2003-12-12 - 12:56 p.m.

A Prescript.

The proceding story is pretty much an as it is, work in progress. It is not a short story, it is a comic script, without the script. People just don't know how to read a script for some reason. They always made fucking sense to me, but whatever.

"The Secrets of Chessboxing" introduces several characters into "Top Secret Story J", a titled, but little talked about story I've been writing on and off for 15 years. It is a side-story. A thread in a big fucking rope of a plot.

More off and on through the next few weeks - hell, maybe I'll finish it before I get bored of it.

0 of you fuckers have been accounted for.

old shit. - newer shit.

2003-12-11 - 7:18 p.m.

"The Secrets of Chessboxing" - Prologue

“The…the echo. I hear an echo when I speak.”

“Stay down. Don’t exert yourself. There’s no need. You are safe.”

“The Regulator”. From a hospital bed, things are blurry – his eyes dart uncontrollably side to side. He recognizes the voice.

Perfect pitch is one of “The Master’s” more useful passive talents.

The voice continues, “Please understand that in accordance with your recent rehabilitations, we’ve provided you with an cochlear implant – that is the echo in which you hear. You’ll get used to it quickly enough.”

The Master reflexively and methodically raises tube-taped hand to his right ear…the voice. He’d heard it recently.

“The implant allows us to monitor your vitals no matter where you are. You will, of course, be shown how to operate the implant and will be able to activate or deactivate the device as you wish, but for now, it’s just more convenient this way.”

Dry. His mouth was sandpaper.

“Water. Please.”

A blur moves past the foot of his bed and he hears cold liquid washing over clacking ice. He can smell the minerals in the water before the glass touches his chest.

“Also note that our conversations, for the time being, are being monitored.”

“Indeed. Where am I?”

“What do you remember?”

“I’m in the Guild. You’re Reg. I recognize your voice. And I…sort of remember…”

“‘Sort of remember’, how?”

Total recall is another of The Master’s Talents - for what it's worth right now.

A thought itched his forebrain like an angry gnat, “It’s…very, dream-like. I remember, but as if I watched from the sidelines. I remember it like watching a movie - from the inside.”

A third voice to the two, “Colony Entropy. Reconfiguration’s been known to settle nearly, but not exactly on. Inconvenient at worst.”

“The Ghost”.

Just for the record, since you’re undoubtedly wondering what’s with the names, the owners of these voices aren’t Everyday Joe’s. You’d call them “Superheroes”. They’d call themselves, “Talents”.

And one of the fringe benefits of having a useful Talent, is getting a cool name.

“Start at the beginning, then. Where does it start?”

A bead of water connects the Master’s lip to the straw and it is an eternity before the bendable straw touches his bottom lip. He feels a ice water trail blooming down the back of his cat’s tongue.

“The Secrets of Chessboxing.”

“The movie?”

“Yeah. ‘The game of chess, is like a swordfight. You must think first before you move.’ Then blood.”

0 of you fuckers have been accounted for.

old shit. - newer shit.