Post by Matthew Williams on Dec 3, 2012 10:55:42 GMT -5
I saw that it was Illinois' birthday today and...yeah. This is what's been going on in my head.
Warning: You might need tissues.
Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue...for any reason
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Happy Birthday Daniel
Matthew Williams was tired. While the trip to his brother's capital from his own wasn't overly long (compared to how long it took to reach other countries), the reason for the trip made it seem more exhausting. And now he was heading to the one place he thought he brother would be since Al hadn't been answering his phone.
Recognizing a few street names and landmarks he was able to finally reach his destination. After getting through the checkpoints he found and parked behind what was definitely his Al's car.
Matthew started walking up the hill. In the distance was a gravestone that read:
Daniel N. Jones
State of Illinois
Beloved son and brother
Dec 3 1818, May 25 2012
As Matthew got closer he looked for Al but found that his brother wasn't there. Matthew mentally winced. Al must have been at home and not picking up his phone. Understandable, given what day it was, but a bad sign overall. There was /someone/ there, however, so Matthew got closer so he could see who it was.
"Emily?"
She sniffled, then turned around. Her eyes were red and there were tear-tracks on her face she was attempting to wipe away. He saw that she must have brought flowers, as there was a basket of violets at the base of the stone.
"Oh, h-hey Uncle Mattie. What're you doin' here, I thought you'd be with Dad?"
"I thought he'd be here, actually."
"...I don' think he'll be comin' out heah (here) today. Too painful. I dragged 'im outta bed but...I doubt he's doin' much t'day. Last I knew he was still on 'is couch at home."
Matthew nodded, and then gave her a searching look.
"Will you be alright?"
Emily closed her eyes and appeared to be fighting back more tears.
"Eventually."
"Emily?"
She opened her eyes and he could see the pain and suppressed tears. He stepped even closer and pulled her into a hug.
"Come on, Emmy, tell Uncle Mattie all about it."
That did it. The floodgates opened and she sobbed as she spoke. She told him how she had thought they couldn't die unless their state did, how she was now amazed that she and the other twelve colonies had survived the revolution, and how she felt it should have been one of the thirteen to go first since they were the oldest, and it was just WRONG to bury your younger brother, and worse for Dad, burying another kid. He listened and stroked her hair as he held her, letting her get it all out.
"It ain't faih (fair), Uncle Mattie. 'E didn' deserve this."
"Death is never fair and doesn't care about who deserves what, Emmy, you know that."
She hiccuped a bit. "I know. Still not faih."
Mattie looked down at her.
"You think you'll be alright now?"
She looked up and gave a watery smile.
"Yeah, I think I'm ok now. Thanks, Uncle Mattie."
"C’est correct, là. Let's go drag your Dad out of the house."
They started walking back towards their cars.
"I don't think-Oh! Wait a minute!"
She went back to the grave.
"Happy Birthday, Danny. I miss you, lil' bro."
She walked back to where Matthew was standing, and they started walking towards the cars again.
"Ok, now we can go."
"What were you saying before?"
"Huh? Oh, I don' think Dad's put real clothes on, he's prob'ly still in 'is Superman pj's."
"Well, not wanting to be seen in public in his pj's will definitely make him fight back if we make it clear we're willing to literally drag him out of the house as he is..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
C’est correct, là - Canadian French, in this context means "No problem"
I know it's short but I needed to write this. Now that it is posted I don't plan to change anything unless someone sees a glaring error somewhere.
I'll see about writing out what happens when they get to Al's house later. Not sure if I'm up to getting into depressed!Al's head right now.
...I realize it may seem cruel to make Al do stuff on a day that's a painful reminder of what he's lost, but I know I'd rather be dragged around in an attempt to forget what day it is instead of sitting at home depressed from thinking about it.
The bit about burying other kids? Those are any and all proposed states that had enough support and nearly made it, but weren't allowed for one reason or another. The only one I can think of off the top of my head is the State of Jefferson, but I know there have been others. I figure that if they have that much support they've got enough for a personification. The personifications of these failed states, and now Illinois, are all in this one very private cemetery. Al, all the states, and Matthew know where it is and have access. No other nations know about it, nor would they have access if they found it.
Warning: You might need tissues.
Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue...for any reason
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Happy Birthday Daniel
Matthew Williams was tired. While the trip to his brother's capital from his own wasn't overly long (compared to how long it took to reach other countries), the reason for the trip made it seem more exhausting. And now he was heading to the one place he thought he brother would be since Al hadn't been answering his phone.
Recognizing a few street names and landmarks he was able to finally reach his destination. After getting through the checkpoints he found and parked behind what was definitely his Al's car.
Matthew started walking up the hill. In the distance was a gravestone that read:
Daniel N. Jones
State of Illinois
Beloved son and brother
Dec 3 1818, May 25 2012
As Matthew got closer he looked for Al but found that his brother wasn't there. Matthew mentally winced. Al must have been at home and not picking up his phone. Understandable, given what day it was, but a bad sign overall. There was /someone/ there, however, so Matthew got closer so he could see who it was.
"Emily?"
She sniffled, then turned around. Her eyes were red and there were tear-tracks on her face she was attempting to wipe away. He saw that she must have brought flowers, as there was a basket of violets at the base of the stone.
"Oh, h-hey Uncle Mattie. What're you doin' here, I thought you'd be with Dad?"
"I thought he'd be here, actually."
"...I don' think he'll be comin' out heah (here) today. Too painful. I dragged 'im outta bed but...I doubt he's doin' much t'day. Last I knew he was still on 'is couch at home."
Matthew nodded, and then gave her a searching look.
"Will you be alright?"
Emily closed her eyes and appeared to be fighting back more tears.
"Eventually."
"Emily?"
She opened her eyes and he could see the pain and suppressed tears. He stepped even closer and pulled her into a hug.
"Come on, Emmy, tell Uncle Mattie all about it."
That did it. The floodgates opened and she sobbed as she spoke. She told him how she had thought they couldn't die unless their state did, how she was now amazed that she and the other twelve colonies had survived the revolution, and how she felt it should have been one of the thirteen to go first since they were the oldest, and it was just WRONG to bury your younger brother, and worse for Dad, burying another kid. He listened and stroked her hair as he held her, letting her get it all out.
"It ain't faih (fair), Uncle Mattie. 'E didn' deserve this."
"Death is never fair and doesn't care about who deserves what, Emmy, you know that."
She hiccuped a bit. "I know. Still not faih."
Mattie looked down at her.
"You think you'll be alright now?"
She looked up and gave a watery smile.
"Yeah, I think I'm ok now. Thanks, Uncle Mattie."
"C’est correct, là. Let's go drag your Dad out of the house."
They started walking back towards their cars.
"I don't think-Oh! Wait a minute!"
She went back to the grave.
"Happy Birthday, Danny. I miss you, lil' bro."
She walked back to where Matthew was standing, and they started walking towards the cars again.
"Ok, now we can go."
"What were you saying before?"
"Huh? Oh, I don' think Dad's put real clothes on, he's prob'ly still in 'is Superman pj's."
"Well, not wanting to be seen in public in his pj's will definitely make him fight back if we make it clear we're willing to literally drag him out of the house as he is..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
C’est correct, là - Canadian French, in this context means "No problem"
I know it's short but I needed to write this. Now that it is posted I don't plan to change anything unless someone sees a glaring error somewhere.
I'll see about writing out what happens when they get to Al's house later. Not sure if I'm up to getting into depressed!Al's head right now.
...I realize it may seem cruel to make Al do stuff on a day that's a painful reminder of what he's lost, but I know I'd rather be dragged around in an attempt to forget what day it is instead of sitting at home depressed from thinking about it.
The bit about burying other kids? Those are any and all proposed states that had enough support and nearly made it, but weren't allowed for one reason or another. The only one I can think of off the top of my head is the State of Jefferson, but I know there have been others. I figure that if they have that much support they've got enough for a personification. The personifications of these failed states, and now Illinois, are all in this one very private cemetery. Al, all the states, and Matthew know where it is and have access. No other nations know about it, nor would they have access if they found it.
