Joule’s Anomaly
Juliana hurried. What had been a beautiful summer day hiking the Appalachian Trail was quickly turning into a weather event. She had been completing portions of the trail as her schedule allowed, but lately her progress had been hit and miss. The approaching thunder had an ominous, low rumble that seemed to resonate within her. Her hike was about to be scrapped. Again.
Juliana finally located a trail shelter and quickly entered. A strong gust ripped the door from her grasp and flung it all the way open. She swore and pushed it shut behind her, relieved to have reached some semblance of safety from the coming storm.
“Looks like you made it just in time,” a deep male voice spoke.
Juliana turned around and squinted as her vision adjusted to the dim interior of the shelter. A man sat on the floor with his back propped against his pack. He was writing in a small leather journal. As she shrugged off her own pack, the stranger put his journal aside and rose to his feet. He approached her and offered an outstretched hand, “Arlo.” The timbre of his voice had the same effect on her as the approaching thunder: it somehow was felt more than heard.
She ignored that odd feeling and accepted his hand, “Juliana.”
Zings of electricity instantly flowed between them as they touched. It felt like a strong static shock, but instead of hurting, it felt… good? Juliana quickly pulled her hand away and stepped back.
“Whoa! That was weird, right?” She laughed nervously and rubbed one hand against the other.
Small branches were thrown onto the shelter's metal roof with a noisy clatter. Arlo glanced upward and shook his head, “Not weird at all. These conditions are ideal for energy exchange. Energy stored must be energy released at some point,” he looked at her and continued, “within the atmosphere and perhaps between humans, too...” he trailed off thoughtfully, slowly rubbing his hands together as well. Breaking eye contact, he ran a hand through his hair and gave a self-conscious laugh as he blushed.
He has great hair…I wish I could run my hands through it. Juliana mused.
It was now her turn to blush. The uncharacteristic, intrusive thought caught Juliana off guard.
Really? You've known him, what? A full two minutes? She admonished herself until she felt appropriately guilty.
“Juliana,” Arlo began to ask her something when another thought suddenly occurred to him, “your name…”
“Yeah, but no one calls me that. Everyone has always called me—”
“Jules,” Arlo interjected.
“Yeah! How- How did you know that it would be ‘Jules’ and not ‘Julie’?” She could not hide her surprise.
“Huh… I don't know. Just a guess. It really does suit you, though.” Arlo rubbed his chin with an amused and oddly pleased look on his face. Jules was confused by his reaction, but didn't ask.
Wanting to change the subject, yet hopeful to continue their conversation, Jules queried, “So… what do you do for a living?” She immediately cursed herself inwardly for going with such a generic question.
Arlo watched her kaleidoscope of facial expressions and laughed good-naturedly, “It's okay. I study atmospheric thermodynamics.”
“Okay. I can't even pretend I know what that is,” Jules laughed, “but can I guess what it has to do with?”
“Of course,” Arlo nodded, adjusting his glasses.
“Hmm… Meteorology? As in… weather prediction type stuff?” Jules playfully ventured.
“Not exactly. It's a branch of physics that studies the relationship between heat and energy— other things too, but I'm most fascinated in the transfer of energy that occurs in nature. So, today happens to be my favorite kind of day.” Almost on cue, thunder crackled and boomed, rattling the windows. Arlo grinned and continued, “You see, I track energy anomalies and there have been several strong, but sporadic readings in this area. I feel like I may have isolated a pattern, but it is too early to tell. I am here on vacation to hike, but also do research if the opportunity presents itself.”
They sat on the floor, facing one another. Arlo again leaned against his pack and Jules against hers. Despite their awkward start, they both now felt at ease. Without further prompting, Arlo began to explain thermodynamic theory to Jules. He was quite animated while describing his life's work.
Despite the fact Jules found Arlo to be highly intelligent and incredibly articulate, she understood very little of what he was telling her. However, what caught and held her attention was the manner in which Arlo spoke. Jules had never heard anything technical be expressed so eloquently and passionately. To her ear, his words sounded like scientific poetry— if such a thing existed. She felt like she could listen to him speak for hours.
She felt a hum growing between them as he spoke. It felt like a warm magnet, sensuously fluctuating and pulling at her center. Pulling her toward him in a most intimate manner.
Am I losing my mind, or is he feeling this too?
It was at this point that Jules became mesmerized by Arlo’s mouth. She became entranced by the way his lips moved; she couldn't help but stare. She eventually felt strangely jealous of each spoken word, each uttered syllable— if only she could be caressed by his tongue and lips like that…
Vivid images of his handsome face buried in her lap while both her hands grasped his hair came to her mind like a lightning strike. She blushed and looked away, but the image remained.
Okay, this is crazy. Stop, you perv.
But Jules did not stop. This time she welcomed the intrusive thoughts and embraced the resultant heat that flooded her body. Her mouth watered, her heart raced, and her breath rate increased. Her nipples hardened and eventually, the throbbing slickness between her thighs became impossible to ignore. She adjusted how she was sitting, but the unavoidable rubbing only made the ache worse.
The last few synapses in her brain that were not lust-infused attempted to reason with her:
Perhaps there is a scientific explanation. Is it somehow related to this storm? Would Arlo know? I mean, he is a scientist after all. But… what if this can't be explained?
And then suddenly, Jules didn't care anymore what the reason might be. She leaned toward him, the pull now too strong to resist. Outside, the storm intensified. Its insistence to be known was now in tandem with her need.
Arlo had stopped talking and looked deeply into her eyes. What she saw mirrored her own desire and fascination. It was obvious to Jules that he was indeed feeling the powerful attraction, too. He was as smitten as she and his arousal was as achingly present as hers. He could not hide it if he tried and he had no intention of doing such a thing. Heavy sheets of rain lashed at the window as they slowly leaned toward each other.
As lips parted and tongues met, the most spectacular sensation surged through them both. It was stronger and much more sensual than the zing from their earlier handshake. Whatever few reservations they were still holding to were now completely abandoned. They impatiently fumbled with and tore at one another's clothes with desperate hunger. They broke from kissing only when absolutely required.
Everywhere their bare skin touched, erotic electricity snapped and sizzled. Tendrils of supernatural longing raced and spiraled between and within them like currents. Their senses moved together as if they were celestial dance partners following ancient choreography only the two of them were ever destined to know.
Arlo's eager hands cradled Jules' bare cheeks and lifted her onto the countertop in one fluid movement. Her arms and legs reached to greedily encircle him as he moved toward her with animal intensity. The storm that ensued between the two rivaled the raw beauty of the summer storm raging around them.
The power that had been unleashed that day changed the landscape of all they thought they knew. As they continued to explore the principles of thermodynamics together, Arlo was confident he had at last located the source of the anomaly.
They learned everything that energy release between two humans was meant to be.
In theory, and in practice.
A Writer’s Love Story...
This is a small excerpt from the tiny novella entitled 'A Writer's Love Story'...
Excerpt 1
There was a reason why Stella felt very drawn to this particular book. The book's cover design was simple and gave nothing away. Yet the story was different- special. Stella flipped page after page with excitement since she liked it so much. The book was a typical rich people's romance novel, but there was something very intriguing about the way it was narrated that kept her glued to the story.
The book was not true to its name. On the other hand, it was making her think spiritually about life through the trysts and triumphs of the star-crossed protagonist Giselle Kindchen who finds herself lost in Swanky Monte Carlo and seeking something meaningful.
Stella was so taken by the book's heroine Giselle and her lonesome adventures when her eyes fell on the wall clock above her. She had been reading the book for more than a few hours and her hands had started to ache.
She put the book down for a moment and looked closely at a newly formed pink zit on her nose in the mirror. She also noticed her blue eyes, full face, and beautiful blonde hair. Stella wondered what it would be like to have Giselle's guts.
Excerpt 2
Stella was so busy in her little world and the notes she was making for her blog article that she hardly noticed a handsome hazel green-eyed man who had sat down at a table just next to hers. He seemed like a nice man.
Whenever she concentrated on her writing she found herself very deep in thought. She usually was so lost in thought while writing at her favourite cafe, that she wasn't aware of other people and what they were doing around her.
Stella continued to make her notes as if nothing had happened because she did not notice the man sitting near her. When she finally looked up she noticed him again. Something made her wonder if he too was a writer like she was. She keenly observed him from afar and felt that she had never seen a more dashing, handsome man.
She wondered if he too was a writer. She wondered if he too thought about the world the way she did. There was an air about him that made her wonder if he was someone who seemed wise and almost philosophical.
Title - A Writer's Love Story
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Age Range - 18-30
Word Count -3997 words
Author Name - Sarah D
Why Your Project Is A Good Fit - Great Story With A Dose Of Romance And A Moral At The End- The Story teaches you something, if you read about how the character develops as the story progresses
The hook - Opposites attract and two intelligent scribes in a cafe have a steamy romantic encounter. Her questions about life are answered by their intimate conversation, which she likens to a book she is reading. She discovers that Heaven is a place on Earth.
Synopsis -
A Writer's Love Story is all about the antics of a beautiful young female writer who walks into her favourite cafe one day and meets an attractive person. As the story unfolds the character of the shy but intelligent woman is revealed. At first, she is shown as undecided, introverted and confused in the large cafe, trying so desperately to get his attention which is cute in a strange way.
She slowly gleans from afar, that the handsome man whose attention she is trying to attract is also a writer and tries to initiate a conversation with him. When they meet sparks fly, and they have a chance romantic encounter later.
The Story concludes with her finding love with him much like the protagonist of her current favourite book entitled 'The Secret Of Monte Carlo' and realizes from her conversation with him that 'Heaven is a place on Earth' and that everyone is a writer, who writing a different story of their lives based on their own choices and experiences.
Target Audience - Mostly Young Female Adults
Your Bio -Sarah Desouza lives in the sun-soaked shores of Goa, India, where she crafts relatable short stories on her Medium blog. With a passion for storytelling, Sarah aims for her narratives to leave a lasting impression, imparting valuable lessons to her readers. Frequently infused with philosophical themes and moral reflections, her tales delve into the depths of human experience. Sarah’s writing transcends abstract concepts, rendering them palpable, particularly in explorations of love and the divine. Among her literary endeavours is the book ‘His Lingering Perfume,’ available on Amazon. For Sarah, writing is not just a hobby but a means of self-expression.
Platform - Medium, Wattpad, Neobook
Education- University
Experience - She loves writing short stories on her Medium Blog https://medium.com/@sarahbiblion and has also self-published a book entitled 'His Lingering Perfume' Sarah loves writing fiction, but she also is a blog content writer who does freelance work.
Personality / Writing Style - Writes about love, but my stories usually have highly relatable female protagonists who are not very loud and in your face, but someone the audience can relate to and learn a thing or two from. My stories are high on romance but have something earthy that will draw you to them on an emotional level.
Likes/Hobbies - Reading, Writing Poetry, Singing
Hometown - Goa, a sunny beach island in India
Age - 25
Wolftown, Part Five
Wolftown’s wolf response was headquartered in Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and School’s gymnasium, ideal for muddy, wet people. The wolf responders stationed constantly in the gymnasium sandbagged the doorways between the locker rooms and the gymnasium. Expecting Wolftown’s water level to rise another two or three feet, volunteers prepared classrooms for flooded-out families. Somebody monitored the generator. The town plumber, Phil, and a church and school custodian, Gary, bailed out the boys’ locker room.
“What’s wrong with the sewer system?” Wayne asked.
Phil said, “Something blocked it all over town.”
“This didn’t happen last time we had this rainfall,” Gary said.
“I don’t think the sewers were inspected before the storm,” Phil said.
“They should have been,” Gary said.
Phil shrugged. “Try the restroom on the upper floors.”
“We’re muddy,” Wayne said.
“I spread plastic over the carpets,” Gary said.
Wayne changed his clothes and John hung up his foul-weather gear.
The responders napped in classrooms and ate in the combination fellowship hall and school cafeteria. Pastor Virgil Mickelson officiated optional, short church services.
In the gymnasium, Wayne and John sat at a folding table. John plugged his laptop into an extension cord plugged into another orange one, but, at least, Holy Trinity’s wall outlets had surge protectors.
“We don’t have internet access,” Wayne said.
“If you don’t use it, I won’t need to.”
“Why do you have it anyway?”
“Paula thinks computer technology will make conservation easier. I keep notes on floppy disks, write, copy files, and can’t do much more.”
“What about Y2K?”
“Thankfully, she didn’t need to reimburse anyone for wasting $2,000.”
Wayne shuffled through notes and papers left at his folding table seat. “The kid was a missing person.”
“Oh, no,” John said.
“No one said he was when the police asked us to identify him.” Wayne sighed.
“I forgot about the beaver trapper, but I bet he was one of the missing persons Mayor Dwyer mentioned. Search-and-rescue declared him presumed dead today.”
“Condolences,” John said.
“We kept an eye out for him while looking for the wolf.”
“Did a wolf attack him?”
“No idea. I don’t know if we will know because of the flood. The first rabies tests came back negative,” Wayne said.
“Good.” John inserted a floppy disk.
“Here’s a note from Schuster: ‘Megan photographed Zach’s wolf bites, wrote down the measurements, and made a few copies. She said to call if you had questions. Megan can say what she wants. I’m working on Barbara Luben’s evidence. You are authorized to view evidence of Zach and Mrs. Luben’s attacks. I’ll try to bring them to you but can’t guarantee it.’”
“Do you want to look at fatal injures? It’s hard.”
“And harder if you know the people or live in the same town. I need to.”
“Do you want me to start with the hiker or the official first victim?”
“The hiker if it is chronological. I can take notes out-of-order, but I have to put it in order sometime.”
“I know I said I could tell you about the hikers, but I forgot about the police,” Wayne said. “They haven’t found Sergio Vasquez’s body yet, and Miranda Vasquez’s story is a little difficult to understand.”
As one of the most informed people involved in the wolf response, Wayne considered classifying the wolf situation pointless at best and, at worst, prevented an adequate response. He released any data somebody requested; it possibly provoked Mayor Dwyer’s restriction of out-of-town journalism and non-communication with local media.
Wayne suggested the most useful people to contact. Via Sharon Smith, Mayor Dwyer’s secretary, Wayne pestered the mayor for permission to answer the questions or to contact another person. Within half an hour, Mayor Dwyer allowed Wayne to explain details he considered pertinent—except about the wolf which attacked Miranda and Sergio Vasquez. The police continued to investigate Sergio Vasquez’s death. Mayor Dwyer permitted details about how they encountered the wolf, how it attacked, and how it stopped. To John’s surprise, Wayne agreed without argument.
John typed notes and listed evidence to copy.
While Sergio and Miranda Vasquez honeymooned in the woods near Wolftown. On March 6 and 7, they briefly met Peter, a stranger. He warned them about wolves in the area and suggested camping a couple of miles west. However, they stayed at their campsite. They built a fire and bear-proofed their food, which coincidentally deterred wolves.
In the middle of the night, Miranda left the tent to relieve herself. She zipped up the tent, but the hikers woke to a lone wolf inside the tent.
John said, “Sometimes the zipper doesn’t catch the other side of the fabric, but it sounds like it zipped.”
“I asked her. I haven’t had time to find out if a wolf can tear through a tent, but I told her I would,” Wayne said.
Sergio fought the wolf and slashed an escape hole for Miranda. She brandished a burning branch, which ignited the tent. Somehow, Sergio and the wolf struggled out of the tent, as Sergio yelled for Miranda to climb a tree.
Miranda tugged singed, bleeding Sergio from the tent, while the smoldering wolf rolled on the ground. The wolf retreated slightly, giving Sergio time to boost Miranda into a sugar maple tree. She hauled him up, but the wolf dragged him down. While Sergio stopped screaming, the wolf bit Miranda’s leg. The wolf’s teeth shredded her left leg, but Miranda tugged her leg out of the wolf’s mouth.
“How?” John asked.
“Adrenaline,” Wayne said. “But I’m surprised her the bone didn’t break, and he didn’t bite an artery or a vein.”
Wayne continued the chronological order, moving to the wolves entering Wolftown on March 8. Each wolf entered Wolftown on a different side of town by 2:00 PM, March 8. People treated them as a curiosity because sometimes wild animals passed the city limits.
Later, Wayne named the wolves Abel, Barker, and Charlie, although he initially thought Barker and Charlie were the same. Wayne said, “Abel looks like an overweight male, Barker is underweight, and Charlie is average. I don’t know Barker and Charlie’s sexes, but if the wolves are a pack, they are probably females. The wolves are about the same size, but people said Abel was big. Locals have a better idea of a wolf’s size than tourists have, but a wolf looks bigger in real life.”
“Probably more when you think it’s dangerous,” John said.
“And he was fat, and people called him fat.”
“He is.”
“At first, I thought the wolf was pregnant, but he is a male. I think he is bigger than Barker, but not unusually big.”
Around 3:00, Abel loped down Main Street into Holy Trinity Church and School’s playground. Barking and growling, he trotted, then cantered, then galloped. Kids scattered, and adults hustled children indoors, into cars, on top of the jungle gym, or down the street. Witnesses said fleeing felt like a natural response and thought the wolf could not chase everybody at once.
Playing hopscotch, Mallory Vaughn stood on one leg. Abel knocked her down; his paw left a smudged print on her pink jacket. Her older brother, Raymond, swung his stuffed backpack at Abel. He scooped up winded Mallory and dashed to the nurse’s office. On the way to the nurse’s office, Mallory accused Raymond of shoving her, even though Raymond babysat her. She merely skinned her knees, palms, and chin, and bumped her nose.
The wolf galloped out of the playground under a barrage of textbooks, lunch boxes, a ball, a copy of An Explanation of the Small Catechism, and a Furby. The playground monitor, Cindy Brown, slammed the gate shut and locked it.
As Abel wove through traffic, Maurice Williams nearly crashed into him; days later, he told Wayne he wished he totaled his car and killed Abel. The wolf caused erratic driving and two minor accidents. School-hour traffic and pulling over for the police cars complicated matters.
The wolf bounded through the grounds of the Sun ‘n’ Rain Childcare Center and the Giggling Forward Preschool. He circled the blocks and bounded again. Steve Taylor considered shooting the wolf, but the children were too close.
Throughout the town, people called 911 or Happy Howlers to report sightings. The wolves often left before anybody arrived—everybody focused on the schoolchildren. But the number of calls and the locations indicated two or three wolves roamed Wolftown.
Chief of Police Dennis Laufenberg was out of town. Until he arrived, Deputy Chief of Police Kurt Phelps oversaw the police’s response. He told officers to carry tranquilizers and fire a gun as a last resort.
Because a wolf could easily jump Holy Trinity, the daycare, or the preschools’ fences, Wayne recommended that the staff keep children indoors until their parents arrived. To his relief, quite a few adults and children came to the same conclusion. The staff and parents arranged impromptu carpools and pickups. Officer Jones watched for wolves and staff or parents walked the children to the cars.
Police officers patrolled for unaccompanied walking children and drove them home, and they offered rides to accompanied children. Officer Matthews escorted the school bus and officers or parents walked children to their doors.
Around 4:30 PM, one wolf disappeared, probably into the woods, while two others continued prowling Wolftown. Wayne still wondered which wolf fled and which wolf remained.
Raymond and the adults’ reactions scared Mallory more than a wolf running her over. Just as a precaution, Dr. Groves ordered a rabies vaccine. Wayne examined Mallory’s jacket and collected wolf hairs from Raymond’s backpack.
The police unjammed traffic, despite Barker’s presence.
While Abel wreaked havoc, black-and-white security footage tracked Barker and Charlie, either of whom could have also chased the school bus. The wolf walked and loped, stopping to howl or bark. If somebody tried chasing him away, he cantered or galloped. He loitered around Main Street, but neither entered the school grounds nor threatened the parking lot. Wayne supposed the cars scared him.
Calvin, a Happy Howlers’ employee, tracked down Barker or Charlie at approximately 5:00. The wolf saw the car, turned around, and hid in a residential area. Suzanne backed up Calvin, and they almost cornered him. He jumped a fence at 6:00, but they tranquilized him. He headed for the woods and the Happy Howlers employees followed on foot at 6:10, plenty of time for the wolf to pass out. Neither wanted to chase the wolf on foot or search thoroughly for a trail, so they gave up a couple of minutes later. The wolf escaped. Wayne defended Calvin and Suzanne’s decision.
Around 6:30 PM, a wolf mauled Jill Vogel’s off-leash dachshund-Yorkie-miscellaneous mix. The wolf picked up Button and bolted out of the park. Button’s death eventually indicated Charlie existed.
Sightings halted after the attack.
The Happy Howlers administrative assistant, Rebecca Austin, sent information to the local media, which reported the wolf sightings for the evening news or morning paper. Other people heard rumors or they told their friends.
Happy Howlers intended to tranquilize the wolves and ask Dr. Jodi Richardson to examine them. If she declared the wolves healthy, Happy Howlers would tag, vaccinate, and release them. Employees nursed ill or dying wolves, except for rabid ones.
John disagreed with euthanizing animals for any reason but understood the reasons behind killing a rabid animal. Paula and the Nature Protection Society thought rabies and other diseases justified euthanasia. Because of that and Wolftown’s sensitive situation, he felt uncomfortable mentioning his opinion. He thought Wayne guessed, but they did not discuss it.
Wolftown’s nightlife consisted of McDonald's, the Old Wolftown Restaurant, and the Wunderbar, but they were quieter than normal.
“What’s the Wunder Bar?” John asked.
“It’s the only bar in town. One word, W-U-N-D-E-R-B-A-R.”
“Thanks.”
Mayor Dwyer made town officials, his family, and close friends to eat out, buy gas at the BP Gas Station, and play in the park.
“I told him it was a stupid decision,” Wayne said.
“Did something happen to him?” John asked.
“No, but it’s like living in Jaws! Would you have gone outside?”
“I’m a homebody.”
“And you already got into a wolf situation.”
“I had an escape route.”
Wayne sighed.
“You do it,” John said.
“I’m armed and keeping an eye out for the wolf. I don’t want to kill the wolf, but I want to survive.”
Seven businesses and the police station had security cameras. Four businesses had taped over their footage before police requested copies, and two showed barely any wolf. The police refused to turn over their videotaped footage but copied the low-quality time-lapse tapes. Wayne borrowed the school’s TV and paused the footage when necessary.
The security footage showed the wolf returned to downtown Wolftown at approximately 8:30 PM.
A couple of anonymous teenagers snuck out of their houses to buy junk food at the BP Gas Station and eat it in Sugar Maple Park. They noticed wolf tracks in the playground sand. Button died on the opposite side of the park, so Wayne suspected they found the first overnight tracks. The teenagers looked for the wolves because wolves would deter tourism, which their families depended on.
Schuster spotted their flashlights. He told them that Laufenberg ordered the police to send children and teenagers home, regardless of their parents’ usual rules, if the children walked or rode bikes alone after dark. Apparently, the teenagers had sneaked out. They could either go to the police station and give a statement about the wolf or go home without any mention of the wolf. The wolf howled behind the teenagers, too close. Schuster hustled them into the car, but the teenagers went voluntarily.
“I bet the parents found out anyway,” Wayne said.
“I won’t identify them,” John said.
(Part Five coming on August 9 or 16, 2024.)
Yugioh: good vs evil
After years away from the game he once dominated, Terrex discovers that the YuGiOh tournament has returned, now under the dark shadow of a new reigning champion, Onyx Redfield, played by Lindsay Sterling. The daughter of KaibaCorp's founder, Onyx uses underhanded tactics and dark magic to maintain her sinister grip on the competition. Determined to stop her reign of terror, Terrex dusts off his old deck and re-enters the tournament.
With the stakes higher than ever, Terrex must overcome rustiness and a slew of formidable opponents, rediscovering his passion for the game along the way. In a thrilling climax, Terrex faces Onyx in a duel that will determine the fate of the tournament and the honor of all duelists. Can he outsmart and outplay her dark strategies to bring light back to the game he loves?
"YuGiOh: Good Vs Evil" is a gripping tale of redemption, courage, and the enduring power of true passion. Join Terrex on his journey to reclaim his legacy and restore justice in the world of YuGiOh.
Preface
In the world of YuGiOh, the line between strategy and sorcery has always been thin, a delicate balance maintained by the integrity of its duelists. Terrex J. Corbin once stood as a shining beacon of this balance, a champion who dominated the tournament scene with unmatched skill and unwavering honor. Seventeen times, he claimed victory, each trophy a testament to his dedication and love for the game.
But life has a way of shifting priorities. Family responsibilities and personal loss dimmed the fire that once burned brightly within Terrex. The cards were set aside, the trophies gathered dust, and the champion became a memory. The world of YuGiOh moved on without him, evolving and growing, while he retreated into a quieter life.
Now, whispers of a new darkness have reached Terrex’s ears. The tournament has returned, but it is not the same. A new champion, Onyx Redfield, reigns with a grip as cold as the shadows she commands. Daughter of the legendary Kaiba, Onyx has introduced a sinister element to the game, using underhanded tactics and dark magic to dominate her opponents. Her rise to power has left a trail of broken spirits and shattered dreams.
For Terrex, this is more than just a call to action; it’s a call to redemption. The game he once loved, the world he once ruled, needs him. As he dusts off his old deck and prepares to re-enter the arena, he knows the path will not be easy. The stakes are higher, the opponents stronger, and the champion darker than ever before.
"YuGiOh: Good Vs Evil" is not just a story of cards and battles. It is a story of a man rediscovering his passion, of courage in the face of overwhelming darkness, and of the enduring power of true integrity. This journey will test Terrex’s limits, challenge his beliefs, and ultimately, remind him why he fell in love with the game in the first place.
As you turn the pages, join Terrex on his quest to reclaim his legacy, restore justice, and illuminate the world of YuGiOh once more.
preface
In the world of YuGiOh, the line between strategy and sorcery has always been thin, a delicate balance maintained by the integrity of its duelists. Terrex J. Corbin once stood as a shining beacon of this balance, a champion who dominated the tournament scene with unmatched skill and unwavering honor. Seventeen times, he claimed victory, each trophy a testament to his dedication and love for the game.
But life has a way of shifting priorities. Family responsibilities and personal loss dimmed the fire that once burned brightly within Terrex. The cards were set aside, the trophies gathered dust, and the champion became a memory. The world of YuGiOh moved on without him, evolving and growing, while he retreated into a quieter life.
Now, whispers of a new darkness have reached Terrex’s ears. The tournament has returned, but it is not the same. A new champion, Onyx Redfield, reigns with a grip as cold as the shadows she commands. Daughter of the legendary Kaiba, Onyx has introduced a sinister element to the game, using underhanded tactics and dark magic to dominate her opponents. Her rise to power has left a trail of broken spirits and shattered dreams.
For Terrex, this is more than just a call to action; it’s a call to redemption. The game he once loved, the world he once ruled, needs him. As he dusts off his old deck and prepares to re-enter the arena, he knows the path will not be easy. The stakes are higher, the opponents stronger, and the champion darker than ever before.
"YuGiOh: Good Vs Evil" is not just a story of cards and battles. It is a story of a man rediscovering his passion, of courage in the face of overwhelming darkness, and of the enduring power of true integrity. This journey will test Terrex’s limits, challenge his beliefs, and ultimately, remind him why he fell in love with the game in the first place.
As you turn the pages, join Terrex on his quest to reclaim his legacy, restore justice, and illuminate the world of YuGiOh once more.
A Dark Roast
[Originally posted in 2019, on an old account]
Miriam Donovan woke up on Tuesday morning the same way she always did. Stretch, coffee, feed the dog, social media. After a short while of scrolling, she noticed a status update from her sister, Serena, that was written in all capitalized and bolded lettering.
“THE END IS NEAR”
Several comments followed, full of their family and Serena’s coworkers and friends laughing, calling her crazy, and otherwise mocking her cryptic message. It was always the same story with Serena, and Miriam began to break out in a cold sweat.
“The end is near?” Miriam mumbled, hunched over her laptop reading the various comments.
“Serena I know you work at a coffee shop but I think it’s time to lay off the espresso,” one of her friends commented twenty minutes ago.
Miriam was on the fence about the situation and whether she should brush this off as truly too much caffeine or pursue her sisters eerie message. Serena considered herself a seer. She claimed since they were in the seventh grade that she ‘just knew’ what was going to happen and, sure enough, her tellings always showed themselves to be true.
Serena had predicted world events, she had predicted deaths, she predicted the weather, she just seemed to know everything that there was to know in the Earths timeline. However, she had also been known to make mountains out of molehills. Miriam recalled when they were in their sophomore year of high school and Serena had already shown just how accurately she could see into the future. Serena had told her that she was going to die in the next week and, four days later, her boyfriend broke up with her.
Miriam let out a quiet, breathy laugh as she closed her laptop and rolled her eyes. After taking a boiling shower and getting dressed for the day, she called her mother on the phone. The dial tone rang a few times before she answered.
“Hello?” Miriam's mother, Judy, sang into the phone.
“Mom, are we still on for brunch? I haven’t eaten so we can really get our moneys worth,” Miriam chucked. Judy was always on a budget and, if they would go out to eat, always made sure her kids were good and hungry so that nothing would turn into leftovers and be wasted.
“Oh! Yes, yes, let me brush my teeth and grab my purse and I’ll meet you there. No need to wait, just order me a cappuccino!” Judy frantically yelled a bit too loud into the phone and Miriam could hear her shoes thudding against the tile floor.
“Mom please don’t rush yourself, you’ll get hurt that way. Take as much time as you need. Oh, and did you see what sis posted online this morning?” Miriam paced around her kitchen alternating from looking at her dog, Jackson, to out her window. Her mother was still frantic it seemed, though thankfully she had slowed her pace.
“I did! I wanted to ask you about that, but I’m going to get ready and we can talk about it when we get there. Love you, Mimi!” Judy spoke fast, almost so fast that Miriam wondered if she could breathe.
“Love you too mom, see you in a bit. No rushing! I want you there in one piece!” She laughed and the two of them hung up.
“Alright, Jackson, be a good boy. Mama will be back later!” She called to the husky as she finished getting ready, grabbing her purse and heading to the car.
__________________________________________
Judy rushed into the restaurant, quickly found her daughter, and went to sit down on the opposite side of her in the booth.
“Had you forgotten?” Miriam laughed, sipping her glass of lemon water.
“I just got so distracted with the laundry and feeding your father, honey, I just lost track of time. I hope you haven’t been waiting long!” Judy swept her gray hair from her face and took a long swig of her coffee, breathing deeply.
“I see. I just got here almost ten minutes ago. I did want to ask you about Serena before I forget, though,” Miriam skimmed the menu, flipping each page over and back, deciding what to order.
“Oh yes, I was hoping you would know what’s going on,” Judy said, concerned. She hadn’t began to even look at the menu yet.
“No. I know you don’t believe in the supernatural, but what if something is actually going to happen and she knows something that we all don’t?” Miriam looked up to meet her mothers gaze.
“Sweetheart, your sister has made some rather shocking predictions and maybe gotten lucky a few times, yes. I think if she won’t elaborate on it, she’s just having a bad day. Not everything she posts is all that serious, Mimi. I personally think that she’s doing this to get attention, but who’s to say?” Judy dug her reading glasses from her purse and began flipping through the menu as well, leaving Miriam no less puzzled as she had been when she first saw the message.
"Should I call her? I mean the only way to know what her motives are is really just to ask her. On one hand I feel like she’s just overreacted about something like she did in high school when Joseph broke up with her. On the other hand, though, what if something sinister is going to happen and we never find out because she won’t publicly say anything?” Miriam dug her phone out of her bag and began dialing her sisters number.
“You can do whatever you want. I do think talking to her is a wise idea. Not sure if she’ll be able to hear you with all of this commotion, though. Step outside if you need. I’ll wait for you before I order,” Judy placed her napkin in her lap and took another small sip of her coffee. With a nod, Miriam hit talk and walked outside, plugging one of her ears to shield from the speakers. She heard a sound like the line had been answered, but no one spoke on the other end.
“Hello? Serena? It’s me, your sister?” Miriam waited and eventually, her sister did speak.
“Hey M, I really need you to listen to me okay? I saw something and-”
“I know, I know, the end is near. What did you see? This better not be something blown all out of proportion! You’ve given me quite a scare today!” Miriam scolded. Serena kept speaking then like she hadn’t even said anything.
“I saw something and I really think we’re doomed here. I had just woken up and I know this is going to sound insane, but all I could see was death and destruction and blood. There were helicopters and airplanes flying in the air dropping things to the civilians and it really looked like the end of the world. The end of humanity at the very least. It’s going to happen very soon. Like within a week, soon!” Serena was almost yelling loud enough for her voice to be heard outside of Miriam's cell phone, and Miriam just stood there trying to process the tidal wave of information being shoved to her all at once.
“What are you talking about, Sera?“Miriam asked, dumbfound. She tried desperately to find some way to string the story around into something less horrific.
“Did you not hear? We’re like, all going to die! I saw it! I saw the bodies! I saw the people flying above killing the people on the ground!” Serena shouted with a panic-stricken voice.
“Well just calm down! Could this be something small disguised as something big? I don’t know, like a demotion at work or a family or friends death?” Miriam scoffed, refusing to believe that something more catastrophic was indeed coming for humanity.
“No! I know what I saw. I typically know when I’m being overly dramatic, and I haven’t even really been that way in quite some time! Before you ask either, this was not a nightmare. I was awake. I woke up and sat up in bed when I saw it all. Nobody believes me, which I suppose is understandable. Seeing the end of the world isn’t exactly a thing that happens, y’know? I thought though that at lease you of all people would believe me, M!” Serena was in a full blown meltdown, and Miriam had frozen in her stance in front of the restaurant.
“Well did you see anything else? Surely there has to be more! You’re trying to tell me the world is just doomed and your silly little superpower only thought to warn us a week in advance?” Miriam hollered. Old couples walking into the restaurant stared at her like she was from another planet, but in that moment Miriam felt like the world really was closing in on her. As she sat down on a bench and put her head down, she felt her mother walk up and stop in front of her, her short heels the only thing in sight.
“No, M. I don’t think we’re getting out of this one. This isn’t like a serial killer that we can go to the police about. This is a full on apocalyptic scenario. I don’t think anyone is going to get out of this one. I think we’re done,” Serena said with a certain numbness to her voice. It was as if she had just given up as quickly as she had spiraled into hysterics.
“So you’re telling me now I have to just sit here knowing that we’re all going to die and I can’t even do anything about it? We can’t tell anyone? We just have to sit here and take it?” Miriam was the one who seemed to be going hysterical then, shifting in her seat and bouncing her legs as well. Her mother took a seat beside her and tried desperately to peer into her eyes and get some kind of a clue as to what was happening on the other end of the phone.
“You can try but I’m sure it’ll go just about as well as my vague post this morning. It was still really soon after I saw it all. Should I even bother making a longer post? Would anyone really take it seriously?” Serena sounded defeated and hopeless, like this depression had just swallowed her.
“Anything is better than doing nothing! I mean seriously, why am I out eating breakfast when this is all going to go down? Why am I wasting my time here when we could be trying to do something? If not now then when?” Miriam shouted, taking her mother aback. Judy furrowed her brows, mouth open just as confused as ever and slightly offended at the thought of her daughter blowing her off.
“M, I-” Serena started.
“Sera, seriously. I will drop everything and come over right now. Mom will too I’m sure. We need to think of something and we need to do it fast. There’s absolutely no time to waste!” Miriam shouted, scrambling to get up and grab her purse from her mother.
“M, I saw it again,” Serena said in a hushed tone.
“Well?” Miriam stopped in her tracks and turned toward the restaurant and her mother again.
“The government. The feds. They’re the ones. They’re coming for us. In planes, in helicopters, on the ground, they’re getting rid of us! They’re killing us off and starting a war to end all wars! The next world war, the one to wipe out humanity, it starts with us. With the civilians!” Serena's voice rose and rose until it was back in that familiar scream.
“Oh my god,” Miriam covered her mouth and placed her phone against her chest.
“Are you planning on explaining to me what’s going on? Both of you are scaring me senseless! I need to know what’s going on!” Judy hollered coming up to her daughter and grabbing her shoulders.
“We’re screwed,” Miriam replied with a deadpan tone and a teary eyed smile.
“Excuse me?” Judy asked with a short laugh.
Miriam did not reply and, instead, walked briskly away to her car.
Nobody shits
Once a toddler becomes potty trained, they no longer require that skill.
Past whatever age one is self sufficient at pottying on their own, they pee sure, but forever go defecationless
Some may tell you they shit, some may even make bodily noises at your local gas station or McDonald's
butt, be warned
they're trying to trap those 1 or 2 stragglers remaining who do still actually have the biological malfunction of needing to release their bowels for any reason beyond ruining themselves for whatever bear lion predator is considering making them dinner.
Be warned- trust NOONE who claims to participate in such sewagery, especially Non-Males
Based On Her Beautiful Old Story...
This is a short story based on the writing prompt entitled “A writer’s fictional characters start appearing in a real-life coffee shop”. I happen to have written a tiny novel, so this particular writing prompt sounded very interesting. I decided to try it out.
Once upon a time, long ago, lived a beautiful young woman called Sarah, who was quite a mystery. Sarah was the intelligent sort, and she had a rather different way of going about things.
Sarah liked to wake up in the morning and look outside her window. She saw from her window pane the world passing by. She had a beautiful habit of waking up early in the morning and whispering a small prayer to who she thought was God. She had learned through a personal journey about who she thought he was, and bringing the reality of good and beautiful principles into her life, was one of the things that prayer in the morning helped her do.
She liked to wake up in the morning hour, and also do a little bit of morning writing. Sarah Ritten would also get herself a cup of steaming hot coffee so that she could feel more awake and energized. The Coffee was a wonderful thing in the morning, and it was the perfect addition to a bout of morning writing.
Sarah Ritten wanted to put some divine and inspiring messages into her writing, and she did this effortlessly. She was naturally the picture of innocence and budding wisdom and this showed flawlessly in her writing as well. She felt she had a message to share with the world, like many people.
So many people are born with something to say, with a mark to leave on the sands of time. It’s so wonderful when every person that ever enters into this life, fulfills the purpose for which they were born.
Sarah was good in her English language skills and when she tried to translate her abstract thoughts into words, they were indeed a beautiful picture to behold. She had written a book, a year ago, that had a couple of good reviews. This book, if promoted in full ardor, would do well she thought. Her friends thought so too.
Sarah had written a book called ‘His Lingering Perfume’ which happened to have only two main characters in it. The characters entitled ‘Him and Her’ were not named until the second chapter. The book had an intelligent narrative, that made many people fall in love with the protagonist, of the book. A wealthy young girl, but in a state of denial. Who was also a tomboy, who hated make-up. Who had a secret lover who visited her at night through a secret route only the two of them knew about?
Sarah felt in all honesty that she could relate to her character, which in part was based on the childhood version of herself. Everyone needed to read/hear/think about a relatable heroine, now and then to add color to their existence. Why did people follow the lives of pop stars and other celebrities on social media?
For the same reason that Sarah tried to bring life and meaning to the characters in her works of fiction. To Sarah, every book she wrote was like an unborn child, and the characters were indeed precious and also ‘relatable’.
That morning Sarah spent close to little more than two hours refining the blog article review she was working on. The review article was about a book she had read recently called Paradise Found. Sarah knew that being an author who liked to write about her dreams wouldn’t bring her anything substantial. She was also a content writer on the side, who wrote blogs to support herself and her way of thinking.
She decided she had worked enough on what seemed to have been an article that had great potential. She looked in her bedside table mirror and stifled a yawn. She tied her long loose hair into a messy but stylish bun with a scrunchie and decided to head out to her favourite Cafe in the city. A quaint little Cafe where many like-minded individuals, who also happened to be writers sat down for a hot beverage and something tasty to eat.
She got out of her tiny suburban apartment which was looking pretty tidy that day, because she had been following this routine of late. She was aware that many young women who lived alone might have had a messy existence because it was after all their place to start with. However, there seemed to have been some benefits to the self-love and care she was showing herself, and the routine seemed to be making things fall into place. As she locked the door, and stepped out into the pavement, she heard the birds sing.
It was a lovely day, and she seemed to feel like everything was blessed and truly beautiful. In her heart, she thanked God that “she was fearfully and wonderfully made.” She may have been an eclectic writer but she believed in Biblical wisdom and tried to apply it to her life. The more she did this, she felt that God’s blessings were manifesting in her life and everything she did.
Sarah Ritten walked fitfully to the cafe which was 10 minutes away from where she lived. Everything seemed to work in her favour that day, which is something everyone secretly wished for, she was aware. She adjusted her coat and sunglasses and bought some toasty warm bread to have along with the usual coffee which was the regular fare at the Cafe she was so acquainted with.
She reached the cafe and sat down in her favorite corner. Next to that corner was a beautiful French window, that offered a beautiful view of the world outside. She looked outside, without fear of feeling like she was staring at anyone because people on the outside could not see her.
Behind her was an ornate picture with a gold frame. A quote by Jean Jacques Rousseau that went like this “I feel an indescribable ecstasy and delirium in melting, as it were, into the system of being, in identifying myself with the whole of nature.. Nature made me happy and good, and if I am otherwise, it is society’s fault.” Beautiful words, but a mystery no doubt.
Sarah felt that it was a good thing this picture was where it was.
She didn’t want to do any more writing at the cafe, since she needed a little break. She decided instead that she would scroll through her social media feed. Being the sort of person who loved writing, her feed was eclectic, but it had relevant and beautiful things she looked at, especially on Facebook, rather than just following the lives of people she knew. These things gave her inspiration to write rewarding things even more beautifully.
She was so caught up in her scrolling that she barely noticed a tall slender woman entered the cafe and sat at the table near the other window. Sarah Ritten did not know this woman, but for some reason, the woman who seemed exotic drew her attention.
The woman though tall and slender with flowing black hair, had freckles and sipped her coffee in a manner that would make anyone wonder if something was bothering her.
She wore extremely tight skinny jeans that showed off her figure, and her nails were done. But there was an aura of youthful recklessness about her.
Sarah couldn’t help but take a liking to her. She seemed very relatable, raw, and awkward. Like the character in her book ‘His Lingering Perfume’ had come to life. If Sarah Ritten had it in her to direct a movie about her book, she would cast this woman as the lead role. Sarah wondered if she was seeing things.
Sarah tried to continue to scroll through her social media feed but was a little distracted by the unkempt but beautiful young woman. She overheard from her phone conversation that her name was ‘Ramona’ and she could tell by the way she talked that she came from a wealthy family.
Sarah Ritten may not have been wealthy but she had a writer’s mind and a writer’s thoughts. For some reason, she liked this girl from afar and felt she was a lifelike version of the character in her book. Almost as though the character had decided to step out of the book, and present herself in real life.
Sarah couldn’t help but look in the direction of this beautiful but awkward young thing. With her tight jeans and bright pink lips, it was her eyes that told a story. She seemed to be the character of her book come to life. There she was, in all her finery, the main character of ‘His Lingering Perfume’ sitting down there, being herself, waiting for her male equivalent in attractiveness to come to visit her from the window.
Sarah took a liking to her, because well, Ramona did have an intriguing personality.
Sarah spent longer than usual at the bustling cafe that day. She scrolled through social media and tried to avoid looking too much in the awkward but relatably good-looking young woman’s direction.
She suddenly saw something that could be a line in a sequel to her book. She thought that ‘His Sexy Hair’ could be an apt title for the new book. Sarah went home that day, feeling wonderful that she met someone who was potentially the lifelike version of her book’s character.
She was happy that she also got the inspiration to write another book based on this woman. She knew for sure this book had the potential to be the next big thing. Some kind of top-selling novel. But one that was based on her beautiful old story.
cutting the cord
i was born with my umbilical cord wrapped around my neck. blue and silent. (always). when doctors ask my mom when my anxiety began, she says it was in that moment. she swears my instinct is claustrophobia. i knew what dying felt like before i had the chance to cry. before i had a name or footprints on a page. i was born late and huge, an extra ten days and almost 9 pounds. i'm tall, much taller than my mom, almost eye-level with my dad, i'm out growing them. and yet, i'm still attached. i cried yesterday, started to panic because my mom left. i couldn't go with her to new orleans, i have to stay 'home'. i told her, 'it's funny how often you leave, considering you're the one who forced me to move down here, and now i'm the one who has to stay.' she said, 'you can leave, you don't have to stay.' but i need her. she's suffocating me here, but i need her.
The Interviewer briefly explained the rules
The Interviewer briefly explained the rules
July 26, 2024
This was a game of musical chairs. The stakes were the position and all associated amenities. Losers were to exit gracefully back to the bullpen. The winner was to build their management team from any to all of the runner-ups.
All decisions were final. Check all feelings at the door.
The music began.
It was Beethoven.
It was Für Elise.
Then the music stopped.
Off went the Ivy Leaguer.
Then the two Barbie Dolls.
The woman in the tight hound’s tooth skirt fell prey when she couldn’t bend fast enough to even sit down.
The elderly gentleman gave it his best before he succumbed.
The large man with a farming pedigree decided not to use his muscle. He would not push another aside simply because he had the ability to do so. We watched him gather his belongings, wish us well, and exit the contest.
I gave him a small applause before deciding to follow him.
When I caught up with him in the long hallway, I introduced myself as Anne. I was being forward and invited him to a coffee house around the corner. After telling me his name, Jonathan, he told me he would be happy to spend some time together.
Over the next hour, we turned off our cell phones, told each other our story, and explained why we did what we did.
Jonathan became more fascinating with each passing minute. His was a life I wanted; simple, yet ambitious. I told him so. He asked me why it was not so. I blushed, took another sip, and said, maybe I was scared to take the leap, maybe, I never would.
Then Jonathan made me a proposition. He revealed that the game of musical chairs was indeed a game. The real interview was right here, right now. He was a majority partner in the firm and was responsible for hiring.
“Anne, would you like to begin the first day of the rest of your life today?”
Games are for gamers. I dispensed with the former an hour ago.
I took the leap.