“Dear Sir Wellingson, you have been summoned to the kingdom of Cleritch”

The two men stood in silence.

“And?”

“That’s it, you have been summoned” The man said and then rolled up the scroll. “So, your going to go” A sheep bleated out in the valley “right?”

“Well I don’t know” The summoned man said.

“Well you have to go, you know, that’s sorta what a summoning is. Are you going to refuse the call to action? Refute the summons?”

The summoned man shook his head “I didn’t say I was not going to go I jus-“

“Going then”

“Wait a minute”

“Fine, then do not obey the summoning”

“No, no I am going to go” the summoned man said

The two men stood again staring at each other while the windmill above them turned with a dull screech.

“You’re going because you want to,or because I told you not to?”

“I am going because I want to go”

“Not because you are going against what I said?” The man with the scroll leaned forward.

“Yes, I will go because I want to. Nothing you said made a difference. I will go to this place” The summoned man gestured with his hand, searching “what was the name of it again?”

The man with the scroll stammered “Oh,uh” he unrolled and searched the two lines “Cleritch” he cleared his throat.

“Yes to Cleritch” The summoned man said standing proudly nodding in approval to himself. He then furrowed his brow and asked “What am I being summoned for?”

The man with the scroll shrugged “Didn’t say, but Cleritch knows you have accepted”

“What? How? You haven’t even gone anywhere, how did you let them know?”

“Destiny? or maybe that’s how summoning works. I’m just the messenger, don’t look at me” The man with the scroll waved him off then pointed to the sky “Here’s our ride.

In the yellowish dark sky a carriage adorned in pure black with golden trim that twisted and turned in sleek natural curves being pulled by two large rams jettisoned out and towards them. It was silent as it made a large circle in the air and then almost as if it weighed nothing, pulled besides them. The two rams, larger then any the summoned man had seen, horns spiraling with lighting wrapped around them floated just above the ground. The door creaked open revealing that the inside was much larger then it appeared on the outside.

“Right, because you want to go” the man with the scroll stepped inside.

The man who was summoned, the man that had accepted because he wanted to, stood wide eyed for a moment, then stepped in. He was being summoned by Cleritch.

This was one of those moments where I was in the kitchen doing something and I just had this conversation between two characters about being summoned. It might of been funnier in the moment, but I like dialogue that is quick. People have so many ways of speaking to each other and it would be fun to explore in the written format. It might be difficult, but I think it would be worth it. Another dimension to the characters. The ending the with carriage is something I made up, I have been playing Eldin Ring and I would imagine this carriage being in that game.

Well Cheers!

It had been two weeks days since the sun had not risen. The night had fallen like it had always done, but in the morning, the sun did not awaken to shine. Then the next day, nothing, total darkness. The country side lit large bonfires and started gathering wood at alarming rates to hold out until the sun came back to greet them.

Ten would go into the woods, nine would return. Then the number decreased, villagers started to huddle in their houses staring out into the abyss hearing the growls and snarls of something unknown. The bloodbath was about to begin.

Peter sat staring out of their window looking towards the south fields. He could see a couple of torches burning out in the distance illuminating the front and windows of houses and a small village in the distance. He checked on his own flames to make sure that they were no dwindling. They whipped in the night air, soon, but not yet. His wife Jennifer sat at the dining table with their daughter Sue. Their house was only two rooms. The kitchen, dining and writing room were all the same. Then there was their bedroom. He peered back at them. Sue was only five. She wondered when the sun would come back so she could go out and play. He told her that the sun had gotten a bit ill and that it would be back soon. That the moon was watching over them for a little bit. He wished it were true. He returned to gazing outside. They were running out of food, wood, and water. A single week was left.

Far out in the distance at the top of the south fields the village of Tinshin blazed. They kept a bonfire going as long as they could, even disassembling houses and burning any wood they could get their hands on. Peter looked out at the blaze. It gave him a bit of hope, even thought he knew they would run out of wood eventually. Suddenly his hope whipped wildly. It grew larger and larger and then, the hope died. Peter jumped to his feet and leaned out the window to focus. Tinshin was dark.

The burning inferno was no longer lighting them. Then the screams started. A whole village cried out, clawed for survival with their voices. It echoed out into the dark air. He could see nothing, but he could hear it. And what his imagination brought was even more terrifying. He could see the farm houses down the hill in the fields whipping their torches around. Moving around their houses in frantic paces. The screaming continued, but the crescendo was dying off. He turned to his wife who was covering Sue’s ears.

“We have to leave” he stammered,not believing what he was saying.

Jennifer bit her lower lip and nodded in silence. She uncovered the child’s ears and led her to the bedroom. He could hear them start talking about going on a trip to meet the sun. Peter grabbed his bag and crammed as much food and supplies as he could into it. He checked his musket, and then his sword. He wasn’t the most experienced fighter, but he could handle himself decently. Jennifer and Sue came out of the room with Sue bouncing up and down ready for an adventure. Jennifer’s face was long, empty and grim. He could only imagine what his looked like. He stuffed a bunch of small torches into a bag and took the two lit torches off walls by the door. One for him, one for Jennifer and Sue would be in between their shielding lights. They stood just out side their door. Their fireplace still blazing inside. The safety, the warmth. He looked south again. The screams had stopped. He could see the houses were still lit out in the distance and the people still danced around. Probably doing the same as they were. Then they started to dim. He could feel the panic as the torches in their hands started to die out. They whipped back and form in a panic and headed back to the hearth of the house, to the fire, to safety. But even that dimmed, burst, and then went out.

The screaming started again.

“Come on” He grabbed Sues hand and pulled her into the darkness towards the woods. He hoped. He bet their lives that if they made it to the main road that they could find the royal army. Since the darkness fell, the royal army had been gathering resources and fortify the main road for farmers and small villages to get to the capital. When the woods started to get dangerous, no one dared to venture for their help. They had no choice now.

The screams had stopped a while back. The trees had dampened them when they had entered, but even with all the barriers they still pierced the ears. Now just the sound of them rustling through the brushes and dry leaves filled the air. Peter waved his torch back and forth trying to search his way, With no moon light, no stars, nothing, the blackness became claustrophobic. He could only see a couple of feet in front of him and he feared that the light would soon start dimming if the monster got closer to them. Their daughter started humming a small tune and they all joined in a nervous choir navigating the darkness. Suddenly a large cracking sound came to their left. They stopped and swung their torches in that direction. Heavy breathing and heartbeats filled Peters ears, he stepped closer in the direction of the sound. As he did he noticed his torch flicker and start to dim.

“Run!” He screamed then turned around and grabbed Sue, pulling her up into his arms. They sprinted through the forest. Thorns and branches tearing at their skin, vines tempting to trip them and feed them to the monsters. Slopes that opened up into an abyss. Then they could see something in the distance. Light. The main road. It was illuminated by sun stones they had said. Both of their torches sputtered and his went out, he tossed Sue to his wife and pull his musket from around his back. She ran towards the light her torch starting to dim at each step. She heard a musket fire ring from behind her and she clutched Sue harder. On the road it looked like a band of royal guards were passing by, now alerted by the musket shot they had turn in her direction.

She waved with her torch and screamed for help. They started to scrambled and lined up pulling their muskets at the ready. She dove in front of them and slid on her back as their muskets rang out into the darkness. They loaded and fired again. The shots illuminated the forest and the darkness just enough that her eyes caught one of the horrors that now owned the shade. It’s eyes were small round dots of pure metallic glass. Teeth large, jagged, which it looked to have multiple rows of. Tiny arms jettisoned out from it’s large round body, which was also it’s head, which sat upon four large thick legs. It smiled with it’s shark teeth at her when the light hit it. Like it knew it was only a matter of time.

Jennifer set Sue to the ground near the Guards feet, she was crying hysterically from the sound of the muskets.

“Peter!” Jennifer screamed into darkness. The guards still stood at the ready. It was silent, then rustling came from in front of them. She screamed again for her husband and then put her hands up to give what ever it was in front of them a moment before being blasted to pieces. The rustling stopped. Her eyes searched as best as they could. The light form the sun stones that sat on top of poles made it hard to see now.

The rustling got louder and Peter burst into the light hitting the ground hard and crawling to her. “Oh my god, Peter” Jennifer leapt grabbing him with trembling hands to pull him into the light. He was shaking, blood soaked his shirt and he had a large gash on his side, but he was alive. The family held each other under the line of muskets peering into the darkness that had chased them. They had escaped for now. Their screams would not be heard drowning in the night.

The other day I was sitting outside and listening to the sounds of everything when I heard a dog barking. It sounded very far away, but I could still hear it, even with all the noise of modern life. Now not sure why my brain thought this, but the question of “hm I wonder how far away you could of heard a scream back in the olden days when there was no traffic noise and all the other stuff that filled up our ears now a days” I needed a setting and no better one then something I have had in my mind for a while.

The story in this is actually part of a larger story I would like to write one day. I thought it would be interesting to see how humans would build civilizations if one day the planet went completely dark and that monsters lived in that darkness. How would they build differently, how would they operate differently. This story takes place just after the this even that takes away the sun happens.

In this the monsters are not in every inch of darkness, but just starting to roam around. Soon no darkness is safe.

The house sat in darkness. It creaked and moaned under the heater as it started and blasted it’s way through the long ventilation. Todd awoke with ice running down his spine. A feeling startled him out of a dead sleep and he arose from his bed wrapping his night gown around him. The house was gaining warmth, but his skin still stood on edge. He moved out his room and down the large hallway to the main sitting room. Light from the moon filtered through the large windows. It was silent, besides the thumping of his footsteps against hardwood. He passed through the kitchen and then turned down to face another hallway. Usually a star night light brought a yellow aura to the this section of the house.

To keep the monsters in check.

It was dark. Todd reached for the light switched and clicked the over head lights on. They did not illuminate. He took a step back and flipped a lamp on in the main sitting room. It brought a pale yellow light that stretched just barely to the middle of the hallway.

“Charlie” he called out as he stepped back into the hallway then stopped. Pouring out of the shadows in front of him was dark red liquid. It crept smoothly and filled the whole floor towards him. His eyes grew large.

“Charlie!” he screamed.

Then the light from the lamp was allowed just a bit more into the darkness. A boy stood. He wore star and moon pajamas that were striped. His blond hair frayed all over from bed head. The boy looked towards his dad.

“Oh my god, Charlie, come here” His dad ushered. The liquid now slithered past his feet.

The boy stood motionless.

“Please, Charlie, come to daddy. Come on” Todd tried to keep his voice calm, but it quivered, just as his mouth did.

The boy stood motionless then fell forward, slamming into the floor with a sickening slap into the thick liquid.

The mans eyes widened straining against his skull to take in as much information as he could. His mouth sat agape until it took in a full breathe of air to fill the lungs that had just been stabbed.

He screamed and splashed towards the boy. He knelt down reaching for the boy, but something reached for him.

Arms. Multiple of them wretched from the darkness on the ceiling, the walls, and along the floor. The reached for him as he grasped his baby boy in his arms. He stilled screamed as he cradled the boy and looked up towards the darkness. Just beyond the veil of shadow a face emerged. Barely seen by Todds eyes. It’s face was smooth black, no nose. Eyes were shiny black ovals. Needle teeth stretched in a grisly smile in a mouth that extended three times the length it should. The arms encircled. The mouth opened. Todd weeped and rocked him and his boy into an endless sleep.

Carl leaned against the cop car in the autumn night air. Blue and red lights highlighted the mansion that at least 5 squad cars and an ambulance surrounded.

“Carl, about time you arrived” A cop walked up to him.

“Mick, what the hell is happening here. I got a call over the radio for all cars to get here asap. Kid and his father missing or something”

“yeah, yup” Mick rubbed his eyes “Kid and his father”

“Did you find them?”

Mick stared up into the sky and after a long silence said “yeah, we found them. On the ceiling, on the walls, all over the kitchen and family room. We found them alright”

“First the guy with the pens all over the place, now this. That was only two weeks ago. What the hell is happening around here” Carl said. He looked towards the house. He could see red splatter over some of the tall windows. “My god”

“Give the men in black a few minutes to finish up, It’s going to be a long night”

This was inspired by the old horror movies where kids were not safe. There was a rule in Hollywood or in movies that came about that you couldn’t hurt the children, or the dog. I understand why they do this. I had this vision of this scene from a hallway in my house. When the kitchen light is on, it only illuminates half of this hallway leaving the other half completely pitch black. I wonder what stares at me from that abyss.

I might revisit this in the future as I started off with a good vision of it, but after a bit of time started stumbling on the prose and how I wanted to present it. The scene in my head is a lot more, ‘impactful’ ? Anyway, hopefully this is the last of monster attacks for the poor citizens, though, I highly doubt it.

“And you said you received something form him? What did you receive?”

“I received two gifts” the man said with his eyes looking a round the room. He spoke slowly, enthusiastically and gleeful “He gave me two gifts”

“The first gift?”

The mans face lit up in a wide childish smile “Answers, answers to any question you could ask. Answers to all the questions you wouldn’t even know to ask”

“And the second?”

“Power. Unexplainable, unconscionable, power” The man said leaning back into the small metal chair. Spotlights stared at him behind the man in the black suit that was questioning him. Two men flanked him, he could not see their heads because of the lights. “He gave me these two gifts. Even if I wanted to explain them to you” The man raised his arms and waved them in the air “I would have no idea how. There is no explanation that can be given, no words to describe, even if I showed you, you wouldn’t see”

“How do we know you actually have these gifts?”

The man gave a small laugh “Please, if I didn’t have them, we wouldn’t be here right now. You wouldn’t of found me. He gave them to me, not you”

“And what if we kill you and take them?”

“We both know you can’t kill me”

There was a silence in the room. The spotlights buzzed and the men in black sat and stood as statues.

“You know, you guys have spent more money and time then anyone on the face of this planet. Sitting at the top of your obsidian pyramid. Controlling, scheming the world. Looking for answers, looking for power, looking for these. And yet, he never gives them to you.”

“You know you are not the only one to receive gifts from him” The man in black said.

“Yes, I know”

“Then you must know what fate awaits you”

“He has become very annoyed with you because of that. Every time he gives gifts, you snatch them away. Torturing, interrogating, mutilating, trying to gain what isn’t yours. He knows and he prepared me.”

“Prepared? What makes you any different?”

There was as slight hum that coursed around the room then followed by a high pitched squeal that needled into everything. The lights started to spasm and then died. The small room was dark. The men in black scrambled for lights, but something then illuminated them. Glowing red eyes, hot as magma that seemed to burn when they gazed in ones direction. Red streaks of glowing ember coursed down the mans body and he stood staring in their direction. The men screamed, pulling their pistols from their jacket and firing at will. Each bullet hit the man square, but they simply burst into bright light.

“All that were chosen” The man said, his voice dark and distorted “Will be free. You, false soothsayers, men of non equal, creatures of lies and violence. Burn in your own devices” As the man stopped speaking the three men burst into flames. Their wild screams filled the air and alarms started to blare in unison. They whipped wildly searching for refuge until their bodies started to bloat and with a sickening crunch they erupted burning flesh and blood on to the room. The man stepped towards the door and it blew off it’s hinges.

His feet left scorched earth, his vision burned what it saw, his voice made ears rupture and his touch tainted.

The alarms blared, emergency lights flickered. There were 13 floors that stood between him and the rest of the world.

Sometimes I have monologues with my self. I don’t know why or how they come about. I stand up from my desk. I speak a line and act out a scene while walking around. This, up until the deaths of the agents, I acted out while making lunch. Who knows why the mind and body work in such a way.

They sat in Seths room looking over the blackboard that was to the right of his computer. On it was quantum equations, obscure math and impossible combinations of science. If any respectable scientist looked into that room, they would see nonsense, kids dreams and ridiculous theories. Seth stood next to the board flipping a marker in his hand. Bill sat with his legs crossed over each other and leaned back on to bed.

“So what you are saying that if we add those, then just take out the subatomic equation and then run it past the speed of light, we should be able to summon a black hole?” Bill said looking dejected.

Seth ran his hand through his side swept hair and started writing again on the board. “What I am saying is, that if we take this” he circled a equation on the board and then drew another arrow to another equation. He had to snake around a few other drawings and numbers to get there “and add this, then” He started to draw more lines. It all made no sense “Then this” he started to draw a cat. All of a sudden the lines connected and in the mess of equations and calculations the nonsense made sense. Bill lept from the bed to get a closer look at the board.

“How…” Bill stumbled on something on the floor while following the lines to the cat on the right side of the board. “How did you figure this out?” He asked as his finger landed on the cat.

“Carlton helped me out.” Seth said.

“Who?”

“You know that kid at the back of our science class. Wears air jordans, golden horned glasses and dresses like he is form the Victorian era.” There was silence “He has the faded haircut” Still Silence. “He’s pretty shy, he gets to class a bit late and leaves early, probably why you have never seen him.” Bill was a model student. He would practically run to the next class to claim a seat in the front and when class was in session, he was was engaged until the end.

“I see” Bill nodded still studying the blackboard. “Alright, let’s do it, let’s summon the entity of creation”

Seth and Bill scurried around the room gathering glass and electronics. They worked feverishly and diligently for a couple of hours. Putting together a small machine which consisted of two circuit boards, and large glass cathode in the middle.The circuit boards had large power cords slinking out of them and around the corner out the bedroom door all the way to the garage where they hooked up in to powerful generator.

“Alright alright, one more thing, be right back” Seth disappeared out of the room and returned a couple minutes later holding a black cat. It’s eyes were a greenish color and had short fur. It made one long low meow then hung from his hands. “Start it up”

Bill hit two switches on the right side of the machine then another three on the left side. The machine whirled to life. Red and green lights lit up on both sides and you could feel the power from the cables being sucked into it. The cathode smoked inside and lights flashed in brilliant vibrancy. There was pop and the smoke vanished and small black dot that if one was not looking with the best vision would not be able to see.

“The Cat” Bill said moving to remove the circle door to the cathode. Seth started to move towards the machine when a banging came at the door and Carlton burst in.

“Seth, I said a white cat, not a black one” Carlton said catching his breath.

“What?” Seth could barely hear over the hissing noise coming form the atomic sized black hole. The cat grew impatient and hissed. It squirmed and clawed at his hands. Then it’s sharp teeth bit down into him “Yow” The cat dropped from his hand, but it was so close to the cathode that is stopped in mid air. It hovered just beyond the glass where the black hole resided then moved closer. The cat start to turn into mist and quickly before anyone could realize it vanished in to the tube. A rumbling came from inside it and a burst of energy swept through them. Then it seemed as if a wave of distortion flowed slowly from the black hole as it popped out of existence. The machine whirled and seemed to die as the glass cathode cracked.

They stood in silence staring at the machine.

“Weren’t you listening when I said “It has to be a WHITE cat, make sure it is not a BLACK cat”” Carlton said

“I thought you said it needed to black because that’s what space was basically made out of and the calumniation of all colors made black. What does it mean? What happened?” Seth started to panic and pace.

They all looked around for any anomalies or changes. Nothing seemed to be any different.

“Guys” Bill said looking out the window “I think I found the cat”

Out side the window sitting in the street near the sidewalk was black cat. They all rushed down the stairs and into the street.

The cat sat. Undisturbed. Uncaring. It was fluffy now and had white hair on it’s chest and coming out of it’s long ears. The eyes were now a burnt orange. It said looking regal and in charge, it looked a bit around and then at the three of them.

“Oh thank god, nothing to wild” Seth said letting out a long nervous laugh

“Humans” A voice spoke.

All three of them searched for the mouth.

“You hear that?” Carlton looked at Bill. He nodded and swallowed hard.

The cat sat with it’s chest floofed out and it’s eyes seemed to narrow on them.

“You three have summoned me. Summoned me into an odd vessel, but a vessel none the less. We will now commence what I have been summoned for” It’s voice was deep and crisp. It sounded as if it was about to announce a sports game.

“And what have you been summoned for?” Seth asked.

“To annihilate……everything” it responded.

“wait what?” Bill stammered “What are you”

“The Entity of Destruction”

The three stood mouth agape. Their goal had been reversed. One minor detail, and instead of creating their dreams, they were going to destroy everything. Seth put up his hands and started searching for something in his jacket pocket. He produced a small ball. Catnip. He threw it at the cat. It hit it straight in the face. All three winced visibly.

The cat did not seem to be bothered. Then it’s eye twitched and it peered down at the ball. It lept for it and as it pounced a black shadow unearthed itself and the cat and ball disappeared. Then appeared across the street, rolling and clawing at the ball, then it disappeared again. It teleported all around them clawing and biting at the ball of catnip till it reappeared in front of them floating in the air. The ball hovered several inches from the cat.

“Enough” it said. The ball seemed to unravel it’s self and then explode into small black fireworks. The cat slowly came back to the ground and returned to it’s regal position. It’s head snapped to Seth.

“You” It’s eyes closed then opened to a sinister glare “I will disassemble you atom by atom if you attempt that again”

“Wait wait” Bill said stepping in front of the others “uh what is your name again”

“Authokmlatojfdsi Daj”

“Uh, authklm”

“Authokmlatojfdsi Daj“

“Authhbf“

“Just call me …… Chex”

“Chex?” Bill had to stifle a laugh

“Yes, as I was moving across space I saw something that looked like the quantum weave of reality. Since I will unravel such a thing, I thought it was an apt name”

“ookay, Chex. We left a gift in our room for you. You know you being the entity of destruction and all, we thought we could welcome you a bit. You wait here and we will be right back” Bill signaled to his friends to head back inside.

“I shall await your return” Chex said. It still sat in the middle of the road and Bill felt strange leaving a cat there. Even though it was no longer just a simple cat.

“Maybe you want to move over to the sidewalk? Might be a bit safer” Bill ushered Chex to his feet.

Chex gave a disapproving glare “There is nothing in this reality that can harm me” A car was fast approaching.

“There is a car coming, it will hit you”

“Yes,yes it will”

Bill started to panic. Even if this thing was set to annihilate everything, it still was cat “No really, you need to move” he moved closer to the street and waved his hands at the driver. They were distracted of course. “Chex” Bill screamed.

The car going five miles over the speed limit at thirty miles per hour barreled into Chex. The right wheel slammed right into the cat, but instead of Chex being smashed into the ground, the car bounced off him and skyrocketed into the air. It kept going and going until it disappeared out of site.

The three of them stood mouths agaped with their necks craned to the sky to see if the car would return to orbit. It would not.

Chex. The entity of destruction. The black cat with a bit of white fur. Sat with it’s fluffy chest puffed out, eyes staring at the humans with disappointment and sinister thoughts of destruction.

“Oh my god” Carlton finally spoke after a moment of silence “Oh man, oh my god” he searched blindly for his friends with his eyes still wide to the sky. He found their shoulders and pulled them towards and into the house.

They shut the door. Then collapsed.

“What did we do, what do we do?” Seth wiped the sweat off his forehead.

Carlton was still looking into the sky, which was now just the ceiling. His head shaking back and forth and a deep frown on his face “Nope, no , no I don’t think so , nope, not happening.” He repeated to no one.

Bill massaged his temples “Okay okay, Carlton said we needed a white cat for the Entity of Creation. So we get a white cat, we summon it and …”

“And?” Carlton and Seth said in unison

“I don’t know they battle it out or something, maybe they cancel each other out” Seth threw up his arms.

They all sat in silence for a moment pondering what other options they had. There were none. Or at least none that made any more sense then that.

“Okay” Seth said.

“Alright” Carlton nodded.

“Seth, you do something with Chex”

“What? Why me?”

“It’s your cat. Carlton, you and I will rig another machine and find a white cat” Bill put his hand out “Alright, here is to not destroying the world”

“This was not worth having endless supplies of pizza and root beer” Seth put his hand in.

“That’s why you were going to summon - you know what, doesn’t matter now” Carlton threw his hand in.

They gave a cheer and broke. Hopefully, nothing else went wrong.

This thought came to me in the middle of the night of a cat looking so annoyed and stately. Cats have those human expressions on their faces sometimes. They look and you see an annoyed face staring at you. What do you think they are thinking?

I have been reading alot about Quantumn and Schrödinger’s Cat came into my mind.

Fog rolled over the grassy knolls as she sat looking over towards the east to the forest of spruces. The sun was just peaking above them, cascading gray over the land and waking up the sounds of nature. She brought a mug to her lips. Vanilla black tea. Her favorite.

Her lungs took in a full breath of morning air. It chilled her, but brought sense to her nerves. She held it, bringing it to body temperature, then released it causing a hazy to form.

Stillness.

She put the mug down and cradled her head in her hands. To the side of her a pen and paper lay. Blank. She peered at them through her fingers then started to massage above eyes.

Confusion.

Snatching the mug from the porch floor and taking a large gulp she stood up and walked bare foot into the dewy grass. Fog continued to roll in and her feet disappeared in a layer of it. Her eyes frantically danced around. The trees, the rolling fog, the house, her blank soul, back to the trees and then to the sky. Her steps built in speed as she paced around the wet grass.

Manic.

She tossed her mug and it faded into the fog then trodded to the forest. Emptiness, panic, frustration, shame crawled from the earth and up her legs. She stomped through the forest. Roots and twigs ripping and tearing at her flesh. Her eyes kept alert, darting, searching, wishing , praying. For what? Would she know when she saw it? Would it help? Her thoughts seemed distant, heavy. Her body moved on it’s own now. Looking, but not seeing.

She emerged from the forest. But was she the same?

The pen had rolled off of the paper.

It was still blank.

She was still hollow.

It was still empty.

She searched for her mug among the fog, found it, and returned to the porch. She looked up at the gray sky. It stretch endlessly beyond the mountains and the trees. A haze the blanketed everything. She leaned back and closed her eyes. The blanket of haze weighted heavier on her mind and soon she was fast asleep.

Inspired by those days when you seemed to be weighted down by haze. It rests in your mind, dulling and warming your senses. Had th is song on repeat while writing. I love the background beats Walk Away by Point Blank Society

It was just another day out there. Another morning, another body in the park. I threw off my coat in the passenger seat of my car and pulled my badge from the dash and clipped it to my belt. I would like to say that this wasn’t a normal occurrence, but the big city. It had teeth and liked to strike often. I walked into the park, squad cars, an ambulance and a whole mess of people were already there. I sighed. The spectacle never got old for some.

“Frank, man, how is it going today” Jimmy said bitting into sandwich as he went to meet me. This guy never seemed to stop eating. Even when the dead were present something was always in his mouth. It upset me greatly in the beginning, but over time, like death, I got used to it. But it still pissed me off a bit

“Jimmy, get that thing out of your mouth, have some respect. Your going to choke to death and end up laying next to our victim one day” I said.

Jimmy laughed and choked on his sandwich. The day might come sooner then later. “yeah yeah, I’ve heard that one a million times.”

“What do we have here” I asked

“Nothing to unusual. Stabbing, robbery, pretty young thing. Shame” yeah, shame. A single word that now encompassed a persons life. Their future and past. What a shame.

We rounded past the ambulance to where the body was. She lay in the middle of the grass in front of a row of trees. My eyes moved up and up. There was something else there as well. I turned to Jimmy, but it seemed that he was frozen in place. I looked around. Everyone and everything was frozen, color seemed to be dulled from their faces. I looked back over to the body, but it wasn’t the only thing there. Something twenty, no thirty feet tall stood behind her cascading into the sky. It’s legs and arms where solid muscle with skin that was a dark blue. Armor that fit almost as second skin that seemed to shine with cosmic rays reflected in impossible directions and flames danced around the edges of it’s enormous body. Elaborate rings spun around it’s wrists and around it’s waist. A tattered cloak wrapped around it’s neck and covered the right side of it’s body. The head was nothing. A cloud of burning embers and dust that glowed with a dull shine.

I stepped back to retreat behind the ambulance, but as I did it’s faceless face seemed to peer into me. I could feel it’s gaze rip through me. To a quantum level. It seared it’s vision through every instant of my being. To levels that I could only imagine in the darkest of nights. It gripped my soul with it’s presence and if I could weep from the core of my existence I would. The thing straightened back up and I felt it’s presence slice and tear itself from me. I gasped for breath. Oxygen and something more. I refocused. Next to the being was the women who had been stabbed and now laid at it’s feet. Her face had a visible sadness that jabbed me. A frown, tears running down her face as she looked aimless towards me. The being opened it’s large hand and she put hers on one of it’s six fingers. It wrapped her hand gently and two wings burst from it’s back. The wings spread miles long and were a blackness that seemed to suck everything into it like blackholes. The wings snapped up and the being started to raise as if it was levitating. The womens arm extended upward and it pulled her. She hung as if she still had gravity pulling her down. She looked away from the creature with a sorrowful look. The wings snapped again and reality seemed to bend and strain around it. A wave of energy whipped across the ground and as it hit me I braced and slid on my heels backwards. It felt as if I was coursing through space at the speed of light. My body in infinite velocity. My entire being being burned away in a kinetic torrent. I fell to me knees and my stomach gave way. My vision spun as if I was in space and the ship was spiraling out of control with me in it.

“Whoa, shit Frank, you alright?”

The world had regained it’s color and motion. Jimmy handed me a bottle of water and I gulped it down.

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine. Something I must of ate last night, just hit me the wrong way.” I wiped my mouth and struggled to stand up. It was like nothing had happened, but I knew what I saw and felt. The feeling of my soul being ripped and torn from my body still remained. I hoped that it would subside one day. I reached for the cigarettes in my shirt pocket and fielded one. I went to light it, but the vision of that thing crept into my mind. I threw the cigarette to the grounded and handed my pack to Jimmy.

“Take em, I’m going cold turkey from now on” I looked towards the sky. I might need to quit drinking as well.

This was inspired by the mythology surrounding angels. In truth, angels are pretty scary. They are describe as sort of humanoid and there are different levels of angels hat look completely different. Human’s cant comprehend what they look like. They are divine. They hold incredible destructive power. So seeing an angel might be a terrifying experience. I am fascinated and terrified of beings of that caliber.

While the song really isn’t about this, the melody in the background and general feeling fit what I was feeling when imagining this being. I do love the this song. Very sad, but beautiful I the Mighty - Slow Dancing Forever

James sat at his desk fiddling around with some spread sheets on his computer. The sun was shining through his windows beckoning him to bask it it’s glory. Outside. But work was work and he had to finish. He flipped a pen in his right hand and in his other hand slapped the arrow keys on his keyboard looking for a number among millions. The pen slipped from his fingers and fell. It rang out against his table and snapped him out of his hypnotic state.

“Okay” James rubbed his face with both hands and stood up “Coffee time” He took the pen that he had dropped, spun it through his fingers and set it straight up on the table. The pen, which was a fountain pen, was flat on the cap side, which allowed it to stand on it’s own. He moved carefully away from the desk to make sure not to disturb it’s balance.

James brewed some coffee, swirled some milk into it and returned to his desk. He set his coffee on a coaster and went to retrieve the pen which he had left standing.

Now, there were two pens standing straight up next to each other. James looked at them both. Did he stack two? He might of, he had three of the same pen sitting on his desk. He grabbed the one he was flipping in his hand earlier and set the other one on it’s side. Maybe he was losing his short term memory. The numbers and charts flowing together and making him lapse his reality. James laughed a bit to himself. Who knew that excel cells might mess with you.

The zone they call it. James was flying through numbers, formulas and bar charts, like it was his divine right.

A knock came at his door. Again he snapped out of his trance. The knocking came again. He took one last look at his computer screen and got up to answer the door. His office was just a round the corner in his house. He looked through the window to see who it was, but no one stood at his door. The knocking came again. He opened the door. The sun greeted him, but that was it. He sighed. The zone, would not come back easily. He closed the door and returned to his office.

As he entered his office he stopped just beyond the door. His desk, the floor, the shelves, any where there was space, pens sat standing up. Hundreds of them. All standing like small pillars raising from a tiny world that lived on the surfaces of modern life. He looked down to his feet and pens stood just beyond his toes. He backed up, he heard his front door open. He jolted to it. His heart pounded as he stood wide eyed peering out into the sunny day. The door was wide open. Again his front entrance was empty. This was to much. He went to leap through the front door, but it slammed shut. Suddenly. All the doors, cabinets, drawers in his house started opening one by one. First his closet shot open, then drawers and cabinets in his kitchen started to spring open. They squealed and creaked as he stood whipping his head back and forth at each sound that assaulted him. He grasped and pulled at his front door, but it would not open. The window he thought. He moved, but all at once, everything that was open, shut in one thunderous clap. James dove to the ground out of panic. The house was silent.

Something started to creak. Somewhere door hinges grinded open. James eyes trailed the hall way, past his office and into his bedroom. A shadow cast across the floor. His closet door was slowly blocking out the light from the window in his room. Then something else blocked the remaining light.

James went to speak, warn or question what ever was happening. He never got the chance.

This was inspired by when I came into my room and had two pens sitting next to each other. They were both Twsbi Eco’s, my favorite fountain pen. One was a black cap and the other was a coral color. I remembered distinctly using one of them just a few minutes before and when I sat down, I could not remember having two next to each other. This got me thinking of something like the scenes in poltergiest. The scene where the mom turns around and the chairs are stacked on each other.

I thought that this would be really creepy. The first time, you think you just mis remembered, but then is happens again. You were paying attention the second time and you know something creepy is happening.

“If you kill yourself. I will do everything to bring you back, and kill you myself.” Those were the last words I heard Mat say to me.

I walked out of coffee shop and back to my apartment. What was meant to be, was not meant for me. The clouds looked normal, the sun was nice on the skin and cool breeze swept across my cheeks. Today was a good day to die. The last thing I remember is looking down at the street and timing my jump. This was my journey, no one else’s. If I hit someone on my way down, well let’s just say I wouldn’t be able to forgive my self. I heard that many people regret it after they jump. For me, it was just pure terror mixed with excitement. What comes next? Will this actually hurt? Hopefully it’s quick. And it was over. Nothing. No transition, no evolution, just emptiness. That was until my eyes shot open.

Everything hurt, the world was so blurry, but I could move somehow. Had I made it somewhere, reborn? Someone was speaking to me, their voice muffled at first then……fuck. How in gods name?

“You stupid son of a bitch, do you think I wouldn’t. Spiritual pact. Remember that. We die together. On fucking Venus.”

I rolled over and dead weight carried me off on onto the floor. I tried to speak, but it felt like blood was still trying to get to the outer parts of my body.

“How” I croaked worming my way across the floor.

Mat took his foot and rolled me over on my back. He shoved a book in front of my face. The same one that said to be taking me to another plane of existence. It didn’t work on me though.

“Killing your self doesn’t get you to the other side man, I tried telling you that. It’s a ploy to weed out people, it’s a trick. You fell for it. I know it’s been hard, we have been on this for at least ten years, but you know, you have to sort it out, and take it slow. I almost didn’t think I could get you back. I mean fuck, your body was all over the place, it was like a bag of soup when I dragged you here. Almost ruined my car with all your blood and whatever.”

I sat up against the counter. My vision sharpened and I could feel everything coming back to normal. Good as new?

“You brought me back with a spell or something? Which one?”

Mat flipped to a page and scratch his forehead “Look, you left me no choice. Just, you know, play it cool”

I looked at him in confusion “What are you talking about?”

A pool of darkness spread from where my body was. Like a living shadow it swirled around extending further until it filled most of the apartment. Everything seemed to dim then a flame extended from the middle blinding me and making my ears ring. It went out as soon as it appeared and the light regained its muster.

A being stood where the flame was, it’s figure slouched against the ceiling as it was to tall to fully stand. It wore old Victorian clothes that twirled in golds, blues and a shimmering silver. Puffy sleeves and pants. It’s feet were long and curled at the end. Arms gloved in shadow like nit gloves that hung from it’s sides.

“What the fuck is that?” I said. My mouth hanging open from shock.

“Gentlemen” The thing swung itself around. Two large black beedy eyes bulged out of it’s dark furry face. Sharp overgrown teeth smiled at us both. A bowlers hat rested on it’s head, which was still sideways from being slouched. “It’s looks I have a new partner, you”

“Me?” I stammered

“Yes, you, name and occupation please” The thing melted down into a crouch and moved it’s way towards me. It’s arms and legs moving in liquid smooth motion.

“Tyler…Tyler Smitten, I am a tailor.”

It stuck out it’s long gloved hand. I shook it reluctantly.

“Smitten? haha not for you, but you will do I guess. You ever kill anyone before?” It smiled sweetly at me.

“No”

“You will learn”

I could see Mat starting to back away.

“Summoner, you are in this too”

“Come one man, I just needed to bring him back” Mat whined.

“You two, wizards? Not much, but there are others like you. Abusing the powers of the othersides, messing around us demons. Disturbing our black jack games, slots, and fancy times with those sweet sweet tender things”

“Bro..come on”

“yeah we don’t need to -“

“regardless you humans are fucking things up and not all of them are unknowingly as you to are. Our job, hunt these abusers of our magic and wasters of our time, and slay them. Then return to the world of endless indulgence, to reep the benefit of everything pleasurable. You accept?”

I looked at a Mat. He had that dull stupid look on his face when he had no choice. I looked at this thing that had come back with me.

“Is there a choice?”

“No” It responded quickly “Honestly, I don’t want to do this either. You pulled me from a blackjack game where I held blackjack. Let’s get this over, maybe I can get back before the game ends”

The thing proceeded towards the door and went right through it.

“Was this worth it?” I shook my head at Mat.

“Bro, Venus, totally worth it” He smiled and ran after it.

I really didn’t know what to think, but I was alive and now in league with a demon. What else could happen?

Inspired by the first line. I think of this sometimes in a dark comical sense. Like it’s a threat that seems so absurd. If someone is going to kill themselves, or going on a suicide mission where they won’t return. It is a line that seems so absurd if said, but even more absurd if carried through with. Something that one might brush off, but what if the person saying it, is completely serious. Even if Mat doesn’t kill Tyler, the line still holds some meaning. Stay away from magical books that promise something after death.

There is nothing good about suicide and if you are thinking of it, please talk to someone.

The sun was high in the sky surrounded by large clouds that sailed across like battleships. The cicadas drowned out the sound of the saw against the wood. Tools, lumber and furniture lay all over the yard. Shoji, wooden panels with milky white translucent paper screens, lay stacked against the large wooden house. Sett had bought the place on a whim. Trying a change of pace, he had heard of cheap houses strewn around in the country side of Japan. He knew the language from his studies of Japanese business and History, two subjects he was deeply interested in. One day bored again of his life back in the states he saw the opportunity. He didn’t have to much money, which is why the deal looked good to him. He could fix it up, and live cheaply, commuting to the city for his new found translation job.

The house was large. Two stories, traditional Japanese style and a hefty plot of land to go with it which was surrounded by a dense forest. Partially covered in trees and rocks and the other with bamboo sprouting up. He had over estimated the work, but he had time. The tatami floors needed to be replaced, along with the wooden support around the kitchen. Much of the wood needed to be sanded and stained. Heat and air conditioning needed replacing and basically anything that he could see, had an issue. But it was his and he was going to make it the best he could. Sett reached for his wooden hammer to knock together some of the support beams, but it was absent from where he placed it. He stood up and walked around peering under all the internals of the house he was working on. Nothing. He scratched his head and looked around for anyone. Then he saw it. Propped up against a tree near the edge of his yard. He strolled over to it.

“How did you get over here” Sett said picking it up. Wind blew through the forest and clouds covered the sun. It suddenly felt very cold and dark. He glanced into the woods. It’s branches and leaves waved back at him in an eerie fashion. Beckoning him in a way.

“Come on in” it whistled at him. “Return to nature”

Sett backed away. The sun returned and wind died down. This wasn’t the first time his tools had gone missing. Through out the day, things of his would be there one second and gone the next. Each one ending closer and closer to the forest. His hammer now being the closest. It hadn’t bothered him till now. He just thought he kept misplacing, but now a feeling crept up on him. He looked back all the work he needed to finish. It was never ending. This house was calling on him to finish it, restore it, and live in it. There had to be an explanation. Once he got further along with the house he would take a serious look. He returned back to the wood and hammered away.

Lanterns hung from the beams on the outside of the house and blazed with fire which he lit every night. Another fire, an Irori, blazed inside the house warming a pot of soup hanging above it. The night air was hot and sticky. Sounds of animals and bugs swirled around to make a symphony of nature. Sett sat on the edge of his deck by one of the wooden columns. The deck wrapped around half the house and Shoji panels could be slid open to expose the house to the outside. He took a sip of tea and peered into the sky. It was cloud covered and black as ever. The wind started to pick up again. The forest waved back and forth at him. He then noticed the lantern furthest away form him growing dimmer and finally going out. He stood up to relight it, but noticed that the next lantern was doing the same. It’s flame slowly receded and blew away into smoke. The symphony had stopped too. He turned to take shelter by the irori, it’s flames raging now reducing to embers which glowed brightly then were reduced to a smokey haze that drifted towards him. There were four more lanterns to him, he looked out, but it was all darkness. Then a thump. His head snapped towards the fourth lantern which was now dimming. As it went out another loud thump came towards him. Something large. Each movement hitting the wooden floor, just beyond his vision, just beyond the lanterns light. The third lantern dimmed and died. Thump.

“This has to be a joke, right” Sett stammered “Who are you?”

The lantern in front of him flickered in a response then immediately went out. The thump was so loud and he could feel it so close to him he jumped back under the last lantern next to the wooden column.

“What the fuck do you want” he screamed, wide eyed, searching, straining to see anything in the pure darkness. Now even the wind stopped. The forest sat still. No longer waving hello to him, or was it waving goodbye? He wanted to bolt, but fear weighted him down and crushed him under the light. He put out his arm and reach a bit into the darkness. Nothing. He pulled back and as his arm reached the edge of darkness a hand grasped his wrist with incredibly strength. It was pure black, intensely cold and caused fear to course through every fiber of him.

The last lantern ceased to shield him, and he screamed.

Inspired by all those cheap houses in Japan in the country side. I often think of doing the same as Sett. Buying one and fixing it up. Japan has a ton of demons, ghosts and mythical stories. I will say that most ghosts stories in Japan are pretty scary. Their voilence is baseless, unrelenting, and emotionless. If you cross one, it’s already to late. Stay safe out their among the light. A if the forest beckons, you might want to run.