My parents have been married for 33 years.  I was married for 3 days.  Everyone; my parents, my siblings, my friends, even the wedding planner told me not to go through with the wedding.  Why didn’t I listen?

Our fights were not normal fights. They would usually start with me just being me, but saying or doing something Miranda didn’t like. Like the time I really didn’t feel eating sushi again and I asked, “Could we order Chinese or cook a steak?”  You would have thought I spilled a bottle of soy sauce over her head or stabbed her in the eye with the pointed end of a T-bone. 

“Why do you always disagree with me?”  I can’t describe the emphasis she always placed on the word always.  It was octaves higher and decibels louder and was as cringe worthy to me as nails on a blackboard.  My spontaneous reaction was a dead giveaway to her; the wrinkled nose pinching my eyes shut; the clenched jaw. Any obvious negative change in my demeanor would prompt her to say something like, “You’re such a loser.  You don’t deserve me.  If I leave you, you will be alone for the rest of your life.”

The thought of me being alone was particularly disturbing and always silenced me into obedience since my one and only girlfriend before Miranda, my childhood sweetheart, Amy, broke up with me after I forgave her for cheating on me.  The experience left me with serious abandonment issues and when the one and only, blond, busty, beguiling Miranda Murphy said yes when I got up the courage to ask her out, I promised myself I would do whatever it took to make our relationship work. “Teddy has hit the lotto with Miranda,” my guy friends said at first, until they got to know her.

As we continually fought about everything, or should I say, she fought with me, especially about the wedding plans, I delusionally rationalized that things would get better.  They did not.   At one point my parents weren’t even going to come to the wedding because of all the nonsense.   My parents were told they could invite 20 people including my immediate family, and when they offered to pay for additional guests, they were told there wasn’t enough room at the venue.  We wanted my niece and nephew in the wedding party and we were told by Miranda there were to be no children at the wedding.  My family has celiac disease and we were told we should eat before we come or bring gluten free snacks. I could go on, but bringing up all these memories just gives me a headache. 

What I really need to get off my chest is what happened at the wedding.  Miranda really did make a stunning bride. Thankfully, my parents agreed to attend; a gratitude I would come to regret.  They were there; albeit begrudgingly, two tables of ten in the back of the oblong hall, no kids, no gluten free meals.  We as a family like to think we let things roll off our backs and move on with dignity and we were doing just that until it came time for the bride to cut the cake. When I lifted the small piece of cake towards Miranda’s tight mouth, I was feeling a bit confident as my friend Justin yelled, “Smash it in her face!” Justin is my best friend and whatever confidence I had through the years emerged mainly because of his encouragement.   So smash I did.  It’s tradition, right?  I’ve seen it performed at so many weddings; the wiping and smashing of cake.  Funny haha.  Lol....Oops.  I apparently had a momentary lapse of judgment because I had forgotten that Miranda told me the week before the wedding, “Listen to me.  I am very particular about my makeup.  Do not.  I repeat, do not pull a bull shit stunt on me and shove cake in my face.  Do you hear me?  Do you understand?”  I don’t remember if I said, “Yes dear,” or if I just shook my head afirmatively.  I was just so happy at the wedding; the nuptials, the compliments, the beautiful flowers and pomp and circumstance, that all I focused on in the moment were the words of my best friend Justin.  What was I thinking? I grabbed a chunk of cake and wiped it ever so gingerly, so I thought, across Miranda’s luscious lips.

What happened next is pretty much like a nightmare dream sequence to me now.  We were almost leaning against the wall behind the beautiful 7 layer silver and gold cake.  Next thing I know, right after the smear, Miranda literally whacks her head against the wall, like a crazy WWF stunt and screams out “Did you see that everyone?  He punched me in the face.  Call 911.” 

Truthfully, I thought I had seen her at her worst, but in this moment she looked at me with these Freddy Krueger demon eyes and before I could get out the words, “WTF”, she hauled off a right hook between my eyes, literally bouncing me off the same wall she just whacked her head on seconds before, leaving me speechless, bloody and dazed.  I dropped to my knees and crawled under the wedding party table wiping my nose with my rented blue tux until I noticed a linen napkin on the floor.  I picked it up and pressed it against my schnoz, trying to make sense of what had just happened.  The room became deafeningly quiet; no music, no forks clanging glasses, except for Miranda’s whimpering and the voice of her mother on the phone with 911. 

“What do I do ?”  I pondered in pain. Could I hide under table for like....forever?”

My father, the good negotiator that he is, was able to talk Miranda’s mother into giving him the phone and when he told the 911 operator what really happened, she told him with sarcasm to wish me good luck with my marriage.  He handed the phone back to Miranda’s mother and with prompting she apparently relinquished her request to 911.

How long was I under the table? Couldn’t say.  Not long enough.  It was Justin that climbed under there with me and somewhat convinced me that the inebriated crowd would forget all about the cake fiasco.  He handed me his monogrammed flask filled with Jack Daniels that I had gifted him for being my groomsman and I took a long swig, hoping the brown liquid would wash away the shame.  I wanted to believe him, but not even I am that naive.  What choice did I have?  The band was playing again and my legs were beginning to cramp. 

When Justin pulled me up and out, who was waiting for me at our table?  Cruella Deville, aka Miranda.  She was just sitting there by herself eating the tainted wedding cake. “Oh there you are, silly.  You didn’t think I was serious about the 911 call, did you?  Just kidding.  Go wash up.  You look a fright.”

“Yeah I do bitch, because you punched me in the face, and gave me a nose bleed but worse than that you put on a deranged performance for our 200 guests, falsely accusing me of spousal abuse,” I wanted to scream but didn’t.

With my head down and tail between my legs I hobbled awkwardly to the men’s room.  Justin followed me in and said.  “Dude.  That was scary.  Do you think you can get an annulment?” 

“I don’t know what to think right now Justin.  Let me clean up, get back out there, get this wedding over with and hopefully I’ll clear my head and decide what to do next after a good night’s sleep.”

Miranda convinced me to forget about what happened with whispers of what she was going to do to me back at the hotel bridal suite.  Honestly, in spite of what happened, I wanted what she promised, even though I wasn’t sure I could produce the tool necessary to receive her offer.  It worked and I received; fell asleep and dreamt about dancing with my ex Amy.  There was no one else on the dance floor but the two of us and I knew no one named Miranda.  I woke up with a hangover and felt as if I had just been sentenced by a judge to life in prison.  The reason I didn’t get up and run like Forest Gump was that my legs felt like Jell-O, in particular because I knew up until now, Miranda had rendered me spineless.  Could I break free?  Could I find the strength to dump her? 

It gets worse, but not right away.  Late morning of Day 2 of my life sentence, we leave for Acapulco; 7 nights, 8 days, all inclusive.  My parents paid for the honeymoon as a wedding gift and I was going, with or without Miranda.  She woke up uncharacteristically as Susie Sunshine and I thought to myself, “Just roll with it.”  We had an easy travel experience and it was one of the most pleasant days of our relationship, because as soon as we got to the resort, we put on our bathing suits and spent the rest of the day by the wave pool. The alcohol was flowing and we met some cool people (so I thought), followed by a lobster dinner waterside and then dancing.  For a moment I thought, this whole thing might just work out.

We woke up on Day 3 of my life sentence and it was raining.   We ordered room service and after we ate I told Miranda I was going down to the gym.  When I got to the door of the gym I realized I couldn’t get in without my room key.  It was a bit of a hike back to the hotel room, but “No big deal.” I thought.  “Extra exercise.”

The do not disturb sign was hanging on the door to our room and I thought Miranda must be showering.  I knocked and I thought I heard a man’s voice say, “Oh shit.” 

“Must be the guy in the next room,” I thought.  I knocked louder and was sure I heard scuffling inside our room and Miranda’s voice utter go hide in the bathroom.   She finally answered the door with a towel wrapped around her and said, “Sorry honey. What are you doing back so fast? I didn’t expect you for at least an hour. I was taking a shower.”

“Were you?” I retorted and then ruminated in silence, “Stop.  Don’t let your mind go there Teddy.  It’s just your abandonment issues playing a mind F###.” 

“I forgot my room card and I can’t get into the gym without it.”  I went to reach for the card next to my wallet on the desk and I couldn’t help but notice the embossed brown leather wallet that was not mine; not Miranda’s.  “Who’s wallet is this?”  I pushed my finger into it to prove it was not a figment of my imagination.

“What are you talking about?  I don’t know.  Maybe the previous guest left it, or the guy that brought us our room service dropped it there by mistake.  Don’t ask me.” 

I just stared at her and was afraid of the next move I knew I had to make.  As I turned, she said, “Where are you going?”

“To the bathroom,” I replied, knowing I didn’t have to pee. 

“Don’t go in there.” She snapped.  “I think I saw a big spider in there and I know you don’t like spiders.”

She was right.  I don’t, but my fear didn’t stop me even when Miranda jumped in front of me.  I pushed her aside like I was a Black Friday shopper. 

“Get out of my way bitch.”  Yeah.  I said that. 

My heart was beating louder than a coo-coo clock when my hand turned the door knob.  “Don’t punch me.” Wave pool guy said.  And I didn’t.  All I said was “Get out.”  That’s it.  He did. 

As soon as I heard the click of the hotel room door, I turned towards Miranda with the composure of Mozart and slapped her across the face, not as hard as I wanted to, but less than she deserved. 

Then I cautioned like a Michael Cohen wannabe, with an authority and clarity that I didn’t know was in me, “This is what’s going down.  You are going to get dressed, pack your bags, and go to the airport and fly home.  I am going to stay here and enjoy the vacation bought and paid for by my parents.  When I get back, the minute I land I’m filing for an annulment and if you try to F### with me whatsoever, you will be sorry.  I never want to see you again.  You’ve got one hour to be out of here.  She started crying and her cheek was beginning to swell, reminding me of my triumphant slap. “Oh, and if you tell anyone I slapped you, I will vehemently deny it and post naked pictures of you all over the internet. Don’t think for a second I can’t gather up plenty of people that will testify on my behalf that you have already made a false domestic assault accusation. Do you understand me bitch?” 

She shook her head yes, and I stepped out of the hotel room and away from Miranda for good.  With my room card in hand, walking as tall as LeBron James back to the hotel gym, I got there before my legs did, sat down in front of the weight machine and pumped iron like a mother f##### for the best hour I’d spent in a very long time. 

#FICTION

The investigator reported to the board. The investigator said that he didn’t find any indication that the policies put in place where not being followed and could not explain the sudden change in behavior in the detainees. He further expressed that he could not find any evidence that any mind control experiments were being conducted at the facility.

The board was at a loss. They were sure that something was going on. The investigator suggested that if the board had further concerns, that maybe one of them should go and conduct an investigation without the knowledge of the staff. Maybe they would find something out that was not previously known about the facility. The board agreed that one of them should go undercover and get to the bottom of whatever was going on at the facility.

On Monday of the next week. The board member in question started a new job at the facility as someone who cleaned laundry. People who were required to do that kind of work usually didn’t stay long at the facility unless they really needed a job and the turnover rate was high. It was easy to place the board member using this pretense. Once the board member was in the facility, they started asking questions about why the detainees were so well behaved, but the other members of the maintenance staff didn’t have any answers.

From the first day that the board member started working there, they were introduced without their knowledge to the supplement that George had given Philip to administer to the facility. After about a week the board member started to notice that he didn’t want to drink anymore. His wife had been nagging him to quit for years and he had been blowing her off but now he wanted to quit. His mind was starting to clear and things started making sense. It was clear that whatever was happening to him needed to happen to everybody and it was his duty to his fellow man to make sure it happened.

The next day he went into Philip’s office and revealed himself to be a member of the broad. He asked Philip what was going on. Philip explained that his mind had been damaged and that the supplement that he had been given corrected the problem. Philip further explained that everybody’s mind is damaged and that everybody’s mind needed to be fixed. He said that everybody at the facility had undergone this treatment. The board member said he needed the rest of the board to understand, then they could introduce this supplement to all the facilities in the entire state. Philip told him to go back and gave him some of the supplement to give to the rest of the board.

When the board had been given an initial dose at the facility, for the following months, the board member who had gone undercover gave a dose to the rest of the board at the monthly board meetings. After about 6 months, the board members started to notice a change. They began to feel differently. The destructive habits that they had started to fade. It was at this time that the board approved a measure to have the supplement added to the diet of everyone at all of the correctional facilities run by the state.

Within a month after introducing the supplement at the correctional facilities, all of the behaviors that the staff had tried to correct using traditional methods stopped. It was nothing short of amazing. Philip had contacted George to let him know how much his supplement had done to help all the detainees at all the facilities. George thanked Philip for all of his help. George said the scope of the project that he had undertaken was much larger than the correctional facilities, they were just a test run. Philip asked George what he was going to do. George said he was going to give the supplement to every person in the entire world!

This is true. A tale that has stayed in the back of my mind since March of 1971.

I was living in Portland, Oregon at the time, working at a restaurant. Money was good, so were the hours. But the nightlife in one sense was even better.

And it was on one such night, Saturday, I ran into Lisse, from Alaska. Short, attractive, petite and she was up for fun. Truth be told, she took more of a lead to our sexual escapade than I did. Within an hour of meeting, I was not just in her apartment, but her bedroom.

We started as most couples would, heavy petting, touching, fondling, kissing, you get the idea. Within twenty minutes we were completely naked and I, first, explored her body in every way a man can with my hands and lips (trying to keep this as clean as I can).

She orgasmed several times before she said it was my turn. Who am I too argue. As I did with her, she started from my forehead to my ankles and came back but stopped just below my stomach and began to perform in an extrodinary way. She was raising my temperature to a limit I didn't think possible.

But then, the possible became impossible!

What was heaven and the universe suddenly became the dark side of hell's pain! While performing oral sex, she suddenly had a seizure!

To make this short, I was able to dislodge her from "parts not working" and found a phone in her place, dialed the operator, telling her what happened to her (not me), while the whole time I'm trying to make sure she didn't swallow her tongue. I even dumped her purse to see if she had any medication in there.

I guess it was ten minutes before paramedics showed up and did their thing. When she was being taken to the hospital, one of the paramedics said to me, "You seem to need assistance yourself." I must have had a confused look on my face but she pointed and I looked down. In the rush to help LIsse, I forgot I was naked. I even forgot about what she did to me, of which she had broken the skin, and blood covered part of my thighs.

Anyway, she asked me to sit down, she took some gauze and some type of ointment, cleaned me up, and then put a butterfly suture on it.

She stood up, smiled and then handed me a card. On the back was her phone number and the words; not bad. Call me sometime.

Truth be told ... I never did.

Svrok waited for dusk to fall. He would move quickly past the night guards and make his way to the Elder Alchemist’s work station. He had an idea of what he needed to do. He just needed to figure out what steps to take to carry out the procedure. If things went right, then he would be able to enjoy the rest of his time just wandering about.

The Elder Alchemist had left her laboratory door closed. She forgot to lock it. Svrok jumped in the air and clicked his heels. This was definitely his lucky day.

A pair of guards were approaching Svrok’s location. He hurried inside and gently shut the door behind him. The guards had not spotted him. They walked past the lab and continued their guarding duty elsewhere.

Svrok- Now what is my next move? Oh, yea. (slaps his forehead) I need to work on the special potion.

He gathered a range of assorted ingredients: a box of gem stones that all had varying properties (some of these stones helped give one more power), a burner, freshly ground black and red pepper, & the other key component was a fragment of a serpent’s fangs.

Svrok mixed all the elements together in a steady motion. The reaction glowed a bright orange. When it was stirred once more, it swirled and changed to another colour- Blue. He poured the potion into a silver tube. Svrok closed the tube right and shook it.

“Hmm,” Svrok pondered to himself.

“This might give me the upper hand that I need.”

Svrok grinned. To make things even better, tonight was the night of the Blood moon. This truly was his lucky day,...or night.

He gulped the chemical that he made. Svrok felt a rush of strength course through his entire body. He felt rejuvenated.

Now he had to act fast. The Blood moon did not last for the whole night. It would only be there for several hours time.

Svrok checked to see if the cost was clear. There were no guards in sight. Excellent.

He ran towards the open road. And there he transformed into a werewolf. His hands grew much longer and stretched like a beast. His mouth became a long snout. His teeth grew much longer, they looked similar to that of a shark’s. Svrok howled and barked. He felt like the world was all his to control.

A little further away in the distance, Caeth heard a chorus of howls echoing loudly through the forest. Voru was right beside him. They each wondered what was going on. And who had started the cry.

Svrok charged through the road like a crazy dog. He soon was by the edge of the forest. There was not time to waste. Svrok ran past the trees. The tree branches brushed the side of his body, Svrok felt so alive. The wind blew with a greater force around him, while he ran. Svrok loved every second of it. All his senses heightened to a much greater level.

Caeth snarled. His nose picked Svrok’s scent. He transformed. Caeth had instructed Voru to stay with Vanessa. He was going to stop Svrok before he got any closer to Vanessa & Voru.

Svrok came to a halt. He changed back to his human form. There before his eyes he spotted Caeth running towards him. Caeth leaped and landed right in front of Svrok. He knew that Caeth would try to stop him. Svrok cackled. Caeth turned back into his human form.

Svrok: Caeth. (smiles) Where’s the rest of the pack? Are you going to face me all by yourself?

Caeth: (snarls) Just best it, Svrok.

Svrok: Oh. Come on. We don’t have to do this you know. Listen, just let Vanessa go.

Caeth: Huh. (shakes his head) Not a chance Svrok.

Svrok: (sighs) Caeth, after all that we’ve been through together. Unbelievable.

Caeth: You’re going down Svrok.

Svrok: (laughs) You are not as strong as I am Caeth. I’ll make you a deal. Let’s go back to the way things used to be. And I’ll forget about everything that you did to me.

Caeth: I didn’t do anything to you. Are you out of your mind? That’s it. I’m done talking.

Svrok growled. The two both switched back into their beastly forms. Caeth barked and advanced towards Svrok, aiming for his neck. Svrok swerved the attack & ducked. This surprised Caeth. Svrok was moving at a faster pace than usual. Caeth blinked and before he knew it, Svrok had pinned him down. They went rolling and rotating on the ground. Caeth tried to loosen Svrok’s hold of him. All his attempts failed.

As the two were caught in a close battle. Vanessa was on her way to their fight. She couldn’t sit around and wait for Caeth to do all the work. Voru did his best. He told her to stay. Vanessa agreed, but the moment Voru wasn’t looking she left.

Caeth felt as though Svrok was going to win this match. Whenever he tried to attack Svrok, the attack was blocked. It was like he was fighting a different person. Svrok has never been able to go this long in a fight during all the training they had together.

Svrok felt great. He smiled. Maybe he was going to win this round. But then he felt a sudden change in his body. The effects of the potion were wearing off. Oh no. This was not good. To make matters even worse, he caught a glance of Vanessa not too far away from their current position.

Caeth began to lose hope. Then he picked up a new scent. It was Vanessa. She was ready to be there for Caeth. Svrok now had one more person that he had to face.

Svrok started to lose control of the battle. Caeth took advantage of the opportunity and pushed Svrok towards a thorny bush. Svrok twisted and in a few seconds jumped over the bush. Caeth growled.

Vanessa had her bow in her hand. She was ready to blast some arrows at Svrok. Meanwhile, Svrok’s strength was depleting.

Svrok leaped over the bush and charged towards Caeth. Vanessa placed her bow in position. She had her eye on her target. Svrok leaped and was ready to break Caeth’s neck. But Svrok forgot about the other person in the battle, Vanessa. Her arrow shot through the air with such an enormous force that when it hit the target, Svrok, it sunk deep into his chest. Svrok thought that it was his end. Thanks to his powerful potion, the arrow did not cause too much damage. And it had not pierced his heart. Caeth looked in shock when Svrok fell to the ground, and he was now in human form. Caeth changed back to his human form.

Vanessa: Is he...dead?

Caeth checked Svrok’s pulse. He looked at Vanessa..then almost gave a nod. But there was a steady pulse. Svrok wasn’t dead. He was still alive.

Vanessa: I should have aimed closer to his heart.

Caeth: (gassps) Vanessa!

Vanessa: What? I mean, he tried to kill you.

Caeth: I know. But he raised me up Vanessa. I don’t think I want him dead, and by my own hands. No.

Vanessa: So,...what now?

Caeth carried Svrok on his back. Vanessa stomped her foot on the ground.

Caeth: Er-..let’s go Vanessa. I’ll carry Svrok.

Vanessa: Ugh. He better not pull any more stunts like this again. Maybe we should put him on a leash.

Caeth: (laughs) You two have to learn to get along. Okay.

Vanessa: Yeah. I don’t think that’s likely ever going to happen Caeth.

The trio were soon back at the cabin. Voru was glad to see them all well.

Caeth: Svrok surely has become stronger.

Vanessa: Are you sure it wasn’t the effect of the Blood Moon?

Caeth: Please. That’s all a myth. I think.

Vanessa: Mhmm. If you say so. But, there is something off about his power.

Voru looked at Svrok and then back at Caeth.

Vanessa: Voru? Did you pick anything off too?

Voru: I don’t know. I only noticed now that Svrok’s mouth has some traces of a blue substance.

Caeth stares closer at Svrok.

Caeth: You’re right kid.

Vanessa: Could that be the reason why he was much stronger?

Caeth: Yeah. It could be...We will have to wait for Svrok to wake up. Vanessa, what exactly did you do to him?

Vanessa: (grins) I used my great knock-out arrows.

Caeth: (sighs) Well,...he’s going to be out all night.

Vanessa: Hey. I saved you. Didn’t I?

Caeth: You did. And I’m grateful for that. (smiles)

Vanessa and Caeth stare into each other’s eyes.

Voru: Um. Okay. I’m heading to bed. See you all later. (heads off to bed)

Vanessa: (smiles) Rest well Voru.

#MonsterHunter

#Puissant

Hell needs a devil.

Hell needs a ruler.

But today is a dark day.

The ruler of all Hell laid in his bed, tucked tight under the covers. His friends and loved ones were gathered around his bedside. Holding his hand was his wife Carmen Gravely, a mortal human woman and loving mother of two. Next to her and her demonic husband were his merry band of hellraisers from his office. First was his succubus secretary Lilith, his assistant, the bat-like demon Scrugs, and the arachnid royal advisor, and master of dark mystics, Legion. They all saw how horrible he looked. Eyes were bloodshot and drozy. Skin paler than before. Forehead burned hotter than the very fires of Hell itself, and felt like a jackhammer was striking between his eyes. Green and brown mucous leaked from his hooked nose, dripping onto to his pointy goatee. He tried inhaling the mucous back into his nostrils but it had little effect of clearing his sinuses. It was like sucking a pool of toothpaste through a small, broken vacuum.

“I’m dying!” the devil Lucifer coughed. There was a deep hoarseness in his voice. He sounded like he swallowed dozens of old toads. "I think..." he continued. "I can see the light... Is this Oblivion?"

"No, boss!" his assistant, Scrugs, sobbed loudly. "Don't go into the light!"

The small demon's pleas were silenced when Legion struck Scrugs' round head with the butt of his wooden staff. “Don’t be so dramatic,” the anciend demon growled to both the small demon and his king. “It’s just a flu,” he then popped a thermometer into his sickly king’s mouth. All six of his soulless eyes watched the mercury rise. “Your body temperature is above normal. Three hundred degress higher to be exact. My only recommendation for you is plenty of bed rest and drink plenty of fluids.”

"Sorry you're not feeling well, honey," Carmen said. "I'll make sure I make you some butter toast before I drop the girls off at school and head out for work. Okay?"

The devil coughed again. "You do what you gotta, hon."

Carmen leaned and kissed his sweaty forehead. She then grabbed her purse and rushed for the door. "I'll be sure to pick up some cough syrup after work too." the thought of having to drink that foul poison made Lu slither his black tongue out in disgust.

"Let me know if his condition worsens." those were the last words the demons heard before their queen exited her house, leading her children into the family van and off to their day. Once she was gone, Lucifer slowly closed his eyes, falling into a deep, sickly sleep as his trusted council snuck their way back to their realm. Out the bedroom and down the stairway they went. Next was a turn towards the hall, where the enchanted Helevator was stationed, the interdimensional gateway between the human world and the forbidden hellscape. Each of the demons were greatly concerned.

“What do we do now?” Scrugs gulped. “Without our king-”

“I guess that makes you in charge, right Legion?” Lilith asked the old demon.

“No, I am not.” Legion corrected.

The three odd demons entered inside the cramped spacing of the Helevator, which was modeled like any other elevator, except for its ancient and rusted exterior. When everyone was inside, Legion pressed on of the buttons on the control panel. The doors slammed shut, locking them all inside. There was a sudden snapping noise and down through the house and the earth the box dropped. It traveled faster than a bullet train, crossing through the two dimensions. Outside the box it shook violently but its interior was tranquil. The demons never felt the chaos that ensued in the descent back into Hell.

"But Lord Lucifer is out of commission for the time being," the succubus expressed her worry. "And we no longer have a second in command. The role of leadership would fall under you, wouldn't it?"

"Technically, I would be. But you have forgotten that there is one other that can assume our king’s place. One that holds equal power over our world and our people since the day I married them.”

Lilith and Scrugs looked at each other. They knew exactly of whom the elder demon spoke of. "You do know that she's not gonna like that," Lilith reminded.

Legion then nodded. "Believe me, I am fully aware. She will be resistant at first, that is an absolute. But regardless, she is our queen. It is time now that she upheld her position. For the sake of our people and our world."

#sinsofthefather #fiction #fantasy #comedy #horror #hell #demons

Flesh punctured

gentle slow entry

needle sharps

probing pointing

beneath skin

reaching breaching

finding …

organs inner

tautskinned tender

touch sensing

pain exquisite

inside under

surface escaping

numbness …

fingers nails

pegs pinching

nettle stinging

skin unaroused

just to feel

what, pleasure?

anything …

reify being

alien body

shell recurved

upon around

entwined joined

consumed into

nothing.

come sit on my words

dear reader

like outdoor furniture

for thin hips

while wheezing spooky poets under gaudy umbrellas

are nervous about making a good impression

all of your hosts

snuffed candles burning-out

for metaphors and alliterations

begging

one poem at a time

for a light

that we will never see

go ahead

antagonize me

you, who live in an idealized passed

fear the future

and ignore the present

while i hide like a little girl

behind the bare legs of poetry

that will show you

my head is a lantern moon

that feels words like cosmic storms

tumbling stone heads

onto boulders of terracotta shards

my ink smells like stinky saliva

like a kabuki fight to the death

unwinding paper machete viscera

and plucking out make-believe hearts

while gobbling fortune cookies containing

while gobbling fortune cookies containing

jokes, platitudes, and fortunes

that never come true

in a dreamland of masturbation’s

i’m trying to break something in you!

I’m in the pit again.

It’s not completely dark down here, not anymore. I’m used to getting dragged down there, it was beyond my control, but now I’m wise to those wretched hands. I see them before they can grab my ankles - young, pale, but covered with broken skin, black dirt, chipped, sharp nails etruding from the swollen fingertips, drawing blood from my unscarred skin like secrets from a willing snitch.

My own body betrays me.

I see these hands now, and stamp on them. It’s not a permanent solution, but it gives me time to grab some things - books, fairy lights, a soft chair, some blankets, so I can decorate the pit a little and make it less dark.

The fairy lights, and a lamp with a flickering light bulb that needs changing, illuminate this area a little. My eyes are unfocused by shortsightedness, slightly blinded by tears, so the lights seem blurry and far away. I’m feeling more than geographical distance from you today...

I’m comfortable down here, but I can’t stay here for ever. But I can’t get out without asking for help. But I can’t ask for help.

Am I a coward? Perhaps. What scares me? Rejection? Being mocked, or dismissed? Or maybe I just don’t want to burden people with my problems anymore.

I feel trapped, not by the pit, but by all of you. I’m obligated to be your friend and include you in my life. If I’m not happy, then it affects you, which affects me, because I love you all so much. My personal god, Ganesha, the one I attempt to channel and embody successfully so that my soul grows towards him and eternal happiness, is the remover of obstacles. I may feel low, depressed, in a pit, but it’s counterproductive, it does not help me achieve my primary goal in life if I drag you down here with me. I’d rather stay stuck so that you can all be free.

Yet I want you here. With me.

I want all those compliments that I rejected before. I want you to tell me how much you love me, how much you value my existence, that you need me and want me to be happy. I want too much from you right now. It’s not fair.

Maybe I don’t want but need you, but you don’t need this. It’s depression without reason, it’s biological sadness, I am tired and this was probably something I could have prevented by sleeping more.

However, I couldn’t sleep last night. Or any night. Sleeping is not something I’m good at...but I could improve. I know how to, I know what I need to do, yet I don’t.

Why am I so irrational?

Why do you love me?

Why am I worth it?

I’m feeling a bit braver. I want to ask you these questions, I need to hear what follows your “because...”. I’m just scared I’ll annoy you so much that you’ll see the real me and will end this long distance relationship, as you should.

As you sit at your gloomy desk at work, unaware of the vicious cycle of thoughts running around in my head like lab rats on caffeine, you are rightfully undisturbed. I’ll sacrifice my chance for freedom today and I’ll stay in this pit. You are worth it. Today, I want you to be free of this burden. The burden of me. I hope you feel free, even though you aren’t.

I can deal with this on my own. I can process and eradicate this pain. I can and will liberate myself.

One day, I will have my freedom, and we will enjoy it. Together.

#challengeoftheweek #freedom #depression #mentalhealth #prosechallenge #prose

All of the saddest things are here. They fill the walls and spill out from under the pages. They cover the darkness and hold open your eyes. There’s nothing but black. There’s an absence more immense than the darkness. You’re holding on and letting go, and you’re not sure which. Stumbling and floating. And it’s all numb. And it’s all pressure. You can feel the energy of all of the memories. You may have broken it. You may not fix it. And you can feel all of the wrong choices. You can feel your heart touching the air when it should be in its cage. It’s being swallowed. It’s smothering. It’s drowning. It’s razing. It’s an ebb and flood. There is darkness. There is sadness. There are wet eyes and dry ones. There are closed lungs and torn apart hearts. And there is darkness. And there is sadness. Dancing. And growing. And in the distance, a deep glow. If you could only reach it. There is ebb, and there is flood. And that glow. If you could only reach it. Until it is smothering. And if you could only reach it. The glowing ebb of a flood. Strangling your breath. But for the glow. If you could only reach it.

a girl, a dog and sweet jesus

i rest my case

came in drenched,

never far from first place-

but never close either.

i sit for hours of day

trying to keep the light

shining our way

so maybe you will never notice

how badly you hurt me.

i spent so much time worrying

that you wouldn't love me

while my dog just stared me straight in the eyes

with a look that said

you never did.

and i know it,

its true

i could never be that perfectly

unperfect

for you.

all i ever had was

a few nights with interrupted

run-on sentences

shared between two strangers

that seemed like they entwined so well together.

all the late night conversations

led to passionate lovemaking sessions

where i could have sworn

the feelings i had

were shared by you.

but my dog looks at me

with disappointment

and unending love,

like jesus would

explaining to me they simply weren't.

and i was all alone in this

and you were all alone

so maybe thats why the feeling of magic occurred,

but magicians only play to the fool

and i am better off without you.