Eric Jablow
2006-09-11 04:00:14 UTC
The characters of Cordelia, Dennis, Gunn, Wesley,
Winifred, and the general setting of Angel are the
possessions of Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt, Kuzui
Enterprises, Sandollar Entertainment, Fox Studios, and
the Warner Brothers Network. No infringement is
intended. Otherwise, this story is copyright © 2001 by
Eric Jablow. Please do not remove the copyright
information, or modify the story.
"The unmentionable odour of death
Offends the September night."
-- W.H. Auden,
September 1, 1939
Lack of Vision
by Eric Jablow
Dennis does not sleep. In the dark of the night, he
sits on Cordelia's couch and reads her magazines and
books, or he logs onto the Internet and chats with
strangers from all over the world. He has only been
able to enjoy life now that he's dead. Sometimes, he
thinks one of his correspondents is another ghost, but
there is really no way for him to tell.
As dawn approaches, he earns his keep. He sets the
coffee machine to brew that life-giving blessing, and
he prepares a tray for Cordelia's breakfast. He cannot
retrieve the newspaper, though; he cannot leave the
apartment. He does turn on the radio, however; he
listens to NPR's Morning Edition. He finds Howard Stern
revolting.
It's just before 6am, and he hears a report that shocks
him. He snaps on the television set in the den to see
what has happened, and then he sees the terrible
picture of the burning North Tower. He rushes into
Cordy's bedroom, something he never does, and he shakes
her awake.
"Dennis! What are you doing? Stop--"
Dennis lifts the remote control and flicks on her
bedroom television. Cordy stops dead. "Oh, my God."
Cordy moves to the end of the bed facing the
television; neither can believe what they are
seeing. They hear reports that an airplane hit the
building, but it doesn't register. Then, they hear the
screams and see the plane smash into the South
Tower. Cordelia herself screams, and they hear others
from all around the apartment complex.
They sit there for the next terrible hour; Dennis lifts
a quilt around her shoulders and wraps a phantom arm
around her, and they stare at the television
screen. The phone rings, and neither moves to answer
it.
Two hours later, they hear knocking at the front
door. They still don't move, and then someone unlocks
the door from the outside. Wesley, Fred, and Gunn walk
in, and they rush toward the bedroom. They see Cordelia
weeping uncontrollably; she turns to them and asks,
"Why didn't they warn me? Why didn't they send me a
vision? Do they not care?"
In Memoriam, 11 September 2001.
We shall not forget. We cannot forgive.
Winifred, and the general setting of Angel are the
possessions of Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt, Kuzui
Enterprises, Sandollar Entertainment, Fox Studios, and
the Warner Brothers Network. No infringement is
intended. Otherwise, this story is copyright © 2001 by
Eric Jablow. Please do not remove the copyright
information, or modify the story.
"The unmentionable odour of death
Offends the September night."
-- W.H. Auden,
September 1, 1939
Lack of Vision
by Eric Jablow
Dennis does not sleep. In the dark of the night, he
sits on Cordelia's couch and reads her magazines and
books, or he logs onto the Internet and chats with
strangers from all over the world. He has only been
able to enjoy life now that he's dead. Sometimes, he
thinks one of his correspondents is another ghost, but
there is really no way for him to tell.
As dawn approaches, he earns his keep. He sets the
coffee machine to brew that life-giving blessing, and
he prepares a tray for Cordelia's breakfast. He cannot
retrieve the newspaper, though; he cannot leave the
apartment. He does turn on the radio, however; he
listens to NPR's Morning Edition. He finds Howard Stern
revolting.
It's just before 6am, and he hears a report that shocks
him. He snaps on the television set in the den to see
what has happened, and then he sees the terrible
picture of the burning North Tower. He rushes into
Cordy's bedroom, something he never does, and he shakes
her awake.
"Dennis! What are you doing? Stop--"
Dennis lifts the remote control and flicks on her
bedroom television. Cordy stops dead. "Oh, my God."
Cordy moves to the end of the bed facing the
television; neither can believe what they are
seeing. They hear reports that an airplane hit the
building, but it doesn't register. Then, they hear the
screams and see the plane smash into the South
Tower. Cordelia herself screams, and they hear others
from all around the apartment complex.
They sit there for the next terrible hour; Dennis lifts
a quilt around her shoulders and wraps a phantom arm
around her, and they stare at the television
screen. The phone rings, and neither moves to answer
it.
Two hours later, they hear knocking at the front
door. They still don't move, and then someone unlocks
the door from the outside. Wesley, Fred, and Gunn walk
in, and they rush toward the bedroom. They see Cordelia
weeping uncontrollably; she turns to them and asks,
"Why didn't they warn me? Why didn't they send me a
vision? Do they not care?"
In Memoriam, 11 September 2001.
We shall not forget. We cannot forgive.
--
Respectfully,
Eric Jablow
Respectfully,
Eric Jablow