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Post by Quasimodo on Jun 6, 2008 13:50:25 GMT -5
*High above Paris, in the great unfinished stone bell tower of Notre Dame, a creature lurked. Not a dangerous or malicious creature, but one that was not, by the majority of the population, considered human. Here he lived, and ate, and rang the bells. Life and order in Paris depended on his competency in this respect, and he did a good job.*
*Ten o'clock Sunday, and he had to ring the bells for high Mass. Gripping the worn rope, he threw his weight against the weight of the great bells. They swayed above him, too heavy to yet be moved. Again he threw his weight and strength into coaxing them to sound. After a few great pulls, he felt himself lifted by the bells, each of whom he had named. The force of the swinging bells catapulted him up, and gravity pulled him down before the bells caught him again. He held fast to the rope by the great strength of his arms, hearing the bells begin to toll melodiously.*
*His stomach flip-flopped as he flew up and down, up and down.*
*When the bells had rung as befitted the week's most important mass, he leaped to the platform below and made his way to his model of Paris to continue work on the figure of the baker in the square below.*
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Post by Quasimodo on Jun 6, 2008 21:14:57 GMT -5
**NEW SCENE**
*Quasi led her up to the platform where the bells were, lifting her tiny frame up the gap between the stairs and the platform easily.*
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Post by Pina on Jun 6, 2008 21:21:04 GMT -5
*Her mother would be furious when she arrived home with her dress all covered in cobwebs and dust from the passages leading to the tower, but she didn't particularly care.*
"Thank you," *she said, dusting herself off and looking around.*
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Post by Quasimodo on Jun 6, 2008 21:22:25 GMT -5
"These are the bells." *He said unnecessarily, pointing at them all.* "Would you like to meet them?" *He cocked his head and looked at her curiously.*
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Post by Pina on Jun 6, 2008 21:28:05 GMT -5
"Um, all right," *she said, looking at them. She hadn't expected the bells to be so huge and intimidating looking.*
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Post by Quasimodo on Jun 6, 2008 21:32:17 GMT -5
*He smiled at her before hopping with a surprising grace and gesturing to one of the bells.*
"That's Little Sophia, and..." *He swing thorough the rafters rapidly and gestured to three near-identical bells in succession.* "Jean Marie, Ann Marie, and Louise Marie. Triplets, you know." *He stopped on a platform a bit higher than the one Pina was one, but which connected by stairs. Next to him was a bell that absolutely dwarfed him. He had a goofy little grin on his malformed face.*
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Post by Pina on Jun 6, 2008 21:40:42 GMT -5
*She watched him as he 'introduced' the bells, one eyebrow raised. Poor thing, without human contact up here had had to make do with only the bells. She smiled at him, though he couldn't see it.*
"They're very pretty," *she said.*
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Post by Quasimodo on Jun 6, 2008 21:41:55 GMT -5
"And this is Big Marie." *He banged on the bell with a fist, making a low, rich, resonating noise that wasn't too loud.*
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Post by Pina on Jun 6, 2008 21:44:45 GMT -5
*She nodded, clearly impressed.*
"It's magnificent."
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Post by Quasimodo on Jun 6, 2008 21:46:02 GMT -5
*He was practically hopping with excitement.*
"But come over here..."
*He led her up the ladder to the platform at the top of the bell tower and gestured.* "... and you can see all of Paris."
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Post by Pina on Jun 6, 2008 21:56:16 GMT -5
*She gasped, eyes wide. She could see everything. There was the Seine, and patches of green for parks, and she could see the opera from here and... It was almost overwhelming.*
"Oh my God."
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Post by Quasimodo on Jun 6, 2008 21:57:11 GMT -5
*He smiled goofily some more, but also looked somewhat proud. He straightened as best he could.*
"The King himself doesn't have a view like this."
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Post by Pina on Jun 6, 2008 22:00:22 GMT -5
"No..."
*She didn't turn around.*
"I could just look out here forever."
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Post by Quasimodo on Jun 6, 2008 22:01:05 GMT -5
*He shuffled up to stand next to her, looking down at the square.*
"I used to want to go down there." *He said in a small voice.*
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Post by Pina on Jun 6, 2008 22:03:43 GMT -5
"Used to?"
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