Is There Life After Death....

Words of Wisdom

"Be careful, I love you!" Mother's cry.
Our cherished authors whom plagiarize
those words of wisdom that rectify
our thoughts and feelings piper pied...

Harry entered the terminal care wing of the hospital in search of his wife. Passing a glass enclosed, five bed ward, he noticed her making rounds and stumbled into the room. The sight of a patient caused him to stop dead in his tracks...

She lay directly within his line of vision. Propped upon the bed. Tubes running, like a modern, crowded freeway under construction, in and out of her body. They entered and exited her frail five foot frame with out warning, depositing their cargo of massive amounts of morphine, oxygen, and nutrients. He knew -- and he was sure she did also -- the numbers were absent from the dice... but he also knew he wouldn't peep a squeak.

As he strolled past the bed, he was determined to force himself to display some sort of candor or irrelevance towards death's own determination. Though, he was sure, death knew his end: for death towered the dismal hospital room with it's odors and bleak, pale, white entourage. He was immediately struck by a terrible thought... Like man in his determination for power and wealth, did the devouring beast of cancer reckon it's own quick death at birth and rush to it's end in an effort at life? He could not answer himself nor could he comprehend her misery: Who was this woman? Did she ever realize her wishes, her hopes, her dreams? What were her thoughts? She seemed outwardly unconcerned in her pained and drugged state, but a slight trembling of her lips, quivering with untold efforts at persuasive thought, and hands tightly clasped in prayer, seemed to deliver a message of some awesome belief that God could defeat the enemy with in.

Harry's wife, seeing him in such a mesmerized state, called him over with the sound of air expelled through her teeth.... "Psst!"

"Honey, who is that woman? She has this sort... sort of... aura. One that freezes you."

"Her name is Jeanette. She has terminal cancer. I spoke of her with her priest yesterday... and her daughter Angela. Today her son Eddy visited and while she rested we spoke some more of her life. It's a long and terribly sorrowful tale about a curse of continuation which has destroyed her family for five generations. In fact her son, Joe, is one of a long line of family men whom have inherited this legacy; a legacy which has placed him at odds with his mother--she has not seen him in years. Well Harry, he's coming in today! Now, I have to work a double shift. Why don't you go home and I'll tell you the story tomorrow..."

Harry turned on his heels and left the room. On his way down to his car he thought of only one thing: Is there life after death?...

Binky and the nut
"A Pecan nut upon the ground!"
Sir. Squirrel excited he had found
"Pecan nuts from an Oaken tree,
Not Walnut, Chestnut nor Hickory!
Yes, a Pecan nut if you please
A miracle forged enough for three!"
An' Chirped an' Chirped
Round an' round
So loud Sly Rabbit caught his sound
"A Pecan nut you say you've found?
Tossed upon an oak nut ground?
Let me view it for a while
Sly Rabbit said with a dainty smile
"Though smooth and striped."
Sly rabbit piped
"...And even brushed in brown!.."
"...A squiggly crease.
Could be a feast"
Sly Rabbit then did frown...
With long tall ears
He shook to hear
If it made a sound...
No rattle tattled
Or even prattled
Of what Sir. Squirrel found!
So, he snatched a rock
And gave it a knock
And came up with a prize
A giant lump
So Sweet and plump
It made him tell a lie!
"Along the crease
which held a feast
Thus I did divide."
"Old and musty
slightly crusty
was the meat inside!"
Thus revealed
He turned on his heel
And hopped along his way
Surprised he pondered
Sir Squirrel wondered
"What did Sly Rabbit Say?...
...Old and musty
Slightly crusty
Was the meat inside?!"
For in the shell
A squirrel could tell
With out having to divide...
Must be the flavor
That caught his disfavor
Because he is a Hare.
He didn't have time
To show him his find
And it made no sense to share...
So...Sir Squirrel bent down
Where he had found
The pecan nut in shell
He thought he had plenty
After picking up twenty
An' went to the burrow he dwelled....

In the year of the beast, Nineteen Hundred and Twenty Eight...

Beneath a terrified Battle Field Earth, in a dark, sinister, blood-red cavern, the bellowing Beast, the Evil Knight of Darkness, sat upon an imposing throne of contorted human skulls; stripped of their flesh, their chalk-white bony mouths, in a rhythm of perpetual motion, screamed, prayed and begged-- their chorus of infinite pleadings for another chance only adding to a din of eternal torment permeating the huge and fiery gathering of Demonic Warriors.

"Let it be known throughout the Realm of Darkness, on this One Thousandth, Nine Hundred and Twenty Eighth Day of Earth, AD, that Antonio Squirm in Blood Feranzi, Lieutenant of The Third Degree, is hereby Promoted to Captain of The Red Forward Warriors Of The Devils Brigade! Come here and except your dishonor."

Captain Feranzi hesitantly approached the platform. Aware of the Beast's ferocious appetite for Warrior Skulls, he was frightened the Beast would promote him and then order his soul to join those of the Court of Gesture: The ultimate fate for all condemned souls... including his. 'If he could continue to produce, then maybe, just maybe, he could remain an active Warrior,' he thought, as he meekly stood before the platform.

"You now have a problem, 'Captain'!" The Beast began...

The cavern instantly became quiet with all lost souls and active Warriors viewing the newly promoted Captain's countenance; anicipative in jeer for him to join in their misery, a deep, low, hum of chanting began to evolve.

"Take. Take. Take Take. Take...

..."I desire the soul of Antonio! I demand the Soul of Antonio. He is not with the program. What will you do." The Beast said gently in sarcastic voice.

"Take. Take. Take. Take. Take... The chanting continued.

"Sire, I am presently working on Antonio. We already have alfonso in our grasps, and we shall received his entire lineage in due time! All are living---excuse the pun your Majesty---down to their bargain of death. You will have all many skulls and souls before the year is up! I will also deliver Franky's soul into your grasps."

"Well, confidence, ay?" The Beast cracked out loud. "YOU HAVE CONFIDENCE DO YOU?" He screamed louder. "I DO NOT WANT ANTONIO'S OR ANYONE ELSES SKULL YET! I WANT THEM ON EARTH CONDUCTING MY ORDERS!!"

The chanting grew louder.

"Take. Take. Take his skull. TAKE HIS SKULL. TAKE HIS SKULL!"

"And if you make a wrong move, if Antonio joins The Knight of Good over Evil, I will take yours and every one of your descendants souls and skulls on earth... NOW! DO YOU HEAR MY OATH... CAPTAIN?"

The Captain, his terror gleefully familiar to the multitude, stuttered his reply. "Oh, Lord of Darkness, I shall deliver to your specifications. I shall deliver an ugly mortal death to Jimmy. I shall deliver alfonso and all of his descendants to your service. I shall impose your will of sadness, suffering and destruction to all involved---and dedicated through alfonso's contract! May I place my skull upon your throne if I fail!"

The cavern exploded in wails and chants and misery to the delight of The Evil Knight of Darkness. The Beast, wallowing in the self-pity and torment of his subjugated souls, let out a tremendous roar of pain and suffering: Agony ruled the walls, floors, ceilings--and very throne.

"Ah, Captain, your soul delivers the warmth of fire and brimstone to my cold, cold, heart. Return to earth and do battle for me! NOW!"

The Captain abruptly turned into the masses of Demon Warriors and grabbed hold of several Lieutenants of the first through third rankings; they then scurried through the Tunnel of Damnation for their journey back to Battle Field Earth.

"General Grogeninin, come here!" The Beast commanded.

"Yes Sire," The General said as he bowed upon one knee.

"I command you to offer in sacrifice, several million living souls on Battle field Earth--this instance. Rain sorrow. Deliver pain. Cause misery. The battle field must be joined!"

The screaming and moaning deep within the blood-red, fiery cavern was soon joined by an earthly misery of sorrow.... WARMING THE COLD BLACK HEART OF THE BEAST!

An efficient killing machine, consisting of three, evil, mortal beings and a black, non-descript, '62 Ford, had become immortal in the eyes of its master, who, upon the slightest whim, would set into motion a chain of events effecting not only the lives of those chosen for death, but the very fabric of their lives. The Boss had made his decision: "Hit Em!" Right or wrong, the two up-and-coming racketeers whom were targeted for death would have no appeal; their sentence was to be carried out with an emphasis on sending a message -- rather than revenge or pay-back...

On a wet, foggy, dreary night, Guiseppi's Fine Italian Food And Spirits resembled a wake. The usual laughter and cheerful enthusiasm which greeted each patron in the form of one tall Robert Mitchum look-alike was missing. Always joking and carrying on, he would normally show each customer to the "best table in the house" where his inseparable brother, the ever present "Professor"-- slight of build, wearing simple, round spectacles -- would complete the magic that kept the till brimming and made it hard to find an empty seat. But, like the fog that tenaciously hugged the cold, wet, city of New York, tension permeated the establishment. As if death were the main entree, a solemn, priestly waiter, dressed in black, seemed to anoint rather then greet each patron...

"See youse gize lata..." Tony Black grumbled as he escorted the "Abbot and Costello" looking Donatelli brothers through the mortised oaken doors, "...it's just the flu or somethin'." Then, turning on the heels of his "pointy-toed Italian fence climbers", he grasped the hand-set of the desk phone with his right hand and dialed a number with a diamond-clad-pinkie-ringed left hand.

As he waited for the party he called to pick up, Tony toyed with his ring of respect, his pride and joy, polishing it by breathing loudly upon it's surface and rubbing it against his black tux jacket until a brilliant, blue-white reflection, danced a rhythm of sparkling star bursts against the dark and gloomy interior ceiling.

"Yea. Who's calling..." A distinctive voice inquired.

"Tony Black... Listen, tell da guy dat I'm closing da joint early, I'll see im at three... Oh, and yea, Pauly Ham passed away."

"O.K." Click...

He hung the phone up and sauntered to the bar to count his meager tips.

Standing under the wood trellis that draped a newly installed and cluttered bar, Tony turned the tip glass over. The loose change that jingled to the bar was as devoid of substance as the dusty plastic vines that drooped and dripped from the "Italian garden looking contraption" above his head. For Tony, the entire past week was devoid. The only thing that even resembled normalcy were the patrons that had sampled the pasta, and even they showed their dissatisfaction for the absence of ambiance that usually ran rough-shod, trampling all in its intoxicating, invigorating way. The pieces-of-eight that flooded the joint and lined Tony's pockets were slow in coming. As Tony would say..."Da tips waz as slim as fleas on a goldfish!"

A close friend, Tony Black had two jobs: protecting the brothers, Joe-Pep and Carmine, and tending bar. The past two days he had taken on the additional responsibility of maitre'de and was looking forward to a day off. He was supposed to stay until the brothers left, but tonight he had asked for permission to leave early.

Preparing to exit the establishment he yelled towards the swinging doors of the kitchen, "Hey, Carm...Yo, I'm leaving...Do ya hear me?" Only silence greeted him. Turning on his heels he headed for the front doors shouting: "I'll lock da joint on da way out. See youse gize Monday."

Stepping through the doorway and into a realm of pervasive darkness, he turned and closed the massive doors with a hefty thump. Sealing the castle's keep from the beast of the city rather then the cold and wet misery of the season, Tony placed a heavy steal bar across them and locked it in place with a ponderous padlock. Turning once to scan the streets, he briskly walked to his parked Caddy.

As if Tony's departure provoked demons to suddenly play a loud and boisterous chess game upon the spoiled and sauce stained--as stained as death's own signature-- red and white checkered table cloths, the clamor of a heated argument in the kitchen ricocheted through the dining room, abruptly lifting the eerie cloak of silence...

"Let's just leave town... go to Ohio or something!" The Professor shouted forcefully as he nervously cleaned the sparkling, clear lenses of his gold, wire framed glasses.

"It's still on the table...we're safe until we get called on the carpet." Joe-Pep cut in. "Let's just finish up and get home... It's eleven thirty, you're the one that has to drive all the way to Hicksville and back, not me. I'll see you tomorrow at the house after church. We'll talk then... Monday I will call Joe Pag -- get a sit-down, O.K.?"

"O.K., but I just got this feeling... we should just lie low until this thing blows ov..." "Come on, I know what I'm talking about. There's nothing to worry about!" Joe shouted back with assurance -- not showing the fear he felt. "The heck with those jerks... I could give a damn!"

Inauspicious, the shadow of death, steady in its stealthy pursuit of game, rounded the bleak, dimly lit corner. It stopped at the curbside in front of the shuttered restaurant -- allowing its contents to spill upon the sidewalk. There it remained, engine idling, a man-made carnivore of hopes and dreams, ready to pounce on all unsuspecting quarry...

The brothers, unaware of death's grim reapers lurking just outside their door, continued to argue.

"Why don't you ride with me to Long Island?" The Professor asked, not reassured by his brother's comments. "We can call Jean, let her kno..."

"Listen, I'm tired of this bull...Its been thirty years... We shouldn't be responsible for what..."

Suddenly, a familiar and sinister hit crew, one tall, one short, with finely-tuned precision, smashed in the front door.

The brothers pivoted as one to face this sudden intrusion of fate...

A hail of deadly hot lead greeted them, each projectile finding more than just flesh and bone in which to bury -- deeply, mortally, these bearers of death silenced forever their dreams, hopes and feelings...

The diabolical chariot of death, sleek in its shroud of pitch black midnight, with only a thud in the night, disgorged upon the wet, slimy pavement, two cold and silent passengers. Then, with cold and calculated determination, it zoomed off for its next intended victim in a never ending quest to satisfy an acquired taste for blood and power.