He is running.

It is fall in Virginia. The sun is just rising, throwing a warm glow over the dusky grey of early morning, highlighting the red and gold of the dying leaves on the trees and the spindly forms of the branches that have already been laid bare. Among the thicker clusters of trees that lead into the denser forests, a thin layer of dry leaves rests gently atop those that have been compacted and partially decomposed by rain, and forms an ankle-deep carpet through which the green of the summer grass occasionally peeks. Rain from the previous night has created the occasional hazardous mud puddle, and moisture soaks the hard-packed dirt trail, making finding traction and balance a conscious exercise.

He runs past a tree that has been defiled by a myriad of simply stenciled signs; he has seen them so many times that their bold, simple messages no longer shock or propel him: “Suck it in; hurt; agony; pain; love-it; pride; attitude; respect, loyalty, 110%, I’m being me.” He bypasses the elaborate Yellow Brick Road obstacle course he’ll have to navigate later in the day during his group’s fitness session, running off the well-trampled path and between two large...   read more »

He sips his green tea
Long fingers grasping the cup
He sighs, world weary

He sees his bonsai
Needs trimming before he leaves
He’s glad of this chore

He grabs his scissors
Poised to trim the bonsai branch
He snips and pauses

He’s imagining
Incitatus sitting there
Under the bonsai

Putting down the shears
He picks up the bonsai and
Throws it at the wall...   read more »

The woman screamed again and again, short, shrill screams, as if someone was poking her with a stick. She was a stocky, middle aged woman in hunting camouflage, her face free of make up but her fluffy blonde hair incongruously well-coiffed. Breaking away from the medics who’d been evaluating her, she now stood there right in the middle of the crime scene, her boots planted in a puddle of blood, letting out staccato shrieks and jabbing her finger at the corpse, pulling her hand almost back to her ear and thrusting it forward with each scream. The EMTs hovered outside the perimeter wearing helpless expressions, clearly not wanting to trample potential evidence by fetching her back themselves.

“Get her out of sight of the body,” Sheriff Randall snapped.

The deputy officer, with a long suffering sigh, took the screaming woman by the arm, herding her around the splashes of gore and back behind the yellow police tape strung through the bushes. “Please, calm down, ma’am. Just take...   read more »

Man of my dreams
Or so I thought not long ago
You weren’t really what you seemed
Can’t believe I was the last to know

You made a fool of me that night
But I’m not your fool anymore
I’m going to bring you to your knees

Hell hath no fury
And you can’t run from me forever, no no no
You shouldn’t have tried to hit and run
Hell hath no fury
It was supposed to be you and me together, oh oh oh
But you were just having fun

Time’s standing still
As I wait to take my cue
When I come in for the kill
I want my aim to be true

You made a fool of me that night
But I’m not your fool anymore
I swear I’ll bring you to your knees

(Chorus)

You were so hard to read
You played hide and seek
With your true intentions
You were only playing games
Now it’s time to say-a-ay bye b-b-bye b-b-bye b-bye

You never loved me
You never loved me, Digi
You never loved me
You never loved me, did you Digi

You made a fool of me that night
But I’m not your fool anymore
Thought you were the one for me
Turns out I just part of your evil schemes
I thought you were the perfect man
Now I could kill...   read more »

“What I would like, Wish, is to tie you down to the bed and hold a contest with you.”

He looked at her, the candles on the table catching the momentary glitter in his pale eyes. “And what kind of contest would that be if I am tied down to the bed, Agent Cady? I imagine that would put me at quite a disadvantage.”

She grinned at him, fork poised in mid-air. “But that’s the beauty of it. This has nothing to do with strength or physical prowess. It has everything to do with self-discipline and control.”

He dabbed his lips with the dark blue linen napkin. “Self-discipline and control? That would be out of my hands, so to speak, in such a position.”

“Not at all. It’s a game I read about that French working girls would play with their clientele.”

His lips twitched momentarily. “Do warn me, Agent Cady, if you are planning on dressing up as a French working girl? Turn of the century Paris would suit you quite well.”

She laughed. “Was that a compliment or an insult? I don’t play dress-up, Wish. Do you? No, wait, don’t answer that. There are some images I don’t need in my head.”

“My dear...   read more »

“Diogenes, I cannot move a muscle like this. I am completely at your mercy. Please be gentle.”

He gave her a condescending smirk, seeing right through her plea. “Gentle? That's not what you really want,” he purred, the tone of his voice dropping as he leaned in closer, eyes fixed on hers. “Or need.” Their lips almost met in a kiss, but he pulled away at the last instant, laughing as she strained against her bonds to follow. “I may hurt you, but you'll beg me not to stop.”...   read more »

“Aloysius, I cannot move a muscle like this. I am completely at your mercy. Please be gentle.”

The fine, pale eyebrows go up slightly in surprise. “Gentle? My dear woman, you have my word I will cause you no pain. However, I do believe the goal here is to make you scream.” The soft buttermilk drawl ended in just a warm breath, a whisper in my ear....   read more »

-October 15, 2006-


Heavy velvet drapes covered the windows, blocking the hazy autumn sky of the New York skyline. The forest green lounge seat covered in files and paperwork was empty. A soft indention in the only section free of paper disclosed of a recent occupant. The missing occupant stood in front of the fireplace, with his hands spread delicately across ornate mantle moldings.

Pale milky blonde hair perfectly combed back from his face, only slightly showed the signs of a restless man in need of sleep. Pale blue marred the delicate skin around his eyes. The jacket normally closed at the waist was unbuttoned, hanging around his trim frame like limp wings. His expression betrayed no emotion but pain revealed itself in the depth of his gazing eyes.

Aloysius quietly let out a sigh as he looked into the depth of flickering orange flames. The past few days had felt like a never ending nightmare. Actually the nightmare had begun so much earlier than that, and now he was exhausting his resources and leads ever faster. Emotions carefully concealed whispered inside his mind. Everyone he'd ever really cared about... They were all gone, each and every one taken. Well not every...   read more »