burned in his mind. They stared with out staring. Before he knew the audience was standing and clapping as the actors took a bow. Sigil stood clapping very enthusiastically, hollering at the actors. Sweat dripped down his face and it looked as if it took all his energy to produce the praise he gave.

“What a fantastic play, Taylor, your tastes are most excellent” Sigil said as they exited the theater and returned to the main square. “I thought that the ending was especially fantastic, the monster being slaying by the betrayed brother. What a scene”

“Yeah” Taylor said as they approached the light rail station. He stopped to check the train times and his watch. Sigil had paid for his time, but it was almost over. “So we have a half hour left, anything else you would like see?”

Sigil moved close behind Taylor. His movements clunky and out of sync with the way his head clicked side to side. “This has been quite enough Taylor. You will find the money in your account, I had the most wonderful day. The most wonderful time with you. I hope that we can see each other again, to experience more wonderful things” Sigil said getting next to Taylor. His body faced front, but his head almost owl like turned to stare at Taylor.

Taylor could see Sigil in the corner of his vision, yet he dared not turn to meet him. The feeling from the theater was returning. He pulled out his phone and scrolled a bit and said “Well, I will see you off here, enjoy your stay” Sigil bowed, then moved out of his peripheral and entered the next light rail. As the doors closed Taylor blew out a large breathe.

“I have to start vetting some of these people” he waved at the train as it left the station.

I started reading this book by Ryu Murakami called In the Miso Soup. It is about an American, Frank, being shown around Tokyo’s nightlife by a tour guide named Kenji. Frank, though, is not as he seems. The idea of encountering someone that is so different, strange and with a side that peeks out here and there interested me. Like when a person is unhinged, but hides it so well, that you only catch a glimpse of it. Everyone might have this side, but not all act on it. Is a person just eccentric? Or are they truly mad?

How can one be sure, until it is to late?

In the desert laid a house built of concrete and dust. It rose high in to the cloudless sky, impervious to the elements, watching, waiting for some event to challenge it. With slick gray walls that outstretched and arched like waves out towards the plains. It had a large arched gate, the hinges melted into it’s structure and when opened glided smoothly as if lubricated with eternity. When the gates were closed there was no seam, no opening. Just a smooth surface between an arch. Inside the concrete waves was a building that twisted and turned into brutalist nature. It was harsh to the eyes, but had seductive curves that pulled the body. The building crept into the sky and past the waves, so high that one that looked could not see the top. They could only see the few concrete decks that wrapped around the twisting tower.

The beginning of the this structure was never known. When the first person from the Meltin empire stumbled upon it, they thought it was an illusion among the cracked earth. As they approached the tower skewered the sky and they looked for signs of life around and beyond the beaches.

They found nothing.

The empire commissioned excavation and digging around the area to find any civilization that might of built the structure, but like signs of life. They found nothing among the dirt.

Doors would not open to anyone that attempted to open them. A few tried mounting ladders to crest the concrete waves, but when they peered over all they saw was inky blackness where there should of been ground. It swallowed all the light from their eyes and they retreated down their ladders with pupils as wide as their eyes. The empire spied and attempted to break the building, but it stood. Watching unrelenting to their sessions of destruction and violation. So what could be done? They back off and observed from afar. A Small camp was established to watch for any signs of movement, any treacherous acts. And they waited.

the brutal gray tower loomed, rested, breathed and took in its watchers, but never revealed anything.

She emerged from the smooth gates as they parted. Even though it was sandy, she wore heels. Her long slender legs glided from a pure dark dress and shawl. The back seemed to be pulling all the darkness from that which was observed years before. As she glided out, behind her the darkness followed. A thin hood covered her head and the top part of her face. Her eyes remained hidden, but her lips shone. Deep black, like her cape, absorbed all light and formed into a seductive grin. Her skin was like a matte glass, perfect, smooth, and a dark blue. Ribbons of dark velvet hair swayed down her chest and to her hips. As she entered into the large valley, the door pulled shut behind her,the floor inside could be seen. No darkness remained there. Among the cracked and dusty sand her darkness created a contrast of night and day.

She glided up the side of the sands to the outpost that watched the structure. The soldiers and the one scribe sat captivated by the unimaginable beauty.

She stood proud and confident before the small post. Her hand raised and with a flick of her wrist all the darkness that dragged behind her poured forth and drowned them. The men witnessed the dark lips part into a roar of laughter.

The darkness swelled and crashed like waves around the camp. Inky celestial blackness poured over the men and they screamed and clawed. Some drew their swords and swung, but like a heavy syrup the darkness smashed them under it’s weight.

With a slow pull the darkness withdrew from the camp. It melted and oozed around the small buildings and objects, pulling at each surface as it retracted to the women. A scribe stood alone in front of her, revealed from the darkness that now rippled behind her. His hands furious transcribed, but his eyes which stared straight at her, were pure black. Blinded, light pulled from his very corneas. She leaned forward to the scribes ears, his pencil still scrawling among the paper.

“Witness” she whispered into this ear.

In an instant her and the darkness slid back into the structure. As the last drop of darkness moved inside, the doors closed once again forming a solid wall.

The camp was abandoned and reclaimed by the sand. The scribe was retrieved and the empire of Meltin declared the structure possessed and put restrictions around it and the surrounding land. Travelers might come across it or see it in the distance, but it is advised to avoid at all costs. A monolith among the sand. Something unknown completely. Standing, observing, built for some purpose,but only realized in certain moments.

The house in the sand, holding darkness, pierces the sky and waits.

I recently went to Mexico for a wedding. We were in a bit of a remote place and what struck me was the buildings and their sporadic nature among the dry earth. They were made out of concrete or adobe and had very blocky designs. I imagined something like these buildings standing alone in the desert. Something mysterious with no current owner or builder. No one knows where it came from or what it is for. It would reflect the barren land which it stood on. A predator of time.

The lady in the story was something that I came up with for the contrast. I sorta lost my way in the middle of this and didnt know how to finish it. It turned out alright.