Leopards never change their spots We know that this is true. But you are not a Leopard, So there can be change in you.
You can learn a brand new skill. Find great new songs to sing. You can learn new recipes If cooking is your thing.
You can look down deep inside. See what might be wrong. Learn to fight the Black Dog If this will keep you strong
You can be brave & bungee jump If this will make you happy. I know it wouldn’t work for me. I’d need to wear a nappy.
Find out who you really are, Let this life begin. Don’t you know this is a race That one day you will win.
So come on now my dearest friend, While a leopard you are not. You are still amazing. Let’s show them what you’ve got!
I was sitting at home wrapped in my pizza fleece blanket. ( A present from my youngest neice. It could've been worse. Unicorns maybe!) I was trying to sort out the accounts for the drama club I was part of.
Suddenly my phone beeped. It was a text.
<Thursday 19:00>
Dave. Where the hell were you? It’s Lizzy We were supposed to be meeting up tonight. Pizza remember. I don't appreciate being stood up.
I looked at this and stared.
Who the hell is this? I don't recognise your number? READ Delivered.
<Thursday. 19:07>
Dave. Don’t give me that. I know this is you. You gave me your number after our first date. This is it.
I was totally confused.
When did this date take place? READ Delivered
<Thursday. 19:15>
Wtf? You can’t even remember Monday night. We had a lovely meal. You paid for it.
I thought for a moment.
That couldn’t have been me. I was getting over food poisoning. READ Delivered
A few moments later a response came back.
<Thursday 19:35>
Well if it wasn’t you DAVE, who the hell did I go out with?
This got me thinking.
I’m about to ask you something very strange. What do I look like? Please think very carefully READ Delivered.
Nothing happened. Maybe I’d put her off. Then I saw the three floating dots accompanied buy the strange noise as she was replying.
I had a strange feeling I knew exactly what was happening. If I was right someone would be getting thrown head first in to a freezing cold bath.
“You better know how to grovel. You little sod!”
<Thursday 19.55>
You’re six, foot four. Blonde hair. You have bright blue eyes and a scar on your left cheek. You wore jeans ripped at the knees, not my thing really but what the hey. You had a gremlins t-shirt on under a black leather jacket.
Then it hit me. My brother had been trying to set me up with blind dates ever since I dumped my ex for cheating. He said he was meeting someone and that she was really nice. He also said I’d like her.
This was where I was so glad weren’t face to face. My cheeks felt like furnaces.
OMG. I know exactly what’s happened Lizzie. My brother’s being trying to help me hook up. Things haven’t gone too well with my relationships soo….
I breathed in hard as I continued …..
he’s become my unofficial matchmaker!
READ Delivered
<Thursday 20:15>
So you’re telling me I went out with your brother so he could set me up with you?
That’s the long and the short of it. Look if you’d call me I can explain all this.. READ Delivered
Everything went quiet. Then the phone rang. It was Lizzy. We chatted for and hour. To cut a long story short, we’re meeting up for a meal on Sunday.
As for my brother … he’s still getting a freezing cold bath. But I promise I’ll thank him afterwards.
My name is Jasmine Crenshaw. I’m an ordinary person. At least I was until 5 minutes ago. I looked down at myself to find I was dressed in a tuxedo. I had notes in my hand.
I heard myself being introduced as Professor Micheal Grezetsky. He is a world renowned philosopher whom I admired very much. He is here to do a lecture on the meaning of life.
The introductions finished and I took a sip from my water. As I looked down I noticed myself sitting in the front row. That means he must be me.
Seeing me (him?) sitting there I am determined to give the best performance I can.
I pushed the notes aside and began. “There are many ways to look at the meaning of life. The religious way. The purely academic way, taking it down to what we are scientifically. Hell, there’s even an author came up with the answer 42.
But I know deep in my heart it’s far more than that. Look around you.” I stopped and scanned the people in front of me. “We are all different. How can we come up with one answer to fit everyone?”
As I spoke my heart beat faster. It was amazing to have this audience even if they didn’t realise it wasn’t the Prof.
I carried on waxing lyrical about the mind, body and soul. How they were connected and how they gave our lives meaning. Everything I had ever learned and thought of became part of me. The words flowed and so did the ideas.
I looked out to where I was sitting. He looked back at me and smiled, nodding his head thoughtfully.
I continued. “I believe that the meaning of life itself, is complex. Almost beyond the comprehension of humanity itself. The meaning of my life is to try to understand our worlds place in the universe and to try to make sense of humanities place in it. Then i try communicate it to you. “
I paused and took another look around for dramatic effect.
“I know some of you will upset that there is no definitive answer to this. So I say this to you, if I can leave you talking about this then my job is done.
So, what is the meaning of life? Whatever you choose it to be. After all. This is your life journey.”
I stopped talking. Applause rang out. I moved to leave the stage and my world went black.
I found myself leaning on a wall. My mind was blurry. Had this really happened or was it merely a caffeine filled fever dream?
In front pocket of my rucksack lay a neatly folded sheet of paper.
My Dear Miss Crenshaw (Name on ID)
It was a pleasure hearing you speak. Firstly thank you for having the courage to go through with this. It meant a lot to me. I started my career here.
Secondly thank you for taking this seriously. I did wonder if you would destroy my reputation. However, you came out with something that was well thought out. No doubt it has been well studied. It was definitely well presented.
Last of all, I would love to meet you properly after all this is finished. You have an amazing mind. It would be my pleasure to hear what else you have to say!
Best wishes
Proff M Gretzsky.
All his details were there too.
“He noticed you girl.” I decided I really did need a drink. “This time it’s Apricot Brandy!”
Every tear you shed sparks a fire in my chest. I watch you as your eyes overflow with the waters of sorrow. The sounds of your sobbing As his casket lowers down below. I have to hide my cold hearted grin.
Why should you expect less from me? When I lost my beloved You couldn’t be bothered turning up. No card, no flowers, no phone call. Nothing, not even a word of sympathy. Your true colours nailed to the mast.
So now the dish of my revenge is served. Each tear you cry is my ambrosia. Of course it’s my brother So I should feel something! I do, I feel happy. His death was my best work yet.
This is my love poem To a broken healing soul. When you look in the mirror, Don’t be afraid of what you see.
You are worthy to be here. Believe that you are beautiful. Listen when the people say You are a lovely person.
Don’t let the darkness take you. Look within and love yourself. After all, That’s where the healing starts.
Love yourself, as you
Walk out in to the world.
This will always be
Your moment to shine.
This is my love poem To me. After all, if I can’t love myself Who else will love me.
I watched at the beginning of the end. The tsunamis came more often, And land was lost. The tornadoes & hurricanes Ripped buildings and cities apart. People were lost.
At the time no- one realised, Or understood. Or worse, People didn’t care. Slowly the world Took its revenge.
Over the days, months, years, Decades, centuries and beyond, The earth moved and changed, Reclaiming what had been taken. When the time came, The era of humanity Was done.
My spirit stood and watched. There was nothing left. I cried tears, That no-one would ever hear. Where there once was softness, Now all had turned to stone.
I reach the door. Three words greet me. OUT OF ORDER
I begin to panic. No, not now. Anything but that.
What did this? It’s not fair. Why me?
Two large cokes. A medium coffee. That’ll teach me.
I run to the lift. No, not again. OUT OF ORDER.
Suddenly I run Heading down To the janitor’s
I run in Asking his permission. He nods, head shaking.
Rushing in, I close, lock the door, Sitting down quickly.
I relax and grin Saying to myself, ‘Thank God this one works!’
I sit and watch the young girl and her kitten. It brings back memories of when that was me.
This was beautiful. There was nothing we couldn’t do, as yet untainted by the world and all it’s tempests. This was a promise for a time to come. ‘I will love you, you will love me. Together forever, (as long as that might be!).
I gave a soft smile (or my best equivalent), and sat still and let them have their moment. Let them cement this in their memories, with the hope it will carry them as it’s carried us.
It’s not all be sweetness and light. I ended up in hospital. My neighbour tried to end me. All so gruesome that we moved. Moved here, in fact. This place is happy for the two of us. My human and I.
Thus far she’s kept her promise to. I hope these two can have the same life I’ve had. A life well lived.
With that I stand up, purr and head for home. My human’s waiting.
I took a deep breath and steadied my nerves. I headed towards the door at the end of the corridor. It was an exhilarating privilege of being the new CEO of City Corp.
I would finally know the secret. What happened to all those who annoyed the true leader of the city. You see, not only was I the new CEO, I was also the leader of the new Shadow Board.
On the outside City Corp controlled the city with a benevolent hand. The corporation helped many good people. Gave them jobs, made sure of things like health and sanitation. In return the people of the city spent their money in the shops the corporation ran. Most people knew it was the case but as they lived a decent lifestyle they never complained
Even the ones that became rich were tolerated. Often they would set up foundations and organisations to help their fellow humans. As long as they didn’t stand on the corporation’s toes nothing would happen.
But, as in all things, there were those who were not content with leaving things the way they were. They wanted something more. They wanted more power within the city. They wanted to challenge the corporation’s right to exist. Many of these were on the outside and were easily persuaded to stop. It still never ceases to amaze me what a good bit of bribery, or other more extreme acts of persuasion where required, can do.
The ones that had worried many generations of CEO’s of both boards were the worms that attacked the apple from within.
As our first company CEO constantly tells us. “These traitors are the ones we must always worry about. “
Yes, I did say our first company CEO. He was also the one to set up the Shadow Board. No one is really sure how old he actually is. Or how he is still with us. But we do know that when the company was formed, the city was a shadow of its current self.
I noticed that today, the length of the corridor seemed a lot shorter than usual. Suddenly I was standing in front of a large wooden door. I knocked hard and the door slid open before me.
What I saw stilled me in shock. The room was huge, far bigger than you’d expect looking at the building. In the centre was a coffin shaped vat. There was something sitting in it but from where i was standing i couldn’t quite make it out.
The humidity in the room hit me. There was a buzzing sounding like a swarm of bees. Voices from the shadows , each calling out their pain.
“Nice of you to dare to join me” The voice came from nowhere & everywhere.
The vat in the middle began to pulse with light. As it did a single voice’s moans grew louder.
“Ah the sweet sound of pain. Come closer my dear .” The voice boomed.
My feet moved of their own accord. It was pulling me closer. Suddenly lights shot out of everything. I was blinded but my feet kept going.
By this time I’d stopped fighting it, so ended up beside the vat. Even worse, my hand was in the goo that was inside.
“Put on the glasses and wait for a moment” The voice wasn’t quite as loud this time.
I looked down and saw a pair of ray bans in my hands. I put them on in a state of confusion. As I did so, the light became brighter. Figures hung from the ceiling in see through capsules. There was some kind of liquid in with the bodies too. Coming from the capsules were a series of tubes that went in to the ceiling. They looked like they contained the liquid that had been in the capsules.
Then I looked up. Above the vat there was the strangest contraption of all. There was something there. It was a mass of tubes, some looked like they were pumping white liquid in. Others were pumping out something that looked like a mixture of porridge and mashed up sausage.
“Please let me go. Please. I’m sorry. Please ….. let …. me … die!” Vl
The voice boomed out, “You should’ve thought of that before you bullied her shouldn’t you”
There was a moments silence before the figure whimpered, “It was a joke, She could take it.”
The voice roared and suddenly the body convulsed, a scream ripped from it. The body went limped and it steamed.
A voice came out like a drunken slur. “It’s all that bitches fault.” The figure gasped. “She … she tol..told on … me din she?”
The room was filled with laughter. It echoed through the shadows. “Please, she didn’t need to tell anyone. I knew. I know everything. I have eyes everywhere. I have from the moment I founded this corporation.”
I stared at the figure in the vat as the room was filled with silence.
“You have nothing to say. Yes. I am Jacob Conroy. I founded this Corporation to make this city a better place.” He stopped and i felt like I was being looked at. “On the whole I think I’m doing a good job.”The there was a deep rumble. “However, every so often things go wrong. The people I once trusted become the very thing I hate. The very thing that I’m standing up against”
My head began to hurt. “So you make these problems go away?”
“Mmm. Make the problems go away ….. that’s one way of putting it. Not only do they disappear, they disappear in a way that is very helpful to me.”
The next sentence filled me with horror.
“I’ve needed to keep myself alive. Over the years I've come to realise that I needed to be here. The only way to do it was to become what you see before you. All my men worked on the problem. In the end, all they could come up with was a way of turning beings in to liquid food."
Eyes almost exploding from my head, I fought the urge to throw up the contents of my stomach.
The laughter filled the room again "Are you trying to tell me that you really care about these bastards?”
I spluttered “No. But it all seems so …. strange that’s all.” I looked up at the figure “Thompson deserves his fate.”
The figure above us began to wail. "Please! Make this stop."
Despite the sensible side of my mind screaming at me NOT TO DO THIS, my dark heart began to take control. The nausea began to fade. One word ran through my head. JUSTICE!
I looked around at the other pods hanging down from the gothic ceiling. I assumed that some of them were there the missing bored members. There were far more pods than that.
My conscience cried out “You can’t do this. Not now. Please ….. You’re better …. “
I tuned it out. “So this is what happens to the bad people from our side of the world! I like it.”
I felt the side of me that had been revolted by all this fading away. Then something struck me. “ These people are all really evil aren’t they?” I felt the mass beneath my hand quiver gently. “I do have some dignity and goodness left in my soul.”
Jacob scanned her with what was left of his eyes “What will happen if I lie about them?”
I looked at him at him and sneered “I’ll publicly boil you alive in that slime.”
“That’s my girl. I knew you’d see it my way eventually”
