Brad Simkulet's Blog, page 106
January 31, 2012
awake XXXIII
He's in a tunnel now. Spelunking.
Around him, on the edges and walls of this cavern, the world is as it should be. Boxes of files, metal filing cabinets, secure doors and open doors, cubicles for data entry, desks for writing reports, a coffee room with well worn tiles and a refrigerator, a room with sinks and industrial strength exfoliation soap and ink rollers and paper for prints, uniformed cops and cops in street clothes, laughing like the fat, gone to seed, high school bullies they were always meant to be, flourescent lights, hard gray carpet with blue marbling, tributaries to the white tiles where blood can be expected to fall, posters and safety messages, white boards and chalkboards, computers, surveillance cameras.
He sees none of these rising and falling stalactites and stalagmites. He sees the destination. That room at the end of the hall with the table and two chairs and recording devices. The place in which he'll confess. That's the end of his tunnel.
January 30, 2012
January 27, 2012
Attack of the 50-Ft. Cupid by Jim Benton My rating: 5 of 5 stars Pa: So what do you think? Brontë:...
Attack of the 50-Ft. Cupid by Jim Benton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Pa: So what do you think?
Brontë: Well, I think it was really cool, and I love how at the end … actually, let's start at the beginning. She's at school and she can't get it right, and she gets this card and Igor, her dog, just starts pushing stuff on mistake —
Pa: — by mistake —
Brontë: — By mistake. Yeah. And then the Cupid card actually turns into a Cupid, and then she wakes up and is like, "What did you do?" and the Cupid has turned into a big, big one.
Pa: A 50' Cupid?
Brontë (nodding): Yes. Um … and then she gets her clothes on.
Pa: Hang on. Are you going to retell the whole story?
Brontë: No. And then she goes outside. And then she walks all over the place trying to find him.
Pa: The cupid you mean?
Brontë: Yeah. She follows him by looking for his arrows and follows his arrow tracks. So she finds him, and he's going to crash a bus, so she hides behind a house, well, a building. Then she jumps on a bus and saves a bus, but then she scrapes her knee, and she's sitting down, and the Cupid is pointing an arrow at her.
Pa: Is he going to make her fall in love with someone?
Brontë: No.
Pa: So what happens?
Brontë: And then she goes … and then Igor, her dog, bites him in the bum. Oh, but before that, way before that, there was an arrow caught in her pigtail. And then the cupid turns around and points an arrow at Igor.
Pa: Okay.
Brontë: And she just … she saves the … and then she … and before that she … a wheel breaks off the bus.
Pa: And … what did you like about the story?
Brontë: Everything!
Pa: So are you going to read the next one?
Brontë: Pa, I'm going to read all the books.
Pa: Cool. Me too.
Brontë: Yeah, you're reading them too. Well, actually, I might not read all of them, but I'll be close. I hope you like this book when you read it. It's a really fun story. I shouldn't even be telling you this. Now you know the book.
Pa: You are the master spoiler. Or should I say "Mistress Spoiler."
Brontë: I know. Isn't it wonderful.
Pa: Now you're performing.
Brontë: I know. I like performing.
Pa: So what's next? What book are you reading next?
Brontë: Little House in the Big Woods.
Pa: Cool. You know, that's why I wanted you to call me Pa instead of Dad?
Brontë: Really? I did not know that. Did you know that Franny K. Stein is 102 pages.
Pa: I do now. Good work. Anything else?
Brontë: Just that I like Igor. I think he's a lazy butt, but I love him. The end.
View all my reviews
awake XXXI
He knows he can't do what this man did. He can't be happy. Not ever again.
His senses return with a hand on his shoulder, pulling him back into that waiting room. The grip is strong, but it doesn't seem forceful. He sees the poster. He smells the stale coffee. He hears the bullying command in the cop's voice, "Come on back."
January 26, 2012
awake XXX
His thoughts in the police station intrude on this former now. Does the man on the poster know he's wanted? Did he do it? Did he kill someone in a robbery? Does she know? The woman who holds his hand must love him. But how can she? how can she love a killer? How can he, how can they both, walk around like nothing has happened? How can they be happy? They must be looking for the wrong man. But what if they're not? What if he really doesn't care? What if he can actually be happy even after murdering someone? What if he can take the money he stole and buy tickets to a theme park? Could he do the same if he, himself, killed Mags? If he killed Mags? He must have killed Mags.
January 25, 2012
awakeXXIX
He's back in line for Aerosmith's Rockin' Roller Coaster in DisneyWorld, and the man is in line, two places in front of him, holding hands with a woman. Girlfriend? Wife? He never thought to look for a ring. They're happy.
And he trails behind them for 45 minutes, waiting to get on the ride. He hears snippets of conversation from them and others around him, but he can't remember anything that was said. He knows there is nothing shocking being said. He is too busy working on his monologues — running the lines in his mind, whispering out the emotions, imagining his next audition — to absorb what people are saying around him, but nothing pulls him out of his concentration. Nothing is shocking. Everyone is relaxed and having fun.
He follows them for 45 minutes and watches them take the line for the last car at the back of the coaster.
January 24, 2012
awake XXVIII
It's not the missing who undermine him. It's the wanted. It's one of the wanted. The man at the far left, second row: he's seen that man before. He saw him last week.
The man is wanted for armed robbery and murder.
He stands in front of the picture of the man and loses awareness of everything in his present. His senses cease.
January 23, 2012
I've been in a reblogging mood lately, especially those...
I've been in a reblogging mood lately, especially those artists I love, and how can you not love what ruzz is doing? Killer composition. Street photography. Beautiful tones.
January 21, 2012
awake XXVII
It's the mistake that breaks him.
January 20, 2012
awake XXVI
She scribbles notes as she talks. The rush of blood in his ears mixed with the muffling of the receiver, the plate glass and her tilted head make it impossible to hear what she's saying. She puts down the receiver and raises her finger again, finishing up her scribbles, then leans forward to the metal voice grid.
"He is ready to see you now."
"…"
"Have a seat. He'll be here in a second."
"I—," but she isn't paying attention. She is in her chair, letting the Community Services Corporal know that he's back. He takes a deep breath and walks over to the seat he'd been in all afternoon. But he can't sit, so moves to the Wanted / Missing wall and looks at the faces again.
