Castles Made of Sand

Admittedly, Sandy wasn’t entirely sure what he was doing, or what drew him to where he was. Perhaps it was boredom, or simple curiosity. Or perhaps he knew who he would find if he were to venture away. Whatever the case was, he was there now.

Tilting his head slightly, Sandy directed a stream of his dreamsand towards one of the alligators, mainly because he was a bit curious about how the creature would respond, but also slightly in response to her comment. Most creatures dreamed after all, and admittedly, Sandy did have a certain fondness for any creature that made their homes around the water. Though he did keep the stream from touching the creature, not entirely sure why she was with the creatures, but not wanting to cause any (potentially unfortunate) disturbances nonetheless.

And so, Sandy gave Mother Nature a simple shrug in response, though still grinning brightly up at her. However, curiosity did get the better of him, as his golden eyes flicked from her towards her alligator (friends? subjects? experiments?) in a silent question of what she was doing with them.

       THE ALLIGATORS HISS in chorus with each other, which by itself is quite a menacing sound to slice into the cooling dusk air, but they’re simply excited. mother nature can hear and discern their more subtle sounds, and most are chirping about fireflies or about the sun. they stay close to seraphina, however, unwilling to actually touch the vibrant golden streams dancing above their heads.

         mother nature is even more careful in avoiding them, stepping elegantly to lengthen the distance between them.

         ‘ children, ’ she corrects in a slightly softer voice. ‘ this group in particular is exhibiting a gene mutation that i did not create. ’ sanderson should thank whatever powers at be that mother nature’s capricious nature is somewhat tame at the moment. ‘ it’s nothing serious. at least, not for now. ’

He waved a small hand in a simple manner, the bright strands dispersing into wisps in the wind at the movement. (Though he did file away her suggestion of bringing dreams back in the morning, perhaps he would take her up on that.)

“You’re not… how I thought you’d be.”

“Is this what you’re really like, or was that an act?”

“I need to know this is for real. If you’re not genuine, tell me right now.”

“You’re… good at that.”

“I didn’t realize you were - maybe we should start again. I’m [name].”

“So this is what the (in)famous [Name] is like behind closed doors.”

“You have a lot of experience with this.”

“Do you know what people say about you?”

“You’re just like they said.”

“Why don’t you correct them? When people talk about you, and they’re wrong?”

“I thought they were exaggerating about you.”

“I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time.”

“Am I safe with you?”

“Do you mean that?”

“I’m just trying to figure out why you’re here.”

“What made you get into this/that line of work?”

“Look, you’re either going to help, or you aren’t. Which one is it going to be?”

“You … you chose me.”

“I… no, nothing. I just didn’t realize you were brave.”

“You’re going to get yourself killed/fired, you know.”

“Have you always been like that?”

“That was kind.”

“That was good of you.”

“That was stupid.”

“You didn’t have to do that. But you did.”

“You were there. You didn’t have to be.”

“I think .. I have you to thank, for this.”

“I wouldn’t be here without you.”

           AS DUSK FALLSacross this part of the earth’s hemisphere, shadows yawn across these wetlands through great pillars of trees and their creeping roots. the sun retreats, and yet thousands of flashing lights can be seen in glimpses as animals of all sorts are merely beginning their activities. mother nature is no exception – she stands waist-deep in the river, draped in the dark, sooty greens of algae and dead leaves. surrounding her are six pairs of golden eyes that match her own, too bright against the growing darkness.

             the shiver across her skin is familiar. therefore it is unwanted.

Tilting his head slightly, Sandy directed a stream of his dreamsand towards one of the alligators, mainly because he was a bit curious about how the creature would respond, but also slightly in response to her comment. Most creatures dreamed after all, and admittedly, Sandy did have a certain fondness for any creature that made their homes around the water. Though he did keep the stream from touching the creature, not entirely sure why she was with the creatures, but not wanting to cause any (potentially unfortunate) disturbances nonetheless.

the protector 

“Get behind me.”

“I’ll fight them off.”

“I won’t let them touch you.”

“They hurt you, didn’t they?”

“Hold onto me, it’s not safe here.”

“Stay there, I’m coming to get you.”

“If you want to live, you’ll let them go.”

“I’ll kill them if they lay a hand on you.”

“Here, grab onto me, I’ll carry you out.”

What were you thinking, running off like that?”

“I get it, you’re brave. But, don’t do that, again.”

“If they want to hurt you, they’ll have to go through me.”

“What made you think you could protect yourself here?”

the protected 

“You… you saved me.”

“I didn’t need protection.”

“You were hurt… saving me.”

“They’re trying to kill me, help!”

“You could have been killed saving me.”

“I could’ve handled it myself, you know.”

“I don’t like it here. Can I stay behind you?”

“Oh my god… I didn’t think you would come.”

“They want to hurt me. Please, don’t let them!”

“Please, just leave me behind. They only want me.”

“You’re going to get yourself killed rushing in for me like that.”

“What future?”

“Was it worth it?“

“I’ll make you proud.“

“She’s lost her mind!“

“There you go! Poetry.“

“I don’t wanna lose you.“

“Mom’s gonna love this…”

“I say we kill them all now.“

“Playing games… are we?“

“Why, you impudent little…!“

“You have… wonderful eyes.”

“That’s all they were; stories.“

“Go ahead! Slice him, dice him!“

“Don’t ever let me do that, again.”

“Now at last, we hear some sense.“

“Okay, okay! You’re both grounded!“

“So, uh, how’d that happen anyway?“

“Mmm! Delightfully tangy, yet robust.“

“But, he knew the risks, as do we all.“

“Yeah. Too bad my nose works just fine.”

“A ludicrous parcel of driveling galoots…”

“Don’t you remember? All those stories?“

“Just a lifelong obsession… I’ll get over it.”

“Hit your head there pretty hard, didn’t ya?“

“I don’t know what to do, I get so flustered.“

“You give up a few things, chasing a dream.“

“We were better off on the exploding planet!”

“Why? You got something to hide, bright-eyes?“

“Oh, shut up. You know I don’t mean a word of it.”

“Oh, don’t be daft. You’ve been very helpful. Truly.“

“Hey, mister? Hey, mister, you’re okay in there, right?“

“I mean, I am a doctor, but I’m not that kind of doctor.“

“I’m fluent in ‘flatula’. Took two years of it in high school.”

“I’m just sorry I couldn’t have been… more helpful to you.“

“I just don’t want to see you throw away your entire future!“

“I gotta find a place to hide, and there’s pirates chasing me.”

“Aw, he took a shine to me. We’ve been together ever since.“

“I really, really, really, really want to go. And it’s the right thing.“

“No. He was more the taking-off-and-never-coming-back sort.“

“Oh, pirates! Don’t get me started on pirates! I don’t like them.“

“With the greatest possible respect… zip your howling screamer.”

“All that talk of greatness? Light coming off my sails? What a joke.“

“Ah, I’ve got some plans… to make people see me a little different.“

“Yes, yes. No, I mean, I understand, but, um, co-couldn’t we just—?“

“You can keep that kind of flim-flammery for your spaceport floozies.”

“Look, if you’re gonna come along, you’re gonna have to stop talking.“

“I don’t know… they weren’t exactly singing my praises when I left home.”

“Oh, I see. Well, I was never much good at games… Always hated to lose.“

“You won’t so much as eat, sleep, or scratch your BUM without my say-so!“

“Without the map we’re dead. If we try to leave we’re dead. If we stay here…“

“You’re as trim and as bonnie as a sloop with new sails and a fresh coat of paint!“

“Are you saying this because it’s the right thing… or because you really wanna go?“

“It’s totally preposterous, traversing the entire galaxy alone… that’s why I’m going with you.”

“Like it or not, I’ll be pounding a few skills into that thick head of yours to keep you out of trouble.”

“They’re… How did I describe them? I said something rather good this morning before coffee.”

“You got the makings of greatness in you, but you got to take the helm and chart your own course!”

“Look at you! Glowing like a solar fire. You’re something special. You’re gonna rattle the stars, you are!”

“He’s a-comin’. Can ya hear ‘im? Those gears and gyros, clickin’ and whirrin’ like the devil, himself!”

“Didn’t your pop ever teach you to pick your fights a bit more carefully? Your father not the teachin’ sort?”

“I know that I keep messing everything up. And I know…that I let you down. But this is my chance to make it up to you.“

“I should never have listened to that pushy two-headed saleswoman… this one said it fit, that one said it was my color…”

“Is it that your body is too massive for your teeny-tiny head, or is it that your head is too teeny-tiny for your big fat body?“

“Look, don’t you get it?! I screwed up! I mean, for two seconds, I thought that maybe I could do something right, but — !”

“Whatever you heard back there, at least the part concerning you, I didn’t mean a word of it. If that bloodthirsty lot thought I had gone soft, they’d have gutted us both.“

“This should be a wonderful opportunity for the two of us to get to know one and other. You know what they say. ‘Familiarity breeds…’, um, well, ‘contempt’. But, in our case…”

“I mean, I am a doctor, but I’m not that kind of doctor. I have a doctorate, it’s not the same thing. You can’t help people with a doctorate. You just sit there and you’re useless!“

❅— he stopped his pacing when Sandy’s hand touched his arm, choosing instead to sit down where he was with another huff. his fingers tapping along his staff to help get out some of his extra anxiety over the situation. blue eyes flicking away from Sandy’s face to see the little question mark created. he wanted to know more? was it worth telling him the details? he’d find out eventually, may as well tell his side of the story.

But how best to explain this to Jack? 

“What future?”

“Was it worth it?“

“I’ll make you proud.“

“She’s lost her mind!“

“There you go! Poetry.“

“I don’t wanna lose you.“

“Mom’s gonna love this…”

“I say we kill them all now.“

“Playing games… are we?“

“Why, you impudent little…!“

“You have… wonderful eyes.”

“That’s all they were; stories.“

“Go ahead! Slice him, dice him!“

“Don’t ever let me do that, again.”

“Now at last, we hear some sense.“

“Okay, okay! You’re both grounded!“

“So, uh, how’d that happen anyway?“

“Mmm! Delightfully tangy, yet robust.“

“But, he knew the risks, as do we all.“

“Yeah. Too bad my nose works just fine.”

“A ludicrous parcel of driveling galoots…”

“Don’t you remember? All those stories?“

“Just a lifelong obsession… I’ll get over it.”

“Hit your head there pretty hard, didn’t ya?“

“I don’t know what to do, I get so flustered.“

“You give up a few things, chasing a dream.“

“We were better off on the exploding planet!”

“Why? You got something to hide, bright-eyes?“

“Oh, shut up. You know I don’t mean a word of it.”

“Oh, don’t be daft. You’ve been very helpful. Truly.“

“Hey, mister? Hey, mister, you’re okay in there, right?“

“I mean, I am a doctor, but I’m not that kind of doctor.“

“I’m fluent in ‘flatula’. Took two years of it in high school.”

“I’m just sorry I couldn’t have been… more helpful to you.“

“I just don’t want to see you throw away your entire future!“

“I gotta find a place to hide, and there’s pirates chasing me.”

“Aw, he took a shine to me. We’ve been together ever since.“

“I really, really, really, really want to go. And it’s the right thing.“

“No. He was more the taking-off-and-never-coming-back sort.“

“Oh, pirates! Don’t get me started on pirates! I don’t like them.“

“With the greatest possible respect… zip your howling screamer.”

“All that talk of greatness? Light coming off my sails? What a joke.“

“Ah, I’ve got some plans… to make people see me a little different.“

“Yes, yes. No, I mean, I understand, but, um, co-couldn’t we just—?“

“You can keep that kind of flim-flammery for your spaceport floozies.”

“Look, if you’re gonna come along, you’re gonna have to stop talking.“

“I don’t know… they weren’t exactly singing my praises when I left home.”

“Oh, I see. Well, I was never much good at games… Always hated to lose.“

“You won’t so much as eat, sleep, or scratch your BUM without my say-so!“

“Without the map we’re dead. If we try to leave we’re dead. If we stay here…“

“You’re as trim and as bonnie as a sloop with new sails and a fresh coat of paint!“

“Are you saying this because it’s the right thing… or because you really wanna go?“

“It’s totally preposterous, traversing the entire galaxy alone… that’s why I’m going with you.”

“Like it or not, I’ll be pounding a few skills into that thick head of yours to keep you out of trouble.”

“They’re… How did I describe them? I said something rather good this morning before coffee.”

“You got the makings of greatness in you, but you got to take the helm and chart your own course!”

“Look at you! Glowing like a solar fire. You’re something special. You’re gonna rattle the stars, you are!”

“He’s a-comin’. Can ya hear ‘im? Those gears and gyros, clickin’ and whirrin’ like the devil, himself!”

“Didn’t your pop ever teach you to pick your fights a bit more carefully? Your father not the teachin’ sort?”

“I know that I keep messing everything up. And I know…that I let you down. But this is my chance to make it up to you.“

“I should never have listened to that pushy two-headed saleswoman… this one said it fit, that one said it was my color…”

“Is it that your body is too massive for your teeny-tiny head, or is it that your head is too teeny-tiny for your big fat body?“

“Look, don’t you get it?! I screwed up! I mean, for two seconds, I thought that maybe I could do something right, but — !”

“Whatever you heard back there, at least the part concerning you, I didn’t mean a word of it. If that bloodthirsty lot thought I had gone soft, they’d have gutted us both.“

“This should be a wonderful opportunity for the two of us to get to know one and other. You know what they say. ‘Familiarity breeds…’, um, well, ‘contempt’. But, in our case…”

“I mean, I am a doctor, but I’m not that kind of doctor. I have a doctorate, it’s not the same thing. You can’t help people with a doctorate. You just sit there and you’re useless!“

the protector 

“Get behind me.”

“I’ll fight them off.”

“I won’t let them touch you.”

“They hurt you, didn’t they?”

“Hold onto me, it’s not safe here.”

“Stay there, I’m coming to get you.”

“If you want to live, you’ll let them go.”

“I’ll kill them if they lay a hand on you.”

“Here, grab onto me, I’ll carry you out.”

What were you thinking, running off like that?”

“I get it, you’re brave. But, don’t do that, again.”

“If they want to hurt you, they’ll have to go through me.”

“What made you think you could protect yourself here?”

the protected 

“You… you saved me.”

“I didn’t need protection.”

“You were hurt… saving me.”

“They’re trying to kill me, help!”

“You could have been killed saving me.”

“I could’ve handled it myself, you know.”

“I don’t like it here. Can I stay behind you?”

“Oh my god… I didn’t think you would come.”

“They want to hurt me. Please, don’t let them!”

“Please, just leave me behind. They only want me.”

“You’re going to get yourself killed rushing in for me like that.”