Blood Brothers

It was nighttime by the time Mike finally arrived home from an extremely long day at work. His family had gone shopping for the night, and he was ready for a nice, relaxing evening by himself. Walking up to his door, he heard a rustle in the bushes near his house. He stopped in his tracks, and his heart skipped a beat. He had never been mugged before, and his heart began to race with the thought of being robbed at his doorstep. He heard another rustled, this time it sounded much closer. He slowly turned his head towards the sound, and saw a shadowy figure approaching him. Fear paralyzed him, and he just stared at the figure as it closed in on him. As the figure moved into the porch light, Mike could clearly see his attacker. He did not recognize him, but at the same time he saw there was no look of aggression in his intruder’s face. The man was just smiling. He stopped short of where Mike was frozen and, seeing the fear in his expression, quickly introduced himself. Mike was shocked when the stranger revealed himself as his childhood friend, Larry.
Mike had not seen Larry in thirty years, and was overcome with joy at this unexpected visit. The two men shook hands and laughed, Mike being slightly embarrassed by his earlier fear. Larry apologized for the scare, and stated that he had recovered his address through many friends and acquaintances. He apologized for not calling, but Mike hushed him quickly and invited him in. Larry quickly accepted the offer, and followed Mike into his house. Mike was not rich, but was much better off than most of his neighbors. The two men walked into the kitchen, and sat down to catch up on thirty years of life. The friends had been inseparable during elementary and junior high school, but were separated when Larry’s father committed murder and was thrown in jail. Larry believed whole-heartedly that his father was innocent, even though there was overwhelming evidence of his guilt. Larry was sent to live with his mother, who lived across the country. The friends were thus separated, and had tried to maintain contact through the years, but that soon died off.
Larry conveyed to Mike that upon reaching his mother’s house, he saw she was poorer than dirt, and frequently turned to prostitution to earn enough money to pay the rent of her dingy little shack. Never having enough food, Larry’s already hardened soul soon grew even colder, and was put in jail multiple times for many different crimes. Larry had, for these thirty years, been moving from job to job, from state to state, just trying to survive in this harsh world. Finally reaching this state, Larry remembered his good friend Mike, and desperately tried to get in contact with him. After months of searching, Larry finally obtained his address, which is how he ended up where he was presently.
Mike could only show sympathy for Larry. After high school, Mike had gone to a good college and studied hard, earning his degree and his high-paying career. He had not partied nearly as much as he wanted, but in the end it all paid off. He first met his future wife, Jenny, in college and, upon graduation, they were wed. Mike had always wanted to see the world, but he never had the chance to, since soon after marriage Jenny became pregnant with their first child. But not fulfilling his childhood dreams did not disturb Mike at all. He had a lovely wife, three beautiful children, and a life that any man would envy.
Just as Mike could only show sympathy towards Larry’s story, Larry could only show envy towards Mike’s glamorous life. Mike had everything Larry wanted in his life. Mike saw this change in his friend’s mood, and sought to change the subject. He went to get his bottle of rum, which he only drank during special situations. When he offered some to Larry, he just sat there looking at the ground. Larry then recalled an account that happened when the two were very young. As young children often do, they believed they would never be separated. One day while playing, Larry tripped and cut his finger. As his finger began to bleed, Larry began to cry. Wanting to console his friend, Mike grabbed a stick and cut his finger, just like Larry’s. The two boys laughed when they compared cuts, and Mike put their fingers together. “There, now we are blood brothers,” Mike said, “What’s yours is mine, and what’s mine is yours. We are one and the same, together forever!”
Mike remembered this event, downed his drink, and poured himself another one. Mike said he wanted to help Larry out, and would talk to his boss about getting him a job. Larry looked up at Mike, and a malicious grin crossed his lips. “What’s yours is mine,” he said as he got up and moved towards Mike. Mike quickly stood up, but was only half the size of Larry. Larry lunged at Mike who, thinking quickly, tried to use his bottle as a weapon. However, Larry was too quick for him, and the last thing Mike saw was his best friend standing over him, grinning and laughing.
It was hours later that Jenny returned home. As she and the kids entered the house, she called for Mike to help her with the groceries. She heard no reply, but heard the water running upstairs. Leaving the kids in charge of the groceries, she went upstairs to let Mike know they were home. She continued to call his name, and continued to receive no reply. The bathroom door was closed, but she could hear water splashing onto the tiled floor. Fear set in with each unanswered call, and the closer she stepped towards the door, the more anxiety took over. She touched the door handle, expecting it to be cold, but found it warm and wet. In the darkened hallway she could not see what was on her hand, but quickly opened the bathroom door. Words cannot describe the horror she felt when she looked upon the stranger sitting in the bathtub, with his entire body dripping in blood. His grin exposed his blood red teeth, and in his hands was a human arm. And there, leaning up against the side of the tub, lay what was left of her husband.
“We are one and the same, together forever!”

Some Cinderella Story

Cheri was a slave. There was nothing glamorous about her life. She had been a slave since birth, and when her mother’s owners got tired of caring for a whining useless baby, they sold her for the highest bid. She was purchased by a plantation owner who had an unusually high amount of sympathy than the other white people of the south. She was raised by the plantation owner’s wife until she was 16 years old. However, tragedy struck when the plantation owner was killed by a neighboring plantation’s runaway slave. Cheri’s home was sold off, and she was purchased this time by a rich woman with two daughters her same age. Upon arriving at her new home, Cheri saw before her a giant mansion, painted purely in white. When the mistress saw Cheri eyeing up the mansion, she grabbed her arm and quickly jolted her around to the back of the house. There Cheri saw a little run-down shack, with holes in the ceiling and walls. With downcast eyes, Cheri knew this was her new home.
Any hopes that Cheri had about befriending the two daughters were quickly shattered. You see, by this time in her life, Cheri had grown into a pretty young girl. She had long, flowing dark hair and big green eyes. For being a slave for her entire life, she had no physical signs of abuse or mistreatment. The daughters, on the other hand, were not as easy on the eyes. They were rich of money, not beauty, and it quickly came to be that the daughters were very jealous of Cheri’s beauty. Adding to their jealousy was Cheri’s charming personality and intellect. The girls, full of hatred of not being as gifted as a slave girl, quickly took to physically beating Cheri, in hopes of destroying her beauty and charm. Month after month, the sisters abused and tormented Cheri. Being the only slave on the property, she was completely alone, and took the full front of the sister’s ferocity. For two years, the abuse went on and slowly but surely, Cheri’s beauty and charm were worn down and nearly erased.
During the summertime two years after Cheri first arrived at that horrid mansion, a nearby family of considerable nobility was holding a ball, in which the prince of the family was hoping to find a suitable bride. The daughters were anxious to attend and impress the prince, as rich young girls in their prime will often do. Cheri, overhearing their conversations, wanted very badly to join as well. Just hearing about the handsome, rich prince ignited a fire in her that she thought the sisters had extinguished. So, the night of the ball, after the sisters and the mistress had departed, Cheri stole a dress and headed for the castle. Upon reaching the castle, Cheri snuck inside and, getting her first glimpse of the handsome prince, fell instantly in love. Wasting no time, she ran up to him and requested a dance. The prince, not wanting to hurt the young girl’s heart, agreed, and the dancing commenced. Her heart aflutter, the dance was stopped by the voices of the two sisters. She turned around, and saw them pointing and laughing, mocking every bit of her persona. The entire crowd joined in, and the prince, who wanted to keep his appearance and status, backed away from Cheri laughing, stating he was only doing a public service. Horrified and embarrassed, Cheri ran out of the castle and into the woods sobbing.
Coming across a clearing, Cheri sat on the ground and cried until she could not force any more tears. All of a sudden, a breeze blew around her, and the forest was lit up with supernatural light. Cheri looked around fearfully but could not muster the strength to run anymore. Out of the light, a shape took form, and a woman stood before Cheri, wearing a wonderfully beautiful gown. The woman, however, was repulsive, with warts covering her face, and patches of hair missing from her head. The woman began cackling, and introduced herself as Cheri’s guardian spirit. She stated she was here to help Cheri find happiness and freedom, and would restore her beauty if Cheri promised to take revenge on the mistress and the horrid sisters. Her sorrow turning to hate, Cheri happily agreed, and the woman raised her arms into the air. The unnatural light swirled around Cheri, and she felt as if her body was on fire. She screamed out in agony, than collapsed on the ground.
When Cheri awoke, the forest was quiet, and the only light was pouring down from the moon. She rose to her feet, and walked to the nearby stream. When glancing into the water, she was shocked to find her beauty restored. Remembering her promise to the woman in the forest, Cheri quickly headed back to the mansion, planning her vengeance along the way. The hatred in her heart was only matched by her renewed vigor and insight; she knew exactly what needed to be done to repay the woman for the miraculous gift. Upon reaching the mansion, all was quiet, and Cheri found the mistress in her room, accompanied by the carriage driver, both fast asleep in her bed. Acting quickly, Cheri went to the first sister’s room and, taking a razor from the sister’s vanity mirror, covered her mouth and slit the sister’s throat. Her dark blood ran down her neck, and began soaking the snow white sheets. Lifting the corpse out of the bed, Cheri carried her to the mistress’s chamber.
With the sister’s body slumped over her shoulder, Cheri walked over to the mistress’s side of the bed and laid the body down. Next she moved to the carriage driver and slit his throat as easily as the sisters. Being as quiet as she could, she stooped down, and covered her hands in the blood. A pool began to form as the blood ran off the bed, and Cheri stepped both feet into it. She walked out of the room, leaving blood-stained footsteps, and stopped at the door. With her blood soaked hands, she closed the big wooden doors, and wrote her name in the driver’s blood.
Her mind full of hate and her madness at the peak, Cheri ran to the furnace in the basement of the house and grabbed a shovel-full of red-hot coals. Carefully carrying them up to the remaining sister’s chamber, Cheri swiftly executed the last part of her plan for revenge. Placing the hot coals in string baskets, she hung them directly over the last sister, just barely above her face. The stage was set, with all the parts in place. Now was the time for her vengeance. Making her way back into the mistress’s chamber, the mansion was filled with silence. Cheri stood just outside the mistress’s chamber, and let out a deathly wail.
Her scream ripped through the mansion, piercing the souls of the sinners within. The sister awoke with a fright and, just as Cheri expected, sat right up, planting her face into the smoldering hot coals above her. The mistress, a sound sleeper, had only stirred with the first scream, but was now fully awake with the second. She turned to the driver and tried to wake him. When she put her hand on his chest, she felt the warm liquid. Hastily she jumped off the bed, only to trip over a mass at the side of her bed. Just then, Cheri threw open the door, throwing the light from lamps in the hallway into the room. The mistress screamed, looking first at the body of her daughter covered in blood, then at the dark figure standing in her doorway.
Cheri’s eyes glowed with a supernatural presence, and she began cackling hysterically. Her laugh chilled the heart of the mistress, who backed up against the window of her room. Cheri stepped out of the room, closing the doors and locking them from the outside. The mistress ran to the doors, pounding and trying to open them. Cheri walked down the hallway, and found the other sister lying dead on the floor of her room, the smell of burning flesh still lingering in the air. As she walked past the mistress’ chamber for the last time, she could hear the sobbing from behind the door. Cheri let out a horrid laugh, which was the last thing anyone ever heard from her. She left the mansion and escaped into the woods just as the sun was coming up.

My dreams are safe once more.

For the past couple days, I have been tormented by a memory that I could not fully remember. You know that feeling when you catch a glimpse of an old childhood book or ritual, but you can not remember what it was called, or exactly what it was about? Well one day at work a picture from a childhood book flashed in my mind, yet I could not remember what it was called. All I could remember was it was some lion-like creature, and it was a stuffed animal of a young boy. When something threatened the young boy, the animal would become a ferocious beast and defend the boy. With that being all I could remember, I set off to find this missing piece of childhood.
First, let me explain that I love doing this. Searching through the internet on a quest to find some missing information is a hobby of mine, so I set off on this particular journey with enthusiasm. After two hours of searching, however, I still had nothing. So I turned to my mom, who surprised me to no end when she remembered the name of the character I sought out: Bah Koo. Of course at that time we had no idea how to spell it, and it took me another half hour to find the proper spelling.
What I found was amazing, since it appeared there are only two pictures of this book on the internet (according to Google). With my desire to be one of the few reignited, I ran to my basement, and after digging through countless stuffed toys I found the holy grail of the week: my very own Bah Koo stuffed animal. See, with the book came the stuffed animal from the book. Unfortunately, I have yet to locate the book, "Bah Koo - Chaser of Bad Dreams: The Bedtime Story", which I believe is at my grandparents house, if anywhere. But for now I am content with knowing the plot, which went something like this. Bah Koo belonged to a little boy, and would protect his dreams. One night, when the boy had an unusually powerful nightmare, Bah Koo jumped to his rescue, transforming into a ferocious creature, and ate the bad dream. Now that I have found my Bah Koo doll, I can rest easy, knowing my dreams are safe once more.

Bah Koo is based off of the Japanese folklore of the Baku, the dream eaters.

Hero of the Day

Victor was lying down on the grass, looking up at the sky. Curled next to him is his girlfriend, who has tears in her eyes and her arms wrapped around his body. The year is 2012, and it is only five minutes to midnight on New Years Eve. Even though it is late, the sky is lit up with bright lights from every house. Nobody fell asleep early tonight, as there will be enough sleep in the following years. Years ago the scientist predicted the world would end on the 21st of December, 2012. They were wrong. The world will end tonight.
Every attempt to stop the meteor had failed. Nothing could shift its course, and with no hope left, the government issued its last message: “Prepare for the end, it is all over.” That was this afternoon. Within 30 seconds, Victor’s phone was ringing. People began gathering around his apartment building, shouting and screaming his name. “Help us!” they cried. “Save us please!” With a broken heart he looked out from his window, but could do nothing else. At least not anymore; not after what they did to him.
Two years ago, the world looked upon what would be its first, and last, super-powered individual. With his abilities, which the origins are still unknown, he exposed himself to the public in order to help the people during the Second Great Depression. Victor, although at the time he was going by some ridiculous superhero name, could generate and manipulate electrical pulses, both visible and subatomic. He could pull lightning from the sky, or shake the very fabric of time and space. With his unlimited power, the possibilities were endless. Electric cars, free energy, technological advances, all were open to humans now that he had gone public. However, unlimited power comes with a horrible price, for however many people adore you, twice as many fear you.
The governments were skeptical of a being that could destroy a country in a matter of weeks. They spread their skepticism and fear into the media, which in turn passed it onto the very people Victor wanted to help. Religious leaders turned him into the anti-Christ, while government officials blamed him for the strange and destructive weather patterns. No matter how many people he saved, or what technology he helped create, the world he wanted only to save slowly turned against him.
After months of hate being fed into their very hearts and souls, the people of the world cried out for his blood. No more would they stand for this abomination to go around freely using his abilities, for any purpose. The governments demanded an immediate surrender. Not wanting to start a war he feared would destroy the planet, Victor surrendered willingly. At first the officials tried to just hide him away, and continue using his abilities for technological advances. But after only months of this, his fate was leaked to the press, and the public cried out for a greater punishment. They wanted his powers gone.
With mounting pressure from the public, the government had no choice. They devised the means to remove his powers by using the technology he gave them. Not aware of the government’s plans to de-power him, Victor was easily tricked, and betrayed by the very men he had grown to trust. The machine worked perfectly, and Victor was successfully de-powered, with the footage shown world-wide to satisfy the public’s thirst. Victor, who was shocked and still not sure what had happened, was allowed to return home and live out his life as a normal human being. All he wanted was to help. But all they wanted was another person to blame for their mistakes. That was six months ago.
Ten seconds until midnight, and the world looks up to the heavens to watch the ball drop. Victor and his girlfriend had fled to a nearby hilltop, the highest in the area, to watch the end in peace. As she lies there huddled in his arms, he grabs onto her and pulls her tightly against him. Tears begin to stream down their cheeks as they look up towards the sky. He looks at her, and together they whisper their final words. The end of the human race has come, and the only thing capable of stopping it was taken away out of fear and hatred. The people had been granted their savior, and had turned their heads in disgust. They laid the foundations for their very destruction, and built their own tombs with their ignorance and corruption.