Farewell Summer ~ Ray Bradbury - Marimarister
Farewell Summer ~ Ray Bradbury - Marimarister
Farewell Summer ~ Ray Bradbury - Marimarister
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filled his mouth. The children milled round and round, with Lisabell at the center of their<br />
carousel.<br />
Quartermain came hurtling along the rough path, his wheelchair almost flying, and nearly<br />
crashed into the table. He gave a cry and sat on the outer edge of the milling crowd, a look of<br />
immense satisfaction on his creased yellow face.<br />
And then Mr. Bleak appeared and stood behind the wheelchair, smiling an altogether diff<br />
erent kind of smile.<br />
Douglas watched as Lisabell bent toward the cake.<br />
The soft scent of the candles wafted on the breeze.<br />
And there was her face, like a summer peach, beautiful and warm, and the light of the<br />
candles reflected in her dark eyes. Douglas held his breath. The entire world waited and held its<br />
breath. Quartermain was frozen, gripping his chair as if it were his own body threatening to run<br />
off with him. Fourteen candles. Fourteen years to be snuffed out and a goal set toward one more<br />
as good or better. Lisabell seemed happy. She was floating down the great river of Time and<br />
enjoying the trip, blissful with her journeying. The happiness of the insane was in her eye and<br />
hand.<br />
She exhaled a great breath, the smell of a summer apple.<br />
The candles snuffed out.<br />
The boys and girls crowded to the cake as Lisabell picked up a great silver knife. The sun<br />
glinted off its edge in flashes that seared the eyes. She cut the cake and pushed the slice with the<br />
knife and slipped it onto a plate. This plate she picked up and held with two hands. The cake was<br />
white and soft and sweet- looking. Everyone stared at it. Old man Quartermain grinned like an<br />
idiot. Bleak smiled sadly.<br />
―Who shall I give the first piece to?‖ Lisabell cried.<br />
She deliberated so long it seemed she must be put ting a part of herself into the soft color<br />
and spun sugar of the frosting.<br />
She took two slow steps forward. She was not smiling now. Her face was gravely serious.<br />
She held out the cake upon the plate and handed it to Douglas.<br />
She stood before Doug and moved her face so close to his that he could feel her breath on<br />
his cheeks.<br />
Douglas, startled, jumped back.<br />
Shocked, Lisabell opened her eyes as she cried softly a word he could not at first hear.