username .chamomile.
name Tenlie [ten-lee]
nick name Ten
gender male
age unknown; estimated to be in mid twenties
shadows name Marcus; usually goes by M
shadows gender Male
. . . i'm just a stray . . .
The dollmaker
dollmaker
he loved me so
With kindness and
gentle hands
he forged me anew . . .
Quiet streets. Lights are in the background glaring, striking his back like sunrays. His footsteps are light air making no noise on the grey concrete. Yellow sweater gold with drops of blue, unseen but not unheard. Humming a song, sad and melancholy. Beside him a flicker of a being, dark with soul bright with the heavens upon its chest. Bandages covering his face and his hands, scrapes and chipped paint on finger tips dragging through the rough sands of time. My, what ears does he have, what large shoes does he have. A purple scarf is dragging on the ground. A purple tail is swaying indecisively, waiting to pounce on some unknown prey. Sounds are in the city, chasing after them with blackened hands. The shadow walks, paws sinking into man made road. He floats, gentle, sweet. Where are they going?
. . . with bright eyes he gave me
with a smile so coy
reborn was I to love
With kindness and gentle
words
reborn I was to live . . .
“M, where are we going?” Tenlie asks. He is walking on the curb with the grace of a gymnast on the beams. He stares down below him at the painted concrete, cracking in some places, cars whirring by him. Marcus walks on the sidewalk, unseen to human eyes. He’s the one with more sense out of the two. Tenlie fancies himself the fun one, the one who would party if he were invited to them. The little Pomeranian yipped at him, annoyed.
“M?” Tenlie pauses to look at his companion.
“To find a place to spend the night,” Marcus responds. He hadn’t stopped walking, though he wasn’t that far ahead. His short legs could only carry him so quickly, Marcus could hardly run, even when he wanted to and tried to. Tenlie held him often, holding on to him as if he were the fragile porcelain that made up Tenlie’s being.
“Oh right,” Tenlie mutters, resuming his walk. “We should find a home soon, a place to stay forever.”
The Pomeranian only yips at him, annoyed.
. . . but for now am I lost
for have I lost my own being
to the skies and the waters
that flow in my soul of
porcelain fingers
gentle against the rain . . .
A shiver runs down my back. Marcus and I found a place to stay, just like every other night. How many nights have there been like this? With us crouched beneath a store oning, waiting to be kicked out? Underneath the stoop of a slum building, waiting to be left out? Sometimes the city is so cold that I forget I have life again. Sometimes I wish that I were the toy, once loved, left out in the mud to be discarded than this stray cat.
The night sounds are scary. I hear fights that are blocks away but they make my heart pound. My body is not so fragile, but I’m afraid that I’ll shatter like glass beneath the hands of some mercenary. I shudder at the thought of breaking and bring Marcus closer to my body, wrapping him in my scarf. I clutch life to my chest, afraid to live. I don’t have a job. I don’t have anyone to call my friend, I have nowhere to stay. I’m a stray, I wander. I like my life, unpleasant as it is. It’s only on nights like this with water dripping from the sky and soaking my clothing that I wish I were more stable. Settled. But I love to wander. Marcus keeps me in check. I don’t fight. I don’t cause trouble for anyone. I follow the laws, for the most part, yet people just glare at me calling me a good for nothing free loader.
Some nights I find I stray kitten in the alleyways mewling for food. I used to be like that kitten; lost, forgotten, searching for love. I was a broken toy, abandoned. I fancy that I save these kittens from a miserable fate by taking them in, but perhaps I’m only making things worse by letting them live and suffer through the world.
Oh, well. Sad thoughts are useless.
The rain will let up tomorrow.
Dollmaker
The Dollmaker
save me.
I have forgotten
Tell me
please tell me
Where am I going? . . .
yes, i bite
Tenlie is a little absentminded at times, and easily becomes distracted. His partner in crime Marcus constantly has to watch over the doll, who is as impatient and as needy as a toddler at times. Tenlie often gets labeled as a loner, since he's never seen with anyone or doing anything or paying attention to the environment around him. He's carefree and gentle, with a strange fascination for sweet confections. Though he may seem happy and light, Tenlie is often troubled by his current no home, no job, no friends situation. Oftentimes he spends the day wandering around New York City getting completely lost because his mind was elsewhere. Everyday is a new adventure for him and Marcus. They're always on the search for food to eat, a place to stay, or new people to meet. New York is a city full of life and energy, the perfect home for Tenlie who bounces from place to place living off the feeling of vitality in the air. There are the occasional days when he's full of life and excitement, sneaking into clubs and parties to talk to people, and snatch some food. He's made a few acquaintances here and there, and even went to a college party once. But these activities drain him, and Tenlie soon returns to his quiet, wandering pattern with Marcus. He's picky about what kind of people he wants to hang around and when he wants to be sociable.
the city
When Tenlie came to life, he first found himself trapped in a throng of people, walking the wrong way. The air around him was cool, the sun enough to warm him. There were golden and orange leaves falling from the few trees that lined the sidewalk. Tenlie looked like a tourist standing there, receiving the glares from the morning commuters as they rushed off to work. He continued to walk the wrong way with Marcus, exploring the city together. He would pick up spare change on the ground, occasionally finding a dollar on the subway station platforms (which he had snuck on to) to help pay for dinner that night. Thankfully, Marcus didn't need to eat as much or as often as Tenlie did, who was constantly craving the food that window paned bakeries had to offer. Their lives continued like this together, conversing when they felt like it, silence between them when they didn't. Marcus doesn't say much to Tenlie, as he follows him most of the time and guides Tenlie to the right path every now and then.extra! extra!
An interview with Tenlie.
Hi Tenlie! My names .chamomile. and I'll be asking you a few questions today.
Hmm? Alright. I've got plenty of time anyway.
Lovely, lets begin. What do you like most about Marcus?
There isn't anything that I like most, honestly. Well, maybe I like that he's smarter than I am. Without him, I'd be lost a lot, with no money or place to sleep. M doesn't talk much, even though we're partners. He's cute and fluffy though, really fun to hold. I guess thats it, really.
What's your dream home like?
Marcus and I looked at some apartments in downtown a couple of times, when I thought I would be getting a job soon enough and could afford a place to rent. Of course, I was never hired by anyone. I'm not the best candidate. But I remember this one place, small and simple. It had dark wooden floors that creaked, and white walls with huge windows looking over at another building. I was fine with the view, I don't really care much at what I look at. There was one bedroom and one bathroom, with a cozy little kitchen. It was perfect for me and Marcus, just the right size.
How come you can't get a job? Is it because you look lazy?
Eh, maybe. I mean, oversized scarf and sweater might scream lazy to some people, but it spells comfortable to me. Maybe it's because I'm too aloof. I dunno, I've always fancied myself a hard worker. I've applied to so many places but none of them have ever hired me. I just applied to this bakery near Central Park, maybe they'll hire me.
Why are you so obsessed with confections?
I like sweet things. Marcus and I barely have enough money to sustain ourselves. What we can buy in food is always nutritional. Apparently you can't live off of pastries and chocolates, so Marcus is always giving me advice on what to buy when we go out. Confections are so pretty too. I rather like staring at them through store windows, admiring the chef that created their delicate designs.
Where do you do most of your shopping?
In Chinatown of course. The shops there might seem sketchy, but they're truly wonderful. I can get really good food for cheap, if I go to the right places. My favorite part are those vendors selling fruits on the sidewalks. Sometimes they're out there, and sometimes they're not. Its unpredictable. Plus Chinese people are so welcoming and kind towards me, and they don't force me to talk when I don't want to.
Has anyone forced you to talk when you don't want to?
Well, yeah. Women are attracted to me for some reason, its strange. I have no interest in anyone really, and no one has any interest in me. If I'm too far away from Chinatown to make my rounds, I'll sometimes drop in at the local grocery store. The ladies there try to flirt with me a lot, and I feel like I'm being rude if I don't respond, event though most New Yorker's don't care. Its the worst at the counters, when they have plenty of time to ask you about your life and why I'm only buying a little food and that I should eat more or come over sometime.
What's your dream?
I want to go to college, but I can't afford it. I really want to go to a culinary school and learn how to make pastries and truffles and all of those desserts like the professionals do. It'd be nice to interact with others who had the same interests as me, and live in a dorm with someone. Then I could make my own food too, and not have to worry about eating or sleeping somewhere new every night. Maybe if I get the job at that bakery, the chef there will teach me a little something.
"Nine lives for the body, Ten lives for the soul"
Tenlies name is a play on the words "ten lives". He's a cat doll, and likes to believe that he has nine lives. This is his philosophy:
Each time he messes up, he will be remade and given a new shadow. Will he remember his past lives? Maybe, maybe not. The body may only have so many chances, but the soul has one more to redeem itself. At that point, on his tenth life, all of his previous lives will be reviewed and his fate decided. What that fate is, Tenlie hasn't decided. He can only hope to do well in this life, and to not break any time soon.
artx "Sketches"
x In the Rain
thank you!
I absolutely fell in love with this gorgeous guy, and hope that my form (though uncoded) brings across the character that I'm trying to create. I immediately saw him as a stray cat, like the kind that I used see in the neighborhood I used to live in. There were always so gorgeous looking, and always wanted food, but refused to let you touch them. I had a lot of fun creating this character, and sorry about the huge blocks of text, I just couldn't help myself!
