The Party

The water fell to the earth in an angry torrent. As the storm roared and cried, there was solace. It was a place called Proserpine. A land like no other that took place without time and was located nowhere. Within it sits many things such as knowledge and wisdom and the choleric rain. All the books and the sanctum and the great many rooms! The rooms branched out from the heart of the place, they are provided for the people who bear a drained heart or drained soul. The lost and the timid that seek a place to hide, can find it here if they keep their minds wide open.
And from inside of those great many rooms sit the people who live there or come when they choose. And so many stories take place here, but your focus will fall onto that of a man. He waits in his room, so solitary, and weeps for his inability to prosper. He stares out the foggy window and thinks fondly of good times now past. His eyes were that of a child, so innocent. He lowers his forehead to the glass and his eyes stare out at nothing. The small candlelight from inside the room danced to its inaudible tune and its reflection in the damp glass caught his eye. He stared longingly into the flame. Its small warmth was near him and he was well aware of its presence in his small room. Wide eyed and curious he continued to stare and thought of what it brings into the world. The candle brings warmth and comfort and perhaps even love. And he was sick inside, for these things he would never feel. So far from his reach yet he could see others who had them, had them all. And he wondered why. Why did others possess these things as he yearned for them all and watched those who were blessed with their presence.
He would never understand why the others had the things he could never find, but at this moment he is not angry, merely sad. He was lost in the flame as he tried to imagine its warmth, its love. The light danced about his features as he turned away to stare into the abyss and the storm of Proserpine. He sits straight now and focuses in and out. The storm, the window, the rain, the reflections, the horizon., the telephone.
The telephone was old fashioned. The kind that had a separate earpiece and you talked into the body of it when you lifted the phone from the table. He thought it a grand telephone. It was sleek and wondrous. Black as ebony and a grand device. You can talk to anyone in the whole world without even leaving the comfort of your own room. Indeed, a fine machine. His gaze never wandered from the splendid mechanism. He swiveled his chair about and stood. He stood tall, as a gentleman should. He eyed the telephone once more and sauntered on towards it.
Standing tall above it now, he stared down at it. It seemed to come alive. A breathing, living being that could, at any moment, do anything it pleased. Indeed it did. It tempted him and pleaded to him. Like a beautiful lovely it called out to him, begging his attention. He was intent on leaving it be. Do not give in. I do implore. Beyond it evil lurks. He heard the voice cry out. At that moment, like the good man he was, he turned around and gave the phone no second glance. He stood at the window and stared once more, but in the glass and through his eyes he saw and heard the phone cry out “Dearest Sir I do beseech, no evil comes of me. I am here to help you now, your joy is all I need.” He turned about to face the machine that to him just spoke. “What a strange thing to say Mister Telephone.”
He strode to the phone and with great ease he lifted it from its sound home. Put the earpiece in its place and dialed. He spent a good time with the telephone. Talked to all of his friends. But over the phone as they chatted, they were like mere wisps of smoke. Nothing but phantoms as they spoke for they were nowhere to be seen. So to his pals he did implore, that they do stop by and they’ll have a good time.
Dearest of friends I ask of you, please do drop by for a chat. If you would like bring a lovely or two and we’ll show them a good time while we’re at it. Do inform all your friends that a party is to be held, inform them of the place. Tell them to bring food and lady friends and be sure that they dress in their best. I want lovelies in gossamer gowns. Quickly now, quickly my friend I earnestly plead you be swift.
All his pals agreed, who’d pass up such a ball? All his friends and their lovelies all showed up for the fun. The music played softly and drinks were passed around. They were chatting and dancing and having such a grand time.
The divine lovelies in their evening gowns as we men sat about in our suits! The ties and the cufflinks and the jolly good times just me and my friends and the night. And the slender sweet lovelies that twirled about us and asked all us men to dance. And all were great gents and we took hold of the lovelies that spun about us. And oh what a party it was! ‘Twas grandest of all evenings and yet something was missing. The eyes watched on as we drank.
He could feel the presence of another, one who was unwelcome here. They watched him and he was wary. He was becoming nervous. The probing eyes of someone unknown, they watched on and he stood in the corner. He heard whispers.
It’s a sad case. He may be here forever.
The voices came to him from another place. Someplace alien. This place was dismal and sterile and full of sad sounds. He shrank down to the floor and just sat there like that. The music stopped playing and the lovelies looked sad. The gents waved goodbye and they were off. The colors faded and all became quite. The telephone was gone. He found that he couldn’t move. Try as he might his arms were plastered to his sides. He found that he was in the alien place. All was white and he found the source of the voices.
The men stood they were watching him, their eyes probing.
“It’s a sad case William.”
“How long will he stay in the asylum, you think?”
“He may be here forever.”
“What is it he’s babbling about?”
“A place called Proserpine.”
They stared at him, and felt sorry for the man in the straight jacket.