The Covert Family Website
The place for cool things to happen, blah, blah. blah. Whatever. Insert subtitle here.
Chapter One: Memories
This is the opening draft of the story that I am working on. Here we see that there is something deep within our main character that haunts him even now in the present day. I hope you enjoy it.
A writer writes, always
Nathanial sat at his desk with his head buried in his arms hoping that no one would dare call on him. He sat knelt over in his chair enjoying the peace and quite that he had come to expect from Watertown, New York. About the only thing that ever happened here was the occasional speeder/j-walker. Sometimes, if he was lucky, he would get to pull a cat out of a tree or talk to one of the local schools about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. That he really enjoyed. But that life was about 2 seasons away. This life was a frozen one.
It was late autumn, early winter. A time when most towns were busy getting ready for the holidays, buying turkeys, pies, cakes, and what not. There was evidence of that here, holiday lights on the main strip, cut outs of Santa and all his reindeer, wreaths hung off of every other door you see, not to mention all the red and green wrapping paper everywhere. But the most prevalent thing that was being purchased was not holiday oriented at all. In fact was available all year ‘round, except here in this city whenever winter was just around the corner, people felt the need to go and pull these off the shelves by the dozens. What are they you might ask, blankets and sleeping bags.
Watertown, NY is only a few hours from Canada and Lake Ontario. With neighboring Syracuse to the South and Alexandria Bay to the North, Watertown sits alone with only interstate 81 as the main pipeline in and or out of the city. Other US routes such as 3,11, and 12 provide a commuters pipeline in and out of the city between local townships and neighboring communities, but the most used is interstate 81.
Because of its location Watertown is subject to ‘Lake effect weather’. This means that the weather from Canada is magnified by the Lake Ontario before it hits Watertown. This usually disseminates before it gets to Syracuse. In the summer this means that a wave of heat traveling south through Canada will hit Lake Ontario, causing the summer to be extremely humid and hot. You would feel like a damp cloth on a skillet. Most people would be inclined to stay indoors and enjoy the sanctuary of their basement. This is usually the only time of the year where this room will be used for anything other then washing or drying. In the winter, any cold fronts or possible snowfall is chilled that much colder when it hits Lake Ontario. Making the possible snowfall almost an absolute. It also makes that winter that much colder. A single gust of wind can freeze the hair of a wolf’s back in mid stride. First you feel cold. Then you feel a deep-seated chill followed by numbness. Next comes a light pain, usually followed by no feeling at all. This is you skin beginning to freeze, most commonly known as frostbite.
Over the past 3 years there had only been a hand full of reported cases that came across Nathanial’s desk. Kids playing in dumpsters, motorist stranded on the side of the highway with no way to keep them selves warm, were usually the norm. Not to mention the ever-present tourist that believes they are stronger then the elements. Those were by far the most entertaining. The most tragic cases involved soldiers and military family members. Usually doing something under the influence of alcohol, depression or plain old stupidity.
This winter had promised to be one of the coldest ever, but all thing considered, today was a calm day. Early mornings in the precinct were usually quite. Quiet times where few and far between in this business of law enforcement. As a newly promoted detective quiet was something that actually came once every blue moon. He had just finished a sleepless two-week arson investigation. So quiet was a welcome relief. Sitting in his new plush office chair, wrapped in a warm jacket and a pair of leather gloves, he took this time to relax and remember.
Lisa, sweet Lisa, the woman who he first knew with skin was softer then clouds and warmer then the a gently light ray of a warm calm afternoon. Some how, sunlight that shone off of her seemed softer and gentler. Her long flaxen hair flowed across her shoulders as if they where held in place by the wind. He imagined sitting under a tree with his head in her lap, looking up into her eyes as the clouds danced above them. Those eyes, he could loose him self in them and not miss a single day because of it. Her lips, he remembered were gentle and plush, always a smiling or surrendering a kind word. Beneath the jacket Nathanial took a long filling breath and lost himself in the dream. The leather from the chair conformed to his body, almost like her embrace. His breath filled the jacket, warming him as her presence often did. He turned his body as if to attempt to fall asleep, continuing to remember and dream. Her long seductions legs, they are what first attracted him to her in high school. He remembered how they felt wrapped around his waist. He remembered how they could make him lose a thought, a memory, sometimes even an entire day just by starring at those legs. Of all her qualities, the one that he remembered the most was her touch. Whenever they disagreed, or just didn’t want to speak to one another, her touch would always break through his walls. Shattering what ever it was keeping them apart, and like magic it was as if they had met again for the first time all over again. She was so supportive and caring at the same time, they were perfect together. She never uttered any thing that ever hurt or so much as offended him. Her words were always phrased and arranged to express her ideas or her thoughts.
The two had been together for almost fifteen years. They had survived kindergarten, grade school, high school, some college, and finally, she followed him to the army. With him, they had been around the world twice and back. Those years were the happiest and most fulfilling of his life. Then came German.
“I hate you, I fucking hate you!�
The dark cloud that change the face of his reality from a warm, comfortable sun lit beach front that he lived as a Staff Sergeant in the Military Police Crops, to the cold, dark bitter sweet life of an investigator in the Watertown Police Department. “Lisa, sweet Lisa.� He murmured to himself. Her face, the words she said, the skillet that she held in her hand, were branded into his memory.
“I hate you, I fucking hate you!�
He sharply shook his head, trying to escape this nightmare and return to the harmonious memories of days past. He tried so run back. Deep into his mind, deep into his memories, wanting to relive the times of warmth, and honey sweet comfort. Again he turned his head. Fighting the cold. Fighting the nightmare of those days. But the dark cloud was to dense. The lightening flashed, and the thunder roared repeatedly. He kicked the jacket to the floor. His body jolted in the chair.
“I hate you, I fucking hate you.�
His office door slammed open as he jumped up to his feet bracing himself on the desk in front of him. His eyes tried to focus. In his doorway stood a tall man in duty uniform, with shiny buttons and a billy club on his hip. His shoes were highly, his pants ironed looked sharp enough to cut bread. Holding his officer’s cap in his hand he came in to focus. “Nathanial,� the man’s voice demanded. “you got work to do.�
“What are you talking about?� Nathanial’s voice crackled. “Simmons says that you got work to do.� The man responded. “Now!!�
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