I was out mowing my lawn, you know, the usual Corona Friday chore. I was completely fine. No one was bothering me. I was in my own peaceful world of thought, for once. Then this big truck pulled up to our house. It kinda looked like a moving truck, but not quite as big. I saw two really big guys hop out of the truck. One was a massive Samoan, the other was the equivalent of an Irish giant with curly red hair. They came and went, not actually disturbing my peace like most people do. They did they’re job and then they left as fast as they had come. I came inside after I finished the lawn. Right in front of me stood the biggest box I’d ever seen. 

    “Hey mom” I said, yelling upstairs. “What’s in the box?”

    “Oh, it’s just the oven sweetie.”

    “Ok” I started walking away from the bottom of the stairs, then I got an idea. I quickly turned around and raced back to the bottom of the stairs. “Can I have the box!”

    “Why do you want a box?”

    “Because I’m bored and I have nothing to do.”

    “Well you can help me with what I’m doing” My mom suggested.

    “No, I’d rather just take the box.”

    “Fine, your choice, but don’t make a mess.”

    “Ok, thanks mom!” I was off before my mom could respond.

    I managed to get the box into my room about half an hour later. It was no small feat, but it was worth it. I strung lights around the inside of the box. I grabbed my marker and I got to work. I drew pictures of cavemen. Trying to make myself like one. I started writing markings. Letters that no one else could understand other than me. Don’t judge me, I’ve had lots of free time, so why not make a new language. Anyway… strange writings turned into mazes. Then crazy drawings of monsters and time. 

Suddenly I started getting bored. There wasn’t much space left in the box to draw on. So what should be my final bang? A dream. Yes that seemed right. Many days I’ve spent just thinking about the dreams I had the night before. So why not draw it. I started forming the people. The place on which we stood. The monsters, the demons, the knights, the kings. I enthralled myself inside this box of images and symbols. The day went on, but within the box, it was a different time. A different place. A different way. I became wrapped up in my own thoughts, portrayed upon the cardboard walls, in which endless possibilities lay. 

I found my freedom. I may be trapped within my home. But my mind is much bigger than my home. And when placed upon the walls of the cardboard box . I finally found my freedom.

Completely drenched in darkness, he sat down and waited. Almost every night he had been having this dream. He didn’t know why, but he hated it. He would fall asleep hoping to dream of something happy, but no. He closes his eyes, and when they open back up, they see nothing. Not until morning that is. Which he always could tell when it was morning. That was actually one good part of the dream. Everytime it was about time to wake up, a light would appear above him. Bathing him in the warm embrace of light. 

Sitting there was starting to get boring again, waiting for the sun to rise, waiting for his eyes to actually open. But what could he do, he’s already tried waking himself up, which doesn’t work. So there’s really no point. Right as that thought left his mind, he saw the light. Preparing himself to wake up, he stared straight into the light. But when his eyes reached the source of the light, he didn’t see the usual mini sun, he saw a person. They had wings, and they were slowly descending upon him, only then did he realize it was a girl. He could see her hair in her siluet, but he couldn’t see her face. Just as he was about to yell to her he heard his name.

“Will” said a soft gentle voice.

Will’s heart raced, “What, who are you, what do you want?”

    “Will” 

    “What is it, tell me.” 

    “Will” This time noticing the voice was fading.

    “Please tell me!” Will yelled on the verge of desperation.

    “Will!” Will had opened his eyes to see his brother leaning over him. “Wake up sleepy head! Dad wants me to help you take the crops into the city,” he said while bouncing on the balls of his toes.

     “Alright I’m getting up, calm down.” Will said, snapping at his brother. Why did Jack have to wake him up anyway. He could have waited a couple more seconds. Just a couple more, and I would have seen her. Will wished he could go back and see who this… angel was and find out why he was having these dreams. But the chances of that were slim to none.

“Will, don’t forget to load up the Dragon Heart Beats before you leave.” said Will’s mother, as Will entered the main room. Their house was a small farm house in the middle of the Vandelarian Desert, or as most like to call it, The Shattered Plains of Vandelar. The home had a main room and off to the left of the room was Will’s and Jack’s beds. On the right in a secluded area was their sister’s corner, and at the head of the house across from the door was their parents room. It wasn’t a very big home, but they were farmers. The only times they were ever inside was when they were eating or sleeping.

“Yes mother”

“Oh, and don’t forget the Boom Shrooms either”

“I won’t Mother,” Will said, with a slight laugh in his voice. “Mother,  we’ve been over this many times, I’m not going to forget anything.”

“What about the Burning Bush Berries?”

“I told you, it’s taken care of”

“Then did you remember to load three days worth of travel rations for you and your brother?”

Will had to admit, he’d completely forgotten to load food for them to eat. “Well… er… you see I, uh–”

“That’s what I thought,” she said, handing him a sack of Coal Oats.

“Thanks mom,” Will said while giving her a quick hug, then grabbed the sack. Then he ran out the door to quickly load up the Flame Roots, which he remembered, he had forgotten to load the day before. He quickly ran out the door.

After Will loaded up all the Flame Roots, then sat down on the wagon. 

“Jack are you coming!” Will said, yelling across the field to their house. “I’m gonna leave you behind!”

“I’m coming!” Jack said, bursting out the door and running across the field. “Don’t leave me behind, dad won’t let you.”

“I know, but saying it got you out here.”

“What ever,” Jack said, while lifting his knapsack onto the wagon.

“Why do you have to bring that thing anyway.”

“Why can’t I, it’s not bothering you is it?”

“It is actually, it’s taking up my seat space.”

“Fine I’ll hold it all the way there.”

“You better,” Will said, cracking the whip so the horses started forward. Signaling that their argument was over.

“Hey Jack, wake up, we’re here.” Will said, shaking his brother awake. The wagon was right at the entrance of the city. Where a large granite arch, with purple veins of gem, stood. Will watched as Jack’s eyes grew too big for his head. But once they were in the keep his eyes got even bigger. Will gave a little laugh, his brother looked hilarious, then he looked at the city. Now realizing why his brother’s face looked so ridiculous. All the buildings were granite, they were carved. As if the city was once a large mountain, but was carved and hollowed in the shape of a city. Within the granite everywhere, there were veins of Amethyst. At the very center of the city was the tower. The center point of all magic, at least according to legend. A large Amethyst gem sat within the top of the tallest spire; The heart of the city.

The definition of hallmark is Perfect. So why are so many love movies considered, “Hallmark”. I mean other than the fact that there is an actual company named Hallmark. But even then, they make romance movies. So why hallmark, why and how is it perfect. Because it’s not.

I look around and I see a butterfly,

Flying proud and strong.

For this butterfly was beautiful,

And I know I’m not wrong.

It seem perfect,

It was in such bliss.

But what my eyes didn’t see,

My heart also missed.

This butterfly was hurt,

It had no direction of where it went.

But all the same,

It’s mind and heart did never rend.

And that is why it never crashed,

Why it never lost it’s way.

It may have been damaged on the outside,

But it’s heart, mind, and wings were there to stay.

Hallmark, “the perfect romance” does not exist, but a perfect love does. Which may seem easy to have, but perfect love for another person is hard, probably the hardest thing a person can do. For me, the hardest things to get, are the things worth keeping. I don’t know what it’s like to have a perfect Romantic love for another. But I do know what it’s like to have a perfect Love for another. It’s when your little nephew wants to help you, and you can’t help but smile because you let him, and now he’s happier than ever. When you’re mom holds you in her arms and tells you it’ll be alright. When you brother seems to hate you, but you love him all the same.

So, again I say, the perfect relationship is impossible. But a perfect love for another within that relationship is not. What are you willing to do for that love. Because if you are willing to try and make your love for another person perfect. Then I can tell you that The Hallmark Love is real. And every second of blood, sweat, tears, and smiles is worth it.

Chapter 2

Part 2

What just happened! I just created life! What is going on! What do I do? Who do I go to? Why did that just happen? Does it have something to do with the Fox in my Dream? Am I just Crazy? That must be it. I must be hallucinating. But It wasn’t… It couldn’t have been… It felt so right… so true…

    Suddenly a small chill shot through her body. Then another, and another, until it felt like a shower of cold was hammering down upon her. That’s when she realized there actually was rain pouring down on her. She had apparently zoned out, and was now soaked to the skin from the rain. April looked around, and still the park was deserted. She honestly seemed surprised. This park was never this quiet, except during bad storms.

That’s when it hit.

A wall of wind blasted through the park, practically throwing her off the bench and onto the ground. The rain was getting more and more vicious. April turned around to find a nearby shelter, but there was none. 

Chills slithered up April’s spine as she realized nothing else was being affected by this wind. Her backpack lay motionless on the ground. The leaves of the trees aren’t even flinching… But she was. April started lifting up off the ground. The wind started carrying her into the sky. She scrambled desperately to try and grab something, but there was no point. 

That’s when April’s eyes finally looked up toward the sky. That’s when she saw it. A Vortex, a large tornado that never touches the ground, but lingers within the sky. A whirlwind of lightning and cloud. April looked back down with a new surge of desperation and fear to grab onto something, but it was too late. 

She was in the folds of the Vortex.

Clouds swirled around her. April’s hair was standing on end. She lifted until she was at the very center. Then she stopped. Lighting shot across the vortex behind her. She looked back, and there within the folds of the whirlwind was a man. His eyes were glowing bright. They looked like the veins of the leaf she held earlier. He held out his hand which then left the cloud behind; Entering into the heart of the storm. Then the man yelled something… April strained her ears to hear what he said, but she couldn’t hear him. The power of the wind against April’s head was too loud, to hear the man’s voice

Everything enclosed upon April, and she was sucked into the outer edges of the storm. April was being flung around in circles by this storm. Then lightning appeared in front of her, and she was struck.

April opened her eyes, and she was laying next to the same tree trunk she tripped over in her dream the night before. Only this time it wasn’t a dream, and she knew it

The Second Realm

Chapter 2

Storm

    April finally got out of the hospital. It felt more like a prison than anything. But no matter, it was over now. The park April was at, was quite empty, more empty than usual. But that’s to be expected when it’s overcast. Thoughts kept racing through her mind. Completely distracting her from the task of walking, so she decided to sit down on a park bench. April couldn’t take her eyes off the scar that lay within the depths of her palm. She ran her thumb over the new markings. Feeling every bump, every crevasse, every nerve… It is now a part of her hand. The scar is not some mass added on top of her hand, but it’s the actual deformation of it.

So many questions were buzzing through her mind, it was like a beehive of data just swirling around. Only every bee brings a new thought, a new idea, a new possibility. Every single one brings a new fear. A large dark bariar was being erected around April’s mind. Preventing all thought, other than the doubtful, to enter. April finally managed to push away the thoughts and just look around.

April reached up and plucked a leaf off the tree next to her. Concentrated on the patterns of the leaf, she studied them in a way she never thought of before. Studying the way it grew, the way it seemingly flowed through the air as the wind blew. Thinking about life and how it comes to pass every day. How a small seed grows into a tree, then from it’s fruit falls the seed of it’s work. Then it starts over. April continued to study the leaf further. The wind continued to grab it, making the sides of the leaf flutter like wings. April closed her eyes, finding comfort in this simple thing;

The life of a leaf; practically lifeless, but still living. Still hanging on, even though it may be hurt.

Then she opened her eyes. She felt ice shoot through her body, from her hand that held the leaf. Her hand started vibrating uncontrollably, April cupped her hand, hanging on to this leaf with desperation. For this leaf was the only thing able to free her from the buzz within her mind. Upon the palm of her hand the scar lit up piercing through the leaf, making the leaf glow brightly. She looked around quickly to check no one was around. Then she looked back at the leaf. Her eyes widened as light poured through the veins of this leaf. Like liquid fire burning its way through the leaf’s core.

That’s when she realized what the leaf looked like in the wind. A butterfly. Both sides seemingly identical, but still different to fulfill its own purpose of deception. Like the eyes of a creature, or the eyes of a beast. This leaf was made to fly, to soar through this world and discover it… That’s when it happened… April’s hand stopped vibrating. Stillness befel the leaf as it continued to pulse light through its veins. The glow from her own hand slowly started to dim, and the ice faded away. But light still emanated from the leafs core. 

April felt little bug-like pricks on her hand from the leaf, then she saw the leaf move. Carried by little sticklike legs that covered it, like a centipede. Its stem shook, like a dog flinging water off its body after a bath. Acting as if it was regaining its once lost movement. After it seemed to find its footing, it leapt into the sky. April’s heart leapt as she saw it fly away, into the world. Its wings fluttering in the wind. A once seemingly lifeless form freed from its cage which withheld it from its fullest potential. She was almost sad at the departure of this leaf. For she felt she had spent so much time with it. In fact she felt as though she had spent a lifetime with it in those few moments

I wish it would stop

I wish I would stop

Stop hoping things will get better

Stop hoping things will change.

But they won’t,

No matter how hard I wish

No matter how hard I try

Some things were meant to be

I just need to learn to leave it be.

When you see her for the first time,

When you know you’ll love her forever.

How her hair falls in front of her face,

How her eyes still shine through.

She laughed when you said something,

She smiled when she saw you step in the room.

Oh how much you’d give to see her again,

Oh how often she enters your mind.

That time she looked at you,

That time she smiled at you.

When you went dancing the first time,

When you took her on your first walk.

When you thought you’d hold her for the last time,

When you saw her the last time.

For all the smiles, all the laughs, all the pain, all the fear, and all the joy,

You were there with her.

And when everyone else feared,

You had her,

And you knew you’d see her again.

For every time a soldier leaves to war, and for every time a child loses their hero.

Demons.

We all have them, in fact, they sometimes have power over us. But only when that power is given to them. People always see demons as monsters, or as… well… demons. But I’m here to tell you that, that is wrong. For centuries demons have been enslaved. Forced into doing the will of their master. First it was by the Void Master, than it was the Void Master’s friend, Satan. Who I’m here to admit, made them do some pretty messed up stuff. But now during the Dark Ages, they are ruled by man.

You don’t see a person without a demon with them. Ever. In fact that’s against King Rubian’s law for his perfect kingdom. If any person is found without an accompanying demon, by The King’s Men, they are executed.

No one really knows how the King’s Men, or The Whisperers, can see if someone has a demon or not. We just know they do, and it is pretty messed up if they do find someone without a demon… or a Demon without a master.

Oh, and did I mention I’m a Demon? Yeah… Ok, sorry. But not really. Let me give you the rundown of my situation here. You can’t kill a demon, so what the Whisperers do instead, is send you back into the void. My job right now is to free my brothers and sisters from the void… Which is heavily guarded by the Whisperers.

I’ve already snuck past the scouts placed at every corner of the keep. It wasn’t too hard since it’s pitch black. I’m about ready to scale the wall, I’m just waiting for the scout at the corner to turn the other direction. Once he does, I’ll scale the wall, take down the 7 highly trained, elite, guards surrounding the black torch, which is the gateway to the void. Then I will light the torch, and recall my brothers and sisters. Piece of cake, at least… I hope so.

The guard’s looking away.

NOW!

Goldfish,

You are my only friend.

Goldfish,

You are all mine.

Goldfish,

You taste so fine.

Goldfish,

I’m gonna eat my only friend now.

Goldfish,

Bye Bye.

There is lay. Within the skeletal grasp of King Shi Huangdi, the king who lay in the tomb protected by the terracotta warriors. Strange ancient figures pressed into the leather cover of the book. Ones that I had never seen before. I had been an archeologist for 20 years, and never had I seen texts similar to these.

I ripped the book out of the skeletons grasp. It felt like the skeleton was refusing to let go, but had no strength left to do so. I flipped open the book to the first page, and that’s when it happened. The texts inside the book changed from their former form, into english, my language. All logical thought left my mind. The book just changed, right in front of my face. Plus it’s not some recently invented trick book, this is an ancient book made thousands of years ago. There is no tech trickery involved in this.

The first words on the book read:

A NOTE,

Do not read unless you are willing to face the consequences.

I didn’t listen…

Now you read my story of how this book took my soul. Just as I read the story of how it took the soul of King Shi Huangdi. Unfortunately for you the only way I can be freed from this cage… Is if I take yours. You should have listened to A NOTE…