Wednesday, June 09, 2004
Characters: Aneiko Tenmouno and Tehara Dari-av
Game: Shades of Grey
Drabble given by: Freak
The day was pleasant enough to forgo the heavier jackets and gloves that mothers used to overheat their children on lovely early spring afternoons. A child of no more than five squinted in the unfamiliar sunlight as wiry legs kicked up and down in time with the movement of her swing. While she herself had never heard of the great playground myth that one could go so high as to actually wrap about the metal bar at the top, more than one child stopped to stare in awe at her playground abilities. Legs weary after such exercise, she allowed the swing to slow in time, her cheeks a little rosier thanks to the crisp air.
"You can swing awful high," a soft but pleasant child's voice noted, clearly impressed by Tehara's swing talents. Aneiko's blue eyes regarded the slightly younger girl with pleasant curiosity while grubby fingers clutched a ragdoll. In reply, Tehara's feet dragged in the sand, scuffed sneakers creating twin trails while she wondered why this other girl wanted to talk to her. Gold wisps of hair had escaped from the braid hidden beneath her jacket, and she clumsily brushed them out of her eyes in lieu of a reply.
"Are you shy?" Aneiko tried again, mimicking her mother's concerned demeanor she'd witnessed day after day in the classroom. "You don't hafta be shy or nothing. You -do- swing really good," she chirped.
Tehara lifted her head to reveal the smallest of smiles. "I've never done it before," she admitted, her voice painfully soft. "Today's my first try."
Aneiko's blue eyes rounded in surprise. Someone who could go that high without practice? "Never?"
Although she shook her head from side to side, Tehara's smile widened as she began to warm up to this new person. "Nu-uh... but I like it," she admitted after a moment's pause. "It's sorta like flying."
Her companion laughed before taking a seat on the swing next to her. "Yeah, it is. It's really fun when you lean back and close your eyes and feel the sun warm you up all over. Makes me tingly-happy." Resting her cheek on the plastic-covered chain, she grinned over at the shy girl. "My name's Aneiko, and this is Nini," she offered, holding up her doll. "What's your name?"
Uncertain fingers played with the zipper on her jacket. "Tehara," came the answer, more to the ground than to the one asking the question. "I don't have a doll," followed wistfully. She continued to stare at the tracks beneath her shoes, her head jerking up in surprise as Aneiko thrust her doll into her lap. Stunned, Tehara blinked up at the other girl.
"We can play with her together, if you want," Aneiko explained with a smile. "You can swing with her, and then when you get really high, you can throw her down to me so she can fly," she finished, breathless with exuberance.
Tehara looked from doll to girl and back, wondering what she'd done to invite such friendship. "You'll play with me?" she finally asked, voice both soft and hopeful.
"Yeah! You swing the highest of anyone I've ever SEEN!"
Encouraged by Aneiko's smile, Tehara pushed off and began to swing higher and higher, finally leaning back to feel the sun on her face as the cool breeze made her skin tingle.
It was almost like flying.
Game: Shades of Grey
Drabble given by: Freak
The day was pleasant enough to forgo the heavier jackets and gloves that mothers used to overheat their children on lovely early spring afternoons. A child of no more than five squinted in the unfamiliar sunlight as wiry legs kicked up and down in time with the movement of her swing. While she herself had never heard of the great playground myth that one could go so high as to actually wrap about the metal bar at the top, more than one child stopped to stare in awe at her playground abilities. Legs weary after such exercise, she allowed the swing to slow in time, her cheeks a little rosier thanks to the crisp air.
"You can swing awful high," a soft but pleasant child's voice noted, clearly impressed by Tehara's swing talents. Aneiko's blue eyes regarded the slightly younger girl with pleasant curiosity while grubby fingers clutched a ragdoll. In reply, Tehara's feet dragged in the sand, scuffed sneakers creating twin trails while she wondered why this other girl wanted to talk to her. Gold wisps of hair had escaped from the braid hidden beneath her jacket, and she clumsily brushed them out of her eyes in lieu of a reply.
"Are you shy?" Aneiko tried again, mimicking her mother's concerned demeanor she'd witnessed day after day in the classroom. "You don't hafta be shy or nothing. You -do- swing really good," she chirped.
Tehara lifted her head to reveal the smallest of smiles. "I've never done it before," she admitted, her voice painfully soft. "Today's my first try."
Aneiko's blue eyes rounded in surprise. Someone who could go that high without practice? "Never?"
Although she shook her head from side to side, Tehara's smile widened as she began to warm up to this new person. "Nu-uh... but I like it," she admitted after a moment's pause. "It's sorta like flying."
Her companion laughed before taking a seat on the swing next to her. "Yeah, it is. It's really fun when you lean back and close your eyes and feel the sun warm you up all over. Makes me tingly-happy." Resting her cheek on the plastic-covered chain, she grinned over at the shy girl. "My name's Aneiko, and this is Nini," she offered, holding up her doll. "What's your name?"
Uncertain fingers played with the zipper on her jacket. "Tehara," came the answer, more to the ground than to the one asking the question. "I don't have a doll," followed wistfully. She continued to stare at the tracks beneath her shoes, her head jerking up in surprise as Aneiko thrust her doll into her lap. Stunned, Tehara blinked up at the other girl.
"We can play with her together, if you want," Aneiko explained with a smile. "You can swing with her, and then when you get really high, you can throw her down to me so she can fly," she finished, breathless with exuberance.
Tehara looked from doll to girl and back, wondering what she'd done to invite such friendship. "You'll play with me?" she finally asked, voice both soft and hopeful.
"Yeah! You swing the highest of anyone I've ever SEEN!"
Encouraged by Aneiko's smile, Tehara pushed off and began to swing higher and higher, finally leaning back to feel the sun on her face as the cool breeze made her skin tingle.
It was almost like flying.
