<USS Avalon> The Path: Upon The Untraveled Road Part 4 by Junior Lieutenant Anthony Manson & Alder Shimbrodus
- From: Anthony Manson <circus_ofde_damned@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: Avalon Sim <avalon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2004 17:09:38 -0800 (PST)
The Path
Upon The Untraveled Road Part: 4
by Lieutenant JG Anthony Manson and Lieutenant JG Alder Shimbrodus
At the early hours of the morning, the mess hall was still on with it?s
familiar bright lights that illuminated the entire room. There was a surreal
quietness that surpassed the meaning of silence. On this hour, it was almost
possible to do anything without having anyone noticed. It was a perfect time
when everyone was tucked nicely into their beds and didn?t give the universe a
second thought.
A few people did come into the mess hall. None of which Anthony was familiar
with, and they dispersed. That was three in the morning. The time was five now
as another crewmen had entered and been here for the last few minutes. He
looked to see that it was a woman that sat across the from the room sipping on
a drink and relaxing on the couch as her hands cupped her contents. Anthony
shrugged it off and returned to getting back into his conversation with Alder;
but it seem to have almost run its course.
"So you are. Why didn?t you say anything?" Alder had this annoying thought that
this would?ve gone a whole lot better if he had known Anthony wasn?t a complete
heterosexual.
"I?m reclusive, everyone sees that," Anthony shook his head in response, "so to
have everyone know is truly none of their concern much less their business."
"Well..." Alder hesitated a little not quite understanding his response, "...I
told you."
Anthony shrugged. The matter of openness to other people didn?t concern him
much. "If I had a friend long enough then I?d tell. It?s better that way, I
think."
Alder knew where that led him to, but he didn?t share that. Instead a small
smile formed, "an act of trust. That?s understandable." Although for him, he
lost his best friend because he- Daniel- couldn?t accept it. A friend of
thirteen years and one truth destroyed it all.
"And a leap of faith, don?t forget that." Anthony replied.
There was a slow nod from Alder who lazily sat at his chair. Tiredness etched
into his face as he hadn?t been able to sleep for the last few days. And if
time gave him one moment, he would drift off closing everything out until his
body felt renewed. Anthony took noticed that Alder had been sleep glued onto
him but never submitted to it.
Anthony leaned towards the table, rubbing his eyes lightly.
Their conversation had covered mostly on uncertain ways to go about talking to
one another. It felt as if that small expansion between them split them
galaxies apart and forging that one bridge was proving difficult. A lot of
talking that really didn?t cover much of what Anthony had in mind. Didn?t cover
much on anything until Anthony had decided a little short tell of his own life
and that he had the same feeling that Alder had expressed. Undoubtedly, it gave
Alder what he wanted since they met since it was like talking to the wall as of
late.
With tiredness that was evident in his voice, "computer. Time."
"The time is 0500 hours." In about an hour or less, Anthony would have to start
on his shift. Last time he pulled an all nighter was back at the Academy; and
that was nearly four years ago. Having to do it once again was a challenge.
The silence between them increased, but Anthony had no intention of letting it
grow. He had one topic to cover. A sudden nervousness crept up and he found
himself stumbling on his own thoughts. Now was not the time, as he was
determined to get this out in the open. It lined his face like clay as it
creased it with lines of frowning, but he took it in stride, breathed out a
little slower and less noticeable.
"That letter you sent me..." And just like that, Anthony couldn?t say much
further as it trailed off.
Oh good, we had it...then it died, Anthony thought. He closed his eyes for a
few seconds out of tiredness.
Alder looked at him. His attention came back as his mind seem to want to linger
into sleep. He shook it off and straightened his posture as he leaned towards
the table. He didn?t know what much else to say so he simply said. "So there
you have it."
Anthony nodded, "yeah..."
He shrugged, "no good with letters."
Anthony turned his head to one side a little as his gaze was transfixed upon
the steel surface of the table. "I guess we can give it a try..." Anthony
hadn?t been in any sort of relationship, much less dating. Twice he?d done it,
and it didn?t work. It wasn?t too hard to figure out why.
Serves you right being a recluse, came a reply from the back of his head. Self
deprecation was the mother of all inspiration and words of wisdom.
Alder looked at Anthony whose uneasiness was starting to make him fidget. He
wanted to laugh a little as it was the same fidgeting that he saw at the poker
game.
Anthony didn?t seem to be done with his sentence, "...never been in any sort of
involvement...not serious anyway." And that was the end of his words. Time
slowed down for him as he inwardly hoped this would pass on faster. It was an
irony that he wanted to get this done quicker when he was the one that wanted
to get this out of the way; and now time had made sure he did it.
"So no one?s perfect. Big deal, I?ll be there." Alder replied.
Without realizing it until it was actually happening, Alder had reached over
and slid his warm hands upon Anthony?s, though he hesitated but worked through
that. He looked up at Alder who was smiling, reassuring his word.
Anthony nodded, "alright...great..." and a smile came out; one of relief. "I
gotta go back and get freshened."
As Alder heard this he wanted to ask if he would?ve like the company, but
thought against it as he moved his hands away. Anthony got up, looking at Alder
who in turn was looking else where with a small smile that was slowly fading.
He realize at the back of his head- although uncertain- that this was too
abrupt to leave it as it was.
With a confidence he didn?t realized he had for such things of this nature;
reaching over, he took Alder?s hand and as Alder looked up, "come on...wouldn?t
want you all by your lonesome for the next hour."
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