Tue, February 07 2012
The Island of Monte Christo | StoryList
| ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S NOTES: | This should have been loaded together with "The Island of Monte Cristo," earlier this year. It is a lovely vignette that Tonja Moore Varner wrote in response to that fic, and as such it was published together with "Island" in the zine "No Time for Landings." When the time came to post "The Island of Monte Cristo" I discovered that I'd done something safe with the original text message that Tonja had sent me. I have only now re-typed the vignette so that it will not be lost. Hoping for Tonja's pardon for not having gotten this up sooner than this, I am loading it now (as well as archiving it) and hope you will enjoy it. |
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Jules walked into the solarium and to the table where he had left the drawings. His step was light. His entire body felt light -- as though he could fly without the aid of the Aurora. He found that he was smiling. Fogg was alive! That thought alone was enough to give him wings.
A rustle from the other side of the table caused him to look up. Haydee stood there and behind her was Aladdin, or Edmond, as Jules must now think of him. Jules blushed. "I . . . Sorry. I wanted to get these." He indicated the sketches.
Edmond nodded. "I thought that you might want them. I would like to keep those that you did, though, in exchange."
"Oh." Jules was surprised at the request. "Of course. If you'd like them. Except the one of the Rimini bust. I want to give that to Rebecca."
"Only those of your party. And that very remarkable airship. I thank you."
Edmond bowed slightly and went toward the door, but Haydee lingered for a moment. She looked at Jules. "It is good at last to see you smile, Jules Verne. You have a lovely smile. It must bring joy to your friends."
His blush deepened. What did one say to that? To his relief, Haydee did not seem to expect him to say anything. She brought out another piece of paper and added it to his stack. "For you. A companion piece." Then, she followed Edmond out of the door.
Jules brought the sketch up to see it better in the soft light. It was a picture of a figure and he caught his breath as he realized what she had meant by "a companion piece." He stared at the image of himself, looking down at a piece of paper much like the one he now held. He did not need to guess at what his image was looking at. He knew. Haydee had caught all of the emotions -- his fear, his sorrow, his incredulity, and the very small ray of dawning hope that had come to him as he looked at the drawing of Phileas and the watch.
He picked up the drawing of Phileas and held the two pictures together. Companion pieces. Pieces of companions. Of friends. Some day, perhaps, he would show them to Phileas. For now, he would keep them safe.
Jules heard Edmond's voice speaking to Phileas and knew he needed to hurry. He stacked the pictures again and scooped them up, carefully rolling them as he started for the door. He heard Phileas' voice. "I'm very much obliged. But I'm not going without Verne."
He had said it in the same way he might have said, "But I'm not going without my ears." Jules smiled again. That's right, don't think you can leave without me, Phileas. "Here, Fogg," he called, coming into the room.
End of Companion Piece