The Creature's Conversation

…Continued from '“Song Of The Moonchild”

Is there such a thing as the sound of stillness?

There was no stillness here and yet she felt at peace within it. Her night's brain came to an eased state of breathing which eluded her during the noise of the day. Though the air was thick with the orchestral activity of many-a-nocturnal species, one could not deny it's calming effect as the unseen legions of small creatures serenaded her in this respite from her diurnal obligations. She wouldn't say this was stillness- what with thousands upon thousands of critters milling around in bushes of elderberries and wolfsbane, scurrying and hunting over and under the old twigs and countless grassy blades. She mused upon the oddity that the frogs and crickets should so fiercely compete for their sonic dominance of the ethers only to attain perfect harmony, along with the magic of coyote howls and talkative owls. There was the soft moan of the night winds engaging the rustling tree branches in wispy conversation. It was not easy achieving this seat upon the old bench at this hour. It would be a challenge to accomplish a secret return to her chambers later but in order for her to come back here... no one should learn of her temporary escape save for the crickets, the strigeforms, the skunks, beetles, and mystical moths.

It would be nice to be forgotten right now... just like the cracked old bench onwhich she sat. Next to old 'Grandfather Luminous' as he came to be known. The old lamp post gave a strange looming comfort near the sinister twisting trees. She might have thought he was keeping them in line... like a good grandpa. She could almost hear him, steadying himself on the uneven ground as he kept his footing above the snaking tree roots, saying "Alright knock it off fellas! There. Go on, Sweetpea. Have a seat there. They won't bother yous." She would look at the old Gaslight as if to say, "Thankye Grompah".

No one came here to this old spot anymore- even in the day. It was as though they favored the noise. It was as though the rest of them had almost- 'unknowed' it. It must be a wonderful ability to unknow things, she thought. If this be my stillness then let this cacophony be it's sound. She let the thought float about her for a moment. This was the reason to be here... all of this moon light shining upon her. Such a Lunar bath was profoundly healing to her troubled mind. Tomorra there would be indefensible mood swings and a wish to find peace. There would be screams down the old hallways and laughter coming through the ceiling. There would be a possible tasting of dark chocolate and crunchy almonds. The coffee would be limited but welcome and she would be swimming in the tiny cup they would allow her as though it were steaming hot springs in the morning mountains...somewhere.

She always did her best to make it last. Alas, this drawn-out endeavor warranted a complaint from the caretakers every now and then. "Wait a minute- You cant still be AT IT. Surely it must be growing ice cubes in there by now.", one would say with condescending chuckles as he would politely yet forcibly confiscate her one glimmer of warmth from her clinging hands. "Hey- ya know what would be great- is if we took a walk- and got you some those shots eh? Hows that sound" he would ask- as thought this time she wouldnt protest bi-weekly road to sedation. It was one small defeat snowballing into another and another until the entire merciless day was chasing her down to cower in a corner... somewhere. The tube lights would be destroying her faith in a natural world out there whilst her fellow tenants continued to smile and talk about how happy they were here. It was more like they were simply happy to agree on being the same thing in the same place. Happy or no after all- a human is not meant to be lonesome. So although she was nauseated to fall in line in delicate conversation with her troubled comrades- she was happy for these sad and lonely souls that they at least learned to lighten their own spirits here. Even if it was what she found to be as exhausting an activity as pretended happiness.

Here on this bench a thought like that could wrack her ribs and she was free to give over to heaving sadness as she felt the listening of her only friend... floating sanginely about in the hissing clouds. Her sniffles of deep pain mixed with the noble crickets and knowing owls as they wrapped her in the dark and cheerfull symphony like it was a warm and heavy blanket.
She was not certain as to when it happened. The symphony had a way of ebbing and flowing about her ears so as to make way for various solos of chirping, baying, or a hooting. Somewhere within these there was an unmistakable parting of the curtains of howls and owls to reveal a distinct song.

It was distant. It was instantly recognizable. It was him. Her strange child of the Moon- filling the hills with his mournful hymn. It sounded like the crimson rose plucked in the night to give for her. Any townsfolk nearby by would quickly go indoors and shut the windows to experience the blood curdling night nearest to hearths lest their cheer burn away. And they would rock themselves to sleep, at the terrifying thought of his blue breath in the moonlight.
She missed that blue breath. She could almost see it as she listened to his song. Her heart began to rise and her legs followed, standing as if ready to meet his dark fearsome arms as he seemed to sing to wrap them around her. The great Pearl in the sky seemed inviting as his song roared up through her. Her heart beat was growing louder than all the creatures around her- save for the one serenading her from afar. Her hand reached out to... to... touch the silvery distance, the ghostly stillness, the ancient serenade between them.
And soon she was joining the symphony with her howl...

Enjoy a Time-lapse painting as my latest ghost story, "The Creature's Conversation" is illustrated before your eyes. This was a piece created with water and ink {as well as a light under layer of golden yellow.} You can see read and hear more of this and take a deeper dive into the bts process on my Patreon:

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