M.K. Lee's Blog: Telling Tales, page 48
November 19, 2020
From Across The Hall – 19
“Ruben,” Steven stages whispers to him from the door of the stock room, “free samples.”
“Samples?”
“Yeah,” he says a little louder, “free food.”
Free food is free food, Ruben thinks as he marks the last page of stock he was checking and stands up, following Steven out. He comes to an awkward stop at the sight of Sam holding out a tray with cut up samples of sandwiches, muffins, and cakes.
“Hi,” Sam says with a warm smile for him that Ruben does not preen at receiving.
“Hi. What’s ...
November 18, 2020
From Across The Hall – 18
Maybe Sam is sick. Ruben’s last hope that perhaps he was just working later was dashed by another member of staff from the coffee shop running in just as he was making his way to the food court.
Maybe, Ruben tells himself, he needs to get over this fixation. It’s silly really, especially as he’s imagined all sorts of existences for Sam but really doesn’t know all that much about him. He knows he only works part-time, so assumes he has another job elsewhere, and has presumed that job to be ev...
Queen
She ruled the country like a queen, even though she was nothing but a clueless politician. Someone who had no business being in politics, when every one of her decisions were about self-interest, not what was best for her constituents. She wore a crown of perfectly styled hair, and crown jewels that were in fact some kind of corporate sponsorship. Her opinions shifted on the winds of wealth, and pity any who disagreed with her. Elections won solely through deception and deceit. But a new power w...
November 17, 2020
From Across The Hall – 17
Sam’s not at work today.
Ruben knows this because he has monitored the coffee shop even more carefully than usual since Sam’s visit. The sight of his favourite barista not once coming into view. He tries not to feel maudlin for it, or worry that perhaps Sam has gone back to that other store. Though he is thinking of it reproachfully for stealing Sam away—even if that isn’t the case, and it’s a place he’s never been to in his life.
“What’s up with you?” Mark asks when Ruben has finished rin...
New Page! – Raife and Dexter
Raife and Dexter’s story is now going to be told as a series, so they’re getting their own page!
You can see it here
November 16, 2020
From Across The Hall – 16
“Okay,” Ruben agrees, and takes the opportunity to give Sam a totally necessary once over, before he’s looking at the rack of shirts again and searching for his size. “Here. Try this.”
Sam holds up the shirt, checks the label, and looks at Ruben with a bemused smile. “How did you know my size?”
There are a million stupid words on Ruben’s tongue that he daren’t let out, so he just gives a half-shrug, and gestures towards the back of the store. “If you want to try it on—”
“I need to chang...
Card
What has his life come to? That he’d be standing in front of a display rack in a greeting card shop, trying to find the perfect card? he’s never been this sentimental. Normally, on the few occasions he’s felt obliged to buy a card before now, he’s grabbed the first vaguely appropriate thing he’s seen, and been done with it. But this/ This is a whole new experience. He wants to get it right; for him. Hearts? Glitter? Cheesy verses? He wants it all. But which one is right? His first choice, probab...
November 15, 2020
From Across The Hall – 15
“Help.”
Ruben looks away from where he’s been fixing a bracket into the wall for a stubborn shelf and tells himself he doesn’t jump six foot in the air for seeing Sam.
“Hi.”
“I’m sorry,” Sam says with an apologetic wince and flare of his fingers.
“What is it?”
“I need a shirt. Desperately.”
Ruben’s eyes fall to the front of the shirt Sam is wearing, taking in the coffee that is wicking far and wide. He does not think about what’s under that shirt, or of helping to peel it off h...
November 14, 2020
From Across The Hall – 14
Ruben didn’t get to speak to Sam again that night, though their eyes did meet on occasion across the bar. Not in some star-crossed lover kind of way, Ruben thinks to himself as he realises yet again he’s distracted from drawing, and he’s dreaming away much of his Saturday afternoon.
He’s glad he decided this is a weekend just for him. Those few drinks after work had gone on until almost four in the morning, and he only woke up a few hours ago, with a slightly fuzzy head and and even fuzzier t...
Information
Even with all the information to hand it seemed an impossible task. To know what needed to be done even when fully armed was beyond imagining. Yet there was no way around it. All his overthinking won’t stop this from happening. He read through everything again, like it wasn’t already memorised, like the words might rearrange themselves on the page. He closed his eyes, yet even that wouldn’t rid him of his duty for long. He packed his bag, checked his appearance, then made his way out of the apar...
