Cloudfeet - pg. 2

Hugh Cloudfeet had just arrived at Redham, the Marbled Metropolis, as they call it. He couldn’t help but wonder why name a place Redham if it has so much white marble, but he was no historian. He was a traveler! A traveler with the dream to explore the world while making a profit out of it. And what better way to achieve that…than to join the Transporters’ Guild!

Hugh darted around the city looking for the place. There was great opportunity in the guild for a young, brave lad like him; there is always commerce to be made with the rich and rare resources near Redham and there is often shortage of couriers due to the many dangers of the roads. Although none of those would be real dangers to Hugh, of course, he always has everything under control.

After a couple of signs and asking for directions, he finally made it! The grand building of the Transporter’s Guild! Many carriers and mailmen can be seen around, talking, preparing, leaving; some mounted, some on foot or on caravans. It was the metaphorical heart of delivery, exportation and importation in the city. And Hugh, Hugh was in glee.

He adjusted his belt buckle and proudly walked inside, like an honorable warrior being called to their duty (and, in Hugh’s case, to his enrichment venture). The hall was huge, with many races and beings tending to their works and businesses. He passed by some darkling archivers doing paperwork and some boarfolk having an argument until he reached the reception’s desk. Behind it was an avian, dutifully scribing something.

“Hey!” - Hugh shouted to the receptionist, while ringing the desk bell at the same time.

The avian stopped scribing and stared at the little nuisance.

“Can I help you?”

“My name is Hugh Cloudfeet and I’d like to join the Transporter’s Guild!”

“Are you representing an independent enterprise?”

“Uh, of course! The, uh…HC…Transportations and Delivery! Yeah! That’s my enterprise!”

“Do you have the official empire’s seal and the proper documentation of your…enterprise, to follow the registration process?”

“I…must have forgotten it in my other pair of pants…”

“How unfortunate. Well, you may return later with your other pair of…pants, or perhaps you would like to know our building a bit better, why not start over there?”

The avian slowly pointed to her right using her scribing pen. Hugh followed her sigh and realized there was a small desk close to the wall in that direction, with a stack of papers on top and a pen, besides a rectangular hole in the wall nearby. Atop it all was a sign: “New Applicant’s Forms”

“Ahaha, wow, that does sound like fun” - replied Hugh to the avian

“Not that you would, let’s say, use those forms; that is only for individual workers interested in joining an existing enterprise”

“Yeah, you’re right…I would just…check them out a little bit…out of curiosity, you know?”

“Yes, of course, I had imagined that ought to be of interest to you” - the avian smiled wisely. Perhaps smuglishly.

“Well, I’ll…go check them out then!”

“Wonderful. Enjoy.”

The receptionist got her focus back on her work with the relief of finishing that interaction. Hugh felt a bit silly, but walked to the wall desk, taking paced steps and trying to hide his feeling of embarrassment.

That wouldn’t be enough to keep him out of trouble though. In a brief second of distraction, Hugh accidentally bumped into an unsuspecting minotaur.

“Hey, watch it.” - the minotaur told him

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I’m just…getting to know the place”

“First, get to know where you’re going”

After saying that, the minotaur lifted two big sacks of soil and took them outside. It looked heavy, but she carried them easily. The minotaur then placed the sacks inside a caravan and took off with some companions.

As Hugh watched the scene, a smile came about. “One day, that will be me.”, he thought to himself.

With refueled determination, Hugh got to the new applicant’s forms. He swiftly took the pen and filled in the many fields with his infos. Name: Hugh Cloudfeet. Positions of Interest: courier, messenger, scout. Prefered Enterprise: “Any and all”.

He beautifully finished writing those last words, he folded his forms and placed them into the rectangular hole in the wall. He then simply stood there, triumphantly.

He was in.

Dream in the Grass

It is a quiet night. A young lad and a young lady are climbing a hill, hands intertwined. The lad brings a picnic basket while the girl brings a radio. Both bring their joy and positive expectations.

Upon reaching a certain spot, they decide to make the preparations. They carefully lay their objects in the grass, just before taking out a blanket from the basket and putting it down. They get comfortable, side by side. The lady looks at the lad. The lad looks at the lady. The moon is beautiful.

They both are happy to start their date. The lady puts her hands in the basket to take out a wheel of cheese, a bottle of wine and a pair of fine drinking glasses. The lad retrieves a swiss army knife from his pocket. With care, he cuts a small slice of the parmesan and picks it up, offering it next. It is then gracefully accepted in his companion’s mouth. She can’t help but smile and briefly glance at him with the gesture. The lad returns that, although his glance and smile are slightly so different, a subtlety that is not so obviously distinguished. But it is there.

He also cuts a slice for himself. Meanwhile, wine is poured in the glasses by the lady’s hand. A pass of the glass; and a toast for the enjoyable moment. Their appetite is sated gradually as much as they gradually exchange more and more glances. The lady’s hand rests on top of the lad’s. They make pleasant conversation. Their hearts beat warmer in the cold of this intimate night.

After a couple of laughs from a silly anecdote told, the coy lady unsuspectingly turns on the radio. She gets up and invites her partner to dance. He follows and both get in the moment. The music is just in the right rhythm, slow, yet fluid. They move themselves in close proximity to each other, reciprocating energy and emotions. It is magic.

At one point, the lady slips by accident in the middle of an expressive movement. In her motion, she falls on the lad, bringing the pair down on the blanket in an instant. They stare at each other briefly, then they laugh. She allows herself to rest on top of her loving victim. He doesn’t mind her at all and lightly embraces her.

They stay in this romantic stillness for a couple of minutes. Until the lady reaches for the radio, without opening her eyes, turning the music off. The lad looks at her in this moment, and she opens her eyes to look back. In that connection, when two souls meet, she whispers the words:

“I don’t ever want this to end”

The lad, wearing his gentle smile, replies:

“It will never”

And like so, effortlessly, in the night, amidst the stars and the grass, the trees and the wind…

They kiss.

The Pond

In the deepest, darkest, furthest, inner circles of myself

Is a pond, serene and tranquil, quiet place for no one else

As my steps direct me to it, to its water, to its light

I feel the pond strays away gently, swiftly from my sight

As I walk, so does it

Every inch, every bit

If the pond is within myself

As I walk, so does it

Every inch, every bit

It’s me avoiding, no one else

Searches mean there is a lost, quite as hunts mean there is a hunted

When I'm one and the other, by my own spell I am enchanted

But by being like the simple pond, simply peacefully there

In the vastness of the world, the pond becomes the only where

Cloudfeet

He was jumping. High. His boots were hot from the alchemical reaction, the gunpowder was doing the magic. As Hugh Cloudfeet ascended to the heavens, jumping from floating rock to floating rock, the air was only getting better. Purer, cleaner, lighter. He could not go too high, for the air also got thinner and thinner, but he didn’t have to.

Turning to his left, he could see it: the Geoflux. Carrying earth and rocks across the skies, to distant destinations, a natural event many witness and study. But for Hugh, it was his ride.

He landed on a close floating stone. He prepared himself. He had spent many months waiting for this journey, it was his time to shine. His heels touched the rock surface activating the catalyst. He was off. The jump propelled him many miles forward in a motion of great grace. He felt the wind brushing against his face, a sensation of freedom and inner peace.

Until he opened his eyes to catch a fragment of some mineral in the Geoflux. He held it and was taken by the wondrous stream. It wasn’t a big chunk of mineral, Hugh felt he was slowly descending with the ore in his hands. He looked further down the Geoflux and noticed a curved part of it, directed downwards.

Hugh used his cunning and looked for a nearby rock that would be big enough. In the moment the current shifted angle, he manually pressed the boots activator and stretched himself towards the boulder. The alchemic explosion only pushed him barely, he mostly depended on how much time he had before the stream was once again horizontal. He tried to reach it with his left hand, closer, closer…

He grabbed an edge of the boulder just in time! The Geoflux changed direction again, hauling Hugh over and on top of his saving object. Were he not holding anything, surely that would’ve expelled him out of the stream, to a free fall he could not do anything about. However, he was now a first class passenger on the magical way to the east.

He took a moment to gather himself and feel relief for his daring success. And joy. The situation was now pretty comfortable actually, with a beautiful voyage point to the lands below, exquisite sights of the many things being carried by the Geoflux and the pleasant wind caressing his face.

He could almost stay here forever, but his next transport was coming. An unexpected one at that; Hugh had planned to ride the flux for hours until he could reach his destination, forced to take on the many curves and random directions present along the way. However, what he was seeing was an opportunity.

It was a kettle of Crown Vultures, flying east, unlike the Geoflux which was soon taking a huge detour. A kettle of large, robust and strong Crown Vultures. A smile flashed in Hugh’s face. He restocked the gunpowder inside his boots and got ready. One press of the heels, the inner ignition was set off and the young traveler jumped from his rock.

Hugh was putting himself amidst the vultures, but things didn’t go as planned. They evaded him, or were simply far. Hugh hadn’t escaped the free falling this time. He reached for a vulture, then another, then another. Feathers, wing flaps, bird noises. His hope was one last vulture, soaring low.

Hugh had an idea, as always. He reached for his rope in his side pocket, the rope he had kept in case something were to happen in the floating rocks and the Geoflux. He wasn’t there anymore, but this was that something. He tied it into a lasso. He threw it just as the vulture was passing by his side.

The rope was apparently between the creatures’ legs, Hugh pulled it and closed his eyes, in hopes for the best. A few seconds passed, the daring traveler was still falling. Perhaps his daredevil nature was to be his demise, perhaps there’s a reason he hadn’t met many like him in his years.

Hugh was holding tight to the rope, his heart uncertain. Until he felt a jolt, the rope was tensioned, he’d stopped falling! He looked up to see the lasso was around one of the fingers of the great Crown Vulture. The majestic beast was used to carrying much heavier prey, so a single humanoid was little to nothing for it.

The daredevil traveler Hugh had done it. He twisted the rope around his arms and hand for extra safety and let himself have a smile. A different one than before, but still, a smile. He allowed himself to be carried by the bird in the direction it was migrating.

Hugh finally saw what he expected to see traveling in this direction: the city of Redham. The wealthy economic pole of the nation. His fabled destination.

With a knife and a cut of the rope above his head, he made himself fall. On a sloped roof. He started rolling until Hugh fell perfectly on top of one of the many haystacks in the area. Luckly, the Crown Vulture’s way allowed for the idea.

And there he was. The young traveler had done it. There was a lot to come up next, supplies to buy, boot adjustments to be made, but more importantly, the main reason he had made the journey in the first place: the Transporters’ Guild.

Roses

On a spring afternoon, a cheerful woman was walking through the lovely park of her city. She was enjoying the sun and the friendly faces that often passed by. At one moment in her walk though, she noticed a gardener tending to a small patch of roses in an unassuming corner of the path.

“Those are beautiful flowers” - Said the woman

“Yes, the roses bloomed quite nicely this year” - Replied the gardener

“Do you mind if I smell them?”

“Not at all”

The gardener gave room to the lady, allowing her to come closer to the patch. She inhaled slowly and deeply, fully enjoying the simple pleasure she was given; it was quite nice. After she finished her moment, the woman said:

“I’m Angela, it’s a pleasure”

“I’m Brook, the pleasure is all mine”

“It must be nice to work with these flowers everyday, Brook”

“Oh, it is nice, but not everyday, only until they’re taken”

“Taken? Is there a rose thief on the loose?”

“Haha, no, no, you misunderstand me. These are community flowers, anyone is allowed to take one”

Saying that, Brook pointed to a little sign close to the patch. Angela got herself a better angle and read the sign. It was true, apparently.

“Oh, I had never heard of that”

“Is this your first time visiting the park?”

“Haha, yeah, basically. I usually take a stroll downtown on the weekends, but I decided to do something different today”

“Oh I love downtown, haha. But the park is great too, that’s why I work here!”

“I bet, haha!”

They laughed for a while in their jovial banter. Angela looked at Brook for a second, then at the flowers, then back at Brook.

“So it’s ok if I take one of the roses, right?”

“Of course, feel free”

“Thanks, it’s for a special someone”

“Ah, how nice”

Brook watched happily as Angela picked a rose.

“Actually Brook…” - said Angela - “Is it ok if I pick another one?”

“...I’m sorry Angela, but we ask that each person only take a single one…”

“Please, pretty please, can you make an exception? It’s for a special someone…”

Brook stared at Angela for a moment and her supplicant demeanor, pondered for a while, took a deep breath and then answered:

“Look, Angela…there are other patches like this here at the park, maybe if I take you to another one, you can pick another rose”

“Oh, that’d be wonderful! Thank you very much!”

With those words the two of them walked to another patch of roses of the park. Angela picked another rose and was content; however, after a few seconds, she inquired:

“Brook…is it fine if we walk to another patch, so I can pick another rose? It’s for a special someone.”

“Yes, I remember…” - Brook took another deep breath - “Fine”

They walked to another patch, and Angela picked another rose. But once again, Angela asked for one more rose from another patch, for a special someone.

Brook once again agreed.

In many patches they went, Angela now with a dozen roses, until Brook finally said:

“I’m sorry Angela, but this is the last patch of roses”

“I understand, Brook, and I’m beyond thankful for what you’ve done for me. I think I have all the roses I need”

“For that special someone”

“Exactly”

“Well, I hope the flowers will be appreciated”

“I’m positive they will!”

With that said, Angela gave her farewells to Brook and left the park. Brook returned to garden tending and park duty.

A few hours of work had passed, Brook was a bit annoyed at the woman, but overall found her a nice person. Hopefully that special someone will be made happy.

Just as Brook was about to finish the shift, Angela could be seen reentering the park with a nicely arranged bouquet of roses in her hands. It was a lovely one, with a pretty lace and everything. Brook gave a little smile seeing the care and love that woman had. Angela approached Brook.

“Hello Brook!”

“Hi, I see you’re back! Are you going to give this bouquet to that special someone?”

“You’re right!”

Saying this, Angela offered the flower bouquet to Brook

“It’s you, would you like to go out some time?”

Moonrise

The shapes of the sun…in my skin

Are right in the…way that I feel

No one of this…insufficient opulence…

Can make me change my mind

Because…The seagulls and crows…

Are…singing…tonight

And they do not stop their innermost melody…

They just…sing

In my spyglass, I can see

The light passing through, the shadow of you

But not the moonlight

It is hidden

Because…

The moon does not show itself to be seem

It is seem because it shows itself

In all it’s colors

Tonight

Somber Sonet

The way the petals fall upon my sigh reveals my blight

Just another somber moment, not another soul in sight

In my innermost creation I see souls without a face

In my darkest hour longer in my path without a trace

And the way the limbs are dancing are just not quite me tonight

Not another way to feel the way I see me in the light

I have crossed mountains, rivers, swamps and pastures in my days

All in search of new salvations and new excursions and forays

And for what? A cup of coffee? A grain of salt?

Another step unbroken in the highty great grant waltz?

The way myself still lingers in this moment is just absurd

But how? And when? And in what direction?

Is it gonna move itself? Maybe it’s just a mere reflection?

But perhaps in it’s way, it can tell me a simple word

First Train Home

• Hello there Alison! Welcome to the afterlife!

• Wow, what- what the…

• You don’t need to worry about anything! I will be your guide! You can call me Saint Peter! Or maybe Anubis! Would you prefer Charon? Since you were an agnostic in life, we don’t need to commit to anything specific, haha!

• Huh…ok? I think I already saw this movie somewhere doc…

• Oh! But of course, you folks always love to speculate and imagine what must be like in here. And that’s great! It will just make everything easier to digest for you!

• Uh…are you sure about that? There were like, a thousand different ideas for what’s “here” like, which one…

• All of them!

• …what?

• Yes! It’s like a buffet, feel free to choose! And you can always leave and go to any other! Anytime!

• Oh whoa, really?

• Yes! May I make a suggestion? Would you be interested in drinking and fighting all day long?

• A friend of mine would, but I will pass…

• Suit yourself! Well, how about The Eternal Garden? The Next Dimension? Kitty Puppy Land? You can go anywhere!

• Jeez, that’s- wait, did you just say “Kitty Puppy Land”?

• Oh that’s a classic! It’s exactly as you would expect, a land full of little cuties for you to hug!

• Aw, how nice.

• We just ask that you mind your step while there…

• Oh, because…gotcha, gotcha. Hold on…is Hell a thing?

• Naturally! Care for a visit?

• Why would I want to visit HELL?!

• It’s actually pretty popular, if I may say…do you by chance enjoy BDSM…or maybe some fetish?

• HOLY CRAP! Don’t say that! That’s NOT what that place is for!

• Well, err, I can understand the misconception…some things get lost in translation…but there are 9 circles you know! You don’t need to get into the hardcore stuff right off the bat! Or you may also enjoy Purgatory if teasing is your thing…

• I don’t…

• Yes?

• I might…take a stroll there…but before that, I have a question

• Ask anything you like!

• This whole choose-your-afterlife thing…is basically for eternity, right?

• For as long as you want!

• Yeah that’s the thing, don’t anyone ever get bored of it? After, you know…a time and forever…

• Oh, you can always go for the reincarnation plan and have another ride on Earth again! There’s always something new going on there, really. But I’m sure you already know that, haha!

• Haha. You know, speaking of going back, I would love seeing my grandma again, it’s been some time…

• Well, off to Earth you go then! You shall be reincarnated immediately!

• Wait! Will I see her? Do I keep my memories? How does all that work?

• Haha! Byee!

• Wait!-

*whoosh*

• …haha…oh boy…they keep asking more and more questions lately…this isn’t good…

Goddamn Joy

All the burning rage in the heart of those forsaken

Shows me just the way again to gain what once was taken!

Through the flashing light, with a thousand fangs and talons, claws

Is the eternal beast inside

Ravaging the walls tonight!

Frighten now in fear upon the hour of our anger!

Our blood will melt the steel of pain we must remember!

All the reasons, purposes, intentions, interventions

Crumble weakly in our might

Agonizingly will die!

And the ugly gates

The destiny unspoken

Cleansed in holiness

At last a sight unbroken

Finally the end

The thing which all was laid about

The crux that life can’t live without

The absolution all throughout

Brings ascension without mention, unimagined new invention

Outstanding great creation, journey and the destination

All the pain and laceration, scars that spawned from all across the nation

Are just bitch-ass trepidation

Can suck hard on my elation

The Human Ether

The mountain is everhigher

The ocean is everdeep

Much like in the chest, the heart

Of those who weep

In the distance we gaze upon

There's only an expansive vast

But those who walk, might one day cross it

At last

I may not be cradling your hand

And you cannot maybe see my woe

But otherwise our fates intertwine

In the soul

Of all, is or was

Such are we

Thank you for being

With me