Anniversary

"One year? Has it been a year already?" Said the Author as he took another bite into a ham and cheese sandwich. "Doesn't seem like it." The year had flown by, and the actual amount of writing done for the sole purpose of this blog only reached 100 pages, with all other things on it being written previously. Still, a year later The Holiday had yet to be finished. Back when it started it flowed so nicely but now it's just a matter of trying to think of enough jokes to make it funny between where it is and the ending. The ending was all thought out, though only since around part 6.
"It'll take me forever to really develop my ideas at this rate." It was disappointing, the conclusion was meant to have been reached by part 10, but then there was the realisation that it just couldn't fit. "Part 12" he thought to himself, "That'll probably be about when it ends... It'll be a very long finale, they always are."
He paused, and got a drink. Typing happens slowly and with breaks between sentences as he gets constantly distracted by the things around him. Focus, that's what he really needed. That, and organisation skills.
Staring at the pile of paper next to him the Author realises that somewhere under some piles of paper is probably something important, long forgotten that hadn't seen the light of day in ages. He still hadn't sent off that letter to Nintendo, or finished that sketch of an Allosaurus skeleton. Yet another story had been put on hold, this time an obscure and bizarre romance tail that completely screws with gender identity and the conventional idea of beauty, because of another fresher idea being developed and then University made writing it too hard.
"Creative Writing course next semester. That should be helpful."
Another year, is coming up and hopefully by then there'd be more to this than just one story and some filler. Thoughts of many ideas ran through the Authors head, perhaps the origin story? Perhaps, though we should probably get to know Guy 1 better first. Maybe the story of how Guy 1 and 2 met? Or time travel. "Guy 2 has a name, I should give him a name..."
Checking the clock the Author realises that he's spent the entire day not doing much again. It was time to go do some work, or at least play Far Cry.

The Holiday Prt 10

Wizard: I’m a wizard!

Guy 1: You just said that!

Wizard: Yes well I am a Wizard you know.

Sally: What are you doing here Wizard?

Guy 1: You know the wizard?

Sally: Yeah. He’s a wizard.

Guy 1: That’s... that’s not a correlation!

Gary: (click)

Wizard: I was just out for a leisurely stroll when some squirrels offered me a shoe. I was suspicious of the squirrels at first but they tried to assure me it had obtained the shoe legitimately. You know me, I’m always a bit uncertain about accepting deals for footwear, especially ones with teeth marks, from woodland creatures so I declined his offer. Now I am here.

Sally: It’s a good thing you didn’t accept that offer from the squirrel Wizard, that shoe belongs to a friend of ours and that squirrel stole it from him.

Guy 1: Yes, and stealing is wrong.

Wizard: Where is your friend now?

Sally: He’s wandered off and now is lost in the woods.

Wizard: Then I shall help you find him! I’m a wizard you know.

Sally: Yes, yes I do.

Sally leads them the way that Gary had pointed out previously. The wizard trailed slightly behind far enough that Guy 1 could talk to Sally quietly without being heard.

Guy 1: You know the Wizard?

Sally: I already said yes.

Guy 1: Yes but... how?

Sally: Oh I just know him. He just pops up now and then.

Guy 1: Talking to woodland creatures? Can he really do that?

Sally: I don’t think so. But hey, some crazy people you just need to humour really. I don’t think he’s dangerous it’s just he probably will just keep talking about the squirrels until you agree with him. Just smile and nod. Oh, and whatever you do, when he says “I’m a wizard” don’t go “and I’m a troll!” or any other mythical creature. He goes crazy.

Guy 1: Does he turn green?

Sally: What? Oh, hahaha no. He’s not the hulk.

Guy 1: I was actually thinking Green Lantern but OK, good to know he also is not the hulk.

Sally: He is definitely not a famous comic book hero of any kind. Though one of my neighbour’s kids did have his own comic book series going for a while and did include the wizard in one issue.

Guy 1: How’d it go?

Sally: He’d just subdue everyone with lightning and then smoothly say “I’m a wizard” and all the girls would swoon for him.

Guy 1: If only that worked in real life.

Guy 1 looked off in the distance longingly, wishing that not only did it work but that he was a wizard as well. Oh the fun he’d have if only he had a foot long wand and a catchy catchphrase that turned on women. He randomly spoke midway through his thought.

Guy 1: It’d be so erotic.

Sally: It’d be what?

Guy 1: I said erotic.

Long pause.

Sally: What would?

Guy 1: Wands. In my... head... No I mean. I was thinking of... things. Wizardy things.

Wizard: (in the distance) I’m a wizard!

Guy 1: Thank you for informing me! Again!

Wizard: You’re very welcome!

Guy 1: I know I am. I am most welcome.

Wizard: I concur!

Sally: OK I can’t tell, is this a conversation entirely in sarcasm? Or are either both or either of you unable of understanding sarcasm so this is sincere? I’m not sure with you two.

Guy 1: I’m being sincere.

Wizard: So am I! I’m a wizard you know!

Guy 1: Not a correlation!

Gary: (click) (click!) (click!)

Gary banged his head against a nearby tree.

Gary: (click) (click) (click) (click) (click)

Sally: You’re right Gary; it’s soon to be dark. OK everyone lets pick up the pace! Hey, give me your phone.

Sally got hers out and adjusted the brightness setting. Guy 1 handed her his phone and did the same. She pointed them down at the ground.

Sally: Do those look like tracks to you?

The Wizard started climbing a tree. Gary and Guy 1 crowded round what Sally was pointing to.

Gary: (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click)

Guy 1: I agree Gary; indeed they do look like tracks.

Sally: OK they’re not the best defined prints but they look human right?

Guy 1: Yeah.

Sally: OK. I can’t tell if whoever made these tracks was missing a shoe or how old they are so we’re just going to have to take a gamble and follow them anyway. Agree everyone?

Gary: (click)

Guy 1: (click)

Sally: Wizard? Hello? Where’s the Wizard?

Everyone looked around but couldn’t see him. Suddenly he dropped down right in front of them only inches away.

Wizard: Hi!

Guy 1: Agh!

Sally: What were you doing?

Wizard: I was climbing the tree to see further on, I thought if I wasn’t blocked by all the trunks of trees I could see more.

Sally: And what did you see at the top of the tree?

Wizard: Leaves. Lots of leaves... apparently there are a lot of them everywhere.

Sally: Yes, trees generally have leaves.

Wizard: Many. Many that block my view.

Sally: Yeah... OK so this way then.

Sally takes a step back from the Wizard before leading them in the direction of the tracks, yelling out in case Guy 2 heard them. As they ventured further they were painfully aware of the sun setting. It was getting increasingly dark and the party was getting very worried, except the wizard which seemed unaware of anything and just smiled obliviously. It was almost disconcerting for Guy 1 who still had thoughts about being killed lingering in the back of his head. And hey, was the Wizard glowing?

Guy 2: Ow!

Guy 1: Gasp! A bear has been injured!

Sally: OK I’ve known him for much less time and even I know that that’s your friend.

Guy 2: Ow again!

Sally: Hello! What’s happening? Where are you?

Guy 2: I bumped into a tree! Ow! I bumped into it again! I think I’m blind.

Sally: Stop walking around. It’s dark, you’re not blind.

Guy 2: No, I’m pretty sure I’m blind now. Walked into a branch and now I can’t open my eyes because it hurts too much.

Sally: OK well keep talking, we’re going to try and find you by the sound of your voice.

Guy 2: OK. What to say? What to say? OK well after Gary abandoned me-

Gary: (click) (click)!

Guy 2: So cruelly and harshly abandoned, and pretending to be disabled to get away with it too, I wandered around aimlessly in the hopes of eventually making it back home. Unfortunately this did not come to pass and now I am stuck standing in front of a tree I can’t see for multiple reasons, one, it’s quite dark and two-

Sally: OK you can stop talking now we’ve found you.

Guy 2: Oh good. Now what?

Sally: Well I can take a look at your eye for you.

Sally used her phone to see as she inspected Guy 2’s eye.

Sally: Yeah don’t worry, it looks fine. You haven’t scratched anything, you’ve just poked it. You’ll be fine in a while.

Guy 2: Good.

Guy 2 slowly opened his eyes, blinking a lot. Eventually he could open them all the way. While he was doing this Sally looked around. It was now completely dark and there was no hope of getting back home now.

Sally: Oh...

Guy 1: Oh?

Sally: It’s too dark to carry on, we’ll need to camp here for the night. Do any of you know how to make a good fire?

Guy 1: I d-

Guy 2: NO! No! No you are not going to make us a camp fire!

Sally: Why not? What’s so bad about him making fire?

Guy 2: Do you want to tell her why you’re never allowed to make fire again?

Guy 1 paused, opened his mouth and looked at Sally, who was illuminated in the eerie glow of a mobile phone screen, for a moment before speaking.

Guy 1: (meekly) No.

Guy 2: Tell her the story...

Guy 1: But I don’t want to!

Guy 2: Tell her about the fire story or I tell everyone about the time you used Botox on uncle’s baby!

Gary: (click) (click)?

Sally: You did wh-

Guy 1: So yes, fire story! I shall tell you... the fire story...

Gary: (click)?

Guy 1: NO BABIES! OK well it all started one summer when I decided it would be fun to play with matches. Soon I had made a detailed picture of his dog out of burnt matchsticks. I was quite impressed so I decided to show the picture off to the dog and he seemed quite interested so went to sniff it and one of the matches was still burning as an ember and then... well his snout caught on fire.

Guy 2: And then what?

Guy 1: And then he ran over near your precious collection of dried grass and then it too set on fire...

Sally: “Your precious collection of dried grass”?

Guy 2: It was a different time... Don’t judge me.

Guy 1: So then his dog is on fire, and so is his grass and then suddenly I realised my right hand has caught alight and then he comes home and sees all this happening.

Guy 2: I get angry. Really angry.

Guy 1: So he’s beating me with a cricket bat and yelling profanities while his dog is running around on fire and then the cricket bat sets on fire.

Sally: OK I think I get the picture. So how’d it get resolved?

Guy 1: Neighbour was too lazy to call the fire department so they turned on a hose and sprayed it over the fence.

Guy 2: And not with specific intent or aim either, she just slung it over the fence so it was just spraying a bit over. We had to chase the dog towards the hose and then put out his hand.

Sally: Not the other way round? Aww you poor man!

Sally grabbed Guy 1’s right hand and looked at it.

Sally: There are no scars or healed burn marks on this hand! Only one scar in the middle?

Guy 2: He’s like some kind of weird freak who has a natural immunity to fire or something. You can set part of him on fire and it’ll burn for a while without hurting him. I have no idea where those two scars on his hands come from.

Guy 1: It does hurt me. It’s hot and hotness hurts.

Guy 2: Not quite what I meant.

Sally looked at Guy 1’s left hand and there was an identical scar also in the middle. She looked up at him with a look of disbelief that their story was true.

Sally: Immunity to fire? That’s just absurd.

Guy 2: Well in case you haven’t noticed he’s a very absurd person. Now, I’m going to help us get a campfire going and not burn down the entire woods!

Five minutes later:

Sally: OK now as long as you don’t touch anything like dirt or trees then it shouldn’t get infected.

Guy 2: Ow.

Guy 2 clutched his hand that was now slightly burnt.

Gary: (click) (click) (click)

Guy 2: Shut up! I have no idea what you just said but I’m sure you were mocking me.

Gary: (click)

Sally: Oh he doesn’t mean that. I’m sure he wants you to get well soon. Don’t worry; it’s not a major burn so not all of the skin on your hand will peel off. Sorry but I don’t have any bandages to wrap your hand in with me.

Guy 2: I feel so reassured.

Guy 2 looked at the back and front of his hand. It looked incredibly red and orange actually. It took him a moment to realise that the orange was because of the flickering light coming from a few feet from him. He looked over and saw that Guy 1 had successfully made a camp fire while Sally was tending to his wounds. Sally had noticed this too.

Sally: Oh how pretty! Good job! See? We should’ve let him make fire after all!

Guy 2 was completely delusional that he still had a chance with Sally as he was unaware of that near kiss that happened between Guy 1 and her. He was feeling quite jealous of Sally’s constant affection for Guy 1 and annoyed at his constant injury. It just didn’t seem right that Guy 1 would be getting more attention than him for things that weren’t obscene in public.

Sally: It’s a good thing you got this fire going or we would’ve had to snuggle together for warmth.

It was almost audible the sound of the realisation of an opportunity missed in Guy 1 and 2’s head. They just froze as they imagined what could’ve occurred out here in the woods all starting with Sally saying “Gee it’s cold tonight.”

Guy 1 and 2: We... still... could.

They glanced at each other realising that their thoughts were on the same track. It somewhat disturbed Guy 2 to think that his thoughts were exactly the same as Guy 1’s even down to the timing. Sally laughed.

Sally: Let’s sit down.

They all sat down in a circle around the fire.

Sally: Well it’s dark but it’s too early to sleep so let’s all tell each other a story. Gary, you’re first.

Gary: (click) (click) (click)? (click) (click)?

Sally: No we don’t mind if it’s a really long one. In fact, the longer the better. And yes, it can be a horror story.

Gary: (click)!

Gary smiled as he shuffled slightly closer to the fire. He leaned forward so the fire would light his face in an eerie glow, shadows were cast across his face. He slowly looked at everyone around the fire before taking a deep breath as he readied his story.

Gary: (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) .......... (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click).... (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click).... (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click).... (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click).... (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click)................ (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click)........ (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click).... (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click)........................................................................................................... (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click)! (click)! (click)! (click)! (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click)!!! (CLICK)!!!

Sally, The Wizard and Guy 1 sat there captivated by Gary’s story. Guy 1 was even trembling and Sally would gasp whenever Gary clicked in exclamation. Guy 2 just sat there bored as hell as he still couldn’t understand a single word Gary said. It was just repetitive clicking to him. Gary continued his story.

Gary: (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click) (click)! (click)! (click)! (click)! .............. (click) (click) (click)!!! (click) (click)!!.................................................................................... (click)

Guy 1 and Sally flinched at the end before applauding. Wizard screamed.

Sally: That was best and scariest story I have ever heard! How did you tell it so masterfully Gary? The suspense, the detail!

Guy 1: That was so dirty.

Sally: I did not expect that ending.

Guy 1: I didn’t either. I was just... blown away!

Sally: I was too!

Wizard: It was more suspenseful than Hitchcock, was more macabre than Poe himself and even King would be freaked by your storytelling. I give it 5 out of 4 stars.

Gary: (click) (click)!

Sally: What did you think of it? Wasn’t it just the scariest story ever?

Guy 2: Um... sure.

Sally: And very original too. The ways those people died!

Guy 2: It was definitely like nothing I had ever experienced.

Guy 1: I will forever be scared of salad due to that. I really will have to check through the entire thing before I eat a single bite.

Guy 2 was uncertain if they were just messing with him or if that was really part of the story. Just in case, he didn’t want to admit absolute ignorance by asking what salad had to do with anything or why The Wizard was looking around wildly in all directions with his fists up ready to fight. Maybe that was due to the story maybe because The Wizard seemed to be permanently on some kind of acid trip, Guy 2 really couldn’t tell.

Guy 1: I don’t think I can sleep tonight after that.

Sally: Well I guess that means you get to tend to the fire to make sure it doesn’t go out!

Guy 1: Stay up with me. I’m scared.

Sally: Don’t worry; I won’t let the story come true, especially not the part involving the eggs and the tractor.

Guy 1: Oh good. That was the scariest part!

Sally: It was indeed.

Sally held Guy 1 jokingly to comfort him. Just then, there was a blood curdling animalistic howl from far off in the dark woods. Everyone screamed.

To be continued...