Chapter 9-It’s Your Party

It’s the start of Spring with a full moon and a full basket of goodies.  Ophelia Flame is bound to ask “Is #OurPro dead?”

Kenda Taylor suggests maybe just dead tired and sleeping very heavily.  After all it’s been an emotionally exhausting battle of dimensional forces crossing over making all the wishes come true.  Merilee Effingham would also like you to please note this is on top of manifesting nightmares for those that are not specific in their desires.

“Know what you want!” declared Angela Lay Roberts

“...And be specific or you’ll be learning lessons in specificity for lifetimes” mused Brett Alexandria Unruh

“Be prepared to get what you want, otherwise you may see your blessings as curses” assured Meredith Shook

“Perhaps #OurPro has yet to live, in the sense as we understand it” explored Lilly Law.

Our protagonist is referred to as #OurPro for those of you just now joining us.  You might want to catch up as there are planes, trains, boats and ships and exotic vehicles that are all emerging in different worlds.  Entire moons and planets that are transported with a single thought.  There are epic battles and romances, but most importantly parties, dancing and celebrations all in honor of you.  Yes YOU!  Why you?

“You say it is your Birthday” says Timothy Noonan.
“It’s my Birthday too” jammed Ilona Scheel on a tamborine.
“We’re gonna have a good time” added Gretchen Neary

Randy Clower and Nicoya Mothershed took you arm and arm and thrust you forward into the scene.  Martin Ezelle flashed a smile with such smoothness you’d think that Lando Calrissian was his pupil.  Fred Villanueva places your favorite drink in one hand and Taylor Bunn puts your favorite party favor in the other.  Everything seems grand.

“Or does it!?” dramatically poises Nicole Pearce as she has a way with words.
“Maybe a little too grand…“thought Heather Kidd
“Or maybe we are just getting started” optimized Judith Prueitt-Prentice

However #OurPro still felt a bit off.  Something or someone is missing.  Who can it be?
Joanie Bannister sent for a magic mirror that can reflect the truth in any situation, and Jamie Singer ran her wild horses with the help of Lisa J Miller and Cindee Mayfield.

“Are the birthday guest from the Riverboat arrived?” she asked Ginger Mensik.
Ginger nodded and #OurPro requested that she conjure up that ridiculously good looking world famous highly skilled private detective to help her find what is missing.

“What is missing is essential” pondered Emily Murdock.  #OurPro agreed and charged her and Kamelle Mills, Tanya Brooke Dunlap and Bruce Allen Stewart to track down the Birthday Guests from the transdimensional railroad conducted by Skip Waters and make sure they make it to the party.

Marie Quevedo volunteered her league of endurance athletes to explore the terrain looking for anyone that might have gotten lost in the shift.

Amanda assembled a crew for the fasted ship in the dimension and commanded “Prepare to set sail“.

“Who will take to the air?” asked #OurPro as George Ashcraft, Lisa Marie Wright and Dayna Delux all volunteered simultaneously.

 Ethan Norris and Cara Cassaday produced a dance card of all of the characters and realized it was only about a quarter full.

“Still plenty of openings” chimed Ruth Engel-McEntire
“So many songs” added Tash Kouri
“So many dance partners” charmed Mary Friesen

Shanae Chandler fondly remembered one of her high school dances with a date with two first names and Melinda Imthurn served as a valet for the limo full of guests that pulled up.  Claudia Acosta opened the gates for Keith Randal Duncan and the royal Reka Reek.

“We’re going to need a bigger ballroom” referenced Kenda Taylor
“We’re going to need a bigger heart…” added #OurPro “to give all the love and wishes”
“How do you do it?” asked a curious Courtney Gayle
“How do WE do it.” corrected our beautiful protagonist as a statement. “That is the secret I am going to share with you.”
“Well let’s have it!” aggressively suggested Marty Van Kleeck.

“Secret! Secret! Secret!” Started chanting Rachel Hull and Angela Heenan-Gair and soon the entire vibration of the dimension began to change until a sphere of light appeared.  A hush quickly fell across all the spectators and witnesses.  The timeless moment was measured by Terry Robertson-Baker gasping quickly followed by Chip Joslin asking… “Is this it?”

#OurPro asked if anyone knew what it was and the answers were plenty!

“It’s a world” offered Noble Tse
“A UFO” added Jon Lee Hart
“It’s Love” romanticized Cindy Walker Seely
“It’s light” obviously stated Lauren Claiborne Black
“Its’ beauty” declared Liz da Silva
“It’s an egg” stated Jim Bigner
“An Easter Egg!” quickly added Christina Shelton
“A surprise visit with custom comedy” shamelessly plugged Jill Christine Peters
“It’s a seed of something spectacular“offered Allison Rogers
“It’s one of them She-Ra’s” suggested Zach Touchon
“Like the Princess of Power? I Love her” comically saved Cassidy Crown Confer
“I think he means Chakra” corrected Marty Copeland
“It’s my wish” you said quietly to yourself.

#OurPro told them they were all correct, even the shameless plug.  Then the light became brighter and our beautiful protagonist couldn’t sustain it any longer.  It got brighter and the sphere began to crack….

“It’s hatching!” observed Joanna Holden with just the right amount of dramatic intensity.
“Is it Lady Gaga?” Asked Robin Devoe

The light seemed to go nova and as it dimmed the silhouette of a figure appeared in the classic superhero pose and a powerful voice said “I am your antagonist.  You may call me #YourAnt for short”

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Chapter 8- 60 Characters In Search Of An Author

“Shots Fired!” misused an apathetic and ironically misunderstood millennial because this was indeed a serious situation and not a simple verbal assault over interpersonal trivia.  This is not to say that verbal assaults on the internet are trivial or that this epic war of superheroes is just part of the natural order of the chaos in the universe.  It simply is.

Lou Smith and Brenda Lindenberg Stanton both felt this is the time to put a disclaimer that the names and situations in this story may be real or fictional but may reflect real life and certainly does not reflect the exclusive view or possibly any part of the views of the people that embody those names or the author in perpetuity throughout all the infinite  Universes. Elizabeth Wright would also like to add if they might seem to be true or based on real events that is entirely up to you and your imagination.  Chris McMurtry wanted to encourage the taking of flash photography or low-light or with filters all under the preferred hashtag (Might I suggest #HappyTSBday, #Shanespeare or #OurPro). Mike Salcido wanted to thank all the artists that made this possible, and also the car with the License Plate THX 1138 left their lights on and it was causing too much lens flare for Nikki DeShea Smith‘s fantastic light design.

Now  Sandi Bailey brings us back to the story from the front lines of this super battle.

Angela Raelene McGuire signaled she was ready to engage as she always enjoyed a fray for the right reasons.  Lauren Godfrey Patterson,  Ashley Head and Dixie Still got in position.

“I have the shot” affirmed Scarlett McAlister Harris.
“Then take it” commanded Daniel R States.

The shot was taken and quickly enhanced by Dalton James and the Prince of Pisces, Fan of the Fishes Mycal Sykes because it is what they do and they know how to work their craft.

So do the others.  Just then Greg Grayson dropped a joke grenade to bring us back to the story.  Jamie Wollrab waited for it to go off and then had to explain that is when you tell a joke but it doesn’t hit its audience right away.  However, since he had to explain it he felt people still were not laughing it was a dud… or maybe you were just not meant to get it.  Yet.

Cristela Carrizales reminded us to Beware the Ides of March right after Pie Day but Meg Shideler, Laura Laine and Taylor Munholland were already dressed in green leading the parade right out of the ironic land to the land down under while Mia Rae and Shelly Koehler were flipping their real estate like no one has ever seen.

Laurie McNair and Tiffany Williams skeptically joined the parade and as they saw it heading toward a large ship on the water they both thought at the exact same time.  “Deja Vu“.  They both said looking at each other”Pinch Poke, you owe me a Coke“.  They pinched each other starting a trend, like they do.  Monalisa Amidar pinched Bono and Nathan Allen Pinard pinched The Riddler.  However when Laura Reeves pinched Captain America he vanished!   POOF!  Gone!  This is when things started getting very interesting.

Laurie Williamson pinched the Green Lantern and he smiled and thanked her for keeping him relevant.  She though to herself “I’m Smart!” like people do and saw Batman and Superman promoting their movie and thought this would be a good time for her to take her own justice on Batfleck.  She got close and pinched him and nothing happened.

Rest assured you are not the only one disappointed with these circumstances.  Well… technically something happened, but it wasn’t the result she was going for.  Superman asked if she was with him and the mouth breathing Batfleck said “I thought she was with you” confirming they are going for the simplest dialogue ever spoken by superheroes.

Fiona Ann Norton interrupted them saying that since Batman didn’t have Robin or someone to say something along the lines of “Holy Green Thumb Batman, those not wearing green disappear when pinched.” She thought she would explain with her proper dialect to help move things along and we thank her for it.

Erin Treadway pinched the Hulk and there was no reaction and of course Ironman was hovering just out of reach.  Melissa Hartman Couture pinched Wonder Woman and she Poofed and Melissa coined the term “Pinch Poof!”  Why is it that those wearing green were immune to the Pinch Poof wondered Vivian Jimenez Hall.

Diamond Jim and Randy Tinkle were bummed that Wonderwoman was PinchPoofed so they started pinching everybody not wearing green causing a wide spread panic, even though the green smiley faced said “Don’t“.

“Easy for you to say” provoked Zelmer Phillips “You’re nothing but a green smiley mouth“.
“And I’m not” said Steve Davis as a classic diversion allowing Eric Soto-Riggle to get close enough to Superman to pinch him but nothing happened.

“Why didn’t that work?” asked Dylan Hollingsworth.

“Because he wasn’t pinched by someone wearing green” explained Mary Williford Bayer.

Suddenly Batman pinched Superman and Superman Pinch Poofed followed by a thunderous applause from a variety of people wearing green or not.  Lisa B. Whitfield thought about pinching Batfleck but Ashlee James McCollom just walked right up and asked to pinch him.  Batfleck nodded, or maybe he was just looking down as such a sad Batman does, either way there was a pinch and he remained.  There was no Pinch Poof for Batman, not even the Ben Affleck one.

Herschel Alan Weisfeld demanded an explanation because there was absolutely no green visible on Batman, but the mouth breathing crime fighter finally closed his mouth to make an uncomfortable smile and reveal he was wearing kryptonite underwear.

“Ohh!” explaimed Donald Wayne Brown Jr. not exactly sure how he felt about that.

Lara Seibert Young loaded the last few from the green parade onto the ship and those not wearing green were scattering for the hills.  Jenni Tooley advised everyone to show their green and Hilary Tipps asked where the ship was going.

“Probably to the moon” suggested Chris Spinks as there has been much of that going on.
Jorge Luis Davila led a team on the ground to break up the battle as Batman asked Mike Daniel what his secret identity was since it’s a dead give away that you are a super hero if your secret identity has 2 first names.  Jeramie Crawford suggested that they not reveal his hero yet because then you’ll just get into fights with other superheroes.

“It’s all the rage these days” agreed Kristy Krüger but when you have all the feelings as a Pisces, a comic conflict is the last thing you want or need.  Diana Faro Daugherty and Russ Pond agreed.

As the ship left dock and powered out to sea towards the almost full moon Carie Welborn-Bair and Caramie Cason watched mermaids and Aquamen followed singing each to each.

Michael Brower noticed a man in a toga on the bow of the ship with his arms spread like he was King of the World.  Alicia G. Thomasson mentioned all of these heroes are people that she’s recently been reading about and that was Julius Caesar.  Bunny Miles Rothrock and Lynn Kawano noticed he was not wearing green.  The world leader turned to see he was about to be pinched into oblivion.  All he could say is “Etu Mia Rae“

 

Chapter 7- Well Wishes Through A Wishing Well

It is wished that one day in the future one might say it’s an old saying; “To survive a broken heart makes you a better person”.  To say today who’s wish it is may jinx it, but in this moment twice as many eyes were closed as they made their wish and blew out their candles.

Jessy Black had exponentially more candles than her planetary clone Judy Smith Blackwell, so Linda Wallace pointed out that gave her exponentially more wishes as she sat back and sassed and sipped.  Shannon Kearns maximized the epic emotional exponent of the event as Terry Brink nursed them all in recovery.

Joshua Dennis must have wished for a light because he was all a glow, which was handy since everyone was in the dark since the candles were blown out.  Audrey Tennant led everyone in a serene prayer which Marie Del Marco commented on was a great way to understand the infinite spectrum of emotions they were all feeling at this party.

It was indeed an emotional time.  Terry Ash Ebbo, Montie Jo Burgy and Logan Maxwell Green were tending to a group of crying guests and Jason Acton asked what was wrong.

“Nothing!” respectfully replied Cynthia Santiago.  “They’re actually very happy“.
“Why all the tears?” he politely probed.
“If you’re not a Pisces you wouldn’t understand.” affirmed Kristine Mansour Armentor.

Haley Esposito and Etty Horowitz nodded and sipped their drink while Laura Lutz Jones and Karen Wiley commented on the snacks and Donald McLaughlin wrote a script about the party favors.  Of course Lydia Mackay, Andrew Aguilar and Heather Forsythe asked about auditions and Lee Jamison wished she could fit it in between saving all the kittens in the animal kingdom.

Jocelyn White and Christie Renee Welch were wishing in one hand and I would be no gentleman if I were to say what they were doing in the other.  (Lisa Moore says she will tell you if you really want to know)

 Shana Anderson was serving drinks like Bettie Martini and Mallory Malapeño Carrick was pouring shots while Carmen Dexter was serving books that Tiffany Riley was humorously interpreting for those physical comedy connoisseurs Arthur Morton, Kiki Curry Winters and Celeste Rogers.  Amanda Mount Hunter, Candy Buckley and Carolyn Collins cut a rug on the dance floor as José Bowen led the band in a funky new groove.  All was chill until the thrill of Kevin Long letting the dogs out.  As he did he noticed on the horizon a league of Spartan Race Warriors led by Matt Nguyen and backed up by Stephen Brodie, Scott White, Jeremy Escobar, Eric Gacia and Trey Birkhead in his 5.0.  As Matt removed his duct tape helmet he commanded to his troops….

“SPARTANS!  Prepare for Gloriiiious Birthday Cake!“

“Aroo!  Aroo!  Aroo!” they all said wondering if it was Gluten Free and exactly how many burpees would be involved.  As they stormed down the ridge to the party the moon eclipsed leaving them all in darkness once again.

“This is pretty cool” acknowledged  Brandon J. Walker as Brad Ward added
“I’m prepared” lighting up his torch as did Shawn Gann down in the party camp.

The two lights traveled to each other just as the new moon reached it’s total eclipse of the heart and then once again, as before, there was an unmistakable sound.  Everyone looked toward it and once again, the moon seemed to be a portal transporting visitors from another world.

There was another crack of thunder followed by a downpour of something other than rain.

“OUCH!” complained Wale Akin getting hit in the head with what he thought was hail, but turned out to be cold, hard cash with an emphasis on the cold and hard.
“Coins!” identified Brad Hartliep
“Yes, but they don’t seem to be from around here” observed Douglas D Martin
“And they all seem to be coming up heads instead of tails” warned Becca Shivers 
“What’s that?”asked Abi Abel pointing to a tiny light which grew larger as it got closer.
“Maybe it’s a shooting star” hoped Jerry Martin as she made yet another Birthday Wish.
“Maybe it’s a soul” theorized John M. Flores
“Looks to me like a train” pondered Margaret Ponder
“It’s a SOUL TRAIL!” zinged Roxy Hernandez with her coming timing and dry wit

Robyn Fletcher Acevedo pointed right at you as you laughed for validation that you are developing an expanding sense of humor as well as imagination.Kevin Jeffers pushed everyone to shelter as the train glanced the ridge and came down towards the party camp.  All the hopes and wishes came through the portal in the eclipse but everyone was too busy scrambling from oncoming train to notice. Jessica Foster and Michelle McElree stood like a dear in the headlight until Tom Urquhart pulled them from the path just in time.

The train slowed and stopped right at the camp as if it was exactly what it intended to do.  Steam, smoke, dust danced in clouds of electric zapping as passenger cars doors opened and people flooded out.  Stefany Cambra and Eimilie Mitchell emerged wearing exceedingly fashionable steam punk attire.  Jacqueline Pettit, Eric Wilder and Josh Hepola emerged at the caboose with what might have been strange weapons.  There seemed to be others but they were hard to pinpoint in the commotion.  Just as the clouds seem to settle and light began to return the train blew it’s horn so loud everyone covered their ears.  The engine turned off and the door raised open to reveal a man in a top hat carrying a large wooden box.  He dropped it down on on the ground to make a stair and two chucks appeared.  As people looked it it was #OurPro.  Her voice seemed to be amplified as she said…

“I heard it was your Birthday”

Chapter 6-Leapyear Lizards and Aliens!

A hummingbird beats its wings and a circle of light appears.  A pause in that moment reveals what can seen between the hummingbirds wings.  It is the enchanted fairies known as the Wish Squad (#Wishsquad, told you there would be a test in the previous chapters).  This #Wishsquad can create a time when none exists.  They can add a day to February and call it leap year so nobody would ever Google it like they would #Shanespeare or #HappyTSBday.

The #Wishsquad whispered into the ear of Baqash Wilson something that made him head to the transdimensional riverboat to convey a message.  The message was passed to Mark Lawyer who asked Kimberly Alexander to help.  They jumped on the saddled unicorns and galloped to the riverbed.

Michael Murray asked if he could help and Kimberly climbed on his shoulders once they were aboard to deliver the message.

There is a rapping on the window.  A banging on the shutters and a knocking on the door.  Such a loud clatter that Christopher Piper and David Jeremiah startled themselves awake and knew not where they were.  They were not much help so they began to flip some coins, which ironically kept coming up tails.  That’s right!  Not heads, but TAILS!

Cassie Nova found it interesting but was always a fan of tails.  And heads too for that matter.  Jonas Miller found it to be an omen but was indecisive if it was a good one or a bad one. Vincent Wilbanks brought in more bags of coins and flipped and spun them all to the same result.

“Perhaps it’s this room” suggested Bree Foster,
“Let’s try this back on land” continued Brandy Bianchini,
“Follow me!” ordered Ginger Valentine and far be it from anyone to suggest otherwise.

Christopher Todd Penn extended the boarding plank and the away team assembled on the bank of the river.  Janee Hill provided a fresh bag of coins and sure enough.  TAILS! Shauna McLean Tompkins suggested it was a magnetic field or some sort of energy.

Cheryl Andrea and Susan Gurvich cleared the energy of the circle and they attempted again.  TAILS!

“This way!” led Christel Danning going further onto land accompanied by more than just the unicorns.  A pair of pegasus flew overhead while R.O.U.S.es followed closed in the trees.  Renee Smith and Amy Whitaker Marroquin suggested it might be the spirit of Barbara Macchia, while Stephanie Fischer was certain to find a scientific explanation.

“It’s magic?” suggested Brent Morley
“It’s movement.” connected Meghan Cardwell-Wilson
“…like muscle memory” continued Elaine Stiglmeier.
“It’s music.” concluded Bruce Richardson
“It’s some sort of time rift!” hinted undercover time agent Rita Smith.
“IT IS ALIENS!” offered Fern, a Peter Pan like figure standing in a toga.
“WOW!  Who saw that coming?” asked Tammy Phelps.

It should be noted that Patti Geolat, Douglas L Voet and Tonya Walsh Fenoglio raised their hands while Tyler Santa ironically huffed that he did not believe in aliens and that they were a myth her parents made up so he would stop hunting the tooth fairy.  Micaela Brigida wanted to point out it was in the chapter title and Duraih Preston Smithizzle encouraged Fern to elaborate.

Fern gladly explained that on her 13th Birthday the aliens would return and take her to their homeworld.  Astin Bookout suggested that she might look old enough to buy alcohol and she further explained that she was born in a leap year, so by Birthday’s she’s only had 10, like the Pirates of Penzance but doubled.

“So you are saying the coins will never land on heads again for another 12 or so years?” confirmed Mark Storozyszyn.
“That is what she’s saying.” assured Grace Patterson.
“No, that is not it at all.” corrected Kathy Hoffman.  “That is not what it meant at all”.
“How is this furthering the story?” questioned both Emily Bragg and  Ande Bewley.

Just then Jose Granados and Dave Ruffin swung in with their swords drawn and an epic battle ensued.  Earl Browning III pulled his parachute forgetting he was on the ground getting James Prince all tangled up in it.  Dena Miller jumped on the shoulders of Brandon J. Walker and brought him to the ground where Angie Thompson tickled him until he gave up.  Brad Ward allowed himself to be bested by Etty Horowitz and Carmen Dexter.

 Erin McGrew Herndon and Whitney Vinson Rosenbalm faced off in a battle of the voices which drew the attention of most of the other fighters including Wes Raitt who was running alongside a tree when a note struck him so dumb he fell like a feather in a beautiful world.  Shonda Ratliff Graner helped Laura Lutz Jones out of the center of the action as the scurried off into the brush.

Chris and David both looked on and everyone seemed to have abandoned them.  Chris reached into his pouch and found a coin.  He flipped it high into the air and David caught it and looked at it.

“Hmpf, That was lucky.” he said.
“What?” Asked Chris
“It was heads” said David.