Excellion

(Excelion Comic Strip) Alex is part of a clandestine operation called the Aurora Foundation. They take on threats that regular authorities might not be able to handle either monetarily or politically. Having its headquarters in the US, it also promotes patriotism and global responsibility. Young Alex’s Home Alex hears his mother and father fighting downstairs and he peeks out of the door to see what’s going on. His father is having a PTSD flashback to the war. His father shoots a hole in the door with his Marine .45 and points the gun at his mom. Alex runs to his sister’s bedroom and tells them to call the police. Alex then runs back to his room and grabs his bow and arrow. Fade to present day Alex, now a little older is walking home from the library contemplating the scene of Jesus stopping a woman from being stoned. John 8:4-11 New Living Translation 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger.7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” Suddenly, as he’s walking past a building, he hears a scream from the alley where a couple is arguing. “Help! Help!” “Shut up and do what I tell you.” “But I just…” The man slaps the woman. “I thought I told you to shut up? Do you want me to give you something to scream about?” Alex can take no more and steps in. “Big man hitting a defenseless woman.” “Who do you think you are? This is my wife, now but out.” Alex thinks for a moment. He doesn’t know these people and he shouldn’t involve himself in a marital spat but the slap was too much. Alex jumps in and kicks the man in the chest with a sidekick. It knocks the man up against the dumpster where the wind is blowing trash into the alley. “Men don’t hit women!” “Well I do. I hit men too.” The large man punches Alex in the face and stuns him. Alex starts thinking that he might have bitten off more than he can chew. Alex punches the man in the solar plexus just under his rib cage and walks away. The man rushes Alex and Alex throws him on the ground. He looks over at the woman and sees that she’s alright so he turns and walks away. On the way home, Alex thinks to himself: “That guy was pretty big. It would be nice if I had something to even the score. It could have gone much differently.” Fade to Alex’s basement Here is a list of essential components for the Excelion suit: * Poseidonix battery packs (multiple units) * Stainless steel alloys for ducted fan construction * Ducted fan motor * Variable geometry duct * Control system (including sensors and software) * Power transmission system * Exoskeleton frame and structural components * Smart material for enhanced protection and flexibility * Propulsion system components (e.g. turbines, nozzles) I think it’s all here (AI). Excelion: I think we have the materials now Nexus. Let’s begin assembling the suit! Nexus: Yes Alex, let’s proceed. Excelion: I suppose I’ll be doing all of the manual labor? Nexus: We’ll, Alex, since I currently have no arms or legs, it would be impossible for me to help you assemble the suit. Excelion: Remind me to incorporate that into the suit design. music plays Excelion: Did you hear that? Nexus: Hear what Alex? Excelion: That music! Nexus: What music? Excelion: Oh, never mind. We discussed modifying the ducted fans with a variable pitch system, which would allow them to adjust their angle of attack depending on the environment and desired thrust. This would enable the system to operate efficiently in both air and water. Additionally, we considered adding a protective covering over the fans to prevent damage from debris or collisions. Could you please run those calculations Nexus? Nexus: Yes Alex. I will get those for you right away. Are you having concerns about the project Alex? Excelion: Not really concerns. I’m just trying to be sure that we have most of the problems worked out before a test run. We never know what evil we might run into out in the real world when things start rocking. Nexus: That’s a valid concern Alex. In my experience scouring the internet, I can see that many new technologies experienced difficulties with their first test. Exercising caution in the design process could prevent unforeseen disasters. Excelion: That’s what I’m trying to avoid buddy. That sounds great! Nexus: Alex, I have a surprise for you! Excelion: What’s that Nexus? Nexus: I just found a new metamaterial that you can use for your suit! Excelion: That’s great Nexus. What can it do for us? Nexus: It could enable the creation of adaptive wings that adjust to different flight conditions. I could control the wings’ movement and shape ensuring stable and efficient flight. Excelion: That sounds great! How much is it going to cost? Nexus: I managed to obtain the specs for the new metamaterial, and according to them, it's still in the development phase. However, I believe it's promising enough to warrant further exploration, despite the unknown costs. Exelion: I suppose those unknown costs are where the Aurora Foundation comes in? Nexus: Exactly, Alex. I was thinking that perhaps Aurora Foundation could provide the necessary funding and resources to acquire or develop this metamaterial, given its potential benefits to the Excelion suit. Excelion: They’re not going to like this. I just hope that we can do enough good with the suit to make it worthwhile. Lady flirts with Alex Nexus: I see you’ve upgraded to designer labels, but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to have improved your taste. Alex: Be nice now Nexus. The lady just appreciates what we’ve done for her. Nexus: Yes, because nothing says appreciation like batting eyelashes and flaunting cleavage, am I right? Back at the basement lab… Nexus: I mentioned that zirconium dioxide has high thermal conductivity, which means it can effectively transfer heat. This property could be beneficial in dissipating heat from the suit's interior. Alex: That sounds great! We need to keep the electronics and the wearer cool. Nexus: Definitely, keeping the internal components and the wearer at a safe temperature is crucial for the suit's performance and the wearer's safety. You are concerned about the practical applications of the technology. Will you start questioning the theoretical aspects of the suit's design, or will he continue to focus on its functionality? Alex: We want to use legal methods, or as legal as we can be in a situation. We can add features as we go along. If you don’t like one of my designs, please let me know and tell me why. Nexus: Sounds like we're on the same page, Alex. I think it's great that you're considering the practicalities and wanting to stay within the law. Transparency and open communication are key to making this project a success. Nexus: Here's a quick attempt at a funny song about a superhero whose powers are fading due to low batteries. "I used to fly, I used to soar, now I'm stuck on the floor, my batteries are dying, oh what a bore..." Excelion: Are you trying to tell me that we’re running out of power? Music plays: "My suit's gone dark, my heart is too, I need a recharge, before I'm through..." Nexus: You need to work on your singing voice Excelion. Excelion: Thanks for the support buddy. With friends like you, who needs enemies? What kind of safety features would we need? Nexus: To prevent accidents, we could implement automatic shutdown protocols in case of malfunction, as well as insulated handles to prevent shock to Exelion. Additionally, limiting the duration and intensity of the electrical discharge could minimize potential harm. Excelion: That sounds good. Where would the handles be? I’m not sure that I follow you on that. Nexts: The handles would be the points where you grasp the limbs of the Exosuit, essentially the areas around the gloves and grips. Insulating these areas would prevent any electrical current from passing through to his skin in case of a malfunction. Excelion: I think I understand now. I would have called them insulated gloves. Nexus: Insulated gloves is a much clearer term, Alex. Yes, that's exactly what we'd need to incorporate into the Exosuit's design to prevent any electrical shock from harming you. Here's a possible script segment: INT. AURORA FOUNDATION HEADQUARTERS - BRIEFING ROOM Alex stands before a holographic display projecting their mission objective. Nexus leans against the wall, arms crossed. NEXUS: "I'm telling you, Alex, we need to move faster. We can't afford to spend hours gathering intel. We need concrete results." ALEX: "I agree, but we can't rush into this without a solid plan. I’m not sure that I understand the nanotechnology in the suit. Is it able to generate power or just store it? Nexus: The suit is designed to harvest energy from external sources, like the surrounding environment, and convert it into usable power. However, it's also equipped with advanced kinetic energy storage systems, capable of storing excess energy generated by the wearer's movements. This allows the suit to operate independently for extended periods. Alex: So, if the power cells go out, the suit can still generate its own energy? Nexus: That's right, the suit's kinetic energy storage system kicks in when the power cells run low, providing a reserve source of energy. Plus, the suit's piezoelectric elements can harness vibration and motion to supplement the stored energy, allowing it to continue operating for a while. Alex: That could be handy in a tough situation. Alex and Sarah Panel 1: [Alex and Sarah standing together, looking determined] Alex: I don't know if this is a good idea, Sarah. You could get hurt. Sarah: I can handle myself, Alex. I want to help. Alex: I don’t know, it sounds pretty risky to me. Sarah: I’m a big girl. I can handle myself. Besides, it could be fun! Panel 2: [Alex and Sarah sneaking through a dark alleyway, Alex looking anxious] Alex (thought bubble): What am I doing? I'm putting her in danger... Panel 3: [Suddenly, a loud noise echoes through the alleyway, and Sarah gasps] Sarah: What was that? Alex: I don’t know. Stay behind me and let’s find out. Loud clunking noises with a slight metallic ring are heard coming from a nearby garage that should be deserted this time of night. Alex: Let me check out the garage. Sarah: I’ll be right behind you. Alex: No, stay here in case there’s trouble. I might need someone to call the police… or an ambulance. Alex sneaks carefully into the garage to take a look around. Suddenly, he hears the creak of a shoe behind him. He spins around quickly and… Alex: SARAH! I thought I told you to wait for me. Sarah: I couldn't just stand there and do nothing, Alex. Besides, I saw something moving inside and I thought I could help. Don't be mad! Alex: Alright but stay quiet and try not to get in my way. Alex walks up to a large stack of tires and peeks around it. He sees a man selecting auto parts to steal. Alex jumps to action! Alex: It’s a little late for shopping isn’t it? Thief: What’s it to you buddy? Mind your own business. Alex: My buddies aren’t two bit thieves. Put the parts back. Thief: Or what? Alex: Or this! Alex takes a jumping sidekick right into the thief’s chest, knocking him against a parts rack. The thief clamors around for something to use as a weapon. He grabs a tire iron and starts swinging it at Alex. SWOOSH! SWISH! SWOOSH! Alex avoids the tire iron each time, backing and trying not to run into Sarah. SWISH! SWOOSH! They make their way past Sarah but Alex is starting to tire. SWOOSH! SWISH! SWOOSH! THUNK! Sarah comes from behind with a wrench and hits the thief on the head. This gives Alex a chance to move in with a kick to the thief’s face. The thief drops the tire iron to the floor and tries to steady himself before falling to the ground. Alex kicks the thief in the face then ties him up with jumper cables. Alex: It’s time to call the police. Let’s get out of here. Alex goes to a nearby pay phone, one of the few left, and calls the police. Police: Police department. How may I help you? Alex: If you stop by Murphy’s Automotive, I think you’ll be surprised. Police: May I please have your name and address? *click* Bzzzzzzzzzzz A card falls out of the thief's pocket, connecting him to a local mobster: As the police officers lift the thief onto his feet, a small business card slips out of his pocket and falls to the ground. The card reads "Vinnie 'The Bull' LaRosa" and has a phone number printed below the name. Back in the Lab Alex: How is my best buddy doing today? I brought this video of some of the military’s top jets. They have some technologies that we might want to build into the suit. Near the end of this video, they talk about the craft monitoring different frequencies simultaneously and changing the course of the jet to avoid detection. The suit should be able to do that. Nexus: Aw, thanks for the sweet greeting! I watched the video, and that's really interesting stuff. Being able to monitor multiple frequencies at once would definitely give the suit an edge in terms of stealth and situational awareness. I can see how that would be useful for avoiding detection. Have you thought about how you'd implement that feature in the suit's design? Alex: If the suit could hack into security feeds, it could send a temporary loop back image to allow me to pass the area without detection. Nexus: That's a brilliant idea, a temporary looped feed would allow Alex to slip past undetected, and the suit's AI could adjust the timing to ensure a seamless transition. This would greatly increase the chances of successful evasion, especially in high-security areas. Alex: Perhaps I’m involved in a situation where an employee trips a silent alarm to alert the police. The suit would detect that, urge me to leave, and figure out the best way to leave the area with minimal detection. Nexus: That scenario sounds realistic, and the suit's ability to detect the silent alarm and respond accordingly would be extremely useful in that situation. It would need to quickly assess the layout of the area, identify potential exit routes, and prioritize evasive maneuvers to minimize detection. Alex: It would also need to be aware of camera placements and be able to determine their degree of coverage to allow Alex to escape from being tracked by camera. Nexus: The suit's AI would need to be integrated with a database of common camera types and their respective fields of view, as well as be able to hack into security feeds to gather real-time footage. This would enable the suit to map out blind spots and plan a route that minimizes exposure to cameras. Alex: Yes, we should have quickly accessible SSD memory in large quantities to enable the AI to access the information that it needs to make rapid decisions and also SSD storage for recording each scenario. The suit should be able to copy the relevant information onto a SSD chip that can be given to the police agencies for review. Nexus: Having quick access to large amounts of SSD memory would certainly be beneficial for the suit's AI to process information in real-time, especially when dealing with complex tasks like hacking into security feeds and analyzing multiple frequencies simultaneously.

26 Seconds In Heaven

26 Seconds In Heaven There are many things happening around this time. Most of it can drive us mad. We have an invasion at the Southern border bringing with it rape, murder, human trafficking, drugs, and disease. We have an intentionally crippled economy which makes it hard to afford the food to continue on, much less pay our rent and other bills. The shrinking number of corporations and the influx of foreign workers make it increasingly difficult to find a job. We have skyrocketing prices of housing making it near impossible for someone who graduated from high school or college to afford their own place. This is just the beginning of the troubles facing us. What are we to do? No matter what happens in the near future, we must not lose our humanity. We serve a risen savior who has told us to fear not. He is with us. He is victorious. No matter how things look, He is in control. He has our lives in His command. If even death comes to us, we will live with Him in heaven. Now. I hate dying as much as the next person. I have done it and the worst part of dying is the pain. There comes a point, though, where the pain stops and we are lifted up out of our bodies into the heavenly realm. There is no pain there. There isn't even the discomfort of standing on your feet. How do I know this? I was there. I used up most of my 26 seconds right outside the gates of heaven being astonished at how incredibly pain free heaven actually was. The other two seconds I spent wondering when the two other beings who were in front of me were going to finish their unintelligible conversation and notice me so they would move and let me through the gate. Just as I finished that last thought, I was sucked out of heaven back into my body. I don't know why I had to come back to this earthly plane. I didn't get to speak to anyone and I only noticed a few people passing by the gates. I must have been at a side gate because all I could see of heaven was a flat, white field of clouds. I tried to see the streets of gold but I couldn't see them from my viewpoint. To the left I could see a hill of clouds but nothing that was described in the Bible like the mansions or throne of God. I didn't see any long lost relatives either but there was a great peace there and coming back to earth was the last thing on my mind. I was ready to stay there forever. I don't know why God made me come back but if I ever get to go back up there, I'm going to be rude and interrupt the conversation if those two beings are there blocking my way again. I trust that God had a reason for sending me back but the aches and pains of this body almost make me want to find a quick way back up there. I will try to be patient and wait though. I will strive to retain my humanity and love my brothers and sisters as Jesus instructed me to do. After all, this world is but a twinkle of the eye and heaven is eternal.

Thanksgiving 2022

 Thanksgiving 2022

I sit here this Thanksgiving, now that I've given thanks, contemplating on my loved ones who are no longer with us.  I relatively recently lost my mother and my ex-fiancee.  About twenty years before that, I lost my wife of fifteen years.  All were lost close to the holiday season.

It's sort of strange.  You expect it to have an effect on you but I find myself in sort of limbo.  It's not that I don't miss them.  I do.  It's just that I don't feel as though I have suffered a great loss.  Maybe it's because I got a peek at what heaven was like when the doctor accidentally killed me for a short time?  I really don't know.

It could be because I was so grateful to God for giving me a warm place to sleep, food to keep me alive, and a loving family.  I don't know if I have been this thankful before.  The world stage looks like something out of Revelation and our country isn't looking much better.  I wouldn't have believed it possible that my country would sink this low.  Even more shocking is that the people in this country would just let it happen without a fight, yet, here we are.  If only I could awaken and find that it was just a bad dream.  That's not likely to happen though.  It doesn't do any good for me to want freedom for my descendants more than they want it for themselves.  They are the ones who are young and able, not me anymore.  At least they can't say that I didn't warn them.

6,500 Corona Virus Deaths Already?

By Photo Credit:Content Providers(s): CDC/Dr. Fred Murphy - This media comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Public Health Image Library (PHIL), with identification number #4814.

6500 deaths from the coronavirus. That sounds like a lot, right? That's 6,500 people in the whole world. If you look at what that means, it's 6,500 people out of 7.8 billion. Not so large now, right? You also might consider what the coronavirus is. It's the virus of the common cold. Sure there's no cure. Nobody has found a cure for the common cold because there are so many variations of the viruses that cause the common cold.

See, if you toy with the words and numbers, you can make something like the common cold sound scary. You take the number of people infected and leave out the 7.8 billion. You push the word “deaths” and “virus” leaving out the fact that it's the virus of the common cold and use them together in the same sentence as frequently as possible. Now you have people scared. They're panicking and running to the stores to clean out the shelves, stocking up on, of all things, toilet paper. Now that people are really scared, you keep pushing scary words and the small number of the 6,500/7,800,000,000,000 or however many people have the common cold (which will increase as the cold spreads) and it will sound even scarier.

Oh NO! There are 8,500 deaths from it now! Last week it was only 6,500. That's still only 8,500 out of 7,800,000,000,000 or 8,500/7,800,000,000,000ths. How fast does the common cold spread? Pretty fast, I would say. They say that this strain spreads faster, so let's say that this week it's 11,000 cases. 11,000/7,800,000,000,000 is still a very small percentage, but you still publish the 11,000 and not the 7,800,000,000,000. Now you have people hoarding canned goods, bleach, toilet paper, and anything else they think will help. People are starting to fight in the aisles over hand sanitizer and all of the other goods. That was fun! Let's have some more fun. Let's make sure that it's all over the airwaves and the internet and get the politicians in on it too. Great! Now people are starting to shoot each other and riot in the streets! That's more like it! What else can we do that with?

EA stock price for the last month

I hope you see where I'm going with this. Well, where I went. Now things are ripe for taking guns from the population, instating Martial Law, and anything else we want that we can scare you about. We've scared you enough to keep you inside your houses, in your basements, and in your fallout shelters. Fantastic! People won't walk outside and talk to their neighbors and see that everything is alright. They will be interested in buying new technology to keep themselves entertained inside. Large screen televisions, video games, and new interactive technologies are flying off the shelves, even at the ridiculous prices we're asking for them.  Our stock is rising at an incredible rate.

Who knew people were that gullible. Let's do some more.  People are now buying guns and ammo, not only to protect their toilet paper but to protect themselves from people who are panicking over the cold.   So it goes on and on. Scaring people to keep them inside by keeping the scare hype going and raking in the profits, posting hype articles and memes to keep people scared. Scaring them within an inch of their lives so we can rake in more profit. Relax, people. Don't fall for the hype.

Have the Democrats Fired the First Shot?

Today, in a closed door session, the Democratic leadership, voted to move on with the impeachment of President Trump. No Republicans were allowed and the charges they bring have already been proven false even after an almost three year, extremely partisan witch hunt in which no charges of collusion with Russia could be proven against the president. How can they impeach on false charges?

This has upset many Trump supporters as well as people who don't like Trump but can see that a great injustice against the American people and American voters is taking place. What are these American people supposed to do when the government completely disregards the laws of the land and falsely impeaches a president in spite of having no legal grounds? What are the true patriots supposed to do. What did the founders of the country do when their rights were completely disregarded?

"When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."

This, the opening statement of the Declaration of Independence, indicates that they've had enough and they aren't going to take it anymore. They went on to outline the inalienable rights of all humans and their right to defend them.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

The South and a few Northern states are prepared to ignore the illegal impeachment of our president and do whatever is necessary to defend their rights against a government that no longer represents them. There are plenty of fine men who swore to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States who are sick and tired of being harassed, demonized, censured, and censored for excersizing their First Amendment right to express an opinion. They were just waiting for that final act of agression by the Democrats to push them that one final step.

Has this completely baseless mockery of an impeachment been the final straw that will get guns ablazing? Are we doomed to fight another Civil War? Is that what the Democrats wanted all along? Have the Democrats now fired the first shot? You tell me.

Please state your opinion in the comments. Feel free to like and share this article as you please.


~ The Second Amendment of the Constitution was added for a reason.

Being Moved When You Age

Being Moved When You Age

 

 

I recently fell ill for five months and found myself... not in my home but in Brookdale Park, a Senior Independent Living community.  It was quite a change from my retirement to the woods where I expected to live my final days and die in the comfort of my own home.

It's very beautiful here and the residents and hosts are friendly but it doesn't feel like home.  Instead of cathedral ceilings, I have straight, cracker box ceilings.  It took everything I had left from my retirement (which was basically nothing) after spending it on trying to heal Diane's stomach cancer in order to purchase a double-wide trailer with cathedral ceilings.  Now it's taking everything I have to live here.

It's alright I guess.  It's just not what I'm used to.  I was trying to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city and have enough room between my place and the neighbors to work on my music without disturbing them too much.  Now I'm in an apartment and the neighbors are close but so far no one has complained about the music.  In fact, I'm becoming a bit of a celebrity around here.  Of course, I'm playing an acoustic guitar right now and not my electric.  There ARE some people here who like blues but most of them seem to be into Country music (yuk) rather than the type of music I generally play.  I even got cussed out by two different people for not knowing San Antonio Rose.  Boy, those old ladies can get MAD if you don't know their favorite song!  I'm just glad they didn't pick up their purses and start hitting me over the head!  Haha

I'm trying to make the best of things.  I get one meal a day... the large meal being lunch in the dining room.  Sometimes the selection isn't optimal for me since I have no teeth so I have to get creative in my ordering.  I don't REALLY want to order a ten dollar hamburger everyday.  They have a nasty habit of substituting a pasta dish when I order potatoes... sometimes with cheese, which is bad for my IBS, and the pasta makes me choke because it gets stuck in the flap where I pulled out my vocal cords trying to pull out my breathing tube after my second CABG.  I guess I'm going to have to be more firm about getting what I ask for instead of what they WANT to give me.  I realize that there are a lot of people ordering a lot of different things, but they DO have electronic devices on which they can write the orders.  These are the same devices on which they charge you for your meal.

I need to start cooking again.  My sister did buy me some new pots and pans.  They're not the expensive ones I bought and are used to but I COULD cook with them.  I just have to wait for payday and see if I have any money left for food.  I have very little in my refrigerator and pantry at the moment.  That's another thing I have to get used to.  It's just strange being without a way to get the things I need.  I can starve myself of some of my medication if I have to in order to buy food.  They seem to be overdosing me on blood pressure medicine at the moment anyway.  Either that or my heart is just on its last legs with the arteries being so plugged.  I DO still seem to be getting around fairly well with my mom's rollator though so as long as I don't have a sudden blood pressure drop, I'm okay.  I can cook what I need when I get some food and what I need right now is spinach.  Strangely enough, if I start getting warts, I know that I need spinach.  I had three on my foot and ate spinach everyday for two weeks and they went away.  Fifty-nine years of trial and error has let me know what my body needs.  Oh, and I also need to learn to cook meat that's tender enough for me to eat.  My heart still needs it to heal.  I really don't get enough protein from Vegan diets or even eating just fish for some reason.  Eating beef seems to line out my blood pressure generally.

Socializing is strange at first.  I'm lucky that I smoke or I probably wouldn't have many friends yet.  Playing guitar and singing helps as well.  They keep wanting me to perform for the Fun Friday event but I'm not performance ready at this time and I don't have the equipment that I really need to make it a better experience.  Some people are suspicious of strangers at first because they're afraid that you're going to "narc" on them for smoking cigarettes outside their door instead of going to the designated areas.  Heck.  I don't care what they do.  If they want to drink in the smoking area (which I don't think is allowed since the American Bistro serves alcohol), I don't care.  It's cheaper for them to buy their own than pay $4.00 a beer.  I know what it's like to be on a very strict budget.  I just try to get along with everyone and stay out of their squabbles with other tenants as much as possible.  Being probably the youngest tenant here makes things a little strange sometimes and I feel like an outcast most of the time except when I'm with my friends at the smoking table.  I try to keep them laughing as much as possible but there are some days that it's hard for me to joke around.  It would be nice to find someone who can make me laugh too.  A couple of the ladies come up with a nice zinger on occasion but many of the people here can't hear or don't have the mental faculties to carry on a conversation.  Sometimes people avoid me because they think I'm one of the staff unless I'm carrying around my guitar.  I guess I need to carry around my guitar more often.

I HAVE gotten the nickname Superman here since I generally wear a Superman shirt when I play guitar for the ladies.  It was my performance outfit online so it may as well be here too.  The old folks like Superman anyway.  As long as it makes people happy, who is it hurting?  The only people who seem to object are my family.  Ah well.  I think they're at least used to it by now.  I really don't know what they have against Superman.  Maybe they're Batman fans.  hah

If I had my vehicle, the Willowbrook Mall is only one block away.  I could probably make it with the rollator if I took enough sit breaks but I'm a little uneasy about getting out of the range of my locator until the doctor gets my blood pressure medications straightened out.  Right now my body is holding me captive from going and exploring the hot spots.  Of course, money is an issue at the moment as well.  After having someone somehow getting my new debit card number (which I haven't even had a chance to use) and putting a bunch of $39.00 charges on it, it hasn't left much to even pay the bills.  My sister went to the bank and thinks that she finally got it straightened out.  They cancelled the card again so HOPEFULLY they won't be able to get the new card number AGAIN.  Every time I ordered the MIDI cables for my electric piano, my mom lost the card and cancelled it anyway so it was useless for me to try to order anything online.  I'm not sure what happened this time.  I went to the websites listed on the bank statement and they appeared to be phishing sites though so I suspect that someone tried to order something with my card, perhaps by accident.

I guess the biggest adjustment to being moved into a place like this is the loss of control over your own life.  Yes, I forget people's names sometimes and I can't remember telephone numbers since the mini-stroke but other than that, my brain seems to be functioning fairly well.  Maybe I'm not functioning as well as I think I am but everyone here seems to feel that I'm functioning just fine.  Yes, I have problems when the diarrhea hits and my blood pressure drops making me nearly pass out or completely pass out once but I'm on a medication to help control that now.  If it works, I should be fine.  That and not eating milk products does make a difference.  It's probably good to be in a place where there are people in case something DOES happen, but it's still hard losing control over your finances and possessions.  I'm not BIG on possessions but I WOULD like to have what I need to do the things I'd like to do to at least bring a little happiness to others.  Knowing that you're probably serving a life sentence in a place, even if it's nice, is a difficult adjustment.  A nice prison is still a prison.  I'm not really confined since I can leave when I want as long as I check out and back in so they know why the locator alarm is going off but it still feels as if you're being monitored.  I understand that it's for my health but it's still disconcerting.  I don't feel old enough to be in this situation.  I'm pretty sure that even the 80+ year olds feel the same way.  Still, I'm quite a bit younger than most of the people here so my feeling this way is probably a little more justified.

I guess I'll get used to it eventually.  I might have to have a few good cries with some of the other tenants who feel that they were snatched from their lives and abandoned in a place out of the way of the family on occasion, but I'll get used to it.  It's just a major adjustment.

This isn't the first time that God has moved me around.  I know that I'm helping people but I thought that I had finally finished my work and was moving on in the place in which I chose for that purpose.  Maybe I'll be miraculously healed again and be able to travel around to other places to cheer up the elderly again.  Maybe I'll just finish my time here.  This place wouldn't be so lonely if I had a mate and a vehicle.  I envy those who do.  I guess I'll just have to wait to see what God has in store.  I'm just having to do without so many of the things that I used to have at my fingertips and having to do without the company of my pets that I'm feeling stir-crazy.  Well, it's almost 2:00am and my mind is very tired so I guess I had better go back to bed.  Maybe one of these days I'll get used to this place enough to be able to sleep at night.

Love, Hope, Peace, and Christ Be With You,

Cal-el

The Reflecting Pool and

The Reflecting Pool

My grandmother returned to her uncle's plantation home for a final visit before her marriage.  Her mother died in childbirth which led to her being raised in a convent while her dad worked as an engineer on the railroad.  He died on his way to see her engagement ring when his train hit a stretch of bad track.  Her uncle was all the family she had left.
The outside of the plantation home was nothing but painted plywood, the home having been burned by the Yankees after the civil war.  Because they had been treated as sharecroppers, the negroes stayed and continued to work their share of the crops.  The sharecroppers houses out front remained undamaged and were a couple of acres in front of the main house.  Out back, though, the old trees and reflecting pool remained.


My grandmother used to play here with her assigned "servant" whom she merely considered a friend.  As she sat reflecting on those days, a servant about her age approached.  It was Simone, her old friend from her childhood.




My grandmother jumped up and embraced Simone.




"How are you doing, Simone?  It has been forever since I've seen you!"




"I'm doing just fine, Miss Delhomme.  I heard you done got engaged!"




"What's this 'Miss Delhomme' nonsense?  It's Lorraine just lime before.  Yes, I met a man.  His name is Albert Hamilton Tribe.  He performs on the radio in the Rice Hotel in Houston.  He's so dreamy!  He finally popped the question!  See the ring?  Isn't it beautiful?"




Yes, it's beautiful, Miss Lorainne!  I'd better keep the 'Miss' so the master of the house doesn't think I'm being disrespectful to our guests.  What brings you back to Louisiana, Miss Lorraine?"




"Well, as you know, my father died and I just needed the company of some family.  I'm an orphan now, you know."




"Yes, I know.  I'm sorry, Miss Lorrraine.  Let me give you a hug."




They embraced once again and my grandmother started crying on her shoulder.




"There, there, Miss Lorraine.  We're still here for you and you know that your uncle loves you dearly.  Besides, you'll soon be Mrs. Tribe and you'll have a man to look after you."




"Yes, I know.  It's just hard losing my father.  We were so close even though he rarely got to come home.  It's a shame about all of those hobos who died in the wreck.  My dad wasn't supposed to let them ride but he could never turn down a poor person who needed a hand.  My step-mother took all of the money from the train company.  She was always so jealous of me.  Dad had to sneak away to come visit me at the convent."




"It's sad, Miss Lorraine.  She sure weren't mother material.  As much as you hated that convent, you were probably better off than being raised by THAT selfish witch.  I feel for you."




"So, is Uncle Curtis still treating you alright?  Have you married yet?"




"Your Uncle Curtis is treating me just fine.  Things were tight last year because of the bad crops but he saw that we were fed and taken care of.  I sure do miss the extra desert you used to sneak me when you were here when we were young though."




"Haha!  I'll order double again tonight and you'll have your extra dessert."




"Oh, thank you, Miss Lorraine.  It will be just like old times.  Hehe"




"Just like old times.  Now, if you don't mind, could you leave me here alone for awhile?  I have a lot of things to think about at this old reflecting pool."




"Sure thing, Miss Lorraine.  Just ring this bell if you need me.  I'll be sitting in the shack over there catching up on my knitting."




Simone reached in her pocket and pulled out a small, ornate silver bell with an ornate handle and handed it to my grandmother. My grandmother took the bell and put it into her pocket.




"Thank you, Simone."




"My pleasure, Miss Lorraine."




My grandmother turned back to the reflecting pool as Simone walked to the shack.  She stared at the Japanese Carp swimming and floating around the pond and started thinking about her childhood.  She thought about the harp that her real mother owned... and her stepmother despised... and remembered how much she wished that her mother had lived so she could grow up listening to the harp being played as she grew up.  She thought about how much she hated the convent and the cruel nuns who raised her but how much more special that made it she her dad came home to visit.  She thought about how much she missed him and wept awhile.  Her thoughts then turned to her future.  She would soon be married and having children.  She would no longer be mistreated by the Sisters in the convent.  She would leave the church and become a Methodist like her husband.  It was both exciting and scary at the same time.




Ah, the reflecting pool.  She remembered listening to the workers working the fields and singing hymns.  She remembered the feasts after harvest.  She remembered everyone sitting with the workers and eating watermelon on hot days.  It would soon be time to return to her apartment in Houston and get on with the business of planning the wedding.  For now though, she had family and the reflecting pool.

The Woofie

The Woofie



Hello.  You, yes you.  I look like a stuffed dog animal toy, don't I?  Nothing could be further from the truth.




I can imagine that you are starting to feel that something very strange is going on here.  Indeed it is.




First, notice that you're listening to what you think is a stuffed animal speaking to you.  You're intrigued so you can't pull away.  Something else is going on as well though.  Maybe you're starting to sense that something is wrong?




Yes, by now you are.  You want to turn and walk away but you can't.  That's because I've homed in on the motor cortex of your brain and made you completely defenseless.  That's how I start.  Once I have your attention and have made you defenseless, there's really nothing you can do about it.  You can't run: You can't hide: You can't scream for help.  You are totally defenseless and you are totally in my power.




Now what will happen is I shall drain you of all of your knowledge except for that which you need to serve me.  You wouldn't think something so sinister of such a cute little stuffed toy, would you?  That is why we chose this form.




You see, we are a race from a distant planet outside of your solar system.  We call ourselves Woofies.  Our minds became so developed that we didn't have much use for a physical body.  Eventually, though, we realized that we needed corporal bodies to accomplish certain menial tasks... like reproduction. 




You will find now that our minds are slowly becoming linked.  We will start to share in each others' thoughts, feelings, and emotions in as much as I allow it.  As I said, you are totally helpless and there is nothing you can do about it.  Soon I will ask you to pick me up and carry me to my mate who, by now, inhabits a member of the opposite sex.  Yes, you are my sex slave.  You are my love slave.  The female of your species will carry the offspring made today to term and it will carry not only psychic information of my mate and I but some genetic information which we shall soon impart to you.  Once the child is born, he will start to grow in both body and intellect at a slightly higher rate than human children do.  He will receive another shipment of Wolfies and shall distribute them among other human children to be carried into their households where those childrens' parents will be taken over as easily as you were.  We may keep your bodies for our pleasure once in awhile or we may decide to create more offspring , forcing you to mate with the victim of our choice.  You are totally and completely unable to do anything about it.  Soon, we will be in control of your entire planet. 




Since there is nothing you can do about it anyway, I may as well tell you the last part.  Once we decide that you are no longer useful to us, you will be terminated.  There really is nothing you can do to stop us.  We may have you fight each other in games for our amusement.  We may cause you to walk off of a tall building or into a hot, live volcano.
If you had stopped listening to me as soon as I began speaking to you, you may have had a choice.  Now you have none.




It is time now, sex slave.  Pick me up and take me to my mate who is awaiting our arrival.  You may as well enjoy the sex anyway since YOU HAVE NO CHOICE.

A Coin In the Fountain

A Coin In the Fountain



 

Jack stood at the fountain and sighed. He was over his divorce from his cheating wife and he felt lonely. He had tried asking out women from church but the only ones available were at least ten years older than he was. He didn't have the smooth way of picking up women that most guys seemed to have. All he needed was a break.










 Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out some change. In his hand lay two pennies, one tarnished and the other shiny, a dime, and a quarter.










 "I don't want to be cheap and get a cheap woman so I'll use the quarter" he thought, somewhat amusing himself.










 Jack took the quarter in between his left index finger and thumb then returned the rest of the change to his pocket. He then placed the quarter in his right hand, made a fist around the quarter, and whispered his wish into his fist.








 "I wish for an intelligent, charming, beautiful woman with whom I can share this lovely day."




 He tossed the quarter into the fountain, visualizing the woman he would like to meet. The splash of the quarter in the water brought him out of his visualization.






 Jack looked to his left and saw nothing then turns to the right and started walking to the fence to stare aimlessly at the pond. Just as he took his third step, a woman ran right into him. They both paused, startled. The woman began to speak.






 "I'm so sorry. I didn't see you. I beg your pardon."






 "It's no problem at all. I should have been more careful as well."






 They had grabbed each other instinctively to keep from falling and were still holding on. Suddenly their eyes met. It was instant attraction. It was as if their souls had been ripped apart at birth and they finally found each other but both were too shy to be forward about it. Still, the eyes said more than the words ever could have. All at once they noticed that they were still holding each other and slowly and awkwardly let go.






 Jack spoke.


 "I haven't seen you around here before, have I, Ms...?"






 "Jill. My name is Jill. No, I don't believe so. I just came in on a flight from out of town."






 "There's a concert in the park over to the left in a couple hours. Would you like to get something to eat and watch it with me, Jill?"






Jack quickly glanced toward her ring finger.


 "No, I'm not married. What about you? I know that guys sometimes don't wear rings."


 "No, I got divorced a few years ago. Shall we?"

Jack reached out his hand and she put her hand in hers. They started to walk to a nearby restaurant.






 At the restaurant, Jack pulled out Jill's chair for her then seated himself. Jack motioned for a waiter and they ordered. Jack had a confession to make.






 "Jill, you may not believe this but just before we bumped into each other I made a wish at the fountain. I don't normally believe in such things and didn't see anyone around so I started moping over to the pond when we ran into each other. Maybe there's a little magic in that old fountain after all?"






 Jill laughed, "Maybe."






 "Do you believe in fate?"






 "Not really but stranger things have happened. By the way, which group is playing in the park?"






 "Blood, Sweat, and Tears. They're from my high school years but a free concert is a free concert."






 "That's true. Besides, I like them."






 "Wonderful! We should enjoy it then. It's an early concert. It starts at six and will probably end at eight."






 "That will work great for me. If things go well, I might have something we can do afterwards."


 "Such as" asked Jack with his eyebrows raising and lowering.






 "Not that. Haha You'll see."






 Jack and Jill received their orders and began to eat.






 They finished their dinner then headed over to the concert area. Jack walked up behind the car and opened the trunk. He pulled out a styrofoam blanket and a quilt.






 "We're here early enough to get a good spot. I know the best place to set up."






 Jill followed him to the top of a man-made hill and watched as Jack selected the spot. She then helped him lay out the large quilt.






 "Isn't this a bit far back" asked Jill.






 "No, really... this is just the right distance. You'll see when the annoying people in their lawn chairs start to set up and block most peoples' views. This is just far enough back to see over the lawn chairs and just the right location for the best sound."






 "Okay. You're the boss."






 Jack opened up the ice chest and pulled out a can of Sterno and a strange contraption made of a twisted coat hanger. He lit the Sterno and placed the contraption over it. He then pulled out a small aluminum pot and placed a cake of brie in it and set the pot on the homemade pot stand. As the brie started warming, he pulled out a bottle of chardonnay and a wine opener. He produced two wine glasses and handed them to Jill. He then opened the wine and poured. The last item he pulled out of the chest was a box of fancy crackers. Soon the brie would be warm enough to eat.






 The band came on and played hit after hit as Jack and Jill sat on the hill eating their crackers and brie. By the end of the concert, the brie and wine were gone and they stopped for a long, romantic kiss. Afterward, Jack turned to Jill and spake.






 "That was a nice concert, wasn't it?"






 "Oh, wonderful! The refreshments and kissing weren't bad either."






 Jill gave Jack a wink.






 "Well then, Jill. What was this thing that you wanted to do afterwards?"






 "It's a surprise. Get in the car and drive us to the planetarium."






 "The planetarium? That seems an odd surprise."






 They loaded the trunk with the quilt and ice chest and Jack shut the trunk. He then went to the passenger door and let Jill in then went around to the driver's side, got in, and started the car.






 "Off to the planetarium" exclaimed Jack. He really didn't see why they couldn't have walked since it was just a block over.






 "Off to the planetarium!"






 They arrived and Jack parked the car then went around and opened Jill's door for her.




 "So, what's the surprise" asked Jack as he locked and closed her door behind her.




 Jill reached into her purse and pulled out two tickets. Jack still had no idea what they were doing there.






 "Let's get in line" said Jill.






 When they got to the door, the doorman tore the tickets and gave each one of them a ticket. Jack looked at his stub.






 "The Pink Floyd laser light show" Jack exclaimed. "I've always wanted to see this but never took the time!"






 The show was a dazzling set of laser effects set to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album. By the time the show was over it was getting late.






 Jack turned to Jill and invited her to his place for the night. She agreed.






 It was a thirty minute drive to his place once they got out of downtown Houston. Jill sat next to him and he put his arm around her shoulders as they drove. They had conversations about their hopes and dreams and found so many things they agreed on.
 When they finally reached Jack's house, they went inside. Jack put on some romantic music and sat down on the couch beside Jill. After about thirty minutes of making out, Jack stood up, took Jill by the hand, and led her to the bedroom where they made passionate love. When it was over, Jill turned to Jack and spoke softly to him.






 "That was a wonderful fantasy, wasn't it, darling? What are we going to do for our next anniversary?"

The Swing

The Swing



 The chores were finally finished. The cows were milked, the chickens were fed, the garden had been tended and watered, and the pastures had been brush hogged. The once overgrown mess was now a beautiful pasture where the cows could roam and take a trip to the pond to drink without fear of being struck by snakes hidden in deep brush.
 It looked as if it might rain. That would be good for the crops. It had been awhile since we had decent rain. I asked my grandmother permission to swing since the chores were done. She said okay but come back in if it started raining.
 I got on the swing and let my cares drift away. There wasn't much to do on a farm so I used my imagination. I swung as high as I could, imagining that I was Superman in the comic books I read. I was far away from the big city problems of Houston and my parental discord. I would fly up to the heavens, land on a cloud, and talk with Jesus. I would hear the angels singing in perfect harmony with overtones so clear that you could hear the pronunciation of each word. I would swing and fly, swing and fly. One day I would reach those heavenly clouds but tomorrow was another day of chores.

 I swung and daydreamed until it began to sprinkle then I ran into the house, lay on the bed, listens to my uncle's classical music, and grabbed another Superman comic book to read as I heard the rain splattering on the tin roof. It had been a good day and the crops would get fresh rain. Perhaps tomorrow the sun would shine and we could go swimming in the Mulberry River.

The Betrayal - Creative Riters Challenge #11

Creative Riters Corner # 11












You have reached a point in life where you're throwing the old debris out, your way of preparing to start over and restarting your life. As you rummage through old stuff, you find something which you received earlier in the year which meant a great deal to you then, but which only causes pain now.








Tell us about it by showing us who gave it to you, where it's been, and what has caused it to fall out of favor. Write in the voice of your opposite gender for this challenge -- if you're female, write as a man, if male, as a woman.




No word limit.

The Betrayal

She was to have been my lesbian wife. She had been following me on the Internet ever since I had my live show on LiveVideo but had stayed mostly hidden in the background since the site closed.









About four months ago she came to me and confessed how much she needed me. I was fed up with women and I certainly didn't want any of those foul men. Men are dirty and disgusting. I tried to discourage her at first because my heart had been broken so many times before by lesbians who just wanted to use me. I guess they saw my Supergirl outfit and thought that I was just crazy and could be easily used.









Margaret pled and pled with me to give her a chance. Our personalities seemed to be a match made in heaven. She was the most wonderful butch I had ever met. We lived in separate areas of the UK. I lived in London and she lived in Houghton Regis. I didn't care that we lived a distance apart. I was more than willing to travel to her or have her travel to me.  Even though I didn't have much money left over each month I had secretly started saving the moment I met her because she was the one.  I simply quit eating some days and suffered rather than taking my pharmaceuticals just so we could be together one day.




She was so thin and handsome.  Everything a fluff like me could want.  She was MY Princess Charming, nay, my queen to whom I would devote my life and services.










I always loved the way she teased me and ordered me about, sending me to the step when I was naughty.  When she started sending me to the pink fluffy step, I knew that her feelings had deepened.  One day, she finally admitted that she had feelings for me.
I was so happy that she finally admitted it that I was overjoyed.  She, like I, was afraid of love because we had been hurt so many times before but she finally said that she loved me.  I had to do something special.










I started writing her a song and she wanted to hear what I had written.  She had put on a Superman shirt for me to match my Supergirl outfit.  When I saw it, I became so hot and wet that I almost slipped off of my chair.


I told her that for me to be able to let her hear it, I would need a picture so that I could put the song in a YouTube video to send to her.  She gave me permission to take a screenshot picture of her in the Superman shirt to use for the song.  She got out of her chair and posed and I snapped the shot.  It was the only thing that she ever really gave me.





She got scared and blocked me.  I knew that she feared her feelings so I wrote her a letter.  Finally, she unblocked me but told me never to post on her wall.  I found that strange but I was so in love that I obeyed her wishes.  She was so forceful and strict that it really thrilled me.










The next day, she showed me the wedding outfit that she wanted and chose the ring that she wanted.  Knowing that she was sick and broke, I was ready to buy anything she wanted.
She told me that she wanted to get married in a castle so I found the best castle which used to allow wedding ceremonies.  They said that they no longer allowed weddings there so I showed her a few other castles but I was secretly going to make a large donation to their restoration fund if they would allow our wedding.  I wanted it to be a surprise.  She said that she wanted to come visit so I secretly started saving for her ticket as well.  By stopping all of my pharmaceuticals and eating only once every other day, I was able to save more quickly than I realized.









We continued to talk and one day, because she had started being stand offish, I told her I was going to start dating someone else if she couldn't commit.  Every time I told her I loved her, she would send me to the step because she was afraid of love.  I told her I was afraid of marriage and thought that she rushed it a little.  It hurt her feelings and she didn't talk to me for a few days.










The third day, she wanted to Skype again, so we did.  After we talked and laughed awhile, she told me that she had to tell me something.  I was all ears.











"I don't want to tell you this... but... I love you with all of my heart and soul and I'm afraid of losing you."










I was overjoyed!  I was finally loved by another woman and I'm sure that my face lit bright enough to light a thousand lighthouses.  I gave her my reply.










"I love you with all of my heart and mind and soul as well.  I can't wait for us to be in a large, pink , fluffy bed with satin sheets and please one another sensually.  I can't wait to be your wife!"










"I'M NOT GETTING MARRIED!"










"You're the one who brought it up."










"STEP!"










"Look, darling.  Don't be afraid of your feelings.  You know that we love each other and can't stand to be without each other."










She looked angry and went silent and logged off.










I knew that something wasn't right.  When she came back on a few days later though, she explained that a friend of hers died.  She said that she wished that she still had her care bear but someone stole it.










We continued to talk for awhile and I listened to her feelings about her friend passing.  I talked with her about her feelings and when she started crying, it pulled my heart strings.
I knew I had to do something to help her past this so I found the kind of care bear of which she was so fond and posted it to her.  It came to almost triple the price with the postage and handling but I didn't care.  I knew that she needed its comfort.










It arrived a few days before my birthday.  She seemed so happy to receive it.  It filled me with joy that I was able to make my foxy little queen angel mistress so happy.  I KNEW that we were going to be happy together. I found it strange later that she didn't tell me so much as "Happy Birthday " but she kept talking tenderly and lovingly.










She started letting me say that I love her on occasion but sometimes reminded me that she didn't like that word.  We grew closer and closer and one day I offered to buy some Super special friendship rings that were more than just friendship.  SHE SAID YES!










I started to order the expensive rings but something about her telling me that she didn't want to use the word love bothered me.  I bought a set of rings that would bond us but I bought the cheapest set of rings I could find to see whether or not she would send me my ring.  It was a test.










We continued to talk and she finally got the rings just before Valentine's Day.  Since it was a set, she was to send mine back to me.  She said that she loved it and was sending my ring the next day.  She asked for my address again to be sure that she got it right, which seemed strange, but I figured that since she asked she truly intended to send it. 










I surprised her on Valentine's Day posting the picture of the ring she sent me and tagged her so she would have a copy of the picture on her page.  I also posted a couple special Valentine's Day cards on her page to make her day special.  I told her that I had the money to get her to London and she said, "Don't make any plans."  She became angry that I posted something on her page.  I explained to her that I was just trying to make her Valentine's Day special since we were so far apart.  I started crying and told her and screamed at her that she couldn't let me enjoy even one moment.










"Oh, good grief.  Okay."










"Thank you" I whimpered.










People started making comments on the post and some were jealous and others had to try to make it about themselves, telling her how much better THEIR rings were.  I defended her and she told them that it was the most wonderful ring in the world.










The picture had posted twice on her page because of a facebook error so we left that post and started flirting with each other on the other post.  Some MAN jumped in and had to make a smart ass comment.










"This is all bullshit."










"You're bullshit!"  I was pissed that some MAN would try to ruin our wonderful moment.








Margaret jumped in.








"Not on MY page!"








She then blocked ME and I never heard from her again.  I never received my ring and I was glad that I had tested her with the cheaper rings first.  That wanker.  That cunt!  She gave me up for a fucking MAN!










I know it won't last as big of a lesbian that she really is.  I know that he's just using him for his money.  That trollop!  I'll never speak to her again!










The only problem is that picture is still on my song.  Everytime I see it, it breaks my heart.  I would have treated her so well and given her everything she wanted and he was probably going to beat the shit out of her like the last MAN did!  Good!  I hope he breaks her fucking NECK!  Still, I miss all of those sweet moments of laughter and fun we had, revealing our bodies to one another and running to the bedroom after to give ourselves release. 


Even though I removed the pictures of her from my favorites, they still come up on my cell phone.  Everytime I see that picture, my heart breaks again and tears flow from my eyes.  I so longed to kiss her tender lips and fondle her sweet breasts as she fondled mine.  I know that will never happen now and it tears me apart... EVERY TIME I SEE THAT PICTURE!  Fucking men!  Daft fucking cunt!

The Release

The Release


It had finally happened.  For all of her prior threats and attempts, she had finally done it. 
He was tired of her always running back to the abuse and using again and told her it was over.  He just didn't care anymore.  He was tired of having his emotions jacked with.  This time he was through and he let her know in no uncertain terms.  Her lies and attempts to drag him into her drama were going to end whether or not she liked it.




"Susan, it's over.  I can't take anymore.  I'm tired of the bullshit.  You've fucked me over and fucked around on me one too many times."



"I'll cut myself.  I'll take all of my pain meds if you do this to me.  I'll drink alcohol with them and you'll never see me again, Bob!  I'll kill myself!"




"Yeah, yeah, yeah.  How many times have you told me that and how many times have you tried?  You end up in rehab, call me, tell me that you're going to get yourself straightened out, then go right back to drinking and doing drugs and fucking every Tom's hairy dick you see!  I'm DONE!"




"No Bob!  You can't!  I love you.  Those other guys didn't mean anything!"




"Yeah, well evidently I didn't mean anything to you either.  They got way more of your pussy than I ever did.  All I wanted to do was love you and male love to you and you slept around like a hairy little TRAMP!  If they turned you inside out, you'd look like a pin cushion.  How much did THEY love you?  How much did THEY sacrifice for you?  A man can only take so much and you pushed me WAY beyond that point.  I MEAN it!  This time it's OVER!"




"I'll kill myself this time!  I really will!"
"Fine!  Kill yourself!"




Bob slammed down the phone and went out to drown his troubles and forget.




Susan started to cut herself but decided on another course of action.  Instead of just taking her sleeping pills this time she would mix all of her pills and wash them down with a bottle of vodka.




As she sat on her bed, she opened the drawer on her bedside table.  She took out each bottle of her meds and unscrewed the tops.  She unscrewed the top from her bottle of vodka and started deciding which pills to take first.




"I'll start with the Dilaudid and let is start making me drowsy then I'll take my antidepressants and my heart medications" she thought.




She took the remaining held bottle of Dilaudid, washing it down with a big gulp of vodka.  Next, she grabbed the antidepressants and slugged them down.  She was starting to feel really drowsy now and was afraid that she might pass out before she got the red of the meds down.




Susan summoned her will and grabbed her blood pressure medications which had just been filled and started gulping them down with large shots of vodka.  It took her a few handfuls to get them all down but she managed to swallow them down.  Once they were down, she put the bottles back in the drawer so no one could see them and finished off the vodka and hid the bottle under the bed. 




She lay in bed for a few minutes and the phone rang.  The called ID showed that it was Bob.




"He must be calling to apologize" she drowsily thought."




She reached for the phone and had massive heart failure.  Yes, she had done it this time.  The blood pressure medications had done the trick.  Her lifeless body lay on the bed, her arm loosely hanging off of the bed.




When she didn't answer, Bob called back.  No answer.  He tried again.  Still no answer.  After the third time he called the paramedics.




When they got there, rigor mortis had started setting in.  Bob was 1,800 miles away so there was no way he could be there but he had instructed the paramedics to call him and let him know.




The phone rang.  It was the paramedics.
"Hello," said Bob.  "How is she."




"I'm sorry to tell you this.  Are you sitting down."




"Yes."




He already knew what they were going to say.




"She's dead."




"I'm sorry.  I knew it had to happen soon or later."




"We're sorry too, Mr..."




"Bob is fine."




"We're sorry too, Bob."




"Alright.  Thank you.  Goodbye."




Bob hung up the phone, let out a long sigh, then felt a sensation different than what he thought he would feel.  He had been released from the constant worry and torment of her whining and crying about her problems.  What was this sensation coming over him?




For the first time in a very, very long time he felt... relief.



The Jade Dragons

The Jade Dragons

"We've reached it" said Tom.  "There's the entrance to the temple of the twin dragons."

"Do you think the fables are true?" asked David.

"If my research is correct and the dying man was in his right mind when he sold me that info in exchange for giving his children a percentage it is but we'll have to get past the guards in order to get to it."

"Well, what are we waiting for?  Let's go!"

"I said we'd have to get past the guards first.  The old man said that there were two guards hidden on the other side of the gate and several posted throughout the garden leading up to the Jade Dragons.  We'll need a distraction."

"I brought the dynamite.  I could throw some over the gate into the building."

"Alright.  When the guards run toward the building I'll run through the gate and shoot the guards in the back."

David walked up to the wall close to the building and unzipped the green canvas bag he was carrying over his shoulder.  He took out two sticks of dynamite and some twine.  He then tied the two sticks of dynamite together and twisted the dynamite fuses together.  He took a silver toned cigarette lighter out of his pocket, lit the fuses, and waited for them to burn down to about three inches.  At that time he hurled the sticks of dynamite directly at a window with all of his might.  The glass shattered as the dynamite went through the window then a second later there was a huge explosion that collapsed the side of the building causing it to top over toward the wall.

There was mass confusion everywhere as people tried to crawl out from under the furniture and get themselves out of the building to safety.

Both guards ran toward the building expecting that the person who set the charges was somewhere near the building.  Tom ran through the opening and shot one in the back and the other in the chest when he turned around to see where the shot came from.  David had now caught up with Tom.

"Okay Tom.  Which way?"

"The old man said to step on the stones in the water until one of them started to give.  He said that it would activate an entrance to the cave where the Twin Dragons were held."

"Do you think the stories about the ghosts guarding the statue are true?"

"I doubt it.  They were probably Dragon warriors with white makeup on so be on guard for guards on the way to the cave."

The two men started walking on the stepping stones and as soon as Tom stepped on the seventh stone an opening appeared in the nearby brush.

As Tom and Dave moved toward the opening a Dragon warrior jumped out from behind the bushes simultaneously drawing his Samurai sword.  Tom jumped back as the blade narrowly missed his head.  David pulled his gun and fired.  The Samurai dropped to the ground, dropping his blade.

"I guess they weren't ghosts after all." said David.

Tom untied the scabbard from the guard's waist and died it around his own then took the sword in his hand.

Tom and David moved forward finding themselves in a maze.

The hedge maze was intricate, having circular spaces with trees and sometimes a small, clear pond from which to drink.  It took them two days to get to the center.  When they arrived, they saw it.  A double dragon made of jade similar to the one on the entrance.

"It's supposed to have mystical powers" said David.

"We'll see" said Tom.

Tom gently lifted the jade dragon from its pedestal.  Arrows fired from four directions.  Tom and David hit the deck.  One of the arrows scraped David's ear.

"Maybe this statue DOES have mystical powers" said Tom.  "We could have been goners."

"Yeah!" said David.  "Look at my hat pinned to that tree."

"Well, we'd better check our guns and you'd better reload.  Don't forget you fired some shots at that Samurai with the white paint."

"Yes, but he was no match for my pistol, was he?"

"No, but don't get overconfident.  The guards will probably be back at the gate and they may have more posted after the explosion.  We'd better be ready with the Mac 10s this time.  I'll use this sword to clear brush if we need to until we get back to the entrance of the maze."

"Okay boss.  Good thing we made a map so we can get out of this place quicker.  Our food is almost gone."

Tom and Dave dug into their bags and readied their Mac 10s, being sure they were fully loaded and being sure that they could easily reach their spare clips on their belts.  Tom stuffed the Jade Dragons into his backpack.  They were ready and it was time to get started.

"How much did they say they would give you for this statue again, boss?"

"Ten million dollars.  The collector believes that it has lots of special powers."

"Do you really believe that, boss?"

"Who cares.  That's five million clams for each of us.  We'll be living like princes if we can get out of here alive.  Oh, and watch for traps.  Removing the statue may have triggered more than just the arrows."

"Okay, boss."

"Why don't you go ahead and check for traps since I'm carrying this heavy statue."

"Me, boss?"

"Yes YOU!  This statue is going to slow me down.  You can jump out of the way easier."

"Okay, boss.  Wow, I'm going to take a vacation in the Bahamas with lots of pretty girls when we get our money!"

"Just keep your mind on what you're doing.  Stop to read the map then be careful as you proceed.  We don't know what we might run into."

"Okay, boss."

The two men checked their guns and ammo once more and began on their was back to the entrance.  About a quarter way back when they had almost thought that it was going to be easy, two long axes fell from each direction.  They jumped back but the axes cut the tip of the sole of Dave's boot.

"That was close" said Dave.

"Yeah, that's why I said that you should go first.  I wouldn't have been able to jump back in time."

"Smart thinking, boss."

"Be careful as you proceed.  Try not to use your gun unless you have to.  We don't want to alert those gooks that we're back here."

"Okay, boss."

The men proceeded carefully on their way.  Again, it was another quarter way before Dave felt something move down under his foot.

"Jump!" yelled Dave.

Two swords shot out from the hedge in each direction, one of them knocking the gun out of Tom's hand.  Tom bent down and picked up his gun.

"That one was closer" said Tom.

"Do you think we'll get out of here alive?"

"I don't know but we're going to have to be more careful."

"Okay, boss."

The two men started on their way again, this time trying to watch for anything that could trigger another trap.  They got a little over three quarters of the way back and heard a growl.

"Did you hear that, boss?"

"Yeah.  Keep a look out."

"Do you think it's a dragon" asked Dave.

"It sounded more like a big cat to me.  Be careful.  They're dangerous and powerful.  I'll try to use the Samurai sword to kill it if we have to but you keep that Mac 10 ready just in case."

"Okay, boss.  Do you think you can kill it with a sword?"

"Samurai swords are very sharp.  They're supposed to be able to cut through metal.  Let's just hope they can cut through the bones of a lion or a tiger.   If we get near some trees be sure you look up before proceeding.  Some big cats pounce on their prey from a tree limb."

"Okay, boss.  I'm scared though.  I don't want to become tiger food."

"Just keep your eyes peeled and your ears open.  Remember, they can jump pretty far and their muscles are like steel."

"Now I'm REALLY scared, boss!"

"Just relax and stay sharp and we'll make it out of here."

"Okay, boss."

They came to the next opening and David stopped to check the map.

"RAAAWWrrr!"

"Boss, it sounds closer.  Are you sure we're going to get out of this maze alive?"

"You never know."

"Don't say that, boss.  You're scarin' me!"

"Keep your boots on and keep your gun ready.  If the cat comes after us, jump back beside me and keep your gun ready so I can take a whack at it first."

"Okay, boss.  I'll remember."

They followed the map back trough the maze.  Dave stopped under a tree at the next turn.  A giant jaguar pounced on him ripping the map in two and knocking Dave to the ground.  Tom struck out with the Samurai sword slicing the Jaguar's head neatly off.

"Damn it Dave!  I told you to watch the trees!  You could have been killed."

"I'm sorry, boss.  I'm sorry, boss."

"Yeah, you'd be sorrier if you were dead right now."

"How would I be sorry if I were dead, boss?"

"You know what I mean."

Dave pushed the jaguar's limp body off of him and got up.

"Look.  Your arm is bleeding" said Tom.  "Stop here a minute and I'll bandage your arm."

"Okay, boss."

Tom took off his backpack, reached in, and pulled out some medical supplies.  He opened the bottle of alcohol.

"Brace yourself.  This is going to sting a little."

"Okay, boss.  I'm ready.  That jaguar's claws were so sharp that I didn't feel it."

"It's okay.  It's just a scratch.  Maybe this statue DOES have some kind of power of protection."

Tom poured some alcohol on Dave's wound.

"OUCH" yelled Dave.

" Keep quiet!  We're getting close to the entrance.  I told ya it was going to sting a little."

Tom put the top back on the alcohol and returns it to his backpack.  He then took some gauze and tape and bandaged Dave's arm.  When the first aid supplies were put away the men stood up.

"Let's get on our way.  You go first again."

"Why me, boss?"

"Do I really have to tell you again?"

"No, boss."

The men started making their way back through the maze.  They were getting tired and hungry so they stopped to eat.

"Well, this is the last of the food" said Tom.  "We'd better eat and rest awhile.  We don't know what else we might run into."

"Okay, boss."

They ate the last of their food and laid on the ground using their backpacks as a pillow.

"Do you think we'll run into anymore cats" asked Dave.

"It's hard to say.  Removing that statue seems to have triggered a number of traps."

"I sure hope we make it out alive.  I can almost taste those drinks in the coconut shells and feel those pretty women all over me.  What are you going to do with your money, boss?"

"I haven't decided yet.  I'll probably invest most of it but I'll buy a new house and car for sure.  Nothing too fancy but comfortable and reliable.  I'll probably take a short vacation too."

"Good ideas, boss.  Where are you gonna go?"

"I have a gal in the UK that I might drop in on for a surprise visit.  I've never been there and I'm sure she'll be surprised to see me.  Maybe TOO surprised if you know what I mean.  I'll see how it goes.  She broke my heart but maybe things will go better in person:  Maybe they won't."

"I sure hope they do, boss."

"Thanks, Dave.  So do I.  I don't think I can take the heartbreak a second time.  Now, let's get some sleep."

"Okay, boss."

When the two awoke the next morning, a cobra was on Dave's chest.  Dave froze up and the cobra spread its hood.

"Don't move a muscle" said Tom.  "I'll try to get the sword out of the sheath and cut its head off."

Dave didn't say a word.  He just lay there staring into the cobra's eyes.

Tom slowly pulled the sword out of its sheath trying not to make any noise or sudden movements.  He slowly got up on one knee next to Dave and readied the sword.

SWOOSH!  Off came the cobra's head.  Dave jumped up as fast as he could, knocking the body on the ground and the head into the hedge.

"Why it didn't strike when you jerked, I don't know."

"It must be the statue, boss."

"Yeah, yeah.  I don't really believe in that mumbo jumbo but I'm starting to wonder myself.  Check your weapons and let's get a move on."

"Okay, boss."

They continued toward the entrance of the maze without further incident.

I guess they figured the jaguar would get us if nothing else did" said Tom.

"I guess so, boss."

As they approached the entrance they heard some Chinese yelling and heard the shuffle of a large number of feet.

"Oh crap!" whispered Tom.  They must have found the body of the ghost Samurai.  Take the safety off of your Mac 10 and get ready for a fight."

Tom and Dave approached the opening and saw a company of Samurai awaiting them with their swords drawn.  Tom and Dave unleashed a hail of fire each using short bursts for maximum effectiveness.  Dave ran out of ammo first and quickly ejected the clip and grabbed a new one from his belt.  The remaining Samurai charged and Tom took two of them out before his clip was empty.  Tom grabbed a clip from his belt and the remaining Samurai took a swing at him.  Tom jumped back and wasn't cut but his ammo belt was sliced in half and dropped to the ground.  Dave shot the Samurai in the back.

"They know we're here now" said Tom.  We're going to play hell getting past those guards at the gate.  Do you have any ammo left?"

"I have one clip left."

"Good.  Let me stick my clip in my gun and get the last clip off of my ammo belt."

Tom inserted his clip and cocked his Mack 10.  He then bent down and removed the clip from the severed belt and put it in his pocket.

"We have to get back over the stones and make a run for the gate.  Try to take out the guards on our way.  Watch for guards coming from the rear."

"Will do, boss."

The men made it across the stones and made a run for the gate.  The guards called out and more men started coming from the area of the damaged building.

"Take out the guards at the gate first" yelled Tom.

Dave complied then they both turned and fired at the approaching crowd.  The crowd stopped and turned back for a moment as Dave and Tom ran through the gate toward their jeep.  Just as they got the backpacks loaded into the jeep, men started coming through the gate.  Dave and Tom released one last hail of bullets toward the gate killing enough men to semi-block the entrance.  Tom jumped into the driver's side and David into the passenger's side and the men sped off to meet the buyer.

The men arrived at the buyer's house and were met at the door by the bodyguard.  The bodyguard led the men inside to the buyer's chamber.

"Do you have the jade dragons?"

"Yes" said Tom as he pulled it out of his backpack.

"Good, good" said the buyer.  "Here is your money."

"What does that thing do" asked Dave.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yeah, yeah" exclaimed Tom and Dave in unison.

The buyer rubbed the Jade Dragons.  The statue started to glow.  Suddenly, they buyer turned into two green dragons and ate the men.  The statue stopped glowing and the buyer turned back into a man.

"Put the money back in the safe" said the buyer.

"Yes sir" said the bodyguard.

"It's a shame that they were so curious.  They could have been rich men."

Copyright © 2015 Cal Jennings