ACollectionofShortStoriesandPoems
ZiaSanchez-Elosh
ARHU271FinalPortfolio
SnowyFootprintsThroughTime
Theoldwomanstoodinthepaleearlysunlightasthescatteredsnowflakesmeltedinto herwhitehair Herrosarybeadsstayedwarminherglovedhandsassheexaminedthewebof footprintsinthedeepsnow,criss-crossingovereachotheragainandagainonthepatchofburied grassbehindherhouse.Withthesoftlightcaressingthedroopingpinetreesdrapedwithsnow overhead,shehardlymindedseeingthefaintlymudstainedprintsintheotherwisevirginsnow.
Herhousewasshieldedfromthestormonlybycrumblingbrickwalls,seeminglyheld togetheronlybytheexpansivenetofivyclingingtothesurfaceofthebrick.Butinsidetheaged graywalls,shekeptherhomelitwithmanywarmlampsandthewallsdecoratedwithold photographs.Ofallthesephotographs,theoneshehadcarefullyplacedonthecenterofher woodenmantelwasapicturefromaChristmasmanydrawnoutdecadesago.Hergrinningaunts andunclesandcousinsjostledeachothertofitwithinthewoodenframeofthepicture,andthe housewasbrightwithmulti-coloredlightsfortheholiday.Thelittlegirlinthefrontofthephoto hadcheeksredderthantheChristmascherrypie,andthehemofherpolkadotteddressstill lookedwetfromplayingoutsideinthesnow
Theyounggirl’smothersuddenlyrushedfromthehappyphototorescuethecherrypie fromthebeepingoven.“Dessertisready!”sheannouncedassheproudlycarriedthepieintothe diningroom.Thebittersweetsmellofthecherriesfilledtheroom,alongwithachorusofwarm praiseandthanksfromthefamily.
Thelittlegirlsatnexttohereldestcousin,whopristinelylaidoutanapkinonherown lap,andthenonheryoungcousin’slap.Thelittlegirlpluckedasoftenedcherryfromthepie
fillingandstuckitonherpinkie,admiringhernewburgundycoloredringuntilhercousinraised hereyebrows.Theyoungestgirlobliginglyslidthecherryoffherfinger.
Downthetable,theunclesyammeredongood-naturedlyaboutwhichfootballteamsthey thoughtwouldmakeittotheplayoffs,butthelittlegirlhardlyknewanyofthenames.She lookedovertohermotheracrossthetableandtriedtohearwhatsheandhersisterswerebusily talkingabout.
“...andIboughtagreatlotofdahliaseeds,soI’msavingthemupforthisspring.They mustbeplantedafterthelastfrost,youknow.”
“Oh,whoknowswhenthelastfrosteveris.Itseemsthere'salwaysonetrickyone poppingupinApril.”
“WellIhopemothernaturewillbekind,theseseedscostaprettypenny.”
“Theflowerswillbesogorgeousinyouryard,Icanjustimagineit…”
Thegirlfinishedthelastofherpieandgrewsleepytryingtositupinherchair.Shewas carriedupstairstobed,withheraunts’bubblytalkstilldancingbetweenherears.
Sheawokeintheearlymorningtofindthathercousinshadalreadylefttogoskateatthe nearbylake,whichhadfrozendeeplyduringthenight.Sheranoutofbedandjumpedintoher snowsuitandpulledonherbrightblueboots(hermotherhelpedherwiththelaces).
Thesnowcrunchedassheshuffledquicklytocatchuptoherlaughingoldercousins,far ahead.Astrandofhairhadfallenoutofherhoodanditdangled,halffrozen,intheouteredgeof hervision.Shebrushedthestiffenedcurlasideclumsilywithhermittenedhandandfollowedthe weboffootprintshercousinshadleftontheirmerrypath.Shecalledoutforthemtowaitasloud asshecould,andthegrouplookedaround,tryingtofindthesourceofthesmallvoice.The
secondyoungestcousinpointedtowardsthegirlwithblueboots,andtheyallscamperedquickly towardsher.
Theorangeandredandgreensnowsuitsdrewnearerandnearer,kickingupsmallclouds ofsnowastheyranfromthefrontdoordowntothebackyard.Theoldwomanlookedupfrom hermemoriesinsurprise,anditwasnothercousinsrunningtowardsher,butagroupofsmall happychildrenwhoshedidnotrecognizeatfirst.“Grammie!”oneofthemyelledastheycame closerintoview.Thepackofgrandchildrenwrappedthemselvesaroundherwoollensweaterand herenormoussilkyscarf.Theirjoyfulweboffootprintssoontangledaroundtheelderlywoman, andshesmileddownatthem,gratefultoseethemud.
FamilyInLaw
Lucatrembledalongwiththewoodenbridgeunderhisfeet,listeningtohisgirlfriend
Vicki’ssing-songvoicerhapsodizingoverherbestfriend’slatestterriblehaircut.Heimagined leapingintothedepthsofthelittlemuddypoolbelowtoshifthisunreasonableterrortowards somethingsensible.Butevenifhecouldswim,thatwouldn’tdohimmuchgood.Allthetrip guideshe’dgleanedhadrecommendedthiswaterfallasanaturalwonderworthavisit,butwhat theyhadfailedtomentionwasthatthewaterpartwasonlypresentduringthewetseason,and apparentlySeptemberdidnotfallwithinthatrange.Butregardless,heandVickiwerealreadyin theirthirties,andtimewasdrainingawaymuchfasterthanthedripsofwaterweremakingtheir laboriousjourneydownthethirstyslabsofrock.Toomanychanceshadcomeandgone,too manywomenhadslippedintohislifeandoutagainbeforehecouldbesureofwhathad happened.Thismightnotbethepicture-perfectscene,buthecouldn’twaitanylonger.Luca exhaledandtorehisgazeawayfromthewatertricklingdowntheexposed,slipperyrocks.Vicki wasstillgoingonaboutlayersandchoppybangsandthelike.
“Willyoumarryme?”Lucainterruptedbreathlessly,tryingtokeephisbalanceonthe slightlyswayingbridge.
Vicki’sflowofchatterfinallyslowedtomatchthedripdripofthewaterfall,herbrown eyesgrowingwide.“Yes!”sheexclaimedhappily,herarmsraisingtosecurehimtightlyinher embrace.
LucasniffedsuspiciouslyatthesnakesoupVicki’smotherplacedinfrontofhimonthe woodentable.Hewasn’tmuchforsoup,andalthoughthesnakebitofthesoup,floating somewhereinthebroth,wasalmostunrecognizable,itwasalltooeasyforhimtoseeit reformingintoaformidablereptilewithendlesslengthsofscalesandlongdrippingfangsand glitteryeyes.Buttheshinyeyesofhisnewfather-in-law,silentlyobservinghishesitationand beginningtohardenindisappointmentandoffense,werefarmoreterrifyingthanthephantom serpentineeyes.Andafterall,thiswashisnewfamily,soheslurpedeverygingeryspoonfulof thebrothup.Hetriedtoignorethevisionsofthemealpiecingitselfbacktogetherinsidehis intestinesandslitheringbackup,eatingathimfromtheinsideout…
Lucacouldn’thelplookingbackovertoVicki’sfatherdownthetable,waitingforany showofrecognition,anysignthathedidn’tviewLucaasanunworthyintruderintotheirlives. Hisfather-in-lawgavehimaslightnodofhishead,andturnedtohisdaughtertowhisperloudly, “Well,atleasthelikesthesnakesoup.We’llhavetoseeifthatiswherehismeritsend.”
“Oh,Dad!”Vickigiggled,alreadyrosyinthefacefromtwoglassesofwinetoomany. “Ofcoursehedoes!Infact,youknowwhatIthinkwouldbeagreatidea?Whydon’tyoutell himaboutthelawbusiness!Lucaissosmart,anditwouldbesomuchbetterthanhisfrosting gig!”Lucashiftedhisarmquicklytoconcealthepinnedlabelontheleftchestofhisdressshirt, whichproudlyproclaimed,“ChiefCakeArtist.Maybelle’sCakes.”Hesippedathisteaquietly, waitingforVicki’sfathertolaughandrejecttheofferthatLucahimselfwouldhavenever wantedtomake.
“Oh,no,Vicki,goeasyonthewine!Whatasuggestion.Lucadoesn’twanttodothat.”
Vicki’sfathershookhisheadandglanceddownthetableathisson-in-law,hisslenderbrows dippingdownintodisapproval.
“IfIcouldbeofhelp…”Lucabegan,andhehesitatedwhenhethoughtoftheelaborate SwanLakecakehehadintheworksforacustomer’supcomingwedding,orthesolarsystem topperhewasconstructingforhisnephew’sbirthday,buthecontinued,“I’ddoanythingtohelp thebusinessout.Vickihastoldmehowmuchgoodworkyou’veputintoit,andIcouldbeapart ofthat.”
“Isn’theperfect?”Vickiaskedherdadasshepouredherselfherthirdglassofwinetoo many.“See,Natewouldhavenevervolunteeredtohelpoutlikethis.”NatewasVicki’s ex-fiance,andLucasliddowninhischairafewinchesathearinghertwinklingvoicemention hisname.Again.
“Hmmph.”Vicki’sdadlookedtohiswife.
“Thiscouldbethesolutiontothebranchbackhome!”Vicki’smomchimedin.“Andif Lucahelpsoutthere,itwouldgiveVickisomepeaceandquiet,achancetofinishhermaster’s degree.”SheslidVicki’sglassawayfromherreach.“Sheseemsabit…distracted,asitis.”
Lucalookedtowardshisnewwife,unsure.Hisheadstilltilteddownwardsandhisarm stillobscuredthedeclarationofhiscurrentcareer.
“Well…I’lltellyouwhat,Luca.”Vicki’sfathersuddenlyturnedtohimwithkindling interest,snappingLuca’sgazeawayfromtheinattentiveVicki.“Westillhaveabranch,the originalbranch,actually,ofourlawfirm,upandlimping.Vicki’sgrandfatherstartedit,andsince then,mostofthepeoplerunningithaveeitherbeendyingoffortryingtoretire.Butitwashis dreamtohaveabusinesstocallourown,tohaveaplacewherewecanhelppeoplewiththeir legalissues,and–”
“Andwejustcan’tletitfadeaway.Wecan’tsellit,either,it’shardlyworthanythingin thestateit’sin.Andbesides,wewouldneverthinkofdoingthat.Itmeanttoomuchtomydad,” Vicki’smomsighed,herblue-paintednailsrappingonthedinnertable.
ShelookedexpectantlyatLuca.VickilookedtipsilyatLuca.Vicki’sfatherlooked sternlyatLuca,asifLucawasadelinquentsnaketryingtoslitherawayfromthefamily’ssoup.
Lucaclearedhisthroat,blinkingawaythepricklesinhiseyesandhisnowirrelevant worriesabouthowhewasgoingtofitallofSaturn’sringsontothesolarplanetcake.“Oh,wow.
Well,Imean,ofcourseI’llhelp.You’remyfamilynow;that’swhatfamilydoes.”
NooneexcepttheslightlybobbingVickinoddedalongwiththatlastcomment,but Vicki’sdadgrinnedatLucasuddenly,inwhatwasanentirelyunnaturalsighttobehold.“Well, that’sexcellent!Iknewyou’dbeupforatasklikethat.Wereallyneedsomeonetobeginlooking fornewjobapplicantsandjustkeepingtheappearancesoftheofficeup,andit’squiteimpossible todothattaskremotely.”
“Okay,yeah,great!I’msohappytobeofsomuchhelp!Thisis‘backhome’asin…your oldhouseontheothersideofJersey,right?”
“Ah.No.Hemisunderstands.”Vicki’smotherstoppedherrhythmictappingonthewood. “ThisisbackinHoChiMinh,ourhomeinVietnam.Butthefamilyneedsyou,Luca!Ofcourse he’lldoit.”
“Oh.”Lucafidgetedwiththebakerypinandbegantounclaspit,staringathiswifewho hadrecentlyreclaimedherglassofwineandwasblowingbubblesintoit.
Twoweekslater,Lucasatinacreakyswivelchair,inanofficeunderadarkcloudof disuse,plantedobtrusivelyinthemiddleofabustlingmarketplace.Ashesiftedthroughphone bookscontainingfadednumbersofstrangerstopossiblysolicittojointhefamilybusiness,the flimsywindowsletinthebusysoundsofthecity Mostly,Lucanoticedtheimpenetrable symphonyofhundredsofpeoplespeakingalanguagehehadonlythefaintestgraspon, presumablyshoppersarguingovertheworthofthefruitbeingsold,friendsadmiringtheworkat someofthefinerartisantablestogether,andfamilymembersexcitedlyexchangingsmallbitsof newsfromtheirdays.Lucasighed,andthoughtaboutcallingVicki,butdecidedagainstthe long-distancephonecall.Bestnottobotherher,especiallyifshewaseatingdinnerwiththeir family
BombPops
Onthemidsummernight whenthefireworkscrack: childrenscreamwithdelight, thestarscloudwithsmoke, andwelaugh,wedon’tchoke. Thewillowburstsplume, wallsechothebooms, asthefierysparksshootdown. Sevenhoursaheadofthistown,
identicalblastsannouncedoom.
Celebratingfreedom, thecrowdsblockthestreets. Wearetrappedinourmirth astheirexplodingheartbeats takeflightfromthisearth.
Mythroatburnswithguilt astheirpleasforhelpwilt underourblottedstars. Weturnawayfromtheflames andblackertheskychars.
Ourunknownbrother isfallinglikealeaf. Theretheredswhitesandblues arebloodstainedinnocenceandgrief.
