Prompt 214 - Splice - "Fix It"
Aug. 28th, 2010 11:23 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
guardian-erin.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
tamingthemuseTitle: Fix It
Author: Guardian Erin
Rating: PG-13 for dark themes
Fandom: Original
Summary: At some point in your life, you have to learn to fix things yourself.
Richard's hand trembled as he tried to keep his grasp on the tiny needle that was pinched between his fingers. With his other hand, he held the end of a thread. He could barely see the eye of the needle, and each time he made an attempt to push the thread through the eye, it missed completely. He kept trying again, over and over, hoping to eventually get the thread through that tiny spot. He knew he had to take care of himself this time. His momma had made it look so easy while she mended his clothes. Every little worn-out spot or ragged tear that started to ruin his clothes, his momma could make disappear.
One bad day, he had been running outside and tripped on a tree root. The skin on his knee had been scraped away so badly that blood flowed freely down his calf. But while the pain was terrible, he couldn't stop sobbing when he saw that he had torn the leg of his trousers wide open. He expected his momma to be angry, and that he'd have to throw away his favorite pair of pants. But at home, once she wiped away the blood and the tears, his momma took out her sewing kit and quietly went to work. She patched the big hole, filling in the space by splicing in a different type of fabric. When she was done, the trousers were just as good and comfortable as ever. At the knee, there was a spot of yellow and orange fabric sewn in with strong stitches, making the pants even more special than before.
Richard didn't have his momma's talent at all, but this time he couldn't ask for her help. He asked her to fix Maxy but she would only wipe away his tears and tell him there was nothing she could do for his pet. 'You're a grown man now,' she told him. 'You'll have to deal with this someday.'
Richard was a little upset that she'd never taught him how to deal with fixing things on his own. But after a while, he realized that it was something he had to figure out himself. He was a big boy now, and he could start taking care of himself, like his momma always said.
The thread finally passed through the eye of the needle. He grabbed onto the thread, and watched the needle dangle in the air. He'd really done it!
Richard tied several knots into the string until he was sure that the thread was attached to the needle as securely as possible. Once that crucial step was done, Richard looked down at Maxy to see where he where the work had to be done. His momma had once told him that her neat stitches took a lot of practice to be just right. But Richard figured that however bad his stitching was, it would still help Maxy more than nothing. He would do his best to make momma proud.
It was difficult to force the big tear in Maxy's belly to close up. When the gap finally disappeared, Richard clamped one of his big hands onto Maxy to keep him from popping open again. Even though momma had told him Maxy was sleeping, Richard had expected Maxy to wake up. Now he understood that Maxy could wake up until he was mended.
Richard lined up his needle at the edge of the split belly, and pushed the needle through. It was difficult for a moment, but then the needle popped through one layer of flesh, and then the other, and jabbed him in the thumb. Richard winced and pulled the thread through, amazed by the sight, then turned the needle and pushed back from the opposite side. Once again, the needle went through after a little resistance, and the thread followed after it. He pulled on the needle until the thread was tight. His first stitch!
'I'm sorry I'm bad at this,' Richard told Maxy while he pushed on the needle in vain. After half a minute of struggle, the needle thrust through Maxy and stabbed Richard's fingers on the other side. He cried out, tears welling up in his eyes. Richard moved his stinging fingers and made another stitch, pulling the thread tight as he went. The stitches were starting to hold Maxy together. His heart filled with joy, realizing that he had a dozen more to do and then Maxy would be all better. Momma would be proud that he was finally fixing his own things.
Author: Guardian Erin
Rating: PG-13 for dark themes
Fandom: Original
Summary: At some point in your life, you have to learn to fix things yourself.
Richard's hand trembled as he tried to keep his grasp on the tiny needle that was pinched between his fingers. With his other hand, he held the end of a thread. He could barely see the eye of the needle, and each time he made an attempt to push the thread through the eye, it missed completely. He kept trying again, over and over, hoping to eventually get the thread through that tiny spot. He knew he had to take care of himself this time. His momma had made it look so easy while she mended his clothes. Every little worn-out spot or ragged tear that started to ruin his clothes, his momma could make disappear.
One bad day, he had been running outside and tripped on a tree root. The skin on his knee had been scraped away so badly that blood flowed freely down his calf. But while the pain was terrible, he couldn't stop sobbing when he saw that he had torn the leg of his trousers wide open. He expected his momma to be angry, and that he'd have to throw away his favorite pair of pants. But at home, once she wiped away the blood and the tears, his momma took out her sewing kit and quietly went to work. She patched the big hole, filling in the space by splicing in a different type of fabric. When she was done, the trousers were just as good and comfortable as ever. At the knee, there was a spot of yellow and orange fabric sewn in with strong stitches, making the pants even more special than before.
Richard didn't have his momma's talent at all, but this time he couldn't ask for her help. He asked her to fix Maxy but she would only wipe away his tears and tell him there was nothing she could do for his pet. 'You're a grown man now,' she told him. 'You'll have to deal with this someday.'
Richard was a little upset that she'd never taught him how to deal with fixing things on his own. But after a while, he realized that it was something he had to figure out himself. He was a big boy now, and he could start taking care of himself, like his momma always said.
The thread finally passed through the eye of the needle. He grabbed onto the thread, and watched the needle dangle in the air. He'd really done it!
Richard tied several knots into the string until he was sure that the thread was attached to the needle as securely as possible. Once that crucial step was done, Richard looked down at Maxy to see where he where the work had to be done. His momma had once told him that her neat stitches took a lot of practice to be just right. But Richard figured that however bad his stitching was, it would still help Maxy more than nothing. He would do his best to make momma proud.
It was difficult to force the big tear in Maxy's belly to close up. When the gap finally disappeared, Richard clamped one of his big hands onto Maxy to keep him from popping open again. Even though momma had told him Maxy was sleeping, Richard had expected Maxy to wake up. Now he understood that Maxy could wake up until he was mended.
Richard lined up his needle at the edge of the split belly, and pushed the needle through. It was difficult for a moment, but then the needle popped through one layer of flesh, and then the other, and jabbed him in the thumb. Richard winced and pulled the thread through, amazed by the sight, then turned the needle and pushed back from the opposite side. Once again, the needle went through after a little resistance, and the thread followed after it. He pulled on the needle until the thread was tight. His first stitch!
'I'm sorry I'm bad at this,' Richard told Maxy while he pushed on the needle in vain. After half a minute of struggle, the needle thrust through Maxy and stabbed Richard's fingers on the other side. He cried out, tears welling up in his eyes. Richard moved his stinging fingers and made another stitch, pulling the thread tight as he went. The stitches were starting to hold Maxy together. His heart filled with joy, realizing that he had a dozen more to do and then Maxy would be all better. Momma would be proud that he was finally fixing his own things.
