Story Isle

Story Isle is a collection of short stories that I have worked on at some point or the other. I hope you enjoy it just as much as I have.

[storyisle]

(via Fontography) Please check out my new photo book titled fontography which combines fonts and real world photography.

[storyisle]

The Explorer

I am an explorer by trade. An insatiable adventurer, moving from place to place, planet to planet, one galaxy to another, looking for valuable things, jumping from one adventure to another. I have seen some of the most incredible things known to man. Do you know what it’s like to witness the five different suns of Mend-4 rising at the same time? Orgasmic I tell you. How about a white Agora; a cat so mysterious, the locals of the planet believed its feces had magical powers.

Despite the myriad amazing things and places I had been, none has or will ever compare to one particular encounter I had on earth. It still feels like something out of a dream, a chance encounter which would probably not have happened if I had stuck to my initial decision that day.

I was supposed to meet a fellow adventurer in Chicago but he was unable to make it for said appointment because his kid was in the hospital. Being winter, Chicago can be quite unfriendly to human beings.

That night was no different. The remnants of a snow storm were all around, frozen solid, black snow and ice littering the streets.

I was irritable, knowing I could be on a tropical world, sun basking on the whitest sands in the galaxy. Have you ever seen a rainbow sun? Trust me that image never leaves you, but I digress. I forget the name of the particular street but I was looking for a cab to get me back to the hotel I was staying downtown. I had made up my mind that I would get out of the city first thing in the morning. That was when I turned and saw her, sitting by the window seat in an obscure little coffee shop, reading a book, whilst taking sips from the steaming coffee mug in front of her.

Now you should know, I have seen beautiful women before, both alien and human. As one who appreciates art and beauty in all shapes, forms and manners, I tend to gravitate to such, but for the first time in my life I was seriously taken aback. I stopped and stared at her for a few moments, cold weather be damned. I couldn’t care less if the relentless wind was toying with my face like it had a grudge with it.

You can tell a lot about a person simply by how they handle themselves in a coffee shop. Are they constantly browsing at some mobile gadget? How often are they taking sips of their coffee, rushed or taking their time? Are they taking note of their surroundings or simply buried in their own little world?

She seemed to be really enjoying her book not paying attention to much around her. Perhaps that was for the best, because if she had raised her head then she’d have seen this guy dressed poorly for the weather staring at her like some mannequin in a jewelry store.

My thoughts were racing. Should I go in? Or should I go home? What were my chances of getting her to talk to me? What if she objected to being bothered whilst reading?

I couldn’t believe how nervous I was. This was uncharted territory for me. With much deliberation and dilly dallying, I forced myself to go into the coffee shop, but that was just half the battle.

I have tussled with golden hide rhinos on the Evgian peninsula, fought elusive steel coated pythons in Madriga, and evaded man eating horses in Luchia, yet this young lady seated in the back of the coffee shop terrified me more than all of them put together. Why? Simply because I had no plan. She wasn’t artwork that had to be priced up or down, neither was she some rare animal that had to be bagged. In other words I was out of my league, and was unsure what the next line of action would be.

The Barista at the counter must have sensed my nervousness. She politely waited for me to get my bearings and suggested I try their caramel macchiato.

"It’s her favorite as well" she said, winking at me. I immediately started blushing, was I that obvious? Then I realized for the past 5 minutes, I had been sneaking glances at my crush in the back, whilst pretending I was trying to pick my coffee of choice.

In a few seconds my coffee would be done and then what? Stand around looking like a complete sod?

No, dammit. I rode atop the blue mist Firebeast of Kerouin. I have gone toe to toe against a mad dictator and didn’t back down over his treatment of minorities in his country. I am the youngest ever member of the Alphacs, the premier adventuring outfit in the galaxy. I would not be daunted by this beautiful woman. No way!

"Sir, your coffee is ready."

Immediately my ego which had been floating off into the stratosphere came sliding back to earth. Gulping, I went over to the counter and picked it up. It was warm to the touch, and immediately soothed me.

It was time to make my move. Was I a man or a mouse? Sheepishly in the back of my mind, something squeaked mouse and I almost fled the store. With some considerable effort I turned around and matched towards the young lady. Her head was firmly buried in her book and if she had noticed me, she paid me no attention. Great! What was I going to say?

I thought of the many fixes and problems I had gotten into on my adventures and wondered how I had escalated this somewhat simple issue into one of such grandiose levels. As I debated what I was going to say, my mouth seemed to act on its own, spurring me into action before I could stop it.

"Hello! I couldn’t help but notice you were reading Americana … I have been meaning to get into it as well."

She looked up, and I froze. Eyes a beautiful shade of blue stared at me amusingly. Her curly hair seemed to be trying to make up their mind on whether to remain in their curvy form or go straight, either way it framed her face beautifully. You could tell she smiled a lot, her cheeks were perfectly arched, indicative of someone who did a lot of smiling. I couldn’t tell if she was wearing lipstick or lip gloss but it mattered not, her succulent red lips parted to reveal the whitest teeth I had ever seen on a human being. All this happened in a matter of moments but the best was yet to come. When she spoke, it was as if I was hearing the melodious voices of the Cerani on the planet Vegea. My auditory nerves must have sighed in relief because all of a sudden I felt at peace, awash in the aura of this being in front of me.

I must have come off as a dolt seeing that I didn’t pay attention to anything she had said the first time around. I was too caught up in the sound of her voice rather than the words she had spoken.

She was nice enough to repeat herself luckily for me, ” Hi I am Gracia, how do you do?”

That was all it took, for the next 3 hours we talked about everything from her foreign roots to her plans to change the world. I learned a lot about her and vice versa, and whilst there’s a lot more to add to this story, I won’t bore you with details.

Or perhaps I may, but as I have learned from the story tellers of Dionae. The best stories are never told in one sitting. Until next time.

[storyisle]

Goodbye 2014 ... Thanks for the memories

[storyisle]

Lady of the Glade

Hurry up! Makail said. He had a nasty habit of being impatient when he was overly excited. He was much bigger than me, though I was older. Longer legs wading through the snow gave him the advantage over the terrain. I had no clue where he was going. This was my first time ever coming this far into the woods.

"Hurry, he said again. Followed by ‘girls!’ The term he only used for me when he was totally exasperated. I reached down into the snow, compressed a good bunch into my hand until it formed into a nice ball and let it sail, hitting Makail squarely on the back of his head.

He turned around and glared at me, but said nothing. Briskly moving again, clearly intent on getting to his destination without much distractions.

That in itself was a first. Makail was a kid who was raised in an all boy household. The youngest of 5, he had learned to survive by fighting for everything he had. He was a scrapper as my pa would say. Despite his short tempered ways, he was a smart kid with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Of course this constantly got him into trouble since his nose was always in one thing or the other. I had no doubt whatever he was going to show me would be both exciting and troubling. The fact he hadn’t retaliated with a snow ball of his told me just how important this was to him.

The moon was playing hide and seek with the clouds, once in a while it’d pop out and illuminate everything in sight then retreat leaving us to our own devices. Most of the time I relied on the moon lamp Makail had to light our path. The snow had been relentless this year, there was nary a step I took that didn’t have my knee sunk well into the soft and extremely cold surroundings. Thank goodness I had worn two trousers, mama would be so angry if I got sick.

This winter had been very tough for us. With papa out of work, the last thing we wanted was anyone getting something that’d deplete our resources. We simply could not afford it.

Mama was doing her best to keep the family together but with dad getting so frustrated with his lack of work, tempers were flaring more easily by the day.

Which was why I needed this foray into the woods. Makail was not the sentimental type and if he was, he rarely showed it. But something tells me, he planned this to get my mind of things. He was the type of person many would call an oaf on first meeting, but if you took time to get to know him, you’d be surprised at just how much of a depth there is to him.

STOP! He yelled, interrupting my thoughts and making me freeze abruptly.

He stood, hand behind him to warn me to move forward cautiously. He spoke in a barely audible tone, “hold my hand, from here we go in alone. No moon lamp, and utter silence.”

I nodded in agreement and reached for his hand. His palm felt so big and swallowed mine easily. As cold as it was, his gloved hands felt reassuring.

I knew he would protect me from the nasty beasts that may be about, but with how bad the snow was, our worst fears were not of the predatory kind.

We inched forward, one slow step at a time. Until we came to a glade that I had never seen before.

It was almost as if this place existed outside of time. Whilst snow stretched as far as the eye could see, it was oddly warm. Even more surprising was how many wood creatures were there. I gasped, seeing some that many thought no longer existed. They were all hunched together in a circle, as if expecting something to appear before them. If they had noticed us, they let off no sign that they had.

I squeezed Makail’s hands tightly as I noticed some of the animals ahead of me could make quick work of me in the blink of an eye. Even the best hunters in Littleoak would think twice about approaching.

Makail steered us to the edge of the glade, hidden behind some large trees. He placed his middle finger in his mouth, there would be no talking from hence forth.

It wasn’t exactly the most ideal spot but from here I could see into the clearing. The creatures all had their ears perked up, as if trying to pick up on something, and it didn’t take long for us to find out. It started off as a whisper, emanating from all over the forest. I glanced around nervously trying to figure out where it was coming from, but Makail seemed unperturbed. As I tried to speak up to ask him what was going on, he gave me a stern look, putting his finger on his lips once more.

Suddenly, a lady appeared in the middle of the glade. I had to stifle whatever noise was about to escape my lips, the shock of seeing her appear so abruptly had caught me off guard. Makail grinned, and I knew this was who he was waiting for all along. Trust him to find some pretty woman in the woods.

I focused on her to see what I could make out. She was tall, very tall. Perhaps the tallest I had ever seen. She had long wavy jet black hair that, I kid you not, reached all the way to her ankles. Mind you, she had her back turned to us when she appeared. Her skin was milky white, almost as pale as the very snow she stood on.

When she turned around, it was as if time moved with her. A gentle sighing, followed by a cool breeze moved through our position. I was finally going to see who this mysterious woman was. I will never be able to do what I saw enough justice, I was gazing upon the most beautiful person or thing I had ever seen in my life, I kid you not. To some that doesn’t mean much, after all I came from a little town. The most beautiful thing I had ever seen was definitely predicated on all my limited experiences. To said people, you are most definitely entitled to your opinions, but without a doubt, this woman will trump whatever ideas or notion you have of beauty.

  All I can remember of her face were her electric blue eyes. Color like that in a human being was impossible. It was as if they were glittering, but I know my description is flawed since I am only explaining from my limited human perspective.

If she had seen us, she paid us no mind. Makail and I were probably of no consequence to her. Speaking of Makail, he had become very attentive as soon as she arrived. He had a fawning look, of someone who had discovered something he would be in servitude to. Something about that look of his irked me, but I was too caught up in the magic around me to focus too long on that.

A haunting melodic sound filled the arena, and even though there’s no way I can ever do it proper justice by my description, I will tell you this, it’s the best thing I ever heard and most likely will ever hear. It was like the wind, and some angelic voice had combined and they were putting on a performance for all. It was the sort of sound that invaded your ears and made its way to every part of your body, leaving a tingling sensation. It was pleasing and enchanting at the very same time. Makail must have been experiencing similar because he let out a soft sigh, looking ahead adoringly. We both had first row seats to the best performance in town.

That was when I noticed the woman was swaying to and fro. In mesmeric dance steps, moving her body in such a graceful way, it made me cognizant of just how bad a dancer I was.

It started off slowly, the wind song remaining a steady tempo. Her gaze was skywards, moving her hands in a gesture that mimicked, at least to me, the rise and fall of a wave, rushing in from the sea and breaking gently on the shore front.

Her voice remained the same, though it felt like it was emanating from all around us. Her steps began to quicken and so did the song. Suddenly the snow beneath her began to rise. I had never seen anything like it. It split off into four long tails, all braided, weaving and intertwining into the air, forming a sort of enclosure around the dancer. As she swirled around the glade, the snow moved with her as well. Never impeding her, never stopping as well.

The moon shone brighter, focused on the spectacle beneath. Bathing her in a luminous glow, whilst everything else was submerged in darkness.

I don’t recall when the tears started coming down my cheeks, but I must have cried for a good while. I felt like I had witnessed the greatest thing in my life but did so by cheating the performer. What could I offer this being that would ever make up for what I just saw.

The song picked up pace and so did her dancing. Whirling and spinning like there were no bones in her body. At some point she was completely bent over, moving around on all fours without a concern in the world. Makail must have loved it because he had a twisted grin. I think it was at that point I knew we had to leave. I gently nudged him so we could depart, it was way past my bedtime and I didn’t want to get in trouble. He paid me no mind, his whole attention squarely on the lady in the glade.

Her song was getting faster, and something felt wrong. Call it premonition of some sorts, but I knew we had to get out of there and quick. I grabbed Makail by the arm, and tried to yank him but he wouldn’t budge. I whispered his name countless times but no response. I pulled with all my might and out of frustration, I yelled out his name.

MAKAIL! We have to leave …

A few things happened right after that, he reacted by pushing me away and into the snow. I was surprised at just how strong he was, I must have moved a few inches or so away from him, landing butt first in the snow.

Silence like I had never encountered before enveloped the glade. It was as if something had sucked out all the sound. I looked up and every single creature was staring in my direction, but that was not even the most disturbing part. The lady of the glade was looking at both of us with those icy blue eyes.

This was bad. Really bad. There was an odd electric sensation in the air and I knew staying here longer than necessary would be disastrous.

"Makail we need to leave … Please!"

Throughout this whole ordeal Makail had turned his back to me and when he finally did, I noticed his eyes were just as blue as the lady in the glade. Something else was going on, it was as if his face was undergoing a transformation. Changing before my very eyes into something ghastly and odd.

I got up abruptly to bolt out of there, but not before hearing him bray out loudly. I ran for my life. I ran as hard as my legs could. Bumping into trees, fighting the snow, only focused on getting as far as I could.

Eventually exhaustion caught up to me and I crumbled in front of a big oak tree. I cried my eyes out, knowing my best friend was gone. He was one of them now and it was all my fault. My last thought before I passed out was the realization that every single creature had a somewhat human like appearance to their face. It was concealed in all the beast but it was there when focused on.

Now I knew how they had gotten there … Makail, poor Makail I sobbed, and then everything went black.

I woke up the next day, in my room, unsure of how I had gotten back there. The only evidence of ever being out the previous night was the puddle of water around my shoes, though surprisingly, my clothes seemed dry.

No one has seen Makail since then and the bitter knowledge of knowing what happened to him eats away at me. I have been tempted to go back to the glade, but my understanding of the area is quite poor. Besides, knowing what I know, ending up as one of the spectators to the inhuman dance of the lady of the glade keeps me firmly at bay.

I often peek out my window hoping Makail will come stumbling out of the woods but to no avail. I miss him so much, and knowing he’s out there somewhere, is a burden that continually weighs me down. Sometimes when I close my eyes, I envision those startling blue eyes. It’s like they are poring into my soul and there’s nothing I can do about it. In moments like that I hear the song, beckoning me to come. Begging me to come back. Asking me to be a part of the circle.

[storyisle]

The Statement (OKAN)

Good evening my fellow country men and women. I am Okan, and I come to you today as a fellow country man, your son, brother, friend and a concerned citizen.

Recent events that have transpired have necessitated my appearing before you so. I promise I will not waste your time, but hopefully by the time I am done we can all move forward together.

A couple of years back, a sectarian group sprang up in the south, vowing to wreak havoc on those who accepted western beliefs. What started off as a rag tag group of radicals, would develop into the nation’s greatest threat with thousands of lives lost to their mad reign of carnage.

The Kalakurtan government on countless occasions have tried without success to stop this menace but failed to do so. A few months back, individuals like me started springing up around the country. Blessed with unbelievable power, we were nothing like anyone had seen. I felt that I had a responsibility to my country. This power had been given to me for a reason. I started to seek out others with similar abilities, and managed to convince them to sign up for a cause that would serve our country.

We decided we would take on the grip and stop them before they took more lives. We thought it’d be wise to consult with the political leaders of the country to let them know of our plans. I believe in democracy, and I thought by offering the Kalakurtan government a chance to work with us, we would all achieve a common goal.

Unfortunately, I was naive. I underestimated just how bad the rot is. Our political class has been feasting on the nation for centuries. Lining their wallets with our money, whilst the rest of us suffered.

They tried to silence us, by claiming they were attacking the grip. Foreign media, that covered our raid on Alobam where able to show that we had the grip and their leader subdued. We were going to turn them over to the government for interrogation so as to find out who is financially backing the group.

Their actions against us, show they had no intention of dealing with us in good faith. They thought they’d silence the truth by killing Ahmid Maharaji. They failed and now they will deal with the consequences.

There are members of our government collaborating with the grip to sow discord in our country. There are former presidents, rulers and dictators who have been supporting the group to invalidate our current president and also pave the way for their return. There are foreign governments who want to see Kalakurta in chaos. Scared of our potential, worried we can rise up to be a legitimate factor in this region.

They have ALL failed.

We know who you are, and we have extracted all the information we need from Maharaji.

Rest assured, we are coming for you. You will return what you have robbed us off.

People have died in the scores because of your greediness. Children are growing up without ever knowing what stable electricity looks like. Their schools are in shambles whilst you jet your kids abroad for the finest education. Our health care system is non existent whilst you go to the best in the world. Our economy is crippled because of the greed and corruption that chases foreign investors away.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

If you have stolen from this country, plotted against it or worked with those who have, your time is up.

If you are in government and think this is addresses towards you, then I’d suggest you start thinking of ways to remedy this. If you cannot do your job, step aside for those who may.

In conclusion, you will begin to see and hear a lot of things within the following months. Please don’t be scared. We will need to clean out the vermin before we start repairing what they’ve destroyed. Bear with us, I promise it will get better.

Thank you and good night.

[storyisle]

Bird

The little bird feels constrained, it yearns to soar but its feet are tied down. No matter how hard it flutters said wings, its efforts are futile. It looks up and sees its mates flying gaily in the skies above and it can’t help but feel envy. Envy that they are free. Free to do as they please. To fly in any direction their heart wills them. To stop and go as they please.

But deep down inside, he believes. He believes he will join them soon. He has the glint in his eye. It never leaves. It sees beyond his temporary predicament. To a place where his wings will embrace the wind and lift him to heights previously undiscovered by his peers.

He turns around to look at his anchor. The object that has caused him so much misery. He pecks at it furiously but it does not give. He notices the rope is beginning to fray, yet still strong enough to bind him for now. He hears the songs of the birds above and it lifts his spirits, instantaneously he jumps to join them. But alas, he only levitates a few feet of the ground before the rope tugs him back to reality.

Wait he must, yearning and reaching for freedom. Eventually the rope will give, but for now, waiting is all he can do.

[storyisle]

Happy New Year

[storyisle]

Fart Man

I stumbled across my powers in the most uncomfortable of ways. Merely thinking of it makes me red with discomfort. It’s not something I am proud of, but considering the circumstances, I suppose it was the breakthrough I needed to discover my ability.

I wasn’t hit by lightning, there were no freak accidents and I most certainly didn’t land here from outer space in some pod. If I did, no one has told me yet and judging by my lack of abilities besides this one bodily function, I am wont to think that I am most definitely human. I wasn’t strapped up in some lab, product of some government weapons program … I most certainly am not the offspring of super powered individuals, my parents are the most normal people you’d ever meet. In fact I am not sure what’s more boring, watching paint dry or my folks going about their daily activities. In other words, I am the last person you’d expect to have any type of power(s).

But I digress, high school was tough I’ll be honest. I was slightly chubby and this posed its own set of problems. I also happened to be very clumsy, compounding on my problems and pretty much relegating me into the outer circles of the social hierarchy in my school. Yes, just like the movies, I rolled with the dweebs and the nerds. The ‘unacceptables’ we called ourselves. Not that we disliked it, those guys were pretty dependable for the most part. I don’t think I could have asked for better friends.

The real issue was when my hormones just like any other kid at that stage in life, started to kick in, and suddenly the female species looked a whole lot more appealing. Just like every kid my age, we spent a lot of time thinking about them, talking about them and coming up with plans on how to woo them. There was this one particular girl in class that every boy fantasized about or at least I thought they did. Angela Atkins was her name though I have tried unsuccessfully to forget about her.

She had the sweetest dimples I have ever seen on anyone. She wore her hair in a ponytail and always had a bevy of people surrounding her outside of class. She was the belle of what I considered my social sphere back then. Everyone knew of her, and I am guessing most of the guys in my class fantasized about her like I did.

She was that mountain I had no idea how to scale. She was the object of my desire, as radiant as the sun yet just as far. If she would just acknowledge me, my life would be okay or so I thought.

You would think when given the chance to talk to her, that I’d make the best of it and to some extent I did, this act of mine would finally lead to the discovery of what would grow into my super powers. Sadly, what lead to this would scar me mentally for the rest of my life. It would be the single most embarrassing moment of my existence, and whilst I have had so many of those, this one though, definitely takes the cake.

We were out on the playground that fateful day. My crew and I as usual were in our section of the yard. The more I think about it, the more I realize just how much we sucked back then. We were the wimps. The outcasts. The kids who gathered around and compared dungeons and dragons cards, who argued about who was the better game character, Sonic or Mario? To us, we found nothing wrong with it, and to my fellow nerds out there, I feel your pain. But let me be the first to admit, that path we took back then, was one full of marginalization. We were ostracized for our interests, bandied into a box that till now I am still struggling to break out from. But I digress, back to me and my fellow nerds chilling by the bushes, watching all the pretty girls in class talk to themselves, wondering why they paid us no mind.

I don’t know who came up with the idea first, I won’t take credit for such foolishness, but I suppose you should know when a bunch of 10 year boys get together, and girls are in the vicinity, particularly those of the same age, chances are the topic of conversation will eventually stray to members of the fairer sex.

I know we had to be talking about who was the hottest girl in class. A few names must have been tossed out but the consensus would have to be Angela. One thing led to another and I am guessing we started preening and prawning about who was best suited for her.

It really doesn’t take much to get guys to take up a bet. There’s a reason why casinos are such money traps. Something about the human psyche and gambling seems to go hand in hand.

I was dared because I happened to be the de-facto leader of the group. Something along the lines of not having the guts to go talk to Angela, a bet which would garner me a month long supply of the Spiderman comics. Ask yourself this, would you pass on such an opportunity?

In my young mind, it was a simple task. Approach the girl of my dreams, mutter a few words and high tail it out of there. What could go wrong?

Unfortunately for me, I underestimated how much my nerves would play a part in this and was about to get introduced to a very odd ability that would define my life in later years. But I digress, back to the topic at hand.

There she was, chatting with her friends, looking as radiant as can be. An image of such beauty and grace. I on the other hand was all nerves. Sure I had agreed to take up the bet but it didn’t mean I wasn’t worried about the action. I was walking into enemy territory, to talk to the queen in the midst of her minions. By no means would they be happy that I broke up their conversation. I had no clue what I was going to say but fortunately for me, fortune was about to direct her smile my way, though when I think about what followed afterwards it was more like a malicious grin.

Her friends must have been distracted by something, because all of a sudden they all flocked to the other side of the playground, chattering excitedly, leaving Angela behind. Here was the opening I needed. She was all alone, all I had to do was approach her. I tried moving forward but my feet were frozen to the spot. My brain had gone blank, I couldn’t think of what to say. I could hear my friends ribbing mercilessly, but it just came off as incoherent sounds as I tried to make sense of what was at hand. Finally someone grabbed my arm, shaking me a few times. That seemed to have done it, as my senses came alive and I could suddenly comprehend what was going on around me.

"I’ll do it" I said bravely. Followed of course by cheers from my crew.

I don’t know what had gotten into me, but before I knew it, I had planted one foot forward, followed by another. All of a sudden I knew what it felt like to scale the rugged terrain of Everest. To see the peak above you, and despite all the odds of making it, you reach into your inner reserves for strength you never thought you had, and will yourself to the finish line.

That was pretty much how I got to stand in front of Angela. She was actually looking down at something in the sand. I suppose my shadow falling across her line of sight alerted her to my presence. I waffled for a few moments, trying to pick the right phrase to get things going…everything that came to mind would have earned me a slap on the spot. I was already way too far into enemy lines to retreat. This was turning out to be a disaster.

And then she looked up ….

It was almost as if the world stopped spinning for that moment or two. Neurons stopped firing and my thoughts went haywire. Alert! Alert! Alert! This wasn’t in the plan. I hadn’t taken into account just how gorgeous she was up close. If my heart beat any faster it probably would form the rhythm for a dance track.

All the carefully crafted words I had rehearsed in my mind had evaporated into nothingness, stranding me on an island with the prettiest girl in our grade with no resources whatsoever to help me out of my current conundrum.

"Hi Derek" she said. But she might as well have been speaking in a foreign language. I mean yes she was looking at me, smiling without a care in the world completely oblivious to the fact that the doofus in front of her hadn’t expected such a warm response, totally catching me off guard.

I stood there staring at her unsure of what to say, whilst she looked up at me, still smiling. After a few moments, I mumbled something about the nice weather we had that day. Of which she remarked casually that the weather man had said it would be pleasant all week.

Weather man…did she just tell me that? She watched the weather man. Who was this girl and what planet was she from? Suddenly my interest was piqued, which in retrospect was a terrible thing to happen. It meant I was about to pursue an endeavor I should have wisely backed away from. Unfortunately with Angela showing some sort of interest in knowledge gathering, I was bound to pry further.

"They say it’s been the hottest year on record in the last ten years", I sputtered.

Judging by her reaction, I could tell I had veered too quickly into nerd territory. I must have misjudged how much she cared about weather news, she had probably only heard the week’s forecast in passing, not an active follower of the broadcast like I had thought.

I had to quickly follow up with something ‘cool’ before losing her interest. I could feel my compadres’ gaze from all the way across the playground, I dare not mess this up now.

"Have…have you seen the new power rangers?"

Yes, you are probably rolling your eyes thinking to yourself, what a clown this guy is. Of all things he could come up with at the moment, it had to be a cheesy martial arts show. To my surprise though, Angela chuckled and nodded.

"Yes, I love it, how did you know I like stuff like that?"

I blinked, words failing to come to me. Did she just say she liked stuff like that? Was I in some alternate reality where gorgeous girls like Angela were actually cool and into nerdy stuff like I was? This was truly incomprehensible. I had these notions of the type of stuff Angela would like, and none of it seemed to fall in line with the stuff that interested in me. If I weren’t so nervous I probably would never have asked about the Power rangers to begin with. But in my error, I had found an opening. This girl was way cooler than I had thought. I had to know more.

"I…I didn’t know actually. I just took a guess. Who’s your favorite ranger?"

"Blue" she chimed. "Billy is so cool, though everyone thinks he is a wimp."

WHOA! It would seem I had found the ideal woman. Future mother of my kids and eventual partner or so I thought. My immature self couldn’t believe that this girl I had admired from afar, not only liked my type of shows, but she also liked my favorite ranger. We were destined to be I thought.

Maybe if I had slowed down a bit, I probably would have avoided the catastrophe about to happen. But alas, my mind was moving so fast, caution had been overtaken a long time ago.

"That’s so cool…Billy is my favorite too. He’s so not a wimp, remember when he helped the rangers infiltrate Rita’s dark dimension? I mean the guy is so smart, he doesn’t need to be tough all the time. Then there was that time he created the Radburg, and all those other inventions he keeps making. He is just too awesome. Sometimes I wish I were just like him"

Angela smiled at me patiently as I prattled on. She had that look one would give to an over excited toddler, waiting on them to calm down. It was only after realizing that I had said too much, that things really got dicey.

To a lot of people, what I am about to describe is downright disgusting if not disturbing. I apologize ahead of time, it wasn’t like I have control over such. Whilst this action till date is a source of embarrassment, you must also know, its helped me become my alter ego and has saved quite a few lives. It is not the coolest power in the world, but its mine and I have no regrets about it.

What power would that be, you might be wondering? Well…to cut it short, its GAS. Yes gas! You know, flatulence, flatus, breaking wind, farting and the myriad of names it has in popular culture. Mine just happens to be quite pungent, and by pungent I mean knock you out of your shoes type strong. Poor Angela and I were about to discover that.

Like I said, I had spoke too much about the power rangers and was feeling sorry for myself when I noticed something was stirring in my bowels. We’ve all had it. That feeling you are about to rip a nasty one but you desperately try to quell it so as not to make a scene. To complicate matters, I was about to do this nasty deed in front of the one girl I liked a whole lot. What a horrible feeling it was indeed.

I began to think of a way to save myself from this mess, hoping I could hightail it out of there before I let go of my ‘gas’.

"Well it was nice chatting with you Angela, I think I will go back to talk to my friends now…Enjoy your day."

I turned around to briskly walk back to where the other guys were, when Angela called out to me.

"Wait!"

I froze on the spot. Desperately trying to push back the pressure building down below. I was losing the fight and I knew in any second now, it’d be coming out. From the way it felt, this was going to be a whopper. Why oh why did Angela stop me?

"Yes," I said. Turning around meekly. She walked towards me, smiling at me like I had something she wanted and was going to pry it out of me no matter what.

“Do you want to come and watch power rangers with me this weekend?”

ALERT! ALERT! ALERT!

I interrupt this recap of my life, to notify the reader of how epic that moment that just transpired was in real time. I cannot begin to explain to you, just how elated I got when she did that. At that age, it was probably similar to me winning the lottery. That’s how impactful her request was to me. Unfortunately, said moment was short lived, but hey I still can’t help but look back at it with some joy.

“I…I..would love to.” I stuttered, barely able to contain my excitement.

“Sweet! See you at ….”

She never got to give me a time, nor finish her sentence and I never got to go and watch Power rangers with her.

Why you may ask?

Well, at that very point in time, my bowels felt like they could not hold on to the flatulence anymore, releasing a devastating knockout punch that would not only daze me, but also Angela as well. I was told afterwards that both me and Angela fell to the ground and we were out for at least thirty minutes. The image I remember seeing of her before everything turned to black, was her scrunching up her nose, looking at me with such disgust and then crumpling to the ground. It was at that very moment that I discovered I was not normal, but it would take years for me to be able to control this ability and also prevent myself from passing out whenever I used it.

It is this same ability that would help me thwart several muggings, stabbings and all sorts of crime on the streets of Chicago. It was then I realized I had been blessed with the ability to knock people out simply by them taking a whiff of my fart.

Yes ladies and gentleman, on that particularly day in the playground, the hero that the world would come to know years later as fart man was created.

[storyisle]

A Boy Named Max III

It was a moonless night. An ink black color enveloped the sky, perhaps a sign to aid us in the events that were about to unfurl.

Chico drove his old Eclipse, a car that had seen better days, yet responded to his touch like some old trusty companion. It was him, a friend of his and me in the car. We all wore dark clothes, doing our best not to draw any attention to ourselves. With how dark it was, that part of the plan was covered to perfection.

We parked some ways off from the shop but not too far off to make getting away tough. Chico’s friend apparently had enhanced vision surgery and zooming in on the shop would be no problem for him. If anyone showed up, he was to contact Chico immediately. We were to go in, grab as much as we could in a matter of minutes and get out. Simple enough I thought, we’d be long gone before anyone knew the place had been burgled.

I should have known it was a cursed night when the car sputtered up the hill that lead to the store. Cussing in a language I had never heard before, Chico was able to spur the car on, avoiding what could have been a very embarrassing moment. I do recall thinking to myself, what would happen if we were trying to get away and the car did the same. My nerves were probably on edge already that would definitely have tipped them over.

Needless to say, we maneuvered into a side street, where Chico’s friend immediately wrangled himself to the top of a nearby rooftop to act as lookout. Chico got out of his car and handed me a baseball bat. “Don’t hesitate to use it if things get hairy.”

I nodded, hoping that wouldn’t be the case.

It was a short walk to the store, sticking to the shadows to avoid being spotted. Wouldn’t have mattered though, the area was desolate, there was no sign of life around. There were tons of beat down cars, probably salvaged to create spare parts of some kind. It wouldn’t have surprised me if a lot of them were stolen, but since I had no way of confirming that, I can only speculate.

The entrance to the store was heavily fortified with some type of wrought iron gate. We’d need some type of specialized saw to cut through those. Either that or chuck a bomb at it and hope it did the job. There was a key code panel by the side but judging from the way Chico was surveying the building, it was clear he didn’t have the tools to break in.

He walked around the building, I followed. He kept ‘hmmming’ as he studied the schematics, and after going round the building once he stopped.  “Chali,” he drawled in that thick accent of his, “it seems you will have to climb in the window and let me in from the inside.”

I didn’t think anything of his suggestion. I was probably more nimble than he was and would rather go through that hassle than calling attention by fiddling with the key code access at the front.

Carefully, I walked to the side where Chico pointed upwards. Indeed there was a window opened slightly, but I would need some help getting up there. He squatted and put his palms together. I stepped on them, instantly hearing a groan, but I was too focused on the task at hand to pay much attention. Chico hoisted me up, I latched onto the ledge immediately. I looked up and saw that with a slight push I could get the window to open upwards. It took some effort but I got it done. I lifted myself up and clambered onto the ledge. I didn’t know what was waiting for me below. It was too dark in the building. The last thing I wanted was a broken foot.

"Watchu waiting for?" I heard Chico say from below. I had no choice but to jump in, hoping I didn’t regret it.

I landed with a thud and looked around immediately. My eyes took a moment or two to adjust to the darkness. There had to be a light switch somewhere. I had only gone a few feet when I heard a menacing growl. I froze on the spot, hoping my mind was playing tricks on me.

[storyisle]

Max II

It was meant to be an easy heist, orchestrated by a suave African with the dubious name of Chico. I was only 15 then, but this was my first introduction to what would turn out to be a long line of mistakes and crimes.

I had grown tired of following the nun’s goodie two shoe ways and I needed some other challenge. Every kid at some point has a rebellious streak in them or so I like to tell myself. Mine had been pent up for so long; I needed a way to break free from the constraints of the authority figures in my life. I ventured farther and farther from their straight laced ways until I started moving with the more dubious members of our society.

Chico I had seen around school. He was the older kid that hung around, who no one saw in class but somehow knew he belonged. He had a thick accent and was quite lousy, but he wore the finest clothes and the hottest women in school hung around him. Frey hated him and always warned me about hanging around such people, but I was too stubborn to heed her call. I wanted the things he had, he led the glamorous life that had escaped me for so long.

Chico took a liking to me and enticed me with the shiny things he had. Soon we struck up a friendship which was probably the worst decision I could have made back then. Young, impatient and stupid, how could I not have expected the union to be a disaster?

Anyways, Chico somehow convinced me to come along on one of his ‘shopping trips’. He convinced me nothing could go wrong and would give me half of the spoils. I was reluctant at first, I still had some reservations about the type of life I was about to live. I didn’t want to hurt Frey or the nuns, but I also realized whatever I made could make a difference in our lives. We were struggling to keep the orphanage afloat, and many of the older kids like me had gone to find jobs to lessen the burden on the nuns.

According to Chico, this was a quick ‘in n out’ job. We would break into a spare parts shop, disable the alarms system, and make off with a bunch of parts that we would sell elsewhere. He promised no harm would befall either of us. I bought into it hook line and sinker.

Any crook worth his ilk would tell you, the last thing you want in this type of work is naivety, I was about to find this out the hard way.

The shop was located atop a hillside in a neighborhood that looked like it was once an industrial powerhouse. Abandoned warehouses and factories were strewn all around. Evidence of a period where this section of the city saw thousands daily, doing their part in powering the economy.

Now it’d be lucky if it saw 50 people a week. I must admit, I felt guilty as we approached the shop. These folks were probably hard working people trying to make a living despite the economic turmoil surrounding them. We were about to go in and make things harder for them. This was no robin hood type situation, what we were doing was taken from the poor and making them poorer.

I shelved those thoughts quickly, justifying my actions by rationalizing that I’d be doing some good with whatever money I made from the heist. At such a young age I was already good at creating excuses that made me overlook my mishaps.

[storyisle]

A boy named Max I

There is no such thing as race. Not for me there’s not. There are only two major distinctions that separates us human beings, and that’s the haves and have nots. The upper worlders vs. the lower worlders like me. It’s basically Rich versus poor however you want to call it. It’s always been this way; we just like to use terms like race, class and what not to dance around the fact.

I learned this lesson at a very young age when I lived in the orphanage. I saw so much suffering and I wondered why God would let that happen. Then it dawned on me that he had done something when he gave us free will. In turn we human beings created the mess we find ourselves in. Constant wars and battles have scarred the world beyond recognition. Most of our air is polluted beyond belief, and pretty much everyone living down here is battling with some ailment or the other. The rich seeing that the Earth cannot be salvaged devised a means to get off the planet and live ‘peacefully’ away from the masses and miscreants.

Their solution was to create their own colony in the stars. Elysium has it is called, is a floating satellite/Utopia/Metal piece of majesty above our world. I have never been there but I can only describe it from what others have told me. Though, considering I have never met anyone rich enough to reside up there, I wonder how accurate this information is.

Supposedly the smallest house on Elysium is as big as a full scale grocery store. Complete with lawns, yards, swimming pools and what have you. The richer you are, the more elaborate your abode is. It was supposedly designed by the greatest minds in technology, architecture and engineering. It amazes me how it stays afloat, drifting ever so close to the Earth but never losing its ability to swim through space. Many of the rich people in Elysium still have businesses on Earth, and once in a while have to make visits down here to check up on their ‘assets’. It is probably why Elysium is stationed so close to us. What’s the point of moving away if you can’t drop in whenever you want?

Regardless, I have always dreamed of going up there. I remember Frey and I would sit on the fence, look up at Elysium in the distance and plot how we would get there. I swore to her that we’d go someday; unfortunately my desire to get us there pretty much destroyed our relationship. She was more grounded whilst I was the dreamer. She believed in living according to our means, I wanted to escape my social status so bad.

When I started straying, mixing with guys who I felt could get me what I wanted (which mostly boiled down to two one-way tickets to Elysium), Frey revolted. She who had stayed loyal to me for so long tried her best to get me on the straight and narrow path. She didn’t want to go to Elysium, not at the cost of our souls. I was too stubborn to heed her calls, solely focused on finding ways to get off this smog infested world of ours. It wasn’t until she moved away that it finally hit me. My single minded goal to escape Earth had pushed away the most important person in my life.

Unfortunately Frey leaving me simply pushed me down the spiral to disaster. Perhaps if she had stayed, there would have been some restrain on my path, but all that is in the past now. I fully take responsibility for my actions; every tattoo on this scarred body is a reminder of that. You make choices, you live with the results. Sure, I have met a ton of shitty people, but they never put a gun to my head…actually, I think I might have erred on that, there was that one time Julio did put a gun to my head…but I digress, that’s a story for another day.

I was always a troublesome little lad, and as much as the nuns tried to get me to walk the straight path, I always ended up finding the unpaved route. There was always a knack to break rules, to circumvent the system and to find loopholes were others hadn’t. In retrospect, I think that’s what made Julio take a liking to me. We were similar in certain ways, but I like to think I still have some scruples in this thick skull of mine; his was probably ejected out his backside a long time ago.

It was this pig headed way of mine that led me to my first heist. I remember it like yesterday, probably because I almost lost my life that night. Such memories stick with you like bad odor on a hot African day.

[storyisle]

Photog Epilogue

The best pictures and stories are usually of the kind that you never plan for. Unexpected in their occurrence, they come at timely moments that can never be replicated. To capture such is truly special. Sometimes by pure luck and coincidence, I have been assigned to shatterdomes that were never too far from the fray. In the case of Gipsy Danger and Knifehead, I had been stationed there for a week, and was actually going to be shipped out the next day to Australia. Prior to that I had been cussing and swearing at the inaction. Our profession sometimes boils down to being at the right place at the right time. There are more experienced photographers in the game that have never been fortunate enough to see a live Jaeger-Kaiju fight. There are some photographers who just happen to pop up everywhere those things take place. An almost prescient knowledge of sensing these fights.

Most times I end up showing up after the fight, taking pictures of the carnage, interviewing survivors and trying to piece together the next course of action. My guess is just as good as the top guys in the radar houses of the shatterdome, meaning we were all in the dark as to their schedule.

My editor and other news houses had worked out a deal with the PPCD where all journalists assigned to cover the Kaiju-Jaeger war, would be rotated to all their bases, just in case one of such Kaiju was to show up. Like I said earlier, sometimes we get lucky, most times we have to play catch up.

I'd be remiss not to mention the likes of Branton Selles, who took the epic picture of Stacker Pentecost standing atop Coyote Tango after successfully defeating Onibaba. Also who can forget Edison Garcia's picture of the Crimson Typhoon, blades whirling in the air has it fought valiantly to defeat Leatherback. The only team comprising of triplets was lost that dark night, immortalized by that one picture that has become a symbol to many people all over the world. I could go on and on, lists of photographers who have risked their lives to bring us pictures of the war. I am by no means in this fight alone, there are many out there doing a brilliant job of covering the war for the people who have no clue of what's going on at the front line.

Throughout this project I made sure to pay my respect to the fine men and women who laid their lives on the line in fighting the Kaiju, but I also owe a lot to my fellow journalists who will never get the same type of acclaim the Rangers have. That's not to say I think their roles are similar, but their jobs are just as dangerous as the people in the metal monsters. Its a tough world we live in, and these men and women never balked from taking on tough tough assignments. We were all in this fight together, and thankfully due to the heroic exploits of Stacker and his crew, some of us can live to tell this story today.

I can hear my lil one yelling in the background. Her mom is calling for me to come and help. Its actually quite timely as I think I am getting emotional just thinking of all the brave men and women we lost to this war. I can only hope their souls find rest.

[storyisle]

Photog Final Complete

We followed from a distance, making sure not to stray too close to the heavy lifters.

The weather as if knowing what’s at stake is doing its best to give us a befitting send off or maybe it is working to our advantage. However you view it, it’s raining saber tooth cats and prehistoric wolves out there. Visibility was a pain but I did my best to take as many pictures as I could. I had no idea how far we could go, but I’d be damned if I didn’t come away from this with some quality shots.

I let my mind wander for a few, what if the Jaegers weren’t successful? What would the headlines be like tomorrow? Would there be mass hysteria in the streets or would we as a race accept our fate. I know we wouldn’t go down without a fight, to willingly lay down our lives like sheep was out of the question. Even if the fight was futile, I for one would do anything to protect and prolong my family’s lives. I thought about my little angel, thought about how young she was. She had so much time ahead of her, it would be unfair and so sad if she never got to enjoy all life had to offer. I thought about her very first date, me intimidating the poor guy, victimizing all her guy friends and giving them hell if they tried any hanky panky with my baby. I saw her graduate from law school, top of her class, making her parents damn proud. I imagined walking her down the aisle, handing her off to her hubby. I saw my grand kids sprinting around the yard, me with a shock of grey hair, smiling at my treasures, thrilled that I became a grand father. I saw my future kids  popping open their presents at Christmas with their grandmother, my wife. The image felt so good, that I unknowingly smiled. Just as I was basking in the warmth of the moment, I was interrupted by the pilot.

"We gotta turn around…"

I snapped out of my brief dream and noticed the massive carriers were lowering the Jaegers into the coastal waters. Apparently this was close to where the breach was. I zoomed in on the machines and took as many pictures as I could.

I have taken my final shots. All four rangers and their Jaegers have been accounted for. If all goes as plans, mankind lives to see another day and much more. If not, I will spend our last moments with my loved ones. Looking back at how far we have come, and why it had to end this way.

I was privy to take pictures of the rangers before they stepped into their machines. Though when you think about it, if the world really ends in a few, will this matter? It should. My goodness it should! We as a race should know these brave men and women that laid their lives on the line for us. I am not just talking about the rangers; I am talking about every single man and woman in that Hong Kong PPCD shatterdome, who worked tirelessly to give us this final attack on the Kaiju. How fitting that mankind gets this one chance to get it all right. I pray if there’s a God listening that he’s on our side. I pray he watches over those men and woman in the machines tonight. I pray he gives us the win we so desperately need.

The Camera is off now. Visibility is really poor and we can go no further. I watch the silhouettes of the Jaegers walk through the sea, moving farther and farther away. Sinking below to continue their foray into the depths, submerging to engage the Kaijus in one last dance. My trepidation has been replaced by awe. Admiration for Stacker Pentecost and the rest of his crew who have taken it upon themselves to save us. Tonight and many more nights to come depending on how this goes, their stories will be told over and over again. Urban legends, etched into the memories of generations to come.

"Let’s head home", I said to the pilot. It was time to be with my loved ones. Our lives were on the line.

[storyisle]

Photog P.24

Usually after such missions, on returning to the base, the mood is either subdued or ecstatic. This time around it was different. There was a sense of purpose in the air. People moved around swiftly, speaking in quiet tones to each other, more active than I’d imagined it would be at that point in time. As our chopper touched down, we were quickly ushered indoors and into a debriefing room, something was definitely up.

One of the young engineers was setting up a com center in the front of the enclosure, apparently we were about to be addressed. I wondered who was about to talk to us and why. It didn’t take long for us to find out. Stacker came on screen, though from what I could see, this was a pre-recorded message.

He looked grim as usual, commanding respect even though he was nowhere near our vicinity. I had always admired his grit, now was no different.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if this meets you, then we have been successful in making it to the next phase. I am going to keep it short, in a matter of hours; I will be authorizing one last strike…one last mission against the Kaiju. Make no mistake about it; this will most likely be our last attack against these creatures. The goal is to close the portal they use to get here, hopefully preventing them from ever coming back to Earth. I do not doubt the complexity of such undertaking but it is one that must be taken.”

The screen flickered a couple of times before stabilizing; it seemed the recording had been done hastily. Stacker looked directly at us, unflinching in his gaze.

“Not only are the Kaijus getting stronger, but you might have noticed, they keep showcasing abilities that we are having a difficult time stopping. I don’t believe in coincidences, neither do I believe in luck. You either come prepared or get ready for annihilation. Which is why, as soon as this conference is over. All non-PPCD personnel will be escorted to stand by choppers that will evacuate them of the base.”

Whoa! I sat there stunned. Talk about a sledgehammer being dropped. I had no idea what was going on, but it seemed the rumblings we had heard of late, of a final daring attack on the breach was accurate. Now it made sense why Stacker had held Striker back. Being the fastest Jaeger out there, it was probably going to spear head whatever attack the PPCD had in mind. But now, with 2 machines lost in the Victoria Bay battle, I wondered if they would still be able to pull off the plan. I assumed they were still going to go through with it or we’d never have been played the video. Was it a wise decision to do so was anyone’s guess at this point.

Stacker boomed into the camera. "Should this work, mankind as a race has undoubtedly survived an extinction level event. Should this fail…I suggest you make peace with whatever God you worship and for those who don’t, well, bade farewell to your loved ones however you can. You all should spend whatever time we have bought you with your loved ones, cherish them and relish those precious few moments. Good night and God Bless!"

With that, the screen went off line.

There were very few times since I joined the press corps where a room full of journalists had been that quiet.

This was one of those instances.

[storyisle]

Photog P.23

We would later find out that Gipsy had already taken on Otachi in the city. Reporters who covered the event spoke of a massive brawl that decimated most of downtown Hong Kong before Otachi showed yet another ability we hadn’t seen in a Kaiju, taking to the skies, hoisting the Jaeger with it, far into the stratosphere before succumbing to Gipsy’s newly enhanced sword. By some miracle, Gipsy Danger plummets to earth like some fiery comet only to land unscathed in the middle of Hong Kong, sending shock waves throughout the city from the impact.

Wasting no time, it moved swiftly to Victoria Bay, saving the lives of the Hansens before Leatherback could strike. We roared in support from the chopper a safe distance away. Watching Gipsy beat the crap put of Leatherback. This was prime time viewing for us; we had the best seats in the house and rooting for one of us never felt so good.

Even the usually smug Chuck Hansen, notoriously known for being a pompous prick amongst the rangers circle, was quite animated. Pumping his fists like he was at some rave concert, trying to match his father’s intensity as to who could outshout the other. We had lost so much as a collective race that night but getting Gipsy Danger back and in the manner it arrived felt good. Who could blame the Hansens for their histrionics?

We watched as both machine and creature engaged themselves in a dance to the death. Two titans, equally worthy of creating inestimable damage. One titan, for reasons we are still unsure about, saw mankind as a threat, the other created by mankind to protect us.

Every single human being on the planet knew that it was all over for us if Leatherback won. Striker Eureka would be dispatched quiet easily and whatever weapons the PPCD and United Nations had on hand would most likely deter the monster, a nuclear bomb or two would be detonated but that option had proven quite costly time and time again. Undoubtedly more Kaijus would show up, eventually overwhelming us.

As Gipsy put the finishing touches on Leatherback, including unloading its plasma caster multiple times into the body of the fallen monster, I looked around to see my crew mates celebrating like we had won the Super Bowl. I picked up my camera and snapped a few pictures of them, before training my focus on the Gipsy in the distance who stood triumphantly like a gladiator over a recent conquest.

I knew I should be more excited, but what I was feeling, was quite sobering. There were only two Jaegers left in the world. Barring a miracle, we would avoid any more Jaeger attacks. Chances of that happening were about as good as me winning the lottery.

Now that we had seen two Kaijus appear at the same time, more would probably come. With the abilities they displayed tonight and if not for the timely intervention of Gipsy Danger, the alien force would have won.

The pilot turned around to signal it was time to head back. My fellow journalists had all sobered up by now, it seems the same thoughts that I was dealing with had finally hit them. It had finally dawned on them that whilst we won tonight’s battle, chances of us winning the war was very slim. We survived as a race tonight, but those minutes we milked on the clock could only prevent the inevitable for a short while. Eventually we would have to deal with the consequences of our action.

It was a quiet ride back to the base, mostly because of the damning thoughts seeping through our minds. Little did we know Stacker had one last ace up his sleeve, one that could either doom the human race, or save it.

[storyisle]

Photog P.22

Fueled on by the deaths of their comrades, Chuck and Herc proceeded to give Otachi a thorough beat down, and would probably have killed it if Leatherback didn’t reach into its bag of tricks and show off an ability none of us had ever seen in a Kaiju.

The best way to describe it was an organic EMP was released into the bay and anything within the radius of the hit had all its circuitry fried. Leatherback had welled up this massive glowing orb from its insides and released it into its surroundings. Poor Striker Eureka was hit directly and had no time to move out of the way. We were lucky that our chopper was a safe ways away or we might have been hit badly. Even with that said, the machine shuddered for a bit as residues of the electric pulse drifted to our location, messing with the engine but not strong enough to shut it down. Sometime in the 2010s, after EMPs were developed by warring countries, most nations began to think of ways to bypass whatever damage they could cause. Choppers like the one we were in were created so that they could easily switch to back up power in the off chance that their circuits were fried. This was probably what saved us from crashing into the bay that night.

Striker on the other hand was frozen to the spot; its anti Kaiju arsenal on the verge of being released was now dysfunctional. To think that a Kaiju could neutralize one of our best weapons and so easily was a downright scary thought. Most of the newer model machines were all digital models; their fates would have been the same as Striker’s. It wouldn’t have made much of a difference anyways, all of our front line options had been sent to confront Otachi and Leatherback. I had no idea what shape Gipsy Danger was in. Last I heard, Raleigh had tried to drift with Mako Mori and it had ended disastrously.

This new Kaiju development though was quite scary. In this digital world of ours, pretty much everything we used was run by some gizmo or the other. Technology was just as integral to our lives as the air we breathe. If our enemies had a way to shut down our defenses, we were done for. Not like that would have mattered, with much of our Jaeger force falling to the depths of the sea due to this confrontation, our chances of survival might have drowned with them.

As Otachi left the scene, headed towards Hong Kong, Leatherback menacingly circled the stationary Jaeger, looking for an opportunity to strike. I felt it sensed the machine would jump start again, but from what I and the crew could see, the Australian war machine was done for.

That was when things really got weird. First it started with Herc and Chuck stepping onto the shoulders of their machine and literally taunting Otachi to fight them. It’s one of the most bizarre things I have ever seen in my life. Scale wise, it’s basically two ants, trying to pick a fight with an Elephant. Not only did they taunt the creature but they wounded it too when they fired a flare into its eyes. Bellowing in rage, Leatherback moved in for the kill, and I honestly thought that was it for the Jaeger. No one in their right mind would expect an ant to defeat an Elephant, and I am sure even the Hansens knew their ploy would be costly. Their end was all but certain, until, a ghost from the past showed up to even things out.

Gipsy Danger had arrived!

[storyisle]

Photog P.21

Sadly, Striker's inaction would prove costly. We would later find out, Stacker Pentecost was responsible for the order that had it straddling the coastline. Supposedly he wanted the Australian Jaeger to stay out of harm's way for a yet undisclosed mission. We would also learn that both Hansens were furious about the decision but had to comply for as long as they did. We can only speculate on what would have happened if Striker had engaged the two Kaijus with Crimson Typhoon and Cherno Alpha. Maybe all 3 Jaegers would be around right now. Maybe we wouldn't have suffered as much loss as we did that night, but like the popular saying goes, 'can't cry over spilled milk.'

I will not pile more criticism on Stacker, the man's shoulders have been carrying so much weight for so long, and surely this would be another heap atop it. The man is undoubtedly one of the sharpest minds working at the PPCD and if anyone should be given the benefit of the doubt, it most certainly is him. I for one believed he never went into that unfortunate night thinking of sacrificing some of his best fighters. I remember quite clearly how passionate he was when he told us to bet all we have on him and his rangers. He must feel like their lives are in his hands, and to lose them the way we did, would have been very tough for him to swallow. The Kaijus have proven to be a very determined enemy, with more skills and ability than we had accounted for. They were also much smarter at battle tactics than given credit for. The stronger beast took on the brunt of our attacks whilst the stealthy one, waited below the waves before making a timely move. The one narrative that has constantly been told for years now, is that these creatures are beasts of rage. Unthinking monsters with only one intention and that is to wipe out mankind. By the end of the night we would learn two things, they clearly knew how to strategize and they had more tricks up their sleeves than they had originally let on.

One of such tactics was played out in the bay before our very eyes. Leatherback kept using its massive pincer like fists to pummel Cherno, whilst Otachi furiously ripped apart the machine's exterior, eventually tearing away one of Cherno's arms. It felt like Deja vu all over again. I was present when Gipsy Danger lost its arm, in similar fashion…in just as nasty weather. It would seem the same unfortunate ending would befall the Russian Jaeger.

Just as we thought it was over for Cherno, Striker zoomed past us, almost knocking our chopper into the sea by the gale of wind that followed its wake. The Hansens had ignored Stacker's orders to come to the aid of their ally. Otachi, seeing the other Jaeger approach, moved to intercept it, preventing Striker from getting through.

Those were some of the most traumatic moments I have ever witnessed in battle. Watching our strike force get decimated so quickly, only to believe there was still a chance to pull it off but in the end, coming to the sad realization that their efforts would not be enough.

Cherno Alpha had suffered too much damage to be able to deter Leatherback. The alien which had kept mostly out of sight used all of its strength to rip apart Cherno, drag it under water and I can only assume kill off the rangers beneath the surface. There was a spectacular boom that sent the waves roaring into the sky. A luminescent glow lit up the spot where Cherno and Leatherback had both descended into the water.

Striker had been too late.