HtH98 – The Echoes Chamber
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Lumi is preparing for Opening Day.
The girl stands alone on a small, circular stage up front. Some time ago, the drawing room had burnt down due to an accident. The room was nearly rebuilt, looking almost unrecognizable from what it had been before.
The new room is built different from the other rooms, it is a circular room, lined with plush velvet seating, with soft, warm lighting. Lumi stands alone on the center stage, looking at the room they all had built. In time, this stage would soon be a place for plays, musical numbers, even… Spinaroonies!
For now, night had already fallen upon our theatre house, moonbeams the sole light source peeking into the newly rebuilt drawing room.
The girls had all pitched in to rebuild this room; Mistrál drew up the floorplans according to their requests, Ablam and Piaccta sawed the planks that made up the new flooring, even Minara moved in furniture from the annex with Hikari's help.
Giving a little hop off the stage, the girl passes by one of the many holographic projections of herself and her friends, courtesy of Mistrál's tinkering! The little light-projecting devices put on display life-size stills of the girls in their recent happy moments.
This one here is of Ablam waving and wearing red robes, a moment from their recent Nangmen trip no doubt!
This one went further back--- it was a selfie of Minara holding her camera up high and pulling Eclair into the short a little too tightly!
These are all precious past memories, shimmering with light, casting dancing shadows across the polished floor.
(soft, chime-like giggling)
Our teal-haired girl brushes her hands past the scores of books that line the little alcoves at the side. The middle of the room had been left empty, a place for people to sit, gather and enjoy the stage. Instead of one comfy couch, we now have many little chairs for a small, intimate audience.
Her gaze now turns to the wide windows that look out to the front garden. Under the moonlight, the small patch of roses she had cultivated are thriving, and have grown in size and number. What had once been one is now a small bushel, seeking tender care and watering. Near Piaccta's toolshed, her red bike rests against the wall, like a well-travelled guest who had finally found a place of rest.
There was no doubt about it---
there was something special about this room.
It was built to be inviting, with guests in mind.
It had been Lumi's dearest dream to tell her stories to the world.
And now, she was one step away.
What kind of people would walk through the doors from the outside? What would they think of the stories that were told inside this very room? Would there be children watching curiously from outside the window? These were the sort of questions that went through Lumi's mind.
Strangely, not once did she wonder; "Will there be people who visit?"
That was because the answer was a clear, and definite --- yes!
The girls have built something real, with all their hearts here.
In Lumi's eyes, she sees a beautiful space, a space that is not just a room, but a sanctuary –
A place where those from outside the house could drop by and enjoy a moment of deep conversation and shared contemplation.
And most of all, she sees a familiar figure standing there at the back of the room --- bathed in the warm glow of the windowside lamplight, radiating a quiet strength and a burgeoning sense of peace.
Our theatre house's ideals are like a lamplight that is passed down from one person to the next.
And now, they have passed into the hands of the young actress who can stand on her own.
(hand brushes against a line of books on a shelf)
Lumi's hands stop on a thin, paperback book, wedged in between two larger ones. With a little tugging effort, Lumi pulls the pamphlet-sized book out--- she was not disappointed, for the immediately delights upon seeing the cute velveteen rabbit on the cover.
She had never read this book before, but for some reason, it felt true to her.
(delighted, appreciative tone)
"Oh... this book... This shall be the first story I read!"
And so, our young actress decided on what she would read for Opening Day.
Opening Day is three days away.
"The greatest masterpiece you can create is not a building, but a life – a life filled with joy, with connection, and with a deep and abiding sense of self." - Lumi Tano.
We are trying something different! This is a simul-posting at the same time as the Scribblehub release! Go check out the entire series at this link!
