"This is a once and a lifetime opportunity, we gotta do this." It seems like nothing ever good comes from that sentence. Usually whenever you hear it's a once and a lifetime opportunity, it is a lot like hearing this is a limited time offer, order now. Just gimmicks and ploys to make you go along. This however was different. This time, my life was actually changed from the experience. And not even in a bad way.
We were deep in Sumatra. I don't even to this day know how Vegas, my best friend through life that got me in more trouble than I care to remember, found this place, this guide, even this island, but he did. Vegas had a friend that had found something incredible and wanted me and Vegas to be the first ones to see it. We are reporters. And some of the best ones in the world. Through our intense competition to the top of the reporting world is how we met and became friends, but that is a story for a different day.
Three days of walking across a jungle path that, at best, was wide enough for us to follow single file, and we finally arrived. Vegas and I were expecting something grand and spectacular, especially by how excited the friend was, but we had arrived to what looked like nothing more than a small opening in the ground, barely large enough for a man of reasonable size to fit through. The guide spoke very little English, but from what I understood at the time was that we were going to be a little uncomfortable. And that was a very large understatement, especially for anyone who is even a tiny claustrophobic.
It seemed like an eternity at the time, but looking back, it couldn't have been more than an hour or so of wiggling our way through the very small hole. It wasn't pleasant at all, there were things living in the hole first off, and there was just barely enough room to take a full breath. We were all exhausted by the end of the tunnel, and I remember very clearly being overwhelmingly relieved to be out of that cramped space, even though I had fallen out of the tunnel, into an underground pool, that felt more like one of the Great Lakes. Looking back, I don't know how the situation got better, but at the time it didn't matter. Somehow we managed to make our cramped tired bodies follow the guide to a shore where he shot off a flare. The cavern was immense, and so was the underground pool we just got out of. We appeared to make it to some sort of island. We set up camp and rested. The guide told us that we had a lot of walking to do.
The island was strange, but our destination was stranger. The ground we walked on for turned from sharp and ragged to flat and smooth. Also, the cavern began getting lighter. The closer we got to the light, the more movement there was. You could hear the bats above, and see the ground moving below. Then the source of the light. A whole way above in the cavern ceiling. No bigger than a football field. It gave enough light for sparse vegetation even. The guide pointed to a very large rock. Or what looked like a rock.
"You guys made it!"
It was Vegas' friend, he came from around another rock that we hadn't even noticed. There were tons of these rocks, all around, even where we came in, somehow we hadn't noticed them. As if that all wasn't enough, there was more. We heard a bark from behind us. It was a dog, but none like we had ever seen before. It was completely bald, and ghostly white, almost see through. Oh ya, it also had no eyes. It didn't even seem to notice. Vegas bent over to pet it and it's tale wagged.
"Guys, there is an entire society down here, undiscovered, this is their leader. They even have their own language down here, I have been trying to figure it out, and I've been getting pretty good. Oh, they don't shake hands, they fist pound. Ha cool huh?"
The man that he was standing next to was very short, no more than five foot, and he too was not only completely naked, but also 100% white. He still had eyes, but they were barely the size of pennies, and completely black.
Vegas and I stayed down there for a while and learned about the new society. It was hard to believe, too hard. That is why we decided that it was our duty to leave these people be. If we released the information we got about them, it would ruin them. They would become every scientist, every anthropologist, shit, everybody's little scientific experiment. We couldn't bring all that publicity to those people, so we left them be. I'm a writer though and writing is what I do, so here it will stay, on this blog for nobody to see.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Wants something bad
By 5:30 on a very abnormal Tuesday evening, Jonathan Smith was the most hungry he had ever been ever in his life. This is what Africa must feel like. Jonathan is a normal guy. He gets his haircut every five weeks the same way every time. He wakes up every morning at 7:35, give or take a minute because he likes to be up one hour before he has to get out the door for work, and by waking up at that time on the weekend, it keeps his body in tune. He follows the same routine every single morning, with the only variable being what he decides to eat and drink for breakfast. That he keeps a surprise. It makes the morning more interesting that way. This Tuesday was different however. For some reason his alarm either didn’t go off or he somehow slept through it. It not going off isn’t entirely out of the norm, after his glass of wine (or two, shhh) Jonathan sometimes forgets to set it, therefore, the minute or two of variation in his waking up, but today he didn’t wake. Little did Jonathan know at the time, but this would set off his entire day.
It was exactly 8:24 when Jonathan finally realized that he had not woken at the correct time. When he looked at his clock, he assumed that it was a dream, there is no way that he slept that late, he hadn’t slept that late since his college days he figured. But after a glance at his watch and a pinch to his arm, he realized it was all too true. Jonathan had never been late to work ever. Okay, maybe once when he was 17 or so, but those were his wild days. Jonathan had eleven minutes to make his ass out of the front door of his house. Actually, eighteen, he always gives himself a seven minute buffer just incase there is traffic or some unforeseeable slowdown on his way to work. After a quick moment to try and figure out which parts of his morning routine were not as necessary as others, Jonathan began getting ready as fast as he ever had. The problem is that all parts of his morning routine are very necessary for the well being of his day, but being how today had already started off on the wrong foot, it was most likely going to continue that way throughout, so he cut some things out. Two of those not so necessary things were breakfast, and making his lunch.
When he walked/ran through the front doors of his building, the sound of his stomach growling interrupted his thoughts about what he was going to say to his boss when he asked why he was late. Why hadn’t he just brought something in the car for breakfast? It was too late now, he would just have an early lunch, it would be alright. He sat at his desk and got to work immediately. Everybody acted normal when he arrived, maybe nobody had noticed. Then there was a knock.
“Hey Jonathan, how are you doing today?”
“Sir, I’m very good, thank you for asking, before you start, I just want to say that I am very sorry and that I know this isn’t like me, and Ted I promise it will never happen again”
After the look Ted gave him, Jonathan knew he had jumped the gun a little. “Jonathan, I don’t know how much coffee you drank this morning, but you’re going to need to settle down a bit. I was just coming to say that your memo that you sent out yesterday was very well written, I think people really got the message. Now what are you so damn upset about anyways?”
“Oh um, nevermind sir, Ted, it’s been a weird morning for me I guess, I’m sorry. Thank you very much though, I just really think it would be helpful for everybody to start labeling there food in the refrigerator. I understand that sometimes”
“Johnny, I’m saying it was a good memo, I read it, I know why you sent it and why you thought it was a good idea, it says it all in the memo. You always have very thorough memos John. I just stopped by to say good morning is all. Now get back to work alright and take a chill pill today, you look like you are going to have a heart attack this morning.”
“Oh, okay, thanks again Ted. I’m just trying to make this office the best it can be, ha. I’ll work on finding some of those chill pills.” Jonathan felt quite proud of his little joke, but Ted looked confused. “I mean, I’m not going to take any pills, ha, uh, I’ve never done anything like that every before so I sure won’t start now right?” Ted just shook his head a little bit and left. Jonathan always wondered why Ted always shook his head before he left. Jonathan knew that he was awkward sometimes, but he didn’t think it was too bad.
It just so turned out that today Jonathan was going to be swamped. This happens often enough, and that is why Jonathan chooses to pack a lunch everyday. After dealing with some of his first clients of the day, the small uncomfortable emptiness in his stomach had gotten larger. Also, the lion that seemed to have made a home in there was getting louder as the day progressed. He needed something, so it was time for a trip to the vending machine.
Unfortunate with this blog I had to make a chose. Keep writing it and finish a story from it, or quit on it for now and finish some other blogs. I chose to make some notes on the route I was going with it and maybe come back to it some other time if I still think it is worth it. So, maybe we will see more from Jonathan Smith some other time, right now I like him, so it is a definite probability.
It was exactly 8:24 when Jonathan finally realized that he had not woken at the correct time. When he looked at his clock, he assumed that it was a dream, there is no way that he slept that late, he hadn’t slept that late since his college days he figured. But after a glance at his watch and a pinch to his arm, he realized it was all too true. Jonathan had never been late to work ever. Okay, maybe once when he was 17 or so, but those were his wild days. Jonathan had eleven minutes to make his ass out of the front door of his house. Actually, eighteen, he always gives himself a seven minute buffer just incase there is traffic or some unforeseeable slowdown on his way to work. After a quick moment to try and figure out which parts of his morning routine were not as necessary as others, Jonathan began getting ready as fast as he ever had. The problem is that all parts of his morning routine are very necessary for the well being of his day, but being how today had already started off on the wrong foot, it was most likely going to continue that way throughout, so he cut some things out. Two of those not so necessary things were breakfast, and making his lunch.
When he walked/ran through the front doors of his building, the sound of his stomach growling interrupted his thoughts about what he was going to say to his boss when he asked why he was late. Why hadn’t he just brought something in the car for breakfast? It was too late now, he would just have an early lunch, it would be alright. He sat at his desk and got to work immediately. Everybody acted normal when he arrived, maybe nobody had noticed. Then there was a knock.
“Hey Jonathan, how are you doing today?”
“Sir, I’m very good, thank you for asking, before you start, I just want to say that I am very sorry and that I know this isn’t like me, and Ted I promise it will never happen again”
After the look Ted gave him, Jonathan knew he had jumped the gun a little. “Jonathan, I don’t know how much coffee you drank this morning, but you’re going to need to settle down a bit. I was just coming to say that your memo that you sent out yesterday was very well written, I think people really got the message. Now what are you so damn upset about anyways?”
“Oh um, nevermind sir, Ted, it’s been a weird morning for me I guess, I’m sorry. Thank you very much though, I just really think it would be helpful for everybody to start labeling there food in the refrigerator. I understand that sometimes”
“Johnny, I’m saying it was a good memo, I read it, I know why you sent it and why you thought it was a good idea, it says it all in the memo. You always have very thorough memos John. I just stopped by to say good morning is all. Now get back to work alright and take a chill pill today, you look like you are going to have a heart attack this morning.”
“Oh, okay, thanks again Ted. I’m just trying to make this office the best it can be, ha. I’ll work on finding some of those chill pills.” Jonathan felt quite proud of his little joke, but Ted looked confused. “I mean, I’m not going to take any pills, ha, uh, I’ve never done anything like that every before so I sure won’t start now right?” Ted just shook his head a little bit and left. Jonathan always wondered why Ted always shook his head before he left. Jonathan knew that he was awkward sometimes, but he didn’t think it was too bad.
It just so turned out that today Jonathan was going to be swamped. This happens often enough, and that is why Jonathan chooses to pack a lunch everyday. After dealing with some of his first clients of the day, the small uncomfortable emptiness in his stomach had gotten larger. Also, the lion that seemed to have made a home in there was getting louder as the day progressed. He needed something, so it was time for a trip to the vending machine.
Unfortunate with this blog I had to make a chose. Keep writing it and finish a story from it, or quit on it for now and finish some other blogs. I chose to make some notes on the route I was going with it and maybe come back to it some other time if I still think it is worth it. So, maybe we will see more from Jonathan Smith some other time, right now I like him, so it is a definite probability.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Third level dialogue
"Wow John today really is a great day to go for a three mile walk, nice work." John knew the tone all to well, he never really could please Kate sometimes. "Kate I know, I'm sorry I should have checked the weather." She wouldn't even look at him, "no, no, no, I really love being soaking wet and freezing cold, c'mon babe, you know that."
"Here take my coat."
"Ya, that will make it much better, another layer of cold wet clothes, thank you so much for the offer John, but why don't you just keep it for yourself." John felt bad, he thought he had planned the perfect day, and it looked beautiful out when the first took off, but the further they got away from civilization, the darker the clouds got. When Kate asked if they should turn around, John was determined that God wouldn't ruin his perfect day, that the clouds would pass. They didn't, however. Now he was stuck with a pissed off Kate and still another cold wet half mile at least before they would reach their car. After a few minutes of silence from Kate, he thought she might have given up trying to make him feel bad. But he was wrong. "You know what John? I think we should plan our long walks in the country around this kind of weather more often. What a perfect day."
"Here take my coat."
"Ya, that will make it much better, another layer of cold wet clothes, thank you so much for the offer John, but why don't you just keep it for yourself." John felt bad, he thought he had planned the perfect day, and it looked beautiful out when the first took off, but the further they got away from civilization, the darker the clouds got. When Kate asked if they should turn around, John was determined that God wouldn't ruin his perfect day, that the clouds would pass. They didn't, however. Now he was stuck with a pissed off Kate and still another cold wet half mile at least before they would reach their car. After a few minutes of silence from Kate, he thought she might have given up trying to make him feel bad. But he was wrong. "You know what John? I think we should plan our long walks in the country around this kind of weather more often. What a perfect day."
Bear at the door
“Hey sweetheart, nice ass.” The statement was mostly shocking to them both. After the initial shock, however, Jane immediately turned to me, eyebrows raised as if she was wondering why I hadn’t already done something. All I wanted was to get my ass kicked in pool by my wonderful girlfriend of two years, but with the knot tightening in my stomach; it appeared that tonight was going to have a lot more in store. My first reaction was to look around as if to see if a teacher or somebody of authority would be found in this dinky little bar to hear this guy and take care of him for me. Remembering that I am an adult and there aren’t authority figures always around to take care of confrontations for me, I stammered a little and addressed the tall well built gentleman. “Excuse me sir, that’s my girlfriend you are talking to.” I didn’t think the statement came out nearly as bold and defiant as I thought it would, and after the guy turned to his buddies and laughed, I knew for sure it hadn’t. “What’s she doing with a dude like you, that fine ass should be with a man that knows what to do with it,” followed by more laughter from him and his friends. All I wanted to do now was leave, and I was willing to accept the ridicule while I walked out the door. I didn’t have to go back to that bar again, it wasn’t very nice anyways. We could find a new bar no problem. But the look in Jane’s eyes wasn’t one of “let’s find a new bar”, more like “you had better do something”. Now I was uncomfortable and getting angry for being put in the situation both by this guy and Jane wanting me to do something about it when clearly this guy and his two buddies could easily kick my ass. “Hey man, why don’t you just mind your business and go find some whore to hook up with and leave me and my girlfriend alone.” And that was clearly enough to commence a battle with the guy. At one point I thought to myself, I thought these things were supposed to end after high school, but apparently not for everyone. With the very few fighting skills I possess, most of them, actually all of them learned from television, movies, and video games, I didn’t last very long in the fight. Two weeks later, with the shadow of a black eye still, I got engaged. I knew that if I would get into a fist fight for Jane, she was for sure the one. Plus, it made her absolutely adore me, even though I got my ass kicked.
Journey
Before he knew it his life was turned upside down…literally. The big storm on the coast of Australia had lifted the garbage can he was digging through while looking for the leftover cheesy fries he could smell and tossed it and him into the vast ocean. Even though his nest, wife, and little pinkies (they still hadn’t gotten there fur) weren’t too far from the beach, he wasn’t very familiar with the ocean. He recognized its smell, but it tasted horrible. Even worse than the yellow water that he sometimes came across in the white bowls. He managed to make his way to the top of the garbage can and squeaked and squeaked for help, but it was in vain. He tried swimming back to home, but he didn’t make it very far before getting too tired to continue any further, so he was forced to go back to what appeared to be his new home. Inside the garbage can wasn’t horrible, it had all the amenities of back home, but it lacked the most important thing, his family. Now he was accompanied by new companions that continually bumped against new home. They were strange creatures that lived inside the horrible tasting water. They looked silly with strange big eyes on either side of there head and strange looking wings along there body. Worst of all, they didn’t understand him. The first time he noticed them following his home, he asked what they were, but got nothing back. With all of his food gone, he was starting to get desperate. He was starving and couldn’t concentrate on anything but his stomach. Screw it; he had to do something so he leapt into the water once again, this time with no intention of turning back. After swimming for an eternity, his home was no longer visible, but he was driven with an insurmountable urge to eat, so he continued forth. About to give up, he noticed something protruding out of the water! Maybe it was a new home! With food! The object was getting closer and closer, almost too quickly, but the thought of food blinded him. When he reached the object, instead of being greeted with a tasty meal like he had hoped, he was greeted with a large dark opening of which he was swirled into. He made it onto something solid and there were tiny little creatures squirming all around him. He was frightened, and his lungs were full of water. The tongue he made it onto slowly lifted, dumping him deep into the digestive system of a whale.
I wanted to try something different with Journey and I failed miserably, but I didn't want to just trash it because I spent time on it. I tried writing from a rat's perspective, but it was difficult to do and probably a waste of time because I know my audience isn't children and it is hard to relate to a rat, but here it is, it was worth the experiment I think. Also, I know the ending sucked, but I knew the story was lame, so I kind of just pooped out.
I wanted to try something different with Journey and I failed miserably, but I didn't want to just trash it because I spent time on it. I tried writing from a rat's perspective, but it was difficult to do and probably a waste of time because I know my audience isn't children and it is hard to relate to a rat, but here it is, it was worth the experiment I think. Also, I know the ending sucked, but I knew the story was lame, so I kind of just pooped out.
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