Night Lights Book One Chapter Two
1/2/02
It was late by the time Jim made it back to the house. Emma had already retired for the night. Although Jim was not all that tired, he decided he would join her. He made his usual late-night checks around the house and climbed the stairs to the second floor. As he entered the bedroom, Emma stirred, "Are you okay?" she asked, "You were gone so long."
Jim smiled at his wife of fifty years and said, "I’m fine, go back to sleep." Emma smiled back at her husband, nodded, and snuggled under the blanket. She was asleep almost instantly. Jim made his way into the bathroom to get ready for bed. He joined Emma in bed ten minutes later. No sooner had he got comfortable than he was asleep also.
Sunlight peeked through the bedroom window when Jim opened his eyes the next morning. He stretched and rubbed his eyes. He noticed that Emma was already up. As Jim started down the stairs, he could smell the coffee brewing in the kitchen. Emma had the small, portable television on. She was listening to the morning newscast as she fussed around in the kitchen. As he entered, she looked up from the vegetables she was cleaning. "Good morning, Jim, coffee’s ready."
Emma stands almost a foot shorter than her husband. She has a full head of curly white hair and still shows signs of the beauty she had been. Her one concession to age was her glasses. After years of misplacing the spectacles, Jim had given her a lovely chain so she could wear them around her neck. Jim felt this to be his best investment after finding the missing article under his backside a half dozen times. Normally, Emma wore her spectacles on the end of her nose. She claimed this was because she could not keep them in place. She did not have the nose for them. In reality, however, Emma never agreed with bifocals and having her glasses perched at the end of her nose gave her the choice of looking over them or through them. She had a habit of playing with the frames when she was doubtful. Emma had, on occasion, dropped her glasses in disbelief. The chain always assured that they would land nestled safely against her breast.
While a small woman, she had always had a commanding presence. Her children always knew that Mom meant business when she tilted her head, tucked in her chin, and spoke quietly. They knew better than to miss any words that followed!
Jim went over to kiss Emma’s cheek. "Good morning to you, too." He poured himself a cup of coffee.
"How did you sleep?" Emma asked.
"Good, thanks."
"I didn’t want to wake you this morning since I knew you were up late."
"I appreciate that. No, I feel great."
Just then, the newscaster started a story about a large sinkhole that had appeared in town last night. Jim turned up the volume so he could hear better.
"No one was hurt with the appearance of this hole, but police were cautioning motorists to avoid the area. We have no clues yet as to the cause of this ‘sinkhole.’"
A resident from the area appeared on the screen. "I can’t believe it. I’ve got a huge hole where my front yard used to be!" said the resident.
“Did you see anything . . . When it happened?” asked the newscaster.
“No, unfortunately, I was out last night. By the time I got back, the police had the area blocked off. They wouldn’t even let me go into the house until they checked for structural damage. Even when they allowed me, I had to use the back door. My front door opens onto a 30-foot drop!”
“Okay, thank you for speaking with us.” The newscaster turned back to the camera. “There you have it, folks. Just remember to avoid that area until the city decides what to do about this mysterious event.”
Jim turned the television off just as Emma piped up with, “It is a miracle that no one was hurt!”
“Yes, but it is not a sinkhole,” replied Jim.
“Then what is it?” asked Emma. Emma was playing with the arms of her glasses.
“I’m not really sure,” Jim shook his head, “you probably wouldn’t believe me anyway.”
“Why wouldn’t I?” asked Emma.
“It doesn’t matter,” Jim was still shaking his head, “feel like taking a walk over there after breakfast?”
“Okay, but do you think we should?” Emma asked. She was beginning to worry about his behavior now.
“We’ll find out.” With that, Jim went to get dressed for the day.
It was late by the time Jim made it back to the house. Emma had already retired for the night. Although Jim was not all that tired, he decided he would join her. He made his usual late-night checks around the house and climbed the stairs to the second floor. As he entered the bedroom, Emma stirred, "Are you okay?" she asked, "You were gone so long."
Jim smiled at his wife of fifty years and said, "I’m fine, go back to sleep." Emma smiled back at her husband, nodded, and snuggled under the blanket. She was asleep almost instantly. Jim made his way into the bathroom to get ready for bed. He joined Emma in bed ten minutes later. No sooner had he got comfortable than he was asleep also.
Sunlight peeked through the bedroom window when Jim opened his eyes the next morning. He stretched and rubbed his eyes. He noticed that Emma was already up. As Jim started down the stairs, he could smell the coffee brewing in the kitchen. Emma had the small, portable television on. She was listening to the morning newscast as she fussed around in the kitchen. As he entered, she looked up from the vegetables she was cleaning. "Good morning, Jim, coffee’s ready."
Emma stands almost a foot shorter than her husband. She has a full head of curly white hair and still shows signs of the beauty she had been. Her one concession to age was her glasses. After years of misplacing the spectacles, Jim had given her a lovely chain so she could wear them around her neck. Jim felt this to be his best investment after finding the missing article under his backside a half dozen times. Normally, Emma wore her spectacles on the end of her nose. She claimed this was because she could not keep them in place. She did not have the nose for them. In reality, however, Emma never agreed with bifocals and having her glasses perched at the end of her nose gave her the choice of looking over them or through them. She had a habit of playing with the frames when she was doubtful. Emma had, on occasion, dropped her glasses in disbelief. The chain always assured that they would land nestled safely against her breast.
While a small woman, she had always had a commanding presence. Her children always knew that Mom meant business when she tilted her head, tucked in her chin, and spoke quietly. They knew better than to miss any words that followed!
Jim went over to kiss Emma’s cheek. "Good morning to you, too." He poured himself a cup of coffee.
"How did you sleep?" Emma asked.
"Good, thanks."
"I didn’t want to wake you this morning since I knew you were up late."
"I appreciate that. No, I feel great."
Just then, the newscaster started a story about a large sinkhole that had appeared in town last night. Jim turned up the volume so he could hear better.
"No one was hurt with the appearance of this hole, but police were cautioning motorists to avoid the area. We have no clues yet as to the cause of this ‘sinkhole.’"
A resident from the area appeared on the screen. "I can’t believe it. I’ve got a huge hole where my front yard used to be!" said the resident.
“Did you see anything . . . When it happened?” asked the newscaster.
“No, unfortunately, I was out last night. By the time I got back, the police had the area blocked off. They wouldn’t even let me go into the house until they checked for structural damage. Even when they allowed me, I had to use the back door. My front door opens onto a 30-foot drop!”
“Okay, thank you for speaking with us.” The newscaster turned back to the camera. “There you have it, folks. Just remember to avoid that area until the city decides what to do about this mysterious event.”
Jim turned the television off just as Emma piped up with, “It is a miracle that no one was hurt!”
“Yes, but it is not a sinkhole,” replied Jim.
“Then what is it?” asked Emma. Emma was playing with the arms of her glasses.
“I’m not really sure,” Jim shook his head, “you probably wouldn’t believe me anyway.”
“Why wouldn’t I?” asked Emma.
“It doesn’t matter,” Jim was still shaking his head, “feel like taking a walk over there after breakfast?”
“Okay, but do you think we should?” Emma asked. She was beginning to worry about his behavior now.
“We’ll find out.” With that, Jim went to get dressed for the day.
posted by Vickie at 4:40 PM
4 Comments:
this is a bit bland in comparison to Part 1. We don't really learn anything here.
I don't like "bland" as a description for this chapter. I will have to take a look.
I think this is a very important chapter since in this chapter we meet Emma. We also get the "earthy" explanation for what Jim saw and experienced. I'm willing to listen to any suggestions.
I just can't justify cutting the chapter.
No I didn't say cut it, then you'd have serious transitional problems, I just think maybe it takes too many words to say what you do say - brevity and power - know what I'm saying?
No, you didn't say to cut it. That was me thinking out loud. I've just re-read the first two chapters. I don't have any ideas yet but I may come back to this.
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