Melody and Harmony: Chapter 1

Four miles an hour. That’s how fast Foster liked to set the engine on his skateboard when he rode down the Harmony’s sidewalks. He loved the beat his wheels pounded out every time he went over the divots in in-between the concrete slabs. With his headphones on he couldn’t hear them but he felt the CLUNK-CLUNK of each one as he rolled over them and it pulled the music from his ears all the way down to his feet.

He lived a few miles beyond the electric blue environmental shield that protected the wealthy Melody’s inner city, he had never been under the shield and had never given it much thought. He was a fringer, just as his parents, and their parents, and their parents before. He loved the feeling of the unfiltered sun on his back as he rode through the unshielded slums of Melody. He wasn’t worried about cancer, or sunburns, everyone’s clothes had protective UV layers built into them and like all but the poorest of the fingers he never went outside with uncovered skin and always in the early morning or late evening just before sunset.

It was evening shift change now. Foster didn’t look anyone in the eyes as they were either leaving or starting work. He knew in his heart that he was never going to be one of the wage slaves, trading his life for slightly less than his family needed to survive. He had grown up listening to his father talk about that life and now as a young adult he feared it greatly.

He rode into a street side marketplace. Hundreds of carts were loaded with questionable food, second hand electronics, and scraps of clothing. He rode through the shoppers, leaving ripples in the waves of people he passed by. The band of his over ear headphones were sunglasses dark enough to hide his eyes from everyone who tried to catch his attention.

He slipped out of the market as quickly as he had entered it and turned down an alley. He stopped his board next to a large sky blue steel door. The color had not always been sky blue. The years of sun had caused it to fade from a much more remarkable blue. He picked his skateboard up off the dirty alleyway and held it in his left hand. He knocked three times on the faded blue sky door with his right hand.

It felt like the door was never going to open, which is what alerted him to the fact that he was beginning to get nervous. He took a deep breath and tried to steady his nerves, but when the door opened slowly his heart beat kicked up a notch.

The automated door creaked and screeched as it opened up to him presenting an airlock lit by neon white light. The walls were white and completely bare. He stepped into the airlock and noticed the giant one way mirror on the wall. The outer airlock door closed behind him.

In the upper corner by the outer airlock door there was a speaker that had been spray painted white. “Stow your board.” It squawked.

Foster looked into the one way mirror for a second and then slowly slid his back pack off his shoulders. The backpack was covered with cloth patches that were styled to resemble pieces of an old pirate treasure map. He released the clips of two straps on the back of his bag and pressed a button on his wrist control. The board folded up until the wheels nearly touched each other. He took the folded up board and held it to the bag with the straps he clipped back in place.

With his bag back on his shoulders he stood back up and looked back into the one way mirror.

The inner door of the airlock opened much faster and much quieter. A song came through the inner airlock door and Foster could feel the beat in his chest. He pressed a button on his wrist command and his music in his headphones gave way to the music of the club as he stepped inside. 

University of Console Heroics: The End

Finals were over. The quad is filled with students enjoying the onset of summer. Sanders and Bannister exit the Hall of 2D studies together. Bannister is carrying a small box of trinkets from his office. Sanders stops and turns around to look back at the building. Bannister copies him. “So, you aren’t going to miss this? Not even a little?” Sanders asked.

Bannister shook his head. “Maybe someday down the line. But right now I feel like I’m being reborn.” He explained as he turned away from the building.

Sanders nodded. And continued walking with Bannister. “Oh, thanks for keeping me in the class.” He said spotting his friends sitting under Thompson’s big tree further down the quad.

Bannister nodded. “It’s didn’t seem fair to let you screw yourself over.” He admitted.

Sanders nodded. “You’re going to be at dad’s tonight for dinner?” He confirmed. Bannister nodded and Sanders took a step towards the tree. “I’ll see you later then.” He waved as he took off toward the tree. Joining Cynthia, Foster, and Thompson.

Thompson kicked at Foster with a barefoot. “Well Foster, you made it to the end of your first semester of college. How do you feel?” He asked.

Foster sighed. “A bit like I’m witnessing the end of the world.” He admitted.

“Ok explain.” Sanders demanded.

Foster shrugged. “It’s never going to be like this again. Next semester will be infinitely different than this one.”

Thompson nodded. “And yet, creepily enough, almost exactly the same.” He confirmed.

Foster pulled his knees up to his chin and used them to rest his head. “It’s like we build the same sand castle at low tide just to see what changes from version to version.” He sighed again.

Cynthia rolled her eyes. “Could you two just be happy for one moment?” She asked.

Clay, Faith, and Lacey joined the circle, sitting in the shade of the tree. “Evidence shows they are both capable.” Clay replied.

Sanders shook his head. “Yeah but chicks dig moody guys.” He joked.

Cynthia noticed Lacey’s outfit. “Oh my god I love your shirt, did you get that at Forever Ten Two?” She asked.

Lacey nodded. “I did. We should go shopping soon.” She offered.

Cynthia smiled. “That would be awesome.” She confirmed

Porter walked up with four drinks in a carrier. Clay looked up at him shielding his eyes from the sun. “Which of those is coffee?” He asked.

Faith slapped his shoulder. “They are all coffee dork.” She said.

Porter shook his head. “No, these two are epic poems.” He said as he handed the girls their drinks. “These two, are coffee.” He said as Clay reached up to grab his drink. They clinked their cheap paper cups together.

Lacey puts her cup down and sees a very nice car parking in the distance. She slaps faith’s shoulder. “That’s it, that’s the car the lady from nationals drove. I want one of those so bad, It’s my dream car.” She said wishfully.

Porter’s ears perked up and he took note of the car she was pointing out. “Color preference?” He asked.

She seemed taken aback for a second. “Um, in a perfect world? They come in a shade called Midnight Lust. IT’s like a little darker than blood red.” She explained as Porter nodded.

Foster kicked at the empty drink carrier with his shoe. “Thanks for brining drinks only for yourselves, definitely feeling the love over here.” He playfully complained.

Clay held up his coffee as if he were toasting Foster. “S’what friends are for noob. Letting you know where you’re wanted.” He said as Foster playfully flipped him off.

They spent the rest of the day visiting together under that tree. Trying to make the last of the semester last as long as possible before they all went back to their homes, their ‘normal’ lives. Their separate worlds, it was easy work, spending time together, making the most of every moment at the University of Console Heroics.

Shades of Justice: chapter 31

Technarious was now back on his feet. His eyes were red and while there was visible damage on his body he was still very much in fighting shape. He opened his mouth and fired an energy beam at Blinding Light.

Blinding Light reached up with its right hand and the beam hit the bracer armor and hit the street several stories below, destroying everything in a twenty foot radius.

Blinding Light Reached its left hand to the sky and a lightning Bolt delivered the Lightning blade to its grip. The Lightening Blade was a massive two handed sword that crackled with electricity. Blinding light dropped into a defensive stance.

Technarious laughed. “Oh my little baby shades, we both know you don’t have the guts to kill me.” Technarious kicked what remained of a destroyed building. “You’re pathetic.” He shouted. “I could destroy this entire city and you’d still be frozen in indecisive terror!” He clenched his left fist and a long blade extended out from the outer part of this bicep. He swung his arm at the nearest undamaged building and just before the blade hit Blinding light dashed forward and blocked his swing. He looked at the robot and smiled. “Well now. Looks like there’s still some life in you yet.” He said as they wrestled over the fate of the building.

Deep inside Technarious Sonya was running as fast as she could down hallways of piping and cables. Following the digital path in her visor. She came to a gap small enough to jump and took it without evening thinking. The path showed that she had almost two hundred feet before she reached his power core.

Blinding light had pushed Technarious’ swing back far enough to save the building. He stepped back but didn’t appear shaken. “Not bat little babies. That might even be your first real success as a team.” He sarcastically gave them a slow clap. Blinding Light lunged forward with the lightning blade and Technarious parried easily. “Now, now. Just because you saved a building doesn’t mean the day is won children.” He took a retaliatory swing and cut deeply into Blinding Lights left leg. Sparks and fire exploded out from the wound.

In Blinding light’s command center The shades were looking at a read out of their status. It showed their energy reserves down by a third. “Sonya what’s your status?” Dante asked.

Inside Technarious Sonya was standing at the edge of what looked like an elevator shaft. Her map readout showed that the next hundred feet went straight down the shaft. “I need more time.” She replied.

Blood and Profit: Chapter 54

The vote was complete. For the first time in her political career Kepi was nervous. It was not unheard of for the senate to speechify on a point of order indefinitely until they had lost interest in selecting a course of action or had forgotten what they were so passionately arguing about. She knew this vote could very well be the last shot almost anyone on the planet had of leaving it alive. The center hologram began to tally the count. It was fast, but not faster than the beating of her heart. The count and her heart stopped at the same moment.

The senate had voted in favor of traveling through the ancient slip tunnel. There were many conversations and several members of the senate clapped and congratulated each other as if making the decision had been the hard part. Kepi knew that the work was just beginning.

The senate leader rapped his gavel and the room went quiet. “We will leave our home by way of the slip gate.” He began. “Now it is up to this council and all those who serve it to gather the ships, the food, and all those who wish to leave before our home is erased from existence.” He looked to Kepi. “Do you or our new friends know how much time we have to accomplish this feat?” He asked.

Kepi stood and cleared her throat. “I do not know. I will return to the forest dwellers today and find out how much time we have and if they can help us prepare for our journey.” She stated.

The council leader nodded. “They may not wish to accompany us through the gate. We cannot guarantee what kind of reception they will receive when we reach earth.” He pointed out.

Kepi nodded with a smile. “You can’t even guarantee what kind of reception we will receive when we reach earth, so let’s focus on making sure we get everyone off the planet first.” She pointed out.

The council leader nodded. “In three days we will return with our preliminary ship counts, available resource totals, and a rough idea of how many people we need to transport.” The council stood in unison. “Good luck to us all.” They all filed out of the room to begin their work.

Once she was out in front of the building she made a call on her phone.

Eamon picked up on the second ring. “How goes the speeches?” He asked.

She smiled. “We’ve voted to assemble a convoy and take it through the slip ring. I’m headed to the Forest now to gather more information about the wave.” She explained.

“That’s great. I’m already here. Teaching them to make books. How long till you get here?” He asked.

“Three or so hours.” She replied.

“See you then.” He said ending the call.

She dropped her phone in her pocket and headed for her ship.

Lidarion: Chapter 26

Trent stood on the water side of the walkway where the Womamel was docked. Nearly a dozen hands were loading the ship, walking Cargo on board and stashing it in the hold. He watched as the carts full of supplies were loaded with an intensity that he remembered his recently past life in the military. He sat on a wooden box and watched with a sense of fascination.

Alex made her way down the dock and stopped next to Trent. “Brooke and Lisa are on their way. Squints is –“

Squints appeared from behind Alex. “Already regretting his decision to get on that floating monstrosity.” He grumbled.

Trent smiled. “Why not just stay here? I have the door knob. When we get to the library I can just bring you through.” He offered.

Squints shook his head. “No good, the only thing I trust less than boats is magic.” He shuddered. “Technology is so much more, civilized.” He lamented.

Alex laughed. “Well then little man, you best get on the ship and claim a comfortable bunk before its filled with cargo or a drunken sailor.” She gestured to the ship as a deck hand walked up the walkway.

Squints walked up to the walkway and watched it sway for a second. He hesistated and another deck hand came up from behind him. “Move it little man!” The human shouted. Squints flinched in surprise and started up the walk way without thinking. Before he realized it he was on the ship, the deckhand made his way onto the ship and went into the lower decks. Squints walked around the main deck with his jaw slack in surprise.

Brooke and Lisa appeared at Alex’s side. “How is Squints already on the ship?” Brooke asked. “I thought he hated the ocean.” She watched as Squints ran back and forth on the deck avoiding the actual working sailors.

Alex shook her head. “He didn’t hate the ocean, he’s just never been near it really. Sailing in the blood of his people. I’ll bet by the end of the voyage he’ll be driving you all mad with is love for the open sea and sailing.

Squints stepped up on to a box so he could see over the edge of the ship. “How come no one told me how awesome this was going to be!” He shouted at them with a huge smile on his face.

Brooke shook her head. “Or His blood will kick in the second he steps foot on the vessel and he’ll fall in love with it and bug us endlessly for the ENTIRE trip.” She laughed. “Come on Lisa, lets find our cabin. She waved her hand and the pair make their way up the walkway and onto the ship.

Alex looked at Trent. “You ready for this?” She asked watching the last of the gear get loaded on board.

Trent shook his head. “No, but if I waited until I was ready I’d never get anything done.” He said standing up. He turned to Alex. “I owe you more than I can ever repay.”

Alex hugged him. “Says the man about to save countless lives and go on a quest that most likely will turn out to be nothing but could change the future of our entire kingdom.” They separated. She wiped a tear from her eye. “I expect near constant updates. You understand me?” She tried to glare at Trent. 

He nodded as Dean rang the bell letting everyone know it was time to board and shove off. Alex waved her hand at the ship. “Now go on, get out of here.” She said as Trent made his way up the walk way.

The dock crew un did the lines holding the ship to the dock, setting it free. Dead spun the wheel as the crew moved the sails to catch the wind they needed to get out of the port. Trent looked back at Alex as the ship pulled away from the dock a saw her waving. He waved back until the ship turned toward the open ocean.

Alex stayed and watched until she could no longer make the ship out against the horizon.

Melody and Harmony Trailer

Melody and Harmony. The last of the mega cities, where music flourishes as religion, dance clubs are churches. The mainstream genres rule the inner city where the wealthy and powerful are covered by an environmental shield. Beyond the shield the fringes of the city are the territory of the subgenres and their fiercely loyal street congregations. Beyond the outer walls of the city, nomads roam the desert riding on ancient junked busses and piecemeal motorbikes bringing primal drumming to the wasteland shanty towns to sing the faith of the old gods to the forgotten and the waste landers worship them for it.

When several DJ’s from the most popular sub genres declare a temporary peace in the city of Melody the news of a unified concert to be held in the desert spreads quickly. All of the genre faithful left the safety of their territories in the heart of summer to venture out past the relative safety of the outer city walls and made their way to the festival grounds.

For Daniel and the rest of a rag tag band of unassociated believers the journey to the festival would not only be the highlight of their summer, it would change their lives and the twin cities, forever.

Beginning September 7^th experience a dystopian coming of age narrative unlike any other.

Melody and Harmony.

University of Console Heroics: Chapter 27

Foster was sitting alone in the intro to energy room. He had been sitting in the same spot, eyes closed,  counting the same beats, breathing in and out, feeling nothing but pressure.

One, two, three, Breathe out

One, two, three, breathe in

One, two, three, almost killed your friend

One, two, three, who are you?

One, two, three, what are you becoming?

One, two, three, four, five, breathe out

One, two, three, four, five, breathe in

One, two, three, four, five, breathe out

One, two, three, four, five, six, Breathe in

As he pulled air into his lungs papers on the wall pulled slightly toward him. When he let the air out of his lungs the papers pressed against the wall. He opened his eyes to see Cynthia standing in the doorway of the classroom.

She stepped into the room completely. “That was nice.” She said sitting in front of him.

Foster relaxed his legs. “Hey Cynthia.”

She smiled. “For someone who just passed intro to energy you don’t seem very excited.” She pointed out.

Foster shrugged. “I’m not sure I deserve to pass the class.” He admitted.

Cynthia cocked her head in confusion. “Why?” she asked.

Foster laid on his back. “Because I tried to kill Thompson, I was so afraid of failing that I turned to something in me that I am now desperately afraid of. I made a lot of mistakes this semester.” He was almost shouting at the ceiling.

Cynthia moves to lay down close to him but at an odd angle. “Look I know the college industry has everyone believing that’s what this is all about, attaining enough “success” to earn and alphabetical pat on the head. But that’s not what learning is Foster. What did you LEARN this semester?” She asked him.

Foster and Cynthia laid on the floor of the dark room while he thought the question over. Finally he spoke. “A good friend will go so far as to beat the crap out of you to keep you from making a life altering mistake. A good teacher will help you learn form the ones they cannot stop you from making. Control is more important than strength. Understanding is more important than control.” He stopped there.

Cynthia nodded as he spoke. “And would you have learned any of that if you had never gone through this semester the way you did?” She asked. He shook his head. “You didn’t fail Foster.” She continued. “You walked a hard road and didn’t quit. Make no mistake, no one who’s ever changed the world, did It because the world did it because it was the easy way out.” She concluded.

Foster rolled his head to the side to look at Cynthia. “ So why don’t I feel like I accomplished anything?” he asked.

Cynthia shrugged. “You are young, and this is just one moment in your life. You passed intro to energy, take that for what it is.”  She advised.

Silence in the room as he thought about what she was saying. “Ok then, what is it?” he asked her.

She sat up and folded herself in half, stretching out her back. “The first step in the long walk of your adult life.” She offered.

Foster sat up and scratched the back of his head. “So, is every class going to be like this?” he asked.

Cynthia got to her feet. “Nope” She decreed. “Only the really good ones.” Foster smiled and got to his feet as well.

She headed for the door and he followed her. “Modest much?” He asked as they left the room.