I must've fallen asleep... because next thing I know I'm lying in a beautiful bed, draped in colorful quilts (which are art pieces in their own right). Above me is an intricate chandelier, spangled in diamonds. Around the yellow walls hung paintings of ladies dancing in these strange flower-like dresses, men smoking in jackets with designs stitched onto them (my mind is still trying to fathom how such life-like paintings could possibly be made). All of these paintings are framed in gold, intricate frames. On the floor, an elegant rug... that ALSO looks like art! I feel awful knowing such a gorgeous piece is meant to be stood on! It's breathtaking!
Suddenly, Addie opened the door, holding a tray with food atop of it... but no... this can't be food! It's colors I could've never imagined! Displayed in such a way that makes it too dignified for my eyes to even gaze upon! I gape at him as he strides on the delicate rug, sitting beside me and placing the tray before me, as if he expects me to eat this display!
"León, are you ok? You look super out of it," Addie said. His voice is almost melodic... I feel so out of place...
"I-I...," I try to force words out, but nothing... I am stupefied. Addie chuckles.
"Never seen anything like it, huh?" Addie asked. I shake my head.
"This is absolutely marvelous... where did you find all of this?" I ask, my voice hoarse and shaky.
"I rescued most of these pieces from art burning facilities... There are also places around the outskirts where people hide old paintings or artistic pieces, so I look for abandoned hiding spots sometimes... and then some of these I made myself," Addie said. I stare at him in awe.
"Which ones have you made? Please, I must see," I say. Addie motions over to a painting hung above the bed we sat in. It depicted a giant golden eagle, with dark grey arrows shooting past it. On the bird's chest, was a heart, bleeding different hues of red, pink, purple and blood orange.
"How... how did you do that?" I say, staring in awe at the intricate beauty of the art before me. Tears fell from my eyes, my heart racing as I take in every inch of the masterpiece.
"It took a lot of practice... I used a bunch of the art I have stored up as references... I am proud of it," Addie said.
"You should be," I marvel. Addie stares silently at me, before pushing the food tray he brought in towards me.
"Here, you should eat something," Addie said. I stare at my meal, but hesitate.
"Are you sure?" I ask. The food is not only so many different colors, textures, and shapes I didn't know where possible, but it looks far too nice to be eaten.
"I'm quite certain," Addie said, before lifting his mask slightly so he could eat some food, as if instructing me on how to do the same. I do... and well....
"Did you just moan?" Addie asks, laughing hysterically at me.
"NO!! I just had an auditory reaction! What makes you think I'd be aroused by some food?!" I exclaim, still going back for more food, because this is the best thing that has ever happened to my taste buds.
"I dunno, you seem pretty into all this," Addie teased, but I don't really care... my senses have never been treated like this before. Suddenly, Addie pulls a strange looking device from a nearby closet... it has a somewhat bloated hourglass shape, with a long stick-like piece of wood extending from the top. On it, were six strings, and a hole in the hourglass body. Addie began strumming the strings, and the sounds it made... absolutely delightful. I forgot to chew my food as my ears were suddenly captivated by a certain... sound art... It's what my eyes and taste buds had been treated too, but this time for my ears to listen to. And... Addie, with his beautiful, sultry voice, says words along with the sounds... but not just any words... words that fit so elegantly together, and flow like water streaming through a river... he says the words in such a way that sounds almost like a harmonious sigh... it brings me back to when I was punished for whistling.... hearing such beautiful sounds uninterrupted.... oh, I am in heaven...
When he is done with his masterpiece, I can't help but just... gently cry.
"I gotta say...your reaction to all of this has been... kinda awesome. This is really the first time you've heard music, huh?" Addie asked. I stare at him.
"Ah... I suppose....," I say. He smiles.
"Being Dr. London Cardiff's son must be limiting in that way," Addie said. Suddenly, my heart dropped, realizing my glasses were gone, and he recognized me...
"I promise I won't turn you in! I swear on my life!" I cry. Addie laughs.
"Don't worry... I actually theorized Dandelion's husband was Dr. London... after all, she had many paintings of him in he outskirts...," Addie said.
"My mother did art out here?" I asked. Addie nodded.
"Out here is the safest place to do art... that's why it's so admirable she tried bringing art to the elite neighborhood...," Addie said. I nod.
"...You said you have some of my mothers art? May I see it?" I ask. Addie nods.
"Of course... follow me," Addie says. He leads me out of the bedroom, and down a rather crowded and narrow hallway. It looks as though this home had been constructed inside of an old storage facility, which would make sense, as all of the long-abandoned ones had been built on the walls surrounding the outskirts.
"How did you find this place?" I ask, carefully following in Addie's calculated footsteps.
"An old friend of mine actually found it... we renovated it together... I only added the gate and false door after his passing," Addie said.
"Oh, how did he pass?" I ask. Addie sighs.
"The police found him... he was a highly hunted vandal," Addie said.
"Oh... I'm terribly sorry," I say. Addie chuckles.
"Eh... don't worry... I know it's stupid and stuff... but I'd like to think people go to a better place after they die," Addie said. I nod. I have been taught about the many religions that existed in years past... All of my teachers would mock them viciously for being nonsensical, or based on foolish thinking.... But knowing my mother may be long dead, and my father could be joining.... well.... I suddenly pray heaven does exist, so my parents can finally be at peace...
Addie brings me to a large storage closet, and he pulls out a cardboard box. It was labeled 'Dandelion' in ink-black letters, with small flowers drawn all over it... I nervously open the box....
"Oh... Oh... my god...," I sob gently. Addie smiles, urging me to sit on the floor with him. I guess he can tell I'm on the edge of another sensory overload.
"America, right? This one was labeled with your name... painted around the time you were born, I presume?" Addie said gently, handing me a piece of art, which was evidently chipped off of the wall it had been originally painted on. It was a painting of a woman and a man holding a baby... 'Le quatre juillet - Mon chéri, l'Amérique'... the man was obviously my father, but he was painted with a smile I'd never seen on him since I was a child. The woman looked like me... but she was inexplicably gorgeous to me, in a way that made me cry even more... I will never truly see my mothers face... will I?
"I can't believe it... A-Addie...," I breathe. I look over at his masked face....
"America?" He says. I gently put the painting down, and then hold Addie in a hug.
"I... I can't thank you enough.... you have no clue how much this means to me...," I cry. Addie hugs me back, silent, yet no more words truly need to be spoken... words almost mean nothing to me anymore...
for the first time in my life, I understand what true beauty is...
I need to bring this to dad.
YOU ARE READING
Street Cred (CH MexAme Dystopian AU)
Fanfiction"You have absolutely zero street smarts and it SHOWS... don't expect me to baby you, because I could care less about you," "Don't you mean you could NOT care less about me?" "Ugh.... f*ckin nerd...," -------- Neuorolia, a place where the last surviv...
