3:35 am, Highway 20 overpass. I saw him fall.

His body hit the road headfirst, and lay motionless. I drove past, all the more anxious to get home.

Twenty minutes later, I was moving quickly down the sidewalk towards my apartment. Looking forward to getting in the shower, to ‘clean out my brain’, as if that ever works. I see a figure on the far end of the hall, but duck behind the stairs. It’s an unwritten rule that you don’t see people outside this late. Though it would soon be early again, and then it would be alright. That was my favorite thing about this time; it gave me a reason to not exist.

But when I emerged once more, he was still there, at the foot of the stairs. I pulled out my phone and pretended to read all the boring messages I’d already read. Went passed up the stairs. Saw him following right next to me.

“Would you like a power unlike any other?” He said.

You’re not supposed to speak, you creep. I was more surprised that he spoke than by what he said. Creeps could be depended on to say weird things.

“I could give it to you, you know. You don’t want to be bored, forever.”

It was true, I was bored. Everything about my life was fine. But there was nothing that I really cared about.

“What would it be?” I asked. Now it was I who surprised myself speaking. Just ignore that freak. Go to your own home. But my heart was stronger than my mind. I knew something had to change.

“Good, for you we have... Telepathy. The power to read minds. It’s a special power, you know. Not many people can handle it.”

“I’m not sure...”

“Too late! Have fun, but there is a charge. We’ll talk about that later, though. Now is the time to enjoy yourself! So go, make the most of it!”

The door nearest him slammed in my face, and voices began wandering into my mind... not at all like anything I’d want to hear. Most of them, chaotic, disjointed. Dreams, I realized. At least I doubted that a McDonald’s worker and his pet frog-dragon were fighting off the Mother Owlbear in room 202...

But there were others, crisp, harsh. The real world. Unit 504 was brushing his teeth, getting ready for his morning. His wrinkles were starting to bother him. 316 was watching porn on his wife’s computer because his had ‘accountability software’ installed. 509 was angry because his lighter broke, and now he had to light his cigarette on the stove. Wait, what? I’d have to watch out for my house burning down over my head... 110 was having a fight; I could tell that much without any powers. 223 was sending messages railing about someone named Tom, which was funny, because that was also my name. Boy, did she have it out for this guy! I couldn’t think of anyone who I hated that much... Nor did I want to, in case they were reading my thoughts.

Soon I kicked my door open, and was surprised to see the lights on. Usually, my wife only came over Monday mornings, and spent the rest of the time... somewhere else. Now, I could find out where. It was surprising that I hadn’t recognized her thoughts earlier, but in the end, we weren’t that close. And the power wasn’t helping things.

“Hey honey, I’ve been waiting for you; I was getting lonely by myself. Wanna have some fun?” She said.

“Okay, just hold out a little longer. Keep him invested enough to turn over the condo, or at least the car. We’ve gotta get something out of this worthless b.s.” Her mind said.

She was trying to kiss me, lead me to the bedroom, but I couldn’t really handle it. That guy was right, this power wasn’t for everyone. And it wasn’t for me. But I had it.

The rest of the night was pure torment. “If Benny were here, he’d do me just like this, and it’d feel so good, but this loser doesn’t do anything. If this keeps up, I’ll have to give up the money and just see what I can get off Benny. He does have two jobs, after all, he could probably spare some change... But this guy doesn’t need any of his money, all he uses it for is feeding his own fat mouth. It’d be better spent buying me a purse...” And on and on. She tried, but she couldn’t get me up. Eventually it was over, and I went to work again. For once, I was glad to work consecutive shifts on three hours of sleep.

Walking into work, however, was also a new experience.

“Man, look at that babe’s legs!”

“Where the fricking frack is the swiss chard? What even is a bloody chard!?”

“Ugh, that fat guy is ugly as sin. Shouldn’t people like that just die of type 2 already?”

I had to admit that she had some impressive legs, but she wasn’t about to reciprocate that skinny nerd’s admiration. I couldn’t see any fat guys, though... Oh. Never mind.

Moving through the store was like a swarm of flies, buzzing over each other, and making themselves a nuisance to everyone. I walked up to my boss, and awaited my daily assignment.

“Man, this guy is darned useless. Where can I put him for the least damage? If only Marissa hadn’t taken volunteers, I could have at least cut his hours. I guess this is the only place he can suck this much, and still get paid for it...”

Four hours later I was heading home, sick of everything I was hearing. I lay in bed, feeling like I might throw up, never actually managing it. Hours ticked by, and voices came and went. At 8 pm, my wife showed up again, ostensibly to finish the job. But she’d never get my money now. And it didn’t seem I was sending thoughts, only receiving them. That was something.

The sun went down, and we headed down to a bar, ostensibly to spend some free time together, actually because that was the only place where I knew the thoughts would be worse than my own. And I was right.

The blues music gets a whole new level of atmosphere when it is punctuated with a hundred real life stories of the blue-eyed Sally who left you behind in Santa Fe... and the slurry erratic thoughts bumbling out of the more seasoned veterans. And then he arrived, and it was game over.

“Oh, Benny’s right over there, and I can’t even talk to him. If only shitface weren’t here, ruining all the fun...”

I looked over at this “Benny”. A muscly guy in a leather jacket, ordering whiskey over the rocks. The dark stubble over his face was meant to be sensual... though in reality, he wore a toupee, and dyed his stubble so it wasn’t a grey-blonde mix. He also was packing a massive cargo of crystal meth in the back of his Geo Tracker, though he neither made it nor used it. A truly classy gentleman. Too good for a loser like me to compete with. I stumbled out the door, not about to get in the way of their fun.

And I ran. Through the endless sea of voices, full of storms and waves, until it all faded away behind me. Out, through the trees I ran, for hours, until at last a found a place of total, perfect silence. I stepped out into the road, and saw a man approach me. Silently. And I walked out to meet him on the Highway 20 overpass.

“Your time is almost up, you know. It’s time for you to pay up.”

I nodded, knowing all along that this was my destiny. A car began winding down the highway. The two of us met above it, and clasped hands. They passed in silence.

And with a move well practiced in my career as a sumo wrestler, I locked his arms and flipped him over the railing. His body hit the road headfirst, and lay motionless. A semi roared down and flattened him with a sickening crunch. And receded into the distance. And from the forest road on which I came, another car appeared.

My wife got out and ran to me. I held her and looked into her eyes. And asked the question which was burning in my heart for minutes now.

“Would you like a power unlike any other?”

They said that only the strong would survive. They couldn't have been more wrong.

The strong were the ones who died first. Then the powerful, the rich and the intelligent. Until only the weak remained. Until only I remained.

The invaders came from above the sky, small, pulpy creatures with dull metallic shells, riding chariots of death that would mark the destruction of our race. At first, we thought we could stop them, that violence could save us; but although they were weak physically, their skills at violence were levels of magnitude higher than anything we could muster. It wasn't long before our captains were lost, so at last we learned their language, and tried other means; trading, negotiating, begging. But they didn't listen. They didn't need us. They had only ever wanted the raw material of our world, and to this end they brought the Machines, spewing death and destruction across the globe from pole to pole.

Occasionally we could bring down one of the Machines, but there were always more, thousands upon thousands, hundreds of millions, each belching flame and toxic gas that made even our own atmosphere hostile against us. We couldn't take it anymore. We abandoned our homes and took to living in the streets and passages underground. Anywhere they couldn't find us. Anywhere the scorching heat and putrid stench of rot and destruction couldn't reach us. But it was all in vain.

One by one, they tracked us down, hunting us and killing even our children without mercy. Every friend, every family member, they were all murdered by the lanky pale-faced creatures, and carried off in the machines for dissection. I cannot understand what it was they were after. All I know is that they took everyone away, and destroyed them.

I can hear them above me now, walking the streets of our cities, trampling upon our culture and our species without a care. I know I cannot last for long. Even down beneath the city the air is uncomfortably warm, and as I hold my youngest child in my arms, I can feel it go hot and limp within my arms.

I know what I must do. If I am to die, I will take them with me. Make them remember the world they destroyed. Remember that there was life before they brought machines to kill our plants and animals, and reduce our lands to pools of sloppy liquid. Before they brought the parasites that came and infested the wastelands that remained, filling the air with their deadly gas to ensure that we could never live there again. Now only at the poles can we find refuge, and even that is quickly fading.

I set my dying young one in the corner, and bid my last farewell, knowing that even its warm, lifeless body held more vitality than my soul did at this time. For my heart was burning away inside me, emanating death to everything around me. I could not help but feel hatred for those who had steeped us in blood for so long. But now the end had come.

Bursting from my hiding-place, I rushed headlong into the scorching sun. No longer did the gentle clouds shield us from its fury, and to the corners of the horizon was splattered the sick azure blue of their lifeless oxygen atmosphere. I knew they had many ways to inflict pain, but still I rushed onwards, into the open street. There they were, their machines even now crushing our cities to dust, and leveling it all to a smooth, black, even plain. I could bear it no further. Grasping several of them about in my tentacles, I crushed them until their sloppy red insides came splurting through the broken edges of their shells. They pointed their weapons at me, and filled my body with pain, but I had already become numb; the world was full of pain, and what I experienced now was only an insignificant shard of the greater suffering. I thrashed and beat them, until I could move no longer, and my limbs turned soft, and my limp form collapsed to the hot black earth beneath me. I had taken out twenty or thirty, but as I saw their reaction, I knew they wouldn't remember me. It was all in vain.

The creature closest to me put his hand to his head and began to pull of his shell. The others followed suit, and soon the entire group stood with only their mushy insides exposed to the glaring sun. Then he spoke words, words which I had worked so intently to learn, so we could make peace, but to no avail.

"Extermination complete. We now declare this planet fully terraformed, and welcome it as the newest part of our free nation."

The creatures around him started slapping their tentacles together, as they frequently did on such occasions, and I thought of how great the misunderstanding was between us.

And as my consciousness faded, I saw them raise over my dead body the thirteen stripes and one hundred twenty-eight stars of the flag of the United States.

I set the cruise control on the 480-million-ton warship and leaned over to get my coffee. Today was a real Monday, and there was all kinds of work to be done, especially in the way of obliterating planets, and I'd need the caffiene to get through it all. I flipped on the comm channel to headquarters.

"Deathwing CX-9887, Apocalypsos, reporting. Have arrived at target location. Over."

"This is HQ, you are approved to proceed with the mission."

"Roger that."

I looked down at the view of Saturnius XI, a lush green planet full of youth and natural beauty. Unfortunately it was swarming with miserable, vulgar rebel filth who refused to pay just respects to His Majesty the Emperor, Holy Mars the God of War. And so the galaxy would be better off without them. I pushed the detonation switch, and took a long swig of coffee while waiting for it to finish. As usual, the planet erupted into billions of fragments, and went shooting across the stars like a big old firework display. Now this was a much more appropriate use of natural resources, considering it followed the will of His Majesty the Emperor, Holy Mars the God of War. Much more appropriate than plotting and sedition.

"Mission completed. Proceeding to next objective."

"Very well Apocalypsos, status updated."

"All glory to the Emperor!"

"All glory to the God of War!"

This the customary ending to all Imperial transmissions; of course we would never tire of speaking such golden words as these! This was our meat and drink, to serve His Majesty the Emperor, Holy Mars the God of War, and nothing else was even a consideration. This was why I pilot Apocalypsos, and this is why I blow up planets all day, dull work though it is.

As I approached the next target, Almetra VII, I looked sadly into my empty coffee cup. I'll have to make more next time, or my life will be destroyed!

″...and a double cheeseburger, add chocolate syrup.”

“Excuse me?”

“What.”

“You said a double cheeseburger, add - chocolate syrup.”

The cashier suppressed a gag, and so did I, but she seemed entire natural.

“Yup, that’s core-ect.”

“Alright, $15.34 is your total.”

“Sheet, I forgot my pennies! Be right back.”

She ran out the door, and I died a little on the inside as I looked at the crowd waiting behind us.

“Here’s a twenty.” I said.

“Thank you very much, sir. We also have a survey you can fill out, and we’ll give you a free coupon on your reciept. It’d really help us out a lot.”

“Ok.” I shoved it in my pocket. It sure wouldn't help me a lot.

The next customer was heading to the counter as she ran back in breathless, boisterously announcing her acquisition of four cents, before finally listening to the cashier for enough milliseconds to understand that it was already over with.

“I’ve got money, ya know.”

“Just figured I’d speed things along.”

“They can all wait a few seconds! Oh, here’s our order!”

...and she’d already opened all the wrappers before realizing that it wasn’t our’s, and she’d just groped someone’s lunch.

“Oop, sorry sir.”

The grungy hispanic landscaper behind her didn’t look sorry, but he seemed to have already lost any sort of expression. So would I, by the time this ordeal was over.

I could’ve walked out of all this right then, but I was practical, and I’d at least get the food I’d paid for.

“Soooo, got anything good there?” She said, popping her head over to look at my phone screen. I quickly switched apps from WritePad so she wouldn’t see my latest embarrasing project, just to land on an illegal anime-download site with porn ads all along the sidebars. Smooth move, me. I turned it off and shoved it in my pocket.

“Well, okay then. Oh, here’s our order!”

I wondered how many times she’d say that before it was our order. That chocolate syrup would take a long time to make, what with the kitchen crew having to throw up every time they saw it, and all.

Finally it was done, and we took a seat.

“Ooooh, this is gonna be sooooo goooood! Want some?”

“Nah, I’ll pass.”

“Aww." She clapped her hands together and squinted her eyes shut, tilting her head to the side in a little performance she went through every time we were eating together. "Itanakimas!"

She'd started doing that around me after finding out that I was "into anime", misunderstanding that I wasn't into that anime. Nobody says anything like that in Space Runaway Ideon! But of course she couldn't understand the subtle distinctions there. To her, I could just as well be watching Naruto. Yack! Just the very thought of it makes me shudder.

Still, I couldn't help but feel my heart race as I looked at her squinty, oblivious smile, and I knew that I wouldn't be leaving soon. Her innocence was something I needed in my sordid, empty existence.

"If you were a vegetable, what would you be? I think I'd be a... banana? Fruit's are all really vegetables, so I can do that. What about you?

"I'll be a horseradish." Half my psyche was screaming not to engage such pointless things, but I didn't listen. I needed this kind of senseless interaction to give purpose to my ever-sensible life.

"Hmm, there's a combo I gotta try! Next time we go shopping, we should get some and try it out! I can't wait to bring together our spirit-vegetables and see if we're a perfect match!"

"I think I'll pass..."

"But I'm sure they'll go great together, just like us!"

I laughed (or rather smiled while snorting) and looked sideways.

"Just like us." I said.

"You're the horseradish to my banana, the basil to my strawberry..." she sang.

"The chocolate sauce to your hamburger."

"Nah, that'd be too much of a compliment. Gosh this is good."

The dust lay heavy in the air as the assembly took their seats. Lord Thomas Kildred, fourteen years old, and now Commander of the colony, took his place in the one remaining leather armchair of the former principle’s office, now turned Imperial Courtroom. The Commander looked perturbedly towards the empty seat on his right. It was unlike his advisor to be late. He must think of a suitable punishment.

Once the various guards and officers had been sufficiently settled, he gave the sign, and in rushed the unruly horde of Commoners, anxious to get in on the latest gossip. They were ushered by the guards into the fences areas in the corners, and ordered to be silent, and though theirs proved a rather loud silence, there was a limit to the punishments which could resonably be inflicted. Lastly came the accused, dragged by two of the tougher boys into the commander’s august presence. It was none other than the Royal Advisor, Miss Mary Gretta, who had now been arrested and brought to trial.

“Let the trial commence.” said the Commander, signalling to the nearest Secretary to carry on with the procedings.

The Secretary of Justice rose, and addressed the guards holding the accused. “Of what crime is this person accused of?”

Both guards spoke at once, but glaring towards the other, the tallest one continued more loudly.

“Of attempting to communicate with the outside world, sir. We found her using a recovered radio phone to signal an SOS.”

“And both of you swear that this is true?”

“Yes, Sir” both replied in unison, the shorter one recieving a glare as before.

The commander spoke again. “I appoint Secretary of War Johnny Wilkes and Commoner Sarah Milem to be jurors for this case. Are there any other witnesses to this accusation?”

About half the assembled commoners raised their hands, as well as three of the officers, as

the two members mentioned rose from their appointed places and made their way to the two metal chairs on the side of the room.

“It seems we have evidence enough. Would the defendant like to make a plea?”

She spoke with desperation in her voice. “Johnny, we need to do this! We’ll die out here! This isn’t a game -”

“Silence!” shouted the commander, “You will address me here as ‘your honor’ or higher, and for this I am adding impudence to the charges against you. Would the jury find this person guilty of the charges against her?”

“Certainly, Lord Commander, guilty without doubt.” Said the Secretary of War, as his fellow juror nodded along. “What punishment do you assign?”

Lord Kildred sighed. “Formerly, this would have been a case of capital punishment, but considering the circumstances, I sentence her to 4 years solitary labor. She must make up for the harm she has caused us. Retainer, inform the accused of her judgment.”

The Secretary of Justice nodded, and turning to the assembly, announced the verdict. “Commoner Mary Gretta, you have been found guilty of insubordination, and of promoting anarchy, insurrection, and rebellion, in this the imperial province of Varuna Colony I, and of dishonoring the name and station of our esteemed Lord Commander by your impudence and contempt of court. You have hereby been stripped of the honors bestowed upon you as Royal Advisor, and sentenced to 4 years solitary labor for your crimes. Guards, see to her punishment immediately.”

“In other business,” said Lord Kildred, “I hereby appoint Commoner Sarah Milem as Royal Advisor. Any objections?”

Mary collapsed. “How could you?”

“The assembly is dismissed.” said the Secretary of Justice, “All Commoners must now vacate the courtroom.”

With a foxy smile, Sarah moved to the metal chair next to Tommy. The rest of the group rose, and swarmed their way through the narrow door, into the endless metal corridors.

Once the courtroom was empty, the Commander let out a sigh, throwing his head back and staring through round skylight into the darkness beyond.

It was always dark. But he loved it. The darkness gave him the courage he needed to keep ruling this colony of children. And he would never let anyone take that away.

Sarah put her hands around his arm, and looked in his eyes adoringly. The Commander just sat motionless, the rock that stood firm when even the sky fell down. In the distance, a faint blinking light coursed its way among the stars. He couldn’t help but feel that his reign was coming to an end.

The chains, the fear, the weary strife

I left them all behind, somewhere in a past life

They lurk like shadows, always behind me,

Death comes to life, and visions remind me

And haunt me in my sleepless hours,

And kill me in the dark alleys

I'd sell my soul to arcane powers

If that were sure to set me free

But no peace can be found,

Nor can I ransom my soul,

For my sins drag me down,

And return in the cold

I ran away from everything, but everything ran after me,

And now I don't know where to go to turn the nightmare to a dream

All those things, the woman who was once my wife,

I left them all behind, Somewhere in a past life

And everytime I try to forget,

The memories come to life,

And haunt me in my sleepless hours,

Walking with me on the streets.

I see them every night and day,

The helpless children I betrayed,

And left their mother all alone,

To wander off away from home,

But all those things are dead to me, and though it cuts me like a knife,

I left them all behind, somewhere in a past life

The prison sentence was too long for me to ever hope to return,

And though it was no fault but my own, I know I'll never learn

And though I hope to start anew, so little can I hope

That to my mind all that is gone,

Somewhere in a past life

If you were to drown, I wouldn't jump to save you. I wouldn't call for help. I would watch you silently from a safe place, until it was all over. Maybe someone else would save you. Maybe they wouldn't. But I'm too afraid to ever be a hero. Afraid to be the one dragging you down. No; If I fail, I fail alone. No-one else must bear the burden. Forced to stand alone, the least I can do is bear my own weight. And you must bear yours. For each man must carry his own burden. If I were to drown, I wonder what you would do; and it's likely I will drown, because I never could swim. In fact, I'm drowning right now; drowning in the sea of life. Is there anyone to save me?

Some say that power comes from magic. But the truth is that magic comes from power.

The power to create. The power to destroy. Power to give. Power to recieve.

All of these create magic. There is magic from the ancient arts. There is magic from the bullet in a gun. There is magic from wealth and fame. Magic is the life in our viens. The power to keep moving. The ambition to keep moving forward.

Yet these items do not possess the magic themselves, but rather yield it up to those around them. This is when a power is magic. When you can stand up to those in power, with strenth not given by your own possessions, you will know that you are wielding magic. The stirring of the heart to something greater than the power that stands against us, this is magic.

Magic will always fight against power. And as long as power stands, the magic will continue to flow in renewed vigour. There is one that is great, and one that is greater. Power can make one great, but magic will make one greater. Power can give you the present, but magic will give you the future. Everyone needs power, the power to live; and yet often forgotten is the need for magic, the magic of hope, and love, and peace. Without this, no-one can continue; For while power is life, magic is living.

I found a notebook on the ground today,

And it made me think of you

The way the words drifted off of the page,

It made me think of you,

As they wandered aimlessly to worlds unknown,

It made me think of you

And how you wandered off into the night with no-one to look after you

I know you're out there waiting for the time to come back home,

And I know that you will never be alone,

You'll always be with me inside my heart,

That's why I always think of you

I saw a picture in the news today,

And it made me think of you

The girl who threw it all away to save someone,

And make their wish come true

And though I always feel a hole inside,

When I think of you

I know that you are shining like an angel tonight,

Making all the world's dreams come true

I know you're out there waiting for the time the pain goes away

Just know that you will never be alone,

You'll always be with me inside my heart

And that's why I always think of you

I saw a couple walking down the street tonight,

And it made me think of you

Compare what is to what it could have been,

And my heart sinks to my shoe

I wish that I could say you thought of me,

When I think of you,

The world's to hard to carry all alone,

Even for a strong girl like you

I know your out there waiting, for the night to turn to day

And I hope that you know you'll never be alone,

Because you'll always be with me inside my heart

I saw an angel light the sky tonight,

And it made me think of you.

It was an accident. I’d never meant to go to that dim cafe just outside Surrey. I’d never meant to fall in love with a waitress. I’d never meant to have four kids and move to Canada. But that’s what happened. All because of a broken gas gauge.

I was just another day. Coming home from work, waiting at the border crossing, not really looking forward to anything. Just another day in August. I was driving a beat up Volvo at the time, which the border guards still checked every day, because it looked like there should be something illegal inside. It wasn't much of a looker, that's for sure; the hood crunched from a run-in with some rather dense quadruped, the bumper hanging almost to the ground, and duct tape wound around the whole thing in a vain attempt to keep itself together. It was like me that way, working hard to pull its life together, but only making itself look more pathetic. I was pathetic. Didn’t have a reason to get up in the morning, but somehow still did, getting down to the States for work, and then driving back to Canada to spend the night at the economy hotel in Vancouver, or “with my family”, as I said at customs. At this point, they were a lot closer than my real family anyway. When was the last time I’d seen a blood relative? Five years ago, maybe seven? Long before I lived this absurd farce of an existence, anyway.

But that day things were destined to be different. Did I mention the gas gauge? It was all the gauges, actually; none of them did a thing. So it was anyone’s guess as to what my speed, mpg, and door warnings would have been at any given moment. Fortunately, I was a fairly good guesser, and only two or three times had I gotten a ticket for going 80 in a 50. But I wasn’t guessing very well today, that’s for sure. After guessing the wrong order at work, and incorrectly guessing that I wouldn’t be delayed at customs for an hour, I wasn’t really up to guessing that I wouldn't run out of gas. I knew I was pushing it, but I was always pushing it. It’s just that today I was really pushing it. And it was heavy. It’s not easy to push a Volvo uphill by yourself. Some might say it’s impossible. Which is why I stopped doing it. Because even though people will tell you to do the impossible, they really only mean that you should do the difficult, which is quite a different thing. No-one ever does the impossible. So I left the car on the highway and started walking, guessing that someone would help me out. You can imagine how that worked out. Three hours of walking later, and I’m in front of a filthy little diner called Manny’s Kitchen. I just wanted a warm place to sit down, so in I went, and there I saw her; sparkling brown eyes shining in a galaxy of freckles, and a permanent retail smile that will fake all your troubles away. I knew that she was the one. So I went to Manny’s again the next week, and the week after, and soon was coming in every day. From then on, I had a reason to get up in the morning; and it was to get to see her. Even if seeing her was all I could do at first. But eventually she began to reciprocate, and I could see the same excitement as I felt, shining in her eyes when I walked in. And before a full six months were up, we were married, and started a family. And of course everything changed then. I got my work permit, and eventually my citizenship; making my few months stay into a lifetime commitment to Canada. And it was all an accident. But it was the best accident that I ever had.