Podfic - Mitchell’s Diary - Autumn Reflections
Trying something new. This is my recording of one of my Mitchell’s Diary stories. It’s just under 6 minutes.
Please note that English isn’t my first language. You can follow the very long subtitles text below. I had fun recording this and it’s a little scary posting it, but here I am. I hope that you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed writing and recording it.
One-shots in the series of Art & Vampires. Excerpts from Mitchell’s diary.
Words: 1028
Mitchell reflects upon the past and his relationship with New York City and his vampire life.
References to stories in the Art & Vampires series - 1. New Orleans and 6.New York
Art & Vampires is about the relationship and developments around Mitchell, a vampire and Amy (Ames), a human. It’s about the vampire world, the supernatural, but also about history, cities around the world, art, antiques and adventures.
Face claims vampires: Aidan Turner - John Mitchell, Richard Armitage - Rick Marlowe, Jaime Murray - Alana (Lana) Lenoir and Ben Barnes - Ben Sheldon. Humans: Mila Kunis - Amy (Ames) Quinn, Bianca Lawson - Lena Parker (witch).
List of Mitchell’s diary One Shots in the Art & Vampires Master list
Dividers by@firefly-graphics
We went back to New York, just Rick and me. Ames wanted to come, but we told her she couldn’t. That didn’t go over too well, but it was just business, you know and I didn’t want to linger here too long, since I’m not very fond of the place.
But I must admit that it wasn’t as dreadful as I had imagined it to be. I didn’t really want to come back here after what happened to Ames last year, being held hostage by those vile vampires just because of some dark relic. And of course because of the sad memories of the time after I lost my beloved Belle just after the turn of the century, the 19th century that is. I thought that I would be miserable with all those bad memories, but it was actually quite nice. It was just me and Rick again and we actually had a good time.
When we didn’t have to work, we met up with old friends, we enjoyed good dinners, some theater, art exhibitions and strolls through the park. We reminisced about the past and how everything has changed so much. I mean, I can talk to Ames about it but Rick and I, we lived through those years, you see, and we have seen it change with our own eyes. It’s just different talking about it with him.
But next to the fun times, there was plenty of time to reflect as well. Of course I haven’t forgotten the old days, how could I? New York and I have a history and it wasn’t always good. So much happened here on an emotional level. They say you forget physical pain, but emotional pain will always remain and I agree.
The other day, I took a stroll through Central Park. It’s beautiful this time of year, in autumn, or fall, as they call it here. Autumn sounds so much better in my ears though. It has a certain warmth to it, I think. I love the colors and the soft rays of sunlight making their way through the foliage to illuminate the fallen leaves on the ground and making the dew drops sparkle.
It was early and not too busy yet. I was taking in the fresh autumn air, my mind wandering to memories of old times like I wandered the paths of the park. It was so much different back in the day with all the carriages and horses. But even then, people were escaping the busy city, only to find themselves among everyone else again, but just in the park. In that respect nothing much has changed. I guess that when you live in a busy city like New York, there is no way of escaping people, really.
I stopped and took a moment to admire some of the old trees, the same trees who were planted here when the park was created or maybe have been here even longer, like us vampires. They too have seen the world change, from a sparsely populated marsh area with a couple of farms, to this, a rectangle piece of land, boxed in by all these skyscrapers. It’s not less pretty though. I quite like the contrast between the park and the shiny tall buildings surrounding it.
But as I stood there, taking in all the beauty and the relative calm, my mind wandered back to the old days, when we arrived here, after I lost Belle. It was like a switch was flipped in my mind back then. The human in me no longer cared if the beast in me came out and it sure did.
I remember watching the people gather in this park, observing the crowd, waiting until I found the right victim. I never fed on anyone here though. No, I carefully picked them and followed them back into the city at the end of the day, when darkness fell. There, in the dark and deserted alleys, I would feed until the pain of my memories was reduced enough to feel alive again and I was ready to go home and do it all over again a couple of days later, until finally, Rick, Alana, Ben, they succeeded in quieting the beast in me. It will always be there, but I had it under control, for a while. But I don’t want to go there with my thoughts right now.
Those were very dark times, but experiencing New York like this, relaxed, happy, more human than beast, it healed my feelings about the city. I don’t dislike it as much as I used to and I’m even thinking of taking Ames Christmas shopping here, since she didn’t get a chance last year. She will love that.
I’m happy that my feelings towards New York have changed. We have a special bond, me and her and I think that there is hope for us. After all, she has been my home in a time when I needed a refuge, a place to heal. And she still is, even though New Orleans feels like my real home now and I will be happy to return there and to my beloved Ames tomorrow. I can’t wait to hold her in my arms again. We have only been apart for one week, but it feels like an eternity.
PS. I’m debating if going Christmas shopping is really something I would like to do or if it is a strategy to avoid Amy’s cold treatment when I get back. I mean, she made it pretty clear that she was very disappointed that she couldn’t come with us and that is putting it lightly. Maybe I’m just dreading her reaction. I just hope that the gift I bought her and the promise of Christmas shopping will redeem me. I know that I am supposed to be a vicious, scary and strong vampire, but somehow Ames has the power to make me forget all that when she is angry with me. Being human is very complicated sometimes. Or maybe love is. And I don’t think that being immortal and living forever will be enough to figure out either one of those.
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