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“Bound my mud, blood, cattle and beer”





History

Gatling, New Mexico is known for a few things in this world; it’s beautiful scenery, for tourists it’s one of America’s most haunted towns and for locals, it’s known for the legendary feud between the Grimm’s and the Goode’s.

The story goes that the Grimm’s and the Goode’s arrived in Gatling around the same time. The Grimm’s were essentially a large outlaw gang, looking to plant some roots when they happened upon the slowly forming town of Gatling. Upon arrival, they adopted their name as a family unit and set up a cattle ranch. On the other side of the town, the large Goode family were getting settled into building a farm of their own, a farm whose goal was to grow their own produce and make their own beer. At first all was well with the families, in fact the two got into business together and created the local favourite “Grim and Good Lager”. Of course like all good things must come to an end.

Like all good feuds, this one started over love. When Florence Grimm, an African member of the gang and Jamie Goode started courting, the Goode’s hated the thought but put up with it for business. However over time tensions began to rise and small misunderstandings grew to become arguments and fights. Everything changed when Florence became pregnant. Jamie’s brother Clyde, unable to stomach the idea of a coloured niece or nephew, kidnapped Florence and murdered her. In retaliation, the Grimm’s hung Jamie from a tree with a cows head attached to his own. Thus the Grimm and Good feud was born.

The war lasted many years, with many family members being imprisoned and killed before cooler heads prevailed. One of the biggest events of the war happened on New Years Eve 1899 in what came to be known as The Century Fire. As the townsfolk gathered under the hallowed roof of Saint Christopher’s Church to celebrate the coming new year, a rogue team of Pinkerton Agents arrived in Gatling intent on ridding the world of the troublesome Grimm’s and Goode’s. Knowing that both families would be in the church, putting aside their differences for one evening, the Pinkerton men set the building ablaze, wiping out half of both families as well as many of the townsfolk. Each under the impression that other started the fire, the war raged on but soon died down upon the arrival of the an even greater war. During the First World War, Grimms fought alongside Goode’s in the trenches and saved each other’s lives. After returning home, the families stopped hostilities but the tension always continued.

In present day Gatling, the Grimm/Goode feud is the stuff of American Mythology, up there with the Hatfield’s and McCoys. Many of the tragic events that unfolded during their war have been romanticised into ghost stories of the region which tied with the towns history of outlaws and renegades has birthed idea of Gatling becoming known as “The Most Haunted Town in America”. With a tag like that, Gatlings tourism business is huge and has really helped with town expansion. In spite of this, it is a town that has not lost its values of hard work, honesty and simplicity. The cities and syndicates have took notice, with big pharma and crime factions looking to buy up a whole lot of land and ranches in the area, leaving many residents just fighting to keep their heads above water. With the law failing them, many have taken to working outside the system just to survive and make it to the next day.

As for the Grimm’s and the Goode’s, both families still have a large presence in Gatling with their names plastered over many of the towns businesses and buildings even of the family has nothing to do with it anymore. Hostilities have ceased bar the odd fight here or there. Children of the family could sit together in class and men can share a drink at the bar but the tension is always there, just below the surface, waiting for a match to strike it alight.




Further Info

Genre: Modern, Slice of Life, Western

Welcome to the town of Gatling, folks! A small mountain town deep in America’s Heartland, Gatling is known for its ghosts, it’s family feuds and it’s beautiful scenery. It is a rustic looking place surrounded my ranches, farms and mountain trails.

Our story takes place in the modern day and will be a centered around the day to day lives of the residents of Gatling, New Mexico; specifically the lives tied to the Grimm and Goode families. We will explore their secrets, their lies and see the world through their eyes. You do not have to be a direct member of the families, any relative by blood or marriage will do.

This is a mature rp; the intention being a real honest look at life on the front lines and the last vestiges of the American Frontier. We hope to explore many real life problems ranging from drugs, violence, abuse, financial crisis etc and shine a light on day to day life in the heartlands.







Collab with @Lovely Complex
Featuring: Stelee, Hyde, & Jasmine
Introducing Iris Snyder; Athena and Aries' little sister.

The last showing of Take a Hint was about to start. The previews were playing right now. A rom-com about a try hard boy attempting to get his dream girl and going to great extents to win her over. The typical trope of ‘friendzone’ but with a pinch of stalker.

Two girls, one with dark skin and pink highlights, and the other with a complete hair of green and black lipstick, were the only ones in the small theater. Both wore burgundy vests over white blouses, and black pants. Their uniform. One of the girls was none other than Jasmine Fulton, token biker chick and cooking girl extraordinaire, and her uniform fit her ever so tightly because of her voluptuous form. Meanwhile, her coworker and friend, Iris Snyder, was scrawny to the point where the outfit looked a tad baggy on her. Her skin was as pale as a ghost, which her uniform only washed out even more.

Iris snapped her gum as she swept the area, while Jasmine was behind the candy counter, which was also the only register currently open to buy tickets (for those stragglers). She sat on the counter eating Buncha Crunch. Turning her body around, so her legs were dangling off the counter, she called out to Iris, “Hey! You hear that?”

The apathetic girl pushing the broom lazily glanced over to her coworker with dead eyes, “The song? Yeah, it’s like… the only noise in here right now since the tvs are off.” And Jasmine tended to blast music when mostly everyone else was gone. Bossman trusted them, especially her since she’s worked here for over a year. “This is so early 2000s…”

Hopping off the counter, Jasmine walked to the sophomore and grinned, “Do you ever just want to sing and dance?”

“No.” The goth girl said plainly. “I don’t dance.”

“Aw, come on. Everyone can dance.”

“Not true. I know plenty of people that think they can, but they can’t.” Before Iris knew it, her and the broom were pulled close to the candy rush girl and being manhandled to sway to the Outkast song. The Gothic 'witch' put up no fight because even if she didn’t admit it, she had that ‘Aubrey Plaza’s April from Parks and Rec’ kind of personality, she liked this. Having fun. Being spontaneous. “Kill me.” This was just how her shifts were. Jasmine got bored and put all her attention on the other person in the room, which was usually her, and they had adventures inside the movie theater. Like dancing in the lobby.

Prancing through the parking lot, Stella clinged to Lee’s arm and looked up at him with pure glee, “I told you we’d miss your movie if we left too late. Now we have to watch Take a Hint.” It was entirely her fault they didn’t leave on time because she wouldn’t get off of him… wrestling and all. Honestly? This was a win for her because she loved romance and comedy! Put them together, though? The best!

"Why do I get the feeling you planned this?” Lee looked down at his brown eyed beauty and shook his head. He of course couldn’t be mad at her for this. If anything, he respected the game she showed. She was most definitely after his heart and it’s a chase she was winning. "You Miss Locke might actually be an evil genius behind that big smile...I knew I liked you.”

Friday night was normally a working night for the Pacific Park Psycho Cameron Hyde; if he wasn’t out dealing he was usually holed up with McCarthy working on some new hustle or plan to earn some cash dollar. This Friday was supposed to be all about Dare Night. Date Night was Lee’s masterpiece. A single six hour period where the trust fund babies of BHHS would put some of their parents hard earned pennies on the line. The game was simple, teams of two or three, a set of random dares with increasing severity and a points system. The team at the end with the most points gets the cash. The con however was even more clever but that was their secret. Lee and Hyde had run Dare Night two times a year for the past three years. However this year they missed one because of McCarthy being away in NYC so the next game had to be the best ever. Yet here they were, outside a shitty theater with a girl they didn’t know on a date. Life is a mess right now, shit needed to be corrected, fast. "Lee, can we at least talk about Dare Night after the movie?”

"Cameron I swear to God if you don’t stop with that….listen we’ll talk about work tomorrow. You’re wound so damn tight all the time. Relax man or go wait in the car” It was times like this that the boy began to regret his association with the beast of the beach. Lee for one of the few times in his life, reaches into his jacket pocket and turned off his phone. No hustling tonight, not while he was with her. "So, the manager is a friend, I text him on our way and he’s going to have two tickets behind the desk waiting for us. Back row, center screen.”

After slowly blinking at her boyfriend, Stella looked from him and then to Hyde. The thought of where they were sitting was unimportant. Dare night sounded fun. “...what’s Dare night?” Their date didn’t have to end after the movie! They could play games afterwards. Now, Stella had to know and if Lee was learning anything about a Locke woman, they were persistent.

Walking through the classic double doors, the trio were met by the strange sight of a biker and a goth dancing to Outcast in an empty foyer; "Well fuck me like a nun” Hyde couldn’t help but stifle a laugh "Ain’t this something fun?" It wasn’t until he got a better look at the two that he realized that he recognized one of them; the pink haired one, she was the one that threw the eggs at him. He closed his hands into fists inside of his pockets: biting back at the urge to throttle her immediately.

"Hi. The manager left some tickets for us, name of McCarthy”

Stopping their fun, their bodies going to a sudden halt, Iris simply stared at the trio before her. Without looking away from them, she sluggishly pushed the broom back and forth. She recognized the girl, but kept silent.

Jasmine was the one that took initiative to talk, disregarding the Hyde boy. Here, he was her customer. That’s it. “Hey! Yeah, we’ve been expecting you, for sure. I’ll get your tickets.” Unapologetically her, not embarrassed at all for being caught dancing on the job, Jaz turned on her heel and made her way to the counter, going behind it, and one, turning down the music, and two, retrieving their tickets. Iris continued to watch them with no emotion on her face. She pushed the broom back and forth. Back and forth.

“Do you guys want anything to snack on? Or to drink?” Jasmine was laxed, it was late and this theater was probably the most down to earth place you could be. That’s why the majority of the employees were vastly different in appearance and more often than not had colorful hair.

Stella glanced up at Lee and directed him, “I’m only thirsty. We can share whatever you want. Also, don’t think for a second I’ll forget about the Dare topic. I want to know.” The elegant, filthy rich princess brought her attention back to Iris, “It’s good to see you! How are your brothers and sister?” Somewhere down the line of family, Iris and Stella were connected, but it was complicated. Stella’s father was the sperm donor to Evelyn Green’s children. Eve was the half sister to Amity Bellerose-Snyder, who was married to Jericho Snyder, who was the brother to Aaron Snyder. The father of Iris. There were family events, rare though, that they both were in attendance to. The Snyders weren’t fond of the more obvious wealthy gatherings, wine and cigars, primarily for business, they preferred the family barbeques. It truly was a small world and Stella and Iris were nothing but polar opposites.

“Aries may be joining a band, which is neat, I guess. Athena is in love, how exciting.” She couldn’t have said that anymore sarcastically. The subject of love wasn’t really something Iris cared for. “Apollo is just, well, him.”

“I just realized you’re the only non-A Roman god name! Why is that?”

“Because Aphrodite is stupid. so thankfully they were smart enough to not name me that.” Blunt and straight to the point. Her parents thought it was good to name their children Roman mythology names, that of the big gods, which was cool, she guessed. Luckily, she was the baby and there weren’t many other A names for her. She liked Iris. Iris was short and had a nice ring to it.

"Sure, can we get get a drink for the this one, whatever she’d like? and for me….large popcorn and bottle of water will do just fine. Thanks” Lee reached into his wallet and handed the mocha girl a twenty over the register. Of course his wallet was sparing in cash in these days of digital tender but it was filled with other things; mementos from his varied adventures, some that belonged to happy memories and others not so happy but memories all the same.

Looking down at his love, Lee offered her a smile "Tell you what, after the movie, we’ll go grab something to eat and I’ll fill you in on Dare Night, sound good?”

“Sounds perfect.” A wide, devious grin was plastered on Stella’s face, and then she brought her attention to Iris, who walked away, done talking, and then Jasmine, “Sprite, thankies.”

Hyde clenched his jaw tightly. He was going to bring HER in on Dare Night? This was their thing! They started it together, there was no room for her or anybody else. Cameron could feel his blood boiling and his ears ringing. He tried to breathe the fire from his lungs to maintain himself. "You two enjoy your movie, I’ll see you at the end” Turning swiftly on heel, Hyde hurried into one of the nearby bathrooms and splashed some water on his face. A few drops of stray blood from his fresh wounds dropped into the porcelain white sink to stain it slightly red.

The more time went on, the less welcome he felt in Lee’s life. Their friendship was one of necessity sure, Leighton was the brains and Cam was the brawn but there was something more to it than that; something Cameron couldn’t quite put his finger on. Wall Street McCarthy had created a rigid and routine based existence for the trouble youth, it helped keep the fire low, it stopped him from burning up. Unchecked and uncontrolled, Cameron was a monster pretending to be a man, he needed structure and it was slipping away because of this bitch.

In time, the two lovebirds had disappeared into the theater. Putting the broom up against the wall, Iris looked to Jasmine, “I’m going on a break.” She wanted to go to the nearby Mexican restaurant for nachos — better than theater nachos.

“If you want to head home too, that’s fine. I don’t mind closing shop!”

“Maybe… I’ll text you my decision.” Iris walked to the door. “After my break.”

“Sounds good.” While her coworker took her leave, the sound of the door closing echoing throughout the lobby, Jasmine took out her phone to check out her social media, forgetting all about the two lovebirds or that Hyde boy, who disappeared minutes ago.

Leading his Princess to their screen and seats at the back of the theater, Lee put his arm around her and pulled her close to his chest. He had never really done this; the classic date. It wasn’t part of the plan. To be honest, neither was falling in love yet here he sat in “Take a Hint”, a NY punk with an LA Goddess falling deeper and deeper as the moments drifted off into space like stardust. Trillions upon trillions of atoms, lost in time and connecting like they did; it shattered his philosophy of only betting on a sure thing; Stella was starting to make him believe in fate.

It seemed like only seconds that he had been in the bathroom trying to control his inner demons and clean up his face but when he emerged Hyde glanced over at the clock on the wall and was aghast that it had been well over half an hour. He looked around at the baron wasteland that was the movie theater and saw only one other soul immersed in her phone; that girl from earlier. He looked over the room once; no security or cameras that he could see; if he wanted to get back at this cow for throwing eggs at him, now would be the perfect time.

"You know what you did wasn’t funny. Throwing those eggs. I told you then we were just getting started” the violent teen flared at the dark skinned beauty, even though he was pissed at her, he couldn’t help but take heed of how nice she filled out that uniform, even if it wasn’t the most flattering thing in the world. She had curves in all the right places and was definitely more woman than that skinny skank that McCarthy was with. "It’s a shame you’re such a bitch because you ain’t bad doll.”

“It’s a shame that you think I care.” Glancing up from her phone, staring him dead in the eyes, Jasmine yawned in boredom, “News flash, I don’t.” Leaning up, pocketing her phone, she crossed her arms and laughed, “Oh please don’t tell me your poor widdle ego was bruised because of eggs.” She eyed his reaction and then covered her lips with her right hand, completely amused, “Oh my god, it was.” How cute. Cameron Hyde did enough to his rep by being a coward, taking advantage of those that can’t fight for themselves, but to find out the poor boy couldn’t handle mocking was just pure enjoyment on Jasmine’s part. Little did they both know, the quiet witch was lurking outside, watching. From her perspective, they looked intimately close. Iris didn’t know Jasmine had a boy of interest. What a complete misunderstanding.

"You think you’re getting in my head but you’re not” He hissed at her. "The only thing your doing is pissing me off. You may think you’ve got me figured but you don’t, not by a long shot. You have no idea who I am or what I can do” Taking a slight step back, Hyde shook his head lightly. The truth of the matter was that Jasmine was getting in his head, in more ways than one. Every fiber of his being was telling him to jump over the counter and put her pretty face through the popcorn machine. Yet there was a sliver inside that was telling him to leave her be, she was being a decent person and was stopping him being the monster that he was. "Normally this is the part where I either threaten you or I just straight up cave your skull in. This time, I’ll settle for an apology and we’ll leave it at that.”

“Wow.” Hyde thought hella’ high of himself, but her parents taught her to not take things personal. Water off a duck’s back. “I think you’d prefer if I meant it when I apologized, but I wouldn’t, so let’s settle with popcorn.”

A bowl of popcorn? That was her peace offering? Well he couldn’t deny that he did love that salted goodness. It was one of life’s great simple pleasures. "Fair enough.”

Jasmine had been working all night, so she wasn’t going to be petty, but she also wasn’t going to apologize when she didn’t think she was in the wrong. So instead, she scooped some popcorn in a bowl and pushed it towards him, not seeking money in exchange, just words, “Where’s your date? Or do you just tag along with your lover friends?”

He stuck his bruised hand into the bowl and grabbed a load of popcorn to shove into his mouth. "I’m just a driver. He pays, I drive. I don’t get to choose where and when” Cam threw the classic theater treats into his mouth and demolished them fairly quickly. He had worked up quite an appetite earlier in the evening. "Job is a job at the end of the day” He quipped with a mouthful of food.

“I get that.” In Jasmine’s head, there was no point in starting a war. Beverly Hills High had enough of that going on during the day. The night she could relax and not try to make peace. Here was a boy with a lot of issues, but hey, maybe he needed someone to talk to. Everyone needed that from time to time. Here she just was: “Jasmine, by the way. The name’s Jasmine.”

"Jasmine.” He thought on that name for a short little while. It suited her. She was beautiful like a flower and prickly like the thorn of a rose. Yeah, Jasmine suited her to a T. "Cameron Hyde, most just call me Hyde” Jesus, was the dark passenger of Beverly Hills actually holding a conversation? The world was changing. For this minute alone, it didn’t feel like a world of Gods and Monsters, of light and dark. For a change, for Hyde, it was a world of boys and girls talking in a movie theater on a Friday night.

"Haven’t I seen you working the diner too? I gotta say, you seem like a busy girl…”

Raising an eyebrow at his observation, Jasmine made a mental note to herself. Something she’d keep to herself. “The bakery, actually. The one owned by the Locke family. I do frequent the diner, though, since my family loves their burgers.” She grabbed a handful of popcorn, and placed one in her mouth. “The goal is to eventually bump into Remy Wells, to learn a thing or to by a master chef and baker, but I’m in no rush.” She shrugged to herself and plopped another popcorn in her mouth, “But you’re right, I am busy. It’s how I like to be.” And part of her felt like she had no choice because she didn’t want to burden her family with her money needs.

"I get that, not too dissimilar myself” Hyde grabbed another handful. "If I’m not busy with my work with McCarthy, I’m pretty much depressed or angry. Got to keep my hands busy or my head will burn up” He knocked his knuckles against his head like an empty glass bottle and for the first time in a while, a genuine smile crossed his angelic face. As he dropped the popcorn into his mouth, Cameron’s brain had an original thought, one he didn’t know if he would come to regret or not. "I’m hoping to slow it down one day though, you know? Get out of LA. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy the surf but I hate the people. Gonna get me a ranch somewhere, live off the land and just forget the bullshit. The Great American Heartlands, that’s the dream” Why he was opening up to the pink haired temptress was anyone’s guess, Hyde certainly had no clue. She was disarming him.

"You know, we got something coming up, big business for us generally but more than that, it’s great chance to unwind but in a fun way; Dare night. If you’re up for a challenge, I can get you an invite. It’s a pretty exclusive evening”

Huh. Kindness went a long way and it allowed Jasmine to get a glimpse of the heart of her acquaintance. She didn’t question him. He obviously thought she was someone that could listen. She got that a lot. That she was a good listener. This was just… surprising, but not in a bad way. From their first meeting to now. They were holding a conversation and he was inviting her on a… date? “Sounds—” Jasmine stopped herself when she got a glimpse of her coworker, standing by a large movie stand of some superhero movie, like the creep that she was. Did she even get her nachos? Probably not. Really, she probably smoked weed by the dumpster or something. “Iris.”

“You should go. When was the last time you took a break anyways? Like an actual break? Not like your typical break where you hideaway in home ec to bake.” Jasmine’s reply was simply her munching on more popcorn. Guilty. Her social life was limited to a handful of people. “Exactly. Do it. No balls.” For a girl with a monotone voice and a straight face, her words were humorous, as she leaned against the stand, almost pushing it over.

“I’d have to tell my parents…” which would only lead to questions and she really didn’t need her parents in her business. That is unless she had her sister cover for her. It took dad… awhile to be okay with his baby girls hanging with boys. He still hasn’t fully accepted Mitch. KC’s boyfriend.

“It’s easier to ask forgiveness than permission. Just say you’re going to my place. It’ll be cool.”

Bringing her attention back to Hyde, Jasmine chuckled, “I guess it’s decided. Sure, why not. I’ll play along.” She paused, before she teased, “Of course, only if you can get me an invite to this ‘exclusive evening’.”

"Well normally, if you don’t have an invite the buy-in is five hundred bucks...a small price to pay for rich kids looking to test their limits” Cameron glanced over at Jasmines green haired colleague; part of him was screaming that she didn’t need to stick her nose in and that she needed to get moving before he made her move and the other part was whispering that it might be a good idea to invite her too, keep on Jaz’s good side. It was always a constant fight in his haunted mind and most of the time, it was too difficult to predict which ghost would win. He looked back over to the mocha girl and made an attempt at a smile "Alright then, I’ll make sure you get invited. All you have to do is pick up the phone and follow the instructions. I’m not sure when it’ll be, you gotta be ready to go at a moments notice.”

Getting to his feet, he reached into his jacket and pulled out his phone. "Whack your number in that and expect my call” Sliding the phone across the counter, with his free hand Hyde pulled a joint from his pocket and plopped it in his mouth. "I only call once. You don’t answer, we don’t dance.”

Rolling her eyes, this was a roundabout way to get her digits, Jasmine courteously grabbed a napkin and cleaned her fingers, before grabbing his phone and typing her number in, “Oh please.” It’s been awhile since she’s had this much fun and perhaps it was because of how spontaneous and different he was from everyone else, or perhaps she simply felt drawn to find out his damage. Whichever it was, she was willing to take the risk to get to know him, for better or for worse. She’d blame the peacemaker in her later.

Sliding his phone back to him, Jasmine cooed, “You obviously don’t know me.” It was a rarity for her to not answer her phone. With eleven siblings, and family emergencies that could pop up any time of day, picking up her phone was an obligation. Too bad she didn’t have a smartphone with an Assistant, then she could send her contact information through bluetooth and with voice command. At last, her family was old fashioned, so she was left with no choice but to manually put in her number. He seemed to trust her enough to touch his phone, so she’d keep that in mind.

The game seemed easy enough, and because she had a bike she’d have more mobility compared to whomever else was playing. If anything, this seemed intriguing and for once, she could have something to talk about rather than her saying ‘hey, i worked and went home to bake and watch one of my shows’.

“Y’know, Jaz. I can clean up. Usually you let me leave early, but I wouldn’t mind staying so you can enjoy Friday Night Date Night.” Iris glided to the seemingly new couple. She wasn’t going to assume they were a thing but it seemed like the boy was asking her friend out. “It’s the least I could do.”

“...Is this a date?” Jasmine subconsciously responded, deeply staring into Hyde’s eyes, waiting expectantly.

Date. It was almost a dirty word in Hyde’s dictionary. He didn’t date, he hasn’t been in a relationship in a long time. Not many people wanted to spend time with him, at least not emotionally. Physically, Cam was always fucking someone, boy or girl it didn’t particularly matter to him. At the end of the day it was a release for some of his baggage. As far as actual relationships, he didn’t initially hate them, quite the opposite in fact. The problem was that once someone became Hyde’s North Star, he struggled to see beyond that. They became his world. Some would call it obsessive. Coupled with his anger at a world that let him down, it became apparent that Cameron Hyde was not boyfriend material.

"I can’t say that it is but I also can’t say that it isn’t. It’s Dare Night, anything could happen. What I can tell you is that where you’re going, it ain’t your world. You’re gonna have to be ready for anything” he glanced over at the witch and then back to Jasmine and took his cigarette out of his mouth, "That said, if you want to get out of here now…”

“Oh god, yeah. Give me a sec. Gotta’ change outta this.” Grabbing a black backpack from the cabinet under the register, Jasmine left Iris and Hyde alone for a few, awkward minutes with the desire to get out of her work attire, changing into something she deemed more comfortable. In that moment, Iris decided to put multiple pieces of gum in her mouth, all the while staring at the blonde boy before her.

Hyde watched the witchy looking thing before him and narrowed his piercing baby blues “You’re a strange little thing ain’t ya?”

Elsewhere in theater number 5, Lee sat with his girl curled under his arm, her soft hair brushing against his cheek. He was stuck in a dichotomy, he was falling asleep because Take a Hint was utter garbage, yet he was fighting it because he didn’t want to be without Stella for any amount of time. He yawned ever so lightly before looking down at the creature of light that he held so tight. The world works in mysterious ways.

The blissful blonde wondered whether or not she should tell her father yet about Leighton. Her boyfriend. Her mind wasn’t thinking anything beyond that and this moment. It was another perfect moment for her and it was because she had him. Stella glanced up at Lee intimately staring at her, which resulted into her twinkling and pressing her lips against his. She was sure this film wasn’t his scene but it meant a lot to her that he was willing to watch it for her. Softly, in a near whisper, she asked, “You like what you see?”

Her kiss was like fire, as gentle as it was, it sent a pleasant warmth through his body, through is veins and into his heart. “When what I’m looking at is the most beautiful thing in the world, you’re damn right I do, how could I not?”

Lee had all but convinced himself that looking for a girlfriend was not a venture that he wanted to undertake. Not only due to his secrets but also because of his theories. The hustler had three simple rules he lived by: Only bet on a sure thing. Only fools are kind and Never show them the hand you're dealt. Yet here Leighton was; breaking all of his beliefs because she made it easy. Stella was making the dark that much brighter.

Coming out of the bathroom, in a less revealing outfit than the first time they met, she didn't expect she'd be going out this night, Jasmine swung her bag over her shoulder and gestured toward the door with her head, “Ready?”

“Always” Cameron quickly typed a message in his phone, letting Lee know he had to leave and that they were without a ride tonight. He knew the boss would understand, since meeting Stella the American Psycho was turning into a Blissfull Idiot. Hyde looked her up and down and grinned, a little rattlesnake grin, before opening the front door for Jasmine like the gentlemen he wasn’t.

“Welcome to the dark side, hot chocolate.”










Tonight he was serving as the personal driver for Lee and Stella’s date; it wasn’t something he as a man was terribly proud of, it wasn’t a job he particularly wanted to do but it paid well. It would do for the short term. He still had a few hours before he needed to make the eight mile drive from his home on the shores of Santa Monica to the glowing McMansions of Beverly Hills. Santa Monica itself wasn’t a bad place, the few blocks that Hyde called home however was not great. It was three blocks of hell on Earth which was overshadowed by a pillar to God.

St Patrick’s Cathedral was a monstrous building, old and protected by the gargoyles of lore. It’s visage was terrifying for a place that was supposed to be a house of the lord. It looked terribly out of place in the surf haven of Dogtown. Hyde had a perfect view of it from his basement bedroom. He had hung his boxing bag right next to the window so he could glare at the gothic tower whilst he threw his bombs; it was his version of a confessional.

”I’m not sure I can get through to him. He’s so filled with fury and foolish pride. I see his mind burning and his soul stained with the same darkness that took his father. Please, show me a light, show him a light before he is consumed. Forgive him his trespasses and protect him from the temptation”

The floorboards were thin and Hyde could hear every single word of his mother’s prayer. And with every one of those words, the monster threw another uncovered fist at his target. The fresh wounds on his knuckles began to split from the pressure and the white leather of the bag began to become stained with the blood of the violent king. He had nothing against religion, people could believe what they wanted. Hyde was not a believer however, if God was real, how could he let a family like the Hyde’s to exist? Mason Hyde was a murder currently serving multiple life sentences. Julie Hyde was an addict, who was always so desperate to belong that she would do anything it took to feel good about herself. First it was a constant string of boyfriends, then drugs and now the Catholic Church. She was a mess.

Drenched in sweat and blood, Cameron ascended the stairs to his mother’s kitchen where she was making yet another failed attempt to cook something fanciful for her son and prove to him she had changed and to earn his forgiveness for the shitty hand they had been dealt. ”What is it tonight ma? Beef casserole or salmon fillets? Don’t bother with either I’ll grab something while I’m out, I probably won’t be home til Sunday”

It had gotten to the point where mother Hyde knew that arguing with her son was a fight she was never going to win. ”Have you been taking your medication? Sticking to the routine like Doctor Leggett advises?”

”You know I don’t believe a word that quack psychiatrist says. I’m just a little boy who wasn’t hugged enough by his mommy and daddy, I’m gonna shower”

Julie drops her cooking utensils and turns to her son ”Why do you do this Cameron? Why do you put me through such hardship?”

”Only God forgives ma”




There were just enough dive bars in Beverly Hills for it to be trendy and then there were a few that were actually what they said they were; glorified shit holes that no one of a sound mind would find their way to. Hyde found himself in one such place, three drinks deep and with an itchy trigger finger.

”You slinging?”

”Not tonight” Cam polished off his current drink before continuing. ”Come back tomorrow and I’ll set you up”

”Man, I know you’re carrying, you’re always carrying, give me something” the addict was getting pushier and closer to the high schoolers face, he reached into his pocket and took hold of something, a fact that Hyde made a note of.

Glancing over the addicts shoulder at the group that was amassing at the exit, two men and a woman, smile curled on the lord of dogtowns lips and a fire began to burn in his belly. ”Alright, man. I might have something in my car. Follow me” Putting his glass down onto the pool table, Hyde lead the gang of miscreants out into the parking lot and to his car.

The warm, feeling in the pit of his stomach was getting hotter, his skin began to flush and his hears rang. What was this feeling? Fear? Excitement? Both. It was the glow, of course. The glow of violence. Reaching into the truth, he brushed passed a bag of something and gripped a handle tight. In one fluid motion, he span with toolbox in hand and smashed it against the addicts face, knocking him and most of the tools to the floor. Hyde was rushed and tackled into the trunk, hit by several blows to the face as he fell. This did nothing as a deterrent, instead it was further motivation. He kicked off the burly bastard atop him and picked up a hammer from the ground. He was armed and he was dangerous as the addict tried to get to his feet, Cameron brought the trunk lid down across his hand before reaching into his grounded foes pocket and pulling out the knife he had clocked earlier.

Hammer in his left, knife in his right and blood weeping from his face and hands he was ready to cause a riot. The distant and all too familiar sounds of sirens were enough to force the attackers to run. Hyde let out a guttural yell ”FUCKING PUSSIES! I’m number one” his voice became a hiss. This would’ve been the perfect opportunity to run buts not who he was, he was number one.

The two men got away but the woman, she had made the mistake of hiding. It didn’t take long for the devil to find her under the pier. ”God help me”

”If God wanted to help you, he wouldn’t have made me” Hyde threw the knife, it embedded itself in the woman’s thigh and took her to the ground. He was atop her in seconds, one hand on the knife, the other on her throat. ”Word to the wise; I’m number one. Tell your friends, they don’t fuck with me. If they try, they’ll get worse than you” Turning, he grabbed the hammer from his jacket and cracked it across her ankle, muffling her scream with his huge hand. ”Ssshh. Say a prayer for me, sweetheart”




Later in the evening, as he drove further into the night, the Z boy glanced at the clock, it was time to pick up Lee and Stella. His eyes moved upwards and he gazed at his torn up face in the rear view mirror and then brought his eyeline back down to the road, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. He paid no mind to his blood stained hands as he pulled up outside the McCarthy mansion and honked the horn.

It was time for date night









Featuring: Gwen Morgan, Marci Atwood (Video Footage), Mitchell Morgan (Video Footage), Sam Morgan
Location: Morgan Residence, The Boneyard (Video Footage), The Tar Pit






Gwens Internal Sountrack




The silence was deafening. Gwen stared at the computer screen, her clothes and hair still damp from her dive into the pool and her make up smudged all over her porcelain face. As she downed yet another mouthful of tequila, the heavy metal queen grabbed hold of the corner of her desk, digging her long nails into the mahogany edge and allowing the burn of the Spanish water to sear a vocal cords. Letting out a great exhale from her aflame lungs, she slammed the bottle down and raised her head aloft to breath in even more of the silence she despised so much. Looking back to her screen with pale blue eyes, Aces reached forward and pressed play.




October 15th

”Good evening ladies and gentlemen, my name is Marci Atwood and I’m here at the Boneyard in South Philadelphia, home of the one and only Endeavour Records and I get the rare opportunity of interviewing the mad scientist of music, Mitch Morgan. How are you Mitch?”

Shifting in his chair slightly, Mitch scratched his bearded chin and awkwardly smiled. ”Yeah, no I’m fine. Little worn out but I’m fine” Mitchell’s strong Irish accent was like butter melting for many people. He didn’t consider himself handsome but many people despite the constant bags under his pale blue eyes and creases in his clothing.

”Well I bet being twenty seven, running your own label, being one of the most known faces in music AND being an expectant father is pretty exhausting. How is baby and mother to be?”

For a moment, Mitchell looked like a deer in the headlights, if there was one of the many many things he hated about fame was interviewers prying into his personal affairs. Privacy was a luxury that he could afford but they still wouldn’t let him buy. The Soulful Irishman shuffled in his seat again and reached out to something off camera. Pulling a beautiful peroxide blonde into focus with a huge baby bump, Mitch smiled as he looked up at her, a genuine smile from the ever miserable Mitch Morgan. Now that was a sight for sore eyes. ”They’re doing great, keeping me sane, making me happier than ever. Plus her brother can kick my arse so I have to behave”

”That’s right, Samantha your brother is AWE superstar Gethin Rhys. Bet your house is fun st Christmas. Tell us Sam, truthfully, what’s it like being with Mitchell? No frills, no typical answers. We want the truth”

Young Sam looked at her beau and they shared a loving smile. She rested her hand behind his head, running her fingers lightly through the back of his hair. ”It can be challenging. Mitchell’s brain runs so fast and so hot that he can be awake for literally twenty three and a half hours of a day like even when we’re in bed he’s scribbling something on a notepad but at the end of the day, it’s a small price to pay for the love of a genius” She grinned from ear to ear as she also placed a hand on her stomach. ”If I can shamelessly plug however, his new album, Parliament of Owls, is phenomenal and I can’t wait for everyone to hear it. He really poured everything into it, it’s his masterpiece” Sam was always the best hype man.

”High praise. So both album and baby drop next month. What’s the next step for Mitchell Morgan?

”Erm, yeah no. I think once the work is done I’ll just take some time to be a dad. You know? Music is my business and my passion sure but this woman and that little girl inside her are what I love. I can’t wait to be a dad. It’s the best adventure life can offer you know?”




Two weeks after this interview, Mitchell Morgan was dead. Of course, Parliament of Owls went straight to number one and even seventeen years later most people on this good planet earth had a Mitch Morgan album, a favourite song or at least knew who he was. Death had made the man a legend, something if he were alive he would’ve hated. He was the Heath Ledger of music. The circumstances of his death, an overdose, sensationalised by the media painted him as a tortured artist. The reality was far more simple; anxiety and insomnia and a bad mixture of medication killed Mitch Morgan, not the music.

Watching her parents, young and in love, it increased the already unbearable pain in Gwen’s heart. Knowing full well how far they had fallen since those days, with tell all exposes and the transfer from the east to the west coast, more tears fell from her sparkling eyes.. She glanced down at her bruised wrist, every time she did all she could see was Cameron Hyde’s rage fuelled face. He had the face of an angel but there was something ugly eating away inside of him. She wiped the tears away and got to her feet, it was time to numb that damn pain. If Lee wouldn’t keep her in pills, somebody else damn sure would.

After a steaming shower to clean herself up, it was time for Gwen to go to bed and Hells Favourite Harlot, Aces Morgan to come out and play. She dressed herself in a tiny black dress, thigh high black boots and a dirty flannel thar belong to her daddy. Her make up was heavily dark as usual and her lips blood red. Hurrying down the stairs, she stopped in her tracks for second as she saw her mother asleep on the couch covered in papers. It wasn’t too late just yet but it wasn’t unusual for Sam Morgan to fall asleep while working. She worked harder than anyone to make sure she and Gwen were taken care of. Aces sighed through her nose and walked over to her mother, carefully removing all of the bits of paper and placing them in a neat pile on the coffee table. They may have their differences most of the time but Gwen loved her mother. She placed a blanket over the sleeping woman and kissed her forehead.

”Sleep tight Mom, say hi to dad in your dreams for me” She whispered before heading out of the door.




The Tar Pit was one of those rat bag dirty joints on the dark side of Hollywood. It was a favoured hang out of Gearheads and Burnouts. The Heavy Metal Queen had scored herself some dirt sheep Oxy and was parking her perfect ass on a stool at the Pit drowning her sorrows in snakebites. The constant updates on her phone from BHHS couples and happier folks made her want to throw it at the wall. She washed down another load of pills with her drink before jumping from her perch and grabbing the nearest beer bellied trucker she could find.

Not for nothing but damn she could shake her ass. The world was blurring, the lines between euphoria and horror had blended and the feelings had all but become one mass of joy and sadness at the same time. Falling Into dark madness was enthralling for the gypsy goddess, Pour Some Sugar On Me was the perfect sleazy soundtrack for her descent. Madness was the emergency exit and she was giving herself up to it. At least she was until the song switched to the Velvet Underground’s Pale Blue Eyes, a favourite of her father’s.

She fled her chubby truckers arms and ran into the bathroom. Staring into her reflection, she placed a hand on either side of the wall and let out a howl.

All the best gypsy girls had daddy issues…











Locations: The Heart Shaped Bakery, The Pier, The Morgan House
Featuring: Gwen Morgan, Alfie Robinson, Lee McCarthy (Voice Only) and Sam Morgan





Listen when reading



”Can I get an Iced Coffee and a Cinnamon Bagel with cream cheese please? And go heavy on the shmear”

School was done for the day and so was Aces, at least that’s what she told herself. She knew that in reality the day was just beginning for her. She was a creature of the night after all and the weekend was always her picture show.

The Heart Shaped Bakery was a cute little place just outside the normal circuit of Beverly Hills. A place best kept secret from those who would pretend it’s a secret sort of place. Gwen had all but discovered by accident, after a massive bender and going home with a stray bit of tail, she awoke to the fresh smells of cakes and pastries. It was a match made in heaven. She gave them money and they gave her a place to work, eat and be away from the world. Plus the son of the owner was hot and you could be sure Aces was going to hit that without hesitation.

”Been awhile since you been round, Gwen. Thought maybe you’d finally gone over to the dark side and turned cheerleader” the boy behind the counter smirked as he took the gypsy girls money and stuck it in the register. He was an average sized young man with sharp, photogenic features, short curly dirty blonde hair and piercing baby blues. His smile was inviting and brought a little bit of light into even the darkest of days.

Gwen narrowed her heavily made up eyes and took a seat by the window as she waited for her order. ”Alfie, my love. You ever say that again and that pretty little face of yours I love so much will end up going through the display cabinet”

”That’s my midnight girl. Having said that you seem on edge, sweetness” His thick Australian scent melting like chocolate in her ears, Alfie wandered around the counter and put his hand on top of Aces palm who immediately pulled away and recoiled into a ball. She couldn’t dare to be touched since Hyde, he had all but ruined her. ”Gwen..? Please tell me what’s the matter”

”Nothing!” The suicide blonde barked in response. She looked around at the few other customers that were staring at her. Sure they could’ve been staring at her because of how she reacted but they could also have been staring because of her style of dress. This was a family bakery, lot of old folks and well to do people were the main clientele. Gwen, in her leather short shorts, torn fishnets an Motley Crue wifebeater stood out like a sore thumb. Covering her face slightly in shame with her black fingernails. Aces lowered her tone. ”I’m fine, Alfie really. Just on a come down, I’ve been hitting it hard the past few days”

The beautiful boy nodded his head silently before heading back to the counter to prepare her order. Once it was all boxed up and ready to go, Alfie rather than slide it across the counter top brought it over to Gwens table and smiled. ”Here you go, petal. You make sure you take care of yourself alright?”

Gwen did not say a word, she simply smiled and swiftly fled the bakery with nothing but the lingering smell of rock n roll in her wake. She hurried to her Stingray and jumped into the drivers seat, throwing her bagel into the passenger seat as she did so. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out an ice cold very stolen bottle of vodka and poured it into her coffee. After a few sips and satisfied shudders later, she switched on the stereo and turned it up to eleven, Aces and her onyx Chevy then peeled out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell.




Sometime later, Gwen stops on the pier overlooking the beach and ocean. Many of her young, restless and fearless peers were down there burning the candle at both ends, looking into the abyss and giving it a tremendous fuck you and many, most were in love; a feeling that she had began to wonder if she could even feel at all. The orange tint of the setting sun in the sky brought out her melancholia like nothing else. She brought her cell phone to her ear as she climbed over the rails and sat on the external side, a dangerous drop below her. ”Hey there, handsome” A slur had began to form in the heavy metal queens words. ”Any chance a girl can score some C and maybe a little Oxy from her favourite guy?”

”No can do, Morticia. I’m not working tonight, I got a date with Stella. Maybe link up with the Helmsley's or someone, sure they can give you a good rate or I can give you Hyde’s number”

”NO!” Gwen yelled, gripping tightly onto the rail as her exuberance and inebriation nearly caused her to fall. ”That’s not how this works, Lee. You’re my dealer, I call you, you provide a service and I fucking pay for it. That’s how business works, I thought the green is all you cared about? This slut got a golden pussy or something?”

”Seems to me you’ve already got your buzz on Morgan. I’ll let you off with a comment like that this time cos you’re obviously not in your right mind. Talk to me like that again and I’ll do more than just cut you off. Have a nice night”

The line went dead and Gwen tightened the grip on her phone, her soft hand turning into a vice on her studded phone case. She tempted fate, sticking one foot out into the open air and debating whether to just let go.




Hearing the front door slam, Sam Morgan raised her head from her appointment book and called out to her daughter ”Hey babe, how was school?” No answer, not uncommon in the Morgan household, the thunderous steps up the stairs and slamming of every door in the house was unmistakably Gwen.

Collapsing into her desk chair, the princess of darkness opened up her bottom drawer and pulled out another bottle of vodka and slammed it into the desk. She switched on her her computer and began to scroll through social media. Meaningless plastic bullshit, all her classmates posted complete nonsense. It was just memes, boasting of possessions and announcements of date nights. Gwen would like to believe she hated it all because she was hardcore, the truth of the matter was she was jealous. She didn’t know how to bond with anyone, it just wasn’t in her and it made her black blood boil at the fact that the filthy dirty rich that she tried to disassociate with could.

After cracking open the bottle and letting the White Russian burn her insides for a few minutes, she turned on her live cam and mic and began to stream;

”Memento Mori...Remember you will die. That is the moral for today’s video. We live in a society poisoned by an unbridled need for material things. This want to have what others have, this desperate mentality that we as a race wear like a badge of Honor has blinded us to the real truths of the world. The real truth is that you’re born alone and you’ll die alone and the world just decides to shit on whoever it wants. There are so many people out there that need help yet we let them fall through the cracks. Why? Cos they are a little different? They have a different skin or a different belief system? Why do we let that happen? They’re gonna die too, isn’t that the only thing that really connects us all? It certainly isn’t love. Not everyone finds that. I certainly haven’t. The next time you pass a homeless guy on the street and you don’t give him money, remember he’s going to die and so will you. Everything else you may say to yourself to try and ignore that man? That’s just a lie you tell yourself to make yourself feel better about the ignorance you’re showing. I’m just as much at fault as the rest of you. I’m quite wealthy, I don’t really need or want for anything. Yet here I am on the internet, making content, why? To entertain? The only thing I’m doing is killing my self and forcing you to watch. Remember you will die. That is the truth. The only certain truth. We will all die. I know I will”

After finishing her stream, Gwen headed downstairs and walked out to the infinity pool in the garden. She downed her vodka bottle and through it over the fence and into the Hollywood Hills before plunging into the water. She lay floating on her back, staring up at the ever darkening sky, her black make up careening down her face like a runway bride.

Sam at her laptop looking at the screen, tears streaming down her face. Something was happening to her daughter and she didn’t know how to help. She didn’t know who could save her.

If anybody could…

<Snipped quote by Star Lord>

Killzone is trash.

<Snipped quote by BrutalBx>

Only Marvel/DC. I’m putting together one for Indy publishers, but that won’t be going up until sometime next year


Thanks! I expected as much but you don’t get an answer if you don’t ask a question.
Tentatively interested, just curious more than anything else. Do the characters have to be DC or Marvel? And by that I mean could we use something from another publisher?









Location: The McCarthy McMansion
Starring: Kate, Simon and Lee McCarthy





Friday morning in the McCarthy household, like every other day that preceded it was a day of routine or at least it was supposed to be. Kate was always the first one awake in the family. She’d be up at 5am, working on her latest deposition or prosecution and she’d do that for at least an hour before her husband and son would be up to go for their morning jog. By the time they returned breakfast would be on the table and then they’d go onto their individual days from there. That was the usual routine. It had pretty much been that way since the day Kate arrived from France. She had met Simon her first day at an American College and they had never looked back.

Today was different. Kate had gotten up first as always, or at least she thought. She could hear muffled voices from her sons bedroom, all but confirming in her mind her recent theory that Lee had found himself a new girlfriend. Opening her sons bedroom door but a crack, she peered in and watched as he danced around the room, obviously in a state of glee or post love glow. A smile crept across her lips. She knew those dances lessons she paid for would be worth it some day. The slight feeling of elation levelled out when Kate felt a large presence behind her, she glanced over her shoulder and recognised the mountain that was her husband. ”Bonjour mon mari”

”We need to talk about Leighton”




Simon McCarthy had made his bones on Wall Street. He had changed greed from a dirty word to a way of life. He had taken five hundred dollar investments and turned them into five hundred thousand dollar a month incomes. He was the best in the world at what he did. Wheeling, dealing and hustling was in his blood and he had used all of his considerable talents to build a life for his wife and son. The hand he had been dealt was a good one, if you looked at it from the outside. Simon though, he was not happy. Financially they were stable, emotionally, he and Kate were fine but Lee, they had to do something about it.

The problems had started a few years ago. Lee was on a hot streak on the football team; his sack per game ratio was off the charts and he was setting new records for the mathletes. It was a normal practice like any other, it was one of the few that Simon had decided to attend to see just how good his boy was. Lee had a straight path to yet another sack, he was mere inches away and then that was it, his legs gave out and he crashed to the floor. A slip up, nothing to worry about. Then the following week, a call from the school; Lee had forgotten how to multiply by seven. His hands would tremble during dinner and his gaze was vacant, something was seriously wrong. Huntington’s; his brain cells were dying, slowly. It was early, normally symptoms don’t show until later in life. There was no cure, it would kill the boy. How long? That depended on him. It was manageable with medication, at least for now. When a clinical trial testing new drugs was announced through the grapevine, Simon moved heaven and Earth to get his son enrolled into the program. He had been there for several months before appearing back on their doorstep recently.

Kate and Simon sat opposite each other at their dining table, furrowed brows and frowns. ”We need to do something about him. He’s out all night, doing god knows what and I guarantee he is putting shit in his body which is undoing all the work the doctors did for him in New York. Not to mention, we were paying a god damn fortune every week to keep him in that trial and he up and left. It’s like wants to die!”

”He’s a teenager, babe. He’s just being stubborn. Besides, we know he’s still doing his exercises and taking his medications. He’s just taking a break…”

”...Bullshit, Katheryn” Simon interrupted quite forcefully. [color=burgundy]”We have invested so much into that boy and he’s pissing it away. He doesn’t care”[/color]

Kate took a sip from her cranberry juice and let out a great sigh through her nose. She knew her husband was right, they had raised a selfish boy; a boy obsessed with material things and whom, in spite neglects his true skills and talents in life. ”That might change, Simon. I think he might just find something worth fighting for. I’m positive he’s met a girl”

Mr Wall Street shook his head in disagreement. ”Don’t be so naive, sweetheart. Teenage romance isn’t built to last, betting on that is not a sound strategy”

”Stop looking at Lee likes he an investment, Simon. He’s a human being and humans, yes are a creatures that follow a pattern but do not apply your work strategies to our son. He might just surprise us, He’s just like you and you still surprise me”




The plan was very simple; after school Lee would hurry home change into his Friday best and Hyde who would be chauffeuring for the evening, would pick him up at seven and they’d be at Stella’s place by seven twenty and at the movie theatre by seven thirty three. The handsome hustler had the evening planned to a tee. Being raised by two people who lived their lives by clockwork was both a blessing and a curse. Yes it meant that Leightons life was incredibly regimented but it also meant that nobody could plan and have a field like he could. The plan was a simple one, after spending every night talking to Stella he realised that a fancy show of cash wasn’t the best way to approach her; the classic movie and dinner combination was his next move.

Heading downstairs, the prince of nothing charming was met by the steely glares of both of his parents. ”Wow, the three McCarthys in a room together. What is it Christmas?”

”Don’t get smart, Leighton. You’re not too old for me to put my foot up your ass” Simon reached under the table and put a vial on the countertop. ”Your mother and I have been talking and we’re not happy”

Kate looked her son up and down and shook her head. ”We’re not sure why you’re back here, mon fils. We payed a lot of money to get you into that trial. It may not seem like it but your health is our main priority. Which is why we’re going to be grounding you, no hanging around with that Hyde character or seeing this new girl of yours unless…” She motioned to the medication. ”We make ourselves a little deal”

Frustrated, Lee clenched his fists and took a step forward towards his parents. ”Mom I….”

Simon got to his feet and put his hand up in a halt signal. He may have been a businessman but you’d be blind not to see that Simon McCarthy was built like a damn grizzly bear. ”Mouth shut, Lee. You do not throw rocks at a man who's got a machine gun and right now I’m a damn battalion”

”If you really don’t want to go back to New York then here is our counter..” and it was this moment that Kate went straight into lawyer mode. ”Every morning, you do your exercises with your father and you take your Tetrabenazine with me. We get regular updates every few hours and you show us your memory logs. We won’t pry into your personal business but we need to know your safe. Do this and you get to finish your senior year at BHHS. You break any of these rules, your ass is going back to NY”

Deal or No Deal, Mr McCarthy?









Location: The Beach House
Interacting With: Missy, Bradley and Spice






”Well you got to remember girl, I don’t take no breaks. Don’t know the meaning of the word” Dee teased his best friend.

The friendship between Dee and Missy was one built on mutual respect. It started as one night of fun at DeShawn’s first Brooklyn party but it evolved far beyond that. They began to cross paths everywhere, the gym, the football field, early morning jogs. The world was throwing them together for a reason; to push each other. Since becoming friends, the two spend most of their time sweating and not in the fun way if you were to ask any sane person. DeShawn and Missy on the other hand had the most fun they could possibly have whilst they were forcing their bodies beyond physical limits. Yet their bond went further than just a love of working out, Dee knew how to settle Missy, to calm the fire that although it made her special, it was also at major risk of burning her up inside. On the flip side, Missy knew how to get past DeShawn’s suit of armour, she knew how to get in his head and knew how to get him to talk, something not a lot of people could manage.

Bradley was the third part of their trifecta of gym rats. He was in no way as close to the dancing man as he was to Missy but they were civil enough. If he was truly honest, Dee doesn’t really know how Brad ended up on their routines. He was just kind of there one morning and hung around for the rest of the school year. Did the Dynamic Duo get drunk and invite him? Neither truly remembers but neither truly cares either. Three isn’t a crowd, the more the merrier when it comes to pushing yourself past your limits. ”Ain’t no thing man, we’re here to have fun. Enjoy your summer” DeShawn lattes the Tiny Dancer on the shoulder before downing another of Sonny’s shots. They didn’t taste great but they’d do the job.

DeShawn glances at the clock and decided it was probably time to put on some clothes and join the others properly in getting ready for the bonfire. Following shortly after Missy up the stairs, he found his friend knocking on the door. He shook his head with a smile and then moved to her side. ”Mind yourself baybay. I got this” Dee rescued into his pocket and took out a key to unlock the door. The benefit of sharing a room with his LA love. The dynamic duo entered into the sun kissed room and DeShawn’s face was soon envelopes in the smile that made him famous. He touched his hand to his chin as he looked upon his girl. ”Ain’t never been a sight that beautiful seen in West Baltimore” he wrapped his huge arms around Stephanie from behind and kissed her neck. ”Hey Mami. You lookin’ damn fine, so fine you done got yourself in trouble” He kisses her again before letting go and walking towards the bathroom. ”Imma shower, don’t pay me no never mind unless you plan on joining me” He laughed before leaving.

Dee laughing was a rare sight. In fact, any emotion on DeShawns face was suspect. He didn’t talk a lot, he didn’t let a lot of people in. The two women on the other room, those were really the only ones who knew DeShawn Marcus. Everyone else knew Dee the Linebacker. Stephanie had been a godsend as far as getting the Baltimore Bad Boy to open yo his heart. There was still a long way to go but she was chipping away at him slowly. They had played a long game, dancing around each other for the better part of a year. It wasn’t until Dee’s Guardian told him that he had to attend the school prom that he decided to finally stop dancing and ask Steph...to the dance? And from that moment it has blossomed. Even to the point where a lot of Spice’s clique has given them the ship name Dice...Dee hates it but he’s falling in love with her so, it’s a thing.

As the piping hot water slightly seared his skin, DeShawn traced his fingers across the huge scar on his left arm. Even just the feel of the raised mark transported him back to Freamont Street and the sound of bullets rattling through his ears. All in the game. It was a phrase he had heard a thousand times before and it wasn’t until that night that it ever truly meant something. He couldn’t go back to that life, he wouldn’t go back to that life. Dee had to do better, he had to be better. He folded his arms around himself and pressed his head against the ceramic tiles, breathing heavily, trying to shake himself free from the horrid memory. It was a world away but it still remained close, always nearby in his head.

After finishing his shower, DeShawn dressed himself in a pair of jeans, a grey short sleeved t, tan boots and a sweet watch Spice got him for his birthday. ”We about ready for this party or what?

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