The Way Bach

Mr Bach was an interesting fellow. “Hello, how art thouest?” Said Bach, of course puzzling everyone around him with his, thee’s and thous. And so proper as well, so elegant and well spoken compared to his peers. “We don’t like Bach.” Said Dum dum, who was an extreme conspirator against Bach.

Bach knew in order to become a member of this exclusive community he needed to take on the family name. The Gentry’s. Bach Gentry-Hind would be his new name- instead of just Hind. There were many reasons why Bach wanted to get into the clan of the Gentry’s. They had power over the whole island of Cosmos. The Gentry’s also controlled all of the Gentrylands wealth, and ruled over the land with grace. Gentryland was the most powerful and wealthiest country in the whole entire world.

Bach dreamed of serving the master, Great Gentry was his name. Great Gentry sat in his golden dome palace and there were many ministers and knights who were at his beck, and call. Whoever took upon his name (Gentry) would become part of the family and receive a mansion of their own. So Bach was prepared to receive this name with gladness, and was happy to enter into Cosmos with his new mansion.

Many moons ago, before Bach learned of the House of Gentry, he grew up in the far away land of Doomsville. Doomsville was a mere speck in a vast, rocky desert, full of monsters, beasts, and murderers. He learned how to dwell in the caves and rocks, swooning women and stealing money to save his self from the bitter cold reality that he was a meal, a snack for the beasts and monsters of his time. He knew that one day he would escape the city, but it was too dark, only having a daylight period of 4 hours each day. The rest of the time it was dark, windy, and you heard laughter, howling, and menacing voices through the night.

On one particular night, as Bach was laying in his cave, he heard a monsters voice call into his living quarters. “Bach…” Said the echoing, booming voice, almost sounded as menacing as the darkness, and as conniving as a thieves smile. Bach put his hand in front of his face, and looked out of the cave, its rocky formations right around the mouth of the cave were black as a shadow, and moonlight illuminated the hard, flat, dirt just outside the cave. The moonlight could’ve counted as sunlight to Bach.“Yes?” He called, timidly. There was no answer, and he kept walking on to the well lit ground. He glanced to his right, and there it was. A tall, shadowy figure, like a grim reaper, its hood covering it’s face, black inside. It was hovering in darkness, and towered over him, and a stench filled the air as to make him vomit. “You have not contributed.” Said the tall grim figure. “I’m trying sir. I have been giving alms to the town center and have been giving my time to the nightly gatherings!” The figure became angry. “You have given but less of what you are capable. We desire more. You will become a feast of my minions unless you change!” The force of his voice was like thunder, yet did not follow with lightning. “I am doing my best sir master, to live, and survive in this land,” Began Bach, until the Reaper interrupted him. “You are not called to live. You are called to destroy and consume.” And with that, the reaper slowly faded into the darkness as a hyena of laughter began to erupt around Bach, men, women, and children, all laughing seemingly at him, and his lack of contribution to the land. “I must leave immediately!” Thought Bach. And right he was. He fled Doomsville that very night.

As he was staying in a hotel in a neiboring land, he was free of Doomsville and its menacing air. In a land called, Marshmallow. Marshmallow was a quite boring and, very cushy land. The local post office was made of marshmallow, the streets were made of marshmallow, even the sun was made of marshmallow! And the people of marshmallow loved to sleep. In fact, if you weren’t sleeping by 6pm every night a big marshmallow would knock on your soft cushy door, and once you opened it, would jump atop of you until the softness put you to sleep. No one fought in marshmallowville. Nobody cried. Nobody got angry. Everyone just made sure the town was running it’s essential duties and carried on with it’s most important thing: sleep. Bach stayed in the hotel at Marshmallowvillle and was looking through it’s puffy magazines. Until one day, he found a book on the nightstand by his bed. A Guide to Gentrification. As he opened and read, he found his answer to his problems. He needed to find the island of Cosmos, and inquire of the great Gentry to finally live the life he had always wanted, and escape Doomsville once and for all.

Upon arriving to the island of Cosmos, he was greeted by all. The women, beautiful and cheery, flowers blooming everywhere. The men welcoming him with a smile, working the land and farming animals, and fruits and vegetables. The darkness that once filled Bach’s soul began to dissipate among his newfound people. He even was inquired by Great Gentry himself to come into his palace, to take on his new name. Bach Gentry. Yet, among the land of the island of Cosmos, was a man who did not like Bach from the start. His name, was Dum dum Gentry. When Dum dum saw Bach walking down the street from his mansion, he began to speak to his brother Ivan saying, “Who is this, foreigner? This ugly, stupid”- with a annoyed scowl Ivan interrupted. “He is not ugly, nor stupid Dum dum. Just because you are afraid he will outshine you does not mean he doesn’t belong here. He was inquired by great Gentry himself and just because you’re his son…”

That’s right. Dum dum was Great Gentry’s son, who used to be called Ham. Ham Gentry was a bright young man, until he became envious of the outside world. Thus, the Great Gentry now changed his name to Dum dum, as royal punishment for his infatuation with the outside kingdoms. Especially his fascination with Doomsville. Although Dum dum never would admit it, he wanted to reign in Doomsville, he wanted to be a part of the monsters, the gollums. Be an infamous monster who would be feared in all the world. Yet he suppressed his inner desires for fear he would lose his great mansion. “That… stupid! Dumb…oh yes, evil! Bach with his… dumb face!” Seethed Dum dum. “This is my area! Me! Mine! And I will make sure he knows it.” Vowed Dum dum to himself.

As Bach Gentry moved into his mansion, he was surprised to see that his neighbors mailbox had the name Dum dum on it. He shrugged his shoulders and supposed that it was most likely a prank. But just as he was beginning to open the door, he heard someone call his name. “Oh Bach!” Said Dum Dum. “It’s so nice to meet you! My name, is Ham.” Bach smiled, “Oh!” He glanced at the mailbox for a split second. “Really? What a… cool name!” Dum dum’s face became more serious. “I suppose Bach, we will be great friends. If you ever need anything, anything at all! Please don’t hesitate to ask. In fact, I would love to show you around!” Bach was smitten by the kindness of Dum dum. He was glad that he finally knew someone who was looking out for him. “Well thank you very much! I will see you to that!”

As months went by, Dum dum befriended Bach. Bach enjoyed the company of Dum dum , and even though they were from two very different worlds, he knew that if he stuck by Dum dum, that he would learn about his new home and the people in it. “Wow Ham, I really appreciate you showing me around. I’ve met some great people. Now, all I have to do is find a good job, and a mate. And wait for the Great Gentry’s orders. When I pass, I know that I will have lived a good life here, among all of you good people.” Dum dum smiled, “Yes friend. We will be good neighbors, we will eat good food. Until the day we take our final breaths.” Dum dum and Bach were like two peas in a pod. Until Dum dum revealed who he truly was.

Bach Gentry became a pillar in his newfound community. He started a family, found a job, and really tried to enjoy his life, yet Dum dum caused him grief at every turn. One day Bach had enough. “Why must you antagonize me Dum dum? Why must you speak evil of me all my days? Have I escaped Doomsville in vain?” Dum dum laughed with pride. “Do you not know who I am Bach? I am the son of the Great Gentry! I have lived here for many years! And who are you? Just some foreigners. Just a scum who is in the wrong place! You contribute greatly, yet it is all in vain!” Bach became angry. “I have been selected! I do belong here!” Dum dum laughed. “Oh that is only what you think!”

Over time, Bach tried to avoid Dum dum. He tried to befriend others like Ivan, and James. They all were kind and cordial, yet Bach was perplexed as to why nobody seemed to notice Dum dums antics. And those who did, seemed not to care. Bach became soured , and his darkness started coming back. And the more his darkness grew, the nicer Dum dum became towards him. So, Bach nurtured his darkness, so that he would not be bothered by Dum dum, and called names, and have his own name sullied. As long as his darkness continued to grow, Dum dum would let Bach alone.

The Great Gentry noticed that Doomsville was let into his kingdom, by Bach, and when he saw his darkness, he inquired to speak to him. “Why dost thou carry this darkness inside of you? Don’t you know to live in harmony, you must let go of Doomsville and embrace Gentryland?” Bach sighed. “I love Gentryland, don’t get me wrong. But it’s just Ham. He keeps calling me names and reminds me that I wasn’t born here. He makes me feel like I don’t belong.” The great Gentry was sad. “You do belong. But you can’t let Doomsville consume you once again. You have left a bad situation that is Doomsville. Yet because you let this man Dum dum dominate you, you are beginning to revert back and nurse the darkness. You thought Doomsville was the source of all your problems, and it most likely is. Yet, you are inadvertently letting this Dum dum drive you right back into it. You must make your choice son. It is up to you.”

As Bach returned home to his mansion from the palace, he sat on his couch, and solemnly began to think of what Great Gentry expounded unto him. “The Great Gentry was right,” Thought Bach. I shouldn’t let this man, this mere fool destroy my newfound joy in my new home, Gentryville.” As he thought this, a sense of warmth and light began to grow in his body. Bach smiled, and tears of thankfulness filled his eyes…Until he was captured by Dum dum, who unbeknownst to him was already hiding in his mansion. He craftily snuck behind him and knocked him out with a crowbar and dragged him into the basement of the mansion.

As Bach was bound to a chair hand and foot, he began to be burned by Dum dum, with hot glass, on his forearms. Bach winced and cried with pain. “Yes! Yes!” Dum dum exclaimed. “I have tortured you into surrender! Now you must tell me of where you came! I must learn of you and the ways of Doomsville!” As Dum dum saw the darkness inside of Bach, he learned of the horrors, the screams, the infamous monsters and their lies. “Yes! More! More!” Dum dum exclaimed with excitement. “I desire for you to demonstrate unto me Bach. Show me who you truly are! From whence you came. That God forsaken terrible place!” Dum dum smiled as he stretched forth his hand into Bach’s heart, filled with giddiness and almost a naive immature joy like a child finally getting his candy. Bach then became enraged with Dum dum. “You are a sick man Dum dum. For you pretend to embrace the land of your father, yet you truly crave what I no longer possess! You will not get rid of me! This is where I belong!” As Bach exclaimed this with confidence and power he broke the bands and became loosed, and stood victoriously from the chair. Dum dum then learned too much. His heart became infected with Doomsville, and he was translated into Doomsville by default. As Dum dum lay in the waste that is Doomsville, he was eaten by ravenous wearwolves and consumed within the first 20 minutes in the desert. Although Ham was born in the best place to be, he would ultimately be outshined by a foriegner, Bach Gentry, who simply would not give up, and embraced Gentryville stronger than Dum dum ever did.