Love, Sam

//The following sets the background (non-passage space), using Chapel's built in colour tint system. config.style.backdrop: "pink-1" //The following sets the font to the default, in order of appearance, with a fallback of any default serif font on the device, size 18 font. config.style.page.font: "Iowan Old Style/Constantia/Georgia/serif 18" //The following sets the colour of the text on the colour of the passage config.style.page.color: "gray-8 on green-1" //The following styles links, first as they appear by default, and then when they are hovered over/clicked config.style.page.link.font: "underline" config.style.page.link.color: "blue-6" config.style.page.link.lineColor: "violet-3" config.style.page.link.active.color: "indigo-5 on green-1" //The following styles the header and footer's appearance in terms of font styling and size- the title and RESTART command of the story. config.style.page.header.font: "16" config.style.page.header.link.font: "small caps" config.style.page.footer.font: "16" config.style.page.footer.link.font: "small caps" -- <center><h1>[[Love, Sam->1]]</h1> sophia de augustine {reveal link: 'ABOUT', text: 'Love, Sam is a 500 word excerpt from the WIP The Love We Buried. This was entered into the Neo-Twiny Jam, 2024.'} </center>

“Papa says I have to be extra careful not to let Mihr into the medicine cabinet, because he can't take the painkillers that I do,” Sam explains. He's casually popping the lid on a bright orange prescription bottle, the noise drawing [[his kitten's attention->2]].

Mihr mews plaintively, fluffy white kitten sleepily raising his head from where he'd been dozing off on top of one of Nicholas' old t-shirts. Small snags and tears in the fabric are from Mihr's insistent kneading, as well as the smattering of white fur left across the [[heavy weight cotton->3]].

“The tricky thing about being sick, and having the sight-” Sam cuts himself off, drinking deeply from a glass of water as he tosses the pain relief down, draining it dry. He clumsily wipes at his chin, droplets splotching the front of his loose sleep shirt. It's baggy enough on him that the bump of Sam's chest port is hidden beneath the folds of fabric, a cute cartoon rendering of his pet cat leaping after a ball of dark blue yarn printed [[on the front->4]].

“-is that you have to be careful about the medication you take, to manage some of the side effects. It feels like I'm a compounding pharmacy run by a clownish circus of kitties who don't know how to do math,” Sam laughs. “But Mihr would do a good job- I have a beanie baby that looks just like him, his title is Mihr the Magnificent. He's a magician. An alchemist, but he knows all sort of wizardry spells, like levitation- and how to mix [[up cool potions->5]].”

Sam sets the glass down. It's made out of frosted plastic, with kittens frolicking with dice racing across the surface. He closes the pill bottle tightly, and slips it into the sidebag. ”I'm going to water the plants- it's fun putting stickers up onto the chart, Mihr loves to stare at them, I think he [[likes the colours->6]].”

Sam pulls his wheelchair closer to the couch, locking the brakes with a click- Mihr yawning as he rolls back over on Nicholas' t-shirt, kitten soon back to snoring softly as he snoozes. He flicks the footplate away to the side, and Sam lowers himself carefully down. “I was thinking of getting Mihr his own mini watering can, since he likes to drink out of the big one- and he likes to chew on the misting bottles,” Sam says. “He's a silly little guy. Real lucky he's cute,” he chuckles, turning his attention to the [[task at hand.->7]]

Afternoon sunlight sidles through the windows, throwing dappled shade over the living room. Sam is quiet as he waters the plants, water sparkling over the prayer plant's leafs, running over the rounded rim of peperomia in freshly [[painted, cheerful pots->8]].

“Thank you,” Sam says, quickly. “Thanks. For coming over- I had a great time decorating the pots with you. It's nice not to be alone, these days.” He smiles, pain flickering in his green eyes- [[mouth curved gently->start]].