do love this, though. I can remember whole chunks of it because it made such a deep impressionon me the first two or three times I read it.
This scene for example -- and here the second-hand POV works, it's all right that we don't get the details:
She could hear, but not words. The wild, raw sobbing of a grown man in unbearable pain. That was her brother. Panic chilled Kath: he did not sound sane. The cries were scarcely human, certainly beyond the reach of human comfort or control. Her legs crumpled beneath her and she sagged down against the wall, raising clenched fists to her ears.
But another sound was there. It came through in the ragged silences when Ray drew breath. Deep and undemanding, it flowed under and around the chaos. It was Will, just talking to him. She couldn't pick out a sentence, but doubted he could, either. That was not the point. Ray's partner, his friend, was doing what he did every day. Insisting – in the teeth of madness – that Ray's world continue. This world, this world; today, not 30 years ago, sunshine. It was hell but it's all gone and I'm here now.
And incredibly, her brother began to respond. At first it was only a dulling of hysteria's edge as he quieted to listen to him. Then words began to scatter themselves, noises of affirmation or denial to Bodie's soft, insistent questions. Briefly, the sound of ordinary crying, such as Kath would have given worlds to be able to do for herself. That became muffled, and then it slowed, and stopped.
Will's voice again: pitching up at the end: a question. Her brother answered, calmly, and actually gave a low, tired laugh.
A perfect silence.
One of my all time favorite scenes. It's really beautiful, and tells us all we need to know.
Thanks for reccing this, a great choice and you did it justice.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2010-02-03 06:07 pm (UTC)This scene for example -- and here the second-hand POV works, it's all right that we don't get the details:
She could hear, but not words. The wild, raw sobbing of a grown man in unbearable pain. That was her brother. Panic chilled Kath: he did not sound sane. The cries were scarcely human, certainly beyond the reach of human comfort or control. Her legs crumpled beneath her and she sagged down against the wall, raising clenched fists to her ears.
But another sound was there. It came through in the ragged silences when Ray drew breath. Deep and undemanding, it flowed under and around the chaos. It was Will, just talking to him. She couldn't pick out a sentence, but doubted he could, either. That was not the point. Ray's partner, his friend, was doing what he did every day. Insisting – in the teeth of madness – that Ray's world continue. This world, this world; today, not 30 years ago, sunshine. It was hell but it's all gone and I'm here now.
And incredibly, her brother began to respond. At first it was only a dulling of hysteria's edge as he quieted to listen to him. Then words began to scatter themselves, noises of affirmation or denial to Bodie's soft, insistent questions. Briefly, the sound of ordinary crying, such as Kath would have given worlds to be able to do for herself. That became muffled, and then it slowed, and stopped.
Will's voice again: pitching up at the end: a question. Her brother answered, calmly, and actually gave a low, tired laugh.
A perfect silence.
One of my all time favorite scenes. It's really beautiful, and tells us all we need to know.
Thanks for reccing this, a great choice and you did it justice.
Thanks so much!