The Goat's Milk [Open]

Rosetta
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The Goat's Milk [Open] Jan 1, 2011 14:42:27 GMT -5

Post by Rosetta on Jan 1, 2011 14:42:27 GMT -5

Susie wasn't happy about being thrust back into her stall. She snorted, and eyed Lethe, distrustfully. Lethe scowled at Susie, as if she could understand, and pulled the rope bit from her mouth. She could hear Laura speaking behind her, the words merely passing through her head, not entirely registering. Saying something about her goats...and was it hard to train the horses? Is it hard?

Lethe glanced at the window, and watched a plume of smoke rise into the air. An oil rig. The stables were some of the last around, and soon, she knew, after all the horses died, it would cease to exist. The Capitol didn't want to send new horses to breed, or pregnant horses, or anything of the sort. Now, it was oil, and tough luck to all you animal breeders. She knew that one day, hopefully years from now, she'd be working in an oil rig, single, as usual, coughing up a storm. She might even die young. Many did.

She patted one of the horses long noses, Ginger, who'd pushed her head over her stall door and into Lethe, sensing her displeasure. Ginger snorted, and sneezed. Lethe knew her lungs were going, although Ginger was quite young. It was the pollution. None of these horses would last long. She gently stroked Ginger's nose, and looked up at Laura, her mouth drawn in a thin line.

"You learn from experience." She explained. "So yeah, I have been hurt by the horses before, but it's all about trust." Ginger shook her head, as if to agree, and shrunk back into her stall. "Goats aren't really my thing." Lethe told Laura, with a small smile. "I, uh, you, uhm, told me how your dad died...so now you breed the goats. I guess, that must be hard." Lethe winced at her words. She just had to go and be nosy, didn't she? She said, hastily. "You really don't have to talk about it if, uh, you don't want to..."

Last Edit: Jan 5, 2011 15:33:37 GMT -5 by Rosetta

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The Goat's Milk [Open] Jan 1, 2011 20:44:31 GMT -5

Post by Riro on Jan 1, 2011 20:44:31 GMT -5

Laura stood into the eyes of a beautiful horse in her stall. She snorted, and Laura drew back her timidly extended hand in a flash. She wasn't at ease around horses, the way she was with goats. Laughing around them, milking them with confidence, even talking to them outloud, although she knew it was a silly thing to do. But it was familular. And this large figure in front of her, a horse, had wide, distrusting eyes facing Laura. So she turned away.

A few stalls away, Lethe was putting away Susie, who was stuggling with all her strength. "Lethe is really brave," Laura thought. "To love and deal with the horses like this, but it is the things that she knows, so it makes it easier." Laura heard a slamming sound, and assumed that Lethe had closed the door to Susie's stall. Laura turned around and faced Lethe, stared into her eyes as she replied.

"You learn from experience," Lethe said calmly. ""So yeah, I have been hurt by the horses before, but it's all about trust. Goats aren't really my thing." Laura smilied a little bit. "Yeah, I understand," she spoke softly, saying nothing more after that, just listening. She breathed in the scents of the stables. Horse hair, fresh straw, horse manure, it all mushed together in a blur as Laura's senses seemed to fall apart. In the din, she heard Lethe's voice from far away, loud and echoing.

"I, uh, you, uhm, told me how your dad died...so now you breed the goats. I guess, that must be hard. You really don't have to talk about it if, uh, you don't want to..." The ringing sound in her ears had now grown to a roaring noise. And suddenly, Laura wasn't embarressed. She wanted to tell someone. To talk. Like she never had before. She wanted to explain everything.

But as she started, she stumbled over her words. "Yeah, I um, well, my father..." Laura mumbled. "He kept our family together. He had the main job, kept the goats, managed sales. He would even breed them and sell 'em. But when, when he... passed away, it sort of fell apart. My mother needed to care for my brothers and clean the house, so I, being the next oldest, took over the care for the goats. And its not enough. Money. We only buy food and occasionally, clothes. We have not bought anything really expensive since my father's death. It was hard, we all missed him, especially my mother, she cried for days, but my brothers were two young to understand. I just make enough money to keep my family alive, because I need to, I love them. But its to hard"

Laura hadn't realized the tears had begun to trickle down her cheek while she was talking. She quickly wiped it away with dirty hands, smearing her skin with mud. She just stood there on top of the straw, feeling so small. "I'm sorry. I don't know what is wrong with me lately. The stress, I guess..." she trailed off and looked into the distance.

Last Edit: Jan 2, 2011 8:42:09 GMT -5 by Riro

Rosetta
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The Goat's Milk [Open] Jan 3, 2011 17:55:24 GMT -5

Post by Rosetta on Jan 3, 2011 17:55:24 GMT -5

Way to go Lethe, way to go, She winced as Laura spoke, her words stammered, tears falling down the girl's cheeks, as she impatiently wiped them away, dirt coating her face. Good job, you've made the girl cry! Lethe looked around, awkwardly, for something to help her, and fumbled through her pockets, unearthing an old hankerchief. She quickly wiped it on her thigh, to get most of whatever was on it off, and handed it to Laura to wipe her face.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what is wrong with me lately. The stress, I guess..."

"It's alright." Lethe said, hastily, guilt clouding her face. She swallowed, and looked around for help. Only horses stared back at her, snorting and shivering. She licked her chapped lips, and glanced up at Laura. "Stress is annoying. I've dealt with it before too, I mean," She said, quickly. "my father is alive...uhm, so I guess I really can't relate." Her cold fingers crept to her scars on her face. They stung slightly, her skin cold, and stretched tight in the frigid air. "I guess, my stress comes from my condition...I dunno, it's just a condition. People don't really get it." She was speaking more to herself, muttering, her voice rising into the air, visible puffs.

"I'm not forgetful, I don't have a bad memory." Lethe said, her voice on the verge of defensive. "It's just..." Lethe looked at Laura, and scruntinized her. Her hair, her face, every detail. Her eyelashes, the redness in her skin, every little thing. It was something she always did, sometimes without even realizing. She used to think it would help her recognize the person the next day. Now she knew it wouldn't work. Nothing would.

"It's just," Lethe said, looking away from Laura, onto the dirt ground, and her boots, in which her numb toes were curled up. "Tomorrow, Laura, I'll remember this all, I'll remember riding Susie, and her bucking, and all this. But, the only thing I won't remember is you. No," She stopped herself, physically shaking her head, her nails digging into her palms. "I will remember you. I'll know I did all this with you, you Laura, but if I see you...I won't know who you are...it's hard too...With my mom wanting me to find someone and all, and settle down and get married, but how can you marry someone you won't recognize the next day, I mean-"

Lethe caught herself short, her eyebrows shooting up. She hadn't realized the full extent of her rant until now. Laura was the upset one, not her. Laura needed comforting right now, she didn't need to hear Lethe's whole sob story! Blushing, Lethe rushed foward, and put her arm, comfortingly, around Laura's shoulders.

"Sorry." She apologized, and licked her lips once more, tasting the blood there, from cuts that had burst open. "Are you alright?"

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The Goat's Milk [Open] Jan 4, 2011 17:37:03 GMT -5

Post by Riro on Jan 4, 2011 17:37:03 GMT -5

Laura lifted her face, the dim glow from the outdoors shining on patches of it, her nose, cheeks near her cheekbones, and a bit on her forehead, to illuminate the wetness. She hastily brought up her hands to wipe it away some more, finally gave up, knowing it was useless, and dryed her whole face with her shirt. Her best shirt that was now covered in mud. Her only good shirt was now sloppy. Laura felt ashamed and sad. What would her mother say? Nothing good.

Her eyes were still brimming with tears, making her eyes shine brilliantly, but none was leaking down her face anymore, and she had gotten rid of the worst of the salty water and dirt and a number of other stuff that littered her skin.

Lethe's face was a mixture of feelings that Laura quite couldn't understand. She was full of guilt, she was biting her lip, but there was so much more. Like she felt remorse or deep sorrow, like there were things that were beyond her hands, that she couldn't do anything about to fix. There were full of another sadness, for herself, and Laura could see that she was trying not to think like that, but the images were still there, and Lethe had pity for Laura, but for herself also.

When Laura looked up again, she had been hiding her head in embarrassment for crying, it was because Lethe was talking, in an oddly husky voice. She was talking about how everyone assumed that she had a bad memory, Laura cringed as she remembered that she had said that to and she had been talking to Lethe in a baby voice saying that she probably didn't recognize her and explaining who she was, but she didn't. About how she could remember events and names, but not the faces that went with them. About how her mother was pressuring her to get married, but she didn't want to. About how it would be hard to ever get married, to get up in the morning and not know the face that as sleeping next to you. About the panic and strees she suffered from.

And Laura really felt bad for Lethe. She had never thought about her condition that way. It must be terrible, Laura herself would hate it. Knowing she had met someone before, was maybe their best friend, but could tell if it was that person or maybe the person across the room.

And the red-headed girl, normally so nice and confident, was frozen with shock, at loss for words, at least nice and comforting words as Lethe opened up and explain her troubles just like Laura had done a few minutes earlier. Laura listened, she caught every word, but she just stood there, feeling like a dumb and intruding idiot.

Lethe suddenly stopped talking. Laura noticed by the quite that came all of a sudden, she realized how loud silence actually was. A word came out of her mouth as she walked over towards Laura and put her arm around her should, which was a nice, warm, gentle touch. A single syllable. "Sorry," Lethe apologized.

Laura shook her head. "No, no need to be sorry for me. I shood be sorry for you. And I am. I never realized how hard it must be for you every day," she own voice was still, unwelcoming, and she tried hard to correct it. Lethe was the closest person she had too a friend, what if she ruining it all. "No, I am the sorry one. Really." Her tone was warmer now, and she smiled.

And then both girls were hugging, trying to comfort one another. Laura's arms were wrapped firmly around Lethe, like she never wanted to go. And they were both, at least Laura was, crying again. In fact, she was sobbing, choking, unspoken words being unable to leave her lips.

Laura was the first to break apart, after a while. She looked up, and was closer to Lethe's face. And the light was gleaming in such a way... "Those scars. On your face," Laura spoke in an unsure, questioning way, because it was rude to be asking. "They aren't just from an accident, are they? Like I assumed. You are the one with all the worry, all the stress, because of your condition, and it really shows..." She trailed off, unable to say anything further.

Last Edit: Jan 4, 2011 17:37:38 GMT -5 by Riro

Rosetta
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The Goat's Milk [Open] Jan 5, 2011 16:15:11 GMT -5

Post by Rosetta on Jan 5, 2011 16:15:11 GMT -5

Lethe was completely bewildered as Laura threw herself onto her, tears pouring down her cheeks, and curving around her chin, dirtying her shirt. Awkwardly, she wrapped her other arm around Laura, rubbing her back, soothingly. What are you doing, Lethe? A voice asked in her head, you can't be friends with her... Laura sobbed into her arms, choking sounds, like she had something caught in her throat. Correction, she answered in her head, I'm merely comforting someone in distress, is that such a bad thing?

Laura finally pulled away, her eyes moving across Lethe's face, scrutinizing her. "Those scars. On your face. They aren't just from an accident, are they? Like I assumed. You are the one with all the worry, all the stress, because of your condition, and it really shows..."

Lethe, subconsciously, reached up and touched one. It went from right under her left eye, and curved over her pale skin, just to her nose. She could see Laura was embarrassed by asking this, but Lethe swallowed, and looked at the ground. "I did it to myself." She said, quietly, too quietly, watching a small mouse dart out of a hole in the wall, sniff around the hay covered ground for a bit, and then retreat back into his hole. She glanced up at Laura, and repeated louder so she could actually hear. "I did it to myself...the first time I did it...a couple years ago..."

They were wandering around the market, she and her mother. She was 16, dressed in a new yellow dress, with a nice little belt. Her mother had made it for her. She actually smiled, her hair falling down her back, and fluttering slightly in the wind. It was warm, the sun shining down on them, kids running past, laughing and shouting. Her mother stopped at a stand, told Lethe not to go far, but here take this money, and she could look around a bit. She took the money.

She rarely went off on her own, although she was old enough. She'd much rather stick close to her mother, whom she trusted, to tell her who was who. But, it was such a nice day, why not have a little fun?

The boy working over with his father at the butcher's stand winked at her. She blushed, color rising to her pale cheeks. The father whispered something to his son, who, taking off his blood-soaked apron, sauntered over to join her. Several girls nearby watched him, his careful movements, his blonde hair, and his strong shoulders. He was beyond attractive, and now, he reached Lethe, and grinned down at her.

"Hey, you're Lethe Turner, right?" He asked, and she nodded. Suddenly, she was filled with built up confidence, and she smiled. He glanced back at his father. "I'm Daniel Hamington. We go to school together? We sit at the same lunch table."

That may be true. Many kids sat with her at lunch, but he looked much older than 16, 18 at most, a dark shadow already formed on his jaw. But, she merely nodded some more. Daniel leaned into her, his eyes glancing all over her. He smelled like blood, and sweat. She shrunk away, all of a sudden, disgusted, but he caught her, his strong arms wrapping around her waist. One of his hands rubbed small circles on her back, slowly moving upward.

"You nearly fell." He said, matter-of-factly. She had not fallen, she was trying to get away from him, but now she was frozen. He took this as an invitation, and leaned in to kiss her. She pulled away, swiftly, pushing him against a nearby stand, toppling the basket of eggs on top, which crashed to the floor. The people around them stopped to stare, silently.The woman working at the stand leapt up, gasping. Daniel stared at her, his mouth hanging open, light eyes glaring into her.

Instinctively, her hands flew to her face, and without realizing, her long finger nails scraped down her cheeks, drawing blood. Everyone was staring at her, her heart was pounding, her eyes wide. No one made a sound.

"Lethe!" It was her mother's voice. She came running up to her, her bag swinging. Glancing around, she cried, defensively. "Alright, move along, nothing to see here. That means you too, Mr. Hamington." Casting one last look at her, Daniel hurried back to his father, who looked crest-fallen, and humiliated. "You alright, Lethe?" Her mother asked. "Oh, you're bleeding." She pulled a cloth from her pocket, and pressed it to Lethe's cheek. Lethe let her mother take her hand, like a child, and lead her away, muttering to herself, "There's much better men in the world than the Hamington's, dear. Not alot, but don't worry, there's still a good few gentlemen who will love you..."

That night, her mother clipped her daughter's fingernails, and tried to wash the blood of that yellow dress. It would never come off...

The habit stuck, it almost felt good, as if she didn't have to worry now, as if the fears were dribbling away with her blood. Not the best way to deal with things, but...

"I do it when I get scared or stressed." Lethe shrugged at Laura, non-chalantly. "It's not a big deal."

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The Goat's Milk [Open] Jan 6, 2011 19:20:31 GMT -5

Post by Riro on Jan 6, 2011 19:20:31 GMT -5

Lethe began to shrink away instinctively, and Laura wished that she hadn't asked. A quite voice entered her thought process, it was Lethe, speaking, and very gently. "I did it to myself." No more then a whisper. Laura nodded, swallowing as in fear, sweat running down her forehead. "I did it to myself...the first time I did it...a couple years ago..." This time her voice was louder and clearing, but still soft. Laura could do nothing more then watch and nod.

Lethe's eyes glimmered as she entered a far away world, visiting the places of her thoughts and dreams. There was a pause. Along pause. No one spoke. At her sides, Laura's hands started to shake. The silence was awkward. Then the pink lips parted. "I do it when I get scared or stressed. It's not a big deal." Lethe shrugged, visibly, and Laura could tell she did not want to bring it up, to talk about it anymore. So she let the matter drop.

The light from the cracks outside had all but vanished. Laura stood up abruptly, and pushed the barn doors open. The sun was going down, even though she guessed it couldn't be later then four. But that was what happened in the winter time. She had stayed a lot longer than she had intented to, and her family might be worried about her.

Laura looked up. "Lethe," she said. "I have to go home now." But she didn't want this special time to end, they could have been friends, although she could see that Lethe did not ant to be friend. Laura had always wanted a friend, someone she could depend on, someone she could trust. But with Lethe's disease, if you could call it that... It would never work.

So Laura surprised even herself when she walked over to Lethe and threw her arms around her in one last hug, a last goodbye. "See you around tomarrow," she said casually. And then Laura walked away, her feet crunching on the snow, towards her own house, managing to allow herself one last backwards glance where Lethe was still standing besides her house.

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OOC: I think you should post one more time and we can call this the end of the thread. Maybe we could do another one?

Rosetta
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The Goat's Milk [Open] Jan 7, 2011 16:12:04 GMT -5

Post by Rosetta on Jan 7, 2011 16:12:04 GMT -5

Lethe glanced up as sudden light spilled into the stables, followed by a burst of cold air. Laura had opened the doors, and stood there now, watching her.

"Lethe, I have to go home now."

The words broke through her, Laura's voice, pulling her away from her thoughts. She could hear it in her voice, the abrupt stop, as if she wanted to say more, as if she felt bad. People always wanted to say more. Humans have that instinct. They always want to say more. But, something always holds them back. A restraint over their tongue, leaving their thoughts, boxed up in the mind, pretending to be words. Pretending the person answered back. She pretended she heard whatever Laura wanted to say, and said something back.

But of course, maybe Laura did mean to say what she said, and there was no yearning to say more. Lethe was just drawing conclusions, pretending she was normal, pretending they were friends, living in a fantasy world.

She felt Laura walk over, feet crunching across the ground, and hug her. Lethe left herself limp, not hugging her back. The restraint was there now, on her arms. "See you around tomorrow."

Tomorrow. Tomorrow wasn't a final good bye. No one liked final good byes. No one wanted anything to be as final as "good bye." No, it was always "See you around tomorrow," or "See you soon!" Final was too....simply final. Final meant you never saw them again. Final was over, gone. Final wasn't the nature of humans, on contrary to holding things in. People yearn for human interaction, and losing someone in their life, whether to final good byes or not, what ever happens to them, it doesn't feel right...to most people.

Because, for Lethe, it had to be final. As much as the people in her life wanted her to meet new people, she wouldn't let herself. Final was good. Final meant no stress. Final meant no scars.

So, as Laura began walking away, Lethe called out to her. "Good bye!"

She knew she'd regret that later.

[end of thread]

^^Made by the excellent Shrimp!