the empty road - 2. the room

by bofa xesjum

part two of forty

to read part one, click here

yes. he enters. the door closes. please step this way. the room is in shadows. lit only by an ancient fireplace. would you like a drink, she asks. i would prefer to get down to business. he is aware of another person in the room. i, too, would prefer to get right down to business. john prester turns and confronts his ancient adversary - prince ladislas o’brian. the prince has aged considerably since john prester has last seen him. the prince does not rise to greet john prester, but remains firmly seated. i could use a drink myself, if you do not mind, the prince adds. you used to sit before more roaring fires, if i recall, john prester retorts casually. the fires were more roaring all over the world in those days , the prince states decisively. mordant, mrs hartwright’s butler, enters with a tray of drinks and places it on a low table. are you sure you do not care for a drink, mrs hartwright asks john prester with a smile. a cup of coffee if you please, john prester replies and pulls a chair up closer to the fire. the butler leaves to get john prester’s coffee, and the prince picks up a sandwich from the tray and sighs. next

the empty road - 1. the man

by bofa xesjum

part one of forty

night. a street. a man walking. where is he going? maybe he does not know. a cloud passes over the moon. suddenly a light appears in a window. the man decides to knock on the door. he has come to the end of the trail. a trail which began years ago in a little town. and is now about to end in the most dramatic fashion. the man’s name is john prester, and he has been done wrong. he knocks on the door, checks his pocket, straightens his hat, and waits. he has waited all this time, and wants to be sure everything is right… the door opens and a woman is there, wearing a red hat and blue coat why are you wearing a hat and coat? the man asks in a somewhat hesitant manner i was just stepping outside to meet some friends, the woman replies nonchalantly in a melodious voice i think you should invite me inside and offer me a drink, the man says, loudly and clearly. in that case you must be captain john prester, on special assignment from the central committee for reorganizing society. and you, madam, are none other than matilda hartwright, the belle of the ball and the cream of the crop. next

grain

by bofa xesjum

illustrations by pete palomine

a grain of white sand on the blue carpet on the red staircase leading to the golden throne of the silent queen in purple heaven dreaming of green meadows orange sunsets black wings and gray stones and gray stones in the rain

zeke (he, part 2)

by bofa xesjum

zeke quigley went his own way. but he blended in with the crowd. he knew they were waiting for him. but he kept on keeping on. he only wanted what was rightfully his. he patiently waited for his chance nobody got off telling him what to do. he stayed true to his dream. and stayed the course through thick and thin. but he kept his own counsel. and watched from the shadows. playing the game his own way. he knew the game was rigged. but all games are rigged. zeke had a dream. that kept him going as he walked the streets with the crowd. it was no joke. he knew someday he would meet someone. someone who would show him the way. the way out of the shadows. and into the sunlight. he was just like you and me and everybody else. he played a waiting game. he knew the dream would come true. he just wanted to live his own life. just like everybody else. almost everybody else. everybody except the ones who were trying to find him.

he

by bofa xesjum

he waited for his chance he knew they were waiting for him he played the game his own way and he stayed true to it all the way nobody told him what to do he stayed the course he blended in with the crowd and played the game his own way he stayed within himself staying the course and going his own way and waiting for his chance he was just a guy nobody told him what to do he played the game he stayed in the shadows they thought it was all a joke he played the game his own way and nobody told him what to do because he waited for his chance he was just a guy staying in the shadows he knew they were waiting for him he blended in with the crowd he seemed to be just a guy trying to play the game

blueprint, part 2

by bofa xesjum

you should get involved because homophobia is bad and people are alienated sadly, people are alienated they should be replaced or they should get together and they should get involved when they get together because racism is bad they should be good sexism is bad too they should be replaced they should get involved because sexism is bad and people are bad people are terrible so society must be torn down and completely restructured it should be replaced by people getting together who should be good the rulers of the world are idiots capitalism is the worst people are bad the rulers of the world are idiots people are lonely and must be completely restructured

blueprint, part 1

by bofa xesjum

fascism is bad they should get involved people are lonely racism is bad racism is very bad they should be replaced they should be good because people are lonely and homophobia is bad society must be torn down people are alienated the rulers of the world are idiots i said, the rulers of the world are idiots racism is bad let us get together, you and i and completely restructure society people are alienated people are lonely sexism is bad sexism is very bad so society must be torn down and completely restructured i completely agree society must be torn down because fascism and homophobia are bad they should be good people are bad but capitalism is the worst