Immortal Part 2

Chapter One

            Shivering, I pulled my coat close around me and stepped on to the vestibule. I already had the key out and had turned to lock the door. For a couple months now I haven’t been able to lock the door from the inside, shut the door and merely leave. I actually have to turn the knob a few times and then lock it with the key. Otherwise, even though the door is locked I can just pull it open. The little bar, for whatever reason, doesn’t stick.

            “Hey Syd.”

            Now I shivered for a reason other than the cold and I was glad I was facing the door. I wiggled the knob and gave the door a good tug to make sure that it would remain closed before sticking the key into the hole and locking it. I took a deep breath, turned and faced the owner of the nasally, gruff voice that had spoken to me. It took a lot, I have to admit, to respond in a pleasant tone rather than the annoyed put out tone that would have revealed my true feelings, “Hey Emryl.”

            I was very proud of myself. I didn’t think I sounded revolted at all, but revulsion was my initial instinct whenever I thought about Emryl Pemstein.

            Emryl had been my neighbor ever since I could remember. I mean, I remember playing with the guy as a little kid, avoiding him like a plague in high-school, and struggling to disguise my horror when he moved into the same apartment building as I did when we went to college.

            I won’t go as far as to say that Emryl had followed me here. It just happens that we both got accepted to Boston University in Massachusetts. I got my Scholarship for performing arts. Emryl got his for mathematics. I also know that he’s as poor as I am and the dump we live in is just in our price range.

            Ever since we moved here, Emryl seems to have latched on to me. We played together as kids, like I indicated before, but I wouldn’t consider us friends. We associated with very different people all growing up. Why he felt that moving to Boston made us instant best friends, I sill can’t figure out but for the last several months he would be waiting for me every morning. He watches me lock my door and then walks me to my first class.

            I suppose I should just accept the routine and try to make the best of it. Maybe even be grateful for the guise of protection that Emryl presents for me. With a man walking by my side I wasn’t likely to become a victim of assault or rape. That kind of thing was known to happen on campus occasionally and in this wicked world one can never be too careful. I am fully aware of what a wimp Emryl is and that if it came down to it, I would end up being the protector if we were ever confronted with a threat, but still… Image is a lot and the two of us together weren’t likely to ever be attacked. The sensible logical part of me knew this and I tried to remind myself that Emryl was just trying to be nice and that he probably thought of me as his little sister, just like I thought of him as an annoying brother. But the fact of the matter was, Emryl gave me the creeps.

            Imagining him gazing into my window with a pair of binoculars hoping to see me undress was not very difficult. More than once I had caught the guy drooling as he leered at me with a perverted glaze in his eyes. I wanted to smack him. And the mere fact that he did pick me up every morning and then was there waiting for me after my last class to walk me home gave people the impression that we were together. On more than one occasion I had the distinct feeling that Emryl felt I belonged to him somehow. Sometimes the mere thought of Emryl Pemstein sent chills up and down my spine.

            As usual, Emryl immediately freed me of the burden of carrying my bag. Some women might consider this a benevolent act of a true gentleman. For me it felt like just one more way for Emryl to prove that he was the man and that I was somehow less capable than he. A surge of humiliation and resentment shot through me every morning when this happened. Oh, don’t get me wrong here. I want to someday find that gentleman that will open doors for me and pamper me.  I deserve that in my life. Every woman does. Maybe it was because Emryl never asked. He just grabbed my bag and threw it over his shoulder with a grunt. Like he was so put out and bothered by my inability to do the simplest of things… or maybe for the sheer fact that it was Emryl that was doing it. But for whatever reason it irritated me immensely.

            I forced a smile and mumbled, “Thanks.”, like I always did and the two of us stepped onto the sidewalk.

            Normally Emryl started up right away. He likes to talk. He tells me about everything going on in his life, from the television shows he’s watching, to the math problem he’s struggling with, to the meaningless facts he had picked up while searching the internet, to the weather for the next few days. I usually walk in silence, interjecting a few “uh-hunh's", “yeps”, and when things really get dull I’ll feign interest by adding “Really?” but my mind is always anticipating our arrival at my first class and the reality of an entire Emryl free day.

            After a couple minutes of absolute silence. I glanced at Emryl in puzzlement. He wasn’t talking at all.

            “Everything okay?” I asked.

            “Yep,” he said shortly and he looked behind us distractedly.

            I glanced behind us too, wondering what it was he was seeing. But I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. The street was scattered with people, like it was every morning. Other kids our age headed to class, some headed to work, mothers walking their kids to school. It was always busy and somewhat chaotic in the mornings.

            “Are you sure you’re alright?” I asked studying Emryl a little bit closer.  Something was definitely bothering him.

            What I expected from Emryl and what I got from Emryl were very different things. I thought he would dismiss me again and begin a lecture about how weird I was. He told me all the time how weird I was. I worried too much, tended to be a little bit paranoid and that I verged on ridiculous. That’s what I thought would happen. Instead he glanced behind us again. For as long as I live I will never forget the expression on his face when he turned back to me. Instead of a wide smile as he laughed off my concern and reminded me how silly I was. His face had suddenly gone pale. I won’t say it was as white as a sheet. I’ve never actually seen that. I don’t even think it’s possible, but the blood had drained from his features and his skin was an odd, yellowish, sickly color. His eyes were big and wide and he looked lost.

            “Emryl, what is wrong with you?  Are you sick?” I asked concernedly. This really wasn’t like him.

            “Don’t worry about it,” Emryl growled angrily.  “Just… let’s hurry.”

            “You’re being bizarre. Just tell me.”

And Just for good measure... a poem of the day as well...

1 HOUR

What can you do with a single hour?  Can you or will you sing?

What can you sing in a single hour?  How can you make your voice ring?

What can you change in a single hour?  What can you find you make good?

It doesn’t take long.  Just a single hour.  You  can if only you would.

Alright world!  I'm finally doing it.  I'm going to post one of my stories to my blog.  I will do a page or so every 2 days.  I've been working on this story for awhile and i hope you enjoy...

Immortal.

 What an intriguing and mysterious concept. It’s what we all strive for

– to live forever. To never die. To exist forever and ever. To never cease.

The curse of Adam, though, dictates that man will die. And since the original

transgression being human means that eventually eternal sleep will triumph over life.

Throughout the ages, legends have been shared, stories have been passed on about

tales of everlasting life and how to achieve it. The fountain of life, the Holy Grail, and

dozens of other means have been bought to grant longevity.

It’s natural to long for more time – or forever. We live in a vast world, an

unfathomable universe with endless possibilities of things to see and do. It’s an

impossible thing to learn everything to experience all of the things that are out there,

especially with the limitation of the average human life span.

All of us want to accomplish amazing, remarkable feats. Accomplishments are

hindered, usually by two main things; lack of time and lack of funds.

Another interesting point, though, in all of the legends and stories we hear the

protagonist that achieves his goal of everlasting life finds that once he has gained

immortality finds that suddenly his existence is a curse.

There must be opposition in life. To appreciate life there has to be death. To enjoy

prosperity there must be the misery of poverty. To enjoy good health, one needs to have

the understanding of what it is to suffer sickness. To know what’s right, there must be the

Humans usually seek after the thing that is not good for them. They want instant

gratification. They want easy and convenient. But they want all of this without

accomplishment. They want the forever without the test.

For thousands of years this unfortunate truth has been proven time and time again.

That is, humans seeking what they can’t possibly have. Something that isn’t theirs.

Something they haven’t yet earned.

AUDIO!!!!!!!

Ha!  it worked!  i posted this to facebook too,  It's the audio version of the third edition of the Ogden Optimistic!  Now that I've figured it out,, i can post more of the audio stuff... Yay!  I just have to be more patient I guess.

Ogden Optimistc Edition 3

Tuesday January 5, 2016

Oh my goodness!  There's just so much to do and there's so much going on in just a few day!  So many thoughts and emotions swirling around in my head.
It was so good to get back to work and see many of  my friends.
Last night I had a voice lesson with Rick Rae.  He is amazingly talented and he is working with me and helping to put some of my poems and lyrics to music and I tell him all the time but I don't know if he believes me... I am so appreciative of his patience and insight.
I have three more issues of the Ogden Optimistic to let you read.  As I've read them I've enjoyed each issue a little bit more and grown a little bit  more proud.
So here is issue 3

Edition 3  July 24, 2007

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows

Ogden, Kyle Matthews:  Last Friday, July 20, 2007 millions of people all over the world waited in eager anticipation for the release of the last and final installment in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows.  I remember exactly the first time I was introduced to Harry Potter.  It was November and the third book in the series, Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban, had either just been released or was going to be shortly released.  I was at the doctor’s office and I picked up a magazine and I became entranced by the article which talked of ‘you know who’, the boy who lived and a world full of wizards, magic and muggles. 

I remember the excitement I felt as I read the magazine article and I remember rushing right to the closest book store once my doctors appointment had ended. 

It was around thanksgiving and I had no interest in football games, or eating because I was drawn into the wizarding world, quidditch and Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry.  The rich story line, the surprises, the humor J.K. Rowling has woven a truly magical tale and for the first time since television became a household item, children were more interested in reading than they were in watching the ‘old boob tube’. 

I didn’t get caught up in the Harry Potter craze until after the release of the third book.  So I was luckily able to read the first three books with out the agonizing wait that fans of the series were forced to endure.  But I remember the wait after I finished the third book.  The anticipation, the speculation.  What exactly was the Goblet of Fire?  J.K. Rowling remained secretive and evasive, escalating the anticipation of the release of her fourth book. 

I remember going to the book store and waiting for hours and hours with other ‘nutters’ that just couldn’t wait to get their Potter fix.  The excitement was palpable. 

Each book, it seemed took longer and longer for her to complete and for us, the fans to get our hands on.  Websites such as www.mugglenet.com,, www.harrypotter.warnerbros.com,

www.jkrowling.com

www.the-leaky-cauldron.org

and dozens more popped up.  Fans were writing their own versions of what they thought, or hoped would occur in the series.  They drew pictures and debated and argued about the outcome.  Who would live?  Who would die?  It’s a phenomenon unlike any other.  Adults and children alike have grown to love ‘the boy who lived’.  Children have grown up with Harry Potter. 

With the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the Harry Potter series comes to an end.  But his legacy will live on.  Generations to come will enjoy the magic and wonder of J.K’s Rowlings world that includes 7 books, and so far 5 movies with the other two movies in the works.  But the imaginations of children everywhere have been awoken and I believe there will be a surge of  creative works from children who learned to read and to love literature through the works of Harry Potter.

I only have one more thing to say, Thank you, J.K. Rowling for your fabulous imagination, your wonderful sense of humor and for the intricate and complex plots that you have woven together and made hundreds of muggles like me, believe that magic exist.

 

Sunday January 3, 2016

I'm getting ready for bed because tomorrow it's back to the old grindstone.  Part of me dreads it.  The part I dread is getting up at 4:45 am.  exposing myself to the extra frigid temperatures and getting up at 4:45 am.
I actually look forward to seeing my work friends and although every job has frustrations and difficulties, for the  most part I really enjoy my job.  And I'm grateful that I am fortunate enough to have a steady job.  I know there are lots of people that are looking for work or that work miserable jobs or the position they do have might  not be very secure so despite the hiccups I encounter and the tears I've cried... I am very thankful for my job.
Tonight I'm going to submit two pieces of writing.  The first one is the second issue of the Ogden Optimistic.  I started that in 1992 and there are only 5 issues.  I'm hoping to do better in the future. I've spent the Christmas/New Year break working very hard to record my writings and yesterday and most of today was devoted to reading the Ogden Optimistic.  The memories and recollections came rushing back to me and it was a very sweet moment for me.  A tiny glimpse of what was happening in my life at that conjuncture in time.  Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I did.

This is the right place

Ogden, Kyle Matthews On July 24, 1849 Brigham Young, prophet of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints stuck a staff into the ground and declared to his people that ‘this is the right place’.  Since that day July 24 has been observed in Utah as Pioneer Day.  Along with July 4^th, the day of our nations independence from Britain, July is filled with fun, fireworks and patriotism for the people in Utah.  Every year the Sunday before Pioneer day a concert is held on the grounds of Weber State University, followed by a spectacular display of Fireworks.

As I attended the event, I began to think.  Many people prepared days before, setting down blankets and markers to claim a spot to sit on the night of the event.  Thousands of people squeezed onto the grounds and waited for hours in the hot blazing July Sun.  The firework show was not a disappointment, and the grand finale lit the sky like Mid-Day but after ten or fifteen minutes it was over.

I thought about this and I laughed to myself and thought, how silly people are sometimes.  I thought of all the souls who had spent the whole day just waiting…but then another thought occurred to me.

Hundreds of families who live in a busy world dominated by television and video games, that normally struggle to merely squeeze a meal together in their hectic and crazy lives, today, had the opportunity to spend hours together with nothing to do but talk and enjoy each other.  Thousands of people gathered together, drawn by the promise of the popping and spectacle of pyrotechnic genius, but that wasn’t the only reason they gathered.  They gathered together to enjoy each other and to celebrate their country and to celebrate and appreciate this great state, Utah, and its humble beginnings.  As the ooh’s and Ah’s filled the air my heart swelled with pride.  I don’t like crowds but for a few seconds I felt like every single person, of the thousands of people there, were of one mind.

I don’t know if every other person thought back to Brigham young, and maybe some of them don’t even know why people gather there and set off fireworks, but I did.  And I am so thankful for the people who worked so hard to make Utah the great state that it is.

Typed at Last

Ogden, Aaron Call:  In 1981 Tiffany Kennedy and Spencer Crozier picked up a pencil and together they wrote a simple story.  It was about a little Unicorn who disobeyed her mother and was confronted by an evil ogre.  I don’t know what impact that story had on Mr. Crozier’s life, but it changed Miss Kennedy’s life forever.  Seven years later in 1989 Tiffany began to write a story about two astronauts that get trapped underneath the surface of a desolate planet.  Then she moved on to write poems and more stories.  Now over 19 years after the first story that she ever wrote, Tiffany has begun to type up her stories and poems.  One day, in the near future, she will send in her first story to be published.  She will be a profound influence to the writing community.

It could happen.

my second entry is going to be just a short poem.  One more little tid bit of info before I post it though.  As I've mentioned a couple of times I am working very hard to read all of my writings into an audio format.  I'm recording the songs I've written and although i'm not Carrie Underwood by any means, I don't think I'm half bad either and I've put a whole lot of time and effort into it.  If any of you would like an "audible" version of anything you've read or if you would prefer to listen to the poems and short stories rather than read them, just let me know.  I will gladly share.  It seems kind of pointless to do all this work just for me.    anyhow... my poem

INNOCENCE

Innocence is a sleeping babe in a mother’s arms.

It’s the splash of a puddle or the smell of the rain.

Innocence is beautiful.  It brings a sense of peace.

It’s laying on a hill and staring at the clouds or stars.

Innocence is security and knowing who you are.

It’s feeling good about yourself.  It’s knowing we’re the same.

Innocence is a child praying on her knees.

It’s faith and love and dreams and heart.

That’s what Innocence means to me.

The Ogden Optimistic Edition 1

It is the beginning of a New Year!  Wow.  It's mind boggling to think that it is 2016!  So many possibilities. Today seemed like a perfect opportunity to post an entry to my blog.
For the last year I really haven't been doing a lot of writing.  That isn't to say i haven't been working.  I've spent the last year recording songs, recording my old stories and typing up my old stories and poems to make sure i don't lose them.  When you have a couple crates full of rough drafts and sometimes incoherent ramblings it's amazing how much space you can safe.  I accomplished two things at once really.  I was able to save a ton of space and get rid of a bunch of junk!
My entry today isn't going to be a poem.
I have been making up stories in my head since i can remember.  I've been writing stories since around the same time.  Unfortunately most of my earlier writings have been lost.  But as I was working on recording the works I have managed to preserve over the years I found this little News Paper that I wrote back in 1992.  The Ogden Optimistic.

Edition 1  November 20 1992

The Ogden Optimist!

Ogden, Kyle Matthews:  Everyday thousands of ordinary American citizens pick up a newspaper from their local corner store to find out what’s hot and what’s not.  They want to know what’s going on in the world or, it’s just cool to buy a newspaper.  We’ll now there’s a newspaper that everyone should read.  The Ogden Optimistic is the first newspaper that will keep you in touch with the world without dampening your day.  Find out the scores to the hottest games and enjoy reading the news instead of crying about it.

Bonneville vs. Clearfield

Salt Lake, Aaron Call:  It’s the highlight of every high school year.  The football state championships.  This year we had a particularly tough game between Bonneville (The Lakers) and Clearfield high (The Falcons).  The game went through the first quarter with no score for either team, but during the second half a streak of bad luck hit the Lakers and the Falcons scored.  The final score of the games was 27 to 0 for the Falcons.  But that’s not what this article is about.  On Thursday the 19 of November 1992 a school pulled together like never before.  Cowboys agreeing with stonies, jocks agreeing with nerds on one thing.  That their school football team was great.  The spirit in Bonneville high made everyone proud and it goes to show that people aren’t so different.  People are people and I’m glad that something, even if it’s a football game, can bring people together.  There is hope for the human race after all.  Way to Go!

The Great American Smoke Out!

Ogden, Sarah Benden: Yesterday was a great event in the lives of millions of American people.  The event; The great American Smoke Out.  The purpose is for people who smoke to not smoke for one day and for people who don’t smoke to promote their life style and show smokers they can live without smoking.  Slogans of ‘Kiss me I don’t smoke’ and others could be found on T-shirts, Buttons and banners through out schools.  Good Luck for those trying to quit.  I hope you make it.

One Good Turn Deserves Another!

Ogden, Mark Ericson: During the Holiday season there are people who are going to have things to eat and those who won’t.  What can we do to help?  A lot.  It doesn’t take to much and togeth we can give a family a meal.  We can get together and donate cans of food.  A dollar here and there.  Get together and make a quilt.  It doesn’t take much to do a good deed.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

Ogden: Kyle Matthews: Winter is here!  Sledding, snowball fights, and warm nights by the fire are here.  It started snowing Thursday night and didn’t stop until late Friday Morning.  Let it Snow!  Let it Snow!  Let it Snow!