![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shamanicshayminSo I've been sick and reading Shirley Jackson. After reading "Flower Garden" I got so angry I hurled the book at the wall, which I haven't done in years. Mom says not to throw books at the walls because ours is weak and falling apart, but eh, I threw the book on the floor too, and even then it felt merciful. It's like I hadn't thrown it at either hard enough and the floor in my room is carpet. Nonetheless, the cover got a few dents on it and that's good enough. Don't want to damage it too much, after all. I'm at a loss here. So far I'm halfway through and while some stories like "The Intoxicated" are interesting, others like "The Renegade" made me scowl in a not-good way. Goddamn it, just build a fence around the dog! I've never seen two kids so excited about killing off their own dog, for chrissake those little brats. I predicted "Charlie"s ending a mile away and I feel like I've wasted my time (I prefer Bebe's chapter about her brother Ray in Wayside School is Falling Down. :P) As for why the hell "Flower Garden" made me so angry, let's say that I prefer "After You, My Dear Alphonse," another of Jackson's short stories that explores more or less the same themes.
I really hope Jackson redeems herself for me soon. I don't want to be wasting my time reading 25 something pages in tense uneasiness when it succumbs to exactly the stuff I was afraid of in the first place. And it's times like this that I hate being right. I swear if I go through Elizabeth and I end up being slapped in the face again, just... ugh. I'm going to lose faith here. I was expecting more creepy awesome like "The Lottery" and so far I'm starting to wish that it's the only thing from her that I've read.
It's stuff like this that's part of the reason I write my own books, so I can have something to read that doesn't piss me off in a bad way. There's a difference between being angered in a good/inspired way and being outraged for well... being betrayed.
Let's numb my brain with these little dumb "personalized books" for a while. God I think my cold is getting to my head.
Uboa had been staring out into the stars for a while when a familiar low voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Friend, you’ve got to get over this girl.”
He whipped his head around and saw Cthulu climbing up with practiced ease onto the roof to join him. The other vampire continued, “What’s gotten into you? I’ve never seen you so taken with anyone. Especially a mortal!” Cthulu spat out the word with disgust. “They are ours for feeding. You treat this one as if she were your pet.”
“No. Birdo is not a pet. I think I am in love with her.”
“Oh, I see. Forgive me if I have a hard time understanding that one, Uboa." Cthulu bared his teeth in a wicked smile. “I must say, your strength in her presence is admirable. I’m certain that I could not contain my desire to taste of her sweetness.”
Uboa shot his friend a glare that could have punctured like a dagger. “You shall not touch her!”
“Calm down. I wouldn’t dare face your wrath. But don’t you see the pointlessness of all this?”
“I’ll tell her, truly I shall. Soon.” Uboa stared up at the unforgiving night sky. “She is a modern woman. Perhaps she might understand?”
Cthulu chuckled softly. “Perhaps.”
Uboa shook his head, wincing. He did not want to tell her. He wanted to hang on to the fantasy for just a few days more, pretend to be a mortal man. Even if he could never experience the daylight as reflected in her black eyes or see the sun dance on her red hair.
“What are you afraid of, Uboa? That she won’t understand, that she’ll turn and run?” Cthulu narrowed his eyes. “Or is it that you think she might accept you for what you are? Afraid of a happy ending? The great and powerful vampire, trembling over a mortal teenage girl. Amazing! Count Dracula is rolling in his grave!”
Uboa had to laugh. It was ridiculous. But still he ached. He could not tell her. Not yet.
~
...The two nurses prepared for the cardiac patient's arrival and heard the ambulance pull up outside County General's emergency room entrance. As Birdo and Giygas walked in the direction of the sliding glass doors, they saw a man in a white lab coat striding toward them.
“Hi, I’m Uboa AAAAAAAAAAA,” he said, extending a hand to Birdo. She accepted it and was instantly captivated by his warm touch. His salt and pepper hair looked professionally messy, as if he had just rolled out of bed and into Birdo's ER. She could not help but notice that his body was perfectly proportioned and undeniably sexy.
“Birdo... Birdo...” she stammered, searching her memory for her surname. She was still shaking Uboa's hand when Giygas coughed loudly behind her, breaking her friend's reverie. “Birdo Birdetta,” she finally blurted out. “I’m the charge nurse tonight. Nice to meet you, Dr. AAAAAAAAAAA.”
Her friend grinned at Birdo's unusually flustered demeanor. “And I’m Giygas, and here’s your first customer, Dr. AAAAAAAAAAA,” she said hurriedly, as a stretcher wheeled past guided by two paramedics.
"We're ready in trauma room nine, guys," Birdo shouted over the noise of the ER...
Maybe I should go and finish Good Omens. Just uggggh.
I really hope Jackson redeems herself for me soon. I don't want to be wasting my time reading 25 something pages in tense uneasiness when it succumbs to exactly the stuff I was afraid of in the first place. And it's times like this that I hate being right. I swear if I go through Elizabeth and I end up being slapped in the face again, just... ugh. I'm going to lose faith here. I was expecting more creepy awesome like "The Lottery" and so far I'm starting to wish that it's the only thing from her that I've read.
It's stuff like this that's part of the reason I write my own books, so I can have something to read that doesn't piss me off in a bad way. There's a difference between being angered in a good/inspired way and being outraged for well... being betrayed.
Let's numb my brain with these little dumb "personalized books" for a while. God I think my cold is getting to my head.
Uboa had been staring out into the stars for a while when a familiar low voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Friend, you’ve got to get over this girl.”
He whipped his head around and saw Cthulu climbing up with practiced ease onto the roof to join him. The other vampire continued, “What’s gotten into you? I’ve never seen you so taken with anyone. Especially a mortal!” Cthulu spat out the word with disgust. “They are ours for feeding. You treat this one as if she were your pet.”
“No. Birdo is not a pet. I think I am in love with her.”
“Oh, I see. Forgive me if I have a hard time understanding that one, Uboa." Cthulu bared his teeth in a wicked smile. “I must say, your strength in her presence is admirable. I’m certain that I could not contain my desire to taste of her sweetness.”
Uboa shot his friend a glare that could have punctured like a dagger. “You shall not touch her!”
“Calm down. I wouldn’t dare face your wrath. But don’t you see the pointlessness of all this?”
“I’ll tell her, truly I shall. Soon.” Uboa stared up at the unforgiving night sky. “She is a modern woman. Perhaps she might understand?”
Cthulu chuckled softly. “Perhaps.”
Uboa shook his head, wincing. He did not want to tell her. He wanted to hang on to the fantasy for just a few days more, pretend to be a mortal man. Even if he could never experience the daylight as reflected in her black eyes or see the sun dance on her red hair.
“What are you afraid of, Uboa? That she won’t understand, that she’ll turn and run?” Cthulu narrowed his eyes. “Or is it that you think she might accept you for what you are? Afraid of a happy ending? The great and powerful vampire, trembling over a mortal teenage girl. Amazing! Count Dracula is rolling in his grave!”
Uboa had to laugh. It was ridiculous. But still he ached. He could not tell her. Not yet.
~
...The two nurses prepared for the cardiac patient's arrival and heard the ambulance pull up outside County General's emergency room entrance. As Birdo and Giygas walked in the direction of the sliding glass doors, they saw a man in a white lab coat striding toward them.
“Hi, I’m Uboa AAAAAAAAAAA,” he said, extending a hand to Birdo. She accepted it and was instantly captivated by his warm touch. His salt and pepper hair looked professionally messy, as if he had just rolled out of bed and into Birdo's ER. She could not help but notice that his body was perfectly proportioned and undeniably sexy.
“Birdo... Birdo...” she stammered, searching her memory for her surname. She was still shaking Uboa's hand when Giygas coughed loudly behind her, breaking her friend's reverie. “Birdo Birdetta,” she finally blurted out. “I’m the charge nurse tonight. Nice to meet you, Dr. AAAAAAAAAAA.”
Her friend grinned at Birdo's unusually flustered demeanor. “And I’m Giygas, and here’s your first customer, Dr. AAAAAAAAAAA,” she said hurriedly, as a stretcher wheeled past guided by two paramedics.
"We're ready in trauma room nine, guys," Birdo shouted over the noise of the ER...
Maybe I should go and finish Good Omens. Just uggggh.
