Ted Archives

January 8, 2008

Ted: Dusty Noon

On State Road 441, a few miles south of Enterprise, Lee looked for the overgrown red-clay road.

He hadn't been home in more than twenty years, so wasn't rightly sure of the landmarks. He almost walked past his turn; it was much smaller than he thought it should have been.

"Who dat?" called his mother from under the dubious shade of the rusted tin roof.

"It's me, Momma. Lee."

"You see de wurl like you wanted?"

"Yes'm."

"Wha chu tink about it?"

"Beats this place all to hell."

"Better git back to it. den."

"Yes'm" he said, and turned around.

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January 9, 2008

Ted: Send in the Understudy

The Prelude began. The star looked at his nude body in his dressing room mirror. Tonight marked the twenty-five-thousandth showing. As such, tri-vid floaters were bouncing over the heads of the crowd, the orchestra was wearing new tuxedos, and even his leading lady had a new facialplas design. This was the single longest continually running show in history.

He focused on his own costume, still in a heap where he had thrown it. He couldn't understand why he had ever agreed to put it on in the first place and couldn't stand the idea of putting it on again tonight.

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January 10, 2008

Ted: Prelude to Rebirth

As hard as she tried to run, fate kept bringing her back to this place.

Thanks, Fate. You cunt.

Her lover, the one her father had warned her about, asked her if she was ready make her commitment or was she going to run again like last time.

She thought she was over her fear.

He demanded that she bring an image of her father so that he could purge her of her old life.

Her belly quivered in anticipation.

Twice she had left him, third time's the charm.

She felt betrayed by the pain. Didn't know this would hurt.

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January 15, 2008

Ted: Out of Time ... or ... Don't nag a quantum physicist about getting away from it all

You would think that after all this time, all these years, raising his babies, cleaning his clothes, washing his dishes, after all of that it wouldn't be too much to ask for him to just fucking call home if he was going to be late!

What? What do you mean what do I mean? Calling home? You know, on the telephone. Right there on the wall next to the fridg...

Where's my refrigerator? Where is the goddamned phone? And no, this is my fucking house and I will not stop swearing. Is this a joke?

Geoff? What did you do?

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January 16, 2008

Ted: Twenty-eight Day Countdown

Oh man o man o man this is better than I ever thought it could be. Holy shit. Oh shit. Fuck fuck fuck

"Brad, are you ok?"

"Yeah, Suzie. I'm fine. Wow. That was great."

awkward silence

"Brad, I don't think we did it right. I didn't, you know, get off."

"Really? Uh. You want me to try again? I promise this time will be better."

"Do you have, you know, another?"

"I didn't really expect I'd use the one I had."

"Oh shit. Brad, you are wearing it, right?"

"Of course."

"Then what is that running down my ass?"

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January 23, 2008

Ted: Back into the Fray

He awoke without the taste of celery in his mouth. That was different. Nude, he stepped from the regen bed and crossed the deck to his armor. The recording was half over by the time he stopped to listen. The message wasn't the one he had heard fifty-seven times before.

"Replay."

The message started again. "You are now the commander of this unit due to Col. Brandt having reached the end of his tour. You will find your armor has been upgraded. Take a few minutes to port the specs into your datastrip."

Brandi was finally dead, that lucky bastard.

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January 24, 2008

Ted: Free Fire Zone

The new-minted colonel surveyed his troop.

"Gents, we will keep doing the job, just like we've been trained to do, until we are relieved. Form up and move out."

The troops formed up a column of twos. The six sergeants under his command checked their gear, faced them left, and marched them into the jungle.

Three minutes later, he couldn't see where the six hundred men under his command had melted into the green.

Taking his rifle, he climbed a tree at the fringe. Seeing one of his own men, he shot him dead as a lesson to the others.

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January 25, 2008

Ted: Rotating Out

Col. Davis took the time to listen to Brandi's last log.

"Listen up Davis, you are ready to command this band of fools. You know the land, the men, and the enemy. I have been running things here for sixteen years and have seen some very bad men turned into very good soldiers. You have been the star of that mob. Soldiering is in your genes, that's why you couldn't make it on the outside: why you kept getting into trouble.

"Yes, I know your record. Your debt to society must be paid. My own debt settles up tomorrow. Finally."

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January 28, 2008

Ted: Sometimes the Evil comes to You

The dead girl lay cold on the slab. Her daddy turned to me and asked the one question I didn't expect to hear.

"Where is her light? Her hair shone with a red light but it's gone now. You find her light, Mr. Duvalier, and I will reward you."

Now, I ain't never had no truck with witches and the like, but that man had powerful eyes.

"Will you do it, Sampson? Will you help my baby girl find peace?"

I knew I shouldn'a said yes, but I kept seeing that girl with bright red hair falling out that door.

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January 29, 2008

Ted: 4:32 PM

Regina would regret only the loss of her wonderful bath. Even with all her wealth and power, she couldn't forget when her name had been "Orina" to the old Rex.

Only that damn detective would recognize the symbolism of what she was about to do.

She removed her gown and smallclothes, folded them neatly, and placed them in the oubliette. Her shower wall, consisting of twenty spray heads arranged for best affect, was temperature controlled. Her complete control of the water temperature was one her favorite details.

She willed herself not to scream while the steam boiled away her flesh.