Chapter 1

This is the very first page of my very first very rough draft of my very first book. It will change dramatically but I felt I should post something, kind of a commitment. I don't know. This is very different then the one or two page things i usually write. Please tell me what you think. Is it a good start?

Chapter 1



“He's not going to fuck you for three hours Judy.” Mrs. Jensen said.
“Well, it's my time isn't it? Hello!” Judy said.
“Judy,” Mrs. Jensen exhales,”No, that's not how it goes. It's more of an experience. Some dinner, wine, maybe a massage. Look Judy, if you just want to get fucked, go pick up a guy at a bar. Daniel is a gentleman and will treat you like a lady. Then like a woman. Got it? Didn't Stella tell you that?”
“No, actually she didn't. She really didn't say much at all, the prude. Stella just said it was money well spent. Then she smiled.” Judy said.
“That's good. She shouldn't have told you that. Are you interested or not? My calendar is filling up already.” Mrs. Jensen said.
“I'll think about it some more and call you back okay?” Judy asked.
“No Judy, not really. You need to make an appointment, one you can keep because you are going to pay in advance and there are no refunds, or you can lose the number.” Mrs. Jensen said.
“Wow. Okay. Very interesting.” Judy paused. Judy could hear Mrs. Jensen on the other end tapping a pen or something. “Okay fine I'll do it! Bill's going to Philadelphia on Thursday.”
“Thursday's not good, swim meet. Unless you can do it later in the evening?” Mrs. Jensen said.
“Can't be too late because Joey will come home from his friends house, can you imagine? Judy said.
“Dammit Judy! Make it happen. Why don't you get a hotel room? Dan can pick you up and drop you off after if you want, but it's on the clock.” Mrs. Jensen said.
“I don't know. I want to but...” Judy said.
“But nothing. You've made it this far, let's close the deal right now.” Mrs. Jensen said.
“You can be a hard lady, you know that? Okay. Alright. Make the appointment. I'll make it happen. Maybe Joey can spend the night at his friends house.” Judy said, “What now?”
“I will stop by tomorrow morning and get the money on the way to the school. Cash.” Mrs. Jensen said,” And I will go over the rules.”
“Rules? What do you mean?” Judy said. She didn't get a reply except the beep from the cell phone. Mrs. Jensen had already hung up.

Mrs. Patricia Jensen added the appointment to her calendar on her cell phone and updated the device. It would automatically update the web based software and link with Daniel Jensen's matching phone. Her husband and business partner would now be notified that there was a change on the calendar application and he would plan accordingly. Mrs. Jensen did her job and Mr. Jensen would do his. Mrs. Jensen then entered her class room as the bell rang and told her students to sit down, and quiet down.

I Am He and He is Me

Breath in. Breath out. Take a good look around you. Study your surroundings take in everything. Pay attention to items and people nearby that may make noise. The soft hum of a fan. The shrill laughter of a co-worker. The whirl of the hard drive. Take it all in. Then dismiss it. Yeah baby, let it go. Forget about it completely. All those things will be there when we are finished. I need your total attention for a little while. It won't be long but it may seem awhile to you.

Breath in. Breath out. Look at me. Look at nothing but the words on the page or screen in front of you. Focus. There is no one anywhere. It is just me and you baby. Relax. I will see to it that you are safe in this place. Look at me. Nothing else matters right now. Let your cares and worries and work go. Just let go.

Breath in. Breath out. You are here with me. Imagine. You can imagine still. Make believe, if you will. But this is not your make believe is it? No baby, this is my make believe. Look at me. You can see me. Right now you have an image of me in your head. Those who know the author see a snapshot of him, those who don't know the author still sees someone that could be him and is for the moment isn't it? That's right. Focus. Imagine the screen and these words are me. It is me baby. I'm with you right now. Only you.

Now see my face not the author's face. No baby. You are in my place, not his, safe and alone. See my face. It is beautiful. Bright eyes and a broad smile. Hair, dark and slick and combed straight back. You can even see the lines left in my hair by the comb. Smooth, tanned skin with only a small scar to mark it. Do you see it? High on my cheek bone beneath my right eye. My eyes. Look into them. See me looking deeply into your eyes never wavering. What do you see? Humor? Yeah baby, a twinkle for sure. What else do you see my dear? Depth and knowledge? Timelessness. Deep pools of coal black pupils. Dark eyes. There is something dangerous in these eyes. There is life for sure but there is also murder and anarchy. Turbulent. You are safe. You are real. You are not a character here. You must trust me.

I will step back and show you my clothing. The white waist coat with broad shoulders, the long split tails over a white buttoned vest. Shiny black buttons. See it? Yes you do. Looking clean baby! That's right. A crisp, very crisp starched shirt with brilliant gold cuff links and a matching white bow tie. I step back a little more and you now can see my full attire! Beautiful baby. White pleated pants cuffed at the bottom, and the shoes. The shoes, patent leather white under white spats with black buttons. I want attention baby. I want your attention.

I stand straight and tall. I don't need the white cane with a gold knob on top but there it is. I smell of brandy and good cigars, leather and wood. I smell like a gentleman. My shoulder are back and though I am relaxed as you are you know there is more. I am poised and ready to react at all times. I am a man to be reckoned with. I am the man in charge. I am the MAN. People here live and die my very wish. People here succeed or fail, are loved or hated or as I choose. You are in my world baby. You are with me.

I will step forward again and offer you a chair. I pull out the chair you did not notice a moment before because it was not there a moment before. Yet there it is now. As you sit I will slide the chair in a little. It is a simple chair of bent dark wood and in front of you is a small table with a red table cloth. We are in a small, cozy room the lights are dim. There is New Orleans jazz playing softly in the back ground. I offer you a drink. Do you take it? No matter. We are here for business.

Business? Yeah baby what do you think? Business. I smile a brilliant smile and the room opens some before you. The music is coming from a small band playing slightly off to the side. A breathtakingly beautiful woman is singing. Singing very well. Everything here is perfect and you notice the other people. Don't notice them too much now. They don't notice you. They can even see me. I am here with you but we don't exist to them. Off to the other side is a bar. It is smokey but not terribly so, and not very crowded. The bar tender is a large fellow with a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth that bounces up and down when he asks, " What can I get you buddy?" Do you see him? Look around. Check the place out. Cafe tables are spread about. A small but well appointed stage off to the left a little ways and the very nice, highly polished bar off to the right with the large bartender busy shining glasses or practicing his art. The door man in his black tuxedo looking very suave. The band is playing but the music is very soft and the beautiful singer is hitting every note perfectly but we can barely hear her. It is background. It is all back ground.

I lean forward and the room grows dark. You can hear the muted conversations and music still, but the only face you see is my beautiful face and brilliant smile. Very seductive isn't it? Yeah baby, smooth. Very cool. That what we are here for. That's the business I mentioned. Seduction. I am your fairy god brother baby. I can make anything happen here. What do you wish? For I am a genie. It's true. That's the magic here. Right here. Look. Look at me. Magic? Absolutely. There is one small catch though. There always is. The catch is only one small thing. I will get to that though for now think about it! Anything! Anything at all. Whatever can be imagined I can make here. Not just in this room though, anywhere.

Just like that the cozy little jazz bar is gone and we find ourselves on the Eiffel Tower still sitting at the same table. Music? Sure baby anything! The little jazz band is here too, off to the side as always. The City of Lights in full shine and it can't get any better. Romantic? Why not? The music goes silent and we can hear the bells of Notre Dame tolling in the distance.

Venice? In the wink of an eye. You can smell the water and feel the motion of the gondola. The gondolier singing as they do. We are on the Grand Canal and...well look! Look you see Venice how you want to don't you? I can change that if I want to but we'll let it pass for now. Enjoy your minds view of the beautiful city at night.

I can take you anywhere. Your house? The author's house? Let's stay in Venice for a little while longer.

Maybe some wine? It will be the best wine you ever put lips to. Or vinegar. Or something in between. I can feed you what I wish or what you wish. There is the catch my love. You see now? I am a genie. Yes I am. Alas I am not your genie though am I? I am the MAN. Not your man. Not entirely. I am the boss here but I work for another. I can fulfill your wishes for sure Baby. No question. The catch is your wishes has to be the same as the author's Love. He leaves room for you though. This isn't a movie. He leaves seams in things for your wishes to come true as well. This is give an take Baby. I give, you take and in return you feel in the blanks. You see Venice before you. Your Venice, not mine and not the author's.

I will leave you in Venice. Stay awhile. Stay as long as you like. There are hotels and restaurants and museums and the opera. Enjoy! The world is yours baby and if you need me I can take you there. I sure take the author everywhere. Anywhere and any era. I am a genie. I am the author. I am he and he is me. I am your fairy god brother.

So there I was.

So there I was in the bush hunting the deadly snake that has been hunting my fair friend. The call came about at a troubling time as these emergency calls often do. I hardly had time to heed the call. I was very busy going though my fall and winter clothing. Vital stuff. My bloody room is still a mess.

So there I was in the bush hunting for a reptile that could eat a lovely lady in one bite! The reports were mind boggling! The serpent had been stalking her for months. Whenever the creature saw her it would toy with her by smacking its gigantic mouth! The huge creature stalked his prey carefully and studiously keeping constant vigil on it's potential preys location. It was very long and scary! The snake stretched, when it wanted to impress her, all the way from her back patio across the grassy yard and into the street. Usually it kept most of it's massive muscled body coiled up and hidden from view. It stays hidden from view to everyone but it's intended victim.

So there I was in the bush. What the hell am I doing here? If this is a giant snake that actually chews it's food then by golly I may be a nice little snack. A 280 pound snack for a giant friggin Harry Potter snake! I gotta get the hell out of here. I'm not even Australian. I'm gone.

Crap, the damsel is watching me. Maybe I can scare the big SOB away. I'll just stomp though the bushes and run it off and act like I'm trying to catch it. That'll impress her.

Stomp

Stomp

Stomp

Jesus! I can see it! It is pretty big. It's no anaconda but still. "Shew! Go away!" I think to myself. Show no fear! Where did it go? Thank god! It is gone. Now I just have to make like I'm trying to catch the thing for awhile and maybe it really will go away. I order a bucket so she thinks I'm actually going to pick the scary thing up and take it away. Doubt it!

I make like I'm hunting the snake for a really long time. No sign of him. I then sit down for awhile "to let it get comfortable again so I can catch it". Right. Stomping around again to really scare it off. It seems to work! Snake is gone and it is time to leave! Whew! Close call. I really don't want to pee my pants in front of people. Especially the fair damsel.

We are set to exit the building and my spidey sense starts pinging away. I have a beautifully honed sense of self preservation!

So there I was...staring right at the dreaded serpent coiled beneath the stairs. The stairs we have to pass to get to the car. Everybody sees me...see it. Nothing I can do now. The fair damsel will not be satisfied with anything less than vindication and I am the knight to slay the dragon. Like it or not. I have to live around here after all.

I order a...a...what do you call the guys who help the knights? Wait a moment while google does it's magic. Ah! A page and then an esquire! Yes I send my acting esquire to roust the dragon from it's lair. If it doesn't work I can always blame the esquire that's what they are really there for after all.

Holy crap! It works! The dragon must be 4 feet long and black as the night! This dragon is fast boys and girls no joke! I can't back down now all eyes are on me! The chase is on! Maybe it can get away again!

So there I was in the bush. Again. Chasing around the fastest damn snake I've ever seen. "You're too slow TC!" Cries the fair maiden! "It's too damn fast!" I think as I turn to look at her hands up saying, "what do you want me to do?" The esquire is all over it though damn him!

"There it is! In the tree!" He says, from a safe distance away. I don't really want to fight the dragon in a friggin tree I can tell you that with certainty! The dragon is only in the tree for a moment though as it circles it ten or twenty time in half a second and throws itself through the air back into the bush. The bush I'm in.

So there I was in the bush. With the dragon. The dragon that I now know can fly if it wishes to. There is also an audience now. Perfect. The esquire is doing his job far to well and I may actually have to catch this thing. I am running it down tiring it out. Maybe it's tiring me out. I'm really not sure at this point. Besides the only way to get out of this now is for one of us to die. It may be me. Wait! Where did it go!!

"Esquire! Where art the serpent?"

"It went that way!" Esquire says.

"He went under the air conditioner!" A spectator yells! Thank god.

"Well heck." I say secretly hopeful the melee is over for good.

Stomp

Stomp

Stomp

Playing the part. I act like I'm looking under the air conditioner. Looking diligently around. Hoping the sneaky snake is sneaking away. Far away. Alas this is not to be.

So there I was almost free from the task set to me by a fair princess locked in her tower by fear. Escorted out and ran down I think we can leave now and give the fearsome creature space to vacate. No. The fair princess wishes to speak to the peasants who have gathered for the festivities. "Come on princess...we must make haste lest the dragon try again." I silently plead. One simply cannot look like a coward. I see the dreaded beast again! Damn him!! He is not hiding! He is not vacating! He is simply waiting for me.

So there I was in the bush, the serpent waiting for another chance to consume me on a peasant's patio. "Oh esquire! I see him!" Esquire comes a running. Of course. I only need him there in case things continue to go astray. Blame. I decide one of us must now die and I then harden my reserve.

Into battle I must go! I tell the esquire that he should stand back resolving to kill or be killed and there is no room for blame on the open battle field. The dragon has chosen the field well but there are no trees on the patio. No bushes either. Just the hissing serpent and me. Maybe I can simply step on it's head and be done with it.

Simplifying the matter does NOT work and I get rebuffed with several vicious attacks. Backing carefully giving little ground I chance a glance toward the fair princess and see her. I see her and the crowd of peasants with a collective breath held and eyes wide in terror. I shall not fail. I must save the maiden and all those that love life. I must vanquish the dragon.

I attempt another stomp and just as the serpent tries to gain a little more ground for another vicious attach I strike! I seize the serpent by the tail! It does not like that. It does not like that at all! Spitting and striking and fighting and if Harry Potter were there he would have heard it cussing, no doubt! I then make my killing stroke. Inglorious. Yes. Still I get the job done by swinging the serpent back over my head into a thankfully strong window (total accident), followed quickly by a forward stroke onto the air conditioner. That did the trick. Then, for show of course, a few more snaps.

So there I was in the bush carrying the carcass of a dead snake to the delight of what must be several thousand spectators. I deposit the snake in the meadow across the street and strut back. A proud victorious knight. Having saved the fair princess I made haste with the excuse to wash by battle bloodied hands into the princess' abode. There I did wash my hands but also cried for a brief moment from fear. I would like to say I wept as well for the vanquished foe but nope, I cried like a little girl because I was scared. I also checked my pants. All good.

So there I was in the car a hero!

They Stumble Around

No one is moving around at 4:00 a.m. The sounds of the night are almost foreign. The darkness broken only by street lights and moon glow. Solitude. This is Albert's second favorite time of the day.

Dawn is his number one favorite time. Albert believes that to see the birth of a new day is something sacred and should be experienced alone. Sunsets are for thousands of couples everywhere but the sunrise, the sunrise isn't seen by most. The dawn is rarely watched and doesn't usually have that romantic feel to it. His ex-wife and the man who took his family probably are not enjoying the sunrise. It is his, perhaps his alone.

Albert's day begins in solitude. He wakes, showers, gets dressed, has breakfast and takes coffee and lunch to work. Albert works at a golf course. He mows the greens. It is a very early job because golfers like to play their game early. Albert must be finished before the golfers start.

When Albert arrives he opens the equipment barn and checks his machine for fuel, makes sure he has his coffee and flashlight and then begins the first half of his day. In darkness. He then rides his machine in solitude. Usually not total solitude though. A little while after Albert begins work others arrive and begin their assigned tasks, it takes many people to operate a golf course.

Albert usually sees the person tasked with setting up the course. This involves cutting new holes in the greens, changing the tee locations, and making sure the water coolers for the golfers are fresh.

Albert usually sees at least one or two other vehicles on the road on the way to work. A bread delivery truck or a lone car. Not today. No one today.

Albert sometimes sees another employee who arrived early for coffee. Not today. No one today.

"Well these greens won't mow themselves", Albert says to no one. He cranks the engine and heads to the first green.

Along the way Albert looks at the sky. He likes to keep track of the moon phases and he has seen shooting stars. Brilliant streaks of destruction and no one else to see the greatness that Albert witnesses but is clearly not a part of. Albert is small. The moon is right on track of course.

There are no lights on in any of the homes along the golf course. Usually, by now, there are a few early risers, making coffee and watching the early morning news, but not watching the sunrise. Not today. No one today.

"This really is a lonely morning." Albert thinks.

Then his mind wonders to a conversation he had with his son, Will, one they had entertained themselves with many times, about the zombie apocalypse.

Will was named after Albert's former father-in-law and though Albert would like to see William zombiefied, he was lost with out Will. Albert is, was, a good father and listened and learned many things about zombies and what one could expect when the zombie apocalypse came.

"True zombies are the dead that came back to life Dad. They stumble around and aren't too smart because their brains are rotting away." Will said," There are also the virus type zombies, the runners. Still not too smart but way smarter than the dead guys. The runners are much more dangerous."

Still Albert has seen no other human activity. None. Albert's mind wonders.

It is time to empty the grass clippings. The clippings are usually spread out on unused grass areas around the course, near wooded or wet-lands. Albert drives the machine off the path toward the border of the golf course and the woods, shuts down the machine and before he gets down, he catches himself having a careful look around. He empties the catch bins, then back on the machine to cut the next green.

"The best way to kill a zombie Dad, is to shoot them in the head but you have to make sure it kills them." Will said. "The Shufflers want to eat you and if they don't eat all of you then you die and turn into one of them. The Runners are ragers, they want to kill you and everything else too. Remember Dad, the runners are diseased and you can catch it too! So when the Zombie Apocalypse comes you gotta be ready!"

Albert's mind wonders. He thinks,"I can't shoot a zombie in the head right now, I don't have a gun, but I can go get a machete or a pitchfork from the equipment barn". He checked his flashlight again. Then Albert carefully looked around for any sign of human life, again. None. No zombies either.

"There are lights so the power grid is still up, there should still be fresh water then. I better make sure I get plenty of water gathered up when I get back to the barn." Albert thinks.

"Could it have gotten everybody overnight? Will said it can spread very fast. I better listen to the news as soon as I'm finished, if there is anybody left on TV"

Albert has to empty the catch bins again, he's about halfway finished and he still has seen no one, dead or alive. Again he gets off the machine and carefully looks around. He sees no one. Albert quickly empties the catch bins and gets back on the machine.

Albert hasn't even noticed a bunny rabbit or an armadillo. "Do animals turn into zombies too?" He wonders.

Still, Albert does his job. He's very dependable. Unless he is turned into a zombie before he's finished then the greens will be cut and ready for golf. Even if nobody ever golfs again.

Albert looks to the sky like he often does only this time he's looking for airplanes. He scans the sky very carefully. Nope. Nothing. Strange.

Albert, for the first time in his life, wishes he had a cell phone. But then, who would he call at this hour? Will? Better not. Can't anyway. He could call the police station though. If they weren't zombified yet they would surely answer. If the police station did not answer what would that mean? Albert added that to the growing list of things he would do when he got back to the barn.

"If I make it back," Albert thinks.

Albert goes though the check list of things to do when he gets back to the equipment barn. Get as much water, and fuel as he can. The fuel is not his and he worries about stealing but then he knows that there will be nobody to fire him or arrest him for that matter. It does not yet occur to Albert that he won't have a job anymore. Call the police station. Get weapons and tools. First stop after that is the gun store.

Albert is glad he still drives that old Suburban. Albert will fill it with things he might need.

Seven greens mowed perfectly. Dawn is upon him and Albert hopes it is not the last he will ever see. Albert is ready though, to spend the rest of his life alone.

"I can kill zombies. They are already dead after all." Albert says aloud. Even if there was anybody around they could not hear him over the greens mower.

"If I survived then others must have as well. I could try to gather them up, go on the road. Go get Will. Maybe out west to the desert. Not many people out there." Albert thinks.

"Better get a generator too," Albert thinks,"The electricity won't stay on forever."

Golf courses usually start and end at the club house. The ninth hole next to the first one. Albert is almost finished with the eighth green. He will empty the catch bins once more then come around the cart path toward the ninth green. Albert knows that if the zombie apocalypse started he will be sure about it in about two minutes. There is always golfers and golf carts lined up by the starter shack next to the club house waiting their turn to tee off the first hole.

Albert empties the three bins.

Albert climbs back on the machine and puts it in gear.

Albert drives down the cart path.

Albert makes the final turn.

Albert sees them.

Albert mows the final green. He then stops at the starter shack as he usually does to buy a soda from the little snack bar.

"Hey Albert! Good Morning. Nice weather for golf ey?" The starter asks Albert.

"Yep, another fine day." Albert said. He looks around at the golfer preparing for another morning on the golf course. Again.

Albert gets back to the equipment barn with his soda and begins to wash his mower. "They are all zombies. They don't know it but they are. I saw them. They are already dead. They are the living dead, just like Will said. They stumble around and aren't too smart because their brains are rotting away." Albert thinks," Maybe I am too."

"It's time to go out west anyway. There aren't that many people out there." Albert said to nobody as he parked his mower just right in the equipment barn for the last time.