Spudguns!, It's book club day. This month's selection was Queen Victoria Demon Hunter by A.E. Moorat.
plot: It's the mid-1800's and young Victoria has just both had her eighteenth birthday and been informed she is now Queen. At the same time across town, Quimby and his manservant Perkins have just survived a horde of zombies that have broken out of their captivity. Well, mostly survived, as Perkins is half eaten by a zombie before Quimby is able to save him. Perkins then becomes the latest zombie. As well a large pack of rats have begun chasing people through the streets. The information reaches the ears of Maggie Brown, head of the Royal Protektors, and she is called into action to the Queen's side. Maggie manages to fight off an attack by a succubus saving the Queen. With their assassination attempt a failure, the Queen's enemies lay dormant for the next few years. During this time, the Queen marries her beloved Albert and gives birth to both a daughter and son, all the while unaware that her enemies have been living with her. As we learn, Sir Conroy, the very human familiar to the Queen's uncle; had a hand in setting up the royal marriage. Meanwhile, while this is happening, Quimby, who has managed to create a serum that causes reanimation, has been blackmailed by Conroy into helping the Queen's enemies overtake the Parliament by turning half the members into zombies. The Queen's enemies, who are in fact demons, kidnap her husband Albert, forcing Queen Victoria to rescue him. The Queen, along with Maggie and another member of the Royal Protektors, Vasquez, find themselves first having to deal with the chaos caused by the zombied members of Parliament, before tracking Albert to Bedlam where he's being held captive. And which turns out is also the entrance to hell.
There are so many sub-plots going on here. They do eventually come together to make one cohesive story, but at first glance, they seem almost not to have anything to do with each other. You're about midway through the book before they really connect.
I liked this a lot more than some of the others in this mash-up genre I've read. About the only real complaint I have on this novel is that the last 50 pages becomes one long action scene. Some of the characters could have been a little more fleshed out, such as the Royal Protektors Hudson, Hicks and Vasquez, as it is they ended up being sort of flat. One of the most interesting characters other than the character of Victoria herself; happens to be Egg, and he's only given a few scenes with little to do. I kept expecting him to have a more important role in the whole thing, but sadly he didn't. There are also the mysterious creepy children who are Conroy's bodyguards. A little bit of a back story on them would have upped the game just a notch. There is also, an entire group of werewolves that at first seem like the center of the villains, and are given some depth, but you quickly learn they are just the comic relief.
I don't have a whole lot else to say about this one. It's a lighter book, which sways between action-gore and dramatic-comedy. You're drawn between the relationships which focus on the mentor/student dynamic of Maggie and the Queen, and the buddy/odd couple of Quimby and Perkins more so than anything else.
I'll be back in a day or two with the official announcement for April's selection.
Sunday, March 31, 2019
Thursday, March 21, 2019
The Nosferatu Adventures s13 p17
The Nosferatu Adventures
page 347, chapter 347
The Seer snapped his fingers freezing the hallway. "You've got less than 30 seconds before they unfreeze, you need to leave." he grabbed our heroine's wrist as he was speaking, and bit down hard.
"Damn it!" she pulled back from him nearly hissing. The Seer wasn't paying attention to her sudden rant, instead just waved his hand causing someone's water bottle they'd been holding to fly twenty feet across the hallway. Grabbing it in midair, he bit his finger squeezing a few droplets of blood into it.
"Drink this after you go through the portal. It will link us psychically for a few minutes. I've got a lot to fill you in on, and blood swap is the fastest way." he nodded towards the props room. "Nosferatu, I'm serious! Every second you're here, the more dangerous the situation will become." he gestured towards the burly ex-boyfriend wide eyed. The Seer sighed then making a shoving gesture sending our heroine flying backward into the props room.
"Come on. We'd better go." Edric mumbled grabbing Seward by the collar of his shirt and dragging him along. The male hybrid shoved his sire through the mirror wanting nothing but to get her as far away from her exes as possible. The three landed in a heap on the ground.
"Shack!" our heroine growled as she rubbed her elbow. "Not cool." She stood then, brushing the dirt from her, before opening the plastic water bottle downing the mixture. "Gross." she stuck her tongue out grabbing the canvas bag from Seward feeling the extreme desire to hold onto the spellbook.
"The Seer's blood?" Edric asked getting to his feet looking around, realizing they were not in the warehouse. "Uh where are we?"
"No. Gross the Seer's blood in vodka. I hate vodka. Whoever this had belonged to, they were drinking on the job." she barely got the sentence out when she sucked in a large gasp. Her eyes turned then to the pure white of the banshee. Images flashed in a crazy 3D effect in front of her. She saw Loki in chains being tortured; which rapidly turning into an image of Damen being struck with an energy ball from Odin, another image overtook that one of someone trapped in stone but she was unable to make out their features, which quickly melted into a vision of complete destruction. A grown up William stood in the middle of a burnt circle, bodies smoking around him, blood covering him like muddy paint, Reuben's heart in his hand. That shifted just as rapidly to an image of Edric in the bathroom of the warehouse talking to someone in the mirror.
Our heroine then heard the Seer's voice ask if she could hear him?
"Yes." she spoke out loud trying to get her barrings. Seward reached for the canvas bag again gingerly taking it from her, and the plastic bottle dropping it into the bag. The look on his face was shock as he continued to look around, trying to figure out where they were as well.
"William can be stopped. But you need your soul back first."
"I don't want my soul back. I had to go through a lot to get rid of it." she started to answer but The Seer's voice spoke over her's.
"It's the only way to keep William from growing up to become king. You have to get your soul back and accept the werewolf part of you again. You have to activate the Frankenstein family curse. Only two kids per generation. The man you saw Edric talking to in the mirror must be born. A Van Helsing must be born so that William dies."
Tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me (straight up story. Bet you didn't see that coming eh?)
page 347, chapter 347
The Seer snapped his fingers freezing the hallway. "You've got less than 30 seconds before they unfreeze, you need to leave." he grabbed our heroine's wrist as he was speaking, and bit down hard.
"Damn it!" she pulled back from him nearly hissing. The Seer wasn't paying attention to her sudden rant, instead just waved his hand causing someone's water bottle they'd been holding to fly twenty feet across the hallway. Grabbing it in midair, he bit his finger squeezing a few droplets of blood into it.
"Drink this after you go through the portal. It will link us psychically for a few minutes. I've got a lot to fill you in on, and blood swap is the fastest way." he nodded towards the props room. "Nosferatu, I'm serious! Every second you're here, the more dangerous the situation will become." he gestured towards the burly ex-boyfriend wide eyed. The Seer sighed then making a shoving gesture sending our heroine flying backward into the props room.
"Come on. We'd better go." Edric mumbled grabbing Seward by the collar of his shirt and dragging him along. The male hybrid shoved his sire through the mirror wanting nothing but to get her as far away from her exes as possible. The three landed in a heap on the ground.
"Shack!" our heroine growled as she rubbed her elbow. "Not cool." She stood then, brushing the dirt from her, before opening the plastic water bottle downing the mixture. "Gross." she stuck her tongue out grabbing the canvas bag from Seward feeling the extreme desire to hold onto the spellbook.
"The Seer's blood?" Edric asked getting to his feet looking around, realizing they were not in the warehouse. "Uh where are we?"
"No. Gross the Seer's blood in vodka. I hate vodka. Whoever this had belonged to, they were drinking on the job." she barely got the sentence out when she sucked in a large gasp. Her eyes turned then to the pure white of the banshee. Images flashed in a crazy 3D effect in front of her. She saw Loki in chains being tortured; which rapidly turning into an image of Damen being struck with an energy ball from Odin, another image overtook that one of someone trapped in stone but she was unable to make out their features, which quickly melted into a vision of complete destruction. A grown up William stood in the middle of a burnt circle, bodies smoking around him, blood covering him like muddy paint, Reuben's heart in his hand. That shifted just as rapidly to an image of Edric in the bathroom of the warehouse talking to someone in the mirror.
Our heroine then heard the Seer's voice ask if she could hear him?
"Yes." she spoke out loud trying to get her barrings. Seward reached for the canvas bag again gingerly taking it from her, and the plastic bottle dropping it into the bag. The look on his face was shock as he continued to look around, trying to figure out where they were as well.
"William can be stopped. But you need your soul back first."
"I don't want my soul back. I had to go through a lot to get rid of it." she started to answer but The Seer's voice spoke over her's.
"It's the only way to keep William from growing up to become king. You have to get your soul back and accept the werewolf part of you again. You have to activate the Frankenstein family curse. Only two kids per generation. The man you saw Edric talking to in the mirror must be born. A Van Helsing must be born so that William dies."
Tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me (straight up story. Bet you didn't see that coming eh?)
Monday, March 18, 2019
The Cinema Files s1 p17
The Cinema Files
page 17, chapter 17
Gumshoe Intermission
"Ever notice how the building's cleaning lady always sounds like she's breaking the doors down when she vacuums the hallway?"
"No." Rudolph said without thinking. "But I have noticed the neighbour on the other side of me seems to always wait till he's right in front of my door before he coughs. Like he's hacking up a lung."
"Oh yeah, I've heard him too. So, you mentioned the store. What's on your mind?" I was already standing in front of his crime board. My eyes were stuck on the photo at the far right of it, a blurry black and white print out from a 1950's newspaper clipping. Rudolph had marked it with a green sticky note.
"Not why I brought you here." his hands were on my shoulders gently guiding me towards the kitchen table. There was a chickpea salad, mushroom risotto, grilled beets and peppers with roasted cauliflower. All sitting around an unlit candle in a very pretty short vase. "This is." he gestured towards the meal before taking his phone out of his pocket. I had to lean back slightly as the phone was under my nose before I could think, Rudolph was scrolling through shots of not just this meal, but two others in a blur.
"Hold up." I snatched the little contraption out of his hand. "Explain with words."
"My boss decided to dump the Lifestyle section on my lap while the regular girl is off on her honeymoon." he wrapped his arms around my shoulders, leaning on my right one. He smelled like cantaloupe and limes. "He's got me doing that on top of my regular columns. I'm over my head. I don't know a thing about this stuff."
"And you thought I would why?" I took another deep breath, just breathing him in.
"Your aunt wrote that sort of column. I saw a few of them in the archives."
"So translate that for me. Are you asking for my advice and input or are you asking more?"
"For you to cover it for me. Please? It's just for two weeks, just two articles on any topic." his left hand was now down to my elbow as he moved around to face me. Bringing both hands then up together in a begging gesture. "Please Desdemona. I'm begging and I will make it up to you." He looked so helpless all of a sudden. "Starting with dinner."
"Fine. But something tells me I'm going to regret it." We sat down to eat, a look of relief washing over his beautiful grey eyes. "So you still haven't told me why you were thinking about the store from this morning?" I watched as Rudolph lowered his face, slumping his shoulders tight as he leaned over his plate.
"I don't want to talk about it right now. I just want to have a pleasant dinner." he sighed then stuffing a large amount of food into his mouth, nearly biting the fork in frustration. He chewed noisily for a long moment before dropping his fork to his plate. "You don't have any girlfriends." Rudolph shook his head. "The group today was all men." I found myself unable to stop a smile suddenly at his jealously.
"No I don't have any female friends. But I don't see why that matters?"
"Because." he didn't continue, just stared at his plate wide eyed pushing a single chickpea around. "I like you. I need to know if I am going to have to work for your attention? What kind of walls am I up against?"
"I'm not sure I really know the answer to that?" I was blushing at this point, unable to catch my breath. There was no way I could tell him the true about my last 24 hours with Detective Whitechapel. I was brought back to the moment by the sound of Rudolph's phone buzzing wildly.
"It's the newspaper." he mumbled as he moved from the table to answer. I didn't hear him say much beyond a few 'okays' and 'are you sure'; but he did grab a pen and jot something down on an envelope. Hanging up he copied the info then into his phone.
Tune in again for another installment of the Cinema Files starring your heroine...me(straight up story. Emotional boy)
page 17, chapter 17
Gumshoe Intermission
"Ever notice how the building's cleaning lady always sounds like she's breaking the doors down when she vacuums the hallway?"
"No." Rudolph said without thinking. "But I have noticed the neighbour on the other side of me seems to always wait till he's right in front of my door before he coughs. Like he's hacking up a lung."
"Oh yeah, I've heard him too. So, you mentioned the store. What's on your mind?" I was already standing in front of his crime board. My eyes were stuck on the photo at the far right of it, a blurry black and white print out from a 1950's newspaper clipping. Rudolph had marked it with a green sticky note.
"Not why I brought you here." his hands were on my shoulders gently guiding me towards the kitchen table. There was a chickpea salad, mushroom risotto, grilled beets and peppers with roasted cauliflower. All sitting around an unlit candle in a very pretty short vase. "This is." he gestured towards the meal before taking his phone out of his pocket. I had to lean back slightly as the phone was under my nose before I could think, Rudolph was scrolling through shots of not just this meal, but two others in a blur.
"Hold up." I snatched the little contraption out of his hand. "Explain with words."
"My boss decided to dump the Lifestyle section on my lap while the regular girl is off on her honeymoon." he wrapped his arms around my shoulders, leaning on my right one. He smelled like cantaloupe and limes. "He's got me doing that on top of my regular columns. I'm over my head. I don't know a thing about this stuff."
"And you thought I would why?" I took another deep breath, just breathing him in.
"Your aunt wrote that sort of column. I saw a few of them in the archives."
"So translate that for me. Are you asking for my advice and input or are you asking more?"
"For you to cover it for me. Please? It's just for two weeks, just two articles on any topic." his left hand was now down to my elbow as he moved around to face me. Bringing both hands then up together in a begging gesture. "Please Desdemona. I'm begging and I will make it up to you." He looked so helpless all of a sudden. "Starting with dinner."
"Fine. But something tells me I'm going to regret it." We sat down to eat, a look of relief washing over his beautiful grey eyes. "So you still haven't told me why you were thinking about the store from this morning?" I watched as Rudolph lowered his face, slumping his shoulders tight as he leaned over his plate.
"I don't want to talk about it right now. I just want to have a pleasant dinner." he sighed then stuffing a large amount of food into his mouth, nearly biting the fork in frustration. He chewed noisily for a long moment before dropping his fork to his plate. "You don't have any girlfriends." Rudolph shook his head. "The group today was all men." I found myself unable to stop a smile suddenly at his jealously.
"No I don't have any female friends. But I don't see why that matters?"
"Because." he didn't continue, just stared at his plate wide eyed pushing a single chickpea around. "I like you. I need to know if I am going to have to work for your attention? What kind of walls am I up against?"
"I'm not sure I really know the answer to that?" I was blushing at this point, unable to catch my breath. There was no way I could tell him the true about my last 24 hours with Detective Whitechapel. I was brought back to the moment by the sound of Rudolph's phone buzzing wildly.
"It's the newspaper." he mumbled as he moved from the table to answer. I didn't hear him say much beyond a few 'okays' and 'are you sure'; but he did grab a pen and jot something down on an envelope. Hanging up he copied the info then into his phone.
Tune in again for another installment of the Cinema Files starring your heroine...me(straight up story. Emotional boy)
Sunday, March 17, 2019
Sunday Randomness
Spudguns! We are sitting at 228 Days till Hallowe'en. I was checking the coming soon listings on Cineplex.com, and here are some listings I'm looking forward to this summer.
April 10th - The Man Who Killed Don Quiote
April 19th- Curse of La Llorona
April 26th- Avengers Endgame
May 3rd- The Long Shot
May 10th- The Hustle
- Tolkien
May 17th- John Wick Chapter 3
June 14th- MIB: International
- Shaft
June 21st- Child's Play
July 5th- Spiderman Far From Home
August 2nd- Fast and Furious 9 Hobbs and Shaw
The movie The Hustle is a remake of the 1988 film Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Child's Play is a reboot of the franchise, Shaft is a sequel and reboot.
April 10th - The Man Who Killed Don Quiote
April 19th- Curse of La Llorona
April 26th- Avengers Endgame
May 3rd- The Long Shot
May 10th- The Hustle
- Tolkien
May 17th- John Wick Chapter 3
June 14th- MIB: International
- Shaft
June 21st- Child's Play
July 5th- Spiderman Far From Home
August 2nd- Fast and Furious 9 Hobbs and Shaw
The movie The Hustle is a remake of the 1988 film Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Child's Play is a reboot of the franchise, Shaft is a sequel and reboot.
Thursday, March 14, 2019
Coffee Talk March 14th 2019
Spudguns!, Happy National Spider Day. That's very important for vampire/Dracula fans. Anyways, how's you? You might have noticed how much time has passed between posts on here. That's because...I've got nothing. Empty. Drained.
Okay, not totally true; as I've got two paragraphs written on the serials. As in one paragraph each. Hand written, which is about three lines each typed. I'm working on it, I'm working on it. I've also got three "what that movie inspired" lined up for ...soon. The movies are watched, the notes are taken, the recipes ...well failed. I need to remake the recipes or come up with better ones.
But I am slowly dusting off the cobwebs on here...get it, cobwebs cause it's both National Spider Day and I haven't been blogging much...well I thought it was funny.
Just thought I'd come in here and let you know I'm still working on stuff behind the scenes so to speak because, well I have massive blogging guilt. I had promised you all a weekly schedule and I haven't been able to keep it. I'm sorry for that. Look at it this way, at lest the blog has been given some attention once or twice a month the last few months, where as my youtube has been dry since last summer. And now a new wave of vlogging guilt has hit. Moths in the stomach as I realize I need to get a few videos edited now too.
Well, I have my homework assignment. I'll be back within the week with some of the above.
Okay, not totally true; as I've got two paragraphs written on the serials. As in one paragraph each. Hand written, which is about three lines each typed. I'm working on it, I'm working on it. I've also got three "what that movie inspired" lined up for ...soon. The movies are watched, the notes are taken, the recipes ...well failed. I need to remake the recipes or come up with better ones.
But I am slowly dusting off the cobwebs on here...get it, cobwebs cause it's both National Spider Day and I haven't been blogging much...well I thought it was funny.
Just thought I'd come in here and let you know I'm still working on stuff behind the scenes so to speak because, well I have massive blogging guilt. I had promised you all a weekly schedule and I haven't been able to keep it. I'm sorry for that. Look at it this way, at lest the blog has been given some attention once or twice a month the last few months, where as my youtube has been dry since last summer. And now a new wave of vlogging guilt has hit. Moths in the stomach as I realize I need to get a few videos edited now too.
Well, I have my homework assignment. I'll be back within the week with some of the above.
Saturday, March 2, 2019
March 2nd 2019 Night Bleeds
A new month means a new book club selection. We are in the month of March, and this month's selection is Queen Victoria Demon Hunter by A. E. Moorat.
Rules are fairly simple, read the book and blog about it. You must have a blog to join in and the post must be done in the current month, in this case March 2019. If you are at all inspired to cook/bake/craft etc something by the book, please add that to your blog post. If you do join in, leave me a comment with your post link so I know and can do a round up. Please link your post to either this announcement, the Night Bleeds page or on the day the actual post.
Due date is the last Sunday of every month, in this case Sunday March 31st 2019.
And as always, if you are in the Thunder Bay area and would like to be part of the physical bookclub, let me know.
Rules are fairly simple, read the book and blog about it. You must have a blog to join in and the post must be done in the current month, in this case March 2019. If you are at all inspired to cook/bake/craft etc something by the book, please add that to your blog post. If you do join in, leave me a comment with your post link so I know and can do a round up. Please link your post to either this announcement, the Night Bleeds page or on the day the actual post.
Due date is the last Sunday of every month, in this case Sunday March 31st 2019.
And as always, if you are in the Thunder Bay area and would like to be part of the physical bookclub, let me know.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
The Cinema Files s1 p16
The Cinema Files
page 16, chapter 16
Gumshoe Intermission
"Mons get ready all your vids wit' the words shoes and feet in ther' title. I just delivered a few vases to a podiatry convention." Blake's voice cut through the length of the video store as the bell jangled.
"What is wrong with you?" I stomped through the store from the far left side, having just restocked the horror and sci-fi dvds. I moved back towards the check out counter, angrily opening dvd after dvd not paying any attention to it; as I attempted to make sure the right ones were in the cases.
"What 'ya mean? What's wrong wi't me? What ya talk'n about?" he replied his face ducked down as he began to shuffle through the pile.
"This morning. Your behaviour. What was that?" I picked up the already checked pile and started to shelve them.
"What?" Blake's voice trailed behind me as I slammed the cases onto the shelf.
"Uh how you reacted to both Ryan and Rudolph."
"Oh I'm sorry Mons if I ruined your little attempt at a scooby gang there." He said sarcastically. I made a face as I moved around him watching him duck his one shoulder to keep me from slamming into him, as I hit the play button on the answering machine. A female's voice came through the little speaker asking for a copy of In Her Shoes, followed by a man looking for the movie Red Shoe Diaries. "See warned ya." I didn't get a chance to argue as the bell over the door chimed announcing the arrival of a customer.
"Do you have a copy of the Man with One Red Shoe?" the drag queen asked as he stood towering over us at nearly seven feet. I pointed towards the comedies as I stared watching him touching the beehive wig making sure it hadn't been damaged on the top of the doorway, desperately wanting to ask him where he found the black pumps he was wearing.
It was after 9:30pm, and I decided closing the store half hour early would be fine. The winds began to bit a little as they picked up forcing me to tug my coat closed. The fancy grey trenchcoat I was wearing wasn't actually designed for real weather. Turning the corner, I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone by ducking into the grocery store. I'd be able to pick up something for dinner, and steal a few moments of weatherless warmth. I found myself without thinking standing then in the frozen food section as a hand tapped my shoulder. I looked up to see Rudolph, a sad distracted look in his beautiful grey eyes.
"Hello you."
"Rudolph hey." I sighed as I grabbed a frozen pizza from the freezer. He took it from my hand, tossing it back in. "I wanted that."
"I've been thinking about the video store this morning."
"So you felt the need to deny me dinner?"
"No. I'm going to make you dinner." I still couldn't figure out his accent.
"Are you making pizza for dinner?"
"No." he shrugged as he tilted his head to the side licking his lips. I waited for him to say something else but he just stood there for a long moment ping ponging between duck faces and furrowed brows. I grabbed the frozen pizza again holding it tight to me like a shield. "You didn't come home last night." he repeated this information from this morning.
"Were you spying on me?" I wasn't sure if I should be flattered or freaked out?
"Not spying no." his reply was staggered through his teeth that distant look in his eyes. "There was a fire alarm just after midnight. I didn't see you in the crowd of people the parking lot." his voice became soft. "When the fire department let us back in, I tried knocking but...the guy with the small dog in the apartment at the end of the hall said he saw you leave hours before with someone." Shoppers were starting to bump into us, reaching around my shoulders for the freezer doors. We moved onward then towards the check out. "Then I got your text and at lest I knew you were safe."
"Uhm yeah. I was out with Ryan...er Detective Whitechapel. He was working a case needed some help."
Nothing seemed real. I stood about an hour later in my bathroom fresh form a long over due shower as the steam escaped through the not completely closed door. Rudolph's behaviour I wanted desperately to say was caused at lest in part by jealously, but his body language suggested otherwise. He had seemed genuinely worried, lost in his own memories of the night before. My gut was telling me his motives were pure even if they weren't transparent. Blake on the other hand, he was a pickle. Blake just hated loosing. Hated the idea he couldn't charm his way out of or into a situation. Crossing into my bedroom, I slithered into a fresh pair of underwear, some comfy yoga pants and an over sized t-shirt. And then I took a look at myself in the mirror, sighed removed the shirt and declared to the reflection that a bra was needed. Then scolded myself for my lack of enthusiasm. Whatever Rudolph was wanting over dinner, seduction wasn't part of it. I barely got my apartment door locked when Rudolph had popped his torso out the door of his own place as quick as a rabbit; the click of his own door echoing in the too empty hallway. I jumped dropping my keys.
"Finally all my furniture has arrived."
Letting out a short sigh, I closed my eyes telling myself it was exactly what I knew it was. Not a date. He was excited for a housewarming party and there were most likely already people from the newspaper waiting. It had been a week since he'd moved in and by now with his looks I was more than sure he'd enchanted half his co-workers. I crossed the threshold to an empty apartment. Crickets empty. There were no other guests, no friendly drunk co-workers or anything of the party sort. His apartment mirrored mine in the lay out, as well as the fact he brought his case files home. Boxes of them. The only difference here was his version of the crime board was front and center in the living room taking up half the wall over his desk.
Tune in again for another installment of the Cinema Files starring your heroine...me(straight up story. He's up to something...)
page 16, chapter 16
Gumshoe Intermission
"Mons get ready all your vids wit' the words shoes and feet in ther' title. I just delivered a few vases to a podiatry convention." Blake's voice cut through the length of the video store as the bell jangled.
"What is wrong with you?" I stomped through the store from the far left side, having just restocked the horror and sci-fi dvds. I moved back towards the check out counter, angrily opening dvd after dvd not paying any attention to it; as I attempted to make sure the right ones were in the cases.
"What 'ya mean? What's wrong wi't me? What ya talk'n about?" he replied his face ducked down as he began to shuffle through the pile.
"This morning. Your behaviour. What was that?" I picked up the already checked pile and started to shelve them.
"What?" Blake's voice trailed behind me as I slammed the cases onto the shelf.
"Uh how you reacted to both Ryan and Rudolph."
"Oh I'm sorry Mons if I ruined your little attempt at a scooby gang there." He said sarcastically. I made a face as I moved around him watching him duck his one shoulder to keep me from slamming into him, as I hit the play button on the answering machine. A female's voice came through the little speaker asking for a copy of In Her Shoes, followed by a man looking for the movie Red Shoe Diaries. "See warned ya." I didn't get a chance to argue as the bell over the door chimed announcing the arrival of a customer.
"Do you have a copy of the Man with One Red Shoe?" the drag queen asked as he stood towering over us at nearly seven feet. I pointed towards the comedies as I stared watching him touching the beehive wig making sure it hadn't been damaged on the top of the doorway, desperately wanting to ask him where he found the black pumps he was wearing.
It was after 9:30pm, and I decided closing the store half hour early would be fine. The winds began to bit a little as they picked up forcing me to tug my coat closed. The fancy grey trenchcoat I was wearing wasn't actually designed for real weather. Turning the corner, I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone by ducking into the grocery store. I'd be able to pick up something for dinner, and steal a few moments of weatherless warmth. I found myself without thinking standing then in the frozen food section as a hand tapped my shoulder. I looked up to see Rudolph, a sad distracted look in his beautiful grey eyes.
"Hello you."
"Rudolph hey." I sighed as I grabbed a frozen pizza from the freezer. He took it from my hand, tossing it back in. "I wanted that."
"I've been thinking about the video store this morning."
"So you felt the need to deny me dinner?"
"No. I'm going to make you dinner." I still couldn't figure out his accent.
"Are you making pizza for dinner?"
"No." he shrugged as he tilted his head to the side licking his lips. I waited for him to say something else but he just stood there for a long moment ping ponging between duck faces and furrowed brows. I grabbed the frozen pizza again holding it tight to me like a shield. "You didn't come home last night." he repeated this information from this morning.
"Were you spying on me?" I wasn't sure if I should be flattered or freaked out?
"Not spying no." his reply was staggered through his teeth that distant look in his eyes. "There was a fire alarm just after midnight. I didn't see you in the crowd of people the parking lot." his voice became soft. "When the fire department let us back in, I tried knocking but...the guy with the small dog in the apartment at the end of the hall said he saw you leave hours before with someone." Shoppers were starting to bump into us, reaching around my shoulders for the freezer doors. We moved onward then towards the check out. "Then I got your text and at lest I knew you were safe."
"Uhm yeah. I was out with Ryan...er Detective Whitechapel. He was working a case needed some help."
Nothing seemed real. I stood about an hour later in my bathroom fresh form a long over due shower as the steam escaped through the not completely closed door. Rudolph's behaviour I wanted desperately to say was caused at lest in part by jealously, but his body language suggested otherwise. He had seemed genuinely worried, lost in his own memories of the night before. My gut was telling me his motives were pure even if they weren't transparent. Blake on the other hand, he was a pickle. Blake just hated loosing. Hated the idea he couldn't charm his way out of or into a situation. Crossing into my bedroom, I slithered into a fresh pair of underwear, some comfy yoga pants and an over sized t-shirt. And then I took a look at myself in the mirror, sighed removed the shirt and declared to the reflection that a bra was needed. Then scolded myself for my lack of enthusiasm. Whatever Rudolph was wanting over dinner, seduction wasn't part of it. I barely got my apartment door locked when Rudolph had popped his torso out the door of his own place as quick as a rabbit; the click of his own door echoing in the too empty hallway. I jumped dropping my keys.
"Finally all my furniture has arrived."
Letting out a short sigh, I closed my eyes telling myself it was exactly what I knew it was. Not a date. He was excited for a housewarming party and there were most likely already people from the newspaper waiting. It had been a week since he'd moved in and by now with his looks I was more than sure he'd enchanted half his co-workers. I crossed the threshold to an empty apartment. Crickets empty. There were no other guests, no friendly drunk co-workers or anything of the party sort. His apartment mirrored mine in the lay out, as well as the fact he brought his case files home. Boxes of them. The only difference here was his version of the crime board was front and center in the living room taking up half the wall over his desk.
Tune in again for another installment of the Cinema Files starring your heroine...me(straight up story. He's up to something...)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)