Post by cori on Jan 13, 2023 17:49:11 GMT
Saturday, it was Saturday wasn’t it? Gennifer Swan wasn’t sure, even as she rolled and fell out of bed, hitting the floor with a muffled thwump and groan. She managed to get up, freshen up and brush her teeth before shuffling into the kitchen of the apartment she was staying in with Joey and Illy. It was only supposed to be a couple of days while she waited on a place to open up, but once they’d settled her into the guest room, that time just kept stretching out and they pretty much kept her. A jaw-cracking yawn later and she blinked sleepily while setting up the coffee maker, hopping up on the counter to wait on it to go through the brew cycle. Braiding her hair kept her from nodding off and she finished just in time for the last of the hot water to run through. The kitchen filled with the fragrance of that coffee, and she inhaled it with a pleased sigh, before muttering and hopping down from her perch.
Maybe, she should start breakfast? At least get something going before Joey or Illy got up? She was set on this goal as she began opening cabinets and drawers, taking out bowls, a couple of wooden spoons, and setting them out before turning to the fridge. “Chorizo?” Murmured as she shuffled over, reaching for the door. If nothing else she could get the creamer out and decide what to make based on what was in there. Maybe not even burn any of it this time.
“Morning Genny,” Jo’s voice carried from the living room as they emerged into the kitchen to see what the third roommate had been doing. They gave a stretch and put a hand against the opposite shoulder to properly roll the muscles with a circular movement. A yawn followed before they rubbed their thumb and index finger under the eyelids. Joey would have been happy to stay in bed a few more hours but actual adulting called. Joey’s eyes briefly grazed at the calendar on the wall opposing the sink and nodded to themselves. No, they had it wrong. Today was a rest day.
“Fuckit, I’m going back to bed. See you like noon.” Joey waved at Gen but stopped two steps in. Their blue hair well in need of a touch-up, pulled in loose pigtails swayed at the shoulders. They stared quietly at the sliding door that led to the porch on the balcony. Jo frowned and continued to stare through the glass as though it was some crime scene they had just discovered. Their head tilted slightly to the left. “Genny.”
The noise she made? Might have been a huh mixed with hmm and what, but she stopped with her hand on the handle of the fridge and turned toward where Jo was standing. A blink, then another. She started to say something but then that frown, reflected in the glass caught her attention and she moved over to stand slightly behind Jo, peeping around her shoulder to see what might have caught her attention, pausing of course to bat aside one of the loose pigtails so she could better see. “Jo…?”
A sudden loud beep filled the kitchen, the coffee maker announcing that it was done, shrill enough to make Gen jump and make a tiny noise of unpleasant surprise, her hand gripping the top of Jo’s shoulder even as her head whipped around to focus on the offending machine. “JesusChri…” an exhale before she turned back around. “What is it, Jo?”
Jo continued to stare at the balcony. Their eyes zeroed in on the painting that had rested on the easel. Illania’s little painting corner often looked like a mess, between half-squeezed tubes of paint, the smock that had been flumped over the table, and smears of color on the wall. The piece itself however looked...Unsettling. Joey’s mouth parted to say something but they couldn’t find the words. There was no justifiable way to answer Gennifer. There was nothing to answer anyone who would ask them.
It simply was.
“That canvas was blank when I went to my room last night,” Jo muttered slowly. Their eyes squinted and they tried to peel themselves and Genny away with one back step. “She’s never painted anything like that before. I don’t see any of those color paints on her table either. Did she do that out of her imagination or...Or...”
Joey trailed off. Neither possibility seemed that great. The way that arm had been drawn...Was that...Putrefaction? In such vivid detail?
Either Illy had painted this from her own imagination or she had...Subjects. Genny’s hand dropped and without thinking she took Joey’s squeezing it once before letting go and turning her attention towards Jo and away from the canvas. Her eyes were wide, and she blinked, exhaling slowly. “It’s amazing.”
Genny bit her lip, then let it go on a sigh. “You know what they say, nobody understands the great artists, is that how it goes? This, this is like that guy that painted the stuff for Alien, but…”
It wasn’t certain Genny even had the words to describe it, but it was pretty clear that she was falling into the camp that this must be from Illy’s imagination. “Maybe the paints came from that fancy thing Sid bought her? She’d keep those in that, so they wouldn’t get lost.”
Jo stared at Genny as if she had lost her mind. Scratch that. They stared with the belief that indeed Genny's sanity had left her. Jo looked as though they wanted to interject something further but couldn’t put her disagreement into words. Instead, they turned their head back to the painting.
“That is paint right? We’re sure that she used normal paint?”
“What else would I use?” Illy answered on the other side of Genny.
Joey nearly jumped out of their skin, recoiling from the sudden appearance of the third roommate. Illania gave them both an impish smile, though the explanation of where she had just sort of popped out from never came. Illy glanced between the two before looking back at her painting. “What do you think?”
The same Genny that had jumped at the loud intrusive beep of the coffee machine? Oddly enough didn’t jump when Illania’s voice had come from literally out of nowhere. She turned her head towards her bestie and beamed a smile at her. There were still elements of sleepy involved, she hadn’t had her coffee and it wasn’t that far away from the moment she’d literally hit the floor this morning, but it was a warm one. “It’s so wild, Illy!”
Genny gestured towards it, not quite turning her head back to look, but then she laughed. “Oh my God you know my Grandma used to babysit us right? Most of her friends, if they did that, would get them kids sat down in front of Days of Our Lives or something, but she’d put on cable and it’s Twilight Zone and Night Gallery… oh, do you think that this could be part of a gallery showing?”
Almost, she bounced in place. Almost. Gennifer always had a ton of excess energy, which made the rigors of training actually really good for her in more than one way. All that energy had to go somewhere, right?
“Maybe we could rent somewhere and do it ourselves? Maybe?” Genny stepped back from Joey and Illy, turning to head toward the counter and make the coffee she clearly, most direly needed. She got her favorite mug in hand and started adding creamer to it, of the mind if she poured the hot into it, it wouldn’t make her coffee go cold too quickly. “After we get some steady money coming in, it can’t be that much?”
Now it was more along the lines of talking to herself, sure, but she had faith in her bestie’s artistic talents, and that shone through.
Amidst Genny talking to herself and headed towards the counter? Illania and Joey stared at each other. There wasn’t any words exchanged about the painting, both of them seeming to know what the other was thinking. Neither seemed intent on stopping Genny from giving herself more energy. At least not right now. Joey jerked their head in the direction of the painting, asking a silent question that only Illy would know what it meant.
They had lived together long before Genny moved in after all. Illania stared at her for a few moments before her head turned back to the painting. She turned the answer over in her head before it was vocalized.
“Yes.” Illy said softly, her voice dropping several octaves.
Joey took an immediate step back; their eyes went wide in horror.
“Yes!” Illy suddenly exclaimed, her tone shifting back to what was presentable; a voice that everyone knew was normal. “I think that would be a good idea Genny! I’ve put my pieces in a few galleries but I’ve liked doing more art installation work. I would have actually saved this for an installation at the local college. They do some open nights where you can bring your own pieces. It doesn’t cost anywhere as much as renting somewhere for a gallery or installation. I wouldn’t use that particular painting to show in a gallery. I have so many other, more finished paintings back in my studio.”
“Which studio?” Jo said slowly, their eyes glancing in the direction of Illania’s room. After a moment they seemed to decide that they wanted nothing more to do with this and walked towards their room. Their cell phone buzzed in their pocket and Joey stole a glance. A text from an unlisted number, just as Illy put a cell in her pocket.
Joey felt a chill on the back of their neck. “I’m straight on coffee Genny, no cup needed.”
Maybe, she should start breakfast? At least get something going before Joey or Illy got up? She was set on this goal as she began opening cabinets and drawers, taking out bowls, a couple of wooden spoons, and setting them out before turning to the fridge. “Chorizo?” Murmured as she shuffled over, reaching for the door. If nothing else she could get the creamer out and decide what to make based on what was in there. Maybe not even burn any of it this time.
“Morning Genny,” Jo’s voice carried from the living room as they emerged into the kitchen to see what the third roommate had been doing. They gave a stretch and put a hand against the opposite shoulder to properly roll the muscles with a circular movement. A yawn followed before they rubbed their thumb and index finger under the eyelids. Joey would have been happy to stay in bed a few more hours but actual adulting called. Joey’s eyes briefly grazed at the calendar on the wall opposing the sink and nodded to themselves. No, they had it wrong. Today was a rest day.
“Fuckit, I’m going back to bed. See you like noon.” Joey waved at Gen but stopped two steps in. Their blue hair well in need of a touch-up, pulled in loose pigtails swayed at the shoulders. They stared quietly at the sliding door that led to the porch on the balcony. Jo frowned and continued to stare through the glass as though it was some crime scene they had just discovered. Their head tilted slightly to the left. “Genny.”
The noise she made? Might have been a huh mixed with hmm and what, but she stopped with her hand on the handle of the fridge and turned toward where Jo was standing. A blink, then another. She started to say something but then that frown, reflected in the glass caught her attention and she moved over to stand slightly behind Jo, peeping around her shoulder to see what might have caught her attention, pausing of course to bat aside one of the loose pigtails so she could better see. “Jo…?”
A sudden loud beep filled the kitchen, the coffee maker announcing that it was done, shrill enough to make Gen jump and make a tiny noise of unpleasant surprise, her hand gripping the top of Jo’s shoulder even as her head whipped around to focus on the offending machine. “JesusChri…” an exhale before she turned back around. “What is it, Jo?”
Jo continued to stare at the balcony. Their eyes zeroed in on the painting that had rested on the easel. Illania’s little painting corner often looked like a mess, between half-squeezed tubes of paint, the smock that had been flumped over the table, and smears of color on the wall. The piece itself however looked...Unsettling. Joey’s mouth parted to say something but they couldn’t find the words. There was no justifiable way to answer Gennifer. There was nothing to answer anyone who would ask them.
It simply was.
“That canvas was blank when I went to my room last night,” Jo muttered slowly. Their eyes squinted and they tried to peel themselves and Genny away with one back step. “She’s never painted anything like that before. I don’t see any of those color paints on her table either. Did she do that out of her imagination or...Or...”
Joey trailed off. Neither possibility seemed that great. The way that arm had been drawn...Was that...Putrefaction? In such vivid detail?
Either Illy had painted this from her own imagination or she had...Subjects. Genny’s hand dropped and without thinking she took Joey’s squeezing it once before letting go and turning her attention towards Jo and away from the canvas. Her eyes were wide, and she blinked, exhaling slowly. “It’s amazing.”
Genny bit her lip, then let it go on a sigh. “You know what they say, nobody understands the great artists, is that how it goes? This, this is like that guy that painted the stuff for Alien, but…”
It wasn’t certain Genny even had the words to describe it, but it was pretty clear that she was falling into the camp that this must be from Illy’s imagination. “Maybe the paints came from that fancy thing Sid bought her? She’d keep those in that, so they wouldn’t get lost.”
Jo stared at Genny as if she had lost her mind. Scratch that. They stared with the belief that indeed Genny's sanity had left her. Jo looked as though they wanted to interject something further but couldn’t put her disagreement into words. Instead, they turned their head back to the painting.
“That is paint right? We’re sure that she used normal paint?”
“What else would I use?” Illy answered on the other side of Genny.
Joey nearly jumped out of their skin, recoiling from the sudden appearance of the third roommate. Illania gave them both an impish smile, though the explanation of where she had just sort of popped out from never came. Illy glanced between the two before looking back at her painting. “What do you think?”
The same Genny that had jumped at the loud intrusive beep of the coffee machine? Oddly enough didn’t jump when Illania’s voice had come from literally out of nowhere. She turned her head towards her bestie and beamed a smile at her. There were still elements of sleepy involved, she hadn’t had her coffee and it wasn’t that far away from the moment she’d literally hit the floor this morning, but it was a warm one. “It’s so wild, Illy!”
Genny gestured towards it, not quite turning her head back to look, but then she laughed. “Oh my God you know my Grandma used to babysit us right? Most of her friends, if they did that, would get them kids sat down in front of Days of Our Lives or something, but she’d put on cable and it’s Twilight Zone and Night Gallery… oh, do you think that this could be part of a gallery showing?”
Almost, she bounced in place. Almost. Gennifer always had a ton of excess energy, which made the rigors of training actually really good for her in more than one way. All that energy had to go somewhere, right?
“Maybe we could rent somewhere and do it ourselves? Maybe?” Genny stepped back from Joey and Illy, turning to head toward the counter and make the coffee she clearly, most direly needed. She got her favorite mug in hand and started adding creamer to it, of the mind if she poured the hot into it, it wouldn’t make her coffee go cold too quickly. “After we get some steady money coming in, it can’t be that much?”
Now it was more along the lines of talking to herself, sure, but she had faith in her bestie’s artistic talents, and that shone through.
Amidst Genny talking to herself and headed towards the counter? Illania and Joey stared at each other. There wasn’t any words exchanged about the painting, both of them seeming to know what the other was thinking. Neither seemed intent on stopping Genny from giving herself more energy. At least not right now. Joey jerked their head in the direction of the painting, asking a silent question that only Illy would know what it meant.
They had lived together long before Genny moved in after all. Illania stared at her for a few moments before her head turned back to the painting. She turned the answer over in her head before it was vocalized.
“Yes.” Illy said softly, her voice dropping several octaves.
Joey took an immediate step back; their eyes went wide in horror.
“Yes!” Illy suddenly exclaimed, her tone shifting back to what was presentable; a voice that everyone knew was normal. “I think that would be a good idea Genny! I’ve put my pieces in a few galleries but I’ve liked doing more art installation work. I would have actually saved this for an installation at the local college. They do some open nights where you can bring your own pieces. It doesn’t cost anywhere as much as renting somewhere for a gallery or installation. I wouldn’t use that particular painting to show in a gallery. I have so many other, more finished paintings back in my studio.”
“Which studio?” Jo said slowly, their eyes glancing in the direction of Illania’s room. After a moment they seemed to decide that they wanted nothing more to do with this and walked towards their room. Their cell phone buzzed in their pocket and Joey stole a glance. A text from an unlisted number, just as Illy put a cell in her pocket.
Joey felt a chill on the back of their neck. “I’m straight on coffee Genny, no cup needed.”