Word: Welkin

 

welkin

\ WEL-kin \  , noun;

1. the sky; the vault of heaven.

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Kyle stared up at the tiny hole in the ceiling of the cavern.  It was a bright, sunny day on the surface and a thin beam of light filtered through the hole.  His mind raced, trying to figure out how to make use of it to contact the outside world. 

               “Hey, Kyle, look what the felines made.”  Jill called out as she jogged over to him.  Kyle’s train of thought was instantly broken.  He wasn’t terribly off put by that though, since he had been unable to come up with any feasible plans.

               “What is it?”  Kyle asked.

               “Here, I’m pretty sure it’s a painting of what they think of the world.”

               Jill had been working on a way of communicating with their feline hosts since the two of them had been made religious figures.  She had met with only slightly more success that Kyle’s attempts at contact with the outside.  It had quickly been determined that language was out due to simple biological restraints.  It was obvious to anyone that their vocal cords were simply too different to allow verbal communication.  Jill had tried music, but had quickly discovered the felines had no concept of that art.  It had come down to visual communication.  The felines used a blue paint like substance for various marking purposes, and Jill was teaching them how to use it as a crude written language. 

               Currently, she held their latest attempt.  It was a thin stone slab covered with the irradiant glow of the fresh paint made from the glowing butterflies that lived in the cave.  Kyle looked it over and was able to get a rough sense of what she had meant.  There were two large curved domes there, one over the other.  The inner dome was clearly meant to be the cave, as there was a small gap in the top and what looked to be the scraggly apply tree under it.  The upper dome was most likely the sky.  It was like a giant, vaulted roof covering everything.  There was no indication at all of any kind of surface world, seeing as the sky dome simply wrapped around the stone cavern.  They may have even thought the two were in direct contact, given how close they were depicted.

               “Huh.  Interesting world view these guys have.”  Kyle said.  “Wonder what they’ll think if they ever get out of this place and see the real sky.”

               “Probably something like heaven or something similar.”  Jill replied.  “Speaking of the sky, any luck getting us under it again?”

               “Not even one.  The only thing I know is that that hole is lined with something reflective enough to get sunlight all the way down here.  The problem is, we don’t have any lights powerful enough to shine anything back up, even at night.  Maybe if we could shine a flashlight directly under the hole, but we don’t have any way of getting up to it.”

               “Maybe if we used our climbing gear we can scale the walls?”  Jill suggested.

               “We don’t have enough rope to do that.  Plus, I’m not too keen on climbing the inside of a large dome.”

               “Oh, right.” 

               The walls of the dome were smooth, so there were precious little hand and foot holds to grab onto. Plus, even with their gear, the inside of a dome was an extremely difficult thing to climb, and neither really wanted to risk it with the small amount of rope they had left.   

               “Do you have any flares or anything?”  Jill asked.

               “I have one flare.  And it won’t matter.  Again, it would be too far away to notice up there.  A flashlight would actually have a better chance of being seen, and even that won’t work.”

               “Oh.  So what’s left to try?  Maybe we could build a ladder out of rocks or something.”

               “It’s a nice thought.  But building one high enough would be way too much effort, and would be unstable at best.  The risk to the locals of a stone ladder like that would be too great.  We don’t really want these guys angry at us after all.”

               “What about cell phones?”  Jill threw out.  Kyle looked at her blankly.

               “You really think we’ll get a signal down here?”  He asked.

               “Well, maybe.  I mean it’s unlikely, yeah, but you never know.  Maybe whatever surface is reflecting the light will also bounce a reception signal down here.  I know it’ll be weak, but it’s something to try, right?”

               “I guess so.  And it’s not like I have anything else to try out.”

               Jill rummaged through her pack until she found her heavy duty cell phone.  She had turned it off early on to conserve battery life, but now was the time to at least give it a shot.  She turned it on and looked hopefully at the reception.  The words ‘No Service’ flashed on the screen.  Undaunted, Jill raised the phone to the sky, shifting her position from time to time and checking.

               Suddenly, she stopped, staring at the phone’s screen.  A slow smile crossed her lips and she let out a jubilant cry of triumph.  Just about every feline in hearing distance stopped what it was doing at looked at her curiously.

               “I got it!”  She called out.

               “Wait, really?  You got a signal?”  Kyle asked.  He felt like he might be able to see they sky in all its glory sooner than ever.

               “It’s weak, only one bar.  And it looks like it comes and goes, but it’s there.  If I time it right, I should be able to send out a SOS to people who know where we are.”

“That’s great!”  Kyle could hardly contain his excitement.  “Oh, but make sure they bring something sturdier than rope, and lots of it.  Also…”

“I know, I know.  Hang on, let me take care of this.”  Jill said.  Her eyes were wide with joy as she typed out a message.  “Ok, I’m letting them know about the ropes, and to bring some kind of defense and such.  They’ll know to watch out for dangerous animals.”

Jill raised the phone to the sky once she was done with the message.  She stood there without sending it, looking intently at the signal bar.

“Well?”

“Not yet.”  A long pause.  “There!”  She quickly hit the send button and waited.  When she lowered it, her eyes had filled with tears. Kyle waited expectantly for her to say something, hoping it wasn’t bad news.  “It was sent.  Someone’ll get it any time now.  We might be able to go home in a matter of days.” 

Kyle ran up and grabbed Jill in a massive hug as they both burst out laughing.  The felines, not knowing what was going on, mimicked their joy as best they could.  It was like a bunch of cats trying to laugh, but somehow it seemed right.  Neither Kyle nor Jill knew exactly how long they had been down in that cave, but they didn’t care much.  The place was filled with the sound of the felines celebrating something they didn’t even know about, but all the two of them could think about as they looked up at the sky through their tiny window was that they could go home.

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And thus, an end is in sight.  I'm not sure how many more stories will feature these two, but given what happens in this one, it probably won't be too many more.  But that's not such a bad thing, is it?  After all, every story must eventually end, and this one is no different.  We'll see what actually happens though.  Even I don't have any real good ideas yet.
 

Word: sozzled

sozzled

\ SOZ-uhld \  , adjective;

1. Slang.  drunk; inebriated.

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               Dale sat at a small, unoccupied table and watched the spectacle unfold in front of him in the middle of the room.  Two girls, both of them drunk out of their minds were dancing on the top of a large table that had been set up there.  Dancing might have been too strong of a word though, as it was more like a full body convulsion they were having simultaneously.  The equally drunk guys around the table didn’t seem to mind though.

               “Oh god, it’s horrible, isn’t it?”  Said a girl next to him.  She sat in a seat next to him and watched the show.  Dale didn’t give her much of a look, as his eyes were drawn inexplicably to the ‘dancing’.

               “It’s like a train wreck in progress.  You know it’s a terrible thing, but you just can’t look away.”  Dale said to the new comer.  The girl next to him chuckled at the analogy. 

               “So what, you don’t find two drunk girls taking each other’s clothes off appealing?”  Him new companion asked.

               “Nope.  Besides, those two aren’t really doing that.  It looks more like they’re just getting tangled in their own shirts right now.”

               “So they are.”

               “Also, you kind of have to be as drunk as those guys to find this appealing.”  He said, pointing to the staggering, boozed up crowd.

               “And I take it you’re not?”

               “Not even close.  The only drinks I’ve had tonight are things acceptable for kids.

               “Ah, the DD I take it?”

               “Damn right.”

               “Sorry.”

               “Why?  I’d rather be here and have my mind intact that be there.”

               “So you never drink?”

               “Nope.  Personally, I find the entire thing distasteful.  The idea of drinking the world’s slowest poison for fun just isn’t something I enjoy.”

               “You know, they say a little alcohol is good for you.”

               “Two glasses of red wine a day, I know.  But there’s no red wine here, and nobody stopped at two glasses.”

               “Well, if it helps, I also haven’t touched any drinks today, so at least you have someone to talk to now.”

               Dale finally turned to look at who he was talking to.  He had to keep himself from doing a double take when he saw her.  She was gorgeous, with long black hair that hung around her delicate features like a silk curtain.  She way better looking than the two drunks on the table.  He suddenly had every motivation to not look at the liquored up dancers. 

               “Yeah, that is nice.”  He said, “Usually the only people I talk to at these things can’t put together a coherent sentence.”  She giggle at that.

               “I’m Sandy, by the way.”  She said, holding out her hand. 

               “Dale.”  He said, taking it.  He considered kissing it, but she retracted it before he could.

               “So then Dale, if you don’t drink, why do you come to parties like this?”

“Because I have to.  See those guys over there?”  He pointed out a group of guys in matching blue and yellow shirts that had crowded around the dancers.

“Yeah?”

“I came with them.  They’re some friends of mine, see.  And they basically need me.  I mean that literally.  If I wasn’t around those guys would be helpless.  I’m not only their personal DD, but a lot of other things too.”

“Ah.  So what, are they just really dumb?”

“Nope.  They’re actually really smart.  They just lack things like common sense and mental filters.  It wouldn’t be so bad if they put their brains to good use instead of wasting them like they are now.”

“Oh, wow.  That sucks.  Being dumb is one thing, but smart people acting dumb is just terrible.”  She said with barely contained mirth.   

“Yeah really.  I can’t even use veiled insults on them, because they’re smart enough to know they’re being made fun of.”

“Oh, ouch.”

“Mm hm.  So what about you?  Are you the perma DD in your group, or did you just draw the short straw?”

“A little of both actually.  I’m not always the DD, but even when I’m not, I usually end up in that position because I don’t drink too much.  One or two and I’m usually done for the night.”

“Ah.  And you’re group?”

“Well two of them are on the table now.  And the others look like they want to join.”

“Oh that’s going to be interesting in the morning.”  Dale said.  This time it was his turn to stifle laughter.

“You know it.  The sad part is, they’re usually the nicest sweetest girls I know.  They usually make fun of girls who do what they’re doing now.”

“Really now?” 

“Yup.  The girl trying to get her shirt removed works at an animal shelter because she wants to.  And the girl trying to remove said shirt is one of the best comp sci TAs on campus.”

“And thus we see the dangers of alcohol.  That two fine individuals like that can be reduced to horrible stripper dancing for a bunch of drunk frat boys after a few shots really shows what the stuff does to people.”  Dale said.

“Amen to that.”  Sandy said, raising an imaginary glass.  Dale did the same and they touched the air cups together in a mock toast.

Just then, one of the dancers slipped off the table and into the arms of the crowd.  There were enough bodies there that none were hurt in any way.  In fact, the girl was laughing hysterically as the guys tried to help her back onto the table to finish the ‘dance’.  Sandy took the fall as a signal that it was time to finish up though, and stood to rescues her friend.

“Sorry Dale, but I gotta go deal with this now.”

“No problem.  I should probably take care of my guys before one of them looses their lunch.”

“Probably a good idea.  Before I go though…”  She pulled a pen from her pocket and scribbled a few numbers on a nearby napkin.  “Here, call me sometime, kay?”

“Yeah, sure.”  Sale said, taking the napkin like it was something holy.  “See ya around then?”

“Definitely.”  She said. 

Dale watched her walk off.  He silently thanked his friends for being such avid party goers before heading off himself to save them from themselves.  

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Incidentally, I myself have never been to a party of this nature before.  Whether or not that's a good thing remains to be seen though.  Also, my personal views of alcohol are similar to the character in this story, but not quite the same.  I also don't drink because I don't like that burning feeling you get when it does down your throat.  It's just not fun for me.

Word: schmaltz

 

schmaltz

\ shmahlts, shmawlts \  , noun;

1. Informal.  exaggerated sentimentalism, as in music or soap operas.

2. fat or grease, especially of a chicken.

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Jen read the small but thick book with a goofy grin on her face.  She was currently lying on her dorm room bed with the book suspended over her eyes.  She periodically adjusted her position on the not quite comfy mattress, always keeping the book at an appropriate reading distance.

               “Uhg, are you still reading that thing?”  Jen’s roommate, Karin asked. Jen lowered the book, only moderately surprised by her roommate’s sudden appearance. 

               “Yes, I am.  Got a problem with it?”  Jen said.

               “Technically no.  You’re free to read whatever you want to.  I just don’t get how you can tolerate those magazine rack romance novels.”

               “Hey now.  Just because I didn’t get it off a book store shelf doesn’t mean it’s bad you know.”

               “True.  The fact that it’s bad is what makes it bad.”  Karin said as she plopped herself down on her own bed.

               “It’s not bad!”  Jen practically shouted.  “It’s really good!”

               “No, it’s not.  You’re just convincing yourself it’s good.  Why, I have no idea.”

               “It is good.  The characters are deep and well thought out, the plot is riveting, and it’s rife with emotions.”  Karin sighed at Jens insistence that her choice of reading material was good.

               “Ok, let me see it for a sec.  Just the cover will do.”  She said.  Jen raised the book so that Karin could see the cover.  Karin looked at it for a minute or so.

               “Ok then, let me see.  The female lead is a young, beautiful noblewoman, probably with the simple title of ‘lady’.  The leading man is a dashingly handsome servant who happens to cross her eye one day.  He probably saves her life from a runaway horse or carriage, which forever endears her to him.  Let’s see…there’ll be another dashingly handsome man, a noble this time.  He’s her fiancé via an arranged marriage agreement.  She acts like she likes him while still pining for the servant guy.  The servant leaves, probably to protect her honor as a lady.  Much tears are shed as a result.  With no other option, she marries the nobleman.  Then, just as the priest is asking if anyone has a reason why they shouldn’t get hitched, the servant guy comes barging in and sweeps her off her feet.  How’s that.  Am I pretty close?”  Karin asked.  Jen didn’t want to admit, but Karin’s summery was disturbingly accurate.

               “O-ok, so you got it right.  You could’ve read the back when I wasn’t looking or something.” 

               “You keep it with you at all times.  And when you finish this one, you’ll just pick up another one just like it and keep that one super close.  Seriously, Jen.  These books are horrible.  They use so many overdone clichés that it’s easy to figure out what happens just by the title.  The plot is predictable, the characters are shallow, and the romance is schmaltzy and forced.  The author doesn’t know how to write real emotions, so he uses overly dramatic language to try and force it.  It’s the same with all these kinds of cheap romance books.”

               “H-hey now, that’s not true in all cases.  Besides, you’re one to talk.  You read plenty of romance novels.”

               “Yeah, good ones.  Those I read are well written by skilled authors.  Although there are some clichés used, my books don’t rely on them like yours do.  The authors of my romances know what they’re talking about and how to evoke real emotions out of their readers.  You’re come from a rack.  Mine come from a shelf.”

               Jen puffed out her cheeks at Karin’s book bashing.  She knew they weren’t always the best books in the world, but that didn’t mean they were all bad.  She thought that many of them were as just as good as those written by better known authors.  She also didn’t like what Karin’s argument was implying about her.

               “H-hey now, not all of my romance books come from a rack.”

               “Oh please.  Twilight doesn’t count and you know it.  It’s just as bad as what you’re reading now, just longer.”

               Jen slammed the book shut.  She looked at Karin angrily.  Nobody insulted Twilight around her.  To Jen, they were almost holy writ.  She could deal with Karin bashing the romance books she normally read, but not Twilight.

               “Don’t you dare bash Twilight.  That is one of the best series of books ever to be written.”  She said.

               “Oh please.  It’s horrible.  I don’t know why people like those pieces of trash.”

               “You!  I bet you’ve never even read them!  I bet if you read the books you’d love them!”

               “Actually, I have read them.  All of them.  I had to keep myself from falling asleep for half of it, and the other half I had to keep my lunch from coming back up.  Yeah, I know how bad they are.  Oh, and I’ve also read some of those schmaltzy travesties you read regularly.  I snuck a few out after you finished them.  And trust me, the only emotion I felt while reading them was revulsion.  These are insults to the romance genre.  Now, can you say the same?  Have you read some of my good romance novels?” 

               “N-no.”    

               “Well then, maybe you should.  Get a taste of the real thing before you drown yourself in more terrible writing.  What do you say to that?”

               Jen thought about her words for a moment.  Most of her was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that Karin had read the Twilight books and still didn’t like them.  How good could the books she read be if she couldn’t appreciate that literary genius?  But, she should also give Karin the benefit of the doubt.  If Karin could read Jen’s books, than she could read Karin’s just as well.

               “Well, I guess I could give a few a shot.”

               “There you go.  I promise, you won’t be disappointed.”  Karin said.  She got up and made the short trip to the small shelf she used for all her books, already picking out what to loan to Jen to expand her literary repertoire. 

               “But first I have to finish this one.” Jen said quickly.  Karin’s shoulders slumped and she trudged back to her bed.  Jen immediately went back to reading her book, a goofy grin once again forming on her face. 

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Part of me was tempted to use that second definition for a story, but I ended up with this one.

Ok, that's a lie.  I never considered using the second one.