A Week in Review - September 27th 2014

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Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. If its Saturday? Then it is time for ‘A Week in Review’! That’s right My Dear and Devout Readers, the weekend has come the workweek in done. For many of you, My Dear Readers, the work week is just too busy to take time to read for pleasure. That is why I have created and now published for three years this article series. Each and every Saturday I post a review of all the articles published during the previous week.

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I link to the article, a short excerpt from the article itself and, finally, I write a little something about the article I have linked. Bingo! How all of you, My Dear Readers, can catch-up on a whole week’s writing and publication in one place. Now, for this week, I (working, as always, completely ALONE) have managed to write and publish a record TEN ARTICLES! My Dear Readers, I simply am without the ability, to put into words, the overwhelming pride I feel. Pride that, in spite of pain and roaring depression, I have pushed myself as hard as I can to write and publish. Publish a record amount of good works to help further my cancer treatment funding campaign. I just feel, in my heart and soul, that if I can write and publish more and more “Good works’ that maybe… just MAYBE you, My Dearest Readers, will see my efforts… appreciate my work and reward my efforts by pledging your support to my battle against cancer!

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As well, each and every article is an opportunity to drawn in more ‘new readers’, new followers and new faces that just might see donating to my Indiegogo campaign as an investment. An earned investment in a talented man who, obviously, works diligently to bring; entertainment, information, laughs and suspense to these pages and your lives. I work hard band I work long hours as a way to pay honor to the support and donations already received, and as an offering to anyone that will give in the near future. ‘Near Future’ is right there are only FIVE DAYS LEFT! I am running out of time fast! Time to convince the people I love to reach out and challenge the nay Sayers by donating to a fund to help me BATTLE CANER!

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So, with each word written, each paragraph finished and every article published I am contributing and investing in our relationship… our friendship! I just hope that I convince enough of you, My Dearest Readers, to garner sufficient funds to win this battle with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma!

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Well, it is 11:00PM on Friday night, so if I am going to get any sleep tonight, I simply must get moving on this weekly review! So, without further adieu I give you ‘A Week in Review’ here at ‘The Other Shoe’!

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• My Two Cents – September 22nd, 2014 : “In closing, again, I never wanted to run a campaign this year. My Dear Readers I wanted 2014 to be a year where I wrote, published, and entertained without asking anything, one red cent, from you or anyone else. But as they say ‘the best laid plans of mice and men…’. I come to you, in these closing hours of my campaign, to ask, to implore, to convince, to beseech you My Dearest Readers, to reach out and help lift me so that I might stand in battle and win this war on my cancer.” It as Monday, just five short days ago, and I was already feeling the heat of failure. At this point I had raised just $150, and the shortness of support smarted! I knew not where support would come, I knew not if I would ever garner the support necessary for me to wage a successful battle with my Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer! I had been… told/whispered/hinted at that ‘somebody’ was working to undermine my best efforts. That ‘someone’ was under the (MISTAKEN) impression that if I was deprived of support that (somehow) I would ‘sprout a new spine, new nerve roots, a new leg and be FREE of CANCER’ and “be forced to return to work”. I can only imagine that this ‘person’ was totally bereft of medical knowledge, had not been around these past ten years, failed to understand the medical reality that damaged nerve fiber NEVER HEALS! That is why paraplegics NEVER get up out of their wheelchairs and power chairs and DANCE! (Except, of course, in ‘Tent Revivals’) The only way one might imagine that depriving a human being of much needed support to BATTLE CANER, is if their minds were so clouded by anger and hatred that reason had long ago left them. I was so deeply HURT, by the telling, that I had to explain to the person who told me this, that I was not “upset at them… I am upset by the actions which you tell me about”. My Dear Readers, please do tell me just WHAT KIND of person would run around sewing seeds of distrust based in falsehoods and deceit? What kind of a human being, a Christian, would seek to undermine the efforts of a disabled person to gather funds need to (now) BATTLE CANCER!?! My Oncologist, upon meeting me and hearing the story of my head injury… my further disability… my loss of mobility and NOW my CANER! He marveled at my enthusiasm, my ‘Good Attitude’ and my perseverance in the face of YET ANOTHER personal medical BATTLE! He openly admitted that he did not think he could manage to go through what I have, “and keep the same positive and enthusiastic attitude”! However, I have read that some ‘kinds’ of people ONLY have or keep sick/disabled people as ‘friends’ just so they can ‘Watch them loose their battles with disability or disease”! There are some really sick people out there… really!


• A ‘Shout-Out’ to ‘The Solitary-One’ : “Sherri Mikeska aka‘The-Solitary-One’ I would like to “Thank YOU!” for; your donation, your time, your kindness, your generosity… AND for picking the “Multi-SOCIAL-Media ‘Shout-Out’!” as it was the ‘Perk’ that I created all by myself! I have been waiting for someone to pick this ‘Perk’ so I could do this… procedure. I really hope that you Sherri Mikeska ‘The-Solitary-One’ sees ALL of these ‘Shout-Outs’! Now, I did see the ‘RL’ name of the person that made the donation. Well, the first name. However, since I DID NOT receive; an email, an Indiegogo PM, or any correspondence giving me permission to use the contributors Real Life name? I DID NOT reveal even the first name that I have record.” The very FIRST of its kind, but hopefully not the last! This is part of the (personal brainchild of ME) ‘Multi-Social-Media SHOUT-OUT!” as a ‘PERK’ for ANY donation of $40 or more! There are STILL 13 (Thirteen) of these ‘Social Media Wonders’ left! You get mention in/on; BOTH Blogs, THREE Facebook Accounts (Mine, The Other Shoe and Danny’s Cancer Treatment Fund), TWO Twitter Accounts AND One YouTube VIDEO just FOR YOU! This is a GREAT Perk and one that I was SURE would be a HIT! With FIVE DAYS LEFT I am SURE that there are STILL a few people out here that would REALLY enjoy a ‘Multi-Social-Media’ SHOUT-OUT! Drop $40 of MORE at the campaign, PICK the PERK and WAIT for the WAVE of MEDIA Recognition! (The Net will NEVER be the SAME!) AGAIN ““Thank YOU!” to Sherri Mikeska!!!


• The Mars Report – September 22nd, 2014: “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Today I bring you, yet another, edition of ‘The Mars report’. There are a great many events transpiring, here on Earth in regards to Mars, and in the Martian orbit. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is about to have some company in the Martian orbit. The MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) spacecraft achieved Martian orbit roughly twenty hours ago, late Sunday night. The most tremendous thing about MAVEN is that this spacecraft will help mankind discover just what happened to the, once thick, atmosphere of Mars.” Determined to keep up the ‘regular’ publishing schedule, regardless of the; pain, confusion, depression and everything else. I put my nose to the grindstone, my mind into ‘Creative’ mode, took an extra pain medication and plunged, head first, into he awe and wonder that IS Curiosity’s adventure on the Martian Surface! This week was no different. I managed to find more than a half-dozen images to share, some really great narrative, and even shared some science! I am always happy to share the science and images that come from the rovers on the Martian Surface. My Dear Readers, I have been focused like a laser beam, devoted to my work, and hopeful that my HARD WORK and DILLIGENCE would be rewarded with YOUR DONATIONS! I hope, and pray, that I am right!


• Multi-Social-Media Shout-Out! For Jason Kleppinger! : “So, Jason Kleppinger HERE IS YOUR ‘Multi-Social-Media Shout-Out!’ As well, I wold like to express my heartfelt THANKS for your kind contribution(S) to my cancer treatment funding campaign. Shortly, I will be broadcasting your name via; YouTube, Facebook, BOTH Blogs and my Twitter account(s)! By the time I am done… hundreds of people around the WORLD will KNOW of your kindness and GENEROSITY Jason Kleppinger!” And BAM right on the heals of the FIRST one comes the SECOND ‘Multi-Social-Media’ SHOUT-OUT! I am SO happy that these ‘Perks’ became so popular! I am only HOPING and PRAYING that many more will want to partake in this GREAT Social PERK. You get KNOWN on the internet FAST! Again, “THANK YOU JASON for your DONATIONS, your KINDNESS and you SUPPRT!” Thanks!


• Lost in Space – Tour of Our Solar System ‘Review’: “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Welcome to a review edition of ‘Lost In Space’. Last week we completed the series ‘Tour of Our Solar System’ with the publication of Jupiter. Today I am going to share a look back over all of the editions of ‘Lost in Space’ that made up the series ‘Tour of Our Solar System’. From looking at the ‘Likes’ and the traffic reports it is easy to see that this sub-series within ‘Lost in Space’ was a huge success.” As PRMISED (in Last week’s edition) and ON SCHEDULE I wrote and published this ‘Review’ of ALL the edidtions of ‘Lost in Space’ that made up the ‘Tour of Our Solar System’! I am so very happy that, at this point in the week, I am STILL staying on schedule, publishing FINE WORK, and not ‘skimping’ of taking shortcuts! Regardless of my pain (both physical and EMOTIONAL) so SOUJURN forward. I just Keep Moving Forward. Placing FATIH in you, My Dearest Readers, my family, and my very good old friends from Houston and Pearland! I just know that if I can manage to KEEP writing and publishing that my hard work and efforts WILL be REWARDED!


• Notes From Behind the Keyboard – September 25th, 2014: “THAT, My Dear Readers, brings us to the end of this article, for today. I hope that I have opened some eyes, and shared some insight. It is always my intent to share, and inform. Never to judge or inflame. My words are just that, MY words. Nothing more, and certainly nothing less. I look forward to seeing you here, later today, and again tomorrow. On FRIDAY there WILL be an episode of ‘The Horror in Smithville’!” And into every life a little rain must fall. Yes, it is Wednesday and (when I wrote this article) my doubt had found its way into my heart and mind following my pain. Funny how pain is almost always accompanied by doubt. That being in pain, makes a person more susceptible to doubt. Even myself, I have found that there is doubt, along with some fear… and some genuine… confusion. I FEAR that I will be too short of funds, have to forgo chemotherapy… and fear that my cancer will overcome me… and take me from you, My Dear Readers. I am also confounded by the deafening silence coming from people I have known since I was a pre-teen and a teenager. One would think, since you are STILL in contact with them, they DO know of your malady… well, a friendship that spans FOUR DECADES? Should be a friendship that bears fruit in a time of need. Support, when one stands to face cancer and death, alone.


• News From Around the World – September 25th 2014 : “Well now, My Dear Readers, that brings us to the end of this revival of ‘News From around the World’ here at The Other Shoe. As most of you are aware, I am running a running campaign at Indiegogo to help me with the mounting costs of battling my cancer. Danny’s Cancer Treatment Fund at Indiegogo is now in its FINAL WEEK! That’s right only seven more days for me to raise as much money as I can! I hate to be so brutally honest, but I am a ‘man on a mission’. A mission to raise money to help me with; transportation costs, pharmacy costs, treatment costs, and home care costs.” This article series has been absent for nearly TWO months. However, I brought this one out of mothballs JUST FOR YOU My Dearest Readers! I am working so hard, spending hour upon hour everyday behind the keyboard and on the net. Doing everything I CAN to curry favor and EARN/WIN YOUR SUPPORT! I JUST KNOW that IF I can manage to FINISH OUT THIS WEEK… PUBLISHING ALL THE REGUALR ARTICLES PLUS MORE!!! That I WILL see MANY ‘Good’ DONATIONS!! CORRECT!


• The Horror in Smithville – Part – 14 – B – 3 : “Betty Sue and Truman are leaning up against the door, when they hear Barry form inside the inner office. They hear him screaming! They had smelled cigarette smoke, again, a few moments earlier. Then it got really quite. Now… Barry was screaming AGAIN! This time is was so loud that it forced Truman and Betty Sue away from the door to the inner office. They heard Barry’s screaming twice, then they could have sworn they heard… Barry begging for his life! Truman got right up against the door, again, and put his ear hard up against the door. He could barely make out Barry saying “PLEASE just STOP right NOW!”” AS PROMISED!!! This week, we return to Barry Gartuske, Truman Dunahoo, and Betty Sue. We have Deputy Darryl on his way to “apprehend the MURDERER”… (Is Timmy DEAD?) AND we have the REAPPREAENCE of ‘The Tall Man’ in all his gory… or is that ‘glory’… Anyway, it is a GREAT episode and REAL ‘MUST READ’ for any of My Dear Readers that enjoy suspense novels or horror! And who DOESN’T at THIS time of year, right? I am HOPING BEYOND HOPE that I WILL have this story FINISHED just in time for HALLOWEEN!!! Now, My Dear Readers, I just CANNOT think of a BETTER motivator… to get me TO finish this horror novel IN TIME for HALLOWEEN than to have a GREAT Ending to my CAMPAIGN! The more money I garner? The BETTER the CHANCES are for me to FINISH! Simple!


• INTERNATIONAL Traffic August – September 2014 : “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Now, My Dear Readers, I have always wrote and published for the largest possible audience. Seems to me that the greatest accomplishment for a writer, of any kind, is to have their work read by the largest possible audience. Sure, Domestic audiences are great, it is gratifying to have the people you grew up with read and like your work. Although, the greatest test of a writer’s chops (it would seem to me… as logical) would be so demonstrate that one’s work has international appeal. If you, My Dear readers, have been a long-time reader of this blog, what I am about to publish will be rather familiar.” Well, My Dearest readers, I was looking over the traffic reports for the past month. Nothing out of the ordinary… except there is a LOT MORE traffic at the secondary location that EVERY before (that is over at Word Press). Then, I noticed something ELSE. I was looking at the SOURCE of this great influx of traffic. Low and behold, I find the source… and it knocks my socks off! The ‘source’ of the great increase in traffic? INTERNATIONAL READERS! That’s right, over the past several months, the better part of this year, my Internationla readership has been on a gradual increase! For the purposes of this article I have limited the graphics to the increase in just the last thirty days. But, just at the ‘secondary’ location? There are more than THIRTY nations where I have readers! Still the majority of my traffic is in the ‘GoodOl’USA!’ but now I have ‘regular’ readers in; England, Germany, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, and India just to name a handful! In the article (linked above) you can see all the nations listed with the number of readers by the name of the country. I am just FALBERGASTED! The NUMBERS are just MINDNUMBING! Over all, between the TWO locations? In just ONE DAY I now have OVER ONE HUNDRED SEPARATE VISITORS! Even BETTER it shows that TWICE A WEEK I have 100+ days! This is better than ever before! Between the increasing international traffic and the several 100+ visitor days my blog(s) have gained a popularity… my WORK my WRITING has gained a level of popularity that I had not even noticed, and am just HUMBLED by!

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So, My Dear Readers, that brings us to the end of this weeks’ edition of ‘A Week in Review’ here at ‘The Other Shoe’. If you have read this entire article, then I think that you, My Dear Readers, now understand why I have managed to keep in a ‘Good Mood’ regardless of the dismal sate of my campaign. I can take heart in the fact that my writing and my work is gaining an international audience! That, overall, my traffic is on the up-swing, and that more and more people, every day, are learning just what a joy it can be to read something written by Danny Hanning!

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YES! I really do need for donations to increase… either in frequency or size… or BOTH! I simply will not be able to afford to restart my treatments and care with the $280 I have raised. However, I will Make A PROMISE right here, right now’! That if (somehow) I manage to break $1,000.00 before the end of the campaign that I “will restart and STAY WITH my chemotherapy/radiation therapy. PERIOD! I do NOT want to shorten my life by refusing these treatments, However, I will NOT allow myself to be without enough money to pay the rent just so I can afford; transportation, food, a caregiver, and medications. PERIOD!

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So, there it is My Dear Readers, a FULL and complete week of writing and publishing. JUST AS I PROMSIED! Now, I have done MY PART. It is TIME for you, My Dear Readers, to do your PART! I have sojourned on through pain, doubt and fear these past four weeks. I have done so without ‘seeing’ the financial… or friendship support that I need to battle and beat cancer. Regardless, I have managed to write and publish TEN ‘Good’ articles for your reading pleasure. Now, won’t you PLEASE click on the link below… and make my life BETTER and SAFER by pledging YOUR support?

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Adieu!

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Thank YOU!
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Danny's Cancer Treatment Fund @ Indiegogo

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PLEASE DONATE to

Danny's Cancer Treatment Fund @ Indiegogo

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Danny in Rolling Hills Estates August 12, 2014

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Danny in Rolling Hills Estates August 12, 2014

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© 2010 – 2014 Hanning Web Wurx and The Other Shoe

A Week in Review - September 7th 2014

[caption id="attachment_3513" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Danny Arrives for PET Scan[/caption]

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Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. The end of the week has come and it is time for ‘A Week in Review’ here at The Other Shoe. With the publication of this article, I have managed to publish NINE articles in the past seven days. I consider this to be quite an accomplishment, considering what was going on in my life outside this blog. I started the re-publication of a very (initially) popular series of articles; ‘The Story of Daniel’. First published in the late summer to fall of 2012, this series of articles was (originally) written to help you, My Dear Readers, gain an understanding of who I am… where I grew up… and how important it was/is to reach out and help me in a time of great need.

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My motivation for re-publication was the same as when it was first published. The reasoning is the similar, only the circumstances are different. Similar in that when it was originally published I was fighting for my mobility, and now I am fighting for my life. Below are excerpts and comments on the eight articles I have published in the past seven days.

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Now, without further Adieu, I give you ‘A Week in Review’

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The Mars Report – September 1st 2014 : “I would ‘blame myself’, but I strongly feel that; writing and publishing nearly a dozen articles, spending 12, 14, and 16 hours A DAY (promoting, linking, sharing, and writing) on my blog(s) and Facebook, spending money (that I really shouldn’t) to promote even MORE, and generally… lowering myself to daily asking for HELP! I, generally, feel that I have ‘done my part’. There is little more that I can do. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I will be: visiting my Oncologist, having a P.E.T. scan done, and have BONE MARROW removed from my pelvic girdle. I will try to write. However, I do not know how much I can get done… considering I will be out every day for the tests for ‘Staging My Cancer’!” This was the ONLY ‘regular’ articles that I manage to publish, this week, aside fro this “A Week in Review’. To say that the pain was terrible would be redundant. To write about how I really wanted to share, would be futile. To try and explain my frame of mind, my concern for my health and my fear of my cancer. Appears to be honesty of a kind and type that people just do not want to read. I guess.

• The Story of Daniel – Redux – All About Danny : “The reality of my life… is why I wrote ‘The Story of Daniel’ back in September of 2012. I use this story now to maybe help people remember who I am. Remember that I used to stand at their side, remember that I used to work to make them laugh, remember how hard I worked for the plays, remember how important Pearland was-and-is to me. To remember is to relive in our hearts, our minds, our souls. I used to occupy that space in many people’s lives in Pearland.” The whole ‘thought process’ (originally pitched to me by one Jim Thornton) was that if the good people of Pearland could remember; who I was, how I used to entertain them, why they enjoyed my company and my performances that they just might reach out and help me in my time of need. That was the thought process. I just thought that I might try it, again. I have, yet, to decide if next week will se the continuation of this publication. Or, like my efforts to document my trials and battle with cancer, it will be throw to the wayside for something more commercially viable.


• Daniel’s Disability and HOW it ALL Began! – Redux : “See, there is no one to blame, in this matter it is just a matter of ‘bad luck’ or something like that. I don’t hate anyone, or blame anything for the plight I live with… boy, that would be futile, to seek and assign blame. Because it really doesn’t matter, in the large scheme of things, who did what or who didn’t won’t make my pain go away.” Twenty-seven years ago someone, working the electrtonics stockroom at Target in Manhattan Beach, placed a Smith Corona typewriter at the very top of a pile of loosely stacked boxes. The next day that typewriter fell and struck me in the spine and back of the head. That incident set in motion the events of the next twenty-five years of my life. If my assumptions are correct, and the bone graft is/was the source of the Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma… that fateful day is also responsible for my cancer.


• The Story of Daniel – Redux – Episode One – The Beginning : “The Cub Scouts taught me the importance of; self reliance, respect of elders and community, and that knowledge is power. At the same time that I was learning these lessons in Scouts, I was learning even more in my Father’s garage. My father was an X-Ray technician for three orthopedic surgeons in the Herman Professional Building in Houston. They were the ‘Herman Associates’ group. Dr.(s); Hutcherson, Moore and Baker. When my father came home from work, he had dinner with the family only to then go to work in our garage. My father ran a small business out of our garage. We were the owners and operators of ‘K. & M. Electronics’ (Ken and Margie). My father repaired; radios, televisions, clocks and record players, HAM radios and transmitters, teletype machines and pretty much everything if he could get the schematics.” This is the beginning of my story. The formative years of my life, and how my father’s work and profession had a lasting impact on my life and career choices. I have included this part of the story… for one reason. I wanted people to know, to understand, that I was/am a Cub Scout and a Boy Scout. That lots of people have trusted me all my life, and that they too could trust me. Turst! I was trying to instill trust for me in my readers. Trust that if they donated money. That I would USE that money as I explained and as it was intended!


• PRE-CHEMO Appointment, DONE! : “My Dear Readers I have just spent two hours in ‘Orientation’ for Chemotherapy. Unfortunately, due to my lack of financial means, I will be poorly prepared for… and After treatment.” Here, I am trying to relay the events of my life. To tell a tale and to explain the source of my needs and their urgency. To be truthful, and trustworthy.


• The Story of Daniel – Part Two – REDUX! : “The holidays, for the Hanning family, were an enjoyable and busy time. Starting in October, when the air became crisp and temperatures dropped, my father added a new duty to his agenda. He took on the creation and display of festive and seasonal decorations. Though my father never talked of it openly, he loved the holiday season. Oh, not shopping and not the cooking (that was Mother’s job), he just loved decorating the house for the neighbors. It almost seemed as though he regarded it as some ‘social responsibility’ to provide eye candy for the community and neighbors. I never sensed he thought of it as; an obligation or competition it was his way of expressing himself. My father didn’t sing or dance or anything of that nature. Yes, he sang hymns at South Park Baptist Church but you would never see him bursting into song around the house of neighborhood.” My father could have spent his free time, around the holidays, relaxing and enjoying time spent with family. Not my father, he spent is free time setting about wonderful and entertaining decorations and automated displays. He really sought to bring joy and happiness to his friends and neighbors. I have a great deal of respect for him, in that regard. My father was a man of the community and he sought always to give back to those around him. A habit I picked up, and used my singing and acting abilities to follow in his footsteps.


• The Story of Daniel – Part Three – REDUX! : “As I have told you, much of elementary school at Pearland is just gone, “dust in the wind”. For what ever reason, though, my memories of the time that I spent in the (then) new ‘Middle School’ are pretty clear and there a good many of them, too. Now, I really do wish that my parents had purchased those ‘Year Books’. I was never really big on buying them, as a boy. Now that may have been merely because my mother and father both never really showed any interest in buying them, and I was just following their lead or it could be because our family just budgeted out money so frugally that it seemed a frivolous expenditure. What ever the reason, I am working without a net here, so IF I get some dates wrong, or places please be kind.” This is the third part of ‘The Story of Daniel’. I explain my time coming to Pearland, starting at the Elementary school and then on to Pearland Middle School. The best I can figure the Hannings arrived in Pearland in, like, 1965 or 1966. We lived on Francis street, there in Pearland, until my mother passed away in 1987. Twenty-plus years in Pearland… and not the “couple of years” some would have me believe.


• Radioactive Dan! : “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. My apologies for my absence, these past two days, as I have been involved in the ‘Staging’ process with my cancer. Yesterday, the topic of this article, was full of fun and excitement with a P.E.T. (Positron Emission Tomography – Computed Tomography) scan. I know how could something like that be… entertaining? Well, I will tell you just how and give you; videos from the day, images from the day, and images of/about P.E.T. scans and the process. At the end of this article, I will share some of the actual images from my scan! Tell me that is not exciting!” This was my very FIRST P.E.T. scan. I had never been directly injected with a radioactive sugar compound, before. Looking back, I just wish I had the… resources to eat the correct foods prior to the scan. I was unable to eat a “high Protein, Low Carbohydrate” diet the way they had instructed.


• The Hardest Decision of My Life : “With less than three weeks left, to the campaign, I have made a difficult and hard decision. I will no longer write articles about; my cancer, my adventure with cancer, my visits to doctors, my chemotherapy, or anything to do with my treatment or condition. I have seen my traffic decline, and with more than 210 ‘Shares’ on Facebook I have garnered only the support of two people. I fear that I risk loosing more of you, My Dear Readers, if I continue to write about my disease and my battle with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.” IF I could find a hole big enough, I would crawl into it and just disappear. That is how I felt, when I wrote this article, it is how I feel as I write this review. I have, obviously, offended… upset… ‘puched away’ people by just talking about my disease and asking for assistance. Who would’ve thunk it? Facts are facts, traffic was in a downward spiral (again, that could have been because of the of new material and/or the regular article series), I will never know. I am just stopping writing about my battle with cancer. I will write, when I am able, the regular articles everyone enjoys. Maybe… somehow, someway, I will be able to afford to eat properly… and get to and from treatments and pay my rent. However, as I have stated… if the costs of treatment and everything… take out of rent.. I WILL STOP treatments to pay my rent. Roof comes first!

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Well, My Dear Readers, that brings us to the end of this week’s ‘A Week in Review’! As well, it brings to a close a very; tiring, trying and painful seven days. Next week, it will be just the regular articles. I do not believe I will continue the re-publication of ‘The Story of Daniel’. I know that nobody wants to hear about my battle with cancer. However, I will continue to make videos… and keep a journal of my journey… because that is what writers do!

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Thank you for dropping by, and thank you for your kindness and support. I look forward to writing and publishing as my health and time allows. I do hope to have more of ‘The Horror in Smithville’ ready for next Friday. I look forward to seeing you, My Dear Readers, right here.

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Adieu!

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Thank YOU!

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PLEASE DONATE to

Danny's Cancer Treatment Fund @ Indiegogo

[caption id="attachment_3338" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Danny in Rolling Hills Estates August 12, 2014[/caption]

PLEASE GIVE!?!

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© 2010 – 2014 Hanning Web Wurx and The Other Shoe

The Horror in Smithville - Part Seven

[caption id="attachment_2489" align="aligncenter" width="500"] The Horror in Smithville - Part Seven[/caption]

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Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe! A very special welcome to you, My Dear Readers, to this Part SEVEN of ‘The Horror in Smithville’! When last we left our adventurous heroes, Timmy and Archer were ‘treed’ in the gnarled oak at the center of the graveyard. Our heroes were soon to be surrounded, by zombie-wolves, which were pouring out of the forest from every side. Greatly outnumbered, and already tired from a long ‘night’ (?) of running and exploring, they readied themselves for the oncoming battle.

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My Dear Readers, this story has quickly become the single most popular article series in the history of this blog. The last two weeks, and two editions, have garnered over One Hundred ‘Likes’ from all over the world. This makes me one Happy Camper! Unlike last week, I did not wait till the last minute to write, edit, and publish this week’s edition. No, I started yesterday afternoon… and finished some time around 4AM this morning.

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My neck… is a disaster area! I can barely move my frigging head and the pain is so bad it would immobilize a wooly mammoth. Nevertheless, I venture forward into the day and work tirelessly to present this week’s Special episode. I refuse to ‘tip my hand’ about the trials and tribulations that lie ahead for our adventuring heroes.

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The only way you, My Dear Readers, are going to find out what happened to Timmy and Archer… do they survive the onslaught attack by zombie-wolves… Will they have further encounters with Princess Nadia and the ferret-riding Alexander? All that, and more await you in the pages below.

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A word of warning for all of you, My Dear Readers. The following ‘Part’… more like a chapter, weighs in at fourteen pages in Word with a 12 pt. font. Yeah… that is why it took me nine hours to write, and check. Oh, yeah! Today is special for another reason! Since I started early? I was able to go back and proof read this article prior to publication! Yes, that means that there should be very few; typos, errors, broken sentences and other literary oddities that generally disrupt the flow of a literary work.

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So, without further adieu I give you ‘Part Seven – The Horror in Smithville’!

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Part Seven

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Timmy had directed Archer to climb to the highest branch of the old gnarled tree he could manage. There he would do his best to; bleed, slow down and/or maim as many of these zombie-wolves as possible. You see, that is a common misnomer about archers, and archery, among the larger populous. Archers rarely ‘kill’ someone with an arrow to the heart. Archers are best to bleed your opponents, causing them to slow and reducing strength. Timmy had explained all this, to Archer, as they climbed the gnarled tree.

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Timmy took his stand among the lower branches of the tree. There he could just reach the zombie-wolves, inflicting head wounds and hopefully an occasional decapitation. As the boys steadied themselves for the oncoming onslaught, they did a quick head count and spoke to each other. Timmy was the first to speak;

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“Ok, Archer… I have to say it… least I forget or… and robbed of the opportunity. I think it ironic that your name is ‘Archer’ and you appear in this dream with a bow and quiver of arrows. Do you have any experience, or training, in archery? Perhaps?”

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Far above Timmy’s head, and out of his line of sight, he heard Archer’s laugh. It took a special kind of courage to be able to laugh when faced with an onslaught of dozens of half-dead, or reanimated wolves, hell-bent on killing you. Archer had that kind of insane courage, and Timmy thanked the powers that be just for his courage. Archer, then spoke to Timmy;

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“Funny you have never asked that question before, Timmy. Yes, my father first put a bow in my hand when I was, like, six or seven. Every summer we spend time, together, seeing how many arrows we can put in a target he have attached to some hay bails in the backyard. In six years I have become quite proficient at archery, or so says my Dad.”

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Timmy was surprised, and immensely thankful of his father’s instruction. It was Timmy that spoke, next;

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“Well, Archer, I have never held a sword in my hand. However, I have read enough to understand to one thing about archery. “Aim small, miss small” Which means, from what I understand, aim for a small target on the wolf… like right above the hind leg where the leg meets the back, that way if you miss you will still hit the wolf. Archer, aim to maim the wolves… and to bleed them, if you can. If they can’t jump I am going to last longer, down here in these lower branches.”

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The zombie-wolves that came from just to the left and right of the boys had been running all this time, and were within a few yards from the boys. Although, there were dozens more still in a flat-out run, that came from the far ends of the graveyard. Timmy had tried to make a count, of how many of these animals there were. He had made it to fifty… when he lost the desire to count, further. Timmy spoke, one last time, before they engaged their enemies;

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“Archer, I know you have only a fixed amount of arrows. When I can, I will try to reach and grab arrows out of these zombie-wolves and hand them to you, k?”

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Archer replied;

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“Don’t get your hand removed trying to get me more arrows, ok Timmy?”

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Then Archer spoke with the most serious tone Timmy thought he had ever heard.

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“Tim, I really hope that this isn’t one of those kinds of dreams… where if you die in the dream… you die… in real life.”

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Timmy responded quickly to Archer’s fear laden statement;

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“Archer, nobody is going to be doing any dying, here… K? Shoot straight, shoot well. I will slice and dice these zombies as fast as I can. We will awake, just fine, to take our Math test tomorrow. K?”

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With that, the zombie-wolves set upon our two heroes.

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Princess Nadia was sitting by the fire she had just built up. Ready to start preparing food for diner that night, when Alexander rode into the campsite on a visibly tired ferret. They had not seen one another since they parted company right before dawn, that day. Alexander dismounted from his ferret, nodded at Princess Nadia, and went about unpacking his mount. Princess Nadia had managed to capture a couple of rabbits, and found some potatoes in the bottom of her pack. If Alexander had brought some veggies, and maybe some herbs, then they would put together a nice stew of the hair, and eat well that night.

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Alexander had finished unpacking, and was unrolling his bedroll, when he handed Princess Nadia; some carrots, a handful of green beans, a few more potatoes and the needed sage, and some thyme. Princess Nadia looked up at, a very tired, Alexander and thanked him. Alexander spoke first, of his curious encounter, by the Mach-One Train crossing.

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“Nadia, I had the most curious encounter at the crossing. A bright white oval appeared, right out of thin air, and a young human boy stumbled out. Without any hardware at all, he spoke to me, and I to him. His name was ‘Archer’ and he looked as if he was in some terrible adventure, wherever he had come from. We spoke briefly, and then he vanished the same way that he appeared. A very nice Lad, indeed, and in just the few moments that we spoke I felt a fancy towards him… enough so I wished I could have helped!”

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Princess Nadia looked up at Alexander, motioned for him to sit right beside her in front of the fire, and spoke.

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“Curious, indeed, my dear Alexander. For I, too, had a similar experience, only the young lad I met was named ‘Timmy’ and was unaware he had a sword strapped to his back. I informed him that the sword on his back would make a better weapon than the large rock in his hand. Alexander, I think that it was no coincidence that we meet these boys, nor was it coincidence that we should both speak to them without aid.”

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Princess Nadia took a deep breath, then looked Alexander directly in the eyes, and spoke again;

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“Alex, I have a strange feeling that we will meet these lads, again, in our travels. I had a feeling that we are meant to help them, and they… us! Tonight, I want us both to think on what we might be able to give them, when next our paths cross. Something that might help them in their journeys and/or be of aid. I have decided to give the lad named Timmy… my duel ‘Dragon’s Teeth’ daggers. They have served me well, these past several years. With the path I have set my feet upon, today. I do not think I will have need of them, again, in the near future. As well I think that I will provide them with, some bandages and healing lotions. You, Alexander, think on it tonight and we will make our items ready, tomorrow. Now, let’s eat this stew and get some much needed sleep, eh?”

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With that Alexander stood up and stirred the stew. Princess Nadia added fuel to the fire.

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Timmy was reaching down, trying to grab an arrow out of the shoulder of a ‘close’ zombie-wolf’ when it happened. SNAP! Bite!

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“OUCH! Dang blasted… That HURT!” Timmy exclaimed as he pulled his wounded left hand back, two arrows clutched in his bitten hand. Timmy reached up, with his right hand, giving the arrows to Archer above. Archer looked at the arrows, before putting them in to his quiver. They were covered in Timmy’s blood. Archer spoke;

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“Timmy, just as soon as this is over, let me take a look at your hand. I will need to clean and bandage it. Now try and be more careful. K?”

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Timmy was in no place to argue with Archer. Though, it struck Timmy how maternal Archer had become, since they landed in this world. This was not a ‘Bad Thing’, just kind of out of character for Archer and an overall role reversal for both of them. Timmy looked down at the ground below them and saw that it was covered with the decapitated and cloven bodies of dozens of these zombie-wolves’. Archer just had to be running out of arrows, at this point, and he wasn’t sure just how much longer he was going to be able to swing his sword.

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They had to have killed over thirty of these undead, and it looked like there was at least thirty more left to kill. Just as Timmy was having this epiphany, he saw one of Archer’s arrows drive right into the left eye of one of the wolves. It was within reach, so before the zombie-wolf feel back in death, Timmy pulled out the arrow… and the eyeball with it. Timmy shuddered as he repeatedly shook the arrow to dislodge the eyeball. Once the eyeball flung off the end of the arrow, he handed it back to Archer.

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Timmy’s sword, now feeling evenheavier, was drenched in black sticky blood all the way up to the handle. The black sticky blood was making it increasingly difficult to keep a tight grip on the sword. The arrow he had just handed back to Archer, as well, was covered in the brackish blood. Looking down, at the base of the gnarled tree, Timmy could clearly see that there were more than thirty bodies of zombie-wolves in various states of dismemberment, or death. Some still twitched and some, even, still tried to bite and gnashed their teeth. The sight was both gory, and disturbing, all at the same time.

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Timmy feared that his ability to slice and dice these ‘animals’ would fail before they were all dead. Above him, Archer’s breath was more labored and the time between arrows taking flight, was increasing. Just as Timmy was trying to figure out a way that they could both leave the tree, alive, a tremendously loud and terrifying roar came out of the woods to their left. This sound had not come from another of the zombie-wolves; it was completely unlike any they had heard.

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The roar was much like a cross between a huge lion… and an injured human. It rang out from deep within the forest, off to their left and behind them some. The strangest thing had happened, when the roar sounded. The boys had stopped, when they heard the sound, but so had the zombie-wolves! Archer was not letting loose any more arrows. Timmy was not taking any more swings, and the zombie-wolves stood completely still at the base of the gnarled tree. This went on for nearly a whole minute when the forest, directly from where they imagined that sound had come, shook!

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The tops of the trees trembled and shook, as if some mighty creature was tearing tree from ground. Even though the roaring sound had stopped, the shuddering and trembling of the trees still happened. Deep within the woods, where they could not see it exactly. However, from their vantage point, it appeared that the creature making the sound was moving in their direction. The ROAR!!!, sounded again. Deep from within the dark forest. Trees shuddered, shook, roar sounds. Timmy motioned for Archer to try to get to the top of their tree, so that he might see better what was happening.

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Timmy turned to look at the dogs, after giving Archer his direction, and the zombie-wolves had put their (remaining parts of) their tails between their legs and were backing away from the gnarled tree. Timmy almost laughed, when it happened again. ROAR! Trees shake and break! Yes, it was close enough, now, that Timmy could actually hear the trunks of the trees… break!

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Timmy called up to Archer;

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“What are you seeing, Archer? Tell me what’s is going on?!”

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Timmy couldn’t ‘see’ Archer at all; the branches covered him completely now. All he knew of Archer was his voice, he now heard.

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“I can’t see what is doing this… What I can see? Timmy you are not going to believe this!!! Something is throwing trees into the air! Full-grown trees are flying all around, Timmy. Something is pulling forty and fifty foot tress out of the ground and throwing them!”

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Timmy was dumbfounded; he looked down at the base of the tree. Much to his surprise, the zombie-wolves had left the base of the tree and were still backing away. Out of the fifty or so that were left, almost half had left the graveyard, completely. The remaining zombie-wolves were, now, more interested in what was coming out of the forest, than the two boys they had been hell-bent on eating just minutes ago. Timmy thought fast! Then he spoke to Archer, again. Nearly yelling, this time;

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“Archer, get down here… FAST! These zombie-wolf things are leaving! I think we should go down, together, and gather up as many of your arrows as we can… before whatever this is gets out of the forest.”

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Archer didn’t answer Timmy, he just put the arrow back into his quiver, wrapped to bow around his shoulder, and started climbing down the tree. Once Archer was low enough to see, he clearly saw that Timmy was right. The zombie-wolves had left the foot of the three, and were backing away as they hit the ground. Timmy was on the ground shortly before Archer, so he started pulling arrows out of bodies. He used them to stick, in the eye, any remaining zombie-wolves that were snapping at their heals. Archer hit the ground and started pulling arrows from bodies, too. They had removed all the arrows from the bodies, when they saw a form come out of the edge of the woods.

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Whatever was coming out of the woods… well, stood on two legs, had a head, and looked like it had two arms. Thing was? This thing stood over twenty feet tall! It was covered in black clothing… it had a tall thin hat on, and it had something in its hand... that was squirming… and screaming.

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Before Timmy could say a word to Archer, he knew what was coming out of the woods. How it had grown to twenty, or more, feet was another matter entirely. It was dressed in shadows, had a stovepipe hat and was as thin as a railroad rail. Timmy knew… Timmy knew that Archer was about to meet… ‘The Tall Man’!

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The remaining zombie-wolves were now running for the forest. One mistakenly headed to the forest too close to ‘The Tall Man’. The Tall Man then kicked the zombie-wolf. The wolf went up in the air higher than it stood, had to be nearly fifty feet in the air and traveled the distance of two or more football fields! Tommy had never seen anything like that, a wolf being kicked half a mile in distance and nearly fifty feet into the air.

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As it grew closer, both Timmy and Archer could just make out what he was carrying. ‘The Tall Man’ was carrying a human man. They were not close enough, yet, to make out who... but it was a man and this man was screaming his head off. The man was yelling, “Please don’t eat me” and “Please don’t kill me!” and (Timmy’s favorite) “Please let me go!” Yeah, like that was going to happen.

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Timmy looked over at Archer; just in time to see that Archer’s mouth was hanging wide open in shock and horror. Timmy, gently, used two fingers to close Archer’s mouth, and then he motioned up to the tree.

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“Should we get back into the tree, Archer?”

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Archer thought about this for, like, a half-second, and then answered;

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“Nope, not really going to be that much safer… and if we need to run? I don’t want to be trying to climb out of the tree to start running.”

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Archer made very good sense; they had a better chance of survival if they could break out running. Timmy put his sword back in the sheathe, on his back. Then he went about trying to wipe the black sticky blood off of his hands, on to his pants. Archer saw this and went about cleaning his hands, too. Just as Archer was finishing up trying to clean up, it got close enough for both Timmy and Archer to see who it was that was screaming. It was their math teacher, Mr. Albright!

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He was wearing the same outfit he had on when they saw him in class, earlier that day. Black slacks, a white shirt, dark tie and a black and white argyle pullover sweater. Mr. Albright was one of the best-dressed teachers at their school. That and the fact he was single, made for fodder that Mr. Albright was gay. Why is it that any single well-dressed guy just has to be gay? Now Mr. Albright was close enough to see the boys on the ground. Below him, were Timmy and Archer. He called out to them;

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“Is that you… Archer? Timmy? Boys, I do not know how I got here… or how you got here, but you boys need to start running away and not look back. Get home quickly and call the Sheriff. Tell him what is happening and where I am… PLEAASE?!?!”

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Mr. Albright could beg all he wanted to, there was just no way the boys were ever going to speak of this night, to anyone. Just then The Tall Man stopped walking and was standing directly in front of the boys. He looked down, at the boys, and put his hand over the mouth of Mr. Albright. Obviously The Tall Man wanted to speak and he didn’t want to yell over Mr. Albright.

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“Hello, boys! How are you on this fine night? I see you have met my pets… my wolves. Were you having fun with my wolves? Did I interrupt your fun with my wolves?”

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His voice was very low and rumbled. Almost like if thunder could talk. Again, Timmy heard a rattling sound, in his voice, like bones tossed around in a stone coffin. It was making Timmy’s skin crawl… bad! The Tall Man spoke again, this time turning toward Archer.

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“Your friend, I have already met. You, I do not know... you. Won’t you both introduce yourselves?”

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This was kind of a really awkward situation. It was as if you went up to a lobster right before you put him in the boiling water, and asked the lobster its name. Timmy needed time, to think. Indulging The Tall Man would buy Timmy that time. Timmy was the first to answer;

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“What? You don’t, like, already know our names? That is odd! I mean, like, this is your world, am I right? We are in your world and you don’t know our names?”

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As Timmy spoke the last syllable, Archer’s foot came down hard on Timmy’s foot. Guess standing up to a murderous twenty-foot guy dressed in shadows made Archer a little uncomfortable. Timmy understood, but he wasn’t going to show fear to this ‘guy’. As well, anything Timmy could do to knock this guy off his game, Timmy was hell-bent on doing. Archer spoke, next;

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“I am so sorry for my good friend, Timmy. He didn’t mean to be rude… Mister. It’s just when Timmy is scared... well, his bark is worse than his bite. I am Archer and this is my good friend Timmy!”

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Timmy could have sworn that he heard The Tall Man… laugh. Great, Archer was going with comic side-kick in a life-or-death situation. He was going to have to remember to have a talk with Archer, when this was all over. Right now, Timmy had to see if he could keep The Tall Man confused, and off his game. Timmy spoke.

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“Hey, Tall Man… can we call you that?Or should it be sick, twisted, gigantic murderous Tall Man? ‘The Tall Man’? Hey, ‘Tall Man’ why don’t you put Mr. Albright down here, beside us. He has never done anything to hurt anyone… like, ever. So, put him down here with us… and then we can part company. We can go back out, the way we came in, and you. Well, you can go and play and kick your wolves,murder other innocent people and create general havoc some where else, right? What do you say… do we have a deal, Mr. Tall Man?”

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There was no laughter, after Timmy spoke. A dark scowl came across The Tall Man’s face, and Archer’s foot came down on Timmy’s foot, again. Timmy had kept him off his game, but it appeared that he haddrawn his ire, too.

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“NO! No, thank you for offering ‘Timmy’ (said sarcastically… like to a child)I will not be putting Mr. Albright down. Regardless of how well Mr. Albright has lived his life… I will do whatever I see fit, to or with Mr. Albright. If that is all the same with you, Timmy!” (Again said spitefully, like speaking to a small child…)

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Right then The Tall Man removed his hand from over Mr. Albright’s face. Mr. Albright began screaming to the boys;

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“Boys, RUN! Run for your lives! Forget about me, just start running and don’t’ stop!”

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The Tall Man shook Mr. Albright vigorously, thumped him on his head with one finger, like you would flick someone on the ear from behind to annoy. Obviously The Tall Man’s flick was way more than a human’s because Mr. Albright stopped screaming and went limp in The Tall Man’s hand. This obviously upset The Tall Man. Mr. Albright was no fun to play with in his current state. Timmy had been successful in pushing The Tall Man, now he had ended his toy before through playing. He grumbled under his breath, shook his head back and forth, and shook Mr. Albright’s limp body.

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“Now look what you made me do, Timmy! Your rude behavior has made me knock your teacher unconscious! I didn’t want to knock him unconscious! I wanted to play some more!”

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It suddenly occurred to Timmy. How did The Tall Man know that Mr. Albright was their math teacher? Neither Archer nor Timmy had mentioned that fact. Timmy wasn’t going to figure it out, right now, but he had to remember that, so later… he and Archer could figure it out! Timmy had a really bad feeling about what was going to happen next. He leaned over and got right up against Archer’s ear, and whispered (The Tall Man stood twenty feet above ground, Timmy doubted he could hear them whisper from that distance).

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“Archer… get ready to run for your life. I got a bad feeling… things are about to spin out of control. I am going to run around behind the tree, then out the opposite side of the graveyard from where we came in, OK? When I say run… RUN like your life depended on it… it just might!”

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Archer did not respond, he just nodded at Timmy, looking him directly in the eyes. Right then The Tall Man yelled at the boys;

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“What are you boys whispering about? Are you boys up to something? I think that you are, boys! Here, let me give you an example of what I do to boys and people who plot and whisper behind my back! Are you ready? THIS is what I do to Bad Boys!”

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With that The Tall Man took Mr. Albright’shead and neck between two fingers of one hand, and his lower body with the other hand. The Tall Man yelled “WATCH!”

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Then, the boys watched in horror as The Tall Man pulled Mr. Albright’s head and spine right out of his body! The sound was something terrible. The sound of breaking bones, the tearing of the flesh, and the screams, which stopped when his head was removed from his body. Then The Tall Man raised the head and spine over his open mouth, and licked the dripping blood from the tip of his spine. The Tall Man then threw the head/spine down right at the feet of Timmy and Archer. Dumbfounded, they walked backwards to avoid being struck by the falling head and spine. All the time staring in terror at The Tall Man.

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Next, The Tall Man put the remainder of Mr. Albright’s body in his mouth. With a great sucking sound The Tall Man sucked all the flesh and muscle right off his torso and legs. Leaving nothing but bones and organs behind, he loudly burped and used one leg bone to pick his teeth. Having finished with the rest of the body The Tall Man threw the remaining bones and organs to the ground… again at the feet of Timmy and Archer.

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They hit the ground with a dull, but wet sounding, thud. Timmy thought he might puke, the smell… the sight of someone they both knew and had as a teacher. Now, was a skinless, headless hunk of bones and organs lying at their feet. It was just too much for Timmy. He was about to act, when The Tall Man poke;

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“Now… You see what I do when someone tries to mess with my head? Do you, Timmy, understand that could… WILL happen to you if you upset me, any more? This Mr. Albright didn’t even upset me. Timmy you have already upset me! BEWARE!”

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It was at that very second Timmy flashed back to his bedroom and his very first encounter with The Tall Man. “Beware” Was all he had said, standing in the center of Timmy’s bedroom. Now, with Mr. Albright dead, his body in parts at their feet, that is when Timmy understood. He understood that this Tall Man was going to torture and terrify he and Archer until he killed them, too! Timmy was not going to let that happen,. Not tonight, not any night. Timmy was going to do whatever it took to protect Archer, and get them home safely.

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He had a plan. Timmy stared The Tall Man directly in his eyes, and spoke;

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“You just killed an innocent man, for no good reason. In addition, you want me to think that it was some kind of lesson? What lesson am I supposed to learn? That you are a sick twisted, soulless murderer and that you eat humans? Lesson learned. Here’s a news flash for you Mr. Tall Man’ish (said with just as much sarcasm). You may be able to try to get me in your mouth. But I promise you that I will not go down easily… and I might just cut your throat in half, from the inside, on the way down. I am going to fight you every way I can, every chance I have… Bank on it!”

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The very second that he finished speaking he turned to Archer and mouthed “RUN!”. As soon as he saw that Archer had started running, and in the right direction. Timmy fell to his knees, rolled on his right shoulder three times; ending up behind The Tall Man’s left foot. Timmy then unsheathed his sword and took his best and strongest swing… right at The Tall Man’s Achilles tendon. The Tall Man let out a terribly loud scream, it caused Timmy’s ear to ring. Then The Tall Man reached down and grabbed his left foot with both hands. Blood was coming out in buckets, and Timmy was covered from head to feet in his blood, within seconds.

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Timmy, now covered in the blood of The Tall Man, shoved his sword back into its sheath, and broke out in the fastest run of his entire life. Within seconds Timmy was gaining on Archer and speeding up with every passing stride. Timmy pulled up even with Archer, and then he took a second to look back over his shoulder. The Tall Man was still bent over holding his left foot. Blood covered the giant’s hands, and his screaming had not stopped, either. Timmy turned to Archer, and through pants and gasps, he said to Archer;

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“Let’s head into the woods just north of the gnarled tree. Once in the forest I think we will be able to slow some. Until then? Archer… keep running faster and faster. The Tall Man hasn’t started running, but I am willing to bet that he can walk ten times faster than we can run. So RUN!”

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Archer didn’t say a single word, just nodded put his head down and doubled up his speed. Shortly Archer pulled ahead of Timmy, which was ok, Timmy was always a little slower than Archer in gym class. Archer had the short distance speed; Timmy had the endurance, long distance, speed. The moment Timmy had finished that thought, the earth began to rumble and shake under their feet.

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The Tall Man had stopped holding his left foot. He had wrapped a piece of his clothing around the foot to stop, or slow, the bleeding. With his foot bandaged The Tall Man had begun his pursuit. Timmy was correct, The Tall Man didn’t need to run to catch up to the boys (it was a ‘Good Thing’ because with Timmy cutting his Achilles tendon, there was no way The Tall Man could ever run again) all he had to do was take large strides. Each of The Tall Man’s strides was about half a football field. He wasn’t even running and he was already catching up to the boys. Timmy put his head down, extended his strides, did his best to double his speed and he quickly pulled up beside Archer, again. Timmy glanced over his shoulder, then spoke to Archer;

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“We have to get into the forest… NOW! Once we are in, Archer. Take a quick turn to your left. Stay within the forest, but double back the way we just came. Remember stay IN the forest. Try to not loose track of me, Archer. I will do my best to stay close... K?”

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Again, Archer did not verbally respond, just nodded his head in agreement. Looking at Archer’s face right then, Timmy felt just horrible. Timmy saw a terrified Archer. It was written all over his face, palatable fear. Timmy had made the very best decision he could, with the limited time. Still, until they got someplace safe and he had a chance to talk with Archer… Timmy felt terrible at placing them in front of a wounded and angry giant.

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Again, a quick look over his left shoulder showed that The Tall Man was closing, and fast! When Timmy turned back around, the forest was in his face. “Turn LEFT!” Timmy half-whispered to Archer, and then turned to his left, too. He could still see Archer as they made their way trough the forest. They had run for almost a two minutes when Timmy heard The Tall Man begin ripping out trees, one row at a time. The Tall Man was trying to discover the boy’s location. They had doubled back enough, Archer was right beside Timmy, so he (again) half-whispered to Archer, “Turn RIGHT!”

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In unison, they both tacked to their right, heading them deeper and deeper into the unknown woods. Timmy was banking on the fact that the zombie-wolves were more afraid of The Tall Man than hungry, or anxious to attack the boys. So long as The Tall Man was hot on their heals, and the wolves could sense that, they would be safe… at least from the zombie-wolves. As time passed, the sound of The Tall Man ripping tress out of the ground faded in the distance behind them. Archer was out of breath and his pace slowed, gradually.

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Timmy listening intently, turning to the left and then the right. Timmy put his arm up, in front of Archer, to stop him then he spoke.

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“Archer, let’s stop. I think that we lost The Tall man. The last I heard him? He was still tearing up tress, out of the ground, going in a straight line from where we entered the forest. Stop and get your breath, I really do think we are safe… for the moment.”

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Archer smiled, and then fell to the ground. Water. The next thing that they both would need was water. Timmy knew that his fear was waning, because his hand started hurting! Timmy pulled up a hunk of ground, right beside Archer, and sat down. They booth signed, at the same time. Timmy went to speak, to explain why he attacked The Tall Man and cut his Achilles tendon. Timmy opened his mouth to speak…

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“Arch…”

 

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At the very same second Archer started to speak, saying his name. Timmy motioned for Archer to go first, if he was upset with Timmy… for risking their lives on a hunch that The Tall Man actually had and Achilles tendon? He didn’t want to force going first and add insult to injury. Archer began speaking;

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“Timmy… what the heck just happened. You whispered to me to be ready. The next thing I knew… you rolled under The Tall Man… then blood was everywhere… and we were running and he wasn’t! What did you do?”

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Timmy laughed, a little, under his breath. He sighed, again. Then… Timmy did something he did do often, at all! Timmy reached over and gave Archer a hug. Timmy didn’t hold long, at all, and started to draw away. When he realized something. Archer was, oddly enough, hugging back. Timmy put both his arms around Archer, and they sat there, for like... a whole ten seconds hugging each other. They pushed each other away, looked the other way, and then Timmy explained.

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“Thanks for, like, not hating me Archer. I just took a huge risk, with both our lives… on a hunch. What I did, Archer, was cut his ‘Achilles tendon’ on the back of his left foot. I saw about the Achilles tendon in an old movie, ‘Papillon’. It is about a French prison for really bad criminals. If you escape once, they beat you really bad, If you try again, they cut your Achilles tendon… after that you can no longer EVER run, again. I didn’t ‘know’ if he would have and Achilles tendon. Evidently my gamble paid off, big! From now on The Tall Man can chase us but he cannot run after us!’

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Archer smiled big at Timmy, then spoke, too.

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“So, based on a hunch... and something that might or might not be true in a movie, you took a swipe out of The Tall Man’s left foot. Is that about right?”

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Timmy nodded, and then laughed… quietly. Archer went to talking;

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“Well, I can’t tell you just how happy I am that you were right about this Achilles tendon, in our giant. Until you did that, Timmy, I was certain that we were dead. The way he just tore Mr. Albright… apart… was incredible. Never in my life have I seen something more… gory, and violent and, well, bloody. I wonder if that means he will be, like, dead when we get out… if we get out, that is. That’s the other thing, Timmy. We have been in this world, now longer than the last time… by, like, a lot! Do you think we will get out?”

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Timmy sat there and thought about what Archer had said. First, he was glad that Archer had forgiven him for the risk he had taken with both their lives. I mean, it did pay off, and from now on The Tall Man will not be able to run to chase them, but he didn’t know that when he cut hum. Next, Archer had brought up a good point. One that Timmy had, yet, to think about. They had been in this world… for several hours now. This time they were in… asleep… whatever for two or more hours. He wasn’t sure if they would be able to get out. We wasn’t about to let Archer see doubt, no way. Doubt could be very bad in this situation.

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“Archer, I am sure that we will be able to get out. Probably soon, too. I know that we have been in a longer time, now. I think we would have left earlier, but we ran in to The Tall Man. I ‘think’ that when you encounter him, well you get trapped for longer… like, until you get away from him.”

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Archer was hanging on his every word. Archer trusted Timmy, and Timmy would do anything and everything to honor that trust… and keep his trust. Timmy knew that, his actions, by cutting The Tall Man’s Achilles tendon he had just increased their chances of surviving not only this encounter, but any and all upcoming encounters. Archer, honestly, kicked ass with the zombie-wolves. It was time that Timmy told Archer how he felt.

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“Archer, I have to tell you I was totally impressed with your archery… dealing with those ‘zombie-wolves’. There was no way we could have survived that attack without your kick-ass handling of the bow and arrows. I didn’t know that you knew archery, but we are here because you had been trained and are very good. Also, when it came to running, after I cut that guy, you were right on with turning and taking my que. If I have to be trapped in a life-threatening situation… with someone… I am really glad that it is you.”

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Archer nodded at Timmy, and leaned back against the dead log. Timmy so wanted to lean back, and rest. Not yet, Timmy had to strike out and see if he could find some water, close. He lifted his nose into the air. Breathed in deeply, then tuned. Breathed in deeply, then turned. Timmy did that until he came full circle. He was happy that one time… he actually thought he smelled water. Timmy got up, and spoke to Archer;

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“Listen, Archer, we really need some water, if we are going to survive. I just sniffed around and I think that I might have caught a whiff of some water, close by. Now, here’s the tricky bit. One, I do not want us to become separated in this forest… in this ‘dream’. Second, I do not want either one of us to fall asleep without the other one. We are more likely to survive if we both enter and leave this dream-state together. Now, I am going to scout around… really close byand I want you to stay awake.”

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Archer nodded at Timmy’s every word, and he could tell that Archer was just as thirsty as he. The sooner he found water, the sooner they could get hydrated… and maybe fall asleep… and end up back home!

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“So, Archer, I am going to head into the woods a few steps. Then I am going to call out to you. One, so I can keep my bearings with you and second to make sure you stay awake, k? Now, once I take the first few steps, I will take more, then more… then more. Each time I am going to count out the steps, in tens. If we are lucky I will get close to the water within thirty or forty steps. OK, you ready?”

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Archer was willing, and wanted to, help any way he could. He wasn’t sleepy at all. The events of the past two hours had him wound up like an eight day clock. He was thirsty, and he knew that they needed water… bad. Archer answered Timmy;

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“Yes Timmy, I understand. I will stay awake… that is not a problem. I am wound up like an eight day clock, right now. You are going to take ten steps into the woods, call out to me, make sure you know which direction I am, then take ten more steps. Right?”

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Timmy was glad that Archer was keeping focused and keeping his wits about him. That fact, alone, would do more to help keep them alive than anything else. Timmy nodded at Archer, and headed into the woods. Counting… One… two… three… four… five… six… seven… eight… nine… TEN! That was it, he was ten paces out from Archer. Timmy stood in one place and called out to Archer.

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“Hey, Archer, can you hear me?”

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Archer heard him and responded quickly.

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“Yes, doofus, you are only ten feet away from me, I could spit and hit you between the eyes. Are you still oriented with me in the right direction?”

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Yeap, Archer was directly behind him, right where he belonged. Timmy took ten, more, steps in the direction he hoped there was water. At the end of the ten steps, he called out to Archer. Archer answered, and was in the right place. Timmy took ten more steps… and he heard the sound of running water! Timmy called out to Archer;’

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“Archer, can you tell which direction I went? Do you think that you can follow my voice and make it to me?”

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Archer was thrilled by the question, it meant that Timmy had likely found water! Archer immediately answered

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“YES! I can tell which direction you went, and are, from me. Just keep talking and I will be right there!”

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Timmy and Archer yelled back and forth as Archer made it the thirty feet to stand right beside Timmy. Together they pushed back some over hanging branches, and their eyes were meet with a pool of sparkling water, feed by a small water fall. They both kneeled down beside the water’s edge and drank deeply. They cupped their hands and filled them with water, drinking from their hands as quick as they could. It took, only, about seven or eight handfuls of water, and their thirst was quenched.

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Timmy started fist, he took off his shirt and put it in the water. Washing it out, well, he then used the wet shirt to wash off his body; his hands, then his arms, then his chest and torso. Archer followed suit, and soon both the boys not only had slaked their thirst, they were cool and clean. Just as Timmy was putting back on his shirt, Archer noticed that the bite, on Timmy’s left hand, had started bleeding, again. The water had, likely, broken apart the scab.

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Archer motioned to Timmy to bring his hand over. Archer washed out the wound, making sure to debris all the loose and dead flesh from the cuts. The bite was quite deep, and each tooth had created a long and deep cut into the back of Timmy’s hand. Archer tore off part of the tail of his shirt. Washing it in the water, again, just to make sure it was completely clean. Archer then fashioned the shirttail into a bandage. He twisted the cloth several times, doing his best to wring all the water from the cloth. He then folded the cloth over, double, lengthwise and wrapped the bandage around his wounded hand.

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Archer tore the end of the bandage into strips. Taking the strips and wrapping them around the bandage, he tied the ends together closing the bandage around his hand. Bingo! That would do nicely, for the time being. The wound was clean, and now it was covered from getting dirt or other contaminants into the freshly cleaned wound. Timmy thanks Archer, and they both found a comfortable place to lie back, and rest. It had been a very long night, and they both needed to rest their eyes, and muscles. They, both, had closed their eyes and their breathing had slowed.

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Timmy was drifting off… he thought that he heard Archer snoring… then he heard a beeping sound. It kept getting louder and louder. It was really odd, this sound. It was not something one would hear in a forest. Beep Beep… Beep Beep… Beep Beep… All the sudden it dawned on Timmy! The sound he was hearing was his alarm clack!

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Timmy opened his eyes, and bolted up in bed! They were back! Timmy was in his own bed and Archer was curled up at the end of the bed. Timmy slapped the snooze button on his clock. Then he laid back in the bed, and just laid there looking at his room. He watched as the sun began to creep over the horizon and started showing through the curtains in his window. Archer had, again, fallen asleep at the foot of his bed. Timmy just had to buy the extra bed, for Archer. Just as soon as he had the money, it was the very next thing he would buy.

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Timmy sat there, watching the sunrise, and his best friend sleep. He had never been so happy to be at home, in his bed, any time before in his life. He sat and waited as long as he could. He just didn’t want to wake up Archer. Archer had worked so hard, in their adventure. He wanted him to get as much rest as possible, before they tackled the day ahead. Just as Timmy started catching the wisps of breakfast being prepared in the kitchen below, Archer began to stir in the bed. As soon as Archer’s eyes were open, he bolted up in the bed. Looking right at Timmy he said;

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“Timmy, we made it! We are home… and we are ALIVE!”

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That was how Friday started for our heroes, Timmy and Archer. It was the Friday they had planned to go to the Carnival, and the Friday they had planned to ride… the Haunted House Ride! It was just the beginning of the weekend, and they still had three whole days, and two more nights of their Haunted House sleep over. But, right now it was 5AM, time to get out of bed and start getting chores done, before they headed off to school.

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End Part Seven

 

Well, My Dear Readers, what did you think of that? Didn’t think I had it in me, did you? Well, I do! What’s more? There is tons more, where that came from. How did you like the part where Timmy pulls the arrow out of the zombie-wolf and the eye came out with the arrow? Cool, huh?

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Well, I really do hope that all of you, My Dear Readers, have enjoyed this week’s episode of ‘The Horror in Smithville’. I look forward to presenting Part Eight right here, next week. Honestly, aside from the crippling pain… the terrible… sleep depriving and mind numbing pain? I do really enjoy bringing this faire, to you My Dear Readers!

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Already… I have… plans… for Timmy and Archer. Will they include; another chance meeting with Princess Nadia and Alexander, will Nadia and Alexander help our wayward heroes, will The Tall Man catch up with the boys, will Mr. Albright be in class on Friday, if you die in that world do you still live in this world?

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All those questions, and more, will be answered in upcoming episodes of ‘The Horror in Smithville’! Only available at The Other Shoe!

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Until next we meet, I bid you Adieu!

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Thank YOU!
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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="234"] The Other Shoe eBay Store[/caption]

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[caption id="attachment_2296" align="aligncenter" width="630"] The Other Shoe's Daniel Hanning 2/2014[/caption]

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