Little Boy Blue

ONE

The child seemed to flinch at His touch, but it did not cry. It just lay there, blinking dimly up at Him. Even as He lay the Mark on it, the child was silent, completely unafraid and patient with it. He felt a flare of pride at its stalwart nature. This baby would grow up to be a welcome addition to His service in whatever position He chose for it.

When He removed His hand, the Mark of His domain was inscribed on the child's forehead in glowing lines. As He watched, the Mark faded and disappeared from view, but its power was left behind. He would be able to call on the child whenever needed. He would hear whenever the child called His name.

"May you grow into your name, Ashlevarnis," He whispered. "Do not dishonor the history of your line."

The baby blinked upward. For a second its eyes locked on His, yellow on yellow.

March 2004

SAYING GOODBYE TO WONDERLAND

A tired looking construction site shut down for the afternoon. Heavy machinery rested quiet in a semicircle, waiting for the next day's work. There was a wealth of possibility in the tons of shaped metal, rubber and plastic. Piles of dirt settled in upon themselves; the just-tilled, almost fluffy look of the rich dark earth was already lightening, taking on the cast of the terrain around it, melding into normal background with a light dusting of white. Orange caution cones were set up around the work area to keep out the curious, as though bits of colored plastic could actually stop anyone from doing whatever they wanted--a weak human magic of rules and largely unwritten laws.

Two figures emerged from the depths of the earth. Their clothes were covered in red soil and they blinked at the bright light swelling around them. The day wasn't even close to being warm, but the sun shone above, reflecting off the thin layer of snow.

"Where are we?" one figure asked, sounding tentative and a little confused. He raised a hand to his eyes and looked around, his lip quivering even as he tried to stop it.

His stronger, more confident companion laughed. "We are right where we want to be. I just did not think that they would build a pipe around the tunnel exit. We were lucky you could get us out."

"It was not very hard. Weak Earth metals, you know. Still," the boy looked around in sudden doubt, "are you sure this is where we are supposed to be?"

His friend clapped him on the shoulder, raising a puff of red dust from his clothes. "I made sure of the coordinates. Do not worry. This is right where we want to be. The world is ours!"

"Very well."

They wandered off across the landscape, unknowing that they had just left a construction area that was almost finished. If they had arrived even a week later they would have Gated into a steel pipe filled with rushing water and chunks of ice.

There was much they had yet to learn. At least one of them was excited about learning everything he could about this world and this life. And if his friend wasn't quite as enthusiastic, he had enough hope and energy for the both of them.

As they passed between the standing line of orange cones, one of the boys accidentally kicked one over. He didn't even look back, just walked on, not even noticing the clatter of plastic against the uprooted mounds of asphalt.

June 2004

ASHLEY

A gray beach with the sun reflecting off the water sparkling like diamonds. The sound of surf and waves so near the sound was completely touchable, yet far enough away that it could be allowed to fade into a background murmur. There were houses above the beach, wide spaces in-between them to offer the illusion of privacy. They were all the same--two-story ramshackle huts that were somehow bigger on the inside than on the outside, all sharing that same outer color scheme: blue-gray with white trim to match the ocean below.