99 years since the last solar eclipse passed over the earth, and now it has returned to pass over the town of Brimstone. The Gravely family and friends awaited outside in the backyard for one of the universe's most anticipated moments. 

"Oh this is gonna be exciting," Carmen giddily said. "Remember to be wearing your UV glasses when the eclipse arrives, kids."

"We will," Rosemary, Regan, and Dominic replied as they sat at the picnic bench together.

Mike maned the grill, flipping some juicy steaks over the sizzling fires. "Who wants some solar eclipse steaks?" he called out.

Everyone cheered and waved a paper plate for one of Mike's stakes. With Mike's telekinetic powers they flew across the yards like meaty saucers, touching down perfectly onto everyone's plates. 

Over by the shady tree the royal adviser Legion assembled an old telescope. Lilith waltzed to where the ancient demon stood. "Ello, Legion," she greeted, "Whatcha setting up here?"

"If one is to view an astronomical event such as this," the old arachnid explained, "then it is proper to do so with this telescope."

"Blimey, you must be ecstatic about this."

"Not really. This will be my 499th time I've witnessed this event, which will pass over the sun for the duration of about 2.36 seconds; yet I can understand why some would be invested in this once in a lifetime event."

"Places everyone!" their king, Lu, hollered to everyone. "The eclipse is coming!"

Everyone huddled around the picnic benches and watched the sky. The sunny day was dimming down around them. The wind blew wildly then settled to a calm breeze. With the assistance of a pair of ultraviolet sunglasses, Carmen, Rosemary, Regan, and Dominic saw the red sun be slowly consumed by the darker moon. Smiles spread across their faces.

Carmen glanced at her husband and his supernatural company. "Honey, don't you want some-" she paused. Her cheery smile dropped when she saw her husband, his brother, his secretary, his assistant Scrugs, and his adviser looking directly into the solar eclipse, with no eye protection on. She saw their pupils boil over red as if they were sunburned by the flares. Yet their smiles still remained fresh.

2.36 seconds later—just as the old demon predicted—and the moon completed its phase over the sun. The eyes of the demons and archangel were blackened like coal. They were blinded. Carmen continued watching as their eyes quickly healed back to their original, healthy forms. Their visions returned after their brief blindness like nothing happened during those 2.36 seconds.

Lu turned to his wife. "Sorry. You say something, dear?"

"I am probably the most selfish man you will ever meet in your life. No one gets the satisfaction or the joy that I get out of seeing kids realize there is hope."

Jerry Lewis

1926-2017

"Why aren't you a holy crusader to drive the sacarens from the holy land?"

"Templar, I'm only six."

"Deus vult, infidel!"

Summer was coming to a close. In a week school will begin. It was a time where kids all over Brimstone would be partaking various activities to expel their youthful energy before having to sit quietly and patiently in their classes. 

Not these children.

Rosemary Gravely and her friends—Krystal, Joshua, Dominic, Kayleigh, and Ashley—sat around a flickering television screen inside the darkened living room. Each kid laid at several different angles along the large, leather couch. They didn't care what was on at the moment, their only world was the 72 inch wide screen. All their eyes were zoned in. Their mouths gaped slightly open as saliva escaped out. They were all petrified like mindless zombies to the unrelenting power of the hypnotizing screen.

Mrs. Gravely barged into the living room. "I can't believe you children," she berated. "It's a beautiful day out, and you're all lounging around in here."

She marched over to the wind opened the blinds. The sunlight blinded and burned the children. "AH, NATURAL LIGHT!" they all screamed.

"School starts next Monday for all of you, and you're wasting a gorgeous weekend inside," Mrs. Gravely continued her gripe.

"We're not wasting a weekend," her eldest daughter retorted as she rubbed her eyes, "this is our weekend."

Mrs. Gravely didn't buy her daughter's excuse. She then glanced out the window. "Look at your sister and her friends. They're playing outside."

Outside in the yard was her youngest daughter Regan and her friends in their swimsuits, hopping around a sprinkler. They laughed and danced as they were blasted by water. Rosie and her friends rolled their eyes, continuing to stare at the television.

Mrs. Gravely's face boiled red. She swiped the remote off the couch's arm and turned off the hypno-box. The kid's world was now paused by a blank, black screen.

"That's it," Carmen finally put her foot down. "No more TV. All of you should be outside and enjoying the day. Do something creative and fun together. Go to a carnival, or go to the pool. Or better yet, why not explore the woods. I used to do that a lot with my friends when I was your age you know. This should be a moment to build memories. Someday when you're all grown up, you're gonna regret not doing the things you could've done as kids."

"If we're gonna regret not doing the things we've done as kids, why should be bother doing anything now?" Rosemary groaned. Her friends unanimously nodded their heads in agreement.

Mrs. Gravely wasn't having it. She ordered Rosemary and her friends to march into the family van. She even made her husband, Lu the devil, place an anti-teleportation spell around the vehicle so Dominic couldn't poof right out. 

Rosemary and her friends sat and scowled during the hour long ride. Mrs. Gravely found the perfect place to drop them off: the woods outside Brimstone. Miles upon miles of free land and trees that stretched to the clear, blue sky. The van came to a halt and the kids were left on the edge of the vast woodlands. 

"Have fun, you six," Mrs. Gravely smiled and waved. "I'll pick you up later."

She drove off, leaving the kids to have fun themselves. Rosemary felt each darting glare from her friends. "Don't blame me for this!" she snapped.

"We blame you!" her friends snapped back.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

                                                   STAR WARS

                                                    EPISODE I

                                        THE PHANTOM MENACE

                         It's been a long time since the last STAR WARS

                         film was released in theaters, but GEORGE LUCAS

                         has delivered a new trilogy.

                         It had hit A-list actors, groundbreaking special effects,

                         stylized choreography, and an expansive story.

                         Then everything changed when the fans and critics

                         attacked. This became quickly known as one of the

                         worst films to date. But what does the HARRY 

                         SITUATION think of these films?

In 1999, George Lucas returns to his epic saga by opening new chapters of the Star Wars Universe, starting with Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. George Lucas directed, produced, and wrote each of the Prequel films. More on that later. 

The story is set decades before the Battle of Yavin (give or take 30-33 years). The Trade Federation has set up a blockage around the planet of Naboo and two Jedi Knights are sent into to settle negotiations. However it turns out to be a set up for an invasion and, I guess, we have our movie.

Let me be clear about something: I don't hate the prequels. Like, at all. I really don't. You can call me a young, naive hipster or whatever but it will never change how I feel for these films. I don't hate them. In fact, I love them as much as the other Star Wars movies.

Now does that mean I think they're good in comparison to the original trilogy? Definitely not. There are many, many flaws to each of the Prequel films, which is what I'll be discussing in this review while also trying to defend them. 

In case for those who haven't seen it by now (which I don't understand how), but I will be talking in great detail about it. So there is a SPOILER alert in place.

Let's get the problems out of the way. The first one I think is pretty clear: Jar Jar Binks. I get why he was suppose to be in this movie. He's the comic relief. As a naive kid I liked him when I first saw this movie. Now I just want to toss his ass over the lava pits of Mustafar. He is annoying as fuck. His humor is childish, he constantly gets into trouble, and he does nothing to help the story at all. Basically the worst kind of character. 

Now let's talk about the other problem with the movie: the story. If you noticed a couple paragraphs ago I gave my synopsis, the best that I could, of this film's story. That's just a touch on what goes on in the movie. Why is the Trade Federation invading Naboo? Because of... taxes? See, I really don't understand myself. And somehow that all leads to the main characters going to Tatooine where they come across a young Anakin Skywalker, who is destined to be the infamous Darth Vader one day. On top of all that, they got to introduce the main baddies, the Sith; and the heroes go to Coruscant and visit the Senate and Jedi Council; and then they have to go back to Naboo and have a battle; and then Anakin Skywalker is accepted to.

Not only that but there are one too many scenes where it is just a bunch of people in a room, and all they're doing is just talking. Talking, talking, and more talking. It doesn't leave much for action. Sure there's action once and a while, but you'll have to get through tons of talking first.

So you see, the story is somewhat messy. But here's a rebuttal to that. The film itself is reminiscent to Greek mythology. Usually in stories like these, the heroes are set for one journey but often come across different obstacles along the way. That's what this movie is trying to convey. It's just too bad it wasn't told a little better.

Now let's talk about two things that are both an advantage and disadvantage to the movie. First is the special effects. There's tons of CGI thrown everywhere from the scenery to the aliens. Sometimes it looks really good while other times it looks just like the actors are in front of a green or blue screen. And when the movie is about 80% green/blue screen, that's a bit distracting in all honesty. 

The second one is the acting. This film got a bunch of A-list actors. Ewan McGregor as a younger Obi-Wan Kenobi, Liam Neeson as Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, Samuel L. Jackson as Council Member Mace Windu, and Ray Park as the mysterious Darth Maul. They even got Frank Oz and Ian McDiarmid to reprise as Yoda and Palpatine. In my opinion, I think that these actors were all great. The best probably have to be McGregor and Neeson. I thought McGregor really pulled it off being a young Alec Guiness; but the real star I think is Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn, and that's not something a lot of people praise nowadays. To me, Qui-Gon Jinn was how the Jedi Order should be. Very calm, tranquil, and wise. 

But there are times when the acting felt wooden and lazy from some cast members, most notably Natalie Portman as Queen Amidala and Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker. Portman was the most wooden of the bunch. She really felt disconnected from everything. And yeah I know people harped on Jake Lloyd's performance before, and I'll admit his acting was the greatest either, especially since the same year we got Haley Joel Osment in The Sixth Sense. But he's just a kid, give him some slack. I guess all the hardcore fans didn't since he gave up acting and is now diagnosed with schizophrenia. Thanks people! >:(

While there are some bad stuff in the first prequel, people often overlook some of the good stuff about the prequels. First off, the lighsaber duels are greatly improved. In the Original Trilogy it looked like two kids playing sword fight, but in the first prequel the fighting is much more stylized. The duel between Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Darth Maul was amazing. There's a bunch of swinging, a bunch of jumping, a bunching of kicking. I totally buy the fact that this is how the Jedi and Sith fought. 

And when there is action it is cool to watch. The Podracing sequence is one of the highlights of the movie. Hell, they made two different video games that I've played religiously based off podracing (Star Wars Racer and Racer Revenge).

Another positive that not many people talk about is the score, which was composed by the legendary John Williams again. That score is fucking epic! Duel of the Fates is by far one of Williams' greatest accomplishments.

And let's face it, this film helped expand the Star Wars Expanded Universe as we knew it. It helped introduce new characters and added new stories for fans to follow.

Overall The Phantom Menace, like the rest of the Prequel Trilogy, is beyond perfect; but it doesn't deserve any of the hate that it initially got. As a true Star Wars fan, I enjoy it because it is a big part of my childhood, and it is still a ton of fun. I still watch it with a clearer vision than before (keep in mind I was only six years old when I first saw this in theaters), but it still holds a big nostalgia factor. Like the Original Trilogy, I'm gonna keep watching Episode I along with the other Star Wars movies.

                          Light Side:                                    Dark Side:

                         -Great special effects                      -Jar Jar Binks

                         -Improved lightsaber duels            -Incoherent story

                         -Some good actors and acting        -Some lazy acting

                         -Podracing                                    -Too CGI heavy

                         -Expands Star Wars universe

                         -John Williams score

                         -Still a lot of fun

Final Grade: C+

So there's my review for The Phantom Menace as part of my Star Wars Countdown Reviews. Join me next month for my review of Attack of the Clones.

Have you seen The Phantom Menace? What were your thoughts? Like it? Hate it? Please be kind, leave a like and comment, and check back for more reviews here on Prose!

Best 5 Quotes:

Yoda: "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering."

Nute Gunray: "This is getting out of hand. Now there are two of them."

Qui-Gon Jinn: "The ability to speak does not make you intelligent."

Watto: "What? You think you're some kind of Jedi, waving your hand around like that? I'm a Toydarian. Mind tricks don't work on me. Only money."

Darth Maul: "At last we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi. At last we will have revenge."

"LU? LU!" Regan's voice cried out from the darkness.

Her stepfather Lu, the devil himself, burst open the door and approached her bedside and calmly asked. "Yes Regan. What is it?"

"Lu, I think there's another monster under the bed." the frightened five-year old peeped as she shuttered under her covers. "Can you go check it, please?"

"Another monster, you say, eh?" the devil playfully chimed. "You know, kiddo, there comes a time where we-"

The musical melody of Lu's phone paused his words. "Hello?" the devil answered.

It was Lilith's voice on the other line. "Pardon for disturbing you at this hour, boss. But Legion wanted me to inform you that one of his experiments has broken loose, and seems to have scattered off. Could you be on the look out for it?"

Lu's face froze. His black heart tapped against his breast faster. Then he heard a soft shuffle underneath his young stepdaughter's bed. Mustering enough courage to take a peak under the bed, Lu locked eyes with a shadowy mass that scurried into the back corner. 

It was too dark underneath to get a good glimpse, but he saw that the mass was rounded like a basketball, covered in slimy fur, wiggly tentacles that squirmed around, and eight set of eyes staring back fearfully at the king of the Inferno.

                                                             ***

Carmen Gravely heard the pattering of feet enter her bedroom. She woke to find her husband cradling her youngest daughter safely in his arms. The pair then plopped themselves in the comforts of the king's sized bed.

"Huh-wah?" Mrs. Gravely mumbled, too tired and exhausted to open her eyes or grab her glasses off the nightstand. "What's going on?"

"She's just gonna sleep with us for tonight, okay?" Lu frantically jabbered as he tucked himself and Regan under the covers. "Night, night."

Carmen shrugged and laid back down next to her daughter, who slept quietly. Lu stayed awake and aware, hoping that no monsters doesn't crawl under their bed tonight.

I've been asked what is the difference between Star Wars and Star Trek.

To me it's quite simple. Star Wars is the scifi experience we want to happen. We want to wield a lightsaber and fly a starship. We want to use the force and save the galaxy from tyranny. Star Trek is the scifi experience that could happen. There will be a day where we cure many diseases. There will be a day where we will meet new life and explore new worlds. There will be a day where we will boldly go where no man's gone before. 

The elevator finally screeched to a halt, slamming hard at the bottom of the shaft. Joshua exited alone amidst a chamber of imprisoned fiends. He felt the darkness of the chamber coming to swallow him whole. Only one source of light in the whole chamber and it was at the far end, where one demon sat alone behind a desk. 

It didn't seem that far, Joshua thought, Just walk right down the hallway and that's it.

The boy gripped both hands around his booklet, where his treasured cross was tucked between the pages. His shaking feet took their first steps outside. 

WHAM!

It wasn't even a foot out of the elevator and something made their presence known to Joshua. The boy jumped where he stood and faced the greatest nightmares of this realm. 

There were three of them, trapped behind a thick sheet of unbreakable glass. They looked almost human. Hairless, freakishly thin enough that their pale, leathery skin exposed every bone connected in their shriveled, naked bodies. These were the demons that Joshua's mother had warned him about. The scavengers of the damned. Horrid creatures that stalked through the shadows and kill everything on sight. Joshua heard the many grisly stories of these monsters, both from the demons and his friend Rosemary. How these creatures can swarm around a whole platoon of Doomsguard soldiers and overpower them. How they are capable of destroying an entire village over night, leaving no survivors in the wake. Often they were told to demon children as a way to scare them into good behavior, but they served as a warning that their homeland wasn't always safe. Suppose even demons had their own demons to fight.

The vile monsters slapped their bare, eyeless heads against the glass barrier, barely leaving a scratch. Their rotted, toothy maws bit at the air as they were desperate for a meal. The aching shrieks they emitted was haunting like nails across the chalkboard.

Sure am glad there kept in there and not out here, Joshua thought to himself. But he couldn't help but wonder why scavengers were kept underneath the tower. Were they souls once and they kept them here for research? Research into what? A cure? Extermination?

Joshua kept walking by. He proceeded to walk by from one disturbing cell to the next. One cell contained a prisoner with slimy tentacles extending from the bars, trying to grasp around him but Joshua was too quick. Another cell where he saw dozens of basketball sized eyes poking from inside the dark space, watching closely without blinking a single one. The oddest of the bunch was when he saw a small cage. With it was an even smaller vase. The vase then bounced from its spot and unleashed a horrible, blood curdling roar, forcing Joshua to jump back into another cage door. 

The only thing that helped the boy to continue his task was whispering a passage from the Bible. It was something that he memorized to heart, to help give him the courage he desperately needed. 

At last, Joshua finally reached the end of the corridor. He approached the demon at the front desk. The pits of Joshua's polo and his brows were caked with sweat.

"Um, excuse me," he piped, "I'm here to pick up something for Lu. The boss."

The sole guard glanced up, tossing aside a magazine he was reading. "Ah yes. I got it right-" 

The desk phone rang. "Hold on a sec." the guard answered the call. "Yeah? Now? Alright, I'm be there soon."

He laid the phone down and looked to Joshua, "Sorry. Something I gotta take care of at this moment. Wait right here."

"You're leaving me alone here?" Joshua gulped. His heart raced faster.

"No worries, kid," the guard assured, "Nobody's getting outta those cages. I'll be back in 5 minutes."

The guard got up and left into the backdoor of the containment chamber. Again, Joshua was alone amidst a chamber of imprisoned fiends. He tried reaching for his cross inside his booklet. 

He felt nothing. His hands held nothing. His booklet. His cross. They were gone. 

All Joshua could do was recite his Lord's words. "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." he whispered, "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth-

"He leadeth me beside the still waters." another voice spoke from the dark hallway. Joshua jumped again of the sound of his cold, monotone call as it too quoted the passage. "He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake."

Joshua followed the voice, who continued reciting. A several feet away from the desk he found the source. It was him. The man, or demon or thing, in the dark. The prisoner Lu showed to Joshua a couple days ago. His unusual silhouette sat on top of a ratty mattress. He held something in his hands, a thin book by what Joshua could tell.  

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalm 23. King James Version, correct?"

Joshua had no words. The hairs on his neck stood frozen. His throat dry up like a pond under the sun.

"When someone asks another a question, it is usually proper to answer them." the figure calmly berated, "Let me repeat, is that not the correct passage?"

"Y-yes sir." Joshua stammered, finally finding his words. "It is."

"That's better. I'm familiar with that passage. Must have read that a hundred times. A little off putting since the original translation was butchered."

The figure's head turned, facing the boy. His face still masked by the shadows. "I know you, boy. I never forget a face. You were with Lucifer and the others. You're human too, correct?"

"Y-yes sir." the boy answered again. "I am."

"Tell me, boy, what is a human doing among demons? Are you related some way? Any ties with those Gravelys." The last word came out more like a distasteful growl.

"I'm an intern."

"Intern? How interesting. Come closer into the light. So I can see you better."

Joshua didn't want to, yet curiosity possessed him. He stepped a little closer to the bars, but not too close. He was still afraid of the figure. 

The figure in the dark stood up, lumbering his way towards the cell door. Joshua heard the rattling of chains each step the figure took. In the light Joshua saw his true appearance.

He was a tall figure, standing over seven feet. His body was that of a muscular man but his head was that of a mountain goat, long and narrow with a rounded muzzle. Dark grey and black fur covered much of his body while his face, hands, and feet were all bare. His ears were long and pointy like a goat's too, and even a the back of his head crowned a pair of long horns.

The figure was dressed in a dark blue prisoner's jumpsuit with shackles and chains linked around his wrists and ankles. His eyes were dark as coal, all three of them. The third eye that hung in the middle of his long forehead frightened Joshua the most, how it continually stared at him without blinking.

The demonic satyr pulled something out of his deep pockets. He held out a round, red fruit before him. "Apple?" he offered.

Joshua studied it carefully. It looked like an ordinary apple, but it could be something more devious. Was it hexed? Joshua rapidly shook his head no.

The prisoner frowned, insulted by the boy's response. "Oh don't worry. I didn't poison it or anything." the prisoner raised his hand, showing off the chains and shackles. "These negate all my powers." he took a bite. The juices leaked out of the fresh bite mark. "If there's one thing I'm grateful for is that those fools continue to give me two things I enjoy in life: a couple books to read and a bushel of apples."

"Who..." Joshua muttered, "who are you?"

"Introductions, I see. In case you're having trouble with pronunciation—or you are illiterate—my name is as it is etched into that wall. I am Mephistopheles, the Master of the Deal and, I suppose, former owner of Babylon too. I was once Lucifer's majordomo—a right-hand man, in case you're not up to par with polysyllables. But now I reside here."

"How long have you been here?"

"Let's see..." Mephistopheles scratched his chin as he pondered. "How long has been Lucifer been married now? Few months? Probably around that time. May longer? I've forgotten. I didn't even get to see pictures of that wedding, come to think of it."

"Why are you in here?"

The satyr grimaced. "I tried to show our king reason. He refused. And here I am." The demon then smiled, showing an uncomfortable friendly side to him. "I shared some things about myself, now you. What do you have to share with me? What is your name, young lad."

The boy didn't want to answer but he did. "Joshua Wordsworth."

"You share the name of a poet."

"My mother claims were related to him somehow."

"And what of your mother?"

"She's the principal of my school."

"A Christian too?"

"Yes sir."

"And what of your father?"

Joshua bent his head down. He gave the excuse his mother would give. "He's on vacation."

"I see." Mephistopheles realized the truth. "Both my parents are dead."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not. I killed them."

Joshua's phone buzzed. It always surprised him how well cell services were down in the Inferno. He slipped it out of his pocket. It was a text from Rosemary.

ROSEMARY: Yo! What Lu got you doing?

"Your mother?" Mephistopheles asked, feeling rather annoyed by the interruption.

"Um yeah," Joshua lied, "she constantly worries about me."

"Sounds a bit clingy to me." the three-eyed satyr groaned. "You said you were an intern. I assume he taught you much of our world."

"Uh huh." the boy mumbled. He started texting away at his phone.

JOSHUA: Stuff.

                 What u know of Mephistopheles?

"What have you learned so far?" the demon said.

"Just what Lu does. What he and his friends do. Lots of stuff."

"Did he show you the souls?"

"He did." Joshua sighed. Thinking of those poor, mistreated souls saddened him. Even if he believed that they didn't obey God, he believed deep down they didn't deserve this fate. 

"And why do you think he would show you just things?"

"I don't know." Joshua shrugged. "Because its his duty and its for my grade."

Joshua's phone buzzed again. Rosie's messages returned more sporadic.

ROSEMARY: DONT TRUST HIM!!!

                      PURE EVIL!!!

                      TRIED TO KILL US!!!

Joshua's eyes widened. He then glared back at the demon, who's grin was far more sinister than Lucifer's.

"Answer me this: do you really believe you are here because of a coincidence?"

"What do you mean?" Joshua said, a rage was boiling inside.

"Come on boy, I think you know why your here. It isn't by chance, or fate, and it certainly isn't by the will of God. You know the truth, boy. Lu rigged it, right from the very start."

"You're lying!" Joshua fired back. 

"And he's not?" Mephistopheles' smug grin grew larger. "What is the devil if not a liar? Come now, boy, you're smarter than that. You don't trust Lu. That's why you carried all that holy water in your bag."

Joshua gasped. His heart skipped a beat. How did he know?

The demonic satyr continued, "Don't think I didn't hear that stuff sloshing around in those vials with every step you made. What do you intend to use that for?"

"It can't hurt you! If crosses can't..."

"Sure about that? He might have shared somethings, but he certainly didn't share everything." All three eyes locked on Joshua. His grin grew more grim. "Did the king tell you what it can do to demons? Did, sometime during the tour, he mention that some souls can get out of their punishments and become full fledged demons, like Balthazar for example? Or how about you why he betrayed the angels in the first place? Or what about his real intentions were for your world once he got hitched?

"Ask him next time. Ask him if he didn't intend for you to be under his wing or he did. See if he'll give the answer you want, or the answer he can scheme up."

Joshua finally heard the backdoor open again with the single guard exiting out. He ran back to the front desk, as far as he could from the deranged prisoner. 

"Sorry about that," the guard said. "but thanks for being patient. Here you go."

The demon guard handed a small box, no bigger than a baseball, to the young human. Joshua thanked the guard and made his way back to the elevator. The farther away from the prison level the better.

As Joshua hurried along back, he heard Mephistopheles call for him again. "Oh Joshua." His chilling tone made the boy shudder. "I believe you've dropped this." 

A small, black booklet slipped between the satyr's cell bars. Joshua's art booklet. 

Joshua crept over toward the cell and snatched back his book. He tried not to look directly at the imprisoned demon. But that eye. That spiteful third eye on the demon's forehead. That eye that looked as though it was staring deep into Joshua's soul, caught the him in a petrified gaze.

"Quite a talent you have there. It's been a pleasure talking to you, Joshua. Take care now. And do tell Lu's family I said hello."

"I hate to die like your son, clawing at my neck. Foam and bile spilling out of my mouth. Eyes blood red. Skin purple. Must have been horrible for you, as a Kingsguard, as a father. It was horrible enough for me. A shocking scene. Not at all what I intended. You see, I never seen the poison work before.

"Tell Cersei, I wanted her to know it was me."

This final sentence is important because it shows that even at the end of her life, the Queen of Thorns is still awesome, dropping snarky comments even at death's door.

There's been a load of compromising

On the road to his horizon

But he's gonna be where the lights are shining on him

Like a rhinestone cowboy

"Some people have said that I can 'hear' a hit song, meaning that I can tell the first time a song is played for me if it has potential. I have been able to hear some of the hits that way, but I can also 'feel' one."

Glen Campbell

1936-2017