Another one of those days/My wild eyes are open

[featherynscale]

Leaving Denver, I looked to the north and saw a radiant city on the horizon, built of spires and towers, lit by fires in giant cauldrons lifted two stories above the streets. I rationalized it into a factory complex, or perhaps an amusement park, but the lockdown came too late -- in the three seconds between observation and explanation, I'd already started to write its story. It doesn't matter what it is in the mundane world, it's already populated with clockwork pixies, genius inventors, industrious gnomes and their pet constructs. In its universities, vampires hold tenure positions. In its streets, women and men of ill-repute weave illusion to lure custom, or flaunt organic/electrical 'enhancements'. And so on.

I dreamed, later, of serving in its police force, hunting a renegade golem-maker. It seemed that I had been on his case for years uncounted, trailing him through the sewers and back-alleys, into abandoned warehouses and secret labs, where he built constructs to aid him in his various crimes. I knew him better than anyone else on the force, and he, in turn, knew me better than anyone else possibly could. One day, I caught up to him. We surrounded his workshop, but I knew that he was too clever by half to end the chase here. And indeed, we shot him, but he slipped out of our grasp. The next day, a gift arrived for me at the station - an opulent necklace made of amber, teeth, tiny bone skulls, brass and copper gears and wire. He knew he was dying. This was his last move, a tiny golem meant to either protect its wearer, or to choke the life from her. I knew it, I could feel that power in it when I picked it up. And still, I hung it around my neck. Why not? He was dying, and he knew me better than anybody. There seemed no sense in living without him - in my eyes, such a dedicated adversary is practically a partner.

Comments

[rio-luna.livejournal.com]

wow. you really turned Commerce City into something more splendid than it deserves

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

Probably. Beats the hell out of doing it the other way around, though, turning something splendid into something dull. I'm sure I'm often guilty of that.

[rio-luna.livejournal.com]

oh pooh. you are quite splendid.

it was so great to see you! yes i'm gonna keep saying it! yer visit has inspired Aaron & myself (officially the most boring married couple on the planet) to Throw A Party.

<3 <3 <3

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

Oh good! I enjoy being a force for Party. :)

Also, I have to say, if I had been given a million years to come up with a concept sketch of what I thought Aaron would be like, I couldn't have managed anything like accuracy. Very surprising, that way. We like him.

Re: <3 <3 <3

[rio-luna.livejournal.com]

yeah, he's not my usual type, that's sure. no 3 feet of shampoo commercial hippie-hair and unlike most of the slackers i've been with his motto is NOT "it's all good."

i'm glad you liked him, i know we were pretty low-energy and not particularly entertainng. he is a good guy, and smart, and has far more of an edge is apparent on the outisde. this week he is being a fucking prick, but it'll cycle back around.

I must say thoguh, your thirds were prescisely as I pictured them. yeah, i've seen photos but that's not what I mean.

D is Adorable, and really has a powerful vibe of forests and wild places. C is lovely, very elegant and thoughtful. i would have loved for them to be at Spiral so I could have shown them my breasts.

[jackbabalon23.livejournal.com]

You have some kick ass dreams sometimes. Shit I wish half the comics I pick up or movies I rent were half that interesting.

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

It's a pressure release. I think I am too busy to be clever when I am awake, so it leaks out around the edges.

[lexpendragon.livejournal.com]

So, tell me again why can't I buy your novels?

Since I'm feeling exceptionally honest today:

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

I expect that's because I'm afraid to write them.

Re: Since I'm feeling exceptionally honest today:

[lexpendragon.livejournal.com]

Okay, I get that. But knock it off, some of us are sick of waiting. I've only got two more of these Kim Harrison books, then I'll be looking for something else.

[karinablack.livejournal.com]

sweet!

[greektoomey.livejournal.com]

Sounds an awful lot like New Crobuzon.

And in fact:

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

I love New Crobuzon much, much more than I love any of the people who live there. (With the possible exception of Ann-Hari, who holds the place in my heart reserved for the personification of the pain of separation. When will Ann-Hari be redeemed, Mr. Mieville, you fucker?)

Ann-Hari

[greektoomey.livejournal.com]

I don't recall that character. Is she from Iron Council?

Re: Ann-Hari

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

Yeah. She was Judah's lover and one of the leaders of Iron Council. I wept through the whole last chapter or two of that book.

Re: Ann-Hari

[greektoomey.livejournal.com]

Ah. Well, that would explain my failure to recall, seeing as how I haven't picked up IC yet.

Re: Ann-Hari

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

Ah. It will break your heart. Or you'll be bored of it halfway through and never get to the extremely painful part. One or the other.

[dramaticaddict.livejournal.com]

you are full of such kick ass awesomeness and stories and such... i would pay thousands of dollars to sit by a campfire with you telling some kick ass story and drinking yummy mead...

[dramaticaddict.livejournal.com]

well, I would if I had thousands of dollars...

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

That would be the problem with that, yes. :) Thanks for the ups, though.