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ChereenRockin' Hippie Pad! 3월 16일 Chris Strouder--The Treasure of Power A boy in his teenage years walked lonely down a vacant street. His head throbbed with pain, though he couldn't remember why. The world around him was spinning and sereing with pain. He wanted to scream! Scream at the top of his lungs and yell for help! Yet, from the pain and knowledge that no one would or could help him he remained silent. All the doors around him were locked, all the windows closed, and not a sound could be heard besides mother-nature calling. You could only hear the howling of the wind, the whisper of branches, and the ocean of grass beneath your feet. Most of the creatures had long fallen into slumber, if they had not, they watched in frozen shock at the human holding a hand up to his head and whincing in pain. They senced the pain and that no one could help him. A dog woken by the near footsteps walked close only in time to see the young figure fall to the ground.
His body lay unmoving just inches from the road on a pile of fall leaves.. He was imoble for his body had given up fighting the pain and slowly slipped out of focus and turned off his nerves. A cold howl could be heard by not the peircing wind, but of the stray that hoped to wake someone that could help the boy. No answer came and no help was soon to come. The cold air whipped at the shivering body uncoltrolled by it's own mind. The mind soon was lost after a fleeting unrecognizing look at the world.
The boy couldn't remember where he was, why he was experiencing so much pain, or what had happened to him before. "Wha..." He started a fragment and then lost what little knowledge he had left. The figure lay motionless and silent in the dark. Into a deep deep slumber.
A dark figure tumbled slowly into a bar. It was far away from anywhere he had ever been before. The inn was dark except for a light in the back and a candle lit next to the window. A man sat next to the candle, but did not look up when the figure entered the room.
"After noon," said the lonely hooded figure in a calm voice with a stong English accent to a woman cleaning glasses behind the bar. The owner of the voice was a man that after a quick glance around the room went to sit next to the man by the window.
"Finally here... We aranged to meet at ten-thirty if I do recall, Ben." Said the man who was origionally in the bar. He had a strong deep voice with an Irish accent.
"I know. Please forgive me, Steven." said the man called Ben.
"I have long been waiting for you. You know how I despise to wait." Steven ignored the remark. "We do have some business we must attend to."
"Yes. What did you want to see me about?" Ben asked cautiously.
"All in good time. I have been eagerly awaiting your arival and you can be patient enough to listen untill I find the time fit for you to know all that must be told tonight." Steven looked out the frosted window and then into his empty glass of what was full of tea not long ago. The moon showed as a cresent a bright glow over the darkened street.
Ben gulped a hidden fear down his throat. Steven was not the man you get yourself on his wrong side. He had power and much of it.
"Now," Steven continued after a moments silence. "You must first know that I have been working on a project to gain a small fortune. The treasure I seek is not found in money, though."
A questioning look crossed Ben's face. "You need not know what the treasure I seek is, Ben." Said Steven coldly. Steven reached into his pocket to handle something. Ben did not know what it was, but he felt a cold shiver run down his spine.
The woman behind the bar finally gained the courage to speak to the men. "Would you like something to drink?" She asked Ben. "Or some more?" She asked Steven.
"No thank you." Said Ben. He didn't want his stay to be elongagted.
"More tea, if you please, Abby." Steven replied with a shadow of a smile. Abby smiled fully back. She was a young girl. She looked about eighteen. The men at the table couldn't have been more then twenty-two. Yet they spoke with wisdom and in a wide vocabulary. If you had only seen their speech you would have thought them to be very well learned and wise beyond most human years.
As Abby walked behind the counter Steven said, "My jod was to find you and to find out about this boy." He held up a picture that looked familiar. It was of a boy who looked about fifteen or sixteen. He was tall, lanky, with a joyful face, dark brown hair, and green eyes. Then picture smiled up at the two men and seemed to not have a problem in the world, or with it in that matter.
"Why do you want to know about him?" Asked Ben.
"Again that is none of your bussiness." Steven said sharply. "But if you must know," He said softening his voice a little. "He is the only one who stands in the way of what I seek. The treasure that me and my master seek, that is... That is why we must know as much about him as possible. I was sent to recieve information from you."
"Do you wish to kill him?" Ben asked ackwardly. Glancing at Steven then out the empty window, trying to blow it over as it it were nothing.
"Maybe yes, maybe no. Depends." Steven said simply as if they had been talking about what kind of cheese to serve at a party.
Ben gasped and flinched at the news, making Steven squint suspiously at the man sitting across from him. "I can't be part of it if you wish to cause the boy harm. He's only fifteen or so." Ben said mustering up any courage he could find. Steven was a frightening man. Pale, tall, with beedy black eyes to match his hair, he could easily stike terror to a normal sized man as Ben. Ben had a shallow face with sad brown eyes that matched his dark brown shaggy hair. He looked skinny and when he smiled it looked pained and unruly.
"Oh you will take part." Steven said quietly reaching for something in his pocket. "You will do as I tell you, when I tell you, and how I tell you to do it." He seemed to finger the thing in his pocket.
"Umm... I don't think I'm up to do anything at the moment." Ben said eyeing the coat pocket suspicouly.
Suddenly Steven pulled a knife, and layed it on the table with his hand over it. "Yes you will." He said in a mere whisper. Stunned and frozed, Ben stayed silent and remained seated.
"What do you want to know?" Ben asked hoarsly.
"That's better." Steven said slowly moving his hand away from the blade. "I knew you'd see reason. All the information you can gather. His family, his friends, his way of life, anything about his heart and weakness. Who he really is. What would cause him the most pain." Steven smiled slightly at the blank, stunned face of the man sitting across from him. His expression hardened. "Here is a number where you can contact me in case of any information you find, or in an emergency." He pulled out a small sheet of paper from another coat pocket.
"Y-Yes..." Stuttered Ben. Ben took the paper with a shivering, clammy hand. He twiched when his hand touched Stevens. Pure fear and loathing swept over his face in that moment.
"Good evening." Said Steven standing and walking from the table. About three steps away he turned. "Almost forgot something..." He said returning to grab his knife. As he pulled up the blade it barely touched Ben's skin, opening a large gash. "That's to remind you of your task." Steven said dead serious. Looking thriumpantly at the blood slowly spilling from the cut.
Miles away the boy who lay on the ground woke. He rubbed his head pushing back his messy dark brown hair. "Wha-what happened?" He asked the night. "What a dream... It was so real though." He staggered to his feet and walked slowly back to his house.
***
"Come on down, Chris! Time to wake up." Christopher's mom, Miranda, yelled up the stairs.
"Coming, mom!" Chris yelled back. What happened last night? Chris wondered to himself. I can't fully remember, but whatever it was it was really weird.
"Come on Katie!" yelled Chris to his younger sister who was nine.
"That's what I've been yelling at you for the last fifteen minuets!" Katie said stubbernly. The intire family had English accents and at that moment seemed rushed.
"It's Saturday though. Why did you wake me up? What time is it?" Chris asked ignoring the last remark.
"Well for your information it's 12:04. You should have been up way earlier." Katie said. "You were no dout tired. I bet you went to a party last night." She added to herself.
"I didn't go to a party last night." He couldn't remember where exactly he had been last night, but Chris knew it wasn't a party. There wasn't anyone. He must have been taking a walk and fallen asleep because he was so tired. He convinced himself.
"Some man of the house." Katie said under her breath walking down the stairs. It was true. Chris was the man of the house. His father had died only weeks after his sister was born. No one really knew why he had. He just dropped dead and was found slumped over his office desk. Chris had been named after his father, Christopher Strouder.
He changed into an old, clean pair of jeans and a T-shirt. They were his cousin's old clothes. Since his father died, there hadn't been much money to spare around the house.
He looked quickly into a mirror next to a desk. The mirror needed cleaning and so did the boy looking into it. Chris washed off his face and ran his fingers through his messy hair. "Ready!" he called to his sister and mom. He jumped down the stairs three at a time. "What's for lunch? I'm starved."
"I would expect you to be. You didn't get home till really late. Where were you last night?" His mom questioned.
"I wasn't feeling too good. I think I went on a walk and then passed out. I don't know..." Chris answered. With a quick glance at his mom's face he added, "I feel terrific now!"
"Alright then." His mom added not convinced and it was obbious. She looked her son up and down. "What happened to your head?"
"What?" Chris ran his fingers over his head and found a sereing pain run through him. He remembered what happened last night. He had been walking home from the movies and had started to feel a deatheningly pain run over him. It was worst at his head. Then he had fainted or passed out from the pain. And there was the dream. "The dream..." He whispered out loud quietly to himself.
"What?" His sister asked.
"Nothing." Chris said quickly. He wasn't sure if he should tell his mom about the dream. After all it was only a dream. Or at least he thought. "Must of hit my head on the way home from the movies. I'm fine now though."
His mother came over and touched the cut surrounded by a large bruise on his head. He flinched at the soft hand as it touched the tender part on his head. "You need that cleaned up. It may leave a scar. I think it's a pretty deep cut." His mom turned and pulled out a first aid kit from a drawer. "I don't think you want to go to the hospital over this." Chris shook his head. "Sit down."
Chris obediantly pulled out a chair and sat. The day progressed as a normal day. He ate breakfast and then watched his sister while his mom went to work for her half-time job. She worked for a small coffee shop on the corner of Broad and First. Around five or so Chris started to make dinner while Katie set the table. Katie and Chris waited for their mother to come home. Suddenly they heard a knock at the door.
"Do you think we should open it?" Asked Katie startled.
Chris weighed his options for a second then said, "I think we should. You wait here." He added walking to the front of the house. The knock sounded again. Making a dog come out from a back room. "Don't worry, Ruby." Chris said smiling at the golden retriever who was whimpering slightly. "Do you want to help me answer the door?" Ruby barked bravely in reply. "Come on then."
Together they made their way to the front door to see a tall figure caust a long shadow through the fogged glass window. Chris opened the door to see a startling figure. He wasn't very tall in real life. He had sad-looking brown eyes. They looked almost like a puppy's and darted around every few seconds to make sure he wasn't being watched. At the very moment the door opened the man had been turned looking over his sholder to peer down the empty street.
"Can I help you?" Chris asked uncertainly. Making the figure jump. When he turned to see who spoke he looked frightened. Somehow, though, the man seemed familiar.
"Umm... Yes." Said the man uneasily. "Sorry to bother you, but I was sent to look for a boy about your age named Chirstopher Strouder." He looked Chris up and down quickly without giving him time to answer. "You are him, right?" He asked.
"Yeah," Chris said uneasily. "What do you need?"
"You wouldn't by any chance have a moment to talk, would you?" The man asked.
"I might. But who are you exactly." Chris asked the man.
"Oh sorry. I haven't formally introduced myself. I'm Ben. Ben Walker." Ben held out a hand. This revealed his right arm from his jacket, showing a large cut that looked fresh and would scar.
"Nice to meet you." Chris took his hand. Ben looked exceedingly familiar. For a moment Chris pondered on the thought of who it might be. Wait. He thought to himslef. Thi-this is one of the men from my dream. What did he want? Wait. If he was in the dream, then was the dream real? Or a dream.
"Mind if I come in?" Ben snapped Chris back to reality. He hadn't seemed to realize that they were standing on the front pourch still. Without time for a reply Ben made himself at home and walked right through the doorway. He took a quick glance around the house. Then back through the door and closed it when he found the coast was clear. "Nice place!" Ben said delightedly looking around at the family pictures. "This your family?" He seemed to blow over the topic but was very interested.
"Yeah... What's left of it is right here, in this one." Chris pointed to a picture on the wall. It had himslef, Katie, his mom, and three cousins, all from his mom's side.
Noticing all the noise and not wanting to miss out on anything, Katie appeared in the hallway. Between delight at a new guest to entertain, and worry about a new stranger in the house without her mother home, Katie stared wide-eyed at the stranger. She weighed both options in her head looking as though she was in a trance. Suddenly she seemed to snap out of it as one idea won the battle.
"Who are you? You're not soposed to be here. Did mom send you? Why did Chris let you in? " She asked question back to question, not giving enough time to answer. "Why did you let him in, Chris? Who is he? Do you know him? He doesn't look familiar to me." Katie opened her mouth to make even more comments, Ben decided to take the pause of breath to introduce himself.
"I'm Ben. Ben Walker. You can just call me Ben if you like." He held out his hand to shake Katie's but found no hand to meet it for a moment.
"I'm Katie. Katie Ann Elizabeth Strouder. Pleasure." She shook Ben's hand forcefully.
Ben laughed then said, "The pleasure's all mine, Katie!" He seemed to like having such an enthusiastic young girl in his aquantience.
Something about the man made Chris want to let him in and stay. Maybe it was his goodnatured smile, or the way he talked. It seemed to Chris that this man was trustworthy. Almost nothing would make him say no to what the man wanted. It was as if he were being sent into a stunned trance. He liked the trance though, he wanted to stay in it, if it really was one. The feeling seemed to warm his body, make him feel as if nothing bad could happen and all the evil in the world was being sucked away. Was it magic? Was it being irational? He didn't know and didn't care.
"Come in and sit down!" Katie seemed to like the man too.
"Thank you very much!" Ben followed Katie into the small living room. "So tell me more about yourself, Chris." He asked casually, but Chris could see in his eyes that he longed very much to know.
"Not much to tell. What do you want to know." Chris felt as though he were in a daze. It was almost as though he had changed to be blunt and tell the truth about whatever questions came his way.
"Well, what do you think you care about most?" Ben questioned quickly.
"My family... I guess... Then my dog... Then friends..." Chris said quietly. Thinking with every word hard about what he truely cared about most.
Ben quickly pulled out a pen and jotted down every word of what Chris said. He became more apprehensive with every word. There seemed to be glory burning in his eyes. Yet behind it sadness creeped slowly to show. Slowly reality took a hard blow on Ben. This boy... This boy is giving you the information that may one day become his downfall. That may one day lead him to his death... At the last word he thought he shivered. His smile faded... The light and youth in his eyes seemed to grow dimmer. I must though... The life of my family is at stake. To me the boy means so much less then my own... Ben had a son of about four. He cherished his family very much. This boy, Chris, what about his family? Have I no heart? I must watch out for him. At my own personal risk I vow to watch over this boy and see that no harm comes to him as long as I am able. But I first must do my job...
Ben asked the oddest kind of questions over the next hour. He asked what Chris hoped to occomplish, becoming an artist, to what was his favorite type of jam, grape. Ben wrote down every answer and Chris told all his answers willingly. Katie had fallen asleep in the chair opposite the couch the boys had been talking on. Katie woke with a jolt when Ruby jumped into her lap. Being an almost fully grown Golden Retriever it was no laughing matter to the small girl of eleven.
"Mommy will be home soon." Katie said with an exhausted sounding voice. She had glanced at the clock. It was true that their mother would be home soon.
"You're mother's name was..." Ben checked his notes. "Miranda. If I'm not mistaken."
"Right." Ben said still dazed and ready to give answers.
"Well then I best be on my way then." Ben gathered his notes, which by then had grown to be many many sheets. "It was nice meeting both of you." He igknowledged both Chris and his sister. "I thank you sencerely for all the information you have provided me with. I hope we meet again." Ben shook Chris's hand. "Though... Not too soon I hope..." He added with a bit of thought.
"Nice to meet you too, and I do hope to see you again." Chris helped Ben find his way to the door and said a short goodbye. As Ben walked down the empty fall street, he looked over his sholders checking that the coast was clear again. Chris saw Ben pass about the fourth house, closed the door, and was almost immediately snapped from his trance. He seemed to remember much more and didn't feel so blunt. That was odd... He thought to himself.
The siblings mother came home after a while. The family went to bed and slept soundly. No one was disturbed that night, nor did they imagain in their wildest dreams what would soon come tho the fifteen-year-old who was calmly dreaming of happy thoughts.
***
Over the next week things went as usual for the dark-haired small family. It wasn't untill the next Saturdsay after the strange man had appeared that anything unusual or threatening happened. Chris had only just finished his paper for English when his mother came home late again.
"Oh, it's good to be home... I'm exhausted..." Chris's mother's tired voice floated into the living room where Chris and Katie sat cross-legged on the tattered sofa.
"Hey mom!" Chris jumped over a pile of papers and books to greet his over-worked mother.
"How was work today?" Katie asked back to her nosey self.
"Same as usual, but our coffee machine broke. And too make it worse, we had a horrible customer who had black hair. He complained loudly over the lack of service and how it took him too much time... He was so pale... And had these beedy black eyes. Tall fellow too... I don't know where he come from. He had a strong Irish accent." The tired mother sat down in a comfortable chair next to a weak fire in the living room.
Down the hallway Ruby was heard barking and whining. "Oh, do take that dog out, Chris!"
"It must be less then 30 degrees out there." Chris darted his eyes at the window then at his mother. "Alright..." He agreed remembering that his mother had already worked a long day and that Ruby hadn't been out of the house for hours.
Chris walked over to the door, picked up the short leash from the steps, and hooked the dog. "Hurry it up, will you?" He muttered at the ecstatic Golden Retriever.
Ruby barked happily and led the way into the windy fall cold out of the comfort of her home. She sniffed at sticks that bordered the sidewalk. And leaves that flew past. She even attempted to chase a few with her shivering master being pulled along behind her. "Why did I have to get a bloody golden?" He questioned rolling his eyes to the cloudy sky.
He had turned two coners of the block when he heard a soft sound. He turned to see only darkness around him. The street lamps that usually glowed bright, lighting the whole street, dimmed slowly untill it was pitch black. He quickened his pacen, only to be stopped by the short leash. "Come on, Ruby!" He tried to hurry his dog. He felt that something bad was going to happen. That someone might just jump out at him. There was someone there who wasn't soposed to be. Chris could feel all these things rushing through him. He felt his heart beat quicken. He felt his hands go clammy on the dogs leash.
He heard the sound again. This time louder and more distinct. It had been a rustle in the leaves. It was footsteps. One was slower in walking then the other. The being sounded tall and rough. He thumped the ground with every step. "Who's there?" Chris asked hoping that his voice sounded braver then he felt.
"You'll soon know." The voice was strong and sounded Irish. It was coming from just infront of Chris.
Wait! He was in the dream! This was the man in my dream! I know that voice. He stood horror stuck remembering more and more of his dream. Thruth and knowing swept over him. He remembered Ben and what he had told him. He remembered that the men had been plotting to possible kill him. They hadn't yet decided.
Suddenly, right before Chris had finished putting his thought together, he heard a whosh and felt something hit him just infront of his left ear. He dropped to his knees. He felt the new blow burning severly and could feel blood creep slowly down his chin. The world around him fogged. He dropped lying now on the ground. Around him he could hear a cold, hard, cruel laugh. Darkness filled his mind. Then everything went blank. He remembered nothing, and thought nothing. He lay motionless. And blacked out on the ground infront of his attacker. At his will and mercy without a single thought against it.
***
Hours later Chris awoke with a shock. He stared blanky around him, not quite comprehending the world to it's fullest extent. He blinked as the small living room of his house came into view. Across from him he saw Katie asleep or having passed out. His eyes widened with fear as he remembered the events of the past few hours. Katie had been tied to a chair and had a bandana tied around her mouth. Chris attempted to untie his sister or rouse her, but found that his hands had, too, been tied to the chair he had been placed in.
He tried to say, "Katie wake up! Come on!" But only heard his voice mumble, "A-e a uph! Om o!" He douted anyone could make out his mumbles and it was very unrecognizable.
Hearing the sounds a tall, pale man entered the room. "Ah, finally awake I see." The man had a strong Irish accent. Chris recognized the voice as the one of his attacker.
Slowly true comprehension swept over him. It was the man from his dream! Steven He thought. It was true. The man that had plotted to possibly kill him, now had him tied to a chair in his own living room. He again attempted to mutter. This time he tried to say, "Have what you want with me. Just let my sister go!" Only again a slight mumble that was unrecognizable came from his mouth.
"Oh have something to say then?" Steven, across the room, swept his hand from left to right, making the rag that covered Chris's mouth vanish!
"Wha... What the?" Chris sat stunned. Steven had simply waved his hand and caused something, across the room to disappear.
Steven smirked. "So I suppose you don't know then." He said aloud. Then in a whisper he said to himself, "Good... Good, then he isn't as threatening then we suspected. He can't even control his power yet. Or know about it for that matter."
He snapped back to reality. "That, my dear boy, was magic."
"Magic?" What is this man been talking. Magic? Of course magic isn't real. I mean, it's just in fairy-tales or stories.
"Yes, magic." Steven softened his voice to a calm whisper. The corners of his mouth slowly curved into a sly smile.
At that moment Katie awoke. She tried to mumble. Chris wish that he could go untie her. He wished that they were both free at that very moment. Suddenly, the bindings on his own ropes loosened. He looked over at his sister to see that in an amazed face her mouth was free.
"What's going on?" She asked Chris. She seemed, unusual for her, full of fear. Her eyes wandered from the ropes binding her arms to the stunned looking man named Steven. "Who's he? Why are we tied up? I don't like this. Is this a game? Make it stop Chris!" She was almost in tears with true panic in her eyes.
"How did you do that, boy?" Steven was stunned to the point of blunt uncomprehention. "I thought you didn't know how to use your powers!" He moved in on Chris with pure anger. He was about to wring Chris's neck by the look of fire blazing in his eyes.
"I- I didn't do anything!" Chris was as astonished as the man was furious about it happening.
At that moment a loud large bang opened the front door shaking the entire house. A tall slinder figure caust a long shadow down the hall.
"You will stop this now!" Boomed a strong familiar voice.
A look or terror waved over Steven's face as footsteps could be heard coming quickly up the hall way.
Ben's figure appeared in the doorway. It looked ever slimmer then it ever had been and his face had dark shadows underneath them.
Seeing Ben, Steven's fear turned to a cold cruel smile. He laughed at the sight of the panting, weak man leaning with a hand on the doorway. "What are you going to do?" Steven asked. "Make me?" He gave Ben a look from his uncombed hair to the bottom of his tattered shoes and said, "I don't think you could if your life depended on it." He laughed cocking his head back.
Ben took advantage of the moment. With a bang and as Ben waved his hand, Steven was propelled into the wall. Ben ran over to untie Chris. Chris sat staring at the slumped figure of Steven.
"What was that?" Chris mustered up the ability to speak after a few moments to withdraw from his shock.
"We don't have time for that now!" Ben sounded rushed and ran quickely to untie Katie, who for once in her life was speachless.
Chris regained his strength and stood staring trying to figure out what had just happened. "Thank you." He said blankly to Ben.
"Come on. We have to leave now." Ben looked quickley at Steven who showed no signs of movement.
"Leave? Now? What's happening?" Chris looked at Ben trying to figure out what he meant. Why would he have to leave? He hadn't done anything.
"I'll explane later. You have to leave now. Just trust me. It's not safe for you here." He glanced at Katie. "Either of you."
"Wha- What did I do?" Katie had a delirious look across her face and didn't seem to comprehend anymore then Chris did himself.
"Grab your coat and that's all. Anything else you would take with you would be too obvious." Ben darted his eyes out the window. "Quickly!"
"Can we bring Ruby?" At the sound of her name the young Golden Retriever entered the room. She looked at Chris, who had spoken her name, and then noticed the man laying on the floor. Ruby cocked her head, perked her ears, then sniffed her way over to Steven.
"It won't do any harm I guess. Just keep her on a leash. Besides a dog might come in handy." He pondered on all the veiws.
Delighted Katie ran to retrieve the leash. Then hooked the dog. Ruby jumped and barked excitedly.
"Keep the dog quiet though. We musn't draw attention to ourselves." Ben again darted a quick look out the window. "Are we all ready then?" He glanced at the three members he would be having to take with him. He didn't know if taking them from here would be helpful or put them in any more danger. It must be more helpfrul. I mean being farther away from being know would be best for these children. He decided it was better and gathered who was going into a tight circle. He stood with one hand on Chris and his other on Katie. Katie was wrapped around Ruby who was barking.
Chris was starting to wonder what was going to happen. He felt as though anything could happen at that moment. And just as the thoughts seemed to wind themselves. His feet tripped off of the solid floor. He tried to catch himself but found nothing to be caught on. There was no ground beneath him. The world around him was a whispy blurr. Wind was pushing him from all directions. He was confussed. At this point with the last week running through his head. He felt as if it must all be a dream. It must have all been a horrible dream.
Suddenly, he hit solid ground. He stumbled and looked up to no longer see his own home. He was in the middle of a vaust ship and it was in an ocean with the slight glance of an island on the horizon. Katie was lying on the ground inches from his feet looking around with the same confussed look on her face as Chris felt.
He saw that Ben was standing upright dusting himself off. "Where are we?" He asked Ben.
Ben was not paying much attention and only replied with a, "Hmm?"
"Excuse me, but would you mind telling me where we are?" He asked politely a slight bit louder.
"We are on a ship. I happen to know the captain very well." He looked around. "That reminds me," He added quietly to himself. "Where is the old brute anyway?"
On a stair way that led to the ships stearing wheel was, a short stout little man was hurriying down the stairs. He had a long red beard and harsh black eyes. But he looked very happy to see Ben. The only part of his face that you could see that wasn't covered in hair was his eyes, cheeks, and nose, which was very flat.
"Ben! I' been lookin' all over for ya!" The red haired man wodddeled over to the small group. He threw out hand and grabbed Ben's. The two men shook hands furiousely, but fullheartedly.
"It's so good to see you again!" Ben said to the man. "Oh this is Johnny." He added looking at the confussed look on the siblings face.
"Nice to meet you." Chris held out his hand, but wasn't braced for the forceful handshake he recieved. "I'm Chis and this is my sister Katie." Ruby barked as if to remind him not to forget about her. "And this is our dog, Ruby."
"Welcome to me ship. I'm Cap'ain John Red. Make yourselves at home. An' feel free to rome aroun' the ship." A rough looking man with long shaggy brown hair walked by. "Don' min' the crew. They jus' look a li'le harsh. They aren' really."
"Thanks for the heads up." Chris said nervously looking at another man with blone hair and a scar next to his lip on the left side. As Chris widened his gaze he found not only odd looking people, but he noticed some odd looking animals that he had never seen before. One looked like a monkey with wings, another like a small dragon that was the size of a little dog. As he looked around he noticed more of these odd animals. Most of them were oddly colored. There was, ironically anough, a purple pig with pink pokedots that had wings and lifted off the ground periodically. What looked like an over grown lizzard was walking around on the mask, this one was an odd maroon color. Everywhere Chris looked he saw a new person or a new creature. Most looked rough but a few looked friendly enough.
Ben and Captain John Red were by then engaged in a deep conversation. It was only as a whisper so that no one else could hear it, though.
Katie was looking eyeing some of the crew and a few creatures suspiciously. "Let's have a look around. Shall we?" Katie nodded looking excited. The pair only had gone a few steps before they noticed that Ruby was not behind them anymore. Shocked they started to look around at every direction they could. Ruby was no where in sight. Finally they rounded a corner next to the captain's cabin and saw the young golden.
Ruby was sniffing the most alarming person. He looked dangerous and as if he shouldn't be bothered. There were dark shadows under his sunkin eyes. His long blonde mane was tangled and he had a scare in the shape of an X under his eye. Chris looked at the man then thought, Many of the people on this ship have scares. He found this odd, but didn't voice his opinion.
The man stared at the children as they stared at him. He seemed just as taken aback as they were of him. Ruby sniffed his knee then barked in excitement.
"Sorry about her..." Chris said uncertainly being pulled back to life and out of his stare from the bark.
"It's alright sonny." The man had a raspy voice that didn't seem to like to talk much. He gave Chris a look over from his toes to the tip of his head. "So you're the boy that Ben was bringing I presume?"
"Well I came with Ben not to long ago." Chris was very uncertain about talking to the strange man.
"What happened to your head?" The man asked.
"What are you talking about?" Chris was confussed but he uncertainly moved his hand across his head and cheek. On his left cheek he found a deep cut. It must have been from the shocking blow that came when he had been captured by Steven. Unfortunatly, that scare led to worse things then Chris could have imagined. "I don't know what happened..." Chris could only stand there wondering.
"That is what happens when someone really wants you hurt or even dead. And then you come in contact with them" He ran two fingers across his own scar. "That's how I got mine."
A cold rush ran over the back of Chris's back. He had a horrible feeling, though he could not quite figure out what it was. It might be because Someone wants me dead! He thought to himself. Seeming the only logical way to explain it.
"Got any questions about the ship?" The man said groughly.
"Not now I don't... I'm still just looking around." Chris paused for a moment. "I would very much, sir, like to know your name perhaps..." Chris was uncertain if it was polite to ask this question.
"I beg your pardon. I'm what they call around here Xavior." He smiled vaguelly but it turned into a wince. At a glance at Chris's face he continued. "Yes that's it Xavior. Feel free to call me by it. I don't bother me one bit."
"Ok thank you. I'm Chris." Chris said back in exchange.
"That could have been a horrible mistake. If I weren't who I am and you had told this to some of the other crew. Now yeah I know that the Captain trusts 'em and all. But I think they are some pretty shiffty pieces of work. If Ben didn't tell you this already then you might as well ask him about it. You never give out your real name while around people you don't know or can't trust." He let a cool air run across his face and it softened. "Well maybe Ben will let you go by Chris around here. I guess that the crew is fine and trusting enough."
The two talked for a while. Eventually, the moon showed bright across the ship glistening on the water. It was about midnight, and Chris was ready to go to sleep and run through his head about what had happened in the last few hours.
"Well I think that you probably want to go find your bed now. Well I'll be talking to you later. 'Night." Xavior waved and then turned out to a back room in the cabins.
"Well thanks for your time. I'll talk to you later. 'Night." Chris called to the fleeting figure.
Chris started to wander for a while. He had no clue of where to go. Chris was just about to try to find someone else to talk to to find out how to get to his room. He had just turned a corner when a slinder figure a small bit shorter then Chris himself was, attacked him and threw him to the ground in a tackle.
"What are you doing here? Who are you?" To Chris's shock the strong yet light body belonged to a girls. The voice was feirce but had a soft sentimint.
"I'm trying to find my room. I'm Chris. Who are you and why are you trying to kill me?" Chris mustered up his little energy to answer the girl. The body that had been sitting on top of him to pin him down lifted.
"Chris? Chris Strouder?" She asked. "I heard you were coming. I'm sorry. I'm Dalia."
"Nice to meet you Daaliaa!" Yeah I'm Chris Strouder." Chris answered.
"No you pernounce it as 'Dal-ia'" Dalia corrected him. "Sorry but it bugs me when people mis-pernounce my name." She added at the confused look on Chris's face.
"Oh no problem. I bet it really gets annoying after a while of correcting." Chris said in responce to be polite.
"Sorry I tackled you... It's just that you were around my room and a guy isn't soposed to be near them without me knowing." Dalia smiled shyly.
"Oh I'm really sorry I didn't know where I was. I was trying to find my room infact. I don't know my way around the ship yet. Maybe you can help me if I get lost." Chris smiled shyly back. Chris felt as though he might have a burning sensation filling hisself, though he didn't quite recognize it. He had never felt the way he did at that time then he had ever felt before.
"So can you control your powers yet?" Dalia asked after a short ockward pause.
"Powers? I don't have powers." Chris said confussed.
"I guess not... Come one let's go!" Dalia grabbed Chris's hand hand half dragged him into her room. She happened to be the only person who stayed in this particular room. It was small and cramped, but it was still cozy. In one corner of the room it had a small twin bed. In another it had a very cramped counter with a chair. Under the counter was a large pile of odd objects. Chris only got a quick glance at them before his attention was attracted to the ceiling which had what seemed to be an image of a memory. Dalia waved her hand and it instantly changed to be the night sky. Chris found it odd to see the night sky knowing that there were about five or six more levels of ship above him.
"Sit down." Dalia said kindly after moving some of the clutter in the floor to make space to sit. She had positioned a candle between the spot that she had indicated for Chris to sit and the spot where she herself sat. She sat gracefully with her legs crossed. Chris mimicked her.
"How is this soposed to help me control what I don't have?" Chris asked looking oddly at the candle.
"Concentrate." Dalia said calmly looking Chris directly in the eyes.
"Concentrate on what?" Chris asked. He wasn't quite sure what he was soposed to be doing.
"Concentrate on lighting the candle. Here give me your hands." She placed her hands halfway between herself and Chris. Chris put his hands on top of hers. The hands that he touched were warm and soft. They seemed to sooth his feelings and made him relax more.
"Now I want you to close your eyes and picture only the candle." Dalia's voice flowed through his head. Chris did as he was told. He thought of nothing but the candle with his eyes shut. His mind did seem to want to wonder but after a short time he seemed to keep focused. "Picture the candle lighting itself. Just the candle and just the flame. Just think that you would want nothing more then to have the candle lighted. Concentrate on just the candle and the flame, nothing else."
Chris again did as he was told. All he thought of was the candle and the flame. He thought that he would want nothing more than to see it lit. He was not sure why he wanted it lit but to please Dalia so he did as he was told and thought Just the candle... Just the flame... Just the candle... Just the flame... I want you to light candle... That's what I want to happen...
With that last thought Dalia exclaimed, "Chris you did it! You lit the candle! Open your eyes and see it!" She seemed very excited.
"What?" Chris opened his eyes and to see in shock that the candle had indeed lighted. He looked around for a match or a lighter of some kind, and he found none. Suddenly to his disbelief he found that in a moment the candle extinguished. The wind did not blow it out or anything of that nature. It just stopped burning.
"Here do it again. But this time to see what you're doing concentrate with your eyes open." Dalia said in her calming voice. The excitement seemed to have been contorlled.
Chris looked hard at the candle and again he concentrated on it and thought of nothing else. To his astonishment after a shorter time then before the flame reappeared. "What so I really did do it?" He asked in disbelief. "Wait did you do it instead?" His mind raced for logical explainations yet none came.
"No, it was all you! See you do have powers!" The last part was added slyly by Dalia in a kind of "I-told-you-so" type of voice.
They practiced for hours on as she tought Chris how to use only few of his powers. Together she had tought him to make a ball float across the room, make a coin vanish into thin air as well as return from it, and turn water into tea. Eventually the sun started to rise over the horizon. It was the most beautiful thing Chris has ever seen. He had never before in his life watched the sun rise. Dalia had taken Chris out onto the deck so that he could seen it creep into the day time.
For some reason with all the magic around him Chris wasn't tired in the slightest bit. He stood with his arms against the railing looking out into the see. Everyonce in a while he would see men from the crew leaving their cabins. Most of them had a very large bottle of brandy, a bag or coins, and a deck of cards. Chris figured that most of the other members on the ship didn't sleep unless they were really tired or just wanted to.
Chris saw Katie leave a cabin and took Dalia over to meet her.
"Hi!" Said Dalia as she extended a hand over to Katie. "I'm Dalia."
"Hey! I'm Katie." She shook the hand that was out in front of her at the perfect lenght for the young girl to shake. "What's she doing with you?" Katie asked in an undertone to her brother.
"She's my friend. I met her last night on the ship. She's really cool." Chris talked back in a slight undertone. "Where's Ben? I wanted to ask him something."
"The last I saw him he was going off to the Captain's Cabins. Maybe you can find him there." Katie spoke back into her smart-alic voice.
"Well why don't you stay with me, Katie? We can talk for a while maybe." Dalia asked.
"That sounds good. If you need me I'll be trying to find Ben. Well see you later!" He said a short goodbye, waved, then started searching for the man who had brought him to the ship.
As he walked away he caught a few of the girl's phrases. "You have to see my room! It's so cool!", and "Where can I find something to eat around here?" He figured that the girls would get some food then talk a while in Dalia's room.
Chris wondered for a little while. He had to ask a few people where he might find Ben. Two said that they had no clue, one jestured in some direction, and one man ignored Chris completely. Chris finally found a door that had a sign on it that read "Captain's Cabins."
To be polite he knocked on the door to hear a rough voice call. "Who is it?"
"Sir, it's Chris." Chris said uneasily.
A man opened the door and the grough voice demanded, "State your business."
"I'm looking for Ben... Is he there?" Chris asked feeling intmimidated by the tall man in the door way.
"Half a minuet. I'll go see to it." The man turned.
Chris waited in silence. He looked around again with fleeting looks in every direction. He didn't know a single face. Suddenly a hand landed harshy on his shoulder. Chris must have jumped to approximately a foot into the air. The hand harshly turned Chris into the room. Inside it was dark so Chris could not see who the hand belonged to.
"Chis?" It was Ben. "How are you feeling? I know that you must have had an extrememly rough day over the past few hours, if not weeks."
"I'm fine. Infact I'm spectacular! But I still have a question I need to ask you." Chris replied quickly. He had wanted to get everything from the last night off his chest. He felt confused and needed help from someone. The only person that he felt he could trust was the man standing directly in front of him. At that moment he happened to be lighting some candles.
Ben blinked at the new light. "Yes? Go on with your question." He turned with a faint smile that seemed to make his face look older in the lighting. It seemed odd and fake.
"Well, last night I met a girl on the ship. We were in her room and well..." Chris broke off. How could he put it? If it were true then there would be an appropriate explanation, yet if it hadn't ever really happened then he would seem mad. He had to take the chances though, he came to the conclusion. "Well, something odd happened. I think that something phanominal happened! Well it was phanominal... I think, there isn't really any other word for it, it was magic..."
Ben faintly smiled again. This time more guinuanly and with a laughing sense. "So it would seem, that is truely what happened. Might I ask who the girl is?"
"Dalia. First she tackled me to the ground-" He was broken off by a fit of chuckles from a corner of the room.
"I beg your pardon, Sir... But that does seem like the kind of thing that our young crew member would do..." It was the captain.
"I guess so, Captain Red." Chris said courteously.
"Well, I beg your pardon again. I just find it funny that's all. She was so looking forward to meeting someone her age on this boat. And she goes and tackles them first thing."
"Well..." Chris started. "Why are we here exactly?"
"Remember that couriosity killed the cat." Captain John Red said.
"Don't scare the poor boy." Bed directed to the Captain. "We are here because this ship moves very quickly when needed and is virtually undetectalbe. In other words, the enemy is after you and this is the best place you can go to be safe." Ben forced a smile.
"Enemy? Who's the enemy?" Chris asked looking both between the Captain and Ben.
They exchanged glances when they seemed to decide on an answer Ben replied, "Well... Truthfully we don't know..."
Chris was shocked. "What?" He looked both men in the eyes in turn. They were truthful and sencere.
"We don' quite know..." Captain Red looked down at his feet in shame.
"So... Does that mean that you don't even know if an enemy person could be on this ship right under your very nose?" Chris was in utter shock.
"Well do do have a check when members come aboard this massive boat." Ben replied in defence. "See if anyone wishes to harm a member of the ship in anyway for purposes we would find, well in a word, 'evil', then the person is not permitted to come aboard. If they attempt to then the sheild will stop them in their tracks in mid step, or mid air. So you can't assume that everyone aboard are not in the least bit guilty but we do have our ways."
"Tha's one thing I be very proud of! This here defence system!" Captain Red's chest puffed out with pride. "We have other means of findin' if a person aboard here is any bad news and al' but tha's more then ye need to be knowing."
"Sorry, I wasn't trying to get into anything I wasn't supposed to." Chris said uncomfortably.
"Well I think it would be best if you got some shut eye." Ben suggested to break the silence.
Chris suddenly felt drowsiness overcome him. "Yes please..." He turned toward the door. "Umm... Could someone please direct me in the right direction?"
"Oh yes. Sorry I had forgotten that I had not yet shown you to your quarters." Ben came up behind Chris quickly. "I'll talk to you soon enough John."
The two walked out of the room and carried on in pure silence for a few minuets.
"Funny, how silence can be more eary then screams at a time..." Ben said breaking the cold silence.
This made Chris jump. "I suppose so..." Chris felt odd now that he really had a chance to talk to Ben. Before it had all been in a rush or an enchantment. He had wondered about the enchantment from before, but did not wish to ask about it. "Why did you bring me here? I know that it's to protect me from the enemy or something like that... But why is the enemy after me? Why not someone else?" He asked after a minute's pause or so.
"I was expecting you to ask sometime soon... Well, we have reason to believe that you are the one to disrupt the balence between us, and the enemy... If you can learn to truely control your magic you should be, by theory and tales of old, the most powerful person on this ear-"
"Me powerful?" Chris cut in.
"Well... Yes frankly. I know it may come as a shock, but the idea will sink in after a while." They took a turn to the right and came to a stair case in which they quickly went down. Again there was an occward silence. They again took a turn this time to the left and there was a long empty hallway. On each side was a long line of doors that were all closed and looked identical, except that most had a name carved in on the front.
"Here is your room!" Ben led Chris into a room that had been before unmarked. When Chris touched the door nob though markings pressed into the door itself. They spelled across it "Chris Strouder". Ben pointed at an assortment of objects. "There is obviously your bed. That door you should find space to keep little things that you may have had on your person, find, or recieve... I do believe that that should be a dest where you might be able to do some work. What's this..." Ben picked up a book that was laying on the desk. It appeared to be a diary. It was locked and seemed to be very old. 11월 17일 Chris Strouder-The Treasure of Power (Continued) "Oh well I suppose that it's nothing really... You need rest. Sleep. It will be good for you." Ben said setting the diary back down. He turned to leave and paused only to wave good bye before reaching for the door.
"Ben..." Chris said unexpectedly.
"Yes?"
"Thanks for bringing me here. I'm not sure exactly why I'm here but I'm sure it's going to be better here. I don't know why it's just, I guess, a gut feeling." Chris said occwardly.
Ben tried to smile but only winced in return. "It's no problem at all..." After that Ben left and paused at the door way. He looked as though he were about to say something, but Chris would never know what it was for he decided better of it and left in silence.
Chris glanced around the room on his own then took to the bed for rest. As he laid down for rest he took a final look at the room. For a moment his eyes were caught on the diary, then slumber overcame him and he drifted off to sleep.
***
After a good few hours sleep Chris awoke. It was one o'clock in the afternoon. He suddenly felt all the dirt over his body from the few days without showering. He followed a long hallway to where there was a bathroom to freshin up. He found only one other person in the bathing area but the man avoided Chris's gaze. The man was tall and thin. He stuck out his neck and resembled a turtle in the way he stood.
"Afternoon!" Chris was bright and cheery after his long nap.
"Evenin'..." the voice was weak and sounded as though it was used rarely.
The man exited the room quickly and did not return.
Chris cleaned himself off then returned to the main hallway. He had no idea what to do so he stood there for a second thinking. Suddenly it occured to him that Katie was still out with Dalia. He could only imagine what deep, dark, embarassing secrets Katie could be telling Dalia right now. He dashed up the stairs at a dead run skipping two at a time. Finally after searching the boat he found the two girls giggling on the front deck. They were leaning over the side looking across the ocean.
"Katie! Dalia!" He called to them.
Both girls turned to see who had yelled out their names. Katie ran to give her older brother a hug. He blushed when she almost knocked him over.
Dalia walked over giggling over Chris's frantic shoves to get Katie off of him. "Well, weren't you a tired one? You slept almost all day."
"Yeah!" said Katie in her little know it all voice. "We were afraid that you might have jumped over board! Then again that might have not been too bad..." She added in an undertone.
"Cut me some slack... It has been a long day for both of us. In fact, it's about time that you were off to bed yourself." Chris knew that he was responsible for Katie while they were out alone. He felt as though he had to make sure that she went on with life as much as normal as possible.
"Awww!" Katie whined. "But I'm not tired at all! I wanna stay here with Dalia! She's an awesome older sister!"
Chris grinned at Dalia and she grinned back, "Are you trying to steal away my little sister?"
"Maybe... No, she's so cute though! You're lucky to have her in your family."
"Yep and I'm proud... Okay off to bed munchkin!" He picked up the little nine-year-old.
"I don't wanna go to bed though," Katie said with a yawn.
"I agree with your brother, it's time you got some rest. We'll have more time to talk about all of his embarassing secrets later." She stroked the Katie's hair with her fingers and with a wink said, "Maybe later on we can sneak into his room," indicating Chris, "and find out if he still has his pink teddy bear."
"What are you talking about a 'Teddy Bear?' I gave Mr. Snuffles to my neighbor last week..." He winked at Dalia and then started off to Katies room which was next to his own.
"Fine... I guess I'll let the evil gaurd carry me off to my prison cell..." Katie said dramatically looking over Chris's shoulder.
"Night!" Dalia yelled to the two disappearing into the sea of sailors.
***
After putting Katie to bed, Chris went off to his own room. He plopped down on his bed, then sat up and looked again around his room. There on the desk was the diary.
"What's this doing here?" He asked himself. "Well... HELLO!" He called to see if anyone was around. For a minute Chris waited for a reply. When none came he spoke to himself, "Maybe there is a name inside it..." He picked up the diary, and with his hand on the cover he hasitated. "This doesn't feel right... Maybe I shouldn't," he drew his hand away from the cover. Chris felt as though it were wrong of him. Not knowing why, he pondered why he was playing against his mind and what he felt. What was it that was both compelling him and drawing him away. "But what harm could come from it?" So he opened the diary without a second thought. He had made up his mind.
In a sudden rush of wind the diary flung open without Chris even touching it. A voice boomed from the diary, "I've been waiting for you to open me... Thank you for your help!"
Chris stood is blunt silence. Of anything for him to be expecting, he expected this least. He finally looked down at the book and to his surprise it was still and silent with no writing upon it.
"Yes you heard me correctly. Yes, I am a diary. No, your not going insane. And yes, I can read your thoughts when you don't speak."
Finally Chris came to the conclusion that he could except almost anything from just being on the ship. "Hi..." He said ockwardly. How would you react to a talking book sitting in your hands?
"Yes I know it's odd. I expect it's the first that you've talked to a book... Well of course since you thought that you could change what happened to the little puppy when you were six..." The Diary seemed to cackle.
" How? Who? What are you?" Chris was amazed and startled at the same time. The brown leather boud diary could apparently enter into Chris's past memories and read his thoughts.
"How, is because obviously I am no ordinary book. Who, I am not a who I am a thing. What, I am a magical diary. The spell bound to make me have the capibility to talk is because the magic that was put upon me was to give the reader the ability to recall memories and have them told as a story instead of having to write them down. Plus I am capible of viewing the memory and showing it to the reader. Therefore I can be very useful!"
Chris thought in silence. This can help me to recover any memory I would want. I could relive my fondest moments, but what coule be the consiquince... Deep down he felt something inside him telling him that the shouldn't have anything to do with the book.
Chris looked down at the book. Suddenly he could see a face, possibly if you would call it a face, appear on the pages. There was a smug look upon the face that was not reassuring him... "Are you sure you aren't a form of a who?" Chris looked uncertain. What objects that could talk and had a face that wasn't human. It could even think.
A sudden look that was hard to place flashed across the face of pages. "I am not any form of a whom... I am what you may call a 'what' frankly..."
"Well who do you come from or did or what?" Chris was becoming more confussed by the question...
"That I could not tell you..." The book replied after a long pause. "I am sworn to secret of whom I look into the minds of... It's just part of the rule book..."
"The 'Rule Book?' Is that your friend or something?" Chris's sarcasim was matched with the serious tone of the book.
"No we had a fight ages ago, but we used to be the best of friends." A pause was cut by a crude laugh of the ear splitting diary. "Hahaha... I never met the book of rules but the look of your face was worth the sarcasim. It's hard for me to express feelings on my face."
"I would imagine..." Chris felt a chill with every sharp laugh that came from the expressionless face on the cover of the book.
"You are troubled are you not?" The book snapped after a moment of silence.
"Well whatever you want to call it... I'm just a little confused... Everything is happening so fast-" Chris started. "Wait... Why am I telling this to a book? I don't even know who or what you are..."
"You can call me Anafat. I have always found a liking to that name... I am a diary also. That should mean that you should pour your heart and soul into me, that way you can express yourself and no one will ever know what you thought or felt and sometimes it helps you to understand things. Trust me..." It was sly and low in tone... It was one that was soft and soothing. As to convince someone.
"That would be true..." His voice was mesmorized and as if from far away and soft.
"Tell me dear boy, what is it that follows you? What haunts you?"
"There is someone after me... I've never met him... I don't exactly know why though..."
"Power, I must suggest is the reason... That's what all humans are after in the world... And I sense great power in you..."
"Power? Like magic power?" Chris questioned. "Perciesly..."
"Well Dalia..."
"The girl on the boat... Yes, I thought maybe... What about her?"
"She showed me how to use magic... Only slightly though..."
"I have seen fragments of this memory... Let me see it all. Think of it hard. Think of that night. Think of what you desired, what you felt, what you know happened."
Then, Christopher thought. He thought long and hard. It took a fraction of a moment for himself to close his eyes and invision the night again. He recalled his desires that night... He recalled his feelings that night... He recalled what happened. Only now when he thouht of it, there was a shadow that haunted above. It was Anafat, as he had chosen the name. Him being in the memory made it colder. It made him exhausted. Chris started to find it hard to breathe. Sweat started to come in beed around his brow and shallow breathes started. He couldn't think another moment of it. He gave up thought and stood eyes closed enveloped in his mind as if in a trance or asleep.
"Now, you fought hard before letting me in... Remain calm and do not attempt to struggle. I now have complete controll of your thoughts. You have but to watch and listen." Came a booming voice of Anafat that echoed in his empty mind.
Suddenly it was as if he had awoken of fallen into a dream. Chris's eyes seemed to open and he saw a large black empty space. The only way he knew his eyes were open was that he saw his hands and body coming from an oddly bright light that seemed to iluminate in the black. 11월 6일 Mommy, what happened to the world?Mommy, what happened to the world?
Now mom I love you dearly,
And I love the world sincerely.
But I have to ask
Why is the world behind a mask?
Why can't I trust my neighbors?
Why do I question to go through doors?
Why can't I walk off my door step?
Why do I care about a rep?
Who ever said "Trust no one"?
Why do some people die when their life has only just begun?
Why do people say that humans are civilized?
They aren't really when it's all sumerized.
Humans made the guns.
Killing people in tons.
Aren't too many lives finished to early?
It can't have been meant to be, surely.
Why, if we are civilized, do we have war?
People have enough, why do they want more?
War brings no glory, no happiness.
Only death and sadness.
What happened to when you could walk to your neighboors house,
Without a second thought? Without a worry, like a mouse.
Now my mom fears to take me to the park.
Now she fears to let me out after dark.
Is it because she doesn't trust me?
Oh I just can't seem to see.
I can't see why the world has gone so low.
Why it's just waiting for the next blow.
Why do people have to be greedy.
Why are there people who are needy?
We have so much food and so much space.
Why do we leave some people with less than a trace?
When did our family get so spread out?
Why with some do I bicker and shout?
Why did we ever live so far away?
Why can't we live together like "back in the day"?
Why did I never meet my Grandpa?
And can't even hold a conversation with my Grandma?
Why don't I ever see all my family at one time?
Why won't I ever see them all together, sometime.
Why did man make guns and war?
Why didn't they stop it instead of just starting more?
Who said that there was good from it?
Did they have much sense or whit?
Mommy, why do some kids bring guns to school.
Did they ever think that they were cool?
Why did they shoot it and take a life?
If they didn't have a gun, why was it a knife?
How many lives have been lost because of man and greed?
For most, if not all, there was absolutely no need.
What happened to the world of yesterday?
I wish I weren't living in it the way it is today.
Why do so many people talk about changing the world, but never do?
Why don't they say so and then go through?
Go through with their vow to make the world a better place,
So it's free for all people of every race.
But why hasn't that happened yet?
Why are we all still stuck in threat.
I just don't seem to get it.
Hold on just one minute.
None of it makes sense to me.
Oh can't you just see?
What happened to the land we love?
Why did we pollute the air above?
When will all the chaos stop?!
When will freedom be on top?
When will life live long and true?
When will I speak freely to you?
Oh, now mom I love you dearly,
And I love the world sincerely.
But I have to ask,
Why is the world behind a mask?
By: Chereen Eskander 10월 9일 Half-way around the world...---Japan!You know... The thought hasn't really sunken in yet... In less then twenty-four hours, one day, I'll be traveling over land and seas. I'll be going the farthest I've ever been from home. I'll be traveling almost half way across the world. I live in little Tennessee. It's not all that exciting. My father's from Egypt though. I've been there it's amazing! My mother was born in the little town of Morristown. (I still can't spell it.) Everyone there is very very southern and it's not uncommon to go into a house and see a dead animal on the wall... That creeps me out just a little bit of a lot.
I'm going to go visit my cousin who has twins by blood with his ex-wife, Stacie, one step daughter from his new wife Reyna, and now the youngest yet is my new baby second cousin Sean! It's kind of confussing when I go into detail on my mother's or father's side about my family. I'll tell you, I have many many interesting stories about my loving, and not so loving, cousins and other relatives. I seem to keep leaving out where I'm going. I'm going all the way to Japan! If you get a globe, penpoint Tennessee, then Japan, you'll almost find that they are practically half-way across the world.
The plane ride took forever! I'm serious! No joke! I spent twenty two hours traveling! That's just counting layover and flights. Not going to Nashville or to base. The first flight I didn't sleep one bit! It was my shortest flight to Atlanta, Georgia. Only an hour flying time. Boring though. All I had to do much was to read a stupid magazine. It was better then nothing though. I didn't really get to look out the windows much. Miranda had the window seat on all but one flight! Layover wasn't that long at Atlanta. Only an hour so between boarding and you know finding the gate I had about a half-hour. (Fun!) Of course, if you've ever had to deal with two teen twins for hours and hours in an airport you would know what I mean. It was torture! I must admitt that Morgan and Miranda were much better this trip then I've ever seen them!
The next flight was from Atlanta, Georgia, to Tokyo, Japan. I didn't close my eyes for five seconds at a time on that flight! I'm not lieing in the slightest! I didn't sleep at all. The flight in the air took a total of 13 hours! Try sitting that long in a smelly plane, without anyone to talk to, a bunch of old reruns to watch, a person sleeping on you, and half the plane snoring. It was boring and just between us. Morgan drools! It's disgusting all the goop I found of my pillow that she used on me! I did try to talk to people don't get me wrong. I met three people and tried to talk to a lot more people, but it didn't all work out. (lol! I know Mrs. Allen I used a lot! Please don't kill me.) One girl was going on her honey moon to Tyland. Another girl was visiting family in Tokyo. She lived in Flordia, but she was origionally from Japan. The third girl was from Tyland and went to America for a wedding. And as much torture as it can get I had my mom sitting across the isle snoring the loudest on the plane. The first snore she let out sounded like a stampede and woke up four people around us. I don't know why I have to travel with her other then my dad. She freaks out every flight we go on. She gets so nervous on a plane.
Once we landed we had to grab our lugage and hop onto a bus to go to the other airport that would take us to Okinawa. That was the longest layover we had, eight hours! The first three hours were taken up by bus riding. The best part about the whole ride was that we got to see Disneyland! Yep, Disneyland in Tokyo! It was very small though. The castle was the most visible from the highway, though. Then try sitting in a smelly airport for five hours. No offence to the airport, but it stunk. Not only was it disgustingly dirty, but it smelled of mildew. And to all my lovely readers... They had "squatty potties". They didn't have regular toilets in Japan you had to go as if you were in the woods. As lovely as this may all sound it is true and I just love how I can imagine the look on your face! The toilet was not raised, but more a hole in the floor that flushed. (For all my good friends who go to school with me! I have a picture for you!)
I'm back! Time to start typing! lol Have fun reading your heart out! 8월 30일 Putting my feet in the water.Putting my feet in the water It was just one of those perfect days to begin with. The sun was bright and warm. The water of a near by pond was calling. School had let out for the day and homework had only just been finished. I am fifteen and my name is Sarah Johnson. I am at that age where life seems a mess and everything can get confusing. I live in a small town, Franklin, North Carolina. On that perfect, summer day I don’t think anyone could resist putting their feet in the cool pond water. That is what got me into the greatest adventure of my life! I slipped off my flip-flops and stepped into the shallow pond. It had been shallow only yesterday, but today it was not. My feet crashed through the water only with enough time for me to catch my breath! I continued falling until I regained my sense to go up for air. I soon reached the surface in only a few strokes. As I tried to break through, I discovered that the surface that I had so easily fallen through had become a solid rippling above my head. I needed air and soon. I had no choice but to release what I had already. I closed my eyes and filled my lungs. I expected to choke immediately, but no water entered my lungs. I opened my eyes and found that I was surrounded by ocean water. I was still breathing as if I had gills. Now I thought I must be dreaming. Unfortunately, I was not. My feet hit the ocean floor unexpectedly. I jerked and staggered a few steps at the weight. What should I do? I asked myself. "There is a great deal you can do!" bellowed a strong Irish sounding voice. I whirled around and found myself just inches from a man in the exact spot I had been only moments ago. "Uh . . . " I didn’t know what to say. Is he trapped here, too? And, Does he know the way out? Kept sprinting through my head. It seemed as if they were racing to see which question would be asked first. Eventually Who is he? Joined the race. After a pause, the man seemed to know what I was thinking and answered, "No. Yes. Wally." Since I didn’t seem to under stand, he went on, "No I’m not trapped here. I live here in fact. Yes, I know the way out, and I am Wally. I come from Ireland as you might have guessed." Startled I stood still as a statue and quiet as the stars. "And you are?" Wally asked, looking me up and down. My mouth was dry, but out came a crisp, clear reply. "I am Sarah Johnson, and I live in a small town in North Carolina." "Oh that’s nice!" Said the man and he turned around to start walking in the opposite direction. This was the strangest man I had ever met. "Excuse me!" I said jogging to catch up with Wally. "Do you think you could help me get out of here?" "I know I can, yes." Wally said stopping. Relieved I let out a long breath and looked around at the beautiful ocean floor. "So this is the way?" I asked trying to start a conversation with the strange man. "No," he said simply. I stopped again confused. I was speechless for a few moments. "You asked if I could help you get out, and I can. You never asked if I would show you the way out." Wally said seeming to enjoy himself. He looked at me as though I should have already known this. "All right then," I said trying to be polite. "Will you please show me the way out?" "Why yes, Sarah!" Wally smiled, then turned in the complete opposite direction to start, as my guess, a long walk. "Thank you so much!" I let out a sigh of relief finally feeling I could get out of this obscure world. "Let’s see now . . . By your brown hair, green eyes, height, and all round look I’d say your about fifteen, Lassie?" Wally questioned. "Yes. Great guessing!" I answered surprised at how accurately he guessed. Most people would guess seventeen or eighteen. "Guessing is my favorite hobby!" Wally puffed out his chest with his pride in guessing. I didn’t know what to say, so I decided to start looking around at the scene. It had a teal blue background and there were plenty of fish swimming by. These were no ordinary fish though. They were abstract with all colors, shapes, and sizes. Wally himself looked remarkably like a fish. He looked very similar to a walrus. He was short, stout, and had long whiskers. "Here we are!" Wally bellowed at last. I looked around for the way out or an opening, but only found more water, fish, and a large rock. "Uh . . . " I hesitated. "Where exactly is here?" "Here is the way out, just behind that rock." Again Wally puffed out his chest."All right. Thank you very much." I didn’t want to disappoint him and this was a strange place. I walked around to the other side of the rock. The moment I turned the corner, I was swept off my feet. I landed on firm ground in what appeared to be a forest. "Thanks Wally!" I yelled to nothing but trees. The ocean and everything in it had disappeared. After the excitement wore off I was starting to get worried . . . I was still lost and now I was alone. This time there was no one to guide me. "Now what?" I asked myself aloud. "Who said that? Who’s there?" a voice said that sounded as worried as I felt. Out from behind a nearby tree a boy, who looked about my age, cautiously walked around. "Oh thank goodness another person!" said the boy. "Sorry that was a bit rude. My name is Chris." "Nice to meet you, Chris. My name is Sarah." I replied. He held out his hand and I shook it. "I’ve been here for a few days and am so glad to see another person." Chris said. "Oh my gosh! That’s been a while! I hope I’m not here that long . . . " I sighed to myself. "I’m sorry . . . Maybe together we can find the way out!" Chris said smiling. He had blonde short hair, dazzling brown eyes, and was tall and lanky. "Well two heads are better than one!" I was starting to get excited again. "Where should we start?" "Hmm . . . " Chris turned around a few times with his left hand out in front of him. First, he took three steps forward. Then, one back, two left, five forward, six to the right, then he turned direction and moon walked nine steps. "No clue." He said finally. Chris seemed very nice and comical. "Then let’s try this way." I pointed straight down a clear path in the trees. "Great! We have a start and a path!" He paused, then said, "That wasn’t there five minuets ago. I would have seen it . . . " "Lucky for me then! Now I have someone to talk to and walk with!" I smiled and he smiled back. "I think I’m the lucky one." Off he went waiting at the entrance for me. I was soon by his side and together we set off down a narrow path under a canopy of trees. "Where are you from, Chris?" I asked. "A small town in North Carolina that I doubt you’ve heard of." He smiled again with his eyes twinkling. "Try me." I challenged, "I’m from a place that sounds about the same." "Ok. I’m from Franklin." He waited for my reaction. "Really?" I asked. He nodded in reply. "Me too!" I said shocked. "What part?" he asked amazed. "I live south on Elm, you?" I questioned back. "Amazing! I live on William only two streets away!" We talked for a long time as we walked down the trail. The trees were bright green and it looked like spring all around. Eventually, the path became smaller and darker. Bats began to appear in the trees. Owls began to flash their eyes and ask "Who?" "Oh, this place is starting to freak me out!" I said staring, frightened, at the millions of eyes. "Yeah, me too." Chris said looking around with me. A loud crow made me jump and I grabbed Chris’s hand. "I’m sorry." I said quickly withdrawing my hand. "It’s all right. We need to stay close and stick together like peanut butter and jelly." He said slipping his hand around mine. I felt relieved and safer with Chris’s words and comforting hand. Suddenly, something grabbed my ankle and pulled me off the trail. It was a vine that was rapidly coiling me. I screamed and Chris ripped his way through the trees to my aid. Together we freed me from the ivy. "Thank you so much! I could have been lost forever!" I hugged him and held tight to his hand. I was so glad I had found someone to go through the forest with. "No problem. We just need to get found sometime hopefully, so we won’t stay lost forever." He looked around at me and smiled. "Where did the path go?" I swept my eyes around for an opening but found none. "What do we do now?" "No clue . . . I guess pick a new direction." He suggested. A strange impulse made me point to my left. "Let’s try that way." "Fine with me." Together we rounded a tree. There before us, was no longer green forest. Only dessert was to be seen for miles. "At least it’s not the forest and nothing can sneak up on us now." Chris said with his, as always, half-full glass. "Who knows, maybe we’ll come to an oasis with Franklin in it!" I said trying to be optimistic. "Yeah maybe!" He laughed. I laughed along with him and together we started walking. After about half an hour, a figure could be distinguished under a palm tree. "Look at that!" Chris pointed. "I think it may be another person." I said excitedly. "Maybe!" Chris replied. "I guess there’s one way to find out." "Hey you over there!" Chris yelled at the top of his lungs. The figure rose and tottered from side to side. "Yeah?" Yelled back a man’s voice. "It is another person!" I thought aloud. "Good! Come on maybe he knows the way out of here!" We sped across the sand to the man. We found him to look about twenty and was unshaven. "Excuse me," I said politely, "but do you know where we are and how to get out?" "I think I might. It just depends on who you are and where you want to go!" He eyed us up and down. "Sorry, this is Sarah," Chris said waving a hand to me, "and I’m Chris." "Robert," said the man simply and sharply. "Pleasure to meet you, Robert!" I said. "We are trying to get home. We are from Franklin, North Carolina." I paused. "Do you know where that is?" "Fortunately for you, I do." Robert’s expression softened and he seemed to relax a trifle amount. "Thank you so much!" Chris said almost jumping for joy. "Just wait one moment before you start thanking. You have to answer my question first." Robert said smiling cunningly. "Terrific." I said sarcastically, "What’s the question?" Robert smiled even wider. He was tall and skinny. He had short dark brown hair and fast-moving, brown eyes. "The question is-" He paused looking confused, "I . . . I forgot the question . . . " I held back my giggles. "Hmm . . . How about you find another question to ask us." Chris suggested. "Fine," Robert said looking disgruntled. "What is my favorite kind of jam?" Robert pouted. Then smiled slyly again. "If you get it right, I will tell you the quickest way home. If not, you will return to the beginning immediately." "Wow tough choice." Chris said, "What is your favorite jam?" "I don’t really have one . . . I guess grape?" I wasn’t really sure, but grape had always been my choice for biscuits when I was a little girl. "Works for me!" Chris said smiling, "Grape?" He asked Robert. Robert laughed. "The beginning won’t be that bad. We know the way now." Chris replied comfortingly. "But we’ve come so far and so long already. What if we get separated and can’t find each other?" I whined. Robert’s smile whisked off his face. "Did you say strawberry?" Robert said hopefully. "No," Chris and I said contiguously. "We guessed grape." I said gloomily. "Oh well then you got it right . . . Just walk around the palm tree . . . " Robert sighed. "Really? Thank you so much!" I said jumping up and down. Again, I hugged Chris. "Come on I’m starving!" Chris said grabbing my hand and pulling me around the tree. As we turned, I closed my eyes, just in case Robert had sent us back to the beginning. I opened them. I couldn’t believe it. I was back in Franklin! I was right where it all began next to the pond. I don’t think the town had ever looked so radiant. It was dust with deserted streets. "Was that a dream?" I asked the boy standing to my right. "Not if you are talking about going through that queer world." Chris smiled. "Thank goodness we’re home!" I said. "We aren’t home yet . . . Come on." Together we walked down the lonely streets, glad to be unharmed, home, and together. 8월 18일 Don't leave me...Ok on some of my poems now I added more then one that way they would all show!! lol
Don't leave me!
I ask of you please don't leave me!
I ask of you please be here you'll see!
Don't give up don't go away!
I need you every day!
I need to see you smile!
I need to see you all the while!
Just don't forget me!
I'm always here forever to be!
You are my family and friend!
I'll be here till the end!
Just please don't leave me!
And please don't decieve me!
I need you here!
Year after year!
I need you just as much as you need me!
If you just try then you can see!
Don't give up the fight! Fight till the end!
I know you'll be all right! Fight for me your friend!
I promise it will all be fine.
And with my love you can always call it "mine"!
I know you can make it through!
And you know I'll always be here for you!
If you need me I'll be there!
Every last bit of love will be spared!
I need you! You need me!
Everything is easy to see.
You make me laugh and smile!
I know you'll be there all the while.
Just don't give up the fight! Fight till the end!
I know it will be all right! I'll fight with you my friend!
Just know I'm here!
Have no fear!
You'll be here tomorrow and more!
I know I'll be there with you for sure!
No matter the tears, no matter the cries!
I'll be here all the years, I'll be here with our ties!
We are both connected and here for a reason!
You will be here I know for ever as the season!
If you try and give it all your best!
Then in peace you shall rest!
Here beside me I know you'll be!
Here beside me I know you'll see!
You've made it through! The battles been won!
It's all thanks to you! Together our life has only begun!
So fight and win! I know you'll be there.
Just fight and win! You know I'll always care!
You're never the loser unless you never try!
So just give it your best shot and you can fly!
Fly with me forever and more!
Fly with me and let your heart soar!
Never give up! Give it your best like I gave to you!
I'll do my best for you! You'll make it through!
Not a dout in my mind is there for you!
Just like there shouldn't be a dout in your too!
I'll be there in your heart and with your hand!
I won't let you slip away like the sand!
Be here for me if you won't be here for you!
Be here for me and I'll be here for you too!
No tears! No cries!
No fears and no lies!
You're here beside me as you'll always be!
I'm here beside you as you'll always see!
I know you can do it I know if you take it!
So just give it your best and you'll make it!
So take the chance and try your best!
In your hand I can rest!
I can't be happy without you!
I need you here! You'll make it through!
Don't leave me please.
Oh don't leave me please!
I need you here and I'm begging on my knees!
Don't leave me please!
Oh don't leave me please!
I'll always be here begging on my knees!
I can rest only knowing you're all right!
I can rest only knowing that you did fight!
So all I ask is that you don't leave me...
So all I ask is that you don't leave me...
Try and please don't leave me...
Make it through as I know you'll do...
Just please don't leave me!!!
~Chereen~
My Sister's Memory Wow, now that I think about all the time we've spent together, All the memories I have with you and with my brother. And I remember a memory or two. You don't seem to get it but I really love you. I wanted to do what you do. I wanted to be you... Did you care about the tears I shed? Did it even run through your head? We fought we bickered because of you not me. I wonder if this will make you stop and see. You were my role modle, but not any more... I'm older and wiser and that's for sure... Are you even there? Did you even stop to care? No... No... No not at all.... Between us there is always a wall. We talked in the car you wanted to take my bike. You and some friends were going to bike and hike. You didn't ask me to use mine. I wanted you to so I asked you, "Why?" So you yell that's what you do you're not shy! It went down into how you spend more time with your friends. Never family. No. No. The friends were something that never end. I asked you, "Why more with them? Not us your family?" Then you answered the worst possible thing to me... "Maybe I don't want to be with my family because of you!!!" I shut up. I knew what that meant. I did not know what to do.. Those words meant you hated me, and I knew it was true. From then on I've been scared of you... I cried and you told me I was stupid. That I was over reacting, but I was just a kid. Then Mommy said that you had gone to far. And if you didn't stop she'd stop the car. I went to my room when we got home. I shut the door and wouldn't roam. I cried and cried. Until I thought I'd died. Then the whole family came in excpet you. Mom, dad, and little Tyler too. They cared. I didn't care if you hated me! I can't stop you. Don't you see? How much you hate me I had no dout. I let it all spill out. Well now do you care? How many memories do we share. This is the biggest one to me and you're moving out soon. You think that I want you to leave. That all I want is your room. But I love you! I want you to stay. I want to see you every day. Even though you're still home. You always leave us all alone. So I ask you is this how you want our love to be? Because you set this up for you and me... Leave as you will and be happy too. But keep in mind this is how I remember you. Is it how you want me to... to remember? To this family you don't ask like a member... Good bye. Good luck! I miss you already! But I know that you are ready. I love you.. I just hope that you love me too.
By: ~*Chereen*~ 8월 9일 My secret....My Secret
My lips are still.
Despite my will.
I am silent out loud.
Quiet as a cloud.
But, inside I'm screaming.
Or maybe I'm just dreaming..
If I am then I'm dreaming of you.
And I hope your dreaming of me too!
I am afraid to tell you what I think.
For fear that it might make my heart sink.
No matter where I go.
No matter what I show.
I'm thinking of you.
I just hope that your thinking of me too!
No matter what I say.
I want to scream this every day!
I LOVE YOU!
I KNOW THAT I DO!
I just hope you do too...
And now I've said it...
Or maybe you've just read it...
But either way it's true.
I love you...
I know that I like you I don't know what to do...
And yet I'm scared to tell you...
Because I don't want to lose you don't you see..
I don't want you to act any different around me.
I want you by my side all the time.
I want to be there with you to help you climb!
Climb up the tallest tree!
Climb up there please with me!
All I wish to ask is why...
Why can't I tell, why am I so shy?
I would tell you if you told me first maybe...
If only I wasn't so afraid to let you see...
Please if you have a secret just tell it.
It would save all of you many an inner fit.
Less self argueing, less tearing with silence.
Less hard decisions, less inside violence...
In truth tell all...
Wether it is big or small...
Secrets...
Frets...
No secrets...
No frets...
By: Chereen
(Sorry if I misspell I'm horrible at spelling.)
I will be your friend! When you're feeling blue. Like there's no one there beside you. Just turn around and see my smiling face. Just turn around and see me in my own grace. Every one feels sad and lonely sometime. Like you are worth less then a dime. And when you do you need a friend. I'll be there with you till the end.
I'll be your sholder to cry on! Your friend to rely on! I'll be your hand to hold! Your friendship that can never be sold! I'll be your ears to listen! From your and my position! When you're done and ask me what I think! I will be your advice link!
I love the land, the sky, the sea. I love the plants, the animals, you, and me. I promise I will be your friend. And love and care I will send.
Every one needs a sholder to cry on. A friend to rely on. A hand to hold. A friendship that will never be sold. Some ears to listen. From your position. Someone to ask what they think. Someone to be your advice link.
I promise I'll be there. No matter how, no matter where. I will be there through the good times and bad. I will be there to try and make you glad. I just want to be your friend. And I'll be there till the end!
I'll be your sholder to cry on! Your friend to rely on! I'll be your hand to hold! Your friendship that can never be sold! I'll be your ears to listen! From your and my position! When you're done and ask me what I think! I will be your advice link!
I will be your friend... I will be your friend... I promise I will be your friend!!!
By:
I never had the nerve to say, but I'm gonna say it anyway... I would give everything I had to hold your hand, Then suddenly it slipped away like sand.
Everyday I thought about your smile. Though I never admitted it all the while... I keep remembering the moments we shared... Keep wondering if you ever cared?
For every time you crept into my slumber, There is no way to count to the number. You were always in my dreams Or at least that is the way it seems.
I can't make my mind stray, deep down I don't want it to anyway. The truth is I'm falling for you... And I just don't know what to do.
(work in progress) |
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~*Chereen*~
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