Warriors Duel

[Another little drablet with the witch and the snakescale warrior]

Two warriors face in a field, one a paladin held by holy order to kill all users of magic not allied with the church. The other the snake scale warrior who had been making his way acting as a companion for the witch.

It was a duel, and one both knew the rules to and when the arrow was heard coming his way he knew also that this was no fair game of skill. It had been enough for the holy knight to charge with his two-handed sword charging and dropping the blade vertical along the helmet to have what he felt would be hard metal be gone. Fog had come in unnaturally throwing off distances before a light had shone over the pair causing the holy warrior to jump back before looking to see the witch who had come out of her hut, a round shield big enough to take care of unwanted arrows flying her way set in the moat of the field.

The look in her eyes had said it, she knew there was magic played and that had been why she had been pulled out of the house by the action and had to show there was fairness in the act now causing the church’s forces to work in other ways now.

Scanning the situation their tactics in battle had been something he had known very well, but the sudden impatience and lack of honor had been something he was unsure of. What had caused he did not know but it was not something he had understood them to do before. It was a question to be asked later as an arrow came whistling by his helmet aimed at the witch before it was set floating in front of her completely harmless before turned and sent back along the same route through the fog and light catching someone with a muffled gurk before the sound of body met moat and grass.

It had been a sound both of the armored warriors heard and when understanding there was no more back up the paladin had become more defensive trying to create openings tactically instead of by tricks. However, the snake scale knight had already lost patience for those who used honor as a currency and shifted his hand to a handle behind the sword who when pulled had glowed in a viridian and moss palette before a visage of a snake had been uncoiled from the handle to catch the blade and the attacker in its bind. Magical weapons not held by the church were illegal but there was nothing extra they could do he figured and decided to show something.

“You, [******]”

A spell in the tongue of the high holy, although as he used his other hand to block it the eyes in the helmet of his opponent almost shot through the blessed steel and gold.

[******]. {******}..[**********!!!!]

Three separate calls to power and three separate counters, each had been a piece of evidence that had even the witch’s eyes on the snake whip holder. Magic was a finicky thing but to counter something there had to be something there.

There had to be a power in the same school of magic that the spell was. She had believed in nature and the green and it had been something that had given her great wisdom and joy in life. Ways to counter the effects were a way to work btu that would not throw the spell aside as she had seen. Dark magic would not do that and neither could her magic that worked with the green and creatures.

Over the time he had stayed with her he had slept in the barn, turning it into a small forge and being quite useful at repairing what he had and what she needed. Nothing major but enough to understand he was no sell sword.

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Writing Sample

(It has been a while since I did this so here is a piece from something I may or may not have shown before, in this case I have A. Written too much and B. not published enough. that I may or may not have done this before. Sorry or enjoy)

The village was creaking lightly and looking behind him and he could see it easily enough and even the bare outline of the garden outpost behind it on the shore could be seen if he squinted could be seen from the lookout towers as the sun shone overhead on the waters below. It was another day where the fish seemed all too happy to be jumping into his nets and he was more than happy enough to bring another haul for the village. Although the madness that often came with the chaotic weather on land would make animals difficult to eat if one wasn’t used to the changes the madness brought, out on the water there was none making it very easy for those who could to swim out or ride out in the long buoyed canoes or small sailboats to get some fishing or trawling done depending on what they were looking for.

Watching from where he lay in the canoe with a small umbrella stuck through the oar eye so that he could nap in the shade while the net did the work. There was no need to work hard unless a giant bivalve or one of the finned hunters had come in looking for either safety or food, and he could just sit and enjoy the small things. It was indeed rough and despite everything that had gone on many of the adults complained how there could be such things as the madness that went on the land. He didn’t mind though as the waters were clear and the outpost was close enough to the coast that unless one of the plagued scourgers came then there wasn’t a need to be worried. Stay away from the land, unless one had to check on the vegetables, get there quickly make sure you get to your boat and out to sea quickly and he could have it all done before the midday meal.

Part of him wished he could go out and explore but he had seen some of the damage ever since he had to start helping with collecting the food. Everyone had to do their part to make the village go off without a hitch.

Much of the village was built on platforms framed with a hollow hardwood found on some of the smaller islands a half hour out and that was far enough of a trip that a deep boat like a ferry would be needed. Floating happily among the soft waves he could remember every time it would be brought closer to the village, the only reason why they wouldn’t be kept there was the simple fact the size of the thing could land on the bottom of the shallows. Granted, in the storms, the water level would rise and the rocking would bring about a nice little way for him to get to sleep every time he would lie down.

Being how it was built the village would move slightly with the waves as they crashed giving every a nice motion without being too difficult to handle. Laying down thinking back to one particular storm he could clearly remember when the swells got so powerful that one of the buffeting walls had been broken and had caused damage to Zenobria’s shack almost taking a wall of the home down with the wave and drenching everything in their kitchen before anything could be hidden away.

It didn’t matter if it was by wave or by someone burning a large pot of stew when someone lost their food for their year it usually meant the village would need to come together to keep their own fed.

Elders would go on about how there were some bad times in the village’s history many of which were when they all lived on land hearing about it from many of the older adults it just seemed silly to hear them talk about it when everything he knew was out on the water. He wasn’t even one of the youngest, he was helping with gathering the fish in the nets, but some hadn’t been around to see the garden walls and towers go up. Remembering that was something he had to remember with talking around his little sister who had been born just after it had been finished. It seemed the world was getting further away from what it had once been and when the elders passed on then would the world they knew be the one that was normal just the same. He couldn’t tell, and he didn’t want to think any more about the deeper things when work had to get done.

What he saw past his face mottled and translucent in the lapping waves, if he just focused enough was the net hung from the pair of buoys and nearly full with the catch.

Dropping over the side, the ocean seemed more at home than most of the times he had to walk on land. It made him happy to know all he had to do was take a deep breath and a couple of steps from most places max before he was under the surface once more.

The various creatures in the net were trying to wriggle free from the waxed twine before the slack evaporated for good and all of the delicacies would be well on their way to the thankful people of the village. Grey Scales, stripe shells, the odd shell walker from the bottom pocked the catch as the net was soon secured to the boat before both the young fisherman and the catch started the trip back home.

Orestes began using the sail over the oars when the weight of the catch pulled the boat back enough in the water that he could see the only way to have any energy left was to let the winds do the work while he just guided it.

His father had always been one who had told him to bring the small sail for the case of a heavy catch and it was something that he could remember not trying to use all because it seemed hard to set up.

What he wished to know back then was how easy it actually was as the wide post was already set with places to secure cloth, line, and winches leaving the only issue is putting it in the boat and having it balanced before the wind picked up on it.

After a few minutes of easy wind, the sail would get enough behind it where they would make up the speed difference as if he had rowed the entire way. Why some of the other fishermen still out on the waters as he scanned the horizon wouldn’t make use of it, he couldn’t tell, but oftentimes he also saw they didn’t have enough to bring in to warrant it.

From the garden fort behind the village there seemed to be something going on, he had hoped that it was just someone who had gone out to visit it. It wasn’t until the small plumes of smoke began to waft from the inside that he realized one of the mad creatures had found a way in. That did not leave him from tying up the catch or putting it on ice with those who were done early with chores.

Seeing the danger of the smoke in one of their few places for anything grown made everyone notice the scene near the shore it was one of the fire burrowers that had come up within the confines of the garden. Even from that range the unique smell of the breath of the burrower had left it as clear a calling card as could be found.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see one of the younger children go and pull down the white cloth from the flag pole. Anyone who had seen it would have also seen the red triangle flying from the flagpole. Soon the other fisherman would know, some of them would tie up their lines and come in, some would swim in to get some information, but while that was going on he still had to get everything into the ice chest before the creatures killed each other.

No one would be fed with hopes of people being safe, although he did know that people will eat more if there was a tragedy. Dropping a large-mouthed greyscale into a holding tank sunk in the shallows had given enough time for the others to gather their families and notify them of the scene.

“Young man, Orestes.” he heard his name.

Less than a couple of steps from the loading area was one of the village elders clearly disturbed by what he had seen as well. The older man had called to him and making his way over he could see the circles under the wise codger’s eyes giving him an air of fatigue that was hard to shake.

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Last at Brackish Maw

A man knelt before a brackish moat and saw his life flutter way. The battle behind him had now been done for what was a full day. He could not move and his wounds would grieve he knew his time had come, in the reflection of the water black this is he once saw.

Memory of home, of friend, of family, and more all wishing for his safe return. It would be something he could not give them although their security he did earn. He did not believe in the gods of the church and wondered what lay for him next, he did his best and now he rest with the last few breaths he has.

A fae had seen him, had watched blood ooze and stain his uniform dark, the fae would play and bounce and stray but they eyes of the man did not part. They focused on the brackish water of the pond just in front.

He had no regrets and the fae was scared, such death had been new to her.

Without need or reason he reached into his pack and grabbed what food he had, he would not need a meal, maybe the fae would like it, they had.

It was a move without a deal. It was a move without a price. It had been made without recompense not wrong or right. The fae could not save as the flickered round his form, his wish a dish for the fae since he needed it no more.

Fae called upon the wind a warriors spirit guide and let the soldier find his way to the next land ridden high, taken from the brackish maw and the last upon the field. The fae wished well, the soldiers soul who had previous seen wars hell.

(I don’t know why it came to me, it did, enjoy)

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Snake Skin Knight

There once was a knight, he was not fair or nice, he loved luxury and money and painted his armor the notes of shadow and guile with a weapon so large that every time it touched earth a canyon erupted underneath it. He rode on a horse and tried to find victims to test his skills fighting more and more and letting those who watched talk about his serpent scale patterned armor seemingly glaring at all like the of the animal it represented was watching.

One day the rogue knight clad in armor saw up the road as the hill evened out a group of highwaymen on a witch where they had tried to grab at her valuables. There was not much but something filled the dark warrior taking his axe from his back he sent his horse in a full gallop swinging the axe through the air signaling a sound like a whistle of the damned. Two heads fell from their bodies who would join them soon after as the attackers found they had become prey and not the predator the warrior had been able to take the shots from the remaining two and as they lay on the grass begging for mercy, they could not give the wish the large axe climbed to an apex.

Except it never came down. During the time he had attacked she had gotten herself together just enough to be decent and without a word put a hand on the arm of the warrior. Not out of anger or hate for she knew he had defended her, saved her even. The metal helm closed had looked at her before slowly withdrawing the blade and putting it on his back before getting back on his steed.

He had ridden a horse of shadow and fury, whose eyes shone like bone and wrath and while everyone else would be scared. If it wasn’t the look, it was the size as the horse was a full half size bigger than other horses. Offering a hand silently she had taken it failing to get up only for the horse to lower itself for her before she had found a seat in the saddle behind the knight.

No words were spoken but both had found a comfort in the other, and as one had begun to ride taking the witch back to her house there was something of peace in the snakeskin knight. It had been strange, but it was not anything he had to run from so he enjoyed the misty air in his lungs as they trotted into the fog where a morning’s ride down several paths the witch had made her home.

(felt like a little creative writing, you like?)

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Sample of Writing Time

The first book I self-published on Amazon, Writing Time is about a young woman who dreams of something amazing happening in her dull life and finds often it is closer then you think, but it comes with some questions she has to answer about who she is as a person and how she stands up to things, or doesn’t when things get tough. Here is the first few pages worth here for you to read.

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I had just gotten the job, fun it was not, but a girl had to pay the bills. Like telling this story, it taught me something I never thought possible, even making me feel more than I ever did beforehand and telling you this. Although it may be very comforting if what my other friends say is true about what they understand so far. Still, it will be a happy day when this is done to know that the two of the most magical men exist somewhere out in the world.

Two years ago, when I had just got the job at the supermarket on the north side of town near the high school where all the places to hang out were. Being the newest person hired in the store, I did not get a set schedule from week to week, just told to be mornings one day or swing the next without any significant problems. Some days I would come in to suddenly be a cashier or stocker or even help the baking crew. Making sure to get there a little early whenever my shift started got me in the good graces of most people in power. Each shift had its own different set group of people who had been there longer because obviously tenure meant everything no matter where you worked. Being the floater, I usually worked the morning or the swing or some odd hours between both shifts. Individual shifts had their own little quirks with their own people in charge except for the assistant and store manager. This was a thought that made sense no matter where someone would choose to work.

We had a very small graveyard shift, one which suddenly took a vacation. No one wanted to cover it, and most did not want to approach the subject of who had to cover the shift. One of the assistant managers was a red-haired single mother who still could have rocked a runway. She was one of my closest allies then. Before she got pregnant, she made her way up as an amateur model without going to her head. Janine was her name. She also made sure that everyone called her by her first name to help with the “lines of communication, so the store does not turn into an asylum with uniforms.” Her words, not mine, but still it described her because she was just like me for the most part, stuck in a place she did not plan for.

Have you ever asked a question that later you wonder if you should have ever asked? Looking for an answer to any question was painful when that effort would highlight you as the answer to someone else’s problem. No one else wanted to cover the shift. The taboo seemed to extend past just talking about it, as I would soon find out. Being on one of my ten-minute breaks, I soon walked into the open door next to the walk-in. She usually would be at the desk with paperwork, calls, or just enjoying her day, which at some points was just the case. Trying to make conversation, though, I stepped into it.

One of the graveyard shifts had needed to take some time off with more than enough time in advance that it had to be given. Finding a replacement for the shift was difficult, but asking if anyone was found to cover it yet was the worst thing to say. Looking at the various work posters on the wall, she looked up at me, putting the question together with her thoughts to form the answer that worked best for her and the store.

“Actually, yes, I did. I was just finishing up the paperwork on it now.”

Reading the various corporate emails for various incidents, it was not until I saw her face with a smile on it that made me nervous. Trying to voice my concerns, she did the despicable something she so rarely did when she did it this time. No one could stop her. She described the situation, letting me know that my choice would not help because of her position. Painting the picture the best she could, there was a wage increase for working the graveyard shift; the other people had been working the shift for more than a year. No matter how odd they were, she told me they were still very good people, if a little strange. Deciding that pulling rank would not leave me any options, I spent the rest of my day glumly trying to wheedle what information possible out of anyone else. Some customers even heard me grumble about it behind the till, with one apologizing with a twenty-dollar tip that was definitely against the rules. Walking away from it fast enough that returning it was not going to happen, it soon found its new home in my pocket with a mixture of fear, apprehension, and joy.

Getting an extra twenty dollars was always something that cheered my day up. Except when someone felt sorry enough to do it only after hearing me grumble that soon I would be doing graveyard shifts for a whole month. Anything that made people pity me that much and did not fill me with the comfort that everything would be alright. Call it a girl’s intuition. It just did not feel right in the pit of my stomach. Ben and Jerry always made those feelings go away with the generous funding from the customer. Mulan would be my movie of choice to make the night an altogether warm and fuzzy affair, no matter how bad it would be.

Working to lunch was otherwise normal sans some cashier in the till next to mine giving me the whispers how everything will be fine paired with a look that made me think everything was a lie so that she would not get put in my place in case I were to drop dead. Closing down my station for lunch, the store was not as busy that someone needed to be on my till, which was great because I used to think it was weird when someone would use it only for me to get back to everything set up different. All of my co-workers that I once asked as I walked back gave me the look of selfless pity. The small girl inside my head was bouncing up and down on the imaginary couch, hoping we didn’t get murdered by robbers, gang bangers, or vampires. It may be rare that those things may happen. It was just scary to think of it, no matter how impossible it may be. One of the lifers may have either noticed my growing state of unwarranted panic or just heard what I was in for.

He had white hair defined with black streaks paired with a face of many years. Acting on the balls of his feet walking to my table made him seem young while being old in some version of kid never growing up or adult who found it is much more fun to act like a young kid sometimes. In either case, having someone talk to me then was good. Robin was one of the lifers out of the deli department who had eyes like an old professor who loved tricking students who fell to sleep in class.

“So nervous?”

Shaking my head from ceiling to floor hard enough to rattle my fillings it was still painted with my scared little mini-me now in the fetal position on the little cushion. Then, wondering how long it would take before my form could match the little girl, he gave me some information that only put the vampire fears to bed.

“Here is what I can tell you. When you work with Jake, you will think he is just another addict or some goth. Paul is another game entirely, but they are good at what they do when they work together. When you work with them, they can change how you look at things. Both have a lot of life experience despite their ages. Just treat them well, and you will do just fine.”

Listening to him say that made me feel like nothing would happen because he looked like he had been around a little bit. Squinting to read the name tag on his shirt.

“Isn’t that a girl’s name?” I asked, already falling victim to the seemingly capable aura of friendliness he gave off.

He did not take any insult as he answered with the same half-grin as he pulled his lunch from under the table before beginning to dig into cheeseburger hamburger helper.

“Yup, it is an odd name for a male, but that’s what my parents gave me. Shrugging defense, I couldn’t help but return his smile.

Picking up my own used lunch bag the day seemed just bright enough that everything would be OK. I was walking out the swinging doors back into the main store past the avocado and vegetables. Mothers with children peppered picking produce for meals while one pulled a young daughter from the tomatoes trying not to get her blouse stained with one of the Spanish reds—the rest of the day from the till went by with the only problem of a short-tempered customer.

Not many people work on the night shift, so it was challenging to think how many people got this knowledge of their reputation. The other assistant manager does it sometimes he has not had any problems. He was out on a hunting trip, so he’s coming back to save her was not going to happen unless something on par with your global miracle. He hadn’t gotten a problem working with the shift directly. The thoughts are trying to figure it all. It just spun like a merry-go-round. No answers were to be calculated until later, so the best option was to just enjoy the extra dollar per hour while I could get it. Working all night does suck, essentially putting the boots to my social life. Running through the cashier work on autopilot made things much easier to finish up than paying full attention. If I thought about it any further, I would just throw myself into another fear whirlwind.

Getting into my old Crown Vic, the ice cream was sitting in the plastic bag before I got caught in the rush hour traffic. Feeling the phone in my pocket rumble with an unread message, it was most likely Jessica, Brandy, or most likely mom. Making sure to check it when I got home, the small niggling doubts were still in the back of my mind. Could they be the kind of people that were really spiteful? Maybe they just didn’t like people? Why would they stay on graveyard shift when it absolutely kills your social life? Is Jake an addict of something, or just like Robin said, was he just looking like one.

Calling some of the morning girls from work, I found that they liked Chinese food, frequently having a plate of it on the side of a table in the break room before they packed up to leave. Seemingly, they were roommates who worked on the same shift as one of the younger girls, even though they were a little closer than that. After telling me to investigate their relationship while working, the phone vibrated off my shoulder between the center console and passenger seat. Don’t judge me about it. My mom always said you couldn’t do it while driving. Making sure there was no one on the road. The best option was just to yell in my car that the phone was stuck, where home was, and that they would receive a call when I got back. All left was getting home to watch a movie with Cherry Garcia at my side to figure out my plan to get on the good side for the month I was sentenced there. Walking around to the passenger side of the car to pick it all up. Everything was in my hands before stepping over the slightly unclipped lawn to my house.

My mother worked at the bank while dad worked at some office building as an internet security specialist. Closing the door after walking in, it all seemed to be normal. Both parents were still out by the looks of no other cars in the driveway. It had only taken a couple of minutes to get everything started with my usual practiced routine until there was nothing left to do except for me to hit play. As Mulan finally figured out how to fit in with the Chinese army, the plan seemingly mirrored my own. First, she tried to play their own game before letting her personality shine through. Eventually, learning her tricks made me feel like if things got to a worst-case scenario, that wasn’t being fueled by bad horror tropes.

Getting a good rest before my parents got back, the most challenging part was getting my schedule ready for tomorrow. Trying to sleep in seemed like a good idea to come up rested, except it made me feel more like a headache was already warming up.

It was warming up. Figuring out a combination of all the information my friends had told me left me with being confident in my work and a bag of Chinese food equal to a couple of family-size dishes of general Tso’s chicken and some fried fish item. There was this little place on the way that a family-owned often place a couple of miles away that made what I thought was good; I just hoped they felt the same way. If they didn’t like it, there was always a place for leftovers back at home. Pulling into the parking lot with the food still warm in the containers made me feel something else that had begun to gnaw at me.

Orange lights flooded the parking lot with faded white lines marking out the various places where the town would often park half their cars when they would meander through the store over the day. Knowing there would be only two other people made everything seem more foreign, like something not supposed to happen. A failure upon the entire world could have occurred looking out on that parking lot, yet no one would be the wiser. Closing the door with a clash, a miniature nail of fear scratched up my spine as the food in my hands seemed to be a little beacon of life that all was well in the world. But, it also let me know as I clutched it like a teddy bear that may be reading horror when working at night would not be the greatest of ideas. Creepy stories from the internet, on my phone would just have to be read another time as the long walk to the only unlocked door at the back of the store seemed to call for something horrible. This was the kind of crushing, foreboding darkness that people used to relate to in the old movies.

Shuffling quickly to the side of the building with no one else in sight, all thoughts of who would accept her was removed for the deep fear growing in the pit of her gut. Pushing through the door, the bright halogen lights made everything in the back a little more cheery neither person was back there, still leaving her with the overwhelming loneliness. Keeping the bag with her made it very easy to turn to make sure to lock the door as the last person entering for the shift. Morning crew would come to help finish up the polish and small chores while the main point of the graveyard was to stock the isles, receive the orders and make sure that everything would be maintained for the most part from day today.

Half the lights were off in the main store to help conserve power, making the feeling of crushing loneliness return. No customer was in the store, while three aisles over at the other end of the store were the few notes of some techno-rock. Moving closer, I could hear a pair of voices chatting, one in a husky bass voice while the other stood a little higher. The larger one had a tuft of bright blue colored hair covering a grey-blue eye from where I was standing. Rings from lack of sleep gave him a ghost-like appearance from the half of his face that could be seen. His frame seemed scrawny in a place only to be covered in thick ropes of muscle around his arms and legs. The other was a couple of inches shorter with broader shoulders to hold another fifty pounds. His hair was a long dark brown with a hat that reminded me of a cowboy’s with the wide brim.

Despite being the shorter of the two standing a full head under the taller man, he still had to be six feet tall. Taking a deep breath before moving forward, my steps clapped against the tile, making the moment drag out. My bag of Chinese food was tight in my other hand; the hope was that fear did not come across, pushing all the confidence left to the front. Putting my hand out, I could see him run around puffing out his chest, looking at me for a single second, his friend silent as well.

“Jake and Paul, right?”

Looking at me for a moment, he just nodded before thumbing over to the taller man.

“That is Jake, and this is Paul, so you must be Rebecca, correct?” His voice seemed to echo more than usual, making it seem like he was louder than he actually was. Suddenly it occurred. I did not answer as he just looked at me with a single eyebrow quizzically arched before shaking my hand.

“We don’t bite. We just are rather private people for the most part. So you must be the new replacement, correct?”

His question seemed to snap me back out of whatever thought bubble I was drowning in because my voice came back quickly, shooting that I was not a replacement. Guffawing for a moment, it seemed the wide grin settled on him like it would the Cheshire cat or the old pictures of Theodore Roosevelt. Wide grin with eyes so dark under the hat gave the same quality of noticing his mouth before the rest of his face. Then, hearing the familiar rumble of the phone, it was quickly pulled out before he looked at the taller guy to show me around where some of the supplies were.

Walking back, he talked in what I found a very mismatched voice. Yet, for all the fear his appearance had, his voice was just that comforting. Looking back to see the shorter man stamp his foot once the words hushed even in the mostly silent store. Turning back to Jake, he was looking back at his co-worker.

“Do they allow you guys to talk on the phones while you work ?”

Turning his head back to me, he thought for a moment shaking his head left to right and back in thought before telling me that as long as the job had been done, they had a lot of leeway on the shift, more so than any other shift.

“When he has to take a call, it normally is important.”

You can get it online here (click me), and I hope you enjoyed this little taste of it.

Stay strong.

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Final Round With A Rival

Let me tell you a story. Two fighters get into a ring. 15 rounds are on the clock and as the time runs you see these two fighters beat the holy hell out of each other. Swing, counter, swing planning, counter planning. Then sometimes they will just come together and beat the holy hell out of each other. After a while Other fighters look at that match and they go these two had something. Between them, whether it was respect or hatred or just there was something additional there, that’s a rivalry.

Five times. This will be. This month makes the fifth time me and my rival and Game of tones are competing against each other and the score is they have won twice against me. I have won twice against them. They got a third event where I could not compete, so they have three victories to two for me, but in competition against each other. Out of four times it’s evenly split two Vs two. So. This is the reason why I also had to come back. Now. There was part of me hoping I could get by and not have to deal with my rival. I am laughing as I write this because it’s almost poetic where I’ve wanted to get to three victories. They got to it first because I had to go to my schooling and focus more on that. They are now in the crosshairs and for me to get it, I have to get by someone who’s been essentially a thorn in my backside for this competition.

We will go to the final round. Both of us have lives that are moving faster. This may very well be the last time both of us can do this kind of an event against the other. Inside us is also that little bit that I know they have as well. They go “OK, can I do it a third time?” I wonder the same.

The person that will win this? We’ve had to go through hell as a writer because there was someone in your shadow pushing you just to do that little bit more, that extra repetition, that extra page, to put it how close we have been. For the four times we have competed against each other, we have never been more than 5000 words apart. 5000 sounds like a lot and for those who are new to this, it sounds Titanic. For those who are doing 500,000 that’s less than a couple hours. Three of the most recent times it’s been less than 2500 separating us. Anyone who does anything in competition. If you do something very well, let’s say you are a running back and you get 10,000 yards overseas and you make new records in your area. You do everything and when you look at the national records for the year, you realize you’re second by 10 yards.

Going into business, you have a rival business and they make $1,000,000. You are awarded as the best new business in the city because you made $1,001,000. The difference is minuscule. It feels like inches and when you have gone miles to lose by inches hurts. It stings, it burns, it makes you swear. Funnily enough, we both have done it. Part of me wonders if I can do that again, and I cannot tell you that I can. Because if this is the last round, it would kill me if three separate times someone got by me for the sake of maybe an hour’s worth of work in a month-long competition.

What has to be the greatest piece of comedy in all of this is that neither one of us would be so strong in this kind of event, or writing on the whole, if it weren’t for the other across from us. Pushing us just to get that extra little bit more out of us. The reason I use dictation sometimes now is because of them. During the last event, we were together after the second week. Both of us had put in more than 50,000 words daily. We also made a novel. Both of us had made separate novels in a one-week time frame. Now you may hear me say 50,000 words and novel interchangeably. Some people may go that’s too short to be a novel. I use this because as it has been practiced from National Novel Writing Month, the idea the goal is to make a 50,000 word piece of writing. Now, depending on who you talk to, it could be more, it could be less, yeah. 50,000 in any case, is the goal that everyone understands.

One more time, one more challenge and one more chance to change the past. You get one bullet to do so and you ever find yourself in a position like mine, then you will do everything you can to make sure it goes to where it needs to go. How it is done though may be them ore interesting thing because win lose or draw there will be some changes. We will not be the same people we were when we started this challenge.

The final round is going to start and this is going to be the rubber match between me and my rival all for the sake of seeing not only who can do more but just as a point of pride between us. It will be tough but when the time starts working against you it is when we will start to see the test on the soul. It is never when things are going well, that you find your drive for something. It is only when things go badly, or you face an opponent worthy of it where you have to check your gut and see if there is enough there to get by them.

Part of me is also sad, when you have someone like that you expect them in other challenge to almost be there, especially if you put a lot of time into competing against them. Finality, that colors everything and it makes you see exactly where the story between the two of your ends. I guess in a couple weeks, we are going to find out.

Stay strong

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Million Word Month?

For those who do not know, doing 1,000,000 words is a challenge period to write a million words for projects for books for stories for blogging for everything that creative writing can be and in to do that in 30 days is going to test yourself. Generally, when it comes to something like this, I will go with the flow there will just be ideas and writing putting it all together seeing what we have. I cannot do that here.

This is a task that will require my full focus and with everything on my docket this month that is going to be incredibly tough. So, what I have done is I actually built myself a game plan a way for me that I know I can do and get to 1,000,000 words in 30 days now the reason I have to do this. Last time I wrote about my rival, well last time I was unable to compete they decided to defend the house I represented because I had to go do schoolwork and they did so very well they did the most anyone has ever written. Unfortunately, me and them both being here now means we have to compete with each other and now that means I have to try and go for what they did because I do not know if they’re going to do it again.

Now, I have been really slow in getting the books out. I apologize. You know, there are other things I’m doing. Also, there is just that I don’t feel comfortable quite yet, but I’m working on it. We have one on board. We’re getting the rest out. The problem is there’s going to have to be 10 other book projects I need to finish during this month for me to hit 1,000,000 words. I need to do 33,000 words a day. Let’s put that in perspective need to do the following in 30 days. I need to write the equivalent of Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand and Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell in 30 days. I have to write essentially the length or the equivalent of the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer. That’s the four books: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. More than The Hunger Games and Lord of the Rings books. Together by the site I’m using for research, The Hobbit comes in at 95,000, Fellowship of the Ring at 177,000, The Two Towers at 143,000, and The Return of the King at 134,000. Hunger Games you have 99,100 and 1100 thousand. I have to do all that in 30 days, and granted, it’s actually going to be a little more than Lord of the Rings and The Hunger Games series together cause that’s about 850,000 words. I essentially have to write just under the length of the entire Harry Potter series in 30 days. According to Capitalize My Title, it comes in at 1,084,000 words. I have to hit a million. It took J.K. Rowling almost a decade. It’s going to have to take me 30 days. Woo

What’s the plan. Plan is this. Obviously, there’s going to be posts on the blog because this is a form of creative writing. It is something where I have to train different muscles. There are going to be at least 20 different fan fictions, so if you’re the kind that likes that sort of thing, there will be more coming in very quickly. I must write 10. separate. books. Now in game of tones. There is something where editing does count for portion of words. I will be using that. Raw writing is going to be tough to hit a million on, however, I am using a dictation machine right now, which is a reason why am I writing sounds a little different on the blog because I’m just speaking it into a microphone to save my bloody wrists.

For those who are unsure if I really do talk like this. Yes, I do. It annoys everyone that has to deal with me. A lot of people think I speak like I’m from the 1920s or 30s. No, I’m not that old. However, back to the 1,000,000 words. There is a plan, there is a way to get to this point and hopefully with the tips and tricks I have learned. The focus I’m putting towards this. A dozen or so energy drinks in my fridge to help me along. There is enough here over all of that that we are finally going to get our third victory. I hope.

If you are unused to writing for long bounds or long periods or long anything, I would suggest starting off with a little bit of fan fiction. What is fan fiction, you may ask? Is it as bad as I’ve been told? There is a bit of a stigma about it. The way I have explained fan fiction, the way I have told people to look at it is you are already invested in a series in a way of writing and description that really speaks to you. What you can do is to use that knowledge and have it kind of as a lab. Not quite a scientific lab, but a lab nonetheless, because you will be experimenting with how you, the writer, do things with values you already understand very well. This is how I think fan fiction works, especially when it comes to writers because they often have series that they read, that they love the characters, they love the settings or descriptions, or they just love how things are put together. This is a way for writers to try it, to see what’s under the hood, so to speak, if you’re a mechanic, to see the playbook a little bit better, if you’re someone who likes sports in any way. It’s a way to see how everything comes up, to make it what it is. Hence, If you like to try and push yourself riding, have a fan fiction project as well. You can do a bunch of different ones, it’s a nice little. Way of doing things where you learn but you also get stuff done and people can give you some reviews on your writing. I have a profile on fanfiction.net. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad. I think I’m kind of mid as a fan fiction writer no matter the link will be put below where you can check it out for yourself. There is a lot there and it’s all over the place.

Fanfiction

Reflecting on how things have gone so far is where this plan has come off the rails a touch, because not being able to focus solely on this has been something that I knew would be a problem. This takes a lot of time and focus. As of right now I need to do a lot more to catch up but I have more time open in the next couple weeks so it is not so much that it is out of reach, I am a quarter of the way through the goal amount, but that means I need to do three quarters in two weeks and that will be difficult.

Stay Strong, and Keep Rolling

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Things done, things going.

College is going, some say well, I say it could be better. In any case there are some new things that have occurred and is going to be open to you all soon. Yes, the books are going on amazon, one can be ordered in paperback starting Halloween and it is the first real novel length (50k) I did for Nano and Game of Tomes. The rest are coming and maybe in different forms, I am learning this whole self-publishing thing. The first is writing time, a story about how a young woman finds out that the magic and adventure she craves is sometimes closer than she thinks.

Now, I am also working on learning how to be a better advocate, because a school picked a black hat wearing outlaw to be someone to defend the people going through the halls of not one college but two. That was a bit of a problem over time because as I got more serious about it there was more to do. I have made no qualms that I do not think myself as a good man, and hopefully none of that bled here. What I realized is after all the fighting, the scrapping the clawing, and brutality. Sometimes you need someone who is like that to get jobs done, and that is okay.

There was a lot of growth that was done since I wrote last. I had a lot of lessons and painful roads, and a lot of standing before the final bell. I found out that groups made moves to make sure that I would never climb higher than I was. Big groups that tilted the table because they could not break down my morals, that I was the outlaw to their mediocrity.

To those who read this thinking they got away, I do know. I know who you are, and I know why you did it. Something weird happened looking towards the stars because when multiple groups felt I was the outsider, the too fiery, the too strong, the too hard. There was a moment of calm. Everyone that joined me on those battles learned, and grew. One outlaw turned into a group of more than fifteen in one case to learn and a group of twenty. These people now look to help others because they saw a loud too old college student put some cracks in a lot of doors and while none of them broke, a lot are much weaker now. I know what’s coming, and you may have stopped me, but I am not the last shot, and now both groups must see that there is more coming. Have fun with that.

I am still not great about speaking with my emotions on this blog. Call it a bit of growth I may still need, but there is always something that could use work could it not? One thing that many of you may know from working near me or with me, is when someone wants to step on my toes, then they need to realize that there is a price to pay. Disrespect never did well, and my wall is filling with certifications and awards that people thought would never happen.

This will be going up on the first day of November because of a couple things, first is that I will be returning to Game of Tomes with a little bit of business to handle. Second, by this time one of my books will now be available in paperback on Amazon. That is something I did not think would happen but sure enough that is the case.

It’s mine, and even if you read it and hate it, it still exists and that’s good enough for me right now.

Writing Time on Amazon

The problem is the other books that will obviously need a cover and then I must finish some series up including the devil book.

Devil book? Yes, someone made a comment how releasing ten versions of a book where it is the same save for the ending would be brutal, and who knows it may be eleven because I have a sadistic streak in me. Think about that if you read a novel, you are engrossed, and the ending is one of however many. If it is a bad book, it will be laughed at, and if it is a good novel otherwise, I feel the Post Office will have to start x-raying packages any “fans” would send me. Logistically, it does provide some challenges because that would mean you would have to have all ten endings written and the leadups and that would be the equivalent of a new novel. Then it must be given at random at first, and then after that it needs to be verified so that they can choose the one they want.

Doing like that I feel could be good and would be different but not painful because after all the endings are out you can just find the one you want. It would also be good because then you can see which endings people like and why. After a while you can make a hardcover version and have all the endings in one place, and because my sadistic streak can be summed as the equivalent of a highway. I would put a new ending there specifically for that release.

Rating wise would have to be careful as well because the endings would need to be enough to not change the rating or they can be sussed out by a quick investigation of the book.

Some people may go and not like it and say it is horrible. I understand fully only under the conditions that people like that book, and that if they do, they are entertained by the endings would it ever work out, for anything else would just be a mockery. Also, this is the internet age, you can ask a doctor halfway around the world the proper color your beard should be within a few minutes. There is some expectation there may be conversations about this then.

Stay Strong, and enjoy the book, just be aware the Epub is cheaper.

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Lost to the Fog – Rough Draft Beginning

From a small fishing village, nightmares had infested the land leaving many to find the peace that could be gathered and in it choking the trade of the lands while the people on it had each had to find their own way to survive. On a village over the water of the coastline Orestes had been thrown into the life of difficulty after going after his father, and in it find the orb that would lead to the Galar bangle, some odd piece of jewelry that would not come off no matter the attempt. When the merchant ships had come to trade with the village on the water the bangle had him marked for trouble. Soon, it was sent via from the far away land of the Barbosa empire that the young man would have to come to the land far to the east and had to do so in the lands of the poisonous mist.

The compound had not been as welcoming as they had hoped when they reached the large the sprawling double thick wooden walls. Where many people had been shocked at the cleansing of the area in Poptera Castle. Blight could not removed from the shrine, but it did provide an area that it was pulled from the land making those locked in the castle for the generations to be let free to a whole new world. Coming down, there was another on his quest with the creature known as Vayu. Fornax had made itself more apparent while still leaving room for suspicion to grow. After the castle had been cleared there was only a couple of days where they could stay before being ferried off finding that where the curse had been not killed but pulled from one area and doubled in another making it that much more problematic until they could navigate to the issue dodging the venomous bigger brothers of the creatures Orestes had dealt with alone.

Instead of being welcomed for their work their had been some bad words leading to the pair being the target of suspicion, but it was a rare chance that anything could be done against the choke. Realizing the depth of their troubles it was clear that the two people tossed in the mist had been in for much longer then what they originally expected coming only after several days when the travel was two at most last when the party looked. Leaving many to suffer was not an option and despite them coming through the loss of many landmarks and the attacks of vile creatures the welcome had been colder then expected where the people within tried to keep the pair out for the safety of the group above the pair trying to help and now it was simple.

Due to the pair of shrines they would need two teams and would need to be split up so they could make it back through the forests chock full of the beasts they had tried to avoid, and while each team looked to be a full quartet, that did not provide anyone any comfort. For the Compound defenders had questions of the pair, the young Men Turga and Zoran were trying to make sure the compound would be put above all else and that meant even at the cost of the pair that had come to help.

Which lead to where they currently sat, the night before they attempted this plan, and Orestes could sense the eyes of many. He had hated feeling like a prisoner and while the castle had been very open to them, the fact that their had to be a second guard found to head to the restroom. No time would be allowed without at minimum one and more likely two people making sure they could not talk with others except for the other and they would have to do so after letting both guards at the helm of their rooms know.

Reina did not feel comfortable either, where the guards at the castle had been stuffy but understanding the people here were mean. When the pair tried to figure out what was going on and compare notes of what they had found a guard had been placed on the inside of the door no matter how much they pushed and so out of spite, pulled a couple sheets of paper and an ink pot scratching notes and when their security tried to read it there was a couple of brandished weapons were pointed at the man that was wearing some lacquered wood cuirass.

There had been some negative feelings from both of them resting in the stomachs of both and it almost felt as they scratched back and forth leaving the guard to try and see only for the six blades pointed at them. While the room had been done in dark woods and with the separation of the pair in their own rooms it felt more like the pair had been jailed. No matter the attempts trying to figure out what they were communicating to each other the guard was going to be worried figuring what could be said, and despite what had to be between them the look on his face.

Orestes and Reina had not been happy with their treatment and it was clear to the both of them at the first sign of trouble that they needed to watch their own backs as it had been something clear that being alone with three other people would mean they would have to possibly fight the creatures and the team. Each of them hated to spill blood, but both had known when they had been treated in such a fashion that their health was the lowest priorities.

Fornax and Vayu had been the beings that tried to look the other way for the sake of a group of people that were just afraid. Both of them had to also realize that the fear of their holders was not displaced as the people of the compound had not endeared themselves to the pair that had to help through the mist. Where the pair of forces could be understanding, their knights had to be careful for one life was all that they had and that meant one death was enough to stop their quest.

Forces and people both knew that a mob in fear could be dangerous as the legends of the land dictated them to be scarier then any beast and while the pair did not know hoe a mob of people bound by fear lead to their predicament that was not the same for the pair of forces trying to at least plant the seed of understanding.

It was going to be rough for they had to trust these people to watch over them and as of right now the only thing that had been given is suspicion. Bangle or not they resonated well and cared for the people trying to find the path in a world so cold and as it stood them needing to write their thoughts for the sake of secrecy, and in the room that seemed to only get stuffier. In the room had been a simple hearth and after both explained their fears and were assuaged by the other to save what secrecy they balled up the pair of papers before taking a flint and lighting the thing in front of the guard as his face betrayed his hope to read it later.

The pair could make small talk while the messages burned to as making sure that nothing had been left but char and embers before smiling sweetly in defiance and allowing themselves to be taken back to their rooms.

Some of the work had to be done though, and Orestes soon was back in his room where a small tray of gruel had been left on a desk stone cold almost to mock him. It did not matter as they needed to still wonder what weapons would be carried on his person and what in his bag.

Bright still was the coral short sword of his father had the length and could cut down what was needed if they had the room, but upon asking the rest of the people would have gauntlets and that was sounding like something that could be used in short ranges. He had to figure that something long could be caught on a lot of things in a forest if the growth was thick and so the barbed knife and the princely dagger would be the pair walking in the dark forests, if they planned to betray them in the forest or not they had come to do a job, and the faster it was done the faster they all could go home.

Turga and Zoran were walking from the workout hall down to the blacksmith to be fitted for their pieces, as both would be heading one team. From the past experience they could tell it would be something they needed as much time as possible with to get just right. Walking in the light of the many torches still in the halls they made their way down the lengths of labyrinthine hallways in the way the had wished to once walk after their test, but here was something different. No matter what now, as long as both had gotten back they would be fully fledged members, and there would be some chance in doing so.

Having a gauntlet of the compound had been a sign of honor for the few that traversed the lands and now both of them could do it. What had been the problem was that they had not inspired trust in the the pair they had to gain the support of and the elders had been more suspicious then welcoming. Opening the doors to the blacksmithing hall there was the smell of metal and varnish as part of the hall had been used for the construction of all that the compound needed.

Being fit for such had been something where the personalities of the people would be seen on the weapon. They could pick the metal, the barbs and how it attached to their arm and the weapon it worked with the most. Zoran had been wanting a short extendable blade that could be retracted and protracted with the handle while Turga had let his hand remain free allowing himself to use the techniques that had been taught over the years over such times.

It would only be ready in the earliest part of the morning and what could be done for small changes would only be done after a little practice but they had the faith in their countrymen, and that their forge master was the brightest they had ever seen, however small that list may be, his skill was well known even among the elders who had regularly traveled abroad. That faith was hard to place at times but to know that some in the compound could be some of the best in the world.

Each of them had to sit for a good portion of the remaining part of the day as their arms had been measured and checked while the hot metal glowed and bent according to the stout man’s will before the piece had the skeleton built to their wishes with what was on hand. Metal ore had been rare to get their hands on for the many years but what could be found was often snapped up from the traders.

Many had already knew the risk of their mission. Working the forges he had not been a fool as to their plight and finding that it could be done once before they had hoped they could be that way once again. It was clear in his own mind that as his beard went from the lacquered wood brown to a cursed gray he knew the sun was setting on his life and he would have no other way if one of his last major projects would be helping two of the most physical young men to be in the compound to help them all be free. He could feel the metal pulling to his whim just as it had always, but this time the pair of pieces would be his magnum opus. Detail would be important and every detail had to be something that he wished for no small thing could be overlooked this had to be, as he pulled one billet of metal, something he had to make sure could be what a legacy could be defined by.

Wood and metal was something of a comfort to him to work with as the pair would chat and wonder what the plans would be he was sole focused on the metals and turning them this way and that. He had thought the time had been only a couple hours but seeing Zoran get him the dinner of fruit and roast, and even filling up the water jug made him notice the sheet of sweat coming down his forehead. Stinging his eyes and smelling of salt that almost masked the aroma of the metal in the coal forge he had to grab a rag from his back pocket letting it dry his face before being tossed away soaked from the efforts of the large man. Turga had been someone who watched from the chair as he pulled each billet and got the skeleton to both gauntlets that would go over their arm up to the shoulder.

Seeing how there weapons would be made gave both of them a bit of security, and he made sure as the hammer pounded that each strike would not crack the bars or that as they were pulled that each of them would be as strong as ever, sometimes even stronger then what could be found in the mines and much stronger then the basic metals could be on their own. He knew how to mix the various ingots to create something greater then the sum of the parts making the gauntlets something almost spiritual as well. Markings and writing would be inscribed in the case when more time could be given, but that was a detail that had to wait when they returned. When, for if he thought of if and what it could mean then there would be doubt.

There was little need to be paralyzed by fear as one had needed to be cognizant of the threats around them and with the pair from the distant lands that had been able to help them there was always the doubt that if they turned on them, could the rest of them defend their home. Pulling the pieces that would make the cage for the padding together, he hoped they had no need to find out. Knowing nothing, they had to be trusted and while there had been some evidence they could do what was needed and they were not endearing themselves to the visitors, he preyed those visitors would have the understanding to know they mean no ill will. For this building had been the lives of so many that to see the sun again warm on the faces of the youngest would be something that the oldest could live with if they had gotten through the worst of what had happened.

Zoran and Turga were both dealing with signs of their own mortality, for this was something they could not escape form they had to drive forward enough, with their teams that they could reactivate the shrines and then escape without falling to the creatures that would inhabit it Mist or not, it was a dangerous place and they had to be careful going in and out would be dangerous and nothing was set until everyone had crossed the doorway back. Where there could be so much as a party big enough the rest of the world would hear and he would not mind a bit.

After doing what could be done it was all left except to sleep and get ready for what was coming. Turga saw a note delivered to his brother that was soon put in the pocket, most likely something from one of the elders about his team and they began to walk the way back letting their steps define their movements to the bed’s they had hoped for not the final time. Letting their eyes close only their futures and that of all the people they cared about were on the table for tomorrow, and nothing would stop either of them from hitting their goals.

Morning came and everyone had to be ready. Orestes and Reina picked their sides, Reina would go with Turga on the western half while the eastern half would be manned by Zorna and Orestes and with the weapons fresh on their arms, it was with the pride of their beliefs they set their weapons and began to head out. Four warriors had volunteered and could handle the normal curse on the land but it had been only a few steps before they had to get back within the confines of the property, barely able to find their way despite the large double doors still being in sight even in the small distance taken.

Something had been worse, much worse that they could not go on. Zorna and Turga could not get them to continue and it had meant the large teams were already cut in half before setting a foot in the dark forests. Reina and Orestes were still confident in their abilities and that meant the other half of the pairs felt it as well, they could still make it and getting back and loading supplies from the other two, the four had begun their quest.

Hope you enjoyed. Stay Strong.

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Rough Draft Excerpt

A few pages from a rough draft of min. Enjoy.

Eyes opened to a bed filled with his wife her hand in his as he glowed at her radiance. Life was good and it was finally the dream he had been chasing brought to life. When it got tough he had been able to finally get up time after time and when he could gather his funds and step out without fear of being found he had taken his funds and began to start by getting a few pieces of property including this small thing out near the plains where the house had been built just needed some small upgrades to make it a home. He had found his way of living happily enough and it had been some solace that he was no longer known for the technology that hid his identity. For all that all the others in the area knew of him he was just a father for his kids who already had enough money to make his property and way of life to be written in stone with enough to spare. Sleeping in that bed with her had been enough to give him solace from the worst moments and he had a few, but holding her hand had made all the rough times,the issues with others in his line of work and those that would stop him, people who would slander his title for one reason for another, those even that would take his work and use it trying to stoke their own fires of hate.

No one knew of his race or family, no one knew his sexuality or his life experiences, because, from inside the armor he was not a man he was a monster. A tool of destruction based only on his enemy and his mission. Despite everything he had been the one to be called on by some in times of great need, a safety valve formed form ones honorable ways when it came to how one did business. When one did work in such quality there was little people could do except try to besmirch the name, and try to make people hate him, well, more then they already did. It was not exactly hard to be hated when people think you are living a life you have not earned. He did not care as it was something if they could stop they had tried their best and he had come up ahead. From what he was tapped to do something truly good from the various heroes using his technology and in truly severe issues. Being a technological maestro whether he was on the heroes or on the villains that particular week he had been one of those where he was consulted and he had been able to help with proper clauses and on the odd case someone tried to take what he had they could never remake it.

Some people would try to trick him and hijack or hack his tech but they were playing checkers when he was playing liar’s dice, they did not play the same game to even make any progress to what he had. Other technical savants would always chuckle when someone would try to copy what one of them built only for it to burn up, explode, or fail right in their face in the first test. Down in the basement of the house his little lab had been able to handle all of his testing and if it had been with a few more dangerous materials he had something installed underground away from the house just in case anything would go badly. It was just one of those things that made the home truly perfect, he could go and do what he would want to and work with some of the more difficult fuels or circumstances without an issue of a child or wife getting hit in some blast as well. He doubted that he would ever get so brazen that it would happen but seeing her in that bed and smiling happily there had to be certain things taken care of for the sake of security.

Being there in their house, in their bed, while their child slept in her room made everything just be able to take a breath and enjoy the moments slowly slipping by. When she opened her green eyes and looked at him with a small smirk it seemed to make his heart flutter just a little bit, her eyes seemed to sparkle like a gem and it was something that their relationship felt like added a charge to their life. Everything had just been done so well and all he could do right now as he lay in bed is to look across at his beautiful wife and wonder what adventures he could get into today with his daughters familiar pitter-patter coming down the hall. Before, tossing her body into the sheets of her parents sleeping forms she had taken the time to try and stop and jump in only for a small bump to be felt from the foot of the bed where she had been trying to pull the bottom half of her body up wiggling her legs in the air trying to not drop to the floor until he pulled the sheets up until they were tight against them carrying his daughter further up the bed.

All of it meant the child was soon trying to climb over the bodies of her father and mother trying to get them up so she could start her own and day consequentially she did not know how to do so without turning the pair of sleeping bodies into giggles at her attempts to shake them at the shoulders. When they could no longer keep their stifled giggles hidden from her she soon dropped into the bed and pushed her shoulder in her stomach and began to start pushing as hard as she could before her mother decided to begin moving out of bed.

He did not have to do a single thing, the money was already coming in from his work and if he did anything extra it would only add to the kingdom he had built from that bench in the old warehouse. From there to here he could just let the air fill his lungs and have the moment exhaling slowly trying to tickle his daughter before getting up himself. Letting the feet land on the warm wood had been enough for him to see where the day would go but first as he looked back on to the bed and saw his child he realized she could not be left alone in the room considering what else could be in there. Her mother had a few minutes head start on them but pulling the child up to his shoulders where she could sit without issue he began his way down the stairs to the sounds of breakfast being made.

She had beautiful eyes and her hair no matter what always seemed ready for a snapshot. Already in her dress for the day the red hugged her hips that looked flirty yet professional. Part of her was also fiery enough that if he had ever set foot in the kitchen and did not make something to her standards it would be an ass chewing meaning he would simply stay out of the cooking portion of all parenting as it was something she enjoyed and if it was something that made her happy, then he could not understand why not. All of it was something he could enjoy, and he could enjoy his wife no matter what she dressed up or down in and with his kid ready to go to school there was going to be a whole day that he could enjoy with his love and even get some work done.

Breakfast being made his girl wriggled off her seat and slid down his back to go get ready for school. She had been such a fan of the lessons and the playing with the other kid it had been more of a problem to get her to sleep on the days before school then it would be on the weekend. It was not a surprise as she was bright, both of her parents were he was in tech and engineering and she had been great in the realms of numbers and words where from basic accounting to articles in papers she could handle herself as if she had done it her entire life. Others could state how their color would hold them back but both of them had been able to make themselves so skilled in their fields that it was less about color and more about if they wanted the best for the job then not taking them was a poor decision and it was shown time and time again that while some people did not learn, some never would.

It was a point in his life where everything seemed to click in place, there was still some problems in the day, how the coffeemaker burbled a little too vigorously or the toaster always wanting to go one shade darker then he preferred when he set it despite all the attempts he made to work it out. It was so small though when he tried to get aggravated about it all he could do was smirk and chuckle to himself before continuing to enjoy it. All that it took was just a shirk and suddenly he was back in the moment for as along as he had it and no matter how much he chewed he could sit and value such things no matter how soon they flit away in the work of the coming days. He wished he knew what to do but in the time he did not he would figure something to make and his wife had been asking about a new flower bed to grow a smaller garden.

Musing on what he would need there had to be some planks at the local home improvement store. He had the tools to do it he just needed to get the materials he was missing.

“I think I am going to get the small garden bed you were asking for done today, if you can make sure our little sprout doesn’t try playing with the tools” he explained.

“Mmmhm, I think I can finds something for us to do while you get that finished and my big handyman can come back and get some food while we fill it up, she can have her own plant to take care of.”

“What have you decided to grow in it”

“Oh? Green onions and some flowers that were on sale, the green onions are pretty hard to kill so she could learn easily and the flowers I heard from another mom that it was pretty easy and the cost worked for it.”

“Just try it, works for me enough times. She have school today?”

“Papa, papa I don’t got school on Saturday silly!” she chirped from behind her plate of half eaten eggs and bacon.

“Ah Saturday, well I guess I need to get ready and get what I need so you can work on planting what you want before dinner”

Finishing the plate he knew the old truck had enough gas for the trip and was pecking his wife on the cheek before walking out to the garage where the smell of oil and lubricant were light in the air and the old red truck he had bought and brought back to life with a polish that made it shine under any light except for the small smudges where his little girl had been running around trying to pat down some invisible enemy. If she was running away then it could have meant either he was chasing her playing the part and not caring as her hands would buffer out with a quick wipe or that her mother had taken the get her run in.

After the door button was pressed a bright light had begun shining from the crack until the whole garage was filled with white and before he could run back to check on his family the light had flooded the room and he was lost to it.

He opened his eyes slowly trying to blink the memories out of his mind and them isery out of his surroundings. There was no loving wife warming his bed nor a daughter claiming he was silly. There was no house and no fence, no red truck and no happy life. It had been the happiest he had ever been and it was all a dream, a fantasy his mind had put together. Looking up from his bed the scene had been of his apartment with the bedroom illuminated with hard lights against worn polished floors and redbrick walls that kept as much heat out as spirit lending itself to feeling more like a dour tomb at times then his actual home.

At the foot of his bed there was a single large foot locker paired off with a couple of them setting in the bottom shelf of his wide book case. No one else was in the apartment and no one would be as far as he knew as he saw it there was just nothing to even trying as the eyes flit from the shadows cast from the ceiling to the alarm clock to show that it was close enough to the usual alarm time that going back to sleep would only be an exercise in futility. His life had been long gone since anything exciting and he knew he had a shift coming up and that meant it was better to get breakfast.

Walking out of the bed slowly he closed the door to the living room and kitchen behind him and begun setting to what would be his breakfast. Opening the fridge while shielding his eyes from the light coming from it he had pulled a couple of tomatoes tossing them to the cutting board on the left of the sink before the sound of cheese and green onions had landed next to the tomatoes. Pulling the eggs out he had begun the start of cutting the top and taking a small spoon to scoop out the insides of the tomatoes. Oiling and salting them lightly he had tossed them to begin their bake at 400. There was no real recipe to it as he began taking the knife from where it had been rested on the right side of the cutting board and took to slivering the green onions. One burner had been turned to medium high with the pan over it waiting for the eggs and cheese.

He did not remember where he even got the recipe to put it together but it was something of a comfort when he was feeling bad without all the fat of worse options. Finishing the pile of slivered green and white he had noticed the seasonings light before taking the green onions back where they rested in the refrigerator. There was no light in his life here, there was no daughter to pick up and hold and there especially was no honor that left the husk of a man alone with his breakfast meal before beginning the routine to become another of the normal people he once hated so much. When everything began to fall apart and the memories cast themselves to his eyes between bites there was no anger, there was no rage. Just the emptiness of a man forgotten by the world and left out in the cold when the idea of a hero was needed most. He knew better though between bites of those eggs that true heroes were rare. Everyone was a villain he was just the honest one about it. Outside the wind shifted just so and a whistle could be heard almost cutting through the silence breaking from his mental prison watching the errors of the past and making him wonder what was left for him other then more disappointment. Disappointment or no as he looked down at his half eaten plate, with the hunger that reminded him to eat silenced enough that he could continue he got dressed easily and made his way out the front door.

Hoped you enjoyed. Stay strong.

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