Storyteller With a Headache

Purpose - The Shaggy Dog Part II

2020-02-02T21:51:00.000-08:00

Though he feels a tinge of hunger, he ate well last night and thoughts of perhaps finding a treat or a snack are enough to motivate tonight’s journey. And the city smells pleasant tonight. Just like last time.

Emerging from the alleys the shaggy dog spies the young boy across the street. His upside-down empty hat replaced with a guitar case full of coins and paper, his quivering hands now creating a wonderful sound from the instrument he plays. His voice once a mutter now booms out into the world, and it makes the shaggy dog happy to see how much he’s grown. He wags his tail and plods on.

Leaning against the wall of spray-painted brick is the man with the kind eyes. He stares intently at his phone, fingers working furiously against the screen as the shaggy dog greets him. The man stops and returns the greeting, though his hair is now silver and his face houses a few wrinkles, his age is contrasted in the youthfulness of his smile.

“You’re looking a little plump these days,” the man laughs as he kneels down and pats his head. “I’m glad you’re doing well, take care out there okay?”

The shaggy dog smiles and licks the man’s hands, who pulls them back and wipes them on his pants, laughing. The shaggy dog wags his tail and plods on.

He sniffs the air, searching for a particular scent. Finding it, he wags his tail and breaks out into a run, careful to avoid bumping into anyone, and savvy enough to stay away from the fast-moving things on the street. He stops outside the restaurant window and looks in. Though the food smells wonderful, its the smile of the woman he was searching for, and his tail wags as he sees it. Some time ago she would come and eat alone. Now she sits with another man across from her, and a baby in a high chair in between them. They laugh and share food, trying to keep the small baby from making too much of a mess. Their happiness is his favourite smell. He wags his tail and plods on.

He begins to return home, satisfied with the knowledge that his people are doing well tonight. He turns into his alley and prepares for an early night.

His head whips around, a vile smell assaulting his nose. The shaggy dog lets out a whine, he’s never smelled anything so foul before. Tense and ready, the shaggy dog follows the smell back out onto the street, scanning for its source. He finds it immediately.

It’s not the smell of medicine coming from the man, he’s smelled that before. It’s not even the smell of the sickness he carries or the treatments he has to take that have caused his body to lose its muscle and his hair to fall. Unfortunately, he’s smelled those before too.

It’s the horrible creature whose claws dig into the man’s shoulders, pressing its weight down onto him. It’s the horrible creature whose jaw rests upon the man’s head, whose body billows out like a hideous cloak making it impossible to see the street behind.

The shaggy dog cocks his head as the man approaches, his movements slow and gentle.

“Hey buddy,” the man says, holding out his hand. “Where’d you come from?”

Cautiously, the shaggy dog approaches and sniffs the man’s hand. Underneath the smell of the creature is the scent of a gentle man, one that reminds him of the man with the kind eyes. He smells a man who wants to be happy. Most of all he smells the scent of someone who needs his help.

“You don’t have a collar or anything,” the man says, kneeling down and giving him a scratch behind the ear. “Maybe you’ve got a chip?”

Let’s go, Mr. Shadow spits. It’s just a wretched stray, and besides, you don’t have the time to dote on something other than yourself.

The man pulls his hand back and mulls over the creature’s words for a moment. As he begins to stand the shaggy dog barks.

No!

Mr. Shadow recoils and glares at him. How dare you. He’s already mine, find another!

You’re wrong, the Shaggy Dog says, matching the creature stare for stare. You don’t get to have him, you don’t get to have anyone. Not ever. Not while I’m here.

Look at you all big and brave. Mr. Shadow snipes. Those are bold words for a mongrel, what makes you think you have the right to interfere with me?

Because it’s who I am, the Shaggy Dog fires back. It’s my job. I help people.

Mr. Shadow’s claws loosen their grip in the man’s shoulders. It’s a fleeting movement but the Shaggy Dog notices.

Don’t be so presumptuous, Mr. Shadow sneers. Do you really think you can help him? You can smell it can’t you? He’s already gone. There’s nothing you can do about what’s to come.
Maybe, maybe not, the Shaggy Dog responds, his eyes fierce with determination. But I’ve seen people in this city overcome this and more. And while I may not be able to save his body from disease, believe me when I say I can save his soul from you!

The man runs his hands through the Shaggy Dog’s fur, it’s a pleasant feeling. Mr. Shadow’s body shrinks just slightly at first but enough to reveal some of the street behind him.

Who the hell do you think you are? Mr. Shadow rumbles, his voice an inky blackness, but the Shaggy Dog can hear the fear.

I’m Purpose, The Shaggy Dog replies simply. I’m a guardian, a protector, a lifeline, a friend and a family. I’m everything you’re not. And that’s why you’re afraid.

The horrible smell is vanishing now as Mr. Shadow’s claws lift themselves from the man’s shoulders, his grip tenuous. His billowing body shrinks and fades, revealing the rest of the street behind him.

This doesn’t change anything, Mr. Shadow growls. And you certainly haven't won. I’ll fade for a time perhaps, but I’ll always be here, always waiting. I’ll be strong again. I promise.

I’ll always be here too, the Shaggy Dog says. And I’m always strong. I’ll beat you every time. That’s my promise.

“Would you like to come home with me?” the man asks, scratching his fur. “We can see if you have a chip tomorrow mourning and if not you can stay with me. We’ll get you a bath and there’s a soft bed you can sleep on, and lot’s of food.”

The shaggy dog smiles and wags his tail. The man stands and together they begin to walk, the shaggy dog looking up at him as the man moves with an ease he didn’t have before. Together they come to a small house with a beaten old door and an unlit porch light.

The man jingles his keys in the lock and holds the door open. “After you,” he says with a smile. The shaggy dog bounds inside, anxious to take in all the new smells and explore his new home.

The man closes the door behind them, and the light on the porch flickers on.

Mr. Shadow

2018-01-25T00:09:00.000-08:00

Its name was Mr. Shadow. Or at least, that's what he had always called it. Whether it had a true name or not wasn't really important to him. It was simply Mr. Shadow.

Mr. Shadow; whose claws dug into his shoulders, whose jaw rested atop his head and whose body billowed behind him like some kind of nightmarish cape. Mr. Shadow had always been there, small at first, but as he got older Mr, Shadow got bigger, putting more and more weight on his shoulders, its claws sinking deeper and its body growing ever more consuming, eclipsing more of the light from the outside world.

It was sunset when he left, locking the rough old door behind him and leaving the flickering porch light on, as he always did. His walk had taken him well into the night, the street lights and the sound of his footsteps invading the otherwise quiet solace. Every now and again he'd round a corner, cross a street, or otherwise alter his course but the truth was that he wasn't giving any thought to his direction or destination. He figured he'd simply enjoy the walk while he still could.

Because today had been a very bad day, at the end of a bad month, in the latest of a bad year.

And this time it wasn't Mr. Shadow's fault.

He'd become accustomed to being sick. That wasn't new to him. However it was only now, only today when the doctors began using words like metastasized, inoperable, and a host of others that his mind had tuned out, that he understood just how truly sick he was. The end of a terrible day, at the end of a terrible month, in the last terrible year of his life.

This is what you wanted. Mr. Shadow said, its voice dripping with an ichor that coated his insides black. The choice was taken away from you, now you don't need to find the courage anymore.

"Shut up," he spat. "This was never what I wanted don't be ridiculous."

Of course it was, Mr. Shadow sneered. Maybe not like this particularly, but you were always searching for a way out. Now you get an escape without any of the guilt of escaping.

"That's...that's not true. I never wanted to escape like that. Not like what you mean. I just wanted things to be better, that's all. I just didn't want to have to fight anymore."

No, no of course not. Except I've been here your whole life, long before you got sick. What about all the nights you laid awake with me, listening to me, talking to me. If I'm wrong, then why am I here in the first place? Why have I always been here?

"Because I'm sick, and because I'm tired. I'm always so tired."

Because you have no hope. And don't lie to me, I'll know, I always do.

"Why won't you just leave me alone?"

Mr. Shadow laughed, malice and apathy given sound. I can't leave. You know I can't. I can't because you've never done what's necessary.

"Stop saying that!" He snapped, his voice booming against the cold night sky. Startled by his own outburst, he put his head down and quickened his pace. "I keep telling you that's not what I want...not really."

No no, not really. All the thoughts of pills, or drugs, or a gun, or a razor, just thoughts right? All harmless.

"No... I could never do that... there are too many people that...."

And that is exactly the point I was trying to make. You've just been given the greatest gift you could have received. See the silver lining, like I do. You've just been given permission to die.

"...You...you're a monster..."

And you're in denial. Accept the powerlessness you've always longed for. Accept the gift that no one will curse your death as selfish, as a weapon meant to harm someone else, as incomprehensible or any other some such reason. Accept that fate has made the decision for you. You get to die like you've always wanted. But now you get to be surrounded by friends and family who never have to know the truth of your mind. Cancer gets to be the villain, not you. And ultimately, that's what has always stopped you.

Mr. Shadow gripped its claws deeper into his shoulders, its face the abject horror of a smile. He could feel the darkness of the creature growing ever larger, enveloping more and more of the area around him. He had never felt it like this before, the largest and most powerful Mr. Shadow had ever been and it knew it.

You and I, we get what we want. To be free. And all you have to do is accept. Accept, and when the time comes, all that will be required of you is to sleep.

"I...you're wrong I..." His voice was hollow, and he could feel Mr. Shadow's ichor now coming from his own mouth, choking any further attempt at protest.

Mr. Shadow's smile widened. Sleep. And when you do, I won't be there. You'll be alone at last, just like you've always wanted. I will be gone.

He was staring at his own front door now. He wasn't sure exactly how his path had brought him home, or for how long he had been back, but in this moment the beaten old door and flickering porch light had never looked so welcoming.

He stood silent for some time, staring at the light with Mr. Shadow's weight pressing ever stronger on his body, its wretched claws gripping tightly into his flesh, his bones.

"Maybe that...." he said softly as he placed his key in the lock. "Maybe that doesn't sound so bad, in the end."

He closed the door behind him. The light on the porch flickered once, twice, and went out.

One Last Ride

2016-04-23T01:50:00.000-07:00

Nights like these, where the air is warm and clean and a faint smell of moisture lingers in the air, these were the nights he liked take it all in. The sounds of a city sleeping floated gently through the open window of his car, and a cigarette hung loosely from his lips as he watched whatever the city displayed from the empty parking lot.

The sound of his passenger door being opened shocked him out of his reverie as a small woman slipped into the seat, a gun in hand.

"Drive," she said, her voice soft but he could feel its chill contrasting with the warm night air.

Where the hell did she come from?

She noticed his hesitation and her eyes flickered towards the pistol. "Please."

Don't start the car, just get out and run.

He felt the engine rumble to life.

Okay now just run.

He shifted the car into gear and pulled onto the road.

What the hell is wrong with you?

"Thank you," she said.

He flicked his cigarette out the window and tried to find his voice.

"Where are we going?" He asked tentatively, the first words he'd had to speak in hours.

She looked puzzled for a second before saying, "Just...around, I guess. Hey can I bum a smoke?"

Tell her to go to hell.

"Sure," he said, handing her his pack, crumpled from his jacket pocket.

Seriously what is wrong with you?

He knew every inch of this city, especially at night. As he drove he flicked his eyes to his uninvited passenger, every time picking out another little detail.

She wasn't much younger than he was, a couple years maybe, and tall. Her hair was cut short and dyed a ridiculous orange colour. Her jacket was heavy and mostly consisted of patches sewn into the fabric. Her boots were well worn and dirty, and a layer of dust covered what could be some very cute freckles on her small face.

Stop that right now.

He noticed the gun, resting on her lap, her hands folded neatly over-top.

She hasn't touched the trigger once.

Her eyes were gazing out the window, focused on the city lights.

Grab the gun, slam on the breaks, punch her in the head, dive roll out of the car, do something!

"I like the billboards in this city," she said softly the chill in her voice now gone, replaced by the warm night air. "They have a kind of artistic vibe to them you know? They feel more like graffiti than corporate advertising."

"Yeah I'd noticed that too," he said.

The worst part is that you actually have.

"You haven't told me where we're going."

"Far away," she said, the icy edge in her voice hinting at a return.

"You're running from something huh?"

"Someone."

Just like you should have run from her.

"Oh."

"I kept noticing him," she said. "First out on the street, then at shops I was at, bars, until finally it got...really bad."

Jesus.

"So far away then." He said.

"Yeah..."

And when you get her there...?

"Are you going to kill me?"

Subtle.

"I'm sorry..." She whispered.

Perfect.

They drove together for some time, the street lights flashing above them. Every so often he would look over and catch her smiling wistfully out the window.

Finally she motioned towards an intersection.

"Take a right here," she said.

"You sure?" He asked. "That'll take us onto the highway."

She knows.

"I know."

Told you.

He did as he was told, making the turn as the city began to get darker and darker, until finally they were out of reach of its gentle light.

All alone now.

"Where are we going?" He asked again. "There's nothing out here for miles."

"I'm not sure," she said. I'll know it when I see it though."

This is bad.

"Um...okay."

I bet there's a grave pre-dug somewhere.

Finally she pointed to a lone tree, growing several yards off the side of the road.

"There," she said. "That's perfect."

She's going to kill you!

"Should I pull over?" He asked, trying to keep the voice from being heard.

"Please."

He pulled the car over and she looked over to him.

"Thanks for the ride," she said with a half smile. "I'm okay from here."

Oh. I understand now.

"What, what do you mean? It's dangerous out here by yourself. At least let me drop you off at a service station or something."

No she got where she's going.

"That's okay, under that tree is perfect," she said getting out of the car. "You should head back. Thanks you again, and I'm sorry about all this."

"I don't understand," he said watching her walk toward the tree, illuminated by the headlights.

Yes you do.

She sat down under that tree and gave it the weight of the world from her shoulders.

Turn around, it's time to go home.

He turned the car around, slowly. A glance in the rear-view mirror saw her bring her hands underneath her chin.

She had this planned out from the start.

A flash of light and deafening bang chased away the night for the briefest of moments, and he saw her slump to the ground.

Her last ride away from it all. She just needed someone to take her there in peace. Sorry it had to be you.

"I'm not," he muttered softly. He felt tears on his face for the orange haired girl covered in dirt. He let them linger for awhile before wiping them away and focusing on the road back to the city.

She Noticed Me

2015-12-10T00:48:00.000-08:00

Have you ever looked at someone and just knew? Like just knew? That's what happened to me when I saw her for the first time. She was tall and awkward, which made others withdraw but made me enamored. She looked at me and smiled a small smile before her eyes went back to her phone. She noticed me.

Have you ever looked at someone and just knew? Like just knew? That's what happened to me the second time I saw her. It wasn't long after our eyes met. She was out with friends, a birthday party? I wasn't sure. She was drinking and dancing, her body moving with all that endearing awkwardness but she was smiling and that made me happy. I asked her to dance but she didn't seem interested. Just here with friends she said. I watched her the rest of the night. She noticed me.

Have you ever looked at someone and just knew? Like just knew? That's what happened the third time I saw her. It was after she was done work. I asked her if she needed a ride home. It was late. She jumped a foot off the ground. I told her I didn't mean to scare her. I asked if she remembered me, she said to get away. I said it can be dangerous out here this late. She said she'd be fine and left, her steps hurried, her long legs moving quickly. That was smart, she should get home quickly. I followed her to make sure. She noticed me.

Have you ever looked at someone and just knew? Like just knew? That's what happened the fourth time I saw her. She was just getting home. I saw her kick off her shoes and let her hair down. She poured herself a glass of wine and fell into her couch with a sigh. I wanted to ask her about her day. Was it hard? Were they making you stay late again? Were you getting enough rest? You look tired. Do you need anything? Her eyes started to flutter. She set the glass down and allowed them to close completely. I should just let her sleep. I slipped quietly out the back door. She noticed me.

Have you ever looked at someone and just knew? Like just knew? That's what happened the fifth time I saw her. She was staying at a friend's. He was tall like her, and big. She seemed upset. He was making her upset. Why was she there and not at home? Her eyes were tearing as she spoke, her voice shaking. I couldn't make out what they were talking about, the window wasn't open. But she was upset. He was making her upset. I'd speak to him after she fell asleep. She slept in his bed, he slept on the couch. The glass smashed as I let myself in. I spoke to him. She noticed me.

Have you ever looked at someone and just knew? Like just knew? That's what happened the last time I saw her. She had moved away almost overnight. She had quit her job. I found her a little while later. She was a long way from home. I was concerned. She shouldn't just leave without telling me. We had a connection. She must have forgot to tell me where she was going. She's been under a lot of stress lately. It's bad for her health. She needed my help. Her breathing was ragged, her body tossing and turning as she slept. A nightmare. I whispered in her ear that everything was going to be alright. I would keep her safe. She wouldn't need to leave again. Her eyes fluttered open. She noticed me.

Jen (Seperation and Reclamation Part IV)

2014-10-30T01:10:00.000-07:00

Jen’s favourite bar wasn’t exactly my scene but when it came to nightlife my opinions were usually entirely ignored in favour of Jen and Ryan’s more enthusiastic venues. The three of us had been friends all through high school and time had done little to change that. Still I sometimes wondered how we ever got along at all.

This was one of those times.

Jen was a bar star. Ryan too, and they were definitely proving it tonight. While they drank and danced and generally looked like the whitest kids in the world, I hung back near the bar and tried not to let the lights and the music get to me too much. Being a designated driver meant I couldn’t be nearly drunk enough to enjoy the atmosphere, however I had drawn the short straw so here we were.

“Brad!” Jen shouted, coming over and tugging on my arm. “Come dance with us! This girl from my work is here I want you to meet her!”

I sighed, knowing full well that resistance was futile and allowed myself to be assimilated into the collective that was the dance floor.

“Sarah!” Jen shouted, waving at another girl dancing near Ryan. “This is Brad, the one I was telling you about!”

“Hi,” I said, trying not to yell but quickly realizing that was a ridiculous notion. “It’s nice to meet you!” I said, a little louder this time.

“Jen talks about you guys all the time!” Sarah said smiling. “It’s good to put faces to the names!”

“Hey come outside for a smoke!” Ryan shouted and Jen nodded. Sarah shrugged and followed us outside into the crisp night air.

Without the flashing lights I got my first real good look at Sarah and was surprised by how closely she and Jen resembled each other. Each with similar styles of dress and hair, and each with a wide smile that was proving infectious.

Ryan and Jen each lit up a cigarette while Sarah and I made small talk.

“So how do you guys all know each other?” Sarah asked.

“We all went to high school together,” Ryan said.

“Ryan and I dated on and off,” Jens said, “And he and Brad were good friends. Now we all hang out.

Brad makes sure we don’t do anything too stupid, and we try and get him to have fun once in a while. I think we balance out nicely.”

Sarah laughed, “I can see that, you do look like the big brother type.”

“I guess,” I muttered. “I’ve never thought of it that way though.”

“The people in those kinds of roles never do,” she said. “So does this mean you’re looking out for me now?”

“Um...” I stammered, “Well I...”

“Stop teasing him,” Jen scolded, interjecting with a huff. “He’s too simple when it comes to that kind of stuff.”

“Wait simple?” I said, “What is that supposed to mean?”

Before Jen could answer Ryan let out a very exaggerated sigh.

“Oh my god no one cares,” he groaned. “We’re going back inside now.”

Sarah laughed, “Aw you guys are fun, Jen we need to hang out more often.”

She shrugged, “Sure why not, Brad’s your big brother now anyway.”

“Perfect,” Sarah grinned as they went back inside.

I stood on the sidewalk for a moment longer, scratching the back of my head.

“The hell just happened?” I muttered, before following them back inside.

Absence (Seperation and Reclamation Part III)

2013-11-03T01:22:00.000-07:00

I grit my teeth and cursed under my breath. I wasn’t really interested in stopping for anything but if I didn’t gas up my bike soon, I’d be walking the rest of the way. A sign I passed earlier said there was a rest stop just a few kilometers away, which would have to do, and a break was probably the smart thing considering I had been tearing down the highway since noon, and the sun had long since set.

I pulled in and killed the engine, then stepped off to fill up the bike that was by now running on fumes. As I did so I took out my phone and flipped to the picture I had received earlier that day It looked like it was taken as soon as they had arrived at Ryan’s cabin, but it was tough to be sure. Tristan, Ryan, Sarah, Jen, Dana. They were looking like they were having a great time as they posed for the camera.

Normally, I’d have been happy to have received a picture of them having a great time, but the circumstances were anything but normal.

It had been three months since I heard from any of them. Much too long. I spoke to Ryan’s parents about it, and they said they had got a message from him saying he was going to be out of range of cell service as they continued backpacking and that they were going to be a little longer than they thought, and not to worry. Jen’s sister got a similar message, as did Sarah’s mom. Tristan wasn’t from our city originally so I didn’t know how to get in touch with his family, and Dana had lived alone for a long time now. Still, the people that would worry had all been reassured.

Except me. It wasn’t that I was lonely, or that I was regretting not being able to go with them. It was that the messages I heard all sounded very similar. Similar wording, little real personality, it sounded to me like they were reading a script. Not only that but they knew I would worry most. They would have called me, texted me, anything. But they hadn’t, and for three months is was like they just disappeared. Until today. Today I got my first real piece of evidence that they had at least made it to the lake safely.

At first I kept telling myself that they were just having fun somewhere, that they had forgotten to call me or whatever. Even being forgotten by them would be better than something having happened. But I knew more and more with each passing day that I was fooling myself.

Something had gone terribly wrong.

Those past three months were a blur. I wasn’t able to focus on anything, I was so worried. But today, today offered a brief glimmer of hope that maybe I could find them, and find out what had happened. When my phone rang and that picture came through, I immediately quit my job, withdrew a chunk of change from my savings, packed up and took off, intending to start my search at the lake, and hopefully find some answers.

Finally my motorcycle was full, and I quickly paid before hopping back on and taking off. I was determined to find out what had happened to them, so determined that I told myself I would do whatever it took to get the answers I needed.

It wouldn’t be the first time I had done something awful to protect them. It wouldn’t be the last.

Sarah (Seperation and Reclaimation Part II)

2013-09-23T00:45:00.001-07:00

“You don’t like him do you?” Sarah asked me after a brief silence. She was leaning heavily on me, gripping my arm tightly as we made our way back to her car, the alcohol keeping her from moving too quickly, or gracefully for that matter.

“I never said that,” I said, trying not to laugh at her current state. Sarah wasn’t nearly as much of a partier as Jen or Ryan, so it wasn’t often that she ever needed a ride home, let alone someone to cling to lest she fall over.

“But you barely said anything to him all night,” she said with a pout. “I really like him so you should too.”

“You know we have this exact same conversation every time you get a new boyfriend right?”

“We do not!” She exclaimed, a little too loudly for 2:30am but we were hardly the only people filtering out of the club so I supposed it didn’t matter.

“We do,” I replied. “Every time you worry about what the others are going to think of whoever you may be dating, but I’m the only one that you actually pull aside and ask for an opinion.”

“Well that’s because I know if you like them, then they must be a pretty good person,” she grinned at me. “Everyone knows you’re hardest one to impress with this kind of stuff.”

“What? I am not, no one thinks that.”

“You’re the fun police.”

“I am not the fun police,” I grumbled as we rounded a corner, her car just up ahead.

“You are, and you were out in full force tonight.”

“No one thinks I’m the fun police.”

“Everyone thinks you’re the fun police. I’m going to get you a badge to prove it. You can flash it in people’s faces when they get too fun. You can walk up to them and say excuse me sir, this is the fun police, you’re going to have to take it down a notch, the amount of fun is exceeding the legal limit, please bring it down to within the previously accepted levels of fun in accordance with city law.”

I sighed, heavily. “I just don’t have an opinion on him yet that’s all.” I said, trying to compromise. “You deserve the best, you really do. We’re all going to make sure you get it.”

“That’s sweet,” she giggled, causing her to stumble a bit. “But the others aren’t nearly as judgmental.”

“Oh come on, I am not judgmental.”

“Okay maybe that’s the wrong word, but whatever, he’s been really nice so far, so you should like him.”

“We’ll see.”

“You’ll like him,” she said, seemingly convinced she had won this round. “He has a really cool job.”

“He’s a musician,” I muttered. “You met him in a bar.”

“Fun police!” she shouted with a punch to my arm. “Told you!”

“Ugh, fine fine,” I said, rubbing my shoulder as we made it to her car. I took out her keys and unlocked her door, helping her get settled.

She smiled at me as I walked around the car and hopped in. “What was his name again?” I asked as I started the engine.

“You’re a dick,” she chuckled, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. “It’s Tristan.”

“Right, well he seems alright so far I guess.”

“Maybe I’ll marry him one day, then you’ll feel silly. For standing in the way of true love.”

“You’re drunk Sarah,” I laughed.

“Very,” she agreed. “Hey,” She said, suddenly serious. “Thanks, for always looking out for me.”

I looked over at her, barely keeping her eyes open and her blonde hair a mess from dancing with Jen.

“Always,” I said, giving her hand a squeeze as she closed her eyes and let herself sleep.

Seperation and Reclaimation

2013-09-12T22:58:00.000-07:00

“You could help you know,” Ryan grumbled to me as he loaded another cooler filled with what I could only assume was more alcohol into his RV.

I looked up at him from my cushy lawn chair, parked in Ryan's rather spacious front yard and took another sip of my drink.

“With what?” I asked, unable to keep the smirk from creeping onto my face.

“Oh that’s cute Brad,” he said, wiping the sweat from his face as he went to grab another cooler from the seemingly endless supply of coolers that were stacked in the driveway. “You’re just gonna sit here on my lawn, drink my booze, and watch me bust my ass packing in the burning sun? That’s harsh my friend, real harsh”

“I guess it is, yes. But then how would you learn not to pack so much crap?”

“I am a slow learner, that's true,” he grinned. “I can't really blame you though, seeing as how you’re going to be here all by yourself working like a dog, while we are going to be having the whole lake as our own personal playground.”

“Not just the lake,” Jennifer said, skipping out of the house with her suitcase dragging behind her. It was the first real piece of luggage I had seen go into the RV since I got here. “ This is a whole cross country road trip and I can’t believe you’re going to miss it.”

I sighed, her reminder hardly necessary. “It’s not like I didn’t try to get the time off Jen, seriously, but this summer is looking pretty busy.”

“You should just quit,” Ryan quipped.

“I don’t have loaded parents or a trust fund to pay for my degree, so no sorry man but I can’t just quit. Landscaping is good money.”

“You mean the degree you’ve been working on for the last like what...six years? Seriously by the time you get it you’re going to be going through a mid life crisis.”

“Don’t you have another cooler to load up jackass?”

Ryan laughed and went back to it; while Jen gave me the look she gives all of us when she wants to get her way. It works more often than not too, but unfortunately this was one of those ‘not’ times.

“For the last time, I can’t go,” I said, cutting off the puppy-dog eyes before they really got going.

“Fine,” she huffed. “We’ll send you pictures everywhere we go, just so you can see how much fun you’re missing.”

“Oh good,” I groaned. “Please do that. So where are the others?”

“They went to the store,” Ryan said, “They should be coming back soon though, they left just before you got here.”

“The store? Because you guys need more alcohol and Twinkies?”

“Brad Brad Brad, you’ve forgotten how to party.”

“Whatever,” I sighed and went back to my drink.

Jen and Ryan had been two of my closest friends since high school, which for us was about six years ago now. Along with Sarah, her boyfriend Tristan, and Dana, all of whom were at the store buying more junk apparently, the six of us had been pretty much inseparable. Ryan was kind of the ringleader, always making the plans and making sure everyone had a good time, but otherwise we were just happy to enjoy each other’s company.

This summer was a big deal for everyone though, and so Ryan had really outdone himself planning this trip. Jen had just finished a degree in education, and was likely going to be leaving for a teaching position next year, so this was our last big blowout together.

And I was stuck working.

“Hey,” Jen said, dropping down on the lawn beside me and helping herself to my drink. “Have you patched things up with Dana yet?”

I groaned. That was the other reason why I was in a bad mood today. “No, not yet.”

“Kind of cutting it a little close don’t you think?” She asked. “Once we leave it’s going to be tough to keep in touch.”

“I know I know,” I sighed. “I’ll talk to her when she gets here, I promise.”

Jen smiled. She and Dana had been best friends for a year or so now. An interesting development since they had met by getting into a brawl and trashing a houseparty but sometimes things work themselves out in strange ways. Jen had been pushing for us to get together for a while now, and while I had always been all for it, Dana was a more complicated matter, and this fight we had the other night had only made things between us more difficult.

I thought about what I would say to her for a little while longer while Jen and Ryan loaded up the last of their luggage. Not long after I saw the others coming on their way back, their arms loaded with yet more food and booze.

“Brad!” Tristan shouted, quickly dropping his stuff in the RV and pulling me out of my chair. “What the hell man? Work? This is it, this is the biggest thing we’ve ever done, and you’re at work?”

I smiled despite myself. With the exception of Dana, Tristan was the newcomer, so to speak. We were already pretty established when he started dating Sarah three years ago, but he had just fit right in. More mellow than Ryan, more spontaneous than me, he had a balancing effect on the group, as well as a way of speaking that made everything seem way better than it was. Except for my situation, it would seem.

“Sorry Tristan, you’re just going to have to drink my share.”

He sighed, then pulled me close. “I'll do my best, but listen, remember what we talked about the other day?”

I nodded; it wasn’t a conversation I was going to forget anytime soon.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, which looked like it must have cost a fair bit considering how fancy it was.

“I’ve decided I’m going to go for it,” he said with a grin. “I’m going to propose on this trip. No one else knows but hopefully when we get back, we’ll be engaged.”

“That’s awesome Tristan,” I said, trying to hide my smile from the others.

“Hey,” he said, suddenly serious. “Thanks a lot for helping me figure this out. I probably wouldn’t have been able to do this without you.”

“Of course you would,” I replied quickly. “ But you’re welcome. I know she’ll say yes, I’m really happy for you.”

“Say yes to what?”

Tristan froze, and jammed the little box back into his pocket faster than I could blink.

“Say yes to what?” Sarah asked again, all smiles and energy, as always. Sarah was our cheerleader, so to speak. Always making people feel good and keeping things upbeat. It was something she did very well.

“Tristan was gonna ask you if he could listen to your IPod on the trip,” I said, letting him catch his breath. “He forgot his.”

“Aw of course, actually I just put the latest Sebastian Jericho album on there, and wow it is so good you guys...”

A collective groan from both of us cut her off, and she responded with a none too appropriate gesture of her own.

Nothing divided the group like Sebastian Jericho. The men hated him, the women loved him, and the battles were cruel and unforgiving.

Tristan had recovered from his near heart attack as Sarah dragged him to the van to help with her luggage, chattering on about her new album.

“Brad, do you have a sec?”

I turned, and my heart fell. Dana. I was going to miss her most, and this was my last chance to make sure we parted on good terms.

“I realize everyone else has probably made you feel bad enough about not coming, but I really wish you’d reconsider.”

“Yeah?” I asked, surprised. “Even after the other night?”

She bristled at that. “I’m sorry I flipped on you,” she said. “I know things have been kind of weird between us lately and I guess I just got fed up with it.”

“I’m sorry too,” I said, taking her hands in mine. “You know you’re more to me than just some girl that needs fixing. I’ve never thought of you that way, it’s just...you’re right, things have been weird lately, and I guess I got a little fed up as well.”

She smiled at that. “It’s okay.”

I sighed, one weight lifted off my shoulders at least.

“So are you sure you can’t come with us?” She asked, already knowing the answer

“I’m sorry Dana,” I said. Saying no to her was always so much harder than the others.

“Always the responsible one,” she said with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Well, I’ll send you lots of pictures, and when I get back...” She trailed off, then said, “When I get back I want to talk to you, I want to finish the conversation we were having the other night, just without the yelling this time, so...”

I smiled, though I’m sure mine didn’t reach my eyes either. “I’m looking forward to it, I’ll be waiting right here,” I said.

“Good, I’ll hurry back.”

She leaned in gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. Innocent enough but it still made my heart skip a beat.

“Hurry up Dana!” Ryan called, breaking us out of our little world. “We’re all packed, and there’s even room for people in here!”

I laughed and we walked to the RV. I took a good look at the group I would be doing without for the next month or so for the first time in six years.

“Hey,” I found myself calling. “Let me get a picture of all you guys first.”

They laughed and obliged me, shuffling into some sort of pose in front of the RV and I held up my phone. Everyone’s personality was shining through; everything I loved about each of them had never been more obvious as I took that picture.

We all said one last good bye as I watched them pile into the RV.

I watched them drive away, and despite the pit that was forming in my stomach, I kept telling myself that it was only a month.

I really believed that. I had no idea at the time how long I would be without them.

I had no idea what I would have to go through to get them back.

The Shaggy Dog

2012-11-01T22:24:00.000-07:00

Rain water trickles down the stone buildings and pools at his feet, the night air crisp and fresh now that the storm is over. The shaggy dog takes a quick drink from the puddle and plods on, his tail wagging behind him.

He is hungry, but he is usually hungry and tonight is no exception. At least there is plenty of water to drink as he plods on, and the city smells pleasant tonight as he scrounges for supper.

Emerging from the alleys the shaggy dog spies a young boy across the street, slumped on the ground with a hat held upside down in an outstretched, quivering hand. The shaggy dog tilts his head and whines, and the boy mutters something as everyone walks by.

The shaggy dog runs across the street and sits beside the boy. I notice you, the shaggy dog says, and receives a scratch behind the ear for his efforts. He wags his tail and plods on.

Leaning against a wall of brick spray painted with vibrant colors and symbols is a man with kind eyes talking on a cell phone. The shaggy dog sniffs the man's hand and smells a family, waiting for their father to arrive home from work.

"You're a tough little thing aren't you," the man says, his call on hold for now. "You look hungry. I'm sorry, I wish I had my arm to spare."

I understand, the shaggy dog says. He wags his tail and plods on.

The aroma of fresh baking catches his nose and the shaggy dog follows its scent to a pleasant little restaurant. Through the window he spies a large woman dressed in a fancy gown. She's at a table for one and the waiter brings her a glass of red wine. She smiles and thanks him, her happiness the best smelling thing in the restaurant. It makes him smile. He wags his tail and plods on.

The shaggy dog stops at a nearby puddle, taking a drink before he continues. He sees a woman holding hands with her daughter, the little girl pulling and tugging as she tries to leap from puddle to puddle, her laughter musical in its innocence. "Mommy!" she shouts and points to the shaggy dog, "A puppy!"

The shaggy dog smiles happily, he likes kids, they pat him on the head and tug on his fur. "He's hungry," the little girl says, "Can he come home with us mommy please?"

The woman looks at the shaggy dog and says, "Well little guy? Would you like that?"

The shaggy dog looks at the woman and her little girl. No thank you, he says. My home is out here. The little girl looks sad but the woman seems to understand. He thanks them both. He wags his tail and plods on.

He returns to his home, a den of newspaper and cardboard in a dingy little alleyway. Its late now as he circles a few times and then lays down, still hungry. The shaggy dog thinks for a while as his eyes get heavy. He didn't find any food tonight, but he met a lot of nice people. Maybe he will find food tomorrow he thinks as his eyes close and he drifts off to sleep. Until tomorrow, when he will wag his tail and plod on.

Dawn

2012-10-04T00:32:00.000-07:00

They had been driving for a few days now, stopping only every now and again. April’s eyes focused on the highway while Cam and Sharla sat in the back. Cam had been quite most of the trip, even more so than usual and Sharla couldn’t help but feel a tension in the air. Something was coming, and she suspected she was the only one who didn’t know exactly what it was. Her mind drifted back to the conversation they had when she returned to Spooky Burger.

“How is he?” She asked immediately.

April looked up, the pair had barely moved from where she had left them.

“He’s fine,” April said, “He’s healing quickly. He’s at his best here, this place protects him, it won’t let him go.”

“What about your wounds?” Sharla asked. “You took a few bad hits as well.”

April shook her head, “They’ll be fine, forget about me. What about you? What happened out there?”

“It’s over.” Sharla said, motioning to the sword and shotgun she still held. “I killed her.”

April smiled, a weight seemingly lifting from her shoulders. “You really are Cam’s successor then. He’s gonna be so proud.”

“What do you mean by that?” Sharla asked, her eyes narrowing. “I’m Cam’s partner, once he heals up things will be back to normal.”

April nodded, suddenly looking very sad. “You’re right, sorry. Listen we need to be gone by the time this place opens in the morning.”

“Agreed, we have an apartment not far from here, we can go there.”

“No!” Cam shouted, his voice causing them both to jump. Struggling to pull himself up, he said, “No, April, it’s time. You know where we need to go.”

Sharla rushed to his side, taking his weight as he leaned against her. “No we are going to the apartment so you can rest,” she growled at him. “It’s over now, the Girl is dead and we can relax.”

“No Sharla,” he said, meeting her eyes. “It’s not over yet. There’s one thing left, and then I will rest, I promise.”

Sharla stared at him for a moment, but she knew he wasn’t going to budge. She sighed and looked at April who only nodded.

“I’ll drive you,” she said.

It was going to be morning soon, and Cam’s wounds had since closed. He was walking on his own with little problem but he still wouldn’t be fighting for a while. Still the whole trip had Sharla on edge. April looked near tears the whole time, and Cam had seemed almost content. Every now and then she would catch him looking at her, his eyes bright with something she had never seen in them before. A thought had crept its way into her mind and she had forced it out at first, but now as the trip went on it she was having more and more difficulty ignoring it. Though it hurt her in more ways than she could count, she was forced to entertain her suspicions as to the purpose of this trip.

April took a sudden right turn onto a dirt road, eventually coming to a large patch of pavement on the outskirts of a large forest. “We’re here,” she said, turning off the engine and stepping outside. Cam took a deep breath and followed, and Sharla had to fight back tears as she too stepped out of the car.

Sharla could see the ruins of what was once a large building just off the highway, and realized they were standing in what was once a parking lot. The forest had reclaimed most of it and to Sharla it looked like just another abandoned building, but Cam and April looked at it fondly.

“Can you give us a minute Sharla?” Cam asked with a smile.

Sharla nodded, suddenly feeling very numb as she wandered towards the building, giving the two their space. She saw him hug April tightly, saw him whisper something in her ear, and saw her start to cry.

“Make sure you tell Ben and Cherry the same thing,” she heard him say and April nodded, hugging him again before stepping back. Cam nodded back and made his way over to her.

“I want to show you something,” he said, holding out his hand.

Nodding, Sharla steeled herself and took it, letting him lead her into the forest.

“There’s a town nearby,” Cam said as he walked with her. “It’s where I grew up. And that building is one of the first Spooky Burger’s ever built. It’s where I first started working, where I learned about everything that’s out there in the night, and it’s where I died.”

“Cam...” she started but he squeezed her hand and cut her off.

“Please...I want to tell you this, while I still have the courage.”

She grit her teeth, wanting to shout at him, wanting to scream that he didn’t have to do what she was now certain he was going to do, but she couldn’t. She loved him, and she had never seen him happier than he was now.

“I died fighting a werewolf. It was completely berserk and I was too young, too arrogant. I thought I could handle it. There were other factors that contributed but that’s the important part. April might still have a letter I left explaining the details. That was fifteen years ago now.

I’m a revenant. A soul with a body that’s long dead, and a powerful spirit that acts as the glue holding it all together. That spirit is the spirit of one of the first ever hunters, one of the first to fight against monsters like we do. That spirit and I worked together to continue our duty. For whatever reason, that spirit seemed to be entwined with Spooky Burger. It made me my strongest when I was there, and when I got too hurt or even took enough damage to kill a normal person, which happened a few times, the spirit would bring me back because we still had a job to do.”

Sharla took all this in as they walked deeper into the forest. Despite being too dark to see anything further than her hand in front of her face, Cam seemed to know exactly where he was going, and guided her expertly through the trees.

“Spooky Burger attracts those touched by the darkness, like you were attracted to it when you found me. It conspires to bring together people that have a grudge against those creatures that would prey on them. This one brought Ben, our cook, Cherry, our cashier, and April our delivery driver. We formed a team, and I trained them in hunting in the night. I taught them how they’d never need to be victims again. After a few years, another person came for the same reason. His name was Lyndsy.”

Cam smiled at the name. Sharla remembered hearing it before, when he and April were at each others throats before the Girl with The Dead Eyes had attacked.

“He was so young,” he said. “So naive; he was barely out of high school, working to save some money to pay for university. But somewhere along the way something had happened that brought him to us. So I taught him what I taught the others. What they shared the night with, how to see them, how to find them, and how to kill them. We all loved that kid, and for that reason I should have sent him home. But we thought we could handle it, that together we could handle anything that came at us.

But we couldn’t. Lyndsey died. He died because I was arrogant, because I over estimated our abilities. I never forgave myself for that. His death tore us apart, and we all went our separate ways after that. We crossed paths every now and again and April and the others would team up if there was something they couldn’t handle alone, but I never joined them. I never joined anyone. I swore I would work alone from now on, so no one else would get hurt.”

They stopped walking suddenly, and Cam took her hands, catching her eyes with his.

“When you first found me, sitting alone in a Spooky Burger in some dark city, I was terrified. You were exactly like him. You were just as young, just as determined, and I was just as sure I would get you killed too. To this day I still have no idea what made me take you on as an apprentice. But I’m glad I did.”

“Cam...” she said, but he cut her off again.

“You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me Sharla,” he said. “You are the hunter I should have been, you took the best I had to teach and made it better. I have never been more proud of anyone. You killed the Girl with The Dead Eyes, the single worst thing to walk the night when I couldn’t come anywhere close. And most of all, you were the girl who taught me what it meant to love again.”

Sharla gasped, unable to believe what she had just heard. “You...” she started, waiting for him to cut her off again but this time he let her speak. “You love me?”

He smiled and nodded. “I thought you'd want to know.”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner? You know how I feel about you...”

“Because it would have made what has to happen now that much harder.”

Tears slipped from her eyes as she asked, despite knowing the answer, “What comes now?”

Cam motioned behind him and Sharla finally noticed where they were, and why they had stopped.
They were standing on a grave; another laying nearby, each marked by a simple wooden cross.

“That one is Lyndsy’s,” he said, pointing to the nearby cross. “And the one we are standing on is mine.”

Sharla stepped back, wrapping her arms around herself tightly. “You can’t... you can’t expect me too...”

“It has to be you,” he said. “You’re the only one who can. You’ve succeeded me in every way. I don’t need to be here anymore. My time is long overdue. Please, Sharla, there’s one last creature of the night you need to kill.”

“I can’t,” she whispered. “I still need you...”

“No you don’t.” He said, his eyes threatening to give way to the same tears that fell from hers. “That sword you carry proves it.”

The Inquisitor’s blade. She had forgotten about it until now, slung at her side.

“That sword will be enough. It will keep me from coming back. Please Sharla, this is how it has to end.”

He was right, she knew that. He had been dead for a long time, and he had earned his rest. She had watched him fight so many horrible things; go through so much pain, because he had to. Now she could set him free. Then why was this so hard? Why couldn’t she stop crying when Cam seemed so happy?

She took a long look into his eyes. She had never seen him cry before. She doubted anyone had. But he was happy, smiling at her as she stepped into his arms.

She let him hold her there for a long time as she cried into his chest. He stroked her hair, and whispered that it would be okay, that she was strong enough now, that she would never have to be afraid again.

“I love you,” he said softly, and she looked up at him.

“I love you too,” she whispered back as she captured his lips in hers, taking the kiss she had wanted for so long.

And then she thrust the Inquisitor’s sword through his heart.

He stumbled backwards out of her embrace and fell to his knees, staring up at her with such love in his eyes that it made her weep as the white fire began to consume his body.

He didn’t flinch or show pain, he simply closed his eyes as the fire spread, until finally Cam was gone, the smoke and embers blowing in the wind.

Sharla picked up the sword and stared at the grave until the sun began to rise, until she had cried her tears for the man that had given her so much.

“I’ll come back and see you I promise. Goodbye...Cam.”

Drying her tears, she headed back to where April was waiting, the dawn making it easy to retrace her steps.

Emerging from the forest, she saw April waiting, her expression mirroring Sharla’s own.

“You made him happier than I ever saw him.” April said softly. “I’m glad he’s resting now.”

“Thanks for doing this April,” Sharla said. “Helping us in the fight, bringing us here, all of it.”

April smiled. “Forget it,” she replied quickly. “I need to tell Ben and Cherry what happened, and I think they really need to meet you. Want to come with me?”

Sharla thought for a moment as she took one last look at the forest where Cam now slept, and at the life she had lived alongside him. She loved him, but she would be okay. Finally she turned back to April with a smile.

“Sure,” she said. “Let’s go.”

Nightmare's End

2012-06-06T01:18:00.000-07:00

Though the rain was coming down strong enough to actually cause pain, Sharla’s attention was instead focused on the small shotgun she now held in her hands. She wasn’t aware that she had taken Cam’s weapon when she left Spooky Burger, but now that she had it she felt a little better about her chances. She wasn’t sure why exactly; after all she was on the trail of the worst monster to ever walk the earth, but having something of Cam’s with her seemed to help.

Cam... there was a whole other issue. What was he? A monster just like the ones they had hunted together? No, she refused to believe that. Cam was a lot of things, not the least of which was apparently being dead for the last however many years, but he was no monster. All Sharla knew for sure was that he was the best thing that ever happened to her, he was the source of her strength, and the reason she had left to pursue her target alone.

Well not exactly alone.

It had only been a few hours since she had left Cam in April’s arms to recover his strength and left Spooky Burger, but in that time she had gotten in touch with Wesley and asked him to have his contacts dig up what they could on any funny business with the local supernatural population. He got back to her within the hour, informing her that the word was out to stay the hell away from an old cemetery on the outskirts of town. A man was seen searching through the area and a pack of werewolves which claimed the graveyard as territory had turned up dead only a few hours ago.

If the Girl With the Dead Eyes had killed those werewolves, then Sharla knew there was only one person who would be hunting around that cemetery. The Inquisitor, the man she had seen in the park several nights ago, and a hunter without equal. His presence there and the timeline of the werewolves’ deaths all pointed to one thing.

The Girl With the Dead Eyes was hiding in the cemetery. The same cemetery Sharla now stood before, thick with the same inky blackness the Girl had oozed back in Spooky Burger. Sharla shuddered at the memory, recalling how the blackness had nearly devoured her, the feelings of hopelessness and despair still fresh but forced them to the back of her mind. She couldn’t afford to let her fear take her. She was the hunter here, and the Girl was prey.

A little clichéd, she thought, trying to focus on the scene in front of her, but I guess if she needed to lay low to heal up it makes sense. Either way it doesn't matter, wherever the Girl would have gone, I would have found her, and I will make sure it ends tonight. For Cam’s sake, and for mine.

Gripping Cam’s gun tightly in one hand and one of her own in the other, Sharla strode into the darkness, her eyes searching for her target, but finding only worn tombstones and crypts reclaimed by nature. It was obvious no one had tended to this place in a very long time. Yet that was the least of Sharla’s concerns. The further she walked, the more she could feel that this place was wrong. The Girl With the Dead Eyes had tainted this place, turned it into something far from natural.

Coming to a small clearing amidst the graves, she stopped and tried to look past the darkness, to listen past the deafening pounding of the rain, her senses on full alert, and trying to ignore the hammering of her heart. And then she leapt to the side, tucking into a brisk roll that saw her on her feet and firing her weapon within the blink of an eye.

The bullets slammed into the Inquisitor, and he stumbled in surprise for a split second before regaining his composure, seemingly unhurt by her attack.

“No human has ever sensed me coming when I was on the hunt,” he said, “Let alone been able to strike me. Who are you?”

Sharla kept her gun trained on the man, dressed in a ball cap and denim jacket, his jeans tucked into high cowboy boots. She couldn’t help but wonder why the monster that other monster’s feared would dress like a trucker. But despite his appearance however, Sharla was certain he wasn’t human, or anything close to it. Being near him was making her dizzy, and an inkling of doubt began to creep into her heart as she realized the rain wasn’t touching him. The droplets of water seemed to land everywhere but on him, and it took her a few moments to realize that the storm was on his side. It was one of his weapons. Now she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was right smack in the middle of a battle between two very powerful, very different monsters.

“Girl,” he spoke again, his eyes narrowing. “If you stay here you will die, that’s a promise. I will give you one chance to run as fast as you can. You have no place here.”

This time Sharla replied, filling her voice with as much courage as she could muster.

“First of all, my name is Sharla, and second, I do have a place here,” she said, “And it’s standing above the Girl with the Dead Eye’s corpse. And yours too, if necessary.”

The Inquisitor stared at her a moment, his mouth slightly agape then threw back his head and laughed.

“Not only are you the first person to ever dodge an attack of mine, you are the first to strike me, the first to threaten me, and the first to be so foolish as to hunt the Nightmare. I can see myself liking you.”

“The Nightmare?” Sharla asked. “What do you mean?”

“Who you call the Girl with the Dead Eyes, we call the Final Nightmare. It is what she became when she drank the source of her power.”

“And what was that?”

The Inquisitor frowned in disgust. “The blood of one of us.”

Sharla’s eyes widened as she tried to process this. “That’s...the blood of an Inqusitor is what made her?”

He shook his head, “No, it is what made her so powerful, but before that she was a vampire, a vampire of exceptional origin but a vampire nonetheless. Fate conspired to bring about her transformation into the Final Nightmare, and since then I have hunted her. Tonight that hunt is at an end. She is wounded, somehow her power is fading. Now more than ever she is vulnerable.”

“Cam’s blood,” she said. “The Girl drank it and it was like poison to her.”

The Inquisitor raised an eyebrow at her. “The Revenant? The Hunter Spirit’s vessel? Yes his blood would be anathema to a creature like her. So you must be his protégé then?”

“Um...Cam trained me yeah,” she said, “But what’s this about a Revenant? Or Hunter Spirit?”

“Ask him yourself girl, if he even knows the power which anchors him here. We are content to leave him be, so long as he does not forget his place.”

“His place,” she spat suddenly annoyed with the Inquisitor’s attitude, “Is killing monsters that prey on people. It’s my place too and that’s why I’m here, or did you forget already? And what about your place? What role do you play here? When the Girl is dead, will that be the last we ever hear of Inquisitors?”

He seemed thoughtful for a moment, before answering, “Until the next Nightmare comes along I suppose. But I wouldn’t worry about that just yet,” he said, his eyes drifting upwards, and Sharla followed his gaze before letting out a gasp.

The moon, the stars, the entire sky had been blocked out by the darkness.

“This Nightmare is already here,” he said, as a bolt of lightning seared through the darkness, deafening in its intensity as it slammed into the ground and illuminated the Girl with the Dead Eyes.

“Inquisitors and their storms,” she sang, as she revealed herself, her arms held loosely at her sides as she swayed back and forth. “Do you think you can wash me away? The last Inquisitor I met tried that, and I killed him and drank his blood. Before that I devoured my sire, and then I devoured the aspect of fate that created me. I wrote my own destiny. I am absolute. I am the end. I am everything, and I am nothing.”

She paused, her gaze running up and down Sharla, then said, “Oh and one other thing...after devouring your poisonous boyfriend, I am seriously pissed off!”

And then the darkness came alive and attacked, just as it had done in Spooky Burger. Sharla fired her weapon as the Girl flew towards her with claws and fangs bared. The bullets struck true and the Girl faltered just enough for Sharla to leap out of the way. More darkness flew at her, intent on impaling her as it did Cam, but this time the Inquisitor’s lightning intercepted the attacks, initiating a titanic battle of the most primal forces. Amidst the clash of light and dark, Sharla and the Inqusitor found themselves side by side as the Girl attacked again, a raging demon intent on Sharla’s life but met the Inquisitor instead as he too attacked, the two colliding in mid air.

The Inquisitor proved every bit as ferocious a fighter as the Girl, and for a moment Sharla was paralyzed by the sight before her. Watching the clash of claws and teeth, the lightning crashing into the darkness as both tried to strike their targets, she was certain she didn’t belong here.

Shaking those thoughts from her mind, she focused instead on something else she was certain of. While the Girl was able to match the Inquisitor blow for blow, she was nowhere near the level she had been at Spooky Burger. At Spooky Burger there had been an overwhelming sense of hopelessness, of loss.

What did the Girl say earlier? That she was an Absolute? She thought. Yeah, that’s what was at Spooky Burger, but that’s not what’s here now. Cam’s blood is still running through you bitch, and it’s making you weak.

The Inquisitor raised his hand to the sky and lightning answered his call, this time striking his outstretched hand and taking shape, becoming a brilliant sword that the Inquisitor used to deflect a blow from the Girl before countering, the slash leaving an arc of white fire in the air.

The Girl leapt back, only suffering a glancing blow that was already healing as she and the Inquisitor clashed again, his sword lighting the darkness as the two battled. Unfortunately even with his blade, The Girl was proving stronger, and her attacks were keeping the Inquisitor on the defensive.

Seeing an opening, Sharla fired her weapon for all it was worth, pausing only briefly when she heard the gun click empty to reload, and in a flash she was firing again, all the while moving towards the Girl and giving the Inquisitor time to recover. She knew her bullets wouldn’t do any real damage, but Cam’s gun was different. The gun had seriously injured the Girl back in Spooky Burger, and from the moment she first took it she knew it was more than just a gun, but a bane of monsters, and the longer she held it, the more certain she was that it was her best chance of winning this fight. Trying to get close enough so Cam’s shotgun could do some real damage, Sharla continued firing, forcing the Girl to stumble back. Finally close enough, Sharla drew Cam’s shotgun and fired. The gun seemed to glow in her hand as the bullets tore a hole through the Girl’s chest and knocked her to the ground.

The Inquisitor took that moment to charge, thrusting his sword toward the prone Girl with murder in his eyes. Sharla knew he smelled the kill, just as she did.

And then she saw the Girl grin.

“Wait!” she screamed, but the Inquisitor was already committed to his attack.

Before Sharla could blink the Girl had struck, playing possum and luring the Inquisitor to her as leapt to her feet, deflecting his attack as her fist slammed through the Inquisitor’s chest and out his back, his heart clutched in her hand.

Sharla could only watch in horror as the Inquisitor eyes widened, his sword dropping to the ground beneath him as he went limp around the Girl’s arm.

The Girl’s grin became a wide smile as she opened her mouth, her fangs seeking the neck of her prey, but the Inquisitor jerked up, and with fire in his eyes, he raised his hand to the sky.

“You won’t have another of us!” he snarled, “Not ever again!”

The lightning crashed into them both and the Girl howled with pain as she and the Inquisitor burned. When the lightning receded the Inquisitor was gone, reduced to ash by his own attack, leaving the Girl badly burnt, but alive. Her eyes focused on Sharla now, her rage overflowing but her strength fading.

Her wounds aren’t healing anymore, Sharla thought as the Girl staggered towards her. And the moonlight is breaching the darkness; her control over it is slipping. She can’t keep this up. Between Cam’s blood and the Inquisitor, she can barely stand.

“His blood would have washed away the poison inside me,” she muttered, still staggering towards Sharla. “And then I would have had my way with you, for everything you have done to me. After that I would have gone back to that restaurant and slaughtered your boyfriend and that other bimbo, and anyone else even remotely connected to any of you.”

The Girl stumbled towards her, “This shouldn’t be happening to me. Me! I am absolute! A Demon among Demons, I am above angles, an all consuming entity! But most of all I am immortal, and I will not be killed by a little girl like you!”

The Girl shot forward, her speed belying the severity of her wounds as her claws reached for Sharla, but Sharla was faster. Ducking the attack Sharla pushed forward into a roll, gripping the Inquisitor’s blade in her hand as she passed over it and stood, whirling around as the Girl raced at her again. Time seemed to slow and for a moment, Sharla saw with startling clarity. With a strength born of a conviction she never knew she possessed, Sharla plunged the sword deep into the Girl’s heart.

The blade burned brightly with white fire as it found its mark and the Girl’s eyes widened in shock as the flames began to engulf her.

“You were a little girl once too,” Sharla said, her voice soft as she aimed Cam’s shotgun. “I hope that little girl finds some peace.”

The blast scattered the Girl’s head into pieces as she fell backwards to the ground; the white fire continuing to burn unfettered by the rain until at last, the fire had consumed all of the Girl With the Dead Eyes.

Only when the fire had consumed the entirety of the Girl did it burn out and only when Sharla was certain there was nothing left did she allow herself to look away and towards the sky. The Girl’s darkness was gone, and the moon and stars had never shined so bright.

And then, finally, the rain stopped.

Sharla fell to the ground, staring up at the night sky. And then she laughed, letting all the terror and all the hopelessness and despair leave her. Not just the feelings brought on by the Girl With the Dead Eyes, but brought on by that first vampire that had tried to turn her in her kitchen all those years ago on prom night, by all the other monsters she had seen since joining Cam.

She had just killed the worst monster the world had ever known. As Sharla laughed she realized she would never have to be afraid again.

Finally, she felt herself able to stand back up, and with the Inquisitor’s sword in one hand and Cam’s gun in the other, she turned and headed back to Spooky Burger, and back to Cam, her Nightmare finally over.

In Love's Name

2012-03-01T21:56:00.000-08:00

Sharla ran through her kitchen as fast as she could, the monster at her heels.

Looking down at Cam, bloody and torn as she held him in her arms, she couldn’t help but feel ridiculous.

The monster had masqueraded as him for so long, she couldn’t believe she hadn’t seen it until now.

Because the truth of it was...

She grabbed a knife off the counter and turned to face her attacker.

This was not the first time she had fallen in love with someone already dead.

The monster with his face struck. She fell to the floor, the knife slipping from her grip. He gripped her wrists, pinning her to the floor as he positioned himself over top of her.

It was hard not to take that sort of thing personally.

His teeth sunk into her neck and he began to drink, her blood flowing down his throat and he seemed to relax into her.

Cam had told her that vampires could fortify their charm with supernatural power, to make you feel whatever they wanted, but she knew that hadn’t been the case.

All the time they spent together, she had never thought to question why she only saw him in the evening, or why this sophisticated college boy had paid all this attention to her and no one else.

She had genuinely loved him, she was sure. But Cam gave her a reason to forgive herself for that. To forgive herself from being taken in by something that was far from human. She had always been thankful for that.

She felt tired, sluggish, but she wouldn’t give up. He sat up, using his nails to open a thin cut on his wrist. She reached out, her fingers desperately searching for the knife.

And here she had gone and done it again.

Pressing his wrist to her mouth, he said, “Drink, and we will be together forever.” Her eyes widened in horror, and now she realized why he never wanted anything in return for the affections he lavished on her. He was waiting for tonight. Waiting for her to be ready in his eyes.

The silly thing was that Cam had, in his own way, warned her away from this a hundred times. But she had fallen in love with him anyway. And when she began to flirt with him a little more than usual, he had told her a romance between them was impossible.

Her hand found the knife as she struggled to keep the blood from passing through her lips.

She had thought he was worried about letting their relationship become personal, a valid concern in their line of work, but she was sure he felt something too. She was sure that sooner or later, they would be together.

He closed his eyes as the blood began to seep its way into her mouth, and then she struck, driving the knife deep into the side of his skull.

But Cam was already dead, and now she wasn’t sure if he had ever felt anything at all.

He howled in pain, slumping against her and with her last bit of strength she managed to shove him off. Slowly she pulled herself to her feet, her legs threatening to give out at any moment. She felt lightheaded, and only now realized how much blood he had taken.

But that didn’t matter now. Gently, she let her arms release their grip on him and stood up. “Take care of him until he wakes up,” she said to April, who only nodded. The fire in Sharla’s eyes left no room for questions, and April had her own wounds to attend to.

She limped out of the house, both her blood and his staining her prom dress a deep crimson.

She strode out of Spooky Burger and into the pouring rain, now coming down stronger than ever. It too, could sense what she could.

She would find out what happened. She would find out what that monster had been.

There was a very powerful, but very injured monster out there, and she would do what Cam had taught her to do. Now was her only chance and she would not let it pass her by.

And when she had learned what it was she would ensure that she would never be a victim again. She would make sure no one would ever be a victim again.

Because Cam was still everything to her. He had taught her how to walk the night unafraid, trained her to fight the monsters that would otherwise prey on people like her. But most of all because even knowing the truth about him, she still loved him.

She didn’t know it yet, but she would become a Hunter.

She had never been more certain of anything in her life. She would kill the Girl With the Dead Eyes.

Three Hunters and the Truth

2011-12-12T14:13:00.000-08:00

All hell had broken loose at Spooky Burger.

At least that was the only way Sharla could think of to describe the scene playing out in front of her. The blackness that fell from the Girl with the Dead Eyes was steadily consuming everything around it, pooling at their feet and covering the restaurant in darkness. Her fingers had become grotesque talons, and her mouth was full of vampiric fangs.

Sharla had faced down enough creatures and been in enough outlandish and seemingly impossible situations over her years spent with Cam to be considered an experienced hunter, despite her youth. And yet this was the worst of them all. This was different than the feeling of inferiority a vampire instilled, different than the chill of a restless spirit or the panic brought forth by a werewolf. This girl embodied hopelessness, an all consuming despair. To Sharla, this girl was the end, pure and simple.

“Wesley,” Cam barked, “Get your crew out of here and leave this to me. Sharla, April, you too, I don’t want you guys anywhere near this thing.”

Wesley nodded his eyes wide with horror as ran to the back. Sharla however glared at Cam.

“I’m not leaving you alone, you should know better by now.”

Cam opened his mouth to reply before April cut him off.

“Shut up Cam, we’ll fight together, just like old times.”

Cam sighed in resignation before turning his full attention back to the girl in front of them.

“Fine. How silly of me to worry about your safety.”

Sharla gave him a lopsided grin, “Yeah well, don’t do it again.”

With that, Cam and April sprung into action and began fighting in perfect sync, as though they had been doing this forever as they engaged the girl, covering each other and splitting the girl’s focus.

They pressed the attack as best they could; trying to keep the creature off balance, but the darkness was ever growing and acting as weapon in and of itself. Inky blackness shot forth from the pool, as solid and as sharp as any blade forcing Cam and April to quickly dodge or parry. As it was, neither of them was able to get close enough to the girl to land a solid attack.

Sharla darted around the darkness as it leapt at her, her speed and agility her greatest asset as she lined up the girls head with the barrels of her twin revolvers. Squeezing the triggers, her shots rang out with a deafening crash, only for her heart to sink as the darkness reached out and swatted both bullets from the air. Refusing to let that deter her from supporting Cam in this battle, she quickly dodged the darkness’ counterattack and fired again, this time one of the bullets finding its mark in the side of the girl’s head.

The Girl with the Dead Eyes turned and roared, the roar of a true predator, and as her eyes locked with Sharla, Sharla froze. Suddenly the feelings of hopelessness and despair that radiated from the girl intensified. She knew, knew down to her very core that they would die here; swallowed by the black. Sharla knew she was nothing more than prey. Then, as quickly as those feelings attacked her they disappeared, as Cam’s fist came crashing across the monster’s face, breaking the eye contact and freeing Sharla from its spell.

The girl slashed with her talons, catching Cam as he leapt back and leaving deep cuts across his chest. He hissed in pain but otherwise continued to fight. Sharla would have been worried but in her time with him she had seen him absorb an almost inhuman amount of punishment and he always came out okay. She had no idea how he did it, and she hated it every time he got hurt, but he still insisted on going toe to toe with these monsters.

The girl continued to focus on Cam, slashing with her talons and snapping with her teeth, more animal than human, and the darkness continued to intercept the bullets Sharla fired at it. So focused was the girl on Cam and Sharla that she didn’t seem to notice that April had managed to get behind her until her tire iron had struck the side of her head, and for the first time, the Girl With the Dead Eyes fell to the ground.

“Sharla fights exactly like Lindsy did,” April said as she moved beside Cam, helping him regroup. “Any particular reason you trained her that way?”

“Focus April,” Cam said with a wince, blood dripping down his chest as the Girl With the Dead Eyes stood up, seemingly none the worse for where from their repeated attacks.

“I’ve finished playing,” The girl said, her voice hypnotizing in its purity. “Time for supper.”

Bracing for an attack, Sharla suddenly felt the darkness beneath her feet leap up to engulf her, covering her from head to toe in the inky blackness as she felt her herself being pulled beneath the surface, and only then did she realize the depths of the abyss they were standing on. The infinity that this blackness represented, and the true power of the Girl With the Dead Eyes. She could hear Cam shout her name, but it was faint, as though he was a distant echo. It was soothing here, peaceful, and she remembered she was supposed to be scared, supposed to be fighting, but she simply couldn’t remember why. She could see the girl, full of warmth, her arms protective as she embraced her.

Suddenly there was a hand, a cold hand invading the warmth and wrenching her away, back into the cold, back into the fear and back into the fight. Sharla opened her eyes to see Cam’s arms holding her close, his eyes filled with worry, and for the first time, fear.

“Cam move!” April screamed, and just as the words had left her mouth Cam had thrown Sharla into April’s arms as the girl descended upon him. The darkness was too fast, impaling Cam upon multiple blades as the girl’s talons gripped him and her fangs sank deep into his throat as she began to drink.

“NO!” Sharla roared, pulling herself from April’s grasp and firing every bullet she had at the girl, her heart sinking as the darkness moved faster than she could see, but she could hear the sounds of her bullets being deflected.

April moved to attack but the darkness struck again, tearing several deep cuts across her chest and forcing her back. She grimaced and fought through the pain, ignoring the blood that seeped from the deep wounds as she prepared to attack again. However she stopped short when she saw the girl suddenly release Cam from her grip, her face contorted in pain.

The girl looked at Cam with wide eyes, and then began to wretch, her body heaving as it revolted against the tainted blood, trying to force it out, her hacking coughs deafening. And Cam, impaled upon the blades of darkness, blood pouring from his torn throat with a smile on his face and his shotgun in his hand, pointed it flat against the girl as she looked at him.

There was a flash of light and a monstrous crash as he pulled the trigger, and the girl howled in agony as her head was blown clean off, falling backwards into the darkness, the inky blackness swallowing her up even as her hacking coughs persisted. The darkness suddenly receded as quickly as it had spread, and within seconds was gone altogether. The Girl With the Dead Eyes had retreated.

Sharla rushed to Cam and caught him as he fell, her eyes meeting his as she held him close.

“You can’t die,” she said softly, both to him and to herself. “You can’t die, you understand, you’re gonna be fine, you can’t die...”

Cam looked at her and chuckled, the sound coming out a gargle as his throat continued to bleed. He motioned to April, and she came to kneel beside him.

“Tell her...” he said softly, before closing his eyes and drifting into sleep.

Terrified she had lost him, Sharla was suddenly filled with a sense of relief as she saw he was still breathing. She knew Cam would pull through, they just had to get him to a hospital, but Cam was tough and he would survive. He always did. She made to stand but April placed a hand on her arm.

“He’ll be fine,” April said to her, “But he needs to stay here, trust me.”

Sharla looked at her in shock. “You can’t be serious, he’ll die if we don’t get him help, we need to go right now...”

April shook her head firmly, cutting her off.

“Sharla, Cam hasn’t told you something pretty important.”

Sharla stared at the woman, but suddenly Cam’s words flashed in her mind, just now realizing what he had said. “He said ‘tell her’, what did he want you to tell me?”

April sighed heavily, “Sharla, Cam is already dead. He died a long time ago, long before I or any of the others of our team ever met him.”

Sharla just stared at her incredulously. “What? What do you mean? That’s...that can’t be....”

“Sharla,” April said again, her voice soft. “Cam is dead. He’s been dead for over ten years. But this place...” she gestured with her hand, and Sharla took a good long look at the Spooky Burger restaurant. “This place brought him back, and it keeps him from crossing over, it keeps him fighting monsters.”

Sharla was speechless. She had seen the dead walk before, even before tonight she had seen things that simply should not have existed but did. But she never thought.... She could only gaze down at Cam, who looked so peaceful in his slumber, despite his wounds.

April put her hand on the girl’s back. “Cam will be back,” she said, “He always gets up and comes back. Don’t worry; you’ll get to talk to him again as soon as he wakes up.”

Sharla simply gazed at the man in her arms, before finally breaking down, the night’s events proving too much. Holding him as tight as she could, she wept.

Three Hunters and the Nightmare

2011-06-30T00:41:00.000-07:00

Why Cam insisted they come to this dingy restaurant she’d never know. He claimed that all Spooky Burger restaurants were safe havens for people like them, and that they were always aware of the supernatural goings on in whatever city they happened to be in, but Sharla had yet to see any evidence of that.

Despite her protests, Cam had nevertheless dragged her to one the very first day they had arrived in this city, and she remembered him being pleasantly surprised to find an old friend running the night shift. Apparently they used to work together a long time ago, with him running the day shift and Cam running the night. But when she asked for more details he had told her, in no uncertain terms, that this was not a conversation he intended to have with her for a while.

And so every time Cam came to Spooky Burger, which was often, Sharla sat in silence, ordered the most expensive items on the menu, made Cam pay for them, and then refused to eat them. She was nothing if not vindictive.

Tonight would be no different, as Sharla placed an order of Terrifying Terriyaki Chicken Wings along with many other such delights she had no intention of touching, all the while very aware of the fact that the now nightly rain had soaked her clothes to the point that they clung to her so tightly she may as well have not been wearing any. This was not lost on the boy behind the counter, whose gaze proved he loved every second of her misery.

She moved closer to Cam, taking solace in the fact that at the very least he was as wet and miserable as she seemed to be.

“I’m not paying for that,” he grumbled as the boy that had previously been giving her his full attention now focused on ringing in her order.

“But Cam,” she said sweetly, dragging the words out just a touch. “I’m really hungry, and I’m cold and wet and those chicken wings are so warm and yummy, and you aren’t going to warm me up so...”

“Dammit Sharla, I have met zombies whose company I enjoy more. Honest to God zombies.”

She laughed, enjoying his irritation as always. “I said I could stay at the apartment, but you were all ‘no it’s better you come with me tonight and order a whole bunch of that crappy food that no one eats but me and make sure that my time here is as crappy as yours.’”

He gave her a look that would send chills down the spine of a normal person, but Sharla met his glare with ease, until Cam finally backed down with a sigh.

“Seriously,” he muttered, “Zombies.”

Before Sharla could continue the banter they enjoyed with each other, a voice from behind the counter spoke up.

“Cam, and Sharla, my two best customers. It’s good to see you guys.”

Cam turned and regarded the man with a nod. “Wesley, glad you’re still doing well.”

While Wesley was the only thing about the dingy restaurant Sharla could stand, she nevertheless couldn’t help but be amused by his appearance. He was the night shift supervisor, but Cam had told her that he was also a rather accomplished hunter, and yet his appearance certainly did not suggest so. He was a short, and skinny, his unkempt red hair making him look more like a boy than a full grown and renowned hunter. Still, Sharla could see how it could work for him; after all had Cam not told her of him, she never would have taken him seriously. She imagined many other things in the night had made that mistake.

“Hey Wesley,” she said with a smile. “We were wondering if you could help us out.”

“Guys,” Wesley said, holding up his hands, his voice suddenly anxious, and Sharla noticed him give a quick glance toward the front doors. “I know you need info, and I’d like to help, but it’s not a great time right now. It would be better if you guys took off. Can you come back tomorrow night?”

Cam frowned and Sharla gave him a look. They had come to Wesley many times before and the man had always been accommodating. Tonight something was definitely wrong.

“It’s nothing personal,” he said quickly, noticing the look in Cam’s eye. “It’s just that she’s gonna be back any second, she just got into town and when she stopped in I asked her if she would mind taking care of a job for me, and I know you guys have a bit of a history and...”

A scream cut him off. Not a real one, but the terrible synthesized scream that played every time someone entered the restaurant.

“Aw hell,” Wesley muttered.

By the time Sharla had sensed the attack coming Cam had already deflected the blow, countering with a shove that pushed the attacker back.

It had been a long time since Sharla had failed to sense an attack. She regarded the attacker and was surprised at what she saw. It had been a long time since she had been surprised as well.

The woman was dressed in a tight tube top which did little to hide her chest, and a pair of very dirty overalls, covered in what Sharla could only assume was motor oil. Her long hair was pulled back under a bandanna, and a tire iron graced her right hand; her weapon of choice it seemed.

“Glad you’re still in shape,” the woman grinned, but Sharla saw no humor there. This woman was cold as ice, it showed in her eyes, in the way she regarded Cam. “I wonder if your little girl is as good as you.”

Sharla bristled at that and readied herself for an attack, but Cam stepped in front of her, his voice equally as cold as he spoke.

“Good to see you too April. It's been a long time.”

“Yes it has,” she said. “Years at least. You've changed from the Cam I remember though. I wonder if you've toughened up any, fighting our fight all on your own.”

“If it’s a fight you want we’ll do it outside. Spooky Burger is not the place.”

April laughed, “Still the boss huh? Guess not much has changed after all.” With that her tire iron disappeared into her overalls, and her demeanor seemed to warm. “How about we take a reign check on that whole fight thing for now?”

Cam didn't relax however. He regarded her with an icy stare. “Why are you here April?”

“The job,” she said simply. “Helping out our old friend Wesley with a problem, which I took care of. But don’t worry, I’m only passing through. I’m leaving again later tonight. In my new car by the way, to replace the one you destroyed.”

He sighed. “I’ve apologized about that a thousand times.”

“I know, don't worry I forgive you, after all that crash cost you your eye, so it sort of evened out in the end.”

He growled, and Sharla tentatively put her hand on his arm, hoping he would relax.

He did, and April raised an eyebrow.

“What’s this Cam? Letting your little stray get all close and snugly? That’s so unlike you.”

Sharla grit her teeth. This woman had already rubbed her the wrong way, but that did it. She shot forward, her hand drawing her gun but just as fast Cam stopped her and gave her a stern look. It was a look she had seen only once before, and he had given it to her just as she was about to rush something very powerful. She had learned her lesson that day, and today it was heeded once again.

“Did you forget, April?” Cam said, turning back to her. “All of you were strays before I found you. The only reason you and the others are still alive tonight is because of the skills I taught you.”

“Oh really?” April growled, her eyes narrowing. “Try telling that to Lindsy. It didn’t take long for your skills to knock our group from five to four.”

If Cam was on edge before, he was well and truly mad now. That comment changed things. “Keep talking,” he said slowly, “And I’ll knock that number down to three.”

“Seems we’re gonna get that fight after all,” she said, her tire iron reappearing in her hand.

“You’ve gotta stop them,” Wesley said quietly, and Sharla only barely remembered he was there. “If those two go at it they could very well kill each other.”

Sharla moved to say something, but the synthesized scream again interrupted them. An air of malice filled them and a sudden chill shot through the restaurant. Cam and April were immediately at each other’s sides, their differences seemingly forgotten and they stood as true teammates who had battled side by side many times before.

The visitor was a girl younger than Sharla, dressed all in black, but her harmless appearance radiated evil the likes of which she had never felt before. The others felt it too, and as Sharla stood with Cam at her side, she could see the visitor wasn't simply wearing black, but rather was composed of it. The thick inky substance dripped from the girl, pooling at her feet and spreading towards them.

“What the hell is that?” April muttered, “We’ve been killing monsters a long long time but I’ve never seen something like that before.”

The girl gave a lopsided grin, “I was on a diet,” she said, her voice melodic, almost pure, and Sharla felt herself absorbed by her words, unable to put her attention anywhere else. “But I saw this place and everything inside looked so tempting, I couldn’t help myself I knew I just had to eat it all.”

A deafening crash of thunder shook them all out of their trance, the rain smashing into the windows, seemingly directly aimed at the girl.

Refocusing on the girl, April asked, “Vampire?”

Cam shook his head, “Maybe once, but not anymore.”

“That's her," Sharla said, more to herself than the others. “The Girl With the Dead Eyes. She's here.”

Cam nodded and April scowled.

“Spooky Burger is our territory,” she said. “It empowers us and weakens monsters like her. We have the advantage here. Between the three of us, we can do this.”

Sharla made a mental note to ask Cam about the advantage of Spooky Burger later, as if this place couldn’t be any more ridiculous as she steeled herself.

Slowly, the three spread out, moving to surround the girl. April had her tire iron in hand as she flanked the left, Sharla her various firearms as she moved right, and Cam had slipped his brass knuckles on his hands as he took the center, his shotgun hanging loosely from its holster beneath his coat.

The inky blackness moved ever closer, and the girl and her deranged grin held her arms out, as though she welcomed them.

As the attack began, it was Sharla who first noticed them. The eyes of the girl, they must have been beautiful once, a long time ago. Bright and colorful, full of life.

Now however they were just the opposite. Dull, empty.

Dead.

And looking into those eyes, it was Sharla who first realized the true depths of the abyss they now faced.

The Girl Who Became a Hunter

2011-05-15T00:10:00.000-07:00

The door slammed behind her, and as it did so a little speaker above it gave what she assumed was supposed to be a scary moan. She looked around, and for a brief moment she debated saying ‘screw it’ and going back out into the rain.

She couldn’t believe how seriously this place took itself for a little fast food joint. Everything was Halloween themed, even though it was currently August. Even the food was given a ‘spooky’ twist. Somewhat skeptical she approached the gangly teenager standing alone behind the counter.

“Um, I’ll have a...oh gross...a ‘Hand Burger’,” she said with a grimace. “And a small ‘Black Bile?’ What the hell is that?”

“It’s just regular fountain soda,” the cashier said back to her, his eyes never meeting hers, though they flickered over her form and lingered on her chest, and she gave a groan in disgust.

“So why don’t you just call it that? Who comes in here and says ‘oh yeah that Black Bile sounds awesome right about now,’?”

“You’ll like it,” he said, trying to be as charming as someone staring at her chest could be. “It’s just a silly name.”

She shook her head and handed him the money, then took the opportunity to look around, searching for the reason she had come not just to this restaurant, but to this city in the first place.

After several months of looking, after following nothing but rumors and whispers through a dozen different cities, she had finally gotten a solid lead. When he was in a city with a Spooky Burger, he always came in around midnight for food. And sure enough, sitting in a corner booth, gazing out the window with a cup of what she assumed was Black Bile in his hand, was the man she had been searching for.

Taking her food, she steeled herself and walked towards him.

“Mind if I sit here?” She asked, motioning to the empty seat across from him, trying to be charming, trying to be polite or flirty or whatever it would take to make him say yes, to make him hear her out.

He looked up at her and she could see his description hadn’t been exaggerated. Tall and lean, one eye concealed by an eye patch, head kept bald by choice, and countless scars on his arms, hands, and, she suspected, many other places that were currently hidden by the tattered clothing he wore.

He studied her for a moment, before motioning with his hand towards the empty spot.

She smiled and sat, unwrapping her Hand Burger, and finding that it was, in fact, a burger shaped like a hand.

“It’s a little off-putting at first,” he said, his gaze back out the window. “But it’s good.”

She set the burger back on its tray. “Actually I’m not really hungry. I mostly came to talk to you, if you can believe that.”

“I can,” he said and turned to face her. “After all, it's been pretty impressive of you to track me this far, and I wasn’t making it easy on you either.”

Her eyes widened at that. “What...? You knew I was looking for you? How?”

“I have friends who keep me in the loop.”

“Did they say anything else?”

“No, but I did my homework on you, just to make sure you weren’t going to try and kill me.”

She almost didn’t want to know, but the question was out of her mouth before she could stop it. “What did you find out about me?”

He grinned. “You’re 22 years old, which is far too young to be looking for someone like me. I know you could have had a free ride into any college you chose based on your academic scores. I know you were head cheerleader all through high school, and that you were voted prom queen, obviously, but you never attended prom, which I found a little strange because given your looks I’m sure you had about a hundred potential dates lined up. How am I doing so far?”

“And here I thought I was being careful,” she said, thoroughly impressed, and thoroughly disturbed that he had learned so much despite her best efforts to keep concealed.

“But none of that really matters to me.” He said. “What is it you want from me so badly that you followed me so far from home?”

She scowled at this. “I don’t have a home, not anymore. And what I want is your help.”

“I’m not good for much,” he said. “I don’t think I can help you with anything.”

“Actually I hear you’re the best in this particular field.”

“And what field is that?”

“Killing monsters,” she said bluntly.

He looked her over briefly then said, “And what do you know about that?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I know they’re real, that they’re out there and the prey on us. I know that because they tried to prey on me. I could have rolled over and died but I didn’t. I lived, I was smart, patient. I did my research, met some people, until finally I heard a rumor.”

“About me?”

“Yes. To put it very simply, I want you to teach me.”

He chuckled. “I can’t do that, I don’t take students.”

“Tough,” she shot back. “I’m not so far removed from my past that I’ve gotten used to not getting my way. I’m not going to be prey for some...thing...out there. Not again. Ever.”

For a long time the man was silent, and his eye never left hers. She could see he was mulling over something in his head, could see the gears turning. Finally, after what felt like hours, he extended a hand.

“Cam,” he said.

She grinned, “I know, Sharla.” she said, shaking his hand.

“I know.”

Two Hunters and A Plan

2011-04-30T01:05:00.001-07:00

Sharla raised an eyebrow. “For real? That’s the big bad to end all big bads?”

He nodded, “That's what they say.”

“That’s a terrible name.”

“Well I didn’t make it up, that’s just what they call her.”

“Who are 'they' in this case? Cause seriously that’s a dumb name and 'they' should feel silly.”

Cam rubbed his temples, and Sharla grinned. He always did that when she bugged him.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Why does it matter?”

“Well if this girl is so scary that an Inquisitor is hunting her then she should have a cool name.”

“Like what?”

“Like Ashoka the World Eater...”

“That sounds like a scary pornstar.”

“How about Larisha the Devourer...”

“So does that.”

“Or Illyria the...”

“These are all terrible names. Also I think that last one has been used already.”

“Whatever,” she scoffed. “I’m just saying that it’s a very non-threatening name, very sixteen and emo.”

“Experience there?”

“It was a phase," she said quickly. "A brief one.”

He couldn’t help but smile as he finished his drink.

“See,” she said. “I’m already helping.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” he muttered.

“Oh yes you do,” she said leaning forward and trying to meet his gaze. “I haven't seen you smile all week, you’ve been acting all dark and weird. You know if you were stressed out you should have just told me...”

“Please not this again,” he grumbled.

“I’d have found a quicker way to help you relax.”

“I’m stealing a smoke.”

“Well hopefully not too quick,” she said, “But it would be way more fun for both us than all your brooding.”

“It’s not gonna happen Sharla, sorry to disappoint. And I wasn't brooding."

“Fine,” she said, unable to keep from grinning. “But the offer stands. I’m just glad you’re feeling better. Having you off your game is...weird...I guess.”

“I’m sorry I worried you.” He said. “But you have to understand that I'm operating on rumors and spooky stories instead of hard facts, which is not something I'm used to. Inquisitors weren't supposed to exist; yet here we are. And what's worse is that if an Inquisitor is hunting something, then that something is supposedly so horrible, so powerful, that the planet itself is literally rejecting its presence. The Girl With the Dead Eyes is supposedly just that. A creature so bad its a blight on the Earth.”

Sharla sighed and lit up another cigarette. “We'll figure something out Cam," she said, for the first time feeling like she needed to be strong for him. It was a feeling she wasn't used to, but one she certainly didn't mind. "We always figure something out, and we always come out okay, this one is no different.”

He nodded and sent a quick smile her way. “To be honest I've been debating if we should even get involved at all. As far as I'm concerned the two super monsters can go kill each other and save us the trouble, but I don't like this going on so close to us while we operate completely in the dark. But tomorrow night that will change.”

“We have a plan?”

He nodded. “We’ll go meet a friend of mine; I think he can help us out. He’s on shift tomorrow night.”

“On shift...wait, does this mean we’re going to that awful restaurant with the tacky decorations and the gross food?”

He smiled. “Oh yes, I know it's your favourite. Who says I don’t know how to show a girl a good time?”

“That place is disgusting, and I hate fast food.” she said with a pout. “Can’t we meet him somewhere else?”

When he shook his head, she sighed heavily and glared at him. “I'm withdrawing my earlier offer. And I'm going back to bed.”

She made a show of standing up and stomping down the hall to her room, but she still couldn’t help but smile. The Cam she knew seemed to be back.

When he heard her door click closed he allowed himself a smile of his own. Even with two of the worst possible monsters out there in the night, she knew just what to say to make him feel like things may just work out.

Two Hunters and the Rain

2011-04-15T01:34:00.000-07:00

The rain was coming down hard tonight. But she was determined. Clutching her umbrella the young woman walked the alleys, her pace quick, not willing to waste even a second. She was so close; she had never been this close before. Just up ahead, and she prayed that the information she had worked so hard for was true. She prayed that he would be there tonight. The hunter who could help her get her revenge. She emerged from the darkness to a street lit up by the neon sign of a popular fast food chain, a safe haven in the night. She was here. Trying to look confident, she crossed the road and opened the door to Spooky Burger.

Sharla’s eyes snapped open and instantly she was upright and alert, her hand squeezing her revolver. She surveyed her bedroom, making sure nothing was amiss.

No, just the rain pounding against her window.

She sighed and rubbed her eyes, trying to shake the dream from her thoughts. It must have been the rain that reminded her of that day.

She threw on a pair of shorts and a torn up tank top and checked the clock. Just after 3am. Wondering if Cam was back by now, she wandered into the living room where she usually found him sleeping on the old couch and felt a pang of disappointment when she saw it empty. Come to think of it, since the incident at the park a week ago, Cam had been acting differently, leaving the apartment alone and refusing her requests to join him, and not returning until well after the sun had risen. That was also when the rain started, and it hadn’t let up since.

She grabbed her pack of cigarettes from the coffee table, opened the window just a touch, and set her pistol on the table, before sitting down and lighting one.

In the year that she and Cam had been together, she had been his apt pupil, his apprentice. He had taught her so much about the world they lived in now, the world she had been living in alone for months before she found him. She had seen walking corpses, she had seen ghosts, she had even seen real live vampires, and last week she saw a pack of werewolves.

What she had never seen was Cam scared. And that bothered her.

The Inquisitor had gotten to him. He had said it was an entity whose sole purpose was hunting only the most terrible of monsters, things, he said, that even other monsters fear. Things that the heavens themselves wanted to be rid of. Cam had said he had believed them to be legends, but finding out they were real was something he seemed to be having difficulty with. More so was the knowledge that if the Inquisitor was here, it must be hunting something. And that something would put anything they had faced so far to shame.

She took a deep breath and focused on her smoke for the time being. She wanted nothing more than to help Cam; after all he had done so much for her, and had asked for nothing in return. But until he was back to acting semi normal, she really didn’t know the first thing to do.

She hated it; it made her feel powerless, just like back then.

The apartment door opening jostled her from her thoughts, and even as her hand went to her gun, she knew it was him.

Cam gave her a brief smile before shedding the majority of his drenched clothing. He pulled a beer out of the fridge and sat beside her.

“I have good news, and bad news,” he said in between drinks.

“Okay.”

“The good news is I figured out what’s going on.”

“And the bad news?”

He sighed deeply.

“The bad news...is that she’s here.”

“Who’s here?”

“The one the Inquisitor is hunting. The Girl With the Dead Eyes.”

Two Hunters and an Angel

2011-03-05T01:55:00.000-08:00

“You sure the tip we got is good?” Sharla asked, trying to keep her eyes open, her feet propped up on the dash and coffee at her lips. They had been in the city for the past two months, and this was the biggest lead they had gotten.

“Watch the park,” Cam muttered, motioning across the street, though his eyes never left the book he was reading. “Stakeouts are part of the job. Get used to them.”

“But I’m the only one staking out. Why aren’t you watching the park?”

“Because I have you,” he replied, as though it was obvious.

“Screw you,” she muttered darkly, focusing on the park nonetheless. She fidgeted in her seat, the car suddenly feeling too small for her. She looked over at him, “What are you reading anyway?”

He shrugged, “Some vampire book. It’s got its facts all wrong though.”

She leaned her head to glance at the pages, then punched him in the shoulder. Hard.

“Twilight?!” She yelled, the late hour only making her mood worse. “Are you goddamn kidding me? My eyes are about to fall out of my skull because I’ve been staring at nothing for so long and instead of helping me, you’ve been reading fucking Twilight for the past four hours?!”

“Yeah I’m not a fan,” he said, completely ignoring her fury, although he did give his shoulder a rub. “This is not an accurate representation of vampires at all.”

“I’m gonna kill you,” she glowered at him. “I’m gonna kill you and they’ll never find your body. Not that anyone other than me would look for you anyway but...”

He held up his hand to silence her and immediately she went quiet.

“They’re here.” He said.

“No way,” she shot back, looking around, “I’d have seen them.”

Right on cue the figures came, two men appearing in the park across from them, as if the shadows had simply spat them out, so suddenly were they there. In addition, there were three very large dogs, or what appeared to be dogs, trotting up to the men from various directions.

“How do you do that?” Sharla whispered incredulously. When he didn't answer she tried again. “So these are them?”

“Werewolves.” Cam said, his voice hushed. “They’re the ultimate killers, and one of, if not the, most dangerous creatures out at night. Even vampires give them a wide berth. They move in packs, and have territory, kinda like a gang. The tip I got said this park was in there territory, and they survey it every week or so.”

“So what do we do?” Sharla asked. She had been with Cam when he hunted the occasional ghost, or restless spirit, but the most dangerous thing she had dealt with was a vampire, and Cam had said he was a relatively young one.

This was a different level; something in her body knew that. Her heart was pounding, and it only thumped harder the longer she watched them, conversing back and forth. Even the dogs, or at least, the werewolves that looked like dogs, seemed be talking, not so much with their mouths, but in gestures and body language, and the men understood. She glanced over at Cam, cool as ever, and wondered how he did it.

“That’s a thing with them,” he said, as if reading her mind. “Looking at them, for real, brings up some deep primal fear in humans. All you want to do is run. Can’t say I blame you, but keep your head. We’re just here to watch, that’s all.”

She nodded. She had trained for this. She had studied this, all of Cam’s notes that he had made just for her. He had dealt with werewolves before, although was always loathe to do so which she found odd because he was always so gung ho to kill anything else that preyed on humans. She took deep breaths like she remembered, centered herself like her meditations had taught her, and willed her body to relax.

“What the hell...?” Cam muttered, and instantly her eyes shot to the park, where a man dressed in simple blue jeans and a leather jacket was making great strides towards the pack.

“Who’s that?” She asked him.

“I have no idea, but he’s not one of them. Now look, see how they’ve changed?”

She looked closely at the pack, at the men whose bodies seemed to be literally rippling with barely contained fury, at the dogs whose fur stood on end.

“They’re furious,” she said.

Cam shook his head. “No they aren’t...they’re terrified.”

She looked at him, her eyes wide with fear. “But you said...what could terrify them...?” She could feel the unnatural panic returning and quickly focused on repressing it.

And then, the werewolves changed, their fury and terror unleashed, given form. They grew and grew, until both man and dog alike stood on hind legs, enormous wolves easily over twelve feet tall, with claws that could rend steel, and they leapt at the man

The panic was overwhelming now, she had to run, had to get away from those things, those monsters, and it was only Cam’s firm hand that gripped her shoulder, pinning her to the seat that calmed her down, his icy touch giving her a source of strength to cling to.

“This is the worst it ever gets,” he said, “Seeing them in their true form is the ultimate in terror but this is what you’ve trained for, and the first time is always the worst. Trust your training, and trust me.”

She nodded, breathless, sweat dripping from her brow as she willed herself to try and calm down, or at the very least, to not dive through the window and run and scream and...

And then it was over. The werewolves, the greatest hunters of the night were dead; ripped limb from limb in a violent display that showered the park in blood. And with the source of the unnatural fear removed Sharla began to calm down.

And it was Cam’s turn to feel terror.

“Cam,” she said, feeling better until she looked at him, and she realized that for the first time since he had saved her and taken her under his wing, that he was scared. He was never scared.

Ever.

And yet now he was scared of the man in the park, in the blue jeans and the leather jacket. He gripped the wheel so tightly she thought he might rip it off completely, his teeth pressed together so tightly she thought they might shatter.

It wasn’t until the man put his hands in his pockets and calmly strode away, like nothing had ever happened, and it wasn’t until Cam started the car several minutes later, and it wasn’t until they made it back to the little apartment they called home that she could even bring herself to ask him if he was okay.

So unnerved was she by his fear that when he spoke she almost leapt out of her skin.

“Are you alright?” he asked, sitting on the couch and motioning for her to sit with him. She did gratefully, falling into the couch with a thud.

“I’m okay,” she said, smiling that he had asked her first. He always did. “Cam what happened? What did we see? You told me only the absolute oldest of vampires could take down a werewolf, and even then probably not a whole pack of them, so was that a vampire?”

He shook his head. “No, it wasn’t.”

“Cam you were scared.” She said her voice soft. She wasn’t used to this. Cam was always the strong one. Always.

“Yeah I was,” he said with a sigh. “I was scared because I know exactly what that guy was. Remember when I said werewolves are the ultimate killers?”

“Yeah...”

“Well the only reason I said that was because I thought they were, because I didn’t think these things exist.”

“Cam what was he?” She asked, gripping his arm.

“An old wives tale, a scary story us hunters tell each other.” His eyes had a faraway look to them as he continued. “I didn’t want to believe it because I thought the world was messed up enough already, and because if he’s real, it means that she’s real...”

“Cam.” She said sternly, and he turned to look at her, his eyes focused on her. “What was the man we saw tonight?”

He looked at her for a long while, and she could all but see the gears turning in his head, his thoughts flying as he came to terms with what he was about to tell her.

Finally, he simply said,

“An Inquisitor.”

Two Hunters and a Rock Star

2011-03-02T01:22:00.000-08:00

Cam scoffed and changed the radio station, only to change it to a station playing the exact same song.

He clenched his fists around the steering wheel, trying to focus on the road instead of the same Sebastian Jericho song he had now heard a total of five times since he left.

“I hate that guy,” he muttered, barely audible over the loud roar of the engine, yet loud enough that the woman in the passenger seat gave him a look.

“In his defense,” she said, “You’re not exactly his target demographic.”

“Yeah well I’m pretty sure he’s mine,” Cam shot back, his voice a little more agitated than he would have liked. The long drive seemed to be getting to him, and the fact that it was nearing three in the morning wasn’t helping.

The woman groaned, “Oh please, you cannot seriously believe that Sebastian Jericho, of all people, is something other than human.”

“Why not? Sharla I’m a hunter, I kill supernatural things for something that could possibly be considered a living. And in that business, you trust your instincts, or you get killed. And my instincts tell me that guy is not on the human level.”

Sharla rolled her eyes, “Yeah right, you’ve never even seen the guy; how the hell could you possibly know that?”

“Who says I haven’t seen him? I went to one of his concerts to check him out.”

Cam could feel her eyes staring a hole through him, like she was studying him, until finally she burst out laughing.

“What?” He asked, fighting the embarrassment he was beginning to feel. “It was a legitimate recon-op.”

She stopped laughing and looked at him again. “Oh god, you’re serious aren’t you.” And then she burst out laughing again, harder this time, by his estimate.

“I fail to see what’s so funny...” he grumbled, the embarrassment in full force now, though he didn't mind. She was the only one who could make him feel like that anyway.

Sharla bit back her laughter, wiping tears from her eyes before speaking. “Oh nothing’s funny, except I’m picturing you, a six foot monster with no hair, an eye patch, and scars all over you, standing in a crowd that consists of nothing but pre teen girls and boys who stole their sister’s leather pants and eye liner. I mean how the hell did nobody think you were some sort of pervert and call the cops?”

Cam was silent for a while. “Security kicked me out,” he finally said.

“Security...” she said, and then burst out laughing again.

“Wow, almost made it through a whole sentence without laughing at me,” he said, a grin spreading across his features, albeit one he could not help. He would never admit it, but he liked hearing her laugh, even if it was at him.

Finally, she seemed to calm down, although an occasional chuckle escaped her lips every now and again, and it wasn’t until they could see the city lights on the horizon that the mood changed.

“So that’s it huh?” She asked. “The place where we’re setting up shop?”

Cam nodded. “From what I’ve heard, there’s more than enough creepy crawlies here to keep us going for a long time.”

“Been a while since we actually stayed in one place long enough to actually start an agency,” she said. “You haven’t gotten rusty have you?”

He met her grin with one of his own, “Please; besides while I’m out there killing baddies, you’ll finally have something to do. Answering phones, talking to clients, taking down notes. I bet you’re excited.”

“If you think all I’m gonna be doing is playing secretary you’ve got another thing coming," she scoffed at him. "You trained me way too well to not be right there beside you.”

He laughed and focused on the road again. Things were finally looking up for them.

“I’m still convinced Sebastian Jericho isn’t human...” he muttered, knowing full well Sharla would start laughing at him again.

She didn’t disappoint.

The Ring and the Pond

2010-09-11T16:34:00.000-07:00

Will smiled, a sigh escaping his lips as he gazed at the small pond. "I used to swim here lots when I was a kid."

"You're lucky," Courtney said, leaning into his arm and playing with the ring he had just given her. The champagne had made her more than a little tipsy, and accented the bubbly contented feeling she always felt when she was with him. "If I had had the opportunity to grow up with a summer cabin I'd have swam everyday."

He quickly finished the last of his drink and grinned down at her. "In that case, wanna come for a midnight swim?"

"You mean right now? I don't have anything to swim in."

"Yeah that's kind of the point," he said wickedly.

"You're lucky I'm drunk," she giggled as she allowed him to pull her towards the pond.

They pulled their clothes off each other, neither in too much of a hurry. They had the rest of their lives after all.

Taking a moment to admire her beauty, he kissed her before splashing into the dark water.

She put her foot in the water tentatively, and pulled back with a shiver.

"Are you coming in?" Will called to her, his whole body submerged. "Although feel free to stand there naked, I can work with that too."

She laughed and moved towards him, ignoring the chill of the pond and focusing on him, on the feel of his arms as they wrapped around her, the taste of the champagne on his lips as he kissed her.

And then he was gone, having dived beneath the water with a splash. She could feel his hands running down her body, until those too were gone. She held her breath, anticipation running over her as she waited for his next touch.

Anticipation turned to worry, and worry turned to fear.

"Will!" she yelled when he hadn't surfaced. "Will!" she called again, looking around frantically, panic gripping her.

Hearing no answer she took a deep breath and prepared to dive under when suddenly strong arms gripped her from behind, making her scream.

"Miss me?"

She could hear the smug grin in his voice as she whirled and slapped him across the face.

"If you ever do that again, I swear to God I will take this diamond ring and shove it down your throat," she growled, trying not to let her eyes tear up.

He held her for a while, then said, "I'm sorry I scared you. But trust me, I have no intention of ever disappearing on you, so you never have to worry about that."

She sighed, slowly closing her eyes. He drove her absolutely crazy, and yet here she was, unable to imagine life without him.

"Let's go to back inside," she murmured into his chest.

He nodded. "Sounds good to me."

Sebastian Jericho (Scion Version)

2010-01-05T17:20:00.000-08:00

Dear Diary:

First I feel I must apologize for my long absence. I realize it has been over six years since I wrote an entry, but I truly thought I had transcended my earlier weaknesses and thus no longer had the need of you.

No, now I realize that the more powerful one becomes, the greater the need to remain human. So I return to you a changed man, more focused, less impulsive, and terrified that I may be becoming the villain.

Perhaps I should start at the beginning.

Six years ago I played a concert. It was my big comeback show, my return to the world stage. Unfortunately fate had other plans for me. My show was attacked by things that, at the time, were impossible to comprehend.

This attack wounded me and I was rushed off in an ambulance. I was attacked again, and this time I saw my attacker.

Though I had caught a glimpse of her before my show started, at the time I had thought nothing of it. But now, this close, she could only be described as divine. Though she wanted to kill me, nevertheless I found my heart was drawn to her.

I was beginning to fall in love. Something I never thought would happen to me again.

She told me that she had sent her pets to attack my show in order to draw me away from all those people. While she toyed with my life however, someone intervened.

His name was Gunner, and he saved my life from the woman, whom I learned was named Thom, and that she was his sister. Oh and Gunner also said he was my brother. I, naturally, told him he was crazy.

At least until I received my visitation moments later.

Let me explain. A visitation is the term used for the visit paid to you should you happen to be the son or daughter of a God.

Yes, you read that right.

Mine came in the form of a talking squirrel. Yes you read that right too.

I was informed that I was the son of the all powerful God Odin, as was Gunner, and his sister, with which they shared the same mother, was the daughter of the God Loki. Though this sounded entirely impossible, who was I to argue with a squirrel?

In truth I felt the words echo in my soul and I knew they were right. This was the reason I was who I was, why things that seemed impossible to most, came easily to me. In one moment of truth, my life suddenly made sense in a way I could not deny.

Thom was trying to kill me to prevent me from receiving my visitation, and she would try to kill the others as well. Thus Gunner and I raced off to save them.

By the end, we had managed to save all those Thom had marked for death. A pair of young girls named Sunny and Roxie. Though at the time I really didn’t understand what was going on, nor was I sure I cared to, I still fought with all I had, which turned out to be quite a bit.

Thom came to visit me that next night. I learned that though she seemed to be on the other side, we were growing closer. She challenged me to save another of us, a booze-addled cop named Curtis from her in time, to which I replied the loser would buy drinks. While saving Curtis from Thom’s pets, two enormous wolves, I was wounded pretty badly. But I got my drink. Unfortunately, Thom killed Curtis’ wife and child in retaliation.

Curtis, obviously, never let this go, and to this day still pursues vengeance.

Over the next few weeks, Gunner informed us that the Gods were involved in an enormous war with entities called the titans, with the fate of the world on the line. I was strangely at ease with this information. Again these were words that rang true in my soul.

We did what we could as a group, but while I was alone in my hotel, Thom continued to visit. Not to fight, just to do things that regular people do, watch TV, have drinks. Eventually one thing led to another and she wound up staying the night. Though this happened several more times, every time I kept expecting to not wake up, that she would kill me at some point during one of her visits, though obviously that never happened.

I knew I was playing a dangerous game; after all, Thom had killed Curtis’ family, and had told me she was trying to sever the ties of fate that held the world together. Still, I didn’t really care; I had learned that business was business, and that what I did in my own time was my concern, no one else’s. I knew that when it came down to it, Curtis would try for revenge, and I had no intention of getting in his way, even though I would be secretly rooting for the woman I was falling for more and more.

As she told me of her plan, I always hoped she would change her mind eventually, or that I could change it. Alas it seemed Thom was stuck in her ways, and I was beginning to think that maybe she couldn’t change even if she wanted to.

Thom needed three relics to complete her little plan, and while we raced to acquire them before her, Gunner and I grew pretty close. He was the brother I never had. Though he knew of my liaisons with his sister, I believe he trusted me to do what was best for the band, and in that I would not fail him.

While acquiring the second relic, it came to a head between several giants, us, and Thom. Gunner was critically wounded saving Sunny, with whom he had begun to form a relationship. Thom, in a rage over her brother’s imminent death, transferred his fate to her through powerful magic, thus taking his wounds, though she was strong enough to live through them. Then she cast her fate severing spell.

She lacked the third relic so the spell was incomplete, and went out of control. Though we managed to save ourselves, Thom was believed to be dead. With the threat apparently over, the band went their separate ways, to accomplish our personal missions.

Gunner and Sunny went off together, to train I think, while Roxie seemed to drop off the face of the world. Curtis went to hunt titan spawn, and I helped him occasionally. I primarily focused on finding the third and final relic.

Though I had performed a few shows while journeying with Gunner and the others, it was becoming too difficult to focus on my career and my calling, so I performed one more show after which I announced my retirement from music.

It was then that my father himself saw fit to visit me.

To say I was nervous would barely cover it. Odin is a man whose very presence reduces people to a quivering mess. It was all I could do not to fall to my knees. Unfortunately Odin told me little I didn’t already know. He helped me briefly in learning more about the power within me however, and I grew in strength exponentially.

Though he seemed civil enough, I had learned enough to know to keep my father at arm’s length, lest my fate become entangled with his. It was obvious that Odin saw me as little more than a tool to be used for his ends. He was just here making sure it was sharp. Though I can only guess as to what his end game may be, I knew I wanted nothing to do with it. I fight for my reasons, and no others.

For six years I traveled the world, learning all I could, becoming ever stronger, becoming more and more ready for the confrontation I knew was to come. I was no fool, I knew Thom had survived, and would be back someday to claim that last relic. She couldn’t go against her fate.

I had tried so hard to convince her to stop, and I failed. Now I need to do what I must to save this world from her, which I believe means killing her. Killing the woman I love.

Just as I thought I was finally ready, that I could be sure of myself to do what was right, Gunner called me, after six years of silence.

He said there was someone I should meet.

That someone was a young child, six years old, that he and Sunny had spent this whole time raising. Except the boy looked nothing like them.

He looked just like me. And I knew exactly who his mother was. And everything I thought I knew was suddenly turned upside down.

I had a son. I had a son with the woman I loved, and only now did Gunner see fit to tell me. He had the nerve to claim the boy was his; the nerve to goad me on and dare me to try and take him. To say I was betrayed was the understatement of the century. Why didn’t he tell me? Why could we have not raised the child together? We were family after all, so why was I kept in the dark all these years, while he and Sunny played house somewhere?

No, I realized with a soul crushing defeat, we were never family. While I was willing to do anything for this band, including killing the woman I love, Gunner was keeping secrets and letting the danger this world faced grow ever larger.

Surely he must have known where Thom was all this time, and she must have been injured from the spell. He could have told us and we could have finished this before any more people died. I could have moved on, knowing that the world was safe, and though my love was dead, we had a child through which the best of her could live on.

But no, Gunner would not put the band before himself.

As I left in a rage, I knew that if this world stood any chance, it would be under my leadership, not his.

Gunner had found the third relic in South America, but before we went, I would ensure the band would be ready to do what was necessary. If that meant Gunner had to go, even if it meant killing him, then so be it. After all, we were far from family.

Though Thom visited me in my hotel that night, just like old times, the visit was brief. I can’t allow myself to get close to her again, not while she still poses such a threat.

We ventured to South America, and though Gunner and I almost came to blows several times, we made it in one piece. Gunner brings out the worst in me now, when we are together all I care about is hurting him as much as possible. Nothing else matters, well, nothing else except for my son.

Who is a hell of a guitar player by the way.

I charged Gunner with doing what he had done best these six years, keeping my son to himself, while we made our way to where the relic was being kept. As we were about to enter however, Gunner phoned Sunny. My son was gone. I sent Sunny back to find him, she was the best hunter of us all, and I was the only one who could use magic to open the way to the relic. We knew Thom was here already, so we couldn’t afford any delays. I warned Sunny that if Gunner couldn’t keep my son safe, he would become useless, and I would kill him.

I meant it. I still do.

Curtis, Roxie and I entered and found ourselves in a large desert. After a while of traveling, we found a large oasis. With my son playing in it. Things were starting to fall into place, but I still needed a few more answers.

I sent Curtis and Roxie up ahead; I wanted them gone when Thom showed up.

I didn’t have to wait long. I knew this was it, I knew today would be the day. I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.

I went to war with the woman I love.

Though I unleashed every single speck of power I had, I was unable to kill her, she was still so strong. I did, however, manage to wound her significantly enough that she was forced to abandon her mission here. A small victory but not the complete one I was hoping for. I had one chance however.

I made Thom promise to return my son to Gunner; knowing full well Sunny was there as well. I prayed that Gunner would prove me wrong, that he wasn’t just focused on himself, that he would put the band and the world first and bring his sister to her end, because in her wounded state, Thom would not be able to beat them both.

I was never so unhappy to be right.

Now as I sit here writing this, Gunner has taken my son and left the group. I allowed this because during our battle, Thom told me that my son is the last component to cast her spell. When she cast the spell six years ago, she severed his fate while he was still in the womb. Thus he had been born without any ties to fate at all, making him the perfect catalyst. More and more it looks like fate itself is conspiring to bring about its own end.

For now though, I thought it best to keep the relic and my son separate. However now I know with certainty that Thom must be killed, because the only other way to stop all of this is for my son to die.

But I find myself questioning my cause. Can a world that demands the blood of the woman I love and my son really be worth saving? Though she is a monster, she is also a scared girl, and I find myself growing sympathetic with her cause more and more.

But that is not the path I chose. That would make me just like Gunner and there is nothing I want less.

My therapist, Dr. McGregor told me a long time ago that when I am conflicted, I should write my thoughts in this journal and the answer would become apparent. He was right.

So consider this my declaration of war. In order to save this world I will do anything. If that means killing woman I love, so be it. If that means killing my son, so be it. Perhaps this is why he was kept from me in the first place. Perhaps both Gunner and Thom knew it would come to this. If you did, then congratulations, for you’ve turned me into a monster. A monster who will commit any evil to save this world, if that is what it takes.

And should it come to that, should I be forced to become a force of evil, and take the lives of both the woman I love as well as my own son, then all that will be left is for such a monster to be destroyed for the world to be truly saved.

Thus the reason why I have gone out of my way to make Gunner hate me, for I pray that by hating me enough, it will surpass his personal weakness and he will be able to kill me. Gunner is my ace in the hole, should the absolute worst come to pass. His is the blade I want to destroy my evil.

My name is Sebastian Jericho, and I hope you’re prepared for what is to come.

I hope I am prepared.

Stupid Rich, Stupid Famous VI

2010-01-05T17:15:00.000-08:00

The following was recorded by Doctor Curtis McGregor and reviewed by the District Court as per the conditions of the deal between the Prosecution and Defendant, Sebastian Jericho.

Sebastian Jericho Therapy Session #3: Present are Doctor McGregor and Sebastian Jericho.

“So Sebastian, I spoke to the judge last week and he’s very pleased with our progress. That little care package you sent to the man you assaulted was a nice touch as well."

“It was just the change I found in between my couch cushions.”

“Sebastian it was close to one million dollars.”

“Yeah that’s what I said.”

“Good lord... exactly how much money do you have?”

“Not much.”

“You can be incredibly aggravating when you want to be you know that?”

“Sure do.”

“...”

“...”

“Okay Sebastian, this isn’t like you at all. What’s going on?”

“This is our last session together, before my punishment is officially over.”

“Are you saying you’re going to miss me?”

“Cute. No it’s just I’m worried I might slip up again. I mean, I’m playing local shows again, small venues and stuff like that, but we’re building up to a really big concert soon. The first one I’ve played since my wife died in the plane crash three years ago. I’m just worried that the stress is gonna get me and I’m gonna hurt someone again.”

“That’s no small concern. Sebastian I can’t imagine what your life must be like, but to me, it sounds like you miss the structure your wife gave you. You’re having a hard time keeping things in focus on your own, and the lines between business and pleasure are getting blurred. Does that sound about right?”

“I guess so.”

“I think that the more you stress about it, the more it will happen to you. The trick is to make sure you have time to yourself, to unwind. The journal will help with that, so keep at that for as long as you can.”

“So make sure that business is business, and my time is mine.”

“Exactly, there’s absolutely no reason the two things need to overlap.”

“My manager is gonna hate this.”

“Pardon me, but fuck him, Sebastian. This is about you.”

“Ooh Doc, you gave me goosebumps there.”

“Sorry, but this is what I think you need, more than anything. You need to do what makes you happy. I don’t mean be selfish and take advantage of others, instead don’t let others take advantage of you. So long as you’re not hurting anyone, why shouldn’t you be able to do what you want with your own time?”

“Oh yeah, he’s gonna hate this.”

“I want you to keep going with that journal Sebastian. It will keep you grounded, and being able to see your thoughts will make it easier to interpret them. It will make it easier to control yourself. If at any time you become conflicted, write your thoughts down, and I believe that the answer will become apparent.”

“Okay...yeah, okay I can do that I think. Hey Doc, thank you. I really mean that. I know I can be really difficult sometimes but you really stuck with me these past few months, so thanks.”

“Of course Sebastian, hey one more thing before you go and this is of the utmost importance.”

“What is it?”

“I’m kind of breaking the rules here a little bit, but...well...if I don’t get your autograph for my daughter I think she’ll kill me.”

“Really, she’s a fan?”

“I dare say she may be the biggest.”

“Well in that case, I’ll tell you what Doc, I’ll do you one better. I’m gonna come over to your house for dinner tonight.”

“What?”

“Do what makes me happy right? Well that’s what I’m gonna do. Oh and I don’t really eat meat products, so you’ll need to prepare a vegetarian meal for me, oh and it has to be a wine that’s at least thirty years old.”

“...?”

“I’m kidding, I’ll cater it. See you tonight Doc. You guys had better be hungry.”

“...”

Stupid Rich, Stupid Famous V

2009-12-24T21:48:00.000-08:00

The following was recorded by Doctor Curtis McGregor and reviewed by the District Court as per the conditions of the deal between the Prosecution and Defendant, Sebastian Jericho.

Sebastian Jericho Therapy Session #2: Present are Doctor McGregor and Sebastian Jericho.

“I’m glad you decided to come back Sebastian. I hope your holidays are going well.”

“Holidays? Oh right, Christmas and all that.”

“You mean you didn’t know? You haven’t heard the carols in the mall, seen the people shopping, or felt the Christmas spirit?”

“Do you know what would happen if I went into a mall? I would be swarmed to death by screaming teens.”

“Oh right, that whole fame thing.”

“You seem kind of different doc; less uptight.”

“Well I figured that our last session’s difficulties may have been just as much my fault as yours, so I decided to throw the book out the window, as it were, and just try talking to you.”

“Yeah well we’ll see how that goes I guess. Ok doc, ask what you wanna ask.”

“Why’d you stop writing music?”

“Wow you really go right for the kill don’t you?”

“Why beat around the bush?”

“I guess. Well I stopped writing because…wait what does this have to do with my court order? I thought I was here because I beat up some guy?”

“The two are very related I think. And you know it too; you’re just trying to avoid the question.”

“Still beating around the bush after all; nice attempt at a segue though. Ask me your real question.”

“Tell me about your late wife.”

“Alicia.”

“How did you two meet?”

“We met in high school, at a friend’s karaoke party. The two of us brought the house down. We were inseparable ever since.”

“Keep going.”

“We started dating, and after high school we got serious about music. We put a band together, and we got signed to a label almost instantly. It was nuts, and to tell you the truth, I never would have gotten through everything that was going on had she not been there.”

“So she was your rock; your pillar of support.

“Yeah…”

“What was she like?”

“She was really down to earth, very cool and collected all the time. She was the total opposite of me. She used to say that I was always looking so far forward while she was making sure I didn’t trip over what was right in front of me. But she was really driven. She had a goal in mind, and there was no stopping her. I really admired her for that, that quiet strength and determination.”

“Well Sebastian I can honestly say that I am pleasantly surprised. I thought I’d have to fight a lot harder for that information.”

“Me too, to be honest. Maybe it’s that Christmas spirit you were talking about.”

“Maybe. Next session I want to continue this discussion if you don’t mind. I think that there is a lot here that we can work with.”

“Yeah we’ll see. No promises.”

“Oh and Sebastian, put more effort into your journal. It’s meant to be an outlet for your thoughts and feelings so you don’t explode again. Not for critiquing episodes of Dexter, or writing down ‘Funny Stuff Michael Scott Said.’

“Hey there’s some good stuff there, it deserves to be remembered.”

“No, no it really doesn’t.”

“Aw you see doc, this is why we’ll never be friends.”

“See you next session, Sebastian.”

Stupid Rich, Stupid Famous IV

2009-12-23T23:01:00.000-08:00

Dear Diary:

No that doesn’t sound stupid at all. I feel like a whiny teenager.

Although I am kinda whiny, and my target demographic are teenagers; okay Sebastian, get your head in the game here.

I’m continuing this really dumb journal because if I don’t my lawyer promises I will go to jail whereupon I will be shower-raped.

Well he didn’t put it quite like that but…oh wait, yes he did.

But he didn't tell me what I should be writing about.

So here I am sitting in my hotel room, debating what the hell should be written in here.

I kinda wish I hadn't made so much fun of that therapist, I bet he would know what I’m supposed to be writing.

Ooh Dexter is on right now.

Gotta go Diary, Dexter needs me.

Stupid Rich, Stupid Famous III

2009-12-09T22:39:00.000-08:00

“So let me get this straight, even after you paid me a small fortune so that I could beat an aggravated assault charge and get you only a teeny little slap on the wrist…”

“It’s hardly a slap on the wrist…”

“I’m still talking Sebastian.”

“…”

“Even after getting a small slap on the wrist, you instead make a mockery of your therapist and then leave fifty five minutes early.”

“Um… well that makes it sound…”

“It makes it sound pretty fucking stupid is what it makes it sound like. Do you know how close you were to doing serious time? The prosecution was going to make an example out of you Sebastian. They wanted you to serve as a reminder that just because someone is rich and famous, they can't ignore the law.”

“Oh come on, the guy was an asshole anyway, I mean who really…”

“Serious time, Sebastian. But I was able to work it down to a deal that, I think, is pretty generous considering.”

“Generous?”

“Yes generous! You kicked the unholy hell out of one of your fans for exercising his right to freedom of speech, and got it all over every type of media there is! You are not hard done by here! You are actually getting off pretty god damn easy.”

“Okay fine, so what…?

“You keep writing in that little book, starting each new page with tear stains and a ‘Dear Diary,’ and you go back to that therapist, and you take him seriously. That is what you do.”

“We done now? I can’t believe I’m paying you for this…”

“Yes we’re done, and damn right you’re paying me, I’m the only thing between you and the biggest, meanest, horniest son of a bitch in the prison shower.”

“You're a really mean person you know that?”

"Of course I am, anyone else trying to defend your idiocy would be eaten alive. Now go home, I have work to do."

Dear Diary: Today my lawyer yelled at me.