Arisen Wars: Viator

Wednesday, July 4th, 2008
0420 hours

The night is silent as all slept in the apartment complex peacefully without thought of what the morning might bring to them. The skies were a dark blue with stars twinkling in and out of view like a peaceful silent melody. The swamp, just behind the complex, was filled with its usual mosquitoes and alligators, each inhabiting it as if it were their own city isolated from the next by the boundaries of streets and dirt roads. The trees wrestled with each other caused by heavy winds coming down from the north of Virginia Beach where the beach was filled with activity all morning with surfers and others who wished nothing more than to just live their peaceful lives next to an ocean of serenity. Very few cars passed the small apartment complex at this time, but the numbers will soon increase dramatically as the sun rises above the horizon in a few hours time. The lights within the complex began to flicker.

Ryan sits up, awake in his bedroom filled with posters of several Japanese cartoons, rock bands and celebrities. Clothes blanketed the floor of the average sized room. He looks at its simplicity-at the least, his version of simplicity-for one last time before having to leave in a few hours; to leave and become accustomed to a new home and quite possibly a new life-style. He straightened himself, leaning more against the corner his bed was set against, waiting for his mother’s alarm clock to ring obnoxiously from the other side of the apartment so he could make his leave. Glancing at his dresser located between his brother’s and his own bed, there were assorted items such as several styles of cologne, deodorants, a bible and several styles of miniaturized cars such as the Mazda Miata or the Honda Civic. Hanging from the mirror, which was connected to the dresser, was his digital clock that acted like a radio. It is rather old and dust-filled making it barely useable to awaken anyone, but just right to listen to the music he enjoyed greatly. With a smile, he sighed and wished he were a normal boy. Thinking more deeply at this thought, it felt slightly awkward wishing this. Being a normal boy would like be like being an entirely new species to him. His demeanor, the way he was, would be totally different.

He took his gaze off of his dresser to his computer in an attempt to occupy his mind with different thoughts. It was located at the foot of his bed, in the middle of assorted papers that stacked higher and higher each day that passed that his mother was in school. Floppies were littered here and there and some even atop the floor. Newspapers covered the rest of the space. His mother, Devarious, used it more often than he did because she is studying to gain a good education and only just recently received her Doctorates degree as a pharmacist. To her, it was one of few accomplishments she felt proud of, but her three children were far more precious an accomplishment than anything else in her life and with another on the way, her joy could only grow.

Between his bed and the computer, just barely visible from where he was, was an acoustic six-string guitar with steel strings coated with a thin and yet durable plastic to make them last longer than two weeks. He used to play it very often, but he stopped considering he got bored easily from hearing a song and being able to play it easily due to his audio and photographic memory. This came in handy, though, for last minute studies. Creating his own music will soon have to be his only stress reliever. Red wine will not be an available option where he was going.

Looking down at his stomach, he could tell he was beginning to get hungry. It growled silently, but in the quiet bedroom it sounded rather loud like the low growl of dog ready to attack. He chuckled trying his hardest not to awaken his brother, Andre, by covering his stomach with the pillow that lay beside him. Andre slept on the opposite side of the room, which was a mere two paces away from his own bed. He got up slowly, a bit tired considering he had not slept. Nothing out of the usual, whish is why it didn’t effect him like it would for most others. Instinctively, he took the opportunity to look himself over in the mirror hoping his looks had changed, but they remained the same. The same long, dirty blonde hair and blue eyes filled his face with such an abnormal beauty; the same features within his bone structure and pale, but not sickly pale, skin tone that gave everyone the impression of a female cried out to him in his reflection. Even his body, as fit as he was, if he were to put his hair in front of him he could not even tell, himself, if he were looking at a boy or a girl. In his old high school, every male knew him due to the fact that every single one of them had tried to date him. They never found out he was a male until he told them which was quite shocking to the males and quite hilarious for Ryan. His movements and even his voice tricked the men, so it was no surprise that they thought he was a girl. His voice was soft, sweet and gentle which seemed more female than anything else and was quite the mystery to many, including doctors. Sometimes he would wonder if he were meant to be a female, but changed at the last moment. He spoke for a moment hoping to hear a difference, but no change came. It was still the same as it had always been his entire life.

Ryan grabs a hair tie from within the top left drawer and ties his hair back. Only a few strands that were too short to be tied back dangle in front of his face. He looked down at his brother Andre and saw him sound asleep like an infant newly born and tired after being introduced to a dry world outside of it's original home. He smiled softly, kissing Andre's fore head, without thought or reason. He felt it was necessary, he supposed.

Ryan looks around the room for a brown old-western leather hat. He searched throughout the room and found it in his closet hanging off the handle of his Kanemitsu style ion blade, a sword made of crystallized energy in the fashion of a katana, but with a 4 foot long blade not three like the traditional katana. Crystallized ion is created through concentrated bursts of fusion that is controlled to a point of forming a shape. The energy is compressed tightly and held in by specific crystals that absorb the energy and harden it to become stronger than titanium. It is the very pride of North America due to its inventor being the current President or political leader due to the fact that each continents countries have joined together to form seven nations.

Ryan drops the hat atop his bed and peeks at the time. It read 0455. He opens his left middle drawer, disregarding the time almost entirely because it was still a bit early. He reaches into the drawer and slowly, so as to not awaken his little brother with the dressers loose frame, takes out a pair of socks. As he closes it as softly as he could muster, Andre stirs but falls back into the bliss of dreams once more.

He got dressed quickly, thinking of how his first day at Battling and Advanced Tactics College, or as everyone began to call it, BATC, would turn out. He can remember the reason he had for going very clearly. His older brother was in it and loved it because it was a college funded by the government to which needed no payment to enter or learn in it because it was the very first college made in 2004 for the sport of battling. Colleges, such as BATC, were made to train men and women to participate in the sport that brought all the continents together as a unified government. The sport was merely fighting with the new technology so as to not kill the players. This caused most wars to end and all military power to dissipate. All that was left of it was a spot in the textbooks of history.

More colleges were made and required payment because of their advanced technology. Unlike BATC whose only advanced technology is a room made to create holographic images that felt and looked real though was not. This room was to train certain students who were going to graduate and give the freshman a taste of what to expect.

It was cold within the dark and quiet room. His usual schedule of awakening at seven in the morning was also what he was used to as his head still felt light with sleep. He only felt this way on those nights when he couldn't help but stay awake. As a matter of fact, most nights he would lie awake so as to not dream for fear of dreaming a memory never forgotten, but always haunting.

He reached below his bed and thought of which pair of shoes to bring along. It didn’t take him long to reach for his steel-toe boots. As he slipped them on, he remembered the day he got them as a sixteenth birthday present. It was his best friend Tobias Aaron Kotke who had given them to him. Tobias was known as a his brother for their long history as friends. To many, it seemed as if they were inseparable, and even to some as if they were in an intimate relationship, but it had been almost a year since they last had met. It felt like longer to Ryan, but there wasn’t much else he could do. Distance is what keeps family apart.

As he tied the last knot, he noticed the piece of paper atop his dresser that notified him of his acceptance and also provided him with his schedule. He grabbed the piece of paper as he stood and stared at it with a shocked expression still. All his life he had been studying to be one step closer to being a Tear member, a graduate that is recognized to battle for North America, and being with his brother. It came true with interest. The schedule read ‘Sunday from midday to midnight-Advanced Tactics 4-Mrs. Horn.’

He smiled looking down at an engraving in his ion blade, which lay beside him atop of his bed. It read “Aniel” which was a nickname his elder brother, also named Ryan, had given him at the age of 14. The shock will never leave him. Soon he will fulfill the promise he had made that birthday to his elder brother. The promise to join him and fight with him like brothers should do. Other things happened that day, but he did not wish to remember them out of fear of the very memory itself. Most of the time, he tried to not fall asleep because of it and if he did, he would take a pill that would enable him to sleep without dreaming, but for other times when the memory crept to him without notice it was a nightmare he could not escape.

He snapped back to reality as an alarm clock filled the silence of the apartment with its repetitive high-pitched notes. He quickly put aside everything he was thinking of and left the room as silent as a shadow. He walked through the living room, behind a bar-like counter, and into the kitchen. As he reached over for the bread in the pantry, his mother came out wearing her usual blue faded jeans and over sized shirt, considering her pregnancy.

Devarious begins brushing her hair as she sat on a stool on the other side of the bar-like counter, opposite of the kitchen. Her growing belly just barely touched the edge of the black marble counter. The growing child within her is now beginning to grow larger by the day, in his opinion, as he watched in horror of having yet another smaller sibling but this time a little sister; the oddball in a sense. He was happy about having a sister though him leaving, he was hoping somehow he would be here for his mother during the rough times. He wanted to help her, just as she had helped him during the most frightening time in his life.

“How long’ve you been awake?” She asked in a dreary voice considering it was almost 5:10 and time of awakening was noon the latest. She put her long, silky brown hair in a pigtail just as he replied to her question.

“Didn’t sleep…the usual. Want mayo on this?” As he spoke, he lowered his head slightly, trying to steer away from the conversation. He hated the one memory of his father. It seemed to be a constant memory of heavy breathing and pain as death showed its self clearly with his own hands.

Devarious sighed deeply. Seeing his reactions she knew well what it was that bothered and merely nodded to his question. As he handed her the sandwich, he asked, “So when are we leaving?”

“Well…it’s only 5:12, so…we’ll leave when we’re done. No later, I promise.” She could see the anticipation growing fairly fast within his eyes and body language as she took a bite of her sandwich. It was most adorable to see his anticipation manifest to clumsiness as he stumbled and fumbled in the kitchen with everything he was handling. It was nice to see him in such a playful mood.

Upon preparing his own sandwich, his mother continuously gave stories of the time she would catch Ryan’s big brother, Big Rye as he was known as most of his life, sneaking out of school with his girlfriend and closest friend then eventually came home saying he missed everyone and would stay the night until he left early in the morning. He did this often, but sometimes it wasn’t often enough for Ryan. Big Rye was more than just a brother to Ryan, he was a role model, and someone he looked up to with all his heart.

Just as they finished eating, he went into his room once more grabbing an overstuffed back pack and a large rolling luggage. Upon the carpeted floor he rolled it out quietly, softly kissing his little brother on his forehead good-bye once more, then leaving completely from the apartment building in a very large mini-van.

For hours they drove down highway and country-side. The scenary seemed surreal to him. Many cars traveling along the expressway then trees filling his vision. It wasn’t long before they entered a large city, otherwise known as Washington D.C. He was excited to see the many historical buildings, and sculptures stand out tell there silent tales to the public. It was hard for him to imagine how terrible the crime rate was here for such a beautiful city. It felt as if the city would fall to ruin if it continued at this rate where no one could walk the streets without something happening. Thankfully, police were not abolished during the militaries disappearance. Unfortunately, though war has left behind and peace had blanketed the continents, civil strife continues because of the greed in the hearts of humans.

In a moments notice, the White House came into view. The hope welled up inside of him as he imagined the day he would see the President who created the idea of battling, who also at the time was a legislator, scientist, and creator of ion weaponry technology. An amazing man with dedication to fulfill the will of the people all over the world, the will of living in peace with our brethren from other countries and religious backgrounds without discrimination of boundaries; a co-existence that can only be done by acceptance.

For a few minutes traffic was very long and slow because of the amount of students wanting to enter the college opposite of BATC. It was a well-known college, considering it had the most updated technology for the students’ protection and for their training. One of such technologies was a laser technology that scans the very cellular structure of the student to identify them by their unique DNA code. The school was known as Lunar College because of its architecture. It was made to seem like a crescent moon to honor the founder of the college, Lunar Max, who is still Principal of Lunar College.

After a few more blocks and swirling roads it was wide-open space, away from a buzzing world of white-collar life. No more buildings surrounded them but clean grass fresh with morning dew that clung and gave off patches of fog here and there. The morning sun was peeking over the horizon like a curious child seeing something shiny atop a high pedestal. The few trees that spotted the seemingly endless land looked as if they gleamed like jewels in the sun. The cherry blossoms were so few in number, but gave color to the grassy lands that rolled with high and low hills.

“What do you think, Ryan?” Ryan looked over at his mother and saw her eyes sparkle. Though they were fixed upon the road she could feel his excitement just from the beautiful scenary alone. Only three to four cars were ahead and behind them in this grand space of seemingly endless splendor. The excitement resonated from him in his voice as he sang along with the tunes of the radio; his voice, ever so sweet, like the blue jays on a spring morning.

He grinned looking out of his window with a fire burning in his eyes as he saw it over the horizon. The main building and it’s giant dome-like structure and Roman architecture growing higher and higher as four buildings in four corners of the main grounds were higher by far and rose to heights that made them appear as if they were holding up a glass barrier over the campus grounds. The sun came at its west creating a huge shadow across the right side of the grassy areas.

As they entered the grounds, hundreds of students between the ages of 18 to 22 were scattered with weapons in hand or in their proper placing. He watched in awe as all held weapons of all kinds; guns, daggers, swords, shuriken and much, much more. All of them walked without awkward looks upon their faces or feeling the least bit concerned about the person next to them. They walked along the stone paths or through the perfectly green and evenly cut grass. Tradition and discipline were two main feelings one could sense within a college with such reputation in just a few short years.

Devarious drove down a roadway towards the main building with one flag post at the very top and center of the dome holding up the North American Tear members official flag; an angel with hair as black as night and a face to die for, lying comfortably in the curves of the crescent moon with a single black tear running down its beautiful face. Women say it is a man though men say it is a woman, but it is the seamstress of the flag, long since been known as dead, that actually knows the gender of the mysterious angel. Along the sides of the 150 foot path from the road to the main building were much smaller versions of the cherry blossom trees and below them between each tree were bushes of white roses; each tree separated by the white rose bushes and space was given appropriately between each plant, approximately 5 foot intervals.

Devarious put a hand softly atop Ryan’s shoulder causing him to jolt out of “Admiration Mode”. Her expression was that of utter joy with her wide smile and hazel eyes that glinted in the morning suns orange glare. “Go ahead, honey.”

Ryan looked at the main building and gave a heavy sigh before getting up, acceptance papers in hand, and walking towards its glass double door entrance. As he came up to the door he could see the hours cut into the glass together with the words “Main Building” and “Battling and Advanced Tactics College” written in neat and legible script. As he pushed the doors open a rush of cold air came at him and blanketed him. His hair noticeably waved behind him. He entered slowly, not knowing where to go or who to talk to as few students littered the hallways. To him, it felt surprisingly empty. He thought that considering the school was funded by all of North America, everyone would be coming here, but it appeared to him that people were as stupid as they were gluttonous not taking full advantage of the opportunity of learning for free, but instead having to pay for the education because they wanted higher technology thinking it was better than a traditional college. Then again it could be that its re~ally early in the morning.

He came to a window and there sat a middle-aged woman with an old womans odor about her typing too fast for him to even imagine. At first, Ryan thought she was too engrossed in her typing to notice him. However, as he was going to grab her attention by clearing his throat she held out a finger, still typing as fast as she was with only one hand, saying, “I'll be with yeh in a moment, ma’am.” He was too astonished to say anything so he merely stood quiet until she gave one last tap on the keyboard, and turned to face him.

Upon being able to see her much closer, he saw that she wasn't very old at all. In fact, she had very few wrinkles to begin with and very rosy cheeks, a sign of youth in its prime age. Her voice was very harsh and she had bangs coming down the middle of her face in front of her half-moon spectacles. “How may I help yeh, lass?” Her accent was strong and Irish or Scottish. He could not tell considering both accents were nearly the same to begin with.

“Uh…I’m not a lass, ma’am. I’m a guy.”

“Excuse me?” She leaned forward a bit noticing no chest and a slight bulge in his pants. Dropping into her chair and turning completely red with embarrassment, she apologized as best she could through laughter. “I'm sorry, lad. I merely assumed...well...you know.”

“It’s alright. I get it all the time.” Ryan chuckled, giving a small hand gesture. After which, he pulled out the few papers he needed to give her with the necessary signatures and identification. He handed them to her as soon as her face turned normal again, and the unimaginably fast typing began filling the awkward silence with its monotone melody. After filling out her report to the central database, she handed him a few papers from beneath the counter such as a roster, legends, and a map of the campus grounds. “Alright then, lad, listen closely. The yellow packet's maps of all the buildings, including the dormitories...”

“I think I can handle it from here, ma'....”

“Yes, yes. I know dear. Now listen and don’t interrupt me like that.” After giving his apologies, she continued but stopped herself. She had noticed that what she was doing was indeed childish and merely shooed him off with the documents and maps. Her typing began once more. It still awed him how fast she was typing and what she could possibly be typing when there were so few at B.A.T.C.

Ryan gave a sigh of relief upon entering the car once again. Devarious laughed at this due to the fact that Big Rye had done the same when he first arrived. They looked at the pink roster and found the dorm room he was given. He had room 200 in the northeast dormitories, top floor where the seniors were. It seemed a bit odd for Ryan due to the fact that he was a freshman, but he was satisfied considering it was probably due to all of his hard work.

Devarious started the car once more and began to drive. Down winding roads on this simple but open campus, they drove. Ryan watched in excitement as the students practiced together within the gardens. See many doing flips, others would roll and most would side step. The whole basis was either ranged or hand-to-hand combat. Within minutes they were on the final road to the northeast dormitories, Ryan grew more and more excited. He held his Kanemitsu tightly as he watched intently, learning more and more to improve his own technique.

Devarious stopped the car in front of the northeast dormitories and helped him take out his luggage. Ryan bade his mother farewell, tearing slightly, though unnoticed by his mother. As he watched her leave, fear gripped his heart in a tight fist. Fear to grow up; fear to face the pressures of college alone, but he couldn't let that stop him. He hoped to find a friend fast, though, or else he might go crazy in this fear for he knew he had one too many already.

Ryan stepped forward to go through the doors. As they slid apart, someone else was coming through at a full sprint with her head bowed down towards her cellular phone. Thus, a woman knocked him back as she fell atop of him, dead weight to it’s fullest pinning him down. Pain rushed through his back once he landed upon the concrete sidewalk, but it wasn't as bad as it could've been considering he still had his backpack on. Thankfully, it was filled with clothes alone. She was at least 21 or so with long bushy brown hair, very wild and yet, somehow, in a small ponytail. Her ears were slightly pointed and her figures was one that was most likely irresistible to many men, not thick but not extremely thin, either.

“I am so sorry,” she said in a very croaky voice. She sounded as if she had just awoken and ran a marathon.

“It’s alright...I’m not hurt, just...in utter pain.” Ryan had a very painful look about his face as she got off of him holding out her hand, but he waited a few seconds before grabbing her hand. She pulled him up quite easily, to his surprise, and helped him pick up his bags, as well. He cracked his back in several spots feeling the pain go away almost instantly. After which, retrieving his bags, he gave a slight wave and left wanting nothing more but to lie down on a couch or something of the sort. The woman looked back at him as he entered. She felt as though this were déjà vu or almost like she had seen him somewhere. Also, she felt a familiar presence within him, something out of place. She shrugged knowing she would think about it later and began to run towards the main building once more.

Ryan walked in and immediately around him was a sort of hallway filled with pictures, portraits even, of the first students to attend these halls. To his right was a lunch line that was closed at the moment. To his left a large room filled with tables. It was obvious it was a cafeteria. As he continued down the spacious hall he noticed the marble floor tiles and wooden walls, the ceiling that was patterned accordingly to compliment the somewhat Fall atmosphere. Finally, at the end of the hall he found himself a the silver elevators. He entered after letting someone else leave. He felt as if he might have that happen a lot so might as well be prepared now. He chuckled and entered. While in the elevator, he had thought about his previous life-style back at home in Virginia Beach. He thought about how he used to live in a house on the countryside near Washington, D.C. It was a two-story home with a basement. Stone pillars held up the sole balcony on the second floor and gave it a Romanesque architecture. There were many rooms on the second floor and the first was mainly for dining and leisure.

Ryan desperately wished he could live there once more, but memories returned to him of that place like the dam of mental suppression had broken loose and flooded his mind with only his single most terror. Upon remembering these mental atrocities, he cursed beneath his breath and gave a great sigh. Why can’t I forget? Why? Why can’t I forget this or at the least bare it easier? I can’t…I can’t forgive him…I love you daddy but…I hate you! He cursed once more beneath his breath, but soon disguised his distress with a false calm demeanor as the elevator stopped at the floor he would soon recognize and become all too familiar with for the next four years.

Ryan’s footsteps echoed down the bare hallway carpeted by a red suede comfort beneath him and at every doorstep. The same familiar marble flooring was what dominated the floor. A small table stood at either end of the hallway with a bonsai tree atop of it and four candles on four corners of the table. I wonder who takes care of the Bonsai Trees. Oh well, 200…dorm 200…where are you? AH-HA!! There you are! After dismissing most of his thoughts, he observed the door and pondered for a moment how lucky he was to have such a conspicuous door at the end of the hallway closest to the inner campus.

It had a very mysterious feeling about it, almost magical to the point where it could be a gateway to another world filled with such intricacies and enchanted atmosphere, a world far beyond his own understanding that withheld all the answers to life and destiny, but the mere thought of it felt all too much of a fantasy to Ryan. The corners of the door were embroidered with a unique curling and swirling design that was carved into it with expert craftsmanship. Carvings of pictures occupied the space in the center. They depicted war between two unlikely species, much outside the imagination of your average person, and of struggle through obstacles that made Ryan feel as if the person enduring them was near their limit of endurance. He knocked on the door hoping someone would answer. Instead, a voice, very unemotional, spoke out. “STATE YOUR NAME.” He jumped at the sound of its voice, stuttering as he spoke his name. The door, or whatever it was, gave an offending grunt and allowed him through as the door slowly opened on its own. What in the world was that? He dismissed this thought as he took a quick glance at his new home.

Immediately to his left was the living room with beige, leather couches covered in a thick and durable plastic. There was also a television set, nicely sized and simple, and an entertainment center just big enough to put a stereo and several other components. Just next to the entertainment center was a large lamp that was off at the moment with its coil wrapped in a small circle at its base. Nothing, apparently, was plugged in and there were no blinds, letting in as much sunlight as possible through the large window that took up almost the entire wall. He glanced at the window, almost seeing the northwest building through the light fog that was lifting but was high enough so that it didn't bother those below.

Ryan walked forward noticing he was going into a hall that split into six different rooms, two of which were at the end of the hallway. These were bedrooms and each had a bathroom between them that was inaccessible from the hallway.

To his left in the hallway just as he entered, was the kitchen, which had no door and an open bar counter. It seemed quite cozy to Ryan considering it was slightly similar to the one in his apartment complex. He looked through the kitchen and saw that all of the necessary utensils; spoons, forks, a couple of plates and bowls, etc; were there and that the kitchen included a dishwasher and a trash disposal in the sink. Ryan chuckled to himself at the thought of remembering how childish he had once been with it, turning it on and off with a face that gleamed with his joy.

Across from the kitchen were two more bedrooms with a bathroom between them as well, though this one was accessible from the hallway. It seemed to be the same as the ones at the end of the hall, both rooms having access within there rooms, but those with these two rooms would need to be a bit more precautious considering the amount of accessibility it had meaning less privacy.

Ryan exited the hall and stared toward the main entrance just feet away from him. After giving a long and thoughtful sigh, he leaned forward and grabbed his baggage that was dropped just next to the door. He only had a luggage, a backpack full of clothing and bathroom necessities. He also had his comb that was given to him by his mother. It was a beautiful comb made of pure pearl and was white as snow. It held strong for so many long years. The reason it was given to him was because of the fact that he was the only one closest to a daughter like she wanted to give it to, though accidentally he turned this way. She remained happy with what she had, nonetheless. Soon enough, he would feel obligated to give it, in turn, to the newest member of his family, once she has grown to an appropriate age.

After a few more moments of admiration for this comb, he decided to take the room farthest away to the left because of its unique window taking up the space of an entire wall and its position as being the most isolated one. It also gave him a perfect view of the main building. For a few minutes he sorted his clothing and put them away in the dresser that was already within the room. After which, he entered the bathroom. It was large and simple with its clean mirrors and Jacuzzi-like tub. It also had a shower to allow two people at once to bathe if it was necessary.

After arranging his brushes and towels he went into the room once more thinking to him self I’m gonna go to sleep, might need it. Taking off his shirt, he sat on the floor leaning against the bed. It was cold within the dorm room, felt almost 70 degrees but it did not bother him. He was used to such thing and it didn’t feel cold to him. His hat was slightly tipped back to allow him full view of the sun shining down on the main building. What astonished him was the fact that everyone was up while it was still dawn. “Such commitment shown through the actions of those most faithful to their cause. Heh! There I go!!” He smacks himself in the back of his own head, realizing he started to sound poetic. At times when he did not feel so well or no sleep came to him he would begin to speak poetically without ever noticing it or meaning to. It all came naturally to him and most envied him for it.

The sun faded in and out of view because of the waving flag desperately calling out for the attention of those below. The breeze fighting it with force, but the flag prevailing in remaining in a certain pattern showed also its stubbornness for being controlled. Useless information to many, but to Ryan, a lover of all arts, it was refreshing, to say the least.

As Ryan watched the flags unnecessary endeavor, sleep befell him. Drowsiness that he could not fight back so easily by shaking his self dominated his eye-lids as they slowly opened then closed and opened again, becoming heavier faster and faster. Did I take my pill? Wait, didn’t I take it this morning? Oh, who cares? Too…sleepy. It was certain now as his eye-lids shut softly and he lay atop the carpeted floor, that he had fallen into a deep slumber, even though he could be easily awoken from it. His body was covered, excluding his face. His hair was extended out away from him. He seemed innocent, precious, and utterly beautiful as the soft curves of his body showed no other depiction than femininity. With a small whisper he fell asleep. “Daddy....”