Slumber (Part 8 of 10)

Been in the office 12 hours a day for the past 3 days (not necessarily working). It's nice to spend a slacker-ry afternoon reading on Wikipedia about everything from The Fly to Pacman to Dino Riders.

And yay! CC+J's first-ever above-the-line ad appears in The Star Classifieds today. It's for a moving company Myrelo, and will be running 30 days in 3 versions. I don't care, this time I'm taking full credit for the copy! It's portfolio-worthy work, I know. My my, how selfish. :p

But still, it's nice feeling talented once again. :)

Slumber (Part 8 of 10) - Let's just get this story over and done with! It's tasting like a bloated bowl of Maggi.

The Scatter Witch's eyes grew round. "You're mad."

Bo snorted.

"You'll kill us all." the Witch whispered.

"I won't die," Bo sneered. "I'm no longer some silly dream. I'm becoming real."

"And you," he turned to Lenny. "You pitiful mutt. You were doomed the moment I became King."

Lenny growled fiercely, trying to get up. Bo stepped over and kicked him in the sides, causing him to fall. "You're pathetic."

"How fitting, that the almighty Scatter Witch drains her powers to grant me Black. Which I eventually use to defeat the great Lenny. "

The Witch was absolutely seething. "You...you had a plan..."

"What can I say? Planning is everything."

"Someday," Lenny gritted his teeth. "Someday you'll return to Slumber, and someone else will be King. That'll be the day. I promise you."

"Pitiful talk. Pitiful, pitiful. But of course, I truly admire your heroics for Little Jenny. Look how well everything turned out. She'll be going back!"

In a fit of rage, Lenny tried to break free and tear into Bo. Alas, Black was too strong for any of that.

"Enough! You shall sing." Bo smirked hatefully and pointed at Lenny. Clearly against his will, an uncomfortable tune escaped Lenny's throat.

"Hush little baby, go to sleep
When you sleep all things are sweet
Fancy shoes and ribbons dear
Don't wake up till morning's here"

"The Dream Song," the Witch exclaimed in disbelief. "How could you have known..."

"You see," Bo stated. "More than a dream or fantasy, I was her friend. She trusted me."

It was the song her parents always sang her to sleep with. So enchanting. So haunting.

Jenny's eyelids begged to shut one more time, surrendering to the stillness enveloping her.

What will I wake up as, a part of her wondered.

You'll be safe in your bed, ready for school, Bo snuggled beside.

You'll be in another strange land, running away from snarling witches and dragons.

You'll be like what Bo said - nothing.

"Bo..." she cried.

Chris Benoit Is Dead

Irony at its best. Or worst.

Three years ago, Chris Benoit and Eddie Guererro embraced in the middle of a wrestling ring, confetti streaming down, fans rapturous in applause. They had worked their entire lives for that moment, standing tall at Wrestlemania 20 the World Heavyweight Champion and WWE Champion respectively. In that one defining moment, all was beautiful and wrestling fans could dream again.

One-and-a-half years ago, Eddie Guererro was found dead in his hotel room. Cause of death: side effects from his substance abuse years ago. Though he famously overcame his addiction and found Christianity, the demons from the past caught up. He was scheduled to win his second WWE Championship that night.

Two weeks ago, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon filmed a stunt where he was supposedly killed in a limousine bombing. How lame was it? Even my father, the naivest and most earnest of wrestling fans, could tell it was a hoax. However, WWE played it to the fullest; they ran tribute videos, engaged 'federal investigators' to appear on-screen and even held the revered ten-bell salute.

The storyline received much criticism for being distasteful, more so with the subsequent real-life passing of 'Sensational' Sherri Martel, a former female wrestler. Undeterred, WWE announced that tonight's programming would feature a 3-hour 'memorial service' for Vince McMahon.

This morning, Chris Benoit was found dead in his residence, along with his wife and 7-year-old son. Cause of death: alleged double-murder-suicide. Investigators say that over a period of three days, Benoit murdered his wife and son, then killed himself. The wrestling world is in utter, utter shock.

He was scheduled to win his second World Title last night.

The Vince McMahon memorial service will now be replaced by a Chris Benoit tribute show.

Vince McMahon is scheduled to appear, putting an end to his laughable 'alleged death'.

As for me, wrestling's fond memories have slipped so painfully far. Seeing Benoit and Guererro with their belts lifted proudly back then; it gave me faith. Simple faith that even small, smiling men could take their place among giants.

We'll always love you, Chris Benoit.

Slumber (Part 7 of 10)

Last night, I somehow ended up in a dingy cybercafe playing Starcraft with my boss till 12am. Got abso-freaking-lutely OWNED. I can't believe how sucky I've become.

Slumber (Part 7 of 10)

"You'll be going back as the dream, and I the dreamer."

"What that simply means," Bo snapped. "Is that I'll be a real person, in the real world."

"And me?"

"It's hard to tell. You could become a stuffed toy like myself. Or a favourite blankie, a good bedtime story, a nice thought. Anything that breathes life to dreams."

Jenny didn't like the sound of it.

"All we need to do is lie together on the Great Bed."

She shook her head. "No. I want to go back as myself."

He sneered. "You pretty well know there's no chance of that. You'll never find the Great Bed without me."

Suddenly, an unexpected wheeze made them jump. The Scatter Witch!

"I am the Scatter Witch," she smiled. "I watch over all dreams, all denizens of dreams and I say when they end.

"I knew sooner or later you would want everything for yourself. And you would figure that this dream is mine and mine alone. But it was brilliant, I must say, trying to get Jenny to take your place. I do believe this is the first time a dream denizen has tried to become real."

"But I knew. And I took some...let's say, precautionary measures."

"The Great Bed?" Her fingers darted apart to demonstrate ka-boom. "No longer exists in this dream."

Bo's eyes widened in anger and disbelief. "The Twins..."

"Me. Me. All me."

She cackled, like all good witches do. "You'll still end up a stuffed dragon in the morning, Bo. You're not as special as you paint yourself. Others have tried to take over Slumber. I saw through them every time."

"And you," A twiggy finger pointed at Jenny. "You shall never dream again. Your dreams give rise to Bo, and I cannot risk him returning."

"Stupid witch."

"What?"

"Stupid witch." Bo sat stone-faced. He tapped the ground twice.

Like summoned, Black emerged from the woods towing a fallen Lenny behind it. The Scatter Witch shook violently - from fear or fury, Jenny couldn't tell.

"Lenny," Bo said coolly. "Wake us all up."

Writer's Block

Ah-la-mak!

One crappy 'Random Act Of Kindness' aside, it feels like I haven't updated in a month.

*checks blog, yelps in horror*

It has been a month!

Funnily, the last time I posted - crappypostaside - it was my final week in Ideasmith. Am now into 3rd week in my new company, CC+J Adhaus. Things are sometimes good, sometimes bad...mostly getting 'familiarised'. Which is code speak for lazing around, haha.

Pst... *hangs head* I've been posting a bit for the company blog. Which partly explains the absence.

Blogdultery!

Finished Mitch Albom's 'For One More Day' in one sitting in office that day. Nice, heart-warming tale as expected, but less of a story than 'The Five People You Meet In Heaven'. And is it just me, or are his stories all sounding alike?

But anyway, the story deals with dead people being given a second chance in life. So pardon me as I excuse myself to indulge in:

I WANNA RE-WRITE GHOSTOPIA!!!

Hah.

Oh man, these preambles are killing me. I'm supposed to post Chapter 7 of Slumber, but this thing's already so long! And my eyes are starting to hurt from staring at the white screen. It's like how Ultraman beeps after 3 minutes on Earth.

*blushes at unwarranted use of Ultraman analogy*

Aiyah, another post lah.