Steel Haven part 1 - Origin of a Great City

The walls of Steel Haven rose high above the land. The humans had achieved great feats with their discovery of steel. The stone castles of kings and lords were impressive but most people could only rely on the protection of wooden homes. The lower class needed to be protected from the harsh world of deadly animals and roaming bandits, and so King Alexander Chalybs decided it was his burden to protect as many people as he could.

King Alexander had a grand vision for a new city surrounded by steel walls as tall as any castle and thicker than a stonewall. The city would be a welcoming place to those friendly to the King and his people but would be a threatening fortress to those who sought to do harm.

The city fortress of Steel Haven did not spring up overnight, it took years of dedication and vision. King Chalybs, who became known as the King of Steel, led his own Kingdom to this goal. Many villagers and lower class left their own kingdoms and traveled for months just for the chance to be allowed access into the city. People were arriving to Steel Haven even before the city was complete.

King Chalybs was inspired by the work and the devotion of the people. He saw the new arrivals as a testament that his vision was pure and good. Any family that wished to live in the city had to contribute in some way. Men and women could choose which profession was best suited for their talents and so, Steel Haven had an enormous labor force of workers, builders, black smiths, metal workers, cooks, hunters, cleaners and any other job that needed to be done.

A giant forge was built first before anything else. The forge was a large source of heat surrounded by every kind of metal working tool available in those times. Everything was housed in an open-air structure and the best metal workers worked tirelessly around this scorching hot forge. The great forge was put to use just as it was finished and from that moment it was considered the heart of Steel Haven. 

Not everything in Steel Haven was made of steel or metal, most of the homes and buildings were built with stone and wood with steel used to reinforce the structures. The great walls of Steel haven were made from steel, as was most of the Steel Haven Keep that the king lived in. The Great forge was almost completely sheltered in steel. 

As time passed and the city grew, the citizens were restricted from going to the forge unless authorized to do so. Six foot high walls were build around the forge and guards were placed at the small gate door in the front. This didn’t seem unreasonable to the citizens of Steel Haven, as they all knew how important the Forge was.

After only a year the city was completed. The wall had not been finished yet but every important building was built as was enough homes for every family who helped in some way. The King left his own castle and moved into Steel Haven Keep. The Kings old castle was converted into a military structure, which housed his best and most loyal soldiers and his top general.

Steel Haven finally had fully built walls by the second year, completely made from steel with battlements atop the walls, walkways, guard towers and every other security measure a castle wall could have. The large gates were well protected by a draw bridge that went over a deep moat, a solid steel gate and a second gate used to trap intruders. Steel forge keep also had a smaller but still formidable wall that separated it from the rest of the city.

This newly finished city of Steel Haven would force to reckon with and the news of its creation spread throughout the land. The more the news spread, the more people wanted to move there. The more people that moved into the city the larger the city grew. After several years the city was twice the size of the original Steel Haven with Steel Haven Keep and the first part of the city known as the “Steel Core” and every new structure and home was built outside of the Core’s walls. Only the citizens and their families that helped with the original construction were allowed to live in the Core of the city behind its sturdy walls. 

Eventually the outer city grew so much that new walls were made to protect that section as well. Any attacker who wished to assault the Steel Keep would have to make their way through the Steel Haven outer wall, through New Steel city, then passed the Core’s giant walls, through Steel Core city, then breach the Steel Keep’s walls and then breach the keep itself. No one ever invaded Steel Haven.

The forested area around Steel Haven was maintained by the city but was greatly thinned. The forest was once dense and filled with wild animals. Wood was needed for the city and much of the woods were clear cut, when the King saw his people clearing the local forest his ordered them to only thin it out but to leave the forest standing as a whole. 

Twenty miles north of Steel haven was the coast, where the King’s men would barter with sea fairing merchants for goods. To the south of Steel Haven was an enormous iron mine, this mine was one of many sources of steel for the Kingdom and each mine was well guarded.

The Kingdom of Chalybs and the fortress city of Steel Haven were the envy of the surrounding Kingdoms and while many of the neighboring lands wanted peace and friendship with King Chalybs, there were those who only wanted Steel Haven for themselves.

Coffee and Pizza rolls

            The room sings as music and bright animation flashes from the computer screen. A steaming cup of coffee sits next to the keyboard. The taste of caramel swirls inside the hot brew. Sugar is a fine flavor by itself but the flavor of caramel means something different than the taste of sugar. We live in an age were any flavor can be turned into a compound and turned into a coffee creamer. The rich flavor of caramel is not only desirable but brings forth memories of candy shops, Autumn, Carmel apples and that one time I filled a grocery bag full of caramel cubes and spent months eating them steadily.

            The grocery bag of caramels was a special memory, the discounted price of caramel cubes felt like a victory. There was a large orange cat in my house who used to steal my caramels, neatly unwrap them and eat them. I could bribe the cat to do tricks if I only offered a half of the sweetly flavored cube.

            The outer world affects my mind in this way, as a cup of coffee can bring me back to my teenage years. I am amused by my own mind as I find that the deepest and purest memories are of nature and outdoors. When you travel to the deepest part of yourself, where the words fall away and there is only feeling and image, these parts of me are that of rainstorms with no lighting, sunny forest walks with my dad and numerous cats all trying to cuddle me at once. 

            There are equally dark parts that hold only negative emotions and terrifying images, awful things that your mind makes you forget so that you can continue living life unhindered by dread. These are images best left for another day.

            The world is inversed inside my mind as the nature of the outside is the deepest in me but the inside world of computers and shelter are more on my surface. I love video games and my internet connection, I like the aesthetic of big cities and would be stranded without my car but these are not the things that speak to my deepest self. I do have a cityscape in my deepest self but it is not the beauty of a bustling metropolis, it is the grime of a ghetto street that no one ever leaves and this is no somewhere I wish to visit.

            I muse on coffee and caramel, inner and outer self when I hear my toaster over ding. My pizza rolls have finished cooking. Some company took the idea of pizza, made these tiny pockets and put pizza flavored ingredients in them, froze them and shipped them to markets across the country. I bought a bag of these frozen pizza inventions and put them in my toaster oven. Now I have food ready to eat and it took little to no work. This is a sign of the times and often amazes. Besides getting food from a “drive thru” window, heating up frozen food is one of the quickest and easiest ways to eat. This is the era where we sacrifice health for time saving and it is amazing the things we humans come up with.

            While I could go on about my own introspection until next age of progress, I am going to leave with a thought and a question. “What does the inner part of your self look like?”

This isn’t a quiz question to be answered and turned in but something to ponder on.

Watching the rain

The rain trickled down like steady beats on a drum. Joe stared out through the window, sipping a cup of coffee. The coffee mug was old, blue and had the words “Bee Gr8 today” on it with a cartoon bee flying by. The tan walls of his apartment were mostly bare save a decorative wall tapestry that he bought from china town last time he was in the city.

            Joe grimaced as he struggled through with a headache, he hoped watching the rain would help him relax. Next to the window was Joe’s work desk, a simple wooden desk with a laptop, a mess of papers and several empty cans of soda and beer. Next to the laptop was a picture of Joe’s girlfriend, Mercy, she had raven black hair, and dark eyes. She was the light of his life but on that day, it was raining.

            Joe hadn’t heard from Mercy in weeks, the anxiety and stress of life was rolled all up into a bundle with the worry he had for Mercy and that bundle nestled itself in the base of his skull in the form of a headache. After all the phone calls were made, email checked and alcohol consumed, the only thing left to do was to watch the rain and hope for the best.

            There weren’t any books with instructions on how to deal with worry and potential loss, Joe never learned anything about his situation from school, his parents never told him how to behave in times of crisis and stress. Joe had to improvise and travel unprepared at the trouble ahead. Like a traveler with no shoes, Joe was exposed and unprepared for a loved one to go missing. The possible outcome and scenarios would play over and over in his head. What if she was dead, lost, kidnapped or what if she just left him for another man and moved to a different city without telling anyone?

            To hear her voice again would be a mercy, a reprieve from the psychological torture that Joe put himself through. Joe would jump when he heard his phone ring and at every noise that sounded like the doorbell. He would see Mercy’s face in the faces of strangers as he walked through town and every time he smelled her perfume he felt a sting in his heart.

            The rain slowed to a stop the sun wasn’t out but the rain had stopped. Joe set his coffee cup down and let out an exhausted sigh. The doorbell rang and Joe’s heart skipped a beat. He looked up to at the door and waited. He had been tricked by the sound of the doorbell before and didn’t want to get his hopes up. The doorbell rang again. Joe wasn’t expecting anyone and while he felt silly for holding out hope, he hoped the person at the door was Mercy returning to him.

            Joe walked quickly to the door, his heart racing. He was so excited to answer the door and see Mercy standing there waiting for him. Then he remembered all the times he answered the door and it wasn’t her and so he tried to temper his excitement.

            Joe gripped the doorknob and turned it. He opened the door. “Mercy!”

March to October

The room is cold with only a small wood furnace to warm the house. Snow drifts down from the sky and collects in white piles on the hard, frozen ground. I sit hunched in my chair, the aches of the day settle over my body and the worries of life settle in my mind. To me, the cold of winter is not enjoyable, yet I love and cherish the chill of Fall and early Spring. Winter is cold air and people huddled around fire, Fall is warm houses and a refreshing breeze.

I stare outside at a tree, bare and snow spattered. The sun shines down on the snow, but the frozen water refuses to melt. The persistence of Winter is equal to an old man refusing to get out of your chair. Old man winter has settled into your seat and no matter how many times you prod him, he wont budge. I do not make a habit of prodding old men in chairs, but if there was only one chair in the world and an old sleeping man was in it, I might prod him.

As I let my eyes stare unfocused at the scenery outside, the world through my window flickered. It was the quickest kind of flicker that I would have missed if I had blinked. Then the world in front of my eyes flickered again, but this time the alternate image stayed. The space outside my window was no longer winter but late Autumn.

The sky was a dusky orange as if time was stuck in permanent twilight, the trees stayed bare but the bark of the tree was darker and the bare branches curved down like grasping hands with long slender fingers. I felt excitement and confusion, I couldn’t tell if my vision or my brain malfunctioned or if the world really had changed from Winter to an eerie version of an October landscape.

I leapt from my seat and ran down the wooden stairs. I threw open my door and stood to behold the world in full October glory. This wasn’t the Autumn landscape printed on travel magazines that some writers write about ad nauseam, this was October and the spooky thrill of Halloween.

I began to walk around the backyard, the stubborn snow was removed, old man winter evicted from his chair and the chill of fall replaced the bitter cold of winter. A local stray cat strutted through my yard as if it were the dominant species. It was a dirty orange tabby with a smug expression, short legs and a small chubby frame. This small potato walked with the confidence of a lion. I called the beast, it looked at me and opened its mouth but instead of a meow, it let out an echoing wolf howl. The cat looked very pleased with itself and then walked away.

I smiled at the strange creature, my expression was that of amusement and bewilderment. I gazed at the land before me and spotted the largest full moon I had ever seen. It was bright and seemed to glow. The yellowed white color of the moon added to the warm colors of the dark orange sky.

I walked out to the road and saw the small houses of my neighbors all brightly lit and decorated for the Fall festivals. The people inside were acting normally and if they saw me might think I was the one who was strange. At this moment I realized I was barefoot and still wearing my indoor clothes. I was so used to the winter cold that being outside on a fall day without a coat didn’t bother me and my excitement kept me from going back inside for shoes.

I walked down the street toward the center of town and as I walked I marveled at the fall decorations, the Jack-o-lanterns and the candles put in almost every windows. The I gazed up at the moon again and for a minute it had a face. The moon had a large grinning mouth with rows of teeth, wide eyes and no nose. I was so startled that I gasped and in response to my gasp the moon winked. A moment later the face vanished and I continued walking, my mind trying to work out how to deal with what I just saw.

Once I arrived at the center of town I spotted a black cat, who wore a witches hat  and stood on two legs, conversing with a skeleton, who didn’t wear clothes but had an elegant mustache. I decided not to interrupt the conversation, as it seemed important from the tone and the way the skeleton kept repeating “No! It’s real! Ok!”.

I was enjoying the sights and sounds of this alternate reality so much that I didn’t much care if I ever returned to my wintery, snow blasted reality. I didn’t know how to return even if I wanted to.

The fun ended when two men wearing black robes approached me. “how did you get here? You don’t belong here” The man on the right said. “He must have slipped in somehow” said the man on the left.

I explained what had happened and how I had no idea how I ended up in this world. If I was indeed in another world, I didn’t so much slip in as I fell in. I didn’t choose to come to this place even if I was enjoying. 

The two robed men thought on this and then moved towards me “We don’t know how to send you back, so we need to take you with us until we can figure something out” said the first man. As much as I would have liked to see a Halloween prison, I didn’t want to be trapped in one, so I turned around and took off running back to my house. The men in robes took off after me, their feet disappeared under their cloaks as they levitated off the ground and flew as they gave chase.

I couldn’t out run flying creatures and I didn’t want to be imprisoned for an indefinite amount of time. My mind raced as fast as my feet as both faculties tried to help me escape. Just as the men wear gaining on me, I heard a wolf howl. I turned to look as a road orange cat flew from the darkness and struck the first man. The potato cat struck the floating man with such force that he careened into the man next to him. The two men tumbled to the ground as they fought with a surprisingly fierce runt of a cat.

I eventually reached my home, I was tired, sweating, out of breath and had dirty aching feet. I ran up my stairs, went into my room and sat down. I looked out the window and saw only a Halloween landscape. I stared as hard as I could hoping for another flicker. The door downstairs began to thud and break as intruders came in after me. I stared at the window and continued hoping to return to my old reality. The intruders came up the stairs and barged into my bedroom. I kept staring at the October landscape, hoping, for the first time in my life, that it would turn into a winter landscape. I felt large arms grab me around my torso and pull me back. I struggled as I stared in desperation at the old window. I was slowly dragged from my bedroom and as I was pulled out I saw a flicker outside. I fought even harder to escape and get to my window.

I was hauled downstairs and outside, I was dragged across the yellowish dried grass of late Fall as my hopes of escape began to dwindle. Then in a flash I was outside in the snow.

I had returned to my own reality. The freezing cold was too much and I was under dressed. I stood up and ran back inside. There I saw a black cat and an orange runt of a cat sleeping peacefully on my bed. The orange cat didn’t howl and the black cat didn’t stand on two legs or wear a witch’s hat, but they did expect me to feed them.

I felt a sudden sting on my arm so I rolled up my sleeve and saw a Jack-o-lantern mark with a face and large grinning mouth like the moon had. The mark stung and looked like it had been burned into my skin.

I was safe and in my old reality and even though I wasn’t able to stay in the Halloween land as long as I would have liked, I did get a few souvenirs to remember my time there.

Drifting to spring

The rain pelts the ground around me as the memories flood back from an older age. Green grass and vibrant trees stretched out in all directions, the sky was light gray and rain poured from the heavens. The cold had been banished and the spring finally arrived. The sights and smells of spring triggered memories of ages passed, pictures, sights and smells from experiences rushed through my head like a flood.

I followed the valley of green to a great rushing river, which opened into a waterfall. Water cascaded down the rocks like laundry being pushed down a flight of stairs. People said water was graceful but sometime it looked like stampeding house cats trying to get out of their own way.

I felt invigorated by the clean, crisp air and the sound of rushing water. It was as if every Spring I had experienced was linked together through my memories. Like punching a hole through the corner of a thousand photographs and running a string through the hole. Each picture would be separated but strung together by such a small thread.

The weather had always been tied to my memories, the smell of damp earth and the feel of chilly air on my skin always brought me back to spring. The visual marvel of green trees and colorful flowers stand out in my mind like a picture held in time.

The rain beat down like a steady drum and I keep returning to that place, I return to the Spring. My eyes drift to the window in my bedroom to see snow and cold and my mind takes me to back to the Spring.

Friendly Joe

Joe was typing at his desk. Joe was the “nice guy” at work, very polite and friendly. On that Tuesday Joe was in a bad mood. He said “Good Morning” when he was supposed to, he smiled at all the people he needed to smile at and felt like it was a normal day. He didn’t realize the anger boiling under the surface. The stresses of life were kept in a bottle and the bottle stayed in Joe’s guts, then Joe would pour alcohol over the bottle of emotion and stress. The booze would help for a time but when he sobered the bottle of stress would be waiting right there for him.

Joe typed away as his mind raced. His thoughts were on analysis and bank numbers and his fingers would put the thoughts into writing. while Joe worked, Carl the co-worker tapped his pen. The pen tapped against Joe’s desk as Carl would let out long breathy sighs. “Whatcha working on?” Carl asked sounding bored. Joe didn’t know why Carl hadn’t been fired yet and amused himself by thinking that Carl was probably blowing their boss.

“Work” Joe said flatly, hoping Carl got the message. “Work, which is something YOU should be doing” Joe thought but didn’t say. Joe’s fingers typed away and the tapping of the pen continued. “Cool cool” Carl said with another bored sigh. “So I got this chick last weekend, did you hear about this?” Carl asked as his voice picked up, eager to discuss any mild excitement that he could.

Joe didn’t respond. A small finger of annoyance tapped at the base of Joe’s skull just like the pen tapping against his desk. The annoyance grew and fed off the stress of Joe’s life. A dark and insidious annoyance that was the child of anger. “So then she’s bent over and” Carl goes on with his story which was very inappropriate for the work place. Joe continues to type but his thoughts are no longer about work. Carl’s inane blather unhinged Joe’s train of thought from its tracks and now Joe was thinking about the bills that were due, the fight he had with his wife and the salesman that wouldn’t stop calling the house.

Carl’s story continued and Joe’s mind drifted further from work. His mind giving him new things to be upset by, maybe Joe’s wife is sleeping with the salesman and that why he keeps calling because he is hoping she will pick up. Joe shakes his head in attempt to physically shake the bad thoughts from his mind. Carl continued his story and didn’t notice Joe shake his head and certainly didn’t notice Joe’s tense posture and arching shoulders.

Joe had to stop typing and clutched his hand around his face. The tapping of the pen continued and rhythmically burrowed its way into Joe’s mind as Carl went into graphic detail about his night with a female.

Joe was flustered and tried to regain control of his mind but the thoughts would not let up.

The bills were due, too many bills, maybe you can’t pay them, maybe the salesmen wants your money and wife, maybe your kids are going to grow up and be criminals. Joe you are failing, Joe you are losing control. Carl is an idiot. Wouldn’t it be better if Carl died? FUCK CARL. Why do I have to deal with this?! Why does this idiot Carl seem so carefree? Do you get to be carefree if you don’t have a brain? What if I get fired, what if Joe is not worth anything?WHATIFICANTMAKEITWHATIFWHATIFWHATIF

            Joe stood up from his desk in a jolt. Carl stopped his story and gave an annoyed look at Joe for interrupting him. “What IS up, my buddy?” Carl asked. Joe turned to Carl with intense eyes. “Carl, I am only going to tell you once, so listen up” Joe said in a strained quiet tone. “SHUT THE FUCK UP! NO woman wants to sleep with you and if your disgusting stories were true then that probably means you got them drunk or drugged. You don’t do any work around here, your stories make everyone uncomfortable you harass the women here, no one can understand why you still have a job and I am PRETTY sure that you are sucking off the director just to keep whatever shitty paycheck you get while doing no work!” Joe screamed. His shouts were so loud the entire office could hear it. Everyone in the office had a horrified expression as they just saw a lion eat someone in front of them.

            Joe started to cool down but before Carl or anyone could say even one word Joe ramped back up again. “AND STOP TAPPING YOUR PEN ON MY DESK!” Joe shouted, grabbed Carl’s pen and snapped it in half.

Joe was the nice guy at work, very polite and very friendly.

Rage against the calm

The rain and storm of the day swirled and howled against the order and comfort built by the humans below. Lights flickered in homes as the wind shook electricity poles. Windows rattled, rain battered against rooves and umbrellas were tossed around by the storm like cats tossed around a ball of tinfoil.

Greggory Smitt was preparing coffee when there was a knock on the door. Rain and mist shrouded the figure standing hunched outside the house. The figure wore a long coat and a brimmed hat. The collar of the coat was turned up to keep the rain off the neck. Greg opened to the door to reveal his next door neighbor, Henry Gearhart. Henry looked up with a warm smile. “Hellooo” He said as he leaned his “Os”.

            Everyone looked like ominous and suspicious figures while standing in the rain and the friendly neighbor was no exception. “Glad you could make it!” Greg exclaimed. Henry’s smile broadened as he stepped into the house. The home was warm and inviting. The front door led into the living room, then from the living room was a set of stairs to the second floor and in the back was the kitchen. The living room was decorated in earth tones with an emerald green recliner tucked away in the back by the television.

            Henry took off his brown loafers and proceeded into the living room. The smell of fresh coffee lingered in the air. The calm atmosphere of the home pushed back the raging storm outside.

            As Greggory led Henry through the living room, Henry noticed an old fashioned pistol hung on the wall. “Where did you get that?” Henry marveled. “It was my great grand father’s gun. Kept in the family and it still works too!” Greg said with pride. “Been getting much trouble on this part of town?” Henry joked. “No, nothing like that” Greg laughed.

            The two men walked into the kitchen, on the table was two cups of black coffee, a small bowl of sugar, a small carton box of creamer and spread across the table were papers. Henry stared at the papers as he removed his coat and hung it over the back of a kitchen chair. “Really glad you could help me with these taxes. Running my own business this last year has been a nightmare of paperwork” Greg said sheepishly. He didn’t like troubling his friends and neighbors for help but Henry was already thinking about the task at hand. “Oh no problem” Henry said with a smile and eyes that looked lost in thought. Henry snapped back to the present and sat down.

            As the two men sat down a knock was heard at the door. “I’ll get it” Greg said with a cheerful tone then walked briskly to the door. “I’ll just get to work” said Henry as he sorted through the papers. As Greg walked to the front door, Henry spotted the top of someone’s head move past the kitchen window. Henry stood up and walked to the window above the sink and looked down and around. The person was gone.

            Greg opened the door to reveal an ominous figure standing in the rain. “Hello, sir, can I trouble you for a minute” Asked the man in the coat. The man turned to Greg with a smile but the smile looked painted on. Cheerfulness was not this stranger’s default expression, which Greg discovered by noticing the deep frown lines on the man’s face. Greg was unnerved by the man but tried to remain polite. “I really am in the middle of something, sorry” Greg said hastily. The stranger stuck his foot against the door to keep it from closing. “It will only be a minute” said the man.

            As Greg spoke to the man at the front door, Henry heard the back door begin to open. Neither Greg or Henry were in very good shape but between the two of them, Henry had the natural strength and could have been an imposing figure if he wasn’t so lazy.

            Henry kept close to the wall and moved in on the door. The back door opened then a man in a dark coat entered the home. Henry hid behind the kitchen wall. A tree branch was pushed by the force of the wind outside and struck the side of the house. All four men were startled.

            The front door man jumped into the house, tackling Greg and slamming the door shut behind him. The man from the back door charged in. Henry panicked and saw an open door that appeared to be a closet. Henry charged from his hiding space and tackled the intruder into the closet. The intruder flew backward through the open door, which was the open door to the basement. The man was tackled then thrown down the stairs of the cellar, hitting each stair on his way down and landing on the concrete in a crumpled mess.

            Henry stood shocked for a minute but then ran to help Greg. Greg and the front door man were struggling and punching each other until Henry charged in and tackled the man. Greg scrambled to his feet and moved back into the living room while he watched Henry fight with the intruder. Everything was happening so fast that Greg didn’t have the mind to jump back in and help.

            As the two fought, the intruder wrestled in his coat for a weapon. The intruder pulled a knife from his coat and stabbed it down at Henry. The burly neighbor moved his head but the blade sliced his ear. The burglar tried again to stab Henry again. All of the grunting and struggling ended in a loud “Bang”.

            The intruder, who was on top of Henry, dropped his knife and clutched his side. Henry felt blood trickle onto his stomach. Greg stood there with a stern yet concerned face holding his great grandfather’s old pistol. “I told you it still worked”

The storm passed and the rain slowed to a trickle. The rage and chaos of the storm had tried to fight against the calm and serene atmosphere of the humans living below but the storm was gone and the houses remained.

Ambulance dragged away two injured burglars as police asked Greg and Henry a hundred questions. The calm air of Greg’s home was replaced with the feeling of rattled nerves and slowly calming adrenaline. As the police officers took pictures and wrapped up their investigation. A tired recruit in damp boots spotted the fresh coffee and in a hopeful voice asked “hey, can I have some coffee?”

The head officer scowled and Greg almost started to laugh. Instead of laughing, Greg just gestured to the coffee maker and said “help yourself”

Nature's change

Summer in the hills, green grass flowing as far as the eye could see. Sunlight shimmered off the water of Star Pond. The pond was large, located on the top of the tallest hill in the area and at night you could see the reflection of stars in the water.

Small cottages dotted the landscape, warm and cozy at night, a roaring hearth located in each little home, and cool and breezy during the day. The hill land ended abruptly at a valley where the mounds of earth of every size suddenly dropped off and made way for flat emerald green land. The tall grass of the valley swayed in the wind like waves in the ocean.

The warm days of summer and swimming in lakes gave way to the Fall season. The Fall colored the grass and trees with warm yellow, orange and red. The tall grass dried and looked like a golden wheat field. The best food of the year was harvested, stored and feasted on.

The valley had more cottages and houses clustered together. The terrain was forgiving and ripe for farming. At the edge of the valley was a great and mighty forest. Few forests in the world could be described as ‘mighty’, but the Ancient Wildwood not only covered a large section of land but the deeper into the forest the stronger the trees grew. The tall old trees were as big around as a cottage and the bark was as strong as iron. The people of the Valley would harvest the trees on the edge of the forest but no one ever successfully chopped down a tree in depths of the Ancient Wildwood.

The tall and ancient trees still bowed to nature like all trees do and their leaves we awash with bright orange and red. The Wildwood was so vibrant in the fall it could be seen for miles and looked as if it had caught fire.

The leaves of Autumn fell as the days grew cold. Late Autumn rain, cloudy skies and the bare branches of ancient trees made an eerie yet beautiful sight. A man carrying a lantern walked through the deep Wildwood, his small light bounced with each step. Through the forest and onto the edge of the land was a steep cliff side. The sheer cliff would have been impassible if not for a small winding trail that lead from the forest down to the sand beach below.

The path was steep and one false step could lead to a deadly fall to the shore below. Down the path and onto the windy beach, the rain from the season mixed with the cold of the ocean. Waves crashed against the sand, rain fell from the sky and wind blew in from the furthest reaches of the world.

Autumn drifted away like a falling leaf and winter blew. The rain was replaced with snow and the cold air mixed with the warm exhaling breath. Visible steam like breath puffed from the traveler’s nose and mouth as he stepped aboard a large ship. The ship was leaving this land and off to explore the unknown.

The chill brought in from the ocean heightened the cold of winter. Back in the forest the animals hid inside the great trees for shelter. The Ancient Wildwood might have lost its leaves but it would not bend to even the coldest winds of winter. The Wildwood lasted hundreds of years and stood against hundreds of winters. The people of the land did not worship the Ancient Wildwood but they did treat it with respect and hoped to also be as sturdy and enduring as the forest itself.

The snow had settled in the valley, the wind from the ocean was broken by the cliffside and tall standing forest. Trails of smoke lifted up from a dozen chimneys, the smoke curled and twisted on the breeze as it floated away.

From the Valley to the Hills, the snow had settled everywhere. The hills were so covered in snow that it was hard to tell where the snow stopped and the rock began. Star Pond had frozen over, the ice shimmered like glass and the pond took on an even more mystical aura as if it were a giant mirror hidden away in the hills.

Night in the hills was clear and every star was visible. The cold of winter sent chilling wind blowing over the glassy Star Pond. The people in the Valley often told stories of highest hill and Star Pond. They worried that on winter nights, when the air was cold and the sky appeared larger than normal, it would be possible to fall up into the blackness of space.

Just as night faded to day so did winter melt away. Spring crept in, slow and with caution. The snow turned to puddles, the Pond turned from icy glass back to water and the earth turned damp and muddy. The gray skies, rainy weather and muddy ground was far from the bright bloom of spring that most wished for but the damp weather meant water for plants and the plants did grow and eventually they bloomed. The bright blooming flowers and trees sprung up across the Hills and Valley. The Ancient Wildwood turned emerald green and the ocean by the shore calmed to a more reasonable pace.

            The people of the Hills and Valley were happy, they began their planting of crops, the children played in the muddy valley and swam in the cold water of Star Pond. The land and people grew another year older and observed another year of natures changing beauty.

Grunts

Grunting echoed down the hallway, the guttural sounds bouncing off the walls and smooth polished floor. Ethan the intern nervously fixed the collar of his shirt as he walked briskly toward the source of the noise.

The sound grew louder, the sound resembling a gorilla trying to break free from a cage or the sound of fighting to the death. Ethan was the lowest ranking employee and he was told to investigate. The poor soul knew the source of the sounds and shivered at the thought of it.

The grunting grew louder. The grunts were joined by the sound of clanking metal and a deep thud of the floor. Ethan grew more worried. The specimen sounded very large and Ethan knew he didn’t stand a chance if the situation turned hostile.

Ethan walked down the linoleum hallway, the smell of floor cleaning invaded his senses. ‘Lemon Fresh’ shook Ethan by the shoulders and demanded to be noticed. ‘lemon punched in the face’ would have been a more aptly named product.

Finally Ethan reached the large double doors and pushed one open. He entered into a large room full of people. Ethan looked and saw the source of the grunting, a large man lifting weights. Ethan nervously shuffled over to the man. Ethan straightened up his back, summoned up his courage and said “Excuse me sir, you have been, erm, grunting too loudly. It is bothering the other members” Ethan used his most official voice. The man looked embarrassed “Hey, sorry about that. Making noises helps me lift heavier weights” Replied the man. Ethan was surprised by how polite the grunting gym member was. “No problem, Sir. Just please keep it down” Ethan replied, then briskly walked away.

Ethan had never worked at a gym before and never once in his life did he think he would have to ask someone to stop grunting loudly. The situation turned out much better than expected but he suspected this wouldn’t be last time he had to remind someone not to grunt so loudly.

Another day at the office

The air was stale, florescent light penetrated every corner of the room and Jeff was talking about another television show idea. Ted worked in a group who came up with ideas for TV shows. They sat around a table with room temperature cups of coffee and talked.

“People are bored with us, they have all of these streaming services and shit and don’t care about cable” Jeff said in an attempt to energize his workers. “Cable television is actually still doing well but if there is a problem its because these streaming services try new ideas while we continue to produce the same kind of show.” Ted explained as he looked up from his pile of papers. Ted was not feeling pumped up to be at work and was annoyed that only he looked at the data gathered. “Ted, Nobody likes the ‘well actually’ guy” Said Jeff. Ted twisted up his face for a second then relaxed it. He muttered under his breath “Well nobody likes you Jeff and your stupid fucking mouth”. No one heard Ted and the meeting continued.

“So what about a show about people in the city, their different struggles as they deal with a world that only glorifies the rich and diminishes the poor. I think it would get praise for its social commentary” Suggested Frank. Frank had dark hair and wore a purple tie. “No, we don’t want to sound like socialists or something. Besides, being rich is great!” Jeff told Frank. “Yes, I am sure being rich is great but almost no one gets to experience that. Wouldn’t it be better to have a show to help people see a real struggle than to glorify the rich?” Asked Ted. Jeff let out a long annoyed sigh “Listen, Ted, if you want to be some kind of communist whatever, its fine, it’s a free country, but  do it on your own time” Jeff said.

“What about a show about a clumsy girl from the Midwest who is hapless but is somehow making it on her own in the city?” Mark suggested. “YES!” Jeff cheered. “See everyone, Mark has it”  Ted spoke up again “I have the data here, in fact we all do. That kind of show is done to death and people aren’t responding to it as much. We need something new!” Ted chimed in. Ted was part of the creative team and was hired to give insight and new ideas but then found out that no one wanted to hear his ideas.

            Jeff stared at Ted, Jeff’s face twisted into some hideous angry version of itself. One second passed but it seemed like an eternity. “That was the best idea all day. People like the familiar. They don’t like new, they don’t like being reminded of their problems like whatever crap you keep talking about!” Jeff shouted. He then calmed down and straightened his tie.

            “What if it’s a guy from the Midwest instead of a hapless woman?” Asked Anne, who was wearing black and had her red hair pulled back into a bun. Jeff gave a condescending smirk like a child was giving out ideas. “No one would believe it if it was a guy. Guys are less likely to be clumsy and get lost. We wouldn’t have as many opportunities for jokes” Jeff replied in a calm voice. It was at this moment Anne wondered if she could get away with murder even with five witnesses.

In her mind the headline reads “Jeff Aourenbough dies of knife wounds, room full of people all say they saw nothing. Mark Applebottom also dies mysteriously. Anne smirked to at the thought.

            Everyone had pretty much checked out at this point. Jeff was satisfied with another successful meeting while the rest of the group wondered why they even bothered to have meetings.

            The workday was over and Ted was one of the first ones to leave. He emerged from an elevator that took him to the parking garage. Ted saw Jeff walking to his car, Ted thought about waving or saying goodbye but decided against it. Ted walked to his car with the posture of a man carrying a hundred pound rock on his shoulders. He pressed the button on his keys and unlocked his car. Then he heard an engine revving and a car coming up from around the corner. A tan sedan was speeding entirely too fast through the parking garage, rounded the corner and was driving straight at Jeff. Jeff was walking to his car and didn’t notice right away. He heard the car’s engine and turned just as the car stuck him. Jeff rolled up along the hood of the car before falling in a broken heap on the ground.

            Ted sighed, then got in his car and drove away. It was just another day at the office.

1 Degree

It’s one degrees Fahrenheit, not Celsius, I never learned Celsius. I went to public school in America and in my adult life never bothered to learn. I even had to ‘Google’ how to spell Fahrenheit. I never need to spell Fahrenheit. It sounds germen but I think the Germans use Celsius, that was another thing I never bothered to learn, I had to Google it, I didn’t google it.

            Google, a verb, to search something on the search engine Google. Google helps people find answers, there is no reason for ignorance in the era of search engines. People don’t remember, I don’t remember, I don’t need to, I can Google it.

            I use Google weather on my phone and it tells me its 1 Degrees Fahrenheit. The normal dull ache in my bones worsens to a searing pain as I struggle to get up out of bed. Not struggle like “I need my coffee in the morning or I’m a monster hahaha” I mean struggle like physically difficult to stand. I pour my neatly sorted pile of pills into the cup of my hand, I slam my hand against my mouth as the pills shoot into the back of my throat. I need them to be in my blood stream now but they won’t. I type next to a frozen window, cold medicine pumping into my bloodstream, traveling through my body like tree roots down into the earth. I have a pill for everything, It costs thousands of dollars to keep me alive and the tax payers pay it. Most wouldn’t, I think most would be happy to let sick people die as long as they did so outside their field of view.

I sway back and forth in my chair, the gentle movement of the muscles seems add some relief to my tortured spine.  Inside my body it is 100 degrees Fahrenheit and outside it is only 1.

            People with harder jobs than mine are going to work at earlier times than I do. I tell myself that they don’t have the pain I have, I hope its true because it makes me feel less shitty about succumbing to pain.

            There is a phrase in my head that I tell myself when it comes to work. “People can tell you they are dependable, but it takes actions to prove it”. This phrase is a double edged sword, it reminds me to prove my value but also is daunting when I am unable. I don’t remember where this phrase came from, it feels like something my dad said when I first started working, but it could just as easily been something my brother said or something I made up entirely based on my own experiences. This sentence has followed me longer than I can remember and pushed me even when I didn’t know it was there.

            One of my first jobs I pushed myself too hard, I gave the company all of my energy to prove I could be part of a team and in the end they fired me as soon as I was too sick to work. I worked myself to sickness and they threw me away. Years later I am starting a job and have hope again for the first time and yet I can’t bring myself to go. Pain and anxiety surge through me, fighting against my medicine, the winter winds blow through and creatures die from exposure.

            I never learned how to behave as an adult, I just watched my dad and made the rest of as I went. He never had illnesses like I do, but I try to be dependable anyway, with my actions. You can’t google how to be a good human or how to see the balance between working hard and over working. They don’t teach these things in school, they teach advanced math that no one remembers and history that I only remember because some of it was interesting.

Some days life is hard and its 1 degree outside.