the color of steel ~ rendoc

chapter 3 ~ Doc

10 years ago

My eyes opened to a cool gray sky, the faded light trying unsuccessfully to sneak in through the windows. The clouds streaked trails of smoky darkness, bleeding into the kitchen as I wandered in.

The sun hadn't risen yet, so the chilly morning fog blurred the glass like the breath of a child. Through the window I could hear the quiet rushing of the ocean's waves crashing along the shoreline below.

I poured a cup of the blackest coffee I could manage and went through my fidgety routine of adjusting gears, tightening wires, refocusing my glass eye as I sipped from the mug. The bitter caffeine eased the tension in the cold metal, and washed away the sleepless nausea I'd become familiar with over the years.

I heard a knock at the front door.

Scar's smiling face greeted me as the door swung open. A salt-scented ocean breeze swept through the air and he shivered, hugging his red and brown sweater close to his chest. I realized I'd forgotten to shower last night. Sheepishly I tried to smooth my hair out with my hand. "Morning, Doc," he said kindly, and then after taking in my rumpled appearance, "Shit, did you sleep at all?"

"Morning, Scar. A little," I lied. "Why don't you come in?" I held the door as he gratefully stepped inside, wiping the wet off his shoes onto my floor mat. I felt strange as we walked into the kitchen; I never had visitors.

"Sorry about the mess," I apologized, sweeping a stack of plates into the sink.

Scar laughed. "It's okay. My house is messier." I poured him a glass of water.

"What brings you here this early?" I asked, leaning back against the counter and taking a sip of my coffee. Scar had a reputation amongst our group for sleeping well past normal waking times.

"Ah, well... I just thought I'd come say hi," he replied, his coppery eyes soft.

"Oh... hi," I said awkwardly. There was a pause. I stared down into the inky swirls of my coffee.

"Y'know, I found a new brand of coffee I love," Scar said, his gaze focused on my downturned head. "Hell, it even gets me awake."

"Cool," I said.

Scar shifted his feet, looked down. I took a breath, cursing myself inwardly. "How's the farm coming along?" I asked somewhat forcedly.

"Hey, it's pretty good," Scar said with a warm smile. "I built a bridge across the river, so I've been expanding on the other side. Adding buildings and stuff."

"Wow, sounds cool," I said. "I'd love to come visit sometime."

"Yeah, of course," he replied gently. "You're always welcome to come over, Doc."

I nodded and looked down at my feet. There was another spiraling pause.

Scar seemed like he wanted to say something else, but decided against it. "Shoot, well, I gotta get going. Forgot to feed the chickens."

"Alright," I said, feeling his gaze on me, unable to bring myself to look up. I could feel red creeping across my face. "Thanks for coming over."

"Yeah, anytime," Scar replied. "Come visit soon!" The kindness in his voice landed heavy like stones in my chest. I felt the warmth rush out of the room as soon as the door clicked shut.

I slowly sat into a kitchen chair and stared out the window at the unkempt rose hedges wavering in the seaside breeze. The red roses bloomed somehow in the salty air, adding a small splash of color to the otherwise rocky and barren cliffside.

Smudges of pink and orange dotted the clouds now. I watched as they faded into yellowy hues and then into a lighter grey. Then into deeper streaks of gray, melting into pouring rain spattering against the glass.

A soggy void of concrete-colored mist pressed in on the rolling waves below. Pelicans flew across the deserted skyline.

My coffee grew cold.