The boy was born on the twenty third day of the twenty third month on an obscure calendar never really heard of because of its impracticality, but appreciated by the powers that be because of it's accuracy and its use before time to plan out prophecy. Now the prophecy for the fourth boy born on the twenty third day of the twenty third month involved a twenty seven percent chance that he would develop delusions of grandeur and a seventy seven percent chance that he would trip and fall not down, but up. Of those that had found themselves in the grace of the seventy seven percent, only twelve percent had ever survived. The boy was partially suited to survival because he was born with a caul (fewer than one in a thousand babies is). Believing as his mother did that the caul gave him a supernatural avoidance to drowning, he was not terrified when he slipped through the hole in ozone and found himself in the void of space. This is the only noted time in history that the greenhouse effect and a belief in the supernatural simultaneously had ever saved a person's life. (This had happened once before, although it was never noted in history, but it's worth mentioning here. On the fourteenth day of October in the year 2002 on a less obscure calendar Dante Rundgren, then twenty three years old, was very nearly a victim of spontaneous combustion. Growing warm all over, Dante feared that God was punishing him for cheating on his wife with an Asian transvestite. God, wanting nothing to do with this, performed a miracle and intervened. Not that anyone would ever know, thank you very much. To punish Dante, God gave him AIDS. This, however, was shortsighted as the virus was spread to Dante's wife, who was a pure soul and deserved better. Thank you very much.)
No one can breathe in the void of space. But the boy had been chosen, he knew he had been. He knew this was the beginning of his story. The prophecy he was meant to fulfill. He was correct. He was incorrect however about the nature of the prophecy. And little did he know, even with the mark of the stars, he still only had an eleven percent chance of actually fulfilling the prophecy. The stars were powerful, yes, but they weren't fucking magic.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Thursday, May 10, 2007
The missing bottle in the six pack.
The boy, although cursed, had a talent. Whether it was an evolutionary glitch or a by-product of his dance with the stars, he would never know. The boy could die by sheer force of will.
If it was quiet enough, and dark enough, the boy could call a sudden end to his existence.
First he would close his eyes and picture his heart in his mind. Breathing deep and slow, he would imagine his heart slowing down. Thump, thump. Thump. Thump. Thump...thump. Thump......thump. Th-
It was done.
What came next was nothing.
Blackness. Nonexistence. What dreams might come...who knows?
Then, the last star to cross him would pass to his hemisphere. The last curse, the strongest one, was from the star his planet circled. It was the curse of morning, of renewal, of rebirth.
The boy could never die for long. Eight or ten hours at the most. And if the window was open, and you could see the other stars, twinkling with laughter like those that know how the joke ends.
If it was quiet enough, and dark enough, the boy could call a sudden end to his existence.
First he would close his eyes and picture his heart in his mind. Breathing deep and slow, he would imagine his heart slowing down. Thump, thump. Thump. Thump. Thump...thump. Thump......thump. Th-
It was done.
What came next was nothing.
Blackness. Nonexistence. What dreams might come...who knows?
Then, the last star to cross him would pass to his hemisphere. The last curse, the strongest one, was from the star his planet circled. It was the curse of morning, of renewal, of rebirth.
The boy could never die for long. Eight or ten hours at the most. And if the window was open, and you could see the other stars, twinkling with laughter like those that know how the joke ends.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Just...one...more...quarter...
Was the boy sorry for what he did? No. But he was sorry for the way things turned out.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Infinity minus one.
There were always other girls.
There were lists and lists of girls that, over the years, would call on the boy. He was their favorite, the one they kept returning to over and over again. He slept with them all, if by slept one meant fitfully drifted in and out of consciousness next to their sleeping forms. Occasionally they would kiss him, to show they were willing...if only...but just...not right now...
All of these women, sometimes two or three at a time. How could he be alone? The stars, the stars, oh how he hated the stars.
"But, boy," they'd say. "You have so much. Why do you always ignore that?"
The boy would usually agree with them, to show willing...if only...but just...not right now...
At night, he would watch the sky, but the stars were cold and distant.
There were lists and lists of girls that, over the years, would call on the boy. He was their favorite, the one they kept returning to over and over again. He slept with them all, if by slept one meant fitfully drifted in and out of consciousness next to their sleeping forms. Occasionally they would kiss him, to show they were willing...if only...but just...not right now...
All of these women, sometimes two or three at a time. How could he be alone? The stars, the stars, oh how he hated the stars.
"But, boy," they'd say. "You have so much. Why do you always ignore that?"
The boy would usually agree with them, to show willing...if only...but just...not right now...
At night, he would watch the sky, but the stars were cold and distant.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Threeplay.
The boy had known other girls.
One night, a girl came over. She was numbed by tequila and convenience store wine. The boy tried to find equal footing with some Irish whiskey. After some necking and some heavy petting, he suggested they move to another room. She said that sounded like a good idea. They laughed and necked some more. Then the girl commented on how many clothes she was wearing and fixed the situation the only way she knew how. She was excited and responsive and eventually she was reduced to monosyllabic utterances. The utterances grew in volume and frequency until she asked the boy for a moment to compose herself.
When the moment was over, the girl fell asleep. The boy, still clothed, laid there looking at what he had done. Eventually he got up and went to the balcony. He lit a cigarette and smoked.
The boy had known other girls, and this had happened before.
On the balcony, the boy looked to the stars and shook his fist.
One night, a girl came over. She was numbed by tequila and convenience store wine. The boy tried to find equal footing with some Irish whiskey. After some necking and some heavy petting, he suggested they move to another room. She said that sounded like a good idea. They laughed and necked some more. Then the girl commented on how many clothes she was wearing and fixed the situation the only way she knew how. She was excited and responsive and eventually she was reduced to monosyllabic utterances. The utterances grew in volume and frequency until she asked the boy for a moment to compose herself.
When the moment was over, the girl fell asleep. The boy, still clothed, laid there looking at what he had done. Eventually he got up and went to the balcony. He lit a cigarette and smoked.
The boy had known other girls, and this had happened before.
On the balcony, the boy looked to the stars and shook his fist.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
A hundred and forty-three of a gross.
Occasionally, the boy would wander. He had a penchant for getting lost and this was something he liked to take advantage of, at times.
On this particular day, the boy loaded some clothes in a duffel bag and got in his car. He drove. And then he drove some more. Then he stopped and rested by the side of the road. When he woke up, he drove some more. He made a right and continued driving. Eventually, he found himself in a large city. There he parked his car in a garage and walked to the closest bus stop.
It was at the bus stop that he met a girl.
"What city is this?" he asked.
"Philadelphia," she replied.
"Ah," he said. "The Garden State."
She laughed and he liked her laugh. When the bus came they got on and sat together. They talked for a long time and then the bus stopped for the night and they got off and talked some more. They walked and talked. Eventually, they made it back to the girl's place and she asked the boy if he wanted to come up. He told her no, that he had to find his way back.
"No," he said. "I have to find my way back."
Walking back to the parking garage, he tripped and fell to the stars.
On this particular day, the boy loaded some clothes in a duffel bag and got in his car. He drove. And then he drove some more. Then he stopped and rested by the side of the road. When he woke up, he drove some more. He made a right and continued driving. Eventually, he found himself in a large city. There he parked his car in a garage and walked to the closest bus stop.
It was at the bus stop that he met a girl.
"What city is this?" he asked.
"Philadelphia," she replied.
"Ah," he said. "The Garden State."
She laughed and he liked her laugh. When the bus came they got on and sat together. They talked for a long time and then the bus stopped for the night and they got off and talked some more. They walked and talked. Eventually, they made it back to the girl's place and she asked the boy if he wanted to come up. He told her no, that he had to find his way back.
"No," he said. "I have to find my way back."
Walking back to the parking garage, he tripped and fell to the stars.
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