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Konrad’s Odyssey, II
| Open Poetry #24 |
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Konrad’s Odyssey, II |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart 
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Konrad’s Odyssey, II Travis felt like an intruder, just like the time he had intruded when their father had been alive, drunk, sullen, vindictive against the world, still, to this day, he harbored a memory that he wasn’t sure had been remembered, or forgotten, by this crew of blood ties. Everything would set Konrad Senior off, everything. You sneezed? He’d yell. You whispered? He’d slap. The town knew. The kids knew the town heard. Travis had been small, like Iambe, Jake, he had been the older, Konrad, then Iambe, Dillon… Jake, what? Had he been mad because Konrad had inherited that sluggard’s name? Hardly. The mother…she had escaped early, easily, a silky golden slip of tongue led to a slap that had bounced her off a wall, and she never woke up. Dillon had been the baby…the one who had been given away… but none of the others ever forgot, nor let her forget…that she had them. Even if they had all been seeded by him, they still had Her in them, and their mother had good, very special, just wrong in her character prudence… ~*~ Clouds blew up, over, billowed, curled, followed as Konrad pulled into the alley, the back door, so to speak, not wanting to raise dust in the front, no signal, as it were, just walk in quiet-like, assess, maybe, first, by a window spy beforehand. There they were. All of them. Quiet. Konrad hoped for the best, but then, he always did. That’s why Jake flattened him once. Touching the scar Jake had remembered him with on his chin, he crammed back his own bile, and heaved his last big fear. The screen door announced him, thunder rumbled behind him lightening cracked. Every pair of eyes drew up to Konrad’s height, for a fleeting moment, he only wished they were all Dana’s. The tremble of fright-flight fled through his sinews, down into his boots, scattering like loose marbles across Iambe’s wood floor, his bones were shaking so hard… ~*~ “What,” Iambe uttered, “is so all damned fired important that we ALL have to sit here?” Konrad steeled, pulled the certificate out of his vest pocket, flipped it, like a winning Ace of Spades, onto the table in front of him surrounded by them, and like poker players, their eyes followed. Travis winced. Konrad had told him. He waited. Dillon picked it up, read it, and walked out the door, stood on the porch, and hung her head, then as if she had suddenly taken to liquor, began to dance on the porch. Jake picked up the crumbling certificate next, spit, swore, and slammed the chair back, cussing. Iambe was last, and Travis watched as her breasts rose in the heaviest sigh he was sure he would ever see her heave, and let go, then he stood, backed off to the hall, but still, because of Konrad, stood in shadows, watched, waiting, as Iambe stood, trembling, as decades swept over her, an aplomb of family settling on her, if only for an instant, Konrad watching, knowing this was only a bandaid of the thinnest kind, knowing that what had been sown, would only reap a thin harvest, and Iambe… she came up to him, wrapped her arms around his neck, saying, in a kitten sort of cry, “Now, now, you can be Konrad”. He felt her love. He knew it was momentary. Scars covered them all. He backed up after she loosed her arms, stepped away, tipped his hat, said, “I always was…” The thunder rumbled, the rain poured, Travis opened the screen door and let Konrad run. [This message has been edited by Sunshine (02-13-2003 10:56 PM).] |
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| © Copyright 2003 Karilea Rilling Jungel - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Enchantress Member Empyrean
since 2001-08-14
Posts 35113Canada eh. |
Dang! Karilea...this is wonderful writing.. I went off into that room with the rest of them.. even danced on the porch. Oh myyyy...excellent m'dear! |
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the_loner_23 Member Ascendant
since 2002-06-08
Posts 5479Jacksonville, Florida, USA |
Me likes this story Cold hands means a warm heart |
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regards2you Member Elite
since 2002-10-01
Posts 3940California |
This is wonderful writing Karilea. Quite talented, you are. This if my favorite kind of writing of all I've read of yours. Still playing catch-up on the storyline. But I am impressed with what your've done here. Very enjoyable, Pat  ..without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.. |
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garysgirl  
since 2002-09-29
Posts 19237Florida, USA |
Karilea, I love these stories....  "Love makes the world go around" |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Karilea--I'll be back! Promise.  |
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Janet Marie Member Laureate
since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554 |
The tremble of fright-flight fled through his sinews, down into his boots, scattering like loose marbles across Iambe’s wood floor, his bones were shaking so hard… ===================================== Iambe was last, and Travis watched as her breasts rose in the heaviest sigh he was sure he would ever see her heave, and let go, then he stood, backed off to the hall, but still, because of Konrad, stood in shadows, watched, waiting, as Iambe stood, trembling, as decades swept over her, an aplomb of family settling on her, if only for an instant, Konrad watching, knowing this was only a bandaid of the thinnest kind, knowing that what had been sown, would only reap a thin harvest, and Iambe… she came up to him, wrapped her arms around his neck, saying, in a kitten sort of cry, “Now, now, you can be Konrad”. He felt her love. He knew it was momentary. Scars covered them all. He backed up after she loosed her arms, stepped away, tipped his hat, said, “I always was…” The thunder rumbled, the rain poured, Travis opened the screen door and let Konrad run. ======================================== well...that canyon just turned into a sidewalk crack and ya stepped over it with ease. Very very cool Kari...your brought them all together...brought them full circle..gave them a bow of closure ...then opened the door for future musings.(if I had a muse)  These lines went to the core... knowing this was only a bandaid of the thinnest kind, He felt her love. He knew it was momentary. Scars covered them all. Ok Capt...looks like we gotta find someone else to blackmail  In the mean time...hows your rhyme |
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Albert J. Allie Senior Member
since 2003-02-13
Posts 512Queens NY |
A wonderful read! I long for more. I will be looking :-) |
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
Keep'm coming, Karilea...  |
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Cpat Hair
since 2001-06-05
Posts 11793 |
yep...you did good.... knew you could...just needed the kick in the butt to make you write it before the current generation of 6 year olds were of retirement age.... very nice lines in both and the scene set well, along with seeds planted to allow future musings... well the door opened and Konrad can run... but as with all characters he can't hide from himself... you did good... So..now what happens? come on slacker... what next? |
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Duncan Member Ascendant
since 2001-08-07
Posts 5455 |
‘Konrad hoped for the best, but then, he always did. That’s why Jake flattened him once. Touching the scar Jake had remembered him with on his chin, he crammed back his own bile, and heaved his last big fear.’ That Jake’s a mean one. I’m sure there’s some moth to blame…lol. ‘Konrad steeled, pulled the certificate out of his vest pocket, flipped it, like a winning Ace of Spades, onto the table in front of him surrounded by them, and like poker players, their eyes followed.’ ‘Iambe was last, and Travis watched as her breasts rose in the heaviest sigh he was sure he would ever see her heave, and let go, then he stood, backed off to the hall, but still, because of Konrad, stood in shadows, watched, waiting, as Iambe stood, trembling, as decades swept over her, an aplomb of family settling on her, if only for an instant, Konrad watching, knowing this was only a bandaid of the thinnest kind, knowing that what had been sown, would only reap a thin harvest,’ ‘The thunder rumbled, the rain poured, Travis opened the screen door and let Konrad run.’ Had to laugh at that last line Kari, as I imagined you running away from the whole lot of ‘em and the story of the never-ending migraine.  Did a great job of tying it all together and each reaction to the certificate was unique and seemed fitting. I’d imagined Konrad as the oldest, because of his shared name. Perhaps there’s a story behind skipping the first born for that ‘honor’?Enjoyed the series Kari. Now, about Dana... |
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Tim Senior Member
since 1999-06-08
Posts 1794 |
yep, pretty darn good writing. |
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Gentle Spirit Member Patricius
since 2000-10-09
Posts 13989 |
I love being allowed to share in your talent here lady....this is wonderful writing. btw* check your email when time allows. |
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Dark Angel Member Patricius
since 1999-08-04
Posts 10095 |
Wow, I saw the scene unfold all around me. FANTASTIC Karilea.. M xx The clouds never expect it when it rains, but the sea, changes colours, but the sea, does not change. |
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