"The tether is still holding," the voice on the blue-tooth said. "You've got another 24 hours to find him or else you're stuck there as well."
Maggie unconsciously felt for it behind her but didn't feel a thing. She had fought demons, devils, other angels, alien monstrosities, lawyers and worse. She had been through hell a few times, as well as the battlefields of heavens. Though this was the first time she had ever been in
Purgatory.
20140212
The Good, The Bad, And The Pixelated
His head hurt, the constant ringing in his ears seemed to unleash a migraine. He downed three extra-strength aspirin and chased it with a shot of brandy. He opened his eyes to see everything as if they were in pixels. He equated it to a photo blown up where you could see the squares in it.
"What's happening to me?" he muttered. He placed the glass down onto the coffee table and it shattered, breaking into static then disappearing.
"Mr. Koob, are you okay?" he heard Hira ask from the door of his apartment.
He stood up and the migraine in his head seemed to stab through his brain. He slumped back into the chair, defeated, crying like an athlete going for gold but ending up being disqualified.
"What's wrong with me," he whispered. "What's happening?"
"What's happening to me?" he muttered. He placed the glass down onto the coffee table and it shattered, breaking into static then disappearing.
"Mr. Koob, are you okay?" he heard Hira ask from the door of his apartment.
He stood up and the migraine in his head seemed to stab through his brain. He slumped back into the chair, defeated, crying like an athlete going for gold but ending up being disqualified.
"What's wrong with me," he whispered. "What's happening?"
20140211
Your Time Is Gonna Come, Maggie
Drive me insane, trouble is gonna come to you,
One of these days and it won't be long,
You'll look for me but baby, I'll be gone.
This is all I gotta say to you woman...
Maggie strolled through the mall, the headphones in and she had the volume cranked and she felt like dancing like no one one was watching. Tortelvis was wailing away on the Dread Zeppelin song. She blamed Max for this since he got her hooked on this fringe cover band.
She had asked Max where he had discovered them and he told her some old Native fellow whom he had sat down with at a bus shelter one evening and talked about iterations of worlds. The Native fellow told Max that all realities eventually bleed into each other. Like coffee rings on a coaster or table. Each ring blends together forming another whole.
She wondered if the ritual had worked.
It had been three hours since it was cast. It might take some time to weave. But, as soon as the ritual was completed she had the urge to listen to some Dread.
"Mags," the voice said from the blue-tooth device that was now in the breast pocket of her jacket.
"Mags?"
Still no answer.
"Crap on a stick," the voice said.
"Your time is gonna come," Mags sang.
"It's working," the voice said, sounding relieved.
One of these days and it won't be long,
You'll look for me but baby, I'll be gone.
This is all I gotta say to you woman...
Maggie strolled through the mall, the headphones in and she had the volume cranked and she felt like dancing like no one one was watching. Tortelvis was wailing away on the Dread Zeppelin song. She blamed Max for this since he got her hooked on this fringe cover band.
She had asked Max where he had discovered them and he told her some old Native fellow whom he had sat down with at a bus shelter one evening and talked about iterations of worlds. The Native fellow told Max that all realities eventually bleed into each other. Like coffee rings on a coaster or table. Each ring blends together forming another whole.
She wondered if the ritual had worked.
It had been three hours since it was cast. It might take some time to weave. But, as soon as the ritual was completed she had the urge to listen to some Dread.
"Mags," the voice said from the blue-tooth device that was now in the breast pocket of her jacket.
"Mags?"
Still no answer.
"Crap on a stick," the voice said.
"Your time is gonna come," Mags sang.
"It's working," the voice said, sounding relieved.
Your Time Is Gonna Come
Lyin', cheatin', hurtin, that's all you seem to do.
Max looked out the window of his office and scratched the back of his head. He wasn't sure what he was feeling at the moment since a jumbled amount of thoughts where dancing around his head. The problem was that he wasn't sure if they were his thoughts to begin with.
Messin' around with every guy in town,
He could hear music playing in the distance. He finally put it together that it was a soundtrack in his head. Max wasn't sure if it was Elvis singing this song but it sounded like him.
Puttin' me down for thinkin' of someone new.
The buzzer on his desk chimed. He ignored it.
Always the same, playin' your game,
It was maddening, like a sore festering in your mind for days and unable to scratch it. He figured something was damned up in his mind but he could not pinpoint it.
Drive me insane, trouble is gonna come to you.
Max looked out the window of his office and scratched the back of his head. He wasn't sure what he was feeling at the moment since a jumbled amount of thoughts where dancing around his head. The problem was that he wasn't sure if they were his thoughts to begin with.
Messin' around with every guy in town,
He could hear music playing in the distance. He finally put it together that it was a soundtrack in his head. Max wasn't sure if it was Elvis singing this song but it sounded like him.
Puttin' me down for thinkin' of someone new.
The buzzer on his desk chimed. He ignored it.
Always the same, playin' your game,
It was maddening, like a sore festering in your mind for days and unable to scratch it. He figured something was damned up in his mind but he could not pinpoint it.
Drive me insane, trouble is gonna come to you.
20140210
Ticking Away, Tocking Away
Maggie was sitting at the counter, her fingers dancing across the invisible keyboard in front of the monitor. It didn't take her to long to figure it out. The sensors on the monitor knew what she was typing.
She scanned the newsheets looking for a tidbit of information, gaining what she could from where she was but still not a hint of Max anywhere to be found.
"Maybe, he's mindlocked," a voice chimed in from the bluetooth-like device in her ear.
"Could explain a lot," she replied. She reached for a diet cola and took a sip. "This is really strange. Like fish out of the water strange."
"Care to tell?" the voice asked.
Maggie looked at the dozens of watches on her arm, checking the time on each were about a minute off. "In another forty or so minutes."
"Jesus, Mags," the voice stated. "You're not going to go full Doc Brown on me now are ya?"
She scanned the newsheets looking for a tidbit of information, gaining what she could from where she was but still not a hint of Max anywhere to be found.
"Maybe, he's mindlocked," a voice chimed in from the bluetooth-like device in her ear.
"Could explain a lot," she replied. She reached for a diet cola and took a sip. "This is really strange. Like fish out of the water strange."
"Care to tell?" the voice asked.
Maggie looked at the dozens of watches on her arm, checking the time on each were about a minute off. "In another forty or so minutes."
"Jesus, Mags," the voice stated. "You're not going to go full Doc Brown on me now are ya?"
A Cool Refreshing Drink
His watched chimed at him again; Max glanced down and noticed the time was 2pm. Break time. He got up from the desk and walked to the water cooler where several others where standing around, holding plastic cone cups and jabbering about whatever they talked about around a cooler.
"... a meteorite landed outside of the city..."
"... did you catch the news about the body missing from the morgue..."
"... someone stole a bunch of watches from a S-Store..."
Max grabbed a cup and poured himself a drink. Sipping the heavenly liquid, the water danced over his taste buds making them feel alive. He was questioning his sensations.
"Yo, Maxie," Chan said. "Wassup with that?"
"Huh?" Max questioned.
"The whole body quivering when you drink or taste something - it's like you are tasting things for the very first time," Chan told him. "It reminds me of my niece when she tastes a different brand of baby food."
Max felt he was looking down a long dark tunnel; he took a glance at the cup and then back at Chan again and then back at the cup. He didn't know what to say so he quaffed the water.
"... a meteorite landed outside of the city..."
"... did you catch the news about the body missing from the morgue..."
"... someone stole a bunch of watches from a S-Store..."
Max grabbed a cup and poured himself a drink. Sipping the heavenly liquid, the water danced over his taste buds making them feel alive. He was questioning his sensations.
"Yo, Maxie," Chan said. "Wassup with that?"
"Huh?" Max questioned.
"The whole body quivering when you drink or taste something - it's like you are tasting things for the very first time," Chan told him. "It reminds me of my niece when she tastes a different brand of baby food."
Max felt he was looking down a long dark tunnel; he took a glance at the cup and then back at Chan again and then back at the cup. He didn't know what to say so he quaffed the water.
20140209
All Dressed Up And No Where To Go
She glanced at herself in the mirror, admiring the clothes she had on. Black leather pants, a black cropped tank top and a red leather long jacket over it. She also had on knee high boots; Uggs was what they where called. So now she was dressed and ready to go, though she had no idea where to go.
She turned to the woman on the slab and tapped her toes and said, "Sorry, sister. I need these more than you do now."
Maggie walked out the door and bumped into one of the coroners. The fellow looked at her in shock, a microsecond of fear in his eyes but then quickly composed because the dead don't usually get up and dress themselves. She figured it must have been one of his deepest darkest fears.
"Excuse me, ma'am," the fellow asked. "What are you doing here?"
"I got turned around in this place," she said shyly. She then added, "I wanted to see the angel."
"You get out of here now, and pay no attention to the rumours, Missy," the fellow told her. "If I ever see you down here again I will call security."
Maggie turned away and smiled a warm smile; she walked down the hallway at a brisk pace before the coroner discovered a body missing.
She turned to the woman on the slab and tapped her toes and said, "Sorry, sister. I need these more than you do now."
Maggie walked out the door and bumped into one of the coroners. The fellow looked at her in shock, a microsecond of fear in his eyes but then quickly composed because the dead don't usually get up and dress themselves. She figured it must have been one of his deepest darkest fears.
"Excuse me, ma'am," the fellow asked. "What are you doing here?"
"I got turned around in this place," she said shyly. She then added, "I wanted to see the angel."
"You get out of here now, and pay no attention to the rumours, Missy," the fellow told her. "If I ever see you down here again I will call security."
Maggie turned away and smiled a warm smile; she walked down the hallway at a brisk pace before the coroner discovered a body missing.
A Case Of The Kindas
Max sat in the pub sipping a Newcastle Brown. He had the urge to smoke but couldn't remember if he had ever smoked or not and that was starting to bother him. He glanced around the pub and saw faces that he knew the names of but he couldn't remember how he knew them.
There were events that had happened in the past few days that didn't make sense to him. Since he woke up, and it was eating away at him like rust on a car.
Derek, the bartender, was pouring some drinks and noticed the perplexed look on his face.
"Looks like you got the 'kindas'," Derek said to him.
"Kindas?" Max asked.
"Like you kinda forgot something and are trying to remember what it is," Derek chuckled. "A grocery list, a doctors appointment, those kind of things."
There were events that had happened in the past few days that didn't make sense to him. Since he woke up, and it was eating away at him like rust on a car.
Derek, the bartender, was pouring some drinks and noticed the perplexed look on his face.
"Looks like you got the 'kindas'," Derek said to him.
"Kindas?" Max asked.
"Like you kinda forgot something and are trying to remember what it is," Derek chuckled. "A grocery list, a doctors appointment, those kind of things."
20140208
Magenta Is The New Blue
Her eyes fluttered opened, much like a butterfly when it spreads its wings. She heard the echoing rumbling through the hallways but she couldn't quite pinpoint where she was at. She deduced it was at a hospital, but by the smell of things she was certain that she was in a morgue.
"The body is in there," someone said.
"Just the one?" another asked.
"Yes, sir," the first person replied. "Are you expecting more?"
"No," the other said. "Just by the sounds of the discovery it seemed there should be more."
She swung her feet off the slab and sat up; she had been dead a few times before. She didn't know what iteration she was at now.
"They found her in a cornfield," the first voice said. "Naked and covered in a substance."
"Well," she whispered. "Where did you bring me into now, Max?"
"The body is in there," someone said.
"Just the one?" another asked.
"Yes, sir," the first person replied. "Are you expecting more?"
"No," the other said. "Just by the sounds of the discovery it seemed there should be more."
She swung her feet off the slab and sat up; she had been dead a few times before. She didn't know what iteration she was at now.
"They found her in a cornfield," the first voice said. "Naked and covered in a substance."
"Well," she whispered. "Where did you bring me into now, Max?"
20140207
A Folded Comic
It was mid-morning when he stepped out of the diner. He had quenched the pangs in his stomach. A burger, some fries and a cola to wash it down. It was pure heaven to eat them, his taste-buds had tingled with delight.
"Excuse me, sir," a young lad said as he approached him.
"Yes," Max replied.
"Can I have your autograph?" the kid asked holding up a comic book and a sharpie.
Max looked at the comic book and a wave of nausea hit him. The cover depicted him with two guns blazing and he seemed to be flying through the air, firing at shadowy demons while a beautiful angelic woman hovered higher with a glowing katana in her hands.
He took the comic book from the kid and unfolded it and read the title, Your Moment of Max Cube! Below that read:
"Can The Professor Save Him Now... or Is Max A Lost Cause?"
"Excuse me, sir," a young lad said as he approached him.
"Yes," Max replied.
"Can I have your autograph?" the kid asked holding up a comic book and a sharpie.
Max looked at the comic book and a wave of nausea hit him. The cover depicted him with two guns blazing and he seemed to be flying through the air, firing at shadowy demons while a beautiful angelic woman hovered higher with a glowing katana in her hands.
He took the comic book from the kid and unfolded it and read the title, Your Moment of Max Cube! Below that read:
"Can The Professor Save Him Now... or Is Max A Lost Cause?"
20140206
Sweet Three, Four Sour, Echo
Max sat on the seat of the maglev; it was oddly comforting for him. A sense of being alive, being in a place where he knew he was safe, a feeling of being home. Which was a weird sensation for him to feel.
He scanned the newsheet feed, catching up on the news of the morning, events that had happened overnight while he slept. His mind actively searching for trigger words.
Trigger words, what is that supposed to mean?
He took his attention from the newsheet and glanced at the landscape as it zipped past like a blur, meshing together like one giant panting. It all seemed vaguely familiar, yet strange to him. Maybe, just maybe he...
"Tickets, please," the conductor asked, breaking Max from his train of thought.
Max lifted up his wrist and the conductor scanned it.
"Magenta," the conductor said.
"Huh?" Max asked.
"Pardon?" the conductor replied.
"Did you say 'magenta'?" Max questioned him.
The conductor looked at him strangely and finally stated, "I said you are welcome."
He scanned the newsheet feed, catching up on the news of the morning, events that had happened overnight while he slept. His mind actively searching for trigger words.
Trigger words, what is that supposed to mean?
He took his attention from the newsheet and glanced at the landscape as it zipped past like a blur, meshing together like one giant panting. It all seemed vaguely familiar, yet strange to him. Maybe, just maybe he...
"Tickets, please," the conductor asked, breaking Max from his train of thought.
Max lifted up his wrist and the conductor scanned it.
"Magenta," the conductor said.
"Huh?" Max asked.
"Pardon?" the conductor replied.
"Did you say 'magenta'?" Max questioned him.
The conductor looked at him strangely and finally stated, "I said you are welcome."
20140205
Coffee Breaking
Max leaned back on the park bench, enjoying the scenery; he watched an elderly couple stroll by him holding hands. The old fellow just nodded at him as they went on their way through the garden. There was a potpourri of aromas about him; a mixture of jasmine, honeysuckle, roses, even the smell of oranges as the warm breeze picked up some.
He could make out a group of young lads playing a game of stickball, as well.
Stickball, he thought again. Had he ever played it on the mean streets of...
Where was he from anyway?
He brought the disposable mug to his face and sipped from the coffee. He could tell by the LED countdown on the handle he had another five minutes left before the mug disintegrated. Becoming one with mother nature once again.
His watched chimed. An old Fatboy Slim song came on telling him it was time to go. He gulped the last of the black liquid and set the cup on the bench and walked away.
As the LED of the mug reached zero the mug simply dematerialized.
Gone into the static.
He could make out a group of young lads playing a game of stickball, as well.
Stickball, he thought again. Had he ever played it on the mean streets of...
Where was he from anyway?
He brought the disposable mug to his face and sipped from the coffee. He could tell by the LED countdown on the handle he had another five minutes left before the mug disintegrated. Becoming one with mother nature once again.
His watched chimed. An old Fatboy Slim song came on telling him it was time to go. He gulped the last of the black liquid and set the cup on the bench and walked away.
As the LED of the mug reached zero the mug simply dematerialized.
Gone into the static.
20140204
Express Elevator To Nirvana
The elevator doors opened with a slight little shh sound, which made Max chuckle out loud. The little girl who was standing beside him as she waited for the elevator as well. She was dressed in a school uniform, black slacks, white shirt and a bright orange plaid vest. She carried a lunch box that had a picture of an angel with a huge sword flying above the air.
"Morning Mr. Koob," she said. "It's suppose to be a beautiful day again."
"Is it now, Hira?" he questioned. He didn't know if he had met the child before and it was strange that he would know her name. Why do I know her name?
"Yes it is, Mr. Koob," Hira said as she stepped into the elevator. She pressed the button for the lobby. "Mom says it's all due to the atmospheric processors."
"Atmospheric processors," Max repeated.
The song playing in the elevator was an old Nirvana tune done in the style of elevator music; it seemed strange to hear 'All Apologies' playing with harps, flutes and cellos. Max knew this song was going to stick in his brain all day now.
"Wait a second, Hira. Did you just call me Koob?"
"Morning Mr. Koob," she said. "It's suppose to be a beautiful day again."
"Is it now, Hira?" he questioned. He didn't know if he had met the child before and it was strange that he would know her name. Why do I know her name?
"Yes it is, Mr. Koob," Hira said as she stepped into the elevator. She pressed the button for the lobby. "Mom says it's all due to the atmospheric processors."
"Atmospheric processors," Max repeated.
The song playing in the elevator was an old Nirvana tune done in the style of elevator music; it seemed strange to hear 'All Apologies' playing with harps, flutes and cellos. Max knew this song was going to stick in his brain all day now.
"Wait a second, Hira. Did you just call me Koob?"
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