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.

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.

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.

Coffee Beans

Joseph walked into his kitchen, the room had a chill in the air. It was almost October and the summer had barely ended. The house took a turn from being hot and humid to cold and dry in a matter of hours. While the world slept the cold air of Fall slowly crept through the town like a rolling fog. Joseph shuffled through his kitchen in his green fuzzy slippers. Each step made a smooth shuffling sound as the plastic from the bottom of the slippers rubbed against the linoleum flooring.

 

            It was still early and Joseph hadn’t fully regained his senses. He shuffled like a zombie over to his freezer and removed a canister of coffee. He opened the canister and the fresh smell of ground coffee filled his nostrils. He started to feel more awake just by smelling the sweet caffeine in those dark ground up beans. Coffee was always a soothing comfort to Joseph and the warmth of each cup helped on cold autumn mornings.

 

            Joseph poured the coffee grounds into the pot and then added water, the splashing of the cold water into the coffee maker drifted into Joseph’s ears and traveled to his half awake mind. The splashing water was soothing and his day dreaming state took him to a place of pouring rain and warm coffee. Joseph snapped awake and remembered his mission, to brew a caffienated beverage. Joseph reached for the button and pressed it. There was a small click and a little green light went on. That small noise was strangely satisfying and a small shot of excitement went through him. This was not an unusual morning and he found it strange that he would get so excited for a process that he had accomplished hundreds of times.

 

            Joseph opened his cabinets where he kept his coffee mugs and pulled out a bright orange pumpkin shaped Jack-o-lantern mug with a silly grinning face on it. Joseph loved little things like playfully shaped coffee mugs, weird key chains, unusual hats and unique styles of glasses. His favorite coffee mugs were the ones that were related to Halloween, video games and cats.

 

            The coffee had finished brewing and sat in the pot warm and dark just waiting to be poured into a weird coffee mug. Joseph took his pumpkin mug and poured in the cream and sugar, then poured the coffee on top of it. The coffee, cream and sugar all mixed together as the dark liquid fell from the pot in an even flow.

 

            Joseph took a careful sip from the top of his pumpkin shaped mug. He had a habit of over filling his cup and the pumpkin mug was not practical to drink out of. Since the top of it curved inward, forcing the coffee drinker to use a different coffee drinking strategy just for that mug. Joseph didn’t mind little annoyances like a mug that was slightly harder to drink from. He felt that the little novelties that he collected were his few remaining expressions of self. He went to work, paid bills, did errands and chores like everyone else. For many it is hard to hold onto identity as an adult. Many work places treat the workers like a number that is only to be employed for as long as they are useful. Joseph couldn’t fix business politics or regulate laws to make the work place a better environment, he didn’t even complain about his job. Instead of complaining or acting out, he bought novelty coffee mugs. Occasionally Joseph felt sad about having to express himself through coffee mugs but many people did it and he hoped others like him found other ways to express themselves too.

 

            Joseph looked at his mug and realized he had drifted into a very deep inner monolog, so he shook his head and took a sip of his coffee. The chemical reaction in his brain lit up the nerves like lights on a twitch board. He wasn’t instantly awake but he felt like he was slowly coming out of his morning haze. If there was a world where no one had to wake up earlier than they wanted to, Joseph would still drink coffee. It would be a noon though and not seven in the morning.

 

            Joseph shuffled to his kitchen table, his green bathrobe draped around him like a very disheveled king and his fuzzy slippers slid and smacked against the kitchen flooring. Joseph sat down with a small groan and took another sip of his coffee. Three pairs of eyes stared at him from the kitchen chair next to him. It was an eerie sight but Joseph was used to it. Three cats with large eyes stared at Joseph expecting attention and food. One cat was all black with bright green eyes, another was a gray tabby who also had green eyes and the third was a calico with beautiful golden eyes.

 

            Joseph waved his hand at the cats dismissively. “Alright alright” he grumbled. The cats jumped off the chair, then quietly and quickly walked to their food dish. Each cat was very graceful as they walked to the food dish. Joseph couldn’t believe that these calm, well-behaved cats were the same cats that were running full speed through the house at two in the morning. Cats were an interesting species as they could be both clumsy, goofy, garbage eating monsters and then still retain a level of elegance and poise when they wanted to.

 

            Joseph’s wife Samantha came down the stairs from the bedroom, looking tired but beautiful as she always did. Joseph thought that Samantha must have been part cat as she had the same traits as their housecats. Samantha was elegant, affectionate, calm and knew how to appear dignified, but she also loved to eat sloppy foods, dance like a crazy person and just like a cat, if she didn’t like someone, they would know it. Joseph knew that Samantha had claws hidden somewhere within her slender pale fingers, he just hadn’t seen them yet.

 

            “Good morning” Samantha cooed at Joseph. “Good morning beautiful” Joseph cooed back. The sweetness of that moment could have provided enough sugar for both of their cups of coffee.

 

            Joseph poured a second cup of coffee. Samantha had a red mug with a gold colored design on it. It was pretty classy. Joseph always thought that the gold design looked like a French symbol or decoration, but he didn’t know enough about French markings to be sure.

 

            Samantha gave Joseph a kiss as she reached for her cup. As she leaned back from the kiss she brought the coffee cup up between them and took a long slow sip. “I love you” She whispered. “I love you too” Said Joseph. “I was talking to the coffee” Samantha said and stuck out her tongue. Samantha’s playfulness took Joseph by surprise and he couldn’t contain his wide goofy grin. Samantha was the only person that could make Joseph feel like he was back in highschool, a dorky sixteen year old with a crush on a beautiful classmate. Joseph was still a nerd but he was a happy nerd who married that beautiful crush of his.

 

            Samantha fed the cats who had been waiting patently by their dish. The three elegant garbage monsters attacked their dry cat food like it was prey in the savanna. After feeding the cats, Samantha moved onto her own breakfast. “Do you want anything sweetie?” Asked Samantha. “I can’t, I have to get to work” Joseph sighed. He spent a little too long savoring his morning and was a few minutes behind schedule. He ran upstairs and began to dress for work. Rain started to fall from the sky in small steady drops.  Joseph wished he didn’t have to work, he didn’t want to go out into the cold rain, away from his loving wife, warm house and silly cats. Joseph walked back downstairs and grabbed his umbrella, he checked his phone for the time then quickly went back into the kitchen to say good-bye to his wife.

 

            Joseph walked in and kissed Samantha, who was smiling as she was making breakfast. Joseph went for the door when he heard Samantha call from the kitchen “Hold it! When you checked your phone for the time did you not see the date as well?” Asked Samantha. Joseph looked at his phone again and the build in calendar said it was Saturday. “OH!” Joseph exclaimed in confusion, relief and surprise. Many different feelings and emotions were felt and expressed in only a brief second and through a short grunt of an exclamation.

 

            Joseph took off his shoes and coat and walked back into the kitchen. “I guess I’ll make some breakfast then” He said, still in disbelief that it was Saturday. Samantha placed a plate of French toast and fruit in front of Joseph “I took care of it” Samantha said with a smile. It was a smile that Joseph could stare at all day long.

 

            The went on with a casual pace, Joseph and Samantha listened to the rain pouring outside as they drank their warm coffees and ate breakfast together. The world wasn’t always a nice place to live but at that moment Joseph felt peace.

 

            Life doesn’t need to be any more complicated than you make it. Sometimes all you need is someone to love, a fresh cup of coffee and a little rain in the Fall.

Autumn Wishes

Branches sway on the breeze with colorful leaves, all red, yellow and orange. As I drive I look at the forest that slowly closes in on the highway, the road slicing through an ocean of gold and ember. I get images of warm baked goods and honey. The cool air and the trees, this scene alone is enough to inspire countless daydreams.

            I look out my window into the night sky, I look at the stars sparkling so bright. Wind blows in through my open window, bringing a chill and the sent of wood smoke. The neighborhood homes have their lights on, a warm orange glow that repels the darkness and the cold. It is inviting and comforting. Inside one house a family has their fireplace lit, their chimney puffing out fragrant smoke. Another house someone is baking. The smell of apple and pumpkin with various spices drifts gently from the kitchen window that’s open just slightly.

            I sit in my house and think of years past. Coffee sits simmering in the kitchen, the simple scent adding the symphony of fragrances. Autumn comes, it always starts with a cold breeze out of nowhere. Then the trees change, as if by magic, from green to a variety of warm colors, almost balancing out the chill in the air. Holidays come and go. Halloween has always been such a joy, the one time of the year I feel alive, truly. Every year, no matter how old I get, I dress up and decorate the house. These days I can do little more than turn on my plastic Jack-o-lantern and light a pumpkin scented candle, but I do enjoy the thrill I see on the faces of my grand children as they visit me wearing their costumes. I always answer the door wearing my mask of the year and scare them, they start to giggle and my daughter looks at me with a disapproving half smile.

            Music hums gently through the air, quiet, calming and a little sad. Various classical tunes I listen to every year. Of course when company comes by I have my “100 best Halloween songs” that I play. Though I would say its more of the 50 best, and 50 so-so Halloween songs. Besides the music, the cold air and even the baked goods, I love this season because it helps me reflect on the year so far. Some people might think the end of the year is the best time to reflect, but I prefer not to wait till the last minute to do things. Besides, it’s the autumn that puts things in perspective. Something in the air makes you look back and reflect.

            When I was kid it was different. The cold air gave me energy, as did all the sugar from candy and pie. The excitement of dressing up like a pirate or superman and the thought of stuffing your face with turkey on thanksgiving. I didn’t care that summer was over and school started, summer was always too hot and made me tired. The gentle air of autumn brought life into spirit.

            Autumn has always been my favorite season and I feel like I spend half the year silently wishing for another breezy fall afternoon. Gladly trading every summer just to get a little closer to the best time of the year. Seasons greetings and Autumn wishes.

Final hours

            I sit in my living room, lost in thought. The room is dimly lit, only a small stand lamp is on, I sit comfortably in the center of the couch, in front of me is a coffee table and on the other side of the table sits Death. He waits patiently, also sitting comfortably, but in a high back chair, matching the pattern on the couch. Death had walked in only a little while ago and sat down, a solemn look on his face. I was surprised to see that he looked like a man, not a skeleton. He wore a bowler hat, thin wire sunglasses, an old style three-piece suit, nice shoes and black leather winter gloves. He also had on a long flowing overcoat. His coat moved and swayed as if it were alive and every so often I could hear whispers from the dead coming from inside his coat. Surprisingly still, I was not afraid of him, I welcomed him into my home as if we were old friends. He didn’t say a word, he just sat, staring at me, hands on the arm rests and feet flat on the ground. His thin pale face not showing any emotion and he didn’t seem to be in a hurry, so he sat, waiting on me.

Some may say its best not to keep death waiting and to that I ask, “why?” It’s not like he can make me any more dead and I am confident that my place in the afterlife has already been secured long ago. So Death waits patiently. I might be inclined to stand up and follow him out of my home, but instead my mind wanders. It drifts back into my past. I’ve heard your life flashes before your eyes when you die, well maybe, but only if you’re in a hurry or didn’t have an interesting life. My life gently drifts in and out of my mind, like an aroma, a delicate breeze in the air that I can’t quite get a hold of.

Rain pours outside, I listen to it and relax as I am slowly being pulled back into the past. Rain falls rapidly from the night sky, I remember looking outside from the airport. My flight is delayed due to bad weather. I think about Charlotte waiting for me in Seattle, we were going to meet and I was going to propose. As the rain beat down on the building I felt my future with her being washed away. She didn’t know I loved her, not like that. We might have been dating, but I don’t think she ever truly knew how I felt. I didn’t get there till the next day. So much was dependent on me being there on time. Tears trickle down my cheek as I open my eyes, snapping back into reality. Death still lingers, still waits. He seems like a nice enough guy, I don’t know what all the bad reputation is about.

            It’s a funny thing memory, how I can remember one fleeting moment, some small detail like my friends shirt being a vibrant blue this one time at a pool party, but I can’t for the life of me remember yearly events, birthdays, anniversaries, ect. I remembers July the tenth, pool party at the house of my friend Roger. It was exactly three days before he got married. Though if you asked me when his anniversary was, I wouldn’t be able to tell you, unless I thought of the pool party days before. I remember thinking, this is the last time I will be able to see him as a free man. Last time we get to hang out and act stupid like we used to. He asked me what I thought about his future wife, I lied and said I liked her, it was the first time I ever lied to Roger.

            My thoughts drift across my entire life, I could recall every happy memories or tragic tale in my life, but I don’t feel like it. I’m not one to dwell on the past. I think over all, I had a good life. I have few regrets and I never once had to beat anyone up. I think that’s an accomplishment considering the hardheaded people I had to deal with throughout my life.

            Time has no meaning for me now, I don’t know how long I’ve been sitting here recalling my past, but I think its time to go. Time to see what the afterlife has to offer and find out if it’s as big of a deal as everyone says it is. So far, I’m not impressed. So I stand up and as if knowing what I was about to do, Death stands up at the exact same time. He smiles, happy I’m finally done reminiscing. I walk across my living room to the exit of my house, Death follows, his black coat flickering like flames and swaying as he moves. I open the door to my house, I stare out as the outside has been replaced with an endless vortex. Its hypnotizing and calming. I look back on my life one last time, smile at Death and step through the door. Death exits behind me, the door shuts and the room goes dark.

Jack and the Darkclaw

Bar stools smashed against the wall, bottles shattered and people were being thrown through the air. Jack ducked just in time to avoid a punch, then countered with an uppercut, shattering the man’s jaw. The drunken brawler went down and didn’t get back up. Jack used this opportunity to sneak out of the bar. He wrapped his forest green cloak around his body and quietly walked toward the door as chaos raged on around him.

            Jack left the whole messy business behind him as he left the building and quickly began to walk away. “Well crisis averted!” Jack smiled. “a crisis that YOU started!” Ack spoke up. Jack was a thief on the run from a corrupt kingdom trying to throw him in jail, he wore a gray loosely fit shirt, black pants, brown leather boots, leather fingerless gloves and a hooded green cloak. He carried a sword at his side and a knife in his boot. Ack, who Jack named, was a voice in Jack’s head. At first Jack just thought he was crazy, but more time he spent having Ack in his head the more he wondered if Ack was more of a spirit that shared Jack’s body. Only Jack could hear Ack’s words, but anytime Jack’s life was in danger he would gain supernatural powers on loan from Ack. Regardless of if Ack were real or not, he was someone to talk when traveling alone.

            “I didn’t start the fight, the guy was clearly drunk and the situation got out of hand” Jack protested. “Well your lucky you weren’t drunk as well, then we wouldn’t be able to communicate and you wouldn’t hear my warning when that guy tried to smash a chair over your head” Ack replied. “I was just trying to relax after days of being lost in Noril kingdom” Jack argued back. Originally from Koreth, Jack got lost on his journey through the vast grassland of Noril. During his travels to avoid capture from the Doomars, he got slightly turned around and ended up in a tavern in a small town, removed from any major city or landmark.

            Jack argued with his companion in his head as he walked. So caught up in the conversation he didn’t realize he had walked out of the town. Once outside the town border he was immediately confronted with a group of heavily armed men. “Halt traveler, are you Jack the bandit?” asked a man wearing leather armor and a spiked helmet, carrying a large axe. “No, sorry. I think I saw him back in that tavern over there” Jack replied pointing back into town. The man laughed, “We are the Darkclaw Mercenaries. I am the leader, Agox. These are my men, Sorm, Sepper and Harr. We are here bring you to the Doomars king, dead or alive. We were just trying to give you a chance to surrender. I know its you, I got your picture here” he said, holding up a sketch of Jack, green cloak, long brown hair, it was definitely him. “Wow, that’s really good. Who drew that?” Jack joked. The leader of the group replied by swinging his axe at Jack.

            Having quick reflexes and the agility of a monkey, Jack’s whole body swayed sideways, dodging the axe chop. There were four mercenaries in this group. The leader, Agox with a spiked helmet and axe, Sorm used a two handed sword, Sepper had a spear and Harr used duel hammer.

            Jack drew his sword and slashed at the axe man, slicing the Agox’s arm. The leader growled in pain. It would be a little tougher swinging his large axe now. In reaction to the exchange of strikes, the other four members ran at Jack.

Sepper thrust his spear at Jack, grazing his arm as he barely dodged the strike in time. Immediately following Sorm and Harr brought their weapons down at Jack from both sides. Jack blocked the large sword slice with his own sword, but was struck in the back by Harr’s hammers and dropped to his knees from the impact. “This isn’t good…” Jack muttered. “oh come on Jack, you’re a big boy, take care of these fools and lets get some lunch” Ack said carefree. “sure, I’ll get right on that” Jack grunted in reply. Sepper stabbed down at Jack’s exposed back. Reacting quickly, he rolled out of the way, across the ground and kicked up dust. Jack jumped to his feet, then whirled his sword sideways at Harr while he was distracted by the dust in his eyes. Jack’s sword sliced into Harr’s shoulder making him drop one of his hammers, Harr tried to swing his second hammer to counter, but Jack kicked him in the chest, sending him to the ground.

            Sorm swung his sword again, Jack ducked, reached into his boot to grab his knife then threw it at Sepper, stabbing the spear man right in the chest. Sepper gurgled blood as the blade pierced his leather armor and his lungs. Sepper fell to the ground dead. Enraged Agox swung his axe with massive force, Jack sidestepped the attack, moved in forward and struck Agox in the face with the hilt of his sword. The leader stumbled clutching his face. “Lets end this Jack, im bored” Ack sighed. Jack grumbled, but before he could reply dark energy surged through his body. Jack’s movements became a blur and a dark aura surrounded him. His eyes glowed red and his voice echoed as if two people spoke at once. “Darkclaw mercenaries, I suggest you run” Jack said, showing a wicked smile.

            Blinded by pride and rage from being injured by a thief, Agox charged again. Jack dropped his sword to the ground and waited with arms out. The second before Agox struck Jack with his axe, Jack moved with a flash of speed. Harr and Sorm who were too scared to fight anymore watched, one second their leader ran at the thief, the next Jack had Agox lifted into the air by his throat. “Tell others of this, tell them only death awaits” Jack said. When he spoke he looked at Harr and Sorm, no longer paying attention to the large man suspended by his throat. Then within a blink Agox let out a scream and was torn in half. Jack threw each half of Agox at the remaining mercenaries and walked off. Harr and Sorm were too scared to move as they looked at their leaders remains on the ground at their feet.

            “Should have killed them all” Ack said. Jack had his head lowered “I didn’t even want to kill Sepper or Agox. I would rather they be afraid then keep hounding me” Jack replied. His dark power fading and eyes returning to normal. “That dark power helps me survive, but I don’t like how blood thirsty I get” Jack said sadly. “But it’s a rush, isn’t it?” Ack laughed. Jack said silent and continued on his journey. The hunting wouldn’t stop and neither would the fighting, but still Jack is on the move, hoping to avoid capture and maybe one day will find a peaceful life.

Birds

Recently, while driving I saw seagulls and crows in a parking lot. Both are scavengers and seem to hang out in parking lots or just anywhere they can find food. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen them together though. Most people might just say “oh” and continue on their way. Its nothing special I suppose, but here is what I saw, this is where my mind took me.

It was a cloudy day, light rain, cold and sleepy. A single beam of sunlight broke through the clouds. The sky seem more dramatic, it was beautiful and peaceful. Circling the parking lot were birds, seagulls. They floated gracefully through the air and the sight of them brought my mind to images of the ocean and the peaceful sound of the waves. The seagull landed and quickly found a piece of food, it attempted to retrieve the food but was stopped by a crow. The intimidating black bird was a contrast to the peaceful day. The sight of the crow brought my mind to images of death and graveyards. Crows seem so ominous and sometimes threatening. The two birds fought and so began a war in my mind. Light and darkness, the peaceful ocean breeze vs. the sadness of death. The weather was warm, yet the wind was cold and it had been raining. The sky was cloudy, yet sunlight shone through brightly. Opposing forces clashed trying to take back the day, one fought for the peacefulness of a spring day, the other trying to bring a storm of thunder and lighting. The birds fought as if fighting over the end of the world. More crows and seagulls circled overhead, crying out and cheering on their comrade.

The drama of the scene ended abruptly as a car drove by scaring away all the birds. My mind was forced back into reality. The weather was a little strange, but it was just the change from winter to spring. The sunlight breaking through the clouds was just from the clouds shifting and letting sunlight through and the battle of light versus darkness was nothing more than two scavenger birds fighting over bread crumbs. All of this played out in my head in seconds, I reached my turn, took a right and as I drove away the parking lot and the imaginary battle disappeared from sight. It was another normal cloudy day, but for a second the world seemed a whole lot more exciting.

Years of winter

This expression is based of my experience of the weather from the last few weeks. Enjoy!

Winter is slowly fading, making room for spring. It has been cold, windy and snowing for months, but it feels like years. Years of winter sweep through my city and bury it in snow. Everything is snow covered and frozen. I squint, as I look at a tree, no longer able to remember what it looks like without snow on it. The sky is gray and the roads are icy, I drive carefully as I shiver and curse under my breath.

            Then one day as if by magic, a warm breeze gently floats through the city. The sun is out and the world is warm. The ice and snow are gone and everything looks bare and naked. I feel strange as I step outside. I no longer need a jacket, no more winter hat. A cool spring breeze brushes against my face and I sigh in happiness. As I drive I am relaxed yet unnerved. The weather is so nice, yet everything feels out of place. The world is in transition. It feels like spring but looks like winter, just without the snow. I put it out of my mind. Spring has sprung and I want to enjoy every minute of it.

            Everyone is out of their homes, enjoying the weather. Riding bikes and playing in the street. I start to remember what spring looks like, I even vaguely remember what fall looks like as well. With the winter cold gone, my mind finally thaws and I begin to remember things I had long since forgotten. My senses are sharper, I feel happier, life seems sweeter. Whether its sunny or it rains, the weather is cool and inviting. No more snow, no more ice.

            I wake up each day with a sigh of relief, my mind gets carried away with all the things I want to do outside. The possibilities are endless. Oh the joy of spring, oh the joy of the rain and sunshine, oh…. damn…Its snowing again….

Lazy sunday

I wake up in the afternoon on a Sunday and stretch lazily. The sun is on my face, its warmth is comforting and relaxing, I fall back to sleep. I wake up again to the sound of someone in the kitchen. I get out of bed cautiously and walk through the apartment to find Steve making food. I decide to harass him until he fixes me something too. He gets annoyed, but does it anyway. I eat happily in the kitchen. During breakfast I occasionally stare at him just to freak him out, it works and he leaves. After breakfast I hop on the couch and watch the TV. Steve left it to the golf station and I’m too lazy to get up so I watch golf.

As if in a trance I watch the golf channel for hours, its so boring yet I can’t stop watching, it’s mesmerizing. Steve goes about his day but I ignore him. He vacuums and it starts to bother me, so I leave. I hate it when he vacuums. Can’t he see I was trying to watch something? I walk past the window and something catches my eye, it’s a squirrel. It’s the squirrel from the other day, the one that knocks over the trashcans. I watch him angrily, keeping tabs on him to make sure he doesn’t mess anything up. I wish I could catch him. One of these days I’m going to go outside snatch him out of his stupid tree. Probably not, he’s faster than me, but still. Damn squirrel. The pest finally disappears into the branches of a nearby tree and I continue my day. The apartment isn’t very big and theres not much to do besides take a nap. Since I’ve already slept for fourteen hours, I decide to go outside. Steve always keeps the door locked up and its not easy to open the door, so after a few minutes of asking he opens the door for me. We should just have one of those easy to open swinging doors.

The sun is warm as I strut down the street, I see a female on the other side of the road and I call out to her, she ignores me. I was just trying to be friendly, but some people are just stuck up. As I’m walking by I pass a fence and suddenly a dog launches at me, stopped suddenly by the chain link fence. It barks and growls and I check to make sure I didn’t have a heart attack. Dogs and squirrels, seriously, damned them both. My hair was almost standing on end I was so scared. I calm myself and straighten up, then casually walk away. I’m tough, I didn’t just yelp like a girl when that dog scared me, sure I didn’t.

I walk home and sneak in through an open window, I didn’t want to wait for Steve to let me in. I strut around the kitchen and then eat dinner. After eating I lay out on the floor. Relaxed and full I drift off back to sleep. It was a lovely sunny day, relaxing and carefree. I love being a cat.