Needles Next Ride

6 am and Eve had a job interview - or at least that was what she liked to think of it as hopefully.

A one hour segment had become available in Community Programming at the Southport Radio Broadcasting where she had recorded six months earlier, with the winning proposal of a semi-scientific spiritual call-in chat show.

All this time later they just now had finally got back to her, needing to fill the 7 am spot that had become vacant with short notice.

“Must not be late” she emphatically reminded herself - setting two clocks and four alarms, to be certain of at least one actually working on time. The spirits were known for playing tricks with their settings - waking her at midnight, or cancelling them out entirely.

A strange unease came over Eve as she drove through the lane and out onto the open road. She dismissed this as simply being ‘nerves’ and rehearsed in her head what could be a great place to begin. Unbeknown to her, her passenger was back seated behind - Needles had waited all night expectantly for the next ride.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Finding Self - Second Guesses- Azlander Series

Demon in the House

“Perhaps a demon entered the house?”

“This sounds about right - it is the only explanation for sure. For nought else could have torn a character so.”

Bewildered and doleful, the two then cleaned the area as best they might. Dragging the carcasses to the front door for collection.

“I am so sad my friend to be witness to such a goodness turned bad. I loved the gentility of those two, and everything they did - in sleeping and in wake - was together.”

“A rabid malady? contaminating their wits? in a mixed reality?”

“Yes, for sure”, Tindle agreed. “It is a vexation of dogs as is well known.”

“No”, he paused for consideration.

“I think it was demonic after all - because I did see one evil sprite earlier lurking at the front door, yet." 

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Finding Self - Second Guesses- Azlander Series

Animal Rage

As quick as the spark ignites, as unpredictably as love is lost, or as fast as the sunrise fades, Paul set his teeth into Peter’s neck and tore its vein bare open.

Peter pulled back, increasing his wound, and with a gurgling yelp he doubled back and bit Paul’s ear clean away.

Jonathon had, only moments before, casually filled the dogs' platters with their morning feed.

Tindle, as tall as he was, was terrified at this unforeseen anger, and did not wish to be caught in the dogs' savage tussle. He backed his way to the door and took the switch from its stand.

Jonathon was calling to them to stop. In but three combative minutes the rage was over with Paul quite dead. In five, Peter lay beside him, expired also.

“What on an ungodly earth caused that mayhem?” Tindle said - nervously still holding fast to the broom, having done nothing with it but grasp it tight.

“I’ve not seen such a thing before”, agreed Jon who had worked with all manner of animal. He was perplexed at the rage between what was formerly the best of companions.

“But they were as brothers.” remarked Tindle, who secretly was relieved that the two had not savaged Jon or himself before their uncommon death.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Finding Self - Second Guesses- Azlander Series

Dark Déjà vu

A sheet of silken cloud spread across a quiet sky. It was a perfect day for contemplation.

Puck had escaped the angry crowd at Eve’s apartment - realizing that he was not winning any friends or favour on that day.

He had reflected also, how she had just endured an horrific episode, that even though he had reversed the circumstances, this happening - the almost car crash - would have worn at her nerves inwardly.

Infrequently most mortals know of this dark déjà vu - where, one becomes exhausted for seemingly no reason whatsoever, and feel stalked by a happenstance, one that truly might have been.

Eve was a stoic at the core - and as such, she often managed to find a clear perspective as to where she was. But she was also only human, or so he thought.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Finding Self - Second Guesses- Azlander Series

In Fatima's Absence

“We should leave, we should go look for her,” Tindle insisted, repeating this daily mantra since he had arrived.

Jonathon had fed and watered the hounds for three weeks, and still Fatima had not returned ...

“She would not leave them, I know she would not abandon their care”, he said belatedly, stroking Peter’s head affectionately.

“I agree”, replied Tindle quietly - who was sensitive to his new friend’s calamity.

In his imagining he had thought Fatima to be the most worthy and virtuous match of all.

“I know not what to do going forward”, said Jonathon explaining his vacancy, as he likewise stroked the scruff of the mastiff’s crown.

“There is none here to feed them, the sick can hardly procure their own meat and meal.” Tindle was persuasive to his doubt.

“Then we shall have to take them with us, and they can search alongside us.”

“That they can. Then, needs must - we finally have a plan."

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Finding Self - Second Guesses- Azlander Series