In these modern times, the old hat is in dyer need of repair.  While Obama is using the old school of three folds, the modern way of political mumbo jumbo is to simply be honest with the people and use no mumbo jumbo at all.  What is a three fold you may ask?  A three fold is simply this.  You create an issue, you comment positively on that issue, and then you claim your opponent is against that issue.  Are we really falling for that old gag?

Next in the Obama old school of politics, we have the hit list, or as the Obama machine puts it, their enemy list.  this is a list of people who might be helping any opponent.  The machine in theory will attack these individuals, drudging up their past and their troubles. This is not to crush anyone, but to make them weary through intimidation.  What Obama does not realize, is by doing this, makes those against his politics, stronger.  These folks who are practicing their freedom rights, are laughing at these old tactics.

Last but never the least, Obama is using the old smoke and mirrors  he always tried in his past.  By tossing out issues not relevant to Americans, he hopes to change the real issues, or at least hide them.  The economy he will never talk about, the gasoline prices he wont address, but he will bring up anything else with the hop to change the focus. 

It is time to update the tired routine Mr. President.  The American people are not buying your chatter any longer.  You want votes, try doing something honest for the people.  Saying you are for Gay rights, but never doing anything about them, is shameful.  Your tactics are tiresome and all the Hollywood communists money can’t help you.  You see, honesty wins over indecency every time.  If you want to win, stop the rhetoric and the old tricks, and try doing something with substance.We cannot possibly dig out of this mess you have made for us.  I guess you did lie and it is politics as usual. 

If you liked this article, try reading “America’s Glitch,”  It exposes all the tricks Obama has been using since before the last election.

Part 2　

Ayden

“Mikey’s done something stupid, hasn’t he.”

“Huh?” I blink. To be honest, I’d thought Jen was asleep. Sara had advised rest and given her a bit of that herb mixture that she and Ry had spent ages researching, to help her sleep. She’d been so quiet.

However, she’s awake now.

And waiting for an answer.

“Uh, what makes you think that?” I stall weakly.

“Easy. He hasn’t been to see me in ages. Then there’s the way Sara’s been acting, chattering away to me like a lunatic, as if she’s trying to distract me, while you’ve been quieter than Toby.” Jen levels herself up, so she’s resting on one elbow. “So spill, Ayden. What has my idiot brother done now?”

If I’ve learned anything over the years it’s that arguing with a Alioth is next to useless.

“He left yesterday, to go get help for you.”

Jen snorts. “And where did he think he was going to get that? Unless? No he didn’t go back to the underground?”

“Jen,” I take her hand. “He’s going to be careful.”

She stares at me. “He didn’t. Ayden, they’ll kill him!”

“Shush, calm down,” I tell her. “Mikey can take care of himself.”

“NO HE CAN’T!” I take a step back as Jen turns on me. “This is Mikey we’re talking about! My little brother!”

She looks as though she can’t decide whether she wants to hurt someone or burst into tears. I decide to chance the former and put a hand round her shoulders.

“He’s not as reckless as he was, and he knows the dangers.”

“But even so, the underground,” She takes a shaky breath, “does he really think that they‘ll help him?”

“Why not? It makes sense,” I say as if it explains it‘s self “we don’t have the skills or the answers. They might.”

“They didn’t have the answers seven years ago,” Jen leans against my arm like she needs the comfort. “Ayden. what if.” the questions trails off. “You remember.”

I do.

I would much rather I didn’t.

“We survived,” I tell Jen. “Remember that? We learnt how and we survived. Mikey will be fine.”

“You need to sleep,” Sara says. “Give my herbal remedies a chance to work.”

Jen smiles weakly, knowing as we do that there’s not much Sara’s herbs can do than merely delay the inevitable, but lies back down.

“See you, Ay.”

“You too.”

Sara uses the mind to mind contact that was a by product of our powers. She must have something important that Jen can’t hear, to be using it at all *Yeah?*

I swallow, if she’s that bad *How long do you think?*

And the chances of him returning at all are slim.

*A week, maybe ten days. Unless Mikey gets back in time.*

Matt

“This way.”

I follow obediently after Lora, down a side tunnel. I have to duck to get through it, and I suspect that it isn’t used often. I still don’t know where we’re going. Lora spoke with Kate, and then came back to lead me down a twist of metal caverns that seem to go nowhere. For all I know, we’re going to this ‘Kate’ person’s personal compartment. Lora was adamant in her refusal to tell me where, exactly, we were going.

I can’t help being curious, though. And suspicious.

“Down here.” She leads me into a downward sloping cave that goes to the right. It feels almost like walking in circles, or maybe spirals sense we are going down, after all.

Then we reach another left turn, and we’re twisting about again.

I gave up trying to follow the many turns and tunnels a long time ago. I think that I’m supposed to be confused I think that might even be the purpose of the complicated path we’re taking. Lora and, I’m almost positive, Kate as well don’t want me to know exactly where I am. I’m starting to wonder if it’s even a part of the city. It might be a separate area that can only be reached through all of this twisting and turning around underground. That would explain the hours we’ve already spent in the steel tunnels. I wouldn’t be so irritated if I actually believed that was the reason. No, they’re trying to confuse me, I’m positive. I would have preferred a blindfold; this is a waste of time.

“We’re almost there,” Lora tells me softly. I think she can sense my irritation, but she obviously isn’t going to give me a short cut. She’s already decided that Kate’s cause is worth undertaking, if she’s gone to all this trouble.

Inwardly, I sigh. Great.

After a moment more of walking, Lora stops and turns to the right, where a small panel of keys is built into the cold grey wall of the tunnel. My foster sister enters a rapid series of code, fingers flickering expertly as she types. Then she stops and waits patiently. A few seconds later, a section of the tunnel breaks smoothly into a door.

I’m not surprised. Then again, this is common enough with private or restricted areas.

The room we enter is definitely not a private home. I discard that idea as soon as I take in the tiny single-room compartment. There is a small computer sitting on the desk, and various pieces of office equipment are set up neatly around the room. However, I notice one thing that belies the appearance of a simple office and that’s that there is another panel of keys at one side of the room an entrance or exit into another room probably.

This Kate person is obviously not someone working independently.

I start to wonder again where exactly we are.

There is a young woman of about Lora’s age ,or maybe a year older, sitting at the desk. She turns when we enter, and stands to greet us. “You must be Matthew,” she says to me, straight away. There are large glasses on her face, and her hair hangs in limp black strands. Her face is attractive, though, and she’s slim and nicely shaped, despite the unflattering uniform she wears. “I’m Kate.”

I just nod.

She sighs. “I’ll get right to the point, Matthew.” She pushes up her glasses and stares at me seriously. “I’m asking you to do something that would get both of us punished if it were discovered. Seriously punished.”

I raise an eyebrow. That was rather forward.

“But it’s worth the risk,” she continues, obviously seeing the apprehension I’m trying so hard to keep off of my face. “It means saving a life. And I don’t know about you,” She gives me a wry smile, “but it is certainly important to me.”

Out of the corner of my eyes, I see Lora nodding.

“You’re going to have to leave sooner or later, at any rate,” she tells me, shrugging. “Or, Lora is. Unless she wants to die. If you wait a few months, someone else will already be dead, and then it’ll be her turn.”

“You’ve got my attention,” I tell her. No need to add that the thought of Lora being killed (or even being in danger of being killed) chills me right to the core. She’s all I have left of my brother and she’s like a sister to me.

That’s clenched it. If what Kate says is true, I am definitely leaving. And Lora is coming with me. No more questions about it. The only thing left to decide is whether I really need to take this extra person along.

All of this, of course, depends on whether or not Kate is trustworthy.

“You’re wondering if I can be trusted, aren’t you?” she asks me. Her gaze is sharp, behind the glasses. She is dangerously intelligent, I can tell. I’m going to have to be cautious if I don’t want her to trick me into something.

“Wouldn’t you?” I answer, raising an eyebrow again.

She smiles. “I might. It depends on what you would be asking me about. But I do have facts to back me up. If you’ll just take a look at these” She pulls a few sheets of paper out from a drawer beneath her desk, then holds them out toward me. “Here.”

I look over the sheets briefly, scanning rather than actually reading them. The text is a confidential report from the Mother Computer that runs our city. It’s a full description of the ‘untimely’ death of one Benjamin Lunatone, a former government worker. His job, it appears, was very similar to the one Lora is being trained for.

I look up before reading further. “This person is already dead, Kate. What does this have to do with whoever you want us to take to the?”

“Keep reading,” she interrupts me. “And try to remember what it says. I’m going to have to burn those when you’re finished with them, so don’t let any of it slip by you. And trust me, it is important.”

I look over at Lora, who nods. “All right,” I sigh. “Fine.”

The rest of the report was a description of this ‘Ben’ person’s death. I start to understand why the file was confidential as I read it, and I wonder how Kate managed to get her hands on it. Hacking the system, maybe. I won’t doubt that she’s intelligent enough.

Apparently, Ben was an orphan in the care of the government. His job had been to power the Machine for our whole city enough so that he was the Machine. He’d started on the task approximately a year before the decision was made to move all of our cities down below the surface of the earth getting everything ready, apparently. The job he was given should have been one that twenty or more people handled together for safety’s sake. Apparently, and this made me angry, the government talked it over before people were actually moved into the underground cities permanently, and felt that it was more efficient for one person to take on the responsibility until he or she burned out.

And that was exactly what happened to Ben Lunatone. Burned out. At age thirteen, he died of a heart failure.

Caused by being hooked up to a Machine since he was about four years old.

I crumple the paper in my hands. Christ, people are just getting more and more stupid! He was a kid! He was younger than Lora! What the hell is our government system on, anyway?

“Great,” I say to Kate in a tightly controlled voice, handing back the papers. “Now that I’m completely pissed off with humankind in general, mind telling me what the hell your point was?”

Okay, so it was rude. I’m not exactly in a pretty mood after reading that. People are such bloody idiots! What the hell had they been thinking? Didn’t they know that that would happen? What kind of morons do we have running our city?

“The point,” Kate tells me simply, “is that they haven’t changed that plan just because of Ben’s death.”

I take back what I just said. People are not bloody idiots. They are bloody disgusting idiots!

“I’ve calculated exactly how long it took Ben’s energy to wear out under the strain of the Machine,” Kate says, in a flat, practical tone of voice. “He was in need of serious medical help after eight years, six months, and eleven days. I haven’t been able to pinpoint the hour, but I’m relying on data that’s ten years old, and it’s difficult to obtain in the first place. The burn-out occurred twelve days later. However, they realized that there would be a burn-out after one year, two months, and six days. At that point, however, they had already hooked his replacement into a different sort of machine, for training.”

“His replacement?” I glance at Kate sharply.

“Yes.” She nods. “They weren’t sure at that point whether it was more useful to have someone who had actually lived before being hooked up to the Machine, or someone who had been trained from a very young age to be the Machine. Ben was their guinea pig the first time.”

“And who was the second?” I ask. By this point, I’m fairly certain I have a good idea of who it is that she wants me to take along. I have a feeling I’m going to have to agree, too.

“I’m getting to that,” she answers, and then resumes her explanation. “The training machine was designed to react to its operator, exactly the same way the real Machine would. The difference was that the training machine had no harmful effects on the human hooked into it and, of course, it didn’t do anything useful. Ben’s replacement was hooked into the real Machine immediately after the original power source died. No difference was noted by the new subject who wasn’t informed of the switch and everything continued as usual.”

“And now what?” I think I know what’s coming, but I give her the chance to tell me.

“And now it’s been seven years, six months, and fifteen days since then,” Kate says. “That’s why Lora is being trained. She’s the new replacement, and she’ll take over the job in a year, when the current power source burns out just like Ben did. Unless you take her away, where they can’t get to her.”

I nod. “But that’s not all, is it?”

Kate shakes her head. “No but you have to know by now what I’m going to ask you, Matthew. The Machine is currently being powered by Kevin Lunatone. Ben’s younger brother. He’s sixteen years old, and he’s been hooked up to some form of machine for fifteen of those years.” She looks me straight in the eyes, her gaze intense and deadly serious. “You might think I’m being too emotional, MisterAmor, but I do not want him to die. He’s had one year of freedom, and can’t even remember it. As long as it’s possible for me to give him more, I’m going to try.”

I nod. “All right. Why?”

She seems to expect the question. “Because I like to think that human nature isn’t as cruel as they are making it seem to be. I want to think I’m better than that, but if I know about this and do nothing, then I’m just as hateful.”

“Good enough.” I give her a brief, humourless smile. “I’d look pretty bad if I refused now, wouldn’t I? Anyway, I’m willing to take on your crusade for a better humankind. Since I have to take Lora anyway, it’d be pretty cruel to leave this ‘Kevin’ behind, wouldn’t it?”

She returns the smile. “Thank you.”

I shrug. “It’s nothing. Besides, if we have your help, we can get safety suits from you to protect us from the atmosphere.”

Now it’s her turn to raise an eyebrow. “Are you planning on returning?”

“No,” I admit. “Not really. But I’d rather not turn into some kind of mutant. If it’s safe, we’ll take them off later on.”

“That’s a good idea,” she agrees. “I’ve completed a device that should be sufficient to replace Kevin for a few days. They won’t know that he’s gone until then, so if you can make it to the surface and as far away from the entrance as possible before then, it would be best.”

“I’ll remember that.”

She hesitates for a moment, then looks from me to Lora, and back again. “Would you like to meet up with Kevin Lunatone right now?”

I exchange a brief glance with my foster sister, then let out a long breath. “Sure.”

Kevin

If there’s one part of my work I take pride in above all else, it’s the shield, generated by a combination of machine and magical powers, that keeps this colony safe. In all the time I’ve been in charge of monitoring its performance, it hasn’t so much as flickered. No one could do a better job than me, which is why I’ve been able to dismiss Freelander’s remarks.

She’s obviously making it up. I’m that important to the safety of this city, no risks would be taken with me. I’ve got the best security around me (the actual me) night and day. Which makes the fact she was able to talk to me at all slightly worrying.

I checked her records though, and she’s a dedicated technician, with nothing against her apart from a slight tendency to question superiors. After much deliberation I decide not to pass the matter onto the councillors. I don’t want them to think I’m easily panicked by a breakdown of routine.

I’m sure Miss Freelander got the message that her tricks won’t work on me, and that she’ll give up. If she doesn’t.

I’m scanning the shield’s generators again for abnormalities, when a message interrupts me.

That itself is unusual.

Although the message is marked low priority, the only ones who even know how to contact me are the councillors, and the technicians immediately in charge of my life-control systems.

And, I learn, as I process the message, Lora Amor.

The message, much like Lora herself, is economical and practical.

Well although unusual, that shouldn’t be any inconvenience.

I finish process of the main shield, then open the port.

Lora still clings to the human courtesies. I see them as an incomprehensible waste of time. If a job has to be done, it should be done, no buts, ifs, or thank-yous. She still has a lot to learn.

There is a slight hesitation before she types the next words. I open the links to the back-up shield and begin processing that, wondering why Lora would hesitate. She is not given to acting on impulse, otherwise she would not have been chosen as my back-up, even despite her fortuitous personal circumstances.

When her answer comes I am surprised.

I reply. After all, your brother is not your actual brother and has power of guardianship over you only in name. If the Council so wished, they could override any objection he made with no opposition.-

It was no circle inside the ring of techs and med staff connected with the machine programme that a great deal of Lora’s appeal as a candidate had been the fact that she was without relatives. One of the orphaned children proscribed for the surface, she’d somehow eluded deportation. Her records had not stood up to prolonged examination by the council in the course of her selection for the program. However, rather than summarily deport her, the council had decided to waive certain codes, expecting a certain amount of gratitude. The exchange had been successful so far. Lora, till now, had been the perfect candidate.

Lora replies with evenly typed response. -I would like very much for Matt to withdraw his objection.-

I’d previously considered Lora one of the more pragmatic members of the city. This sudden display of unaccountable emotion was most disquieting.

That did have a kind of sense, even if it was based on emotion. Certainly Lora would be able to function more efficiently without the worry of her brothers disapproval hanging over her.

I close the port and open another one, this time to the manager of security instructing him that Lora Amor and a visitor are cleared to visit me.

That done I settle back to wait. To be honest, I’m curious to see what sort of person Matthew Amor is. He must be important to Lora for his approval to matter so much to her. Although I’ve dismissed all emotional bonds as constraining and depleting of energy, she insisted on returning home every night to share meals with him, something that has slowed her process in adapting to her suit. Why then?

I have a free minute in between data transfers to satisfy my curiosity some. Matthew’s profile is that of many of the new adult members of our city, born on the surface, but raised underground. Like many of the ones old enough to remember the surface, he has adapted to underground life with a fair degree of success. He holds two positions, kitchen staff on tech level 5, 4 days a week, and a radio operator for the other 3 in tech room 7, level 5, in all probability a result of his father’s skill in that area. A lack lustre record, he is reported to be cynical and independent.

He’s also nineteen.

That would be Ben’s age, if…

If.

I sigh, and key in the command for my visor to be detached, shutting down all but the essential parts of the program as I do so. Flicking the last switches I slide back the protective shield that separates me from the rest of the room.

The light rips through my head. I wince, putting a hand up to protect myself.

Darn the techs. I’ve told them the lights needed to be dimmed sense they’re giving me headaches more and more lately.

“Kevin.”

It takes me a moment to register the greeting.

“Lora.” Her brother stands behind her, looking at me with an expression of what; I’m not sure? “And this must be Matthew.”

“Yes. I’m pleased to meet you.” He stretches his hand out.

Lora gently pushes his hand away. “Kevin considers this type of formality unnecessary.”

“It impedes efficiency,” I state.

“And Kevin is nothing if not efficient.”

I haven’t heard the voice before, but there is something in the tone that allows me to recognize Kate Freelander before I turn around. “Something other people could learn much from. Have you come to waste more of my time?”

Her eyes flash. “I’ve come to save your life.”

I scan the room quickly. Darn, no techs. It must be late.

“Your scare tactics were useless before Miss Freelander”

“You didn’t hear me out, Mr. Lunatone. I have facts-”

“Which I am not interested in. I know the machine inside and out, I’ve been in it my entire life. There is nothing you can tell me about it that I don’t know.” I turn back to Lora and Matthew who have been silent, during this exchange.

“I apologize for Miss Amor. I’m not sure what she is trying to accomplish but she will be removed shortly.”

“Actually, Kevin,” Lora states softly. “We’re here at Kate’s request.”

I stare at her, my summons to the floor security manager unfinished. A mistake.

I yelp as under my touch the contact link goes down.

“What did you just do?”

“Closed the port. I don’t want anyone to interrupt this little chat,” Kate says, hands moving fluently over her keyboard. “I’ve studied the machine for years, Ken. I’ve taken down all your communication abilities. Trust me, I’m good at this. Any attempt you make to override me, I can stop.”

Oh yeah?

I subtly turn my attention to rerouting a few of my data channels.

“And the point of all this is?”

“Saving your life,” Kate repeats.

“I thank-you for the kind thought,” I say. “But it is unnecessary, I am perfectly satisfied with my current situation.”

“For now you are,” Kate says. “But what happens when your strength wears out? You are already feeling the effects of prolonged exposure to the machine. You need more hours rest than you used to, you complain of increasing headaches-”

“That is the techs fault. If they’d just reduce the wattage of the light bulbs like I’d asked them too!”

Matthew blinks. “But these lights are dimmed.”

“Got it!” Lora says suddenly. She’s at one of the techs computers. “He bypassed the normal communications links, just like you said he would.”

“Good. So you’ve blocked his messages?”

“Blocked and deleted.”

I clench my fists.

They’ve out manoeuvred me.

“What are you doing?”

“What is necessary to save your life.” Kate starts loading things out of her backpack. “Matt, there is some parts in that cupboard there. Bring me them.”

I watch sullenly as she starts to assemble something. Lora knows the machine, she could stop anything I try to do from within the system. Instead I look at Kate’s construction. A kind of generating device with a projector built in, and some sort of communication uplink.

“It’ll never work. The techs see me everyday. They’ll notice at once that I’m gone.”

“Give me a little credit, Kevin. I’ve been working in this room the last year. I think I know how to build a hologram that will accurately mimic your appearance long enough for this little baby to do its work.” Kate pats the now assembled machine proudly. “You’re going to thank me for this one day, Kevin.”

“Somehow I sincerely doubt it,” I tell her. I have a bad feeling about this.

“Kate, you’re not intending that we use this now?” Matthew sounds uncertain.

“It’s the only way, brother dearest,” Lora says, flicking switches with a vengeance. “We have to act quickly, you know there’s no other choice. We can’t keep Kevin out of communication for long without people noticing.”

“What about getting Kevin out of here? He doesn’t exactly sound as if he wants to co-operate.”

“He’s getting out of here, if he has to be carried,” Kate says in a matter of fact tone.

“Carried,” I said, my tone making it clear that was the only way, I’d be leaving this room. “Don’t you think will be just a tad obvious, Kate?”

“Not if there’s a power failure in section 15,” Kate smiles.

“But there’s still so much we need,” Matthew protests.

“I have the suits and everything you’ll need stowed near the surface. Detention ward 3. Here’s the access card to the block, this code here will allow you to override any door code, but of course you’ll only need the one door. Cell A12.”

Matthew looks at her. You can see the hesitation on his face.

“Matt?” Lora rises and takes his hand. “What do you think? I won’t go without you.”

“It’s just happening so fast,” Matthew shakes his head. “I guess there’s no turning back.”

“Not if you want to escape charges,” Kate adds cheerfully.

Matthew doesn’t seem to have heard her.

“Ayden wouldn’t have hesitated.”

That makes no sense to me but Lora seems to understand, squeezing his hand tightly.

“Kate, we’re ready to go.”

“Wonderful. Give me a second to make the transfer.”

“If I can interrupt for just a moment,” I snap. I really do not like the way this is going at all. “I am not ready to go, and I’m not going to, and even if the lights are off, I doubt people are going to not notice you carry me screaming through sector 16.”

“Then we’ll just have to stop you from screaming,” Lora says with a sweet smile. I have an instant of fore-boding before I realise she’s instructed my life support system to inject me with a plethora of sleeping drugs.

“You are all going to pay for this,” I say, as the drugs override my system completely. The last words I hear before I blackout completely are Matthew’s.

“He really doesn’t sound happy about this.”

Mikey

It’s getting dark.

I rise up a little from my low crouch, in the bushes. They won’t be able to see me as well in the dark, and if I stick to the shadows, I’ll be almost impossible to hit. They won’t want to waste their bullets, not if I’m staying back and not trying to duck past into the gateway.

When I first made it back to the entrance area, I was so relieved I got really stupid. I mean, really stupid. I actually started running forward! Luckily, I didn’t get that close, because the guards reminded me why kids don’t go near that area any more. By shooting at me. I ducked into the forest, and they kept their guns pointed that way, not even letting me get close enough to talk.

I’ve been waiting for night time so I can go try to ask for help.

I pass time by watching the guards. They talk and laugh, like what’s happening up here is some weird joke that only they can find funny. I wonder how funny they’d find it after facing a mutated bear on a rampage. That thought makes me smile, a little. I take a look at their clothes, grey contamination suits, boots, and helmets. It’s all stuff that keeps them from being polluted by the atmosphere. It’s a funny name for them, contamination suits. Like the suits are contaminated. They should call them anti-contamination suits I mean that seems like it’d make more sense.

But I’m just a stupid surface kid, so what do I know?

I think it’s dark enough to sneak out. Moving slow, I slip out of the bushes and slowly approach. It’s all concentration, again. Concentrate on my movements, concentrate on my footsteps. Always concentrate. It’s super important, and I’ve never forgotten. Not after the first time:

get it off her, get it off her!

I was obsessed.

I’ve crossed over into his world within the painting, and I’ve seen what dreams haunt him. They haunt me too. He and I are inextricably linked–bound together to watch the darkness seeping through the gas-lit cobblestone streets of Manhattan. Unless I can free him soon, things will only get Darker Still.

Darker Still was a fairly short book in a appearance, but it took me so long to read. Natalie is mute and that a new thing for me with heroines or any main character. She was easy to relate to and headstrong. I liked her from the start. She and Mrs. Northe are the only characters that are very developed. This is where the problems begin. Denbury, Natalie’s beau, is described as very beautiful and that is all. His “voice” is very rarely heard in Natalie’s recollections and the dialogue is kinda empty. The plot was slow to develop and mostly spent talking about action instead of actual action. The book finally starts getting good at the end and is the only redeeming quality that makes me have faith in the second book. The gorgeous cover doesn’t hurt either!!

So what can we expect? 

True Blood season four offered as witches with a side a fairy. There was more werewolves and shape shifters. The Vampires were at war again only this time it was the witches that were the undead’s concern. So what will season five bring us?

At the end of the last episode it looks like someone decided it was a good idea to dig up crazy vampire Russell. I have no guesses to who it is or why they would do that but they must really need him. Eric had better watch out Russell will be out for his blood!

What will happen to Sookie and Eric now that he has his memory back? Will they rekindle their romance? Another relationship that needs to get back on track is Pam’s and Eric’s, the can’t go through next season not speaking to each other, they go together like peanut butter and Jelly after all.

And Now for the major one. Tara got her brains blown out last year but producers tell us she’ll be back, as a vampire! Now that I can’t wait to see Tara has always been one of my favorite characters, it will be interesting to see her as one of the undead.

Those are going to be the three major story lines for next season and personally I can’t wait.

Creativity for me is unpredictable. It has been known to appear in fun concepts such as fictional, inventive stories from me or on my canvases. It has also made appearances in serious writing as well. It is most unpredictable when I read or view my creation, and I think to myself . . . Wow! I created that. A good example of this is from a serious piece I wrote for my English 101 class in college. I wrote: “Buildings are merely objects that appear again with slightly different appearances, but they always seemed to stay the same inside. Memories, however, are like majestic gothic cathedrals never waning in centuries of beauty yet crippled to yesterday because the world moved on without them, and it left them as only remnants of what was.” I remember looking at these lines later and thinking with amazement that this had come from my brain. This was “unexpected” for me; it was unbelievably unreal. Imagination is the unreal. What makes it seem “magical” is when a person takes their thought process and brings the thoughts to life with words, songs, dance, expression, and art. The unexpected comes from not knowing what place each thought is going to take a creation to.

I am not always sure what topic I am going to write about is. I like to write about what I know most. I know quite a bit about me, so I write much about myself. I am passionate about art and the history of art, so I enjoy writing about it. Even then, I do not know the topic or path if it is of my own choosing. I certainly do not always know the final destination even if a topic is given to me. My opinions weigh heavy in wording, my vision sings loudly, and my thoughts speak clearly. I like to write about social injustice; the injustice of society, the mistreatment of others, and the sadness of civilization lacking in civility. I like to invent stories because I like originality and creativity as an artist. I like being me, and the topics I like are always based on this idea. I like surprising others and sometimes myself with my imagination. I like coloring my world with my vision and my thoughts. I like topics that allow me to conceive and discover. I am forever the curious child needing to taste the new in the sweet nectar of life.

I will always see myself captivated by social injustice. I always want to change myself, and I always wish to change the world. It makes me captive to my inner passion. I will continuously be consumed by the beauty of life. I like writing about it, and I like painting it. Just this morning, I found myself exploring the internet on the topic of Bonnie and Clyde for the simple reason of just because. I have explored the internet for thousands of topics for this reason. Abandoned amusement parks, spiders, rock bands, and the trilogy for the Hunger Games are all topics I researched for this same reason. “Just because” is sometimes the best reason to learn something new. If another person was to ask how my brain works, I would simply advise them to just follow the path of the “magical” or “unexpected”. The best view of life always comes to me this way. I like taking the unexplored path. I like singing in the rain, and going to unknown places in the earliest moments of the morning. I once drove to Key West for no reason. I just wanted to drive. I do not want my endings to be what everybody expects them to be. It is my path, and it is my life to lead. I choose to trail blaze by burning my own path into the wilderness. What fun would life be if every ending was the same? It would not. This philosophy for me also carries over into my writing and into my art. My path is not predetermined. It is always a path paved by where my words, my thoughts, and my actions take me. It is how I want my world to be. I want it “magical”. I want it “unexpected”. I like being unpredictable. I will have it no other way. I look at my white canvas or my blank page, and I am never sure what should be there. I just know that I do not want it empty. Emptiness is a lonely place and blankness is an empty space. It is a world without color. This would be a world I would not want to be in. My world is a world full of color. My world is magic.

Fairies are magical beings who create the circles by dancing within them. Myths tell of mortal people entering fairy rings and suffering for it.  Some believe that anyone who stepping into an empty fairy ring will die young., Those violating fairy perimeters become invisible to those outside and may be unable leave the circle. The fairies force intruders to dance to till exhausted, dead, or in the throes of madness.

The only safe way, according to some beliefs, to investigate a fairy ring is to run around it nine times only. A tenth lap would nullify the effect .Doing this allows the runner to hear the fairies dancing underground. It must be done under a full moon, and in the direction the sun travels during the day. It is also said that wearing a hat backwards confuses the fairies and stops them from doing the wearer any harm.

There are many sites in the UK where fairies are believed to be regular visitors, though always apparently at full moon.  . For example, The Pixies Church” was a rock formation in Dartmoor surrounded by a fairy ring, and a stone circle at Cader Iris in Wales is believed to be a popular spot for fairy dances. A Devon legend says that a black hen and chickens sometimes appear at dusk in a large fairy ring on the edge  of Dartmoor…

Victorian society believed that fairies, elves and witches were all closely associated with one another, and malevolent toward humans.  Scandinavian and Celtic traditions have it that fairy rings are caused by elves dancing, just as witches and fairies do.  One Scottish woman claimed that the mushrooms were used as seats and tables for dining by the magical beings, while a welsh girl claimed that the fungi were used as umbrellas.

Twentieth century beliefs in parts of the UK still held firm to stories of fairy activity, and many think of them as omens of good fortune. Despite those who associate them with ill luck, some legends see fairy circles as places of fertility and fortune. Welsh folk believe that mountain sheep eating fairy ring grass flourish, and crops sown around them do far better than those planted elsewhere..

Fairy rings also occupy a prominent place in European folklore as the location of gateways into elfin kingdoms, or places where elves gather and dance. They are called sorcerer’s rings in France, and witches rings in German, where folk believe they are most active on Walpurgis Nacht – Hallowe’en to us. According to the local folklore, a fairy ring appears when a fairy, pixie,  witch or elf appear.

The Dutch believe that  the empty centre of the fairy ring occurs because the devil puts his milk-churn there. Austrian folklore has it that fairy rings are created by flying dragons, and once created nothing but toadstools could grow there for seven years. French belief is that fairy rings are guarded by giant toads that curse any violating the circles. Elsewhere in Europe, entering a fairy ring could cost the intruder an eye.

The truth is much less romantic, but perhaps does need to be told.  Fact is that fungi such as toadstools use up a lot of Nitrogen when growing.  They will therefore tend to spread their spores outward from where they are located so that the new growth has soil to grow in which still contains what they need. As nutrients are depleted the growth continues in that circular fashion.  So the feet of mystical beings have no bearing on the barren nature of the ring middle. There’s just nothing left there for the fungi to feed on.

This can be alleviated where rabbits are abundant, because they crop the grass short but leave the toadstools alone. Their droppings are rich in Nitrogen, so over time they will replenish what earlier plant growth had taken out of the soil.  In time a secondary circle of mushrooms could appear in the centre of the original, creating an unusual double fairy ring, which folklore has it is especially magical.

It  is all a matter of personal taste and belief. For those who prefer the straight biology of it, the mushroom circle is still a fascinating thing to observe, but for those like me, foe whom the imagined has far more appeal, the Fairy Ring theory holds sway. There is undoubtedly far more on earth and in heaven than we can possibly know or understand.  Are you willing to chance violating that fairy ring boundary, or would you, like me, prefer to play it safe?

  I grabbed the necklace Soran crafted for me, pulled on a pair of leather pants, and a fitting green blouse. I picked up my boots and made my way silently down the stairs. I cringed at every little squeak that was made by my steps. If I was caught by my father he would lock me in my room with guards posted at the door. I could be exaggerating but I really would not have put it past him. He disapproved of my ability to have a life. But then again he was against my wish to be a warrior as well. I think he is afraid of losing me too.

  I flattened myself against the wall as soon as I heard the sounds of someone close by. There were voices floating in the air I held my breath when the noise got closer.

  “Stop it.” Someone giggled, and then there was the clatter of feet against the floors. I relaxed a bit when I realized they were more than likely lovers. This made me jealous. It wasn’t fair!

 I stayed where I was until I could no longer hear the sounds of their steps. When all was quiet I pushed myself from the wall and continued my journey downstairs.

 †

  I cursed at myself for shutting the door with a loud dull thud. I cringed and waited for someone to rip the door from its hinges and scream at me. But when nothing happened, not even someone opining it to see what was the matter I bolted to the stable. The smell of manure and horse hair greeted me. I smiled and took in a deep breath. I loved the smell it was relaxing.

  “Where are you Magma?” I said after a whistle. He came up to the door of a stall. He blinked drowsily and yawned at me. I grabbed his nose and shook it from side to side. He pulled his face from my hand, shook his head, and snorted at me. I opened the stall door and grabbed him by the mane. He fallowed with no fight dragging his feet lazily. I snatched his bridle off of the wall and slipped it over his head. He put up a slight fight against the bit but took it with grace.

  “Up so early?” said a voice. I jumped and Magma danced sideways. I knew that voice. I glared at Grearth. He was leaning on the door with a smug expression. Behind him was line of male slaves who were bound at the wrists with rope. I looked at him in confusion and stroked Magma’s muzzle to calm him. He snorted and nudged my arm.

Grearth was a nobleman in the castle. He was a high ranking elf. He had green catlike eyes and blonde hair. His body was thin slightly built. Soran could easily kill him if he wanted I’m sure. I really hated the fact that he chased me like a hungry mutt chases a meat cart hoping for scraps. I also hated the fact he was my fathers most favored of all my suitors. That by its self was enough to irk me.

  “He requires training.” I replied apathetically pointing at Magma. He turned his head and glared at me before he lowered his head. I jerked on the lead rope and he jerked his head back up. Grearth grinned and winked as he stepped into the barn.

  “Perhaps you will join me in the arena. You may enjoy it today.” He sneered wearing a light look in his eyes. He lifted my hand and kissed it. My stomach churned. “Lovely necklace, it is very fitting to you.”

  “Thank you.” I said as I reached up and caressing the charm. I scowled at him

 “Your father’s favorite slave is going to be competing against a rival house for riches” he laughed. He quickly let go of my hand and looked at me in the eye. He dripped with sarcasm, there were puddles forming around his feet. He was secreting it from every pore. I looked at him with a mix of confusion and dislike.

  “Did he not tell you?” he said lightning flashed in his eyes.

  “Tell me what?” I said carefully. I could feel something awful in my bones. I couldn’t stop myself from glaring at him.

  “Your pet is attending the fights today, your father hopes for him to rake in riches.” He scoffed and flipped his hair out of his face “Frankly I expect him to die.” I gasped as subtlety as I possibly could. He couldn’t have been talking about Soran fighting could he?

  “Come on out of the shadows slave.” Grearth wore a wicked smile on his face. There was the sound of something hitting the side of the barn hard. I stared stunned as Soran stepped from the shadows his face turned down in misery. His right hand was red and his knuckles were bleeding. I realized he had punched the thick wooden walls of the barn. I took a pained breath and all but hissed in disgust at Grearth.

  “Do you wish to come?” he hummed lovingly.

“Seems like I will be joining you.” I spat. Grearth snapped his fingers and the seven men descended into the stable and stopped at random doors. I got wide eyed when Soran stopped in front of Fury’s stall. How were they going to manage to get the horses from the stall with bound hands?

  “That horse is not coming with us.” I growled, I was already furious about Soran possibly getting killed today but I wouldn’t risk losing Fury too. People came from all over and bet livestock on their fighters. If a fighter loses then the animal bet on them goes to the owner that they lost to, along with a handsome sum of gold. I couldn’t think of losing my two best friends in the same day.

“Your father’s orders.”

  “And I suppose he ordered my assistant to go too?”

  “Yes he did and he also said that you have no say in what’s going to happen” he smiled wickedly. I rolled my eyes and threw myself onto Magma’s bare back. This was odd for my father, snide as he may be, I wondered if he knew about last night. Magma side stepped and stomped. I kicked his sides and bolted past the men and Grearth. Magma tossed his head into the air and stomped to a halt next to the fence of the pasture. He danced a little and shook his head.

  “I’m sorry that this upsets you Kirin but I firmly believe Soran will not lose. You won’t have to live without either of your friends I’m sure” Magma lulled as he nibbled on my leg lightly.

  “Thank you.” I said stroking the hair between his ears lovingly. “But I can’t help but worry about them.”

  “I know but you have to try not to, after all I think Grearth is envious of Soran which is why he is going today.” Magma said in a hushed tone.

  “Why would he be jealous of a slave?” I scoffed “He has everything a man could want.” I stroked his flank and scratched the fur up.

  “Not everything that he wants though, he does not have your favor.” Magma declared. I smiled. I smoothed down the fur I had ruffled up.

  “I shall do my best to keep my head Kirin.” He changed the subject and began to walk to the trail of men on horses coming from the barn. I waited until everyone was out before I allowed Magma to fallow them. Luckily Soran was out last atop Fury. Magma jerked into stride beside them.

“Morning my lady.” Soran said with a weak smile.

  “This is stupid.” I spat. Soran raised an eyebrow at me and chuckled.

  “Tell us how you really feel.” Fury snorted jokingly. I sighed and stroked his rump.

  “Don’t worry I shall.” I snickered. Soran looked at me with wary eyes.

  “I’m not ready for this.” He began to braid a small strand of Fury’s mane.

  “I’m sorry you have to do this in the first place. My father is a self-righteous pigheaded moron.” I rolled my eyes and looked at the sky.

  “You speak like it’s your fault my lady.” He said kindly. I glared at him for a moment before I smoothed out a wrinkle in my shirt. “It could be…” I thought. Soran looked at the ground. He looked as if he were sleeping the way he slumped on the back of Fury. “But it will be fine you’ll see.” He said looking back up. He brushed his hair from his face and looked at me with foreign eyes.

  “Death is never truly fine for anyone who doesn’t deserve it.” I said. He cringed slightly and looked at Fury’s neck. Soran sighed. I watched him as he looked up. His body suddenly became rigid.

  “Run.” He jerked Fury’s head back and glared at the line in front of us.

  “What?”

  “Run!” Soran barked. Fury let out a panicked whinny and threw his forelegs into the air. I looked at them in shock and looked back at the line of men in time to see three men and their horses fly through the air. They landed in bloody messes along the side of the road. Magma Kicked up his heels and began to prance in a circle.

“Ambush!” Grearth cried. The remaining men broke into a panic. The horses were attempting to dash to safety with their helpless riders clinging to their backs. I grasped a handful of Magma’s mane and held on tight. I saw Fury begin dance in circles getting rather frantic as well. I watched as he kicked up his heels and began to attempt to throw Soran, who let go. Fury bolted and Soran landed hard on his feet. He looked at me and pointed with still bound hands to the direction of the woods. I nodded and yanked Magma’s head into alignment with the trees. I dug my heels into his flanks. In his panicked state he took no time in bolting toward them.

  I looked back hoping to see someone else getting away, but I saw no one Through the dense smoke. Not even Soran was still visible. Magma jumped and caught me off guard. I fell to the ground and hit my head rather hard on a root. I blinked in hopes of clearing my now blurred vision. I grasped my violently pounding head and, using the trunk of the tree as a prop, staggered to my feet.

  I stumbled my way through the crooked trees constantly blinking to clear my vision. I was tripping over my own feet feeling like one of those men with bloodshot eyes in a tavern. I grasped the trunk of a nearby tree to prevent falling to the ground. I scraped my face on the rough bark. I let out a pained cry. There was a sharp pinch in my lower leg fallowed by a dull throbbing throughout my lower extremities. I ran my hand down to the source. I lightly touched the shaft of an arrow.

  I saw shadows scurrying around the woods. Leaves were rustling madly and voices were carried into the air. I scanned the area hoping to catch the faces of the people that were dashing about. Panic was starting to set in and I began to look around so fast that even the tree I was clutching onto turned into a blur.

  “Where are you?!” I said franticly.

 “Question is where are you?” hummed a feminine voice. I snapped to the direction of the voice. There was a person dancing in a cloak giggling to my left.

  “We are everywhere.” Laughed a man, I turned to see the flow of a cape.

  “Can’t keep up?” hummed another voice. I desperately blinked attempting to clear the fog from my eyes to get a clear picture of the people.

  “So where is it pathetic woman?”

  “Yes where is it?”

  “Won’t you tell us?” chimed a variety of voices. I closed my eyes and squeezed the tree hoping in a way that it would wrap arms around me and shield me

  “What are you talking about?” I cried.

  “Where’s the blade?” A voice hissed “Where is it!” It spat. I cringed. The hatred in the voice was heavy enough to create a wind. I opened my eyes and set them on the bark. The back of my head was pushed forward causing the skin on my cheek to tear further. Tears began to spill from my eyes.

  “I don’t know!” I sobbed. Another slap to the head. I squeezed my eyes shut.

  “Liar!” a voice teased. I flinched when a wind passed in front of my face. There was a loud growling sound in front of me.

  “Enough.” Hummed a male voice fallowed by a short snappy roar then a threatening growl.

  “Who’s this joker?” Someone laughed. I opened my eyes I could make out a huge bluish and black figure, accompanied by a cloaked man. The animal lunged forward to nothing, there was a spray of crimson though the air.

  “Any damn fool willing to die step forward.” The cloaked man hissed violently. There were whispers among the shadows then the sound of shuffling feet. “Be fools then.” He said calmly. There was a snap. The group of people burst into flames letting out pained shrikes and pleading cries. The man in black turned to me and stepped forward. My mind faltered and so did my grip on the tree. I tried to dig my nails into the bark but failed. I crumpled to the ground and in a moment the world faded.

†

  I awoke to the ground beneath me swaying from in a four beat rhythm. I blinked into the black fur that was in my face. I quickly lifted my head a little to clear them from my eyes. I looked at the ground my vision was normal now, nothing was hazy. My eyes widened when I caught sight of a huge blue paw beneath me. I didn’t want to imagine the claws that this animal had on it.

  I took a deep breath my ribcage hit an object that did not belong to the animal. I looked long enough to see a bare arm wrapped around my stomach. My spine stiffened and instinctively I dove to the side attempting to free myself from this persons grasp. I caught a glimpse of a black object coming to me. I quickly realized it was the other arm as I was snatched upright.

“Relax.” The man said smoothly “I’m helping you not hurting you.”

  “Who are you?” I demanded squirming to attempt to free myself from his grip. I turned to look at his face but saw nothing. It was shadows a little bit of lips were present, nothing else. I knew him, from a locked memory. From ten years ago he saved me from the titan.

  “A ghost, that is all, I have no name and need no name now quit squirming.” He said jerking me upright once more. He sure didn’t feel like any ghost he was solid matter. There was a demanding yelp from beneath us fallowed by an annoyed snarl.

  “If you do not quit fidgeting I will snap your legs and hold your bleeding body with my teeth.”  The animal barked below us. I froze and looked at the animals head. This thing was a dog bigger than any horse I had ever seen.

  “This your dog?” I stuttered.

  “I’m not a dog.” The animal snapped “I’m a wolf thank you.” The wolf was a female with an apparently nasty attitude. I was getting anxious because I couldn’t tell if these people were with me or against me. After all this wolf had threatened to kill me and this man was not going to tell me much about him I’m sure.

  “Calm down Myrth, this is not the enemy.” The man said in little more than a mumble. The wolf let out an un-approving huff as it stopped mid step. She looked to the south and sniffed at the wind. Her ears twitched and rotated in rapid movements. She looked around the woods and began to growl.

  “What is it?” The man whispered.

  “We are not alone” she said slapping him a look. He took in a deep breath and let it out slow.

  “Fools…they believe we will hurt you, they are planning to attack.” He whispered in my ear, more to himself than me. A chill raced my spine with the hot air that came from his mouth. I could feel his mouth curl into a smile. I leaned forward and grasped the animal’s fur. Myrth tensed and crouched low to the ground. A large group of people atop horses dashed through the trees. The men on their backs were wearing my father’s armor and prepared to the T.

  “Let the princess go and no one will die today.” One of them called. I hadn’t caught who it was due to the fact that I was looking at the wolf in panic. The man slipped from her back. I stared at the bow that was thrown across his shoulder and the long sword that was strapped to his back. I found it odd that there was no quiver or arrows, it made me wonder how well he could use either one of them.

 “Come on. I wish to avoid unnecessary confrontation.” The man said holding his hand out to me. I looked at him and slid off of Myrth’s back. She sidestepped and glared at the man. She was a beautiful animal her ears were long and slim with dark blue streaks of fur on them. Her paws were also blue with large tufts of hair sticking out around her ankles and her tail twitched nervously swinging in a beautiful flowing motion. Her fur was pitch besides the tips of her ears, the fur on her feet and ankles, a strip on her face, tail and a patch on her chest which was blue. Her steel eyes flicked from man to man, she was an extremely beautiful creature.

  “Thank you for…”

  “Watch your back.” He said as he threw himself back onto the animal’s broad back. He laced his fingers into her long fur and ducked down. The crowd pulled arrows into their bows and aimed. The wolf burst into a howl that shook the trees. She braced the forest floor with a snarl and bolted into the nearest tree. She sprung from the ground and vaulted herself beyond the circle of men. I watched in surprise as she vanished dodging the flying arrows that nipped at her behind. They vanished only leaving the evidence of the bizarre encounter.

Synopsis: Corinne lives an average teenage life working at her dad’s cafe, hanging out with her best friend, and trying to forget a falling-out with her almost-boyfriend Mason. Things take a strange turn when she uses her late grandmother’s food dyes for a bake sale, and her customers suddenly find her irresistibly alluring. Then she discovers she and Mason are haunted by the same dreams of a dark force that consumes everything in its path. 

Pursued by shadowy figures and a crazy woman with secrets from the past, Corinne must find out who her grandmother really was. In her quest to unravel her family’s history, she learns she is destined to protect this world–and the dark world of her dreams. She races to find the answers she seeks before her nightmares break free.

I loved this book. I devoured it, it was a plain speaking engaging read, and I felt like I was chatting to an old friend when I was reading it. I instantly loved the characters and storyline, and I can’t wait for the next instalment. The cover alone is worth a closer luck. A brilliant read, have no qualms about recommending this book to anyone!