The Rockstar

"Let's get serious for a moment." The sales kid said. "You don't need what'd you call it, a launch control. What you do need is this fresh new guitar that's smoking hot." The kid stroked the guitar as if it was the greatest piece in the world. Maybe to him, but to Sean Antle it was a piece of crap.

 He'd made a mistake coming to this so-called instrument shop despite his love for small towns. He'd been desperate for a launch control to create and mix his music. But now this crazy kid was trying to steer him in another direction just to make a sale. It was time he put this youngster in his place.

"Look kid, the guitar you're so carefully holding isn't worth the 2 grand price tag. It doesn't matter if you're starting a new band, or you've been in the music industry for years." Sean nodded at the guitar. "It's a pure piece of crap." 

 The kid took a step back, a stunned slowly crept across his face. "How would you know? Nothing good comes from this little town. You're another wannabe musician like all the rest." Sean stared at the kid who had just insulted his passion, his life. Then he chuckled to himself. The kid had no idea. No idea at all.

"Since you don't seem to have what I'm looking for and you're only looking for a sale, I think I'll take my business elsewhere." He stepped around the sales kid with a smirk then nodded at his bodyguard who had been quietly sifting through a stack of CD's, never letting the rockstar out of his sight.

The kid's jaw dropped as the two made their way out the front entrance of the store and a limo pulled up. He placed the guitar shakily back on the display wall, then headed for the sales counter. Above him the wide screen tv displayed  the latest music video. The kid stared in awe. The words Sean Antle scrolled across the screen, the rockstar playing, the musician he'd just called a wannabe had just left his store.

At Risk After Dark–The Daywalkers

Not every store in her town sold incontinence products. In fact, the one closest to her did not. She would have to walk a little further to get her mother what she needed and hoped she would be back before it became dark outside. It used to be that only the bigger cities were a problem after dark, but with the recent population of vampires, even the smaller towns were at risk.

She had not heard of any in her town as of yet, but that did not mean they weren’t around. Many were daywalkers and one never knew who was a vampire and who was not. They could blend in during the daytime and feed during the night to keep their cover. She walked a little faster now as the sun began to set in the distance. The store was less than a half a block and she wished to god her mother hadn’t sent her on the errand so late. But finally she was inside of the store and down the isle where the products were kept. “Lucy"! She followed the voice that had called out her name and smiled. It was her best friend, Derrick.

“Why are you out so late?” He asked as he approached her. She pointed to the products and he frowned. “Why does your mother send you out so late?” She shrugged  and pulled one of the packages from the shelf. “Then I will walk you home.” She nodded in response and smiled. Two were better than one out after dark. He followed her to the counter and waited for her to pay for the purchase. Then the two started the long walk back.

The sun was almost completely down now and panic began to flow through her as she scanned her surroundings for any sign of a vampire. Their eyes always glowed after dark, it was the only way a human could tell once darkness fell. During the daylight they were as human as everyone else.  “We’ve got to move faster Lucy. “ She turned at Derrick’s voice and started to nod, but sucked in a breathe and tried to let out a scream that she knew would never come. Derrick’s eyes were beginning to glow as darkness took over. Her best friend was one of them and there was nothing she could do to stop him from being his next victim.

Cowboy in the Rain

She watched the cowboy try to keep his balance in the pouring rain, but whatever his drink of choice had been, was winning. “I’m only offering you my couch. You’re drunk Mr. Bloodstone, you shouldn’t be out in this weather.” She said.

She watched him hesitate for a moment then nod and stumble past her into the house. She closed the front door and turned towards him as he fought to keep his balance. She could smell whiskey and wondered if he’d drowned himself in it more than he drank. She let out a heavy sigh and gestured a hand towards the couch. Maybe by morning she could talk him into helping her, but right now he was in no state to do anything. “Get some rest Mr. Bloodstone.”

The Town Devil –Bloodstone

Her raleigh house cleaning service had been a success and her mother knew it. She’d been taking advantage of it for several months now. Only now her mother had wanted more and one drunken night had admitted she’d sold her own daughter to Frockner the town devil for a hefty price. Elizabeth typed away on the computer, saving the financial records in an encrypted file. If she could show someone proof that her mother had sold her, maybe she could stop Frockner on her own. Just maybe.

A Moment In Time –Seth Bloodstone

Seth Bloodstone crouched down and wiped the dirt away from the gravestone. The words he’d carved across it reminded him of another time, another place where she had been.

“A moment in time is  a most precious thing. It is like spending time with that special person. A moment in time is when you see the look on their face, when you give them flowers. A moment in time is when when you hear I love you and it makes your heart skip a beat. A moment in time is when your with that person and the world seems to stop. So please take a breath and have a moment in time with that person you want to be with the most.”

He closed his eyes and tried to remember. But she was fading away and he couldn’t stop it. He couldn’t stop them. He picked up the bottle of whiskey he’d set on the ground beside him and took another drink. He’d be damned if that woman at the bar would get to him. Not tonight. Not when he needed to be here with her. 

Frockner

She had begun to keep records of her finances on paperless office software to hide the paper trail she was sure her mother had been keeping a careful watch over. She had needed Mr. Bloodstone’s help, but he wouldn’t budge and she wouldn’t stoop so low to beg him. No. Instead she had stubbornly walked away. If he wouldn’t help her, she would have to fight Frockner alone or die trying.

The Darkness Of Bloodstone

She grasped the Beads around her neck and waited for his response. But instead of responding, he poured himself another drink then gulped it down like as if it was water. “Mr. Bloodstone?” She asked.

“Just leave me the hell alone.” She froze at his response, but remembered her reason for needing him in the first place.

“Please just here me out. Please.” She pleaded.

“No.” This time he did turn to face her. There was a darkness in his eyes that could haunt a person to the depths of their soul.

Mr. Bloodstone

She could smell cohiba cigars as soon as she entered the bar. She knew that scent well and for a moment, cringed in fear as the memories came flooding back. But her mission jerked her back to reality and she pushed her way through the crowd until she was standing in front of the cowboy at the bar. “What do you want?” He said without even turning towards her.

“I need your help Mr. Bloodstone.” She replied.

The Seaweed Powder

Karla walked into the little herb shop with only a simple curiosity. She was now surrounded by herbs, crystals, books and other items many religions would frown upon as unholy. She wondered why. After all, they were only items from Mother Nature and recipes meant for healing the body and soul. Nothing more. Yet it was forbidden and hushed by many. She smiled as she browsed a shelf full of various herbs and a seaweed powder that had caught her eye. Hmm.
Karla enjoyed sushi and wondered if this form of seaweed could be used as a delicious alternative in dishes that called for the ocean plant instead of for a bath. She knew its benefits, just as she knew many of the herbal items benefits that sat beside this one on the shelf. She decided this one was worth her visit and removed it from the shelf. Then she glanced at the healing crystals and other wondrous items before taking her purchase to the shop owner.
“You know, there is something very special about you. It called to you. I will not allow you to pay for the powder.” The owner smiled.
“What?” Karla asked, a little stunned at the owner’s offer.
“It is yours.” The owner said.
She looked down at the powder in her hand and stared at the label, then backed away from the counter. It couldn’t be. She must be seeing things. She blinked twice and shook her head as if it would clear up her vision, but the label had not changed. It still read, “Karla’s Seaweed Powder.”

To Be Continued…

He watched her try to smile, wondering why his best friend was acting the way he did toward her. “I’m in no mood for you to hugs or kiss me.” His best friend said.
“I’m Sorry.” She hung her head down in shame.
”You should be. You know I don’t like it.” He watched her nod at his best friend’s words and then back away from him. “And don’t start your blubbering.”
She nodded again. “I’m sorry.” Then his best friend turned away from her and smiled at him.
“Women.” He laughed. “You ready to go?”
“Maybe we should call it a night Todd.” The sudden idea of hanging out with the man he thought he knew now sickened him.
To Be Continued……

No More Mr. Nice Santa and the Celebrity Christmas Sales

Catchy isn’t it? Or maybe it’s downright madness, but by golly Santa isn’t planning to play nice this year and the celebrities are having the time of their lives making christmas sales go through the roof. You can see them in their little elf hats, sprinkling just a bit of magic on their merchandise at the North Pole, while Jolly old Saint Nick is watching and snacking on cookies I might add, as cheerful holiday music fills the air and merchants everywhere cash in on the hottest item that will be left under the tree for all of the boys and girls whose parents  can afford it. Mind you it’s not their fault, but the media tells another tale.
Whatever happened to the simple things in life. The unspoiled child who is excited at the one little gift under the tree that was made with love and care, and won’t be complaining that there are no others. Or the family get-togethers, everyone from grandma and grandpa to aunt Dee Dee and uncle Buck, and cousin Ned. And what about Merry Christmas, not Merry Xmas or Happy Holidays? Times may be changing, but I say nay to Christmas in July, August and September and yes to family gatherings and homemade gifts from the heart. What about you?

Get it Right

Mother Nature’s  bitter cold tries to chill me to the bone, but she goes unnoticed as I stare down at the woman lying in a pool of blood before me. The woman is tall and slender with dark blond hair and a tan complexion. Her eyes are closed, but I know they are brown, just as I know she is 5’11” and loves German food. I know because the woman lying before me, is me.
I don’t know how it happened. I’m not a ghost and I don’t have a twin. But somehow, someway, I’m lying there lifeless on the ground, and yet it’s not me. I know why it happened, though. They got the wrong girl. So now I’m going to have to find them so they can get it right this time.

The Motorhome

Sometimes it’s nice to take a road trip or two. It use to be that you could find a family somewhere on the road in the summer months on vacation. Now that society has tightened their belts and families are staying closer to home, I can’t find a single family who’s broke down somewhere on the road in need of motorhome repair.
It was my calling card, you know. To drive up to that family and offer my repair services even if they’d already called their own insurance company for help. Sometimes it worked, other times the father insisted they didn’t need my services. So I would have to wait until the right family came along.
Oh I know there are more than just families who travel the roads heading somewhere on vacation, but they almost always have family already who may miss them if they didn’t make it home. Families are already all together and very few people miss them. Oh there have been times when I have made a mistake and a lone relative stirs up trouble. But not this time my friend, not this time. I see that sweet ride  coming down the road and I am already ready for what is to come.

The Scars

She stood in front of the full length mirror and stared back at her reflection. She had a face that they claim only a mother could love, yet her own mother could not. The scars were hideous and her body did nothing to distract from it. Wide hips that no man saw perfect or even worth a second glance. A large rear end that was covered in stretch marks and dimples. Skin that was dull and dry to which men cringed at the very touch.
But maybe those imperfections could have been overlooked by someone had it not been for the scars upon her face. Scars left by a man she had been promised to, sold to, by her own mother. A man she could not love even when he had tried to force it upon her. Force himself on her.

The Intruder

The triple light switch cover glowed in the pale moonlight, making it easy for him to turn on the kitchen light. But instead of finding himself alone in the room,the small shadowy figure of a young woman sat at his kitchen table, staring at him as if he were the intruder, not her.

"Hey." His first instinct was to leap forward and grab her in case she decided to run, but as he did, it was like grabbing at a holographic image, a ghost, and then she disappeared.

"What the hell?" He lept back, his pulse racing, his heart pounding. And then as suddenly as she had disappeared, she reappeared right before his eyes.

The Bloodstone

Seath Bloodstone stood outside on his front porch and screamed at the top of his lungs, not caring if he woke the neighbors. He hurt and there was no holding back. The monster inside of him had been unleashed and he would kill before they lured him away or convinced him otherwise. No other woman tore at him like she had. No other woman could fill him with so much rage, yet fill the emptiness in his heart and soul that had vanished along with her. She was gone and there was no getting her back.

Now they were trying to convince him that she wasn't worth his torment, his pain and that she was never worth it to begin with. But, they were wrong and he was going to prove it to every damn one of them. He let out another scream that ripped through his soul like the jagged edge of a knife, while across the river she hid in fear hoping he would find her. Hoping he would know they had taken her where there was no escape.

They had tormented her just the same, told her he was dead, but she knew better. She knew in her heart he was alive. God only knew what they had done to him. She closed her eyes and tried to block out the pain.

The wounds were deep this time and she knew without a doubt, she didn't have much time left. She only hoped he would find her before it was too late. Before they found her.




Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter.



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Plan B

He snapped a photo with the EX-H20G camera and smiled. The photos he'd just taken would bring him plenty of money on the black market and help him pay his bills. He was tired of always being broke and no matter how often he sent the companies money, they wanted more, more more. It was a never ending battle that he realized had really cost him dearly. He'd lost his wife and his children because of them. They were collateral for a debt he couldn't afford to pay because he'd lost his job.

But they hadn't just been collateral. He knew the company had sold them on the black market and he knew his wife was dead. His children remained alive however, working as slaves for the underground system and the photos he'd just taken were proof enough to bring down the company for all they had done. If not, there was always plan B.

The Laptop

Toby stared at the sign that said, laptops sale. Sure he needed a new laptop, but at the prices he'd just seen, he wasn't really sure it was worth it.Then again, there was one that caught his eye and every time he walked by it, it was if the laptop was calling to him. Beckoning him.

It was the highest priced one there, but the features were amazing and he'd never seen one that actually communicated with humans. Sure, he'd heard about them, but to be face to face was so much more. He stared at the price and made a quick calculation in his head. If he worked overtime for a year at the office, he might be able to pay half of it off, if they approved him for a credit loan. If only.

Who was he kidding. His credit score was shot. He let out a deep sigh then started to walk away when he heard a feminine voice come from the laptop. I need your help. Please help me. Please. They must be stopped. Please.

Brother on the Run

The cable management was necessary in order to keep the computers from mixing up the data. There were news cables for the morning reports, afternoon reports and evening reports. Each report was sent hourly, so she knew that the news on her brother was still fresh since it had only been five minutes since the last report.

The feed was never live for reports like this. Only recorded cameras aimed at every street corner in the city. IT had been five minutes since he'd murdered the girl on Park Ave. and now he was hiding somewhere close by.

The Girls

He didn't understand why the company wanted to experiment with the drug at HCG injections Austin or why they wanted him to find the women in the photos they'd given to him for the experiment. These women had no idea they would be taking the drug, and to him that just seemed wrong.

He pushed his glasses up onto his nose as he typed in the name of the last girl in the photographs, into the library's computer. Once the home address displayed across the screen, he memorized it, then wiped out his search history.

He had a job to do and no matter how much he despised it, he would have to find these girls and get it done.