Excerpt

* An abstract piece inspired by the track list of an album by Stephen 'Tin Tin Duffy *

Kiss me.
When the time is right - and the moon is high.

She'll make me shiver and quiver glee.

Like a masterpiece.
Carefully created with a gentle gesture.

But is it Art?

Wednesday Jones seem to just be the icing on the chocolate cake.

Even in the darkest blues, I'll still be there.
So come closer.
Trust me.

And believe in me.
Particularly when I say the world is large alone.

Devil Take The Hindmost

* A piece started in June - inspired by The Great Gatsby *

 

August 12, 1924 – Siggy’s Bar.

The clock struck midnight.
Having had sleepless nights for the past week, Aiden knew that it was common for him to already feel exhausted at this hour and thus craved for some decent shut eye. Yet his mind remained active while he loitered at a lonely mahogany coated bar, wondering if ‘Siggy’s’ could sustain such a brooding thinker at this time of the night.
Aiden had propped himself on a gold coloured stool and had been staring at his own reflection for some time in the giant mirror behind the bar. Running his fingers through his slightly unsettled chestnut hair, he admired its antique frame which matched the stools and wondered if city dwellers like him could handle watching themselves drown their sorrows as they sheltered away from the winter cold.
~~~
“The city is endless with hundreds of rooftops to shout from and numerous corners to cower in,” Aiden spoke to himself quietly as he toyed with his empty glass, “And while it could sustain any normal man for years, with every dark corner, every parking space, every tavern drunkards stumble out of and every footstep – there are times where I want something more. Anyone can walk through the city long enough that their feet would ache and would see things they didn’t know were there – basking in the smells and sights that we all adore about the city. But is there any personal connection with these? Sure, we find ourselves in places where we want to go and places that we actually need to be in – but does any of it matter?” He paused from his rambling for a moment and held his glass up to the bartender. “Sir, one more please – if you wouldn’t mind”
“Still going for tonight then, eh?” came the bartender’s reply as he turned towards the mirror to find the appropriate alcohol from a fine selection of bottles.
“Just one more, then I’ll be done for tonight – I think” Aiden replied, looking past the bartender and sneaking a glance at his own reflection. He cringed slightly as he noticed faint dark circles starting to form under his eyes.
“’Attaboy - y’know buddy, it’ll be practically morning soon. Just make sure you get out when you say you will. Don’t want to end up like the rest of those guys that come in and never leave - turn ‘emselves into drunkards”
“Oh no, I wouldn’t do that” Aiden scoffed slightly as the bartender faced him again to pour his drink.
“Geez buddy, you look like you’re in a bad way. Sure, you’re certainly not as bad as the lot that turn up here. . .” he trailed off as he studied Aiden’s face.
“Merely a little sleep deprived. Nothing too serious” Aiden replied, waving his hand about carelessly.
“If I may ask a gentleman like yourself, what’s keeping you from your slumber? The missus?”
“Not . . . quite”. Judging by Aiden’s vague response, the bartender knew to press no further.
“Well err, my shift will be over soon because I’ll be closing down for the night – so how about we settle the bill then?” he inquired. Aiden merely nodded, produced some money from the top pocket of his suit and handed it to the bartender.
“I guess I should head out the back and clean up around here before closing. If you require anything further, give us a shout. If not, then until next time sir: I wish you a good night.” The bartender nodded at Aiden before leaving his position from behind the bar.
“Goodnight” Aiden replied, not looking at him – but instead returning his gaze to his reflection. ~~~
Aiden had only studied himself in silence for a moment when another gentleman waltzed into the bar, sporting a charcoal suit and white fedora alongside a matching trench coat. As soon as he had entered, the man glanced over his shoulder at the iron glazed double doors – shrugging as they rattled together as he had entered the room.
“Well, this place certainly needs livening up if I can clearly hear that rattling behind me” he said almost uncaringly to himself as he removed his coat and flung it over the back of his shoulder. The young man had only taken a few steps forward before he spotted Aiden. Almost instinctively – and only for a moment, his top lip curled slightly before another thought crossed his mind, making his mouth form into a wicked grin:
Somebody was going to have some fun tonight.
~~~
"Well, well – if it isn’t Aiden? Fancy seeing you here at this time of the night, old sport” the man commented, strolling up Aiden and leaning on the bar next to him.
“Roderick” Aiden replied simply, nodding to acknowledge the gentleman.
“My, my – aren’t we a little balled up this evening? Don’t worry old sport, I’m not going to ruin your night” Roderick replied, dumping his coat on the bar counter and turning to Aiden, “Well, not too much anyway”
“I think you’re mistaken, because I’m in a splendid mood tonight. In fact, I’m celebrating” Aiden smiled to himself and waved his glass in the air slightly. While his words did have some ring of truth to them, he was careful to ensure Roderick, of all people, would not find out his true feelings.
“Celebrating? What for?”
“I am celebrating the fact that in so many hours I’ll be spending the morning with a lovely girl that I simply adore”. Aiden intentionally emphasized his words, well-knowing their affect on Roderick. Yet, he was slightly disappointed by Roderick’s calm reaction: a raised eyebrow followed by a disbelieving smile.
“Well I guess that clarifies a few thoughts. So you’re still chasing her then, old sport?” Roderick said with almost a laugh. Aiden immediately knew how the conversation was headed, but wasn’t ready to give up without some sort of fight.
“I don’t see how it should matter to someone like you, but if I happened to say I was?” he said, stepping up a gear.
Roderick leaned in closer to Aiden – immediately jumping into the game, “Well then let me ask you this, old sport: is it strictly because of me? Emphasis on the strictly”
“Are you implying something?”
“Well! I mean, I’ve seen you step up your game just that extra bit more when I’ve been around. It’s almost as if you try too hard to impress her. I soon question your feelings about her and whether or not your advances are becoming, well. . trivial, shall we say?”
Aiden felt his cheeks flush slightly with a burning anger that threatened to rise up in his chest and make the best of him. Struggling to keep his composure, he rose from his seat.
“If you think for one moment that I’m pursuing her to only get at you --“
“Come now, old sport. Don’t make such a scene. Calm down” Roderick rolled his emerald eyes and forced Aiden back into his seat by placing a firm hand on his shoulder, “I never said such a thing”
“Well,” Aiden said gruffly, shrugging Roderick’s hand off him, “It certainly sounded like that’s what you were insinuating. .. old sport” he added mockingly.
“However,” Roderick pondered to himself thoughtfully, “I DO know that we’ve never really been able to ‘connect’ well, despite you being from the “East Egg” like myself – which is unusually surprising for me. So, naturally, I know you don’t like me, but I do wonder to what extent you possibly could dislike someone like myself”
~~~
Roderick wrinkled his nose and chuckled slightly at his own words. “You know, I think the reason why you swarm her in a manner similar to a moth drawn to a delicate flame, is because you’re worried of what I’LL do to her”, he inspected his fingers as he spoke slowly, “You’ve seen the way she looks at me, old sport. It’s as if she’s under my control – willing to do anything I desire. Deep down we both know that that look she gives me isn’t the same as she gives to you. I don’t know how I can manage to make one woman feel such a way with such little thought needed – it just happens, so to speak. Fascinating, isn’t it? So therefore, it is my belief that you think I’m just as bad as I appear – and you’d be right. But not to her. So if that’s your worry, how about saving us both some time by putting it to rest?”
Losing his composure by the minute from hatred for Roderick, Aiden reached into the top breast pocket. Roderick immediately saw this gesture and mimicked the same action. Almost in unison, the pair had pulled out their side arms, with Roderick holding a stiletto knife to Aiden’s throat – and Aiden holding a revolver to Roderick’s head. The two men were fixated on each other for what seemed like an eternity, each man with his slight increased breathing from the confrontation.
~~~
At first it seemed like no gentleman was going to back down, until Aiden suddenly lowered his revolver uneasily, letting it point at Roderick’s chest for a moment before he put it back into his blazer pocket.
“This whole act you have – I know you’re bluffing” Aiden said as he sighed deeply, straightening his suit.
“Did I stutter?” Roderick snarled slightly, keeping the knife pointed Aiden.
“I think you’re bluffing. I think you’d manipulate her”
“You think I’m bluffing?” Without warning, Roderick violently jammed his knife into the counter top of the bar, making the other man flinch slightly from the unexpected movement.
“I’d sooner dismember you than dare harm her” Roderick said coldly, running his fingers over the engraved scrollwork of the knife. For a second, Aiden was at a loss of words.
“I certainly would have said something initially, had I thought you were as bad as you appeared. But believe it or not, Roderick, I do hope that deep down there is some part of you that isn’t as awful as you play out to be. I’d like to think you’re not a bad person. . .” he finally said slowly.
~~~
Roderick inspected his nails and chuckled again, “Well, you don’t seem like such a bad person yourself, old sport”. Aiden raised his eyebrows slightly by the comment, as it’d been the nicest thing he’d heard from him to date – but it had to have come with a catch. “But that doesn’t mean I have to like you and won’t have some ‘beef’ with you.” Roderick quickly continued, seeming like his usual self again, “As for whether or not you think I am a bad person, well, you should know that I could care less of your opinion of me. That, and I would much prefer you to despise me yourself – it makes things so much easier, you see”
“I doubt I could completely hate you Roderick – but I will say that there’s no way I’d trust you” Aiden said, casting a sideways glance at the other man, “After all, let’s just say that I wouldn’t be surprised if you stabbed me in the back because you found it necessary, say, for a profit?” he added, fondling Roderick’s blade himself. Roderick stared at the ceiling and pondered for a moment, smiling at such a thought.
“It would depend on the profit, old sport” he said, still looking at the ceiling, “If you’re not one of the few people I’d gladly take a bullet for, then you’re certainly one of the people I’d rat out if the reward was satisfying enough. But not to worry, there’s far worse scum than me in the world” he turned and finally faced Aiden, eyes shining, “Even I have standards however – cruel”.
Roderick suddenly looked at his watch, as if remembering an important appointment at such a time of night. “Well old sport, I’d love to stay and chat to you all night – but like you, I also have an engagement with that same lovely lady you’ve mentioned – only sometime after your meeting, however. I guess I too have a reason to celebrate” he explained, putting on his trench coat again and fixing his suit, “And just to clarify, so there’s no more misunderstandings – I do despise you, but not because you’re chasing after her, of course. I’m better than that” Roderick pulled the knife from the counter top and stared at it in his hands for a moment, “Also, just because I loathe you doesn’t mean I have to constantly claw at your throat. It is a nice feeling though” he added, smiling to himself before putting the knife away and smirking at Aiden.
~~~
Aiden was merely fixated on Roderick – watching his every movement in an expressionless manner. He knew it was essentially pointless to retaliate now. For a moment, there was silence, until Roderick piped up: “Well if there’s nothing else for you to say, then I guess this is it for the night. I wish you the best of luck in trying to pursue her” he began to head for the doors, but suddenly stopped and glanced back at Aiden over his shoulder: “I don’t need to remind you that I believe your efforts will be rendered useless, but I guess that being said – it’s a fair run to all patrons:
Devil take the hindmost”

* Special thanks to F.W *

Piano Piece

* An appropriated piece based on a short story *
~~~
You asked me if there was anyone I was with before you.
And now that I think of it, there actually was someone before I met you. I hope you don’t mind. After all, it was a few years ago.
~~~
Her name was Lily.
She was the first girl I’d ever truly loved, up until the time I had to move across the country. She was beautiful – had a heart like an innocent child and eyes of emerald green. I really did like her.
After all, out of all the girls in the neighbourhood, she was the nicest.
I remember the days where we’d lay in the fields together and I’d watch the sun’s rays bounce off her ivory skin. I’d lose my fingers in her flowing locks of auburn hair, while she would whisper sweet nothings in my ear.
And we’d stay like that for hours on end.
~~~
Lily also played piano – and boy, was she a musical genius. Every day in the Summer I would go to her house to listen to her play, carefully watching her delicate, untainted hands trail across the keys – creating such beautiful music. If it was one thing I remembered most about those times, it was just being enraptured by her dancing fingers. She’d originally play when it was only just the two of us, but as she practised and refined her skills, her audience grew – as did my selfishness. I wanted her to play only for me, just like she had done in the first place.
I guess you could say that I became obsessed with her in a way, because to me, she just seemed so pure – so perfect.
~~~
The following Winter was cruel, since that was when I had to move. So we had to part ways and say goodbye. It pained me to do so – it really did, but it had to be done. I wanted to preserve the memory I had of her and our Summer together. So I left her a goodbye; bloody and intricate – but preserved such beautiful memory.
Mine alone, no one else’s.
~~~
Now that I think about it, she had hands similar to yours.
It’s a shame no one has found them yet.
~~~
* Original credit goes to my Dear friend F.W *