Part 2: Chapter 6

Part 2

Chapter 6

Lora was sitting on a beach, her legs stretched out and feeling the cold sand on her toes. It was the middle of the night, and the melody of the ocean whistled over the sandy shores. Stars filled the black sky. She stroked her hand through Sunlight’s fur, imagining herself as a giddy dog sprinting to take part in every car ride.The saltiness of the ocean air tickled her skin. As memories flooded in, Lora headed over to a rock, which she leaned against and opened up her mind to thought. Only the ocean could make her feel as she did in these moments. Only the ocean could create an emotion so powerfully indescribable.

She figured it was about time to return to Los Angeles and find S.Z.

She trekked up the thin road by foot, Sunlight right beside her. As she reached the top of the long road overlooking Los Angeles, she caught the familiar glimpse of the city peaking below the mountaintop. But it wasn’t the same as when she had left. Buildings were engulfed in a wild flame and many left in ashes. Buildings had collapsed to the earth below. Metal and glass penetrated the grassy soil.

Was this meant as a progression of the human race?

Was this by any means a step forward into the future of humanity?

Lora asked herself these questions in disgust. She answered them herself.

“No.” she thought. “There is nothing left to discover in this disaster of a world. There will never again be the thrill of adventure, nor even the sadness of losing something you love. This world is in insurmountable destruction, and such that can never be remade.”

Lora kicked a rock. Then she turned around and walked away without looking back. Where she would next go would be decided by fate.

The plane that took her away from the life she had been living left at 1:30 in the morning and arrived in London at 1:00 in the afternoon.

She’d always thought of Europe as a magical place from another world, with fancy accents and clothes, kings and queens, and a culture surpassing that of her home. And then I was there. The hallowed land of The Queen and the fancy accents and the fancy clothes and the otherworldly magical presence was surmounted into reality. No light shone from the now graffiti covered buildings, and as I walked down a quiet street the wet asphalt turned the bottom of my shoes black.

She was embraced by cold air that whispered to her, whispering that something was not as it should be.

Whispering, perhaps, that this magical place had lost its otherworldly magic to someplace in the universe more deserving.

So she walked, through this hallowed land, into whatever would accept her. And as if by magic, something did.

A wooden door swung open by which she stood, and she was pulled inside a small cottage by a wrinkled hand. The man twisted her in his direction, and then Lora was standing before an old, bearded face. He scrunched up his wrinkled visage and squinted at her eerily.

“Who the hell are you?” he said.

Lora said, “Who the hell are you?”

“I’m called Old Irt. You’re...you’re a woman!.” He stared her down from top to bottom.

Lora was appalled.

Also, Old Irt’s cracked voice lacked the magical London accent Lora had hoped would delight her ears.

Old Irt said, “Where do you come from? I haven’t seen a woman prancing around these dusty streets all since the war was over.”

Lora was appalled. She wouldn’t have considered her sullen walk to be prancing.

Old Irt said, “What business does you have doing in London? Most Londoners have seeked life elsewhere, conditions being such crap and population being slim to none. But no, not me, I’ve lived here all my life. Well, America for a couple years, many years ago, but to be frank those were the worst years of my life.”

Lora was appalled. She said, “I’m here from America myself...,Irt, and I expected much more from the hallowed land of the Queen.”

She paused.

“Yeah, and I mean, where the hell’s your British accent mannn! Seriously, if you’re a Londoner by heart!”

Old Irt laughed. “Well, I guess that had to be lost with everything else, in this place so dull, so black and white.”

Lora stared blankly into his gray eyes.

Old Irt said, “Here, tell me your name, miss.”

“Lora.”

“Ok, Lora, why don’t you come with me, and I’ll give you a tour of the place! Maybe I’ll show you a little project I’ve been working on as well, I need the brilliant mind of a woman to get the job done!”

Lora grinned. “Yeah, alright, I wanna see some MAGIC.”

They strode through the quiet streets, and over a bridge.

Old Irt said, “Let me show you something, Lora. Let me show you how I keep going.”

“Ok…” Lora said.

“Ok, let me show you. Look. See the mountain? Picture yourself on top. See the world around you, and go. Go explore what you do not know and reach it. See the trees and the sky and the stars at night, and follow wherever they may lead. You see hope that is left and you run to it. This is what you do for a purpose, a place, and a joy in this world.”

Lora looked out over the bridge. The water below crashed into rocks upon the shore. The city of London lay wrapped in the dirt like fossils of the dinosaurs that roamed the Earth. The sky, though mid-afternoon, instead of blue with a little bit of smoke, was smoke with a little bit of blue.

It was like trying to find that little bit of hope in the midst of a world of evil.

And then Lora saw the grand mountain, and the birds flying above, and the cloud penetrating it’s peak.

“Thanks, Irt.” Lora said.

Reviews

[Bear]

Critique: (the familiar glimpse of the city peaking below) peeking

Review: Big improvement in both style and delivery from the last chapter. The characters development is coming along nicely, they are engaging and relatable (Irt looks back at me in the mirror some mornings :~)
The story line still has my attention and has me wanting to know the outcome so well done Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!

[MightyMouse]

Is there going to be more of this??? It's good, but really depressing considering this is something that could actually happen.

[Stars and Whales]

Yes, I'm working on it slowly! Thanks, did you read the whole thing so far? Any advice for me?

[MightyMouse]

I did read the whole thing. Advice isn't something that I'm very good at giving, but I can say that I was slightly confused through the whole thing, so try and add a few descriptions that would make it come together better. I'm working on reading everything else that you've wrote. I'm not going to comment on all of them, but don't take offense to it. I'll let you know if something needs work, and when I've finished.

[Stars and Whales]

Great, thanks.

[MrARKY89]

I feel there is something surreal and contextual about Old Irt and this city of London. I feel that Lora must be in some sort of dream state and Irt is spitting off metaphors to her. I love the content, like you are describing the thoughts of the character, Lora, supposed to just explaining her situation.

[busterlee]

The words flow well. It's easy to read and for me that is the first test and most important. It's got me wondering what has happened. If there were more I would still be reading.

[Stars and Whales]

Have you read the previous chapters? There's a lot more :-) And thanks a lot for your review, it means a lot!

[Tomoe Tellez]

Hey! Sorry I haven't been around, I've been busy. Men, I've missed this story and Lora. I really do hope she finds the hope she needs. What else can I tell you... your description, I've always loved how you describe everything, I really loved the part where Irt describes the scenery and the feelings it brings to him.

[Stars and Whales]

Thanks Alondra :-)

[wordman]

always exciting and interesting

[Ace St. Jean]

That was pretty good. The transition from L.A. to London was a bit quick and I felt it should have been longer or be a different chapter entirely. Same with some other bits here and there, but great chapter!

[Stars and Whales]

K Thanks!!

[Cas]

this is really good!!! i like the detail to!

[Stars and Whales]

Thanks! Anything I can improve? Please find something for me to change :-)