Word of the City...

"The Cuidad...the city is starting to crumble..." Justin's words echo through my mind. "The buildings are crumbling to dust. Some of us--we're just fading away...like we never even existed. What's happening to us, Tor?..."

This seems to be a common question. Why does everyone seem to think I have the fucking answers?!

I don't have them anymore than you do, but I'm gonna have to find some.

According to Justin, there is dissonance in the Ciudad de Monstruos...discord & fear. Our safe haven, where those who were different could flourish & thrive...is in a state of panic.

No one knows why parts of the city have crumbled into nothingness. Creatures who've always been allies are turning on one another without provocation. Even more are simply gone. Those that remain seem to be slipping through the cracks more & more often...seeking shelter in other realms. There are probably more of us here, in your world, than I'd realized....

.....

I remember our city in all it's splendor. The Festival of Darkness in the Ciudad...

I'd walk through the cobble stone streets, lined with burning torches & tiny stryngs of electric lights....the smell of meat roasting on spits opening your nostrils...

Music in the air--the sounds of stringed instruments & pounding, thrumming drums moving your feet through the street. & the sights--there was so much to see, you couldn't take it all in. Trinkets & talismans, adventures & stories to be told. Creatures of all ilk...feathered, spined, & spiked....winged, & stone, air-bourne & amphibious alike...cavorting & dancing under the night sky.

One moment could stretch on endlessly; you could get lost in it. Never to return. I did once...but that's all gone now.

Justin tells me the streets are empty now. There is no more dancing....

Tonight I feel eyes all around me. I haven't heard from the boy--who calls himself "Ch1M3Ra"--in several days. I wonder if he fares well. I hope so...

I watch the shadows above me with guarded eyes. The stone gargoyles all seem so still. & then one seems to shift restlessly, just a fraction...He ruffles his wings, spreads them, & leaps from his perch, diving into the clouds...

Is he friend or foe?

I shift into a raven--& the transition is seamless. I take to the sky myself, & trail him distantly...

Or so I think--until another pounces on me from above. The weight of the gargoyle drags me down, plummeting to the earth. His claws tear at me & I let out a screech. Black feathers scatter, & I struggle in his grasp. Out sized & outmatched, I shift again--into a dragonfly, & slip between his claws. Just in the nick of time.

Unable to slow himself in time, the gargoyle crashes headlong into the pavement. I hear the screeching of tires & distant screams as I flutter ever higher.

But I can hear rustling wings from all directions. They're masked by clouds...

The sky is teeming with gargoyles tonight...

What Else Can I Do?

Life is hard--it doesn't matter who or what you are...& you know what? It just keeps getting harder--that's the nature of the beast...

Kid--if you're reading this--I'm sorry I was so hard on you. I thought it was best--I was trying to help you. Trying to protect you--keep you out of this mess that has become my life.

Now I know that it's much too late for that. If you've seen the Red Gates? Fuck--that's only a story. A fable amongst my kind. Something you see before you die...

I don't want to post this for all to see--but I've no other way to contact you.

So here's the deal--you say you've done your homework. You know how to find me--come to me. I give you my word--I'll do my best to help you. Justin thinks I shouldn't get involved with you...I feel that I'm at least partially responsible for what's happening to you. I won't just leave you to die.

Though I must warn you--with a price on my head--I'm not sure that my help is what you need right now...

Whatever you do--don't follow the Bandaged Man...

Nowhere Else to Turn

Dear Torrent:

Harsh words--but you can't get rid of me that easily. You can't discourage me; I've nothing to lose.

I'm in trouble--bad trouble--& I don't know who else to turn to.

I'm being plagued by nightmares--& they're only getting worse. I've even started having them while I'm awake. How can this fucker be invading my dreams--while I'm awake?!...

I took your advice--rosemary under the pillow? Didn't make a lick of difference. I went to a friend of mine--she's a magician of sorts. Well--honestly, she's more of a dabbler than anything. She's got me burning colored candles & dragon's blood ...wearing this bloodstone amulet to protect me. This is way out of her league...

I have this horrible feeling that if I don't find someone who really knows what's going on--& soon--I'm going to die.

I don't want to die.

Torrent--please help me.

I've been prowling the 'net--in & out of the chat rooms. There are alot of people like me--having these dreams. We dream of your city--I feel like I've walked the fucking streets--I've dreamed it so many times. But that's not what scares me. Not at all--I'd be lying if I told you I didn't want to see it--your Ciudad--with my own eyes. This "same ole' shit--different day" routine has really been getting to me these past few years....I always thought--there must be something more. There must be...& now that I know there is....

But that isn't the point at all. It's him that scares me. Terrifies me...

The winged man--with the bandages on his eyes. The one who haunts my dreams....

Who is he? What is he?

Today I was driving to work--& my vision just--fell away like broken glass. The road, the traffic, everything was just gone. Gone--& I'm still driving forward--toward this red wrought-iron gate that seems to reach up forever...

& the gate swings open--& the Bandaged Man is sitting beneath this huge twisted tree--strumming a guitar...& he reaches his hand out to me. Blood drips from his outstretched fingers...clings to the guitar strings...

"Do what you do." he says to me, in barely a whisper. "Do what you do..."

What the fuck does that mean?!

I got so fucking scared--that I bit down on my tongue. Hard. The bitter taste of blood --& the pain--sent me crashing back to reality. & into the station wagon in front of me. Damn near killed myself--& a mom with two little kids in the backseat...

I've never been one to even ask for help--but this is me pleading with you--begging you...

Contact me--soon. Or I really might be out of your hair for good.

~Ch1M3Ra

Just a Thought...

You may get the impression that I think I'm better than you...above you...because I'm different. Because I can do amazing things....

It's no secret--I love what I am...these things I can do. In fact, I revel in it....most of the time.

But the truth is--we're not so different, you & I.

I too feel fear, & doubt. Pain, & anger...& sadness...

Hatred...& love...

We monsters feel remorse...& even regret...

The sudden reappearance of Justin...it's stirred up alot of conflicting feelings....in my head...& in my heart...

Out For a Stroll

Things have been getting really spooky around here; even by my standards.

As a Dreamweaver, I should be seeking answers in my slumber, but even that proves severely unnerving.

I wake up bruised & bloody, with broken fingernails & scars I can't explain to myself. & no recollection of how it happened. This, in itself, should be impossible...

Deeply immersed in my thoughts, I reject sleep, & decide to wander instead. I take the form of a large, black, shaggy dog, completely unextraordinary save for the heavy scar curling under my left eye.

I pad through the dark, empty city streets--not many people on the prowl at 3 am. Every so often, a car will whiz past; occasionally it'll pull to the curbside, & a drunken human will stumble out, slowly making their way to safety inside one of the tall tenements that line the street. The soft glow of streetlights illuminate my path, casting an eerie pall...

Summer is giving way to fall, the temperature has dropped, & I can taste a distant storm on the breeze. A white feline crosses my path; she pauses, a glimpse of recognition in her amber eyes...I chase her into the night, the exhilaration of a run easing my mind...

.....

I wander your world, the lyrics of an old tune twisting through my thoughts.

I shift back into human form, & find myself singing softly to the night...

..."as the rain comes pouring down, & you're lonely as the night grows colder--don't worry cuz I'll be there for you...

& your dreams seem far away, take a moment to look over your shoulder--cuz honey, you know I'm desperate too..."

-..."Everybody's desperate--just like you..."

A deep male voice wraps around me like silk. I start when I hear that voice; it's one I know well, though I haven't heard it in ages...Justin.

-"I knew I recognized that damn song..." he tells me.

He falls into step beside me, long leathery wings wrapped around him like a cloak. His dark hair cascades in ripples past his shoulders, shielding eyes that I know are silver as coins...

-"What are you doing here?" I ask him.

-"Looking for you."

-"Why? You left me when I needed you most."

-If I had stayed & fought by your side--we'd both be dead now. I had no choice..."

I loved him once--seems like ages ago. But his familiar voice still sends shivers down my spine. My mind drifts to a time when we were so young & free; I'd shift into a raven & chase him beneath the stars. We'd dance on the breeze, Justin & I.

Justin is one of the Winged Ones. They are an ancient race--predominantly avian in nature, though Justin has bats in his heart.

-"Whatever." I snarl at him. "Why are you here now?"

-"You've been calling out to me in your dreams...."

I don't recall this, but Justin was never one to lie to me. Why would he start now?

My heart wants to trust him--like he'd never left me behind. Unfortunately, old scars just don't heal that quickly.

Leery as I may be, I don't push him away. We have alot to talk about, Justin & I.

It's been a while since I've been to the Ciudad. Hopefully, he can fill me in on some things...

To Ch1M3Ra...

Ch1M3Ra:

You should be careful what you wish for little boy.

You think I cowered beneath your challenge to meet, but think again. I was there last night, hiding in the shadows, watching you...

So confident. So arrogant. Barely a day past your 21st birthday--merely a child. & a damn fool...

The pretty blonde at the bar--drinking the vodka & cranberry juice--the one you ogled all night--was a fucking trickster demon! Did you not question why one of her beauty would even be in a dive like O'Leary's Tavern--let alone why she kept flirting with you?

How about the two werewolf bounty hunters --backs against the wall--seated by the door --sucking down Old Style? Did you fail to notice them too?!

You're so eager to throw in with the monsters--to dance with danger--you have no idea what you're getting yourself into. Now you're on their radar, as they wait for me to surface.

The fact that you, & the other humans, are dreaming about the Ciudad de Monstruos...there must be at least one other like me afoot. Another Dreamweaver....as I am not sending you these visions. Beware--as I know not his intentions...

Either that, or there is more to you than I see. Although you reek of innocence...

My advice to you is to forget about me. Forget me, the creatures of the night, the Ciudad de Monstruos...all of it. Put it out of your head. I assure you, you'll live longer.

You call yourself "Chimera"--monster made of other monsters. A shapeshifter with another face. You're young, & naive, & I don't want your blood on my hands.

Go home, little boy. I suggest you learn the art of meditation--clear your mind & banish these nightmares. Heed their warning. Do not follow them...

You were correct in one of your presumptions--I am looking for something...However, it is not to be a babysitter. I've a price on my head, & I cannot be responsible for your safety.

I sense that you mean no harm, so I'll leave you with this: Put some rosemary under your pillow--to keep the evil spirits & bad dreams at bay....

Sleep well--& don't look for me...

~Torrent Black

Dear Torrent...

Torrent:

You don't know me, but I know you.

I've been doing my homework.

You're wondering right now, how I'm sending you this message. It's quite simple really, to hack into the system. All that information, right there at my fingertips. The possibilities are infinite...just a few clicks away.

I can reach out & touch anyone.

I've been having the strangest dreams. I couldn't make heads or tails of them...& then I found you.

Your words speak to me. I always knew there was so much more, just beneath the surface. You are proof of that--if you are what you say you are.

I believe you.

You're reaching out to us--to people like me--or you wouldn't be doing this. It doesn't make sense for you to just spill your guts to any moron who can "log on". Not unless you're looking for something too...

I think you wanted to be found...

I want to understand. I want to know the truth.

I want to take "the red pill"--& follow you down the rabbit hole.

I want to know what's happening to me...Why do I see the things I see?...

People are vanishing without a trace. Unseasonable storms are devastating the country. Strangers are having the same bizarre & terrifying dreams...people who have nothing at all in common. People who have never met. It's all over the web...just a few clicks away.

I want to meet--on your terms of course.

I know that you're here, in my city. Like I said, I did my homework before I invaded your world.

There's a small Irish pub--O'Leary's Tavern--on the corner of Broadway & Elm. Do you know it?

I'll be there this Saturday night, at 10:30 pm. I'll be sitting at the bar, wearing a black Batman baseball cap, & a t-shirt that reads "The Truth is Out There." My attempt at a sense of humor...

I'll be waiting for you.

Come to me--or I'll come to you....

~Ch1M3Ra

I Walk Amongst You

I'm gonna let you in on another secret; I walk amongst you.

I could sit next to you on the bus, or stand behind you in line....I could be the pretty girl you hit on at the bar last week, the one with the dark eyes that seemed to pierce your soul....

You'd be none the wiser. I can be inconspicuous. I can blend into the crowd when I choose to.

I am a shape-shifter, & I can wear a human form.

Usually, it will be that of a young, tattooed female, crowned with ebony hair, twin water snakes twisting around both arms. This shape pleases me, but I am not limited to it. Don't think that for even a minute.

I can shift at will to alter my appearance; the conversion can be drastic, or it may be subtle. I can become a water moccasin, a black cat, or a raven...Or I could simply shift the bones in my face to alter my visage. I am an expert in the art of human camouflage.

There is one thing, however, that I cannot change; I am marred by a crescent shaped scar that curls around my left eye. It was given to me by an Enforcer Behemoth; these are the hulking monstrosities that guard the gates of the Ciudad de Monstruos. Magical wounds don't heal up so well, so the scar follows me, regardless of the form I take...

The Behemoths keep unwelcome visitors from slipping into the city should they find it, unusual as that may be. They also keep us monsters in; it is frowned upon by the Olde Ones to mingle with the humans. Our existence is to remain a secret at all costs.

I myself, have always enjoyed a wander in your world. Whenever I needed to clear my head, I'd shift, & slip through a forgotten gate, to walk your streets in the dark of night. How I love the soft glow of your neon signs, or the aroma of fresh brewed coffee...

The times are changing. There are dark forces at work, & they are much stronger than even the creatures of the Ciudad, or the fiercest army of humans. We will all need allies soon enough.

What I've neglected to tell you, is that I am also a Dreamweaver. One of the last. We were hunted nearly to extinction for our ability to navigate the Realms of Slumber, & for our knack of glimpsing into the future.

Upon being exposed as such, the Enforcers were set upon me. They tried to claw out my eyes. They hunt me now, even as I write this.

When word of this monologue gets out, their efforts will double...triple even.


Lucky for me, I am resourceful & quick-witted. I have my doubts about them...

The Secret Truth About Monsters

Have you ever wondered about the secrets the world keeps?

You go about your day to day life, wrapped tightly in your own little cocoon of drama...your little world seems so big.

You have no idea just how big the universe really is.

What if I told you that the secrets were true? That there is magic all around you, legends are more than just tales of whimsy, & there are things that go bump in the night?

What if I told you that monsters exist?

I’m here to tell you the truth–the one they don’t want you to know about.

It’s past time that you knew some of the realities of this world you call your own–even if you won’t believe me. As they say " the greatest trick the Devil ever pulled, was convincing the world that he didn’t exist. & just like that--poof-- & he was gone..."

I can take solace in knowing that I tried.

There are many worlds beside your own. Some have fixed locations & entries, some are found only in dreams; sometimes, if you squint your eyes tightly, & fix them on a distant point on the horizon, you can almost see them. One such place is the Ciudad de Monstruos...the City of Monsters....

Don't bother trying to look for it--you'll never find it on your own. Those of you who are more intuitive than most may have dreamt about this vast city, painted or written about it... You think you're being imaginative, but in reality, you're just more open minded than most. You're tapping into the magic of the place, though you don't realize it.

Monsters are all around you. They possess gifts & abilities that you cannot even begin to fathom. Some you would consider ugly; some are beautiful beyond your wildest dreams.

The less conspicuous ones move amongst you without your knowledge every day. You interact with them, you pass them by without a thought...you are none the wiser....

Have you ever seen someone that seems profoundly familiar to you, but you just cannot put your finger on where it is you know them from? You stare at them for a few moments, captivated by their gaze, racking your brain for a memory that will not come?...

Those people are monsters. & as soon as they are free from your gaze, you don’t think about them anymore. You forget them. That is how it’s always been.

Until now.

The old ways are dying & someone needs to fight back. I’m trying to warn you, to give your kind a fighting chance.

You may take comfort in my words; a sense of relief may wash over you when you finally realize that you are not crazy. You are not living in a fantasy world; what is perceived as reality is not all there is. You may find this admonition frightening. Most likely, however, is that those of you that stumble across these words, will think them only a story. Little do you know, that just for this, my kind will hunt me.

As that is already my fate, I figured I’d take my chances. Get it off my chest. You deserve to know.

So this is my first confession: monsters are real, & I am one of them. I'm going to tell you my secrets...

You can call me Torrent...Torrent Black.

Welcome to my Imagination

This is an idea I've been toying with for quite some time, the idea of running a continuing on-going story as a blog. I'm finally going to give it a try--& I'd like to thank you for being here. Your presence makes my little experiment possible...

I'd like to welcome you to a world were magic is real, & monsters are just around the corner.

There are no limits here, other than my own imagination, & yours...

I hope we have fun together, you & I...