Post by ebonyviper on Apr 18, 2008 21:11:41 GMT -5
11. Memory
DISCLAIMER: Cars and everything related to it belongs to Disney Pixar. Ebony and Melody belong to me. No copyright infringement intended. This is just for entertainment purposes only.
NOTE: This is from the 100 List.
SUMMARY: Ebony and her mother, Melody, go on a vacation to the Grand Canyon, where they could spend a little mother-daughter time. They talk about the past and long-lost memories spring up from that. Sorry, the ending is a little crappy.
* * * * *
Two Vipers, a black one and a hunter green one, sat on a ledge that overlooked the Grand Canyon. Ebony had asked her mother, Melody, to come here so that the two could have a private, personal talk together.
“I don't want to push anything onto you that you don't want,” said Melody, “We've only just met a couple of months ago anyway.”
“No, it's fine... Mom,” Ebony replied, still getting used to the feeling of calling Melody by that title, “I just... I just wanted to spend some mother-daughter time with you, that's all.”
“I see,” Melody nodded as she looked at the black Viper beside her, “What was it like?”
Ebony looked up at her mother for a moment, catching the older Viper's brown eyes looking at her, “I'm sorry. What was what like?”
“Uh... growing up,” Melody said hesitantly, “What was that like for you?”
Ebony was silent for a few seconds, as if she were in deep thought, then she started to speak.
“It wasn't a pleasant childhood,” she said, “I had to grow up fast so I'd be able to take care of myself. It wasn't easy for me.”
“Oh, I'm sorry,” Melody looked away, ashamed that she had brought up a painful subject for Ebony.
“Don't be,” Ebony said, shifting her emerald green eyes over to her mother, “I've blocked much of it out of my memory because it hurt too much.”
Melody blinked for a moment, not understanding, “You... blocked it out?”
Ebony didn't respond at first, but she decided to explain anyway, “Most of my memories are not good ones and life's been pretty hard on me since I was four.”
“That young?” asked Melody, almost in disbelief.
Ebony gave a tired nod, “Yes, Mom. I was that young when I found myself in the streets and trying to survive.”
“When was this?” Melody turned toward her daughter.
“December, I think,” said Ebony in a slow voice, “It was cold and scary. There was snow covering everything. I couldn't make out what was around me...”
“Where was this? Do you know?” Melody asked, hoping that this might connect her beliefs of how her daughter ended up missing after that horrible accident.
“Uh, I think it was a city somewhere in Ohio,” Ebony replied uncertainly, “Toronto... I think.. Why are you asking me question all of a sudden?”
“I'm just curious,” said Melody, “but don't you remember what forced you into that situation in the first place?”
Ebony shook her front, “No, I don't. It's all a big blur to me. I can't remember anything before four-years-old. I always have these... migraines every time I try to remember something that doesn't have any significance to me.”
Melody looked away, watching the desert sunset beyond the canyon's horizon for a bit. The fact that Ebony couldn't even remember how she lived before she had found herself homeless and lost in that cold alleyway bothered the older Viper.
This must be a case of extreme amnesia, Melody thought, What can I do to help her remember?
She blinks and looks up again as her daughter started speaking again. Melody could pick up some deep, heartfelt pain lacing Ebony's voice.
“Growing up was hard on me,” said Ebony, trying to keep courage in her voice, “I was always ganged up on by the other kids in school and beaten up. The teachers did nothing.”
Melody gasped, “Why did they do that?” She did know, however, that some children were cruel to their peers.
“They hated me because, I guess, I wasn't like them,” Ebony said bitterly, “I would always come home with a split lip, a black eye, or dents in my hood caused by having rocks thrown at me by those stupid kids.”
Watching her daughter closely, Melody could see tears streaming down the younger Viper's side. These must be very painful memories for Ebony.
Ebony sighed and looked at her mother, “No, don't. I'm not blaming you for that. You had no idea what it was like for me. It's a hard thing to talk about.”
“I see it's going to take some time,” said Melody resignedly, “but I still like to get to know you better, how long it takes.”
“That's understandable,” the black Viper said with a nod, then she looked up at the sky, noting the stars twinkling against a black background, “It's getting dark. How about going back to our lodge and continue this conversation there?”
Melody nodded in agreement as she followed her daughter back to their lodge, “Yeah, that sounds fine to me.”
Ebony unlocked the front door and pushed her way in. Once she flipped on the lights and both Vipers settled down on the couch cushions by the fireplace, the conversation resumed. Ebony had gotten a couple of cans of fuel to sip on for dinner.
“Can I ask you a question?” the black Viper looked pointedly at her mother.
“Sure, what is it?” Melody blinked for a moment, wondering what it was that Ebony wanted to know.
“When did we – you remember how we got separated?” asked Ebony.
Melody paused for a moment, taking a sip of her fuel and collecting her thoughts.
“Well,” the older Viper settled back, “It was when you were four-years-old and I had brought us to Toronto to get away from you father. I had friends I knew there who had offered to put us up for the time being until I got a job and found a place of our own.”
Ebony blinked as she listened. She did not even remember who her father was and the meeting at Ash Mountain was a surprise as well as a shock, as her father had finally, after some pushing, revealed what his real intentions were that got him chased out.
Melody continued, “When I was taking you to my friend's place. I didn't see the red Ford F150 speeding toward us. I learned later that he had lost control of his brakes and slammed right into me, putting a huge dent in my side and knocking me unconscious. That must've separated us from each other. I was taken to the hospital, but nobody could say that they saw a child near the accident scene. It was as if you had suddenly disappeared mysteriously. After I was released, I had a hard time trying to find you.”
Ebony was silent for a long time as she absorbed what her mother had just told her. She could not remember any details of the accident at all. It was all a blank to her.
“I... I don't have any memory of that,” Ebony shook her front helplessly, “The farthest that I could go is when I woke up in pain in the back of an alley with no memory of my past or who I was. I couldn't even remember my own name. I lived like that for four years. As far as I'm concerned, I have no childhood and because of those stupid kids beating up on me, I had no friends and was always alone!”
Melody watched her daughter closely, noting that the tears had been renewed as Ebony spoke of her past. She wanted to gather up the younger Viper in her tires and hold her close, but knew that that was just a bit too early and Ebony would fight her off.
“I'm sorry that you had to go through that... Ebony,” Melody said, “and uh... I feel as if it were all my fault...”
“I told you,” said Ebony, “Don't blame yourself. Neither of you, and me especially, even suspected that to happen to us.”
Melody nodded, still quiet and not really knowing what to say.
Ebony stood up and stretched her suspension and gave a yawn, blinking her emerald green eyes for a moment.
“Maybe it's time to call it a night,” she said, “All this talking has tired me out.”
“You're probably right,” Melody nodded in agreement, “I'm getting tired too.”
Ebony picked up the now-empty fuel cans and disposed of them in the lodge's trashcans. Then she and Melody then went to their respective room. But Ebony paused at the door and turned to her mother.
“Hey, Mom?”
Melody turned to her daughter, “Yes?”
“Goodnight,” said the black Viper.
Melody smiled, “Goodnight, Ebony.”
They closed the doors to their rooms and the lights turned off. The rest of the night was peaceful and serene.
The End
DISCLAIMER: Cars and everything related to it belongs to Disney Pixar. Ebony and Melody belong to me. No copyright infringement intended. This is just for entertainment purposes only.
NOTE: This is from the 100 List.
SUMMARY: Ebony and her mother, Melody, go on a vacation to the Grand Canyon, where they could spend a little mother-daughter time. They talk about the past and long-lost memories spring up from that. Sorry, the ending is a little crappy.
* * * * *
Two Vipers, a black one and a hunter green one, sat on a ledge that overlooked the Grand Canyon. Ebony had asked her mother, Melody, to come here so that the two could have a private, personal talk together.
“I don't want to push anything onto you that you don't want,” said Melody, “We've only just met a couple of months ago anyway.”
“No, it's fine... Mom,” Ebony replied, still getting used to the feeling of calling Melody by that title, “I just... I just wanted to spend some mother-daughter time with you, that's all.”
“I see,” Melody nodded as she looked at the black Viper beside her, “What was it like?”
Ebony looked up at her mother for a moment, catching the older Viper's brown eyes looking at her, “I'm sorry. What was what like?”
“Uh... growing up,” Melody said hesitantly, “What was that like for you?”
Ebony was silent for a few seconds, as if she were in deep thought, then she started to speak.
“It wasn't a pleasant childhood,” she said, “I had to grow up fast so I'd be able to take care of myself. It wasn't easy for me.”
“Oh, I'm sorry,” Melody looked away, ashamed that she had brought up a painful subject for Ebony.
“Don't be,” Ebony said, shifting her emerald green eyes over to her mother, “I've blocked much of it out of my memory because it hurt too much.”
Melody blinked for a moment, not understanding, “You... blocked it out?”
Ebony didn't respond at first, but she decided to explain anyway, “Most of my memories are not good ones and life's been pretty hard on me since I was four.”
“That young?” asked Melody, almost in disbelief.
Ebony gave a tired nod, “Yes, Mom. I was that young when I found myself in the streets and trying to survive.”
“When was this?” Melody turned toward her daughter.
“December, I think,” said Ebony in a slow voice, “It was cold and scary. There was snow covering everything. I couldn't make out what was around me...”
“Where was this? Do you know?” Melody asked, hoping that this might connect her beliefs of how her daughter ended up missing after that horrible accident.
“Uh, I think it was a city somewhere in Ohio,” Ebony replied uncertainly, “Toronto... I think.. Why are you asking me question all of a sudden?”
“I'm just curious,” said Melody, “but don't you remember what forced you into that situation in the first place?”
Ebony shook her front, “No, I don't. It's all a big blur to me. I can't remember anything before four-years-old. I always have these... migraines every time I try to remember something that doesn't have any significance to me.”
Melody looked away, watching the desert sunset beyond the canyon's horizon for a bit. The fact that Ebony couldn't even remember how she lived before she had found herself homeless and lost in that cold alleyway bothered the older Viper.
This must be a case of extreme amnesia, Melody thought, What can I do to help her remember?
She blinks and looks up again as her daughter started speaking again. Melody could pick up some deep, heartfelt pain lacing Ebony's voice.
“Growing up was hard on me,” said Ebony, trying to keep courage in her voice, “I was always ganged up on by the other kids in school and beaten up. The teachers did nothing.”
Melody gasped, “Why did they do that?” She did know, however, that some children were cruel to their peers.
“They hated me because, I guess, I wasn't like them,” Ebony said bitterly, “I would always come home with a split lip, a black eye, or dents in my hood caused by having rocks thrown at me by those stupid kids.”
Watching her daughter closely, Melody could see tears streaming down the younger Viper's side. These must be very painful memories for Ebony.
Ebony sighed and looked at her mother, “No, don't. I'm not blaming you for that. You had no idea what it was like for me. It's a hard thing to talk about.”
“I see it's going to take some time,” said Melody resignedly, “but I still like to get to know you better, how long it takes.”
“That's understandable,” the black Viper said with a nod, then she looked up at the sky, noting the stars twinkling against a black background, “It's getting dark. How about going back to our lodge and continue this conversation there?”
Melody nodded in agreement as she followed her daughter back to their lodge, “Yeah, that sounds fine to me.”
Ebony unlocked the front door and pushed her way in. Once she flipped on the lights and both Vipers settled down on the couch cushions by the fireplace, the conversation resumed. Ebony had gotten a couple of cans of fuel to sip on for dinner.
“Can I ask you a question?” the black Viper looked pointedly at her mother.
“Sure, what is it?” Melody blinked for a moment, wondering what it was that Ebony wanted to know.
“When did we – you remember how we got separated?” asked Ebony.
Melody paused for a moment, taking a sip of her fuel and collecting her thoughts.
“Well,” the older Viper settled back, “It was when you were four-years-old and I had brought us to Toronto to get away from you father. I had friends I knew there who had offered to put us up for the time being until I got a job and found a place of our own.”
Ebony blinked as she listened. She did not even remember who her father was and the meeting at Ash Mountain was a surprise as well as a shock, as her father had finally, after some pushing, revealed what his real intentions were that got him chased out.
Melody continued, “When I was taking you to my friend's place. I didn't see the red Ford F150 speeding toward us. I learned later that he had lost control of his brakes and slammed right into me, putting a huge dent in my side and knocking me unconscious. That must've separated us from each other. I was taken to the hospital, but nobody could say that they saw a child near the accident scene. It was as if you had suddenly disappeared mysteriously. After I was released, I had a hard time trying to find you.”
Ebony was silent for a long time as she absorbed what her mother had just told her. She could not remember any details of the accident at all. It was all a blank to her.
“I... I don't have any memory of that,” Ebony shook her front helplessly, “The farthest that I could go is when I woke up in pain in the back of an alley with no memory of my past or who I was. I couldn't even remember my own name. I lived like that for four years. As far as I'm concerned, I have no childhood and because of those stupid kids beating up on me, I had no friends and was always alone!”
Melody watched her daughter closely, noting that the tears had been renewed as Ebony spoke of her past. She wanted to gather up the younger Viper in her tires and hold her close, but knew that that was just a bit too early and Ebony would fight her off.
“I'm sorry that you had to go through that... Ebony,” Melody said, “and uh... I feel as if it were all my fault...”
“I told you,” said Ebony, “Don't blame yourself. Neither of you, and me especially, even suspected that to happen to us.”
Melody nodded, still quiet and not really knowing what to say.
Ebony stood up and stretched her suspension and gave a yawn, blinking her emerald green eyes for a moment.
“Maybe it's time to call it a night,” she said, “All this talking has tired me out.”
“You're probably right,” Melody nodded in agreement, “I'm getting tired too.”
Ebony picked up the now-empty fuel cans and disposed of them in the lodge's trashcans. Then she and Melody then went to their respective room. But Ebony paused at the door and turned to her mother.
“Hey, Mom?”
Melody turned to her daughter, “Yes?”
“Goodnight,” said the black Viper.
Melody smiled, “Goodnight, Ebony.”
They closed the doors to their rooms and the lights turned off. The rest of the night was peaceful and serene.
The End