Exercise #1 : The Newlyweds

From the window one could see the glaciers, stark against the blue placid ocean, moving slowly at an invisible rate. Framing the window, a red curtain billowed in the wind. The air maintained a continuous breeze as it brushed across the amber tapestry, hovering over the white walls. Beyond the glaciers, green hills softly assumed their presence amongst scores of white puffin birds. One by one, each took turns diving from the hilltops, passing scores of branches, sweeping down into the sea to proclaim fish, quickly returning to the tops of the trees that dotted the hills. Shadowy landscapes were barely visible beyond the hills spilling out around their outer edges. From the porch, accessible through the first floor rear bay windows, bursts of sea spray could be seen behind the hills, above the distant craggy shoreline.

A tall tumbler glass, fresh with condensation, lay on the coffee table, absorbing light beamed in from the window. Ice cubes in the glass reflected a ceiling fan, swaying from the ceiling. A tall bottle of Vodka cast a shadow of the label onto an adjoining wall. “Viking Fjord” it read, prominent against the light stucco finish where two duffle bags shared the corner, immediately to the right of the door. A wet white towel lay between the two, embroidered with a black stripe running down the center. Wet footprints could be seen on the gray carpet coming from the opened shower, still steamy from recent use. Mirrors revealed two sinks, one with mirror wiped clean of steam by a man’s hand, so that the passes were uneven and quick, almost devoid of grace. The adjoining sink had no residue of shaving cream as its counterpart did. It did not feature the half dozen toiletries haphazardly set upon the white marble countertop.

Periodic gusts of fishy sea salt scented air would blow through the upstairs, twinkling the now invisible wind chimes, clanking the ice cubes in the glass threatening to knock the tapestry, a genuine Viking tableau of virility, off of the wall. As mid afternoon bowed into dusk, delicate sounds of chamber music intermingled with the light clinking of glasses and muffled laughter. Outside the window, distant rumblings of far away freighters could be heard, along with the incessant cawing of the puffin birds.

As the hours passed, a steady artic chill slowly replaced the balmy warm air of the afternoon. Wind gusts doubled in strength, toppling the vodka glass, sending melted ice cubes and diluted vodka into the dry carpet. The tapestry spun around its hook, landing face down in a pool of vodka water. The bathroom door slammed suddenly, as the entire room was now filled with a noticeable sea stench.