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Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2021 12:14:52 -0500
From: "Dental Hero" <dental.hero@harlemtops5.shop>
To:   <lojban@lojban.org>
Subject: Ensure Your Teeth Are Healthy And Maintain Your Oral Hygiene
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 Content preview:  ** Clean teeth just got easier. ** The Dental Plaque Remover
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    your oral hygiene. It only takes a few minutes to get cleaner teeth and improve
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** Clean teeth just got easier.  **
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<html>
 <head>=20
  <title></title>=20
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 <body style=3D"background: #fff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">
  <!--Leave of Absences

By Vox Deruste

? Hey, Julian!? My attention was jerked away from the computer screen by th=
e voice of my superior. ? Kinda need you to take out the screens from these=
 Chromebooks.? I looked at a stack of partially damaged laptops, partially =
broken in all but one way. Screens we can take out and use for other laptop=
s later.=20

? I?ll get on that Mike.? I took out a screwdriver from a tool pouch and go=
t to take out the screw connecting the screen to the Chromebook.=20
? Huh?? Mike said with slight curiosity.=20

We were behind the help desk of the school library. A makeshift help desk f=
or elementary schools tech. Resetting passwords, fixing computers, and reas=
signing when necessary.=20

? Oh is what just a weird email I got.? I explained.=20
?It?s probably just one of the emails the district to see if you fall for f=
ishing.? Mike dismissed.=20

? Yeah. It was probably just junk email.? I looked down and kept my eyes on=
 the computers. ? You can probably leave early for today. I can take care o=
f this and close up for the day.? I suggested. Mike seemed receptive and sh=
rugged.=20

? If you can think you can handle it. See ya, tomorrow man.? I waved him of=
f. I was left alone in the library with a stack of computers on the desk. A=
 box for all the spare parts is on the desk right next to me. A taunting la=
ptop with an email that made my skin crawl. Made up of only a few little wo=
rds.=20
Its time. It?s your last day on earth. Come to me or I?ll come to you Alver=
az. Sunset. Don?t it difficult.=20

Signed, Grestich

I felt mocked every time I read those words. A slow rage in my soul that li=
t my heart afire. They know damn well that I?m aware that my time is short.=
 I didn?t need their notes or reminders.=20

They could do me the kindness, of at least, let me bring my affairs in orde=
r. First my job. My paycheck may mean nothing now but I take pride in my sm=
all job. It?s mine, I earned it. I made friends with the staff in these two=
 years. I told them I would not be back here next year.=20
It?s the end of the school year and the last day for the staff. We had a go=
ing-away party yesterday. Cake, booze, good food in a restaurant I grew fon=
d of.=20

It was nice to say goodbye to everyone before leaving. They know what or wh=
y I?m leaving but they?re respecting my privacy about it. Thought I did hea=
r there was a betting pool among the custodians about what it was about. Ge=
tting a girl knocked up had the biggest money. I wonder how that is going t=
o go when I?m gone.=20

I took the last screen out and clock in for the day. It was three in the af=
ternoon. Sunset won?t be for another three to four hours. Honestly, I?m ter=
rible with time. I only have that much time to handle two other important t=
hings.=20

The second thing I?m going to miss? A fusion restaurant on a corner. It?s a=
 cozy little spot, one that I?m walking toward while keeping an eye out aro=
und me for a stalker. I live out in a rural area. Farms surrounding the sch=
ool and town I live in. It?s spacious, green, and quiet. The calming thing =
when there is still light, beautiful when the sun is setting. Kinda eerie w=
hen night falls.=20

Right now was a transition before full sunset. The edges of the sky had a r=
eddish tint and a slowing growing wave of orange was above the clouds. Warm=
 colors coming down on me. I kept my eyes on the roadside trees and bushes =
as I walked.=20

I wondered if Gresitich was going to renege was going to expedite the time,=
 take away my last goodbyes with no word and take me from this world. Sound=
?s like them at least.=20

To be fair I knew I could not be here for long. Happy things end quicker th=
an they have to while sadness lingers.=20

After walking on the side of the road for over thirty minutes I reached the=
 fusion restaurant. It was Sushi/ Taco hybrid. Luckily I didn?t see anyone =
follow me on the way here but that might mean they?re better stalkers than =
I gave them credit for.=20

I walked in and say in my usual seat. A corner spot near a window and a fir=
eplace behind me. A comfy spot that I keep coming back to.=20

A short stack with dark skin and curly hair walked up to me with a menu.=20

? Hey, Manny.? I waved to her.=20
? Sad to see you go Julian.? She said wistfully. ? Your usual?? I nodded. ?=
 Nigiri and four beef tacos coming right up.? She said with gusto as I wait=
ed in my seat. I thought about who I was waiting for.=20
I told my girlfriend that I was leaving today. When I told her some time ag=
o that I was leaving, I couldn?t tell her the truth but I could at least gi=
ve an inkling of it.=20

We?ve been going on while ignoring that I was leaving this week. It only go=
t serious a few days ago when the first email came. I didn?t tell her about=
 them but I did mention that the time is coming.=20

We met at the restaurant, saw each other on a special. The only one?s eatin=
g meals too big for one person to eat. We shared and kept meeting there for=
 over a year and a half. Today was going to be an anniversary.=20

It?s going to be our last date. A last hurrah of sorts. I think she knows i=
n some way it was going to come to this. I?m the melodramatic sort who acte=
d like a shit when I first came here.=20

A strange mix of pride and shame. I was too good to be here but felt like I=
 deserved to be stuck far out in the sticks after blundering my last job. I=
 didn?t want to make routes here, it had a timelimit, why bother reaching o=
ut to people here. I?m not going to see them again.=20
I was an ass. Projecting my own shit on everyone else and pretending that i=
t was justified by my own self-pity.=20

As I thought more of my old self, I saw the one who dragged that self-pityi=
ng ass out of his shell with steel tweezers.=20

Ada was a rotund woman with black skin and a glossy smile. Glittering dress=
 with limbs wrapped in jewelry. High heels clomping. A permanent smile on h=
er face with glossy teeth. My spirit rosed, for a second I forgot it was ou=
r last date and planned out in seconds a picnic with homecooked food.=20

I wanted it to last forever. Her smile turned toward me and sunset in the d=
istance make a halo effect behind her. Making her skin shine like glass. I =
smiled wide as she sat across from me.=20

? You ordered already baby?? She asked in a sultry voice.=20

? Two nigiri and three tacos, just how we like.? Her smile shined a bit mor=
e.=20

? Just like the first time.? She cheerfully waxed nostalgic. ? Sad that we =
end it with what started it.?=20

? I say it?s fitting?.Sad but fitting.? I relented. The chill from my walk =
was on me again. I shook it off to bring my focus to Ada. I want her to fee=
l nothing but happiness before I go. ? You wer-are one of the best people i=
n my life babe. If I could, I would stay forever.?=20

Ada had a smile on but I saw a little quiver in her left eye.=20

? Don?t make a promise you can?t keept. I enjoyed what we had...only sad pa=
rt is that no one could measure up to when you go. Who else is going to mak=
e me chocolates, carve ice statues for Christmas or serenade me? You leave =
a big shadow.? I was sad, a quiet smile grew on my face.=20
? Your a beautiful, fair and good person. Good himself will handcraft the o=
ne you stay with. Even he doesn?t he?s a fool who deserves all the world?s =
atheist.? Ada gave my joke a soft chuckle. The quiver in her eye didn?t lea=
ve but her smile still holds. We toast with our margarita?s as the weather =
outside became monstrous.=20

Rain coming side waves, wind picking up tree branches, and biting cold. All=
 so sudden on a clear day.=20

? Heh, even the weather hates you leaving.? Ada joked. ? Haven?t seen a sto=
rm like that since the gremlins rumors spiked.? I turned to the weather and=
 thought about the force behind it and how the winds sounded like condemnat=
ions and warnings. Between the debris caught in it and car alarms.=20

Leave now.=20

You?ve wasted time.=20
See me!=20

Ada seemed unfazed by the weather, nor did she seem able to hear the voices=
 I don?t try to point them out to her. Gresitch must try harder to scare m=
e.=20

? Why are truly leaving?? Ada asked suddenly. My eyes opened wide.=20

? What do you mean? I leaving. Simple as that.? Ada was skeptical.=20

? If you were just moving we could voice chat. Even if it was permanent.? S=
he pointed out. ? You won?t say anything about where you?re going? Or even =
why other than telling me that?s my time has come to an end.? Ada inflected=
 a grim, morose tone. ? I?m also sensitive to this stuff. I?m a freaking gr=
ief counselor for god?s sake. I know when someone is avoiding the word deat=
h.? My face became crestfallen. ? This is the part where you correct me and=
 tell me the truth.? I said nothing. ? Hey...Stop saying nothing...It?s not=
 funny anymore?? The silence continued. ? God damn it! Tell that you?re not=
 dying and tell me the stupid reason the best thing in my life is leaving!?=
 She shouted.=20
Every part of me wanted to scream the answer. To explain the reason my time=
 is short. To assure her that I?m not dying, that I want to be with her. Th=
at this is not my doing.=20

But the parts that remained anchored to my calmness and logic reminded me t=
he moment I say the truth our time will end. Gretsch would make this all go=
 away, take the choice away, and my place here permanent if I try anything.=
=20
? I can?t.? I said softly.=20

? What do you mean you can?t!? She shouted. ? No...No, no, no, no. there be=
tter not be no one else!? Ada started to hold her head in her hands. ? Oh g=
od?s that must be it! You wanted to break up with me!? I knew that Ada must=
 have known, deep down that was not the answer. I only ever had eyes for he=
r. But her anger and confusion probably led her there.=20

I didn?t give her many other alternatives. Though I desperately wanted to.=
=20
? I would never.? I felt the urge, to tell the truth rising.=20
? Then tell me the truth!?=20

? I can?t.? I ran from the feeling and tried to bite it down.=20

? Don?t give me that bull. I tell whole families that their loved ones died=
 and tell them what they need to hear. The least my own love can do is give=
 me the same courtesy.? Her rage crystalizes a bit. Become more focused and=
 sharp. No more yelling. Was she doing that to throw me off? she switched f=
rom blind anger to focus much too quickly.=20

? I had a limit of time and it?s coming to an end.? I relented. ? I can spe=
ak more than that.? I tried to explain but I didn?t need to see the look on=
 her face to know she didn?t believe it.=20

? What vague bullshit is that.? She chastised me. ? I would rather you have=
 the balls to tell me to my face that you cheat but this...this!...What do =
I say about it.?=20

? How about that it?s over and that you?re tired.? I heard a low voice say.=
 I didn?t see the source of it but I recognized it. The storm must have hid=
den how long it?s been.=20

Gresitch is here.=20
? What the h..e..l...l?? Ada started to trail off, her eyes becoming milky =
white. ? I am tired.? She repeated.=20
? And must go home now before the storm gets worse.? Gresitch said again.=
=20
? I must go-? I cut the zombie-like Ada off by grabbing her hands.=20
? Must you use brainwashing?? I asked, annoyed that I must ask such a quest=
ion. I held her hands tightly. ?Please.? I pleaded. ? Let me say goodbye be=
fore I go.? I begged Grestich.=20
A small green man walked from the shadow behind me. Long pointed ears and j=
agged teeth.=20

? You constantly try to renegotiate your time here. You are defying the wor=
d of your superior. And even now you?re refusing to acknowledge what is sup=
pose to happen.? Gresitch dictated. ? Made a mockery of the rules of the my=
stic world and the gods!?=20

? I was living my life.? I snapped back.=20

? And that life ends.? Gresitch looked toward Ada with a mixed pity.=20

? Please...Let me have these last moments and I?ll go without a fight.? I p=
leaded. Gresitch looked toward me and Ada. He sighed into his hands. He sta=
red at me.=20

? Fine.? He snapped his fingers. ? you can try to explain things and I?ll a=
llow her the memories but that is it. You leave with me. No fight, no argui=
ng, no second thoughts.? Gresitch laid out with the cold sharpness of his t=
eeth.=20

? Deal.? We shook on it and a green chain manifested on my arm.=20
? A bit of leverage in case you try to pull some bullshit.? Gresitch laid i=
t thick. I nodded and went toward Ada.=20
? The hell is going- What the hell is that!? Ada pointed toward the simmeri=
ng Gresitch.=20
? He is my handler.? I said plainly.=20

? The hell that means!?? She loudly questioned.=20

? My secrets...have layers of nonsense covered in moronic redtape.? Gresitc=
h groaned at my answer. ? The short of it is...I?m not from this world.?

?You?re an alien.? She asked frankly.=20

? No!? I said with quick rejection. ? A magician.? I said with some reserva=
tion.=20

? Wait your magic?? Ada said with disappointment. ? Wait is he a goblin?? G=
resitch nodded.=20
? Germanic goblin by the way.? Gresitch said with pride.=20
? a pretentious one.? I scoffed.=20
? So wait this whole time, I was afraid that you?re cheating me...you were =
magic and that?s why you?re leaving?? I gave a strained shrug.=20

? It is not a wrong assumption.? I begrudge. ? quite accurate on some accou=
nts.?

? Get to the actual confession or I?m mindwiping here and now.? Grestiched =
urged me.=20

? My mouth felt dry. My palms are sweaty. I?m not exactly human? I try to s=
lowly say.=20

? What does that even mean?? Ada said with a scowl. ? You can?t just dump t=
his on me and think that I can accept it. You're trying to pull some Harry =
Potter bull over my eyes.? I didn?t want to lose her, but I also saw the im=
patience in Grestich's eyes.=20

? I am magical, I was sent here to work a job for a few years.? I looked to=
ward Grestich, he nodded. ? I was sent here to keep an eye out for signs of=
 the apocalypse-?

? The apocalypse!? Ada screamed out. She looked over to the frozen expressi=
on of the waiters and waitresses. Stuck at the moment Grestich made himself=
 known.=20

? Don?t bother, everything in here is stuck in time aside from us three.? A=
da stared at the goblin. ? Magic, remember.? The green man said calmly. Ada=
 awkwardly walked back to her seat.=20

? So my boyfriend was a secret wizard stopping the apocalypse.? She said wi=
th a touch of faint sarcasm. ? I don?t know whether to be impressed or laug=
hing over how stupid/ fantastic that sounds.? I shrugged.=20

? I don?t blame you for feeling that way.? I said while taking some small s=
ips of my drink. ? And that time has passed. I can?t get into all of it but=
 my term is over.? I said softly.=20

? You have to go back.? She summarized.=20

? I want to stay...but my job demands I have to be where people need me. Th=
is place...was punishment for a bad job a couple of years back.? I bit down=
 the memory. Children running, building on fire, a stupid young magician tr=
ying to quench the flame but failing. Death of a partner. ? I rather not sp=
eak of it.? I said in a grim tone.=20
Ada and I sat in silence.=20
? So it just ends.?

? Sadly yes.?

? And you're gone forever??=20

? Even if I get sent back to earth, it won?t be here.?=20

? I guarantee it.? Grestich said coldly.=20

? So this is goodbye.? Ada said softly. I nodded. Despite some prodding fro=
m Grestich we got to eat in peace, long enough to finish our food, and for =
one last thing,

We embraced, Outside the restaurant in a quiet bubble that was shield by th=
e storm. Minus Grestich it was wonderful. A quiet sereneness that blocked a=
way everything else as I gave her our last kiss.=20
? I love you.? I said as I stood next to Grestich. Ada slumped her head and=
 stared at the ground.=20
? I hate that I love you, I hate that you have to leave, What I hate most o=
f all is that I'll never forget you.? A deep pain plunged into me as I hear=
d those words and glared at Grestich. He waved it off and snapped his finge=
rs. A swirling vortex of purple smoke and lights envelopes and takes us awa=
y. My only thoughts were of Ada as we left earth.=20
We appeared in an endless marble hallway with mystics of every kind. Going =
to their assigned duties.=20
? Chin-up.? Spoke Grestich. ? You're free to live your actual life now.? I =
scowled at him as he walked away from me.---> =20
  <meta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3Dutf-8" =
/>=20
  <meta name=3D"viewport" content=3D"width=3Ddevice-width" />=20
  <!--A friend of mine?s son got his dream job. He got it about a year ago =
and is still as happy as a dog with two tails. I?m proud of him by extensio=
n of his father. This is the story of his first day on the job.=20

A sign flashed a yellow oval of Hain?s Bail Bonds over a glass door, not li=
ghting anything other than the East Wareham fog that made the evening more =
oppressive. The corner botequim seemed to provide the most illumination wit=
h the vape shop's CBD sign a minor second. It looked like any rundown strip=
 mall on the periphery of an already off-season Cape Cod. Micky smiled unde=
r his face mask like the dimwit he was. He was finally here. The three day =
bounty hunter training course made it clear that he was not Boba Fett, John=
 Wayne in True Grit or even Dog Chapman. But finally he would be part of th=
e law enforcement community. It was just a McGuire family tradition to be a=
 cop.=20

The family tradition [or family cliche as it were] went back to two differ=
ent waves of Irish immigrants. His grandfather and grandmother were from fa=
milies of the different waves. They hated each other. Not grandma and grand=
pa. That was more like Romeo and Julliet minus the ending. Just families no=
t liking each other for forgotten or stupid reasons. This had something to =
do with the potato famine and the US Civil War and probably some old clan h=
atreds going back to when Rome was hanging out. They came over, pissed off =
all the WASPs and became cops or firefighters with the occasional professio=
nal Boxer or Bishop.=20

Somewhere in there Grandma became the future McGuire and years of family fe=
uding was proven worthless against the strength of biology. That opened Mic=
k?s dad to really piss everyone off. His dad, Jim, a career Marine married =
a Filipino lady, Maria, at around his third WestPac. Mick?s mother was half=
 his father?s height but twice the Catholic. Grandpa, the long time New Yor=
k City cop, didn?t seem to mind but grandma was always...weary? Grandpa was=
 a Korean War vet so he used an acronym, LBFM, when talking about Mick?s mo=
m which always made his dad laugh.=20

Mick was not born slow. Maria was brand new to the US and Jim had just chan=
ged duty stations to 29 Palms. SSG Jim McGuire fell in on a Field Training =
Exercise with his new unit for 30 days. Mick had a bad fever and Maria did =
not understand that she could have called any phone number on base to get h=
elp. Hell, twenty percent of the spouses on base speak Tagalog. But what's =
done is done. The fever damaged Mick?s cognition.=20

On base schools were small and not great for disabilities. Are any schools =
really great for disabilities? Grandma McGuire to the rescue. She may never=
 warm up to Maria but she love, love, loved her grandson! She knew of a sch=
ool for special needs kids two blocks away there in NYC. By this time Jim w=
as stationed at Quantico so grandma McGuire hopped the train and brought hi=
m up for the first grade.=20

She took a job as a lunch lady. That was a bit of a mixed bag? First Grandp=
a McGuire didn?t like the idea of his wife working. He was still in that ch=
auvinistic mindset that women cops should be limited to fetching coffee. Se=
cond, Grandma McGuire still used terms like ?spastics,? and racial slurs in=
 reference to the children, the children?s parents and damn near everyone e=
lse. Two different times there were ?due inquiries to dismiss? her but both=
 times the board looking to fire her used terms like ?cultural misunderstan=
ding? and ?anachronism? Truth be told, they were scared of her.=20

I?m not trying to excuse any of it. I just want you to know it was a weird =
situation. Other than that, I guess there was a normalcy? Monday through Fr=
iday Grandma McGuire got him up for a breakfast that always had ham and oat=
meal. They walked to school. He did well in class. Not as good as the kids =
that had specific learning disabilities but not as bad as the kids with beh=
avioral problems. When they were home he watched cartoons for an hour and t=
hen the various cop shows, war movies and western anything that grandpa wat=
ched.=20

The weekends were divided between sports and church. Grandpa would get a fe=
w beers in and tell stories about being on the force that shouldn't be shar=
ed with adults. Grandma McGuire would pay the international calling charges=
 so that Micky could talk to his grandma and aunt back in the Philippines. =
At church, grandpa made sure they prayed for the Giants or the Mets dependi=
ng on what time of year it was. It was assumed that Notre Dame had enough o=
f God?s grace but they regret not saying a rosary for the Navy-Notre Dame g=
ame in 2007. If there was an episode of Sheriff of Cochise or Hill Street B=
lues, Micky has seen it twenty times. Same for Gunsmoke and Car 54 Where Ar=
e You. Dragnet...do you even have to ask?=20

When school was out, he would be on a flight to spend time with his mom and=
 dad. When he was 14 his mom took him to the Philippines for summer break. =
All he really remembered was that Manila traffic was as bad as NYC and he a=
te so much dried mango that he had the runs. Once when he was 17 he asked h=
is mom what a LBFM was. She slapped him across the face, said ?don?t ever s=
ay that again? and then ?I don?t know what it means? and then proceeded to =
pour his dad?s whiskey and scotch collection down the kitchen sink.=20

He wanted to grow up to be a cop like grandpa. He had a bike and a baseball=
 mitt. He had friends and candy. There was probably some other bad stuff th=
at happened that I don?t know about. But normalcy for a high functioning sp=
ecial needs kid.=20

At 19 his world crumbled. His Grandma died unexpectedly. The funeral was a =
week later. His parents came up from Blount Island Florida where Jim has be=
en working as a civilian. It was the first time he saw his father cry. Two =
months later he did poorly on the ASVAB. He could still get in but he didn'=
t have the score to be Military Police. Grandpa knew that if he couldn't ge=
t a waiver to become a National Guard MP, none of his contacts could even g=
et him a Auxiliary Police gig north of the Mason-Dixon line.=20

Serendipity led a phone call to grandpa while they were watching Wanted Dea=
d or Alive with Steve McQueen.  The episode was The Partners where Wright K=
ing joins McQueen to become a sidekick bounty hunter. Grandpa took the phon=
e to the bathroom and closed the door. It was something he did when he got =
calls about open cases and the like. They had decreased throughout the year=
s, he still got them once a month. The irregular part of the call was when =
he came out. Usually he would go to the closet and pull out old log books o=
r newspaper clippings.=20
?Mick? Would you like to try bounty hunting?? grandpa asked as he tried to =
untangle the phone cord that reached from the kitchen to just about everywh=
ere else in the apartment.=20

?Yeah, OK,? Mickey replied, obviously not having heard the question.=20

?Mick?? grandpa having gave up on the phone cord, stepped into the living r=
oom to look at Mickey.=20
Mickey looked like he wanted fries with that or that he wanted to see the d=
esert menu. Its always questions about food at this time of day. He process=
ed the words, having to first recall them and then understand them. Finally=
, ?Bounty Hunter??=20

?Yeah, an old friend could use some help?=20

I won?t bore you with the rest of the conversation. Basically a friend of g=
randpa?s is a bondsman near Cape Cod. They spent time looking for training =
seminars. So you know, the state regulations on working legally as a bounty=
 hunter are drastically different. One of the more laxed is Massachusetts. =
So skip ahead of the training, tearful goodbyes, a less than pleasant serie=
s of COVID weird Greyhound bus transfers, and a sad mix of Cape Cod mariner=
 decor with run down meth head chic.=20
The glass door was heavy and loose on its hinges. A single ineffective bell=
 pinged below the handhold and the open sign fluttered on its suction cup h=
ook with the change in air pressure. The small vestibule turned into 1980s =
carpeted stairs going up, marked by stains and burn marks from errant cigar=
ette cherries. Mickey paid it no mind as he made his way up to an open door=
 While there was more light in this office, the amount of cigarette smoke =
was thicker than the fog outside. Everyone at the 8 desks seemed to have a =
filterless in some state of smoldering.The smoke itself smelled of not just=
 tobacco, though. There were smells of lemongrass, pine needles, sage. Ther=
e were also bundles of dried garlic hanging here and there from the ceiling=
=20

Of those staff that were at desks, aside from the cigarettes, appeared a va=
ried group. There was a lady that in time he would find was the last of the=
 Nauset Tribe, if only by a little. She wore a flannel shirt; a denim coat =
draped over the back of her chair. Her hair touched mid coat, long and thic=
k. There were two bearded fellows that sat across from each other laughing,=
 one Jewish and one Egyptian. There was an older black lady that looked lik=
e Tyler Perry tried to make a Miss Cleo/Dion Warwick commercial but went ca=
mpy...you can only put so many chicken bones in your desk decorations befor=
e it just looks like an advertisement for WingStop.  There was a fellow Asi=
an man, though Mick was only sure he was not a Filipino, that wore a kind o=
f capri pants and draping robe that reminded him of Jedi in the prequels. I=
n one hand he had his cigarette but in the other was a chain of wooden bead=
s, a fat rosary? The last two stood up and made their way to Mickey.=20
?Mickey?I?m Sam,? the name was said like seeing a forgotten old friend at a=
 20 year high school reunion. The man saying it looked like Charlie from It=
's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Slightly more rat faced and wearing a leis=
ure suit that might be wardrobe from The Partridge Family. He didn?t look l=
ike one of Grandpa McGuire's old friends. He offered both hands for a vigor=
ous handshake. The second was a young lady dressed in a simple Kurta Tunic =
that was a little dirty. She wore jewelry that is commonly associated with =
Bangladeshi women but in dull iron instead of the flash vibrant gold. She d=
id not shake his hand. She did not make eye contact. She looked like an ext=
ra if a goth crowd tried to make a bollywood movie?

?Good Afternoon sir,? As this was Mickey's first job, his pride quickly tur=
ned to mild anxiety. It hit him that he was always with family nearby. Now =
his world was strangers.=20

?You?re just in time. This is Vijila. We have a tip and so we can talk on t=
he ride over,? Out of what seemed like nowhere, Sam handed Mickey an over-u=
nder break action shotgun with amazing etch work from the tip of the barrel=
 to the wood shoulder stock. Sam pushed Mickey out the door and down the st=
airs. He made small talk and laughed, but Mickey could not recall the topic=
s even seconds after spoken.=20

Once outside Vijilia, took the lead through the parking lot to a white comm=
ercial van with no markings besides the Ford emblem and the Massachusetts l=
icence plate. Sam opened the sliding side door as Vijila crawled into the d=
river seat. For a split second Mickey thought it was funny as he went to ri=
de shotgun while holding a shotgun. Sam continued talking while Vijila drov=
e in silence.=20

Sam spoke of Grandpa McGuire like they were on the force together. It was w=
eird. This guy looked younger than his dad. Fifty-ish? Vijila?s driving was=
 almost robotically exact.  Also unnerving. Sam never seemed to ask Mickey =
any questions and Vijila didn?t seem to acknowledge his existence. Mick did=
 take the time to check if the gun was loaded. He?s pretty sure he asked if=
 he should have more shells but didn?t recall an answer. Finally they pulle=
d into a parking lot that was closed for the season or maybe COVID water pa=
rk. The van was facing across Cranberry Highway to a 2 star hotel.=20
It occurred to Mickey that this is the motel his grandfather had booked him=
 for the next month until he could find his own place. Room 127 had two sui=
tcases unopened on the bed and nothing in the mini fridge. But they were no=
t here for that. They all hopped out of the van. Vijila got in the back of =
the van and was searching through some burlap sacks. Sam gestured for Mick =
to follow and proceeded to cross Cranberry.=20

The brandished shotgun made Mick self conscious so he made every attempt to=
 obfuscate it with his body from any incoming headlights. Proud but clumsy =
and shy. By the time he crossed, Sam was already walking out of the front o=
ffice with a key in hand. Mick still felt out in the open standing in the p=
arking lot and was considering ducking into his room. Sam seemed to stand i=
n the way.=20
?Ok, Vijila will be doing the work on this one in the back of the motel. I?=
ll be watching the front. I want you to go with her and watch her back. The=
 guests that are in their rooms have been informed that there is a fugitive=
 recovery in progress and to stay in their rooms. You guys will be in the b=
ack of the motel so you shouldn?t see anyone as is. If you do, shoot! It's =
a rock salt load so it will hurt but not kill. Any questions?? but Sam didn=
?t give Mick a chance to ask before pushing him in the direction of Vijila =
who was now making her way around the back of the motel with a slung backpa=
ck.=20

He caught up. She continued to ignore him. The back side of the motel stret=
ched for maybe 20 feet and then sloped downward rather drastically. There w=
ere years of litter either blown in or dropped off by drunks and vagrants. =
The grass was wet and the loamy fine sand sunk more than expected with each=
 step. Floodlights on a passive infrared turned on as they approached an op=
en picture window. Below the window was a freshly discarded but old mattres=
s with sheets piled atop.=20
When they were close enough Mick could see blood stains on the sheets. It f=
inally hit him like a flyswatter hitting a horsefly. Not enough to crush hi=
m but enough to make him dizzy and sick to his stomach. Working in law enfo=
rcement meant someone was a victim of real pain. Was this what he wanted? H=
e had to sit down. The wet grass instantly dampened his underwear.=20
Vijila looked up from her bag which she had placed near the mattress. She p=
laced her hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eye. She wobbled her h=
ead left to right slowly. He wasn?t sure if she had a sore neck but it gave=
 him a sense of comfort and focus. It was the focus he truly needed to step=
 up to the job. A job he had dreamed about his whole life in one way or ano=
ther.=20

At that very moment an extremely ugly, saggy breast, a black tongue, rough =
lipped Indian woman jumped out of the mattress with the jolt of an Evil Dea=
d movie. She was naked with claw-like hands, and scruffy, long pubic hair b=
ut he focused instead on her feet being turned backward at the ankles. It j=
ust looked like it hurt?=20

The shotgun sounded off from his hip just safe of Vijila. The ghost vanishe=
d with the fire and salt that covered Mick?s field of vision. Vijila rubbed=
 her ear like she was cleaning it of wax and then she smiled at him. She wa=
lked over and pulled out a folding shovel.=20
It took most of the rest of the night but she eventually had an excavation =
the size of the mattress and about three feet deep. She buried the mattress=
 The spot was then sown with mustard seeds. She packed her bag back and th=
en grabbed Mick?s hand to lead him back around to the front of the hotel. S=
am was still in the motel parking and chatting away on his cell phone.=20

?How?d it go Mickey?? For once Sam seemed to pause so that Mick could answe=
r but Mick?s mouth just dropped open. No single thought could rise past the=
 shock and develop into a phrase.=20

Sam took Mick?s chin, ?That was a Churel. A ghost of a woman who died durin=
g childbirth. She needed to be sent back to the land of the dead. A Churel =
rises from her grave at nightfall and seeks to return to her family but whe=
n she sees the minute grains of the mustard scattered abroad and stoops to =
pick it up, and while she is engaged, the sun rises and she is unable to vi=
sit her home. The mustard blooms in the afterlife and the sweet smell pleas=
es the spirit...keeps her content, so that she doesn?t want to visit her ea=
rthly home. Do you understand??

?Was Grandpa McGuire really a cop?? Somehow that was all that could come ou=
t.=20
?Yes, he was an excellent cop,? Sam open hand pointed in the direction of t=
he van across the street.--->  =20
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  <!--Do you remember the feeling of dread before going to school ? where y=
ou knew the bully kids awaited you with another nasty surprise? Or the wret=
ched math class where every number seemed to float around your head meaning=
lessly, making you dizzy. That?s exactly the feeling I have every day while=
 going to my job. A day after day grind of feeling miserable ? like I?m bei=
ng punished for something I didn?t even do. You see, even though I hated nu=
mbers and anything to do with them, I ended up working for my dad?s finance=
 firm. How?s that for irony, huh?

I worked hard at my work place so I didn?t have to bring the nastiness back=
 home and ruin my hard earned peace. I pop the left-over spaghetti and meat=
-ball dinner in the microwave and went to freshen up. Once in my pajamas, I=
 grabbed a cold, cold beer from the fridge, played an episode of Supernatur=
al, and settled in to enjoy my Friday night. Yeah, yeah I know you?re judgi=
ng me right now but hey, I bet even you can?t deny the appeal of what those=
 Winchester guys do?

?We?re surrounded. Send help as soon as you can? I whispered in the comm de=
vice attached to my collar.=20
?How many?? the dispatch asked urgently.=20
?I sense more than a dozen Ace, hurry up. There might be more farther away?=
=20
?I?m on it. Try holding ?em off. Team?s on way?, before I could disconnect,=
 she spoke again, ??and Casper, take care? the call disconnected and I turn=
ed to the frightened 8year old twins that were my charge tonight. The kids =
were huddled together on the asphalt, hugging each other with white knuckle=
d grips.=20
?Don?t worry kids, help?s on way? I crouched in front of them, ?can you cli=
mb that tree over there?? I pointed to a tree on my right that looked prett=
y easy to scale. Eyes still wide with terror, they both nodded in unison. ?=
Good. Atleast their father wasn?t a complete idiot?. I thought to myself.=
=20
As soon as the kids were up, I heard a gun cocking behind me. I whipped aro=
und and shot in a millisecond in the direction of the sound not giving the =
guy a chance to pull the trigger. A grunt and a thud and a body hit the gro=
und. They were tightening the noose around me; I could feel it in the shift=
 of the air. I sucked in a long breath and held. Closing my eyes I gave com=
mand to my other senses. I strained my ears and felt the air moving along m=
y skin. Twisting on my feet in a circle; I opened fire. There were sounds o=
f bullets connecting and rending flesh and bodies hitting ground all around=
 and then one more gun shot rang out. I lurched on my feet. Then there was =
darkness all around me.=20
I sat up in bed where I?d fallen asleep while watching TV, soaked in sweat =
and breathing like I?d just run a marathon. I rubbed at the phantom pain of=
 the bullet to my gut from my dream. My alarm blared from the bed-side tabl=
e.=20
?

By Monday morning I was a freaking zombie fueled by extra espresso shots an=
d sugar overdose. The dreams weren?t new to me but they?d become more persi=
stent as of late. I used to have one in a few weeks but now I felt like the=
y waited for me to close my eyes. Don?t get me wrong, I fucking liked the d=
ude I was in my dreams but they left me feeling like shit the morning after=
=20
I threw back the last of my caffeine fix like a shot and powered up my comp=
uter. As was my routine; I opened up my email. Same old bullshit? wait a se=
cond? what? there was an email waiting in my inbox. I clicked it. The sende=
r was ?The Guardian?s Guild?. There was some sort of invitation letter insi=
de.=20
?Dear Mr. Blackwood,

The Elders here at The Guardian?s Guild would like to invite you to the ini=
tiation ceremony of the new Guardians. You will be, if you choose to accept=
 this invitation, one of our new recruits. You can find all the details abo=
ut The Guild on the website address mentioned at the end of this email.=20
If you choose to accept the invitation, we urge you to travel to Montauk. O=
ur transport will be waiting for you outside the station at 4pm Sunday 12th=
 September. We hope to see you at the ceremony.=20
And as promised there was a website provided at the end. To say it was weir=
d would be an understatement but I also found myself getting intrigued so I=
 clicked at the link and started reading.=20
As I read through the history of The Guild it became clear that it was some=
 kind of an elaborate prank but still I could feel my heart race inside my =
chest. These Guardians seemed exactly like the dream version of me. Their j=
ob was to find and protect the special kids. The website claimed the kids t=
o be some kind of super humans with various abilities like Psychics, Elemen=
tals, Telepaths, etc.=20
I closed the website and opened up the search bar to do some digging even t=
hough the sensible part of me kept telling me it was all a joke and I was w=
asting my time. I gave that part of my brain the shut up call and typed ?Th=
e Guardian?s Guild? in the search bar. Nothing. Just a mobile game. I enter=
ed the names of the founders mentioned on the website one by one and found =
exactly nothing. With every null search the sane part of my brain got stron=
ger and told me more forcefully what a sham all this was. But the dreams? I=
 ignored the email and went to work.=20
?

The dreams kept plaguing me all week and by Friday I was on the verge of te=
aring my eyes out. I?ll admit that I?d reread the ridiculous email so many =
times that I could now recite the whole damn thing by heart. Maybe finally =
I?ve crossed the border of crazy town.=20
When I woke up gasping from yet another crazy dream on Sunday morning I cou=
ldn?t take it anymore. I did the craziest thing of my whole miserable exist=
ence so far. I packed up my bag, threw it on my shoulder, decided to throw =
caution outta the window, and go check out the truth behind the email and t=
hese pestering dreams that felt more like prophecies or visions or somethin=
g.=20
When I stepped out of the train station, sure enough there stood a guy hold=
ing up a card with my name written on it in block letters. I approached him=
 cautiously waiting for him to whip out a gun any second, all the while cho=
king the sound of reason still trying to talk me out of my stupidity.=20
?Casper Blackwood?? the uniformed guy asked in a gruff voice.=20
?That?s me?, I made an awkward attempt at smiling that probably made me loo=
k constipated.=20
?This way Sir? he motioned with his gloved hand to a black van with tinted =
windows. Closing my eyes, for the last time I questioned my sanity, nodded =
to myself in encouragement, and climbed in the van.=20
It turned out the windows not only kept the insides of the van hidden from =
the outside prying eyes but also kept the ones inside in the dark. And appa=
rently I wasn?t the only stupid person born in this world. There were four =
guys and two girls already inside when I climbed in. all of them looked aro=
und my age. All seven of us avoided each other?s eyes ? maybe because deep =
down all of us were questioning our recent choices. For all we knew we were=
 going to end up as slaves in some coal mine deep in Africa. Or we were abo=
ut to become entertainment for some seriously psychotic serial killer whose=
 MO was to lure dumb people into his lair by sending them ridiculous emails=
 claiming they were about to become some kind of super soldier.=20
After almost an hour of listening to the silent wheels turning inside all s=
even of our heads, I felt the van turning on to a gravel path. Another few =
minutes and several turns later we came to a stop. The door was opened from=
 the outside before I had any chance, and a smiling giant of a guy greeted =
us.=20
?Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I hope you had a comfortable journey?? =
he raised his eyebrows and almost all of us mumbled our assent.=20
?Right. If you?ll please follow me? we were in some kind of an underground =
compound. So serial killer?s lair it is? here I come.=20
We entered a huge lobby which had an aquarium in place of the whole wall on=
 my left and a dozen couches in the waiting area. On the right there was an=
 inverted U-shaped wooden counter as the front desk and manning it were hal=
f a dozen uniformed staff. Our guide exchanged pleasantries with one of the=
m and the lady handed him a bunch of key cards.=20
?Alright so guys, I?ll show you all to your rooms. You guys go freshen up a=
nd enjoy the complimentary drinks and snacks in your rooms. Then I?ll meet =
you at the foot of these stairs at 8pm sharp and take you to the ceremony. =
Any questions??

?Are you guys for real?? one of us asked from behind me. Yeah right dude, l=
ike the killer will tell you he?s a killer. The guide as expected chuckled =
at the silly, childish question, ?I?ll let you decide that for yourself onc=
e you attend the ceremony. Now come along.?

?Are there any more of us new-comers or is it just us?? someone else asked =
from our little group.=20
?There are more. They arrived earlier?. He showed us each to our rooms and =
left. So far so good. The ceremony started with an intro and history lesson=
 about the guild?s purpose and at the end we all mingled during dinner. We =
were to be starting our guardian training from the next morning.=20
?

After a month of hardcore training and reading the accounts of former guard=
ians, I felt like a different man altogether. My family knew that I?d had e=
nough of Finance and left country to find the true me. The next leg of our =
journey as a guardian took us on missions accompanying senior guardians to =
get the hang of things. The Guild was like a whole network of people workin=
g different jobs to make it possible for us guardians to secure our charges=
=20
I learned the first day how the guild chose the guardians and about the ene=
my who wanted to snatch these kids to use in their terrorist plans or kill =
them in case of failure before we could protect them. Almost all the parent=
s had an idea that their kids were somehow different from others by the tim=
e our teams found the kids so the parents were instructed by our teams over=
 time what it truly meant and what danger awaited their kids.=20
I felt, for the first time in my life, that I was born with a purpose. I fe=
lt alive. This job was invigorating. It has been a year since I was assigne=
d my first solo mission and I remember how pumped up I was and how scared t=
hat I?d fuck things up. I still felt the same on every mission just like no=
w. I was going to Wyoming for an assignment. The details would be handed ov=
er to me from the Wyoming branch upon my arrival.=20
The family lived in the middle of nowhere. The kids? mother passed away dur=
ing their birth and the father wasn?t exactly friendly when I told him why =
I was there but the team had done its work well and he didn?t object in par=
ting ways with his kids. He almost looked relieved making me feel sorry for=
 the kids.=20
?

?We?re surrounded. Send help as soon as you can? I whispered in the comm de=
vice attached to my collar.=20
?How many?? the dispatch asked urgently.=20
?I sense more than a dozen Ace, hurry up. There might be more farther away?=
=20
?I?m on it. Try holding ?em off. Team?s on way?, before I could disconnect,=
 she spoke again, ??and Casper, be careful? the call disconnected and I tur=
ned to the frightened 8year old twins that were my charge tonight. The kids=
 were huddled together on the asphalt, hugging each other with white knuckl=
ed grips.=20
?Don?t worry kids, help?s on way? I crouched in front of them, ?can you cli=
mb that tree over there?? I pointed to a tree on my right that looked prett=
y easy to scale. Eyes still wide with terror, they both nodded in unison. ?=
This is one of my dreams? I thought to myself as an overwhelming sense of d=
=E9j=E0 vu engulfed me.=20
As soon as the kids were up, I heard a gun cocking behind me. I whipped aro=
und and shot in a millisecond in the direction of the sound. A grunt and a =
thud and a body hit the ground. They were tightening the noose around me; I=
 could feel it in the shift of the air. I sucked in a long breath and held.=
 Closing my eyes I focused my other senses. I strained my ears and felt the=
 air moving along my skin. Twisting on my feet in a circle; I opened fire. =
I remembered the bullet I?d taken in my dream and subconsciously kept waiti=
ng to get shot. I just hoped the team would arrive before that to secure th=
e kids.=20
There were sounds of bullets connecting and rending flesh and bodies hittin=
g ground all around. Suddenly there was fire all around us; in a perfect ri=
ng securing us inside. I whipped my neck toward the kids up in the tree and=
 saw their hands spread in front of them and eyes closed in concentration. =
They were fire elementals after all, but they could handle it this well, I =
had no idea.=20
?Casper this is Rush, we?re here mate. We?ll give you the all clear soon?. =
I sighed in relief and waited inside the circle of fire, hearing the sounds=
 of battle outside and itching to join. But I knew I had to stay with the k=
ids, they must be on the verge of collapsing by now.=20
As silence fell, Rush?s voice came through the comm device, ?Clear. Come on=
 let?s move out?. I sighed in relief and gathered the kids as the fire died=
 around us. We started making our way back to the vehicles when a twig snap=
ped behind me and then one more gun shot rang out. I lurched on my feet. Fa=
lling down, I had this sense of peace that I?d completed the mission. So th=
e dream was some kind of prophecy. Then there was darkness all around me.--=
->=20
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------=_Part_157_1115297295.1637255385833--