They were so few in the beginning, they banded together against instinct. Their nature would lead them to be solitary hunters, but they knew they would find strength in number.
Bred for some dark, discarded purpose, left alone.
They named themselves the Ra’ku, and they found their own purpose.
There were three castes, the calculating Alphas, the violent Warriors, and the intelligent Muted Ones. Their bodies muscular, covered in dense grey fur, darker around their eyes, standing around 6 feet tall.
They dug tunnels to hide from those who might interfere. They had a plan, and by generations, they had grown to an unnumbered multitude.
Se’l looked down on the Thousand Generals from his high lectern in the great meeting hall.
It was a giant tubular room, which could hold many more than the Thousand Generals, whose numbers were far greater than their name might imply, and all their many attendants. It’s acoustics designed to carry sound from where Se’l stood to it’s furthest rounded corner.
Surrounding this room was a maze of tunnels leading to thousands of rooms for, housing of their great number, their large stores of food, and their many hoarded weapons.
From his high position Se’l’s voice boomed with a great amount of command, the Thousand Generals jumped to attention.
“WE WILL BRING THE HUMANS DOWN FROM THEIR HIGH PEDESTAL AND WE WILL FIGHT THEM ONE ON ONE! THIS WORLD WILL BE OURS!”
The generals and their many attendants gave an animal roar of approval. Stopping only when Se’l raised his hands, he spoke again.
“Soon my brothers, our plan will come to fruition, the dreams of our grandfathers achieved-“
Another approving cheer interrupted him. Se’l raised his hands for silence again and continued.
“You my precious Thousand Generals must be ready, our training must be intensified, and our weapons must be made sharp. Our thoughts, our breath, our blood focused on one purpose.”
The Thousand Generals and their many attendants yelled again, and Se’l looked down on them and thought about how much he hated the Warrior caste, dirty violent creatures bred only for violence. When this war was over, they would have to be dealt with, Se’l knew that for certain.
“General Vize will speak now; he will lay out our plan for the coming weeks. Only through following our plan will we succeed, that is what makes us stronger, better.” Se’l paused and drew a before shouting “Our unity!”
Se’l left his lectern to a wave of noise as General Vize took his place. One of the better warriors, Se’l thought to himself, he could almost pass for an alpha, his snout was to short though.
As he entered the corridor behind the great hall, Vex ran up to him.
“Another human came to the forest Se’l, he got away” Vex said hurriedly.
“What! How did he get away?” Se’l yelled angrily.
“I don’t know, the Warrior who was hunting him said it seemed like the human knew he was there.”
“What is this Warrior’s name?” Se’l asked with a barely hidden contempt.
“Bri’el, he’s impulsive, but promising as a young Warrior,” Vex said.
Se’l looked contemplative then said coldly, “See to it everything is made right, and see to it that he is punished.”
Vex wanted to say something, but stood silent and nodded.
After a silent between them over which, the chanting of the gathered multitude in the great hall could be heard,
“How is the devise coming along?” Se’l asked slowly,
Vex avoided his gaze and replied, “It is good; the Muted Ones have indicated that it will be done very soon.”
“Excellent, I will go inspect it.”
Hastily Vex said, “That’s not necessary, you know how the Muted Ones hate to be disturbed.”
Se’l stared at Vex hard; Vex was barely able to suppress a shiver.
“I will go inspect it,” Se’l said leaving the room, Vex followed on his heels.
Down dark, twisting tunnels, deeper and deeper into the Earth, Se’l and Vex walked a path they had gone down many times. At the end, they knew they would find the place of the Muted Ones, Ra’ku that could not speak, but had a way with machines that others did not. Compared to other Ra’ku the Muted Ones were smaller, their fur paler, with nimble fingers.
With scavenged pieces, they had built the device. Using the tools of the humans against them, they would level the playing field. In it’s present state, the devise could jam high frequency signals, but at full power it would blackout cities.
With one energetic pulse, they would gain dominance. Se’l looked upon it with awe for several minutes, and then the sobering reality of the dream came to his mind.
Communicating with the Muted Ones was a difficult process, their eyes staring seemingly in another place, they moved their mouths but no noise came out, there was no seemingly pattern, their hands gestured, but the message communicated was all in vague inferences.
One of the Muted Ones approached Se’l, he’d always assumed this was the leader, or at least their representative, as this one always acted as emissary. Se’l referred to him as el, a half name meaning ‘lost’.
el’s blank eyes met Se’l’s and a chill went down Se’l’s spine, el gestured first at the machine then at the ground. His mouth moving in silent mimicry of some unknown language, el pointed to the high ceiling, never taking his eyes away from Se’ls. el spun around in a circle, his tail hitting Se’l.
The message was not entirely clear to Se’l, but he estimated it’s meaning based on his long experience. “It would be done soon, but we needed more power,” they always needed more power, Se’l thought to himself, about where to get it this time, if they drew anymore from the humans grid they would notice, but their geothermal plant was already running at overcapacity.
el turned and walked away apparently finished.
Se’l gestured Vex to his side, “Inform General Vize to meet me in the war room, we need to find a way to increase our available power.”
“Right away,” Vex said turning and leaving the way they’d come in.
Se’l listened to the device’s dull hum and watched the Muted Ones work. Tweaking and adjusting, the machine as it grew bit by bit.
It was the plan and it was coming together.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Strange Happenings in the Woods - 2
Detective Channing hoped that they had just gone camping and not notified anyone, but he suspected that was not it. Simon and Annabelle Dane had been missing for four days. The file sat on the seat next to him as he drove; they appeared to be an ordinary couple.
Thanks to the magic of GPS when Anna’s mother had reported them missing they had been able to track Simon’s car using his Onstar. Deep in the heart of Mark Twain National Forest, an odd spot to leave your car Detective Channing thought cynically.
Detective Ryan Channing was a sturdy man, he’d begun to become rounder in the middle but he tried to stay in shape, 6 feet tall exactly, brown hair starting to grey. Channing was wondering why he’d been drawn to this assignment, a missing persons case with a car deep in the woods going to be a pain in the ass, but when this case came up during the morning briefing Channing jumped at it because he had a feeling. Sometimes Detective Channing knew things, things that it should be impossible for him to know. Not like a psychic thing, just a sense of the right places to go and which questions to ask, like a teleprompter in his head, Channing just had to say and do what this guiding feeling told him to do.
This talent of Channing’s had earned him more than a few commendations. He had a talent for showing up at the right time, this time though Channing knew in his gut that he was too late, but that there was something deeper here.
At the suggestion of his dashboard GPS’s digital voice, Channing pulled off the access road and onto the gravel side, he spotted Simon Dane’s car and rolled up to it slowly.
The trunk was open and nobody was around.
Channing got out of his car, making a slow sweep with his eyes looking carefully at the forest around him. Detective Channing was always cautions, but here he felt he had to be especially on his toes. Channing slowly approached the car, as he got closer, he saw that there where blood stains in the trunk’s carpet.
Channing looked around suddenly, he got the feeling he was being watched. He noticed that caught in a low branch at the forests edge was a piece of heavy plastic. Detective Channing walked over and bent down to investigate it, a breadcrumb trail of blood led off into the forest.
Channing walked back to Simon’s car and made a brief sweep of the interior, seeing nothing of any immediate importance he returned to his car and got on the radio.
“This is 5-1-Leo-5, I’ve found Simon Dane’s car, there is a blood trail leading off into the woods. I am going to follow it, have a forensics team get out here and look at the car. Over”
Static greeted Detective Channing, there was no response, and Ryan Channing felt eyes upon him again.
Again, he swept his surroundings with his eyes, again he saw nothing.
Channing thought to himself for a minute, drew his gun and walked into the forest following the path of blood.
With his gun taking point, Detective Channing ventured further and further into forest, following a trail of blood, disturbed earth and ripped plastic bits.
Dragging a body seemed so disrespectful to Channing, and an unceremonious burial in the woods was just sad.
The trail stopped abruptly in a small clearing, bloody plastic and ground marked the end of this treasure hunt.
No body though, this was disconcerting Channing thought. Channing made a slow circle of the clearing, broken branches lead back and slightly to the left of the way he had come.
Channing pushed a branch out the way with his gun and started following this new trail, of disturbed and broken branches. Hearing a noise Detective Channing spun quickly, his gun found no target; he steadied his breath and listened. Nothing out of the ordinary came to his attention; Channing turned back and continued along the trail.
This path was different from the other Channing noticed, more erratic, like a chase.
After a few odd twists and turns, Channing found himself in another clearing with not one but two blood stained spots on the ground. What was going on here, he thought to himself.
Detective Channing made a slow circle of this clearing with his eyes; he found no convenient paths leading off for him to follow. Something caught Channing’s eye, he walked over to it quickly and bent down, it looked like a jawbone from some odd creature, Channing picked it up and put it into a plastic bag he had in his pocket.
A rustling in the forest made Channing stand quickly, he breathed slowly and listened, making a slow, slow sweep with his eyes.
Channing knew then it was time to leave, he could feel it.
He began walking quickly back to his car, his excellent since of direction leading the way, he heard rustling behind him, Channing knew if he turned he would see nothing.
Now was not the time to look back anyway, Channing had to get to his car.
The edge of the woods was within sight, after a few more steps Channing could see the cars, there were footsteps behind him now and they were getting closer. Channing broke into a sprint; he could hear his chaser speed up to match him.
Channing cleared the edge of the wood and had his keys out of his pocket, deftly hitting the unlock and remote start on his keychain, he prepared his getaway.
Channing got in his car slamming the door closed behind him, from out of the woods a grey monster ran, it skid to a stop in front of him and leaped onto the hood of his car. It’s red eyes boring in to Channing’s, it looked like a giant demonic raccoon, hands with the parody of fingers.
It wore metal claws.
Channing stomped the accelerator and his car took off in an explosion of speed, the raccoon creature went flying over the roof.
“What the hell was that!?” Detective Channing screamed as he looked in the rearview mirror, watching the horrible thing get farther away.
Channing got on the radio again, “This is Detective Channing, 5-1-Leo-5, please respond, over.”
Static.
He tried again but received the same response. Channing changed the frequency and trying to find any one that worked; his efforts were met at every turn with silence and static.
As he cleared the boundaries of the park and got back on the freeway his radio gave a burst of noise, a chill ran down Detective Channing spine, he knew that was significant but he didn’t know why.
“Detective Channing come in this is Station 6, please reestablish contact, over.” The radio called out.
Acting with haste Channing picked up the mic and said, “It’s good to hear your voice again Captain, I found Simon’s car… and something else, something really weird”
“And what pray tell would that be?” Captain Jeffery Carter asked harshly.
“I don’t know I’ll,” Channing said softly, and after a pause, “We need to send a Crime scene unit to the location, but they need to be guarded,”
“Seriously Channing, what is going on here?” Captain Carter said barely restraining himself, you could see the vein in his forehead bulge even over the radio.
“I’ll tell you when I get back,” Channing said,
“And when will that be?”
“Soon”
“It better be Channing”
“Alright, alright, see you when I get there” Channing rushed to say before turning his radio off, he did not need that kind of stress right now.
Channing had to think. What the hell was going on in the woods, two murder sites, and what the fuck was that thing that had chased him.
The piece of jaw Channing had found seemed to match that of that monster’s; with any luck it would identify whatever that thing was.
Channing drove in silence, his mind a churning maelstrom of unanswered questing, his instincts where oddly quiet.
It was starting to get dark by the time he got back to the city, they won’t mind if I stop and get some dinner, he thought to himself as he pulled into the parking lot of a generic chain restaurant. The cheap coffee helped him think, and Detective Channing knew he needed anything that would give even the slightly edge in this mystery.
Thanks to the magic of GPS when Anna’s mother had reported them missing they had been able to track Simon’s car using his Onstar. Deep in the heart of Mark Twain National Forest, an odd spot to leave your car Detective Channing thought cynically.
Detective Ryan Channing was a sturdy man, he’d begun to become rounder in the middle but he tried to stay in shape, 6 feet tall exactly, brown hair starting to grey. Channing was wondering why he’d been drawn to this assignment, a missing persons case with a car deep in the woods going to be a pain in the ass, but when this case came up during the morning briefing Channing jumped at it because he had a feeling. Sometimes Detective Channing knew things, things that it should be impossible for him to know. Not like a psychic thing, just a sense of the right places to go and which questions to ask, like a teleprompter in his head, Channing just had to say and do what this guiding feeling told him to do.
This talent of Channing’s had earned him more than a few commendations. He had a talent for showing up at the right time, this time though Channing knew in his gut that he was too late, but that there was something deeper here.
At the suggestion of his dashboard GPS’s digital voice, Channing pulled off the access road and onto the gravel side, he spotted Simon Dane’s car and rolled up to it slowly.
The trunk was open and nobody was around.
Channing got out of his car, making a slow sweep with his eyes looking carefully at the forest around him. Detective Channing was always cautions, but here he felt he had to be especially on his toes. Channing slowly approached the car, as he got closer, he saw that there where blood stains in the trunk’s carpet.
Channing looked around suddenly, he got the feeling he was being watched. He noticed that caught in a low branch at the forests edge was a piece of heavy plastic. Detective Channing walked over and bent down to investigate it, a breadcrumb trail of blood led off into the forest.
Channing walked back to Simon’s car and made a brief sweep of the interior, seeing nothing of any immediate importance he returned to his car and got on the radio.
“This is 5-1-Leo-5, I’ve found Simon Dane’s car, there is a blood trail leading off into the woods. I am going to follow it, have a forensics team get out here and look at the car. Over”
Static greeted Detective Channing, there was no response, and Ryan Channing felt eyes upon him again.
Again, he swept his surroundings with his eyes, again he saw nothing.
Channing thought to himself for a minute, drew his gun and walked into the forest following the path of blood.
With his gun taking point, Detective Channing ventured further and further into forest, following a trail of blood, disturbed earth and ripped plastic bits.
Dragging a body seemed so disrespectful to Channing, and an unceremonious burial in the woods was just sad.
The trail stopped abruptly in a small clearing, bloody plastic and ground marked the end of this treasure hunt.
No body though, this was disconcerting Channing thought. Channing made a slow circle of the clearing, broken branches lead back and slightly to the left of the way he had come.
Channing pushed a branch out the way with his gun and started following this new trail, of disturbed and broken branches. Hearing a noise Detective Channing spun quickly, his gun found no target; he steadied his breath and listened. Nothing out of the ordinary came to his attention; Channing turned back and continued along the trail.
This path was different from the other Channing noticed, more erratic, like a chase.
After a few odd twists and turns, Channing found himself in another clearing with not one but two blood stained spots on the ground. What was going on here, he thought to himself.
Detective Channing made a slow circle of this clearing with his eyes; he found no convenient paths leading off for him to follow. Something caught Channing’s eye, he walked over to it quickly and bent down, it looked like a jawbone from some odd creature, Channing picked it up and put it into a plastic bag he had in his pocket.
A rustling in the forest made Channing stand quickly, he breathed slowly and listened, making a slow, slow sweep with his eyes.
Channing knew then it was time to leave, he could feel it.
He began walking quickly back to his car, his excellent since of direction leading the way, he heard rustling behind him, Channing knew if he turned he would see nothing.
Now was not the time to look back anyway, Channing had to get to his car.
The edge of the woods was within sight, after a few more steps Channing could see the cars, there were footsteps behind him now and they were getting closer. Channing broke into a sprint; he could hear his chaser speed up to match him.
Channing cleared the edge of the wood and had his keys out of his pocket, deftly hitting the unlock and remote start on his keychain, he prepared his getaway.
Channing got in his car slamming the door closed behind him, from out of the woods a grey monster ran, it skid to a stop in front of him and leaped onto the hood of his car. It’s red eyes boring in to Channing’s, it looked like a giant demonic raccoon, hands with the parody of fingers.
It wore metal claws.
Channing stomped the accelerator and his car took off in an explosion of speed, the raccoon creature went flying over the roof.
“What the hell was that!?” Detective Channing screamed as he looked in the rearview mirror, watching the horrible thing get farther away.
Channing got on the radio again, “This is Detective Channing, 5-1-Leo-5, please respond, over.”
Static.
He tried again but received the same response. Channing changed the frequency and trying to find any one that worked; his efforts were met at every turn with silence and static.
As he cleared the boundaries of the park and got back on the freeway his radio gave a burst of noise, a chill ran down Detective Channing spine, he knew that was significant but he didn’t know why.
“Detective Channing come in this is Station 6, please reestablish contact, over.” The radio called out.
Acting with haste Channing picked up the mic and said, “It’s good to hear your voice again Captain, I found Simon’s car… and something else, something really weird”
“And what pray tell would that be?” Captain Jeffery Carter asked harshly.
“I don’t know I’ll,” Channing said softly, and after a pause, “We need to send a Crime scene unit to the location, but they need to be guarded,”
“Seriously Channing, what is going on here?” Captain Carter said barely restraining himself, you could see the vein in his forehead bulge even over the radio.
“I’ll tell you when I get back,” Channing said,
“And when will that be?”
“Soon”
“It better be Channing”
“Alright, alright, see you when I get there” Channing rushed to say before turning his radio off, he did not need that kind of stress right now.
Channing had to think. What the hell was going on in the woods, two murder sites, and what the fuck was that thing that had chased him.
The piece of jaw Channing had found seemed to match that of that monster’s; with any luck it would identify whatever that thing was.
Channing drove in silence, his mind a churning maelstrom of unanswered questing, his instincts where oddly quiet.
It was starting to get dark by the time he got back to the city, they won’t mind if I stop and get some dinner, he thought to himself as he pulled into the parking lot of a generic chain restaurant. The cheap coffee helped him think, and Detective Channing knew he needed anything that would give even the slightly edge in this mystery.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Strange Happenings in the Woods - 1
The darkness of the forest was oppressive. Simon Dane could feel it push down around him, it made his cargo all the heavier. Simon thought about that old saying the one that says a real friend would help you move a body and he realized that if it was true then in fact he had no real friends. Probably for the better though, Simon though, less people to worry about with a secret. As it stood now the only witnesses were present, Simon Dane and the body he dragged.
Having never buried anyone in the woods before, Simon had no Idea how far into the woods to go before he should start digging the hole, he was already pretty in, and the woods where really starting to spook him. The bag had ripped; it was getting worse with ever step. Simon had intended to carry the body over his shoulder but, had been impeded by rigor mortis. Having never killed anyone before he had no idea how stiff and heavy a body would be.
Simon stopped, four more paces should be good enough, he thought to himself. On the second step a giant raccoon or something, all Simon saw was giant teeth, ran out in front of him. Simon dropped the legs, and backed slowly away.
The raccoon-thing had stared, a gleam of hellfire in its red eyes, as Simon backed away. Only after Simon was a football field away did it begin its work. It had first sniffed around the bag slowly, and then it became interested in the hole that had formed at the end of the bag, the head of the body, a mask of blond hair and broken skin, sticking almost entirely out. With a seeming demonic possession, it went into a furry, devouring the head in a bloodstained blur. The raccoon-thing stood then red half-congealed molasses blood running down its previously grey front. It stepped forward onto the body, bent down and with a surgical precision cut the plastic bag open with what looked to Simon like a very long talon.
Simon watched, for seven minutes, from behind a tree at a very sizable safe distance as the raccoon-thing made a meal of the body. It was big, at least 5 feet tall when it stood on its hind legs. It was a monster raccoon thing, fur matte grey, its eyes the red of an albino rat, an intimidating creature. It was deftly calculating with its movements Simon thought, as if it was enjoying it.
Simon Dane sneezed.
It looked the raccoon-thing, the monster, right into Simon’s eyes and like a laser pierced right into his soul.
Simon was running. He was lost and he knew it, but he had heard it following him.
Simon stopped dead and ducked quickly into a large tree’s deep shadow; with every ounce of control he had, he suppressed breathing that wanted to gasp. If he got out of this, he would quick smoking, Simon was sure of it. He listened; the forest made too much noise on its own, something was always moving in the forest at night, how was he supposed to tell if the rustling was a doe or a monster. Simon peer around the tree, and the eyes greeted him again.
Twenty feet away stood the raccoon-thing, covered in blood; its piercing laser red eyes matched the blood on its front.
It moved then.
Simon stood frozen by the eyes, a deer in headlights. With amazing speed, it was upon him. The raccoon-thing tackled Simon to the ground. It stood on top of him, the bloody matted hair of the rabid creature acted like a paintbrush covering Simon in an abstract painting of gore.
Simon was puking as soon as he tasted it, a chunk of body or brain had fallen into his mouth. The projectile stream of stomach acid saved Simon Danes life. Like a guided missile, the acid result of an empty stomach forced to run through the forest, had hit those red, hellfire eyes. The raccoon-thing stood and shuffled away, trying to wipe the burning out of its eye but only succeeding in rubbing blood in them instead.
Simon Dane stood up, wobbly and bruised but okay. Standing over the raccoon-thing as it howled in agony.
Simon thought about what to do.
With an impulse jerk of sudden swift motion, Simon kicked the raccoon-thing in its snout as hard as he could. The raccoon-thing’s jaw broke, flesh tore and the raccoon-thing’s lower mandible went flying. It cried out it pain.
Simon kicked it again.
and again.
Again… faster and harder with every kick.
Blood covered Simon, in but he kept kicking. His foot hurt and the monster had stopped moving a while ago, but he kept kicking.
Simon lay exhausted a few feet from the body of the slain predator, breathing deeply trying to calm down.
It was too late by the time Simon felt the eyes upon him. Simon was not scared and he knew that was weird. Their red eyes looked at him through the darkness, Simon stood slowly, and their eyes followed. He took a step forward and their eyes moved with him. Karma is a dangerous dance Simon thought to himself as he made a daring sprint at a small break in the raccoon-thing’s line.
His arm was a dagger of molten pain, his leg exploded with a nuclear payload, Simon Dane screamed as he fell.
The raccoon-things made short work of him, their numbers dwindled as he did, until Simon Dane was gone and only two raccoon-things remained near the blood stained ground that was the only evidence that Simon was ever there.
Only when all else were gone and the forest was quit did the tallest of them speak.
“Does this disturbance impede our plans Vex?”
“No Se’l it does not, but what will we do about Fi’el, the human scum murdered one of our best warriors, we’ll need them all soon,” Vex said to him with hatred in his voice.
“It does not matter, Fi’el was a fool, alerting a human to his existence and nearly letting him escape. We cannot have fools in our army Vex,” Se’l looked at his old friend then and breathed deeply through his long nose, “We must speed up our plans Vex.”
“It will be done,” Vex said, he turned and ran with a surprising burst of speed into the forest.
Se’l was alone then, he listened to the forest, and though his eyes worked well in the dark, he felt the darkness oppressive around him. He could feel it push down around him.
This plan has to work, Se’l thought to himself, or the humans will just keep coming, and more of us will die.
“Our oppression will end soon, and we will no longer have to hide,” Se’l said aloud, then dashed into the dark recess of a tree and diapered underground.
Having never buried anyone in the woods before, Simon had no Idea how far into the woods to go before he should start digging the hole, he was already pretty in, and the woods where really starting to spook him. The bag had ripped; it was getting worse with ever step. Simon had intended to carry the body over his shoulder but, had been impeded by rigor mortis. Having never killed anyone before he had no idea how stiff and heavy a body would be.
Simon stopped, four more paces should be good enough, he thought to himself. On the second step a giant raccoon or something, all Simon saw was giant teeth, ran out in front of him. Simon dropped the legs, and backed slowly away.
The raccoon-thing had stared, a gleam of hellfire in its red eyes, as Simon backed away. Only after Simon was a football field away did it begin its work. It had first sniffed around the bag slowly, and then it became interested in the hole that had formed at the end of the bag, the head of the body, a mask of blond hair and broken skin, sticking almost entirely out. With a seeming demonic possession, it went into a furry, devouring the head in a bloodstained blur. The raccoon-thing stood then red half-congealed molasses blood running down its previously grey front. It stepped forward onto the body, bent down and with a surgical precision cut the plastic bag open with what looked to Simon like a very long talon.
Simon watched, for seven minutes, from behind a tree at a very sizable safe distance as the raccoon-thing made a meal of the body. It was big, at least 5 feet tall when it stood on its hind legs. It was a monster raccoon thing, fur matte grey, its eyes the red of an albino rat, an intimidating creature. It was deftly calculating with its movements Simon thought, as if it was enjoying it.
Simon Dane sneezed.
It looked the raccoon-thing, the monster, right into Simon’s eyes and like a laser pierced right into his soul.
Simon was running. He was lost and he knew it, but he had heard it following him.
Simon stopped dead and ducked quickly into a large tree’s deep shadow; with every ounce of control he had, he suppressed breathing that wanted to gasp. If he got out of this, he would quick smoking, Simon was sure of it. He listened; the forest made too much noise on its own, something was always moving in the forest at night, how was he supposed to tell if the rustling was a doe or a monster. Simon peer around the tree, and the eyes greeted him again.
Twenty feet away stood the raccoon-thing, covered in blood; its piercing laser red eyes matched the blood on its front.
It moved then.
Simon stood frozen by the eyes, a deer in headlights. With amazing speed, it was upon him. The raccoon-thing tackled Simon to the ground. It stood on top of him, the bloody matted hair of the rabid creature acted like a paintbrush covering Simon in an abstract painting of gore.
Simon was puking as soon as he tasted it, a chunk of body or brain had fallen into his mouth. The projectile stream of stomach acid saved Simon Danes life. Like a guided missile, the acid result of an empty stomach forced to run through the forest, had hit those red, hellfire eyes. The raccoon-thing stood and shuffled away, trying to wipe the burning out of its eye but only succeeding in rubbing blood in them instead.
Simon Dane stood up, wobbly and bruised but okay. Standing over the raccoon-thing as it howled in agony.
Simon thought about what to do.
With an impulse jerk of sudden swift motion, Simon kicked the raccoon-thing in its snout as hard as he could. The raccoon-thing’s jaw broke, flesh tore and the raccoon-thing’s lower mandible went flying. It cried out it pain.
Simon kicked it again.
and again.
Again… faster and harder with every kick.
Blood covered Simon, in but he kept kicking. His foot hurt and the monster had stopped moving a while ago, but he kept kicking.
Simon lay exhausted a few feet from the body of the slain predator, breathing deeply trying to calm down.
It was too late by the time Simon felt the eyes upon him. Simon was not scared and he knew that was weird. Their red eyes looked at him through the darkness, Simon stood slowly, and their eyes followed. He took a step forward and their eyes moved with him. Karma is a dangerous dance Simon thought to himself as he made a daring sprint at a small break in the raccoon-thing’s line.
His arm was a dagger of molten pain, his leg exploded with a nuclear payload, Simon Dane screamed as he fell.
The raccoon-things made short work of him, their numbers dwindled as he did, until Simon Dane was gone and only two raccoon-things remained near the blood stained ground that was the only evidence that Simon was ever there.
Only when all else were gone and the forest was quit did the tallest of them speak.
“Does this disturbance impede our plans Vex?”
“No Se’l it does not, but what will we do about Fi’el, the human scum murdered one of our best warriors, we’ll need them all soon,” Vex said to him with hatred in his voice.
“It does not matter, Fi’el was a fool, alerting a human to his existence and nearly letting him escape. We cannot have fools in our army Vex,” Se’l looked at his old friend then and breathed deeply through his long nose, “We must speed up our plans Vex.”
“It will be done,” Vex said, he turned and ran with a surprising burst of speed into the forest.
Se’l was alone then, he listened to the forest, and though his eyes worked well in the dark, he felt the darkness oppressive around him. He could feel it push down around him.
This plan has to work, Se’l thought to himself, or the humans will just keep coming, and more of us will die.
“Our oppression will end soon, and we will no longer have to hide,” Se’l said aloud, then dashed into the dark recess of a tree and diapered underground.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
The Littlest Lightbulb
This is a story about a light bulb.
The Littlest Light Bulb as a matter of fact.
This bright little bulb, was quite an explorer, he'd explored most of the Big House.
The Big House was the entire world to the Littlest Light Bulb you see.
For you or me it would be a regular sized house, but to him (and the rest of the light bulbs, but this story isn't about them) this was a big place indeed.
The Big House stood on the far side of town.
Of course there was no way for our intrepid Light Bulb to know this, the farthest he'd ever been was the upstairs bathroom.
The Littlest Light Bulb lived in the refrigerator and when the humans where home he did his job faithfully, when ever they'd open the door he'd brighten up so they could find things with the kitchen light off.
However when the humans left, as they did everyday in the morning to go into the Big Big World (which he'd only ever seen through the window), the Littlest Light Bulb would climb out of his home and down into the Big House.
Everyday he would walk as far as he could.
As he wasn't very big he couldn't open doors and only by riding the cat could he go up the stairs.
The cat however had a mind of its own and wouldn't necessarily take him where he wanted to go.
So his exploration of the house was incomplete.
So the day when he came out of the refrigerator and walked down the long hall to find the darkest room he'd ever seen he wasn't so much surprised as he was excited. Every day he'd seen this door and wondered what was behind it. And to day was the day he was going to find out.
This was however truly the darkest room he’d ever seen.
He entered slowly and from the darkness he heard a noise.
The Littlest Light Bulb only being a small refrigerator light could only brighten so far into the black room ahead of him.
He moved farther and farther into the room, and soon he was out of the arc of light provided by the door.
With every step the noise grew closer and louder, then a rush past him nearly knocking him over.
The cat had ran past him and into the house the door whooshed closed behind it.
And he was alone in the dark.
Anxiously he wandered the room until he got the the far side, where a sliver of light was barely on the ground, and suddenly a grinding noise above him startled the Littlest Light Bulb.
Then a sudden burst of light dimmed him to barely a glow and he ran toward it knowing this may be his only chance to see what ever this great thing is.
And then he's outside for the first time.
And he truly knew he was in the Big Big World because he looked up and he saw the Brightest Light.
This glorious moment was short lived though.
The Littlest Light Bulb suddenly got the feeling he was being watched.
He got scared and stared running, but it was to late, a bird had already decided swoop at him.
Instantly he's off the ground and if he wasn't so scared, he would have sad this was the most fun he'd ever had.
However the next thing he knows, he's falling.
A
N
D
FALLING
.
.
.
When he woke up he had know Idea where he was.
He started walking, not sure if he was even going the right way.
Eventually he came upon a ravine, not very wide, but very deep.
Not being one to give up on a direction once he's started going in it, he decided to cross it.
He walked along it for a while, and then quite luckily he came upon a log which had some how fallen a crossed it.
He balanced he his way over and began walking again.
He walked for what seemed like forever. He didn't feel like he was getting any closer and he was starting to get scared.
It started getting darker too, the Brightest Light slowly sliding down the sky, just like he'd seen it do through the window, only closer.
He made shelter in a small rock formation.
The next day was filled with new adventures.
Early in the day he thought he saw something in the distance and started walking towards it.
As he got closer he saw it was another light.
The Littlest Lightbulb called out!
The Littlest Light Bulb as a matter of fact.
This bright little bulb, was quite an explorer, he'd explored most of the Big House.
The Big House was the entire world to the Littlest Light Bulb you see.
For you or me it would be a regular sized house, but to him (and the rest of the light bulbs, but this story isn't about them) this was a big place indeed.
The Big House stood on the far side of town.
Of course there was no way for our intrepid Light Bulb to know this, the farthest he'd ever been was the upstairs bathroom.
The Littlest Light Bulb lived in the refrigerator and when the humans where home he did his job faithfully, when ever they'd open the door he'd brighten up so they could find things with the kitchen light off.
However when the humans left, as they did everyday in the morning to go into the Big Big World (which he'd only ever seen through the window), the Littlest Light Bulb would climb out of his home and down into the Big House.
Everyday he would walk as far as he could.
As he wasn't very big he couldn't open doors and only by riding the cat could he go up the stairs.
The cat however had a mind of its own and wouldn't necessarily take him where he wanted to go.
So his exploration of the house was incomplete.
So the day when he came out of the refrigerator and walked down the long hall to find the darkest room he'd ever seen he wasn't so much surprised as he was excited. Every day he'd seen this door and wondered what was behind it. And to day was the day he was going to find out.
This was however truly the darkest room he’d ever seen.
He entered slowly and from the darkness he heard a noise.
The Littlest Light Bulb only being a small refrigerator light could only brighten so far into the black room ahead of him.
He moved farther and farther into the room, and soon he was out of the arc of light provided by the door.
With every step the noise grew closer and louder, then a rush past him nearly knocking him over.
The cat had ran past him and into the house the door whooshed closed behind it.
And he was alone in the dark.
Anxiously he wandered the room until he got the the far side, where a sliver of light was barely on the ground, and suddenly a grinding noise above him startled the Littlest Light Bulb.
Then a sudden burst of light dimmed him to barely a glow and he ran toward it knowing this may be his only chance to see what ever this great thing is.
And then he's outside for the first time.
And he truly knew he was in the Big Big World because he looked up and he saw the Brightest Light.
This glorious moment was short lived though.
The Littlest Light Bulb suddenly got the feeling he was being watched.
He got scared and stared running, but it was to late, a bird had already decided swoop at him.
Instantly he's off the ground and if he wasn't so scared, he would have sad this was the most fun he'd ever had.
However the next thing he knows, he's falling.
A
N
D
FALLING
.
.
.
When he woke up he had know Idea where he was.
He started walking, not sure if he was even going the right way.
Eventually he came upon a ravine, not very wide, but very deep.
Not being one to give up on a direction once he's started going in it, he decided to cross it.
He walked along it for a while, and then quite luckily he came upon a log which had some how fallen a crossed it.
He balanced he his way over and began walking again.
He walked for what seemed like forever. He didn't feel like he was getting any closer and he was starting to get scared.
It started getting darker too, the Brightest Light slowly sliding down the sky, just like he'd seen it do through the window, only closer.
He made shelter in a small rock formation.
The next day was filled with new adventures.
Early in the day he thought he saw something in the distance and started walking towards it.
As he got closer he saw it was another light.
The Littlest Lightbulb called out!
The Night 04-07-06
Some days the stars seem to shine down just on me, others though it seems that nothing is enough. There are times late at night on the latter of those two days, where it feels that the coming day is being made in the sky to be hung over me like the sword of Damocles. That the abyss is just a step ahead and it’s too dark to see it and too late to stop anyway.
On these days I tend to drink.
It’s been one of those days.
“It’s getting late, I’ve got to work in the morning” the guy sitting on the bar stool to my right says to the lady sitting on his.
“Alright, I’ll call you tomorrow” The lady says.
And I think “It’s only midnight, I’ve got to the work in the morning too, but you don’t see me leaving all early and shit like a pussy.”
“That’s because you’re an alcoholic asshole” Says the guy to my right. As it turns out, I didn’t think it after all as it turns out I said it aloud.
“Sorry” I say.
“Yeah, I bet you are.” He says to me and to the lady he says “That would be great” and then he leaves. The lady for her part rolls her eyes, averts mine and orders another drink from the bartender, for mine I move a bar stool to the right and get another drink of my own.
Next thing I know it’s morning proper, my alarm is going off, and the lady is next to me in my bed. I drink too much. An awkward situation to be sure; the question is how do you ask somebody whose name you where probably told, but can’t seem to remember to leave so that you can go to work, with out seeming like a complete dick.
So I do the only thing I can, I put my pants on and leave. It’s too early to deal with that kind of shit.
Outside it’s still mostly dark, with a chance that the sun might say “Screw this” and not rise at all. It’s going to be another wonderful day, 20 minutes later I’m stuck in traffic and I know for sure it is.
At work I feel like I’m trapped in a desert, the scorching sun above me and sand all around me, then my phone will ring. Name, rank and department, I give in that order.
“Did you get the memo?”, “Have you sent the memo?”, or this time, my favorite “Can I see you in my office?” - Actually wait that’s a new one. So all the way down the hall I’m sweating, I’ve been wondering for a long time how long it would take for them to realize I’m dead weight, apparently that countdown is through.
We have lift off, and I open my boss’s door.
He’s not here though, so I sit and wait. Asshole calls me into his office then doesn’t have the common decency to be here 30 seconds later.
I wait for about 20 minutes, okay maybe not that long, maybe 7, I stand and walk to the other side of the desk, then using a conveniently placed sharpie, in big block letters across oak desk, that probably cost more than I make in a year, I write “Fuck you, I quit. Heart Me” and I walk out, but as I put my hand on the door knob, it opens and he walks in.
His lips are moving and words are coming out, but I can barely make them out over the thumping of my heart “Oh there you are, I went to you cube but you weren’t there, well anyway, I was looking at your file, you do some good work.” He might have kept talking, I don’t know because that’s when I passed out.
Next thing I know it’s morning, only there is no alarm, but there is a lady next to me dressed like a nurse. I think she is a nurse actually. Wait where am I? I sit up, and she says. “Good your awake, do you know where you are?” and that’s when I notice she has the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen, and I say “Not exactly, but if you’re here it must be heaven.” And she half-heartedly laughs and says “Nope, never heard that before, I’ll go get the doctor.” She turns pushes open the curtain surrounding my bed and leaves pushing it closed behind her, and I think I’m in love.
The doctor comes in minutes later, apparently I had a heart attack, a minor one, but still uncommon for someone my age and the doctor just can’t understand it, but with proper diet and exercise I should be fine, he says it’s okay to go home, and I consider it briefly, but instead after being discharged decide to go to the bar and celebrate my good health.
I’ll toast to that.
Sitting next to me again is the guy from last night, or two nights ago I guess it would be now, only this time he’s to my left, and to his is the lady whose name I can’t remember. I’ve really got to stop coming here. She’s talking to him but every few seconds she looks over at me, and when the guy leaves really early again, she slides over next to me.
“I haven’t seen you in a while stranger.” She says.
I order another drink.
“Hi” I say because it’s all I can think of, and then my lips just keep moving “I just got out of the hospital.”
“Oh my god,” she says “are you all right.”
And I can’t help but wonder what she looks like naked, if you can’t remember it doesn’t count right?
I say “Nah, I’m fine though think I might have quit my job.”
“Wow, you’re just full of stories aren’t you?”
“Today I am, really I’m just a boring guy.”
She leans in and kisses me on the forehead, and I desperately try to remember her name.
Some days the stars shine just for you, and others you drink to much, wake up next to a lady who’s name escapes you, quite your job, and have a heart attack.
It could be worse.
On these days I tend to drink.
It’s been one of those days.
“It’s getting late, I’ve got to work in the morning” the guy sitting on the bar stool to my right says to the lady sitting on his.
“Alright, I’ll call you tomorrow” The lady says.
And I think “It’s only midnight, I’ve got to the work in the morning too, but you don’t see me leaving all early and shit like a pussy.”
“That’s because you’re an alcoholic asshole” Says the guy to my right. As it turns out, I didn’t think it after all as it turns out I said it aloud.
“Sorry” I say.
“Yeah, I bet you are.” He says to me and to the lady he says “That would be great” and then he leaves. The lady for her part rolls her eyes, averts mine and orders another drink from the bartender, for mine I move a bar stool to the right and get another drink of my own.
Next thing I know it’s morning proper, my alarm is going off, and the lady is next to me in my bed. I drink too much. An awkward situation to be sure; the question is how do you ask somebody whose name you where probably told, but can’t seem to remember to leave so that you can go to work, with out seeming like a complete dick.
So I do the only thing I can, I put my pants on and leave. It’s too early to deal with that kind of shit.
Outside it’s still mostly dark, with a chance that the sun might say “Screw this” and not rise at all. It’s going to be another wonderful day, 20 minutes later I’m stuck in traffic and I know for sure it is.
At work I feel like I’m trapped in a desert, the scorching sun above me and sand all around me, then my phone will ring. Name, rank and department, I give in that order.
“Did you get the memo?”, “Have you sent the memo?”, or this time, my favorite “Can I see you in my office?” - Actually wait that’s a new one. So all the way down the hall I’m sweating, I’ve been wondering for a long time how long it would take for them to realize I’m dead weight, apparently that countdown is through.
We have lift off, and I open my boss’s door.
He’s not here though, so I sit and wait. Asshole calls me into his office then doesn’t have the common decency to be here 30 seconds later.
I wait for about 20 minutes, okay maybe not that long, maybe 7, I stand and walk to the other side of the desk, then using a conveniently placed sharpie, in big block letters across oak desk, that probably cost more than I make in a year, I write “Fuck you, I quit. Heart Me” and I walk out, but as I put my hand on the door knob, it opens and he walks in.
His lips are moving and words are coming out, but I can barely make them out over the thumping of my heart “Oh there you are, I went to you cube but you weren’t there, well anyway, I was looking at your file, you do some good work.” He might have kept talking, I don’t know because that’s when I passed out.
Next thing I know it’s morning, only there is no alarm, but there is a lady next to me dressed like a nurse. I think she is a nurse actually. Wait where am I? I sit up, and she says. “Good your awake, do you know where you are?” and that’s when I notice she has the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen, and I say “Not exactly, but if you’re here it must be heaven.” And she half-heartedly laughs and says “Nope, never heard that before, I’ll go get the doctor.” She turns pushes open the curtain surrounding my bed and leaves pushing it closed behind her, and I think I’m in love.
The doctor comes in minutes later, apparently I had a heart attack, a minor one, but still uncommon for someone my age and the doctor just can’t understand it, but with proper diet and exercise I should be fine, he says it’s okay to go home, and I consider it briefly, but instead after being discharged decide to go to the bar and celebrate my good health.
I’ll toast to that.
Sitting next to me again is the guy from last night, or two nights ago I guess it would be now, only this time he’s to my left, and to his is the lady whose name I can’t remember. I’ve really got to stop coming here. She’s talking to him but every few seconds she looks over at me, and when the guy leaves really early again, she slides over next to me.
“I haven’t seen you in a while stranger.” She says.
I order another drink.
“Hi” I say because it’s all I can think of, and then my lips just keep moving “I just got out of the hospital.”
“Oh my god,” she says “are you all right.”
And I can’t help but wonder what she looks like naked, if you can’t remember it doesn’t count right?
I say “Nah, I’m fine though think I might have quit my job.”
“Wow, you’re just full of stories aren’t you?”
“Today I am, really I’m just a boring guy.”
She leans in and kisses me on the forehead, and I desperately try to remember her name.
Some days the stars shine just for you, and others you drink to much, wake up next to a lady who’s name escapes you, quite your job, and have a heart attack.
It could be worse.
Home
And I’m asleep and this is a dream. Well I’m not so sure I’m asleep, I don’t remember going to sleep, but I do know that this is a dream, because it has to be. It’s so big here, I know that it’s the great out doors and all, but it just seems to go on forever, and up forever and the sky is so blue. And this is a field, a large field filled with every kind of flower you can imagine, and long tall green grass that sways in the breeze. The breeze feels good. There are many trees, maybe it’s a forest, and I never could tell the one from the other, the trees from the forest. There are a lot of trees. Trees, long grass, and colorful flowers, as far as the eye can see, with the sun smiling down on it all.
And this has to be a Dream.
And He is here.
He says he loves me, and that he brings love and affection, and someday I’ll feel it too.
And I say he’s a liar and that he turned his back on me.
He doesn’t seem to be phased though, like he’s heard it all before, like he knows what I’m going to say before I say it, and that infuriates me, his benevolence fills me with such rage.
He says that I can feel what ever I want about him, and he’ll always love me.
And I say I don’t believe him, this is a trick, and a dream, and that I’m going to wake up now. Any second now.
He reassures me that this is no dream and no trick. He tells me that I won’t wake up. He’s here to stay this time.
And I want to hurt him, I want him to feel my pain, and my suffering, but his eyes they glisten so much, like there are wells of compassion and as much as I hate him and as much as I want to bring him pain, I’m conflicted because I also want to love him, I want to believe him. Why do I want to believe him? I know now for sure this is a trick. I’ll never believe him.
He tells me to go gather wood for a fire. The sun is setting and he points up.
And I look up and the sun is setting, dusk is coming quick, but I refuse to do his work for him.
He tells me to go now before I lose the light. There is a forcefulness to his voice that tells me not to question it.
And I go. What else could I do, so I’m wandering around this clearing, looking for wood.
He yells Hurry up. But, I’m going as fast as I can.
And I’m finding really good pieces of wood, this is easier than I thought it was going to be. I’m loading my arms up with wood, this wood will burn good I know, I don’t know how I know I just do. My arms are full so I turn too carry it all back, but I have wandered a lot farther away than I had though I had and I’m lost, and I’m afraid. I’m lost, I’m lost in my dream.
He yells to me, he asks me where I am, where the wood is.
And I head towards his voice, like the pole star, my guiding light. I hate needing his help, but I’m carrying all these twigs and branches, too many probably, and its getting heavier with every step. I’m going to drop it if I don’t get there soon I think. And then there he is waiting for me, sitting on the ground.
He says Oh there you are.
And I hate him more than ever. I throw the wood down by his feet, barely missing them..
He begins to build a fire. Sitting on the ground building a fire, he looks content. The fire begins to glows with a red that can only be seen in a dream. After a while deeper reds and oranges and whites join the red, the heat is so pure.
And I feel warmer than I’ve ever felt. I’m just so comfortable.
He says Come sit by me son.
And I say I’m not your son, you’re not my father, not anymore.
He says Nonsense, come sit down next to me. We need to talk, he tells me.
And I sit down, but not next to him, I sit on the other side of the fire, and viewing him through the fire he is deep in shadow, he looks like the mystery I’ve always known him as. He looks like the ghoul I’ve always imagined him being. My hatred feels justified.
And I say Well talk.
He looks at me, I can feel his eyes on me, even through the obstruction of flame. He’s looking me up and down inspecting me. He says You’ve grown up well, you’re a fine young man. He says I’m sorry, so sorry.
And I can’t see them but I hear them, there are tears on his cheeks, I hear it in his voice, he’s crying.
And I hate his weakness. The tears of the great and powerful Oz, let him cry. He abandoned me.
He says I know I haven’t been there for you, but I will be there from now on.
And I say You think you can just come back, you flood me with love and compassion after years of neglect and you think you can come back. I say I’m going to wake up now, and I’m going to forget you. You have no power over me.
He says I know I ignored you, I know it will be hard but I want to try.
And it’s really dark out now, I notice, the only light is from the fire. There is quite all around us, the crackle of the fire and our breathing is the only sounds. And I feel alone, but not completely because he is here, and as much as I hate him. I don’t want to be alone.
He says I love you, it will all be different now.
And I’m still dreaming, this is a dream. It has to be. I might not be asleep but this has to be a dream. I want to stop dreaming.
He says Get some sleep now.
And I say, I am asleep, or at least dreaming.
He says For the last time this isn’t a dream, I’m really here. Then he gets up and walks off, and I’m alone.
And I hate him even more. I stay near the fire, where I feel warm and safe. And I don’t sleep, you can’t sleep in a dream. I’m awake, and I watch the fire, how it dances and plays as it burns down. Down to ember and ash, if ever there was a phoenix it would rise from this ash, but there is no great bird of rebirth. Maybe this isn’t a dream. And the sun comes up.
He asks Have you been up all night? He says Come help me pack up we’ve got to get back to the city.
And I say Ok Dad. I’m coming and maybe this isn’t a dream
And I have had a lot of fun.
And I can’t wait to get home.
And this has to be a Dream.
And He is here.
He says he loves me, and that he brings love and affection, and someday I’ll feel it too.
And I say he’s a liar and that he turned his back on me.
He doesn’t seem to be phased though, like he’s heard it all before, like he knows what I’m going to say before I say it, and that infuriates me, his benevolence fills me with such rage.
He says that I can feel what ever I want about him, and he’ll always love me.
And I say I don’t believe him, this is a trick, and a dream, and that I’m going to wake up now. Any second now.
He reassures me that this is no dream and no trick. He tells me that I won’t wake up. He’s here to stay this time.
And I want to hurt him, I want him to feel my pain, and my suffering, but his eyes they glisten so much, like there are wells of compassion and as much as I hate him and as much as I want to bring him pain, I’m conflicted because I also want to love him, I want to believe him. Why do I want to believe him? I know now for sure this is a trick. I’ll never believe him.
He tells me to go gather wood for a fire. The sun is setting and he points up.
And I look up and the sun is setting, dusk is coming quick, but I refuse to do his work for him.
He tells me to go now before I lose the light. There is a forcefulness to his voice that tells me not to question it.
And I go. What else could I do, so I’m wandering around this clearing, looking for wood.
He yells Hurry up. But, I’m going as fast as I can.
And I’m finding really good pieces of wood, this is easier than I thought it was going to be. I’m loading my arms up with wood, this wood will burn good I know, I don’t know how I know I just do. My arms are full so I turn too carry it all back, but I have wandered a lot farther away than I had though I had and I’m lost, and I’m afraid. I’m lost, I’m lost in my dream.
He yells to me, he asks me where I am, where the wood is.
And I head towards his voice, like the pole star, my guiding light. I hate needing his help, but I’m carrying all these twigs and branches, too many probably, and its getting heavier with every step. I’m going to drop it if I don’t get there soon I think. And then there he is waiting for me, sitting on the ground.
He says Oh there you are.
And I hate him more than ever. I throw the wood down by his feet, barely missing them..
He begins to build a fire. Sitting on the ground building a fire, he looks content. The fire begins to glows with a red that can only be seen in a dream. After a while deeper reds and oranges and whites join the red, the heat is so pure.
And I feel warmer than I’ve ever felt. I’m just so comfortable.
He says Come sit by me son.
And I say I’m not your son, you’re not my father, not anymore.
He says Nonsense, come sit down next to me. We need to talk, he tells me.
And I sit down, but not next to him, I sit on the other side of the fire, and viewing him through the fire he is deep in shadow, he looks like the mystery I’ve always known him as. He looks like the ghoul I’ve always imagined him being. My hatred feels justified.
And I say Well talk.
He looks at me, I can feel his eyes on me, even through the obstruction of flame. He’s looking me up and down inspecting me. He says You’ve grown up well, you’re a fine young man. He says I’m sorry, so sorry.
And I can’t see them but I hear them, there are tears on his cheeks, I hear it in his voice, he’s crying.
And I hate his weakness. The tears of the great and powerful Oz, let him cry. He abandoned me.
He says I know I haven’t been there for you, but I will be there from now on.
And I say You think you can just come back, you flood me with love and compassion after years of neglect and you think you can come back. I say I’m going to wake up now, and I’m going to forget you. You have no power over me.
He says I know I ignored you, I know it will be hard but I want to try.
And it’s really dark out now, I notice, the only light is from the fire. There is quite all around us, the crackle of the fire and our breathing is the only sounds. And I feel alone, but not completely because he is here, and as much as I hate him. I don’t want to be alone.
He says I love you, it will all be different now.
And I’m still dreaming, this is a dream. It has to be. I might not be asleep but this has to be a dream. I want to stop dreaming.
He says Get some sleep now.
And I say, I am asleep, or at least dreaming.
He says For the last time this isn’t a dream, I’m really here. Then he gets up and walks off, and I’m alone.
And I hate him even more. I stay near the fire, where I feel warm and safe. And I don’t sleep, you can’t sleep in a dream. I’m awake, and I watch the fire, how it dances and plays as it burns down. Down to ember and ash, if ever there was a phoenix it would rise from this ash, but there is no great bird of rebirth. Maybe this isn’t a dream. And the sun comes up.
He asks Have you been up all night? He says Come help me pack up we’ve got to get back to the city.
And I say Ok Dad. I’m coming and maybe this isn’t a dream
And I have had a lot of fun.
And I can’t wait to get home.
Big Bad Wolf
I didn’t even know what this was about. I felt abandoned and alone, but then that’s normal for me, I guess.
“I’ll be damned if I ever let you in” I said in my best little piggy imitation. My straw house crumbling around me.
The door rattled under his fists.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
This door wasn’t going to keep him out for long and we both knew it. I was betting on the losing horse, I should have left when I still had the chance, but I’m stubborn by nature. Pig headed if you will.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
Enough to wake you up. Enough to keep your eyes open. Focus. Keep the door closed. Push harder.
“I’ll get in, and when I do you’re a dead man!” was his reply. The big bad wolf in human clothing.
Thinking of your life like a story makes it easier. Allegory, parable, fable, symbolism makes the bitter pill taste a little better. Grinds the points off the edges of life. I knew I probably wasn’t going to make it out of this, so I might as well be Sisyphus with my boulder.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
Down that hill it goes again. Just a little longer, help might still arrive. Come on you guys hurry up.
“We’ll be back before you know it; he’ll never find you in here anyway”
Fucking liars, those rats just knew when the ship was sinking. Left me as the band to keep playing.
Now the big bad wolf is huffing and puffing. I don’t want to be in here when he blows this house down, I don’t have any brothers with houses of brick to run to.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! CRACK!
Shit that was the door frame. The pounding was to hard to just be a fist, he had to be using something.
“What the fuck are you hitting the door with anyway?” It’s not always curiosity that kills the cat, sometimes it is just a dog, I just want to know how long the dogs teeth are is all.
“What does it matter bitch I’ll be in there in a second and you can see for yourself”
I understand that he intended to kill me and all, but that was unnecessarily mean I feel. We could get some good Helsinki syndrome going here if he would only open up to me a little.
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
Well that was different…
What the hell is going on out there?
“Are you alright?” I hear from an unfamiliar voice on the other side of the door.
Well I guess I was wrong help did arrive.
“Yeah I’m fine, is it safe?”
“It should be just open the door”
I am so gullible. I didn’t even ask for a name.
The light from the hallway outside streams in and my pupils take their damn time adjusting and then I’m face to face with a guy holding a gun.
In all those Vietnam movies they say you can’t here the one that gets you, I most certainly did. What the fuck do they know?
BLAM!
Only the Bugs Bunny cartoons got it right, it did get darker and darker until it was all gone, faded away around me. The wolf didn’t even need to blow my house down, I invited him in for tea. Now I’ll never know what all this was about. Not that it matters at the end of the day its still over, and just like every other life, there was no real point. You breath in you breath out, your heart beats a bunch you die.
The End
“I’ll be damned if I ever let you in” I said in my best little piggy imitation. My straw house crumbling around me.
The door rattled under his fists.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
This door wasn’t going to keep him out for long and we both knew it. I was betting on the losing horse, I should have left when I still had the chance, but I’m stubborn by nature. Pig headed if you will.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
Enough to wake you up. Enough to keep your eyes open. Focus. Keep the door closed. Push harder.
“I’ll get in, and when I do you’re a dead man!” was his reply. The big bad wolf in human clothing.
Thinking of your life like a story makes it easier. Allegory, parable, fable, symbolism makes the bitter pill taste a little better. Grinds the points off the edges of life. I knew I probably wasn’t going to make it out of this, so I might as well be Sisyphus with my boulder.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
Down that hill it goes again. Just a little longer, help might still arrive. Come on you guys hurry up.
“We’ll be back before you know it; he’ll never find you in here anyway”
Fucking liars, those rats just knew when the ship was sinking. Left me as the band to keep playing.
Now the big bad wolf is huffing and puffing. I don’t want to be in here when he blows this house down, I don’t have any brothers with houses of brick to run to.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! CRACK!
Shit that was the door frame. The pounding was to hard to just be a fist, he had to be using something.
“What the fuck are you hitting the door with anyway?” It’s not always curiosity that kills the cat, sometimes it is just a dog, I just want to know how long the dogs teeth are is all.
“What does it matter bitch I’ll be in there in a second and you can see for yourself”
I understand that he intended to kill me and all, but that was unnecessarily mean I feel. We could get some good Helsinki syndrome going here if he would only open up to me a little.
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
Well that was different…
What the hell is going on out there?
“Are you alright?” I hear from an unfamiliar voice on the other side of the door.
Well I guess I was wrong help did arrive.
“Yeah I’m fine, is it safe?”
“It should be just open the door”
I am so gullible. I didn’t even ask for a name.
The light from the hallway outside streams in and my pupils take their damn time adjusting and then I’m face to face with a guy holding a gun.
In all those Vietnam movies they say you can’t here the one that gets you, I most certainly did. What the fuck do they know?
BLAM!
Only the Bugs Bunny cartoons got it right, it did get darker and darker until it was all gone, faded away around me. The wolf didn’t even need to blow my house down, I invited him in for tea. Now I’ll never know what all this was about. Not that it matters at the end of the day its still over, and just like every other life, there was no real point. You breath in you breath out, your heart beats a bunch you die.
The End
Distilled Life
If a Realtor were trying to sell this house the word they would most likely use is cozy, or at the least that's what I imagine, as I've never bought a house or had a realtor try to describe a small one to me, all I have to go on is what I know from TV. The house wasn't bad though, white with blue trim, a nice yard, a neighborhood you could raise kids in. Inside it was about as big as you would expect to find in a cozy house, two small bedrooms, one bathroom, a living room and a kitchen, everything was normal about it, except for the floor to ceiling boxes, so many boxes pushing all the walls in, claustrophobic would be an apt word to describe it. This house was so full of boxes that while my friend David stood in the living room I was relegated to the hallway. This house was a living tomb, a testament to a life long lived.
"I can't believe anyone lived here..." David said doing an over dramatic look around "Seriously wow," he said now turning to face me.
"Yeah that was my gram-pa, he had a way of defying expectations, three years ago the doctor told him he only had six months to live, I think he out lived that diagnosis just to spite the doctor, and then on top of that he died of a heart attack instead of the cancer that should have killed him." I said
"So why are we here again?"
"Well apparently this is all mine"
"Nice of him to leave you all this" Dave said smiling like an asshole and patting a box making the stack wobble disconcertingly.
"That's not the least of it, I'm also the executor of his will, which shouldn't be to hard as I inherit his entire estate" I said, using finger quotes around 'estate'
"Wow, you must have been his favorite"
At that point I couldn't help but laugh, "Hardly the old fucker hated me."
"Then why?"
"Well apparently upon signing that piece of paper in the lawyers office, like the greedy moron my granddad was counting on me to be, I won all this, this and the massive debt attached to all this" I said kicking a box as hard as I could, my foot exploded in pain, apparently the box was filled with books. David laughed so hard he nearly fell over, and in nearly falling over he did cause one of the stacks of boxes to fall over, burying himself in cardboard, which despite my pain caused me to nearly wet myself. After David had dug himself out of the rubble and I'd wiped the tears from my eyes, he now sitting on the floor boxes all around looking up at me asked;
"So what are you gunna do?"
"Well I was thinking, burn this place to the ground, piss on the bastards grave and move to a country without an extradition treaty 'till the statute of limitations is up on the arson."
"Sensible and practical"
"I know ain't it"
"Seriously though, how deep you in?"
"Well I am seriously gunna piss on his grave"
"Fair enough, but how far are you in debt now?"
"Oh not bad only like 700 thousand or something"
"So you getting a second job?"
"Well as I don't like the one I have now, probably not, I'm hoping this shit in these boxes and the house are worth a fuck-ton, or at lest enough to break even and maybe buy a beer.
"Sound plan... hey speaking of beer, old people always have the best hooch, did your granddad have a stash somewhere"
"Don't much know, I've never been to his house before, but if I have to guess, I'd say if he had one it's in or behind one of these boxes"
"So what are we waiting for," David said with a facial expression that can only be described as a smirk, "Lets start going through the old codger's shit"
"Love to, but we can't right now, we have to pick Jenny up at the air port, I just wanted to see what I got in my deal with the devil"
"We?" David said standing up, nudging boxes out of the way with his legs, "Sounds more like a you job, I don't even like Jenny"
"Well I'm not going to back track to take your ass home so you can wait here and hope I remember to come back for you, or you can suck it up and take it like a man, it's not my fault Jenny broke up with you"
"You're such a Dickfaced Dickman, I fucking hate you, first you drag me out here then you force me to hand out with my bitchy ex..." David said looking like he might go into a full blown hissy fit at any moment, then taking a deep breath he said "Alright I'll come but just for the record, I broke up with her."
"Yeah Dave, that's why you called me at 3 in the morning drunk and crying."
"That never happened" he said glaring at me.
"I've said it before I'll say it again, just 'cus you are to drunk to remember doing `it doesn't mean it didn't happen"
With his hands over his ears, his back towards me heading towards the door David yelled "LA LA LA! I CAN'T HEAR YOUR! LA LA LA!"
He walked all the way to the car like that, I couldn't help but laugh.
"I can't believe anyone lived here..." David said doing an over dramatic look around "Seriously wow," he said now turning to face me.
"Yeah that was my gram-pa, he had a way of defying expectations, three years ago the doctor told him he only had six months to live, I think he out lived that diagnosis just to spite the doctor, and then on top of that he died of a heart attack instead of the cancer that should have killed him." I said
"So why are we here again?"
"Well apparently this is all mine"
"Nice of him to leave you all this" Dave said smiling like an asshole and patting a box making the stack wobble disconcertingly.
"That's not the least of it, I'm also the executor of his will, which shouldn't be to hard as I inherit his entire estate" I said, using finger quotes around 'estate'
"Wow, you must have been his favorite"
At that point I couldn't help but laugh, "Hardly the old fucker hated me."
"Then why?"
"Well apparently upon signing that piece of paper in the lawyers office, like the greedy moron my granddad was counting on me to be, I won all this, this and the massive debt attached to all this" I said kicking a box as hard as I could, my foot exploded in pain, apparently the box was filled with books. David laughed so hard he nearly fell over, and in nearly falling over he did cause one of the stacks of boxes to fall over, burying himself in cardboard, which despite my pain caused me to nearly wet myself. After David had dug himself out of the rubble and I'd wiped the tears from my eyes, he now sitting on the floor boxes all around looking up at me asked;
"So what are you gunna do?"
"Well I was thinking, burn this place to the ground, piss on the bastards grave and move to a country without an extradition treaty 'till the statute of limitations is up on the arson."
"Sensible and practical"
"I know ain't it"
"Seriously though, how deep you in?"
"Well I am seriously gunna piss on his grave"
"Fair enough, but how far are you in debt now?"
"Oh not bad only like 700 thousand or something"
"So you getting a second job?"
"Well as I don't like the one I have now, probably not, I'm hoping this shit in these boxes and the house are worth a fuck-ton, or at lest enough to break even and maybe buy a beer.
"Sound plan... hey speaking of beer, old people always have the best hooch, did your granddad have a stash somewhere"
"Don't much know, I've never been to his house before, but if I have to guess, I'd say if he had one it's in or behind one of these boxes"
"So what are we waiting for," David said with a facial expression that can only be described as a smirk, "Lets start going through the old codger's shit"
"Love to, but we can't right now, we have to pick Jenny up at the air port, I just wanted to see what I got in my deal with the devil"
"We?" David said standing up, nudging boxes out of the way with his legs, "Sounds more like a you job, I don't even like Jenny"
"Well I'm not going to back track to take your ass home so you can wait here and hope I remember to come back for you, or you can suck it up and take it like a man, it's not my fault Jenny broke up with you"
"You're such a Dickfaced Dickman, I fucking hate you, first you drag me out here then you force me to hand out with my bitchy ex..." David said looking like he might go into a full blown hissy fit at any moment, then taking a deep breath he said "Alright I'll come but just for the record, I broke up with her."
"Yeah Dave, that's why you called me at 3 in the morning drunk and crying."
"That never happened" he said glaring at me.
"I've said it before I'll say it again, just 'cus you are to drunk to remember doing `it doesn't mean it didn't happen"
With his hands over his ears, his back towards me heading towards the door David yelled "LA LA LA! I CAN'T HEAR YOUR! LA LA LA!"
He walked all the way to the car like that, I couldn't help but laugh.
Turtle and Lynx Fetch Medicine for Badger
Badger was gravely ill. For four days, he had lain motionless in his bed. The only indication of life being that he would occasionally cough and then groan which would bring a pained expression to his otherwise still face.
Turtle and Lynx had been by his side since they’d found him like this. They both new that Badger needed a doctor, but Badger himself was the only doctor in the Woods.
Lynx was very scared and would sit by Badger’s side and whisper, “Badger, Badger please wake up, please tell me what to do”
Turtle had looked through all of Badger’s books and medicines, but had not yet found any hope of a cure.
All was quiet in the house Turtle was pacing again, while Lynx sat quietly by Badger. Suddenly the front door crashed open. Turtle and Lynx both jumped in fright and turned to the source of the noise.
Duck stood in the doorway breathing heavily, she took a second to steady her breath and then very excitedly yelled “I know what we need to do!!”
Duck ran to Turtle and grabbed his hand, jumping up and down she said “We have to go! We have to go!”
Turtle looked at her calmly and said, “And where too?”
Turtle gave Duck a stern look which had just about calmed her down, and Duck was about to explain when Lynx pounced.
They crashed to the floor, knocking over an end table, Lynx bearing his teeth on top of duck with a slight growl said “If this is one of your jokes duck, I’ll-“
Turtle leaned down and put a hand on his firm hand on his shoulder interrupting him, “Let Duck speak at least before we threaten her Lynx” he said firmly.
Lynx got up with just a little hesitation, Duck stood up too and watched Lynx nervously as he walked a crossed the room. Badger’s house was silent again. It stayed this way for a long moment; Duck was still looking silently at Lynx with feelings of hurt showing on her face when Lynx growled, “Start talking already!”
And Duck did, “Owl once told me of a tree… with a fruit...”
“Yes Duck, many trees have fruit” Turtle said patiently, worried that Lynx might be right, this might be another of Ducks jokes.
“I’m explaining it wrong” Duck said sitting down hard in Badger’s big chair, “this is a very special tree and a very special fruit, Owl called it the ‘living tree’, and said that the fruit can cure any illness… or at least that’s what he told me,” Duck said “But Owl is always right!”
“Owl may be wise, but that sounds like a silly story he made up to amuse you. Don’t waste our time” Lynx said angrily, turning away from Duck heading back into Badger’s room.
“I’m not!” Duck insisted, “Owl tells me things…”
“Why would Owl tell you anything, you’re useless Duck,” Said Lynx turning quickly and taking a step towards Duck.
Duck pressed herself deeply into the chair afraid that Lynx might pounce again.
“Now calm down Lynx, we’re not getting anywhere here. We need to help Badger, if Duck has an idea and there is a chance, no matter how slim, we must take it.” Turtle said to Lynx, then turning to Duck “Did Owl say where this tree was?”
“No…” Duck said meekly.
“So I was right, you have nothing,” Lynx snarled.
“BUT!! Owl did say that King Beaver knew!”
“And you think the King will just tell us? Even if he knew…” Lynx asked.
“If King Beaver knew that Badger was sick, short sighted he may be, he would tell us anything to help” Turtle said.
“I was thinking the same thing, but after the grand ball…” Duck stopped for a second “You know I’m not allowed back in the great Dam”
Lynx chuckled and said, “How do you start a fire on a river anyway? You’re lucky he just banned you from the Dam, I’d have exiled you.”
“Good thing you’re not in charge then,” Duck said sticking her tongue out.
“Indeed” Said Turtle stepping in Lynx’s path to Duck. “This bit of information is the only thing we have to go on,” Turtle said looking at Lynx. Turtle turned around to look at Duck and said, “You stay here and take care of Badger,” Turtle turned back to Lynx and say “you go and gather supplies for a trip deep into the Woods.”
“And you’ll see the King?” Duck asked nervously.
“Yes,” Turtle said.
“And I stay here and…” Duck said.
“Keep Badger comfortable and don’t mess this up or I’ll eat you,” Lynx said showing his teeth.
“Don’t worry her Lynx,” Turtle said, then putting a hand on Ducks shoulder “You’ll do fine, besides with any luck the tree is not too far”
“Humph!”” Lynx expelled “Duck will mess this up, Duck messes everything up”
Turtle looked at Lynx and harshly said, “Be nice,”
Lynx and Turtle headed into Badger’s room again, Lynx looked at the very still Badger thoughtfully then slowly turned around, glared at Duck and headed out the front door.
After Lynx had left Duck said to Turtle, “You don’t have to worry, I won’t mess this up”
“I know,” Turtle said, “Be careful though,” then Turtle left too.
The entire walk to the Great Dam Turtle didn’t see another animal, Turtle thought to himself about how odd that was. When he arrived at the Dam not a single guard stood at the entrance as he walked in.
The Great Dam was never very crowded anyway, King Beaver liked solitude, but there were always a few guards and attendants, this lack of anyone began to worry Turtle.
As he approached the great hall in the Dam, Turtle began hearing faint voices. Turtle slowed his pace and tried to listen. The voices grew louder as he approached the door. Turtle was halfway there when a booming voice from inside the hall declared, “I don’t care just get it done!”
A chorus of “Yes sir!” was the reply.
A quiet moment passed and then the doors to the great hall slammed open and Hound, Snake, and Pigeon, the King’s personal guard, began filing out of the chamber.
“Hello my dearest friends” Turtle called out as he got closer “Might I be able to humbly request an audience with King Beaver, on a very grave matter” he finished with a bow.
“No you may not,” Pigeon said as Hound moved to block the door. Snake took a left and disappeared down a corridor.
Turtle frowned deeply and said, “Most sorry, but I must insist. The King has called for my council many times and now I must request his”
“Not much to be done about it I’m afraid, the King was very specific about not being bothered.” Pigeon said with finality on the subject.
“That won’t due at all…” Turtle said slowly, Turtle and Pigeon stared at each other for a second then,
“Pigeon come to me!” a voice cried from through the door to the great hall. Hound moved out of Pigeon’s way, Pigeon turned and disappeared into the room without another look at Turtle.
Hound watched Turtle suspiciously. Hushed whispers escaped through the door for several minutes, Turtle did what he knew best he stood and waited. As it usually did patients paid off, Pigeon stuck his head out of the door and said, “Turtle, you may speak with the King”
“Most honored,” Turtle said with a bow.
In the throne room, it was dark, as Turtle except a small circle of light that surrounded King Beaver on his thrown, the King whispered, “Things are going badly… I know why you have come and I am sorry to say that Dr. Badger is not the only one who has fallen ill. My castle as you may have noticed is empty, soon I fear my river will run dry and the woods will be lost forever.”
“It can’t be that bad,” Turtle said slowly with worry building in his stomach,
“But it is Turtle, it is… As King of the River and protector of the Woods I have reined over many good years,” He paused, “It has all started to come to an end though, it has all begun to change. General Salmon reported to me a week ago of a dark movement headed from the east, from the Great Desert, now Salmon is missing and half my kingdom is ill.”
“Oh my,” Turtle said “I had no idea things where so bad, I’ve been with Badger this whole time, but I did come here because you may have the answer to our problem and not even know it.”
“And what answer might that be?” The King asked, with an odd look on his face.
“What have you heard about the ‘living tree’?” Turtle asked
“All trees are living, as far as I know my dear Turtle,” said King Beaver with a frown.
“This is a very special tree from what I hear, with healing fruit,”
“Ahh!” said the King, “I may know what you are talking about… it’s just a legend though, it’s not real”
“Legend or not, I fear it’s the only hope we have,” Turtle said, “Do you know where it is?”
“Well if the legend is correct, it is deep in the heart of the Woods, past the Dank Swamp, but before the Endless Mountains. Go to the library the archivist should have a map.”
“It is not as close as I’d hoped, but it is closer than I feared. I will get the map and I will go and bring fruit back, Lynx will accompany me,” Turtle said.
“This is most excellent,” The King said excitedly “Well I do not mean to rush you my dear Turtle, but I fear we do not have much time, you should be off,” the King said.
Turtle said “Indeed,” then he turned around to leave.
“Good luck,” said the King after him.
Turtle made his way down the long hallway leading from the great hall, he turn left and then right, Turtle stood in an oddly decorated, half abandoned part of the Great Dam a weird sort of entry way shaped like a tree, Turtle opened the little door on the front and walked in, a flight of stairs led up. At the top Turtle stood the landing of a magnificent library, which looked like it had been carved inside a hollow tree.
Outside the Great Dam Lynx was waiting for Turtle.
Turtle and Lynx had been by his side since they’d found him like this. They both new that Badger needed a doctor, but Badger himself was the only doctor in the Woods.
Lynx was very scared and would sit by Badger’s side and whisper, “Badger, Badger please wake up, please tell me what to do”
Turtle had looked through all of Badger’s books and medicines, but had not yet found any hope of a cure.
All was quiet in the house Turtle was pacing again, while Lynx sat quietly by Badger. Suddenly the front door crashed open. Turtle and Lynx both jumped in fright and turned to the source of the noise.
Duck stood in the doorway breathing heavily, she took a second to steady her breath and then very excitedly yelled “I know what we need to do!!”
Duck ran to Turtle and grabbed his hand, jumping up and down she said “We have to go! We have to go!”
Turtle looked at her calmly and said, “And where too?”
Turtle gave Duck a stern look which had just about calmed her down, and Duck was about to explain when Lynx pounced.
They crashed to the floor, knocking over an end table, Lynx bearing his teeth on top of duck with a slight growl said “If this is one of your jokes duck, I’ll-“
Turtle leaned down and put a hand on his firm hand on his shoulder interrupting him, “Let Duck speak at least before we threaten her Lynx” he said firmly.
Lynx got up with just a little hesitation, Duck stood up too and watched Lynx nervously as he walked a crossed the room. Badger’s house was silent again. It stayed this way for a long moment; Duck was still looking silently at Lynx with feelings of hurt showing on her face when Lynx growled, “Start talking already!”
And Duck did, “Owl once told me of a tree… with a fruit...”
“Yes Duck, many trees have fruit” Turtle said patiently, worried that Lynx might be right, this might be another of Ducks jokes.
“I’m explaining it wrong” Duck said sitting down hard in Badger’s big chair, “this is a very special tree and a very special fruit, Owl called it the ‘living tree’, and said that the fruit can cure any illness… or at least that’s what he told me,” Duck said “But Owl is always right!”
“Owl may be wise, but that sounds like a silly story he made up to amuse you. Don’t waste our time” Lynx said angrily, turning away from Duck heading back into Badger’s room.
“I’m not!” Duck insisted, “Owl tells me things…”
“Why would Owl tell you anything, you’re useless Duck,” Said Lynx turning quickly and taking a step towards Duck.
Duck pressed herself deeply into the chair afraid that Lynx might pounce again.
“Now calm down Lynx, we’re not getting anywhere here. We need to help Badger, if Duck has an idea and there is a chance, no matter how slim, we must take it.” Turtle said to Lynx, then turning to Duck “Did Owl say where this tree was?”
“No…” Duck said meekly.
“So I was right, you have nothing,” Lynx snarled.
“BUT!! Owl did say that King Beaver knew!”
“And you think the King will just tell us? Even if he knew…” Lynx asked.
“If King Beaver knew that Badger was sick, short sighted he may be, he would tell us anything to help” Turtle said.
“I was thinking the same thing, but after the grand ball…” Duck stopped for a second “You know I’m not allowed back in the great Dam”
Lynx chuckled and said, “How do you start a fire on a river anyway? You’re lucky he just banned you from the Dam, I’d have exiled you.”
“Good thing you’re not in charge then,” Duck said sticking her tongue out.
“Indeed” Said Turtle stepping in Lynx’s path to Duck. “This bit of information is the only thing we have to go on,” Turtle said looking at Lynx. Turtle turned around to look at Duck and said, “You stay here and take care of Badger,” Turtle turned back to Lynx and say “you go and gather supplies for a trip deep into the Woods.”
“And you’ll see the King?” Duck asked nervously.
“Yes,” Turtle said.
“And I stay here and…” Duck said.
“Keep Badger comfortable and don’t mess this up or I’ll eat you,” Lynx said showing his teeth.
“Don’t worry her Lynx,” Turtle said, then putting a hand on Ducks shoulder “You’ll do fine, besides with any luck the tree is not too far”
“Humph!”” Lynx expelled “Duck will mess this up, Duck messes everything up”
Turtle looked at Lynx and harshly said, “Be nice,”
Lynx and Turtle headed into Badger’s room again, Lynx looked at the very still Badger thoughtfully then slowly turned around, glared at Duck and headed out the front door.
After Lynx had left Duck said to Turtle, “You don’t have to worry, I won’t mess this up”
“I know,” Turtle said, “Be careful though,” then Turtle left too.
The entire walk to the Great Dam Turtle didn’t see another animal, Turtle thought to himself about how odd that was. When he arrived at the Dam not a single guard stood at the entrance as he walked in.
The Great Dam was never very crowded anyway, King Beaver liked solitude, but there were always a few guards and attendants, this lack of anyone began to worry Turtle.
As he approached the great hall in the Dam, Turtle began hearing faint voices. Turtle slowed his pace and tried to listen. The voices grew louder as he approached the door. Turtle was halfway there when a booming voice from inside the hall declared, “I don’t care just get it done!”
A chorus of “Yes sir!” was the reply.
A quiet moment passed and then the doors to the great hall slammed open and Hound, Snake, and Pigeon, the King’s personal guard, began filing out of the chamber.
“Hello my dearest friends” Turtle called out as he got closer “Might I be able to humbly request an audience with King Beaver, on a very grave matter” he finished with a bow.
“No you may not,” Pigeon said as Hound moved to block the door. Snake took a left and disappeared down a corridor.
Turtle frowned deeply and said, “Most sorry, but I must insist. The King has called for my council many times and now I must request his”
“Not much to be done about it I’m afraid, the King was very specific about not being bothered.” Pigeon said with finality on the subject.
“That won’t due at all…” Turtle said slowly, Turtle and Pigeon stared at each other for a second then,
“Pigeon come to me!” a voice cried from through the door to the great hall. Hound moved out of Pigeon’s way, Pigeon turned and disappeared into the room without another look at Turtle.
Hound watched Turtle suspiciously. Hushed whispers escaped through the door for several minutes, Turtle did what he knew best he stood and waited. As it usually did patients paid off, Pigeon stuck his head out of the door and said, “Turtle, you may speak with the King”
“Most honored,” Turtle said with a bow.
In the throne room, it was dark, as Turtle except a small circle of light that surrounded King Beaver on his thrown, the King whispered, “Things are going badly… I know why you have come and I am sorry to say that Dr. Badger is not the only one who has fallen ill. My castle as you may have noticed is empty, soon I fear my river will run dry and the woods will be lost forever.”
“It can’t be that bad,” Turtle said slowly with worry building in his stomach,
“But it is Turtle, it is… As King of the River and protector of the Woods I have reined over many good years,” He paused, “It has all started to come to an end though, it has all begun to change. General Salmon reported to me a week ago of a dark movement headed from the east, from the Great Desert, now Salmon is missing and half my kingdom is ill.”
“Oh my,” Turtle said “I had no idea things where so bad, I’ve been with Badger this whole time, but I did come here because you may have the answer to our problem and not even know it.”
“And what answer might that be?” The King asked, with an odd look on his face.
“What have you heard about the ‘living tree’?” Turtle asked
“All trees are living, as far as I know my dear Turtle,” said King Beaver with a frown.
“This is a very special tree from what I hear, with healing fruit,”
“Ahh!” said the King, “I may know what you are talking about… it’s just a legend though, it’s not real”
“Legend or not, I fear it’s the only hope we have,” Turtle said, “Do you know where it is?”
“Well if the legend is correct, it is deep in the heart of the Woods, past the Dank Swamp, but before the Endless Mountains. Go to the library the archivist should have a map.”
“It is not as close as I’d hoped, but it is closer than I feared. I will get the map and I will go and bring fruit back, Lynx will accompany me,” Turtle said.
“This is most excellent,” The King said excitedly “Well I do not mean to rush you my dear Turtle, but I fear we do not have much time, you should be off,” the King said.
Turtle said “Indeed,” then he turned around to leave.
“Good luck,” said the King after him.
Turtle made his way down the long hallway leading from the great hall, he turn left and then right, Turtle stood in an oddly decorated, half abandoned part of the Great Dam a weird sort of entry way shaped like a tree, Turtle opened the little door on the front and walked in, a flight of stairs led up. At the top Turtle stood the landing of a magnificent library, which looked like it had been carved inside a hollow tree.
Outside the Great Dam Lynx was waiting for Turtle.
A desert road
It was California in the summer; Billy Africa had a wide variety of gaudy handmade trinkets on display filling the fabric-covered counter in front of him. The bleached dry wood of his booth sat silently as the sun beat down on the desolate highway that ran off seemingly forever to the horizon in both directions. Heat rose off the concrete, wispy lines of distortion obscured the border of the sky making the desert look like an ocean.
Billy sat in his wooden booth, sweltering, sweat beading on his brow, staining his armpits. It was nearing three pm, the worst part of the day. The sun would soon be setting behind him, blasting in through the open back of his little shelter. On a busier day, he would have left, having made his money earlier. Today though, today was no good, six hours he’d sat in the sun without a single customer.
“You got to know when to hold ‘em, when to fold ‘em” Billy said to himself with a chuckle, catching himself “Laughing at my own jokes and talking to myself, can’t be healthy.” He laughed again.
Billy could hear the engine before he saw the car, before he saw her. The car slowed down in one quick skidding burst, marking the road, burnt rubber filling the air. She was looking intently at all the little wooden booths on both sides before choosing his.
Billy sat in his wooden booth, sweltering, sweat beading on his brow, staining his armpits. It was nearing three pm, the worst part of the day. The sun would soon be setting behind him, blasting in through the open back of his little shelter. On a busier day, he would have left, having made his money earlier. Today though, today was no good, six hours he’d sat in the sun without a single customer.
“You got to know when to hold ‘em, when to fold ‘em” Billy said to himself with a chuckle, catching himself “Laughing at my own jokes and talking to myself, can’t be healthy.” He laughed again.
Billy could hear the engine before he saw the car, before he saw her. The car slowed down in one quick skidding burst, marking the road, burnt rubber filling the air. She was looking intently at all the little wooden booths on both sides before choosing his.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
This Country Unusual...
He sat in the parking lot and watched the traffic, he thought it was interesting the way light played off the window. How the green, red, and blue of the traffic light on the corner bounced around the car. He'd been waiting for 15 minutes and his mind had begun to wander, trying to stay focused he made a visual sweep of the parking lot. He was nervous, his proximity sensor was off, his glasses where in the console. He felt blind without his glasses on, without the augmented world overlay feeding him facts about his surrounding, the trusty glowing clock just at the corner of his vision. He felt blind, but that had been his clients orders. He owed them a huge debt, something that he would seemingly never have been able to repay. They’d given him instructions to come to Indiana and wait in a parking lot until they contacted him again, to wait without his sensors and gadgets, so that was what he was doing.
Without warning the left back door opened, he jumped a little, he heard it close again, before he could react a synthesized voice from the back seat said "Mr. Forks for your own safety please do not turn around, it would be best for all parties involved if I remained anonymous."
A passing car drew his attention to the mirror, it shattered suddenly surprising him.
"WOW! SHIT! WHA-" He shouted but was cut off,
"As I said before John, it would be best if you did not see me."
"Well fuck dude this is a rental... I mean seriously, I didn't even get the insurance," John whined.
"Your concerns have been noted."
"Okay well, I'm assuming you didn't call me here just to break my shit."
"Indeed Mr. Forks. We are very close to our goals," the voice stated.
"Which is why we have to meet in a middle of nowhere parking lot at three in the morning?" John said sarcastically.
"Yes" the voice replied in its synthetic deadpan.
John exhaled a chuckle trying to stay serious. This all seemed very sophomoric to him. "You've got to be messing with me. "
"This is necessary Mr. Forks."
"And why is that?"
"Further down the road is a laboratory, in this laboratory is something my group needs"
"And you need me to go in and get it?" John said thinking he was starting to size the job up.
"No, it is too well guarded even for you."
"Thanks for the confidence in my abilities" John said through his teeth, he was starting to get fed up with this.
"At the present time a plan is in action to acquire the package."
"So what do you need me for then?" John asked snappishly.
"Unfortunately it is not our plan, another organization has designs on the same asset, and we cannot allow it to fall into their hands. However they have resources at their disposal which we do not, so it is to our advantage to let them acquire the package and remove it from the facility."
"And where exactly do I come in? If this factory is as well guarded as you say it is and a team capable of taking out said security is already stealing it... I'm really just not seeing what I can do. I have talents, but they are limited."
"Mr. Forks your task is well within your abilities and it is precisely your talents we need. Once the package has been successfully removed we need you to detonate an EMP which-"
John broke in suddenly "You mean to tell me it’s a fucking android stealing it... who is this other organization? Robots are fucking dangerous man, how is the law not all up in their face? Aren't androids easily detectable due to their power source or what not?"
"Correct you are Mr. Forks, which is why our group does not employ them. The generation of an electromagnetic pulse is also illegal as you are aware. The amount of time you will have to recover the package, get it into containment, and get to a safe distance before authorities arrive will be brief."
"I'm still not sure where I come in?" John said, starting to get worried, he had suspicions about where this was headed.
"It is what is in the package," the synthetic voice almost said teasingly.
John Forks breathed deeply, apparently his secret was out. He thought he'd run far enough away from that past, but the evidence was clear; a package that only he or an android could retrieve...
"Biological or radioactive?" John asked not wanted to know the answer.
"You catch on quick Mr. Forks; this is good as our time is running short. What is in the package is not at issue, what is at issue is the dead zone it will leave in its radius without proper containment, it will kill anything within 10meters of it."
"Except me" John said exhaling.
"Except you" The voice repeated.
"How'd you find out?" he asked not really expecting an answer.
"It is in our best interest to know of all the talents of the people in our debt, even the ones they would prefer to keep hidden. The details are not important Mr. Forks," The voice said with a seeming finality on the subject.
"Okay so let me ask you something that is important, how am I supposed to transport it?"
"Three blocks from the facility, out of the range of the EMP, there is a truck with the equipment. If you would like to have a ride back we suggest you park by this truck. However in order for our plan to work we need the element of surprise which predicates that you are there before the android exits the building. By our estimation you have 19 minutes, once you have secured the package inside of the truck you are to lock it and leave. Do you understand Mr. Forks?"
"Wait seriously just leave?" John asked surprised, then without pause "And then were even?"
"Yes and yes, John once this is complete your debt to us is repaid"
"I understand," John said exhaling.
"We suggest you leave now" the voice said, there was a moment of silence then quickly the back door opened and closed again.
John turned and scanned the parking lot, but saw no one... he didn't expect to really. He looked in his backseat, there was a device which he took to be the EMP, he picked it up and with more caution than was probably necessary and moved it to the passenger seat. He took his glasses out of the console and put them on, a file had been uploaded from a local source, a line indicating direction overlayed the road in front of him. A hovering Text box that read Truck appeared to in the distance marked as 2.2 miles, another marked laboratory was 2.5 miles, the overlay estimated a 10 minute trip, he'd have about eight minutes if the time the voice had given him was to be believed, he checked to see if he'd received anything else, nothing. John pulled out of his space and turned out of the parking lot. As he followed the line he ran into the light that had previously bounced around his car and he got to watch it change from yellow to red to blue again. He silently chuckled to himself and anxiously drove to the laboratory... once he was done he thought to himself, they are definitely going to kill me.
John Forks drove fast and ended up beating the 10 minute estimate, he saw the truck and pulled in behind it. He sat for a second, breathing, he’d done this hundreds of times before. Take the contract, complete the mission, survive above all else. This time was different though, John was nervous, the group he was working for knowing more than anyone should about him and whatever was in this package was dangerous. Sending an android was a risky gambit no matter how much influence you hold, for starters their power sources are detectable for thousands of miles around too even the least powerful receivers; they pump out so much RF interference that all but the most powerful wireless frequencies are distorted. More over androids had been illegal since before the first one was even build, anyone building anything really with a sophisticated AI and a mobile base was considered a terrorist, the crime punishable by death.
He took of his glasses and put them in the glove box, closing and locking it. He picked up the package and exited the car, walking around the truck he checked the containment facilities, he didn’t want to be surprised when he got back. Everything seemed to checkout, and judging by the storage area he was going to be dealing with something radioactive. He began walking up the road to the laboratory, as he walked he unwrapped the EMP and began its charge sequence. This was his real purpose unfortunately, how they found out wasn’t important, they knew he’d been bred for this, surviving radioactive, chemical, or biological environments. Maybe they knew he was just a failed military experiment, not even top of the line. With John they just wanted to see if the immunities could be spliced into the DNA, not to see if they could make a super soldier. He wasn’t supposed to survive, which was why he was able to fake his death so effectively when they decided to terminate the project. He thought everyone who knew was dead, the files destroyed. Here he was though, a distant whine piercing the night air, becoming a siren as he got closer, the android was definitely inside. Stopping about 10 feet from the building’s entrance he waited nervously, he had no idea how much time had passed. Gunfire and screaming, the door exploded and John was thrown backwards, the EMP sent flying. It hits the ground hard, a piece broke off. John was back on his feet in a second, by reflex alone, he stood stunned for too long and the android was on him. The android pushed John as if he were a rag doll and John was down again. The android walked on without hesitation, John was down but not out, he’d almost landed on top of the EMP, he scrambled to pick it up. It was charged, but the control knob had broken off, his eyes searched the ground, the irony being if he’d had his glasses on finding this piece would be simple. The android was getting away with every second. He found it as the android was exiting the labs parking lot and fit it in frantically, jamming in. The siren silenced immediately, the shock as the pulse went out had nearly knocked unconscious, the android stopped dead in its tracks, it was suddenly very dark. John realized he’d been knocked down and sat up, he looked around the android stood still as a statue 10 yards from him. He got shakily to his feet and began to limp towards it, as he got closer he noticed the glow. John got closer to it, and pulled out his knife. He began to pry off the panel to the android’s storage compartment, this was the source of the glow. The compartment hatch popped open with surprising ease. One look inside and he knew why, the radiation coming off the container was eating away at the metal. John was worried, if this could eat metal what chance did his skin have, immunity or no. He reached and grabbed it carefully with one hand, it was much heavier than it looked and to lift it he had to use both. With a grunt he lifted the glowing container out of the android, and began to walk back to the truck, his skin tingling. Not painful, but not exactly comfortable, it took considerably longer to get back than it took to get there. He could hear the sirens and see the lights of the authorities in the distance by the time he’d arrived back at the truck. He did exactly as he was told, he opened the truck, and sealed the glowing container inside the facilities. He turned shut the trucks door and locked it. He walked around the truck back to his own car, he started his car and drove off.
He drove as fast as he could away from the truck, no matter what anyone had planned for that stuff it wasn’t his problem. He knew that they were going to come after him though as he knew too much now. Groups like this one didn’t just let you go around knowing their secrets. John knew that they would probably find him eventually no matter what he did, for them to have uncovered his past. He knew his only real chance of survival no matter how far he ran was if they needed his services again, which he doubted they would. He drove for hours and found himself driving through woods, distracted and speeding he didn’t see her. She flew over his car, John slammed the brakes, they screeched in protest. He got out, knowing there was probably nothing he could do for her now. He stood over her, she breathed in shallow breaths, but was still alive. As he knelt down beside her she whispered, in exhale, “Help Me…” and reached out with a weak grip holding his arm.
Without warning the left back door opened, he jumped a little, he heard it close again, before he could react a synthesized voice from the back seat said "Mr. Forks for your own safety please do not turn around, it would be best for all parties involved if I remained anonymous."
A passing car drew his attention to the mirror, it shattered suddenly surprising him.
"WOW! SHIT! WHA-" He shouted but was cut off,
"As I said before John, it would be best if you did not see me."
"Well fuck dude this is a rental... I mean seriously, I didn't even get the insurance," John whined.
"Your concerns have been noted."
"Okay well, I'm assuming you didn't call me here just to break my shit."
"Indeed Mr. Forks. We are very close to our goals," the voice stated.
"Which is why we have to meet in a middle of nowhere parking lot at three in the morning?" John said sarcastically.
"Yes" the voice replied in its synthetic deadpan.
John exhaled a chuckle trying to stay serious. This all seemed very sophomoric to him. "You've got to be messing with me. "
"This is necessary Mr. Forks."
"And why is that?"
"Further down the road is a laboratory, in this laboratory is something my group needs"
"And you need me to go in and get it?" John said thinking he was starting to size the job up.
"No, it is too well guarded even for you."
"Thanks for the confidence in my abilities" John said through his teeth, he was starting to get fed up with this.
"At the present time a plan is in action to acquire the package."
"So what do you need me for then?" John asked snappishly.
"Unfortunately it is not our plan, another organization has designs on the same asset, and we cannot allow it to fall into their hands. However they have resources at their disposal which we do not, so it is to our advantage to let them acquire the package and remove it from the facility."
"And where exactly do I come in? If this factory is as well guarded as you say it is and a team capable of taking out said security is already stealing it... I'm really just not seeing what I can do. I have talents, but they are limited."
"Mr. Forks your task is well within your abilities and it is precisely your talents we need. Once the package has been successfully removed we need you to detonate an EMP which-"
John broke in suddenly "You mean to tell me it’s a fucking android stealing it... who is this other organization? Robots are fucking dangerous man, how is the law not all up in their face? Aren't androids easily detectable due to their power source or what not?"
"Correct you are Mr. Forks, which is why our group does not employ them. The generation of an electromagnetic pulse is also illegal as you are aware. The amount of time you will have to recover the package, get it into containment, and get to a safe distance before authorities arrive will be brief."
"I'm still not sure where I come in?" John said, starting to get worried, he had suspicions about where this was headed.
"It is what is in the package," the synthetic voice almost said teasingly.
John Forks breathed deeply, apparently his secret was out. He thought he'd run far enough away from that past, but the evidence was clear; a package that only he or an android could retrieve...
"Biological or radioactive?" John asked not wanted to know the answer.
"You catch on quick Mr. Forks; this is good as our time is running short. What is in the package is not at issue, what is at issue is the dead zone it will leave in its radius without proper containment, it will kill anything within 10meters of it."
"Except me" John said exhaling.
"Except you" The voice repeated.
"How'd you find out?" he asked not really expecting an answer.
"It is in our best interest to know of all the talents of the people in our debt, even the ones they would prefer to keep hidden. The details are not important Mr. Forks," The voice said with a seeming finality on the subject.
"Okay so let me ask you something that is important, how am I supposed to transport it?"
"Three blocks from the facility, out of the range of the EMP, there is a truck with the equipment. If you would like to have a ride back we suggest you park by this truck. However in order for our plan to work we need the element of surprise which predicates that you are there before the android exits the building. By our estimation you have 19 minutes, once you have secured the package inside of the truck you are to lock it and leave. Do you understand Mr. Forks?"
"Wait seriously just leave?" John asked surprised, then without pause "And then were even?"
"Yes and yes, John once this is complete your debt to us is repaid"
"I understand," John said exhaling.
"We suggest you leave now" the voice said, there was a moment of silence then quickly the back door opened and closed again.
John turned and scanned the parking lot, but saw no one... he didn't expect to really. He looked in his backseat, there was a device which he took to be the EMP, he picked it up and with more caution than was probably necessary and moved it to the passenger seat. He took his glasses out of the console and put them on, a file had been uploaded from a local source, a line indicating direction overlayed the road in front of him. A hovering Text box that read Truck appeared to in the distance marked as 2.2 miles, another marked laboratory was 2.5 miles, the overlay estimated a 10 minute trip, he'd have about eight minutes if the time the voice had given him was to be believed, he checked to see if he'd received anything else, nothing. John pulled out of his space and turned out of the parking lot. As he followed the line he ran into the light that had previously bounced around his car and he got to watch it change from yellow to red to blue again. He silently chuckled to himself and anxiously drove to the laboratory... once he was done he thought to himself, they are definitely going to kill me.
John Forks drove fast and ended up beating the 10 minute estimate, he saw the truck and pulled in behind it. He sat for a second, breathing, he’d done this hundreds of times before. Take the contract, complete the mission, survive above all else. This time was different though, John was nervous, the group he was working for knowing more than anyone should about him and whatever was in this package was dangerous. Sending an android was a risky gambit no matter how much influence you hold, for starters their power sources are detectable for thousands of miles around too even the least powerful receivers; they pump out so much RF interference that all but the most powerful wireless frequencies are distorted. More over androids had been illegal since before the first one was even build, anyone building anything really with a sophisticated AI and a mobile base was considered a terrorist, the crime punishable by death.
He took of his glasses and put them in the glove box, closing and locking it. He picked up the package and exited the car, walking around the truck he checked the containment facilities, he didn’t want to be surprised when he got back. Everything seemed to checkout, and judging by the storage area he was going to be dealing with something radioactive. He began walking up the road to the laboratory, as he walked he unwrapped the EMP and began its charge sequence. This was his real purpose unfortunately, how they found out wasn’t important, they knew he’d been bred for this, surviving radioactive, chemical, or biological environments. Maybe they knew he was just a failed military experiment, not even top of the line. With John they just wanted to see if the immunities could be spliced into the DNA, not to see if they could make a super soldier. He wasn’t supposed to survive, which was why he was able to fake his death so effectively when they decided to terminate the project. He thought everyone who knew was dead, the files destroyed. Here he was though, a distant whine piercing the night air, becoming a siren as he got closer, the android was definitely inside. Stopping about 10 feet from the building’s entrance he waited nervously, he had no idea how much time had passed. Gunfire and screaming, the door exploded and John was thrown backwards, the EMP sent flying. It hits the ground hard, a piece broke off. John was back on his feet in a second, by reflex alone, he stood stunned for too long and the android was on him. The android pushed John as if he were a rag doll and John was down again. The android walked on without hesitation, John was down but not out, he’d almost landed on top of the EMP, he scrambled to pick it up. It was charged, but the control knob had broken off, his eyes searched the ground, the irony being if he’d had his glasses on finding this piece would be simple. The android was getting away with every second. He found it as the android was exiting the labs parking lot and fit it in frantically, jamming in. The siren silenced immediately, the shock as the pulse went out had nearly knocked unconscious, the android stopped dead in its tracks, it was suddenly very dark. John realized he’d been knocked down and sat up, he looked around the android stood still as a statue 10 yards from him. He got shakily to his feet and began to limp towards it, as he got closer he noticed the glow. John got closer to it, and pulled out his knife. He began to pry off the panel to the android’s storage compartment, this was the source of the glow. The compartment hatch popped open with surprising ease. One look inside and he knew why, the radiation coming off the container was eating away at the metal. John was worried, if this could eat metal what chance did his skin have, immunity or no. He reached and grabbed it carefully with one hand, it was much heavier than it looked and to lift it he had to use both. With a grunt he lifted the glowing container out of the android, and began to walk back to the truck, his skin tingling. Not painful, but not exactly comfortable, it took considerably longer to get back than it took to get there. He could hear the sirens and see the lights of the authorities in the distance by the time he’d arrived back at the truck. He did exactly as he was told, he opened the truck, and sealed the glowing container inside the facilities. He turned shut the trucks door and locked it. He walked around the truck back to his own car, he started his car and drove off.
He drove as fast as he could away from the truck, no matter what anyone had planned for that stuff it wasn’t his problem. He knew that they were going to come after him though as he knew too much now. Groups like this one didn’t just let you go around knowing their secrets. John knew that they would probably find him eventually no matter what he did, for them to have uncovered his past. He knew his only real chance of survival no matter how far he ran was if they needed his services again, which he doubted they would. He drove for hours and found himself driving through woods, distracted and speeding he didn’t see her. She flew over his car, John slammed the brakes, they screeched in protest. He got out, knowing there was probably nothing he could do for her now. He stood over her, she breathed in shallow breaths, but was still alive. As he knelt down beside her she whispered, in exhale, “Help Me…” and reached out with a weak grip holding his arm.
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