Death and the Maiden

[ksmith]

The autographing tables at Chicon were located in Back of Beyond, in a large space behind the Dealers Room that also contained displays, con tables, etc. Folks wandered in and out, some in costume.

During my Friday afternoon stint, someone walked by in an amazing yet eerie costume: a skeleton with glowing green eyes, enrobed in shadow-streaked white. I assumed s/he was Death, possibly Pterry’s Death. S/he loomed 8-9 feet in height, and moved with creepy smoothness. I don’t know how s/he managed to keep their balance while manipulating their arms and walking, but it was a sight.

After a few minutes’ walking around, Death stopped in front of a screen to pose for pictures. Quite a few of us dug out our cameras and snapped away. As we did, a little girl–3 years old, maybe?–walked up to Death and with no sign of fear whatsoever held out her hand.

Death gently took her hand. I was too far away to hear if s/he said anything, but s/he may have because the little girl turned and pointed. I snapped another pic as she did so.

Sometime later, I downloaded the pics and checked them out and…oh….

I thought for a moment that she had pointed at me, but I assume that she was pointing to her parents. Yes, that’s it. Parents.

Give me thy hand, oh! maiden fair to see,
For I’m a friend, hath ne’er distress’d thee.
–Der Tod und das Mädchen (Matthias Claudius)

Mirrored from Kristine Smith.

Comments

[marthawells.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, that's awesome. I wish I'd seen that costume.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

The thing that stuck with me was the smooth way the person moved. I saw a number of folks running around the convention on those springy prosthetic-like stilts, and I assume this is what Death wore.

Eerie.

[threeoutside.livejournal.com]

Quite eerie indeed. Especially since in the second shot the little girl's eyes appear to be...um...blank. *shiver*

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's what got to me.

Photographic serendipity. Couldn't have done it on purpose if I'd tried for a week.

[billroper]

Ah! That's my daughter, Julie. :)

Any chance of getting copies of the pictures? Thanks!

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

No problem--I'm glad you don't mind that I posted them. They are such cool images, and I couldn't get over the way that Julie just walked up to Death like it was a Disney princess or a puppy or something.

Pics on their way.

[billroper]

Oh, no problem with posting them. I've posted a great many pictures of the girls, as I'm fairly convinced that security through obscurity is not going to be a successful choice. :)

Death and the Maiden

[livejournal.livejournal.com]

User billroper referenced to your post from Death and the Maiden (http://billroper.livejournal.com/1059986.html) saying: [...] called my attention to some lovely pictures of Julie at Worldcon that Kristine Smith posted here [...]

[neonhummingbird.livejournal.com]

I saw this costume on its first trip through the dealers room -- Death came and loomed over me. I think the hope was for mock cowering, but I was too busy giggling in delight. :)

I wish I'd seen Death with the little girl -- thanks so much for sharing the photos!