Wednesday Briefs. Oh Heavens

Wednesday rolls around again and with it out comes the briefs for a quick flash. This week I have taken absolute liberties with the prompt -- it was hotter than hell... and changed it to -- he was hotter than hell... I hope I'm forgiven because I don't want to refer to my sweet angel as an it

Pasha pulled away. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Giving you what you want.”

In the light of the living room the blue of the angel’s eyes, which he’d fist noticed in the yard, was intense and otherworldly. They were wide and innocent but there was something deep within that screamed ‘danger’ at him.

“That’s not what I want. You… you’re a man and I… I don’t… I’m not gay.”

“I don’t understand what that means, but I know you desire me, as the other two desire each other.”

“You’re wrong.”

“I’m never wrong.”

“How can you know that. You don’t remember.”

The angel shook his head. “No, I don’t remember. But I do know.”

“You… you must have hit your head when you fell. You’re obviously in shock or… or something. It was a heck of a fall. And you’re hurt, and…”

“All true.” The angel frowned and thought deeply. “I still don’t understand.”

“Understand what?”

“Why you are so afraid of me.”

“I’m not afraid of you.” Pasha glared at him and backed away, his eyes wide and his heart pounding.

“Then you are afraid of your desire for me.”

“For the last time… I don’t desire you.”

The angel opened his mouth to speak, then shook his head and closed it again. He sighed and closed his eyes. “I’m very tired. I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel now.”

“What do you mean? Feel now?”

“Now I’m here.” He frowned again, then said slowly, his blue eyes open and gently puzzled. ”I was there, and now I’m here and it’s… different. I’m different. I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel.”

“Well… I… I suppose you just feel… like you feel.”

“There are many things I feel that I don’t remember having felt before. It hurts… here.” He put his hand over his heart. “It’s strange. I… It gets worse when I try to think about… before. Is that right?”

Pasha looked into the angel’s face and wondered what the hell he’d gotten into. There was such sweet innocence there but an innocence that was, in itself, dangerous as hell.

“I… I think so. I think what you’re feeling is homesickness and maybe fear.”

“Fear? Yes, I am afraid. What is the home… sick?” He rubbed his temple and frowned. “This is all so difficult.”

“Homesickness is missing your home. Being sad because you can’t go home.”

“Yes,” the angel said softly. His eyes slipped away from Pasha’s gaze and seemed to be looking inwards. “I am… sad. But… I don’t remember my home. How can I be sick for it, when I don’t remember it?”

“I think maybe…” Pasha floundered. He wasn’t good at this kind of thing. Where was Anna? She was the one who knew what to say in these kinds of situation. “I’ll just get Anna, she—“

“No.” The angel’s hand shot out and grabbed Pasha’s hand. His eyes were wide and suddenly very frightened. “Don’t leave me.”

“I’m only going into the next room.”

“No. I… need you.”

“What do you mean, you need me? Don’t be silly?” He tried to pull away but the angel’s grip was strong. “Let me go. What the fuck…?”

“Please Pasha. Please stay with me.”

Pasha shook his head and turned away. Then the thought occurred to him that the angel was more totally and utterly alone than anyone else on the planet. “Alright. Okay, I’ll stay with you. But no more crazy talk about me desiring you okay?”

“If that’s what you wish?” He looked very confused.

“Yes,” Pasha said firmly, “it is.”

The angel sighed and closed his eyes. “I’m very tired. Might I sleep now?”

“Of course. Don’t you want to eat first?”

The angel opened his eyes and frowned at him.  “Yes,” he said softly, “I do but I don’t think I can.”

“You don’t think you can eat?”

“No,” the angel said, that same puzzled expression on his face. “I can eat… I think, but not… not before I…” He closed his eyes again and never completed the sentence. As soon as his hand relaxed enough to release Pasha, he pulled away and sat down suddenly in a chair.

“Shit,” he muttered to himself. “What the fuck?” The fact was that he had desired the angel, and that scared the hell out of him. He’d never in his entire life had sexual thoughts for another man, never. He couldn’t be gay. Surely he would have known, would have had some inkling before now. No, it was impossible. It was just because it was an angel… an angel for fuck sake. They probably made everyone feel like that. Yes, that was it. He was some kind of fucked up cupid that made people love him.

Lukas and Anna startled him out of his uncomfortable thoughts.

“Oh, is he asleep?”

“Yes. I suppose— well— falling from heaven, or whatever, then getting hit by a car, is very tiring.”

“I suppose. Has he talked to you at all?”

“Um…” Panic fluttered in his breast but he battered it down. “A little. He feels sad and homesick and doesn’t really understand what’s happening. I would have thought he’d have been more scared.”

“He’s an angel. What do we know of how their minds work?”

****

Pasha insisted on sleeping downstairs with the angel. He remembered the look of panic on his face when he thought Pasha was going to leave him alone and thought it was safer that way. He couldn’t stand that screech. That was the entire reason, of course, for wanting to sleep close to the angel. It was the screech, and the fact that the angel was alone and scared and… and it had nothing whatever to do with the fact that he might be an angel but he was hotter than hell…

Now go check out the rest of the flashers

MA Church     m/m

MC Houle      m/m

Tali   m/m

Julie Lynn Hayes m/m

Art

An Update on the wonderful art produced by my friend Maria. These are a series of Lighter Brighter paintings done for the summer. There will also be a new one by me at the bottom.

AND SOME SLIGHTLY DARKER ONES

AND THIS ONE IS MINE

It's part of an experiment painting on a blackened canvas. There are two other in series so far

Calling All Film Makers

What is the Philip K Dick International Film Festival of Science Fiction, Fantastic Film, Science and the Supernatural, apart from a hell of a mouthful to spit out without taking a breath?

The mission of the Philip K Dick Film Festival is to promote original or adapted material inspired by the works of Philip K Dick, Jorge Luis Borges, Italo Calvino, Robert Anton Wilson, Franz Kafka and others who have explored the metaphysical, the eerie in all its manifestations.

They 'look at films that push the cinematic form to new levels of creativity and originality without sacrificing narrative cohesion and with an eye to the ineffable'. 

They're looking for films that push boundaries and challenge reality from all genres.

Interested?

Check  Here for more information, rules and submission guidelines.

An exciting opportunity for all the film makers out there.

Wednesday Brief - Meeting the Angel

So here we are at Wednesday again and time to flash our briefs. This week I was in some difficulty as, in my usual style I've written ahead of myself and had a problem fitting in the prompt after the event. In the end I had to 'strain' it a little. The prompt was to include a dessert :)

Anna came hurrying into the hall as they were stumbling through the door, the angel slung between them. When she saw him she screamed.

The angel’s head jerked up and he answered her with the chilling screech he’d made in the car. It shattered the glass vase on the table. The sound of smashing glass shocked both of them into silence.

“What the fuck is that?”

“I’m not sure. I think it’s an angel.”

“You think?” Recovering from her shock, Anne hurried forward and touched the angel’s face, brushing the sodden hair away to look into his eyes. They were even more startlingly blue than they’d seemed in the yard. “You poor thing. What happened to you?”

“I hit her with the car.”

“Him,” Pasha corrected and Lukas looked at him, confused. Hauling the angel straighter, Pasha nodded at the evidence.

“Oh,” Lukas and Anna chorused.

“Well, I don’t care if it’s a ‘him’ or a ‘her’, the poor thing’s soaking wet, cold as hell and maybe hurt. Bring him through.”

Anne preceded them into the living room and dragged a throw off one of the chairs, spreading it on the sofa. It took some doing to get the angel settled. Finally he was pretty much lying down, propped up on cushions stuffed around his wings. He didn’t look too comfortable but at least they could get a good look at him. And boy was there plenty to see. Pasha had to look away.

“Get some alcohol from the kitchen Pasha, and some hot tea… and there’s a first aid box under the sink.”

“Yes ma’am.” With bad grace he slouched from the room and found the kitchen. Gathering the things he’d been sent for he hurried back, juggling a bottle of dessert wine, mug of tea and box he assumed was the first aid kit.

By the time he got back, Anna had covered the angel with a blanket, for which he was glad. He just wasn’t used to looking at that kind of perfection. It was unsettling.

“Here you go, sweetheart,” Anna said and took the cup from Pasha. She held it out to the angel who stared at it but made no move to take it. Anna helped him sit up a little and held the mug for him to sip. At first he burned his mouth but after Anna had explained carefully about it being hot, he tried again and sighed with pleasure. “There you go darling. Is that making you feel warmer?”

The angel stared at her with his unnervingly direct gaze. He smiled but didn’t look as if he’d understood what she said. She knelt down and took his hand.

“Do you understand what we’re saying? Do you speak our language?”

The angel’s eyes flicked from Anna, to Lukas, to Pasha and back. He nodded. “I… understand.” His voice was light and musical, but didn’t have the same strange tone they’d heard at the roadside. This time it could have belonged to… well, a human. It was think with an accent no one could place.

“What’s your name?” Anna asked gently, holding his gaze.

The angel closed his eyes and frowned. Then he shook his head. “I knew once. Now I know not.”

“Oh fucking great,” Lukas snapped. “It wasn’t enough I had to run over a fucking angel, it’s an angel that can’t even remember his name.”

“Hush, Luke,” Anna admonished then smiled at the angel who was looking alarmed and a little frightened. “It’s alright,” she said laying a hand on his arm. “Don’t worry. You don’t have to remember, not just yet. Do you remember anything?”

“Swords,” he said quickly. “Swords and wings and darkness.” His eyes took on a distant look and he frowned in concentration. “Fire and blood and birds, black birds. Little black birds.” He shook his head and looked at Anna. “I might have dreamed.”

“You might have. Do you hurt anywhere?”

The angel nodded. “I’m bruised but there is nothing damaged beyond repair. My wing… my wing is sore. I don’t think it will fly me for a while.”

“That’s alright. You don’t have to fly anywhere. You can stay with us until you’re feeling better, until you remember.”

The angel nodded and reached for the mug, guiding it to his lips to drink again with obvious enjoyment.

“Are you hungry?” Anna asked and the angel thought about it.

“I don’t remember what… hungry is.”

“Do you need to eat?”

“Eat?”

“Food. No, never mind. I’ll get something for you. Just rest and keep warm.”

As she passed, she pulled Lukas aside. “I think the poor thing must have hit his head. I’d really like to get him checked over by a doctor but that’s not an option is it?”

Lukas shook his head. “We have to be careful. If people find out… Who knows what they might do.”

“True. Come help me in the kitchen.”

Left alone with the angel, Pasha found himself without anything to say.

“You were first.”

“What?” Pasha jumped. He hadn’t expected the angel to speak.

“You were first… to help me.”

“I… I guess so.”

“Come to me.” Without quite knowing why, Pasha found himself drawn to the angel and knelt on the floor beside the couch. The angel studied him carefully. Pasha grew more and more uncomfortable under the steady gaze. He picked at the hem of the blanket to distract himself. The angel raised his hand and touched Pasha’s face. His hand was cold. The touch sent chills through him. “You… looked at me… differently.”

“Differently? What do you mean?” Despite his nervousness, Pasha was intrigued.

“Differently to the other one. Differently when you saw I am a man. You… desire me.”

It wasn’t a question but Pasha shook his head vehemently. “No, no of course I don’t… I…” The angel silenced him. With an iron grip on the back of his head, he pulled him down and kissed him.

Now go check out the other flashers for their wonderful stories.

MA Church    m/m

LM Brown    m/m

Michael Mandrake   m/m

Tali     m/m

Julie Lynn Hayes  m/m

Conversations With Faery

Conversations with Faery

by Zahdi Folley-Regusters

Skye by Maria Korte

“Do you ever feel wings on your back?”

What is Faery?  Is it real?  And if so, what is the connection between Faery and this world, the material human world?

Excellent questions to ask in this shifting time.  The hidden is coming into light, and the unspoken of is being revealed more quickly with each passing day.  Now is a time for answers, for enlightenment on long taboo subjects, and for discussion on the “obvious” that is shrouded in folktale and legend.  So what is Faery? …Faery is the Grey.  It is the in-between place.  Faery is a realm with which all humans were once very well acquainted.  Search deep into yourself and you will feel that there is so much more to this world than what we usually acknowledge as a whole.  Perhaps you’ve had strange feelings, dreams, and memories of things too bizarre to speak aloud, yourself?   

Skye by Maria Korte

Faery is a realm full of conscious beings, of all sorts – benevolent, malevolent, unfeeling, pure feeling, light, dark and everything else.  In a time before time, this world touched ours, melded with it to form one coherent whole.  This was a time of balance.  When the frequencies of the worlds shifted, the balance was upset.  The worlds fell out of harmony with one another and most of Faery was separated from the others.  What Faery is, is the place where light dwells.  Light is what gives all things energy and life, ultimately.  Energy flows, from light to plant to animal.  Light is what fills us with a connection to the Source or the Divine.  Consider how one “glows” when they are in love.  Love (unconditional love for all) brings you closer to the Source.  Those who dwell within Faery are those who control the flows of light in the world… and ultimately the flows of the world itself, filling this place with light and, in turn, with love.

So, is Faery real?  And if so, then what is the connection between Faery and this world, the human material world?  Faery is very real.  It is a realm that supports this one.  Faery is intrinsically linked with the material plane, and with the other two planes that linger out of balance with us.  The efforts, actions and events within Faery affect what happens here, sometimes within days, a cause and effect of positive and negative.  However, the same applies the other way.  Everything that we do and that happens or is attempted here has an effect on Faery.  So, in a direct way, there is a continual link between the planes.  Another link must be considered as well, that of the “lost ones.”  When the imbalance came that shifted the worlds from each other, most of Faery – those who were of this plane – was cut off from this world.  But not all.  Some were here, and became stuck here, entering the human life-death-rebirth cycle when they could not return home.  They were “reincarnated” as people.  Each of those people, but not people, whose energy vibrates at a frequency that does not match this plane, aches and searches for their home plane, for the frequency which they can no longer touch or interact with fully.  They can only see ghosts of that plane, fleeting visions of what was, and still is.

All of this you can learn more about through connections with Faery and those of the world who are here.  The denizens of the Grey reach out to us, all of us here.  They miss the connections and the freedoms that we once shared.  They desire a cooperation.  They are troubled by the negligent actions of humans, disconnected from the planet, and deaf to the screams of the world.  They reach out to us all with open arms.  For those who were trapped here, their hearts ache and pull them to the Grey Lands.  They cannot be dissuaded… they “know.”  Now is the time.  This is a time of reconnection and remembrance.  When you feel the Faery Folk coming near, welcome them with open arms and mutual respect.  Listen to them and ask them to listen to you.  Reach into the shared collective and let the knowledge pour in.

Zahdi Folley-Regusters is a spiritual guide and healer hailing out of Hilo, Hawaii.  Her work portal can be found at http://www.warrior-witch.weebly.com

“For the Divine in each of us”

Wednesday Briefs. The Accident

Well, here we are at Wednesday again. We've said goodbye to Rune and Luke and left them in peace for a while at least and here is a new morsel to tickle your buds.

The prompt I used was "You want me to do what?"

1 The Accident

The weather was appalling. Rain lashed against the windscreen and it was almost impossible to see in the lightless lanes.

“Shit. This is fucking nuts. Where are the houses? Where are the people?”

Lukas laughed. “You’re such a city person. This is the countryside, Pasha. Miles and miles of empty space and crazy, unlit country roads leading nowhere.”

“How can you stand it?”

“I love it. I’ve never been so happy.”

“No. You’ve never been so happy since you moved here… with Anna. You’re sickeningly in love.”

Lukas looked over at his younger brother and smiled. He wasn’t wrong. Anna was perfect. She was an angel, the best thing that had ever happened to him and…”

“Holy fucking shit!!”

His head snapped forward at Pasha’s scream, and a flash of white light blinded him. Moments later the car hit something and skidded out of control, eventually coming to rest in the hedge.

“Jesus. Pasha, are you alright?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine, I think.”

“What the fuck was that?” Lukas unstrapped his belt and massaged his shoulder.

“I don’t know, lightening?”

“Could have been, but it wasn’t a bolt of lightning I hit.”

“No.” The brothers stared at each other, frozen. Finally, Pasha shook himself and unbuckled his belt. “You know we have to check. May as well get it over with.”

“Pasha, what if… What if I hit someone?”

“Then we deal with it. Come on.”

Lukas got out of the car and squinted into the driving rain. Pasha had a little more trouble because he had to squeeze through the hedge.

“Right, you take the left side and I’ll take the right.”

Slowly they worked their way back along the road until they saw something large and white. It was surely too big to be human, and the wrong shape. Taking heart, they hurried forward.

“What the fuck is it?”

“I don’t know. It looks like some kind of a bird.”

“It’s too big for a bird.” Pasha crouched down and touched the white feathers. They trembled. “Well, it’s alive whatever it is.”

“Can’t we just drag it to the side of the road and…”

“No, we can’t. At the very least we have to see if it’s hurt.” Ignoring his brother, Pasha hurried around to the other side of the bird and pushed at the wings, raising them to see what was underneath. The bird groaned, just as a flash of lightening lit the sky, lighting up the pale face and mass of golden hair. Pasha dropped the wing and skittered backwards.

“Help me Luke,” he gasped scrambling up off the road. “We’ve got to get her into the car.”

“You want me to do what? Put a big, wet and possibly dead bird in my new car? I don’t think so.”

“It’s not a bird, Luke. It’s not a fucking bird. For Christ’s sale help me.”

Alarmed by the edge of hysteria in his brother’s voice, Lukas hurried to his side. “What the hell’s going on?”

 “Luke, this is going to sound as crazy as hell but… but I think… I think we might have killed an angel.”

“What the fuck? Don’t be ridiculous.” Crouching down, Luke pushed back the wings and let out a yell of shock. The long, pale body jerked under his hand and eyelids rose over colourless eyes.

“What are we going to do?”

“Get her into the car. We’ll take her home, warm her up and see if she’s hurt. Maybe we can patch her up and…”

“And what? What if she…? She might not be grateful. I mean, considering we hit her with the car and all.”

“Well, maybe she’ll be pissed. Maybe she’ll smite us or whatever angels do. But I’m not going to leave her lying here at the side of the road to die.”

“No, we can’t do that.”

“Help me.” The angel’s voice wasn’t like any voice they’d ever heard. It seemed to resonate on more than one frequency at the same time.

“Of course we’re going to help you. Are you hurt. Can you stand?” The wide eyes stared at him but there didn’t seem to be much comprehension there.

“Never mind.” Together, they hauled the angel to its feet. She couldn’t stand and passed out again with a moan of pain.

The two brothers exchanged glances but were committed and so they dragged the angel to the car and, somehow, stuffed her into the back seat. This was not easy at all because the wings were big, incredibly heavy and not at all manoeuvrable.

“How far is the house?” Pasha asked anxiously, as Lukas pulled the car onto the road.

“About another fifteen minutes. How’s she looking?”

“Big, wet and unconscious.”

“Jesus, I’ve never seen anything like it. Do you think that flash in the sky was…”

“Yeah.”

There was no more talking and, in ten minutes flat they were pulling into the yard of Lukas’ renovated farmhouse. The light from the windows spilled out onto the gravel and turned the little stones golden.

It was a lot harder to get the angel out of the car. The feathers resisted and they didn’t want to break any more than they had to. Half way through, the angel woke and screeched.

It was an inhuman sound that caused the glass in the windows to vibrate.

“Fuck. Ssh… ssh angel. We’re trying to help you. We want to get you warm and dry. You have to get out of the car. Please… we’re trying to help you.”

Big blue eyes oriented on him and the screeching stopped. Something in them made him shiver.

With the assistance of the angel they managed to get her out of the car, and Pasha put his arm around the slender waist to help support… “Oh.” Scanning the angel from the crown of its head, over the inhumanly beautiful face and along the length of the pale, perfect body, he realised with a jolt that it was most certainly not a ‘her’.

Now go check out the rest of our gang

Michael Mandrake   m/m

MA Church     m/m

Elyzabeth VaLey      m/f

Tali      m/m

Lily Sawyer m/m

Julie Lynn Hayes m/m

Will Someone Please Explain...

I've recently become fascinated with the rash of people who've been offering me followers in exchange for various favours. 'Follow me and I can bring you 1000 followers in a day' 'Follow ME and I'll bring you 5000'. Whoa.

I just about refrained from having a party when I hit 1000 and I'm planning to sacrifice my son at 2000, but to have 5000 wow, wonderful, amazing, incredible but...

What do followers actually DO?

Well yeah, of course they                                                                      but what exactly does that mean? What do I want it to mean?

I have three expectations, no call then desire from twitter

1. To meet interesting people, have fun and make new friends.
2. To meet interesting people, promote my work and gain sales for my books/greater recognition as a writer
3. Promote other people who may very well become rich and famous one day and will remember who helped then get there... not really, just to help promote others because we're all in the same boat and that's what we should do for each other.

This is where the idea of the 'instant followers' confuses me. What purpose do they serve. Whilst there may well be many interesting and useful people in there, what are the odds that I'll actually get to meet them. I certainly won't be checking out all their blogs like I do now, so how will I find the interesting ones?

Well 5000 followers are going to promote my books at least right? Well, I'm not so sure about that either. Building up slowly as I am now, I'm getting a 'feel' for my followers, people I like, people I can have a laugh with, people I admire, those I share a (slightly sick) sense of humour and even those I flirt with (Gods forbid). 

Although I try to read everyone's blog and promote all of my followers that clearly isn't possible. So who do I promote? The people I know and like and am interested in and have spoken to or admire or seek to emulate or are just crazy fascinating interesting guys (and gals) The key point is, and this has been brought home to me recently making lists, that I actively promote the people I know, and promote progressively less actively those I don't know, haven't spoken to and haven't had anything particularly outstanding to knock me off my feet.

Consequently, I spend a lot of time and get a lot of pleasure from promoting from a fairly fluid and comparatively small group of people. I don't just re tweet, I read blogs, leave comments now and again and exchange words with other authors, artists, musicians, nice people, strange people, poets... well... people.

Even now, with 1150 followers I don't, and can't promote them all and I am certainly not promoted by all of them because presumably they have the same methodology as me... promote who I know or what I like.

With 5000 new followers in 1 day surely what will happen is this

1. My 'pool' is diluted so it's harder to see the people I'm really interested in.

2. Everyone else's pool is diluted so it's harder to see me.

3. I'm not going to be able to get around to reading 5000 new blogs so i'm not going to get to know any of the new people so they're not likely to get promoted much if at all. 

4. None of the 5000 are really going to know me and, if they've been 'acquired' then they're not really going to be interested in me. Okay maybe i'll get 5000 shout outs but if no one's listening what's the point

Right now my preferred method is the chipping away... or filtering through... one. I get new followers in a small but steady stream enabling me to at least look at the blog of each new follower, make at least one post in support and add to my lists anything that interests me. That way I'm keeping control of my pool and i know everyone who's in it.

If there really is some hidden benefit to the follow five thousand then please let me know because right now I really can't see it and I can't see how the mere number rather than the quality of the followers is really of much assistance at all other than to make you feel good when you log in.

Wednesday Briefs - I'm Free

Here we are at Wednesday again, and here's the latest installment of Rune and Luke. I think it might be the last installment because, unless you think otherwise, I can't really see where else they can go. I could end with a bang... literally ;) but that feel gratuitous to me. I could show Rune on stage with the band which would also be a good end I guess but this just feels like a good place to stop. Let me know what you think.

I'm Free

Rune picked himself up from the floor and walked away from the door. Rio was still hammering but it didn’t bother him anymore. Calmly, he sat down at the table and picked up his sandwich.  In a while the hammering stopped and silence fell.

Rune put down his untouched sandwich and rested his head on his arms. The silence wrapped itself around him and his shoulders began to shake as a jumble of emotions bubbled out of him as sobs. He wasn’t sliding in his resolve. He wasn’t backing down. He wasn’t even thinking about what had happened and what was going to happen next. He was just… crying.

When he finished, he washed his glass, threw away the rest of the sandwich, tidied the kitchen, went to bed and fell into an exhausted sleep.

“Rune? Rune, are you alright?” Rune opened his eyes to see Luke’s anxious face hovering over him. He smiled.

“I’m fine. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I just… Rio… Rio’s car’s outside and…”

“What? Still?” Rune was a bit surprised, but not particularly bothered. “I thought I’d made myself clear.”

“You…? Made…? Clear…? To Rio…?”

“Make whole sentences, Luke.” Rune smiled and stroked Luke’s face. “Rio came to visit and I asked him nicely to go away and never come back.”

“You did?”

“Well no, not exactly. I wasn’t very nice at all. As I recall, I spat in his face and kicked him in the balls.”

“You did what?” Luke’s eyes went wide with shock.

Rune chuckled. “You’d have been proud of me, Luke. What do you think of this? He tried to drag me out to the car but, I don’t know… something snapped in me and I had to… I knew if I went with him that would be it. I wouldn’t leave him again. He… had me against the wall and I spat in his face to get him away from me. Then I kicked him in the balls and told him to get out of my life and never come back, then I closed the door, tidied the kitchen and came up here to lie down. I had such a headache.” He grinned. “My headache’s gone now,” he said softly.

“God, Rune, you’re full of surprises. I was so scared when I saw Rio’s car. Then, when I came inside and you didn’t answer, and you were… I thought he’d hurt you.”

“He did… but it’s okay. He won’t, ever again.”

“Too right he won’t. I’ll make sure of that. I’ll—“

“No, Luke. I’ll make sure of that. I feel… stronger. I’m… free, Luke. I don’t know if it makes any kind of sense, but I feel free now. Free of him. He’s not in here anymore.” He took Luke’s hand and laid it over his heart. “I love you Luke. It’s what I needed. I needed to love someone, truly love them and have them love me, so I could see what a twisted version of love— if it ever was love— I had with Rio.”

He sighed deeply. “I feel battered and bruised, but I’ve had worse, and it’s only on the outside. On the inside… I feel good, Luke. I feel really good. Come make me feel better.”

Luke searched his face, then he laughed. “You’re a wonder, Rune. You amaze me, humble me. God, I love you.” He lay down and took Rune into his arms. Rune winced, even though he tried not to. “What’s the matter? That bastard hurt you again, didn’t he?”

“He hit me. It doesn’t matter.”

“Of course it matters. I going to—“ Luke half rose, but Rune pulled him back.

“You’re going to make love to me, Luke. That’s what I need. I need love not revenge. Be gentle with me.”

“Rune, I…”

“I know, but Rio’s not important now. We are. Please. I need you.”

Luke softened and lay down again, stroking Rune’s face. “You’re beautiful, Rune. Inside and out. The most beautiful person I ever met. It would be my honour and privilege to make love to you.”

Rune sighed and closed his eyes, as Luke gently worked his hand up under his tshirt and stroked the soft skin of his belly, making it tremble and raising goose-bumps.

“Tell me if it hurts, okay?” Luke whispered.

Rune moaned. “Luke will you please stop worrying about hurting me. The only way you’re hurting me is by holding back. Please, just get on with it before I explode.”

“Wouldn’t want that, would we,” Luke murmured and bent his head to kiss Rune, while he slid his hand further up under his shirt, to brush then tweak his nipple.

Rune gasped and jumped off the bed. “Oh fuck, yeah,” he moaned. “That’s better.”

He moaned again, with a different tone, when Luke withdrew, but smiled when he stripped off his tshirt. Hurriedly, with no concern to tease or tempt, Rune fumbled with buttons to scramble out of his jeans and underwear. He hesitated for a moment before taking off his shirt but… what the hell. Luke knew the score.

When he was naked, he lay back and stared up at Luke, his eyes roving over every inch of his body. To Rune, it was perfect. If only his own were the same. A flush of shame washed over him and he felt exposed.

“What’s the matter?” Luke asked, laying down beside him. Rune shook his head. “Don’t lie to me,” Luke said, stroking Rune from throat to belly button, making him shiver.

Rune lowered his eyes and scanned his body. To him, it was ugly, disfigured by bruises and scars. He looked away, but Luke had seen.

“Don’t,” Luke said. “Don’t ever doubt you’re beautiful.” His finger followed a silvery scar over Rune’s hip bone. You have battle scars. So what? Wear them with pride. You beat him. You’re free.”

“Yes,” Rune whispered, a smile creeping over his face, as Luke’s hand dipped between his legs. “I am free.”

Don't forget to visit the rest of the gang

MA Church     m/m

Victoria Blisse   m/f

Sara York     m/m

Tali      m/m

Julie Lynn  Hayes  m/m

Druidry

I've been asked to explain what it's like to be a Druid. What are Druids? What do they do? What do they look like? What do they believe?

Well, just as if you asked the same question to a Wiccan, Christian, Buddhist etc the answer is going to vary from person to person. There are as many different paths, beliefs and approaches in Druidry as in any other religion, philosophy or organisation.

The first thing that needs to be said is that most Druids don't feel that Druidry is a religion or a belief system, it's more of a philosophy, a way of looking at life, of framing experience and belief.

History

In ancient times, Druidry was the religion of the Celts. More than that, it was the seat of political power among them. No one was more powerful than the Druids, not even the Kings and Princes. They were inviolate, even during battle. This is why, when the Romans arrived, the Druids had to go. The Romans realised two things that doomed the Druids from the start. Firstly, the Druids were the true political power. Take them down and the establishment falls. Second they had the hearts of the people. Discredit and replace them and you're in control.

Later on, Christianity had the same idea and many ancient Celtic/pagan festivals and sites have been taken over and re-framed.

For example. St Michael's chapel on Glastonbury tor. This was an ancient site believed to be a gateway into 'the otherworld'

After the advent of Christianity a church dedicated to St Michael was built on the summit and an abbey on the plain below. It was said, by the early Celtic Christians, that a cutting from the sacred thorn was brought to Glastonbury by Joseph of Aramathea (sorry about the spelling), and planted in the gardens of the Abbey. It's also said in local legend that Jesus visited the area in his youth. I have no idea if there is any truth in either of those claims but it shows that a site that was holy and powerful to one culture and belief system can be adopted and considered to be just as holy and powerful by another, in re-framed terms.

The Three Stages


In ancient times Druids had a long path of learning. They went through three stages in their education which are mirrored in most training establishments, courses and practices today.

The Bard

In ancient times there were no instant means of communication. The only way news was passed was by word of mouth.This is why Druids were inviolate at battles. They were the battle correspondents. The Bards witnessed the events, wrote poems about them-- and these poems were truly epic and could sometimes take hours to recite-- then travel the land reciting them and passing it on.

The Bard was taught of the sacred connection between music and the voice of 'God', or the Source of life. The energy stream that creates, enlivens and sustains... etc. It sounds esoteric and 'new age' but in essence it all comes down to the fact that everything is made of energy. It vibrates faster in liquids than solids and in gasses than liquids and maybe even faster still or on different frequencies for other things.

Light, sound, colour, radio waves, microwaves etc etc all pass through solids liquids and gases, so does music. In the spaces between the atoms everything is connected.

So the Bard was the musician, poet, journalist, storyteller and physicist.

A very strict kind of poetry form was developed to ensure the integrity of the information passed and variations of this are still used in the poetry competitions at the National Eisteddfod and Urdd Eisteddfod (see later)

These strict forms, which were likened to Haiku in the strictness of its form but much longer and grander in scale, ensured that they were passed on word for word with less likelihood of corruption on a 'chinese whispers' basis.

The Ovate

The ovate is the initiate, the magician, the witch, the magic user, the diviner.

This is the most difficult part to talk about because people mock and fear what they don't understand. No, I don't put spells on people, no I don't see the future and no I don't have dinner with the devil.

But I do read tarot cards and runes and the Druid's own divination system, the ogham. I do use candle magic to send out positive energy and concentrate my attention on issues and problems that are affecting myself or those I care for. I'm not denying that I use darker magic if I absolutely have to but I do it with full knowledge and accepting the consequences and cost.

Magic is the manipulation of energy and all actions have a reaction. No magic is done lightly or without cost. For me it's an area of my life bound around with far more morality and ethics than any other.

The ovate was also the herbalist and in this I am following. I am a trained herbalist and, although I don't practice outside the home I do treat basic ailments myself with my herbs and potions. I haven't killed anyone yet and my son's asthma responded so well he 'grew out of it'.

Of course, I don't use it on myself which means I haven't got my own problems under control. I keep meaning to do something... tomorrow :)

The Druid

The Druid is the master of ceremonies. S/he takes everything s/he learned as a Bard and Ovate and spins them into rituals and ceremonies.

Why does s/he wear silly clothes? For two reasons. The first one is obvious... to make them stand out. So that people who are taking part in the ceremony or ritual knows who is in charge and who to follow and listen to. Trust me this is important when there are hundreds of people at a public ceremony.

Secondly they/we wear robes to make us feel different, to help get rid of the thoughts and concerns of the everyday, mundane world, to raise consciousness and help us focus on what we're doing/thinking/feeling within the ritual. They make things 'special' and 'magical'

It's all about psychology really.

So we add psychologist to the list of what Druids are.

Okay, so I thought I was going to be able to give an overview of Druidry in one post. WRONG. There's just too much to cover. So I'll split it into a series of articles.


Next time we'll look at the cultural aspect of Druidry in Wales and look at the Eisteddfods, national competitions that draw spectators and participants from all over the world and use many of the original tenets of Druidry in a purely cultural and ceremonial form


After that we'll look at the eight festivals of the yearly wheel, some ritual and ceremonial stuff like... what's the point in drawing a circle around you with a sword? Trust me, there's a sound psychological reason.


Then maybe a peep at ogham, where it came from what it means where it can be seen and how it was used.


Then anything else that might come to mind. If you like the articles and want more let me know or I might not bother to go any further.


Also, if you are a Druid and want to add, challenge or comment on anything just email me or comment.

LULLABY - Virgin Media Shorts

LULLABY - Virgin Media Shorts

This is a great short. Get the word out there guys It's in a competition. Help it WIN

Rune and Luke - Without Him

Another week another Wednesday. Here is your latest installment of Rune and Luke. The prompt I used this weeks was... Without you I would be...

“Don’t be ridiculous, Rune. You were never afraid of me. You were too rebellious to have been afraid of me.”

“Really? You truly think I’d have done those things, been with you all these years if I hadn’t been too scared to walk away?”

“You did those things because you loved them and you stayed with me because you’d be nothing without me.”

“Nothing? Nothing without you? Without you I would be dancing right now. Without you I’d be happy. Well, I’ve got news for you. I am  happy and I am dancing. I’m going to dance with the band again and we’re going to make it this time because I won’t have you like a stone around my neck. I’m going to make it with Luke, too. He cares for me, Rio, truly cares for me, something you never did.”

“I care for you.” Rio started to pace. It was something he did when he wasn’t sure what else to do. Rune smiled. He had him rattled, but that was dangerous. He’d have to be careful. Still standing with his back to the wall his arms folded Rune watched him. “I’ve always cared for you. Haven’t I always given you everything you wanted?”

“No, Rio. No you haven’t. All you’ve given me is pain. Don’t you understand? I hated every moment I was with you. I was scared and disgusted and horrified but I had nowhere else to go. Now I have somewhere to go. I have Luke. He loves me. He truly loves me and I’m not going to let him down by going back with you.”

Rune was shaking now. It was partly because of the look in Rio’s eyes but partly, too because he was angry. “Get back in the car, Rio. Get back in the car and drive out of my life because I don’t want you in it anymore.”

Rio moved like lightening and, before he knew what was happening, Rune doubled over, gasping from a blow to his solar plexus. Already battered and bruised from Rio’s previous abuse, it felt as if every bone in his body was screaming at him and he couldn’t catch a breath. Rio hauled him upright by the hair and pressed him against the wall, holding him there with his body.

“Ungrateful little bitch,” Rio hissed. “How dare you, after everything I’ve done for you. Well. Let me tell you this. I will never leave you alone never. You’re mine, do you understand? Mine.”

“Fuck you,” Rune gasped, pushing ineffectively at Rio’s chest. “Get away from me. Get out of my head and out of my life.”

“Never,” Rio hissed.

“Oh really?” Suddenly, a wave of anger washed over Rune, so strong it forced him into action. “Get your hands off me, you bastard,” he yelled and spat in Rio’s face. When Rio pulled back with shock, Rune took his advantage and twisted away from him. Rune was no fighter, but he was a dancer and it wasn’t hard to dodge when Rio lunged at him.

Rune felt as if he was in a bubble that isolated him from the rest of the world, from help. But he didn’t need help, not this time.

Rio lunged again and this time Rune didn’t try to stop him. Instead, he brought up his knee, catching Rio squarely in the groin and dropped him like a stone. Rune kicked him over onto his back and put a foot on his chest, pushing him back every time he tried to get up.

“Like I was saying, Rio I’m not afraid of you and I’m not going to be a victim anymore. You hurt me, Rio, hurt me in so many ways and if you come anywhere near me again I’m going to pay you back for every bruise, every lash and, especially every bone you’ve broken. I swear to God, Rio, if I have to I’ll kill you.”

“But… but you love me. You’ve always loved me.”

“Maybe in the very beginning I did, but for as long as I can remember I’ve hated you but been too afraid to do anything about it. You had me mesmerised, hooked on you like a drug addict but I’m over it now. I feel clean and the touch of your hand dirties me. I’m not going to have it anymore. So just get up, get in the car and get out of my life.”

“But, Rune…”

“Get out of my life Rio.”

Rune took away his foot and backed up, allowing Rio to get to his feet.

“You’re nothing without me,” Rio spat. “You’ll never make it on your own and Luke won’t be around forever. Once he knows how sick you are he’ll be out the door and where will you be then? You’ll come crawling back to me. You always do.”

“No, Rio, you’re the one who keeps coming back. I’m perfectly fine without you. And as for Luke… maybe he’ll stay with me, maybe not, but if I have to I’ll do okay alone. I’ve been alone, Rio. You keep leaving me alone, coming back when you want someone to abuse. No more. You’re out of my life for good. Live with it.”

Before Rio could say or do a thing, Rune turned, walked back into the house and closed the door. As soon as he did so he turned and slowly slid down to sit on the floor, his back to the door. His ribs hurt, his lungs burned and his head ached. He felt he should be crying but there were no tears left, not for Rio. In fact he didn’t want to cry at all, he wanted to laugh. He’d been so scared and now…

He jumped when Rio started to hammer on the door, but that was just because he was startled. He wasn’t scared anymore. Rio was out of his life and he’d do just fine without him.

Now head over and take a look at these wonderful flashers for their awesome stories.

Pender Mackie    m/m

MA Church     m/m

Tali      m/m

Elyzabeth VaLey      m/f

MC Houle     m/m

Julie Lynn Hayes   m/m

I'm Not Going Anywhere With You

Here we are at Wednesday again and time to flash our briefs. The prompt I used this week was "I never told you that..."

“Of course you have to go to college. Why wouldn’t you? I’m fine. It’s not as if I’m a kid who needs to be looked after. I can look after myself, you know.”

Luke, with his head propped on one hand, pushed the sheets down a little so he could draw his lazy circles lower. “What if I want to look after you, if the only thing I care about in the world is lying her in this bed with me?”

“Then you’ve a very empty life. You’ve got a life without me, Luke and I don’t want that to stop.”

“But…”

“No. I never told you that I wanted you to give up your life. I want to fit into it. I want to meet your friends and your family, to do the things you like to do, and I want you to share my life, too. I… I’ve kind of been neglecting it but…” He smiled brightly at Luke, more life in his eyes than he’d seen since the first days. “I’m going to be busy today. I’m going to call the band, see if they’re up for some more performances, and I’m going to join a gym, to get fit again. And—“ He looked away and took a deep breath, then brought his eyes back, filled with determination. “I’m going to call my parents. They haven’t heard from me for a long time. At first, when I was with Rio he wouldn’t let me, then… I got too ashamed, but I’m ready now.”

Luke stroked his cheek and gazed at him, so full of love he thought his heart would stop. “I’m so proud of you. After what you’ve been through I wouldn’t have blamed you if you wanted to just curl up in a ball and stay under the blankets for the next ten years or so.”

“I know I’ve been pretty pathetic recently, Luke but that’s not me, honest. I’m so much stronger than this.”

“I know you are,” Luke said, his face serious. He fingered Rune’s soft hair and rubbed his thumb over his beautiful lips. “I  know you’re strong and that’s why I love you.”

“You love me?”

“With all my heart.”

“Tell me again.”

“I love you, Rune.”

Rune grinned and reached up to pull Luke’s head down. “I love you, too,” he said with a grin.

***

Rune was as good as his word and, as soon as Luke left, he got busy. Two hours later he was sitting at the kitchen table eating a sandwich and feeling more positive than he had in… well, years. He’d set up a gig for the weekend and the band were coming round that night to meet Luke. He’d spoken to his parents and, even thought it had been a difficult conversation, the ice had been broken and he was confident it was going to be okay.

When someone knocked the door, he ignored it. The sandwich was a good one, cheese with spring onion and mayonnaise in seeded brown bread. With a sigh, he closed his eyes and savoured the taste.

The knock came again. He ignored it. The third time it was a huge bang and the fourth it turned to pounding. “What the fuck?”

As soon as he opened the door it was flung open knocking him backwards and, before he knew it he was pinned to the wall,= with Rio’s face inches from his own. “Hello, Rune,” he said.

“No. Get away from me. Get the fuck away from me.”

“Easy, Baby. Don’t want to hurt yourself, do you? That’s my job, after all.” Rio moved away from the wall and, keeping his hand firmly clamped around Rune’s wrist, dragged him from the house. Rune was stunned, numb. His mind couldn’t process what was happening to him.

“No.” Rune dug in his heels and wrenched his arm from Rio’s grip. “Leave me alone. I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Rio laughed. “Of course you’re coming with me. Where else would you go? Here? Are you going to hide out here forever?”

Rune thought it over, rubbing his wrist. His mind screamed that he should go with Rio, that he shouldn’t resist. There was no point resisting and if he went quietly Rio might not hurt him so much. He didn’t have anywhere else to go, anyone else to care for him or… Something occurred to him, quite suddenly, and he wondered why he hadn’t thought of it before. He didn’t need anyone to care for him. Care about him, maybe but he could take care of himself. Fuck yeah.

“No, Rio, I’m not going to hide out here forever. In fact I’m going to get Luke to take me home tomorrow. I’m going to live my own life in my own home in my own way. I don’t know exactly what I’m going to do. I’ve called Urban Fantasy and they’re coming over tonight to talk. We’ve got a gig on the weekend and…”

“Don’t be so stupid,” Rio snapped. “Haven’t I told you there’s no point in these pipe dreams. Neither you nor the band are going to make anything of yourselves.”

“Maybe.” He shrugged. “Maybe I’ll never make anything of myself, but I’m going to try, and you’re not going to get in my way.”

“Just cut the fucking crap Rune and get in the car.”

“No. I’m not getting in the car. I’m not going with you. I’m not going anywhere with you, ever again.”

“Don’t make a scene, Rune. You know you can’t fight me and your friend isn’t here to help you.”

“I don’t need Luke to help me,” he said stubbornly, crossing his arms. It was strange but suddenly he wasn’t frightened anymore. He tested the feeling and realised that, although he still felt really nervous and wasn’t quite sure what was going happen next, he wasn’t afraid. “I’m not scared of you anymore Rio and I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Now go and check out the other flashers for this week

Here's the final list of who's flashing this week, barring changes. MA Church    m/m Michael Mandrake  d.blogspot.com m/m Tali     m/m Sara York    m/m Elyzabeth VaLey     m/f Julie Lynn Hayes m/m