Recluse Island

Chapter 18

September 2013

Good morning! Good morning! Good morning! Residents of this kooky, corky Clinkirk Compound. This is your daily announcer Jimmy P. Buchanan reporting LIVE from Johnson 36th Avenue. Today is June 17, 2013, and for those of you that are still new to us and actually yes, Laney, always no raisins in my oatmeal, oops sorry about that now, where was I? Oh yes for those of you that still care about what's happening above our heads here's a little update.

The current temperature on the island is in the low seventies but it's expected to climb to the upper eighties, today is our beloved Mrs. Angelina Rafanoli's birthday and a soiree will be held this evening in the Kruse-Sandfox gardens ending in a fabulous firework show! Anyone interested in extending birthday wishes may see Harb Dillon for assistance. Ha, ha only joking Harb.

Now for Clinkirk Compound business there will be a mandatory meeting for all residents today at 6 p.m. in Navarre Hall. Please arrive promptly, your heads of section have all been notified of the change in today's schedule. You can extend your thanks for a shortened workday to our steadfast leader Ralph Rafanoli.

And finally, I'm thinking of growing a beard. Thoughts? Well, those are your daily announcements. You all have a crushing day! Yes, Laney crushing is a real word. No, I didn't use it out of context. They're not going to be confused and where's my oatmeal?

            Glenn Sanbuster shook his head in amusement as he swept up broken glass on the floor. The day had started like any other right down to the bickering between Jimmy Buchanan and Laney King at promptly nine o'clock when the announcements aired throughout the compound. That is except for the meeting in Navarre Hall, Glenn couldn't imagine what that was about. He had lived in the Clinkirk Compound for all his thirteen years, and he couldn't recall a single time the workday was called off early for any reason.

            "Glenn, knock off that sweeping will you and help me over here," called Isaac Wentworth over the loud noise of the kilns and hammering required in order to shape the molten glass.

            Glenn set his broom in the corner and walked over to Isaac's workstation. Isaac was head of the Glass House and had been for the past four years. Unlike most heads of section who were residents of Stormy Shore, Isaac had been a Clinkirk Compound citizen at the time of his appointment. The previous head Willard Johanassen had been so impressed by Isaac's skill, patience, and leadership abilities that he insisted Isaac take over when he resigned.

Though Isaac had been born in Stormy Shore, he had lived underground since 1991, and over the last three years since Glenn started working in the Glass House, Isaac had told him many stories about life above their heads. Particularly Isaac's favorite pastime which had been diving. Isaac could talk for hours about the creatures he had seen, the experience of feeling weightless and the countless plants and objects he had found.

            Isaac was a tall black man in his late thirties. He wasn't married and didn't have any children. Rumor was he'd been in love before his deportation with a girl back in Stormy Shore named Cora Lamppost and swore, he would wait for her until they could be together again. Though for the record Glenn didn't believe any of this. Isaac was too logical and realistic to spend the rest of his life waiting for something that was statistically unlikely to ever happen.

            "Looks good," Glenn said to Isaac of the votive he was shaping.

            "Well, it will be when I'm finished," said Isaac gesturing for Glenn to hand him the blocks, ladle-like tools used in the process of shaping glass.

            "What do you make of that meeting later?" asked Glenn.

            Currently Glenn was the youngest member of the Glass House. Isaac had taken an instant liking to him and kept a close eye on his activity. It was a busy place and dangerous with fiery kilns and burning glass. One wrong move or turn could leave you nursing a third degree burn or missing a finger if you weren't careful. Officially Glenn wouldn't begin his glass blowing training until fifteen. Until then he assisted the major glass blowers, swept up the shop and helped send finished items off to Label's and Processing.