Monthly Archives: May 2017

TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE … # 163

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TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE … # 163

Warning…adult content

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TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE

# 163

warning…adult content

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As Steve drove down the highway to the house, he was worrying about how to record the songs he’d written.  “Ghost, I don’t know if I can get these done. It’s just…I don’t know. I like the songs, and when I wrote them, it was exactly what I was feeling. I still feel that way, but how do I get it back, to transfer those feelings to the CD?” he sighed.

“The other time, for the tape we made, those were more for fun songs, ya know. It was easy. But these ones, well crap…I just don’t know how to do it. Maybe I should just forget it…put some other, older songs on there, and keep these ones for just us.”

“Don’t worry, Steve,” Ghost said. “Don’t think so hard on it. You’ll see.”

“But, you do it all the time…at home, at the shows…how do you go from everyday business, to singing with such total emotion that brings people right into your world?”

“I don’t know, Steve, it just happens. If I’m happy, I sing it that way. If the words make me feel sad, it comes out sad,” Ghost said. “You have to actually listen to the words you wrote, and hear the meaning you meant at the time. It all comes back, when you sing them, as when you wrote them.”

“Thanks, Ghost, I think I see what you mean, and I’m gonna try my best, anyway.”

~

They arrived home, and unloaded the equipment. It was late afternoon, now, and Ghost fixed them a light supper of cheese omelets and toast, while Steve set up the recorder, and got his guitar out. He went over the words to the songs, and played some chords. He was beginning to remember how he felt when he wrote them.

“Come eat, Steve,” Ghost said, looking into the living room. He knew Steve was getting it.

After their meal, they went outside for awhile. Ghost stood at the porch railing, looking up into the sky, which was turning a velvety purple. The sun was throwing it’s last rays of light onto the very tops of the pines. Below was already into twilight. He took deep breaths of the cool, pine scented air.

“It’s nice out,” he said.

“Yeah, I love this time of the year,” said Steve.

“Me, too, but why is it a time?” Ghost asked.

“Huh? Oh, that’s just a way of saying that right now is what you like…like the fall weather. There really isn’t a time, like on a clock.”

“Well, I don’t get it, except that everything flows from one thing to the next, on and on, forever. You don’t have to keep a time,” Ghost said.

“You’re right,” Steve said.

Ghost shivered, and came to sit beside Steve on the porch swing. “Forever more, Steve, forever more,” he whispered into the night.

They stayed there, slowly swinging back and forth for awhile…until Steve felt ready to try the songs.

“I’m bringing the equipment out here,” Steve said. He went inside, and ran the electric cords, so they extended out the window to the porch. With his guitar, he sat back on the swing. Ghost just watched him, as he held the microphone.

On most of these last songs, Ghost only sang on parts of them. He could feel that Steve felt more at ease. It was a calm, starry night, and many times before, they’d sang to each other out here. It was cozy and intimate, just the two of them being together like this.

Steve played a bit of the tune, then nodded at Ghost, as he flipped on the machine, beginning the first song. It was *”Stars”.  This song he’d written long ago, when Ghost was gone away…he thought forever. It was him, pouring out his anguish and despair…and now, singing it to Ghost, with Ghost, under these same stars, brought out his emotions so strong, his voice broke several times.

Ghost was crying at the end of it. He’d heard parts of the song before, but only now could he feel exactly what Steve had felt at the time. It brought back so many memories. He was having a hard time getting control of his emotions, and put his head in his hands and sobbed.

“Ghost…” Steve whispered. “Ghost…please…” He went over and held Ghost close. “It’s ok, Ghost…let it out….” Steve murmured into Ghost’s hair. He knew Ghost had never completely dealt with his pain. After awhile his crying slowed.

“Steve, I can’t…I can’t do this…the other songs…it’s too much,” he said.

“Ghost, I know it’s hard, but I need you to do this…with me.”

“But, Steve, I don’t deserve your beautiful songs…I just don’t”

Steve was surprised to hear Ghost say that. “Ghost, don’t ever think that. I just wrote what I felt, and to me it’s not nearly enough. You deserve my whole love for you, and so much more. Can’t you see that?”

Ghost was shaking his head.

“Look at me,” Steve said. “Believe it, babe, ’cause I meant every word.” He kissed Ghost’s tears away.

They took a small break, then began the next song, *”Perfect”. This one was easier, as they’d worked on it a few times, getting their parts in order. They got through it fairly quickly, and the rest of them went well, too. By the time all the songs were finished, it was almost dawn, and Steve’s voice was about gone. They went inside, had a bowl of cereal, and crashed into bed, hoping for a few hours of sleep.

However, it seemed like no time had passed, when there was a loud knocking on their door. Steve got up, and opened the front door. It was R. J.

“What?” Steve asked.

 

“Dude, Terry’s waiting for y’all. He couldn’t call ’cause your phone is broke. He ordered me to come and drag y’all into the studio.”

“Shit, we aren’t even awake yet, R. J. He’s just gonna have to wait. We’ll be in as soon as we can. Go tell Terry we finished all the songs…we were up all night.”

“Ok, Steve, but hurry,” R. J. said.

Steve went to wake Ghost. “We gotta get up and get over there,” Steve said, on his way to the bathroom.

Ghost rolled out of bed, and stumbled into the kitchen, to make coffee.

“What are you doing?” Steve asked, as he came into the kitchen. “We don’t have time for that. We’ll get a coffee at the store, when we get to town.”

“They aren’t going anywhere…they’ll wait,” Ghost said, through a big yawn.

“Fine, I’ll load up, but try to hurry, ok?”

But, Ghost never got in a hurry. He fed Spirit, and went to get dressed. Steve clomped back into the house, straight to Ghost and propelled him toward the door.  “Come on, everything is loaded up,” he said. “I don’t want Terry to wait too long. R. J. said he was getting impatient, already.”

“R. J. was here?”

“Yep, Terry sent him out here. I really need to get another phone.”

Finally in the car, barreling down the highway toward town, Ghost asked, “Hey, how come we never used to have a phone, and we did ok, but now when we had one, and then we don’t have it, it gets hard to not have one?”

“What? Oh, I get it,” Steve answered. “Guess you don’t miss what you don’t have, at first, then when you have it, then it’s gone, you feel like you need it.” He looked over at Ghost. “What the hell did I just say? I swear, Ghost, I’m starting to sound like you.”

Ghost grinned. “Yeah, and I understand you a lot better, now.”

“Well, good, ’cause I don’t,” Steve said.

He pulled up in front of the convenience store, and ran in to get them some coffee. Then driving over to the studio, he turned off the car’s engine, and took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.

“All this rushing around got me all jangly.”

“You need your coffee, then. It’ll calm you down,” Ghost said. He took a huge swallow of his own hot coffee.

“I doubt that,” Steve said, but he drank his down in only a couple of mouthfuls. “Let’s get this stuff inside,” he said.

They lugged in the recording equipment, then turned to find Terry and R. J. staring at them. “Well, look who showed up,” Terry said. “Sleeping beauties get all rested?

“Don’t start, Terry,” Steve said. “We were up all night…everything’s finished. Now, it’s you and R. J.’s time to go to work.” He began going over what needed to be done.

“I know, I know, just ragging on ya, Dude,” Terry said.

~

*”Stars”, as performed by Amanda Brown on the Voice, written by Grace Potter (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals), released 2012, on the label Hollywood, from the album “The Lion the Beast the Beat”

*”Fuckin’ Perfect”, Pink, written by Pink – Max Martin – Shellback, released Dec 14, 2010, label LaFace – RCA, single from the album “Greatest Hits…So Far!!!”

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Next part coming soon!

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Thanks for visiting! Peace }i{

© 2017 BS

***

This is a work of “fan fiction” based on the novel, “Lost Souls” by Poppy Z. Brite. All credit for the original characters, places, and some backstory mentions, belong to Ms. Brite and her publishing affiliates. Only newly introduced characters, places, and original elements of this story are entirely from my imagination. Character descriptions are a blend of the original book descriptions and my interpretation of them.

All songs included in this work will be solely owned by the original performers/writers and will be credited. Creative liscense is taken in including them in this story.

No harm is intended toward author, muscians, or people and situations to whom there may be a resemblence.

warning      warning      warning      warning

The content herein is rated by me as being at the high end of MA (Mature Audience). It includes strong language, violence, sexual themes, including same sex pairings, religious themes, and fantasy horror.

***

 

THINKING ABOUT THINKING CAPS

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Me & my thinking cap?

THINKING ABOUT THINKING CAPS

You’ve probably heard the expression, ‘put on my thinking cap’. What does that mean?

I saw a couple of definitions when I looked it up. Basically, it’s taking time to carefully think through a problem, and a state or mood in which one thinks. The phrase was known as early as the 17th century, only they called it a ‘considering cap’. That sounds better. You’re sitting there considering things.

I consider a lot of things. Mostly, I sit here at the computer, and just stare off into space, trying to think. Thinking about thinking is weird, too. You look like you are doing nothing, but your brain is being all busy with that ‘thinking’ stuff. It sure gets a work-out (unlike me, haha).

I try to think of something to write about. I have lots of ideas, but then I re-consider them. They sound uninteresting on second thought. So, I keep on staring, and waiting for the muse to come back from vacation. It must be an extended vacation…tapping fingers, jiggling foot, looking out the window, come on…

I think of what I could/should be doing instead of ‘considering’ things. I could clean something…no, I could work on jigsaw puzzle…maybe, read…I do this all day (blog posts), and my book later on, do the laundry…already done, dust furniture…already done, plant some seeds to get growing…yeah! But, it’s supposed to rain and will wash them out, better wait.

It goes on and on, and so I end up with this post about nothing much, except thinking.

Here’s something I was thinking about.

Does everyone’s families have funny words they use between each other. They might be nonsense words, made up words, silly reminder words, or anything. I’ve written down a lot of ours, and it looks funny when you write them down. When we say them, though, we all know what we mean. I’ll finish this with a couple for you to laugh at. 🙂

Blivets = canned biscuits

Jenny’s Rule = as a general rule

Thick-nin’ Thin = gravy

Cremmis = Ice cream

…Start laughing! I’ll share some more another time. Do y’all have funny sayings? 🙂

Hope you enjoyed this rambling bunch of nonsense!

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Thanks for visiting! Peace }i{

© 2017 BS

 

51 WEEKS/51 SONGS FROM THE PAST

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51 WEEKS/51 SONGS FROM THE PAST

https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2017/05/30/51-weeks-51-songs-from-the-past-week-22-divine-walk-like-a-man/

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These two songs are just ones I like, because they are all about words, correct grammar, and punctuation. Being a writer, we all know these are important, and these songs present it in a fun way.

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“I Love You Period”, by Dan Baird, was released in 1992. It was on the album, “Love Songs for the Hearing Impaired”. It was written by Terry Randall Anderson. This was Dan Baird’s first solo album, after his stint with the Georgia Satellites.

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“Word Crimes”, by Weird Al Yankovic, was released in 2013, from the album, “Mandatory Fun”. It is on the RCA label, and was written by Pharrell Williams, Clifford Harris, Jr., Robin Thicke, Marvin Gaye, and Al Yankovic.

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Thanks for visiting! Peace }i{

© 2017 BS

CEE’S FUN FOTO CHALLENGE – HOT & COLD

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CEE’S FUN FOTO CHALLENGE – HOT & COLD

https://ceenphotography.com/2017/05/30/cees-fun-foto-challenge-hot-andor-cold/

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This time for the challenge we are to find things that represent hot and cold. Click the link above to join in the fun, and to see other entries.

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Looks like I was scavenging my kitchen for photos! 🙂

For hot we have a hot stove burner, some hot chocolate, and this wonderful hot sauce.

For cold we have packaged ice, ice maker ice, and frozen cold packs.

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Thanks for visiting! Peace }i{

© 2017 BS

CEE’S SHARE YOUR WORLD – 5/29/17

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CEE’S SHARE YOUR WORLD – 5/29/17

https://ceenphotography.com/2017/05/29/share-your-world-may-29-2017/

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Time for another SYW, with questions from Cee, and answers from me! Join in the fun, and see other entries by clicking the above link.

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What is the most famous landmark or building you have ever seen?

I’ve been lucky enough to see a lot of famous/historic landmarks. Some of those include the Alamo, in San Antonio TX, the Mormon Temple, in Salt Lake City UT, the Eiffel Tower in France, the Nuremberg Castle in Germany, and the Statue of Liberty.

The USS ARIZONA MEMORIAL, in Pearl Harbor. After the ship was sunk, the bodies of 1,102 crew members were left underwater with the wreckage, which is still there today…a war grave. We visited this somber memorial many years ago.

img_4289 

This is a photo of the Tower of the Americas. We went to the World’s Fair in San Antonio, in 1968…called HemisFair. I took this photo with my Swinger camera. It was fun to use, as it developed the picture right then, as you pulled it out of the camera.

Here are a couple of magnets I picked up when we visited Las Vegas NV, and Saint Louis MO. We got to see all the sights!

 

Do you like long vacation or lots of mini-vacations?

We don’t really take many vacations, as such. We go to visit family, or because we were stationed there while in the Army. There are a few times I’ve been on an actual vacation. I’d rather take short trips.

What is your favorite natural or state park?

My favorite would be Ft. Davis TX, out of several I’ve visited.

 img_4922

What is your fantasy vacation?

If we were to go on a vacation now, and it was my choice of where…well, that’s hard to say. I love the mountains. I’d like to see the Great Smoky Mountains. I wouldn’t want to do camping out. I’d need to have a nice hotel with all the luxury provided. Then again, I’d like to do a few nights of staying in ghostly/haunted hotels. Quite a bit of difference between these!

Optional Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up? 

Just grateful to be here, lots of laughs, great weather, and no drama to speak of. More of the same, please! 🙂

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Thanks for visiting! Peace }i{

© 2017 BS

ONE WORD PHOTO CHALLENGE – FRAME

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ONE WORD PHOTO CHALLENGE – FRAME

https://jennifernicholewells.com/2017/05/28/this-weeks-challenges-may-28-june-2-owpc-ww/

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This OWPC asks that we use the word ‘frame’.

Here’s all kinds of frames I found: picture frames, security door frame, window frame, and glasses frames. 🙂

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Thanks for visiting! Peace }i{

© 2017 BS

WEEKLY WEATHER – DAY & NIGHT

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WEEKLY WEATHER – DAY & NIGHT

https://jennifernicholewells.com/2017/05/28/this-weeks-challenges-may-28-june-2-owpc-ww/

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The weekly weather asks us to find photos of day & night. 🙂

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WEATHERLY WAYS

Moon glow and sun beams

Nothing is really as it seems

Sunrise and moonset

Time is passing, you can bet

Partly moony or sunny gloomy

Sometimes the weather is downright loony

Whatever the weather brings your way,

We all have something about it to say.

🙂 🙂 🙂

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Thanks for visiting! Peace }i{

© 2017 BS

TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE … # 162

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TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE … # 162

Warning…adult content

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TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE

# 162

warning…adult content

***

Kinsey had finished eating his part of the pizza, and was going back to the club. “Bye, Steve,” he said, and gave him a nod, as he passed by, on the way out. “Good luck with this crew of yours.”

“Bye, Kinsey, sure ya don’t want to stay and sort them out?” Steve asked.

“I’m so sure, Steve…not my business.” Kinsey was laughing, as he went out the door.

Steve shook his head, and took the last few bites of his own pizza. The shop phone rang, and he listened, as Terry answered it. “It’s for you, Steve…it’s Zach. Where’s your phone, anyway?”

Steve came over to get the phone. “It’s broke. I gotta get another one,” he said. “Hey, Zach, what’s up?”

“It’s done, man. The house is history,” Zach said.

“Already?” Steve asked. “That was fast. How’d it go?”

“Man, that bulldozer plowed right into it…it was awesome. And, they had a dump truck to load the pieces in, and the lot is scraped clean. There were cars lined up on the side of the road, and people walked up to watch it come down. We should have sold tickets,” Zach said.

“Did y’all see anything…feel anything weird?” Steve asked.

“I didn’t, but I think Trevor was feeling weird…not from any left over spirits, but just from all the things that happened there, so it was kinda sad and kinda happy that’s it’s over, ya know.” Zach said.

“Yeah, well you and Trevor can have a new beginning…make some happy memories, now. Y’all can forget all the bad juju that place had.”

“Yep, we’re staying in our new place tonight,” Zach said. He paused then said, “Oh, hey, I gotta go…y’all come by sometime. We still have to discuss that show.”

“Sure thing, Zach. Ghost and me, we’re doing our recording today, and maybe for the next couple of days, but then we can talk more about it.”

“Ok, later then…” Zach said, then ended the call.

“What was all that about?” Terry asked.

“Oh, he let me know that house is totally gone, now,” Steve said.

“Good…that place was too creepy,” Terry said. “What do y’all have to discuss? Sorry, I overheard all you said.”

“Yeah, uh, it’s just about a show we plan on having, when y’all get back from vacation. Kinsey knows about it, sort of,” Steve said. “It’s kinda complicated, what we want to do…a sort of secret, but you do need to know. That’s the confusing part…do I tell you, or not…and, how can we not? Well, crap, I don’t know now how to do it.” He was getting flustered, now.

Terry gave him a look. “Steve, you’ve been around Ghost too long. I have no idea what you just said.”

“I know, Terry…that’s why we have to discuss it,” Steve said. “Then we’ll know what’s going on. Anyway, you’ll know later.”

“Ok, dude, y’all handle it, then,” Terry said, still confused. “Ready to get back to work?”

“Yeah, let me go round up those two clowns,” Steve said, as he went to the break room.

~

R. J. was at the table, reading a comic book, and Ghost had stretched out on the small couch, and was asleep. Steve stood at the door, and just shook his head, thinking that this could be a long afternoon.

“It’s time to record again, guys,” he said.

R. J. nodded, as he got up and headed for the door, still reading as he walked.  Steve went over to Ghost, and shook him awake. “Wake up, Ghost. We’re ready to record again.”

“Hmm? Ok…” Ghost sat up and rubbed his eyes.

Steve reached out his hands, and pulled Ghost up. “C’mon…”

They all took their places in the studio, and began again. These next songs were working out good, but the ones coming up were the ones Steve had written to Ghost, and he’d be singing the main parts, with Ghost coming in on certain parts.

He was a little worried about that because one, he felt he wasn’t a very good singer. He did ok for harmonies and background vocals, but taking a leading role was uncomfortable. Two, these songs he wrote were very personal to him, and he felt it would be impossible to capture the emotions now, that he’d had at the time, and would seem fake, or forced when doing them for the recording. Then three, if they were to do these songs in a live show, there’d be no stopping and starting, or mixing, to get it just right. He didn’t want to have his thoughts dissected and critiqued. He wanted them to be pure and from the heart, like he’d intended for them to be.

So, they made it through the first one, but just barely. Steve wasn’t happy with it. He was getting frustrated at himself, trying to make it perfect. “Ok, guys, this isn’t working,” he said, and tried to explain why. “What I think we’ll do, is…Terry, R. J. and me…we need to just record the music parts by itself. Then we’ll call it a day. I’m going to go home and get these songs recorded there. I have to feel what I felt when I wrote them. I have to be in a certain mood, and it ain’t happening here, with y’all watching me,” Steve said. He looked at the others, hoping they’d understand. “Ok?” he asked.

Terry and R. J. looked at each other, and the teasing began. “We get it, Steve,” Terry said, and wiggled his eyebrows. “You gotta get in the moood first, and you don’t need any onlookers.”

“Shut up…” Steve said. “But, yeah…and Terry, can you put what I record at home onto what we do here?”

“Yes, I believe I can, Steve,” Terry said, grinning.

“Good, then that’s all for today,” Steve said, packing up his guitar.

Terry began shutting down the electronics. R. J. was over to the side, playing a slow rhythmic tune on his bass. He started singing a silly song, he’d just made up, trying to be funny. “Steve’s gonna get in the mood, he’s gonna sing like he should, and Ghost is gonna feel good, and we all knew that he would, and they’re gonna get rude and lewd…” Then he started laughing, because Ghost was grinning and right up in Steve’s face, batting his eyes, acting silly.

Terry was cracking up, too. Steve finally realized what was going on at his expense. “Knock it off, all of y’all,” he hollered, but was grinning, at the same time.

“Aw, man…that’s the funniest thing I seen all day,” said Terry. “We should take that show on the road.”

“Shut up,” Steve said. “C’mon, Ghost, let’s get outta here. We’ll be back in the morning,” he told Terry.

“Have a goood night…” Terry and R. J. both said, in a teasing voice.

Steve and Ghost went on out the door. After they’d got in the car, Steve remembered he needed to take the portable recording equipment to the house. “Crap, I gotta go back in there,” he said, as he opened the car door.

As he went back inside, he could hear Terry and R. J. still laughing. “Excuse me, but I need the recorder, Terry,” he said.

“Oh, yeah, hang on,” Terry said, and went to get the machine. “You know how to use it, right?”

“Yeah, I know how, thanks,” Steve said, going to the door. “Resume your laughing, if you must…” he said, and he waved with his middle finger, as he left.

~

Back in the car, Steve sat there for a minute, just breathing, to calm down after the long day. “Ok, Ghost, what was all that shit today…you and R. J. acting like fools?”

“Nothing, just having fun,” Ghost said. “I heard you tell Kinsey I was fixin’ to get pissy, so I tried not to…and it worked. I changed myself, and you were right, but then you were wrong.” He smiled. “Ya, see?”

“Yeah, Ghost, I think I do,” said Steve. “Well, let’s go home.

***

Next part coming soon!

***

Thanks for visiting! Peace }i{

© 2017 BS

***

This is a work of “fan fiction” based on the novel, “Lost Souls” by Poppy Z. Brite. All credit for the original characters, places, and some backstory mentions, belong to Ms. Brite and her publishing affiliates. Only newly introduced characters, places, and original elements of this story are entirely from my imagination. Character descriptions are a blend of the original book descriptions and my interpretation of them.

All songs included in this work will be solely owned by the original performers/writers and will be credited. Creative liscense is taken in including them in this story.

No harm is intended toward author, muscians, or people and situations to whom there may be a resemblence.

warning      warning      warning      warning

The content herein is rated by me as being at the high end of MA (Mature Audience). It includes strong language, violence, sexual themes, including same sex pairings, religious themes, and fantasy horror.

***