Tabitha stuck her hand inside the door into the darkness and fumbled for the light switch. What came next suprised poor tabitha.
“Get off my paw lassie your crushing my cigarette!” came the voice behind the door. The phrase sounded familiar to her somehow and the Irish broge just stuck out as endearing yet annoyed. She retracted her hand slowly from what she originally thought was a soggy sweater.
Hello in there she said peering in the dark room inquisitively. No sound came but she could see a small amount of smoke seeping out the opening of the door.
“Whatever it is you're going to ask lassie you already be knowing the answer”
“Are you going to get my shark”, she asked plain as day. She could hear an audible drag being taken this time and the smoke seemed to be purposely blown out the crack in the door.
“So you be playing your sensibilities on to try to get to the underbelly of this old sheep professor and give it a tickle. Well I tell you it won't work. I know what's going down and ain't no laughs going to dispell that truth of the matter.”
Tabitha opened the door to reveal a small white sheep with black legs and a cigarette sticking out of his mouth, hanging completely upside down.
“But look how cute she said coming forward and hugging the wet sheep with a warmth this sheep had never encountered.” Tabitha reached for the light and flicked swith turning the light on the green tiled room that was usually used for surgeries at the vets office.
Tabithas aburn hair was up in pig tails.
Tabitha looked at the sheep in amazement. Not so much because it was talking, or smoking a cigarettes for that matter, but because it hung upside down by three of it's legs from the kennels that took up the the front portion of the room.
“Help an old man down won't you”, came the voice now with an ever increasing annouyance in it's voice.
Tabitha put her hands on her hips and looked cockeyed at the purcariously placed sheep. “Well how did you end up like that silly goose.”
“Well first of all I'm a sheep and I don't take kindly to being mentioned in the same breath as those common vermin. Secondly, get me down woman.”
“I will I just am trying to get over there being a upside down sheep, smoking and talking in our back room.”
“Well get over it darling and unhinge me from the contraption. I've got to snort in my mess kit and I've got to get to it out soon”
She made her way towards the scissors that lay on the surgical table.
“You be careful with those woman or We will have a row when you are through. Now stick it in my craw and cut me loss.”
Tabitha’s delicate hands cut precisely and diligently. So much so that even the sheep professor was taken a little a back. Although not literally a back because as you might remember he still hung from a dog kennel.
Before long the professor set upright with his legs akmbo smoking two cigarettes at once. One In each hoof or paw as he seemed to refer to them.
“So I have to ask. What is a talking sheep doing in a vet clinic?”
“I might ask you the same question missy?“
“You might but it wouldnt make any sense.. You were the one up there. Plus I'm all fairness I did ask first my dear”, she said in a playful tone.
“Don't you take that tone with me”, he said glaring at her with bulgy sheep eyes. There's not a whole lot of humour to be had from being hung upside down by what amounts to a wool sweater held on by super glue by a crazy woman. One minute I'm trying to type words into an undersized keyboard with over sized paws and the next I'm being kidnapped by a psychotic Icelandic woman with a penchant for studity and an utterly transparent bevy of online personas that couldn't fool a goat.”
“Oh goats. So cute with there pez eyes. We’re talking about Pam right?”
“Let me tell you something sunshine. Goats are neither cute or welcome in my presence. The last goat that thought he was man enough to pony up to the podioum still has my hoof print embedded in his ass. Oh and yes. Pam.”
Tabitha laughed.
“What?” he asked annoyed, but a not quite as annoyed as before.
“You just called them hooves. They are so much more endearing as hooves.
“That may be the case but I will be the one to pick and choose the appropriate moniker fir them.”
Tabitha couldn't help but continue to laugh. So much that it became infectious and even the sheep professor in al his gruffness had the light of humour in his eyes.
The both just exhailed and looked at each other.
“So what the hell did she put her for?” ask Tabitha?
“Because of him”, he said. Lifting his hoof in the direction of the man in white.
Tabitha jumped in suprise.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Chapter 3 - Part 1
Chapter 3 - Part 1
“Get on the ground”, came the voice from behind the mask. Jessica recognized the voice immediatly as Jeff and just stood at the register, mouth a gap, at the sheer stupidness. Jesus. He was going to ruin everything. Jeff most be really jonsing for some cash if he was willing to stoop this low, the day before a big job.
She shook her head and started for the ground. Just than the twinkle from the bell on the door bell hit all their ears and they turned to see a figure in black with a wide brimed hat. The angle of the hat was such that you could only see one glaring eye and his mouth.
Just behind him stood a trembling man. The man pushed his glasses further up his nose. His face made a nervous twitch as a stood in the stunded silence.
“Who the fuck are you?” Jeff asked with confusion.
“Nevermind who I am. This is Jeremy. He and Jessica have something I need them to do.”
Jeremy looked even more nervous now and fiddled with his glasses.
Jeff pulled off the ski mask in sheer frustration. “What the fuck?!” he said fuming looking at the man in black. Curtis looked from Jeff to the man in black and than back at Jeff.
“This in not your affair Jeff. You need to move on” said the man in black.
“Like hell. I will” he said the a bit spittal forming in the corners of his mouth like a rabid dog. “Who the fuck are you and what the fuck do you want with Jessica.” Just as this was said Jeff was hit in the back of the head by Kent with a fire extinguisher.
Curtis dropped the gun and made a run for the door. “Curtis. I suggest you stick around. We’re going to be needing you too.” Curtis gave the man in black a confused look and put his gun down on the counter while taking off his own ski mask.
“Curtis Litobin?” came Michele’s voice. Almost out of a whisper. “Do you know me too?” he said in frustration. Yeah you and every other up and coming boxer in this hell whole. I’m Tony’s daughter.”
“Michele?”
...........................................
Jessica awoke in the passenger seat of Jeff’s old Nova. The night air was cool and it blew in through the half open window as the Nova screamed across the desert road.
She was disoriented and felt as though she was about to feel the pain of a pretty bad headache. At least considering what she felt to be a huge bump on the back of her head.
Heat lightning streaked across the sky lighting up the desert floor and bluffs in the distance. The car was completely black inside and she looked up to see who was driving, but couldn’t even make out a shape. Heat lightning lit up the sky again, this time closer to the car and she pushed up against the passenger’s side door, hard and fast, when the drivers face was revealed.
“Where are we going?” She said in a shakey voice. Tears welling up in her eyes.
“California Jessica”, said Jeremy. Pushing his glasses back up on his nose as he looked her way in the darkness.
She eased up on the passenger side door. She didn’t get a forbodding feeling about Jeremy. Just a creepy feeling. Her muscles started to relax and the headache she knew was coming began to splash over her brain in a bath of pain and misery.
She cupped her forehead in her hands. “Can we stop and get coffee or something. I got a really bad headache and I’d like to get some coffee and asprin.”
“I guess so” said Jeremy.
Her eyes started to become accustomed to the darkness of the car and she could see the Jeremy had a tight grip of something on the seat. Something she could tell that he was holding onto for dear life. His right arm muscles were fully flexed and the shedding of darkness revealed the sweat that was pouring down his face.
“What’s the matter, Jeremy” she said. She slightly hesitated on his name. Realizing now that this was the most time that either of them had spent together in their lives. Before this it was just a casual hello or how you are doing on her way to work. She had seen him less and less of the last couple weeks she had only seen him peaking out through the window.
“The Darkman says we have to get to California ASAP” he said continuing to stare ahead at the road.
“Who is that guy anyway? And what are you doing with him. You seemed like such a nice guy.”
“And you seemed like such a nice girl” he said shooting her a dirty look and again looking ahead at the road. “Jeff wasn’t exactly bringing you roses back there was he Jessica” he said in a jealous, scornful voice.
“No he wasn’t Jeremy, but you got to understand. Sometimes we do what we got to do to survive.”
“Yes we do” Jeremy said with painful, distainful look on his face. He gripped the object on the seat and now Jessica could make out that it was what she feared. A gun. Not just any gun either. It was Jeff’s gun.
“Where did you get that?” asked Jessica almost pawing at the question with a naivetay that she hoped would fool and may even charm Jeremy. Than it hit her. She had lost time. The last thing she remembered was standing by her register and watching Kent hit Jeff in the back of the head with the fire exstiguisher. After that she woke up here. Tears began to well up in her eyes and her playful deamonoer was wiped away before Jeremy even had a chance to respond. “What happened back there Jeremy!” she yelled. “Why are we headed to California? And who the hell was that man with the hat that you came with?”
Jeremy just gripped the gun harder and she pressed herself up against the door hard again. “Looks like there’s a place up ahead. If you behave we can get something to eat.” He turned and looked her straight through his horn rimmed glasses. “And if you don’t. Everyone dies.”
“Get on the ground”, came the voice from behind the mask. Jessica recognized the voice immediatly as Jeff and just stood at the register, mouth a gap, at the sheer stupidness. Jesus. He was going to ruin everything. Jeff most be really jonsing for some cash if he was willing to stoop this low, the day before a big job.
She shook her head and started for the ground. Just than the twinkle from the bell on the door bell hit all their ears and they turned to see a figure in black with a wide brimed hat. The angle of the hat was such that you could only see one glaring eye and his mouth.
Just behind him stood a trembling man. The man pushed his glasses further up his nose. His face made a nervous twitch as a stood in the stunded silence.
“Who the fuck are you?” Jeff asked with confusion.
“Nevermind who I am. This is Jeremy. He and Jessica have something I need them to do.”
Jeremy looked even more nervous now and fiddled with his glasses.
Jeff pulled off the ski mask in sheer frustration. “What the fuck?!” he said fuming looking at the man in black. Curtis looked from Jeff to the man in black and than back at Jeff.
“This in not your affair Jeff. You need to move on” said the man in black.
“Like hell. I will” he said the a bit spittal forming in the corners of his mouth like a rabid dog. “Who the fuck are you and what the fuck do you want with Jessica.” Just as this was said Jeff was hit in the back of the head by Kent with a fire extinguisher.
Curtis dropped the gun and made a run for the door. “Curtis. I suggest you stick around. We’re going to be needing you too.” Curtis gave the man in black a confused look and put his gun down on the counter while taking off his own ski mask.
“Curtis Litobin?” came Michele’s voice. Almost out of a whisper. “Do you know me too?” he said in frustration. Yeah you and every other up and coming boxer in this hell whole. I’m Tony’s daughter.”
“Michele?”
...........................................
Jessica awoke in the passenger seat of Jeff’s old Nova. The night air was cool and it blew in through the half open window as the Nova screamed across the desert road.
She was disoriented and felt as though she was about to feel the pain of a pretty bad headache. At least considering what she felt to be a huge bump on the back of her head.
Heat lightning streaked across the sky lighting up the desert floor and bluffs in the distance. The car was completely black inside and she looked up to see who was driving, but couldn’t even make out a shape. Heat lightning lit up the sky again, this time closer to the car and she pushed up against the passenger’s side door, hard and fast, when the drivers face was revealed.
“Where are we going?” She said in a shakey voice. Tears welling up in her eyes.
“California Jessica”, said Jeremy. Pushing his glasses back up on his nose as he looked her way in the darkness.
She eased up on the passenger side door. She didn’t get a forbodding feeling about Jeremy. Just a creepy feeling. Her muscles started to relax and the headache she knew was coming began to splash over her brain in a bath of pain and misery.
She cupped her forehead in her hands. “Can we stop and get coffee or something. I got a really bad headache and I’d like to get some coffee and asprin.”
“I guess so” said Jeremy.
Her eyes started to become accustomed to the darkness of the car and she could see the Jeremy had a tight grip of something on the seat. Something she could tell that he was holding onto for dear life. His right arm muscles were fully flexed and the shedding of darkness revealed the sweat that was pouring down his face.
“What’s the matter, Jeremy” she said. She slightly hesitated on his name. Realizing now that this was the most time that either of them had spent together in their lives. Before this it was just a casual hello or how you are doing on her way to work. She had seen him less and less of the last couple weeks she had only seen him peaking out through the window.
“The Darkman says we have to get to California ASAP” he said continuing to stare ahead at the road.
“Who is that guy anyway? And what are you doing with him. You seemed like such a nice guy.”
“And you seemed like such a nice girl” he said shooting her a dirty look and again looking ahead at the road. “Jeff wasn’t exactly bringing you roses back there was he Jessica” he said in a jealous, scornful voice.
“No he wasn’t Jeremy, but you got to understand. Sometimes we do what we got to do to survive.”
“Yes we do” Jeremy said with painful, distainful look on his face. He gripped the object on the seat and now Jessica could make out that it was what she feared. A gun. Not just any gun either. It was Jeff’s gun.
“Where did you get that?” asked Jessica almost pawing at the question with a naivetay that she hoped would fool and may even charm Jeremy. Than it hit her. She had lost time. The last thing she remembered was standing by her register and watching Kent hit Jeff in the back of the head with the fire exstiguisher. After that she woke up here. Tears began to well up in her eyes and her playful deamonoer was wiped away before Jeremy even had a chance to respond. “What happened back there Jeremy!” she yelled. “Why are we headed to California? And who the hell was that man with the hat that you came with?”
Jeremy just gripped the gun harder and she pressed herself up against the door hard again. “Looks like there’s a place up ahead. If you behave we can get something to eat.” He turned and looked her straight through his horn rimmed glasses. “And if you don’t. Everyone dies.”
Monday, October 20, 2008
Chapter 2 - Part 1
The galaxy spread out in front of them like a record player, but what these creatures pulled from there vernacular was nothing even remotely close. What stood before their eyes was still nothing less than miraculous. The spoakes of the milkway spread out in front of them and evoked dreams as it might in any species.
Their race, one from a neighboring galaxy of the Milkyway. They had named their beings and their planet after a comedian of sorts on their home planet. A comedian who became much more to them. Unfortunately he had horrible comic delivery and only lasted a couple nights on the comedy improv circuit. His name was Walter Vegbotin, Vegbotin is about as close to the pronounciation as you are going to get with an earth tongue. But Walter was right on.
If a human from earth had seen him he may have thought he was Drew Carey....Well except for the yellow skin and the blue eyes. Fortunately the skin and eyes matched and that much couldn't be said for their neighbors in the same solar system.
This horrible comedian did have quite a bit charisma that had parlayed him to a position as representative to a local bowling league. Not actually bowling, but a sport much like it was the main sport on Vegbotin. This had lead to many promotions and a small stint as an optimoligist for sightless carrier pigeons.
Vegbotin was a tangerine colored planet that resided...Ah hell it was far far away. Even if one were to explain that it was the Andromeda galaxy, how many reading a story much like this would even now where Andromeda resided. Even if one did know, it wouldn't bring any more clarity than saying...It was far far away.
So these yellow being with blue eyes stood looking through their glasses at the most magnificent sight any of them had ever seen. A snap shot of an entire galaxy that was being veiwed with almost, completely naked eye. You see the Vegbotins all wore glasses. Not out of visual impairment, but in honor of their leader. There were no Gucci frames though. Actually there were no variation in frame style at all. They were all wearing grayish black, thick framed glasses that had been prescribed by Vegbotin himself.
This would be the last time that they would see the galaxy as a whole before plunging into it. They had all been in a state of hyper-sleep until about 10 minutes before this. Light speed gave one no choice. You couldn't make a decent cup of tea in light speed, because time not only wasn't going forward, but it wasn't going backwards either. So the tea would never have brewed properly or at all really, and the Vegbotins could not live without their tea. Well they would have lived, but it would have made for a very trying existence in which many an uncomfortable afternoon might have been spent.
So the idea of hyper-sleep was brought up by Vegbotin himself, because the turn out at the local bowling alleys in Vegbotin was very poor. So poor in fact was the turn out that after 3 years of Vegbotin time, ten years of earth time, there had only been one volunteer for the mission at hand.
The Vegbotins had searched galaxies far and wide for a domesticated planet of interest. There was no particular crisis on Vegbotin that prompted this. Well there was another comedian with impacable timing that was starting to make Walter look completely humourless. His glasses where the only thing that went a long way to prompting humour, but Vegbotin needed something more to cement his place as leader for the foreseeable future.
You see in their immediate area of the galaxy there was a competition. Even more competitive than bowling. It was planet conquering. All of their neighbors, despite the fashion imparing non-matching eyes and skin had all found and conquered there own worlds. Vegabotin new that Clayton Dustpan, the comedian du jour not only possessed better humour but humour period. Plus he possessed a plan to conquer another world. He also didn't have a cousin looked in his basement named Rapscalion, but that is another story.
So that sent the plan in motion, and the hyper-sleep idea was born. Clayton Dustpan had been caught sleeping with an actress of what might have been considered a Norwiegen midget. That was something the Vegbotins could not swallow. Blond hair and orange skin just made horrible fashion sense, and was far less asthetically pleasing with the required glasses. He and his soon to be bride escaped to another, less fashion conscious planet, humour intact.
So they had looked around the Universe and neighboring universes for a planet worthy of annihilation. They finally, after several years, found a planet in the Milkway galaxy. They could only see small glimpses of the planet. Usually through the computers of bloggers of said planets. The one planet that stuck out to them was the planet England. They had spyed a site called Bastardly and the King of that site. They were familiar with the human notion of King, and found that a blogger named King Biscuit of the planet England.
They were also found that England had it's own fashionless, midget Norweign named Hayden.
The planet England the two most important things to the Vegbotins. First there was tea and England seemed to be full of the stuff, and second, there was need among the Vegbotin's to rid the Universe of anything remotely Norweign. The other important factor, which wasn't really considered as important as the other two, was that the human race was about to wipe itself out. This was just common knowledge among the Universe Savvy planets. England or Earth as their neighbors called it, was destined for self extermination. They wouldn't even need to conquer it. They could just show up and profit from the catalysmic events that were about to take place.
........
King Biscuit or so he was called on the blog named Bastardly, sat next to his computer. His window looked out on the yard next to his.
A couple weeks ago, King had mentioned to his neighbor that there had been a lack of pigeons. In fact he hadn't seen one in a long time. Well today, he looked out his window and there was what looked like 40 pigeons in his neighbors hard. King opened the window and yelled out, "It was only an observation!" And that it was, but it was one of which the Vegbotins had been waiting. This keen observation was followed by another, equally keen observation. These pigeons looked blind and were walking into each other and nearby inanimate objects.
........
Captain Peacock Flogbottom opened the door to his quarters. "So has tea begun to brew yet."
"Yes captain", came the reply from the rather tall, gangly Trevor Deplane. "And right on time I hear."
Captain peacock pulled his pocket watch from his overalls, clicked it open and announced, "Ah, Teatime Deplane. Let's get a move on."
Their race, one from a neighboring galaxy of the Milkyway. They had named their beings and their planet after a comedian of sorts on their home planet. A comedian who became much more to them. Unfortunately he had horrible comic delivery and only lasted a couple nights on the comedy improv circuit. His name was Walter Vegbotin, Vegbotin is about as close to the pronounciation as you are going to get with an earth tongue. But Walter was right on.
If a human from earth had seen him he may have thought he was Drew Carey....Well except for the yellow skin and the blue eyes. Fortunately the skin and eyes matched and that much couldn't be said for their neighbors in the same solar system.
This horrible comedian did have quite a bit charisma that had parlayed him to a position as representative to a local bowling league. Not actually bowling, but a sport much like it was the main sport on Vegbotin. This had lead to many promotions and a small stint as an optimoligist for sightless carrier pigeons.
Vegbotin was a tangerine colored planet that resided...Ah hell it was far far away. Even if one were to explain that it was the Andromeda galaxy, how many reading a story much like this would even now where Andromeda resided. Even if one did know, it wouldn't bring any more clarity than saying...It was far far away.
So these yellow being with blue eyes stood looking through their glasses at the most magnificent sight any of them had ever seen. A snap shot of an entire galaxy that was being veiwed with almost, completely naked eye. You see the Vegbotins all wore glasses. Not out of visual impairment, but in honor of their leader. There were no Gucci frames though. Actually there were no variation in frame style at all. They were all wearing grayish black, thick framed glasses that had been prescribed by Vegbotin himself.
This would be the last time that they would see the galaxy as a whole before plunging into it. They had all been in a state of hyper-sleep until about 10 minutes before this. Light speed gave one no choice. You couldn't make a decent cup of tea in light speed, because time not only wasn't going forward, but it wasn't going backwards either. So the tea would never have brewed properly or at all really, and the Vegbotins could not live without their tea. Well they would have lived, but it would have made for a very trying existence in which many an uncomfortable afternoon might have been spent.
So the idea of hyper-sleep was brought up by Vegbotin himself, because the turn out at the local bowling alleys in Vegbotin was very poor. So poor in fact was the turn out that after 3 years of Vegbotin time, ten years of earth time, there had only been one volunteer for the mission at hand.
The Vegbotins had searched galaxies far and wide for a domesticated planet of interest. There was no particular crisis on Vegbotin that prompted this. Well there was another comedian with impacable timing that was starting to make Walter look completely humourless. His glasses where the only thing that went a long way to prompting humour, but Vegbotin needed something more to cement his place as leader for the foreseeable future.
You see in their immediate area of the galaxy there was a competition. Even more competitive than bowling. It was planet conquering. All of their neighbors, despite the fashion imparing non-matching eyes and skin had all found and conquered there own worlds. Vegabotin new that Clayton Dustpan, the comedian du jour not only possessed better humour but humour period. Plus he possessed a plan to conquer another world. He also didn't have a cousin looked in his basement named Rapscalion, but that is another story.
So that sent the plan in motion, and the hyper-sleep idea was born. Clayton Dustpan had been caught sleeping with an actress of what might have been considered a Norwiegen midget. That was something the Vegbotins could not swallow. Blond hair and orange skin just made horrible fashion sense, and was far less asthetically pleasing with the required glasses. He and his soon to be bride escaped to another, less fashion conscious planet, humour intact.
So they had looked around the Universe and neighboring universes for a planet worthy of annihilation. They finally, after several years, found a planet in the Milkway galaxy. They could only see small glimpses of the planet. Usually through the computers of bloggers of said planets. The one planet that stuck out to them was the planet England. They had spyed a site called Bastardly and the King of that site. They were familiar with the human notion of King, and found that a blogger named King Biscuit of the planet England.
They were also found that England had it's own fashionless, midget Norweign named Hayden.
The planet England the two most important things to the Vegbotins. First there was tea and England seemed to be full of the stuff, and second, there was need among the Vegbotin's to rid the Universe of anything remotely Norweign. The other important factor, which wasn't really considered as important as the other two, was that the human race was about to wipe itself out. This was just common knowledge among the Universe Savvy planets. England or Earth as their neighbors called it, was destined for self extermination. They wouldn't even need to conquer it. They could just show up and profit from the catalysmic events that were about to take place.
........
King Biscuit or so he was called on the blog named Bastardly, sat next to his computer. His window looked out on the yard next to his.
A couple weeks ago, King had mentioned to his neighbor that there had been a lack of pigeons. In fact he hadn't seen one in a long time. Well today, he looked out his window and there was what looked like 40 pigeons in his neighbors hard. King opened the window and yelled out, "It was only an observation!" And that it was, but it was one of which the Vegbotins had been waiting. This keen observation was followed by another, equally keen observation. These pigeons looked blind and were walking into each other and nearby inanimate objects.
........
Captain Peacock Flogbottom opened the door to his quarters. "So has tea begun to brew yet."
"Yes captain", came the reply from the rather tall, gangly Trevor Deplane. "And right on time I hear."
Captain peacock pulled his pocket watch from his overalls, clicked it open and announced, "Ah, Teatime Deplane. Let's get a move on."
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Chapter 1 - Part 5
The desert mouse sniffed the night air, rising up on two legs. There was a sense of danger in the air. The mouse returned to a crouching posture. The mouse stayed perfectly still. As if a single movement would give it away. This scenerio played out every night in one way or another.
Out of the darkness came a black booted foot and stepped on the mouse. Tonight was to be different. Tonight was a ghouls night out.
.......
Jeff pulled his old Nova up to the side of the gym where Curtis was standing, sweating in the sweltering heat. "Get in man."
"Dude, I told you man. I can't do this. What are you even doing here."
"Come on man. It's all set."
Curtis leaned into the car, feeling the afternoon heat upon the metal. His first instinct was to flinch, but he didn't want show Jeff an ounce of weakness. "Jeff man, you know I got this fight coming up. It's my career man."
"Yeah and that is 2 nights away. This is tonight man."
"You just don't get it. Tonight, tomorrow." He knew Jeff had a way of bleeding is way into his life and leaving his stain.
"Get in."
Curtis opened the door and got in. He knew by doing so he was leaving his life back where he stood on the sidewalk. He was leaving boxing and all the fundamentals that he knew that kept his life on the straight and narrow. He knew he would never be back. 'What God's name was he doing?' he thought as he closed the door on the good.
Jeff drove for miles and miles. The highway slipped away into the night and heat became cool desert wind. The sun smeared it's yellow and orange across the sky inviting the darkness to overcome it.
Not a word was spoken between them in those hours. Nothing needed to be said.
..........
Jessica took her money tray and pushed it into her register.
"Did you hear about Yucca Mountain Jess?"
She turned to face Michelle at her register.
"What?" She said as though coming to from a dream.
"Yucca Mountain? You know the nuclear waste dump place up in the mountain? You haven't watched the news?"
"No", she said furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.
"Yucca mountain is contaminating the ground water. They're shutting it down, but they think it's too late. They're saying not to drink the water. God, I can't believe it Jess. We're all probably going to be glowing."
Jessica just looked at her. While this was pretty big news, it didn't phase her in the least. She had more pressing matter to contend with right now. One of those being, living until tomorrow.
"What are we going to do?"
Kent came out from one of the aisles. "There's not much more about it on the news. In fact they stopped talking about it all together. Oh, hello Jessi."
"Hi Kent." 'What did his mother name him after a pack of cigarettes? Kent?' she thought to herself, but tried to brush the thought from her mind.
"Here's some water, on me", he said in a gracious tone.
"You think it matters. We've already been drinking the water. Showering in it", came the voice of Michele through a sob.
Jessica couldn't get her mind off Jeff. Even in the face of revelation such as this, her mind was catapulted back to him.
"Michele, it's kind of slow. Maybe you should take the rest of the day."
"You're kidding right. I'm not going anywhere. At least there's air conditioning in this hellhole."
Kent felt hurt. He always thought that Michele liked it there. He always tried to make the store a place where everyone felt comfortable.
Michele looked at Kent and collapsed on his chest. "I'm sorry. I just don't know what to do", came her words now drowned in deep sobs.
"It's ok Michele. We'll figure it out."
Jessica felt a tinge of jealousy. What did Michele now anyway. She didn't know about her and Kent. She felt the baby kick, hard.
Kent consoled her, "It'll all be ok. You'll see."
Just than the front doors of the store flung open. "Get on the ground", came the voice of the man behind the ski mask. A second man, a strong man wearing a ginny-T walked in behind him, gun held high and walked toward Kent and Michele.
Out of the darkness came a black booted foot and stepped on the mouse. Tonight was to be different. Tonight was a ghouls night out.
.......
Jeff pulled his old Nova up to the side of the gym where Curtis was standing, sweating in the sweltering heat. "Get in man."
"Dude, I told you man. I can't do this. What are you even doing here."
"Come on man. It's all set."
Curtis leaned into the car, feeling the afternoon heat upon the metal. His first instinct was to flinch, but he didn't want show Jeff an ounce of weakness. "Jeff man, you know I got this fight coming up. It's my career man."
"Yeah and that is 2 nights away. This is tonight man."
"You just don't get it. Tonight, tomorrow." He knew Jeff had a way of bleeding is way into his life and leaving his stain.
"Get in."
Curtis opened the door and got in. He knew by doing so he was leaving his life back where he stood on the sidewalk. He was leaving boxing and all the fundamentals that he knew that kept his life on the straight and narrow. He knew he would never be back. 'What God's name was he doing?' he thought as he closed the door on the good.
Jeff drove for miles and miles. The highway slipped away into the night and heat became cool desert wind. The sun smeared it's yellow and orange across the sky inviting the darkness to overcome it.
Not a word was spoken between them in those hours. Nothing needed to be said.
..........
Jessica took her money tray and pushed it into her register.
"Did you hear about Yucca Mountain Jess?"
She turned to face Michelle at her register.
"What?" She said as though coming to from a dream.
"Yucca Mountain? You know the nuclear waste dump place up in the mountain? You haven't watched the news?"
"No", she said furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.
"Yucca mountain is contaminating the ground water. They're shutting it down, but they think it's too late. They're saying not to drink the water. God, I can't believe it Jess. We're all probably going to be glowing."
Jessica just looked at her. While this was pretty big news, it didn't phase her in the least. She had more pressing matter to contend with right now. One of those being, living until tomorrow.
"What are we going to do?"
Kent came out from one of the aisles. "There's not much more about it on the news. In fact they stopped talking about it all together. Oh, hello Jessi."
"Hi Kent." 'What did his mother name him after a pack of cigarettes? Kent?' she thought to herself, but tried to brush the thought from her mind.
"Here's some water, on me", he said in a gracious tone.
"You think it matters. We've already been drinking the water. Showering in it", came the voice of Michele through a sob.
Jessica couldn't get her mind off Jeff. Even in the face of revelation such as this, her mind was catapulted back to him.
"Michele, it's kind of slow. Maybe you should take the rest of the day."
"You're kidding right. I'm not going anywhere. At least there's air conditioning in this hellhole."
Kent felt hurt. He always thought that Michele liked it there. He always tried to make the store a place where everyone felt comfortable.
Michele looked at Kent and collapsed on his chest. "I'm sorry. I just don't know what to do", came her words now drowned in deep sobs.
"It's ok Michele. We'll figure it out."
Jessica felt a tinge of jealousy. What did Michele now anyway. She didn't know about her and Kent. She felt the baby kick, hard.
Kent consoled her, "It'll all be ok. You'll see."
Just than the front doors of the store flung open. "Get on the ground", came the voice of the man behind the ski mask. A second man, a strong man wearing a ginny-T walked in behind him, gun held high and walked toward Kent and Michele.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Chapter 1 - Part 4
Hell is where you want to be
I feel the hell on you and me
I feel it every day
Hell is where you want to be
I feel the hell on you and me
It never goes away
- Ghouls Night Out - Misfits
Jessica awoke pouring with sweat as the phone rang. She could tell that it was him, Jeff. She didn't now how. She didn't have to check the caller ID. She didn't need to wait to hear his voice. She just knew. She jerked up from a laying position and than thought better of it. Her mind raced as dizziness from the sudden movement mixed with the fear that hit her like a wall. It was Jeff. She had to answer it. He knew she was there. He knew everything damn it.
Finally she got up off the bed and approached the phone. It must have rung 15 times by now. She put her hands near the phone and her hands hovered over it like it was made of hot coals. Hot coals she needed to grab, but knew was going to be the most painful thing she had ever grabbed before.
She took a deep breath and picked up the phone. "Hello?"
"Hey baby."
"Jeff?"
"Yeah baby. I thought might be trying to dodge me. I was starting to get worried I must just have to come and.......Get you."
"No, No", she said trying to shake the sleepiness and fear from her voice. "I was in the bathroom."
"What? You run out of paper?"
"What?" she said confused. "No, No. I was in the shower and didn't hear the phone at first." Wow, in her confused state she was amazed she came up with such a plausible explanation. She went with it further. "I was waiting for your call, but it was so hot. I had to take a cool shower."
"Haha! I taught you that right baby", said. Again he took credit for something in her life.
"Yeah, Jeff." She changed tone and the fear welled up in her throat again. "This is the last one right?."
"What, Jeffy calls and now your all business? What kind of shit is that baby?"
"No, No" She seemed to say that a lot to Jeff. Always having to explain so he wouldn't snap. "I just need to know before I can...." She searched for a word, but before she could think of the word that had escaped into the hot desert heat.
"Yeah, it'll be the last one", he said in a voice that wasn't charachteristic of Jeff at all.
"OK", she pushed it out with an exhail of relief.
........................
The Man in white sat length wise across from the dark figure that sat at the other end. His tie white and his suit black, as though he were a mirror image of himself. The darkness hid most of his face, but he could see his lips. The bottom half of his face was illuminated by the one of the few rays of sunshine that penetrated the cabin.
"You do know why we have been brought together, at last", he said in a voice that seemed to creep across the table like a giant black widow.
"You know I do", he said with no hesitation from doubt.
He had had no doubt, ever.
"Than you know this is were it all begins." There was a slight lisp to his speech. he had always thought that he and the dark man would be perfect opposites, but even the darkness has it's mistakes. It's weaknesses.
This was the one thing that he had not thought, ever. He knew the pendulum may just swing in his favor more often than he might expect, or less. Either way, it was something he had not expected.
"So it all starts here. You have your...." and he stopped there almost as though he were trying to think of the most diabolical word he could come up with.
"Yes, it all starts here", he said trying to cut off his thought process.
"Experiment", he finished.
The man in white stood up and walk to the door. All the while thinking what a horrible choice of words. It was a mission of sorts. There was no experiment. He was going to win this.
The door shut silently, drowned out by the rustling of leaves. The vultures had all but disappeared. He need not look up to know. There shadows no longer darkened his path back to his car.
...................
Kent sat looking at his computer in the back room of the store. He was on a chat room and was talking to some guy the entricasies of 20 sided dice. Boring to most, but this guy really knew his D&D stuff. A little too much was his actual thought.
"Yeah, dude. I had to run to the bathroom", the response to his "Where did you go."
"Robert I got to sign off. Business."
"OK. Yeah me too. ltr."
"Kent, there's a guy up front. He's got a question", came the voice of Ron, today's courtesy guy. "I'll be there in a second." His thought's were more like, "Do I have to do everything."
Since taking over the store when his father had a stroke, he barely had time to tie his shoes. Early afternoon was the only down time he had these days. It was no wonder Jessica was so unhappy with their so called relationship, and relationship was bordering on too strong a word.
He had tried to avoided falling for her, but it was impossible. Those blue eyes, contrasted with her dark black hair just drove him crazy. Her cute up-turned nose and those damn cute little freckles that flowed over her cheeks sealed the deal. He had to have her. He also knew she was trouble. Christ, the first few days of knowing her, she had broken down in tears at least a dozen times. Once over the code of an eggplant. She was not stable, and he needed stability. His wife meant stability, but she was such a bore, and a consolation. If only he could take the best of both.
He stood up with that sobering thought and made for the front of the store. As he approached the front of the store he could see a rather sickly looking young man. He only thought sickly, because this guy couldn't be more than 20 and he looked white as a ghost.
"Can I help you, sir?"
"Sir, No man. It's Jeff", and put out his hand in the motioning for a shake.
"Hi Jeff", he said ignoring the hand.
Jeff pulled his hand back, but not in an uncomfortable way. He seemed to envelope the rejection into fluid motion, returning his hand to his pocket.
"This guy here says, that you can't cash this check." He pulled the crumpled check.
"Well he didn't have ID", came the warbely voice of Ron.
"Sorry, no ID. I can't cash it."
"Alright man. So how late you open tonight?"
It was than that the name Jeff tingled just the right place in his memory. Jessica had talked about a guy named Jeff. That was Texas though. It couldn't possibly be the same person he thought to himself.
"We are open until 10 tonight."
"Alright man, than see you little later. I forgot what I need at the hotel. Thanks" he said with a bit of laugh mixed into his voice as he turned toward the doors to exit.
......................
Friday, November 2, 2007
Chapter 1 - Part 3
Part 3
Curtis hit the heavy bag with all his might, and it felt as though he were being hit.
"What wrong with you today Curt? Your only three days away from the biggest fight of your career and you look like you are about to fall over",said his coach Tony with an air of disgust.
"I am about to fall over" Curtis replied, taking a seat on the bench and putting his head in his hands.
Tony tossed a towel over Curtis back begrudgingly. 'Boy' he thought "it was real mistake going out with Jeff last night' Curtis already felt that way every time he went out with Jeff.
"Alright, knock off for today, but I want you back in the gym tomorrow morning and....and No excuses. Chamberland ain't gonna have any excuses on Saturday. Stay away from the Jeff character too...he's nothing but trouble."
Curtis grabbed his gym bag and left without changing. Without even saying a word.
He knew more than anybody what a parasite that Jeff was, but he had a hard time saying no to pushy people and Jeff defined pushy.
........
Jeff awoke on the motel bed drenched in sweat. 'Damn the hotel for having air conditioning that worked about as regularly as he did' he thought, feeling disgusted with his own sweat.
The sweat rolled down his forehead as he sat staring up at the drop ceiling....Finding patterns in the dark notchs of each of the panels.
His chest ached terribly as breathed in and out on the bed. He had to cut down on his smoking. It was killing him and he could feel it take a little peace of him every single day.
He sat up and lit a cigarette taking a long deep puff that sent both pain and relief coarsing through his chest. He got up off the bed and wearily made his way to the coke machine just outside his motel room door.
His pulse thudded roefully in his skull as his eyes became awash with the noon day sun.
Just a little coke and some jack and he'd be back on track. He knew that wasn't true, but that is what he would have to tell himself to get through the next hour or so. In fact it was going to take a lot more than the hair of the dog to shake this hang over...He may need the entire coat of the dog before all was said and done, and then he might only back be to square one.
He took a sip of the jack and coke and held back a shudder of nausia...His mouth filling with warm salivia he took another drink and held on. His stomache was doing monkey flips as he sat hanging half way off the unmade bed.
Just than his stomache rejected the liqour as though it was a disease and he ran to the waste bucket just ten feet away. His head swam in an unforgivable sea whose waves only sought to punish him further.
This was not a good start to a day. No this was not a good start at all.
.........
Jessica opened the letter, her fingers trembled so much it made the letter almost unreadable.
'Hey baby,
I'll be in town soon. Maybe I can see you. You know I love you.
We need to discuss the situation before we can pull this off.
You'll know when I'm in town, so no need to try and find me, and baby, how's bout we leave the police out of it this time. You know what you need to do to make things right and it ain't got nothing to do with the fucking police.
Love you baby
Jeff
The letter fell from her hands as though she had lost all strength to hold onto it. In fact she did lose all strength. A sickening dread she thought she left behind in Texas returned like a thunderbolt. One more time and it would all be over. Just one more time.
She crossed her arms on the table, put her head down and began to weep.
.................
The man in white went to put his hand on the door knob of the cabin. He imagined turing the knob as though it were real, but before he could, a shadow caught the corner of his eye. He looked up into the cloudless sky to find a buzzard circling overhead. In a moment it was joined by another, and than another. Until the sky was filled with them.
He looked down again and turned the brass knob.
The interior of the cabin was dark and unforgiving to his sky gazing eyes. It took only a few moments and the darkness came into focus and he enter the small one room cabin.
He knew this place although he had never been, and he knew what lay inside. It was as if he knew everything that was going to happen in the next few moments, but had only to live it.
Everything in this life had lead to this moment as though it was written. Even as a young boy he knew there was a bigger picture and that there was going to be a time in his life when everything would have complete clarity and meaning.
He entered and sat at a big, smooth, wooden table. The table didn't seem to fit the rustic cabin. It was smooth, very smooth. Almost so smooth that it looked as though it was wet to the touch. He looked across the table and there sat another man. His face draped in the shadow of the cabin obscuring the features, but not the piercing gray eyes. The same piercing gray eyes that he had become accustomed to seeing staring back at him through the mirror. A man dressed completely in black.
It was then that the clarity of the moment hit him. There was a connection made in the darkness of that cabin that shed more light on the past 30 years of his life than any moment before it.
He knew at that moment that he was longer in control of his destiny or of anybody else, but instead was only in control of the pendulum when it swung his way.
Curtis hit the heavy bag with all his might, and it felt as though he were being hit.
"What wrong with you today Curt? Your only three days away from the biggest fight of your career and you look like you are about to fall over",said his coach Tony with an air of disgust.
"I am about to fall over" Curtis replied, taking a seat on the bench and putting his head in his hands.
Tony tossed a towel over Curtis back begrudgingly. 'Boy' he thought "it was real mistake going out with Jeff last night' Curtis already felt that way every time he went out with Jeff.
"Alright, knock off for today, but I want you back in the gym tomorrow morning and....and No excuses. Chamberland ain't gonna have any excuses on Saturday. Stay away from the Jeff character too...he's nothing but trouble."
Curtis grabbed his gym bag and left without changing. Without even saying a word.
He knew more than anybody what a parasite that Jeff was, but he had a hard time saying no to pushy people and Jeff defined pushy.
........
Jeff awoke on the motel bed drenched in sweat. 'Damn the hotel for having air conditioning that worked about as regularly as he did' he thought, feeling disgusted with his own sweat.
The sweat rolled down his forehead as he sat staring up at the drop ceiling....Finding patterns in the dark notchs of each of the panels.
His chest ached terribly as breathed in and out on the bed. He had to cut down on his smoking. It was killing him and he could feel it take a little peace of him every single day.
He sat up and lit a cigarette taking a long deep puff that sent both pain and relief coarsing through his chest. He got up off the bed and wearily made his way to the coke machine just outside his motel room door.
His pulse thudded roefully in his skull as his eyes became awash with the noon day sun.
Just a little coke and some jack and he'd be back on track. He knew that wasn't true, but that is what he would have to tell himself to get through the next hour or so. In fact it was going to take a lot more than the hair of the dog to shake this hang over...He may need the entire coat of the dog before all was said and done, and then he might only back be to square one.
He took a sip of the jack and coke and held back a shudder of nausia...His mouth filling with warm salivia he took another drink and held on. His stomache was doing monkey flips as he sat hanging half way off the unmade bed.
Just than his stomache rejected the liqour as though it was a disease and he ran to the waste bucket just ten feet away. His head swam in an unforgivable sea whose waves only sought to punish him further.
This was not a good start to a day. No this was not a good start at all.
.........
Jessica opened the letter, her fingers trembled so much it made the letter almost unreadable.
'Hey baby,
I'll be in town soon. Maybe I can see you. You know I love you.
We need to discuss the situation before we can pull this off.
You'll know when I'm in town, so no need to try and find me, and baby, how's bout we leave the police out of it this time. You know what you need to do to make things right and it ain't got nothing to do with the fucking police.
Love you baby
Jeff
The letter fell from her hands as though she had lost all strength to hold onto it. In fact she did lose all strength. A sickening dread she thought she left behind in Texas returned like a thunderbolt. One more time and it would all be over. Just one more time.
She crossed her arms on the table, put her head down and began to weep.
.................
The man in white went to put his hand on the door knob of the cabin. He imagined turing the knob as though it were real, but before he could, a shadow caught the corner of his eye. He looked up into the cloudless sky to find a buzzard circling overhead. In a moment it was joined by another, and than another. Until the sky was filled with them.
He looked down again and turned the brass knob.
The interior of the cabin was dark and unforgiving to his sky gazing eyes. It took only a few moments and the darkness came into focus and he enter the small one room cabin.
He knew this place although he had never been, and he knew what lay inside. It was as if he knew everything that was going to happen in the next few moments, but had only to live it.
Everything in this life had lead to this moment as though it was written. Even as a young boy he knew there was a bigger picture and that there was going to be a time in his life when everything would have complete clarity and meaning.
He entered and sat at a big, smooth, wooden table. The table didn't seem to fit the rustic cabin. It was smooth, very smooth. Almost so smooth that it looked as though it was wet to the touch. He looked across the table and there sat another man. His face draped in the shadow of the cabin obscuring the features, but not the piercing gray eyes. The same piercing gray eyes that he had become accustomed to seeing staring back at him through the mirror. A man dressed completely in black.
It was then that the clarity of the moment hit him. There was a connection made in the darkness of that cabin that shed more light on the past 30 years of his life than any moment before it.
He knew at that moment that he was longer in control of his destiny or of anybody else, but instead was only in control of the pendulum when it swung his way.
Chapter 1 - Part 2
Part 2
Robert sat moving the blinds, looking through the small opening. He would try and make the opening as small as possible in the hope that no one would notice. Always trying to avoid the prying eye which his paranoia made far too prevelant.
He pushed his gray rimmed, thick glasses farther up his nose and moved one of the dirty blinds.
There was nothing. She hadn't returned home from work yet.' Where could she be?' Robert wondered to himself. Was she still at work?
Robert got a sinking feeling in his stomach. May be, just maybe she was with a man. Maybe she was in his arms. Damn. Where is she? He looked again and caught a glimpse of her coming up the street. She was alone. The relief he felt washed over him like a cold spring rain.
He watch her walk up the street taking in every motion like he was taking a deep breath of oxygen. It all seemed like an eternity but in a moment it was over. She was out of view.
Robert waited everyday for her to pass and everyday he would watch and wish he had bravity to go outside and meet her. Everyday was the same. It got harder and harder and his fantasies got more and more elaborate.
Robert sat on the couch feeling disappointed in himself even more so than normal.
There was while when he would open the blinds and act like he had been there by accident. He look up and if their eyes met he would wave. But it was far beyond that now.
Robert took up his seat in front of the glowing computer screen.
"Robert where did you go?" The instant message comment read.
.........
He was moving so fast along the highway that even the signs seemed to be blurry. The car revved as change gears and rounded a really tight mountain curve.
The car he was driving was built for this kind of driving. He was in hurry and he hand picked this car just for this pupose.
He wore a cap to protect his hair from being blown around while driving the convertible. Despite the rush his appearance was one of complete tidiness.
The car rolled to a stop and he opened the door. His white suit shined in comparison to the murky, woodsy feel of his surrounding. He took off his cap and not a hair was out place. He adjusted his tie and made his way to the door of the small log cabin that stood 10 feet away.
..........
Jessica made her way up the block. She could see the shadow of the strange guy that seemed to be always watching her. Most nights this would bother her and she would feel a chill. Most nights she wanted to avoid coming this way at all. He had seemed like such a nice guy when she first met him. He was a bit of a geek and just the type of person you would assume knew a tremendous amount about computers. This was they guy that was suppose to be "tall dark and handsome", but not so oddly enough, turned out to be short, dumpy and a far cry from handsome.
She had passed the window and was already in here apartment when she finished this thought. She stood looking through her mail and discarded her keys onto the cluttered kitchen table, never looking up from the letter she held in her hands.
Robert sat moving the blinds, looking through the small opening. He would try and make the opening as small as possible in the hope that no one would notice. Always trying to avoid the prying eye which his paranoia made far too prevelant.
He pushed his gray rimmed, thick glasses farther up his nose and moved one of the dirty blinds.
There was nothing. She hadn't returned home from work yet.' Where could she be?' Robert wondered to himself. Was she still at work?
Robert got a sinking feeling in his stomach. May be, just maybe she was with a man. Maybe she was in his arms. Damn. Where is she? He looked again and caught a glimpse of her coming up the street. She was alone. The relief he felt washed over him like a cold spring rain.
He watch her walk up the street taking in every motion like he was taking a deep breath of oxygen. It all seemed like an eternity but in a moment it was over. She was out of view.
Robert waited everyday for her to pass and everyday he would watch and wish he had bravity to go outside and meet her. Everyday was the same. It got harder and harder and his fantasies got more and more elaborate.
Robert sat on the couch feeling disappointed in himself even more so than normal.
There was while when he would open the blinds and act like he had been there by accident. He look up and if their eyes met he would wave. But it was far beyond that now.
Robert took up his seat in front of the glowing computer screen.
"Robert where did you go?" The instant message comment read.
.........
He was moving so fast along the highway that even the signs seemed to be blurry. The car revved as change gears and rounded a really tight mountain curve.
The car he was driving was built for this kind of driving. He was in hurry and he hand picked this car just for this pupose.
He wore a cap to protect his hair from being blown around while driving the convertible. Despite the rush his appearance was one of complete tidiness.
The car rolled to a stop and he opened the door. His white suit shined in comparison to the murky, woodsy feel of his surrounding. He took off his cap and not a hair was out place. He adjusted his tie and made his way to the door of the small log cabin that stood 10 feet away.
..........
Jessica made her way up the block. She could see the shadow of the strange guy that seemed to be always watching her. Most nights this would bother her and she would feel a chill. Most nights she wanted to avoid coming this way at all. He had seemed like such a nice guy when she first met him. He was a bit of a geek and just the type of person you would assume knew a tremendous amount about computers. This was they guy that was suppose to be "tall dark and handsome", but not so oddly enough, turned out to be short, dumpy and a far cry from handsome.
She had passed the window and was already in here apartment when she finished this thought. She stood looking through her mail and discarded her keys onto the cluttered kitchen table, never looking up from the letter she held in her hands.
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