Past the Horizon (Eddie Vedder)

Ch. 8 - Special Perks (Emmy)

So, I might be changing the rating to mature within the next couple of chapters. Nothing explicit (yet?), just a couple of parts that might be considered triggering? Anyway, I post announcements to my followers when I update, so if you're reading this fic, be sure to follow for updates ♡.

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Chapter song:
"No Rain" - - Blind Melon

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Tuesday, September 5th

Emmy believed there was an aura of wistfulness about the image. It created a sense of yearning for something that she couldn't quite identify. The longer she stared at it, the closer she felt to uncovering what it was, but it remained just out of reach, an enigma that circled around her at uneven speeds. She thought she could catch it when it slowed, but then the speed would increase, and she'd be left in a cloud of dust, waiting for the air to clear again.

Nevertheless, it was her favorite one, and if she had the money to buy the real thing, she would have. She'd just have to settle for the cheap imitation though. The photograph didn't do it justice, but it was better than nothing at all. It didn't capture the full essence of the painting, the textures, the colors, the depth. Everything was lacking in some way, but she still found herself being drawn into it. She could drown in it if she let herself. It was that powerful. Not even a photograph could diminish that all the way.

The swirls of different colors that blended together were harmonious companions, despite them being a mixture of cool and warm. It was the changing of the seasons all together in one, the passage of time that escapes no one. She liked to think that the figure in the painting was in some mode of deep reflection like she was every time she looked at the picture. They were standing at the edge of the sea and seeing something beyond the water, something far past it, and wondering how they ended up where they were, wondering what the future would bring. All the colors of the seasons were mirrored in the water's surface, showing the past, the present and the future coexisting in perfect tranquility. 

The perfect dream. 

She'd developed a second copy for herself to keep. It was back in her room, in her desk drawer, hidden away from nonexistent prying eyes. She thought maybe she'd pull it out every once in a while to look at. Maybe she'd chase that feeling she couldn't get a read on until she finally caught it. Or perhaps it would forever allude her, and she'd just drift endlessly in the depths of a photograph of a painting.

Either way, it was still her favorite.

"What are you doing here looking all sad and pensive?"

Emmy jerked back, wobbling on the stool she was seated on. He caught her by surprise. She was so engrossed in that picture, she hadn't noticed Logan towering over her.

"I'm not sad. I'm waiting for you actually."

"For me? Well, you better get in line. I'm a hot commodity around here."

She arranged the photos in a single, neat stack on the table and twirled on her stool to face him, craning her neck back even further than usual since he was still standing. "You don't even have time for your favorite photographer?"

Logan scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest, blue eyes trying hard to hide any signs of humor. "Who said you're my favorite? I think you're delusional."