Perceus Twisted, Entry 2

There was a lot of yelling and words I did not understand, but the result of the whole deal was that my mother and I were sent to Japan to live with distant relatives. I won't complain about my next few years, they were peaceful enough. I was sent to a Japanese school where I quickly picked up the language, and was soon completely assimilated into the culture. The “relatives” (people who just barely qualified to be relatives but were close enough to call in a favor with) that we were staying with, my mother's great aunt's brother's uncle's best friend's cousin, were some fairly well off people and could afford to give us the nicer things in life. If we were not hundreds of miles away from Diana's homeland, I would say this was more reward than punishment. As I grew up I always had the best birthday parties with the finest in entertainment. When I got older, I was allowed to start attending the parties our hosts often threw. It was here that my soon to be stepfather saw my mother. Ryu Dectes was a well known lawyer, and therefore automatically approved by my grandfather. He had been in the papers many times, his picture proudly displayed underneath a headline announcing his victory in some case. He was a household name but all the praise that was given to him was often tainted with rumors that he was involved with the Yakuza, the mafia. When I later asked my mother about this, she claimed I was reading too many mangas, too many comic books. While I could not help but agree, the man's dark appearance and dark dress would not let my thoughts of the Yakuza die.

He had spotted her across the room. They were both dancing with different partners, but as I watched my mother from my seat on the steps, ever protective of her, I saw a sick kind of desire light up his eyes. A shiver went down my spine as I saw him hungrily look at her. It took longer than I would have thought, but eventually Ryu had drifted over to my mother and, with an oddly courteous smile, asked to change places with her partner. Immediately I was suspicious. He was being way too nice, especially with the flash of want he had Ryu Dectes was not a man to be denied so the man dancing with my mother was forced to move out of the way of the older man. My mother, ever the diplomat, kept a calm face, but I could see her distress. I knew her too well not to spot the worry and disappointment in her eyes at being denied a dance partner she had been fond of.

The night went on and I danced with several girls myself, but I still could not take my eyes off my mother. He was too close to her. He was acting far too familiar with her. Everything about him irked me. The way he moved, the way he looked, the way he acted. Still, there was nothing I could do as he wooed my mother. ) More than the wooing, though, he offered her money and a life away from her father. He proposed to her that very night and, despite the glares I had been sending him all night. She accepted. Like I have said in the past, my mother is not easy, but she is can be desperate and lonely.

The wedding was to take placed in four months. That was all I had, three months to convince her not to go through with it. She did not love him, we both knew that, but one did not deny the will of Ryu. Things moved quickly after that night. My mother and I moved to his giant mansion, a relic from one of the old dynasties, and I was given my own wing of the house. Don't think that it was out of kindness that Ryu did this. He could sense my dislike of him and sought to keep me as far away from him as possible. In my part of the house I had my bedroom, a large bathroom, a study, and an entertainment room. My first night in the ancient house scared me a bit since it was old and often creaked. Worse yet, a thunderstorm had kicked up. Like a little kid, I am ashamed to say, I went and hid in the closet with my pillow and sleeping bag. It was large closet with a shelf in it that could be used for a bed in its own right. Climbed up onto this shelf and slid the door shut behind me. As I twisted and turned throughout the night, I, unfortunately, ended up banging my head against the back of the closet. As I heard a hollow sounding noise, my eyes popped open with curiosity. I turned on my side and rapped the wall with my knuckles. It sounded oddly hollow. With a little more investigating, I was able to push the panel in. Revealed was a hidden room, about the same size as my study. It was a good sized room, perfect for hidden activities. Suddenly a plot was hatched in my mind, though it was more of a fantasy, perhaps a good idea for a book. It was the kind that kids will often entertain late at night after too much sugar in their diet and a great number of comic books The idea was still in my head when I woke up that morning but I managed to push it aside when I walked into the dining. I paused before officially entering, listening to the conversation inside the room. From inside, my mom and Ryu were arguing. "I won't send him away."

"But he deserves to experience his culture. Besides, remember the amazing education you got?"

"Yes, but I was completely isolated!"

"Then we would send him to a coed school. He can have a much better experience with the same quality education."

"Well...I guess you are right. It would be unfair to make him miss out on the world he could be traveling." She was crumbling, my stomach flipped at the sound.

"Excellent! Then we'll fill out the papers this summer and he will be ready to enroll this coming semester."

I sat on the floor outside of the dining room, listening to this conversation with a frown on my face. First I had to stop a wedding, now I had to prevent myself from being sent away. This is not what I wanted to deal with during finals week! The next day, I relayed the whole incident to my friends at school.

"What are you going to do?" Kana asked.

I just shook my head and looked at my lunch, idly twirling my chopsticks. "I can't figure anything out, but at least I have a few months to try.” I also told my group of friends the secret room I had found. It seemed that Itachi and I thought alike.
"You should make it like, a secret headquarters for something!” He suggested, I could not help but agree. As I slowly revealed my plan to my friends, they all had ideas to add. It was fantastical sort of stuff, pretty much straight out of a comic book. We agreed that we would all meet my house that weekend to put our plan into action. With a smile on my face, I tried to continue on as normal.

When the weekend came, I could barely wait for noon to roll around and my friends to arrive with it. The four of them showed up, each with their backpack and, suspiciously, dressed in black. I raised an eyebrow at this, but did not ask, they were the kind of kids who had to dress the part of whatever they were playing. They all came in and we discussed our plans in the dining room, (it was safe since my mother and evil step...person were off running errands). As we talked, my friends each presented me with something they had found around their house and that they thought would be helpful to our cause.

From Itachi, I received a pair of lightly used sneakers which were comfortable for running long distances in. Kana brought me an old mask; though she assured me it was a replica and would not be missed. Aiko brought me belt that she had spent many hours putting all sorts of interesting gadget in (all prototypes from her father’s company) and lastly Jiro brought me a switchblade for…well, cutting stuff. I took it all with a smile and thanks then the real work began. Over the next few weeks, meeting during weekends and times when the adults were out, my secret layer was established. I don’t think any of us really intended to use it, but it was nice to have something to occupy our time. As our little project came to a close, I started to realize just what I intended to do and for the first time I was scared, though only a little. Lately everything had started to feel real, and at some point, I realized that the pretending had stopped. I was going to not only get rid of my stepfather by revealing him as a Yakuza, but I was also going to avoid going to boarding school. So far the plan was; follow my stepfather around for a few days, inspect the places he worked, and collect evidence against him. When that was all done, I would take the evidence to the police and let them deal with it. Heck, I’d probably even get my name in the newspaper or something.

It was finally time to strike. I had been watching my stepfather, with the help of my friends, for two weeks now. I had a pretty solid idea of where to find the dirt I was looking for. Really, you would think someone who had been doing this for years would know to lock his desk drawers, but I guess Ryu thought his guards at the front door would be able to stop me from getting into his office building and into his office. Psh. That was child’s play. After all the martial arts and kendo lessons I had been taking, I was able to deal with the guards rather quickly. A few well placed kicks and they were out cold with limited other injuries. After all, they weren’t the people I was really after. I had picked the lock to Ryu’s office with one of the many tools in my handy dandy tool belt. As I dug through the drawers, selecting which files to take and which to leave, I started to hear footsteps approaching the door. Cursing quietly, I grabbed the papers, stuffed them in my messenger bag, and looked around the room for an escape. Unfortunately, the only one I found was the window. Taking a deep breath and hoping the ancient gods could hear me as I prayed (since I had never really bought that Buddha stuff or more modern beliefs) I opened the window and slid out onto the ledge. Refusing to look down, I took off at a full run on the ledge that was just barely wide enough for me to do so. I was fifty stories up, a sure fall to my death, but I pushed the thought away as I ran. So far Itachi’s gift had come in handy. I flipped over a small gap between the buildings, landing lightly on the roof of the slightly shorter neighboring building. Man, I had gotten lucky. Or so I thought. I heard shouts from the ledge behind me and again cursed softly. It seemed the best way to relieve my frustration at the time. After a brief but seemingly well choreographed fight scene with a couple of Yakuza thugs, my knife now slightly bloodied that only added to my adrenaline rush, I continued my journey. Just a few more streets and I would be good to go. Nothing looked like it would be getting in my way.

A few days later when the papers ran the story of the Yakuza lord disguising himself as a lawyer, they could not put my name in the story. It would have been a threat to my life if they had since the Yakuza always has more members ready to rise up and avenge their imprisoned leaders. Still, when the story spoke of a young vigilante, I felt a certain pride swell up in my chest. My mother and I were still able to live in Ryu’s house while he was serving his thirty to life sentence, since he still does not know it was me. I continue to go to school like a normal kid, only my friends and I any the wiser about who I truly am.

Even though the months have passed, something is still bugging me. Who was Ryu’s boss? There had to be someone above him. In Ryu’s documents, a few that I kept as a kind of trophy for my hidden room, the name L is mentioned quite often. The files tell of a superstitious old man who won’t make a move without consulting a deck of tarot cards. Perhaps I will need to don my mask and belt once more.

Perceus Twisted, Entry 1

Oh great muses, please help me tell my tale. Grant me the great skills of the ages. Seriously, I don't know how to start this. The classic, "Once upon a time," just didn't fit. Like a four fingered glove, or that shirt from when you were a kid. Anyways, I always feel like a story started with that classic line should be filled with dragons and knights, not a kid trying to deal with his stepdad. No matter how evil the man is, he can't really be considered a dragon. I guess I have to start somewhere, so why not where I started? My mother. Or...or, wait! Probably I should start with her father. Yeah, that's where the trouble really started.

Acton, my mom's father. was a good guy, if not a little eccentric. He was a perfectly upstanding citizen despite being a well known lawyer, but he was a little obsessed with the whole supernatural part of life.You know, stuff like tarot cards and what not. Everyone knows someone like that, the kind of person that thinks they can talk to the dead or that the Fates are holding his string constantly between the blades of their scissors. All the trouble started with the tarot cards. My whole life was changed because of The Chariot, Wheel of Fortune, Death, and The Tower. These were the cards my grandfather received during one tarot reading after inquiring about whether or not my mother was getting along well enough in school. These cards aren't necessarily what they would seem, such evil and foreboding things, but my grandfather didn't learn enough about the cards to realize this. He sort of just made up his own ideas and meanings based on the pictures on the card. Combine this with the palm reading and psychic hot line my grandfather was constantly calling and I guess the outcome is that the deluded old man believed that his daughter was going to get pregnant early and that his grandson would be his downfall. In my opinion, it’s all a bunch of baloney. Even after all that has happened, I don’t believe a word of this supernatural stuff.

So, back to my mother and the effects of the crazy old man’s failing mind. (Honestly, what else could be happening for him to believe this kind of garbage?) In some sort of stroke or moment of being completely hammered, ( that's what I am calling his lack of logic) the man sent my mother boarding school so that would be too far away from boys to even imagine anything intimate. Not the smartest move on his part, especially since it wasn't really effective, but whatever. Hindsight is 20/20 and who can explain the strange workings of the senile mind? So the old coot packed my mother up and sent her off to a school hidden within the Swiss Alps, an hour of secluded and hilly roads from the nearest source of boys.

With that my mother and all that she knew was shifted from a very busy social life in the United States to a secluded life in the middle of nowhere. As my mother settled into her new life, a girls only school with only female teachers, she realized that the only good part of the middle of nowhere was that it had a beautiful view of the mountains. Otherwise, it was painfully lonely. Sure there were other girls for her to hang out with and talk to, but Diana had always been more of a tomboy and her best friends consisted of a group of three boys back home. She tried to use that as an arguement to let her stay, since she had never really connected with girls, but it only worked against her. In her father's eyes, the boys were a bad influence on her with their skateboarding and their loud music. Mind you, my mother was listening to loud music and visiting the skate parks before she was in sixth grade which is when she and her gang of boys got together. But as I have said, there was no discernable rhyme or reason to my grandfather.
At school, my mother was bored and lonely, and what to do teenagers often do when bored and lonely? They throw out all logical thinking and attempt something stupid. Case in point; my mother decided to sneak out of the school under the cover of night and steal away into the nearest town, a four hour, or so, hike away. Lucky for her, this was a Friday night and she was not expected anywhere until the following night, so she had plenty of time. She had a knack for planning her escapades perfectly. She had stolen one of the bikes the school owned and pedaled the four hours into town, arriving just at sunrise.

Filled with the rush that comes with defying adults’ rules, Diana boldly walked up to a restaurant that was just opening and walked in. Still dressed in her uniform, it was pretty obvious that she was a runaway student, but no one wanted to mess with her. Better just to leave things alone if they aren't your problem. She had meant to park and lock her bike outside, but she had little thought for it as she propped it against the building and concentrated on filling her empty stomach. Diana sat nervously in the booth she had been given, eagerly awaiting someone to come and take her order when disaster struck.

Well, not disaster in the common idea of the word, but disaster to a girl with no boy skills. Her waiter was, of all people, a gorgeous boy of roughly her age. They started to talk and one thing led to another until… I would really like to pull a Romeo and Juliet here, you know, the morning after scene, but I would like to clear something up first. After all, a kid has to stand up for his mom. My mother was not, um, easy…just a touch desperate for male contact and very, incredibly naïve. Now, onward with the morning after scene.

Her bike being long gone, (stolen while she and my father chatted in the restaurant) my father gave Diana a lift back to her school, but dropped her off about an hour’s hike away so my mother could sneak back in undetected. That was the last she saw of him. A one night fling, something she would never have to pay for later, as long as she was concerned.

The months passed and my mother started to grow sick. At first she thought it was just some bad food in the dining hall, but no one else seemed to be suffereing. She would throw up in the morning for no apparent reason and she was craving the weirdest food. Her feet started to swell and she for some reason she kept getting tired after little activity. As her stomach began to swell, my mother knew what had happened and began to curse that night. How would she hide this? Her father would press her to "take care of it" but Diana wanted to keep the baby since it was all she had left of that boy. What was a girl to do? Knowing she had no choice, Diana went to one of the teachers she trusted the most. Mrs. Lovette was a kind woman in her early thirties with a few children of her own. Hopefully she would know what to do. Together they spoke and a plan was devised. Though Diana had to promise to come stay with the woman to help with the children every weekend, Mrs. Lovette would raise Diana's child and play the role of nanny. It was agreed that the child would know that Diana was its real mother, but no one outside of the household would be told. As the day drew closer and Diana began to show, her stomach no longer able to be hidden by sweaters, Mrs. Lovette arranged for Diana to go on a three month study program in France. At least, this is what her father was told. Mrs. Lovette, in truth, took Diana into her home and arranged for her to stay there until her child came. The weeks passed and with a trip to the hospital, I came into the world. My mother took two weeks to recover then was sent back to school while I remained with Mrs. Lovette.

Seven years passed and somehow, mercifully, I went undetected. I grew up amongst Mrs. Lovette’s children as close as a sibling but with the knowledge that I was not. Mrs. Lovette home schooled me, as she did all of her children, and I, for seven blessed years, had a fairly normal childhood. But unfortunately, all of that changed with a surprise visit from my grandfather. By this time my mother had entered the college that was part of the boarding school. The students were not required to go to that college, but my grandfather had insisted on it, wanting to keep my mother away from boys as long as possible. My grandfather decided to come to the campus a week before graduation, using the visit instead of having to buy Diana a real graduation present. Diana had plans for after graduation. She would finally be able to get out from her father’s grasp and raise me out in the open. By working over the summer, she was able to save up enough money that we could get a small house somewhere. We were both counting the days until that would happen,but he just had to ruin it all.

Acton came one of the few days that I was visiting the school. Mrs. Lovette had brought me up to the college to pick up my mother for the weekend and there he was, talking to her like everything was fine between them. I have never seen the color drain from some one's face quite as fast as it did from Diana’s when she turned to see me. I, of course, had in little boy fashion entered nosily and yelled out, “Surprise mommy!” My grandfather, though missing his marbles, was quick to make the connection between the two of us. Rage boiled up and painted his face a shade of red I did not know humans could turn. A vein in his head started to pulse and I had the absurd desire to poke it to see if it might pop. Of course, I held myself back, but just barely.

Whale Wisher: Entry One

Chapter 1:

Changes

Robin sat at the table with his head bent in concentration. A large brightly illustrated book was opened before him as he strained to read aloud. "The eleven, no elven, king U-ulrich Elsatre and the hu-man king..." He read slowly: silently mouthing the words before he said them, "Avon Emment, fromed, no that's not it, f-formed a peace a-gree-ment which increased trade amongst the two kingdoms. How was that?" Robin looked up at his old teacher. The man had a sharp, stern face but strangely kind eyes. Geror, as the man was called, wore the dull yellow robes which proclaimed him as a scholar over a pair of deep red woolen pants. His brown feet were well concealed in a pair of mid-calf length leather boots.

The old scholar sighed, rubbed his face, and said, "Good enough for today, boy. Go on to your sword lessons." Robin grinned foolishly and raced off out of the cluttered study of his teacher. As he ran his bare feet slapped loudly on the cool marble floor. When the boy came to the winding staircase, he jumped on the banister and slid all the way down to the ground floor. Robin hit the ground running. He even skipped as he flew down the hall to the courtyard where his sword master was waiting. None of this was proper conduct for a child of the House of the Malchar, but Robin didn’t have a head for etiquette so he rarely mind it unless his father was about to catch him at it. His father was the most powerful man besides the king with just as much wealth. Both came from his position as the head of the King's Council. He would suffer a thousand fake sword wounds just to do his House honor. Robin grinned foolishly as his teacher pulled him to his feet. With a pat on his back, Robin was sent off to lunch. There was a large wooden table in the small eating room and Robin climbed up into a big wooden chair. Robin hummed as he swung his legs back and forth, waiting for his family. One by one the other members of the House of the Malchar filed in. There were five children above Robin, three boys and two girls. All rubbed his head warmly as they passed and took their seats. His grandparents came and finally his parents. His mother kissed Robin’s head as she took her seat across the table and by his father. The meal was served by the servants and silence descended on the group. That was, at least, until Halen spoke up.

“Father, I was wondering if I could sail down to Ari’s house. It would just be for the weekend and the last letter I got from him said that he’d be happy for me to drop in whenever,” Halen said, though his father looked like he was going to say no. Halen was the second oldest boy, but carried no serious responsibilities. Most of the time their father let Halen roam around the estate and hunt and play at his leisure, but Ankr was always wary of sending his children off alone.

Robin listened with a grin on his face. Ari was Halen’s age and his younger brother was Robin’s. Both were close friends of the family. “I wanna go to!” Robin exclaimed excitedly. Halen cast a glare at Robin. There was no way that Ankr was going to let the baby of the family out of the house without a guard. At least, that was what Halen figured. Ankr had a surprise for them, though.

“If you take Robin, you may go. Teach him how to sail, it’s about time he learned,” The Head of Malchar said in his powerful voice. Halen’s jaw dropped as Robin punched the air in victory. Halen rubbed the bridge of his nose and said, “All right, I’ll take Robin.” Robin shouted his victory and slid from the table, dashing off up the hall. From behind him he heard his brother shout, “We’ll leave at first light tomorrow! Go pack and pack lightly!” Robin raced up the stairs taking them two at a time up to his room. He came to the heavy wooden door and shouldered it as he always did. Grinning wildly, he began to pack.

The next morning at first light, Halen came in and shook Robin’s shoulder. Robin grumbled and turned over in his bed. Halen smiled slightly and scooped his brother up, resting Robin against his hip. Halen picked up the small cloth bag that rested at the foot of his brother’s bed. He looked at the bag with a bemused grin for a moment as he headed out the door. The bag was made out of tough canvas with pictures of waves and dolphins covering it in bands. It had been his as a kid and their older brother’s as well. The pack had been in the Malchar family for a very long time. Halen chuckled to himself and walked outside where there were two horses waiting. Halen slid the packs on the second horse while he loaded his half asleep brother behind him on the first horse. “Come on Rob, wake up,” Halen prodded as they rode on. Robin groaned and slowly lifted his head.

“Where are we?” Robin asked with a yawn.

Halen laughed slightly as the river came into view. Halen reined in the horses and dismounted as he helped his brother down. Halen took the bags from the second horse and handed Robin’s to him as he took his brother’s other hand and led him down the stream. The horses took off back the way they’d come, so they’d been trained. The brothers walked down a while until they came upon a small boat house. Halen approached the door and pulled out an ancient looking key. With a creak and a small pop, Halen shouldered the door open and pulled Robin in behind him. Smells of disuse and dust floated towards the boat as streaks of light leaked in between the wooden slats of the roof illuminating the scene before them. Inside the boat house was a small sailboat, Halen’s pride and joy next to the bow and arrow set he always had on him. It was a midsize schooner, though small by comparison to all of the boys’ father’s other boats and this would be it’s first voyage of the Growing Season. Halen smiled and let go of Robin’s hand, awe covering his face as he walked over to his boat, his eyes covering each line in the wood. Halen seemed almost transfixed as he looked at his baby, already imagining himself out on the open river and at the helm.

Robin yawned and asked, “Brother, how long is the trip going to take?” Robin’s small, and slightly annoying comment, broke Halen’s transfixion on the boat. Shooting a small glare back at his younger brother, Halen tossed his bag into the sailboat and moved across the boathouse to the large door that opened onto the lake. Working a couple of pointlessly complicated locks and knots, Halen was eventually able to get the door open and push it open. He grinned back at Robin and motioned for the boy to get into the boat. Robin of course obeyed since he knew that it irked Halen to have him coming with him. Robin didn’t want to annoy his brother too much; after all, he was taking him on his first boating trip without their parents. Checking a few more things in the boathouse, Halen bounded on board the ship and sat down at the oars, rowing them out of the building. Within moments the two brothers were out on the raging river, sitting calmly in their boat. Robin was hyperactive by this point as he ran around the boat, looking at everything around him. Halen was calmly sitting by the rudder, steering the boat on the tricky rapids. Halen tried to explain all that he was doing to Robin so the boy could learn something, but Robin was too young and had too short of an attention span. Robin quickly got bored and Halen gave up all together, letting Robin sit at the stern of the boat. Robin dangled his arm over the side of the boat, but couldn’t touch the water despite how much he squirmed. Finally, Robin gave up despite all the alluring fish that shined just below the surface of the water, inviting him to swim with them. Robin yawned and looked up at the landscape in front of him, hoping to find something to captivate his attention. Robin squinted as he gazed at the water ahead. The rising sun made it hard to focus in front of them, but Robin was pretty sure that there was some other boat on the river that was quickly approaching them.

“What’s that, brother?” Robin asked, pointing into the distance. Halen left the rudder for a moment, walking up to the front of the boat and gazing in front of them. Halen went sheet white and his eyes narrowed slightly. His right hand went to his belt knife that everyone wore. Robin’s own was dangling loosely from his too big belt. The hilt was engraved with whales, one of Robin’s favorite animals.

“Get down below,” Halen said in such a soft and hurried voice that Robin didn’t argue. Robin quickly scrambled over to the hatch and started to fiddle with the hatch door. Halen quickly came up behind him and reached over, opening the hatch quickly and picking his brother up. Halen lowered Robin into the hatch and locked the hatch again. Robin stared at the hatch door in disbelief, at least, where he thought the door was. There were only a few rouge streaks of light in the hold but for the most part the boat had been too well made to have light stream in from between the wooden planks. Robin looked around as he heard loud noises from the deck above and found a pile of supplies to hide behind. Robin pressed his ear to the boat’s hull, trying to hear what was going on above deck. Though it was muffled, Robin could clearly make out the words exchanged above.

“Which supplies do you need? All we have is some flour and rope but otherwise nothing beyond our daypacks,” Halen said in a calm voice. Robin could tell despite his brother’s tone that he was fighting to keep calm.

“We want the whole boat including everything and everyone on it,” An unknown voice said.

There was a lot of scrambling audible, then silence followed by a loud thump. Robin was frightened beyond belief, chewing on his knuckles in a nervous habit, and did as most do when they’re afraid. He soiled himself as he heard the hatch opening, light pouring into hold and forcing Robin to squint in order to see. Two men slid into the hatch and looked around with goofy grins on their faces. From the little of them that Robin could see, he could tell they weren’t completely human. Both had slightly pointed ears as elves did, but their faces weren’t as pointed as the elves’ he knew. They weren’t as tall either, but rather humanly bulky and round. Worse yet, they were both had blood on them though neither of them seemed to be wounded. Robin had a faint idea of what they were but had no idea how it could be true. How did a human and elf mix come about? Then again, his father hadn’t really explained how a new human came into being either, so Robin guessed he was a little uninformed to be judging. Despite how he had hid himself, Robin was quickly found. One man reached in and grabbed Robin’s leg, dragging him out of his hiding spot as he was pulled over the wooden floor painfully.

The man held Robin upside down and started to laugh, eerie shadows spreading over his strangely structured face in the dim light. “Oh look, the boy wet himself,” The strange man said with a grin. “Looks like we have one for market since the other made us lose a profit! Honestly, who’s going to buy a bloody boat? Oh wait…anyone with enough money.” The mutt laughed to himself as if he’d made some hilarious joke as the other man in the room rolled his eyes. The man pinned Robin face down on the ground and swiftly bound his hands and feet together with a bit of string. Robin was tossed up onto the deck like a sack of potatoes and the men climbed out after him. A blind fold and gag were put tightly in place and Robin was carried off of the boat, but not before he managed to catch a glimpse of the vile deed done on his boat. His brother’s body had lain right by the rudder, puncture wounds evident on the bloodied shirt. Robin tried to struggle and get free, but that only achieved him a sharp stinging in the back of his head which sent him into blackness. When he woke, his whole body was wet and he wasn’t wearing the same pants he’d been before. Robin looked around, the blindfold and gag gone, and saw that the pants her was wearing were still his, taken from the boat, but they were clean, which made Robin think that maybe the men that held him captive had some good in them. This misconceived notion was quickly dispelled when he saw where the man was carrying him. A few feet in front of them was a large wagon. It was hooked up to a team of four strong and tired looking midnight black horses. On the wagon sat one very large cage with about ten people inside. All of the people were humans and all looked dirty and scared. Most of them look dead already, Robin thought to himself as he noted their hollow faces and thin arms. Crammed onto the free space of the wagon around the larger cage were a few small cages. Some held children, others animals. It was one of these that Robin was stuffed into, the door locked tightly behind him.

Personal Jungle

[[Ignore the numbers.]]

The concrete jungle’s got nothing on mine, 1
High-rises are aren’t as limiting as my four walls, 2
My animals are in cages, 3
My books in their cases, 4
Linneaus’ naming has got nothing on my catalog system, 5
Shoes boxes filled with anything but, 6
Postcards, 7
Stamps, 8
Pressed pennies, 9
Long ago sent cards, 10
Mines block enemies’ ways, 11
My garden of backpacks ready to explode if not handled right, 12
The fungus of the trees is nothing, 13
When you see my year old lunch, 14
My ceiling of stars, can actually be seen, 15
My dark nights a regular occurrence, 16
My clothes are as plentiful as flowers, 17
If not so brightly colored, 18
Dark green, 19
Black, 20
Deep red, 21
Black, 22
Navy, 23
Black, 24
And…shocker…more black, 25
The purple sky shines only between the leaves, 26
Leaves of friends and family, 27
Of cartoons and the occasional superhero, 28
Tall mountains of strange rocks, 29
Clothes, 30
Toys, 31
Notebooks, 32
Art supplies, 33
The concrete jungle’s got nothing on mine, 34
And I can control mine, at least, mostly. 35

As Boring as….

A mighty army waits patiently,
Green armor and blades always at ready,
The sound of thunder and it begins,
Blade meets blade in an epic battle,
The green are slain,
The battlefield is strewn with their bodies,
Wind and rain take away the fallen,
A new army rises for the oncoming battle.

Any guesses as to what this is?

The Mask and the Sword

Questions keep me awake,
Much needed sleep won’t come,
Too young to need to know,
Too old not to,
Who am I?

As light fills the sky,
I am me,
Kind, caring, compassionate,
A hero of the light,
But in the night I change,
Who am I?

As darkness fills the sky,
I am me,
Sneaky, thieving, creeping,
The bump (darkness) in the night,
But in the light I change,
Who am I?

Einstein's Prediction

Fight war with mushrooms,

The next will be an homage to the heroes of old.

We'll do David proud,

sticks and stones as weapons,

it might just lead to peace.

Or...just insanity.

Fight war with menacing clouds,

Wagner's songs will be

like lullabies to our ears

1812 Overture has become

a constant theme now,

but can you take the silence,

it might drive you insane.

So hurry along now,

Pay the looming cloud no mind,

Running out of time,

Have your towel,

and stick,

Ready.

Grey Skies and Children's Songs

Chapter 1

In the middle of cafeteria is a group of teenagers. All are laughing, almost to the point of tears. All are smiling. All seem happy. At the center of the group, where whatever joke they are sharing in seems to have originated, stands a girl. She’s smiling slightly, but doesn’t seem to think her joke was as funny as the rest of them believe. Still, she’s happy to make others happy. Someone should be. Kel looked around at the kids surrounding her, they were still laughing. That was how the days always passed, when people saw her, she was smiling. Away from her peers gaze, there was rarely a smile on Kel’s face. Kel passed the school day in a blur and went home. It was Thursday again. Thursdays didn’t hold the same excitement for Kel of the next day being Friday. For Kel, Thursday meant getting in the car with her dad and driving fifteen minutes away to her doctor.

Kel walked into the doctor’s office. Her dad sat on the couch while she paced. She always paced. He always sat on the same couch. The doctor appeared in the doorway wearing a clean and crisp suit. Dr. Montgomery always wore a suit. It was always crisp. The psychiatrist led her back into his office and Kel sat down on the couch. The couch was hard to get comfortable on. It was too wide and too soft. It always was.

The doctor asked how she was doing. Kel’s answer was the same as always. “I’m fine. Not happy, not sad, just fine.” She felt numb. Time spent with her friends and boyfriend was only fun for a few moments. Glimmers of happiness were just that; glimmers. Brief moments that disappeared almost as fast as they had appeared, leaving her world grey. The next hour was $120 of talking about Kel’s feelings. What feelings? I feel numb.

As she walked out of the building with her father and got into the car, he asked, “Do you think it helped?” He would ask.

“I don’t know,” Kel would always answer. Every week was the same thing. Kel wondered when her life had become like some children’s song, sung over and over until the words lost meaning. “The wheels on the bus go round and round,” repeat until brain dead. Always the same old thing and it bored Kel.

Chapter 2

Everyday had its own routine and each act contributed or relieved her depression. Her days always started with the alarm going off at 6. She never listened to the alarm. The day always started with the alarm followed closely followed by four or five sets of the snooze button. It always happened that way. Kel would wake up, roll out of bed and get dressed. Next came breakfast, always cereal and milk. Then off to school. Her school, her friends, her sports, all put stress on her. With all of those pulling on Kel, it was hard to keep up a façade of normality. Each day she went through it. Kel arrived at school and sat in the same place she sat in every day. How can people enjoy consistency? When we’re all going to die so soon, why not enjoy the constant change?

Her friends started to arrive. Kel’s mom wasn’t very fond of her friend. It wasn’t that her mom thought that her friends weren’t nice people; it’s just that Mrs. Anders didn’t like the environment that they provided for her. Many people in her circle of friends had been depressed. Many of them cut or did drugs, but not Kel. She had stayed away from all of that. She wouldn’t take a knife to her skin and was afraid of what she might do or say if she went under the influence. Of course Kel had thought about suicide. What teenager didn’t? But it was more as in a way to escape of the pressures of life, never as a means to end it. She enjoyed her life, even though it was grey. Kel never thought seriously about suicide, since she’d seen the effects it had on the families of the deceased. Suicide wasn’t an option for her.

Chapter 3

So let’s go back to Kel who is currently sitting in a group of her friends at school before the morning bell. Kel looked up from the person she was talking to and smiled; her boyfriend had arrived. Kel stood up and smiled. Eric pulled away.

“Let’s go for a walk,” Eric suggested. That was bad and everyone in the group knew it. Whenever someone in their group suggested ‘a walk’ it meant there needed to be a talk. Kel pulled away trying to keep her emotions off her face, Kel took a deep breath and nodded. As they walked, Kel wanted to grab his hand, to hold it as his girlfriend, just one more time, but she held it back. After a few more moments of silence Eric finally spoke. Kel wished he hadn’t. “We need to break up.” And there it was, just five little words and Kel was plunged into a world of black. For any girl, a break up was back, but because of her mental disorder, it was worse. Her emotions were thrown into turmoil but somehow, Kel managed to keep her face blank. “I just can’t take how detached you are,” Eric continued. You and me both. “This is what I’m talking about! You don’t even seem to care that I’m dumping you!” If you only knew.

“I try, you know I try, it’s just with my depression-” Kel started to say quietly, but he cut her off.

“I’m tired of having to deal with your stupid issues!” Eric said. Everyone in the hallway was staring. Let them stare. He’s making the fool of himself, not me.

“Fine then!” Kel shouted back. She turned her back on him and walked away. Kel didn’t want her to see the tear slip out of her eye. Kel made a course straight for the bathroom. She locked herself in the stall and leaned against one of the walls. She cried. Kel heard the bell ring and then the late bell, but still she didn’t leave the stall. Within the confines of the stall she could pretend none of it had happened. She could pretend that she still had a boyfriend. Finally after twenty minutes of just looking at the stall walls, Kel walked out of the stall and grabbed her cell phone. Her mom called her out sick and Kel drove herself home.

When she got home, her mom was already there. She didn’t want Kel to be home alone. “Mom,” Kel started, anger slipping into her voice, “I’m not going to do anything! I don’t cut, I don’t snap, I’m not going to try and kill myself!” It was a conversation they’d had many times. Kel doubted there was any point, no matter how low, in which suicide would look good to her. Every time she heard someone talk about killing themselves all she could think was, weak. It was nobler to keep living and get help then to ‘wuss’ out and kill yourself. That was how Kel managed to get through each long day.

Chapter 4

Kel talked with her mom a bit about what had happened. Her self-esteem took a blow. She walked into her room and dropped her backpack by the door. Kel dropped onto her bed. She stared at the ceiling blankly, drained and fatigued, but not really tired. After a bit, Kel grabbed one of her books which rested on her nightstand and began to read. She tried to lose herself in the story, to get away from the issues of the real world. As the action occurred in whatever book she was ready, Kel would feel a surge of adrenaline go through her. It felt wonderful, it made her feel alive. The illusion worked only so long as Kel continued to read, but everyone had to close the cover on the story sooner or later, thrusting Kel back into her own world with its gray sky. Kel took a shower and pushed her food around on her plate at dinner. She went to bed and slept a dreamless sleep. The next morning Kel woke up to the same alarm. It was as if yesterday had never happened. But she knew it had. Kel had to push through the day and all of those following it knowing that yesterday had been real. The future looked bleak, but Kel kept going in hopes that there would be a moment and everything would shift back to how it used to be. Bright, colorful, and happy.

There is no resolution to this story, no happy ending. This isn’t the end, not by a long shot. This is just a sample of one teenager’s life. It’s a scene that’s replayed over and over throughout the world. Maybe the ages are different, maybe the teen turns to drugs to help them escape instead of books. But the message is the same and it continues to happen. “The wheels on the bus go round and round…”

Clear Tape

The Ship

A sea of black,
surronds the ship,
no docks nearby,
no sailors,
the currents of then and now,
tossing the boat.

With each kind gesture,
I'm dragged down into then,
when now is where I am,
with no anchors,
I'm drowning in it.

If then and now,
now and then,
the two separate,
an anchor will be found,
the waters stilled,
the boat steadied.

Buzz, Entry 1

A young girl, about 15 years old, walked slowly while she whistled a cheery tune behind the closed dumpster as she shifted the her backpack to her other shoulder. She had olive skin and long brown hair that fell, braided, half way down her back. The girl opened a small door in the side of the dumpster and went in. Inside waited a ladder leading down a hole that plunged deep in the ground. The youth descended the ladder swiftly only to come to another door: this one with a palm lock on it. She placed her hand on the screen and held it there as it identified her. Kana Kaida-it read. Kana noiselessly slid the door open as she crept in.
"What were you doing out? You know Nero's rule about leaving after 5," said a young boy of about 8 years. He bore a sticking resemblance to the girl herself, sharing her completion and slightly arched nose.
"What are doing up? I sent you to bed hours ago," Kana retorted.
"I asked you first!" The boy was getting louder.
"Hush! You'll wake everyone up!" She whispered sharply. Kana kneeled down so he was eye level with the boy. "Go back to bed; we'll discuss this in the morning." He nodded and walked sleepily off to his room. Kana stood up and continued to sneak through the library and into the kitchen. She set down her backpack and started rummaging through a nearby cabinet.
"Whatever you got it better be worth it," warned a voice from behind her.
The girl spun around to see a boy only a few years older than her sitting casually at the nearby table. "Oh, Nero, when did you wake up?" Kana made an attempt to cover herself with an excuse.
"While you and Edan were talking," Nero responded coolly. "What'd you find?"
Kana tried to push her backpack behind the trashcan. "Oh it's nothing."
Nero got up and took out the backpack. "Well it must have been important for you to break curfew." He emptied the contents of the bag onto the table. Out fell a couple of pens, some paper, two books, a battery, and a ragged teddy bear. "Where'd you find the battery? We could use some more," the teen asked.
"Over by the school," came the quiet reply.
"You went all the way to the school?" Nero demanded. "Not only after curfew but in a restricted area."
Kana sat down, "No one noticed me. I kept my head down and sang the stupid song. I even whistled it so it seemed like it was really stuck in my head. I don't know why we have that stupid curfew."
"If we didn't have 'the stupid curfew' the police would figure out were not listening to the radio like we are supposed to. They'd find out that we are mindless zombies walking around following their every whim. That's why it's only safe to go out during the night when we have some cover." The older boy sighed, "Go give the bear to Damen and Neva. I'm sure they are all awake by now." Nero helped Kana pack up her bag and watched her as she left.
The bedroom was lined with hodgepodge cots, about 20 of them all together, each with a child asleep in it. Kana crept quietly passed all of them until she came to the large crib at the end of the room. Inside slept two- year olds. She carefully placed the bear in-between the two and snuck off. Her bed was located in a small room near the children's. Her own cot bore little more than a tattered old quilt and a beat up pillow. She dropped her bag by the door and fell asleep on the cot.

The boy was little more than a skeleton crouching in an alleyway during the day; he nursed his arm as he sat down. He spent his days hiding and his nights searching for food for shelter. It was a tiring life, but he had grown used to it in the past month. His once beautiful orange pants and vest were now gray and ripped. His dense blonde curls had turned brown with dirt and grim. He was now living in fear that his short life might be over soon as he remembered longingly for the days when he and his family would sit around the radio at night after a filling dinner. He could no longer find food or even force himself to try. Somehow he knew when he fell asleep that night; he would not be waking up.
"Kana get over here quick!" The boy heard a hushed whisper through his dreams.
"Oh my...one of you run back and tell Nero we've found another one," a woman's voice floated through his mind. He heard running as he was lifted into the air by an unseen force. When he was finally able to force his eyes he only had time to see a young woman carrying him, before he was swallowed once more by darkness.

Nero sat, with his head in his hands, near the newcomer in the bed. He turned when Kana entered.
"How is he?" the girl asked.
"Cain came in and did what he could. If you had gotten to him any later..." He didn't have to finish the sentence, they both knew.
"Were you able to find out anything about him?"
"His I.D. bracelet says his first name is Blaze and that he’s eleven years old. If we can get food in him he should be fine."
"Where am I?" the boy on the bed asked. Kana and Nero turned, shocked to see the boy awake. "Where am I?" he repeated.
"You're safe," Nero told him.
"Well, considering I'm hooked up to medical equipment, and this obviously isn't a hospital, I don't know if I am safe," Blaze retorted.
It was Kana's turn to speak, "We're just trying to help you. You were pretty sick when we found you: starving, various cuts, and a broken arm, not to mention a big bruise on the back of your head." Blaze looked at his arm which now was in a cast. "To answer your question, you are in an underground compound: one of 20, all connected via tunnels and above ground entrances."
Nero stood up, "Kana take Blaze to a shower and get him some clothes, please." Nero exited the infirmary and went to his room. Inside were a cot, a desk, and a small cabinet. Inside his desk was a stack of coveted paper as well as a couple of batteries and various maps of the tunnel system. He sat down with a sigh. Nero rummaged through one of his drawers until he found a local map and a piece of paper. He grabbed a pen and began to scrawl on the paper.
When he had finished his message, Nero folded the note, along with the map, and put them both in his black vest pocket. Nero left his room and went into one of the classrooms: this one containing the 11 and 12 year olds.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your class, Miss Asta, but I need to borrow Ryker.”
The seventeen year old sighed, “I thought you said he could rest for a while.”
“He did, a whole month! But, alas, there are messages that need to be delivered to Central. Ryker?” The young boy stood, bowed quickly, and followed Nero out the door.

The little boy stared at something visible only to himself as he let the hot water run over him. “So how’d it happen?”
The boy was shook out of his stupor. “How did what happen?”
The older girl sat on the bench in the shower room. “How were you freed from the Buzz?”
“I don’t know; Last thing I remember before I was on the streets was getting hit on the head with a soccer ball. After that I couldn’t remember anything; where I lived, my family’s name, my name, I forgot it all. For a while I could only speak in French. You see, my parents were originally from France, and it’s the first language my siblings and I learned. Slowly, after wandering around for a few days, it all came back, but by then I was too sick to do anything about it. What about you?”
“My brother and I were born down, our parents escaped when they were kids.