D&C 2.2: Age is not the factor

Age is not the factor

"It doesn't get any better even you tried to tell yourself you see it all; its just never enough for all to be seen."I recalled those words of my good friend, Dan the good forensic expert, but if he sees this, he would puke. Dan did not but cursed at everyone there on the scene. I walked to him but kept my distance from him lest he spits at me. Frank was there; his rare occasion to leave the desk. The one at the crime scene called for that occasion.

"Don't they know when a person is young? Damned, don't they even cared." Dan was into the mood when he gets a victim that was too young to die.

"Victim name..." The uniformed officer stepped up from behind me. Frank stopped him and took the notebook from the guy. He then read the details.

"Sandy Bloom, age five. Address given was from Pasadena......." Dan cut him off. He had just pulled himself from the body of the child left in a shallow grave. Her body was mauled by some night creatures before she was found by morning joggers.

"I need her back on my table in the lab. Pronto." Dan had walked back to his official car; a new Taurus but he had given its body some dents by the second week. That day was the third week, and Dan left some thick tyres marks when he drove off. I looked at the scene more thoroughly while they cleared the body. There was nothing to tell me who and why it was done. The victim was the seventh in two years; they appeared on the solstice and equinoxes. All of them were young girls below six years in age. They were all killed with seven deep cuts into their body including the neck and left bleeding till they die. There were strips of cloth to hold the wounds but they were not effective, or was just stuffed there.

The Press name the killer; the Quarterly Killer.

There was no clue to the killer but there was seven parents had new members to their grieving club.

"Ms Bloom died of the internal injuries; most of her innards ruptured or punctured by blunt force. Then the killer had her gutted." Dan dropped the liver onto the scale and noted the weight. He picked and looked at it. "Waste not, want not."

"Are we looking at the same MO?" I asked Dan. We have not spoken much for three months; all works and no play. Since I met Bernice at her bedside. I have not been back there since. Dan ignored me and looked at the left kidney he had just extracted. Then he replied.

"She's the latest." Dan walked away after dropping the kidney. "All the signs are there. Any suspects yet? Or are we been paid to do post mortem."

I saw him till his back disappeared into the bathroom. He probably needed the break with Bernice still sick and himself worse. I went back to my section and roused up the officers to scout the area. I was taking my drive to sought out the ones I can released my hatred on.

She was the only one I could had sex with. We needed no introduction, nor foreplay; just plain simple sex.

"We got number eight today." I told her while she laid next to me on the couch in her living room. We never made it to the bedroom; after all it was late afternoon, and we did not want to ruffle the covers. Who knows who else may sleep in tonight. My relationship with Rose was perfunctory, and also for information.

"Tell me what you know." I asked of her. She was an activist on women rights. Among her informants are whores, social workers and criminals. She knew more pervs than us in the Precinct.

"Not confirmed, but there was one rumor I got. The person comes into the city once every few months, and does the round before leaving in a week." Rose told me. "She was an activist but more faith driven. She cursed at those who do not repent. She kept on reciting the seven sins of man. That was what caught my attention."

It did to me.

The seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins, is a classification of vices (part of Christian ethics) that has been used since early Christian times to educate and instruct Christians concerning fallen humanity's tendency to sin. The sins are recognised as wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony.

But these victims knew nothing about it. They are just kids.

I could not haul the lady into my Precinct without probable cause, so I created one. I checked on her background, and staked her out. She was into her sixth day and then the inevitable happened. She got into a fight with Rose. It was a probable cause to dragged in two ladies involved in a cat fight. I had the suspect in my favorite room with the large mirror and small table with two chairs; one was riveted to the floor.

"Penny Martin, please tell me your whereabouts of last Wednesday." I threw the bait in; the kid was killed on Wednesday. The lady seated there looked like any housewife with a loving husband, and one kid plus a caring heart to speak of the evils of life. But this one was divorced with her son of twelve in tow on her interstate travels.

Looks can be deceiving. She spew hatred with more venom than any criminals I ever met.

"Evils reigned in this city. Your streets are lined with filth and demons. You ought to be ashamed to live here." Penny was not without hatred for my city. "Yet you propagate with those innocence life to be let loose on the streets. Don't you have any parental concerns?"

I looked at the lady. I wanted to tell her, I was without any child; I had not propagate with my Jenny for weeks now. It was then the Forensics called me up. They had something. I left the 'saint' in there as spew out more righteous views.

"Jim, you asked for a search on her car." The forensic lady held up the evidence bag. "We found these in there."

It was a young girl's panty and there was a portable phone. She showed me the photos in it. My face went to rage but I soothe down my anger when I recalled my role. I walked back in and read the Miranda Rights to Penny Martin for murder of first degree.

'Murder? I did not kill anyone." Penny went hysterical. She lashed out with me but before the others arrived, I gave her a punch in the left ribs. I hoped it would had punctured her heart but it did not. I guessed my pugilistic skills needed more training. When she was dragged out, she screamed of her kid who was on the streets.

"You can't leave my son out there alone. He could be led to the way of the evil ways." Penny screamed out.

I had the patrol cars searched for the son. His photo-fit was released and then we worked on the mother. She denied everything and even damned us to Hell for our works. I was going to call in the priest from the nearby church when my lady forensics walked back in.

"Jim, I have some new results."

I read the lines printed and sighed. I thanked her and was to walked back to see the suspect when Dan walked in.

"I heard you got the murderer." Dan was in one of his foul moods. He also reek of alcohol. He sensed my thoughts and replied.

"I washed my equipment today. So f*****d your assumption." Dan pushed past me to peek at the suspect. "It can't be her. The last victim was raped."

I looked at the man I knew as a friend. He looked better that day.

"I am sending up the seminal fluids for DNA." Dan turned to walked away and then stopped. "I thought you ought to know before you get your ass burned."

"Thanks." I muttered out at my departing friend. I got the call then. The boy was sighted and presently holding a kid as a hostage. I grabbed my overcoat and sped over there. The shed was at the back of the house and then was surrounded by five patrol cars with officers. I was the senior to arrive and without hesitation, I walked to the shed.

"Come any closer, and I would kill her." The voice of the boy came out loud and clear. I stopped before the doorway and spoke to him.

"David", That was the name given by the mother. She named him when he was born; the father had skipped town then. She wanted him to be a champion, against the gigantic odds in life. "My name is Detective Barnes. But you can call me Jimmy."

"Go away..." I had it with the boy. I opened the door and walked in. I may had looked like Goliath standing there, but I was more concerned with the nine inch screwdriver at the younger girl's throat. David had his left arm holding the girl by the shoulder while his right hand held the screwdriver. The girl was whimpering and looked like she had been been beaten up.

"She deserved to die. They all do." David shouted out. "Like what mum said; we are innocent lambs in this land. We must be protected and not left running alone on the streets. Who knows what would happened if we meet bad people. They would do bad things to us."

"David, did you do it like what the bad people would do?" I asked him.

"Yes..... No, I was role playing to them. I showed them the ways these people would do them." David's hand tightened on the screwdriver. He had it pressed harder against the girl's throat. "Just like mum did to me."

"Your mother?" I asked back while my foot moved ever slightly forward.

"Yes, she did things that hurt me. She told me it was to teach me that the sins of this world hurts. Do not others lest you want them to you."

"Why did you kill them?" I asked.

"I did not kill them. I was role playing. I was showing them that they should not do those things. They always fall asleep after I taught them." David sighed and it showed in his restraint; he was more relaxed then. Then he suddenly tensed up.

"I did not go to sleep when she did me. I cried but did not sleep." David spoke up. "I guessed I was braver."

"What did your mummy do, David?" I lowered myself to my knees.

David did the unexpected thing; he let go of the girl who ran to me. I held her in my arms and let her cry on my shoulder. My eyes was on David. He had removed his shirt to showed me the scars. And then he lowered his pants. He was castrated.

"Mummy did all this, and then patched me back." David looked at me. "I had a boner last week."

"Was that why you did it to the girl?" I asked him.

"Sort of, but she was all screaming. I told her that some people do this. I was by some men the last time were here. Mum promised me never to tell." David looked down at himself. "Mum said, I would shoot blanks."

Later back at the Precinct, I confronted Penny Martin.

"Why do you come back here every three months? Was it to visit someone?"

"My ex-husband holed up here. I stopped by to collect my quarterly alimony and spend some time talking to the lost ones. I have my own job in the other place." I had that information told to me after I returned back here. She was a Nurse in an Elementary School where her son also attended before.

"Its a better place that yours. We had clean streets and nicer people." I guessed you can't fault a town with a population of 4,000; where everyone knew anyone who walked by.

New tales coming your way...Sept 11, 2013

And you have just seen D&C 2.1 ( the new set of short tales on Volume 2 of Detective & Crimes. ) There are 20 parts in it with one longer tale at the end. I enjoyed writing that in three weeks actually ( pardon me, let me get my needle... to prick myself ). But seriously, the mind was oozing with plots and ideas, courtesy of Rozzoli & Isles, Perception, Major Crimes, Longmire among others ( Sinbad went down with the ship.... ). Those names I mentioned were TV series.

As stated before, I am back to continue my dozen long unfinished tales.....

Hunter, was one I just hit on the keyboard ( futuristic creature hunter and adventurer. ). Its hovering at 18,000 words and staggering like the wounded lion when shot with the gun. That is the interesting part; would it die or roared to life for that deadly maul.....I not decided.

I also did a couple of 'gospel' like tales; courtesy of documentaries on it. Its on the draft mode pending publish move. It would there soon.

No more sexually enticing tales? Well, with all the murders, I had not dunk anything on those yet, but who knows; sex is spontaneous. So it may come bursting soon. Or sooner. Do you know that Menage a trois hit over 400 downloads.....gee, I ought to syndicate that tale....for more reruns.

Okay, back to the unfinished tales. I intend to complete that and then do Mandroids spinoff from Killrocks era; droids doing battle as infantry. But I would be honest, my fingers are tapping for murder, cannibals and also sex.

Who knows what may transpired soon? After all, like sex, the other two can be 'spontaneous'.

Cheers

Oz; a remake of the tale 2.10

10.      Witches Conference.

The Mother Witch threw a tantrum when she was told of the defeat at Loo. She was in the castle that once belong to her and now handled by her daughter the White Witch. The castle liked its surrounding are all white washed with not a shade of any colors. The castle have four towers on its four corners named after each daughter. The main gate that rise up high above five of me have the name of the mother love blazed on it; Mother Love All.

Inside the castle, there are three structures inside. The Main Building was named Mother Lode or Love which contained the four living halls, the six bedrooms and four libraries with two staircases. Those are all on the ground floors, but on the upper floors are the five major magic labs, with one of them extra large. That one is for Mama while the last upper level is the storage area for all their secrets. The second building on the left is the palace guards accommodation and armory. There are two hundred guards here with two Commanders. The third building is the servant quarters and kitchen. The yard of the building housed the stables which holds twenty five horses.

Those are the easy parts; the hard one was the castle sits on an ice hill with steep sides. There are a hundred of Hammer Heads patrolling the foot of the hill. Beyond that area, there was also a moat.

"Napoleon, you are a nerd ...not worth the wink in my eye." Mother Witch threw her goblet of wine at him She was having her afternoon tete-a-tete with her daughters; surviving ones. The girls are having tea while their mother sipped sherry.

"I ought to changed you to a .....short man with a kink for placing his hand on his tummy, Napoleon." The Witch Mother called on chant to changed Omby Army to someone she heard from Hinkley.

"God Mother, that's my name. You gave it to me. Why am I dressed like a General?" Napoleon was dressed from a Private to now a General attire complete with the bicorne (two-cornered) hat. "Why am I having a tummy ache?"

"Napoleon get out there and manage Dorothy. Thank God, I did not named anyone of you with that name." Mother Witch then looked at her daughters. "Only two of you left. Never mind, two is better than none."

"Girls, we bagged this Kingdom and now someone is drawing straws with us. We make sure we win or .....destroy her in the process." Mother Witch looked to her daughters. "No one pushed us over. Not even your father. I escaped Limbo to destroyed him and then have him send to his own limbo." 

"Mother, we used to be four and then we were powerful. The spell needed the minimum three of us." The White Witch of the South.

"We are three, Kayellete. You, me and Glinda." Mother Witch assured her daughter. "The spell would work with the three of us."

"Mother, Hinkley is with them. He is our ..." Glinda had a soft spot for Hinkley but her mother cut her off.

"Your father was a winker and would be one. I once loved him but not anymore. We can do without him." Mother was getting agitated.

"Enough of the old man. I am happier without him." Kayellete stood up from her seat. "He was never there for me."

"This is enough. We would find Dorothy and destroyed her." Mother gave her order. "Send in the Dirt Dozen."

The door to the chamber open to admit one figure.

"Girls, meet your new daddy; Dirt Dozen."

Dirt Dozen was a eight footer due with records of being a mercenary, assassin and also currently Mother Witch's lover. He is silver shaded across his face to the exposed scalp with a streak of silvery hair on the top. Dirt was dressed in a silver shaded with golden shades fatigue but there was one distinct difference; Dirt have three pairs of hands. Each hands hold a pistol or a short sword.

"Woe to Dorothy. If she ever spend a night with him, she would declined any more other man." Mother Witch smiled with the naughty gleam in her eyes. Glinda rolled her eyes to the top and winched in her muscles to smile. Only Kayellete shared in the dream of her Mother. In other words, she is the only one fantasizing as this dude was Mother's love.

"Give me the order and Dorothy would be dead in one day. I brought in some extra guns." Dirt stepped aside to show his new friends.

"This here is Bonnie," A lanky looking lass chewing gums wearing a yellow rain coat over her housewife dressing. The lady was sporting a automated mini six barrels cannons rifle. "That is Clyde; he is a mean dude."

Clyde wears a dark suit with a lighter shade for his vest, and sports a pair of pistols in his waist belt. He had on his shoulder a hand held mortar bomb launcher.

"Now Bonnie and Clyde are my cousins. I took them off Death Row and shipped them here. Bonnie, show the ladies your best pose."

Bonnie tore a new doorway in the wall even before Dirt took his next breath.

"You are hired." But Dirt hold out his right hand.

"I am not complete yet." Dirt stepped back to introduce the next figure. This one is a short older lady with yellow dot frock complete with apron worn on her dated back twenty five years ago. Its not that its tight on her but its close fit. Her hair are bundled up in a bun tied to the back but the double barrel rifle which she was dragging by the barrel. The rifle measured her height from the heels to the roots of her hair.

"Meet Mama Bone." Dirt launched her name or was it Mama Bone launched herself. She ran into the chamber and jumped into a somersault while throwing the rifle into the air. She landed with right knee while her left leg slide behind, holding her rifle which landed on the hands.

"You are all dead, Ladies." Dirt announced to the ladies.

"Dirt Darling, you are wrong. She did not fire her rifle as yet." Mother Witch dispute the showmanship and deadly intent.

"No, my love. All of you are dead. Looked to your hair." Dirt point to them. "Mama Bone have left her mark on your hair. Those darts if laced with poison would had killed you."

The three ladies all found a dart in their hair. They clapped on the deadly act of Mama Bone.

"You are hired too."

"Mother, where did you find these people...... And gentleman?" Glinda was asking as her eyes moved over the adonis figure standing tere.

"Well, if not was not your father who knew how to travel inter-dimension. It was myself who taught him during our illicit liaison then. We had fun then; with trips to Las Vegas for one. Like what they said it; what happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas. It was fun then." Mother Witch sighed. "Until she found out."

"Who's she?" Kayellete asked.

"Dorothy's Mother. She confronted me and refused to compromise. So we fought and I killed her." Mother Witch confessed to it. "Your father sent me off to Limbo."

"You mean father sent you there? I thought it was the King. Father told us." Glinda exclaimed alarming.

"Your father lied. He banished me there and then felt guilty. He left for the other dimension. You father betray us all." Mother Witch told the girls. While in Limbo, I met Napoleon, and we plotted our escape. I came out just when Dorothy arrived. I watched from the sideline. I saw your younger sister's death. I love Gingema too."

"Mother! How could you not help?" Kayellete shouted out.

"Raise your voice more, Kayellete and you won't have a voice anymore." Mother Witch warned her daughter. She then looked at Glinda. "I could do nothing, as she was crushed by that .....structure. She was to see me; I message her and came running, but she was ambushed by Dorothy. I saw her die and till today, I still see die when I close my eyes. I would have Dorothy pay for her action. Trust me, I will."

"I met Dirt when I stepped over after that. I knew your father had a hand in it. I could not find him, but I found Dirt. And we found each other. We came back here and watched what Dorothy would do. Dirt here is a mercenary and also bounty hunter. He studies his foe before he takes them. He knows all about Dorothy to take her down."

"And also the rest like your father for one." Mother Witch continued. " Do them for me, darling. Uh-huh...."

Kayellete turned away from her mother lewd gesture with the body. She hates Dorothy but above all, she felt that her Mother was wrong not to help Gingema. But today is not time to question motives and loyalty. She would win this war in the end. Only her and no one else.

Not even Mother would be left standing. She would be buried alongside the rest. Mother does not know of her hidden army. She did not breed them for nothing.

For now, Dorothy would be walking into a trap; a series of traps planted by her.

D&C 2.1; Its all in the bite

Its all in the bite

Two things in life which may never be forgiven; being dragged out into the pouring rain, and changes in circumstances made the responsibility yours. I had both of it that day. It was pouring cats and dogs; even the pizza arrived cold while the Commissioner called me to investigate a 217 ( assault with intent to murder. ). I grabbed my overcoat and hopped into the car, blazed down the streets with the siren screeching foul words in high decibels.

"You grabbed me here for a canine fight? Heck! You should be calling the SPCA or K9 if they wanted more dogs?" I told the uniformed officer. In front of me at the abandoned apartment block, were five suspects with the tattoos of gang affiliations and three canines; one bleeding from the bites.

"Right this way, Sir." The officer led me to the third unit down the corridor. He opened the door to showed me the dead body lying there with blood all over. He looked like a gang member to me, but the kids nowadays dressed to looked alike.

"Allen Smith, formerly of Chezz. Dead by multiple wounds; believed to be dog bites." I looked at the officer. He smiled back and told me.

"I had five dogs at home, and was in K9 before I got transferred out." I looked at the name tag; Dicken. I remembered his case; one year ago when he was reprimanded for screw up on a gangland shooting. He was accused of removing evidence, but they gave him a transfer instead due to lack of firm evidence.

"Get Forensics in and then bagged it." I walked back to the suspects and looked them over. I saw Chezz, Fifth Elements and Badasses. Three gangs in one building; that would be bad news for the Commissioner. No wonder the rain came; even the Gods were overwhelmed by this event. Was it peace talk or bring your dog for a walk?

Later I was back in my Precinct. The gangs have arrived to meet their lost kins; but the three factions have stood apart. They all had the hostile looks that the Press to showed on the next news break. I was met by Frank inside; he had on a bullet vest for safety measures.

"Are you overreacting, Frank?' I asked him while I poked at the vest.

"Its five to one that they would shoot soon." It was our internal vice squad side game. They don't pay in cash but doughnuts and coffee. "I intend to be around for my son's wedding."

I smiled. And then I asked that the gang leaders be brought in. I wanted to chat with them altogether; but checked for weapons first. The three leaders were escorted in and placed in my favorite room with two more chairs. I sat on the riveted one.

"Gabriel" He was Chezz, "Asked away any questions?" I looked at Charlie of Fifth Elements and Merlyn of Badasses. They knew the offered to them too.

"No questions? Good, I have a few." I looked to the three. "Who? Why? What made them all stayed under one roof? The rain or was it the dogs?"

Dogs fights were getting popular; it all started with young pups or kittens. Those were the strays and then the bigger snatched off pets. The premier fights were the real nasty ones; the bad dogs versus the nasty dogs. Lately, I was told,m the homeless got dragged in. They were saved from death and given compensation for their pains. But never a murder.

The three leaders were not talking. If I was to leave the room unattended, these three would probably had a dog fight there. I told them to go home but they decided to camped outside in the rain. Such dedication was admirable but I have scumbag in the morgue.

"Dan, talk to me." I was getting impatient. Dan finally spoke up having given me the twenty minutes of silent treatment.

"Twenty five bite marks. Not all are fatal except four, which finally killed him." Dan read from his report. "Bite marks are consistent with two or three predators. Canine in particular. One bite was not; it was human. The one on his neck."

Dan held up some x-rays and enlarged pictures he took. Its showed the bite marks after the body was washed. Dan pointed out to the pictures as he explained.

"Canine bites showed the tear from the fangs," Dan paused and looked at me. "Those are like our teeth which are named as canine, but ours are shorter and less protruding like the dogs; termed for simplicity reference."

"The tear marks gave the wound a bigger tear compared to a human bite." Dan showed the difference. "Note the depth of the wounds. But the human bite was not fatal."

"I took samples of the surrounding areas, for DNA testing from possible saliva marks." Dan picked up another report. "It confirmed my findings. Now we need to match the results to the database."

"Dan, are you telling me, that some one bit him too? Are we talking of vampires?" My last line was more like a joke. Dan did not replied directly. Instead he told me another thing.

"The vampire would regret it. The dead subject had HIV in his blood." That one made my blood coagulate inside me then.

"No reference to anyone living...." Dan muttered and walked away. I took my leave and walked back to my section. The Commissioner was on my back then; asking and having no answers, took his anger on me. I called the K9 units and got my update. They are checking the dogs for their tendency; noted as explained by the team there, these are killer dogs. On my way back, I got a message from Gabriel. He wanted to meet.

We met at the new DiAngelo; the man got his own place, some doors down and still served the bad coffee and hot dogs. Gabriel came alone, and saw down at the table reserved for us. Where else would he safer than a cafe with police protection?

"Allen was playing hooky with them." I liked his term of reference. It sounded like Allen had skipped the Chezz school to play elsewhere. "Its his gambling habits. He dabbled in everything that involved chances."

"We used to play with the dogs, but we stopped at the real fights." I was happy the SPCA was not there. "Allen went on and even bought his own dog."

"Which one?" I asked.

"The dark one, I think it was a Japanese breed; Tosa." I had that checked; The Tosa breed generally weighs from 130 to 200 lb and stand 24.5 to 32 inches Their coat was often red, brindle, or fawn but the one Allen had was dull black. They are breed as fighting dogs. The Tosa was the one with the bleeding wounds.

"Why claimed on him?" I had to know on the reason for the congregation outside the Precinct.

"He's brother. I loved him. And we do not give up on our own." I liked the way Gabriel placed it. I leaned over and whispered to him.

"Me too. But I shared a secret with you. Allen had HIV, and someone took some love bites of him. Thought you would like to know."

I saw Gabriel face went pale but I left him there after I paid for the coffee. It was not comfortable for me to leave with him even though we could be 'brothers in blood'. The message came to my phone from Dan. He got the name of the person's DNA.

"I know." I replied.

The dogs were put to sleep while the punks were booked for illegal gambling. Allen Smith dead was listed as incidental by dog attack. The testimony by all was that he dragged his dog off the arena and later was attacked by the other dogs including his own. It was a dog nature to attack another outside breed when provoked.

I missed Gabriel who had decided to a country tour of his own, leaving his gang to be influenced by the others.

"Rose, that hurts." I reacted to Rose when she nibbled at my fingers. She got up and straddled me.

"Then bite these." She told me that evening.

Oz; a remake of the tale 2.9

9        Napoleon' Battle at Loo.

The boys carried my father and myself to safety while Hinkley and Uncle Henry took chase of Private Omby Army aka Napoleon. We took shelter in an abandoned farm house on the nearby plains named Loo. It name came from the founder of the plains who first built his farm house here. Due to the nature of the terrain, he had the 'loo' or toilet build some distance away, Since then, a traveler passes by here, they would asked what is that house. Its the 'loo' and so the name stuck on this plain.

The farm house was the last of its kind standing there with the flower beds all around it, and a white picket fence for the house borders. The farm house had three rooms; two bedroom and the kitchen cum living area. There was also the attic which can sleep one person. The loo is on the outside as usual.

Aunt Em had removed my suit and covered me with the soft quilt. The metal projectile had penetrated my left ribs but missed my heart. Scarecrow was applying some herbs on the wound to stopped the bleeding. My father was lucky as the spear only pierced his flesh and not any important organs. He would live for now.

The men and boys are all standing guard around the house.

"We have to remove the metal ball. Its lodged in deep and may move to her heart." I can hear Aunt Em talking to Uncle Henry. I wanted to speak but there was no voice in my throat.

"I can do it if we have the equipments. I done al lot of surgery in my time." Uncle Henry was looking forlorn at the surrounding in the house. It was then Puss spoke up.

"I know of a place nearby which have the tools. I would get it." Puss meowed out gleefully.

"That is assuming you can get passed those guards." Hicks was referring to the army besieging the house led by a notorious soldier named Private Omby Army. He did not come alone that day, but with his army hidden in the forest. When Uncle Henry gave chase, he led them into an ambush but then two older man managed to escape. They had then rejoined the group who had found this farm house.

"I counted a hundred and twenty of them out there with the nasty green whiskers." Hicks counted off the odds against them.

"They are sporting green whiskers, Hick." It was Puss who reminded the young man. That caused everyone to laugh including myself. But that laugh caused me to coughed out some blood. Aunt Em immediately tended to me and placed me back comfortably.

"The metal ball have to come out soon or we are burying her tomorrow." Aunt Em reminded Uncle Henry. Hicks volunteered to make a dash for it but they stopped him. It was then the new surprise came to the farm house.

A head popped out from under the farm house floorboard. It was a Nomes, and one known to Dorothy.

"Anyone seen Dorothy? My name is Gourn." The Nomes brushed at the earth on his forehead and dragged itself out of the hole. "Nice place? Can do with a basement."

Soon they had Gourn to take Puss out of the siege area through the tunnel while the rest hold back the army. Then it was time to organize the defenses. Hick took to the attic while Zeke and Hunk took the side walls. Uncle Henry cover the front and Droid took the rear. They took their shots with precision and made every shot count unlike Droid. He just stepped out the back door and leveled the rifle to released scattered shots before jumping back in.

"Darned! They almost got. The last shot took a nick off my left hips coating." Droid complained out loud. Scarecrow tended to her metal friend, while the rest continue their sniping. The Omby Army green whiskers army returned fire but the farm house wooden walls could take the barrage of metal balls.

A couple of soldiers in the rear tried to push their luck with a charge but they lose more than their whiskers; they also lost their heads in the charge. Droid screeched out his delight in stopping that charge.

"I could told them privates, nothing passes through me without me taking their heads off."

But Private Omby Army was no fool. He held back his soldiers and did the task of sniping too. Zeke was the first casualty with a right shoulder hit. Aunt Em replaced him and the way she handle that rifle, even the soldier's instructor would go back to their basics. Her first few shots took the snipers in the eye shot.

Then the surprise came when Puss arrived back.

"Oui, I brought the Nurse along." Puss pushed the feline cat ahead of him. "Meet Minique; nurse extra ordinaire and massager of the stiff limbs."

"Did you get the tools?" Uncle Henry asked. The cat jumped back into the tunnel and soon came back with the bags and crates of tools.

"The finest in the trade. And sanitized too."

Uncle Henry with the help of Minique proceeded to operate on Dorothy. It was a delicate operation which involved suturing the broken arteries and bones chips. Finally the main target was removed. Droid asked for the metal ball to be kept by him for souvenir.

"What ails you, Minique?" Puss grabbed hold of the fainting Persian descent feline as it wobbled on its limbs.

"I am a nurse in dentistry, and now you placed me in the major surgery. Oui, there was too much blood. I think mine had also dribbled off." The feline creature fell on to Puss.

"Never fear, my love. Your dribble should be my licking to your recovery." The Puss rubbed its whiskers onto the neck of the Persian feline.

"Some one get a curtain for those two, please. I am going to dribble my vomit out soon." Zeke was sitting near them holding his injured shoulder. The two cats knows their need for privacy and sneaked off into the tunnel.

Just as everyone was relief the worse may be over, Puss popped his head up.

"So soon?" Zeke shouted in an alarm.

"Not that, my dear friend. But the tunnel; its blocked. I cannot find Gourn either. I heard soldier voices. I think they sealed it." Puss declared out predicament when Minique popped her head out too. "Its more than coitus interruptus but more like coitus no more."

Hunk pulled both of them of them out and dropped a grenade inside before shouting 'fire in the hole'. The explosion was heard by all of them and then total silence.

"I got an idea." Puss spoke up. " How many do you have of that?"

Puss was pointing the bombs on the waist belt of Hunk.

"Enough to blow more than twenty holes." Puss asked for ten of them and then he whispered to Droid.

"Yes, I can do that. Just tell me the trajectory and force required." Droid declared to Puss who went to work on the mathematics required. The Puss peeked over the opening ledge and calculate the distance. Then Puss gave the first bomb to Droid with some figures on a piece of paper.

Droid swung his arm and threw the grenade with the correct force. It landed within one tenth of the meter at the Army bunked down position. The bomb exploded and ten of the guards were thrown into mid air by the force. By the fifth bomb, the army was retreating.

Then Gourn popped out his head from the tunnel.

"Who's been dropping explosives on the ground? Did you know you blown up the loo? You rained mucks on those soldiers. "

"Where were you?" Zeke asked of Gourn.

"I was digging a supplementary tunnel to get us cleared away from the loo. Smelly ground there."

Oz; A remake of the tale 2.8

8.        Toto totaled us.

The Munchkins scattered on the attack and I was left standing there looking at the skies. It was Toto; the other version of it in the griffin looks with its flame. The griffin we saw then was a bigger one with wider wings and flames in the shade of red.

The griffin landed in front of me and roared. I tried to approach it but the griffin roared at me again. It gave out a small spurt of flame which burned the ground in front of me.

"Toto; its me. Do you recognise me? I am Dorothy." But the griffin was past listening; it flew up and circled the place. Then it did the unthinkable thing; it fired its flame at me, trailing me as I ran for cover. I lost my footing and fell but it was Hicks who saved me. He grabbed hold of me and rolled to the side. Toto did not stopped there and started attacking everyone. The boys fired at it but it was swift on the air. It turned back on the boys and scattered them too. Droid raised up his rifle to fire scatter shots. It scared the griffin to retreat.

I ran towards the fleeing griffin but it was too fast. I shouted out its name but there was no response. Soon it was flying beyond the sight of my eyes, and tears welled up on my eyes.

"Dorothy, you need to see to Hicks." I turned around and saw everyone flocking around Hicks. I ran over and pushed the crowd aside. There I saw Hicks bandaging his left thigh which was singed by the griffin flame. He saw me looking and smiled.

"It missed by a fraction, or I would be missing a good part of life." I could had sworn I was in two state of mind; one to killed the griffin for hurting Hicks there, and the other for kicking at Hicks there for scaring me to bits. In the end, I settled for a crouched down to assist him in bandaging his thigh.

"Narry too tight, my dear. There are arteries there to carry blood to my brain." I was sure I tighten the bandage by an extra knot for my anger. Hicks screamed out bloody loud until Aunt Em took over.

"I thought you liked him. You need not hurt him that badly." Uncle Henry calmly spoke to me on Hicks as I walked away. Well, I ignored the man and walked on.

"Wizard, tell me where can I find the Witch and her Mother." Hinkley backed up from me. He shook his head at my request.

"You will go back and take back what is yours. As for your half sister and their mother, that's my concern. You do not harmed them at all." Hinkley looked at me with anger. He fears for his wife and daughter. If I am like my mother, nothing would stand in our way. I walked up to my father and said this to his ears.

"You left me here without a single thought, and now you cannot be there to tell me what I can and cannot do. I am no more your daughter from the day I was sent here."

My father gasped out in fright and then collapsed on his face. On his back was a spear thrown by some one from the forest edge. I looked closely and saw the culprit. It was one of the Flying Monkey and its jumping back into the forest.

Crows with mallets and now monkeys with spears. Oz sure have changed fast since I left.

I tushed forth to chase but I was stopped by the flame that burned my path. I looked up and saw the griffins. Yes, now there are two of them. One was smaller and have a blue flame but the other was bigger with red flame.

"Toto?" I recognised the smaller one now. Its Toto. She just blew a spurt of flame at me. If not the Scarecrow and her protective umbrella force field, I would had been one burnt soul.

"You crazy, girl. That's no more the Toto you once knew. Its a griffin now." I was shaken out of my trance by her alarming shouting. I cleared my head to see the two griffin flying off into the forest edge. The boys again came to my rescue.

"No! There is always Toto in my life." I cried out, and then sank down to my knees. Toto has with me for years; riding pillion with me and escaping all those mishaps, and now here in Oz, its all gone. This time I really cried on losing a good friend.

Then I felt the dark shadow over me again. Its Toto and its back. But it came spurting its blue flames like before, and ever relentless onto the group. The boys raised their rifles but I stopped them.

"Do not shoot Toto. Let me talk to the griffin." Words was not what it wanted but a fight. Its spurts out more flame but only around me. Toto is avoiding to hit me with it, as I approached it. Soon I could reached out with my hand to touch the nose of the griffin.

Toto snarled at me but did not released any flames.

My right hand slowly worked its way from the snort of the nose to its left cheek. I caressed the fur there and move to its lower neck. Toto likes it when I ticked there, and still in this form. It moved its head to the side to allow me to further rubbed my hand into its thick coat beneath the neck.

"Toto, I love you." That was what I saw to my pet.

Suddenly it flapped it wings and then took off to joined its mate at the forest edge. That was the last I seen of Toto for some days.

"Dorothy! Thank the stars, I found you." I looked to the right and saw the Private Omby Army running towards me holding his pistol and pike.

It was the Wizard who shouted out the warning but it was too late. I was shot by Private Omby Army aka Napoleon.

Shangrila?

I looked back at the trail of my descent; it had been steep and slippery the surface, with the dark slimy walls on both sides. I had discarded my back pack and tools to slide through some of the narrow openings; leaving me only with my climbing suit and torchlight on my cap. I looked back to the way forward and saw the shimmering light ahead. It could be my last stretch to my objective. I sighed as at that moment, I was sandwiched in between the walls, with hardly any space to move. Its only an inch away to the wide space. I knew I can do it.

Yes, I would.

And I did. I heave out my breath and squeezed hard through. I popped out on the other end, with a bruised chest while gasping for lungful of air. It was not an easy task and looking back, I knew it was going to tough to go back. So the only way was ahead. I pushed on with my weary body and soon saw the final exit from my two hours of descending climb down on the tunnel. I stepped up and looked at the scene that laid before me.

"Is that it?"

I was shattered. My ideal sight of Shangrila was actually a bill board of 10 high x35 across, that covered the actual scene behind it which was a large cavern with slimy walls but it had a large hole on the roofing for the sunlight to come in. On the cavern floor were rows of tables with gambling chips seated by enthusiastic patrons in the nude. I saw a number was called up when the patron lost all his chips.

"One to go back." The croupier was a twin horned demon with red flesh working the playing cards off the shoe box. The player was a man in his middle age, and protested that he was cheated. He was led away by two burly looking demon like creatures which grabbed the gambler's arms before flying off to the walls. They looked like they were going to slammed into it but actually went in seamlessly. Another gambler sat in, and displayed the chips. The game went on as usual.

"Where am I?" I shouted.

"In Hell, mate." I turned to looked at the voice who spoke to me. It was a man in a torn climbing suit with a wider girth and was hung upside down by the wall. He was not shackled or binded but seems to be plastered there.

"Hi, my name is Ernie. I did not gamble. I paid my chips to be dried out. I was waiting for you." The upside down man smiled at me.

"For me?" I looked at him.

"Yeah, people like you and me are suckers for the image of Shangrila. We thought it really exist. So we searched for it passionately, dying to out last breath, penniless to our last wealth and foolishly to our dream. I was like you, and came here. I was offered to dried out my dream but only get the pardon when someone else comes."

Whoosh! I found myself on the wall; upside down. I saw the other guy standing before me.

"Time for me to get real again." He showed me the case of gold he held in his hands. It was given to him by the twin horned demon who was to lead him out. "This is my redeeming gift."

"Hey, when is the next guy coming through?" I asked the twin horned demon, who may had been the Guardian.

"How would I know? They made a new movie named World War Z. It over shot Shangrila in the popularity index." The twin headed demon leaned over. "You might have a longer wait. Perhaps when they do the sequel of 'Shangrila 2: the Zombies invasion' in 2019."

It sounded like a long wait.

 

Footnote:

Hanging upside do helped to relieved stress. I do but its mostly lying on my bed.

 

 

 

Passion and Fruits

 

'I have stories of....' I stopped and crushed the paper which I had spent two hours to write. I tossed the paper to the bin, and was to start on another when Mum walked in. I leaned over to cover my writings, but who ever could hide from their Mum must be either Hannibal or Sigmund Freud. She placed the iced lemonade and slices of passion fruits on the plate.

"So you are stuck with the love letter, huh?" I looked up at her. She's better than Sherlock.

"Which part of me that had not eluded your observation?" I picked up the lemonade to take a sip.

"Elementary, my dear. You have filled up the bin with a roll of writing papers, that would had came from a thick branch." She picked up the ones that did get into the bin. I had to admit I was bad at hoops; with my height, I lose out to the leggy models would be. Both in shape and cheers; they are infallible in both.

"And you missed dessert, so I do the room deliver." Mum's are very considerate.

I shrieked out; it was not her but the passion fruit was yuck; combined with lemonade it was like having taking to take medicine. I dropped the slice of passion fruit on the paper. It blended in well with the brownish paper backdrop.

"Do you think it looked nice?" My Mum leaned over.

"Passionate..." She laid a kiss on my cheek. Mum's are great.

Oz; A remake of the tale 2.7

7         Scare no more Munchkins.

The Munchkins are not allies of the White Witch but they feared her. More to it, they dislike Scarecrow or Cen Krow; her real name. Cen Krow was more than outspoken; she was a rebel among the Munchkins. Her rebel side was due to her attraction to the unknown; she was into magic practice. That caused her to be blamed most mishap to the Munchkins.

The Munchkins held her in their most fortified fortress of theirs; the wind swept plateau of the Mont. Its built below the surface at the top; sunk below so the wind would not ripped off their walls. The Crows, Hornets or the Monkeys can't reached them here so that made it the perfect location. In view of that, Munchkins built that place for them to hold up in the case of an attack but nothing stop the White Witch when she wants to go there. She was the one who told the Munchkins to hold Cen Krow there.

"You mean we are to climb up there?" I looked up at the steep cliff face that rise up above us by many versions of our height. My whole group now including the droid all lowered their gears and looked up. Droid walked up to the cliff face and scanned the surface to the top.

"Three hundred meters above with no overhang or ledges to hold on." Droid gave his assessment of the situation. "The surface is polished granite with hardness created over years courtesy of the strong winds."

"You could throw me up like a heap of fur ball, but I ran out of lives to survive if I fall." Puss was being true to us but it was an inspiration. Droid walked up to Uncle Henry. He asked to borrowed a phaser rifle with some three hundred rounds. Droid proceeded to approach the cliff face but he was stopped by Hicks.

"You might do well with this." It was a hovering board designed to climb places.

If there ever was a happier droid; this was one. Droid climbed on board and clamped his magnetic clamps on. Just before he flew up on a vertical climb, he adjusted his scarf and cocked the gun. We did not have to wait long before we heard the explosions and then dropping Munchkins.

Then we saw the arrival of a loving couple; one droid and the other was a sexy looking Scarecrow. Scarecrow was dressed differently; a tight red suit with white stripes like mine before but this one curved in the right places. Her feet are tucked into a set of red knee high boots. She was still holding her pouch across her chest.

I hugged my good friend, and we soon retired to a place decent to offered us drinks and foods. I had to asked Scarecrow on her ordeal and this was she told me.

Soon after I left, Scarecrow was lauded by her people as their savior. It was a good show until she was dunked in too many barrels of wine; she soon find herself naked tied to a cross on the square and missing her pouch. She screamed out her protest but the Munchkins just ignored her. She was left there without any food and drinks, and resigned to her fate.

"I cursed and screamed all the profanities in your name." Scarecrow spat out her words towards me. "How could you leave?"

I wanted to assure her but the droid came in close and hugged her. It went on all the consoling statements known in its database and retelling the tale of how I helped to recover its parts. But the best part was when Droid told her he love her.

"Would you two stopped it? I need to know more. How did you climbed down?"

"There was a secret path known only to the Munchkins; we just stroll down when Droid came with a vengeance. That was where Droid came in with his version.

"I landed on the cliff edge with the wind bellowing behind me. I kicked off the board and unslung the rifle. I laid the cover fire to get the Munchkins on the ground. I shot dead some who came at me with bad intent. I walked off the edge and proceed to bring down some structures down to its foundation. Then I grabbed a surviving Munchkin, and scrub the dirt off the face before I asked the question."

"Where is Cen Krow? The Munchkin was talking faster than I can decipher. Then my sensor picked up an attack on my back. I looked back and saw the Munchkins preparing a catapult that was used to shoot at me." Droid picked up the phaser rifle and cocked it. "I took up the aim and blew them at seven strategic weak points causing the catapult it to collapse."

"I saw him." That was Scarecrow crowing on her lover's feat. I could swore that Droid metal skin glowed for a while.

"I saw her, and my rifle took down the bindings that held her up there. I grabbed a blanket and wrapped her up. She was so weak and my concern was her health. I carried her over my left shoulder and used my right arm to fire on the Munchkins. Soon I was laying her on the bedding of a nearby structure...." Scarecrow interject in.

"I looked at him; all gleaming and looking gallant holding the rifle. He leaned over and offered me a drink; slowly lowering it to my parched lips. The liquid that seeps past my lips was rich to my soul; a touch to my heart and makes my mind looked to him."

"Then she asked me; do you love me. I nodded to her. Dorothy, I found my heart inside me. Thank you." Droid and Scarecrow hugged each other.

Darned, I wished Hicks was doing that to me but he was busy polishing his rifle. Droid like most men; daft in the emotional cells had to pulled away and then looked at me.

"I got back her pouch and she leaned in to grab some clothing. She told me it was inappropriate with her naked. I wanted to tell that I am naked most times with my gleaming skin but she felt modest then. She reached in there and pulled out her old uniform. I told her I like something red like her lips. She smiled at me and then waved her hand. The uniform was changed in a swipe of her hands to the colors she was wearing now. It was then I remembered my old pet, Toto.

Then Scarecrow jolted me back to the reality.

"Dorothy, I met Toto. Its not the same fur ball we knew. Its a deadly griffin now. It belongs to the Witch now." It was then Hicks approached me.

"We got a new problem." Hicks pulled me up and to the wall opening. The outside scene was a crowd of armed Munchkins. They are chanting for the Scarecrow or our heads.

I met them outside with the boys backing me.

"Give us back Cen Krow." That was their request but I told gave them a flat answer of decline.

"Dorothy, they would had been nasty if not for the boys backing me up. I wanted to tell more but there was a dark shadow over us before the flames came down on the crowd.

"Toto?"