~Kindle Joy Miller
I walked past the people lined up at the dock. They looked hungry, tired and worn. There was a lady with several children around her with fear on their little faces. An old man, disabled from all that he had been through in his life, sat with a little girl who looked sick and pale. There was dirty little boys trying to be strong but you could tell that they were terrified. A young girl nearby had only a cloth to cover herself. There were men laughing at her and making fun of her. I saw a group of old, worn women crying for all they had lost. There was some young men comforting those around them and telling them it was going to be okay. A woman with a baby stood to one side looking for something to give her child to eat. Though the group was weary, they seemed to stand together. As I looked at them I did not see slaves and people driven from their homes in war, I saw people; People like me. The girl being laughed at was the same as those who laughed at her: human. We have all been hurt in some way but some have been hurt more than others, I thought. I walked past the people lined up at the dock and I wished I could free them from the cruelty of people.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Lost and Found
~Kindle Joy Miller
I ran through the forest, tired and exhausted. I wasn’t quite sure who or what I was running from but I was too terrified to find out. I was getting too tired to run so I started to look for a good place to hide. A few minutes later I found a good climbing tree and climbed to one of the top branches where I sat panting. Soon I fell asleep. I dreamt a voice saying, “Keira, where are you?” The voice sounded familiar but unfamiliar. I didn’t answer. Then it came again. “Keira, where are you?” The voice was deep and soothing but unrecognizable. I kept silent. A third time the voice said, “Keira, where are you? Why are you hiding?”
I woke up shocked that I had fallen asleep. I looked around and realized I had traveled deep into the forest and it was getting dark. I started in the direction I thought was the way out. I soon discovered I was utterly lost. I wandered around the forest for what seemed like hours not knowing which way to go. I sat under a tree and started to cry. Suddenly I heard a branch crack and looked up. I wiped my tears away, it was my best friend. A smile crossed my tear stained face and I ran up and hugged him. He smiled and said, “I’ve been looking for you.” I hugged him again. We started on are way out of the forest and my friend explained how he found me.
“I saw you run into the forest and I knew you’d get lost so I ran after you,” He said, “I called your name but you didn’t answer. You were scared but you didn’t know why and it wasn’t until you were utterly lost and I heard you crying that I found you.”
“Thank you for coming after me,” I said with great relief. I had been running from my best friend and I didn’t realize it. I had heard him calling but I didn’t answer. I was horribly lost but he found me in the dark and all alone and now he was showing me the way home.
I ran through the forest, tired and exhausted. I wasn’t quite sure who or what I was running from but I was too terrified to find out. I was getting too tired to run so I started to look for a good place to hide. A few minutes later I found a good climbing tree and climbed to one of the top branches where I sat panting. Soon I fell asleep. I dreamt a voice saying, “Keira, where are you?” The voice sounded familiar but unfamiliar. I didn’t answer. Then it came again. “Keira, where are you?” The voice was deep and soothing but unrecognizable. I kept silent. A third time the voice said, “Keira, where are you? Why are you hiding?”
I woke up shocked that I had fallen asleep. I looked around and realized I had traveled deep into the forest and it was getting dark. I started in the direction I thought was the way out. I soon discovered I was utterly lost. I wandered around the forest for what seemed like hours not knowing which way to go. I sat under a tree and started to cry. Suddenly I heard a branch crack and looked up. I wiped my tears away, it was my best friend. A smile crossed my tear stained face and I ran up and hugged him. He smiled and said, “I’ve been looking for you.” I hugged him again. We started on are way out of the forest and my friend explained how he found me.
“I saw you run into the forest and I knew you’d get lost so I ran after you,” He said, “I called your name but you didn’t answer. You were scared but you didn’t know why and it wasn’t until you were utterly lost and I heard you crying that I found you.”
“Thank you for coming after me,” I said with great relief. I had been running from my best friend and I didn’t realize it. I had heard him calling but I didn’t answer. I was horribly lost but he found me in the dark and all alone and now he was showing me the way home.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Negotiations
By: Brandon James Scott Scholl
Michael leaned up against the kitchen counter, waiting for the phone to ring. The man’s wife had been missing for close to 48 hours and they knew the kidnapper was going to call soon.
The family had called in Michael for his expertise with personality. He was able to profile people and read them on the spot to tell what kind of person they were, what triggers they had, and what ways things could be said or done to them to get specific results.
As Michael watched the family and friends that were surrounding the victim’s husband, the phone rang. He quickly pushed himself off of the kitchen counter and moved towards the phone in the living room where everyone else was. Michael picked it up and answered it.
“Hello,” Michael calmly said into the phone. He heard silence on the other end of the call for a few seconds, then there were two gun shots followed by a woman’s voice.
“I’ve just killed Mrs. Perkins,” the kidnapper said with a woman’s voice.
Michael took a moment to collect his thoughts and surveyed the people in the room who could also hear the conversation.
“I’ll let them know what just happened,” Michael commented.
“Next, I’m going to come after her husband. I’m going to kill him the same way I killed his wife. First I’ll torture him, then I’ll kill him.”
“Okay,” Michael replied calmly.
“Then, I’m going to kill that couple that they’re such good friends with. I’ll take both of them and burn them into ash.”
“Okay,” he continued to reply.
“Then, the only place that’ll be left for you to hide or for anyone to be safe is at Alan’s house.” Michael looked to the last guest that was there for Mr. Perkins. Alan was a middle aged man who had a wife and two kids across town. His look back at Michael was a mixture of both fear and panic.
“Look,” Michael answered, “Are you going to continue to make threats and monologue like a comic book villain or are you going to actually tell me where Mrs. Perkins is. I know you didn’t kill her because you don’t have the stomach OR the guts to do it. So let’s cut the crap and you tell me where she is.”
Silence overtook the phone conversation. People in the room looked around at one another and then at Michael like he was crazy. They believed he was crazy and going to be the death of them. Then, the kidnapper answered with a severe stutter.
“You… bbbbettered take mmmmmmmmme seriousssssssssssly. Mrs. PPPPPerkins is DDDDDDDDead. AAllllllll of yyyyyyyyyou are nnnnnnnnnext.” Then, the kidnapper hung up.
Michael put the phone down and looked at the astonished stares that were coming from everyone in the room. He smiled and walked over to Mr. Perkins who had tears slowly moving down his face.
“Mr. Perkins, she’s alive. The kidnapper wouldn’t have called if they actually killed her because he’d have no leverage or any reason to come after you. He’s here to make you feel pain in any way he can.” Michael stood up and then continued.
“The woman we’re dealing with is someone who’s very rarely taken seriously. Usually the type of person that would sit in the background and never do anything dangerous for fear of being caught or screwing up when they were a child. She also has a low self-esteem and is trying to cope with scaring everyone else to make her feel she has control. Alan, I would suggest calling your home. Make sure your family is okay. If they answer, tell them to leave. If they don’t answer, tell call the police and meet them there.”
Michael walked over to the counter where he had been leaning and grabbed his gun then put it into the holster. He walked back through the kitchen and then the living room towards the door.
“Wait, what now,” Mr. Perkins asked.
Michael stood in the doorway and turned around.
“Now, I go save your wife and be the hero,” Michael said with a reassuring smile before closing the front door behind him. He opened his car door and got inside. He pulled out his cell phone and called his tech support.
“Miracle worker here, what kind of magic would you like?”
“Marie, I need something to go on here. Did you get a chance to trace the call?”
“You bet your ass I did. I narrowed it down to an old industrial complex across town.”
“Thanks Marie, good work.”
“Michael, how’d you know that she has a stutter?” Michael sat there for a moment, fumbling with his keys.
“I didn’t. I got lucky there.” With that, he hung up his phone and pulled out onto the road. He was going to take this kidnapper down.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Courage
~Kindle Joy Miller
“Take Courage, my sword, and defeat this beast.”
“But, Father, the monster is huge and there is no way I alone can defeat it,” said John, “Our whole army couldn’t even defeat it!”
“Yes, son, but they didn’t have Courage,” Said his father, “Courage will defeat this beast.”
“But I’m afraid, Father…”
“It is alright to be scared but you must also be brave,” His father told him, “Now go! The village rests in your hands!”
John took Courage and ran out to hear the screams of innocent people. He knew something had to be done but what? The ferocious dragon was crushing homes and toasting people on sight. He had to think of a plan. Right then Courage started pulling John closer to where the monster was. John didn’t fight it he knew he had to do what he had to do. He remembered his sister’s last words. She said, “Now you’re the only one that can save us.”John heard it clearly in his mind but he didn’t want to believe it. His older sister was brave and cunning but now she was gone and it was up to him. John’s family was chosen to protect this village but now half of them were dead and he wasn’t going to let that dragon kill anyone else.
Courage pulled John closer and closer to the dragon. He knew it wanted to kill the beast as much as He did. The sword had been in his family for generations and he never thought he would be the one to use it now, in their darkest hour. John gave up holding back and ran with Courage toward the beast. The dragon got bigger and bigger as he ran towards it. He could see the smoke rising from the monster’s nostrils. The dragon saw him coming and was ready for a fight. It wanted another toasty treat but John wouldn’t let that happen.
“Who is this?” the dragon asked, “Do they send a little boy to defeat me!”
“I am John, the son of Sir Peter and Lady Jessica,” Said John, “I’m from the family of Tynia and I will not let you kill another person as long as I live.”
“Ha! I already killed your sister and your mother,” Said the dragon, “Do you really think you have a chance? You are just a boy and you’re afraid! I should just toast you right here!”
“We’ll see about that,” John said as he lunged at the dragon’s belly. The dragon blew ferocious flames at John but Courage moved to protect him. I will avenge the people that have died for this town, thought John. He ran up and Courage stabbed the dragon’s foot. The dragon Screeched with anger.
“Now you will die, young knight!” The dragon hissed, “I was going easy on you but now you’re in for it!”
John ran quickly around to the back of the dragon and started to climb up its back. The dragon tried to shake him off but Courage stabbed into it so John could keep his balance. The dragon squealed in pain which gave John time to climb to its head. The dragon started to fly but Courage knew what to do. Courage quickly stabbed into the dragon’s head right when John lost his balance. John fell and the dragon began to fall too. John braced himself for the hard landing but nothing could’ve prepared him for that horrible fall.
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
“You have done well, John. Don’t fear I will save you,” Said Courage.
“Who are you?” John asked in a daze.
“I am your trusty sword and I will protect you. You will be okay for you have won.”
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
“Son?”
John opened his eyes. “Where am I?” he asked.
“You are at home, in our house, lying on your bed,” said his father.
“What about the dragon? And where is Courage?” So many questions were going through his head.
“We found you unconscious next to the dead dragon’s body. Courage was by your side…” His father told him, “You shouldn’t have survived that fall you know.”
“Take Courage, my sword, and defeat this beast.”
“But, Father, the monster is huge and there is no way I alone can defeat it,” said John, “Our whole army couldn’t even defeat it!”
“Yes, son, but they didn’t have Courage,” Said his father, “Courage will defeat this beast.”
“But I’m afraid, Father…”
“It is alright to be scared but you must also be brave,” His father told him, “Now go! The village rests in your hands!”
John took Courage and ran out to hear the screams of innocent people. He knew something had to be done but what? The ferocious dragon was crushing homes and toasting people on sight. He had to think of a plan. Right then Courage started pulling John closer to where the monster was. John didn’t fight it he knew he had to do what he had to do. He remembered his sister’s last words. She said, “Now you’re the only one that can save us.”John heard it clearly in his mind but he didn’t want to believe it. His older sister was brave and cunning but now she was gone and it was up to him. John’s family was chosen to protect this village but now half of them were dead and he wasn’t going to let that dragon kill anyone else.
Courage pulled John closer and closer to the dragon. He knew it wanted to kill the beast as much as He did. The sword had been in his family for generations and he never thought he would be the one to use it now, in their darkest hour. John gave up holding back and ran with Courage toward the beast. The dragon got bigger and bigger as he ran towards it. He could see the smoke rising from the monster’s nostrils. The dragon saw him coming and was ready for a fight. It wanted another toasty treat but John wouldn’t let that happen.
“Who is this?” the dragon asked, “Do they send a little boy to defeat me!”
“I am John, the son of Sir Peter and Lady Jessica,” Said John, “I’m from the family of Tynia and I will not let you kill another person as long as I live.”
“Ha! I already killed your sister and your mother,” Said the dragon, “Do you really think you have a chance? You are just a boy and you’re afraid! I should just toast you right here!”
“We’ll see about that,” John said as he lunged at the dragon’s belly. The dragon blew ferocious flames at John but Courage moved to protect him. I will avenge the people that have died for this town, thought John. He ran up and Courage stabbed the dragon’s foot. The dragon Screeched with anger.
“Now you will die, young knight!” The dragon hissed, “I was going easy on you but now you’re in for it!”
John ran quickly around to the back of the dragon and started to climb up its back. The dragon tried to shake him off but Courage stabbed into it so John could keep his balance. The dragon squealed in pain which gave John time to climb to its head. The dragon started to fly but Courage knew what to do. Courage quickly stabbed into the dragon’s head right when John lost his balance. John fell and the dragon began to fall too. John braced himself for the hard landing but nothing could’ve prepared him for that horrible fall.
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
“You have done well, John. Don’t fear I will save you,” Said Courage.
“Who are you?” John asked in a daze.
“I am your trusty sword and I will protect you. You will be okay for you have won.”
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
“Son?”
John opened his eyes. “Where am I?” he asked.
“You are at home, in our house, lying on your bed,” said his father.
“What about the dragon? And where is Courage?” So many questions were going through his head.
“We found you unconscious next to the dead dragon’s body. Courage was by your side…” His father told him, “You shouldn’t have survived that fall you know.”
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Reborn
By: Brandon James Scott Scholl
Jacob puts his hands up to his face as the soldiers came up to him. For the last week they had tortured him because they believed him to be some kind of spy. It was a situation that he couldn’t win either way. Whether he told them that he wasn’t a spy or kept quiet, he was already convicted and condemned.
After telling them over and over they had the wrong guy and explaining his situation, they decided that the only option they had left was to kill him. A part of him was finally relieved to hear that this pain and suffering would end soon. It was something that he had looked forward to but they refused to tell him how he would be killed.
He slightly resisted the grip of the two military escorts that were now taking him to his death. They pulled him out to the cage that he had been waiting in and led him to the entrance to a slight alley. Jacob was pushed towards the wall and caught himself before slamming into it. He was confused about what was going on. No chains, no guards holding him in place. He just stood there out in the open with no one around.
He jumped as a whistle was blown around the corner and he heard stomping of boots. The sound came closer and closer to him. He had no idea what was coming for him but there wasn’t anywhere that he could run. He looked up and around the wall to see if there was somewhere he could climb and that’s when he noticed the wall in more detail. The numerous stains of bloody hand prints, smears and splatters made his heart stop beating for a few seconds within his chest. He then turned around and realized what the stomping sound was – a firing squad.
He had been waiting for death for so long and finally he saw how his existence was going to be ended. Not by a quick death, but a painful and torturous murder. Finally, the weakness and lack of energy overtook him. He slumped to the ground and looked from one face to another of his executioners. They were the last things he would be seeing as he took his last breath.
Orders were barked and the squad pulled their rifles to their chest and then aimed them at Jacob. He looked down at his hands as his entire life flashed before his eyes. From the times he spent with his parents, to the times with his wife and daughter, to the death of his wife and daughter. Now, he was the next one that was going to be killed, and there was nothing left to be done.
As the sounds of rifles going off filled his ears, he flinched. His eyes were squeezed shut in the knowing that he would be shredded by the bullets. But, as he sat there for a few seconds, he didn’t feel anything. In fact, he didn’t hear anything either. Jacob opened his eyes to see that the squad had fired, but the bullets were moving towards him in slow motion. That’s when he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye.
To his right, a woman came up to him. She wore a white flowing dress as a slight breeze drifted through her hair. He was mesmerized by the stunning beauty of this woman as she came closer, then his heart filled with both shock and a mixture of sadness and joy – it was his wife.
She stopped in front of him and put her hand out to him. He looked at the bullets that were caught in a slow motion and then took his wife’s hand. At this moment, he didn’t know what to think, just react. Just a few seconds ago, he was being executed and then everything just froze. Jacob looked at his wife’s hand and took it in his. Instantly, he felt as if the energy and strength was flowing back into his body.
He stood up and looked right into his beautiful wife’s eyes. The green in them was the most beautiful thin he had ever seen in his life. It was the one thing that he thought about every night before he went to sleep ever night. She moved closer to him and kissed him lovingly. He couldn’t believe what was going on at this moment. His wife looked into his eyes and spoke.
“Your time is not yet over, my love. You are called to be something far greater than you realize. You have the hidden strength to take on the world. You are more powerful than you or I had ever realized or thought possible. You have the gift. You can save me from them. You have the power to change this.”
He was stunned.
“You’re dead…,” was all that he could get out. She shook her head.
“No, not yet. You have to save me before they kill me. You’re the only one who can.”
His wife kissed him once more and as she ended the kiss, she disappeared.
Jacob didn’t know what to believe. He was still confused as to what just happened. He looked at the bullets that were still slowly coming towards him. You have the power to change this.
Just then, he threw his hand up at the bullets that were coming towards him. They stopped in mid-air and time resumed at its normal speed. Some of the soldiers gasped at what was going on before their eyes. Orders were yelled at the squad once again and another round of shots were fired, only to be stopped next to their predecessors in the air as well.
Jacob thought about it for a moment and then pushed the bullets back at the squad. All the soldiers within the squad fell to the ground lifeless. Then, he walked over to the one who had ordered his execution and the man collapsed to the ground, shielding his face. Jacob grabbed the collar of his jacket and pulled him up off the ground, inches from his face.
“Where is my wife.”
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Coma
Julia is a friend of mine. Enjoy.
By: Julia Ellis
I can’t move.
That was my first thought as I woke up from what seemed like the longest sleep of my life. I felt stiff, like my whole body was weighted down by lead shaped to my tall frame.
What’s that noise? Something sounded like it was ticking, but…Wet, somehow. And there was this annoying beeping
Crap. I was in a hospital room. The wet ticking was the IV and the beeping was the heart monitor. The more I thought about why I was in a hospital room, and who was hurt, the faster the heart monitor sounded off, like high-pitched gun shots. What’s happening? What happened?
“Poor Benjamin…My boy, so reckless,” someone sniffled nearby. If I’d been able to move, I’d have jumped at the sound of another person in the room. I know that voice.
“Aunt Shari, you can’t just stand here staring at him forever. It won’t wake him up. You know as well as I that standing around doing nothing accomplishes nothing.”
“Jarie, honey, do an old lady a favor and shut up. Do something useful and get some coffee or tea for your parents – you know they need it. Standing around nit-picking your aunt won’t accomplish anything either.” No wonder her voice was familiar – that was my aunt Shari, and my elder sister Jarie.
“Mrrpher.” That was Jarie mumbling an expletive as she stomped out of the room – I know she was stomping because her stilettos clacked on the hard floor louder than they would have normally.
A few minutes later, a set of more confident sounding steps came close to the room I was in. They stopped a few yards away (I guess that’s where the doorway was) and there was the sound of plastic scraping on plastic, and then pages being turned. That must be my file. Someone put the file back, and then the footsteps entered my room.
“Ms. Stackdom, I’m Dr. Carver. I’ll be handling your boy Benjamin’s case. Now, I’ll explain what I think is going on with his condition.“
“You will do no such thing,” Aunt Shari interrupted, taking control as always. She may have been softhearted when it came to people in need, but she was no pushover.
“Ma’am?” The poor man sounded so confused. He must not be used to being told what to do anymore, not since he got his PhD.
“Do you have a hearing impairment along with your chronic stupidity? I said, you will do no such thing. I will not have you guessing at what my nephew’s newly acquired health problems may be. Obviously you doctors are way overrated, since I don’t have to have some fancy PhD certificate hanging in my office to know what’s happened here.” Way to go, Aunt Shari!
“Ah…Well, excuse me, I only meant that—“
“I don’t give a damn what you meant, boy. Either help my nephew with these overrated skills of yours or I will whisk him out of this place without giving you your outrageous payment, and get help elsewhere.” Wow, she must really be worried to say all that. Normally she’s so appreciative of modern medicines…
“Yes ma’am,” the doctor replied. He really didn’t seem like he knew what he was doing, but maybe he was just intimidated by Aunt Shari – that happened a lot, people being intimidated by her. “Well, obviously he’s in a coma. The injury to his head whacked his brain hard enough that it could be swelling, though we don’t know for sure because if we took him into X-ray, he’d likely fall into a deeper coma from being moved around too much. Six broken ribs, two wrist fractures, a contusion on his pelvis and a broken thigh bone. Those are the worst of it; the rest of the injuries are minor, though it’ll still take him a long time to heal. And he might not ever be completely normal again. That broken leg could result in a cane for the rest of his life…”
He went on and on, getting more detailed and using bigger words. Aunt Shari sounded like she understood everything, commenting and asking questions, and mumbling a few curses of her own.
About 20 minutes later, the doctor was gone, and I could hear Aunt Shari’s pencil working on a puzzle, like she so often did to fill up time gaps. She knew there was nothing for her to do now but wait.
The worst part about this whole situation was that I still couldn’t remember what was going on…I didn’t know how I had gotten all these “injuries,” and I felt fine, other than the fact that I couldn’t respond to anything or move. Ugh, I was just so frustrated; I swore I could break something.
I heard a noise from where Aunt Shari was sitting. It was quiet for almost a minute, and then she got up and came to stand next to me. I could almost feel her staring at me, her gaze boring into my skin, my body, my mind.
“Benjamin?” She whispered. She sounded startled, excited and nervous. “Benny, can you hear me? I thought I saw your hand move…Oh, maybe I’m just crazy. Everyone else seems to think so.” She sighed, turning to sit back down. I wanted to scream at her to come back, to tell be if I had moved. I didn’t know how I’d done it, and I thought I’d felt my fingers twitch, but I’d also thought it was a trick of my mind.
The sound of sneakers running down the hall towards my room sounded loud against the former silence. They squeaked like whoever was running had just walked in puddles and slapped the floor like they were running with a purpose. Sooner than I expected, a heavy breathing man asked Aunt Shari, “How is he? How is my son? What the hell happened? Why is he here? No one’s telling me anything!”
Aunt Shari responded too calmly, like she was striving to keep her patience. “That’s not surprising since you haven’t bothered to find out how your son has been doing for the past 12 years. Why are you even here? Aren’t you supposed to be on some big important tour in Europe?” By the time she finished, her tone went from a deadly calm to an even scarier dry sarcasm that she only used when she was about ready to break something – or in this case, someone.
“Now, Shari, that’s not fair. You know the band’s been struggling to stay noticed. Since we got a bigger gig in Europe, I thought it was a great opportunity to get some moment and—“
“Save me the expense of your unconvincing and gimp excuses. I don’t want to hear it.” Not good – she was starting to bring out some of her better vocabulary, meaning she was trying not to swear at him. “No one wants you here, Daniel. And since he can hear us, I’m sure Benjamin is agreeing with me. Aren’t you, Benny?”
She knows I can hear them? Of course she does, she always knows these things. Not for the first time today, I tried to move, to show her I could, in fact, hear everything. Just then, I heard Daniel’s sneakers squeal on the floor as he went over to another chair and plopped himself down. Hearing Aunt Shari go back to her puzzles, I decided they wouldn’t talk for a while and I could go back to sleep.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
I was choking.
Or at least, that’s what it felt like. I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, couldn’t tell anyone that I couldn’t breathe. The ringing in my ears was so loud that I couldn’t hear anything else – just when I thought that, someone screamed, “GET HIM SOME HELP! HE’S DYING!!”
Who’s dying? Me? No, I wasn’t dying – yet. All I needed was for someone to fix whatever was blocking my airways.
“Benjamin.” That voice wasn’t loud at all but somehow I could hear it through the ringing in my head, the high-pitched wailing that made my head feel like it was exploding with white-hot pain.
“Benjamin, you have to choose. This has nothing to do with your throat, or anything choking you. You were dreaming, Benjamin. Of what happened to hurt you like this.” Whoever was talking was crazy, I decided. No one can just choose to stop choking. It’s not a matter of, “Well, let’s see…Do I or don’t I want to choke today?” But even as I thought this, I remembered a flash of my dream: a deafeningly loud crash, metal screaming and folding in on itself, and the muffled sound of my own bones breaking. A car crash, my fault.
“Benjamin. I know you understand this. It’s buried within you to hear me. Boy, you must choose now. If you wait any longer, you’ll die. Choose whether you want to live or die, and it will happen.”
Choose…What? How do I choose whether I want to live or die? Of course I want to live! It’s obvious! Life is what everyone craves, even when they want to escape the horrors that it sometimes brings – oh. That’s what this person means. Choose to live and deal with pain, or choose to die and be at peace.
“Make the choice, kiddo. Your Aunt Shari understands either way.” Aunt Shari…She knew about this? “Son, God shows me a lot of things, and this is one of them. You need to choose, now.” Somehow I could hear her through the ringing, but only her and the other voice. The voice that was neither males nor female, but had a strong quality that made me want to hear everything this person had to say.
I want to live…Of course I want to live. I don’t care what life hits me with; I want to be alive and well.
I sucked in the biggest breath I could, my eyes popping open, and I was blinded momentarily by bright hospital lights. There was a group of people hovering, frozen over me, staring wide-eyed as I stared back at them. I clenched my hands, wiggled my toes, and looked around the unfamiliar faces. All but one, a small woman with graying hair at the back of the crowd, farthest from me. This woman I knew – my aunt Shari. She smiled at me, a small, proud smile.
“God boy, Benjamin. This is the beginning of a long, powerful journey for you. Be proud that you have such a good woman to lead you.” As the person spoke, I looked around the faces above me, noting that no one’s lips moved, and none of them seemed to have heard anything.
Such an odd voice, not man or woman.
But I got what I wanted. Now I’m alive and well, and leading the life that God said I would. My name is Benjamin Stackdom, and I chose to live.
By: Julia Ellis
I can’t move.
That was my first thought as I woke up from what seemed like the longest sleep of my life. I felt stiff, like my whole body was weighted down by lead shaped to my tall frame.
What’s that noise? Something sounded like it was ticking, but…Wet, somehow. And there was this annoying beeping
Crap. I was in a hospital room. The wet ticking was the IV and the beeping was the heart monitor. The more I thought about why I was in a hospital room, and who was hurt, the faster the heart monitor sounded off, like high-pitched gun shots. What’s happening? What happened?
“Poor Benjamin…My boy, so reckless,” someone sniffled nearby. If I’d been able to move, I’d have jumped at the sound of another person in the room. I know that voice.
“Aunt Shari, you can’t just stand here staring at him forever. It won’t wake him up. You know as well as I that standing around doing nothing accomplishes nothing.”
“Jarie, honey, do an old lady a favor and shut up. Do something useful and get some coffee or tea for your parents – you know they need it. Standing around nit-picking your aunt won’t accomplish anything either.” No wonder her voice was familiar – that was my aunt Shari, and my elder sister Jarie.
“Mrrpher.” That was Jarie mumbling an expletive as she stomped out of the room – I know she was stomping because her stilettos clacked on the hard floor louder than they would have normally.
A few minutes later, a set of more confident sounding steps came close to the room I was in. They stopped a few yards away (I guess that’s where the doorway was) and there was the sound of plastic scraping on plastic, and then pages being turned. That must be my file. Someone put the file back, and then the footsteps entered my room.
“Ms. Stackdom, I’m Dr. Carver. I’ll be handling your boy Benjamin’s case. Now, I’ll explain what I think is going on with his condition.“
“You will do no such thing,” Aunt Shari interrupted, taking control as always. She may have been softhearted when it came to people in need, but she was no pushover.
“Ma’am?” The poor man sounded so confused. He must not be used to being told what to do anymore, not since he got his PhD.
“Do you have a hearing impairment along with your chronic stupidity? I said, you will do no such thing. I will not have you guessing at what my nephew’s newly acquired health problems may be. Obviously you doctors are way overrated, since I don’t have to have some fancy PhD certificate hanging in my office to know what’s happened here.” Way to go, Aunt Shari!
“Ah…Well, excuse me, I only meant that—“
“I don’t give a damn what you meant, boy. Either help my nephew with these overrated skills of yours or I will whisk him out of this place without giving you your outrageous payment, and get help elsewhere.” Wow, she must really be worried to say all that. Normally she’s so appreciative of modern medicines…
“Yes ma’am,” the doctor replied. He really didn’t seem like he knew what he was doing, but maybe he was just intimidated by Aunt Shari – that happened a lot, people being intimidated by her. “Well, obviously he’s in a coma. The injury to his head whacked his brain hard enough that it could be swelling, though we don’t know for sure because if we took him into X-ray, he’d likely fall into a deeper coma from being moved around too much. Six broken ribs, two wrist fractures, a contusion on his pelvis and a broken thigh bone. Those are the worst of it; the rest of the injuries are minor, though it’ll still take him a long time to heal. And he might not ever be completely normal again. That broken leg could result in a cane for the rest of his life…”
He went on and on, getting more detailed and using bigger words. Aunt Shari sounded like she understood everything, commenting and asking questions, and mumbling a few curses of her own.
About 20 minutes later, the doctor was gone, and I could hear Aunt Shari’s pencil working on a puzzle, like she so often did to fill up time gaps. She knew there was nothing for her to do now but wait.
The worst part about this whole situation was that I still couldn’t remember what was going on…I didn’t know how I had gotten all these “injuries,” and I felt fine, other than the fact that I couldn’t respond to anything or move. Ugh, I was just so frustrated; I swore I could break something.
I heard a noise from where Aunt Shari was sitting. It was quiet for almost a minute, and then she got up and came to stand next to me. I could almost feel her staring at me, her gaze boring into my skin, my body, my mind.
“Benjamin?” She whispered. She sounded startled, excited and nervous. “Benny, can you hear me? I thought I saw your hand move…Oh, maybe I’m just crazy. Everyone else seems to think so.” She sighed, turning to sit back down. I wanted to scream at her to come back, to tell be if I had moved. I didn’t know how I’d done it, and I thought I’d felt my fingers twitch, but I’d also thought it was a trick of my mind.
The sound of sneakers running down the hall towards my room sounded loud against the former silence. They squeaked like whoever was running had just walked in puddles and slapped the floor like they were running with a purpose. Sooner than I expected, a heavy breathing man asked Aunt Shari, “How is he? How is my son? What the hell happened? Why is he here? No one’s telling me anything!”
Aunt Shari responded too calmly, like she was striving to keep her patience. “That’s not surprising since you haven’t bothered to find out how your son has been doing for the past 12 years. Why are you even here? Aren’t you supposed to be on some big important tour in Europe?” By the time she finished, her tone went from a deadly calm to an even scarier dry sarcasm that she only used when she was about ready to break something – or in this case, someone.
“Now, Shari, that’s not fair. You know the band’s been struggling to stay noticed. Since we got a bigger gig in Europe, I thought it was a great opportunity to get some moment and—“
“Save me the expense of your unconvincing and gimp excuses. I don’t want to hear it.” Not good – she was starting to bring out some of her better vocabulary, meaning she was trying not to swear at him. “No one wants you here, Daniel. And since he can hear us, I’m sure Benjamin is agreeing with me. Aren’t you, Benny?”
She knows I can hear them? Of course she does, she always knows these things. Not for the first time today, I tried to move, to show her I could, in fact, hear everything. Just then, I heard Daniel’s sneakers squeal on the floor as he went over to another chair and plopped himself down. Hearing Aunt Shari go back to her puzzles, I decided they wouldn’t talk for a while and I could go back to sleep.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
I was choking.
Or at least, that’s what it felt like. I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, couldn’t tell anyone that I couldn’t breathe. The ringing in my ears was so loud that I couldn’t hear anything else – just when I thought that, someone screamed, “GET HIM SOME HELP! HE’S DYING!!”
Who’s dying? Me? No, I wasn’t dying – yet. All I needed was for someone to fix whatever was blocking my airways.
“Benjamin.” That voice wasn’t loud at all but somehow I could hear it through the ringing in my head, the high-pitched wailing that made my head feel like it was exploding with white-hot pain.
“Benjamin, you have to choose. This has nothing to do with your throat, or anything choking you. You were dreaming, Benjamin. Of what happened to hurt you like this.” Whoever was talking was crazy, I decided. No one can just choose to stop choking. It’s not a matter of, “Well, let’s see…Do I or don’t I want to choke today?” But even as I thought this, I remembered a flash of my dream: a deafeningly loud crash, metal screaming and folding in on itself, and the muffled sound of my own bones breaking. A car crash, my fault.
“Benjamin. I know you understand this. It’s buried within you to hear me. Boy, you must choose now. If you wait any longer, you’ll die. Choose whether you want to live or die, and it will happen.”
Choose…What? How do I choose whether I want to live or die? Of course I want to live! It’s obvious! Life is what everyone craves, even when they want to escape the horrors that it sometimes brings – oh. That’s what this person means. Choose to live and deal with pain, or choose to die and be at peace.
“Make the choice, kiddo. Your Aunt Shari understands either way.” Aunt Shari…She knew about this? “Son, God shows me a lot of things, and this is one of them. You need to choose, now.” Somehow I could hear her through the ringing, but only her and the other voice. The voice that was neither males nor female, but had a strong quality that made me want to hear everything this person had to say.
I want to live…Of course I want to live. I don’t care what life hits me with; I want to be alive and well.
I sucked in the biggest breath I could, my eyes popping open, and I was blinded momentarily by bright hospital lights. There was a group of people hovering, frozen over me, staring wide-eyed as I stared back at them. I clenched my hands, wiggled my toes, and looked around the unfamiliar faces. All but one, a small woman with graying hair at the back of the crowd, farthest from me. This woman I knew – my aunt Shari. She smiled at me, a small, proud smile.
“God boy, Benjamin. This is the beginning of a long, powerful journey for you. Be proud that you have such a good woman to lead you.” As the person spoke, I looked around the faces above me, noting that no one’s lips moved, and none of them seemed to have heard anything.
Such an odd voice, not man or woman.
But I got what I wanted. Now I’m alive and well, and leading the life that God said I would. My name is Benjamin Stackdom, and I chose to live.
Demonic Encounter
By: Brandon James Scott Scholl
Jack watched as the hallway grew dark. The daylight dissipated and darkness began its reign. Amidst the eerie darkness, numerous pairs of red eyes flashed and stared at Jack as if he wasn’t there. They started to hover from the ceiling, down the walls, and to the floor where the bodies became visible as well. The young man stood his ground at the entrance to the darkness. He knew exactly what was happening in front of him, before his very eyes, the demons were coming.
They hissed as if from a nightmare. From the breathing to the clicking of their overgrown nails, they were all manifesting in an aggressive stance. It wasn’t here to scare any longer, it was here to kill. Jack had known this time was going to come. He didn’t know when, he didn’t know where, but this time, he was ready.
As ten demons stood three feet tall before Jack, another figure appeared. One that was far larger, taller, and more gruesome than the others. It seemed to literally walk out from the shroud of darkness with a low growl. It was a prince of darkness. This prince was the leader of the demonic manifestations that had led up to this event. It had caused pain, suffering, and death for years but now its territory was being threatened. The beast was unreal and the most gruesome and most unimaginable sight that Jack had ever witnessed.
“My name is Anesis,” the demon spoke in a dripping, base tone. “You have been the cause of many issues for me. How dare you challenge me.”
Jack smiled. A week ago, he would have literally turned and ran. But now, he had a lion inside of him that was fearless.
“My name is Jack Darranger, and you are no longer welcome here.”
Anesis laughed deeply as the other demons cackled and hissed in their own ghoulish laughter.
“You are nothing, human. Your death will be slow and painful. I will take pleasure as I destroy you from this existence,” The demon bellowed as he started to take steps towards Jack.
Jack stood his ground. He had no idea of what was about to happen. But, he knew that whatever it was, God would protect him. As the demon reached its talon hand at him, a brilliant white light started to shine off of Jack. The demon went to take a step back, but it was too late. It was already too close to Jack and its figure started to crack and come apart.
“What…are…you,” the demon struggled to ask.
“I, am a child of the one who is seated on the Throne. The one who is in control of all things and, in the end, will cause the eternal destruction of you and your master. I am a child of God.”
Just then, the prince of darkness blew apart. The other demons hissed and became uneasy. Jack looked at every single one of them. He was no longer just merely a human being, he was an antenna for the power of God.
“Your prince is gone. He has been sent back to the pit of Hell that he came from. Not just by me, but by the power given to me by my Master. So, either you leave this place and never return, or you will have the same demise as your leader. Your choice is now.”
As he said those last words, light flowed from behind him. He turned around to see a group of angels standing their ground behind him, their silhouettes shining brightly against the shroud of darkness before him. Jack turned back to the demons and took a single step forward. The demons literally jumped as his foot landed on the floor. Jack glared at them once more.
“Leave this place in the name of Jesus.”
The demons instantly became full of fear and filled the air with wretched screams. They were pulled into the darkness and the darkness pulled away as well and lifted. The demons were gone.
Jack turned around and stared in awe and wonder at the band of angels before him. He didn’t know what to say to them. One stepped forward to him and looked him in the eyes.
“The Lord is with you, Jack Darranger, always.”
With that, Jack felt tears stream down his cheeks. In everything that had been said to him, in all the things that could have been said to him, those simple words impacted him the most. He nodded at the angel and then they dissipated into thin air.
Jack collapsed to his knees and bowed his head with tears in his eyes.
“Thank you lord, for protecting me with your angels. You are my shield, my strength, and my King.” He opened his eyes and starred at the hall that was now back to normal.
“As for you, Satan. No matter how many times I screw up, my Lord is with me. No matter how many times you tempt me, my King is there to redeem me. No matter if I’m alive or dead, my God has his arms around me. The ground that you have taken and the lives you’ve claimed will be taken back. Your power will be reduced and your grasp will be pulled away. But I’m also here to remind you, your days are numbered.”
With that, Jack stood up and looked up towards the ceiling.
“Thank you Jesus.”
Then, Jack walked down the hallway and out of the school. He then played back the event that just unfolded before him as he walked towards his home. A smile came across his face as he realized that he had just had the first encounter with the real enemy. He also felt in his heart that this was going to be the first of many battles. Amid the little bit of terror that pulled at him with that thought, he welcomed it.
Jack watched as the hallway grew dark. The daylight dissipated and darkness began its reign. Amidst the eerie darkness, numerous pairs of red eyes flashed and stared at Jack as if he wasn’t there. They started to hover from the ceiling, down the walls, and to the floor where the bodies became visible as well. The young man stood his ground at the entrance to the darkness. He knew exactly what was happening in front of him, before his very eyes, the demons were coming.
They hissed as if from a nightmare. From the breathing to the clicking of their overgrown nails, they were all manifesting in an aggressive stance. It wasn’t here to scare any longer, it was here to kill. Jack had known this time was going to come. He didn’t know when, he didn’t know where, but this time, he was ready.
As ten demons stood three feet tall before Jack, another figure appeared. One that was far larger, taller, and more gruesome than the others. It seemed to literally walk out from the shroud of darkness with a low growl. It was a prince of darkness. This prince was the leader of the demonic manifestations that had led up to this event. It had caused pain, suffering, and death for years but now its territory was being threatened. The beast was unreal and the most gruesome and most unimaginable sight that Jack had ever witnessed.
“My name is Anesis,” the demon spoke in a dripping, base tone. “You have been the cause of many issues for me. How dare you challenge me.”
Jack smiled. A week ago, he would have literally turned and ran. But now, he had a lion inside of him that was fearless.
“My name is Jack Darranger, and you are no longer welcome here.”
Anesis laughed deeply as the other demons cackled and hissed in their own ghoulish laughter.
“You are nothing, human. Your death will be slow and painful. I will take pleasure as I destroy you from this existence,” The demon bellowed as he started to take steps towards Jack.
Jack stood his ground. He had no idea of what was about to happen. But, he knew that whatever it was, God would protect him. As the demon reached its talon hand at him, a brilliant white light started to shine off of Jack. The demon went to take a step back, but it was too late. It was already too close to Jack and its figure started to crack and come apart.
“What…are…you,” the demon struggled to ask.
“I, am a child of the one who is seated on the Throne. The one who is in control of all things and, in the end, will cause the eternal destruction of you and your master. I am a child of God.”
Just then, the prince of darkness blew apart. The other demons hissed and became uneasy. Jack looked at every single one of them. He was no longer just merely a human being, he was an antenna for the power of God.
“Your prince is gone. He has been sent back to the pit of Hell that he came from. Not just by me, but by the power given to me by my Master. So, either you leave this place and never return, or you will have the same demise as your leader. Your choice is now.”
As he said those last words, light flowed from behind him. He turned around to see a group of angels standing their ground behind him, their silhouettes shining brightly against the shroud of darkness before him. Jack turned back to the demons and took a single step forward. The demons literally jumped as his foot landed on the floor. Jack glared at them once more.
“Leave this place in the name of Jesus.”
The demons instantly became full of fear and filled the air with wretched screams. They were pulled into the darkness and the darkness pulled away as well and lifted. The demons were gone.
Jack turned around and stared in awe and wonder at the band of angels before him. He didn’t know what to say to them. One stepped forward to him and looked him in the eyes.
“The Lord is with you, Jack Darranger, always.”
With that, Jack felt tears stream down his cheeks. In everything that had been said to him, in all the things that could have been said to him, those simple words impacted him the most. He nodded at the angel and then they dissipated into thin air.
Jack collapsed to his knees and bowed his head with tears in his eyes.
“Thank you lord, for protecting me with your angels. You are my shield, my strength, and my King.” He opened his eyes and starred at the hall that was now back to normal.
“As for you, Satan. No matter how many times I screw up, my Lord is with me. No matter how many times you tempt me, my King is there to redeem me. No matter if I’m alive or dead, my God has his arms around me. The ground that you have taken and the lives you’ve claimed will be taken back. Your power will be reduced and your grasp will be pulled away. But I’m also here to remind you, your days are numbered.”
With that, Jack stood up and looked up towards the ceiling.
“Thank you Jesus.”
Then, Jack walked down the hallway and out of the school. He then played back the event that just unfolded before him as he walked towards his home. A smile came across his face as he realized that he had just had the first encounter with the real enemy. He also felt in his heart that this was going to be the first of many battles. Amid the little bit of terror that pulled at him with that thought, he welcomed it.
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