Flowers in the Attic: "Color All Days Blue, But Save One for Black"
Entry posted by Maggie Mae
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Color All Days Blue, But Save One for Black
I realize that this chapter title is referring to something earlier, but I can't remember where, or why they are coloring days. I also think that things are about to get really dark.
Cathy and Chris seem to have forgotten their worries, and are now dreaming of moving to Sarasota and joining the Circus. What child didn't dream of joining the circus? I know I for sure wanted to be a trapeze artist, just like Cathy. Or do horse tricks like on "Wild Horses Can't be Broken" staring no one I've ever heard of. For some reason I thought Christian Slater was in that film. I wonder what I'm mixing it up with.
While Chris is being creepy and telling Cathy:
QuoteGolly, Cathy, you'll look great in spangled pink tights.
Cory and Carrie get upset and say "NO." They don't like those plans. They don't want to fall. Was Pollyanna out yet? That kept me from climbing out of second story windows for years.
Cathy feels old, looking at her siblings and making plans. It's October.
One night, Chris tells Cathy "tonight." I assume it's the night of their escape, and not the night they decide to storm King's Landing, or try a new position from the Joy of Sex. Momma has taken off, not pausing in the doorway to look at her children. They put a pillowcase inside of a pillowcase, with plans to get all of the jewelry.
Of course, this is the night that Cory starts vomiting. He says his bones hurt. He's calling Cathy Momma. She wonders how he can throw up when there's nothing left. I too have wondered that after a night at [insert your schools party fraternity here]. (Sorry, bad taste, I know.) Chris goes to study medical journals while Cathy does all the real work of cleaning up Cory. Cory pleads "don't go and leave us behind" because obviously the incest twins didn't bother to explain to their sibs that they are coming too.
Carrie is barely three feet tall. She asks to sleep with Cory. Cory tosses and turns and asks for Carrie all night, despite their faces being very close to each other. Cathy cries.
Cathy thinks this is punishment for the sex. Except she doesn't say that, she says "for what we had done." and then talks about how the Grandmother had warned them up until the whipping. I don't get it. Was this written before she realized what their transgression would be? Did the Grandmother stop the lectures and warnings after the whippings?
Chris finally decides that it must be food poisoning. He suspects the milk. Cathy says she sniffs and tastes everything before giving it to the twins or Chris. She believes her tastebuds are keener than Chris's, and that he would eat rancid butter. She says the milk was fine. Chris than says it must be the burger. Cathy says it tastes fine and it must have tasted OK to Chris as well and gets a little dig into how he ate his, and half of Carries, and all of Cory's. Well, duh, if Cory didn't eat the burger it's not the burger.
Chris than changes the subject to Cathy, and says she's not eating. Cathy does plies at the dresser, because of course she does. He whines that she needs to eat more. Someone needs to smack him, and I'm not a violent person. He is an annoying person, though. And now we are onto the ... (dun dun dun..) doughnuts. Cory loves the doughnuts and those are also all that Cathy wants to eat. Is arsenic addictive? My internet search is inconclusive. I do know it takes quite a bit of arsenic to kill people, though, and it's in my well water. There's a legal limit and it's naturally occurring and everywhere.
Cathy continues to take care of Cory, changing his PJs, getting him to drink water. When the grandmother comes in, Cathy tries to get her attention. When the grandmother admonishes her for speaking out of turn, Cathy blows up and says that Cory needs a doctor. Grandmother leaves instead of looking at her grandchildren. Jerk.
Just as the older "Dollangangers" decide to unlock the door and go get Momma, she walks in. Momma and "the grandmother" hover over Cory, while Cathy wipes sweat from his brow. Cory can't breathe. Cathy is curious about how he can be sweaty and cold at the same time. I guess if they don't go to school, they don't get the flu.
Cathy yells at the physical adults.
QuoteWhy are you standing there whispering? What choice do you have but to take Cory to a hospital, and get him the best doctor available?
In response, Corrine and her mother stare at Cathy. Corrine "siled" over to Cory, even though they are still standing over him. Seeing him makes Corrine's lips tremble, hands shake, and she's holding back tears.
Cathy yells some more, telling Corrine to act like his mother.
This just pisses off Corrine more, and Cathy gets slapped. Cathy slaps back. It's a slapfight!
Sorry.
Grandmother is watching in satisfaction. I'm sure that this is something I'll learn more about in whatever book 5 is called. If I ever get that far.
Chris goes to hold Cathy back, before more slapping happens. Golly Gee, just throw a punch all ready!
Cathy sees her father's face. (?)
There is more shouting. Where are the servants? What about guests? Neighbors? (I know, there are no neighbors.) But there should be a groundskeeper and a chef and some gardeners and a stableboy, maybe a pool boy, a house cleaner, a personal assistant or two, a nurse for the dying grandfather. (I know, he's already dead.)
After a monologue of yelling, where they all just stand and listen instead of yelling back or tackling her or just walking away, Grandmother quietly says that Cory must go to a hospital.
***
The next night, the evilest mothers in the world come back to smuggle Cory out and to the Hospital. Carrie and Cathy want to go. They aren't allowed.
Notable things: Momma has a glassy blank stare. The three of them feed Mickey the Mouse, (oh, i just got that) and the mouse is sad. They wait. They try to sleep in the same bed. Cathy prays. She apologizes to God for sinning, and says there was no pleasure.
***
The next day Cathy does housework to fill the time. Corrine comes back to tell them Cory has died of pneumonia. Carrie screams.
There will be no funeral.
There's nothing to snark on here. They behave in logical ways, Carrie lines up Cory's shoes. (Once she finishes screaming) Everyone, including Momma is sad. (Although she does run away as fast as possible, which I actually do understand. I want no one around me when I'm grieving.)
She put a fake name on the tombstone, which is horrifying.
***
Carrie gets smaller and smaller every day, no one is eating. Everyone is crying.
Chris whispers that the three of them have to run before they all die like Cory. He thinks its because they are without resistance to germs. Sure.
Cathy doesn't want to die like a mouse in a trap. She makes plans to leave right away. Chris says no, they need more money. Chris is a dick. Granted, Cathy is already worrying about how they are no longer beautiful. She thinks they have educated themselves by reading and watching TV. She wonders why TV doesn't teach survival. Isn't Gilligan's Island on by now?
The next part is sad. Cathy removes Cory's clothing from the suitcase and cries and cries. and reads a poem/song that Cory had written.
***
She dreams of Cory and Christopher (her dad, not her brother-lover)
***
Her brother-lover wakes her up from that nice dream and yells at her. Ass.
She's confused because her brother looks so much like her father. Which makes this a lot creepier. Wait, it was super weird in the beginning (I started this over a year and a half ago) with "i'm in love with my dad" vibes, right?
She realizes that people never really die, they move on to a better place, and wait for their loved ones to join them.
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