Becoming Marlow Fin: A Novel by Ellen Won Steil

Author:Ellen Won Steil [Steil, Ellen Won]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Published: 2024-07-23T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 27

* * *

ISLA

2004

It was late fall and most of the leaves had found their new home on the ground. I remember the swish, swish, crunch of Marlow’s steps. The black boots she wore had chunky heels that created wide imprints through the red and gold colors.

I had decided to take photos of her for my senior art project. At first, she loved the idea, exclaiming how she couldn’t wait to pose. But once in front of the camera, she became timid, nervous even.

I had never seen Marlow like this.

I clutched the Nikon I borrowed from the classroom, bouncing its heftiness in my hands as I tested the lighting with a few shots.

“What is this for again?” she asked, annoyed. A gust whipped some hair into her mouth, and she sputtered it away.

“My art class final. We have to use a medium we haven’t done yet. Photography is the one I chose,” I explained, snapping more shots.

“A few pictures of me and you can call it your final?”

“Well . . . I have to do a little more than that. It’s part of a bigger composition.”

She paused to tie her cream sweater around her waist and adjust her sterling silver cross necklace. The delicate chain made her collarbone look even smoother.

“Are we done yet?” she whined.

“Marlow,” I said through a sigh.

“Fine.”

She stood straight up and flapped her arms once.

“Maybe try walking toward me,” I suggested, keeping one hand on the camera as the other waved.

She took a few steps and then shook her head.

“What’s wrong?”

The wind blew her hair across her face again. When it fell away, I saw that she looked so . . . sad. As lost as she did the night we found her.

“I don’t want you to . . .” she whispered.

“Yes?” I urged impatiently.

Her eyes looked impossibly big, and her lips pressed together.

I let the camera fall to my side. I spoke gentler this time. “Marlow. It’s only me. Isla. Remember?”

She nodded, an electric relief taking over as she shook her hands out.

“I’ll try to make it quick. Okay?”

She walked away from me and then turned back, looking over her shoulder. The fleshiness of her upper lip looked so pink. It seemed to curl up and almost touch the end of her nose as she smiled and laughed at me. She seemed to melt into some other form of herself. Another Marlow who loved the camera.

“Should I twirl?” She placed her hands down at her sides and spun.

Even behind the small, dirty lens of the old camera, it was hard not to recognize the splendor she held in every movement of her frame.

“Sure,” I said. “Go for it.”

She suddenly turned straight toward me and widened her stance. She spread one hand over her face, her eye caught between her index and middle fingers.

“What do you think? Good enough for Vogue?” she quipped.

I snapped a few photos.

“Isla?”

“Just keep going,” I said.

Later that week, in the darkroom, I finally got around to developing the roll of film I took of her.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.