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justprompts Lyrics Angel by 8mm
Jul. 8th, 2009 09:54 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
malcolmeffectIt's not like those tales
Of glass and devotion
They like to sell
Oh you just want to be wanted
It's making you sick
But it's all right
Oh yeah, it's only a prick
And that's how you know
That it's bad
It's the problem with pain
It's just something to have
Oh, babe you're running the clock
Cuz, you can't make it stop
So just sit still
And hope the hammer won't drop
- Angel by 8mm
This hadn’t been anything he planned on doing this early in his life. He was busy. Work and school and trying to find a research job took up all his time. Ian glanced up from the word processor and smiled despite himself as the toddler ambled toward him from across the room.
Dr. Malcolm was selfish and arrogant. Anyone would say that without much thought but things changed. Unplanned things worked that way and Ian knew chaos would always have something to do. He pushed up his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Even with them closed he could still see the formulas he’d been working on.
The rattle banged on his leather pants as Ian replaced his glasses. He pulled the little girl up onto his lap and she immediately clung to his shirt.
“Will you watch her while I go to the store?”
Ian looked up at Maya and nodded. “How long?”
“An hour, maybe more.” She seemed short with him.
Ian sighed wondering if she even realized that he worked so much for more than himself. True, he hadn’t done anything like that in the past but his daughter was changing that. Maya charged away from him toward the door leaving Ian to wonder exactly what he’d done wrong this time. She was moody lately, all the time. Malcolm took it in stride. The world was not perfect, people weren’t perfect. His life’s work was spent proving that imperfection.
Kelly started sucking her thumb loudly while her father resumed typing with one hand. The paper was due the following morning or he might lose his grant. If he lost his grant with it went the housing money and his money to pay for school. He’d just started his PhD and couldn’t afford to lose his grant.
Ian shifted, crossed his leg and laid the child in the crook of his crossed leg. It freed his hands for typing. The paper was so close to being done that he just wanted to finish it and get some sleep. At this point, he couldn’t even remember when he started writing it. Yesterday, the day before?
The typing went on and finally the last page was done. Ian hit print and knew inevitably there would be corrections. His own theories meant he faced more work before morning. He leaned down on the desk watching the sheets print. The sound or sheer exhaustion lulled him to sleep with his head on the desk.
“IAN!”
The word startled him from his sleep. The paper had printed and he wondered how long he’d slept when he looked up at Maya. He could tell she was furious with him.
“This is no way to take care of a child.”
Ian wasn’t following immediately but sat up in the chair. Kelly was still asleep on his leg that was now numb. She dozed with the rattle still in her hands. He couldn’t understand her sudden anger. Kelly was safe. If anything his leg was going to pay for falling asleep.
“I leave you for an hour and…”
Ian had glanced at his watch. “Four hours.” he corrected.
She made a snarling sound that widened Ian’s eyes. Maya snatched Kelly away from him and stomped off to the bedroom. He heard Kelly starting to cry but Ian had no idea what he’d done wrong. Slowly, he unbent his leg wincing as the feeling came back in tiny stabbing pains. Unable to stand yet he collected the paper and started looking it over. 35 pages were going to take a good portion of the night to look over.
Ian left the paper stacked up on his desk. He should eat. He couldn’t remember the last time that happened either. Since Maya had gone shopping there must be something to eat. Ian shuffled to the kitchen pouring another cup of coffee on the way to the refrigerator. He set the pot on the counter and opened the door. Inside, there was nothing new.
For a few minutes he stood there with the refrigerator door open trying to work everything out. Why had she lied? Ian felt ill from the sinking feeling and being overworked. He closed the door and set down his cup just in time. The dry heaves started again. It was from being tired and not eating. Ian knew it but there was nothing he could change. He had a family to work for now and he couldn’t let them or himself down.
Of glass and devotion
They like to sell
Oh you just want to be wanted
It's making you sick
But it's all right
Oh yeah, it's only a prick
And that's how you know
That it's bad
It's the problem with pain
It's just something to have
Oh, babe you're running the clock
Cuz, you can't make it stop
So just sit still
And hope the hammer won't drop
- Angel by 8mm
This hadn’t been anything he planned on doing this early in his life. He was busy. Work and school and trying to find a research job took up all his time. Ian glanced up from the word processor and smiled despite himself as the toddler ambled toward him from across the room.
Dr. Malcolm was selfish and arrogant. Anyone would say that without much thought but things changed. Unplanned things worked that way and Ian knew chaos would always have something to do. He pushed up his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Even with them closed he could still see the formulas he’d been working on.
The rattle banged on his leather pants as Ian replaced his glasses. He pulled the little girl up onto his lap and she immediately clung to his shirt.
“Will you watch her while I go to the store?”
Ian looked up at Maya and nodded. “How long?”
“An hour, maybe more.” She seemed short with him.
Ian sighed wondering if she even realized that he worked so much for more than himself. True, he hadn’t done anything like that in the past but his daughter was changing that. Maya charged away from him toward the door leaving Ian to wonder exactly what he’d done wrong this time. She was moody lately, all the time. Malcolm took it in stride. The world was not perfect, people weren’t perfect. His life’s work was spent proving that imperfection.
Kelly started sucking her thumb loudly while her father resumed typing with one hand. The paper was due the following morning or he might lose his grant. If he lost his grant with it went the housing money and his money to pay for school. He’d just started his PhD and couldn’t afford to lose his grant.
Ian shifted, crossed his leg and laid the child in the crook of his crossed leg. It freed his hands for typing. The paper was so close to being done that he just wanted to finish it and get some sleep. At this point, he couldn’t even remember when he started writing it. Yesterday, the day before?
The typing went on and finally the last page was done. Ian hit print and knew inevitably there would be corrections. His own theories meant he faced more work before morning. He leaned down on the desk watching the sheets print. The sound or sheer exhaustion lulled him to sleep with his head on the desk.
“IAN!”
The word startled him from his sleep. The paper had printed and he wondered how long he’d slept when he looked up at Maya. He could tell she was furious with him.
“This is no way to take care of a child.”
Ian wasn’t following immediately but sat up in the chair. Kelly was still asleep on his leg that was now numb. She dozed with the rattle still in her hands. He couldn’t understand her sudden anger. Kelly was safe. If anything his leg was going to pay for falling asleep.
“I leave you for an hour and…”
Ian had glanced at his watch. “Four hours.” he corrected.
She made a snarling sound that widened Ian’s eyes. Maya snatched Kelly away from him and stomped off to the bedroom. He heard Kelly starting to cry but Ian had no idea what he’d done wrong. Slowly, he unbent his leg wincing as the feeling came back in tiny stabbing pains. Unable to stand yet he collected the paper and started looking it over. 35 pages were going to take a good portion of the night to look over.
Ian left the paper stacked up on his desk. He should eat. He couldn’t remember the last time that happened either. Since Maya had gone shopping there must be something to eat. Ian shuffled to the kitchen pouring another cup of coffee on the way to the refrigerator. He set the pot on the counter and opened the door. Inside, there was nothing new.
For a few minutes he stood there with the refrigerator door open trying to work everything out. Why had she lied? Ian felt ill from the sinking feeling and being overworked. He closed the door and set down his cup just in time. The dry heaves started again. It was from being tired and not eating. Ian knew it but there was nothing he could change. He had a family to work for now and he couldn’t let them or himself down.
