Joseph Stephens and the Final Day part 1

            The day had approached, the day Joseph Stephens would finally be rid of all of his enemies all in one fell swoop. Joseph Stephens was a kind and gentle soul but for various reason he had gathered a few enemies. Though they were not constant threats, allowing them to live would risk potential danger in the future.

            Jaye Williams heard that all of Joseph’s foes would be gathering in the same city for one day only. The reason was a mystery, but the fact remained that they had all come out of hiding and now was the time for Joseph to strike.

            Joseph’s enemies included a sword wielding dog who lost his honor long ago in a game of chance, a rat woman that ate children and hid in train stations and last was the sun. Every summer the sun would let his awful daughter July roam the land and spread heat waves and awful direct sunlight onto the world. Kill the sun would show July to show some respect and it would mean Joseph could say goodbye to heatstroke, heat sickness, sunburn and the unpleasant feelings that heat brought.

            All of his enemies gathered in the city of Ales. Down town Ales was also known as Drunk town. Drunks would clutter the subways, trains and streets. Some would even have kids with them. A drunk pushing a stroller across the street was not uncommon in such a hive of unpleasantness.

            Joseph Stephens and Jaye Williams hurtled down the highway on a makeshift motorcycle that Jaye Williams built in his garage. The vehicle was barely street legal and looked like a golem made of spare parts or some kind of awful junkyard dog robot. If the motorcycle could speak it would either be completely insane or cry out for death. It was Jaye’s finest creation and he loved it as much as a man could love a motorcycle/robot/golom/dog/junkpile/sin against nature.

            Jaye drove and Joseph rode on the back, feeling a little awkward sitting on the back of the motorcycle, clutching onto Jaye’s torso for deal life. Also he wondered if other cars thought they were dating, because in his mind, couples usually rode motorcycles in this manner. The drivers of the other cars didn’t have a chance to wonder if the motorgolom’s drivers were dating or if they were even human, because the motormonster drove so fast that it looked like god had hurled garbage down the highway. Truly it was a marvel to behold, or not behold, depending on where you were standing.

            The city was fast approaching and Joseph couldn’t wait to get the fighting started, these jerks had it coming and the two friends came prepared. The motorcycle had weapons strapped to every inch of it and Joseph had several weapons on his back and strapped to a belt on his waist. Joseph was coming to Ales city and he was bring hell with him.

            The illustrious city of Ales had a beautiful uptown district where all the rich snobs got blasted in the lap of luxury. The buildings were tall and impressive, the shops were stylish and the bars were numerous. Businessmen walked down the streets saying buzz words at each other and stroking their egos as they spoke.

            Jaye and Joseph wandered the streets with weapons strapped to their backs, no one questioned it or stopped them. One police officer finally did stop the duo and asked about the weapons. “We’re cosplayers” Replied Jaye. The police officer scoffed and then smiled and walked off.

            After walking the streets for several hours, Joseph finally spotted a lead. The Sun, or the spirit of the sun was outside of a coffee shop ordering a large coffee. The actual sun, earths sun still was in the sky warming the earth, but the entity known as “The sun” or “Solus” could travel between earth and earths sun. “Solus!” Joseph shouted and charged at the embodiment of heat. Solus glanced at Joseph with a bored look and sipped his coffee. “DO you remember me?!” Joseph shouted, loudly enough to make the coffee shop clerk back away slowly. “No. Should I know you?” Solus asked sounding somehow more uninterested by the second. “I fight with your daughter July every summer, I curse your name every time I get heat stroke” Joseph said in disbelief. “Well, a lot of people hate July and cursing my name doesn’t do anything but use up your own breath” Solus said, sounding so disinterested that he almost stopped talking mid sentence.

            Joseph was feeling discouraged. He wondered if all of his enemies were built up in his head, what if none of them even knew he existed and all of this vengeance was the act of a sad weirdo with too many weapons. Before Joseph had a chance to call off the vengeance mission Jaye Williams reached for a weapon on his back and shouted “CLAAAAWWW HAMMMMMAAAHH!!!” then hurled a claw hammer at Solus’ head. The hammer whirled through the air and struck Solus firmly in his fiery orb of a dome. This jolted the heat spirit and made him spill his coffee.

            Solus was instantly furious, flames erupted from the ground around him as he roared loudly into the air. “WHO did that?!” Solus shouted. Jaye was standing behind Joseph and was pointing wildly at Joseph. “You! Joseph! You will forever be my enemy and will curse the day you crossed me!” Solus shouted as his arm shout forward and his finger plucked out from his fist, forming a very menacing finger point in Joseph’s direction. “Yussss!!!” Joseph cheered. Finally the feelings were mutual and they could fight without Joseph feeling guilty. “Jaye, you are a true friend” Joseph said with a warm smile. Just then a fireball was hurled through the air and blasted Joseph backward into a building. “No problem buddy” Replied Jaye to his charred friend.

            Joseph smiled as he stood up. He reached into his bag of weapons and pulled out a giant sword. The sword was four feet long and had a lighting bolt engraved into the center of it. A purple gem rested in the red hilt and the gem also had a lighting bolt symbol. This was the sword of storms, an ancient weapon that could call forth storms, rain, thunder and lighting and be wielded as the swordsman saw fit. Joseph found it at a garage sale and bought it for twenty bucks. He haggled it down from thirty bucks to twenty and felt proud about it all day.

            Solus gathered his strength and formed a flaming sword in his hand. “I am the father of fire and heat. You have no hope to defeat me!” Solus exclaimed. Joseph raised his sword into the air and rain began to pour from the sky. Thunder boomed and lighting cracked against the sky. All of the drunks had to move indoors to drink also.

            Steam rose up from Solus as he was pelted by rain. “Nice trick, but I am not defeated from a bucket of water” He exclaimed, clearing enjoying his own voice. Then before Joseph could blink Solus had crossed the ten feet between them and was able to slash his flaming sword right through Joseph. Joseph’s eyes went wide, he stumbled and fell. His bag full of weapons clattered to the ground and his shoulder smashed against the pavement, landing on it with the full weight of his body. Inside the backpack a jar was smashed. A glowing purple fairy was freed from the jar and began to buzz around Joseph. The glowing sprite was swearing and cursing at Joseph in fairy language as it buzzed around. To a human it all seemed very magical. Joseph remembered the healing powers of fairies and quickly snatched it out of the air, popped it into his mouth and chewed it up.

            Joseph was filled with a renewed energy and purpose. His strength returned and his will to fight was bolstered. “Thank you delicious fairy. Thank you” Joseph muttered under his breath, then a single tear fell from his eye in her memory. Joseph looked up at Solus with rage in his eyes only to be greeted by the sight of Solus being pummeled by a claw hammer being wielded by Jaye Williams. He was laughing like an insane elf and whacking the sun spirit with all of his might. “Bap bap bap bap! Claw hammer! Did you forget who you were dealing with?” Jaye shouted. Jaye’s claw hammer also had a gem in it, the gem rested in the handle of the hammer, the gem was red and it had a symbol of a hand giving someone the middle finger. Scholars everywhere have yet to determine what kind of magic the red gem held, or if any at all.

            Solus laid on the side walk defeated, broken and rained on. “Now you go back to your sun and stop being such a jerk about the weather!” Joseph shouted. Solus slowly stood up and nodded meekly. “As you wish” he said then turned into a ball of fire and took off into the sky.

            Solus was defeated, but the Mouse lady and Dishonored dog still remain. Joseph Stephens and Jaye Williams have a long journey ahead, full of violence, drunkness, dumb jokes and claw hammers.

Where my Dreams take me - part 6 The New Day

Jack stepped through the charred doorway of his former Boss’ office. The office was untouched by flames and was just as flashy and awful as Jack remembered. “Jack my boy, such wonderful new powers you have. I think we can work out a deal. You keep working for me and I will forgive you for killing all of my guards” The Boss said calmly.

            Jack smiled, he grinned ear to ear as he walked forward slowly. “Deals? We are making deals now?” Asked Jack, his smile still wide and frightening. He slowly sat down on a crimson leather chair across from the Boss. Jack leaned over the Boss’ desk and looked him in the eye. “You will forgive me? Forgive me? FORGIVE ME?!” Jack said his voice jumped into a shout toward the end. Jack cleared his throat and brushed his hair back. “You should be begging me to spare your life and you sit here making deals? You should be asking ME to forgive YOU!” Jack said, his voice jumping as he barely contained his anger. “I would never make a deal with you, but I did make a deal with someone else. Someone who wants you dead just as much as I do” Jack said as he looked the Boss right into his beady dark brown eyes. “Who would have the nerve to send you after me? And while I am asking questions, where did you get that magic?” The Boss asked. He didn’t move from his chair, but he was slowly becoming uncomfortable.

            Death slowly appeared into view behind Jack. A floating cloaked skeleton holding a scythe appeared as a response to the Boss’ question. Then a second later Death was gone. Jack didn’t see Death but he assumed the Boss did by his changed expression. All of the color drained out of the Boss’ face when he saw the Grim Reaper.

            Jack stood up and lifted his hammer to strike but the Boss acted quickly and shot Jack point blank with his shotgun. Jack froze and his eyes went wide. He had come so far only to let his guard down for a second and to get killed by the same person and the same gun that killed Isabelle. Everything seemed to slow as Jack looked down to check for damage. As he looked down he saw the Boss was horrified instead of pleased. Green flames spilled out of Jack’s chest and stomach. The flames covered his torso instead of blood. Magical flames moved across Jack’s skin but instead of burning him, they were healing the skin. The flames that dripped to the ground burned a hole in the floor.

            Jack looked at the Boss and smiled “Death sends his regards” then launched forward and grabbed the Boss by the throat. Green flames burned brightly in Jack’s eyes as rage filled his body. Jack lifted the Boss up by his throat and hurled him through the back wall. As the Boss’ body soared through the air like a rag doll Jack lifted his hammer and then flung it forward. The hammer flew straight out and hit the Boss, then engulfed the Boss in flames. The Hammer and the Boss’ body dropped to the ground with a thud. Jack couldn’t see where the Boss landed because it was dark and also his body was sent out past the city limits.

            Jack jumped out through the hole in the wall down three floors and hit the ground. Jack landed on his feet and took off running. This part of Dark city was the section unlucky enough to be built on the edge of the Haunted Forest. Jack approached the forest, which was swarming with spirits and weird glowing eyes that looked on from every shadow. Jack didn’t want to go anywhere near that place. “Halloween night is almost upon us Jack. Halloween is when the Haunted forest grows restless and the spirits become visible and the monsters more aggressive” Death whispered. The Haunted forest was always dangerous, but the development of Dark city riled up the inhabitants of the forest and with Halloween approaching the spirits were even more restless.

            The boss was standing on the edge of the Haunted forest, too afraid to run into the forest to escape Jack, but too afraid of Jack to distance himself from the forest. Jack approached “Not dead yet? Good, more fun for me” Jack said as he walked closer, his hammer burned brightly as Jack approached. Jack lifted his hammer off the ground and held it up with one hand. “J-Jack please, I can bring her back! I can help you. Don’t kill me” The Boss said his human skin dripped from his face revealing red demon skin. Small yellow horns poked out from under his black hat and his eyes glowed yellow. Jack sneered and shot another blast of fire at the Boss.

            The flames burned the Boss’ clothes and melted away his human disguise.

The Boss stood five feet five and was now in his true form. He was still overweight but his skin was scaly and red, his mouth was a large gaping maw and his eyes burned bright like fire. “Disgusting” Jack muttered. The Boss pulled a black gem from his torn suit pocket. He smiled and held it up. “I saved this gem for supernatural opponents, it cancels magic. Since magic is holding you together right now, prepare to be torn apart. The Gem shot out a blast of energy at Jack. Jack threw his hammer at the blast and jumped out of the way. The Hammer and the dark blast collided and caused an explosion. Black, red and green flames shot over Jack’s head as he lay flat on the grass. The Boss was blasted backward into the Haunted forest.

            “He’s going to escape!” Jack shouted. “No, he is not” Death replied. The glowing eyes went out and the spirits that floated around the trees rushed into the forest. Everything that Haunted that forest seemed to move in on the Boss as soon as he landed. Screams echoed out of the forest accompanied by the sounds of bones breaking and meat being torn.

            It was over, Jack had his revenge, and the Boss was dead. Death appeared in front of Jack in the form of a young woman. She was very pale and slender, she wore all black and had long black hair that flowed into her black dress. She walked toward Jack and smiled “You have done well” She said with a kind smile. Death knelt down and picked up the Hammer with ease. “The stories this hammer could tell…” She said as her voice drifted off. Death stared at the hammer as if it was telling her all of its amazing stories.

            “What do I do now?” Asked Jack as he lifted himself up. “I want a peaceful life, I want to be done with this nightmare. Am I even human anymore? What was that green fire inside of me?” Jack added. Death sighed “The hammer’s magic kept you alive. MY hammer kept you alive. Now that you have given it to me, you are as mortal and human as before. Now you can go build your life. It is yours for the taking. Do as you wish with this freedom. The mountaintop, the autumn forest, maple town and even a black cat all wait for you in your future. The traveling and building is up to you” Death explained. “Thank you, Jack” Death added with a smile then vanished from sight.

            Jack felt sore, tired and hungry. Before he left Dark city forever he decided to pay a visit to Old Carl and see if he could make him some food for old times sake.

            Jack stumbled as he walked back into the city, leaving the sights and sounds of the Haunted Forest behind him. As he approached the city he saw a black cat with green eyes. It was just a kitten, it was lost and alone and rummaging through a garbage can for food. Jack walked up to the cat and put his hand out to pet it. Despite living on the street, the cat was friendly and trusting enough to let Jack pet him. Jack saw an old can of pumpkin puree in the garbage and smiled at the dirty logo of a pumpkin patch. The black cat bit down on the can but then reared its head back when it realized the can wasn’t edible.

            “Would you like to come with me? I’m homeless too” Jack told the cat. The cat mewed and began to purr. “Have you ever been to the mountains? I hear they are lovely this time of year” Jack said as he picked up his new cat and placed it on his shoulders. “I am going to call you Karu, if that’s alright” Jack said. Karu meowed.

            Jack and Karu walked through Dark city, toward the Lousy Dame bar. The rain had stopped, the sun was rising and Jack had a brand new life ahead of him.

Autumn sun

            Peter stared out through his window, it was another sunny, summer day. Everyone was out playing in the heat or going to the pool or beach. But peter stayed indoors. He didn’t like the heat, it always made him feel so sick and tired, but his friends loved the summer and always went out with their families for fun summer activities. Feeling left out and loney, peter let out a sigh.

            He watched as waves of heat rose up from the sidewalk. The air was so hot it moved in waves and cooked anything in its path. Just the sight of the hot sun beating down on the land made him feel uncomfortable. The air conditioner rumbled in a nearby window, spewing cool air that drifted through the house and made the summer tolerable. On days like this Peter would look away from the reality of summer then he used his imagination to create a special filter, so when he looked back outside the things he didn’t like would be filtered out and replaced with more pleasant images. The filter worked and Pete marveled at the new outdoor scene that lay before him.

            Outside it was a crisp, cool day, with a bright blue-sky, autumn trees everywhere and leaves blowing in the wind. The sun had changed too, instead of harsh yellow and white, beating down on peoples backs, it had become an Autumn sun, orange, yellow and red, it provided balance, as the chilled wind blew the sun would smile down and warm the people outside, letting them continue their travels along the road dotted with maple trees. People walked by with sweaters and scarves, houses were decorated with pumpkins, dried corn stalks and hay bales and the smell of fresh pie was everywhere. Peter took a deep breath in and let out a relaxed and happy sigh. Autumn was his favorite time of the year. It wasn’t too hot and not too cold and the chilly autumn nights were nice because he got to use his favorite blanket. He loved the weather, the color of the threes, the fresh apples, the look of pumpkins that eventually became jack-o-lanterns and best of all it was the time of the year that his whole family seemed happy. In the autumn months thanksgiving and Halloween brought his family together and for a few months a year they would talk and be nicer than ever before. Christmas was nice too, but it was as fun as it was stressful to Pete’s family so he never saw the same light in their eyes. Plus it was in the winter and enough snow could make anyone grumpy.

            Autumn was the best time of the year and Peter’s imagination went wild as he imagined what this years Halloween would be like and he wondered how many pies he would eat this year. He thought of the cool nights were his parents would listen to soothing music and drink brandy and he would have apple cider and watch the glow of the fireplace or the spooky look of fall trees at night.

            Not everyone liked Fall and even more disliked Halloween, but Pete didn’t care, everyone had their season. While some enjoyed the summer sun with its heat, inviting people to the ocean for a day of fun, Pete preferred apple trees and the Autumn Sun.