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ashketchup119 · 3 years

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A Chance Encounter

Almost posted something really personal O.O hazards of doing business with google docs.

ANYWAY

This is a snippet from the same story as the last one, and if you read some bits and go w h a t i s h a p p e n i n g uhhh... feel free to slide into my dms or askbox. Again, been writing this since sixth grade, so I’ve put a lot of thought and effort into this story and love sharing it.

It’s very fantasy/sci-fi, and I enjoy writing it.

Enjoy!

Mirzin tsked as they watched the gathering around them with judgmental eyes. It had been decades, centuries even, since they’d participated in a proper social event, and they were beginning to remember why it had been so long. There had been a time, once, when they and their best friends had flitted from one party to the next, but with one best friend dead and another missing, they found it difficult to enjoy these types of events alone.

Beyond that, moving to a new city was rough enough. Moving to a whole other reality was even worse. Most of the time, Mirzin found themself lying in bed, still trying to adjust to the newness of it all. They hadn’t really used technology before, and simply playing with their new cell phone took up any time spent outside the bed. It was tiring, in their (esteemable) opinion.

But they’d been asked to attend by Zaida, a local friend, and in their (usually correct) opinion, it was best not to cause trouble with one of the few people who put up with them.

So, here they were, dressed in clothes that had gone out of fashion in an alternate universe years ago, standing stiffly in a corner not occupied by carefully arranged plantlife. The walls were a mint green and covered with bits of paper- a small, torn picture of Zaida at a beach; a poster from a magazine featuring some new movie Zai clearly liked enough to feature in her home; drawings of her dogs, who were currently weaving in and out of the house, following the paths of those who would pet them. The floor was carpet, and Mirzin usually took their shoes off at the door, choosing to delight in the sensation of carpet under their feet. Their own apartment was tile, and they hadn’t found the time to purchase a rug. Too busy laying in bed and trying to figure out how to lower the brightness on their phone without having to go into the phone settings every time. There was a sofa in the living room area, bright pink with large lilac flowers embroidered in the center of the cushions, and next to it was a recliner, dark green and plain. Mirzin considered sitting down, but after noticing a new stain on the arm of the recliner and a couple on the sofa, they decided their corner was the safest bet. At some point, Zaida had come by with a soda, and they now stood holding the beverage with both hands to their chest. They weren’t drinking from the soda can, talking to anyone, or enjoying themself. Why were they here again?

Oh right. Zaida.

“Mirzyyyy!” A familiar voiced slurred near their ear, and Mirzin started, accidentally dropping the soda. “Mirzyyyy! I got some-someone that you just,” she trailed off as she threw a pale arm around their shoulders for balance. “You gotta meet ‘im. You gottaaaa!”

Mirzin winced and replied, “Zai, I’m not really feeling up to it. In fact, I think I’m going to go home. You know, I have a very busy day tomorrow, and-“

Zai burped loudly, and Mirzin tried their hardest to subtly remove her arm from it’s position on their shoulders. They moved forward slightly, only to frown at the floor as their foot bumped into the discarded soda can. Zai’s hold on them got stronger, and they found themself being pulled through the throng of people inside the house towards the back door. They tried to resist, making slight protests about pending tasks and errands, but they were curious.

Curiosity is what they and their best friends had bonded over, and given that one of them had ‘curious’-ed himself into a coffin and the other a dark cave complex they had yet to walk out of…

Well, the old saying did say “curiosity killed the cat.”

Mirzin firmly pushed away from Zaida’s hold. “I’m leaving. I’m going home, and I’m going to shower, and I’m going to watch my favorite show off some website that really tests my ad blocker until I fall asleep. Maybe I’ll get some food on my way home, I don’t know. Goodnight.” They murmured in a tone that sounded final, to their ears.

Zaida did not agree, clearly, because she grabbed their arm and continued to drag them along behind her. The two of them passed through the sliding glass doors to an even louder scene outside, with people milling about, talking to friends and occasionally taking small sips of their drinks. As Zai and Mirzin passed, the partygoers waved and tried to chat, but Zai brushed them off with ‘I’ll be right back’s and ‘I’m a little busy, sorry!’s. Mirzin, for their part, just looked vaguely annoyed in a manner which discouraged any sort of interaction, and those who did try to talk to them were hit with a death glare that seemed as though it might truly be fatal, under the right circumstances.

Finally, the sea of people parted to reveal a tall, dark man, hovering near the wall separating Zaida’s backyard from the neighbors’. He was leaning against the back wall, shoulders relaxed, in a manner that suggested ease. A smile played on his lips, and he glanced around with amused eyes. His clothes looked average enough, but still managed to retain an appearance that hinted at money. When he caught sight of Zaida and Mirzin, his left eyebrow raised in a questioning manner, though his eyes still sparkled the same way.

Mirzin’s first thought was ‘Oh no! He looks nice!’. Actually, no. Their first thought was less of a ‘thought’ and more of an ‘internal scream that vaguely communicated that they did not want to meet this man, especially if he turned out to be nice, because then they would have no excuse to leave the conversation without seeming rude’.

“Raffie!!” Zaida yelled, letting go of Mirzin’s arm to hug the man (who was even taller than Mirzin had thought he was! Why was he so tall?!) She then released him, turned around, and grabbed Mirzin’s arm once again. “Raf, Mirzin.” She raised Mirzin’s arm to punctuate her statement. “Mirzy is… new. They’ve lived a lot of life not here.” She paused to burp. “Raf is not new! He’s lived a lot of life here. I think you should be friends! Or maybe,” she wiggled her eyebrows, “More than friends.”

Mirzin pulled their arm out of her grip and flushed slightly. They weren’t looking for any sort of romantic relationship, certainly not only a couple of months after moving to a new reality. However, new friends were new friends, and while Zaida and the three other people they’d managed to befriend were helpful and nice, it was still kind of telling that they spent all of their time alone.

“Hi, Mirzin.” The man- Raf- greeted, smiling. “Pleasure to meet you.” He stuck his hand out, waiting for Mirzin to take it.

Mirzin’s brain went slightly haywire for a few seconds, though this time the internal screaming had more of a ‘I don’t like talking to new people and this man seems friendly enough but what if I make the wrong impression’ sound. They weren’t really used to being introduced to people- usually, others introduced themselves, and Mirzin responded in kind. For some reason, though, this felt different from those interactions. Maybe it was Zaida standing with a drunken smile between the two of them or the fact that she’d implied that she hoped for some romantic spark to come to life, but they felt nervous, and noticed with a slight grimace that their palm was sweaty. Their grimace turned into a scowl when they noticed that Zaida had disappeared, presumably to keep her word and talk to the people they’d passed by earlier.

Regardless, they knew they had to give some sort of response. They grabbed Raf’s hand and shook it mechanically for a few seconds before realizing they hadn’t responded verbally.

“Thanks.” Mirzin said, then instantly felt so embarrassed they had half a mind to turn tail and run.

Raf just laughed and used his grip on Mirzin’s hand to pull them closer. “Mirzin! Are you as interested as I am in leaving this place and heading home? I know we’re supposed to be talking and getting friendly or…” He drifted off, and Mirzin managed to discreetly pull their hand from his. “Whatever, but I am really, really tired, and would much rather just give you my phone number and, as my mom would say, ‘blow this pop stand.’” Raf smiled at this, and Mirzin got the distinct feeling that this was some sort of joke. Either way, it wasn’t a phrase they were familiar with from their home reality, nor did they recognize it as a common phrase from this reality. They wondered, vaguely, if Raf’s mother, whoever she was, was also a Traveler.

Mirzin nodded quickly, and Raf maneuvered the two of them out of the party, giving general goodbyes to those who came up to them while Mirzin followed close behind, though this time their face held a vaguely lost expression.

In the car, Raf again began to speak. “I’m glad you didn’t think I was some sort of weirdo for meeting you and immediately asking to escort you home. Address?”

“Uh, 1-8-24 Maliznek.” Mirzin replied automatically, in the way they’d practiced in the mirror a month ago.

Raf nodded and put the directions into the navigation module. “As I was saying, you just didn’t look comfortable. I’m not really a party sorta guy, but Zaida insisted I come and meet you. I’ve lived here in Munae-21 since I was a kid.”

Mirzin started. “You know about…?”

“The different realities that people can travel between if they’re powerful enough? Yeah.”

“I didn’t think- are you a Traveler?”

Raf shrugged. “I guess? I don’t travel much between realities, but my mom was born and raised on Earth-2059, and I lived there for a couple years when I was little.”

“Ah.” Mirzin smiled sarcastically. “It’s always Earth-2059.”

“Are you a Traveler?” Raf asked.

Mirzin hmm-ed under their breath as they attempted to figure out how to explain. Eventually, they settled on, “Well, when Zaida said I was new here, I’m… very new. To this reality. I grew up in… another reality, and things changed recently.” It was vague, but they figured it got the point across well.

Raf smiled widely. “Thank the goddess. FINALLY someone I can just… talk with! You don’t know- it’s so difficult-“ He paused, gesturing uselessly. “I’M HAPPY I MET YOU!” He burst out, finally.

The smile on Mirzin’s face turned genuine, and they found themself relieved to find someone who understood, at least a little bit.

“Ah, is this your place?” Raf gestured to the building they’d arrived at, and Mirzin looked to find their apartment complex.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Mirzin murmured as they left the car, and was surprised to find that they meant it.

They turned and almost walked into the building before they heard a voice yell, “Wait!”, behind them.

Raf grabbed their shoulder as they turned around and offered his phone. “You never gave me your phone number.”

A beat passed, then the two of them started laughing as Mirzin took the phone. They didn’t stop until someone half-pushed Mirzin away from the door in an attempt to get inside the apartment complex.

“Here.” Mirzin plugged their phone number into the phone, cheeks slightly flushed from laughing.

“Thanks!” Raf responded, eagerly taking it back. “I’ll text you… tomorrow?”

“Uh sure, but I still don’t really know how to use…” They gestured to the phone. “Everything.”

Raf smiled. “It’s okay. I’ll wait for your response, take your time.”

With this, he left, giving a final wave before finally settling inside his car.

Later, when they were once again ensconced in their bed sheets, Mirzin finally allowed themself to smile, a light feeling bubbling up in their chest the thought of making friends with the tall, friendly man.

#ok i rlly like how this one turned out #mirzin n raf r my faves of their little group #traumatized immortal and traumatized child king #perfect pair #original story #ash does shit

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grimmsberg · 7 years

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SOME SLEEPER FILMS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW YET (Part 3)

And here’s the final instalment of my look at films I like that no one ever talks about. This time it’s the romance and sci-fi edition.

And none of them is more obscure than 2001′s Play Dead. It has no Wikipedia entry and there only seem to be low-res versions of the poster on the net. It’s not too surprising given its plot: Nerdy high school boy Dale has a crush on Raymond the captain of the wrestling team, so when his best friend Violet kills Raymond in a freak car accident, Dale sees this as his best and only chance to get into Raymond’s pants. It’s sick and twisted, but also hilarious and - yes! - cute and should appeal to all John Waters-fans out there.

If you prefer your romances to be a bit more sentimental, how about 5 To 7 from 2014, a deliberately old-fashioned love story about Anton Yelchin having an affair with an older married woman? It does use a lot of well-known tropes, especially with its “artist trying to find his voice” main character, but this is not a film that I watch to get innovative impulses, I watch it to be reminded of the great romantic dramedies of the ‘60s and ‘80s with its gentle humor, the almost chaste sex scenes, the classic New York setting, and its bittersweet plot.

Of course I could also just watch a genuine romantic comedy from the ‘80s set in New York, like 1989′s True Love, that year’s largely forgotten Sundance winner. It doesn’t have the most original plot - a couple is preparing for their wedding, but they have doubts if they really should marry - but makes up for it with precisely-drawn characters, subtlety and honesty. It even makes you root for a couple that probably shouldn’t be one, and that’s the magic of cinema.

Or I could choose to watch an ‘80s film that is set in the ‘60s, like 1987′s Five Corners which depicts 48 hours in the Bronx in 1964. Part stalker thriller with Jodie Foster, Tim Robbins and John Turtorro, but also part American Graffiti-style teen story, it’s a fascinating portrait of a generation trying to figure out their place in life and to survive after traumatic events. And it has only gotten more important these past few years.

John is also looking for his purpose and trying to make sense of a traumatic event, in his case the 1992 LA riots. He is the main character of of 1994′s inventive Floundering which I have seen countless times as a teenager and would credit as the one film that made me interested in independent cinema. It has a lot of social commentary; no matter if you agree with its point of view or not, most of it is still relevant. And it has one of the most uplifting and hopeful endings I’ve ever seen.

Speaking of endings and hope, both are integral to any post-apocalyptic movie, and one of my favorites of that genre is 2013′s Los Últimos Días (The Last Days), set in Barcelona a few weeks after humanity mysteriously developed acute agoraphobia. No one dares to go outside anymore, so people live in office buildings, malls and subway tunnels and form new societies which we all get to know while we follow Marc who tries to find his girlfriend. Despite the grim new world, it’s well-writte-and-directed speculative fiction with a lot of heart and warmth.

The next year gave us two interesting, overlooked indie sci-fi films. One of them is Time Lapse, a Twilight Zonesque thriller about three flatmates who discover that their neighbor has a machine that takes pictures of the future which of course leads to them trying to exploit it, and later to suspicions and betrayals. The action never leaves the apartment complex they live in, yet never feels claustrophobic but always engaging thanks to its many twists and turns and unnerving questions about predetermined fate.

The Frame was also released in 2014, and starts out with a mindbending premise: Alex is a thief who watches the medical tv show Urban Hope with its main character, the the paramedic Sam who never misses an episode of her favorite crime show Thieves And Saints which follows the adventures of Alex. As if the concept of two fictional characters in parallel universes interacting through their television sets wasn’t enough, after a rather slow first hour the film gets even more trippy, ultimately tackling the questions of God and creation.

And finally, there’s 2009′s Castaway On The Moon, a for-the-lack-of-a-better-classification comedic romance from South Korea, and probably my favorite film of all I have mentioned so far. It is the unique story of a hopeless man who tries to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge, but ends up on a small island directly under it. He’s surrounded by the city, but can’t swim, so he begins living there. The only one who notices him is a young girl who spots him through her telescope, but she is agoraphobic and hasn’t left her room in two years. It’s a funny and heartwarming exploration of people literally being lost in a modern world of consumerism and online identities and I dare you not to fall in love with it.

BONUS FILM:

I haven’t seen it yet, but my brother told me about 2004′s Strings, a fantasy film told with marionettes and the conceit that they’re self-aware of hanging on strings that literally give them life. It sounds utterly fascinating and I can’t wait to watch it.

#sleeper films

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