SO.....WHATS THE...

So what's the catch? there's always a catch with these type of things. somebody says write something and you instantly obey. why? what do you get out of it? a quick dopamine hit? well, i'm not going to. I refuse. you wont catch me writing.

wait... hey! what are you doing! are you writing down what i'm saying? stop that! nobody wants to read some random guy talking about how he wont write.

your not going to stop? wait... you have to write everything i say. hmm... well try this on for size....

The smell

You know, the one that goes round and round and you can never place? As it plays with your senses and tickles the back of your mind. It's amazing isn't it? There's such a mystery to that one smell that you forget to notice the world around you.

We follow a smell. As it spins and whips back and forth riding on the wind. we follow it as it descends into the little town of Bacharach, Germany set right alongside the beautiful Rhine river.

we are guided down towards the cobbled streets and over the train tracks that run right through the center of town. it winds through the streets, past multi colored buildings that have stood for centuries and past docks that have weathered many a storm. It heads towards a little bakery shop named Haus des Getreides, which loosely translates House of Grain.

It winds its way down the chimney and out the fire place. we watch as it makes its way through the common room with wood floors and vaulted ceilings past tables and recliners filled with customers. over a counter and display case full of delectable goodies. Around the cashier taking someone's order and into the kitchen. through shelves and over counters to the very back corner where the oven sits. it comes to a stop as a baker takes out a fresh steaming loaf of bread and sets it on the cooling shelf to his right.

what a glorious smell

one that attracts connoisseurs from all around. On saturday mornings The children come running just to get a whiff as they watch the baker pull loaf after loaf from the oven because today is baking day and the entire village fills with the scent of joy.

now shift your eyes (and noses) towards the edge of town where the train station lies, just in time too because the first train of the day has just arrived

The town listens in expectation for the trains horn as it enters the station. Bringing with it family and friends. But the people who get off the first class car are neither of those for they have been invited randomly to tour europe and its countryside staying in luxurious hotels and having gourmet food. none of them know why, nor who invited them to such a trip.

I suppose that's the mystery isn't it.

a group of travellers mysteriously invited to partake in all the smells of the english countryside

There i go again

Smells

You must be tired of me describing it to you by now. you wish to be able to take a whiff and experience it for yourself.

Unfortunately there is no way for that to happen, but i will do my very best to describe to you what smells they are experiencing right now.

A chilled and damp morning air mixed with the smell of fresh bread envelopes them as they step out of the train. Bringing with it a whiff of the river and of fish,

The train puffs steam from beneath the engine and a smell of coal, steam and smoke whoosh past them.

There is that better? Do you feel satisfied that you understand what odors are in the air?

Of course not! how could you? you can't know the smell of freshly baked bread mixed with the morning dew and brought to you on the afternoon breeze or the arial essence of a quiet countryside town that has sat in silence for years. nor understand the feeling of such peace as you look around and see hills on either side of the valley this little town is nestled in.

But enough about smells and feelings for now. 

..... did you just copy and paste an entire chapter of a book over what i just said, Do you hate me that much? no.. you know what, how dare.....

something weird

A story has no beginning or end: arbitrarily one chooses that moment of experience from which to look back or from which to look ahead.”

-Graham Greene, The End Of The Affair.

“Jeremy! Can you come help Katy pack up? I’m helping John.” “Yeah I’m on my way” he responded. “Just let me finish up with this super quick and I’ll be down.” “Sigh” This time of year is always full of meaningless stress and a waste of time and money. I wonder if people will wake up and realize that the food they purchase and the toys they buy just get thrown away and destroyed.” He walks down the stairs and turns the corner to find his house decorated with elves and little rosy cheeked Santa clauses and a tree dressed in Garland. Not a surprise considering it’s a family tradition but he still thinks “what A waste of time.

          Later that day

“Hello!! Welcome! It’s so good to see you all again!! It’s been too long.” The traditional family Christmas greeting. He walks into his parents house and takes stock of the changes that have been made since last time he was there. the memories wash over him of running down the halls Christmas morning rushing to see what Santa left under the tree. Ripping open the presents and smelling the freshly baked ham in the oven. Those were the best years of his life. 

The family Christmas is what draws members of the family from all over back home. To reconnect and share in the joy of Christmas. 

All Except for this year.

“Jeremy! Long  time no see!” His cousin Rodney, he’s the one who dressed up as Santa when he was little and have them sit on his lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Rodney had a unique musk around him of smoke and alcohol, he also could probably take the place of a bowling ball if he tried. 

“Rodney! Good to see you. How ya been?”

 “Oh you know, making what I can here and there. How bout you? Hear you got that new promotion you were hoping for! That’s good news right?”

“Yeah! I’m managing an entire department now.”

“Bet that pays pretty well too Huh? Am I right?”

“Yeah, the pays  gone up. Good thing too with gas prices and inflation the way it is right now.”

See that was always the trick with Rodney, mention anything close to political and he gets lost in his own little world and you can just slip away. 

“Oh you don’t have to tell me about that! I know everything to know about why it’s all happening. For instance I’ll let you in on a little secret, all that gas money? Know where it goes? Straight into the pockets of the D.C hypocrites that’s who!”

See what I mean

“And let me tell you something else!”……

This is where you can typically slip away and leave him to rant

I used to enjoy the lights and the tree and the presents, but it’s lost its meaning in the world. It’s all about how expensive of a gift you’ve gotten or who’s the brightest house on the block. These thoughts make me sick. I need more punch.

He walks over to the punch bowl and stares in the reflection. 

“This is the life I’ve built. I have a wife,kids, a house and a successful job. Why. What is the purpose, For happiness? For love?Mom is walking over 

“Hey mom.”

“Hi honey! Oh it’s so good to see you! Heard you got that promotion! That’s so exciting!! Do you like it?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty nice.”

Mom will forever smell like gingerbread.

“Oh, I’m so happy for you!

It is good to see you again but I have to go stop Rodney. He seems to have found your dads secret stash of holiday drinks.” 

The wrinkles on her face widen and her eyes twinkle a little bit with thought of dad And as she walks away the memories flood your mind of dad in his chair by the fire acting surprised by the gift just for him under the tree. Or reading a book and then looking up and staring out into the void for  a minute thinking how he can use it in his next manuscript. 

But he’s been gone three years now. 

That was a hard time for everyone. In fact it was the last time we were all together. 

He dips the ladle into the bowl and pours himself a drink. 

He heads back towards the living room and starts to sit down when there’s a loud rap at the door. 

“I’ll get it”

He  walks over to see what relative will be the butt of the jokes this year for being late. 

As he nears the door the person hits the door this time with their fist multiple times in a row.  He opens it up and looks out and doesn’t see anything at first and then he looks down. 

He sees a woman cradling a child in her arms laying in the snow with no coat or blanket. She looks up and stares into his soul and he hears in the back of his mind “every hour till dawn you will receive visits  from those unseen.”

“This is your wish”

         Everything fades to black

              Chapter 2

“Darkness…… it’s a beautiful thing. It leaves you to look at nothing but yourself and to reflect on your own black and twisted soul.” 

A Voice that seems to echo throughout time itself reverberates around him.  

“As you stand in the darkness trying to figure out where you are, your probably filled with fear. Thinking of what horrible deed has brought you to this hellish place. When you reach your minds end and you delve into insanity think of one thing, think of….. THE PAST!!” 

Multiple strobing lights break through the darkness and shine everywhere illuminating the black endless void. The lights start moving and zooming past you as a hundred thousands noises surround him  and pierces his head. Millions of voices whispering the Same  thing, 

“THIS IS YOUR WISH” 

repeated over and over. Until…. Silence.

The darkness fades away and reveal a scene of a snow covered town with bustling streets and people in business suits walking down the sidewalk not worrying about anything or anyone, except where they are trying to get to. Through the crowds he sees a hunched figure in an alley, his  entire perspective seems to zoom in on this figure. As you get closer you see that it’s a woman holding something, when she turns his heart stops. This is the woman on the step, bundled and with child. Alone. 

He bends down  to help her up but his  hand goes through her.

 “What?” 

He  trys again and the same thing happens over and over. 

“I’m like a ghost cursed to watch and suffer.” 

The woman slowly stands up and makes her way to the nearest shop, hoping for some warmth. She steps inside and is greeted with the smell of freshly ground coffee and baked goods. He watches  her sit down at a table and embrace the warmth. One of the waiters walks up and asks if she’d like anything. She says no and explains that she needs to feed and warm her baby. The waiter smiles and walks away. A few seconds later the manager walks up with a frown.

” Excuse me miss, if your going to sit at a table you need to order something.” 

“Oh,I’m so sorry! I don’t have any money right now. I just needed a place to warm up and feed my baby.” 

“Ma’am your going to have to leave if your not purchasing anything.”

“Please sir, allow me here for five minutes and then I’ll go I promise.” 

“I’m sorry but it’s policy, let me help you to the door.”

The manager helped her up and opened the door for her.

“I am sorry ma’am” he shuts the door.

There she was again, shivering on the doorstep in the cold with no place to go. 

               Chapter three

“It’s a curious thing…  life. Through its ups and downs inevitably it will end, And when it does everyone cries and sobs and prays for a second chance, For one more minute with the loved one lost. Only in very extreme and rare circumstances do you get a second chance. 

Excerpt from A Day In The After Life, by Wilber Vistine.”

Nostalgia and nausea washes over him. 

“AGHH!” 

Hundreds of scenarios  of the woman in the snow shivering in the cold flash through his mind. 

He screams into the void “WHO ARE YOU?!!” 

The void answers 

“Someone you have known, will know, and have yet to meet. Eventually it will be made clear but for now watch and learn”

And with that the strobing lights return and start zooming past him except this time they are going the opposite way. 

Thousand of voices echo: “THIS IS YOUR WISH”

Everything goes black. 

A small pin point of light appears in the distance and gets closer. Slowly a second Scene appears, this time it’s morning and the dew is still fresh.

The view is of a graveyard

The Scene grows and again you see a figure kneeling, except this time in the grass next to a gravestone.

“No, please” he begs.

The scene rotates and you see the woman crying over a head stone with the engraving 

Katy Marie Velko

Daughter of Rachel Marie Velko and the late Jeremy Hern Velko 

Born: December 18th 2023

Died : February 7th 2024

His heart completely stops. 

That’s his name sharing a grave stone with his daughter and a woman he’s never met. 

“Rachel” it echoes around him 

“WHY!!” He screams. He bends over sobbing.

“WHAT DOES THIS MEAN!” His scream echoes into the void but the void doesn’t respond, instead the dark swallows him completely leaving him enveloped in the dark once again.

A voice echoes

“choices have consequences.”

Are you just going to leave it? you just ended it without explanation. not that i care or anything, you did cut me off again.

But it would be nice with some closure.

Are you still writing what I'm saying? you should submit this to a contest or something. maybe you'll win something stupid like a trophy.

See ya!

The man named henry walks out and slams the door. now henry went to live his life in a remote area of the country to the end of his days.

that would be a nice ending right? forever peace? well that's not how this one ends sorry. henry walked out of the room and woke up, that's right.. woke up.

'its all a dream.' the voice echoes around him over and over never ending. repeating until it snapped him back to reality.

the train

he woke up in a sweat and looked out the window at the passing country side. he would need to get this under control. this gift, this curse. the ability to dream real things. to go to sleep and see what another person was seeing.

He got up and walked out of his room. the other three were all at separate tables drinking coffee. supposedly they all had gifts too. that's why they were here. all four people got a mysterious letter that simply stated...

hello (name) we have heard of your gift and need assistance. please arrive as soon as possible at this location.

(location) thank you sincerely. signed sir Archibald

so here they were. going at the bidding of a stranger to help more strangers

kind of strange right?

That's what he thought. All of it was strange. But it is what it is. you try and try to figure it out until its too late and by then its staring you in the face and you cant do nothing. Better to sit and ride until you get to the end. Then not only do you have it figured out but you can do something about it.

speaking of, there's the station up ahead. time to find out what all this means and who needed their help. or not. who knows. thats the great mystery isn't it? what kind of maniac writes a short story within a short story within a short story. who knows what's about to happen. the suspense is entirely up to the author and he doesn't seem to know what story to be writing. so here we are, the product of a mad man.

Is this the end or is it the beginning? well, i guess that's up to you isn't it?

or is it...