Scatterbone

"It's empty in the valley of your heart, the sun it rises slowly as you walk…" The Once-ler's voice came out in a murmur that was almost more breath than voice, a stark contrast to its usual booming quality. Long fingers traced their way across guitar strings, plucking them absently with seemingly no obvious melody in mind. He faded between half-formed evocative chorus' and simple notes,  fingers occasionally twisting an awkward squeak from the strings. This would result in him shoving the long neck of the instrument down so he could reach a notebook on the floor, where he would cross off several lines of something or other before retur

So this is what my life has come to, he thought miserably as he sat in a corner and listened to the energetic chattering of his extensive family. Hiding in plain sight while everyone pretends they're not staring. It was obvious enough that they were, although apparently only his mother lacked the tact to at least fake disinterest. But he was used to her scrutiny. No, it was the attention of his less-nuclear relatives that bothered him most. His cousin Annette's family were particularly vile. Annette herself had always been rather kind to him as he was growing up; being several years older, she'd always acted somewhat protective of the younge