This is an excerpt from the novel that a friend and I are working on together. This has been a work in progress for the last year. Another friend told me tonight that I need to start putting up excerpts of my work, and Silver and I intend to publish this together under our own publishing label, Lost Dimensions 37. At this time it is untitled, but it is a work in progress. This started out as a text based roleplay, but quickly the idea of a book caught on. Tonight we crossed our 70k word mark, moving into the category of novel.

"Untitled"

Joshua C Dansby

Silver Moura

Copyright © protected by Lost Dimensions 37, May 8, 2023

By the time the sun was midway in the sky, they had reached Crescent Ridge. Colton led Agatha down into the ravine that was seated between both of the crests. He had seen it when he had been on his way into the city.

Colton stopped the horse right next to a peaceful brook that ran through the ravine. There was green grass all around with a few smaller trees that could still get enough sunlight in the shadows of the crests. Colton had realized almost immediately after finding that place the first time that the ground was hallow.

He looked at Agatha and smiled as he dismounted. Quickly he took off his boots and his socks.

“The ground here, if you cannot feel it, is hallow,” Colton said quietly as he took Agatha’s hand to help her off of her horse.

Agatha took Colton’s hand and slid off of her saddle. She knelt down and slipped off her boots and stockings as well.

“This is a beautiful area.” She smiled at him and squeezed his hand. “I never knew that this place was here…”

She pushed back her red hair and looked up at him. Agatha could feel the energy of the earth course through her as soon as her feet touched the lush grass. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to take in the fresh air. She leaned in close to Colton resting her head on his chest.

Colton could smell the earth, and the brook, and Agatha… He breathed it all in. He wrapped his hands around her waist, and swayed softly in the light breeze. He had not danced in years, and he wished that there was music playing, but he knew that music would be out of place. He also knew the sounds of nature could be just as exhilarating as music and was just as musical in their own way. They were the original music. The music of the gods. He swayed back and forth to the rustling of the grass in the breeze and to the sounds of the bubbling brook.

It was peaceful. Even knowing that there were men on their trail. Men that would sooner kill them than look at them.

“The truth is that there is only one way to find this place, and it has to be of dire need. I needed this place to clean my wound when I was shot… But I marked it with an old Indian marker… It isn’t a physical marker, so there is no risk of anybody finding it. I wanted to bring you here before we continued on. Do you eat fish? They will turn their bellies up when I go into the stream, and I can catch some for dinner… If that is okay with you. And there are berries on the trees… You can go pick some berries, if you’d like.”

Agatha looked up to Colton as they danced in nature and smiled up at him.

“It’s absolutely stunning,” she said in barely a whisper before resting her head on his chest once more. She listened to him talk and nodded. “Fish are fine.” She pulled back from Colton. “I will gather some berries, and I will see if there are other edible plants around that we can add to our meal.”

She reached up a hand and placed it on Colton’s cheek before stepping back and looking around them to take in the surroundings.

Colton pulled her back to him quickly for a swift kiss. His lips melted into hers. Colton did not want to let go, but knew that they were still on a time frame. He made a note to bring her back some day. It was her scent and her warmth and the way that she held onto him that drove him crazy. He pulled back from the kiss before he was unable to let go.

“Yes, go look, I’m certain you will find what you are looking for,” he said. He turned to go to the brook.

The trout and bass that swam deep in the brook would play dead after his entry into the brook. He had witnessed it the first time that he had been here. They offered themselves as food for the weary traveler. He pulled his pants up to his calves and waded into the shallows. Almost immediately the fish started to present themselves.

It was then that the sunshine flooded into the area, and it was brighter than he had ever seen. Colton looked up in time to see a bright white light pass across the ravine. It was so fast that he nearly missed it. As it passed it left a long trail of what looked like electricity in the blue sky.

If bitterness isn't my friend

Who will be there in the bitter end

And if you don't like it then I have to ask twice

Burning down this house made of ice

(Lies)

(Lies)

(Lies)

The righteous side will make a sacrifice

Don't even pretend like you are nice

(Lies)

(Lies)

(Lies)

I once wasted days like a troll

It felt like I'd never get out of the hole

Now these days I'm rolling with the role

(Truth)

There are desires of my lifestyle that I despise

Can you distinguish the truth from the lies

Words immortalized are often made ambiguous

That's why my efforts are continuous

With every word I spit

I make the world pay for the bullshit

(Truth)

I gotta keep going to get ahead of the train

I gotta keep moving to get out of this rain

(Lies)

(Whose disguise?)

Life is not always what it seems

Some days are surreal like you're lost in your dreams

Then you start to wonder what is the true disguise

The dreams inside your head or when you open your eyes

Trapped in hindsight they say vision is twenty twenty

Most days I open my eyes to having plenty

(Lies)

(Lies)

(Lies)

But the craving for more is always stuck in my heart

I thank God above for giving me art

(Truth)

Every time I reach out to try to touch the truth

I have to feel that everything that I've done is approved

(Lies)

One day I pray that it will help me pay the bills

But today is the day that it gives me many thrills

I used to indulge in cocaine and alcohol

It was like I was living one big ball

I knew soon death would be marching down the hall

God himself knew I didn't want to answer that call

(Truth)

Can you distinguish the truth from the lies?

Can you see past the illusion and through the disguise?

I gave it all up for a life surrounded by family

My momma never left she was always right beside me

But it was bloody hard for me to see

(Truth)

I don't think she ever appreciated my art

But I know the woman loves me from the bottom of her heart

The ramifications of the addiction were pretty simple

Jails and hospitals became the devil's temple

(Truth)

So I looked above for the answers to my every problem

God reached down and pulled me up from the bottom

(Truth)

He gave me a hope, a dream, and a plan

In the devil's presence I'll make my last stand

One of these days for my words a demand

So I pray on this day

(Truth)

I'll slap that bitch across the face and call him Lucy

I'll cut him down until he's bleeding out and juicy

Fuck the haters, right

Let your ways always follow the light

And never surrender to the darkness of night

Everything is all right

Can you distinguish the truth from the lies?

Can you see past the illusion and through the disguise?

This is titled "Like I'm Losing". I just wrote it in the last thirty minutes or so. I am greatly considering actually doing some rap videos, but I don't know if I got what it takes or not. Let me know what y'all think, and please comment if you feel like you have anything to say! Constructive criticism is appreciated.

Toxic words are here to stay

Wishing hell would go away

Every fucking day a bitter deal

Like some sickened images in a movie reel

Do you want to live or die?

I am so sorry that together we can't fly 

No remorse for such a bitter life

Should I swallow the barrel or just slip the knife

But I always find myself writing a rhyme

You don't even answer your phone half the time

It wouldn't be a problem to swallow a bottle full of pills

This is how I'm feeling when I'm down in my ills

It's a goddamn shame I gotta deal with the pain

Can you hear the chilling sound of the rain

The escape of reality shouldn't be so fucking hard

I just want to give up when dealt that final card

And even though I play my part

I will never be able to get you out of my heart

Mr. Grim has a flush, but all I have is a pair

Like I really wonder if anybody really care

I can't figure out where I'm going from here 

Can I get your attention or just catch your ear?

If you misunderstood the words that I said

By now you're probably thinking that I'm already dead

But I'm not

I'm searching for answers in unlikely places

Has me suspicious of all the unknown faces 

Are they out for my blood or are they all benign

I wake up in the morning feeling like the number nine

The final completion of these things left unsaid

The feelings in my heart make me wish I was dead

But never let this be the final goodbye

And for me my greatest fan you should never cry

Goodbye

“The One Who Got Away”

I wonder if you're an angel sent from above

But when I look, I see no halo, only horns

My love for you reminds me…

That every rose has its thorns

So long ago, we could have been more

But now you're the best friend I ever could have had

It is the most bitter pain to know you I adore

But the most bitter pain can make you feel glad

For you I crave only the best

Whatever is your heart's intent

I pray you will find it until you're content

My dear, you can always put me to the test

I long for things I cannot express

The curves of your body

To the floor falls your dress

The want for these things make me feel naughty

For you I long only to love

But you're married, so my love goes unrequited

But to my heart, you're forever knitted

Even if you're not MY dove

“Trials of Time”

Creeks and rivers flow endlessly through the continuum of space

They cut through time like bands of steel sharpened on the stone

Time is an illusion, a paradoxical enigma splattered on God’s face

Time sifts through the hands like grains of multi-colored sand

Every grain a different picture, techno-colored memories of a life

Many different graces presented, make not a moment bland

Time remembers every heart ache and each and every smile

Life is meant to be enjoyed like a gift from God above

Time spreads out forever, breathing in aromas beautiful and vile

Not a moment should be wasted within so short a person’s life

Seize every moment by its horns and hang on for the duration

Living a life with pleasure does not mean there will be no strife

Sometimes that strife may be a blessing in the simplest little way

A lesson learned, a virtue gained, or a simple truth unfolds

Time has so much to give, so much to say, if only in a day

Okay, I took a week’s hiatus for some reason. I don’t know if I was discouraged because of a lack of funding, or if I was just overwhelmed with all of the stuff that I’ve been doing for my parents here lately (that’s a story in itself, one that I’m not exactly happy about due to certain matters that I will not discuss here), but I’ve got to keep going no matter what obstacles befall me. Today I received my tax refund, and I was able to upgrade my website to the professional edition and buy my own domain name. These two things made me extremely happy. My dream of having my own professional website as a writer was finally actualized. This is eleven years worth of dreaming finally coming true!

I am ahead of myself for what I want to do with this website. I am going to be posting original creative content on this page, titled “The Journey”, and my page focused on the more divine subjects that I am interested in, titled “The Divine.” I'm going to work diligently to bring content to both pages on a daily basis from this point on, and I'm not going to look back. Trust me, there’s nothing in my rearview mirror that I really want to see other than some of the poetry and creative works that I will soon be placing on a page with the specific function of being my marketplace. So if you want to go on a wild ride (some of this may be literally revealing of my days on the carnival), keep coming back.

Later today I will be posting a short story that I wrote for my creative writing class while attending college with a major in English and a minor in history. I have no idea what I was intending to do with such a degree other than writing, and God only knows that to date I have played the benevolent part of the starving artist. Writing, to me, is divine in and of itself. If I had a chance to go back and finish my degree, I would probably double major in theology and English Lit.

I intend to bring many pieces of work to you, including poetry, prose, divination readings, theosophical discussions, blog posts, and maybe even videos related to all subjects, not excluding the divine.

New content coming later today!

WITH LOVE AND GRATITUDE,

HAPPY READING!

"Chapter 35"

Bobby awoke with bright light flooding in through the opened windows, and a chilly breeze blowing in through the cracked door. Bobby wondered for a moment who could have opened the door, or if someone had forgot to shut it. He didn’t feel tired when he fell asleep. Noticing that he and Lillian both lay naked, he assumed that they had fallen asleep in their passionate throes. Thunker snored loudly in the bed next to his, and Bobby reached into the floor to pick up his combat boot and throw it at his comrade’s head. Thunker stirred, but did not wake.

The door opened, and two soldiers that Bobby recognized as military police stepped inside. They carried in two duffel bags, dropped them on the floor, and gave Bobby a nod. “We’ll be waiting with transport as soon as you’re ready. I suggest that you hurry.”

Bobby threw his feet over the side of the bed, and reached down to pick up one of the duffel bags. Unzipping the duffel bag, he found a pair of brand new gym shoes, a grey ARMY sweat shirt, a pair of grey sweat pants, and some under garments. He stuffed the clothing back into the duffel bag, and reached over to shake Lillian awake. “Baby, wake up.”

“Wh-what?” She asked, stirring to pull the blanket up over her head.

“Wake up, babe,” Bobby spoke. He gave her shoulder another gentle shake.

Lillian looked up at him with sleepy eyes and blocked the sunlight with the back of her hand. “Muh-yeah?”

Bobby reached over and grabbed the phone that sat on the nightstand. Dropping it on the bed, he turned towards the shower. “Order some breakfast. Me and Thunker have to get moving soon. I’m going to take a shower.”

Bobby gave the foot of Thunker’s bed a hard, straight kick, shaking the bed. Thunker grunted and looked up to see Bobby still standing at the foot of his bed. He rolled over and looked up at the ceiling before reaching to his nightstand and picking up his pack of cigarettes. Content that the soldier was awake, Bobby disappeared into the bathroom.

Stepping into the shower, he pulled the curtain closed behind him. Cold water washed down over him, waking him from his fitful sleep. Humanity will benefit from whatever I’m doing today. I can take this mantle. The cold water washed away the crust from the previous day’s exertions as Bobby cleansed his thoughts. Finally, warm water washed down over him, ceasing the ache in his muscles. Solace will come after this mission is complete. First I work.  Stepping out of the shower, he dried off with one of the hotel’s white towels and pulled on the sweat suit that had been brought for him. I want to be as respectable looking as is possible. Trimming away the ruggedness from the days prior, he stared into the mirror. Sharp.

Lillian looked up at him from the bed and shook her head. “They don’t have room service, honey, but they said that if you wanted some food, they have an all you can eat breakfast buffet. Why don’t we grab a bite while Thunker gets ready?”

“That’s alright,” Bobby replied. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he pulled on the socks and gym shoes that had been provided for him. “We’ve got to get moving soon.”

“I need a shower,” Thunker spoke. “Might as well go get something to eat. Would you bring me a plate?”

Bobby thought for a moment of reprimanding Thunker for making a request of him, but decided that it would not be in his best interest. Until last night, the two had been almost equal in rank. He didn’t understand why Thunker had only been promoted to Sergeant, while he had been promoted to a Master Sergeant. Both soldiers had been through the same tasks and drills, and both had made it out of Nashville alive. It doesn’t make sense, unless they already know of my leadership capabilities. Of course, that’s a given with the fact that I led Charlie Company.

“No problem,” Bobby replied as Thunker disappeared into the bathroom

Bobby stood up and glanced back at Lillian as she wrapped herself in a white hotel robe. God she’s beautiful, even when she first wakes up. He’d always heard the sappy songs about a woman’s true beauty, especially after having just woken, but until then he hadn’t realized just how true this was.

“I’ll go down and have some breakfast with you, and fix your battle buddy’s plate,” Lillian spoke.

The morning air was cool as the sun came up over the horizon. Summer time shouldn’t be so cold. Not here. Bobby noticed the TMP waiting  in the parking lot and waved at the two military police who drove the vehicle.

“Where you going, Sergeant Warner?” One of the military police shouted.

“I’m going to have some breakfast,” Bobby replied. “Thunker is still taking a shower. We have time.”

“Hurry!” the military cop shouted back, rolling up the window.

Bobby led Lillian into the foyer of the hotel. The fresh scent of bacon wafted down the long hall past the reception area. Bobby’s stomach gave another rumble as the aroma of food found his nose, leading them down the long hall into an open dining area. Several older couples were enjoying their food, and a few old men sat around a round table sipping coffee. The scene reminded Bobby of the diner that his grandpa had taken him to several times when he was still in school. Thank God he did so much for me. If he hadn’t, I wouldn’t be who I am today.

Half of the long buffet table was overflowing with breakfast food; the other half was loaded down with cold cereals and fresh fruits. Bobby picked up a plate and started loading it with bacon, eggs, grits, toast, and a bunch of grapes. Glancing at Lillian, Bobby smiled. “It looks good.”

“Let’s hope.” Lillian returned Bobby’s smile as she loaded her plate down with fresh fruits. “I can’t imagine you going off to war on an empty stomach. I’m already so giddy about letting you go. I know you know what you are doing, but I love you.”

“I love you, too, babe,” Bobby replied.

Bobby pulled Lillian’s seat out before sitting down at the table. The food smelled even better closer up, and the bacon tasted delicious in his hungry mouth. Bobby dug through the food quickly, packing as much into his growling stomach as he could. God knows when I will be able to eat again. Bobby took a sip on his coffee and looked up at Lillian as she nibbled on her food.

“You eat so fast,” Lillian spoke, taking a bite of a soft buttermilk biscuit. “I don’t remember you eating that fast before…”

“I didn’t,” Bobby replied. “It was the training that I received in the military that made me eat this quickly. You either ate fast or you didn’t eat enough.”

The television set in the corner caught Bobby’s attention. The news showed a full map of the United States. The Ma’Qualians had landed another brutal blow on the nation. The television reporter was inaudible due to the television’s mute. Soon live footage broke through the image of the map, showing the devastation caused from attacks on an unknown location. Bobby lamented the fact that it looked like almost half of the nation had already been invaded by the Ma’Qualians. And people still go on like nothing at all is happening. This whole world is bizarre. Sipping on his coffee, he frowned.

“I know that you don’t like me going through with something that we know nothing about.” Bobby dropped his voice and lowered his coffee cup. “I don’t like it, either. But you know that I have to do it. If I don’t, we will have no world in which to live. We’ve started something that I want to see to the end, baby.”

“I know,” Lillian whispered.

Thunker came in dressed exactly like Bobby, but not filling his sweat suit the same. Glancing at Bobby, he quirked an eyebrow. “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” Bobby replied. “Then it’s settled. I’ll be leaving you this morning, you will stay here at the hotel. When we return, I will return to you. If we don’t… I want you to know that more than anyone else, I love you.”

“I love her, too.” A broad smile parted Thunker’s narrow lips. “That girl wants to meet as soon as I get back from my mission. I told her that I’m going to be a real American hero.”

“What did you say to her?” Bobby asked.

“I just told her that I am important and that I have been selected for a top secret mission,” Thunker replied. Swallowing a mouth full of food, he glanced up at Bobby. “Whose she going to tell?”

He has a point, but he still disobeyed orders. Information is crucial. It can be used in manipulation or subterfuge. And it could destroy this mission. “That was fucking stupid, Thunker.”

Thunker threw his fork back into his plate and took a large gulp on his creamy coffee. Glaring at Bobby for a long moment, he stood up and walked back outside. Bobby had no choice but to follow him. Bobby took another long sip on his coffee, kissed Lillian on the forehead, patted her shoulder, and chased off after Thunker. The chilly morning air hit Bobby hard in the face as he caught up with the soldier. Climbing into the TMP behind Thunker, he snorted. Whatever. Let’s do this.

“A New Heart”

So much rain back in my day

Heart pounding, head thumping, going insane

For the sun, I longed for its ray

And so many days, I felt nothing but pain

I couldn't think straight, all I could hear was my breath

It felt like nobody loved me, not even God

I felt that the deception would last til my death

The thought of being forgotten didn't seem odd

I prayed for a reprieve from the hollows of heart

Prayers for love were so often common place

I prayed that God would let me get lost in my art

And to see into the beauty of an angel’s face

I managed only one day at a time

The bottom of a bottle became my best friend

Watching those around me, I hoped for the sublime

I wondered, if for the bitterness, there would ever be an end

One day forgotten, the closure of heart

I prayed, once open, it would last for a while

The bottom of of the bottle became death like my art

But once my heart opened, I found my smile

I found peace so very immeasurable

Love for my family was finally at hand

The art I wrote down was so very pleasurable

And for the bottle, no more demand

Once I found God, I knew that He loved me

All that I wrote was the dearest of friends

For my heart, the divine made their plea

With my family were finally amends

Today I look back and see all that I went through

And I thank God for my heart made anew

“Creative Juice”

This is my art, my friends

Poisonous tentacles wrapping

It has so many ends

My creative wings are flapping

Cutting through the shadows

Let my imagination soar

My many awful woes

Will soon be out the bloody door

Like the birds, my mind drifts

So many stories go untold

And the hourglass just sifts

Very soon my life will fold

So many stories up in my head

Now to finish before I am dead