Writings of Carmen Marin

The Secret Journal of Ichabod Crane by Alex Irvine

"In Sleepy Hollow, a supernatural twist on Washington Irving's classic short story, Ichabod Crane has been pulled two-and-a-half centuries through time to find that he and detective Abbie Mills are humanity's last hope in the war against evil. Passionate, intelligent, and wryly funny, Crane has always used journals to collect thoughts and documents that may prove useful later, and The Secret Journal of Ichabod Crane offers an unprecedented look at the battle also raging inside his fascinating mind."

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

     Being a 'Sleepy Head' I was really happy to get a chance to read this, and figured if anything it'd be a fun little diversion. The premise of this book is to be, as what it says on the tin, the 'secret journal of Ichabod Crane', and therefore his thoughts and feelings and findings during the course of season one of the hit TV show.      Briefly talking about the cover, it looks fantastic. Very professional looking and eye catching, giving you the feel as if you are opening up someone else's journal. As Ichabod Crane is a mostly a simple man, of course his journal would be one too, so most of the front isn't exactly what you see on his, and therefore how his journal cover really looks can be seen on the inside in black and white. I went into this knowing I wouldn't probably glean anything new, that it'd simply be a rehash of what we've seen on the show. It's probably about 80% rehash, 10% new information, and 10% photos/'found documents'. Still, I was pleasantly surprised on how entertaining it was to read, and not once did I skim a section 'knowing' the outcome as I had seen the episode it spoke of.

      The author did a great job of capturing Ichabod's voice, not in just the vocabulary, but in the wit the character has on the show and the push and pull of him accepting and denying modern day anything, really. From the clothing, to vernacular, to technology. While most of the entries are rehashes of what went on in the episode that Ichabod witnessed or was informed of, we do get some bits of his thoughts and feelings that we didn't readily see in the show. And because this is his point of view, this book is not for anyone who hasn't seen the first season and thought they could catch up this way, as lots of details are never mentioned or brushed over since it wouldn't either have been known to Ichabod, or he wouldn't have regarded it as noteworthy to the cause.

      Having seen majority of the episodes once or twice when they originally aired, this was a good refresher course in the season, and I'm glad I managed to finish it literally moments before season two premiered. So I can't attest if there were any glaring errors, or errors at all, to continuity of the show.

      The real highlight of the book were the 'found documents' that probably look much better on paper than on a monitor, of articles from the sisters' abductions, to papers from occult books and Ichabod's own sketches of nature, monsters, and companions. They added a lot of depth and authenticity to the journal, along with Ichabod's recounts of his past engagements with people and events that are now historical and famous to us. Aside from that, his small personal reflections, were breaths of fresh air from all the talk about the cause and being Witnesses, like his undying love and devotion to Katrina, and his growing (platonic I shall say for now in my opinion) affection and respect for the Mills sisters.

      As I was nearing the end of the journal, I was curious on how it would end, as it could only hint at all that had happened in the season one finale, and was worried it'd be a disappointing ending. It wasn't. There was a lot of feeling, and definitely knowing what had transpired, a great bit of foreshadowing that made the finale that more poignant, and it ended with a fun puzzle. I'm sure a hint of the season to come. Definitely a book I recommend to fans of the show who'd like to see a little more of Ichabod's reasonings. It's fun and a fairly fast read, but at the same time, like the show, has its dark elements.

      And, in case you're interested, Ichabod had found some coded words down in a specific cipher, that he hoped to unlock later on. The words once deciphered were: Gospel of Judas & Hellfire Club.

From my WIP, a look into a world where magic and steampunk machinations exist together. Here, we get a glimpse into the daily life of our secondary main protagonist, Leander Kene.

      Sometimes, Leander wondered if he was just a babysitter. And an unpaid one at that. Well, he did get a few donations every once in a while, but it was only so that he didn’t feel like a complete bum.  Or maybe because the parents actually felt sorry for him. He honestly doubted it was because they actually cared about teaching their kids the history of magic. He knew they didn’t like the ‘propaganda’ and ‘conspiracy theories’ he had about the current state of magic. Leander usually focused on doing that when he was in the streets, handing out pamphlets.

      But at least most people of the lower class understood that magic was still part of the everyday life for them. No matter how much the wretched steam tech invaded into practically everything, especially the steam tech made by Greymoor Gears, magic was still essential. It was a new year, and after the hubbub of the holidays, and festivals had finally died down, people had to get back to work. Even on Saturdays. Leander was hoping he could convince Isadora to stop by, maybe help him out a little, but she was always dead set on not really caring about his ‘crackpot ideas’ when she didn’t have to. Which was why he loved to bug her at her mother’s shop, so she wouldn’t have a choice.

      Leander chuckled at remembering the last time that happened, a few days ago. He actually managed to get her to engage in a somewhat civil argument. Of course, by the time her mother came in with a prospective new client, they both were covered in scrap cloths and weird spools of lace and leather lattice work. So he had been temporarily banned from the shop. It wouldn’t last long as Mrs. Sheridan usually loved having Leander around. Oh well. At least it meant he could focus on getting the lesson plan ready for today, even if he had forgotten just how difficult it was to even get through half of a lesson.

      It was further proof that Leander simply wasn’t good around kids, and would be terrible if he ever tried to become an actual teacher. Peals of laughter brought him out of his musings. Ah yes, the kids. A couple of days a week, though usually only once a week, Leander would hold a session that would last anywhere from a few hours to nearly half a day.

      Today's session seemed like it'd be a little on the longer side. But it always depended on when the parents got off work and remembered where they had left their kids. It was also a little larger than normal, and he was happy about that, even if it did give him a little bit of a headache. The kids ranged from six to thirteen, and they were all kinds of uncooperative. Also, this time, he had quite a few newcomers so that meant starting from the beginning again.

      "All right, all right. I think we've all had our fun now, getting to know each other and all, but it's time for why you all are here," Leander announced, heading to the 'front' of the classroom.

      The classroom really was his father's old workshop, cleared out save for a few knick knacks here and there. The front probably had the most advanced piece of tech he or his family ever owned. And it was because his father had helped create it. Leander always worried when it might break down, but luck had been on his side so far. The wide drawing board was mostly made of wood, glass, and metalwork, and could attach to any size boiler. He had already filled the boiler with water and heated it up, waiting for the steam to produce and storage. On the left side of the board, there were runes etched into the wood. Even if his voice never seemed to get the kids' attention, what happened next would.

      Leander traced the runes and voiced the corresponding spells, causing the runes to glow down the side. He smirked to himself as he heard the gasps of the children who'd never seen this before. The actual drawing board was clear glass on either side, with what looked liked to be copper dust collecting on the bottom. With a flick of a switch near the boiler connection, steam filled the glass encasement and moved the dust along, making it a slight coppery opaque colors. He pulled from the inside of his vest pocket what looked to be like an ordinary paint brush. Leander never actually found out what the material of the brush part was, as only this particular one could work on the board, and he quickly scrawled across the top in large enough letters: Magic 101, or A Brief History of Why We Need Magic.

Review of pilot episode of FOX’s Almost Human, written for ThreeIfBySpace.NET

Woo, seems like JH Whyman and team wanted to simply hit the ground running with this second episode! We’ve got witty banter, alluring visuals, bumping music, and…Sexbots! While originally slated for the fifth episode, we’re getting Skin as the second episode in this 2-part Series premiere from Fox. Instead of keeping the title card information for a few eps, as some shows are wont to do, we get a proper opening sequence with a female narrator reminding us when we are and why we’re here.

What’s typical of most crime procedurals, we’re presented with the case first. This time, a seemingly looking businessman and an escort, apparently about to have some fun. Except, the man’s more interested in checking her vitals, and we soon learn she’s not quite human. She’s a sexbot, or as Rudy later refers to them sometimes, a ‘bangbot’. Even after ensuring that she’s clean, she’s being tested for something. But, this one wasn’t any run of the mill sexbot, and they’re both being monitored by what seems to be an Albanian crew. They don’t like what the ‘client’ is doing, so that means death for the guy. But they’re not too worried, using a DNA bomb to cover their tracks as they escort the escort out.

The next day, John and Dorian arrive to the hotel where the murder took place, the other cops and MX-43s having already cordoned off the area. It seems like the androids or robots that currently run around are made to look more like the MX-43s, with a distinct robotic look, aside from the sexbots, so Dorian is pulled aside by some curious children, and shows off a little of what he can do, thoroughly impressing the kids. Of course, John doesn’t want to be outdone so when he’s asked what he could do, he does what comes naturally. Stabbing himself in his synthetic leg. This of course doesn’t have the desired effect and the kids scream as an older kid pulls them away. I thought this was a fantastic scene, and the one following it, the two getting into the elevator and having a discussion about cats of all things, as it shows more of John’s true character. Maybe, how he was before the ambush two years ago. He wasn’t purposely being a grump to scare off the kids. He honestly thought it would be funny and cool and that they’d like it. Yes, it was gallows humor that only he could see, but he was making an effort.

Sometimes, in crime dramas, the actual act of gathering evidence  can be a bit boring (if it’s not the focus of the show like in Bones or CSI), and we as the audience already know more than the characters. What’s great here, is the mix of new technology not only in the crime solving aspect but like of the flash masks that hide faces from surveillance, in the hindrance of crime solving too. It’s not over the top, yet not dumbed down either. Like quickly finding out human skinned or DNA’d androids, along with unregistered sexbots, are illegal.

As all this is happening, a related crime is being committed, this time a mother being abducted while her young son is left in the car. The cops soon find the son, and to offset what we learn of John earlier, that he’s not so good with kids, we get to see him try to not only assuage the young boy from such a traumatic event, but garner more information to help find his mother, and the murderers of the previous case. He does pretty well, definitely getting us to have an ‘aww’ moment along with wishing we had such futuristic toys as the giraffe. With the boy’s information, they soon find the sexbot we first met, dead and skinned, leading to a great scene with John and Dorian and Rudy. Rudy waxes poetic almost about how sexbots are mostly used for companionship and that there’s nothing wrong with that when one can’t seem to get that with their fellow colleagues. He also informs them that he’ll need a ‘live one’ if he’s to figure out what’s going on with these unregistered sexbots with human DNA.

The scenes of John and Dorian doing their jobs, interacting with the Albanians and problem solving, and of course police raiding, were fluid and tight, and they easily moved in and out of what will seem to be a running occurrence: bonding while driving. It happened in the pilot and it happens many times here, mixed with both humorous and deep discussions, from the talking of John’s balls to how do you tell a child their parent is dead and how John’s former partner’s family reacted. This is a credit to the script and to Karl Urban and Michael Ealy’s acting and chemistry. What I also love about John, is that he’s not the stoic gruff most would be led to believe. He stumbles, makes Freudian slips, and gets flustered just like anyone else.  And not just with John but the others, such as Valerie.

Like with the insertion for me of the new scene in the pilot ep, the show is definitely trying to get us to want or like John and Valerie together. It’s not as forced in the few interactions in this ep, as the previous, and it’s a bit more easy going, but I’m just not seeing it yet. It’s light and flirty, and luckily, it’s not all about Valerie mooning over the other. Hopefully it’ll tone down a bit and we can just see them being them, both on the job and off, same with the rest of the characters. While I would have liked for the second ep to have focused a little more on the supporting characters, especially the female ones, this case was a good way to showcase not only the growing dynamic of John and Dorian, but of the sympathies that Rudy Lom has towards the androids, and John’s own way of interacting with others, after having been isolated for so long.

It’s really shows how strong the writing is when in a single ep we can feel for someone who’s only a one time character, like Vanessa, the sexbot, and how in just two eps, we can sympathize so well with Dorian, and his struggles over the ep and his quick but effortless connection to Vanessa. It could be that she has human DNA, or that she has components similar to the DRNs, but in just a few gestures and pieces of dialogue, it’s easy to see she’s more than just a sexbot, she’s curious, and wants to be with others like her. The hurt that we see in Dorian’s eyes, when learning that she and others found in the raid must be destroyed, is real, and I’m sure I’m not the only one that teared up when Dorian tries to comfort not only Vanessa, but himself, when he watches her go offline.

Now. One final thing. There has been talk already about how most didn’t like the overt sexualization and male gaze of the sexbots, and I agree, in some instances of the scenes, it could have been better. More male bots perhaps, than the two already in the scene, and there was a female customer, so we’re making some headway. I think however, this case was showing off just how deplorable what the Albanian gang was doing, and through Dorian how horrible bots that were similar to him were treated. He is much more than a machine, a tool to be used and forgotten and destroyed, and yet everyone around him mostly believes that of all the androids.  So he’s caught between and it’s nearly heartbreaking to see, not only Dorian’s struggle but that we’d come as a human race to be so blase about technology and the evolution of technology possibly surpassing us. It reminds me a lot like what a certain sci-fi show about surveillance is trying to get people to think about. The world is not an easy place to be in, and while yes, an episode about the sex industry can be titillating and fodder for ratings, it is a very real aspect in our lives.As the show’s all about parallels between our two main characters, the episode ends with John, finding more of himself, becoming more human, in going to his old partner’s home and meeting with the widow and her son, to finally get some closure to what had happened two years ago. He’s not quite there yet, as it’d be too easy to have that in simply the second episode, but there’s still hope, for not only John, but Dorian too.

Review of pilot episode of FOX’s Almost Human, written for ThreeIfBySpace.NET

If you’re a fan of sci-fi, police procedurals, world building, or stories in the vein of Isaac Asimov or Phillip K. Dick, then you’re in for a real treat! There are various visual and storytelling nods to well known stories and their movie adaptations. A lot of the times, it’s not quite obvious in the *nudgenudge*winkwink* way as a few other shows, going more for a blink and you’ll miss it Easter egg. Now, if that wasn’t enough to entice you, hopefully this review shall.

Hello and welcome, future Almost Humanites! After a frustrating two-week delay, Fox has finally premiered the much anticipated, and heavily promoted, sci-fi procedural fusion, set thirty-five years into the future, where police officers are required to have highly evolved androids as partners. How heavily promoted? Well if you happened to have caught the Niners vs Saints game before tonight’s airing, you would’ve seen some MX-43s sitting in the stands. It was amusing to see. Now, before we begin the first of many reviews to come on this star-studded show, I must admit, I’ve been anticipating seeing this version of the pilot ever since seeing the version that was aired during San Diego Comic-Con. So I come into this review, not with fresh eyes, but a slightly critical one. Doesn’t mean of course, I didn’t enjoy watching tonight without the same reverie and enthusiasm as the first time!

We begin like most sci-fi epics, with a narrator and a wall of text, giving the audience a hand into stepping into this futuristic world. It’s just enough information to make sense yet give mystery of what’s to come, along with setting the tone of the show. This isn’t your mother’s campy science fiction. But neither is it overly gritty, even if the gore factor is a little higher than what one’d expect. After the nearly calming voice of the narrator is finished, we’re thrown in to the heart of the action, John Kennex (Karl Urban) and his partner are quickly ambushed by a gang calling themselves the Insyndicate. His partner hurt, John argues with an MX-43 in trying to get his partner and himself to safety, and medical help, even though the MX-43 states that said partner is not going to make it and there are other officers with higher probabilities that he should protect instead. Sound familiar? Still, it’s a fantastic scene where John’s left to fend for himself and for his partner and that’s when it really  hits the fan. Not only does he lose his leg in the ensuing firefight, but he loses his partner in a grenade that sent him into a 17 month long coma.Lili Taylor as Sandra Maldonado

No, no flash forwards to the ‘present’, in fact, we were already in the present in the first place. It seems that a recovered John was visiting a ‘Recollectionist’ to try and rediscover his memories from that day, two years ago. We soon learn that he has yet return to the force, believing himself not ready. It’s only when he receives a call from his boss, Sandra Maldonado (Lili Taylor) that a current case might involve the same Insyndicate people that caused his coma and his partner’s death, that he gets him back into the fray. He thinks it’ll be business as usual, but since his coma, it’s now required for all human cops to have android   partners, which he begrudgingly accepts. This leads to more tension between him and the synthetics, as MX-43s are all logic and rules based, with no wiggle room at all. They simply won’t forget something they learn and will obey procedure to a tee. We also get quick glimpses of Richard Paul (Michael Irby) and Valerie Stahl (Minka Kelly) before we’re finally taken to the case that’s brought John Kennex back.

Now, overall, this airing of the pilot is mostly like the one I remember from July, some editing here and there. The case walk-through is straightforward with a lovely bit of John being triggered with another memory, something that both his MX and Valerie notice.  It’s not until Valerie speaks in length about a previous case to John, that I noticed there’s been something added. That particular scene was new. In ways, it was great, as the original version didn’t have much of Minka Kelly’s character, however it did feel for me a little forced here. And made it seem obvious on what they’re trying to set up with the two.

After this scene, John has a problem with his MX which leads to a ‘software issue’ in which the MX ‘falls out’ of his moving car on the freeway and is destroyed. Here enters Rudy Lom (Mackenzie Crook), a synthetic technician, who’s also doubtful on why exactly John needed  a replacement. Apparently MX-43s are in low availability, and so John gets assigned with a decommissioned model, a DRN. They’re believed to have gone crazy and malfunctioned, though Rudy believes they had simply become ‘too human’. It’s a bit expository, but we get to see more of John’s and Rudy’s personality through their conversation about the DRNs. Welcome Dorian (Michael Ealy), a synthetic that was made to feel, that are not quite bound to simple logic and rules.

Dorian doesn’t make it easier for John, having an actual personality and being able to make his own decisions with his human’s command or permission. One of the best scenes, showing how different and alike these two are, is in the interrogation scene of the sole gang member that the police were able to arrest. We see the cold brutality of John’s bad cop tactics and more of a warm sympathetic good cop coming from Dorian, questioning but not stopping the way John gets his answers.

Throughout the investigation of the case, we learn a cop has been taken, and finally get a lead to his possible whereabouts. It was more of a red herring, as Insyndicate have bigger plans set in store for the precinct. The action’s intense but not overdone and helps keep the pace going between the interactions of John and Dorian. It all comes to a head, when John finally learns how to best utilize his robotic partner, taking advantage of the fact that DRNs are more human in thinking, and they find out everything that’s Insyndicate has done from the first case of John coming back, the criminal being arrested, and the cop being captured, was so that the Insyndicate could raid the precinct. By the time John gets word back to Maldonado, it’s nearly too late, with the MXs brought down by a signal specific EMP machine, which doesn’t affect Dorian, and them infiltrating the building.

Another fire fight that was pretty well choreographed and in the end, Insyndicate doesn’t get what they want. All the team can gather is, that it’s something in the Evidence Locker Room, which seems more like a warehouse. By this point, Dorian’s earned a bit of John’s respect, but of course we wouldn’t have a show if it was that easy. The case isn’t neatly tied up, but nearly so, giving us some satisfaction and making us wonder what Insyndicate will do next. That’s not all of course, as John’s wondering what his Captain may know about Dorian, considering she requested that particular DRN model for him to be partnered up with.

The biggest change, however, and in nearly every iteration of this pilot, it’s been different, has been the end reveal. At Comic-Con, we didn’t see inside the evidence box, and the body that Insyndicate was working on was not female. In another, earlier version, what was shown in the box was different and John reveals a little more about his past in regards to it. So bravo, for going somewhere completely different, with the female ‘synthetic’ in the box and keeping us all in the dark but on the edge of our seats. It ends on a good note, just like at Comic-Con, with the begining of a beautiful partnership.

Cityscape & Worldbuiliding

The visuals of the show were lovely, and for most of the technology that we’re shown, it all integrates pretty well. There were only a few parts where it was quite obvious that ‘this is cgi and fake’ but considering how much tinkering they’ve done with the pilot, I’m sure it’ll get more flawless as the episodes go on. And all the world-building with the tech and ‘throwaway’ lines about people coming over the wall and problems in certain districts were really nice. None of it was in your face and just helped elevate the show. What also helped? The scoring done by Crystal Method. Background music should as always, help enhance a scene and not distract it, and gotta say, the music playing when Dorian was reactivated was beautiful if not a bit chilling.  They also seemed to know when to keep the music down, or MIA, like when we get the first car scene with John and Dorian.

I believe the cast is pretty perfect, and we can see the great chemistry with most of them, and simply loved the diversity from the main characters to the background characters and villains. Sure, it seemed like Karl Urban was getting his footing into being John Kennex, as some, like me, would say they could see hints of his previous characters, like McCoy or Dredd, but I’m positive we’ll see a fully formed character by the next episode. Already, we can see he’s a gruff, no sugar-coating kind of guy who’s quick to quip, as he deals with his PTSD. Michael Ealy was refreshing in how he owned Dorian, showing hints of that robotic self but being a more ‘advanced model’ in some ways, seeing the hints of humanity. The female characters were strong and independent and lovely, both Minka Kelly and Lili Taylor really bringing out with the time they had in this episode, and I can’t wait to see more from them, along with Michael Irby’s character we already love to hate, and Mackenzie Crook’s lovable geek.

Inspired by a friend’s desire to be a tree.

   Two children were walking through a field, only half way

towards their destination.

   "You know in all reality, I've always wanted to be a

tree."

   I never realized how tough it is to be a tree. Until it

happened to me. Hey, that rhymed. Didn't realize I had

it in me still. I thought most of my human qualities

have evaporated over the years.

   Enough rambling, let me properly introduce myself. My

name is Daridar.

   And you are? Ah, just a wandering spirit. Not many come

by these parts of the woods. They're afraid of the

Hunters. Aren't you? A stubborn one, eh? All the better

for me. I don't get to talk to many spirits. Well I'm

glad you've decided to stay a while.

    Hah! Thought you'd ask what I meant. Yes, I was human

once, almost a millennium ago.

    I was so happy when it happened to me. I thought I had

gone to heaven. You see, in my time, I was a lost young

man. The War of Thrita had come and gone and left me

shattered. You see, I was a mercenary in the war. One

of the few that survived actually.

    No no, I wasn’t really that good of a soldier. It was

pure luck really. I don't remember much of the details.

I was just lucky.

   The war itself was devastating to almost half the planet.

When I returned to my home village, only a few people

remained. Every living being within a few miles had

caught the plague. All the plants and crops were dead. I

was heartbroken, to come home to find out I hadn't a

home left. Everyone I ever loved, were now living in the

eternal fields.

    I wanted to die that day, so I ventured out towards the

river. To my surprise, the forest was unscathed by the

plague. Falling to my knees I took in the beauty that

was the forest. It had been a long time since I had seen

anything full of life.

   No, it wasn't then that I wanted to be a tree. Actually,

ever since I was a seedling—er toddler, I wanted to be

one. In our village, it was always customary to take a

child of five years and present them to the spirits of

the forest.

    It's the first memory I ever had. The forest was

glowing, teaming with spirits. The trees themselves

looked magical, majestic even. At the tender age of

five I was at peace with myself.

    Don't laugh, it's true. I was very, mature, for my age.

Anyway, when I was allowed to play outside, I'd find

myself by the forest. I usually chatted with the

spirits. Back then, children did that. Nowadays they

rather Hunt them with their parents. When I turned 12

years, I realized that the trees were the noblest

creatures in the world.

    So there I was, back at that magical forest, when I

realized why I survived the war. It was to protect the

trees and spirits that once had enchanted me. And so I

did. For many years I took care to ensure the forest

was never cut down. The spirits were thankful to me,

and I to them. It was rare to have a grown human to

still be able to speak to the tree spirits. Well,

except for the Shamans of course, but they were nearly

wiped out by then.

    For a long while, I was content. The village that used

to be, became a bustling city. And that, my dear spirit

friend, is when the Chital came.

    I would shutter too, if I could. But no breeze to shake

my limb tonight.Yes, with full force the Chital

demons disguised as tree spirits attacked the city. So

the people, even against my assurance it was not our

tree spirits, attacked the forest.

    Fret not, as the battle was not soon over. Even though

the spirits were powerless against the Chital, they

could deal with the humans. Along with my help, within a

moon's cycle, the small battle was over. Alas only a

quarter of the forest was left. The denizens of the city

never came back to the forest, and dealt with the Chital

in their own way.

    How? I do not know, for as soon as I was left alone in

the forest, the spirits gathered round. As a gift for

helping them all these years, they granted my wish of

becoming a tree.

    Oh it was. I felt as if I was wrapped in the sun's warm

rays. Indescribable really. I felt as if I was becoming

part of the earth, well I was, and that's how it felt.

    The spirits were pleased that I was pleased. I thanked

them profusely, not knowing the sacrifice they gave to

have me become a tree. To transform a human to any

natural element takes a lot of power, even with a

collective. I didn't learn of this till a few hundred

years later when the Chital returned.

    Yes, it's exactly you've been told. They came with a

force of millions, and they did not spread themselves

thin by attacking many cities at once. No, they went

city to city, village to village. Luckily, this city

was ready for them. From what I had gathered, they

created a weapon that could destroy the demons.

   However, their weapon had a flaw. They needed spirits to

fuel this weapon. And that's when the Hunt began. This

is when I learned of the spirits’ weakened state, and this is

when I realized they had no other choice. They had to

leave.

    No, I could not go. My spirit was grounded to the tree.

To have given me that freedom along with their

transformation would have depleted them completely. So

when the decision was made, they left, and I stayed.

    Hah, the poet comes back. . . Nonetheless, it did not

dissuade the Hunt. The Hunters would come by every evening

to catch any stragglers or any passerby spirits.

    As you can see, the trees kept living without their

spiritual counterparts, but they were never the same.

Every season, they would wither a bit more than the

season past. Only I stayed "beautiful and green."

    The war with the Chital ended a hundred years after.

During which, I helped any lost spirits to ensure the

Hunters didn't catch them. Ridiculous, barely a Chital

left and they still hunt. The humans have grown to

believe all spirits are Chital.

    Yes, yes it has been lonely. The itch for humanity grew

in me and for a long time I despised being a tree. I

began remembering things I thought I had forgotten. Like

the smell of freshbread, or the soft touch of a

beautiful woman.

    Every day I had prayed that spirits would release me from

this, jail. No, no I don't think that now. What's come

is come, and I am happy being a tree. But it is tough.

Every so often I long to run through the fields and swim

in the river.

    Alas, my friend, it is almost evening. And the Hunters

surely will be out again. I bid you farewell and safe

journey to Heaven's Paradise.

   No Hunters today, but their children it seems. Again,

on me they play.

  "Why is that?"

  Arla and Corbin sat on their favorite log. Arla waited

for her companion's answer.

Challenge: Write a first person narrative, using the theme reflections.

           Why is it when someone tells you not to do something, you do the exact opposite? Story of my life really. I'm not the rebellious kind you see, I just happen to do everything they told me not to. Don't skip classes, don't go drinking, don't hitchhike, and don't ever fall in love with someone more screwed up than you. The last one, that's what my mother had always said. She knew from experience. Apparently my father was like that. But, I don't know my father. I don't think she did either. At least, not in the way one should know their partner. She could never get inside his head; she could never understand his reasons for doing the things he did. To her. To us.

           But I'm not here to talk about my father. I'm not here to talk about my mother either. I'm not supposed to be here really, waiting in this godforsaken place. Now I'm being a bit harsh. It's not godforsaken; it's just a bloody hotel room. HIS hotel room. Well, in the bathroom of his hotel room. I didn't mean to, you know, go against my mother's warning. He didn't seem more screwed up than me when I first met him. I honestly thought no one could be. I really didn't know what I was getting into, dating this kind of man. He was the kind that lived from hotel to hotel, being able to afford that but not a proper suit. Sitting on the toilet, (seat down mind you), I chuckle.

           His idea of a suit was black jeans with a corduroy jacket. And a tie that never stayed that way with a shirt that could never stay buttoned. At least when I'm around. What's wrong with him? Everything. And nothing. To list them would take all day and I don't have time for that. Hell, I don't even have time to be here. I don't have to be waiting in his bathroom, waiting for his meeting to end. A business meeting he calls it. I snort this time, half wondering if they can hear me from the outside. It's not the only reason I'm in here. Been feeling sick of late, actually. Everyday for a month almost.

           The room starts to feel warm, so I go to the sink and splash my face. The cold running water, feels good. I stare into the falling water, and suddenly wonder... Have I ever done what I've been told? I search my memories and can't think of one time. Not even today have I followed orders. He told me not to come today. But I did. He told me not to kiss him. But I did. And as soon as his "business colleagues" arrived, he told me to leave. But I didn't. Instead, I slipped into this here bathroom, telling him I wasn't feeling well. And it is the truth. I don't. Proof of that's been flushed down the drain.

           As I turn the tap off, I remember something my mother once told me. I don't why she told me this, as I don't think it's helped me become a better person. Maybe because she was dying. She claimed it was of loneliness, the doctor said it was Lung Cancer. She told me the reason Father married her was because of me. And the reason Father left her, not us mind you, was because she never listened to him. And then, before she left this world she begged me to follow her last wish.

           "Don't become like me, baby. Don't follow the same paths I did. Don't ruin your life."

Challenge: Write a 425 word story.

           “So, canyou really tell the future with those?”

           Jade momentarily stopped shuffling her cards. She looked up, amused to see the class president skittering around her desk. She pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear and gave a short shrug.

           “It’s not like I believe in such things, but do you really believe you can read someone’s future?”

           If it wasn’t an hour before class, in an empty classroom, her words would’ve sounded harsh. Instead, Jade could hear genuine curiosity.

           She nodded and finished shuffling, wondering on which spread to use.

           The class president sighed, fiddling with her skirt, hating not knowing how to ask. Everyone knew Jade never spoke up unless she was doing one of two things: Answering the teachers’ questions, or stating a reading’s outcome.

           “It’s just that… Well, everyone who’s come to you say that you’re morbidly accurate.”

           Just as Jade was about to lay down her first card she hesitated. Once again she looked at her classmate with amusement on her face. The small smile practically asking, Morbid, they say?

           “Yes. MORBID. They’re always like ‘Cassy! What Jade said was true! It’s always a horrible outcome…’ Why they always came to me about your fortune telling…” she trailed off.

           The resident ‘seer’ placed down her first card, face up. A simple three card spread would do this time, she had decided.

           Cassy groaned. She knew that Jade knew why she was here, so early before class. She just couldn’t understand why Jade wouldn’t give her the answer. But that was the way Jade’s been since she could remember. Never giving up a reason till absolutely necessary.

           Splitting the deck in half, Jade took the top card on her right and laid it face up. She began shuffling for the final time.

           Cassy stared at the two upturned cards. From her view, she saw a card depicting eight sticks and an upside-down tower?

           “Well… What you said to my boyfriend yesterday… It can’t be true, right?”

           The class president studied her classmate, noticing the tenseness in her shoulders. This time, Jade did not look up at her. Cassy, realizing the truth, fell to her knees, hands gripping the desk and her stomach, wide-eyed.

           “But your readings… They’re about the people who asked for one… Not about other people… I mean I can’t be…”

           Jade chose her final card, resting it beside the other two, face down. She tapped it gently. She slowly raised her face, amber eyes staring into cerulean ones.

Last Updated: 06/10/18

Fiction

Chaos Symphony - Excerpt from WIP. Third Person.

Life of a Tree - Fantasy short story. First Person.

Mirror, Mirror - A theme challenge, vignette. First Person.

Mystic Eyes - A 425 word limit challenge. Third Person.

FanFiction

Best of Collection - A generous sample of some of my best written fanfiction.

Non-Fiction

Almost Human Episode 1 - TV Review, published on TIBS.

Almost Human Episode 2 - TV Review, published on TIBS.

Google Play Indie Games Festival Highlight - Article Google Play Indie Games Profile - Spotlight Article

The Secret Journal of Ichabod Crane - Book Review, published at GoodReads.