Money Lesson

My sense of money is a bit off now. I don’t budget, don’t try to build up my credit, put my money into good investments, and/or make sure I ensure I get all my money that is owed to me. This hasn’t always been the case. I actually had a good sense of what I should do with money very early on, and this is a story that sums that up neatly.

This dirty blond kid/toddler, between three to four years old, is waiting for the lesson of the day in Preschool. He got into Preschool early, because of his disability at the time, sixty percent deaf, and one day he left his house and freaked out his mother half to death, all because he wanted to catch the bus to go to school. It was a public bus, not a school bus. This little dude is obviously me. That day’s lesson, money.

We were all given fake money to spend at the fake store they set up for us. There were about eight to ten kids in this class. The lesson I guess is to get used to things that have value, and you need money to buy them. I had a different lesson in mind for my peers and I intended to ensure each and everyone of them learned it well.

I started off by going to each kid and taking half of their money, because I was the bank. The last kid, a older boy wearing a baby blue polo, refused to hand his money over to me. I wasn’t having this, and he wasn’t going to get in my way of my lesson. I PUNCHED HIM, straight in the nose, took his money and proceeded to yell at him…

“YOU WANT TO LIVE IN THE GARBAGE CAN, BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE YOU WILL LIVE IF YOU DON’T SAVE YOUR MONEY!!!!”

If you were wondering, yes I got in trouble, and no I wasn’t able to buy anything from the store; but that did mean I saved 100% of all my money. 

My mom was mad at the school when she was called there to get me. But after the long ride back home, she just laughed her ass off. She thought it was something special that a small kid had more sense about money than most adults. 

I always loved this story, because it was the only time I purposely hit someone, outside of a planned fight for fun, and I had a true purpose to do so. 

Fix to the HOAX "Global Warming"

“Governor, if you have my back, I will solve this Global Warming issue for you.” 

“What do you have in mind? You very well know that the people of Texas depend on oil and gas.”

“Oh, I know, and you also like your own power grid and really don’t want to put any more regulations on it.” Alan Tusk gestures to one of his lackeys to grab something. The lackey grabs a document and hands it to Tusk. “I want you to look at this.” Tusk slides it over to the Governor.

“This doesn’t show how you are going to fix this ‘Global Warming’ bullshit, all this is asking us to basically subsidize your batteries for homes!! We aren’t going to do this!” The Governor slid the document back to Tusk.

“You are going to have to trust me Governor, what I am going to do will generate some legal issues, and we need to make sure we have all available resources. Meaning capital. Also, this helps you in not having pressure in turning your electric market into a capacity market.” Tusk slid the document back. “Also you can sell this as Texas truly supports individual energy independence.”  

The Governor takes back the document, “If you aren’t going to tell me what you are going to do, I need to know the results of what you are going to do.”

Tusk smiles big, snaps at another lackey, and he grabs another document. He says nothing and slides this new document over to the Governor. Governor’s eyes grow.

“Oh boy!! Are these numbers real??” 

“They are, so all I need you to do is sign that first document, and the Global Warming issue will be gone by next year. Pump baby pump!” 

“Give me a week, I have to sell this before I do anything.”

“I thought you were the leader of Texas?”

“Don’t push it Tusk…”

Tusk put up his hands as a sign that he backed down. “I will have someone follow up with you in a week then.”

At this point LinkStar is halfway in sending its 42,000 satellites, with the plan to finish by the following year.The adoption rate has tripled over the past year all around the world. It is proving to be very popular. All the Edison vehicles now can recieve internet from anywhere in the world, almost. Which has pushed countries to reconsider their policy against these satellites. Paving the way to have to have phase one to complete 100%. 

Global temperature just reached +2.0°C above average. Greater pressure has been put onto disbanding fossil fuels, and areas that depend on these fuels are fighting but losing this war. A new form of plastic has been adopted that isn’t made from petroleum, instead it is a biodegradable material that breaks down if it is heated up to 93°C. Once it is heated the bonds break loose and then can be placed in a compost. Hurting the oil industry even more. 

The Governor got back to Tusk, “We got all the paperwork signed, when will we find out your plan?”

“When we launch it… stay tuned.” Tusk said over the phone, knowing that the Governor is rolling his eyes. The little things just make Tusk’s day. 

A year later, all 42,000 satellites are now up. There is a huge party planned at the incorporated town in Texas. Delegates and world leaders are all in attendance. Tusk walks up to the Governor.

“Today is the day.”

“For…?”

“For Global Warming to be a thing of the past.” Tusks looks over and smiles and walks off. 

“Hello everyone.” A dry tone came over the speakers. Everyone looks and there is Tusk on center stage. “Hope everyone is enjoying themselves.” Then he proceeded to pause. An awkward clapping started. 

“We are here to celebrate the successful launch of all LinkStar satellites, which now provides high speed internet around the world. But, let me tell you something. This is just the beginning of something more grand.” 

People started to brighten up, and start to listen more closely. Tusk is an awkward person, but brilliant. Anything he does revolutions industries or creates entirely new industries. 

“I am now going to show you the second phase of LinkStar.” Tusk waves, and a person brings him a ceremonial button. 

“Today we are 2 degrees hotter than we ever have been. It has put pressure to change the entire industry that we have depended on for well over 100 years. Today we fixed this warming.” Tusk presses the button and looks up, and the crowd follows his lead. After a couple of minutes, it becomes dimer. It suddenly becomes cooler. Then the crowd erupts in cheers!

“All the 42,000 has large sails that can be deployed to reduce the amount of sunlight that actually hits the Earth, causing Global Cooling, but controlled!” Tusk smiles and he turns and looks at the Governor. The Governor is in utter shock, but knows this will save Texas, this will save OIL!

Afterwords

So we all know who I am talking about. He is the only person I know that would just do this without getting permission, and since he is now stationed in Texas, it would make sense that he would make a deal with that government. If we cool the planet without reducing our carbon output, it would be just a temporary solution, but people would take advantage to push for more oil production instead of reducing it. 

Sobriety Test

“This Burger King is taking forever… It is only me and the car in front of me. WHAT THE FUCK!!” I’m a bit tipsy, super hungry, and decided to skip a place called California Burgers, because it had like 20 cars in line, and went to BK. When I pulled up, there was just one vehicle.

I went to a brewery on Main Street in a suburb of Indianapolis. I was pretty lazy all day, and just watched Netflix in French, and practiced Francais on Duolingo. I ate a couple bags of chips that the airbnb host had in the room for guests. Really sweet of her actually.  

Anyways, I went to the brewery late, their kitchen was closed when I got there. Got a couple of beers, and ate a small piece of special cookie that I was given in Michigan. I discovered that Xbox released a new feature that allowed you to play your console on your cell phone. I played that until they closed. Left to go get food and ended up in the drive thru of BK. 

After like 15 minutes being in the drive thru, I got my double Whopper with cheese, and tried to go back to my airbnb. The turn onto the main street was super damn awkward. Like you pulled around and the main street was parallel to you like only four feet away. There was a center median, which prevented me turning left. Because of this damn design, I had to do almost a 180 degree turn to get into the right turn lane so I could find a drive to turn around. 

I began my turn, and this car that was in the far lane decided at the last minute to get into the lane i was trying to pull into. I had to hit my damn breaks, cuse like a motherfucker, go into reverse, then finish my turn. Unbenounced to me, a cop was nearby. When I turned on to the street to find a place to turn around, the cop got right behind me. I was like, eh I haven’t done anything, buuuut, I should probably turn into a neighborhood to turn around instead of a U-turn. I turned and the cop followed, and then “Whop Whop” and lights began flashing. 

“FUCK!”

Got my stuff ready for the cop. Handed him my licence and he ask for my registration. Because my car is registered in TX, the registration is the sticker on my windshield. 

“Oh ya, forgot Texas is weird about that.” The officer said as he leaned over to see the sticker. “Well give me a second, I’m going to check your ID.”

“OK officer!”

“Fuck… The cookie is setting in.”  This thought popped into my head, because I felt the pull of my mental soul going down. “Well, I guess I can start eating this burger though.” Again I was super hungry and. the munchies were kicking in. 

Ate half the burger, then I saw the cop walking back up. I set my burger down on my bag in the passenger seat, and looked over to the cop.

He handed me my license and said, “Have you been drinking tonight?”

“Yes sir, two beers from the brewery off Main Street.”

“You know the percentage of those beers.”

“Umm, I believe like six percent… actually I bought a pack of the cider, it is sitting right here if you would like me to look?”

“Nope, that is ok. The reason I pulled you over, it looked like you about hit a car when you pulled out of the Burger King parking lot.”

“Damn parking lot” I thought to myself. “Ya, the car was in the far lane and then pulled into my lane as I pulled out. That drive thru to the roadway is super awkward.”

“Ya, I didn’t see that happen. Would you mind doing a sobriety test. Just for me to make sure you are safe to drive.”

“Yes, of course.”

“FUCK… I don’t know what to do if I get a damn DUI in another fucking state where I know no one! FUUUUUUUUUUCK”

I get out of the car. We do the whole routine with the pen, walking the line, holding up a leg, and then he asked, “Would you mind in doing a breathalyzer. It isn’t admissible in court.”

“Sure.”

“Ok, just to let you know, I do not tell people their percentage.”

I then took the breathalyzer and blew into it, and looked at the officer. His eyes grew in shock.

“Well, you are REALLY sober.”

“Yup.”

Then he let me go. I got into my car and started to head back to my airbnb. I took a turn, and in the corner of my eye I just saw my half eaten burger roll off and on to the floor. This depressed me to no end, but then I thought, “Hey, this is probably more healthy for me to only eat half the burger.”

And that was my night!

Shreveport Part One

Got into Shreveport Wednesday, March 24th. Staying with one of my mother’s 31 first cousins. His name is John. Stayed with him, his wife, Therese, and one of his sons, Tyler. 

I met all of them back in August of 2013, during a family reunion. I actually met so many of my family members. I don’t quite remember everyone’s faces, and I was the photographer for the second time. During the first family reunion I went to, everyone thought I was a hired photographer. I was ok with that, because I was shy and socially awkward. I was still awkward the second time, but Cara, another one of my mother’s first cousins, set everyone straight on who I was. 

Anyways, got into Shreveport from Nashville. They had supper ready, and we spent a few hours talking. I began drinking some Maple Rum that I got from Vermont. We were hanging out on the back porch looking at the unfinished pool. Apparently that pool hasn’t been finished because the city found out the guy doing it didn’t have a permit nor a license to do so. Then the guy kept taking the test and failed it 8 times. Persistence I guess haha. The thing is, it has been over a year since he last touched it. Now it has old rain water in it, and green algae and moss growing in it. 

John went to bed about 8-9 ish, then Therese followed suit. It was just Tyler, Lola (the dog), the cat (don’t remember its name), and me. Tyler looks over and asks, “Want to go out and drink Cousin?” 

“Sure.” I said while shrugging my shoulders, not expecting the night we were going to have. 

This guy knows the ins and outs of Shreveport. He has worked a lot of different jobs and currently in the service industry, and he is just a big extrovert. Me, being a social introvert, was expecting to get a few drinks, maybe meet some of his friends, and call it a night like at midnight the latest. That was a big nope!

We just went to a couple of places. He of course got shots for us. It seemed like every single person knew him, except for a fake Aussie guy with the bullwhip in the parking lot. However, Tyler discovered he knew the guy from a story he heard about this guy just walking into this bar’s kitchen and started to cook up something for himself then got kicked out. 

I got a couple more shots and another beer for myself. I don’t really remember how many people came up to us to basically pay their respects to Tyler, hahaha. It just cracked me up, because I haven’t seen this well connected person in a long time. Then we went across the parking lot to the EDM bar. 

Same shit happend at the EDM bar. First we walked in, and he said hi to everyone. Then once we got settled in, people came by to say hello, and even to say hello again from the other bar. Tyler told me the new bartender thought I was attractive. I was surprised, and felt good that someone expressed their liking to me. Looking back now, I should have gone up and introduced myself. I wasn’t attractive to her, physically, but she could have been a cool person to talk to. But as you can tell, I didn’t go and talk to her. I just kept drinking. Tyler kept getting pitchers, and kept filling up my cups. I was getting DRUUUUUNK. 

Then a friend of his started to hang out with us. I was trying my best to have a coaching session with her. I feel like I try to pry myself into people’s lives, and see what is plaguing them. Then try to take the knowledge I have, and the BS I can muster up to help them. This is what I tried with this person, but I was also really drunk, and I believe I was high at this point. In truth, I started fading in and out. I remember being in Tyler’s vehicle, there were four of us, and we were hot boxing. I think we went to get food too, but I am not sure. Like I remember being in the back seat and the front seat of the car. When I was in the back seat the car was moving, and the two other peeps were with us. 

It was a long night. It wasn’t until the next night, when I took it way easier, that I asked when the bars closed in Shreveport. Tyler told me most close at 4, but you can find some that close at 6. Then there is a bar that opens at 7 am. So you can basically be at a bar for 23 hours. The first night, all I know is I got really fucking tired. I don’t really remember leaving, nor going to bed. 

Next morning, I woke up at 10 am, with the worst headache I’ve had in a very long time. I didn’t want to get up, so I just plainly didn’t. I also needed to take a piss really bad. But naw. THAT headache was way worse. I figure I just force myself to go back to sleep. That is what I did. I woke back up at 2 pm, and that DAMN headache was still there!! 

I knew I had to get up, and luckily I got a big ol glass of water right before I went to bed, and it was still sitting there. Thank you faded me for thinking about the future me, love ya bud! Drank that entire thing, took some ibuprofen, then headed out to the porch. Brought my bluetooth keyboard with me, and reviewed my stories. 

Tyler woke up around the time I did. We were both hungry, and Tyler had the day planned out for us.

First. We went to Ki Mexico. This place was bomb! Of course Tyler knew every single person in that place. We got a lamb burger, and that sucker was to die for. I would say the burger was a half pound burger, ¾ inch thick, and a size of a fist. Had herbs, fresh cucumber, oil/basil dressing, sprouts, and a good fresh made bun. Then it was served with a side of in house made chips that tasted like it had Tajin seasoning on them. I was still hungry so I ordered a single taco. Glad I did that because this taco, called Gringa, was a big ass taco. The description of the taco: pork marinated in ancho and guajillo peppers, then wrapped in a cheese crust with cilantro and onions. Then your choice of sauce. To say the least I was full. Also, the bartenders there were entertaining, genuine, thought provoking, and just overall great people!

Next up was a brewery, the first brewery that started in Shreveport, Great Raft Brewery. My first beer was Barrel Aged Old Mad Joy. 10% porter. It was smooth, a bit sweet, hints of coffee and chocolate, and of course it was strong. Other beers I had of theirs were: 318 (Golden Ale), Life Itself: Key Lime Pie (Gose, one of my favorites), and Stagger Homeward (Stout). Great Brewery, and if you are in Shreveport, this would be another recommendation. 

Then we were supposed to get 50 cent raw oysters, which I was surprised by the amount. But we made a stop at Tyler’s job, he works at Eddy’s, a pool hall. Played some pool, and his buddy texted him that they ran out of oysters. I was only a bit sad, but was happy to beat Tyler 4 out of 5 pool games. 

Second to last we went to this bar that looks like a classical German Decor building. It was a bar and they were having trivia. Before trivia started up, Tyler told me one of the bartenders braids hair. She was like yup, and I’ll braid your hair for $5. She was joking, then I was like, sure. She paused for a second, and was like, “Are you serious?” I was, and then her face made a pondering face, she was probably 5 foot 4, and long blond hair, that she had in two braid like structures. One over each of her shoulders, and she wore circle glasses. After she thought, she was in, and she was asked, before or after trivia. I left it up to her. 

We were doing pretty well in trivia. Before the bonus rounds, we tied for first; but, the bonus rounds screwed us over. 

After we lost, I reminded the bartender, I believe her name was Casey, but I’m not sure. I know the other one just started that day and her name was Tallie. Anyways, Casey came around, and did a single loose french braid, starting from the top of my head to the back. It looked good. 

Last for the night, was the same bar we went to the night before. This time around, I didn’t go hard. This was the night I found out that the bar doesn’t close until 4. We didn’t close out the bar… but we didn’t leave until like 3:30 am. 

We also hung out with one of the bartenders from Ki Mexico. I am really bad with names, so sir, if you read this, I am sorry that I forgot your name. You are an awesome person!

That ended the night and majority of the time I hung out with Tyler. He had to work during the weekend. Part two of Shreveport is me hanging out with Tyler’s brother Colin. 

The Last Hill of Hope

Crackle, pat pat pat, SPLASH… a small bronze skinned girl is covered from head to toe in a thick soup of mud.

“Get up Ashley!” an older man with a short silver shaved head screamed in terror. He quickly turned around and ran back to this young girl trying to push herself up from the quagmire this mud puddle made for the nine year old girl. 

He ran as quickly as he could, trying his best before… before… 

GOD DAMN IT!!! He screamed in his head. 

“AHHHHHHH!!!!!” Ashley screams in horror as this corpse, that came rushing in behind her, has now fallen on her leg. It sunk it’s ragged broken teeth into her leg letting out a foul rotten meat smell, and started to pull up while holding her leg down. Blood started to cover the mud soaked sock. She swung her other leg as hard as she could and with a single blow to the ghoul's head it broke loose, leaving a few teeth behind. The repugnant smell still filling up the area around the girl and this monster. 

Smack, a mental knuckle blow shatters the creature's temple, same spot where the girl managed to hit. It caused a black goo to expel from its head. “Dad...kill it, PLEASE kill it….” the girl said while whimpering and still struggling in the mud. The father had no time to keep hitting the decaying hominoid. He grabs Ashley by the arm and pulls her up and over his shoulder, like he had to perform many times saving people from fires before the hell was let loose on the world years ago. 

He ran as fast as he could. Hearing the sounds of several bodies drunkenly running and stumbling like they had no direction, but he knew, he knew they were coming for them. 

He got on the rubble of an old asphalt road. It was lined on one side with trees. The other side is a field. It was all leading to a hill with an old faded blue wood siding house that had a raised foundation sitting on top. Every window was covered in layers of chicken wire, as well as the porch. The man, with the child still on his back. His entire left side now covered in her blood from her wound. He darted to the back of the house. Laid her down and opened the cellar doors. It was the only access point that was accessible from the ground now. He scooped her up and rushed in, threw her to the ground and grabbed the doors and slammed them shut…

BANG…. SCREEEEECH. Bang… bang… 

The mob was there, but the man looked relieved. The girl is softly crying on the floor, battered, still bleeding, but for the time okay. 

Dan spoke up, “Let’s get you upstairs so I can take a look at that Ashley.” 

“But it hurts Dad!” Ashley was still in shock with all of what happened…

The house creaked as the wind blew. The sound of dripping water coming from right outside the windows, and a few spots inside the house. Sounds from the mob still roaming outside the house can still be heard. They mush through the wet ground and give no fucks that it was raining on them. All they wanted was to get in, but their eagerness could end fatally for them. 

“Oww..” Ashley spoke softly while trying to not look at her leg as her dad examined it. He had her sit on their couch, with her leg propped up on the coffee table. The couch has seen better years. A deep maroon leather couch. Now cracking in all the spots that would have pressure put on it. Pieces of its hide peeling up. The cushions are mismatched. Dan figured it was easier to haul cushions that he found than entire couches he found, also his wife loved the couch. It would take a lot to give it up.

“Ashley, look at me.” Dan said sternly with authority in his voice. 

“Yes..” she turned her head, making sure her eyes stayed straight ahead until her eyes met his. 

“It looks like there are a couple of pieces of bone, maybe, but they are in your skin. Maybe right under the surface. I am going to have to remove them. You are going to have to stay brave, just for a little while longer, okay?”

“Okay…” Ashley said as a tear rolled down her face. 

Dan went to the wall where the medkit was hanging. Grabbed it, and went to the kitchen. He pulled out a box knife that was dedicated to medical use. He sterilized it, put a pot of water on the portable electric stove that now sat on top of his old gas stove. He boiled a sponge, so he could use it to clean Ashley’s wound. He threw the sponge into a bucket he washed along with the box knife. He grabbed a handful of rags that they kept in a box in the corner of their kitchen.

He came back into the living room. Ashley was nearly passing out from the exhaustion of the day’s events. 

“What took you so long!” Ashley said disgruntledly, grinding her teeth to try to ease the pain. 

“Stop that, that isn’t good for your teeth.”  Dan pulled up a chair next to the coffee table, sat down, and put the bucket next to her. He cleaned her leg the best he could, and then put rags underneath her leg to try to catch the blood that would soon run down her leg. 

“Fuck, forgot to grab the damn needlenose…” Dan got up and hit the corner of the coffee table. Both of them made a kind of irritating noise of discomfort. He came back with the pliers, and sat back back down. He grabbed the knife and started to cut. It took a little while, but Dan pulled out three shards and one full tooth out of Ashley’s leg. He cleaned the work he had done and wrapped her leg in goze. 

“Take this.” Dan hands Ashley a pill, “It will help with the pain and might let you rest. I got some work to do, I need you to sleep.”

Ashley took the pill from his hand, mustered up enough spit, and threw the pill in her mouth. She swallowed, turned her small body and curled up on the couch the best she could, keeping the one leg straight.

Sunlight started to beam into Dan’s bedroom, and on to Dan. He felt the warmth of the sun on his side of his arm. He turned and looked at the window.

“Dammmmn… It is going to be muggy as hell.”

Dan with an annoyed face, puts on his old Firefighter suit and helmet on. He leaves and heads to the porch. He looks over and sees Ashley passed out on the couch. His face relaxes for a bit, and stares just a bit at his daughter. 

They have been through so much, the end of days, trying to survive, and their loss of her loving mother and his strong willed wife, Lauran. Lauran was the matriarch of their small family. Dan was away a lot, at the fire station, and when he wasn’t he worked a second job out at a large farm up north. When he came back, he didn’t have the mental capacity to make the most sound choices for the family. After many long winded debates, some would call them fights but Lauran never did, during Lauran’s pregnancy with Ashley, Dan conceded and accepted that it was going to be best if Lauran made more of the important decisions for the family. She was such a wonderful and very thoughtful person. She showed that to Dan, and Dan loved it, but sometimes was bothered by it. He knew he had some unconscious biases towards women, and he tried his best to realize when they popped up so he could address them, or Lauran and him could address them together. It worries him now, that he doesn’t have Lauran to help him see and rethink his ways that were ingrained into him growing up in the South. He hopes he has the power to create an environment that Ashley can grow up and be strong in, and not doubt herself because of him. 

Dan snapped out of the daze and went towards the porch. He had to remove the board from the barricade brackets that were bolted on either side of the door, unlocked several of the locks, and opened it up. Dan stepped out to an enclosed porch. A bit of self generated steam came up from his suit from the sweat that was being generated and fogged up his helmet. The porch had large window-like openings with thin screens on them to keep out the bugs, now all covered in layers of chicken wire. There was no longer furniture to lounge around on after a long day's work. Now there is this tunnel made of chicken wire, boards, steel piping, etc. It was as tall as Dan, standing at six foot four inches, and only the width of a small child. There were also two slits with a metal sliding door already pushed into them and locked into place. One was next to the wall as the tunnel came into the porch and the other at the end of it. 

Dan picked up a long rod that had a point on it. It was leaning on the tunnel. 

“HEY!!! MOTHERFUCKERS!!!”

Sounds from the otherside of the house grew louder. There were five of them. Hardly any hair, a grey tint to their skin, eyes sunken into their skull, their lips had cracks along them. They have been battered quite a bit from the weather. The clothes they had on were almost worn away. Holes throughout, faded colors, or screen printings almost peeled off. Not every one of them had old blood soaked clothes though. Some just looked like senior citizens, but that was normal. 

What took over the world was a form of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis. A fungus that zombifies ants in the rainforest. As the planet grew warmer, and logging took out most of the rainforest, that pesky mold evolved. Typically most fungus doesn’t feel safe inside the likes of mammals. The reason is due to our natural ability of being warm blooded. Fungus was the reason there wasn’t a second coming of lizards after the fall of the dinosaurs, and allowed mammals to dominate the new world. One truth in the world, everything keeps evolving or it is dead. This fungus learned how to survive in a body up to a sustained internal temperature of 100 degrees Farenhiet. An older person, or someone near death didn’t have that ability to kill it off. If you inhale the spores, it will embed into your lungs, and those things can survive up to 110 degrees Farenhiet. Way past the point any person could handle without any sustained damage. The spores won't germinate until it somehow knew it could take over the body. Then it will go up to the brain and turn off all that it didn’t need to take over the rest. 

The ghouls got closer. Dan spotted the one that was in the lead. He knew it was the one that got Ashley. With its mouth open breathing out what looked like ash, it had missing teeth and blood, that is dried now, but it had a trail down the creature's chin. 

“Alright motherfuckers, come on over. That’s right, you want me dead! hahaha. Well we have that in common.” 

Both of the slit doors in the tunnel were closed. Dan grabs the one closest to the wall and he opens it. Because the opening is so small, it is hard for multiple of them to get in. The ragged tooth ghoul was the first to squeeze into the tunnel. As soon as its middle part of the body was in the tunnel, Dan started to push the sliding metal door in. This prevents dealing with more than one at a time. He pushed it shut right on another ghoul’s hand, smashing and cutting it into almost half. It yelled and pulled away. Black goo poured from it’s hand, and it ripped its finger inorder to get free. 

Ragged Tooth tried to get into a position to break free, but it was just too much in an awkward spot. It is side stepping, with the tunnel touching its back and front. Dan with the rod in hand stared at Ragged Tooth. Hatred filled his eyes, and lifted the rod up and shoved it through the tunnel into Ragged Tooth’s caved in head. It seemed forever for it to stop moving, as Dan just watched it, tears running down his face. 

Dan opened the other door of the tunnel that was inside the porch and dragged out the finally lifeless body. Slam the door after he did this, which made the other being start beating at the chicken wire. Then he began to pat down it’s clothes. He found a wallet, a set of keys, and that was basically it. Ragged Tooth’s actual name was Dominic Raleigh. He would have been 38 this year. This was a photo in his wallet. It was Dominic, a woman (probably his wife), and two boys (more than likely his sons). This man had a life before this, he had a story. Dan set the life of this person to the side, this is what Dan thought about the things he found on these people, this is who they were before everything. 

Dan dragged the body to the other side of the door that allowed entry into the house. Dan repeated on what he did with Dominic. Their names were: Melony, would have been 67 years old; Bruce, 58; Lela, Dominic’s wife, age 37; and Bing, he would have just turned 70. 

Dan layed Lela next to Dominic. He stared at their disfigured faces. A husband and wife that stayed together as they went into their own hell. 

What happened to their boys. Dan thought. What would have happened to Ashely if I died that day…

Dan took their bodies in, the door to the basement was next to the door that led to the porch. Down in the basement, he prepared the bodies to be burned. Dan figured that it was the best way to handle the bodies, instead of burying them. Fire seems to not draw them in. It is like they know it could hurt them, so they stay clear. 

Tennessee

I’ve gotten to enjoy the beginning of spring in Tennessee. I’m staying at an Airbnb. I think it is the first apartment I’ve stayed in. The apartment complex consists mainly of hispanic immigrants. They mainly all speak Spanish. 

The first night was interesting, I guess. I got in, and decided to not go out. A woman answered the door. Smiled, and gestured to come in. Showed me my room. The door had the name Alex on it, which looked like a child wrote it. I believe the place is a 2 bedroom apartment, and a family lives in it. To earn a bit of money they airbnb their child’s room. Or childrens’ room. When I went to use the restroom there were a boy and a girl at their dinner table. It is a clean room, and the bed isn’t the worst I’ve slept in.

The first exciting thing of the night was the fire alarm. Kids of the complex pulled the alarm. What made it worse, it didn’t seem like it called the fire department. The alarm was going off for like an hour. I watched two shows. I even called their office. I believe maintenance was the one that turned off the alarm, the fire department. I pondered, this sucks for the people here. The apartment complex could burn completely down, and people lose everything, due to… my guess, so authorities don’t find out there are undocumented people living there? 

Anyways, the second surprise I got that night was when I turned off the lights and went to bed. I’m on a full size bed, so my feet hang off most of the time. I heard a jingle. Like from a sleighbell. I thought it was nothing, then I felt a sharp needle like pain in my foot, then the sounds of something catching the cloth of the bed as it came down…. I got up with excitement. I knew what it was from the moment I felt pain! It was a kitten!!! This mid length hair siamese kitten was sitting under the bed. It was awesome. Such a cute kitty. It did want out of the room after it checked me out. But it made me happy before I went to sleep.

The next day I awoke. I knew I wanted to go to Jack Daniel’s Distillery. But I have not been as productive as I have been. Woke up and started watching videos, didn’t read, and it was about 11am when I finally got up. Took a shower, then decided that I wanted to get food between where I was and Jack Daniel’s. Found a midpoint and found two interesting places. Sent to my friends to choose for me. They chose Buster’s Place in Murfreesboro, TN. I got a burger that had a half pound patty, bacon jam, whipped feta cheese, jalapenos, and normal fixings too. The only thing that would make the burger from a 9/10 to a 10/10 would be butter toasting the buns. They didn’t do that, which I found weird. Outside of that, if you are going from Nashville to Jack Daniel’s Distillery, go to this place for lunch! 

After I got the burger I went to Luxembourg, TN. The county that this town is in is a dry county. They have Jack Daniels there, and it is a Dry County. Like I feel like that was done by Jack Daniels, to have their employees not be able to have any other liquor than Jack. Of course, there is a loophole for them. They can sell their Jack. The place was really cool though. The yeast smell just lofted all over the place. It smelled like the most nutty brownie ever. Like I could just taste it. Wanted some ice cream with this smell. 

Finished my last two nights at two different breweries. I enjoyed the time I had in Tennessee. 

Statue of Jack Daniel. 

Am I Evil...

Am I Evil… 

This thought just keeps popping up in my head. I can’t get rid of it. I know what I say shouldn’t be wrong. But it feels like it. How is asking questions, showing people what is going on, evil? 

My dad told me that my ideas are vile, that there is overwhelming “proof” to disprove my points. Like what evidence? I have a whole community behind me backing me up, that has written countless amounts of articles proving my points. But my mother cries when we are at the dinner table. I have created so much tension, that she doesn’t even speak to me now. I don’t know what to do.

My dad began to beat me. I don’t give a fuck, I know they are wrong, they just can’t see it. I have to keep pushing, keep trying to make them know the truth. Maybe they will forgive me later? I don’t know… 

What they see I am doing is immoral, and how they conduct themselves, what I think and say is immoral. It goes against everything that my family stands for. I hurt them badly, but I haven’t killed them. My words have been just within this house.

Maybe I should push these ideas further. It could destroy families, our entire community, but it is needed. What our community thinks and unconsciously does should be wrong, it should be evil, not ME!

Afterword…

I wanted to write something about how Evil could be blurred. This is just a feeler. To see if I want to write something more, a bigger story. What I wanted to do is confuse the reader. Was this person actually doing something evil? Were they a white supremistist in a progressive household or did they support LGBTQ rights in a very alt-right religious household. Evil is the act of doing something profoundly immoral and knowing they are doing it and continuing even if it hurts others; however morality is relative.