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Post by thegreatsphinx on Mar 29, 2011 20:21:41 GMT -5
Silence was consistently present within the stale atmosphere of the vacant library. A few resistant novels disturbed the orderly arrangement of the shelves as they pressed out beyond the organized position that had been previously set in as the result of neglectful mannerism of busy students. The beautifully decorated books glittered gracefully under the pleasant lights which resulted in a brilliant wall of dazzling colors. Small scraps of paper showered the carpeted floor as they represented the abused remains of the whole pieces of paper that they had once been. A blue pen lay underneath the shelter of a wooden chair as it had been forcefully kicked to such a state by the student who had formerly occupied the table. An abandoned notebook was settled on an empty table as its pages revealed a calculus assignment.
Six o’clock was the latest hour that the library was available for visitors, and as the hand of the clock gradually approached 5:56 p.m. the helpful librarian began to gather her belongings to prepare herself for her journey home. The librarians eyes shifted upward from her purse over towards the young man that sat solely by himself at an empty table. He appeared to be a very diligent reader as she found that he often visited the library through the consecutive days of the week. The studious young man was often the last man to exit the library along with the staff member to be working the shift. He usually appeared to be completely enraptured in his work. It was if time did not oppress him; he was untouched by all that existed.
“Time to leave.” She called out to him politely as she gripped her purse.
No response.
Gupta organized the photocopied papers that he had gather before diligently pocketing them into his school folder. He then proceeded to carefully position the folder into his messenger bag before zipping the bag closed. The bag was slung over his shoulder in a swift manner; secured to him firmly. Gupta waved to the helpful librarian as he exited the building.
Library-Store-Bus Stop
7:40
The street signs casually began to lit up the sidewalk in an array of colors. Gupta walked at a steady pace as he began to return to the dormitories. He could not hear the voices of the men that were having a conversation across the street, he did not watch as several cars sped down the main street, and he paid no attention to those who passed him on the sidewalk. Gupta was subdued by his own thoughts to pay attention to his surrounding.
Pause.
Gupta stopped only for a moment to retrieve the papers he had securely placed in his homework folder. The picture of the mythological creature lingered in Gupta’s conscious mind. It was as if he had been stamped permanently with the picture; unable to wash away the mark it had left him with. Why was this so significant to him? What was the purpose of this intensive research? Why was this so important? Gupta ran his fingers over the papers before folding them neatly as to tuck them into his jacket’s pocket.
The walk back to the dormitories was not as long as Gupta had expected. The sudden arrival to the front door of the building was due to the fact that he had not been concentrated on the path before him. Gupta walked quietly into the building before deciding that it was best to take a minute to himself. He entered the lounge as to settle himself onto one of the couches. Gupta’s fingers automatically brushed the piece of paper in his pocket. This couldn’t be an obsession. It was only mere curiosity. Wasn’t it?
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Post by trnc on Apr 22, 2011 19:39:11 GMT -5
Serhan arrived at the station just as the clock struck six thirty. He waited until the passengers around him began to clear out before he even tried to reach his bags and, after a few futile stretches, he had to quietly ask the woman in front of him for a helping hand. She smiled at him, her expression reminding him of his mothers, and helped him get his small suitcase down all the while remarking on what such a polite boy he was. He thanked her, the tiniest of smiles flitting across his lips, and followed her off the train.
They lost one another in the crowd, she heading toward the exit and he heading for a nearby bench where he could sit and wait for his brother. If he was entirely honest, Serhan didn’t know if his brother would even come to get him. When he had left, all his mother had told him was that she loved him dearly and would miss him, that he had best behave himself and be careful. Yet not once had she mentioned his brother, other than reminding him not to give Sadik a hard time.
Had she remembered to tell Sadik he was coming? She was forgetful sometimes, being so busy, but surely she would have remembered that. Even if she forgot to do it before he left, she would have remembered after he had boarded the air plane. Just to err on the side of caution, Serhan sat on the bench as a new wave of passengers walked onto the train. He didn’t make eye contact with any of them, knowing that if he did someone might wonder what a little kid was doing out alone.
His gaze flitted toward the large clock nearby. Six forty-five, still early enough that he could wait for his brother. If it started to get dark, then he would resign himself to Sadik being too busy to get him and walk to the dorm building himself. Serhan sat, hardly moving save for the occasional moments he reached up to adjust his hat, and waited. Every once in a while, his gaze moved back over to the clock to watch the seconds tick by. A trickle of worry slid down his stomach.
He hadn’t been forgotten, had he?
Of course he hadn’t. Serhan chided himself for even considering such a possibility, his inner voice stern. He shouldn’t doubt his mother or Sadik that way. If his brother didn’t come to pick him up, then it was for a legitimate reason and, even if it wasn’t, he had no place to question him. Yet, even as he told himself that, Serhan found himself staring at the clock more and more. Six fifty, six fifty-one. The crowds thinned, and he looked around for any sign of that familiar face.
Nothing.
Serhan let out a small sigh of disappointment, glancing down at his hands. He clenched and unclenched his fingers in idleness before he lifted his head to look at the clock again. However, this time his gaze didn’t quite make it to the clock face. Serhan stared across the station at the small, stumbling thing moving beneath a bench some distance away. The few people that passed the bench by didn’t seem to notice the moving thing and, though he squinted, Serhan couldn’t quite make out just what it was.
Grabbing his suitcase, he stood and started toward it. As he neared, recognition ran through him and he picked up his pace. It was a kitten with fur as brown as his hair and hardly big enough to have been weaned from its mother. Serhan hurried over and dropped down beside the bench, reaching out to the kitten while clicking his tongue. It let out a pitiful mewl and tried to move away from him. Serhan glanced around to make sure no one was watching and leaned down until his cheek was pressed against the ground, letting out a small kitten-like sound himself.
That, more than the clicking, caught the kitten’s attention. Mistaking him for one of its littermates, perhaps, or even just another one of its kind, the kitten tripped its way over to him. It was thin, too thin to be in good health, and Serhan wondered how long it had been since the poor thing had eaten. Perhaps it was hunger that made the kitten stumble more than what could be written off as natural kitten clumsiness. Serhan, feeling distressed, let the kitten sniff one of his hands as he reached into his vest.
He pulled the half-eaten sandwich he had bought a few stations back, peeling the meat from between the bread and holding it out for the kitten to sample. It didn’t touch it, however, instead biting his fingertips and then trying to suck from them. Not weaned fully, as he had suspected. Serhan reached out and, with every bit of gentleness he had in him, plucked the kitten up from the ground to nestle it against his chest. A quick look told him it was a girl, and the way she curled into him and made another sad mewl made his heart break.
The dorm room would have milk, wouldn’t it?
Serhan didn’t even glance at the clock as he went toward the exit, his need to wait for Sadik outweighed by his need to tend to the kitten. She didn’t move much, but he would have liked to think his touch soothed her in some way. How lonely it must have been to be without her anne or siblings, how sad she must be to not have anyone to take care of her. But Serhan was here now, and he was able to take care of her. Granted, he couldn’t really even take care of himself, but kittens were easier to take care of than little boys, right?
It took him what felt like ages to find the dorm building, and he had to stop and ask for direction several times. By the time he reached the front doorstep, his feet ached and so did the hand he used to carry his suitcase. Serhan stared at the front door uncertainly, unsure if he should knock or not. On paper he lived here, but it still seemed a little rude to just go barging in. Serhan wavered between what was proper behavior and what wasn’t when his kitten let out another mewl.
She, more than any logic or reason, made his decision for him. Serhan tried the doorknob and was surprised to have it turn beneath his hand. Feeling a little nervous, he pushed the door open and peered in. It seemed empty—oh, no, there was someone sitting on the couch. Serhan very nearly ducked back outside again, an apology on his lips, before it occurred to him that a person was a good thing. He could ask this stranger to help him get milk for his kitten since he would know where it was.
Walking in as though he had ever right to be there, Serhan shut the door behind him with a quiet click. He covered his hesitation by slipping his shoes off before he made his way over to the boy sitting on the couch.
“Excuse me…” Serhan sat his suitcase down at his feet so he could reach up and steady the kitten, tilting her away from his chest just a bit to show her to the stranger. “Could you please help me find her some milk? She’s really thirsty and I don’t have any.”
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Post by thegreatsphinx on May 31, 2011 15:43:43 GMT -5
Gupta’s committed concentration was interrupted as his devoted attention was administered to the entry of a small child into the lounge. The boy was clearly concerned as his expression displayed such, but it wasn’t until Gupta took a much closer look that he was able to realize that the small boy was holding a feeble kitten within his arms. He watched as the boy approached him without hesitation before asking him for assistance in finding the kitten proper nutrition. Gupta could only assume that this young boy had found this abandoned kitten, and was doing his best to help care for the innocent animal who was clearly not in proper health. Gupta was not only a firm advocate for animals as he was raised in a society where all forms of life where deemed precious, but he also had a particular inclination towards cats as the animal itself held such an enduring symbolic message in Egypt. Gupta looked towards the tiny kitten that was securely cradled within the arms of the boy before patting the fur of the kitten to soothe the weak animal. If this child was brave enough to help this weakened animal then Gupta would be more than willing to assist the boy in feeding the kitten. There was no possibility that Gupta could turn away from this admirable child when he knew that he could help the child meet such simple demands of seeking milk for the kitten. Gupta turned his direct attention to the young boy before giving him a curt nod of acceptance. He placed his belongings off to the side in an organized pile before rising to his feet. Gupta began to walk in the direction of the kitchen, however, he turned around for a moment to look to the young boy. There was not a word exchanged between the two individuals: only a peaceful silence. Gupta had nothing to say, but any questions that the young boy might of had were answered within Gupta’s eyes. He simply blinked before leading the boy into the kitchen.
Gupta promptly searched the refrigerator for a product that he had purchased the other day when he had visited a local convenience store: lactose-free milk. New born kittens often do not posses the biological enzyme lactase that aids in the digestion of the milk sugar lactose which results in lactose intolerance. If a kitten that was lactose intolerant were to ingest milk that contained lactose it would cause the kitten to have severe stomach pains, diarrhea, and vomiting. Gupta was not going to take such a risk with a kitten that was already in such an unhealthy state of being. Gupta poured the milk into a container before placing it into the microwave for a short period of time. Warm milk was not necessarily better for a kitten, but it induced the psychological memory of a mother’s breast milk. As the bowl sat in the microwave Gupta quickly assembled items: a shallow cardboard box as well as several towels. Gupta padded the floor of the box with two plush towels to comfort the kitten. He then grabbed the bowel of milk from the microwave before placing it in the box. Gupta’s work was not finished as he continued to search throughout the kitchen. When the silent intellectual was focused he could not be deterred from his actions.
Gupta poured a glass of orange juice before quickly assembling a sandwich with the ingredients of whole wheat bread, ham, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and a dash of mayo. He set the sandwich on a plate before accompanying it with a side of potato chips.
Pause.
Gupta turned around before rummaging through the kitchen cabinets. He grabbed a small box before adding a few cookies onto the plate as well.
Finished.
Gupta set the meal onto the table before looking towards the young boy. Yes, that is for you.
Stop.
Ready, Go.
Felt, sewing needle, sewing thread, yarn, two discarded buttons.
Gupta sat in a chair that was positioned by the kitchen table as he began to work vigilantly. His body remained completely still except for his hands that moved with purpose. Once he was finished Gupta’s eyes rose to greet the young boy’s face.
Silence.
Gupta opened his hands to reveal a small toy mouse that was assembled with the grey felt. The mouse had two button eyes, a tail made from yarn, and sewn whiskers. Gupta made the tail long enough so that the boy could hold one end as to play with the small kitten.
There you go, my friend.
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