The Devil You Know - Episode V

WHAT’S GONE BEFORE: In Episode IV Videl explains the difference between the soul and the human spirit.

“Those tales of human souls suffering an eternity in Hell are just myths perpetuated by religious leaders to keep the flocks in line. It’s true that human spirits have descended into Hades; but those belong to humans unfortunate enough to lead”—Videl gently rocked his head from side to side as if it were on a pivot—“less than exemplary lives.”

Artwork credit: Matt Ryan

“What’s to stop you from reneging on any deal and just snatching my soul?” challenged Barney.

Videl sighed. “I have to abide by certain rules. I cannot snatch a soul unbidden. There are protocols to follow, which is why I require the client to willingly donate their soul. This is facilitated by an EEA—Even Exchange Agreement.”

“Okay.” Barney paused. “I know what you want. What do I get?”

“I can guarantee that you will not have to endure another minute in this school and you will attend M.I.T.,” said Videl.

“You said attend M.I.T. I want to enroll and graduate from M.I.T.”

Videl raised an eyebrow and seemed reflective. “Fine, you’ll attend and graduate from M.I.T. All you have to do is sign an EEA and”—he waited a half beat before continuing—“being a minor, get your mother’s signature as well.”

Barney let out a long exhalation. “Even if I were to agree to your deal, my mom never would.”

“Well, don’t be too hasty. I can be very persuasive.”

“I don’t want her hurt.”

“I will not harm your mother in any fashion,” avowed Videl. “Now, go about your day and we’ll finish our business later.”

Barney turned and placed his hand on the door handle. “I’ve still got to face Dirk.”

“He won’t be an issue. Consider it a show of good faith,” said Videl.

“Him you can hurt.” There was no reply; Videl had vanished. Barney hesitated a moment before slowly opening the door. He stared at a row of lockers. He stepped into the hall and realized he was across from his own locker, his jacket still in a heap on the floor. He spun around but there was no sign of a bathroom door, only a solid string of lockers.

The rest of his day was a fog as Barney struggled to make sense of his encounter with . . . with what? he thought. Do I honestly believe I met the Devil?

Nonetheless, his day proceeded without incident. Videl stayed true to his word; Barney did not see Dirk or his boys anywhere. In fact, no one had seen them since they had chased after Barney.

Barney arrived home from school that afternoon and entered through the kitchen, as he always did, expecting to find a snack set out by his mother. However, today the kitchen was empty.

“Mom,” he called.

Artwork Credit: Matt Ryan

He heard a lilting reply from a woman’s voice that sounded very much like his mother. “Bar-ney! I’m in the living room.”

When Barney had left for school that morning, his mother looked her usual self: hair in a tight bun on the back of her head, a white blouse buttoned to the neck, a skirt hemmed just below the knees, and a pair of sensible loafers. But, there reclined his mother, hair cascading about her shoulders, blouse loosened three buttons, shoeless, feet propped on the coffee table.

“Mom, what are you doing?”

“Celebrating, silly,” sang Mary. “Mr. Videl, your new school administrator, stopped by this afternoon. Looks like you’re going to M.I.T. I already signed the consent form. Come sit with me and have a glass of sparkling cider.”

Barney gave a blank stare, but sat next to his mother on the couch.

END – EPISODE V

Mom seems to be on board but can Barney trust Videl? Come back next week, same bat time same bat channel.

The Devil You Know - Episode IV

WHAT’S GONE BEFORE: In Episode III Barney learns the true nature of the mysterious Videl.

This is nuts. There’s a logical explanation, he thought. I’m knocked out. Yeah, that’s it. Dirk beat me into a coma and I’m in a hospital bed.

“You aren’t in a hospital bed,” stated Videl.

Barney screamed. “Get out of my thoughts.”

Artwork Credit: Matt Ryan

“Not my fault,” countered Videl. “Normally humans’ thoughts are a closed book, but when you’re under extreme duress, all that changes. Your acute emotional outburst is like a beacon, a beacon I can’t ignore, a beacon drawing me to you.”

Barney trembled. This is scientifically impossible. “This is an illusion. I don’t know how you’re doing it, but given enough time I could figure it out,” he reasoned.

Videl crossed to Barney and said, “Need more proof?” Before Barney could react, Videl snatched Barney’s spectacles and smashed them.

Barney’s voice went up an octave. “What did you do? How am I supposed to see?”

“You don’t need them,” said Videl.

Barney hesitated. He looked around the room. For the first time in his short life, his vision was perfect. He began to consider the possibility that Videl was telling the truth. “So what do you want from me?”

“You’re the genius, figure it out.”

Barney hesitated. “My soul . . . you want my soul. In what universe would I ever agree to do that?”

Videl leaned against the sink and crossed his arms over his chest. “You called me. You said you’d do anything to get out of this school.”

“Almost anything,” said Barney, “but I never spoke it aloud.”

“Intent’s the same. Look,” pressed Videl, “you’ve got something I want and I can provide something you want. Everybody wins.” Videl paused and exhaled slightly. “Do you believe in God?”

The question was unexpected and it puzzled Barney. Religion hadn’t been much of a presence in the Midas home. His mother had never taken Barney to Sunday school, catechism or any religious function. He realized he didn’t know if he was Christian, Jewish... Am I an atheist? he pondered.

To Videl he asked, “What does it matter?”

“It doesn’t. But if theology were the issue; if”—Videl made air quotes—“dealing with the Devil goes against your religious beliefs, I can understand your angst.

“However, you need to understand that humans mistakenly equate the human soul with the human spirit. It is the spirit that houses the human consciousness, not the soul. The soul isn’t the manifestation of some religious tenet, it’s just an energy force”—Videl emphasized—“the generator of the human body and as such contains a reservoir of energy and we both know energy can be neither created nor destroyed. It can only be transformed from one state to another.”

Videl continued, “There is no connection between the consciousness and the soul. The soul’s just a vast store of potential energy that cannot disappear— Videl mouthed POOF—“just because the human body has ceased to function. It is this energy that we harness and refine to keep the fires of Hades aflame.

“Those tales of human souls suffering an eternity in Hell are just myths perpetuated by religious leaders to keep the flocks in line. It’s true that human spirits have descended into Hades; but those belong to humans unfortunate enough to lead”—Videl gently rocked his head from side to side as if it were on a pivot—“less than exemplary lives.”

END – EPISODE IV

Ya gotta admit, the guy is smooth, but can he convince our little genius? Check back next week.

The Devil You Know - Episode III

WHAT’S GONE BEFORE: In Episode II Barney escapes the jocks’ wrath and meets a janitor who says he can help Barney get to MIT.

***

“But, your mom won’t let you go.” Videl looked at the ceiling and tapped his chin with his index and middle fingers. “What would you say if I told you I could help you with that?”

“You’re just a janitor,” scoffed Barney.

“You, of all people, should know looks can be deceiving. Let’s, for the sake of argument, say I have . . . connections.”

Artwork Credit: Matt Ryan

Videl extended a hand and helped Barney to his feet. He guided him to a sink and stood behind him. Barney set his glasses on the porcelain, rinsed his face and patted his cheeks dry with a paper towel. He looked in the mirror and inspected his blurry reflection. He squinted but didn’t see Videl’s image in the mirror. “Where’d you go?” he queried.

“Right behind you,” purred Videl.

Barney turned and there stood the fuzzy janitor, less than two feet away. He spun and checked the mirror; no Videl. He nearly poked out an eye fumbling to put on his glasses. With his eyesight restored, he gazed in the reflective glass but saw only himself.

“What’s going on? How’re you doing that?”

“I’m not doing anything. It’s the natural order of things. I don’t have a reflection. I don’t cast a shadow and I cannot be captured on film.”

“That’s impossible! There’s a scientific explanation,” reasoned Barney.

“Not everything can be explained,” countered Videl.

“Really?” Barney turned his back against the sink. “So what are you, a vampire?” His query dripped with sarcasm.

“There are no such things as vampires,” said Videl. “What I am is the one who can make all your dreams come true.”

Barney scoffed. “And you think Dirk is overreaching. You’ve got a nice little God complex going there.”

Videl chuckled. “Not God, definitely not God; quite the opposite.”

“Oh, what then, the Devil?” asked Barney. I’m clearly conversing with a person who should be on antipsychotics, he thought.

“Ding, ding, ding,” chimed Videl. “Give the lad a prize. Tell him what he’s won.” Videl wrapped his right arm around Barney’s left shoulder and pulled him tight to his body. Barney twitched but was unable to wriggle loose. Videl waved his left hand in a grand gesture. “That’s right, Boy; I’m Satan, Beelzebub, Old Cloots. And I’m here to grant you whatever your heart most desires.” He paused for effect. “You want M.I.T. You got M.I.T.”

“You’re nuts! Let me go.” Barney squirmed, but Videl had his arms pinned to his sides and he lacked the strength to break free. “Help, help me,” he yelled.

“Scream, yell, do whatever you want, no one will hear you,” goaded Videl. “You want to leave?” He relaxed his grip on Barney.

Barney rushed for the door and yanked it open. Before he could take another step, he was hit with the heat of a thousand blast furnaces. Confused, he slammed the door shut. That much heat, would at the very least, cause the door handle to glow red hot, but it was cool to the touch. He cracked the door but the heat was so intense, he could only keep it open for a brief second.

This is nuts. There’s a logical explanation, he thought. I’m knocked out. Yeah, that’s it. Dirk beat me into a coma and I’m in a hospital bed.

END – EPISODE III

Is Barney dreaming? Only Patrick Duffy knows for certain. See you next week.

The Devil You Know - Episode II

WHAT’S GONE BEFORE: In Episode I our genius Barney gets accosted by the star quarterback who insists Barney must rewrite an essay for him or suffer ill effects.

***

Artwork Credit: Matt Ryan

“You understand I expect you to write a kick-ass essay? Triple A-plus. But first you need to learn a lesson.” Dirk patted Barney’s cheek.

At that moment, a flock of cheerleaders glided past and Beefie loosened his hold on Barney, just enough so he could slip from his coat. As soon as his feet touched the floor, Barney sliced through the tree trunks and dashed down the hall. He ran twenty feet before Dirk and company realized what happened and initiated pursuit.

Barney panicked. He knew he was in for a beating once they caught him. The lockers whizzed past as his legs churned. The Tweedle Trio was gaining. He turned down an unfamiliar hall and darted into a boys’ bathroom. He leaned against the door, face beet red, hair matted with sweat, his breath coming in short spurts. It was quiet; he had eluded his pursuers; for the nonce.

Once he was certain he was safe, he staggered to a stall, dropped to his knees and emptied the contents of his belly into the bowl. He grabbed a hunk of toilet paper, wiped his mouth and flushed the toilet. He sat curled up against the stall wall, contemplating his next move.

He had never run from Dirk. He was fairly certain he was only forestalling the inevitable. I’m gonna get my ass kicked. I’d do almost anything to get out of this school, he thought.

“Well, you can’t sit there all day.”

Barney started; positioned in the stall opening was an immaculately dressed janitor. Black wingtips polished to a mirror finish, razor sharp creases on his overall pants and sleeves, the name Videl stenciled in blazing red letters above the left breast pocket.

“Get up. I need to work on the pipes.” His voice was silky smooth with a sinister edge.

“I didn’t hear you come in,” Barney whispered.

“Most people don’t,” replied Videl. Barney remained silent. Videl continued, “So, you’ve got a bully gunning for you.”

“What’s makes you say that?” asked Barney.

“Please. You’re holed up in a bathroom, puking your guts out and shakin’ like a lost soul on the river Styx. You’re certainly hiding from something.”

“You don’t know anything,” snapped Barney.

“I know you’re an only child. Your father left on the day you were born and you fantasize that he’s Stephen Hawking. You want to attend M.I.T. but your mother doesn’t want her little boy clear across the country all alone.

“Hell, it was a struggle for her to let you attend high school. And, to top it off, you’re being terrorized by a guy with delusions of stardom. ’Bout sum it up?” finished Videl.

Barney stared at the stranger for a moment, “You don’t know what it’s like to be the smartest person in the room, everywhere you go. No one around here takes me serious because I’m only ten.” He paused as he pondered the magnitude of this statement. “My guidance counselor, Mrs. Flurice, says she has contacts at M.I.T. She says I’d live in a supervised dorm; I’d be well cared for.”

“But, your mom won’t let you go.” Videl looked at the ceiling and tapped his chin with his index and middle fingers. “What would you say if I told you I could help you with that?”

END – EPISODE II

What is Videl planning? Would you trust him? Please return next week and find out.

The Devil You Know – Episode I

WHAT’S GONE BEFORE: Welcome to the first episode of The Devil You Know. The Devil You Know is based on a play I wrote in 2009 which was put up at The Drama Studio in Springfield, MA in February, 2010 as part of the 8th Annual Winter Shorts.

***

“Midas!”

Barney rested his forehead against his locker. How he had come to detest the sound of his own name.

“Midas!

It was not spoken with the nurturing tone used by his overprotective mother or the pseudo intellectual prater of his physics teacher. When spoken by Dirk Ness, star quarterback, team captain and homecoming king, it took on a malevolence that set Barney’s heart racing, caused his palms to sweat and led to the formation of little droplets of perspiration atop his upper lip; he became powerless.

Dirk’s assault on Barney had become a daily ritual since Barney’s first day at Goethe High School. Dirk had decided the ten-year-old genius was his ticket to straight A’s and a college football scholarship. So every morning for the past three months, Barney expected a visit. At first he resisted, but that only led to more pain. Barney reasoned it was just easier to do the jock’s homework.

Dirk, his entourage in tow, adjusted the cuffs of his letterman jacket, pushing them away from his wrists ever so slightly. With each step, Dirk cracked a knuckle as he approached Barney. Three huge teenagers, who comprised three-fifths of the team’s offensive line, formed a wall of beef surrounding Dirk. The goon squad was never far from his side. Barney supposed, and rightfully so, that the Tweedle Triplets imbued the quarterback with a sense of omnipotence.

Barney rocked back from his locker and turned to face his tormentor. He noted that Dirk carried a fistful of crumpled papers and suspected he was disenchanted with the content. Dirk towered over Barney, his chest resting against the ten-year-old’s head. Barney could feel the vertebra of his neck crack as he lifted his chin to peer over the top of his glasses at Dirk’s face. He was thankful his poor eyesight made it impossible to see the anger in Dirk’s eyes. The Beef Brothers stood so close that Barney felt like he was in a vise; boxed in, nowhere to run.

Dirk crushed the papers against Barney’s forehead. “B-minus, Midas, B-freakin’-minus. I told you I needed an A an’ this definitely ain’t an A. What happened to that golden touch, Genius?”

“I . . . don’t . . . know,” stammered Barney. “I . . . I tried my best.”

Artwork Credit: Matt Ryan

“You tried your best? Damn it, Midas, I need an A to stay on the team. If I’m not on the team I don’t get scouted, I don’t get scouted I don’t get a scholarship, I don’t get a scholarship I don’t get into college and I can kiss the NFL goodbye. Is that what you want, Midas, to keep me out of the pros?”

Barney lowered his gaze, his voice barely a whisper, “No.”

“Lucky for you I got a chance to bring up the grade.” Dirk nodded, and Beefie One grabbed Barney by the back of the jacket collar and lifted him to Dirk’s eye level.

“You understand I expect you to write a kick-ass essay? Triple A-plus. But first you need to learn a lesson.”

END – EPISODE I 

I hope you enjoyed the first installment of The Devil You Know and will return next week for Episode II. Please share your thoughts; I welcome the feedback.

An Interview with Matt Ryan of Free Lunch Comics

Next week, I will begin a 10-week serialization of my short story The Devil You Know. It will be enhanced with custom-designed artwork, courtesy of Matt Ryan, President of Free Lunch Studios and Free Lunch Comics in Granby, Connecticut. Matt is an awesome artist and I highly recommend you check out the official Free Lunch website.

© Free Lunch Studios

Matt co-owns Free Lunch Studios with Writer/Publisher Steve Kanaras. Matt and Steve produce comics and strips of their own and for other companies. They offer freelance services in art, graphic design and writing, and teach classes and workshops at their Granby office. They also conduct a traveling lecture series called Comic Construction.

Free Lunch has six active physical and digital titles: Bigger, Only in Whispers, Beyond the Kuiper Belt, Chip N Fish, My 24 Hour Books, Junk Food.

Matt obtained an Associate Degree in Visual Fine Arts, (with a touch of Graphic Design) at Tunxis Community College in Farmington, CT. He has been interested in comic books since the third grade. He’s a big Conan … [the Barbarian] …fan and he loves comics that are unapologetic about their content. Matt was kind enough to sit down with me and talk about his career and Free Lunch.

Derek Egerton: How did the studio come into being?

Matt Ryan: Years ago, we used to distribute Bigger mini comics to try to get gigs [and] show our work. We used to be in Simsbury, CT. Same business model but nowhere near as successful. I didn't have the business experience or resources I do now.

DE: Were you trying to fill a void?

MR: Definitely wanted to make a creative, educational and friendly business environment for fans, businesses and families that believe/love comics and cartoons.

DE: Why Free Lunch?

MR: Every class we teach in the medium of comics on the weekends...[we provide] free lunch for the students! Yes, it's awesome.

DE: How do advertise your services?

MR: We go to local comic shows and events as well as use the Patch.com sites when we update our weekly strips. We have a variety of blogs and Facebook pages along with www.freelunchcomics.com.

DE: What inspired you to teach?

MR: I love sharing my passion with kids of all ages! Today, I was teaching how to draw zombies and we were taking turns acting like them! Brainnnssss!

DE: Who were your mentors?

MR: I learned SOO much from my first boss out of college, Mark Lewis. Great guy, great work ethic, great sense of humor. Love the guy.

DE: Would you share a success story of one of your students?

MR: I have a few gems I'm very proud of. I love seeing the progress of students. My favorite moment was awarding an arts scholarship to one of my students while I was president of the Granby Artists Association. She's our intern currently and I was able to get her an exclusive meeting with a claymation superhero (which happens to be her major).

DE: How do you determine what is going to become a comic?

MR: We have done team and singular efforts. I feel like we each have something to contribute to make a complete vision...sometimes I get the bug to do some world building, so if time allows...I'll try to squeeze something out during my free time. (Ha!)

DE: How do you determine the success of a release?

MR: By the reaction of the reader. My favorite thing is to watch someone read Junk Food strips...the payoff is so quick! They get the joke-they laugh! I love it. The books...it takes longer. I love being harassed by people who read one issue and can't wait for the next...I keep good secrets!

DE: You lamented that ten years ago the comic industry changed to a specialty market. What did you mean by that? Do you think comics books are becoming a lost medium?

MR: No. I believe it's changing. You used to be able to get comic books anywhere. Those days are gone. The way you get comics anywhere now is through the web. It's a very exciting time.

DE: You told me watching Twin Peaks is a rite of passage for your interns. Why?

MR: Perfect excuse to watch it again! We love that stuff! It's funny, weird and scary. Not too many shows like that.

DE: If you weren’t working at Free Lunch what would you be doing?

MR: Planning my escape.

Follow the Free Lunch blog at freelunchstudios.blogspot.com. Like their Facebook pages here.

And don’t forget to check out my 10-part short The Devil You Know, featuring artwork by Matt Ryan starting July 24th, 2013.

Have a Heart?

Some chilling statistics sited by The Heart Foundation:

1. Heart disease is the number one cause of death for men and women in the United States

2. More people die of heart disease then Aids and all cancers combined

3. 250,000 people die of Sudden Cardiac Death every year

4. Half of the Sudden Cardiac Deaths are under age 65 (YIKES!)

Fortunately, I take care of my heart. I eat right, monitor my weight, and exercise, which is a great start. But even those of us that are heart conscious can suffer from heart disease.

Courtesy Google Images

According to DVICE, Massachusetts General Hospital is researching an option for those circumstances when a healthy lifestyle isn’t enough. Doctor Harold Ott is leading an effort to grow a heart using a donor’s healthy organ cells and supplementing it with stem cells.

What makes this process significant? The chances that the host would reject the transplanted heart are lowered because the heart would be grown from the host’s own cells.

DVICE reports that scientists have already grown tracheas, bladders and noses. NBC reports that scientists at Yokohama City University in Japan “… have found a possible new way to grow a human liver from scratch, using stem cells that form a ‘bud’, then transplanting this growing baby liver into the body.” They’ve only performed the procedure on mice, but the progress is promising.

I think the advances in medical science are amazing. At the rate “They’re” going, all the body parts needed for a human body will be off-the-shelf items available at the pharmacy. What do you think … are you ready to walk into CVS and leave with a bottle of sunscreen and a liver?