Peeling wallpaper, conspirators
peeling wallpaper - Write about a memory.
“My wedding day. Even in spite of everything, I would say it might still be the happiest point in my life thus far. It was at our church, as all notable events were. But it didn’t look like any traditional church. It was more like one enormous room, with a high ceiling that seemed like it was held up by the tall pillars all around the room. The only windows were in the ceiling, and the only light came in through that skylight, or was otherwise provided by candlelight.
Everyone I’d ever known was there. I was in white, and so was he, but everyone else was in red. Eleanor and Mischa, on either side of me. They had braided my hair, and weaved flowers into it. They walked me into the centre of the circle, where everyone lay more and more flowers at my feet. I was barefoot. Adam was standing across from me, and my parents were on either side of him. Just…smiling.
Everyone stood around us, in a massive circle, and they were singing softly. As Adam and I walked towards each other, my best friends and my parents stepped back to join the circle, and they started to sing, too. Adam moved to me, and I moved to him, and we embraced each other. For a long time, we just stood there like that, holding each other close; our foreheads touching, our eyes closed. Just listening, as all the voices around us became one voice.
Then, when we both knew it was time, we both lifted our heads and opened our eyes. Each of us in turn reached for the small blades we carried at our waists, no bigger than a letter opener. Each of us took the other’s left hand, and used the blade to cut our symbol; the mark of the Great Provider, a sign of eternal devotion, into their palm. It didn’t hurt as much as I thought it would. In fact…I don’t remember it hurting at all.
Once it was done, each of us tore a piece of white fabric from our sleeves to bind each other’s hand and stop the bleeding. Then he kissed me, and I kissed him, and the singing all around us turned to cheering.”
conspirators - Do you have a confidante?
“If I had one, I would say it would, of course, be my therapist, Emerson. She’s the only person I can be absolutely honest with. She knows all of my darkest secrets, everything that I try to hide from everyone else. The things I can hardly bear to think about, let alone speak out loud. I know I can trust her with them.”
