The long Night Walk

 It was a dark October night. A cold wind swept through the town, leaves blew through the air and the tree branches shook as if the trees themselves had been brought to life.

    Robert walked quickly down an old, uneven sidewalk. His long coat blew in the wind as he hurried along. Roberts route, destination and habits that day were all very typical but there was something strange carried on the wind that night, something unsettling.

    Robert’s shoes clicked against the stone as he walked, the streets were empty and no other noise could be heard. The flames in the street lamps flickered and swayed as the wind crept through the gaps in the glass. The light from the street lamps held back the encroaching darkness of night and provided Robert of gentle comfort and gentle comfort would be the only boon he received that night.

 As the night went on Robert grew increasingly uneasy and in his nervous stride he tripped over something protruding from the ground. He clambered along the stone walkway for a moment then stood up right. He turned to look at what had tripped him and discovered it was a fallen tree branch. This would have been the end of the investigation but Robert then spotted a shining metal object attached to the fallen branch. He reached down and plucked it free.

    The metal object was a large door key which had been stuck around the branch. Robert stared at the key in bewilderment as he held it up to inspect it. He glanced around to see if anyone was around, perhaps out looking for a lost key, but the street was empty.

    Robert pocketed the key and continued to move along his path. As he walked a cold gust of wind picked up and knocked his hat off the top of his head. The hat bounced off the road and rolled along as if the wind was carrying it away. It was at that moment that Robert looked up and saw his path split. One path would keep him going towards his destination and closer into the heart of the town, the other path was where his hat went, carried off by the wind. Robert decided to go after his hat, then would double back and return to his correct path.

    The hat continued to roll away as Robert walked briskly after it. He walked down the road and was almost able to catch his hat several times. The hat would stop and settle, then just as Robert was close the wind would pick up and carry the hat further down the road. This was all so frustrating that Robert didn’t realize that the street lamps had become dimmer and the houses and building were more sparse.

    Robert walked himself to one of the outskirts of the town, a section he was completely unfamiliar with. The last house in town was behind him and before him lay an open field dotted with bare, leafless trees with branches that swayed in the wind. The trees moved forward then back as if they were reaching for Robert. A field of trees all trying to uproot themselves just to snatch him up.

    Robert glanced over the area and spotted his hat stuck to a jagged tree branch. The wind blew and the trees moved, each breeze was like a breath and each sway of the trees was a reach closer. Robert moved closer to the trees, slowly he walked as he kept a nervous eye on his surroundings.

    Finally he was close enough to take his hat, he reached out.

    “Don’t take your eyes off that tree”

Robert heard a voice and was so startled that he snapped his hand back and stumbled backwards. He looked for the source of the voice but no one could be seen. It was an empty field in the dark of night and his hat still blewin the breeze as it was stuck to the jagged tree branch.

    Robert was about to reach for his hat again but thought better of it. It had dawned on him that he chased his hat to the outside of town and was now alone in the dark. He wasn’t one to entertain idle fantasy but the fear of wild animals and dangerous criminals coming out at night was a real concern of his.

    Robert gave one last look at his hat and as he did the branch moved forward as if the tree was offering the hat, daring Robert to take it. Robert knew it was just a trick of the light and the strong winds of night and nothing more.

    Robert began walking back into town. He hurried along in an attempt to make up for lost time. As he walked he noticed that his hand had been fiddling with the large door key that was in his pocket. The key was maybe two inches long and made of brass. It was a simple design and other than its size was ordinary but still Robert couldn’t leave it alone.

    Once Robert entered town he used the light from the nearest lampost to look at the key for further detail. The key had an engraving that read “H.R. Rumsfred”. Robert knew right away who this was. Mr. Rumsfred had been missing for over a year and his picture had been posted on the town hall message board. Robert felt more unsettled as he realized he was holding the key of someone presumed dead.

    “Don’t follow that path. Just go home”

    The voice was faint like a whisper on the wind. Robert wasn’t sure if he was hearing things and seeing things or if something unnatural was happening all around him. He looked up the road. The road was lined with leafless trees that swayed and creaked in the wind. On most days, the neighborhood and the trees were a welcome sight, but that night all Robert felt was danger and dread.

    Robert turned around and began to head back to his home. The uneven sidewalk almost tripped him several times as his steps began to hasten. The wind blew and the trees swayed. Each tree branch appeared to reach forward. “Join us. Join us” whispered a chorus of strained voices. These voices were new, numerous and threatening.

    “Just hurry home”

The voice of warning was warm and concerned. Robert heard these different voices every time the wind blew. If Robert had ever met Mr. Rumsfred then he would recognize the voice on the wind telling him to go home.

    Robert rushed down his street, his hastened walking turned into a sprint as the wind blew and the trees cried out. The wind grew louder and louder. Light flashed and blinded Robert for a moment. “Get out of the road, jerk!” shouted the motorist. Robert’s panic dissipated as he realized he had been running along the middle of the road. The car drove around Robert and continued down the road.

    The voices stopped, Robert’s pace slowed. He arrived back at his house some time later. He went inside, closed the door and took a breath. He felt anxious from his experience but kept telling himself that it was all his imagination. He made a phone call telling his friends he would not be able to attend the festivities that night. He made some decaffeinated coffee, drank it black with sugar and started to get ready for bed.

    The whole experience was troubling but Robert’s mind was clear and calm when the morning came. He shook off the events of the previous night and told himself that it was all in his head. He gave Mr. Rumsfred’s key to the police and told them where he found it. Then he continued on with his day.

    Rober slowly convinced himself that there was no danger and the stress of the day had gotten to him. Yet he would never again return to that field where he lost his hat.

    In the field, on the outskirts of town was a tree. On the large, old tree was Roberts hat, it was hooked onto a branch as if being grasped tightly. At the base of that same old tree, under the roots and several inches underground laid the body of H.R.Rumsfred.

Joseph Stephens and the Hallows End part 4 of 4

    Joseph Stephens, Jaye Williams, Bob the skeleton and Lynara the magic user all stood staring up at Gujia Ironspine, the boss of the Devil’s casino in Hallows End. Gujia held his giant iron club out, ready to strike the group. Lynara was preparing her next spell and Joseph was trying to come up with a plan on the spot.

    Jaye began to chug his bottle of maple syrup. He then pulled out his claw hammer and stood ready to fight. Jaye eyed the situation and Gujia. The large skeleton boss was so big that the four friends were child sized in comparison. Any melee attacks would only reach Gujia’s hip at best. Jaye decided to act first and charged forward.

    Gujia was preparing to swing his large club. He moved into a sweeping motion, hoping to take out the whole group in one shot. Jaye jumped over the giant club and tumbled forward, closing the gap between them. Joseph jumped backward, barely missing the end of the club. Lynara grabbed Bob the skeleton and floated up above the strike. “Bob, go get help. We are outmatched. We both know a fight in the streets won't get much attention in this town unless we give them a reason to care” Lynara said then launched Bob with her magic. Bob went soaring down the road and crashed through the eye window of the Grinning Jack Inn.

    Lynara dropped from the air and launched shadowy fireballs at Gujia. Each flame burst into smaller flames upon impact. Gujia took a step back as he tried to pat out the flames. Jaye took this opportunity to attack. He swung his claw hammer and struck Gujia’s bulky kneecap on his right leg. Joseph Moved quickly towards Gujia as he recoiled from the attacks. Joseph brough his sword up and went in for the strike but before he could blue energy erupted from Gujia’s body.

    The bluish green aura exploded outward, which pushed Joseph backwards and threw Jaye several feet. Gujia charged forward and slammed his club down at Joseph. Joseph narrowly rolled out of the way as the giant iron kanabo club struck the earth. Gujia then stomped his giant foot down at Jaye. Jaye had enough time to stand up then swung his claw hammer at the giant foot. The hammer struck and knocked off a chunk of Gujia’s middle toe. The large oni skeleton reared back in pain. His anger surged causing flames to spring up from all around him.

    “I think we are a little out of our depths with this one” Said Joseph as he pumpkin sword transformed into steel armor with a pumpkin look to it. Jaye pulled out a handful of autumn leaves and looked down at them with nostalgia then put them back into his ratty, green hooded sweatshirt. Jaye then took his claw hammer and chucked it. The hammer went soaring through the air and lodged itself into Gujia’s eyehole.

    The giant skeleton recoiled in pain as he tried to unhook the clawed hammer from his eye socket. Lynara used the opportunity to caste her biggest and most exhausting spell to use. She closed her eyes and stretched out her arms. In her left hand she held a wand with a pumpkin on the bottom and her right hand was stretched into an open palm. She moved her right hand through the air, drawing invisible symbols with each strike of her palm. The end of the pumpkin wand bounced up and down in a playful manner. Once the spell was finished, Lynara’s eyes shot open then changed shadowy purple and black. A dark portal to another world opened up in the ground by Gujia’s feet. Long purple tentacles sprung out from the shadows. Each tentacle hooked into the ground and a large spherical creature pulled itself from the depths. This all took place in a matter of moments and by the time Gujia realized what was happening, it was already too late.

    The orb like tentacle monster grappled onto Gujia and attempted to wrestle the club from his hands. The two monsters wrestled for control of the weapon as Joseph and his friends were given a slight reprieve. “How did you do that?!” Joseph shouted in amazement. Lynara couldn’t move or respond, she was frozen in place as the shadow monster fought with the giant skeleton boss. “New plan we run and let the monsters deal with their crap” Jaye said clearly tired of cleaning up after others. “No, we promised Bob we would stay” Joseph retorted. “Bob is gone just like we should be. This skeleton guy is no joke” Jaye replied.

    Bob could be seen running back towards the battle just as the two friends conversation became more and more heightened. “I am back, my friends!” Bob replied. He ran clumsily along the road then tripped over a rock in his path, causing him to fall on his face. When he stood back up his mustache was stuck to the road. He quickly picked it up and stuck it back on, luckily for him no one had even noticed his arrival or his de-mustaching.

    Joseph and Jaye turned to see Bob standing ten feet away petting his mustache and whispering. Behind Bob was a whole group of monsters from town. Pumpkin Jack lead the charge of angry townsfolk. Each monster from town had weapons drawn, teeth bared and claws out.
    Lynara began to struggle with her magic as her shadowy avatar pried the Kanabo club away from the mad skeleton boss. The shadow monster began to flicker like static as Lynara’s legs began to tremble. Gujia was pushed back and separated from his weapon just as the shadowy tentacle monster blinked from reality. Lynara regained consciousness as he eyes returned to normal. She stumbled and fell backwards completely out of strength.

Once the shadow beast vanished Gujia was free to reclaim his weapon. Lynara had stalled the skeleton boss just long enough for  half of the town to show up to the fight. The angry mob arrived right before Gujia could claim his precious kanabo club shaped like a spine.
“Gujia! You have some crimes to answer for! Bob here told us all about your plans. Then we were able to extract a similar story out of a skeleton henchman who works for you” Pumpkin Jack shouted. The scarred man was brandishing a long, jagged cutlass. The sword that had slain the Necromancer of the Haunted forest.  Next to him were the Czars of Halloween, two humans from the Autumn Forest who loved Halloween so much that they fight the dangerous Lich to save the town and then moved into the town as heroes. These heroes were backed by werewolves, ogres, ghosts, trolls, zombies, banshees, witches, grizzled veterans of the Haunted Forest and worst of all Bob the skeleton. Bob was still singing a sweet, soft lullaby to his mustache.
Gujia turned to the group. “This is personal business. I am not involving the town” Gujia lied. “You are trying to take over the town with an army of skeletons. We arent dumb” Rebuked The deadly Pumpkin Jack. “You corrupted skeletons with greed and false promises!” Lynara added as she slowly gathered her strength.
Gujia stopped walking towards his weapon and put his hands in the air. “Alright, so now what? Is this a fight to the death?” Gujia asked, a threating challenge in his tone. “No, because we would clearly win. You need to leave Hallows End and cause no trouble. Your casino goes to Bob the skeleton. It will be converted into a club hall and community center” Jack shouted back.
One of the Czars whispered something into Jack’s ear. “We will keep the black jack and poker tables” Jack added. The town cheered.

    Gujia was forced from town. He claimed his weapon and headed off into the densest part of the Haunted Forest. The town cheered then dispersed to get drunk.

Lynara smiled at a job well done then turned to leave. “Wait, aren’t you going to say goodbye?” Joseph called out as he ran to catch up with her. “I think you are incredible and I know you probably aren’t interested in me but if you are, I’d really like to go out for coffee or something” Joseph said, immediately nervous about how she would reply. Lynara chuckled. “I am interested, at least a little” She said with a wink. “But you barely know me. I’m also not even human” She explained. “I figured you were some kind of witch or something. But I don't mind. And we can get to know each other over coffee” Joseph replied. Lynara let out a long drawn out sigh. Then snapped her fingers. Her human form changed in a puff of violet smoke. A second later the true form of Lynara stood before Joseph. She was a female, magic user, skeleton in black robes. “I’m a skeleton who can use magic and illusions. I didn’t mean to trick you but I was worried that whoever was changing skeletons bad would go after me. So I hid my identity. I assumed you would have figured it out though, why else would I want to help skeleton kind so much?” Lynara explained.

Joseph’s expression never changed. “I am still very interested in coffee, regardless if you are a human, a witch, skeleton warrior or even a skeleton magic user” He told her as he grasped his hand gently over her skeletal hand. “You really are persistent” Lynara said with a laugh that echoed into her skull.

“Well since we saved the day, maybe we can collect that reward and do a little sight seeing!” Jaye said. Then looked at Bob. “OH! Yes of course. I have your rewards. Magical potions that the old hag of the forest made. They let you transport to any realm of your choosing! Just drink the stuff and you will have the power to realm jump. Also the Czars of Halloween have agreed to show you around town” Bob explained as he handed Jaye the two bottles of realm jump potion.
The two friends had once again saved the day and were rewarded with new powers and a wonderful Halloween. The whole group celebrated at Hallows End through the rest of October.
The town slowly returned to normal. Bob was put in charge of the newly remodeled casino/skeleton club center/town community center. He was truly an expert organizer and the community center was the best run organization in Hallows End.

Joseph and Jaye eventually returned to their normal lives and decided to give the adventuring a break for a little while. Joseph and Lynara started a relationship together, whether she was a skeleton or was in human form, he loved and cherished their time together.

The moon hung up high in the night sky. Peace drifted over the land and ever so faintly the sound of laughing could be heard. The sound of the laughing pumpkin echoed over Joseph’s quiet home.

Joseph Stephens and the Hallows End part 3 of 4

The boss of the casino sat at a towering fifteen feet tall, he was the largest one in the room, he was dressed in expensive clothes and had guards surrounding Joseph and his friends. The only hope for the group was Bob the skeleton. Joseph was already thinking of a plan B.

“I will be direct, as you seem to be a businessman like myself and we both know how things go around here” Said the skeleton boss. Bob nodded his skull with such forceful agreement that his mustache almost fell off. Bob stood a menacing five feet tall, he wore an old suit he found in the forest years ago and his ‘bodyguards’ were a couple of friends from the human world. Bob felt a little out of his depths but played along anyway.

“Your employees said that you had an offer for me. I am interested to hear it. But first, My name is Bob, nice to meet you. I run many very successful skeleton related clubs and I used to be an accountant for a tavern in the Autumn Forest” Bob told the monstrous skeleton. The skeleton boss nodded “Yes, I have heard of you. I do my best to keep track of all the skeletons in the Haunted Forest. In case you were not aware, my name is Gujia Ironspine. I own this casino. I also like to watch over my skeleton brothers and sisters. We have such a negative reputation that most skeletons do not have a voice in this town and even less so outside the Haunted Forest” Gujia explained. “THANK YOU! This is what I’ve been saying!” Bob declared. He was so happy to have someone agree with him and his cause that he completely forgot that they were in danger. “Hmm, well yes. So as you were saying. You had an offer for me? As we are so like minded, I am very interested” Bob said as he straightened his suit and tie.

Gujia gently places his hands together as he spoke. “I don’t ask for much more than what you are already doing. I want you to go out and champion the cause of skeletons. With my resources and your specific skill set. I believe we can make a difference in this town” Gujia said in a sweet and calm voice. Bob really liked the sound of all of this. “Uh, excuse me. SIR. Maybe we should find out exactly what Gujia wants” Joseph whispered to Bob. This snapped Bob back to reality. The Mustachioed skeleton raised a single finger bone. “This all sounds wonderful Mr.Ironspine. But how exactly am I supposed to help?” Bob asked.

The skeleton boss adjusted his large frame in his equally large chair. Then calmly took his hat off and placed it on his desk. When Gujia removed his hat he revealed two horns that grew from the top of his forehead and curved upward. His horns were six inches long and easily concealed by a wide brimmed hat. “You are very direct. I respect that. I need you to go out into town and recruit more skeletons. I want you to bring them here so that I might offer them jobs as well. If my men approach the skeletons it might look suspicious but if you do it, people will assume it is club related. We need every skeleton in the Haunted Forest to band together and you bringing them here will hasten this goal” Gujia explained. “What exactly IS the goal?” Asked Bob as his excitement began to faulter. “The goal is to take over the town and establish skeletons as the dominant citizens” Gujia said very bluntly.
Lynara was still invisible and had been sneaking around the room as the skeletons spoke. She pickpocketed the guards, she looked for possible exits and made a startling discovery. When Lynara walked behind Gujia’s desk, she spotted an iron Kanabo club. This club was made of solid iron, it was in the shape of a spine and was as long as Gujia was tall. It looked massively heavy and dangerous. Lynara quickly and quietly made her way back to Joseph and Jaye to warn them of what she had seen. Lynara realized that Gujia must have been an undead Oni by his size, horns and weapon of choice. Oni were incredibly dangerous, they had the size of an ogre but larger and with the powers of a demon.

Lynara whispered in Joseph and Jayes ears and told them of the danger. Unfortunately she wasn’t able to tell Bob before he blurted out the first stupid thought he had. “You can’t take over the town! Thats wrong! I think we both agree on wanting to empower skeletons but we disagree on the method. I do appreciate the opportunity but I am sorry, I must decline” Bob said with a respectful tone. Gujia twisted his head sideways which made a series of cracking sounds all down his back. He pushed his table forward and stood up, revealing that his sitting height was fifteen feet but his standing height was even bigger. “By this point in the conversation, this wasn’t really an offer you could refuse” Gujia said his voice turned cold and bitter with each word.

“Time to run” Jaye loudly declared as he grabbed Bob by the back of his collar and made a break for the door. The casino bouncer, Handsome Johnny, stepped in to prevent Jaye’s escape. “Clawwww Hammmaaahh” Jaye shouted as he brought trusty hammer down on Handsome Johnny’s face. The Handsome skeleton was now less handsome with a cracked skull. The bouncer collapsed to the ground and Jaye darted through the door with Bob.

Joseph ducked under the skeleton ogre bouncer and then used his pumpkin sword to slash across the bouncers legs. The pumpkin delivered an attack that cracked the ogre’s leg bones. The ogre skeleton stumbled as he slammed his bone hands down to crush Joseph. Dark tendrils tore out through the fabric of reality, ripped up through the floor and began to assault the dozen skeleton guards inside Gujia’s room. Joseph looked over and saw a half invisible Lynara focusing on her spell. “Run idiot!” Lynara snapped. Joseph was in love.

Joseph ran for the door. Once everyone was out Lynara turned invisible and made her escape. The dark tendrils vanished the moment Lynara dropped her focus. Gujia had picked up his Kanabo club and turned to attack with it but in a matter of seconds everyone was gone and his guards were dazed by the sudden magic tendril attack. “Worthless!” Gujia roared as he swung his club in a sweeping motion. Half of his guards exploded into piles of broken bones upon impact with his iron club.
Gujia walked to the back of his office and opened a hidden door that revealed a giant doorway to Hallows End. The skeleton boss exited out to the back of his casino, he loosened his tie, unbuttoned his dress shirt and removed his expensive suit jacket. Blue and green flames began to swell within his skull as he took off into a sprint in pursuit of his prey.

Joseph and Jaye huffed and puffed as they ran. “We are out of shape” Joseph said between breaths. “Maybe YOU are!” Jaye replied equally out of breath. “Shouldn't we be in better shape after all the fighting we do?” Joseph added. “Maybe YOU are” Jaye repeated. Bob ran alongside his new friends but didn't have breath and could run indefinitely.

The group made it past the bright lights, slot machines, shady dealers and skeleton bouncers. They burst out of the casino sweating, out of breath and shouting about Oni. The people on the street didn’t pay attention and continued walking. Joseph stopped to catch his breath.  “I think we made it” Jaye said between gasps. Gujia appeared from behind the casino just as Jaye finished speaking. “Please never say ‘I think we made it’ or ‘what's the worst that could happen’” Lynara said the only part of her that was visible was her frustrated expression.

“What's the worst that could happen?!” Jaye shouted as he turned to see Gujia fast approaching.
    “Don’t you guys have magic weapons and armor from the Autumn Forest?” Bob said in a panic. “No! We did at one point but when you summoned us all of our stuff was left in the Autumn Forest. All I have left is the pumpkin sword and Jaye has his claw hammer” Joseph rebuked as he readied his sword for a fight.

    Gujia charged at the group like a runaway train barreling down the tracks. He was quickly within range to use his fifteen foot club. He swung it down at the group with immense force, Bob and Jaye were able to dodge the attack but Joseph wasn’t quick enough. The club came hammering down on top of him. He braced himself only to realize that the club never struck. He looked up to see the oni club had struck a magical shield above him. Lynara had once again broken her invisibility to use a spell. She held the shield in place, her face strained as she if she had been holding the club with her bare hands. “Please get out of the way now” Lynara said. Joseph nodded and quickly scrambled out of the way.

    Gujia was furious that his first attack was blocked by such a small witch. He reared back, lifted his club and slammed it down again. At this point Joseph was out of the way and Lynara had dropped the shield. The club came down threatening to crush Lynara but just before it struck, she blinked out of this world with a little flash of light. She then reappeared next to Joseph and Jaye with a casual expression on her face. “If you were hoping I was stronger than this guy, you are incorrect. If I were stronger, I wouldn't have tried to recruit you guys to help me come to the casino. So you really need to come up with a plan” Lynara said frankly.

    The battle with Gujia Ironspine had arrived and Joseph felt woefully unprepared. Lynara stood with the group, an annoyed expression on her face and Joseph couldn’t decide which emotion he felt stronger, fear of Gujia or love for Lynara.

Bob was worried.

Jaye was eating.

Joseph Stephens and the Hallows End part 2 of 4

Joseph Stephens and Jaye Williams stared in amazement at the town before them. The mustached skeleton, Bob, had led them to Hallows End, the town dedicated to Halloween and misfits. “This is totally worth almost dying” Joseph said as his eyes were alight. Jaye’s excitement matched Joseph but he kept a watchful eye on his surroundings. His expression was guarded as he examined every monstrous villagers. “Where do you want to go first?” Asked Joseph with child like glee. Jaye’s serious expression melted away to form a silly grin “Anywhere that looks like the most fun” Jaye exclaimed.

Bob led the two friends down the main street. Along the street were the townsfolk, they ranged from skeletons, ogres, trolls, ghosts, imps and vampires to name a few. Joseph also saw a number of creatures that he couldn’t name. The creature whose body was made of ooze, with a snake-like tail for legs, five long tendrils instead of arms and a head with five screaming faces, was a new sight to Joseph.

Along the Road there were many kinds of structures, some were simple brick buildings with strings of lights along their exterior while others were large, brightly lit and in the shape of pumpkins, skulls, bats and trees. The one casino in town was in the shape of a devil’s head, with windows for eyes and a large mouth for a doorway. The entrance was covered in sharp ‘teeth’ and bright yellow lights shined from the ‘eyes’ of the building. Two large horns jutted up from the top of the casino, each horn was over fifteen feet high. Joseph immediately walked towards the casino but was stopped short by Jaye. “We could win so much money, I just know it!” Joseph protested. “Or lose our heads in the process”

Bob had continued to obliviously march down the street. Joseph and Jaye quickly caught up to the skeleton before he even noticed they had left. Ahead of them was the popular tavern, “The Grinning Jack”, a structure in the shape of a Jack-O-Lantern, with a large crooked grind carved into it. The eyes, nose and mouth had sharp edges and light poured from each hole. The tavern was both eerie and welcoming at the same time, which was how most of Hallows End felt.

“This town is really well lit for a town full of monsters” Joseph commented. Bob coughed, or made a coughing noise to signal his displeasure. Skeletons can’t cough. Or grow mustaches. “That is racially insensitive, not all monsters lurk in dungeons and caves. Some do, and we actually have a part of town where lights are banned, but still. Please do not assume things” Bob lectured. “Ok, ok. Sorry. Jaye and I have fought our share of aggressive beasts and are used to a certain atmosphere. But this place really shows that everyone can live together in peace” Joseph said. “Well almost everyone. We are here because of unruly skeletons right?” Jaye added. “Yeah, thats true. Apparently not skeletons” Joseph commented. “Not all skeletons, ok? Not all skeletons, just some are unruly” Bob shot back.
The troop entered the Grinning Jack tavern, inside was decorated with orange and black, it was rustic and had strings of lights along the ceiling and around the stairway railing. The bottom floor was an open room with a bar, bar stools, tables, chairs and a more private corner with a booth. The upstairs was reserved for rooms for staying the night. The door to each room was partially visible from the bottom floor and was decorated with a pumpkin and each pumpkin had the room number printed on it.

Bob led the group to the bar. “This is the best place to start. Everyone is very chatty when they drink. Also the bartender is a nice guy” Bob explained. Behind the bar stood a man with an orange cloak, a green and black shirt, black pants and a jagged looking sword on his belt. His face was covered in scars and scars that ran along both sides of his mouth and around his eyes made him look like a human Jack-O-Lantern. “Names, Pumpkin Jack. how can I help you?” Asked Jack. The two looked at eachother “Well do you have pumpkin beer? Or would that be an insulting generalization?” Asked Joseph. Jack laughed “No, we do have pumpkin beer, thats the theme after all” He shrugged and poured two pumpkin beers.

“We also are looking into this skeleton problem. I guess all the skeletons are acting up and committing crimes?” Jaye told Jack. “Not ALL skeletons” Bob piped up. “Yeah, some skeletons have been breaking laws but this is a town of monsters and criminals, we arent worried about a few skeletons. I can assure you I’ve faced worse” Jack replied as he traced the scars on his face with his index finger.

Joseph turned to Bob. “Are we here to save the day or are we just running errands?” Joseph said, his tone turing less friendly. Bob was startled by this shift in his new friend. “Many townsfolk dont take it seriously but I am worried that this is a sign. The skeletons were peaceful and now most of them have gone and started attacking people and stealing things. I am not only worried about skeleton reputation but ALSO worried that the dreaded Necromancer is returning to power. He is the only one who has such sway over the undead” Bob stammered. Jack rolled his eyes and went about his business.

    Joseph and Jaye considered what Bob said but before either of them could speak, a female voice chimed in. “It has grown worse. Your friend with the fake mustache is correct to be afraid” The group turned and saw a woman with raven hair and pale skin approach the group. Her piercing green and blue eyes looked over the group as she spoke. “I have heard that skeletons who go to the casino come out in a frenzy and no longer care for the laws and rules of Hallows End” She added.
    “My mustache is actually real. Skeletons can grow mustaches, its a real mustache” Bob protested. Joseph was not only enraptured by the beauty of this stranger but also excited that they now had a reason to visit the casino. “SO, I guess we are heading to the casino!” Joseph said. Jaye was about to protest but decided to quietly go along with it. He took a healthy swig of maple syrup and readied his claw hammer for the inevitable trouble they would find themselves in.

    Joseph began to leave the tavern but stopped short. “I’m Joseph by the way. It is a pleasure to meet you. What is your name?” Joseph asked the raven haired woman with his most charming smile. “My name is Lynara. It is very nice to meet you, Joseph” She said with a smile. When she smiled her mouth moved but her eyes stayed intense and concerned. “I could help you if you wish. I know a little magic and am also concerned about the threat to this town” She added. “Of course! The more the merrier!” Joseph replied without discussing it first. Without another word Joseph raced towards the casino with the new girl in tow, Jaye following cautiously behind and Bob scrambling to keep up.
    The group raced to the casino, Lynara’s long hair and dark black and purple robes blew in the wind as they ran. She had a black, leather belt tied around her robes and tucked into the belt was a magical talisman, Joseph hadn’t noticed any of this.

    The group arrived at the casino shaped like a devils head and Joseph quickly walked in. The inside was awash with bright lights, sounds and smells. Food and drink flowed from table to table, the games and tables were decorated with flashing lights and buzz words like “Winner” and “Cash”. “Time to investigate” Joseph declared with a determined look in his eye. The group made its way through the busy casino. Joseph kept a watchful eye out for a skeleton of any kind. His keen eyes scanned the room for skeletons. He completely forgot Bob was a skeleton.

    “I don’t know if I should be in here. What if the evil magic of this place turns me into a lawbreaker?!” Bob said nervously as he rubbed the ends of his boney fingers together. “Oh, that is a good point! We could use Bob as a guinea pig” Jaye suggested. “T-that wasn’t the point I was trying to make” Bob protested. “Just sit down and play one of the cheap slot machines and we will watch. If you start to change we will stop you” Joseph assured the mustached skeleton. “Yeah, by force if we have to” Jaye said clutching his claw hammer. Bob returned to being nervous.
Bob sauntered over to a slot machine and sat down. Put a coin in and began to play. He lost. Then he tried again. Then he lost again. With each loss he looked at the two friends with a pleading expression. Then on the third try he won, coins began to spill out of the machine and lights flashed from the machine. “Ahh! I broke it!” Bob cried. “No, I think you won” Joseph replied. “OH! Right! Of course I did. I am of course a very successful business skeleton” Bob retorted as he groomed his mustache with confidence. Jaye scooped up the coins and dumped them into a large cup, then handed it to Bob.  “Do you feel evil yet?” Jaye asked. Bob gave the question some serious thought. Then replied “No, I feel the same”

As Bob played the slots a pair of casino bouncers appeared from the shadows. Both were skeletons, one was the skeleton of an ogre and one was a human skeleton. Both wore flashy suits and carried clubs. “Greetings, friend” Said the human sized skeleton. “My name is Handsome Johnny and this is my associate Grux” Replied John the handsome skeleton. “SO Handsome!” Jaye said with a smirk. If Johnny had a face he would be scowling.

“We have a very special offer for you. Something to seriously consider” Johnny told Bob. Bob was sceptical but nodded “Alright, I will listen to your offer. I am after all a very good business skeleton” Bob replied. Johnny nodded “right, right. So, who are these humans. Are they your servants or something?” Handsome Johnny asked. Joseph and Jaye looked at eachother then Bob spoke up quickly. “Yes! Of course. So if you want to offer me anything, I will be bringing my SERVANTS” Bob replied looking at Joseph and Jaye. “As you wish, sir” Joseph and Jaye said reluctantly. The two friends didn’t want to get separated from Bob at a time like this.
Lynara at this time was watching from the back. Her form was translucent as she moved and the skeleton bouncers never once noticed her presence. Even Joseph had a hard time keeping an eye on her lovely figure.

The skeleton bouncers then escorted Bob and the group away from the slot machines and through the casino. They walked past the loud, blaring machines, the cheers of winners and the sobbing of losers. They finally arrived at a red door marked private. They pushed the door open. The doorway led to a very swanky hallway that was somehow even more expensive looking than the rest of the casino. The hallway had several doors on the right and left but the bouncers continued down straight until they reached a golden. They pushed open the door and led the group into a large room where the owner of the casino sat.

A large skeleton sat behind a very expensive desk. The casino boss was almost fifteen feet tall and towered over his skeleton ogre henchmen. This monstrous skeleton wore a tailor fitted suit and fedora. The room, his chair and desk were all large enough to accommodate his size. Joseph, Jaye, Bob and invisible Lynara were now all faced with a room full of thugs and a giant skeleton in a suit. The threat to their safety was rising and they had to rely on Bob to talk them out of this situation.
Lynara was concerned, Joseph was worried and Jaye was eating.

Joseph Stephens and the Hallows End part 1 of 4

               The evening was cool and damp, trees rustled in the wind and the full moon hung up high in the sky. Joseph Stephens and his best friend Jaye Williams layed on the cold earth, sprawled out and surrounded by piles of fallen leaves.

      Previously Joseph Stephens and Jaye Williams had an adventure to save the magical Autumn Forest from the destruction caused by the ice and fire brothers, Ignitious and Glacius. They accomplished their task and set out to return home but before they could go home, they were whisked away by a mysterious force. The two friends vanished in a gust of wind and brightly colored leaves.
Joseph and Jaye found themselves on the outskirts of the brightly colored Autumn Forest and on the border of the sickly gray and green colored Haunted forest. The Haunted Forest came to be when a necromancer used his foul magic to in an attempt to become immortal. The evil magic cursed the surrounding section of Autumn forest, changing it into the dangerous Haunted Forest.
Joseph stood up and brushed the dirt from his pants. Jaye stayed on the ground and stared up at the break in trees that separated the beautiful Fall foliage and the reaching, menacing branches of the Haunted forest. “Two very IN tourist destinations. But which to choose?” Smirked Jaye as he moved his arms and legs to make snow angels in the dense layer of leaves on the ground.
“Well I’d say we could go back to the Autumn Forest but this spooky looking forest looks neat” Joseph said as he stretched out his back. “Yeah and maybe I’ll get lucky and you will die from a monster attack” Jaye said smiling and still laying in the leaves. “Luckily for me, you aren’t lucky” Joseph said giving Jaye the side eye.

     The two friends began to investigate the edge of the Haunted Forest. Joseph was looking at the gnarled trees, each one had bark so twisted that it looked like a screaming face. Jaye was filling his pockets with leaves from the Autumn Forest.

    As each friend carried on their somewhat important tasks, a figure emerged from the Haunted Forest. The figure approached Joseph and Jaye with a brisk stride. Joseph turned around to see a skeleton with a mustache, wearing a suit.

   “Don’t be scared, I come in peace” The skeleton quickly declared. Joseph stood unflintching. “I’m not scared, you aren’t very intimidating. You are also shorter than me and are wearing a fake mustache” Joseph pointed at the skeletons face. “It’s real! Ok, it is a real mustache. Skeletons can grow mustaches, I shouldn’t have to keep explaining this” the skeleton replied suddenly flustered. The skeleton then collected himself, straightened his suit and tie, rubbed his skeletal hands together and decided to start over.

   “Hello, my name is Bob. I am a skeleton, I live in the Haunted Forest. I run many very successful skeleton related clubs and I used to be an accountant for a successful tavern in the Autumn Forest. I am also responsible for summoning the two of you here, and I apologies” Said Bob the long winded skeleton. Joseph sighed “I need to get a second phone dedicated to all the magical creatures, elementals, seasonal entities and humans that need my help on a regular basis. Right Jaye?” Joseph said then called over to Jaye Williams.

   At this point Jaye was very busy not paying attention. Instead he was crushing Autumn Forest leaves into a powder. He then used the end of a knife to form lines of crushed leaf powder and proceeded to snort each line of autumn leaf powder. Jaye’s head shot back “Ohhh, shhhhii...Ok, ok ok” He muttered then reached into his bag and pulled out an amber colored glass jug of pure uncut maple syrup. Jaye took a long healthy swig of his maple syrup jug, then closed it back up and stashed it away.

   Joseph sighed “are we ready yet?”. Jaye bobbed his head and fidgeted with his clothes. “Yeah, yeah yeah, lets do this” He said, not knowing or caring what he agreed to. Bob was horrified.
“So whats the problem Bobert” Joseph asked casually. “Just Bob if you please” Bob said as he absent mindedly touched his mustache then straightened his tie.
“So, I heard you helped Patches with a band of ruffians and now I need you to help me. This is a nasty band of skeleton thugs that don’t care about rule OR order! I can reward you for your efforts of course” Bob explained as the thought of disorderly skeletons gave him a nervous fit.
Joseph Stephens reached into his bag and pulled from it a sword with a pumpkin on the pommel. “Just point the way and we will instill law and order”. “At least as long as its fun” Jaye commented. “Yes, as long as its fun” Joseph agreed. Bob’s concern grew.
“Ok, well. Follow me gentlemen…” Bob trailed off as he watched Jaye wipe crushed leaf powder from his nose. “Follow me, uh, comrades” Bob walked forward into the Haunted Forest with Joseph and Jaye in tow.

   The forest was dense and gray, twisted branches grew together, blocking out the sunlight above. Skeletons could see in the dark but Joseph and Jaye needed to light a torch.
The forest floor was made of dark gray and black dirt, green moss and pieces of previously alive creatures. Tree branches slowly reached out to grab Joseph and Jaye as they walked. One branch snagged Joseph, so he retaliated with a slice from his sword. “I forgot to mention, the Haunted Forest is super dangerous to anyone who isn’t already dead. A safe path opens on the eve of Halloween, but it isn’t Halloween yet so stay close and hopefully the forest will leave you alone” Bob said calmly.
“We should have asked for half of our reward up front” Joseph muttered.

   The route was covered in blocked passages, improvised short cuts, walking in circles and the occasional near death experience. As they walked they came across a Jack-o-Lantern sitting on a rock. A warm glow was emtted from the holes carved in the shape of a face. Joseph’s first reaction was to touch it and admire. Bob turned around and saw his new companions interacting with the mysterious pumpkin. “Please don’t touch that!” Bob shouted.

   Joseph touched the Jack-o-Lantern and nothing happened at first. “It’s just a pumpkin” Joseph said. “This is the Haunted Forest. Everything is Haunted, nothing is safe” Bob explained. Just as he finished speaking the Jack-o-Lantern’s light began to glow brighter and brighter. The light changed a sickly green and howling laughter could be heard echoing through the air. Then the laughing suddenly stopped and the light from the pumpkin went completely dark.
Joseph and Jaye stared at each other in silence as the now lifeless, Jack-o-Lantern sat. “Lets try not to think about that too much” Joseph said. “I am pretty sure you’re cursed for life now” Jaye said. “More cursed than your normal bad luck” He added.
After an hour of walking and great effort to forget about the laughing Jack-o-Lantern, the group finally arrived at Hallows End. This was a town for monsters, humans, undead and any creature who didn’t fit in anywhere else. It was also the number one best place for a Halloween party and at that moment was being plagued with a crime wave from unruly skeletons.

  Joseph Stephens and Jaye Williams looked in awe at the wonderfully spooky town before them. It was here that their adventure began.

Pumpkin Spice take me away

I enjoy seasonal flavors, they feel special and their flavor reminds me of the good times from each season. In the Spring the vegetables taste fresh, in the Summer I like to grill everything under the sun, Fall I love fresh apples, warm baked goods and pumpkin spice though I stick to pumpkin pie and pumpkin coffee. In the Winter there are even more baked goods, heavier meals and eggnog.

The flavor of pumpkin and pumpkin spice are wonderful but the flavor truly shines when used as a key, a key to unlock old memories from the Fall. The scent and taste of something takes me back to all the times I have had that smell or taste. Like photographs hung along a string,  every memory of fall is linked together by Autumn tastes, sights and wonderful scents.

Each sip of my morning pumpkin coffee is like a small burst of nostalgia. Red and orange Autumn leaves poof into the room and float gently through the air. Candles all with their own smells of pumpkin, apple cider or deep woods, each one takes me to a place if only for a moment. The image in my eyes gets a little nicer and the world becomes a little warmer.

My mind is a flurry with stories, images of ideal Autumns hand picked from my best memories and my hopes for the future. I dream of warm, country homes surrounded by Autumn trees. Each home with a little trail of smoke rising from the tops. The cold autumn wind blows through, crisp and refreshing. The smells of woodsmoke, baking pies and crushed leaves fill the air. This is the place I like to go.

The wish for this ideal is what drives me. I use the images of Autumn to help me through the hard times and look to a better future ahead. No matter how overheated or beaten down I get, Autumn always comes.
Autumn is slow and peaceful, it is a time to reflect and enjoy nature. It suits my personality and each year it is when I am at my happiest.
I sit with blurry vision as the sleep fades from my eyes and I drink my pumpkin coffee. My pumpkin spice coffee helps me face the day, it warms me up and takes me away.

The Beauty in Autumn

The sun shone brightly over the clear autumn day and the air had a crisp, chilly feel. I walked across the paved parking lot of a small church when I saw a woman backdropped by brightly colored fall leaves.

Trees surrounded the church and dotted the neighborhood, the colors were reminiscent of golden honey and pumpkin pie. The smell of woodsmoke floated on the cool Autumn breeze. The woman had raven black hair, skin pale as the moon and bright blue eyes. She turned to me and for a moment I swear she conjured up a gust of wind to blow her hair to the side. 

“Oh there you are” She said to me. She was not a stranger but this was the first time I had seen her in this light. She was both familiar and different. She walked up to me with an awkward and cute stride. Her walk reflected her personality; awkward and cute. 

We talked for a few minutes, our conversations were the same but something was different. We stood closer together than we used to and during the conversation she leaned against me several times. I felt a little crazy as I pondered the smallest of details. I wondered if I was being very observant of our changing relationship or if I was making it all up in my head.

I cast my gaze on the clear blue sky as I attempted calm. The two of us stood quietly in peaceful silence until she said “I should go”. I looked back down and saw her staring at me with her big blue eyes. She seemed like she was anticipating something. I grew increasingly nervous as I fumbled for words to say.

My old instincts decided my action for me as I moved forward to give her a goodbye hug. Normally this hug would be casual and friendly but that day I held her close for an extra second, let out a relaxed sigh and noticed she was hugging me just as tightly. She rested her head on my chest as both of her arms wrapped around my torso. 

 I let go and took a step back, we both said our awkward goodbye, then I turned and quickly walked to my car. On the way back to my car I realized how chilly it had gotten. I had lost track of time and temperature just by standing near her. I finally climbed into my car and sat slumped over as my mind raced and attempted to make sense of the events that just transpired.
When I was mentally ready I started my car and drove off down the road. The air was crisp and the trees swayed happily in the autumn breeze. I admired the natural beauty of Autumn as I drove and I felt relaxed.

Like the changing of the season I felt a change in my relationship with her. I could not say what caused the change, I can only say that there is no going back. 

Cabin in the Mist

Mist drifted down along the rolling hills. Among the hills was a cluster of forest and in that forest was a cabin. The cabin was rustic but comfortable with a wildwood as the backyard. Owls hooted in the night, light rain fell on lush green trees. Two small lantern lights were placed outside the door of the cabin, an inviting sight that promised warmth on a rainy night. Inside the cabin was a crackling fire in the hearth. Wooden chairs with cushioning, a small kitchen that had the aroma of baked goods and coffee. The scent of wood smoke and fresh cut wood lingered through the whole cabin. A small black cat was resting by the fire, warming itself against the damp air. It purred softly as it drifted off to sleep. The atmosphere was so calming that the air itself would calm the most anxious person with each breath they took. The calm drifted over the woods, relaxation was easily achieved here.

The outside world had storms and fires to put out but the small cabin had only gentle rain and the sound of gentle crackling flames.

Joseph walked through the forest path, he had been lost for countless days, months and even years. He traveled tirelessly, looking for answers but only finding troubles. The scent of wood smoke caught his attention first then the faint glow of the lanterns could be seen. Joseph continued to approach the cabin. Rain gently tapped against his heavy coat, hair and skin. Joseph didn’t mind the rain or the night but was thrilled to see a warm cabin appear from the forest.

Joseph opened the wooden door and saw the relaxing cabin before him. He sighed, releasing troubles from his shoulders and worries from his mind. The sins of the past dripped off of him like rain from his coat. He took a deep breath as he walked further into the cabin. His troubles and worries began to fly from him like ash in the wind.



            Joseph sat down out of reflex, like this was the most familiar thing in the world. As he sat on the wooden chair by the fire he felt the warm crackling flames and he smiled. Soft music began to play as he enjoyed the warmth and rest. Joseph looked over at the empty wooden chairs next to him. He sighed again then looked down. He appreciated the rest but was tired of traveling alone.



            “Don’t look so down in the dumps” Said a voice. Joseph looked up and saw his friends were all now there, filling the empty seats next to him.

The rain fell outside and Joseph began to cry, it was a cry of relief. “This is all I wanted” Joseph said.


            Joseph traveled, looked for answers everywhere he went but all he needed was a warm place to sit with friends.

Stormborn

When the storm comes, don’t run for cover.

            The trees shook and the houses creaked on the small coastal village. Storms were a regular occurrence for the people who lived by the ocean, every year there were a number of storm that made everything shake and tremble and every year the village lasted.

            Joseph was a young man who had seen his share of storms but that night a storm blew in like nothing he had seen. The storm covered the sky in every direction, it stirred up the ocean all the way to the horizon, all of the animals fled hours before it every appeared and all that remained were humans who thought they could out last the end of the world.

            Thunder boomed like a shouting voice and lighting cracked like arrows from the gods striking the land. Joseph was in awe of it all. He cursed himself for not leaving when he had the chance. He had been hiding with the rest of the village but the longer the waiting the larger the storm grew. It grew larger and larger until it looked like it would swallow the world. By the time Joseph realized how bad it was, it was already too late to run and too severe a storm to hide.

            The wind whipped through the village like a giant ghostly hammer crashing into homes and trees. Trees that stood for hundreds of years broke by the sheer force of the storm. Joseph walked out into the storm as his family pleaded for him to stay. He had made peace with his end and if he was to die he would die standing and watching the destructive force of nature rather than die hiding in a basement.

            Joseph couldn’t actually stand up in the storm but his point still stood even if he couldn’t.

            Lighting sizzled through the clouds and the thunder was so loud it was deafening. Joseph had never seen such a spectacle and was satisfied with his decision. He clung to the edge of a broken house as the wind tore through. Then lighting struck one last time for Joseph and then only darkness.

            Death comes for us all, both the brave and the fearful.

 Some would prefer to hide, some would rather look death in the face.

            That was end of Joseph the man but the beginning of the Stormborn.

Battle focus

I was sitting under a tree watching the rain. Gentle water drops fell from the sky, pattering against the land, the thin, green leaves danced and shook from the wind and rain.

            I stayed in a meditative state for several hours as I focused on sight of the lush field, the trees that dotted the land and the rain that fell upon it all. I listened to the raindrops, the wind and the shaking of branches. I felt my breath, I felt my hands grip my sword and I chose not to feel the wound in my abdomen.

            The blood was staunched, the wound was dressed and I continued to draw breath. The pain would have been unbearable if I was not meditating.

This was not the meditation of a monk or holy man lost in prayer, this was a kind of meditation that I taught myself after years on the battlefield. Years of pain and self discipline showed me the way to focus on every little detail of life, take it all in and feel everything except the pain. During this focus, I could not move, I wouldn’t feel hunger or thirst and if I broke my focus, the pain would rush back like a tidal wave.

            I observed the sun rise and set, I watched the moon and felt the insects of the field land on my skin and clothes, then fly off, completely unaware of my existence. When someone chooses to ignore their own suffering, others will often ignore it as well. One does not ask a tree about the day, or consult a sleeping man on the weather.

            Time was lost, it fell away with the rest of life. I awoke in the dead of night, confused, and in pain. I had stayed meditating for so long that I had collapsed from exhaustion. I have no way of knowing how long I slept or how much time had passed since I had been stabbed.

            My wound was dried and scabbed, my sword was still stuck in the ground but it was leaning in a pile of uneven dirt. I was hungrier than I had been in a very long time and my throat was dry as sand.

            I pulled on a thin chain, one end was connected to the bracer on my arm and the other was connected to my traveling bag. I dragged my travelers bag to my hunched form as I lay on the ground. The bag was easy to open but hard to steal. Nothing had been stolen from my bag but there had been times when I would awaken to find my sword stolen along with contents of the bag. Knowing I couldn’t protect my bag at all times, I chained it to my arm and built a secret compartment on the bottom of it. Anyone who stole from travelers would do so quickly and take the path of least resistance. They stole trinkets and extra clothes and blankets but never looked hard enough to find my secret compartment.

            The compartment held emergency food and water and all of my most valuable and sentimental possessions. I always needed food and water as soon as my meditation would end and I could not risk awakening to find I was weak, in the wilderness and without food or water.

My energy improved as I ate and drank. My wound was a dull ache and I had the energy to walk again. I continued my journey forward. I had survived another war, another dance with death and those who left me for dead will see me walk back into town with two working legs and the strength of a healthy soldier.

I am a mercenary, the indomitable swordsman and the survivor of over a hundred battle wounds. I am Virtus.

Mountain Air

Mountain air flows through me. I breath it in through my nose, in cycles through my veins and I breath it gently from my mouth. The cold air clings to me like skin, wood smoke of the village is my natural scent. I cut my arm and autumn leaves flow out, leaving my body and floating gently through the sky. The leaves float across from the highest mountain tops, they shake loose from the trees like water shakes from a dogs fur.

            From the highest peak the leaves drift down, gently dancing as they go. They travel over the peaks and over the trees. They float down to the roads built by man and visit the lively villages where music rang. The leaves glide on the breeze, ever into the distance and ever downward. The autumn leaves find their way into the stream below. They pluck against the water and that is where they stay. Then the leaves start to move again as they are rushed away by the flowing stream.

            The mountain breaths a sigh of relief as the days grow shorter. Each breath sends a chilly wind down across the land. The people of the village feel the mountain's breath first but the cold breath warms as it travels down, so when the people of the city finally feel the breath of the mountain, it is no colder than a spring day. This is why it is always colder in the mountains.

            The cold air settles on the land, the sun drifts off to sleep and lights flicker in the village. Warm fires are lit in hearth and home. Fire, which was stolen from the gods and given to human kind, is used to help humans fight the dark and cold of night. The relaxing sound of flames burning at the wood mixes with the gentle noise of the wind blowing against the houses.

            The sun is down and the fires are lit. the mountain sleeps, the people sleep and I too, shall sleep.

Welcome to the Autumn Forest

Relax, take a breath and slow down, journey with me to a soothing destination of sights, sounds and smells.

            Joe woke up on a chilly fall morning. The air in his apartment was warm from the hissing radiators which mixed with the occasional draft that would blow in when the wind picked up. That day seemed cold to those who enjoyed summer, but for the fans of Fall, the weather was perfect.

            Joe went out into the world wearing his dark gray fall coat, a black scarf and jeans. He walked down the uneven sidewalk with a brisk pace and a set goal, which was to acquire coffee.

            The coffee shop was down the road from Joe’s apartment, it sold good coffee at a cheap price. Joe ended up buying coffee from the shop more often than he ever brewed it himself. He considered it good exercise and told himself the walking offset how lazy he was to never make it himself.

            The neighborhood was made up of old brick buildings, with uneven sidewalks, and narrow roads. Trees grew wild up from the sidewalk, the trees had grown full and tall long before the apartments and homes were ever built. The builders of the city did something very rare to humans; they built around the trees instead of knocking them over.

            Orange and red trees, brick and old North American architecture all mixed together to make a scenic fall day. Joe arrived in front of the coffee shop, which was named “Brew Spot". The Brew spot operated out of a historic building that served as a pharmacy at one point in the early eighteen hundreds. While it still looked like an old-fashioned store or pharmacy, everything else was updated and modern. The Brew spot had a calm vibe and was a popular location for the neighborhood to get coffee and snacks.

            Joe had been to the brew spot many times before but it was on that specific day that was different than all the other days. He felt especially relaxed and in a good mood, the autumn air felt more refreshing and he was in just the right state of mind for something special to happen.

            When Joe opened the door and walked in, he didn’t enter the Brew Spot, he entered the magical Autumn Forest. This forest was where the Autumn season came from. Every season had its own land and many entrances to those lands, but only those with the right mindset and mood could enter.

            Joe looked around and was amazed and surprised by his surroundings. Instead of a quiet café, Joe was standing in a clearing of trees all ablaze with bright, warm colors. Red, orange, yellow and every combination of those colors painted the leaves on every tree. The air was crisp, cool and refreshing. the smell of wood smoke drifted on the breeze and was then joined by the scent of honey, maple and fresh baked goods.

Joe heard a voice say “Coffee is on the left" The voice was small and monotone. It was the voice of someone who had said the same line many times before. Joe looked down and saw a rabbit standing on two legs with a bored expression. Joe started to open his mouth but was interrupted by the rabbit. "Yes, I talk. you are in the Autumn Forest and no we dont normally serve coffee but enough people have been asking about it, so now we do. Coffee is on the left” The rabbit said then hopped off.

            Joe was puzzled but turned to his left and saw a friendly looking skeleton, wearing a sports jacket, a tattered shirt and jeans. The skeleton had a large black mustache which was glued on. The skeleton was standing at a small wooden booth that looked like a lemonade stand made by children. On the stand was a coffee pot which seemed to be endlessly brewing coffee. The cord to the coffee pot went down along the wooden stand and plugged straight into the forest floor. The sign above the stand read “Coffee - 3 bux each" Joe saw this and muttered about how expensive coffee was getting, even in other worlds.

            “So the rabbit told me I was in the Autumn Forest. He didn’t seem very excited about it. should I be worried? I mean this place looks great, so is there something going on around here?” Joe asked. The mustached Skeleton began pouring a cardboard cup full of black coffee. “No. That rabbit is just a jerk. Most rabbits are jerks. Don’t you have them where you are from?” The skeleton asked.

“Yeah, but they don’t talk at all" Joe replied flatly. “Oh geeze that must be nice. Rabbits rarely have anything positive to say. What about dogs, do you have dogs?" Asked the skeleton. "yes, we have dogs" Joe replied. "Aren't they the worst?! Always stealing your leg and burying it” The skeleton said as he put a lid on the coffee and handed it to Joe.

            Joe took a swig of the coffee and didn’t reply. He wasn't sure how to answer. The coffee was really good and almost worth three dollars. “Do you have any cream or sugar?" Asked Joe. "No” The Skeleton said immediately, his response was so fast that it almost cut Joe off. “That will be three bucks” The skeleton said. Joe reached into his pocket and pulled out some singles and handed it to the Skeleton. "Ah yes, thank you for the payment. I am sure all of this will cover it” Said the skeleton as he awkwardly stuffed the bills into his sports coat.

It was at this moment that Joe realized that the skeleton had no concept of money from the other world and was using the word “Bucks" because he heard it once and thought that’s what money on Earth was called.

            "Thanks for the coffee, friend” Joe said as he sipped his coffee and gave a nod. The skeleton was startled by the word “ Friend” and if he had a face, he would look very shocked. “He called me friend" The skeleton muttered. then turned back to Joe quickly and replied “NO problem. Friend” then the skeleton mimicked Joe’s nod.

            The Skeleton with the mustache looked at his wrist, which did not have a watch on it, and declared “Well its getting late. I should head home” the sun was still out but Joe didn’t know how time worked in the Autumn forest so he assumed the skeleton was right. The skeleton was not right. It was midday and time moved at a similar pace as it did on earth. Joe watched quietly as the skeleton unplugged the coffee maker from the ground and began to push the wooden coffee stand off deeper into the forest.

As the Skeleton walked off, Joe realized he didn’t know how to leave the Autumn Forest “How do I get out of here?!” Joe called after the Skeleton. “Use the door!” Replied the skeleton. “Also watch out for dogs” Added the skeleton.

            Joe turned around and saw a large wooden door, engraved with large trees and falling leaves. The door stood in the middle of the clearing and wasn’t attached to anything. Joe ignored the comment about the dogs, he liked dogs and also wasn’t a skeleton.

            Joe felt energized by the coffee and the beauty of the Autumn Forest. He was in a good mood and began to hum as he walked toward the door. “Don’t hurry back” Said the rabbit as he watched Joe leave. Joe wouldn’t miss the rabbit.

            Joe pushed on the wooden door and stepped through. On the other side was the Brew Spot coffee shop. Joe had returned to his neighborhood and the magical door to the Autumn Forest was gone. He decided not to tell anyone about the magical door but encouraged anyone who loved Fall to visit the Brew Spot for coffee, but never explained to anyone why.

            Joe went through life normal enough. He never did figure out how to replicate the conditions to enter the Autumn Forest but he did frequent the Brew Spot even more after that day.

            Then on the last day of Joe’s life, when decades passed and Joe had a lifetime lived, Joe passed away from the world.

 It was on that day, when the wooden doors opened again and Joe stepped through as young looking as ever. “Coffee is on the left” Said a grumpy old rabbit. It was this time that Joe didn’t mind the rabbit. When Joe went to see the Skeleton’s coffee stand he was greeted by a mustached skeleton wearing a very fine suit, and behind the skeleton was a full fledged coffee house of his very own. “Joe where have you been? Seems like weeks since I saw you” Said a very happy skeleton.

Starting out with a bang

Rain beat the ground like a thousand little drums. Patches the spirit of autumn appeared coming out of a dark alley. Patches wore a long brim hat that covered his large pumpkin head. His eyes, mouth and nose glowed brightly from the flickering flame inside his head. The glowing eyes shone brightly in the dark and rain. A faint glow remained in the alleyway as Patches was leaving.

            The horrible reality of dark city was, that at any moment a murder could take place and that murder would never be solved, for as many criminals were put into prison, just as many escaped the long arm of the law.

            Patches was usually non violent but decided that it was time to settle a score. Glow in the dark alley was the beaten and bloodied remains of King Sun, the ruler of Summer and all that was warm. With summer in critical condition, the rulers of spring, fall and winter would get a longer season.

            King Sun had grown too powerful and covered much of the year in constant heat, and while everyone thought about doing something, it was Patches who finally did something about it.

            After the attack on the autumn forest by Ignitious and Glacious, Patches decided that a peaceful life in harmony together was not an option. The spirit of Autumn and Halloween now walked the line between defender and the aggressive monster that he fought.

Halloween and the Autumn season was both fleeting and special, so its protector needed new measures.

Summer Rain

Can you hear the rain? It pings off the tin roof and patters against the walls of the small bus shelter.

            The air was warm and slightly humid. Rain had just started to pour and the wind and water was a welcoming change from the summer heat. It was in a bus shelter that he stood, out in the middle of the lush green forest, waiting for a bus that only showed twice a day. The leaves rattled as they were tapped by the steady stream of rain drops.

            Soft music played from his headphones, each small tap of his foot caused a ripple on the slowly forming, shallow pool of water by his feet. As the tree branches swayed with the wind, He noticed a tree with a blooming pink flower. The colorful pink and green popped out from the background of hazy rain and mist.

            Though it was day the sun hid behind the clouds, some would call it a gloom but others, especially those in a certain bus stop, the day seemed quiet and relaxing.

            Headlights appeared in the distance and slowly bounced up and down as a bus drove up the dirt road. A large bus stopped in front of the shelter and the doors opened. The bus driver gave a smile, which was interpreted as welcoming. The bus driver actually was smiled due to the surprise that anyone was actually waiting at this stop in the rain.

            He climbed aboard the bus and walked towards the middle, then sat down at a window seat. The bus air felt damp but small bursts of cool air came in from little vents on the floor. He put is leg over the vent, which caused the cold air to shoot up his pant leg.

            The bus seats were clean, vinyl and old. The padding still offered support but was visible through the seams of the seat. The bus’ engine let out a groan as the vehicle moved forward. The soft rocking of the bus was comforting and the patter of rain was very relaxing. The world drifted away as the bus moved forward. All was quiet and before long He had drifted off to sleep.

Jillian's Letter

Her hands quivered as she wrote. It was a stormy day, rain pattered against the window shutters as the trees shook and danced to the tune of the wind howling.

            She traveled the land, she saw amazing sights and killed scores of man, women and beast. She once stabbed a spear made of crystal into a demon lord erupting from an ancient stone. These were easy jobs by comparison to her task ahead. Jillian Cole had the chance to write a letter to the love of her life and could guarantee she would get the letter. The hardest decision was what to write.

            Jillian had lost her love once and worried so intensely that he second chance would slip through her fingers. “Hello, how are you? I’ve stopped killing. As much” Jillian scribbled the words down, scrunched her face at how awful it sounded, crumbled the paper and threw it out. She grabbed a new piece of paper, set it down and stared at it. The intimidation grew from this fresh piece of blank paper. This could be the final letter that gets sent or it could be a load of garbage that ends up in the ever-growing pile of reject ideas. Jillian really wished she could just prove herself by killing something.

            Day turned to evening, then evening dragged on into night. Jillian’s reject pile had grown and her sword arm was growing restless. “Maybe I could kill just one bandit, then right back to work on this letter. Killing DOES help people. If I save someone then its fine right?” Jillian said out loud to herself. Fighting gave her a sense of purpose and killing was a rush that she grew fond of. Jillian’s love left because she worried that Jillian killed too much and too frequently.

            “It’s either Me or the Vanguard” Jillian’s love said before she walked off. Jillian Cole WAS the Vanguard and found it impossible to choose, so the choice was made for her. Jillian could abandon the armor, take up another line of work and stop killing bad guys and monsters, but wondered if she would be the same person after that, would she still be herself?

            After hours of anguishing over each word, Jillian finally scrapped her current work, a full paper of apologies and excuses, fond wishes and lovely words. Jillian grabbed a new piece of paper and wrote her true feelings.

            “Hello my love. There’s not a day that goes by that I do not miss you. I miss the scent of your hair. The way you comforted me after battle and told me I would be amazing no matter if I had the armor or not.

 I understand why you left and I know now why I couldn’t make that decision myself.

I needed to tell you that even if you have moved on, that I still love you. I do not expect this letter to change your mind however. I am still the Vanguard. I cannot be anyone else. We cannot take a piece of a person and wish it to be the whole of them. I am the woman outside of the armor who smiles and jokes with you, but I am also the one inside the armor who fights endless battles. I hope that you are well. If you ever need me, please reach out. Goodbye for now. I hope to see you again soon”

Jillian finished writing the letter and put her pen down. She had written her honest feelings and that is all she could have done. She began to re-read the letter and a twinge of disapproval entered her mind. She wanted to change words and maybe even start over. Jillian slammed her fist down and declared “NO, It is finished” And the broke her pen in half and threw it on the pile of reject papers.

            The now finished letter was carefully folded with love, put into an envelope and sealed with wax. Jillian smiled to herself as walked over to a very frightened delivery man who was tied to a post in the cabin where she had been writing.

“So you know the woman I speak of, correct?” Jillian said in a tone that could sheer flesh. “Y-yes, of course, I’ve seen her many times while delivering l-lett…” The delivery man was cut short as Jillian nodded and shushed him. His whimpering upset her stomach and she needed him to do a job not tell his life story. “Alright. I will release you. Take this letter and make sure she gets it. Do NOT tell her that you were tied to a post. If you do tell her OR if you fail to deliver the letter all, you will see me again.” Jillian explained calmly. Then she gestured to her black Vanguard armor. “IF you do see me again I will be wearing that. And that armor will be the last thing you see" She hissed. "Now go!” She shouted.

            The delivery man took the letter, nodded several times and started to leave. “WAIT!" Jillian shouted. The poor delivery man froze and trembled. “Here is your pay. I am not an unfair woman” Jillian said softly as she poured a pile of gold coins into his trembling hands. It was enough gold for a weeks worth of deliveries. Which worked for him because he was only tied up for a day and a half.

            The storm had calmed and the deliveryman ran off into the night. Jillian felt giddy and nervous like a schoolgirl waiting to hear from her crush. It was a night of emotional growth for Jillian. “Now that the letter is sent, time to go back to work” Jillian said with a sly grin then began to adorn her black Vanguard armor. Out into the world there were monsters and bandits who were dead and didn’t even know it yet. Jillian needed to work off the stress from writing that letter and the outside world would feel it.

Lie to Me

Lie to Me.

            When there is no good more good news, when my heart hurts and the sky is gray, lie to me. Tell me there are blue skies above, if I could just see it. Tell me how the clouds look so peaceful and the birds sing so sweetly. Tell me when it rains that it’s not the lonely kind of downpour that reminds me of being alone. Tell me the rain makes it a good day to cuddle, that the rain brings sleepy days and cozy nights.

Lie to when I wish I had someone in my life. Even if I had to pay you, tell me you actually wanted to stay. Tell me all the sweet things that a lover says, the things that warms the heart and makes life worth living.

            Lie to me about the state of the world, tell me its all going to be ok.

Tell me it will all be ok.

When I am sick, lie to me and tell me I will recover. Tell me that I will get better if I have the strength. Lie and tell me it’s all worth it in the end.

I hate liars, I always want the truth, but the night is long and my soul is tired. Please lie to me.

“Don’t worry. It will all be ok"

Blue haired Maiden

The Hero sat on a log. Lonely where the days and harsh were the night. Then one day he was beholden to a maiden with hair as blue as the ocean and eyes green like the sea.

The Hero traveled to meet this maiden but she was always just out of reach. Forty days the hero traveled. He fought monsters and braved perils of Mother Nature. Storms passed, hot scorching days went on until finally the hero reached the cabin of the maiden with the blue hair.

 The hero was so entranced by the maiden’s beauty and braved so many dangers just to gaze upon her and ask her name.
           
           The hero stumbled to her with his mouth ready to speak. Before he could ask her name, the Maiden opened her mouth and she spoke with the purist voice. Her words were carried by the wind to the ears of the hero. The hero heard the maidens voice for the first time and what she said to him was. “Sorry, I have a boyfriend"

The long day passes

The long day passes, the sun beats down unrelenting. My energy is sapped from my body from the constant heat and hard days. The only relief to be found is at night when the air turns from roasting hot to barely tolerable. I climbed my stairs with all of the strength a starving man on his last leg. I pushed the door open and collapsed to the floor. My cats race to my side, purring as they rub their fluffy bodies against my unmoving head and shoulders. They lick my arms frantically; their motivation is of love but also of food.

            I drag my corpse of a body across the floor as the cats joyfully skip and frolic around me. They play and wash eachother, they climb on my body and they race down the stairs into the hallway. The mischief beasts return to my apart when they hear the rustling of the cat food bag. I pour dry kibble into their dishes and they eat as if they had never eaten before. They had not eaten since breakfast and their partially empty food dish was a grave concern to them.

            As my lazy roommates eat their kibble, I continue to drag my lifeless body across the floor. As I dragged my body across the floor, the friction from the dragging separated my leg from my pelvis. I left my leg behind as I continued towards my bed. My cats played with my severed leg and nibbled on the toes.

            I crawled into bed, turned on soft music, covered myself in blankets and pillows, then drifted off to the sweet oblivion of death. I died in bed, months passed, my body decomposed into the earth. Grass and plant life sprung forth from the site of my death. My apartment crumbled, vines overtook humanity, my cats played in the rubble of human civilization.

            Then a sharp noise sounded, it was the alarm on my phone. The sound continued, it was piercing and unpleasant. One of my cats tried to drown out the sound by covering it with their soft fluffy body. The muffled alarm continued to sound. I rose from the dead, fully formed, alive and with all of my limbs. I coughed up dirt, spiders and worms. I moved my arms, the motion felt like a rusty machine moving for the first time in years. I twisted my pelvis and pointed my legs toward the edge of the bed, popping sounds erupted from my spine and lower back. The cracking of my back felt good and I continued to move. I moved like an ox over burdened with weight, I lumbered to my computer desk and drank down a gallon of pills. The pills restored the remaining bits of humanity that I had lost on the previous day. My cats danced and chirped as they noticed I was awake. I pet the small goblins as they frolicked through the apartment. Breakfast was served for them as I drank coffee.

            I looked at my phone and saw the weather report, "Surface of the sun” was written as the temperature of the day. I sighed and prayed for death.

I sat hunched over my keyboard as I checked my emails and my pointless social media. One of my cats climbed across my shoulders and back. I sat unmoving, this was normal for me. I then stood up, shook the cats off my body and began to get dressed. The cats gracefully floated toward the ground and scampered off. I smiled. I want only happiness for them.

            I headed for the door and dragged my armor from the closet. This armor would protect me from the day, from the heat and from the opinions of others. I knew at the end of the day my armor would be broken and falling off but I put it on anyway. I needed it just as everyone does. I went out to face another harsh day. My cats slept like potatos.