devils hearts grow gold

Clove McBride. 23. I'm going to let that great sweeping wind blow the fog from my soul.

[toddrandall]

I found some horror books at the library. You know, it’s not as boring here as I thought. Maybe.

[clovemcbride]

Do any of them look good? 

[talk-to-me-kz]

If I pride myself in one thing...

[talk-to-me-kz]

Some of them were a bit strange, but they make for an interesting read. I could lend you the anthology.

Well it would take a lot of research, as I don’t know too much about engineering. It would be interesting if there were some way to play our dreams again like a movie the next day.

[clovemcbride]

Oh, that'd be absolutely wonderful. Thank you. 

I'm sure you could figure it out! I mean, I'm sure it's not that confusing... Well, I may be over simplifying just a little bit. That would be really interesting. Would you have some choice as to which dreams you watch, or would you have to watch all of them? 

[talk-to-me-kz]

If I pride myself in one thing...

[talk-to-me-kz]

Well I’ve fallen into a bit of a reading rut lately. Haven’t had much time to read, but I just finished a book of Melville’s short stories recently.

I suppose a waterproof computer tablet of some sort would function in those circumstances quite well. Dreams have always fascinated me in many different aspects.

[clovemcbride]

Oh? Were they good? I really enjoy short stories; Hemingway's have always been my favorites. 

Very true! If you ever take a break from medicine, you could probably figure out a way to patent one of those. They are quite interesting. When I was younger I never paid much attention to my dreams, but as of late they've grown much more vivid, and much more fascinating. 

[talk-to-me-kz]

If I pride myself in one thing...

[talk-to-me-kz]

I’ve probably got a few you could borrow.

I’ve started keeping a journal with me at all times. Though it doesn’t necessarily help with the driving or showering timeframe. It seems the same sort of thing happens with dreams though. 

[clovemcbride]

Oh? What have you been reading lately? 

One day we'll figure out a way to make paper waterproof, and it'll be a great day for all of the shower day-dreamers out there. I've thought about keeping a dream journal, but I'm always so busy when I get up. I really with I could get into the habit, though. Maybe some day. 

[talk-to-me-kz]

If I pride myself in one thing...

[talk-to-me-kz]

There is nothing better than a brilliant piece of literature.

It also seems that every moment an inspiring thought presents itself that writing it down is extremely inconvenient. For myself it usually happens while I’m in the shower, driving, or talking with a patient.

[clovemcbride]

That's true, and it makes me wish I'd brought more books with me. 

Oh, my, those are certainly very inconvenient times! And it seems that even though you try so hard to hold on to the thought, it manages to float away by the time you get to a piece of paper. 

[talk-to-me-kz]

If I pride myself in one thing...

[talk-to-me-kz]

I’ve heard of his work. I think it was probably legible to at least himself, or it wouldn’t have gotten much farther than the back of that prescription pad.

Though I suppose when inspiration strikes, one has to grab whatever is closet to put their thoughts into words.

[clovemcbride]

Oh, his work is gorgeous. It's simple, but every word serves a very specific function, and it's just so structured! It's brilliant, really. 

That's true, but I suppose everyone's handwriting is legible in their own mind. Certainly. Moments of inspiration seem to be very fleeting; at least thats what every book or play I've read on the subject has said. 

[talk-to-me-kz]

If I pride myself in one thing...

it’s having legible handwriting even with those horrid doctor stereotypes.

[clovemcbride]

Okay, I have a question, and it's a little bit random, but what do you think William Carlos Williams' handwriting looked like? 

He was a doctor, and he wrote poems on prescription pads, so it's sort of relevant! 

[maddielikesducks-deactivated201]

So I’ll take it outside, yeah? Set it free and all that good stuff. 

[clovemcbride]

That would be so wonderful! Thank you so very much, dear! I definitely owe you one. 

[maddielikesducks-deactivated201]

You’re kinda cute when you’re all passionate about random things. 

I guess that’s true. There’s something about old men in pubs that know all about story telling. I think I just saw a lot of the bad in Dublin, you know? I wasn’t a tourist and that. 

[clovemcbride]

Oh, thank you! 

I understand. I mean, I can't exactly speak from experience, but I guess every place has a darker side. 

[maddielikesducks-deactivated201]

Well I can take it outside, just figured you wanted the thing dead, that’s all. 

[clovemcbride]

No, no, no. There's no reason to kill it, it's not hurting anyone. 

[maddielikesducks-deactivated201]

Seriously? That’s it? What like that ‘Book Of Kells’ thing? Books are for people who want to escape whatever they’re not happy with in the real world. 

[clovemcbride]

Oh, come on, The Book of Kells is a gorgeous and tremendously important cultural artifact. Also, the library is drop dead gorgeous - I could spend days there. That's certainly true in some cases, but books are so much more. They're a whole other world, and sometimes it's not just about escaping; it's about learning new things, and going new places without ever leaving your bed. They're the perfect cure to boredom. 

Okay, to be fair, I did enjoy all of the monuments, and spending time in the pubs was wonderful. I once heard someone say that you can learn all you need to know about story telling by spending a year in Dublin's pubs. 

[maddielikesducks-deactivated201]

Right. What did you think of Dublin? Did you like it?

[clovemcbride]

Oh, yes. It was very different, and so much bigger, but I did enjoy it. I especially loved the Trinity College Library. 

[maddielikesducks-deactivated201]

I could kill it for you, if you want. 

[clovemcbride]

I know I just threatened to call in the National Guard, but I'd really like to keep this peaceful. I may even just wait it out in the bookstore, because, to be honest, the thought of killing that thing - even though it is huge - makes me a bit sick. Oh, I'm sorry. 

But, uh, thank you very much. 

[prudenceowens-blog]

Seein' Red || Clove & Prudence

[prudenceowens-blog]

Flexing her fingers and feeling nothing but a flicker of the rage that’d all but consumed not moments earlier, Pru saw that she was shaking. Her, Prudence Owens, the girl who didn’t back down from anything or anyone, unafraid of just about anything was standing there and letting everything she’d spent all her energy on containing all slip away as her eyes rose from her fingers to the dent in the wall. She’d done that too. Caught somewhere between the thoughts in her mind and the reality of something happening to her, she’d let go of that control and been seen because of it.

In a way that she’d ben so careful to keep hidden from anyone in years, especially her family, Pru had basically let the spotlight shine down on her and blind her as she raised her hand to block out some of the light. It was uncomfortable, to be on the spot like that, feeling the girl’s eyes on her as her words continued to sweep around and point out every crack in Pru’s defenses without saying a word about them.

She knew she should reject the girl’s offers, push her away like she’d done so many times before to her and others like her. Every one of them only wanted something from Pru, they always did. Whether it was an in with the only untalented Owens sibling to get to meet her siblings or just needing help behind the scenes to set up the rest of the family for even more fame than they already had, she learned at a young age not to trust anyone, espeically someone offering help without a price.

Everything came with a price, even a friendly smile but despite her predicament, dropping her arms to turn her gaze towards the red head, curiosity mingled with the confusion that shook her to the core. “W-Why are you wanting to help?” Her breathy response was all she could manage without letting the panic rise up and choke her with a mixture of emotions she still couldn’t entirely name yet. What felt like tears were on the verge of falling but that wasn’t her, she didn’t cry. She didn’t even ask questions of people anymore these days because they weren’t worth it when they asked for something in return, but she couldn’t help but wonder what the other girl wanted of her.

[clovemcbride]

Clove was a bit taken aback by the girls question. Her efforts to ease the pain of others had never been questioned before, only denied before she could finish her sentence. But, the redhead took it in stride. A question was not a no if anything, it was a step in the right direction, and a chance to open a dialogue. At the very least, it was more of a response than Bryony and Florence ever gave her.

"Well, I certainly can't leave you out here. It's freezing cold, and you really look like you could use a good cup of tea and a hug." Clove was trying desperately to refrain from asking the girl what was wrong, or how she'd smashed the wall, but there was only a flicker of hope between them, and asking too many questions would certainly lead to it being extinguished. Clove was loath to destroy any chance of a friendship with someone who looked like they needed a shoulder to cry on so desperately. 

"You'd only have to stay for a few minutes, just long enough to get warm and get yourself sorted. That's all." Clove tried again, and offered a sweet smile. She could see something familiar within the girl; a need for comfort that had been ignored, and lumped under a thousand other devils for so long. It was a suffocating feeling that Clove was all to familiar with, and she knew loneliness only added to the hollow feeling in ones chest. 

She wasn't quite sure what was stopping the girl from coming inside, but she wasn't going to push it any further. She knew that a somewhat forced yes was about as comforting as a no, and the situation seemed bad enough without her harassing the poor girl. The rejection still stung, though, and Clove felt the breeze of a door slamming shut in her face within the winter wind. 

[samuelarmstrong]

The fact that you even uttered the word dear in my presence when in fact you are neither my mother nor my grandparents astounds me. Truly astounds me, probably less so than the fact that you even own a hat box to begin with.

[clovemcbride]

Would you prefer sweet-pea, or maybe honey? It really only gets worse from there. 

Hatboxes are incredibly practical. Well, they are if you own nice hats. I suppose not everyone does, though, which is a bit of a shame. They really are an underrated accessory. 

[alanmandm]

I would as well! I was going to go to Mimi’s to get some warmer clothes but then I became a little preoccupied and completely forgot. I guess you could say that I have had my mind on other things. 

[clovemcbride]

I suppose that's a common problem around the holidays; a million different things are happening in a million different places. It's different here, though. Quieter. 

[samuelarmstrong]

Are you joking? Because I’d hope there’s not an ounce of sense in you that would associate mouse and think national defense for if it does, and I suspect it does, you need to realign your priorities. And god what’s with the hair, did you have to be a fucking ginger of all things?

[clovemcbride]

Of course. I'm somewhat frightened, but I think I can just wait this one out. That's not really something I can control, dear, but if it's really that upsetting I can get a hat. I'd really rather not, though; there's a mouse in there, and I assume it's gotten on the hat box.