The Role-Playing League - Season I - IC Thread

Harlekin · Jan 18, 2008

DESIRE: PART III

“So, what’s your name, sugar?” Golden Boy asks.
“Mary Jane.”
“And you, sir?”
“Thomas. Thomas Moore. We’ve already gone through this and it’s starting to tire,” the businessman replies.
“I’m sorry sir, we’re just doing an ID check.”
“But what is going on?”
“Training exercise, sir.”
“Yeah, I got that from your buddy. I know how these training sessions go. You can cut me loose.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that, sir.”
“Do you know who I am?”
“You’re Thomas Moore, sir.”
“Exactly. So who the hell are you to do this to me?”
“I’m a Bancroft, sir.”

Moore gasps and tries to catch his breath.

“You’re not the only one with an impressive name, sir.”
“Well, believe you me, your boss will be hearing from me before this day is through,” the man replies, grumbling.

Bancroft can’t resist a snicker.

“Did I say something funny?”
“No, sir.”
“Then why are you laughing?”
“I’m afraid that’s confidential, sir.” Golden Boy laughs again.
“Well, that’s just great, isn’t it? My tax dollars at work.”
“Sir, if we can just get on with this, this’ll be over before you know it. Now do you two have any identification on you?”

* * *

“Well, now, Ms. Jane, Mr. Robertson, hope we didn’t put too much of a scare in you there.”
“That’s all right. I have a brother in the army,” Kaylie replies, her boss still too frightened too properly respond.
“That’s good to hear, miss. I really am sorry about this, but it is procedure.”
“I understand.”
“Good, then all I need to see is some identification.”

* * *

“We’ve got one, guys!” T.B.M. yells to his unit from across the diner. Sitting across from him are Sarah and Nicholas, crying. Texas Tom leaves his company and joins T.B.M. while Golden Boy also takes a step back, and watches the two other groups.

“We forgot to bring it along!” Sarah exclaims, still crying.
“These kids don’t have ID?” Tex asks.
“Yeah.”

“What do you think, Tex?” T.B.M. asks as he eyes the two teens.
“Colonel said there was only place for one on that ship.”
“Who said the…” T.B.M. turns to the teens “that it couldn’t have split in two?”

The three look at one another. Nicholas and Sarah are still sitting at the table, embracing one another as they cry.

“Keep your eye on ‘em. I’ll get the Colonel,” Tom says as he leaves.

* * *

“Teenagers?” the Colonel asks incredulously.
“Yep.”
“Hmm.”
“T.B.M. is watching them?”
“Got Golden Boy watching the others.”
“Good.”

The Colonel ponders for a moment.

“There really wasn’t place for more than one, of your average human size.”
“Maybe he’s got size-changing powers, Colonel.”
“A possibility. How do they look?”
“Average teens. Nothing out of the ordinary.”
“What’s their connection?”
“They say they’re brother and sister.”
“That a possibility?”
“There’s certainly a family resemblance.”
“Anyway we can check out their story?”
“Says they’ve got a mother living close by.”
“Call her.”
“You sure, sir?”
“Alien can’t fake a phone call and a mother, can he?”

* * *

“Oh, my poor babies!” the mother yells as she runs towards her children. They collapse in each other’s arms, crying.
“Ma’am?” the Colonel asks, coming up to the family.

The mother turns to him, fury in her eyes.

“Where do you think--”
“Ma’am,” he repeats, firmly. She stays silent.
“I suggest you leave now.”

Silently, the mother and her children shuffle out of the diner.

“We’ve still got our bogey, sir,” Texas Tom says as he looks at the family leaving.
“I know. Did you finish the ID checks?”
“We didn’t get the chance.”
“We might have tipped it off by now. We need to do this fast.”
“Aye aye, sir.”

The unit, lead by the Colonel approach Kaylie and her boss.

“What was that all about?” she asks, biting her lip immediately afterwards.
“Can’t tell you, Ma’am, have you got your ID?”
“Here,” she says as she hands over the cards for her and her boss.

T-Rex looks over the cards.

“Good.”
“Can we go too?”
“We need you to wait here for a few more minutes.”

The Colonel walks along to Golden Boy.

“You were watching these two, Captain?”
“That’s right, sir. Mary Jane and James.”
“Mary Jane? An odd name for a man,” the Colonel says as he turns to the two customers.
“A man, sir?” Texas Tom asks as he comes up behind T-Rex and Golden Boy. “I ain’t ever seen a man that fine.”

The Colonel furrows his brow at Tex.

“Yeah, Colonel. That ebony goddess looks nothing like a man,” T.B.M. throws into the conversation.
“Ebony? You blind too, T?” Golden Boy now says with a laugh “That ain’t --”
“Ah, hell,” the Colonel says as the unit realizes…

Immediately, the four men grab their rifles and aim them at the woman/man.

“Please, I meant no harm,” the man/woman responds, its form now shimmering, showing a decidedly inhuman form. “I just wanted to --”

<BLAM!>

The shot rings through the air, and it feels like time slows. The boss and secretary scream. The businessman is about to but the alien blood flinging into his mouth prevents it. The owner has ducked under his counter. The alien, his form now truly revealed, lies dead in the seat, the blood dripping from the hole shot straight through his head.

“Colonel?”
“I do believe that alien just threatened to kill us all,” the Colonel turns to his crew. “Didn’t he?”

The members of the unit look at each other, in shock, but also understanding.

“The alien was about to threaten to murder us after already killing all of the diner’s occupants. Does anyone have a problem with that report?”
“No, sir,” the others reply in unison.
“Then you know what to do.”

“Eliminate all witnesses.”

Mr. Marko · Jan 18, 2008

The Adventures of the Gumption Crew
and the Out of this World Diner
by Mr. Marko

The large airship known as The Gumption rose high above the large desert below. It's occupants: Tube Highwind and his small team of government agents. "Mia, what's our status on the crash site?"

Mia Stronglight, the team's technical specialist, pressed several times on the display screen and read the information it gave her. "E.T.A. on the crash site is three minutes."

"Steel, are the conditions safe to land?"

Steel Stalactum, the team's geographical expert, read a topographical map of the area. "Looks good, Tube. We just need to make sure the area is secure of civilians before we make our landing."

"Any local gathering places?"

"It looks like there's a fairly new diner not too far from the crash site."

Tube nodded. "I'm going to cloak the ship and lower it down on the side opposite the crash side from the diner."

Showtime McGrimm, the team's muscle, spoke up. "We'll need to question the people of the diner, too."

Tube nodded. "Good idea. Stand by for landing."

*********************************************

"Uh...this doesn't make sense, Tube." Mia crouched over the small remains of the ship.

"Why?"

Mia stood up. "First of all, there is no way that a vessel this small could have made it through the environment without completely disintegrating. Second, there is no pilot."

Steel looked at her in confusion. "What?! How is that even possible?"

Mia shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure. Its almost like this is a smaller part of a larger ship that broke off during the landing."

Tube glaced over at Showtime. "What do you think?"

Showtime looked over at the diner, only a couple hundred miles away. "You know what I think." A large grin spread across his face.

"It's showtime."

*******************************************

"You're sure you didn't see anything?"

The Out of this World Diner was a small place, obviously for passers-by to go to when they needed a bite to eat while travelling through the desert from one city to another. Since the nuclear war the world had been a wasteland, marked only by self-contained cities. Along the roads were often these types of diners, since the journey could be days from one city to the next.

Pepper Chives, the resident manager/chef of the diner, stuttered a bit under the accusation. "I...no! I mean, I heard a loud crash, but that's it!"

Showtime leaned in. "A crash?" He made sure to reveal a large baton under his jacket to the man. "Since the crash have you noticed anything strange?"

Mr. Chives stuttered. "Well...I...the only thing I've noticed was that before the big crash, I had five customers in here. After there were six."

Showtime and Tube looked at each other. "And do you know most of these people?"

He pointed. "I know all but those two in the corner."

Tube nodded. "Thank you. I reccomend that you stay on your toes, Mr. Chives. This may get ugly." He turned to Steel and Mia. "You two, go outside and try to find any evidence of any sort of strange life form that may have accompanied our friend. Evidence of the rest of the craft that landed. Anything."

Steel nodded. "You've got it, boss."

He turned to Showtime. "You take the one in the corner, I'll take this one."

"Deal."

Tube moved over to the small stall of a short, strange man. "Excuse me. All the tables seem to be taken. Would you mind if I have a seat?"

The man looked up from his menu. "Yeah, fine."

Tube sat down and offered his hand. "The name's Captain Highwind of the Intercity Law Enforcement."

The man smirked. "Max."

"I hope you don't mind, Max, but we're investigating a disturbance in the area and if you don't mind, I'd like to check your Identification Chip."

Max's face went blank. "Chip?"

"Yes, your government issued ID Chip. It's required by law that you carry it on your person at all times, Max."

Max searched his pockets. "You know...I usually have it with me. I forgot it today though."

Tube stared at him. "You forgot it?"

Max tried to fake regret, but Tube saw though it. "I'm afraid so. Sorry."

Tube faked a smile. "Could you excuse me?" Tube sat up and motioned to Showtime.

Showtime got up and walked to the counter. "The guy's clean, man. Just a passer-by. Likes to keep to himself. No wonder the manager didn't know him."

Suddenly, Steel and Mia came in. "Something alien definately has been here recently. We've got footprints all outside right now."

"Good work, guys."

Mia spoke up, interrupting Tube. "Something else is wrong, Tube. This diner is seriously messed up. The entire construction is like nothing I've ever seen."

Tube turned towards Mia. "We'll leave the diner's structural schematics to the engineers at HQ, Mia. We have a more pressing matter on our hands." He turned the team's attention to Max, who quietly ate his waffles. "This is Max. He failed to produce his ID Chip, and he's the only one who comes across as suspicious."

Steel clenched his fist. "Let's take him in!"

Tube nodded. "Be ready for a fight, though. This could end badly."

Showtime moved toward Max and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Excuse me, Max. I'm afraid you're going to need to come with us."

Max quickly grabbed Max's large, muscular hand and squeezed hard. "I'm afraid that's not possible, pal."

Showtime fell to his knees in pain as Max squeezed harder, crushing the bones in Showtimes hands. "Ahhhhhhh!"

Max tossed Showtime aside and drew two highly advanced pistols. "I'm not going anywhere with you swine!"

The other customers in the diner screamed in fear as Max stood infront of the three remaining agents. Quickly, Mia grabbed a small rod from her belt and pressed the button, instantly extending it into a large staff. Tube pressed a button on his glove, pulling the hilt of a hidden sword from under his jacket and into his hand. Steel flipped a small switch on his wrist and a small gun popped out and he aimed it at Max.

"Max, we don't want to hurt you. Just come quietly and we can talk."

Suddenly, Mr. Chives slammed his hands on the counter. "Stop this! Captain, I am apawled at your-"

"Silence, Mr. Chives. This is a matter of Intercity security."

Max laughed. "Intercity security?! Who the hell do you think I am?"

Steel held his wrist-cannon up and smirked. "Dead if you don't drop the guns and come quietly."

Max laughed. "Oh, shut the hell up." He aimed both of his guns at Steel and fired, hitting him in the arm. The impact triggered his wrist-cannon as he fell into the counter and onto the floor, striking the wall behind Max. Suddenly, steam began to pour from the bullethole and into the diner, scalding Max. "Ahhhh!"

Tube turned to Mr. Chives. "What the hell is that?!"

Mr. Chives suddenly wound up and punch Tube across the jaw, sending him flying onto a nearby table. "You fools! You've compromised my position! My ship! My cover! Everything!" He went behind the counter and hit a button. "I have to get out of here." He suddenly began to change form as metal within the diner began to clang.

Tube picked himself up. "What are you doing?!" Suddenly, he caught a glimpse at what once was Mr. Chives.

"I'm going home."

Mia shouted at Tube as the seats in the diner began to fold up as the diner changed form. "We've got to get everyone out of here, now! This place is taking off!"

Showtime got off the floor. "You heard the lady, everyone! Get the hell out of here!" The people ran scared out of the diner.

"Mia, help Steel!" Tube ran out of the diner, helping an old woman as she stumbled out of the exit.

Mia put her arm around Steel and lifted him up. "Let's go, buddy. We've got alot more adventures that just this. You can do this." The two of them ran toward the exit, but suddenly a large metal plate slid over it, sealing the exit. "Damn!"

Steel spoke in gasps of air. "Don't worry, there's more than one way to bail out of a flying diner." He aimed his wrist-cannon at a nearby window and fired, smashing it out. "Go!"

The two of them ran fullspeed and dove out of the window just before another metal plate slammed over that window. They rolled on the sand for a moment as the diner continued to change into a spacecraft. Suddenly, in a moment, it lifted off the ground and in a blur, flew into the sky and vanished.

**********************************************

Again aboard the Gumption, Tube, Steel, Mia, and Showtime relaxed on route to their headquarters. "The small pod must have been supplies. It's the only explanation."

"That means they have recon positions throughout the world."

Steel nursed his wound. "Do you think they've inflitrated the cities yet?"

Tube shook his head. "I doubt it. We would have found something by now."

Showtime chuckled. "Well, at least we know they're watching us now. Hopefully, they're just curious."

Tube laughed. "I doubt it. I think they're looking for weaknesses. We should tell HQ its time to prepare. Afterall, they could strike at any time."

Feature · Jan 20, 2008

THE ROLE-PLAYING LEAGUE
SEASON I, WEEK 5
-------------------------------------------------------

INITIAL SCENARIO
Eva Jordan is your average housewife. She has a loving husband and wonderful children. Her life is almost too good to be true...
Suddenly, she begins experiencing strange visions. They become more frequent and more jarring as time goes on. She begins to believe that they may actually be repressed memories. These visions center around Mittelos Bioscience, a mysterious laboratory at the edge of town...
Pushed to the edge, Eva arms herself and storms the lab, demanding answers. But she learns that sometimes, ignorance is bliss...

CONDITIONS
Each team must satisfy two of the following four conditions in their telling of the story...

Eva learns that the conspiracy may not just affect her, but some of her family as well. In what capacity are they involved?
Eva learns that she might not be the victim in this situation after all? What dark secrets are buried in her past?
In addition to the visions she experiences, Eva also develops a strange ability. What is it, and how might it help her on her quest?
During her raid on the laboratory, Eva comes face to face with the man in charge and realizes that they share a connection that is stranger than she had previously imagined. What is it?

THIS WEEK'S POSTERS:
Apprentice, ElectroFlare, Mistress Gluon, Syn (Mercenary), Catman_prb

DUE DATE:
Sunday, January 27th, 7:00pm

Apprentice · Jan 26, 2008

“Hello, Mrs Jordan. We’ve been waiting for you to wake up, so we could get started.”

“Started? What do you mean?”

A metallic whirring – akin to that of a drill – burst into life, assaulting her ear drums with increasing volume. She panicked, struggled, shrieked as it grew ever closer.

“What are you doing to me? Please, stop! I’m begging you –” she yelped, writhing against the restraints that bonded her to the cold, hard slab. “I haven’t done anything to you! I haven’t done anything to anyone! Please, oh God, no…”

A malicious chuckle bubbled forth from the silhouetted figure’s mouth, almost drowned out by the mechanical noise of the drill. “We know that, Mrs Jordan. But your mere existence is unacceptable to us.”

“Who are you? Why does this keep happening to me?”

“Don’t worry about this,” he said softly, his coarse fingers running across her forehead. “Mittelos Bioscience will take good care of you.”

The drill tip brushed against her throat –

* * *

Eva Jordan awoke with a start, coated in beads of horrifyingly cold sweat. Her raven-hued hair was matted and hung limply, melding in with the shadows that shrouded her bedroom. She felt her husband, Jonathan, shuffle uncomfortably at her side, his eyelids parting as consciousness slowly began to seep back into his weary form. Eva swallowed hard, suddenly all too aware of the headache that throbbed between her temples. If Jonathan questioned her again, he would force her to visit some sort of sleep therapist, a length which she was not prepared to go to. She refused to be subjected to the cold examination of a bizarrely-minded doctor that would no doubt to be able to draw some false meaning out of her visions. At that, she mentally reprimanded herself, wondering when they had stopped being nightmares and started being ‘visions’.

She slumped back, allowing her head to sink into her pillow, and mimicked a deep slumber.

“Too late, Eva,” Jonathan groaned tiredly, driving himself into an upright position and resisting a yawn. “I saw you making your dive for cover.”

Eva grunted in frustration and turned away from her partner, gazing at the majestic oak wardrobe across from her. “I’m fine, Jon. Just a bad dream, is all.”

A sigh escaped Jon’s lips. “Eva, please…I know you don’t want to go to Doctor Mayhew, but he’s a professional. He’s good at what he does.”

“Of course he is. But you could teach a damn monkey how to talk crap,” Eva retorted, cynicism lacing her tone. “You’re taking all this far too seriously. Recurring dreams are pretty common.”

“I love you. I have three beautiful children with you.” He paused, settling a firm yet reassuring grip on her shoulder. “Won’t you do this for me? Please?”

“The funds needed for an appointment with him are exorbitant. We could take the kids out for a day with that kind of money. I’m not being selfish, Jon, I just don’t want to disrupt our family,” she returned insistently.

“We’ve got plenty of cash, dear. We live in Beverly Hills, so I think we can afford a therapist.”

Eva drew the bed covers tighter around her slim, toned body. “I don’t need a therapist. What I need is sleep.”

“Which you’re never going to get if this carries on.” Jon entangled his finger in her dark tresses, and leaned closer, his breath dancing across her earlobe as he spoke worriedly. “What did you see this time?”

Eva took a deep breath before answering. “It was the shadowy man again. I was on a table of some sort, and there was a drill that was on my throat. He said something about…Mittelos Bioscience. He said they’d take good care of me.”

Jon remained silent for a moment. “Mittelos Bioscience. Have you heard this name before?”

“No. Why? You sound panicked.”

Jon launched himself to his feet and charged from the chamber, muttering incoherently under his breath. Eva, flustered, followed him eagerly, her brow furrowed bemusedly. He stopped in the kitchen and she moved to his side, watching with her rouged lips pursed as he dug through a small pile of papers, finally yanking a newspaper dated for three days ago from the heap.

“Jon, I don’t understand,” she admitted. “What are you doing?”

Jon tossed the crinkled sheets onto the table and straightened them out with a flat palm, before drawing back and directing a single digit towards the main headline. “You see now?”

Eva gasped, raising her hand to her mouth. “Oh…”

MITTELOS BIOSCIENCE
ESTABLISHES BRANCH IN BEVERLY HILLS
NEW PROJECTS TO BE UNVEILED AT EXHIBITION
STORY BY LOIS LANE
PICTURES BY PETER PARKER

She leaned in closer, eager to examine the article, her gaze moving frantically from side to side as she absorbed the text. “It’s meaningless, tells me nothing about my dreams…”

“We’ve got to go there, Eva,” Jon urged, curling his fingers into tight fists. “These nightmares have been plaguing you for months. This could be the answer!”

“Or it could just be something I picked up subliminally. Jon, I have a really bad feeling about this…I don’t want to go there.” She shook her head vigorously, struggling to contain the sickening sensation that was tingling through her stomach.

“We’ve got no choice!” Jon snapped incredulously. “We have to do this, now. I know it.”

Eva bowed her head, and felt a lump rise into her throat.

“I’ll wake Tim, have him watch over his sisters,” Jon interjected, tearing into her brief private reverie. “Get dressed.”

Eva watched as he left her, stalking back into the hallways with a grim determination asserting itself over his expression. She felt a shiver spider across her back, and moved to the dresser. “If we’re going there…” She jammed a key into one of the locked drawers and pulled it open; then, she scooped up the pistol within and cradled it in her hands. “…we have to be prepared for anything.”

With shreds of fear blanketing her mind, Eva Jordan returned to her bedroom and began to prepare herself for the coming hours.

Green Lantern · Jan 27, 2008

Part of this is from Catman, part from me. See if you can tell which.

RPG League Week Five: The Story of Eva Jordan

Eva could see in the dark, but it wasnt dark. It was light, a bright, unnatural light that made her eyes scream in protest. Within the lightness there were people, walking about busily, their white coats swishing behind them. She scanned forwards and entered a laboratory. She saw a face pushed up against the glass, grotesquely distorted. It made her scream, even in her dream. The dull eyes were staring at her, a slack grin on its face.
Eva woke in her bed, covered in sweat. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes, and looked groggily around the room. Her husband lay next to her with his back facing her, sleeping calmly under the covers. Shivering slightly from the cold air, she pulled herself from the bed, grabbing a dressing gown to cover her nudity. She walked to her wardrobe and looked down at the very bottom. She pulled out a leather-backed photo album, which always soothed her when Sam wasnt around to comfort her himself.
She turned to her favourite picture; Eva and Sam at their wedding, being showered in confetti. Among the crowd of people Eva could make out Rick Thompson, Sams best man. She had never approved of Rick, and only suffered him because he was the one reminder of Sams past, despite their differences. Sam had pale blond hair and a medium build. He was always immaculately shaven, and his eyes were full of knowledge behind his glasses. Sam was strict but fair with their two children, who had been sent to camp a week before. Eva loved Sam for what he was; a good, smart, loving man.

On the other hand there was Rick. He was tall with short brown hair, and was frequently unshaven. Whenever he came to see his god-children, he would horrify them with his tales from the army, or he would come to take Sam drinking. Eva wrinkled her nose whenever he entered the room.
Soothed by the picture, Eva returned to her bed, and slept a dreamless sleep.

She woke up again, when the alarm went of at 7 am, to see Sam climbing out of bed.

Come back to bed honey, she moaned its Saturday, dont they ever let you rest at that place?

Its my job, love, Sam said in the cute English accent that Eva adored. He flashed a grin at her, then left the room. Eva knew that when, or if she got up, there would be breakfast downstairs waiting for her. She just wished she could say the same about Sam. Eventually she prised herself out of bed, walking downstairs to find Sam already gone. She quickly ran upstairs and pulled some clothes on, when she heard a knock on the door.

She walked down the stairs briskly, but froze. There was a blinding flash, and she felt herself falling forwards

A door to the laboratory opened, and Sam walked in. She could make out some of the words being said, from behind the glass enclosing her. She strained to hear the people talking.

Dr. Jordan, its good to see you. Subject X49 is nearing her release date. Everything seems to be in order. Are you still going to sign her out?

Well someone has to, dont they? You have the artificial memories programmed?

Yes, sir. She wont remember anything we had her do, and shell think that the two of you were college sweet hearts.

What about Dr. Baxter?

Hell be the secondary contact. She will remember him only as your best friend. To avoid trouble, however, she will detest him, think that hes a bit crude and obnoxious.

Well, he is a bit, isnt he?

The other doctor chuckled a bit, and looked at her in her glass cell. The cold grin that he shot her, shook her out of the daze she was in.

She woke in a heap on the bottom of the stairs. Her ankle screamed in pain, either twisted, or more likely broken from her fall. She heard another, impatient rapping on the door. Through the window in front of her, she takes a quick glance out, and sees Rick on the porch. An impatient look graces his face as he knocks yet again.

Ill be down in a minute! She yells, her memory reaching back to the vision she had had. Rick works with Sam, for the lab. They were doing things to me. What?

She limps to the kitchen, and without thinking, she uses two small wooden rods to splint her leg. She did this unconsciously, and hadnt realized what she did until it was done. How did I know how to do that?

Within moments of splinting her leg, she was due for another shock. The muscles and bones in her ankle seemed to be repairing themselves, and she felt no more pain. What the hell is going on with me?!?

Scared, she grabbed a knife off the table, as Rick knocked on the door again, more violently this time. Christ Woman! LET ME IN!

Oh, Ill let you in, and THEN youre going to tell me whats going on, you bastard.

She stuck the knife in the back of her jeans, and limped over to the front door. She opened it to let Rick in, and he stormed past her. Took your goddamned time, woman. Ive gotta p**s.

She watched as he stormed up the stairs, and quietly she followed him. As he shut the door, she felt light headed, and crumpled to the floor outside the bathroom.

She wasnt in the lab room this time. She was in open air. It was cold, every breath she took wisped out in clouds from her mouth. She looked around, to take in her surroundings. She sat perched on a rooftop, the buildings around her were all old, nothing seemed higher than three stories. In the distance she could see a parade approaching. She had a mission, thats why she was here. In front of her, she saw a rifle sitting on a tripod.

She woke with a start as the toilet flushed. She was fully aware of the lump in her throat, either her heart or her stomach, she wasnt sure which. She felt for the knife behind her back and grasped the wooden handle, feeling safer knowing it was there. She heard the door knob turning, and before she knew what she was doing, she threw the door open with a strength she didnt realize she had.

WHAT THE CHRIST?!? Rick yelled as she shoved him back into the bathroom, and whipped the knife out from behind her back.

What the hell is going on with me, Rick?

She had him backed against the shower stall, the large knife pressed against his throat.

I dont ave a bloody fegging clue what youre talking about, girly.

The lab. What do you two do at the lab, Rick?

The lab? I dont work at no lab, thats Sams gig. Getting us all a confused Eva?

He gasped in pain as she pressed the knife closer to his throat. The thin line of blood trickled down his neck. Shut up, Rick! I know you work there too. I remember!

The color drained from his face, as he tried to pass it off that she was insane, the look in his eyes said otherwise.

Yes, you dont know what to say now, do you, Rick? Caught in your web of lies, isnt that so? Now. Youre going to get into the car with me, and were going to drive to the lab. On the way, youre going to explain it to me, or they will find pieces of you along the highway for the next thirty years. Understand?

She moved the knife from his throat, where blood now drizzled down onto his chest, and poked it in his gut, not quite drawing blood yet. They marched toward the door, and got into his Saturn. As they sat, she placed the knife daringly on his thigh, threatening to bleed out his femoral artery if he decided to try anything. As they drove towards the outskirts of town, Rick nervously started talking.

Mittelos isnt what you think it is. But youve already figured that out. Biosciences are just the public cover. Were actually a firm run by the U.S. Government. Our mission, which up until today has been successful, is to bioengineer the perfect soldiers.

But Im not a soldier!

No. You were something better. The next step, if you will. The perfect assassin. One who would do her missions and then disappear forever, with no memory of the action. Apparently the artificial memories are not as good as we had thought though.

This sudden revelation struck Eva like a ten ton load of bricks. Suddenly the visions made sense, and now she remembered everything. Suddenly, violently, she threw up, all over the dashboard of Ricks car. He just grinned, the sadistic man that he was, he was taking pleasure in ripping her life away from her.

Oh, that aint even the best of it, sweetheart.

A cruel gleam reached his eyes as he looked over at her.

Ole Sammy doesnt love you. Not in the least. Hes getting PAID to stay with you. To keep an eye on you. Make sure you dont regress. To put you down when and if you did. Which seems to be now. He warned me when I got to work today. Said you were mumbling in your sleep about the lab, that you woke up in a cold sweat. Asked me to come get you.

He continued to grin as he knocked the knife away from her now limp hand. She seemed to be in shock, sobbing loudly. As they pulled up to the labs, she saw Sam standing outside, with something in his hand.

Is that. Is that A gun? Oh god.

Rick noticed her hyperventilating, and chuckled to himself. Heh, suppose now that the memory blocks are off, you realize that you have a healing factor we engineered right? That theres only one way to kill you? Maybe you shouldnt be too scared, after all, he might miss, and youre strong enough to overpower him. But, dont worry. Theres a story in place to tell the kids. Tragic car accident, idiot drunk driver Sad really.

Before she could stop him, he had reached across her lap and thrown open her door. As he shoved her out the open door and onto the pavement, she looked up and saw the muzzle flash. It was the last thing she ever saw.

Apprentice · Jan 27, 2008

The journey to Mittelos Bioscience was accentuated by a tense silence, and Eva spent the time gazing out of the car window, pondering the outcome of their midnight visit. Jon had purposely and obviously occupied himself with the driving duties, and was feigning a look of deep concentration in order to stymie any kind of conversation; she welcomed the prevention, as the absence of speech – although uncomfortable – was far preferable to any forced interaction. There was little to discuss, after all, and Eva knew that he had already noted the gun-shaped bulge in her purse. That had earned her quizzical quirk of his eyebrow, which she had neglected a response. No-one could understand the strange aching in her gut, or the whispers in the corners of her mind that were warning her senses against the bizarre expedition.

“We’re here,” John announced, drawing the vehicle to a halt.

This particular branch of the organisation was largely unremarkable. It was generic in appearance, and no doubt in nature. The establishment consisted of three towering white-washed structures and a small courtyard adorned with scattered shrubs and bushes. Surrounding it all was a chain-linked metal fence, and uniformed security guards were posted at every entrance, their eyelids drooping slightly as they contemplated the prospect of remaining in the same poise for several more hours.

“…what now?” Eva asked. “It’s closed. We can’t just break in.”

Jon led her to a small external door, marked very definitely as intended for staff use only. “Here.” He gestured to an electronic keypad planted squarely below the door handle.

“What about it?”

“Place your finger on the keypad and think about it opening,” Jon instructed in hushed tones. “Just think. Very, very hard.”

Eva eyed her husband scornfully. “This is no time for games, Jon. I want to go home.”

Jon returned the glare. “Do it.”

Eva cursed openly, making sure to exaggerate her footsteps as she moved toward the keypad and pressed her slender fingers against the cold metallic keys. At Jon’s urging to concentrate, she bowed her head ever so slightly and obeyed him; her senses seemed to heighten for a single moment and the air around her snapped back in suspense…and then she turned irritably to Jon and growled, “Happy now? What was that supposed to accomplish?”

Click.

Eva’s eyes widened as the keypad flashed green and the door swung open.

“That,” Jon commented triumphantly, and stepped inside.

Eva moved hesitantly after him, her heart pounding hard and threatening to explode out of her chest. She felt bile rise within her throat and choked it back as she began to talk. “What the…oh God, Jon, what the hell did I just do? How did you know…?”

“It doesn’t matter. All that matters now is finding and destroying the files on Project: Nova,” Jon mumbled, darting through the winding corridors with a sense of urgency.

Eva, her breathing shallowing with every second, began to tremble as he burst into a small office full of filing cabinets. “Jon…what are you doing? What’s happening?” she cried, watching as he began to rummage through swathes of folders.

Jon did not reply, instead continuing his hasty search through the miscellaneous sheets of paper. He paused at a small heap banded together by an elastic band and grinned, tossing them to Eva. “Burn them.”

“What are they?” Eva’s voice shook as she made the enquiry, attempting to barricade herself against the flood of emotion that was building in her head. Each of the files was marked with a symbol identifying itself as Project: Nova.

“Trust me, Eva. Just burn them.” Jon leaned in close, his tone intense as he pressed the tip of his nose against hers. “You know I love you. I wouldn’t want you to do this if it wasn’t important. Please, just burn them. I’ll explain everything later.”

Eva nodded slowly, reluctantly, her pessimistic premonition overcome with a desperation to obey him. She slipped a hand into her purse, passing the pistol, and retrieved a lighter. The flame flickered to life at the spin of a wheel, glimmering in the darkness. She shifted it to the side and it leapt onto the gathering of files, dancing across the paper with frightening ease. Inhaling deeply and dazedly, she thrust the burning pile into the bin and returned her focus to Jon. “Jon…” she pleaded, not quite sure what she was begging for – an explanation, or another direction?

“What is that noise?” a new voice interrupted.

Eva and Jon span to face the new arrival. He was short, stout, and a pair of spectacles rested lopsidedly atop the bridge of his nose.

“Oh,” he hissed, upon seeing the miniature inferno blazing in the disposal can. A moment of indecision overwhelmed each of the trio…until Jon noticed the nametag, and the scientist launched himself towards the security alarm.

“Eva, stop him!” Jon barked.

Kingsley’s hand closed around the alarm switch – but he stopped abruptly as he heard the sound of a gun’s hammer being cocked. “Dear lord.”

Eva directed the barrel of the firearm at Kingsley’s forehead. “Step away from the alarm. Jon, who is this man? I need answers. Now!”

“Vernon Kingsley,” Jon explained hurriedly, evidently intimidated by the weapon in his companion’s grasp. “He’s the man that can give you answers to all your questions. He’s the one that’s been doing this to you!”

“How do you know?” Eva half-sobbed, half-grunted. “How do you know all this?”

She felt Jon’s lips against her neck, and a shiver reached down to her spine.

“Trust me…” he whispered, his words tickling across her back.

In that moment, Kingsley drove his palm towards the alarm.

Blam.

In that moment, Eva Jordan shot him dead.

And in that moment, her husband dissolved into the air.

Eva crumpled to her knees, vomit overflowing from her mouth and coating her chin as gravity pulled it downwards. “Wha…ugh…” Her head whipped wildly from side to side, yellowish spittle flying from her mouth. “Jon…”

“Don’t worry, my dear woman.” A strangely familiar figure appeared in the doorway, cloaked in an overly large trenchcoat. He extended a hand to Eva, casually propping one foot on Kingsley’s motionless corpse. “Everything will be explained.”

Apprentice · Jan 27, 2008

“What’s going on?” Eva questioned softly, her energy spent and the sound of the gunshot still ringing in her ears. “Where’s Jon?”

“Oh, my sweet…” the thin, frail moustached man said. “Jonathan never existed.”

“Who are you? What are you talking about?” she wailed, thrashing uselessly against the floor.

“I’m Samuel Whitacker, and I’m here to bring you peace,” he told her condescendingly. “Allow me to explain, and all will become clear. Your husband doesn’t exist. Neither does Eva Jordan. Your life is a lie, constructed by myself. You may think me harsh and cruel for saying such things, but trust me: you have performed a great service today.”

“Liar.” She spat the single word with a blend of contempt and sorrow.

“I’m telling the truth, Eva. And you know that. Although I’m sure you won’t mind me calling you by your real name now,” Whitacker continued. “You don’t, do you Sarah?”[/B]

“I want my husband.”

Whitacker knelt beside her and kissed her gently on the forehead. “I’ve been through this. He’s gone now, because your purpose is done. You’ve killed Vernon Kingsley, and allowed my plan to go ahead.”

Tears flooded down Eva’s cheeks, the use of the name ‘Sarah’ and the note of truth in Whitacker’s words fuelling them. “…I don’t understand…”

Whitacker smiled pityingly, his thumb caressing her cheek. “I took you, Sarah, as a child. I knew you were special, I realised the potential that you had. I brought that out within you…”

“The keypad.”

“Yes, yes!” Whitacker exclaimed, nodding enthusiastically. “And I used my own abilities to create you a life of perfection. I wanted you to be happy, my dear, before the inevitable fulfilment of your job.”

Eva choked back a further rush of sadness. “Sarah, Tim, Joanna…?”

“Illusions generated by me. Like Jonathan. I needed you to be content, so that when the dreams began to happen, you would be disturbed enough to be spurred into action by your husband. I am sorry to say that I had to manipulate you into doing this; if I could have done it any other way, I would’ve.” Whitacker paused. “Mittelos Bioscience, Vernon Kingsley…they are all real, you know.”

Eva bowed her head, convulsing with the sense of revelation. “You…you…why? Why?”

“Doctor Kingsley was going to present a discovery involving Project: Nova to the press tomorrow morning. It’s all rather complicated, really, but the general gist of it is that he had found a way to manipulate and nullify the effects of extraterrestrial energy. The kind of energy that I need for my strategy.” Whitacker leaned across and dappled his fingers in the scarlet liquid gushing from the lifeless scientist’s open wound. “I am truly sorry it had to come to such a…messy conclusion, but sacrifices must be made if humanity is to be purified.” His eyes widened as he stared into Eva’s bloodshot gaze. “I’m clearing the way, you see. For them. When the strong have been weeded out from the weak, they’ll come here and they’ll start it all again, from the very beginning.”

Eva’s shoulders fell.

“It will be perfect.” Whitacker scooped up the pistol and pressed it against his puppet’s throat. “Like you were, tonight. Don’t worry, Sarah. This won’t be nearly as painful as the drill you dreamed about.”

“It’s over?” she groaned quietly.

“It’s over. You played your part well. I’ll see to it that you are honoured in death.”

He pulled the trigger. The bullet ripped into Eva’s neck and exploded out of the other side; satisfied with his handiwork, Whitacker rose to his feet and made his exit swift. Alarms began to sound about the establishment of Mittelos Bioscience, and as footsteps neared the room, Eva Jordan rose to her feet. The bullet hole was cleanly closed, and her tears had dissipated.

“Time to show you just how special I am, Mister Whitacker.”

The End…?

Blacklight · Jan 27, 2008

Two black shrouded figures, talking in a dark lab. She doesn't know how she's seeing it, but she is.

"It's done."

"Ten more years, then..."

The last thing she sees, is a calendar reading 1998.

******************************

"Mom! Get up! I gots to go to school!"

Eva Jordan. That was her name. Your normal housewife. Not desperate. The complete opposite as a matter of fact...

Husband. Child. Skeleton-free closet. She had it all, but something felt weird. Dreams she have been experiencing recently have her on edge. Seeing them either asleep or awake. No signs of where they are originating. No clues except the out of date calender and a sign saying 'Mittelos'. She didn't let it get in the way of her normal life though. She was curious though...

******************************

"Have a nice day at school, Tyson!"

"Bye, mom!"

Tyson was her loving son. She would do anything to protect him. Eva shared a bond with him that no one could break.

"I got to go too, honey."

"Bye, Adam. I see you later."

Her husband Adam. They've been together for almost nine years, and have always loved each other. Conveniently enough, his work was next to Tyson's school.

Driving on her way back, she passed by this building with a sign. It looked like a laboratory, and the sign said 'Mittelo's Bioscience'.

"Wha--"

CLUNK!

She lost concentraion and scraped the car next to her. She was fine, but the airbag was deployed. The guy in the car next to her's was yelling and screaming, but she got out with her purse in hand, looking at the buiding...

"S-sorry. I-I'll pay the damages..." She said staring at the building still. She wanted to go inside and get to the bottom of the mystery of her dreams....

*****************************

"Hello? Anyone here?"

Saved · Jan 27, 2008

The Theory of Life

Part I

Life. A simple, yet so complicated principal. In one perspective, it is the normalcy. Life is a stage of humanity. It is something we know from birth. Its existence is something everything on the planet has come to accept. But, as to how life comes about, that is the complicated part.

For years, the human race has tried to replicate life. The process of cloning cells in the attempt of making a living breathing organism. But cloning is not creating something original, it is not making a completely different entity. Cloning is defined simply as the replication of pre-existing life, producing a copy. But, what if, somehow, we were wrong? What if a clone of a being is not truly the same repeated, but a completely new entity altogether?

Roswell, New Mexico

In the dry, arid town of Roswell live normal, American citizens. Despite the events that happened in this area in its past, the inhabitants have strived to be more than their legend. As their stories go, Roswell had one of the biggest UFO incidents in the country, stirring up many important questions. Since then, people have claimed to be visited by these extra-terrestrials. However, most of these claims have been refuted. While the minority claim delusions, the majority try to live their lives as normal as possible.

On twenty-four Rose Avenue lives the couple of Eva and Adam Jordan. This couple has lived in the town all their lives. Through the years, the couple has had two children, Gregory and Jasmine. The biological twins have been close ever since birth, sharing a special bond only twins know.
The Jordan family has been living happily in their town for many years. But, for some reason, Eva has been having nightmares. Each night, she awakes in a violent stir, waking her husband and children with frightening shrieks and screams. She has been to various doctors and psychologists over the past few months in hopes of ending her curse.

A nightmare is defined as the term currently used to refer to a dream which causes a strong unpleasant emotional response from the sleeper, typically fear or horror, or the sensations of pain, falling, drowning or death. Science has discovered that nightmares are produced from the inactive part of the brain known as the subconscious. The subconscious is known as the “unconscious brain.” It takes in the memories or experience felt or seen during the day, and compiles them into dreams, or illusions experienced while the body is in a resting state.

Most of the time, dreams are just ideas or events contrived by the subconscious, but sometimes, dreams can be flashbacks, portals to the past. The common census records these flashbacks as actual events that occurred in reality with various twists or perversions, altering it from its original experience. But what happens when the person experiences a flashback they don’t remember? Does the person in question simply right it off as a bad dream, or does it trigger something else?

“How is she?”

“Doing fine, Doctor Harper.”

“Excellent. Inform our associates project Klon is on schedule.”

“Sir, she’s waking up. What do I do?”

“What we always do.”

“Of course.”

“Aaaahhhhh!” Eva Jordan awakes from her sleep with an ear shattering scream. She sits up right in bed, her eyes wide open, the white pupils piercing through the dark room. Her husband immediately springs to his feet, jumping from the bed in panic. As his wife continuous to scream, Adam looks around the room, searching for any threat. After a few seconds, he realizes the problem, and turns back to his wife.

“Honey!” he says frantically as he tries to calm Eva down. “Calm down. Calm down. What is it?”

“They tried to probe me! My God! The needle! The scalpels!” Adam sits back in the bed as he rolls his eyes.

“Honey, we’ve been over this. It was a dream. Just a dream. Aliens aren’t real.”

“Not aliens, Adam! I’m not insane!”

“Honey, you’re waking up from your sleep acting like you were being murdered, ranting about scalpels, needles, and labs. What else am I supposed to think?”

“Adam! I’m not crazy! I’m…I’m…Oh God, it was terrible.” Eva collapses into her husband’s arms, tears running down her face like warm rivers. Adam comforts his wife and holds her close, rubbing her head gently and whispering in her ear.

“It’s ok, Eva. Sh. Sh. You’re ok.”

The next morning, the sun rises like a sphere of light, illuminating the cold dark desert land. The sky glows gentle reds and oranges, causing the dark tan sand to appear like the surface of an alien world. The houses and buildings of the town cast shadows across the land, and the creatures of the night crawl back into their holes.

Inside the Jordan residence, Adam sits at the kitchen table eating pancakes. Adam’s children sit at the table with him, quietly eating their breakfast too. An awkward silence looms over the family, the only sound able to be heard is the frying sound of the batter hardening into the soft texture, and the silverware scraping on the porcelain plates. A loud horn honks from outside, and Adam pats his children on the head.

“Bus is here, kids. Have a good day at school.”

“Bye daddy.” They say as the get up from the table. The children grab their school bags and rush out the door. Adam listens to the sound of the bus driving off, and smiles. His smile soon fades, and he returns to his meal. The silence resumes as Eva turns off the stove and brings her plate to the table. She begins to eat as Adam finishes his last pancake. Adam looks up from his plate and stares at his wife. Eva keeps her focus on her plate, cutting the pancakes carefully. After a few moments, the silence is suddenly broken, and the false solitude disappears.

“Look, Eva-“

“I’m not crazy, Adam.”

“I’m not saying you are, it’s just…”

“Just what?”

“The nightmares you’re having. I can’t help feel it’s something else.”

“And what else could it be? Besides the fact that you think I’m crazy.”

“Look, I don’t want to start a fight. I just want to fix this.”

“You want to fix this?” She asks, looking up from her plate. “Start listening to me.”

“I am. I do! It makes no sense, hon.”

“A lot of things don’t make sense. Why do people kill each other? Nobody knows, yet we have people out there trying to fix it.”

“We tried ‘fixing’ you. We took you to the psychiatrist, and you stopped seeing him.”

“That’s because all he wants to do is put me in the insane asylum with all those other freaks.”

“They aren’t freaks, honey.”

“They think they were abducted by aliens! Some of them think they met their great grandfather from the civil war! Others claim they talked with ghosts from the American Indian wars! Some even think they can talk with coyotes. You want to group me in with those loons?” Adam takes a long pause, his mind trying to create a compassionate answer.

“It’s just…you think you were…studied in a lab.”

“Adam, they aren’t dreams! I’ve had dreams! This is…it’s different. It’s real!”

“Dreams are dreams. They are fake illusions made up by your mind. I know how you feel, ok? When I was six I dreamt I found a dinosaur bone in the woods behind my house. You know what? The next day I went out to the woods and looked in that same exact spot I dreamt. Know what I found? Nothing. It’s your mind playing tricks on you. You’re obviously over stressed. The passing of your father, the pressure to keep things in order here at the house. I guess you just have too much on your plate. It’s okay, honey. I understand” Eva stares at her husband with a look of anger and frustration. Adam looks back at his wife with hopeful and concerned eyes. Eva drops her silverware on the table, and stands up from the table.

“I know what I saw, Adam.” Eva gets up from the table and storms out of the room. Adam sighs, and gets up. He puts on his jacket, and grabs his briefcase.

“I’ll be home at eight. I love you.” He hears the door to their bedroom slam shut, and sighs. “Try not to do anything irrational.” He whispers.

Saved · Jan 27, 2008

The Theory of Life

PART II

As the day progresses, the sun rises higher in the sky. The shadows grow thinner, and the sand begins to heat up. As the temperature rises, the air begins to waver, giving the appearance of waves in the air. Eva lies unconscious on her bed in her bedroom. Above her, the ceiling fan spins furiously, sending a cool breeze throughout the room. Evas skin sweats as she lies limp on top of the sheets, lost in a deep sleep. Evas body suddenly begins to toss and turn, her voice beginning to yell and moan as she slips back into the horrible nightmare.

Doctor Harper, its a complete success.

Good work, Johnson. Our sponsors would like you to explain to them exactly what youve done.

Well, as you know, we are able to artificially inseminate women today with children by taking the womans egg and fertilizing it with a male sperm. Well today, weve done something much more revolutionizing then just simple insemination. The man smiles as he holds up a small vile. Evas body lies motionless on top of a lab table. The room around her is filled with strange containment chambers and dangling machines. Outside of the room stand many people looking through a glass wall. They stare at Eva with great interest, their attention completely on her. As the man picks up a needle, Eva suddenly awakens, and she gets up from the table.

Uh, sir! the man yells. Shes awake!

Get her back into sleep! Now! A man commands. Eva frowns as the man moves closer to her.

Stay away! She screams, her frown turning into a sneer. Eva lunges at the man, jumping from the table.

Oh, my God! He yells. Shes going to kill me!

Inject her! The man yells from behind the glass.

Icant! Help! Help!

Die! Eva yells in rage, her hand hastily grabbing a scalpel on the floor. She takes the sharp knife, and begins to stab the man repeatidly. Each time her hand makes contact with the mans body, blood spills onto the floor. As Eva continues her assault, her face and hands soon become covered in the red liquid.

Help! The man yells in fear. Helllpp The mans body falls limp as his eyes slowly close. Eva continues to beat the mans body, finding she cannot control herself.

Harper, you idiot! One of the men yells at the other man from outside the room. Your damn subjects gone mad! Get her under control.

The room is sealed off! I cant get in there!

Harper, you get this situation under control now!

II cant! The man says helplessly.

Harper, were revoking our offer! Mittelos Labs is over! Over!

The words echo in the air as the dream begins to fade. Within the blink of an eye, Eva finds herself violently beating her pillow in her bedroom. She suddenly comes too, and realizes what has happened. She looks to her hands, examining them for blood. She sees no body in her grasp, and she takes a deep sigh. She collapses in exhaustion, and begins to cry. As she cries, the words from her dream echo in her mind. Mittleos Labs is over! OverMittelos LabsMittelos LabsMittelos Labs.

As the day begins to end, the sun sets below the distant mountains. The sky returns to its strange glow, the clouds turning red and pink, as the shadows on the ground grow large. The sand begins to cool, and the creatures of the night pear their heads out from their hiding places.

Eva sits at her computer, reading through a large list on a website. Upstairs, Eva can hear her children happily playing. But the sound of her childrens laughter will not bring joy to her heart today. Eva types Mittelos Labs into an internet search engine. As she waits for the page to load, she hears the sound of her husbands car door close. She tunes out the noise, and continues to stare at the page. She watches the hour glass on the mouse spin as the bar at the end of the page slowly moves right.

Come on she says impatiently. The front door opens, and her husband walks through the door. He puts down his briefcase, and hangs up his jacket on the coat rack. He walks over to his wife, and places his hands gently on her shoulders.

How are you feeling? he asks.

Fine. She replies, her eyes still fixed on the computer. Adam walks into the kitchen and turns on the faucet. As he fills a glass of water, the page on the internet loads, and Eva stares at the page in frustration.

No results? Dammit.

What was that honey? Adam calls from the other room. Eva gets up from the computer, and enters the room to meet her husband.

Do you know anything about Mittelos Labs? Adam pauses as he begins to think.

Uhno, I dont think sowait a minute. Yeah. I think that was the name of a building at the edge of town. Some two story facility. They closed down four years ago. Heh, I remember cause when you were in labor, the waiting room had a newspaper and I was so anxious I was doing anything to keep myself preoccupied.

Labor Eva whispers, her mind drifting back to her dream.

Why do you ask?

No reason. Saw it on the news. Thats all.

Are you sure youre okay? Eva pauses, her mind thinking quickly. She looks up from the floor, and stares into her husbands eyes, a false smile on her face.

Fine. She says calmly. Where did you say Mittelos was?

Edge of townBrown Street. Adam stares at his wife reluctantly, his body sensing something odd. Are you sure everything is ok?

Yes. Everything is fine.

Saved · Jan 27, 2008

The Theory of Life

PART III

The sun has left the horizon, fading back behind the landscape, taking its rest. In its place, the moon has conquered the sky, giving off its eerie orange glow. The stars shine brightly in the dark western sky as the clock strikes twelve midnight. Inside the Jordan residence, Eva sits nervously at the kitchen table. As the clock begins to sound its bells, Eva looks up, sweat running down her face.

“Tonight, the nightmare ends.” Eva gets up from the table and stealthily moves to the cabinet. She opens the large doors, and pulls out the highest drawer inside. She reaches her hand into the drawer, and feels around. After a few seconds, she pulls her hand from the wooden box, a gun held tightly in her grasp. She smiles as she opens the chamber, checking the ammunition.

“Loaded.” She whispers. “Perfect.”

Eva runs to the door, holding the gun carefully in her grasp. She grabs her husband’s jacket, and throws it on as she rushes out the door. Eva runs to the pickup truck in her driveway, and opens the door. She hastily puts the key into the ignition, and starts the engine. Eva sneers as she pulls out of the driveway, her mind focused on one thing. She speeds down the road and out of her small suburb.

After a few minutes of driving, Eva finds herself on Brown Street. As she drives to the end of the road, a large abandon building catches her eye. She slams on the breaks to the car, causing the breaks to make a deafening screech. Eva opens the door to the car, and grasps the gun from the pocket of her jacket. She storms to the facility’s front entrance, her heart beating fast. Her hand grasps the handle to the door, and her finger pulls on the lock. The door doesn’t budge, and Eva frowns.

“Never easy is it?” She says, pointing the barrel of the gun to the lock. She pulls the trigger, and a loud BANG resonates throughout the street. She kicks the door with all her might, every muscle in her body filling with adrenaline.

As the door opens, she pushes it aside and steps into the building. She walks down the stairs into another dark room. As she fumbles on the walls to find a switch, she hears the sound of insects and rats moving in the darkness. She pushes aside the thought of the disgusting vermin, and stays focused on her goal.

“Can’t think about them…” She rationalizes. “I need to do this.” Her fingers glide across the wall, and she soon finds a light switch. She flips the switch, and the lights in the room begin to flicker. A soft blue glow suddenly illuminates the room as one strip of lights activates. Eva looks around the room, and to her surprise, she finds exactly what she had dreamt.

“It can’t be…” She says in shock. “It’s…the same.”

Eva begins to walk through the room, her eyes staring in doubt and confusion at the paraphernalia in the room. Her hands move across the broken glass containment tanks, she steps over the familiar large pilings of wires and tubes on the floor. As Eva continues around the room, she soon finds something shocking and disturbing. In front of her stands a broken tank, the water from the inside long drained through a large hole in the glass.

As she looks inside the tank, she soon finds what appears to be a humanoid figure, its body decomposing. The figure lies in an unusual position at the bottom of the cylindrical tank, its arms twisted in odd directions. The flesh of the being has begun to be eaten away, revealing the thin layer of muscle and tissue beneath. Eva leans down, trying to get a glimpse of the figure’s face.

As she looks through the dirty glass at its face, she sees the distorted features. Its skin is pale, and undeveloped. Its eyes are a dark red, with no whites or blacks to compensate the horrifying appearance. Eva puts her hand to her face, and steps backward from the tank.

“What is this?” She asks in terror.

“It is you, Ms. Jordan.” A voice calls out. Eva turns around in a frenzy, pointing the barrel of the gun ready to fire. She sees a man standing behind the familiar glass wall from her dream, standing in the shadows. “Or should I say, Eva.”

“Who are you?” Eva asks in fear, her hand waving the gun in the air.

“You don’t remember me?” The figure asks. “I’m Doctor Harper.” The figure moves into the light, and reveals his face. Eva stares at the man, and she begins to remember his identity.

“You’re the boss here. You’re the bastard who ruined my life!”

“No, Eva. I gave you a life.”

“I’m going to put a hole through your heart. I want to see if you really bleed!” Eva yells in anger and rage, tears coming down from her eyes.

“Eva, before you kill me, let me explain. I think you’ve long forgotten what has happened. Four years ago, you were alone. You had cancer, and were in terminal condition. Don’t you remember?”

“No! You better talk fast, ‘Doctor.’ I want to repay you for all you’ve done.”

“Eva, you enlisted in a medical program with the government. A cloning tissues operations in hopes of giving you a second chance.”

“So, what am I? A ****ing clone!?”

“No, Eva. You had terminal cancer of the lungs. After a few months with us, we were able to clone your lungs. We gave you the transplant, and cured your cancer.”

“I don’t remember any of this!”

“Well, surgery has complications. When we saved your life, you told us you’d do anything to repay us. We were in a bit of an economic hole, so we cashed in your favor. We wanted to produce the first human clone. You were our template.”

“Is that what that…thing is back there?” The man sighs, his head lowering in regret.

“Yes. A failed attempt. We learned that we cannot recreate the same conditions inside the womb. So we used yours.”

“What?”

“Eva, your two children. They are clones…of you.”

“Liar! Liar! They are my children! I had them with my husband Adam!”
“You mean, Sergeant Adam Walls?”

“His last name is Jordan! He has family in Phoenix, Arizona! His birth parents are dead, but he was raised here!”

“No, Eva. He was one of us. He worked for us. See, after your insemination of your clones, you went insane. You lashed out, and began killing our medical advisors. The government dropped our program. We all went out of work except for two. Myself, and Sergeant Walls. We were assigned to monitor you. I was to do it secretly, he was to do it more…directly. We put you under hypnotherapy and gave you the memories of a wedding, dating, all of it. We also hoped we took away the nightmares from this place, but it seems we failed at that too.”

Eva falls to her knees, her ears failing to believe what she hears. She begins to cry heavily, her mind beginning to unfold and reveal everything to her.

“So…was it all a lie? All some sick game for your experiments?”

“Not all of it, Eva. You were a success. You have two children. Your legacy. Yourself. All we wanted was to give you a normal life after our project failed. I…I didn’t want you to suffer like this.”

“Do you know what’s happened to me? What I have been through! My life is through! I can’t go on anymore. My mind…it’s broken! All because of you! All because you wanted to play God!” The man sighs, and turns around, making his way for the door.

“Like I said, Eva. I didn’t want it to end like this.” Suddenly, a gunshot rings out loudly in the room. Eva’s body shakes as she puts her arm to the back of her head. She looks at her hand, and sees blood. Her eyes roll back into her head, and she falls dead on the floor of the lab. “Good work, Walls.” The man says with a frown. “I told you, I didn’t want it to end like this.”

“It’s ok, Doctor.” Adam says, stepping from the shadows. He holds a small gun in his hand, smoke billowing from the barrel. “The General said he is willing to reconsider Mittelos Labs if we give him the children.” The man sighs and begins to walk out of the room.

“Give him a call, Walls. Tell him I’m interested.”

Harper walks from the room, his fingers flipping off the light switches. The lights make a final flicker, and soon, the lab falls back into darkness. All that can be heard is the sound of Sergeant Adam Walls sigh as he leans down to Eva’s body. In the darkness, he puts his mouth close to her ear, and a tear rolls down his cheek.

“I’m sorry, Eva.” He says solemnly. “I really did love you. And soon…we’ll be together again.”

Feature · Jan 31, 2008

THE ROLE-PLAYING LEAGUE
SEASON I, WEEK 7
-------------------------------------------------------

INITIAL SCENARIO
Wes Barnaky has spent the better part of his life on the highway, nestled behind the wheel of a big semi. He always makes his deliveries on time, no matter what he's hauling or where he's going.
One night, Wes decides to help out a poor soul who's hitching his way across the country. The young man seems nice enough... but shortly after picking him up, Wes realizes he's made a terrible mistake. His semi is ran off the road by a group of armed men who are looking for the young wanderer.
Wes is soon caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse, and must get to the bottom of things if he has any chance of surviving the night.

CONDITIONS
Each team must satisfy two of the following four conditions in their telling of the story...

Wes learns that the hitcher may not be the victim in this situation. How can he sabotage the young man without drawing his ire?
Wes learns that the young man is in possession of something that could change his life forever. What is this mysterious object, and how can he hope to come away with it?
In addition to the hitcher and the forces that pursue him, Wes eventually comes into contact with a third faction. Who or what are they, and how do they fit in to the night's events?
A long-buried secret is revealed that leads Wes to believe he may have met the hitcher before. What is it?

THIS WEEK'S POSTERS:
MST3K_4ever, Oh Snap!, Karem-Knight, Cyrusbales, SenseiofCheese

DUE DATE:
Tuesday, February 5th, 7:00pm

SenseiofCheese · Feb 3, 2008

[FONT=&quot]Need and Greed
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Ive often wondered what it takes to kill another man. To take a persons life. I used to think I could never be that guy. That guy that pulls the trigger and cuts someone down.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Guess I was wrong.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]**[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Honey, I[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Dont honey me, Wes! she cuts me off. Most conversations with my wife these days seem to turn into fights before I even get a word in. Do you have any idea how embarrassing that was? The waiter cut my credit card in half! Stella had to pay for my meal, Wes! [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I know, I know. Look, what do you want me to do, Sarah? Im 500 miles away! Well talk about this when I get home [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]When you get home, Wes? And what the hell am I supposed to do for FOOD in the meantime, huh? Im supposed to starve for 4 days?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I sigh quietly enough so that she doesnt hear it. Sighing in the middle of an argument with my wife, you could just as well shoot yourself in the leg. Listen, I lower my voice in an effort to keep this from escalating into a full-scale war of the words. Theres nothing I can do from here, alright? I know moneys been tight, but we can work this out, okay? Call your sister and borrow some money, tell her I can pay her back as soon as I finish my run. My words leave the line silent. I press the phone up against my ear, wondering if the connection was cut. Finally she gives in.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Fine. But we really need to talk about this. Call me when you have time, alright? [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Oh great, that conversation should be even more fun. I will, honey. Give Jackie my love. I love you.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Yeah. She states as the phone clicks and the line goes dead.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]***[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The tires screech a bit as I bring the truck to a crawl. The asphalt, heated by the unusually scorching sun, crunches as the vehicle finally stops. I hardly have my seatbelt off when a small, balding man grabs the handle and swings open the drivers seat door.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Wes Barnaky? before I can answer the overly excited man continues Im Frank Kelso! I believe thats my oil youre hauling![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I shake the mans hand on my way down from the cabin, my back aching. The scar below my ribs sends a torrent of pain through my torso, but I hide it. Bobby told me bout you. Always on time, he said. Gotta say, didnt believeim for one second! Glad you proved me wrong. Howd the drive down treat ya? he speaks a mile a minute and I hold my response until Im sure hes finished talking.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Well, my backs crying out but Im used to it. It was a pain getting through the 35, almost didnt make it here in time. I look up and squint as the sun stares me right in the eye. I look over to Kelso , whos sweating profusely.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Yeah, she can be a right *****. Listen, Im just about bakin so Im gonna go somewhere with a ***** of an AC system. You deserve one hell of a layover, I could make some calls, make sure you get a discount in some of the nearest motels. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Ah, I appreciate the offer, Mr. Kelso, but Im in a bit of a hurry to get back South. The wife, you know. I give him a casual smile. I despise these small-talks I have with whoevers there to take the cargo.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Oh, I know, Mr. Barnaky, I know three times over. Kelso says and snorts. Well, Ill have my boys unload your tanker and you can be on your way.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]***[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]After a half hour, a half hour which I spent sitting in Kelsos office making excruciating small-talk while convincing myself I dont have Restless Leg Syndrome, Im finally back behind the wheel of my tanker and Ill be damned if it doesnt feel like home. In what seemed like the blink of an eye the sun in the sky had disappeared behind an onslaught of dark clouds. I could hear a rumble in the distance. [/FONT]

SenseiofCheese · Feb 3, 2008

[FONT=&quot]Wes? Kelsos voice snaps me out of a trance. The mans known me for all of 45 minutes and he talks like weve been best buddies for years. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Oh, sorry, yeah? [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I said, looks like were in for some stormy weather. You sure youre good? Its an awful long drive, yknow, and my offer still stands.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Its not exactly a joyride to drive on a dark, wet road in the middle of a storm, I think to myself. I give his offer some thought, but the thought of Sarahs face when Im not home in 4 days convinces me otherwise. I smile politely. Yeah, Im sure. 20 years on the road, Ive seen plenty of rain in my day. I lean out of my seat and grab the ajar door and swing it to a close. The door slams and I roll the window down. Thank you for the coffee, Mr. Kelso.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Well, youre welcome. Take care out there. Kelso smiles and taps the door with his knuckles, as he turns and huffs and puffs his way back inside.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]***[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The rain slams violently on the tankers windshield, the wipers working feverously to keep my line of sight clear. Ive seen some storms in my time, but this is crazy. The raindrops are the size of my fist, and it feels like theyre about to punch a hole through the glass. The escalating rumbles in the distance have finally turned into thunderous booms striking down uncomfortably close. But Ive had it worse, I convince myself even though I dont seem to remember anything quite like this. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The rhythmic sound of rain heavily tapping the windshield and the manic whir of the wipers, coupled with the oddly entrancing sight of the headlights on the ground get to me. I silently curse myself for not taking Kelso up on his offer. I should have sat my ass down in a soft motel bed, got some sleep, called Sarah in the morning and have her scream her head off at me for an hour, THEN get on the road. As it is, my eyes feel heavier than the truck. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]When you spend most of your time behind the wheel of a truck, you have little company beside yourself. It can be pretty harsh, not having anyone to talk to. Used to be itd be four in the morning, Sarah would call me up and wed talk into the early hours. No matter what time of day, we could chat away hours, never even once taking a break from each others voice. I dont remember the last time we talked. Shouted, sure, but talked? Its been a while. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]My mind wanders to a small spot not far from our house, many years ago. Its a secluded patch of land that has few defining characteristics besides the grass and a single oak tree with limbs that stretch out in every direction. Sarah and I had been living together for a couple of years, when I brought her out that spot and asked her to marry me.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] I love you, Sarah. Be my wife and Ill love you more than you thought possible. I will love you, I will provide for you, I will live for you. Be my wife.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Oh, Wes. Of course Ill marry you! [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I wonder what that young boy in love would say to the old man hes become. I never gave what I said that day a second thought. Was I really so sure I could provide for anyone? It didnt seem to[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]%!#$!!![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I shout as my foot slams down on the brake. The tires scream as the truck slides along the wet road. I jerk the wheel to the side but it doesnt do much good, I almost lose all control of the juggernaut. Finally the beast comes to a halt. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I hear nothing but the continuing slamming of the rain against the windshield. The thunder has stopped. I feel like everything has stopped. Something ran out on to the road in front of me. I tried to stop, I tried, but I think I was too late. Oh, God I hope it was just a small animal, I think to myself, knowing full well it was way too big to be a some rodent. Suddenly even the sound of the rain seems to be drowned out by the pounding of my heart. Thump. Thump.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Thump.[/FONT]

SenseiofCheese · Feb 3, 2008

[FONT=&quot]KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Holy F this time my heart almost skips a beat. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I scroll down the window and peer my head outside, the rain washing down the back of my neck. To my surprise Im looking down at a man. He seems about average height, covered in black rags, soaking wet. Cant see much more.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Hey, holy hell, are you okay? I thought I hit you! I shout down at him. He doesnt respond, just stares up at me. I have a bad feeling about this guy, and as a truck driver you damn well better develop a sixth sense about hitchhikers. I almost drive away right there, but suddenly he calls back up.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Im fine. Im okay. Listen, Im heading South. Would you be so kind to-ungh-could you give me a ride?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]His voice sounds like hes got a throat full of gravel. I cant even see his face, hes got some scarves wrapped around himself. Uhh, Im not sure thats such a g-[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The man cuts me off, becoming slightly more agitated. Please, you can drop me off anywhere. I just agh- I just need to get out of this rain.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I frown and squint my eyes, trying to make out what he has in his hands. His whole torso is just a black blur, cloth covering every inch. Are you okay? Are you hurt? I ask.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Im fine! Unless you leave me out here, in which case I might catch pneumonia! he shouts back, growing angry.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I know Im going to regret this. I know it. But I cant very well leave him here to die. Get in.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The man wastes no time and makes his way around the truck. While I have the chance, I reach under my seat and move the shotgun I have hidden there and stick it between my seat and the door. That way itll be easier to reach if I have to deal with some psycho. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]About 4 years ago I was on a run down in Canada. It was a pretty simple job, nothing special, and I had plenty of time so I picked up a hitchhiker. It was a woman, she seemed harmless enough, of course. Then again, one doesnt really expect a blonde half your size to stick a ten inch blade into your stomach. I was pretty roughed up. Almost died. After that, it was hard enough convincing Sarah to let me go back to work, so she made me promise to buy some protection. Ive had it stashed under my seat since. Ive never had to use it, not once. And Im hoping I never have to, cause there are few things I hate more than guns. Theyre weapons used to shed blood by horrible men. Greedy men. Evil men.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The passenger door opens up and the man grunts loudly as he pulls himself up into his seat. Getting a better look at him, I notice that hes holding a large duffel bag. Clutching like its the source of all life, he catches me looking at it. His face is one that I do not trust. His eyes, especially. I dont know what it is about them, but they look like theyve seen terrible things. Horrors I couldnt imagine. I shake the feeling and extend my hand to him.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Hi, Im Wesley. Seeing as I damn near ran you over, you can call me Wes. I try to make light of the situation but his mouth doesnt even twitch. Leaving my hand hanging in mid-air, he clutches the bag tighter. My name is Finn. He responds in the same gravelly voice and turns his head forward. He stares intently out the window.[/FONT]

SenseiofCheese · Feb 3, 2008

[FONT=&quot]Well I say, bringing my hand back to the steering wheel as the engine sparks to life. Wherere ya headed, Finn? [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Anywhere. The shady Finn responds. And fast.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Right. I reply. Its like hes begging me to be suspicious. Turning my head, I glance at the shotgun. Better safe than sorry.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We sit in silence for a while, the air thick with tension. Again the man grunts and grabs his side, gnashing his teeth together. I decide not to say anything. I dont want to cause any trouble, and its be best if I just drive to the next gas station and drop him off. I dont want any trouble. I really dont. The smell of wet cloth fills the air. Its absolutely rank, but I try not to make a fuss. This Finn looks like hed cut me down for looking at him wrong, and like I said, I have a sixth sense about this kind of thing. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I notice his hand start to move to the inside of his soaking wet coat. Slowly, he brings his hand inside and obviously grabs a hold of something. As he pulls it out slowly, whatever it is, I slowly bring my own hand down onto the handle of the shotgun. Hey, wh-[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Do you know what the difference is between need and greed? he cuts me off with the question. His voice is filled with a kind of foreboding. Ive never heard anything quite like it.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Sorry? I say, as confused as I am vary.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Do you know what the difference is, Finn repeats, with the exact same eerily stale tone, between need and greed. When he finishes he takes his eyes off the road ahead for the first time since he sat in the car and looks me straight in the eyes. A chill runs down my spine.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]N..Well, I I keep my eyes on the road, shrug and smile awkwardly. I give an insincere laugh. Cant say that I do, Finn. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]He finally takes his eyes off me and it feels like a weight lifted from my shoulders. He doesnt say anything. Just stares out the window. I turn my head toward him with a puzzled expression, but decide its best not to press the matter.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Need, his voice states abruptly, my heart skipping a beat. wants much.; but greed, everything.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Oh..thats..[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]You see, you can only need so much. But most people will always want more. He tilts his head down as he drags his hand out from the inside of his coat. Theres nothing in his hand, but its completely covered in blood.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Oh Jesus Christ! Youre bleeding! Wha- I What ar.. I completely lose my composure as I see the disturbingly dark red all over his hand. Its like that day all over again, the blood everywhere.[/FONT]

SenseiofCheese · Feb 3, 2008

[FONT=&quot]IaghIm fine, just, just keep driving. He says, pushing through the immense amount of pain hes in. He turns his body and looks out the back window, a look of complete terror registering on his now paler face.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]What the hell hap- I say but he furiously cuts me off.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]JUST KEEP DRIVING! Damnit..damnitF#$%!!! Come on, go..AAAGgghh he grabs his stomach in pain, and the duffel bag in his lap tilts downward. A black, wet blanket slides off the bag and to the floor, exposing Oh, Jesus God, who are you.exposing the insane amount of money inside.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Shut the hell up! Shut up! Drive! Just drive! he screams, his neck wrenched backwards, his eyes glued on the road behind us. My heart is beating like it never has before. It feels like its about to rip right through my chest. My breath growing heavier and more panicked, a blindingly bright light shines from the rearview mirror into my eye. Gah. I move a hand to cover my eye as I hear the sound of whatever car is behind us begin to accelerate. Oh fu#$, damnit, damnit damnit!! No no no..[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]What the hell is going onoh God, what the hell is going on I cant think straight. What have I gotten myself into, dear God, who is this man..[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Not daring to slow down to stop, I keep my feet on the gas pedal as the the car behind us makes his way to our side. A pitch-black Mercedes that almost disappears into the black background, what looks like three men inside. I stare down at them, all three looking up at me. All of a sudden one of the men, a heavily built, bald man in the passengers seat raises something and points it at me. It doesnt take a close look to know what it is.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I dont really realize that I do, but I slam my feet down on the brake pedal. With a deafening hiss and screech, the tires lock and my tanker slides a short distance as a loud bang echoes through the night and the shot strikes the drivers seat door. The window explodes in a hail of razor sharp glass that hits me in the face. GAah!!! I scream out and my hand instinctively reaches up to my wounded head. The steering wheel kicks to the left. I feel the whole tanker shift directions in the middle of the brake, as the Mercedes attempts to drive up ahead us. Just before the truck stops, we smash into the side of the speeding car. The last thing I see before my head is brought slamming down onto the steering wheel is the Mercedes flipping through the air and crashing into the ground with a sickening crunch.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I hadnt noticed, but the rain stopped.[/FONT]

SenseiofCheese · Feb 3, 2008

[FONT=&quot]**[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] You will?!?

Of course Ill marry you, I love you, you idiot! [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Sarah Im going to make you so happy. You will never want for anything. I love you so much.

I dont care about that, Wes! I love you for you, not what you have! We could be out on the streets, all I need to survive is you! [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]**[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]So wherere ya headed? [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]North. Going to surprise me fiancée.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Oh, thats sweet. How long you two been together?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]2 years now. You married, Wes?

Sure am. Going on 24 years now.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Do you love your wife?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]What? Of course. We have our problems, like anyone else., but..

Sure. Thats sweet, 24 years.

It is. It really is. Heres hoping for 24 more.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]No no, 24 is enough.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]"Wha-AAAggghhh"
[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]**[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]How about Jackie?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Jackie? I like that. Little Jackie Barnaky.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Shes beautiful.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]She is. Just like you are. I love you, Sarah.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I love you.[/FONT]

SenseiofCheese · Feb 3, 2008

[FONT=&quot]**[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I slowly open my eyes. What the hell happened. How long was I out?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I raise my bruised head, reach up and rub a gash on my forehead. Jesus, Im hurt pretty bad. From what I can tell my face must be messed up something awful, I think I can feel at least one or two broken ribs, my left arm is hurting like a son of a ***** and I cant feel much of my right leg.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I rest my weight against the door as I rub the blood from my eyes. Theres a ringing in my ears, I cant hear much other than that. Are those voices? I dont know. I look out the window.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Holy God. Every single plate of glass in my car has been shattered. There are bullet holes on the hood that lead up to the windshield. I silently thank God none of them hit me. My eyes follow the trail up the hood and come to stop where the bullets slammed into the passenger seat. The man, Finn, hes gone. There are three holes in the seat and a whole mess of blood. Is he dead? The passenger side door is wide open. On the road in front of me is the black Mercedes that ran us off the road. Its been reduced to a flaming wreckage. It had landed on its roof, and its laying there like a wounded animal, almost unrecognizable. I cant see if theres anyone inside[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I thinkI think I DO hear voices. Theyre muffled, I cant make out what theyre saying, but theres someone outside. At this point I dont know if Id be any safer in here bleeding to death or out there taking my chances with these people. I clench my teeth in pain as my good hand reaches down between the seat and the door and grabs hold of the shotgun.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]**[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]You think you can take my money? MY MONEY?!?![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]AAaggghstop..[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Youve been doin this for 10 years, Finn! You know how it works![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Yaaghhh[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Nobody gets out clean! Nobody![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I justhnngghI just want to start over..please..[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Start over? Motherf****r I OWN you! You dont f***ing BLINK unless I tell you to! Now open your mouth and you can die the same way your ****e wife did[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]CLICK[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Let..Let him go. What the hell am I thinking? I could have run. I SHOULD have run. Gotten the hell out of here! This isnt my fight, this isnt my life! [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I summon forth whatever courage I have in me as the man standing over Finns broken form turns to face me. Hes a relatively short man, old, must be in his seventies. Hes wearing what must have been an expensive suit, but is now a heap of bloody rags hanging off him. In his hand, pointed right at my head is a weapon I cant describe as anything other than a hand cannon.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]And who the F**K are YOU! he scream, spit flying from his mouth. Jesus Christ, this guy looks more like a rabid animal than a person. [/FONT]

SenseiofCheese · Feb 3, 2008

[FONT=&quot]J-Just let him go! I shout back, my voice shaking.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The mans evil little face oozes rage. Put that F***ING toy away and get the F**K outta here before I blow yer MOTHERF***ING head off![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The ringing in my ears is getting worse. It has almost completely drowned out every other sound. II think I hear Finns voice, hes begging me to help him.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]L-Listen, I dont want to hurt you, I..I dont even know who you are and I-I think you should just let him go and none of us have to get hurt. Not for a second do I believe my own words. Someone is going to die.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Who the F**K do you think you are, huh? Youre just some piece of ***** truck driver whos a long way from home. He looks down at the shotgun Im holding with both hands, aimed at his stomach. Then he does something I dont expect. Something that sends a chill right down my spine. He laughs. And not a laugh like any other Ive ever heard. His is dead. Cold. And it slices through the night like a knife. Hahaha! Ill bet you anything youve never even used that piece o *****! He keeps laughing. Justlaughing. And it causes an anger inside me that Ive never felt in my life. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Get the f**k outta here before I shoot ya in the balls. Hurry, before I change my mind. He chuckles as he swiftly turns around and aims his gun at Finn, who calls up enough strength to raise his hands to cover his face.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]See? Aint nobody gonna help a lowlife piece a scum like you, Finnie boy. Im all you got, and you threw that away. Now be good little boy and go to hell, and say hello to your lovely Jessie for me. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Time seems to slow as the man crouches down and puts his gun to Finns head. He smiles and puts his finger on the trigger. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Its moments like this that tell you what kind of life you lead. What kind of person you are.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The shot rings out in the night like a scream. And the ringing in my ear stops.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]**[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Ive often wondered what it takes to kill another man. To take a persons life. I used to think I could never be that guy. That guy that pulls the trigger and cuts someone down.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Guess I was wrong.[/FONT]

SenseiofCheese · Feb 3, 2008

[FONT=&quot]Je..Ja..You..FF..*****.. the man turns to face me, his eyes widened in shock and horror. He gargles as he tries to speak, but all that comes out of his mouth is a torrent of blood. And like a ton of bricks, he falls to the cold, wet ground. Dead. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Smoke pours out of the barrel of my gun and reaches for the sky, the same way blood pours from the corpse between me and Finn and looks like its reaching for me. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Almost more shocked than his attacker was, Finn raises his head and looks me in the eye. Both of us are bruised almost beyond recognition. Oh Jesus f***thank you. Y..thank you.. Finn grimaces and every muscle in his body relaxes. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I dont say anything. What can I say? My eyes are fixated on the body. Blood just keepskeeps pulsing out of him without end. I almost feel sick. My trance is broken by Finns voice. Pl..please, help me up.. I look over to him. Hes clutching the duffel bag like its his soul with one hand, the other extended towards me.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I lower the gun and move toward him, honestly not knowing if I even have enough strength to carry him, when something inside me feelsdifferent.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I dont know why, but I think about Sarah. Sarah..Jackie. I think about Jackie going to a good schoolgetting a first class educationbeing happy. I think about my life. What it is....[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]...and what it could be.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I stop dead in my tracks and Finn looks at me with confusion in his eyes. I look at the duffel bag.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Its moments like this that tell what kind of life you lead. What kind of person you are.[/FONT]

Karem-Knight · Feb 3, 2008

A Boy named Darren.

Kentucky, USA:

My name is Wes, Wes Barnaky, you may not know who I am. Im not some big shot celebrity, or a rock star or an actor, some politician Im just your average Joe, lived in Kentucky all my life and never left the state, god I love it. I have a wife and three kids, yeah, you can say Im just like everyone else, well, that is because I am and Im not claming to be something Im not, Im not a perfect man, god knows there is none. But Im not a bad man, per say, everyone has made some bad choices in life, not knowing the consequences, as they have made good choices. Thats life for you, God gives you choices, Jesus loves you enough to allow you to do what you want, but God makes the tests.

Where am I going with this? Well, I may be just some country bumbling beer belly, hill Billy but, I know what Im talking about, Im going to tell you a story, it might be as epic, or even as happy, might not even be as interesting, might not even be good. But its important to me, and hopefully it will be to you.

Act One:
Just another Thursday

It was a Thursday, never that much of an interesting day, no kids trying to steal some stuff from my semi, no major emergencies where someone needed some stuff for a party, oh no. It was just a normal day, I had five deliveries to do that faithful day, all at the night. It wasnt that much of effort, I was used to driving at night, plus, it helped me clear my head about a small fight I had with the wife, what it was about? I do not know. But it sure as hell gave me a big enough head ache to get some aspirin.

I parked my semi at a pharmacy on the way for my second delivery that night, some petrol for a gas station down south, parking Lucy (the name of my truck, same as my Ma.) near the road, and jogging into the place with my hat on and my pants chaffing.

Hello Wes! the person who worked there said, it was three years ago since I seen the guy, so its going to be embarrassing when I forget his name again. But we knew each other, I had been there a few times to give him some of his medicines on my way to other, bigger delivers.

Hey Buddy! I said, tiring not to let the headache kill me, I got out my wallet Just some aspirin please. Getting out my money and handing it over to him, Heres your change, drive safe now!

I always do! I said chuckling, whistling away, I got my bottle of water that I always carry in the truck, warm as hell, but thats life I guess. Drinking it and taking the aspirin, I continued on down the roads, my route that night was pretty simple a straight line, with a few turns and nothing else to it.

I arrived at the second place, there delivery were a few boxes of new furniture, stopping at the near by house, I turned the engine off and got out the truck, I ding dogged the door bell, and soon the woman arrived at the door step, she was a nice lady, quite good looking, a tasty dish. But me being a man of god, and a loving husband, I ignored that, and gave a slight smile.

Excuse me, Maam did you order some new furniture? I said, knowing that this was the right house, just got to double check with things like this, she gave me the sweetest smile that day, enough to make any mans day. Yes, I did in fact, has it arrived?

It certainly has, Maam would you like me to bring it in for you? I said, being the gentleman I am, she nodded and smiled, Yes please, do you a hand? being the sweet thing she is, I said No thats alright I can handle it!

Its the sort of smile that can make a man jump off a cliff, and thinks he can survive, but shes the type that would stop them from jumping, I opened up the boors and carted off the furniture, they were just a few chairs and a table, nothing that I havent handled before.

Thank you, Sir! No thank you Maam! I said, tipping my cap to her, I then went back to the truck and went on my way to my third and forth deliveries, they werent as pleasant as the nice lady was.

My third delivery involved supplying a convenient store clerk with food supplies, he seemed like a nice man when he wasnt as angry, but it was a last minute thing for him and he needed it an hour before I arrived, and he ordered it two hours before I was told to give it to him. Not to seem like a biased man but, that wasnt my fault. The guy was Mexican; he swore Spanish words at me that I couldnt quite understand, most truckers would fight him, or just take the supplies back, but not me though. It was an honest mistake, and everyone gets a little angry, no need to make his day any worse.

The fourth delivery was a simple one as well, just some wines for some rich folk who used to live in the Yankees city, but moved down to Kentucky for retirement, when I knocked on their door, a nice house by the way, and asked them about their delivery they looked down on me like some servant, Im not one to judge, but thats because I dont like to be judged. As I got all three boxes of bottles of wine, from France of Italy, I dont know which one. The third one, I accidentally broke a bottle, apologising the couple just gave some heavy sighs and slammed the door with a very angry Thanks!. I shrugged it off, not my type of people I guess, but I just dont like being judged.

Now, this is where the story really begins, it was on the way to my fifth delivery, last one for the day, I would be more excited if the wife and me hadnt had the fight, that made me buy the aspirin. I was driving along the long road, as me and my work buddies called it, because it was the longest in Kentucky, as I drove peacefully there was something in the fields along the high way I noticed, some poor young man, lost and alone was tiring to hitch hike, and as they normally do, people try and ignore him and get to their homes or some other selfish things.

But being the gentleman I am, and what I thought I was doing would be the right thing to do, I pulled up next to him, I could barley see his face but he needed my help, and Im not one to judge, opening the door he looked at me, tired and dirt all over his face, long hair, tattered cloths and unshaven. I asked him;

Need any help, son?

Oh thank you! he said, walking up the truck, Thank you so much! he said, No problem, just doing what my lord would have done! I said smiling.

Starting up the engine I headed off into the roads, on the way to my fifth delivery, Im sure the man wouldnt mind me doing this, since Im helping him out. So where are you heading off to, son?

Well, Illinois. He said, My home town, but Iended up here somehow. It made me laugh, he was obviously in a bad position, and normally I would say You cant end up in a place! but I didnt instead I said Well, I can take you as far as Indiana.

Oh, that would be fine, thank you, thank you so much he looked at my drivers licence to see my name, Will? I chuckled No, Wes. He gave a slight smile, Sorry, Im pretty much blind without my glasses.

I smiled, Whats your name, partner? I asked, Darren. He said, reaching out his arm to give me a handshake, Nice to meet you, Darren. It was at that moment, I felt extremely tired, and I could really use a boost, I soon asked the boy.

Youre not in a rush are you, Darren? I asked, he looked at me and went No, not really. Good, I thought. Well, because I got to make a delivery and its going to be a bit of detour, but would you mind if I had a quick cup of coffee?

No, not at all, I wouldnt mind one myself. He said, Ah, okay. I said, patting him on the back, Thats great, theres a small diner place around here, they dont make the best cup of coffer in the word but, its good enough for us simple folk! he smiled, the place was soon in front of us, and I got out first, along with him, locking the doors, even in a safe place like this, the lord doesnt allow clumsiness.

We walked to the diner, walking in the waitress there, Shirley waved at me, How you doing there Wes? she said smiling, Hi there Shirley, just two cups of coffees please, unless do you want something, Darren? he stared at me, he looked exhausted and hungry.

Oh, no I couldnt the cof- Nah nah, dont worry Darren, its on me. You look tied and hungry, go all out, do you like wings? Burgers?

Er yeah.

Shirley, make that two coffees, a coke, a plate of buffalo wings, and a cheese burger, with fries!

Sure thing Wes, coming right up!

Wow, thank you so much!

Dont worry, stranger.

We sat down, near the window, the place was empty so it was only a few regulars and me, me and Darren kept to ourselves, as we talked I soon found out that he had a troubled life, both his parents were addicted to heroin, his mother tried to battle it, but soon died while he was 19, and his father got involved with the wrong people and ended up having to rely on his son, soon while Darren tried to get away from his father, he stole all of Darrens money and disappeared, now hes tiring to get back to Chicago and sort this whole mess out,

Im not one to judge, but, his father sounds like a horrible, awful man, the boy has had a hard life, one that I thank god is not mine, it has shocked me a great deal but, I dont want to show it, we soon walk out the diner, paying Shirley the usual tip, me and Darren walk to Lucy.

Well, Darren we must get on our way to Indiana, but I have to make my last delivery for the day, is that alright?

Of course, Wes, I dont mind at all, Ill even lend you a hand if you want?

Nah, thats alright Darren, I can handle it my self. Starting up the engine we head up towards the final delivery for the day, then I can drop him off at Indiana, which would be the first time Ive left Kentucky in a while, if ever. And I can head home, but the wife? I must say Im dreading that, a lot.

As the music plays, I see Darren, happy, it makes me happy as well; the Lord does work in mysterious ways. But it was at that moment was what made that night, a night to remember.

We were reaching the area, where there were no houses, buildings or people for another mile, some people said UFOs were around these places, I dont believe that for a minute, but Im no scientist or philosopher, so I dont really know. But there was another car, packed with four men in it, they seemed to be wanting to annoy us, the entire road was empty, yet they pick the area where I was driving, it seemed odd to me, and it soon turned really odd at the time.

The car stopped, I made Lucy stop almost crashing and making me and Darren fly out the window, not wanting to start an argument with the men, I simply opened up the window, and being the gentleman that I am, I said in the most polite voice I could.

Is there a problem, Sir? the four men got out, so did I, not wanting to use it, I sneakily, got out my revolver, Darren didnt notice and his eyes were only on me and the men.

I got out, as one of them walked calmly towards me, they looked from Mexico, or somewhere in those Latin countries, they looked rough, and very intimidating, with their leather jackets, one of them had a leather jacket, pony tail, jeans, beard. Looked like that actor from those movies always plays the same guy, but anyway. I simply asked him.

Excuse me, Sir I just want to know if- the man hit me in the ribs, pulling my hair and kicking me in the face, that was the biggest amount of pain, ever. PUTA! he said, he then pulled me up again, and violently punched me in the face again, blood was coming down my face, I screamed for help but he chocked me and grabbed me to the car, I tried to break free but he got a gun, to my cheek. Putting my hands up, all those years of fried Kentucky food caught up with me, my heart was about to explode, and the sweat was coming down on me like a hose, and I think, I needed to go to the bathroom before I drove.

Panicking, he just simply said Give me that gun! I did so, slowly, handing it over to him, he simply grabbed it, watching over, I saw them taking away Darren, along with his back pack, as soon as I looked to see what was going on.

SMACK!

The metal hit my skull, and the entire world turned black.

Karem-Knight · Feb 3, 2008

Act Two:
Darrens secret

The minute I woke up, I found myself tied to a pole, along with Darren who was behind me, and he had buses all over his face, which was now covered with all his blood, Ive never been in something involved like this, I would like to tell you I was calm, and I handled this situation like a man. Truth was, I completely freaked out, Im a short fat balding man from Kentucky, what could I do with a bunch of Colombian drug dealers?

What the hells going on! I yelled, panicking, my mind in a haze, like the entire place was waving, I heard one of the men say; O gordo querro choclate! Hahahaha! with the one who had just beat me up coming towards me.

Hello! he looked even scarier then before, kneeling, I panicked, and just babbled on going PLEASE I HAVE A WIFE AND KIDS! PLEASE ILL. He soon covered my mouth, and smiled with a smirk. Listen, gordo, thats FAT in Spanish by the way! This puta over here isnt telling you the truth, and hes just using you for this.

Looking over at Darren, bloodied, beaten, almost crying but trying not to, just looked on the ground, the man smiled, Maybe you should ask him? he said releasing my mouth, I never breathed so hard in my entire life.

Oi! Voce, liga o dois, nosa vai pra o fumar! the man said, with three of them going outside, the other two, carried there machine guns and looked out for any police men in the neighborhood.

Now, I was in big trouble, in the few minutes I had spent with Darren, I knew he was a good man, but how much could I trust him? At the time, I thought it was something I could deal with, and pray to god he hadnt double crossed me and used me and I was going to die.

What did you do Darren? I said, demandingly, he just looked on the floor in silence, What did you do! he looked at me, almost crying, Im..sorry, Wes. Im sorry! he says, letting out all his tears.

I wont listen you listen, till you tell me whats going on! Now, I was crying, My wife and kids might not see me again, please, let me know what you did! he stares in up, looking up, I didnt know what he was looking at, but I was certainly looking for one of Gods angels to come down and save me, and him.

After a moment of silence, he finally said it, I wasnt completely honest with you..Wes.. He looks down, now tiring to hold his tears, and clenching his hands into a fist.

My father, when I was around eight or nine, or so. To make sure, that I would never, ever squeal on him, made me take the smack! He forced it down me, saying that I was sick and needed the shot every day, and..I got addicted to it. He never told me what it was, till one day.I found out, and tried to get rid of it, but I couldnt. Ive been recovering since I was 17, now Im 19. And.my addiction came crawling back up again recently, and my I hadnt spoken to my Dad in yearsthe doctors told me, I needed the drug to live. So Iasked my Dad for some, he told me to hide this money and he would give it to meturns out, the money belongs to the people who are trying to kill us now!

It took me a few minutes to constrain myself for him making me into this situation, before finally, I ask him, quickly, Do you have the money? I whisper, he nods, Where? I ask. He whispers, silently, The Back pack I had with me, inside those books. Ive managed to hide some cash inside, theres over a million in there. If we get out of this alive, I promise you Ill give you half of the money, and you will never hear for me again!

Right then and there, I knew all the Lords work in helping me avoid sin, was really put to the test, now, I had to choose, risk getting caught, and thus possibly killed, maybe Ill die anyway, it was hard to choose. It was one of those times where everything could turn ugly, and before you know it, the last thing you did was a sin and God in punishing you.

The situation played up several times in my head, what would happen if they saw me, how could me and him get out, would I have to fight someone, will there be a near by car, how far can I run, could we call the police. All these thoughts flashing through my head, this is Kentucky for Petes sake, not New York City, how can things like this happen? And why did have to happen to me.

So many choices I had, so much at steak, there might not be another chance, how could I deal with the last thing I said to my wife be, Im going for some decent food! small things like this dont matter, oh god, thinking about it makes your head spin.

After much thought, I then gave him a simple and quick Yes, lets do it! and since I had all the time to think, he had already come up with a plan.

The plan? Basically, Darren had a pocket knife, he was going to cut both of our ropes, then, he would sneak to one of the guards, the one on the right, knock them out, quickly and silently, while I knock out the other one, after that, I get a head start and run my ass off to the woods, and then Darren would follow me with his back pack.

I replayed the situation, over and over in my head, hoping to god I could run that fast, with my weight, and my age, it was a risk that I was willing to take, and one he was also. It took me a while, to gain the clear headedness, the confidence and most of all the will to go through with this.

Finally, I looked at Darren and simply went, Lets do this! thinking like some action hero, at the time, I was ready and full on to do this, Darren cut off my rope, and his releasing us, the rope burns killed, but I knew I had to hold it in. Sneaking over, to my guard, while Darren did so with his, I picked up a hammer from the box, being a man of peace, it took me a lot of reserved anger to hit the guy. Bashing him over the head, he fell to the ground, no echo, and thankfully the machine gun didnt go off.

Now I was home free, not even getting a still decent view of the woods, I was ready to sprint to my freedom, watching over to see Daren knocking out the guard, I couldnt see but he might have been stabbed, I couldnt tell. He nodded peacefully, but soon, I heard the voices of more men, American chatting with the Colombians.

So, Miguel, wheres the money? one of the Americans said, before the Colombian went Well Mr. Sanders, we were tiring to find it, but this stupid kid wont let up, we got this fat trucker puta with him, all was in his pat backs were books and other stuff!

Looking over at Darren, the panic over drew me, starring at him he just waved go, quickly, not knowing what to do, I ran as fast as I could, into the woods, I didnt even bother looking back but from what I could hear, machine gun fire, and Darren screaming I surrender! I SURRENDER! Running away, I soon heard more gun fire, without having time to think I just kept running and running, my body didnt allow me to run fast, but I kept tiring, the gun fire kept going, but when I saw a bullet hit the dirt, a few yards away from me, I went to my knees, my hands up over my head.

Please dont kill me! Please! I said, begging seeing the both the drug dealer and what appeared before to be a dirty detective, they both dragged me back to the warehouse, hitting me with their guns.

Pleasedont kill me!

Should have thought of that before you tried to get away!

Karem-Knight · Feb 3, 2008

Act Three:
Decisions, decisions

There, I sat a gun pointed at my face, drug dealers and now a corrupt police officer, it was the most terrifying situation I could imagine, any one could imagine, there I sat down, starring at them, one even had a knife at my thought.

The police officer, stood there smoking a cigarette, god awful habit, never done it, never will, there I sat while he smoked and the Colombians laughed at me.

You know, Mr. Barkenley, Im in situations like this, day in, day out. Back in the city, I could charge you with a whole bunch of crimes you had no idea about, but I must admit, here in Kentucky its a bit more difficult to plan any evidence on you he said turning around smoking it into my face.
But a lot easier to simply kill you! he said positioning himself back up, You know Ive been involved with these men for quite some time, they have traveled from Colombia, to Miami, to New York, to Los Angles, to Chicago and finally, here to Kentucky to collect this money, Wes, and you are proving to be quite the thorn in their side.

He finished his cigarette, I tried to look down, but one of the Colombians positioned me up right, starring at me, I think it was the one I had hit with the hammer, These men, Mr. Barkenlay, have killed people for small things, like dropping a penny, you sir, have hit one of them with a hammer, and are keeping the secret they really want!

Swallowing my gut, I was in the worst possible situation, ever, if I told them, Wes would die for sure, if I didnt then they I would die, and I couldnt let both of us die, instead, I stared at them with tears in my eyes.

I.dont know!

The officer was angered by this, here he was, a big city cop, tiring to get the answer from a southern man like me, who has honour in his blood, he rubbed his face hardly.

Mr. Barkenley, please. Tell me the truth, dont let me be, cruel! he said, in a clam voice, breathing hardly, I didnt know what to do, he said to me Listen, if you dont tell me, I will be forced to kill both of you, and I dont want that, weve tried to get the information out of him hundreds of times, he wont let up. The kids tough, he beat heroin, but you? Come on, you think I care what you can do? Just for ****s sake tell me before I let them deal with you!

Looking at Darren also sitting down, starring at me with a Dont tell them, please. Look in his eyes, I put it bluntly to the police officer.

Listen, Mister, I dont know anything, Im just a truck driver, I felt sorry for old Darren, and wanted to help him. Please, I swear, I dont know anything!

The Detective stared at me, with a hateful look, he tapped the Colombian on the shoulder, I swear at that minute, I thought I was in the clear, but soon I heard the words.

Do as you wish, but eu querro ele vivo!

Sim! the man said, smirking, letting got of the knife, he grabbed my hand out, trying to resist, I clenched my hand into a fist, screaming it was ended as the pain hit my index finger, and blood came out and I lost feeling in the hand.

The pain, was awful, absolutely awful, it was the worst a man could ever have, at the moment, I could swear I was dying, and that I soon would be in heaven with the Angels.

But that wasnt true, soon the Colombian put the knife away and instead got a gun out, and pointed it to my head, to guns to my head now, the detective was now serious, he walked up to me.

Now Mr.Barkenley, as you can see, we do not like being toyed with he picked up the finger and showed it to me, I was now delirious, he stared at me, with the finger.

My dog is going to enjoy playing with this! he threw it again to the floor, and stared at me, I muttered the only words on my mind.

Pleaseeeeeeleeaveehimalone..

Okay boys, no one will look into this case finish him. They soon turned the safety off of their guns before Darren came in.

NO! LEAVE HIM ALONE! HES INNOCENT!

The officer stared at Darren, demanding one thing TALK! he said, he was now obviously getting angry, I cold sure hope Darren could have just give them the money and go back to his old life, and I could with mine. My finger was now dog food, and my life was going to be changed forever, the least he could do was give them the money.

Okay shoo-

THE TRUCK! he said, tring to stand up, Its..in the truck! the officer looked at two Colombians keeping guard.

Check it out now! he said, demandingly, he walked up to Darren being checked by those two with guns also to his head.

I swear, if youre lying, BANG! Both of you are dead!

Honestly, as soon as he said that, I didnt know if it was the blood loss, the fact that I wanted to live so badly, or I was really hoping that this would all blow over, but I said the truth.

..its..not, in the truuuuuuuuuuuckkk!

I said, the officer quickly turned to me, Where is it then? he said, urgently, Darren kept nodding no to me, but I could barely notice it, it wasnt till he yelled.

WES, PLEASE THEYRE GOING TO KILL ME!

Finally, I managed to pull in some sense into myself, well, sense when youve just lost a finger, youre about to die and there is a huge amount of blood out of your system.

..only, if you..promise..not to killDarren!

The Detective sighed Fine. Where is it?

The Back.pack.

Dont you think we would have checked in there?

Thebooksand, inside the padding!
NO WES! PLEASE!

Check it out, I want every part of that back pack destroyed to find the cash!

Sitting there, I thought, hell then I thought I knew would be a better way to describe it, that Darren would be okay. I believed there is good in everyone, and I honestly thought a policeman would be one person that would.

I watched those Colombians tear the bag apart, they just cut it open, ripping it into pieces like animals, and soon the money all fell in the floor, one million in cash. Biggest load of money Ive ever seen, and ever will see.

The Detective walked over there, Is it all there? he said rushing, one of the dealers holding some of it in his hand just went, Looks like it!

Darren started crying, trying to mutter words that could stop this from happening, it was at that moment I thought I had made the worse mistake in the world. The loss of blood, my nine working fingers, it was all coming to fast, the Detective came to me.

Okay, thank you very much Mr. Barkanley!

The man came with a knife, I started panicking again, the thoughts going though my mind at the time, it was only at the moment, he cut off the ropes and I felt liberated a bit, rushing my other hand to my now stump of a finger tightly.

As for you, Darren young man! the sound of a gun clicking came through as I turned around, What are you doing! he put the gun to Darrens head.

NO! I yelled, Darrens tears came falling to his face, Youre going to meet your parents!

WES.WHY-!

BANG!
BANG!

Those were the last words he ever said, haunted in my mind forever now. The shock came flowing over my entire body, why do things like this happen? It took me a moment to realise what had happened, what I had helped happen.

It was my fault, how could I have been so weak, so stupid, stupid fat prick! Oh my god, it sould have been me to take the bullet, not him, he was too young.

I crawled to his body, his eyes starring at me, dead, it was to much to bare. It took me a few moments to realise that I was being dragged away by the detectives towards their car.

Come on, fat man!

I was sitting in the back seat, the detective sitting next to me, Drive! he said, the whole journey, the same moment flashing back in my head.

WES.WHY-!

BANG!
BANG!

WES.WHY-!

BANG!
BANG!

WES.WHY-!

BANG!
BANG!

It was at that moment, that I finally saw the light. And believe me, it wasnt bright. My whole life there was always good in everybody, well tonight, I finally learned the truth, and sometimes people reject God. And Satan comes along and gives them the easy deal.

Is this your house, Mr. Barkenley?

Yes I said, completely paralyzed of shock, and fear. The Detective looked me in the eye, holding my face and making me stare at him.

You listen to me, Wes, what you saw last night, never happened. Your truck caught on fire and your finger got stuck in the engine while you tried to stop it, luckily the firemen came and amputated it just in time, you understand? Well take care that for you, but you ever tell anybody, even your own wife about this, well kill you! Then well make sure your wife doesnt talk either, I know your Christian but believe me, I dont give two ****s weather you think Im going to hell, so you just sit tight and leave your mouth shut, to death do you ****ing part! Understand?

God doesnt like those who lie, but Im just a trucker from Kentucky, with nine fingers left and a conscious that now stands a lifetime, and these were corrupt cops from big cities like Chicago and New York, what could I do? Swallowing my guy, and what was left of my pride I said, with all my willpower.

Yeah

Good. He got out a gun and pointed it to my face, Get out, now! Breathing heavily I got out, closing the door slowly, I was back home. Walking past my neighborhood drowsy and almost about to faint, I staggered to my home. Slowly towards it, I knock on the door.

I hear my wifes footsteps come rushing in, I use the door for support, she thrusts open the door, angry face.

Wes! Do you know what time it is? Weve been waitingOH MY GOD! She sees the finger, Are you alright, Oh my god, we need to call a doctor!

She said, grabbing my hand and rushing me inside, Lina.its alright! she starts rushing to the phone, Wes, its going to be alright!

Linda dont.

The next thing I remember, was blackness, till I woke up in the hospital the next morning, Linda and the kids were nicer then ever that day. If it werent for what happened it would be a nice day, but the thought kept popping up, popping up.

WES.WHY-!

BANG!
BANG!

Epilogue:

Till this day, no one in the world knows what happened that faithful night; I remember reading the news report a week afterwards, a decomposed corpse with two bullets in the head marked John Doe was found. A severed finger now rotting was also on the ground, they never did solve the crime and it left UN resolved for the past three years.

Of course, I can testify, if it were just me being given death threats, believe me I would risk everything, but my wife and children, they dont deserve to be involved in this, and if I self pitied? Neither should have I, but God works in mysterious ways. I never let it get to me, but I should have at least told them the boys name, Darren, but he wouldnt tell me his last name.

Still, I do my usual business, even if I only have nine fingers; my lives still the same, still driving Lucy, still havent left Kentucky, still go and visit Shirley at the dine. Yeah, still cant remember that pharmacists name. Well, hopefully he wont read this, most likely no one will. It would have just felt nice to let it out in the open, I couldnt possibly keep this in my head, honestly, if I wasnt so paranoid and cowardly I would defiantly demand a library, or even a bench dedicated to that boy. But I guess, I cant risk it, so these pieces of paper shall be dedicated to you my friend, perhaps long after Im gone, and we meet in heaven, we shall cross paths and hopefully youll forgive me, and I will never forgive myself.

And so forth, I dedicate this to:

A Boy named Darren.

Cyrusbales · Feb 4, 2008

What is a mans life worth? Is there a figure that you can slap onto a hunk of flesh and bone? Or is there some hidden value that were never quite aware of? The price of a soul perhaps?

I guess what Im really trying to say is, how much is my life worth? I never made much of myself, never really asked the big questions about life. What it all means, where am I going in life, whats the point of it all? You get to learn that each mile is the same as the last, and that horizon youre always chasing, you aint ever gonna get there. Its just there to keep you going, chewing up the endless miles of road.

Sixteen wheels raising aloft twelve tons screeched into the night as they slowed to a gradual stop. Amidst the endless black of the highway at night stood out a young man, the sort who had no place being out in the wilderness alone at night.

The heavy door swung open, permitting passage to the hitchhiker, his face gaunt and malnourished, what were one decent clothes clung to his skinny frame, now dirtied beyond former glory. The same dirt clung to under his fingernails, which seemed to be just a little too long to be considered acceptable from a male point of view, yet another sign that this youngster was indeed in need of a lift.

His young eyes seemed somewhat dulled, the spark of youth seemingly extinguished by something, no doubt the same something that contributed to his state of appearance. These eyes filled with the image of a large man, clearly in his forties and not in the best shape ever. He looked as if in another life he could have been a boxer or fighter, but circumstance and opportunity had stuck him behind a wheel for what could conceivably be his entire life.

Tipping up his deep scarlet hat with a large hand, the kind only possessed by truckers and weightlifters, the driver introduced himself, croaky notes of a voice escaped his lips that were rimmed by a layer of stubble, the like of which the passenger would probably never even hope to grow.

Names Wes. Where you heading?

Extending the same bulky hand in a gesture of greeting, he awaited a reply. One which came with the sound of desperation, the near squeaky tone took Wes aback at first, before realising this kid couldnt be no more than seventeen.

Carl.Im Carl. I just wanna get out of here if thats OK?

Whilst the notion of something a little sinister did fill Wes consciousness, he had himself seen a fair share of trouble and bar brawls, and occasionally been on the losing end of such fracas, and knew that getting away from such events was always in everyones best interest. Without further contemplation, the wheel were a turning.

Spending most of your life on the road alone had its obvious disadvantages, people skills were not needed, and what remained of them usually whittled down by a few thousand miles, but nevertheless, Wes was not one to dwell on such personal inadequacies, and the compulsion of curiosity too strong.

You look pretty beat up? Had a rough night?

Briefly trembling, just from the concept of being engaged in conversation, Carl took a short while to compose himself and respond.

You could say something like that.

Calling on his own lifes history, the hefty trucker guessed at the root of the problem, his skills of deduction werent exactly well-known, in fact, they werent even known at all, but he knew there was one constant in the world.

Whats her name then?

Whos?

Back when I was your age, I ended up looking like you do now on one too many occasions. Every time there was a woman. Hell, sometimes there was two, I guess that was the problem. Am I right or am I right?

Guess so.

Wes sense of joviality and humour was unfortunately limited to his side of the cab, his passenger was definitely not in the mood. Must have been some chick thought the driver as he drove the pedal further into the floor and tore through the miles of tarmac.

Several attempts at conversation had failed, getting blood from a stone had become an easy task in comparison. Although, as the dials flicked round and the tank emptied, a refuel stop was needed, and this seemed to spark the mysterious boy into action.

Hey, why are we stopping? We cant stop. Keep going! Please?!

Shocked, but not so much by the words themselves, but just the fact the kid was speaking in general, Wes could only provide one answer.

LookCarl. We will keep going, but we aint gonna get very far without any gas right? So Im just gonna stop in here and refuel. You got a problem with that?

Glassy eyes of the youngster flitted away from the trucker and fixated on the wing mirror, gazing into the rear distance, as if something terrible were about to emerge from the endless blackness.

OK, but please be quick. Please!

Upon returning to the cab after refuelling, Carls pupils remained mesmerised in an almost horrific stare into the mirror. Only after the vehicle pulled away did he start to return to his normal timid self.

You gonna tell me what that was all about back there?

Dont want them to get me.

Them who the ***** are them?

As if by some strange intervention, the noise of a siren accompanied by the usual blue and red flashing lights appeared in Wes mirror, approaching and signalling to pull over.

The police? Is that it? You on the run? You makin me an accessory to somethin?

Theyre not the police

Siren, flashing lights, look like the ******ng cops to me.

Bringing the massive truck to a standstill, the boy freezes, becoming as rigid as a sheet of steel as the black and white pulls up along side, and two men step out and approach.

Flashing a painfully bright white light in to the car, Wes face scrunches up to cope with the contrast in the darkness.

Excuse me sir, could you turn off the engine and step out of the vehicle.

Are you guys cops?

Just turn off the engine and step out of the vehicle please sir, we are armed. We just want your passenger sir, we advise you not to get involved any further.

Bringing the afore mentioned weapons to bare, the silhouettes of these men took on a more menacing pose.

Can I see your badges?

As if a switch was flicked within the men, their demeanour rapidly changed, and Wes knew he was in trouble.

Badges? Why the ***** would I need a badge? Heres my goddamn badge!

Raising a midnight black pistol to meet the truckers eye in response, a squeeze of the trigger and discharge of the bullet into the cab was narrowly avoided. So narrowly that Wes ear let forth a stream of blood as he slammed the vehicle into motion to the sound of further gunshots that ricocheted off the door and side panels of the truck.

Jesus Christ. What the hell was that about Carl?! You best give me some answers here boy.

To describe his tone of voice as irritated would have been the grossest of understatements.

I told you, theyre not cops.

I got that much Einstein. WHO THE ***** ARE THEY?!

..Theyre b.bad people.

NO ***** SHERLOCK! Unless you want your ass kicked to the curb, youre gonna have to do better than that.

I..Ima witness.

Finally, the start of something useful for the pissed off driver to sink his mental teeth into in order to work out the taste of this whole scenario.

To what exactly?

These guys are drugs lords. I saw them kill a cop.

If youre *****t*n me, I will personally rip your head off and crap down your neck. You understand me?

The glare of innocence that Wes had noticed in his eyes many miles back had returned, bringing some perspective to the whole situation.

Its true. Please keep going.

The wail of sirens once again intervened the pairs conversation. The vehicle was gaining on them, a prospect that Wes was not too keen on at all, which was more than amply demonstrated as his foot tried to ram the pedal through the footwell.

Weve got two things going for us right now, a full tank of gas, and being big enough to stand anything they throw at us. We gotta play to that.

There was no response from his passenger, whos gaunt face had taken white to a whole new level with his terror. Up in the distance, tiny lights blinked, seemingly on the road, Wes closed in on them with each passing moment.

As the vehicle approached, and the lights and forms took shape, their pursuers had dropped out of sight. This only made sense when the sight in the middle of the road came into focus.

Several black and whites covered the width of the road, barricades laid out in front, and officers packing all kinds of offensive rifles and shotguns took refuge behind the cars, training their sights on the speeding sixteen wheeler.

Are these guys real cops?

Yy.yes.

Then we can stop right?

Before Carl had a chance to give his opinion on things, the cracking of bullets ripping through the windshield from the law officers weapons filled the cab in a shower of glass and blasts of cold air from outside.

Never having moved so quick, the pair hid behind the dash board and kept rolling towards the blockade as hundreds of metallic projectiles assaulted the truck. With enough speed and mass, the vehicle smashed its way through the police blockade, twisting their cars out of shape, buckling the steel and shattering the glass in a wake of destruction, until they were clear enough to sit upright.

Mentally examining his body for injuries, Wes was lucky enough to find nothing more than a few lacerations from the shards of his windshield that now littered his seat and just about everything else he could see in his immediate vicinity, including his passenger who seemed reasonably unscathed, but still shaken up.

I thought you said they were REAL cops?!

They were.

Taking a moment to digest what Carl was saying, he knew something was up.

WHAT THE ***** ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

They were trying to kill us.

Really? I thought that was their way of throwing us a party. I KNOW THEY WERE TRYING TO KILL US! The question is why were the cops trying to, and more importantly, what the hell is this US crap?

Staring at his distorted reflection in the shards of glass between his legs, before lifting his head up and mustering the courage to answer, Carl was clearly hiding something, and if Wes had to rip open his skull and sift through his brains to find what, then so be it.

Ive got something.

Yeah, about ten seconds to talk sense before kick the crap out of you.

A keyto a safety deposit box.

Producing the key as proof, the hitchers body language and previous events meant that this was no ordinary safety deposit box.

And?

Its got $200,000 in it.

And?

$200,000 of drug money that was retrieved in a bust but never logged into evidence.

Holy *****.

If that money finds its way into the right peoples hands, itll bring down about fifty officers.

So those first guys were the drug dealers, after their money?

Exactly, if they have the cash, then they can blackmail the PD, not to mention the fact that its $200,000. $200,000 that the cops wanna make sure no-one else gets their hand on.

This new input of information had changed everything. He was sitting on 200 large ones here. Even if they split it, a 100 grand would still go a long way. He was already in danger, so why not go the whole way? Hed been working his ass off for a couple of decades and where had it got him? Nowhere. This money could change his life. After all, hed worked for it, been shot at, his truck riddled with bullets. It was hard to believe, but it made sense with everything that had happened. Unless of course Carl was lying, but why would he do that? They were both at risk and all they had now were each other to rely on.

Realising his thoughts had taken up a good ten minutes of time without replying to his passenger, he needed to check reality and the situation at hand with a mild air of slight success.

Wow man. This is some serious *****Are you serious?

No.

Whipping a hand from his pocket, Carl revealed and fired a pistol. The steel broke through Wes skull with ease, tearing apart the soft brain tissue in such a way that no-one could survive. Slumping down in his seat like a sack of thrown out potatoes, the truckers final delivery would never be complete, and his questions ever unanswered.

How much is one mans life worth? How much is one sick mans fantasy worth? How about a conspiracy? Or a job? Family? Pride? Safety? What are any of these things worth? All I know is what my life was worth.

Nothin.

The Role-Playing League - Season I - IC Thread

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has been expecting you.

has been expecting you.

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