G'BYE!

The boy just turned 4 years old. It was the day after the party, and he felt like things went as well as they could have possibly gone. He ate all of the tasty food he asked his Mom to make, he got all of the newest toys he asked his Dad for, and all of his friends seemed to enjoy all the fun party games. It truly was a splendid day. Although, looking around at the world outside of the protected bubble of his family the boy couldn't help but notice something was wrong. Society was off, and he knew it. He had seen the homeless man mumbling things at his mother and him when they walked to the grocery store. He did not know the words, but he could understand the desperation. He had gone to bed without dinner a couple times and he felt like he was right there with the guy. Starving and incoherent. The bright eyed 4 year old had also heard the screaming coming from a couple houses down the block. Laying in his bed he wondered how people could scream so loud so late at night. There were things in this world that were so close to touching his own. He felt like any moment he could be pulled into the madness that endlessly swirled through alleys and crowds around every turn. Here he was - 4 years old and 1 day. He was already done with all of it. There was just too much confusion, and sorrow, and frustration, and definitely not enough laughter and understanding. The boy didn't know many words, and wasn't sure what he would do once he got out on his own. He just had a feeling he might not need to grow up like everyone else. He strapped on his red backpack that carried a couple of his favorite books, his stuffed bear, and some snacks. He walked out through his front door to the driveway. He crouched down as hard as he could and leapt into the brisk morning air. Once he felt his sneakers leave the concrete the weight was lifted from his mind, and he also felt weightless. He was no child of gravity like the rest of us. There was no coming back down for this one. "G'bye Ma! G'bye Dad! G'bye Earth! Who needs ya?" - said the 4 year old.

KILLING TIME KILLING THE EAST SIDE

A bright kid with a vivid imagination was traveling at eighty miles per hour in her parents station wagon. She was sitting in the front seat while her mother drove on. For some reason a scene of destruction sprang to life in her mind. She pictured the side view mirror extending for miles from where she was sitting. As far as her eyes could view. The entire front side of it growing into a sharp mechanical blade. Chainsaw teeth gnashing along the full length of the weightless protrusion that hovered three feet from the surface of the Earth. She pictured it cutting across the land - laying waste to anything unfortunate enough to be on the East side of the road on which they were traveling. Trees were cut through like butter and came crashing down in their wake. Street signs were clipped and flung into the air. Fences were long cuts she enjoyed. She felt as though the car would slow slightly to finish the tough jobs like grinding through houses, sheds, and cows. From where she sat comfortably she felt no remorse when hills in the distance rose up to the height of the cutting device only to be leveled off. It went on and on. In her head she was hearing the slicing, sawing, grinding, screams, and squeals of the unfortunate East siders. An hour later her mother pulled into a parking lot. They had reached their destination. The little girl hopped out of the car with a beaming smile. She couldn't wait for the drive home to conquer the West.

CHOOSE YOUR DEMON

On your 6th birthday you'll do just like all the other kids have done. Just like your parents, and just like the way I did way way back when. The old man was trying to prepare his only grandson for what was to come. It was winter, and they were sitting by a smoldering fire. The kid didn't know what to say about any of it so he sat in silence, staring up. The man seemed to take his queues on what to say next from the childs' facial expressions. Right now he looked as if he was perpetually seeing a ghost. Focused on his granddad with deep cut wrinkled features that looked as though they were becoming more ghoulish and he was getting closer to death by the second in the flickering fading fire light. If it'll make you feel any better son - I'll give you a glimpse at mine. The boy knew it was against the rules, but he also knew there were certain rules that could be bent for direct blood relatives. There were so many rules for simple things. The 5 year old child gave a slight nod. He was sick of the waiting, worrying, and wondering. Alright, now don't stare too long. He warned. These things are for the ones that chose them. With that the wise grandfather leaned back in his chair as far as he could go. He had been hunched over for so long you could have sworn you heard his back crack completely along the spine. From behind the chair the small boy saw the shadows start to change. The flat black darkness began to rip itself from the wall. The fireplace leapt to life with a few flames, but it didn't cast any more light on the scene. The darkness had gathered into a form behind his granddads chair and took a step forward into partial light. It was no longer just a shadow, but a fully formed demon. The boys first glimpse at what was in store for the rest of his days. A demon to call his own. His grandfathers demon was obviously ancient. He remembered hearing all the stories - the demon will age 17 times faster than you - the demon will go through countless phases in its own life cycles - the demon will only speak to you - the demon should only be seen by you or your blood relatives - etc etc etc. In a quiet rasp he then heard his grandfather speak to his nearly lifelong companion in a strange language. Znartoov karloz e bleezen - retlichz qa vvanetzz. The demon stepped further into the light and directly faced the child. In full view the kid saw a being double the size of his grandfather. Its skin looked like charcoal. A shimmering grey black coarseness throughout. Its eyes were piercing. A crimson glow. The mouth a sickly grin that opened to reveal teeth like broken glass, odd-shapen shards. The boy was captivated and only got such a brief description started when his grandpa snapped him out of it by shouting for him to look away. The boy immediately looked back into the fire. More foreign words. Xzarrch ul zeezhark. He heard a soft crumble and looked back to the scene. The demon was gone. The shadows had reformed to their normal positions. Now - that wasn't so bad, was it? With a forced smile full of dread the kid said it was not so bad. He did not want to spend his whole life with a demon. He wondered why it was like this - why has it always been? His grandfather said he was a good boy, and everything will be fine. Tomorrow he would choose his demon.