Part VII: 1 Year Later

Part VII: 1 Year Later

November 20, 2011

Dear Diary:
So, I’m almost finished with my first semester for my Bachelor's degree. I still can’t believe I had to waste a whole semester for one class. But now I’m back to normal. Of course, I’m still stuck at Redmart until I get my degree, working for that cantankerous old bat. Haven’t had any freaky visions lately, so that’s good. Francine and Lawrence are in jail now. Big surprise. I'm just thankful I didn't get mixed up in all that, it was so easy to do, it was right there. I'm glad I got out of there when I had the chance. Jane got charged and ended up with a fine. Oh, also, Tad’s business has been booming lately. He got one recommendation, and before he knew it, he was scheduling appointments. I don’t know what he was so worried about. I had a good birthday yesterday. Well, I'm going to bed, going on another trip, this time with twice the people. Last time we all got together, it was fun, but I couldn’t remember any of it.
The next day, everyone gathers together. "Are you guys ready for this?" Jordanna asks.
"Just give us the damn shrooms..." Jane says. Kevin looks at her. "...please." Jordanna hands everyone their mushrooms.

Jane

"Who wants to play a game of cards?"
"I will." Kevin says, as he gets closer, he starts to have the appearance of a sheriff from the Old West. She deals the cards after they sit at the table.
"So, watcha doin' in my town?"
"Wanted fugitive."
"Oh yeah, who?"
"Okey Pokes Macaroni."
"Really? Okey Pokes is in my town?"
"Yes ma'am. He moseyed on into your town. I gotta say, you must be a hell of a woman to be sheriff in THIS town."
"My paw was the sheriff before me; I know everything he knew and more."
"What is the crime rate?"
"Zero. Punishment for crimes is either a bullet to the leg or the head on sight depending on the nature of the crime."
"Is that even legal?"
"Don't care. Now everyone knows better."
"You don't take chances, do you?"
"Hell no."
"I like that in a lady."
"Sorry, not looking for a ball and chain."
"Look, darlin'-"
"Don't you 'darlin'' me, I have a town to keep in order, and I can't do that if I'm making gaga eyes at the sheriff from the next town over."
"I apologize ma'am."
"Why did you come over yourself instead of sending a messenger boy?"
"I had to meet the legendary sheriff I've heard so much about."
"I'm not a legend, I'm doing my job."
"But your method is...scary, I'll admit, but amazing."
"You can just as easily implement the same order."
"I wish. It's in the town charter to have different laws than anyone else, as ridiculous as that may be. The founders wanted to be 'completely original' so we can't copy a law that already exists, at least on a town level."
"That sounds dumb."
"Yeah, yeah it is."
"So, where is ol' Okey Pokes?"
"Probably in the hotel or saloon, hiding. Think we should look for him?"
"Nah, he'll show up eventually, and then I'll just execute him on the spot."
"You're very cold."
"When you've shot as many people as I have, you lose sensitivity."
"Who made this crazy law?"
"I did."
"What's your count?"
"15 dead, 68 wounded, 27 died."
"Wow, harsh."
"I am the law, everyone knows it."
"Huh. Looks like I win."
"I guess you do."
"So, are you seriously going to just take this guy out?"
"Yeah. Get the governor on the phone and set up the arrangement for my reward." A man starts to walk by them, and as he passes, Jane takes her pistol out and shoots him in the back of the head.
"That was amazing."
"No, it's my job."
"I'll call the governor right away. Somebody get a picture."
"One."
"One what?"
"My first wanted fugitive."
"Haha, don't assassinate any presidents now."
"Too soon, sheriff, too soon."
'My apologies to Lincoln, can I buy you a drink?"
"I don't drink."

Kevin

"I will." He starts hopping very lightly towards her. He sits down and she deals. He looks over at her and she is an Anglo-Saxon colored, big bug eyed, round headed, bald alien.
"So, you need to buy some merchandise off of my brother." The alien says.
"That's correct."
"Gorgon doesn't like fronting."
"I guarantee I have the narbles to cover it."
"How much?'
"Ten krillion."
"That's a lot of corn. Why do you need so much?"
"Our planet is running low, we really need corn."
"How did you come up with a krillion narbles?"
"We owe a lot of planets...debts."
"What kind of debts?"
"We're slaves on Flaacelett, our celebrities are forced to perform for the amusement of Galquix."
"Oh... not Galquix."
"Yeah, so can you please just sell us the corn?"
"I'm sorry; we do not deal with anyone who associates themselves with Galquixians."
"No, please, we have the money, and we had to do awful, unforgivable things to get this many narbles."
"I'm sorry, but even if I wanted to help you, Gorgon wouldn't allow it."
"Can I speak to Gorgon myself?"
"I'm sorry, but he doesn't speak with humans."
"Damn it"
"How about I make you a deal?"
"What kind of deal?"
"I won't tell Gorgon you're associated with the Galquixians if you become my personal slave after you save your planet."
"Deal."
"Ok, now listen to me. You need to have enough transports for it all. How many do you have?"
"10 Galaxy regulation size transport ships." The alien looks out the window.
"Get your men to meet up with mine." She presses random buttons on a screen.
"So, are you male or female?"
"I am female."
"Oh yeah?" Ever wonder what being with a human would be like?"
"Irritating, I must imagine."
"Oh..."
"You will be my slave..."
"I still don't know if that's good or bad."
"You'll find out."
"So, what's it like on your planet?"
"A little rough by human standards. I don't even know if you'll even survive. Every year is either winter or summer. We have fourteen months, twenty four hour day, twenty four hour night, our insects are the size of your small mammals, our fish are carnivorous and amphibious, and we have creatures fifty feet tall and larger."
"Sounds like I'm gonna die."
"Not if you do what I say."
"How about I make a deal with you?"
"And what would that be?"
"If I win this hand, I stay on the space station with you and never have to step foot on your planet?"
"Fine." They play another round of cards.
"How did you come to learn our card games?"
"We've made visits to Earth before first contact."
"Oh, Area 54 rumors."
"Correct."
"Well, looks like I win."
"Congratulations."
"I promise to keep my word."
"Why are you so ready to give yourself to slavery?"
"Because it's a small price to pay for saving my planet."
"How noble of you."
"Thanks."

Jordanna

Jordanna stares at the fish tank and watches the fish. She crawls over to the fish tank. Closer and closer she creeps, until she's face to face with it. A fish swims by and stares at her. "Hello, I'm talking to you." the fish says.
"So those ARE words in the bubbles!"
"That's right!"
"Cool!"
"I'll teach you how to swim with us."
"Really? I can swim with- hey! Where are you going?"
"I'm back."
"Where'd you go?"
"That over there. Move eyeball. Here. There. Go here, go there side. Swimming." Jordanna does the motions.
"Wow, you're right."
"Follow me!" The fish swims and Jordanna follows it.
"Wow! I'm really swimming!" The fish settles down. "So what's it like being a fish?"
"Water."
"Water?"
"Water."
"Water?"
"Water."
"Anything else?"
"Rocks."
"And?"
"Rocks."
"What else?"
"Food flakes."
"What else?"
"Fish."
"What else?"
"Water." It darts.
"No! Come back!"
"Here I am!"
"Oh, good, I thought-"
"Eat me."
"Excuse me?"
"You finish training...you fish. Eat me. Part of you. Circle. Life. Knowledge."
"I'm sorry, I can't do it."
"Why?"
"You're my friend."
"I will be you forever in."
"But you're too awesome."
"Sorry, then no fish."
"Wait, wait." The fish darts in another direction and comes back.
"What?"
"I'll-" She sighs. "I'll do it."
"Good. I become part. You become fish."
"Ok, here goes." She grabs the fish but has trouble gripping it. She looks away from the tank and stands up and walks towards the couch. She sits down and watches the tank again. She follows the fish with her eyes. "Wait a second; I'm a human, not a fish. That fish disrespected me because he told me to catch him and eat him but he slipped through my fingers." She starts thinking for a little bit. "If I can find a way to catch him, I'll eat the little b*****d not to become a fish, but just to show it who's boss. You don't go around saying eating you will make me part fish and then swim away and trick me! You hear me, you piece of fish s**t, I'm gonna catch you, and I'm gonna eat you!" The fish looks out the tank again, towards her. "Yeah, I know you can hear me. I'm coming for you! Now what do I use to catch it..." She looks around, overlooking the net several times. "I know." She goes into the kitchen, makes a wide scoop out of aluminum foil and a fork. She walks over to the fish tank and waits for the fish to swim by. She catches it in her homemade scoop. "Any last words?" She says to the flopping fish.
"...water..."
"Again with the water. Anyway, f**k you fish!" She says as she picks it up and swallows it whole. "Little prick fish thinks he knows s**t."

Maryjane

"I'm gonna play some video games until it kicks in." She sets up and starts a game. She gets really into and doesn't realize the switch. A cut scene in the game happens.
"The treasure is buried in Oxfordia.
"Is that near the Quentinistan border?"
"We must chance it, or lose everything."
"The Power Spheres say that's wrong."
"To hell with the Power Spheres!" The game freezes. Maryjane turns around and sees the world as the video game.
"Where's my sword? And backpack? Potions? Oh no, I'm all alone out here!" She finds her purse. "Oh good, a bag of supplies! Ooh, health!" She takes out a candy bar and eats it. "Ok, so if I remember correctly, I'm at the safe house. I'm pretty good on supplies and I don't feel tired. Let's go on an adventure!" She checks her phone. "Let's see, I've got 54% stamina, 58 health. I thought I had more than that!" She gasps. "53% stamina? I'd better get going if I'm going to find more health." She leaves the house and runs outside. She starts speed walking. "Wow, the graphics are really realistic, I gotta say good job to the designers." She finds a stick. "Ooh, my first weapon." She picks it up and just continues walking. She stops by a coffee shop. "Coffee will give me plus ten energy and five health." She walks in and points the stick towards the cashier. "One coffee."
"Ma'am, do you mind getting that out of my face?" he says.
"I'm sorry."
"99 cents."
"Thanks." She sits next to a total stranger.
"Hi, I'm Carl, nice to meet you." The guy says.
"Hi Carl, I'm [email protected]"
"Excuse me?"
"But you can just call me Wildcat."
"Wildcat?"
"Yeah, right now I'm level 50. I gotta tell you, fighting hordes of enemies can be exhausting."
"Level 50?"
"Of course, I've got so many custom and high power weapons, but they're all in the safe house."
"Go on..."
"I have them all: rocket launchers, smg's, grenades, mines, pistols, rifles."
"Anything else?"
"I have some pretty cool melee weapons too, like different swords and knives."
"Uhhh..."
"Yeah, my arsenal is huge, killed a lot of people to get it all, but hey, when you're farming for xp, gotta do what you gotta do."
"Killed people?"
"Yeah, but they all deserved it."
“Like, a lot?
"Oh yeah. Well, I gotta go; I need to go get more xp." She picks up the stick and her purse and winks and him and leaves the coffee shop.
"That lady was f*****g crazy." Maryjane checks her phone.
"42% stamina and 47 health?" She grunts. "Maybe there's a mission back at the safe house." She walks back and heads back to the house. She puts her phone on her charger. She goes into the kitchen and grabs herself something to drink. She drinks and rushes back to her phone and checks it. "Still 42." She sits on the couch and thinks. "What can I do to boost my health?" She walks to Sandra. "Hey. Hey." She doesn't respond. She tries everyone else with the same result. "What do I do?" She puts the stick down the side of her pants like a holster. "Ooh! Duh! I'm stupid. I can just go to sleep in a bed and in a few seconds it’ll be tomorrow and I'll be at full health! Now, which room do I go into?" She opens Sandra's door. "Good enough for me." She plops down on the bed and passes out.

Lizzie

Lizzie sits down and starts thinking. "Hello." She hears a voice.
"Who's there?" She asks.
"How are you, little lady?"
"I-I'm fine, where are you?"
"Next to you." Suddenly, a medium sized, Hispanic guy with short, brown, curly hair and glasses appears next to her.
"Who are you?"
"A ghost."
"A ghost?"
"Yeah, I'm not real, but I am."
"I'm confused."
"Heh, it's ok."
"So, what are you doing here?"
"To talk to you."
"About what?"
"A little of this, little of that." She starts to get a little annoyed.
"What do you want from me?"
"You."
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
"Are you taking me to the underworld or something?"
"No, no, I'm not that kind of ghost."
"Then what do you mean you're a ghost?"
"Find me."
"What?"
"Find me and one day you'll understand."
"Understand what? You're being very vague."
"I have to be, you don't understand it."
"Look, if you're not going to tell me, just leave."
"I can't tell you anything."
"Then what was the point of wanting to talk to me?"
"So you're aware."
"And you're not making any sense!"
"I don't have a choice; I've told you all I know."
"Is that seriously it?"
"Yes, I'm sorry."
"Get out of here."
"Hope you don't ever say that to me ever again."
"What? Why?"
"Find me, meet me."
"What does that mean?"
"You know what it means."
"No I don’t, no I don't, NO. I. DON'T!!!"
"There's only one way to find anything you want."
"Stop it! I don't understand!"
"You will."
"Stop it! Stop it, STOP IT!!!
"I'm not doing anything."
"I want out. I need to fall asleep or something."
"What?"
"But you might show up in my dream."
"Ohhh..."
"How do I get rid of you?"
"You can't, you won't you won't want to."
"I know, I'll think of something else. She looks at the fish tank and sees Jordanna trying to scoop out a fish. "What's she doing?"
"There's no getting rid of me."
"Why?"
"Because you don't want me to."
"Yes I do."
"You just don't understand."
"Obviously not."
"You will."
"Stoooop!"
"It's your lucky day; I've run out of time."
"Time?"
"Yeah, see the color changing?"
"Oh yeah..."
"Well, I'll see you later."
"No."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Find me, meet me."
"What does that mean?"
"You know exactly what it means." He disappears.

Sandra

"I always knew you were a druggie." Sandra hears a voice.
"Jack?" she says confused. Jack appears in front of her with grey skin, and the bullet wound still on the side of his head. "What are you doing here? You're dead."
"Yeah, by the looks of you, I'm glad."
"You're such a b*****d."
"And you're a fat, alcoholic drug addict."
"I am not a drug addict!"
"Sure looks that way to me."
"We've had this discussion a billion times already; I'm not having it again!" She stomps her foot on the ground.
"When are you going to grow up?"
"F**k you."
"No thanks, that was bad too."
"You're a piece of s**t. I'm glad you're dead!”
"Yeah, knowing you, I'm glad I'm dead too."
"You're fucked up."
"Hey, wanna know a secret?"
"What?"
"The game was rigged. I knew the position of the bullet the whole time."
"Bullshit."
"Oh no, I set it up so that everyone else would miss. I knew everyone would be too chicken to give it a full rotation, and I knew you would chicken out."
"So you wanted to die?"
"Yeah, I was miserable."
"Miserable?"
"Yeah, you treated me like s**t; you yelled at me, you would punish me."
"Because you were a b*****d!"
"I was keeping you in line."
"Keeping me in-? Seriously? You don't control me."
"I beg to differ."
"No, you couldn't control me then, you can't control me now."
"You're impossible to love."
"Excuse me?"
"Nobody will ever love you."
"What the f**k are you talking about?"
"You're poison."
"I am not poison."
"You think."
"You're stupid, f**k off."
"Stubborn as always."
"Shitbag."
"Don't talk ill of the dead."
"I don't give a f**k, it's only you."
"Shut up, you fat b***h. I may be burning in Hell, but at least you're not there."
"Get away from me."
"Fine, I'll go. Just remember: you're poison."
"Get the f**k out of here already."
"One more thing. Alcohol could be the death of you, maybe not, but probably will, since you know, you're an alcoholic and all."
"Get the f**k out!"
"Bye." He disappears.
"What the f**k was that? I thought he was gone for good. I thought I was over him." She steps outside and lights a cigarette. "I don't need this s**t right now. I hope I can forget all of this. What does he mean, I'm poison? Poison kills, I don't kill anyone, people die on their own, I love, don't hate. Poison is bad, I'm good, it doesn't make sense. I'm thoroughly creeped out right now."
"Cigarettes are a bad habit too, glad I don't have to deal with that either." He suddenly reappears.
"You started me on it!"
"Yeah, you should've had enough sense to quit when I did."
"Get out of here!"
"Alright, alright, fine."
"B*****d."
"Poison."
"F**k you!" He disappears again. "I never wanna see that f****r in my head as long as I live."

Tad

"Hi Tad." a voice says.
"Who are you?" A woman in a black dress and long black hair with pale white skin appears.
"You know who I am; you just don't choose to accept it."
"What? Why are you here?"
"You’re so young, it’s a shame."
"Ok?"
"I’m going to take you home with me."
"Ok?"
"You know what I mean."
"I'm sorry, I don't."
"It'll be clear to you one day, but by then it will be too late."
"So what should I do?"
"There's nothing you can do."
"So, why are you here?"
"Don't you have the feeling something is going to happen, but you don't know what?"
"Yeah, sometimes, don't we all?"
"Trust it."
"And if I don't?"
"Then you'll have to face the consequences."
"So, if I do?"
"You'll still have to face the consequences."
"So I'm screwed either way."
"But the choice is yours. You have to choose the lesser of two evils."
"How do you suppose I do that?"
"You'll know when it happens."
"So, you're telling me my future?'
"In a sense."
"What's going to happen?"
"I cannot tell you."
"Do I lose my business? My girlfriend?"
"I cannot tell you."
"You said I have a choice. Is that the choice?"
"I cannot tell you."
"Why?"
"I cannot give out specific information."
"This is bullshit."
"I apologize."
"Are you here just to scare me?"
"No, I'm here to warn you."
"Why are you warning me?"
"I cannot tell you."
"Then you're wasting my time."
"Perhaps I'm wasting both of our time."
"Yeah, so why don't you just get out of here?"
"Fine."
"Goodbye."
"I will see you again, when is up to you."
"I hope not." She disappears. "what the hell was that all about?" He looks around, sees Jordanna scooping out the fish, Jane and Kevin are playing cards, and Sandra and Lizzie are walking around talking to themselves. He walks over to Jane and Kevin and passes out on the floor. A few hours later, everyone gathers back together.
"Damn, that was fun!" Jane says.
"I agree." Kevin says."
"I had fun." Maryjane says.
"I accidentally ate one of your fish." Jordanna says.
"What?" Jane says.
"Yeah, he told me to eat him, so I did... I'm sorry."
"Um...ok..."
"It was horrible." Sandra says.
"Me too." Tad says.
"It was... so… so..." Lizzie says.
"I was visited by a ghost." Sandra says.
"Me too." Lizzie says.
"I don't know who she was." Tad says.
"Yeah, I don't know the guy either."
"It was Jack for me." Sandra says.
"Really?"
"Yeah. He kind of looked like a zombie."
"Cool."
"No, not cool. He was as much of a b*****d as when he was alive."
"Oh, that sucks."
"I'm going to bed."

November 21, 2011

Dear Diary:
That scared the s**t out of me. Why did I have to see him again? Why must I be tortured like this? I'm just trying to get on with my life, I'm with Tad because I'm over Jack. He looked so horrible. I don't know if anything he said was true. I really hope not, because he said some really ominous s**t. He said I was poison, what does that mean? And I can't believe he had the audacity to blame me for his suicide. I didn't pull the trigger. If anything, he was poison. I don't ever wanna see him again. He was the worst of my life, and to tell you the truth, I'm kind of glad he's dead. He showed his true colors, just how selfish he actually was. I swear, I don't think he ever thought things through. What kind of man blows his brains out on his girlfriend and lover in front of everybody just to prove a point? What a piece of f*****g s**t. The world is better without him. Well, I gotta go to work tomorrow, they're putting me on stock. Good, people were starting to annoy me. Good night.

The next day, Sandra goes to work. "Sandra, you're a minute and a half late!" Her boss says.
"Sorry, Lori, the bus-"
"I don't wanna hear excuses, punch in and get to work."
"Fine, you old bat." She mumbles under her breath. She punches in and walks to the back room. She finds an elongated cart and loads it with boxes. She stocks and empties and finishes her day. She goes home, and heads to her room. She packs and lights a bowl. She hears a knock on the door. "Who is it?" The door opens.
"Hey babe." Tad says.
"Tad!" She passes him the pipe and gives him a kiss.
"How are you doing, hun?"
"Ok, how about you?"
"Fine. But I want to talk to you about the trip I had."
"The one from yesterday?"
"Yeah."
"What's bothering you?"
"A pale, white woman with long, black hair in a black dress appeared to me and told me I have a choice, but she didn't tell me what the choice was."
“Wow."
"How do you feel about the shop?"
"I love it."
"You don't think you would be against it sometime in the future?"
"I can't think of any reason why I ever would be...why?"
"Because I think the choice that I might have to make would be between you and the shop."
"That's ridiculous."
"Just....if it happens, we'll catch ourselves in action and stop it on the spot."
"That's a way to look at it."
"But she said 'lesser of two evils', but they're both positives in my life."
"Maybe she meant something else."
"I never thought of that."
"Yeah well, I'm sure it was just nothing. We were all seeing s**t last night."
"What did you see again?"
"You don't wanna know."
"Yes I do."
"It was fucked up."
"Just tell me."
"I saw my ex boyfriend."
"Which one?"
"Jack."
"I thought he was dead."
"He was. Is. His skin was gray and he had the bullet wound."
"Whoa. What did he say?"
"That I'm a piece of s**t and that it's my fault he killed himself."
"But it wasn't."
"Sometimes I wonder."
"There's no way you could've prevented that."
"Yes there was. I could've done a lot of things differently. I could've not challenged his masculinity. I could have not emasculated him in front of everybody at the party. I could've left the house the second I saw the gun. I could've gotten rid of the gun. I could've stayed out of the room. I could've done a lot of things, but I did nothing. I let it happen." A couple of tears run down her face.
"Come here." He holds her. "There was nothing you could do; the guy was out of his mind."
"Still, there was so much I could've done, and I did nothing, all to prove a point. My hallucination told me he planned on losing."
"That's impossible."
"I don't know, he said he could tell."
"I'm sure that's not what actually happened, he was just crazy."
"I don't know."
"It'll be ok."
"He also said I was poison."
"Poison?"
"Yeah."
"Poison kills."
"Yeah."
"Maybe he meant you were poison to him."
"What do you mean?"
"That your good was so good against his evil, he did the most evil thing ever."
"That makes sense. I kinda feel better."
"Are you glad he's dead?"
"Yes."
"That's pretty harsh."
"He was harsh to me."
"Still, the guy's dead."
"He's better off."
"This guy was that bad?"
"Can we stop talking about this now?" she says angrily.
"Sorry, babe."
"It's alright; it's not your fault."
"So...what do you want to do?" Sandra shrugs.
"I don't care."
"You don't care, huh?"
"Nope."
"Fine then." He leans over and starts kissing her passionately, slowly down her neck.
"Um, yeah, sure ok."
"Handcuffs or rope?"
"Handcuffs. I don't like rope."
"Belt?"
"Hell yeah."
"With or without?"
"Without, duh!"
"Alright, let's do this."